all the rest destroyed what shall save the remnant Esa. 17.7 At that day shall a man look to his maker and when Ierusalem is saved and the Spirit of grace and supplication is poured on the house of David Zach. 12.10 And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son 4. You are poore and naked then saith Christ leane and hungry and ye that want bread and ye that sweat and give out money Esa. 55.3 Hearâ—â—n diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soule delight it self in fatnesse ver 3. Incline your care to me and hear and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting Covâ—nant with you even the sure merries of David Then a soule dies a soules death he is leane hee eateth dirt hee has no bread while he comes to Christ Revel 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me O this noble me this brave celebrious this glorious me I counsell thee to buy of me and not of others who are but cousening hucksters gold tryed in the fire gold buyeth all things and is not bought but this is not a common Merchant and buy of me white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed But thou mayâ—t have a burthen on thee heavier then â—hy back or bones canst stand under then hear him Maâ—th 11.28 Come unto me all yee that labour and are laden and I will give you rest and because all are thirsty for some happinesse the desires are gaping for some heaven Christ cryeâ—h at Ieâ—usalem with a loud voyce with a good will â—o save Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Ioh. 11.26 He that liveth and bâ—lieveth in me shall never die 5. What greater reason then to heare this Cant. 5.2 Oâ—en to me my sister my dove my love my undefiled and wisdomes voyce is sweeâ— Prov. 7.14 Hearken unto me therefore O yee children and attend to the words of my mouth Esa. 49.1 Listen O Isleâ— to me so he speaketh to his redeemed Esa. 48.16 Come yee neare to me and 6. There is nothing more fitting then that his oath stand that the knee that will not bow to him shall break Esa. 45.23 I hâ—ve sworn by my self Rom. 14.11 For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God 7. What greater honour can be then such alliance then that Christ speak so to his bride Hos. 3.3 And I said unto her thou shalt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I be for thee and Hos 2.19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betrâ—th thee unto me ver 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse 8. To him is that which may be ground of faith and confidence Luk. 10.22 All things are delivered to me of my Father Math. 28.19 All power is given to me in Heaven and in earth there is a great trust put upon â—hrist Ioh. 17. â— Thine they were and thou gavest them me Heb. â— 13 Behold I and the childâ—en that God hath given me Luk. 22.29 The father has appointed a Kingdome to me This to me hath yet a greater edge and fulnesse of Christs soul-taking and drawing expressions 1. To Christ we are drawn as to a friend approaching to Christ is expressed by comming to him 1. We come to him as to our home the man that commeth to Christ is in a friends house Christ will not cast him out Ioh. 6.39 The man may throw down his loads and burthens and cast him selfe and his burthen on him and finde rest for his soule he doth not stand nor runne any moâ—e but sit down under the shadow of the tree of life Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shaddow with great delight Heb. I lusted or desired him and sate down and his fruit was sweet in my mouth And how did Christ take with the soul O most kindly v. 4. He led me into a house of wine What do you think of a house of joy every stone every rafter every piece of covering wall and floore is the cheering consolation of the holy Ghost and what futher his banner over me is love the collours and ensigne of this Chieftaine is the love of Christ. 6. And what love-rest is here his left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me What a bed of love must that be to lye in a corner in a circle infolded in the two everlasting armes the left arme is neare the heart such a soule must lie with heart and head upon the breast and heart of Iesus Christ and above and underneath for pillow for covering for curtaines arms of everlasting love an house all made within and without of eternall joy and consolations is incomparable such a chamber of a King such cullouâ—s and hangings as love such a bed as the embracings of Christ you never heard of 2. Life is the sweeteâ—â— floure of any being it s a taking thing now 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life all out of Christ are dead men so we come to Christ as our life 1 â—er â— 4 To whom comming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but that 's no maâ—ter chosen of God and pretious who crâ—â—d we but here oâ— a stone with life and so noble a life as an intellectuall life and then the life of God O death come to thy life that is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 Here a breathing living stone and then a chosen one of great pâ—ice should all the crowned Kings since Adam to the dissolving of this world sell themselves their Globe of the earth and all their pretious stones they should not buy a dayes glory in heaven but say that they should sell the earth and the heavens and oppignorate or lay in pledge Sun and Moone and Starres if they were their moveable inheritance and sell them all millions of times they should be farre from any comparable buying of the elect pretious stone that is digged out of Mount Sion Iob 28.13 Man knoweth not the price of wisedome of this wisdome v. 18. no mention shall be made of coralls or of pearls for the price of wisdome is above Rubies ver 19. The Toâ—az of Ethiopia shall not equall it neither shall it be valued with pure Gold ther 's no talking no bidding in this market so pretious is the sâ—one but it s the stone living and breathing out heaven and God infinitely more exâ—ellâ—nt then heaven 3. To me saith Christ because no excellency can be comparable to him who only can give God to the sinner Joh. 14.6 No man commeth to the Father but by me it must be an incomparable priviledge to come by Iesus Christ to God God God is aâ—l in all I canâ—oâ— saviâ—gly be drawn to any
and wrinkles Psal. 102.26 Then let man make for his long home let Time it selfe waxe old and gray-hair'd Why should I desire to stay here when Christ could not but passe away And if this spotlesse soule that never sinned was troubled what wonder then many troubles be to the sinner Our Saviour who promiseth soule-rest to others cannot have soule-rest himselfe his soule is now on a wheele sore tossed and all the creatures are upon a wheele and in motion there is not a creature since Adam sinned sleepeth sound Wearinesse and motion is laid on Moon and Sunne and all creatures on this side of the Moon Seas ebbe and flow and that 's trouble winds blow rivers move heavens and stars these five thousand yeares except one time have not had sixe minutes rest living creatures walk apace toward death Kingdomes Cities are on the wheele of changes up and downe Man-kind runne and the disease of body-trouble and soule-trouble on them they are motion-sick going on their feet and Kings cannot have beds to rest in The six dayes Creation hath been travelling and shouting for paine and the Child is not born yet Rom. 8.22 This poore woman hath been groning under the bondage of vanity and shall not be brought to bed while Jesus come the second time to be Mid-wife to the birth The great All of heaven and earth since God laid the first stone of this wide Hall hath been groning and weeping for the liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 The figure of the passing-away world 1 Cor. 7.31 is like an old mans face full of wrinkles and foule with weeping we are waiting when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven and shall come and wipe the old mans face Every creature here is on its feet none of them can sit or lie Christs soule now is above trouble and rests sweetly in the bosome of God Troubled Soules Rejoyce in hope Soft and childish Saints take it not well that they are not every day feasted with Christs love that they lie not all the night between the Redeemer's brests and are not dandled on his knee but when the daintiest piece of the Man Jesus his precious soule was thus sick of soule-trouble and the noble and celebrious head-Heire of all the first of his Kingly house was put to deep grones that pierced skies and heaven and rent the rocks why but sinners should be submissive when Christ is pleased to set children down to walke on foot and hide himselfe from them But they forget the difference between the Innes of clay and the Home of glory Our fields here are sowne with teares griefe growes in every furrow of this low-land You shall lay soule and head down in the bosome and between the brests of Jesus Christ that bed must be soft and delicious its perfumed with uncreated glory The thoughts of all your now soule-troubles shall be as shadowes that passed away ten thousand yeares agoe when Christ shall circle his glorious arme about your head and you rest in an infinite compasse of surpassing glory or when glory or ripened grace shall be within you and without you above and below when feet of clay shall walk upon pure surpassing glory The street of the City was pure gold There is no gold there but glory onely gold is but a shadow to all that is there It were possibly no lesse edifying to speake a little of tho Fourth What love and tender mercy it was in Christ to be so troubled in soule for us 1. Pos. Selfe is precious when free of sinne and withall selfe-happy Christ was both free of sin and selfe-happy what then could have made him stirre his foot out of heaven so excellent a Land and come under the pain of a troubled soule except free strong and vehement love that was a bottomlesse river unpatient of banks Infinite goodnesse maketh Love to swell without it selfe Joh. 15.13 Goodnesse is much moved with righteousnesse and innocency but wee had a bad cause because sinners But goodnesse for every man that hath a good cause is not a good man is moved with goodnesse we were neither righteous nor good yet Christ though neither righteousnesse was in us nor goodnesse would dare to dye for us Rom. 5.7 8. Goodnesse and grace which is goodnesse for no deserving is bold daring and venturous Love which could not flow within its owne channell but that Christs love might be out of measure love and out of measure loving would out-run wickednesse in man 2. Pos. Had Christ seen when hee was to ingage his soule in the paines of the second death that the expence in giving out should be great and the in-come small and no more then hee had before wee might value his love more But Christ had leasure from eternity and wisdome enough to cast up his counts and knew what hee was to give out and what to receive in so hee might have repented and given up the bargaine Hee knew that his bloud and his one noble soule that dwelt in a personall union with God was a greater summe incomparably then all his redeemed ones Hee should have in little he should but gaine lost sinners hee should empty out in a manner a faire God-head and kill the Lord of glory and get in a black bride But there 's no lack in love the love of Christ was not private nor mercenary Christ the buyer commended the wares ere hee bargained Cant. 4.7 Thou art all faire my love there 's not a spot in thee Christ judged hee had gotten a noble prize and made an heavens market when hee got his Wife that hee served for in his armes Esay 53.11 Hee saw the travell of his soule and was satisfied Hee was filled with delight as a full Banquetter If that ransome hee gave had been little hee would have given more 3. Pos. It is much that nothing without Christ moved him to this engagement There was a sad and bloudy warre between divine Justice and sinners Love Love pressed Christ to the warre to come and serve the great King and the State of lost Mankind and to doe it freely This maketh it two favours It s a conquering notion to think that the sinners heaven bred first in Christs heart from eternity and that Love freest Love was the blossome and the seed and the onely contriver of our eternall glory that free Grace drove on from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting the saving plot and sweet designe of redemption of soules This innocent and soule-rejoycing policy of Christs taking on him the seed of Abraham not of Angels and to come downe in the shape of a servant to the land of his enemies without a Passe in regard of his sufferings speaketh and cryeth the deep wisdome of infinite Love Was not this the wit of free Grace to find out such a mysterious and profound dispensation as that God and man personally should both doe and suffer so as Justice should
was contrary to the course of nature darkened and by the Rocks when they were rent and the Temple cloven asunder and the Graves opened when men weakely or wickedly denyed him and would not onely not preach his glory but blaspheme his name 5. He was glorified in his resurrection being declared to be the Sonne of God and obtained a name above all names and was by the right hand of God exalted to be a Saviour and a Prince to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes Phil. 2.9 Ephes. 1.20 Act. 5.31 Act. 3.13 6. He shall come againe in his glory Math. 25.31 And shall be glorified and admired in all his Saints 2 Thess. 1.10 The fairest and most glorious sight that ever the eye of man saw shall be when Christ shall come riding through the cloudes on his Chariot of glory accompanied with his mighty Angels and with one pull or shake of his mighty armes shall cause the Starres to fall from heaven as figges fall from a fig-tree shaken with a mighty wind and blow out all these candles of heaven with one blast of his ire and A fire shall goe before him and burne up the earth with the works that are therein when the higher house of heaven and the lower of the earth shall meet together and when Mystical Christ shall be glorified If there be so much glory in Jesus Christ and his sufferings as he must beare the glory Zach. 6.13 And All the glory of his fathers house be upon him Esai 22.24 His Crowne of glory on his head must be so weighty and ponderous with Rubies Saphires Diamonds that it will break the neck of any mortall man King or Parliament to beare it None on earth have a head or shoulders for this so weighty a Diademe Parliaments have not necks worthy to carry Christs golden bracelets nor a backe to be honoured with his robe Royall if they will but take his Scepter in their hand it shall crush them as clay-vessels this stone hewen out of the Mountaine without hands shall crush the clay-leggs of Parliaments and then how shall they stand God properly glorifies himselfe Angels and Men are but chamberlaines and factors to pay the rent of his glory and because he will give himselfe his Sonne his Spirit to us and his grace and yet will not give his glory to another let us beware to intercept the rents of the Crowne Object The Lord giveth grace and glory Psalm 84. And he hath a crowne of glory laid up for his Saints in the heavens Answ. That glory is but matured and ripened grace Gods glory is the eminent celebrious and high esteeme that Men and Angels have of God as God or the foundation of this to meddle with this is to encroach upon the Crowne and Prerogative royall of God Glory imparted to Saints in heaven is but a beame a lustre shaddow or way of that transcendent and high glory that is in God and is as farre different from the incommunicable glory of God as the shaddow of the Sunne in a Glasse or in the bottome of a Fountaine and the Sunne in firmament We may desire the chips and shaddows and raies of glory but beware that we meddle not with that which devels and men alwaies seeke after in a sacrilegious way 3. We are hence taught to admire the excellencie of the unsearchable knowledge and skill of Divine providence out of Christs abasing himselfe to take on him our nature 2. Out of his miracles that were just nothing to blind-naturall-men 3. Out of his death and shame the Lord extracteth the most eminent and high glory of his name That Omnipotencie should triumph in the jaw-bone of an Asse in a straw in a crucified man commends the glory of God and the art of his workmanship to make Gold out of clay and iron Diamonds and Rubies out of the basest stones would extoll the art of man A creation out of nothing and Flowres Roses Forrests Woods out of cold earth is the praise of the wisdome and power of the Creator the baser the matter be the art of the Author is the more glorious if the worke be curious and excellent God here 1. Out of death shame sinfull oppressing of the Lord of glory raiseth the high worke of mans Redemption 2. When we spill businesse and marre all through sinning and provoking God then Israel must bring a spilt businesse to God that he may right them Judg. 3.10 11. God can find the right end of the threed when matters are ravelled and disordered We see now Nations confounded enemies rising against us But bloud warres confusions oppression and crushing downe of Christ and his Church are good and congruous meanes when they have the vantage of being handed by omnipotencie When we worke the instrument must bee as big as a mountaine and then our eye cannot see God for the bignesse of the Instrument God regardeth not the nothings and the few that he worketh withall Dead men can sight when God putteth a sword in their hand Men shall fall under wounded men beware of robbing God of his glory Did ever a decree or a counsell of God part with child Or can Omnipotencie bring forth untimely births or prove abortive You see Christ now in the death-house of Adams sonnes and wrestling with hell yet God by Christ at the weakest works his end death is a low thing sinne is farre more base but when God acts at the end of either they have a scope and end as high as God to glorifie God 3. If God hath been and must be glorified in all that is done what doe we doe we trouble our selves to seeke glory one of another We are created for this end and it s our glory to fetch in glory to God What can the aiery applause of men bee golden stilts for creeples to walke to heaven withall Or can the peoples poore Hosannas be silken sailes to our ship or golden wings that by these you man saile and flye up to heaven Where is Belshazzer who but built a house for the glory of his owne name Where is Herod who did receive one word of a God which the people did steale Doe not these fooles take little roome in print and at this day as little in the clods of the earth The Roman State would not permit Christ to be a God What was their doome must not a Kingdome cast its bloome fall and wither that will not suffer Christ to be a King in his Church Vers. 29. The people therefore that stood by and heard it said it thundered others said an Angel spake to him Another effect of the Prayer of Christ doth follow in the people They had sundry judgements of this Answer from heaven Some said it was a thunder for they understood it not Others nay but it is above nature An Angel hath spoken to him It thundered Doth not any rude shepherd or the most simple ideot know a thunder
amenity and lovelinesse of his nature and all infinite perfections as this pleasantnesse offers it selfe to his owne understanding and the understanding of men and Angels and as bodily beauty satisfies the eies and so acts on the heart to win love to beauty so the truth of the Lords nature and all his Attributes offered to the understanding and mind and drawing from them admiration or wondering and love is the beauty of God David maketh this his one thing Psal. 27.4 That saith he I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and inquire in his Temple See then as white and red excellently contempered maketh pleasure and delectation to the eies and through these windowes to the mind and heart so there ariseth from the nature of God and his Attributes a sweet intelligibility as David desires no other life but to stand beside God and behold with his mind and faiths eyes God in his Nature and Attributes as he reveales himself to the creature The Queen of Sheba came a far journey to see Salomon because of his perfection some common people desire to see the King the Lord is a fair and pleasant object to the understanding 2. There is in beautie a due proportion of members 1. quantity 2. situation 3. stature Let a person have a most pleasant colour yet if the eares and nose be as little as an Ant or as big as an ordinary mans leg he is not beautifull 2. If members be not right seated if the one eye be two inches lower in the face then the other it mars the beautie or if the head be in the breast it is a monster Or 3. if the stature be not due as if the person be the stature of ten men and too big or the stature of an infant or a Dove had he all other things for colour and proportion his beauty is no beauty but an error of nature he is not as he should be now the Lord is beautifull because infinitnesse and sweetnesse of order is so spread over his nature and Attributes nothing can be added to him nothing taken from him and hee is not all mercy only but infinitely just were God infinitely true yet not meek and gracious he should not be beautifull had he all perfections but weak mortall not omnipotent not eternall his beauty should be marâ—ed then one attribute does not over-top out-border or limit another were he infinite in power but finite in mercy the lustre and amenity of God were defaced 3. There is integrity of parts in beauty Were a person fairer then Absolom and wanted a nose or an arme the beauty should be lame The Lord is compleat and absolutely perfect in his blessed nature and attributes 4. All these required in beauty must be naturall and truely and really there Borrowed colours and painting and fair-ding of the face as Jezabel did are not beauty the Lord in all his perfections is truely that which he seemes to bee Now as there is in Roses gardens creatures that are faire something plâ—â—sant that ravisheth eye and heart so there are in God so many faire and pleasant truths to take the minde and God is so capatious and so comprehensive a truth and so lovely such a bottomlesse Sea of wonders and to the understanding that beholds Gods beauty there is an amenity goodlinesse a splendor an irradiation of brightnesse a lovelinesse and drawing sweetnesse of excellencie diffused through the Lords nature Hence heaven is a seeing of God face to face Revel 22.4 Matth. 18.10 Now God hath not a face but the face of a man is the most heavenly visible part in man there is majestie and gravitie in it much of the art and goodlinesse of the creature is in his face To see Gods face is to behold Gods blessed essence so farre as the creature can see God Now as we may be said to see the Sunnes face when we see the Sunne as we are able to behold it but there is beauty and such vehemency of visibility in it as it exceedeth our faculty of seeing so do we see Gods face when we neerely behold him not by heare-say but immediately Let us imagine that millions of Sunnes in the firmament were all massed and framed in one Sunne and that the sense of seeing that is in all men that ever hath been or may be yet this Sun should far excell this faculty of seeing so suppose that the Lord should create an understanding facultie of man or Angels millions of degrees more vigorous and apprehensive then if all the men and Angels that are or possibly may be created were contemperated in one yet could not this understanding so see Gods transcendent and superexcellent beauty but there should remaine unseene treasures of lovelinesse never seene yea it involves an eternall contradiction that the creature can see to the bottome of the Creator All this bounty of God is holden forth to us in Christ. Psal. 45.10 He is fairer then the Sonnes of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is of a double forme to note a double excellencie Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art faire my beloved yea pleasant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth lovely amiable acceptable The Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 146. It is pleasant and sweet 2 Sam. 1.26 Thou wast very pleasant to me Cant. 5.10 He is white and ruddie Vers. 15. His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars Rev. 1.16 His countenance as when the Sunne shineth in his 〈◊〉 strength All the beauty of God is put forth in Christ. Esai 33.17 Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Hebr. 1.3 Christ is the brightnesse of his Fathers glorie The light of the Sunne in the ayre is the accidentall reflection of the Suns beames Christ is the substantiall reflection of the Fathers light and glory for he is God equall with the Father and the same God 3. This beauty to Men and Angels is an high beauty Angels have eyes within and without Revel 4.6 to behold the beautie of the Lord and it takes up their eyes alwayes to behold his face and there is no beautie of truth they desire more to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.12 as to stoope downe and to looke into a darke and veiled thing with the bowing of the head and bending of the necke the Seventy use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 2.9 Where Christ is said to stand behind the wall and looke out at the casements with great attention of minde It is to looke downe over a window bending the head Exod. 25.18 19 20. Joh. 20.5 They stooped downe and saw the linnen clothes Luk. 24.12 Angels are not curious but they must see exceeding great beauty and wonder much at the excellency of Christ when they cannot get their eyes pulled off Jesus Christ. 2. There is a beauty of Christ in a communion with God which is a ravishing thing When
Open my sister c. My head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night there is no dumbe and silent violence so strong so piercing as Christs love 3. When the soule in any measure comprehendeth this love the Soule is filled with all the fulnesse of God Ephes. 3.19 Hence must follow a stretching out of the soule to its widest capacity and circumference being filled with God and the fulnesse of Christ that all created objects because of their littlenesse and lownesse and the soules stretched out and wide capacity looses proportion with the soule as if a man were in the top of a Castle higher then the third region of the ayre or neere the sphere of the Moone should hee looke downe to the fairest and sweetest meddowes and to a garden rich with roses and floures of all sweet colours delitious smels he should not see any sweetness in them all yea the pleasantnesse colour and smell of all these could never reach his senses because he is so farre above them So the soule filled with the love of Christ is high above all created lovers and they so farre below the soules eye that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritualized soule as the light of a penny-candle put in a house of some miles in length in breadth and height in a darke night should not be able to illuminate all the house and render the ayre of a mile in quantity lightsome and transparent as the day-light Sunne would doe 4. Because the glory of Christs beauty seene and loved changeth the soule into a globe or masse of divine love and glory as it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Therefore the soule seeth Christ so neere in his love-embracements and close inchaining of Christs left arme under the soules head and the right hand embracing it that it cannot see it selfe it cannot see another lover it can see nothing but Christs faireness heare nothing but the beloved's voice taste nothing but his Aples of love his Flagons of wine can smell nothing but his Spicknard and precious oyntments so that the soule is cloathed with Christ and his love and can but breath out love to him againe and Christ infuseth himselfe in his sweetnesse and excellencie so as the beleever is apprehended by Jesus Christ Phil. 3.12 violently but sweetly and strongly drawne in and holden in the Kings house of Wine Cant. 2.4 Sickned and overcomed with love Cant. 2.5 Cant. 5.8 chained and compelled 2 Cor. 5.14 wounded with the arrowes of love so as death the grave Hell Angels things present or to come cannot licke these wounds nor embalme or bind them up or cure them Psal. 45.5 Revel 6.1.2 Cant. 8.6.7 Rom. 8.38.39 Yea the soule must yeeld over it selfe as a Spouse under the power of her husband and lose her self and her fathers house in such a deepe Ocean of delights of Love's stronger then wine Psal. 45.10 Cant. 5.1 Cant. 1.2 As melted dissolved and fallen a swoune in Christ Cant. 5.6 and therefore needeth in that swoune to be recovered with the flagons of the wine and aples of his consolations Cant. 2.4 5. Nor can Jesus Christ but tenderly lovingly and compassionately deale with his beloved for Christ must draw them Joh. 6.44 sweetly allure them Hos. 2.14 Esai 40.1 Take them by the two armes and teach them to walke as the mother doth the young childe who hath not yet leggs to walke alone Hos. 11.3 Beareth them in his armes and dandleth them on his knee Esai 46.3 4. Exod. 19.4 They are carried on Christs warme wings as the young Eagles by the Mother Devt 32.11 they are laid in Christs bosome and nourished with the warmness and the heate of life that commeth from Christs heart Esai 40.11 caried on the shoulders of Christ the good Shepherd Luk. 15.5 and yet neerer Christ as a bracelet about Christs armes so hee weares his Church as a favour and a love-token Jer. 22.24 Cant. 8.6 and ingraven in letters of bloud upon Christs flesh stamped and printed on the palmes of his hands Esai 49.16 and yet nearer him set as a seale upon the heart of Christ so precious to him as to lodge in his bowels and heart Cant. 8.6 and they dwell in Christ 1 Joh. 4.13 and dwell in God and God is love and so they dwell in the love of Christ 1 Joh. 4.16 are kissed with the kisses of Christs mouth Cant. 1.2 and lye betweene the right and left arme of Christ Cant. 2.6 Yet all these taketh not the soule off but inflameth it to duties for Christs sake who is so highly loved nor are these raptures inconsistent with sinfull infirmities 6. As love moveth swiftly to the soule as a Roe or a young Hart for that is Christs pace to his Church Cant. 2. so it acts upon the soule co-naturally as being a price to it selfe apprehending the dignity and excellency of Christ the beloved Love is not irrationall as a fury and a fit of madnesse that hath no reason but it s owne fire Therefore the secrets of Christ the deepe and hidden things of his treasures of love and wisdome must be opened up to the soule The soule seeth new gold mines new found-out Jewels never knowne to be in the the world before opened and unfolded in Christ. Here is the in-commings of the beames of light inaccessible the veins of the unserchable riches of Christ as if yee saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the deepe bottomlesse bottomes of an ocean of delightes and rivers of pleasures the bosome of Christ is opened new breathings and spirations of love that passeth knowledge Ephes. 3.19 are manifested nor hath the eye seene nor the eare heard nor hath it entered in the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 yet are they revealed in some measure in this life 7. And it is most considerable how the soule in loving Christ is not her owne and in regard of loving Christ is not his owne but every one makes over it selfe to another and propriety or interest to it selfe in both sides as it were ceaseth Hos. 3.3 And I said unto her thou shalt abide for mee many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not bee for another man so will I also be for thee so the Mariage covenant of grace saith I will be your God and yee shall be my people And the Spouse Cant. 2.16 My well-beloved is mine and I am his It is true Christ leaveth not off to be his owne or to be a free God when hee becomes ours but hee demeaneth himselfe as if he were not his owne and putteth on relations and assumeth offices of engagement a Saviour an Annointed a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Shepherd a Husband a Ransomer a Friend a Head a guide and leader of the people all
he given to the children of men and oppressors are the Land-lords of it Psal. 10. God ariseth to judge ver 18. that the man of the earth may no more oppresse Ioâ— 9.24 The earth is given to the hand of the wicked 4. Yea it is not only the slaughter-house and shambleâ— where Christ was slaine but all the Martyrs and witnesses of Iesus were butchered here for it s said of Babylon Rev. 18 2â— And in her was found the blood of Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain on the earth then the earth is the scaffold of the Lambs of Christ where theâ— throats have been cut 5. It s a common Inne where bed and board is free to men Devils Sonnes Bastards Elect and Reprobate yea to beasts called from their Country Gen. 1.25 beasts of the earth an earthly minded man is a fellow-citizen with beasts it is a home to all but the Saints it s their Pilgrime-Innes it is a strange land and the house of their Pilgrimage Psal. 119.19 I am a stranger in the earth so David so Abraham and his though they had the heritage of a pleasant spot of the earth by promâ—se even the Land of Canaan yet they sojourned in it as a strange Countrey and Heb. 11.13 Confessed they were strangers and Pilgrimes on Earth 2 Cor 5.6 While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 6. The first doomes-day fell upon the earth for mans sinne Genes 3.17 Cuâ—sed shall the earth bee for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all thy dayes It s a cursed table to man And the other doomes-day is ripening for it Revel 14.15.16 Antichrists seat the Earth of the false Church is a ripe harvest for the Lords sickle of destruction The last doomes-day is approaching when this clay-stage shall be removed 2 Pet. 3.10 The earth and the works therein the house and all the plenishing shall be burnt with fire It s no long time that we are here if wee beleeve Iob chap. 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon Earth are not his dayes like the dayes of an hireling Iob 14.2 Hee cometh forth as a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shaddow and continuâ—th not Many generations of hirelings have ended their dayes taske and have now their wages many shâ—ddoweâ— are gone downe many Acters have closed their gamâ— as it may be and some have fulfilled their course with joy and are now within the curtine since the creation 7. It is a poore narrow â—oomâ— Some Esai 5.8 make house to touch house and lay field to field till there bee want of place that they onely may be placed alone on the earth if they report right of the earth who make it one and twenty thousand miles in circuit if new found Lands adde to this some poore â—kers and the Westerne Beast have much of this Revel 13.8 and the other Beast of the East the Turke the enemy of Iesus Christ have eight thousand miles of the Land and other eight thousand miles of Sea making sixteene thousand miles of the two little Globes I leave others to examine their Geographie then it must be a base plea and a poore lodging to contend for it were a good use for us to argue Was the earth my Saviours refuse and his Inne not his home and if Christ left the earth long agoe and was tired of it then let us Heb. 13.13 goe forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach for here have we no continuing citie but we seeke one to come We cannot lodge far lesse can we dwell in a house that shall be burnt with fire Nor is there roome for us here there is a more excellent countrey above where men have no winter no night no sighing no sicknesse no death but they live for evermore wee are thronged here for want of roome and its a narrow tent O what a large land is that above in which we shall not strive for Akers Land Kingdomes In my Fathers house saith Christ there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many dwelling places houses great and fair and numerous all these are holden forth to us the earth is a creature neere of kin and blood to the half of us and our body When a Sonne of Adam dieth hee returneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his owne earth had he no free heritage on the world though hee were no landed man yet when hee goeth to his grave hee returneth to his owne free heritage to his owne earth 32. If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw c. Here is a sâ—eciall condition of drawing sinners to Christ the manner of Christâ— death his being lifted up from the earth holdeth forth a drawing of sinners up after him from the earth to heaven hence Christs death is a speciall mâ—anes of heavenly-mindnesse and mortification So 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own selfe bare our sinnes in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousnesse Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth 3. For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. 5. Mortifie therefore your members that are on earth fornication uncleannesse c. Beza Piscator and others think it probable that Christ uttered this prayer to his father in the Syriack tongue because the Evangelist useth thâ— word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee lifted up from the earth and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to cut off as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth as Daniel 8.11 by him the daily sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was taken away and to exalt and lift on high 1 Sam. 2.1 my horne is exalted Psal. 99.2 the Lord is high 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all the people Psal. 18.47 Let the Lord be exalted Numb 24.7 Psal. 46.11 Esai 49.11 Gen. 14.22 so â—e holdeth forth such an exalting of Christ as is to cut off and to slay this doth come home to drawing of man from sinne and the earth by that Spirit purchased to us by Christs death Now Christs dying thus being a taking of him away from the earth and from sinners and that in a shamefull manner hee being lifted up on the crosse and hee in this posture drawing us after him it s a clear working in us the death of sinne and our deadnesse to the pleasures and glory of the world 1. Christ dyed pulling his brethren out of hell and sinne hee dyed and his Spouse in his armes and this showeth how desirous Christ is to have an union with us it s a posture of love and grace his head bowed downe to kisse sinner his armes stretched out to imbrace them his bosome open to receive them his sides pierced that the doves may fly into the holes of the rock and lodge there Christ on the crosse broached and
are given to ransome others but poor soules if they be turned in servants their life should be spared but Christ was such a ransome as must lay down his life for the captives Matth. 20.28 No ransome can come lower then a man and an innocent mans death If the captive be wounded and sickly the man that goes a ramsome for him by no Law should be sickly and wounded also 1. It is not ordinary that he that stands as a ransome for captives should take their naturall infirmities their body sighes sadnesse sorrow wants and be like them in all things but Christ was like us in all things except sin 2. And what greater hardship can you put on a ransome captive then death all these Christ did â—ndergoe for us The third and last consideration of Christs death is as it was the end of Christs journey and all his labours in the flesh and this I desire to be considered in these repects 1. As death is Christs last enemy 2. In the concomitants of it 1. As in his triumph of victory 2. His welcome to his Father 1. As death was Christs last enemy dying was to him as to man the last day and moment of his week when he entered into his Sabbath and rest and dyed never to die againe the world and devils chased him into the grave and when he was there hee was in his own land in Paradise in a Kingdome Death was the wearied way-faring-mans home the end of his race and at this place was the fore-runners gold his garland and prize even the glory set before him for the which hee indured the Crosse and despised shame he then sat down it was Christs landing port after his stormy sailing 2. He had no more to do in the merit of redemption in the way of satisfying justice for Christs buriall or lying in the grave was but his mora his lodging all night with death or a continuation of his death when he dyed all was finished the Law of God for satisfaction could crave no more as the last enemy of the body is death 1 Cor. 15.26 so it was the head Christs lasts enemy on earth 3. Heaven was Christs place of refuge his sanctuary and his asylum when Christ was in the other side of death and of time hee was in his castle in his strong Fort enemies can neither besiege him nor take him he cares not now for the worlds feud or for death or the grave Revel 1.18 There was no more law against Christ after his soul was in Paradise the believer has a perfect acquittance of all crosses when he is once in the land of glory 2. There be two considerable concomitants in Christs death 1. His victory 2. His welcome His victory was in his very act of dying that death and the justice of a divine law had their will of Christ and could demand no more of him for all engagements and to answer the bill but death and such a death it was a sort of over-plus and aboundance of ransome to God that death was put to the worse and could in justice never arrest any believer or Saint after Christ. O deaâ—h what wouldst thou have more Or what canst thou demand in law 2. Christ and all his lâ—gally were crucified and dyed and Christ and all his were not destroyed under death but Christ lived and all his with him Ioh. 14.19 when two strong enemies doe conflict and put out their strength one against another to the full and the one lives in his full strength the other must be foiled Christ after death lived and can die no more and is strong and omnipotent now death did all it could against Christ in that he dyed then he must be the Victor and death the vanquished party death was Christs Land-port his shoar after sad Sea-sailing his last stage in which he posted to glory and he came into Paradise and his Fathers Kingdome in a sweat of bloud and the Crosse accompanied him in over the threshold of the gates of heaven so he was welcommed he and all his feed who then were legally in him as one who had acquitted himselfe bravely and honourably in the businesse that most highly concerned the Lord and the glory of all his blessed attributes mercy justice grace wisdome power soveraignty c. There was a most joyfull acclamation in heaven a welcome and embracing and a hand-shaking as we say 1. Between the Father and the Sonne and this is a sweet mediâ—ation Dan. 7.13 I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Sonne of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neare before him ver 14. And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him Now who be these that brought Christ to the Father when he ascended who but thâ— holy Angels his ministering Spirits or servants they attend his ascension to heaven as the Estates of a King wait on and convey the Prince and Heire of a Crown in his Coronation day Heb. 1.6 14. the Disciples Act. 1.10 See two men in white apparell at his ascension goe up to heaven sure there must have been a hoast of them as there were at his birth and shall be at his second comming and its little enough that the Peeres of Heaven such a glorious Parliament of the High House beare the taile of his Robe Royall and attend to welcome to heaven their Lord Creator and their head Christ by whom they stand in Court they are the servants of the Bridgroome it was much joy to them when Christ returned a triumphing Lord to heaven having done all gloriously and compleatly The Father after his death made him a great Prince and gave him a name above all names and set him at the right hand of the Majesty of God 2. And if the Lord shall say to sinfull men Well done good servant enter into the joy of thy Lord Farre more being infinitely satisfied with the travels and service of his Sonne he must say Well done well suffered O Son of my love enter into the joy of thy Fathers soul For the Fathers soule ever delighted in him Esa. 42.1 3. And to see the Father embrace his Sonne in his armes after the battels and put the Crown on his Head and set him down at his right hand and exalt him as an eternall Prince for evermore and accept all his labours and his faithfull and most successefull acquitting of himselfe in all his offices as Redeemer King Priest and Prophet must be a joyfull sight Vse 1. No Believer take it ill to die death sips at every bloud noble or low and would but drink the bloud of this celebrious and eminent Prince of the Kings of the earth 1. For besides that God has stinted our moneths and the ship cannot passe farther then the length of the cable here is the matter Christ