heard him So that his very enemies were forced to acknowledge that never any man spake like him Joh. 7.46 Thirdly It implys Christ to be the Original and fountain of all that light which is ministerially diffused up and down the world by men Ministers are but Stars which shine with a borrowed light from the Sun So speaks the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 7. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Those that teach men must be first taught by Christ. All the Prophets of the Old and all the Apostles Pastors and Teachers of the New Testament have lighted their Candles at his Torch 'T was Christ that gave them a mouth and wisdom Luk. 21.15 What Paul received from the Lord he delivered to the Church 1 Cor. 11.23 Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 And all the under Shepherds receive their gifts and commissions from him These things are manifestly implyed in Christs Prophetical Office We shall next enquire how he executes and discharges this his Office Or how he enlightens and teacheth men the will of God And this he hath done variously gradually plainly powerfully sweetly purely and fully First Our great Prophet hath revealed to men the will of God variously Not holding one even and constant tenour in the manifestations of the Fathers will but as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundry times and in divers manners Heb. 1.1 Sometimes he taught the Church immediately and in his own person Ioh. 18.20 He declared Gods righteousness in the great congregation Psal. 22.22 And sometimes immediately by his Ministers and Officers deputed to that service by him So he dispensed the knowledge of God to the Church both before his incarnation It was Christ that in the time and by the Ministry of Noah went and Preached to the Spirits in prison as it is 1 Pet. 3.19 That is to men and women then alive but now separated from the body and imprisoned in Hell for their disobedience And it was Christ that was with the Church in the wilderness instructing and guiding them by the Ministry of Moses and Aaron Acts 7.37 38. And so he hath taught the Church since his ascension He cannot now be personally with us having other business to do for us in Heaven but however he will not be wanting to teach us by his Officers whom for that end he hath set and appointed in the Church Ephes. 4.11.12 Secondly He hath dispensed his blessed light to the Church gradually The discoveries of light have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in many parts or parcels sometimes more obscure and cloudy as it was to the Old Testament-believers by Visions Dreams Urim Thumim vocal Oracles Types Sacrifices c. Which though comparatively it were but a weak glimering light and had no glory set by that which now shines 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 18. Yet it was sufficient for the instruction and Salvation of the Elect in those times But now is light sprung up gloriously in the Gospel dispensation And we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. It is to us not a twy-light but the light of a perfect day And still it is advancing in the several ages of the world I know more said Luther than blessed Austin knew and they that come after me will know more than I know Thirdly Jesus Christ our great Prophet hath manifested to us the will of God plainly and perspicuously When he was on earth himself he taught the People by Parables and without a Parable he spake nothing Matth. 13. 3 4. He cloathed Sublime and Spiritual mysteries in earthly Metaphors stooping them thereby to the low and dull capacities of men Speaking so familiarly to the People about them as if he had been speaking earthly things to them Ioh. 3.12 And so according to his own example would he have his Ministers Preach using great plainness of speech 2 Cor. 3.12 And by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience 2 Cor. 4.2 Yet not allowing them to be rude and careless in expression pouring out indigested crude immethodical words No an holy serious strict and grave expression befits the lips of his Embassadours And who ever spake more weightily more Logically or perswasively than that Apostle by whose Pen Christ hath admonished us to beware of vain affectation and swelling words of vanity But he would have us stoop to the understandings of the meanest And not give the People a Comment darker than the Text. He would have us rather pierce their consciences than tickle their phancies And break their heart than please their ears Christ was a very plain Preacher Fourthly Jesus Christ discovered truth powerfully Speaking as one having authority and not as the Pharisees Matth. 7.29 They were cold and dull Preachers Their words did even freeze betwixt their lips But Christ spake with power There was heat as well as light in his Doctrine And so there is still though it be in the mouth of poor contemptible men 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the casting down of strong holds 'T is still quick and powerful sharper than a two edged Sword and piercing to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the jâ—ynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 The blessed Apostle imitated Christ. And being filled with his Spirit spake home and freely to the hearts of men So many words so many claps of Thunder as one said of him which made the hearts of sinners shake and tremble in their breasts All faithful and able Ministers are not alike gifted in this particular but surely there is an holy seriousness a Spiritual grace and Majesty in their Doctrine commanding reverence from the hearers Fifthly This Prophet Jesus Christ taught the people the mind of God in a sweet affectionate and taking manner His words made their hearts burn within them Luk. 24.32 It was Prophesied of him Isa. 42.2 He shall not cry nor life up nor cause his voice to be heard on high A bruised reed he shall not break and smoaking flax be shall not quench He knew how to speak a word in season to the weary Soul Esa. 61.1 He gathered the Lambs with his arms And gently led those with young Esa. 4.11 How sweetly did his words slide to the melting hearts about him He drew with cords of Love with the bands of a man He discouraged none Upbraided none that were willing to come to him His familiarity and free condescensions to the most vile and and despiseable sinners was often made the matter of his reproach Such is his gentle and sweet carriage to his people that the Church is called the Lambs Wife Rev. 19.7 Sixthly He revealed the mind of God purely to men His Doctrine had not the least dash of
I determined not to know The meaning is not that he simply despised or contemned all other studies and knowledge but so far only as they stand in competion with or opposition to the study and knowledge of Jesus Christ. And it is as if he should say it is my stated setled Judgement not a hasty inconsiderate censure but the product and Issue of my most serious and exquisite enquiries after I have well weighed the case turned it round viewed it exactly on every side ballanced all advantages and disadvantages pondered all things that are fit to come into consideration about it this is the result and final determination that all other knowledge how profitable how pleasant soever is not worthy to be named in the same day with the knowledge of Jesus Christ This therefore I resolve to make the scope and end of my Ministry and the end regulateâ— the means Such pedantick toys and ayrie notions as injudicious ears affect would rather obstruct than promote my grand design among you therefore wholy waving that way I applyed my self to a plain popular unaffected Dialect fitted rather to pierce the heart and convince the conscience than to tickle the fancy this is the scope of the words In which three things fall under consideration First The subject-matter of his Doctrine to wit Iesus Christ. I determined to know nothing i. e. to study nothing my self to teach nothing to you but Iesus Christ. Christ shall be the Center to which all the lines of my Ministry shall be drawn I have spoken and written of many other subjects in my Sermons and Epistles but it is all reductively the Preaching and discovery of Jesus Christ of all Subjects in the world this is the sweetest if there be any thing on this side Heaven worthy our time and studies this is it Thus he magnifies his Doctrine from the excellency of its subject-matter accounting all other Doctrines but arrid things compared with this Secondly We have here that special respect or consideration of Christ which he singled out from all the rest as the excellent Truths of Christ to spend the main strength of his ministry upon And that is Christ as Crucified and the rather because hereby he would obviate the vulgar prejudice raised against him upon the account of his cross for Christ Crucified was to the Iews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness chap. 1.23 this also best suited his end to draw them on to Christ as Christ above all other subjects so Christ Crucified above all things in Christ there is therefore a great Emphasis in this word And him Crucified Thirdly The manner in which he discoursed this transcendent Subject to them is also remarkable he not only Preached Christ Crucified but he Preached him assiduously and plainly he Preacht Christ frequently and when ever he Preacht of Christ Crucified he Preached him in a Crucified stile This is the sum of the words to let them know that his spirit was so intent upon this subject as if he neither knew or cared to speak of any other all his Sermons were so full of Christ that his hearers might have thought he was acquainted with no other Doctrine Hence observe DOCT. That there is no Doctrine more excellent in it self or more necessary to be Preached and studyed than the Doctrine of Iesus Christ and him Crucified All other knowledge how much soever it be magnified in the World is and ought to be esteemed but dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the Sun that he thought he was born only to behold it much more should a Christian Judge himself born only to behold and delight in the glory of the Lord Jesus The truth of this Proposition will be made out by a double consideration of the Doctrine of Christ. First Let it be considered absolutely and then these lovely properties with which it is naturally cloathed will render it superiour to all other Sciences and Studies First The knowledge of Jesus Christ is the very marrow and Kernel of all the Scriptures the scope and center of all Divine revelations both Testaments meet in Christ. The Ceremonial Law is full of Christ and all the Gospel full of Christ the blessed lines of both Testaments meet in him and how they both harmonize and sweetly concenteâ— in Jesus Christ it is the chief scope of that excellent Epistle to the Hebrews to discover for we may call that Epistle The sweet Harmony of both Testaments this argues the unspeakable excellency of this Doctrine the knowledge whereof must needs therefore be a Key to unlock the greatest part of the Sacred Scriptures for it is in the understanding of Scripture much as it is in the knowledge men have in Logick and Philosophy if a Scholar once come to understand the bottom principle upon which as upon its hinge the controversie turns the through knowledge of that principle shall carry him through the whole controversie and furnish him with a solution to every argument even so the right knowledge of Jesus Christ like a clew leads you through the whole Laberynth of the Scriptures Secondly The knowledge of Jesus Christ is a fundamental knowledge and foundations are most useful though least seen the knowledge of Christ is fundamental to all Graces Duties Comforts and Happiness First It 's fundamental to all graces they all begin in knowledge Col. 3.10 the new man is renewed in knowledge as the old so the new Creation begins in light the opening of the eyes is the first work of the spirit and as the beginnings of grace so all the after improvements thereof depend upon this increasing knowledge 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour see how these two grace and knowledge keep equal pace in the soul of a Christian in what degree the one increases the other increases answerably Secondly the knowledge of Christ is fundamental to all duties the duties as well as graces of Christians are all founded in the knowledge of Christ must a Christian believe That he can never do without the knowledge of Christ Faith is so much dependent upon his knowledge that it is denominated by it Isa. 53.11 by his knowledge shall my righteous servant Iustifie many and hence Ioh. 6.40 Seeing and believing are made the same thing would a man exercise hope in God That he can never do without the knowledge of Christ for he is the author of that hope 1 Pet. 1.3 he is also its object Heb. 6.19 its ground-work and support Col. 1.27 and as you cannot believe or hope so neither can you pray acceptably without a competent degree of this knowledge the very Heathen could say non loquendum de deo sine lumine i. e. men must not speak of God without light the true way
of conversing with and enjoying God in Prayer is by acting faith on him through a Mediator so much of faith and Christ as is in a Duty so much comfort and true excellency there is in it and no more Oh then how indispensible is the knowledge of Christ to all that do adress themselves to God in any Duty Thirdly It 's fundamental to all comforts all the Comforts of believers are streams from this Fountain Jesus Christ is the very object-matter of a believers Joy Phil. 3.3 our rejoycing is in Christ Iesus take away the knowledge of Christ and a Christian is the most sad and melancholy creature in the world again let Christ but manifest himself and dart the beams of his light into their souls it will make them kiss the stakes sing in flames and shout in the pangs of death as men that divide the spoil Lastly this knowledge is fundamental to the eternal happiness of souls as we can perform no duty enjoy no comfort so neither can we be saved without it Joh. 17.3 this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent and if it be eternal life to know Christ then it is eternal Damnation to be ignorant of Christ as Christ is the door that opens Heaven so knowledge is the key that opens Christ. The excellent gifts and renowned parts of the Moral Heathens though they purchased to them great esteem and honour among men yet left them in a state of perdition because of this grand defect they were ignorant of Christ 1 Cor. 1.21 thus you see how fundamental the knowledge of Christ is and essentially necessary to all the graces duties comforts and happiness of souls Thirdly The knowledge of Christ is profound and large all other Sciences are but Shallows this a boundless bottomless Ocean no creature hath a line long enough to fathom the depth of it there is height length depth and breadth ascribed to it Eph. 3.14 yea it passeth knowledge there is a manifold wisdom of God in Christ Eph. 3.10 It is of many sorts and forms of many folds and plights it is indeed simple pure and unmixed with any thing but it self yet it is manifold in degrees kinds and Administrations though something of Christ be unfolded in one age and something in an other yet eternity if self cannot fully unfold him I see something said Luther which blessed Austin saw not and those that come after me will see that which I see not it is in the studying of Christ as in the planting of a new discovered Country at first men sit down by the Sea side upon the skirts and borders of the Land and there they dwell but by degrees they search farther and farther into the heart of the Country ah the best of us are yet but upon the borders of this vast Continent Fourthly The study of Jesus Christ is the most noble Subject that ever a soul spent it self upon those that rack and toture their brains upon other studys like Children weary themselves at a low game the Eagle plays at the Sun it self the Angels study this Doctrine and stoop down to look into this deep abyss what are the Truths discovered in Christ but the very secrets that from eternity lay hid in the bosom of God Eph. 3.8 9. Gods heart is opened to men in Christ Ioh. 1.18 this makes the Gospel such a glorious dispensation because Christ is so gloriously revealed therein 2 Cor. 3.9 and the studying of Christ in the Gospel stamps such a Heavenly glory upon the contemplating soul v. 18. Fitâ—hly It is the most sweet and comfortable knowledge to be studying Jesus Christ what is it but to be digging among all the veins and springs of comfort and the deeper you dig the more do those springs flow upon you how are hearts ravished with the discoveries of Christ in the Gospel what extasies meltings transports do gratious souls meet there doubtless Philips extasie Ioh. 1.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have found Jesus was far beyond that of Archimedes a believer could fit from Morning to Night to hear Discourses of Christ his mouth is most sweet Cant. 5.16 Secondly Let us compare this knowledge with all other knowledge and thereby the excellency of it will farther appear First All other knowledge is natural but this wholly supernatural Matth. 11.27 no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any the father save the Son and he to whom so ever the Son will reveal him the wisest Heathens could never make a discovery of Christ by their deepest searches into nature the most Eagle-eyed Philosophers were but Children in knowledge compared with the most illiterate Christians Secondly Oâ—her knowledge is unattainable by many all the helps and means in the world would never enable some Christians to attain the Learned Arts and Languages men of the best wits and most pregnant parts are most excellent in these but here is the mysterie and excellency of the knowledge of Christ that men of most blunt dull and contemptible parts attain through the teaching of the spirit to this knowledge in which the more acute and ingenious are utterly blind Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 1. Cor. 1.26 27. you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise c. Thirdly Other knowledge though you should attain the highest degree of it would never bring you to Heaven being defective and lame both in the integrity of parts the principal thing viz. Christ being wanting and in the purity of its nature for the knowing Heathens grew vain in their imaginations 1 Rom. 21. and in the efficacy and influence of it on the heart and life they held the truth in unrighteousness their lusts were stronger than their light 1 Rom. 18. but this knowledge hath potent influences changing souls into its own image 2 Cor. 3.18 and so proves a saving knowledge unto men 1 Tim. 2.4 and thus I have in a few particulars pointed out the transcendency of the knowledge of Christ. The use of all this I shall give you in a few Inferences on which I shall not enlarge the whole being only praeliminary to the Doctrine of Christ only for the present I shall hence infer The â—â—sufficiency of the Doctrine of Christ to make men wise unto salvation Paul deâ—ired to know nothing else and indeed nothing else is of absolute necessity to be known a little of this knowledge if saving and effâ—ctual upon thy heart will do thy soul more service than all the vain speculations and profound parts that others so much glory in poor Christian be not dejected because thou seest thy self out-stript and excelled by so many in other
wanting the Credidit vixit ut Christianus as an eminent Divine speaks O let the Keepers of the Vineyards look to and keep their own Vineyard we have an Heaven to win or lose as well as others Thirdly Let us take heed that we with-hold not our knowledge of Christ in unrighteousness from the people O that our lips may disperse knowledge and feed many let us take heed of the Napkin remembring the day of account is at hand Remember I beseech you the Relations wherein you stand and the obligations resulting thence Remember the great Shepherd gave himself for and gave you to the flock your time your gifts are not yours but Gods Remember the pinching wants of souls who are perishing for want of Christ and if their tongues do not yet their necessities do bespeak us as they did Ioseph Gen. 47.15 wherefore should we dye in thy presence give us food that we may live and not dye even the Sea-monsters draw forth their breasts to their young ones and shall we be cruel cruel to souls did not Christ think it too much to sweat blood yea to dye for them and shall we think it much to watch study preach pray and do what we can for their salvation O let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ. Secondly To the people that sit under the Doctrine of Christ daily and have the light of his knowledge shining round about them First Take heed ye do not reject and despise this light this may be done two ways first When you despise the means of knowledge by slight and low esteems of it Surely if you thus reject knowledge God will reject you for it Hosea 4.6 it is a despising of the richest gift that ever Christ gave to the Church and however it be a contempt and slight that begins low and seems only to vent it self upon the weak parts inartificial discourses and untaking tones and gestures of the speakers yet believe it it 's a daring sin that flyes higher than you are aware Luk. 10.16 he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Secondly You despise the knowledge of Christ when you despise the directions and loving constraints of that knowledge when you refuse to be guided by your knowledge your light and your lusts contest and struggle within you Oh 't is sad when your lusts master your light you sin not as the Heathens sin who know not God but when you sin you must slight and put by the notices of your own Consciences and offer violence to your own convictions And what sad work will this make in your souls how soon will it lay your consciences waste Secondly Take heed that you rest not satisfied with that knowledge of Christ you have attained but grow on towards perfection it 's the pride and ignorance of many professors when they have got a few raw and indigested notions to swell with self-conceits of their excellent-attainments and it 's the sin even of the best of Saints when they see veritas in profundo how deep the knowledge of Christ lyes and what pains they must take to dig for it to throw by the Shovel of Duty and cry dig we cannot To your work Christians to your work let not your candle go out sequester your selves to this study look what intercourses and correspondencies are betwixt the two worlds what communion soever God and souls maintain it is in this way count all therefore but dross in comparison of that excellency which is in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The SECOND SERMON PROV VIII XXX Then was I by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him THese words are a part of that excellent commendation of wisdom by which in this Book Solomon intends two things first grace or holiness Prov. 4.7 wisdom is the principal thing secondly Iesus Christ the fountain of that grace and look as the former is renowned for its excellency Iob 28.14 15. so the latter in this context wherein the spirit of God describes the most blessed state of Jesus Christ the wisdom of the Father from those eternal delights he had with his Father before his assumption of our nature then was I by him c. that long aevum was wholly swallowed up and spent in unspeakable delights and pleasures which delights were two-fold 1. The Father and Son delighted one in another from which delights the Spirit is not here excluded without communicating that their joy to any other for no creature did then exist save in the mind of God ver 30. 2. They delighted in the salvation of men in the prospect of that work though not yet extant ver 31. my present business lyes in the former viz. the mutual delights of the Father and Son one with and in another the account whereof we have in the Text wherein consider The glorious condition of the non-incarnated Son of God described by the person with whom his fellowship was then was I by him or with him so with him as never was any in his very bosom Ioh. 1.18 the only begotten Son was in the bosom of the Father an expression of the greatest dearness and intimacy in the World as if he should say wrapt up in the very soul of his Father embosomed in God This fellowship is illustrated by a Metaphor wherein the Lord will stoop to our capacities as one brought up with him the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes rendred a cunning workman or curious Artist as in Cant. 7.1 which is the same word and indeed Christ shewed himself such an Artist in the Creation of the World for all things were made by him and without him there was nothing made that was made Joh. 1.3 but Montanus and others render it nutricius and so Christ is here compared to a delightful child sporting before its Father the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our translation renders rejoycing before him signifies to laugh play or rejoyce so that look as Parents delight to see their Children sporting before them so did the Father delight in beholding this Darling of his bosom This delight is farther amplified by the perpetuity and uninterruptedness thereof I was day by day his delights rejoycing always before him these delights of the Father and the Son one in another knew not a moments interruption or diminution thus did these great and glorious persons mutually let forth their fullest pleasure and delight each into the heart of other they lay as it were imbosomed one in another entertaining themselves with delights and pleasures ineffable and unconceivable hence we observe DOCT. That the condition and State of Iesus Christ before his incarnation was a state of highest and most unspeakable delight and pleasure in the enjoyment of his Father Iohn tells us he was in the bosom of his Father to lye in the bosom is the posture
the Empyrean Heaven the City of God wihther Christ ascended Where the great assembly are met Paradise and Canaan were but the Types of it More excelling and trascending the Royal Palaces of earthly Princes than they do a â—idgeon hold The company also with whom he is enjoyed adds to the glory A blissful society indeed Store of good neighbours in that City There we shall have familiar converse with Angels whose appearances now are insupportable by poor mortals There will be sweet and full closings also betwixt the Saints Luther and Zuinglius are there agreed here they could not fully close with one another And no wonder for they could not fully close with themselves But there is perfect harmony and unity All meeting and closing in God as lines in the Center This is a blessed glimpse of your inheritance Thirdly All this is purchased for Believers hence it 's call'd the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 All is yours for ye are Christs that is the tenure 1 Cor. 3.23 So 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 Only those that are Sons are Heirs Rom. 8.17 The unrighteous shall not inherit 1 Cor. 6.9 It 's the Fathers good pleasure to give the Kingdom to the little flock Luk. 12.32 Inference 1. Hath Christ not only redeemed you from wrath but purchased such an eternal inheritance also by the overplus of his merit for you Oh how well content should Believers then be with their lot of providence in this life be it what it will Content did I say I speak too low overcome ravisht filled with praises and thanksgivings how low how poor how afflicted soever for present they are O let not such a thing as grumbling repining freting at providence be found or once named among the expectants of this Inheritance Suppose you had taken a beggar from your door and adopted him to be your Son and made him Heir of a large inheritance and after this he should contest and quarrel with you for a trifle could you bear it how to work the Spirit of a Saint into contentment with a Low condition here I have laid down several rules in another discourse to which for present I refer the Reader Inference 2. With what weaned affections should the people of God walk up and down this world content to live and willing to die For things present are theirs if they live and things to come are theirs if they die Paul expresses himself in a frame of holy indifferencie Phil. 1.23 Which to choose I know not Many of them that are now in fruition of their inheritance above had vitam in patientia mortem in desiderio life in patience and death in desire while they tabernacled with us Oh cried one what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in Christs bosom I cannot tell you what sweet pain and delightful torments are in his love I often challenge time for holding us assunder I profess to you I have no rest till I be over head and ears in Loves Ocean If Christs Love that fountain of delights were laid open to me as I would wish O how drunken would this my soul be I half call his absence cruel and the mask and vail on his face a cruel covering that hideth such a fair fair face from a â—ick soul. I dare not challenge himself but his absence is a mountain of Iron upon my heavy heart O when shall we meet How long is it to the dawning of the marriage day O sweet Lord Jesus take wide steps O my Lord come over mountains at one stride O my beloved flee like a Roe or young Hart upon the mountains of seperation O if he would fold the Heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and make ready in hast the Lambs wife for her husband Since he looked upon me my heart is not mine own Who can be blamed for desiring to see that fair inheritance which is purchased for him But truly should God hold up the soul by the power of faith from day to day to such sights as these who would be content to live a day more on earth How should we be ready to pull down the Prison walls and not having patience to wait till God open the door As the Heathen said Victurosque dii celant ut vivere durant And truly the wisdom of God is in this specially remarkable in giving the new creature such an admirable crasis and even temper as that Scripture 2 Thes. 3.5 expresses The Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God and patient waiting for of Christ. Love inflames with desire patience allays that fervor So that fervent desires as one happily expresses it are allaied with meek submission Mighty love with strong patience And had not God twisted together these two principles in the Christians constitution he had framed a creature to be a torment to it self to live upon a very rack Inference 3. Hence we infer the impossibility of their Salvation that know not Christ nor have interest in his blood Neither Heathens nor meerly nominal Christians can inherit I know some are very indulgent to the Heathen and many formal Christians are but too much so to themselves but union by faith with Jesus Christ is the only way revealed in Scripture by which we hope to come to the heavenly inheritance I know it seems hard that such brave men as some of the Heathens were should be damned but the Scripture knows no other way to glory but Christ put on and applied by faith And it is the common suffrage of modern sound Divines that no man by the sole conduct of nature without the knowledge of Christ can be saved There is but one way to glory for all the world Ioh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by me Gal. 3.14 The blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles through faith Scripture asserts the impossibility of being or doing any thing that is truly evangelically good out of Christ. Joh. 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing and Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Scripture every where connects and chains Salvation with vocation Rom. 8.30 and vocation with Gospel Rom. 10.14 To those that plead for the Salvation of Heathens and profane Christians we may apply that tart rebuke of Bernard that while some labour to make Plato a Christian he feared they therein did prove themselves to be Heathens Inference 4. How greatly are we all concerned to clear up our Title to the heavenly inheritance It 's horrible to see how industrious many are for an inheritance on earth and how careless for Heaven By which we may plainly see how vilely the noble soul is depressed by sin and sunk down into flesh minding only the concernments of the flesh Hear me ye that labour for
in matter and closed up in flesh and blood yet Christ chooseth this inferior order and species of creatures and passeth by the Angelical nature Heb. 2.16 He took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Thirdly Moreover Jesus Christ did not only neglect the Angelical and assume the humane nature but he also assumed the humane nature after sin had blotted the original glory of it and withered up the beauty and excellency thereof For he came not in our nature before the fall whilst as yet its glory was fresh in it but came as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.3 in the likeness of sinful flesh i. e. in flesh that had the marks and miserable effects and consequents of sin upon it I say not that Christ assumed sinful flesh or flesh really defiled by sin That which was born of the Virgin was an holy thing For by the power of the highest whether by way of manufacture as some or the energetical command and ordination of the Holy-Ghost as others or by his benediction and blessing I here dispute not that whereof the body of Christ was to be formed was so sanctified that no taint or spot of original pollution remained in it But yet though it had not intrinsecal native uncleanness in it it had the effects of sin upon it yea it was attended with the whole troop of humane infirmities that sin at first let into our common nature Such as hunger thirst weariness pain mortality and all those natural weaknesses and evils that clog our miserable natures and make them groan from day to day under them By reason whereof though he was not a sinner yet he looked like one and they that saw and conversed with him took him for a sinner seeing all these effects of sin upon him In these things he came as near to sin as his holiness could admit O what a stoop was this to be made in the likeness of flesh though the innocent flesh of Adam hed been much but to be made in the likeness of sinful flesh the flesh of sinners rebels flesh though not defiled yet miserably defaced by sin Oh what is this and who can declare it And indeed if he will be a Mediator of reconciliation it was necessary it should be so It behoved him of assume the same nature that sinned to make satisfaction in it Yea these senseless infirmities were necessary to be assumed with the nature for as much as his bearing them was a part of his humiliation and went to make up satisfaction for us Moreover by them our high-priest was qualified from his own experience and filled with tender compassion to us But oh the admirable condescentions of a Saviour to take such a nature to put on such a garment when thread-bare and ragged did this become the Son of God to wear Oh grace unsearchable Fourthly And yet more by this his incarnation he was greatly humbled in as much as this his incarnation so vailed clouded and disguised him that during the time he lived here he looked not like himself a God but as a poor sorry contemptible sinner in the eyes of the world they scorned him This fellow said Matth. 26.61 Hereby he made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.6 it blotted his honour and reputation By reason hereof he lost all esteem and honour from those that saw him Matth. 13.55 is not this the Carpenters Son To see a poor man travelling up and down the Country in hunger thirst weariness attended with a company of poor men one of his company bearing the bag and that which was put therein Ioh. 13.29 Who that had seen him would ever have thought this had been the Creator of the world the Prince of the Kings of the Earth He was despised and we esteemed him not Now which of you is there that would not rather choose to endure much misery as a man than to be degraded into a contemptible worm that every body treads upon and no man regards it Christ looked so unlike a God in this habit that he was scarce allowed the name of a man a worm rather than a man And think with your selves now was not this astonishing self-denial that he who from eternity had his Fathers smiles and honours he that from the creation was adored and worshipped by Angels as their God must now become a footstool for every Miscreant to tread on and not to have the respects due to a man sure this was a deep abasement It was a black cloud that for so many years darkned and shut up his manifestative glory that it could not shine out to the world only some weak raies of the Godhead shone to some few eyes through the chinks of his humanity as the clouded Sun sometimes opens a little and casts some faint beams and is muffled up again We saw his glory as of the only begotten Son but the world knew him not Ioh. 1.14 If a Prince walk up and down in a disguise he must expect no more honour than a mean Subject This was the case of our Lord Jesus Christ this disguise made him contemptible and an object of scorn Fifthly Again Christ was greatly humbled by his incarnation in as much as thereby he was put at a distance from his Father and that ineffable joy and pleasure he eternally had with him Think not Reader but the Lord Jesus lived at a high and unimitable rate of communion with God while he walked here in flesh but yet to live by faith as Christ here did is one thing and to be in the bosom of God as he was before is another thing To have the ineffable delights of God perpetuated and continued to him without one moments interruption from eternity is one thing and to have his soul sometimes filled with the joy of the Lord and then all overcast with clouds of wrath again to cry and God not hear as he complains Psal. 22.2 nay to be reduced to such an ebb of spiritual comforts as to be forced to cry out so bitterly as he did Psal. 22.1 my God my God why hast thou forsaken me This was a thing Christ was very unacquainted with till he was found in habit as a man Sixthly and Lastly It was a great stoop and condescention of Christ if he would become a man to take his nature from such obscure parents and choose such a low and contemptible state in this world as he did He will be born but not of the blood of Nobles but of a poor woman in Israel espoused to a Carpenter yea and that too under all the disadvantages imaginable Not in his Mothers house but an Inn yea in the stable too He suited all to that abased state he was designed for and came among us under all the humbling circumstances imaginable You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle how that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 And thus I have shewn you some
and the wine is red noting a bloody trial It is full of mixture and he poureth out the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them i. e. they shall have the worst part of the Judgement for their share Thus afflictions and calamities are exprest by the metaphor of a cup great calamities by a deep and large cup. Afflictions compounded of many agravating circumstances by a mixed cup. And from the effect it hath on them that must drink it it 's called a cup of trembling Isai. 57.17 Thou hast drunken at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury the dregs of the cup of trembling Such a cup now was Christs cup. A cup of wrath a large and deep cup that contained more wrath than ever was drunk by any creature even the wrath of an infinite God A mixed cup. Mixed with Gods wrath and mans in the extremity And all the bitter agravating circumstances that ever could be imagined Great consternation and amazement this was the portion of his cup. By the passing of the cup from him understand his exemption from suffering that dreadful and horrid wrath of God which he foresaw to be now at hand For as the coming of the cup to a man doth in Scripture phrase note his bearing and suffering of evil as you find it Lam. 4.21 Rejoice and be glad O daughter of Edom that dwellest in the Land of Uz the cup also shall pass through unto thee thou shalt be drunken and make thy self naked Which is an ironical reproof of the Idumeans the Jews deadly enemies who wickedly insulted over them when the cup was at their mouths as if the Lord had said you have laughed and jear'd at my people when my hand was on them you rejoyced to see their calamities Well make your selves merry still if you can the cup shall pass through unto thee Thy turn is coming then laugh it thou canst So on the contrary the passing away of the cup notes freedom from or our escaping of those miseries And so Christs meaning in this conditional request is Father if it be thy will excuse me from this dreadful wrath my soul is amazed at it Is there no way to shun it Cannot I be excused O if it be possible spare me This is the meaning of it But then here 's the difficulty how Christ who knew God had from everlasting determined he should drink it who had compacted and agreeed with him in the covenant of redemption so to do who came as himself acknowledges for that end into the world Ioh. 18.37 Who foresaw this hour all along and professed when he spake of this bloody baptism with which he was to be baptised that he was straightned till it was accomplished Luk. 12.50 How I say to reconcile all this with such a petition that now when the cup was delivered to him it might pass or he be excused from suffering this is the knot this is the difficulty What! Did he now repent of the bargain Was all he said before but a flourish before he saw the enemy Doth he now begin to wish his bargain dry and that he had never undertaken such a work is that the meaning of it Nothing less No no Christ never repented of his engagement to the Father Never was willing to let the burden lie on us rather than on himself There was not such a thought in his holy and faithful heart but the resolution of this doubt depends upon a double distinction Which will clear his meaning in it First You must distinguish of prayers Some are absolute and peremptory and so to have prayed that the cup might pass would have been chargeable with such absurdities as were but now mentioned others are conditional and submissive prayers if it may be if the Lord please And such was this if thou be willing if not I 'le drink it But you will say Christ knew what was the mind of God in that case He knew what transactions had of old been betwixt his Father and him and therefore though he did not pray absolutely yet it 's strange he would pray conditionally it might pass Therefore in the Second place you must diftinguish of the natures according to which Christ acted He acted sometimes as God and sometimes as man Here he acted according to his humane nature Simply expressing and manifesting in this request the reluctancy it had at such sufferings Wherein he shewed himself a true man in shunning that which is destructive to his nature As Christ had two distinct natures so two dictinct wills And as one well observes in the life of Christ there was an intermixture of power and weakness of the divine glory and humane frailty At his birth a star shone but he was laid in a manger The Devil tempted him in the wilderness but there Angels ministred to him As man he was deceived in the figtree but as God he blasted it He was caught by the Souldiers in the Garden but first made them fall back So here as man he feared and shunned death but as God-man he willingly submitted to it It was as Deodati well expresses it A purely natural desire meer man by which for a short moment he apprehended and shunned death and torments but quickly recalled himself to obedience by a deliberate will to submit himself to God And besides that this desire was but conditional under the will of God accepted by Christ but from the comtemplation of which he was a while diverted by the extremity of horrors therefore there was no sin in it but only a short conflict of nature pesently overcome by reason and a firm will Or a small suspension quickly overcome by a most strong resolution Finally this sacred deliberation in Jesus was not made simply or in an instant but with a short time and with a counterpoise which is the natural property of the soul in its motions and voluntary actions In a word as there was nothing of sin in it it being a pure and sinless affection of nature so there was much good in it and that both as it was a part of his satisfaction for our sin to suffer inwardly such fears tremblings and consternations And as it was a clear evidence that he was in all things made like unto his brethren except sin And Lastly as it serves notably to express the grievousness and extremity of the sufferings of Christ whose very prospect and appearance at some distance was â—o dreadful to him If the Learned Reader desire to see what is farther said on this point let him read what the judicious and learned Parker in his excellent book de descensu hath collected upon that case Fourthly Let us consider the manner how he prayed and that was First Solitarily He doth not here pray in the audience of his Disciples as he had done before but went at a distance from them He had now private business to transact with God He
men are as it were asleep now in their bodies at Death they awake and find themselves in the world of realities Let this teach you both how to carry your selves towards dying persons when you visit them and to make every day some provision for that hour your selves Be serious be plain be faithful with others that are stepping into Eternity be so with your own souls every day O remember what a long word what an amazing thing Eternity is Especially considering DOCT. 2. That all believers are at their death immediately received into a State of glory and eternal happiness This day shalt thou be with me This the Atheist denies he thinks he shall die and therefore resolves to live as the Beasts that perish Beryllus and some others after him taught that there was indeed a â—uture state of happiness and misery for souls but that they pass not into it immediatly upon death and separation from the body but shall sleep till the Resurrection and then awake and enter into it But is not that soul asleep or worse that dreams of a sleeping soul till the Resurrection Are souls so wounded and prejudiced by their separation from the body that they cannot subsist or act separate from it Or have they found any such conceit in the Scriptures Not at all The Scriptures take notice of no such interval but plainly enough denies it 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Mark it no sooner parted from the body but present with the Lord. So Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better If his soul was to sleep till the Resurrection how was it far better to be dissolved than to live Sure Pauls state in the body had-been far better than his state after death if this were so for here he enjoyed much sweet communion with God by Faith but then he should enjoy nothing To confirm this dream they urge Ioh 14.3 If I go my way I will come again and receive you to my self As if the time of Christs receiving his people to himself should not come until his second coming at the end of the world But though he will then collect all believers into one body and present them solemnly to his Father yet that hinders not but he may as indeed he doth receive every particular believing soul to himself at death by the Ministry of Angels And if not how is it that when Christ comes to judgement he is attended with ten thousands of his Saints that shall follow him when he comes from heaven Iude 14. you see then the Scriptures put no interval betwixt the dissolution of a Saint and his glorification It speaks of the Saints that are dead as already with the Lord. And the wicked that are dead as already in Hell calling them Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 20. assuring us that Iudas went presently to his own place Acts 1.25 and to that sence is the Parable of Dives and Lazarus Luk. 16.22 But let us weigh these four things more particularly for our full satisfaction in this point Arg. 1. First Why should the happiness of believers be deferred since they are immediatly capable of enjoying it assoon as separated from the body Alas the soul is so far from being assisted by the body as it is now for the enjoyment of God that it 's rather clog'd and hindred by it so speaks the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord i. e. our bodies prejudice our souls obstruct and hinder the fulness and freedom of their communion When we part from the body we go home to the Lord. Then the soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Cage or Snare Here I am prevented by an excellent Pen which hath judiciously opened this point To whose excellent observations I only add this that if the intanglements snares and prejudices of the soul are so great and many in its embodied estate that it cannot so freely dilate it self and take in the comforts of God by communion with him then surely the laying aside of that clog or the freeing of the soul from that burden can be no bar to its greater happiness which it enjoys in its separated state Arg. 2. Secondly Why should the happiness and glory of the soul be deferred unless God had some farther preparative work to do upon it before it be fit to be admitted into glory But surely there is no such work wrought upon it after its separation by death All that is done of that kind is done here When the compositum is dissolved all means duties and ordinances are ceased The working day is then ended and night come when no man can work Ioh. 9.3 To that purpose are those words of Solomon Eccles. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no wisdom nor knowledge nor devise in the Grave whither thou goest So that our glorification is not deferred in order to our fuller preparation for glory If we are not fit when we die we can never be fit All is done upon us that ever was intended to be done For they are called Heb. 12.23 The Spirits of the Just made perfect Arg. 3. Thirdly Again why should our Salvation slumber when the damnation of the wicked doth not slumber God defers not their misery and surely he will not defer our glory If he be quick with his enemies he will not be slow and dilatory with his friends It cannot be imagined but he is as much inclined to acts of favour to his Children as to acts of Justice to his enemies these are presently damned Iud. 7. Acts 1.25 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and what reason why believers all believers as well as this in the Text should not be that very day in which they die with Christ in Glory Arg. 4. Fourthly And lastly how do such delays consist with Christs ardent desires to have his people with him where he is And with the vehement longings of their souls to be with Christ You may see those reflected flames of Love and desire of mutual enjoyment betwixt the Bridegroom and his Spouse in Revel 22.17 20. Delays make their hearts sick The expectation and Faith in which the Saints die is to be satisfied then and surely God will not deceive them I deny not but their glory will be more compleat when the body their absent friend is reunited and made to share with them in their happiness Yet that hinders not but mean while the soul may enjoy its glory whilst the body takes its rest and sleeps in the Dust. Inference 1. Are believers immediatly with God after their dissolution then how surprizingly glorious will Heaven be to believers Not that they are in it before they think of it or are fitted for it no they have spent many thoughts upon it before and
Fourthly It imports the soveraignty and supremacy of Christ over all The investiture of Christ with authority over the Empire of both worlds For this belongs to him that sits down upon this throne When the Father said to him sit at my right hand he did therein deliver to him the dispensation and oeconomy of the Kingdom Put the awful scepter of government into his hand and so the Apostle interprets and understands it 1 Cor. 15.25 He must raign till he have put all his enemies under his feet And to thâ—s purpose the same Apostle accommodates if not expounds the words of the Psalmist thou madest him a little lower than the Angels i. e. in respect of his humbled state on earth thou Crownnedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the work of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet Heb. 2.7 8. He is over the spiritual Kingdom the Church absolute Lord there Matth. 28.18 19 20. He also is Lord over the providential Kingdom the whole world Psal. 110.2 and this providential Kingdom being subordinate to his spiritual Kingdom he orders and rules this for the advantage and benefit of that Ephes. 1.22 Fifthly To sit at Gods right hand with his enemies for a footstool implies Christ to be a Conqueror over all his enemies To have ones enemies under his feet notes perfect conquest and compleat victory As when Iosuah set his foot upon the necks of the Kings So Tamberline made proud Bajazet his footstool They trampled his name and his Saints under their feet and Christ will tread them under his feet 'T is true indeed this victory is yet incompleat and inconsummate for now we see not yet all things put under him saith the Apostle but we see Iesus Crowned with glory and honour and that 's enough Enough to shew the power of his enemies is now broken and though they make some opposition still yet it is to no purpose at all for he is so infinitely above them that they must fall before him It is not with Christ as it was with Abiâ—ah against whom Ieroboam prevailed because he was young and tenderhearted and could not withstand them His incapacity and weakness gave the watchful enemy an advantage over him I say 't is not so with Christ he is at Gods right hand And all the power of God stands ready bent to strike through his enemies as it is Psal. 110.5 Sixthly Christs sitting in Heaven notes to us the great and wonderful change that is made upon the state and condition of Christ since his ascention into Heaven Ah 't is far otherwise with him now than it was in the days of his humiliation here on earth quantum mutatus ab illo Oh what a wonderful change hath Heaven made upon him It were good as a Worthy of ours speaks to compare in our thoughts the Abasement of Christ and his Exaltation together as it were in Columes one over against the other he was born in a Stable but now he raigns in his Royal Palace Then he had a Manger for his Cradle but now he sits on a Chair of State Then Oxen and Asses were his companions now thousands of Saints and ten thousand of Angels minister round about his throne Then in contempt they called him the Carpenters Son now he obtains by inheritance a more excellent name than Angels Then he was led away into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil now it is proclaimed before him let all the Angels of God worship him Then he had not a place to lay his head on now he is exalted to be heir of all things In his state of Humiliation he endured the contradiction of sinners in his state of Exaltation he is adored and admired of Saints and Angels Then he had no form nor comliness and when we saw him there was no beauty why we should desire him now the beauty of his countenance shall send forth such glorious beams that shall dazel the eyes of all the Coelestial inhabitants round about him c. O what a change is here Here he sweat but there he sits Here he groaned but there he triumphs Here he lay upon the ground there he sits in the throne of glory When he came to Heaven his Father did as it were thus bespeak him My dear Son what an hard travail hast thou had of it What a world of wo hast thou past through in the strength of thy love to me and mine Elect Thou hasâ— been hungry thirsty and weary scourged crucified and reproached ah what bad usage has thou had in the ungrateful world Not a days rest and comfort since thou wentest out from me but now thy suffering days are accomplisht now thy rest is come rest for evermore Henceforth sit at my right hand Henceforth thou shalt groan weep or bleed no more Sit thou at my right hand Seventhly Christs sitting at Gods right hand implies the advancement of believers to the highest honour For this session of Christs respects them and there he sits as our representative in which regard we are made to sit with him in heavenly places as the Apostle speaks Ephes. 2.6 How secure may we be saith Tertullian who do now already possess the Kingdom meaning in our head Christ. This saith another is all my hope and all my confidence namely that we have a portion in that flesh and blood of Christ which is so exalted and therefore where he reigns we shall reign where our flesh is glorified we shall be glorified Surely it 's matter of exceeding joy to believe that Christ our head our flesh and blood is in all this glory at his Fathers right hand Thus we have opened the sence and importance of Christs siâ—ting at his Fathers right hand Hence we Infer Inference 1. Is this so great an honour to Christ to sit enthroned at Gods right hand What honour then is reserved in Heaven for those that are faithful to Christ now on the earth Christ prayed and his prayer was heard Joh. 17.24 That we may be with him to behold the glory that God hath given him and what heart can conceive the felicity of such a sight it made Stephens face shine as the face of an Angel when he had but a glimpse of Christ at his Fathers right hand Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isai. 33.17 which respected Hezekiah in the Type Christ in the truth But this is not all though this be much to be spectators of Christ in his Throne of glory we shall not only see him in his Throne but also sit with him inthroned in glory To behold him is much but to sit with him is more I remember it was the saying of a heavenly Christian now with Christ I would far rather look but through the hole of Christs door to see but the one half of his fairest and most comly face for he looks like Heaven suppose I should never win in to
see his excellency and glory to the full than to enjoy the flower the bloom and chiefest excellency of the glory and riches of ten worlds And you know how the Queen of the South fainted at the sight of Solomon in his glory But this sight you shall have of Christ will change you into his likeness We shall be like him saith the Apostle for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 He will place us as it were in his own throne with him So runs the promise Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne and so 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him The Father set Christ on his right hand and Christ will set the Saints on his right hand So you know the sheep are placed by the Angels at the great day Matth. 25. and so the Church under the figure of the daughter of Aegypt whom Solomon married is placed on the Kings right hand in God of Ophyr Psal. 45. This honour have all the Saints O amazing Love What we set on thrones while as good as we by nature howl in flames O what manner of love is this These expressions indeed do not intend that the Saints shall be set in higher glory than Christ or that they shall have a parity of glory with Christ for in all things he must have the preheminence but they note the great honour that Christ will put upon the Saints as also that his glory shall be their glory in Heaven As the glory of the Husband redounds to the Wife and again their glory will be his glory 2 Thes. 1.10 And so it will be a social glory O it 's admirable to think whither free grace hath already mounted up poor dust and ashes To think how nearly we are related now to this Royal princely Jesus but how much higher are the designs of grace that are not yet come to their parturient fulness they look beyond all this that we now know Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be 1 Joh. 3.2 Ah what reason have you to honour Christ on earth who is preparing such honours for you in Heaven Inference 2. Is Iesus Christ thus enthroned in Heaven then how impossible is it that ever his interest should miscarry or sink on earth The Church hath many subtil and potent enemies True but as Haman could not prevail against the Iews whilst Hester their friend spake for them to the King no more can they whilst our Iesus sits at his and our Fathers right hand Will he suffer his enemies that are under his feet to rise up and pull out his eyes think you Surely they that touch his people touch the very Apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He must reign till all his enemies are under his foot 1 Cor. 15.25 The enemy under his feet shall not destroy the children in his arms He sits in Heaven on purpose to manage all to the advantage of his Church Eph. 1.22 Are our enemies powerful lo our King sits on the right hand of power Are they subtil and deep in their contrivance he that sits on the Throne over-looks all they do Heaven over-looks Hell He that sits in the Heavens beholds and derides their attempts Psal 2.4 He may permit his enemies to straighten them in one place but it shall be for their enlargement in another For 't is with the Church as it is with the Sea what it loses in one place it gets in another and so really loses nothing He may suffer them also to distress us in outwards but that shall be recompenced with inward and better mercies and so we shall lose nothing by that A foot-stool you know is uâ—eful to him that treads on it and serves to lift him up the higher so shall Christs enemies be to him and his albeit they think not so What singular benefits the oppositions of his enemies occasion to his people I have else-where discovered to which I refer my Reader and pass to the Inference 3. Is Christ set down on the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven O with what awful reverence should we approach him in the duties of his Worship Away with light and low thoughts of Christ. Away with formal irreverent and careless frames in Praying Hearing Receiving yea in conferring and speaking of Christ. Away with all deadness and drowsiness in duties For he is a great King with whom you have to do A King to whom the Kings of the earth are but as little bits of clay Lo the Angels cover their faces in his presence He is an Adorable Majesty When Iohn had a vision of this inthroned King about sixty year after his ascension such was the over-powering glory of Christ as the Sun when it shineth in its strength that when he saw him he fell at his feet as dead and died it's like he had if Christ had not not laid his hand on him and said fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Rev. 1.17 18. When he appeared to Saul in the way to Damascus it was in glory above the glory of the Sun which over powered him also and laid him as one dead upon the ground O that you did but know what a glorious Lord you Worship and Serve Who makes the very place of his Feet glorious where ever he comes Surely He is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him There is indeed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldness or free liberty of speech allowed to the Saints Eph. 3.12 But no rudeness or irreverence We may indeed come as the Children of a King come to the Father who is both their awful soveraign and tender Father which double relation causes a due mixture of love and reverence in their hearts when they come before him You may be Free but not Rude in his presence Though he be your Father Brother Friend yet the distance betwixt him and you is infinite Inference 4. If Christ be so gloriously advanced in the highest Throne then none need to reckon themselves dishonoured by suffering the vilest things for his sake The very chains and sufferings of Christ have a glory in them Hence Moses esteemed the very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 He saw such an excellency in the very worst things of Christ his reproaches and sufferings as made him leap out of his Honours and Riches into them He did not as one saith only endure the reproaches of Christ but counted them Treasures To be reckoned among his honours and things of value So Thuanus reports of Ludovicus Marsacus a noble Knight of France when he was led
with other Martyrs that were bound with Cords to Execution and he for his dignity was not bound he cryed give me my Chain too let me be a Knight of the same order Disgrace it self is honourable when 't is endured for the Lord of glory And surely there is as one phraseth it a little Paradise a young Heaven in sufferings for Christ. If there were nothing else in it but that they are endured on his account it would richly reward all we can endure for him but if we consider how exceeding kind Christ is to them that count it their glory to be abased for him that though he be alwaies kind to his people yet if we may so speak he overcometh himself in kindness when they suffer for him it should make men in Love with his reproaches Inference 5. If Christ sate not down to rest in Heaven till he had finished his work on earth then 't is in vain for us to think of rest till we have finished our work as Christ also did his How willing are we to find rest here To dream of that which Christ never found in this world nor any ever found before us O think not of resting till you have done working and done sinning Your life and your labours must end together Write saith the Spirit blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 Here you must have the Sweat and there the Sweet 'T is too much to have two Heavens Here you must be content to dwell in the Tents of Keder hereafter you shall be within the curtains of Solomon Heaven is the place of which it may be truly said That there the weary be at rest O think not of sitting down on this side Heaven There are four things will keep the Saints from sitting down on earth to rest viz. Grace Corruptions Devils and wicked men First Grace will not suffer you to rest here Its tendencies are beyond this world It will be looking and longing for the blessed hope A gratious person takes himself for a Pilgrim seeking a better Country and is alwaies suspicious of danger in every place and state It 's still beating up the sluggish heart with such language as that Mica 2.10 Arise depart this is not thy rest for it is polluted It s farther tendencies and continual Jealousies will keep you from sitting long still in this world Secondly Your Corruptions will keep you from rest here They will continually exercise your Spirits and keep you upon your watch Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts every day Sometimes to prevent sin and sometimes to lament it And allwaies to watch and fear to mortifie and kill it Sin will not long suffer you to be quiet Rom. 7.21 22 23 24. And if a bad heart will not break your rest here then Thirdly There is a busie Devil will do it He will find you work enough with his Temptations and suggestions and except you can sleep quietly in his arms as the wicked do there 's no rest to be expected Your adversary the Devil goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour whom resist 1 Pet. 5.8 Fourthly Nor will his Servants and instruments let you be quiet on this side Heaven Their very name speaks their turbulent disposition My Soul saith the holy man is among Lyons and I lye even among them that are set on fire even the Sons of men whose teeth are Spears and Arrows Psal. 57.4 Well then be content to enter into your rest as Christ did into his He sweat then sate and so must you The FORTY SECOND SERMON ACT. X. XLII And he commanded us to Preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead CHrist enthroned in the highest glory in Heaven is there to abide for the effectual and successful government both of the World and of the Church untill the number given him by the Father before the World was and purchased by the blood of the Cross be gathered in and then cometh the Judgement of the great day which will perfectly separate the pretious from the vile put the redeemed in full possession of the purchase of his blood in Heaven and then shall he deliver up the Kingdom to his Father that God may be all in all This last act of Christ namely his Judging the world is a special part of his Exaltation and honour bestowed upon him because he is the Son of man Joh. 5.27 In that day shall his glory as King and absolute Lord shine forth as the Sun when it shineth in its strength O what an honour will it be to the man Christ Jesus who stood arraigned and condemned at Pilates bar to sit upon the great white Throne surrounded with thousands and ten thousands of Angels Men and Devils waiting upon him to receive their final Sentence from his mouth In this will the glory of Christs Soveraignty and power be eminently and illustriously displayed before Angels and men And this is that great truth which He commanded to be Preached and testified to the people namely that it is he which is ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead Wherein we have four things to be distinctly considered viz. The Subject Object Fountain and Truth of this supream judiciary authority First The Subject of it Christ. It is he that iâ— ordained to be Iudge Judgement is the act of the whole undivided Trinity The Father and Spirit Judge as well as Christ in respect of authority and consent but it 's the act of Christ in respect of visible management and execution and so it 's his per proprietatem by propriety the Father having conferred it upon him as the Son of man but not his per appropriationem so as to exclude either the Father or Spirit from their authority for they Judge by him Secondly The Object of Christs Judiciary authority The quick and dead i. e. all that at his coming do live or ever had lived This is the Object personal All the men and women that ever sprang from Adam all the Apostate Spirits that fell from Heaven and are reserved in chains to the Judgement of this great day And in this personal object is included the real object viz. all the actions both secret and open that ever they did 2 Cor. 5.5 Rom. 2.16 Thirdly The Fountain of this delegated authority which is God the Father for he hath ordained Christ to be the Judge He is appointed sc. as the Son of man to this honourable office and work The word notes a firm establishment of Christ in that office by his Father He is now by right of redemption Lord and King He enacts Laws for government then he comes to Judge of mens obedience and disobedience to his Laws Fourthly And lastly here is the infallible Truth or unquestionable certainty of all this He