Vera Effigies TIMOTHEI CRUSO Aetat 40. 1697. T. Forster delin N. White scuÌ„lp TWENTY-FOUR SERMONS Preached at the MERCHANTS-LECTURE AT Pinners Hall By the late Reverend Mr. TIMOTHY CRVSO LONDON Printed by S. Bridge for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside MDCXCIX TO THE READER THese Sermons are some of the Reliques of one who is gone to receive the Fruit of his Labours who hath left Sowing for the sake of the Harvest wherein he is now reaping Though this is a Posthumous Piece yet it speaks out the living Praise of the dead Author whose it was without any Alteration or Addition being Printed from his own Notes If I may use the Phrase in Fashion he lived too fast not as too many do who shorten their Days by their Debaucheries and sinful Excesses but as a Taper which wastes it self to give Light to others His Bodily Constitution was too weak to undergo the Service his Soul put it to in constant Studies and hard Labour that he might Answer the Restlesness of his Mind which was always aspiring to greater Knowledge and higher Attainments whereby he laid greater load upon his Flesh than its weakness could bear and so sinking under the burden he died in the midst of his Days There is no need of my Epistle to Midwife these Excellent Discourses into the World nor had I had any hand in it had it not been to answer the Desires of some Relations of his to whom my Obligations will not allow me to deny any thing And also to take this occasion to Vindicate what I spake and published in his Funeral Sermon about the Vnion of the Spirit of Christ with the Dead Body of a Saint which hath by some been greatly stumbled at and called in question as a new Doctrine I therefore thought it Charity to such to remove this stumbling Block not by any Arguments further than what I have therein already urged but by calling in the Judgment of others in this matter and I shall look no farther back than to the Learned Men of our own Times Mr. Rutherford speaking of the Covenant of Grace Treatise of the Covenant of Grace p. 216. says It is thus Eternal in that the dead Parties Abraham Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of Grace and there remains a Covenant Union between Christ and their rotten Flesh sleeping in the Dust Mr. Calamy says Morning Exercise of Giles in Fields Ser. 24. p. 548. The Bodies of the Saints shall be raised by vertue of their Union with Christ for the Body of a Saint even while it is in the Grave is united to Christ and is asleep in Jesus and shall be raised by vertue of this Union And in p. 557. If thou gettest into Christ while thou livest thou shalt die in Christ and sleep in Christ and be raised by Christ into Eternal Happiness Mr. Case speaking of the Vnion between Christ and Believers Case his Mount Pisgah first Part p. 38. says Not only in Death but even after Death this Union holds the Saints are said to sleep in Jesus that part of the Saints which is capable of sleep is not capable of Separation from Christ While their more noble Part is united to Christ in Heaven among the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Christ is united to their inferiour and more ignoble Part in the Grave their very Dust they sleep in Jesus Mr. Stedman says Stedman's Mystical Vnion of Believers with Christ p. 191. Death it self shall not separate Believers from Jesus Christ but still they are entirely in him even when they are dead As it was in the death of Christ himself though it made Separation between his Body and Soul yet it did not separate the Humane Body from the Divine So it is in the death of the Saints though it rend the Spirit from the Flesh yet it can part neither from the Son of God The very Bodies of Believers are united to Jesus when they are dead Dr. Collings on those words of our Lord Pool 's Annotations on John 11.26 He that believeth on me shall never die says Though his Body shall die because of sin yet his Spirit shall live because of Righteousness and God shall in the great Day quicken again his Mortal Body through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in him and is united to him Dr. Thomas Goodwin Dr. Goodwin 's first Fol. on Ephes 1.14 p. â—â—1 Doth the Spirit dwell in you now When you are laid in the Grave that Spirit dwelleth in you as he did in the Body of Christ I do not say in the same manner The Spirit of God did dwell in the Body of Christ in the Grave and raised it up he never left him Though his Body was a dead Carkass without a Soul yet that Body was Hypostatically united to the Godhead therefore it was called Holy One My Holy One shall not see Corruption Now the Comparison is If we have the Spirit of Christ and if he dwell in us the same Spirit shall never leave our Bodies till he hath raised us up also Nay while thy Body is dead and rotten in the Grave the Holy Ghost dwells in it And hear what a great Man of the Church of England in his Day saith Christ's Deity was united to his dead Body his Resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and raised him up Here then is our Comfort the same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same Arm of Power may be reached out to us He will imploy the same power for us as he did for Christ Ephes 1.19 And again in p. 210. His Spirit dwells in you The Inhabitation of God's Spirit that is the Ground of our Resurrection because it is Vinculum unionis the Spirit is the Bond of our Union and Conjunction with Christ By it we are Incorporated into his Body and made Members of it Now then if our Head rise all the Members must rise with it if the Head be in Heaven the Members shall not for ever perish in the Grave This Union by the Spirit is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his Hypostatical but it is true also of his Mystical Union Quod semel assumpsit nunquam deposuit Christ will part with none of his Members Bishop Brownrig 2d Vol. p. 204. And again in the same Page Our Bodies by this Inhabitation are Consecrated to be a Possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroy'd God's Spirit takes Pleasure not only in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes Pleasure in the dead Bones and Favours the Dust of them I could multiply Testimonies of elder Date to prove the Truth of this Doctrine and that it is no new Notion but there needs no Proof from Humane Testimony
pleased by his Almighty Vertue to Work the Cure and with an irresistible Hand to turn it to himself 2 Tim. 2.25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance c. No Instruction will do if he against whom they Sin do not give them to repent III. How is this Grace the Gift of Christ as the Text affirms it to be Ans In six Things 1. All Things are deliver'd unto him by the Father to him as Mediator Mat. 11.27 All things are given into his Hand John 3.35 And he hath the disposal of them according to his own Pleasure he may with-hold or dispense every Thing as he sees good The Son quickeneth whom he will Chap. 5.21 He is empower'd to give Eternal Life Chap. 10.28 Chap. 17.2 And this Eternal Life is founded in spiritual Now the ground-work is his as well as the Head-stone the first-fruits of Grace as well as the Harvest of Glory the Gift of Righteousness it self as well as the Crown of Righteousness Chap. 4.14 The Water which I shall give him shall be in him a Well springing up into Everlasting Life Christ hath so large a Trust and Commission from the Father that nothing is excepted out of it 2. The giving of Grace is one of his essential Royalties as a King To give only corruptible Things is to give as the World giveth the Men of high Degree scatter their Favours of that kind among those that are below them but it agrees with the Majesty of Jesus Christ to bestow that which is of an incorruptible Nature a Principle of Grace and Holiness in the Hearts of his People Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance c. He would be a Prince without Subjects a meer Titular Prince if he did not by his own Grace bring them into Subjection and keep them in it He never ruled in any Heart which he did not first Conquer rebellious Sinners would never submit and yield themselves to his Authority if he did not make them willing in the day of his Power Psalm 110.3 3. Christ is given to be an Head of Influence as well as of Government to his Church Therefore said to be the Head of the Body Col. 1.18 Now as every Part of the natural Body derives Spirits from the Head so every Part of the mystical Body gracious Influences from Christ There is an effectual working from him throughout the whole Eph. 4.16 And how is this effectual working but by the Communication of his Grace to the various Members This 〈◊〉 what Paul experienc'd and gives an account of with Reference to his own first Conversion 1 Tim. 1.14 The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Paul's Heart was full of unbelief and hatred before but the prevailing Grace of Christ in whom he was chosen before the World planted Faith and Love in the room of them 4. 'T is the Work of Christ to furnish those whom be unites and espouses to himself with Beauty and Ornaments fit for his Embraces and wherein does this Beauty consist and what are these Ornaments but a Participation of his Grace Some are ready to cry is a deformed filthy Sinner meet to lye in Christ's Bosom But I would Reply who makes the Sinner meet besides Christ himself He can have no complacency or delight in such an one continuing as he is but his Manner is to impart a commending loveliness where he loves As Rebeckah was adorned with Jewel's of Isaac's giving Gen. 24.53 So it was granted to the Lambs Wife that she should be arrayed in fine Linne c. of his preparing Rev. 19.8 For as the imputed Righteousness of Christ so the inherent Righteousness of Saints is his Gift whom they are married to 5. Christ hath the right of distributing Grace as the Effect of his Purchase He hath bought it with his Blood and therefore may confer it on whom he pleases as we know that every one may do what he Will with his own and what we buy at a valuable Price is undoubedtly our own Upon this score all Grace is the Grace of Christ 't is his just Propriety and he hath â—â—â—ain'd it at the dearest Rate which could be demanded He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it c. Eph. 5.25 26. Our Sanctification was one end of his Sufferings and as it was he that suffer'd so 't is he that sanctifies Christ merited Grace for us by his Death and therefore the dispensing of it is his due 6. The Spirit of Grace is sent by Christ and supplies his Place John 16.7 If I depart I will send him to you So that he Acts as in Christ's Name and on his behalf and consequently what the Spirit does may be attributed unto Christ and what he divides to every Man may be very well look't upon as allotted by Christ whose Spirit he is for so he is called the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.17 18. There is the very Heart of Christ in all the Spirits saving Operations they are directed by his Infinite Wisdom and Care to all those whom he laid down his Life for As he shed forth the Holy Ghost at Pentecost Acts 2.33 So the pouring of him out at all Times is his continual Providence still IV. After what manner is this Grace given to every one that belongs to Christ Answ Negatively and Positively I. Negatively I. This Grace is not given to all by the same Instruments and Means 'T is most usually by the Word of Grace but sometimes by the Rod of sanctified Affliction 't is oftnest by the Sword in Christ's Mouth but it may be by the Fan in his Hand Ordinarily 't is by the Preaching of Christ's Embassadors but sometimes the edifying Discourses of Private Christians may Minister Grace to the Hearers Eph. 4.29 Again though it be by the same Gospel yet God makes use of several Publishers They whom he sanctifies through the Truth are Converted by several Persons There are many spiritual Fathers some are begotten in Christ by the Ministry of one and some by another 2. It is not given to all at the same Age or Period of Life As in that Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard some were called at the third Hour some at the sixth some at the ninth some at the eleventh Some are sanctified from the Womb filled with the Spirit like John from their very Birth Luke 1.15 Others it may be wear out almost all their Lives and are even dropping into the Grave before they are brought home to God Some are planted into Christ in their tender Years like Paul when a Young Man others not born again till they are Old when the evil Days come And therefore it is not so material or requisite for us to know when we felt the first workings of Grace as to be sure that we feel it 's real workings
Substance of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect Hebr. 10.1 When their Constitution was most flourishing and all those external Appointments were kept up to their very height they had not an High-Priest that ever lived to intercede for them but were obliged to the Mediation of Christ and now they have no Sacrifices nor Holy of Holies to carry the Blood of the Sacrifice into those weak and feeble Grounds of Carnal Confidence are quite taken away Moses in whom they trust and whose Rules they pretend to follow will be their Accuser instead of being their Advocate as Elias made Intercession against Israel not for them 2. What a vile Reproach do they cast upon Christ that employ and make use of other Intercessors besides him The Apostle argues Christ's Power to save from his living to Intercede they who advance and prefer others to this Work do really charge him with Insufficiency Hath he trode the Wine-Press alone and is he not able to perform this business of Advocacy alone Did he redeem us by himself and must he have Partners in his Pleading Work The first was rather more difficult than this last and therefore if he must be assisted in this we may with more reason suspect his needing of help as to the other and consequently we may doubt whether he himself can be the Author of Eternal Salvation to us So that the Antichristian Doctrine of multiplied Mediators between God and us tends to subvert our Faith and opens the door to Infidelity 3. We may learn hence that Jesus Christ tho' taken from us and made higher than the Heavens is not the less mindful of us or less compassionate towards us When the chief Butler was restor'd to his Place he forgat poor Joseph in Prison Gen. 40. ult but Christ's Care and Affection is not lessened by his Exaltation He hath a more tender regard to our Infirmities than any of our Fellow Creatures that are still in Flesh can have as the Brain where all the Nerves which are the Instruments of Sence are terminated is the chief Seat of all Perception so the Mystical Body though one Member may feel the Wrong done to another yet the Head is most apprehensive of it He hath left the World indeed but is as sollicitous as ever for them that are left behind John 17.11 Now I am no more in the World but these are in the World c. 4. Our daily renewed Guilt though Ground of humble Walking ought not to destroy our Comfort or be matter of Discouragement Christ's Intercession would not be continued if there were not continual need of it Some Men weary the Kindness of their Friends by plunging themselves over and over in fresh Dissiculties and so they must be delivered again and again as Prov. 19.19 This is not irksom or uneasy to Christ for though we are every moment Offending one way or other he does not leave off Interceding For if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ c. 1 John 2.1 5. The Preservation of those that are in Christ is very much owing to the Intercession of Christ for them If we receive any Advantage by the Prayers of one another how much more by his What a helpless and hopeless Condition should we soon be in if our Lord Jesus did not confirm his Love towards us by praying the Father for us Our standing in the Grace of God is a Fruit of his sitting at the right Hand of God So some interpret the Life of Jesus being made manifest in our mortal Body 2 Cor. 4.10 11. q. d. We are supported to go through such Exercises and Tryals by the mighty Influence of our Living Saviour 6. Let this embolden us to ask in Faith and quicken us to Pray with greater assurance Having such an High-Priest to introduce us to God we may comfortably plead the Causes of our Souls before him The Prayers of Saints go up as a Memorial and sweet Perfume by reason of the Incense that Christ offers with them Ask of me and I will give thee is the Father's Language to the Son Psalm 2.8 as if he were to fetch out the Grace and Blessing of the Promise by Prayer And the same terms are proposed to us Ask and it shall be given you Matth. 7.7 What can we have more Yea Christ himself will see it done whatever is ask'd in his Name he hath said it twice I will see it done Matth. 14.13 14. 7. Let this be a Motive to us to live to Christ and plead for him as we can while we are here in the World 1. Let us live to Christ who thought it not enough as Mr. Clarkson says to lose one Life for us on Earth but he also improves another in Heaven for us What can we do less then take Paul's Motto and make it our daily Rule To me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 2. Let us plead for Christ with God and with Men. 1. With God While he intercedes for us let us pray for him i. e. for the Prosperity of his Concerns here in his lower Kingdom This is to be done-continually and without ceasing Psalm 72.15 as the Prophet is our Example For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest c. Isa 62.1 2. With Men. Christ's Intercession on our behalf in Glory will shamefully upbraid our ungrateful Silence if we can quietly suffer his Name to be Blasphemed and his Gospel scoffed out of the World Their Confession of Christ is no better than a Denial that have nothing to say for him in such a Case The Spirit of Christ is his great Advocate here in the World and therefore if we walk in that Spirit Christ's Honour and Interest will be duly regarded by us FINIS BOOKS Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel FOrty Nine Sermons on the whole Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians by Monsieur Daille Minister of the Reformed Church in Paris Folio Sermons and Discourses on several Divine Subjects by the late Reverend and Learned David Clarkson B. D. and sometime Fellow of Clare-Hall Cambridge Folio A Body of Practical Divinity consisting of above One hundred seventy six Sermons on the Lesser Catechism of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster by Tho. Watson formerly Minister of Stephen Walbrook Folio The Support of the Faithful in Times of Persecution or a Sermon Preach'd in the Wilderness to the poor Protestants in France By M. Brousson an Eminent Minister who was broke upon the Wheel at Montpelier Novem. 6. 1698. Quarto The Fountain of Life opened or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatoral Glory containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction mysterious Incarnation