to be incarnate who is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal 3.1 and the Angel of his presence Isa 63.9 was he that uttered and deliver'd the Law unto Moses â—cts 7.38 â—cts 7.39 and to this purpose are produced these Texts This Moses is he that was in the Congregation with the Angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai Now this Angel was Christ as it is cleared in the following verse whom or which Angel our Fathers would not obey but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt They would not obey the Angel but thrust him from them i. they tempted the Angel whom they should have obeyed and who was that but Jesus Christ as it is cleared more fully and expresly by the Apostle Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Some of the Learned are of opinion that Christ the Son of God did in the shape of a man deliver the Law But I leave that 2. In the Law it self as it is a Covenant of Grace we find something of Christ in the preface he proclaims himself to be our God and in the first Commandment we are bound to take this God to be our God and in the second he gives us a double Reason or Motive to obey for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God I shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments And in the fifth Commandment he gives a promise of long life in Canaan which is either to be look'd at as a type of Heaven or literally for a prosperous condition here on earth but howsoever it is by virtue of the Covenant and as a testimony of Gods love now all these promises are made in Christ God is not our God but in and through Jesus Christ God will not shew mercy unto thousands nor unto one of all the thousands of his Saints but as they are in Jesus Christ God will not give us long life here or eternal life hereafter but in for and through the Lord Jesus Christ what if Moses writ not down the word Christ yet certainly Moses writ of Christ his words imply Christ as Christ himself told the Jews John 5.46 Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for Moses wrote of me and as Philip told Nathanael we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write John 1.45 Jesus of Nazareth John 1.45 Surely Christ was if not the only subject yet the only scope of all the writings of Moses and therefore in the Law it self you see we find something of Christ 3. In the Exposition of the Law as Moses gives it here and there we find something of Christ Yea if we observe it Moses brought something more to the expression of Christ and of the Covenant of Grace than ever was before in the first promise it was revealed that Christ should be the Seed of the woman in the second manifestation of the promise it was revealed that Christ should be of the Seed of Abraham but in Moses writings and Moses time we learn more expresly that Christ was to be incarnate and to have his Conversation amongst men Ex. 29.45 46 The promise runs thus And I will dwell among the Children of Israel and will be their God and they shall know that I am the Lord their God that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I may dwell amongst them Lev. 26.11 12 I am the Lord their God The same promise is renewed or repeated and I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you and I will walk among you and I will be your God and ye shall be my people this promise was punctually fulfilled when Christ was incarnate for then was the Word made flesh and dwelt amongst us John 1.14 John 1.14 or if it be referred to the habitation of God by his Spirit amongst the spiritual seed of Abraham then it implies the incarnation of Christ because that was to go before the plentiful habitation of Christs Spirit in the Saints Again Moses writing of Christ Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God saith he will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto Me unto him shall ye hearken VVas not this a plain expression Peter in his Sermon to the Jews preacheth Jesus Christ and he tells the Jews that this Jesus Christ was preached unto them before when before even in Moses time and for proof he cites this very Text Acts 3.20 22 For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto Me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you 4. In the confirmation of the Law we find something of Christ It was confirmed by Seals and Sacrifices c. What were all these but a type of Christ in the formed expression of the Covenant we found the Seal of Circumcision but now it pleased God to add unto the former another Seal for Confirmation of their Faith sc the Passeover and was not this a type of Christ the immaculate Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Again in this manifestation Moses brought in the Priesthood as a setled Ordinance to offer sacrifices for the people and was not this a type of Christ our true and unchangeable High Priest I have sometimes seen the Articles of a believing Jews Creed collected out of Moses Law as thus I believe that the Messiah should die to make satisfaction for sin this they saw in their continued bloudy Sacrifices and their deliverance from Egypt by the death of a Lamb taught them no less 2. I believe that he shall not die for his own sins but for the sins of others this they might easily observe in every sacrifice when according to Law they saw the most harmless birds and Beasts were offered 3. I beleive to be saved by laying hold upon his merits this they might gather by laying their right hand upon the head of every Beast that they brought to be offered up and by laying hold on the horns of the Altar being a Sanctuary or Refuge from pursuing vengeance Thus we might go on No question the Death and Resurrection of Christ the Priesthood and Kingdom of Christ were prefigured and typed by the Sacrifices and the Brazen Serpent and the Priesthood of Aaron and the Kingdom of Israel And I cannot but think that the godly spiritual Jews understood this very well and that these did not rest in Sacrifices or Sacraments but that by faith they did really enjoy Christ in every of them 5. In the intention of Gods giving the Law we find something of Christ The very end of God in holding forth the Law was that upon the sense of our impossibility to keep it and of our danger to break
of this World or of that World to come Here is an Object of Faith and Love and Joy and Delight here is a Compendium of all Glories here is one for a heart to be taken with to all Eternity O lay thy mouth to this Fountain suck and be satisfied with the brests of his Consolation Isa 66.11 Milk out and be delighted with the brightness of his Glory 2. From the sutableness of this Object Christ Incarnate is most sutable for our Faith to act upon We are indeed to believe on God but God essentially is the utmost Object of Faith we cannot come to God but in and through Christ alas God is offended and therefore we cannot find ground immediately to go to God hence you heard that Faith must directly go to Christ as God in our Flesh O the infinite condescentions of God in Christ God takes up our Nature and joins it to himself as one person and layes out that before our Faith so that here is God and God suited to the particular state and condition of the sinner Oh now with what boldness may our souls draw nigh to God Why art thou strange poor soul Why standest thou afar off as if it were death to draw nigh Of whom art thou affraid Is God come down amongst men and canst thou not see him lest thou die and perish Oh look once more and be not discouraged See God is not come down in fire God is not descended in the Armour of Justice and everlasting burnings No no he is cloathed with the Garments of Flesh he sweetly desires to converse with thee after thine own form he is come down to beseech thee to see with thine own eyes thy eternal happiness q. d. Come poor Soul come put in thy hands and feel my heart how it beats in love towards thee O the wonder of Heaven it is the cry of some poor souls Oh that I might see God! loe here God is come down in the likeness of man he walks in our own shape amongst us it is the cry oft others O that I might have my heart united to God! Why he is come down on this very purpose and hath united our nature unto himself Surely God hath left all the World without excuse Oh that ever there should be an heart of unbelief after these sensible demonstrations of Divine Glory and Love Why soul wilt thou now stand off Tell me what wouldst thou have God do more Can he manifest himself in a more taking alluring sutable way to thy condition Is there any thing below flesh wherein the great God can humble himself for thy good Come think of another and a better way or else for ever believe Methinks it is sad to see Believers shy in their approaches to God or doubtful of their acceptance with God when God himself stoops first and is so in love with our acquaintance that he will be of the some nature that we are O let not such a Rock of strength be slighted but every day entertain sweet and precious thoughts of Christ being incarnate enure thy heart to a way of believing on this Jesus as he carries on the great Work of thy Slavation at his first Coming or Incarnation 3. From the Gospel-tenders and offers of this blessed Object to our Souls As Christ is come in our natue to satisfie so he comes in the Gospel freely and fully to offer thee terms of Love therein are set out the most rich and alluring expressions that possibly can be therein is set out that this Incarnation of Christ was Gods own acting out of his own Love and Grace and Glory therein is set out the Birth and Life and Death of Christ and this he could not do but he must be Incarnate God takes our Flesh and he useth that as an Organ or Instrument whereby to Act he was Flesh to suffer as he was Spirit to satisfie for our sins Methinks I might challenge Unbelief and bid it come forth let it appear if it dare before this Consideration What is not God Incarnate enough to satisfie thy Conscience Come nigh poor Soul hear the Voice of Christ inviting Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden with Sin and O let these rich and glorious openings of the heart of Christ overcome thy heart Suppose the case thus what if God should have done no more than this Had he only looked down from Heaven and hearing sinners cry out O wo wo unto us for ever we have broke Gods Law incurr'd the penalty damned our own souls O who should deliver us Who will save us from the Wrath to Come Who will keep us out of Hell our deserved Dungeon where the fury of the great Judge burns in a fiery Brimstone and his revenge boyls in a fiery Torrent limitless and unquenchable In this case if God hearing sinners thus crying out had he I say only looked down and told them in sweet Language Poor souls I will pardon your Sins by my own Prerogative I made the Law and I will dispense with it fear not I have the Keyes of Life and Death and upon my word you shall not perish What soul would not have been raised up even from the bottom of Hell at this very voice I know a poor soul would have scrupled at this and have said What then should become of infinite Justice shall that be dishonoured to save my Soul This would have been a scruple indeed especially considering that great controversie as we have heard of Mercy and Truth and Righteousness and Peace but to remove all controversies God hath not only spoken from Heaven by himself but he himself is come down from Heaven to Earth to speak unto us O see this Miracle of Mercy God is come down in Flesh he is come as a price he himself will pay himself according to all the demands of his Justice and Righteousness before our eyes and all this done now he offers and tenders himself unto thy soul Oh my soul why shouldest thou fear to cast thy self upon thy God I know thy Objection of vileness notwithstanding all thy vileness God himself offers himself to lead thee by the hand and to remove all doubts God himself hath put a price sufficient in the hands of Justice to stop her Mouth or if yet thou fearest to come to God why come then to thy own Flesh go to Christ as having thy own nature it is he that calls thee How Go to Flesh Go to thy own Nature What can be said more to draw on thy trembling heart If God himself and God so fitted and qualified as I may say will not allure must not men die and perish in unbelief What O my soul give me leave to chide thee Is God come down so low to thee and dost thou now stand questioning whether thou shouldst go or come to him What is this but to say all that God is or does or sayes is too little to perswade me
Jesus Christ in carrying on our souls Salvation is adding miracle to miracle there is a chain of miracles in the matter of our salvation from first to last As. 1. It was a miracle that God in his Eternity before we had a being should have once thought of us especially that the Blessed Trinity should sit in councel and contrive that most admirable and astonishing plot of the Salvation of our souls Oh what a miracle was this 2. It was a Miracle that God for our sakes should create the world and after our fall in Adam that God should preserve the world especially considering that our sin had unpin'd the whole frame of the Creation and that God even then sitting on his Throne of Judgment ready to pass the doom of death for our first Transgression should unexpectedly give a promise of a Saviour when justly he might have given us to the devil and to Hell according to his own Law Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death 3. It was a Miracle that Gods Son should take upon him our nature and that in our nature he should Transact our peace that he should Preach Salvation to us all if we would believe and to the end that we might believe that he would work so many signs and Miracles in the presence of his Disciples and of a world of men was not Christs Birth a Miracle and Christs Life a Miracle and Christs Death a Miracle and Christs Resurrection a Miracle and Christs Ascension a Miracle was not Christs Ministry a miracle and was it not a miracle that Christs Word should not be credited without a world of miracles to back it and confirm it to the Sons of men 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the miracle as well as mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory 4. It was a Miracle that God should look upon us in our blood what a sight was it for God when thy navel was not cut when thou wast not salted at all Ezek. 16.4.5 6. nor swadled at all when thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person yet that then even then the Lord should pass by thee and see thee polluted in thy own blood and should say unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea say unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live O miracle of mercies If creation cannot be without a miracle surely the new creature is a miracle indeed So contrary is our perverse natures to all possibilities of Salvation that if Salvation had not marched to us all the way in a miracle we should have perished in the ruines of a sad eternity Election is a miracle and Creation is a miracle and Redemption is a miracle and Vocation is a miracle and indeed every man living in the state of grace is a perpetual miracle in such a one his reason is turned into faith his soul into spirit his body iinto a Temple his earth into heaven his water into wine his Aversations from Christ into intimate Union with Christ and Adhesions to Christ O what a Chain of Miracles is this Why Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean say thus you that are yet in your blood why Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean O Lord I believe help thou my unbelief After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem John 5.39 Some would have this feast to be Pentecost and to speak truly the most of our Commentaries run that way others take this for the feast of the Passover and the rather because the Evangelist John reckons the time of Christs publick Ministry by the several Passovers now if this feast were not a Passover we cannot find in the Gospel so many Passovers as to make up Christs Ministry three years and an half On this ground I joyn with the latter Opinion and so here I end the second year of Christs Ministry and come to the third and to his Actings therein in reference to our souls Salvation CHAP. III. SECT I. Of the third year of Christs Ministry and generally of his Actings in that year HItherto all was quiet neither the Jews nor the Samaritans nor Galileans did as yet malign the Doctrine or Person of Jesus Christ but he preached with much peace on all hands till the beginning of this year I shall not yet speak his sufferings neither shall I speak much of his doings many things were done and spoken this year which I must pass least I be too prolix only such things as refer more principally to the main business of our souls Salvation I shall touch in these particulars As 1. In the Ordination of the Apostles 2. In his Reception of Sinners 3. In the easiness of his yoak and the lightness of his burthen which he imposeth on men SECT II. Of Christs Ordination of his Apostles 1. IN the Ordination of his Apostles are many considerable things the Evangelist Luke layes it down thus Luke 6.12 13. And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God and when it was day he called unto him his Disciples and of them he Chose Twelve whom also he named Apostles Till now Christ taught alone but because after his Ascension he must needs have a Ministry till the end of the world in the first place he choseth out some whom he would have on purpose to wait upon him all the time of his Ministry till he was taken up into Heaven In this Election or Ordination here is first the person by whom they are Chosen Jesus Christ 2. The place were they are chosen viz. in a mountain 3. The time when they were Chosen after his watching and praying all night and when it was day 4. The company out of whom they were Chosen they where his Disciples and out of them he makes this Election 5. The number of them that were Chosen they were Twelve nor more nor less 6. The end to which they were chosen it was to an Apostleship he Chose Twelve whom he also named Apostles 1. The person by whom they are Chosen is Jesus Christ They Chose not themselves but were chosen of Christ this call was immediate and therefore most excellent but now we look not after such calls and therefore I shall not insist on that only by the way Ministers of the Gospel must be Ministers of Christ either immediately or mediately called 2. The place where they were chosen it was on a mountain mountainous places have their situation nearest to Heaven which shews that they were called to high and heavenly things mountains are open and in view which shews their Ministry must be publick they cannot lye hid in a mountain a City that is set upon a hill
of Christs institutions and therefore to remove that objection he tells them plainly there is no such thing but rather clean contrary For my Yoak is easie and my Burthen is light My Yoak i.e. my Commandments so the Apostle John gives the interpretation His Commandments are not grievous 1 John 7.3 My Yoak is easie i.e. my Commandments are without any inconvenience the trouble of a Yoak is not the weight but the uneasiness of it and Christ speaks sutably My Yoak is easie and my Burthen i.e. my institutions the word primarily signifies the fraight or balast of a Ship which cuts through the Waves as if it had no burthen and without which burthen there were no safety in the Ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ferendo a burthen which either is laid upon the shoulder or rather which is put into a Ship that it may go steadily and safely My Burthen is light the Yoak of the Law was heard and the Burthen of the Pharisees was heavy but Christs Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light every way sweet and pleasant Christian Religion and the practise of it are full of sweetness easiness and pleasantness My Yoak is easie and my Burthen is light The Prophets prophesying of this say thus Every Valley shall be exalted and every Mountain and Hill shall be laid low Isa 40.4 the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain the meaning is that the wayes of Christianity should be levelled and made even and that all lets and impediments should be removed out of the way that so we might have a more easie and convenient passage unto Heaven to the same purpose is that other prophesie Isa 35.8 And an high-way or causway shall be there and a way a causway and a way that is a way cast up Isa 62.10 and it shall be called the way of holiness or a way for the Saints of God and not for the wicked Matth. 7.14 The unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those or he shall be with them or be a guide unto them by his Word and Spirit Isa 30.21 The Wayfaring men though fools shall not erre therein Christs way is so easie that the simplest so conducted by his Word and Spirit shall not miss of it The meek will he guide in Judgment Psal 25.9 and the meek will he teach his way The Apostles are yet more clear For this is the love of God 1 John 5.3 Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.6 that we keep his Commandments and his commandments are not grievous And the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and Death And now are we delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter Christ Jesus came to break off from our necks those two great yoaks the one of Sin by which we are kept in fetters and prisons the other of Moses Law by which we are kept in pupillage and minority and now Christ having taken off these two he hath put on a third he quits us of our burthen but not of our duty he hath changed the yoak of sin and the yoak of the Law strictly taken into the sweetness of his Fatherly Regiment whose very precepts carry part of their reward in hand and assurance of Glory afterward The reasons of the sweetness easiness and pleasantness of Christian Religion and the practise of it I shall reduce into these heads 1. Christian Religion is most rational If we should look into the best laws that the wisest men in the World ever agreed upon we shall find that Christ adopted the quintessence of them all into this one Law the highest pitch of reason is but as a spark a taper a lesser light which is involved and swallowed up in the Body of this great light that is made up by the Son of Righteousness Some observe that Christ's discipline is the Breviary of all the wisdom of the Best men and a fair copy and transcript of his Fathers wisdom there is nothing in the laws of Christian Religion but what is the perfective of our Spirits rare expedient of obeying God and of doing duty and benefit to all capacities and orders of men Indeed the Greeks whom the World admired for their humane wisdom accounted the Preaching of the Gospel foolishness and thereupon God blasted their wisdom as it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the Prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 1 Cor. 1 19. the Gospel may be as foolishness unto some but unto them which are called Christ the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisdom of God 2. Christian Religion hath less trouble and slavery in it than sin or any thing that is contrary to it as for instance he that propounds to himself to live a low a pious an humble and retired life his main imployment is nothing but sitting Religiously quiet and undisturbed with variety of impertinent affairs but he that loves the world entertains athousand businesses and every business hath a world of employments how easie a thing is it to restore a pledg but if a man means to defeat or to cozen him that trusts him what a world of arts must he use to make pretences as first to delay then to excuse then to object then to intricate the business then to quarrel and all the way to palliate the crime and to represent himself an honest man the wayes of sin are crooked desert rocky and uneven wayes the Apocriphal Book of Solomon brings in such men as if in hell they were speaking this language We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness Wisd 5.7 yea we have gone through deserts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it Wicked men are in thraldom but where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is freedom O the pains troubles expences that men are at to serve their sensuality see how the ambitious man riseth early and goes to bed late see how he flatters dissembles solicites to obtain nothing but a little wind a puff a breath of vain mens mouths see how the covetous man toyls as if he were tied in a gally by the leg with a chain to serve by rowing for ever so I have heard that Turks use some Christians but this is a thousand times worse servitude for such a one is in servitude to a more base Creature than a Turk and he lies bound not only by the feet but also by the hands eares eyes heart and all only the Christian is at liberty only Christian Religion and the practise of it sets men at liberty If ye continue in my word John 8.31 32 saith Christ then are ye my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefest of ten thousands As in the fairest beauty there is a mixture of these two colours white and ruddy so in Christ there is a gracious mixture and compound of all the graces of the Spirit there is in him a sweet temper of gentleness purity righteousness meekness humility and what not In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 and I may add of all other gifts and graces not a grace but it was in Christ and that in an higher way than in any Saint in the World and therefore he is called fairer than all the children of men Observe There was more habitual grace in Christ than ever was or is or shall be in all the Elect whether Angels or Men. He received the Spirit out of measure there was in him as much as possibly could be in a creature and more than in all other creatures whatsoever As the Sun is the Prince of Stars as the Husband is the head of the Wife as a Lion is the King of the Beasts so is this Sun of Righteousness this Head of the Church this Lion of the Tribe of Judah the chiefest of ten thousands if we look at any thing in Heaven or Earth that we observe as eminently fair by that is the Lord Jesus in respect of his inward beauty set forth in Scriptures he is the Sun of Righteousness the bright Morning-Star the Light of the World the Tree of Life the Lilly and the Rose fairer than all the Flowers of the Field than all the precious Stones of the Earth than all the Lights in the Firmament than all the Saints and Angels in Heaven You will say What 's all this to us Certainly much every way the Apostle tells you That the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.2 hath freed me from the Law of sin of Death let us enquire into these words the law of the Spirit of life the Spirit of life is here put for life as else where After three dayes an half Rev. 11.11 the Spirit of life coming from God shall enter into them Now life is that whereby a thing acteth and moveth it self and it is the cause and beginning of action and motion and this Spirit of life or life it self being here applied to Christ it is that in Christ which is the beginning and cause of all his holy actions and what was that but his Original holiness or the holiness of his humane Nature But why is the holiness of Christs nature called the Spirit of life I answer 1. Because it was infused into his manhood by the Spirit of God The holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God 2. Because it is a most exact and absolute and perfect holiness the Scripture-phrase setting out things in perfection or fulness usually adds the word Spirit unto them as the spirit of pride the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error so then the meaning of the Spirit of life is all one with the most absolute and most perfect purity and holiness of the nature of Christ It is briefly as if the Apostle had said the law of the Spirit of life or the power of the most absolute and perfect holiness of the nature of Christ hath freed me from the law of sin and death hath acquitted me from the power of my sinful nature and from the power of death due to me in respect of my sinful and corrupt nature We might draw from hence this conclusion that The benefit of Christ's habitual righteousness infused at his first conception is imputed to believers to their justification As the obedience of his life and the merit of his death so the Holyness infused at his very conception hath its influence into our justification it is by the obedience of his life that we are accounted actually holy and by the purity of his conception or habitual grace that we are accounted personally holy But I must not stay here Thus much of the Holiness of Christ's Nature SECT IV. Of the Holiness of Christ's Life Rom. 5.19 2. FOr the holiness of Christs life the Apostle tells us that by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous here 's the obedience of Christ and its influence on us 1. The obedience of Christ is that whereby he continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Matth. 5.17 John 8.29 Acts 3.14 Observe Christ's life was a visible commentary on Gods Law For proof Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets saith Christ but to fulfil them And the Father hath not left me alone saith Christ for I do alwayes those things that please him Hence Christ in Scripture is called Holy and Just and the Holy One Acts 2.27 The most Holy Dan. 9.24 by his actual holiness Christ fulfilled in act every branch of the Law of God he walked in all the Commandments of God he performed perfectly both in thought word and deed whatsoever the Law of the Lord required I do not cannot limit this obedience of Christ to this last year of his Ministry for his whole life was a perpetual course of obedience he was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even until his death and yet because we read most of his holy actings this year and that this was the year wherein both his active and passive obedience did most eminently shine and break forth the year wherein he drew up all the dispersions of his precepts and cast them into actions as into sums total therefore now I handle it and I shall make it out by the passages following only in this one year As 1. Now he discovered his charity in feeding the hungry as at once five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes John 6.9 10 11. John 6.9 10 11. and at another time four thousand men with seven Loaves and a few small Fishes Matth. 15.32 Matth. 15.32 2. Now he discovered his self-denial and contempt of the World in flying the offers of a Kingdom when the people were convinc'd that he was the Messiah from that miracle of feeding five thousand men with five Loaves presently they would needs make him a King but he that left his Fathers Kingdom for us he fled from the offers of a Crown and Kingdom from them John 6.15 as from an enemy When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a Mountain himself alone 3. Now he discovered his mercy in healing the Womans Daughter that had an unclean spirit Mar. 7.26 27. the Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation and in that respect Christ called her a Dog and yet Christ gave her the desire of her soul O the
but that to Christ's habitual and actual righteousness is sometimes attributed freedom from Sin and Hell as in Rom. 8.2 Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and on the contrary side to Chrst's passive obedience is sometimes attributed a right unto Heaven as in Heb. 9.15 Heb. 9.15 That by means of his death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance but such places as these are to be understood by a Synechdoche which puts only one part of Christ's obedience for the whole obedience of Christ But I must recal my self my design in this work was not for controversies I leave that to others See Downham Burges Norton c. for my part I am sure I have before me a more edifying work which is to take a view of this Jesus not only for intellection but for devotion and for the stirring up of our affections Thus far I have held forth Jesus in his life or during the time of his Ministry till the last Passover John 13.1 and now was it that Jesus knew his hour was come and that he should depart out of this World unto the Father but of that hereafter our next business is to direct you in the Art or Mystery how we are to look unto Jesus in respect of his Life CHAP. V. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life FRom the Object considered that we may pass to the Act. 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation during his life We have many Books of the lives of men of the lives of heathens of the lives of Christians and by this we come to know the Generations of old Oh but above all read over the Life of Jesus for that is worth thy knowing To this purpose we have four Evangelists who in Blessed harmony set forth his life and to this purpose we have the Book of the generation of Jesus Christ Now these should be read over and over Mat. 1.1 Hos 6.3 Then shall we know saith the Prophet if we follow on to know the Lord. Ah my soul that which thou knowest of Christ already it is but the least part of what thou art ignorant of We know but in part saith Paul of himself and others the highest knowledg 1 Cor 13 9. which the most illuminate Saints have of Jesus Christ is but defective and imperfect Come then and follow on to know the Lord still inquire after him imitate the Angels who ever desire to stoop down and to pry into the actings of Christ for us men 1 Pet. 1.12 and for our Salvation it is their study yea it is their delight and recreation Paul seemed to imitate them when he said I determine not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 if there be any thing in the world worth the knowing this it is And for thy better knowledg that it may not be confused but distinct 1. Study over those passages in the first year of Christs ministry as the preaching of John the Baptisme of Christ his fasting and temptation in the Wilderness his first manifestation by his several Witnessâ—s his whipping of the buyers and sellers out of the Temple 2. Study over those passages in the second year of Christ's Ministry as those several Sermons that he Preached and because his Miracles were as signals of his Sermons study the several Miracles that he wrought thou hast but a few Instances in comparison of all his Miracles and yet how fruit-are they of spiritual instructions 3. Study over those passages in the third year of Christs Ministry as his commissionating his Apostles to call sinners in his readiness to receive them that would but come in and his sweetning the wayes of Christianity to them that are come in For his yoak is easie and his burthen is light 4. Study over those passages in the last year of his Ministry as the holiness of his nature and the holiness of his Life which appeared especially in the exercises of his Graces of Charity and self-denial and mercy and bounty and meekness and pity and humility and obedience O what rare matter is here for a Christians study Some have took such pains in the study of these things that they have writ large volumes men have been writing and preaching a thousand six hundreth years of the Life of Christ and they are writing and preaching still O my soul if thou dost not write yet study what is written come with fixed thoughts and beat thy brains on that blessed subject that will make thee wise unto Salvation Paul accounted all things but dung or dogs meat Phil. 3.8 for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus our Lord if thou didst truly understand the excellency of this knowledg thou couldst not but account all things loss in comparison of this one necessary thing SECT II. Of Considering Jesus in that Respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation during his Life It is not enough to study and know but we must muse and meditate and consider of it till we bring it to some profitable issue By meditating on Christ we may feel or find a kind of insensible change we know not how as those that stand in the sun for other purposes they find themselves lightned and heated so in holy meditation our souls may be altered and changed in a secret insencible way there is a vertue goes along with a serious meditation a changing transforming vertue and therefore look further O my soul have strong apprehensions of all those several passages of the Life of Christ 1. Consider the Preaching of John Baptist we talk of strictness but shew me among all the Ministers or Saints of this Age such a pattern of sanctity and singular austerity the sum of his sermons was repentance and dereliction of Sin and bringeth forth fruits worthy of amendment of life In the promoting of which Doctrine he was a severe reprehender of the Pharisees and Saduces and Publicans and Souldiers and indeed of all men but especially of those that remained in their impenitency for against them he denounced judgment and fire unquenchable Oh he had an excellent zeal and a vehement Spirit in Preaching and the Commentary upon all his Sermons was his own life he was cloathed in Camels hair his meat was locusts and wild honey he contemned the world resisted temptations despised to assume false honours to himself and in all passages was a rare example of self-denial and mortification and by this means he made an excellent and apt preparation for the Lord 's coming O my Soul that thou wouldst but sit a while under this Preacher or that thou wouldst but ruminate and chew the cud think over his Sermons of repentance and righteousness and temperance and of the
which I believe are the beautifullest creatures the world has should be compared with the beauty of Christ which consists in the perfection of the divine nature and in the perfection of his humane nature and in the perfection of the graces of his Spirit they would be but as lumps of darkness The brightest Cherub is forc'd to skreen his face from the dazling and shining brightness of the glory of Christ Alas the Cherubims and Seraphims are but as spangles and twinkling stars in the canopy of Heaven but Christ is the Sun of righteousness that at once illuminates and drowns them all Come then cast up thy desires after Christ breath O my soul after the enjoyments of this Christ fling up to heaven some divine ejaculations Oh that this Christ were mine Oh that the actions of Christ and the person of Christ were mine Oh that all he said and all he did and all he were from top to the were mine Oh that I had the silver wings of a Dove that in all my wants I might fly into the bosom of this Christ Oh that I might be admitted to his person or if that may not be Oh that I may but touch the very hem of his Garment If I must not sit at Table Oh that I might but gather up the Crumbs Surely there 's Bread enough in my Fathers House Christ is the Bread of Life this one Loaf Christ is enough for all the Saints in heaven and earth to feed on and what must I pine away and perish with hunger Oh that I might have one Crum of Christ Thousands of Instructions dropped from him whiles he was on earth Oh that some of that food might be my nourishment Oh that my wayes were directed according to his Statutes many a stream and wave Psal 119.15 John 7.37 and line and precept flowed from this Fountain Christ Oh that I might drink freely of this water of life He hath proclaimed it in my ears if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Oh that I might come and find welcome why sure I thirst I am extreamly a thirst I feel in me such a burning drought that either I must drink or die either the righteousness of Christ the holiness of Christ the holiness of his Nature and the holiness of his Life must be imputed unto me or farewel happiness in another World why come come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh I long to see the beauty of thy face thy glory is said to be an enamouring glory such is thy beauty that it steals away my heart after thee and cannot be satisfied till with Absolon I see the Kings face come Christ or if thou wilt not come I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved Cant. 5.8 that ye tell him I am sick of Love SECT IV. Of Hopeing in Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life By this hope I mean not a fluctuating wavering doubtful hope but an assured hope an hope well grounded The main soul question is whether Christ's life be mine whether all those passages of his life lâ—id open belong unto me whether the habitual righteousness and actual holiness of Christ be imputed to my justification and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built The Apostle tells us that God gives good hopes through Grace if hope be right and good 2 Thes 2.16 it will manifest it self by operations of saving Grace O look into thy soul what gracious effects of the life of Christ are there certainly his life is not with out some influence on our spirits if we be his Members and he be our Head The Head we say communicates life and sense and motion to his members and so doth Christ communicate a spiritual life and sense and motion to his members O the glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believers soul I shall lay down these As 1. If Christ's life be mine then am I freed from the Law of sin This was the Apostles evidence For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Christ's Life is called the Spirit of Life because of its perfection and this Spirit of Life hath such a power in it here termed a Law that it works out in Believers a freedom from the Law or Power in Sin I cannot think notwithstanding the influence of Christ's life on me but that sin still-sticketh in me I am still a sinner in respect of the inherency of sin but I am freed from the power of sin i.e. from the guilt of sin as to its condemning power and from the filth of sin as to its ruling reigning power Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof I grant there is some difference among Divines in their expressions concerning the sins of Gods own people though they mean one and the self-same thing Some call them only sins of infirmity and others grant the name of reigning sins but with this limitation that this is not a total reigning Sin reigneth as a Tyrant over them not as a King at sometimes as in Davids case the will and consent may run along with sin no actual resistance may be made against sin at all 1 John 3.9 and yet at the very same time the seed of God remaineth in them though it seem dead and in Gods good time that very seed will revive again and throw out the Tyrant there is not cannot be that antecedent and consequent consent to sin in the godly as in the wicked O my soul consider this if the vertue of Christ's life come in it will take down that soveraign high reign of sin which the wicked suffer and will not strive against the flesh indeed may sometimes lust against the Spirit but it shall not totally prevail or get the upper hand Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin may tyrannize in me for a time but it shall not King it in me Look to this Rom. 6.14 Doth the power and dominion of Christs Life throw out of thy heart and life that Kingly power and dominion of my sin here is one ground of hope 2. If Christ's life be mine then shall I walk even as he walked such is the efficacy of Christ's life that it will work sutableness and make our life in some sort like his life The Apostle observes that our communion with Christ works on our very conversations he that abideth in him walkes even as he walked and to this purpose are all those holy admonitions walk in love as Christ also loved us and 1 John 2.6 Eph. 5.2 John 13.15 1 Pet. 1.15 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you And as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all
ones And I looked saith John and behold a door was open in Heaven and the first voice I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up hither Rev. 4.1 and no sooner was he in the Spirit and entred in but he heard the new song of the four beasts Rev. 5.9 and four and twenty Elders saying to Christ Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Come now and gather in all these several particulars there is in Christ's blood inclusively the person of Christ the price of souls a merit and satisfaction a copious and full satisfaction remission of sins reconciliation with God immunity from dangers a passage into glory I might add all other priviledges benefits dignities of the soul for they all flow from the blood of Jesus and they are all contained either expresly or vertually in the blood of Jesus and is not all this worth the looking after O my soul where is thy languor and fainting towards this blessed object Shall Ahab eagerly desire after Naboth's vineyard yea so eagerly desire it that his desire shall cast him upon his bed and is not Christ's blood better than Naboth's vineyard how is it O my soul that thou art not sick on thy bed in thy desires after Jesus when David desired strongly after God's Law he expressed his longings by the breaking and fainting of his soul Psal 119.20 81. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgment at all times and my soul fainteth for thy Salvation Oh where be these breakings and faintings 2 Cor. 5.2 strength of desire is expressed by the Apostle by groaning which is the language of sickness Oh where be these groanings after Christ's death when I call to mind that Christ's death is my ransome that Christ's wounds are my salves that Christ's stripes are my cures that Christ's blood is my fountain to wash in and to be clean how should I but pray in this sence His blood be upon us and on our children Oh I am undone except I have a share in this blood why it is only this blood that can heal my soul it is only this Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem that can quench my thirst and now I have seen the Fountain opened how should I but thirst and cry out with the woman of Samaria O give me this water that I thirst no more John 4.15 But alas I say it I only say it Oh that I could feel it Oh my Jesus that thou wouldst breed in me ardent desires vehement longings unutterable groans mighty gaspings O that I were like the dry and thirsty ground that gapes and cleaves and opens for drops of rain when my spirit is in right frame I feel some desires after Christ's blood but how short are these desires how unworthy of the things desired come Lord kindle in me hot burning desires and then give me the desirable Object SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his sufferings and death Heb. 6.11 By this hope I intend only that which the Apostle calls full assurance of hope The main question is Whether I have any part in Christ's sufferings they are of excellent use and of great value to believers but what am I the better for them if I have no part in them or if I say I hope well Oh but what grounds of that hope it is not every hope that is a well grounded hope full assurance of hope is an high pitch of hope and every Christian should strive and endeavour after it now that we may do it and that we may discern it that our hope is not base but right-born that the grounds of our hope in Christ's death are not false but of the right stamp I shall lay down these signs 1. If Christ's death be mine then is Christ's life mine and converse if Christ's death be mine then is Christ's life mine Christ's active and passive obedience cannot be severed Christ is not divided we must not seek one part of our righteousness in his birth another in his habitual holiness another in the integrity of his life another in his obedience of death They that endeavour to separate Christ's active and passive obedience they do exceedingly derogate from Christ and make him but half a Saviour Heb. 7.22 was not Christ our Surety Heb. 7.22 and thereupon was he not bound to fulfil all righteousness for us i.e. as to suffer in our stead so to obey in our stead oh take heed of opposing or separating Christ's death and Christ's life either we have all Christ or we have no part in Christ now if these two be concomitants well may the one be as the sign of the other search then and try O my soul hast thou any share in Christ's life canst thou make out Christ's active obedience unto thy own soul if herein thou art at a stand peruse those Characters laid down in the life of Christ the many glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believer's soul we have discovered before 2. If Christ's death be mine then is that great end of his death accomplished in me viz. By the sacrifice of himself he hath put away sin even my sin and Heb. 9.26 Eph. 1.7 Dan. 9.24 in him I have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins As on this account he suffered to finish the transgression to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity so if his death be mine I may assuredly say my sins are pardoned and mine iniquities are done away Come then and try by this sign canst thou assure thy self that thy sins are forgiven thee hast thou heard the whispers of Gods Spirit Son or Daughter be of good comfort thy sins are remitted there is no question then but thou art redeemed by his blood thou hast part in his sufferings Indeed this very Character may seem obscure assurance of pardon is the hidden Manna the white Stone which no man knoweth saving he which receives it and feels it and yet if thou diligently observest the Spirit 's actings even this may be known remission of sin and repentance for sin are twins of a birth those two God in Scripture hath joined together If we confess our sins 1 John 1.9 Acts 8.22 Acts 5.31 Luk. 24.46 47 he is faithful and just to forgive our sins And repent and pray if the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee And Christ is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins And thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name In this way David assured himself I said I will confess my Transgressions unto
the Lord Psal 32.5 and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah It is no more than to ask thy Soul what are thy repentings kindled together hast thou seriously and sincerely repented thee of sin as sin hast thou turned from all sin unto God with constancy and delight Surely this is peculiar and proper to the Child of God by vertue of Christ's Death 3. If Christ's death be mine then am I engraffed into the likeness of Christ's death then am I made conformable to Christ in his death that I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Phil. 3.10 The same that was done to Christ in a natural way is done and performed in the Believer in a spiritual way i.e. as Christ died so the Believer dies as Christ died for sin so the Believer dies to sin In that he died he died unto sin likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Observe here the Analogy and proportion Rom. 6.10 11. and resemblance betwixt Christ and us both die unto sin Christ by way of expiation suffering and satisfying for the sins of others we by way of mortification killing and slaying and crucifying our own sins I look upon this sign as the very touchstone of a Christian and therefore I shall insist upon it Two questions I suppose needful to resolve the grounds of our Hope concerning our interest in the death of Christ 1. Whether indeed and in truth our sins are mortified 2. Whether we encrease or grow in our mortification For the first whether indeed and in truth our sins are mortified It is a skill worth our learning because of the many deceits that are within us sin may seem to be mortified when the occasion is removed or sin may seem to be mortified when it is not violent but quiet or sin may seem to be mortified when it is but removed from one sin unto another or sin may seem to be mortified when the sap and strength of sin is dead as the Lamp goes out when either the Oil is not supplied or taken away Now that in this scrutiny we may search to the bottoom and know the truth and certainty of our mortification it will appear by these Rules 1. True mortification springs from a root of Faith Every thing in the world proceeds from some cause or other and if the cause be good the effect must needs be good but if the cause be evil the effect must needs be evil A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit and an evil Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit. Mat. 7.18 In this case therefore let us examine the cause if we can make out this truth that we belive in Christ that we roll our selves on the Lord Jesus Christ for life and for salvation and that now we begin to feel in us the decay of sin we may conclude from the cause or rise that this decay of sin is true mortification surely it hath received the deadly wound it is a blessed effect arising from a good and right and genuine cause 2. True mortification is general not only one sin but all sins are mortified in a true Believer As death is unto the Members of the body so is mortification unto the members of sin now death seized upon every member it leaves not life in any one member of the body so neither doth mortification leave life in any one member of sin my meaning is it takes away the commanding power of sin in every member Mortifie your members which are upon the earth saith the Apostle your members Col. 3.5 not one member and then he instanceth Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate Affections Evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry Christians that have their interest in Christ's death must not only leave Pride but Lust not only Uncleanness but Covetousness Sin must not only be slain in the understanding but in the will and affections mortification is general You will say this is an hard saying doth any man any Believer leave all sin yes in respect of ruling power he leaves all sin all gross sins and all other sins only with this difference all gross sins in practise and actions and all frailties and infirmities in allowance and affection It is good to observe the degrees of mortification the first is to forbear the practise of gross and scandalous sins in word and deed Jam. 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and this perfection by the help of Grace a godly man may reach to in this life The second is to deny consent and will to all frailties and infirmities Rom. 7.19 The evil which I would not that do I Rom. 7.19 I may do evil and yet I would not do evil there is a denial of it in the will The third is to be free from any setled liking of any evil motion not only to deny consent and will but also to deny the very thought or imagination setledly and deliberately to delight in sin I know to be void of all evil motions arising from the flesh or of all sudden passions within or of all suduen delights in sin or of all deadness or backwardness to good things by reason of sin it is an higher pitch than any man can touch in this present world for whilst we live the Law of the members will be working and we shall find cause enough to complain of a body of death only if when these motions first arise we presently endeavour to quench them to reject them to detest them and to cast them away from us therein is true mortification and thus far we must look to it to leave all sin 3. True mortification is not without its present combats though at last it conquer many a time corruption may break out and lust may be strong and violent but thâ—s violent lust is only for the present whereas a lust unmortified ever reigneth It is with sin in a Believer as it is with a man that hath received his deadly wound from his enemy he will not presently flie away but rather he will run more violently upon him that hath wounded him yet be he never so violent in the middle of his action he sinks down because he hath received his deadly wound so it is with a Believer's sin and with a mortified lust it may rage in the heart and seem to bear sway for a time but the power and strength of sin is mortified it sinks down and wants ability to prevail by this sign may we know whether the corruptions and stirrings of our hearts proceed from a mortified or from an unmortified lust a lust though mortified may rage for a time but it cannot rule it may strive but it cannot totally prevail it may be in the heart as a thief in the house not to reside or dwell but to lodge for a night and be gone And that which is ever to be observed after
bottomless they pass our understandings yet they recreate our hearts they give matter of admiration yet they are not devoid of consolation O God raise up our souls to thee and if our Spirits be too weak to know thee make our affections ardent and sincere to love thee Surely the death of Christ requires this and calls for this many other motives we may draw from Christ and many other motives are laid down in the Gospel and indeed the whole Gospel is no other thing than a motive to draw man to God by the force of God's love to man in this sense the holy Scriptures may be called the book of true love seeing therein God both unfolds his love to us and also binds our love to him but of all the motives we may draw from Christ and of all the arguments we may find in the Gospel of Christ there is none to this the death of Christ the blood of Jesus is not this such a love-letter as never never was the like read the words For his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 2.4 or if you cannot read observe the Hyeroglyphicks every stripe is a letter every nail is a capital letter every bruise is a black letter his bleeding wounds are as so many rubricks to shew upon record Oh consider it is not this a great love are not all mercies wrapt up in the blood of Christ it may be thou hast riches honours friends means Oh but thank the blood of Christ for all thou hast it may be thou hast grace and that is better than corn or wine or oyl Oh but for this thank the blood of Jesus surely it was the blood of Christ that did this for thee thou wast a rebellious soul thou hast an hard and filthy heart but Christ's blood was the fountain opened and it took away all sin and all uncleanness Christ in all and Christ above all and wilt thou not love him Oh that all our words were words of love and all our labour labour of love and all our thoughts thoughts of love that we might speak of love and muse of love and love this Christ who hath first loved us with all our heart and soul and might what wilt thou not love Jesus Christ let me ask thee then whom wilt thou love or rather whom canst thou love if thou lovest not him if thou sayest I love my Friends Parents Wife Children Oh but love Christ more than these a friend would be an enemy but that the blood of Christ doth frame his heart a Wife would be a trouble but that the blood of Christ doth frame her heart all mercies are conveyed to us through this channel Oh who would not love the Fountain consider of it again and again our Jesus thought nothing too good for us he parts with his life and blood he parts with the sense and feeling of the love of God and all this for us and for our sakes Ah my soul how shouldst thou but love him in all things and by all means It is reported of Ignatius that he so continually meditated on the great things Christ suffered for him that he was brought entirely to love him and when he was demanded why he would not forsake Christ rather than suffer himself to be torn and devoured of wild beasts he answered that he could not forget him because of his sufferings Oh his sufferings said he are not transcient words or removable objects but they are indelible characters so engraven in my heart that all the torments of earth can never raze them out And being commanded by that bloody Tyrant Trajane to be ript and unbowelled they found Jesus Christ written upon his heart in Characters of Gold Here was an heart worth Gold Oh that it might be thus with us If my hands were all of love that I could work nothing but love if my eyes were all of love that I could see nothing but love if my mind were all of love that I could think of nothing but love all were too little to love that Christ who hath thus immeasurably loved me if I had a thousand hearts to bestow on Christ and they most enlarged and scrued up to the highest pitch of affection all these were infinitely short of what I owe to my dread Lord and dearest Saviour Come let 's joyn hands He loved us and therefore let us love him if we dispute the former I argue from the Jews when he shed but a few tears out of his eyes at Lazarus's grave then said the Jews John 11.36 behold how he loved him John 11.36 how much more truly may it be said of us for whom he shed both water and blood and that from his heart Behold how he loved us why then if our hearts be not Iron yea if they be Iron how should they chuse but feel the magnetical force of this Loadstone of love for to a Loadstone doth Christ resemble himself when he saith of himself And I if I be lifted up from the earth John 12.32 will draw all men unto me SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that Respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of Salvation in his sufferings and death what hath Christ suffered for us hath he drunk off all the cup of God's wrath and left none for us how should we be but cheered Precious souls why are you afraid there is no death no hell Rom. 8.1 no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus There is no divine justice for them to undergo that have their share in this death of Christ Oh the Grace and Mercy that is purchased by this means of Christ Oh the waters of comfort that flow from the sufferings and obedience of Christ Christ was amazed that we might be cheered Christ was imprisoned that we might be delivered Christ was accused that we might be acquitted Christ was condemned that we might be redeemed Christ suffered his Fathers wrath and came under it that the victory might be ours and that in the end we might see him face to face in glory is not here matter of Joy It may be the Law and sin and justice and conscience and death and hell may appear as enemies and disturb thy comforts but is there not enough in the blood of Christ to chase them away Give me Leave but to frame the objections of some doubting souls and see whether Christ's death will not sufficiently answer and solve them all 1. One cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me my sins are ever before me against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.3 4. I have sinned against a most dear and gracious and merciful God and Father in our Lord Jesus O the aggravations of my sins are they not sins above measure sinful It may be so but the blood of Christ is a fountain opened for sins and for uncleanness in him we have redemption through his blood
making Christ 's death of none effect O come and with joy draw water out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 5. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the very thoughts of hell seem to astonish my heart methinks I see a little peep-hole down into hell and the devil roaring there being reserved in chains under darkness untill the judgment of the great day and methinks I see the damned flaming and Judas and all the wicked in the world and they of Sodom and Gomorrah there lying and roaing and gnashing their teeth now I have sinned and why should not I be damned Oh why should not the wrath of God be executed on me yea even upon me I answer the death of Christ acquits thee of all Rom. 20.6 Blessed is he that hath a part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Christ's death hath took away the pains of the second death yea pains and power too for it shall never oppress such as belong to Christ If Hell and Devils could speak a word of truth they would say Comfort your selves ye believing souls we have no power over you for the Lord Jesus hath conquered us and we have quite lost the cause Paul was very confident of this and therefore he throws down the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute with all commers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed let sin and the law and justice and death and hell yea and all the Devils in Hell unite their forces this one argument of Christ's death it is Christ that dyed will be enough to confute and confound them all Come then and comfort your selves all believers in this death of Christ what do you believe and are you confident that you do believe why then do you sit drooping What manner of communications are these that you have as ye walk and are sad Luke 24.17 Away away dumpishness despair disquietness of spirit Christ is dead that you might live and be blessed in this respect every thing speaks comfort if you could but see it God and men heaven and earth Angels and devils the very justice of God it self is now your friend and bids you go away comforted for it is satisfied to the full Heaven it self waits on you and keeps the dores open that your souls may enter We have boldness saith the Apostle to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Christ's death hath set open all the golden gates and dores of glory and therefore go away chearily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discouraged or discomforted if you can O my soul I see thou art pouring on sin on thy crimson sins and scarlet sins but I would have thee dwell on that crimson scarlet blood of Christ Oh it is the blood of sprinkling it speaks better things than the blood of Abel it cryes for mercy and pardon and refreshing and salvation thy sins cry Lord do me justice against such a soul but the blood of Christ hath another cry I am abased and humbled and I have answered all Methinks this should make thy heart leap for joy Oh the honey the sweet that we may suck out of this blood of Christ come lay to thy mouth and drink an hearty draught it is this spiritual wine that makes merry the heart of man and it is the voice of Christ to all his guests Eat O friends Cant. 5.1 drink yea drink abundantly O beloved SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus 1. We must pray that all these Transactions of Christ in his sufferings and death may be ours if we direct our prayers immediately to Jesus Christ let us tell him what anguish and pains he hath suffered for our sakes and let us complain against our selves Oh what shall we do who by our sins have so tormented our dearest Lord what contrition can be great enough what tears sufficiently expressive what hatred and detestation equal and commensurate to those sad and heavy sufferings of our Jesus And then let us pray that he would pity us and forgive us those sins wherewith we crucified him that he would bestow on us the vertue of his sufferings and death that his wounds might heal us his death might quicken us and his blood might cleanse us from all our spiritual filth of sin and lastly that he would assure us that his death is ours that he would perswade us That neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38 39. nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. We must praise the Lord for all these sufferings of Christ Hath he indeed suffered all these punishments for us Oh then what shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits upon us what shall we do for him who hath done and suffered all these things but especially if we believe our part in the death of Christ in all the vertues benefits victories purchases and priviledges of his precious death oh then what manifold cause of thankfulness and praise is here be enlarged O my soul sound forth the praises of thy Christ tell all the world of that warmest love of Christ which flowed with his blood out of all his wounds into thy spirit tune thy heart-strings aright and keep consort with all the Angels of Heaven and all his Saints on earth sing that Psalm of John the Divine Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his sufferings and death looking unto Jesus is effective of this objects have an attractive power that do assimulate or make like unto them I have read of a woman that by fixing the strength of her imagination upon a Blackamore on the wall she brought forth a black and swarthy child And no question but there is a kind of spiritual-imaginative of power in faith to be like to Christ by looking on Christ come then and let us look on Christ and conform to Christ in this respect In this particular I shall examine these Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. What is the cause of this conformity 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts For the first wherein we must conform I answer we must conform to Christ
hangs over thy head like Democles s sword and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Ahab for a time acts the part of a penitent but no thanks to Ahab for the Prophet had rung him such a peal for his fin as made both his ears tingle 1 King 21.19 In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood even thine or it may be there is in thee a fear of Hell in thy apprehension death is come and is ready to carry thee before the dreadful Tribunal of a terrible God and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Sea-men in a stress part with their goods not because they are out of love with them but because they love their lives better they see plainly that either they must part with them or perish with them Now in these cases thy leaving off sin bears no similitude with the death of Christ for his death was voluntary and true mortification is a voluntary action But may there not be some reluctancy in this work betwixt the flesh and the Spirit Quest and if so is it then voluntary I answer Yes such a reluctancy we find in the humane nature of Christ concerning the Cup Answ Mat. 26.39 that it might pass from him and yet his death was a true voluntary death An action is said to be voluntary or involuntary according to the superior faculties of the Soul and not according to the inferior if the reasonable part be consenting the action may be called voluntary though there be some reluctancy in the sensitive appetite Thus in the Christian in whom there is nature and grace flesh and spirit an unregenerate and a regenerate part if the superior and better part be willing I mean advisedly and deliberately willing with full consent of the inward man though perhaps there may be some reluctancy in the flesh in the unregenerate part yet this is said to be a true voluntary act So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Paul was dead to sin according to the inward man the regenerate part though he found a reluctancy in his outwards members and therefore his death to sin carried with it the resemblance of the death of Christ it was a voluntary death 2. Christ's death was a violent death he died not naturally but violently 1 Pet. 3.18 Isa 53.7 he was put to death in the flesh he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter So is our mortification it is voluntary in respect of us but violent in respect of sin and herein is the life as I may say of this death Oh when a man layes violent hands on his sins when he cuts them off being yet in their flower and strength and power and vigor when he pulls up those weeds before they whither in themselves this is true mortification many have left their sins who never mortified them so the aged Adulterer hath left his Lust because his body is dead and hence it is that late repentance in an aged sinner is seldom found true alas he dies not to sin but his sin dies to him I will not say but God may call at the eleventh hour though it be very seldom but in that case you had need to be jealous over your selves with a godly jealousie what do you find some sins within you to be dead that were sometimes alive O be inquisitive impannel a Jury call a Coroners Inquest upon your own souls enquire how they came by their deaths whether they died a violent or natural death search what wounds they have received and whether they were deadly wounds yea or no enquire what weapon it was that slew them whether the Sword of the Spirit that two-edged Sword the Word of God what purposes what resolutions have been taken up and levelled against them what prayers and tears have been spent upon them If you find not these signs you may gâ—â—e in your Verdict that they died not a violent but a natural death And here 's a good Caveat for others Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccles 12.1 while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Oh take heed of reprieving your Lusts let them not live till to morrow now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God arraign condemn crucifie mortifie them whiles they might yet live Surely this is true mortification when the body of sin dieth as Christ died a violent death 3. Christ's Death was a lingring death he hung divers hours upon the Cross From the first hour to the ninth hour saith Matthew i.e. from our twelve to three before he gave up the Ghost So is our mortification a lingring death sin is not put to death all at once but languisheth by little and little this is looked upon as one main difference betwixt justification and sanctification the former is a perfect work admitting of no degrees but so is not the lattâ—r though a Believer is freed perfectly from the guilt of sin yet not so from the power of it sin dwelleth in us though it hath not altogether a dominion over us Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me like a rebellious Tenant it keeps possession in despight of the owner till the house be pulled down over his head True indeed the body of sin in a regenerate soul hath received its death-wound and in that respect it may be said to be dead but it is not quite dead still it stirreth and moveth dying but by degrees What the Apostle saith of the renewing of the new man we may say of the destroying of the old man the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 â—nd the old man is destroyed dâ—y by day or as Paul said of himself in respect of his afflictions we may say of a Christian in respect of his sins I die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 there is not the most sanctified soul upon earth but has some remainders of corruption left in it which God in his wise providence permits for the trying exercising and humbling of our souls and for the making his own rich Graces in renewing and multiplying pardons so much the more glorious Gen. 25.22 And here is a ground of consolation to a drooping and dejected soul such an one cries out alas I feel the stirring and vigorous actings of sin and I am afraid my sin is not mortified as Rebekah said when she felt the Children strugling within her if it bâ— so why am I thus so if sin be mortified saith the soul why am I thus trembling soul let not this discourage Jesus Christ was not dead so soon as he was fastned to the
suffered 5. For what end he suffered 6. With what mind he suffered Every one of these will make some discoveries either of his Graces or of his gracious actings in our behalf and who can tell how far this very Look may work on us to change us and transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ 3. Let us humbly bewail our defect exorbitancy irregularity and inconformity either to the graces sufferings or death of Christ As thus Lo here the profound humility wonderful patience fervent love abundant mercy admirable meekness constant obedience of Jesus Christ Lo here the tortures torments agonies conflicts extream sufferings of Christ for the spiritual immortal good of the preciouâ— souls of his redeemed ones Lo here the death of Christ see how he bowed the head and gave up the Ghost why these are the particulars to which I should conform But Oh alas what a wide vast utter distance disproportion is there betwixt me and them Christ in his sufferings shined with graces his graces appeared in his sufferings like so many stars in a bright winter's night but how dim are the faint weak Graces in my Soul Christ in his sufferings endured much for me I know not how much by thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee ' but not distinctly known to us said the ancient Fathers of the Greek Church in their Liturgy have mercy upon us and save us his sorrows and sufferings were so great that some think it dangerous to define them but how poor how little are my sufferings for Jesus Christ I have not yet resisted unto blood and if I had what were this in comparison of his extream sufferings Christ in his sufferings died his passive obedience was unto death even to the death of the Cross he hung on the Cross till he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Rom. 6.10 he died unto sin once But alas how do I live in that for which he died To this day my sin hath not given up the Ghost to this day the death of Christ is not the death of my sin O my sin is not yet crucified the heart-blood of my sin is not yet let out Oh wo is me how unanswerable am I to Christ in all these respects 4. Let us quicken provoke and rouze up our Souls to this conformity let us set before them exciting Arguments ex gr The greatest glory that a Christian can attain to in this world is to have a resemblance and likeness to Jesus Christ Again the more like we are to Christ the more we are in the love of God and the better he is pleased with us It was his voice concerning his Son This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and for his sake if we are but like him he is also well pleased with us Again a likeness or resemblance of Christ is that which keeps Christ alive in the world As we say of a child that is like his Father This man cannot die so long as his Son is alive So we may say of Christians who resemble Christ that so long as they are in the world Christ cannot die he lives in them and he is no otherwise alive in this nether world than in the hearts of Gracious Christians that carry the picture and resemblance of him Again a likeness to Christ in his death will cause a likeness to Christ in his Glory If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection As it is betwixt the Graft and the Stock the Graft seeming dead with the Stock in the winter it revives with it in the Spring after the Winter's death it partakes of the Spring 's resurrection so it is betwixt Christ and us if with Christ we die to sin we shall with Christ be raised to Glory being conformed to him in his death we shall be also in his resurrection Thus let us quicken and provoke our souls to this conformity 5. Let us pray to God that he will make us conformable to Jesus Christ Is it Grace we want let us beg of him that of that fulness that is in Christ we may in our measure receive grace for grace Is it patience or joy in sufferings that we want let us beg of him that as he hath promised he will send us the comforter that so we may follow Christ chearfully from his cross to his crown from earth to heaven Is it mortification our souls pant after this indeed makes us most like to Christ in his sufferings and death why then pray we for this mortification But how should we pray I answer 1. Let us plainly acknowledge and heartily bemoan our selves in God's bosom for our sins our abominable sins 2. Let us confess our weakness feebleness and inability in our selves to subdue our sins we have no might may we say against this great company that come against us 2 Chr. 20.12 neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 3. Let us put up our request begging help from heaven let us cry to God that vertue may come out of Christ's death to mortifie our Lusts to heal our Natures to stanch our bloody issues and that the Spirit may come into helps us in these works Rom. 8.13 for by the Spirit do we mortifie the deeds of the body 4. Let us press God with the merits of Christ and with his promises through Christ for he hath said Sin shall not have dominion over us for we are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.2 and Paul experienced it The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath freed me from the Law of sin and death 5. Let us praise God and thank God for the help already received if we find that we have gotten some power against sin that we have gotten more ability to oppose the lusts of the flesh that we are seldom overtaken with any breaking forth of it that we have been able to withstand some notable temptations to it that the force of it in us is in any measure abated that indeed and in truth vertue is gone out of the death of Christ Oh then return we praises to God let us triumph in God let us lead our captivity captive and sing new songs of praises unto God and even ride in triumph over our corruptions boasting our selves in God and setting up our Banners in the name of the most High and offering up humble and hearty thanks to our Father for the death of Christ and for the merit vertue and efficacy of it derived unto us and bestowed upon us 6. Let us frequently return to our looking up unto Jesus Christ to our believing in Christ as he was lifted up How we are to manage our Faith to draw down the vertue of Christ's death into our souls I have discovered before and let us now be in the practice of those rules certainly
there is a conveyance of an healing strengthning quickning vertue flowing into the Soul in the time of its viewing eying contemplating reflecting upon Christ crucified Christ lifted up and this comes from the secret presence of God blessing this our looking upon Christ as the Ordinance by which he hath appointed to make an effectual impression upon the heart It is not for us curiously to enquire how this should be Principles we say are not to be proved save only God hath said it and experience hath found it out that when Faith is occasioned to act on any sutable sacred object God by his Spirit doth not fail to answer in such a case he fills the Soul with comfort blessing vertue he returns upon the Soul by from and through the actings of Faith whatsoever by it is looked for Indeed none knoweth this but he that feels it and none feels this that knoweth how to express it as there is somewhat in the fire heat warmth and light which no Painter can express and as there is somewhat in the face heat warmth and life which no Limner can set forth so there is somewhat flowing into the soul while it is acting faith on the Death of Christ which for the rise or way or manner of its working is beyond what tongue can speak or pen can write or pencil can delineate Come then if we would have grace endure afflictions die to sin grow in our mortification let us again and again return to our duty of looking unto Jesus or believing in Jesus as he was lifted up And yet when all is done let us not think that sin will die or cease in us altogether for that is an higher perfection than this life will bear only in the use of the means and through God's blessing we may expect thus far that sin shall not reign it shall not wear a Crown it shall not sit in the Throne it shall hold no Parliaments it shall give no laws within us we shall not serve it but we shall die to the dominion of it by vertue of this Death of Jesus Christ And this He grant who died for us Amen Amen Thus far we have looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his sufferings and death Our next work is to look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation during the time of his Resurrection and abode upon earth until his Ascension or taking up to Heaven LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Resurrection The Seventh Book PART VII CHAP. I. Matth. 28.6 He is risen Come see the place where the Lord lay 2 Tim. 2.8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead SECT 1. Of the Time of Christ 's Resurrection THe Sun that went down in a ruddy cloud is risen again with glorious beams of light In this piece as in the former we shall first lay down the Object and then give directions how to look upon it The Object is Jesus carrying on the work of man's salvation in his Resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth after his Resurrection Now in all the transactions of this time I shall only take notice of these two things 1. Of this Resurrection 2. Of his Apparitions for first he rose and secondly he shews himself that he was risen in the first is the Position in the second is the Proof 1. For the Position the Scripture tells us that he rose again the third day In this point I shall observe these particulars 1. When he arose 2. Why he arose 3. How he arose 1. When he arose it was the third day after his crucifying Mat. 12.40 As Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth This was the time he had appointed and this was the time appropriated to Christ and marked out for him in the Kalender of the Prophets of all those whom God raised from death to life there is not one that was raised on the third day but Jesus Christ some rose afore and some rose after the Son of the Shunamite the son of the widow of Sarephtah the daughter of Jairus he of Naim and some others rose afore Lazarus and the Saints that rose again from the dust when Christ rose staid longer in the grave but Christ takes the day which discovers him to be the Messiah Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Had he rose sooner a doubt might have been of his dying and had he lain longer a doubt might have been of his rising he would rise no sooner because in some diseases as in the Apoplexy or such like examples are given of such as seeming to be dead have indeed revived and he would lie no longer in his grave because in all dead carcasses and especially in a wounded body putrefaction and corruption begins the third day this may be gathered by the Story of Lazarus in the Gospel where Jesus commanding the stone to be rolled from his grave John 11.39 Psal 16.10 Martha his Sister answered Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four dayes Now the body of Christ as it was prophesied must not corrupt for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Mark this Text All men shall rise again but their bodies must first see corruption only the Messiah was to rise again before he saw corruption and therefore he would not delay his resurrection after the third day Hosea 6.2 Some think this and that of Hosea after two days he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up to be the main Texts to which Christ refers when he said Luke 24.46 Thus it is written And to which the Apostle refers when he said that Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 I dare not be too curious in giving reasons for this set time and the rather because Christ is a free worker of his own affairs he doth what he pleaseth and when he pleaseth times and actions are in his own power and he needs not to give us any account of them and yet so far as Scripture discovers we may go along and amongst many others I shall lay down these following Reasons 1. Because the Types had so prefigured we see it in Isaac Jonah and Hezekiah a Patriarch a Prophet and a King 1. For Isaac from the time that God commanded Isaac to be offered for a burnt offering Isaac was a dead man but the third day he was released from death this the Text tells us expresly that it was the third day when Abraham came to Mount Moriah Gen. 22.4 Heb. 11.19 and had his Son as it were restored to him again Gen. 22.4 And Paul discovers that this was in a figure
the holy One and ye know all things But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and hence it is that this holy spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom Eph. 1.17 and revelation in the knowledge of God 2. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of adoption it brings our souls into that blessed estate that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.16 3. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of prayer I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It is not said that the spirit teacheth us words and fluent phrases but it teacheth us to pray in the heart and spirit with sighs and groans 4. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of sanctification the Apostle having told the Corinthians that they had been notorious sinners 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 1.4 saith further that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of God Hence the holy spirit is called The spirit of holiness because he makes us holy who were in our selves corrupt and sinful If we have thiâ— spirit it inclines our hearts to the things above it mortifies our lusts it brings us nearer unto God the spirit therefore that is impure and encourageth men in sin and cries up carnal Liberty is certainly none of the spirit of Christ and by this one sign many carnal pretenders of our times may be justly convicted 5. The Spirit of Christ is a spirit of love God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God 1 John 4.16 Gal. 5.22 and God in him as the spirit is love so it begets love in the hearts of his people The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All these graces are the fruits of the spirit but the first grace in the link is love by his spirit we are taught to love God not only for his benefits but in respect of his nature for his goodness mercy justice holiness and all other his saving attributes by his spirit we are taught to love any thing that hath but the stamp and image of God upon it but as touching brotherly love 1 Thes 4.2 ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another the most of the Heretical spirits of these times do hereby shew that they have not the Spirit their very religion lyeth in rayling at ministers and reproaching those that are not in their way this is far from the Spirit of love that is in God's Children certainly where there is malice hatred strife bitter-envyings raylings revilings for such kind of persons to lay claim to the Spirit of unity it is a piece of impudent vanity and a false suggestion from their own corrupt erring spirit or from the spirit of error himself who is an hater reviler and the accuser of the brethren 6. The Spirit of Christ is a leading Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God But what is this leading of the Spirit I Answer 1. It is a drawing of the soul Christ-ward Cant. 1.4 Draw me saith the Spouse and we will run after thee There must be a drawing of the soul in every duty to Jesus Christ I say to Jesus Christ for a man may be furnished with eminent gifts and with suitable assistance in the laying out of those gifts from the Spirit and yet he may be without the leadings of the spirit gifts exercised cannot suppress corruptions in a man 's own heart and hence they that used their gifts are called workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 Jer. 30.21 gifts do not carry out the heart towards Christ but graces do I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. 2. It is a giving liberty to the soul to walk in the wayes of Christ 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty I mean not a liberty to sin but to duty nor yet every liberty to duty for a man may exercise himself in the external part of all duties and yet be without the leadings of the spirit but I mean such a liberty as when a soul accounts it an high favour from the Lord if he will but use him in any services for himself when it finds more delectation in these than in any other wayes Psal 119.34 173 174. Rom. 7.22 Rom. 8.2 I have chosen the way of truth saith David and therein is my delight And I delight in the law of God after the inner man saith Paul for the law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death 3. It is a corroberating or strengthening of the soul against all those impediments that would hinder it in the wayes of Christ Isa 63.11 12 13 14. Israel is said to be led by the spirit of the Lord and how did he lead them but by dividing the waters before them and by keeping them that they should not stumble many times God's holy ones are beset with temptations they find their hearts full of deadness hardness unbelief and all manner of distempers now if at such a time the mountains have been made planes if at such a time corruptions have been born down and their hearts have been let out towards Christ certainly these are the leadings of the spirit Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God the particular for argues mortification to appertain unto the leadings of the spirit There is in the Saints a constant opposition between the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit Gal. 5.17 18. now when the works of the flesh are kept underneath and prevailed against then a soul enjoyeth the leadings of the spirit I know such oppositions are not in any but Saints carnal men would wonder that any should complain for want of strength unto duties why they can easily come up to them and be in the exercise of them but alas this arises either from Satans not molesting them in the performance of duty because they look not
with Oyl Olive and Honey Thus the Lord shewed the Jews these principal Mysteries not in themselves but in Types and Shadows as they were able to see them from day to day But in the new Covenant Christ is offered to be seen in a fuller view the Truth and Substance and body of the things themselves is now exhibited Christ is clearly Revealed without any Type at all to be our Wisdom 2 Cor. 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 7. In the number of them that partake of the Covenant at first the Covenant was included in the Families of the Patriarchs and then within the Confines of Judea but now is the partition Wall betwixt Jew and Gentile broken down Rom. 3.29 and the Covenant of Grace is made with all Nations He is the God of the Gentiles also and not of the Jews only Christians here comes in our happiness Oh how thankful should we be that our Fathers for many Hundreds and Thousands of years together should sit in darkness and that we should partake of this Grace What that we that were Dogs before should now be set at the Childrens Table Acts 11.18 The very Jews themselves hearing of this are said to glorify God When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life If they praised God for it how much more should we do it our selves But of that hereafter I have now propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus as held forth in a way of Promise or Covenant in that dark time from the Creation till his first coming in the Flesh Our next Business is to direct you in the Art or Mystery of Grace how you are to look to Him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation from the Creation until his first Coming LOoking comprehends knowing considering desiring c. as you have heard and accordingly that we may practise 1. We must know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in the beginning and from the beginning of the World Come let us learn what he did for us so early in the morning of this World He made it for us and he made us more especially for his own Glory but presently after we were made we sinned and marred the Image wherein God made us this was the saddest Act that ever was it was the undoing of man and without the mercy of God the damning of all Souls both of men and women to all Eternity and O my Soul know this for thy self thou wast in the loins of Adam at that same time so that what he did thou didst thou wast partaker of his Sins and thou wast to partake with him in his punishment but well maist thou say Blessed be God for Jesus Christ at the very instant when all should have been damned Christ intervened a Covenant of Grace is made with man and Christ is the Foundation in and through whom we must be reconciled unto God Come soul and study this Covenant of grace in reference to thy self had not this been where hadst thou been nay where had all the World been at this day Surely it concerns thee to take notice of this great Transaction After man had fallen by Sin Christ is promised that all the Saints might partake of Christ a Covenant is entred this at the beginning of the World was more dim but the nearer to Christs coming in the Flesh the more and more clearly it appeared Howsoever dimly or clearly thus it pleased God in Christ to carry on the great work of our Salvation at that time viz. by a Promise of Christ and by a Covenant in Christ and for thy better knowledge of it study the Promise made to Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and Israel Come Soul study these several breakings out of the Covenant of Grace Col. 1.26 it is worth thy pains it is a Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to the Saints Here lies the first and most firm Foundation of a Christians comfort if thou canst but study this and assure thy self of thy part in this thou art blessed for ever O how incomparably sweet and satisfying is it to a self-studying Christian to know the faithful engagements of the Almighty God through that Son of his Loves in a Covenant of Grace SECT II. Of Considering Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must consider Jesus carrying on the the great work of our Salvation in that dark time it is not enough to study it and know it but we must seriously muse and meditate and ponder and consider of it till we bring it to some profitable Issue This is the Consideration I mean when we hold our thoughts to this or that spiritual subject till we perceive success and the work do thrive and prosper in our hands Now to help us in this Gen. 3.15 1. Consider Jesus in the first Promise made to man It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel When all men were under guilt of sin and in the power of Satan and when thou my Soul wert in as bad a case as any other then to hear the sound of this glad tidings then to hear of Jesus a Saviour and Redeemer sure this was welcome News Come draw the case nearer to thy self thou wast in Adams Loins suppose thou hadst been in Adams stead Gen. 3.8 9 â— suppose thou hadst heard the Voice of the Lord walking in the Garding suppose thou hadst heard him call Adam where art thou Peter Andrew Thomas where art thou What hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat Why then Appear and come to judgment the Law is irrevocable Gen. 2.17 in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die there is nothing to be looked for but death temporal and death spiritual and death eternal O what a fearful condition is this no sooner to come into the world but presently to be turned over into Hell for one day to be Monarch of the World and of all Creatures in the world and the very next day to be a slave of Satan and to be bound hand and foot in a darksome dungeon for a few hours to live in Eden to enjoy every tree in the Garden Pleasant to the sight and good for food and then to enter into the confines of eternity and ever ever ever to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels Gen. 3.8 It is no wonder if Adam hid himself from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the Garden O my soul in that case thou would'st have cried to the Rocks Rev. 6.16.17 and to the Mountains fall on me and hide me from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne If God be angry who may abide it When the great day
all these passages of Gods Love in Christ are not these strong atractives to gain thy love what wilt thou do canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love It is the expression of the Apostle The Love of God constrains us 1 Cor. 5.14 God in Christ is the very Element of Love and whither should Love go but to the Element Air goes to Air and Earth to Earth and all the Rivers to the Sea 1 John 4.16 every Element will to its proper place Now God is Love and whither should thy Love be carried but to this Ocean or Sea of Love Come my Beloved said the Spouse to Christ let us get up early to the vineyards Cant 2.12 let us see if the Vines flourish whether the tender grapes appear there will I give thee my Loves The flourishing of the Vine and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints now wheresoever things appear whether in Assemblies or in secret Ordinances then and there saith the Bride will I give thee my Loves when thou comest to the Word Prayer Meditation be sure of this to give Christ thy Love What doth Christ manifest his presence there is there any abounding of his graces there O let thy Love abound by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee by so much more do thou love thy God again many sins being forgiven how shouldst thou but Love much SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know our joy here is but in part such is the excellency of Spiritual joy that it is reserved for Heaven God will not permit it to be pure and perfect here below and yet such as it is though mingled with cares and pains it is a blessed duty it is the light of our souls and were it quite taken away our lives would be nothing but Horrour and Confusion O my Soul if thou didst not hope to encounter joy in all thy Acts thou wouldst remain languishing and immoveable thou wouldst be without action and vigour thou wouldst speak no more of Jesus or of a Covenant of grace or of God or Christ or Life or glory Well then go on O my Soul and joy in Jesus if thou lovest him what should hinder thy rejoycing in him It is a Maxime that as Love Proceeds so if there be nothing that retaines the Appetite it alwayes goes from Love to Joy One motion of the Appetite towards good is to be united to it and the next Appetite towards good is to enjoy it now Love consists in union and joy in fruition for what is fruition but a joy that we find in the possession of that thing we love Much ado there is amongst Philosophers concerning the differences of Love and Joy Some give it thus As is the motion of fluid Bodies which run towards their Center and think to find their rest there but being there they stop not and therefore they return and scatter themselves on themselves they swell and overflow So in the passion of Love the Appetite runs to the beloved Object and unites it self to it and yet its motion ends not there for by this passion of joy it returns the same way again it scatters it self on it self and overflows those Powers which are nearest to it by this effusion the soul doubles on the Image of the good it hath received and so it thinks to possess it more it distills it self into that faculty which first acquainted it with the knowledg of the Object and by that means it makes all the parts of the Soul concur to the possession of it Hence they say That joy is an effusion of the Appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it the more perfectly But not to stay in the inquiry of its Nature O my Soul be thou in the exercise of this Joy Is there not cause come see and own thy Blessedness take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for thee As 1. He hath made a Covenant with thee of temporal mercies thou hast all thou hast by free-holding of Covenant-Grace thy Bread is by Covenant thy sleep is by Covenant thy safety from Sword is by the Covenant the very tilling of thy Land is by a Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 O how sweet is this Every Crum is from Christ and by virtue of a Covenant of Grace 2. He hath made a Covenant with thee of spiritual mercies even a Covenant of Peace and Grace and Blessing and Life for evermore God is become thy God he is all things to thee he hath forgiven thy sins he hath given thee his Spirit to lead thee to sanctifie thee to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory where thou shalt bless him and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory O pluck up thy heart lift up thy head strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh Write it in Letters of Gold that thy God is in Covenant with thee to love thee to bless thee and to save thee Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive thee to himself and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God or to be in Covenant with God I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart a man out of Covenant if he look on God he is a consuming fire if on the Law it is a Sentence of Condemnation if on the Earth it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins if on Heaven the Gate is shut if on the Signes in Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder strike in him a terrour But O my Soul this is not thy case a Man in Covenant with God looks on these things with another eye if he look on God he saith This is my Father if on Christ this is my elder Brother if on Angels these are my Keepers if on Heaven this is my House if on the Signes of Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder these are but the effects of my Fathers Power if on the Law the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me if on Prosperity God hath yet better things for me in store if on Adversity Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this if on the Devil Death and Hell he saith with the Apostle O Death where is thy Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave where is thy Victory Come poor soul is it not thus with thee what art thou in Covenant with God or art thou not If yet thou doubtest review thy grounds of hope and leave not there till thou comest up to some measure
us And we know that the Son of God is come This is the true God and eternal Life And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the Flesh 2. Unanswerable Reasons drawn from Scriptures prove him God Thus it appears 1. From those incommunicable properties of the Diety which are properly ascribed unto him He is eternal as God Rev. 1.17 He is infinite as God Mat 28.20 He is omniscient as God Mat. 9 4. He is omnipotent as God He that cometh from above is above all John 3.41 Phil. 3.21 Rev. 1.18 He is able to subdue all things unto himself He hath the keys of hell and death 2. From these Relations he hath with God as to be the only begotten Son of God John 1.18 The Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.15 3. From those Acts ascribed to him which are only agreeable to the divine Nature as to be the Author of our Election John 13.18 To know the Secrets of our Hearts Ma. 9.4 To hear the prayers of his people John 14.14 To judge the quick and the dead John 5.22 And thus he creates as God John 1.4 He commands as God Mat. 8.26 He forgives as God Mat. 9.6 He sanctifies as God John 1.12 He glorifies as God John 10.28 4. From all those acknowledgments given to him by the Saints which are only proper unto God and thus he is believed on as God John 3.18 He is loved as God 1 Cor. 16.22 He is obeyed as God Mat. 17.5 He is prayed to as God Acts 7.59 He is praised as God Rev. 5.13 He is adored as God Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.10 Surely all these are strong demonstrations and prove clearly enough that Christ Jesus is God But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be God I answer 1. Because none can save Souls nor satisfie for sin but God alone There is none saith the Psalmist that can by any means redeem his Brother or give a ransom for him Psal 49.7.15 but God will redeem my soul from the power of Hell 2. Because the satisfaction which is made for sin must be infinitely meritorious an infinite wrath cannot be appeased but by an infinite merit and hence our Saviour must needs be God to the end that his obedience and sufferings might be of infinite price and worth 3 Because the burden of God's wrath cannot be endured and run through by a finite Creature Christ therefore must be God that he might abide the burden and sustain the Manhood by his divine power 4. Because the enemies of our salvation were too strong for us How could any creature overcome Satan Death Hell Damnation Ah! this required the power of God there 's none but God that could destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil 2. As Christ is God so he is true man he was born as man and bred as man and fed as man and slept as man and wept as man and sorrowed as man and suffered as man and died as man and therefore he is man But more particularly 1. Christ had a humane body Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he came into the world he said Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me And when the Apostles thought they had seen a Phantasm or a Spirit he said unto them Handle me and see because a Spirit hath no flesh and bones as you see me have Luke 24.39 Here 's a truth clear as the Son and yet O wonder Some in our times as Cochlaeus witnesseth do now avouch that he had but an imaginary body an aerial body a phantasm only in shew and no true body 2. Christ had an humane reasonable Soul My Soul is heavy unto Death said Christ Mat. 26.38 Luke 23.46 and again Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Surely saith Nazianzen either he had a Soul or he will not save a Soul The Arrians opposed this saying Christ had no humane Soul but only a living flesh because the Evangelist saith that the Word was made flesh but this is a Synechdoche John 1.14 very usual in Scripture to put the part for the whole and signifieth as much as that he had said the Word was made man I know some reasons are rendred why the Evangelist saith he was made flesh rather than he was made man as 1. To shew what part of Christ was made of his Mother not his Deity nor his Soul but only his flesh 2. To express the greatness of Gods Love who for our sakes would be contented to be made the vilest thing flesh which is compared to grass Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass 3. To shew the greatness of Chirsts humility in that he would be named by the meanest name and basest part of man the soul is excellent but the flesh is base 4. To give us some confidence of his love and favour towards us because our flesh which was the part most corrupted is now united to the Son of God 3. Christ had all the properties that belong either to the soul or body of a man nay more than so Christ had all the infirmities of out Nature sin only excepted I say the infirmities of our nature as cold and heat and hunger and thirst and weariness and weakness and pain and the like but I cannot say that Christ took upon him all our personal infirmities infirmities are either natural common to all men or personal and proper to some men as to be born lame blind diseased as to be affected with Melancholy Infirmity Deformity how many deformed Creatures have we amongst us Christ was not thus his Body was framed by the holy Ghost of the purest Virgins Blood and therefore I question not it was proportioned in a most equal symetry and correspondency of parts He was fairer than the sons of men his countenance carried in it an hidden vailed star like brightness saith Jerome which being but a little revealed it so ravished his Disciples hearts that at the first sight thereof they left all and followed him and it so astonished his enemies that they stumbled and fell to the ground So then he had not our personal infirmities but only our natural and good reason for indeed he took not upon him an humane person but only an humane nature united to the person of his Godhead But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be Man I answer 1. Because our Saviour must suffer and die for our sins which the Godhead could not do 2. Because our Saviour must perform obedience to the Law which was not agreeable to the Law-giver the Godhead certainly is free from all manner of subjection 3. Because our Saviour must satisfie the justice of God in the same nature wherein it was offended For since by man came death 1 Cor. 5 21. by man came also the resurrection of the dead 4. Because by this means we might have free access to the Throne of Grace and might
how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences And of that said he as I feel some part and I would feel more so I bequeath it unto thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ O my soul if thou canst but taste Psal 119.10.3 thou wilt find a world of sweetness in Christ's wayes there is sweetness in the Word How sweet are thy Words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth There is sweetness in prayer Rom. 10.12 hast thou not known the time that thou hast touched the hem of Christs garment and tasted of the joyes of Heaven in prayer hast thou not seen heaven cleft and Christ sitting at Gods right Hand surely the Lord is Rich to all them that call upon him There is sweetness in meditation some call this very duty The Saints pastime which recreates and perfumes the tired Spirits Now O my soul thou art in the exercise of this duty now thou art in the meditation of the easiness of Christ's burthen Psal 119.99 and of the sweetness of his wayes tell me is there nothing of Heaven in this meditation is it sweet or is it bitter to thy Soul thou mayest read in Scripture of many admirable effects of meditation as that it confirms our knowledg I have more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119.99 Ver. 97. Ver. 15. for thy Testimonies are my Meditations that it inflames our love Oh how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day that it casts a sweet influence on our lives I will Meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes What is it thus with thee Psal 104.34 Psal 94.19 canst thou say with David My Meditation of him shall be sweet And in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts exceedingly delight my soul Why then thou hast truly tasted of God's goodness thou hast actual discoveries of the sweetness of Gods wayes thou hast experienc'd this truth that his yoak is easie and his burthen is light Matth. 11.3 Psal 119.99 that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Oh if men did but know what ravishing sweetness were in the wayes of God they could not but imbrace them and esteem one dayes society with Jesus Christ as Caracciolus did better than all the gold in the world 11. Consider the holiness of Christ's Nature and the holiness of Christs Life 1. For the holiness of his Nature if thou couldst but clearly see it what work would it make in thy Breast Christ's inward beauty would ravish Love out of the Devils if they had but Grace to see his beauty yea he would lead captive all hearts in Hell if they had but eyes to behold his loveliness O what a Flower what a Rose of love and light is the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy said the Spouse the chiefest of ten thousands Summon before Christ fair Angels glorified Spirits the azure Heavens the lightsome Stars all the delicious Flowers Gardens Meadows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds Beasts yea and all the Sons of Men as they should have been in the world of Innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ and what are they Rev. 22.4 the Saints in Glory now see the face of Christ i.e. they see all the dignity beauty that is in Christ and they are so taken with his sight that they do nothing else but stare and gaze and behold his Face for Ages and yet they are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye holes in beholding Christ they should still desire to see more O this loveliness of Christ ravishes the souls of the glorified how is it O my soul that thou art not taken with this meditation But 2. Go from the holiness of his Nature to the holiness of his Life it may be that will make deep impressions on thy spirit consider his charity his self-denial his contempt of the world his mercy his bounty his meekness his pity his humility his obedience to his Father A fruitful meditation on these Particulars cannot cannot but cause some resemblance within and make thee like Christ O the wonder that any should disclaim the active obedience of Christ as to his own Justification Away away with these cavils and consider the obedience of Christ in relation to thy self God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons It is a sweet note of Doctor Andrews Christ made under the Law i.e. under the whole Law the one half of the Law which is the directive part he was made under that and satisfied it by the innocency of his Life without breaking one jot or title of the Law and so he answers that part as it might be the principal the other half of the Law which is the penalty he was under that also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull death no way deserved or due by him and so he answered that part as it might be the forfeiture But if we come now to ask for whom is all this it is only for us that we might be redeemed und adopted redeemed from all evil and adopted or interested into all good If this be so O who would for a world of Gold lose the influence and the benefit of Christs active obedience consider of this O my soul till thou feelest some vertue to come out of Christs life into thy self SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the work of our salvation in his Life It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire our meditation of Christ should draw forth our affections to Christ and amongst all affections I place this first of all a desire after Christ But what is it in Christ's Life that is so desirable I answer every passage or particular named yea every thing of Christ is desirable named or un-named all that concerns Christ in any kind whatsoever if to the former particulars I should add a thousand and a thousand more it is very precious and excellent and necessary and profitable and comfortable and therefore desirable but to put them in order 1. The meanest things of Christ are desirable things the very filings of Gold the dust or sparkles of precious Stones are of real price and value yea of much worth yea the very Leaves of the Tree of Life are healing the very Hem of Christ's garment but even touched sends forth its vertue the meanest and worst things of Christ are incomparably to be desired above all things the dust of Zion the very ground that Christ's feet treadeth on any thing that hath the poorest relation to Jesus Christ it is desireable for him Hence we read that one poor woman sought no more of him but to wash Christ's
wicked hands have crucified and slain the enemies of Christ though they broke Commands yet they fulfilled Decrees Acts 4.27 28. Against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anoynted both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy councel determined before to be done The Story of Christ's sufferings was long since taken up and resolved on in the Councils of Heaven and now in the way the only begotten Son which lay in the bosom of his Father reveals this story he tells his Disciples It is written it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered 2. The Disciples hearing this discovery of the shepherd being smitten and the sheep being scattered they are amazed what shall Christ die and shall we like cowards run away and leave him alone in the combat Peter who seems boldest he speaks first Though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended O rash presumption It appears in these particulars 1. Peter prefers himself before the rest as if all the other Disciples had been weak and he only strong though all should be offended yet will not I. 2. Peter contradicts Christ's great discovery of his Fathers great design from all eternity with a few bragging words q. d. what though Zechary hath said it and God hath decreed it yet on my part I will never do it Though I should die with thee I will not deny thee 3. Peter in his boast never mentions God's help or God's assistance whereas in relation to future promises and future purposes the Apostles Rule is Jam. 4.15 ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this and that So Peter should have said by God's assistance I will not be offended by the Lord's help I will not deny thee if the Lord will I will do this and that I will live with thee and die with thee rather than I will deny thee but we find no such word in all the Story and therefore Christ takes him off his bottoms in the first place Mat. 26.35 Verily I say unto thee Peter that this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Oh no saith Peter he will not go off his presumptuous confidence though I should die with thee I will not deny thee likewise also said all his Disciples But I must not dwell on these passages 3. His dolorous passage over the Brook succeeds He went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron I never read of this Brook Cedron but some way or other it points at the sufferings of our Saviour I shall instance in some places 1. When David fled from Absolom out of Jerusalem it is said that all the Country wept with a loud voice 2 Sam. 15.23 and all the people passed over the King also himself passed over the Brook Cedron towards the way of the wilderness In this story we find David passing over this Brook Cedron with bare head and bare feet and he and all his men weeping as they went up by the Ascent of Mount Olivet I cannot think but in this King David was a type of King Jesus Christ as another David with his Souldiers or Disciples goes out of Jerusalem bare-head and bare-foot as this type seems to speak what weeping was in the way I cannot tell but probably sadness was in the hearts both of him and his Disciples whose conference was of flying suffering dying the most grievous death that ever was all the difference that I find betwixt the type and antitype in this passage is in that David fled from the face of Absolom but Christ goes out of Jerusalem not to flie from Judas or the Jews but rather to commit himself into their hands 1 Kin. 2.36 37 2. When Solomon confined Shimei to his House in Jerusalem saying Dwell there and go not forth thence any whither for it shall be that on the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Cedron thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die Now two of the servants of Shimei running away from him he follows after them and passing over this Brook Cedron it became his death why here was a type of Jesus Christ we were those fugitive servants that run away from God and to fetch us home Jesus goes over the brook Cedron rather than he will lose his servants he will lose his life All the difference that I find betwixt Shimei and Christ in this is in that Shimei was but a wicked man and yet he died an honourable death not for his servants but for his own transgression but Christ being a just man so Pilate's wife sent her Husband word Have thou nothing to do with that just man he died a most ignominious shameful death even the death of the Cross and that not for himself but for us Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities 3. When the good Kings Hezekiah and Asa and Josiah purged the City and the Temple of Idolatry they burnt the cursed things at the Brook Kidron and cast them therein And Asa cut down the Idol 2 King 23.6 2 Chr. 29.16 and he brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord without Jerusalem unto the Brook Kidron and burnt it at the Brook Kidron and the Priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it and brought all the uncleanness that they found in the Temple of the Lord into the Court of the house of the Lord and the Levites took it to carry it out abroad into the Brook Kidron and they arose and took away the Altars that were in Jerusalem and all the Altars for Incense took they away 2 Chr. 20.14 and cast them into the Brook Kidron or Cedron All these note unto us that the Brook was as it were the sink of the Temple into which all the purgamenta and uncleannesses of Gods house and all the accursed things were to be cast and here again was a type of Christ upon him was cast all the filths of our sins that as a River or Fountain he might cleanse us from them in this respect he is said to be made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him he was made sin for us and a curse for us that so he might swallow up Sin and Death and might be destruction of Hell and all I cannot pass over this passage of the Brook without some Use or Application to our selves 1. It informs Methinks this Valley and this Brook of Cedron is a right representation of a Christians Life Jesus went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron Vse What is our life if we are Christ's but a passage through a vale of tears and over a Brook of several afflictions Many are
brought unto Pilate's house John 18.28 Mat. 27.1 2 3 4 5. then led they Jesus from Caiphas unto the Judgment-Hall and it was early When the Morning was come all the chief Priests and Elders of the People took council against Jesus to put him to death and when they had bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governour Then Judas which had betrayed him hanged himself O the readiness of our nature to evil When the Israelites would sacrifice to the Golden-Calf they rose up early in the Morning if God leave us to our selves Exod. 32.6 we are as ready to practise mischief as the fire is to burn without delay But on this Circumstance I shall not long stay the transactions of this hour I shall consider in these two passages Christ's Indictment and Judas's fearful end In Christ's Indictment we may observe 1. His Accusation 2. His Examination In his Accusation we may observe 1. Who are his Accusers 2. Where he was accused 3. What was the matter of which they do accuse him 1. His Accusers were the chief Priests and Elders of the People Mat. 27.12 the very same that before had judged him guilty of Death are now his Accusers before the temporal Judge but why must our Saviour be twice Judged was not the Sanhedrim or Ecclesiastical Court sufficient to condemn him I answer He is twice judged 1. That his Innocency might more appear true Gold often tried in the fire is not consumed but rather perfected so Christ's Integrity though examined again and again by divers Judges wholly corrupt yet thereby it was not hurt but made rather more illustrious 2. Because his firster judgment was in the night and a sentence pronounced then was not reputed valid it is said of Moses that he judged the People from the morning unto the evening Exod. 18.13 John 18.31 for until night no judgment was protracted 3. Because said the Jews it is not lawful for us to put any man to death These words had need of exposition we know Moses's Law prescribed death to the Adulterers Idolaters Blasphemers Man-slayers Sabbath-breakers but now the Romans say some had come and restrained the Jews from the execution of their Laws others are of another mind and therefore the meaning of these words It is not lawful for us to put any man to death may be understood say they in a double sense 1. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to such a death as the Death of the Cross Moses's Law was Ignorant of such a death and the words following seem to favour this interpretation John 18 32. that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die We read only of four sorts of death that were used among the Jews as strangling stoning burning and killing with the sword crucifying was the invention of Romans and not of Jews 2. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to death at such a time on this day was celebrated the Jews Passover which was in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt so that now they had a custome to deliver some from death the case of Barabbas but they could not now condemn any one to death hence it was that after Herod the Jew had killed James he proceeded further to take Peter also yet during the dayes of unleavened Bread he delivers him to be kept in Prison Acts. 12.14 intending saith the Text after Easter to bring him forth to the People Pilate a Gentile was not tied to these Laws and therefore they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgment or unto Pilate's House 2. The place of the Accusation was at the door of the House they would not go into the Judgment-Hall lest they should be defiled John 18.28 but that they might eat the Passover See what a piece of Superstition and grose Hypocrisie is here they are curious of a Ceremony but make no strain to shed innocent blood they are precise about small matters but for the weightier matters of the Law as Mercy Judgment Fidelity and the Love of God they let them pass they honour the figurative Passover but the true Passover they seize upon with bloody and sacrilegious hands 3. The matter of which they accuse him 1. That he seduced the People 2. That he forbade to pay Tribute to Cesar 3. That he said he was a King How great but withal how false were these their accusations For the first Christ was so far from stirring up Seditions that he strove and endeavoured to gather the People into one O Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not For the second instead of denying to pay tribute to Cesar Mat. 17.27 Luke 20.25 he paid it in his own particular take twenty-pence out of the fishes mouth said he to Peter and give unto them for me and thee and give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's said he to the People and to God the things that are God's For the third instead of making himself a King he professeth that his Kingdom is not of this World and when they would have made him a King instead of flattering them John 18.36 John 6.15 he flieth from them and that into the Wilderness or into a mountain himself alone Thus much of the Accusation 2. For his Examination Pilate was nothing moved with any of the Accusations save only the third and therefore letting all the rest pass he asked him only Art thou the King of the Jews Joh. 18.33.36 To whom Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World c. He saith not my Kingdom is not in this World but my Kingdom is not of this World by which Pilate knew well that Christ was no enemy unto Cesar Christs Kingdom is spiritual his government is in the very hearts and Consciences of men and what is this to Cesar Hence Pilate useth a policy to save Jesus Christ they tell him that Christ was of Galilee and therefore he takes occasion to send him to Herod who was Governour of Galilee But of that anon Vse How many Lessons may we learn from hence 1. Christ was accused who can be free The chief Priests and Elders of the Jews accused Christ no wonder if those that are chief and great amongst us accuse poor Christians O there 's a perpetual enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent there is an everlasting irreconcileable implacable enmity and antipathy between Grace and Prophaneness light and darkness Christ and Belial As it is reported of Tigers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices so it is with the wicked who rage at the spiritual Graces of them that are sincere for God 2. Christ's Accusers would not go into the Judment-Hall lest they
compares the sins of the wicked Jews to very poyson Deut. 32.32 33. For their wine is of the wine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah their Grapes are Grapes of Gall their clusters ar◠bitter their Wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venome of Aspes In this respect we may think as hardly of our selves as of the Jews because so oft as we sin against God we do as much as mingle rank poyson and bring it to Jesus Christ to drink 6. They crucified him i.e. they fastened him on the Cross and then lift him up Mat. 27.35 A great question there is amongst the Learned whether Christ was fastened on the cross after it was erected or whiles it was lying on the ground I would not rake too much into these niceties only more probable it is that he was fastened to it whiles it lay flat on the ground and then as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so was the Son of man lifted up We may express the manner of their acting and his sufferings now John 3.14 as a learned Brother hath done before us Now come the Barbarous inhumane hangmen Herle contem plat on Christs pass and begin to unloose his hands but how alas 't is not to any liberty but to worse bonds of nails then stript they off his gore-glewed cloaths and with them questionless not a little of his mangled skin and flesh as if it were not enough to crucifie him as a thief unless they flea him too as a beast then stretch they him out as another Isaac on his own burthen the Cross that so they might take measure of the holes and though the print of his blood on it gave them his true length yet how strictly do they take it longer than the truth thereby at once both to crucifie and rack him that he was thus stretcht and racked upon his cross Psal 22.17 Ver. 14. David gives more than probable intimation I may tell all my bones and again all my bones are out of joynt which otherwise how could it so well be as by such a violent stretching and distortion whereby it seems they had made him a living anatomy nor was it in the less sensible fleshly parts of his body that they drive these their larger tenters whereon his whole weight must hang but in the hands and feet the most sinewy and consequently the most sensible fleshly parts of all other wherein how rudely and painfully they handle him appears too by that of David they digged my hands and my feet they made wide holes like that of a spade as if they had been digging in some ditch the boystrous and unusual greatness of these nails we have from venerable antiquity Constantine the great is said to have made of them both an Helmet and a Bridle How should I write on but that my tears should blot out what I write Colos 2.14 when it is no other than he that is thus used who hath blotted out that hand-writing of ordinances that was against me But the hour goes on and this is the great business of the worlds redemption of which I would speak a little more by this time we may imagine Christ nailed to the cross and his cross fixed in the ground which with its fall into the place of its station gave infinite torture by so violent a concussion of the body of our Lord. That I mean to observe of this crucifying of Christ I shall reduce to these two heads viz. the shame and pain 1. For the shame it was a cursed death cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3.13 When it was in use it was chiefly infflicted upon slaves that either falsely accused or treacherously conspired their Masters death but on whomsoever it was inflicted this death in all Ages among the Jews hath been branded with a special kind of ignominy and so the Apostle signifies when he saith He abased himself to the death Phil. 2.8 2 Sam. 21.6 Deut. 21.23 even to the death of the cross It was a mighty shame that Saul's sons were hanged on a tree and the reason was more specially from the Law of God For he that is hanged is accursed of God I know Moses's Law speakes nothing in particular of crucifying yet he doth include the same under the general of hanging on a tree and some conceive that Moses in speaking that curse foresaw what manner of death the Redeemer should dye 2. For the pain it was a painfull death that appears several wayes As 1. His legs and hands were violently racked and pulled out to the places fitted for his fastening and then pierced through with nails 2. By this means he wanted the use both of his hands and feet and so he was forced to hang immovable upon the cross as being unable to turn any way for his case 3. The longer he lived the more he endured for by the weight of his body his wounds were opened and enlarged his nerves and veins were rent and torn asunder and his blood gushed out more and more abundantly still 4. He died by inch-meal as I may say and not at once the cross was a death long in dying it kept him a great while upon the rack it was full three hours betwixt Christ's affixion and expiration and it would have been longer if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghost it is reported that Andrew the Apostle was two whole dayes on the Cross before he dyed and so long might Christ have been if God had not heightened it to greater degrees of torment supernaturally I may add to this as above all this the pains of his soul whiles he hanged on the cross for there also Christ had his agonies and soul conflicts these were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those pains or pangs of death from which Peter tells us Christ was loosed Acts. 2.24 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies the pains of a woman in travel such were the pains of Jesus Christ in death Isa 53.11 Psal 116.3 the Prophet calls it The travel of his Soul and the Psalmist calls it the pains of Hell The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of Hell gate hold upon me The sorrows or cords of death compassed his body and the pains of Hell gate hold upon his soul And these were they that extorted from him that passionate expostulation Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he complains of that which was more grievous to him than ten thousand deaths My God my God why hast thou withdrawn thy wonted presence and left my soul as it were in pains of Hell Vse And now reflect we on the shame and pain O the curse and bitterness that our sins have brought on Jesus Christ when I but think on these bleeding veins bruised shoulders scourged sides furrowed back harrowed temples digged hands and feet and then
that Respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Sufferings and Death Every one looks upon this as an easie duty only the humble Soul the scrupulous Conscience cries out What! Is it possible that Christ should die suffer shed his blood for me His incarnation was wonderful his life on earth was to astonishment but that the Son of God should become man live amongst men and die such a death even the death of the Cross for such a one as I am I cannot believe it it is an abys◠past fadoming the more I consider it the more I am amazed at it suppose I had an enemy in my power man or Devil one that provokes me every day 1 Sam. 24.19 one that hunts my soul to take it away should I not say with Saul if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away It may be an ingenuous spirit such as David would do thus much but would David or any breathing soul not only spare his enemy but spill himself to save his enemy would a man become a Devil to save Devils would a man endure hell pains to free all the Devils in hell from their eternal pains and yet what were this in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us It is not so much for us to suffer for Devils for we are fellow-creatures as it is for Christ God-man man-God to suffer for us Oh what an hard thing is it considering my enmity against Christ to believe that Christ died for me that he gave himself to the death even to the death of the Cross for my soul Trembling soul throw not away thy self in a way of unbelief It may thou wouldst not die for an enemy an irreconcileable enemy but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men O believe And that I may perswade effectually I shall say down first some Directions and secondly some Encouragements of Faith 1. For the Directions of Faith in reference to Christ's death observe these particulars 2. Faith must directly go to Christ not first to the promise and then to Christ but first to Christ and then to the promise the Person ever goes before the Prerogative 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh this was the difference betwixt the New-Testament and old-Testament-Believers their Faith directs only to God but our Faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 3. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law He continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and so our Faith must look upon him But of these before I shall say nothing more to these particulars 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death in both these respects Christ was made under the law The one half of the Law he satisfied by the holiness of his life he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle the other half of the Law he satisfied by his enduring the death even the death of the Cross he paid both the Principal and the Forfeiture and though men do not so yet Christ did so that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by his being under both these parts of the Law pay and penalty Come then and look upon Christ as dying it was the Serpent as lifted up and so looked at that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings Alas we are diseased in a spiritual sense as they were and Christ Jesus was lifted up as a remedy to us as the Serpent was unto them it remains therefore that as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent so we look up to Jesus believe in Jesus as lifted up for life and for salvation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness John 14.15 so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Indeed some difference there is betwixt the Serpent and Christ As 1. The Brazen Serpent had not power in if self to cure as Christ hath 2. The Serpent cured the Israelites but for a time John 11.26 to die again but whomsoever Jesus cures in a Spiritual sense he cures for ever they shall never die 3. The serpent also had its time of curing it did not alwayes retain its virtue but during the time they were in the Wilderness only Iesus Christ our Brazen Serpent doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world and hence it is that in the Ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up that all that will but look on him by faith may live 4. The Serpent sometimes a remedy against poyson was after turned even to poyson the Israelites which made Hezekiah to crush it and brake it and stamp it to powder but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is unchangeable in his goodness as he is in holy and divine nature he can never be defaced nor destroyed but he abideth the saviour of sinners to all eternity why then let us rather look unto Christ and believe in Christ as lifted up i.e. as he was crucified and died on the Cross In this respect he is made a fit object for a sinner's faith to trust upon and rest upon Christ as crucified as made sin and a curse for us it the object of our pardon O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable why therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation and what not Oh! cries a sinner where may I set my foot how should I regain my God my sin hath undone me which way should I cast for pardon why now remember that in seeking pardon Rom. 8.34 Christ was crucified Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 No Question Christs active Obedience during his Life was most exact and perfect and meritorious yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience Christ only in his sufferings took away sin the guilt of sin and punishment for sin We have redemption through the blood of Christ Eph. 1.7 even the forgiveness of sins If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ who is now in heaven let him first in the actings of his Faith consider him as crucified as lifted up as made sin for us as through whom under that consideration he is to receive pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation sanctification salvation 5. Faith in going to Christ as lifted up it is principally and mainly to look unto the 〈◊〉 meaning intent and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up we
are not barely to consider the History of Christ's death but the aim of Christ in his death Many read the History and they are affected with it there is a principle of humanity in men which will stir up compassion and love and pity towards all in misery whilst Christ was suffering the women followed after him weeping but this weeping not being spiritual or rais'd enough he said to them Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but for your selves The way of Faith drawing virtue out of Christ's death it is especially to look to the scope and drift of Christ in his sufferings As God looks principally to the meaning of the Spirit by Prayer so doth faith look principally to the meaning of Christ in his sufferings mistake not my meaning is not that we should be ignorant of the History of Christ's death or of the manner of Christ's sufferings you see we have opened it largely and followed it close from first to last but we must not stick there we should above all look to the mind and heart of Christ in all this some observe that both in the Old and New Testament we find this Method first the History and then the Mystery first the Manner and then the Meaning of Christ's sufferings as in the Old Testament We have first the History in Psal 22. written by David and then the Mystery in Isa 52. written by Isaiah And in the New Testament we have first the manner of his sufferings written at large by all the Evangelists and then the meaning written by the Apostles in all their Epistles Now accordingly are the acts of Faith we must first look on Jesus as lifted up and then look at the end and meaning why was this Jesus thus lifted up Well but you may demand what was the end the plot the great design of Christ in this respect I answer some ends were remote and others were more immediate but omitting all those ends that are remote his Glory our Salvation c. I shall only answer in these Particulars 1. One design of Christ's death was to redeem us from the slavery of Death and Hell He hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Hence it is that we say that by his sufferings Christ hath redeemed us from Hell and by his doings Christ hath given us a right to heaven he was made under the Law Gal. 3.4 5. that he might redeem them that were under the Law Alas we were carnal sold under sin whereupon the Law seized on us lock'd us up as it were in a dungeon yea the sentence passed and we but waited for execution now to get us rid from this dismal damnable estate Christ himself is made under the Law that he might redeem us Redeem us how not by way of entreaty to step in and beg our pardon that would not serve the turn sold we were and bought we must be a price must be laid down for us it was a matter of Redemption but with what must we be redeemed surely with no easie price ah no it cost him dear and very dear Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and Gold 1 Pet. 1.18 but with the precious blood of Christ his precious blood was the price we stood him in which he paid when he gave his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 the case stood thus betwixt Christ and us in this point of Redemption we all like a crew or company of Malefactors were ready to suffer and to be executed now what said Christ to this Why I will come under the Law said Christ I will suffer that which they should suffer I will take upon me their execution upon condition I may redeem them now this he did at his death and this was the end why he died that by his death we might be redeemed from the slavery of Death and Hell 2. Another Design of Christ's death was to free us from sin not only would he remove the effect but he would take away the cause also Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sin Rom. 3.25 John 1.29 2 Cor. 5.21 Heb. 9.26 1 John 1.7 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Once hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin This was the plot which God by an ancient design aimed at in the suffering of Jesus Christ that he would take away sin And thus Faith must take it up and look upon it When Peter had set forth the hainousness of the Jews sin in killing Christ he tells them at last of that design of old All this was done said he Acts 2.2 by the determinate counsel of God His meaning was first to humble them and then to raise them up q. d. It was not so much they that wrought his death as the Decree of God and the agreement of God and Christ there was an ancient contrivement that Jesus Christ should die for sin and that all our sins should be laid on the back of Jesus Christ and therefore he seems to speak comfort to them in this that howsoever they designed it yet God and Christ designed a further end in it than they imagined even to remission of sins Who was delivered to death for our sins Rom. 4.25 and rose again for our justification The death of Christ as one observes was the greatest and strangest design that ever God undertook and therefore sure he had an end proportionable to it God that willeth not the death of a sinner would not for any inferior end will the death of his Son whom he loved more than all the world besides it must needs be some great matter for which God should contrive the death of his Son and indeed it could be no less than to remove that which he most hated and that was sin Here then is another end of Christ's death it was for the remission of sin one main part of our justification 3. Another design of Christ's death was to mortifie our members which are upon the earth Not only would he remit sin but he would destroy it kill it crucifie it he would not have it reign in our mortal bodies Rom. 6.11 1 Pet. 2.24 that we should obey it in the lusts thereof This Design the Apostle sets out in these words he bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness Christ by his death had not only a design to deliver us from the guilt of sin but also from the power of sin God forbid that I should glory Gal. 6.14 save in the
even the forgiveness of sins Zach. 13.1 Eph. 1.7 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.26 Ver. 28. Levit. 16.21 22. He by himself purged our sins And now once in the end of the world hath he appeared put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear away the sins of many As the Scape-coat under the Law had upon his head all the iniquities of the Children of Israel and so was sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness so the Lord Jesus of whom that Goat was a type had all the iniquities of his Elect laid upon him by God his Father and bearing them he took them away Behold the Lamb of God John 1.29 that taketh away the sins of the world he bore them and bore them away he went away with them into the wilderness or into the land of forgetfulness See what comfort is here 2. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the Law is mine enemy I have transgressed the Law and it speaks terribly Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Oh I have offended the Law and I am under the curse Say not so for by the death of Christ though the Law be broken yet the curse is removed the Apostle is clear Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us he was made a curse for us i.e. the fruits and effects of God's curse the punishment due to sinners the penal curse which justice required was laid upon Christ and by this means we are freed from the curse of the Law It is true that without Christ thou art under this Law Do or Die end if thou offendest in the least kind thou shalt perish for ever the curse of the Law is upon thee to the uttermost but on the other side if thy claim be right to the blood of Christ thou art freed from penalty not but that we may be corrected and chastised but what is that to the eternal curse which the Law pronounceth against every sin we are freed from the curse or damnatory sentence of the Law Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus the Law is satisfied and the bond is cancelled by our Surety Christ O what comfort is this 3. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me I have offended justice and what shall appeal from the seat of justice to the throne of grace my sins are gone before and they are knocking at heaven gates and crying justice Lord on this sinner I know not what will be the issue but either free Grace must save me or I am gone Say not so for by this death of Christ free grace and justice are both thy friends How e're some do yet certainly thou needs not to appeal from the court of justice to the Mercy-seat in this mystery of Godliness there may be as much comfort in standing before the Bar of justice as at the Mercy-seat i.e. by standing therein and through the Lord Jesus Christ yea this is the Gospel-way to go to God the Father and to tender up to him the active and passive righteousness of Christ his Son for an atonement and satisfaction for our sins in this way is the comfort of justification brought if we go to God in any other way than this it is but in a natural way and not in a true Evangelical way A man by nature may know thus much that when he hath sinned he must seek unto God for mercy but to seek unto God for pardon with a price in our hands to tender up the merits of Jesus Christ for a satisfaction to Divine justice here is the mystery of Faith and yet I speak not against relying on God's mercy for pardon but what need we to appeal from justice to mercy when by faith we may tender the death of Christ and so find acceptance with the justice of God it self come soul and let me tell thee for thy comfort if thou hast any share in the death of Christ thou hast two tenures to hold thy pardon and salvation by Mercy and justice free-grace and righteousness mercy in respect of thee and justice in respect of Christ not only is free-grace ready to acquit thee but a full price is laid down to discharge thee of all thy sins so that now when the Prince of this World comes against thee thou mayest say in some sense as Christ did He can find nothing in me for how can he accuse me seeing Christ is my Surety seeing the bond hath been sued and Christ Jesus would not leave one farthing unpaid as Paul said to Philemon concerning Onesimus if he have wronged thee or owe thee any thing put it on my account so doth Christ say to God if these have wronged thy Majesty or owe thee any thing put it on me Paul indeed added I Paul have written it with mine own hand but Christ speaks thus Gen. 2.17 I Jesus have ratified and confirmed it with my own blood 4. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the first threat that ever was in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die now sits on my spirit methinks I see the grizly form of death standing before me Oh this is he that is the King of fears the chief of terrors the inlet to all those Plagues in another world and die I must there is no remedy Rom. 8.94 Oh I startle and am afraid of it And why so it is Christ that dyed and by his death he hath took away the sting of death that now the drone may hiss but cannot hurt come meditate much upon the death of Christ and thou shalt find matter enough in his death for the subduing of thy slavish fears of death both in the merit of it in the effect of it and in the end of it 1. In the merit of it Christ's death is meritorious and in that respect the writ of mortallity is but to the Saints a writ of ease a passage into Glory 2. In the effect of it Christs death is the conquest of death Christ went down into the grave to make a back-door that the grave which was before a prison might now be a thorough-fare so that all his Saints may with ease pass through and sing O death where is thy sting Heb. 2.14 15. Oh hell where is thy victory 3. In the end of it Chri'sts death amongst other ends aims at the ruine of him that had the Power of death that is the Devil and to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time in bondage Christ pursued this end in dying to deliver thee from the fear of death and if now thou fearest thy fearing is a kind of
the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part by his death of all these before 5. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the directive and penal part of the Law and as quickened by the Spirit He was put to death in the flesh saith Peter and quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 And accordingly must be the method and order of our faith after we have looked on Christ as dead in the flesh we must go on to see him as quickened by the Spirit 1 Cor. 15.17 if Christ was not raised or quickened saith the Apostle your faith were in vain q. d. to believe in Christ as only in respect of his birth life death and to go no further were but a vain faith and therefore shore up your faith to this pitch that Christ who dyed is risen from the dead to this purpose all the Sermons of the Apostles represented Christ not only as crucified but as raised In that first Sermon after the mission of the holy Ghost ye have crucified Christ said Peter to the Jews and then it follows whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains or chains of death Acts 2.23 24. because it was not possible that he should be holden of it In that next Sermon Peter tells them again ye have killed the Prince of life and then it follows whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses In the next Sermon after this be it known unto you all said Peter and to all the people of Israel Acts 3.15 that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth whom ye crucified and whom God raised from the dead is this man whole And in the next Sermon after this the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 4.10 And as thus he preached to the Jews so in his first Sermon to the Gentiles he tells them we are witnesses of all things which Jesus did both in the land of the Jews Acts 5.30 and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly And as thus Peter preached so in that first Sermon of Paul at Antioch Acts 10.39 40. Acts 13.30 he tells them of the Jews crucifying Jesus and then it follows but God raised him from the dead And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David Ver. 34 35. and thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption And after this Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogue at Thesalonica and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs suffer and rise from the dead This was the way of the Apostles preaching they told them an history I speak it with reverence of one Jesus Christ that was the word of God and that was become man Acts 17.2 3. and how he was crucified at Jerusalem and how he was raised from the dead and all this in a plain simple spiritual way and manner and while they were telling those blessed truths the Spirit fell upon the people and they believed and had faith wrought in them Faith is not wrought so much in the way of ratiocination as by the Spirit of God coming upon the souls of people by the Relation or representation of Jesus Christ to the soul And this our Lord himself hints as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up John 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life When the people were stung God so ordered that the very beholding of the brazen Serpent should bring help though we know not how to those that were wounded and stung by those fiery Serpents so God hath ordained in his blessed wisdom that the discovery of Jesus Christ as crucified and raised as humbled and exalted should be a means of faith come then set we before us Christ raised not only Christ crucified but Christ raised is the object of faith and in that respect we must look up to Jesus 6. Faith in going to Christ is raised from the dead or as quickned by the Spirit it is principally and mainly to look to the end purpose intent and design of Christ in his resurrection very devils may believe the history of Christ's resurrection Jam. 2.19 they believe and tremble but the Saints and people of God are to look at the meaning of Christ why he rose from the dead now the ends are either supream or subordinate 1. The supream end was God's Glory and that was the meaning of Christ's prayer Father John 17.1 Rom. 6.4 the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee with which agrees the Apostle he rose again from the dead to the glory of the Father 2. The subordinate ends were many As 1. That he might tread on the Serpents head 2. That he might destroy the works of the Devil 3. That he might be the first fruits of them that sleep 4. That he might assure our faith that he is the word and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him against that day 5. That he might be justified in the Spirit as he was begotten in the womb by the Spirit led up and down in the Spirit offered up by the eternal Spirit so he was raised from the dead by the Spirit and justified in the Spirit at his resurrection Christ was under the greatest attainder that ever man was he stood publickly charged with the guilt of a world of sins and if he had not been justified by the Spirit he had still lyen under the blame of all and had been liable to the execution of all and therefore he was raised up from the power of death that he might be declared as a righteous person 6. That he might justifie us in his justificaon when he was justified all the elect were vertually and really justified in him that act of God which past on him was drawn up in the name of all his Saints as whatever benefit or priviledge God meant for us he first of all bestowed it on Christ thus God meaning to sanctifie us he sanctified Christ first and God meaning to justifie us he justifies Christ first so whatever benefit or priviledg he bestowed on Christ he bestowed it not on him for himself but as he was a common Person and one re-resenting us Thus Christ was sanctified instead of us for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through thy truth and thus Christ was justified in stead of us for as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
with men and he will dwell with them Surely it was a miraculous mercy that heaven should come down upon earth and that God should come down to men but Oh what is this that Earth should go up to Heaven that men should ascend up to God yea that my soul with Christ and by Christ should ascend to God and sit down with God in heavenly places yea that my soul should have for its inmate the very same spirit that Christ himself hath Oh I cannot I will not I dare not believe Scrupulous souls be not faithless but believing there is none of these particulars for which we have not a warrant out of the Word of God and therefore believe But that I may perswade to purpose I shall lay down 1. Some directions and 2. Some encouragements of faith 1. For directions of Faith observe these particulars As 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the Flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the Flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death 5. Faith must go to Christ not only as put to death in the Flesh but as quickned by the spirit of all these before 6. Faith must not only go to Christ as quickened by the spirit but as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending the holy Ghost Faith should eye Christ as far as he goes if he be ascended so should faith if he go into glory and sit down there and act there for his people so should faith and so should we in a way of believing follow after him and take a view of all his transactions where he is we have heard before how faith should go to Christ as dying and as rising again but yet faith is low while it doth not go within the vail and see him in glory it is not enough to have only a faith of Justification but of Glorification O come let us see Christ in Heaven and we can have no less than a glorious saith how many are there that never yet came to act saith in Christ as a glorified Christ we are yet still in the lower form many of us take in no more of Christ than what was done on the cross or what some natural and common resemblances of him can hold forth we seldom follow Christ into Heaven to see what he is doing these for us O my soul and O my faith mount up and be on the wing Christ is gone up to heaven Christ is set down at God's right hand Christ hath sent down his holy spirit to this purpose it was expedient that he should go away and now he is gone away to do something that remains to be done for thee in his Kingdom he had still some glorious piece to frame for thy salvation and therefore he left this world and went to his Father that he might act it in glory and now he is invested with all the riches of Heaven he hath all the keyes of Heaven and Hell he hath all power to command he hath received all the promise to himself and all that he hath to do it is to let out of himself again unto his Saints he hath not only got his Fathers heart for them but he hath got all his riches to bestow upon them when he came to Heaven the Father bid him sit down at his right hand and take what he would and bestow what he would upon his Saints and thereupon he gave gifts unto men yea he gave the gift of gifts even the Holy Ghost himself What art not thou a partaker of this gift O then Look up unto Jesus in reference to all these actings set him before thee Christ in all these particulars is a right object for thy faith to act upon 7. Faith in going to Christ his ascension session and mission of the holy spirit it is principally to look to the purpose intent and design of Christ in each of these particulars Christ did nothing but he had an end a meaning in it for our good and here is the life of Faith to eye the meaning of Christ in all his doings Now the ends of Christ's ascension session and mission of his spirit were several I shall instance onely in these few As 1. Christ ascended that we might ascend look whatever God acted on Christ's person that he did as in our behalf and he means to act the same on us was Christ crucified so are we is Christ risen again so are we risen together with him is Christ gone up into glory so are we Heaven is now opened and possessed by Jesus Christ for us and at last we shall ascend even as he ascended Christ cannot be content with that glory he hath himself John 17.25 until we be with him Father I will that those also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold or enjoy my glory which thou hast given me Christ as our head is in glory and so we are there already with him and Christ as our advocate is in glory and there he is pleading and praying for us that we may actually be received and brought up to him Father I will that these whom thou hast given me may be with me Christ's crown of glory is as it were a burthen on his own head untill it be set on the heads of all his â—aints O the blessed end of Christ's Ascension how should faith pry into this Believers you see your object you know his person never be quiet untill ye come into his condition as we must go through all ordinances and creatures till we come to Christ so through all conditions of Christ untill we come to glory 2 Christ sate down that we might sit with him in heavenly places what is the end of Christ's Session but â—hat we mâ—ghâ— invest all his â—aints with the same priviledge In this height of glory Christ is the pattern and plat-form and Idea of what we shall be surely this is the very top of Heaven Chriâ—t is exalted above the Heavens that we might in our measure and proportion be exalted with Christ it was Christ's Prayer that his Father and he and we might all be one As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Oh how should faith stand John 17.21 and gaze on Jesus Christ in this respect â—hâ—t is he on Gods right hand and is he there preparing a room a seat a mansion for my soul What shall I sit at the right hand of Christ shall I sit as an assessor on his udgment-seat to Judge the world wiâ—h Jesus Christ when the Son of man shall sit oâ— the Throne of his Glory Mat. 19.28 ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel O what
believe on the Son are we sanctified in some measure are we kept from the evil that sin may not have dominion over us hath Christ put up these prayers in our behalf that now we feel as it were and experience the truth of Christ's prevailings with his Father in our hearts and lives O sure signs that Christ's intercession is ours away away all diffidence doubting wavering fluctuating hopes a soul thus grounded may with Paul cast the ganlet and bid defiance to all the world Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God and who also maketh intercession for us SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession wounded spirits are full of scruples and thus they cry My sins will never be forgiven have not I sinned against God and Christ and the Spirit of Christ had I not my hands imbrued in the blood of his Son and have not I trodden under foot the blood of God and will that blood that I have shed and trod on intercede for my pardon Had I but gone so far as the Jews did who indeed killed and crucified Christ I might have had some hopes because they knew not what they did and therefore Christ prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they do But alas I sinned 1 Cor. 2.8 and I knew well enough what and wherein I have sinned had they known saith the Apostle they would not have crucified the Lord of glory but alas I knew it and I was fully convinced that the commission of every sin is a crucifying of Christ and yet against knowledge and judgment and light and checks of my own conscience I have crucified the Lord of glory Heb. 6.4 6. and is not the Apostle express it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift if they fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Oh I fear my name is not in the roll of those for whom Christ intercedes I have crucified him afresh and will he intercede for such a dead dog as I am I cannot believe Silence unbelief be not tyrannical to thy self for Christ will not sin shall do thee no hurt nor Sathan no nor God himself for Jesus-Christ can work him to any thing if he but open his wounds in heaven he will so work his Father that thy wounds on earth shall close up presently O but I have sinned against light and what then I hope thou hast not sinned willfully maliciously despightfully against the light the Apostle tells us that if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10.26 27. there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation These two Texts in Heb. 6.4 and 10.26 are parallel and give light to each other and therefore unless thy sin be the unpardonable sin unless willfully maliciously and despightfully thou hast crucified Christ as some of the Jews did never pass a doom of final condemnation on thy soul what is there no difference betwixt a sin done willfully or purposely of malice with delight and aginst the feeling of thy own conscience and a sin done of meer ignorance inconsideracy infirmity or through a strong temptation though against light it self I know there is a light given in by God's Word and some beam of the Holy Ghost which yet never penetrated so far as to transform and regenerate the soul wholly to God's Image and in such a case a man may fall away even into an universal fall a general Apostasie but dost thou not hope better things of thy self than so I suppose thou dost O then believe O believe thy part in Christ's intercession and for the directions of thy faith that thou mayst know how or in what manner to believe observe these particulars in their order As 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the directive part of the Law by his life and under the penal part of the Law by his death 5. Faith must go to Christ as put to death in the flesh and as quickned by the Spirit 6. Faith must go to Christ as quickened by the Spirit and as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending the Holy Ghost of all these before 7. Faith must go to Christ as interceding for his Saints this act of Christ is for the application of all the former acts on Christ's part and our faith closing with it is for the application of this and all other the actings of Christ on our part Now is our faith led up very high if we can but reach this we may say our faith stands very lofty when it may at once see earth and heaven when it may see all that Christ hath acted for it here and all that Christ doth act and will act in heaven for it hereafter It is not an ordinary single particular act of faith that will come up to this glorious mystery no no it is a comprehensive perfective act it is such an act as puts the soul into a condition of glorious triumph Who shall condemne Goodwin Christ set forth it is Christ that will save me to the uttermost seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for me That same word to the uttermost is a good word and well put in it is a reaching word and extends it self so far that thou canst not look beyond it let thy soul be set on the highest mountain that ever any creature was yet set on and there let thy soul take in and view the most spacious prospect both of sin and misery and difficulties of being saved that ever yet any poor humbled soul did east within it self yea joyn to these all the objections and hinderances of thy salvation that the heart of man can suppose or invent against it self lift up thy eyes and look to the utmost thou canst see and Christ by his intercession is able to save thee beyond the horizon and furthest compass of thy thoughts even to the utmost and worst case the heart of man can possibly suppose it is not thy having lain long in sin or long under terrors and despairs it is not thy having sinned often under many enlightnings that can hinder thee from being saved by Christ Do but remember this same word to the uttermost and then put in what exception thou wilt or canst O the holy triumphs of that soul that can but act its saith on
of his loves as if he were not his own he putteth on such relations and assumes such offices of engagement as if he were all for us and nothing for himself thus he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Friend a Guide an Head an Husband a Leader Ransomer Intercessor and what not of this nature O my soul come hither and put thy little candle to this mighty flame if thou hadst ten hearts or as many hearts in one as there are elected Men and Angels in Heaven and Earth all these would be too little for Jesus Christ only go as far as thou canst and love him with that heart thou hast yea love him with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might and as Christ in loving thee is not his own so let thy soul in loving Christ be not her own Come love thy Christ and not thy self possess thy Christ and not thy self enjoy thy Christ and not thy self live in thy Christ not in thy self solace thy self in Jesus Christ not in thy self say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Certainly if ever thou comest to love Christ truly thou canst not but deny thy self and all created lovers This love will screw up thy soul so high above the world and above thy flesh and above thy self and above all other lovers that nothing on this side Christ whether in heaven or on earth will come in competition with him Suppose a man in the top of a Castle higher than the third Region of the Air or near the Sphere of the Moon should look down to the fairest and sweetest Meadows or to a Garden rich with Roses and Flowers of all sweet colours and delicious smells certainly he should not see or feel any sweetness pleasantness colour smell because he is so far above them so the soul filled with the love of Christ is so high above all created lovers that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritual soul O for a soul filled up with all the fulness of God! O for a soul stretched out to its widest capacity and circumference for the entertainment of God! Eph. 3.18 19. O my soul that thou wert but able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Surely if Christ be mine if his death be mine his resurrection mine his ascension mine his session mine his intercession mine How should I but love him with a singular love farewel world and worldly glory if Christ come in room it is time for you to vanish I shall little care for a Candle when the Sun shines fair and bright upon my head What is my name written on the heart of Christ doth he wear me as a Favour and Love-token about his arms and neck is he at every turn presenting me and my duties to his heavenly Father Cant. 4.9 O thou hast ravished my heart my King my Jesus thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Suppose O my soul thou hadst been with Christ when he washed his Disciples feet and that he should have come and have washed thy feet Would not thy heart have glowed with love to Jesus Christ why Christ is now in glory and now he takes thy filthy soul and dirty duties and washes as it were the feet of all that he may present them to his Father thou canst not shed a tear but he washes it over again in his precious blood and perfumes it with his glorious intercessions Oh what cause hast thou to love Jesus Christ Oh you that never loved Christ come love him now and you that have loved Christ a little O love him more Above all let me O my soul charge upon thee this duty of love O go away warmed with the love of Christ and with a love to Christ SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession Surely this is glad tydings of great joy when wicked Haman procured letters from King Ahasuerus for the destruction of all Jews then Esther the Queen makes request to the King that her people might be saved and Haman's letters revoked Esther 5.3 8.15 16 17. And the King said to her What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy request and it shall be given thee O the joy of Jews at this happy tidings Then the City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad then the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honour in every province and in every City whithersoever the Kings Commandment and his Decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day Is not this our very case was there not a Law against us an hand-writing of Ordinances a sentence of a double death of body and soul had not Satan as wicked Haman accused us and sought by all means our condemnation but yet behold not only an earthly Esther but Jesus the Son of God was willing for our sakes to come down from Heaven and he it was that took away the hand-writing of Ordinances and cancelled it upon the Cross that ascended into Heaven and there makes requests for us and he it is in whom his Father is well pleased never comes he to his Father but he obtains the grace of the golden Scepter no sooner he cryes I will that these poor souls may be eternally saved but his Father answers Amen Be it so be it O my Son even as thou pleasest O that we could joy at this O that we could imitate the Jews O that light and gladness and joy and honour would possess our souls if at Christ's birth was such and so much joy because a Saviour was proclaimed Is not our joy to be heightened when salvation is effected if the first act of Christ's mediation was so joyous shall not the last act of his mediation be much more joyous But I hear many objections which keep back joy they are as bars and hindrances at the doors of many heavy hearts that joy cannot enter in I shall instance in some O I am much opposed here in this world sayes one men are as wolves and devils Psal 22.16 Dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they have no bowels they persecute reproach revile so that I am killed all the day long And what then what matters oppositions of men so long as Christ doth intercede for thee in Heaven O remember Christ's bowels it may be he suffers men to be merciless on earth that thou mayst look up and behold how merciful he is who sits above and tell me hast thou no experience of this truth doth not relief strangely come in now and than why write upon
so he shall descend with the voice of the Archangel or he shall scend his Angels with a great sound Matth 24.3 That there are seven principal Angels Master Mede affirms and that there is one which yet eminently is called the Archangel some others affirm as among Devils there is one chief Devil Mat. 25.41 called the Prince of Devils and therefore the fire is said to be prepared for the Devil and his Angels so from this Text of 1 Thess 4.16 and of Dan. 10.13 and of Jude v. 9. Some probably conclude that the good Angels have a Prince even Michael whom Jude calls the Archangel But of this no more the Lord keep me from intruding into those things which I have not seen Collos 2.18 The day it self will discover it and so I leave it as having said enough to satisfie the sober minded For the second what is this voice of the Archangel I conceive that thereby we are to understand thunder here is as we have said a manifest allusion to the proceedings at the giving of the Law now the voice there mentioned besides the voice of God Exod. 19.16 20.18 Heb. 2.2 and the voice of a trumpet is the voice of Thunder And it came to pass on the third day in the morning there were thunders In this sense some expound these words of the Apostle where the Law is said to be spoken by Angels because the Angels did raise up those extraordinary thunders which happily were the matters of the articulate voice in which the Lord spake to Israel or if the Law was spoken by Christ as I have delivered my opinion elsewhere he being the Angel of the Covenant Book 3. ch 1. Sect. 4. Mal. 3 1 And the Angel of his presence Isa 63.9 Yet this hinders not but that created Angels might speak the Law too if not in respect of the articulate voyce yet in respect of the voyce of thunders which attended on it thus thunder is often called the voyce of God and the voyce of his excellency Job 37.4 5. Psalm 29.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. 3. The Lord shall descend with the trumpet of God Such a voyce was used also at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 and Exod. 20.18 and so it will be now when men are called to account for the keeping or breaking of it For the understanding of this our last translation tells us Mat. 24.31 that Christ shall send his Angels with the great sound of a trumpet but in four Greek copies as Beza confesseth as also in the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew and in the Vulgar and in the margent of our last translation it is read that Christ shall send his Angels with a trumpet and a great voyce And so the latter words are exegetical q. d. with a trumpet that is with a great voyce like the voice of a trumpet so that this reading very provably proves that the last trumpet is to be taken metaphorically For the more full confirmation whereof I argue thus when any thing is ascribed to the Angels which is not suitable to their spiritual nature and which they have no need of for the work they are about is it to be taken metaphorically unless the context or some other Scripture force us to a proper acceptation but a material trumpet of Silver Brass or the like metal is not suitable to the spiritual nature of the Angels neither have they need of such a trumpet for producing a great sound in the Air it is evident that without a trumpet they can make a great sound like the noise of a trumpet and there is nothing at all in the Scriptures that will force us or probably lead us to a proper acceptation of the word add yet to what hath been said that sometimes a great voice is set out by the similitude of a Trumpet I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet Rev. 1.10 and the first voyce which I heard was as it were of a trumpet Rev. 4.1 But why is this sound as of a trumpet called the trumpet of God I answer for the greatness of it for its usual in the Hebrew Language for the setting forth of greatness excellency or superlativeness of a thing to add the Name of God to the word whereby the thing is signified as Gen. 23.6 A Prince of God i.e. a Mighty Prince Gen. 30.8 With the wrestlings of God i.e. with great wrestlings Psal 36.6 Mountains of God i.e. Great mountains Psal 80.10 Cedars of God i.e. very high Cedars So here the trump of God i.e. A very great sound like the sound of a trumpet It is said in the Law there were thunders and lightnings Exod. 19.16 and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voyce of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled and if there was trembling at the giving of the Law oh what trembling will be at the general Assize when sinners shall be condemned for breaking of it 3. No sooner the shout made but the Saints arise it is true the Saints that are alive need no resurrection but upon them will this trumpet have its effect Somthing like death shall ceaze upon them and they shall be changed The order of this is given in by the Apostle from the Lord This we say unto you by the Word of our Lord 1 Thes 4.15.16 17. that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them into the clouds The first that shall be called are the Saints that sleep and then the Saints that are alive shall be immediatly changed Oh what a day will this be what a strange sight to see all the dead ever since the beginning of the World rise out of their graves for the wicked I believe they shall rise like Toads from their holes in a black swarthy ugly colour A question is amongst the Schools whether Reprobates shall rise again with all their deformities which they had in this life as some of them being blind halt lame maimed deaf dum c. Whether now they shall rise in the self-same condition for my part I conceive that whereas God the author of nature will at that day restore humane nature that therefore there shall be no defects of natural parts certainly nothing shall be wanting in the damned which may impede the sense of torment in any part now a defect of any member would hinder these universal torments that must ceaze on every part of the bodies of the damned in Hell their bodies therefore shall be whole onely the bodies of such shall be foul ugly heavy lumpish bodies as opposed to the glorious qualities of the bodies of
directive part of the Law by his life and under the penal part of the Law by his death 5. Faith must go to Christ as put to death in the Flesh and as quickned by the spirit 6. Faith must go to Christ as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending down the holy Ghost 7. Faith must go to Christ as interceding for his Saints in which work he continues till his coming again Of all these before 8. Faith must go to Christ as coming again into this neather world to judge the quick and the dead This is the last act of Faith in reference to Christ From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The coming of Christ the resurrection of the dead the change of the living the last judgment and the glory of Christ with his Saints to all eternity is that transaction which must be dispatched at the end of the world now this is the object of faith as well as the former Christ's work is not fully perfected till all these be finished nor is our work of Faith fully compleated till it reach to the very last act of Christ in saving souls Oh what an excellent worker is Jesus Christ he doth all his works throughly and perfectly the greatest work that ever Christ under took was the work of redemption that work would have broken Men and Angels and yet Jesus Christ will carry it on to the end and then will he say not onely prophetically but expresly I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17.46 Now Faith should eye Christ as far as he goes if Christ will not have done till he comes again and receive us to himself and settle us in glory no more should Faith it should still follow after him and take a veiw of all his transactions from first to last what will Christ come again will he summon all the elect to come under judgment will he sentence or judge them to eternal life will he conduct them into glory present them to his Father and be their all in all to all eternity why then let our faith act it self upon all these promises or if I may instance in one for all Christ's coming is the most comprehensive of all and is not the coming of Christ very frequently mentioned in the pâ—omises as the great support and stay of his peoples spirits till then do not the Apostles usually quicken us to duty and encourage us to waiting by the mentioning of this glorious coming of Jesus Christ why then let us act our faith on this glorious Object Christians what do we believe and hope and wait for but to see this coming this was Pauls encouragement to rejoycing and moderation Phil. 4.4 5. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and let your moderation be known to all the Lord is at hand To think and speak of that day with horror doth well beseem the impenitent sinner but doth ill beseem the beliâ—ving Saint such may be the voice of an unbeliever and it may be of a believer in desertion or temptation but it 's not the voice of faith O believe on Christ as carrying on our salvation at his coming again For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and he will not tarry Heb. 10.37 9. Faith must principally and mainly look to the purpose design intent and end of Christ in his second coming to Judgment Now the ends are 1. In respect of the wicked that they may be destroyed for he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet He shall come with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 and then he will take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power O miserable men now it is God's design to be revenged on you This is the day when the wicked shall suddenly start out of sleep and meet with gastly amazedness at the mouth of their sepulchers above them stands the Judge condemning beneath Hell gaping on the right had justice threatning on all sides the world burning to go forward is intollerable to go backward is impossible to turn aside is unavailable which way then Heaven gates are shut Hell mouth is open where they must end their endless misery the last torment lasteth ever O the shrikes of the wicked at every passage of this day when the Prophet Joel was describing the formidable accidents of his day he was not able to express it but stammered like a Child or an amazed imperfect person A. A. A. for the day of the Lord is at hand We translate it Alas Joel 1.17 for the day of the Lord is at hand But Lyra Ribera the Vulgar Latine and others translate it A.A.A. in Hebrew it is indeed but one word and sounds as Aha which howsoever so written yet is it pronounced without any aspiration as Aharon is pronounced Aaron The best Criticâ—s would but have it one word and so they write it A-a-a for the day of the Lord is at hand thus they that stammer and cannot suddenly speak say A-a-a it is not sense at first the Prophet was so amazed that he knew not what to say the stammering tongue that is full of fear can best speak that terror which will make all the wicked of the world to cry and shrike and speak fearfull accents oh the shrikes oh the fearful sounds that will then be heard sure that noise must needs be terrible when millions of men and women at the same instant shall fearfully cry out and when their cryes shall mingle with the thunders of the dying and groaning Heavens and with the crack of the dissolving World when the whole fabrick of nature shall shake into dissolution Psal 51.21 and eternal ashes Now consider this ye that forget God lest he tare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Shall not the consideration of these things awake your spirits and raise you from the death of sin what do you believe these things or do you not if you do not believe these things where is your saith if you do believe them and sin on where is your prudence and where is your hope but enough of this it belongs to the wicked 2. In respect of the Godly that they may be saved Now this contains several steps As 1. They must be regenerated It is true they partake of this grace before but now is the full perfection and manifestation of it Mat. 19.28 and therefore the last day is called the day of regeneration Col. 1.13 14. 2. They must be redeemed So they are in this life Paul could tell his Colossians that Christ had delivered them from the power of darkness and that in him they had redemption through his blood Yet the Scripture calls the day of judgment
apt to listen to his doubts that in the conclusion I know not how to extricate my self Person Sayst thou so surely in this case there 's no cure no remedy but onely the testimony of God's Spirit but saith not the Apostle Rom. 8.16 That the spirit of it self bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God if a Man or Angel or Archangel should promise Heaven peradventure thou mightest doubt but if the Supream Essence of the Spirit of God bear witness within what room for doubting why this voice of the spirit is the very voice of God hark then enquire O my soul if thou hast but this testimony of the spirit thou art sure enough Soul Oh that it were thus with me oh that the spirit would even now give me to drink of the wells of salvation oh that the spirit would testifie it home oh that he would shine upon and enlighten all those graces which he hath planted in me fain would I come to the highest pitch of hope oh that I could look upon the things hoped for as certainly future Person Thou sayst well O my soul and if these wishes be real then pour out thy self unto God in prayer this was the Apostles method Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost let this be thy practise pray as he prayed pray thou for thy self as he prayed for others if an earthly Father will hearken to his child Luk. 11.13 how much more will God the Father give the spirit to them that ask the spirit of him Soul Why if this be it to thee Lord do I come O give me the Spirit the witness of the Spirit the first-fruits of the spirit the sealing of the spirit the earnest of the spirit O give me the spirit and let the spirit give me this hope O the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in my soul and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Come O come and dwell in my soul Come and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out come and fill me with a livelv hope yea Lord excite and quicken and stir up my soul to act this hope yea so illighten or shine upon my hope that I may know that I hope and know that I joyfully expect and wait for the coming of Christ O Let me hear thy voice Say unto my soul I am and will be thy salvation Person Well now thou hast prayed Psal 35.3 O my soul Come tell me dost thou feel nothing stir is there nothing at all in thee that assures thee of this assurance of hope is there no life in thy affections no spark that takes hold on thy heart to set it on flame no comfort of the spirit no joy in the holy Ghost Soul Yes methinks I feel it now begin to work the Spirit that hath breathed this prayer into me comes in as Comforter O now that I realize Christ's coming and my resurrection Psal 16.9 I cannot but conclude with David Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth and my flesh also shall rest in hope Oh what an earnest is this what a piece hath the spirit put into my hand of the great sum promised not onely that he in great mercy promised me Heaven but because he doth not put me into a present possession he now gives me an earnest of my future inheritance Why surely all is sure unless the earnest deceive me and what shall I dispute the truth of the earnest oh God forbid the stamp is too well known to be mistrusted this seal cannot be counterfeit because it is agreeable with the Word I find in my self an hope a true sincere hope though very weak I find upon trial that I am regenerate that I look and long for the second coming of Jesus that I love his appearance even before hand that my works though imperfect are sincere and true that I believe on the Name of the Son of God and flesh and blood could never work these duties or these graces in me it is only that good spirit of my God which hath thus sealed me up to the day of redemption Away away despair trouble me no longer with a musing thoughts I will henceforth if the Lord enable walk confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of my happy contract from the hands of Christ The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 25 26. the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him it is good that I both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord It is good that I hope to the end 1 Pet. 1.13 for the grace that is to be brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LET us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming Now this believing in Christ is more than hoping in Christ Faith eyes things as present but hope eyes things as future and hence the Apostle describes faith to the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 it is the substance foundation or prop which upholds the building or it is the substance essence existence of things hoped for and consequently absent and a far off to be by a firm apprehension of the believer as already present and real And this is as necessary as the former oh if we could but see things now as they shall appear at that last general day of Judgment how mightily would they work upon our souls I verily think the want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world and the acting of Faith on this subject would produce fruits even to admiration If we could but see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall then be communicated if we could but see those dreadful evils that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled would not this draw the hardest heart under Heaven come let us act faith this day as if this day were the last day a thousand years are but as one day to faith it takes hold upon eternal life whensoever it acts it takes present possession of the glorious things of the Kingdom of God even now O then let us believe in Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment But how should we believe what directions to act our saith on Jesus in this respect I answer 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the