13.33 To the Resurrection of Christ. Things are said to be when they are manifested to be compare Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead He was declared to be the true and Everlasting Son of God and Head of the Church so the Adoption of Believers shall appear by their Resurrection Rom. 8.19 and 23. The earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God verse 23. We our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of the body 2. The sequel and consequent of these things That in all things he might have the preheminence that is as well in the Spiritual estate of the Church as in the creation and natural estate of the World Rom. 8.29 That he might be the first-born among many Brethren I begin with the first Doct. I. That this is the honour appropriate and peculiar to Iesus Christ to be head of the Church 1. Here I shall shew what the Church is to which Christ is an Head 2. How is he an Head to this body 3. The Reasons why this body must have such an Head 1. What the Church is A Society of men called out of the World by Gods effectual Grace according to the purpose of his Election and united to Christ by Faith and the participation of his Spirit and to one another by the band of Charity that after Remission of sins obtained in this World together with Regenerating grace they may at length be brought to eternal Life Let us a little open this description by Effectual Calling God worketh Faith which uniteth us to Christ and that Effectual calling is the fruit of Election and the effect of this union is Remission of sins and the necessary consequence of this Communion is Salvation or Eternal Life This Society of Men is called a Church in the Text The word Church is taken in divers acceptations First and most properly it signifies these whom I have now described the universal collection of all and every one of those who according to the good pleasure of God are or may be called out of a state of Sin into a state of grace to obtain eternal Glory by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Church of the First-born whose names are written in heaven Heb. 12.22 That chosen Generation that Royal Priesthood that Holy Nation that peculiar People whom to shew forth his praises God hath called out of darkness into his marvelous light 1 Pet. 2.9 This Church most generally and properly taken is the Kingdom of God the Body and Spouse of Christ Cant. 6.9 My dove my undefiled one is but one This is that one fold under one Shepherd Ioh. 10.16 And it was Prophesied of Christ that he should dye to gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11.5 Secondly Of this universal Church there are two parts one of Travellers the other of Comprehensors or the Church Militant and Triumphant they both belong to Gods Family Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family whether in Heaven and Earth is named so Col. 1.10 That part of the Family which is in Heaven triumpheth with God there that which is in Earth is yet Warring against sin satan and the World Thirdly This part which is the Military comes in the 2d place to be called by the name of the universal Church because being scattered dispersed throughout the whole World it comprehendeth all and every one that belongeth to Christs flock which are found in several Folds known to God they are and to themselves and do indeed belong to Christs Body and his Kingdom this is often and not undeservedly called the invisible Church because so far as it is the Church of God their reality and sincerity is rather believed by Faith then seen by the eyes of the body This Church This Kingdom of God though it be yet in this World yet it is not of the World neither doth it come with observation for the Faithful have this Kingdom of God within them Luke 17.20 The World knows them not other believers know them not but God knoweth those that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Fourthly The universal visible Church While they are in the way and in the midst of their conflicts it is possible many hypocrites may take up the profession as in the great house are many vessels some to honour some to dishonour from these ariseth an external promiscuous multitude who also are called the Catholick Church for the sake and with respect to those Holy ones among them who truly belong to Christs Mystical Body We read often the Kingdom is like to a net wherein are good and bad Fishes Matth. 13. To a Threshing floor wherein is chaff and Wheat To a Field wherein groweth good Corn and also Tares Matth. 13.24 25. Now all these wayes is the universal Church taken Fifthly There are particular Churches wherein the Ordinances and means of Grace are dispensed as the Church of Corinth Cenchrea Galatia Greek Roman None of these particular Churches contain all believers or the Elect of God that out of them or any of them there should be no Salvation Again the universal Church may remain in the World total and intire though these particular Churches are or other of them may successively be destroyed as it hath often faln out And it is a great sin so to cry up a particular Church as to exclude all the rest from saving Communion with Christ and for any one particular Church to arrogate power over the others they being but members 2. This Church is called a Body in two respects 1. In regard of the union of all the parts 2. Dependance upon one and the same head 1. With respect to union as in man all the members make but one Body quickned by the same soul so in the Mystical body of Christ all the parts make up but one body animated by the same vital principle which is the spirit of Christ and are joyned together by certain bonds and ligaments Faith and Love and all is covered with the same skin the profession of the Faith of Christ. Look what the soul is in man the form in the subject life in the body and proportion in the building that in the universal Church of God is the Union and Communion of the several and single parts with the head among themselves Take away the Soul from man the form from the subject life from the body proportion and conjunction from the parts of the building and what will man be but a Carkass and the building but ruine confusion So take away union and communion from the universal Church then Ierusalem will become a Babel and Bethel a Beâ—haven and for Life there will be death and for Salvation eternal destruction How else shall all that come out from one return again to one and all and every one have all things in one
cause of all our misery when he sees fit all the Creatures soon return to the Elements of which they are compounded all the strokes and judgements which light upon them are dispensed according to his pleasure In a way of Grace we are nothing can do nothing without him Iohn 15.5 He must have all the praise Luke 16.14.1 Cor. 15.10 Gal. 2.20 The more perfections we have the more prone we are to fall if he sustain us not witness the faln Angels and Adam in innocency 3. It teaches us a lesson of reverence and Obedience if God be so near let us observe him and take notice of his presence He knoweth what he doth when he sustaineth such a creature as thou art This thought should continually affect us that God is with us still by us not onely without us but within us preserving our Life upholding our Being It should be a check to our sluggishness and mispense of Time doth God now continue me to what end and purpose If God were absent or gone it were more justifiable to loiter or indulge the ease of the flesh but to spend my time vainly and foolishly which he continueth for service what have we to say SERMON V. COL 1.18 And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence THE Context is spent in representing the Dignity and Excellency of Christ He is set forth by three things 1. By the excellency of the Benefits we have by him the greatest the faln Creature is capable of for the present verse 14. 2. By the excellency of his Person so he is set forth as the eternal and only begotten Son of God verse 15. and proved by his being the Creator and Preserver of all things The Creator verse 16. The Preserver verse 17. Now the Apostle cometh to the third thing 3. The excellency of his Office This is done in the Text where observe that next after the Son of God there is nothing more venerable August then Christs being Head of the Church And again that Christ hath another title to us then that of Creator he is Redeemer also the same God that created us by his power hath Redeemed us by his Mercy By the one he drew us out of nothing by the other he recovered us out of Sin Therefore after he had declared what Christ is to the World and the Church too he sheweth what Christ is particularly to the Church He hath a superiority over Angels and all creatures but he is our head Eph. 1.22 He hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Christ is the Sovereign of the World but by a special relation to his people he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead c. In which words Observe 1. The Titles which are given to Christ with respect to the Church he is the Head the Beginning The First-born from the dead 2. The consequence of it That in all things he might have the Preheminence 1. The Titles ascribed to Christ they are three The first is the Head of the Body the Church Where observe two correlates the Head and the Body the head is Christ the Body is the Church the Head is the most eminent part of the Body the noblest both as to nature and place or situation As to nature the Head is the most illustrious Throne of the Soul as being the seat not only of the Nerves and Senses but of the Memory and Understanding In place as nearest Heaven The very situation doth in a manner oblige the other parts to respect it these things agree to Christ who as to his essence is infinitely of much more worth then the Church as being the only begotten Son of God As to Office in him there is a fulness of perfection to perform the Office of an Head to such a crasie and necessitous body as the Church is All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in our head for the use of the body Col. 2.3 and he is also the fountain of Life and Grace to every particular member Ioh. 1.16 and for place he Reigneth in Heaven with his Father and from thence he vieweth all the necessities of the Body and sendeth forth such influences of Grace as are needful to every particular member 2. For the other correlate The Church is the Body by the Church is meant the Church Mystical or all such as are called out of the World to be a peculiar people unto God Now these considered collectively or together they are a body but singlely and separately every Believer is a member of that body 1 Cor. 12.29 Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular all the parts and members joyned together are a spiritual body but the several Persons are members of that Body Yea though there be many particular Churches yet they are not many bodies but one body so it is said 1 Cor. 12.12 As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that body being many are one body so also is Christ. He is the Head and the many and divers members of the universal Christian Church are but one Body The universal invisible Church of real Believers is one Mystical Body knit by Faith to Christ their Head and by love among themselves And the visible universal Church is one politick Body conjoyned with Christ their Head and among themselves by an external entring into Covenant with God and the serious profession of all saving Truths They have all the same King and Head the same Laws the Word of God the same Sacraments of admission and nutrition which visibly at least they subject themselves unto and have a grant of the same common priviledges in the Gospel but of this more anon 2. The next Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beginning I understand it that he is the root and the beginning of the renewed estate the same degree which Christ hath in the order of nature he hath in the order of grace also he is the beginning both of Creation so also of Redemption he is origo mundi melioris still the beginning and ending of the New creature as well as the old Rev. 1.8 He is called in short the beginning with respect to the Life of Grace as in the next Title the First-born from the dead with respect to the Life of Glory 3. The third Title is the First-born from the dead he had before called him the first-born of every Creature now the first-born from the dead Rev. 1.5 The first begotten from the dead because those that arise from the dead are as it were new-born whence also the Resurrection from the dead is called a Regeneration Matth. 19.20 And St. Paul referreth that Prophesie Psal. 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee In Acts
that at length they may acquiesce in the injoyment of one that is God as their chiefest good Alass without this union with the head and among themselves in necessary things what can they expect but wrath and the curse and Everlasting destruction 2. With respect to dependance on one head Rom. 12.5 We being many are one body in Christ and every one members of one another that is all things make up one body of which Christ is the Head and are fellow members in respect of one another As necessary and as desirable as it is to be united to God to Life and Glory Everlasting so necessary and desirable it is to depend upon Christ the Head for no man after the entrance of sin can return to God or enjoy God without Christ the Mediator Iohn 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me Acts 4.12 There is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but only Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay but that which is layed Iesus Christ 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the son hath Life and he that hath not the son hath not Life God proclaimed from Heaven Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased he being one God with the Father and the Spirit of the same substance and essence he only can procure merit and effect our union with God He first assumed our nature and united it to his own Person and so became one flesh with us but then all those that belong to that nature if they believe in him and enter into his Covenant are not onely literally one flesh but Mystically one body and so also one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 That is by the bond of the spirit he hath brought them into the state and relation of a body to himself To gather up all Mans return to God is necessary to his blessedness that he may be inseparably conjoyned to him as his chiefest good to this purpose the son of God assumed our nature in the unity of his person and thereby bringeth about the union of the Church with himself as our Head and our communion with one another in Faith and charity if we desire to be blessed and so is according to Christs Prayer Iohn 17.21 That they may be all one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us verse 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one so that as there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men and one Church united to Christ as his body to this Church we must every one of us be united if we mean to be saved and in the Church with Christ and by Christ with God therefore out of this Mysticall body there is no Salvation 2. How is Christ an Head to this Body This must be explained by answering two question 1. What are the parts of his headship 2. According to what nature doth this office belong to him divine or humane 1. The parts and branches of this headship he is our head with respect to Government and sovereignty and in regard of causality and influence he governeth he quickneth 1. It implyes his Authority to Govern as is manifest by Eph. 5.22 23. Wives submit your selves to your own husbands as unto the Lord for the husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church So that to be the Churches Head implies superiority or right to govern 2. For the other notion in regard of influence that is evident in Scripture also Col. 2.19 Not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increases with the increase of God the head is the root from whence the vital faculty is disfused to all the members We use to say 〈◊〉 arbor inversa a Tree turned upsided 〈…〉 if this be so the Head is the 〈…〉 Tree So doth Life flow from 〈…〉 the Church the spirit is from 〈…〉 begin the union or to conâ—â—nue the 〈…〉 But let us speak of these branches apart 1. His Authority and power to govern his excellency gives him fitness but his Office right to rule and govern the Church When he sent abroad his Officers and Embassadors to Proselyte the World in his name he pleadeth his right Math. 28.18 All power is given to me both in heaven and in Earth Now the acts which belong to Christ as a Governour may be reduced to these heads 1. To make Laws that shall universally bind all his people 2. To institute Ordinances for Worship 3. To appoint Officers 4. To maintain them in the exercise of these things 1. The first power that belongeth to a governing head is Legislation or making Laws now Christs Headship and Empire being novum jus Imperii a new right which he hath as Mediator for the recovery of lapsed mankind his Law is accordingly It is lex remedians a Law of grace which is given us in the Gospel of our Salvation The sum of his own proper remedial Laws are Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and Repentance towards God Acts 20.21 Without Repentance our case is not compassionable without Faith we do not own our Redeemer by whom we have so great a benefit yet because this new right of Empire is accumulative not privative beneficial to us indeed but not destructive of our duty to God therefore the whole Law of God as purely moral hath still a binding force upon the consciences as it is explained in the Word of God Now to these Laws of Christ none can add none diminish and therefore Christ will take an account of our fidelity at the last day 2 Thess. 1.8 2. He hath instituted Ordinances for the continual exercise and regulation of our worship and the Government of his people that they may be kept in the due acknowledgement and obedience to him such as the preaching of the Word Sacraments and the exercise of some Government now all the Rules and Statutes which Christ hath made for the ordering of his people must be kept pure until his coming his institutions do best preserve his honour in the World great charges are left 1 Tim. 5.21 I charge thee before God and our Lord Iesus Christ and his Elect Angels that thou observe these things where he speaketh of Ecclesiastical Censures and Disciplines he conjureth him by all that is sacred and holy that it be rightly used 1 Tim. 6.14 Keep this commandment without spot and unrebukaâ—le unto the appearing of Iesus Christ. The Doctrines are so determined by Christ that they cannot be changed the Worship not corrupted the Discipline not abused to serve partial Humors and private or worldly Interests 3. God hath appointed Officers who have all their ministries and services under Christ and for Christ Eph. 4.11 He gave some apostles some prophets and some evangelists and some
the World till he was advanced at the right hand of God and then this effect declared it The spirit was given before but more sparingly because it was given upon trust and with respect to the satisfaction that was afterwards to be made and accepted And then it was witnessed to the World by a more copious and plentiful effusion of the spirit Therefore 't is said Acts 2.33 Therefore Iesus being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear The merit and value of the sacrifice is thus visibly attested therefore this is one of the witnesses Acts 5.30 31 32. The God of our Fathers raised up Iesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins And we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him And what was the evidence given to the Church in general is the evidence given also to every particular believer 4thly Some have obtained the effects and fruits of Christs death this peace begun here hath been perfected in heaven The Text saith he hath Reconciled all things to himself whether they be things in Heaven or things in Earth Here many are pardoned and accepted with God and have the comfort of it in their own Souls Others are gone home to God and have the full of this peace All were by nature children of wrath under the curse as well as others Now if some in all generations have injoyed the love favour and friendship of God in this World and upon their departure out of it have entered into glory upon this account it is evident that Christ is accepted to the ends for which God sent him thus Abraham the Father of the faithful and all the blessed souls who are gathered into his bosom and are alive with God in Heaven Certain it is they were all sinners by nature for there is no difference between any of the children of men and yet God admits them into his peace Was it a personal priviledge peculiar to them only No the Apostle tells us Rom. 4.23 It was not written for his sake alone and Paul obtained mercy for them that should hereafter believe on Christ for life everlasting 1 Tim. 1.16 Therefore all penitent believers may be assured that this sacrifice is sufficient and will avail for their acceptance with God We take it for a good token of a healing Water when we see the Crutches of Criples that had been cured all the blessed Saints in Heaven are witness to a sincere soul they all obtained this blessed condition through the blood of his Cross Reconciling them to God There is none in glory but had his pardon sealed through the blood of Christ. 4. How and upon what terms is it applyed to us for we have considered hitherto onely how Christ hath made peace or made the atonement Yet if we receive not the atonement we may perish for ever for all that besides the work done on the Cross by Christ alone there is a work to be done in our hearts the work of making peace is sufficiently done by Christ there needeth nothing to be added to it no other ransom nor sacrifice nor propitiation Christ hath so fully satisfyed divine Justice that he hath obtained the new Covenant but we are not actually admitted 〈◊〉 this peace till we have personally accepted the Covenant Now here it sticketh God hath been in Christ Reconciling the World unto himself there was the foundation layed but therefore we pray you to be Reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 There is our Title Claim actual Right security But how do we receive this atonement or how are we interessed in it the conditions and terms are gracious such as the nature of the business calleth for as to our entrance into this peace no more is required but Faith and Repentance The Gospel is offered to all but the penitent Believer as being onely capable is possessed of it 1. Faith is required that we Believe what the Son of God hath done and purchased for us Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. If we sincerely embrace the Gospel we are Reconciled to God and accepted with him The Faith that justifieth is partly an assent to the Truth of the Christian Religion especially the fundamental Truth that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of the World And partly an acceptance of Christ as God offers him a serious thankful broken hearted acceptance of Christ as your Lord and Saviour serious because of the weight of the business broken hearted because of the condition of the person accepting a self-condemning sinner or one that hath an awakening sense of his sin and misery Thankful because Reconciliation with God and fruition of them in Glory is so great a benefit and you take him as Lord for every knee must bow to Christ he is a Saviour by merit and efficacy By his meritorious Righteousness you obtain all benefits by the efficacy of his spirit you perform all duties the last thing is trust and dependance Eph. 1.13 Trust is such an expectation of the benefits offered by Christ that forsaking all other things you entirely give up your selves to the conduct of his Word and Spirit 2. The next thing is Repentance which is a turning from sin to God we turn from sin by hatred and we turn to God by Love We turn from sin by hatred hatred of sin is the ground of all mortification there is a twofold hatred of abomination and of enmity We turn to God by Love which is the great principle to incline us to God and is the bottom of vivification or living to God Now all this is necessary to actual peace for our refreshing begins in conversion Acts 3.19 there is no peace allowed to the wicked we must take Christs yoke or we shall find no rest for our souls Matth. 11.29 we are not reconciled to God till our enmity be broken and overcome then of enemies we become Friends of Strangers intimates then we are reconciled This then is required of you onely let me add this caution what is at first Vows and Purposes must be afterwards Deeds and Practises and having ingaged your selves to God to live to him to keep your selves from sin and to follow after Holiness This must be your business all the dayes of your lives For so you continue your peace and interest in God Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and on the Israel of God VSE 1. To Exhort you to enter into this peace that you may be partakers of the fruit of Christs Blood and the virtue of his cross may be effectual in you 1. Let me reason a