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
hath believed our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed For he shall grow up as a tender plant before him as a root out of a dry ground He hath no form nor comliness and when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief As an hiding of faces from him or from us or We hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Yea he was laden with â—corns and reproaches to the breaking of his heart Psal 69.20 He was reputed and reproached as a Wine-â—ibber and a Glutton because he came eating and drinkâ—ng Yea as a friend of Publicanes and Sinners Mat. 11. â—9 He was traduced and Blasphemed as if he had been â— Samaritan and had a Devil John 8.48 Yea as if he â—ast out Devills by Beel-zebub the Prince of Devills Luk. 11. 15. Nay they called him by the name of Beel-zebub the Prince of Devils himself as is implyed Mat. 10.25 They traduced his Doctrine and doings as if he was a Sabbath-breaker a Deceiver a Seducer of the people a Blasphemer an enemy to Caesar and whatsoever else Sathan and their own malice could suggest So that herein his visage was more marred then any mans and his form more then the Sons of men Isa 52.13 14. But how much more did they shew their low esteems of him in his Death when coming out against him as against a Thief or evil doer with Lanthorns and Torches Swords and Staves to apprehend him they took him with wicked hands and leading him away bound to the high-Priests from one to another from Anias to Caiaphas they there falsly accused and condemned him as guilty of Blasphemy and then offered manifold indignities to him They spit in his face buffeted him and smote him with the palmes of their hands taunted him reproached him and spake many things blasphemously against him Luk. 22.63 64 65. And in the mean while as one of his own Disciples had before betrayed him and the rest left him in his troubles and fled So the first and forwardest of them even Peter denied him Then he was led to the Civil Magistrate and there falsly cryed out against as a maintainer and keeper of Seditious Conventicles or Meetings For what else â—ignifie their sayings that he perverted the Nation and forbad Tribute to Caesar And the Magistrate even against his own mind and conscience was urged and perswaded to Condemn him and deliver him up to them to be Crucified wherein a Murtherer was let go and preferred before him when also the Powers of Darkness had their force upon him and both Jews and Gentiles insulted over him Herod and Pilate though enemies before were made friends about him The rude Soldiers offered all reproachful abuses to him they stript him and put on him a purple Robe in derision platted a Crown of Thornes put a Reed in his hand bowed the knee to him and cryed in mockage Hail King of the Jews Yea and then they spit on him smote him on the head and when they had done their mind to him led him away and Crucified him and therein also shewed their cruelty further in giving him Gall as it were in his meat and Vinegar to drink Psal 69.21 Yea the high Priests the Scribes Elders and rest of the people yea and very Malefactors taunted and reviled him as he hung upon the Cross And this the rather because the wrath and Curse due to us for our sins lying heavy on him he was filled with sorrow and deep distress and was as one weak in their hands that could not rescue himself from their abuses and cryed out as forsaken of God Whence they judged him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Though indeed He was wounded and tormented for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace fell upon him and through his stripes we are healed Isa 53.4 5. But these things did not appear to men in his humilation his judgment being taken away And therefore also in and after his Death they deemed him a Deceiver and took care to shut him up fast in his Sepulchre least his Disciples stealing him away in the night should cry him up as if he was risen from the Dead Which they also suborned the Soldiers to report when he was risen That so they might still keep him from finding any credit or respect in the World Whence also he was yet through the false and subtile endeavours of men and Devils God permitting it both as a just punishment upon and means of hardning the impenitently wicked for their malicious wickedness and as an occasion of the more clear manifestation of his Divine Power and Virtue to such as he accounted worthy thereof vilified and contemned in his Doctrine and blasphemed in his Person after his Resurrection by all whose eyes through unbelief Sathan prevailed to blind That the light of the glory of the Gospel of Christ the Image of God should not shine into them 2 Cor 4.4 And so he stands yet in the hearts of the Jews the vail being hitherto over their hearts and too much in truth as to the hearty esteem of him and faith in him in and among the Gentiles yea even the professed Christians too who too generally strip him of his own apparel his own appearance as represented in the plain faithful preaching of the Gospel And put on him a purple Robe rendring him as a Worldly Christ or King suitable to the Whore or false Church Rev. 17.4 And Crown him with Thorns with honours as little delightful to him or fruitful to others as Thorns are And put a Reed in his hand for a Sceptre a mock Power as if his threatnings and punishments were not much to be dreaded and what they attribute to him they turn against himself and Soveraignty c. But of that I shall not here inlarge What is said evidences his being low sometimes both in himself and in mens esteem of him and too low in this latter respect too generally yet and that 's one thing implied in this phrase That he must be lifted up But yet further 2. That he is the subject of this lifting or to be lifted up as he is the Son of Man Not as he is the Son of God simply considered though he be also the Son of God It is the same person that is both the Son of Man and the Son of God in different respects Yea the only begotten Son of God yet our Saviour saith not the Son of God must be lifted up but the Son of Man and good reason for it for it was not as the Son of God simply considered that he was low for therein the Nature of Man was exalted in being made the Son of God and that also was one act of his exaltation as the Son of Man or seed of David He as the Son of God abiding only
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
the great thing that the Gospel-Believers and Obeyers have to do is to hold fast what they have and go on in the way that they are in till Christ come As is said Rev. 2.24 25. Infer 3. And surely since the Doctrine that lifts up Christ is so excellent a Doctrine and is of so great usefulness to Men where it comes and of such blessed an advantage to those that receive it it most be a choice priviledge and an high honour for any to be betrusted with and employed of God in this Doctrine to be acquainted with the contents of it and to have it committed to them and they furnished to declare and preach it and to be the servants of God and Christ therein for they are betrusted with exceeding great riches and precious treasures as the Apostle saith We have this treasure in earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 It 's a treasure they are betrusted with the choice commodities of Heaven are put into their hands to dispense in subordination to Christ therefore the Apostle mentions it as a great grace bestowed upon him to be an Apostle We have received grace and Apostleshâ—p by Jesus Christ Rom. 1.5 And to me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 See how he valued and highly esteemed this favour of Christ also in 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Where speaking of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God committed to his trust he adds And I thank Christ Jesus my Lord for that he hath inabled me and counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry an high favour especially to be conferred on worthless persons who have deserved the quite contrary as there he adds of himself whither we respect 1. God and Christ who betrust and imploy them in it It s an high favour to be Gods and Christs Banner-bearers Stewards Ministers Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 His Embassadors sent and employed by him in his choice Messages even to treat with the World about their making peace with Heaven and to wooe and take a Spouse and People for Christ out of the World to be united with him and live with him in joy and happiness for ever 2 Cor. â— 18 19 20. An honourable employment an office worthy to be magnified Rom. 11.13 Or 2. Men in respect of them they are betrusted with their choice commodities which God hath prepared for and gives forth to them they are in a fort betrusted with their Souls to seek them in the name of the Lord and to be instruments of the greatest good to them even salvation and life everlasting to watch for them and wooe them for their utmost happiness and thence they are in a subordinate sense to Christ called Saviours Obad. 16. Yea they have their choice riches and jewels in their hands or Ministry to dispense to them for their inriching the choice medicine of Gods own providing for them to administer to them They are in the name and stead of Christ in and to the World in respect of Ministration and have his glory and power given unto them in his name unto men to open the eyes of the blind and to turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among the sanctified by the faith which is in him Joh. 17.22 Act. 26.18 with Isa 42.6 7. Indeed these things agree principally to the Apostles but they also reach to others as they share in and take part of the same ministry which is one and the same committed in whole to the Apostles and in parts and parcels to the succeeding Ministers of this Gospel-doctrine So as they are all in their measure the Apostles more immediately and fully others more mediately and as deriving by them Gods instruments for converting regenerating or begetting Children unto God yea and of bringing them forth and nursing them up with his Heavenly Doctrine Yea and with respect to 3. Both God and men they are as Angels ascending and descending upon the Ladder that reacheth from earth to Heaven namely the Son of Man the Mediatour of God and Man Gen. 28.12 13. with Joh. 1.52 1 Tim. 2.5 through and upon him they have access to God to behold his face see his glory with open face as in a Glass hear his voice be acquainted with his secrets decrees and purposes his will and mind concerning men and to receive commissions and commands messages and errands from him to them a very high favour and priviledge Yea they are and have liberty in their minds and spirits to dwell in Heaven and converse therewith And then they are messengers from God to men upon the same Ladder to bring down and impart his mind words and commandments to them and take care as tutelary Angels of them that no harm befall them who will be guided by them in what they say from God and Christ to them Rev. 1.20 An high honour in each respect it is sure and in its place far greater then to be Kings and Princes in the world though not as to the commanding obedience in their own name or requiring worldly respect and worship to be given them for in that respect they are to be as servants to all as Christ the great Prophet Apostle Gospel-preacher and Angel of God was but their honour and dignity is meerly heavenly and divine in things pertaining to God and to the souls of men except only for order and decency among men in which yet they are servants to God and are not to defire to share in his honour and glory from men with him but only to seek the honour of him that sends them Joh. 7.16 and yet in respect to 4. Themselves they want neither honour comfort or safety herein desirable by them For 1. As for honour its honour enough that they are Gods servants in so high and excellent employment and that he is not nor will be honoured with disrespect to them if faithful to him they that honour God and receive his word by them do also necessarily honour them as conveyors of it to them and for their works sake highly respect them as our Saviour saith If any Man will serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be that is where he is received entertained and honoured there is his servant for his and his message sake also If any Man serve me him will my Father honour Joh. 12.26 2. As for comfort they have it in the very matter of their employment the Doctrine committed to them and delivered by them that affords them with others the comforts of Heaven it being tidings of great joy to all people and they preach nothing to the world of that nature but what they have and may have a share with them in like the Oxe that trod out the Corn they
may eat of what they labour in and then 3. As for safety they serve a Master so Great as is sufficiently able and so Good that he will not fail to uphold them and save them in all difficulties and against all dangers in their faithful serving him And surely both as betrusted with God's name and honour and as betrusted with and employed about Mens highest concernments it behoves them to be 1. Faithful both to him and them to do the will of God and Christ and speak his words he gives them faithfully so as not to conceal the words of the Holy One Job 6.10 Psal 40.10 but to make known the whole counsel of God and Christ to them as Christ did to his Disciples Joh. 15.14 15. And the Apostle Paul to the Churches who shunned not to declare to them the whole counsel of God Act. 20.26 27. Yea and to declare it as God orders them to do it with such plainness putting away the hidden things of dishonesty or guile flattery and wisdom of words that may obscure and darken the truth and tender the cross of Christ ineffectual Not casting a Veil over their Faces as Moses did hiding from men the messages which they carry that they may not see to the end and tendency of them though what Moses did was done in faithfulness but using all openness and freeness of speech sincerity and soundness of doctrine without adding ought thereto or diminishing ought there-from or changing or altering any thing therein but as of sincerity and as of God commending themselves to every mans conscience and approving themselves as in the sight of God and Christ who imploy them 1 Cor. â— 17 18. 2.1 4 5. 2 Cor. 2.17 and 3.12 13. and 4.1 2. Not seeking or pleasing themselves but seeking to please God and profit men yea and please them too for their good that they might be saved 1 Cor. 9.19 22. and 10.33 Rom. 15.2 3. Not seeking Riches or Honours to themselves nor for any Pleasures of the Flesh or Injoyments of the World nor for Ease Liberty or any thing turning aside from either their attendance to God or faithful discharge of their trust towards him or towards men nor dealing unfaithfully with the Word of God as Persons partial in his Law but leaving themselves to God to provide maintenance and give honour to them as he pleases and contenting themselves with what he by his providence orders them to do the work and service to which he calls them not making merchandize of Gods Word and of the Souls of men for gain honour or livelihood and so deny the Lord who bought them but seeking only the honour that comes of God and the glory of God and good of men in all things depending on God and Christ contentedly to honour and reward them who also will do it abundantly as shall be good for them here but most fully hereafter when the great Shepherd shall appear from heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 2. Greatly diligent and industrious not giving up themselves to sloth and idleness or to follow the lusts and appetites or intangle themselves with the affairs of this World but that they may please him that imploys them seeking diligently by prayer and supplications to God for themselves and all Saints and more especially for those that they are more especially betrusted with and giving attendance to reading meditation c. that they may in their converse with God know and perceive his mind and receive the word from his mouth and be strengthned to declare it faithfully and boldly unto men not fearing their faces or being flattered from it by them and to be useful to and have cause of joy in them in their service toward whom also they are to use great diligence and therefore they are compared to and stiled by the name of Labourers to signify that they must not be idle and loyter and give themselves to ease carelesness and effeminacy they are to digg and plow sowe and plant and water and do all the work of the Lords husbandry which the people are and of his building Vineyard and Garden which his Church is Yea as Shepherds they must watch their Flocks and that by Night and by Day least any ravenous Beast devour them or disease infest or any Thief steal them or any harm from one another come to them Yea and so much the more as the souls of men are more precious then their bodies about which the earthly husbandry building and other acts and manufactures are employed the loss of the soul is of wonderful great concernment and God will require it of whomsoever the loss of it proceedeth if he would require the blood of men at the hands of men as is said Gen. 9.7 Surely much more will he require the Souls of men at the hands of men with whom they are betrusted if lost by their negligence seeing he hath valued them so highly as that he hath not spared his own Son nor Christ his own Life and Soul but hath poured it out to death to save them And shall thy Brother for whom Christ dyed perish through thy meat For thy sloth thy ease thy will or pleasure Surely if this were considered it would make men careful how they undertake the Ministry and having undertaken it how they discharge it it would make them watch and labour with diligence least any should miscarry through want thereof or through want of skill the product of sloth and idleness or some such miscarriage and so the blood of their Souls should be required at their hands as God threatned the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 3.17 18 19 20 c. 3. Great humility and lowliness of mind bewaring of pride least being puffed up they fall into the condemnation of the Devil Indeed while they look upon the heighth and honourableness of their Employment their Liberty to and Intelligence with Heaven the secrets they see into above others and the excellent discoveries they have and make of the great and high things of the Gospel and the like they may have Temptations to be proud and lifted up and many there are that are apt to miscarry that way but it is a dangerous deceit a Rock earnestly to be shunned and indeed none have cause to be less proud Considering 1. The exceeding heighth and weightiness of their place and work and their exceeding imbecility of themselves as of themselves for the discharge thereof This made Paul cry out Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 Especially considering too the great woe will befall them as guilty of betraying Cods Name and Honour and his great Design the work and business of highest consequence and as guilty of the lose of Souls that are most precious in Gods sight if through their miscarriage they be lost and perish Oh therefore with what care and humbleness of mind should they walk Indeed their honour is great and their reward will be great if faithful and successful but the difficulty
glorious Body according to the working of that glorious Power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself Rom. 8.10 11. Phil. 3.21 Yea The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Oh how Excellent a Person then is Christ that is so comprehensive of all Good and Excellency even from the highest to the lowest Who is both Creator and Creature and hath the Nature and Perfections of both And hath had as well the Infirmities of the one sin excepted out of his great Love and Pity to us as the Form and Excellency Majesty and Glory of the other He that is the high and holy One the Great and Mighty God hath also cried out and acknowledged I am a worm and no man the very scorn of men and the out-cast of the people For he hath had the Experiences of Fallen man the Snares and Bitterness of Death and the Pangs of Hell as well as he hath had and hath experience and full injoyment of the infinite Joys and Glorys and inexpressible Satisfactions of Heaven and God no place is there wherein he is not and hath not been He was aâ— man on the Earth and sometimes Walking on the Seas Yea as to his Body he was in the Grave in the heart of the Earth though not left there to see Corruption and as to his Soul he was in though not left in Hell and yet he was Lord in Heaven and is so for ever 1 Cor. 15.45 John â—3 13 Psal 16.11 with Acts 2.31 Able to save us to the utmost while we are on the Earth and from Grave to Hell and to bring us to the Possession of Heaven and happiness For though he was dead to redeem us from thence yet he is now alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and death to keep or bring us out from thence Rev. 1.18 and The Keys of the house of David too so to open as no man shall shut and so to shut as no man can open and he can and will admit into his Kingdom all that are faithful to obey and follow him Greatness and Goodness yea all Perfections and Excellencies are compleatly and everlastingly in him Oh therefore how ought we to admire and love him and with all acceptation to receive and cleave to him honour and obey him Surely that 's the way for us also to be made an excellent and precious People in the sight of God and useful to and among men For this also is of the Commendations of Christ that his Excellencies and Preciousness communicate and contribute an Excellency to all in whom he is It 's his Excellency as we noted before that renders the Gospel a more excellent and glorious Doctrine and so it 's his Excellency and Preciousness derived to them that makes his People those that own and believe on him to be a more excellent People then others as it is said The Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 it is because Christ is in them as it is said again God is in the Generation of the Just Psal 14.5 And the Riches of the Mystery of the Gospel Preached among the Gentiles is Christ in or among them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 As Christ also prayed for his Disciples that they may be one as the Father and Son are one he Christ in them and the Father in him John 17.23 For as the Comeliness of Jerusalem and her Beauty that was perfect was so through his Beauty and Comeliness put upon her Ezek. 16.14 So the Excellency of his People is his Excellency put upon them who are said to have put on Christ and to be as it were clothed with him Now he being so precious how must they needs be also precious in and by him And indeed others who have not him and much more they who reject and refuse him lifting up themselves or other things and glorying in them are vile persons Psal 15.4 For indeed every thing or person according to the Spirit is to be accounted of as it hath reference to or hath more or less of or conduceth more or less to our injoyment of him And so those things or persons are to be more esteemed or chosen of us and loved by us by whom or by which we are or may be more led to Christ or built up in him or more of him and his excellencies are or may be conveyed to us But I may seem to have insisted too largely upon this Subject and to have made too long a Digression if I may call it a Digression and yet I may too truly say I have spoken nothing in effect to it but rather have but darkned wisdom by words without knowledge his excellencies being indeed such as cannot be so spoken or written of but that all that is spoken and written of them is as far below them as He who would go about to paint the glory and luster of the Sun would necessarily fail and fall short of its proper and native splenâ—or and glory in all his painting Verily though there be very much said of him and of his excellencies in the Scriptures yet it may and will be said when we come to see him and enjoy him if we being found in him shall be accounted worthy thereof as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon when she saw him and his excellency and glory It was a true report indeed said she which I heard of thee in mine own Land of thy acts and of thy wisdom howbeit I believed not the words till I came and mine eyes have seen and behold the half was not told me thy wisdom and thy prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard So may we say then the Prophets and Apostles knew in part and prophesied in part not in perfection and surely that which is but in part will be found as short of that that is perfect as the capacities of a little child fall below the most perfect capacities of a grown and most accomplished man as the Apostle signifies in 1 Cor. 13.10 12. And surely if they knew and prophesied in part only what then could I do or have I done who have but gleaned some small part of what they have declared Surely I must needs have fallen unspeakably short of his infinite perfections whose Name alone is excellent and whose glory is not only above the earth but above the Heavens also Psal 148.13 For who can declare as I said in the beginning hereof all his mighty acts Who can set forth all his praises Psal 106.2 I should but still fall below him yea and too much darken his glory should I assay to add any thing more hereabout and therefore I shall say no more but rather desire and pray that the spirit of wisdom and revelation may be granted to me in the knowledge of him that the eyes of my understanding being inlightned I may know more distinctly for my self and for the
of doing their work aright and obtaining the reward and of walking worthy of their honour should keep them lowly and humble As also 2. That they have all that honour not of desert but of Grace and all their fitness for it help and success in it not of or from themselves but from him that calls and imploys them they have nothing but what they have received and received not as of Merit but of Grace and what they must also give an account of 1 Cor. 4.6 7. 2 Cor. 5.10 3. That in all their Service and for all success they need to lean upon another even Christ and be helpen by him they cannot flie up to Heaven by their own wings their Wit Learning Industry c. will not inform them of the mind of God it must be from God himself and they cannot lift up themselves into the sight and hearing of him so as to receive messages from him but only by the strength and length of the Ladder that is erected for their ascent if they neglecting to look to relie and lean upon that aspire to know and understand otherwise thinking by their own Wit Learning Philosophy c. to attain it they will perish from the way and fall in their attempts and be destroyed Isa 40.30 and when they have by Christ as the Ladder mounted up and ascended and received information they cannot profitably to themselves and others descend again but on the same Ladder on and by the strength support and assistance of the Son of Man John 1.52 Gen. 28.12 So that no cause to be high-minded but with humility and the fear of the Lord depend on Christ for all things both towards God and towards men see Prov. 22.4 And indeed 4. The very things they see and speak of may move them to be humble and not lift up themselves either in the sight of God or of men For do they not behold the glory of God in the view whereof how low are they so as they cannot utter what they see and hear how vile and short are they then in comparison of him with whom they have to do the sight of his Glory and Majesty his infinite Holiness and Purity how might it make them cry out with the Prophet Isoiah Chap. 6.5 Woe is me for I am a man of polluted Lips c. The greatness of his Goodness How can they see and not be abased to see how far they fall short of answering it And the greatness of his Terrour How should it not make them fear least they should fall under it 2 Cor. 5.9 10 11. Yea the greatness of his Humility Preached by them in the Grace he shewed to us men is such as may both instruct them to imitate him therein seeing that 's the Way by which he obtained his Glory and Honour and did so much Service to his Father and good to us men and is declared to be our way to Honour too Prov. 15.33 Mat. 23.12 And may cast shame upon us if after the so great Humility of so honourable a One we be proud and haughty who have nothing of our own that 's fit to be gloried in and are infinitely short of what he was in all the good we receive from him and do through him Yea and 5. It 's not the place of Ministry and the excellency of the Work and Office committed to a man not the Office of an Apostle or Prophet much less of an inferiour Minister of the Gospel nor the excellency of Gifts and Furniture for discharging it that is any mans Justification or the thing for which God accepts him but his being found in Christ believing on him and obeying him faithfully in what ever place God sets him or rather Christ himself as so believed in and obeyed by him It 's not either the Hearer or the Preacher of the Word that is thereby Justified but the doer of it Yea. and 6. For and by Pride and other Miscarriages many highly Honoured and excellently Gifted Persons have fallen from their highest Places to deepest Miseries The Angels who lest their first habitation were thrust down to Hell and are reserved in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the Great day 2 Pet. 2.4 And Judas who had a part in the Apostleship yet falling down headlong burst asunder and all his Bowels gushed out Acts 1.17 18. And Christ shall say to many that will plead They have Prophesied in his Name and in his Name cast out Devils depart from me I know you not ye workers of Iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Such a consideration moved the Apostle Paul and may move us and others to the like Care and Practise To be at down his own Body and bring it into subjection lest having Preached to others he himself should be a Cast away 1 Cor. 9.27 As also on the like consideration of Gods dealing with the Jews he gives us this advice Thou standest by Faith be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Rom. 11.21 22. For which is Infer 4. Seeing the Gospel Doctrine is that in which the Son of man is Lifted up and therefore of such Excellency as is fore-shewed It follows too that they who withhold Abuse or hinder the Preaching of the glorious Gospel are in a sad way and expose themselves to great Condemnation I say 1. Such as being betrusted with it do withhold it whether they do as Onan because they know it is to raise up Seed to their Elder Brother spill it on the Earth Because not they but Christ shall have the glory are unfaithful with their Talent conceal the Words of the Holy One. Or like the slothful wicked Servant hide their Talent in the Earth and refuse or after they have begun turn aside from Preaching the Word and Doctrine of Christ We read what our Saviour saith shall be the Judgment of such Persons viz. Take away the Talent from him and bind the unprofitable Servant hand and foot and cast him into the outward Darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25.18 24 28 30. Thence the Apostle having a Dispensation of the Gospel committed to him cries Woe is me if I Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 If a man fitted for it for the love of this World embracing it like Demas and desirous to follow the Riches Honours Pleasures of it or to avoid the labour and work of Preaching Winning and Watching over Souls or to avoid the Crosses and Sufferings that attend it here keep silence or forbear and decline from Preaching it as God opens doors and gives him opportunities Surely such a man greatly displeases God as one injurious to and dishonouring him as if he were an hard and unjust Master and his Service disadvantagious and he wrongs the Souls of men from whom he withholds what is for their Profit and Benefit And therefore this high Calling is upon no such ground to be Omitted Neglected