1 Thes 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19. from capital dangers in warlike encounters and as an Anchor to prevent shipwrack upon a stormy Sea in which cases men are careful to make such provision that the Head-piece and Anchor may not be brittle and easily broken 3. The hopes of multitudes will be lamentably frustrated Our Saviour brings in many pleading with confidence at the last day for life who shall be rejected with miserable disappointment Many shall say to me at that day Lord Lord c. Mat. 7. 22 23. and I will professe unto them I never knew you q. d. I never approved you depart from me 4. We know not how soon our hopes may be assaulted by others and shaken by the recoylings of our own consciences As good Job had his hopes questioned by his Friends Is this thy confidence and thy hope So the Church Iob 4. 6. Lam 3. 18. in an afflicted condition doth this dolefully bewail her self I said My hope is perished from the Lord. Now if upon these meditations helps for hopes-discovery shall be enquired after I shall briefly hint 1. whose hopes will fail 2. Whose hopes will hold in the time of triall As for the former the holy Ghost tels us plainly that their hopes are perishing who are 1. either wicked 2. or hypocrites Pro. 11. 7. Iob 8. 13. When the wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hypocrites hope shall perish Here though I may not be large in characterizing the wicked man or in uncasing the Hypocrite yet take these short touches and enlarge them with application in your own thoughts First A wicked man is 1. A sin-lover The wicked and him Psa 11. 5. who loveth iniquity doth Gods soul hate saith the Psalmist And mens love of sinne is manifested by their unwillingness to have it spoken against As David would have Absalom gently 2 Sam. 18. 5. Psal 50. 16. dealt with 2. And a man who liveth in sin upon choice and deliberation Like as the fish liveth in water He is as a Tradesman a Practitioner in sin a Sin-maker a worker of 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 7. 23. iniquity as the Scripture expresseth it Therefore lay your hands upon your hearts and observe whether they breathe loving allowance of sin and deliberate resolutions to drive a trade in waies of known transgressions though both God and your own consciences condemn them Secondly An hypocrite may be described An outside Mat. 15. 8 9. 23. 25. 23. 5. self-seeking man-pleasing man Thus our Lord doth stigmatize them Ye hypocrites well did Isaiah prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Ye make clean the outside and all their works they do to be seen of men When they either fast or feast religiously it is to themselves Hereby a plain-dealing self-reflecting Christian Zech. 7. 5 6. may give a good guesse at his own estate viz. whether upright or an hypocrite and consequently whether his hope will be holding or perishing And I wish people to consider these hints for triall the rather because the hopes of these persons will fall and fail them at death if not sooner What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God Iob 27. 8. taketh away his soul As for the latter viz whose hopes will hold attend the expressions of the Apostle Peter Blessed be the God and Father of 1. Pet. 1. 3. our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Hence two things are notable for our purpose to discover good hope 1. The Regeneration of the person hoping 2. The activity of the hope it self 1. The persons are begotten again 2. Their hope is lively That both these particulars may be practically applied for triall I will for brevity sake suggest that the spirituall birth and hopes vivacity may be evidenced by effectuall vocation Hence it is that God in the Eph. 1. 18. 4. 4. Scripture speaketh once and again of the hope of his calling Now our effectuall calling doth discover it self 1. Partly by our coming off from sin with detestation and this is the effect of good hope Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth 1 Ioh. 3 3. himself as he is pure 2. And partly by our coming up unto God in an obedientiall submission unto his government in a studious conformity to his laws These are conjoyned in the experience and practice of Gods people viz. hope and holinesse As of David Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and Psa 116. 166. done thy Commandments And of Paul After the way which Act. 24. 14. 15 16. they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God And herein do I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Therefore consciencious endeavours against all sinfull pollutions both of heart and life together with care fully to answer the minde of the Lord in a religious conversation notwithstanding hardships and reproaches in the world will give good testimony unto the truth of our hopes of eternal glory whereas loosenesse of life and heart in waies of carnall self-seeking and man-pleasing following the multitude and swimming down the stream of declining times may administer just occasion of doubting that mans expectations of eternal glory will be disappointed To perswade all them who have hitherto flattered themselves Vse 3 with false hopes of heaven to lay in better grounds for the future It is the earnest desire of Gospel-Ministers that you would use diligence to attain the full assurance of hope Heb. 6. 11. And 1. Because you have heard that it is attainable therefore you should take encouragement to seek it 2. Adde to the possibility of getting assured hope the necessity thereof that you may be prevailed with to look after it You heard before that hope is that unto a Christian in his passage unto heaven which an Helmet is to a Souldier and 1 Thes 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19. an Anchor is to the Mariner Therefore let this consideration move us to make out for the Helmet and Anchor of good hope And I would entreat you the rather to minde this my earnest exhortation because of the rocks of dissolutenesse and destruction upon which you will be in danger to be driven when Satan and your own consciences shall discover the sandinesse of all your former hopes Noteable for the proof hereof is that passage in the prophecy of Jeremiah where the people being perswaded to repentance return this answer There is no hope we will
gracious heart 5. From the end of his Ascention We all do beleeve that Christ is received up into glory And himself before his 1 Tim. 3. 16. departure from earth said I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive Ioh. 14. 2 3. you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Here is good Anchor-hold for hope which entreth into that within the veil whither the forerunner is for us entred Christ Heb. 6. 19 20. is gone into Heaven as our Harbinger to provide glorious mansions for us and to take possession in our behalf And the Apostle Peter writeth thus unto the scattered Christian Jews God raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God From all these considerations jointly considered this conclusion is confirmed by Scripture-strength and evidence That Christ is unto beleeving Christians the hope of glory The application followeth Vse 1 Therefore without Christ there cannot be any well-grounded 1 Pet. 1. 21. Extra Christum non gloria sed ignominia expectanda est Hun. in Text. Eph. 2. 12. Iob 21. 7 13. Psa 73. 7 Iob 7. 6. expectation of future glory As this smart inference followeth undeniably from the Text under hand so the same Apostle is open and expresse for this truth elsewhere Suggesting to the Ephesians their sad condition in an unchristian estate he connecteth these two particulars viz. ye were without Christ having no hope Although prophane godlesse and Christlesse men may have their expectations of outward comforts accomplished and possesse more then heart could wish yet in regard of spirituals and eternals we may be confident that they spend their daies without hope In which respect they should rather be looked upon as objects of pity then of envy when they are in their greatest jollity and prosperity because being Christlesse they are poor hopelesse creatures Take man in his best estate imaginable out of Christ and upon the serious Survey of himself he shall have cause to say What is my strength that I should hope Iob 6. 11. And as Paul said in reference to himself and them who sailed with him in a sad Sea-voyage that when neither Sunne nor Starres in many daies appeared and no small tempest lay on Act. 17. 20. us all hope that we should be saved was then taken away So let the chiefest Sonnes of men with their highest parts be laid under the storms of divine displeasure without Gospel-light discovering Christ and all hope of salvation will be quite removed Hence fair occasion is offered to discover their dangerous Vse 2 delusion who build their hopes of heaven upon creaturefoundations As the Papists who in their Ave-Maries call Spes nostra the Virgin the mother of Christs humanity Our Hope who also trust unto their works as meritorious causes of Salvation So others also who imagine happinesse attainable from the right improvement of Natures abilities without the meritorious satisfaction of Jesus Christ whereas the Scripture doth not only assert that there is not salvation in Act. 4. 12. Gal. 5. 4. Sclus Christus is est per quem vitam aeternam expect are licet Piscat in Text. any other besides Christ but doth also affirm that Christ is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law Oh that this short sharp expression from an Apostolical pen might warn the wanton wits of these unwary times to take heed of crying up Nature and morall abilities with the neglect of Jesus Christ who alone is the foundation hope of future glory Vse 3 Therefore the communication of glory is from meer mercy Rom. 6. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Donum gratis datum Eternall life is the gift of Gods grace through Jesus Christ Although I touched upon this before yet I take it up again upon a double account partly because the Apostle in this Text intends a check unto them who mixed their own righteousnesse with Christ and partly because many in these daies not only Papists but other proud Opinionists do derogate from Gospel-mercy by ascribing too much unto mans naturall strength morally improved whereby Gods design in making man happy by Christ is directly crossed and disappointed Let the words of the Apostle Paul be seriously considered Ye are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto 1 Cor. 1. 29 30 31. us wisedom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that no flesh should glory in his presence that according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord Our All in tendency unto peace comfort and glory is therefore from Christ according to divine project and purpose that man when at the highest might be abased in himself being necessitated to acknowledge that all his advantagious incomes both in regard of glory begun on earth and compleated in heaven are from Christ Now that I may more clearly advance Gods rich grace and free mercy in bringing beleevers to glory by Christ I heartily desire that these three things may be observed viz. 1. That Christ himself was the gift of God Vnto us a Isa 9. 6. Sonne is given saith the Gospel-Prophet And our Saviour himself in his conference with the woman of Samaria calleth himself That gift of God by way of superlative eminency Ioh. 4. 10. being the richest and freest gift that ever God bestowed upon the children of men 2. That the grace of faith whereby the Soul receiveth Christ and happinesse by him is the free gift of God likewise To you saith Saint Paul to the Philippians it is given to beleeve Phil. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 18. 27. The Originall suggests that it was given of grace which our Translation doth elsewhere expresse Apollo is said to help them much who had beleeved through grace And this our Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans affirming that our Justification is from mercy not merit addeth these words Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 4. 16. 4. That all our spirituall priviledges received from Christ himself are from him upon terms of mercy and grace Forgivenesse Eph. 1. 7. Tit. 3. 7. Eph. 1. 6. Joh. 17. 22. Jude 21. of sin is according to the riches of his grace We are justified by his grace We are accepted in the beloved to the praise of the glory of his grace And himself in his prayer to the Father saith The glory which thou gavest me I have given them Answerable hereunto is the advice of Saint Jude Keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life It 's meer mercy not merit that holdeth up the heart in expectation of Heaven All these particulars being put together will undenably evidence the strength of this my Inference viz. That Because the Christians hope of glory
is rooted in Christ therefore Heavens glory with all the requisites belonging thereto are from grace and mercy And this will make way for the Use following To perswade Christians the heirs of glory to praise God Vse 4 for Jesus Christ because all their hopes do spring from him As Simeon expecting salvation by Christ blessed God All Luk. 2. 28. our hearts should breathe forth Saint Peters doxology Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who 1. Pet. 1. 3 4. according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Hence I might note to quicken gratitude 1. The admirable worth of the inheritance in glory which hope expecteth viz an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away 2. The means whereby this hope is begotten in us viz. the death and resurrection of Christ 3. And the motive moving the Lord in this way to give us ground of hope viz. His abundant mercy In all which regards it may well become us to joyn with our souls in Zacharies Song Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he Luk. 1. 68 69. hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David This thankfulnesse may be perswaded by a double consideration the one more generall and the other more particular In generall because this ground of hope is revealed to us Gentiles and that upon no other account but Gods good pleasure â—his is M. Bains his Observation from the words before the Text God maketh known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles This was an high priviledge peculiar to the Jews that to them were committed the Rom. 3. 1. Eph. 1. 9. Oracles of God but how much greater is our preferment in these times God having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself And the Apostle elsewhere discoursing of some differences betwixt Old-Testament and New-Testament dispensations telleth us that the Gospel bringeth in a better hope by which we draw nigh to God More particularly in Heb. 7. 19. reference to our own persons take notice of these things 1. That the revelation of this should reach our understandings when multitudes of more pregnant capacities Mat. 11. 25 26 continue ignorant hereof I thank thee O Father said Christ Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Evenso Father for it seemeth good in thy sight 2. That we do not only perceive but also participate personally in this hope through Jesus Christ whereas there are millions whose heads are full of this light and yet their hearts are empty of this lively hope of glory by Christ And if I by grace be a partaker saith Saint Paul I give God 1 Cor. 10. 30. thanks 3. That the riches of the glory of this Inheritance hoped for by the Saints is unexpressible And that we may be abundantly Eph. 1. 18. thankfull for this hope in Christ as we should pray for a more clear apprehension thereof so should we endeavour to know assuredly our peculiar interest therein by finding the Lord Jesus dwelling in our hearts by his Spirit Because my Text tels us That Christ in us is the hope of glory which is the next and last Doctrine here considerable That Christ by being in beleevers is unto them the hope of Doct. 4 glory The existency of Christ in beleeving Christians giveth existency to their hopes of glory This connexion of Christ in them and of their glory through him is considerable in his most heavenly Prayer in which having spoken of the glory given unto them with the same breath as it were he suggests Joh. 17. 22 23. Vnde colligimus nos unum cum Christo esse non quia suam in nos substantiam transfundat sed quia Spiritus sui virtute nobiscum vitam suam quicquid accepit a Patre bonorum communicet Calvin in Joh. 17. 22. Act. 20. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 19. his being in them The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them c. Before I proceed in the further handling of this doctrine These words which speak the in-being of Christ in Christians do call for some explication Therefore let us enquire 1. Both what the phrase doth not 2. And what it doth hold forth to our consideration First It doth not intimate such a being of Christ in any Christian as of the Godhead in Christ by reason whereof Godhead and Manhood in Christ made one person in regard whereof he was from his conception absolutely free from the least tincture of sinne and was made able to compleat the work of Mediatorship both by bearing up under the infinite weight of Gods displeasure without sinking and also to give sufficient vertue and value unto his obedience active and passive that it might be satisfactory and meritorious Gal. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 22. â— Joh. 1. 12. But it doth suggest Christs peculiar abode in beleevers by his Spirit being received by faith whereby he dwelleth and operateth spiritually in their hearts Naturae nomen hic non substantiam sed qualitatem designat Naturae divinae mundi corruptionem opponit Vt siâ—us unum cum Deo quantum modulus noster fâ—ret Calvio in 2 Pet. 1. 4. which union betwixt him and them doth in some measure by way of similitude though not fully in way of parity represent the union betwixt his father and himself And whereas the Apostle Peter speaketh of our being made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. which words are much abused There are two things notable from that Scripture to manifest the difference betwixt Christ and Christians in that participation 1. The words are not we are made partakers of the God-head but of the divine nature viz. of the qualities of God according to our capacity whereby we escape that corruption which is in the world through lust and do in holy dispositions resemble God so far as such creatures can As David speaketh of shewing the kindenesse of God unto Jonathans posterity 2 Sam. 20. 15. whereas God-head it self was in such sort in Christ 1 Tim. 3. 16. that he was God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. coequall with God the Father Phil. 2. 6. 2. The Apostle Peter is open and expresse that Christians are partakers of the divine nature in the sense aforesaid by means of the exceeding great and precious promises of Gods grace whereas Christ was God by an eternall naturall unexpressible generation Having thus briefly explicated the expression in the Text and the like used by our Saviour I proceed to
foretold of him both substantiall and circumstantiall were exactly fullfilled in him The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Ioh. 1. 14. Jesus Christ These things I only touch upon without enlargement Secondly In relation to his people Christ is the riches of Christus est nobis thesaurus spiritualium divitiarum Day in Text. 1 Cor. 2. 7. the Gospels glory The blessed Apostle is very open in his expression to this purpose We speak the hidden wisedom of God which God ordained unto our glory Many rich and glorious are the true Christians advantages from Jesus Christ I shall briefly point at four which St Paul hath recorded together in Eph. 1. And before I mention the particulars the generall which he premiseth being very comprehensive is worthy consideration Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Eph. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenlies in Christ The Originall neither restraineth the word Heavenly to places or things but the holy Ghost hinteth thus much That whatsoever spirituall blessings which are incomparably the best any Saints receive from the Lord either here upon earth or hereafter in heaven all are derived through Christ The particulars follow 1. Electing love is in Christ He hath chosen us in him before ver 4. the foundation of the world 2. Adoption into the right and priviledges of Gods children is by Christ Having predestinated us unto the Adoption ver 5. of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will 3. Fatherly acceptance with God pardoning all sins is upon the account of Jesus Christ He hath made us accepted ver 6 7. in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace 4. And the possession of our rich Inheritance is by reason of our co-heirship with Christ Jesus In whom also we have ver 11 12. Neque solum gratiam omnem inherentem habemus a Christo derivatam sed gratiam acceptationis divinae ad vitam aeternam habemus Dav. in Text. Vse 1. obtained an Inheritance c. that we should be unto the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ These short touches may be sufficient to clear the truth of the doctrine I proceed to the Application Ministers therefore should in this regard the more abundantly preach Christ Our Apostle having in the Text told the Colossians that Christ is the riches of the glorious Gospel he addeth immediately in the verse following whom we preach yea this is considerable that when Paul was a prisoner for such preaching he maketh this the greatest boon to be begg'd of God in his behalf that he might have liberty with ability to declare such things unto them in his Ministry Continue in prayer withall praying for us that God Col. 4. 2 3 4. would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the Mystery of Christ for which I am also in bonds that I may make it manifest The like request he maketh unto the Ephesians Pray Eph. 6. 18 19 20. alwaies in the Spirit c. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Ambassadour in bonds And he greatly glorieth in this as a transcendent honour That he was made a Minister of the Gosple to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see Eph. 3. 7 8 9. what is the fellowship of the mystery c. And this practice may prevalently be perswaded by the consideration of 1. The Ministers Office 2. The Peoples need First By Office We are Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2. and it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull In this respect we must produce for the honour of our Master and the use of his Family such Treasures with which he hath been pleased to entrust us As Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 53. brought forth Jewels of silver and Jewels of gold to win the heart of Rebecca to Isaac so should we spread before our people the unvaluable riches of Christ that we might work out their hearts unto him Secondly As our Office so the Peoples necessities do call for our help herein for there are hidden things herein as the word mystery intimateth 1 Cor. 2. 7. which very few understand in comparison of the multitudes who are palpably ignorant hereof This our Saviour suggests who having by the Parable of the Sower taught that not above one part of four receive saving profit by the Gospel preached among them he said unto his Disciples Vnto you it is given to know Luk. 8. 10. the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but unto others in Parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand And nothing that can possibly be taught is more usefull Vt sciant nihâ— doâ—â—ri posse absolutius Cal. in ver 28. and advantagious Hereby the proud heart is most kindely humbled and the humbled heart most sweetly comforted This knowledge will enrich the poor in Spirit and keep them lowly who are rich in grace It will encrease the hatred of sinne the contempt of the world faith in the promises love to God Christian courage zeal patience together with humble boldnesse in addresses unto God upon all occasions It is the one thing necessary By means hereof as the Luk. 10. 42. Apostle hints in the verse following the Text Ministers may hope to present their people perfect in Jesus Christ But these things I do only name without enlargement yet before I dismisse this Use I desire leave to entreat my Brethren in the Ministry to minde the counsell and practice of this our Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 23. 18 19. viz. to study familiar plainnesse in unfolding these rich mysteries of glorious Gospel grace which are treasured up in Jesus Christ My second Use must be directed both unto Ministers and Vse 2 people To move them to seek more and more the knowledge of Christ Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in Col. 3. 16. Prov. 2. all wisedom How unweariedly labourious are men in digging into the bowels of the earth to finde and to fetch out the riches there Now of how little worth is all the worlds wealth being compared with Christ The Gospel is the treasure Mat. 13. 44 46 in the Field of which the Parable speaketh and Christ is that one Pearl of great price which is of more worth then any mans All. Therefore the Scriptures should be searched as Joh. 5. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men search for treasures to make further and fuller discoveries of Christ because in him eternall life and all things conducible thereunto are to be enjoyed Saint Paul who by experience knew the worth of
walk after our own devices Ier. 18. 11 12. and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart Or if the razing of hopes foundations doth not produce such wretched wicked resolutions with what sinkings and dolefull despondency will the awakened Soul be overwhelmed Our Proverb saith Was it not for hope the heart would break Therefore sleight not mine advice neither delay the use of Gods means to gain a well-grounded hope Isa 38. 18. of your eternal salvation your life is both short and uncertain And they who go down into the pit cannot hope for Gods truth Now for your help herein I shall in my next doctrine leade you to Christ who is the true Christians hope of glory That Christ is unto faithfull Christians the hope of glory Doct. 3 As my Text speaks this truth in open words so elsewhere our Apostle thus expresseth himself The Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 1. 1. Luk. 2. 28 29 30. which is our hope And here Simeon anchored his hope of heaven for he taking Christ in his arms said Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation For the clearing of this Point there are two things enquirable 1. What is meant by Hope of glory 2. How Christ is to be accounted the Christians Hope of glory First The hope of glory 1. Either signifieth the glory hoped for as it 's taken in many other Scriptures The hope laid up for you in heaven ver 5. Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Or the glorious hope the grace of hope whereby the Soul desirously expecteth future everlasting glory according to the words of this our Apostle I know that this shall tend to my salvation according to my earnest expectation and Phil. 1. 19 20. hope Secondly Christ may truly be called the hope of glory in both these senses 1. Being the glory of his people Israel viz. the matter the Luk. 2. 32. Gloriam quam speramus Christus est gloria quam habemus quam habituri simus Rolloc in Text Ioh. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. object of their chiefest glory both here and hereafter He is the Christians All both upon earth and in heaven Christ is the glory of heaven the very heaven of heaven 2. And being the root from whence holy hope and all other graces do spring From his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace And whom we beholding as in a glasse we all are changed from glory to glory Grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfited and both these we have from Jesus Christ For the further opening and evidencing of this Doctrine viz. That Christ is the hope of glory Consider that a Christians hope is attributed 1. Efficiently to God the Father working it by the holy Ghost The God of hope cause you to abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost 2. Instrumentally Rom. 15. 13. to the word of God which is the word of his grace Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written that Rom. 15. 4. we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 3. Evidentially to the work of saving grace in the soul manifesting it self by its operations there God gives good 2 The. 2. 16. hope through grace whether faith Rom. 15. 13. or love 1 Joh. 3. 14. or any other sanctifying frame of heart 4. And yet in a way of peculiarity Christ is the Christians hope which our Apostle intends in this Text wherein there is some Emphasis The hope that hope He is singularly eminently the hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1. 3. of glory Fundamentally our hope of heaven is built upon him Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ saith the Apostle Now the true Christians hope of glory is raised out of Christ 1. Upon that federall transaction which passed betwixt God the Father and Christ his Sonne The Apostle speaking of the Covenant thus expresseth himself To Abraham Gal. 3. 16. and his Seed were the Promises made He saith not And to his Seeds as of many but as of one And to thy Seed which is Christ And hither as I humbly conceive we may referre that passage in our Saviours Prayer unto his Father relating to himself Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should Ioh. 17. 2. give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Upon this account the Apostle seemeth to encourage hope In hope of Tit. 1. 2. eternall life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began For unto whom besides Christ could the Almighty then viz. before the world began be engaged by any promise Prov. 8. 22 32 33. Solomon doth suggest transactions betwixt God and Christ his essentiall wisedom before the Creation concerning the welfare of man amongst which transactions doubtlesse this was one that through him beleevers should have hope of glory 2. Because of his satisfactory Passion For whereas sinne committed against God and Gods wrath kindled against man Heb. 3. 17 18. are the only hindrances of entrance into glory Against them who sinned God sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest The Lord Jesus by his sufferings did break into pieces those barres and made way for Christians admission into Heb. 9. 26. 1 Thes 1. 10. glory For he took away sinne by the Sacrifice of himself and Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come As he removeth guilt by satisfying divine justice so he quenched the flames of Gods anger by the shedding of his bloud And hereupon followeth hope of glory 3. By vertue of his meritorious purchase The Apostle Eph. 1. 14. calleth a glorified estate in heaven The purchased possession received by Redemption whereas man had made forfeiture of his happinesse which consisted in communion with God and was altogether unable to ransome it the Lord Jesus bought it back again by his perfect obedience which was esteemed of valuable consideration for so great a purchase because of the infinite excellency of his person being both Heb. 10. 7 9 44. God and man Though man through the worthlesnesse of his person and weaknesses of his best performances cannot deserve the least accommodation from the Lord yet mans hope of glory is upheld by the deserts of Emmanuell of Rom. 8. 3 4. Christ God with us 4. Through the effectuall prevalency of his prayer Christ said with confidence unto his Father I know that thou hearest me alwaies And this was one great Request which Ioh. 11. 42. he made Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Ioh. 17. 24. which thou hast given me for thou hast loved me before the Foundation of the world This Petition is a good prop to support hope of glory in a
the handling of the point of doctrine here propounded And because the doctrine hath two branches the one necessarily implied the other openly expressed I shall distinctly speak unto them both The truth implied in the first branch of the doctrine is 1. Branch of Doctrine Joh. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. this viz. that Christ is in Beleevers As beleevers do receive him so he dwelleth in their hearts by faith And therefore it is noteable that the Apostle having moved the Corinthians to prove themselves whether in the faith he addeth Know 2 Cor. 13. 5. ye not that Jesus Christ is in you This in-being of Christ in beleevers is to be understood not of an abode in them or any where else on earth corporally for in that sense the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of Act. 3. 21. all things but of an habitation spirituall according to the testimony of the Apostle Because ye are Sonnes God hath Gal. 4. 6. sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Thereby intending to teach us that Christ is in beleeving Christians spiritually And this truth is by various metaphors suggested in the holy Scriptures 1. By being compared unto showrs which descending from heaven do sink and soak into the bowels of the earth He shall come down like rain 2. And his Name Psa 72. 6. Cant. 1. 3. Psa 109. 18. is like unto ointment poured forth which worketh it self into the bones not staying upon the outside of the person receiving it 3. He is meat and drink indeed unto the soul from Joh. 6. 55 56. whence he himself concludeth my doctrine He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him 4. Hereto might be added that he is the soul of our souls whereby we live spiritually Christ is our Life And mans life Col. 3. 4. Dan. 7. 15. is said to be in him 2 Sam. 1. 9. The body is called the sheath of the Soul which expression hinteth that the soul is in the body as the sword in the scabbard In like manner Christ who is the Christians life is in all them whom he enliveneth Having thus cleared the truth that Christ is in beleeving Vse 1 Christians I proceed to the application of it under three heads of Uses First For Instruction in four particulars 1. Hence the Godhead of Jesus Christ may be concluded undeniably for this spirituall ubiquity of Christ in the souls of all reall Saints in all the places of the world cannot belong unto any meer creature whatsoever This argument Saint Paul produced Act. 17. 23 24 27 28. to distinguish the true God from all Idol-gods He is not far from every one of us Omnipresence proveth Deity And the conclusion followeth with like strength when beleevers assert this truth He is in every one of us 2. This discovereth the unparellel'd condescentions of Jesus Jesus Christ being willing to abase himself thus low as to be within poor sinfull creatures This was a matter of admiration 1 King 8. 27. Mat. 8. 8. unto Solomon But will God indeed dwell on earth The good Centurion said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof And the Psalmist with much affection calleth upon all the servants of the Lord to praise him and Psa 113. 1 3 5 6. praise him again upon this account Who is like unto the Lord God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth Did God humble himself in looking out of himself off from his own infinite beauties and perfections to view either men on earth or Angels and Saints in heaven How much greater is this condescention in Christ to make his abode in the souls of sinners Let me here dart only two thoughts into your mindes 1. That Christ came out of his Fathers bosome where he Joh. 1. 18. Prov. 8. 30. was daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him 2. That the hearts of the best upon earth wherein he inhabits are like dark dungeons in regard of the clouds of ignorance not dispersed 1 Cor. 13. 12. Isa 64. 6. and like unsavoury dunghils in respect of many noysome lusts not fully subdued Therefore guess with gratitude how low our blessed Lord doth stoop in being content to dwell in us even in us every way so vile and so unworthy 3. This giveth us to understand the dignity of all true beleevers As they are precious excellent more excellent then Isa 43. 4. Psa 16. 2. Prov. 12. 26. others in many other respects which I now have not occasion to mention so upon this account that the Lord Jesus Christ is in them Moses the man of God judgeth Israel in this regard in a condition farre better then any other people For what Nation hath God so nigh unto them And how Deut. 4. 7. much was Zacheus affected with the apprehension of this favour this honour when Christ promised to abide at his house When he had climed into a tree to take a view of Luk. 19. 5. Christ and Christ telleth him that he should not only have a transient sight of him but also enjoy him as his guest oh how was Zacheus think you elevated by this entertainment Now such and greater honour have all his Saints Psa 149. 9. It was no doubt a very great honour put upon the blessed Virgin Mary both in her own account and in the judgement Luk. 1. 42 43 48 49. of all Christians that she did bear the holy body of Christ in her womb for a time He that is mighty hath magnified me and certainly the inhabitation of Christ by his Spirit in the souls of his servants is not a priviledge inferiour 4. This whispereth the madnesse and misery of all such who do dare to make opposition against beleevers for seeing Christ is in them therefore in so doing they seek as it were to pluck down Christ his house upon his head I shall not enlarge this Use 1. Either by shewing the various waies whereby wrong is done unto the servants of the Most High viz. by secret plots and open persecutions either by abating their comforts or encreasing their sufferings either by corrupting their judgements or drawing them to sin 2. Or by manifesting Christs knowledge and sensiblenesse of these their injuries together with his severity against their enemies witnessed both by judgements threatned in his Word and executed in the world from generation to generation But I only wish those who are herein guilty to minde the Item given by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are The second Use is for the comfort of all true beleevers Vse 2 seeing Christ is in them I remember what is recorded concerning Paul that the
the earnest of the Spirit Therefore if Gods own earnest may give good hope then Christ in beleeving Christians giveth good hope of glory especially because the earnest it self is of so great value the receiving whereof is happinesse begun upon earth 2. Because of that near relation and close union which is betwixt Christ and them whom he inhabiteth They are not only related unto him as servants unto their Master though that would give ground of good hope Seeing he himself who is taken up into glory hath said Where I am there shall my servant be Neither are they only one with him Ioh. 12. 26. Joh. 15 5. Col. 1. 18. Ephes 1. 23. He in them and they in him as the branches in the Vine But he is united unto beleevers as the head unto the body which is called his fullnesse Therefore if there be hope that Christ will have a compleat body without the defect of any member in heaven or that every individuall member of Christ his mysticall body shall be glorified then Christ in beleevers is the infallible hope of glory 3. Because Christ by abiding in Beleevers doth prepare them for participation in glory The Apostle Paul is clear in his expressions to this purpose Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life Rom. 8. 9 10 11. because of righteousnesse But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Wheresoever Christ dwels spiritually his Spirit operateth effectually for the subduing of sinfull principles and for the advancing of the power of sanctification And thus he preparing the vessels of mercy for glory and making them meet to be made pantakers of the inheritance of Rom. 8. 23. Col. 1. 12. Saints in light he giveth them sure hope of glory This by way of application may serve as a good touchstone Vse 1 to try the truth of heavens hopes Not Christ in the Sermons which we hear nor Christ in the Chapters which we reade nor Christ in the Sacrament which we receive will administer ground of hope of future glory Though Christ be in our heads by high notions and in our mouths by frequent glorious expressions yet if he be not in our bosomes by spirituall inhabitation he is not unto us the hope of glory It is said of hypocrites that God is near in their mouths Jer. 12. 2. Mat. 15. 8. but farre from their reins And that with their lips they honour him but their heart is farre from him At the last day many shall pleade their profession of Christ calling him Lord Lord and talking of great works done in his Name who yet shall shall be rejected with doleful disappointments I will professe unto them saith Christ I never knew you depart from Mat. 7. 23. me Here then the question will be how may Christ his being in us be discovered I answer briefly 1. By the grace of Per fidem habitans virtute sua agens Hunnius in Text. Joh. 1. 12. faith whereby he is received 2. By the room into which he is welcomed 3. And by the effects of his entertainment First Whereas true Beleevers are the only receivers of Jesus Christ This faith will evidence it self partly by the incomparable value which it puts upon Christ To you who beleeve saith the Apostle Peter he is precious and partly by opposing 1 Pet. 2. 7. and purging out sinfull pollution that Christ may not be annoyed by it The heart is purified by faith Therefore ask your Act. 15. 9. selves as in Gods presence whether there be any thing in the world which you prize more then Christ or so much as Christ and whether you do indulge any wickedness within your bosomes without bitter complaints and vigorous opposition Secondly Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith The Spouse Eph. 3. 17. Can. 1. 13. saith He shall lie as a bundle of Myrrhe betwixt my breasts Therefore consider into what place Christ is welcomed Do you admit him into some out-house only As at his birth he was laid in a manger because there was no room for him in Luk. 2. 7. the Inne Or do you put him into a cock-loft only I mean Do you only fill your fancies with notions and tip your tongues with talk of Christ or is he indeed received with warm welcome into your hearts by longings loves and rejoycings Thirdly Whereas Christ is influentially operative in the soul where he resideth as the soul in the body where it is Christ is our life saith Paul and I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Enquire Col. 3. 4 Gal. 2. 20. therefore exactly whether by such spirituall breathings sense and motions as were in Jesus Christ whilest upon earth you can make out your union and communion with him He 1 Joh. 2. 6. that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked what gaspings are in you after conformity to Gods will and the glory of his Name what sighs under sin with the expressions of divine displeasure what complacency in Gods service and the smiles of his face in the use of holy Ordinances what motions what progresse do you endeavour to make from sinne towards God in the mortifying of inward lusts and the advancing of the power of godlinesse in your conversations Sincere answers returned unto such like demands will suggest whether Christ be efficaciously present in you This truth administreth matter of much comfort unto all Vse 2 them who finde upon due examination the Lord Jesus dwelling in them When Zacheus heard that Christ would abide Luk. 19. 6. in his house he received him joyfully Greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts Now to quicken the belevevers joy upon that account viz. that Christ in them is the hope of glory these comfortable consequences may be considered 1. Hence they may assuredly expect the supply of all outward wants whether they look upon themselves as possessed of Christ or entitled by him unto glory The holy Scripture holds forth this inference as deducible from both these grounds Christ is the owner the heir of all things and therefore if God hath given us his Sonne how shall he not with him freely give us all things And if the Lord by the right Rom. 8. 32. of Christ hath been pleased to give interest in heavens glory he will certainly vouchsafe all earthly needfull accommodations This conclusion Christ himself gathers from the premises Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure Luk. 12. 32. to give you the Kingdom And the Apostle doth from the same
Argument assert the ministration of Angels for their advantage Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to Heb. 1. 15. minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Therfore assurance of provision and protection is hence clearly deducible 2. Upon the same account they may be confident of their final perseverance The Apostle Peter having asserted the hope which the Regenerate have of this glorious Inheritance referved in heaven for them he addeth Gods care to preserve them unto the possession thereof who are kept 1 Pet. 1. 4 5 13. saith he by the power of God through faith unto salvation and from hence encourageth this confidence Wherefore gird up the loins of your mindes and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ There are but two things as I conceive which can possibly endanger their falling short of hoped-for glory viz. either their own corruptions within or their oppositions from without Now Christ being in them and taking the care of them doth secure their souls from both as is manifest from his own words I give them eternal life and they shall never perish Joh. 10. 28. neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand The glosse which reverend holy Mr Dod gave of this Scripture was this Whereas Sheep are endangered either from somewhat within them viz. by the rot or some disease to which subject or from somewhat without them viz. by dogs and beasts of prey Our Saviour promiseth that the Sheep of his fold shall not miscarry finally from either of these dangers And Christ annexeth an argument which holds invincible against all adverse power whatsoever whether within or without whether on earth or in hell My Father which gave them me ve 29. Rom. 8. 35 37. is greater then All Upon this bottome Saint Paul builds his triumph Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us 3. Therefore nothing which is consistible with Christs residence in a Christians bosome should shake his hope of glory Neither weaknesse of graces nor strength of lusts neither the assaults of Satan how horrid violent frequent soever nor imperfections in holy performances how many or constant soever which militate against the beleevers assurance should sink either hope or heart except Christs utter absence from the soul could from thence be undeniably concluded The Apostle Paul having mentioned his constant conflict and his frequent foyls in the 7. of the Romans yet addes in the end of the Chapter his joy in Christ I thank God through Jesus Christ and asserts in the beginning of the Chapter following There is no condemnation unto them who are in Christ Jesus Augustine while Christ was in his Desperare non audeo Per quem gloriam vitae aeternae expectare debetis Vatab. in Text. eye said I dare not despond And Christians should both with respect unto Christs honour and their own comfort make conscience not to yield to dejecting doubts or perplexing fears in reference to their glory in heaven while the matter of their complaints is no more then may possibly be found in the soul where Christ dwelleth Certainly if doubting Christians would carefully hold unto this direction maintaining and bottoming their hopes in Christ multitudes of scruples might easily be answered and their evidences for heaven would be better preserved and their constant comfort well secured This anchor of hope thus cast out Heb. 6. 19. and fastening upon Christ would be admirably usefull when billows of temptations as in a tempest beat upon the beleeving soul And the Helmet of this hope thus used would keep 1 Thes 5. 8. off many blows whereby the comforts of distrustfull spirits are sadly battered 4. This may be a precious cordiall to the beleever upon his death-bed It was reviving unto old Simeon being ready to leave the word Then he took Christ in his Arms and blessed Luk. 2. 28 29 30. God and said Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation How many and how sweet soever our contentments are upon earth of which Gaudium in spe magnum in replenum Aug. Phil. 1. 21. 23. death will deprive us yet Christ being in us the hope of glory to die will be gain and to be with Christ will be farre better And who is not cheerfully willing in a way of self-love to part with that which is worse for what is much better The doctrine may be improved by exhortation 1. To Vse 3 them in whom Christ is the hope of glory 2. To others who as yet have not received him First Those who possesse Christ and hope of glory through him are to be perswaded 1. To contentment with their present condition upon earth though it be mean and low The heirs of vaste estates in the world can the better bear hardship during their nonage though their diet be scanty their lodging hard and their cloathing course because they hope that ere long all will be better Who knoweth not the poverty of Jesus Christ The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have their nests Mat. 2. 20. but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head And yet he is comfortably contented as in respect of his present enjoyment of God as his portion so in reference to his expectation of future glory The Lord is the Pertion of mine Inheritance Psa 16. 5 6 11 The lines are allen unto me in pleasant places In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore The Apostle Paul seeks by this argument to raise the Christian Colossians above sublunaries When Christ Col. 3. 4. who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Oh how admirably would such meditations elevate the discontented Christian with calmnesse and complacency if they were set on by faiths activity 2. To patience in bearing reproaches with all other crosses for Christ in a Christian course keeping in their minde this hoped-for glory This Doctrine Christ himself both preached and practised Blessed are you when men shall revile Mar. 5. 11 12. you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven This was one passage in his Sermon and truly by this he was supported under his sufferings For the joy that was set before him he endured the Heb. 12. 2. Crosse despising the shame Having propounded Christs practice it may be judged needlesse to mention the example of Moses who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of Heb. 11. 25 26 God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Esteeming