That he should pass by so many on the right hand and on the left and that I should be one whom the Lord did Elect what such a vile and sinful Wretch as I am was there ever like Love was there ever like Mercy may not Heaven and Earth stand amazed at this O what shall I do to be thankful enough to this dear God Thus thou that knowest thy interest in Christ study praise and thankfulness Say in thy self who made me to differ from those Cast-away Souls Alas we were all framed of the same Mould hewed out of the same Rock It is storied of one of the late French Kings that in a serious meditation considering his own condition of being King and Ruler of that Nation Oh said he when I was born a Thousand other Souls were born in this Kingdome with me and what have I done to God more than they O my Soul what difference betwixt thee and those many Thousands of Reprobates that live with thee in the world at this day nothing surely nothing but the free mercy goodness and love of God in Jesus Christ O then praise this God yea sound forth the Praise of the Glory of his Grace Remember that was Gods design and that is thy Duty SECT IX On conforming to Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must Conform to Jesus we must fix our Eyes on Jesus for our Imitation that also is the meaning of this looking in the Text. And in respect of our Predestination the Apostle speaks expresly Rom. 8 29. he did Predestinate us to be conformed to the Image of his Son This is one end of Predestination and this is one end of looking unto Jesus nay it is included in it A very look on Jesus hath a Power in it to conform us to the Image of Jesus 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed by beholding saith the Apostle Oh when I see Gods love in Christ to me even from all Eternity how should this but stir up my Soul to be like Jesus Christ where there is a dependance there is a desire to be like even among men how much more considering my dependance on God in Christ should I desire to be like Christ in disposition all the question is what is this Image of Christ to which we must be conformed I Answer Holiness and Happiness but because the latter is our reward and the former is our duty therefore look to that But wherein consists that I Answer in that resemblance likeness and conformity to Christ in all the passages forementioned And in every of those must we conform to Christ As 1. Christ is the Son of God so must we be Gods Sons As many as received him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 Mal. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.17 O what duty lies upon us in this respect If I be your Father where is mine Honour and if ye call on the Father pass the time of your sojourning here in fear God looks for more honour fear reverence duty and obedience from a Son than from the Rabble of the World if thou art Gods Son thy sins more offend God then the sins of all the reprobates in the world why alas thy sins are not meer transgressions of the Law but committed against the mercy bounty and goodness of God vouchsafed unto thee thy sins have a world of unthankfulness joyned with them and therefore how should God but visit Amos 3.2 you onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I visit you for all your Iniquities O think of this you that are Gods Sons and conform to Christ for he was an Obedient Son 2. Christ the Son of God delights in the Father and his delight is also with the Sons of men so must we delight in the Father and delight in his Children Psa 37.4 Psa 16.3 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy Heart And the Saints that are on the Earth are they in whom is all my Delight saith David It is storied of Dr. Taylor that being in prison he could delight in God and he rejoyced that ever he came into Prison because of his acquaintance with that Angel of God as he called Mr. Bradford O this is Heaven upon Earth not only God but the very Saints of God are sweet Objects of delight Mark them and if they be Saints indeed they are savory in their Discourse in their Duties in their Carriages their Example is powerful their society profitable how should we but delight in them 3. God and Christ laid this Plot from all Eternity that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace So must we purpose this as the end of all our actions whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we must do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 But especially if from God we receive any spiritual good then give all again to the glory of his grace Dan. 2 20 23 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever said Daniel for Wisdom and might are his and I thank thee and praise thee O God of my Fathers who hast given me Wisdome and Might an excellent spirit of Wisdome and Might wrought in Daniel and he acknowledges all to the Giver wisdome and might are his Christians if you feel grace in your hearts I beseech you acknowledge it to Christ He does all he subdues Lusts heals VVounds staies inward Issues sets broken Bones and makes them to rejoyce and therefore let him him the glory of all do you acknowledge grace in it's latitude to the God of all grace 4. God and Christ counselled about our Salvation there was a great conflict in the Attributes of God justice and mercy could not be reconciled till the Wisdom of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ so let us Counsel about our Salvation the flesh and the spirit whereof we are compounded draw several wayes the Flesh draws Hell-ward and the Spirit Heaven-ward come then call we in heavenly and spiritual Wisdome to decide this Controversie you may hear its Language in Job 28.28 Job 28.28 Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil is Vnderstanding If we would draw heaven-ward and save our souls come then let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments Eccles 12.13 for this is the whole duty of Man Keep his Commandments in an Evangelical sense i look at the expedient Jesus Christ who hath kept them for us and in whom and through whom our imperfect Obedience is accepted with God 5. God and Christ loved us with an everlasting Love So must we love him who hath first loved us this is the nature of spiritual Love that it runs into its own Ocean O love the Lord all ye his Saints who hath more cause to love him then you
the injury we have done unto God as our Judge and the other is a performance of a service which we owe unto God as our Maker O then how large and full and comprehensive is this life of Christ 2. Consider the excellency the glory of this Object Christ's life is glorious and hence it is that the righteousness of Christ is the most glorious garment that ever the Saints of God did wear It is Marlorat's saying Marlorat Rev. 12.1 that the Church which puts on Christ and his righteousness is more illustrious than the Ayr is by the Sun John thus sets her out in his Vision And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet I take this to be a lofty Poetical description of Christ's imputed righteousness imagine a garment were cut out of the Sun and put upon us how glorious should we be O but the righteousness of Christ is much more glorious No wonder if the Church cloathed with the Sun tread the Moon under her feet i.e. if she trample on all sublunary things which are uncertain and changeable as the Moon I count all things but dung saith Paul that I may win Christ Phil. 3.8 9. and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith When Paul compares Christ's righteousness with the glory of the world then is the world but dung O the glory O the excellency of the righteousness of Christ 3. Consider the suitableness of this object Christ's life and the virtue of it is most suitable to our condition Thus I might apply Christ to every condition if thou art sick he is a Physitian if thou fearest death he is the way the truth and the life if thou art hungry he is the bread of Life if thou art thirsty he is the water of Life But not to insist on these words It is the daily complaint of the best of Saints O my sins I had thought these sins had been wholly subdued but now I feel they return upon me again now I feel the springs in the bottom fill up my soul again Oh I am weary of my self and weary of my life Oh what will become of me In this case now Christ's life is most sutable his righteousness is a continual righteousness it is not a Cistern Zech. 13.1 but Fountain open for thee to wash in as sin abounds so grace in this gift of righteousness abounds much more Christ's life in this respect is compared to changes of Garments Thou criest O what shall become of me Oh I feel new sins and old sins committed afresh why but these changes of garments will hide all thy sins Zech. 3.4 if thou art but cloathed with the robes of Christ's righteousness there shall never enter into the Lords heart one hard thought towards thee of casting thee off or of taking revenge upon any new occasion or fall into sin Why here is the blessedness of all those that believe Oh then believe Say not would Christ be incarnate for me would he lead such a life on earth for my soul Why yes for thy soul never speak of thy sins as if they should be any hinderance of thy Faith If the wicked that apply this righteousness presumptiously can say Let us sin that grace may abound and so they make no other use of Grace but to run in debt and to sin with a licence how much rather mayest thou say on good ground Oh let me believe Oh let me own my portion in this righteousness of Christ that as my sins have abounded so my love may abound that as my sins have been exceeding great so the Lord may be exceeding sweet that as my sins continue and encrease so my thankfulness to Christ and glory in God and triumph over sin death and the grave may also encrease Why thus be encouraged to believe thy part in the Lord Jesus Christ SECT VI. Of Loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us during his Life Now what is Love but a motion of the Appetite by which the Soul unites it self to what seems fair unto it And if so O what a lovely Object is the Life of Christ who can read over his Life who can think over his worthiness both in his person relations actions and several administrations and not love him with a singular love That which set the Daughters of Jerusalem in a posture of seeking after Christ was that Description of Christ which the Spouse made of him My Beloved is white and ruddy Cant. 5.10 11.12 13 14 15. the chiefest of ten thousands his head is as the most fine Gold his Locks are bushy and black as a Raven his eyes are as the eyes of Dovâ—s by the Rivers of water washed with milk and finely set his cheeks are as a bed of Spices and sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe c. By these are intimated unto us the government of Christ the unsearchable counsels of Christ the pure nature of Christ without any impurity or uncleanness the gracious promises of Christ the soul saving instructions of Christ the holy actions and just administrations of Christ the tender affections and amiable smilings of Christ the gracious inward and wonderful workings of Christ so that he is altogether lovely or he is composed of loves from top to toe there is nothing in Christ but 't is most fair and beautiful lovely and desirable Now as this Description enflamed the Daughters of Jerusalem so to act our loves towards the Lord Jesus Christ take we a copy of the Record of the Spirit in Scriptures see what they say of Christ John 5.39 this was his own advice Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me O my soul much hath been said to perswade thee to Faith and if now thou believest thy part in those several actings of Christ why let thy Faith take thee by the hand and lead thee from one step to another from his Baptism to his Temptations from his Temptations to his Manifestations and so on Is not here fewel enough for Love to feed upon Canst thou read the history of Love for such is the history of Christ's Life and not be all on a flame Come read again there is nothing in Christ but 't is lovely winning and drawing as 1. When he saw thee full of filth he goes down into the waters of Baptism that he might prepare a way for the cleansing of thy defiled and polluted soul 2. When he saw the Devil ready to swallow thee up or by his baits to draw and drag thy soul down to hell he himself enters into the List with the Devil and he overcomes him that thou mightest overcome and triumph with Christ in his Glory 3. When he
that was against us and nailed to his cross now he spoiled Principalities and Powers and carried the keys of death and hell at his own girdle now he came out of the grave as a mighty Conqueror saying as Dehorah did in her song O my soul Judg. 5.21 thou hast trodden down strength thou hast marched valiantly Again was it not to become the first-fruits of them that sleep Christ was the first that rose again from the grave to dye no more and by vertue of his resurrection as being the first-fruits all the Elect must rise again As in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 23. but every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits and afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming Some may wonder can the resurrection of one a thousand six hundred years ago be the cause of our rising yes as well as the death of one five thousand six hundred years ago is the cause of our dying Adam and Christ were two heads two roots two first-fruits either of them in reference to his company whom they stand for And now O my soul thou mayst say with Job I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 and that I shall see him at the last day not with other but with these same eyes If Christ live then must I live also if he be risen then though after my skin worms shall destroy this body Ver. 26. yet in my flesh I shall see God Again was it not that he might be declared to be the Son of God was it not that he might be exalted and glorified this is the main reason of all the rest see thou to this O give him the glory and praise of his resurrection so muse and meditate and consider on this transaction as to ascribe to his Name all honour and glory what is he risen from the dead Hath God highly exalted him Psal 2.11 and given him a name above every name O then let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 3. Consider of the manner of Christ's resurrection he rose as a common person in which respect his resurrection concerns us no less than himself We must not think that when Christ was raised it was no more than when Lazarus was raised his resurrection was the resurrection of us all it was in the name of us all and had in it a seed-like vertue to work the resurrection of us all O the priviledge of this communion with Christ's resurrection if I believe this truly I cannot but believe the resurrection of my body and the life everlasting why Jesus Christ hath led the dance and though of my self I have no right to Heaven or Glory yet in Christ my Head I have as good right to it as any heir apparent to his lands 2. He rose by his own power and so did none but Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world it was never heard that any dead man raised himself Indeed one Instance we have that a dead mans Corps should raise up another dead man They cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha 2 King 13.21 and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet dead Elisha raised up a dead man from the grave but dead Elisha could not raise up himself from the grave only Christ arose himself and at the same time he raised many others and here was the argument of his God-head John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again how should we but trust him with our life who is the resurrection and the life He that believeth in him though he were dead yet shall he live O my soul he was able to raise himself much more is he able to raise thee up only believe and live for ever 3. He rose with an earthquake O the power of Christ in every passage what ayled thee O earth to skip like a Ram was not the new Tomb hewn out of a Rock and was not a great stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre the ground wherein he lay was firm and solid Job 18.4 Psal 99.1 and shall the rock be removed out of his place O yes the Lord reigneth and therefore the earth is moved Oh what a rocky heart is this of mine how much harder is it than that rock that moves not melts not at the presence of God at the presence of the God of Jacob the Sun they say danced that morning at Christ's resurrection the earth I am sure then trembled and yet my heart is no way affected with this news I feel it neither dance for joy nor tremble for fear O my soul be serious in this meditation consider what a posture wouldst thou have been in if thou hadst been with those Souldiers that watched Christ so reallize this Earthquake as if thou now felt it trembling under thee 4. An Angel ministred to him at his resurrection An Angel came Mat. 28.2 and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it Angels were the first Ministers of the Gospel the first Preachers of Christ's resurrection they preached more of Christ than all the Prophets did they first told the woman that Christ was risen Luke 24.6 and they did the first service to Christ at his resurrection in rolling the stone from the doors mouth O my soul that thou wert but like these blessed Angels how is it that they are so forward in God's Service and thou art so backward One day thou expectest to be equal with the Angels and art thou now so far behind them What! to be equal in Reward and behind them in Service Here 's a Meditation able to check thy Sloath and to spur thee on to thy Duty 5. Many of the Bodies of the Saints arose out of their Graves at His Resurrection as the Angels ministred so the Saints waited on Him In this Meditation trouble not thy self whether David Moses Job Abraham Isaac and Jacob were some of those Saints as some conjecture upon some Grounds It is a better Consideration to look upon them as the Fruit of Christ's Resurrection and as an Earnest of thy Own The Vertue of Christ's Resurrection appears immediately and it will more appear at the general Resurrection Day As sure as these Saints arose with Him and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many so sure shall thy Body rise again at the Last Day and if thou art but a Saint it shall go with Him into the Heavenly Jerusalem and appear before God and His Son Jesus Christ in Glory 6. Christ rose again with a true and perfect Body with an Incorruptible and Powerful Body with a Spiritual and an Agile Body with a Glorious Body brighter than the Sun in his utmost Glory On these things may the Soul expatiate O it is a worthy blessed
in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life surely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies sin death and hell Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes da â—nâ—ss during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen ye are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light Walk i.e. bestir your selves in the works of God Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee When God doth let the Sun of Righteousness arise Isa 60.1 it is fit we should be about the business of our souls We see that the night is dedicated to rest and therefore God that doth order all things sweetly he draws a curtain of darkness about us as which is friendly to rest like a Nurse that when she will have her little one sleep she casts a cloath over the face and hides the light every way but when this natural Sun ariseth then men go out to their work so must we though in the darkness of the night we shorted in sin yet now we must bestir our selves seeing the Sun of the spiritual world is risen over us And yet when all is done let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect as it is with our mortification in the best it is but an imperfect work so it is with our vivification it is only gradual and never perfected till grace be swallowed up of glory Only let us ever be in the use of the means and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man adding one grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience 2 Pet. 1 5 6. Rom. 7.1 to patience godliness c. till we perfect holiness in the fear of God till we shine with those Saints in glory at perfect day Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth Our next work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his ascension into Heaven and in his session at God's right hand and in his mission of the holy Spirit LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit The Eight Book PART VIII CHAP. I. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus who is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God SECT I. Of Christ's Ascension and of the manner how THUS far we have traced Jesus in his actings for us untill the day in which he was taken up Acts 1.2 That which immediately follows is his Ascension Session at God's right hand and Mission of his holy Spirit in prosecution of which as in the former I shall first lay down the object and secondly direct you how to look upon it The object is threefold 1. He ascended into Heaven 2. He sate down at Gods right hand 3. He sent down the holy Ghost 1. For the Ascension of Christ this was a glorious design and contains in it a great part of the salvation of our souls In prosecution of this I shall shew first that he ascended 2. How he ascended 3. Whither he ascended 4. Why he ascended 1. That he ascended 1. The types prefigure it Then said the Lord to me Ezek. 44.2 3. this gate shall be shut it shall not be opened it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by the way of the same As the gate of the Holy of Holies was shut against every man but the High Priest so was that gate of Heaven shut against all so that none could enter in by their own vertue and efficacy but only our Prince and great high Priest the Lord Jesus Christ indeed he hath opened it for us and entred into it in our place and stead Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech 2. The Prophets forsaw it Heb. 6.20 Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes Mark 16.19 Luke 24.31 and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom 3. The Evangelists relate it He was received up into heaven He was carried up into heaven 4. The eleven witness it For while they beheld he was taken up Acts 1.9 Acts 1.10 11. and a cloud received him out of their sight 5. The holy Angels speak it For while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Eph. 4.8 10. 1 Pet. 3.22 6. The blessed Apostles in their several Epistles ratifie and confirm it When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 2. How he ascended The manner of his Ascension is discovered in these particulars 1. Luke 24.51 He ascended blessing his Apostles While he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven It is some comfort to Christ's Ministers that though the world hate them Christ doth bless them yea he parted with them in a way of blessing as Jacob leaving the world blessed his Sons so Christ leaving the world blessed his Apostles and all the faithful Ministers of Christ unto the end of the world Some add that in these Apostles not only Ministers but all the elect to the end of the world are blessed The Apostles were then considered as common persons receiving this blessing for all us and so those words uttered at the same time are usually interpreted Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world This was the last thing that Christ did on earth to shew that by his death he had redâ—emed us from the curse of the Law Eph. 1.3 and that now going to heaven he is able to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Acts 1.19 2. He ascended visibly in the view of the Apostles while they beheld he was taken up he was not suddenly snatched from them as Elija was nor secretly and privily taken away as Enoch was but in the presence of them all both his Apostles and Disciples he ascended up into Heaven but why not in the view of all the Jews that so they might know that he was risen again and
Christ was not David's Lord meerly as man but as God And 2. He sits at God's right hand as man too hereby his Humanity was exalted and a Power is give to Christ as man He hath given hiw power to execute judgment John 5.27 in as much as he is the Son of man In the administration of his Kingdom the man-hood of Christ doth concur as an Instrument working with his God-head Hence this Session at God's right hand is truly and properly attributed to Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only to the one nature of Christ whether Divine or Humane Or it is attributed to Christ as Mediator in which respect he is called an high Priest Heb. 8.1 We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens And in which respect he is called a Prince Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour Now Christ is not a Priest and a Prince meerly according to one Nature whether Divine or Humane I deny not but Christ had a natural Kingdom with his Father as God before the foundation of the world but this Kingdom as God-man Christ had not before his Asension into heaven So then Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by a mediatory action which he executeth according to both natures the word working what pertaineth to the word and the flesh what appertaineth to the flesh Christ is Mediator as God and man and glory hath redounded unto him as God and man and living in this glory he ruleth and governeth his Church as God and man he ascended indeed into heaven in his humanity only but he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediator in respect of both natures The Lutherans attribute this Session at God's right hand only to the humane nature of Christ they say this Session is nothing else but the elevating of his humane nature to the full and free use of some of the divine properties as of omnipotency omniscience omnipresence the ground of this error is that they suppose upon the union of the two Natures in Christ a real communication of the divine properties to follow so that the humane nature is made truly omnipotent omniscient omnipresent not by any confusion of properties nor yet by any bare communion and concourse of it to the same effect each nature working that which belongeth to it with commuion of the other for this we grant but by a real donation by which the divine properties so become the properties of the humane nature that the humane nature may work with them no less than the Divine nature it self for the perfecting of it self Against this opinion we have these Reasons 1. The union cannot cause the humane nature to partake more in the properties of the Divine than it causeth the Divine to partake in the properties of the humane 2. If a true and real communication did follow of the Divine Attributes it must needs be of all the Attributes as of eternity and infiniteness seeing these are the Divine Essence which can no way be divided 3. Infinite perfections cannot perfect finate natures no more than reasonable perfections can make perfect unreasonable creatures 4. To what end should created gifts serve which Christ hath received above measure if now more noble properties should enter and be conferred on Jesus Christ other reasons are given in but I willingly decline all controversal points SECT VI. Of the Reasons why Christ doth sit on God's right hand 4. WHy doth Christ sit at the right hand of God his Father in glory I answer 1. On Christ's part that He might receive power and dominion over all the creatures Math. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth he speaks of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed Christ at his Session received a power imperial over every Creature that he hath Power over the Angels is plain both by the reverence they do him and by their obedience towards him at the name of Jesus every knee must bow good Angels and evil Angels must yield signs of subjection to Jesus Christ if the Saints shall judge the Angels how much more shall Christ Oh what Power hath Christ himself this way and as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose it is Jesus Christ that is Crowned with Glory and Honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 27.8 And hence it is that when the Apostle speaks of Christs session at the right hand of God he tells us he is far above all Principalities and Powers on earth Eph. 1.21 and Mights and Dominions in Heaven yea that Angels and Authorities 1 Pet. 3.22 and Powers are made subject unto him 2. On our part many reasons may be given As 1. That he might be the Head of his Church I mean not head in a large sense for one who is in any kind before another for so Christ is the head of Angels and God is the head of Christ and to this we have spoken before But in a strict sense for one that is in a near and communicative sort conjoyned with another as the Head is conjoyned with the Body and Members and so is Christ the head of his Church Look as the King hath a more intimate and amiable Superiority over the Queen then over any other of his Subjects so is it here in Christ our King he is more amiably tempered and more nearly affected to his Spouse and Queen the Church of God then to any other whomsoever And to this purpose he sits at Gods right hand that having now fulness of Grace and Glory in himself he might be ready to communicate the same to his Church who are as the members of his body that he might give them Grace here and Glory hereafter when he shall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and be all in all 2. That he might be the object of divine adoration then especially it was said and accomplished Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 and let all men Honour the Son as they Honour the Father After Christ's Session John 5 23. Stephen looken up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and then he Worshipped and called upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is true Acts 7.59 that the ground of this divine adoration is the Union of the two natures of Christ and therefore the Magi worshipped him at his Birth and as soon as ever he came into the World the Angels of God Worshipped him but because by his Session at God's right hand the Divine Nature was manifested Heb. 1.6 and the Humane Nature was exalted to that dignity and glory which it never had before therefore now especially and from this time was the honour and
way of judging our selves we see nothing but Hell and damnation in our selves but then we fling down our selves at God's gate of mercy we despair not in God though in our selves God in Christ is gracious and merciful forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and hence we make bold to intreat the Lord for Christ's sake to be merciful to us surely herein lies the difference betwixt nature and grace the natural man may see his sins and confess his sins and judge himself for his sins thus Saul did and thus Judas did but then they despaired in God and were damned indeed now the gracious man hath a conscience within that represents to him his damned estate but withal it represents to him the free grace of God in Jesus Christ and so he onely despairs in himself and not in his God now thus far good come Christians do we despair in our selves do we fling off all our own hopes and our own dependencies hangings holdings on duties purposes graces performances and do we go to God in Christ and tell him We hang upon nothing but the mere mercy the free grace of God in Christ and therefore Lord pardon Lord forgive for thy Names sake promise sake mercies sake and for the Lord Jesus sake O let free grace have his work Lord glorifie thy Name and glorifie the riches of thy grace in saving us Why this is the best hold in the World though the World cannot abide it surely if we thus judge our selves we should not be judged 4. Christ at his coming will be glorified in his Saints not onely in himself but in his Saints also whose glory as it comes from him so it will redound to him Oh let him now be glorified in us let us now in some high way conform to the image of his glory let us look on Christ till we are like Christ not onely in grace but in glory and this glory as it comes from him so let it redound to him I will not say that the Kingdom of Heaven and glory is in this life I leave this opinion to the dreamers of this time I mean to the Familists Quakers and such like but this I say that even in this life the Saints of God enjoy a begun and imperfect conformity to Christ's glory and this is that I would now press upon us let us so behold the glory of the Lord in the glass of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.18 as that we may be changed into the same image from glory to glory from a lesser measure to an higher measure of glory The day is a coming that Christ will be glorified in himself and he will be glorified in his Saints O the glories that will then be accumulated and heaped upon Jesus Christ come now let us behold this glory of Christ till we are changed in some high measure into the same glory with Christ Christ's glory rightly viewed is a changing glory And herein the views of Christ surpass all creature-views if we behold the Sun we cannot possibly be changed into another Sun but if with the eye of knowledge and faith we behold Jesus Christ we shall be changed into the glorious image of Jesus Christ if the Sun of righteousness cast forth his golden beams upon us and we enjoy this light why then Cant. 6.10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning as Aurora the first birth of the day fair as the Moon clear as the Sun I know this glorious change is but a growing change by degrees from glory to glory and yet who can deny but there is some conformity to Christ's glory even in this life do not these very Texts speak the self same thing These things have I spoken to you John 15.11 1 John 1.4 John 16.24 Isa 66.10 11. that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full And ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full And rejoyce with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the brests of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Rom. 5.13 And the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Surely all joy and peace are synechdochically put for all other inchoations of glorification But how is a Saint in this life filled with all joy I answer 1. In regard of the obiect God and Christ 2. In regard of the degrees though not absolutely yet so far forth as the measure of ioy is in this life attainable I might instance in the joy of Mr. Peacock Mrs Brettergh and of some Martyrs who sung in the fires 3. In regard of duration rejoyce always Phil. 4.4 not onely in the calm of peace but in the storm of violent opposition A Saint may have his troubles but these troubles can never totally or finally extinguish his joy John 16.22 your joy no man taketh from you He rejoyceth always O that something of the glory of Christ might rest upon us oh that having this glory of Christ in our thoughts we could now feel a change from glory to glory Is it so that the Lord Jesus will be glorified in all his Saints and shall we have in-glorious souls base and unworthy affections and conversations or shall we content our selves with a little measure of grace O be we holy even as he is holy let our conversations be heavenly let us purifie our selves even as he is pure let us resemble him in some high measure of grace And lastly let us glorifie him in bodies and spirits all our glory is from him and therefore let all our glory redound to him let us now begin that Gospel-tune of the eternal song of free grace which one day we shall more perfectly chant in glory Allelujah and again Allelujah and Amen Allelujah salvation and glory and power and praise and thanksgiving and obedience be unto him that sits on the throne the Lamb blessed for ever and ever Amen The Conclusion And now my brethren I have done the errand which Christ sent me on I verily believe I have now delivered this work of the everlasting Gospel or of Christ's carrying on the great work of man's salvation hath been somewhat long in speaking but oh how long in acting may I give you a short view of what I have said and of what hath been acted from eternity and will yet be acted to eternity you may remember that God in his eternity laid a plot or design to glorifie the riches of his grace in saving sinners and to that purpose first he decreed a Christ 2. Presently after the fall he promised the Christ he had decreed 3. In fulness of time he exhibited the Christ that he had promised then it was that the same Christ took upon him out nature and joyned it to his God-head to
desire besides thee A right beholding of Christ in his eternal workings will cause a desire of Christ above all desires the heart now thirsts for nothing but him that is all all power all love all holiness all happiness tell such a soul of the world and gold and glory O what are these the soul will quickly tell you Phil. 3.8 the world is dung and gold is dung glory is dung all is but loss dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Give me God Christ saith the soul or I die Oh my desires are to him who hath done all this for me Is not this the period still of thy expression at the end of every discourse would Christ were mine thou hearest it may be some worldings talk such a one and such a one hath got so much in these times he that was yesterday as poor as Lazarus he is this day like that nameless rich man cloathed in purple Luk. 16.19 and fine linnen and faring sumptuously every day ay but dost not thou reply either in word or heart would Christ were mine and then I had got more then he Poor soul dost thou not gasp only after Christ when thou fetchest as I may say the very deepest breath canst thou read over the generation of Jesus the Son of God the time when he was begotten the manner of his begetting the mutual kindness and love of him that begets and of him that is begotten and dost not thou pant and breath and gasp after Jesus at every period canst thou read over Jesus his acts and decrees in reference to thy self canst thou turn over those many leaves in every of which is discovered those everlasting loves of God in his projects counsels foreknowledg purpose decree covenant for thy souls happiness and art thou not ready at every discovery to sing Davids Psalm Psa 42.1 2 as the hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God my soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before God O my soul hadst thou but these pantings thirstings breathings after God and Christ thou mightest comfortably conclude these are the fruits of Gods Spirit it is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which makes those sighs and groanes in thee Rom. 8.26 which cannot be expressed He and thee sigh together one in another and one after another O therefore look Look unto Jesus and sigh and desire after him 3. We may and must desire after the full and utmost execution whereby God effectually Workes in time according to all his workings or decrees before time God that purposed and decreed from all Eternity he will not have done the full execution of that purpose or decree till that after-Eternity in that world without end Indeed some part is a fulfilling now but the main the great part is yet to come why then as we see the Plot Phil. 1.23 let us desire after the full accomplishment let us desire after the glory without end to which we were predestinated before the beginning It was Pauls desire to be dissolved to be with Christ As men burthened so should we desire and groan after the enjoyments of God in the world to come O my soul that thou were but cast in the Apostles mould that they affections were but on the wing that they might take flight and steer their course towards heaven and thereupon that thou mightest say yond is the glorious house the goodly building made without hands which God from all Eternity decreed to be my home my rest my dwelling place to all Eternity and in yond stately Fabrick is many an heavenly Inhabitant before I come there are Angels and there are all the souls of Sainâ—s that from Adam to this day have had their pass out of this sinful world yea there is Jesus the Son of God and there is God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and if I am predestinated to this fellowship Lord when shall I have run through the means that I may come to this end O my end where is my end where is my Lord my God my Comforter where is my rest where is my end I cannot be at rest without my end and therefore come Lord Jesus come quickly be like a Roe Cant. 8.14 or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Christians why are not your Spirits alwayes breathing thus after the glory to which you are predestinated why do not you long after full enjoyment the utmost execution of Gods decree why are not your hearts your souls your spirits already in heaven Surely there be your relations your Father is there your elder brother is there and there are many I dare say most of your other younger brethren again there is your interest your estate is there if you believe and therefore Where should your hearts be but where your treasure is come then come set in tune those desires of your souls set your affections on things above especially on that one thing Jesus Christ Looking unto Jesus SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that respect 4. WE must hope in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in that Eternity It is not enough to know and consider and desire but we must hope and maintain our hope as to our own interest Now hope is a passion whereby we expect probably or certainly some future good All the question is whether that salvation concerning which the great transaction was betwixt God and Christ belongs now to me and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built I know some exceedingly abuse this Doctrine If God had before all worlds appointed me to salvation why then I may live as I list I need not hear or pray or confer or perform any holy Duty for I am sure I shall be saved And thus at once they take away all grounds of hope It is true Gods decrees are unchangeable but they do not afford any such inferences or deductions as these you might as well say the Lord hath appointed me to live to such a time and before that time I shall not cannot die and therefore I need no meat nor drink nor cloathes nor any other thing Ah silly foolish devilish arguing Gods decree is for the means as well as for the end whom God hath decreed to save them also hath he decreed to call to justifie to sanctifie before he save O my Soul look to the grounds whereon they hope is built if those be weak thy hope is weak but if those be strong thy hope will prove most strong and certain and prudent In the disquisition of these grounds say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven Rom. 10.16 or who shall descend into the deep seek not above or below it is not possible for thee to go bodily into Heaven to see the Records of Eternity and to
answer the words either relate to the grounds of Religion and so in Gospel-times Christians need not to be taught in these fundamental points for now all know the Lord from the least to the greatest or else these words are an Hebraisme which deny positively when they intend it only comparatively or secundum quid as when God and men are compared together man is vanity lighter than vanity and a very nothing here is a comparison of knowledge in Gospel-times with the knowledge of Israel in those dark times when God brought them out of the Land of Egypt then all was dark and they were fain to teach one another the very Principles the Rudiments of Religion there was very little effusion of Gods Spirit in those times but in Gospel-times saith the Prophet the Spirit of grace and knowledge shall be so abundant that rather God himself shall be the teacher than one man shall teach another There shall be such exuberancy and seas of knowledge under the new Covenant above the Covenant made with his people when he brought them out of Egypt that men shall not need to teach one another comparatively for all shall know the Lord who are taught of God from the least to the greatest An high-way shall be there Isa 35.8 and it shall be called the way of holiness the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein 7. How is God said to forgive iniquity and never more to remember Sin For the first God is said to forgive iniquity when guilt of sin is taken away and for the second God is said never more to remember Sin in that the Sinner after pardon is never more looked on as a Sinner Is not this the Covenant q. d. I will remove thy Sins and do them away as if they had never been I will blot them out of the Book of my Memory I will obliterate the Writing that none shall be able to read it But you will say If Sin remain still in the Regenerate How are they so forgiven as to be remembred no more Divines tell us of Two Things in every Sin there is macula reatus the Filth and the Guilt This Guilt some again distinguish into the Guilt of Sin which they call the Inward Dignity and Desert of Damnation and the Guilt of Punishment which is the Actual Ordination of a Sinner unto Damnation Now in different Respects we say That Sin remains still in Believers and Sin doth not remain in Believers First If we speak of the Filth of Sin or of the Desert of Damnation so it remains still but if we speak of the actual Obligation of a Sinner to Condemnation so it remains not after Pardon but the Sinner is as free as if he had never sinned But you will say Is not the Filth of Sin done away when Sin is remitted I answer The Filth of Sin is not done away by Remission but by Sanctification and Renovation and because in this Life we have not a perfect inherent Holiness Sanctification at best being but Imperfect and wrought in us by degrees therefore during this Life there is something of the Filth of Sin and especially of the Effects of Original Sin sticking and still cleaving to us But here is our Comfort and herein lies the sweet of the Promise that when God hath pardoned Sin He takes away the Guilt as to Condemnation He acquits the Sinner of that Obligation He now looks upon him not as a Sinner but as a Just Man and so in this Sense He will forgive and never more remember his Sin Ah Christians Take heed of their Doctrine who would have Justification an Abolition of Sin in its real Essence and Physical in-dwelling let us rather say with Scripture that all justified Saints must take down their Top-sail and go to Heaven halting and that they carry their Bolts and Fetters of in-dwelling sin through the Field of Free-Grace even to the Gates of Glory Christ daily Washing and we daily Defiling to the end that Grace may be Grace I have run through all the manifestations of the Covenant of Grace as we have them discovered in the Old-Testament And yet that we may see the better how these things concern us I shall only propound these Two Queries more and then we have done 1. Whether is the Covenant of Grace the same for Substance in all Ages of the World We answer Yea The Fathers before Christ had but one Covenant and we another but the same Covenant of Gracâ— belongs to us both This appears in that first they had the same Promise secondly they had it upon the same Grounds 1. They had the same Promise as I will be your God and you shall be My People Lev. 26.12 Deut. 33.20 And Happy art thou O Israel saved by the Lord. And The Lord is our King and He will save us They had not only the Hopes of an Earthly Inheritance in Canaan as some fondly imagine but of an Heavenly Inheritance in the Kingdom of God And to this purpose our Saviour speaks expresly Many shall come from the East and West Isa 33.22 Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. As they had the same Promise so they had it upon the same ground that we have John 8.56 Heb. 13.8 even by Faith in Christ Jesus Abraham saw My Day said Christ and Christ is the same Yesterday and to Day and for Ever He is the same not only in regard of Essence but also in regard of the Efficacy of His Office from the Beginning to the End of the World We believe said Peter that through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 15.11 Heb. 4.2 we shall be saved even as they And Vnto us was the Gospel Preached saith Paul as unto them Some may think they had no Gospel but only the Law before Christ But What say you Have we not observed a Thred of the Gospel and of the Covenant of Grace to run through all the Old-Testament from First to Last And How plain is the Apostle For this cause also was the Gospel preached also to them that are Dead Dead long since for he speaks of them who lived in the Dayes of Noah Nay the Apostle to the Hebrews 1 Pet. 4.6 gives us a Catalogue of Old-Testament-Believers By Faith Heb. 11.4 Abel offered up unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain By Faith Enoch was Translated that he should not see Death By Faith Noah being warned by God prepared an Ark. By Faith 5.7.8.13 Abraham when he was called to go into a Place which he should after receive for an Inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them Besides these he reckons up the Faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Rahab and Gideon and
with Oyl Olive and Honey Thus the Lord shewed the Jews these principal Mysteries not in themselves but in Types and Shadows as they were able to see them from day to day But in the new Covenant Christ is offered to be seen in a fuller view the Truth and Substance and body of the things themselves is now exhibited Christ is clearly Revealed without any Type at all to be our Wisdom 2 Cor. 1.30 Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 7. In the number of them that partake of the Covenant at first the Covenant was included in the Families of the Patriarchs and then within the Confines of Judea but now is the partition Wall betwixt Jew and Gentile broken down Rom. 3.29 and the Covenant of Grace is made with all Nations He is the God of the Gentiles also and not of the Jews only Christians here comes in our happiness Oh how thankful should we be that our Fathers for many Hundreds and Thousands of years together should sit in darkness and that we should partake of this Grace What that we that were Dogs before should now be set at the Childrens Table Acts 11.18 The very Jews themselves hearing of this are said to glorify God When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life If they praised God for it how much more should we do it our selves But of that hereafter I have now propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus as held forth in a way of Promise or Covenant in that dark time from the Creation till his first coming in the Flesh Our next Business is to direct you in the Art or Mystery of Grace how you are to look to Him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation from the Creation until his first Coming LOoking comprehends knowing considering desiring c. as you have heard and accordingly that we may practise 1. We must know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in the beginning and from the beginning of the World Come let us learn what he did for us so early in the morning of this World He made it for us and he made us more especially for his own Glory but presently after we were made we sinned and marred the Image wherein God made us this was the saddest Act that ever was it was the undoing of man and without the mercy of God the damning of all Souls both of men and women to all Eternity and O my Soul know this for thy self thou wast in the loins of Adam at that same time so that what he did thou didst thou wast partaker of his Sins and thou wast to partake with him in his punishment but well maist thou say Blessed be God for Jesus Christ at the very instant when all should have been damned Christ intervened a Covenant of Grace is made with man and Christ is the Foundation in and through whom we must be reconciled unto God Come soul and study this Covenant of grace in reference to thy self had not this been where hadst thou been nay where had all the World been at this day Surely it concerns thee to take notice of this great Transaction After man had fallen by Sin Christ is promised that all the Saints might partake of Christ a Covenant is entred this at the beginning of the World was more dim but the nearer to Christs coming in the Flesh the more and more clearly it appeared Howsoever dimly or clearly thus it pleased God in Christ to carry on the great work of our Salvation at that time viz. by a Promise of Christ and by a Covenant in Christ and for thy better knowledge of it study the Promise made to Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and Israel Come Soul study these several breakings out of the Covenant of Grace Col. 1.26 it is worth thy pains it is a Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to the Saints Here lies the first and most firm Foundation of a Christians comfort if thou canst but study this and assure thy self of thy part in this thou art blessed for ever O how incomparably sweet and satisfying is it to a self-studying Christian to know the faithful engagements of the Almighty God through that Son of his Loves in a Covenant of Grace SECT II. Of Considering Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must consider Jesus carrying on the the great work of our Salvation in that dark time it is not enough to study it and know it but we must seriously muse and meditate and ponder and consider of it till we bring it to some profitable Issue This is the Consideration I mean when we hold our thoughts to this or that spiritual subject till we perceive success and the work do thrive and prosper in our hands Now to help us in this Gen. 3.15 1. Consider Jesus in the first Promise made to man It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel When all men were under guilt of sin and in the power of Satan and when thou my Soul wert in as bad a case as any other then to hear the sound of this glad tidings then to hear of Jesus a Saviour and Redeemer sure this was welcome News Come draw the case nearer to thy self thou wast in Adams Loins suppose thou hadst been in Adams stead Gen. 3.8 9 â— suppose thou hadst heard the Voice of the Lord walking in the Garding suppose thou hadst heard him call Adam where art thou Peter Andrew Thomas where art thou What hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat Why then Appear and come to judgment the Law is irrevocable Gen. 2.17 in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die there is nothing to be looked for but death temporal and death spiritual and death eternal O what a fearful condition is this no sooner to come into the world but presently to be turned over into Hell for one day to be Monarch of the World and of all Creatures in the world and the very next day to be a slave of Satan and to be bound hand and foot in a darksome dungeon for a few hours to live in Eden to enjoy every tree in the Garden Pleasant to the sight and good for food and then to enter into the confines of eternity and ever ever ever to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels Gen. 3.8 It is no wonder if Adam hid himself from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the Garden O my soul in that case thou would'st have cried to the Rocks Rev. 6.16.17 and to the Mountains fall on me and hide me from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne If God be angry who may abide it When the great day
marrying of Christ Oh happy if I could but Joyn Christ and thy Soul together this day Oh happy thou if thou wouldst this day be perswaded by a poor Ambassadour of Christ Blame me not if I am an importunate Messenger if ever I hear from thee let me hear some good News that I may return it to Heaven and give God the Glory Come say on art thou willing to have Christ wouldst thou have thy name enrolled in the Covenant of Grace shall God be thy God and Christ thy Christ wilt thou have the Person of Christ and all those priviledges flowing from the Blood of Christ sure thou art willing art thou not stay then thou must take Christ on these terms thou must believe on him i e. Thou must take him as thy Saviour and Lord thou must take him and forsake all others for him This is the true Faith the condition of the Covenant O believe in Jesus and the Match is made the hands are struck the Covenant established and all doubts removed SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6 WE must love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know Love is reckoned as the first and fundamental Passion of all the rest some call it the first springing and out-going affection of the Soul and therefore I might have put it in the first place before Hope or Desire but I chuse rather to place it in this Method as me thinks most agreeing if not to the order of Nature yet to the Spiritual workings as they appear in my Soul When a Good is propounded ' first I desire and then I hope and then I believe and then I love And some describing this spiritual love they tell me it is an holy disposition of the heart Dr. Preston of Love arising from Faith But to let these niceties pass for a Spiders web curious but thin certain it is that I cannot believe all these transactions of God by Christ in a Covenant-way for me but I must needs love that God love that Christ who hath thus firstly freely loved my soul go on then O my Soul put fire to the harth blow on thy little spark set before thee God's Love and thou canst not but love and therein Consider 1. The Time 2. The Properties 3. The Effects of Gods love 1. For The Time He Loved thee before the World was made hast thou not heard and wilt thou ever forget it were not those ancient Loves from all eternity admirable astonishing ravishing Loves 2 He Loved thee in the very beginning of the world was not the promise expressed to Adam intended for thee as thou sinnedst in his loins so didst thou in his loins receive the Promise It shall bruise thy head And not long after when God established his Covenant with Abraham and his Seed wast not thou one of that Seed of Abraham If ye are Christs Gal. 3.29 then are ye Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the Promise 3. He loves thee now more especially not only with a Love of benevolence as before but with a love of complacency not only hath he struck Covenant with Christ with Adam with Abraham in thy behalf but particularly and personally with thy self and O what Love is this If a woman lately conceiving love her future fruit how much more doth she love it when it is born and embraced in her Arms So if God loved thee before thou hadst a being yea before the world or any Creature in it had a being how much more now O the height and depth and length and breadth of this immeasurable Love O my Soul I cannot express the Loves of God in Christ to thee I do but draw the Picture of the Son with a coal when I endeavour to express Gods love in Christ 2. For the properties of this Love 1. Gods Love to thee is an eternal Love He was thinking in his eternity of thee in this manner At such a time there shall be such Man and such a Woman living on the earth in the last times such a one I mean thou that readest if thou believest and to that Soul I will reveal my self and communicate my loves to that soul I will offer Christ and give it the hand of Christ to lay hold on Christ and to that purpose now I write down the Name in the Book of Life and none shall be able to blot it out again Oh eternal Love Oh the blessed transactions between the Father and the Son from all eternity to manifest his Love to thy very Soul 2. Gods love to thee is a choice Love it is an elective separating Love when he passed by and left many thousands Mal. 1.2 3. then even then he sets his heart on thee Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith God yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau So wert not thou such an ones Brother or such an ones Sister that remained wicked and ungodly wert not thou of such a Family whereas many or some are passed by yet God hath loved thee and pitched his Love on thee Surely this is choice Love Hos 14.4 Deut. 7.7 8. 3. Gods Love to thee is a free Love I will love them freely saith God And the Lord did not set his Love upon you and chuse you because ye were more in number than any people but because the Lord loved you there can be no other reason why the Lord loved thee but because he loved thee We use to say this is a womans reason I will do it because I will do it but here we find it is Gods reason though it may seem strange arguing yet Moses can go no higher he loved thee why because he loved thee Gods love to thee is the Love of all relations look what a friends Love is to a friend or what a Fathers Love is towards a Child or what an Husbands Love is towards a Wife such is Gods Love to thee thou art his Friend his Son his Daughter his Spouse and God is thy All in All. 3. For the Effects of his Love 1. God so Loves thee as that he hath entered into a Covenant with thee O what a Love is this tell me O my soul is there not an infinite disparity betwixt God and thee He is God above and thou art a Worm below He is the High and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy and thou art less than the least of all the Mercies of God O wonder at such a condescention that such a Potter and such a Former of things should come on terms of bargaining with such clay as is guilty before him Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could never express it God so loves thee as that in the Covenant he gives thee all his Promises Indeed what is the Covenant but an accumulation or heap of Promises As a cluster of stars makes a Constellation so as a mass of promises concurreth in the Covenant of Grace
of assurance but if thou art perswaded of thy Interest O then rejoyce therein is it not a Gospel-duty to rejoyce in the Lord and again to rejoyce The Lord is delighted in thy delights Phil. 4.4 he would fain have it thy constant frame and daily business to live in joy and to be alwayes delighting thy self in him This one Promise I am the Lord thy God is enough to cause thy appetite to run to it and to unite it self to it by Love and to scatter it self on it and to overflow those powers of the Soul that are nearest to it that every part of the Soul may concur to the possession of it Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David and all that is within me bless his holy Name So rejoyce in the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me rejoyce in the Name of God This is true joy when the soul unites it self to the good possessed in all its parts And was there ever such an object of true joy as this Heark as if Heaven opened and the voice came from God in Heaven I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I am the Lord thy God and I will be thy God What doth not thy heart leap in thy bosom at this sound John the Baptist leaped in his mothers womb for joy at the sound of Maries Voice and doth not thy soul spring within thee at this voice of God O wonder some can delight themselves in sin and is not God better than sin Others more refined and indeed sanctified can delight themselves in remission of Sin in Grace Pardon Holiness Fore-thoughts of Heaven how exceedingly have some gracious hearts been ravished with such thoughts But is not God the objective happiness the Fountain-blessedness more rejoycing than all these Why Dear soul if there be in thee any rejoycing faculty now awake and stir it up it is the Lord thy God whom thou art to rejoyce in it is he whom the glorious spirits joy in it is he who is the top of Heavens joy their exceeding joy and it is he who is thy God as well as their God Enough enough or if this be not enough hear thy Duty as the Lord commands thee Rejoyce in the Lord Phil. 3.1 Phil. 3.1 Be glad ye Children of Zion and rejoyce in the Lord your God Joel 2.23 Joel 2.23 Rejoyce in the Lord all ye Righteous for praise is comely for the upright Psal 33.1 Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye Righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psal 97.12 Psal 97.12 Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoyce let thâ—m ever shout for joy because thou defendest them let them also that love thy Name be joyful in thee Psal 5.11 Psal 5.11 Let the Righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 68.3 Psal 68.3 Glory ye in his holy Name let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord Psal 105.3 Psal 105.3 Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Zion be joyful in their King Psal 149.3 Psal 149.3 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce O ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 23.11 Psal 23.11 O what pressing Commands are these SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 1. WE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus in reference to this gracious Covenant Now this calling on God containes Prayer and Praise Jer. 31.16 1. We must pray we must use Arguments of Faith challenging God Turn thou me and I shall be turned Why for thou art the Lord my God This Covenant is the ground on which all Prayers must be bottomed the Covenant we know contains all the Promises and what is Prayer but Promises turned into Petitions Thus prayed the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 14.21 22. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory remember break not thy Covenant with us VVhy Art not thou he the Lord our God And thus prayed the Prophet Isaiah Isa 64.9 Be not wroth very sore neither remember iniquity for ever behold we beseech thee and why so we arâ— all thy Poople q. d. Every one doth for its own the Prince for his People the Father for his Children and the Shepherd for his Sheep and will not God do for his own in covenant with him Be thy soul in the saddest desertion yet come and spread the Covenant before God A Soul in the greatest depth swimming on this Covenant of Grace it keeps it from sinking whence Christ in his blackest saddest hour prayed thus My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Be thy Soul in trouble for sin and prevailing corruption yet go to God and plead his Promise and Covenant say as Johoshaphat Lord I am so born down by the power of my sin that I know not what to do only mine eyes are unto thee O do thou subdue mine iniquities Be thy soul troubled for want of strength to do this or that duty yet go to God and Christ in the Covenant of Grace and say Lord thou knowest I have no strength of my self I am a barren Wilderness but thou hast entred into a Covenant of Grace with me that thou wilt put thy Law into my inward parts thou wilt cause me to keep thy judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 36.27 As sometimes thou saidst to Gideon I have sent thee therefore I will be with thee Judg. 6.16 Judg. 6.16 Many are apt to set upon their duties in their own strength but Oh my soul look thou to the promise of Grace and of the Spirit and put them in suit and alledge them unto Christ Many are apt to work out their sanctifications by their VVatchfulness Resolutions Vows Promises made unto God but alas were there not more help in Gods Promises which he makes to us than in our Promises which we make to him we might lie in our pollutions for ever O here 's the way in every want or strait or necessity fly to God and Christ saying Thou art our Father and we are thy People O break not thy Covenant with us I confess strong expressions and affections are good in Prayer but surely strength of Faith in the Covenant of God is the greatest strength of our Prayer Here it may be some Soul will object Object O if I were assured that I were in Covenant with God thus would I pray but alas I am a Stranger an Alien and so have been to this very day I have no part in the Covenant I Answer Answ If thou art not actually in Covenant yet thou may'st be in Covenant in respect of Gods purpose and gracious intention Howsoever to encourage all to seek unto God consider these Particulars 1. The Freeness of the Promise in this Covenant of Grace Come and buy
Saints now have or which the Saints shall have unto the end of the World it is to be conveyed through that flesh yea the Spirit it self dwells in it and is conveyed through it and therefore if they had so much Gospel-Spirit in the time of the Old Testament which indeed was rare how much more should we go to Christ as God in the flesh and look upon it as a standing Ordinance and believe perfectly on it 3. Faith must go and lye at the feet of Christ faith must fix and fasten it self on this God in our flesh some go to Christ and look on Jesus with loose and transient glances they bring in but flashy secondary ordinary actings of faith they have but course and common apprehensions of Jesus Christ Oh but we should come to Christ with solemn serious spirits we should look on Jesus piercingly till we see him as God is in him and as such a person thus and thus qualified from Heaven we should labour to apprehend what is the riches of this glorious mystery of Christ's Incarnation we should dive into the depths of his glorious actings we should study this mystery above all other studies nothing is so pleasant and nothing is more deep that one person should be God and Man that God should be man in our nature and yet not assume the person of a man that blessedness should be made a curse that Heaven should be let down into Hell that the God of the world would shut himself up as it were in a body that the invisible God should be made visible to sense that all things should become nothing and make it self of no reputation that God should make our nature which had sinned against him to be the great Ordinance of Reconciling us unto himself that God should take our flesh and dwell in it with all his fulness and make that flesh more Glorious than the Angels and advance that flesh into oneness with himself and through that flesh open all his councels and rich discoveries of love and free-grace unto the Sons of men that this Man-God God-Man should be our Saviour Redeemer Reconciler Father Friend Oh what mysteries are these no wonder if when Christ was born John 1.14 the Apostle cryes we saw his glory as of the only begotten Son of God noting out that at first sight of him so much glory sparkled from him as could appear from none but a God walking up and down the world O my soul let not such a treasury be unlookt into set faith on work with a redoubled strength surely we live not like men under this great design if our eye of faith be not firmly and stedfastly set on this O that we were but insighted into these glories that we were but acquainted with these lively discoveries Gal. 2.20 how blessedly might we live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us 4. Faith must look principally to the end and meaning of Christ as God coming in the Flesh Now what was the design and meaning of Christ in this The Apostle answers Rom. 8.3 Rom. 8.3 God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh to condemn sin in the Flesh i.e. God the Father sent into the World his eternal and only begotten Son whom in his eternal counsel he had designed to the Office of a Mediator to take away or abolish in the first place Original Sin Mark these two words he condemned Sin in the Flesh the first word condemned is by a Metonymy put for that which follows Condemnation namely for the abolishing of sin as condemned persons used to be cut off and to be taken out of the World that they may be no more so Christ hath condemned or abolished this Sin For the second word in the Flesh is meant that Humane Nature which Christ assumed he abolished sin altogether in his own nature and that Flesh of his being perfectly holy and the holiness of it being imputed unto us it takes away our guilt in respect of the impureness of our Nature also Some may object if this were so then were we without Original sin I answer the Flesh or the Nature which Christ took upon him was altogether without sin and by imputation of it we are in proportion freed from sin Christ had not the least spot of Original sin and if we are Christs then is this sin in some measure abolished and taken out of our hearts But howsoever the filth of this sin may remain in part yet the guilt is removed in this respect the purity of Christs Humane Nature is no less reckoned to us for the curing of our defiled Nature than the sufferings of Christ are reckoned to us for the remission of our actual Sins O my Soul look to this end of Christ as God in the Flesh if thou consider him as made Flesh and Blood and laid in a Manger think withal that his meaning was to condemn sin in our Flesh there flows from the Holiness of Christs Nature such a power as countermands the power of our Original sin and acquits and discharges from the condemnation of the same Sin not only the Death and Life but also the Conception and Birth of Christ hath its influence into our Justification Oh the sweet that a lively Faith may draw from this Head 4. The Encouragements to bring on Souls to believe on Christ Incarnate we may draw 1. From the excellency of this Object This very Incarnation of Christ is the Foundation of all other actings of God for us it is the very Hinge or Pole on which all turn it is the Cabinet wherein all the Designs of God do lie Election Redemption Justification Adoption Glorification are all wrapt up in it it is the highest pitch of the Declaration of Gods Wisdom Goodness Power and Glory Oh what a sweet Object of Faith is this I know there are some other things in in Christ which are most proper for some Acts of Faith as Christ dying is most proper for the pardon of actual sin and Christ rising from the dead is most proper for the evidencing of our Justification but the strongest purest Acts of Faith are those which take in Christ as such a Person laid out in all this Glory Christs Incarnation is more general than Christs Passion or Christs Resurrection and as some would have it includes all Christs Incarnation holds forth in some sort Christ in his fulness and so it is the full and compleat subject of our Faith or if it be only more comprehensive why then it requires more comprehensive Acts of Faith and by consequence we have more enjoyments of Christ this way than any other way Come poor Soul I feel I feel thy eyes are running to and fro the World to find comforts and happiness on Earth O come cast thy eyes back and see Heaven and Earth in one Object look fixedly on Christ Incarnate there is more in this than in all the variety
glorious but to shew that he will by that make thee glorious also Christ is the great Epitome of all the designs of God so that in him thou mayest see what thou art designed unto and how high and rich thou shalt be in the other world Beloved now are we the Sons of God 1 John 3.2 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him he is now like us but then saith the Apostle we shall be like unto him Phil. 3.21 he will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious body Oh consider what a frame of eternal comfort may we raise up from this ground of Christ incarnate God in the flesh 5. God in the flesh is the first opening of his eternal plot to do us good the Seed of the woman was the first word of comfort that ever was heard in the world after man was fallen the Plot was of old but the execution was not till after the Creation and then was a dim discovery of it even in the beginning of time though no clear manifestation till the fulness of time Well take it as we please whether in the beginning of time or in the fulness of time whether in the promise or in performance this discovering of Christ incarnate is the first opening of all Gods heart and Glory unto the Sons of men and from this we may raise a world of comfort for if God in the execution of his Decrees begins so gloriously how will he end if God be so full of love as to come down in flesh now in this world Oh what matter of hope is laid up before us of what God will be to us in that world to come if the Glory of God be let out to our souls so fully at first what Glorious openings of all the Glory of God will be let out to our souls at last Christians what do you think will God do with us or bring us unto when we shall be with him in heaven you see now he is manifested in flesh and he hath laid out a world of Glory in that but the Apostle tells us of another manifestation for we shall see him as he is he shall at last be manifest in himself 1 John 3.2 now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now we know in part but then we shall know even as also we are known To what an height of knowledg or manifestation this doth arise I am now to seek and so I must be whilst I am on this side Heaven but this I believe the manifestation of God and Christ is more in Heaven than is or ever hath been or ever shall be upon earth thine eyes shall see the King in his Beauty Isa 33.17 or in his Glory saith Esay there is a great deal of difference betwixt seeing the King in his ordinary and seeing him in his Robes and upon his Throne with his Crown on his head and his Scepter in his hand and his Nobles about him in all his Glory the first openings of Christ are glorious but O what will it be to see him in his greatest Glory that ever he will manifest himself in we usually say that workmen do their meanest work at first and if the Glorious incarnation of Christ be but the beginning of Gods works in reference to our souls salvation what are those last works O my soul weigh all these passages and make an application of them to thy self and then tell me if yet thou hast not matter enough to raise up thy heart and to fill it with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Mat. 2.10 when the wise men saw but the Star of Christ they rejoyced with an exceeding great joy how much more when they saw Christ himself Your Father Abraham said Christ to the Jews rejoyced to see my day John 8 5â— and he saw it and was glad he saw it indeed but afar of with the eyes of Faith they afore Christ had the promise but we see the performance how then should we rejoyce how glad shouldst thou be O my Soul at the sight and effect of Christs Incarnation if John the Baptist could leap for joy in his Mothers belly when Christ was but yet in the womb how should thy heart leap for joy who canst say with the Prophet Luke 2.28 unto me a Child is born and unto me a Son is given if Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel took him up in his arms for joy and blessed God how shouldst thou with joy embrace him with both arms who knowest his coming in the flesh and who hast heard him come in the Gospel in the richest and most alluring expressions of his Love If the Angels of God yea if multitudes of Angels could sing for joy at his Birth Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men how much more shouldest thou whom it concerns more than the Angels join with them in consort and sing for joy this joyful song of good will towards men Awake awake O my Soul awake awake uttter a Song tell over these passages that God is come down into the world that God is come down in flesh that God is come down in flesh in order to thy reconciliation that God is come down in the likeness of man that he may bring thee up into the likeness of God and that all these are but the first openings of the Grace and goodness and Glory of God in Christ unto thy Soul and Oh what work will these make in thy Soul if the Spirit come in who is the comforter SECT VIII Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus Now this calling on Jesus contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus at his first coming or incarnation may be ours and is not here encouragement for our Prayers If we observe it this very point of Christs Incarnation opens a door of rich entrance into the presence of God we may call it a blessed Portal into Heaven b. 10. 20. not of Iron or Brass but of our own flesh this is that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his flesh with what boldness and freeness may we now enter into the Holiest and draw near unto the Throne of Grace why Christ is incarnate God is come down in the flesh though his Deity may confound us if we should immediately and solely apply our selves unto it yet his humanity comforts our faint and feeble souls God in his humility animates our souls to come unto him and to seek of him whatsoever is needful for us Go then to Christ away away O my soul to Jesus or to God the Father in and through Jesus and O desire that the
the inward manifestation The Apostle speaking of the Saints he adds Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory O the Riches of the Glory of this mystery consider it Oh my soul God might have shut thee up in blindness with the world or he might only have given thee parts and gifts or at most he might hav enlightened thy reason to have taken in the outward notions of the Gospel but hath he revealed Christ in thee hath he let thee see into the wonders of his Glory hath he given thee the light of his Glory within Oh this argues the witness of Christs Spirit this only the experimental Christian feels Chrysostom sometimes speaking of the more hidden and choice principles of Christianity he useth this phrase Sciunt initiati quid dico those that are initiated or admitted into our mysteries know what I mean so may the Ministers of Christ Preaching of these inward Manifestations say Sciunt initiaty c. it is only the Spiritual man can know these things for they are spiritually discerned O my soul meditate on this untill thou feelest Gods Spirit working in thy Spirit these inward Gracious Glorious manifestations It is Christ in thee is the hope of Glory 5. Consider Christs whipping the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Sometimes O my soul thou art in secret and sometimes thou art in the Assemblies of Gods people and if thou art in duty wheresoever thou art consider the especial presence of Christ and what is that but the presence of his Spirit and the presence of his Angels 1. The presence of his Spirit this we know by his working in us certainly the Spirit doth not only hover over us but worketh in us How in us I answer by his quickning feeding cherishing healing mollifying melting comforting In this manner he works in us when we are in Ordinances Why now is he I hope riding with triumph in the midst of the Assembly now is he in his Chariot in his Throne in the hearts of his people and therefore away away with all buyers and sellers out of that Temple of the holy Ghost 2. The Presence of Christ is the presence of his Angels as a King is where his Court is so is Christ the King of Kings especially present where his blessed Angels pitch their Tents And the presence of Angels is worthy O my soul of thy consideration Certainly they are ministring Spirits that have a work to do upon thy inward man I grant the Spirit of Christ can only enlighten the understanding and determine the will effectually it is he only can bend and turn and form the mind which way soever he pleaseth but the Angels can speak also to thy spiritual parts and though the spirit only determine yet their speaking carries a Power with it By way of digression it is a fine skill to know how the Angels can speak to us and how we may know when they speak and how we may discern what is spoken by the immediate inspiration of the spirit and what by the mediation of the Angels 1. How do the Angels speak to us We must conceive if we understand this first that the Images or phantasms of things received by the outward senses are kept and preserved by the inward senses as the species of sounds of shapes or whatsoever else 2. That the images phantasms so kept may be so moved by our spirits or humours or some extrinsecal things as that they may move the fancy and provoke it to represent and conceive such things as neither appear nor are at that time perceived by any outward sence at all This appears 1. In our ordinary course as we can sit in the dark where we hear and see nothing and yet there we can multiply a fancy in infinitum by an act of our own Will 2. This appears in our dreams when though we hear or see nothing yet the humour can stir up the memory of things and provoke our fancies to the apprehension of this or that 3. This appears also in sickness which altering the body and the humours and so troubling the fancy it begets strange fancies and makes dreadful and fearfull representations unto us now this we must know that whatsoever an inferiour Power can do that a superiour Power can do much more whatsoever an act of our own Will or natural Dreams or preternatural sickness can do that the Angels can do most orderly and efficaciously they know exactly how the Spirits and humors must be moved that the images or phantasms may be applyed to such and such conceptions or apprehensions most accommodate and fitted for the knowledg of what truth they would suggest So that to me here is the difference between the converse of Men and Angels Men can speak to our understandings by the mediation of our external senses but Angels go a nearer way to work and speak to the internals first of all they do no more but come into the memory the treasurer of all our phantasms and imaginations and there make such and such compositions even as they please and then the understanding takes them off and reads what is written without more ado 2. How may we know when the Angels speak to us I confess it is an hard question and easily it cannot be solved only some conjecture we may have as in a case of evil thou art in a way of sin and near to fall into it it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some contrary whisperings which also are above the whisperings of a natural conscience common to the wicked or in case of good it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some independent supernatural perswasions and reasonings to this or that good or to this or that object which may more easily lead thee to chuse the good in these cases thou mayest conjecturally think that these whisperings or motions are of the Angels of God Bodin tells a story of one who desired of God a guidance and assistance of an Angel and accordingly he had sencible manifestations of a Spirit that assisted him and followed him till his death if in company he spake any unwary words he was sure to be advertised and reproved for it by a dream in the night or if he read any Book that was not good the Angel would strike upon the book to cause him to leave it 3. But how should we discern what is spoken by the immediate inspiration of the spirit and what by the mediation of the Angels here indeed we are at a stand and therefore my best resolution is that of Calvin That in such secrets we should keep one rule of modesty and sobriety and that we should neither speak nor think nor yet desire to know any other thing than such as hath been taught us by Gods Word I know not any great use there may be of this
how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences And of that said he as I feel some part and I would feel more so I bequeath it unto thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ O my soul if thou canst but taste Psal 119.10.3 thou wilt find a world of sweetness in Christ's wayes there is sweetness in the Word How sweet are thy Words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth There is sweetness in prayer Rom. 10.12 hast thou not known the time that thou hast touched the hem of Christs garment and tasted of the joyes of Heaven in prayer hast thou not seen heaven cleft and Christ sitting at Gods right Hand surely the Lord is Rich to all them that call upon him There is sweetness in meditation some call this very duty The Saints pastime which recreates and perfumes the tired Spirits Now O my soul thou art in the exercise of this duty now thou art in the meditation of the easiness of Christ's burthen Psal 119.99 and of the sweetness of his wayes tell me is there nothing of Heaven in this meditation is it sweet or is it bitter to thy Soul thou mayest read in Scripture of many admirable effects of meditation as that it confirms our knowledg I have more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119.99 Ver. 97. Ver. 15. for thy Testimonies are my Meditations that it inflames our love Oh how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day that it casts a sweet influence on our lives I will Meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes What is it thus with thee Psal 104.34 Psal 94.19 canst thou say with David My Meditation of him shall be sweet And in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts exceedingly delight my soul Why then thou hast truly tasted of God's goodness thou hast actual discoveries of the sweetness of Gods wayes thou hast experienc'd this truth that his yoak is easie and his burthen is light Matth. 11.3 Psal 119.99 that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Oh if men did but know what ravishing sweetness were in the wayes of God they could not but imbrace them and esteem one dayes society with Jesus Christ as Caracciolus did better than all the gold in the world 11. Consider the holiness of Christ's Nature and the holiness of Christs Life 1. For the holiness of his Nature if thou couldst but clearly see it what work would it make in thy Breast Christ's inward beauty would ravish Love out of the Devils if they had but Grace to see his beauty yea he would lead captive all hearts in Hell if they had but eyes to behold his loveliness O what a Flower what a Rose of love and light is the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy said the Spouse the chiefest of ten thousands Summon before Christ fair Angels glorified Spirits the azure Heavens the lightsome Stars all the delicious Flowers Gardens Meadows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds Beasts yea and all the Sons of Men as they should have been in the world of Innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ and what are they Rev. 22.4 the Saints in Glory now see the face of Christ i.e. they see all the dignity beauty that is in Christ and they are so taken with his sight that they do nothing else but stare and gaze and behold his Face for Ages and yet they are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye holes in beholding Christ they should still desire to see more O this loveliness of Christ ravishes the souls of the glorified how is it O my soul that thou art not taken with this meditation But 2. Go from the holiness of his Nature to the holiness of his Life it may be that will make deep impressions on thy spirit consider his charity his self-denial his contempt of the world his mercy his bounty his meekness his pity his humility his obedience to his Father A fruitful meditation on these Particulars cannot cannot but cause some resemblance within and make thee like Christ O the wonder that any should disclaim the active obedience of Christ as to his own Justification Away away with these cavils and consider the obedience of Christ in relation to thy self God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons It is a sweet note of Doctor Andrews Christ made under the Law i.e. under the whole Law the one half of the Law which is the directive part he was made under that and satisfied it by the innocency of his Life without breaking one jot or title of the Law and so he answers that part as it might be the principal the other half of the Law which is the penalty he was under that also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull death no way deserved or due by him and so he answered that part as it might be the forfeiture But if we come now to ask for whom is all this it is only for us that we might be redeemed und adopted redeemed from all evil and adopted or interested into all good If this be so O who would for a world of Gold lose the influence and the benefit of Christs active obedience consider of this O my soul till thou feelest some vertue to come out of Christs life into thy self SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the work of our salvation in his Life It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire our meditation of Christ should draw forth our affections to Christ and amongst all affections I place this first of all a desire after Christ But what is it in Christ's Life that is so desirable I answer every passage or particular named yea every thing of Christ is desirable named or un-named all that concerns Christ in any kind whatsoever if to the former particulars I should add a thousand and a thousand more it is very precious and excellent and necessary and profitable and comfortable and therefore desirable but to put them in order 1. The meanest things of Christ are desirable things the very filings of Gold the dust or sparkles of precious Stones are of real price and value yea of much worth yea the very Leaves of the Tree of Life are healing the very Hem of Christ's garment but even touched sends forth its vertue the meanest and worst things of Christ are incomparably to be desired above all things the dust of Zion the very ground that Christ's feet treadeth on any thing that hath the poorest relation to Jesus Christ it is desireable for him Hence we read that one poor woman sought no more of him but to wash Christ's
suffer but also to do for he both satisfied the Curse and fulfilled the Commandments O remember this as Christ and as Christ in the flesh so Christ in the flesh made under the Law is principally to be in the eye of of our Faith If we put all together our first view of Faith is to look on Christ God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith going to Christ as God in the flesh and as made under the Law it is principally to look to the end and meaning of Christ as being God in the flesh and as fulfilling the Law Now if we would know the meaning of Christ in all this the Apostle tells us of a remote and of a more immediate end 1. Of a remote end God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons This was Christ's meaning or the remote end of Christ Alas we were strangers from the Adoption and we lay under the Law as men whom sentence had passed on Now from this latter we are redeemed he was under the Law that we might be redeemed from under the Law nor is that all but as we are redeemed so are we adopted the Children of God And this end I rather attribute to the Life of Christ that we might receive the Adoption i.e. from the estate of Prisoners condemned that we might be translated into the estate of children adopted O the mercy of God! who ever heard of a condemned man to be afterwards adopted would not a condemned Prisoner think himself happy to escape with Life But the zeal of the Lord of Hosts hath performed this we are in Christ both pardoned and adopted and by this means the joy and glory of Gods heavenly inheritance is estated upon us O let our Faith look mainly to this design and plot of Christ he was made under the Law yea and under the directive part of the Law by his life he fulfilled every jot and title of the Law by his active obedience that we might be entitled to glory that we might be adopted to the inheritance of the Saints in glory 2. For the more immediate end of Christ the Apostle tells us Christ was made under the Law Rom. 8.4 or fulfilled all Righteousness that the Law might be fulfilled in us In Christ's life were we represented and so this fulfilling of all righteousness is accounted ours that the Law might be fulfilled in us O my soul look to this Herein lies the pith and the marrow of thy Justification of thy self thou canst do nothing that good is but Christ fulfilled the Law in thy stead and if now thou wilt but act and exercise thy Faith thou mayst thereby find and feel the vertue and efficacy of Christ's righteousness and actual obedience flowing into thy own soul But here is the question how should I manage my Faith or how should I act it to feel Christ's righteousness my righteousness I answer 1. Thy way is to discover and discern this righteousness of Christ this holy and perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ in the whole and in all the parts of it as it is laid down in the written Word Much hath been said of it in those four years of Christ's Ministry but especially in the last year I shall say more anon in our conformity unto Christ whither also thou mayst have recourse 2. Thy way is to believe and to receive this discovery as sacred and unqestionable in reference to thy own soul as intended for thee for thy use and benefit 3. Thy way is to apprehend apply and to improve this discovery according to that judgment and proposal to those uses ends and benefits to which thou believest they were designed Yea but there lies the question how may that be done I answer 1. Setting before thee that discovery that perfect life of Christ in the whole and all the parts of it thou must first endeavour to be deeply humbled for thy great inconformity thereto in whole and in part 1. Still keeping thy Spirit intent on the Pattern thou must quicken provoke and encrease thy sluggish and drowsie soul with renewed redoubled vigilancy and industry to come up higher towards it and if it were possible compleatly to it 3. Yet having the same discovery rule and copy before thee thou must exercise faith thereupon as that which was performed and is accepted on thy behalf And so go to God and there represent offer and tender Christ's holy life and active obedience unto him And that first to fill up the defects of thy utmost endeavour Secondly to put a righteousness price value and worth upon what thou dost and attainest to Thirdly to make Christ's righteousness thy own that thou may'st say with the Psalmist in way of assurance O God my righteousness O my soul if thou would'st thus live by Faith or thus act thy Faith on Christ's Life Christ's Righteousness Christ's active obedience what a blessed life would'st thou live then mightst thou find and feel Christ's righteousness thy righteousness I say thy Righteousness in respect of its efficacy but not in respect of its formality for so sinners would be their own Mediators But of some of these Particulars I shall speak more largely in our conformity to Christ's holy Life 2. For encouragements to bring on souls thus to believe on Christ consider 1. The fulness of this Object Christ's life is full it is very comprehensive it contains holiness and happiness sanctification and justification if Christ's Garments were healing how much more so main and essential a part of Christ even the half of Christ as it were for so is Christ's Life It is vehemently to be suspected that the true reason why so much is said of his Death and so little in comparison of his Life it is either because we understand not the fulness of his life or because we are carnal and selfish affecting freedom from hell more than holiness on earth some benefit by Christ more than conformity to Christ O come see the fulness of Christ's life in reference to our sanctification was it not an exact model of perfection a most curious exemplification of Gods whole Word an express Idea Image Representation of the whole mind of God a full president for all others to walk by to work by to live by and in reference to justification is not Christ's life the object of Faith and justifying nay is not Christ's life the object of justifying faith as well as Christ's death resurrection ascension session intercession The assertors of Christ's active and passive obedience for us can tell us of two things in the Law intended one principal viz. Obedience and another secondary viz. malediction upon supposition of disobedience so that sin being once committed there must be a double act to justification the suffering of the Curse and the fulfilling of Righteousness anew the one is satisfaction for
the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 The very word Cedron which signifies darkness denotes this state an horror of great darkness was said to fall on Abraham and then said God Gen. 15.12 13 know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years As God made the evening and the morning the first day and second day and third day c. See O the life of Gods Saints is as the evening of troubles and their happiness hereafter is as the morning of Glory God's worst is first with those that are his the way to Canaan is through the wilderness the way to Sion is through the valley of Baca. Through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God Psal 84.6 Acts 14.22 John 16.33 2 Tim. 3.12 In the world ye shall have tribulation saith Christ yea all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution saith the Apostle Our rest is not here in this world what is this world but an Ark of travel a school of vanities a fear of deceits a Labarinth of errour a barren wilderness a strong field a tempestous sea a swelling brook a vale of tears full of all miseries 2. It reproves It is the first passage of Christ when he begins his sufferings to go over the Brook Cedron and it is the A B C of Christianity as Bradford said to learn the Lesson of taking up the Cross and following Christ Surely this world is no place and this life it is no time for pleasure God hath not cast man out of Paradise that he should find another Paradise on this side heaven Oh why do we seek the living among the dead Why do we seek for living comforts where we must expect to die daily it is only heaven that is above all winds and storms and tempests and seas and brooks and waves Oh why do we look for joyes in a vale of tears It was an heavy charge that the Apostle James laid upon some that they lived in pleasure upon earth q. d. Earth is not the place for pleasure earth is the place of sorrow of trouble of mourning Jam. 5.5 of affliction Remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 and Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art Tormented All the pleasure that wicked men have it is upon earth but the condition of the godly is clean contrary Oh 't is sad to out-live our happiness and when we should live indeed then to want our comforts and our joyes Verily I say unto you they have their reward Mat. 6.2 Job 21.13 said Christ of Hypocrites their Heaven is past they spend their daies in wealth or in mirth saith Job of the wicked and in a moment go down to the Grave Alas their best daies are then past and they must never be merry any more Ah fond Fools of Adam's seed to lose Heaven for a little earthly contentment How should this sowr your carnal joyes when you remember all this is only upon earth it cannot be for ever there must be a change of all these things here you laugh and hereafter you must howl no sooner death comes but then you 'l cry Farewel world Oh into what a Gulf am I now falling 3. It instructs Ah my Brethren let 's remember we are pilgrims and strangers upon earth and our way lies over the Brook and Valley of Cedron we cannot expect to enter with Christ into glory but we must first drink of the Brook in the way i.e. we must endure many afflictions variety of afflictions You will say this an hard saying who can hear it I remember when Jesus told his Disciples of his sufferings to be accomplished at Jerusalem Peter takes the boldness to dehort his Master Be it far from thee Mat. 16.22 Lord this shall not be unto thee but Jesus thereupon calls him Satan meaning that no greater contradictions can be offered to the designs of God and Christ than to diswade us from sufferings There 's too much of Peter's humour abides amongst us Oh this Doctrine of afflictions will not down with Libertines Antinomians and the like and hence we believe we have our Congregations so thin in comparison of some of theirs they that can break off the yoke of Obedience and untie the Bands of Discipline and preach a cheap Religion and present heaven in the midst of flowers and strew palms and carpets in the way and offer great liberty of living under sin and reconcile eternity with the present enjoyment shall have their Schools filled with Disciples but they that preach the Cross and sufferings and afflictions and strictness of an holy life they shall have the lot of their blessed Lord i.e. they shall be ill thought of and deserted and railed against Well but if this be the way that Christ hath led us whilest others abide at ease in Zion let us follow him in the valley and over the Brook that is called Cedron Thus far have we observed Christ in the way together with his passage over Cedron we come now to the Garden into which he entred and his Disciples SECT III. Of the Garden into which Christ entred Mat. 26.36 MAtthew relates it thus then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies in special a Field a Village but more generally a Place as we translate it and this place was called Gethsemane i.e. a valley of fatness Certainly it was a most fruitful and pleasant place seated at the foot of the Mount of Olives accordingly John relates it thus John 18.1 Jesus went forth with his Disciples over the Brook Cedron where was a Garden many Mysteries are included in this Word and I believe it is not without reason that our Saviour goes into a Garden As 1. Because Gardens are solitary places fit for meditation and prayer to this end we find Christ sometimes on a Mountain and sometimes in a Garden 2. Because Gardens are places fit for repose and rest when Christ was weary with preaching working of Miracles and doing acts of Grace in Jerusalem then he retires into this Garden 3. Because a Garden was the place wherein we fell and therefore Christ made choice of a Garden to begin there the greatest work of our Redemption In the first Garden was the beginning of all evils and in this garden was the beginning of our restitution from all evils in the first Garden the first Adam was overthrown by Satan and in this Garden the second Adam overcame and Satan himself was by him overcome in the first Garden sin was contracted and we were indebted by our sins to God and in this Garden sin was paid for by that great and precious price of the blood of God in the first Garden man surfeited by eating the forbidden fruit and in this Garden
last throughout all his body why all these now came into his mind and all these were put into the Cup of which he must drink 2. The great shame that he must undergo this was more than pain as a good name is better than precious Oyntment and loving favour better than silver and Gold so is shame a greater punishment to the mind than any torture can be to the flesh Now came into his thoughts his apprehending binding judging scorning reviling condemning and Oh what a bloody blush comes into the face of Christ whilst in the cup he sees these Ingredients 3. The neglect of men notwithstanding both his pain and shame I look upon this as a greater cut to the heart of Christ than both the former when he considered that after all his sufferings and reproaches few would regard O this was a bitter Ingredient naturally men desire if they cannot be delivered yet to be pittied it is a kind of ease even to find some regard among the Sons of men it shews that they wish us well and that they would give us ease if they could but Oh when it comes to this that a poor wretch is under many sufferings and great shame and that he finds none so much as to regard all this now verily it is an heavy case and hence was Christ's Complaint Have ye no regard Lam. 1.12 O all ye that pass by the way Consider and behold if ever there were sorrow like unto my sorrow which was done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the dayes of his fierce anger Christ complains not of the sharp pains he endured but he complains of this Have ye no regard He cries not out Oh deliver me and save me but Oh consider and regard me q. d. All that I suffer I am contented with I regard it not only this troubles me that you will not regard why it is for you that I endure all this and do you so look upon it as if it nothing at all concerned you Suppose a Prince should pay some mighty price to redeem a slave from death and the slave should grow so desperate as after the price paid to throw himself upon his death yea with all the strength and might he hath to offer a death upon his very Redeemer would not this trouble Why thus it was Christ is willing to redeem us with his own precious blood Heb. 10.29 but he saw many to pass by without any regard yea ready to trample his precious blood under their feet and to account the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing Oh this was another Spear in the heart of Christ or a bitter Ingredient in this Cup. 4. The Guilt of sin which he was now to undergo upon him was laid the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 All the sins of all Believers in the world from the first Creation to the last Judgment were laid on him Oh what a weight was this Surely one sin is like a Talent of Lead Oh then what were so many thousands of millions The very earth it self groans under the weight of sin until this day David cried out that his iniquities were a burden too heavy for him to bear Psal 38.4 Amos. 2.13 Nay God himself complains Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Now then no wonder if Christ bearing all the sins of Jews and Gentiles bond and free cry out My Soul is heavy for sin was heavy on his soul In that I say all the sins of all Believers were laid on Christ understand me soberly my meaning is not that Believers sins were so laid on Christ as that they ceased to be Believers sins according to their physical and real in-dwelling but only that they were laid on Christ by Law-imputation or by legal-obligation to satisfactory punishment I make a difference betwixt sin and the guilt of sin for sin it self is macula the blot the defilement and blackness of sin which I conceive is nothing but the absence and privation of that moral rectitude and righteousness which the Law requireth but the guilt of Sin is somewhat issuing from this blot and blackness according to which the Person is liable and obnoxious to eternal punishment Some indeed give a distinction of the guilt of sin there is reatus culpae the guilt of sin as sin and this is all one with sin being the very essence soul and formal being of sin they call it a fundamental or potential guilt and there is reatus poenae reatus personae reatus actualis the guilt or obligation to punishment the actual guilt or actual obligation of the person who hath thus sinned to punishment and this guilt is a thing far different from sin it self and is separable from sin yea and is removed from sin in our justification Now this was the sin or guilt which was laid on Christ in which sense the Apostle speaks who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Isa 53.6 2 Cor. 5.21 how bare our sins on the Tree but by his sufferings And he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all how laid on him but by imputation And he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin how made sin for us surely there was in Christ no fundamental guilt no no but he was made Sin by imputation and Law-account he was our surety and so our sins were laid on him in order to punishment as if now in the Garden he had said to his Father Thou hast given me a Body as I have taken the debts and sins of all believers in the world upon me Come now and arrest me as the only pay-Master lo here I am to do and suffer for their sins whatsoever thou pleasest Psal 40.6 7 8. Heb. 10.4 5 6 7 8 9. Or as if he had said to his Father thus I am the sinner O Father I am the surety all my friends wants and all their debts let them be laid on me my life for their life my soul for their souls my glory for their glory my heaven for their heaven Now this was no small matter little do we know or consider what is the weight and guilt of sin And this was another ingredient in Christs Cup. 5. The Power and malice of Satan the devill had a full leave and license not as it was with Job Do what thou wilt Satan but save his life no no he had a commission without any such restriction or limitation the whole power of darkness was let loose to use all his violence and to afflict him as far as possibly he could and this our Saviour intimates when he saith that the Prince of this world cometh Now was it that the Word must be accomplished Thou shalt bruise his heel John 14.30 Gen. 3.15 the Devil could go no higher than the heel of Christ but whatever he could do he was sure to
suffered 5. For what end he suffered 6. With what mind he suffered Every one of these will make some discoveries either of his Graces or of his gracious actings in our behalf and who can tell how far this very Look may work on us to change us and transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ 3. Let us humbly bewail our defect exorbitancy irregularity and inconformity either to the graces sufferings or death of Christ As thus Lo here the profound humility wonderful patience fervent love abundant mercy admirable meekness constant obedience of Jesus Christ Lo here the tortures torments agonies conflicts extream sufferings of Christ for the spiritual immortal good of the preciouâ— souls of his redeemed ones Lo here the death of Christ see how he bowed the head and gave up the Ghost why these are the particulars to which I should conform But Oh alas what a wide vast utter distance disproportion is there betwixt me and them Christ in his sufferings shined with graces his graces appeared in his sufferings like so many stars in a bright winter's night but how dim are the faint weak Graces in my Soul Christ in his sufferings endured much for me I know not how much by thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee ' but not distinctly known to us said the ancient Fathers of the Greek Church in their Liturgy have mercy upon us and save us his sorrows and sufferings were so great that some think it dangerous to define them but how poor how little are my sufferings for Jesus Christ I have not yet resisted unto blood and if I had what were this in comparison of his extream sufferings Christ in his sufferings died his passive obedience was unto death even to the death of the Cross he hung on the Cross till he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Rom. 6.10 he died unto sin once But alas how do I live in that for which he died To this day my sin hath not given up the Ghost to this day the death of Christ is not the death of my sin O my sin is not yet crucified the heart-blood of my sin is not yet let out Oh wo is me how unanswerable am I to Christ in all these respects 4. Let us quicken provoke and rouze up our Souls to this conformity let us set before them exciting Arguments ex gr The greatest glory that a Christian can attain to in this world is to have a resemblance and likeness to Jesus Christ Again the more like we are to Christ the more we are in the love of God and the better he is pleased with us It was his voice concerning his Son This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and for his sake if we are but like him he is also well pleased with us Again a likeness or resemblance of Christ is that which keeps Christ alive in the world As we say of a child that is like his Father This man cannot die so long as his Son is alive So we may say of Christians who resemble Christ that so long as they are in the world Christ cannot die he lives in them and he is no otherwise alive in this nether world than in the hearts of Gracious Christians that carry the picture and resemblance of him Again a likeness to Christ in his death will cause a likeness to Christ in his Glory If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection As it is betwixt the Graft and the Stock the Graft seeming dead with the Stock in the winter it revives with it in the Spring after the Winter's death it partakes of the Spring 's resurrection so it is betwixt Christ and us if with Christ we die to sin we shall with Christ be raised to Glory being conformed to him in his death we shall be also in his resurrection Thus let us quicken and provoke our souls to this conformity 5. Let us pray to God that he will make us conformable to Jesus Christ Is it Grace we want let us beg of him that of that fulness that is in Christ we may in our measure receive grace for grace Is it patience or joy in sufferings that we want let us beg of him that as he hath promised he will send us the comforter that so we may follow Christ chearfully from his cross to his crown from earth to heaven Is it mortification our souls pant after this indeed makes us most like to Christ in his sufferings and death why then pray we for this mortification But how should we pray I answer 1. Let us plainly acknowledge and heartily bemoan our selves in God's bosom for our sins our abominable sins 2. Let us confess our weakness feebleness and inability in our selves to subdue our sins we have no might may we say against this great company that come against us 2 Chr. 20.12 neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 3. Let us put up our request begging help from heaven let us cry to God that vertue may come out of Christ's death to mortifie our Lusts to heal our Natures to stanch our bloody issues and that the Spirit may come into helps us in these works Rom. 8.13 for by the Spirit do we mortifie the deeds of the body 4. Let us press God with the merits of Christ and with his promises through Christ for he hath said Sin shall not have dominion over us for we are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.2 and Paul experienced it The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath freed me from the Law of sin and death 5. Let us praise God and thank God for the help already received if we find that we have gotten some power against sin that we have gotten more ability to oppose the lusts of the flesh that we are seldom overtaken with any breaking forth of it that we have been able to withstand some notable temptations to it that the force of it in us is in any measure abated that indeed and in truth vertue is gone out of the death of Christ Oh then return we praises to God let us triumph in God let us lead our captivity captive and sing new songs of praises unto God and even ride in triumph over our corruptions boasting our selves in God and setting up our Banners in the name of the most High and offering up humble and hearty thanks to our Father for the death of Christ and for the merit vertue and efficacy of it derived unto us and bestowed upon us 6. Let us frequently return to our looking up unto Jesus Christ to our believing in Christ as he was lifted up How we are to manage our Faith to draw down the vertue of Christ's death into our souls I have discovered before and let us now be in the practice of those rules certainly
any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodyes and I may add your mortal souls by his spirit that dwelleth in you Christs Spirit if Christs resurrection be ours will have the same operation and effect in our souls that it had in his body as it raised up the one so it will raise up the other as it quickened the one so it will quicken the other But the question here will run on how shall we know whether we have received this quickning Spirit many pretend to the Spirit never more than at this day but how may we be assured that the Spirit is ours I answer 1. The Spirit is a Spirit of illumination here is the beginning of his work he begins in light as in the first creation the first-born of God's works was light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be light and there was light so in this new creation the first work is light God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Hence the state of nature is called darkness and the state of grace is called light Ye were sometimes darkness but now ye have light in the Lord. Eph. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 And he hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light There is a light in the mind and a light in the heart of those who have the Spirit of Christ there is a speculative and an affective knowledg not only to know the truth but to love it believe it embrace it O my soul wouldst thou know whether Christs Spirit be thine consider and see then whether any of this new light of Jesus Christ hath shined into thy heart take heed deceive not thy self thou mayest have a great deal of wit and knowledg and understanding and yet go to hell this light is a light shining into thy heart this light is a Christ-discovering light this light is a sin-discoverings light this light will cause thee to find out thy hypocrisy deadness dulness in spiritual duties if thou hast not this light thou art near to eternal burnings darkness is one of the properties of hell and without this light inward darkness will to utter darkness where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth 2. This quickening spirit is a spirit of faith as it reveals Christ so it inclines mens hearts to close with Christ upon those Gospel-terms as he is offered I know there are degrees and measures of faith but the least measure of faith is a desiring panting breathing after the Lord Jesus and no sooner hath the soul received that new light from the spirit of Christ but it is presently at the same instant exceedingly affected with Jesus Christ O it desires Christ above all desires I know not a more undeceiving sign than this read over the whole Bible and where ever there was any soul-saving discoveries there ever followed inward desires soul-longings after Jesus Christ when Paul preached of the resurrection of Christ some there were that mocked jeered and slighted that doctrine but others whose heart the Lord stirred they were exceedingly taken with it saying we will hear thee again of this matter yea this very Sermon so wrought on some that they believed among whom was Dyonysius the Areopagite a woman named Damaris and others with them Acts 17.32 34. and when he preaced another Sermon on the same subject at Antioch the Jews were much offended but the Gentiles were so exceedingly taken with it that they besought Paul that these words the very same resurrection Sermon might be preached to them the next Sabbath day Their very hearts did so long after Christ whom Paul had preached that when the congregation was broken up Acts 13.42 many of the Jews and religious Procelites followed Paul and Barnabas and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the same Sermon O my soul 43. dost thou hear these Sermons of Christs resurrection dost thou hear sweet-Gospel-preaching 44. dost thou hear the free tenders and offers of Christ with all his glory and excellency to poor sinners to vile lost undone souls and art thou no whit taken with them canst thou sleep away such Sermons as these hast thou no heart-risings no stirrings workings longings desires in thy soul O take heed this is a dangerous case but on the contrary if thou sayest in thy heart Oh that I could hear this Sermon again O the sweet vertues of Christs resurrection I had not thought such honey could have dropped out of this rock O the blessed beginnings and springings of grace which I felt in my soul on such a meditation Oh the desire the delight O the longings O the comforts of Christs resurrection O the drawings of the Spirit inclining my heart to receive Jesus Christ to close with him and to rest on him and to give up my self to him why this Spirit of faith doth argue thy title and interest to the quickening spirit of Christ 3. Thy quickening Spirit is a Spirit of sanctification such was the Spirit whereby Christ was raised he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead That same Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ was that same divine Spirit which sanctified his humane nature wherein it dwelt and such is that quickening Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth it is a Spirit of holiness and it works holiness changing the heart and turning the bent of it from sin to holiness 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new q. d. When once the believer is by an act of faith passed over unto Christ there goes immediately from the Spirit of Christ into his soul an effectual power which alters and changes the frame of the whole man now he is not the same that he was he is changed in his company in his discourse in his practise he is changed in his nature judgment will affections he is sanctified throughout in soul body and Spirit O my soul try thy self by this sign dost thou find such an inward change wrought in the soul dost thou find the law of God a law of holiness written on thy hearr dost thou find a law within thee contrary to the law of sin commanding with authority that which is holy and good so that thou canst say with the Apostle I delight in the law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.23 25. Rom. 8.1 and with my mind I my self serve the law of God if so surely this is no other but the
exalted without some preceding decent and humiliation Ephes 49. That he ascended saith the Apostle what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth 4. In respect of our evidence and assurance this is the sign that Christ hath finished the work of our redemption upon the earth first he was to act as our Surety and then he was to ascend as our Head our Advocate as the first-fruits the Captain the Prince of life the Author of salvation the forerunner of his people 4. That he might throughly convince the world of believers of their perfect righteousness The Spirit when he comes saith Christ shall convince the world of sin and righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not on me of of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more John 16.8 9 10. If Christ had not fulfilled all righteousness there had been no going to heaven for him nor remaining there certainly God would have sent him down again to have done the rest and the disciples should have seen him with shame sent back again but his ascension to heaven proclaims openly 1. That he hath compleatly finished the work he had to do for us here that no more was to be done in this world for us that the satisfactory work to justice was in it self finished 2. That God was well pleased with Jesus Christ and with what he had done and suffered for us yea God was so infinitely taken with him and his oblation after his sufferings as that he thinks it not fit to let him stay above forty days longer in this world he cannot be without him in heaven but he takes him up into glory and gives him a name above every name 3. That we have our share in heaven with him he went not up as a single person but vertually or mystically he carried up all the Elect with him into glory or otherwise how should the Spirit convince the world by his ascension of their righteousness or otherwise how should the Son of God convince his Father by his Ascension of his righteousness I look upon Jesus Christ going into Heaven as a confident Debtor after payment going into a Court and saying Who hath any thing to lay to his charge all is paid let the law take his course when Christ entred into heaven he seemed thus to challenge Justice Make room here for me and mine who should hinder hath the law any thing to say to these poor souls for whom I dyed if any in heaven can make objection Rev. 8.1 here I am to answer in their behalf Methinks I imagine a silence in heaven as John speaks at this speech only Mercy smiles and Justice gives in the Acquittance and God sets Christ down at his right hand 4. That he hath a new design to be acted in heaven for us he is taken up into glory that he may act gloriously the second part of out righteousness I mean that he might apply it and send down his Spirit to convince us of it He acted one part in the flesh in the habit of a beggar cloathed with rags but now he is gone to act the person of a Prince in robes of glory and all this to manage our salvation in the richest way that may be Three great things Christ acts for us now in glory First he is in place of an advocate for us He liveth to intercede for us Heb. 7.25 He is always begging of favour and love for us he lyes there to stop whatever plea may be brought in against us by the devil or Law yea he is there to get our fresh pardons for new sins Secondly he is the great provider and caterer for us John 14.2 he is laying in a great stock and store of glory for us against we come there In my Fathers house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you Jesus Christ went before to take up God's heart for us and now he is drawing out the riches of love from God his Father and laying them in bank for us Phil. 4.19 which made the Apostle say My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Thirdly he sends down his Spirit to convince us that Christs righteousness is ours indeed the means of procuring this was the life and death of Christ but the means of applying this righteousness are those following acts of Christ's Resurrection Ascension Session Intercession c. By his death he obtained righteousness for us but by his Ascension he applies righteousness to us now it is that in especial manner he convinceth us of righteousness Because he is gone to his Father and we shall see him no more 5. That he might receive his Kingdom over us in the place appointed for it look as Kings are crowned in the chief Cities of their Kingdoms and keep their residence in their palaces near unto them so it was decent that our Saviour should be Crowned in Heaven and there sit down at Gods right hand which immediatly follows after his Ascension to which we now come SECT IV. Of God's right hand and of Christ's Session there 2. FOr the Session of Christ at God's right hand which is a consequent following after his ascension into Heaven I shall examine 1. What is God's right hand 2. What is it to sit there 3. According to what nature doth Christ sit there 4. Why is it that he sits at the right hand of God his Father in Glory 1. What is this right hand of God I answer 1. Negatively it is not any Corporal right hand of God if we speak properly God hath neither right hand nor left hand for God is not a body but a spirit or spiritual substance 2. Positively the right hand of God is the Majesty Dignity Dominion Power and â—lâ—â—y of God The right hand of the Lord is exalted Psal 118.15 Exod. 15.6 Psal 89.13 Isa 48.13 the right hand of the Lord doth valianity Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in Power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the enemy Thou hast a mighty arm Strong is thy hand and high iâ— thy right hand Mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens I know some of our Divines make this right hand of God something inferior to God's own power but others speak of it as every way equal and I know no absurdity to follow on it 2. What is it to sit at the right hand of God I answer it is not any corporal Session at Gods right hand as some picture him with a crown of gold on his head sitting on a Throne as if he had no other gesture in Heaven but sitting still which Stephen contradicts Acts 7.56 saying I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on thâ— right hand of God The words sitting or standing are both metaphorical and borrowed
Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
his praise and bidding him welcome into glory and am I sinning here on earth and by my sins crucifying again and again the Lord of glory O that I might ascend with Christ O that I were now on the wing towards heaven Oh what is it that hinders my ascension but this clog of clay so long as this body remains a natural body I cannot ascend oh therefore that the change were come Oh that this natural body were spirituall that this corruptible had put on incorruption and this mortal had put on immortality then could I move upwards as well as downwards such is the supernatural property of a glorified body that it ascends or descends with equal case or if this be not possible for my present condition if this body if mine must first descend before it ascend if it must down into the grave before it go up into glory why yet Oh that my better part were on the wing Oh that my soul were mounting upwards Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver my soul from this body of death or if the union be so strong for a while that neither soul nor body can really or substantially ascend Phil. 1.23 yet O that I were still ascending in a spiritual way O that my affections were still on things above and not on things beneath yea I could wish a nearer union even by a dissolution why Christ is ascended and I would fain be where Christ is though it cost me dear I desire to be dissolved I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is for better 2. Let us see Christ sitting down at the right hand of God and so desire to sit with him when Christ sate down it was not in his own pure Personal right simply as it is his inheritance Eph. 2.5 6. but with relation to his Saints and Members He hath quickened us together wtth Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus I confess Christ's sitting at God's right hand as taken for the sublimity of his power is not communicable unto us for that is Christs own prerogative to which of the Angels said he at any time Heb. 1.13 Sit on my right hand Yet his sitting in heaven as it is indefinitely expressed is in some sort communicable unto us for he sate down as a common person thereby shewing that we were to sit down with him in our proportion Rev. 3.21 Him that overcomes 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 Christ sits in his Fathers Throne and we sit in Christ's Throne Christ sits at the right hand of God and wâ— sit at the right hand of Christ Oh how desirable is this The Mother of Zebedees Children understood this mystery very darkly Mat. 20.21 22 23. yet worshipping Jesus she desired a certain thing of him what thing why grant saith she that these my two Sons may sit the one at thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy Kingdom Christ blamed them because they know not what thy asked and yet he tells them that to sit on his right hand and on his left is given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father O my soul desire after this for this is worthy of thy desire this is a great thing an high exaltation another manner of honour than any that this world affords Courtiers desire no more but to sit at the Princes right hand but O the vertue of Christ's Session that thereby thou shouldst sit at the right hand of God! this is the very height and excellency of heavens glory only take heed of apprehending it after a carnal and natural way this very exaltation consists in the Image of God and communion with God it is the spiritual part and power and glory of heaven if any thing be desirable above another surely this above all Eph. 1.20 21. what that Christ should be exalted above all Principalities and Powers and mights and dominions and every thing that is named in this world and in the other what that Christ should sit down in his Fathers Throne Eph. 4.10 in the highest part of Heaven far above all heavens and that I a poor worm dust and ashes should sit with him in Heaven should be one with him in glory should be as near him in honour and happiness as such a poor creature is possibly capable of Oh how should I but hunger and thirst after this if I might have a wish I would not wish low things why this is the very top and height and quintessence of Heaven Christ in his Fathers Throne and I in Christ's Throne in desiring this I desire all and therefore whatever thou givest or denyest Lord give me this and I have enough for ever 3. Let us see Christs mission of his holy spirit and so desire a share in that gift we cannot expect to sit with Christ but we must first have the spirit of Christ and therefore as we would have that let us desire after this The greatest gift we can expect in this world is the spirit of Christ Consider O my soul all things here below are either temporal or spiritual things and of things spiritual this is the sum the in-dwelling of the Spirit O Lord give me thy self and that contains all gifts O give me the spirit Psal 4.6 and thou canst not but with him give me all things there be many that say saith the Psalmist Who will shew us any good earthly things are desired of many but is any thing on earth to be compared with this gift from heaven if it were only the beauty of holiness it were certainly a most desirable thing if we rightly understand it holiness though but one effect of the spirit is a most rare thing holiness fills the soul with joy peace quietness assurance holiness entertains the soul with feasts of fat things and of refined wines holiness carries the soul into the banqueting-house of apples and flaggons holiness gives the soul a dear communion with God and Christ holiness brings the soul into a sight of Christ an access to him a boldness in his presence holiness admits the soul into the most intimate conferences with Jesus Christ in his bed-chamber in his galleries of love and that which is an argument of more beauty than all the creatures in the world have besides holiness attracts the eye and heart and longings and ravishments the tender compassions and everlasting delights of the Lord Jesus and if holiness be thus lovely Oh what is the holy spirit it self what is the Rise the Spring the Fountain of holiness what O my soul that not only grace but the spirit of Christ should dwell in thy spirit that thou shouldst be God's building and that not as the rest of the world is for his creatures to inhabit 1 Cor. 3.9
a man would read he must have all these or more than one of these so God hath appointed us three necessary means for our illumination and direction the Word the Ministry and the Spirit What God hath joyned let no man separate if any will foolishly go and set one of these against another when God hath set them all together and made them all necessary assigning to each a several part in the work of our illumination they may abuse God and themselves and go without the light while they despise the necessary causes of it God's evidences must not be separated much less must one be pleaded to the neglect of all the rest as the work within us is not the first testimony but a secondary confirming testimony so doth it not make the first unnecessary or void besides that by the external testimony we must convince other men which by the witness within us we cannot do But this only by the way 2. For the encouragement of our Faith to believe in Christ as in reference to his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit 1. Consider of the excellency of this Object what is it but Christ Christ in his Ascendant Culminant Regnant Power Christ in his Marching Conquering Triumphing Postures in his Free and Large and Magnificent Gifts When he Ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto Men. O the Glory O the Excellency of Christ in these Respects Verily they are enough to tire out Men and Angels with the only Act of wondering and surveying of their vastness Here is Gospel-Work for all Eternity to dig into this Gold-Mine to roul and turn this Soul-delighting precious Stone to behold enquire and search into these depths and heights of Christ exalted and I believe this is the satiety the top and prime of Heavens Glory to see and wonder at the vertues of him that sits on the Throne at the right hand of God to be filled but never Satiate with the Glory of Christ What Christ ascended Christ set down in Glory and Christ sending down his Holy Spirit here 's a Compendium of all Glories here is one for an heart to be taken with made up of nothing but of several Mysteries of Glory 2. Consider the Power Vertue and Influence of this Object into our souls Salvation oh what a stately Tower have we here erected to see Heaven on Faith may stand as it were on this Mount and see it self in glory Oh the flowings the rich emanations of Grace and Glory that come from hence come let us draw the Well is deep all the drops and dewings that fall on Men or Angels are but as chips in comparison of that huge and boundless body of the fulness of Grace that is in Christ one Lilly is nothing to a boundless and broad Field of Lillies Christ is in these respects the Mountain of Roses oh how High how Capacious how Full how Beautiful how Green could we but smell him who feeds among the Lillies till the Day break and the shadows fly away could we but dive into the Golden Veins of these unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ we should say It is good to be here Oh it 's good to gather up the fragments that fall from Christ his Crown shines with Diamonds and Pearls oh why do we toyl our selves in gathering sticks when to morrow we shall be out of this World and go to Christ come where is our mouth of Faith let us lay to it here let us suck and be satisfied with these Breasts of consolation let us milk out and be delighted with the abundance of his Glory 3. Consider of the suitableness of these Objects to our several conditions you may remember the first cry Was it not love enough for Christ to come down and to visit us here but that he must go up and take us with him no no his love was so great and vast that for our sakes he moves up and down this ravished the Spouse Behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the Hills Cant. 2.8 Cant. 2.8 Gregory that measured his leaps thus gives them be first leaps from his Fathers Mansion to his Mothers Womb from her Womb to the Cratch from his Cratch to his Cross and from his Cross to his Grave from his Grave up again to Heaven great leaps indeed that shewed both his readiness to love and willingness to save infinite love can never be out-tired with greatest actions But another cries how should I believe that Christ is exalted and that by vertue thereof I shall be exalted when I see my self in a forlorn condition forsaken of God Psal 62.9 and abject amongst Men Alas Man at his best is altogether Vanity yea Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye to be laid in the Ballance I am altogether lighter than Vanity how then should I believe any such condition is a Worm a fit or a capable Subject to wear a Crown Yes the Lord is great and he can do great things He raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust 1 Sam 2.8 9. and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory for the Pillars of the Earth are the Lords and he hath set the World upon them he will keep the Feet of his Saints Why there is my sadness cryes another He will keep the Feet of his Saints if I were but a Saint I could believe this Power but alas I am unholy an unsanctified piece of Clay I am a sinner a sinner of the Gentiles chief of sinners I deserve to be thrown down to Hell rather than to be invested with Glory and to sit in Heaven True but yet the Holy Ghost is given to make thee holy of thy self thou art vile and most vile but hath not the Holy Ghost entred in and took possession of thy Spirit hath he not washed thee with water yea throughly washed away thy blood hath he not anointed thee with oyl and covered thee with silk and decked thee with gold and silver and made thee comely through his comeliness which he put upon thee Why this is the office of the holy Ghost and if thou hast but the in-dwelling of the Spirit this is thy state I know there is a part of thee unregenerate and it will be so whiles thou art on earth but withall there is in thee a new nature another nature there is something else within thee which makes thee wrestle against sin and shall in time prevail over all sin and this is the Spirit of Christ sanctifying of thee Being sanctified saith the Apostle by the holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 Other complaints might be thus brought in but if we understand the meaning the design of Christ in his Ascension Session and mission of his Spirit how might a true faith answer all oh believe believe thy part in Christ's Ascension Christ's Session Christ's Mission of
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you
World to come and yet fell away and it is said of such others that they trampled upon the Blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified Thus we find in Scripture-phrase that in an Hypocrite or wicked Man there may be a kind of Faith and repentance a taste of Heaven and of Sanctificatian but where do we find in all the Bible that Christ or the Spirit of Christ is said to dwell in an Hypocrite or wicked Man this only is the great priviledge of a true believer Christ in him the Hope of Glory O the comfort of this in-dwelling of Christ Luke 19.6 If Zacheus hearing that Christ would abide in his House received him joyfully how much greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts John 15.11 These things have I spoken to you said Christ that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full And now O my soul spread thy self on this great good Christ's Ascension Christ's Session and Christs Mission of his Holy Spirit What is joy but an effusion of the appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it more perfectly the object is sweet and large and therefore the soul had need to spread it self that it may be more united to the Object and touch the good in more of its parts yea if it were possible in every part There is not any particular here before thee but 't is fewel for joy O what joy was in Heaven when Christ Ascended and when Christ sate down at God's right hand and when Christ sent down the Holy Spirit how stood the Angels wondring and admiring at these several passages how did they stoop and look with the bowing of the Head and bending of the Neck as the Word implies 1 Pet. 1.12 and is not thy interest in these transactions more than Angels O rejoyce and again rejoyce suppose thy self in Heaven and that thou hadst a vision of Christ ascended say is he not a pleasant Object In his face there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 Suppose thy self to have been in Heaven when he first entred into it and when he first sate down at God's right hand and sent down the Comforter to his Saints was not Heaven full of joy methinks the very thought of Christ's bright Face and Christ's white Throne and Christ's Harpers and Heavenly Troops surrounding the Throne and Christ's welcome to his Father both for himself and all his Saints and Christ's carrying thy name upon his Breast before his Father should fill thy soul as full of joy as possibly it can hold O the first-fruits of Emanuel's land that lyes beyond time and death O the joyes that were in Heaven at Christ's first entrance into Heaven O my soul why dost thou not check thy self and lay aside thy sad complaints and forget this Earth and Earthly troubles why dost thou not look up to Jesus Christ and rejoyce in him who hath done all this for thy Salvation either the Spirit of God is not thy Comforter or thou canst not but receive comfort in these passages SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus I mean 1. Let us pray that we may have our part in these transactions or let us pray for more and more assurance thereof unto our souls for though we do believe yet we may not be without our doubts and in case of doubts what better means than Prayer I believe Lord help my unbelief Lord strengthen my Faith till I come to that plerophory or full assurance of faith that I may know my interest in the Ascension of Christ and Session of Christ and in the Mission of Christ's holy Spirit and if once we are but assured then 2. Praise God for these great transactions of his Son are they not mercies like mountains lying one upon another and reaching up to the very Heavens did not love break out at first in a direct line and as it went along hath it not wound up it self in such a variety of unthought of discoveries as that it amazeth Men and Angels what that Jesus Christ should not only act for us here on earth but also ascend for us into Heaven and sit down there at God's right hand above the Heavens what that all this should be for us and our salvation and to that purpose that he should send down his Spirit into our hearts to fit us and prepare us for his glory Now bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 103.1 2. I will extol thee my God O King and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever One generation shall praise thy works to another Psal 145.1 2 4 7 10 11 12. and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I will utter the memory of thy great goodness and will sing of thy righteousness Thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power and make known unto the sons of men thy mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Thy glory is above the earth and heaven Psal 148.13 14. thou also exaltest the horn of thy people the praise of all thy Saints and people near unto thy self O that my soul were but in David's temper thus to breath out the praises of Jesus and to bless his Name SECT IX Of conforming unto Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in the aforesaid respects A serious beholding of Jesus in his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit is enough to change us into the same Image from glory to glory It was the sweet saying of an experienced Saint View a glorified Christ see him as in that relation and condition and you will soon have the sparkles of the same glory on your hearts Christ is now exalted he is now in glory at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 2. O let all our actings be glorious let all our walkings joys breathings be as in glory If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth I shall not in this transaction lay out many particular conformities to Christ's actings but gather all into one contained in this Text which is heavenly conversation seek things above set your affections above Christ is gone up and Christ is set down at God's right hand and herein if you will conform let your hearts be in Heaven let your affections be in Heaven let your conversations be in Heaven it is the Apostles own practise wherein stood his conformity to Jesus Christ for our
love was manifested the seed then blossomed and the birth came out in an high expression of love the man-child the love of Christ was born Tit. 3.4 and saw the light After that saith the Apostle the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared I shall not need sure to instance in succeeding passages so far as we have gone we have clearly seen Christ's life was a perfect mirror of his love as there is no beam in the Sun in which there is no light so there was no act in the life of Christ but to a spiritual eye it shines with the light of love But above all O the love of Christ in his death ask a Malefactor if the Princes Son should go to his Father and say Father I confess this wretch hath deserved to dye but I see a willingness in thee that he should live only I perceive it sticks with thy justice why for that Father here I am and to satisfy thy justice I will dye my self only let this poor wretch live to the glory of thine and my free grace Ask I say the Malefactor what kind of love were this Surely Christ dyed for our sins and Christ rose again for our justification and he ascended and sate down at God's right hand and sent down his holy Spirit and all for us there was not one passage in all these transactions but held forth the breakings and breathings out of a strong fire of love 4. At this time there is a coal of burning love in the breast of Christ this fire was indeed from everlasting but the flames are as hot this day as ever now it is that Christ loves and lives And wherefore lives but only to love us and to intercede for us Christ makes our salvation his constant calling he is ever at his work Yesterday and to day and for ever there is not one hour in the day nor one day in a year nor one year in an age wherein Christ is not busie with his Father in this heavenly imployment of interceding for us He loved us before he died for us his love being the cause why he died for us and he loves us still in that now he intercedes for us it is as much as to say Christ hath loved us and he repents not of his love love made him dye for us and if it were to do again he would dye over again yea if our sins had so required that for every elect person Christ must have dyed a several death Love love would have put him willingly upon all these deaths O the loves of Christ towards our poor souls If I might but stay and take some turns in this large Field of love How many thousands of particulars might I draw out of Scripture expressing Christ's love to us in this respect though he be in Heaven yet by vertue of his intercession he bears us in his hands yea he leads us by the hand and arms too I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their arms but they knew not that I healed them he dandles us on his knees Isa 40 11. Hos 11.3 Deut. 32.11 12. he bears us on his wings As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone doth lead us he carries us on his shoulders as the man found his sheep and laid it on his shoulders rejoycing Nay I must yet come nearer Luke 15.5 for Christ by his intercession sets us nearer yet His left hand is under us Cant. 2.6 and his right hand doth imbrace us he wears us in Heaven as a bracelet about his arms which made the Spouse cry out O set me as a seal upon thine arm Cant. 8.6 he stamps and prints us on the palms of his hands Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands Isa 49.16 as if our names were written in letters of blood upon Christ's flesh he sets us as a seal upon his heart that is the expression of the Spouse too O set me as a seal upon thine heart Nay Cant. 8.6 so precious are the Saints to Jesus Christ that they lodge in Heaven in his bowels and in his heart for they dwell in Christ Hereby we know that we dwell in him 1 John 4.13 1 John 4.16 and they dwell in God and dwell in love For God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God I know not what more to say you know the manner of the high Priests was to carry the names of the children of Israel into the Holy of Holies on their shoulders and on their breasts but was it ever heard that any high Priest besides the great high Priest of our profession should carry the names of thousands and millions on his shoulders and on his arms and on his hands and on his wings and on his bosom and on his heart nay in his heart and in his bowels as a memorial before the Lord O unmatchable love Methinks this love of Christ should now change my soul into a Globe or Mass of Divine love towards Christ as it were by the Spirit of the Lord. Methinks a sight of Christ in his presenting himself and his sacrifice to his Father for me should so enamour my soul as that I should delight in no other sight but this then is a Christian sweetly exercised when as the golden Ball of Divine Love is tossed to and again betwixt Christ's bosom and his and in this respect it is a wonder that before this I am not sickned and overcome with love and ready to cry out with the Spouse O stay me with flaggons Cant. 2.5 and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love O I am wounded with the arrows of love so as neither grave nor death nor hell neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come can ever lick these wounds or enbalm or bind them up O my Christ my Lord my Jesus What should I do but yield over my self as a Spouse under the power of her husband what should I do but lose my self in such a deep Ocean of loves stronger than wine hotter than coals of Juniper which hath a most vehement flame 2. Another motive of our love to Christ it is our propriety in Christ 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own said the Apostle of us and he is not his own may we say of Christ If any ask how may this be I answer That the soul in loving Christ is not her own and in regard of loving Christ is not his own every one makes over it self to another and propriety or interest to it self on both sides ceaseth My Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 saith the Spouse not as if Christ should leave off to be his own or to be a free God when he becometh ours no no but he so demeans himself in respect
the forehead of such favours I have a merciful and compassionate Mediator in heaven O I am much tempted sayes another that I cannot pray had I now the key of prayer I could then unlock the cabinet where all God's treasures lye and take out what I pleased but alas my prayers are dull and weak and dry and without spirit and life I cannot pray If so be humbled for it and yet know this that when thou canst not pray Christ then prayes for thee and he prayes that thou mayst pray And tell me hast thou no experience of this truth hath not sometimes thy spirit been enlarged in prayer hast thou not sometimes felt thy heart warmed or savingly affected hast thou not sometimes in prayer been lifted up above thy self and above the world conclude then My Intercessor above hath sent me this gift and Spirit it is not I but Christ's Intercession that by an admirable and secret operation hath given me the Spirit to help my infirmity these are the intercessions of the Spirit of Christ and they are the very Eccho of the intercessions of Christ in his own person O but I labour under such and such corruptions sayes another and the Devil is busie exceeding busie and he exceedingly prevails how am I overcome with these corruptions and with these and these sins It may be so and yet do not altogether despond for Jesus Christ is at God's right hand and there he sits till all his enemies be made his foot-stool and what are not thy sins his enemies O be of good comfort for Christ will prevail it is one piece of his prayer that he puts up for thee John 17.15 To keep thee from evil and surely he will either keep thee from it or keep thee in it that in the issue thou shalt have the victory Ver. 12. Isa 55 3. Those that thou gavest me I have kept saith Christ and none of them is lost if he undertake for thee thou art safe and sure His Covenant is everlasting even the sure mercies of David and therefore if yet thou dost not certainly thou shalt feel the vertue of Christ's intercession sin must be subdued hell-gates shall not prevail against thee he will not quench thy sparks until he bring forth judgment unto victory Oh but I am in a suffering condition sayes another and there is none that regards or takes pity on me all my friends have dealt treacherously with me among all my Lovers there is none to comfort me they have heard that I sigh and there is none to refresh me I stand for Christ but there is none stands by me I own him but there is none owns me Bleeding Christian bear up is not Christ's intercession a sufficient answer to this case alas thou wouldst be pitied for all thy weaknesses why know that compassion is natural to Jesus Christ he is a merciful high Priest and can be no other to thee God ordained him to officiate in such a Tabernacle as wherein thou dwellest he was in all things like unto thee sin only excepted it may be thou art in want and so was Christ he had no house thou art persecuted and so was Christ sin loads thee and so it did Christ A Christians condition needs compassion and Christ knows how much and it is his work continually to lay it open above O my Father thus and thus it is with the Militant Church not a Member in it but he is under sin and affliction see here the tears hearken to the sighs and groans and chatterings and mournings of my Doves below I present here their persons and performances and oh that they may find acceptance through my merit Some speak of Heavens Musick some tell us of Saints and Angels singing and warbling in lively notes the praises of Christ in Heaven and if any such thing be certainly it is ear-tickling heart-ravishing musick O the melody O the joy of Saints to hear such heavenly ayres with heavenly ears but be it as it will be of this I am confident that Heaven it self yields no such musick as is the intercession of Jesus Christ this if any thing in Heaven do it makes melody in the ears of God and of all celestial Spirits Saints or Angels And O my soul suppose thy self within the compass if now thou couldst but hear what thy Jesus is saying in thy behalf Is not this a brand newly pluck'd out of the fire was not this poor soul but the other day in a state of nature defiled with sin within a step of hell and did not I send my Spirit to recall him was not this precious blood shed for the redemption of him and what though sin stick and cleave to him to this day yet have I not given thee charge to take away his filthy garments from him and to cloath him with changes of rayment even with the shining robes of mine own righteousness O my Father let this soul live in thy sight O cast him not away for whom I have suffered and done all this I cannot rest satisfied without his society I am not right till he is with me in glory he is my darling my purchase my portion my delight and therefore let him be saved Is not this enough to cause thy very heart to leap in thy bosom Bonaventure fondly reports that Francis hearing an Angel a little while playing on an Harp he was so moved with extraordinary delight that he thought himself in another world O but suppose thou shouldst hear the voice of Jesus thy Intercessor thus pleading for thee wouldst thou not be cast into an extasie would not this fill thee with joyes unspeakable and full of glory Come realize this meditation certainly if thou art Christ's he is thus or in some other manner interceding for thee as sure as Christ is in Heaven he is pleading with his Father in Heaven on thy behalf O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I should now feel Tell me is it not a comfort for a poor beggar to be relieved at a rich man's door we are all beggars in regard of Heaven and Jesus Christ doth not only come forth and serve us but he takes us poor beggars by the hand and leads us in to his heavenly Father Oh what comfort is here SECT VIII Of praying to and praising of Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us pray and praise our Jesus in this respect 1. Let us pray or sue our interest in this intercession it is a question amongst the Schools whether we may conveniently pray to Jesus to pray to his Father in our behalf And thus far is granted that we may pray to Christ to make us partakers of his intercessions and to mingle our prayers with his prayers that they may find acceptance with God his Father 1 Cor. 11.6 But that we may use such a form as ora pro nobis O Christ pray for us it is looked upon as inconvenient in this respect 1. Because cause we have no
such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Because it favours too much of the error of Arrius Nestorius and indeed of the Romanists themselves 3. Because our prayers are most-what directed to Christ in his person or divine subsistence whose part is rather to give than to ask or if they are directed to Christ as Mediator and not simply as the only begotten Son of God then I see no incongruity though in the former respect some inconvenience but that we may pray to Christ to intercede for us for so he is God and man and he is considered according to both Natures only the difference of both Natures is still to be kept and maintained intercession is the office of the whole person of Christ and of the two natures of Christ But he performs this office one way according to his Divine nature and another way according to his humane nature I list not to quarrel about niceties it is thus agreed on all hands and that is enough to our purpose that we may call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus that Christ's intercessions may be ours and that he would make it out to us in a way of assurance every day more and more 2. Let us praise let us bless God and bless Christ for every transaction in Heaven for us It is a wonder to observe what songs of praise were chanted to Christ in Heaven for that one transaction of opening the Book and loosing the seven Seals thereof first The four beasts Rev. 5.8 9 11 12 13 14. and then the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And then the Angels round about the Throne whose number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands came on saying worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And then every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea came on saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever and the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever I cannot tell what other transactions may be in Heaven we have but hints of them here nor shall we fully or particularly know them till we come to Heaven but for this one transaction of Christ's intercession we cannot imagine less praise to be given to Christ than for any other O then let us do this duty on earth as it is done in Heaven what is Christ praying for us O let us be on the exercise of praising him is Christ interceding for us let us give him the glory of his intercession Heaven is full of his praises O why should not earth ring with the sound thereof Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his intercession I cannot think but in every action of Christ there is something imitable of us And as to the present work I shall instance only in these few particulars As 1. Christ appears in Heaven for us let us appear on earth for him Is there not equity as well as conformity in this duty O my soul consider what thy Christ is doing consider wherein the intercession of Jesus Christ consists is not this the first part of it why he appears in Heaven before Saints and Angels and before God his Father in thy behalf and art thou afraid to appear before worms mortals dust and ashes in his cause or for his truth shall Jesus Christ own thee in Heaven and wilt thou not own Jesus Christ here in this world shall Jesus Christ as thy great high Priest take thy very name carry it upon his breast into the presence of God and wilt not thou take the Name of Christ and hold it forth in profession and practise to all men Oh what a mighty engagement is here to stand to Christ and to appear for Christ and to own his cause in these backsliding-times in that Christ who sits at the right hand of God is willing and ready to appear in person for us both as a Mediator and Sponsor and Solicitor and Advocate and Leiger Embassador 2. Christ spends all his time for us and our salvation let us spend all our time for him and in his service the Apostle tells us that He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 it is not for a day or a month or a year but he lives for ever upon this account for ever i.e. during all the time from his Ascension until the end of the world he is still interceding he spends of all that time for us and shall we think it too much time to spend a few dayes that we have here to live upon the earth for him one thinks this the greatest Argument in the world to make us to walk closely with God in Christ He spends of his eternity for us and shall not we spend of our whole time for him surely people do not think what Christ is doing in Heaven for them if you who are Saints would but seriously consider that Christ this Sabbath this day of rest is at his work that without any weariness or intermission from morning till evening and from evening till morning he is ever ever interceding how would this engage you in his service Ah Christians if you should continue praying praising reading hearing all this day without any intermission or breaking off Oh what weariness O how would you say When will the day be done when will the Sabbath be at an end Well but Christ is not weary of serving you this Sabbath and the last Sabbath and the other Sabbath and every Sabbath when you had done your duties he took your persons and duties and presented all unto his Father he prayed over your prayers and continued praying and saying Lord accept of a short poor lean imperfect service done on earth for my sake and for those merits sake which I am continually presenting to thee here in heaven Oh why do we not come up to this conformity Oh why are we so uncomformable to the actings of Christ he is preparing Mansions for us in Heaven and are we digging in this world he is making mention of our names to God and are we sinning against him and God his blood cryes O that these souls may be saved and shall our sins cry It is just that these souls should be damned O mind the exemplar Christ spends
in his Kingly but now he must be fully honoured in his Kingly office Rev. 11.15 now especially The Kingdoms of this world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and so he shall reign for ever and ever Certainly there is a difference betwixt Christ's reign before and his present reign at the day of judgment Christ hath a double Throne wherein he sits and reigns Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne That Kingly rule that Christ hath from his ascension is upon his Fathers Throne but the Kingdom that Christ shall have at the day of judgment and ever after it is the joynt reign of him with the Father he shall have a Throne himself and the Saints shall sit with him in his own Throne And now saith the Father John 5.22 Sit thou at my right hand q. d. sit on thy own Throne by me go on to judge the Nations I will not judge them but only in thee and by thee Lo I have committed all judgment unto the Son and do thou judge them until thou hast rewarded thy friends and made thine enemies thy footstool Mark He hath committed all judgment unto the Son the Father gives the Son a Commission wherein is written as it were these words My Son now is the time or season which I had put in my own power and my pleasure is 2 Pet. 3.10 13. that all the world shall be set on fire these heavens under thee shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and I will have new heavens and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousness go too then put on thy robes appear in thy glory empty thiâ— heaven of all those glorious spirits that are therein and let them wait on thee to thy judgment seat go pass thy doom upon all flesh and send reprobates to hell and bring up hither all thy Saints that they may live with thee and here behold thy glory for ever and ever Lo here is thy commission be gone and return no more hither until it be accomplished Christians I cannot but wonder at this joy and exultation in Heaven Vse and that we have so little or none of this on earth we say with cold lips and frozen hearts Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven but if our prayers were real and fervent if we could but imitate those heavenly Citizens what longings would be in our hearts after Christ's coming how should we rejoyce at the very thoughts hereof Christ comforting his Disciples in respect hereof he speaks these words Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up said he and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The fulness of our redemption is a ground of consolation all the spirits above are sensible of this God and Christ and the Angels and Saints rejoyce Rev. 12.19 Ver. 20. and again rejoyce The Spirit and the Bride say come and Christ himself saith Surely I come quickly O let us say Amen to it Even so come Lord Jesus SECT II. Of Christ coming to judgment 2. FOr Christ's coming to judgment no sooner Christ prepared and all in readiness but down he descends from his Imperial throne to the Judgment-seat In this passage I shall observe these particulars 1. He descends with his Train He comes with his Royal Attendants out of Heaven This is the glory of a Prince that hath so many Nobles waiting on him and this is the glory of Jesus Christ that when he comes to judge the world he shall have his Saints and Angels the glory of the creation to be his Attendants in that work Behold the Lord comes with mighty Angels 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14. Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all Certainly a numberless number shall wait upon him Daniel tells us of a thousand thousand that this day Minister unto Christ A thousand thousands ministred unto him Dan. 7.10 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him or if Heaven have more I believe Heaven will empty it self of all the Saints and all the Angels not one Spirit whether Saint or Angel shall stay behind when Christ descends Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him Oh what a glorious day will this be if one Sun make the morning Sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious morning will that be when so many thousands of Suns shall shine over all our heads the glorious Body of our Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory here 's a new Heaven of Sun and Stars such as this nether-world never saw Lo yond the Sun of righteousness with all his Morning-stars singing and shouting for joy Heaven now empties it self of all its created Citizens and cleaves asunder to make way for Christ and all his Train Matth. 24.29 2. In his descent through the Heavens he shakes the Heavens And the powers of the heaven shall be shaken The whole frame of Heaven most strong and immutable in its being and motion or the mighty bodies thereof most mighty in their substance lastingness motion and operation shall be shaken I know by the powers of heaven some mean the Angels who at this wonderful descent of Christ shall admire and move but I rather think the Heavens themselves are meant hereby whose very nature shall be moved Job 26.11 and shaken at that day At his nod the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished As yet they are Subject to vanity and therefore 't is no wonder if at the coming of Christ they tremble and are moved In this moving or shaking the Evangelists adds that the glorious lights of Heaven shall be altered Matth. 24.29 The Sun shall be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light Adventum Christi tantam lucem allaturam ut ea solis lunae splendor obscuretur Aretius in loc Certissimum autem diem judicii magna majestate sore ut rede sol luna dicantur obscurandi Aretius in loc Psal 50.3 and the Stars shall fall Many interpretations are given of this I am not for Allegories but rather conceive these things are real the very coming of Christ shall bring with him such a light that the splendor of the Sun and Moon shall be obscured this is most certain saith Aretius that both Sun and Moon shall really be darkened at that day it is the glory of his Majesty that will dazle those Candles 3. As he passes through the Elementary world a fire doth usher him Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very
Sermons when the Word came home didst not thou deny us the seals which might have been for confirmation of our souls salvation didst thou not estrange thy self from us in respect of any inward intimate and familiar society which thou affordest to others doth not the event plainly shew that all thy tears prayers words and works as in reference to us were hypocrisie flattery deceit dissimulation Oh cursed be the day that ever we lived under such a Ministry or that ever we heard of Jesus Christ Nay then saith the Minister it is time for us to part such were your invectives on earth and now they are and will be your language in Hell but have I not answer'd these cavils many a time have I not told you that the Word would harden some and soften others the fault being in your selves have I not cleared it that the seals are not to be set upon blanks and that confirmation could not be without a work of conversion to lead it and were we not commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw our selves from every brother that walketh disorderly did not the wise man tell us he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith 2 Thes 3.16 and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt can a man go upon hot coales and his feet be not burnt Prov. 26.27 28. as for other cavils the Lord be judge betwixt you and us nay the Lord hath been Judge betwixt you and us lo here we stand on the right hand of Christ so here we sit on our Throne to judge you and that world of wicked men and Angels let Christ be glorious Psal 109.17.18 and let his sentence stand and let that word of Judgment never be reversed he that loveth cursing let it come upon him and he that cloatheth himself with cursing as with a garment let it come into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones no more but adieu souls adieu Reprobates adieu for ever you must descend but we must ascend Go you to Hell whiles we mount upwards to Heaven and Glory At this last word down they go the evil Angels falling like lightning and evil men haled and pulled down with them from the presence of God and Christ and Angels and all the blessed ones even from their fathers mothers wives husbands children ministers servants lovers friends acquaintance who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision and forgetting all nearness and dearest obligations of nature neighbourhood alliance any thing will rejoyce in the execution of divine justice Oh the shrikes and horrid crys that now they make filling the air as they go Oh the wailings and wringing of hands Oh the desperate roarings Oh the hideous yellings filling heaven and earth and hell But I shall follow them no further no sooner do they fall into the bottomless pit but presently it shuts her mouth upon them and there I must leave them SECT VII Of Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and of the end of this World 7. FOR Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and so for the end of this world no sooner are the Reprobates gone to their place but the Saints ascend now Christ ariseth from his judgment-seat and with all the glorious company of heaven he marches towards the heaven of heavens Oh what a comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims wait on Angels Arch-angels Principalities Powers Patriarches Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professors and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of Glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of Souldiers O goodly Troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of Victory in his hand each one doth wear a Crown of Glory upon his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a final overthrow have they conquered Devils Death and Hell and now must they enjoy God Life and Heaven sometimes I have with much wonder and admiration beheld some Regiments passing our streets but had I seen those Roman Armies when they returned Victors and made their solemn Triumphs in the streets of Rome oh then how should I have then admired never was the like sight to this of Christ and his Army in this World O the comely march they make through the sky and through the Orbs and through all the Heavens till they come to the Heaven of Heavens were ever so many glistering Suns together in one day was ever so many glories together on this side the Kingdom of glory Cant. 6.10 not to speak of Christ or his Angels O who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners are not in the head of these Regiments Adam and Abel and Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles And if thou art a Saint that readest this art not thou one Son appointed by God amongst the rest to follow Christ here 's enough to fill thy heart with joy before-hand as sure as yond Sun now shines in the Firmament shalt thou that believest pass by that Sun in its very orb and by reason of thy glory it shall lose it shine oh then what spreading of beauty and brightness will be in the heavens as all the Saints go along what lumps of darkness shall those glittering Stars appear to be when all the Saints of God shall enter into their several orbs and spheres and thus as they march along higher and higher till they come to the highest at last heaven opens unto them and the Saints enter their Masters joy what is there done at their first entrance I shall discover another time only for a while let us look behind us and see what becomes of this neather World No sooner Christ and his company in the Empyreal heaven but presently this whole world is set on fire To this prophane Authors seem to assent As 1. Philosophers especially the Stoicks were of this mind Humor primordium exitus ignis said Seneca Moisture was the beginning and fire shall be the end of this World And speaking of the Sun Moon and Stars mark says he whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order shall at last burn together in one fire 2. The Poets grant this Lucan speaking of those whom Cesar left unburned at the Battel of Pharsalia Hos Caesar populos si nunc non urserit ignis uret cum terris If fire shall not now burn these when Heaven and Earth and all shall burn then must they burn Ovid in like manner Esse quoque in fatis quo mare
to his Saints more then ever before In this respect might I say if any person in the Trinity receives more honour than other Christ should have most Rev. 5.13 every Creature which is in heaven heard I say blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever not only unto God but particularly to the Lamb for ever and ever It is true that God only and God fully and God immediately is all in all but doth that hinder that Jesus Christ is not also only fully and immediately all in all see how the Scripture joyns them together Rev. 21.22 23. which plainly argues that they may consist I saw no Temple in the City for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God does lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Now then as I have spoken of God so that I may speak of Christ and conclude all with Christ I assert this Doctrine that the glory of Christ which the Saints shall behold in Christ to all eternity is their all in all In the discussion of which I shall open these particulars 1. What is the glory of Christ 2. How the Saints shall behold his glory 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all 1. What is the glory of Christ I answer that the glory of Christ is either humane or divine 1. There is an humane glory which in time was more especially conferred upon his manhood 2. There is an essential or divine glory which before time and after time even from everlasting to everlasting issueth from the God-head I shall speak to both these that we may rather take a view of Christ in those glories as we are able wherein he will appear to his Saints as their all in all to all Eternity 1. For his humane glory that is either in regard of his Soul or body for his Soul Christ was from the first instant of his conception full of glory because even then he received grace not by measure as we do but as comprehension he had the clear vision of God even as the Angels of heaven which arose from that hypostatical union of two natures at his first conception It is true that by the special dispensation of God the fullness of thy accompanying that glory was with-held from Christ in the time of his passion and the redundancy of glory from his soul unto his body was totally deferred until the exaltation of Christ but Christ no sooner exalted and set on the right hand of God but immediately the interruption of joy in his soul and the interception of glory from his soul to his body was altogether removed Then it was that his soul was filled with all joy solace pleasure which could possibly flow from the sight of an object so infinitely pleasing as is the essence Majesty and glory of God And then it was that his body was replenished with as much glory as was proportionable unto the most vast capacity of any creature not only his soul but his body is a glorious Creature it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body of glory that is a most glorious body in it self And the spring of glory unto others ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24.26 and so to enter into his glory it is called his glory as if it were appropriated unto him as the most eminent subject and principal efficient of glory as if he had the monopoly of glory all the glory in heaven is in some sort his glory Surely Christ's manhood is exalted unto an higher degree of glory than the most glorious Saint or Angel ever was or shall be principalities powers mights and dominions fall short of his glory But some object that the mediatory office of Christ shall wholly cease and that the body and soul of Christ shall then be annihilated Indeed this was the opinion of Eutiches that the human nature of Christ should be changed or converted into the divine and thus he interprets that Scripture then shall the Son also himself be subject that God may be all in all what is this subjection saith he but a conversion of the Creature into the very substance 1 Cor. 15.28 or essence of the Creatour himself Vt ipsam subjectionem communicationem conversionem credat futuram creaturae in ipsam substantiam vel essentiam creatoris Aug. de Trinit lib. 1 c. 8. Aret. in loco Job 19.27 2 Thes 1.10 But we deny the interpretation the Son as man shall be subject and yet the manhood of Christ shall still remain it is true that his Mediatory office shall wholly cease but it follows not that therefore the manhood of Christ shall be converted or changed into the Deity there may be other reasons for the continuation of his human nature besides the execution of his Mediatory office As 1. That the lustre of his Deity might shine through his humanity and that thereby our very bodily eyes may come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him I shall see him saith Job not with other but with these same eyes 2. That the Saints may see how the power of an infinite God can conveigh the lustre of his Deity into a Creature upon this account I verily believe that Angels and Men will be continually viewing of Jesus Christ he shall come to be admired of the Saints he shall be admired as we have heard at the Judgment-day nor is that all but the Saints in heaven shall see with their eyes such excellencies in Christ as that they shall admire for ever I say for ever as much as they did at the first moment when they saw him here if we see any thing excellent we admire at first but after a while we do not so but in heaven there will be so much excellency in Christ that we shall admire as much to all Eternity as we did at the very first moment there will be no abatement in glory of our being taken with the sight of the glory in Jesus Christ 3. That Christ by his humanity may converse more freely and familiarly with his brethren in his Fathers house oh the intimacy that will be there betwixt Jesus Christ and his Christian Saints oh the mutual rejoycing and delight that will be there betwixt Jesus Christ and his dearest darlings as Christ from Eternity rejoyced in the habitable part of his Earth so will the Saints his habitable Earth to all eternity rejoyce in Christ the eye of the Saints in glory can never be off Christ as Mediator and God now the eye of the Saints in glory shall never be off Christ as God and Mediatour then Thus far of his human glory 2. For his Essential divine glory it is that
glory which Christ hath as God this he never laid aside but as the Sun in a dark gloomy day may not send forth its beams so Christ the Son of righteousness in the time of his abode upon earth except a little glimps only in his transfiguration did not send forth his glorious beams but hereafter the body or humanity of Christ shall not hinder the breaking forth of all his divine glory No sooner the Son subject and his Mediatory office discharged but Christ as God will manifestly put forth his more immediate glory to all his Saints Behold now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him 1 John 3.2 for we shall see him as he is Mark it when he shall appear at and after the Resurrection day we shall see him as he is i.e. we shall see the very essential glory of Jesus Christ Quest But what is the essential glory of Christ I cannot answer it is a question not to be resolved by all the men in the World we know little of the glory of Saints how should we know any thing of the essential glory of Christ as God Answ The Scriptures say that God spake to Moses face to face yet God tells him thou canst not see my face and he favours him so far as to tell him the reason for there shall no man see my face and live Exod. 33.11 20. q. d. No man in this life he must first dye and be changed and then he shall have a peculiar revelation of the divine Majesty then he shall see him as he is but how that is I cannot tell come let us question this no further surely it is a mercy that this infinite glory is not discovered to us for as a weak eye is not able to behold the Sun or to see in it rota as the School-men speak in that wheel or circle wherein the Sun doth run but only in the beams of it no more can we see Christ as God in his glorious essence or in his essential glory but only in the beams thereof in his Word and Effects if now we know so little of spirits and spirituals oh then how little do we know of him who is the Father of Spirits I shall say no more therefore let us be content to be ignorant of these things till we enter into the confines of Eternity But whether shall this glorious Essence or Essential glory of Christ be more seen or manifested at or after the day of judgment then ever it was before Quest I answer I believe it will Answ Dr. Annesly Communion with God Some tell us of several periods wherein the glory of Christ is still more and more seen as 1. In this life we may see it in part thus David speaks of himself my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee to see thy power and thy glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary but this sight is very dim we see onely now as through a glass darkly The second period is betwixt our dissolution and resurrection 1 Cor. 13.12 and then shall we see the essential glory of Christ more immediately and fully our creeping apprehension of God shall then be elevated and our distance from God shall then be shortned and all the riddles of grace and of Jesus Christ shall then be opened This sight is so great that if a soul should come from heaven to declare it neither could that soul express it nor we understand it we read of Lazarus whose soul Christ returned into his body whom much people of the Jews came purposely to see that they might hear stories of the other World but not a word from him of any such matter Paul's rapture may satisfie with the reason of it he heard there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wordless words 2 Cor. 12.4 such words as could not possibly be repeated on earth and yet all this is but a second step to the full vision of Christ's essential glory The third period is at the Resurrection and during the time of the last Judgment and then we shall see more of his glory Camero affirms that 't is no curiosity to say that the Saints and Angels in heaven had a new glory by the exhibition of Christ the great mystery of the Incarnation being thereby better known and we may as safely affirm that the Saints shall have a new glory by new visions of the glory of Christ at the day of Resurrection they shall then see the solemnity of heavens glory carried on by Christ in his glorious actings and all that ever the soul saw before in being with Christ in Heaven till the Resurrection shall be swallowed up with the sight of this glory of Christ at the Resurrection-day The last period is after the Resurrection and that shall continue even to all Eternity now all the manifestations of Christ's glory before this are but as a few green ears rubb'd in our hands so that the full crop or the full harvest is yet behind But this is that which as we told you before we cannot tell though we had the tongues of men and Angels Thus far of the first point what is the glory of Christ 2. How shâ—ll the Saints behold this glory I answer As Christ hath a twofold glory so there is a twofold manner of beholding it i.e. ocular and mental 1. There is an ocular vision a sight of Christ with our very eyes Job 19.27 whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him with these eyes in our heads we shall one day behold the human glory of Christ I doubt not we shall behold the beauty of Heaven the shining bodies of the Saints but above all our very eyes shall delightfully contemplate Christ's glorious body and indeed this shall drown all the other sights if any think that Christ's glorious body shall be too intensive and too extraordinary a brightness for our weak eyes let such consider that 1. The eye in heaven shall be glorified now glorification adds a singular excellency to the faculties it advanceth the faculties and raiseth them to an higher pitch of excellency glorification adds a greater capacity to the eye then ever it had before In this world there is a difference in our eyes and sight a man of a clear sight sees more things and more of every thing then a dark sight doth so a glorified eye sees more of things then our eyes now can see it shall be enlarged exceedingly to take in objects which now it cannot receive glorification adds strength to the faculties both internal and external so that the eye shall be able to look on the glory of Christ not with difficulty but with contentment in this World every sense we have is apt to be destroyed by excellent Objects and the more excellent and transcendent the object is the more it hurts
that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen Ver. 13. Why this is their continual work in heaven they have nothing else to do but with joy and gladness to sing forth the praises of God and of Christ and that his mercy endureth for ever And this likewise is comprehended under that notion of the Saints beholding of Christ which compleatly makes up the proposition asserted that Christ or the glory of Christ which the Saints shall behold to all eternity is their all in all Thus far we have propounded the object which is Jesus carrying on the Salvation of his Saints in his coming again to earth and taking them up with himself and his Angels into heaven our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in this respect and then we have done CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his second coming WHAT looking is and what it contains we have often heard and that in these respects we may look on Jesus 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the Saints Salvation in his second coming and taking them to Heaven Many glorious excellent things many precious passages many high and heavenly carriages are in this transaction Is it not of high concernment that he that now sits at God's right hand interceding for us should thence come again to judge the World and after judgment take up his Saints with him into glory can we read of the several actings of this general Assize and not desire to read on still nay is not all our reading mixt with admiration of every passage come wonder and sit and pause and stop at every word stay and wonder and adore that light which appears in any beam of truth and in the admiration of that truth which doth appear cast thy self down at the feet of Christ and cry out O the depth of Glory and Majesty and goodness and grace in thee O the riches of love that thou shouldst let out thy self in these several admirable dispensations come be exact in this study gather up all the crumbs and fillings of this gold the least beams of the glory of Christ especially as it shines and glitters at his second coming have so much light and love and splendour in them as that they will be very sweet to look upon them every piece or part of this knowledge will be of special use and worth yea the low and imperfect knowledge of this mystery is of infinite more value then the high and perfect knowledge of Ten thousand things besides And one thing O my soul let me tell thee it is possible for thee to attain a very sweet and satisfactory degree of this very knowledge And therefore study close run over again all that hath been spoken and dig yet deeper into that glorious mine content not thy self with a bare discovery of that gold-oare which is only upon the superficies or top of the mine but go so far as to find out the inward spiritual and experimental knowledge which the Saints by the light of the Spirit may come to attain O study Christ in his second coming to judgment SECT II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LET us consider Jesus carrying on this work of Salvation at his second coming It is not enough to know but we must meditate and seriously consider of it A meer student may know Christ and study Christ as he knows and studies other things he may keep together many notions concerning Christ and his coming to Judgment but he hath no impression of the holiness of Christ upon his heart and in this respect he is a stranger to Christ and all his actings alas he studies Christ but he doth not rightly seriously inwardly consider of Christ but he doth not look unto Jesus as one that looks to his pattern or as one that looks to his refuge hope and help true and spiritual consideration is a serious matter it s not some few and freeting thoughts that are the discharge of this work but thoughts resting dwelling fixing and staying upon Christ until they come to some profitable issue O it is another manner of business then many are aware of it 's a thinking with thought upon thought it 's a reiteration and multiplication of the thoughts of the mind upon the Subject propounded so the Scripture expresseth it I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought Eccles 2.11 12. and in that next verse I turned to see he looked upon and considered his works and he returned to behold them he thought on them before but now he returned to think he renewed his thoughts upon the matter and took a new view of them Indeed when the understanding works seriously and spiritually it will fetch things into sight and not only so but it will hold them there and fasten upon them Lam. 4.20 and when they are gone it will fetch them again my soul hath them still in remembrance my soul in remembring doth remember them and will not off till the end he obtained so a man eyes Christ till he have more of Christ more of his presence and more of his light and more of his favour and more of his image O let this be our work let us thus consider Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment And that we may do it in Order 1. Consider Christ's preparing for judgment realize it as if thou sawest or heardst the same no sooner the time determined which God hath appointed but Christ commands make ready ye Angels to wait upon me and make ready ye glorious souls that now are with me it is the Fathers pleasure and it is my pleasure to go down into the neather World and to call before me all the men and women that ever lived in it there will I pass my doom upon all flesh and reward every one good and bad according to his works O what a shout may I imagine in heaven at this news what joy is in the souls of Saints that now they must go to their bodies and enter into them that both their souls and bodies which sometimes lived together may now dwell together with Christ in glory and never part more if those that live on earth are commanded by Christ To lift up their heads because their redemption draweth nigh how much more shall they joy in Heaven who also have waited for the adoption to wit Rom. 8.23 the redemption of their bodies that now the long-looked-for day is come it is come O the exaltation of the Angels at this tydings This is worthy a pause a Selah to be set upon it 2. Consider Christ's coming to judgment all now in readiness the Son of God comes forth with all his glorious attendants Matt. 16.27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and with the souls of Saints that for a time have been in
excellencies meet together rest in Christ and Christ is all good things to all his Saints in Heaven he is Beauty to their Eyes Musick to their Ears Honey to their mouths Perfume to their Nostrils Health to their Bodyes Joy to their Souls Light to their Understandings Content to their Wills he is Time without sliding Society without loathing Desire without fainting Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending wanting both needing neither yet the Author of them both he is All in all from one not all Even all the Strength Wit Pleasure Vertues Colours Beauties Harmony and goodness that are in Men Beasts Fishes Fouls Trees Herbs and all Creatures are nothing but sparkles of those things which are in Christ Christ himself will then supply their use so that the best Creatures which now serve the Saints shall not have the honour to serve them then Rev. 21.23 There will be no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in that City for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And hence the beholding of Christ is the All in all to his glorified Saints this was Christ's Prayer Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to what end John 17.24 that they may behold my glory Christ's heavenly presence is conspicuous he is not present as some things that are not seen and yet are present but his presence is or certainly shall be conspicuous to all his Saints when he was in the world his glory was covered under a mean outside he was like a bright light in a dark-Lanthern and there were very few that knew him then but in Heaven he shall be as a Cabinet opened or as the Sun in his full glory We shall know him as we are known and behold him face to face 1 John 3.2 and we shall see him as he is Nor only will he be conspicuous but his presence shall be vital a stone may be with us and seen clearly but there 's little in the sight of that in the beholding of Christ there will be an acting of kindness upon the Saints there will be visions with life and dear refreshing O the influences that the sight of Christ will have on his Saints in Heaven nor onely will he be conspicuous and vital but his presence shall be fixed he shall abide with the Saints that they may for ever behold him Oh if there was such running after Christ in this world some getting on hills and others on trees that they might behold him when he passed by what will the sight of Christ in Heaven be when he shall be alwayes in the eye of his Saints and never out of sight when they shall be alwayes viewing of him and be alwayes satisfied with that view nor only will he be conspicuous vital fixed but his very presence shall transform They shall see his face and they shall reign for ever and ever O the influence of this sight Revel 22.4 5. it is of such a transforming Nature that to see the King will make Kings this vision of glory amounts unto a fruition of glory if ever thou art a spectator of Christ thou art sure to be a partaker of Christ in all his glory I shall be satisfied Psal 17.15 1 John 3.2 when I awake with thy likeness It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him why so for we shall see him as he is And no wonder for if the imperfect beholding of his glory in the glass of his Gospel change the soul into the same image from glory to glory how much more shall the full view of his glory in Heaven transform both the souls and bodies of his Saints into a fulness of glory 1 Cor. 13.12 Here then is the top of Heaven here is the All in all here is the satisfaction of souls to the very uttermost if Christs glory in his transfiguration was so satisfactory to Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or interruption O it is good to be here let us here build Tabernacles and yet Peter was onely a spectator of this glory for he had himself no share in it O then what infinite satisfaction mayst thou expect in the beholding of Christ's Glory in Heaven which will be accompanyed with an everlasting enjoyment the lusture of his glory will be diffused unto all so that some shall enjoy the glory of the Sun others of the Moon and others of the Stars O my soul if thou art but a Star there yet if thou art filled with that light that comes from the Sun of righteousness it is enough O remember oh consider oh never forget this Looking unto Jesus as it is thy duty on Earth so it is thy priviledge and highest happiness in Heaven for ever and ever SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LET us desire after Jesus carrying on this work of man's Salvation at his second coming It is true many shrink at the thoughts of death and judgment and 't is an high pitch to desire the dissolution of our selves and of this world the best Christians are compounded of flesh and spirit and if the spirit long to be in Heaven yet the Flesh is loath to leave this Earth Speak out of my soul thou prayest daily Come Lord Jesus let thy Kingdome come but is not the Flesh afraid lest God should hear thy Prayers Oh that we could loath our loathness in that respect oh that we could long for this second coming of Christ to Judgment And Christians this is attainable or otherwise I should not perswade you to it Phil. 1 2â— I am in a strait said Paul between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And this is the voice of the desolate Bride Come for the spirit of Christ within her saith come The Spirit and the Bride say come Yea the whole Creation saith come Rev. 12.17 Rom. 8 21 23. Waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body Oh that we could groan oh that we could come up to this high pitch even to sigh out not our breath but our spirits even to groan out not some vapours but our hearts I know it is suitable to flesh and blood to tremble at the thoughts of judgment When Paul reasoned of righteousness temperance and of Judgment to come Felix trembled Acts 24.25 Weak Christians as well as Heathens may have many terrible fancies and notions of that day Oh to think of a time When there shall be a great earthquake Rev. 6.12 13 14 15 16 17 when the Sun shall become
this day of the Lord we look for it and hasten unto it we are glad it is so near and we do what we can to have it nearer with an holy kind of impatience we beg of the Lord Rom 8.22 23 Come Lord Jesu come quickly This was Paul's character We know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies God's children such as have the first-fruits of the spirit the beginnings of true saving grace in them they constantly look and long for the day of full deliverance or of the coming of Christ This the Apostle instanceth in his Corinthians ye come behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and in like manner he writes to his Philippians Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 And to Titus himself he writes the same things We look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now Christians lay this character to heart do you long pant and look for this glorious and second coming of Christ have you any such wishes and sayings of heart and mind as these are Oh that Christ would appear Oh that Christ would now break the Heavens and come to Judgment oh that I could see him in the Cloud and on his Throne oh that his enemies were ruined my sins subdued my soul saved that I might serve him without weariness for ever and ever Surely if these elongations of soul be in you it is a comfortable evidence that your hopes are sound and that Christ will come to receive you to himsâ—lf and to bring you to glory 3. If we love Christ's appearing then will he appear on our side 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing A true Christian loves Christ's appearing in ordinances and in all the means of grace how much more in his own person but how should we love that we see not O yes there 's a kind of an Idea of Christ and of his glorious appearing in every sanctified soul and in that respect we love him though we cannot see him Who having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 Verse 7. saith the Apostle and so your love and faith at the appearing of Jesus Christ shall be found unto praise and honour and glory Those that have not seen Christ and yet love the Idea of his sight even they shall appear at the appearing of Christ in praise and honour and glory Is not the Crown laid up for them that love the appearing of Christ is it not a sign of a good cause to love a day of hearing surely the love of Christ's coming cannot consist without some assurance that a soul shall stand upright in the Judgdment He that hath not a confidence in his cause loves not the coming of the Judge no guilty prisoner loves the Sessions or loves the judges presence it is the cry of Reprobates Rev. 6.16 O ye mountains and O ye Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne But as for Christ and his Saints O the mutual loves and mutual longings in their breasts The last words that Christ speaks in the Bible and amongst us last words make deepest impressions are Surely I come quickly and the last answer that is made in our behalf is Amen even so come Lord Jesus I know this Character is near the former and therefore I shall pass it over 4. If our works be good then will he reward us according to our works At that great day this will be the trial works are no works Mat. 25.33 34 35 36. Then will he say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here were works Verse 46. upon which followed the rewards of Heaven for these went into eternal life I know Works are not meritorious and yet they are evidences I know works without Faith are but glisterrings sins and yet works done in faith are signs and fore-runners of eternal glory I know that if all the excellencies of all the moralities of all the men in the world were put together these could never reach glory and yet a cup of cold water given to one of Christ's little ones in the name of a Disciple of Christ shall not lose its reward Mat. 10.24 If a Christian doubt how should I know that my works are of a right stamp I answer 1. Look at the principle is there not something above nature do I not find some new light let out by God that shews a glory and excellency and beauty in good works is there not something in me that makes the same to be sweet or pleasant or agreeable to me 2. Look at the end natural works have no better end than self and creature-respects but in my works is there no aim at something higher than self whatever I do is not this in mine eye that all I do may tend to the honour and glory of God I had need take heed of vain-glory and self applause the Godly at the day of Judgment do not know the good works they did if my aim be at God I shall forget my self as if all I did were swallowed up in God 3. Look at the manner of my doing works Vzzah had a good intention but his work was not good because the manner was not good are my works according to the rule do they carry a conformity to the Law of God Let every man try his own work in this O my soul bring thy works to the touch-stone the Scripture the Rule of goodness is not all thy gold then discovered to be dross the Scripture doth not onely tell of works but tells us the manner of performing them as for instance if rightly done they must be done in zeal in fervency in activity thus Gods people are called a peculiar people zealous of good works a formal customary superficial performance of holy works fails in the manner of performing them what are my works performed in zeal is there not too much of coldness emptiness formality in all I do why thus may I know whether my works are of a right stamp certainly all works duties actings which are not done by a gracious heart through
Cant. 8.14 Many prayers are in the bowels of this as that Christ when he comes may bid us welcome and give us a place on his Throne on his right hand and pronounce us blessed and take us to himself to live with himself in eternal glory c. But I mention onely this general and let each soul expatiate on the rest 2. Let us praise him for his coming and for all his actings at his coming Our engagement to Christ even for this transaction is so great that we can never enough extol his Name at that day the books shall be opened and why not the book of our engagements to Jesus Christ if it must be opened I can surely tell you it is written full the page and margent both within and without is written full it 's an huge book of many volumes O then let our hearts be full of praises let us joyn with those blessed Elders that fell down before the Lamb and sung Worthy it the Lamb that was slain to receive power Rev. 5.12 and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Yea let us joyn with all those creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the Sea whom John heard saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the throne Ver. 13. and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LET us conform to Jesus as coming again to judge the World Looking to Jesus contains this when the Apostle would perswade Christians to patience under the cross he lays down first the cloud of witnesses all the Martyrs of the Church of Christ and secondly Jesus Christ himself as of more vertue and power than all the rest the Martyrs suffered much but Christ endured more than they all and therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 12.2 look unto Jesus surely he is the best exemplar the chief pattern to whom in all his transactions we may in some way or other conform But how should we conform to Christ in this respect I Answer 1. Christ will in his time prepare for judgment Oh let us at all times prepare for his judging of us doth it not concern us to prepare for him as well as it concerns him to prepare for us if Christ come and find us careless negligent unprepared what will become of us the very thought of Christ's sudden coming to judgment might well put us into a waiting watching posture that we might be still in readiness it cannot be long and alas what is a little time when it is gone how quickly shall we be in another World and our souls receive their particular judgments and so wait till our bodies be raised and judged to the same condition or salvation it is not an hundred years in all likelyhood till every soul of us shall be in heaven or hell it may be within a year or two or ten or thereabouts the greatest part of this congregation will be in Heaven or Hell and I beseech you what is a year or two or ten what is an hundred or a thousand years to the dayes of eternity how speedily is this gone and how endless is that time or eternity that is come is it not high time then to prepare our lamps to trim our souls to watch and fast and pray and meditate and to remember that for all our deeds good or evill God will bring us to Judgment herein is our Conformity to Christ's coming before he comes he prepares for us oh let us against his coming prepare for him 2. Christ at his coming will summon all his Saints to arise to ascend and to come to him in the clouds O let us summon our souls to arise to ascend and to go to Christ in the Heavens What Christ will do really at that day let us do spiritually on this day It was the prodigal's saying I will arise and go to my Father and say unto him Luk. 15.18 We are naturally sluggish we lye in a bed of sin and security and we are loath to arise to ascend and to go to God Oh then let us call upon our own souls Awake awake Deborah why art thou so heavy O my soul let us stir up our spirits consciences wills affections every day let us wind them up as a man doth his Watch that it may be in a continual motion Alas alas we had need to be continually stirring up the gifts and graces that are in us it is the Lords pleasure that we should daily come to him he would have us on the wing of Prayer and on the wing of Meditation and on the wing of Faith he would have us to be still arising ascending and mounting up in divine contemplation to his Majesty And is it not our duty and the Saints disposition to be thus Whethersoever the dead carcass is thither will the Eagles resort Matth. 24.28 if Christ be in Heaven where should we be but in Heaven with him For where your Treasure is there will your hearts be also Oh that every morning and every evening at least our hearts would arise ascend and go to Christ in the Heavens 3. Christ will at last judge all our souls and judge all the wicked to eternal flames oh let us judge our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord in that sad Judgment If we would judge our selves saith the Apostle we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 Good reason we have to conform to Christ in this point or otherwise how should we escape the judgment of Christ at the last day but in what manner should we judge our selves I answer 1. We must search out our sins 2. We must confess them before the Lord. 3. We must condemn our selves or pass a sentence against our own souls 4. We must plead pardon and cry mightily to God in Christ for the remission of all those sins whereof we have judged our selves and condemned our selves 1. We must search out our sins Winnow your selves O people not worthy to be beloved Zeph. 2.1 There should be a strict scrutiny to find out all the prophaness of our hearts and lives all our sins against light and love and checks and vows winnow your selves If you will not I pronounce to you from the eternal God that ere long the Lord will come in the Clouds and then will he open the black Book wherein all your sins are written he will search Jerusalem with candles he will come with a Sword in his hand to search out all secure sinners every where and then will all your sins be discovered to all the World O that we would prevent this by our search and scrutining a forehand 2. We must confess our sins before the Lord we must spread them before the Lord as Hezekiah did his letter onely in our confessions observe these rules As 1. Our confession must be full of sorrow Psal 38.18 I
this vivification By this meanes it was that those dead bones were quickened in Ezekel's prophesie viz. by the Prophets prophesying upon them And he said unto me son of man prophesie upon these bones Ezek 37.4 and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the Word of the Loâ—d And by this means it is that dead souls are quickened the Ministry of the Word is the Trumpet of Jesus Christ when that sounds who knows but he may quicken the dead hearken therefore to this Word of God 2. Act saith upon the Lord Jesus as to justification As is the clearness and fixedness of our souls in bottoming our selves on Christ for righteousness so will be our quickness Luke 7.47 and successfull prâ—gress in the work of holiness because Maries sins which were many were forgiven her therefore she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Many a soul loseth much of vivification for want of clearness in its justification or for want of setledness and stronger measure of acting faith Oh what life would be raised as to holiness what working binding filling the laws of love retribution thankfulness would there be when we see our selves clearly reconciled with God and wrapt up in the foldings of everlasting love 3. Trace every Ordinance and every duty for the appearings of the Son of God Be much in Prayer hearing reading fellowship with the Saints living in the fulness of Sacraments be much in secret conversings with God in meditation expâ—sâ—ulation enquiries searchings and which is a precious work be much in diligent watching of and hearkening and listening to the movings workings hints intâ—mations of the Spirit of God be much in observing the methods and interpreting the meanings and language of God in all his secret dispensations with the soul Certainly there will be abundâ—nce of the life of God conveyed to him that walks in these paths Blessed are they that dwell in thy house might David well say and one Reason is pertinent to this case Luke 15.17 because In our fathers house is bread enough and to spare while the Prodigal that goes out from it shall feed upon husks and with Ephraim swallow up the East-wind Oh for a Spirit of Prayer Meditation c. Oh for a Spirit even swallowed up in communion with God! Isa 64 5. Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness and those that remember thee in thy wayes 4. Look much at Christ raised Christ Glorified Christ's Resurrection was the beginning of his glory and therein is comprehended both the glory that draws desires towards Christ Psal 34 5. Psal 123.1 2. and the grace and power that establisheth faith in its depenâ—ancy They looked unto him and were lightened unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that â—wettest in the heavens behold as the eyes of the servants look unto the hand of their Mastâ—rs and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Mistris so our eyes waâ—te upon the Lord our God It is said of Moses Heb. 11.27 that he endured affliction as seeing him who is invisible Oh could we keep our hearts in a more constant view and believing meditation of the glory of Christ our faces would certainly bring some beams of Divinity with them from the Mount 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory The very beholding of Christ hath a mightty conforming and assimilating vertue to leave the impressions of glory upon our Spirits 5. See our own Personal vivification linked unseparably unto and bottomed unremoveably upon the resurrection of Christ when we can by faith get a sight of this it is not to speak how couragiously and successfully the soul will grapple in the controversies of the Lord against the Devil and our own deceitful hearts with what strength could Joshua Gidion c. go on when backed with a promise and their Spirits setled in the perswasion of it and what use will the promises be in this kind and more than all the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ when we can clearly and steadfastly rest upon this that there is an inseparable connection betwixt the resurrection of Christ and our personal holiness and perseverance to the end Oh that I could act my faith more frequently on Christs resurrection so that at last I could see it by the light of God to be a destinated principle of my vivification in particular what a blessed means would this be 6. Walk as we have Christ Jesus for an example This example of Christ though it be not ours as it is the Socinians totum Christi yet certainly it yields much to our vivification who can deny but that acting with the pattern ever in ones eye is very advantageous come then and if we would live the life of God let us live as Christ lived after his resurrection But how is that I answer 1. See that we return to the grave no more take heed of ever returning to our former state you may say what needs this Caveat hath not Christ said He that liveth and believeth in me shall never dye or never fall away I answer it is true they shall never totally and finally fall away yet they may fall foully and fearfully they may lose that strength and vigour that sense and feeling which sometimes they had they may draw so nigh to the grave as that both by themselves and others they may be accounted amongst them that go down to the pit free among the dead Psal 88.5 as Heman saith of himself The Apostle saith something that might even startle Christians he tells of some who have been once enlightened by the Word and have tasted of the heavenly gift some flashes of inward joy and peace and were made partakers of the holy Ghost the common gifts and graces of the Spirit and have tasted the good Word of God have found some relish in the sweet and saving Promises of the Gospel and the powers of the world to come have had some ravishing apprehensions of the joyes and glory in Heaven and yet fall away by a total Apostacy Christians Heb. 6.4.5 6. how far goes this I know it is said only of such who have a name to live and no more but surely it gives a warning to us all that we come not nigh the verge the brink of the grave again let us not give way to any one sin so as to live in it 2. Let us evidence our resurrection Christ being raised he shewed himself alive by many infallible proofs so let us evidence our vivification by many infallible proofs i.e. Let us yield up our selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead Rom. 6.13 Col. 3.2 let us walk as men of another world If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God let us serve God