cannot see a man but it trembles it cannot see a judge without trembling and will not the trembling conscience the guilty soule flee from the face of God a pace that trembles at the sigâ—t of a man What is so contrary as the nature of God to the nature of man out of Christ the unholy impure and uncleane nature of man to the pure holy nature of God if Christ had not taken our nature and sanctified it in himselfe and satisfied justice in it what boldnesse could this uncleane nature of ours have had to goe to the holy Godâ— let us I beseech you be wrapped up in admiration of the singular love of God to us especially in the dayes of the Gospell that now we see in a glasse in a cleare glasse the love of God in Christ and with open face boldly we may goe to God Sometimes when the soule is bold in sinne it weakeneth boldnesse and faith and makes us looke upon that object that our sinnes hath deserved upon a wise God for howsoever we may behold his glorious face in Christ yet if we behold sinne against conscience God will hide himselfe Christ will hide his face and hide the promises and leave us to terrours of conscience and the soule shall not apprehend his gracious face in Christ but that correction that our sinne hath deserved God hath power over the soule and makes the soule apprehâ—nd what objâ—ct he will and he presents to a bold soule that runnes into sinne what it deserves hell for the present there is no terrours to the terrour of a Christian that is bold in sinne till God shine upon him in his grace againe sinnes against conscience especially wasting sinnes weaken faiâ—h that wee cannot goe so boldly to God therefore those that say when they sinne against conscience that all the cause of their griefe is because they doe not conceive the free mercy of God they are ignorant of Gods wayes God is wise and though hee pardon sinne as sinne is pardoned in heaven before it be pardoned in the conscience they shall never be pardoned in thy conscience till God have made thy conscience smart for it and God will let wrath into thy conscience and thy faith shall stagger it is a sinne for faith to stagger it should not doe so but it will â—remble and quake till wee have humbled our selves before God What is the way after wee have had boldnesse and sweete familiarity with God and it hath beene interrupted by sin how shall we recover our selves Surely to apprehend our sinnes to be pardonable in Christ and that God is an everlasting Father and that the covenant of grace is everlasting and that there is mercy in Israâ—ll for this thing and the conceite of mercy must worke our hearts to griefe and shame that is certaine for marke in the Gospell Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden hee cals us when we find our consciences afflicted and tormented Hee came to save that which was lost by the blessed power of the Spirit the blood of Christ is as a fountaine for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in and the blood of Christ purgeth us from sinne and Christ bids us for daily trespasses aske pardon daily therefore conceive goodnesse in God still an everlasting current of mercy and this must work upon us griefe and shame and recover and strengthen our faith againe for Gods children after breaches arise the stronger rather then ever they were before but this onely by â—he way we see here how Gods glorious grace is conveyed to us and what is wrought in us to apprehend it a spirituall eye to see it in the glasse of the Gospell and with open face wee behold it wee may goe boldly to the throne of grace I beseech you let not this priviledge be forgotten this priviledge of the Gospell what is the glory of the times we live in but Gods face discovered in Christ in the Gospel faith is wrought in us to apprehend this to see Gods face openly and that we may come boldly with Benjamin our elder brother come with Esaus garments come with Christ and wee cannot be too bold remember alway there must be a reverent familiarity because hee hath Majesty mixed with his bowels of mercy both are mixed together beames and bowels so our carriage to him must bee loving and familiar as he is full of bowels of mercy but then he hath Majesty a reverent familiarity is fit for a father and for so gracious and so sweete a God therfore that phrase wee see in the Scriptures We goe boldly and cry Ab. ba Father Father is a word of reverence that is we goe boldly to God in Christ open our wants as to a Father with love and reverence as it is said here with open face let us not forget this priviledge We all Here is the generality Wee all before in Moses time hee alone went into the Mount and saw God but now We all â—ewes and Gentiles where the Gospell is Preached Wee all Therefore you see here the Church is enlarged by the comming of Christ. And it was a comfort to Saint Paul and to all good Christians to thinke of the inlargement of the Church by taking in the Gentiles as it will be a comfort hereafter to thinke of the inlargeing of the Church by taking in the lewes againe The more the better in religion Why is it a priviledge for many that we all because in matters of grace and glory there is no envy at all all may share without prejudice all cannot be Kings here upon earth nor all cannot bee great men because the more one hath the lesse another hath but in Christ and in Religion all may be gracious God respects every one as if there were none but them hee respects all as one and one as if there were none but he every man in solidum as Civillians expresse it entirely enjoyeth Christ as if there were none but he he is to all as one and to one as if there were none but hee there is no envy as I said in grace and glory where all may share alike and that is the reason why it is alway comfortable to thinke of community in Religion it is joyned with comfort And indeed so it is matter of comfort to see a communion of many in one for what is the misticall body of Christ Iesus but many members joyned in one body under one gracious and glorious head and therefore it is a deformed sight to see fraction and disunion it is that the divell rules in divide rule it is fit for the devill God and Christ rule in union the same Spirit of God that knits the members to the head by faith knits the members one to another in love and all grace is derived from the head to the members as they are united to the body if there be therefore disunion there is no grace conveyed so farre as there is
misticall whole Christ misticall was crucified whole Christ misticall is risen againe notwithstanding the crucifying was terminate in Christ the head not in the members as his death was terminate in his humane nature it ended and was confined in that so this crucifying belonged to the head and the head rose yet whole Christ all beleevers as soone as they are one with Christ by reason of the misticall union they are dead and crucified in Christ their head and risen and sit in heavenly places in Christ their head so then a true beleever when he is made one with Christ he reasons thus my corruption of nature this pride of heart that naturally I have this enmity of goodnesse this is crucified for I am one with Christ when he dyed I in my head did dye and this pride and covetousnesse and worldlinesse this base and filthy carnall disposition was crucified in Christ my head I in my head was crucified and I in my head now am risen and sit in heaven therefore now I am in some sort glorious therefore I minde things above in my head and therefore because of the necessary conformity of the members to the head therefore I must more and more dye to sinne be crucified to sinne and rise by the Spirit of Christ and ascend with him the more I know and consider and meditate of this the more I am transformed into the likenesse of his death and resurrection but to goe a little further Quest. What things in Christs death did especially discover themselves to us when we once beleeve to our comfort Ans. Three things In regard of us wonderfull love that he dyed for for us In regard of sinne wonderfull hatred that hee would dye for sinne And wonderfull holinesse and love of grace he shewed his hatred of sinne that hee would shed his heart blood for it and wanting the glory of God as it were by feeling the wrath of God for a time even in hatred to sinne There were these two affections pregnant in Christ upon the crosse wondrous love for us to dye for us and wondrous hatred of sinne to purge it for which he dyed and wondrous holinesse from whence hatred of sinne came whence doth hatred of sinne come but from wonderfull purity and holiness that cannot indure sinne Thus when the soule considers it is one with Christ it hath the same affections that Christ had Christ in love to us dyed can I apprehend that love of Christ when hee dyed and was crucified and tormented for my sinne but out of love I must hate sinne againe And when I consider how Christ stood affected to sinne upon the crosse when hee dyed to purge it and to satisfie for iâ— câ—n I have other affections being one with him then hee had upon the crosse I cannot so whether I consider his love to me or the hatred he bore to sinne considering my selfe one with him by a mysticall union I shall have the same affection of love to him and bee like him every way to love what hee loves and to hate what hee hates I cannot but hate sinne and hating sinne I must act his part anew that is as he dyed for sinne so I dye to sinne as hee was crucified for it so it is crucified in me as he was peirced so hee gives corruption a stabbe in me as hee was buryed so my corruption is buryed and as he dyed once never to dye againe so I follow my sinnes to the grave to death and consumption of old Adam that hee never riseth againe so I say the consideration of my union with Christ that I in Christ did dye and was crucified because my head dyed and was crucified And then it puts that affection into mee that was in Christ and makes me act Christs part to dye to sin daily more and more these the like thoughts are stirred up in a christian which Saint Paul aimes at in Rom. 6. and other places So by the vertue of his resurrection I am conformable more and more to the graces in him for as the power of Gods Spirit raised him up when hee was at the lowest when he had beene three dayes in the grave so the Spirit in every Christian ray seth them up at the lowest to comfort to a further degree of grace more and more nay when they are fallen into any sinne or any affliction for sinne the same power that raised Christ when hee was in the grave for our sinnes in the lowest humiliation that could bee it raiseth them from their sinnes daily that they gather strength from their sinnes the power that raised Christ at the lowest raiseth a Christian at the lowest in sinne and in affliction for sinne for when he is tripped and undermined by his corruptions God by that power that raised Christ at the lowest recovers and strengthens him and makes him afresh revenge himselfe upon his sinne and when hee is at the lowest in the grave the same power will raise him like Christ every way so you see how we are changed to the liknesse of Christ. How shall wee know then whether we have the Image of Christ stamped upon us or no If wee be changed into the likenesse of Christ we shall be changed in our understandings to judge of things as he did his ayme was to please his father in all things if we have the same ends and the same opinion and esteeme of things he judged matters of grace and of the kingdome of God above all other for the soule is more worth then the whole world see the judgement that he passed upon things Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and all other things shall be cast upon you We must bee changed in our judgement if we will have his Image upon us Wee must bee like him in our will in our choyce in the cleaving and purpose and resolution of our will wee must have the bent of our soule as his was our soules must be edged and pointed as his was wholly for heaven and the Kingdome of God And so for our affections there must bee a change in them in our love and joy and delight we must love and joy and delight in whatsoever he did Now the way to stirre us up to this is to see what Image wee naturally carry and to see our selves in the glasse of the Law if a man consider thus if Christs Image be not upon me I carry the image of the devill this would make him labour to get another Image upon him For beloved at the day of judgement Christ will not owne us if he see not his Image upon us Caesar will owne Caesars coyne if hee see his image upon it Whose image and superscription is this Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars If Christ see his stampe on us he will owne us at the day of judgment or else not Naturally we are all opposite to Christ naturally wee are full of pride and mallice of the
rather increased by the Law for although Moses bee read yet untill this day remaineth the same vayle untaken away the Jewes will unavoydably abide in their Ignorance and bondage Now in opposition to this darknesse and obscurity of the Law in all those respects the Apostle exalteth the Gospell in this high and excellent privilege of it That it is plaine and evident and full of demonstration and that the light of it is not terrifying and amazing but sweet and comfortable so that wee may with much liberty and boldnesse of Spirit looke constantly upon the great glorious things set before us in it although it be no other but the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And there is moreover such an efficacy and working power in this Ministery of the Gospell as it will not suffer men to remaine the same without alteration as they did under Moses Ministery though hee was read daily but it will change them even into the Image of Jesus Christ and the carry them on still in that Image and likenesse from one degree of glory to another after a most admirable and spirituall manner of working This speciall excellency and prerogative of the Gospell is laid downe in the two last verses of this Chapter which are the words upon which wee shall more largely insist in the following discourse Vers. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The Lord is that Spirit that takes away the vaile that is spoken of before Hee sets downe what Christ is by what he doth Christ is that Spirit because he gives the Spirit And then a sweet effect of the Spirit of Christ Where the Spirit of Christis there is liberty The Spirit here is not taken for the person of God as if the Holy Ghost had said The Lord is a Spirit and not a bodily thing though that be a truth And as it is not meant naturally so not personally Christ is that Spirit as if Christ were the holy Ghost that were a confusion of persons nor as restrained to the third person the holly Ghost is the Spirit Neither as some heretofore would have it to shew that the Spirit is Iehovah God It is neither to shew that Christ is God nor that the Spirit is God nor that Christ is the holy Ghost But it is meant in regard of a speciall dispensation The Lord is that Spirit that is the Lord Iesus Christ who is the Lord of his Church by marriage office c. is that Spirit that is hee 1. hath the Spirit in himselfe eminently and 2. dispenseth and giveth the Spirit unto others all receiving the Spirit from him as the common root and fountaine of all spirituall gifts First he was that Spirit as having the holy Ghost in himselfe as man the holy Ghost filled the Humane Nature and made it spirituall The Spirit is all in all in the Humane nature of Christ and whatsoever hee doth he doth as it were being full of the Spirit in himselfe He gives the Spirit as God and receives it as man so hee both gives and receives the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne as God but the Spirit sanctified Christ as man as it did in the Virgins womb the holy Ghost sanctified that blessed masse of his body it sanctified him and filled him with all graces and gifts whereupon it is said he received the Spirit without measure that is in â—bundance Christ hath the Spirit in himselfe in a more eminent excellent manner than all others and it must needs be so for these reasons 1. From the neere union betweene the Humane naâ—ure and the Divine they â—re one person therefore â—here is more Spirit in Christ than in all creatures â—ut them together then in all the Angels and all men because the Divine nature is nearer to Christ then it is to the Angels or to any creature 2. Christ hath the Spirit without measure both in regard of extention and intention as we say he hath all graces in all degrees even next to an infinite all others have it in their measure and proportion 3. The Spirit doth rest upon Christ invariably in other men that have the Spirit it ebbes and flowes it is sometimes more and sometimes lesse there be spirituall desertions not onely in regard of comfort but in regard of grace though not totally but the Spirit rests â—n Christ eternally in a full â—easure and therefore you have it thus in Esa. 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisedome and Vnder standing the Spirit of Counsell and might c. 4. By reason of his place or offices in relation to the Church as Head Husband King Priest Prophet c. the Head is made by nature the seat of the more noble faculties as of Seeing Hearing Understanding Iudgeing and is furnished accordingly with greater plenty of spirits for the ruling and governing the whole body so Christ is the head of the Church and the governement of all the world is laid upon him and all excellencies are derived from him unto all his members as from the Root life is derived unto all the branches and therefore he must needs have the Spirit in greatest abundance his fulnesse of the Spirit is as the fulnesse of the fountaine ours is but as the fulnesse of the Cisterâ—â— hee hath grace in the Spring wee have it but in the Conduit his graces are primitive ours derivative we have nothing but what wee have received therefore it is sayd hee hath the oyle of gladnesse powred upon him above his fellowes Hee hath his name from Annoynting Christ. Hee was annoynted that is separated and ordained to the office of Mediaâ—orship by annoynting not properly that is with any materiall oyle but with the Spirit this was in regard of his Humane nature onely but it was above his fellowes that is above all Kings and Priests for they are his fellowes in regard of titles hee was above them all for all have their annoynting from him therefore he is the King of Kings and the Prophet of Prophets c. Also above all his fellowes as we take his fellowes for Christians they are his fellowes I goe to my God and your God c. he is the first borne amongst them and in all things hee hath the preeminence 5 Hee is to be as the patterne we are to follow him wee are predestinated to be conformed to â—im and to grow up to that fulnesse which is in him and in thiâ— respect there is cause why hee should have the Spirit and all the graces of it is greater abundance that hee might exceed all even Christians of greatest growth and perfection hee is to bee a patterne and example to all to the strongest as wel as to the weake Eveâ— Paul himselfe who was 〈◊〉 Leader to others for the excellency of the grace 〈◊〉 Christ that was in him 〈◊〉 a follower of Christ Be 〈◊〉 followers
quickeâ—s all his members too first hee receives the Spirit himselfe and the same Spirit that filled and sanctified his humane nature the samâ— Spirit sanctifieth his Church which hee loves even as himselfe as he loveth that his owne humane nature which the holy Ghost sanctified so doth he love his owne mysticall body his Church being mystically united to him and sanctifieth it by the same Spirit Christ dispenseth his Spirit unto us as Head of his Church and this he doth in divers respects 1. As he is God by way of immediate influence he powreth it out upon us as the prime and pricipall cause and this he doth as God not as man for the Man-hood cannot worke above it selfe it cannot doe the worke of God it cannot worke grace or give the Spirit 2. As he is Man considered as joyned together with the God-head by way of merit and satisfaction he procureth the Spirit to bee given powred out which is done by the Father and the Sonne on all those who are beloved in the Sonne so that the Spirit is given by Christ with the Father as Mediator Meritoriously for hee by suffering and satisfying procured the gift Christ himselfe is the first gift yea the greatest that ever was given the giving of Christ to dye to satisfie the wrath of God and to obtaine eternall life Next to 〈◊〉 maine gift is the gift of the Spirit in which is the seed of all gifts and graces and this we have by his Merit and Mediatorship Yet this wee must likewise remember that although Christ be sayd to give the Spirit as he doth yet the holy Spirit giveth it selfe too for there is such an unity in the Trinity of consent and nature that though the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit yet the Spirit comes of his owne selfe though the Father and the Sonne give the Spirit yet the Spirit giveth himselfe 3. Wee have the Spirit from Christ not onely by way of Merit but in some kind by way of Example hee is the exemplary cause of all graces in us looking to whom wee are transformed as wee shall see afterwards from glory to glory For when wee consider that Christ hath done so much for us as to save us and redeeme us and dye for us this begetteth a love in us to Christ and makes us often to thinke of him and desirous to imitate him as wee usually doe such as we love and highly esteeme of The dispensation of the Spirit is in most abundance after the resurrection of Christ as hee appeared in himselfe then to bee most spirituall and glorious after he rose againe so then being as the Sun in its full height and perfect beauty casteth his beames most plentifully abroad and that for these reasons 1. Because then hee having finished the worke of Redemption and satisfied the wrath of God fully and given contentment to Divine Justice and accomplished all by his death there was nothing to hinder the blessed gift of the Spirit It is sayd that before the holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not glorified The gift of the holy Ghost especially depends upon the glorifying of Christ when he had fulfilled the worke of Redemption and was raised to glory God being pacified gave the holy Ghost as a gift of his favour 2. Then againe after his Resurrection and Ascension he did give the holy Ghost more abundantly than before to his Church because now hee is in heaven and hath the advantage of the place being exalted on high As that glorious creature the Sunne by the advantage it hath being placed in the heavens above us is able to shine upon the greatest part of the earth at all times and wee need not call the Sunne downe from its place to come into our houses or fields or gardens no where it is seated in its proper place or orbe it hath the best opportunity in most abundance and largest extent to send downe heat and light and influence to inferiour things So Christ doth his Church more good now he is in heaven from whence he sends the Spirit then hee could doe if hee were below because though his Humane nature be confined in heaven his person is every where and being ascended now farre above all heavens he giveth gifts more liberally and plentifully insomuch as he filleth all things Eph. 4. hee enlargeth the tents of his Gospel and hath taken in a greater people to himselfe We see in Winter when the Sunne is low and neare the earth all things are dead and cold but when the Sunne in the Spring commeth to over-top us to bee in a higher point above us wee see how all things put a new garment upon them there is a new vigour and freshnesse in them so there was more abundant vigour of the Spirit when Christ came in the Flesh his vertue appeared much more every way then before But when this blessed Sonne of righteousnesse was advanced and seated at the right hand of his Father where his Nature was perfectly inriched and perfectly adorned with all kind of graces whatsoever in the highest glory of them his influence of light and heat now beginneth to be increased and the efficacy and working of it to bee felt every where The glorious beams of the Sunne beganne to be scattered and the light of the Gospel to shine to a greater number of people now there was no respect of persons whether Jew or Gentile bond or free male or female all was one the Commission was enlarged to all Mark 16. Goe preach the Gospell to every Creature and with the Word the Spirit went and was received and those that were added to the Church even such as should be saved were many thousands Thus have wee opened the meaning of the words and shewed how Christ is that Spirit both in respect of the Spirits being eminently in him and his giving of it and spirituall gifts by it all the vigour and life and influence we have that is spirituall and supernaturall and above the ordinary course is from the Spirit and whatsoever the Spirit hath or doth for us is done as sent from Christ in whom the Spirit is in all fulnesse Now wee shall shew how many wayes the consideration of these truths will be profitable and usefull to us in the course oâ— our lives and for the comfort of our spirits Vse Christ is the Spirit of the Scriptures of all Truths of all Ordinances Wee may be this bee able to reconcile the Scriptures one place with another where they sâ—eme to contradict The Law is said to be a 〈…〉 a ministr ation of condemnation c. 2. Cor. â— but in the 19. Psal. there it is sayd The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. These places are thus reconciled The Law is said to be dead so it is without Christ without the Spirit which quickneth and so is â—he Gospell too even a savour of death and so
disunion there is no grace conveyed from the head for the body growes up as compact under one head Therefore let us labour to cherish union and as we hate distraction it self so hate distraction and division for dissipation causeth distraction therefore by all meanes labour for union especially now wee are to take the Communion that is a seale of our Communion with Christ by faith and one with another by love let us labor to bring our hearts to a holy Communion none gaines by disunion but the devill himselfe alway his pollicy is to make the breach greater where any is therefore let us labour by all meanes to bee united the more joyne together in the blessed mysteries of the Gospell the more comfort and the more glory when all live and joyne together in holy things of God and in sweete love one to another it is the glory of that place and society and state so much for that We all And are changed I shewed before how mans happinesse stands partly in commnnion with God and partly in his conformity and likenesse to God And surely whersoever there is communion there will be conformity This conformity is here set downe springing from communion We all behold the glory of God now reconciled in Iesus Christ what doth that beholding worke a conformity we are Changed into the same Image from glory to glory In these words we see First a necessity of a change changed we must be Then in this change there must bee a patterne of conformity wee are changed into the Image of Christ who is the pretotipe the first type and Idea of all perfection we are changed into the same Image And then how this change is wrought to the Image of Christ it is by beholding the glory of Christ in the Gospel there is a transforming power in beholding the glory of Gods mercy in Christ it is not a delighting object onely to see the mercy of God in Christ but it is a powerfull object that hath an influence upon the soule And then the state of man after this change it is a glorious condition Wee are changed from glory And then it is a growing condition wee are changed from glory to glory still till wee come to that pitch where there can be no growth when the soule shall bee filled with the fulnesse of God as the Apostle speakes when the soule shal have all the powers that it hath to receive and retaine comprehend al the corners of it filled so we grow from glory to glory till then these things follow one another To begin with the first There is a necessity of a change In the state we are wee must bee changed as Christ tels Nichodemus there must bee a change and such a change as is a new birth it must bee all new as a bell if there be but a cracke in it it must be new molded and cast againe it is good for nothing else so the soule of man if there be but a flaw but a cracke all is naught it must be cast and molded againe anew we must be set in tune againe all is out of tune before the soule can make any sweete harmonie in the eares of God there must bee a change there is no comming to Heaven without a change what neede I presse this it is so easie a point in religion except wee be borne anew wee cannot enter into heaven But to cleare from evidence of reason the necessity of a change in the whole man First because we are in a contrary state to grace and to God we are dead there must be life in us before wee come to heaven we are enemies and of enemies wee must be made friends how shall we be sit for communion else with God wherein our happinesse stands without conformity communion is between friends before those that are in an opposite condition can bee friends there must be an alteration and this alteration it must be on Gods part or on our part Now who must change God that is unchangeable or wee that are corrupt and changeable God will not change there is no reason hee should hee is goodnesse it selfe alway unchangeable his perfection stands in an indivisible point he cannot alter a whit there is not a shaddow of change in God therefore when there is difference betweene God and us the change must be on our part we must be changed as it is Rom. 12. and other places In the Spirit of our mindes wee must bee wholly molded anew where there is a condition so opposite as the frame of our hearts is to God he being holinesse and we a masse and lumpe of sinne of necessity there must bee a change God intends in the Gospell to bring us neere himself and Christs end is to bring us to God as it is 1 Pet. 3. 18. all the Gospell is to bring us back to God from whom wee fell now our nature as I sayd is defiled and unholy and we cannot bee friends with God till there be a likenesse in disposition to God therefore our natures must be sutable to the sweete and holy and pure nature of God in some measure We enter into a covenant with God in the covenant of grace and how can we maintaine the covenant of grace without some likenesse to God and Christ in that regard of necessity there must be a change and this change must be on our part as we see in an instrument those strings that are out of tune are brought to them that are in so it is we that must change and alter and not God God is alway unchangeable like himselfe in his love and it is our comfort that he is so unchangeable in his mercy and holinesse and justice therefore I say the chang must be on our part Flesh and blood as it is cannot enter into heaven that is the nature of man as it is corrupted we must have new judgements of things and new desires and new esteeme new affections new joyes new delights new conversation new company all the frame of the soule must be new there must be a new bent of soule it must be turned another way the face of the soule must looke cleane another way whereas before it looked to the world-ward and to things below now it must looke to God-ward and heaven ward therefore those that are in their pure naturalls that feele no change in themselves what shall we thinke of them they are not in the state of grace for of necessity there must be a change There is a double change reall and graduall First a reall change from ill to good And then a graduall change from better to better from glory to glory The first change is from the state of nature to grace at our first conversion when God puts the first forme and stampe upon us And then a change in grace from glory to glory wee must bee changed Then againe we all expect glory in
in them and how to his enemies he prayed for his very enemies And for the Devill himselfe deale with him as Christ did that is have no termes with him although he come to us in our nearest friends hee came to Christ in Peter Sathan avoyd saith he if the devill come to us in our wives in our children in our friends avoyd Sathan Sathan comes to us sometime in our friends to give corrupt judgement to maintaine false causes to doe this or that that may cracke our conscience discerne the devill in our best friends for sometime they may be the trunkes of the devill the devill may conveigh his Spirit through Peter let us immitate Christ discerne betweene our friends love and the subtilty of the devill in them and be able to give them an avant avoyd Sathan wee see Christ when hee encountred Sathan he fights not with Sathans weapons and when he was to deale with his instruments but with the Word of God he gives not reproach for reproach nor sophistrie for sophistrie but It is written shewing that we must encounter Sathan with Gods armorie with weapons out of the booke of God And then when Sathan would confesse him and make much of him Oh thou art the Sonne of God he would have nothing to doe with him so those that are manifestly led with the Spirit of Sathan and would presse kindnesses on us have nothing to doe with them so farre as we say of the devill he is not alway a lyer but he alway cozeneth so take those that are lead by the Spirit of the devill that are Iesuited Papists they lye not in all but there is cozening in all for all is but snaring kindnesse and gifts that will hurt more all offers from Sathan and those that are led with the Spirit of Sathan wee ought to suspect as Christ we see when Sathan offered him a kindnesse hee saw he was to bee tooke heed of therefore saith he away you and your kindnesse so have nothing to doe with devillish men those are best at ease and prosper most that have least to doe with them those that see they are alway deceivers though they be not alway lyers those that are nearest hostility prosper best thus you see a taste of Christs carriage to his friends to his enemies to Sathan and for hypocrites hee speakes Woe to them he hated them above all the proud Pharisees I might spend much time in going over particulars in the Gospell to see what expressions there are of Iesus Christ. Vse 2 I beseech you make this use of it when in the Gospell you reade of any expression of his love and gentlenesse of his obedience and humility in washing his Disciples feete and Learne of me for I am meeke c. and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden then thinke this is the expression of my blessed Saviour the socond Adam to whose Image I must bee conformed and transformed and changed and therefore when you are moved and tempted to sinne from your owne corruption or from Sathan reason thus with your selves would our blessed Saviour if he were upon earth doe thus would hee speake thus would he not doe thus if he were here now would he not be ready to doe this good turne surely he would and I must bee changed into his Image and likenesse therefore let me consider what my blessed Saviour would doe in the like case surely our blessed Saviour would not staine and defile his body he would not make his tongue an instrument of untruth to deceive others he would not bee covetous and injurious Art thou a Christian or no If thou be a Christian thou hast the anoynting of Iesus Christ that annoynting that was poured on him as the head it runnes downe to thee as a member as Arons oyntment ranne downe to his skirts if thou be the skirt of Christ the meanest Christian thou hast the same grace if thou be a Christian and therefore thou must expresse Christ that as thou art partaker of his name so thou must be partaker of his anoynting if thou be a Christian why doest thou thus doth this suite with thy profession dost thou carry the Image of Sathan and dost thou thinke to bee a Christian except it be in tytle and profession onely No there is no Christian but if he be a true Christian he is changed into the likenesse of Christ into his Image therefore it is a good thought upon all occasions every day to thinke what would my blessed Saviour say if he were here and what did he in the like case when he was upon earth I must be led by the Spirit of Christ or else I am none of his therefore let us shame our selves when we are moved by our corruptions and temptations to doe any thing contrary to this blessed Image And consider the more we grow into the likenesse of Christ the more wee grow in the love of God who delights in us as hee doth in his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased now the more like we are to Christ the more hee is pleased with us And the more we shall grow in love one to another for the liker pictures are to the first patterne the liker they are one to another so the liker wee grow to Christ the liker we are one to another and the more like the more love Who keepes Christ a live in the world but a company of Christians that carry his resemblance as wee say of a childe that is like his father this man cannot dye as long as his sonne is alive because he resembleth his father so as long as Christians are in the world that have the Spirit of Christ Christ cannot dye he lives in them and Christ is alive no otherwise in the world than in the hearts of gracious ' Christians that carry the picture and resemblance of Christ in them But how are we changed into the likenesse of Christ how come wee to be like him When once we beleeve in Christ we are graft into the similitude of his death and into the likenesse of his resurrection it is a point somewhat misticall yet it is stood upon in the Scriptures in Rom. 6. especially at large How come we to dye to sinne by vertue of Christs death and to live to righteousnesse by the fellowship of Christs resurrection it is sayd we are transformed into the likenesse of Christ the phrases of Scripture shew it but to stand upon these phrases a little Beloved as it was in Christs owne person when Christ dyed whole Christ dyed and was crucified but yet the death it selfe the crucifying was terminate in the humane nature the humane nature dyed and not the Godhead yet by reason of the union whole Christ dyed and was Crucified the Lord of glory was crucified as the Scripture speaks and as it was in Christ naturall so it is in Christ
Againe in the fourth place the reasons inducing are all from Christ for we are not only changed by power but by reason there is the greatest reasons in the world to be a christian and to come out of the state of nature when our understanding is enlightned to see the horrible state of nature with the angry face of God with it and then to have our eyes opened at the same time to see the glorious and gracious face of God in Iesus Christ here is the greatest wisedome in the world to come out of that cursed state to a better now the reasons of this change are fetched from Christ that by knowing Christ we know by reflection the cursed state out of him and to see the glorious benefits by Christs redemption glorification these set before the eye of the soule and then the heart wrought upon by these reasons if Christ gave himselfe for me shall not I give my selfe to Christ Paul hath his heavenly Logicke Christ dyed for us that we might live to him so we have the merit of the Spirit from Christ the derivation of the Spirit from Christ as a head and the patterne of grace from Christ and the inducing reasons all from Christ in this changing to his Image Againe in that Christ is the Image to which wee are changed let us learne if we would see any thing excellent and comfortable in our selves see it in Christ first there is nothing comfortable in man but it is in Christ first as the first Image the first receiver of all Christ Iesus himselfe if wee would see the love of God see the love of God in Christ our head first in him that is Gods beloved if we would see the gifts that God hath blessed us with spirituall blessings but it is in Christ we have it from our head first if we would see Gods favour This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased I am well pleased in him and in all his that are one misticall body with him if we would see comfortably our ill done away our sinnes removed see it in Christ abased in Christ crucified and made a curse see them all wiped away in the crosse of Christ If we would see glory upon the removall of our sinnes see it in Christ first he is first risen and therefore wee shall rise he is ascended and sits in heavenly places therefore we ascend and sit in heavenly places with him all that we have or looke to have comfortable in us see it in the first patterne and platforme in Christ the reason is cleare in Rom. 8. We are elected and predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne we are predestinate to bee conformed to Christ in all things to be loved as hee is to bee gracious as he is to rise to be glorious to be freed and justified afterward from all our sins as he our surety was wee are ordained to be conformable to him every way In a word the flesh of Christ it was holy it was a suffering flesh and then a glorious flesh now it is glorious so our nature must be like this Image it must be sanctified flesh by the same Spirit that sanctified the masse that hee was made of in the wombe it must be suffering flesh in conformity to him for the flesh that he tooke was suffering flesh and he had a Kingdome of patience before he had a Kingdome of glory so we must goe through a Kingdome of patience to the Kingdome of glory then upon conformity in holinesse with Christ comes our conformity in glory when wee are content to be conformed to Christ in our suffering flesh then wee shall be conformed to Christ in our glorious flesh for our flesh must be used as his was it must be holy and patient and suffering and then it shall be glorious so in all things we must looke to Christ first hee must have the preheminence Beloved of all contemplations under heaven there is no contemplation so sweete and powerfull as to see God in Christ and to see Christ first abased for us and our selves abased in Christ and crucified in Christ and acquitted in Christ and then rayse our thoughts a little higher see our selves made by little and little glorious in Christ see our selves in him rising and ascending and sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places see our selves by a Spirit of faith in heaven already with Christ what a glorious sight and contemplation is this If wee first looke upon our selves what we are we are as branches cut off from the tree as a river cut off from the spring that dyes presently what is in us but we have it by derivation from Christ who is the first the spring of all grace the summe of all the beames that shine upon us we are as branches cut off therefore now to see Christ and our selves in Christ this transformes us to bee like his Image it is the sweetest contemplation that can be We see this change is wrought by beholding the beholding the glory of God in the Gospell it is a powerfull beholding for saith he we are changed by beholding to the Image of Christ sight workes upon the imaginations in bruite creatures as Labans sheepe when they saw the party coloured roddes it wrought upon their imaginations and they had lambes sutable will sight worke upon imagination and imagination worke a reall change in nature and shall not the glorious sight of Gods mercy and love in Christ worke a change in our soule is not the eye of faith more strong to alter and change than imagination naturall certainely the eye of faith apprehending Gods love and mercy in Christ it hath a power to change the Gospell it selfe together with the Spirit hath a power to change wee partake by it of the divine nature This glasse of the Gospell hath an excellencie and an eminencie above all other glasses it is a glasse that changeth us when wee see our selves and our corruptions in the glasse of the law there we see our selves dead the law findes us dead and leaves us dead it cannot give us any life but when we looke into the Gospell and see the glory of God the mercy of God the gracious promises of the Gospell wee are changed into the likenesse of Christ whom wee see in the Gospell it is an excellent glasse therefore that hath a transforming power to make beautifull such a glasse would be much prized in this proud world such a glasse is the Gospell Therefore let us bâ—â— in love with this glasse above all other glasses whatsoever nothing can change us but the Gospel the Gospell hath a changing power as you have it Isay 11. there the Lyon shall feede with the Lambe c. For the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord the knowledge of Christ lesus is a changing knowledge that changeth a man even from an untractable fierce creature
to finish our course with joy as Saint Paul speakes of himselfe And doth God bring us from glory to glory til he have brought us to perfection of glory then I beâ—eech you let us before hand be thankfull to God as we see in the Epistles of blessed Saint Paul and Peter Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled reserved in Heaven saith Saint Peter and so Saint Paul let us beginne the imployment of Heaven before hand for why doth God discover to us that he wil bring us to glory why doth he discover it to our faith that excellent state that we might beginne Heaven on earth as much as might be and how shall we doe that by the imployment of Heaven what is that Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts There is nothing but magnifying and glorifying of God there shall be no neede of Prayer there are prayses alway and so much as we are in the prayses of God and glorifying of God for his mercy and love in Christ so much wee are in Heaven before our time I beseech you therefore be stirred up in consideration of this that wee are leading on by degrees from glory to glory till wee come to perfection let us even give God the praise of all before hand for it is as sure as if wee had it For one way how things to come are present is by faith Glory to come is present two or three wayes already that may stirre us up to glorifie God before hand The glory to come is present to Christ our head wee in our Husband are in Heaven now he hath taken Heaven for us And in regard of faith that is the evidence of things not seene it is the nature of faith to present things to come as present to faiâ—h glory to come is present present in Christ and we are part of Christ Christ misticall and members and we in our head are in Heaven already and sit there and to faith that makes things present that are to come we are in heaven already And we have the earnest of Heaven the first fruites of the Spirit wee have grace which is glory the beginnings of glory we have the first fruites and earnest Now an earnest is never taken away but is made up by the bargaine with the rest so the earnest of the Spirit of God the first fruites of peace and joy of comfort and liberty to the throne of grace these are the beginnings of Heaven therefore be much in praising God Oh that wee could be so if wee could get into a frame and disposition to blesse God we could never be miserable no not in the greatest afflictions for thankefulnesse hath joy alway when a man is joyfull he can never be miserable for joy inlargeth the soule when is a man most joyfull but in a state of thankfulnesse and what makes us thankfull so much as to consider the wonderfull things that are reserved in another world the glory that God is leading us to by little and little from glory to glory till wee bee perfect Even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As here is taken according to the phrase in the Greeke and there is the like word in the Hebrew it signifieth likenesse and similitude sometimes and sometimes otherwise it is not here meant as if we were like the Spirit of the Lord but this change is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord that is it is so excellent and so strong that you may know that it is done by none but the Spirit of God Againe As by the Spirit of the Lord that is so farre as the Spirit of the Lord changeth us it implyeth those two things that is it is done by the power of the Spirit that we may know it is done by the Spirit of the Lord and then as by him and no further for we no further shine then he enlighteneth us as the ayre it is no further light then the Sun shines into it so we have no more glory strength comfort and peace or any thing gracious and glorious then the Spirit of God shines into us Therefore he saith As by the Spirit of the Lord. It is so glorious and excellent and so farre forth as he doth it as by the Spirit of the Lord so he expresseth the meaning of that phrase Now you see here the Doctrine is cleare that all that I have spoken of before comes from the Spirit of the Lord and from no other cause The beholding the transforming the degrees of transforming from glory to glory the taking away of the vayle all is from the Spirit of the Lord To goe over the particulars The Holy Ghost doth open our eyes to behold the glory of the Lord and therefore he is called the Spirit of illumination The Holy Ghost takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeleife and thereupon hee is called the Spirit of Revelation The Holy Ghost upon revealing the love of God to us in Christ and the love of Christ to us and illuminating our understandings to see these things he breedes love to God againe shewing the love of God to us and thereupon he is called the Spirit of Love now when Gods love is shed into us by the Spirit of illumination and Revelation then we are changed according to the Image of Christ and thereupon the Holy Ghost from the working of a change is called the Spirit of sanctification because he is not onely the holy temple of that blessed Person but he makes us holy and because this change is a glorious change a change from one degree of grace to another till we come to be perfect in Heaven hereupon it is called a Spirit of glory as Saint â—eter saith the spirit of glory resteth on you that is the Spirit of peace of love of comfort of joy c. The Spirit in regard of this blessed attribute working all these he is called the Spirit of glory the Spirit hath diverse names according to the diverse operations hee workes in the Saints and People of God as here the Spirit of Illumination of Revelation of love of sanctification of glory all is by the Spirit whatsoever is wrought in man it is by the Spirit all comes from the Father as the Fountaine and through the Sonne as Mediator but whatsoever is wrought it is by the Holy Ghost in us which is the substantiall vigour in the Trinity all the vigour and operation in the Trinity upon the creature it is by the Holy Ghost the third person As in the creation the Spirit mooved upon the waters and mooving there and brooding on them framed the whole module of the creatures all were framed by the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost upon the water of our soules frames the new creature frames all this change from glory to glory all is by the Holy Spirit Therefore it is here in the passive tearme We are
Three parts of the Text. Happinesse of man in two things Doct. The mercie of God his glory Glory what Excellency Evidence Victory Witnesse Severall attributes shine on severall occasions All attributes terrible without mercie Why men are enemies to Gods free grace The glory of God in the Gospell greater than that in Adam The glory of God in Gospell above that in Creation Gods glory to man more than to Angels 1 Cor. 14. The glory of Gods mercy shineth in Christ. To imbrace this mercy God joynes our good with his glory To admire the love of God We may glory in Gods love without danger Glorious mercy will satisfie conscience Comfort from Gods mercy How we may looke at our owne Salvation How to thinke of mercy in temptation Often offences exclude not from mercy How God shewed Moses his glory Exhortation to accept mercy When we account grace glorious Necessity of the Gospell God condescends in giving the Gospell Motions of the Spirit in men unconverted God must be seene in some glasse God hath ingaged himselfe by his promise We cannot see Divine things but in a glasse Sight weak here perfect in heaven Our soules helped by our sences What makes spirituall things difficult Vse of a glasse To helpe weake sight Sacraments glasses Degrees of sight In the creatures In the Word Of Christ in the flesh Of faith Faith compared to sight It is the noblest sence It is largest It is the surest It is most working Vse How to keepe the eye of the soule cleare To â—ixe it on the object Remoove hinderances Inward Outward Spirituall sight presered by hearing The best glasse to know Christ in The vayle tooke away But in part Two fold use of a vayle Why men see not though the Gospell be unvailed Boldnesse in the Gospell Feare taken away by the Gospell Boldnesse in sinne weakneth boldnesse of faith How to â—ecovâ—r boldnesse with God Comfort in community in Religion To labour for union Necessity of a chang Simil. Reasons why our nature mâ—st be changed Because naturally we are opposite to God Simile Change double We cannot â—lse be fitted for heaven Every true Christian desires it A change in Sanctification as well as justification We can performe no holy action else The change especially on the will God qualifies whom he dignifies All good in Christ opposite to the ill in Adam Why the 〈◊〉 of Gods children is unâ—ltâ—rable Why Christ changeth us into his Image He is a powerfull head and husband We are predestinate to his likenesse Christs end is to destroy sathans work in us We could have no communion with Christ else To stuâ—â—dy Christ. Christs carriage Toward his friends To weake Christians To those that had but seeming grace To his Father To himselfe To his enemies To the Devill To Hypocrites How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell The more we are like Christ the more beloved of God And of one another Simil. Who keepe Christ alive in the world How we come to be like Christ. How we are dead and risen with Christ. Three things comfortable to us in Christs death Whence hatred of sinne proceedes How to know if we be changed to Christs Image Most desire to be changed into the likenesse of the world Meditate on Christ. The sight of remainder of sin Christ all in all in changing us The gift of the Spirit For Christ. From Christ. The patterne of all grace from Christ. The reasons of this câ—ange from Christ To see all that is good and comfortable in Christ first This change wrought by beholding The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell Vpon what ground we are changed by beholding Three efficatious sights How to knoW if we see the glory of God as we ought Love workes imitation Repentance a turning If there were not a change God would be forsworne Foure degrees of the glory of a Christian. Sin makes us shamefull Glorious comforts in religion Growth in grace glory The glory of the soule in heaven Of bodie and soule at the resurrection Grace is glory It is Gods image Mans perfection Terible to al opposites Wisedome Humility Selfe deniaâ—l Boldnesse with God Love Hope The glorious condition of a Christian. Difference betweene a Christan and another man Why the world despise those that are gracious From blindnesse of carnall men From Saints infirmities It is but a forced contempt We must be conformed to Christ. Grace in others either imitated or envied The excellency of Christians above others Two sorts of carnall men To labour for grace that we may be glorious No man glorious but a Christian Oppose this glory to the base esteem of carnall men Comfort our selves in the disparagements of the world To know whether we have grace by our esteeme of it In himselfe In others The state of grace and glory both goe under one name Heaven must be begun here Comfort that grace and glory have the same name Difference betweene the state of the godly and wicked Grace glorious when it is in strength Grace of a growing nature From our disposition From Gods purpose Simil. Grace more refined in aged Christians The least degree of grace glory in respect of the state of nature To labour for strength of grace Priviledges of growth in grace Not to be discouraged in the weaknesse of grace God leads his by degrees to heaven It is our owne fault that we are not more perfect Not to be discouraged in seeming interruption of spirituall growth The least beginnings and the perfection of grace have the same name and why Simile No change in Heaven Why we are not brought to perâ—â—ction here Not to â—â—are death Degrees in the glory of a Christian. A part of heaven to know the glory of it To trâ— the truth of our graces Christians grow when they thinke they doe not Why God brings us on by little and little Not to decay in grace Christians compared to the best things A â—icked man cannot desire heaven Account must be givâ—n for examples To beare the reproach of Christ. Vse 7. To be thankfull for glory beforehand In our head By Faith In the first fruites The workâ— of the whole Trinity in mans salvation Doct. Doct. Not to rest too much in outward performances The Spirit quickens all ordinances The Word and Spirit compared to the blood and arterieâ— The Spirit in Christ naturall and mysticall In the state of grace we must looke for nothing from our selves Comfort in want of goodnesse in us When men trust their owne strength they fall Whether we have the Spirit It openeth the eyes of the soule It discovers Gods love It sanctifieth Slander of the Papists He promotes sâ—nctification The Spirit a Counsellor It abides It changeth by reasons from Christ How to get the Spirit By hearing the Gospel In holy Communion Prayer To give the Spirit of God his dâ—e Whence the glory of times and places is Why more are converted now than formerly The danger of unprofitablenesse under meanes Spirituall judgements â—errable