saith the same Apostle Romans 5.18 or rather by one offence so the Originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the first sin of the first Adam Judgment came upon all men unto condemnation Even so by the righteousnesse of one or one Righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Justification meaning the righteousnesse of the second Adam the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of life Thus there is but one way of Reconciling Men to God As there was but one doore at which Enmity brake in so there is but one doore to let in Reconciliation The same way that is held forth under the Gospell was also held forth under the Law Onely with this difference That which was velatum vailed and hidden in the one hidden under Types and Figures is Revelatum unvailed in the other Otherwise there is the same Jesus Christ yesterday under the old Testament to day under the New and the same for ever The vertue of his satisfaction extending as well backwards as forwards as well to the sinns of the Law as the Gospell So much is expressly asserted by the Apostle Hebrews 9.15 where this our Mediatour the Lord Jesus is said to have suffered death for the Redemption of the trespasses that were under the old Testament not that the sins of the fathers were not pardoned before Christ died but that they WERE pardoned onely by vertue of Christ's death who in reference to the vertue and efficacy of his death as I shewed you before is said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 Thus you see the first of these Attributes vindicated and cleared from such impeachments as it might be conceived to suffer through this Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction This maketh nothing against the Truth of God whether in his Threatnings or Promises Passe we now to the second How can this stand with the Justice of God Object 2 that one should suffer How Christ's Satisfaction standeth with the Justice of God and make satisfaction for the sin of another The Rule of Justice is Noxa sequitur caput The same person that sinneth should suffer To this it is answered Justice is twofold either strict and rigorous or moderated Answ Justice twofold Strict or Moderated and tempered with Lenity Clemency Mercy So is it with men Amongst us there is a Kings-Bench as it was wont to be called and a Chancery the one a Court of strict Justice the other of Equity And thus is it in Gods proceedings with his creatures with some he dealeth in strict Justice so he doth with reprobate Angels and reprobate men such as despise that Redemption which is held forth unto them With others he proceeds in a way of moderated and tempered justice So dealeth he with believers relaxing and dispensing with his own Law as to them accepting the satisfaction of another on their behalfs Alleg. But still is not this injustice thus to charge their sins upon another and to require satisfaction from him Is it not directly contrary to God's own Law Deut. 24. The Law Deut. 24.16 cleared where he expresly prohibits any such Commutation or Exchange ver 16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers Every man shall be put to death for his own sin Ans To this it is answered This is a Law for man not for God Answer That Law bindeth man not God binding the one not the other God having an absolute power over the lives of his creatures he may dispose of them as it pleaseth him and who shall say unto him what dost thou If he punish the sin of the father upon the child though it be unto death who shall challenge him of injustice when as both Parents children are guilty before him Reply But it may be said Here the case is otherwise Here the Innocent suffers for the Nocent Reply How the Innocent may suffer for the Nocent the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 He that knew no sin viz. by experience was made sin that is a Sacrifice for sin bearing the punishment thereof for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And can this be justice Ans To this it is answered Even thus it was in some of the cases fore-named Saul's sons were innocent as to that fact of their fathers for which they suffered And so was David's child as to his Fathers Adultery and murder And so were the people as to Davids act in numbring them What have these sheep done Yet who dares challenge God of injustice herein Rep. Why but that the Innocent should suffer and the nocent go free The nocent going free this may seem to be harsh Ans And was it not so in those two last named instances The Innocent childe and the Innocent people suffer whilest guilty David goeth free True he suffered in their sufferings otherwise his person not touched Repl. But it may be said in those examples there was some Relation and Conjunction betwixt the person offending and suffering which drew the guilt of the one upon the other Ans And is it not so here Betwixt Christ and his Elect people all true beleevers there is a neare Relation and Conjunction A threefold Relation The first Naturall the second Mysticall the third Voluntary Answ A 3. fold Relation betwixt Christ and the Beleever naturall mystical voluntary Christus nobis conjunctissimus naturâ Regno vadimonio Grotius de satisf Cap. 4. A naturall Relation they are of the same flesh and Blood Heb. 2.14 Christ is their kinsman their Brother A mysticall Relation He is their Head they his members Ephes 5.23 and 30. He is their King they his Subjects A voluntary Relation he is their Surety undertaking for them Now upon this threefold Account we find one man suffering for or with another Sometimes upon the account of a naturall Relation Thus Achans sonnes and daughters suffered with him John 7. And Davids childe for him Thus the Disciples conceived when they saw the man that was born blind that it might be for his parents sin John 9.3 Sometimes upon the account of a mysticall Relation Thus in a Politick Body Even as it is in the naturall Body where one member sometimes suffers for another the Back or the Head suffers for what the hand hath acted the Subjects sometimes suffer for their Prince Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi So it was betwixt David and the people And sometimes Princes suffer for their Subjects If ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King 1 Sam. 12. last And thus in the Church God sometimes removes the Candlestick because the people play with the light Rev. 2.5 Ezekiel must be struck dumb because the house of Israel is a rebellious house Ezek. 3.26 and 27. And thus in the family As children somtimes suffer for their Parents as in the cases aforesaid so sometimes Parents suffer for their Children
13.10 the same Apostle elsewhere calleth the law of Christ Galat. 6.2 and such are all Lawes which binde the Conscience This is a branch of Christ's Government over his Chruch This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appoint Lawes to his subjects 2. And as Lawes so Ordinances 2. Ordinances Word Prayer Sacraments Discipline they are all of Christs Institution 3. As Ordinances so Officers 3. Officers for the dispencing of those Ordinances He gave unto the Church some Apostles and some prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.11 12. Thus did Moses the Typicall Mediator Order and Stablish the Jewish Polity both Civill and Ecclesiasticall under the Law by appointing Laws Ordinances and Officers for both And thus hath Jesus Christ ordered and stablished his Church under the gospel This did Moses as a servant in the house This hath Christ done as a Son over his own house Each herein shewing himselfe faithfull to him that appointed them as the Apostle sets forth Heb. 3.2 5 6. Here is the Externall Government of Christ 2. Besides this 2. Inwardly ruling in their hearts hee exerciseth an Internall goverment viz. in the Hearts of his people Here is the Chaire of State where this King sitteth dwelling there Eph. 3.17 and ruling there This he doth by his Spirit which he communicates as the Head to all the members of his mysticall body Therby guiding and directing them leading them into all truth requisite for them to know as he promiseth his Apostles Joh. 16.13 Then bowing and inclining them to yeild a willing and chearfull obedience to his will so revealed causing them to walke in his Statutes Thus are all the subjects of this kingdome led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 they live in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit as it followeth ver 25. And here is the 2d Act of this great Vice-Roy having gathered his subjects he Ruleth and Governeth them 3. In the 3d place hee Protecteth 3 He protecteth them and defendeth them So much the Prophet Isaiah maketh promise of to the kingdom of Christ Isa 4.5 Vpon all the Glory shall be a defence The Glory So the Church is called inasmuch as it is the habitation of the glorious God and all the members thereof are and shall be changed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. last And upon this Glory shall be a defence a Covering Such a Covering was the Cloud in the wildernesse unto the Israelites a covert from the heat to defend them against the scorching of the Sun of which you read Exodus 13.21 And such a Covering was the Tent unto the Tabernacle of which you read Exodus 36.19 defending it against the injury of stormes and Tempests Each a Type of Christ and his Protection over his Church as the same Prophet there insinuates by alluding to each in the place fore-named Isai 4.5 6. Such a Covert such a Defence Jesus Christ is and will be to all his people Saving and delivering them out of the hands of all their enemies Even as those Typicall Saviours the Judges and Governours of Israel whom we read of in the Book of the Judges they saved the people from their temporall enemies in which respect they are called by the name of Saviours Nehem. 9.27 Even so the Lord Jesus who is the Truth of all those Types he saveth his people out of the hands of all their enemies both Corporall and Spirituall Corporall Enemies wicked and ungodly men Spirituall Enemies Sin and Satan Hell and Death All these are enemies to the Subjects of Christ's Kingdom But he having undertaken their protection and having all power given unto him he doth and will defend them so as though they may be annoyed and endangered yet they shall not miscarry by any of them Again in the fourth place defending them he also provideth for them 4. Provideth for them This did Joseph being made Governour of Egypt he provideth for the people Gen. 41. To that purpose in the years of plenty he layeth up store of provision that so he might have a Magazine against times of scarcity And the like office doth this our Mediatour whom God the Father hath constituted a Governour over his Church perform unto all the Subjects of his Kingdom He provideth for them whil'st he ruleth them he also feedeth them So that word may be rendred which we finde applied unto Christ Mat. 2.6 He shall rule my people Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reget or Pascet He shall rule them or feed them The one you shall have in the Text the other in the Margin of our New Translation Both these do Shepherds to their sheep and both these do good Kings to their Subjects And thence is it that both in profane and sacred language they are termed Shepherds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Poet Shepherds of the people Homer Cyrus my Shepherd saith the Lord by Isai Isa 44. last And such a Shepherd is the Lord Jesus So we find him sometimes stiled I am that good Shepherd saith he John 10.11 That great Shepherd of the sheep Heb. 12.20 so called because he performeth both these offices unto his people of Ruling and Feeding them So the Prophet Isaiah puts them together Isa 40. where speaking of the Messiah Behold saith he the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arme shall rule for him ver 10. Then followes He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd ver 11. And so the Prophet Ezekiel the like cap. 34. ver 23. I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my Servant David meaning Christ the Son of David according to the flesh And then followeth ver 24. And I the Lord will be their God and my Servant David a Prince among them Such is Jesus Christ a Prince and a Shepherd A Prince ruling his Subjects a Shepherd feeding his flock providing for his people and reaching forth unto them all things necessary and convenient for this life and for a better Even for this life Christ taketh care for his people for the supplying of their wants For their Bodies Thus did he provide for his Disciples when he was upon earth So as though he sent them forth without purse or scrip or shooes without ordinary accommodations yet they wanted nothing So much themselves acknowledge upon his interrogating them Luke 22.35 The like care he taketh for his Disciples being now in Heaven Upon this ground David buildeth his confidence that he should not want The Lord is my Shepherd even the Lord Christ therefore I shall not want Psal 23.1 And upon the same ground Paul maketh promise to his Philippians Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need by Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Christum by Jesus Christ as being the Dispenser and High-Almoner under God his Father Even as Joseph
was under Pharaoh giving out provisions unto the people according to his discretion So is the Lord Jesus under God his Father He provideth for the Bodies of his people For their Souls And as for their Bodies so also and specially for their Souls Thence is he called the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls 1 Pet. 2. last Them he nourisheth Even as men nourish their natural Bodies so doth Christ his mysticall Body No man ever yet hated his own flesh saith the Apostle Ephes 5.29 i. e. No man in his right wits will wrong or starve his own body but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church The Lord Christ nourisheth his Church This he doth by his Word and Spirit the one being a vehiculum a conduit-pipe to the other so conveying spirituall nourishment to all the members of this Body So much we may learn from the Apostle Col. 2.19 where speaking of this Head he tels us that from hence All the Body by joynts and Bands having nourishments ministred c increaseth with the increase of God Thus is it in the naturall Body The Head being the fountain of the animall spirits it giveth sense and motion and nutrition to all the members And thus doth Jesus Christ this mysticall Head He maketh a supply to all the members of his mysticall Body of what ever is requisite for their spirituall nourishment and growth To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are two things requisite Meat and Drink And both these Christ affordeth to the soul Of the former you may read John 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you meaning his word or himselfe his own flesh as he expounds it ver 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh The other you have John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink And again John 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst meaning thereby his Spirit the Spirit of Grace which is like a living Spring in the soul refreshing and comforting it Both together you have John 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed So they are The flesh and blood of Christ being eaten and drunk by faith applying the merit of his death and passion unto the soul now they afford as true and perfect nourishment unto the soul as any meat and drink do to the body thus doth Jesus Christ nourish his people Even as Joseph is said to have nourished his Brethren and all his Fathers Houshold Gen. 47.12 So doth this our Mediator the Lord Jesus nourish his people feeding them To which I might add As he feedeth so also he cloatheth them He cloatheth them and this he doth with a double garment The one of Imputed the other of Inherent Righteousnesse This is the fine-linnen spoken of Rev. 19.8 wherewith the Bride the Lamb's wife is said to be arrayed The fine-linnen is the Righteousnesse of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall the Justifications the Righteousnesses Such is the Righteousnesse of Saints a double Righteousnesse Besides the Righteousnesse of Christ put upon them by a gracious Imputation they have also an Inherent Righteousnesse consisting in holinesse of heart and life inward Graces and outward good Works which as Beza notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justificationes i. e. bona illa opera qua sunt vinae fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Gr. Annot. ad Apocal. 19.8 may not unfitly be called Justifications in as much as they justifie a mans faith and the truth of grace in him This is the Government in which that Royal Spouse is said to be brought to her Husband Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of needle-work A contexture of variety of graces and good works meeting together And this is a Garment not of the Spouses own making but is bestowed upon her by her Bridegroom To her was granted that she should be arrayed c. Rev. 19.8 And so is it to all true believers whom Jesus Christ both feedeth and clotheth But I hasten Fifthly Thus providing for them now he also disposeth of them 5. He disposeth of them Thus did Joseph dispose of his Brethren Gen. 47.11 Thus doth our Joseph the Lord Jesus dispose of all his people and that both in respect of their stations and services where he will have them to be and what he will have them to do or to suffer Thus did he dispose of his servant Paul as you may see Acts 9. Having first dismounted humbled him and so fitted and prepared him for his service brought him to his Lure insomuch that he calleth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do ver 6. Now he orders him to go to Damascus and there to repair to Ananias to receive his instructions from him to whom he had imparted his mind concerning him as you find it ver 15. Go thy way saith the Lord to Ananias for he is a chosen vessels unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel this was Paul to do And for his suffering work that followeth I will show him what great things he must suffer for my names sake ver 16. Thus did Jesus Christ dispose of him and thus did he then dispose of all his Disciples sending them which way he pleased Matth. 10.16 17. And thus doth he still dispose of all others under his Government Calling some to one office to one service others to another He gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. Ephes 4.11 Some or these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only appointing the offices but designing the persons Stil he doth the same though not in so immediate a way He putteth one upon doing this another upon suffering that He disposeth of the persons of his subjects 6. And lastly disposing of them he Dispenceth to them 6. He dispenceth to them distributeth among them And this he doth both Gifts and Honours and Rewards All this doth a Vice-Roy at his pleasure dispence to those under his government And all these doth Jesus Christ dispence unto his people 1. Gifts 1. Gifts All kind of Gifts whether of Nature Of Nature or Grace Christ is the dispencer of both Of the former speaketh Saint John as he is commonly understood cap. 1. ver 9. That was the true light saith he speaking of Christ that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz. with a Naturall light the light of Reason and Vnderstanding which as it was at first infused into the mind of man by him by whom all things are made ver 3. so some sparkes thereof are still preserved and continued by the same Mediator by vertue of the generall mediation of Christ But to let them passe Gifts of Grace are all of his dispencing To every one of us is
up to the life of grace here and glory hereafter And this power this spirit all true believers in their measure are and shal be made partakers of even as the members of the naturall body participate in those animall spirits which are in the Head And hereby they shall be inabled as to mortifie sin so to live unto God And thus you see the communion which is betwixt Christ the Believer as betwixt the Stock the Graft implanted in it Applic. Which is a ground of everlasting consolation to all those that are truely baptized into Christ A ground of everlasting Consolation mystically ingrafted into him by faith Being thus made one with him now let them know that all that is Christs is and shal be theirs The sap that is in the Stock is for the use and benefit of the Graft And thus whatever is in Jesus Christ it is for the Benefit and advantage of those that are in him So as All that is in Christ is the Believers what is it that they can want Is it pardon of sin is it Grace and favour with God Lo here is merit enough for both He hath by his obedience active and passive made an abundant satisfaction to the Justice of God He hath done and suffered enough to finish the Transgression and to make an end of or seal up sins and to make Reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Here is nothing wanting to the Justification of a Believer before God Nor yet to his Sanctification As there is a fulnesse of merit so there is a fulnesse of spirit in Christ It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 So it did during his abode here upon earth The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth John 1.14 Upon his change of State he received an addition to that fulnesse When he ascended up on high he received gifts for men Psal 68.18 Gifts which he might distribute and give unto men as the Apostle renders that of the Psalmist Eph. 4.8 He ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things So it followeth ver 10. All things that is all his Elect and faithfull people all which do and shall in their measure receive of that his fulnesse Of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace saith Saint John John 1.16 We all all believers have received grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace upon grace say some one grace after another abundance of grace or grace for grace graces answering to those graces which are in Christ as the characters in the wax answer those in the seal or grace for grace The grace of Sanctification following upon the grace of Justification both flowing from the free-grace and good will of God in Christ And this believers receive from the fulnesse which is in Christ which is not only a repletive but a diffusive fulnesse Plenitudo non vasis sed fontis Not like the fulnesse of a vessel which if a drop be taken from it it suffers a diminution by it but of a fountain which runneth over for the benefit of all that will come unto it Such a fulnesse of Spirit such a fulnesse of Grace is there in Jesus Christ who is in that respect compared to a Fountain Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse That Fountain is Christ himselfe whose merit and spirit represented by the water and blood issuing out of his side in his Passion are as streams ever running from a living Spring sufficient to wash and cleanse all believing sinners from the guilt and pollution of sin Here is merit enough for their Justification and here is spirit enough for their Sanctification And in both these Believers being united unto Christ have and shall have communion with him A four-fold Benefit flowing from this Union and Communion Out of which Generall still to follow the Metaphor bud forth divers other particulars The Graft being thus put into the Stock made one with it and partaking in the sap and juice that is in it it now receiveth from it a four-fold benefit viz. Nutrition Augmentation Fructification Sustentation Nourishment Growth Fruitfulnesse Establishment And the like four-fold benefit we shall find accrewing unto the Believer from this his union and communion with Jesus Christ Each of which will yeild us a severall Resemblance A first of these Benefits is Nutrition 6. Resembl 1. Benefit Nutrition nourishment This the Graft receiveth from the Stock And this the Believer receiveth from Christ So the Apostle holdeth it forth though under a different Metaphor Col. 2.19 where comparing Christ to the Head and the Church to the Body he sheweth how the one receiveth nourishment from the other Not holding the Head from which all the Body having nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant illum qui omnia ornamenta suppeditat sacras Choreas agentibus Abbis ducta Motaphora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quicunque aliis suppeditat res ad quemcunque finem necessarias Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est hoc facere abundè copiosè in Davenant in Col. 2.19 The word there used signifieth generally a Supply of all things requisite and convenient and that in an abundant manner Such a supply doth the Head make unto the naturall Body It giveth to every part sense and motion and particular abilities for the discharge of their severall offices and functions as to the eye to see to the ear to hear c. And such a supply doth Jesus Christ make unto his mysticall Body giving spirituall sense and motion to every member with abilities and graces sutable to their severall offices and conditions furnishing them with whatever is requisite for their Personall Salvation and the Churches Edification In this place the word more particularly imports a supply of such things as are necessary for the nourishing of the Body Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipere ea quae alendo corpori sunt necessaria Grotius ad loc These the Head supplyeth to the members of the naturall body And these Jesus Christ supplyeth to the members of the mystical Body even to all that are in him Such a supply the Stock maketh to the ingrafted Branches And such a supply Christ yeildeth to all those living spirituall Branches that are ingrafted into him ministring to them spirituall Aliment for the nourishing up of their souls unto eternal life To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are but two things requisite Christ is perfect nourishment to the Believer viz. Meat and Drink and both these is Christ unto the believer My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed saith he to the Jews John 6.55 Meat indeed and drink indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè eminentissimè Truely and really though
Proclamation runs Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters and he that hath no money come Buy wine and milk without money or without price A gracious invitation wherein Christ proclaimeth a free-Mart to all those that feel themselves to stand in need of true grace and sound comfort and desire a supply thereof let them come unto him but come emptie-handed without money or monies worth bringing nothing of their own with them nothing but hungring and thirsting souls So shall they be supplyed with wine and milk all things needfull to their spirituall refreshment and nourishment 5. And thus coming to him now cast our selves upon him 5. Cast our selves upon him depend upon him So did Joseph's brethren at their last coming now they cast themselves upon Joseph depending upon him for provision for them and theirs The like do we not knowing where else to have our wants supplyed Master John 6.68 whither shall we go saith Peter thou hast the words of eternall life come we unto Jesus Christ and cast our selves upon him in a confident assurance of being nourished by him As David saith of temporall food Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord c and verily thou shalt be fed So say I of spirituall Trust in the Lord rest upon Jesus Christ and verily thou shalt be fed So doth the graft upon the stock it resteth upon it and depends upon it for nourishment which by an attractive vertue being hungry as it were it sucks and draweth from it And the like do we from Jesus Christ coming unto him in the sense of our wants set faith awork which is an attractive grace thereby as it were sucking and drawing this nutritive vertue from him 6. Give glory and honour unto Jesus Christ 6. Which being in our measure made partakers of now give praise honour and glory to Jesus Christ offering unto him the best that we have So Jacob directeth his sons at their return into Egypt In as much as they had received such speciall and undeserved favour from the Governour of the Land to furnish them with corn without money he orders them to take the best fruits in the land in their vessels and carry down the man a present a little balm and a little honey c. Gen. 43.11 The like do we having tasted of this so undeserved a favour this speciall grace of Jesus Christ in the communication of his saving sanctifying Spirit unto us in any measure now present him with such as we have Praise Honour Glory Service Obedience Bringing forth fru t answerable Above all endeavouring to bring forth fruits answerable to what we have received This is the greatest honour that the graft can do to the stock to bring forth fruit in it answerable to that nourishment which it hath received from it And this is the greatest honour that we can do to Jesus Christ when we shew forth his vertues his praises as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. 2.9 And this do we not onely in word speaking well of the Name of Christ extolling and magnifying his power his vertue put forth in and upon us But also and chiefly in deed by expressing that power those vertues in the course of our lives and conversations bringing forth fruits in measure worthy of sutable to such a Stock But of this God willing more hereafter Here is the first of these subordinate benefits which accrew unto the believer from his communion with Jesus Christ being ingrafted into him he receiveth nourishment from him A second followes viz. Augmentation The Graft being put into the Stock and receiving nourishment from it 7. Resembl A second Benefit Augmentation now it groweth up in it And the like doth the Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ being ingrafted into him and receiving spirituall nourishment from him now he groweth up in him Ex iisdem nutrimur crescimus Nutrition and Augmentation are both from the same cause That which plants are nourished by that they grow by Christians receiving nourishment from Christ they grow and increase in him So it followeth in that fore-cited Text of the Apostle Col. 2.19 Where speaking of the mysticall Body of Christ the Church he saith that having nourishment ministred to it from the Head it increaseth with the increase ef God Thus doth the mysticall Body of Christ grow not only Extensively in regard of the daily addition of new members to it there being daily added to the Church such as shall be saved Acts 2.47 In which respect the Apostle saith that it groweth unto an holy Temple Ephes 2.21 But also Intensively in regard of the growth of every member This is true Augmentation when it is secundùm omnes partes when every member of the body every branch of the tree groweth and increaseth in the severall dimensions thereof And thus groweth the Body of Christ the Church Every member of it groweth increaseth with the Increase of God that is a spirituall Increase which is both from God and to God From God as the principall Efficient Cause of it Paul planteth Apollos watereth but God giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 And it tends to God to his Glory as the ultimate end of it And besides for the kind of it it is a divine Increase not in the things of this world but in the things of God In all which respects it is called the Increase of God Whereof all living Branches are made partakers Christ himself And with this Increase do all the true members of this mysticall Body all the living Branches ingrafted into this Stock grow and increase Thus did Christ himselfe who in respect of his Manhood was a Branch grow and increase So it was fore-told that he should do Isai 53.2 He shall grow up before him as a tender plant Which is to be understood both of his Person and Kingdome Both which were of small beginnings but growing So did Christ in his Person according to his humane nature he grew and increased and that as in the outward so in the inward man as in stature so in Grace So you have it attested Luke 2.40 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdome and the Grace of God was upon him and again ver last And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man Thus did he grow the Graces of the Divinity breaking forth and shewing themselves by little and little through the lanthorn of the Humanity according to the maturity of the faculties thereof Herein was Christ a Pattern and sampler to the Believer who being in Christ is in his measure made conformable to him growing up in him It is one of the properties which the Psalmist giveth of the righteous man Every righteous person Psal 92.12 He shal grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Cedars are growing trees every year putting forth a new set of shoots till they come to their full perfection And thus is it or
likenesse of his resurrection This we are all of us Sacramentally in our Baptisme which being a Sacrament of our Insition or engrafting into Christ represents unto us according to the twofold Ceremony used in the first Institution of it viz. Immersion and Emersion a twofold mystery viz. Mortification and Vivification both which we meet with in the verse before the Text. We are buried with Christ by baptisme that like as he was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life But are we so really and spiritually If so then may we comfortably assure our selves of our union with Jesus Christ and consequently of our Interest in the merits of his death unto our Justification of which the Apostle discourseth in the Chapter foregoing Certainly this communion is a fruit of our union an undoubted evidence that we are engrafted into Christ if we be thus raised up with him So are all Which is common to all and proper only to the members of Christ and only the true members of Jesus Christ When Christ rose out of the grave he left none of his members behind him True the grave-cloaths he did these Peter and John found in the Sepulchre when they came to visit their Lord there John 20.5 6 7. They saw the linnen cloaths lying and the napkin which was about his head wrapped together in a place by it selfe But the body was gone not a member of it left Thus there are many who cleave unto Christ and unto his mysticall Body in an outward profession as those grave-cloaths did to his natural body who upon a strict scrutiny will be found still lying in the grave of sin But not so any of the true members of Christ All that have a true reall spirituall union with him they have also a communion with him and conformity to him in his resurrection They are made partakers of this first Resurrection which carries with it a resemblance of his resurrection Now is it so with us Are we thus engrafted with him in the likenesse of his Resurrection How this shall be known Quest But how shall we know whether we be or no An usefull Question Ans A Question not unusefull The rather in regard that there are many who deceive themselves herein taking shadowes for substances Even as Saul judged of Samuel his Resurrection 1 King 28.12 He thought it to have been the true Samuel and a true Resurrection when it was nothing but a spectrum an Illusion And as Herod thought of John the Baptist that he was risen from the dead when there was no such matter Mat. 14.2 Thus do many judge of themselves they flatter their own hearts with an apprehension of a Resurrection that they are raised from the grave of sin whereas in truth their souls still lie rotting and putrifying and stinking there That none of us may be mistaken in a matter of so great consequence and concernment let me present you with some evidences whereby the truth of this Resurrection may be discerned where it is Evidences of the first Resurrection and our selves may certainly know whether we be made partakers of it Enquiry 1. Have we heard that voice of Christ or no. 1. In the first place then Have we ever heard the voice of Christ or no By this means it was that Lazarus his body was raised from the grave John 11.43 by the voice of Christ speaking to him and calling upon him And by the same means shall the generall Resurrection at the last day be effected The hour is coming in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth John 5.28 29. And by the like means is this first Resurrection wrought The houre cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live so you have it verse 25. of that Chapter our Saviour there speaking of the first Resurrection as I have already shewed you Now have we ever heard this voice of Christ Have we heard Christ speaking to us in his word The voice of his Ministers we have often heard but have we ever heard the voice of Christ Fares it not with some of us as it did with young Samuel who had often heard Elie's voice but had never heard the voice of the Lord and therefore he is said as yet not to know the Lord 1 Sam. 3.7 viz. by way of extraordinary Revelation by voice and speech Is it not so with some of us we have often heard Elie's voice but have we ever heard the voice of the Lord We have often heard the voice of Christ's Ministers but have we ever heard the voice of Christ himselfe We have heard the one sounding in our ears but have we heard the other entring into our hearts awakening us from our dead sleep As it is in sleep so it is in death whereof sleep is the image the body first awaketh before it riseth out of the bed or grave Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake saith Daniel speaking of the generall Resurrection Dan. 12.2 And thus is it in this first Resurrection Before the soul can arise it must awake Awake thou that steepest and stand up from the dead Ephes 5.14 Now have we heard the voice of Christ awakening us Have we fonnd such an effectuall work of the word upon our hearts rousing us out of the dead sleep of our sinfull security opening our eyes making us truely appehensive and sensible of our present condition causing us to look about us and to entertain serious thoughts about a Resurrection of getting out of the state of sin into a state of grace Have we heard the voice of the Law and the voice of the Gospel Christ speaking in both In the Law Have we heard the voice of the Law Christ speaking to us as he did to Israel at Mount Sinai where his voice shook the earth Heb. 12.26 which it did both literally shaking the mountain Exod. 19.18 and metonymically shaking the persons that heard it So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and shake Heb. 12.21 Now have we heard such a voice Have we found at any time such an effect in the word so shaking us making such an earth-quake such a heart-quake in our souls In the vision which Ezekiel saw of the Resurrection of those dead and dry bones Ezek. 37. he tels us that before they were quickned and raised up there was a noise and a shaking ver 7. And the story informs us concerning those which seconded Christ and attended upon him in his Resurrection Mat. 8.27 that before their Resurrection the earth did quake and the rocks rent and then the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose came out of the graves c. v. 51.52 53. Such Preparatives God is pleased oftimes and for the most
himself before his conversion as crooked a piece as any in his time a Blasphemer a Persecuter injurious The chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.13 15. A strange branch to make a graft on yet God had mercy on him and revealed Christ to him and in him And such were many of his Corinthians Such were some of you saith he to them 1 Cor. 6.11 viz. Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers yet engrafted into Christ Washen sanctified justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Have any of us tasted of the like grace ascribe not any thing to our selves Not to the goodness of our natures Of natures bad is the best we may wink choose The best plant by nature no better then a wilding not to our wel vsing of common grace but meerly to the free-grace of God in Jesus Christ The grace is Gods let the glory be his I have done with a third Resemblance Take a fourth In Grafting the Branch being put into the Stock 4. Resemb Branch and Stock by ingrafting are made one they two do coalescere they grow into one body and become one And so is it in this mysticall Implantation Here is a spiritual Coalition betwixt Christ and the Believer an union and that a very near one Not only like that of the Ivie and the Oak which are one by Adhesion the one cleaving to the other but like the Graft and the Stock which are made one by Insition both one Body one Tree Such an union is there betwixt Christ and Believers The Union betwixt Christ and the Believer a near union that are implanted into him by faith a very near union as near as can be conceived or imagined So the Apostle describeth it Eph. 5.30 We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Alluding to the way and manner of God's making the woman at the first who was made of the man of the rib taken out of his side and so they two were one Even such a near union is there betwixt Christ and believers as is betwixt Husband and wife They two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church ver 31 32. This is a great mystery Not the natural corporall marriage as Papists look upon it who from thence conclude Marriage to be a Sacrament but the spirituall Marriage betwixt Christ and his Church which is a Mystery to be apprehended by faith not comprehended by reason Elsewhere the Apostle setteth forth this union by the similitude of the Head and Members which make up one Body So do Christ and beleevers God gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body Ephes 1.22 He is the Head of the Body Colos 1.18 Amongst all no one similitude more lively expresseth it then this in the Text of Ingrafting where the Graft is incorporated into the stock so as they become one Thus are beleevers Incorporated into Christ the one dwelling in the other He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6 56. as the Graft dwelleth in the stock And so they are made one And hence is it that they are both called by one and the same name Christ and his Church called by one name So you have it 1 Corinthians 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members Gal. 3.16 and all the members of that one body being many are one Body So also is Christ. viz. Christ Mysticall Christ and his Church jointly considered are called by the same name Even as Husband and Wife or to hold to the similitude in hand the Stock and the Graft are called by the same name Onely here is an observable difference Note In naturall ingrafting the stock taketh the name from the Graft as the wife doth from her Husband Isa 4.1 But in this spirituall implanting the Graft taketh the name from the Stock The Reason is the same in both The denomination is taken from the more noble of the two And hence is it that as the name of the Apple-tree Branch is called upon the Crab stock so the name of Christ is called upon the Christian Here is the Vnion betwixt these two Applic. The honor put upon Believers Which speaketh much to the honour of the beleever For a Beggar or mean personage to be married to a Prince an Hester Hest 2. to an Ahasuerus what an Honour What is it then for poor sinfull dust and Ashes to be married to the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 to be thus united unto Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God the Heir of all things being thus made one with him they are also made one with his father So saith Paul of his Thessalonians 1 Thes 1.1 and 2.1.1 Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ The Father and the Son being both one I and my father are one Joh. 10.30 Though not Personally yet Essentially one though two Persons yet one God the beleever having Union with the one through his Midiation he cometh to have Union with the other Having Union with the Son he hath union with the Father And from this Union floweth a sweet and blessed Communion Take that for a 5th Resemblance The beleever being thus made one with Jesus Christ from that Vnion floweth a blessed Communion Resembl 5. The Branch hath Communion with the stock This I take up from the Apostle in that of Romans 11.17 Where speaking of the engrafting Incorporating of the Gentiles into the stock of Abraham he saith that Being grafted in among or in stead of the true Branches Rom. 11.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro ipsis Beza Inter ipsos Grotius they were made partakers with them of the Root and fatness of the Olive Tree Thus is it with all engrafted branches they are made partakers of the Root and fatness id est of the Fatness which is in the Root for there is as Grotius observes an Hendiadio in the phrase Root and Fatness for the Fatness of the Root of the Tree into which they are engrafted So saith he of the Gentiles being ingrafted into the stock and Covenant of Abraham they are made partakers of the Roote and Fatness of that Olive tree viz. of the blessing and promises made unto Abraham And even so is it in this Mysticall Implantation All true beleevers being engrafted into this true and Noble Olive the Lord Jesus Christ they are made partakers of the Root and Fatness thereof of those Excellencies which are in Jesus Christ From that near Vnion flowes a blessed Communion Beleevers have Communion with Christ The stock communicates to the graft such sap and juice as it hath in it self And thus doth Jesus Christ communicates unto the Beleever what is in himself In generall all Spirituall and heavenly blessings Generally in all
permanent impression upon the soul stamping the Image of God upon it making it partaker of the Divine nature as S. Peter calls the work of Grace which consisteth in those divine Qualities of Holiness and Righteousness 2. Pet 1.4 which is as a mark a Character wherby men may know whose children they are Even as the Spartans or Lacedemonians of old are said to know what stock linage they were of by a mark that was made upon their bodies by the head of a Lance G ot in Rom. 8.16 or Speer as Grotius illustrates it Not only so but besides this there is a more immediate witnesse of the Spirit sealing up that and other benefits unto the soul Thus it testifieth to the spirit and with the spirit of the Beleever The spirit of Christ and his own spirit they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnesse together each bearing witnesse with the other His Spirit beareth witnesse with the Spirit of Christ viz. by observing the work of that spirit the work of grace and Sanctification wrought in upon the soul And the spirit of Christ beareth witnesse with his spirit by assuring him as of the truth of that work of Grace so of his Interest in that and all other benefits belonging to the Covenant of Grace Thus doth the Spirit notifie unto the soul of a Beleever it own interest in Christ and his Benefits So saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the spirit of God that we may know the things which are freely given us of God Those spirituall benefits and blessings which beleevers have by Christ whether in present possession or future expectation the Spirit causeth them to know them To know them not onely in a generall way in the Theory to know what they are but to know their owne right unto them and interest in them assuring them both of the one and of the other And in this respect again as judicious Diodate looketh upon it Christ may be conceived to be called the Surety of the Covenant Diodate annot in Heb. 7.22 in as much as he assureth the Grace of the Covenant the grace of God by his spirit unto the soul And thus you see this other Branch of this point opened and explained unto you How Christ is said to be a Surety on Gods part to Man Assuring him of the performance of the conditions of the covenant on God's part which he doth as you have heard by his Word by his Works by his Blood by his Spirit And thus am I at the length got off from this third Staffe also where we have seen how Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and man Qua Sponsor as a Surety undertaking for man to God and for God to man Which being the middle and as I conceive the principall staffe of this mysteriall Ladder I have stood upon it the longer Which I have done as not without content to my selfe in the contemplation of these divine and sacred Truths so I trust not without some benefit to you to all you who desire to be clearly and fully informed concerning this great mystery of Christ I shall now in the Name and Fear of God passe on to those two other steps which I shall passe over with what convenient speed I may reserving the Application of all into the close The fourth Staffe of this mysticall Ladder Jesus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and men in the fourth place Quà Intercessor as an Intercessour Such a Mediatour was Job for his friends Job 42.8 My servant Job shall pray for you Christ an Intercessour for him will I accept And such a Mediatour is the Lord Jesus for his elect people So he was upon Earth and so he is in Heaven Upon Earth He was so upon Earth Then was he an Intercessour then did he performe a peice of this part of his Mediatorship interceding with God his Father in the behalfe of his elect People This he did in those many sweet and fervent prayers which he poured forth for them from time to time specially in that sacred and solemn one which we have recorded John 17. A prayer so divine so heavenly that whosoever hath ought of the Spirit of Christ cannot but be exceedingly affected and even ravished with it There have we a true Cygnea Cantio a Swan-like Song wherein our blessed Saviour being then to leave the world he commendeth his Elect in the present and succeeding ages to the care and custody of God his Father that he would conferre and bestow upon them all those benefits which himselfe had purchased for them As namely that he would sanctifie them ver 17. Sanctifie them through thy Truth That he would keep them in unity ver 11. Holy Father keep them through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are i. e. joyned in the unity of faith and love one in him and one among themselves That he would deliver them from evill ver 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evill one viz. Satan their grand Enemy That he would expresse his peculiar love to them ver 23. That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me So again ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them That he would fill their hearts with inward joy and comfort ver 13. That they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves And finally that in due season he would bring them to the participation of the same eternall glory with himselfe ver 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory And so beholding it might be transformed into it Thus did he then intercede for his Elect Praying for them This he did in his Life and this he did in his Death Even upon the Crosse whilest he was a Sufferer he was also an Intercessour So saith the Prophet Isai chap. 53. ver 12. He bare the sins of many and made Intercession for the transgressours So he did in that prayer of his which he poured out in the Paroxisme of his Passion the midst of his Agony in the behalfe of those that crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Thus was he an Intercessour upon Earth And he is the same in Heaven He is so in Heaven There he performeth the same office stil interceding though not after the same manner that he did here upon Earth Grot. Com. in Heb. 7.25 Non submissâ ut olim sed potenti Interpellatione as Grotius citeth it out of Gregory not any longer in a submisse humble way with knees bowed down with hands and eyes lifted up as here he did in his state of humiliation but in a way sutable to his glorified condition In
God for them 1. Appearing for them Thus are Atturnies said to appear for their Clients in the Courts of Justice Sum of Sacred divinity published by John Downham p. 330. answering for them And from hence saith that learned and judicious Divine-Lawyer the Apostle may seem to have borrowed that phrase of Christ appearing in the presence of God for us in that place forenamed Heb. 9.24 This he doth as our Attourney sitting at the right hand of God his Father as a generall person representing the whole mysticall body whereof himselfe is the Head appearing and making answer for every member thereof 2. As he appeareth so also he acteth for them doing what he doth in their name 2. Acting in their name in their room and stead Thus he took possession of Heaven upon his ascension not in his own name onely but also in their name This is that he tels his Disciples John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you A Similitude borrowed from Travellers amongst whom some one goeth before to bespeake and take up roomes for the rest against they come The like office hath Jesus Christ done for his people He is gone before entred into the Heavenly Places not onely for his owne sake but his peoples in whose name hee hath taken up those Everlasting Mansions And as he hath taken so hee keepeth possession in their name in their room and stead Hence is it that the Apostle speaking of beleevers Eph. 2.6 he saith that they are raised up together and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ So they do though not actually in their own persons yet in the person of Christ That which an Atturny doth for another himself is said to do it Thus one taketh possession of a house or ground which himself never saw viz. by another whom he appoints in his room as his Atturny to do it in his stead And thus hath Jesus Christ taken and now keepeth possession of the heavenly places in our stead 3 Which he doth being 3. And this he hath done being Authorized and deputed thereunto Even as Atturnies in Courts are Authorized and deputed Authorized by the Judge and deputed by the parties Otherwise they cannot appear or Act as Attournies for others Even so is Jesus Christ authorized and deputed to be as it were our Attourny Authorized by God his Father to appear and answer for us Authorized by God his Father Him hath God the Father sealed John 6.27 id est as I shewed you before Authorized him to execute the office of a Mediatour to be as an Attourney for his people in the Court of Heaven Deputed by them And Deputed by those for whom he appeares Christ doth not undertake to doe the office of an Advocate or Attourney for any without their consents No Attournies must be retained by their Clients And so is Jesus Christ by all those who have any benefit by his Advocation his Intercession They are such as have retained him and committed their cause to him such as have received him and doe acknowledg him resting and relying upon him as their Mediatour 4 As a Solicitor presenting and promoting their desires 4. In the fourth and last place he appeareth also before God as a Solicitour What the Solicitours office is it is well known viz to present and promote the desires and Requests of another in such a way as that they may finde acceptance And such a Solicitor is the Lord Jesus on the behalf of his people In which respect againe he may fitly be said to be a Mediator betwixt God and Men. Such a Mediatrix was Queen Hester who appeared in the presence of King Ahasuerus presenting unto him the Petition which Mordecai had put into her mouth in the behalf of her people Ester 5. And such a mediatour is a Master of Requests in a Princes Court who appearing in the Presence Chamber there presents the Petitions of the People which are put into his hands And such a Mediatour is the Lord Jesus the great Master of Requests who appearing in the presence of God his Father presents both the prayers and services of his people unto him and that in such a way as that they become acceptable unto him So that Text commonly hath been and for ought I know properly may be understood for what other sense to make of it I well know not Rev. 8.3 where we finde mention of an Angell which stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given to him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne This Angel is the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Jesus which offereth up the prayers of Saints unto God being mixed with the precious odours of his own merits This is the incense which is offered with or added for so the word in the Original hath it as the margin in our new Translation renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might give or add to the prayers of all Saints Such are the merits of Christ an additament to the prayers of Gods Saints Like that Incense which was offered up by the Priest under the Law for to that the Spirit there clearly alludeth under the Law whilest the people were praying without the Priest was offering up Incense within So you finde it Luke 1.10 A Type of Christs Intercession Whilest his people are praying without upon Earth he is within appearing before God in the heavens there offering up Incense presenting those prayers mingled with his own merits Which are not unfitly compared to Incense Incense being a sweet perfume the smoake thereof doth easily and gratefully penetrate into the nostrils of Man Even so doth the Merit of the Lord Jesus being added to the prayers of Saints it penetrates into the nostrils of God so it there followeth verse 4. The smoak of the Incense of which came with the prayers of the Saints and ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And by that meanes those prayers and services wherewith it is offered they become grateful unto God Ye are an holy Priesthood saith S. Peter speaking to beleevers to offer up spiritual sacrifices viz. Prayers and praises c. acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And in this respect may he fitly be said to be a Mediator betwixt God and men A Mediator as an Inteecessour And thus I pass off from the fourth staff to the fifth and last Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and man quà Gubernator as a Vice-Roy The 5th staffe of this mysticall Ladder Christ a Governour a Deputy Governour such a Mediatour was Joseph betwixt Pharaoh his people Being taken out of Prison he was advanced set at Pharaohs right hand next to him in the Kingdome and so set over all the land of Egypt Herein was he a Type of our Mediatour the Lord Jesus who being in like manner taken out of prison as
the Prophet Isaiah hath it Isaiah 53.8 viz. the prison of the grave as the next verse explains it ver 9. he was highly exalted having a name given him above every name as the Apostle hath it Phil. 2.9 id est transcendent honor and dignity God the father having raised him from the dead set him at his own right hand far above all Principalities and powers might and Dominion Eph. 1.20 Putting all power into his hand All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth So he tells his Apostles Mat. 28.18 All power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Authority Authority he had before He taught the people as one having authority saith the Evangelist Mat. 7.29 But now after his Resurrection his Authority was compleat and full All Authority was given unto him Which being ascended into heaven and set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high he exerciseth as a Vice-Roy a Deputy Governor under God his Father And this he doth 1. Generally universally over all Creatures 1 Universally over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth All which are upheld by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 Herein doth this our Mediator excel that Typicall Mediator Moses whom we may hear complaning of his charge Num. 11.14 I am not able saith he to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me But this doth our Mediatour by the word of his power his powerfull word as he created so he upholdeth all things continuing them in their beings ordering and governing them according to his good will and pleasure Here is his generall Government 2. But besides this he hath a more speciall Government which he exerciseth over mankind 2 Specially over mankind He is a Mediatour betwixt God and Men saith the Text The Mediatorship of Christ doth in some respect extend universally to all Creatures all which are given to him to dispose of at his pleasure But more specially it is exercised about mankind Now mankind is divided as you know into two ranks into two Worlds There is Mundus salvandorum Damnandorum The Elect world and the Reprobate world And to both these doth this Government of Christ extend Directly to the one obliquely and indirectly to the other 1. As for the Reprobate world of wicked and ungodly men 2 Over the Reprobate world of wicked men who were of old ordained to just condemnation for sin Christ ruleth over them or rather amongst them Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies Psalm 110.2 exercising his Authority and power upon them even as he doth upon the Reprobate Angels hardning them restraining them over-ruling them subduing them judging them All these hee doth and shall do to Satan and his Angels and so in like manner to wicked and ungodly men who are subjects of Satans kingdome 1. Hardning them 1. Hardning them This in his just judgment hee doth giving them up unto a perpetuall obduration a finall impenitency So the Evangelist Saint John expounds that Prophecie of the Prophet Isaiah which he brings in as a Reason why the obstinate Jews could not beleeve on Christ John 12.39 40. Therefore they could not beleeve because Isaias said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts c. Hee Who why even Christ himselfe So it followeth These things said Isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him His Glory the manifestation of his Majesty which shined forth in many passages besides his transfiguration here upon Earth This Isaias by his Propheticall eye foresaw even as Abraham is said to have done his Birth-day or the time of his abode in the flesh John 8.56 And foreseeing it foretold what he should do to the Jews who obstinately rejected him And the like judgement he still executes upon the like obstinate sinners hardning them by withholding his grace and giving them over unto Satan and their owne Corruption which by continuance through custome groweth to a Callus a brawnie obduracie and insensible hardnesse 2ly Restraining them bridling them 2. Bridling them so as that they cannot do what they would they cannot go beyond the lists and limits which hee appointeth them Thus dealt hee with Saul who before his conversion was a desperate persecutour breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples Acts. 9.1 Whilest hee was in his full careere posting to Damascus with letters missive to fetch up all that were of that way to bring them unto Jerusalem before the High-Priests Christ meeteth him in the way arrests him dismounts him stayeth his course restraineth his malice and changeth his heart Thus hath he a hooke in the nostrils a bridle in the Jawes of every Leviathan Bee they what they will what for power what for malice yet Jesus Christ restraineth them 3. And restraining their power and malice hee also Over-ruleth 3. Over-ruling them their counsels and indeavours making them subservient to his own designes turning them to his own praise and his Churches good So are wee to understand that somewhat obscure passage of the Psalmist Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath wilt thou restraine So doth Christ restrain or gird as the Originall hath it the wrath of his Enemies so keepeth it within compasse as that it shall not breake forth further then may serve for his glory and his Churches good giving his people occasion to praise him 4. And thus over-ruling them he also Subdues and conquers them 4. Subduing them Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in peices like a potters vessell It is a prophecie concerning Christ Psal 2.9 The Lord at thy right hand saith the same Psalmist speaking of Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father ver 1. hee shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the Heathen he shal fill the places with dead bodies he shall wound the Heads over many countries he shall drink of the brooke in the way like a valiant and hardy Commander who being in the pursuit of his enemies as Calvin and others after him conceive of that expression he doth not sit down to take his repast but borrowing a little water from the brook in the way for his present refreshment followeth on the chafe untill he hath made a full and finall conquest of them Thus shall Jesus Christ deal by all his enemies and the enemies of his kingdome who will not submit to his government As for those mine enemies which would not that I should raign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.31 This will he do if not here yet at that last great and terrible day at which time Fifthly He shall judge them 5. Judging them This is he saith Peter to Cornelius which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 God hath appointed a day saith Saint Paul Acts 17.31 in the which he shall
judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained viz. Jesus Christ this Mediatour betwixt God and men Then shall he take vengeance upon all his enemies Such is the Government which this Mediatour exerciseth over the Reprobate World To leave that 2. The Government of Christ as Mediatour is more directly over the Elect World 2 2. Christ a Governour more peculiarly over the elect world his own people who are given to him by God his Father To them is Christ a Mediatour after a peculiar manner and over them he exerciseth a peculiar Jurisdiction Even as it is said of Joseph Acts 7.10 Pharaoh made him Governour of Egypt and all his house Over Egypt in a generall but over his Family in a speciall and peculiar way Such is the Jurisdiction which God the Father hath committed to his Son as Mediatour a generall Jurisdiction over all creatures in Heaven and Earth but a speciall a peculiar Government over his House over his Church This Government he everciseth in divers severall acts I shall single out some of the principall 1. The first is in Gathering the Subjects of his Kingdom into one Body 1. Gathering them into his Kingdom Which he doth first in his Kingdom of Grace then of Glory 1. Of the former speaketh Caiaphas the High Priest in that notable prophecie of his John 11.51 52. where speaking he knew not what he foretels not without a divine direction how that Jesus should die for that Nation of the Jews and not for that Nation only 1. Of Grace but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Elect Jews and Gentiles where ever dispersed they are gathered into one one fold one Church one mysticall Body and that as in Christ Ephes 1.10 so by Christ the Head of that Body Those whom God hath before time given unto Christ out of the world he in time gathereth them out of the world Which he doth first by delivering them out of the hands of their enemies as Zacharias hath it in his Song Luke 1.74 viz. Sin and Sathan And then bringing them into the bond of the Covenant according to that Promise Ezek. 20.37 causing them to submit unto his Government Thus doth Christ gather the Subjects of his Kingdome here This was his work when he was upon Earth O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children It was the passionate expostulation of our blessed Saviour with and lamentation over that City Matth. 23.37 This he then assayed to do by those externall dispensations coming himselfe and sending his messengers to that people inviting commanding promising threatning And the like he still doth being himselfe in Heaven he setteth up his Standard upon Earth So runs that propheticall promise Isai 49.22 Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my Standard to the people Thus do Princes gather their people to themselves by setting up their Standards And thus doth the Lord Jesus gather his Subjects together by setting up his Standard viz. the Ministry of the word the preaching of the Gospel which holdeth forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 as the Royal Standard doth the Armes of the Prince This is the outward means which Christ maketh use of Which being accompanied with the secret concurrence of his Spirit it is now made effectuall unto that blessed end It now becomes a powerfull attractive to draw men unto Christ Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 When Christ goeth forth accompanying his word with his Spirit this is the day of his power and now his people come and come willingly unto him This is that which Christ foretold that he would do John 12.32 If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me And this he doth being lifted up first upon the Crosse then upon the Throne he draweth all men all belonging to the Election of grace whether Jewes or Gentiles bringing them home to himselfe to receive and acknowledge him as their Saviour and Lord to believe on him to be governed by him Thus he gathereth his Subjects into his Kingdom of Grace 2. And thus he shall gather them into his Kingdome of Glory 2. Of Glory To this end shall he send forth his Angels who with the sound of that great Trumpet shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other as you have it Mat. 24.31 But of this again hereafer Here is the first Act of Christ's Jurisdiction in reference to his Church the gathering of it 2. Having gathered it 2. Ruling them he now ruleth and governeth it According to thy word shall all my people be ruled saith Pharaoh to Joseph Gen. 41.40 Such a Ruler is Christ in his Church Such was Moses the Mediatour of the Old Covenant This Moses whom they refused saith Stephen to the Jews him did God send to be a Ruler Acts 7.35 And such is the Mediatour of the New Covenant the Lord Jesus whom the Jews refused This Isaiah foretold concerning him The Government shal be upon his shoulders Isa 9.6 And the chief Priests and Scribes tell Herod building upon the like prophesie Mat. 2.6 Out of thee Bethlehem shal come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel Such a Ruler was and is this our Mediatour Not a temporall one as they dreamed No that he disclaimeth My Kingdom is not of this world John 18.36 Though in the world yet not of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some of the kindred of our Saviour are said to have answered the Emperor Domitian interrogating them concerning his Kingdome of what kinde it was not a Worldly not an Earthly kingdome say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an Heavenly but an Angelicall kingdome Such is the Kingdome of Christ upon Earth A Spirituall Kingdome wherein hee ruleth and that both Outwardly and Inwardly 1. Outwardly appointing for them First Outwardly Ordering and Establishing it as the Prophet Isaiah hath it Isai 9.7 And this he doth by appointing Laws Ordinances and Officers in it and for it 1. Laws 1. Lawes and Statutes This do Soveraigns in their kingdomes Every one is a Lawgiver The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet till Shiloh come Genes 49.10 Such is the Lord Jesus in his Church a Lawgiver Yea the onely Lawgiver There is one Lawgiver saith Saint James James 4.12 And who that is the Prophet Isaiah will tell us Isa 53.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver even the Lord Christ He it was that gave the Law at mount Sina though by the ministry of Angels His voice then shooke the Earth Heb. 12.26 and he is still the Law-giver under the Gospell That Law of Love which Saint James calleth the Royall Law Jam. 2.8 and Saint Paul saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fulfilling of the Law Rom.
the office of his Mediatorship onely for man and not at all for the Angels Others more warily they distinguish There is a two-fold Mediation A twofold Mediation of Christ say they the one of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called Mediatio duplex Alia Redemptionis alia Conservationis Tilen Syntag. de officio Christi Sec. 30. the other of Preservation or Confirmation Now as for the former of these say they it agreeth not unto the Angels Not unto the good Angels they needed it not having never fallen Nor to the evill Angels They indeed stood in need of a Mediatour as well as man but Christ did not undertake this for them So much himselfe insinuates Mat. 25.41 where he saith that Hell fire is prepared for the Divell and his Angels And Saint Jude speaking of them tels us that the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation God hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Jude 6. Their fall being with a high hand in a presumptuous way without any previous Tentation it was irreparable irrecoverable Christ never intended them any benefit by his Mediation as Origen of old and some Anabaptists at this day hold In this sense Christ is a Mediatour onely to man-kind not to the Angels whether evill or good not a Mediatour of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called And in this sense are we to understand the Text. Christ a Mediatour of Redemption onely to men Jesus Christ is Mediatour betwixt God and men yea and onely betwixt them viz. as a Redeemer a Propitiatour So the verse following explains it Who gave himselfe a Ransome for all This he did not for the Angels but for man-kind onely And so may that other Text alledged Heb. 2.6 expounded Hebr 2.16 be most fitly and properly construed Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Where the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth apprehendere to sieze upon a thing to catch at it to lay fast hold upon it when it is going from a man Thus you shall find it used in the proper signification of it Mat. 14.31 where it is said that when Peter was ready to sink Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is the same Jesus took hold of him to save him And thus may it most aptly be rendred and construed in this place Christ took not hold of the Angels but the seed of Abraham he took hold of Angels and men being fallen they were all like Peter swimming in the same sea of misery sinking into the bottome of hell the gulfe of everlasting perdition Now the Lord Jesus he took hold not of the Angels but of man-kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hîc est vindecare sive asserere in libertatem manu injectâ Grotius ad loc Hyperius ad locum Vide Leigh Critica Sacra ad verbum suffering the one to sink and perish he redeemed and recovered the other So the word in that place is most genuinely expounded by Hyperius and Grotius and others And indeed the very Context leadeth us unto this sense In the verse fore-going it is said that Christ took the nature of man upon him our flesh and blood that he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage This was the end of his Incarnation to save lost man-kind And this he did For verily he took not hold of the Angels but of the seed of Abraham Laying a strong hand upon the one to vindicate and recover their liberty not so on the other Herein Jesus Christ hath expressed his love unto man-kind more then to the Angels being a Mediatour of Redemption to the one not to the other But of Preservation and Confirmation Christ a Mediatour of confirmation to Angels without any danger that I know he may be said to be Thus is he a Mediatour to the good Angels This however they kept their first estate yet being created mutable creatures Quaevis creatura rationalis in puris naturalibus constituta errare ac peccare potest Aquin. Sum part 1. q. 63. Conclus they were subject to fall This some of them had done and the rest were not to be trusted So much we may learn from that passage Job 4.18 Behold saith he God put no trust in his servants and his Angels he charged with folly Though not with Actuall yet with Potentiall Folly He well saw what they were and how ready they might be to do what their fellowes had done if left to themselves though they were not as yet sinfull and miserable yet soon they might have been unlesse they were confirmed and upheld in that state by a power greater then their own And what power should that be but the power of him who upholdeth all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1.3 The power of Jesus Christ by him it was that they were created Col. 1.16 and by him they are upheld The good Angels have benefit by Christ Questionlesse the good Angels have a near and a mysticall relation unto Jesus Christ and are beholding to him though not so much yet as well as man-kind He is a common head to both both meeting together in him So that place of the Apostle is most genuinely expounded Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are in earth even in him Angels in heaven and men upon earth make one mysticall Body meeting together in the same Head So Christ is called As the Head of man 1 Cor. 11.3 The Head of every man is Christ So of the Angels Colos 2.10 He is the Head of Principalities and Powers Hence is it that the good Angels are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Now Christ is the Head of the Election None are elected but in him and for him Ephes 1.4 And thus they are stiled the Sons of God Job 1.6 2.1 38.7 Sons not by nature That is Christ's Prerogative who is the onely begotten Son of God John 1.14 3.16 But by grace the grace of Adoption and that also must be by and through Jesus Christ Ephes 1.5 And thus are they reckoned as a part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generall Assembly the Catholick Church Heb. 12.22 And being so they must have some benefit by Jesus Christ viz. the benefit of Preservation and Confirmation By and through him they come to have a more perfect union with God And thus may we understand that very obscure Text of the Apostle Colos 1.20 expounded which Expositors are not a little troubled about Colos 1.20 It pleased the Father c. By him viz. by Christ to reconcile all things to himselfe whether they be things
Christ now doth being risen from the dead and living and reigning with his Father he maketh it his work to glorifie him In that he liveth saith the Apostle ver 10. of this Chapter he liveth unto God that is with God to the Glory of God 2. To be glorified with him And now 2. Passively to be glorified with God O Father glorifie thy Son with the selfe same glory which I had with thee before the world was So he goeth on John 17.15 This Glory the Godhead of Christ the second Person reassumed after his Resurrection and the Manhood was assumed to the participation of the same glory in such a degree and measure as it was capable of Thus was Christ raised from the dead to the Glory of the Father And in this Thus is the believer raised the Christian's Resurrection carrieth with it a like resemblance of his Resurrection He is thus raised from the death of sin to the glory of God his Father Actively to the glorifying of him Passively to be glorified with him 1. To the glorifying of him 1. Actively to the glorifying of God This is the end wherefore God bestoweth this his grace upon his Elect people viz. that they should be to the praise of his glory Ephes 1.12 which they are when his grace shineth forth in them Now they are to the glory of God glorifying of him themselves Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirit for they are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 And others glorifie God on their behalfe Let your light so shine before men that others seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Mat. 5.16 Thus is the believer raised to the glory of God in as much as those fruits of Righteousnesse and Holinesse which are conspicuous in his renewed conversation they are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Phil. 1.11 2. Passively to be glorified with him 2. He is raised to be glorified with God his Father God hath called us to glory and vertue saith Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1.3 to vertue on earth to glory in heaven Thence is it as I told you that Sanctification is comprehended under the name of Glorification Rom. 8.30 The one is a pledge of the other Grace ends in Glory The glory which thou gavest me saith our Saviour I have given them John 17.22 speaking not of that power of working miracles called the glory of God John 11.40 which he gave unto his Apostles after his Ascension as Grotius apprehends it but of that eternall glory which himselfe was now to enter upon This he had purchased for them and all believers this he had promised to them and this in due season he will confer upon them Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory ver 24. This shall all believers do They shall continually be with the Lord beholding his glory And beholding it they shall be transformed into it We all with open face as in a glasse beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. last from grace to grace and from grace to glory To this believers are called to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 2.15 And this they shal have possession of Christ waited for his Glory after his Resurrection and so doth the Believer Though not presently I might add that as another Resemblance which I shall onely touch upon Christ being raised from the dead he was raised to the glory of God his Father yet was he not presently possessed of that Glory He waited for a time during his forty dayes betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension In the mean time he was not perfect as he should be So much he willeth Mary to take notice of John 20.17 where he saith to her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended unto my Father intimating to her that he would not have her to fix her thoughts so much upon his present condition in as much as that was not the highest pitch of his Exaltation which was to follow upon his Ascension Thus fareth it with the Christian though he be raised up to the glory of God his Father made an Heir of glory as all true believers are If children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Jesus Christ Rom. 8.17 Through the grace of God already vouchsafed to them they are made in measure meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light as the Apostle hath it Col. 1.12 yet is he an heir under age having a Jus ad rem but not in re a Right to heavenly glory through Christ but not the actuall possession of it For this he must wait We which have the first fruits of the spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.23 even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption even the Redemption of our bodies Believers they have received the first fruits of the spirit those graces of the spirit which are to them a pledge and assurance of the full crop of perfect glorification in due season But this they must wait for untill the time appointed of the Father They are raised up to the glory of God the Father but not presently glorified I shall proceed no further Thus you see this Parallel made out and withall the first branch of the former Proposition made good viz. that the Christian's first his spirituall Resurrection carries with it a resemblance of Christ's Resurrection 2. The believers corporall Resurrection resembling Christs And so shall his corporal resurrection There is the 2d branch upon which I shall not insist long looking upon the former as principally eyed by the Apostle in this place As the believer is comformable to the resurrection of Christ in this first resurrection the resurrection of his soul so he shall be in the second Resurrection the resurrection of his body This shall carry a resemblance of Christ's Resurrection As Christ was raised so shall the believer be raised The Paralel or Comparison betwixt these two I might shew you in divers particulars I shall mention some few of the principall reducing them to two heads The Christian's Resurrection shall resemble the Resurrection of Christ both in the verity and quality of it Two generall Resemblances 1. In the Verity of it 1. In the Verity of it It shall be a true Resurrection Such was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ a true Resurrection The same body that was buried was raised again Christ's Resurrection a true Resurrection Destroy this Temple saith our Saviour to the Jewes and in three dayes I will raise it up again Joh. 2.19 This he spake of the Temple of his Body saith the Evangelist ver 21. This Temple the Jews destroyed this Temple he raised up again Not another Temple another Body in the room of it but the same body That it