he pleaseth to be Apostles Prophets or otherwise useful for perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the acknowledgment of the Son of God unto a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the age of Christ Eph. 4.8 11 12 13. Col. 2.3.9 That it is He that hath prevailed to open the book in the right hand of God and unâ—rose the seals and discover and declare the hidden Wisdom and secret Mysteries contained therein Rev. 5.1 6. The great Apostle faiâ—hful in all things to him that appointed him as Moses in all his house accounted worthy of more honor then Moses to be more acquainted and intimate with God even as his Son in his bosome and so fullier furnished for declaring his Glory and glorious grace and good-will and more faithful even as a son in his own house built by himself Whereas Moses was faithful but as a servant therein Wherefore as the Holy Ghost also saith to day if ye will hear his voice even his that is Gods own Son the heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds his who is the express character of his Fathers person and the brightness of his glory giving forth the fullest and brightest discovery of God and of his holy mind and will and speaking to us from heaven harden not your hearts c. Heb. 3.1 2 3 4 7. with 1.3 12.25 Secondly As the Priest in and High Priest over the house of God the most authorized and consecrated person consecrated with the Word of Gods Oath and after the power of an endless life by a sacrifice once offered for ever and that never needs to be iterated made a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck an everlasting Priest in the vertues of his once endured Death for us and therefore able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 A Priest upon the throne and so both a King and Priest the true Melchisedeck being both King of Righteousness and after that King of Peace working performing and commanding righteousnes and so commanding and prevailingly making and giving Peace far greater then Aaron Levi or Abraham Such a Priest as we needed and it behoved us to have being holy harmless undefiled and separated from sinners and made higher then the heavens Heb. 7.1.26 â—7 A great High Priest entred into the heavens even into Heaven it self by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle and by vertue not of the bloud of others as Aaron did into the figure of the heavens onely but of his own precious bloud and sacrifice Where he now appears in the presence of God for us having obtained eternal redemption Heb. 4.14 9.11 12 24. A faithful High Priest and therefore made like is brethren in all things that he might be so to make atonement and reconciliation for the people and to succour and help the tempted Heb. 2.17 18. To which end also he is both perfectly furnished with knowledge of our cases and conditions by reason both of his exceeding quickness and powerfulness as the VVord of God for searching into all things and piercing even to the dividing asunder the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart So as there is not any creature that is not manifested in his sight but all things are naked and opened as things anatomized and laid perfectly before his view Heb. 4.12 13. The Spirit that rests upon him making him quick of understanding Isa 11.2 3 4. And also as having had an experimental feeling of our infirmities and temptations as man in himself having himself suffered and been tempted yea tempted in all points like to us yet without sin and so the more acceptable and prevalent in his mediating and interceding with God for us And also perfectly merciful and compassionate towards us ready to plead for us and help us Heb. 2.17 18. with 4.15 5.1 2. So as we have great ground of encouragement from this consideration of his Priesthood and its perfection and his fitness by the vertues of his Sacrifice to make the worshippers of and comers to him and to God by him perfect to draw nigh and come with boldness to the throne of grace with true hearts and full assurance of faith to ask and receive grace and mercy to help us seasonably in all our trials and temptations Heb. 4.14 16. 9.14 10.19 22. Thirdly As a King he is set forth as furnished with the most sovereign Authority over all creatures in heaven earth and under the earth all things being put under him and the Throne and power of God given him in the manhood So as also to be every way accomplished to be the Law-giver Saviour and Judge He being indued also with all the fulness of the Spirit of counsel and might which resting upon him renders him both infinitely quick in understanding in the fear of the Lord and perfect in Righteousness in all his Government and the exercise of it Girded up in his loyns with righteousness and in his reins even in all his thoughts purposes and desires from whence issue all his words and motions for action with faithfulness Isa 11.2 3 4 5. Having a white horse under him as supported by his own Righteousness or as riding on the Heavens and having them at his command for the help of his subjects and riding swiftly and prosperously in all his Government Deut. 33.26 27. being called faithful and true and in righteousness judging and making war His eyes as a flame of fire discovering and trying all things And on his head are many Crowns Either as denoting his superlative Power or Jurisdiction over the many Countreys brought into an acknowledgment of him yea Kings and Kingdoms Or the many great Victories gotten by him over his enemies whether evil spirits or evil men engaging themselves against him and gotten by his truth against errour and impiety Or also the many praises ascribed to him And he hath a name Dignity Title Power which none knoweth but himself as signifying that he is exalted above all blessing and praise Neh. 9.5 and that none can set forth all his praises Ps 106.2 And he is clothed in a vesture dipt in bloud either because all his appearance in his Government to the spiritual eye is such as in which is manifested the vertue of his most precious Bloud Sufferings and Sacrifice for us Or because it represents the overthrow of his and our enemies And his name is called the Word of God as being the great speaker forth and Interpreter of the knowledge of God to us And he hath a sword that goeth out of his mouth A sharp cutting word full of killing convincing efficacy to all that stands cross to him which is therefore said to go out
134.1 2. and Maidens Prov. 9.3 Great possessions of small and great Cattel above all others Heb. 2.6 7 8. with Psal 8.7 8. Yea The Silver and Gold is his Hag. 2.8 And the peculiar delights of Kings Cant. 1.4 and 3.9 10. Yea he hath Men-singers and Women-singers Psal 68.25 And the delights of the Sins of men Eccles 2.4 5 6 7 8. c. Psal 37.4 And all these are comfortable 6. It makes much also for our comfortable Living to have all such Gifts and Offices afforded us or persons indued with and set in them Wise and Faithful to use and discharge them as we stand in need of in their Exercise And he is and affords all such useful Mercies to us as flow from such Gifts and Offices needful for us â—â— to instance First We are foolish and need Instruction and Counsel He is the Counsellor to instruct and counsel us and Counsel even the Spirit of Counsel is with and upon him that he might direct and advise us Isa 9.6 and 11.2 Prov. 8.14 And he is free to counsel us yea calls us to him to hear him and receive his Instruction and is angry with men for nothing so much is because they will not be Counselled and Ruled by him Prov. 8.22 23. and 19.20 and 1.22 24 25 26 27 28 29 c. Secondly We are full of Diseases in our Souls and Spirits full of spiritual Weaknesses and Distempers possessed with evil Spirits or humours c. And he is the great Physitian and the good One going about and doing good and healing tendering healing to and ready to heal all that are oppressed of the Devil not denying or turning away any unhealed what ever be their spiritual Distempers that come unto him will wait upon him and be his Disciples and follow his Counsels Mat. 9.12 Acts 10.38 Yea he is both the Physitian and the Physick Gods salvation and saving health Psal 67.2 The knowledg of him healeth he that abides in him sinneth not he that sinneth hath not seen him nor known him 1 John 3.6 Thirdly We are beset with Enemies and he is the Man of War the Lord of Hosts to vanquish them for us and deliver us from them Exod. 15.3 6. Who hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and by his own Arm and his own Right-hand got himself the Victory and Triumphed over them through his Cross gloriously Col. 2.15 Psal 98.1 2. Exod. 15.2 Hath overcome the world and gives us the Victory through the Faith of him John 16.33 1 John 5.3 4. Fourthly We need Comfort and such to comfort us as know our Disturbances and Troubles and how to apply comfort to us and he hath the Tongue of the Learned and knows how to speak a word in season to the weary soul Isa 50.4 5. Having through Afflictions and Temptations gained all Experience â—he is fit to Sympathize with us comfort and succour us in all our Temptations Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 Yea he is the great Master of the Musick that makes and tunes Instruments to sound forth Melodiously his Praises and Plays skilfully upon them to make chearful his Friends and Servants the Prophet Ezekiel was as a Song of such a one Ezek. 33.32 Fifthly We are apt to Inthral our selves and we need a Redeemer and Redemption and he is both the Redeemer of Israel Isa 54.5 And made unto us of God Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Buying us out from Gods displeasure and bringing us out from Bondage to Sin and Satan 1 Cor. 6.19 John 8.36 Sixthly We are Travellers and need a Conductor and Leader and God hath given him for a Leader to us Isa 55.4 Seventhly We are Souldiers and need a Captain and Commander and God hath given us him for a Commander Isa 55.4 The Author and Captain of our salvation Heb. 2.10 and 5.9 Eightly We are apt to fall out with one another and offend God and he is the Peace-maker the Peace between God and us and us with one another listning to and minding him he will Reconcile us and Unite us together Ephes 2.13 14.16 The Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 Yea the King of Righteousness and King of Peace Heb. 7.1 2. And our Mediatour and Advocate and Interceder with God when we offend him 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 7.25 Isa 53.12 1 John 2.2 7. There are many Services and Ministries useful and needful for the Lifes welfare and the comfortable Accomodations of men therein and such is his great Charity and Humility that Took upon himself the form of a Servant and was sound in Fashion as a man that to help us he refuses not to serve us in love setting us an Example of like Love and Humility that we also might serve one another in Love Not out of meanness of Spirit for he needs us not nor is there any more high and lofty then he Isa 57.15 But it 's his Love and great Condescention to us who Came not to be Ministred to but to Minister and to give his Life a Ransome for many Mat. 20.28 And was as one that served while his Disciples were as those that sit at Table Luke 22.27 And so 1. We are stript naked by our sins and our shame is laid open and we can of our selves get nothing but Fig-leaves to cover us and keep us warm now He not only provides us and is our clothing as we have noted but also makes them for us and puts them on us The Lord God made Coats of the skins of Beasts for Adam and his Wife and cloathed them Gen. 3.7 21. Now all things that were made were made by Christ Joh. 1.3 and therefore also those Coats for our first Parents and He hath made and must make our Garments for us and cloth us still Isa 61.10 Though he also requite us in his strength to put them on us putting off and laying aside our own raggs as he helps us Eph. 4.21 22 23. Rom. 13.13 14. 2. We need meat and he not only is it but also prepares it for us and is ready to minister it to us Wisdom hath prepared her feast she hath killed her killing she hath mingled her Wine and furnished her Table and as she useth the Ministry of her Maid-servants to call in her Guests so she also cryeth with them Pro. 9.2 3 4. And he tells his Disciples that if they watch for him and his coming he will make them to sit down to meat and he will gird himself and serve them Luc. 12.37 3. We need Habitations and Tents to dwell in and eat and drink in and he is the builder of the house for us Wisdom hath built her house she hath hewed out her Seven Pillars Prov. 9.1 And he that builds the house is more worthy honour then the house Heb. 3.3 And it s he that builds the house of God laying the foundation and bringing up the Head-stone and so finishing it Zech. 4.7 9. and 6.12 13. So that as he in the flesh was called the Carpenter so also now he disdains
I begotten thee And Sit thou on my right hand till I make thy foes thy foot-stool Heb. 1.5.13 Yea All the fullness of the God-head dwells in him bodily Col. 2.9 2. A State of greater Authority Power and Majesty For he is set above all Authorities Principalities Powers Thrones Might or Dominion yea and every name that is named not only in this World but in that which is to come Eph. 1.21 For He hath put all things under his feet And Given him to be Head over all things to his Church ver 22. The Head top or chief of all Principality and Power Col. 2.10 Not only Lord of Lords and King of Kings Gods first-born higher then the Kings of the Earth As Rev. 17.14 19.16 Psal 89.27 But he is also A great King above all Gods Psal 95.2 Angels and Principalities and Powers being made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 Lord of all Act. 10.36 Being made in the Nature of Man so much better higher and more glorious then the Angels at he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they being not only owned of God as his Son begotten by him from the dead to all this excelâ—ent glory dignity and majesty even to be set at his right hand on the Throne of Majesty in the highest Heb. 1.3 4 5 13. 8.1 But as set on Gods own Throne Rev. 3.21 So as it 's said to all other Potestates and Powers Let all the Angels of God Or as in Psal 97.7 Worship him all ye Gods And again to him it is said Thy Throne O God endureth for ever The Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a Sceptre of Righteousness or a right Sceptre Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Above all other Gods Potentates or Powers among either Men or Angels And thou Lord Jehovah in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou remainest they shall all wax old as a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them Or fold them up And they shall be changed but thou endurest and thy years shall not fail Heb. 1.6 8 9 10 11 12. Yea the Angels are all Ministring Spirits to him commanded by him and with one consent proclaim him the excellent and worthy one Worthy to receive Power and Riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Rev. 5.11.12 In a word All Authority and Power in Heaven and over the Earth is given unto him And all that the Father hath is his Even all the Authority Power and fullness of the Father and it pleases to dwell in him Mat. 28.18 John 16.14 15. Col. 1.19 2.9 So that it may well be said as the Prophet foresaw That He is exalted extolled and very high Higher then Moses then Adam or David as some Jewish Criticks observe from the letters of the word Translated very being made up of the initial letters of those three Names Yea and should they to Adam joyn Abraham too whose name begins with the same letter their observation might hold true Isa 52.13 And herein also he is lifted up and so it behoved that he should be that he should suffer such things as he did and so should enter into Glory Luk. 24.26 That he might exercise and discharge the most glorious Offices most useful for us and most honourable for himself for and concerning our welfare and happiness Such as wherein he answers to all the most excellent and honourable things and persons under the Law and among the Israel after thâ— flesh that was lifted up to any honourable and useful Office or Service as the Covenant of Circumcision the Sabbaoth Sacrifices Temple c. Of which I may say more elsewhere I shall here only mention such Offices as were estated upon and exercised by most honourable persons amongst them as 1. The Prophets were holy and honourable persons and the office of a Prophet a most excellent useful and honourable imployment they having intercourse and Power with God and receiving their message from him for directing the people into the knowledge of him and of his mind and will concerning them Whence that of God to Abimelech concerning Abraham Restore the man his wife For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee Gen. 20.7 And Do my Prophets no harm Psal â—05 15 The Son of Man was to be and is lifted up into that honour and office For this is he of whom it was said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Deut. 18.15 18. With Act. 3.22 23. The Great Prophet And The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Rev. 19.10 The Great Light In his Testimony Word and Doctrine and the true Light lightning every man coming into the World Who came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth on and followeth him may not abide in darkness but see the Light of Life John 1.9 8.12 12.46 And so I might say also of the Apostles That they were highly honourable and useful as to their office and he is the Great Apostle of our Profession Heb. 3.1 2. The Priests were holy and honourable Persons under the Law in respect of their Office And the Priesthood a most honourable and useful Office for making attonement and Reconciliation for the People by offering gifts and Sacrifices for them to that purpose their lips keeping Knowledge also and teaching the People the Law And Christ the Son of Man was to be and is exalted to that Honour and Office to be the Priest the great High Priest after the order of Melchisedech As God did raise him up to be his Prophet and Apostle giving him that honour and glory that no man in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth was found worthy of even to open the book of Gods Counsels and unloose the Seals of it and unfold the Mysteries therein contained Rev. 5.2 3 6. So he gave him also the honour and Office of the Priest-hood For no man takes to himself that honour of the High Priest-hood but he that is called of God as Aaron was Wherefore Christ also glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Said also to him Thou art a Priest to me for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Yea the Lord sware and will not repent saying Thou art a Priest for ever c. Heb. 5.3 4 5. c. 3. Whereas some of the Prophets or Priests had other additional honours beside merely their being Prophets and Priests or the like Christ is lifted up in this his glory unto such honour also As to say 1. Whereas Moses was also a Deliverer of them by the Power of God out of
and trusted to as the great Devise and Ordinance of God for our Salvation attended after an especial and singular manner with his divine presence and blessing â— Cor. 1.21 22.23 24. Rom. 1.16 And so the Preaching of him and his Cross is the effectual means for saving them that believe Even as Moses did not nor might lay by the Serpent because made of Brass nor the people upon that account slight it as knowing it after the Flesh after the wisdom of the flesh or the outward matter and substance of it but knowing it after the Spirit as the Ordinance of God and accompanied with his presence and power He was to and did set it up and they were to look to it So ought we not knowing Christ after the flesh but after the Spirit not as many deluded persons who judging of him and all his ordinances and Messengers according to the Flesh that is after their own carnal Wisdom and according to the meanness of the outward and appearing substance both of him and them do therefore slight and fall off from both him and them not making use of or reverencing them nor looking for grace and blessing from him the Son of Man But as Gods holy ones who beheld him as Gods appointment and according to his Divine being and perfection and as commended by the holy Spirit so let us look to him for all help and Salvation in those Ordinances and ways that are of his appointing 5. As Moses lifted up the Serpent only and nothing with it or besides it as the appointment of God for healing those that were stung no medicine or plaster did he commend besides or with it nor any other Mettal however to appearance more pretious did he add or joyn to it nor any invention of his own or of any other mans whatsoever but simply and singly lifted up the Serpent of Brass and directed the people to behold it Indeed in lifting up the Serpent he lifted up the Pole also upon which it was or set it on an end but not as having any virtue of or in it self nor as any thing to be looked to for healing but only as a medium or means of lifting up the Serpent that it might be seen and that it not the Pole might have the wounded peoples eyes fixed upon it Even so must Christ be lifted up and nothing but He. Nothing with him or besides him the simplicity of the faith of him is to be kept Nothing else to be Preached â—or pointed to for any man to fix his eye upon and expect help from but only Christ Crucified as lifted up only and alone upon the Cross and so out of the Grave to Gods right hand for us No work of ours nor any other order or Ordinance of God or Man is to be joyned with him herein as the thing or person appointed of God to heal or save us or as the thing to be viewed eyed or trusted in for forgiveness life or righteousness No other name whether of thing or person given under Heaven whereby we must be saved but only the name of the Lord Jesus Because there is Salvation in none other besides him 2 Cor. 11.2 3. Act. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 2.2 If we look for life on either side of him Crucified we view a Thief that which robs him of the honour due alone to him and us of his grace and blessing Indeed the Ordinances of God are to be observed by us even as Moses also observed the command of God in taking a Pole and putting the Serpent upon it but as that was in order to the lifting up the Serpent not as attributing any thing of medicinableness to the Pole but only as a means to lift up the Serpent that it might be seen which God gave the virtue to or by So also Baptism and the Supper and Preaching and Prayer are to be used but not as if they of themselves were of any benefit to us but as Christ the Son of man is discovered to us and exhibited to our view by them or eyed in them They that use them or lift them up otherwise making them the objects of their hopes and the things as in themselves eyed by them abuse them and erre from the truth Those observations as Preaching namely though otherwise never so eloquent pithy witty zealous and so Baptism or the Supper though as to the outward observation never so right if any way they may be practised so as that they present not or men look beside the Son of Man they are but as if the Pole had been lifted up without the Serpent upon it And the eying them or prayer or any thing else beside or without Christ but as if the Pole had been eyed below or without the Serpent upon it It 's Christ only that should be the great object of our Preaching or commendation to people no work order or ordinance of and for it self nay no zeal humility love or the like are the things in which we are to seek our healing they may if right be of the effects and included in the health to be sought in and by Christ or pious frames in and for the lifting up of Christ but not the Medicine It 's only Christ that is to be shewed forth to men and looked upon by men that they might find healing and so that they might be rightly humble zealous loving holy c. And yet as the lifting up the Serpent alone did neither hinder the honour of God who had not been honoured if his order had been slighted and who was honoured in giving virtue and power to such his appointment however in it self unlikely and unable otherwise to produce such an effect nor was any hindrance to the desireableness or goodness or to mens actual desires of health and sound recovery but was a means to satisfie mens desires in obtaining the good and benefit of health So neither doth the lifting up only the Son of Man either dishonour nay but it highly honours God that sent him and gave him to us He that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father also Nor any whit detracts or derogates it from the desirableness excellency and usefulness or the desires after or pressing men to desire and follow after right holiness charity peace joy c. which are things only to be sought and obtained by and through the lifting up of and looking to Jesus as so lifted up only for us and therefore such lifting him up is the direct way to and furtherance of such virtues and virtuous desires and indeavours contrary to some mens ignorant suspicions and false accusations of such Doctrine and teaching But yet there is this great difference that the Serpent had no worth or usefulness in it self to speak of but in order to that health and safety through it to be effected in the looker on it But Christ is not only a means to virtue in us and to the reward of it but is in himself a person of