his praise and bidding him welcome into glory and am I sinning here on earth and by my sins crucifying again and again the Lord of glory O that I might ascend with Christ O that I were now on the wing towards heaven Oh what is it that hinders my ascension but this clog of clay so long as this body remains a natural body I cannot ascend oh therefore that the change were come Oh that this natural body were spirituall that this corruptible had put on incorruption and this mortal had put on immortality then could I move upwards as well as downwards such is the supernatural property of a glorified body that it ascends or descends with equal case or if this be not possible for my present condition if this body if mine must first descend before it ascend if it must down into the grave before it go up into glory why yet Oh that my better part were on the wing Oh that my soul were mounting upwards Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver my soul from this body of death or if the union be so strong for a while that neither soul nor body can really or substantially ascend Phil. 1.23 yet O that I were still ascending in a spiritual way O that my affections were still on things above and not on things beneath yea I could wish a nearer union even by a dissolution why Christ is ascended and I would fain be where Christ is though it cost me dear I desire to be dissolved I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is for better 2. Let us see Christ sitting down at the right hand of God and so desire to sit with him when Christ sate down it was not in his own pure Personal right simply as it is his inheritance Eph. 2.5 6. but with relation to his Saints and Members He hath quickened us together wtth Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus I confess Christ's sitting at God's right hand as taken for the sublimity of his power is not communicable unto us for that is Christs own prerogative to which of the Angels said he at any time Heb. 1.13 Sit on my right hand Yet his sitting in heaven as it is indefinitely expressed is in some sort communicable unto us for he sate down as a common person thereby shewing that we were to sit down with him in our proportion Rev. 3.21 Him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Christ sits in his Fathers Throne and we sit in Christ's Throne Christ sits at the right hand of God and wâ sit at the right hand of Christ Oh how desirable is this The Mother of Zebedees Children understood this mystery very darkly Mat. 20.21 22 23. yet worshipping Jesus she desired a certain thing of him what thing why grant saith she that these my two Sons may sit the one at thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy Kingdom Christ blamed them because they know not what thy asked and yet he tells them that to sit on his right hand and on his left is given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father O my soul desire after this for this is worthy of thy desire this is a great thing an high exaltation another manner of honour than any that this world affords Courtiers desire no more but to sit at the Princes right hand but O the vertue of Christ's Session that thereby thou shouldst sit at the right hand of God! this is the very height and excellency of heavens glory only take heed of apprehending it after a carnal and natural way this very exaltation consists in the Image of God and communion with God it is the spiritual part and power and glory of heaven if any thing be desirable above another surely this above all Eph. 1.20 21. what that Christ should be exalted above all Principalities and Powers and mights and dominions and every thing that is named in this world and in the other what that Christ should sit down in his Fathers Throne Eph. 4.10 in the highest part of Heaven far above all heavens and that I a poor worm dust and ashes should sit with him in Heaven should be one with him in glory should be as near him in honour and happiness as such a poor creature is possibly capable of Oh how should I but hunger and thirst after this if I might have a wish I would not wish low things why this is the very top and height and quintessence of Heaven Christ in his Fathers Throne and I in Christ's Throne in desiring this I desire all and therefore whatever thou givest or denyest Lord give me this and I have enough for ever 3. Let us see Christs mission of his holy spirit and so desire a share in that gift we cannot expect to sit with Christ but we must first have the spirit of Christ and therefore as we would have that let us desire after this The greatest gift we can expect in this world is the spirit of Christ Consider O my soul all things here below are either temporal or spiritual things and of things spiritual this is the sum the in-dwelling of the Spirit O Lord give me thy self and that contains all gifts O give me the spirit Psal 4.6 and thou canst not but with him give me all things there be many that say saith the Psalmist Who will shew us any good earthly things are desired of many but is any thing on earth to be compared with this gift from heaven if it were only the beauty of holiness it were certainly a most desirable thing if we rightly understand it holiness though but one effect of the spirit is a most rare thing holiness fills the soul with joy peace quietness assurance holiness entertains the soul with feasts of fat things and of refined wines holiness carries the soul into the banqueting-house of apples and flaggons holiness gives the soul a dear communion with God and Christ holiness brings the soul into a sight of Christ an access to him a boldness in his presence holiness admits the soul into the most intimate conferences with Jesus Christ in his bed-chamber in his galleries of love and that which is an argument of more beauty than all the creatures in the world have besides holiness attracts the eye and heart and longings and ravishments the tender compassions and everlasting delights of the Lord Jesus and if holiness be thus lovely Oh what is the holy spirit it self what is the Rise the Spring the Fountain of holiness what O my soul that not only grace but the spirit of Christ should dwell in thy spirit that thou shouldst be God's building and that not as the rest of the world is for his creatures to inhabit 1 Cor. 3.9
Sermons when the Word came home didst not thou deny us the seals which might have been for confirmation of our souls salvation didst thou not estrange thy self from us in respect of any inward intimate and familiar society which thou affordest to others doth not the event plainly shew that all thy tears prayers words and works as in reference to us were hypocrisie flattery deceit dissimulation Oh cursed be the day that ever we lived under such a Ministry or that ever we heard of Jesus Christ Nay then saith the Minister it is time for us to part such were your invectives on earth and now they are and will be your language in Hell but have I not answer'd these cavils many a time have I not told you that the Word would harden some and soften others the fault being in your selves have I not cleared it that the seals are not to be set upon blanks and that confirmation could not be without a work of conversion to lead it and were we not commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw our selves from every brother that walketh disorderly did not the wise man tell us he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith 2 Thes 3.16 and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt can a man go upon hot coales and his feet be not burnt Prov. 26.27 28. as for other cavils the Lord be judge betwixt you and us nay the Lord hath been Judge betwixt you and us lo here we stand on the right hand of Christ so here we sit on our Throne to judge you and that world of wicked men and Angels let Christ be glorious Psal 109.17.18 and let his sentence stand and let that word of Judgment never be reversed he that loveth cursing let it come upon him and he that cloatheth himself with cursing as with a garment let it come into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones no more but adieu souls adieu Reprobates adieu for ever you must descend but we must ascend Go you to Hell whiles we mount upwards to Heaven and Glory At this last word down they go the evil Angels falling like lightning and evil men haled and pulled down with them from the presence of God and Christ and Angels and all the blessed ones even from their fathers mothers wives husbands children ministers servants lovers friends acquaintance who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision and forgetting all nearness and dearest obligations of nature neighbourhood alliance any thing will rejoyce in the execution of divine justice Oh the shrikes and horrid crys that now they make filling the air as they go Oh the wailings and wringing of hands Oh the desperate roarings Oh the hideous yellings filling heaven and earth and hell But I shall follow them no further no sooner do they fall into the bottomless pit but presently it shuts her mouth upon them and there I must leave them SECT VII Of Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and of the end of this World 7. FOR Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and so for the end of this world no sooner are the Reprobates gone to their place but the Saints ascend now Christ ariseth from his judgment-seat and with all the glorious company of heaven he marches towards the heaven of heavens Oh what a comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims wait on Angels Arch-angels Principalities Powers Patriarches Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professors and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of Glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of Souldiers O goodly Troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of Victory in his hand each one doth wear a Crown of Glory upon his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a final overthrow have they conquered Devils Death and Hell and now must they enjoy God Life and Heaven sometimes I have with much wonder and admiration beheld some Regiments passing our streets but had I seen those Roman Armies when they returned Victors and made their solemn Triumphs in the streets of Rome oh then how should I have then admired never was the like sight to this of Christ and his Army in this World O the comely march they make through the sky and through the Orbs and through all the Heavens till they come to the Heaven of Heavens were ever so many glistering Suns together in one day was ever so many glories together on this side the Kingdom of glory Cant. 6.10 not to speak of Christ or his Angels O who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners are not in the head of these Regiments Adam and Abel and Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles And if thou art a Saint that readest this art not thou one Son appointed by God amongst the rest to follow Christ here 's enough to fill thy heart with joy before-hand as sure as yond Sun now shines in the Firmament shalt thou that believest pass by that Sun in its very orb and by reason of thy glory it shall lose it shine oh then what spreading of beauty and brightness will be in the heavens as all the Saints go along what lumps of darkness shall those glittering Stars appear to be when all the Saints of God shall enter into their several orbs and spheres and thus as they march along higher and higher till they come to the highest at last heaven opens unto them and the Saints enter their Masters joy what is there done at their first entrance I shall discover another time only for a while let us look behind us and see what becomes of this neather World No sooner Christ and his company in the Empyreal heaven but presently this whole world is set on fire To this prophane Authors seem to assent As 1. Philosophers especially the Stoicks were of this mind Humor primordium exitus ignis said Seneca Moisture was the beginning and fire shall be the end of this World And speaking of the Sun Moon and Stars mark says he whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order shall at last burn together in one fire 2. The Poets grant this Lucan speaking of those whom Cesar left unburned at the Battel of Pharsalia Hos Caesar populos si nunc non urserit ignis uret cum terris If fire shall not now burn these when Heaven and Earth and all shall burn then must they burn Ovid in like manner Esse quoque in fatis quo mare
to his Saints more then ever before In this respect might I say if any person in the Trinity receives more honour than other Christ should have most Rev. 5.13 every Creature which is in heaven heard I say blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever not only unto God but particularly to the Lamb for ever and ever It is true that God only and God fully and God immediately is all in all but doth that hinder that Jesus Christ is not also only fully and immediately all in all see how the Scripture joyns them together Rev. 21.22 23. which plainly argues that they may consist I saw no Temple in the City for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God does lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Now then as I have spoken of God so that I may speak of Christ and conclude all with Christ I assert this Doctrine that the glory of Christ which the Saints shall behold in Christ to all eternity is their all in all In the discussion of which I shall open these particulars 1. What is the glory of Christ 2. How the Saints shall behold his glory 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all 1. What is the glory of Christ I answer that the glory of Christ is either humane or divine 1. There is an humane glory which in time was more especially conferred upon his manhood 2. There is an essential or divine glory which before time and after time even from everlasting to everlasting issueth from the God-head I shall speak to both these that we may rather take a view of Christ in those glories as we are able wherein he will appear to his Saints as their all in all to all Eternity 1. For his humane glory that is either in regard of his Soul or body for his Soul Christ was from the first instant of his conception full of glory because even then he received grace not by measure as we do but as comprehension he had the clear vision of God even as the Angels of heaven which arose from that hypostatical union of two natures at his first conception It is true that by the special dispensation of God the fullness of thy accompanying that glory was with-held from Christ in the time of his passion and the redundancy of glory from his soul unto his body was totally deferred until the exaltation of Christ but Christ no sooner exalted and set on the right hand of God but immediately the interruption of joy in his soul and the interception of glory from his soul to his body was altogether removed Then it was that his soul was filled with all joy solace pleasure which could possibly flow from the sight of an object so infinitely pleasing as is the essence Majesty and glory of God And then it was that his body was replenished with as much glory as was proportionable unto the most vast capacity of any creature not only his soul but his body is a glorious Creature it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a body of glory that is a most glorious body in it self And the spring of glory unto others ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24.26 and so to enter into his glory it is called his glory as if it were appropriated unto him as the most eminent subject and principal efficient of glory as if he had the monopoly of glory all the glory in heaven is in some sort his glory Surely Christ's manhood is exalted unto an higher degree of glory than the most glorious Saint or Angel ever was or shall be principalities powers mights and dominions fall short of his glory But some object that the mediatory office of Christ shall wholly cease and that the body and soul of Christ shall then be annihilated Indeed this was the opinion of Eutiches that the human nature of Christ should be changed or converted into the divine and thus he interprets that Scripture then shall the Son also himself be subject that God may be all in all what is this subjection saith he but a conversion of the Creature into the very substance 1 Cor. 15.28 or essence of the Creatour himself Vt ipsam subjectionem communicationem conversionem credat futuram creaturae in ipsam substantiam vel essentiam creatoris Aug. de Trinit lib. 1 c. 8. Aret. in loco Job 19.27 2 Thes 1.10 But we deny the interpretation the Son as man shall be subject and yet the manhood of Christ shall still remain it is true that his Mediatory office shall wholly cease but it follows not that therefore the manhood of Christ shall be converted or changed into the Deity there may be other reasons for the continuation of his human nature besides the execution of his Mediatory office As 1. That the lustre of his Deity might shine through his humanity and that thereby our very bodily eyes may come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him I shall see him saith Job not with other but with these same eyes 2. That the Saints may see how the power of an infinite God can conveigh the lustre of his Deity into a Creature upon this account I verily believe that Angels and Men will be continually viewing of Jesus Christ he shall come to be admired of the Saints he shall be admired as we have heard at the Judgment-day nor is that all but the Saints in heaven shall see with their eyes such excellencies in Christ as that they shall admire for ever I say for ever as much as they did at the first moment when they saw him here if we see any thing excellent we admire at first but after a while we do not so but in heaven there will be so much excellency in Christ that we shall admire as much to all Eternity as we did at the very first moment there will be no abatement in glory of our being taken with the sight of the glory in Jesus Christ 3. That Christ by his humanity may converse more freely and familiarly with his brethren in his Fathers house oh the intimacy that will be there betwixt Jesus Christ and his Christian Saints oh the mutual rejoycing and delight that will be there betwixt Jesus Christ and his dearest darlings as Christ from Eternity rejoyced in the habitable part of his Earth so will the Saints his habitable Earth to all eternity rejoyce in Christ the eye of the Saints in glory can never be off Christ as Mediator and God now the eye of the Saints in glory shall never be off Christ as God and Mediatour then Thus far of his human glory 2. For his Essential divine glory it is that
of his wrath is come who shall be able to stand And yet despair not cheer up O my soul for in the very midst of wrath God is pleased to remember Mercy even now when all the world should have been damned a Jesus is proclaimed and promised and he it is that must die according to the Commination for he is our surety and he it is that by Death must overcome Death and the Devil it shall bruise thy Head said God to Satan q. d. Come Satan thou hast taken Captive ten thousands of souls Adam and Eve are now ensnared and in their loynes all the men and women that ever shall be from this beginning of the world to the end thereof now is thy day of triumph now thou keepest Holy-day in Hell but thou shalt not carry it thus I foresaw from all Eternity what thou hast done I knew thou wouldest dig a hole through the comely and beautiful frame of the Creation but I have decreed of old a Counter-work out of the seed of the woman shall spring a Branch and he shall bruise thy head he shall break thy Power he shall tread thy Dominion under foot he shall lead thy Captivity Captive he shall take away sin he shall point out to Men and Angels the glory of heaven and a new world of free grace In this promise O my soul is foulded and wrapped up thy hope thy heaven thy salvation and therefore consider of it turn it upside down look on all sides of it view it over and over there is a Jesus in it it is a field that contains in the bowels of it a precious treasure there is in it a Saviour a Redeemer a Deliverer from sin death and hell are not these dainties to feed upon are not these rarities to dwell on in our meditations 2. Consider Jesus in that next promise made to Abraham Gen. 17.7 I will establish thy Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee in respect of this Covenant Abraham is called the Father of the Faithfull Rom. 4.11 Gal. 3.7 and they which are of the Faith are called the Children of Abraham And O my soul if thou art in Covenant with God surely thou dost by Faith draw it through Abraham to whom this promise was made for if ye be Christ's then are ye Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the promise Consider what a mercy is this Gal. 3 29. that God should enter into a Covenant with thee in the loins of Abraham God made a promise of Christ and inclusively a Covenant of Grace in his comforting Adam but he makes a Covenant expresly under the name of Covenant with Abraham and his seed O muse and be amazed What that the great and glorious God of heaven and earth should be willing to make himself a debtor to us O my soul think of it seriously he is in heaven and thou art on earth he is the Creator and thou art his Creature Ah what art thou or what is thy Fathers house that thou shouldest be raised up hitherto The very Covenant is a wonder as it Relates to God and us what is it but a compact an agreement a tying a binding of God and us When Jehoshaphat and Ahab were in Covenant see how Jehoshaphat expresseth himself I am as thou art my people as thy people 1 King 21.4 my horses as thy horses So it is betwixt God and us If once he gives us the Covenant then his strength is our strength his power is our power his armies are our armies his attributes are our attributes we have interest in all there is an offensive and a defensive Language as I may say betwixt God and us and if we put him in mind of it in all our straits he cannot deny us As it was with the Nations allied to Rome if they fought at any time the Romans were bound in honour to defend them and they did it with as much diligence as they defended their own City of Rome so it is with the people allied to God he is bound in honour to defend his People and he will do it if they implore his aid how else is it possible God should break his Covenant will he not stir up himself to scatter his and our spiritual enemies Certainly he will Thus runs the tenour of his Covenant I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee This is the general promise I may call it the Mother-Promise that carries all other Promises in its womb we find a Jesus in this promise consider that it is God in Christ that is held forth to us in this phrase I will be as a God to thee O sweet Here is the greatest promise that ever was made Christ God is more than Grace Pardon Holiness Heaven as the Husband is more excellent than the Marriage-Robe Bracelets Rings the Well and Fountain of Life is of more excellency than the streams Christ Jesus the objective happiness is far above a created and formal Beatitude which issueth from him O my Soul is not this worthy of thy inmost consideration But of this more in the next 3. Consider Jesus in that promise made to Moses and the Israelites I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Much hath been said to this Promise before as matter of thy Consideration but to contract it consider in the Promise the sufficiency and propriety 1. Here is sufficiency it is a promise of infinite worth an hid treasure a rich possession an overflowing blessing which none can rightly value it is no less than the great and mighty and infinite God if we had a promise of an hundred worlds or often heavens this is more than all heaven indeed is beautiful but God is more beautiful for he is the God of heaven and hence it is that the Saints in heaven are not satisfied without their God it is a sweet expression of Bernard As whatsoever we give unto thee Lord unless we give our selves cannot satisfie thee so whatsoever thou givest unto us Lord unless thou givest thy self it cannot satisfie us and hence it is that as God doth make the Saints his Portion so God is the Portion and Inheritance of his Saints Consider the greatness the goodness the all-sufficiency of this promise I am the Lord thy God! No question but Moses had many other rich promises from God but he could not be satisfied without God himself if thy presence be not with us bring us not hence And no wonder for without God all things are nothing Exod. 33.15 but in the want of all other things God himself is instead of all It is Gods alone Prerogative to be an universal good The things of this world can but help in this or that particular thing as Bread against hunger Drink against thirst
earthly men included in him and Christ had all his elect whose names are written in heaven and therefore called Heavenly men included in him so that now whatsoever Christ did it is reckoned by God as if done by us and for us When Christ arose he arose as our head and as a common Person and in God's account we arose with him and in him As among all the sheaves in the Field there was some one sheaf that in the name and room of all the rest was lift up and waved before the Lord so when all were dead Christ as the first-fruits rose again from the dead and by this act of his resurrection all the Elect from the beginning of the World to the end are risen with him and in him He is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 though the Saints are a sleep yet are they vertually risen already with Christ because he is their first-fruits Let this ever be remembred that Christ rose again as the first-fruits as the second man as an head as a common Person 2. That Christ rose again by his own Power this he meant when he said John 2.19 destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up He saith not destroy you and some other shall raise it up no no but I even I my self will do it yea and I will do it by my own Power and vertue here is a plain argument of the Divine nature of Christ for none ever did ever could do that but God himself some were raised before Christ was incarnate but not any by himself or by his own proper Power only a Power was imparted to some Prophet by God for that time and turn and so they were raised but Christ rose again not by a Power imparted to some but by his own Power The Widows son of Sarephtah was raised by Elias and the Shunamites son was raised by Elisha both these were raised by others and those others that raised them did it not by their own power but by a power given them from above and therefore though in their life-time they raised others yet being dead they could not raise themselves but Jesus Christ did not only in his life-time raise others but also being dead and laid in his grave and pressed with stones and watched by Souldiers and sought to be deteined by all the Power of darkness yet he as a conqueror by his own Power raised himself he caused all things by the strength of his own arme to give way unto himself I have Power to lay down my life and I have Power to take it up again an equal Power to take it up as to lay it down John 10.18 But against this it may be objected The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus Acts. 5.30 Acts. 3.24 whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death In many places the resurrection of Christ is ascribed to his Father how then is he said to raise up himself by his own Power I answer it is true that the Father raised him and yet this contradicts not but that he raised up himself Whatsoever the Father doth I do saith Christ Christ's resurrection is the indivisible work of the blessed Trinity it is a work common to all the three persons there is but one power of the Father and of the Son so that of both it is truly verified the Father raised him and the Son raised himself Mat. 28.2 3. That Christ rose again with an Earthquake and behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven The earth shook at his death and now it trembles at his Resurrection plainly speaking that it could neither endure his suffering nor hinder his rising As a Lion with a Roar is said to make the Bed wherein he lies to tremble so this Lion of the tribe of Judah was able with his voice or sight to make his Bed the earth wherein he lay to tremble no sooner he shakes himself but he shakes the earth at his first motion the earth moves and now was fulfilled that prophesie Psal 114.7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. It is not for us curiously to enquire into the cause of this earthquake certainly the cause was above Natures reach it was not any hollow wind got into the bowels of the earth but either it was Christ's rising or the Angels descending the earth either danced for joy that Christ was risen or it trembled for fear that men would no believe his resurrection The Evangelist seems to lay it on the Angel for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven sure the power of Angels is very great they can move all corporeal things almost in an instant they can stir up tempests they can shake the earth move the waters only all their power is subjected to God's will Bless the Lord all ye Angels that excel in strength Psal 103.20 that do his Will it was the Will of God that now an Angel should take hold on the pillars of the earth and make it shake no wonder if for fear of him the keepers shake Mat. 28.4 and become as dead men and if one Angel be able to shake the earth and to shake the Keepers those armed Souldiers that were set to watch the Tomb what then will Christ himself do when he shall come to judgment the second time with many thousand thousands of Angels Oh now terrible and fearful will his coming be As at Christs Resurrection so at the last Resurrection there will be earthquakes in divers places Mat. 24.7 Christ hath shewed and he will shew himself to be the absolute Lord of heaven and earth see how the earth trembling under his feet doth as it were pay him homage and behold there was a great Earthquake Mat. 28.2 4. That Christ rose again Angels ministring to him An Angel came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it Christs Power was not included in the grave or on the earth but extended to Heaven and to the Hosts therein however the chief Priests and Pharisees conspired together to close him in the earth they sealed the stone and set a watch they made all as sure as possibly they could yet the Angels of heaven are ready to wait on him as their Sovereign Lord. An Angel descended to role away the Stone not that Christ was unable to do it himsef he shook the earth and could he not lift up a stone O yes but thus he would manifest his Power by declaring his Power over the mighty Angels he needed but to say unto his Angel do this and he doth it I find some difference amongst Authors why an Angel should role away the Stone some think it was only for the womens sake that they might go into the Sepulchre and take a view of the empty Tomb and so be satisfied that Christ was
in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life surely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies sin death and hell Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes da ânâss during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen ye are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light Walk i.e. bestir your selves in the works of God Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee When God doth let the Sun of Righteousness arise Isa 60.1 it is fit we should be about the business of our souls We see that the night is dedicated to rest and therefore God that doth order all things sweetly he draws a curtain of darkness about us as which is friendly to rest like a Nurse that when she will have her little one sleep she casts a cloath over the face and hides the light every way but when this natural Sun ariseth then men go out to their work so must we though in the darkness of the night we shorted in sin yet now we must bestir our selves seeing the Sun of the spiritual world is risen over us And yet when all is done let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect as it is with our mortification in the best it is but an imperfect work so it is with our vivification it is only gradual and never perfected till grace be swallowed up of glory Only let us ever be in the use of the means and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man adding one grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience 2 Pet. 1 5 6. Rom. 7.1 to patience godliness c. till we perfect holiness in the fear of God till we shine with those Saints in glory at perfect day Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth Our next work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his ascension into Heaven and in his session at God's right hand and in his mission of the holy Spirit LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit The Eight Book PART VIII CHAP. I. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus who is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God SECT I. Of Christ's Ascension and of the manner how THUS far we have traced Jesus in his actings for us untill the day in which he was taken up Acts 1.2 That which immediately follows is his Ascension Session at God's right hand and Mission of his holy Spirit in prosecution of which as in the former I shall first lay down the object and secondly direct you how to look upon it The object is threefold 1. He ascended into Heaven 2. He sate down at Gods right hand 3. He sent down the holy Ghost 1. For the Ascension of Christ this was a glorious design and contains in it a great part of the salvation of our souls In prosecution of this I shall shew first that he ascended 2. How he ascended 3. Whither he ascended 4. Why he ascended 1. That he ascended 1. The types prefigure it Then said the Lord to me Ezek. 44.2 3. this gate shall be shut it shall not be opened it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by the way of the same As the gate of the Holy of Holies was shut against every man but the High Priest so was that gate of Heaven shut against all so that none could enter in by their own vertue and efficacy but only our Prince and great high Priest the Lord Jesus Christ indeed he hath opened it for us and entred into it in our place and stead Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech 2. The Prophets forsaw it Heb. 6.20 Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes Mark 16.19 Luke 24.31 and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom 3. The Evangelists relate it He was received up into heaven He was carried up into heaven 4. The eleven witness it For while they beheld he was taken up Acts 1.9 Acts 1.10 11. and a cloud received him out of their sight 5. The holy Angels speak it For while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Eph. 4.8 10. 1 Pet. 3.22 6. The blessed Apostles in their several Epistles ratifie and confirm it When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 2. How he ascended The manner of his Ascension is discovered in these particulars 1. Luke 24.51 He ascended blessing his Apostles While he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven It is some comfort to Christ's Ministers that though the world hate them Christ doth bless them yea he parted with them in a way of blessing as Jacob leaving the world blessed his Sons so Christ leaving the world blessed his Apostles and all the faithful Ministers of Christ unto the end of the world Some add that in these Apostles not only Ministers but all the elect to the end of the world are blessed The Apostles were then considered as common persons receiving this blessing for all us and so those words uttered at the same time are usually interpreted Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world This was the last thing that Christ did on earth to shew that by his death he had redâemed us from the curse of the Law Eph. 1.3 and that now going to heaven he is able to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Acts 1.19 2. He ascended visibly in the view of the Apostles while they beheld he was taken up he was not suddenly snatched from them as Elija was nor secretly and privily taken away as Enoch was but in the presence of them all both his Apostles and Disciples he ascended up into Heaven but why not in the view of all the Jews that so they might know that he was risen again and
gone to Heaven surely this was the meaning God would rather that the main points of faith should be learned by hearing than by seeing however Christ's own Disciples were taught the same by sight that they might better teach others which should not see yet the ordinary means to come by faith is hearing Rom. 10.14 17 18. how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And as for the Jews saith the Apostle have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world 3. He ascended principally by the mighty power of his God-head thus never any ascended up into heaven but Jesus Christ for though Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven yet not by their own power nor by themselves it was God's power by which they ascended 2 Kings 2.11 and it was by the help and Ministry of Angels there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a Whirl-wine into Heaven Acts 1 9. 4. He ascended in a cloud While they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Hereby he shews that he is Lord of all the creatures he had already trampled upon the earth walked upon the sea vanquished hell or the grave and now the clouds received him and the heavens are opened to make way for this King of Glory to enter in Mat. 24.30 Mat. 26.4 When Christ shall come again it is said that he shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Which verifies that saying of the Angel Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come again in clouds 5. He ascended in the found of a trumpet not on earth sounding Hosanna but in Heaven Psal 47.5 crying Hallelujah So the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet Certainly great joy was in heaven at Christ's ascending thither the very Angels struck up their Harps and welcomed him thither with Hymns and Praises 6. He ascended in triumph as a Roman Victor ascended to the Capitol or as David ascended after his conquest up to Zion Now we read of two triumphal Acts in Christs Ascension whereof the first was his leading of his captives and the second was the dispersing of his gifts the Apostle and the Psalmist joyn both together Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 1. He led them captive who had captivated us Death was led captive without a sting Hell was led captive as one that had lost her victory the Law was led captive being rent and fastened to his Cross as it were Ensign wise the Serpents head being bruised was led before him in triumph as was Golias's head by David returning from the victory and this was the first Act of his triumph 2. He gave gifts unto men this was as the running of Conduits with wine or as the casting abroad of new Coyn or as the shutting up of Christs triumph in his ascension up to heaven what these gifts were we shall speak in the Mission of the holy Ghost only thus much for the present SECT II. Of the place whither he ascended 3. WHither he ascended the Gospel tells us into heaven only Paul saith that he ascended far above all heavens But the meaning is Ephes 4 10. he went above all these visible Heavens into those heavenly Mansions where the Angels and the Spirits of the just have their aboad Or if the highest heavens be included I see no absurdity in it the highest Heaven we usually call The Kingdom of Heaven which is either Heaven material or heaven sâiritual and first for the material Heaven in some sense he may be said to ascend above that both in respect of his Body because the Body of Christ is more glorious than any material Heaven And in respect of his soul because the Soul of Christ is more blessed than all things else whatsoever And 2 For the spiritual Heaven i.e. all Angelical or Heavenly perfections he is said to ascend above them all both in respect of his humiliation because he hath vilified himself below all things and therefore he is worthily exalted above all things and in respect of his perfection because the humane nature of Christ is more excellent than any creature it being joyned to the Godhead by an hypostatical union Some there are that understand this place of Christs ascending far above all Heavens not so much by a lâcal motion as by a Spiritual mutation and exaltation of his person as earth heightned unto a flame changeth not its place only but form and figure so the person of our Saviour was raised to a greatness and glory vastly differing from and surmounting any image of things visible or invisible in this Creation so it is fitly expressed Heb. 7.26 He was made higher than the Heavens he was heightened to a splendor enlarged to a capacity and compass above the brightest and beyond the widest Heavens he transcended all in the spirituallity of his Ascension but I shall not much insist on that SECT III. Of the Reasons why he Ascended 4. WHy he ascended the Reasons are 1. On Christ's part that through his Passion he might pass to glory Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory I shall not insist on that controversie whether Christ merited for himself this is without controversie that by his Passion I will not say he properly merited but he obtained glory because he humbled himself so low God exalted him above the Grave in his Resurrection above the Earth in his Ascension and above the Heavens in placing him at his right hand And he ascended that all those Prophesies which were foretold of Christ might be accomplished Thou hast ascended on high And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Psal 68.18 Zach. 14.4 which is before Jerusalem on the East The types of this were Enoch's translation Elijahs's ascension Sampson's transportation of the gates of Gezza into an high mountain the high Priests going into the Holy of Holies Seeing that we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God Why all these prophesies types figures must needs be accomplished and therefore on his part it was necessary that Christ must ascend and go into Heaven 2. The Reasons on our part are 1. That in our stead he might triumph over sin death and hell In his Resurrection he conquered but in his
such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Because it favours too much of the error of Arrius Nestorius and indeed of the Romanists themselves 3. Because our prayers are most-what directed to Christ in his person or divine subsistence whose part is rather to give than to ask or if they are directed to Christ as Mediator and not simply as the only begotten Son of God then I see no incongruity though in the former respect some inconvenience but that we may pray to Christ to intercede for us for so he is God and man and he is considered according to both Natures only the difference of both Natures is still to be kept and maintained intercession is the office of the whole person of Christ and of the two natures of Christ But he performs this office one way according to his Divine nature and another way according to his humane nature I list not to quarrel about niceties it is thus agreed on all hands and that is enough to our purpose that we may call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus that Christ's intercessions may be ours and that he would make it out to us in a way of assurance every day more and more 2. Let us praise let us bless God and bless Christ for every transaction in Heaven for us It is a wonder to observe what songs of praise were chanted to Christ in Heaven for that one transaction of opening the Book and loosing the seven Seals thereof first The four beasts Rev. 5.8 9 11 12 13 14. and then the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And then the Angels round about the Throne whose number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands came on saying worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And then every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea came on saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever and the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever I cannot tell what other transactions may be in Heaven we have but hints of them here nor shall we fully or particularly know them till we come to Heaven but for this one transaction of Christ's intercession we cannot imagine less praise to be given to Christ than for any other O then let us do this duty on earth as it is done in Heaven what is Christ praying for us O let us be on the exercise of praising him is Christ interceding for us let us give him the glory of his intercession Heaven is full of his praises O why should not earth ring with the sound thereof Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his intercession I cannot think but in every action of Christ there is something imitable of us And as to the present work I shall instance only in these few particulars As 1. Christ appears in Heaven for us let us appear on earth for him Is there not equity as well as conformity in this duty O my soul consider what thy Christ is doing consider wherein the intercession of Jesus Christ consists is not this the first part of it why he appears in Heaven before Saints and Angels and before God his Father in thy behalf and art thou afraid to appear before worms mortals dust and ashes in his cause or for his truth shall Jesus Christ own thee in Heaven and wilt thou not own Jesus Christ here in this world shall Jesus Christ as thy great high Priest take thy very name carry it upon his breast into the presence of God and wilt not thou take the Name of Christ and hold it forth in profession and practise to all men Oh what a mighty engagement is here to stand to Christ and to appear for Christ and to own his cause in these backsliding-times in that Christ who sits at the right hand of God is willing and ready to appear in person for us both as a Mediator and Sponsor and Solicitor and Advocate and Leiger Embassador 2. Christ spends all his time for us and our salvation let us spend all our time for him and in his service the Apostle tells us that He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 it is not for a day or a month or a year but he lives for ever upon this account for ever i.e. during all the time from his Ascension until the end of the world he is still interceding he spends of all that time for us and shall we think it too much time to spend a few dayes that we have here to live upon the earth for him one thinks this the greatest Argument in the world to make us to walk closely with God in Christ He spends of his eternity for us and shall not we spend of our whole time for him surely people do not think what Christ is doing in Heaven for them if you who are Saints would but seriously consider that Christ this Sabbath this day of rest is at his work that without any weariness or intermission from morning till evening and from evening till morning he is ever ever interceding how would this engage you in his service Ah Christians if you should continue praying praising reading hearing all this day without any intermission or breaking off Oh what weariness O how would you say When will the day be done when will the Sabbath be at an end Well but Christ is not weary of serving you this Sabbath and the last Sabbath and the other Sabbath and every Sabbath when you had done your duties he took your persons and duties and presented all unto his Father he prayed over your prayers and continued praying and saying Lord accept of a short poor lean imperfect service done on earth for my sake and for those merits sake which I am continually presenting to thee here in heaven Oh why do we not come up to this conformity Oh why are we so uncomformable to the actings of Christ he is preparing Mansions for us in Heaven and are we digging in this world he is making mention of our names to God and are we sinning against him and God his blood cryes O that these souls may be saved and shall our sins cry It is just that these souls should be damned O mind the exemplar Christ spends
in his Kingly but now he must be fully honoured in his Kingly office Rev. 11.15 now especially The Kingdoms of this world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and so he shall reign for ever and ever Certainly there is a difference betwixt Christ's reign before and his present reign at the day of judgment Christ hath a double Throne wherein he sits and reigns Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne That Kingly rule that Christ hath from his ascension is upon his Fathers Throne but the Kingdom that Christ shall have at the day of judgment and ever after it is the joynt reign of him with the Father he shall have a Throne himself and the Saints shall sit with him in his own Throne And now saith the Father John 5.22 Sit thou at my right hand q. d. sit on thy own Throne by me go on to judge the Nations I will not judge them but only in thee and by thee Lo I have committed all judgment unto the Son and do thou judge them until thou hast rewarded thy friends and made thine enemies thy footstool Mark He hath committed all judgment unto the Son the Father gives the Son a Commission wherein is written as it were these words My Son now is the time or season which I had put in my own power and my pleasure is 2 Pet. 3.10 13. that all the world shall be set on fire these heavens under thee shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and I will have new heavens and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousness go too then put on thy robes appear in thy glory empty thiâ heaven of all those glorious spirits that are therein and let them wait on thee to thy judgment seat go pass thy doom upon all flesh and send reprobates to hell and bring up hither all thy Saints that they may live with thee and here behold thy glory for ever and ever Lo here is thy commission be gone and return no more hither until it be accomplished Christians I cannot but wonder at this joy and exultation in Heaven Vse and that we have so little or none of this on earth we say with cold lips and frozen hearts Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven but if our prayers were real and fervent if we could but imitate those heavenly Citizens what longings would be in our hearts after Christ's coming how should we rejoyce at the very thoughts hereof Christ comforting his Disciples in respect hereof he speaks these words Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up said he and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The fulness of our redemption is a ground of consolation all the spirits above are sensible of this God and Christ and the Angels and Saints rejoyce Rev. 12.19 Ver. 20. and again rejoyce The Spirit and the Bride say come and Christ himself saith Surely I come quickly O let us say Amen to it Even so come Lord Jesus SECT II. Of Christ coming to judgment 2. FOr Christ's coming to judgment no sooner Christ prepared and all in readiness but down he descends from his Imperial throne to the Judgment-seat In this passage I shall observe these particulars 1. He descends with his Train He comes with his Royal Attendants out of Heaven This is the glory of a Prince that hath so many Nobles waiting on him and this is the glory of Jesus Christ that when he comes to judge the world he shall have his Saints and Angels the glory of the creation to be his Attendants in that work Behold the Lord comes with mighty Angels 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14. Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all Certainly a numberless number shall wait upon him Daniel tells us of a thousand thousand that this day Minister unto Christ A thousand thousands ministred unto him Dan. 7.10 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him or if Heaven have more I believe Heaven will empty it self of all the Saints and all the Angels not one Spirit whether Saint or Angel shall stay behind when Christ descends Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him Oh what a glorious day will this be if one Sun make the morning Sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious morning will that be when so many thousands of Suns shall shine over all our heads the glorious Body of our Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory here 's a new Heaven of Sun and Stars such as this nether-world never saw Lo yond the Sun of righteousness with all his Morning-stars singing and shouting for joy Heaven now empties it self of all its created Citizens and cleaves asunder to make way for Christ and all his Train Matth. 24.29 2. In his descent through the Heavens he shakes the Heavens And the powers of the heaven shall be shaken The whole frame of Heaven most strong and immutable in its being and motion or the mighty bodies thereof most mighty in their substance lastingness motion and operation shall be shaken I know by the powers of heaven some mean the Angels who at this wonderful descent of Christ shall admire and move but I rather think the Heavens themselves are meant hereby whose very nature shall be moved Job 26.11 and shaken at that day At his nod the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished As yet they are Subject to vanity and therefore 't is no wonder if at the coming of Christ they tremble and are moved In this moving or shaking the Evangelists adds that the glorious lights of Heaven shall be altered Matth. 24.29 The Sun shall be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light Adventum Christi tantam lucem allaturam ut ea solis lunae splendor obscuretur Aretius in loc Certissimum autem diem judicii magna majestate sore ut rede sol luna dicantur obscurandi Aretius in loc Psal 50.3 and the Stars shall fall Many interpretations are given of this I am not for Allegories but rather conceive these things are real the very coming of Christ shall bring with him such a light that the splendor of the Sun and Moon shall be obscured this is most certain saith Aretius that both Sun and Moon shall really be darkened at that day it is the glory of his Majesty that will dazle those Candles 3. As he passes through the Elementary world a fire doth usher him Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very
tempestuous round about him Whence this fire should come I shall not dispute only one tells us with some confidence * Suarez de renovatione mundi in 3. part Thomae Psal 97.3 Isa 66.15 2 Thes 1 7 8. Dan. 7.9 10. 2 Pet. 3.10 2 Pet. 3.11 12. that 't is begotten in the middle Region of the Air by Divine command and that first it goes before him ushering the Judge to the Judgment-seat and that there it stayes during the judgment and that ended and the doom passed on all flesh then it sets on fire all the world Let this pass as it may Scripture goes thus far that a fire goeth before him Behold the Lord will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire In which respect Daniel saw his throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him and at last this fire shall have that effect that the very Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up O Christians what cause have we to make the Apostles use on this point Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 4. He descends lower and lower till he is inwrapt with clouds Matth. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven When he went up into Heaven it is said that a cloud received him out of their sight Act. 1.9 and the Angels then said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come Act. 1.11 12. Dan 7.13 in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come down in clouds I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven Here is the first sight of Christ to men on the earth when once he is come down into the clouds then shall they lift up their eyes and have a full view of Jesus Christ a cloud first received him out of their sight and a cloud now discovers him to their sight Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven Matth. 24.30 and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory is it not plain that the first appearings and sight of Christ at his second coming from Heaven is in the midst of clouds Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 and they also which pierced him Some controversie there is about these clouds as whether they be Angels when the Psalmist speaks of all sorts of Meteors as of Waters Clouds Winds Flames some say all these are Angels and of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire For my part I take it in the literal sense that upon the very backs of clouds Christ shall come riding along at the general day and howsoever this may seem a small matter unto us yet I cannot look on any circumstance of this transaction as small and trifling the very clouds on which Christ rides speaks terror and comfort 1. Oh what a terror is this to the wicked Heb. 1.7 Matth. 24.30 Id de impiis solum intelligo ad quos planctus luctus ille miserandus solum pertinet Aretius in locum They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn These Tribes of the Earth are the Tribes of the wicked no sooner shall they look up and see Christ in his clouds but with unconceivable horror will they cry it out O yonder is he whose blood we neglected whose grace we resisted whose counsels we refused whose government we cast off O yonder is he that comes now in clouds in tempestuous clouds O see how he storms do not those very clouds in which he rides speak or threaten a storm In the eighteenth Psalm is a description of Christ's coming to judgment But O how terrible in the seventh verse we find the earth trembling in the eighth verse a fire devouring in the ninth verse the heavens bowing downwards in the 12 13 14 15. verses are thick clouds darkning the skie thunders lightnings hailestones flying through the air the foundations of the world discovered thus the Mighty God our Jesus descends Oh how should the wicked but tremble at this when but a consideration of this hath sometimes startled God's own people behold Habakkuk with quivering lips trembling joynts Hab. 3.16 bones mouldering into dust when he had onely a Prophetick representation of Christ's second appearance all the dreadful things that attended the presence of God in Egypt at the red Sea on Mount Sinai through the Wilderness are made but types but shadows of the terrible march of the Captain of the Lord of Hosts and therefore shall the wicked mourn 2. Here is the patience and faith and joy of Saints Rev. 1.7 And all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn over him even so Amen This I cannot but understand of the wicked onely some tell us of a double mourning on that day the one of joy and love and the other of sorrow and despair I shall not deny but there may be some sweet tears upon this sweet Subject Christ's apparition in the clouds Such a shine will be from Christ in the cloud that the very shine will pierce the hearts of men with the golden-headed arrow of love and how may this work tears Rev. 1.7 Hinc consequitur Christum in eo judicio cicatrices vulnerum ostensurum tanquam trophaeum infallibile contra omnes suos bostes Aret. in loco from this Text of John Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle c. Some Divines gather that Christ at that day will shew in his glorified body the wounds of his crucifying as an infallible trophy of his victory over all his enemies and hence the wicked who pierced or crucified the Lord of glory by their sins will weep and waile I can think no less but that Christ at that day will open his bosom and shew those wounds of love which he had in his heart from all eternity together with those wounds which he received on the Cross as they are glorified in his eternal love and then as at the discovery of Joseph he and his brethren fell upon the necks
sunt quia nomen Jesu non est in illis Aug. Si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Jesum Si disputes aut conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Jesum Ber. 1 Cor. 2.2 commended them for their eloquence but he passed this sentence upon them They are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them And Bernards saying is near the same if thou writest it doth not relish with me unless I read Jesus there if thou disputest or conferrest it doth not relish well with me unless Jesus sound there Indeed all we say is but unsavory if it be not seasoned with this salt I determined not to know any thing among you saith Paul save Jesus Christ and him Crucified he resolved with himself before he Preached among the Corinthians that this should be the only point of knowledge that he would profess himself to have skill in and that in the course of his Ministry he would labour to bring them to this he made the bredth length depth height of his knowledge yea doubtless saith he and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Ephes 3.18 Phil. 3.8 In this knowledge of Christ there is an excellency above all other knowledge in the VVorld there is nothing more pleasing comfortable more animating enlivening more ravishing soul-contenting only Christ is the sum center of all divine revealed truths we can preach nothing else as the object of our faith as the necessary element of our souls salvation which doth not some way or other either meet in Christ or refer to Christ only Christ is the whole of mans happiness the Sun to enlighten him the Physician to heal him the VVall of Fire to defend him the Friend to comfort him the Pearl to enrich him the Ark to support him the Rock to sustain him under the heaviest pressures As an hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 as Rivers of Waters in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Only Christ is that Ladder betwixt Earth and Heaven the Mediator betwixt God and Man a Mystery which the Angels of Heaven desire to pry and peep and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Here 's a blessed subject indeed who would not be glad to pry into it to be acquainted with it This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Come then let us look on this Sun of righteousness we cannot receive harm but good by such a look Joh. 17.3 indeed by looking long on the natural Sun we may have our eyes dazled and our faces blackned but by looking unto Jesus Christ we shall have our eyes clearer and our faces fairer Prov 15.30 if the light of the eye rejoyce the heart how much more when we have such a blessed object to look upon As Christ is more excellent than all the world so this sight transcends all other sights it is the Epitome of a Christians happiness the quintessence of evangelical Duties Looking unto Jesus In the Text we have the act and Object the act in the Original is very emphatical ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the English doth not fully express it it signifies an averting or drawing off the eye from one object to another there are two expressions ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the one signifies a turning of the eye from all other objects the other a fast fixing of the eye upon such an object and only upon such So it is both a looking off and a looking on On what That is the object a looking unto Jesus a Title that denotes his mercy and bounty as Christ denotes his office and function I shall not be so curious as to enquire why Jesus and not Christ is nominated I suppose the person is aimed at which implies them both only this may be observed that Jesus is the purest Gospel Name of all other names Jesus was not the dialect of the Old Testament the first place that ever we read of this title as given to Christ it is in Matth. 1.21 Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Some observe that this Name Jesus was given him twice once till death Matth. 1.21 and afterwards for ever Phil. 2.10 the first was a note of his entering into Covenant with God to fulfill the Law for us to die for our sins the second was a note of so meritorious a person who for his humility was more exalted than any person ever hath been or shall be First Jesus was the humble name of his deserving grace now Jesus is the exalted name of his transcendent glory at first the Jewes did Crucifie Jesus and his name the Apostle did then distrust whether Jesus was the true Jesus but now God hath raised him from the dead Luk. 24.21 Phil. 2.9.10 hath highly exalted him given him a name above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth My meaning is not to insist on this Name in contradistinction to any other names of Christ he is often called Christ and Lord and Mediatour and Son of God and Emmanuel Why Jesus is all these Jesus is Christ as he is the annointed of God and Jesus is Lord as he hath dominion over all the world and Jesus is Mediatour as he is the reconciler of God man and Jesus is the Son of God as he was eternally begotten before all worlds and Jesus is Emmanuel as he was incarnate and so God with us Only because Jesus signifie Saviour and this name was given him upon that very account For he shall save his people from their sins I shall make this my designe to look at Jesus more especially as carrying on the great work of our salvation from first to the last This indeed is the glad-tidings the Gospel the Gospel-priviledge and our Gospel-Duty Looking unto Jesus CHAP. II. SECT I. The Duty of looking off all other things confirmed and cleared Doctrine 1 BUT first we must look off all other things the note is this We must take off our mind from every thing which might divert us in our Christian Race from looking unto Jesus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the first word or first piece of a word in my Text speaks to us thus hands off or eyes off from any thing that stands in the way of Jesus Christ I remember 't was writ over Plato's door ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there 's none may come hither that is not a Geometer but on the door of my Text is written clean contrary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã No earthly minded man must enter here not any thing in the world be it never so excellent if it stand in the way of
out of our selves otherwise we cannot see his Glory we are in our selves shut up in a dark dungeon and therefore we are called upon to come forth into the clear light of faith and with the Eyes of Faith to behold in daily meditation the Glory of Christ Jesus SECT II. An Exhortation to look off all other things ONe word of Exhortation Christians I beseech you look off all other things especially all evil things I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing I had need of the Rhetorick of an Angel to perswade you to turn your Eyes from off these things nay if I had all were too little it is God only must perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem and yet let me offer a few considerations venture at a perswading of you Gen. 9.17 and leave the issue with God 1. Consider that all other evil things are in Gods account as very nothing verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity not only man but every man Psal 39.5 nor every man in his worst condition but every man at his best estate nor every man man at his best estate is little worth but every man at his best estate is vanity emptiness nothing it may be so in part nay but in every part he is wholly totally altogether vanity would any man think that a great rich honourable Man whom we look upon with such high admiring thoughts should be laid thus low in Gods esteem O wonder wonder and yet 't is no such wonder but one day you shall find the experience of this truth your selves Rich men have slept their sleeps and none of the men of might have found their hands Psal 76.5 or as others render it they have found nothing in their hands that is rich men have passed over this life as men do pass over a sleep imagining themselves to have golden mountains and rocks of diamond but when they awake at the day of death they find themselves to have nothing Why Christian wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 1. Observe that riches are not they are nothing those things that make men great in the eyes of the world are nothing in the eyes of God 2. Observe that God would not have us so much as set our eyos upon them they are not objects worth the looking on 3. Observe with what indignation he speaks against those that will set their eyes upon these vanities Wilt thou set thine eyes upon a thing which is not q. d. what a vain unreasonable sottish sensless thing is this 2. Consider that all such things if they are any thing they are but trifles deceits thornes miseries uncertain things this is an ordinary theme it is every mans object every mans subject a very easie thing it is to declaim up the vanity misery uncertainty of the creatures Ay but do you make it the matter of your meditation be you serious in it think of it deeply and desire God to be in your thoughts Oh what work will it then make in your breasts O how would it wean your loves and desires off all these things Christians consider all these adjuncts of all sublunary things when the creatures tempt you be not inticed by the beauty of them so as to forget their vanity say Here is a flower faire but fading here is a glass that 's bright but very brittle 3. Consider the difference of these objects Christ and all other things as thus all other things are vanities but Christ is a real solid substantial excellent glorious thing all other things are temporary fading things but Christ is an enduring substance the same yesterday Revel 1.4 and to day and for ever which is and which was and which is to come all other things are thorns vexation of spirit but Christ is full of joy and comfort a most ravishing object Cant. 5.16 all composed of loves or altogether lovely O who would make it his businesse to fill his coffers with pibbles when he may have pearls or gold or silver or precious things what must you look off your sins why see before you the graces of the Spirit of Christ must you look off your idel sinfull company see before you the fellowship of the Father 1 John 1.3 and the Son the Lord Jesus Christ must you look off your pomp and glory see before you the priviledge of adoption you shall be called the sons and daughters of God Rom. 8.13 heirs and co-heirs with Christ must you look off your worldly riches see before you the riches of the graces of Christ must you look off sinful pleasures see before you fulness of joy Psal 16.11 at Christs right hand are pleasures evermore must you look off your own righteousness see before you the righteousness of Christ Jesus O what a vast difference is there betwixt these objects Christ and all other things 4. Consider that Christ looked off heaven and heavenly things for you how much more should you look off the earth and earthly things the world and worldly things for him Christ left the glory the company the pleasures of Paradise for you and he made himself of no reputation he nothing'd himself as it were for you you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor 8.9 who though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that you through his poverty might be made rich O let that melting love win you to him and wean you off all other things 5. Consider that the rational soul of man is oft too high a birth to spend its strength upon other things the soul of man is of the same nature with Angels it is a kind of divine spark now if a man have a golden mill he would not use it to grind dirt straws and rotten sticks in the soul the mind the thinking faculty of man is too high to be exercised in the things of this earth the soul is of a most excellent capacious nature it is fit to converse not only with Angels but with the eternal God himself with Father Son and Holy Ghost it is of a transcendent being put all the world into the ballance with it and it is nothing in comparison the soul of the meanest gally-slave is more precious than heaven and earth than Sun and Moon and stars and all the hoast of heaven now if a mans soul be of such an high-born nature if the Lord hath put such a spirit into the bosome of man for him to bestow the strength of it upon low base mean and earthly things Oh what an evil is this 9. Consider how short is the time that you have here in this world this is the argument of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29.31 because the time is short therefore let us use the world as if we used it not therefore let our hearts be taken off these things yet a few days and you
must explain the act you must look Secondly the object you must look on Jesus CHAP. III. SECT I. An Explanation of the Act and Object 1. FOr the act you must look Looking is either ocular or mental First for ocular vision there may be some use of that in heaven for there we shall look on Jesus with these eyes shall I behold him saith Job Job 19 27. 1 John 3 2. 1 Cor. 13.12 2 Cor. 5.7 we shall see him as he is saith the Apostle now we see him as in a glass but then we shall see him face to face But till then we must walk by faith and not by sight Secondly for mental vision or the inward eye that is it that will take up our discourse and that is it which the Apostle speaks of in his prayers for the Ephesians Ephes 1.18 that the eyes of their understanding may be opened that they may know c. * Simââds sight and saith Now the excellency of this mental sight is far above the ocular sight for there are more excellent things to be seen by the eye of the mind than by the eye of the body we only see a peece of the creation by the eye of the body but the mind reacheth every thing that is in it yea the mind reacheth to him that made it God is invisible yet this eye sees God Heb. 11.27 it is said of Moses that he saw him that is invisible 2. It is the sight of the mind that gives light and vigour to the sight of the eye take away the inward light and the light of the external sense is but as darkness and death 3. It is the sight of the mind that looks into the worth use c. propriety of any thing presented the eye can see a thing but not the worth of it a beast looks on gold as well as a man but the sight and knowledge of the worth of it is by the internal light of the mind so the eye can see a thing but not the use of it a child looks on a tool in the hand of a workman but the sight and knowledge of the use of it is only by a man of reason that hath internal light to judge of it and so the eye can see a thing but not the propriety of it a beast looks on his pasture but he likes it not because it is his but because it is a pasture and well furnished Now we know that the worth and use and propriety of a thing are the very cream of the things themselves and this the eye of the mind conveys Gen. 42.7 8. and not the eyes of the body It is said of Joseph that he saw hiâ brethren and knew them but they knew not him this was the reason why Joseph was so exceedingly taken at the sight of his Brethren that his bowels wrought with joy and a kind of compassion towards them but they were before him as common strangers though they saw Joseph their brother a Prince yet they were taken no more with the sight of him than of any other man because they knew him not Again this mental looking is either notional and theoretical or practical and experimental the first we call barely the look of our minds it is an enlightning of our understandings with some measure of speculative sight in spiritual and heavenly mysteries the second we call the look of our minds and hearts whereby we not only see spiritual things but we are * Sub oculorum nomine-omnes affectus notari non rarum est Calv. in Ps 25.17 Phil. 3.10 affected with them we desire love believe joy and embrace them To this purpose is that rule that words of knowledge do sometimes signifie the affections in the heart and the effects thereof in our lives And this was the look which Paul longed for that I may know him and the power of his resurrection i.e. that he might have experience of that power In legendu libâis non quaeramus scientiam sed sapoâem Dei Phil 1.9 that it might so communicate it self unto him as to work upon him to all the ends of it And this was the look that Bernard preferred above all looks In reading of books saith he let us not so much look for science as savoriness of truth upon our hearts This I pray said the Apostle that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement i.e. in knowledge and feeling And certainly this feeling this experimental Looking on Jesus is that my Text aims at it is not a swimming knowledge of Christ but an hearty feeling of Christs inward workings it is not heady notions of Christ but hearty motions towards Christ that are implied in this inward looking 2. For the Object you must look on Jesus It is the blessed'st Object that the eye of the mind can possibly fix upon of all Objects under Heaven Jesus hath the preheminence in perfection and he should have the preheminence in our Meditation It is he that will make us most happy when we possess him and we cannot but be joyfull to look upon him especially when looking is a degree of possessing Jesus for the name signifies Saviour it is an Hebrew name the Greeks borrowed it from the Hebrews the Latines fom the Greeks and all other Languages from the Latines It is used five hundred times in Pauls Epistles saith Genebrard it comes from the Hebrew word Jehoshua or Joshua which in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 5.2 Nehem. 8.17 written after the Babylonian captivity is Jeshua and so is our Saviours Name always written in the Syriack translation of the new Testament This name Jesus was given to Christ the Son of God by his Father and brought from Heaven by an Angel first to Mary and then to Joseph and on the day when he was circumcised as the manner was this Name was given him by his Parents as it was commanded from the Lord by the Angel Gabriel Luke 1.26.31 Not to stand on the Name for the matter it includes both his office and his natures he is the alone Saviour of man Act. 4.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved and he is a perfect and an absolute Saviour Heb. 7.25 he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them I will not deny but that the work of salvation is common to all the three persons of the Trinity it is a known rule Opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa all outward actions are equally common to the three persons for as they are all one in Nature and Will so must they be also one in Operation the Father saveth the Son saveth and the holy Ghost saveth yet we must distinguish them in the manner of saving the Father saveth by the Son the Son saveth
coming to Christ as a river of much waters is strong in coming home to the Ocean 13. That Christ gives the sense of his own worth and excellency unto them they see now in Christ is wisdome surpassing the brightness of the Sun even all the treasures of wisdome in Christ is power excelling the strength of rocks he is not onely strong but strength it self in Christ is Honour transcending all the Kings of the earth for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Christ is beauty excelling the Rose of Sharon and Lilly of the valleys he is fairer than all the flowers of the field than all the precious stones of the earth than all the lights in the firmament than all the Saints and Angels in the highest heavens 14. That Christ gives the sense of their wants and of the worlds vanity and of his sutable goodness unto them In looking unto Jesus they see themselves in themselves miserable and all other things miserable comforters they have learnt the meaning of that Psalm Psal 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man and in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish happy is the man that hath the God of Jacob for his God whose hope is in the Lord his God 15. That Christ gives all things every thing unto them All things are yours saith the Apostle whether Paul 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods All things are yours First all the Ministers of Christ from the highest to the lowest whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas they are your servants they are men that watch over you for your salvation Secondly the world is yours indeed the world stands but for your sakes if your number were but once compleated quickly would the world be set on fire you will say ay! but how is the world ours we find not this for who hath the world at will why though you have not yet the misery you find in the world the want of wealth as well as the enjoying of it is yours i e. it tends to your advantage Thirdly life is yours it is a fitting a preparing a squaring of you for a better life even for eternity Fourthly death is yours for you shall die just then when it is best for you death shall serve but as a servant to your advantage 1 Tim. 4.8 Fifthly things present and things to come are yours godliness hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come Sixthly I will add the Lord himself is yours take God and look on him in his greatness in his mighty power even this great God the Lord of heaven and earth is yours he is yours and all that he hath is yours and all that he doth is yours and all that he can do is yours I will be thine saith God to Abraham I will be to thee an exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 Here is a Catalogue an Inventory of a Christians riches have Christ and have all when an Heathen was but asked where all his treasure was he answered where Cyrus my friend is and if any ask you where all your treasure is you may answer where Christ your friend is in this respect you may truly say Ephes 3.8 there is no end of your riches they are called the unsearchable riches of Christ Paul could find no bottom of these riches O who would not look unto Jesus If Christ be yours besides those particulars enumerated in this Text 1 Cor. 3.22 23. God is yours the Father is yours the Son is yours the Spirit is yours all the promises are yours for in Christ they are all made and for him they shall be performed Come let the proud man boast in his honour and the mighty man in his valour and the rich man in his wealth but let the Christian pronounce himself happy only happy truly happy fully happy in beholding Christ enjoying Christ having Christ in Looking unto Jesus You have the Motives of our wants in case of neglect and of our riches in case we are active frequent serious and lively in this Duty But for our further encouragement to fall upon it I shall add a few Motives more SECT VII More Motives to encourage us in this work 1 COnsider your looking on Jesus will maintain your communion with Jesus and is not this worth the while Why Christians what is this communion with Christ but very heaven aforehand hereby we enjoy his person and all sweet relation to his person his death and all the saving fruits priviledges and influences of his death hereby we are brought into Christs banquetting-house Cant. 2.4 held in his galleries his banner over us being love hereby we are carried up into the Mount with Christ that we may see him as it were transfigured and may say with Peter Master it is good for us to be here and let us here build Tabernacles Oh it 's an happy thing to have Christ dwell in our hearts for us to lodge in Christs bosome Oh it s an happy thing to maintain a reciprocal communication of affairs betwixt Christ and our souls as thus he bare our sins take we his healing he endured wounds for us drink we the spiritual balsom that sprang out of his wounds he took upon him our unrighteousness do we cloath our selves with his righteousness he endured pains for us come we to him and take his rest to our souls he embraced our curse and condemnation do we embrace his blessing justification and salvation To this end do we look on Jesus if he hide his face by desertions rest not till we find him if we find him hold him fast let him not go disturb him not out of our hearts by our corruptions Thus if we would prize the presence of Christ how comfortably should we maintain and encrease our Communion with Christ 2. Consider that your daily necessities call for a frequent looking up unto Jesus you have need of Christ you have need that he pray in you and need that he pray for you to your heavenly Father you have need that he work in you and need that he work for you his own blessed will you have need that he present you and yours blameless before his Fathers presence in life and death and at the judgment day there 's not a moment in your life wherein you stand not in continual need of Jesus Christ And can a hungry man forget his bread can the heart that pants for thirst forget the River can a man in bonds forget freedom can a child in distress forget a Father in honour and wealth Oh then let your necessities drive you to Christ and mind you of Christ Is not he the fountain that supplies all wants Christians consult your own
be perswaded to set our hearts on Jesus Christ Christians do you not perceive that the heart of Christ is set upon you and that he is still minding you with tender love even when you forget both your selves and him Do you not find him following you with daily mercies moving on your souls providing for your bodies and preserving both doth he not bear you continually in the armes of love and promise that all shall work together for your good doth he not give his Angels charge over you and suit all his dealings to your greatest advantage and can you find in your hearts to cast him by can you forget your Lord who forgets not you Fie upon this unkind Ingratitude When the Lord speaks of his thoughts and respects to us he gives this language Can a woman forget her sucking-child Isa 49.15 16. that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me But when he speaks of our thoughts to him the case is otherwise Jer. 2 32. can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire yet my People have forgotten me days without number q. d. you would not forget the cloaths on your backs you would not forget your braveries your Ornaments your Attires and are these of more worth than Christ yet you can forget me day after day 8. Consider it 's a command of Christ that we should look to Jesus Behold me behold me lo I lo I A command not only backt with Authority but accompanied with special Ordinances appointed to this end what is Baptism and what is the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.24 25. but the representation of Jesus Christ Is it not Christs command in his last Supper Do this in remembrance of me and this do ye as oft as ye drink in remembrance of me In this Ordinance we have Christ crucified before our Eyes and can we forget him Or can we hold our eyes off him can we see the Bread broken the Wine distinctly severed from the bread and not call to mind according to the Scripture Christs Agony in the Garden and on the Cross can we take and eat the bread and take and drink the cup and not apprehend Christ stooping down from Heaven to feed our souls At such a time if we forget the Lord Jesus Christ it will argue our disaffection our ingratitude our disobedience every way Psa 73.28 Psal 104.34 9. Consider it 's both work and wages to look up unto Jesus Hence David professed it is good for me to draw near to thee and my meditation of him shall be sweet the word imports a sweetness with mixture like compound spices or many flowers Every thought of Jesus is sweet and pleasant nay it 's better than wine Cant. 1.4 we will remember thy love more than Wine there is more content in contemplating on Christ more refreshing to the spirit than wine gives to the body How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God Psa 139.17 look in what kind soever you account a thing precious so precious are the thoughts of God and Christ to a man whose heart is in a right frame Such a one loves every glance of Christ and the more it sees the more it loves It is said of one Eudoxius that he wished he might be admitted to come near the body of the Sun to have a full view of it though it devoured him he was somthing rash in his wish but there is somthing proportionable in a godly spirit he so loves Christ that he could be content to be swallowed up in the beholding of him Certainly there is a blessing in this work when we are bid to look unto Jesus it is but to receive from Jesus is it any thing else but to call and invite us to look on the most pleasing and delightful object That in the beholding of it it may convey it self unto us and we be delighted and filled with it it is all one as if he should bid us sit down by a well of Life and drink or if he should bid us be as the Angels are who are blessed in the beholding of this Jesus why come then if this be a blessed work why will we unbless our selves If the work will exalt us why will we debase our selves in not closing with it If we might live above heaven why will we live below certainly when thoughts of Christ are moving in us Christ himself is not far off he will come and enter too and how sweet is it for Christ to come and take up his habitation in our souls 10. Consider how the Angels exceedingly desire to look on Jesus they stoop down and pry into the Nature Offices and graces of Jesus Christ which things saith the Apostle the Angels desire to look into He alludes to the manner of the Cherubims looking down into the Mercy-Seat this is the study 1 Pet. 1.12 yea this is the delight and recreation of the Elect Angels to look on Jesus and to look into the several scopes of our salvation by Jesus Christ to behold the whole frame and fabrick of it to observe all the parts of it from the beginning to the end to consider all the glorious Attributes of God his Wisdome Power Justice Mercy all shining and glittering in it like bright Stars in the Firmament this I say is their work yea this is their Festivity and Pastime And shall not we imitate the Angels shall not we think it our honour to be admitted to the same priviledge with the Angels 11. Consider that looking unto Jesus is the work of Heaven Vâta contemplativa incipit in hoc seculo proficitur in futuâo Bern. it is begun in this life saith Bernard but it is perfected in that life to come not only Angels but the Saints in glory do ever behold the face of God and Christ if then we like not this work how will we live in Heaven the dislike of this Duty is a bar against our entrance for the life of a blessedness is a life of Vision surely if we take no delight in this heaven is no place for us 12. Consider that nothing else is in comparison worth the minding or looking after If Christ have not your hearts who or what should have them O that any Christian should rather delight to have his heart among Thornes and Briers than in the Bosom of his dearest Jesus Why should you follow after drops and neglect the Fountain why should you fly after shadowes and neglect him who is the true substance if the mind have its currant from Christ toward other things these things are not only of less concernment but destructive they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity Jer. 2.5 and are become vain How unworthy the world is of the look of Christians especially when it
Thy Heritage Thou retainest not Thy Anger for ever Jer. because Thou delightest in Mercy And I am the Lord which exercise Loving-Kindness Judgment Righteousness in the Earth for in thâse things I delight saith the Lord. 2. Because of that Delight which God hath to be actively glorified by His Creatures voluntary Service and Subjection John 10.18 Ezek. 33.11 Herein is My Father glorified if ye bear much Fruit and I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that he turn from his Way and live He delighteth most in unbloody Conquests when by His Patience and Goodness and Forbearance He subdueth the Hearts Affections and Consciencâs of Men unto Himself He esteemeth Himself more glorified in the Services than in the Sufferings of Men and therefore in this Eternity he resolves not to destroy all Men lest there should be no Religion upon the Earth When the Angels fell they fell not all many were still left to glorify Him actively in their Service of Him but when Adam fell all Mankind fell in him so that there was no Tree in all this Paradise lest to bring forth any Fruit unto God And this is most certain that God would rather have His Trees for Fruit than for Fewel Hence He resolves that Mankind notwithstanding Sin should not be utterly destroyed Hereupon the Trinity calls a Counsel and the Question is What is to be done with poor Man The Learned here frame a kind of Conflict in God's holy Attributes by a Liberty which the Holy-Ghost from the Language of Holy Scripture doth allow them they speak of God after the manner of Men as if he were reduced unto some Straits and Difficulties by the cross Demands of His several Attributes Justice calls upon Him for the Condemnation of a Sinful and therefore worthily Accursed Creature which Demand is seconded by His Truth to make good that Threatning In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death Mercy on the other side pleads for Favour and Compassion towards Man wofully seduced and overthrown by Satan and this Plea is seconded by Love and Goodness and the like Attributes at last when the Business comes to Determination Wisdom finds out a way which the Angels of Heaven gaze on with Admiration Astonishment how to reconcile these different Pleas of his Attributes together A Jesus is resolved on One of the same Blessed Trinity who by His Father's Ordination His own voluntary Susception and the Holy Spirits Sanctification should be fitted for the Business To this purpose this Jesus should be both a Surety and an Head over sinful Men a Surety to pay Mens Debts unto God and an Head to restore God's Image unto Man And thus in Him Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have Kissed each other Psal 83.10 This is the great Mistery of the Gospel this is that which the Angels as I tell you pry into nay this is that which the Angels and Saints too shall admire and bless God for to all Eternity this is that which set the infinit Wisdome of God on work from all Eternity If all the Angels in Heaven and all the Men in the World had been put to it to find out a way to answer this question how shall sin be pardoned the sinner reconciled and God glorify his justice they could never have done it this cost God dear it cost him the heart-blood of his own Son and that 's a sure sign that Gods heart was much in it and indeed we are not Christians until in some measure we see and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mistery O the wonder of Heaven and Earth here 's the case man is fallen through sin and ever since the fall man and sin are as inseparably joyned together as fire and heat yet God will have mercy on the man and he will take vengeance on the sin the Eternal Wisdome of God hath found out a way to translate this mans sins on another Person who is able to bear them and to interest this mans person in anothers Righteousness which is able to cover him so that now all 's one in regard of man as if the Law had been utterly abrogated and all 's one too in regard of God as if the creature had been utterly condemned And all this is done in our Jesus on him was executed the curse of the Law by him was fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for him was remitted the sin of man and through him were all things made new again the world was in Christ as in its Surety making satisfaction to the Justice of God and God was in Christ as in his Embassadour Rom. 11.33 reconciling the world unto himself again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã O the depths of the riches both of the Wisdome and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out You have seen the Project and the counsels of God for mans salvation before all worlds Rom. 11.34 it is but dimly for who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour SECT VI. The foreknowledge OF the knowledge of God in this respect we read in Scriptures Acts 2.23 Rom. 8.29 Rom. 11.2 1 Pet. 1.2 Christ is said to be delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God And it is said of Christs members the called according to his purpose whom he did foreknow and elsewhere in the same Epistle God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew And Peter writes to the strangers Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father Understand that foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature properly but in respect of God there is nothing past nothing to come all things past and all things to come are present to him and therefore in that sense he cannot be said to foreknow any thing Now the Lord in respect of us is said in Scripture to foreknow things or persons two wayes Psal 139.16 1. Generally by a general knowledge of which Davids speaks thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 2. Specially by a more special foreknowledge which is a knowledge with love and approbation the very same which barely comprehendeth that we call Election Rom. 9.13 2 Tim. 2.19 Rom. 11.2 so Gods choosing is expressed by loving Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated And this is that which the Apostle speaks of the Lord knoweth who are his i.e. the Lord from everlasting knoweth his with love and with approbation hath God cast away his people which he foreknew i. which he before loved and approved hence we gather that after the Project was laid and the Councels of God were agreed upon it then God foreknew or foresaw whom to embrace in his eternal love as his own
That he should pass by so many on the right hand and on the left and that I should be one whom the Lord did Elect what such a vile and sinful Wretch as I am was there ever like Love was there ever like Mercy may not Heaven and Earth stand amazed at this O what shall I do to be thankful enough to this dear God Thus thou that knowest thy interest in Christ study praise and thankfulness Say in thy self who made me to differ from those Cast-away Souls Alas we were all framed of the same Mould hewed out of the same Rock It is storied of one of the late French Kings that in a serious meditation considering his own condition of being King and Ruler of that Nation Oh said he when I was born a Thousand other Souls were born in this Kingdome with me and what have I done to God more than they O my Soul what difference betwixt thee and those many Thousands of Reprobates that live with thee in the world at this day nothing surely nothing but the free mercy goodness and love of God in Jesus Christ O then praise this God yea sound forth the Praise of the Glory of his Grace Remember that was Gods design and that is thy Duty SECT IX On conforming to Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must Conform to Jesus we must fix our Eyes on Jesus for our Imitation that also is the meaning of this looking in the Text. And in respect of our Predestination the Apostle speaks expresly Rom. 8 29. he did Predestinate us to be conformed to the Image of his Son This is one end of Predestination and this is one end of looking unto Jesus nay it is included in it A very look on Jesus hath a Power in it to conform us to the Image of Jesus 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed by beholding saith the Apostle Oh when I see Gods love in Christ to me even from all Eternity how should this but stir up my Soul to be like Jesus Christ where there is a dependance there is a desire to be like even among men how much more considering my dependance on God in Christ should I desire to be like Christ in disposition all the question is what is this Image of Christ to which we must be conformed I Answer Holiness and Happiness but because the latter is our reward and the former is our duty therefore look to that But wherein consists that I Answer in that resemblance likeness and conformity to Christ in all the passages forementioned And in every of those must we conform to Christ As 1. Christ is the Son of God so must we be Gods Sons As many as received him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 Mal. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.17 O what duty lies upon us in this respect If I be your Father where is mine Honour and if ye call on the Father pass the time of your sojourning here in fear God looks for more honour fear reverence duty and obedience from a Son than from the Rabble of the World if thou art Gods Son thy sins more offend God then the sins of all the reprobates in the world why alas thy sins are not meer transgressions of the Law but committed against the mercy bounty and goodness of God vouchsafed unto thee thy sins have a world of unthankfulness joyned with them and therefore how should God but visit Amos 3.2 you onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I visit you for all your Iniquities O think of this you that are Gods Sons and conform to Christ for he was an Obedient Son 2. Christ the Son of God delights in the Father and his delight is also with the Sons of men so must we delight in the Father and delight in his Children Psa 37.4 Psa 16.3 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy Heart And the Saints that are on the Earth are they in whom is all my Delight saith David It is storied of Dr. Taylor that being in prison he could delight in God and he rejoyced that ever he came into Prison because of his acquaintance with that Angel of God as he called Mr. Bradford O this is Heaven upon Earth not only God but the very Saints of God are sweet Objects of delight Mark them and if they be Saints indeed they are savory in their Discourse in their Duties in their Carriages their Example is powerful their society profitable how should we but delight in them 3. God and Christ laid this Plot from all Eternity that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace So must we purpose this as the end of all our actions whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we must do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 But especially if from God we receive any spiritual good then give all again to the glory of his grace Dan. 2 20 23 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever said Daniel for Wisdom and might are his and I thank thee and praise thee O God of my Fathers who hast given me Wisdome and Might an excellent spirit of Wisdome and Might wrought in Daniel and he acknowledges all to the Giver wisdome and might are his Christians if you feel grace in your hearts I beseech you acknowledge it to Christ He does all he subdues Lusts heals VVounds staies inward Issues sets broken Bones and makes them to rejoyce and therefore let him him the glory of all do you acknowledge grace in it's latitude to the God of all grace 4. God and Christ counselled about our Salvation there was a great conflict in the Attributes of God justice and mercy could not be reconciled till the Wisdom of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ so let us Counsel about our Salvation the flesh and the spirit whereof we are compounded draw several wayes the Flesh draws Hell-ward and the Spirit Heaven-ward come then call we in heavenly and spiritual Wisdome to decide this Controversie you may hear its Language in Job 28.28 Job 28.28 Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil is Vnderstanding If we would draw heaven-ward and save our souls come then let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments Eccles 12.13 for this is the whole duty of Man Keep his Commandments in an Evangelical sense i look at the expedient Jesus Christ who hath kept them for us and in whom and through whom our imperfect Obedience is accepted with God 5. God and Christ loved us with an everlasting Love So must we love him who hath first loved us this is the nature of spiritual Love that it runs into its own Ocean O love the Lord all ye his Saints who hath more cause to love him then you
this Covenant stands on Gods part in gracious and free promises of forgiveness holiness happiness and on mans part in a restipulation of such Duties as will stand with the free grace and mercy of God in Christ 6. That the stipulation on mans part required is repentance for sin belief in the promises and a yielding of fear reverence worship and obedience to God according to his word These I might insist on but my purposed brevity will not permit 2. What is the establishing of this Covenant Some say this speaks the duration of it of which anon I suppose it intends also the confirmation of it We find that the Lord had before made a Covenant with Abraham Gen. 15.4 5. Gen. 15.4 5 And now he doth not abolish the former and make another but rather he renews confirms and establisheth the former It may be there was some hesitation or doubting in Abraham so we see Gen. 15.1 2. Gen 15.1 â 3 But now God would assure him infallibly of his will and purpose O when a man hears that God will vouchsafe so much favour as to enter into a covenant with him he is ready to say as Gideon did Judg. 6.15 alas my family is poor in Manasses and I am the least in all my Fathers house and who am I that I should be raised up hitherto that God should make such promises as these to me And hence to prevent such Objections the Lord will confirm and establish his Covenant as sometimes by his Promises sometimes by an oath sometimes by the blood of Christ himself sometimes by seals So here in this very place God adds the seal of Circumcision Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin saith God and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you Gen. 17.11 Gen. 9.13.15 16. As sometimes he said of the Rain-bow I do set my Bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth That the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh For I will look upon the Bow that I may Remember the everlasting Covenant After this manner are the signs and seals of the Covenant Circumcise your selves saith God and when I see the Circumcision I will remember my Covenant and I will make good to you all the promises thereof But what is Circumcision to the Covenant much every way Circumcision was not without shedding of blood because the Covenant was not yet established in the Blood of the Messiah sure there was much in this howsoever the rite of it self was nothing yet as it led the faithful Patriarchs to the Blood of Christ and as it assured the purging away of sin by the Blood of Christ and as it signed the Circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of Christ so it found acceptance with God no sooner he looks on it but he remembers his Covenant and confirms it and makes it good to Abraham and to his seed after him 3. Betwixt whom is the Covenant to be established between me and thee saith God and thy seed after thee The two heads of this Covenant are God and Abraham on Gods part are the whole Trinity of persons the blessed Angels and all the Host of Heaven on Abraham's part are all his seed and his posterity yet with this limitation Rom. 9.6 7 8. that all are not Israel which are of Israel neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed No question this Covenant was not to be extended to the Ishmaelites Idumeans or Kethureans Abraham's carnal seed these quickly departed both out of Abraham's family and Abraham's faith No no saith God I will establish my Covenant with Isaac for an everlasting Covenant and with his seed after him wiâh Isaac Gen. 17.19 and with his seed i. with the spiritual seed of Abraham now under the seed 1. all believing Jews and 2. All Gentil s are comprehended all may be called the spiritual seed of Abraham that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham and indeed thus runs the Promise in thee shall all the families of the earth he blessed Gen 12.3 And in thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen 8.18 these families and Natâons must needs comprehend the Gentiles the Apostle is very plain As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations That he might be the father of all them that believe Rom. 4.17.11 Gal. 3.14 though they be not circumcised That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Christians I here is our happiness the Covenant was not written for Abraham's sake alone but for us also Rom. 4.23 24. if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead You may think all this while we are only discovering the priviledges of Abraham Isaac Jacob and of the Jews no blessed be God Heaven is no freer to a Jew than to a Gentile there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free male nor female c. But if ye be Christs Gal. 3.28 29. then are ye Abraham's seed and Heirs according to the promise 4 For what time is the established Covenant to endure it is not for a few dayes or months or years but for ever and ever it is an everlasting Covenant and indeed the word established sounds this way I will establish my Covenant Ps 89.3 Ps 89.28 that is say some I will have it stand and continue for ever as it was said of David I have made a Covenant with my crosen I have sworn unto David my servant thy seed will I establish for ever and again my mercy will I keep for him for evermore my Covenant shall stand fast with him Now this Covenant is said to be everlasting a parte ante as we say and a parte post 1. A parte ante as being from everlasting in respect of the promise made to Christ for us which was done as you have heard before the foundation of the world it is not an infant of dayes this Covenant bears the same date with the divine being it self As the mercy of God is from everlasting so the Covenant of grace is from everlasting the Writs Ps 103.17 Evidences and Charters of our Salvation were concluded and passed the sign and seal of the blessed Trinity from eternity the Gospel and this Covenant is not of yesterday no no it is an old counsel of the infinite wisdom of God 2. A parte post as continuing from everlasting to everlasting Hence it is called a Covenant of salt because it corrupteth not it faileth not 1 Chron. 13.5 hence all the blessings of
these have known that thou hast sent me Christ gives a good report of the Saints in Heaven the Father and the Son are speaking of him as I may say behind back and surely a good report in heaven is of high esteem Christ tells over Ephraim's prayers behind his back I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Jer. 31.18 20 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unacustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned thou art the Lord my God and thereupon God resolves Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Happy souls of whom Christ is telling good Tidings in heaven for he is the Angel of the Covenant 3. He is the witness of the covenant he saw and heard all Isa 55.4 Rev. 1.5 Rev. 3.14 Luke 19.10 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people And he is called the faithful witness The Amen The faithful and true witness The covenant saith The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Amen saith Christ I can witness that to be true the covenant saith Christ dyed and rose again for sinners Amen saith Christ I was dead and behold I live for evermore Amen Rev. 1.18 There 's not any thing said in the covenant but Christ is a witness to it and therefore we read in the very end of the Bible this Subscription as I may call it in relation to Christ He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Rev. 22.20 4. Christ is the Surety of the covenant Heb. 7.20 22. In as much as not without an oath he was made a Priest by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better Testament The covenant of works had a promise but because it was to be broken and done away it had no oath of God as this hath O doubting soul thou sayest thy salvation is not sure think on this Scripture thou hast the oath of God for it it is a sworn article of the covenant Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be Saved and to this end is Christ a Surety 1. Surety for God he undertakes that God shall fulfil his part of the covenant Fear not little flock Luke 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And all that the Father giveth me John 6.37 shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 2. Surety for us and to this purpose he hath paid a ransome for us and giveth a new heart to us and he is ingaged to lose none of us Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost John 17.12 Heb. 12.24 5. Christ is the Mediator of the covenant the Apostle calls him Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant He hath something of God as being true God and something of man as sharing with us of the nature of man hence he is Mediator by office Job 9.33 and layeth his hands on both parties as a dayes-man doth and in this respect he is a friend a reconciler and a servant 1. A friend to both parties he hath Gods heart for man to be gracious and he hath mans heart for God to satisfie justice 2. A reconciler of both parties he brings down God to a treaty of peace and he brings up man by a ransome paid so that he may say unto both Father come down to my brethren my kindred and flesh and thou my Sister and Spouse come up to my Father and my Father to my God and thy God 3. He is a servant to both parties Behold my servant saith God Isa 24.1 Isa 53.11 Mat. 20.28 my righteous servant Yea and our servant He came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many 6. Christ is the Testator of the covenant He dyed to this very end that he might confirm the covenant Where a Testament is Heb. 9.16 17. there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the Testator liveth Christ then must dye and Christs blood must be shed to seal the covenant of grace it is not every blood but Christs blood that must seal the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 And his blood being shed he is then rightly called the Testator of the covenant O what fewel is here to set our desires on flame come soul and bend thy desires towards Christ as the Sun-flower towards the Sun the Iron to the Loadstone and the Loadstone to the Pole-star yea the nearer thou drawest towards Christ the more and more do thou desire after Christ true desires never determine or expire Bern. delect evang serm He that thirsts let him thirst more saith Bernard and he that desires let him desire yet more abundantly Is there not cause O what excellencies hast thou found in Christ Poor soul thou hast undone thy self by sin there 's but a step betwixt thee and damnation but to save thy soul Christ comes leaping on the Mountains and skipping on the Hills he enters into a covenant with God he is the covenant the Messenger of the covenant the Witness of the covenant the Surety of the covenant the Mediator of the covenant the Testator of the covenant the great business the all in all in a covenant of grace If David could say Psal 119.20 My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy judgements at all times how mayst thou say My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy mercies and my Jesus at all times Oh I gaspe for grace as the thirsty land for drops of rain I thirst I faint I languish I long for an hearty draught of the Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Oh that I could see Jesus flying through the midst of heaven with the Covenant in his hand Oh I long for that Angel of the Covenant I long to see such another vision as John did when he said And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth What Is that Covenant in the hand of Christ and is my name written in that roll Say Lord Is my name written on the Heart of Christ Oh! if I had the glory and possession of all the world if I had ten thousand worlds and ten thousand lives I would lay them all down to have this poor trembling soul of mine assured of this Oh my thirst is insatiable my bowels are hot within me my desire after Jesus in reference to the Covenant is greedy as the grave the coals thereof are coals of
all these passages of Gods Love in Christ are not these strong atractives to gain thy love what wilt thou do canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love It is the expression of the Apostle The Love of God constrains us 1 Cor. 5.14 God in Christ is the very Element of Love and whither should Love go but to the Element Air goes to Air and Earth to Earth and all the Rivers to the Sea 1 John 4.16 every Element will to its proper place Now God is Love and whither should thy Love be carried but to this Ocean or Sea of Love Come my Beloved said the Spouse to Christ let us get up early to the vineyards Cant 2.12 let us see if the Vines flourish whether the tender grapes appear there will I give thee my Loves The flourishing of the Vine and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints now wheresoever things appear whether in Assemblies or in secret Ordinances then and there saith the Bride will I give thee my Loves when thou comest to the Word Prayer Meditation be sure of this to give Christ thy Love What doth Christ manifest his presence there is there any abounding of his graces there O let thy Love abound by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee by so much more do thou love thy God again many sins being forgiven how shouldst thou but Love much SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know our joy here is but in part such is the excellency of Spiritual joy that it is reserved for Heaven God will not permit it to be pure and perfect here below and yet such as it is though mingled with cares and pains it is a blessed duty it is the light of our souls and were it quite taken away our lives would be nothing but Horrour and Confusion O my Soul if thou didst not hope to encounter joy in all thy Acts thou wouldst remain languishing and immoveable thou wouldst be without action and vigour thou wouldst speak no more of Jesus or of a Covenant of grace or of God or Christ or Life or glory Well then go on O my Soul and joy in Jesus if thou lovest him what should hinder thy rejoycing in him It is a Maxime that as Love Proceeds so if there be nothing that retaines the Appetite it alwayes goes from Love to Joy One motion of the Appetite towards good is to be united to it and the next Appetite towards good is to enjoy it now Love consists in union and joy in fruition for what is fruition but a joy that we find in the possession of that thing we love Much ado there is amongst Philosophers concerning the differences of Love and Joy Some give it thus As is the motion of fluid Bodies which run towards their Center and think to find their rest there but being there they stop not and therefore they return and scatter themselves on themselves they swell and overflow So in the passion of Love the Appetite runs to the beloved Object and unites it self to it and yet its motion ends not there for by this passion of joy it returns the same way again it scatters it self on it self and overflows those Powers which are nearest to it by this effusion the soul doubles on the Image of the good it hath received and so it thinks to possess it more it distills it self into that faculty which first acquainted it with the knowledg of the Object and by that means it makes all the parts of the Soul concur to the possession of it Hence they say That joy is an effusion of the Appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it the more perfectly But not to stay in the inquiry of its Nature O my Soul be thou in the exercise of this Joy Is there not cause come see and own thy Blessedness take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for thee As 1. He hath made a Covenant with thee of temporal mercies thou hast all thou hast by free-holding of Covenant-Grace thy Bread is by Covenant thy sleep is by Covenant thy safety from Sword is by the Covenant the very tilling of thy Land is by a Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 O how sweet is this Every Crum is from Christ and by virtue of a Covenant of Grace 2. He hath made a Covenant with thee of spiritual mercies even a Covenant of Peace and Grace and Blessing and Life for evermore God is become thy God he is all things to thee he hath forgiven thy sins he hath given thee his Spirit to lead thee to sanctifie thee to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory where thou shalt bless him and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory O pluck up thy heart lift up thy head strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh Write it in Letters of Gold that thy God is in Covenant with thee to love thee to bless thee and to save thee Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive thee to himself and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God or to be in Covenant with God I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart a man out of Covenant if he look on God he is a consuming fire if on the Law it is a Sentence of Condemnation if on the Earth it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins if on Heaven the Gate is shut if on the Signes in Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder strike in him a terrour But O my Soul this is not thy case a Man in Covenant with God looks on these things with another eye if he look on God he saith This is my Father if on Christ this is my elder Brother if on Angels these are my Keepers if on Heaven this is my House if on the Signes of Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder these are but the effects of my Fathers Power if on the Law the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me if on Prosperity God hath yet better things for me in store if on Adversity Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this if on the Devil Death and Hell he saith with the Apostle O Death where is thy Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave where is thy Victory Come poor soul is it not thus with thee what art thou in Covenant with God or art thou not If yet thou doubtest review thy grounds of hope and leave not there till thou comest up to some measure
to obey their Commands and to imitate their Godly Example we cannot honour God more than when we are Humbled at his Feet to receive his Word than when we renounce the Manners of the world Deut. 31.3 Ephes 5.1 to become his Followers as dear Children O think of this for when we conform indeed then are we Holy as he is Holy and Pure as he is Pure and then How should this but tend to the Honour and Glory of our Good God Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in that dark Time before His Coming in the Flesh Our next Work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the Great VVork of Man's Salvation in His First Coming or Incarnation LOOKING UNTO JESUS In His Birth The Fourth Book CHAP. I. Luke 2.15 Let us now go even to Bethlehem and see this Thing SECT I. Of the Tidings of Christ IN this Period as in the former we shall first lay down the Object and secondly direct you how to Look unto it The Object is Jesus carrying on the Work of Man's Salvation in His first Coming in the Flesh until His Coming again But because in this long Period we have many Transactions which we cannot with Conveniency dispatch together we shall therefore break it into smaller pieces and present this Object Jesus Christ 1. In his Birth 2. In his Life 3. In his Death 4. In his Resurrection 5. In his Ascension Session at God's Right Hand and Mission of his Holy Spirit 6. In his Intercession for his Saints in which Business he now is and will be employed till his Second Coming to Judgment 1. First For the Transactions of Jesus in His Birth Some things we must propound before and some things after his Birth so that we shall continue this Period till the Time of John's Baptism or the Exercise of his Ministry upon Earth Now in all the Transactions of this Time we shall especially handle these 1. The Tidings of Christ 2. The Conception of Christ 3. The Duplicity of Natures in Christ 4. The real Distinction in that Duty 5. The wonderful Union notwithstanding that Distinction 6. The Birth of Christ 7. Some Consequents after his Birth whil'st yet a Child of Twelve Years old The First Passage in Relation to his Birth is The Tidings of Christ This appears Luk. 1.26 27 28 c. And in the Sixth Month the Angel Gabriel wat sent from God c. Luk. 1.26 31. I shall a little insâst on some of these Words 1. The Messenger is an Angel Man was too mean to carry the News of the Conception of God Never any Business was Conceived in Heaven that did so much concern the Earth as the Conception of the God of Heaven in a Womb of Earth no less therefore than an Angel was worthy to bear these Tidings and never Angel received a greater Honour than of this Embassage Angels have been sent to divers as to Gideon Manoah David Daniel Eliah Zechariah c. And then the Angel honoured the Message but here 's a Message that doth honour the Angel he was highly glorious before but this added to his glory Indeed the Incarnation of God could have no less a Reporter than the Angel of God When God intended to begin his Gospel he would first visit the World wirh his Angel before he would visit the World with his Son His Angel must come in the Form of Man before his Son must come in the Nature of Man This Angel salutes the Virgin Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among Women Luke 1.28 Many Men and Women have been and are the Spiritual Temples of God but never was any the material Temple of God but only Mary and therefore Blessed art thou amongst Women and yet we cannot say that she was so Blessed in Bearing Christ as she was in Believing in Christ her Bearing indeed was more Miraculous but her Believing was more Beneficial to her Soul that was her Priviledge but this was her Happiness Christians If we believe in Christ and if we obey the Word of Christ we are the Mothers of Christ Whosoever doth the Will of My Father which is in Hâaven Mat. 12.50 Luke 11.27 he is my Brother and Sister and Mother Every renewed Heart is another Mary a spiritual Sanctuary of the Lord Jesus It was the Woman's Acclamation Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee suck True said Christ but that Blessing extends only to one I will tell you how many are Blessed and rather Blessed yea Vers 28. rather Blessed are they that hear God's Word and keep it Blessed are they that so incarnate the written Word by doing it as the Blessed Virgin gave Flesh to the Eternal Word by bearing it those that hear and keep God's Word are they that Travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in them Gal. 41.9 Hearing they Receive the Immortal Seed of the Word by a firm Purpose of doing they conceive by a longing Desire they quicken by an earnest Endeavourr they travel and when the Work is wrought then have they incarnate the Word and Christ is formed in them In this Respect was Mary âlessed and I make no question but in this Respect also the Angel calls her Blessed and Elizabeth calls her Blessed and Simeon calls her Blessed and She calls her self Blessed and all Generations call her Blessed and God Himself calls and makes her Blessed yea as Paul said Cometh this Blessedness on the Circumcision only so cometh this Blessedness on the Virgin only No Rom. 4.9 Mat. 5.3 4 5. Psal 32.2 even Blessed are the Poor in Spirit Blessed are they that mourn Blessed are the Meek and Blessed are they whose Sins are not imputed Even these hath God blessed with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places and these shall Christ entertain with a Come ye Blessed of My Father Luke 1.29 3. This Virgin is Troubled at this Salute She might well be troubled For 1. If it had been but a Man that had come in so suddenly when she expected none or so secretly when she had no other Company or so strangely the Doors being probably shut she had cause to be troubled How much more when the shining Glory of the Angel so heightned the Astonishment 2. Her Sex was more subject to fear If Zachary were amazed with the sight of this Angel How much more the Virgin We flatter our selves how well we could endure such Visions but there is a difference betwixt our Faith and our Senses to apprehend here the Presence of God by Faith this goes down sweetly But should a Glorious Angel appear among us it would amaze us all But for this the Angel comforts her Vers 30. Fear not Mary for thou hast found Favour with God The Troubles of Holy Minds ever end in Peace or Comfort Joy was the Errand of the Angel and not Terrour and therefore suddenly he revives her
unity of any other thing and yet by the help of some forreign cause they may be united as the branch of a Tree of one kind which put into the ground would be an intire distinct Tree in it self may by the hand of a man be put into the unity of a Tree of another kind and so grow move and bear fruit not distinctly in and for it self but jointly in and for that Tree into which it is planted 3. Other things of this kind cannot by force of natural causes nor by the help of any forreign thing ever become parts of any other created thing or pertain to the unity of the substance of any such thing as the nature of man and the nature of all living things and yet by divine and supernatural working it may be drawn into the unity of the subsistence of any of the Persons of the blessed Trinity wherein the fulness of all being and the Perfection of all created things is in a more eminent sort than in themselves for though all created things have their own being yet seeing God is nearer to them than they are to themselves and they are in a better fort in him than they are in themselves there is no question but that they may be prevented and staid from being in and for themselves and caused to be in and for one of the divine persons of the blessed Trinity So that as one drop of water that formerly subsisted in it self if it be poured into a vessel containing a greater quantity it becomes one in subsistence with the greater quantity of water and as a branch of a Tree that being set in the ground and left to it self would be an intire and independant tree becomes one in subsistence with that tree into which it is grafted so the individual nature of man assumed into the unity of one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity it looseth that kind of being that naturally left to it self it would have had and it becomes one with the Person for now it is not in and for it self but hath got a new Relation of dependance and being in another But you will say all the Creatures in the world have their being in God and dependance on God and therefore all Creatures as well as Man may pertain to the Person or Subsistence of God I Answer it is not a general being in and dependânce on God but a strict dependance on mans part and a Communicating of the subsistence on Gods part that makes up this union Hence we say that there are four degrees of the presence of God in his Creatures the first is his general presence whereby he preserves the substances of all Creatures and gives unto them to live and to move and to have their being Acts. 7.28 and this extends it self to all Creatures good and bad The Second degree is the presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of his Creature but also gives Grace unto it and this agrees to the Saints and Gods People on earth The third degree is the presence of glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in heaven and hereby God doth not only preserve their substances and give them plenty of his Grace but he also admits them into his Glorious presence so as they may behold him face to face The fourth and last degree is that whereby the God-Head of the Son is present with and dwells in the Manhood giving unto it in some part his own subsistence whereby it comes to pass that this Manhood assumed is proper to the Son and cannot be the Manhood of the Father or of the Holy Ghost or of any Creature whatsoever And this is a thing so admirable and unspeakable that though we may find some similitudes yet there cannot be found another example hereof in all the World Hence it follows that in the Manhood of Christ consisting of Body and Soul there is a Nature only and not a Person because it doth not subsist alone as other men Peter Paul and John do but it wholly depends on the Person of the Word into the unity whereof it is received and this dependance of the humane nature on the person of the Word and the communicating of the Person or subsistence of the Word with the humane nature is the very thing it self wherein this union consists 3. For the Scriptural texts that confirm this Union you see the Well is very deep but where is the Bucket What texts of Scripture have we to confirm this wonderful Union of two Natures in one Person Amongst many I shall only cite these Mat. 16.13 16. When Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Simon Peter answered Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Now if but one Christ then surely but one Person and if the Son of man be the Son of the Living God then surely there are two natures in that one Person Observe how the Son of man and the Son of God very Man and very God concenter in Christ as the Soul and the Body make but one man so the Son of man and the Son of God make but one Christ Rom. 1.3 4. Thou art Christ saith Peter the Son of the Living God So Paul speaking of Jesus the Son of God he tells us that he was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit 1. Made of the Seed of David of the substance of the Virgin who was Davids posterity 2. Declared to be the Son of God not made the Son of God as he was made the Son of Man but declared to be the Son of God The word in the Original signifies a Declaration by a solemn sentence or difinitive judgment I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son That which I point at he is the Son of David Psal 2.7 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in respect of his Manhood and he is the Son of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in respect of his Godhead here be the two Natures but iââhe words before these two natures make but one Son Jesus Christ our Lord and ãâã âââry words themselves he is declared to be the Son of God he doth not say Somâ ãâã two but his Son Jesus Christ first before and then after to shew unto us thââââfore his making so after his making he is still but one Son or one person of the ãâã âââtinct natures subsisting Col. 2.9 To the same purpose is that same Text In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily by the union of the divine nature with the humane in the unity of his person the Godhead dwelleth in Christ as the Soul in the Body it dwelleth in him bodily not seemingly but really truly and indeed not figuratively and in a shadow as he dwelleth in the Temple not by power and efficacy as he dwells
table or behind a solid partition it stirreth the needle as effectually as if it were within view Shall not he contradict his sences that will say It cannot work because I see it not Oh my Saviour thou art more mine than my Body is mine my sense feels that present but so as that I must lose it but my faith so feels and sees thee present with me as that I shall never be parted from thee 2. It is a very near union You will say how near If an Angel were to speak to you he cannot satisfie you in this only as far as our understanding can reach it and the Creatures can serve to illustrate these things take it thus Whatsoever by way of comparison can be alledged concerning the combination of any one thing with another that and much more may be said of our union with Jesus Christ To give instance out of the Scripture see what one stick is to another being glewed together see what one friend is to another as Jonathan and David who were said to be woven and knit each one to other see how near the father and the child are how near the husband and the wife are 1 Cor. 6 17. 1 Sam. 18.1 Isa 62.5 see what union is between the Branches and the Vine the members and the head nay one thing more see what the the soul is to the body such is Christ and so near is Christ and nearer to the person of every true believer I live yet not I saith Paul but Christ liveth in me John 15.5 1 Cor. 12 12. Gal. 2.20 q. d. as the soul is to the body of a natural man that acts and enlivens it naturally so is Jesus Christ to my soul and body O there is a marvellous nearness in this mystical union 3. It is a total union i.e. whole Christ is united to the whole believer soul and body If thou art united to Christ thou hast all Christ thou art one with him in his nature in his name thou hast the same Image Grace and Spirit in thee as he hath the same precious Promises the same access to God by prayer as he thou hast the same love of the Father all that he did or suffered thou hast a share in it thou hast his life and death all is thine so on thy part he hath thee wholly thy nature thy sins the punishment of thy sins thy wrath thy curse thy shame yea thy wit and wealth and strength all that thou art or hast or canst do possibly for him It is a total union My beloved is mine and I am his whole Christ from top to toe is mine and all that I am have or can do for evermore is his 4. It is an inseparable union it can never be broken I will make saith God an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 and I will not turn away from them to do them good I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me This is a glorious promise some poor souls may say True Lord thou wilt not turn away from me I know thou wilt not Oh but I fear I shall turn away from thee Oh alass I turn every day towards sin and Satan Nay saith God I will put my fear in their heart that thou shalt not turn away from me q. d. We shall be kept together for evermore and never be separated Hence Paul triumphantly challenges all enemies on earth or rather in hell to do their worst to break this knot Rom. 8.5 Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ shall tribulation Distress Famine Nakedness Peril or Sword Come all that can come and see if that blessed union betwixt me and Christ shall ever be broken by all that you can do Thus for this union 2. There is a spiritual communion with God in Christ Both these are the effects of Christs personal or hypostatical union first union to his person and then communion with his benefits union in proper speaking is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ we are not united to forgiveness of Sin Holiness Peace of Conscience but unto the person of the Son of God himself and then secondly comes this communication of all the benefits arising immediately from this union to the Lord Jesus that as Christ was Priest Prophet and King so we also by him are after a sort Priests Prophets and Kings for being made one with him we are thereby possessed of all things that are his as the Wife is of the wealth of her Husband now all things are yours saith the Apostle whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World c. Hitherto have we took a view of Christ in his Mothers Womb 1 Cor. 3 21.23 and O what marvails there Did ever womb carry such a fruit Well might the Angel say Blessed art thou amongst Women and well might Elizabeth say Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb but the blessing is not only in conceiving but in bearing and therefore we proceed SECT VI. Of the Birth of Christ 6. THe birth of Christ now follows Now was it that the Son of Righteousness should break forth from his bed where nine months he had hid himself as behind a fruitful cloud this was the worlds wonder a thing so wonderful that it was given for a sign unto believers seven hundred and forty years before it was accomplished Isa 7.14 therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son A wonder indeed and great beyond all comparison that the Son of God should be born of a Woman that he who is the true Melchizedech without Father and without Mother must yet have a mother-Virgin that he that is before Abraham was should yet be born after Abraham a matter of two thousand years that he who was Davids Son therefore born in Bethlehem should yet be Davids Lord wonderful things are spoken of thee Heb. 7.3 O thou Son of God before he was born the Prophets sing the Sybils prophesie the Patriarchs typisie the Types foretel God promiseth and the Son of God performeth when he was born Angels run errands Gabriel brings tidings the glory of Heaven shines a Star displaies and wise men are the Heralds that proclaim his Birth But come yet a little nearer Let us go to Bethlehem as the Shepherds said and see this thing which is come to pass if we step but one step into his loding Heavens wonder is before our eyes now Look upon Jesus Luke 2.15 look on him as in fulness of time he carried on the great work of our Salvation here now you may read the meaning of Adams Covenant Abrahams promise Moses revelation Davids succession these were but vailes but now shall we draw aside the Curtains come take a view of the truth it self O wonder of wonders whom find we in this lodging a Babe in a Cratch a Mother-maid a
these words we find first a meeting of Gods blessed Attributes and secondly this meeting at a birth the birth of Truth at which meeting thirdly was that glorious effect that Righteousness looked down and indeed came down from Heaven I desire a little to invert the words and shall first speak to Christs Birth secondly to the effects of his Birth of Righteousness looking down from Heaven thirdly to the meeting and agreement of all Gods Attributes as the issue and effect of all When Mercy and Truth met together and Righteousness and Peace kissed each other 1. For his Birth our Vine doth Bud Truth shall Bud out of the Earth i. Christ shall be born upon the Earth or Christ shall be born of a Woman for Truth is Christ Bud is born and the Earth is a Woman 1. Truth is Christ I am the Way and Truth John 1.4 6 said Christ he is the truth of all Types and the truth of all Prophesies and the truth of all promises for in him are all the Promises Yea and Amen 2. Bud is born the Vine budding is the first putting forth of the Grape so Christ being born was Truth budding out of the Earth he then first shewed himself to the World and was first seen like the Vine springing forth above ground 3. The Earth is the Woman Isa 45.8 thus some render that Text Let the Earth bring forth a Saviour look how the Field-flowers spring forth of themselves without any Seed cast in by the hand of Man so the Virgin brings forth Christ It is observable that in the Creation of Adam was laid the Prognosticks of this future birth begin with the first Man Adam and you may see him parallell'd in this second Adam Christ Adam was created of the Virgin-Earth Christ was born of a Virgin-Mother the Earth had no Husbandman yet brought forth without Seed Mary had no Husband yet brought forth without Seed of Man in the Creation God said Let us make Man and now saith the Holy Ghost the Word is made flesh Gen. 1.26 John 1.14 or the Word is Man indeed those were but Types but Christ is the Truth he is the Vine that Buds the Messias born the Angels own him the Star designes him the Prophets foreshew him the Devils confess him his Miracles declare him the Sages seek him and Heaven and Earth Rings with the News that Truth is Budded out of the Earth 2. For the effect of this Birth Righteousness shall look down from Heaven No sooner Christ born but Righteousness looked down from Heaven she cast her eye upon Earth and seeing Truth freshly sprung there she looked and looked again certainly it was a sight to draw all the eyes of Heaven to it It is said of the Angels that they desired to look into these things they looked wishly at them 1 Pet. 1 12â as if they would look through them no question but Righteousness looked as narrowly and piercingly as the Angels Some observe that the Hebrew word she looked down signifies that she beat out a window so desirous was Righteousness to behold the sight of the Vine Budding of Christ being born that she beats out a Window in Heaven before this time she would not so much as look down towards the Earth Righteousness had no prospect no window open this way she turned away her eyes and clapt to the Casement and would not abide so much as to look on such sinful wretches forlorn sinners as we are her eye was purer than to behold Iniquity she abhorred it and us for it and therefore would not vouchsafe us once to cast off her eye O but now the case is altered no sooner doth our Vine Bud upon the Earth but she is willing to condescend and so willing that she breaks a Window through the Walls of Heaven to look down upon this Bud and nomarvail for what could Righteousness desire to see and satifie her self in that was not to be seen in Jesus Christ He was all righteous there was not the least spot of sin to be found in him his Birth was clean and his Life was holy and his Death was innocent both his Soul and Body were without all sin both his Spirit and his Mouth were without all guile whatsoever satisfaction Righteousness would have she might have it in him lay Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Balance and there is nothing in Jesus but Streight for the Line and full Weight for the Balance 3. For the meeting and agreement of all Gods Attributes as the issue and the least effect of this budding Vine the Verse before tells us that Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other This meeting presupposeth a distance before they met for they that meet come from divers coasts Here then are two things considerable first the distance and secondly the meeting But you will say how came this distance Are they not all the Attributes of Gods undivided essence are they not all four in the bosom of God from all eternity I answer Yes they are undivided in themselves but they were divided about us it was Adam's sin and ours in him that first divided Heaven yea the very Attributes of God and in a sort God himself I shall speak to both these that you may first see the Differences and then the Agreement and blessed Harmony of these glorious Attributes 1. The Difference immediately after the Fall the great question which before you heard of in the Decree and Councils of God was actually propounded What should be done with sinful Man in this case we must speak of God after the manner of men and I hope you will give me the liberty that others I suppose warrantably take Come saith God What shall be done with sinful Man He hath violated my Law broken my Command and as much as lies in him unpinn'd the Fabrick of the World spoiled my Glorious Work of Heaven and Earth and Sea and all therein undone himself for ever and ever and ever O what shall be done with this sinful rebellious forlorn unhappy Creature Man Silence being a while in Heaven and all struck into amaze to see the great God of Heaven stirred up in wrath at last Mercy and Peace stand up and they seek with sweet gentle intreaties to pacifie Gods Anger but Righteousness and Truth are on the contrary side and they provoke God Almighty to go on and to manifest himself as he is indeed a consuming Fire a sin-revenging God The Plea is drawn up and reported at large by Bernard Andrews and others 1. Mercy began for out of her readiness to do good she is ever formost her inclination is to pitty or rather she her self is an inclination to pity those that are in misery and if she can but relieve them let them deserve what they will be sure she will relieve them for she looks not to the party what he is nor what he hath done nor what he he
his youth because in Scripture there is so deep a silence I shall therefore pass it by Thus far have I propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in his first coming or incarnation whiles yet a Child of twelve years old Our next Work is to direct you in the Art or Mystery how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great Work of our Salvation in his Birth WHat Looking comprehends you have heard before And that we may have an inward experimental look on him whom our souls pant after let us practise all these Particulars As 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Coming or Incarnation Come let us learn what he did for us when he came amongst us There is not one Passage in his first appearing but it is of mighty concernment unto us Is it possible that the great God of Heaven and Earth should so infinitely condescend as we have heard but on some great Design And what Design could there be but only his Glory and the Creatures good O my Soul If thou hast any interest in Christ all this concerns thee the Lord Jesus in these very transactions had an eye to thee he was Incarnate for thee he was conceived and born for thee look not on these things as Notionals or Generals look not on the bare history of things for that is but unprofitable the main duty is in eying the end the meaning and intent of Christ and especially as it relates to thee not to others but to thy self Alas what comfort were it to a poor prisoner if he should hear that the King or Prince of his meer grace and love visited all the Prisoners in this and that Dungeon and that he made a Goal-delivery and set all free but he never came near the Place where he poor wretch lies bound in Fetters and cold Irons or suppose he gives a visit to that very man and offers him the tenders of Grace and Freedom if he will but accept of it and because of his waywardness Perswades Intreats Commands him to come out and take his liberty and yet he will not regard or apply it to himself what comfort can he have what fruit what benefit shall he receive Dear soul this is thy case if thou art not in Christ if thou hadst not heard the Offer and embraced and closed with it then what is Christ's Incarnation Conception Nativity unto thee Come learn not meerly as a Scholar to gain some notional-knowledge but as a Christian as one that feels virtue coming out of Christ in every of these respects Study close this great transaction in reference to thy self I know not how it happâns whether out of the generality of some Preachers handling this Subject or whether out of the Superstition of the time wherein it usually hath been handled it either savours not with some Christans or it is seldom thought of by the most O God forbid we throw out of the doors such a blessed necessary truth If rightly applied it is a Christians joy Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all People for unto you is born in the City of David Luk. 2.10 11. a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Sure the Birth of Christ is of mighty concernment unto thee Isa 9.6 unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given there is not any piece of this transaction but it is of special use and worth thy pains How many break their brains and waste their Spirits in studying Arts and Sciences things in comparison of no value whereas Paul otherwise determined not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ To know Jesus Christ in every piece and point 1 Cor. 2.2 whether in Birth or Life or Death it is saving knowledge O stand not upon Cost whether Pains or Study Tears or Prayers Peace or Wealth Goods or Name Life or Liberty sell all for this Pearl Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over-buy him though thou gavest thy self and all the World for him the study of Christ is the study of studies the knowledge of Christ is the knowledge of every thing that is necessary either for this World or for the World to come O study Christ in every of the foresaid respects SECT II. Considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this great work of our Salvation at his first Coming or Incarnation It is not enough to study and know these great Mysteries but according to the Measure of Knowledge we have we must Muse Meditate Ponder and Consider of them Now this Consideration brings Christ nearer and closer to the soul Consideration gathers up all the long fore-passed Acts and Monuments of Christ and finds a deal of sweetness and power to come flowing from them Consideration fastens Christ more strongly to the Soul and as it were rivets the Soul to Jesus Christ and fastens him in the heart A soul that truly considers and meditates of Christ thinks and talkes of nothing else but Christ Prov. 4.13 it takes hold and will not let him go I will keep to thee saith the soul in meditation for thou art my life Why thus O my Soul consider thou of Christ and of what he did for thee when he was incarnate and that thou maist not confound thy self in thy meditations consider a part of these particulars As 1. Consider Jesus in his Fore-runner and the blessed tidings of his coming in the flesh now the long-looked for time drew near a glorious Angel is sent from Heaven and he comes with an Olive-branch of peace first he presents himself to Zachary and then to Mary to her he imparts the Message on which God sent him into this neather World Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus Luke 1.31 Till now Humane Nature was less than that of Angels but by the Incarnation of the Word it was to be exalted above the Cherubims What sweet News What blessed Tidings was this Message The Decree of old must now be accomplished and an Angel proclaims it upon Earth hear O ye Sons of Adam this concerns you as much as the Virgin Were ye not all undone in the Loins of your first Father Was not my Soul and thy Soul in danger of Hell-fire was not this our case and condition that after a little life upon Earth we should have been thrown into eternal torments where had been nothing but Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth And now that God and Christ should bid an Angel tell the News Ye shall not die lo here a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and he shall be your Jesus he shall save you from this Hell and Death and Sin he shall deliver your Souls he shall save you to the utmost his Name is
pray not to run into temptation before we are led and yet for the comfort of God's people if it be so that we are led if by divine permission or by an inspiration of the holy Spirit we are engaged in an action or in a course of life that is full of temptations and empty of comforts let us look upon it as an issue of divine Providence in which we must Glorifie God but no argument of disfavour or dislove of God and why because Christ himself who could have driven the Devil away by the breath of his mouth yet was by the Spirit of his Father led to a Tryal by the Spirits of Darkness My Brethren count it all joy saith James James 1.2 when ye enter into divers temptations knowing that the trial of your Faith worketh Patience 3. The end of the Spirits leading Christ into the wilderness it was either immediate or remote 1. For the immediate end it was to be tempted of the Devil to this purpose was Christ brought thither that Satan might tempt him One would think it a very strange design that the Son of God should be brought into a wilderness to be set on by all the Devils in Hell but in this also God had another remote end i.e. his own Glory and our good 1. His own Glory appeared in this had not Satan tempted Christ how should Christ have overcome Satan The first Adam was tempted and vanquished the second Adam to repay and repair that Foil doth vanquish in being tempted now herein was the Power of Christ exceedingly manifested the Devil having the Chain let loose he lets flie at Christ with all his might and Christ that without blows could not have got a Victory by this furious assault of Satan he both overcomes him and triumphs over him And herein were the Graces of Christ exceedingly manifested how was the Faith Patience Humility Zeal and Valour of Christ set forth which they could not have been if he had alwayes lain quietly in Garrison and never had come into the Skirmish Who could have felt the Odoriferous smells of those Aromatical Spices if they had not been punned and bruised in this Mortar of Temptation It was by this means that the Graces of Christ clearly shined forth to his eternal Praise 2. As it was for his Glory so also for our Good Now we see what manner of Adversary we have how he fights and how he is resisted and how overcome now we see the dearer we are to God the more obnoxious we are to a trial of temptation now we see that the best of Saints may be tempted or allured to the worst of evils since Christ himself is solicited to Infidelity Covetousness and Idolatry now we see that we have not a Saviour and High Priest Heb. 4.15 16. that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but such a one as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin and therefore we may go boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may receive Mercy and find Grace of help in time of need 4. The time and occasion of the Devils Onset it was at the end of forty dayes Fast and when he was an hungred Some say as you have heard that all those forty dayes when Christ was in the Wilderness he was tempted only invisibly for Satan during that time assumed not any visible or conspicious shape which it the end of forty dayes say they he did my meaning is not to controvert these points Howsoever for his tempting yet for his fasting forty dayes and forty nights there is no controversy and of that we had some Types before Christ came into the World thus Moses fasted forty dayes at the delivery of the Law and Elias fasted forty dayes at the restitution of the Law and to fulfil the time of both these Types Christ thinks it fit to fast forty dayes at the accomplishment of the Law and the promulgation of the Gospel In fasting so long Christ manifests his Almighty Power and in fasting no longer Christ manifests the truth of his Manhood and of his weakness that he might approve that there was no difference betwixt him and us but sin he both fasted and was an hungred we know well enough that Christ could have lived without meat and he could have fasted without hunger it had been an easy matter for him to have supported his Body without any means of nourishment or Life but to shew that he was man as well as God and so fit a Mediator betwixt God and Man he would both feed and fast make use of the Creature and withall suffer hunger And now our Saviour is an hungred this gives occasion to Satan to set upon him with his fierce and violent temptations he knows well what baits to fish withall and when and how to lay them he hath Temptations of all sorts he hath Apples to cozen Children and Gold for Men he hath the Vanities of the World for the intemperate and the Kingdomes of the world for the ambitious he considers the temper and constitution of the Person he is to tempt and he observes all our exterior Accidents Occasions and Opportunities but of this hereafter 5. The Temptations themselves are in number three whereof the first was this If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread What an horrible Entrance is this if thou be the Son of God no question Satan had heard the glad tidings of the Angel he saw the Star and the Journey and the Offerings of the Sages he could not but take notice of the gratulations of Zachary Simeon Anna and of late he saw the Heavens open and he heard the Voice that came down from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and yet now that he saw Christ fainting with hunger as not comprehending how infirmities could consist with a Godhead he puts it to the question if thou be the Son of God Oh here 's a point in which lies all our happiness how miserable were we if Christ were not indeed and in truth the Son of God Satan strikes at the root in this supposition If thou be the Son of God Surely all the work of our Redemption and all the work of our Salvation depends upon this one necessary Truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God If Christ had not been the Son of God how should he have ransomed the world how should he have done or how should he have suffered that which was satisfactory to his Fathers wrath how should his Life or Death have been valuable to the sins of all the world If Christ be not the Son of God we are all gone we are lost we are undon we are damned for ever O alas farewell Glory farewel happiness farewell Heaven If Christ be not the Son of God we must never come there well Satan thou beginnest thy assault like a Devil indeed if thou be the Son of God but
which makes the encounter so much the more dangerous As 1. A Garrison of Soldiers ready at hand to appease occasional tumults 2. The temper of those mens spirits with whom the business was Cham. in loc they were men set upon gain the World's God 3. The great Confluence of the people it being the most solemn Mart of the Passover O what a Zeal was this that neither the weakness of the means on the one side to effect it nor the greatness of the power on the other side to hinder it did at all dismay him or cause him to desist seem he never so weak or be they never so strong he whips them out of the Temple and bids them be gone This action of Christ fulfils that Prophesie of Malachy Mal. 3.1 2 3. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple but who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like Refiners fire and like Fullers Sope and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and as Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness From the main we may observe that a perswasion of Christ's presence in our Church-assemblies is a special means or motive to bring all into order But what is this presence of Christ in Church-assembles If by Christ's presence we mean his bodily presence it is true that Christ in his Humanity whipped the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple of Jerusalem then in his Manhood he was upon Earth and accordingly he vouchsafed his bodily presence to their assemblies and publick places but now his Manhood is in Heaven Acts 3.21 and the Heavens must contain him till the times of restitution of all things Now therefore we cannot expect his bodily presence unless we will maintain the Doctrine of Transubstantiation or of Consubstantiation which far be it from us 2. If by Christ's presence we mean his spiritual presence then the question is what is this spiritual presence of Christ for if we say it is his presence as he is God I should then query how God is said to be present with men in one place more than another God in his essence is fully every where and inclusively no where Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Footstool and yet nor Earth nor Heaven nor the Heaven of Heavens is able to contain him whiles we speak spiritually of Christ's presence in the assemblies of his People we cannot mean his Universal presence but his especial presence and therefore as yet I suppose we have not the meaning of it 3. If by Christ's presence we mean the presence of his Spirit either in himself or especially in his workings stirrings actings and movings in our Spirit I should then subscribe only I think this is not all that is included in his especial presence true it is that when Christ was upon Earth he told his Disciples that he must go away for if he went not away the Comforter would not come unto them John 16.7 But if I depart said he I will send him unto you and accordingly when that Church-assembly was convened at Pentecost God sent the Holy Ghost much people being then gathered at Jerusalem that it might be divulged to all the World To all the Assemblies of the Saints Christ promised his Spirit though not alwayes in a visible manner Mat. 8.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name saith Christ there I am in the midst of them Christ in his Spirit is in the midst of us stirring and moving in our spirits or the spirit of Unity is with united spirits O he is a sweet Spirit a Spirit of Love and Concord and Peace and Glory and therefore where should he be but with those that make harmony upon Earth He is with them and amongst them and in them 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and worketh in you 4. If by Christ's presence we mean the presence of his Angels I shall then say we have said enough as a King is said to be where his Court is where his Train or Retinue are so Christ the King of Kings is there especially present where the Heavenly Guard the blessed Angels keep their sacred Station and Rendezvouz wheresoever it is Now that this is Christ's special presence it will appear in sundry Texts 1. When Jacob saw that vision in Bethel of the Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28.16 17 and of the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it Surely saith Jacob the Lord is in this place and I knew it not and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven He calls it God's House where God and his holy Angels who are of his Houshold are especially present and he calls it the Gate of Heaven Heaven's Guild-Hall Heaven's Court namely because of the Angels for the Gate Guild-Hall or Court was wont to be the judgment-Hall and the place where Kings and Senators used to sit attended by their Guard and Ministers The Caldee addeth This is no common or private place but a place wherein God taketh pleasure and over against this place is the Gate of Heaven 2. When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai to give the Law some place the specification of God's presence in the Angels to which purpose are alledged these Texts Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Heb. 2.2 and have not kept it and again The Law was ordained by Angels in the Hand of a Mediator Again the Apostle calls the Law the Word spoken by Angels I have already delivered my thoughts concerning these Angels but some I say conclude from hence that the special presence of the Divine Majesty consists in the encamping of his sacred Retinue the blessed Angels for that the Lord of himself who filleth Heaven and Earth could not descend or be in one place more than another There 's yet another Text very pertinent to this And he said Deut. 33.2 the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from Mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery Law for them Psal 68.17 the words translated ten thousand of his Saints are in the Original ten thousands of Sanctity or holy ten thousands or holy Myriads which in my apprehension points to the Angels rather than his Saints and the Psalmist puts it out of question The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy Place 3. After the Law given this presence of God was fixed to the Temple and what that was Isa
6.1 2. Isaiah describe thus I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple about it stood the Seraphims They were God's Train and they filled the Temple And hence David addresses to God were said to be in the presence of Angels Before the Gods will I sing praises to thee I will worship towards thy Holy Temple Psal 128.1 2. The Septuagint translates it thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã before the Angels I know in the time of the Gospel we do not so fix God's presence to our Temples or places of publick assembling for the worship of his Name but to our Church-assemblies in such places why may we not Were the Rudiments of the Law worthy of an attendance of Angels and are the Churches of the Gospel destitute of so glorious a Retinue Did the blessed Spirits wait upon the Types and do they decline the Office at the ministration of the substance Is the Nature of Man made worse since the Incarnation of the Son of God Or have the Angels purchased an exemption from their Ministry since Christ became our Brother in the flesh We have little reason to think so the Apostle treating of a comely and decent demeanor to be observed in Church-assemblies and in particular of women's being covered or veiled there he enforces it from this presence of Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 Chrys hom 16. in 1 Cor. hom 15. in Heb. For this cause ought the Woman to have a covering on her head because of the Angels namely which are there present Upon this ground Chrysostome reproves the irreverent behaviour of his Auditory The Church saith he is not a Shop of Manufactures or Merchandize but the place of Angels and of Archangels the Court of God and the Image and Representment of Heaven it self I know thou seest them not but hear and know that Angels are every where and especially in the House of God where they attend upon their King and where all is filled with incorporeal powers By this time I hope we know what is the meaning of Christ's presence in Church-assemblies to wit the presence of his Spirit and the presence of his Angels Vse And if it be so would not a perswasion of this presence of Christ in our Church-Assemblies be a special means or motive to bring all into order Sometimes I wonder at the irreverent carriage of some Hearers Laughing Talking Prating Sleeping in our congregations what is this a demeanour beseeming the presence of Angels and the Spirit of Christ wouldst thou carry thy self thus in the presence of a Prince or of some earthly Majesty Chris ibid. If thou goest but into a Kings Palace as Chrysostome speaks thou composest thy self to a comliness in thy habit look gate and all thy guise and dost thou laugh I may add dost thou any way carry thy self undecently in God's Presence some there are that in the very midst of Ordinances the Devil usually rocks them asleep but Oh! dost thou not fear that thy damnation sleeps not how justly might Christ come against thee in his wrath and whip thee out of the Temple into Hell surely we should do well to behave our selves in such a presence with the thoughts and apprehensions of Heaven about us our business here is an errand of Religion and God himself is the object of our worship how then should our actions bear at least some few degrees of a proportionable address to God and Christ and the Spirit of Christ what is Christ's Presence in his Spirit and his Angels here Oh let us walk with God as Enoch did Gen. 5.22 let us do all we do as in the Presence of Christ and his Holy Angels And now was the first passeover after Christ's Baptism as it is writtten John 2.23 and the Jews Passeover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem This was the first year of Christs Ministry whereof the one half was carried on by his Prodromus or fore-runner John the Baptist and the other half betwixt his Baptism and this first Passeover was carried on by himself And now hath Christ three years to his death according to the method propounded I shall come on to the second year and to his actings therein in reference to our Souls Salvation CHAP. II. SECT I. Of the second Year of Christ's Ministry and of his Acts in general for that Year NOW was it that the Office of the Baptist was expired and Christ beginning his Prophetical Office he appears like the Sun in succession of the Morning-Star he takes at John and preacheth the Sum of the Gospel Faith and Repentance Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 Now what this Gospel was the sum and series of all his following Sermons expressed and declared it is fully contained in the new Covenant of which we have spoken for what is the Gospel but a Covenant of Grace wherein all the imperfections of our works are made up by the perfection and Grace of Jesus Christ the Gospel is not a Covenant of works i.e. it is not an agreement upon the stock of innocence requiring strict and exact obedience without any allowance of Repentance no no be Holy saith the Gospel and where that fails Repent and believe By this time the work in his hand was grown high and pregnant and Jesus saw it Convenient to chuse more Disciples with this Family he goes up and down the whole Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom healing all manner of Diseases curing Demoniacks cleansing Leapers giving strength to Paraliticks and to lame People It is not my purpose to enlarge on all the Sermons Miracles Conferences or Colloquies of Christ with men I am not for large Volumes and I suppose with John that if all the Acts of Christ should be written with Commentaries on them that even the world it self could not contain the Books that should be written John 2.25 In this year therefore I shall contract and limit my self to the Consideration of Christ in these two particulars As first to his Preaching 2. To his Miracles both these relate to the use and exercise of his Prophetical Office SECT II. Of Christ's Sermons this Year 1. HIs Preaching this year was frequent and amongst others his Sermons now it was that he delivered the first Sermon Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand 2. Now was it that he delivered that spiritual and mystical Sermon of Regeneration at which Nichodemus wonders John 3.4 how can a man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born But Jesus takes off the wonder in telling him this was not a work of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of God for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and is as the wind certain and notorious in the effects but secret in the Principle and manner of production Then Christ proceeds in his Sermon telling him yet of higher things as of
ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefest of ten thousands As in the fairest beauty there is a mixture of these two colours white and ruddy so in Christ there is a gracious mixture and compound of all the graces of the Spirit there is in him a sweet temper of gentleness purity righteousness meekness humility and what not In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 and I may add of all other gifts and graces not a grace but it was in Christ and that in an higher way than in any Saint in the World and therefore he is called fairer than all the children of men Observe There was more habitual grace in Christ than ever was or is or shall be in all the Elect whether Angels or Men. He received the Spirit out of measure there was in him as much as possibly could be in a creature and more than in all other creatures whatsoever As the Sun is the Prince of Stars as the Husband is the head of the Wife as a Lion is the King of the Beasts so is this Sun of Righteousness this Head of the Church this Lion of the Tribe of Judah the chiefest of ten thousands if we look at any thing in Heaven or Earth that we observe as eminently fair by that is the Lord Jesus in respect of his inward beauty set forth in Scriptures he is the Sun of Righteousness the bright Morning-Star the Light of the World the Tree of Life the Lilly and the Rose fairer than all the Flowers of the Field than all the precious Stones of the Earth than all the Lights in the Firmament than all the Saints and Angels in Heaven You will say What 's all this to us Certainly much every way the Apostle tells you That the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.2 hath freed me from the Law of sin of Death let us enquire into these words the law of the Spirit of life the Spirit of life is here put for life as else where After three dayes an half Rev. 11.11 the Spirit of life coming from God shall enter into them Now life is that whereby a thing acteth and moveth it self and it is the cause and beginning of action and motion and this Spirit of life or life it self being here applied to Christ it is that in Christ which is the beginning and cause of all his holy actions and what was that but his Original holiness or the holiness of his humane Nature But why is the holiness of Christs nature called the Spirit of life I answer 1. Because it was infused into his manhood by the Spirit of God The holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God 2. Because it is a most exact and absolute and perfect holiness the Scripture-phrase setting out things in perfection or fulness usually adds the word Spirit unto them as the spirit of pride the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error so then the meaning of the Spirit of life is all one with the most absolute and most perfect purity and holiness of the nature of Christ It is briefly as if the Apostle had said the law of the Spirit of life or the power of the most absolute and perfect holiness of the nature of Christ hath freed me from the law of sin and death hath acquitted me from the power of my sinful nature and from the power of death due to me in respect of my sinful and corrupt nature We might draw from hence this conclusion that The benefit of Christ's habitual righteousness infused at his first conception is imputed to believers to their justification As the obedience of his life and the merit of his death so the Holyness infused at his very conception hath its influence into our justification it is by the obedience of his life that we are accounted actually holy and by the purity of his conception or habitual grace that we are accounted personally holy But I must not stay here Thus much of the Holiness of Christ's Nature SECT IV. Of the Holiness of Christ's Life Rom. 5.19 2. FOr the holiness of Christs life the Apostle tells us that by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous here 's the obedience of Christ and its influence on us 1. The obedience of Christ is that whereby he continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Matth. 5.17 John 8.29 Acts 3.14 Observe Christ's life was a visible commentary on Gods Law For proof Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets saith Christ but to fulfil them And the Father hath not left me alone saith Christ for I do alwayes those things that please him Hence Christ in Scripture is called Holy and Just and the Holy One Acts 2.27 The most Holy Dan. 9.24 by his actual holiness Christ fulfilled in act every branch of the Law of God he walked in all the Commandments of God he performed perfectly both in thought word and deed whatsoever the Law of the Lord required I do not cannot limit this obedience of Christ to this last year of his Ministry for his whole life was a perpetual course of obedience he was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 saith the Apostle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã even until his death and yet because we read most of his holy actings this year and that this was the year wherein both his active and passive obedience did most eminently shine and break forth the year wherein he drew up all the dispersions of his precepts and cast them into actions as into sums total therefore now I handle it and I shall make it out by the passages following only in this one year As 1. Now he discovered his charity in feeding the hungry as at once five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes John 6.9 10 11. John 6.9 10 11. and at another time four thousand men with seven Loaves and a few small Fishes Matth. 15.32 Matth. 15.32 2. Now he discovered his self-denial and contempt of the World in flying the offers of a Kingdom when the people were convinc'd that he was the Messiah from that miracle of feeding five thousand men with five Loaves presently they would needs make him a King but he that left his Fathers Kingdom for us he fled from the offers of a Crown and Kingdom from them John 6.15 as from an enemy When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a Mountain himself alone 3. Now he discovered his mercy in healing the Womans Daughter that had an unclean spirit Mar. 7.26 27. the Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation and in that respect Christ called her a Dog and yet Christ gave her the desire of her soul O the
how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences And of that said he as I feel some part and I would feel more so I bequeath it unto thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ O my soul if thou canst but taste Psal 119.10.3 thou wilt find a world of sweetness in Christ's wayes there is sweetness in the Word How sweet are thy Words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth There is sweetness in prayer Rom. 10.12 hast thou not known the time that thou hast touched the hem of Christs garment and tasted of the joyes of Heaven in prayer hast thou not seen heaven cleft and Christ sitting at Gods right Hand surely the Lord is Rich to all them that call upon him There is sweetness in meditation some call this very duty The Saints pastime which recreates and perfumes the tired Spirits Now O my soul thou art in the exercise of this duty now thou art in the meditation of the easiness of Christ's burthen Psal 119.99 and of the sweetness of his wayes tell me is there nothing of Heaven in this meditation is it sweet or is it bitter to thy Soul thou mayest read in Scripture of many admirable effects of meditation as that it confirms our knowledg I have more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119.99 Ver. 97. Ver. 15. for thy Testimonies are my Meditations that it inflames our love Oh how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day that it casts a sweet influence on our lives I will Meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes What is it thus with thee Psal 104.34 Psal 94.19 canst thou say with David My Meditation of him shall be sweet And in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts exceedingly delight my soul Why then thou hast truly tasted of God's goodness thou hast actual discoveries of the sweetness of Gods wayes thou hast experienc'd this truth that his yoak is easie and his burthen is light Matth. 11.3 Psal 119.99 that his wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Oh if men did but know what ravishing sweetness were in the wayes of God they could not but imbrace them and esteem one dayes society with Jesus Christ as Caracciolus did better than all the gold in the world 11. Consider the holiness of Christ's Nature and the holiness of Christs Life 1. For the holiness of his Nature if thou couldst but clearly see it what work would it make in thy Breast Christ's inward beauty would ravish Love out of the Devils if they had but Grace to see his beauty yea he would lead captive all hearts in Hell if they had but eyes to behold his loveliness O what a Flower what a Rose of love and light is the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy said the Spouse the chiefest of ten thousands Summon before Christ fair Angels glorified Spirits the azure Heavens the lightsome Stars all the delicious Flowers Gardens Meadows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds Beasts yea and all the Sons of Men as they should have been in the world of Innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ and what are they Rev. 22.4 the Saints in Glory now see the face of Christ i.e. they see all the dignity beauty that is in Christ and they are so taken with his sight that they do nothing else but stare and gaze and behold his Face for Ages and yet they are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye holes in beholding Christ they should still desire to see more O this loveliness of Christ ravishes the souls of the glorified how is it O my soul that thou art not taken with this meditation But 2. Go from the holiness of his Nature to the holiness of his Life it may be that will make deep impressions on thy spirit consider his charity his self-denial his contempt of the world his mercy his bounty his meekness his pity his humility his obedience to his Father A fruitful meditation on these Particulars cannot cannot but cause some resemblance within and make thee like Christ O the wonder that any should disclaim the active obedience of Christ as to his own Justification Away away with these cavils and consider the obedience of Christ in relation to thy self God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons It is a sweet note of Doctor Andrews Christ made under the Law i.e. under the whole Law the one half of the Law which is the directive part he was made under that and satisfied it by the innocency of his Life without breaking one jot or title of the Law and so he answers that part as it might be the principal the other half of the Law which is the penalty he was under that also and satisfied it by suffering a wrongfull death no way deserved or due by him and so he answered that part as it might be the forfeiture But if we come now to ask for whom is all this it is only for us that we might be redeemed und adopted redeemed from all evil and adopted or interested into all good If this be so O who would for a world of Gold lose the influence and the benefit of Christs active obedience consider of this O my soul till thou feelest some vertue to come out of Christs life into thy self SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on the work of our salvation in his Life It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire our meditation of Christ should draw forth our affections to Christ and amongst all affections I place this first of all a desire after Christ But what is it in Christ's Life that is so desirable I answer every passage or particular named yea every thing of Christ is desirable named or un-named all that concerns Christ in any kind whatsoever if to the former particulars I should add a thousand and a thousand more it is very precious and excellent and necessary and profitable and comfortable and therefore desirable but to put them in order 1. The meanest things of Christ are desirable things the very filings of Gold the dust or sparkles of precious Stones are of real price and value yea of much worth yea the very Leaves of the Tree of Life are healing the very Hem of Christ's garment but even touched sends forth its vertue the meanest and worst things of Christ are incomparably to be desired above all things the dust of Zion the very ground that Christ's feet treadeth on any thing that hath the poorest relation to Jesus Christ it is desireable for him Hence we read that one poor woman sought no more of him but to wash Christ's
life his way on earth was a continual lecture of humility a little before his death he gave such an example of humility as never was the like He poured water into a bason John 13.5 and began to wash the disciples feet O ye Apostles why tremble ye not at the wonderful sight of this so great humility Peter what dost thou wilt thou ever yield that this Lord of Majesty should wash thy feet methinks I hear Peter saying What Lord wilt thou wash my feet art not thou the Son of the living God the Creator of the world the beauty of the heavens the Paradise of Angels the Redeemer of men the brightness of the Fathers glory and I what am I but a worm a clod of earth a miserable sinner and wilt thou notwithstanding all this wash my feet leave Lord O leave this base office for thy servants lay down thy towel and put on thy apparel again beware that the heaven or the Angels of heaven be not ashamed of it when they shall see that by this ceremony thou set'st them beneath the earth take heed least the daughter of King Saul despise thee not when she shall see thee girded about with this towel after the manner of a servant and shall say that she will not take thee for her beloved and much less for her God whom she seeth to attend upon so base an office Thus may I imagine Peter to bespeak his Master but he little knew what glory lay hid in this humility of Christ it was for us and our example an humble Christ to make humble Christians 3. In him was patience O when I think of Christ's labours in preaching weariness in travelling watchfulness in praying tears in compassionating and then I add to all these his submission of Spirit notwithstanding all the affronts injuries and exprobrations of men how should I but cry out O the patience of Christ 1 Pet. 2.23 the Apostle tells us that when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously I have already given a touch of these graces in Christ which now I may set before me In him was wisdom and knowledge and justice and mercy and temperance and fortitude and every vertue or every grace that possibly I can think of A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi 3. I look at the conversation of Christ in word and deed for his words they were gracious Not an idle word ever came out of the lips of Christ himself tells us that of every idle word we must give an account O then how free was Christ of every idle word Mat. 12.36 he knew the times and seasons when to speak and when to be silent he weighed every word with every Circumstance time and place and manner and matter Eccles 3.7 There 's a time to keep silence and a time to speak said Solomon when he returned again to his wisdom and hence we read that sometimes Jesus being accused he held his peace Mat. 26.63.27 12. and when he was accused of the chief Priests and Elders he answered nothing but other whiles he pours out whole Cataracts of holy instructions he takes occasion of vines of stones of water and sheep to speak a word in season he is still discoursing of the matters of the Kingdom of Heaven and he speaks such words as give grace unto all the hearers round about him so for his deeds and actions they were full of grace and goodness the Apostle Peter gives him this character which I look upon as a little description of Christ's life who went about doing good Acts 10.38 it was his meat and drink to do all the good he could it was as natural to him to do good as it is for a fountain to stream out he was holy and heavenly unspotted every way O the sweet conversation of Christ how humbly carries he it amongst men how benignly towards his Disciples how pitiful was he towards the poor to whom as we read he made himself most like 2 Cor. 8.9 He became poor that we might be made rich he despised or abhorred none no not the very Leapers that were eschewed of all he flattered not the rich and honourable he was most free from the cares of the world his prescriptions were Care not for the things of the morrow and in himself he was never anxious of bodily needs above all he was most solicitous of saving souls Much more I might add if I should go over the particulars in the Gospel but by these few expressions of Jesus Christ we may conceive of all the rest 2. Let us be humbled for our great inconformity to this copy what an excellent pattern is here before us and how far how infinitely do we come short of this blessed pattern O alas if Christ will not own me unless he see his Image written upon me what will become of my poor soul why Christ was meek and humble and lowly in spirit Christ was holy and heavenly Christ ever went about doing good and now when I come to examine my own heart according to this original I find naturally a meet antipathy a contrariety I am as opposite to Christ as Hell and Heaven 1. For my thoughts within I am full of pride and malice I am full of the spirit of the world what is there in my heart but a world of passions rebellions darkness and deadness of spirit to good and 2. If the fountain be so muddy can I expect clear streams what words are these that come many a time from me Christ would not speak an idle word but how many idle evil sinful words come daily flowing from my lips Out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaketh and if I may guess at my heart by my words where was my heart this Sabbath and the other Sabbath when my discourse was all on my calling or on the world or it may be on my lusts or on my Dalilah's on my right-hand-sins or on my right-eye-sins and 3. What actions are these so frequently performed by me if I must read my state by my conversation Whose image and superscription is this the last oath I sware the last blasphemy I belched out the last act of drunkenness idolatry adultery I committed or if these sins are not fit to be named the last piece of wrong I did my neighbour the last prank of pride I played on this stage of the world the last expence of time when I did no good in the world neither to my self nor others the last omission of good as well as commission of evil O my soul whose Image is this is it the Image of Christ or of Sathan If the worst Scholar in the School should write thus untowardly after his copy would he not be ashamed if in my heart and life I observe so many blots and stains so
Mat. 26.65 as making himself equal with God yea see how the high Priest rends his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy Surely all this he endured that very blasphemers may find mercy if they will but come in and believe in Jesus I might instance in other sins art thou a Traytor a glutton a drunkard a wine-bibber a thief a seducer a companion of sinners why see now how Jesus Christ was for thy sake thus called reputed accounted whatever the sin is there 's something in Christ that answers that very sinfulness thou art a sinner and he is made sin to satisfie the wrath of God even for thy sin thou art such and such a sinner and he is accounted such and such a sinner for thy sake that thou mightest find in him something suitable to thy condition and so the rather be encouraged to believe that in him and through him all thy sins shall be done away Away away unbelief distrust despair you see now the brazen serpent lifted up you see what a blessed object is before you O believe O look up unto Jesus O believe in him thus carrying on the work of thy salvation in his death SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his sufferings and death What! did he suffer and dye Rom. 5.8 Greater love than this hath no man that a man should give his life for his friends but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Why here 's an argument of love indeed how should we but love him who hath thus loved us in prosecution of this I have no more to do but first to shew Christ's love to us and then to exercise our love to him again 1. For his love to us had not God said it and the Scriptures recorded it who would have believed our reports yet Christ hath done it and it is worth our while to weigh it and consider it in an holy meditation Indeed with what less than ravishment of Spirit can I behold the Lord Jesus who from everlasting was cloathed with Glory and Majesty now wrapped in rags cradled in a manger exposed to hunger thirst weariness danger contempt poverty revilings scourgings persecution but to let them pass into what extasies may I be cast to see the Judg of all the world accused judged condemned to see the Lord of life dying upon the tree of shame and curse to see the eternal Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath to see him who had said I and my Father are one sweating drops of blood in his agony and crying out on his cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh whither hath his love to mankind carried him had he only sent his creatures to serve us had he only sent his Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven had he only sent his Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us and to minister to us it had been a great deal of mercy or if it must be so had Christ come down from Heaven hnmself but only to visit us or had he come only and wept over us saying Oh that you had known even you in this your day the things belonging to your peace Oh that you had more considered of my goodness Oh that you had never sinned this would have been such a mercy as that all the world would have wondered at it but that Christ himself should come and lay down his blood and life and all for his people and yet I am not at the lowest that he should not only part with life but part with the sense and sweetness of God's love which is a thousand times better than life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life that he should be content to be accursed that we might be blessed that he should be content to be forsaken that we might not be forsaken that he should be content to be condemned that we might be acquitted O what raptures of Spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of this so infinite mercy be thou swallowed up O my soul in this depth of Divine love and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world when thou hast such a Saviour to take them up Come look on thy Jesus who dyed temporally that thou mightest live eternally who out of his singular tenderness would not suffer thee to burn in hell for ten twenty thirty forty an hundred years and then recover thee by which notwithstanding he might better and deeper have imprinted in thee the blessed memory of a dear Redeemer no no this was the Article betwixt him and his Father That thou shouldst never come there see but observe but Christ's love in that mutual agreement betwixt God and Christ Oh I am pressed saith God with the sins of the world as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves come my Son either thou must suffer or I must damn the world Accordingly I may imagine the Attributes of God to speak to God Mercy cryes I am abused and Patience cryes I am despised and goodness cryes I am wronged and Holyness cryes I am contradicted and all these come to the Father for Justice crying to him that all the world were opposers of his Grace and Spirit and if any be saved Christ must be punished In this case we must imagine Christ stepped in nay rather than so saith Christ I will bear all and undertake the satisfying of all And now look upon him he hangs on the cross all naked all torn all bloody betwixt Heaven and Earth as if he were cast out of Heaven and also rejected by Earth he hath a Crown indeed but such a one as few men will touch none will take from him and if any rash man will have it he must tear hair skin and all or it will not come his hair is all clodded with blood his face all clouded with black and blew he is all over so pittifully rent outwards inwards body and soul I will think the rest alas when I have spoken all I can I shall speak under it had I the tongues of men and Angels I could not express it Oh love more deep than hell Oh love more high than heaven the brightest Seraphims that burn in love are but as sparkles to that mighty flame of love in the heart of Jesus 2. If this be Christ's love to us what is that love we owe to Christ Oh now for an heart that might be some wayes answerable to these mercies Oh for a soul sick of love yea sick unto death how should I be otherwise or any less affected this only sickness is our health this death our life and not to be thus sick is to be dead in sins and trespasses why surely I have heard enough for which to love Christ for ever The depths of God's grace are
making Christ 's death of none effect O come and with joy draw water out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 5. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the very thoughts of hell seem to astonish my heart methinks I see a little peep-hole down into hell and the devil roaring there being reserved in chains under darkness untill the judgment of the great day and methinks I see the damned flaming and Judas and all the wicked in the world and they of Sodom and Gomorrah there lying and roaing and gnashing their teeth now I have sinned and why should not I be damned Oh why should not the wrath of God be executed on me yea even upon me I answer the death of Christ acquits thee of all Rom. 20.6 Blessed is he that hath a part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Christ's death hath took away the pains of the second death yea pains and power too for it shall never oppress such as belong to Christ If Hell and Devils could speak a word of truth they would say Comfort your selves ye believing souls we have no power over you for the Lord Jesus hath conquered us and we have quite lost the cause Paul was very confident of this and therefore he throws down the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute with all commers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed let sin and the law and justice and death and hell yea and all the Devils in Hell unite their forces this one argument of Christ's death it is Christ that dyed will be enough to confute and confound them all Come then and comfort your selves all believers in this death of Christ what do you believe and are you confident that you do believe why then do you sit drooping What manner of communications are these that you have as ye walk and are sad Luke 24.17 Away away dumpishness despair disquietness of spirit Christ is dead that you might live and be blessed in this respect every thing speaks comfort if you could but see it God and men heaven and earth Angels and devils the very justice of God it self is now your friend and bids you go away comforted for it is satisfied to the full Heaven it self waits on you and keeps the dores open that your souls may enter We have boldness saith the Apostle to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Christ's death hath set open all the golden gates and dores of glory and therefore go away chearily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discouraged or discomforted if you can O my soul I see thou art pouring on sin on thy crimson sins and scarlet sins but I would have thee dwell on that crimson scarlet blood of Christ Oh it is the blood of sprinkling it speaks better things than the blood of Abel it cryes for mercy and pardon and refreshing and salvation thy sins cry Lord do me justice against such a soul but the blood of Christ hath another cry I am abased and humbled and I have answered all Methinks this should make thy heart leap for joy Oh the honey the sweet that we may suck out of this blood of Christ come lay to thy mouth and drink an hearty draught it is this spiritual wine that makes merry the heart of man and it is the voice of Christ to all his guests Eat O friends Cant. 5.1 drink yea drink abundantly O beloved SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus 1. We must pray that all these Transactions of Christ in his sufferings and death may be ours if we direct our prayers immediately to Jesus Christ let us tell him what anguish and pains he hath suffered for our sakes and let us complain against our selves Oh what shall we do who by our sins have so tormented our dearest Lord what contrition can be great enough what tears sufficiently expressive what hatred and detestation equal and commensurate to those sad and heavy sufferings of our Jesus And then let us pray that he would pity us and forgive us those sins wherewith we crucified him that he would bestow on us the vertue of his sufferings and death that his wounds might heal us his death might quicken us and his blood might cleanse us from all our spiritual filth of sin and lastly that he would assure us that his death is ours that he would perswade us That neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38 39. nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. We must praise the Lord for all these sufferings of Christ Hath he indeed suffered all these punishments for us Oh then what shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits upon us what shall we do for him who hath done and suffered all these things but especially if we believe our part in the death of Christ in all the vertues benefits victories purchases and priviledges of his precious death oh then what manifold cause of thankfulness and praise is here be enlarged O my soul sound forth the praises of thy Christ tell all the world of that warmest love of Christ which flowed with his blood out of all his wounds into thy spirit tune thy heart-strings aright and keep consort with all the Angels of Heaven and all his Saints on earth sing that Psalm of John the Divine Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his sufferings and death looking unto Jesus is effective of this objects have an attractive power that do assimulate or make like unto them I have read of a woman that by fixing the strength of her imagination upon a Blackamore on the wall she brought forth a black and swarthy child And no question but there is a kind of spiritual-imaginative of power in faith to be like to Christ by looking on Christ come then and let us look on Christ and conform to Christ in this respect In this particular I shall examine these Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. What is the cause of this conformity 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts For the first wherein we must conform I answer we must conform to Christ
who are of weak judgments and fiery Spirits look to this point least as now when they cannot answer a Separatist they turn Separatists and when they cannot answer an Antinomian they turn Antinomians and when they cannot answer a Seeker Quaker Blasphemer they turn to them so when they cannot answer the subtle Arguments of a Jew they should as easily turn Jews and deny Christ and the resurrection of Christ I mean not to enter into controversies only I shall declare from what heads Arguments of this nature may be drawn As 1. More generally from Gentiles grants Jews concessions typical instructions prophetical predictions 2. More specially from these clear demonstrations that circumstantially and substantially do prove this Christ to have risen again 1. the Arguments in general are 1. From Gentiles grants Pilate that condemned Christ testified in a letter to Tiberius Cesar that Christ was risen again Tertul. l. cont Gent. Egesippus de vito resur Christi and therefore Tiberius desired the Senate to admit Christ into the number of their gods which when they refused Tiberius was incensed and gave free leave to all Christians to profess Christianity And to the Gentiles Sybylla left written these very words He shall end the necessity of death by three dayes sleep and then returning from death to life again he shall be the first that shall shew the beginning of resurrection to his chosen for that by conquering death he shall bring us life 2. For the Jews concessions Josephus Joseph Antiq. lib. 8. c. 9. the most learned amongst the latter Jews acknowledgeth that after Pilate had crucified him he appeared unto his followers the third day accordingly as the Prophets had foretold The Scribes and Pharisees being astonished with the sudden news of his rising again confirmed by the Souldiers whom they set to watch found no other way to resist the same but only by saying as all the Jews do unto this day that his Disciples came by night and stole away his body whiles the Souldiers slept O strange if they were asleep how know they that his Disciples stole away his body and if they were not aslâep how could a few weak fishers take away his body from a band of armed Souldiers 3. From typical instructions such was Adam's sleep Isaac's laying upon the Altar Joseph's imprisonment Sampson's breaking of the gates of Gaza David's escaping out of Saul's hands Jeremy's deliverance out of the pit the raising of the Shunamites child of the widow of Sarephtahs son of the Temple of Solomon of Jonah from the deep a thousand of these types might be produced which relate to this antitype Christ's resurrection 4. From prophetical predictions Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Psal 16.10 After two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up Hosea 6.2 Hos 6.2 he will raise us up i.e. his Son united to us or our flesh assumed by his Son Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 Psal 2.7 Acts 13.33 I laid me down and slept I waked for the Lord sustained me Psal 3 5. Psal 3.5 Above all how plain was the prophesie of Christ himself that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and be raâsed again the third day Matth. 16.21 Mat 16.21 2. The special Arguments are exceeding many as 1. The Angels Assertion He is not here for he is risân as he said come see the place where the Lord lay Matth. 28.6 Mat. 28 6. 2. The great Earthquake And behold there was a great earthquake for the Angel of the Lord ââcended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door Matth. 28.2 Mat. 28.2 3. The Apparitions of raised bodies and the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which sââpt arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many Matth. 27.52 53. ãâã 27.52 53 4. The sudden courage of the Apostles whereas a little before they durst not peep out of doors they presently after compassed the whole world and confidently taught that there was no other name given under heaven whereby men may be saved but the Name of âesus Act. 4.12 Acts 4.12 5. The Martyrs sufferings even for this truth 6. The Adversaries confâssions even to this truth 7. The Jews punishments even to this day for not believing this saving truth There is one Rabbi Samuel who six hundred years since writ a Tract in form of an Epistle to Rabbi Isaac Master of the Synagogue of the Jews wherein he doth excellently discuss the cause of their long captivity and extream misery And after that he had proved it was inflicted for some grievous sin he sheweth that sin to be the same which Amos speaks of For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they sold the righteous for silver Amos 2.6 Amos 2.6 the selling of Joseph he makes the first sin the worshipping of the Calf in Horeb the second sin the abusing and killing of God's Prophets the third sin and the selling of Jesus Christ the fourth sin For the first They served four hundred years in Egypt for the second They wandred forty years in the wilderness for the third They were captives seventy years in Babylon and for the fourth They are held in pitiful captivity even till this day 8. The last Argument on which only I shall insist it is the several Apparitions that Christ made to others after his Resurrection some reckon them ten times others eleven times and others twelve times according to the number of his twelve Apostles Luke 24.34 1. He appeared unto Mary Magdalen apart As a woman was the first instrument of death so was a woman the first Messenger of Life she brought the first tidings of the Resurrection of Christ which is the surest Argument of man's Salvation 2. He appeared to all the Maries together as they returned homewards from the Sepulchre never any truly sought for Christ but with these women they were sure to find Christ 3 He appeared to Simon Peter alone he was the first among men to whom he appeared he first went into the Sepulchre and he first saw him that was raised thence he was called first and he confessed Christ to be the Son of God and therefore Christ appears first to him Mark 16.7 the Angel bade the women to tell his Disciples and Peter that is to say and Peter especially that he was risen and gone before them into Galilee 1 Cor. 15.5 Of this speaks Paul He was first seen of Cephas and then of the Twelve 4. He appeared to the two Disciples journeying towards Emmaus the name of the one was Cleophas and probable it is the other was
respects as Angels and men are called gods but simply absolutely essentially and without any restriction Sometimes we read in Scripture that Men or Angels Exod. 7.1 good and bad are called Gods And the Lord said to Moses see I have made thee a God to Pharoah And thou shalt be instead of God to Aaron Thus Nebuchadnezzer is called the mighty one Exod. 4.16 Ezek. 31.11 2 Cor. 4.4 Exod. 22.28 Psal 82.6 Psal 138.1 or the God of the Heathens and Satan is called the god of this world Thus Magistrates are called gods thou shalt not revile the gods I have said yee are gods Angels are called gods before the gods will I sing praises unto thee but in all these there is some restriction or improper speech Moses is called Pharoah's God and Aaron's God not absolutely but with restriction to Pharoah and Aaron Nebuchadnezzer is called the god of the heathen and Satan the god of this world not absolutely but with restriction to the heathen and this world Magistrates are called gods and good Angels are called gods Heb. 1.5 not absolutely but in respect of some offices or excellency which they partake of from God Only Jesus Christ is called God without any restriction Ver. 8 Rom. 8.32 and not only in respect of some office or similitude but absolutely essentially properly as being from all eternity God of God as being God of the substance of the Father before all worlds What is Christ only God as an Angel is God Joh. 2.16 1 John 5.20 I challenge here all blasphemers in the world Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Or unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever or to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son my own Son my only begotten Son unto which of the Angels said he at any time this is the true God the great God who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Tit. 2.13 Rom. 9.5 unto which of the Angels are those divine Attributes given as of eternity immutability omnipotency omniscience omnipresence and yet are all these given to Christ for eternity I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was for immutability Prov. 8.23 Heb. 1.15 Mat. 11.27 John 2.25 Mat. 28.20 thou art the same and thy years shall not fail For omnipotency all things are delivered unto me of my Father For omniscience he needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man For omnipresence lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world Men Brethren and Fathers I am forced to make this defence of the divinity of Christ because of the blasphemy of those Arians Photinians Eunomians now again raked out of hell O who would think that such a generation of men should be amongst us in this Island where the Gospel hath shined so brightly for so many years we maintain Christ is God and Christ is Lord we say with Thomas my Lord and my God Ah say blasphemers Christ is God and Christ is Lord as Magistrates and Angels are called Gods and Lords I hope I have said enough to difference betwixt Christ and them howsoever I conclude with the Apostle Though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many yet to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8.5 6. 3. He acknowledgeth Christ to be his Lord and his God And Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord and my God Now his saith broke out from the things seen and felt he is raised up to believe things neither seen nor felt he sees the prints and skars in the manhood of Chrst and now he believes that Christ is God yea that Christ is his God my Lord and my God Observe here that faith gives the soul a propriety in God and Christ As God loves some with a special and peculiar love so faith answers God and Christ's particular love by a particular application my Lord and my God and my Christ Faith is an apropiating an applying an uniting grace in the actings of faith on God or on Christ as God we may observe these steps 1. It sees God in his Glory and Majesty in his Greatness and Goodness and all other his attributes it sees God as the infinite fountain of all good and it considers what an infinite dreadful thing it were to be separated from this God it sees God and the sight makes a deep impression on that very soul the love of that God is more to the soul than all the world and the least displeasure of that God is more trouble to that soul than all the miseries that all creatures under heaven are able to bring upon it 2. It discovers the reality of this Glory and Majesty of this greatness and goodness of God Before any faith is planted in a soul the very use of reason may come to understand much of God and Christ but in comparison it looks upon God and Christ as notions conceits and imaginary things only faith convinces the soul throughly of the certainty and truth of such things where true faith is the things we believe are more certain to us than things we see or feel or handle faith is so sure in its apprehensions of God and Christ that it will venture soul and body the loss of all upon that account it will bear any hardship yea it will venture the infinite loss of eternity upon them 3. It enables the soul to cast it self upon God in Christ for all the good and happiness it ever expects Alas saith the soul I have formerly rested on worldly things I looked upon them as the only real sure excellences that I had to enjoy but now I find they are vain things deceitful things no better than reeds of Egypt vanity of vanities and nothing is real sure excellent on this side God and Christ Cant. 6.2 and therefore I will rely upon him and none but him it is only God is an all-sufficient good it is only Christ that is the rock that will never fail on him will I role my self unto him will I make an absolute resignation of all I will betrust him with all I have and all I am I will commit all unto him for ever and ever 4. As faith relyes all upon God in Christ so it apropriates all God and all Christ unto it self I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine there is a mutual propriety betwixt Christ and the Church and betwixt Christ and the soul Christ hath a propriety in me Psal 73.35 and I have a peculiar propriety in Christ Christ is mine so as I have none in the world so mine whom have
soul-ravishing Subject to think upon and the rather if we consider that Conformity which we believe Phil. 3.20 21. We look for a Saviour saith the Apostle the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashioned unto His Glorious Body O my Soul that this Clay of thine should be a Partaker of such Glory That this Body of Dust and Earth should shine in Heaven like those Glorious Spangles of the Firmament that this Body that shall rot in Dust and fall more vile than a Carrion should rise and shine like the Glorious Body of our Saviour on Mount Tabor Surely thou owest much to Christ's Resurrection O consider of it till thou feellest the Influence and comest to the Assurance of this Blessed Change 4. Consider of the several Apparitions of Jesus Christ especially of those written by the Evangelist John As 1. Muse on His Apparition to Mary Magdalen Oh the Grief before He appeared And Oh the Joyes when He appeared 1. Before she apprehended nothing but that some or other had took away her Lord these were all the words she uttered before he appeared They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him so she told Peter and John And when Two Angels appeared in White asking her Woman Why weepest thou she gives the same Answer to them They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him A Soul in desertion knows not what to do but to weep and cry Oh my Lord is gone I have lost my Lord my God my Jesus my King In this Meditation consider O my Soul as if thou hadst been in Maries Case Was it not a sad Case when the Angels of Heaven knew not how to comfort her Suppose any Son of Consolation had stood by and had such a one perswaded O Mary suppress thy Sadness refresh thy Heart with this Blessed Vision thou didst seek but One and thou hast found Two a dead Body was thy Errand and thou hast light on Two alive Thy Weeping was for a Man and thy Tears have obtained Angels Observe them narrowly the Angels invite thee to a Parley it may be they had some happy News to tell thee of thy Lord Remember what they are and where they sit and whence they come and to whom they speak they are Angels of Peace neither sent without Cause nor seen but of Favour they sit on the Tomb to shew they are no Strangers to thy Loss They come from Heaven from whence all happy News descendeth they speak to thy self as if they had some special Embassage to deliver unto thee No no these Cordials are in vain neither Man nor Angel can do her good or comfort her drooping Soul Either Christ Himself must come in Presence or she cryes Miserable Comforters are ye all Alas small is the Light that a Star can yield when the Sun is down A sorry Exchange it is to go gather Crumbs after the Loss of the Bread of Life Oh What can these Angels do They cannot perswade me that my Master is not lost for my own Eyes will disprove them They can less tell me where He may be found for they themselves would wait upon Him if they knew but where I am apt to think they know not where He is and therefore they are come to the Place where He last was making the Tomb their Heaven and the Remembrance of His Presence the Fewel of their Joy Alas What do Angels here I neither came to see them nor desire to hear them I came not to see Angels but the Creator of Angels to whom I owe more than both to Men and Angels 2. After He appeared she was filled with Joy for so it was that when nothing else would satisfie or comfort this poor Creature Jesus Himself appears At first He is unknown she takes him for the Gardiner of the place but within a while he utters a voice that opens both her ears and eyes And Jesus saith unto her Mary It was the sweetest sound that ever she heard many a time had she been called by that name but never heard she a voice so effectual powerful inward feeling as at this time hereby the cloud is scattered and the Sun of Righteousness appears this one word Mary lightens her eyes dryes up her tears chears her heart revives her spirits that were as good as dead One word of Christ wrought so strange an alteration in her as if she had been wholly made new when she was only named And hence it is that being ravished with his voice and impatient of delayes she takes his talk out of his mouth and to his first and only word Mary she answers Rabboni which is to say Master q. d. Master is it thou with many a salt tear have I sought thee and art thou unexpectedly so near at hand thy absence was hell and thy presence is no less than heaven to me Oh how is my heart ravished at thy sound if the babe leaped in the womb of Elizabeth when she but heard the salutation of Mary how should my heart but leap at thy salutation I feel I am exceedingly transported beyond my self Instead of my heavy heart and troubled spirit I feel now a sweet and delightful Tranquility of mind thou art my solace and souls delight whom have I in heaven but thee and whom desire I upon earth in comparison of thee and yet I am not satisfied not only fruition of thee but union with thee is that which my soul longs after not only thy presence but thy embraces or my embraces of thee can give content come then and give me leave my Lord my God to run to the haunt of my chief delights to fall at thy sacred feet and to bathe them with my tears of joy O my Jesus I must needs deal with thee as the Spouse dealt with thee Now I have found thee whom my soul loves dearly I will hold thee Cant. 3.4 and I will not let thee go I know not in all the Book of God a soul more depressed with sorrow and lifted up with joy O meditate on this if Christ be absent all is night but if Christ appear he turns all again into a lightsome day there is no sorrow like that which apprehends Christ's loss and therefore in hell it is looked upon as the greatest pain of the two say Divines it is a greater torment to lose God and to lose Jesus Christ than to endure all those flaming whips unquenchable fires intollerable cold abominable stench and on the other side there is no joy in heaven like to that which apprehends Christ's presence In thy presence there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore I had rather be in hell with Christ said one than in heaven without Christ This is the very top of heavens joy the quintessence of glory the highest happiness of the Saints O my soul seek with
yet time might injure them and these words he would have last for ever O that they were graven in the rock for ever Moses and Job are said to have lived at one time now Moses writ the Law in stone and considering that these words were Gospel there was no reason the Law should be in tables of stone and the Gospel in sheets of paper no no it were fit that this should be as firm and durable as that Oh that my words were written Oh that they were printed in a book c. 2. The matter wished or the words he would have written are these I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall live again Here 's first his Redeemer and his rising 2. His own rising and his seeing God O this was the matter of his joy his Redeemer must rise again and he must rise too and see his Redeemer it was a point that exceedingly ravished and revived Job and therefore he iterates the same thing over and over I shall see God and I shall see him for my self and I shall see him with my eyes Job 8.56 and not with others As Christ said of Abraham Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad So it appears of his Servant Job he saw Christ's day both his first day and his latter day and he rejoyced and was glad Away away all scrupulous doubtfull dumpish thoughts consider what joyes were of old at the foresight of Christs resurrection but especially what joy was all the World over when he rose again from the dead Greg. hom in pasca Job 20.20 Luke 24.41 Apostoli die dominico exhilirati non solum ipsum festivissimam esse voluerunt verum etiam per omnes hebdomadas frequentandum esse duxerunt Juno cent 1 Epist ad Decent 11. 4. then came the Angels from heaven and appeared in white then the Sun danced for joy so it is storyed or shone sooner and brighter than ever it did before then I am sure the Diciples were exceeding glad when they saw the Lord yea so glad that they believed not for joy it is worthy our observing to see how all the primitive Saints were affected with this news and because of it with the very day on which Christ arose some call it The first day of joy and gladness and because of the joy occasioned on this day the Apostles say they devoted the first day of the week to the honour and service of Jesus Christ Augustine applyes the words of the Psalm unto this day This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoyce in it Psal 118.24 Ignatus who lived in the Apostles age and was John's Disciple calls it the Queen the Princess the Lady Paramount among the other weekly dayes Chrysostom calls it a Royal day and Gregory Nazianzen orat 42. saith it is higher than the highest and with admiration wonderfull above other dayes Certainly the Lord's day was in high esteem with the antient Church and the principle motive was because of Christs resurrection from the dead O that on these dayes we could rejoyce in the Lord and again rejoyce it is observed that Many Christians look upon broken-heartedness and much grieving and weeping for sin as if it were the great thing that God delighteth in and requireth of them Baxters method for a setled Peace and therefore they bend all their endeavours that way they are still striving with their hearts to break them more and they think no Sermon no Prayer no Meditation speed so well with them as that which can help them to grieve or weep but O Christians understand and consider saith my Authour that all your sorrows are but preparatives for your joyes and that it is an higher and sweeter work that God calls you to and would have you spend your time and strength in Delight thy self in the Lord psal 37.4 and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart Never take your hearts to be right till they be delighting themselves in their God when you kneel down in Prayer labour so to conceive of God and bespeak him that he may be your delight do so in hearing and reading and meditating and in your feasting on the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ at his Supper Especially improve the happy opportunity of the Lords day wherein you may wholly devote your selves unto this work O spend more of this day in spiritual rejoycing especially in commemoration of Christ's resurrection yea and of the whole work of redemption or else you will not answer the institution of the Lord. SECT VIII Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us Call on Jesus that is to say 1. Let us pray that Christ's resurrection may be ours and that we may be more and more assured of it Phil. 3.10 Let us say with the Apostle O that I may know him and the power of his resurrection O that I may find the working of that power in my soul which was shewed in the resurrection of Christ from the dead O that the Spirit of holiness which quickened Christ from the dead would by the same glorious power beget holiness and faith and love and all other graces in my poor soul O that Christ would by his resurrection apply his active and passive obedience to me O that he would be to me the Lord of the living and the Prince of life that he would overcome in me the death of sin and that he would regenerate quicken renew and fashion me by the power of godliness to become like himself O that all the vertue power priviledges and influences of Christ's resurrection might be conferred on me and that I might feel them working in me every day more and more 2. Let us praise God for Christ's resurrection and for all the priviledges flowing from Christ's resurrection into our souls 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Christ is risen by his resurrection he hath justified sanctified quickened saved our souls and therefore Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ surely God requires a thousand thousand Hallelujah's and that we should bless him upon a thousand-stringed instrument here is fewel enough the Lord kindle a great fire in every one of our hearts to burn out all our lusts and to enflame all our hearts with a love to Jesus Christ Can we ever too much praise him for all his actings in our behalf are not all God's creatures called upon to rejoyce with us and to bless God for his redeeming of us Sing O ye heavens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower part of the earth Isa 44.23 break forth into singing ye mountains O forrest and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel This is the duty we shall do in heaven and
from the custome of Kings who place those they honour anâ to whom they commit the Power of government at their right hand more particularly this sitting at Gods right hand implies two things 1. his glorious exaltation 2. The actual administration of his Kingdom Phil. 2.9 1. Christ is exalted Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow this Session is the supreme dignity and glory given by the Father unto Christ after his Ascension this Session is the peerless exaltation of the Mediator in his Kingdom of glory But how was Christ exalted I answer 1. In regard of his divine nature not really or in it self Impossible it was that the divine nature should receive any intrinsecal improvement or glory because all fulness of glory essentially belonged unto it but declaratory or by way of manifestation so it was that his Dâvinity during the time of his humiliation lay hidden and overshadowed as the light of a candle is hidden in a dark and close lanthorn but now in his Session that Divinity and Glory which he had alwayes with his Father was shewed forth and declared Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with Power both at his resurrection and at his Session 2 Iâ regard of his humane nature and yeâ that must be understood soberly for I cannot think that Christs humane nature was at all exalted in regard of the grace of Persânal union or in regard of the habitual perfections of his humane soul because he possessed all these from the beginning but in regard of those interceptions of the beams of the Godhead and Divine glory and in respect of the restraints of that sense and sweetness and feeling opperations of the beatifical Vision during his humiliation in these respects Christ was exalted in his humane nature and had all the glory from the Diety communicated to it which possibly in any way it was capable of There was a time when the Office which Christ undertook for us made him a man of sorrows but when he had finished that dispensation then he was filled with unmatchable glory which before his Session he enjoyed not there was a time when the natural consequence and flowings of Christ's glory from that personal union was stayed and hindred by special dispensation for the working of our salvation but when that miraculous stay was once removed and the work of our redemption fully finished then he was exalted beyond the capacity or comprehension of all the Angels of heaven Heb. 1.13 To which of the Angels said he at any time sit at my right hand in this respect it is said that God highly exalted him exalted he was in his Resurrection Ascension but never so high as at his Session in his Resurrection he was exalted with Jonah from the lower parts to the upper parts of the earth in his Ascension he was exalted with Elijah above the Clouds above the Stars above the Heavens but in his Session he was exalted to the highest place in Heaven even to the right hand of God Far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 2. Christ reigns or actually administers his glorious Kingdom and this is the principal part of Christ's sitting at God's right hand So the Psalmist Psal 110.1 2. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thy enemies The Apostle is yet more large God set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Eph. 1.20 21 22 23. far above all principallity and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Some describe this Session at Gods right hand to be all one with his reigning in equal power and glory with the Father but the Son hath alwayes so reigned and the holy Ghost hath alwayes so reigned who yet is not said in Scripture to sit at the right hand of the Father I believe therefore there is something in this Session or Reign of Christ which doth difference it from that reigning Power and Glory of the Father and of the Son as only God and of the holy Ghost and if we would know what that is I would call it an actual administration of his Kingdom or an immediate executing of his Power and Glory over every creature as Mediator There is a natural and a dispensatory Kingdom of Jesus Christ for the first the Father reigns immediatly by the Son but by the holy Ghost the Father doth not reign immediatly but through the Son the same order is to be kept in their power which is in the Persons the Father reigns not by himself but of himself because he is of none the Son reigneth by himself not of himself because he is begotten of the Father the holy Ghost reigneth by himself but from the Father and the Son from whom he doth proceed And as in the natural so in the dispensatory Kingdom the Father reigns immediatly by the Son as Mediator and hence it is that the Son as Mediator is only said to sit at Gods right hand because the right of actual administration or immediate execution of the Sovereign power is appropriate and peculiar to the Son as Mediator betwixt God and man And this made Christ to say The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5.22 as Mediator You may object Christ was Mediator immediately after his incarnation but he did not actually administer his Kingdom then I Answer it is true Christ for a time did by a voluntary dispensation empty himself and laid aside the right of actual administration of his Kingdom but immediatly after his Ascension the Father by voluntary dispensation resigned it to the Son again Come now saith the Father and take thou power over every creature till the time that all things shall be subdued under thee This right the one relinquished in the time of that humiliation of himself and this right the other conferred at the time of the exaltation of his Son SECT V. Of the two Natures wherein Christ sits at God's right hand 3. ACcording to what Nature is Christ said to sit at the right hand of God I answer according to both Natures first he sits at God's right hand as God hereby his Divinity was declared and his Kingdom is such that none that is a pure creature can possibly execute Psal 110.1 The Lord said to my Lord saith David sit thou on my right hand The Lord said to my Lord i.e. God said to Christ now
Christ was not David's Lord meerly as man but as God And 2. He sits at God's right hand as man too hereby his Humanity was exalted and a Power is give to Christ as man He hath given hiw power to execute judgment John 5.27 in as much as he is the Son of man In the administration of his Kingdom the man-hood of Christ doth concur as an Instrument working with his God-head Hence this Session at God's right hand is truly and properly attributed to Christ as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not only to the one nature of Christ whether Divine or Humane Or it is attributed to Christ as Mediator in which respect he is called an high Priest Heb. 8.1 We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens And in which respect he is called a Prince Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour Now Christ is not a Priest and a Prince meerly according to one Nature whether Divine or Humane I deny not but Christ had a natural Kingdom with his Father as God before the foundation of the world but this Kingdom as God-man Christ had not before his Asension into heaven So then Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by a mediatory action which he executeth according to both natures the word working what pertaineth to the word and the flesh what appertaineth to the flesh Christ is Mediator as God and man and glory hath redounded unto him as God and man and living in this glory he ruleth and governeth his Church as God and man he ascended indeed into heaven in his humanity only but he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediator in respect of both natures The Lutherans attribute this Session at God's right hand only to the humane nature of Christ they say this Session is nothing else but the elevating of his humane nature to the full and free use of some of the divine properties as of omnipotency omniscience omnipresence the ground of this error is that they suppose upon the union of the two Natures in Christ a real communication of the divine properties to follow so that the humane nature is made truly omnipotent omniscient omnipresent not by any confusion of properties nor yet by any bare communion and concourse of it to the same effect each nature working that which belongeth to it with commuion of the other for this we grant but by a real donation by which the divine properties so become the properties of the humane nature that the humane nature may work with them no less than the Divine nature it self for the perfecting of it self Against this opinion we have these Reasons 1. The union cannot cause the humane nature to partake more in the properties of the Divine than it causeth the Divine to partake in the properties of the humane 2. If a true and real communication did follow of the Divine Attributes it must needs be of all the Attributes as of eternity and infiniteness seeing these are the Divine Essence which can no way be divided 3. Infinite perfections cannot perfect finate natures no more than reasonable perfections can make perfect unreasonable creatures 4. To what end should created gifts serve which Christ hath received above measure if now more noble properties should enter and be conferred on Jesus Christ other reasons are given in but I willingly decline all controversal points SECT VI. Of the Reasons why Christ doth sit on God's right hand 4. WHy doth Christ sit at the right hand of God his Father in glory I answer 1. On Christ's part that He might receive power and dominion over all the creatures Math. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth he speaks of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed Christ at his Session received a power imperial over every Creature that he hath Power over the Angels is plain both by the reverence they do him and by their obedience towards him at the name of Jesus every knee must bow good Angels and evil Angels must yield signs of subjection to Jesus Christ if the Saints shall judge the Angels how much more shall Christ Oh what Power hath Christ himself this way and as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose it is Jesus Christ that is Crowned with Glory and Honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 27.8 And hence it is that when the Apostle speaks of Christs session at the right hand of God he tells us he is far above all Principalities and Powers on earth Eph. 1.21 and Mights and Dominions in Heaven yea that Angels and Authorities 1 Pet. 3.22 and Powers are made subject unto him 2. On our part many reasons may be given As 1. That he might be the Head of his Church I mean not head in a large sense for one who is in any kind before another for so Christ is the head of Angels and God is the head of Christ and to this we have spoken before But in a strict sense for one that is in a near and communicative sort conjoyned with another as the Head is conjoyned with the Body and Members and so is Christ the head of his Church Look as the King hath a more intimate and amiable Superiority over the Queen then over any other of his Subjects so is it here in Christ our King he is more amiably tempered and more nearly affected to his Spouse and Queen the Church of God then to any other whomsoever And to this purpose he sits at Gods right hand that having now fulness of Grace and Glory in himself he might be ready to communicate the same to his Church who are as the members of his body that he might give them Grace here and Glory hereafter when he shall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and be all in all 2. That he might be the object of divine adoration then especially it was said and accomplished Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 and let all men Honour the Son as they Honour the Father After Christ's Session John 5 23. Stephen looken up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and then he Worshipped and called upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is true Acts 7.59 that the ground of this divine adoration is the Union of the two natures of Christ and therefore the Magi worshipped him at his Birth and as soon as ever he came into the World the Angels of God Worshipped him but because by his Session at God's right hand the Divine Nature was manifested Heb. 1.6 and the Humane Nature was exalted to that dignity and glory which it never had before therefore now especially and from this time was the honour and
particulars 1 He came suddenly which either shews the Majesty of the Miracle that is gloriously done which is suddenly done or the truth of the miracle there could be no imposture or fraud in it when the motion of it was so sudden or the purpose of the miracle which was to awake and affect them to whom it came usually sudden things startle us and make us look up We may learn to receive those holy motions of the spirit which sometimes come suddenly and we know not how I am perswaded the man breathes not amongst us Christians that sometimes feels not the stirrings movings breathings of the spirit of God Oh that men would take heed of despising present motions Oh that men would take the wind while it blows and the water while the Angel moves it as not knowing when it will or whether ever it will blow again 2. He came from heaven the place seems here to commend the gift as from earth earthly things arise so from heaven heavenly spiritual eternal things And this is one sign to distinguish the spirits Beloved believe not every spirit 1 John 4.1 but try the spirits whether they are of God If our motions come from heaven if we fetch our grounds thence from heaven from Religion from the sanctuary it is the spirit of God or if it carry us heaven-ward if it make us heavenly minded if it wean us from the world and if it elevate and set our affections on heavenly things if it form and frame our conversations towards heaven we may then conclude the motions are not from below but from above O that Christians would be much in observation of and in listning to the movings workings hints and intimations of that Spirit that comes from heaven Certainly that Spirit is of God that comes down from heaven and that lifts up our Souls towards heaven 3. He comes down from heaven like a wind The comparison is most apt of all bodily things the wind is least bodily it is invisible and comes nearest to the nature of a Spirit it is quick and active as the Spirit is But more especially the holy Ghost is compared to a wind in respect of its irresistable workings as nothing can resist the wind it goes and blows which way soever it will so nothing can resist the Spirit of God wheresoever it hath a purpose to work efficaciously I will not say but the heart of a man may resist and reject the work of the Spirit in some measure Act. 7.51 2 Cor. 10.5 and in some degrees Stephen told the Jews they had always resisted the holy Ghost and the Apostle tells of strong holds and of every high thing that exalteth it self against God so there is a natural contrariety a constant enmity and active resisting of Gods Spirit by our spirits we must therefore distinguish between a prevalent and a gradual resisting the spirit in conversion so works that he takes away the prevalent but not the gradual resisting A man before he be converted is froward and full of cavils and prejudices he is unwilling to be saved he cannot abide the truth he doth what he can to stifle all good motions yet if he belong to the election of grace God will at last over-master his heart and make him of unwilling willing he will omnipotently bow and change the will and work on his soul by his mighty power efficaciously insuperably and irresistably Again the holy Ghost is compared to wind John 3.8 in respect of its free actings the wind bloweth where it listeth saith Christ and so the Spirit bloweth where it listeth who can give any reason why the Spirit breathes so sweetly on Jacob and not on Esau on Peter and not on Judas is it not the free grace and good pleasure of God springs it not from the meer freedom and pure arbitrariness of his own only workings to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven saith Christ but to them it is not given Mat. 13.11 And I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent Mat. 11.25 26 and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight These and the like Texts are as so many hammars to beat in pieces all those Doctrines of free-will and of the power of man to supernatural things grace makes no gain of mans work free-will may indeed move and run but if it be to good it must be moved and driven and breathed upon God's free grace The Spirit blows where it listeth 4. He came like a rushy mighty wind as the wind is sometimes of that strength that it rends and rives in sunder Mountains and Rocks it pulls up trees it blows down buildings so are the operations of the holy Spirit it takes down all before it it brings into captivity many an exalting thought it made a Conquest of the World beginning at Jerusalem and spreading it self over all the earth it is mighty in operation able to shake the stoutest and the proudest man and to break in pieces the very stoniest heart indeed our words without this spirit are but weak wind we may spend our selves and never waken Souls but if the Spirit blow he will amaze the consciences of the stoutest peers and drive away our sins as the wind drove away the Grashoppers and Locusts that over-spread the land of Aegypt Some Analogy there is betwixt this vehement wind and the spirits workings the spirit first comes as a spirit of bondage and then as a spirit of Adoption the spirit of bondage is as a vehement wind that terrifies to shew that we are not fit to receive the grace of God unless the door be first opened by fear and humiliation others say that the vehement rushing of this wind shewed how irresistably the Apostles should proceed in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ they had a Commission to go into all the World and to teach all Nations and they had a promise that though many might oppose yet the gates of hell should not prevail against the Church the spirit should go along with them and he in them and they in him should prevail mightily like a rushing mighty wind 5. He filled all the house where they were sitting there were none there that were to filled with the holy Ghost this room contained a congregation of none but Saints All the men and women an hundred and twenty as some think in this room were visited from on high for the holy Ghost came upon them and dwelt in them well might David say Blessed are they that dwell in thy house I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tents of wickedness They that abode in this house were under a promise that the Spirit should come and now was the promise accomplished for it filled all the house where they were sitting I say
2 Cor. 6.16 Cant. 7.5 but as a Temple for himself to dwell in as a Gallery for himself to walk in Oh what longings Oh what pantings and gaspings Oh what faintings and swoonings should there be in thy spirit after this Spirit Come holy spirit O come and dwell in my soul I know thou wilt make the place of thy feet glorious if I have but thy presence I shall be all glorious within O come come holy Spirit SECT IV. Of hoping on Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars thus was the Apostles Prayer Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost could we abound in hope that Christ's Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit did belong to us we should never be ashamed Hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 O then let us look to our hope and be sure that it be of the right stamp which in reference to every of these passages we may examine thus As 1. If Christ's Ascension be mine then am I ascended with Christ I mean not in respect of any bodily Ascension for that must not be untill the last day nor in respect of any essential substantial soul-ascension for that must not be before the separation of soul and body at our deaths-day but in respect of our spiritual ascension for so we may ascend into heaven by faith and love though for the present we are on earth Col. 3.1 2. if ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth If Christ our Head be ascended then we that are his Members must needs follow after him in our affections Christ tells us Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also Mat. 6.21 If Christ our Treasure be ascended into heaven our loves our affections our hearts will follow after him and if our hearts be in heaven no question but we our selves both souls and bodies shall at last ascend when Christ ascended we ascended virtually with him now we ascend spiritually and at last we shall ascend bodily for he that ascended shall descend and then we shall meet him in the ayr and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 1 Thes 4.17 In the mean time to maintain our hope let us ascend dayly by faith and love and this is our character that Christ's Ascension is truly ours 2. If Christ's Session be mine then am I set down with Christ in heavenly places I mean not bodily but by faith which faith makes it as sure to my soul as if I had a foot already in heaven Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the evidence of things not seen By faith I now sit in heavenly places in that I verily believe I shall do it one day my hope is now certain in that I am as sure of that I look for as I am of that I have already received it is the common objection We see it not As the Apostle said of Christ We see not yet all things put under him but he presently answers We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels crowned with glory and honour Heb. 2.8 9. and so we may be sure the thing is as good as done for if he be above all must come under in like manner we see not our selves in present possession but we see Christ crowned and our selves sitting with him virtually and therefore at last we shall see our selves actually crowned and sitting together with Christ in heavenly places In the mean time faith takes possession of the Kingdom of Heaven saith makes the soul even now to converse with God 1 Tim. 6.19 and Christ and Saints and Angels Faith layes hold upon eternal life it puts the soul as it were into heaven and sets it down at the right hand of Christ and this is our character that Christ's Session is truly ours 3. if Christs spirit be mine and sent to me then have I both the person and train of the spirit of Christ it is the having the spirit and the working of the spirit in me that is my evidence of the Spirits mission I look upon this as the greatest Question and the weightiest and most important case of conscience that can be propounded or known of us viz. Whether the spirit of Christ doth reside in us or whether we have a well-grounded hope to say of our selves that we have the in-dwelling of the spirit of God Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith the Apostle and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.19 And again Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost In this Question he seems to put it out of Question that true Christians should know and in right temper do know that the spirit of God dwells in them if we know not this we cannot know that we have any part in Christ because the holy spirit is the principal bond of our union betwixt Christ and us if we know not this we cannot know that we are justified for we have nothing to do with Christ's Righteousness by which we are justified untill by our spiritual union Christ is made ours if we know not this we cannot know we are the adopted Children of God for it is the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father if we know not this we cannot know that we are sanctified for it is the spirit which is the beginner and perfecter of our sanctification if we know not this we cannot know that our prayers are heard for it is the spirit that helps our infirmities Rom. 8.26 and that makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered if we know not this we cannot know whether we are in error or truth or whether our religion which we profess be true or false for it is the spirit who enlightens us and teacheth us and leadeth us into all truth if we know not this we cannot know our own comforts for he is the only true Comforter from whom all sound comfort springs Come then and put we our selves to the trial Let us search whether we have the spirit of Christ which we may resolve if we will not deal deceitfully with our own hearts by these following signs 1. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of illumination if he dwell in us he will enlighten our eyes reveal to us those saving truths of God as they are in Jesus But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost John 14.6 1 Joh 2.20 v. 27. whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things But ye have an unction from
beyond the external part of it or from their own insensibleness of the working of corruption when yet it doth act only a gracious heart findeth that if it be not strengthened by a Power beyond its own it cannot act any grace or perform any duty as acceptable to God and hence the Apostle prayes That they might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 4. It is an enabling of the soul to act in Gospel-duties for Gospel-ends when the spirit leads the soul never aims at a self-advancement it never looks at its own name and glory as they did in Mat. 6.1 5. but it eyes in all its actings the mortification of corruption and the attainment of communion with God and Christ and the increase of all Grace Faith Love Patience Meekness self-denial c. or if it seek for outward mercies it seeks them in a subordination to these and in a way of subserviency to the interest and designs of Christ in all things whether outwarâ or inward it seeks the glory of God as the ultimate end And in these particulars consists the leadings of the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.16 1 John 5.10 7. The spirit of Christ is a witnessing spirit The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and every one that believeth hath the witness within himself But of this two questions 1. What is this witnessing work of the spirit 2. How doth the spirit thus witness for the first I answer 1. In general witnessing is a giving in some evidence upon our knowledge how the matter in question standeth that thereby others may be ascertained of the truth of the thing Deut. 19.15 John 8.17 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established these words Christ cited and said It is written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true not but that it was certain in it self before but that now by the testim ny of two it is rendred certain unto those that question the same this is witnessing 2. In special The witnessing of the spirit is an Office of the spirit whereby it works the soul into a knowledge perswasion or conclusion of its acceptation into favour with God in Christ Now the spirit witnesseth either objectively or efficiently 1. Objectively When it only affords such special operations as have an aptitude to ascertain the soul but do not ascertain thus many a time the Spirit comes and brings in such and such ascertions or affirmations of our adoption as if they were but duly observed might manifest the same but we over-look these evidences we will not hear what the spirit speaks to us John 3.11 We speak that we know saith Christ and testifie that we have seen but ye receive not our witness so may the spirit complain I have testified to you that which I know I have said that ye were children of God but ye have not received my witness doubtless it is a sinful neglect not to yield attention unto the voyce of the spirit and yet the spirit in this way may be resisted 2. Efficiently and if the spirit witness thus it cannot be resisted in this way the spirit causeth the soul to conclude of its adoption by its speakings to it this is not onely the assertions or affirmations of our adoption but the assurances of our souls that we are adopted Rom. 8.38 Job 19.25 1 John 3.24 I am perswaded saith the Apostle and I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us But 2. How doth the Spirit thus witness I answer 1. Immediately 2. Mediately 1. Concerning the immediate testimony of the Spirit there is some controversie Antinomians would have no other testimony but this all other evidences say they are deceiving evidences or if not deceiving yet to make use of them it were but to light a candle to the Sun for what are the graces of the Spirit in comparison of the Spirits own testimony and it may be the running into this extream hath caused others absolutely to deny any such testimony or at least to say for these enthusiasms or inspirations let them boast of them that have them wâ know no such thing Methinks a middle betwixt both these as it is proved by others is most consonant to truth for neither can I reject the graces of sanctification from being grounds of our assurance neither dare I deny but there is something of the work of the Spirits testimony which is an immediate work Let us hâar what others say of it Certainly there is a work wherein the spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us Ford of the Spirit wherein by a secret influence upon the heart he quiets and calms the troubled soul concerning its condition by his own immediate power without any grounds from Scripture without or graces within There is a threefold work of the spirit first to conveigh and plant grace in the soul 2. To act and help us to exercise the graces which are planted there 3. To shine upon and enlighten those graces Caryl on Job chap. 10. this last work the spirit fulfills two wayes first by arguments and inferences which is a mediate work 2. By presence and influence which is an immediate work this the Apostle calls witness-bearing There are three that bear witness in Earth The spirit and water and blood the spirit brings in the witness of Water and Blood which is his mediate work but besides and above these he gives a distinct witness of his own which is his immediate work is in a way of peculiarity and transcendency called the witness of the Spirit As it is with the motions of the spirit many a time the spirit excites a man to such or such duties by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and thereby inclining it to obey those motions so in this case when a poor soul sits in darkness and sees no light Boltons direct for a comfortable walking with God sometimes upon a sudden it is as it were taken up into the third Heaven and this is in such away that though the spirit of a man really believe it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it came to pass There is a Testimony of the spirit which sometimes the spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified Conscience with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the child of God thou art in the number of those that shall be savid thou shalt inherit everlasting life and that as certainly and comfortably as if that Angel from Heaven should say to thee as he did to Daniel greatly beloved Mighty and remarkable was the work of the spirit this way upon the heart of that noble Martyr Robert Glover upon the first sight and representation of the stake
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you
World to come and yet fell away and it is said of such others that they trampled upon the Blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified Thus we find in Scripture-phrase that in an Hypocrite or wicked Man there may be a kind of Faith and repentance a taste of Heaven and of Sanctificatian but where do we find in all the Bible that Christ or the Spirit of Christ is said to dwell in an Hypocrite or wicked Man this only is the great priviledge of a true believer Christ in him the Hope of Glory O the comfort of this in-dwelling of Christ Luke 19.6 If Zacheus hearing that Christ would abide in his House received him joyfully how much greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts John 15.11 These things have I spoken to you said Christ that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full And now O my soul spread thy self on this great good Christ's Ascension Christ's Session and Christs Mission of his Holy Spirit What is joy but an effusion of the appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it more perfectly the object is sweet and large and therefore the soul had need to spread it self that it may be more united to the Object and touch the good in more of its parts yea if it were possible in every part There is not any particular here before thee but 't is fewel for joy O what joy was in Heaven when Christ Ascended and when Christ sate down at God's right hand and when Christ sent down the Holy Spirit how stood the Angels wondring and admiring at these several passages how did they stoop and look with the bowing of the Head and bending of the Neck as the Word implies 1 Pet. 1.12 and is not thy interest in these transactions more than Angels O rejoyce and again rejoyce suppose thy self in Heaven and that thou hadst a vision of Christ ascended say is he not a pleasant Object In his face there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 Suppose thy self to have been in Heaven when he first entred into it and when he first sate down at God's right hand and sent down the Comforter to his Saints was not Heaven full of joy methinks the very thought of Christ's bright Face and Christ's white Throne and Christ's Harpers and Heavenly Troops surrounding the Throne and Christ's welcome to his Father both for himself and all his Saints and Christ's carrying thy name upon his Breast before his Father should fill thy soul as full of joy as possibly it can hold O the first-fruits of Emanuel's land that lyes beyond time and death O the joyes that were in Heaven at Christ's first entrance into Heaven O my soul why dost thou not check thy self and lay aside thy sad complaints and forget this Earth and Earthly troubles why dost thou not look up to Jesus Christ and rejoyce in him who hath done all this for thy Salvation either the Spirit of God is not thy Comforter or thou canst not but receive comfort in these passages SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus I mean 1. Let us pray that we may have our part in these transactions or let us pray for more and more assurance thereof unto our souls for though we do believe yet we may not be without our doubts and in case of doubts what better means than Prayer I believe Lord help my unbelief Lord strengthen my Faith till I come to that plerophory or full assurance of faith that I may know my interest in the Ascension of Christ and Session of Christ and in the Mission of Christ's holy Spirit and if once we are but assured then 2. Praise God for these great transactions of his Son are they not mercies like mountains lying one upon another and reaching up to the very Heavens did not love break out at first in a direct line and as it went along hath it not wound up it self in such a variety of unthought of discoveries as that it amazeth Men and Angels what that Jesus Christ should not only act for us here on earth but also ascend for us into Heaven and sit down there at God's right hand above the Heavens what that all this should be for us and our salvation and to that purpose that he should send down his Spirit into our hearts to fit us and prepare us for his glory Now bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 103.1 2. I will extol thee my God O King and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever One generation shall praise thy works to another Psal 145.1 2 4 7 10 11 12. and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I will utter the memory of thy great goodness and will sing of thy righteousness Thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power and make known unto the sons of men thy mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Thy glory is above the earth and heaven Psal 148.13 14. thou also exaltest the horn of thy people the praise of all thy Saints and people near unto thy self O that my soul were but in David's temper thus to breath out the praises of Jesus and to bless his Name SECT IX Of conforming unto Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in the aforesaid respects A serious beholding of Jesus in his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit is enough to change us into the same Image from glory to glory It was the sweet saying of an experienced Saint View a glorified Christ see him as in that relation and condition and you will soon have the sparkles of the same glory on your hearts Christ is now exalted he is now in glory at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 2. O let all our actings be glorious let all our walkings joys breathings be as in glory If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth I shall not in this transaction lay out many particular conformities to Christ's actings but gather all into one contained in this Text which is heavenly conversation seek things above set your affections above Christ is gone up and Christ is set down at God's right hand and herein if you will conform let your hearts be in Heaven let your affections be in Heaven let your conversations be in Heaven it is the Apostles own practise wherein stood his conformity to Jesus Christ for our
suffered upon earth it had been ineffectual unto us had he not entred into heaven Heb. 9.24 to appear there in the presence of God for us Surely this Intercession is that which puts life into the death of Christ this Intercession is that which strikes the last stroak during this World in the carrying on of our souls Salvation Goodwin Christ set forth Rom. 8.34 and makes all sure It is a witty observation that one makes of these several steps of Christs actings for us as first there was an all-sufficiency in his death who shall condemn it is Christ that dyed 2. A rather in his Resurrection yea rather that is risen again 3. A much rather in his life and session at God's right hand for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of Christ much rather being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5.10 4. The Apostle riseth yet higher to a saving to the utmost and puts that upon his intercession wherefore he is able to save us to the utmost Heb. 7.25 seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us If in the former were any thing wanting this intercession of Christ supplies all it is the Coronis which makes all effectual it saves to the uttermost for it self is the uttermost and highest step on earth Christ begins the execution of his office in heaven he ends it in his life and death Christ was the meritorious cause but by his intercession Christ is the applying cause of our souls salvation In this very Intercession of Christ is the consummation and perfection of the Priest-hood of Christ O then how requisite and necessary must this needs be 4. It is gracious and full of bowels Christ his intercession and indeed Christ's Priestly office is erected and set up on purpose for the relief of poor distressed sinners There is no mixture of terror in this blessed office of Jesus Christ and this doth distinguish it from his other offices Christ by his Kingly office rules over the Churches and over the World but all obtain not mercy whom he thus rules over Christ by his prophetical office comes to his own but many of his own received him not but now wherever the Priestly office of Jesus Christ is let forth upon a Soul that soul shall certainly be saved for ever O this Priestly office of Christ is an office of meer love and tender compassion Heb. 4.15 Christ saith the Apostle is such an high-Priest as cannot be but touched with the feeling of our infirmities Oh he is a merciful Heb. 2.17 and a faithful high Priest in things partaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the People He is mercifull and exceeding compassionate in all our afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63.9 and in his love and in his pity he Redeemed us and in his love and pity he intercedes for us SECT VIII Wherein the Intercession of Christ consists 8. WHerein more especially doth the Intercessions of Jesus Christ consist some suppose that Christs very being in heaven and putting God in mind of his active and passive obedience by his very presence is all that intercession that the Scripture speaks of But I rather answer is these particulars As 1. Christs intercession consists in the presenting of his Person for us he himself went up to heaven and presented himself the Apostle calls this an appearing for us Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands but into heavân now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 I believe there is an Emphasis in the Word appearing for us But how appears he for us I answer 1. In a publick manner whatsoever he did in this kind he did it openly and publickly he appears for us in the presence of God the Father he appears for us in the presence of his Saints and Angels heavens eyes are all upon him in his appearing for us 2. He appears for us as a Mediator he stands in the middle betwixt God and us hence it is that he is God-man that he might be a Mediator betwixt God and man 3. He appears for us as a Sponsor and a pledge surely it is a comfort for a man to have a friend at Court at the Princes elbow that may own him and appear for him but if this friend be both a Mediator and Surety a Mediator to request for him and a Surety to engage for him Phil. 9.10 ver 18 19. Oh what comfort is this thus Christ appeared in every respect he is a Mediator to request for us and he is a Surety to engage for us as Paul was for Onesimus a mediator I beseech thee for my Son Onesimus and a Sponsor if he hath wronged thee or owe thee ought put that on my account I will repay it So is Jesus Christ for his Saints he is the Mediator of a better Covenant Heb. 8.6 Heb. 8.6 and he is a Surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 Heb. 7. â2 4. He appears as a Solicitor to present and promote the desires and requests of his Saints in such a way as that they may find acceptance with his Father He is not idle now he is in Heaven but as on earth he ever went about doing good so now in glory he is ever about his work of doing good he spends all his time in Heaven in promoteing the good of his people as from the beginning it was his care so to the Worlds end it will be his care to solicite his Father in the behalf of his poor Saints he tells God thus and thus it is with his poor Members they are in want in trouble in distress in affliction in reproach and then he presents their sighs sobs prayers tears and groans and that in such a way as that they may become acceptable to his Father 5. He appears as an Advocate if any man sin 1 John 2. â we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous An Advocate is more than a Solicitor an Advocate is one that is of Counsel with an other and that pleadeth his Case in open Court and such an advocate is Jesus Christ unto his people 1. He is of Councel with them that is one of the Titles given him by the Prophet Isaiah Wonderful Councellour Isa 96. He councells them by his Word and Spirit 2. He pleads for them and this he doth in the high Court of Heaven at the Bar of God's own Justice there he pleads their case and answereth all the accusations that are brought in by Satan or their own Consciences but of this anon 6. He appears as a publick agent or Ledger-Embassadour what that is some tell us in these particulars 1. His work is to continue peace and surely this is Christ's work he is our peace saith the Apostle that is the author of our peace Eph. 2.14 he purchased our peace and he maintains our peace with
not to his Father Thou art sure to speed well O my soul for God is the Father of thy Intercessor If I had a suit to some Majesty and the Prince would but mediate I might hope to speed Christ is Gods's Prince as I may call him and in respect of us The first-begotten of many brethren And herein is thy rejoycing that the party offended is Christ's own Father and in Christ thy Father fathers cannot be cruel to their own dear children What man amongst you whom if his son ask bread he will give him a stone or if he ask a fish Mat. 7.9 10 11. will he give him a Serpent If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him and especially if Christ himself ask 4. Consider of the persons for whom Christ intercedes it is for all the Elect and in particular for thee O the sweet of this one meditation if I knew that my name were written in Heaven should I not as Christ bids me rejoyce in this Luke 10.20 oh but what is it to have my name written in the chief part of Heaven what is it to have my name written in the breast-plate of Jesus Christ come read O my soul is it not thus written Isaac or Jacob I have prayed and I am praying for thee that thy faith fail not sure I am that I would not part with my hope in the priviledge for all the wide world the very consideration of this makes me to esteem of all the world as dross and dogs-meat And oh that ever the world or flesh or devil should steal this meditation out of my heart Oh that ever I should forget that Christs is gone to Heaven that he is entred into the Holy of Holies and that he carries my name into the presence of God the Father I speak the same to thee that readest if thou art a Believer there is no doubt of it but Christ is speaking a good word to his Father in thy behalf he can no more forget thee in his intercessions than a Mother with full breasts can forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb Now if ever look up to Jesus yea look and never leave looking till thou spiest thy own name writ on his heart it is enough to fix thy soul and to make it dwell on Jesus Christ thus carrying thee on his shoulders and bearing thee on his breast plate for a memorial unto his Father in Heaven 5. Consider of the agreement and difference betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old they did both intercede but Christ's intercessions are ever in a meer transcendent eminent way Christ is more faithful in his office and place than ever high Priest was Christ is more compassionate and pitiful than ever high Priest was and hence it is that he hath the Title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã James 5.11 one of many commiserations all is mercy and love and sweetness and more than motherly affection that comes from Christ O my soul why shouldst thou say with Israel Isa 40.27 My way is hidden from the Lord and my judgment is passed over by my God as if Jesus Christ had left thee out of the count of his people and out of the roll of those whom he is to look after No no he is a faithful and merciful High Priest far above all the high Priests of the Old Testament and if they were so careful not to leave out of their breast-plate one name of all the Twelve Tribes how much more careful is Christ not to leave out thy name in his intercession from this very Argument of Christ's compassion and Christ's faithfulness Heb. 3.1 2. the Apostle calls on us to consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him above Aaron or Moses or any of the high Priests why consider him O my soul this Gospel-high Priest is well worthy indeed of thy consideration 6. Consider of the properties of Christ's intercession is it not heavenly and glorious effectual and prevailing and of all other the transactions of our salvation whilest this world lasts the most perfective and consummate O give me the intercessions of Christ above all the intercessions of Men or Angels I know the Saints on earth pray mutually one for another but they pray not in their own names or for their own merits but in the Name and for the merits of Jesus Christ and as for the Saints and Angels in Heaven Cypr. Epist Hier. lib. advers Vigil Cyprian and Jerome seem to grant that they pray for the state of the Church Militant but if so they do it only of charity as Brethren not of office as Mediators they do it only for the Church in general and not for any particular man or member of the Militant Church such an intercession as this so heavenly so effectual so perfective of our salvation so authoritative and publick found upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding is proper only to Christ I would be glad of the prayers of all the Churches of Christ O that there were not a Saint on the earth but that I were by name in his morning and evening prayer whosoever thou art that readest I beseech thee pray for me but above all let me have a property in those prayers and intercessions that are proper only to Christ I am sure then I should never miscarry Christ's prayers are heavenly glorious and very effectual 7. Consider of the particulars wherein more especially Christ's intercession consists Is it not in the presenting of his person blood prayers interpellations is it not in the presenting of our persons performances pleas or answers to the accusations of Sathan men little think how busie our Mediator Sponsor Solicitor Advocate is now in Heaven for us men little think that Christ is appearing and his blood is crying and his prayers are ascending and his robe of righteousness is covering us and the iniquity of our holy things O my soul look up consider Jesus thy Saviour in these respects I am perswaded if thou didst but know if thou couldst but see what a deal of work Christ hath in hand and how he carries it on for thy salvation it would melt thy heart into very tears of joy Whilst Christ was on earth Luke 2.49 and his Mother had lost him he could then say Wist ye not that I must go about my Fathers business now Christ is in Heaven he is about the same business still all his employment in Heaven is to intercede for us that we may be saved very true there is much in this intercession of Jesus Christ it is a Tree of many branches and every branch fruitful so that if thou wouldst enlarge thy Meditation in this
wide Ocean of delights there is room enough but herein I must leave thee in the duty for I can but point at the several particulars whereon thou mayst enlarge O think on it that Christ and Christ's blood and Christ's prayers should be all at work that Christ should play the Advocate and plead thy cause and perfume thy duties with his Incense and take thy person in an unperceivable way to God his Father and cry there O my Father be merciful to this sinner pardon his sin and save his soul for the sake of Jesus O blessed mediation O blessed is the man that on this blessed object knows how to meditate both day and night 8. Consider of the power and prevalency of Christ's intercessions with his Father Is he not to this puropose a Priest to God and called thereto by God is he not the Son of God yea God himself is he not God's Darling God's Commander as well as Petitioner nay is not the hand of God himself in this design is not the Fathers heart as much towards us and our salvation as Christ's own heart as sure then as Christ is gone into Heaven with thy name engraven on his heart so sure shalt thou follow him and be with him where he is Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect who is he that condemneth where Christ becomes Patron to defend against the sentence of damnation it is in vain for Sin or Law or Sathan to attempt any thing for as an innocent person is safe so long as he hath his learned Advocate to answer all Objections so it is with Believers who have Christ himself both Judge and Advocate a sure Advocate he ever prevails in whatsoever he undertakes he was never yet cast in any suit he hath for these Sixteen Hundred years carried away all the causes of hundreds thousands and millions of souls why he is so dear and near to his Father that he can work him to any thing he will And O my soul if thou hast any relation to Jesus Christ is not here comfort I dare in the Name of Christ be thy warrant and give it under my hand that if Christ pray for thee Christ will be sure to save thee he never yet failed he never will fail in any of his suits to God Oh consider of this 9. Consider of the reasons of Christ's intercession many are given but this may be sufficient It is Gods own Ordinance the very wisdom of God found out this way to save our souls viz. that an High-Priest should be appointed who should die for sinners and afterward present his death to his Father by way of intercession in their behalf Some may look upon this as needless what could not God have pardoned our sins and saved our souls without a Priest I shall not dispute God's power but if any will let such a one tell me what way could his own wisdome have found out to heaven between the wrath of God and the sin of man I believe it would have posed all the wisdom of the world of Men and Angels to have reconciled God's mercy in the salvation of man and his justice in the condemnation of sin to have poured out hell upon the sin and yet to have bestowed heaven upon the sinner now then if God himself did study to find out this way and that he hath said This is my pleasure that Christ my Son shall be a Priest and that he shall offer himself and Present himself and his offering and his prayer to me for his People O my soul rest on this as the very ordination of God admire at the contrivance of God say O the depth question no further only Meditate and ponder and consider of it till thou feelest Christ's intercession darting its influence and efficacy on thy sin-sick soul SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LEt us desire after Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession I cannot but wonder what a dulness seizeth on my heart and on all the hearts of the Sons of men that we have no more longings after Christ whose heart is ever panting and longing after us Surely we do not set our selves to find out experimentally the sweetness that is in Christ if there were not another object to think upon but only this one of Christ's intercession is not here enough to put us all into a teeming longing frame O my soul rouze up and set this blessed object before thy face take a full view of it untill thy affections begin to warm and thou beginst to cry Oh for my part in Christ's intercession Oh I would not be left out of Christ's heavenly prayers for ten thousand worlds come and be serious the object is admirably sweet and precious long for it pant after it God understands the Rhetorick of thy breathing as well as of thy cry But what is there in Christ's intercession that is so desirable I answer 1. In Christ's intercession lyes the present transaction of our souls salvation Such passages as hitherto we have spoken of are done and past the transactions of eternity were at an end when time began the transactions of Christ promised had their period when Christ was incarnate the transactions of Christ's Birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension are now above a thousand and six hundred years old I know the vertue and influence of all these transactions continue and will continue for ever and ever but the several actings had their periods and only Christ's session and mission of his spirit and his blessed intercession both were and now are the very present imployment of Jesus Christ If it were possible that we could see into Heaven if with Stephen we could look up steadfastly and see the Heavens opened if our eyes by an extraordinary power were carryed through that azure sky and through all till we come to the Holy of Holies and to Jesus Christ in his glory what should we see but Christ interceding Christ busie with his Father in his poor Saints behalf now he prayes now he presents his person merits intercession interpellation q. d. Father here are a company of Rebels justly fallen under thy displeasure they deserve to be set at an eternal distance from thee but I must needs have them pardoned and received into thy bosom come make thine own terms let justice require never so great satisfaction I have paid a price sufficient for all and effectual for them give them what laws thou pleasest I will undertake they shall observe them and to this purpose away away holy spirit go to such and such souls enable them to their duties yea enable them in duty and sanctifie them throughout in souls bodies and spirits Why this is the present transaction of Jesus Christ and therefore most desirable methinks I long to know what Christ is now a doing in Heaven for my soul and is it not thus is not all his time spent either
of his loves as if he were not his own he putteth on such relations and assumes such offices of engagement as if he were all for us and nothing for himself thus he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Friend a Guide an Head an Husband a Leader Ransomer Intercessor and what not of this nature O my soul come hither and put thy little candle to this mighty flame if thou hadst ten hearts or as many hearts in one as there are elected Men and Angels in Heaven and Earth all these would be too little for Jesus Christ only go as far as thou canst and love him with that heart thou hast yea love him with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might and as Christ in loving thee is not his own so let thy soul in loving Christ be not her own Come love thy Christ and not thy self possess thy Christ and not thy self enjoy thy Christ and not thy self live in thy Christ not in thy self solace thy self in Jesus Christ not in thy self say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Certainly if ever thou comest to love Christ truly thou canst not but deny thy self and all created lovers This love will screw up thy soul so high above the world and above thy flesh and above thy self and above all other lovers that nothing on this side Christ whether in heaven or on earth will come in competition with him Suppose a man in the top of a Castle higher than the third Region of the Air or near the Sphere of the Moon should look down to the fairest and sweetest Meadows or to a Garden rich with Roses and Flowers of all sweet colours and delicious smells certainly he should not see or feel any sweetness pleasantness colour smell because he is so far above them so the soul filled with the love of Christ is so high above all created lovers that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritual soul O for a soul filled up with all the fulness of God! O for a soul stretched out to its widest capacity and circumference for the entertainment of God! Eph. 3.18 19. O my soul that thou wert but able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Surely if Christ be mine if his death be mine his resurrection mine his ascension mine his session mine his intercession mine How should I but love him with a singular love farewel world and worldly glory if Christ come in room it is time for you to vanish I shall little care for a Candle when the Sun shines fair and bright upon my head What is my name written on the heart of Christ doth he wear me as a Favour and Love-token about his arms and neck is he at every turn presenting me and my duties to his heavenly Father Cant. 4.9 O thou hast ravished my heart my King my Jesus thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Suppose O my soul thou hadst been with Christ when he washed his Disciples feet and that he should have come and have washed thy feet Would not thy heart have glowed with love to Jesus Christ why Christ is now in glory and now he takes thy filthy soul and dirty duties and washes as it were the feet of all that he may present them to his Father thou canst not shed a tear but he washes it over again in his precious blood and perfumes it with his glorious intercessions Oh what cause hast thou to love Jesus Christ Oh you that never loved Christ come love him now and you that have loved Christ a little O love him more Above all let me O my soul charge upon thee this duty of love O go away warmed with the love of Christ and with a love to Christ SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession Surely this is glad tydings of great joy when wicked Haman procured letters from King Ahasuerus for the destruction of all Jews then Esther the Queen makes request to the King that her people might be saved and Haman's letters revoked Esther 5.3 8.15 16 17. And the King said to her What wilt thou Queen Esther and what is thy request and it shall be given thee O the joy of Jews at this happy tidings Then the City of Shushan rejoyced and was glad then the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honour in every province and in every City whithersoever the Kings Commandment and his Decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day Is not this our very case was there not a Law against us an hand-writing of Ordinances a sentence of a double death of body and soul had not Satan as wicked Haman accused us and sought by all means our condemnation but yet behold not only an earthly Esther but Jesus the Son of God was willing for our sakes to come down from Heaven and he it was that took away the hand-writing of Ordinances and cancelled it upon the Cross that ascended into Heaven and there makes requests for us and he it is in whom his Father is well pleased never comes he to his Father but he obtains the grace of the golden Scepter no sooner he cryes I will that these poor souls may be eternally saved but his Father answers Amen Be it so be it O my Son even as thou pleasest O that we could joy at this O that we could imitate the Jews O that light and gladness and joy and honour would possess our souls if at Christ's birth was such and so much joy because a Saviour was proclaimed Is not our joy to be heightened when salvation is effected if the first act of Christ's mediation was so joyous shall not the last act of his mediation be much more joyous But I hear many objections which keep back joy they are as bars and hindrances at the doors of many heavy hearts that joy cannot enter in I shall instance in some O I am much opposed here in this world sayes one men are as wolves and devils Psal 22.16 Dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they have no bowels they persecute reproach revile so that I am killed all the day long And what then what matters oppositions of men so long as Christ doth intercede for thee in Heaven O remember Christ's bowels it may be he suffers men to be merciless on earth that thou mayst look up and behold how merciful he is who sits above and tell me hast thou no experience of this truth doth not relief strangely come in now and than why write upon
the forehead of such favours I have a merciful and compassionate Mediator in heaven O I am much tempted sayes another that I cannot pray had I now the key of prayer I could then unlock the cabinet where all God's treasures lye and take out what I pleased but alas my prayers are dull and weak and dry and without spirit and life I cannot pray If so be humbled for it and yet know this that when thou canst not pray Christ then prayes for thee and he prayes that thou mayst pray And tell me hast thou no experience of this truth hath not sometimes thy spirit been enlarged in prayer hast thou not sometimes felt thy heart warmed or savingly affected hast thou not sometimes in prayer been lifted up above thy self and above the world conclude then My Intercessor above hath sent me this gift and Spirit it is not I but Christ's Intercession that by an admirable and secret operation hath given me the Spirit to help my infirmity these are the intercessions of the Spirit of Christ and they are the very Eccho of the intercessions of Christ in his own person O but I labour under such and such corruptions sayes another and the Devil is busie exceeding busie and he exceedingly prevails how am I overcome with these corruptions and with these and these sins It may be so and yet do not altogether despond for Jesus Christ is at God's right hand and there he sits till all his enemies be made his foot-stool and what are not thy sins his enemies O be of good comfort for Christ will prevail it is one piece of his prayer that he puts up for thee John 17.15 To keep thee from evil and surely he will either keep thee from it or keep thee in it that in the issue thou shalt have the victory Ver. 12. Isa 55 3. Those that thou gavest me I have kept saith Christ and none of them is lost if he undertake for thee thou art safe and sure His Covenant is everlasting even the sure mercies of David and therefore if yet thou dost not certainly thou shalt feel the vertue of Christ's intercession sin must be subdued hell-gates shall not prevail against thee he will not quench thy sparks until he bring forth judgment unto victory Oh but I am in a suffering condition sayes another and there is none that regards or takes pity on me all my friends have dealt treacherously with me among all my Lovers there is none to comfort me they have heard that I sigh and there is none to refresh me I stand for Christ but there is none stands by me I own him but there is none owns me Bleeding Christian bear up is not Christ's intercession a sufficient answer to this case alas thou wouldst be pitied for all thy weaknesses why know that compassion is natural to Jesus Christ he is a merciful high Priest and can be no other to thee God ordained him to officiate in such a Tabernacle as wherein thou dwellest he was in all things like unto thee sin only excepted it may be thou art in want and so was Christ he had no house thou art persecuted and so was Christ sin loads thee and so it did Christ A Christians condition needs compassion and Christ knows how much and it is his work continually to lay it open above O my Father thus and thus it is with the Militant Church not a Member in it but he is under sin and affliction see here the tears hearken to the sighs and groans and chatterings and mournings of my Doves below I present here their persons and performances and oh that they may find acceptance through my merit Some speak of Heavens Musick some tell us of Saints and Angels singing and warbling in lively notes the praises of Christ in Heaven and if any such thing be certainly it is ear-tickling heart-ravishing musick O the melody O the joy of Saints to hear such heavenly ayres with heavenly ears but be it as it will be of this I am confident that Heaven it self yields no such musick as is the intercession of Jesus Christ this if any thing in Heaven do it makes melody in the ears of God and of all celestial Spirits Saints or Angels And O my soul suppose thy self within the compass if now thou couldst but hear what thy Jesus is saying in thy behalf Is not this a brand newly pluck'd out of the fire was not this poor soul but the other day in a state of nature defiled with sin within a step of hell and did not I send my Spirit to recall him was not this precious blood shed for the redemption of him and what though sin stick and cleave to him to this day yet have I not given thee charge to take away his filthy garments from him and to cloath him with changes of rayment even with the shining robes of mine own righteousness O my Father let this soul live in thy sight O cast him not away for whom I have suffered and done all this I cannot rest satisfied without his society I am not right till he is with me in glory he is my darling my purchase my portion my delight and therefore let him be saved Is not this enough to cause thy very heart to leap in thy bosom Bonaventure fondly reports that Francis hearing an Angel a little while playing on an Harp he was so moved with extraordinary delight that he thought himself in another world O but suppose thou shouldst hear the voice of Jesus thy Intercessor thus pleading for thee wouldst thou not be cast into an extasie would not this fill thee with joyes unspeakable and full of glory Come realize this meditation certainly if thou art Christ's he is thus or in some other manner interceding for thee as sure as Christ is in Heaven he is pleading with his Father in Heaven on thy behalf O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I should now feel Tell me is it not a comfort for a poor beggar to be relieved at a rich man's door we are all beggars in regard of Heaven and Jesus Christ doth not only come forth and serve us but he takes us poor beggars by the hand and leads us in to his heavenly Father Oh what comfort is here SECT VIII Of praying to and praising of Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us pray and praise our Jesus in this respect 1. Let us pray or sue our interest in this intercession it is a question amongst the Schools whether we may conveniently pray to Jesus to pray to his Father in our behalf And thus far is granted that we may pray to Christ to make us partakers of his intercessions and to mingle our prayers with his prayers that they may find acceptance with God his Father 1 Cor. 11.6 But that we may use such a form as ora pro nobis O Christ pray for us it is looked upon as inconvenient in this respect 1. Because cause we have no
thine eternal election I have not lost a Saint in their several ages I produced them and gave them a being and in their times I remembred them and presented their conditions and necessities before thee and now I have not a Saint more in the Book of life there is not another name written to be born on earth and to what purpose should I now continue the world the Saints are they for whom I made the world the Saints are they that hold forth the light of my glory in the world the Saints are they for whom my eternal counsels before the world did work the Saints are they for whom I was content to shed my precious blood when I was in that world below and now their number is compleated I am resolved to unpin the fabrick of the world and take it down it stands but for their sakes and therefore now let the seventh Angel blow his trumpet that the mystery of God may be finished I swear by him that lives for ever Rev. 10.7 ver 6. that time shall be no longer Rev. 11.15 2. No sooner this said but the seventh Angel sounds This seventh Angel saith Pareus is the Arch-angel that proclaims Christ's coming with a great and mighty shout 1 Thes 4.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the trump of God The Lord shall descend with a shout but before he descend and I believe upon the very discovery of his coming down there will be a shout in Heaven for so it follows And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven Pareus in loc if we may believe Commentaries these are the voices of blessed souls and blessed souls and blessed Angels in heaven no sooner Christ bids the Angel sound q. d. summon those blessed souls that were slain for the Word of God Rev. 6.10 Rev. 22.20 and therefore cried How long Lord holy and true summon those blessed souls that have cryed so long Come Lord Jesus come quickly summon all souls and summon all Angels and bid them wait on me now I resolve to go down and to judge the world no sooner I say Christ bids the Angel sound but presently at the joy of this command all the voices in Heaven give up a shout why this is the long-look'd for day the day of perfecting the number of the Saints the day of joyning the souls and bodies of the Saints together the day of convening all the families both of Saints and Angels under one roof the day of bringing up the Bride unto the Lamb and of compleating the Marriage in its highest solemnity and therefore no wonder if at this news great voices and cryes such as are used by Mariners or gatherers of the vintage were made in Heaven O what an addition of joy is this to Heavens joy it self the spirits of the just and the blessed Angels that have lived together in heavens bliss had never such an adventitious joy as this before now they shout and sing a new and blessed Song Rev. 11.15 The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever We may call this Heavens triumph for the finishing of God's mystery Now is it that Christ will vindicate his Kingdom and overthrow the power of his enemies they had long set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed the Kings of the earth and the Rulers confederated they ruled all and as much as in them lay excluded Christ but now the Kingdoms of the world will return to Christ and he alone shall rule and thence the winged Choristers of Heaven chant forth this Anthem The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of Christ Rev. 11.16 17 18. 3. After this shout The four and twenty Elders which sit before God on their seats fall upon their faces and worship God saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty wâââh art and wast and are to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hâ ãâã ââned and the nations were angry c. By these four and twenty Elders we unââ ãâã âll Gods Saints of the Old and New Testament comprehended under the tweâââ ãâã âriarchs and twelve Apostles others would have them to be only those Saints ãâã Old Testament and therefore called Elders whosoever they are we find they are so glad at this news that Christ will now judge the world that presently they rise off their seats and fall on their faces and first they praise and then they pray 1. They praise God for taking to himself his own power Christ connived as it were till now at the power of his enemies Antichrist and not Christ seemed to rule and to sit in the Temple of God but now Christ is resolved to rule himself and to make all his enemies his footstool and therfore now We give thee thinks O Lord God Almighty Rev. 11.18 2. They pray Christ to go on to judgment 1. Because the nations were angry q. d. they have been angry long enough they have set themselves against Christ and against his Church and therefore now it is time to bridle their wrath and to break them with a rod of Iron O let thy wrath come 2. Because the time of judgment is now accomplished which God had decreed in his eternal counsel and which the Father had put in his own power This time was not for mortals to know Mortalibus ignotum caelestibus vero nunc revelatum a Christo Paraeus in loc Psalm 110.1 but now 't was revealed to these celestial spirits by Christ and therefore they beg Go on Lord Jesus reward now thy Servants Prophets Saints and destroy them which destroyed the earth 4. God the Father is well pleased with Christ's purpose of judging the world The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool I know these words were spoke to Christ at his ascension into Heaven yet that hinders not but that now God speaks them again to Christ Heb. 2.8 for as yet saith the Apostle we see not all things put under him and God's purpose was that Christ should rule until he had put all things in subjection under his feet Nay why not these words spoken now rather than before Christ indeed reigned as King ever since his Ascension but now more especially he is to manifest his Kingdom for now is he to judge among the heathen Psal 110.6 now is he to wound the heads of many countries now is he to overthrow Pope Turk and all his enemies and he alone with the Father and the Spirit is to reign in his Elect Saints and Angels Thus all agree that Christ in the latter dayes shall be fully honoured in his Kingly power hitherto Christ hath been much honoured in his Prophetical and Priestly office but not so much
of earth other and wept so will this discovery in the appearances of Christ bring a sweet confusion upon the Spirits of Saints then shall a Saint fall at the feet of his Saviour and weeping say O my Jesus thou art my Father Brother Husband Self while there were other things I loved other things besides thy self but alas they are everlastingly gone and have left me alone yet now thou ownest me O my Jesus thou breakest my heart oh I cannot but weep out tears of love and tears of joy at this appearing O welcome welcome sweet Jesus into these clouds oh welcome welcome sweet Jesus into this neather world In these Clouds I must leave our Saviour for a while and the rather because I believe he will descend no lower onely before I pass one word of Use to all his Saints Vse You see him still upon his old design though the world now end yet hitherto there is no end of his great transaction his first coming and his second coming is to save your souls his first coming was to purchase his second to give you the possession of Salvation What are you not glad of this Gospel-news that Christ will come at last from this Empyreal Throne to his judgment-seat to give you the possession of salvation is not the promise of his coming comfortable is it not comfortable to believe in him and to hope for him why muse then what comfort will it be to see his person with all his glorious train coming for you Psal 50.1 2 3 4. The Mighty God the Lord hath spoken and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof out of Zion the perfection of beauty hath God shined our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him he shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that he might judge his people It is indeed a most terrible day unto the wicked but oh how sweet and pleasant and comfortable to his Saints Christians do we not long to have Christ's Spirit come into our souls with life do we not droop while Christ is absent from our souls are not the feet of them beautiful that bring glad tydings of peace and of salvation by Jesus Christ Oh then what will it be to see the King not in his Embassadors but in his own person coming for us to fetch us into Heaven if we have but a dear friend returned from some far Country how do all run out to meet him with joy Oh saith the child my father is come saith the wife my husband is come and shall not we when we see our Father our Husband our Head our Saviour returning with great glory and glorious Majesty cry out he is come he is come shall not we at the first view of him in his clouds cry out O yonder is he whose blood redeemed us whose Spirit cleansed us whose prayers prevailed for us whose Law did govern us yonder comes he in whom we trusted and now we see he hath not deceived our trust yonder is he for whom we waited long and now we see we have not waited in vain I verily believe thus it will be with us one day we shall have comfort then oh let us comfort our selves with these words and ever and anon cry Come Lord Jesu come quickly Cant. 8.14 make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the Mountain of spices SECT III. Of Christ's summoning of the Elect to come under judgment 3. FOR Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment no sooner is he in the clouds his Throne of judicature but there he stands and thence he sends his holy Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Mat. 24.31 and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the heaven to another Christ's summons are effectual if he will have the elect to meet him they must come to this purpose he sends his Angels and they return with his Saints back again to the judgement-seat In the carrying on of this affair we shall discuss these particulars 1. His mission of the Angels 2. The manner of the mission 3. The resurrection of the world 4. The collection of the Saints wherein 1. whence 2. whither they are gathered 1. For Christ's mission of his Angels he shall send his Angels This was their office from their first creation they were still sent of God this way and that way and indeed herein is one difference betwixt Christ and the Angels he was to fit on God's right hand but they were sent abroad to Minister to the Saints and people of God Heb. 1.13 14. To which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Now according to their office Christ puts them upon imployment at this day q. d. O my Angels you that wait upon me that excel in strength Psal 103.20 Psal 50.5 that do my commandments and hearken to the voice of my Word go your wayes now into all the four winds of the World gather all my Saints together unto me those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice search into all the dusts of the earth and leave not behind one dust that belongs unto any Saint search into the bottom of the Sea see what becomes of those drowned bodies of my dear ones if either worms have eaten those in graves or fishes have devoured them in the deep why now restore them am not I as able to recover them as I was to create them is it not as easie for me to raise the dead as to make Heaven and Earth and all of nothing go then and gather together all those dusts and let every dust be brought home to its own proper body and compact those dusts as soft as they are into solid bones and prophesie upon those bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live Ezek. 37.4 5 6. and I will lay sinews upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord why this is my will and pleasure and therefore be gone O my Angels do your office what have not I commanded you 2. The Mission or commission or dismission given the Angels swift messengers of his will fall on the execution and to that purpose immediately they sound the Trumpet so it follows And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Here is the manner of their mission they go and as they go they give a shout what this shout is or how it is
made is a curious question and sets many wits on work in this Scripture it is set out by the sound of a Trumpet * Anselmus in elucidario Suarez tuba ex aere Doctor Slater who faith I see not but we may take it properly c. Cornelius a lapide Mat. 24.31 1 Cor. 15.52 1 Thes 4.16 Now some would have it to be a material Trumpet because the Scriptures frequently call it a Trumpet He shall send his Angels with the sound of a Trumpet saith Christ and in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump we shall be changed saith Paul for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised And the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trumpet of God But whether this Trumpet shall be of Silver or of Brass or of the Air or of the Cloud and Meteors whereon Christ rides they cannot agree â Piscator Estius Aretius alii fere omnes others more probably look upon this Trumpet as nothing else but a metaphor or a sound formed in the Air like the sound of a Trumpet A voice it is without all controversie and metaphorically it may be called a trumpet both from the clearness and greatness of the sound so loud shall it be that 't will pierce into the ears of the dead in their graves It will shake the world rend the rocks break the mountains dissolve the bonds of Death Cui omnia obediunt elementa petras scindit inferos aperit c. Chrysost in 1 Cor. 15. burst down the gates of Hell and unite all spirits to their own Bodies An horrible terrible voice shall it be But how should Angels who are spirits make a voice by a collision of the Air which the Angels can move at their pleasure and who can tell say some but there may be some new-created instrument trumpet-like adapted for the Angels at the sides of which by a force and collision of the air this great shout may be to convene all the World or who knows say others but that the Lord Jesus may fill the Angels even as trumpets are filled with a loud blast and that through them this loud blast shall come rushing like a mighty wind upon the dead Saints and so awaken their bodies out of the dust we all know this was usual in all the Jews solemnities to convene the people by the found of a trumpet And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Make thee two trumpets of silver Numb 10 1 2 3 9. That thou mayest use them for the calling of the Assembly And when thou shalt blow them all the Assembly shall assemble themselves and if ye go to war then ye shall blow an alarme with the Trumpets and in the same way say they Christ now will convene all the World with the sound of a trumpet or with the sound of some such instrument of divine power and vertue whereby the dead shall be raised and their bodies and souls re-united Amidst all those Authors if I may deliver my opinion I suppose the Text that will clear all to us above all that is written is that of 1 Thessalonians 4.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thes 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God Give me leave to insist on it that we may come up yet to a more full and perfect knowledg of this passage In these words is shewed or held forth the coming of Christ in three particulars with a shout with a voice and with a trumpet some think this to be one and the same set out in variety of expressions but I am of another mind It is agreed by most that the transactions at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai were a representation of the proceedings which shall be at the great day of Judgment now in that transaction we read of a three-fold voice The voice of God the voice of Thunder and the voice of a Trumpet Exod. 19.16 compared with Exod. 20.1 and accordingly we find the Apostle speaking of a three-fold voice Of the voice of Christ of the voice of Thunder and of the voice of a Trumpet 1. The Lord himself shall descend with a shout Arius Montanus and the vulgar translate it with a command Lyra and others think this to be the voice of Christ himself saying John 11.48 with a loud voice Arise ye dead and come to Judgment Thus Jesus cryed with a loud voice Lazarus come forth and with such a voice will he call on the dead at the last day Jâhn 5.25 So much Christ himself hath taught us The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live The hour is because by his voice he raised some at his first coming and the hour is coming because in the like manner he will raise up all men at the last day Marvel not at this saith Christ for the hour is coming John 5.28 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and they shall come forth As at the creation of the World he said Let there be light and there was light so at the dissolution of the World he will say Let the dead arise let the Sea give up the dead that are in it and Death and Hell deliver up the dead which are in them and it will be so 2. The Lord shall descend with the voice of the Archangel Two questions here 1. Who is this Archangel 2. What is this voice For the first some argue this Archangel to be Gabriel others Raphael others Michael The Jews have an antient tradition that there are seven principal Angels that minister before the throne of God and therefore called Archangels The Scriptures seem to speak much that way Revel 4.5 Rev. 5.6 Zach 4.10 Rev. 8.2 calling them seven Lamps of fire burning before the throne and seven hornes and seven eyes of the Lamb and the seven spirits of God sent forâh into all the earth and seven eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth and yet more plainly seven Angels that stand before God Now which of these Seven is the Archangel here spoken of is hard to determine only probable it is that all the Archangels and all the angels are hereby understood as comprehended under that one to which agrees Matth. 24.31 Mr. Aynsworth observes that when things are done by a multitude where one is chief that the action is frequently ascribed either to the multitude or to him that is chief indifferently as Jehoiadah brought forth the Kings Son and he put the Crown upon him 2 Kings 11.12 or they brought forth the Kings son and they put upon him the Crown 2 Chron. 23.11 so David offered burnt-offerings 2 Sam. 6.17 or they offered burnt offerings 1 Chron. 16.1 and
swallowed up all my natural affections that I cannot but laugh at thy calamity and joy in thy damnation I gave thee a body and God himself gave thee a Soul but now let the Devils have both and torment them in Hell be gone I shall never see thee again Or if the Child be the Saint and the Parent the Reprobate then shall the Child say O unworthy Parent unworthy of everlasting life I had my natural being from thee but my Spiritual being was from the Lord if I had followed thy steps I had been everlastingly damned did I not know thy ignorance thy unbelief thy worldliness thy covetousness thy pride thy malice thy lust thy lukewarmness thy impatiency thy discontentment thy vain-glory thy self-love didst not thou often check me for my forwardness and zeal and holiness in Religion didst not thou ask me what art thou wiser than the rest of the neighbour-hood are there not many gray hairs amongst us whose wisdom and experience thou hast not yet attained and canst not thou walk on soberly towards heaven and either do as the most or keep pace with the wisest what have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Christ oh I shall ever remember to the praise and glory of Christ what discouragements I had and yet how the Lord pluckt me as a fire-brand out of the fire and now hath the Lord set me on the Throne to judge thee according to thy demerits and therefore I joyn with him who is the Father of Spirits against the Father of my flesh depart go to the Gods whom thou hast served and see if they will help thee in the day of thy calamity 3. Betwixt Husband and Wife now if the Husband be the Saint and the Wife the Reprobate then shall the Husband say Thou art she whom I knew in the flesh whom I dearly affected with my heart and soul whom I nourished and cherished as my own body thou art she that was the Wife of my bosom as near and dear to me as my heart in my bosom thou wast my companion my yoke-fellow and my very delight but oh I could never rule thee lead thee guide thee in the way of life in the path that is called holy many a time have I wooed sued and sought to gain thy soul to that blessed Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ many a time have I prayed with thee and for thee many a time have I stirred thee up to hear the Word to waite upon God in the use of all means publick and private and instead of imbraces or yieldings to these blessed motions Prov. 19.13.27.15 I have met with contentions and jars as a continual dropping in a very rainy day but death hath dissolved that knot so that now I am no more thy Husband this is the day of separation and I shall no more consort with thee at the Resurrection there is no use of Marriage but now I am to live as an Angel in Heaven and because thou wouldst not draw with me in Christ's yoke now therefore adue for ever and ever we shall never more lye in one bed Mark 12.29 or sit at one board or walk in one Field or grind at one mill thou hast lost me and thou hast lost Jesus Christ two husbands in one day go now and take thy choice in Hell thou art free from us but thou shalt be bound there with indissoluble bonds to the Devill and his Angels Or if the Wife be the Saint and the Husband the Reprobate then shall the Wife say Thou art he who I looked upon as my second-self my head my governour my helper my husband for whom I was willing to forsake my native home Fathers house dear Relations of Father Mother Brother Sister and many comforts in that kind and I expected to have found new matter and a continued influence of comfort and delight in a marriage-state but oh the vexations of Spirit hadst thou not almost drawn me away from Jesus Christ was I not forced through many provocations sometimes to break out and say Surely a bloody husband art thou to me many a time I cryed out Exod. 4.25 O my Husband when wilt thou set up the rich and royal trade of grace in thy Family when wilt thou exercise prayer reading catechizing conference days of humiliation and other houshold holy duties oh for doing something to assure our souls of meeting together hereafter in heaven But alas it would not be and now see the effect here I stand like a Queen deck't and adorn'd with cloth of Gold with rayment of needle-work with the white robe of Christ's righteousness so that the King of Heaven greatly desires my beauty and my soul is this day marryed to Christ I acknowledge him and no other Husband in the world and for thee who refused to joyn with me in the worship of God now God hath refused thee fare well or fare ill for ever 4. Betwixt Minister and some of his people at least if the people be as so many Saints and the Minister the Reprobate then shall the people say O thou art the man that undertookest that high and mighty calling of feeding souls with the Word of life but now are thy sins written in thy fore-head for either thou run'st before thou wast sent or being sent thou hast been exceeding negligent in the gift that was in thee Didst not thou prophesie in Baal and cause God's people to erre didst thou not studiously and mainly seek for the Fleece not regarding respectively the Flock didst not thou strengthen the hands of evil-doers in Preaching peace peace to wicked men wa st thou not prophane and wicked and loose in thy life and by that means ledst many thousands to hell O thou bloody Butcher of Souls hadst thou been faithful in thy Ministry well might those damned Companions about thee have escaped the flames but they are doomed to death and now thou mayest hear their cries and grievous groans and complaints against thee this was the man set over us to give us the bread of Life but oh Christ did he not fail us did he not feed us with unprofitable matter fables conceits airy sentences rather than any thing tending to godly edifying which is in faith did not our tongues and the tongues of our Children stick to the roof of our mouths in calling and crying for bread for the bread of life and he would not pity us we gave him the tenths which thou appointed but he gave not us thy truth which thou didst command him why Lord Christ thou Judge of all the world didst not thou bid him feed feed feed didst thou not bid him feed the flock committed to his charge didst not bid him preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and notwithstanding all thy commands did he not miserably starve us instead of feeding us unto salvation hath he not starved many thousands of us to our
destruction O Christ thou that art the judge of Nations and the revenger of blood reward thou this man as he hath rewarded us he led us in the ways of wickedness and if it must be so let him be our ring-leader to Hell and upon his soul once buryed in Hell let this be the Epitaph the price of blood the price of blood if thou didst hear the blood of Abel being but one man forget not the blood of many now thou art judging the earth Why thus do the damned cry about thine ears and as for us say the Saints who were once thy people but now thy Judges we consent to their cry and to our Saviours doom go ye cursed into everlasting fire Men Brethren and Fathers I begin thus with the Ministers doom that you may see I would deal impartially and verily I believe it if our case come to this we of the Ministry shall be in a thousand times worse condition than any of you for besides the horrour due to the guilt of our own souls all the blood of those souls who have perished under our Ministry through our default will be laid to our charge little do you know or consider the burthen that lies upon us a burthen able to make the shoulders of the most mighty Angel in heaven to shrink under it Chrysostome was a glorious Saint Heb. 13.17 Hujus comminationis terror animum mihi concutit Chrys d yet casting his eye upon one only Text in the Bible Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account He professeth that the terror of this Text made his heart tremble Surely it is enough to make our hearts tremble if we seriously weigh our terrible doom in case that we should miscarry But now on the other side if the Minister be the Elect and sentenc'd to salvation and many of his people prove no better than Reprobates then shall the Minister say O miserable souls now you feel the truth of those comminations and curses which we opened and unfolded and discovered to you out of God's Word We dealt plainly with you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. that the unrighteous should not inherit the Kingdom of God we advised you again and again be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor Covetuous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were you and notwithstanding all our threats warnings intreatings beseechings thus ye lived and thus ye dyed and there is the issue Christ now hath doomed you to hell and here am I set on a throne to judge your souls for the Saints shall judge the World as well as Christ himself Oh what shall I do Oh my bowels my bowels here 's a case beyond all the former each of them according to their relations judge another but here 's a multitude not one or two or ten or an hundred but many hundreds or thousands according to the number of such and such Congregations where I have preached In Christ's reasonings with the wicked we have heard of his sayings and their answers and of his replications to their answers much said on both sides to and again I may suppose the like here O what shall I do says the Minister what doom shall I pass on this Assembly of Reprobates can I absolve them whom the righteous God hath condemned can I say come along with me to heaven now Christ hath said go ye cursed into hell and oh now shall I turn my speech from my wonted wooing beseeching intreating exhorting to a direct dooming damning condemning these souls to the pit of hell sometimes indeed I opened to these souls the armoury of God's wrath I thundred and lightned in their Congregations but my design was to fright them out of hell-fire and knowing the terrours of the Lord to have perswaded them towards heaven and heavenly things but now if I speak condemnation no sooner shall I speak but their souls will sink down to hell O miserable souls what shall I say or what can you say for your selves Then shall they answer Oh Sir do not you aggravate the torment by your condemnation the weight of Christ's doom is already unsupportable but will you adde more weight Why remember we are some of us it may be of your flesh and blood many a time you told us that you unfeignedly loved us and that we were dearer to you then all worldly enjoyments many a time you told us that you were willing to spend your self for us as the candle that burns it self to give others light you were pleased to bestow your prayers tears sighs groans for our souls your very Books and Writings were high expressions and abiding monuments of your dear love to us you weighed not your strength and spirits in comparison of our souls and shall this fair comical scean end in a dismal doleful bloody Tragedy would you do or suffer any thing to save us and will you now condemn us Oh forbear Ah no saith the Minister I cannot forbear all is true that you say I loved you dearly and I was willing to spend or to be spent for you but this aggravates the more ah my travail pains books writings words fears sighs groans are in one volume together and this volume has been opened this day and now is the question put what have you profited by all my words prayers tears sighs and groans is not all lost and are not your souls lost and now do you tell me of love what did I ever love you more then Christ loved you were the drops of my tears to be compared with the showers of his blood were my pains for you equal with the pains of his Cross and hath he not condemned you to hell and shall not I be like-minded to Jesus Christ Surely the Lord's will must be my will he hath already judged you and he will make me to judge you so far am I from pitying you that if he that formed you will shew you no mercy if he that saves me and all the Elect people of God will not save you can I pity you or save you or discent from Jesus in his sentence upon you speak no more of flesh and blood of labours of love Christ's Sentence must stand and as I am a member of Christ and a Minister of Christ I cannot but approve of it and so judge you to hell Why then say Reprobates we will curse thee and blaspheme Jesus Christ in hell for ever cursed be the time that ever we heard of Jesus Christ or that ever we knew thee or thy Ministry do not thy Sermons send us deeper into hell had it not been easier for us at this day of judgment if we had lived in Tyre and Sydon where the Gospel never was Preached didst not thou harden our hearts in such and such
glory which Christ hath as God this he never laid aside but as the Sun in a dark gloomy day may not send forth its beams so Christ the Son of righteousness in the time of his abode upon earth except a little glimps only in his transfiguration did not send forth his glorious beams but hereafter the body or humanity of Christ shall not hinder the breaking forth of all his divine glory No sooner the Son subject and his Mediatory office discharged but Christ as God will manifestly put forth his more immediate glory to all his Saints Behold now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him 1 John 3.2 for we shall see him as he is Mark it when he shall appear at and after the Resurrection day we shall see him as he is i.e. we shall see the very essential glory of Jesus Christ Quest But what is the essential glory of Christ I cannot answer it is a question not to be resolved by all the men in the World we know little of the glory of Saints how should we know any thing of the essential glory of Christ as God Answ The Scriptures say that God spake to Moses face to face yet God tells him thou canst not see my face and he favours him so far as to tell him the reason for there shall no man see my face and live Exod. 33.11 20. q. d. No man in this life he must first dye and be changed and then he shall have a peculiar revelation of the divine Majesty then he shall see him as he is but how that is I cannot tell come let us question this no further surely it is a mercy that this infinite glory is not discovered to us for as a weak eye is not able to behold the Sun or to see in it rota as the School-men speak in that wheel or circle wherein the Sun doth run but only in the beams of it no more can we see Christ as God in his glorious essence or in his essential glory but only in the beams thereof in his Word and Effects if now we know so little of spirits and spirituals oh then how little do we know of him who is the Father of Spirits I shall say no more therefore let us be content to be ignorant of these things till we enter into the confines of Eternity But whether shall this glorious Essence or Essential glory of Christ be more seen or manifested at or after the day of judgment then ever it was before Quest I answer I believe it will Answ Dr. Annesly Communion with God Some tell us of several periods wherein the glory of Christ is still more and more seen as 1. In this life we may see it in part thus David speaks of himself my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee to see thy power and thy glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary but this sight is very dim we see onely now as through a glass darkly The second period is betwixt our dissolution and resurrection 1 Cor. 13.12 and then shall we see the essential glory of Christ more immediately and fully our creeping apprehension of God shall then be elevated and our distance from God shall then be shortned and all the riddles of grace and of Jesus Christ shall then be opened This sight is so great that if a soul should come from heaven to declare it neither could that soul express it nor we understand it we read of Lazarus whose soul Christ returned into his body whom much people of the Jews came purposely to see that they might hear stories of the other World but not a word from him of any such matter Paul's rapture may satisfie with the reason of it he heard there ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wordless words 2 Cor. 12.4 such words as could not possibly be repeated on earth and yet all this is but a second step to the full vision of Christ's essential glory The third period is at the Resurrection and during the time of the last Judgment and then we shall see more of his glory Camero affirms that 't is no curiosity to say that the Saints and Angels in heaven had a new glory by the exhibition of Christ the great mystery of the Incarnation being thereby better known and we may as safely affirm that the Saints shall have a new glory by new visions of the glory of Christ at the day of Resurrection they shall then see the solemnity of heavens glory carried on by Christ in his glorious actings and all that ever the soul saw before in being with Christ in Heaven till the Resurrection shall be swallowed up with the sight of this glory of Christ at the Resurrection-day The last period is after the Resurrection and that shall continue even to all Eternity now all the manifestations of Christ's glory before this are but as a few green ears rubb'd in our hands so that the full crop or the full harvest is yet behind But this is that which as we told you before we cannot tell though we had the tongues of men and Angels Thus far of the first point what is the glory of Christ 2. How shâll the Saints behold this glory I answer As Christ hath a twofold glory so there is a twofold manner of beholding it i.e. ocular and mental 1. There is an ocular vision a sight of Christ with our very eyes Job 19.27 whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him with these eyes in our heads we shall one day behold the human glory of Christ I doubt not we shall behold the beauty of Heaven the shining bodies of the Saints but above all our very eyes shall delightfully contemplate Christ's glorious body and indeed this shall drown all the other sights if any think that Christ's glorious body shall be too intensive and too extraordinary a brightness for our weak eyes let such consider that 1. The eye in heaven shall be glorified now glorification adds a singular excellency to the faculties it advanceth the faculties and raiseth them to an higher pitch of excellency glorification adds a greater capacity to the eye then ever it had before In this world there is a difference in our eyes and sight a man of a clear sight sees more things and more of every thing then a dark sight doth so a glorified eye sees more of things then our eyes now can see it shall be enlarged exceedingly to take in objects which now it cannot receive glorification adds strength to the faculties both internal and external so that the eye shall be able to look on the glory of Christ not with difficulty but with contentment in this World every sense we have is apt to be destroyed by excellent Objects and the more excellent and transcendent the object is the more it hurts
the creation of the World and what is Six thousand years to Eternity certainly the truth of Origen's opinion touching the existency of other worlds before this Orig. l. de Prin cipiis 3. c. 5. and the future succession of other Worlds after this will then be known If no worlds before this yet if God in Christ hath done such great things in only Six thousand years what he may do in the next Six thousand years and so in the next Six thousand years who now can tell we see not these things but the Saints in seeing the face of Christ shall see all things 4. They shall see Christ in all his glory ways counsels decrees executions transactions as working for their happiness Now this ãâã more then the former there 's a great deal of difference in seeing an object as excellent in it self and in seeing an object as conducing to my happiness As one that is a stranger and another is an heir rides over such a demesgne the stranger rides over it and takes delight to see the situation rivers trees and fruits but the heir looks upon it after another manner this saith he is the land for which my Father laid out so much and all to enrich me and all to bestow it on me as my Inheritance So the Saints admitted into the glorious sight of Christ they take not only a view of Christ of the Essential glory of Christ of the transactions of Christ things excellent in themselves but they see all these as to make them happy they say of Christ and of all his actings these are mine and for my happiness A stranger may look upon a King and see beauty and Majesty and glory and honour in him but the Queen looks upon the King and his beauty as her own so the Saints look upon the King of Heaven they see Christ and all in Christ as their own to make them happy for ever and ever 5. They shall see Christ as he is but what do we not see him now as he is oh no 1 John 3.2 we now see him not as he is indeed and truth but only as he is in hear-say and report we now see him only as he is shadowed out to us in the Gospel of peace and what is the Gospel but the pourtraiture of the King which he sent to another Land to be seen by his Bride so Kings and Queens on earth wooe one another whilst the Bride is on earth she never seeth him as he is in his best Sabbath-Royal Robe of immediate glory she seeth him rather by the second hand i.e. by messengers words mediation he rather sends his pourtraiture then comes himself but in heaven the Saints see him as he is they see Christ himself in his own very person they see the red and white in his own face they see all the inside of Christ and thousands of excellencies shall then be revealed that we see not now the mysteries of that glorious Ark shall then be opened his Incarnation his two Natures in one person his Suffering as Man and his sitting in the seat of God as God all these shall be seen 6. They shall see Christ without interruption and without intermission to all Eternity If once the eye be set on the face of Jesus Christ it will never be taken off again Some conceive this to be the reason why the Saints in heaven can never fall away because they shall have a continual view of Christ as God Surely to have but one glimpse of Christ in this respect though it were gone presently it were a great happiness beyond all that the World affords it was sometimes the desire of a Philosopher to see the nature of the Sun though he were to be burnt by it so if Christ should but grant us this happiness you shall come to see me but the sight of me will destroy you this were a desirable thing but to have such an excellent glorious sight as shall never end that Christ should not only pass by but stand still so as the soul shall never lose his sight O how glorious is this if a man do but look upon a delightful Object he is loath to have his eye drawn from it surely the eye of Saints shall be eternally opened to see the divine nature of Christ turn them which way they will they shall never turn aside the busied eyes of their understanding from off the Deity of Christ he fills heaven he is that fair Tree of life the branches whereof in all that huge and capacious borders of heaven have not room to grow in for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him O the wonders of heaven There is Abraham Moses Elias the Prophets the Apostles and the glorified Martyrs but the Saints have neither leisure nor hearts to feed themselves with beholding of creatures no no all the eyes of heaven which are a fair and numerous company are upon only only upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Father hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to his Son the Husband hath no leasure to look over his shoulder to his Wife Christ takes all eyes off from such created things surely 't is enough for the Saints and Angels in heaven to study Christ for all Eternity it shall be their only labour to read Christ to smel Christ to hear see and taste Christ to love joy and enjoy Jesus Christ for ever and ever Thus far of the second point how the Saints shall behold the glory of Christ 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all I answer 1. It comprehends the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which Jesus Christ hath 2 Cor. 5.7 In this sense Paul took it when he complained we walk by faith not by sight q. d. on earth we have faith and in heaven we have sight it is some comfort that now I see Jesus Christ by faith but comparatively to that sight which the Saints have in heaven it is as no comfort at all alas I am not I cannot be satisfied so long as I am absent from the Lord I look upon my self as one from home And as a Prince in a strange Land sits down sadly because he hath not the sight of his Father so I am forced to complain O I cannot see my Lord I would fain behold him I am a stranger on earth a Pilgrim in this world I am not where I would be I am absent from him whom I most desire O I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ I walk with him here on earth by faith but to walk with him in the streets of heaven by sight is far better O I long I pant I breath I desire I think every day a year and every year an age till I be in heaven at home in my Father's arms that I may behold and see him and that immediately I say immediately in his glory This
is one way of beholding Christ it is an immediate sight 2. It comprehends the fruition and enjoyment of Christ in his glory Surely the Saints shall not be meer idle spectators of the glory of Christ but they shall enjoy him and be taken into fellowship with him it was said of Moses that he did see the Land of Canaan but he was not admitted into it it is otherwise with the Saints they shall see heaven and they shall enter into heaven come thou faithful servant and enter into thy Master's joy not only behold it but enter into it they must behold Christ and take possession of Christ and enjoy them as their own And thus the word to see or behold is often used in Scripture except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God i.e. he cannot enjoy it John 3.3 John 17.24 and Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory i.e. that they may enjoy my glory for Christ is not only glorious in himself but he is the spring of glory unto others now in this respect more especially is Christ our all in all he is all in himself and if we enjoy him he is all in all unto us To see a little into the state and condition of the Saints in glory in this enjoyment of Christ 1. They possess Christ as their own they go to Christ and they lay hold on him saying thou art mine It was indeed the language of the spouse whilst yet on earth I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine there 's a right and a propriety made over to her in her betrothing unto Christ but after the solemnity of the marriage is over the possession is then more full when once the spouse comes to behold Christ in his Kindgom she may then go boldly to her beloved and say all I see is my own I had thee in hope but now hope is vanished and actual enjoyment comes in place lo now I have thee in my eye and in my heart and in my hands and in my arms and as nothing shall separate us now for all our enemies are trod underfoot so never will I part with thee so far as to be out of my eye I will still behold thee and in beholding I will still possess thee for thou art mine own 2. They have the use of what they possess and this is an infinite good to the Saints they shall not only possess Christ but they shall have what use they will of Christ and of all in Christ they shall as they please make use of his humanity and of his Deity of his glorious Essence and of his glorious attributes O wonder that a Saint should come to Christ and say O my Lord thou art mine and my pleasure is to make use of thy wisdome power and mercy and that Christ should reply and say welcome sweet soul use me and all my glory as thou pleasest why thus it is even as a friend will say to his friend make use of all I have as your own so will Christ come to his Saints and bid them make use of all his riches glory excellency even as they will even to the utmost that they are capable of 3. They have the sweet and comfort of all they use and this makes up a compleat enjoyment In things below we may have the possession of them and the use thereof but if we have not the sweet and comfort of that we use we cannot be said truly or fully to enjoy those things what is the possession and use of meat and drink if we taste not the sweet of them Hence God is said to give us all things richly to enjoy no creature can give us richly to enjoy another one may give us such and such things wherein there may be comfort but he cannot give us comfort in such things it is only God that can give us that it is so with the Saints in glory God gives them all things yea Christ gives himself to them as all in all to enjoy him richly fully sweetly to the very uttermost This another way of beholding Christ it is a fruition or enjoyment of Christ wherein and whereby he is our all in all 4. It comprehends all the effects and consequents of such a beholding of his glory which are infinite delight and complacency in the will and all praise and thanksgiving in the mouthes of his Saints For the first It is disputed whether Eternal happiness be more in the acts of the understanding or if the Will and some conclude that it is principally in the will because that is an active appetite arid predominant in a man indeed the whole of a man oh the joy delight and complacency that will arise in the will upon the seeing and beholding of Jesus Christ they shall delight infinitely in the Essential glory of Christ and in the declared glory of Christ they shall delight in all that glory that is reflected upon Christ by all his creatures in heaven they shall delight in his presence and in his love Christ is all delights and how then should they but delight in Christ for the second as they delight in their wills so will their mouthes be filled with praises we read of Saints and Angels continually praising God in heaven there shall be none of our duties of mourning fasting praising humbling the acts of patience and justifying faith shall cease in heaven but the duty of praising and glorifying God will contiuue to all Eternity Methinks I see the Saints following the Lamb methinks I hear the familiar converses betwixt Christ and them as Christ opens himself to them so they to him first he begins Oh my dearest Saints you are they for whom before all time I decreed this heaven and now you see the execution of my decrees whiles the world stood I was still carrying on the work of your salvation either in doing or suffering or in successive works applying my doings and sufferings my active and passive obedience to your persons and now the World is at an end you see the end of my work and the end of your faith which is the Eternal Salvation of your souls Oh how I have my wish and you have your happiness here you and I will live together that I may for ever behold you and that you may for ever behold me and my glory which no sooner said but methinks I hear all those innumerable Saints in heaven to answer worthy is the Lamb that was slain Rev. 5.12 to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing and therefore unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Rev. 1.6 Amen Yea methinks I hear every creature in heaven say blessing honour glory and power be unto him
that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen Ver. 13. Why this is their continual work in heaven they have nothing else to do but with joy and gladness to sing forth the praises of God and of Christ and that his mercy endureth for ever And this likewise is comprehended under that notion of the Saints beholding of Christ which compleatly makes up the proposition asserted that Christ or the glory of Christ which the Saints shall behold to all eternity is their all in all Thus far we have propounded the object which is Jesus carrying on the Salvation of his Saints in his coming again to earth and taking them up with himself and his Angels into heaven our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in this respect and then we have done CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his second coming WHAT looking is and what it contains we have often heard and that in these respects we may look on Jesus 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the Saints Salvation in his second coming and taking them to Heaven Many glorious excellent things many precious passages many high and heavenly carriages are in this transaction Is it not of high concernment that he that now sits at God's right hand interceding for us should thence come again to judge the World and after judgment take up his Saints with him into glory can we read of the several actings of this general Assize and not desire to read on still nay is not all our reading mixt with admiration of every passage come wonder and sit and pause and stop at every word stay and wonder and adore that light which appears in any beam of truth and in the admiration of that truth which doth appear cast thy self down at the feet of Christ and cry out O the depth of Glory and Majesty and goodness and grace in thee O the riches of love that thou shouldst let out thy self in these several admirable dispensations come be exact in this study gather up all the crumbs and fillings of this gold the least beams of the glory of Christ especially as it shines and glitters at his second coming have so much light and love and splendour in them as that they will be very sweet to look upon them every piece or part of this knowledge will be of special use and worth yea the low and imperfect knowledge of this mystery is of infinite more value then the high and perfect knowledge of Ten thousand things besides And one thing O my soul let me tell thee it is possible for thee to attain a very sweet and satisfactory degree of this very knowledge And therefore study close run over again all that hath been spoken and dig yet deeper into that glorious mine content not thy self with a bare discovery of that gold-oare which is only upon the superficies or top of the mine but go so far as to find out the inward spiritual and experimental knowledge which the Saints by the light of the Spirit may come to attain O study Christ in his second coming to judgment SECT II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LET us consider Jesus carrying on this work of Salvation at his second coming It is not enough to know but we must meditate and seriously consider of it A meer student may know Christ and study Christ as he knows and studies other things he may keep together many notions concerning Christ and his coming to Judgment but he hath no impression of the holiness of Christ upon his heart and in this respect he is a stranger to Christ and all his actings alas he studies Christ but he doth not rightly seriously inwardly consider of Christ but he doth not look unto Jesus as one that looks to his pattern or as one that looks to his refuge hope and help true and spiritual consideration is a serious matter it s not some few and freeting thoughts that are the discharge of this work but thoughts resting dwelling fixing and staying upon Christ until they come to some profitable issue O it is another manner of business then many are aware of it 's a thinking with thought upon thought it 's a reiteration and multiplication of the thoughts of the mind upon the Subject propounded so the Scripture expresseth it I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought Eccles 2.11 12. and in that next verse I turned to see he looked upon and considered his works and he returned to behold them he thought on them before but now he returned to think he renewed his thoughts upon the matter and took a new view of them Indeed when the understanding works seriously and spiritually it will fetch things into sight and not only so but it will hold them there and fasten upon them Lam. 4.20 and when they are gone it will fetch them again my soul hath them still in remembrance my soul in remembring doth remember them and will not off till the end he obtained so a man eyes Christ till he have more of Christ more of his presence and more of his light and more of his favour and more of his image O let this be our work let us thus consider Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment And that we may do it in Order 1. Consider Christ's preparing for judgment realize it as if thou sawest or heardst the same no sooner the time determined which God hath appointed but Christ commands make ready ye Angels to wait upon me and make ready ye glorious souls that now are with me it is the Fathers pleasure and it is my pleasure to go down into the neather World and to call before me all the men and women that ever lived in it there will I pass my doom upon all flesh and reward every one good and bad according to his works O what a shout may I imagine in heaven at this news what joy is in the souls of Saints that now they must go to their bodies and enter into them that both their souls and bodies which sometimes lived together may now dwell together with Christ in glory and never part more if those that live on earth are commanded by Christ To lift up their heads because their redemption draweth nigh how much more shall they joy in Heaven who also have waited for the adoption to wit Rom. 8.23 the redemption of their bodies that now the long-looked-for day is come it is come O the exaltation of the Angels at this tydings This is worthy a pause a Selah to be set upon it 2. Consider Christ's coming to judgment all now in readiness the Son of God comes forth with all his glorious attendants Matt. 16.27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and with the souls of Saints that for a time have been in
Paradise Oh what a goodly sight is here In this meditation I may see with John Rev. 21.2 The new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Down comes Christ and down come the Angels and down come the spirits of the just made perfect and as they come along see how they shake the Heavens and dim and dark the very lights of Heaven see what a flood of fire goes before them see how they pass into the cloud where Christ makes a stand and erects a Throne for himself to sit on Sure 't will be a guilded glorious cloud when Christ with all his celestial servants shall sit upon it a mornings cloud guilded with the beams of the Sun is admirably fair and shining but what a shining cloud is that where the Sun of righteousness with all his morning stars do sit and shine here 's enough to dazzle my eyes and to take up my thoughts O my soul think on it 3. Consider Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment no sooner in the cloud but He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Mat. 24.31 and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to another Will not this be a strange sight to see Christ a coming with Trumpets sounding before him causing all the dead to awaken out of their sleeps of death the very sound of this Trumpet was ever in Jerom's ears Arise ye dead and come to Judgment and no question but thy ears shall be filled with the blast thereof the Trumpet shall found that shall bp heard over all the World and then shall the dead arise out of their graves and every Saints soul shall re-enter into his own body by vertue of the resurrection of Christ their Head Can I pass this meditation without some reflection on my self O my soul how joyfully wilt thou greet thy body when thou shalt enliven it again how wilt thou say O my dear Sister whom I left behind me in the dust when I went to Heaven how sweet is thy carcass how comely is thy countenance how do I enter into thee and animate thee and I will never more leave thee thou wast my yoke-fellow in the Lords Labours and my companion in persecution and wrong now shall we enter together into our Masters joy see lift up thy head behold Jesus Christ yonder sitting in the cloud and lo here the Angels waiting on us and coming to take us with the rest of the Saints into the Air to meet our Redeemer there Could I but realize this summons this resurrection this meeting of the soul and body and going with the Angels into the judgment-seat oh how would it work and what work would it make within 4. Consider Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day oh how shall the Saints look and stare and gaze at the beauty of Jesus Christ oh how will they break out into admiration at the first view of those glories which never before appeared on this side Heaven is not this he will they say of whom we read so often that he was fairer than the sons of men that he was white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands that his countenance was as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars glorious as when the Sun shineth in his strength but was ever the half told us of what now we see and behold O the super-excellent transcendent beauty of this Son of righteousness O the treasures of loveliness in this Jesus Christ never seen before And thus as they admire so they adore now they begin those Hallelujahs that never never shall have end they fall at the feet of Christ and the Lord Christ takes them up with his hands and folds them in his arms oh what mutual reciprocal salutations are these betwixt Christ and his members oh my head and oh my body oh my husband and oh my spouse oh my dear and oh my darling never two lovers met with such heat of love as Christ and his Saints come saith Christ and sit you down here at my right hand and let the world be on my left hand it was otherwise with you in your life-time my gold and my jewels were then cast in the dust you were then cloathed with infamy and the vilest of men were then guilded with honour but now I will set all right now the dust shall be swept away and the jewels of my Kingdom shall be gathered up now the Goats shall be driven into the desart and you who are the Sheep shall be brought into my fold Oh my soul what a meeting is this what a sight will this be to behold the Saints in this condition and thy self amongst them couldst thou but realize this one very passage it were enough to quench thy lust and to kindle a flame of pure love in thy heart to Jesus Christ it is a quickning rouzing rising rejoycing consideration 5. Consider Christ sentencing the Saints for eternal glory then shall the books be opened and all the good works of the Saints shall be revealed and made known and then shall the Judg from his Throne of Majesty in the sight and hearing of all the world pronounce that sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Mat. 25.34 q. d. Come my Saints come with me into glory come now from labour to rest from disgrace to glory from the jaws of death to the joys of eternal life for my sake ye have been railed on reviled and cursed but now it shall appear to all those cursed Esaus that you are the true Jacobs that shall receive the blessing and blessed shall you be come now and possess with me the inheritance of Heaven where you shall be for love Sons for birth-right heirs for dignity Kings for holiness Priests come you may boldly enter in for my Father hath prepared and kept it for you ever since the first foundation of the World was laid O my soul dost thou not remember when sometimes thou hast been at the feet of Christ in the beauty of holyness and there tookest in those droppings of his spirit which were better to thee than the feasts of Kings dost thou not remember when sometimes thou hast had the very beams of light darted from the face of Jesus Christ when he whispered to thy soul the forgiveness of thy sins saying Fear not thy sins shall not hurt thee I am thy salvation oh what joy was then what meltings movings stirrings leapings of heart were then in thy bosom but was that joy any thing to this or to be compared with this that was a drop but here 's an Ocean here 's fulness of joy oh what leapings of heart what ravishments will be within when thou shalt see thy self in the arms of Christ and shalt receive words of life from the mouth of Christ in the face of
all the World what a thing will this be when Christ shall pass a sentence of death on others and speak words of life unto thee when thou shalt see him frowning upon the world and oh those frowns will break the heart and shalt behold him smiling in the fulness of his love upon thy self that Christ at such a time should be delighting-thee with all the imbraces of love and with this sweet invitation to Heaven Come thou blessed inherite the Kingdom it were enough to a spirit a soul half dead the very meditation of this must needs be sweet 6. Consider Christ and the Saints Judging the rest of the world no sooner are the Saints sentenced but Christ turns to the wicked and bids them go into everlasting fire in which sentence the Saints shall joyn with Christ himself Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World 1 Cor. 6.2 when the Saints appear it is not only by a Summons but with commission not only to be judged but to judge not only shall they stand at Christs right hand but they shall sit down on the Throne of the Son of God to judge the wicked Angels and the World O the torment O the vexation of wicked men and Devils when they shall see those very men whom they scorned oppressed persecuted to be now advanced not onely to glory but to be their judges it is as if some Noble man had wronged some Poor man and that the King should therefore deliver the Noble man into the power of the poor man Psal 112.10 to take his own revenge Surely The ungodly shall see this and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth for indignation and melt away but on the contrary Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his foot-steps in the blood of the ungodly O my soul dost thou believe this truth and art thou confident that thou shalt sit with Christ on his very Throne to judge the World why then be joyfull in afflictions exercise thou patience in the censures and judgments of the World know thou for thy comfort that there is a turn and time of judging and therefore say 1 Cor. 4. â With me it is a small matter that I should be judged of you or of man's Judgment as the original hath it of man's day Is it not enough to command patience if God's day be at hand when I shall judge my unjust judges hark what the Apostle saith Jam. 5.7 8 9. Be patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh behold the judge standeth before the door Come exercise patience let the World be judging if they will needs slander reproach and persecute thy soul they had better abuse any judge on earth than thee though thou art the poorest weakest meanest of God's Saints upon the earth they will know one day that they have abused their own judge in abusing thee And therefore be thou quiet silent patient Say as David let him alone and let him curse yea let him judge for the Lord hath bidden him it may be the Lord will look on mine affliction and will requite good for his Judging this day this is his day but the day of the Lord is my day and then shall I sit with Christ on his Throne to judge the World Oh the sweet that I may suck from this hony-comb of Christ and his Saints judging the World 7. Consider Christ and his Saints going up into Heaven No sooner hath he done his work with the World and sent them away but then he shall conduct all his flock like a faithful shepherd to their fold then shall he go with all his troops following him into Heaven Hath not Christ said so If I go away I will come again John 14.3 and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also O those songs of joy and shouts of praise that will fill the World at that day And thus as they go along Heaven opens unto them and they enter in what welcomes they have there is past my telling if we may imagine and guess O the welcome that Christ will give Come my spouse and come my dear come all my Saints here be those Mansions that I went before to prepare and make ready for you here be those everlasting habitations wherein you and I will dwell together here is your Fathers house the building of the wall is all of Jasper Rev. 21 18. and the worst piece of it is all of pure Gold like unto clear Glass why this is your home your house made without hands here you and I will spend our time eternity it self in joying enjoying and beholding of each other And as thus Christ salutes them so will the Angels those Created Citizens of Heaven salute them too for if joy be in Heaven at the conversion of one sinner what joy will there be at the glorification of all these Saints what welcome entertainment will the Angels give to these new guests at their first enterance into Heaven O my soul if thou art one of them that shalt have this welcome what wilt thou say when thou art admitted in thither if weeping were in Heaven wouldst thou not weep for joy sure these things are no fictions of man's brain but truths and realities and as they are true and real so they are exceeding full of joy all the excellencies of this World are but a dream in comparison of them even the Sun in its brightness is but darkness to this glory that shall then be seen Come think over these things and be so enlarged in thy thoughts that before they go thou mayest feel the sweet and taste of this goodness of the Lord. 8. Consider all the several transactions that will follow in Heaven then will Christ present all his elect to God his Father then will he give in all his commissions which he hath received from his Father Then will the Son himself be subject to the Father that God may be all in all I cannot stay to enlarge on these Onely remember though God may be all in all that excludes not Christ for he also is All in all to all his Saints even to all eternity Immediate visions and fruitions of Christ as God is the very top of Heavens joy Christ is all and in all Christ is the center of Heavens happiness Christ is the well-spring that fills the capacities of Saints and Angels Christ is the object of happiness it self there is as much happiness in Christ as happiness is what ever belongs to glory is in Christ In him dwels all the fulness whatever excellency is in Heaven it is in Christ not onely in perfection but connexion for all those
shall thy God rejoyce over thee look how the joy of a Bridgroom is over his Bride upon the wedding-day surely then if ever all is love and joy so is Christ's joy over his Saints at the last day then begins that joy that never never shall have end there shall be no moment of time wherein Christ will not rejoyce over his Saints for ever after 9. It is the day of Christs perfection Christ as Mediator is not fully perfect till all his members be in glory united to him As an head that wants an arm or hand or leg we say is lame so it is a kind of mistical lameness that Christ our head hath not with him all his members the Saints are little pieces of mystical Christ and it shall not be well till Christ gather in his arms and thighs and pull them nearer to himself in glory and is not this desirable to see the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church in his perfection to see the Son of righteousness with every beam united to him O desirable day Hos 2.18 10. It is Christ's Wedding-day or the Marriage day of the Lamb. The Saints are betrothed to Christ when first they believe in Christ that is Christ's word I will betroth thee unto me Cant. 4.10 and thou art my sister my spouse not my Wife thou art not yet married onely contracted here but at that day the marriage of the Lamb will be compleat and then will the voyce be heard Rev. 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready O the joy that Christ and Saints and Angels and all that belong to Heaven will make at this marriage Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. One of the seven Angels that came to John in visions Rev. 21 9. talked with him saying Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife If the espoused Virgin be willing to be married how is it that we cry not Come Lord Jesus come quickly 1 Cor. 5.24 11. It is Christ's day of presenting his Saints unto his Father he delivers up the Kingdom to God even the Father Then shall he take his Bride by the hand and bring her to his house and present her in all state and solemnity to the Father Is not this a desirable day surely Christ rejoyceth and his very heart even springs again to present his Church unto his Father Father here behold my Bride that I have marryed unto my self It is true a Child may sometimes marry such a one as he may be ashamed to think of bringing to his Fathers house but how mean and sinful soever we are of our selves when once we are marryed unto Christ he will not think it any dishonour no not before his Father that he hath such a bride Father will he say lo here all my Saints of all that thou hast given me I have lost none but the children of perdition these are mine dearly bought thou knowest the price O welcome them to glory 12. It is the day of Christ's glory What glorious descriptions have we in scripture of Christs coming to Judgment The Son of man shall come from heaven with power and great glory and the work no sooner done Math. 24.30 but he shall return again into Heaven with power and great glory Not to mention the essential glory of Christ O the glory of Christ as Mediator all the glory that Ahashuerus could put upon his favourites was nothing to this spiritual and heavenly glory which the Father will put upon the Son it is a glory above all the glories that ever were or ever shall be it is an eternal glory not but that Christ shall at last give up his Kingdom to his Father he shall no more discharge the acts of an Advocate or intercessor for us in heaven onely the glory of this shall alwayes continue it shall to all eternity be recorded that he was the Mediator and that he is the Saviour that hath brought us to life and immortality and upon this ground the tongues of all the Saints shall be imployed to all eternity to celebrate this glory This will be their everlasting Song Vnto him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Now is not this a desirable thing do we believe there is such a thing as Christ's mediatory glory and Christ's essential glory as Christ's humane glory and Christ's divine glory and have we no desires to behold this glory surely Christ himself desired it of God he would have his Saints with him where he is that they might behold his glory and shall not we desire it whom it most concerns O the sweet temper of the spouse when she cryed out Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be thou like a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Come now and run over these particulars surely every one is motive enough to desire this day it is a day of refreshing a day of restoring a day of manifestation of the sons of God a day of adoption and of the redemption of our bodyes a day of Christs coming of Christ's revealing of Christ's appearing of Christ's joy of Christ's perfection of Christ's Wedding of Christ's presenting of his Saints of Christ's glory what are we not yet in a longing frame the wife of youth that wants her husband for some years and expects that he should return from over Sea-lands she is often on the shore her very heart loves the wind that should bring him home every Ship in view that is but a drawing near the shore is her new joy and new reviving hopes she asks of every passenger O saw you my husband what is he a doing when will he come is he not yet Shipped and ready for a return souls truly related to the Lord Jesus Christ should methinks long no less O what desire should the Spirit and the Bride have to hear when Christ shall say to his Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the Heavens I 'le gather my prisoners of hope unto me I cannot want my Rachel and her weeping Children any longer behold I come quickly to judge the Nations Methinks every spouse of Christ should love the quarter of the sky that being rent asunder should yield unto her husband methinks she should love that part of the heavens where Christ puts through his glorious hand and comes riding on the Rain-bow and Clouds to receive her to himself I conclude this with the conclusion of the Bible He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so Rev. 22.20 come Lord Jesus SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that
apt to listen to his doubts that in the conclusion I know not how to extricate my self Person Sayst thou so surely in this case there 's no cure no remedy but onely the testimony of God's Spirit but saith not the Apostle Rom. 8.16 That the spirit of it self bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God if a Man or Angel or Archangel should promise Heaven peradventure thou mightest doubt but if the Supream Essence of the Spirit of God bear witness within what room for doubting why this voice of the spirit is the very voice of God hark then enquire O my soul if thou hast but this testimony of the spirit thou art sure enough Soul Oh that it were thus with me oh that the spirit would even now give me to drink of the wells of salvation oh that the spirit would testifie it home oh that he would shine upon and enlighten all those graces which he hath planted in me fain would I come to the highest pitch of hope oh that I could look upon the things hoped for as certainly future Person Thou sayst well O my soul and if these wishes be real then pour out thy self unto God in prayer this was the Apostles method Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost let this be thy practise pray as he prayed pray thou for thy self as he prayed for others if an earthly Father will hearken to his child Luk. 11.13 how much more will God the Father give the spirit to them that ask the spirit of him Soul Why if this be it to thee Lord do I come O give me the Spirit the witness of the Spirit the first-fruits of the spirit the sealing of the spirit the earnest of the spirit O give me the spirit and let the spirit give me this hope O the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in my soul and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Come O come and dwell in my soul Come and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out come and fill me with a livelv hope yea Lord excite and quicken and stir up my soul to act this hope yea so illighten or shine upon my hope that I may know that I hope and know that I joyfully expect and wait for the coming of Christ O Let me hear thy voice Say unto my soul I am and will be thy salvation Person Well now thou hast prayed Psal 35.3 O my soul Come tell me dost thou feel nothing stir is there nothing at all in thee that assures thee of this assurance of hope is there no life in thy affections no spark that takes hold on thy heart to set it on flame no comfort of the spirit no joy in the holy Ghost Soul Yes methinks I feel it now begin to work the Spirit that hath breathed this prayer into me comes in as Comforter O now that I realize Christ's coming and my resurrection Psal 16.9 I cannot but conclude with David Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth and my flesh also shall rest in hope Oh what an earnest is this what a piece hath the spirit put into my hand of the great sum promised not onely that he in great mercy promised me Heaven but because he doth not put me into a present possession he now gives me an earnest of my future inheritance Why surely all is sure unless the earnest deceive me and what shall I dispute the truth of the earnest oh God forbid the stamp is too well known to be mistrusted this seal cannot be counterfeit because it is agreeable with the Word I find in my self an hope a true sincere hope though very weak I find upon trial that I am regenerate that I look and long for the second coming of Jesus that I love his appearance even before hand that my works though imperfect are sincere and true that I believe on the Name of the Son of God and flesh and blood could never work these duties or these graces in me it is only that good spirit of my God which hath thus sealed me up to the day of redemption Away away despair trouble me no longer with a musing thoughts I will henceforth if the Lord enable walk confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of my happy contract from the hands of Christ The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 25 26. the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him it is good that I both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord It is good that I hope to the end 1 Pet. 1.13 for the grace that is to be brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LET us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming Now this believing in Christ is more than hoping in Christ Faith eyes things as present but hope eyes things as future and hence the Apostle describes faith to the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 it is the substance foundation or prop which upholds the building or it is the substance essence existence of things hoped for and consequently absent and a far off to be by a firm apprehension of the believer as already present and real And this is as necessary as the former oh if we could but see things now as they shall appear at that last general day of Judgment how mightily would they work upon our souls I verily think the want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world and the acting of Faith on this subject would produce fruits even to admiration If we could but see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall then be communicated if we could but see those dreadful evils that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled would not this draw the hardest heart under Heaven come let us act faith this day as if this day were the last day a thousand years are but as one day to faith it takes hold upon eternal life whensoever it acts it takes present possession of the glorious things of the Kingdom of God even now O then let us believe in Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment But how should we believe what directions to act our saith on Jesus in this respect I answer 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the
in a peculiar and eminent manner the day of redemption And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 1 John 3.2 3. They must be adopted It is true they are adopted in this life We are now the Sons of God saith the Apostle yet it doth not appear what we shall be the glory which Christ will put upon us at the last day is so far transcendent and superlative to what now we are that we know not what we shall be sons and more than sons and therefore the Apostle calls the last day Rom. 8.23 the day of adoption 4. They must be justified I know they were justified by Faith before and this justification was evidenced to some of their consciences but now shall they be justified fully by the lively voice of the Judge himself now shall their justification be solemnly and publickly declared to all the world The Syriack word to justifie is also to conquer because when a man is justified he overcomes all those bills and indictments which were brought in against him now this is manifestly done in the day of judgment when Christ shall before Men and Angels acquit and absolve his people oh what a glorious conquest will that be over Sin Death and Hell when the judge of the whole World shall pronounce them free from all Sin and from all those miserable effects of Sin Death Hell and Dominion 5. They must inherit the Kingdom prepared for them so is the sentence at that day Come ye Blessed Mat. 25.34 inherit the Kingdom Not only are they freed from Hell but they must inherit Heaven Now herein is an high step of salvation and a great part of the design of Christ's coming to bring his Saints into Heaven he went thither before to prepare it for them and now he comes again to give them the possession of it come enter into heaven Heaven what is Heaven surely it is not one single Palace but a City a Metropolis a Mother-City the first City of God's creation When the Angel carried John in the spirit to a great and high Mountain Rev. 21.10 11. he shewed him the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God But a City is too little Luke 12.32 therefore it s more it s a Kingdom Fear not little Flock it s your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom and at this last day he bids his Saints to inherit the Kingdom Luke 20.34 35 36. Or if a Kingdom be too little it is called a World the Children of this world marry and are given in marriage but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they dye any more There 's another world besides this and for eminency it is called the world to come O the bredth and largeness of that world as the greater circle must contain the less Heb. 6.5 so doth that world contain this alas all our dwellings here are but as caves under the earth and holes of poor clay in comparison In the bosome of that Heaven is many a dwelling place John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions there lodges many thousand of glorious Kings O what fair fields and mountains of roses and spices are there surely gardens of length and bredth above millions of miles are nothing in comparison O the Vines the Lillies the Roses the precious Trees that grow in Immanuel's land an hundred harvests in one year are nothing there The lowest stones in every mansion there are precious stones Rev. 21.18 the very building of the wall about it is Jasper and the City is pure gold like unto clear glass O glorious inheritance Tell me Christians in what City on Earth do men walk upon gold or dwell within the walls of Gold though none such here yet under the feet of the inhabitants of Heaven there is Gold All the streets and fields of that City Kingdom World Rev. 21.21 are pure gold as it were transparent glass But alas what speak I of Gold or Glass all these are but shadows indeed and in truth there is nothing so low as Gold or precious Stones there is nothing so base in this high and glorious Kingdom as Gardens Trees or Roses comparisons are but created shadows that come not up to express the glory of the thing I shall therefore leave to speak this because unspeakable 6. They must live with Christ in heaven they must see and enjoy Christ there to all eternity This is a main end of Christs coming I will come again John 14.3 John 17.24 and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also And Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me O let faith eye this above all the former what will my Saviour come again and shall I see his face Oh what a pleasant sight will this same be if Heaven if the inheritance be such a wonder to the beholders what a beauty is that which is in the samplar oh what an happiness to stand besides that dainty precious Prince in Heaven to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of life the flowre of Angels the spotless Rose that Crown the Garland the joy of Heaven the wonder of wonders for eternity oh what a life to see the precious Tree of life to see a multitude without quantity of the Apples of glory to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of Jesus Christ Oh what a dearness to see all relations meet in one to see the Saviour the good Shepheard the Redeemer the great Bishop of our souls the Angel of the Covenant the Head of the body of the Church the King of ages the Prince of peace the Creator of the ends of the Earth the Song of Angels and glorified Saints Not only must they see Christ but they shall enjoy him whom they see they fly with doves-wings of beauty after the Lamb and in flying after him they lay hold upon him and they will not leave him they can never have enough of the chaste fruition of the glorious Prince Immanuel and they never want his in-most presence to the full they suck the honey and the hony-comb they drink of the floods of eternal consolations and fill all empty desires and as if the souls of Saints were without bottom a fresh they suck again to all eternity Now ãâã is salvation indeed the soul that attains this full enjoyment is saved to the uttermost 3. In respect of Christ himself that he may be glorified Now in two things more especially will he be glorified at that day 1. In his justice 2.
will declare my iniquity saith David I will be sorry for my sin His confessions were dolorous confessions he felt sin and it wrought upon him as an heavy burthen They were two heavy for me Ver. 4. There 's nothing in the World can make an heart more heavy than when it feels the weight and heaviness of sin 2. Our confession must be a full confession we must pour it out Thus David stiles one of his Psalms A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed Psalm 102. Preface and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. We must pour out our complaints as a man poureth water out of a Vessel Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Water runs all out of a Vessel Lam. 2.19 when you turn the mouth downward never a spoon-ful will then stay behind so should we pour out our hearts before God and if it were possible leave not a sin unconfessed at least for the kinds if not for the particular sins 3. Our confession must be with full aggravation we should aggravate our sins by all the circumstances that may shew them odious Thus Peter when he had denyed Christ it is said that he thought thereon and he wept He thought thereon Matth. 14 72. or he cast in his thoughts one thing upon another q. d. Jesus Christ was my Master and yet I denyed him he told me of this before-hand that I might take heed of it and yet I denyed him I professed to him that I would never do it I would never forsake him and yet I denyed him yea this very night and no longer since I said it again and again that I would not deny him and yet I denyed him yea I fail'd Although others deny thee yet will not I and yet worse than all others I denyed him with a witness for I affirmed desperately that I knew not the man nay I sware desperately that I knew not the man nay more than so I sware and I cursed too If I knew the man let Gods curse fall upon me and all this I did within a few strides of my Lord at that very time when I should have stood for my Lord in that all the World forsook him why these were the circumstances of Peters sin and meditating on them He went out and wept bitterly And thus we should aggravate our sins in our confessions O my sins were out of measure sinful O they were sins against knowledg and light against many mercies received against many judgments threatned against many checks of conscience against many vows and promises thus oft and in this place and at that time and in that manner I committed these and these sins but of all the aggravations let us be sure to remember how we sinned against the goodness and patience and love and mercy of God surely these circumstances will make our sins out of measure sinful The Angel that reproved the Children of Israel at Bochim after the repetition of his mercies towards them Judges 2.2 and of their sins against him he questions them in these words Oh why have ye done this q. d. The Lord hath done thus and thus mercifully unto you oh why have ye done thus unthankfully towards him why was his mercy abused his goodness slighted his patience despised do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise in like manner should we confess and aggravate our sins O my God thou art my Father was I ever in want and thou didst not relieve me was I ever in weakness and thou didst not strengthen me was I ever in straits and thou didst not deliver me was I ever in sickness and thou didst not cure me was I ever in misery and thou didst not succor me hast thou not been a gracious God to me all my bones can say who is like unto thee Lord who is like unto thee and shall I thus and thus reward the Lord for all his mercies towards me hear O Heavens and hearken O Earth Sun stand thou still and thou Moon be thou amazed at this hear Angels and hear Devils hear Heaven and hear Hell and be you avenged on such a sin as this is O the sinfulness of my sin in regard of these many circumstances 3. We must condemn our selves or pass sentence against our own souls Lord the worst place in Hell is too good for me Lord here is my soul thou mayst if thou pleasest send Satan for it and give me a portion among the damned This self-judging or self-condemning is exemplified to this life in Ezra for Ezra 9.5 1. He fell on his knees he did not bow down his knees but like a man astonished he fell on his knees he had before rent his garment and mantle and pluckt off the hair of his head and off his beard and sate down astonished and now at the evening sacrifice he falls on his knees and on the ground in great amazement Ver. 5. 2. He spread out his hands unto the Lord q. d. here is my breast and here is my heart-blood I spread my arms and lay all open that thou mayst set the naked point of thy sword of justice at my very heart Ver. 10. 3. He is dum and speechless as it were before the Lord And now our God what shall we say after all this for we have forsaken thy commandments q. d. shall I excuse the matter alas it is inexcusable what shall we say after all this shall we call for thy patience we have had it but how did we abuse it should we call for mercy indeed we had it but our stubborn hearts would never come down O our God what shall we say I know not what to say for we have sinned against thee 4. He layes down his soul and all the Peoples souls at God's feet q. d. here we are Ver. 15. thou mayest damn us if thou wilt Behold we are all here before thee in our trespasses for we cannot stand before thee because of this Behold here we are rebels we are here are our heads and throats before the naked point of thy vengeance if now thou shouldst take us from our knees and throw us into Hell if we must go from our prayers to damnation we cannot but say that thou art just and righteous Oh its mercy its mercy indeed that we have been spared its just and righteous with God that we should be damned In this more especially lyes self-condemnation it makes a man to trample upon his own self it makes a man freely to accept of damnation Levit. 26.41 42. They shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity and then will I remember my covenant with Jacob they save God as it were a labour judging themselves that they may not be judged 4. We must plead pardon and cry mightily to God in Christ for the remission of all our sins This is the
be one person and in that person he was born and lived and died and rose again and ascended into Heaven there now he hath been sitting sending down the Holy Ghost and interceding for his Saints for above one thousand six hundred years And in this last work he will continue till the end of the World and then he will come again to judge the World and to receive his Saints to himself that where he is they may be with him to see and enjoy him to all eternity This is the epitome of all I have said onely in every particular I have set down Christ's actings towards us and our actings towards Christ in various formes and out-goings of his love he hath acted towards us and in various formes and out-goings of our souls we have been taught fitly and suitably to act towards him Now in all these actings How doth the free grace of God in Christ appear Ye are saved by grace Ephes 2.5 saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 the decree the means the end of our salvation is grace and onely grace The decree is grace and therefore it is called the election of grace Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 Rom. 6.23 Eph. 1.7 Eph. 2.7 the means are of grace and therefore we are called according to his grace and we are justified freely by his grace And the end is of grace for eternal life is the gift of God both beginning and progress and execution is all of grace This is the riches of his grace the exceeding the hyperbolical riches of his grace the conclusion of all is this God's free grace which was first designed will at last be manifested and eternally praised by Saints and Angels the same free grace which from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting drove on the saving plot and sweet design of our salvation will at last be glorified to purpose when Heavens inhabitants will be ever digging into this golden-mine ever rolling this soul-delighting and precious stone ever beholding viewing enquiring and searching into the excellency of this same Christ and this free grace Now all is done shall I speak a word for Christ or rather for our selves in relation to Christ and so an end if I had but one word more to speak in the World it should be this Oh let all our spirits be taken up with Christ let us not busie our selves too much with toyes or trifles with ordinary and low things but look unto Jesus Surely Christ is enough to fill all our thoughts desires hopes loves joys or whatever is within us or without us Christ alone comprehends all the circumference of all our happiness Christ is the pearl hid in the large field of God's Word Christ is the scope of all the Scriptures all things and persons in the old World were Tipes of him all the Prophets foretold him all God's love runs through him all the gifts and graces of the Spirit flow from him the whole eye of God is upon him and all his designs both in Heaven and Earth meet in him Eph. 1.10 the great design of God is this That he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him All things are summed up in one Jesus Christ if we look on the creation the whole world was made by Christ if we look on providences all things subsist in Christ they have their being and their well-being in him Where may we find God but in Christ where may we see God but in this essential and eternal glass 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Christ is the face of God the brightness of his glory the express image of his Fathers person the Father is as it were all Sun and all Pearl and Jesus Christ is the substantial rayes the eternal and essential irradiation of this Sun of glory Christ outs God as the seal doth the stamp Christ reveals God as the face of a man doth reveal the man so Christ to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father q. d. I am as like the Father John 14.9 as God is like himself there is a perfect indivisible unity between the Father and me I and the Father are one one very God he the begetter and I the begotten Christ is the substantial Rose that grew out of the Father from eternity Christ is the essential wisdom of God Christ is the substantial Word of God the intellectual birth of the Lord 's infinite understanding Oh the worth of Christ compare we other things with Christ and they will bear no weight at all cast into the ballance with him Angels they are wise but he is wisdom cast into the ballance with him men they are lyars lighter than vanity but Christ is the Amen the faithful witness cast into the scales Kings and all Kings and all their glory why he is King of Kings cast into the scale millions of tallents-weight of glory cast in two Worlds and add to the weight millions of Heavens of Heavens and the ballance cannot down the scales are unequal Christ out-weighs all Shall I yet come nearer home what is Heaven but to be with Christ what is life eternal but to believe in God and in his Son Jesus Christ where may we find peace with God and reconciliation with God but onely in Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 where may we find compassion mercy and gentleness to sinners but onely in Christ it is Christ that takes off infinite wrath and satisfies justice and so God is a most lovely compassionate desirable God in Jesus all the goodness of God comes out of God through this golden pipe the Lord Jesus Christ It is true those essential attributes of love grace mercy goodness are onely in God and they abide in God yet the Mediatory manifestation of love grace mercy and goodness is onely in Christ Christ alone is the Treasury Store-house Magazene of the free goodness and mercy of the God-head In him we are Elected Adopted Redeemed Justified Sanctified Saved he is the ladder and every step of it betwixt Heaven and Earth he is the way the truth and the life he is honour riches beauty health peace and salvation he is a suitable and rich portion to every man's soul that which some of the Jews observe of the Mannah that it was in taste according to every man's pallate it is really true of Christ that he is to the Soul whatsoever the soul would have him to be All the spiritual blessings wherewith we are enriched are in and by Christ God hears our prayers by Christ God forgives our iniquities through Christ all we have and all we expect to have hangs onely on Christ he is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns Oh how should all hearts be taken with this Christ Christians turn your eyes upon the Lord Look and look again unto Jesus Why stand ye gazing on the toyes of this World when such a Christ is offered to you in the Gospel can the World dye for you can the World reconcile you to the Father can the World advance you to the Kingdom of Heaven As Christ is all in all so let him be the full and compleat subject of our desire and hope and faith and love and joy let him be in your thoughts the first in the morning and the last at night Shall I speak one word more to thee that believest Oh apply in particular all the transactions of Jesus Christ to thy very self remember how he came out of his Fathers bosom for thee wept for thee bled for thee poured out his life for thee is now risen for thee gone to Heaven for thee sits at God's right hand and rules all the World for thee makes intercession for thee and at the end of the World will come again for thee and receive thee to himself to live with him for ever and ever Surely if thus thou believest and livest thy life is comfortable and thy death will be sweet if there be any Heaven upon Earth thou wilt find it in the practise and exercise of this Gospel-duty in Looking unto Jesus A Poem of Mr. George Herbert in his Temple JESV JESV is in my heart his sacred Name Is deeply carved there but th' other week A great affliction broke the little frame Ev'n all to pieces which I went to seek And first I found the corner where was J After where ES and next where V was graved When I had got these parcels instantly I sate me down to spell them and perceived That to my broken heart he was I ease you and to my whole is JESV FINIS
quickenings stirrings of the spirit of God commanding thy faith love zeal and other graces to be in exercise hath he not many a time at some dead lift at some mighty straight at some prevailing temptation when thou wast even ready to yield to Satan Heb. 4.16 come in as betwixt the bridge and water and given thee grace to help in time of need O the sweet in-comes of the Spirit of God! as he is an holy Spirit so he makes holy hearts and if there be any holiness in thy heart what is it but an emanation influence effect of the Spirit of God if ever thou hadst any flowings of exciting quickening grace say This is above nature above flesh and blood it comes from the holy and blessed Spirit of God Some other effects thou mayst consider of as of the comforts of the spirit what hast thou not sometimes felt the joyes unspeakable and full of glory hast thou not sometimes known a mornings joy after a nights sorrow an healing of thy broken heart a reviving of thy dead Spirit a drop of heavens joy given thee as the hansel or earnest of thine inheritance why all these are but the workings of the promised comforter And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Another effect is the seal of the spirit and what hast thou not sometimes had the seal of the Spirit stamped on thee I will not say this is absolutely necessary but hast thou not sometimes been assured of thy salvation by a reflect act of faith or by a work of grace habitual or actual or by an irradiation of the spirit on thy graces sometimes the spirit is pleased to shine with its bright and glorious and heavenly beams into our souls and then we are assured hence the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians Eph. 1.17.18 19. That they might have the spirit of revelation And to what end That they might know what is the hope of his calling i.e. that they might know upon what certain grounds and foundation their hopes were built and hence the Psalmist prayes for himself Psal 13.16 Cause thy face to shine upon thy Servant and again God be mercifull unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us psal 67.1 Selah If the spirit shine upon our graces then it seals O consider of this shining-sealing work and leave not till the Spirit dart in a spiritual light and give thee a revelation knowledg and perswasion of thy effectual calling Many other reasons are of the spirits mission but amongst them all consider O my soul and ponder on these few think over Christ's Ascension Session and Mission of the Spirit but in every thought be serious fruitful and particular say Christ is gone up into heaven for me and he is sate down at God 's right hand for me and he hath sent down his spirit into my heart O what workings would there be within if thou wert but lively and active in the meditations of these several passages SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that Respect 3. LEt desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars who seeing Christ to ascend into Heaven would not be glad to ascend up with with him who seeing Christ to sit down at the right hand of his Father would not be glad to sit down with him who seeing Christ to scatter his gifts and spirit amongst his Saints would not cry Come holy spirit O Christ give me thy spirit thou that givest gifts unto me come and bestow those gifts on me even upon me The believing soul cannot hear of Christ in any true discovery of his grace and glory but it must needs send out many breathings after him Oh that Christ were mine Oh that I had any interest in this transaction it is true these transactions are past but the vertue of them continues still and accordingly the vertue power and influence of these transactions must be the object of our desires now what is the vertue of Christ's Ascension but that we might ascend and what the vertue of Christ's Session but that we might sit down with him in his Throne and what the vertue of the mission of his Spirit but that we might partake of the holy Ghost Oh let these be the objects of our desires come let us pant and breath after these things As 1. Let us see Christ ascending and so desire to ascend with him when Christ ascended it was not meerly for himself but also in our stead he ascended as a common person as the high Priest ascending into the Holy of Holies he carried all the names of the Twelve Tribes on his breast so Jesus Christ ascending into heaven he carried the names of all Believers in the world on his Breast thereby shewing that they were likewise to come after him in this case how should we long after him and cry after him as Elisha after Elijah when he saw him ascending My Father my father 2 Kings 2.12 Isa 14.14 15. the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof How should we cry after him O my Lord and my God see that my name be written in thy Breast O that vertually I may ascend with thee and that really and bodily I may at last ascend after thee There are many can say in their heart I will ascend above the heights of the clouds Psal 14.3 4. I will be like the most High but the prophet tells us Such shall be brought down to hell and to the sides of the Pit O the desires and eager pursuits of men after ambition what topping and advancing is there of one over another in the mean time the Psalmist's Question is quite forgotten Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord Isa 14.12 he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity Down O my soul with thy top and top gallant strike sail to God and Christ know that God resists the proud How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning even he that would exalt his Throne above the stars of God is brought down to hell Come come a desire after Christ and his Ascension is the way to Heaven if thou wilt ascend after Christ set thy desires upon Christ if thou wilt arrive at true glory breath after Christ ascending up into his glory let others ascend up into their heaven upon earth but O my soul desire thy interest in Christ's Ascension into the Heaven of Heavens O when will it once be that by the vertue of Christ's Ascension I shall ascend is Christ gone up and am I yet behind is my Head my Husband my Lord in Heaven and am I a poor member of his body grovelling here on earth what is Christ gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet are all the Angels sounding