gone to Heaven surely this was the meaning God would rather that the main points of faith should be learned by hearing than by seeing however Christ's own Disciples were taught the same by sight that they might better teach others which should not see yet the ordinary means to come by faith is hearing Rom. 10.14 17 18. how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And as for the Jews saith the Apostle have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world 3. He ascended principally by the mighty power of his God-head thus never any ascended up into heaven but Jesus Christ for though Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven yet not by their own power nor by themselves it was God's power by which they ascended 2 Kings 2.11 and it was by the help and Ministry of Angels there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a Whirl-wine into Heaven Acts 1 9. 4. He ascended in a cloud While they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Hereby he shews that he is Lord of all the creatures he had already trampled upon the earth walked upon the sea vanquished hell or the grave and now the clouds received him and the heavens are opened to make way for this King of Glory to enter in Mat. 24.30 Mat. 26.4 When Christ shall come again it is said that he shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Which verifies that saying of the Angel Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come again in clouds 5. He ascended in the found of a trumpet not on earth sounding Hosanna but in Heaven Psal 47.5 crying Hallelujah So the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet Certainly great joy was in heaven at Christ's ascending thither the very Angels struck up their Harps and welcomed him thither with Hymns and Praises 6. He ascended in triumph as a Roman Victor ascended to the Capitol or as David ascended after his conquest up to Zion Now we read of two triumphal Acts in Christs Ascension whereof the first was his leading of his captives and the second was the dispersing of his gifts the Apostle and the Psalmist joyn both together Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 1. He led them captive who had captivated us Death was led captive without a sting Hell was led captive as one that had lost her victory the Law was led captive being rent and fastened to his Cross as it were Ensign wise the Serpents head being bruised was led before him in triumph as was Golias's head by David returning from the victory and this was the first Act of his triumph 2. He gave gifts unto men this was as the running of Conduits with wine or as the casting abroad of new Coyn or as the shutting up of Christs triumph in his ascension up to heaven what these gifts were we shall speak in the Mission of the holy Ghost only thus much for the present SECT II. Of the place whither he ascended 3. WHither he ascended the Gospel tells us into heaven only Paul saith that he ascended far above all heavens But the meaning is Ephes 4 10. he went above all these visible Heavens into those heavenly Mansions where the Angels and the Spirits of the just have their aboad Or if the highest heavens be included I see no absurdity in it the highest Heaven we usually call The Kingdom of Heaven which is either Heaven material or heaven sâ—iritual and first for the material Heaven in some sense he may be said to ascend above that both in respect of his Body because the Body of Christ is more glorious than any material Heaven And in respect of his soul because the Soul of Christ is more blessed than all things else whatsoever And 2 For the spiritual Heaven i.e. all Angelical or Heavenly perfections he is said to ascend above them all both in respect of his humiliation because he hath vilified himself below all things and therefore he is worthily exalted above all things and in respect of his perfection because the humane nature of Christ is more excellent than any creature it being joyned to the Godhead by an hypostatical union Some there are that understand this place of Christs ascending far above all Heavens not so much by a lâ—cal motion as by a Spiritual mutation and exaltation of his person as earth heightned unto a flame changeth not its place only but form and figure so the person of our Saviour was raised to a greatness and glory vastly differing from and surmounting any image of things visible or invisible in this Creation so it is fitly expressed Heb. 7.26 He was made higher than the Heavens he was heightened to a splendor enlarged to a capacity and compass above the brightest and beyond the widest Heavens he transcended all in the spirituallity of his Ascension but I shall not much insist on that SECT III. Of the Reasons why he Ascended 4. WHy he ascended the Reasons are 1. On Christ's part that through his Passion he might pass to glory Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory I shall not insist on that controversie whether Christ merited for himself this is without controversie that by his Passion I will not say he properly merited but he obtained glory because he humbled himself so low God exalted him above the Grave in his Resurrection above the Earth in his Ascension and above the Heavens in placing him at his right hand And he ascended that all those Prophesies which were foretold of Christ might be accomplished Thou hast ascended on high And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Psal 68.18 Zach. 14.4 which is before Jerusalem on the East The types of this were Enoch's translation Elijahs's ascension Sampson's transportation of the gates of Gezza into an high mountain the high Priests going into the Holy of Holies Seeing that we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God Why all these prophesies types figures must needs be accomplished and therefore on his part it was necessary that Christ must ascend and go into Heaven 2. The Reasons on our part are 1. That in our stead he might triumph over sin death and hell In his Resurrection he conquered but in his
Ascension he triumphed now it was that he led sin death and devil in triumph at his Chariot wheels And this is the meaning of the Psalmist and of the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive He vanquished and triumphed over all our enemies he overcame the world he bound the devil he spoiled hell he weakened sin he destroyed death and now he makes a publick triumphal shew of them in his own Person he led the captives bound to his chariot-wheels as the manner of the Roman triumphs was Col. 2.15 when the conqueror went up to the Capitol It is to the same purpose that the Apostle speaks else-where Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself it is a manifest allusion to the manner of triumphs after victories amongst the Romans first they spoiled the enemy upon the place ere they stirred off the field and this was done by Christ on the Cross and then they made a publick triumphal shew they rid through the streets in the greatest state and had all their spoils carried before them and the Kings and Nobles whom they had taken they tied to their chariots and led them as captives and this did Christ at his Ascension Then he openly triumphed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself i.e. in his own Power and strength other Conquerors do not thus they conquer not in themselves and by themselves but Jesus Christ conquerâ—d 〈◊〉 himself and therefore he triumphed in himself And yet though he triumphed in himself and by himself it was not for himself only but for us which made the Apostle to triumph in his triumph 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ If I may speak out what I think was this victory of Christ I believe it was that honour given to him after his Resurrection by the conversion of enemies by the amazements of the world by the admiration of Angels and especially by his sitting down at the right hand of Majesty on high for therein is contained both his exaltation and his triumph over all his enemies to the utmost 2. That he might lead us the way and open to us the doors of glory It is a question whether ever those doors of Heaven were opened to any before Christs Ascension Christ tells us John 14.2 3. In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you but I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am ye may be also Some infer hence as if there should be many outer courts and many different places or states in glory and yet there is one place whither the Saints should arrive at last which was not then ready for them and was not to be entred into until the entrance of our Lord had made the preparation Again the Apostle tells us that the Fathers received not the promises Heb. 11.40 God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Whence some infer that their conditions after death was a state of imperfection and that they were placed in an outer court on this side Heaven called Paradise or Abraham's bosome and thither also Christ went when he dyed and was attended with the blessed Thief For my part I shall not joyn with such who think all souls of Saints shall go to paradise where they must remain till the day of judgment and then and not till then must enter into that heaven called the third heaven or the Kingdom of Heaven Indeed some of the ancients make heaven and the immediate receptacles of souls to be destinct places both blessed but hugely differing in degrees And a modern writer is very confident Dr. Tayl. great Exemplar Multas dicit non varias aut dispares sed quae pluribus sufficiant acsi diceret non sibi uni sed omnibus etiam discipulis locum illic esse Calvin i. loc Heb. 6.20 That no soul could enter into glory before our Lord entred by whom we hope to have access and to that purpose he cites those texts John 14.2 3. Heb. 11.40 But I see no ground why the souls of Saints should be excluded heaven either before or after Christ As for that text of John 14.2 Christ saith In my Fathers house are many mansions not many outer courts nor many different states and as for the Fathers mentioned Heb. 11.40 Surely they without us shall not be made perfect and we without them shall not be made perfect in some sense until the day of judgment But our Perfection is not in respect of a more glorious place but in respect of that perfection whereof all the faithfull shall be made partakers as well in body as in soul at the resurrection of the just Thus far I grant that no soul ever entred into Heaven but by the vertue and power of Christ's Ascention and that no soul and body joyntly ever ascended except Christs types before Christ himself opened those doors and lead the way and in this respect he is called The forerunner of his People 3. That he might assure us that now he had run through all those Offices which he was to perform here on earth for our redemption He that hath entred into his rest Heb. 4.10 hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his He was first to execute his Office and then to enter into his rest Though he were a Son Heb. 5.8 9. and so the inheritance were his own yet he was to learn Obedience by the things which he suffered before he was made perfect and so to become the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him This was the argument which Christ used when he prayed to be glorified again with his Father I have glorified thee on the earth John 17.4 5. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was This was the order of the dispensation of Christ's Offices his first work was a work of ministry and Service in the Office of obedience and suffering for his Church and this next work was the work of power and majesty in the protection and exaltation of his Church and there was a necessity in this order 1. In respect of God's Decree who had so fore-appointed it Acts 2.23 24. 2. In respect of God's justice which must first be satisfied by obedience before any entrance into glory Luke 24.26 3. In respect of Christ's infinite Person which being equal with God could not possibly be
sunt quia nomen Jesu non est in illis Aug. Si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Jesum Si disputes aut conferas non sapit mihi nisi sonuerit ibi Jesum Ber. 1 Cor. 2.2 commended them for their eloquence but he passed this sentence upon them They are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them And Bernards saying is near the same if thou writest it doth not relish with me unless I read Jesus there if thou disputest or conferrest it doth not relish well with me unless Jesus sound there Indeed all we say is but unsavory if it be not seasoned with this salt I determined not to know any thing among you saith Paul save Jesus Christ and him Crucified he resolved with himself before he Preached among the Corinthians that this should be the only point of knowledge that he would profess himself to have skill in and that in the course of his Ministry he would labour to bring them to this he made the bredth length depth height of his knowledge yea doubtless saith he and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Ephes 3.18 Phil. 3.8 In this knowledge of Christ there is an excellency above all other knowledge in the VVorld there is nothing more pleasing comfortable more animating enlivening more ravishing soul-contenting only Christ is the sum center of all divine revealed truths we can preach nothing else as the object of our faith as the necessary element of our souls salvation which doth not some way or other either meet in Christ or refer to Christ only Christ is the whole of mans happiness the Sun to enlighten him the Physician to heal him the VVall of Fire to defend him the Friend to comfort him the Pearl to enrich him the Ark to support him the Rock to sustain him under the heaviest pressures As an hiding place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 as Rivers of Waters in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Only Christ is that Ladder betwixt Earth and Heaven the Mediator betwixt God and Man a Mystery which the Angels of Heaven desire to pry and peep and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Here 's a blessed subject indeed who would not be glad to pry into it to be acquainted with it This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Come then let us look on this Sun of righteousness we cannot receive harm but good by such a look Joh. 17.3 indeed by looking long on the natural Sun we may have our eyes dazled and our faces blackned but by looking unto Jesus Christ we shall have our eyes clearer and our faces fairer Prov 15.30 if the light of the eye rejoyce the heart how much more when we have such a blessed object to look upon As Christ is more excellent than all the world so this sight transcends all other sights it is the Epitome of a Christians happiness the quintessence of evangelical Duties Looking unto Jesus In the Text we have the act and Object the act in the Original is very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English doth not fully express it it signifies an averting or drawing off the eye from one object to another there are two expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one signifies a turning of the eye from all other objects the other a fast fixing of the eye upon such an object and only upon such So it is both a looking off and a looking on On what That is the object a looking unto Jesus a Title that denotes his mercy and bounty as Christ denotes his office and function I shall not be so curious as to enquire why Jesus and not Christ is nominated I suppose the person is aimed at which implies them both only this may be observed that Jesus is the purest Gospel Name of all other names Jesus was not the dialect of the Old Testament the first place that ever we read of this title as given to Christ it is in Matth. 1.21 Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Some observe that this Name Jesus was given him twice once till death Matth. 1.21 and afterwards for ever Phil. 2.10 the first was a note of his entering into Covenant with God to fulfill the Law for us to die for our sins the second was a note of so meritorious a person who for his humility was more exalted than any person ever hath been or shall be First Jesus was the humble name of his deserving grace now Jesus is the exalted name of his transcendent glory at first the Jewes did Crucifie Jesus and his name the Apostle did then distrust whether Jesus was the true Jesus but now God hath raised him from the dead Luk. 24.21 Phil. 2.9.10 hath highly exalted him given him a name above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth My meaning is not to insist on this Name in contradistinction to any other names of Christ he is often called Christ and Lord and Mediatour and Son of God and Emmanuel Why Jesus is all these Jesus is Christ as he is the annointed of God and Jesus is Lord as he hath dominion over all the world and Jesus is Mediatour as he is the reconciler of God man and Jesus is the Son of God as he was eternally begotten before all worlds and Jesus is Emmanuel as he was incarnate and so God with us Only because Jesus signifie Saviour and this name was given him upon that very account For he shall save his people from their sins I shall make this my designe to look at Jesus more especially as carrying on the great work of our salvation from first to the last This indeed is the glad-tidings the Gospel the Gospel-priviledge and our Gospel-Duty Looking unto Jesus CHAP. II. SECT I. The Duty of looking off all other things confirmed and cleared Doctrine 1 BUT first we must look off all other things the note is this We must take off our mind from every thing which might divert us in our Christian Race from looking unto Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word or first piece of a word in my Text speaks to us thus hands off or eyes off from any thing that stands in the way of Jesus Christ I remember 't was writ over Plato's door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's none may come hither that is not a Geometer but on the door of my Text is written clean contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No earthly minded man must enter here not any thing in the world be it never so excellent if it stand in the way of
eternity See here I have loved a remnant of mankind both of Jews and Gentiles with an everlasting love I know they will sin and corrupt themselves and so become enemies to me and liable unto eternal death now thou art a mighty person able to do what I require of thee for them if thou wilt take upon thee their nature and sins and undertake to satisfie my Justice and Law and take away that hatred that is in them towards me and my Law and make them a believing holy people then I will pardon them and adopt them in thee for my sons and daughters and make them co-heirs with thee of an incorruptible crown of life And then said Christ loe I come to do thy will O God Heb 10.5.9 then Christ as it were struck hands with God to take upon him the nature and sin of man and to do and suffer for him whatsoever God required of him Certainly this was the whole business of our salvation first transacted betwixt God the Father and Christ before it was revealed to us Hence we are said to be given unto Christ I have manifested thy name said Christ unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world John 17.6 thine they were and thou gavest them me this very giving implies as if the Father in his Eternity should have said to the Son these I take to be vessels of mercy and these thou shalt bring unto me for they will destroy themselves but thou shalt save them out of their lost estate And then the Son takes them at his Fathers hand and looking at his Fathers will this is the Fathers will which hath sent me Jâ—hn 6.39 that of all which he hath given me I should loose nothing he thereupon takes care of such he would not for a world any of them should be lost which his Father hath given him they are more dear than so In Isaiah 53.10 11. and in Psal 40.7 Christ is brought in as a Surety offering himself for us and readily accepting of Gods will in this very matter and hence it is that he is called Gods servant and his ears are said to be opened Isa 5.11 Psal 40.6 Isa 42.16 In Isa 42.6 this very Covenant is expresly mentioned Thus God speaks of Christ Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Yea this Covenant and agreement seems to be confirmed with an Oath in Heb. 7.28 and for this service Christ is required to ask of God Psal 2 8 and he will give him the heathen for his Inheritance Observe how the Church of God is given to Christ as a reward of that obedience which he shewed in accepting of the office of a Surety for us This stipulation some make to be that counsel of peace spoken of by the prophet Heb. 7.28 and the counsel of peace shall be between them both Zach 6.13 ver 12 i.e. between the Lord and the man whose name is the Branch And for this agreement it is that Christ is called the second Adam for as with the first Adam God plighted a Covenant concerning him and his posterity so also he did indent with Christ and his Seed concerning eternal life to be obtained by him I deny not but that some promises were made only to Christ in his own person and not to descend to his children as Sit on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Heb. 1.13 Isa 53.10 Psal 2.8 Heb. 1.5 Jer. 32 38 and he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands and ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession But there are other promises made to him and his as that grand promise I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son it is first made to him and then to us and that special promise of spiritual grace John 1.16 of justification Isa 50.8 of victory and dominion Psal 110.2 of the Kingdome of glory Luke 24 26. they are every one first made to him and then to us The business from eternity lay thus here is man lost said God to his Son but thou shalt in fullness of time go and be born of flesh and blood and dye for them and satisfie my justice and they shall be thine for a portion and they shall be called the holy people the redeemed of the Lord Isa 62.12 This shalt thou do said the Father and upon these termes they shall live that believe This was Gods Covenant with the Son of his Love for us to whom the Son answered as it were again Psal 40.6 7. Content Father I will go and fulfil thy pleasure and they shall be mine for ever I will in the fullness of time die for them and they shall live in me burnt-offerings and sin-offerings thou hast not required no it was self-offering then said I loe I Come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O my God In what Book was it written that Christ should come to do the will of God Not only in the Book of the Law and the Prophets but also in the Book of Gods decrees In this sense the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 His Father from before all time appointed him to be our high Priest and he from all eternity subscribed to his Fathers pleasure in it In Galath 3.15 Gâ—l 3.15 Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto Now to Abraham his seed were the promises made he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ There is a question whether this Covenant here mentioned was made onely betwixt God and Christ or onely betwixt God and us or both betwixt God and Christ betwixt God and us The occasion of this question is in these words Now to Abraham Jer. 3.31 his seed were the promises made he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ 1. Some argue hence that there is no Covenant or promise made to us but only to Christ or with Christ Christ stood for us articled with God for us and performed the conditions for life and glory so that the promises are made all to him yet this indeed is confessed that because we are Christs and are concerned in the Covenant it is therefore sometimes called a Covenant made with us I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not that the Covenant is really made with us but only with Christ for us and when we feel our selves
understanding of this we shall examine these particulars 1. whether the Law was delivered in a Covenant-way 2. In what sense is the Law a Covenant of grace 3. How may it appear that the Law in any sense is a Covenant of grace 4. Why should God in the Law deal with us in a Covenant-way rather then a meer absolute supream way 5. What are the good things promised in this expressure of the Covenant 6. What is the condition of this Covenant on our part as we may gather it hence 7. Who was the Mediator of this Covenant 8. What of Christ and his death do we find in this manifestation of the Covenant For the first whether the Law was delivered in a Covenant-way it is affirmed on these grounds 1. In that it hath the name of a Covenant 2. In that it hath the real properties of a Covenant 1. The name of a Covenant as it appears in these Texts And the Lord said unto Moses â—d 34.23 write these words for after the tenor of these words I have made a Covenant with thee and with Israel and he was there with the Lord forty dayes and forty nights he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he wrote upon the tables the words of the Covenant â—t 4 13 the ten Commandments And he declared unto you his Covenant which he Commanded you to perform even the ten Commandments and he wrote them upon two tables of stone â—ut 9 9 When I was gone sayes Moses up into the Mount to receive the two tables of stone even the tables of the Covenant which the Lord made with you then I abode in the Mount forty dayes and forty nights â— 11. I neither did eat bread nor drink water And it came to pass at the end of forty dayes and forty nights that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone â— 15. even the tables of the Covenant So I turned and came down from the Mount and the mount burned with fire and the two tables of the Covenant were in my two hands It appears plainly and expresly in these Texts that the Law is a Covenant 2. The Law hath the real properties of a Covenant which are the mutual consent and stipulation on both sides You may see a full relation of this in Exod. 24.3 4 5 6 7 8. â—â—od 24 3 4 6 7 8. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice all the words which the Lord hath said will we do and Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel and he sent young men of the Children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord and Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons and half of the blood be sprinkled on the Altar and he took the book of the Covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said all that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient and Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words This very passage is related in the Epistle to the Hebrews â—eb 9.19 20 when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the Law he took the blood of calves and goates with water and scarlet-wooll and hissop and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying this is the blood of the Testament or Covenant which God hath enjoyned unto you In the words you may observe these properties of a Covenant 1. That God on his part expresseth his consent and willingness to be their God this will appear in the preface of the Law of which hereafter 2. That the people on their part give their full consents and ready willingness to be his servants Both these appear in that 1. Moses writes down the Covenant Covenant-wise 2. He Confirms the Covenant by outward signs as by the blood of Calves and Goats whereof one half he puts in basons to sprinkle it on the people and the other half of the blood he sprinkles on the Altar that sprinkling on the people signified their voluntary Covenanting with God and the blood sprinkled on the Altar signified Gods entering into Covenant with the people Thus we have reall Covenanting when the Law is given 2. In what sense is the Law a Covenant of Grace I answer The Law may be considered in several senses as 1. Sometimes it signifies largely any heavenly doctrine whether it be promise or precept â—om 3 27 and in this sense the Apostle tells us of the Law of works and of the Law of faith 2. Sometimes it signifies any part of the old Testament in which sense Jesus answered the Jews â—h 12 34 â—al 82 6 Is it not written in your Law I said ye are gods Now where was that written but in the book of the Psalms 3. Sometimes it signifies the whole oeconomy and peculiar dispensation of Gods worship unto the Jews according to the moral ceremonial â—k 16.16 â—al 5.23 and Judicial Law in which sense it is said to continue until John the Law and the Prophets were until John but since that time the Kingdom of God is preached 4. Sometimes it is taken synechdochically for some acts of the Law onely against such there is no Law â—eb 10.1 5. Sometimes it is taken only for the Ceremonial Law the Law having a shadow of good things to come 6. Sometimes it is used in the sense of the Jews as sufficient to save without Christ and thus the Apostle generally takes it in his Epistle to the Romans and Galathians 7. Sometimes it is taken for that part of the Moral Law which is meerly mandative and preceptive without any promise at all 8. Sometimes it is taken for the whole moral Law with the preface and promises added to it and in this last sense we take it when we say it is a Covenant of grace â—xod 19 5 6 3. How may it appear that the Law in this sense is a Covenant of grace it appears 1. By that contract betwixt God and Israel before the promulgation of the Law If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people â—er 11.4 for all the earth is mine and ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy nation Whereunto the Prophet Jermy hath reference saying obey my voice and do them according to all which I command you so shall you be my people and I will be your God Both these Scriptures speak of the moral Law or ten Commandments containing the preface and promises and how should that Law be any other but
thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind this is the first and great Commandment Mat. 22 36 37 38. Now as our Saviour discovers love there so in like manner is faith and Christ there the necessary consequents But you may object what say we to obedience is not that rather the condition of this covenant thus shining in the Law Indeed the Law and obedience are Correlatives But in this case we are not to look to the Law as meerly mandatory we gave you the sence of the word and how it is used as a covenant of grace remember only this the Law is considered either more strictly as it is an abstracted rule of righteousness holding forth life upon no other terms but perfect obedience or more largely as that whole doctrine delivered on Mount Sinai with the preface and promises adjoyned in the former sense it is a Covenant of works but in the latter sense it is a covenant of grace And yet I dare not say that as the Law is a covenant of grace it doth exclude obedience In some sort obedience as well as faith may be said to be a condition of the covenant of grace I shall give you my thoughts in this distinction obedience to all Gods commandments is either considerable as a cause of life or as a qualification of the subject in the former sense it cannot be a condition of the covenant of grace but in the latter sense it may if by condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to the Covenant of grace repentance faith and obedience are all conditions but if by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as the cause of the good promised though only instrumental why then faith or belief in the promises of the covenant is the only condition faith and obedience are opposed in the matter of justification and salvation in the Covenant not that they cannot stand together in one subject for they are inseparable united but because they cannot concur and meet together in one court as the cause of justification or salvation Now when we speak of the condition of the Covenant of grace we intend such a condition as is among the number of true causes indeed in the Covenant of works obedience is required as the cause of life but in the Covenant of grace though obedience must accompany faith yet not obedience but only faith is the cause of life contained in the Covenant 7. Who was the Mediator of this Covenant to this we distinguish of a double Mediator viz. Typical and Spiritual Moses was a typical but Christ was the spiritual Mediator and herein was Moses priviledged above all before him he was the Mediator of the Old Testament Christ reserving himself to be the Mediator of a better Covenant i. of the New Testament Moses received the Law from God Heb. 8.6 and delivered it to the people and so he stood a Mediator between God and the people never was mortal man so near to God as Moses was Abraham indeed was called Gods friend but Moses was Gods favorite and never was mortal man either in knowledge love or authority so near unto the people as Moses was which makes the Jews O wonder to Idolize him to this very day Moses was called in as a Mediator on both parts 1. On Gods part when he called him up to receive the Law all those messages which God sent by him to the people 2. On the peoples part when they desired him to receive the Law for they were afraid by reason of the fire and durst not go up into the Mount Deut. 5.5 mark how he stiles himself as a Mediator At that time saith he I stood between the Lord and you to shew you the word of the Lord He was Gods mouth to them and he was their mouth to God and he was a prevailing Mediator on both parts he prevailed with God for the suspending of his Justice that it should not break out upon the people and he prevailed with the people to bind them in Covenant unto God and to make profession of that Obedience which the Lord required and called for yet for all this I call him not a Mediator of Redemption but Relation A great deal of difference there is betwixt Moses and Christ as 1. Moses only received the Law and delivered it to the people but Chirst our true Moses fulfilled it 2. Moses broke the Tables to shew how we in our Nature had broken the Law but Christ our true Moses repairs it again 3. Moses had the Law only writ in Tables of Stone but Christ writes it in the Tables of our hearts 4. Moses was meer man but Christ is God as well as man Moses was only a Servant in Gods House but Christ is a Son yea Christ is Lord of his own House the Church Moses mediation was of this use to shew what was the true manner of worshipping God but he did not inspire force and power to follow it he could not reconcile men to God as of himself and therefore it appeared that there was need of another reconciler viz. the Lord Jesus Christ 8. What of Christ and of his death do we find in this manifestation of the Covenant I answer 1. In delivering the Law we find something of Christ there is a question whether the Lord himself immediately in his own person delivered the Law Deut. 5 2â— and some conclude affirmatively from the Preface God spake these words and said and from that passage of Moses these words the Lord spake unto all your Assembly in the Mount out of the midst of the fire and wrote them on two Tables of Stone and delivered them unto me But others are for the negative and say this proves not that they were pronounced or delivered immediately by God for we find in Scripture that when the Angels were the immediate persons yet the Lord himself is reported to have spoken unto men Gen. 18.2 13. Exod. 3.2 6 7. And Augustine is resolute Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 15. that Almighty God himself in the time of the Old Testament did not spake to the Jews with his own immediate voice but only by Christ or by his Angels or by his Prophets and for this Ministerial voice of his Angels some produce these Texts â—cts 7.5 â—al 3.19 who have received the Law by the Ordinance of Angels and wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator â—eb 2.2 And if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast c. For my part it hath puzled me at times whether of these opinions to take but others say and I am now as apt to joyn with them as with either of the former that Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity
to be incarnate who is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal 3.1 and the Angel of his presence Isa 63.9 was he that uttered and deliver'd the Law unto Moses â—cts 7.38 â—cts 7.39 and to this purpose are produced these Texts This Moses is he that was in the Congregation with the Angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai Now this Angel was Christ as it is cleared in the following verse whom or which Angel our Fathers would not obey but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt They would not obey the Angel but thrust him from them i. they tempted the Angel whom they should have obeyed and who was that but Jesus Christ as it is cleared more fully and expresly by the Apostle Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Some of the Learned are of opinion that Christ the Son of God did in the shape of a man deliver the Law But I leave that 2. In the Law it self as it is a Covenant of Grace we find something of Christ in the preface he proclaims himself to be our God and in the first Commandment we are bound to take this God to be our God and in the second he gives us a double Reason or Motive to obey for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God I shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments And in the fifth Commandment he gives a promise of long life in Canaan which is either to be look'd at as a type of Heaven or literally for a prosperous condition here on earth but howsoever it is by virtue of the Covenant and as a testimony of Gods love now all these promises are made in Christ God is not our God but in and through Jesus Christ God will not shew mercy unto thousands nor unto one of all the thousands of his Saints but as they are in Jesus Christ God will not give us long life here or eternal life hereafter but in for and through the Lord Jesus Christ what if Moses writ not down the word Christ yet certainly Moses writ of Christ his words imply Christ as Christ himself told the Jews John 5.46 Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for Moses wrote of me and as Philip told Nathanael we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write John 1.45 Jesus of Nazareth John 1.45 Surely Christ was if not the only subject yet the only scope of all the writings of Moses and therefore in the Law it self you see we find something of Christ 3. In the Exposition of the Law as Moses gives it here and there we find something of Christ Yea if we observe it Moses brought something more to the expression of Christ and of the Covenant of Grace than ever was before in the first promise it was revealed that Christ should be the Seed of the woman in the second manifestation of the promise it was revealed that Christ should be of the Seed of Abraham but in Moses writings and Moses time we learn more expresly that Christ was to be incarnate and to have his Conversation amongst men Ex. 29.45 46 The promise runs thus And I will dwell among the Children of Israel and will be their God and they shall know that I am the Lord their God that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I may dwell amongst them Lev. 26.11 12 I am the Lord their God The same promise is renewed or repeated and I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you and I will walk among you and I will be your God and ye shall be my people this promise was punctually fulfilled when Christ was incarnate for then was the Word made flesh and dwelt amongst us John 1.14 John 1.14 or if it be referred to the habitation of God by his Spirit amongst the spiritual seed of Abraham then it implies the incarnation of Christ because that was to go before the plentiful habitation of Christs Spirit in the Saints Again Moses writing of Christ Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God saith he will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto Me unto him shall ye hearken VVas not this a plain expression Peter in his Sermon to the Jews preacheth Jesus Christ and he tells the Jews that this Jesus Christ was preached unto them before when before even in Moses time and for proof he cites this very Text Acts 3.20 22 For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto Me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you 4. In the confirmation of the Law we find something of Christ It was confirmed by Seals and Sacrifices c. What were all these but a type of Christ in the formed expression of the Covenant we found the Seal of Circumcision but now it pleased God to add unto the former another Seal for Confirmation of their Faith sc the Passeover and was not this a type of Christ the immaculate Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Again in this manifestation Moses brought in the Priesthood as a setled Ordinance to offer sacrifices for the people and was not this a type of Christ our true and unchangeable High Priest I have sometimes seen the Articles of a believing Jews Creed collected out of Moses Law as thus I believe that the Messiah should die to make satisfaction for sin this they saw in their continued bloudy Sacrifices and their deliverance from Egypt by the death of a Lamb taught them no less 2. I believe that he shall not die for his own sins but for the sins of others this they might easily observe in every sacrifice when according to Law they saw the most harmless birds and Beasts were offered 3. I beleive to be saved by laying hold upon his merits this they might gather by laying their right hand upon the head of every Beast that they brought to be offered up and by laying hold on the horns of the Altar being a Sanctuary or Refuge from pursuing vengeance Thus we might go on No question the Death and Resurrection of Christ the Priesthood and Kingdom of Christ were prefigured and typed by the Sacrifices and the Brazen Serpent and the Priesthood of Aaron and the Kingdom of Israel And I cannot but think that the godly spiritual Jews understood this very well and that these did not rest in Sacrifices or Sacraments but that by faith they did really enjoy Christ in every of them 5. In the intention of Gods giving the Law we find something of Christ The very end of God in holding forth the Law was that upon the sense of our impossibility to keep it and of our danger to break
fire which hath a most vehement flame SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that Respect WE must hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in a way of Covenant now what is hope but a good opinion of enjoying its object indeed a good opinion is so necessary for hope that it makes almost all its kinds and differences as it is greater or lesser so it causeth the strength or weakness the excess or defect of this passion hope This good opinion is that which renders hope either doubtful or certain if certain it produceth confidence or presumption presumption is nothing but an immoderate hope without a ground but confidence is that assurance of the thing hoped for in some measure as if we had it already in hand Hence it is that we usually say we have great and strong and good hopes when we would speak them assured which hath occasioned some to define it thus Hope is a certain grounded confidence that the desired good will come not to insist on this all the question is Whether those promises contained in the Covenant of grace belong unto me and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built If the grounds be weak then hope is doubtful or presumptuous but if the grounds be right then hope is right and I may cast Anchor and build upon it In the disquisition of these grounds we shall only search into those qualifications which the Scripture tells us they are qualified with with whom the Lord enters into a Covenant of grace and these we shall reduce 1. To the condition of the Covenant 2. To the promise of the Covenant As 1. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God wrought in thee that condition of the Covenant Acts 16.31 Rom. 10.9 a true and lively and soul-saving and justifying faith Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved If thou believest thou shalt be saved The promise of life contained in the Covenant is made onely to believers This is so sure a way of tryal 2 Cor. 13.5 that the Apostle himself directs us thereunto Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith Ay But how shall I examine for there are many pretenders to faith in these dayes Why thus 1. True faith will carry thee out of thy self into Christ Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me a faithful man hath not his life in himself but in Christ Jesus he hath his spiritual being in the Father and in his Son Jesus Christ he is joyned to the Lord and is one Spirit he seeth the Father in the Son and the Son within himself and also the Father within himself through the Son 2 Cor. 13.5 John 14.20 Joh. 17.22 23. Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates Ye shall know me saith Christ that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you By faith we enjoy the glory of union The glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me though we have not the glory of equality yet we have the glory of likeness we are one with Christ and one with the Father by faith in Christ 2. True faith will carry thee beyond the world a believer looks on Christ over-coming the world for him and so by that faith he overcomes the world through him 1 John 5.4 Rev. 1.12 This is the Victory that overcometh the world even your faith Hence it is that the Saints are said To be cloathed with the Sun and to have the Moon under their feet when through faith they are cloathed with The Son of Righteousness the Lord Jesus then they trample upon all sublunary things as nothing worth in comparison of Christ 3. True faith is ever accompanied with true love if once by faith thou apprehendest Gods love and Christs love to thee thou canst not but love that God and love that Christ who loved thee and gave himself for thee 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us he that loveth not God hath not apprehended Gods love to him if ever God in Christ be presented to thee for thy justification 1 John 4.8 it is such a lovely object that thou canst not but love him He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 4. True faith purifies the heart and purgeth out sin When God discovers this that he will heal back-sliding and love freely and turn away his anger then Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with Idols Hos 14.8 if ever Christ reveal himself as the object of our Justification he will be sure to present himself as the pattern of our Sanctification the knowledge of Gods Goodness will make us in love with holiness they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity Jer. 33.9 that I procure unto them saith the Lord The golden chain of Mercy let down from Heaven doth bind us faster to the service of our God 5. Above all observe the rise true faith if it be true it is ever bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition spiritual poverty is the nearest capacity of believing this is faiths method be condemned to be saved be sick and be healed Faith is a flower of Christ's own planting but it grows in no Soul but onely on the margin and bank of the Lake of fire and brimstone in regard there 's none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell They that be whole need not a Physician saith Christ but they that are sick Mat. 9.13 This is a Foundation of Christ that because the man is broken and hath not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fire-side and cloath him and feed him there I know Satan argues thus Thou art not worthy of Christ and therefore what hast thou to do with Christ but Faith concludes otherwise I am not worthy of Christ I am out of measure sinful I tremble at it and I am sensible of it and therefore ought I and therefore must I come to Christ this arguing is Gospel-logick and the right method of a true and saving-faith for what is faith but the act of a sinner humbled weary laden poor and self-condemned Oh take heed of their doctrine who make faith to act of some vile person never humbled but applying with an immediate touch his hot boyling and smoaking Lusts to the bleeding blessed Wounds and Death of Jesus Christ 2. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God fulfilled in some part the promises of this Covenant to thy Soul As 1. Then hath God put the Law into thy inward parts and writ it in thy heart look as Indenture answers to Indenture or as a face in the glass answers to a
11.26 Moses reason of esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of Egypt was for that he had respect unto the recompence of reward he had respect in the original he had a fixed intent Eye there was in him a Love of the reward and yet withal a Love of God and therefore his Love of the reward was not mercinary but this I say though there were no reward at all a Child of God hath such a principle of Love within him that for Loves sake he would Obey his God he is led by the Spirit and therefore he Obeys now the Spirit that leads him is a Spirit of Love and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 3. The Sons of God imitate God in his Love and Goodness to all Men. Our Saviour amplifies this excellent property of God He causeth his Sun to shine upon good and bad and thence he concludeth Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 Goodness to bad men is the highest degree of Grace and as it were the perfection of all O my Soul Canst thou imitate God in this Consider how thy Father bears it though the wicked provoke him day by day yet for all that he doth not quickly revenge vengeance indeed is only his and he may in justice do what he will that way and 't is the opinion of some that if the most patient man in the world should but sit in Gods Throne one day and see and observe the doings and miscarriges of the Sons of Men he would quickly set all the World on Fire yet God seeth all and for all that He doth not make the Earth presently to gape and devour us He puts not out the glorious Light of the Sun He doth not dissolve the Work of Creation He doth not for Mans Sin presently blast every thing into Dust What an excellent pattern is this for thee to Write after Canst thou but forgive thy Enemies Do well to them that do evil to thee O this is a sure sign of Grace and Sonship It is storyed of some Heathens who beating a Christian almost to Death asked him What great matter Christ did ever do for him Even this said the Christian That I can forgive you though you use me thus cruelly here was a Child of God indeed It is a sweet resemblance of our Father and of our Saviour Jesus Christ to Love our Enemies to Bless them that Curse us to do Good unto them that Hate us to Pray for them that Despitefully use us and Persecute us O my Soul look to this 5.44 consult this ground of Hope if this Law be written in thy Heart write it down amongst thy Evidences that thou art Gods Son yea that even unto thee a Son is given To Review the Grounds What is a Child born to me and a Son given to me What am I indeed new born am I indeed Gods Son or Daughter do I upon the search find in my Soul new desires new comforts new contentments What are my words my works and affections and conversation new is there in me a new nature a new principle hath the Spirit by way of infusing or shedding given me a new Power a new Ability a Seed of Spiritual Life which I had not before do I upon the search find that I fear God and love God and imitate God in some good measure in his love and goodness towards all Men can I indeed and really forgive an Enemy and according to opportunity and my ability do good unto them that do evil unto me Why should I not then confidently and comfortably hope that I have my share and interest in the birth of Christ in the blessed incarnation and conception of Jesus Christ Away away all despair and dejections and despondencies of Spirit If these be my grounds of Hope it is time to hold up head and heart and hands and all with cheerfulness and confidence and to say with the Spouse I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine SECT V. Of Believing in Jesus in that Respect 5. LEt us Believe on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation at his first coming or incarnation I know many staggerings are oft in Christians What is it likely that Christ should be incarnate for me That such a God should do such a thing for such a sinful woful abominable wretch as I am Ah my Soul put thy propriety in Christs incarnation out of dispute that thou mayst be able to say As God was manifest in the flesh and I may not doubt it so God is manifest in me and I dare not deny it But to help the Soul in this choice Duty I shall first propose the hinderances of Faith 2. The helps of Faith in this Respect 3. The manner how to act our Faith 4. The encouragements to bring on the soul to believe its part in this blessed incarnation of Jesus Christ For the first there are but three things that can hinder Faith As 1. The exceeding unworthiness of the soul and to this purpose are those complaints What Christ incarnate for me for such a dead Dog as I am What King would dethrone himself and become a Toad to save Toades and am not I at a greater distance from God than a Toad is from me hath not sin made my soul more ugly in Gods Eye than any loathsome Toad can be in my Eye O I am less than the least of all Gods Mercies I am fitter for Hell and Devils than for Vnion and Communion with God and Christ I dare not I cannot Believe 2. The infinite exactness of divine justice which must be satisfied a soul deeply and seriously considering of this it startles thereat and cries O what will become of my soul one of the least sins that I stand Guilty of deserves Death and eternal Wrath The wages of sin is death and I cannot satisfie though I have trespassed to many millions of talents I have not one mite of mine own to pay O then how should I believe What thoughts can I entertain of Gods Mercy and Love to me-ward God's Law condemns me my own Conscience accuseth me and Justice will have its due 3. The want of a Mediator or some suitable Person which may stand between the Sinner and God If on my part there be unworthiness and on Gods part exact and strict and severe Justice and withall I see no Mediator which I may go unto and first close withall before I deal with the infinite glory of God himself how should I but despair and cry out O wretched man that I am O that I had never been or if I must needs have a being Oh that I had been a toad or serpent or any venomous creature rather than a man for when they dye they perish and there 's an end of them but the end of a reprobate sinner is torments without end O wo and alas I cannot believe
Jesus Christ in carrying on our souls Salvation is adding miracle to miracle there is a chain of miracles in the matter of our salvation from first to last As. 1. It was a miracle that God in his Eternity before we had a being should have once thought of us especially that the Blessed Trinity should sit in councel and contrive that most admirable and astonishing plot of the Salvation of our souls Oh what a miracle was this 2. It was a Miracle that God for our sakes should create the world and after our fall in Adam that God should preserve the world especially considering that our sin had unpin'd the whole frame of the Creation and that God even then sitting on his Throne of Judgment ready to pass the doom of death for our first Transgression should unexpectedly give a promise of a Saviour when justly he might have given us to the devil and to Hell according to his own Law Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death 3. It was a Miracle that Gods Son should take upon him our nature and that in our nature he should Transact our peace that he should Preach Salvation to us all if we would believe and to the end that we might believe that he would work so many signs and Miracles in the presence of his Disciples and of a world of men was not Christs Birth a Miracle and Christs Life a Miracle and Christs Death a Miracle and Christs Resurrection a Miracle and Christs Ascension a Miracle was not Christs Ministry a miracle and was it not a miracle that Christs Word should not be credited without a world of miracles to back it and confirm it to the Sons of men 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the miracle as well as mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory 4. It was a Miracle that God should look upon us in our blood what a sight was it for God when thy navel was not cut when thou wast not salted at all Ezek. 16.4.5 6. nor swadled at all when thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person yet that then even then the Lord should pass by thee and see thee polluted in thy own blood and should say unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea say unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live O miracle of mercies If creation cannot be without a miracle surely the new creature is a miracle indeed So contrary is our perverse natures to all possibilities of Salvation that if Salvation had not marched to us all the way in a miracle we should have perished in the ruines of a sad eternity Election is a miracle and Creation is a miracle and Redemption is a miracle and Vocation is a miracle and indeed every man living in the state of grace is a perpetual miracle in such a one his reason is turned into faith his soul into spirit his body iinto a Temple his earth into heaven his water into wine his Aversations from Christ into intimate Union with Christ and Adhesions to Christ O what a Chain of Miracles is this Why Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean say thus you that are yet in your blood why Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean O Lord I believe help thou my unbelief After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem John 5.39 Some would have this feast to be Pentecost and to speak truly the most of our Commentaries run that way others take this for the feast of the Passover and the rather because the Evangelist John reckons the time of Christs publick Ministry by the several Passovers now if this feast were not a Passover we cannot find in the Gospel so many Passovers as to make up Christs Ministry three years and an half On this ground I joyn with the latter Opinion and so here I end the second year of Christs Ministry and come to the third and to his Actings therein in reference to our souls Salvation CHAP. III. SECT I. Of the third year of Christs Ministry and generally of his Actings in that year HItherto all was quiet neither the Jews nor the Samaritans nor Galileans did as yet malign the Doctrine or Person of Jesus Christ but he preached with much peace on all hands till the beginning of this year I shall not yet speak his sufferings neither shall I speak much of his doings many things were done and spoken this year which I must pass least I be too prolix only such things as refer more principally to the main business of our souls Salvation I shall touch in these particulars As 1. In the Ordination of the Apostles 2. In his Reception of Sinners 3. In the easiness of his yoak and the lightness of his burthen which he imposeth on men SECT II. Of Christs Ordination of his Apostles 1. IN the Ordination of his Apostles are many considerable things the Evangelist Luke layes it down thus Luke 6.12 13. And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God and when it was day he called unto him his Disciples and of them he Chose Twelve whom also he named Apostles Till now Christ taught alone but because after his Ascension he must needs have a Ministry till the end of the world in the first place he choseth out some whom he would have on purpose to wait upon him all the time of his Ministry till he was taken up into Heaven In this Election or Ordination here is first the person by whom they are Chosen Jesus Christ 2. The place were they are chosen viz. in a mountain 3. The time when they were Chosen after his watching and praying all night and when it was day 4. The company out of whom they were Chosen they where his Disciples and out of them he makes this Election 5. The number of them that were Chosen they were Twelve nor more nor less 6. The end to which they were chosen it was to an Apostleship he Chose Twelve whom he also named Apostles 1. The person by whom they are Chosen is Jesus Christ They Chose not themselves but were chosen of Christ this call was immediate and therefore most excellent but now we look not after such calls and therefore I shall not insist on that only by the way Ministers of the Gospel must be Ministers of Christ either immediately or mediately called 2. The place where they were chosen it was on a mountain mountainous places have their situation nearest to Heaven which shews that they were called to high and heavenly things mountains are open and in view which shews their Ministry must be publick they cannot lye hid in a mountain a City that is set upon a hill
of Christs institutions and therefore to remove that objection he tells them plainly there is no such thing but rather clean contrary For my Yoak is easie and my Burthen is light My Yoak i.e. my Commandments so the Apostle John gives the interpretation His Commandments are not grievous 1 John 7.3 My Yoak is easie i.e. my Commandments are without any inconvenience the trouble of a Yoak is not the weight but the uneasiness of it and Christ speaks sutably My Yoak is easie and my Burthen i.e. my institutions the word primarily signifies the fraight or balast of a Ship which cuts through the Waves as if it had no burthen and without which burthen there were no safety in the Ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ferendo a burthen which either is laid upon the shoulder or rather which is put into a Ship that it may go steadily and safely My Burthen is light the Yoak of the Law was heard and the Burthen of the Pharisees was heavy but Christs Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light every way sweet and pleasant Christian Religion and the practise of it are full of sweetness easiness and pleasantness My Yoak is easie and my Burthen is light The Prophets prophesying of this say thus Every Valley shall be exalted and every Mountain and Hill shall be laid low Isa 40.4 the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain the meaning is that the wayes of Christianity should be levelled and made even and that all lets and impediments should be removed out of the way that so we might have a more easie and convenient passage unto Heaven to the same purpose is that other prophesie Isa 35.8 And an high-way or causway shall be there and a way a causway and a way that is a way cast up Isa 62.10 and it shall be called the way of holiness or a way for the Saints of God and not for the wicked Matth. 7.14 The unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those or he shall be with them or be a guide unto them by his Word and Spirit Isa 30.21 The Wayfaring men though fools shall not erre therein Christs way is so easie that the simplest so conducted by his Word and Spirit shall not miss of it The meek will he guide in Judgment Psal 25.9 and the meek will he teach his way The Apostles are yet more clear For this is the love of God 1 John 5.3 Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.6 that we keep his Commandments and his commandments are not grievous And the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and Death And now are we delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter Christ Jesus came to break off from our necks those two great yoaks the one of Sin by which we are kept in fetters and prisons the other of Moses Law by which we are kept in pupillage and minority and now Christ having taken off these two he hath put on a third he quits us of our burthen but not of our duty he hath changed the yoak of sin and the yoak of the Law strictly taken into the sweetness of his Fatherly Regiment whose very precepts carry part of their reward in hand and assurance of Glory afterward The reasons of the sweetness easiness and pleasantness of Christian Religion and the practise of it I shall reduce into these heads 1. Christian Religion is most rational If we should look into the best laws that the wisest men in the World ever agreed upon we shall find that Christ adopted the quintessence of them all into this one Law the highest pitch of reason is but as a spark a taper a lesser light which is involved and swallowed up in the Body of this great light that is made up by the Son of Righteousness Some observe that Christ's discipline is the Breviary of all the wisdom of the Best men and a fair copy and transcript of his Fathers wisdom there is nothing in the laws of Christian Religion but what is the perfective of our Spirits rare expedient of obeying God and of doing duty and benefit to all capacities and orders of men Indeed the Greeks whom the World admired for their humane wisdom accounted the Preaching of the Gospel foolishness and thereupon God blasted their wisdom as it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the Prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 1 Cor. 1 19. the Gospel may be as foolishness unto some but unto them which are called Christ the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisdom of God 2. Christian Religion hath less trouble and slavery in it than sin or any thing that is contrary to it as for instance he that propounds to himself to live a low a pious an humble and retired life his main imployment is nothing but sitting Religiously quiet and undisturbed with variety of impertinent affairs but he that loves the world entertains athousand businesses and every business hath a world of employments how easie a thing is it to restore a pledg but if a man means to defeat or to cozen him that trusts him what a world of arts must he use to make pretences as first to delay then to excuse then to object then to intricate the business then to quarrel and all the way to palliate the crime and to represent himself an honest man the wayes of sin are crooked desert rocky and uneven wayes the Apocriphal Book of Solomon brings in such men as if in hell they were speaking this language We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness Wisd 5.7 yea we have gone through deserts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it Wicked men are in thraldom but where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is freedom O the pains troubles expences that men are at to serve their sensuality see how the ambitious man riseth early and goes to bed late see how he flatters dissembles solicites to obtain nothing but a little wind a puff a breath of vain mens mouths see how the covetous man toyls as if he were tied in a gally by the leg with a chain to serve by rowing for ever so I have heard that Turks use some Christians but this is a thousand times worse servitude for such a one is in servitude to a more base Creature than a Turk and he lies bound not only by the feet but also by the hands eares eyes heart and all only the Christian is at liberty only Christian Religion and the practise of it sets men at liberty If ye continue in my word John 8.31 32 saith Christ then are ye my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
great reward he saith not for keeping them but in keeping them there is great reward there is a grace a beauty an excellency in every gracious acting 2. The reward according to the duty to this exercise of Religion Christ hath annexed many sweet and gracious Promises both for this life and that to come and these Promises may be used as helps He had respect unto the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 To this purpose are the glorious things of Heaven set open before us that we may have an eye to them and be encouraged by them So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 6. The openings and discoveries of the pains of Hell are as helps to restrain us from sin and to keep us in the way to Christ This some call legal but Christ in the Gospel tells us of this in the Gospel we find a description of hell-pains set out by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth by a worm never dying Matth. 8.12 Mark 9.44 and a fire never going out Oh when I think of those unquenchable flames those remediless torments without hope of recovery remission or mitigation when I think of that privation and loss of the sight of Gods face prepared only for those that serve him in holiness how should I but look about me and prepare for my reckoning Nay how easie should I think any pains in comparison Some persons in affrightment have been seen to carry burthens and to leap ditches and climb walls which their natural power could never have done and if we understood the sadness of a cursed eternity from which we are commanded to fly and yet knew how near we are to it and how likely to fall into it if we continue in sin it would be able to create feares greater than a sudden fire or a mid-night alarm 7. A principle of love wheresoever it is planted is our help be the Yoak never so uneasie yet love will make it light Can. 3.10 Solomon compares the estate of the Church to a chariot and it is described to have Pillars of Silver and a Bottom of Gold and a Covering of Purple the midst thereof being paved with Love a strange expression that the midst of a Chariot should be paved with love but 't is plain the Chariots wherein Christ carries his people up and down in the World and brings them to himself is such a Chariot as the midst thereof is paved with love in this case if there were neither Heaven nor Hell yet a soul would be in the duties of Christianity I remember how Ivo Bishop of Chartres meeting a grave Matron on the way with fire in one hand and water in the other he asked her what those symboles meant and what she meant to do with her fire and water she answered My purpose is with the fire to burn Paradise and with the water to quench the flames of Hell that men may serve God said she without the incentives of hope and fear and purely for the love of God and Jesus Christ Surely it was an high expression for my part I dare not separate those things which God hath joyned together only this I say that where true love is there is an excellent help in our way Heaven-wards 8. The Angels be our helps They are ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and the kind of their ministration is excellently set forth by the Psalmist They shall keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone Psal 91.11 12. in this place the Angels are compared to Nurses that have a charge over weak Children to keep them and guard them so the Angels do all the offices of a Nurse or Mother they keep us guard us instruct us admonish us correct us comfort us preserve us from evil and provoke us to good 9. The Motions Inspirations blessed Influences of the Spirit of Christ be our helps many a time the Spirit cries Isa 30.21 and calls on our hearts saying This is the way walk therein as the evil Spirit or Devil in wicked men is continually moving and inclining them to all evil thoughts affections and desires so the good Spirit of God in good men doth incline and move them to good thoughts good affections good actions and hence they are said to be led by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 there are indeed several acts of the Spirit as sometimes there is a breathing or stirring sometimes a quickening or enlivening sometimes a powerful effectual inclining or bending of our hearts unto good things now in some of these works the Spirit is most-what for in the progress of sanctification we need a continual help and influence from Gods holy Spirit and when we obey these conducts Gal. 5.24 we are said to walk in the Spirit and as all these are helps in the wayes of Christianity so by these helps and assistance of Christ's Holy Spirit Christianity is made very easie unto us 10. The Grace of God is our help many feeling the strength of corruption cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Ver. 23. 2 Cor. 12.9 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind but they consider not the comfortable saying of Christ to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee by the assistance of grace Paul could do any thing I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 Rom. 8.37 Psal 119.32 yea In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us the Psalmist hath a notable expression to this purpose I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart this enlargement of heart was by the grace of God grace is compared to oyl as a dry purse is softned and enlarged by anointing it with Oyl so the heart drawn together by sin is opened and enlarged by the pouring of grace into it and if grace be present then saith David I will run the way of thy Commandments not walk but run it is an allusion to a Cart-Wheel which crieth and complaineth under a small burthen being dry but when a little Oyl is put into it it runs merrily and without noise and if David could say thus in his time how much more should we that live in these Gospel-times when grace in greater measure is effused and poured out by the grace of Christ should we say we will walk and run and fly in the way of his Commandments Vse Well then is Christian Religion and the practice of it full of sweetness easiness and pleasantness in the first place for conviction this may take away the cavils of some men what is said in way of objection I shall reduce to these particulars 1. They object that Christ himself confesseth it to be a
ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefest of ten thousands As in the fairest beauty there is a mixture of these two colours white and ruddy so in Christ there is a gracious mixture and compound of all the graces of the Spirit there is in him a sweet temper of gentleness purity righteousness meekness humility and what not In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 and I may add of all other gifts and graces not a grace but it was in Christ and that in an higher way than in any Saint in the World and therefore he is called fairer than all the children of men Observe There was more habitual grace in Christ than ever was or is or shall be in all the Elect whether Angels or Men. He received the Spirit out of measure there was in him as much as possibly could be in a creature and more than in all other creatures whatsoever As the Sun is the Prince of Stars as the Husband is the head of the Wife as a Lion is the King of the Beasts so is this Sun of Righteousness this Head of the Church this Lion of the Tribe of Judah the chiefest of ten thousands if we look at any thing in Heaven or Earth that we observe as eminently fair by that is the Lord Jesus in respect of his inward beauty set forth in Scriptures he is the Sun of Righteousness the bright Morning-Star the Light of the World the Tree of Life the Lilly and the Rose fairer than all the Flowers of the Field than all the precious Stones of the Earth than all the Lights in the Firmament than all the Saints and Angels in Heaven You will say What 's all this to us Certainly much every way the Apostle tells you That the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.2 hath freed me from the Law of sin of Death let us enquire into these words the law of the Spirit of life the Spirit of life is here put for life as else where After three dayes an half Rev. 11.11 the Spirit of life coming from God shall enter into them Now life is that whereby a thing acteth and moveth it self and it is the cause and beginning of action and motion and this Spirit of life or life it self being here applied to Christ it is that in Christ which is the beginning and cause of all his holy actions and what was that but his Original holiness or the holiness of his humane Nature But why is the holiness of Christs nature called the Spirit of life I answer 1. Because it was infused into his manhood by the Spirit of God The holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God 2. Because it is a most exact and absolute and perfect holiness the Scripture-phrase setting out things in perfection or fulness usually adds the word Spirit unto them as the spirit of pride the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error so then the meaning of the Spirit of life is all one with the most absolute and most perfect purity and holiness of the nature of Christ It is briefly as if the Apostle had said the law of the Spirit of life or the power of the most absolute and perfect holiness of the nature of Christ hath freed me from the law of sin and death hath acquitted me from the power of my sinful nature and from the power of death due to me in respect of my sinful and corrupt nature We might draw from hence this conclusion that The benefit of Christ's habitual righteousness infused at his first conception is imputed to believers to their justification As the obedience of his life and the merit of his death so the Holyness infused at his very conception hath its influence into our justification it is by the obedience of his life that we are accounted actually holy and by the purity of his conception or habitual grace that we are accounted personally holy But I must not stay here Thus much of the Holiness of Christ's Nature SECT IV. Of the Holiness of Christ's Life Rom. 5.19 2. FOr the holiness of Christs life the Apostle tells us that by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous here 's the obedience of Christ and its influence on us 1. The obedience of Christ is that whereby he continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Matth. 5.17 John 8.29 Acts 3.14 Observe Christ's life was a visible commentary on Gods Law For proof Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets saith Christ but to fulfil them And the Father hath not left me alone saith Christ for I do alwayes those things that please him Hence Christ in Scripture is called Holy and Just and the Holy One Acts 2.27 The most Holy Dan. 9.24 by his actual holiness Christ fulfilled in act every branch of the Law of God he walked in all the Commandments of God he performed perfectly both in thought word and deed whatsoever the Law of the Lord required I do not cannot limit this obedience of Christ to this last year of his Ministry for his whole life was a perpetual course of obedience he was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even until his death and yet because we read most of his holy actings this year and that this was the year wherein both his active and passive obedience did most eminently shine and break forth the year wherein he drew up all the dispersions of his precepts and cast them into actions as into sums total therefore now I handle it and I shall make it out by the passages following only in this one year As 1. Now he discovered his charity in feeding the hungry as at once five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes John 6.9 10 11. John 6.9 10 11. and at another time four thousand men with seven Loaves and a few small Fishes Matth. 15.32 Matth. 15.32 2. Now he discovered his self-denial and contempt of the World in flying the offers of a Kingdom when the people were convinc'd that he was the Messiah from that miracle of feeding five thousand men with five Loaves presently they would needs make him a King but he that left his Fathers Kingdom for us he fled from the offers of a Crown and Kingdom from them John 6.15 as from an enemy When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a Mountain himself alone 3. Now he discovered his mercy in healing the Womans Daughter that had an unclean spirit Mar. 7.26 27. the Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation and in that respect Christ called her a Dog and yet Christ gave her the desire of her soul O the
which I believe are the beautifullest creatures the world has should be compared with the beauty of Christ which consists in the perfection of the divine nature and in the perfection of his humane nature and in the perfection of the graces of his Spirit they would be but as lumps of darkness The brightest Cherub is forc'd to skreen his face from the dazling and shining brightness of the glory of Christ Alas the Cherubims and Seraphims are but as spangles and twinkling stars in the canopy of Heaven but Christ is the Sun of righteousness that at once illuminates and drowns them all Come then cast up thy desires after Christ breath O my soul after the enjoyments of this Christ fling up to heaven some divine ejaculations Oh that this Christ were mine Oh that the actions of Christ and the person of Christ were mine Oh that all he said and all he did and all he were from top to the were mine Oh that I had the silver wings of a Dove that in all my wants I might fly into the bosom of this Christ Oh that I might be admitted to his person or if that may not be Oh that I may but touch the very hem of his Garment If I must not sit at Table Oh that I might but gather up the Crumbs Surely there 's Bread enough in my Fathers House Christ is the Bread of Life this one Loaf Christ is enough for all the Saints in heaven and earth to feed on and what must I pine away and perish with hunger Oh that I might have one Crum of Christ Thousands of Instructions dropped from him whiles he was on earth Oh that some of that food might be my nourishment Oh that my wayes were directed according to his Statutes many a stream and wave Psal 119.15 John 7.37 and line and precept flowed from this Fountain Christ Oh that I might drink freely of this water of life He hath proclaimed it in my ears if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Oh that I might come and find welcome why sure I thirst I am extreamly a thirst I feel in me such a burning drought that either I must drink or die either the righteousness of Christ the holiness of Christ the holiness of his Nature and the holiness of his Life must be imputed unto me or farewel happiness in another World why come come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh I long to see the beauty of thy face thy glory is said to be an enamouring glory such is thy beauty that it steals away my heart after thee and cannot be satisfied till with Absolon I see the Kings face come Christ or if thou wilt not come I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved Cant. 5.8 that ye tell him I am sick of Love SECT IV. Of Hopeing in Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life By this hope I mean not a fluctuating wavering doubtful hope but an assured hope an hope well grounded The main soul question is whether Christ's life be mine whether all those passages of his life lâ—id open belong unto me whether the habitual righteousness and actual holiness of Christ be imputed to my justification and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built The Apostle tells us that God gives good hopes through Grace if hope be right and good 2 Thes 2.16 it will manifest it self by operations of saving Grace O look into thy soul what gracious effects of the life of Christ are there certainly his life is not with out some influence on our spirits if we be his Members and he be our Head The Head we say communicates life and sense and motion to his members and so doth Christ communicate a spiritual life and sense and motion to his members O the glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believers soul I shall lay down these As 1. If Christ's life be mine then am I freed from the Law of sin This was the Apostles evidence For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Christ's Life is called the Spirit of Life because of its perfection and this Spirit of Life hath such a power in it here termed a Law that it works out in Believers a freedom from the Law or Power in Sin I cannot think notwithstanding the influence of Christ's life on me but that sin still-sticketh in me I am still a sinner in respect of the inherency of sin but I am freed from the power of sin i.e. from the guilt of sin as to its condemning power and from the filth of sin as to its ruling reigning power Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof I grant there is some difference among Divines in their expressions concerning the sins of Gods own people though they mean one and the self-same thing Some call them only sins of infirmity and others grant the name of reigning sins but with this limitation that this is not a total reigning Sin reigneth as a Tyrant over them not as a King at sometimes as in Davids case the will and consent may run along with sin no actual resistance may be made against sin at all 1 John 3.9 and yet at the very same time the seed of God remaineth in them though it seem dead and in Gods good time that very seed will revive again and throw out the Tyrant there is not cannot be that antecedent and consequent consent to sin in the godly as in the wicked O my soul consider this if the vertue of Christ's life come in it will take down that soveraign high reign of sin which the wicked suffer and will not strive against the flesh indeed may sometimes lust against the Spirit but it shall not totally prevail or get the upper hand Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin may tyrannize in me for a time but it shall not King it in me Look to this Rom. 6.14 Doth the power and dominion of Christs Life throw out of thy heart and life that Kingly power and dominion of my sin here is one ground of hope 2. If Christ's life be mine then shall I walk even as he walked such is the efficacy of Christ's life that it will work sutableness and make our life in some sort like his life The Apostle observes that our communion with Christ works on our very conversations he that abideth in him walkes even as he walked and to this purpose are all those holy admonitions walk in love as Christ also loved us and 1 John 2.6 Eph. 5.2 John 13.15 1 Pet. 1.15 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you And as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all
suffer but also to do for he both satisfied the Curse and fulfilled the Commandments O remember this as Christ and as Christ in the flesh so Christ in the flesh made under the Law is principally to be in the eye of of our Faith If we put all together our first view of Faith is to look on Christ God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith going to Christ as God in the flesh and as made under the Law it is principally to look to the end and meaning of Christ as being God in the flesh and as fulfilling the Law Now if we would know the meaning of Christ in all this the Apostle tells us of a remote and of a more immediate end 1. Of a remote end God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons This was Christ's meaning or the remote end of Christ Alas we were strangers from the Adoption and we lay under the Law as men whom sentence had passed on Now from this latter we are redeemed he was under the Law that we might be redeemed from under the Law nor is that all but as we are redeemed so are we adopted the Children of God And this end I rather attribute to the Life of Christ that we might receive the Adoption i.e. from the estate of Prisoners condemned that we might be translated into the estate of children adopted O the mercy of God! who ever heard of a condemned man to be afterwards adopted would not a condemned Prisoner think himself happy to escape with Life But the zeal of the Lord of Hosts hath performed this we are in Christ both pardoned and adopted and by this means the joy and glory of Gods heavenly inheritance is estated upon us O let our Faith look mainly to this design and plot of Christ he was made under the Law yea and under the directive part of the Law by his life he fulfilled every jot and title of the Law by his active obedience that we might be entitled to glory that we might be adopted to the inheritance of the Saints in glory 2. For the more immediate end of Christ the Apostle tells us Christ was made under the Law Rom. 8.4 or fulfilled all Righteousness that the Law might be fulfilled in us In Christ's life were we represented and so this fulfilling of all righteousness is accounted ours that the Law might be fulfilled in us O my soul look to this Herein lies the pith and the marrow of thy Justification of thy self thou canst do nothing that good is but Christ fulfilled the Law in thy stead and if now thou wilt but act and exercise thy Faith thou mayst thereby find and feel the vertue and efficacy of Christ's righteousness and actual obedience flowing into thy own soul But here is the question how should I manage my Faith or how should I act it to feel Christ's righteousness my righteousness I answer 1. Thy way is to discover and discern this righteousness of Christ this holy and perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ in the whole and in all the parts of it as it is laid down in the written Word Much hath been said of it in those four years of Christ's Ministry but especially in the last year I shall say more anon in our conformity unto Christ whither also thou mayst have recourse 2. Thy way is to believe and to receive this discovery as sacred and unqestionable in reference to thy own soul as intended for thee for thy use and benefit 3. Thy way is to apprehend apply and to improve this discovery according to that judgment and proposal to those uses ends and benefits to which thou believest they were designed Yea but there lies the question how may that be done I answer 1. Setting before thee that discovery that perfect life of Christ in the whole and all the parts of it thou must first endeavour to be deeply humbled for thy great inconformity thereto in whole and in part 1. Still keeping thy Spirit intent on the Pattern thou must quicken provoke and encrease thy sluggish and drowsie soul with renewed redoubled vigilancy and industry to come up higher towards it and if it were possible compleatly to it 3. Yet having the same discovery rule and copy before thee thou must exercise faith thereupon as that which was performed and is accepted on thy behalf And so go to God and there represent offer and tender Christ's holy life and active obedience unto him And that first to fill up the defects of thy utmost endeavour Secondly to put a righteousness price value and worth upon what thou dost and attainest to Thirdly to make Christ's righteousness thy own that thou may'st say with the Psalmist in way of assurance O God my righteousness O my soul if thou would'st thus live by Faith or thus act thy Faith on Christ's Life Christ's Righteousness Christ's active obedience what a blessed life would'st thou live then mightst thou find and feel Christ's righteousness thy righteousness I say thy Righteousness in respect of its efficacy but not in respect of its formality for so sinners would be their own Mediators But of some of these Particulars I shall speak more largely in our conformity to Christ's holy Life 2. For encouragements to bring on souls thus to believe on Christ consider 1. The fulness of this Object Christ's life is full it is very comprehensive it contains holiness and happiness sanctification and justification if Christ's Garments were healing how much more so main and essential a part of Christ even the half of Christ as it were for so is Christ's Life It is vehemently to be suspected that the true reason why so much is said of his Death and so little in comparison of his Life it is either because we understand not the fulness of his life or because we are carnal and selfish affecting freedom from hell more than holiness on earth some benefit by Christ more than conformity to Christ O come see the fulness of Christ's life in reference to our sanctification was it not an exact model of perfection a most curious exemplification of Gods whole Word an express Idea Image Representation of the whole mind of God a full president for all others to walk by to work by to live by and in reference to justification is not Christ's life the object of Faith and justifying nay is not Christ's life the object of justifying faith as well as Christ's death resurrection ascension session intercession The assertors of Christ's active and passive obedience for us can tell us of two things in the Law intended one principal viz. Obedience and another secondary viz. malediction upon supposition of disobedience so that sin being once committed there must be a double act to justification the suffering of the Curse and the fulfilling of Righteousness anew the one is satisfaction for
brought unto Pilate's house John 18.28 Mat. 27.1 2 3 4 5. then led they Jesus from Caiphas unto the Judgment-Hall and it was early When the Morning was come all the chief Priests and Elders of the People took council against Jesus to put him to death and when they had bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governour Then Judas which had betrayed him hanged himself O the readiness of our nature to evil When the Israelites would sacrifice to the Golden-Calf they rose up early in the Morning if God leave us to our selves Exod. 32.6 we are as ready to practise mischief as the fire is to burn without delay But on this Circumstance I shall not long stay the transactions of this hour I shall consider in these two passages Christ's Indictment and Judas's fearful end In Christ's Indictment we may observe 1. His Accusation 2. His Examination In his Accusation we may observe 1. Who are his Accusers 2. Where he was accused 3. What was the matter of which they do accuse him 1. His Accusers were the chief Priests and Elders of the People Mat. 27.12 the very same that before had judged him guilty of Death are now his Accusers before the temporal Judge but why must our Saviour be twice Judged was not the Sanhedrim or Ecclesiastical Court sufficient to condemn him I answer He is twice judged 1. That his Innocency might more appear true Gold often tried in the fire is not consumed but rather perfected so Christ's Integrity though examined again and again by divers Judges wholly corrupt yet thereby it was not hurt but made rather more illustrious 2. Because his firster judgment was in the night and a sentence pronounced then was not reputed valid it is said of Moses that he judged the People from the morning unto the evening Exod. 18.13 John 18.31 for until night no judgment was protracted 3. Because said the Jews it is not lawful for us to put any man to death These words had need of exposition we know Moses's Law prescribed death to the Adulterers Idolaters Blasphemers Man-slayers Sabbath-breakers but now the Romans say some had come and restrained the Jews from the execution of their Laws others are of another mind and therefore the meaning of these words It is not lawful for us to put any man to death may be understood say they in a double sense 1. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to such a death as the Death of the Cross Moses's Law was Ignorant of such a death and the words following seem to favour this interpretation John 18 32. that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die We read only of four sorts of death that were used among the Jews as strangling stoning burning and killing with the sword crucifying was the invention of Romans and not of Jews 2. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to death at such a time on this day was celebrated the Jews Passover which was in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt so that now they had a custome to deliver some from death the case of Barabbas but they could not now condemn any one to death hence it was that after Herod the Jew had killed James he proceeded further to take Peter also yet during the dayes of unleavened Bread he delivers him to be kept in Prison Acts. 12.14 intending saith the Text after Easter to bring him forth to the People Pilate a Gentile was not tied to these Laws and therefore they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgment or unto Pilate's House 2. The place of the Accusation was at the door of the House they would not go into the Judgment-Hall lest they should be defiled John 18.28 but that they might eat the Passover See what a piece of Superstition and grose Hypocrisie is here they are curious of a Ceremony but make no strain to shed innocent blood they are precise about small matters but for the weightier matters of the Law as Mercy Judgment Fidelity and the Love of God they let them pass they honour the figurative Passover but the true Passover they seize upon with bloody and sacrilegious hands 3. The matter of which they accuse him 1. That he seduced the People 2. That he forbade to pay Tribute to Cesar 3. That he said he was a King How great but withal how false were these their accusations For the first Christ was so far from stirring up Seditions that he strove and endeavoured to gather the People into one O Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not For the second instead of denying to pay tribute to Cesar Mat. 17.27 Luke 20.25 he paid it in his own particular take twenty-pence out of the fishes mouth said he to Peter and give unto them for me and thee and give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's said he to the People and to God the things that are God's For the third instead of making himself a King he professeth that his Kingdom is not of this World and when they would have made him a King instead of flattering them John 18.36 John 6.15 he flieth from them and that into the Wilderness or into a mountain himself alone Thus much of the Accusation 2. For his Examination Pilate was nothing moved with any of the Accusations save only the third and therefore letting all the rest pass he asked him only Art thou the King of the Jews Joh. 18.33.36 To whom Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World c. He saith not my Kingdom is not in this World but my Kingdom is not of this World by which Pilate knew well that Christ was no enemy unto Cesar Christs Kingdom is spiritual his government is in the very hearts and Consciences of men and what is this to Cesar Hence Pilate useth a policy to save Jesus Christ they tell him that Christ was of Galilee and therefore he takes occasion to send him to Herod who was Governour of Galilee But of that anon Vse How many Lessons may we learn from hence 1. Christ was accused who can be free The chief Priests and Elders of the Jews accused Christ no wonder if those that are chief and great amongst us accuse poor Christians O there 's a perpetual enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent there is an everlasting irreconcileable implacable enmity and antipathy between Grace and Prophaneness light and darkness Christ and Belial As it is reported of Tigers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices so it is with the wicked who rage at the spiritual Graces of them that are sincere for God 2. Christ's Accusers would not go into the Judment-Hall lest they
vile unto thee Whipping is so unworthy a punishment that only children bondslaves and rogues were used to be corrected therewith especially if they exceeded the number of forty stripes 2 Cor. 11.24 when Paul was thus used he tells us Of the Jewes five times received I forty stripes save one Theophilact sayes they would not exceed that number lest Paul should have become infamous and ever after uncapable of publick office and hoping they might have regained him they would not brand him with that note of infamy O then if one stripe above forty was so infamous amongst the Jews what shame what infamy was this when so many scores hundreds and thousands of stripes as some reckon them were laid on Jesus Christ and yet our Lord doth not disdain to undergo them for our sakes he bears in his body those wounds and stripes that we had deserved by our sins 2. For the pain this kind of punishment was not only infamous but terrible no sooner the Souldiers had their commission but they charged and discharged upon him such bloody blows as if he had been the greatest offender and basest slave in all the World Nicep l. 1. c. 3. Nicephorus calls these whippers bloody Hang-men by the fierceness of whose whipping many had dyed under their hands Bosq de pass Domini pag. 840. The manner of their whipping is described thus After they had stripped him they bound him to a pillar whither came six young and strong Executioners Scourgers Varlets Hang-men saith Jerome to scourge him and whip him while they could whereof two whipped him with rods of thorns and when they had wearied themselves other two whipped him with ropes or whip-cords tyed and knotted like a carters whip and when they were tyred the other two scourged off his very Skin with wires or little chains of Iron and thus they continued till by alternate and successive turns they had added stripe upon stripe and wound upon wound latter upon former and new upon old that he was all over in a gore blood Isa 53.5 The Scripture tells us that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and with his stripes we are healed he was wounded bruised chastised whipped with stripes if you would know with how many stripes some reckon them to the number of the Souldiers Six hundred and sixty or a thousand stripes others reckon them according to the number of the bones compacted in mans body which say Anatomists are two hundred and sixty and Christ having received for every bone three stripes according to the triple manner of his whipping they amounted in all to seven hundred and eighty stripes others reckon them to five thousand above the forty which the Jews were commanded not to exceeed in And the truth is if the whole band of Souldiers were the whippers of Christ as some would have it I cannot see but his stripes might be more than so when the Son of an Israelitish woman blasphemed God the Lord said to Moses Levit. 24.14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and let all the congregation stone him now Christ had said before all the band that he was the Son of God which they called Blasphemy and therefore why might they not all according to this Law lay their hands upon him and fall upon him if not with stones which now was turned into whipping yet with rods whip-cords and little chains I shall not contend about the number of his stripes but this is certain that the souldiers with violence and unrelenting hands executed their commission they tore his tender flesh till the pillar and pavement were purpled with a shower of blood and if we may believe Bernard They plowed with their whips upon his back and made long furrows and after that they turned his back upon the pillar and whipt his belly and his breast till there was no part free from his face unto his foot A scourging able to kill any man and would have killed him but that he was preserved by the Godhead to endure and to suffer a more shameful death We may read here a Lecture of the immense love of God in Christ to us poor Gentiles he is therefore whipped that he might marry us to himself Vse and never reject us or cast us off we read of a Law in Moses that if a man took a wife and hated her and gave occasions of speech against her and brought an evil name upon her undeservably that then the Elders of the City should take that man and chastise him Deut. 22.18 19. and she should be his wife he might not put her away all his dayes There is a great mystery in this ceremony for that man say some was Christ who by his incarnation betrothed unto himself the Gentile Church but he seems to hate her and to give an occasion of a speech against her and to bring an evil report upon her as Into the way of the Gentiles ye shall not go and into the City of the Samaritans ye shall not enter Mat. 10.5 Mat. 15.26 and it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it unto dogs And now he is accused before the Elders now he is whipt and chastised and commanded by his Father to take her to his wife and not to put her away all his dayes I know there is much unlikeness in this mystery for Christ was not whipt for calling the Church adulterous that indeed was chast but he was whipt to present the Church as a chaft Virgin to his Father that indeed was adulterous Oh he loved the Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 27. that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish this was the meaning of Christ's whipping Isa 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed Come then and let us learn to read this love-letter sent from Heaven in bloody characters Christ is stripped who cloathed the Lillies of the Field Christ is bound hand and foot his hands that multiplied the Loaves and his feet that were weary in seeking the stragling sheep Christ is scourged all over because all over we were full of wounds and bruises Isa 1.6 and putrifying sores and there was no way to cure our wounds but by his wounds our bruises but by his bruises our sores but by his sores O read and read again Christ is whipped belly back side from his shoulders to the soles of his feet the lashes eating into his flesh and cutting his very veins so that as some say with much confidence though I know not with what truth the gashes were so wide that you might have seen his ribs and bones and very inwards what
compares the sins of the wicked Jews to very poyson Deut. 32.32 33. For their wine is of the wine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah their Grapes are Grapes of Gall their clusters ar◠bitter their Wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venome of Aspes In this respect we may think as hardly of our selves as of the Jews because so oft as we sin against God we do as much as mingle rank poyson and bring it to Jesus Christ to drink 6. They crucified him i.e. they fastened him on the Cross and then lift him up Mat. 27.35 A great question there is amongst the Learned whether Christ was fastened on the cross after it was erected or whiles it was lying on the ground I would not rake too much into these niceties only more probable it is that he was fastened to it whiles it lay flat on the ground and then as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so was the Son of man lifted up We may express the manner of their acting and his sufferings now John 3.14 as a learned Brother hath done before us Now come the Barbarous inhumane hangmen Herle contem plat on Christs pass and begin to unloose his hands but how alas 't is not to any liberty but to worse bonds of nails then stript they off his gore-glewed cloaths and with them questionless not a little of his mangled skin and flesh as if it were not enough to crucifie him as a thief unless they flea him too as a beast then stretch they him out as another Isaac on his own burthen the Cross that so they might take measure of the holes and though the print of his blood on it gave them his true length yet how strictly do they take it longer than the truth thereby at once both to crucifie and rack him that he was thus stretcht and racked upon his cross Psal 22.17 Ver. 14. David gives more than probable intimation I may tell all my bones and again all my bones are out of joynt which otherwise how could it so well be as by such a violent stretching and distortion whereby it seems they had made him a living anatomy nor was it in the less sensible fleshly parts of his body that they drive these their larger tenters whereon his whole weight must hang but in the hands and feet the most sinewy and consequently the most sensible fleshly parts of all other wherein how rudely and painfully they handle him appears too by that of David they digged my hands and my feet they made wide holes like that of a spade as if they had been digging in some ditch the boystrous and unusual greatness of these nails we have from venerable antiquity Constantine the great is said to have made of them both an Helmet and a Bridle How should I write on but that my tears should blot out what I write Colos 2.14 when it is no other than he that is thus used who hath blotted out that hand-writing of ordinances that was against me But the hour goes on and this is the great business of the worlds redemption of which I would speak a little more by this time we may imagine Christ nailed to the cross and his cross fixed in the ground which with its fall into the place of its station gave infinite torture by so violent a concussion of the body of our Lord. That I mean to observe of this crucifying of Christ I shall reduce to these two heads viz. the shame and pain 1. For the shame it was a cursed death cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3.13 When it was in use it was chiefly infflicted upon slaves that either falsely accused or treacherously conspired their Masters death but on whomsoever it was inflicted this death in all Ages among the Jews hath been branded with a special kind of ignominy and so the Apostle signifies when he saith He abased himself to the death Phil. 2.8 2 Sam. 21.6 Deut. 21.23 even to the death of the cross It was a mighty shame that Saul's sons were hanged on a tree and the reason was more specially from the Law of God For he that is hanged is accursed of God I know Moses's Law speakes nothing in particular of crucifying yet he doth include the same under the general of hanging on a tree and some conceive that Moses in speaking that curse foresaw what manner of death the Redeemer should dye 2. For the pain it was a painfull death that appears several wayes As 1. His legs and hands were violently racked and pulled out to the places fitted for his fastening and then pierced through with nails 2. By this means he wanted the use both of his hands and feet and so he was forced to hang immovable upon the cross as being unable to turn any way for his case 3. The longer he lived the more he endured for by the weight of his body his wounds were opened and enlarged his nerves and veins were rent and torn asunder and his blood gushed out more and more abundantly still 4. He died by inch-meal as I may say and not at once the cross was a death long in dying it kept him a great while upon the rack it was full three hours betwixt Christ's affixion and expiration and it would have been longer if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghost it is reported that Andrew the Apostle was two whole dayes on the Cross before he dyed and so long might Christ have been if God had not heightened it to greater degrees of torment supernaturally I may add to this as above all this the pains of his soul whiles he hanged on the cross for there also Christ had his agonies and soul conflicts these were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those pains or pangs of death from which Peter tells us Christ was loosed Acts. 2.24 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies the pains of a woman in travel such were the pains of Jesus Christ in death Isa 53.11 Psal 116.3 the Prophet calls it The travel of his Soul and the Psalmist calls it the pains of Hell The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of Hell gate hold upon me The sorrows or cords of death compassed his body and the pains of Hell gate hold upon his soul And these were they that extorted from him that passionate expostulation Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he complains of that which was more grievous to him than ten thousand deaths My God my God why hast thou withdrawn thy wonted presence and left my soul as it were in pains of Hell Vse And now reflect we on the shame and pain O the curse and bitterness that our sins have brought on Jesus Christ when I but think on these bleeding veins bruised shoulders scourged sides furrowed back harrowed temples digged hands and feet and then
its swinge and breaking out the heart that lodged it abhors its self in dust and ashes cries mightily unto God for mercy and pardon repairs the breach with stronger resolution and more invincible watchfulness against future assaults but a Lust unmortified possesseth it self and rules and reigns in the heart and soul it abides there and will not away I shall not deny but there may be a cessation of its actings for a time but that is not any want of good will as they say but only of matter means opportunity enticement company provocation or the like and after such cessation or forbearance the heart usually entertains it again with more greediness it lies and delights in it as much as ever it hardens it self most obstinately in it as if it were impossible to leave it or live without it with any kind of comfort 4. True mortification is a painful work The very word imports no less to kill a man or to mortifie a member will not be without pain hence it is called a crucifying of the flesh Gal. 5.24 Mat. 5.29 30. and a cutting off the right hand a plucking out the right eye they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh if thy hand offend thee cut it off and if thy eye offend thee pluck it out in this respect this death unto sin carries with it a likeness to the death of Christ it is attended with agonies and soul-conflicts both before and after our conversion 1. Before conversion before the first wound be given it why then ordinarily there is some compunction of Spirit some pricking of heart what a case do we find the Jews in when after Peters Sermon they were pricked at their hearts and what an agony do we find the Jailor in when he came trembling in and falling down at the Apostles feet and crying out Sirs What shall I do to be saved With such agonies as these Acts 2.7 Acts 16.30 is the beginning of mortification usually attended I do not say that they are alike in all whether for degree or continuance but in ordinary true and sound conversion is not without some of these soul-conflicts 2. After conversion after the first round there are some agonies still for though a Believer be delivered of sin in respect of the guilt and reigning power yet he hath still some remainders of sinful Corruption left within him which draw many a groan and many a sign from his trembling heart Rom. 8.23 we also have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the Redemption of our bodies such are the groans of mortifying Saints Saints dying unto sin like the groans of dying men whose souls being weary of their bodies do earnestly desire a dissolution and thus Paul groaned when he said O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from the body this death Oh what a Touchstone is this how will ihis discover true mortification from that which was counterfeit Some may think they are dead unto sin when in deed and in truth they are not dead but asleep unto sin and it appears by this because there were no pangs in their death you know this is a difference betwixt death and sleep there are pangs in the one but not in the other O my soul examine what pangs were there in thy death unto sin what agonies what soul-conflicts hast thou felt what compunction of heart what affliction of Spirit hast thou endured for sin what trouble hast thou had to find such a law in thy members rebelling against the law in thy mind Rom. 7.23 and bringing thee into captivity to the Law of sin why surely thou art not so mortified as to be freed wholly from the power of sin it may be it doth not rule in thee as a Prince yet certainly it tyrannizeth over thee it oft-times carries thee contrary to the bent of thy regenerate mind to the omittting of what thou wouldst do and to the committing of what thou wouldst not do and is not this an affliction of Spirit doth not this cause frequent conflicts in thy spirit if not thou mayest well suspect that sin is not dead but asleep or if it be dead to thee yet thou art not dead to it I confess death-pangs are not all alike in all some have a more gentle and others a more painful death so it is in this Spiritual death unto sin and that herein there may be no mistake I shall propound this question What is the least measure of these pangs these soul-agonies and conflicts that are necessarily required to true mortification I answer 1. There must be a sense of sin and of Gods wrath due unto sin such a sense we find in Jesus Christ he was very sensible of the weight and burden of those sins and of the wrath of God that lay upon him which made him cry out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me thus souls in the act of Mortification sometimes cry out O my sins and Oh God's wrath 2 There must be sorrow for Sin Such an affection we find also in Jesus Christ My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.10 he was beset and surrounded with sorrows so every mortified sinner at one time or other he feels an inward sorrow and grief even that Godly sorrow which the Apostle speakes of a sorrow according to God i. e coming from God well-pleasing to God and bringing to God back again 3. There must be a desire of being freed and delivered from sin Luke 12.50 such a desire we find also in Jesus Christ I have a Baptism to be Baptised with and how am I straitned until it be accomplished A regenerate soul earnestly desires to be freed not only from the guilt but also from the power of sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c 4. There must be answerable endeavours in effectual strivings against sin Heb. 12.4 Ye have not resisted unto blood striving against sin How did our Saviour wrestle in the Garden offering up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5.7 so will a regenerate soul wrestle with God about tâ—â— death of sin praying watching going out in the strength of God and engaging in a continual war a deadly fewd against it and these are the least of those soul-conflicts wherewith this mortification or death unto sin is attended Now try we the truth of our Mortification by these signs Doth it spring from a right root of Faith is it general and universal in respect of all sins is it accompanied with combates doth the flesh lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and in this combate doth the spirit at last prevail and triumph over the flesh do we find it a painfull work both before and after conversion why then may I say with the Apostle now I know Christ
that Respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Sufferings and Death Every one looks upon this as an easie duty only the humble Soul the scrupulous Conscience cries out What! Is it possible that Christ should die suffer shed his blood for me His incarnation was wonderful his life on earth was to astonishment but that the Son of God should become man live amongst men and die such a death even the death of the Cross for such a one as I am I cannot believe it it is an abys◠past fadoming the more I consider it the more I am amazed at it suppose I had an enemy in my power man or Devil one that provokes me every day 1 Sam. 24.19 one that hunts my soul to take it away should I not say with Saul if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away It may be an ingenuous spirit such as David would do thus much but would David or any breathing soul not only spare his enemy but spill himself to save his enemy would a man become a Devil to save Devils would a man endure hell pains to free all the Devils in hell from their eternal pains and yet what were this in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us It is not so much for us to suffer for Devils for we are fellow-creatures as it is for Christ God-man man-God to suffer for us Oh what an hard thing is it considering my enmity against Christ to believe that Christ died for me that he gave himself to the death even to the death of the Cross for my soul Trembling soul throw not away thy self in a way of unbelief It may thou wouldst not die for an enemy an irreconcileable enemy but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men O believe And that I may perswade effectually I shall say down first some Directions and secondly some Encouragements of Faith 1. For the Directions of Faith in reference to Christ's death observe these particulars 2. Faith must directly go to Christ not first to the promise and then to Christ but first to Christ and then to the promise the Person ever goes before the Prerogative 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh this was the difference betwixt the New-Testament and old-Testament-Believers their Faith directs only to God but our Faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 3. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law He continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and so our Faith must look upon him But of these before I shall say nothing more to these particulars 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death in both these respects Christ was made under the law The one half of the Law he satisfied by the holiness of his life he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle the other half of the Law he satisfied by his enduring the death even the death of the Cross he paid both the Principal and the Forfeiture and though men do not so yet Christ did so that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by his being under both these parts of the Law pay and penalty Come then and look upon Christ as dying it was the Serpent as lifted up and so looked at that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings Alas we are diseased in a spiritual sense as they were and Christ Jesus was lifted up as a remedy to us as the Serpent was unto them it remains therefore that as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent so we look up to Jesus believe in Jesus as lifted up for life and for salvation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness John 14.15 so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Indeed some difference there is betwixt the Serpent and Christ As 1. The Brazen Serpent had not power in if self to cure as Christ hath 2. The Serpent cured the Israelites but for a time John 11.26 to die again but whomsoever Jesus cures in a Spiritual sense he cures for ever they shall never die 3. The serpent also had its time of curing it did not alwayes retain its virtue but during the time they were in the Wilderness only Iesus Christ our Brazen Serpent doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world and hence it is that in the Ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up that all that will but look on him by faith may live 4. The Serpent sometimes a remedy against poyson was after turned even to poyson the Israelites which made Hezekiah to crush it and brake it and stamp it to powder but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is unchangeable in his goodness as he is in holy and divine nature he can never be defaced nor destroyed but he abideth the saviour of sinners to all eternity why then let us rather look unto Christ and believe in Christ as lifted up i.e. as he was crucified and died on the Cross In this respect he is made a fit object for a sinner's faith to trust upon and rest upon Christ as crucified as made sin and a curse for us it the object of our pardon O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable why therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation and what not Oh! cries a sinner where may I set my foot how should I regain my God my sin hath undone me which way should I cast for pardon why now remember that in seeking pardon Rom. 8.34 Christ was crucified Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 No Question Christs active Obedience during his Life was most exact and perfect and meritorious yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience Christ only in his sufferings took away sin the guilt of sin and punishment for sin We have redemption through the blood of Christ Eph. 1.7 even the forgiveness of sins If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ who is now in heaven let him first in the actings of his Faith consider him as crucified as lifted up as made sin for us as through whom under that consideration he is to receive pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation sanctification salvation 5. Faith in going to Christ as lifted up it is principally and mainly to look unto the 〈◊〉 meaning intent and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up we
are not barely to consider the History of Christ's death but the aim of Christ in his death Many read the History and they are affected with it there is a principle of humanity in men which will stir up compassion and love and pity towards all in misery whilst Christ was suffering the women followed after him weeping but this weeping not being spiritual or rais'd enough he said to them Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but for your selves The way of Faith drawing virtue out of Christ's death it is especially to look to the scope and drift of Christ in his sufferings As God looks principally to the meaning of the Spirit by Prayer so doth faith look principally to the meaning of Christ in his sufferings mistake not my meaning is not that we should be ignorant of the History of Christ's death or of the manner of Christ's sufferings you see we have opened it largely and followed it close from first to last but we must not stick there we should above all look to the mind and heart of Christ in all this some observe that both in the Old and New Testament we find this Method first the History and then the Mystery first the Manner and then the Meaning of Christ's sufferings as in the Old Testament We have first the History in Psal 22. written by David and then the Mystery in Isa 52. written by Isaiah And in the New Testament we have first the manner of his sufferings written at large by all the Evangelists and then the meaning written by the Apostles in all their Epistles Now accordingly are the acts of Faith we must first look on Jesus as lifted up and then look at the end and meaning why was this Jesus thus lifted up Well but you may demand what was the end the plot the great design of Christ in this respect I answer some ends were remote and others were more immediate but omitting all those ends that are remote his Glory our Salvation c. I shall only answer in these Particulars 1. One design of Christ's death was to redeem us from the slavery of Death and Hell He hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Hence it is that we say that by his sufferings Christ hath redeemed us from Hell and by his doings Christ hath given us a right to heaven he was made under the Law Gal. 3.4 5. that he might redeem them that were under the Law Alas we were carnal sold under sin whereupon the Law seized on us lock'd us up as it were in a dungeon yea the sentence passed and we but waited for execution now to get us rid from this dismal damnable estate Christ himself is made under the Law that he might redeem us Redeem us how not by way of entreaty to step in and beg our pardon that would not serve the turn sold we were and bought we must be a price must be laid down for us it was a matter of Redemption but with what must we be redeemed surely with no easie price ah no it cost him dear and very dear Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and Gold 1 Pet. 1.18 but with the precious blood of Christ his precious blood was the price we stood him in which he paid when he gave his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 the case stood thus betwixt Christ and us in this point of Redemption we all like a crew or company of Malefactors were ready to suffer and to be executed now what said Christ to this Why I will come under the Law said Christ I will suffer that which they should suffer I will take upon me their execution upon condition I may redeem them now this he did at his death and this was the end why he died that by his death we might be redeemed from the slavery of Death and Hell 2. Another Design of Christ's death was to free us from sin not only would he remove the effect but he would take away the cause also Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sin Rom. 3.25 John 1.29 2 Cor. 5.21 Heb. 9.26 1 John 1.7 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Once hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin This was the plot which God by an ancient design aimed at in the suffering of Jesus Christ that he would take away sin And thus Faith must take it up and look upon it When Peter had set forth the hainousness of the Jews sin in killing Christ he tells them at last of that design of old All this was done said he Acts 2.2 by the determinate counsel of God His meaning was first to humble them and then to raise them up q. d. It was not so much they that wrought his death as the Decree of God and the agreement of God and Christ there was an ancient contrivement that Jesus Christ should die for sin and that all our sins should be laid on the back of Jesus Christ and therefore he seems to speak comfort to them in this that howsoever they designed it yet God and Christ designed a further end in it than they imagined even to remission of sins Who was delivered to death for our sins Rom. 4.25 and rose again for our justification The death of Christ as one observes was the greatest and strangest design that ever God undertook and therefore sure he had an end proportionable to it God that willeth not the death of a sinner would not for any inferior end will the death of his Son whom he loved more than all the world besides it must needs be some great matter for which God should contrive the death of his Son and indeed it could be no less than to remove that which he most hated and that was sin Here then is another end of Christ's death it was for the remission of sin one main part of our justification 3. Another design of Christ's death was to mortifie our members which are upon the earth Not only would he remit sin but he would destroy it kill it crucifie it he would not have it reign in our mortal bodies Rom. 6.11 1 Pet. 2.24 that we should obey it in the lusts thereof This Design the Apostle sets out in these words he bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness Christ by his death had not only a design to deliver us from the guilt of sin but also from the power of sin God forbid that I should glory Gal. 6.14 save in the
even the forgiveness of sins Zach. 13.1 Eph. 1.7 Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.26 Ver. 28. Levit. 16.21 22. He by himself purged our sins And now once in the end of the world hath he appeared put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear away the sins of many As the Scape-coat under the Law had upon his head all the iniquities of the Children of Israel and so was sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness so the Lord Jesus of whom that Goat was a type had all the iniquities of his Elect laid upon him by God his Father and bearing them he took them away Behold the Lamb of God John 1.29 that taketh away the sins of the world he bore them and bore them away he went away with them into the wilderness or into the land of forgetfulness See what comfort is here 2. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the Law is mine enemy I have transgressed the Law and it speaks terribly Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Oh I have offended the Law and I am under the curse Say not so for by the death of Christ though the Law be broken yet the curse is removed the Apostle is clear Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us he was made a curse for us i.e. the fruits and effects of God's curse the punishment due to sinners the penal curse which justice required was laid upon Christ and by this means we are freed from the curse of the Law It is true that without Christ thou art under this Law Do or Die end if thou offendest in the least kind thou shalt perish for ever the curse of the Law is upon thee to the uttermost but on the other side if thy claim be right to the blood of Christ thou art freed from penalty not but that we may be corrected and chastised but what is that to the eternal curse which the Law pronounceth against every sin we are freed from the curse or damnatory sentence of the Law Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus the Law is satisfied and the bond is cancelled by our Surety Christ O what comfort is this 3. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me I have offended justice and what shall appeal from the seat of justice to the throne of grace my sins are gone before and they are knocking at heaven gates and crying justice Lord on this sinner I know not what will be the issue but either free Grace must save me or I am gone Say not so for by this death of Christ free grace and justice are both thy friends How e're some do yet certainly thou needs not to appeal from the court of justice to the Mercy-seat in this mystery of Godliness there may be as much comfort in standing before the Bar of justice as at the Mercy-seat i.e. by standing therein and through the Lord Jesus Christ yea this is the Gospel-way to go to God the Father and to tender up to him the active and passive righteousness of Christ his Son for an atonement and satisfaction for our sins in this way is the comfort of justification brought if we go to God in any other way than this it is but in a natural way and not in a true Evangelical way A man by nature may know thus much that when he hath sinned he must seek unto God for mercy but to seek unto God for pardon with a price in our hands to tender up the merits of Jesus Christ for a satisfaction to Divine justice here is the mystery of Faith and yet I speak not against relying on God's mercy for pardon but what need we to appeal from justice to mercy when by faith we may tender the death of Christ and so find acceptance with the justice of God it self come soul and let me tell thee for thy comfort if thou hast any share in the death of Christ thou hast two tenures to hold thy pardon and salvation by Mercy and justice free-grace and righteousness mercy in respect of thee and justice in respect of Christ not only is free-grace ready to acquit thee but a full price is laid down to discharge thee of all thy sins so that now when the Prince of this World comes against thee thou mayest say in some sense as Christ did He can find nothing in me for how can he accuse me seeing Christ is my Surety seeing the bond hath been sued and Christ Jesus would not leave one farthing unpaid as Paul said to Philemon concerning Onesimus if he have wronged thee or owe thee any thing put it on my account so doth Christ say to God if these have wronged thy Majesty or owe thee any thing put it on me Paul indeed added I Paul have written it with mine own hand but Christ speaks thus Gen. 2.17 I Jesus have ratified and confirmed it with my own blood 4. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the first threat that ever was in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die now sits on my spirit methinks I see the grizly form of death standing before me Oh this is he that is the King of fears the chief of terrors the inlet to all those Plagues in another world and die I must there is no remedy Rom. 8.94 Oh I startle and am afraid of it And why so it is Christ that dyed and by his death he hath took away the sting of death that now the drone may hiss but cannot hurt come meditate much upon the death of Christ and thou shalt find matter enough in his death for the subduing of thy slavish fears of death both in the merit of it in the effect of it and in the end of it 1. In the merit of it Christ's death is meritorious and in that respect the writ of mortallity is but to the Saints a writ of ease a passage into Glory 2. In the effect of it Christs death is the conquest of death Christ went down into the grave to make a back-door that the grave which was before a prison might now be a thorough-fare so that all his Saints may with ease pass through and sing O death where is thy sting Heb. 2.14 15. Oh hell where is thy victory 3. In the end of it Chri'sts death amongst other ends aims at the ruine of him that had the Power of death that is the Devil and to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time in bondage Christ pursued this end in dying to deliver thee from the fear of death and if now thou fearest thy fearing is a kind of
Heb. 11.19 2. For Jonah from the time that Jonah was cast into the sea and swallowed up of the Fish Jonah was in account as a dead man but the third day the Lord spake unto the Fish and it vomited up Jonah upon the dry land Jonah 2.10 Jonah 2.10 And that this was a figure of Christ Christ himself discovers for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Mat. 12.40 3. For Hezekiah from the time that Isaiah said unto him set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live 2 King 20.1 Hezekiah was in account as a dead man his bed was to him as a grave but on the third day he was miraculously raised up again and as the Prophet said on the third day thou shalt go up to the house of the Lord. Ver. 5. Surely this was a figure of Christ And thâ—se Types prefiguring Christ are as one Reason 2. Because the Prophets and himself had so foretold for the Prophets we have cited Psal 16.10 Hosea 6.2 And for himself he told them very expresly that he must suffer many things of the Elders Mat. 16.21 and chief Priests and Scribes and be raised again the third day Mat 17.22 23. Mat 20.18.19 yea said he the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men and they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again and after this he tells them again that the Son of man should be betrayed and crucified and the third day he should rise again so often had he prophesied thus that the chief Priests and Pharisees came to Pilate after his death Mat. 27.62 63.64 saying Sir we remember that this deceiver said while he was yet alive after three dayes I will rise again command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure until the third day And no question his Disciples remembred these sayings for so the two Disciples travelling towards Emmaus after they had said many things concerning him and that they trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel they added this as a most special observation above all the rest Luke 24.21 that to day is the third day since these things were done Why all these signifie that his rising on the third day was the accomplishment of Prophesies and a certain evidence that he was the Messiah indeed 3. Because that time was most suable for comforting his friends for confounding his enemies for clearing the truth both of his Humanity and Divinity he would stay no longer lest his Disciples might have been swallowed up with grief and he would come no sooner lest his enemies should have urged that he had not died the watchmen kept the Sepulchre till this very time but then the Angels appearing and the earth trembling they became as dead men and assoon as they could they run away and with their tidings confounded all Christ's enemies And withall as Christ consisted both of a divine and humane nature so in respect of his humanity he must die and to shew his death it was requisite that he should rise no sooner than the third day and in respect of his divinity it was impossible that he should be held of death any longer than three days for as he must not see corruption so God raised him up having loosed the pains of death Acts 2.24 because it was not possible that he should be holden of it SECT II. Of the Reasons of Christ's Resurrection 2. WHy he rose we have these Reasons 1. That he might powerfully convince or confound his adversaries they that crucified him were mightily afraid of his Resurrection they could tell Pilate Sir we remember this deceiver said while he was yet alive after three days I will rise again Mat. 27.63 64. and therefore they desire him of all loves to command the Sepulchre to be made sure until the third day if ever he rise again whom they have killed then they knew they were all shamed then the last errour as they said would be worse than the first All the world would look on them as a cursed generation to kill the Messiah to crucifie such a one as after his death and burial should rise again now then that he might either convince them or confound them notwithstanding their care their watch their Seal their making all sure as possibly they could at the very same time he told them before he broke open the gates of death and made the gates of Brass to flie asunder 2. That he might confirm the faith of all his followers If Christ be not risen 1 Cor. 15.14 your Faith is vain saith the Apostle Christs resurrection both confirms our faith as to his person and to his office for his person Rom. 1.4 this speaks him to be the eternal Son of God by the resurrection from the dead and for his office this speaks him to be the promised Messiah the great Prophet the chief high Priest the King and Saviour of his Church When the Jews saw Christ purging the Temple and Messiah-like reforming what he saw amiss in the House of God What sign say they shewest thou unto us Joh. 2.18 19 22. seeing thou dost these things And he said unto them destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up When therefore he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had said As the resurrection of Christ argues his Mediatorship so it confirms their faith as it is said They believed the Scriptures and they believed Jesus Christ And thus John writing of his resurrection tells us John 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe and that believing c. 3. That it might clearly appear that he had fully satisfied the justice of God for sin So it was that God laid the forfeiture of the bond on Christ he arrested him brought him to the Goal the Grave and there he was till the Debt was paid to the utmost farthing and then that it might clearly appear that the bond was cancelled the Prisoner discharged God's justice satisfied he rose again from the dead Some make a question when his Bond was cancelled and they say as the debt was paid so the Bond was cancelled ere he stirred off the Cross only by the Cross I suppose they mean the utmost degree of Christs humiliation viz. his being held in captivity and bondage under death and so the hand-writing of the Law that was against us was there delivered him and there he blotted it out cancelled it took it out of the way Col. 2.14 nailing it to his Cross Others think that as to the full discharge of a debt and freeing the debtor two things are requisite first the payment of the debt secondly the tearing or
the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part by his death of all these before 5. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the directive and penal part of the Law and as quickened by the Spirit He was put to death in the flesh saith Peter and quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 And accordingly must be the method and order of our faith after we have looked on Christ as dead in the flesh we must go on to see him as quickened by the Spirit 1 Cor. 15.17 if Christ was not raised or quickened saith the Apostle your faith were in vain q. d. to believe in Christ as only in respect of his birth life death and to go no further were but a vain faith and therefore shore up your faith to this pitch that Christ who dyed is risen from the dead to this purpose all the Sermons of the Apostles represented Christ not only as crucified but as raised In that first Sermon after the mission of the holy Ghost ye have crucified Christ said Peter to the Jews and then it follows whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains or chains of death Acts 2.23 24. because it was not possible that he should be holden of it In that next Sermon Peter tells them again ye have killed the Prince of life and then it follows whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses In the next Sermon after this be it known unto you all said Peter and to all the people of Israel Acts 3.15 that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth whom ye crucified and whom God raised from the dead is this man whole And in the next Sermon after this the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 4.10 And as thus he preached to the Jews so in his first Sermon to the Gentiles he tells them we are witnesses of all things which Jesus did both in the land of the Jews Acts 5.30 and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly And as thus Peter preached so in that first Sermon of Paul at Antioch Acts 10.39 40. Acts 13.30 he tells them of the Jews crucifying Jesus and then it follows but God raised him from the dead And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David Ver. 34 35. and thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption And after this Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogue at Thesalonica and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs suffer and rise from the dead This was the way of the Apostles preaching they told them an history I speak it with reverence of one Jesus Christ that was the word of God and that was become man Acts 17.2 3. and how he was crucified at Jerusalem and how he was raised from the dead and all this in a plain simple spiritual way and manner and while they were telling those blessed truths the Spirit fell upon the people and they believed and had faith wrought in them Faith is not wrought so much in the way of ratiocination as by the Spirit of God coming upon the souls of people by the Relation or representation of Jesus Christ to the soul And this our Lord himself hints as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up John 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life When the people were stung God so ordered that the very beholding of the brazen Serpent should bring help though we know not how to those that were wounded and stung by those fiery Serpents so God hath ordained in his blessed wisdom that the discovery of Jesus Christ as crucified and raised as humbled and exalted should be a means of faith come then set we before us Christ raised not only Christ crucified but Christ raised is the object of faith and in that respect we must look up to Jesus 6. Faith in going to Christ is raised from the dead or as quickned by the Spirit it is principally and mainly to look to the end purpose intent and design of Christ in his resurrection very devils may believe the history of Christ's resurrection Jam. 2.19 they believe and tremble but the Saints and people of God are to look at the meaning of Christ why he rose from the dead now the ends are either supream or subordinate 1. The supream end was God's Glory and that was the meaning of Christ's prayer Father John 17.1 Rom. 6.4 the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee with which agrees the Apostle he rose again from the dead to the glory of the Father 2. The subordinate ends were many As 1. That he might tread on the Serpents head 2. That he might destroy the works of the Devil 3. That he might be the first fruits of them that sleep 4. That he might assure our faith that he is the word and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him against that day 5. That he might be justified in the Spirit as he was begotten in the womb by the Spirit led up and down in the Spirit offered up by the eternal Spirit so he was raised from the dead by the Spirit and justified in the Spirit at his resurrection Christ was under the greatest attainder that ever man was he stood publickly charged with the guilt of a world of sins and if he had not been justified by the Spirit he had still lyen under the blame of all and had been liable to the execution of all and therefore he was raised up from the power of death that he might be declared as a righteous person 6. That he might justifie us in his justificaon when he was justified all the elect were vertually and really justified in him that act of God which past on him was drawn up in the name of all his Saints as whatever benefit or priviledge God meant for us he first of all bestowed it on Christ thus God meaning to sanctifie us he sanctified Christ first and God meaning to justifie us he justifies Christ first so whatever benefit or priviledg he bestowed on Christ he bestowed it not on him for himself but as he was a common Person and one re-resenting us Thus Christ was sanctified instead of us for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through thy truth and thus Christ was justified in stead of us for as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life surely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies sin death and hell Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes da â—nâ—ss during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen ye are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light Walk i.e. bestir your selves in the works of God Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee When God doth let the Sun of Righteousness arise Isa 60.1 it is fit we should be about the business of our souls We see that the night is dedicated to rest and therefore God that doth order all things sweetly he draws a curtain of darkness about us as which is friendly to rest like a Nurse that when she will have her little one sleep she casts a cloath over the face and hides the light every way but when this natural Sun ariseth then men go out to their work so must we though in the darkness of the night we shorted in sin yet now we must bestir our selves seeing the Sun of the spiritual world is risen over us And yet when all is done let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect as it is with our mortification in the best it is but an imperfect work so it is with our vivification it is only gradual and never perfected till grace be swallowed up of glory Only let us ever be in the use of the means and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man adding one grace to another To faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience 2 Pet. 1 5 6. Rom. 7.1 to patience godliness c. till we perfect holiness in the fear of God till we shine with those Saints in glory at perfect day Thus far we have Looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his resurrection and during the time of his abode on earth Our next work is to Look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his ascension into Heaven and in his session at God's right hand and in his mission of the holy Spirit LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit The Eight Book PART VIII CHAP. I. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus who is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God SECT I. Of Christ's Ascension and of the manner how THUS far we have traced Jesus in his actings for us untill the day in which he was taken up Acts 1.2 That which immediately follows is his Ascension Session at God's right hand and Mission of his holy Spirit in prosecution of which as in the former I shall first lay down the object and secondly direct you how to look upon it The object is threefold 1. He ascended into Heaven 2. He sate down at Gods right hand 3. He sent down the holy Ghost 1. For the Ascension of Christ this was a glorious design and contains in it a great part of the salvation of our souls In prosecution of this I shall shew first that he ascended 2. How he ascended 3. Whither he ascended 4. Why he ascended 1. That he ascended 1. The types prefigure it Then said the Lord to me Ezek. 44.2 3. this gate shall be shut it shall not be opened it is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate and shall go out by the way of the same As the gate of the Holy of Holies was shut against every man but the High Priest so was that gate of Heaven shut against all so that none could enter in by their own vertue and efficacy but only our Prince and great high Priest the Lord Jesus Christ indeed he hath opened it for us and entred into it in our place and stead Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech 2. The Prophets forsaw it Heb. 6.20 Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes Mark 16.19 Luke 24.31 and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom 3. The Evangelists relate it He was received up into heaven He was carried up into heaven 4. The eleven witness it For while they beheld he was taken up Acts 1.9 Acts 1.10 11. and a cloud received him out of their sight 5. The holy Angels speak it For while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Eph. 4.8 10. 1 Pet. 3.22 6. The blessed Apostles in their several Epistles ratifie and confirm it When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 2. How he ascended The manner of his Ascension is discovered in these particulars 1. Luke 24.51 He ascended blessing his Apostles While he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven It is some comfort to Christ's Ministers that though the world hate them Christ doth bless them yea he parted with them in a way of blessing as Jacob leaving the world blessed his Sons so Christ leaving the world blessed his Apostles and all the faithful Ministers of Christ unto the end of the world Some add that in these Apostles not only Ministers but all the elect to the end of the world are blessed The Apostles were then considered as common persons receiving this blessing for all us and so those words uttered at the same time are usually interpreted Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world This was the last thing that Christ did on earth to shew that by his death he had redâ—emed us from the curse of the Law Eph. 1.3 and that now going to heaven he is able to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Acts 1.19 2. He ascended visibly in the view of the Apostles while they beheld he was taken up he was not suddenly snatched from them as Elija was nor secretly and privily taken away as Enoch was but in the presence of them all both his Apostles and Disciples he ascended up into Heaven but why not in the view of all the Jews that so they might know that he was risen again and
God to this purpose he sits at God's right hand to intercede for us and to maintain the peace and union betwixt God and us therefore being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2. His work is to maintain intercourse and correspondency and surely this is Christs work also By him we have an access unto the Father Eph. 2.18.3.12 In him we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him the word access doth not only signifie coming to God in prayer but all that resort and communion which we have with God as united by faith to Jesus Christ according to that 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ had once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God This benefit have all believers in and by Christ they come to God by him they have free commerce and intercourse in heaven 3. His work is to reconcile and take up emergent differences and this is Christ's work also Isa 53.12 he maketh intercession for the Transgressors he takes up the differences that our transgressions make betwixt God and us 4. This work is to procure the welfare of the People or State where he negotiates and this is no less Christ's Work for he seeks the welfare of his people he sits at God's right hand to intercede for them and commending their estate and condition to his Father Phil. 1.19 he makes it his request to his Father that his members may have a continual supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ that they may be strengthened in temptations confirmed in tribulations delivered from every evil work enabled to every good duty and finally preserved unto his Heavenly Kingdom 2. Christ's Intercessions consists in the presenting of his Wounds Death and Blood as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin and as a publick price for the purchase of our glory There is a question amongst the Schools whether Christ hath not taken his wounds or the signs skars and prints of his wounds into heaven with him and whether Christ is representing those wounds skars and prints unto his Father doth not hereby intercede for us some I am sure are for the affirmative Aquinas distinguisheth of Christ's Intercession as being three-fold Aquin. in Job c. 2. the first before his passion by devout prayer and the second at his Passion by effusion of his blood and the third after his Ascension by the representation of his Wounds and Scars Howsoever this hold for I dare not be too confident without Scripture-ground yet this I dare say that Christ doth not only present himself but the Sacrifice of himself and the infinite Merit of his Sacrifice When he went to heaven he carried with him absolutely the Power Merit the vertue of his Wounds and Death and Blood into the presence of God the Father for us and with his blood he sprinkled the Mercy-seat as it were seven times We read in the Law that When the high Priest went within the vail he took the blood of the Bullock and sprinkled it with his finger upon the mercy-seat East-ward Levit. 16.14 and before the mercy-seat he sprinkled the blood with his finger seven times not only was the Priest to kill the Bullock without the holy of holies but he was to enter with the blood into the holy of holies and to sprinkle the mercy-seat therein with it surely these were patterns of things to be done in the Heavens Christ that was slain and Crucified without the gate carryed his own blood into the holy of holies or into the heaven of heavens Heb. 9.12 for by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us and thither come he sprinkles it as it were upon the mercy-seat i.e. he applyes it and obtains mercy by it by the blood of Christ God's mercy and justice are reconciled in themselves and reconciled unto us Christ sprinkles his blood on the mercy-seat seven times seven is a note of perfection where Christs blood is sprinkled on a soul that soul is sure to be washed from all filth and at last to be perfected and saved to the very utmost Christ's blood was shed upon the earth but Christ's blood is sprinkled now he is in heaven what is any soul sprinkled with the blood of Christ Heb. 12.22 24. surely this sprinkling comes from heaven so the Apostle But ye are come to mount Zion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and then it follows to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel It is upon mount Zion where this sprinkling is there is Jesus at God's right hand there he stands as it were upon the mount Levit. 16.14 19. and there he sprinkles his blood round about him heaven is all besprinkled as the mercy-seat in the holy of holies was the earth is all besprinkled as the Altar out of the holy of holies was heaven and earth are all besprinkled with the blood of Jesus so that the Saints and people of God are no where but their doors and their posts and houses I mean their bodies and souls are all besprinkled with the blood of the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Why this is that blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel Mark that Christ's blood hath a tongue it speaks it cries it prayes it intercedes there 's some agreement and some difference betwixt Christs blood and Abels blood Gen. 4.10 1. The agreement is in these things Abels blood was abundantly shed for so it is said the voyce of bloods and Christ's blood was let out with thornes and scourges nails and spear Gen. 4.10 it was abundantly shed Again Abels blood cryed out yea it made a loud cry so that it was heard from earth to heaven the voice of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground and Christ's blood cryeth out it makes a loud cry it fills heaven and earth with the noise yea the Lords ears are so filled with it that it drowns all other souls and rings continually in his ears 2. The difference is in these things Abels blood cryed for vengeance against Cain but Christ's blood speaks for mercy on all believers Abels blood was shed because he sacrificed and he and his sacrifice accepted but Christs blood was shed that he might be sacrificed and that we through his sacrifice might be accepted Abels blood cryed thus see Lord and revenge but Christs blood cryed thus Father forgive them for they know not what they do and at this very instant Christ's blood crys for remission and here 's our comfort if God heard the servant he will much rather hear the Son if he heard the servant for spilling he will much more hear the Son for saving yet that I may speak properly and not in figures
Sermons when the Word came home didst not thou deny us the seals which might have been for confirmation of our souls salvation didst thou not estrange thy self from us in respect of any inward intimate and familiar society which thou affordest to others doth not the event plainly shew that all thy tears prayers words and works as in reference to us were hypocrisie flattery deceit dissimulation Oh cursed be the day that ever we lived under such a Ministry or that ever we heard of Jesus Christ Nay then saith the Minister it is time for us to part such were your invectives on earth and now they are and will be your language in Hell but have I not answer'd these cavils many a time have I not told you that the Word would harden some and soften others the fault being in your selves have I not cleared it that the seals are not to be set upon blanks and that confirmation could not be without a work of conversion to lead it and were we not commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw our selves from every brother that walketh disorderly did not the wise man tell us he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith 2 Thes 3.16 and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt can a man go upon hot coales and his feet be not burnt Prov. 26.27 28. as for other cavils the Lord be judge betwixt you and us nay the Lord hath been Judge betwixt you and us lo here we stand on the right hand of Christ so here we sit on our Throne to judge you and that world of wicked men and Angels let Christ be glorious Psal 109.17.18 and let his sentence stand and let that word of Judgment never be reversed he that loveth cursing let it come upon him and he that cloatheth himself with cursing as with a garment let it come into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones no more but adieu souls adieu Reprobates adieu for ever you must descend but we must ascend Go you to Hell whiles we mount upwards to Heaven and Glory At this last word down they go the evil Angels falling like lightning and evil men haled and pulled down with them from the presence of God and Christ and Angels and all the blessed ones even from their fathers mothers wives husbands children ministers servants lovers friends acquaintance who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision and forgetting all nearness and dearest obligations of nature neighbourhood alliance any thing will rejoyce in the execution of divine justice Oh the shrikes and horrid crys that now they make filling the air as they go Oh the wailings and wringing of hands Oh the desperate roarings Oh the hideous yellings filling heaven and earth and hell But I shall follow them no further no sooner do they fall into the bottomless pit but presently it shuts her mouth upon them and there I must leave them SECT VII Of Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and of the end of this World 7. FOR Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and so for the end of this world no sooner are the Reprobates gone to their place but the Saints ascend now Christ ariseth from his judgment-seat and with all the glorious company of heaven he marches towards the heaven of heavens Oh what a comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims wait on Angels Arch-angels Principalities Powers Patriarches Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professors and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of Glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of Souldiers O goodly Troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of Victory in his hand each one doth wear a Crown of Glory upon his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a final overthrow have they conquered Devils Death and Hell and now must they enjoy God Life and Heaven sometimes I have with much wonder and admiration beheld some Regiments passing our streets but had I seen those Roman Armies when they returned Victors and made their solemn Triumphs in the streets of Rome oh then how should I have then admired never was the like sight to this of Christ and his Army in this World O the comely march they make through the sky and through the Orbs and through all the Heavens till they come to the Heaven of Heavens were ever so many glistering Suns together in one day was ever so many glories together on this side the Kingdom of glory Cant. 6.10 not to speak of Christ or his Angels O who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners are not in the head of these Regiments Adam and Abel and Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles And if thou art a Saint that readest this art not thou one Son appointed by God amongst the rest to follow Christ here 's enough to fill thy heart with joy before-hand as sure as yond Sun now shines in the Firmament shalt thou that believest pass by that Sun in its very orb and by reason of thy glory it shall lose it shine oh then what spreading of beauty and brightness will be in the heavens as all the Saints go along what lumps of darkness shall those glittering Stars appear to be when all the Saints of God shall enter into their several orbs and spheres and thus as they march along higher and higher till they come to the highest at last heaven opens unto them and the Saints enter their Masters joy what is there done at their first entrance I shall discover another time only for a while let us look behind us and see what becomes of this neather World No sooner Christ and his company in the Empyreal heaven but presently this whole world is set on fire To this prophane Authors seem to assent As 1. Philosophers especially the Stoicks were of this mind Humor primordium exitus ignis said Seneca Moisture was the beginning and fire shall be the end of this World And speaking of the Sun Moon and Stars mark says he whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order shall at last burn together in one fire 2. The Poets grant this Lucan speaking of those whom Cesar left unburned at the Battel of Pharsalia Hos Caesar populos si nunc non urserit ignis uret cum terris If fire shall not now burn these when Heaven and Earth and all shall burn then must they burn Ovid in like manner Esse quoque in fatis quo mare