furtherances of salvation Adde hereunto that adoption communion with God and with his Saints and assurance of eternall â—lory are all of them the blessed concomiâ—ants of sinne pardoned We recover the Image of God and in some measure the freedome of our wills unto good when our Consciences are washed and our sinnes pardoned We have a continuall feast in our soules and songs in the very night of affliction when our sinnes are pardoned Wee are freed from the spirit of bondage our hearts are strong we are as bold as Lyons and desire nothing more then the presence and comming of the Judge when our sinnes are pardoned Oh what a confluence of all blessednesse and happinesse is there in Jesus Christ if we have him wee are rich we are full we have all if wee be without him all that we have how excellent soever it be is as nothing we are miserable wretched lost and the very worst of creatures all the maledictions and curses of God lie upon us and death when it comes will gnaw upon us everlastingly Certainly Christ must needs be exceeding precious with whom wee enjoy such a world of blessings and without whom wee are so extreamely unhappy The Lord give us to know the things that belong unto our peace Christ procures for us the pardon of sinnes and the pardon of sinnes is not a solitary blessing it comes not alone but with a long traine of good things at the heeles of it Christ therefore that obtaines it must needs be precious and excellent in the highest degree Thirdly it is Christ alone that doth as it were unmask and unvaile the face of God and helps us to such a manifestation and sight of it as our nature is capable of his glory in the absolutenesse and perfection of it no creature can behold When Job had set forth the greatnesse of Gods wisdome and power expressed in his marvellous workes he concludes thus Loe these are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand Job 26. last verse now that thunder of Gods power is the highest degree of it the Apostle expounds it when he saith that God is able to doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke we can aske much and we can thinke more yet wee can neither aske nor thinke so much as God can doe here 's the thunder of his power Zophar also saith that we cannot finde out the Almighty unto perfection he compares it in height to Heaven in depth to Hell in length to the Earth and in breadth to the Sea yea he makes it higher deeper longer and broader then all these And God himselfe tells Moses that no man can see his face and live We may see Jehovah's back-parts but his face that is his absolutenesse and perfection cannot be seen and therefore he is called the invisible God Yet howsoever this doth not a little set forth the excellency and worthinesse of Christ that Revelation which wee have of God we have it by him and hereof wee may see a notable figure in Moses The Lord proclaimed his mercy his patience his goodnesse his Truth and his justice before him these are his backparts and more then these he could not see and therefore it is said that the Lord covered Moses with his hand while he passed by But to come now to the point where was Moses when he had this vision and appearance of the Deity he was in a clift of the Rocke now verily that Rock was a shadow of Christ wee see the glory of God through him per speculum as it were in a glasse Christ is the lively Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. He is the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. There is no excellency in the Father which is not compleate in the Sonne and by the Sonne we come to know it so saith the Apostle God who hath commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. both this expression and that in the Hebrewes before-mentioned where Christ is called the brightnesse of Gods glory are a metaphor taken from the beames of the Sunne As the Sunne is manifested by his owne brightnesse viz. by his beames for wee cannot see the Sunne in Rotâ in his Charret or circumvolution but by his beames so the inaccessible Light of his Fathers glory is revealed tanquam per radios ac splendorem as it were by beames and brightnesse shining most clearely in Christ and the roote and Fountaine of that brightnesse is in Christ's God-head but darted upon us through the manhood according to that testimony Joh. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him The bosome is the place and seate of secrets now it is Christ onely that opens the bosome declares the secrets and reveales the glory and brightnesse of Gods face unto Beleevers therefore hee must needs bee exceeding precious Thirdly if wee consider Christ in Reas III all his relations either as he iâ— man or as he is Mediator or as he is God wee shall find him in all these to be most precious and excellent First of all as Man he was holy and harmelâ—sse and separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Peter 1 19. The Apostle relates to the Paschall Lamb which was to be so conditioned it was behoofefull that Christ should not onely be man but also a man perfectly holy and righteous else he could not have been a competent and sittâ—ng Saviour yea he had been so farre from satisfying for the sinnes of others that he must have dyed for his owne And besides it was requisite that there should be that beautifull analogy and proportion between him that lost all and him that recover'd all that as Adam who plaid the Bank-rupt was perfect so should the Redeemer be Christ indeed in a certaine place doth turne off from himselfe the appellation of good in a sense of perfection One called him good Master but he replyed why callest thou mee good there is none good but God Matth. 19. 16 17. But why doth Christ doe so was not he perfectly good yes but the other was not ware of his God-head when he cal'd him so he looked upon Christ saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as upon a meere naked extenuated debased man and yet he attributes unto him a more then humane goodnesse and perfection according to the errour of the Pharisees whose Disciple no doubt he was The Pharisees held that even men by a strict observance of the Law might attaine to perfection of Righteousnesse and sanctimony in this life and such a thought no question had this Schollar of theirs concerning Christ so that if wee looke well
certainly we must needs grant him even by this argument to be very precious and excellent Thirdly Consider Christ as a King and in this also his glory his dignitie and his excellency shines forth most eminently Christ is a King above all other Kings and that in these respects First of all his Kingdome is a spirituall Kingdome he rules over the soules and consciences of men other Kings may subject the bodies and the estates of such as are under them but not their consciences Indeed there hath been usurpation in this kinde but never tolerated and allowed by Christ One and the chiefest of all Babylons merchandize are the soules of men Revel 18. 13. by her curses excommunications pardons purgatory and the like inventions shee hath made merchandize of the soules and domineer'd over the consciences of men Episcopacy in all places more or lesse hath trodden in the same path let the Reformists of these times have a care that nothing be obtruded and thrust upon tender consciences which they cannot beare the heart the soule and the conscience is properly the subject of Christs Kingdome neither will he endure the subjection thereof to any other then himselfe domination and lordship over the soule is a part of his glory which he will not give to another The Church speaks it with indignation that her own mothers sonnes such as seemed to be of her numbers and corporation being inflamed with rage against her made her the keeper of other vines and to neglect her own that is they forced her to serve in part their phansies and pleasures * Mr. Dudley Fenner in his exposition upon the place printed at Middelburgh 1587. while shee abated of her diligence in doing those duties which God required of her Cant. 1. 6. God challengeth the persons of the Israelites as his own servants neither must they be sold as bondmen because he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt Levit. 25. 42. Now the like reason doth the Apostle give why wee should not subject our hearts and consciences to the ordinances of men in matters of religion yee are bought with a price saith he be not yee the servants of men 1 Cor. 7 23. that is doe not mancipate and enslave your consciences to any humane devise in matters meerely spirituall Christ alone is the King and Lord of our spirits his Kingdome is spirituall his Lawes are spirituall his people are spirituall he rules in the Kingdomes of men and meddles in their secular affaires all in order to his own spirituall Kingdome Heathenish people have been tamed and civiliz'd that way might be made for their embracing of the Gospel All the warres of the Nations all their policies and governments all their risings and decayings all the great works that ever were done in the world have tended by degrees at least to the advancement of Christs spirituall Kingdome Christ hath still made them his prudentialls to bring about his own ends The Assyrian first subdued the Nations after him the Babylonian then the Persian and the Grecian followed him but the Roman went farther then them all and when God had thus shaken the earth and the Kingdomes of the world then it was high time for Christ the desire of all Nations to come and the Gospel to be more clearly preached then before I speake this to shew how that Christ mingles himselfe even in worldly agitations and affaires that thereby he may further and set forward his own spirituall Kingdome and it should teach us to rule and steere our course in such things not carnally and grossly as the Heathen doe but spiritually as Christ doth his Kingdome iâ— a spirituall Kingdome so he tells Pilate My kingdome saith he is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. that is saith Mr. Luther he reigneth not according to the flesh and the world but he ruleth and sanctifieth in spirituall and heavenly things as righteousnesse truth wisdome peace salvation not as though all things of this world and even of Hell it selfe were not also in subjection unto him otherwise how could he pâ—eserve us and defend us from them all but because his Kingdome doth not consist either in them or of them Christs Kingdome is in heavenly spirituall things as in binding and loosing of the conscience captivating the affections and subduing the heart in obedience to himselfe and so bringing us by degrees unto glory There be them that tell us of a Monarchicall Kingdome of Christ whereby he shall in proper person reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth before the end and consummation of the world which if it be a truth yet I leave the opinion thereof to be scan'd and disputed of by the judicious Truth and falshood are brought to light by travaile industry and disputation Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 4. Secondly the Kingdome of Christ according to his Mediatorship is a universall Kingdome First Universall it is in respect of all Nations There was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. The heathen are bis inheritance and the ends of the earth his possession The Monarchs of the world have Psa 2. 8. stretched their Empiers farre Nebuchadnezzars Kingdome in Strabo reached as farre as Spain as Mr. Broughton delivers out of that Author The Persians pierced farther Alexander farther then they and the Romans farther then them all but none of all these subdued the whole habitable as Christ hath done his subjects have been and are to be gathered from the foure winds all over the universe The Apostle speaking of the preachers of the Gospel saith That their sound went into all the earth their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 18. Secondly Christs Kingdome is universall in respect of all sorts ranckes and conditions of men Noahs Arke was a shadow of the Church Now as into that Arke came creatures of every kindes so into the Church which is the Kingdome of Christ are received people of all ages sexes professions and conditions whatsoever if their conditions be such as thwart the laws and ordinances of that Kingdome they are laid downe they are changed in the very act of their reception This Kingdome doth not refuse any that will submit to it but all sorts of people may come and be accepted This is elegantly set forth by the Prophet Esa 41. 19. where God promiseth to plant in the Wildernesse the Cedar the Sitath tree the Myrtle the Oyle-tree the Firre-tree the Pine and the Box-tree together This also is signified by the Net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of Mat. 13. 47 48. every kinde and so also of every kinde are reserved as good this net is an embleme of the Gospel preached called the kingdome of heaven because it doth forme promove and advance that Kingdome The fish of every sort which the net catches doe declare that people
cut off the race and succession of them There is a remarkable passage to this purpose In Josephus * Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 4. At that time saith he meaning when Pilate was Governour was Jesus a wise man if it be lawfull to call him a man for he was the performer of diverse admirable workes and the instructure of those who willingly entertaine the truth And he drew unto him divers Jewes and Greekes to be his followers this was Christ who being accused by the Princes of our Nation before Pilate and afterward condemned to the crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbeare to love him for the ignominy of his death for he appeared unto them alive the third day after according as the Divine Prophet had before testified the same and divers other wonderfull things of him And from that time forward the race of Christians who have derived their name from him hath never ceased Here you see what an honourable testimony this Jew that was no Christian gives of Christ and his Disciples so precious and desirable was hee notwithstanding his suffering notwithstanding all the shame and trouble that came upon his followers for him that they never would forsake him neither could the generations of them be rooted out of the Earth unto this day This is my beloved and this is my friend ô daughters of Jerusalem Secondly from complacency or wel-pleasednes flowes another thing in love viz. a desire of union or enjoymeÌ„t When the soule eyes a tempting or tickling object as I may say it presently covets the possession and fruition of it there is by and by a kinde of clasping or closing with it or a strong appetion of peculiarity or private Intrest Whence it is that the French Divine writeth Molinus thus of love Love saith he is that point of our spirits whereby it joyneth it selfe unto objects That which is weight in heavie things love is the very same in our soules for as weight moveth earthly bodies toward the place of their rest so love moveth our soules toward that object which promiseth rest and contentment Now Beleevers highly esteeming Christ desire nothing more then the possession and enjoyment of Christ Now Christ is enjoyed In his Ordinances In his secret and sweet appearances to the soule and in his personall presence First Christ is enjoyed in his Ordinances The Ordinance is as I said before a walke wherein Christ is wont to meet with his people a Beleever therefore doth with great delight and study put himselfe upon that way that he may enjoy Christ in it But Secondly Christ is enjoyed in his secret and sweet appearances to the soule What are all holy Ordinances but dead and heartlesse things without such revelations Job tells us of Ordinances of Heaven and Jeremiah in like manner of the Ordinances of the Sun of the Moone and of the Starres these are naturall Ordinances but to what purpose were they if this inferiour world did not partake of their light and heat and sweet influence Wee read also of politick and Judiciall Ordinances which God constituted and set in the common-wealth of Israel but to what purpose were these likewise or what benefit could an Israelite reape by them if he lived in such corrupt and lawlesse times that he could not have them administred so what are all heavenly and sacred Ordinances to a Beleever if he finde not the vertue the life and the power of them enjoying Christ in the Ordinance and finding an influence of his spirit and grace flowing in upon his soule As there is a desire in a Beleever to communicate his heart unto Christ so Christ communicates his grace unto a Beleevers heart Christ as a Fountaine sends forth his streames of comfort and joy and as a Sunne sends forth his glorious beames of grace and love into a Beleevers soule Now a Beleever doth account prayer preaching Sacraments and all other meanes of his soules welfare to be nothing unlesse the Spirit of Christ comply with them flowing in upon the soule with such heart-ravishing discoveries of his grace as no tongue can possible expresse Hence it is that a Beleever sets open the windowes of his soule desiring that Christ may shine into it with the bright and glorious beames of his grace and favour but if Christ eclipse and hid himselfe from the soule there is nothing but darknesse and complaining sorrow and mourning and no rest at all untill the mist be dispelled and the cloud blowen over and the day-starre arise in the heart againe untill Christ come and refresh the soule with new supplies of revelations The Church never left off seeking Christ untill she had found him till the King had brought her into his bed-chamber and into the banqueting-house and imparted some of his love unto her Oh how precious is that sweet and secret communion which a Beleever enjoyes with Christ ô what a delight is it to sit under Christs shadow and to enjoy him in such a way at this is Thirdly Christ is enjoyed in his personall presence at his second coming The Saints are described to be such as long and looke for Christs appearing 1 Cor. 1. 7. you come behind in no gift saiâ—h the Apostle waiting for the comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revelation of Jesus Christ It is called the revelation of Christ because the glory and Majesâ—y of Christ it now hid but then his brightnesse shall appeare and be manifested for he shall come in the clouds and great glory And the Apostle saith in 1 Thess 2. 10. that Christ shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve that is the Saints seeing themselves to shine as the Starres for evermore and to be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ they shall infinitely admire his grace and Mercy unto them Hence it is Beleevers wait for the consolation of the second coming of Christ as they did for the consolation of his first coming because here they receive good in promise but then they shall receive it in the fruit of the promise here they receive the first fruites of his Spirit then a full harvest of joy and blessednesse here they see Christs glory at a distance and through the lattesse but then in the luster and brightnesse of it Christ is the object of a Beleevers affections and nothing but fruition will give him satisfaction his heart is never at rest untill it come to his proper place of rest and repose agreeable to that of the Father fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescit in te thou hast made us ô Lord for thy selfe and our heart is never at rest till it rest in thee Now whence is it that a Beleever desires to enjoy Christ in his Ordinance in that sweet and secret communion in his personall presence but from this love of union when he sees such a glorious object as Christ is
happinesse that God hath treasured up in Christ and that to be joyned to him is the only way to obtaine these blessings viz. the Fathers love Pardon of sinne Manifestation of Gods face page 42. 1. The love of God is infinite like himselfe and cannot be conferred upon any creature for its owne sake ibid. Christ alone is a sutable object for the love of God ibid. The treasures of Gods love and riches are first in Christ and by him conveyed to us page 43. 2. There is an absolute necessitie of Christ for the pardon of sinne p. 45. Christ redintigrates mercy and justice when they seemed to be at variance ib. Christs bloud onely purges away sinne p. 48. When sinne is pardoned there is a confluence of all blessings comes along with it page 49 50 51. 3. It is Christ alone that doth as it were unmaske and unvaile the face of God and helps us to a manifestation of it page 52. Christ is the brightnesse of Gods glory p. 54. 3. Reason Christ is precious and excellent in all relations either as he is man or as he is Mediator or as he is God p. 55. 1. As man Christ was holy and harmelesse ibid. 2. Christ was lovely in his abasements p. 57. Christ was in the Essentiall forme of God page 58. Christ did evacuate and emptie himselfe of all his glory p. 59 60. 3. Christ was obedient unto the will of his Father p. 61. Repentance was hid from his eyes when he was under the pressures of Divine wrath page 62. He prayes the cup might passe from him with submission to his Fathers will page 63. 4. Christ as man was perfect in graces page 64 65 Christ was more perfect then Adam p. 66. Christs Excellencie shines forth in diverse respects as man p. 67 68. 2. Christ is excellent as God-man as he is Mediatour p. 69. In the Mediatorship of Christ wee are to consider three things viz. his Prophecie Priesthood Kingdome p. 70. Christ was the head of all Prophets in diverse respects ibid. 1. All other Prophets were but types and shadowes of Christ ibid. Moses was a type of Christ in diverse respects ibid. 71. Noah David Elisha Jonah John the Baptist were all types of Christ p. 72 73. 2. Other Prophets could speake onely to the eares of men but Christ speakes to the heart ibid. Other Prophets could preach wisdome unto men but Christ can preach men wise page 74. 3. Other Prophets were instrumentall to search out the mind of God and they did it by way of act onely but the mind of God was in Christ habitually and radically p. 75. How all fulnesse is said to dwell in Christ page 76. 4. Other Prophets could reveale but some part of the will of God and at some times onely but Christ doth it fully and altogether ibid. 77. 5. Other Prophets might not preach themselves but Christ might p. 78 79. 6. All Prophets had their Commission from Christ p. 80. Christ is the fountaine of all Prophecie page 81 82. 83. 2. Christ it a Priest wherein is the heart strength of his mediation p. 84 85. 86. The dignity and exceeding preciousnesse of the Priesthood of Christ is set forth by a collation and comparison between him and the Leviticall Priests those of Aron's order page 87. 1. In the Leviticall Priest-hood there were a plurality of Priests but Christ was Priest alone ibi 2. In the Leviticall Priest-hood there was a change and a succession of Priests but Christs Priest-hood was impassable page 88. Christ was not a Priest after Aron's order but after Melchisedec's ib. In what respect Melchisedec is said to be without Father and mother ib. 89. 3. The Leviticall Priests offred oftentimes but Christ offered but once p. 99. 91. 4. Other Priests and their Sacrifices were but types and shadowes Christ is the essence and substance of those things p. 92 5. Other Priests entred onely into that place which was typically holy but Christ into heaven it selfe p. 93. If men will Judaize and stick to Mosaicall rudiments they have no right to eat of the Christians Altar p. 94. 6. Other Priests offred first for themselves and afterward for the people but Christ was without sinne and needed no sacrifice for himselfe p. 95. 7. Christ was a mercifull Priest p. 96 97. 8. Christ was the Priest the Temple or Tabernacle the Altar and the Sacrifice all in one person page 98. 1. He was Priest in respect in respect of both natures p. 99. 2. he was the Tabernacle or Temple most properly according to his God-head page 100. 3. He was an Altar most properly according to his Divinity p. 101 102. 4. He is a sacrifice most properly according to his manhood p. 103 104. Christ as Mediatour is a King and in his Kingly Office he shines forth most excellently above all other Kings and that in diverse respects p. 105. 1. Christs Kingdome is spirirituall ibid. Christ onely rules over the Conscience ib. The soules of men are one of Babylons chiefe merchandize 106. Domination and Lordship over the soule and Conscience is that part of Christs glory which he will not give to another ib. Wee are not to mancipate and enflame our Consciences to any humane devise in matters meerely spirituall p. 107. Christ rules in the Kingdomes of men and meddles in their secular affaires in reference to his own spirituall Kingdome ib. page 108. 2. Christ Kingdome is universall p. 109. 1. In respect of all Nations ibid. 2. In respect of all sorts and conditions of men p. 110 111. 3. In respect of all ages and times of the world p. 112. 4. In respect of all creatures p. 113. 3. Christ rules as King alone without either colleague in the largenesse of his dominion or Regent in his minority or Vice-roy in his absence p. 114 115. 4. Christ is an eternall and everlasting King page 116. In what respect Christs Kingdome is ever lasting page 117. In what respect Christ shall give up that Kingdome to the Father at the last Day ibid. 118. Christs Kingdome is not subject to succession or to be devolved and rould downe to after comers page 119 120. 5. Christ is matchlesse and eminent above all other Kings in all royall vertues endowments and accomplishments p. 121. 1. He is a most sapient and wise King ib. 2. He is a most puissant warlik King ib. 3. He is as eminent in peace as be is in war page 122. 4. He is a most just and righteous King page 123. 5. He is a most mild and mercifull King page 124. Christ as King is eminent above all others p. 125. The third thing spoken of Christ as Mediatour is his God head ibid. There are fathomlesse depths and stupendious Mysteries and confounding excellencies to be found in God p. 126. In generall Christ is excellent in that he is the altitude and summity of all glory and one eternall God the same in essence and substance with the Father p. 127.
In speciall thus 1. Christ shines as the Sunne in all perfection and sufficiency of wisdome power goodnesse love Majesty glory p. 128. all these perfections are originally in Christ ibid. 3. All perfections of vertue are in Christ in the abstract they are his essence page 129 130. some conclusions are drawne from the God-head of Christ by Scripture aphorismes to set forth the preciousnesse of Christ p. 131 132 133 134 135. A fourth Reason why Christ is precious to Beleevers vâ—z he is absolute for all manner of supply and the supply which he makes to Beleevers is full sutable and constant page 136. 1. Christ makes a full supply to the soule as is manifested by many types and shadowes which of old had relation to him page 137 138. 2. The supply that we have by Christ is sutable ibid. p. 139. 3. Christ makes a constant supply of grace p. 140 141 142. A fifth Reason Christ is the most gainfull object in the world for the soule p. 143. 1. He is absolute gaine ib. 2. He is universall gaine p. 144. 1. In respect of all persons ibid. 2. In respect of all times 145. 3. In respect of all things ibid. 3. Christ is gaine in and for himsef p. 146. A sixt Reas Christ is precious to Beleevers because of the attractivenesse and alluring vertue Of his love Of his beauty p. 147. Of his grace 1. Christs love is very winning and conciliating drawing the affections of the soule to Christ p. 148 149. 2. Christ is winning and attractive in his beauty ibid. He is of a faire comely complexion p. 150 He is proportionable in all parts p. 151. 3. Christ is attractive in his graces consider'd 152. 1. As inherent in himselfe p. 153. 2. As bestowed upon the Saints p. 154 155. Beleevers are the glory of Christ p. 156. Reason 7. Christ is precious to Beleevers from that evidence of Interest right propriety that they have in him p. 157. 1. In all his works performances p. 158. 2. In all his dignities and honours p. 159. 3. In all his Offices and administrations p. 160. 4. In all his blessed influences graces ib. The application of the point 1. Use It shewes us the reason why the most in the world doe despise Christ and care not for him namely because they have no faith p. 161. Where Christ seemes a despicable and worthlesse thing there 's no faith as appeares 1. By their ignorance ib. p. 162. 2. By their stumbling at Christ p. 163 164 3. Their not improving of Christ p. 165. 4. By their carelesnesse of the things of Christ p. 166 167 168 169. 5. By their refusing to receive Christ p. 170 171. 6. By their being satisfied without Christ p. 172 173. 2. Use The discovery of a fit object for our affections p. 174. The affections of the Saints are some more and some lesse intensive upon Christ p. 175 176. 3. Use The discovery of the singular effects the excellency of Christ have upon Beleevers drawing out their affections unto him p. 177. We may judge of all our affections by the affection of love ibid. Love is the height of our esteeme and there are in it three acts or effects viz. 1. Complacency or well pleasednes p. 178. 1. What the love of complacency is being referred to Christ ib. Cheist is an exceeding pleasing object to a beleeving soule p. 179. Christ is welcome to a Beleever however he represents himselfe p. 180. The Saints are wel-pleased with Christ in spirituall desertions p. 181 182. Christs sweetnesse doth swallow up all his bitternesse p. 183. The force of that pleasantnesse which is in Christ is such that nothing can make his Saints weary of their profession p. 184 185. 2. From complacency flowes a desire of union ib. The love of union desires to enjoy Christ p. 186. Christ is enjoyed 1. In his Ordinances ibid. 2. In his secret sweet appearances to the soule p. 187 188. 3. In his personall presence p. 198. 190. 3. From complacency and desire of union flowes benevolence or good-will p. 191. Benevolence being referred to Christ is an affection whereby we desire his name may be glorified ib. A Beleevers love to Christ is a constraining love p. 192. 4. Use We are to consider the unmatchable excellency preciousnes of Christ p. 193. We are to consider by way of motive those rich and costly gifts which Christ hath bestowed upon in they are such as these Precious bloud Precious Graces viz. Precious Promises Precious Love p. 194. Precious Spirit Precious Priviledges 1. Motive The bloud of Christ is precious in these respects 1. From the purity of his humane nature ib. 2. It was noble bloud p. 195. 3. It was his Life-bloud p. 196. 4. From his personall union of his Manhood with his God-head p. 197 198 5. In the blessed effects thereof p. 199. 1. It saves from wrath ibid. 2. It is the price of redemption p. 200. 201. 3. It is the bloud of entrance into heaven by which Christ entred p. 102. By which Beleevers enter p. 103 104. 2. Mot. Christ hath bestowed upon Beleevers precious graces p. 205. Faith is called a precious grace and that for these reasons 1. It is the roote grace p. 206. 2. In respect of its Author p. 207. 3. In respect of its obiect p. 208. 4. From the effects and workings of it p. 209 210. 3. Mot. The Promises of Christ are great and precious if we consider 1. The nature of the Promise p. 211 212 213. 2. Of the Antiquity of the Promise p. 214 215 216 217 218 219. 3. The precious things contained in the Promises which doe appertaine 1. To temporall life p. 220 221. 2. To spirituall grace p. 222 123. 3. To eternall glory p. 224. 225. 4. Mot. Christ hath bestowed precious love and precious it is because 1. Infinite p. 226. 2. Gracious p. 227. 3. Liberall p. 228 229. 4. Eternall p. 230 231. 5. Mot. Christ bestowes upon Beleevers his precious Spirit which doth these things 1. It illuminates our mindes p. 232 233. 2. It sanctifies our natures and therefore compared to wind p. 234 235 236. To fire p. 237 238. To water ibid. 3. The Spirit seales our adoption p. 239 240. 6. Mot. Christ bestowes upon Beleeevers Priviledges namely 1. Accesse to the throne of Grace p. 241 242. 2. Good Successe of their suites p. 2â—â— 244 245 246 247 〈◊〉 THE PRECIOUSNESSE OF CHRIST Unto BELEEVERS 1 PETER 2. 7. Unto you therefore which beleeve he is precious THE particle wherefore in the beginning of this Chapter intimates a connexion and consequently the Apostles going on with his exhortation begun in the precedent The first thing he exhorts to is to love the word of God ver 2. As new-borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word To this he doth both prepare and also give suitable and agreeable reasons His preparation is in the first verse laying aside all malice and