Redeemer when the good Angels are so ready to attend him at his beck and command and that in the meanest services and ministries Shall poor worms make bold with his Laws slight his doctrine despise his benefits Heb. 2.2 3. If the word spoken by angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 4. And lastly to make us more reverend in our approaches to him for he sits in the Assembly of the Gods the holy Angels are round about him Psal. 138.1 Before the Gods will I sing praise to thee That is in the presence of the holy Angels 1 Cor. 10.10 Eccl. 5.6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the angel that it was an Error The Angels in heaven observe our behaviour in Gods worship what vowes we make to God what promises of obedience But above all there is our glorious Redeemer himself Heb. 12.28 29. with what reverence and godly fear should we approach his Holy Presence II. Use. Is to quicken us to Thankfulness for our Redemption that our Creator is our Redeemer None of the Angels did humble himself as Christ did do to do so great a piece of service and yet he is far above them There is a congruity in it that we should be restored by him by whom we were made but he made the Angels as well as men but he did not restore them No they were not so much as in a condition of forbearance and respite he assumed not their nature he created all things but he redeemed mankind His delights were with the sons of men he assumed our nature and for a while was made a little lower then the Angels Heb. 2.9 We cannot sufficiently bless God for the Honour done to our Nature in the person of Christ for it is God incarnate that is made head of Angels Principalities and Powers God in our nature whom all the Angels are called upon to adore and worship The devil sought to dishonour God as if he were envious of mans happiness Gen. 3.8 God doth know that in the day that ye â—at thereof ye shall be aâ— Gods And he fought to depress the nature of man which in innocency stood so near to God now that his humane nature should be set so far above the Evangelical in the person of Christ and be admitted to dwell with God in a personal Union this calleth for our highest love and thankfulness III. Use. Is an encouragement to come to Christ for sanctifying and renewing Grace I have three Arguments 1. The Person to whom we come To whom should we come but to our Creator God infinitely Good Wise and Powerful The creation sheweth him good and whatever is good in the Creatures is wholly derived from his goodness It is but like the odour of the sweet Ointments or the perfume that he leaveth behind him where he hath been Iam. 1.19 He is infinitely wise when he created and setled the World He did not jumble things in a Chaos and confusion but setled them in a most perfect order and proportion Which may be seen not only in the Fabrick of the World but in the disposition of the parts of Mans Body yea or in any Gnat or Fly Now cannot he put our disordered souls in frame again If the Fear of God be true Wisdom to whom should we seek for it but from the Wise God His Infinite Power is seen also in the Creation in raising all things out of nothing And if a Divine Power be necessary to our Conversion to whom should we go but to him who calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.7 2. From the work it self which is a new Creation which carrieth much resemblance with the old Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. It is such an effect as comes from a Being of Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness that man may be in a capacity to love please and serve God What was lost in Adam can onely be recovered by Christ. 3. From the relation of the Party that seeketh it Psal. 119.73 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments We go to him as his own Creatures This plea hath great force because of Gods goodness to all his Creatures Not onely the Angels but every worm and fly had their being from Christ there is a great variety of living things in the World but they are all fed from the common fountain therefore we may comfortably come to him for life and quickning Ioh. 1.4 We need not be discouraged by our baseness and vileness for the basest worm had what it hath from him 2. That Christ as Creator beareth such Affection to man as the work of his hands Is it good unto thee that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands Iob 10.3 Artificers when they have made an excellent work are very chary of it and will not destroy it and break it in pieces Iob 14.15 Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands As Creatures beg relief and help if you cannot plead the covenant of Abraham plead the covenant of Noah 3. God forsakes none of the faln creatures but those that forsake him first 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while you be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake â—im he will cast thee off for ever 4. Especially will Christ be good to man seeking after him for Grace that we may serve and obey him For he is no Pharaoh to require brick and give no straw Creating Grace layed the debt upon us and his redeeming Grace provideth the power and help that we may discharge it Now when we acknowledge the debt and confess our impotency to pay it and our willingness to return to our duty Will Christ fail us A consciencâ— of our duty is a great matter but a desire of grace to perform it is more Therefore come as creatures earnestly desiring to do their Creators will and to promote his Glory God will not refuse the soul that lyeth so submissively at his feet SERMON IV. COL 1.17 And he is before all things and by him all things consist THE Apostle had asserted the dignity of Christs Person by ascribing the work of Creation to him now the work of Conservation and Providence By the same divine power by which Christ made all things he doth
person when he giveth him glorious qualities and powers or by revealing and manifesting those glorious qualities which he hath or when he doth receive him and treat him agreeably to his Glory The meaning of Christs prayer then must be of one or other of all these senses when he prayeth that the father would glorifie him with that glory that he had with him before the world was if you take it in the first sense he dâ—sireth that God would bestow upon him as Mediator or God Incarnate a Glory sutable to that Glory he had with him from all Eternity If in the second sense he desireth his Glory may be revealed or become conspicucus in his humane nature If in the third that God would receive him honourably and agreeably to that Glory which sense is the chiefest for it containeth the other two The meaning then in short is that he might be received to the full enjoyment of that glory which he had before the World was Christ was from all Eternity the glorious God this Glory of his Godhead by his humiliation was not diminished and lessened but obscured and hidden and therefore prayeth that he may be received by the Father and openly declared to the World to be the Son of God Or that the Glory of his Godhead might shine forth in the person of Christ God-man Well then before any creature was Christ had a divine Glory how had it he The enemies of this Truth say by decree or designation not by possession but that cannot be he that is not hath nothing if he had not a divine being how could he have divine Glory before the World None can say Paul was an Apostle of Christ before the World was because he was appointed or designed to this work yea none can say he had Faith and brotherly love when he was yet an unbeliever and persecutor yet it pleased God to separate him from his Mothers Womb and predestinated him to have these things Again then all true believers may thus pray to God glorifie me with c. for they are thereunto appointed but this is absurd Besides if he had it then how could he want it now The decree is the same it remaineth then that Christ had a being and substance in the Godhead before any of the Creatures were made VSE 1. This serveth for the confutation of those Atheists that say Christ took upon him the appellation of a God to make his Doctrine more authentick and effectual they confess the morals of Christianity are most excellent for the establishment of Piety and Honesty but mens inclination carrying them more powerfully to vice then vertue this doctrine would not be received with any reverence if it came recommended to them by a mere man and therefore Christ assumed the glorious appellation of the Son of God or pretended to be God A blasphemy very derogatory both to the honour of Christ and Christianity and quite contrary to the drift of the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament The Messiah promised in the Old Testament was to be God all the Prophets agree in that Jesus Christ proved himself to be God both by his Word and Works and the Apostles still assert it Could they that lived in so many several Ages as the Prophets and Apostles did lay their heads together and have intelligence one with another to convey this Imposture to the World Surely if Christ be the Messiah promised in the Old Testament as clearly he is then he is God for that describeth him to be such and if Christ usurped this honour how did God so highly favour him with such exâ—raordinary Graces by iâ—spiring him with the knowledge of the best Religion in the World to authorise him with miracles to raise him from the dead And must this Religion that condemneth all frauds and doing evil that good may come of it be supported by a lye or cannot God govern the World without countenancing such a deceit or is it possible that such Holy persons as our Lord Jesus and his Apostles were could be guilty of such an Imposture Did they do this by command of God No surely for God which is the God of Truth would not command them to teach a lye or to make use of one He hath power enough to cause the Truth to be embraced by some other means and a greater injury cannot be done him then to go about to gratifie him with what he hateth much less would God have commanded a mere man to call himself his Eternal Son and God equal to him which is a blasphemy and sacriledge as well as a lye the greatest of the kind for mortal man to take upon himself to be the eternal God If it were not by his express commandment would he suffer such an attempt to go unpunished would he witness from Heaven this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased would he have raised him from the dead and so ingaged the World to believe in him and adore him Acts 17.31 2. If Christ were before all things let us prefer him above all things This consideration is of great use to draw off our hearts from all created things and to lessen our respects to wordly vanities that they may be more earnestly fixed on what is eternal and glorious He that was before the world was will be when the world shall be no more Christ is from Everlasting to Everlasting Psal. 90.2 to him should we look after him should we seek he is first and last the beginning and ending It is for an Everlasting blessedness for the injoyment of an eternal God that our souls were made He that was from the beginning will be when all things shall have an end it is he that should take up our minds and thoughts How can we have room for so many thoughts about fading glories when we have an Eternal God and Christ to think of What light can we see in a Candle when the Sun shineth in his full strength All things in the World serve onely for a season and then wither and that season is but a short one You glory in your Riches and preeminence now but how long will you do so To day that House and Lands is thine but thou canst not say it will be thine tomorrow but a believer can say my God my Christ is mine to day and will be mine to all eternity Death taketh all from us honours and riches and strength and life but it cannot take God and Christ from us they are ours and everlastingly ours Secondly We come now to the second point his sustaining all things by his Almighty power and by â—im all things consist Doct. II. That as Christ made all things so he doth sustain them in being and working Let me explain this how the creatures are preserved by Christ. 1. This is to be understood not only meritoriously as a moral cause but efficiently as a natural cause of the creatures sustentation for the Apostle
we say the same of a King indeed we mean he behaveth himself King-like that is becoming the Majesty of his High calling So we beheld his glory as c. that is such a glory as was sutable and becoming Gods only Son So Christ was angry with his Disciples because they were too importunate to see the Father though they saw him ordinarily conversing with him Iohn 14.7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him The Fâ—ther is no otherwise to be known but as he hath revealed himself in Christ and having seen and known Christ who was his Image they might both see and know him and when Philip saith shew us the Father and it sufficeth us this will convince us all without farther argument Christ answereth verse 9. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father They might see the Fathers infinite power acting in him his wisedom teaching by him his goodness in the whole strain of his life so that in Christ becoming Man God doth in and by him represent all his own Attributes and Properties his Wisdom Goodness and Power 2. In his Word where God is revealed to us savingly so as we may be brought into Communion with him so it is said least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 As God shineth forth in Christ so doth Christ shine forth in the Gospel there we have the Record of his Doctrine Miracles and the end for which he came into the World and this is the great instrument by which the virtue and power of God is conveyed to us for the changing of our hearts and lives 2 Cor. 3.18 ' Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into his Image and likeness from glory to glory Some sight of God we must have or else we cannot be like him the knowledge or sight of God with mortal or bodily eyes is impossible the external manifestations and representations in the creature is imperfect and sufficeth rather for Conviction then Coversion or to leave us without excuse then to save the soul Rom. 12.1 they have not the excuse of faultless ignorance To know him in the Law or Covenant of works doth but work wrath Rom. 4.15 or revive in us a stinging sense of our hopeless condition To know him in Person or to see his glorious works or hear his glorious words was a priviledge vouchsafed but to few and to many that made no good use of it therefore there is onely reserved his Word to bring us into Communion with God Or the glass of the Gospel to represent the glory of the Lord that we may be changed into his likeness from glory to glory There the knowledge of God is held out powerfully in order to our Salvation 3. His Works All which in their whole tenure and contexture shewed him to be God man If at any time there appeared any evidence of humane weakness least the World should be offended and stumble thereat he did at the same time give out some notable demonstrations of his divine power when he lay in a manger at his birth a Star appeared and Angels proclaimed his birth to the Shepherds When he was swadled as an Infant the Wise men came and Worshipped him When he was in danger of suffering Shipwrack he commanded the Winds and the Waves and they obeyed him When he was tempted by Satan he was Ministred unto by Angels Matth. 4.11 When they demanded Tribute for the Temple a Fish brought it to him Matth. 17.26 When he was deceived in the Fig-tree which was an infirmity of humane ignorance he suddainly blasted it discovering the glory of a divine power When he hanged dying on the Cross the Rocks were rent the Graves opened the Sun darkned and all nature put into a rout Though he humbled himself to purchase our Mercies yet he assured our Faith by some emissions and breakings forth of his divine power Well then though it be our duty to seek and find out Gods track and foot print in the whole Creation and to observe the impressions of his Wisedom Goodness and Power in all the Saints especially this is our duty to admire his Image in Jesus Christ for his humanity the perfections of the Godhead shine forth in the highest lustre What ever perfection we conceive to be in his Person Word or Works the same may we conclude to be in the Father also Did the Winds and Seas obey Christ The whole Creation is at the beck of God did Christ shew himself to be the wisdom goodness and power of God surely God is infinitely Wise Was Christ Holy and undefiled surely so is God light in whom is no darkness at all Was Christ Loving Pityful and Compassionate not abhorring the most vile and miserable whether in Soul or Body that came to him for relief surely God is Love and he will not be strange to those that seek him in Christ. 3. How he differeth from other persons For the Saints also are made after the Image of God Col. 3.10 And have put on the New Man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness I answer There is a great difference between the Image of God in Man and the Image of God in Christ. 1. Man resembleth God but imperfectly Man was made and is new made after the Image of God but with much abatement of this high perfection which is in Christ for he hath all the substantial perfection which his Father hath In other Creatures there is some resemblance but no equality other Creatures are made like God but he is begotten like God 2. It is derivative from Christ God would recover man out of his lapsed estate by setting up a pattern of Holiness in our Nature Rom. 8.29 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 None was fit to restore this Image of God that was lost but God Incarnate for thereby the glory of God was again visible in our Nature God is a pure Spirit and we are Creatures that have indeed an immortal Soul but it dwelleth in Flesh therefore to make us like God the Word was made flesh that he might represent the perfections of God to us and commend holiness by his own example Secondly The next thing ascribed to Christ is that he is the first born of every Creature that is born of God before any Creature had a being or begotten of the Father of his own proper Essence and equal with him before any thing was created and brought forth out of nothing But here the Adversaries of the Eternal Godhead of Christ triumph and say the first born of the Creatures is a
therefore we should often revive the considerations that may represent his worth and excellency Fourthly That we may place all hope of Salvation in him and may make use of him to the ends which he came to accomplish We can hardly consider the work of Redemption but some base thoughts arise in our minds nor entertain this mistery with due respects to the truth and greatness and admirableness of it whithout raising our thoughts to the consideration of the dignity of the person who is to accomplish it Heb. 3.1 Therefore brethren consider the Lord Iesus the great High Priest and Apostle of our profession Fifthly That we may the better understand two things 1. The Humiliation of the Son of God 2. The way how we may recover the lost Image of God 1. The humiliation of the Son of God certainly he that came to Redeem us was the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of this Person now how did he humble himself was he not still the Image of God in our nature yes but the divine glory and Majesty was hidden under the vail of our flesh little of it did appear and that only to those who narrowly did observe him the brightness of his glory did not conspicuously shine forth was this all no his dignity was lessened there was capitis diminutio the lessening of a mans estate or condition As of a man degraded from the Senatorian Order to the Degree of Knight thence to the Plebian Thus was the Eternal Son of God lessened less then God as Mediator Iohn 14.28 My Father is greater then I. As God incarnate he took an office designed to him by God and obeyed him in all things They were one in essence Iohn 10.30 yet with respect to his Office to save Souls he was lessened nay not only less than God but lesser than the Angels Heb. 2.7 He was made a little lower then the Angels Not born so but made so Man is inferiour to an Angel as a Man in the rank and order of beings the Angels dye not therefore his Incarnation and liableness to death is a great lessening of his dignity so not in respect of Office only but humane nature assumed 2. It sheweth us how the Image of God may be recovered If we be changed into the likeness of Christ for he is the Image of God his merit should not onely be precious to us but his example it is a great advantage not only to have a rule but an example because man is so prone to imitate that an example in our nature maketh it the more operative his execuse is ready at hand we are Flesh and Blood what would you have us do therefore Christ came incarnate to be an example of Holiness he had the interests of Flesh and Blood to mind as well as we and so would shew that a holy Life is possible to those that are renewed by his Grace he obeyed God in our nature therefore in the same nature we may obey please and glorifie God though still in a self-denying manner the foundation of it is layed in the new birth the Spirit that formed Christ out of the substance of the virgin the same Spirit is ready to form Christ in you he maketh new creatures so that there is not onely Christs example but Christs power Use 1. then let the excellency and dignity of Christs Person be more upon your minds and hearts think often of those two notions in the Text that he is the Image of the invisible God that therein you may be like him You cannot be the Image of God so as he was but you must be in your measure the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily but you must be partakers of the divine nature He shewed himself to be the Son of God by his works when the Jews said he blasphemed when he said he was the Son of God Ioh. 10.27 If I do not the works of my Father believe me not he allowed them to doubt of them if he did not those works which were proper to one sent from God certainly this is the glory of man to be the Image of God there is no greater perfection then to live in the nearest resemblance to his Creator Christ is more excellent because he hath more of the Image of God upon him 2. Consider again that he is Lord of the whole creation and therefore calleâ— the first-born of every creature Well thâ—n we should he subject to him and with greater diligence apply our selves to the obedience of his Holy Laws and use the means appointed by him to obtain the blessedness offered to us There is in us a natural sentiment of the authority of God and we have a dread upon our hearts if we do what he hath forbidden but we have not so deep a sense of the authority of Christ and play fast and loose with Religion as fancy and humour and interest lead us Now from this argument you see we should honour the Son as we honour the Father and be as tender of his Institutions as we are of the Commandements evident by natural light for he is not onely the messenger of God but his express Image and the first-born of every creature Not to believe him and obey him and love him is to sin not only against our duty but our remedy and the Law of our recovery SERMON III. COL 1. 16. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him THE Apostle had told us in the former Verse that Jesus Christ is the first-born of every Creature The Arrians thence concluded that he himself was created out of nothing in order of time before the World But it is not the first created of any creature but the first-born which noteth a precedency not only in point of Antiquity but Dignity and is as much as to say Lord of every creature For the first-born was the Lord of the rest and the Title may be given either Relatively or comparatively 1. Relatively when the rest are of the same stock or have the relation of Brethren to him that hath the preheminence So it is given to Christ with respect to new Creatures Rom. 8.29 That he might be the first-born among many brethren 2. Comparatively onely When several persons or things be compared though there be no relation between them So David is called the first-born of the Kings of the earth Psal. 89.27 That is superior in Dignity and Honour So here it is taken not relatively for so Christ is primogenitus the first-born that he is also unigenitus the onely begotten none went before or come after him that are so begotten of God What he asserteth in that verse he now proveth by the creation of all things in this 16th verse and the conservation of all things verse 17. We are now
pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Mark there he doth not describe all the Officers for the Deacon is not mentioned but onely such as labour in the Word and Sacraments and observe he mentioneth ordinary and extraordinary Apostles to write Scripture Prophets to attest it Pastors and Teachers to explain and apply it And mark Christ gave some it is his Prerogative as Head of the Church to appoint the several sorts of offices and officers He gave them at first and will raise up some still according as the exigence of the times requireth it The end why to perfect the saints that is to help them on to their final perfection and for the work of the ministry All Offices under Christ are a ministry not a power and imply Service not Lordship or Domination over the Flock of Christ. Lastly The great end is to prepare and fit men more and more to become true members of Christs mystical Body 4. To maintain and defend his people in the exercise of these things to preserve the verity of Doctrine and purity of Worship Alass many times where neither Worship nor Government is corrupted yet the Church may be in danger to be dissipated by the violence of persecutions Now therefore it is a part of Christs office as Head of the Church to maintain verity of Doctrine purity of Worship and a lawful order of Government for all which he hath plenty of Spirit The Papists think this cannot be without some universal visible head to supply Christs Office in his absence and so are like the Israelites Exod. 31.1 Make us Gods that shall go before us They would have a visible head that should supply Christs room in his absence an external infallible Head but that is a vain conceit for since the Pope hath his residence in Rome and cannot perform these functions but by the intervention of ordaining Pastors why should it be more difficult for Christ in heaven to Govern the Church than for the Pope in Rome when he sitteth at the right hand of God till he hath made his â—oes his Footstool Is he less powerful to Govern the Church and to preserve and defend his People against the violence of those that would root out the memorial of Religion in the World Who is more powerful than Jesus Christ who hath all Judgement put into his hands 1 Iob. 4.4 2. In regard of influence So Christ is an head to the Church as he giveth us his Spirit That Spirit which gives Life to Believers is often called Christs Spirit Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts It is purchased by his Merit Tit. 3.6 conveyed to us by his Power Ioh. 15.26 I will send the comforter from the father The communication is by his Ordinances The Word 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Sacraments 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Iews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and â—â—ve all been made to drink into one spirit To â—â—omote the Religion which he hath estâ—â—â—â—â—hed Ioh. 16.13 14. When the spirit 〈◊〉 â—ruth is come he will guide you into all trâ—◠〈◊〉 for he shall not speak of himself but whâ—◠〈◊〉 ever he shall hear that he shall speak And he will shew you things to come and he shall gloriâ—ie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you He comes to us as his Members and by influence from him as in the natural body the animal spirits are from the head are by the members conveyed to all the parts of the body so Christ in this spiritual Union worketh in us a quickning Spirit Eph. 4.15 16. We grow up to him in all things which is the head even Christ From whom the whole body joyned together maketh increase c. The spirit is not given to any one Believer but derivatively from Christ to us First it is given to Christ as Mediatour and to us onely by virtue of our union with him He is in Christ as radically inherent but in us operatively to accomplish certain effects or he dwelleth in our Head by way of radication in us by way of influence and operation 2. According to what nature doth this office belong to Christ Divine or Humane I answer both for it belongeth to him as God incarnate 1. He must be man that there may be a conformity of nature between the head and the rest of the Members therefore Christ and the Church have one common nature between them he was man as we are men bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh Eph. 5.30 We read of a monstrous Image that was represented to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream where the head was Gold the breast and arms of Silver the belly and thighs of Brass and the Legs and feet part of Iron and part of Clay Dan. 2. All the parts of a different nature In every regular body there is a proportion and conformity so it is in the Mystical body of Christ because the brethren took part of flesh and blood he also took part of the same The Godhead which was at such a distance from us is brought down in the person of Christ in our nature that it might be nearer at hand and within the reach of our commerce and we might have more incouragement to expect pity and relief from him 2. God he also must be None was sit to be head of the Church but God whether you respect Government or Influence 1. For Government to attend all cases to hear all Prayers to supply all wants defend us against all Enemies to require an absolute and total submission to his Laws Ordinances and Institutions so as we may venture our Eternal Interests upon his Word Psal. 95.11 He is thy God worship thou him 2. For Influence none else hath power to convey the spirit and to become a vital principle to us for that is proper to God to have life in himself and to communicate it to others 1 Tim. 6.13 I charge thee in the sight of God who quickneth all things c. Whatever men may think of the life of Grace yet surely as to the life of Glory he is the onely life-making Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Now this honour is not given to the Angels much less is it due to any man nor can it be imagined by him for none can influence the heart of Man but God 3. The Reasons why this body must have such an Head 1. Every society must be under some Government without which they would soon dissolve and come to nothing Much more the Church which because of its manifold necessities and the high ends unto which it is designed more needs it than any other Society 2.
Grace and then continually supplied by the confirming Grace of the Spirit The influence we have from him as our head is life and likeness 1. Life Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh c. Christ is the beginning of the new life therefore he is called the Prince or Author of Life All life is derived from the head to the body so we derive life from Christ Ioh. 6.57 As I live by the father so he that eateth me shall live by me We derive life from Christ as he from the Father 2. Likeness Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you And 2 Cor. 3.18 It is for the honour of Christ that his Image and superscription should be upon his Members to distinguish them from others In short as to Life he is the Root Ioh. 15.1 2. I am the true vine and c. As to Likeness he is the pattern Rom. 8.29 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 Secondly The Reasons of this 1. It is for the honour of the Son of God that he should be head of the New World In the Kingdom of Christ all things are new There is a new covenant which is the Gospel a new Paradise not that where Adam enjoyed God among the Beasts and Trees of the Garden but where the Blessed injoy God amongst the Angels A new Ministry not the Family of Aaron or Tribe of Levi but the Ministry of Reconciliation whom God hath qualified and fitted to be dispensers of these holy Mysteries New ordinances we serve God not in the oldness of the Letter but the newness of the Spirit new Members or new creatures that are made partakers of the benefits therefore also a new head or a second Adam that must be the beginning of this new Creation and that is the Lord Jesus Christ who is made a quickning spirit to all his members 1 Cor 15.45 The first Adam was made a living soul the second a quickning Spirit Adam communicated natural life to his posterity but from Christ we have the spirit 2. It is suited to our lost estate We were in a state of Apostasie and defection from God averse from all good prone to all evil Now that we might have a new being and life the Son of God came in our Nature to rectifie the disordered creation The scripture representeth man as blind in his Mind perverse in his Will rebellions in his Affections having no sound part left in him to mend the rest therefore we must be changed but by whom who shall make us of unclean to become pure and holy Not one amongst all the bare natural sons of Men Iob 14.4 of carnal to become spiritual We must be new made and new born Ioh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit That we may mind the things of the spirit and not of the flesh of worldly to become heavenly he that formeth us for this very thing is God 2 Cor. 5.5 He that is the framer and maker of all things a God of infinite Wisdom Power and Love he frameth and createth us a-new VSES I. To shew us the Necessity of Regeneration II. The Excellency of it I. The Necessity We must have another beginning than we had as bare creatures it is one thing to make us men another to make us Saints or Christians We have Understanding Will Affections and Senses as Men but we have these sanâ—â—â—â—d as Christians The World thinketh Christianity puts strange names upon ordinary things but is it an ordinary thing to row against the stream of flesh and blood and to raise men to those inclinations and affections to which nature is an utter stranger to have a Divine Nature put into us 2 Pet. 1.4 the necessity is more bound upon us if we look upon our selves not onely as Men but Christians for whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature Some are in Christ by external Profession de jure they are bound to be new Creatures that they may not dishonour their Head Others by real internal Union they not onely ought to be but de facto are new creatures because they are made partakers of his Spirit and by that Spirit are renewed and sanctified Little can they make out their recovery to God and interest in Christ who are not sensible of any change wrought in them who have the old thoughts the old discourses the old passions and the old affections and their old conversations still The same deadness to holy things the same proneness to please the flesh the same carelessness to please or honour God and the drift and bent of their lives is as much for the world and as little for God and heaven as before II. The Excellency of Regeneration or renewing Grace What a benefit it is it appeareth in two things 1. That it is the fruit of Reconciling Grace 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation God gives Grace onely as the God of Peace as pacified by the death of Christ the holy Spirit is the gift of his Love and the fruit of this Peace and Reconciliation which Christ made for us Our Lord Jesus Christ merited this Grace by the value of his sacrifice and bloody sufferings Tit. 3.5 6. 2. It is applyed to us by the Almighty power of his Spirit Christ is first the Ransom for then the fountain of Life to our souls and so the honour of our intire and whole recovery is to be ascribed onely to our Redeemer who as he satisfied the Justice of God for our sins so he also purchased a power to change our hearts and he purchased this power into his own hands not into anothers and therefore doth accomplish it by his Spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 We should often think what a foundation God hath layed for the dispensation of his grace and how he would demonstrate his infinite love in giving us his son to be a propitiation for us and at the same time sheweth forth his infinite power in renewing and changing the heart of man and all to bring us back to him to make us capable of serving and pleasing him I come now to the other Title which respects the life of Glory The first-born from the dead The same appellation almost is given to Christ when he is called Rev. 1.5 The first begotten from the dead The reason of both is because those that arise from the dead are as it were new born and therefore the Resurrection from the dead is called a Regeneration Matth. 19.28 And as to Christ in particular the Grave when he was in it is represented as being under
Scriptures Isa. 4.2 Christ is prophesied of In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely When he is called the Branch of the Lord his Godhead is signified when he is called the fruit of the earth his Manhood So again Isâ— 7.14 A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and thou shalt call his name Immâ—â—uel That is to say God with us which can agree to none but to hiâ— that is God and Man So that this Mystery of God Incarnate was not hid from the Church of the Old Testament for his very Name did import God with us or God in our Nature reconciling us to himself So Isa. 9.6 To us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called The wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting father the prince of peace Who can interpret these speeches and Aâ—â—ributes but of one who is God-Man How could he else be a child and yet the Everlasting Father born of a Virgin and yet the Mighty God So Isa. 11.1 with the 4th Verse A rod out of the Sâ—em of Iesse and a branch out of his roots Therefore Man And verse 4. He shall smiâ—e the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall be slay the wicked Therefore God So Isa. 53.8 He shall be taken from prison and judgement therefore Man yet who shall declare his generation therefore God So Ier. 23.5 6. A branch raised unto David from his deaâ— stock therefore Man yet the Lord or Iehovah our righteousness therefore God Shall I urge that speech whereby Jesus did silence divers of the Learned Pharisees Psal. 110.1 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool He was born in the mean Estate of humane Flesh and King Davids seed and yet Davids Lord which he could not be if he were not God himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Well then he was Davids Son as Man but Davids Lord as he was God And so do many of the Ancient Iewish Rabbins interpret this place So again Micah 5.2 Thou Bethlehem Sphratah Though thou â—e little among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from old from everlasting He is born in Bethlehem yet his goings forth are from everlasting He came out of Bethlehem and therefore Man his goings forth are from everlasting and therefore God So Zech. 12.10 I will pour out the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced He is God because he giveth the spirit of grace Man because he is pierced or crucified So Zech. 13.7 Against the man my fellow A man he was but Gods companion his only begotten son and co-essential with himself and so God Secondly Come we now to the New Testament in which this mystery is more plainly and fully demonstrated There often the son of Man is plainly asserted to be also the Son of God Thomas calleth him his Lord his God Ioh. 20.28 We are told that the word was made flesh Ioh. 1.14 That God purchased the Church with his own blood Acts 20.28 which can be understood of no other but Christ by whose blood we are redeemed and who being Incarnate hath blood to shed for us But God as a pure Spirit hath not flesh and blood and bones as we have So Rom. 1.3 4. Iesus Christ was made of the seed of David according to the flesh but declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness c. In respect of his Divine subsistence he was begotten not made in regard of his humane Nature made not begotten True Man as David was and True God as the Spirit and Divine Nature is Again Rom. 9.5 Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Than which nothing can be said more express as to that nature which is most apt to be questioned for surely he that is God over all cannot be said to be a mere Creature The Jews confessed him to be Man and one of their blood and Paul asserteth him to be God over all They accounted him to be accursed and Paul asserteth him to be blessed for ever They thought him inferiour to the Patriarchs of whom he descended and Paul over all so that no word is used in vain and when he saith according to the flesh he insinuateth another Nature in him to be considered by us The next place is 1 Cor. 2.8 They Crucified the Lord of Glory He was Crucified there his humane nature is acknowledged but in respect of the Divine nature he is called the Lord of Glory as in the 24th Psalm The Lord or King of Glory is Iehovah Sabaoth The Lord of Hosts Go we farther Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with Gon but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men By the form of God is meant not only the divine Majesty and Glory but also the divine essence it self for without it there can be no true divine Majesty and Glory Now this he kept hidden under his humane nature letting onely some small Rayes sometimes to shine forth in his Miracles but that which was most sensible and conspicuous in him was a true humane Nature in a low and contemptible estate Again 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in our Flesh. That is the Eternal Son of God became Man and assumed the humane nature into the unity of his person Once more 1 Pet. 3.18 He was put to death in the flesh but quickned in the spirit That is dyed according to his humane nature but by his divine nature raised from the Dead 't is not meant of his soul quickned signifies not one remaining alive but made alive that power belongeth to God Secondly By Types Those that come to hand are these 1. Melchisedec Gen. 14.18 Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and wine to Abraham Which Type is interpreted by the Apostle Heb. 7.2 3. First being by interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of peace Without Father and without Mother having neither beginning of dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually What Melchisedec was is needless to dispute The Apostle considereth him only as he is represented in the story of Moses who maketh no mention of his Father or Mother Birth or Death Certainly he was a very Man but as he standeth in Scripture there is no mention of Father or Mother beginning or end what he was or of whom