Blood in the same place where he shed the Blood of Naboth 3. The Place to which the Third Heaven The Tabernacle figured the Church the Temple Heaven In the Temple were three Partitions the Court where was the Altar of Burnt-Offerings the Holy Place where was the Table Candlestick Shew-bread and the Altar of Burnt-Incense then the Holy of Holies where the High Priest came once a Year So in that vast space which the Scriptures call Heaven there are as it were three Stories the Etherial Heaven the Starry Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens into this Christ as our High Priest is entred There was not only a change of his Presence but a translation of his Body into the High and Holy Place 4. The Witnesses the Eleven Apostles these were his choice Witnesses not the whole Company of Believers 5. Another Circumstance was his last Action a little before his Ascension Luke 24.50 He blessed his Disciples nay it is added again to put the greater Emphasis upon it Vers. 51. And while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven It is the fashion of good Men to die blessing Jacob and Moses when they were to take their leaves of the World they blessed the Tribes Christ before he would go would first leave his Blessing nay the last Act with which he would close up his Life was an Act of Blessing to shew that now the Curse was removed and he was going to Heaven to convey the Blessing to all the Heirs of Salvation Acts 3.26 Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities as God blessed Adam and Eve when his Work was done 6. The Manner Acts 1.9 When he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight The Cloud answered to God's appearance in the Tabernacle When we look on the Clouds this was Christ's Chariot he will come again in like manner 7. In his Ascension he went to Heaven as a Conqueror he triumphed over his Enemies and gave Gifts to his Friends Ephes. 4.8 When â—e ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto Men As glorious Conquerors lead their chief Enemies fettered in Iron Chains So Col. 2.15 Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Sudore Sanguine aliorum ut quondam Imperatores solebant There is some Difficulty about the Exposition of that place those seem too literally to interpret it that think there was some open Pomp and Shew The Papists say he went to the Limbus Patrum and took Abraham Isaac Jacob and other holy Men of the Old Testament along with him in Triumph to Heaven but then he should have taken the Devils Zanchy thinks there was some real visible Triumph visible not to all but to God Angels and Men leading the Devils through the Air. Still it seemeth too gross and to be asserted without Warrant But this must be interpreted suitably to the other Acts of his Office this Triumph must be referred to his Ascension Christ fought for Heaven and struck the last Stroke on the Cross seized on the Spoil at his Resurrection led them in Triumph at his Ascension and by his quiet sitting on the Throne his Subjects enjoy the Benefit 8. Christ's Entertainment by the Angels Some were left to comfort the Apostles Acts 1.10 While they looked stedfastly towards Heaven two Men stood by in white Apparel These two Men were two Angels in the shape of Men. When the Husband is to go a long Journey he writeth to the Wife from the next Stage whilst her Grief is fresh and running and giveth an account of his Welfare Christ dispatcheth two Messengers out of his glorious Train which Message being done they accompany him with other Angels into Heaven Dan. 7.13 I saw one like the Son of Man with the Clouds of Heaven and they brought him near before him They that is the Angels the Son of Man that is Christ as appeareth by the next Verse they wait upon him and guard him into the Presence of God Certainly if the Angels came so chearfully to proclaim his Incarnation when born What Triumph is there by that blessed Company in Heaven at his Ascension Still the Angels are in Christ's Company when he cometh to Judgment the Angels shall come with him Christ coming into the Presence of the Father is royally attended his Entrance into Heaven is glorious with glorious Applauses and Acclamations Psal. 24.11 Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in viz. at the coming of his Humanity so Justin Martyr Basil Euthimius But clearly there is an Allusion to the bringing the Ark into the place prepared by David for it a Figure of Christ's entrance into Heaven They applaud him as mighty in Battel as newly returned from the Spoils of his Enemies The Entrance of a victorious and triumphant Captain is there described and so it is proper to Christ. Once more the blessed Saints have the like Applause Isaiah describes it Isa. 63.1 2 3. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozrah this that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his Strength I that speak Righteousness mighty to save Wherefore art thou red in thine Apparel and thy Garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat I have troden the Wine-press alone and of the People there was none with me c. There is a Dialogue as before to express the Saint's Acclamations to Christ The Church is brought in there wondring at Christ's glorious Triumph over all his Enemies as returning victorious from some bloody Fight like a great Commander in goodly rich Robes besprinkled with the Blood of his Enemies 9. The last thing is his Welcome from God Psal. 2.8 I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance c. Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my Right-hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool compared with Mat. 22.44 In the day of his Inauguration God will say Welcome Son Sit at my Right-hand all the Kingdoms of the Earth are thine Christ doth not only enter as a Conqueror but as a Favourite Son thy Work is well done sit at my Right-hand that is God's first Word to him and then Ask what thou wilt it is thine It is a fashion among great Princes when they would shew great Affection or extraordinary liking to any they bid them ask what they would as Herod to Herodias's Daughter Mat. 14.6 7. When Herod 's Birth-day was kept the Daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod Whereupon he promised with an Oath to give her whatsoever she would ask And Ahasuerus to Esther Esth. 5.3 What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy Request
words to the High Priest the Son of Man shall come in his Glory Now saith Christ I will not defer thy Desires so long Heavenly Joys attend thy Soul And others seek to evade it by the word Paradise it is a Persick word but used by the Hebrews for Gardens and Orchards and by allusion for Heavenly Joys the Allusion is not only to the delights of an ordinary Garden but Eden or that Garden in which Adam was placed in Innocency The Fathers fancied secreta animarum receptacula beatas sedes But it is put for Heaven it self in other places 2 Cor. 12.2 He was caught up into the third Heaven which he presently calls Paradise Vers. 4. So that presently Souls upon their departure out of the Body are immediatly with Christ. Thus it is said Luke 16.22 The Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom presently in the twinkling of an Eye or the forming of a Thought Which is a great Comfort to us when we come to die in a moment Angels will bring you to Christ and Christ to God The Agonies of Death are terrible but there are Joys just ready and as soon as the Soul is loosed from the Prison of the Body you enter into your Eternal Rest it flieth hence to Christ to be there where he is To be short certainly Men enter upon their final State presently as soon as they die 2 Pet. 3.19 He went and preached to the Spirits in Prison compare it with Heb. 12.24 To the Spirits of Just Men made perfect How can Souls be perfect if they lie only in a dull Sleep without any Light Life Joy or Delight or Act of Love to God We see the very present refreshments of Sleep are a burden to the Saints because they rob us of so much Time cheat us of half our Lives 2. Compleatly at the Resurrection Believers consist of Body as well as Soul Now it is said that they may be there that is their whole Self shall be there where Christ is And so it proveth the Resurrection and the Translation of our glorified Bodies into Heaven So our Lord sheweth that our being there where he is shall compleatly be after his second coming John 14.3 And if I go and prepare a Place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also Christ and we that are one cannot always live asunder if he have any Glory we must have part of it and therefore he will come again and take us to himself that as Coheirs we may live upon the same Happiness Rom. 8.17 And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together As Joseph brought his Brethren to Pharaoh he bringeth us to God As he took part with us in Nature so he will have us take part with him in Glory Now the Happiness of it will appear 1. By the Place the third Heaven or Paradise as there was the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies The spangled Firmament is but the Outside and Pavement of that House where Christ and the Saints met When we look upon the aspectable Heavens we may cry out as David in his Night-Meditation Psal. 8.4 Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him The Church is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Portal as one saith and entrance into Heaven If the visible Heavens so affect us how glorious is it within 2. The Manner of bringing us thither I will come again and receive you to my self John 14.3 Christ will not send for us but come in Person to fetch us in state which will make our access to Heaven the more glorious Christ will come to lead his Flock into their Everlasting Fold to present his Bride to God decked and apparalled with Glory How glorious a sight will it be to see Christ and all his Troops following him with their Crowns upon their Heads to see the triumphant entrance into those Everlasting Habitations and to hear the Applauses of the Angels Psal. 24.7 8. Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up you Everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in Who is this King of Glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel That was a private and a personal entry at his Ascension but now it shall be publick and glorious now Death the last Enemy is destroyed then he is the Lord mighty in Battel indeed 3. Our perpetual Fellowship with Christ in the Presence and Glory of his Kingdom Pray mark there is a Presence and that is much that we are called to Heaven as Witnesses of Christ's Glory The Queen of Sheba said of Solomon 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy Men happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy Wisdom They that stand before the Lord and see his Glory are much more happy Zacheus pressed to see him the Wise Men came from the East to see him It is our burden in the World that the Clouds interpose between us and Christ that there is a great Gulph between us and him which cannot be passed but by Death that God is at a distance that our Enemies often ask us Where is your God Now we shall be happy when we shall be in his Arms when we can say Here he is when our Redeemer is ever before our Eyes Job 19.26 to remember us of the Grace purchased for us and we are as near as we can desire Now we dwell in his Family David envied the Swallows that had their residence in the Temple One day spent in thy Courts is better than a thousand spent elsewhere Psal. 84.10 Then we shall always be about his Throne and we shall for ever feed our Eyes with this Glorious Spectacle Jesus Christ his Body shall be in a certain Place where all shall behold it The three Children walked comfortably in the fiery Furnace because there was a fourth there the Son of God Dan. 3.25 Lo I see four Men loose walking in the midst of the Fire and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God Again this Presence maketh way for Enjoiment It is not a naked sight and speculation we are in the same state and condition with Christ Rom. 8.17 Heirs of God and joint-Heirs with Jesus Christ. We shall be like him Servants may stand in the presence of Princes but they do not make their Followers Fellows and Consorts with them in the same Glory Solomon could only shew his Glory to the Queen of Sheba but Christ giveth it us to be enjoyed And all this is perpetual and without change and interruption 1 Thess. 4.17 We shall be for ever with the Lord. We are then above Fears no more Eclipses of God's Face no more trouble because of God's absence Here we complain
the Gentiles the Wrestlers were anointed Which may be applied to Christ who was now to wrestle and conflict with all the Prejudices and Difficulties of Man's Salvation But it is rather taken from the Customs of the Ceremonial Law Three sorts of Persons we find to be anointed among the Jews Kings as Saul David Solomon 1 Sam. 9.16 Thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my People Israel Therefore they were called the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26.11 Priests All the Priests that ministred in the Tabernacle or Temple chiefly the High-Priest who was a special Figure of Christ Exod. 29.29 And the Holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him to be anointed therein and to be consecrated in them Prophets 1 Kings 19.16 Elisha the Son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy room As Oil strengthneth and suppleth the Joints and maketh them agile and fit for Exercise so it noteth a designation and fitness for the Functions to which they were appointed So Christ because he was not to be a Typical Priest or Prophet or King therefore he was not typically but spiritually anointed not with a Sacramental but real Unction not of Men but of God immediatly Therefore we shall inquire how Christ was anointed It implyeth two things 1. The giving of Power and Authority Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Therefore though Christ be of the same Power and Authority with the Father yet as Mediator he must be appointed Christ took not on him the honour of a Mediator but received it of his Father God needeth not to appoint a Mediator it was his free Grace To save Sinners is not proprietas Divinae Naturae but Opus liberi Concilii This Council had its rise from the Mercy and free Grace of the Father he might have required this punishment of our selves If any had interposed to mediate for us without God's Will and Calling his Mediation would have been of no value a Pledg whereof we have in Moses Exod. 32.32 33. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their Sins and if not blot me I pray thee out of the Book of Life And the Lord said unto Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book And besides where should we have found a sufficient Mediator unless he should have given us one Therefore there is much in the Father's anointing or appointment therefore is the Mediation of Christ so effectual it is made by his own Will John 8.42 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me John 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed as a Magistrate hath the King's Broad Seal Which is a great comfort when we go to God we may offer him Christ as authorized by himself thou hast sent thy own Son to be a Mediator for me And we may plead it to our selves in Faith God the Supream Judg the wronged Party hath appointed Christ to take up the Controversy between him and me 2. The bestowing on him the Holy Ghost who might make the humane Nature fit for the Work So Acts 10.38 Him hath God anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power The humane Nature of Christ was fitted for the Employment for though it were exalted to great Privileges yet it could not act beyond its Sphere and Sanctification is the personal Operation of the third Person Now the Work of the Holy Ghost was in the Womb of the Virgin to preserve the Humane Nature of Christ from the infection of Sin From a Sinner nothing could be born but what was unclean and sinful by this Anointing Christ was made perfectly just strengthned to all Offices especially to offer up himself Heb. 9.14 Who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God To overcome all Difficulties and Temptations Isa. 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him The Work of Redemption was a weighty Work Christ had to do with God Devil and Man to bear the Wrath of God for the whole World 2. To what was Christ anointed To the Office of a Mediator in general particularly to be King Priest and Prophet of the Church To be a Prophet to teach us by his Word and Spirit Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear ye him God bespeaketh audience To be a Priest to intercede and die for us To be a King to rule us by his Spirit and to give Grace and Glory to us Vse 1. Let us receive Christ as an anointed Saviour Christ is set over us by Authority Let us come to him as a Prophet denying our own Reason and Wisdom as a Priest seeking all our acceptance with God through his Merit Let us plead Lord Thou hast anointed Christ to offer himself a Sacrifice for me As a King let us give up our selves to the Authority and Discipline of his Spirit God's anointing is the true Reason and Cause why we should come to Christ. Vse 2. Comfort We are anointed too Christ's Ointment is shared amongst his Fellows he was anointed more than we but we have our part Psal. 133.2 Like the precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment 1 John 2.27 The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you We are made Prophets Priests and Kings Prophets meet to declare his Praises Priests fit for holy ministring Kings to reign over our Corruptions here and with Christ for ever in glory as the Queen is crowned with the King SERMON V. JOHN XVII 4 I have glorified Thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which Thou gavest me to do IN this Verse there is another Argument to inforce the main Request of his being glorified it is taken from the faithful discharge of his Duty and his Integrity in it it was all finished and finished to God's Glory therefore it was not unjust that he should now desire to be glorified When our Work is ended then we look to receive our Wages Now saith Christ I have finished the Work and besides which giveth weight to the Argument I have glorified Thee The Reason of Christ's Request seems to be taken from the Eternal Covenant Do your Work and you shall see your Seed and from those Promises 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour Prov. 4.8 Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her Well Christ sheweth that his Request is not unequal Though this be the general Relation of the Context yet it is good to note the particular dependance between this and the former Verse Christ said that it was Eternal Life to know him that was sent now he sheweth he had discharged that Work for which he was
for their present use without looking further and the Wisdom of the other that their Vessels were furnished as well as their Lamps Grace must flow forth but withall it must have a bottom within As a Fountain or Spring sendeth forth streams to water the ground about it or the heart sendeth forth Life and Spirits to every faculty and member so the Graces of the Spirit in Believers flow forth in their Carriage and Behaviour to make their Tongue drop that which is savoury their Actions orderly and even their Carriage in all relations and affairs grave and serious 'T is well when all this hath a bottom that there is a principle of Life within to diffuse this vertue into every part of their Conversations and to keep them mindful and respective to all the Commands of God Now this is required 1. Partly because this glorious Profession and Practice will not serve the turn for the present For God looks not to outward appearance but regards the frame of the heart 't is internal Holiness that is lovely in his eyes Psa. 51.6 and without which the external is loathsome to him Math. 23.17 A Christian hath more in the Vessel than in the Lampâ— Psa. 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within That which is outwardly professed is inwardly rooted and cherished by them who worship and serve God in Spirit and Truth Knowledge Faith Love Hope Zeal Courage Patience these adorn the Heart as well as the Fruits of them appear in the Life and this maketh us beautiful in the eyes of him that seeth in secret It would help us to discover our mistakes if we did make God our Witness Approver and Judge for the present studying to approve him in the frame of our hearts which is hidden from all others And 2. Partly because the Lamp will not long hold burning unless there be a stock of Oyl to feed it so that if it could suffice for the present yet without Grace in the Heart for the future we shall miscarry when the slender Provision and store is spent A Christian is to provide for the time to come such Grace as my endure and hold out in all tryals and bear weight in the day of Judgment We are often pressed to set our selves in such a state and put our selves into such a frame as will endure the glory of Christs presence and to think of that time and what we shall doe or how we shall be found when he appeareth He only believeth aright in Christ that will not be ashamed at his appearance Luk. 21.36 That ye may stand before the Son of Man And 1 Joh. 4.17 That we may have boldness at the day of Judgment And 1 John 2.29 When he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed of him at his coming 3. A saving work of Grace is an inward Principle of Life and that in such a degree and measure which the unsound though the most glorious Professors of the Gospel do not attain unto Some sleight and insufficient touches upon their hearts many Professors may attain unto that yet never had this rooted Principle of Grace which may properly be called Oyl in the Vessel It differeth in Radication and Efficacy as I shewed before They are inlightened but the day-star doth not arise in their hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 And Eph. 5.8 A flash of light they may have but are not light in the Lord. Are affected with the Truths of the Gospel but not changed or transformed by it 2 Cor. 3.18 Sin may be restrained or benummed but 't is not subdued and mortified Gal. 5.24 we cannot say 't is crucified They are half loosed but are still in bonds make some shew of escape from Sathan but are surprized by him again worse hampered than before Matth. 12.45 urged excited to some good but not enabled and inclined to love God with all the heart and seriously and constantly to set about the things that please him and to avoyd the contrary They have not the Grace the Apostle prayeth for Heb. 13.12 That Grace that may make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Have you this Grace to be alwayes working that which is pleasing in his sight Their Fire is like a straw-sire soon in and soon out so that there is a difference The common Grace that they have is real but not of an abiding and everlasting nature not secured by Gods Covenant and promise there is not that solid rooted Piety Therefore 't is not enough for Christians to see that the Lamp burneth but to look what there is in the Vessel to feed the Flame 'T is not suddain affections on our part nor the transient motions of the Spirit on Gods part that will amount to a constant principle of Life 4. This constant abiding state of Grace or Principle of Life may be known partly by the Terms by which it is set forth in Scripture and partly by the Effects of it First By the Terms by which 't is expressed in Scripture 1. 'T is expressed sometimes with respect to the Original Author Pattern and Fountain of it which is God And so it is called the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby is not meant the Infinite Essence of God which can neither be divided or communicated to any Creature but of those holy and heavenly qualities and dispositions whereby we resemble God The heart of this Christian is so stamped with Gods own Image and Character that he beginneth to look like God for wisdom holiness purity pity So sometimes 't is called the life of God Eph. 4.18 that spiritual Life that is begun in Regeneration is so called not as God is the first original Author of Life natural but the Pattern of it From both these places it appeareth we must first be partakers of such a Nature as God hath before we can live such a Life as God doth 2. 'T is sometimes expressed with respect to the meritorious and procuring Cause or the immediate Head and Fountain of it and so Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 to dwell in us Eph. 3.17 to remain in us as the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 That Christians may live the Life of Grace they must first be united to Christ for he liveth in us as the Head in the Members or the Root in the Branches We must be united to Christ and receive influence from him as Branches from the Root Through Faith Christ is perpetually present in Vertue Grace and Spirit We must first partake of Christ himself being most strictly united to him as Members to the Head from whence they receive sense and motion He taketh up a fixed and unmoveable habitation in our hearts Joh. 14.23 not for a Visit and away but keepeth a perpetual residence in the heart 3. With respect to the immediate Authour and Fountain which is the Spirit given to us to dwell in us by
to say I have enough every degree of Grace is as desirable as that we have attained to and those whose Hearts God hath touched they earnestly desire more 5. All is too little to stand before the Lord and therefore none have any surplusage of Grace or more than will serve their own turn As in the gathering of Manna he that had much had nothing over If we consider the glorious and holy Presence of Christ we have all little enough Psa. 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant Non dicit cum hostibus tuis sed cum servo tuo He doth not say O Lord enter not into Judgment with thine Enemies but enter not into Judgment with thy Servant 6. Every one is to be considered according to his advantages and opportunities of growth and improvement less may be sufficient to Salvation but not to them to whom more is given as they distinguish of a fundamental in se and quo ad nos God may accept of an implicit Faith in some but not in others so 't is true of Grace that rule Luk. 12.48 He that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes God may accept that from others which he will not from us and we are to be answerable for our means of growth we expect he should come sooner that rideth on horse-back than he that travelleth on foot and therefore we must not be contented with a bare competency but labour for abundance 7. The greatest Graces have many times the greatest Corruptions and Temptations to wrestle with God doth not call every one to such a tryal as he called Abraham but as Jacob drove as the little ones were able to bear so doth God proportion Temptations according to the measure of Grace and strength that every one hath and therefore he that hath most Grace hath but enough for that condition of life wherein God will exercise and try him 8. You may easily have too little you cannot have too much There are many come short none over you never read of any that had too much Faith too much of the Love of God and the fear of God In the Internals and Essentials of Religion there is no nimium a man may spend too much time in Praying and Hearing when it incroacheth upon other Duties but he cannot fear God too much with a filial fear or love God too much many love him too little and therefore are kept so doubtful all their dayes that they cannot tell whether they love God at all or no. 9. Because of that Conformity that should be between us and Christ who is our glorious Head and all the Heirs of Glory are destinated to be conformed to the First-born Rom. 8.24 chiefly in Grace Purity and Holiness indeed this cannot so full and exactly be 'till we see him as he is but the present sight that we have of him by Grace should make some change in us 2 Cor. 3.18 In Heaven we shall be holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners as he Heb. 7.26 above the reach of Temptations as he Joh. 10.30 Our vile Bodies shall be changed Phil. 3.21 and both Soul and Body conformed to that glorious Estate as he Rom. 6.9 but it must be begun here the very hopes of it should put us upon purifying our selves 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure You are to do so that there may be some proportion between Head and Members 10. Because a little Grace is not so honourable to God John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified in that ye bring forth much fruit and Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God 2 Pet. 1.8 If these things be in you and abound you shall not be barren or unfruitful in the Knowledge of Christ. 'T is not a naked and empty Profession 't is not sleepy habits or a little Grace but when Grace hath a deep power and soveraignty over our Hearts and Lives that bringeth God into request and commendeth him to the Consciences of men The Knowledge of Christ is reproached as a low Institution by carnal men but to the truly wise no such excellent and noble Spirits as they that are bred up under him 1 VSE Of Reproof to those that think we make more ado than needeth When we press men to a constant watchfulness and serious diligence in the spiritual Life no wonder that every sleight thing seemeth enough so the foolish Virgins Give us of your Oyl the wise Virgins are more cautious their saying is Not so lest there be not enough for us and you What thoughts have you of Christ when you think every sleight Preparation enough for him what sense of the world to come when you do so little in order to it what is it that you call Grace that you do so easily come by it and maintain it upon such cheap terms Surely men have no sense of the End or else mistake the Way that think so little will serve the turn Indeed a little in the world will serve the turn if men had sober and moderate desires and did not increase their necessities by the largeness of their affections A man may have Estate enough for ten men yea twenty men and yet not be satisfied but the best hath scarce Grace enough for one but alas how soon are men satisfied such is their indifferency about spiritual things instead of hungering and thirsting after Righteousness a little or none contents them here only they are for Sobriety and Moderation all is too much and too easily passed over that seemeth to awaken them to a lively sense of that Religion they do profess Christ saith Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.20 What do ye more than they And Luk. 11.24 Strive to enter in at the streight gate They cannot endure that Christs Authority should be urged upon the Conscience can you hope to be saved upon easier terms without all this ado a little time will determine whose word shall stand Gods or yours you cannot do too much as long as you do but what God bids you Certainly if you judge by that Rule which God hath given to try by no man on earth is as good as he should be and he that is best is too bad and he that doth most cometh unspeakably short of what he should do All the holy ones of God complain of their naughty Hearts that they cannot do the things that they would they groan under the Body of Death and cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death And will they then obtrude this sorry perfunctory Obedience upon God as a full satisfaction of his Gospel-law 2. It is to Reprove those that think they have Grace enough to bring them to Heaven Now they may
reward those that trust in him Psal. 2.12 He that hath so often pleaded with God for us he is to pass Sentence upon us Would a Man be afraid to be Judged by his dearest Friend or think his Sentence would be terrible If the Devil were our Judge or wicked Men we might be sad But 't is your dear Lord Jesus Therefore let us comfort our selves with the Thoughts of it David's Followers were afraid but when he came to be Crowned at Hebron then he dignified and rewarded them Christ's Followers are now despised but when he shall come in his Glory they shall be invited into his Kingdom Come ye Blessed of my Father SERMON XIX MATTH XXV v. 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory I Come now to the Second Point Doct. 2. That Christ's Appearance for the Iudgment of the World shall be Glorious and full of Majesty I shall prove it by opening the Circumstances of the Text. Three things are offered here 1. His Personal Glory 2. His Royal Attendance 3. His Glorious Seat and Throne First His Personal Glory Let us see what it is and why he will come in such an Appearance First What it will be we cannot fully know till we see it but certain we are this Glory must be exceeding great If we consider 1. The Dignity of his Person he is God-Man And now that Mystery is to be discovered to the utmost therefore he must needs have such a Glory as never Creature was capable of nor can be but at that Day the Creatures are capable of great Glory For 't is said Matth. 13.43 The Righteous shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father And if it be thus with the Saints how shall it be with Christ The Saints are but Creatures they are not Deified when they are Glorified But He is God-Man in one Person The Saints are but Members of the Mystical Body but Christ is the Head and therefore he must needs far excell the Glory of all the Creatures Ours is but a derived Ray the Body of Light is in himself We read 2 Thess. 1.10 that he will be admired in the Saints That is in the Glory he puts upon them All the Spectators shall stand admiring at the Honour he puts upon them that are but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness But how much more may He be admired for his own Personal Glory 2. The Quality of his Office He is the Judge of the World who now cometh to appear upon the Throne to be seen of all Therefore there must be a Glory suitable We read Acts 25.23 that Agrippa and Bernice came to the Judgment-Seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a great deal of Pomp and State And we see in Earthly Judicatures when great Malefactors are to be tryed the whole Majesty and Glory of a Nation is brought forth The Judge in gorgeous Apparel accompanied with Nobles and Gentry and Officers and a great Conflux of People to make it more Magnificent and Terrible So here is a Conflux of the whole World Angels Devils Men from all Corners of the Earth all the Men that ever were and ever shall be And Christ cometh forth in his greatest Glory 3. Consider the Greatness of his Work and that will shew that his Glory must needs be discovered His Work is on the one side to gather together to convince to Judge and punish Creatures opposite and Rebellious and to honour and reward his Servants on the other There is not such an Union and Confederation of Miracles in any one Point and Article of Faith so much as there is in this of the general Judgment The mighty Power and Dominion of God is seen in dissolving the Elements in raising the dead Bodies and giving every Dust it s own Flesh and bringing them together that they may be Arraigned and Judged And then in separating them into their several Ranks in which his Omnisciency and Wisdom is seen that not one of the Reprobate shall lie hid among the Elect. In Judging them his Justice cannot be eluded he that seeth all things in the Light of the Godhead cannot want Evidence Then one of the Books that is opened is in the Parties Custody and yet they cannot deface it or blot it out And then for Execution the Majesty of his Person and Presence will be enough to confound a wicked Man How will the Wolves tremble at the sight of the pure and unspotted Lamb Revel 6.16 Oh! 't will be a piercing Sight to them to see him whom they have despised upon the Throne That Jesus whose Word they have scorned whose Ordinances they have neglected or corrupted whose Servants they have molested When Joseph who was so great and high in Egypt discovered himself to his Brethren I am Joseph they were abashed and confounded because of the Injury they had done him Much more shall Sinners be confounded when he shall tell them I am Jesus and that he is come on purpose to be Revenged on all the Abusers and Despisers of his Grace and the Troublers of his People How can they then look him in the Face We read that when they came to attacque Christ Joh. 18.6 as soon as he had told them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground He would convince his Enemies in the midst of his greatest Abasement how full of Majesty and Terror his Presence is if he should let out the Glory of it upon them If the Lamb's Voice be so terrible how dreadful will he be when he roareth as a Lyon And if then when he was taken and led to be Judged you may guess how glorious his Presence will be when he cometh in all his Glory to Judge others And by this you may understand the Apostles Expression 2 Thess. 1.9 That the Wicked shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power From there is as much as By it doth not signifie there the kind of the Punishment the poeni damni but the Cause The Majesty of Christ is the Cause of their Torments and his Look and Face will be Terror enough to Sinners And as he cometh in Glory to shame and punish those that despised him so to comfort and reward his People who have trusted in him and served him and suffered for him He shall come from Heaven in State to lead them into those blessed Mansions with Honour 1 Pet. 4.13 Rejoyce in as much as ye are Partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy They have seen him in his worst and now in his best also The Glory of Christ's Appearing is sometimes expressed by Fire and sometimes by Light To the Saints 't is as Light and as a comfortable Sun-shine but to the Wicked 't is a dreadful Fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Being and of an Essence finite and limited their acts are more comprehensible 3. There may be a third Reason imagined why the Angels should come to this Judgment which will give us an occasion for handling A Question Whether they shall be judged yea or no I answer For the good Angels I think not For the bad the Scripture is express and plain 1. For the good Angels 't is clear by what hath been said already that they shall be present at this action not to be judged but to bring others to Judgment as Officers not as Parties I suppose this if men had continued in their Innocency and Integrity of their Creation such a day of universal Judgment had been needless for then there had been none to be Condemned because none had sinned the Covenant of God would have been enough to have secured their Happiness so the good Angels continuing in that state wherein they were Created there is nothing doubtful about them that needeth any judiciary Debate and discussion and being already confirmed in the full fruition of God and Happiness as to their whole nature their estate is not to be put to any tryal whereas good men though their Souls be in Heaven yet their Bodies are not admitted there some part of them as yet lyeth under the effects of sin and their glorification is private and Gods goodness as yet hath not been manifested to them in the eyes of all the world nor their uprightness sufficiently vindicated therefore a Judgment needeth for them but not for the Angels who were never as yet censured and traduced in the world and they in their whole nature and person enjoy most absolute felicity in Gods heavenly Sanctuary No such great change will happen to them after the Judgment as happeneth to the Saints when their whole persons are taken into glory 'T is true they have a Charge and Ministry about the Saints Heb. 1.14 But of that Ministry and Charge they give an account daily in the sight of God to whom they do approve themselves in it So that there is no cause for further inquisition concerning that thing there being no necessity of Judgment concerning them I think they shall not be Judged 2. For the evil Angels the Scripture is express 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that we shall Judge Angels That is as evil Men so evil Angels So 2 Pet. 2.4 Goâ— spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved to the Judgment of the great Day Though they are imprisoned in the Pit of Hell yet reserved for further Judgments God's irresistible Power and terrible Justice over-ruleth tormenteth and restraineth them for the present These are the Chains of Darkness yet there is a more high measure of Wrath that shall light upon them at the Day of Judgment Where any Accession or considerable Increase shall be made either to the Happiness or Punishment of any Creature there that Creature shall be judged Now there is no such considerable Alteration or increase of Happiness to good Angels as to Men And on the other side there is a considerable Alteration as to wicked Angels Matth. 8.20 Art thou come to torment us before the time They know there is a Time coming when they shall be tormented more than they are yet And besides God's Justice was never publickly manifested and by any solemn Act glorified as to the Punishment of the evil Angels for their Rebellion against him but was reserved for this Time Besides as God would now receive into Glory the Good and Holy among Men and therefore would first begin with their Head which is Christ sending him in Power and great Glory so on the other side when God would punish the Disobedient he would begin with condemning their Head who is the Devil and is first cast into Hell as a Pledge of what should light upon all those that follow him and are seduced by him I could say more but I forbear Thirdly There remaineth one Circumstance in the Text and that is Christs Throne of Glory which because it is wholly to come and not elsewhere explained in Scripture we must rest in the general Expression The Cloud in which he cometh possibly shall be his Throne Or if you will have it further explained you may take that of the Prophesie of Daniel Chap. 7.9 10. I beheld all the Thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Dayes did sit whose Rayment was white as Snow and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wooll His Throne was like the fiery Flame and his Wheels as burning Fire A â—iery Stream issued and came forth from him Thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him The Judgment was set and the Books were opened I cannot say this Prophesie is intended of the Day of Judgment but as they said of the Blind Man Joh. 9.9 Either 't is he or it is very like him so this is it or very like it And in the General you see it describeth that which is very Glorious Or you may conceive of it by the Description of Solomon's Throne 1 King 10.18 19 20. Moreover the King made a great Throne of Ivory and over-laid it with the best Gold The Throne had six Steps and the Top of the Throne was round behind and there were Stayes on either side of the Place of the Seat and two Lyons stood behind the Staâ—es And twelve Lyons stood on the one side and on the other upon the six Steps There was not the like made in any Kingdom It was high and dreadful but not worthy to be a Foot-stool to this Tribunal The VSE of all is Exhortation To press you to propound this Truth 1. To your Faith 2. To your Fear and Caution 3. To your Love 4. To your Patience 5. To your Hope That all these Graces may be the more exercised upon this occasion that you may believe it and consider it 1. Propound it to your Faith be perswaded of it We are so occupied in present things that we forget or do not mind the future And Men that are in love with their Lusts and Errors love to be ignorant of those Truths the Knowledge whereof might disquiet them in following those Lusts 2 Pet. 3.5 This they are willingly Ignorant of But we had need to call upon you again and again to believe these things that the Lord Jesus shall come in his Glory with his Angels They that are Slaves to their Lusts strongly desire an Eternal Enjoyment of the present World and labour to banish out of their Hearts the Thoughts of the Day of Judgment The sound Belief of it is not so much encountred with Doubts of the Understanding as the Lusts and Inclinations of their carnal and perverse Hearts But Beloved I hope it will not be tedious to you to tell you again and again of these things and to press you to rest your Hearts upon them
only we do not come to this Happiness by our own Earning and Purchase but as Heirs of Christ. Adam's Tenure was that of a Servant the Blessings he expected from God were meer Wages We hold Promises in another manner Our Title is by Adoption which we have immediately upon closing with Christ Joh. 1.12 by vertue of our Sonship Rom. 8.17 Not by Merit but free Gift Rom. 6.23 2. A full Tenure As Children under Age differ but little from a Servant but we come then as Heirs to our full Right A Child though he be an Heir and owner of all his Father's Inheritance in hope yet as long as he is a Minor or under Age he differeth little or nothing from a Servant in point of Subjection and as to free Government and Enjoyment of his Rights and Goods But now to this Inheritance we come as meet Heirs They distinguish of Jus Hereditarium and Jus Aptitudinale an Hereditary Right and an Aptitudinal Right Now when we have believed suffered and been exercised enough we shall receive our full Inheritance being made meet for it Col. 1.12 3. A sure Title It was given us by the Father and purchased by the Son and we hold it by this Teâ—ure for ever God the Father gave it Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flock 't is your Father's Pleasure to give you a Kingdom And Christ hath purchased it Heb. 9.15 It is left us as a Legacy by him Joh. 17.24 And he liveth for ever to be the Executor of his own Testament Heb. 7.25 So that now we are past all Danger when once admitted into Possession III. Here is the Description of that Happy Estate we are invited unto Where observe First The Notion by which 't is expressed 't is a Kingdom What can be thought of more Magnificent and Glorious than a Kingdom 'T is called a Kingdom 1. Partly with respect to Christ who is our Head and Chief in whose Glory we shall all participate and share in our Places and Capacities Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we shall Reign with him as Kings For he hath made us a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 And Revel 1.6 He hath washed us in his own Blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God And Revel 5.10 And hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign with him 'T is begun on Earth spiritually but 't is perfected in Heaven gloriously where the Saints shall be as so many Crowned Kings 2. And partly with respect to the very thing it self Our Blessed Estate shall be an Estate of the highest Dignity and Dominion of the fullest Joy and Content that Heart can wish for We have no higher Notions whereby to express a Blessed and happy Estate And therefore our Eternal Glory whereof we are Partakers is thus set forth especially to counter-ballance our mean and low Estate in the World Jam. 2.5 God hath chosen the Poor of the World to be rich in Faith and Heirs of a Kingdom The Saints shall have Dominion in the Morning Psal. 43.14 They shall sit with Christ as Kings upon the Throne to execute the Judgment written Oh! How should this warm our Hearts with the Thoughts of these things 3. Partly with respect to our Loss by the Fall In the Creation God put Man in Dominion but by subjecting our selves to the Creature who was made to be under our Feet we lost our Kingdom and are become Slaves under the power of Brutish Lusts and till our Blessed Estate we never fully recover it again but then we are absolutely free and at liberty to love and serve God Well then 't is no mean thing Christ inviteth us unto but unto a Kingdom which we shall all joyntly and severally possess There are two quarrellous Pronouns Meum and Tuum Mine and Thine which are the occasion of all the Strifes in the World These shall be excluded out of Heaven as the common Barrettors and Make-bates There is no Envy no Uncharitableness There one cannot say to another This Part of this Glorious Kingdom is mine That is yours For every Heir of this Kingdom shall be as much an Heir as if he were sole Heir Here we streighten others as much as we are enlarged our selves But there each one hath his full Proportion in that Blessed Estate each hath the whole and the rest never the less As the same Speech may be heard entirely by me and all as the Light of the Sun serveth all the World Another hath not the less because I enjoy the whole of it Secondly The Adjunct of this Kingdom is That it was prepared for us The word signifieth made ready God made ready this State of Happiness long e're we were ready for the Possession of it Eternal Love laid the Foundation of it Merit of infinite Value carried on the Building and powerful and effectual Grace still pursueth the Work in our Hearts For we must be prepared for the Kingdom as well as this Kingdom prepared for us So that in short this Kingdom was prepared for us 1. By the Father's Love 'T was his own Love and most free Goodness that inwardly moved him to do all this for us Luk. 12.32 'T is your Father's good Pleasure 2. By the Son's Merit and Mediation who died that we should live together with him 1 Thess. 5.10 3. By the Sanctification of the Spirit by which we are fitted for this Estate 2 Cor. 5.5 1. The Father's Love The Preparation is abscribed unto God 1 Cor. 2.9 The things which God hath prepared for them that love him And Heb. 11.16 For God hath prepared for them a City Particularly by God the Father So Matth. 20.23 It is not mine to give but to them for whom it was prepared of my Father The Father's Act may be thus conceived God loved us so much as he decreed to give Christ for us that by his precious Blood he might purchase and acquire for us a Blessedness in Heaven and in the Fulness of Time accordingly sent him into the World for that end and bound himself by Eternal Paction and Covenant that all that believe in his Name should have this Kingdom This was the Preparation of his Decree 2. Jesus Christ by way of Execution of this Decree maketh a further Preparation when by his Death he purchased it and by his Ascension went to seize upon it in our Name Joh. 14.2 I go to prepare a Place for you As Christ by his Death did purchase a Right and Title to Heaven so by his Ascension he prosecuteth and applieth that Right He is gone as our Harbinger to take up Rooms for us As the High-Priest entred into the most Holy Place with the Names of the Children of Israel upon his Breast and Shoulders and with the Blood of the Sacrifices So he hath entred Heaven with our Names to present the Merit of his Blood continually and to pour out the Spirit to fit us for Glory This is his Errand and
only Remedy is Prayer We should not despond but meet Sorrows with a generous Confidence now the only way is to pray If we cannot look for a Deliverance we may pray for a Mitigation for shortning Affliction Mat. 24.20 Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath Day when it may be tedious to Body or Soul Pray that you may glorify God in Sufferings as Christ sueth out Support in this Request Usually when Evils are unavoidable we give over all Addresses yet our Condition is capable of Mercy if the Hour be come beg that a Spirit of Glory may rest upon you 5. Christ knew his Hour There was no Traitor by Judas was not present the Souldiers were not come to apprehend him All was yet in the dark and kept secret in the Bosom of the Priests and Elders It confirmeth us in the belief of the Omnisciency of Christ He knew the moment of his Suffering before there was any appearance of it All things are open and naked before him with whom we have to do And be seeth our Thoughts afar off 6. Christ knew the Hour was come yet he seeketh not an hiding-place or to avoid the Storm by flight How many natural and supernatural Ways had Christ to escape he could have smitten them with a Beam of Majesty It noteth the willingness of Christ to suffer all this Trouble and Danger for our sakes as our Conqueror When Christ was to grapple with our Enemies he did not decline the Battel but with Courage and Confidence entred into the Lists with Death and Hell As our Sacrifice he went willingly to the Altar not like a Swine but like a Sheep not with Howling and Reluctancy but with a ready Patience 7. The Act of Christ's Death was quickly over it was but a short space of time he calleth it an Hour Psal. 110.7 de Torrente bibet He shall drink of the Brook in the way a Draught of Death He tasted Death for every one Heb. 2.9 At one Draught he drunk Hell dry as to the Elect. Object But we were to suffer eternally and Christ was to bear our Sorrows I Answer Though Christ paid the same Debt yet through the Excellency of his Person it was done in a shorter time A paiment in Gold is the same Sum with a paiment in Silver or Brass only through the excellency of the Metal it taketh up less room 8. The Hour is come By way of Argument he sheweth the occasion of his Prayer in this Hour of Sadness and Ignominy I am to be betrayed condemned buffeted crucified my Majesty will be obscured and my Death like a Vail drawn upon my Glory Now glorify me in this Hour Indeed thus it was in all Christ's weakness and abasement there was some adjunct of Glory In his Incarnation he is thrust out into a Manger a place for Horses but there he is worshipped A Star in Heaven is hung up for a Sign of that Inn where Christ lay a new Bone-fire to welcome that great but poor Prince into the World He is apprehended by the Souldiers but they are driven back and twice checked in their rude Attempt by the Beams and Emissions of his Divine Glory He is tempted by the Devil in the Wilderness but Angels are sent to minister to him He had not wherewith to pay tribute to Caesar but the Sea payeth Tribute to him and a Fish bringeth the Mony When he was crucified and scoffed at Heaven it self becometh a Mourner and puts on a Vail of Darkness the High Priest did not rend his Cloaths but the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom One Thief scoffed him but another proclaimed him King When Man denied him the Creatures preach up his Glory Thus Christ in the saddest Hour is still glorified And thus it is with the Children of God Afflictions on wicked Men are evil and all evil but to the Saints a mixed Dispensation sweet Experiences they have in the midst of sad Calamities and Mercy in the midst of Wrath. Glorify thy Son This is the Request it self What is the meaning of it Origen understandeth it of the very Ignominy of the Cross it self which was to Christ a Glory Gloria salvatoris patibulum triumphantis The Cross was not a Gibbet but a Throne of Honour and Calvary to Christ was as glorious as Olivet It is expressed by lifting up But certainly this cannot be intended here because it was the lowest Act of his Humiliation and Abasement This is made the Motive and Reason of his Request the Hour is come by which as we have seen he intendeth that sad ignominious Hour In short it is meant either of God's glorifying him in his Sufferings or God's glorifying him after his Sufferings as will appear by the Sequel and two parallel places 1. Glory in his Sufferings It is said John 13.31 32. Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorify him in himself and shall straightway glorify him The meaning is now he is to shew himself a glorious Saviour by which God shall also be glorified for which he will uphold and reward him So Glorify thy Son He intendeth those Passages by which his Glory is manifested to the World And so he intends 1. Miracles While Christ suffered the Frame of Nature seemed to be out of Course Mat. 27.51 The Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the Earth did quake and the Rocks rent And vers 54. When the Centurion and they that were with him saw these things they feared greatly saying Truly this was the Son of God 2. Support and Strength This was Christ's last Combat and he was to discover the Strength and the Power of the Godhead Now he prayeth for those Tokens and Significations of the Divine Power in his Death to undeceive the World and that the Disciples might receive no Scandal by his Cross. 2. Glory after Death so it is said John 7.39 That the Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified Till his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven he was not inaugurated into the Headship of the Church and gave not out those Royal Largesses and Gifts of the Spirit So that by this Prayer Christ intendeth the Resurrection and all the Consequents of it His Resurrection by which his Divinity was declared Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead His Ascension and invisible Triumph Col. 2.15 Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Ephes. 4.8 When he ascended on High he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men. The Reception of his Humanity to Heaven and his sitting down at the right Hand of God Phil. 2.9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath
coupling of the Cross and Glory The same Disciples Peter James and John were the Witnesses of his Agonies Mat. 26.37 and of his Transfiguration Mat. 17.1 So where Christ began his Passion there he began his Ascension Luke 22.39 He went out to the Mount of Olives and his Disciples followed him And Acts 1.12 he ascended from Mount Olivet 3. For the Advantage of his Members Christ knew it could not go well with the Church unless it went well with himself it was for our Profit The Holy Ointment was first poured on the Head of the High Priest then on his Members Psal. 133.3 His Glory and Grace is an Argument of ours He is endowed with the Spirit without measure that we might have an Unction from the Holy One. We are glorified with him and are said to ascend with him Ephes. 2.6 He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Christ's Glorification is a Pledg of ours he is gone thither as our Fore-runner to seize on Heaven in our Right Heb. 6.20 Whither our Forerunner is for us entred and to prepare a place for us John 14.2 In Heaven he is at God's right Hand and can procure it for us and administreth and governeth the World for our good He is in a greater capacity to do us good He is our Intercessor and the World's Governor all things necessary to Salvation can better be dispatched by his Intercession and Power These things premised the Words will be easily opened Father glorify thou me with thine own self That is suffer me to return to the Glory which I had in common with thee in the Divine Nature by the Resurrection of my Body Ascension and sitting down at thy right Hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is with thy self John 13.31 32. Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorify him in himself and shall straightway glorify him God was glorified by Christ as a Servant with an extrinsick Glory in the view of the World And now Christ prays to be glorified in or with the Father himself with his own proper Essential Glory the Godhead being restored to its full use and exercise and the Humanity being raised to the full fruition of the comfort of it Which I had with thee before the World was Grotius and others say Non reali possessione sed divinâ Praedestinatione that is by thy Decree in thy Purpose and Predestination But that 's not all because he speaketh here of that infinite and essential Glory which is one and the same in all the Persons and so Christ had it as God blessed for ever and Christ having abstained from the use and exercise of it in a way proper to it self now craveth a Restitution The Points are Doct. 1. That Christ is God true God and hath an eternal coequal Glory with the Father before the World was Before the World there was nothing but the Eternal Infinite Essence that was common to the Father Son and Holy Ghost The Socinians seem to grant that he is of God but not Eternal God by Nature but here is a clear proof which I had with thee before the World was Doct. 2. We may plead to God his own Promises in deep and weighty Cases Put me in remembrance saith God Isa. 43.26 as when Death approacheth or Difficulties come upon us Christ himself takes this Course Doct. 3. The ground of all sound Hope is what was done before all Worlds Christ had Glory actually and we have a grant of it ◠Tim. 1.9 According to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began There was a grant of Heaven and Grace and Christ received it for us So Tit. 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the World began There was a solemn Promise which Christ received on our behalf The frame of Grace was ancient God sealed up a large Charter and indented with Christ before ever there were any Men in the World Let us not look for our Happiness in this World our Comforts do not depend upon the standing of it when the World is no more you may be happy Doct. 4. The chief Point which I shall handle is That Christ in the Oeconomy or Dispensation of Grace was reduced to such an exigence that he needeth to pray to be glorified Father glorify thou me with thy self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was It is a matter of weighty Consideration that Christ should pray his Father to bestow on him the Glory which he wanted But how could Christ want Glory who was God-Man in one Person To clear this I shall a little state both his Humiliation and his Exaltation I. How far he humbled himself and wanted Glory What was indeed the utmost of his Humiliation Here I shall shew First What Glory he retained in the midst of it Secondly What he wanted Certainly tho in his outward appearance he had no form and comeliness in him yet inwardly he was the fairest of Men Isa. 53.2 compared with Psal. 45.2 First What Glory he was possessed of at the present Christ had a double Glory the Glory of his Person and the Glory of his Office 1. The Glory of his Person There was the Union of the two Natures He did not lose his God-head tho he took Flesh he was still the eternal Son of the Father The Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 John 1.14 The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pitched his Tent And we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father He was still co-equal with his Father the fulness of the God-head dwelt in him his Flesh was taken into the Fellowship of the Divine Nature as soon as it began to have a Being in the Womb of the Virgin the highest Dignity a Creature is capable of The Person of the Son was truly communicated to the Nature of Man and the Nature of Man truly communicated to the Person of the Son He that was the Son of Man was truly the Son of God and he that was the Son of God was truly the Son of Man And by virtue of this Union there was a Communion higher than all other Communions the fulness of Grace was subjectively and inherently in his Human Nature He was anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows Psal. 45.7 And he is said John 3.34 to receive the Spirit without measure both for the Essence and Virtue of it to all Effects and Purposes for himself and others So that there needed nothing to be added to his full Happiness Christ was Comprehensor he perfectly knew upon Earth what we shall know in Heaven and was perfectly Holy and perfectly Good 2. The Glory of
1.6 7. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a Flame of Fire He cometh royally attended Then the Father welcometh him with Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Psal. 2.8 As Mediator Christ was to have a grant of the Kingdom by pleading his Right and then God seateth him on the Throne Sit thou on my right Hand Psal. 110.1 God doth as it were take his Son by the Hand and seat him on the Throne This sitting on God's right Hand implieth 1. The giving of all Power or a restoration of him to the full use of the Godhead He had an Eternal Right as the Second Person but he was to receive a new Grant Mat. 28.18 All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Christ as God hath all Power equal Power with the Father by Eternal Generation but as God Incarnate it is given to him So Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow of Things in Heaven and Things in Earth and Things under the Earth to make all Enemies stoop to him that he might receive Adoration from Angels Men and Devils 2. A Grant of Authority to rule according to Pleasure He is made Prince of Angels Col. 2.10 He is the Head of all Principality and Power He is to be their Soveraign Lord and Head of the Church Ephes. 1.22 Christ is to us the Head of all Vital Influences And Judg of the World Acts 17.39 He hath appointed a day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance to all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead This is the Sum of Christ's Glorification The Uses of the whole Vse 1. In that Christ prayeth for Glory it presseth us 1. To take heed of dishonouring Christ now he prayeth to be glorified It was a great Sin that the Jews crucified the Lord of Glory but they have some excuse in that they knew not what they did 1 Cor. 2.8 Whom none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory His Glory was not easily seen in his Exinanition and Abasement But now we know more and we cross his Prayers if we crucify him again afresh and put him to open shame Heb. 6.6 We cannot indeed crucify Christ really but we may draw the Guilt of his Enemies that crucified him upon us By your scandalous Lives you do in effect as to your Intentions deprive him of his Glory and approve the Act of the Jews against him you live as if no such thing had been done to Christ as his Translation into Heaven 2. Since Christ so earnestly sued for his Glorification it is our Duty by all means to procure and further his Glory We cannot do any thing as his Father doth we cannot bestow any thing upon him but Praise and magnify him by a stedfast Faith and by an Holy Life Mortified Christians are the Glory of Christ. 3. It is Comfort against the Reproaches and Oppositions of Men as to the Kingdom of Christ. Though the Jews scorn it the Turks blaspheme it Hereticks undermine it yet Christ's Prayers will do more than all their Endeavours still he will appear God manifest in the Flesh. Christ's Glory cannot be hindred he hath prayed for it Vse 2. In that Christ was glorified for he cannot be denied whatever he demands it is useful for our Comfort for our Instruction 1. For our Comfort 1. Christ's Glorification is the Pledg and Earnest of ours Had not he risen and ascended and been received up into Glory neither should we the Gates of Death had been barred upon us and the Gates of Heaven shut against us and we should have been covered with eternal Shame and Ignominy But now Christ like another Sampson hath broken through the Gates and carried them away with him our Head is risen and we in him we receive of his Fulness Glory for Glory as well as Grace for Grace Nobis dedit arrhabonem Spiritus à nobis recepit arrhabonem Carnis We have Livery and Seisin of the Kingdom of Heaven already in Christ. We are ascended with him Ephes. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus In Contracts Pledges are usually taken and given Our Head is crowned and shall not the Members The Humane Nature is already placed in the highest Seat of Glory 2. It is a sign God hath received Satisfaction The Lord sent an Angel to remove the Stone not to supply any Power in Christ But as a Judg when he is satisfied sends an Officer to open the Prison Doors Our Surety is delivered out of Prison with Glory and Honour God hath taken him up to himself What is done to our Surety concerneth us Christ hath perfectly done his Work there is no more to be done by way of Satisfaction God was well-pleased with him or else he had not been at his right Hand Certainly all the Work of his Mediation was not accomplished on Earth he is now in Exaltation performing those other Offices that remain to be fulfilled by him in Heaven 3. Hence we have Confidence in his Ability to do his People Good He is now restored to the full Use and Exercise of the Godhead he can give the Spirit and perform all the Legacies of the Covenant There were many repaired to Christ in the days of his Flesh when he was under Poverty Crosses Death the Thief on the Cross said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom What shall we not expect now he is entred into Glory Faithful Servants follow their Prince in Banishment but they have greater Encouragement when he is on the Throne Those that adhered to David in the Desert might look for much from him crowned at Hebron Acts 2.33 Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Not that then only he was endowed with the Gifts of the Spirit for whilst he was on Earth he was filled with the Spirit without measure but then he received the Accomplishment of the Promise of pouring out the Spirit upon us for by Promise is meant the Accomplishment of the Promise for the Promise was long before Luke 24.49 And behold I send the Promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on High Acts 1.4 And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for
him a glorious Foundation of Hope and Comfort and you pass him by as nothing worth it is an high scorn put upon the Choice of God and the Excellency of Christ You look upon him as Rubbish not worth the regarding and God sets him out as a precious Stone Mat. 22.5 But they made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would not take it into their care and thoughts A careless disregard of the Offers of the Gospel offendeth God exceedingly you slight the Wisdom of the Father and the Love of Christ. God employed all his Wisdom in the contrivance of Grace the Gospel is the Master-piece of Heaven The Father discovereth the Riches of his Wisdom and Christ paying a Ransom obeying and dying discovered the Riches of his Love and Grace and when this is offered to you you will not take it into your care and thoughts it is the greatest dishonour you can cast upon him But now to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they can see nothing so worthy their Study and Time and Care and Thoughts This is the sum of their Desires that they may take Christ as God offereth him all other things are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dung and Dogs-meat in comparison of the excellency of him that I may be found in him Phil. 3.9 By this esteem and care Christ is exceedingly glorified 2. It presents Christ. In all our Endeavours to God we must build our Acceptance on the Merits of Christ. John 14.1 Ye believe in the Father believe also in me There is a Belief in God and a Belief in Christ in his Merits We should never go to God but we should take Christ along with us in all your Addresses make use of him When ever you have to do with God you must go to him in Christ and you must go to him with a Confidence that you shall speed the better for his sake Ephes. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him A Man may use some liberty and freedom with God when he hath Christ on his side and offer up his Prayers to God in the mediation of his beloved Son Out of Christ we can see nothing but Majesty armed with Wrath and Power But now when you make use of Christ as a Mediator you may take hold of God with both Hands Justice and Mercy are on your side you have Merits to urge as well as Requests But alas how little do we glorify Christ in our Addresses to God We come with little hopes with little confidence our best is but guess and conjecture Thus by Faith should we glorify Christ. Low and base apprehensions that Men have of Christ dishonour him 2. By the Holiness of your Conversations Every Christian should walk so as remembring that Christ's Honour lieth at Stake It is not a Moral Life that I perswade you to but a Christian Life such a Life wherein Christ may be specially honoured 1. For the Manner your Practice should be elevated according to the height of your Privileges in Christ. A Christian should do more than a Man 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not Carnal and walk as Men We expect that he should go faster that rides on Horseback than he that goeth on Foot In Christianity Duties are elevated to a greater proportion the Laws are the same but we have higher Engagements Wherein do ye differ from others there should be a singularity of Holy Life There should be something more in your Lives than if ye came out of the School of a Philosopher or Jews or Turkes or moral Heathens that know not Christ. 2. For the Principle Christ must be honoured You must make him the Principle of your Obedience to God You must make use of Christ not only in point of Acceptance but Assistance Phil. 4.13 I. can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Gal. 2.20 Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me He will be honoured by dependance as the cause of all our Spiritual Being Whatever we have Life Sense and Motion it is derived from him our Head to us his Members You rob him of his chief Glory if you do not depend upon him and make him the Principle and Head of every vital Influence 3. For the End you must make his Interest the great End of your Lives Phil. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For me to live is Christ He would not have Life for any other end but to advance Christ all is done with a pure eye to him Rom. 14.7 8. For no Man liveth to himself and no Man dieth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether therefore we live or die we are the Lord 's A Regenerate Man must not live as his own Man but as the Lord's as one that is wholly given up to Christ not wedded to his own Interest but altogether for Christ's Glory 4. The Motive must be Gratitude to Christ all must be done for Christ's sake 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth me God's Love in Christ should be the great swaying Motive Shall I not do something for him that died for me Christ is exceedingly honoured when there are such kind of Arguings and Workings in the Heart 3. We must glorify Christ in our Enjoyments When we think of our Title to any thing think this I have by Gift be it Justification Sanctification Glorification Comfort of the Creatures Whatever Privilege we look upon as ours we must see Christ in it 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's All Mercies swim to us in his Blood he purchased them of God and conveyed them to us that we might be sensible that we have all in and by Christ. He did not only purchase them but began to us in every Privilege Christ first had them and then we he was elected justified sanctified rose again by Covenant ascended and was glorified in all these things Christ would shew himself to be the Heir of all things He was the Elder Brother and had the preheminence as the Heir He would possess and then make the Testament It is true in the Comforts of the World Christ possessed little but he had a Right and Title which he hath made over to us To declare his Right the Creatures one time or another did him Homage the Angels ministred to him the Devils confessed him the Winds and Seas were at his beck a Fish payed him Tribute Well then look upon Christ in every Enjoyment he was the Purchaser and he was the first Heir and Possessor 4. We glorify Christ by doing and suffering for the advancement of his Interest and Kingdom
have no Discharge But now Christ's Ascension gives a further degree of Assurance Christ is not only taken out of Prison but taken up to God with Glory and Honour God hath taken up our Surety to himself and rewarded him Christ hath perfectly done his Work or else he had never been taken out of the Grave much less taken up to God God is well pleased with him he hath not only a Discharge but a Reward Christ is said not only to ascend but to be received into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an active and a passive Word the one noteth the Power of his Godhead the other noteth the Grant of the Father Christ took upon him the Quality of our Surety and he must pay every Farthing e're he can go to his Father It is a sufficient Pledg John 16.10 Of Righteousness because I go to the Father and ye see me no more thus there was an everlasting Righteousness established he was never to see God's Face more if he had not perfectly done his Work Gen. 43.5 Ye shall not see my Face except your Brother be with you He is God's Favourite 2. It is a Pledg of our Ascension John 3.13 No Man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man that is in Heaven Ascendit solus sed non totus Head and Members must be together our Head being there before the Members must follow after Christ speaketh as if he were not content with his own Heaven without us Vers. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me Christ took our Flesh to Heaven and left his Spirit which is an Earnest of our Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 He hath given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit God never taketh any thing from his Children but he sendeth them a better thing in the room of it 3. We have an Intercessor at God's Right-hand a Favourite in the Court of Heaven 1 John 2.1 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous as when Offenders have a Favourite in Court We need a Mediator in Heaven he is gone to disanul all Satan's Accusation The sacrificing part is done and ended and his Intercession now taketh place We have these two great Advantages in Prayer Christ is our Advocate and the Spirit our Notary Vse 1. Information 1. It informeth us of the Priviledges of God's Children When a Child of God dieth he doth but go to his Father Christ and we have the same Relation John 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and your God He is no more in the World but still he is he doth not say I am no more but I am no more in the World they do not leave Life but the World As Christ was the Son of God by Nature they are the Sons of God by Grace and when they die they go to their Heavenly Father to a sweet Rest to the Bosom of God The same Entertainment Christ had we shall have a joyful Entertainment a sweet Welcome when we come to Heaven and the conduct of Angels thither Luke 16.22 The Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom God will take us as it were by the Hand with a Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 2. It informeth us That all that Christ did was for a Believer's Use and Comfort if he cometh into the World it is to merit if he ascendeth into Heaven it is to apply He descended from Heaven for the Redemption of Man after that Work is accomplished he ascendeth thither again to bestow it on us and at the last Day he will come again and fetch his Bride as when all things are ready the Heir cometh in Person to fetch the Bride into his Father's House Going coming staying still Christ is ours he was born for us he lived for us he rose again and ascended for us it is for our good that he went away whatever he did in his Abasement and Exaltation it was for our good 3. It informeth us that the greatest Comforts may be supplied Christ's Corporal Presence by the Presence of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1.5 That as our Sufferings in Christ Jesus have abounded so our Consolation also hath abounded through Christ They should lose nothing by his Departure John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever He would not leave them Orphans We cannot be made unhappy by the want of any outward Comfort we have the more of God the less we have of these outward Helps If the Corporal Presence of Christ can be recompensed by the Presence of the Spirit certainly lesser Supports of Life will be recompensed Vse 2. Exhortation 1. To all sorts of Persons to get an Interest in Christ and to clear it up to their Souls How sweet would it be if when we are no more to be in this World we could say Holy Father I come to thee We all affect this Let my latter end be like his as Baalam spake At oportuit sic vixisse An evidence of this is if you ascend with Christ Ephes. 2.6 He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Head and Heart ought to be together your Head is in Heaven if your Heart be there too you are Members of his Mystical Body How shall a Man know that he is ascended with Christ 1. If the things of the World seem small as when we are in a high Place Men seem as Ants worldly Glory will appear to be small and worldly Profits small But when we are upon Earth heavenly things seem small as Stars appear but as Spangles 2. If you behave your selves to him as to a glorified Person Do you serve him John 12.26 If any Man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my Servant be if any Man serve me him will my Father honour Carnal Men crucify him again 3. If you keep your selves unspotted from the World James 1.26 No unclean thing shall enter into Heaven The World is a defiâ—ing thing that Filth that cleaveth to our Fingers in telling of Money is an Emblem of the Filthiness of the World A Man that looketh to be like Christ in Glory certainly would not defile himself in the World If a Prince marry a mean Woman would he endure to see her live like a Scullion Christ hath marryed our Nature A Man that loveth the World and would always live here is like a Scullion that lyeth among the Pots would you your selves hug Nastiness and embrace the Dunghil 2. To press God's Children to be holy and heavenly in
time Christ shall appear without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9.28 So we shall be then disburdened of all the Fruits and Effects of Sin which shall be blotted out when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 We are like him in his Offices Kings Priests and Prophets but in a Spiritual Manner to rule ou◠Lusts to minister in Holy Things and to instruct our Hearts Thus you see there is a conformity in Grace and Glory Now Christ is thus earnest to make us like himself partly out of his own Love he cannot satisfy his Heart with giving us any inferior Privilege Whatever he had and was it was for our sakes as Man he received it for us Psal. 68.18 Thou hast received Gifts for Men compared with Ephes. 4.8 He gave Gifts unto Men His Life Righteousness and Glory is for our sakes Wherefore doth Christ make himself like unto us but that we might be like unto him Partly in obedience to God's Counsels and Decrees Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the First-Born among many Brethren There is Wisdom in it Primum in unoquoque genere est praestantissimum Christ is the Example and Patern set forth by God and that in our Nature he is the second Adam a new Root and it is meet that Head and Members should sute otherwise it is monstrous Vse 1. It sheweth who are Christ's they that are like him there is a conformity between them and Christ first in Grace and then in Glory Here we are like him in Soul in regard of Dispositions and Moral Excellencies and in Body in regard of Afflictions and Weaknesses Hereafter we shall be like him in Soul and Body in a glorious manner here in Holiness hereafter in Happiness He beginneth with the change of the Soul the Resurrection is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Regeneration Mat. 19.28 Then we shall be perfectly renewed our Carnality is done away by Grace our Corruption and Mortality by Glory All Things are there made new new Bodies new Souls Glory it is but the full Period of the present Change and Transformation into Christ's Image 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Glory is but the Consummation of Grace or our full Conformity to Christ or that final Estate which is suitable to the Dignity of the Children of God Therefore every one that looketh for Eternal Life in Christ must be like him in this Life they are partakers with him of Glory hereafter because followers of him here Therefore see Art thou like Christ Hast thou the Image of Christ that is our Title Alas many are not conformable but contrary to Christ Christ spent whole Nights in Prayer they in Gaming and filthy Excess it was Meat and Drink to him to do his Father's Will but it is your Burden Christ was Humble and Meek you are Proud and Disdainful Vain in Apparel and Behaviour Were you ever changed Till you resemble Christ here you shall never be like him hereafter Vse 2. It presseth us to look after this Conformity and Likeness unto Christ. It is the Ground of Hope you cannot otherwise think of Death and Judgment to come without Horror 1 John 4.17 Herein is Love made perfect that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment because as he is so are we in the World David was not ashamed to own his Followers when he was crowned at Hebron So neither will Christ be ashamed of us if we have followed him If you profess Christ and be not like him Christ will be ashamed of you Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren He is not ashamed to own the Saints if one of your Name were stigmatized and branded with a Mark of Infamy you would be ashamed to own him To this end 1. Eye your Patern Christ's Life should be ever before your Eyes as the Copy is before the Scholars Heb. 12.2 looking unto Jesus c. He hath set forth himself in the Word to this end and purpose 2. Often shame thy self that thou comest so much short Phil. 3.12 I follow after if I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. Alas we do but lag behind Christ is a great way before We have so excellent a Patern that we may never want Matter for Humiliation and Imitation It is a good sign to desire to come nearer the Copy every day 2. Observe Our Glory for Substance is the same that Christ's is In the Degree there is a Difference according to the Difference that is between Head and Members The Head weareth the Crown and Badg of Honour and the Eldest Son had a double Portion So doth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excel in degrees of Everlasting Glory but the Substance is the same Therefore we are said to be Coheirs with Christ and to be glorified with Christ Rom. 8.17 Christ and we hold the same Heaven 2 Tim. 2.11 12. If we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him More particularly Our Bodies are like his Glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our Vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself When the Sun ariseth the Stars vanish their Glory is obscured but it is not so here Christ's coming doth not eclipse but perfect our Glory the more near Christ is the more we shine And so for our Souls they see God and enjoy him tho not in that same Latitude and Degree which Christ doth yet in the same manner they solace themselves in God We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 When we behold him in the Glass of the Gospel we are transformed much more when we see him as he is As the Iron held in the Fire is all Fire so we being in God and with God are more like him have higher Measures of the Divine Nature So our Privileges are the same with Christ's Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne We sit upon his Throne as he doth upon his Father's there are two Thrones mentioned for our distinct conceiving of the Matter as God is over all so is Christ and then we next Vse 1. It is a great Comfort 1. Against Abasement Will any one believe that these poor Creatures that are so slighted and so little esteemed in the World shall have the same Glory that Christ hath 1 John 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be The World thinketh meanly and contemptibly
Image and the Saints more delight in God as being freed from Sin God loveth to look on what he hath made when he hath raised a Worm to such an Excellency It is there continued without Interruption here our Communion with God is sweet but short it cometh by glimpses but there it is for ever and ever not only in regard of Duration but Continuance without ceasing The Spirit of God came on Samson at times in Heaven there is nothing to divert us from the sight of God we are withdrawn from all other Objects that we may study him alone without weariness Vse 3. It directeth us in what order we should seek these Things first Grace then Glory Psal. 84.11 The Lord will give Grace and Glory Psal. 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterwards receive me to Glory Ephes. 5.26 27. That he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of Water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Here the first Lineaments are drawn by the Spirit of Sanctification whilst the Soul remaineth in the Body as a Pledg of a more perfect State God hath called us to Glory and Vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 As they were to go through the Temple of Vertue to the Temple of Honour 4. Observe There is no Privilege which we have but what Christ enjoyed first Christ had it all and from him we have it he was the Purchaser and the Natural Heir it is in us at the second Hand we are Elected Sanctified Glorified in and through him Whatever is in us that are Members it is in our Head first first God then Christ as Mediator and then We. All Good is first in Christ he receiveth it and conveyeth it We ascend Why Because he ascended first we sit in Heavenly Places because he did first Vse 1. In Times of Desertion when we see nothing in our selves look upon Christ as a Depository the first Receptacle of Grace he is justified sanctified ascended glorified and encourage thy self to take hold of Christ that thou mayest have all these things in him Vse 2. To be thankful to God for Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ Ephes. 1.3 Let us never bless God for what we enjoy but still remember Christ. Vse 3. It presseth us to get an Union with Christ 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All are yours for you are Christ's and Christ is God's That we may not look on Christ as an abstracted Head All that Christ hath he hath it for us 5. Observ. From those words I have given them it may be Objected that we see no such Matter Christ's Members are poor despicable Dust and Ashes more afflicted than others How then can it be said This Glory I have given them Answ. Christ hath acquired a Right Obs. The Glory that is given to us by Christ is as surely ours as if we were in the actual possession of it John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son of God hath Everlasting Life How hath he it 1. He hath it in Capite it is done in regard of Christ with whom we make one Mystical Body the most worthy part of the Body is in Heaven the Head is there Ephes. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ. We are already glorified in Christ tho not in our selves Christians take possession in their Head as Christ hath taken possession in their Names 2. They have it in the Promises The Promise is the Root of the Blessing you have a fair Charter to shew for it God standeth bound in point of Promise God is very tender of his Word you will see it in all the other Promises when you put him to Trial. The Promise of God is but the Declaration of his Purpose Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie ye may have strong Consolation You have a Lease to shew for it A Man doth not carry his Inheritance upon his Back 3. They have the First-Fruits of it which differ only in degree from Glory Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the First-Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body We have the Earnest in Hand That Portion of the Spirit which we have received is given us for security Wherefore this fitting and preparing these Groans are Grounds of Confidence If a Vessel be formed it is for some use All this would else be lost And do you think God will lose his Earnest The Beginnings we have here are a Taste and Pledg Here we sip and have a foretaste of the Cup of Blessing Union with Christ Joys of the Spirit Peace of Conscience are the Beginnings of Heaven They that live in the Provinces next to Arabia have a strong Scent of the Odours and sweet Smells of the Spices that grow there So the Church is the Suburbs of Heaven the Members of it begin to smell the Upper Paradise The Comfortable Influences of the Spirit are the Taste and the Gracious Influences are the Pledg and Earnest of our Future Inheritance Vse 1. Let us bless God afore-hand 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation The Inheritance is kept for us and we for it We can never want Matter to bless God if we have nothing in Hand yet we have much in Hope 2. Let us wait with more Confidence we have no cause to doubt we have God's Word and Pawn as sure as Christ is in Heaven we shall be there 3. Let us be there in Affection in earnest Groans and Desires in frequent Thoughts Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 4. Let us not fear Changes all Changes will end in that which is best for us SERMON XXXIX JOHN XVII 23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me CHRIST's Request for Union is again repeated with the Advantage of another Expression to declare the Nature of it So that in this Verse we have First The Nature of the Mystical Union Secondly
the chief Object and Center of our Rest Otherwise we are troubled with divers Cares Fears and Desires Thus Grace worketh upon us But the distance lieth not only on our part but God's Before God and the Creature can be brought together Justice must be satisfied Christ came to restore us to our Primitive Condition 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself The Merit of Christ bringeth God to us and the Spirit of Christ bringeth us to God It is as necessary Christ should be united to us as we to God 5. Our Happiness in God is compleated by degrees In this Life the Foundation is laid we are reconciled to him upon Earth But the compleat fruition we have in Heaven there we are fully made perfect in one Here there is weakness in our Reconciliation we do not cleave to him without distraction there are many goings a whoring and wandring from God after our return to him And here on God's part our Punishment is continued in part God helpeth us by Means at second and third Hand We need many Creatures and cannot be happy without them we need Light Meat Cloaths House Our Life is patched up by Supplies from the Creature But there God is all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 We find in God whatever is necessary for us without Means and outward Helps There God is all and in all he is our House Cloaths Meat Ordinances We have all immediately from God and in all all are made perfect in one We cannot possess any Thing in the World except we encroach upon one anothers Happiness Worldly Things cannot be divided without lessening and we take that from others which we possess our selves Envy sheweth the narrowness of our Comforts But there the Happiness of one is no hindrance to another all are gratified and none miserable As the Sun is a common Privilege none have less because others have more All possess God as their Happiness without Want and Jealousy Vse If to be drawn into Unity and Oneness with God be our Happiness and Perfection then take heed of two Things 1. Of Sin which divides God from you 2. Of doting upon the Creatures which withdraweth you from God 1. Of Sin which maketh God stand at a distance from you Isa. 59.2 Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you As long as Sin remaineth in full Power there cannot be any Union at all What Communion hath Light with Darkness And the more it is allowed the more it hindreth the Perfection of the Union What is the Reason we do not fully grow up to be one with God in this Life that our Communion with him is so small Sin is in the way the less Holy you are the less you have of this Happiness such unspeakable Joys lively Influences of Grace and immediate Supplies from Heaven In bitter Afflictions we have most Communion with God many times that is nothing so evil as Sin as Afflictions abound so do our Comforts 2. Of doting upon the Creatures which withdraweth your Heart from God The more the Heart is withdrawn from God the more miserable Let the Object be never so pleasing it is an Act of Spiritual Whoredom Sin is Poyson Creatures are not Bread Isa. 55.2 Why do you spend your Mony upon that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not It cannot yield any solid Contentment to the Soul These things are short uncertain things beneath the Dignity of the Soul there is a Restlesness within our selves and Envy towards others they are not enough for us and them too Not for us if enough for the Heart not for the Conscience If God do but arm our own Thoughts against us as usually he doth when the Affections are satisfied with the World he will shew you that the whole Soul is not satisfied therefore he awakeneth Conscience As Children catch at Butterflies the gawdy Wings melt away in their Fingers and there remaineth nothing but an ugly Worm Desertion is occasioned by nothing so much as Carnal Complacency Many times the Object of our Desires is blasted but if not God awakeneth Conscience and all the World will not allay one Pang You may understand this Oneness with respect to our Fellow-Members and so you may understand it jointly of the compleatness of the whole Mystical Body or singly of the strength of that brotherly Affection each Member hath to another There is a double Imperfection for the present in the Church every Member is not gathered and those that are gathered are not come to their perfect growth So that let them be perfect in one is that the whole Body may attain to the integrity of Parts and Degrees First Let us take it Collectively that they may all be gathered together into a perfect Body and no Joints lacking Observe That all the Saints of all Places and all Ages make but one perfect Body In this sense the glorified Saints are not perfect without us Heb. 11.40 God having promised some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect It is no derogation for Christ is not perfect without us The Church is called the Fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes. 1.23 They are as to their Persons perfect free from Sin and Misery made perfect in Holiness and Glory but not as to their Church-Relation So Ephes. 4.13 Till we all come to the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ. All the Body must be made up that Christ Mystical may be compleat Now there are some Joints lacking all the Elect are not gathered Vse 1. See the Honour that is put upon the Saints The Saints on Earth and the Saints in Heaven make but one Family Ephes. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named In a great House there are many Rooms and Lodgings some Above some Below but they make but one House So of Saints some are Militant some Triumphant and yet all make but one Assembly and Congregation Heb. 12.23 We are come to the General Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven we upon Earth are come to them Our Christ is the same we are acted by the same Spirit governed by the same Head and shall be conducted to the same Glory As in the State of Grace some are before us in Christ so some are in Heaven before us their Faces once as black as yours We have the same Ground to expect Heaven only they are already entred Vse 2. It is a ground of Hope we shall all meet together in one Assembly Psal. 1. 5. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Now the Saints are scattered up and down where they may be most useful then all shall be gathered together
hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die She speaketh too warmly and with an impatient resentment of the restraint and too coldly of the commination God had said In dying ye shall die A faint denial is a kind of a grant Our Lord rebuketh the Devil with indignation Mat. 4.10 Get thee behind me Satan Secondly It must be a thorow universal Resistance Take the little Foxes dash out the brains of Babylons Brats the Devil would frighten you by propounding great sins at first but he approacheth by degrees Therefore Eph. 4.27 we must not give place to the Devil You set open the door to Satan by yielding a little a temptation is better kept out than gotten out when he hath but the narrowest passage or least opportunity he seeketh to re-enter and seat himself in the heart and exercise his former Tyranny and doth excite the person to commit more sin When the stone at the top of the Hill beginneth to roll downward it is an hard thing to stay it I 'le yield but once saith the deceived heart But the Devil chargeth us further and further till he hath left no tenderness in our Conscience as some that thought to venture but a shilling or two by the secret witchery of gaming have played away all their Estates Thirdly It is not for a time but perpetual It concerneth us not only to stand out against the first assault but a long siege what Satan cannot gain by argument he seeketh to gain by importunity but resist him stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5.9 as Joseph's Mistress spake to him day by day Gen. 39.10 Deformed objects when we are accustomed to them seem less odious As you rate away an importunate Beggar that will not be answered To yield at last is to lose the Glory of the Conflict Now many resist not You may know it 1. When you cannot bring your hearts to let sin go though Conscience worry you and condemn you for it as many men sin while their hearts condemn them Rom. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hold the truth in unrighteousness 2. When you slightly purpose hereafter to amend but do not presently resolve Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled and said Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee The contrary you may see in David Psal. 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments 3. When you do not consent to the necessary effectual means of your recovery which if you were truly desirous to get rid of sin you would do They that will not use the means do not desire the thing Prov. 21.25 The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour 4. When in actual Temptations you interpose not a strong dissent or negative either by serious dislikes or rebukes deep groans hearty defiance or strong arguments which are the several ways of resistance Vse 2. Exhortation when God affordeth to poor captivated Sinners such help if they will but take it and make use of it in time surely then we should watch and strive And that I may deal the more effectually in this Use I shall distinctly unfold the Duty of watching and striving the means to curb and check sin First Watching 1. The spring and rise of it in the Soul are these three fundamental Graces of Faith Fear and Love otherwise it is but moral Prudence and Caution which will be too feeble a restraint to sin unless it be animated and inspired with these Graces First Faith puts upon watchfulness that Faith which looketh to things to come and maketh them in a manner present to the Soul it is a realizing sight Heb. 11.1 Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen The more lively sense we have of the concernments of another World and the more mindful we are of our eternal Enjoyments the more watchful In every sin it is our eternal Enjoyments are in danger and Heaven and Hell are not things to be sported with or ventured and put to hazard for a little carnal satisfaction Many expound that Eph. 6.12 We wrastle with spiritual wickednesses in high places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about heavenly things for the word Places is supplied it is in the Original only in or for the heavenlies the main quarrel between us and Satan is about high and heavenly things which tend to the honour of God and the eternal good of our Souls it is not our temporal and worldly so much as our spiritual and heavenly concernments which are struck at The Devil would fain cheat us of our Souls our God and our Happiness and by propounding some base and unworthy trifle deprive us of everlasting Glory Now a man that hath a sense of Eternity deeply impressed upon his heart and hath made eternal things his scope 2 Cor. 4.18 he hath his eyes in his head is careful not to lose his interest in and hope of these things who knows that the whole World will not countervail the loss of his Soul and that one glimpse of Heavens Glory and Happiness doth so much out-shine all the Pomp and gawdy Vanities of the present Life that he dareth not let his heart linger after these things lest he should forget or neglect those better things He is cautious of coming short of the heavenly rest which his eye and his heart is upon Heb. 4.1 But they whose Faith about these things is either weak or none at all are bold and venturous as if there were no such danger in sins and temptations they forgets God and their Souls and the great account they must give of all their actions to their impartial Judge and the eternal recompences of Heaven and Hell into which all the World shall at last issue themselves Secondly Fear or a reverend and awful regard of Gods Eye and Presence they are afraid to do any thing unseemly in his sight Gen. 39.9 How can I do this wickednes◠and sin against God How will God take it to be affronted to his Face As Esther 7.8 Will he force the Queen before me in the house So Shall we give vent to our sin when God seeth and heareth Void our excrements in his presence The Israelites were commanded to march with a paddle Deut. 23.12 13 14. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon and it shall be when thou wilt ease thy self abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee The Masters eye makes the Servant diligent the presence
he may devour with the World Jam. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend to the world is the enemy of God with the Flesh Rom. 7.15 For that which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that do I there is the strife described Now we resist 1. By strength of resolution Dan. 3.18 We will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Psal. 39.1 I said I will take heed unto my ways that I offend not with my tongue 2. Partly by hazarding our temporal interests Heb. 12.4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 3. By opposing gracious considerations Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God 1 Joh. 2.14 Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one by opposing reasons out of Scripture or arguing strongly against sin 4. By praying or crying strongly for help when we are sensible of the burden of sin Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 5. But chiefly by being acquainted with all the Christian Armor and the use of it we must not go one day unarmed but be armed cap-a-pee with the Helmet of Salvation which is Hope the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Girdle of Truth the Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit The Apostle beginneth with First The Girdle of Truth whereby is meant a sincere and honest intention to be what we seem to be Satan useth wiâ—es but we must not imitate our Adversary in deceit but labour for Truth of Heart which as a Girdle is strength of the loins Secondly The Breast-plate of Righteousness which is a Principle of Grace inclining us to obey God in all things or a fixed purpose and endeavour to give God and man their due This secureth the breast or vital parts Thirdly The Feet must be shod We meet with rough ways as we are advancing to Heaven and Souldiers had their Greaves or brazen Shoes to defend from sharp-pointed Stakes fixed by the Enemy in the ground over which they were to march This Preparation is a readiness of mind to suffer any thing for Christ this is built on the Gospel of Peace Acts 21.13 Then Paul answered What mean ye to weep and break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear We must be ready to confess Christ in Persecutions and dangers When we have a sense of our peace and friendship made up between God and us by Jesus Christ and our great and eternal interests are once setled what need a Believer fear Fourthly The Shield of Faith which covereth the whole body a sound belief of the Mysteries of the Gospel and the Promises thereof especially a clear sight of the World to come They that have such a Faith see a sure foundation to build upon On the one side the Righteousness of Christ or the Promises of the Gospel to a penitent Believer of Pardon of strength to maintain Grace received and finally of eternal Life on the other side Threats to impenitent and sensual persons Fifthly The Helmet of Salvation which is a well grounded hope of eternal Life 1 Thess. 5.8 But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast-plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation This maketh a Christian hold up his head in the midst of all encounters and sore assaults he that often looketh above the Clouds and expecteth within a little while to be with God in the midst of the Glory of the World to come why should he be daunted Sixthly The Sword of the Spirit This is a Weapon both offensive and defensive it wardeth off Satans blows and maketh him fly away wounded and ashamed If Satan saith O it is too soon to mind Religion he hath the word ready Eccles. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth If that it is too late then Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life If that his sins are too great or too many to be pardoned then Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon If Satan tempt him to live sensually Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye If to defile himself with base Lusts 1 Thess. 4.3 4. This is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour If to a negligent careless Profession then Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 1 Thess. 2.12 That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory If to despondency and fainting 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness SERMON XVI ROM VI. 15 What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid HERE the Apostle preventeth an absurd Conclusion which might be inferred by people of a libertine Spirit from what he had said in the former verse either from the first or the last clause the Priviledge or the Reason from either carnal men might collect what might be matter of security to them in sin either because of the Priviledge Sin shall not have dominion over you therefore they might let loose the reins sin should not reign and consequently not damn Or else from the Reason Ye are not under the Law but under Grace the Negative part might seem to infer an exemption from the Duty of the Law the Positive But under Grace which provideth pardon for the lapsed they might infer hence that therefore they might sin impunè without any fear of punishment So that in short three Doctrines of Grace are apt to be abused First The free Pardon or exemption from Condemnation which the new Covenant hath provided for Sinners therefore they might sin securely no harm would come of it Secondly The Liberty and Exemption from the Rigour of the Law which requireth things impossible at our hands under the penalty of the Curse as if this had freed us from all manner
them and if others do injuries to us to forgive them as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us The second Operation which the Holy Ghost produceth in us is righteousness or justice in all our dealings giving every one his due honour whom tribute and praise to whom praise belongeth not borrowing without a mind or ability to pay which is but a specious robbery and 't is a shame so many Christians are guilty of it I am sure 't is contrary to the Spirit of God for when God hath done so much to manifest his justice to the world all that have the Spirit of God should be very righteous far from Oppression Fraud or Detention of what is another mans The Third Thing is Truth or Fidelity whereby we carry our selves sincerely and free from Hypocrisie and Dissimulation or lying cozenage and deceit God is a God of Truth and the Holiness be worketh in us is true holiness the Apostle groundeth his Exhortation upon that Wherefore put away lying Eph. 4.24 25. and speak truth every man to his neighbour 'T is a sin inconsistent with sincerity more than any other Well then this is the Gospel-spirit now the Holy Ghost doth not only plant these graces in us at first but doth continually increase them and assist us in the exercise of them he doth plant them in us at first Faith is his gift and 't is he doth change our hearts and kindle an holy love in us to God and raiseth the heart to the hope of Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 begotten to a lively hope This is his first work for men must be good before their actions can be good then he doth increase Grace making all outward means effectual to this end and purpose this is called the supply of the spirit of Christ Jesus Phil. 1.19 meaning thereby a further addition of grace wrought in us by the spirit whereby we grow and advance in the way to Heaven These Impressions are weak in us at first but they are increased by the same Author or Agent in the use of the same means Lastly he doth assist us in the exercise of the same grace still working in us what is pleasing in the sight of God Heb. 13.21 he concurreth to every action and we do not only live in the spirit but walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 all along we are quickned by his influence Let us in the next place consider from whom we receive it 't is said here the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus it belongeth to Christ to give the spirit 1. He is the head ef the renewed state Christ was filled with the spirit to this end to be the head or quickning spirit to his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 15.45 The first Adam was made a living soul the second a quickening spirit not only as he giveth us the life of glory but the life of Grace also so Eph. 1.22 23. he is head over all things to the church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all He is an Head not only to govern and defend the Church but to give them spiritual life and motion as the Head doth to the members for he filleth all with grace all believers are supplied from this fountain and continually supplied till they be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.17 18 19. That is with all the Grace he meaneth to impart to us Well then the spirit is given by Christ John 4.14 Whoso drinketh of the water that I shall give shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life 'T is a living Conduit John 7.38 39. 2. 'T is his law that is written upon our hearts by the spirit The new Covenant is made with sinners in Christ Heb. 8.8 9 10. Behold the days come saith the Lord I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant for this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Now he that taught us the Christian Faith and Religion doth impress it upon us by his spirit we find a power more than can be from the words alone in the effects on our selves This cometh from Christ whose Law it is but it is immediately wrought by the spirit 3. Christ promised it therefore Christ giveth it John 15.26 The comforter shall come whom I will send you from the father by vertue of his Merit and Intercession Christ from the Father sendeth forth the all-conquering spirit to subdue the world to himself he promised aforehand to send down this sanctifying spirit into mens souls to do this work upon them 4. He giveth it on his own conditions that is to say of Faith John 7.37 38. if any man thirst let him come to me and drink he that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the spirit which they that believe in him should receive And repentance Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Now these are the conditions of the new covenant which Christ brought out of the Bosom of God 3. By what law By the Gospel this is the law of the spirit of Christ there is some little of the spirit given by the light of nature to help men to read the book of the creatures Rom. 1.19 God shewed it them they might see somewhat of God in the creatures his Wisdom Power and Goodness and God excited their minds to behold it and did dart in some light into their consciences There was more of the spirit given by the legal Covenant they might see much more of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in his Statutes and Laws than Heathens could in the book of Nature but generally it wrought unto bondage the free spirit was but sparingly dispensed and to some few choice servants of God but these were but as a few drops of grace the great Flood of grace was poured out by the Gospel The Apostle puts the Galatians to the Question by what Doctrine they received the spirit Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith He appealeth to their conscience and experience what kind of Doctrine conveyed the spirit to them the preaching of the Law or the preaching of the Gospel and this is meant not only of the Spirit that wrought Miracles but the sanctifying spirit he speaketh of both ver 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among
at his will But the old Inmate is cast out and now we are guided and influenced by another Lord. Thirdly He comforts us with the sense of Gods fatherly love and our eternal inheritance Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 2 Cor. 2.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit into our hearts By both he leaveth upon the soul a sweet taste and rellish of spiritual and heavenly things 2. Why this inhabitation is the ground of a blessed resurrection 1. To preserve the order of the personal operations To make this evident consider 1. That rising from the dead is a work of divine power for to him it belongeth to restore life who gave life at first 2 Cor. 1.10 Who hath delivered us from so great a death c. and is verified in plain experience 2. That this divine power belongeth in common to Father Son and Holy Ghost who being one and the same God concurred in the same work and whatever is done by the Father or Son is done by the Spirit also and whatever is done by the Spirit is done by the Father and Son also As for instance apply it to the resurrection of Christ or our resurrection To the resurrection of Christ 't is ascribed to the Father and God the Father who raised him from the dead To God the Son in other places Christ is said to rise again by his own virtue and power Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our offences and rose again for our justification not raised only but rose again So the Spirit is said to raise Christ Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead So 1 Pet. 3.18 crucified in the flesh and quickned in the spirit So our resurrection we are raised by the Father for in the Text 't is said we are raised by the spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead We are raised by Christ John 5.21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the son quickneth whom he will So by the Spirit we are raised as in the Text He shall quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you 3. They all concur in a way proper to them In all their personal operations 't is ascribed to the Father as the first fountain of working and spring and well-head of all grace who doth all things from himself and by the Son and Holy Ghost as it refers to Christs resurrection and ours also so Christs resurrection 't is ascribed to God and Father who in the mystery of Redemption hath the relation of Supreme Judg Acts 2.32 This Jesus hath God raised up and Acts 10.40 Him hath God raised up the third day And there is a special reason why it should be ascribed to God as the Apostles when they stood upon their priviledg let them come and fetch us out Acts 12.39 so the God of peace that brought again from the dead the great shepherd c. as referring it to his judicial power Heb. 13.26 Tho Christ had power to rise yet no authority our Surety was fetched out of prison by the Judg. And then 't is ascribed to Christ himself Joh. 2.19 Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up which he spake of the temple of his body To prove the Divinity of his Person it was necessary that he should thus speak or to prove himself to be God John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and to take it up again He could put a period to his sufferings when he pleased So for the Holy Ghost he raised Christ because the Spirit sanctified his humanity and by him the humane nature of Christ was made partaker of created holiness and so qualified to rise again when he had done his work all the created gifts came from the spirit and therefore they are called the anointing of the Holy Ghost with which he was anointed So to our resurrection God raiseth the dead as 't is usually said in Scripture and Christ raiseth the dead Every one that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6.40 The spirit raiseth and still in a way proper to each person to understand which we must observe that there are three ways of subsistence in the Divine Nature which carry a great correspondence with the prime Attributes in God which are Power Wisdom and Goodness Power we conceive eminently in God the Father it being the most obvious by which the Godhead is apprehended and so proper to him who is the beginning of being and working Rom. 1.20 His eternal power and Godhead are seen by the things which are made Wisdom is appropriated to Christ who is often represented in Scripture as the Wisdom of the Father especially Prov. 8. And goodness to the Spirit therefore often called the good Spirit Neh. 9.20 and Psal. 143.10 Not but that all these agree to each person for the Father is powerful wise and good so the Son and so the Holy Ghost and love is sometimes appropriated to the Father namely the Fountain and original Love But the Evangelical operative and communicative love of God is more distinctly ascribed to the Spirit because all benefits come to the Creature this way we have our natural being from him Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life The first clause relateth to the body the Spirit of the Lord hath made me that is framed the body the second to the soul that Spirit of Life that God breathed into man when his body was framed and organized to receive it the Spirit created and formed in man the reasonable soul so the new being which is communicated to us by the Redeemer through the covenant of Grace Tit. 3.5 6. Our glorious being which is considered either as to soul or body as to soul the spirit is life because of righteousness as to body the words of the Text. Well then the Holy Ghost is the operative love of God working from the Power of the Father and Grace of the Son and whatever the Father or Son doth you must still suppose it to be communicated to us by the Spirit 2. Because the Holy ghost is vinculum unionis the bond of union between us and Christ. We are united to him because we have the same Spirit which Christ had there is the same Spirit in Head and Members and therefore he will work like effects in you and him if the Head rise the Members will follow after for this Mystical Body was appointed to be conformed to their Head as in obedience and suffering so in happiness and Glory Rom. 8.29 Predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son Christ was raised therefore they shall be raised Christ was raised by the Spirit of Holiness
The first expression hightens the priviledge in our thoughts as the party adopting is so is the priviledg more or less glorious in our thoughts Adoption is in all free and in some glorious If a mean man adopt anothers child 't is an act of free favour but if adopted to a great Inheritance suppose many Lord ships or to the succession of a Crown it doth inhaunse the benefit So here this giveth a right to the everlasting goods of the Heavenly Father Secondly The other expression joint heirs with Christ. This Heritage giveth us a Communion with the only begotten Son of God what the Son of God by Nature injoyeth that the Children of God by Adoption injoy also so far as they are capable we together with Christ injoy God for evermore He is his God and Father and our God and Father John 20.17 he is glorified and we are glorified together with him 3. 'T is applied as a comfort against adversities and afflictions if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together The latter clause we may look upon as propounded 1. As a concession 2. As a condition accordingly as we translate the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing that or if so be 1. A concession seeing that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Tho we shall hereafter have Communion with Christ in Glory yet for the present we may have Communion with him in afflictions this doth not infringe our priviledg but confirm it rather 1 Pet. 4.13 Rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy Those that suffer for Christ do also suffer with Christ they are brought into a nearer conformity to him in his state of humiliation that afterwards they may be conformed to him in Glory 2. In the way of condition We must submit to the condition of afflictions as necssary to obtain glory for there must be striving before crowning 2 Tim. 2.5 If a man strive for masteries yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully that is if any man would enter into the lists in any of the Olimpick Games he must observe the rules in running cutting wrestling c. He must submit to the laws of the Game or Exercise He applieth this similitude v. 12. If we suffer with him we shall reign with him That is we must suffer for Christ and we shall be rewarded with the participation of his Glory so here we would all have our priviledges but before we injoy the full of them we must be conformed to him suffer for him and with him that in imitation of our head and chief we may come to glory the same way that Christ did by sufferings Heb. 2.10 For it became him sor whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering But you will say All are not called to the afflictions of the Gospel is this condition indispensible then none but Martyrs are glorified Answer 1. All have not Abels Cross do not run the hazard of their lives but usually they will have Isaacs Cross Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit Meaning thereby those cruel mockings and scoffings which Isaac indured from Ishmael Gen. 21. the Children of God living upon an unseen God and an unseen world sensual men mock at their interest in God and labour to shame them from their confidence in promises yet to come 2. Tho all suffer not yet all must be prepared and contented to suffer Math. 16.24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me God knoweth at what rate our sincerity must be tried yet every one should make Christ a good Allowance and our alienation from the world must be so great and our resignation to God so full that nothing we enjoy here not life its self may be an impediment to our fidelity to Christ. 3. When God seeth it fit we must actually suffer the loss of all things and obey God at the dearest rates 1 Pet 3.17 If the will of God be so that ye shall suffer for well doing affirmativa precepta non ligant ad semper affirmative precepts do not bind at all times as negatives do We must never do any thing against the Truth but we are not always tied to suffering but when we come to a necessity of either suffering or sinning then God manifesteth his will to his People that they should suffer and then if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together No creature could have brought us to this necessity without God 't is plainly Gods will that we should suffer and remember it is his will that we should also reign with him Doct. That all Gods Children are heirs of a blessed and glorious inheritance Here I shall shew you 1. The agreement between common heirs and them 2. The difference 3. Those properties which shew the greatness of the Inheritance 1. The Agreement in these things 1. There is an Inheritance provided We have a right to all the good things God hath promised especially eternal life therefore the People of God are called Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Heirs of the kingdom Jam. 2.5 And the Heavenly Estate is called the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Those excellent things which are to be injoyed by us in the other world are in the nature of an Inheritance 2. The conveyance is by promise and covenant as other heritages are conveyed by formalitiâ—s of Law so is this The Covenant is so offered by God and so it must be accepted by us Psal. 119.111 Thy testimonies I have taken as an heritage for ever As we say a mans estate lieth in Bills and Bonds so are Gods Testimonies our heritage not the promises but the things promised And so it is said Heb. 6.12 That Gods Holy ones did through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises that is the thing promised spiritual and eternal blessings and rewards 3. Our tenor is by sonship 'T is free for the inheritance is not purchased by us but freâ—ly bestowed upon us a childs tenure differeth from a servant the one earneth his wages and the other hath his Estate from his Fathers bounty and free gift so is ours the gift of God Rom. 6.23 In opposition to works called therefore the reward of inheritance Col. 3.24 Tho servants earn what they receive from men yet from the Lord Christ whatever they receive for faithfulness in their calling 't is a free retribution tho they are servants to men yet they are sons to God for all are children and heirs in Heaven there is no distinction of servants and sons there In short whatever is promised to any work of ours 't is not from any worth in
1.13 And they that are made partakers of it are implyed to have eternal life abiding in them 1 John 3.13 Because the life is now begun which shall be perfected in Heaven For the present there is an eternal principle in them which carries them to eternal ends Secondly The comforts which are consequent upon the graces for the spirit is first a Sanctifier and then a Comforter He worketh Holiness and by Holiness Peace Joy and Comfort which are some foretasts of that sweetness which is in Heaven This Peace and Joy is raised in us partly by the life and exercise of faith and love 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory and Rom 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing And partly by the apprehension of Gods love and favour to us Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased And also by our approaches to him in the Word and Prayer where God doth most familiarly manifest himself to his people Isa. 56.7 I will bring them into my holy mountain and make them joyful in the house of prayer These comforts of the spirit they meet with in Gods sacred Ordinances Psal. 84.10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere Thus I have shewed you what they are now for to what use they serve Answer They are an earnest and a foretast an earnest to shew how sure Eph. 1.13 14. In whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us to the self-same thing is God who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit A begun possession Secondly A foretast to shew how good 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious As the Clusters of Canaan Grapes was carried before them to animate the Israelites and the Italian Grapes the Gauls So the graces are pledges of our future perfection and the comforts tasts of our future happiness 2. The acts mentioned are two groan and wait The one doth more directly respect our present the other our future estate we groan because of present miseries we wait because of our future happiness or rather both acts respect both estates compounded as groaning our present and future happiness for there are groans that come from sorrows and groans which come from hope and desire 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven and v. 4. we groan being burthened Grief at our present state the burden of sin and misery and desire of future deliverance Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is as a tree of life On the other side waiting importeth two things an earnest and desirous expectation of what is to come and a patient submission to God for the present 1. An earnest and desirous expectation of what is to come therefore said to look and long for it Tit. 2.13 looking for the blessed hope And Heb. 9.28 to them that look for him 2 Tim. 4.8 and to them also that love his appearing 2. A patient submission to God for what is present patience of hope 1 Thes. 1.3 and Psal. 37.7 rest on the Lord and wait patiently for him Our happiness is delayed and in the mean time we have many trials our estate to come is excellent and glorious and our present estate is miserable and despicable 'T is offered to us upon sure and gracious terms therefore we wait but in the mean time we conflict with difficulties and therefore we groan So that as these two duties respect our different estate so they chiefly express our apprehension and respect to our sinful estate 'T is Earnest 't is Patient and Submissive First 'T is earnest for we groan as a woman with child doth exactly count her time or the Israelites in bondage did wait for the year of Jubilee or the Hireling when his covenanted time will expire Secondly With patience and submission to God's pleasure and leisure Rom. 3.6 possessing their souls in meekness And observe the motive This waiting is earnest and desirous for the godly have not only a sense and feeling of the miseries and calamities of this life but a fervent desire of the joys of Heaven the miseries and troubles of the present world are matters of sense we need not Scripture to tell us that we are burdened and pained and conflict with divers Evils our flesh feeleth it and we know it to our grief that here is little else but disquiet and vexation sense can discover what should drive us from the world but sense cannot discover what should draw our desires after a better estate that we learn by faith the joy is set before us in the promises of the Gospel Heb. 6.18 that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before us and Heb. 12.2 looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who endured the cross despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God The promises set it in our view that we may eye it much that we may often look upon it press earnestly towards it Groaning is stirred up by sense waiting by faith 3. This better estate is called Adoption and the redemption of our bodies 'T is called Adoption We are now taken into Gods Family but our present Adoption is imperfect and inconspicuous First 'T is imperfect as all our priviledges by Christ are We have not yet our full liberty from the bondage of corruption nor possession of our blessed inheritance then we shall be coheirs with Christ ver 17. brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God ver 21. 2. 'T is inconspicuous 1 Joh. 3.1 2. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him and ver 19. waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God It then appeareth to all the world who are the children of God and what happiness is provided for them 2. The redemption of our bodies By Redemption is meant our full and final deliverance and 't is applied to the body because death remaineth upon that part until God redeemeth us from the hand of the grave Psal. 49.15 But more distinctly Redemption is taken either for the impetration or application First The Impetration is by the merit of Christ and so we were redeemed when the ransome and price was paid for us
of God as not in Christ so not in us the head was to bear his share and the members their share and because the cross and sufferings are a means conducing to conformity to Christ in holiness and happiness for whom he did foreknow c. In the words observe 1. The way God took in bringing his children unto glory by conformity to Christ in those words To be conformed to the image of his Son 2. The grounds of this conformity set forth by two words foreknowledge and predestination whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate 3. The reason of this conformity to Christ that he might be the first-born among many brethren that is that he might have the priviledge of the elder Son or the true and proper heir the elder Son was to be the head of the family and lord of all the rest of the brethren Let us explain these things 1. The way and end aimed at to conform us to the image of his Son That is in resemblance to Christ that we might enter into glory the way by which Christ entred by a life of sufferings and hardness 2. The grounds of this conformity Gods foreknowledge and predestination The first of these terms implieth his gracious purpose to save us foreknowing here is chusing or taking them for his own from all eternity 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God That is according to the eternal purpose of his love to them For having all Adams posterity in his eye and view he freely chose them they were in a sort present to God and in his eye before the foundation of the world so that his foreknowledge is his purpose to do them good the other word predestination is his appointing them to come to glory by the way of faith and holiness for to destinate is to appoint or order means to a certain end and to predestinate is to appoint aforehand and this predestinating is used of Gods act because when man willeth or chuseth or ordereth any thing it presupposeth an antecedent goodness in the things which he willeth or chuseth or an antecedent conveniency in the thing ordered to the end to which it is appointed which is prudent destination but when God chuseth or willeth or ordereth any thing he causeth this goodness or conveniency to be in it and therefore 't is properly called predestination Well then observe Not things but persons are here spoken of whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate his foreknowledge implyeth his favour and his choice John 10.14 I am the good shepherd that know my sheep and am known of mine and verse 27. I know them and they follow me And his predestination is his appointing them to come to such an end by convenient means sometimes 't is applied to priviledges sometimes to duties to priviledges because of the conveniency of antecedent and subsequent priviledges so Eph. 1.5 He hath predestinated us to the adoption of children 't is fit we should be made children before we have a right to a childs portion therefore God by predestinating us to the adoption of children maketh us fit to obtain the inheritance Sometimes to duties as to faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed and in the text to holiness he did predestinate us to be conformed to the image of his Son that is by predestination he bringeth it to pass that in time they do resemble Christ. The order and course of Gods saving the elect must not be broken he hath decreed and forecasteth by what means he will bring them to glory in short foreknowledge and predestination agree in that both are eternal but they differ in the formality of the notion foreknowledge noteth his choice or the purpose of his love predestination his decree to bring things to a certain end by certain appointed means and so he did fore ordain and design them by conformity to Christ in life and suffering to come to coelestial glory and thus by foreknowing he did predestinate and by predestinating he did fore-know 3. The reason of this conformity to Christ that he might be the first-born among many brethren That is that he might have the honour due to the first born the first born was lord of the rest of the family Gen. 27.31 I have made him thy lord and the rest of his brethren have I given to him for servants The first born gave to the rest of his brethren a share of his fathers goods reserving to himself a double portion Deut. 21.17 Now this is applied to Christ who is Lord of the Church or head of the body Col. 1.18 and heir of all things Heb. 1.2 And by vertue of this relation to the Church he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first it in all things or as we translate it he must in all things have the preeminence Col 1.18 in our conflicts and tryals he is the captain of our salvation Heb. 2.10 in holiness he is our pattern or copy 2 Cor. 3.18 primum in unquoque genere est mensura regula Coeterorum in our glory and blessedness he is our forerunner Heb. 6.20 having actuali◠taken possession of that felicity and glory which he spake of to his followers so that Christs honour is reserved and believers are comforted whilest they follow their Head and Leader in every state and condition Doct. That the elect are in time distinguished from others by being conformed to the image of Christ. 1. Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth 2. Why this is the distinction between the elect or called according to purpose and others 1. Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth I answer In Three things 1. In sufferings and afflictions In our passage to a better estate As by the bounty of God we tast somewhat of the world to sweeten our pilgrimage so also somewhat of the evil of the world to make us hasten our journey and herein we are made conformable to Christ who was a man of sorrows Isa. 53.3 This must be expected by us for John 15.20 The servant is not greater than the Lord if they have persecuted me they will persecute you also Art thou poor none of us is so poor as Christ was Hast thou many enemies he had more and was pursued with greater malignity It must be patiently indured by us 1 Pet. 2.21 Because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps we that look for his glory must bear his cross Now he calleth us to no harder lot than he himself endured or to go in any part of rough way that he hath not trod before us surely they that fancy to themselves an easie life free from all kind of sufferings and molestations must seek another leader 2 Tim. 2.11 12. If ye be dead with him ye shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him We must be like him whom we have chosen for our head and chief in
and irresistible you may depend on the good he undertaketh to do though this peace be assaulted yet it will stand Gods manifesting or hiding his face is enough to make a creature happy or miserable 1. USE is Information to shew us 1. The misery of wicked men they are not justified by God and therefore the charge of Gods broken law lyeth heavy upon them and the weight of it will sink them to the nethermost Hell It may be the world may flatter and applaud them and they may absolve and acquit themselves at an easie rate but there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa. 57.20 'T is not our security delighting our selves to sing lullabies to our own souls for we are never upon sure terms till God justifieth us many absolve themselves upon easie terms either because they sit still and cry God mercy or upon the account of their superficial righteousness as the Pharisees justified themselves no we must judge our selves but 't is God must justifie us till we have our discharge from him we are never safe therefore it concerneth us to consider upon what terms we stand Are we troubled in mind or at peace if troubled in mind take Gods remedy if we be at peace whence cometh it Is it warranted by the Covenant of God that granteth no pardon no justification but to those that repent and believe 2. The happiness of the godly 'T is in vain to accuse those whom God acquitteth you need not fear an accuser not because innocent but becuse justified Though the world revileth you the Devil would stir up legal fears revive your old bondage when your hearts condemn you for many defects you must stick to this God justifieth for the reproaches of the world you need not be troubled at them when they accuse you falsly of pride hyprocrisie covetousness you may say as Job Job 16.19 My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high He that is the Judge of all men is a witness and observer of their ways and will acquit those whose hearts are upright with him from the censures of the world God will not ask their vote and sufferage when Satan would revive your bondage by the thoughts of death and the consequence of it consider wherefore did Christ come into the world and die for sinners but to free us from those tormenting fears Heb. 2.14 15. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage But when our hearts condemn us especially for some wounding sin the case is otherwise God by conscience writeth bitter things against you Job 13.26 we must not smother our sin nor deny our guiltiness but appeal from Court to Court Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark our iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared and Psal. 43.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If it be from the general view of sin or the remembrance of some special sin sue out your pardon in Christ your justification is not nullified you are still under a pardoning Covenant and the actual pardon on repentance is granted to you 2. USE Is to press us to get into this blessed condition that you may say 't is God that justifieth Consider the weight of the case it concerneth damnation or salvation whether you are under the curse or heirs of promise And all this is depending before God To justifie is Gods act but man must fulfil the condition Well then let us suppose a Judiciary Process there will be such at the last day certainly For we must all stand before the Tribunal seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 Our cause lieth before God now and our qualification must be tryed and judged now in order to our reconciliation with God as hereafter in order to our everlasting fruition of him in glory Well then The Judge is God Gen. 18.23 and Psal. 94.2 Lift up thy self O thou Judge of the earth The Judge accepteth the godly while they are in the body 2 Cor. 5.9 That whether we are present or absent we may be accepted with him but he is angry with the wicked every day Psal. 7.11 The Witnesses are Satan and Conscience the Plea in Traverse is about our guiltiness according to a double rule the Law of Works or Grace if according to the law of Works alas none of us can stand in the judgement there we plead not Innocent but Guilty Christ could say John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin but here 't is otherwise Rom. 3.19 All the world is become guilty before God Here is no denial no extenuation all are become corrupt none doth good no not one Now Christ was made sin and underwent the curse for us To the second the Law of Grace there must be first an hearty acceptance of an offered Saviour and a consent both of subjection and dependance Secondly Sincere obedience Rom. 8.1 They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit he liveth as one turned from the world and the flesh to God the more sensible we are of our own vileness the more we see the necessity of a Redeemer SERMON XLIV ROM VIII 34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again from the dead who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us IN the former verse Justification is considered as opposite to accusation now as opposite to condemnation There Who shall lay any thing to our charge Here Who is he that condemneth With respect to both we must look upon Christ as our Advocate and God as our Judge Somewhat in this verse concerneth our exemption from the danger of accusation namely all the acts of Christs Mediation here mentioned somewhat in that verse concerneth the question propounded here about condemnation namely the sentence of God as our Judge For the answer given there must be repeated Who is he that condemneth 'T is God that justifieth We need not fear an Accuser because we have an Advocate we need not fear to be cast in the judgment because we have a favourable Judge who will not justifie and condemn too Thence ariseth this part of the triumphant song which the Apostle puts into the mouth of a believer Who is he that condemneth 't is Christ that dyed c. In the words we have 1. A Triumphant challenge Who is he that condemneth 2. The ground of it 'T is Christs Mediation 'T is Christ that dyed c. 1. The challenge Who is he that condemneth 'T is meant with respect to Gods judgment in the world the Saints have been and often are condemned nor only to death James 5.6 Ye have
evidence of things not seen it realizeth our hopes and sheweth us the other world as in a glass As the Devil shewed Christ the glory of the world as in a Map and representation So doth Faith represent the glory of the world to come as in a Map it giveth us a kind of Pisgah sight or view of the promised Land Other men have but a general guess and tradition about Heaven talk at the same rate other Christians do but have not a lively affective sight of it A Believer hath a sight of it other an empty notion he a real prospect Many hang between believing and unbelieving neither assent to the truth of the Promise nor directly deny it Oh Could we by Faith lift up the Eye of the Soul to view those everlasting Mansions By Faith see Heaven in the promise we should be other manner of Christians than we are but most never thought seriously of it to make their assent more firm and strong Keep the Eye of Faith clear The world is a blinding thing 2 Cor. 4.4 2. Faith giveth not only a sight but a tast It is a delightful confidence a strong assent and therefore they are said to tast the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. Faith an anticipation of our Blessedness or a prae-occupation of our everlasting estate 'T is such a sight as ravisheth the heart and filleth it with joy John 8.56 Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them hugged the Promises And 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom though now ye see him not yet believing that is believing for eternal life ye rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory To others the Promises are as dry chips and withered flowers Luke 6.23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven 3dly How shall we rouze up our Faith and more firmly believe the promised glory Foundation Stones can never be laid with care and exactness enough None of us believe it so but we may believe it again with more certainty and assurance of understanding At least we need to revive it often as when the Picture waxeth old we refresh the Colours The motives of credibility I have given you in former discourses I shall only now mention its own intrinsick grounds which have a more direct influence on the confidence of a Believer A Blessed Estate is very sure to the Heirs of Promise 1. Partly as being appointed to them from all eternity Mat. 25.34 Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World A purpose so long ago thought of and prepared with such solemnity and designed to us in Christ will not easily be broken off 2 Tim. 1.9 10. He hath saved us with an Holy Calling according to his purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ before the world began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light in the Gospel It seemed good to God from everlasting to decree within himself concerning us to give us eternal life by Christ Jesus who came to free poor Creatures from Eternal death and the wrath of God abiding on them and to make the offer of a glorious estate to them in the world to come as the fruit of his merit Here was the first Stone laid towards this eternal building even the foundation of God which standeth sure 2. 'T is secured to them by the promise of the faithful God 1 John 2.25 And what needed God to promise what he would not perform In other parts of Scripture we own Gods Authority Why not in the Promises The same God which gave the Commands which you find so powerful on your Consciences the same God gave the Promises In all other promises God standeth to his word and is very faithful and punctual in them as in those which are of a present accomplishment in ultimo non deficiet God hath entred into Covenant with us A Covenant supposeth both parties ingaged it doth not leave one bound and another at large The Precept doth not leave us free and the Promise maketh God a debtor Therefore if he hath promised he will be as good as his word 3. The third ground which raiseth this confidence is the raising and glorifying of Christ who is entred into Heaven as our Fore-runner Heb. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.21 God raised him and gave him Glory and Honour that your Faith and Hope might be in God Heaven is possessed by our Head and surely in our name John 14.2 which is a sure pledge that the Members shall be glorified if our Head be raised he will not leave his Members under the power of Death He hath carried our Nature into Heaven our Flesh thither and advanced it to the Fathers right Hand in Glory let us follow him and we shall get thither also Well now these are the grounds of Confidence whereby we know that there is a Blessed estate reserved for us II. Hope for it Next to a sound belief of such things there must be an earnest expectation of them For having a Promise Hope waiteth for the accomplishment of the thing Promised and looketh out to see it a coming There is a twofold Hope the one necessary to Grace the other very profitable but not absolutely necessary to the Life and being of a Christian. The one is the immediate effect of regeneration 1 Pet. 1.3 The other the fruit of experience Rom. 5.4 The one dependeth upon the promises of God which are proposed to men to beget in them an hope of the greatest good they can expect from God The other dependeth upon our own qualification The one is Antecedent to acts of Holiness the other followeth after it and resulteth from it 1. An Antecedent Hope there must be before the effect of the holy life can be produced For since Hope is the principle of all humane endeavours and actions 't is Hope that sets every Man awork in the world The Merchant Tradeth in Hope the Husbandman Ploweth in Hope the Souldier fighteth in Hope So 't is Hope that sets the Christian awork The Twelve Tribes serve God instantly day and night that they may come to the Blessed Hope Before a Man can ingage in the Spiritual life he must have some Hope and indeed this Hope dependeth upon the conditional offer of eternal life according to the terms of the Gospel This conditional offer is very comfortable to hunger bitten Sinners who do seriously mind their own happiness Of this Hope the Apostle speaketh Heb. 3.6 Whose House are we if we hold fast the Confidence and the rejoycing of the Hope firm unto the end This is the first tast of the pleasures of the world to come 2. There is another Hope which cometh after much exercise in Godliness which requireth
unto the day of Redemption When freed from all sin and misery All sin at Death and misery at the last day Converse and Communion with God here is the beginning of our Everlasting Communion and living with God hereafter For the throne of grace is the gate and porch of Heaven so that a Believer when he dyeth doth only change place not company 4. Earnest is given for the security of the Party that receiveth it not for him that giveth it Indeed he that giveth the Earnest is obliged to fulfil the Bargain but 't is most for the satisfaction of the receiver So this Earnest is given for our sakes there is no danger of breaking on God's part but God was willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel because of our frequent doubts and fears in the midst of our Troubles and Tryals we need this Confirmation 5. 'T is not taken away till all be consummated and therein an Earnest differeth from a Pawn or Pledge A Pledge is something left with us to be restored or taken away from us but an Earnest is filled up with the whole Sum So God giveth part to assure us of obtaining the whole in due season the beginning assureth the man of obtaining the full Possession Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ. The beginning assureth the Compâ—eat Consummation of their blessed estate in Soul and Body Spiritual comforts are joys of the Spirit which assure us that we shall receive the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls 1 Pet. 18. 3. The use and end of an Earnest is 1. To raise our confidence of the certainty of these things Believers are apt to doubt if ever the Covenanted Inheritance shall be bestowed and actually injoyed by them Now to assure them that God will be as good as his word and doth not weary us altogether with expectation he giveth us something in hand that we may be confident You see God offered you this Happiness when you had no thought of it and that with an incessant importunity till thy anxious Soul was troubled and made a business of it and by the secret drawings of his Spirit inclined thy heart to chuse him for thy portion pardoned thy failings visited thee in Ordinances supported thee in troubles helped thee in temptations his Spirit liveth dwelleth and worketh in thee therefore always confident ver 6. There is some place for doubts and fears till we be in full possession from weakness of Grace and greatness of Tryals 2. To quicken our earnest desires and industrious diligence The first fruits are to shew how good as well as earnest how sure this is but a little part and portion of those great things which God hath provided for us If the Earnest be so sweet what will the Possession be A glimpse of God in the heart how râ—â—ishing is it O how comfortable a more lively expectation 3. To bind us not to depart from these Hopes The Earnest of the Spirit convincing comforting changing the heart have you felt this in your selves and will you turn back from God after Experience SERMON VIII 2 Cor. 5.6 Therefore we are always Confident knowing that while we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. IN the words observe Two things 1. The Effect of God's giving the Earnest of the Spirit Therefore we are always confident 2. The State of a Believer in this World Knowing that while we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. In the first Branch take notice 1. Of the Effect its self We are confident 2. The constancy or continuance of this Confidence Always To be confident at times when not tempted or assaulted is easie but in all conditions to keep up an equal tenour of Confidence is the Christian heighth which we should aspire unto for the strength of this Confidence is discovered by manifold Tryals and Difficulties 3. The illative Particle Therefore Why Because God hath wrought us for this very thing and given us the Earnest of the Spirit For the Effect itself There is a twofold Confidence 1. Of the thing 2. Of the Person for both are requisite for the latter presupposeth the former there can be no certainty to a person of a thing which is not certain in itself An Immortal state of Bliss is to be had and enjoyed after this life we are Confident of that before we can be Confident of our Interest and actual injoyment of it We are Confident of the thing because God hath promised it and set it forth in the Gospel But because the promise requireth a Qualification and performance of duty in the person to whom the promise is made Therefore before twe can be certain of our own Interest and future injoyment we must not only perform he duty and have the Qualification but we must certainly know that we have done that which the promise requireth and are duly Qualified Now the Serious performance of our duty Evidenceth its self to the Conscience And as our diligence increaseth so doth our Confidence But so far as a man neglecteth his duty and abateth his Qualification so far his confidence may abate also The Illative Particle Therefore The earnest of the Spirit hath influence both upon the Confidence of the thing and of our own interest 1. Of the thing If God never meant to bestow Eternal life upon his people he would not give Earnest 2. Of our Interest and future injoyment For the Spirit of God convincing Comforting and changing the heart doth assure us that he hath appointed us to Everlasting glory Well then the full meaning of this clause is That we certainly know that we shall be Crowned in Glory and being assured by the Earnest of the Spirit that we shall not fail of it therefore we lift up the Head in the midst of pressures and afflictions knowing that if they should arise as high as death they will bring us the sooner to the Lord that we may live with him for ever Doct. They who have the Earnest of the Spirit are and may be Confident of their future and glorious Estate Let me shew you 1. What is this Confidence 2. What is the Earnest of the Spirit 3. How this Confidence ariseth from having the Earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 1. What is this Confidence 1. The Nature of it 2. The Opposites of it 3. The Effects of it 4. The Properties of it 1. The nature 'T is a Well grounded perswasion of our Eternal Happiness But I must distinguish again as before There is a twofold Confidence one which is proper to faith another which may be called assurance or a sense of our own interest 1. There is a Confidence included in the very nature of Faith usually called Affiance We have often considered Faith as it implyeth a firm assent and