Place of Bliss Of Eternal Life wherein there is Full and unmixed Happiness Of the satisfaction of their Senses Their clear and distinct Knowledge Perfect Holiness And without Reluctance Blissful Companions Perfection of Love and Kindness Honour and Eminence of Place All these to be injoy'd in the Highest Heavens without satiety or weariness For evermore Of the miseries of the Damned in Tormenting Passions The worm of Conscience Fire and Flames Disgrace Under all which no favour of God. No company but of Tormenting Devils and damned Spirits None to condole when they cannot relieve No rest and sleep for Recruit of Spirits No end of their miseries The Use of this The Practical Believer PART II. Of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. CHAP. I. Of the Office and Natures of Jesus Christ. The Contents In what Salvation by Christ consists Being Christ notes his being 1. A Prophet to teach his Church We must hear and learn of him in the Holy Scriptures and at the mouths of his Ministers 2. A Priest to Redeem and Intercede for it 3. A King to Govern it by his Laws And by his Officers whom we are to submit to in his place Also to Protect it against all visible and invisible Enemies Jesus Christ is the Son of God as having receiv'd from the Father the Nature of God. And the Power of God. On both these Accounts and others he is our Lord. And to be worshipped What we learn from his being our Lord. Of Christ's being Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and Born of a Virgin. He was truly Man. And why he was so Quest. WHat is the Second Article of the Creed Answ. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Quest. Jesus signifies a Saviour from what doth Christ save us Answ. From two things 1. Our sins 2. Those eternal Torments which are the Punishment of them Quest. If he prove a Saviour to us must he Reform and save us from our sins Answ. Yes for this is the main Reason why that Name was given him Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1. 21. Quest. Will he save none from the Punishment but whom he saves from the sins first Answ. No for except ye Repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3. and at last he will say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 23. Quest. But when once they are delivered from their sins they may make sure of being freed by him from Eternal Death too Answ. Yes for there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Quest. Christ signifies anointed among the Greeks as Messiah doth among the Hebrews Messiah if interpreted being the Christ or anointed as St. Andrew said John 1. 41. But what mean you when you call Jesus the Messiah or Christ that is the anointed Answ. His being invested with the Office of a Prophet to teach his Church of a Priest to make Reconciliation and intercede for it and of a King to Govern and Protect it Quest. Why do you call such Investiture his Anointing Answ. Because anciently Investitures into these Offices were according to the Eastern Custom by pouring Oyl upon them as in the case of the arch-Arch-Prophet Elisha 1 Kings 19. 16. and High-Priest Aaron Lev. 8. 12. And in Kings as the Jewish Doctors note when they received not their Office and Authority by Succession but by extraordinary Designation as in the case of King Saul 1 Sam. 9. 16. 10. 1. and King David 1 Sam. 16. 13. Answerable to which Messiah's Designation to his Office which was to include all these is call'd his being Anointed Isa. 61. 1 2 3. Quest. Was Christ invested in these Offices by pouring Oyl upon him Answ. No but by pouring a nobler thing the miraculous Powers and Gifts of the Holy Ghost which install'd him and answer'd to their anointing God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with Power Acts 10. 38. Quest. Was Christ in the Office and Quality of a Prophet to teach his Church Answ. Yes he was a Teacher sent from God John 3. 2. What he said he spake not of himself but as the Father gave him Commandment so he spake John 12. 49 50. So that the People spoke a great truth when they said This is of a truth that Prophet who was to come into the World John 6. 14. Nay he was not in the rank of an ordinary Prophet but in a pitch of Eminence far above all others For he not only had a Prophetick Spirit resting always on him which the best of them enjoy'd but on certain times and occasions but he knew the will of God by Personal Acquaintance and immediate intuition not barely at second hand by the Message of an Angel or by a Vision or a Dream as they all did The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1. 18. And on this account among others of all Prophets and Interpreters of God's mind he alone is call'd the Word because lying in God's Bosom he had his mind without any thing intervening as immediately as a word expresses ones meaning Quest. What must this teach us Answ. Whensoever we would know the mind of God to seek only unto him and never to hearken to any other New Lights or Enthusiastical Pretenders In all times both in the Apostles days and ours several Impostors and false Prophets have come with pretended Messages to shew men the will of God and the way to Happiness But we are to give ear to none of these this work of communicating God's mind to men not being left at random but peculiarly intrusted with Jesus Christ that great Prophet of the Church who is especially constituted by God and anointed for this purpose This is my beloved Son said God in the voice from the bright Cloud in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 5. Quest. But how shall we do to learn of him since now he is no more among us here on Earth but is gone to Heaven Answ. Two ways he exercises his Prophetick Office to communicate the mind of God to us 1. By the Scriptures What God told him he first by Personal Converse and afterwards by his Spirit leading them into all truth told the Apostles and Evangelists and they put it in writing in the Book call'd the Holy Scriptures to be preached and published to all others thro' all times So that when we hear them read we must think we hear Christ our great Prophet speaking to us And to be debarr'd or debar our selves of the use of them what is it but to be debarr'd of this great Prophet's free Communication 2. By his Ministers whom he has left and appointed to declare God's mind to the People in his place Thus the Priests were appointed among the Jews The Priests lips should preserve Knowledge and the People should seek the Law
as the Prophet declares verse 16. Ans. There is cause to think it was spoken of some such Person who was present before the Prophet and pointed out by him at the time of this Prediction For in the Original it is not Behold a Virgin but that Virgin shall conceive as if he had particularly marked out the Person to them And before the child to be born of her shall know how to refuse the evil and chuse the good the land that thou abhorrest saith he shall be forsaken of both her kings that is of Rezin king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel who at that time were their invaders And this accordingly came to pass For in the twentieth Year from the beginning of Jotham's Reign whereof sixteen were elapsed before Achaz came to succeed him and which therefore must fall within two or three whole Years at most from the time of this Prediction in which space the Child but then conceiv'd could not be grown up to Years of understanding Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria slew Rezin and Hoshea slew Pekah as we read 2 Kings 15. 30 32 33. 16. 9. But although as I say this Prophecy had some respect to a Virgin of that time yet did it look beyond her to a Virgin that remaining such should conceive Messiah and was never fulfilled till he came Quest. How doth it appear that it was not fulfilled in the Virgin pointed out at that time Ans. Because the most noted things in that Prophecy were left unaccomplished then particularly these following First The conceiving of this Virgin is made a miraculous conception and is given to the House of Judah for a sign as I noted verse 11 12 14. And this must be meant of her conceiving remaining still a Virgin For for one that is now a Virgin to Marry and after that conceive is no miraculous nor strange thing Secondly The Child Immanuel to be born of this Virgin was to be Master of the Land of Judah which the Prophet therefore calls thy land O Immanuel Isaiah 8. 8. And this was not fulfilled in the Virgins Child of that time That Child the Jews make to be Achaz's Son viz. Hezekiah who was afterwards King of Judah But he was born several Years before this Prophecy which cannot therefore speak of conceiving him For the Prophet is expresly said to come with this Message to king Achaz verse 1 3. a clear evidence of its falling some time in his Reign Now he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem 2 Kings 16. 2. and then left Hezekiah his Son to succeed him And Hezekiah says the Scripture was twenty five years old when he began to reign 2 Kings 18. 2. So that he must needs have been eight or nine Years old when his Father Achaz ascended to the Throne The Child here promised then could not be Hezekiah who was afterwards King but very probably was the Prophets own Son who lived and died a private Man so that this part of being Master of the Land of Judah could not be fulfilled in him Quest. Had the Prophet a Son born to him presently after that time Ans. Yes and that 't is like by a Virgin whom at the time of his Prediction he either had espoused or designed to espouse to himself I went in unto the Prophetess saith he proceeding on still in the same Prediction and she conceived and bare a son Isaiah 8. 3. Quest. But how doth this Son appear to be the same Immanuel that was promised to be born of a Virgin Chap. 7. Ans. First Because he has the same Name By which I do not mean that he was noted by the same word but by one that implies what the other expressed and signifies the same with it which is the same Name in Scripture account For the Virgins son chap. 7. was to be called Immanuel that is God with us to note God's Favour and Presence verse 14. And the Prophet is ordered to call his Son Maher-shalal-hash-baz that is one born to speed on the spoil and hasten the prey chap. 8. 3. And this though a different word has the same virtue and effect with the other For when a People are in any distress by Invaders as the Jews were at the time of this Promise the effect of God's Favour and Presence is to give them Conquest and Spoil over their Enemies And this answering the virtue and effect of a Name is called the having that Name in Scripture Thus it is frequently in the Holy Prophets as in Isaiah Jeremy Ezekiel Zechary And thus Christ's being called Immanuel that is God with us was fulfilled saith S. Matthew when he was called Jesus that is a Saviour because God's Kindness and Presence is most eminently shown and brought to effect in the Salvation and Deliverance of his Servants Matth. 1. 21 22 23. Secondly Because the Prophets Son was made a sign for the same thing viz. the deliverance of the Jews from these two invading Princes in less time than would suffice him to attain to any understanding Before the Virgins child says the Prophet chap. 7. shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good that is before he can attain to distinguish between good and bad the land that thou abhorrest viz. the Land of Syria and Israel now become hateful to the Jews for these their inrodes shall be forsaken or deprived of both her kings verse 16. And before the Prophets child says the relation chap. 8. shall have knowledge to cry my Father and my Mother the riches of Damascus the metropolis of Syria and the spoil of Samaria the capital place of the King of Israel shall be taken away before the king of Assyria verse 4. In both which places there is an evident promise of the same thing viz. the destruction of these two Kings and that within the same space of time viz. before the Child then promised could attain to the Age of any understanding So that the Virgins Child referred to in the Prophets time was most probably the Prophets own Son. And he not being of Royal Race but living and dying as I said a private Person 't is plain this part of the Prophecy viz. the childs being master of the land of Judah could not be fulfilled in him Quest. Have you any more things to instance in which shew this Prophecy was not fulfilled in the Virgins Child of that time Ans. Yes Thirdly Because the Virgins Child in that promise is adorned with the glorious Titles and plain Characters of Messiah For in further pursuit of God's Promise in this Child and the deliverance by him in the ninth Chapter the Prophet cries out triumphantly Unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne
that it shall never be destroyed by them The Promise is That the Gates of Hell that is the Powers of Satan and all his wicked instruments shall not prevail against the Church Matt. 16. 18. Quest. What must Christ's protecting his Church teach us Answ. To trust him with Religion and not sin to save it in the most perillous times He is more concern'd for his Church than any of us are or can be and he knows how to protect it without the help of our sins or our acting wickedly for it So that in all such times we are to practise Religion and do our duty and then recommend and trust the Preservation of it to his care Quest. If we would own Christ as our King then I perceive we must obey his Laws and Ministers and commit our selves to him in well-doing as the Protector of his Church Answ. Yes Quest. And will none partake of the Reconciliation of his Priesthood but they who thus believe him as their Prophet and obey him as their Lord Answ. No for Faith and Obedience are necessary to our Peace with God and there is no injoying the benefit of one without embracing him in all his Offices Quest. To believe in Christ then or to acknowledge Jesus to be the Christ is to own him for the Prophet of the Church by hearkning to his Word and Ministers for the Priest of God by hoping in him and applying to God by him for Reconciliation and all other mercies and for the King of his Church by obeying both his Laws and Officers and in a course of well-doing trusting both our selves and our Religion to his Protection here on Earth Answ. Yes Quest. What is meant by that which follows in the Creed his being God's only Son Answ. Our meaning is in respect of his Nature that God begat him as a Father doth a Son of like nature with himself so that he is God as well as Man. For he is equal with God Phil. 2. 6. The true God 1 Joh. 5. 20. and over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. Which last was the special Character and Title of the true God in the common stile and expression of the Jews Who from their Custom when the Priest in the Sanctuary rehearsed the Name of God of answering Blessed be his name for ever came in their common speech to call him The Blessed One which phrase the Scriptures often denote him as in Mar. 14. 61. 2 Cor. 11. 31. Rom. 1. 25. And agreeable to his having this Divine Nature we find the Divine Works as Creating and Sustaining and Divine Honours as Worship and Prayers and Baptism in the Name of the Son as well as of the Father ascribed to him in Holy Scripture Quest. Why was it requisite our Redeemer should be God Answ. 1. To give Merit to his Sacrifice which was infinitely advanced in regard his Blood was the Blood of God Act. 20. 28. How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge your Consciences who offered himself thro' the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. As its being committed against God was the extreme aggravation of our sin So must its being performed by God be equally an enhansement of his Reparation 2. To several other purposes as to his having Power enough to conquer Death and Hell and save us from all our Spiritual Enemies to fit him for a capable and competent Judge of all men seeing into their Hearts and Thoughts which is one of God's Prerogatives To recommend Vertue as much as was possible by an example since in him it appears that all the things required of us are worthy of the most excellent Natures yea are not below the practice of God himself Quest. What other meaning is there of it Answ. Another is in respect of his Power because he is invested with all the Authority and Power of God. For Son of God signifies sometimes the same as the Christ that is one whom God hath commissioned to act in his stead He shall be great and the Son of the Highest and God shall give him the Throne of his Father David Luk. 1. 32. And thus Jesus Christ is God's Son for he hath given him all Power both in Heaven and Earth Matt. 28. 18. and committed all Authority to the Son that all should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 22 23. Quest. And being the Son of God in this sense that is having Soveraign Power from him he is our Lord Answ. Yes in respect of this derived Power and of his own Soveraign Divine Nature of his invaluable Merit and Purchace and of our voluntary Compacts and Submissions on all accounts that can found a just Dominion and Lordship over us God has given him a Name above every Name that every Tongue should confess Jesus Christ is Lord Phil. 2. 9 11. To us there is one Lord 1 Cor. 8. 6. Quest. And being God not only in Power but also in Nature must we not all worship him and pray to him and trust in him as God Answ. Yes for at the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow Phil. 2. 10 and all must honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 23. This is done by all good Christians and Saints on Earth who are styled They that call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 2. And also by those who are glorified in Heaven who sing their Hallelujah's as to God the Father so also to the Lamb Rev. 5. 11 12 13 14. Yea by the Angels too for when he bringeth his first-begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. And this Divine Honour if he were not a God in Nature as well as in Power he could never claim nor receive from them Quest. If Christ is our Rightful Sovereign Lord then we must give up our Wills to his and perform faithfully whatsoever he orders Answ. Yes Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Luk. 6. 46. Nay since he is our Lord and we are his Houshold-Servants we must not as he says be the Servants of Men that is so wholly given up to their Service as that we cannot mind his or serve their pleasure when it interferes with his Laws or comply with their Meen and Customs when they are contrary unto his or sooth and flatter their weak Minds and feed their sickly Humours like timerous or mercenary Slaves No man says our Saviour can thus serve two Masters Matt. 6. 24. Ye are bought with a price saith St. Paul be not ye therefore the Servants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. And if I yet pleased or soothed up men I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Quest. Since he is our Lord we should not think any thing too mean or ill for us which he thought not so for him but compose our selves to his Behaviour willingly following where he has gone before it