and this the Apostle speaks out yet more plainly by him we have an access unto the Father Ephes 2.18.3.12 and in him we have boldness and access with confidence I shall a little enlarge on both these Texts recorded for our instruction in the Law and Gospel in the Old and in the New Testament First we find in the Law Exod. 28.14 that Aaron was to put two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel and so Aaron was to bear the names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial And again Aaron was to bear the names of the children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart when he went into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually Ver. 29. Here we find the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel ingraven in stones which the high-Priest usually took with him into the holy place when he appear'd before the Lord first upon his humeral and then upon his pectoral in both shewing that he entred into that place not only or principally in his own behalf but in behalf of the Tribes whom he presented before the Lord that they might be in continual remembrance with the Lord a lively Type of Christ's Intercession who being entred into the Heavens he there appears in the behalf of his Elect and he presents their persons to his Father bearing them as it were upon his shoulders and upon his heart why thus Christ takes our persons into heaven and represents them in his own person to his Father Secondly we find in the Gospel a gracious promise Ephes 2.18 3.12 that by Christ we have access unto the Father and in Christ we have access with confidence Where the word access 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly a manuduction or leading by the hand to God an introduction or bringing into God alluding to the custome in Princes Courts where none may come into the presence-Chamber unless they be led or brought in by some Favourite or Courtier there thus none may have access into the presence of God unless they are brought in by this Favourite of heaven the Lord Jesus Christ whose very office it is to bring men unto God he takes us by the hand and leads us to the Father q. d. Come Souls come along with me and I will carry you to the Father Look how a child that haâ—h run away from his Father is taken by the hand of a friend or of his â—lder brother and so brought again into the presence of his Father even so all we having run away from God are by the good hand of Christ taken up and led again into the presence of the Father he is that Ladder that Jacob saw upon whom we ascend into the bosome of God and into heaven he is that high-Priest that takes our persons and bears them on his shoulders and on his heart sustaining our persons and presenting our conditions unto his Father and our Father unto his God and our God 5. Christs Intercession consists in the presenting of our duties unto God Not only doth he take our persons and leads and carry them into the presence of God but together with our persons he presents all our services in his own person Now in this act he doth these two things 1. He observes what evil or what falling is in our duties and he draws that out and takes it away before he presents them unto God or as a child that would present his Father with a posie he goes into the garden and gathers flowers and weeds together but coming to his Mother she picks out the weeds and binds up the flowers by themselves and so it is presented to the Father thus we go to duty and we gather weeds and flowers together but Christ comes and picks out the weeds and so presents nothing but flowers to God the Father and this is plainly set forth by that ceremony of the high-Priest in taking away the iniquity of their holy things Exod. 28.36.37.38 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingravings of a Signet holiness to the Lord and thou shalt put it on a blew lace that it may be upon the Mitre upon the fore-front of the Mitre it shall be And it shall be on Aarons fore-head that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the Children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts and it shall be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord This was the manner of the Ceremony and this was the end of the Ceremony that Aaron might bear and take away the iniquity of their holy things what was this but a Type of Jesus Christ who with his most absolute righteousness covereth all the defects of our good works which are still spotted with some defect Isa 64.6 Alas all our righteousness are as filthy rags but Christ draws out the evil of duty and failings in duty before he will present them unto God 2. He observes what good there is in any of our duties or performances and with that he mingles his own prayers and Intercessions and presents all as one work interwoven or mingled together unto God the Father And another Angel stood at the Altar having a golden Conser Rev. 8.3 4. and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand I know there is a controversie who this Angel should be that with the Incense mingles the prayers of all Saints some conjecture him to be a created Angel in that the incense or ordours are said to be given to him and not to be his own or to have them of himself others say he could be no other but the Angel of the Covenant for no Angel doth intercede or present our prayers but Jesus Christ as for that which is spoken concerning the seven Angels presenting the Saints prayers I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints We say it is no canonical Scripture Tobit 12 1â— nor is it authorized by any canonical Scripture besides I cannot think that the Priests were types of Angels but only of Christ Again howsoever the Greek Copies so read that Text yet the antient Hebrew Copy set forth by Paulus Fagius and Jerome who translated it out of the Caldee as Master Mede on Zachar. 4.10 avoucheth reads it thus I am Raphael one of the seven Angels which stand and minister before the glory of the holy One. And certainly in this Text of Revel 8.3 4. There is a figurative description of an heavenly service correspondent to that which was performed in the Temple namely that the people being without at
be perswaded to set our hearts on Jesus Christ Christians do you not perceive that the heart of Christ is set upon you and that he is still minding you with tender love even when you forget both your selves and him Do you not find him following you with daily mercies moving on your souls providing for your bodies and preserving both doth he not bear you continually in the armes of love and promise that all shall work together for your good doth he not give his Angels charge over you and suit all his dealings to your greatest advantage and can you find in your hearts to cast him by can you forget your Lord who forgets not you Fie upon this unkind Ingratitude When the Lord speaks of his thoughts and respects to us he gives this language Can a woman forget her sucking-sucking-child Isa 49.15 16. that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me But when he speaks of our thoughts to him the case is otherwise Jer. 2 32. can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire yet my People have forgotten me days without number q. d. you would not forget the cloaths on your backs you would not forget your braveries your Ornaments your Attires and are these of more worth than Christ yet you can forget me day after day 8. Consider it 's a command of Christ that we should look to Jesus Behold me behold me lo I lo I A command not only backt with Authority but accompanied with special Ordinances appointed to this end what is Baptism and what is the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.24 25. but the representation of Jesus Christ Is it not Christs command in his last Supper Do this in remembrance of me and this do ye as oft as ye drink in remembrance of me In this Ordinance we have Christ crucified before our Eyes and can we forget him Or can we hold our eyes off him can we see the Bread broken the Wine distinctly severed from the bread and not call to mind according to the Scripture Christs Agony in the Garden and on the Cross can we take and eat the bread and take and drink the cup and not apprehend Christ stooping down from Heaven to feed our souls At such a time if we forget the Lord Jesus Christ it will argue our disaffection our ingratitude our disobedience every way Psa 73.28 Psal 104.34 9. Consider it 's both work and wages to look up unto Jesus Hence David professed it is good for me to draw near to thee and my meditation of him shall be sweet the word imports a sweetness with mixture like compound spices or many flowers Every thought of Jesus is sweet and pleasant nay it 's better than wine Cant. 1.4 we will remember thy love more than Wine there is more content in contemplating on Christ more refreshing to the spirit than wine gives to the body How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God Psa 139.17 look in what kind soever you account a thing precious so precious are the thoughts of God and Christ to a man whose heart is in a right frame Such a one loves every glance of Christ and the more it sees the more it loves It is said of one Eudoxius that he wished he might be admitted to come near the body of the Sun to have a full view of it though it devoured him he was somthing rash in his wish but there is somthing proportionable in a godly spirit he so loves Christ that he could be content to be swallowed up in the beholding of him Certainly there is a blessing in this work when we are bid to look unto Jesus it is but to receive from Jesus is it any thing else but to call and invite us to look on the most pleasing and delightful object That in the beholding of it it may convey it self unto us and we be delighted and filled with it it is all one as if he should bid us sit down by a well of Life and drink or if he should bid us be as the Angels are who are blessed in the beholding of this Jesus why come then if this be a blessed work why will we unbless our selves If the work will exalt us why will we debase our selves in not closing with it If we might live above heaven why will we live below certainly when thoughts of Christ are moving in us Christ himself is not far off he will come and enter too and how sweet is it for Christ to come and take up his habitation in our souls 10. Consider how the Angels exceedingly desire to look on Jesus they stoop down and pry into the Nature Offices and graces of Jesus Christ which things saith the Apostle the Angels desire to look into He alludes to the manner of the Cherubims looking down into the Mercy-Seat this is the study 1 Pet. 1.12 yea this is the delight and recreation of the Elect Angels to look on Jesus and to look into the several scopes of our salvation by Jesus Christ to behold the whole frame and fabrick of it to observe all the parts of it from the beginning to the end to consider all the glorious Attributes of God his Wisdome Power Justice Mercy all shining and glittering in it like bright Stars in the Firmament this I say is their work yea this is their Festivity and Pastime And shall not we imitate the Angels shall not we think it our honour to be admitted to the same priviledge with the Angels 11. Consider that looking unto Jesus is the work of Heaven Vâ—ta contemplativa incipit in hoc seculo proficitur in futuâ—o Bern. it is begun in this life saith Bernard but it is perfected in that life to come not only Angels but the Saints in glory do ever behold the face of God and Christ if then we like not this work how will we live in Heaven the dislike of this Duty is a bar against our entrance for the life of a blessedness is a life of Vision surely if we take no delight in this heaven is no place for us 12. Consider that nothing else is in comparison worth the minding or looking after If Christ have not your hearts who or what should have them O that any Christian should rather delight to have his heart among Thornes and Briers than in the Bosom of his dearest Jesus Why should you follow after drops and neglect the Fountain why should you fly after shadowes and neglect him who is the true substance if the mind have its currant from Christ toward other things these things are not only of less concernment but destructive they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity Jer. 2.5 and are become vain How unworthy the world is of the look of Christians especially when it
Gods purposes are without any alteration the love of Christ after thousands of years is still as the love of a Bridegroom upon the wedding day indeed then ordinarily love is hot and appears much so is Christs love and so is Gods love ever hot there is no moment of time from Eternity to Eternity wherein God rejoyceth not over his Saints as the Bridgroom over his Bride not only as an husband over his wife but as a Bridegroom over his Bride we may say of this purpose of God as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end O my soul muse and meditate on this purpose of God Isa 55.3 and by consequence on the sure mercies of David it may be it is not always alike sure to thee the love of God as the shining of the Sun doth not always in the fruits of it shining out so gloriously but the Sun keeps his course in a steady way what though it be sometimes clouded what though at times it shine not so gloriously as at high-noon yet the purpose of God according to Election must stand All the Devils in Hell cannot frustrate Gods purpose concerning only one soul John 6.39 this is the Fathers will which sent me saith Christ that of all which he hath given me I should lose none 5. Consider Gods decree concerning thy souls salvation and the means to it As the purpose of God so the decree of God speaks the stability and certainty of the thing decreed The foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.16 i The decree of God touching mans Salvation is unchangable If the Laws of the Medes and Persians were so absolute that they could not be reversed then much less can the decrees of God be reversed no man that is not Elected can be Elected and no man that is Elected can possibly be damned My sheep hear my voice saith Christ and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck tâ—â—â— out of my hand And it must needs be so for Gods decree is grounded on the Eternal and unchangable will of God and hence we say that there is a certain number of the Elect known only to God which cannot possibly be encreased or diminished John 13 18 I know whom I have chosen saith Christ And yet thou canst not O my soul hence infer that thou mayest be secure for in this decree the end and the means are joyned together of God and they cannot be separated by any man if thou beest not godly never expect to be happy Gods decree of Predestination is as well for the giving of grace as for the giving of glory 6. Consider the Covenant struck betwixt God and Christ for thy salvation If thou wouldst fain be acquainted with the very Articles of it go on then take Scripture along and first on Gods part thou mayest observe and meditate and consider of these particulars 1. That there was a designation and appointment of Christ from all Eternity to the office of Mediatorship John 6.27 Isa 42 1 whence Christ is said to be sealed by the Father for him hath God the Father sealed and chosen of the Father behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect or chosen one 2. There was a commandment from the Father to the Son which he must obey and submit unto As first he had a command what to teach his people as the Prophet of the Church John 12.49 for I have not spoken of my self saith Christ but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak Secondly he had a commandment to lay down his life fore those that were given him John 10.18 no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this Commandment have I received of my Father 3. There was a Promise from the Father to the Son the Father covenants with him in these things Isa 42.1 first that he will give him the Spirit in abundance Behold my servant whom I uphold I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles Isa 11.1 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might the Spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. Secondly that he will give him assistance and help in this great work of Redemption I the Lord have called thee in righteousness Isa 42.6 and will hold thy hand what 's that why I will strengthen thee with my power I will so hold thy hand that thou shalt not be discouraged in the work Isa 42.4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged tell he have set judgment upon the Earth Thirdly that he will give him a blessed success that he shall not labour in vain Isa 53 10 11 he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied Christs suffering were as a womans travail though she suffer many pains and pangs yet she sees her Child at last so shall Christ see many believing on his Name they are the promise made by the Father to the Son Isa 55.5 that Nations that know him not shall run unto him Fourthly that he will give him and his Redeemed ones everlasting glory to Christ himself there is a promise of glory he hath gloryfied thee And to the Members of Christ there is a promise of glory and this promise of glory to them was made known to Christ from everlasting it was one of the secrets of God and Christ brings out that secret from the bosome of his Father Luk. 12.32 and reveals it to his Disciples It is my Fathers pleasure said he to give you the Kingdom Christ knew his Fathers will by the Covenant passing betwixt his Father and him and this will of the Father concerning glory promised to the Saints Christ doth bring forth to light These were the Articles of the Covenant on Gods part now O my soul see them on Christs part in these particulars 1. There was an acceptation of the office to which he was designed by the Father he did not take the office of Mediatorship upon himself but first the Father calls him to it Heb. 5.5 Heb. 1.10.7 and then the Son accepts it Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee he called him and then the Son answered Lo I come 2. There was a promise on Christs part to depend and trust upon God for help And again I will put my trust in him they are the words of Christ to his Father And Isaiah brings in Christ as looking for help from God
the Covenant are said to be everlasting forgiveness of sins is everlasting being once forgiven they are never remembred any more peace and joy is everlasting your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Jer. 31.13 Joh. 16.22 Isa 45.17 salvation is everlasting Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation decretal Covenant-mercy was not a lease but a making the fee-simple as we call it of grace and glory to the Saints for ever death may put an end to other Covenants as betwixt man and man or betwixt man and wife but this Covenant betwixt God and us stands fast for ever though Abraham be dead yet God is Abraham's God still and by vertue of this Covenant Abraham shall be raised up at the last day 5. What are the priviledges of the Covenant I answer the priviledges of the Covenant are many as they are great things and great blessings which our great God promiseth so they are very many and numerous the Covenant is full of blessings it is a rich store-house replenished with all manner of blessings it is not dry nor barren but like the fat Olive or fruitful Vine it is a Well of salvation a fountain of good things a treasure full of goods or unsearchable riches which can never be emptied nor come to an end Hence it is that our finite narrow capacities can never apprehend the infinite grace that this Covenant contains yet as we may see things darkly in a Map so let us endeavour as we are able to view them in some Map or brief compendium that by the little we do see we may be raised up to the consideration of things not seen which shall be revealed in due time The priviledges of the Covenant are folded and wrapped up in the promises of it every promise contains a priviledge but the time of unfolding every promise is not yet come then only shall the promises of all sorts be unfolded when the heavens as a vesture shall be folded up Heb. 1.12 In the mean time we have a right interest in the priviledges of eternity by vertue of the promise and hence the very terms of Covenant and promise are taken for the same Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.4 I shall for the present confine my self only to those promises and priviledges of the Covenant which were manifested to Abraham And they were Of things Temporal Spiritual Gen. 12.2 3 7. 1. Of things Temporal Thus we read God promiseth Abraham I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and unto thy seed will I give this Land We may add hereto the repetitions that God makes of these promises over over Gen. 13.14 15 16. lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art North-ward and South-ward and East-ward and West-ward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever And I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth so that if a man can number the dust of the Earth then shall thy seed also be numbered And the Lord brought forth Abraham abroad and said look now towards Heaven and tell the stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be And the Lord again appeared to Abraham Gen. 15.5 Gen. 17.2.4 5 6. and said I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly and thou shalt be a Father of many Nations neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee and I will make thee exceeding fruitful and I will make Nations of thee 8. and Kings shall come out of thee and I will give unto thee and thy seed after thee Gen. 22.16 17. the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession By my self have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of the Heaven and as the sand upon the Sea-shore and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies See here the temporal blessings that God promises Abraham Gen. 12.2 3 7. they are heaped together in Gen. 12.2 3. As 1. I will make of thee a great Nation and this he promiseth once and again it seemed a thing incredible because Abraham was old and Sarah was barren and old it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women yet for all this God is all-sufficient Abraham shall have his desire he shall be a Father not only of a few Children but of a numerous Nation yea of many Nations Ishmaelites and Midianites and that famous Nation of the Jews of whom it is said Deut. 4.7 8. what Nation is so great must all descend from Abraham Scripture and heathen Authors use three things proverbially to signifie an huge and exceeding great number the dust of the Earth the sands of the Sea and the Stars of Heaven and all these are brought in to resemble the number into which the Seed of Abraham should break forth 2. I will bless thee saith God and this blessing had relation to his wealth and riches Abraham was very rich in cattel in silver and in gold Gen. 13.2 No question those riches came from this blessing the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it This was Gods care of the children of Abraham that he would give them riches but lest their hearts should be lifted up and they should forget the Lord in the midst of their riches he learns them and bids them remember this lesson Deut. 8.17 18 say not in thine heart my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth but remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day True riches come from God and by vertue of this covenant O that none of us had any wealth but such as comes by vertue of a promise and of the covenant of grace 3. I will make thy name great saith God no Monarch was ever so famous in conquering nations or the whole world as Abraham for his faith and obedience God hath magnified his name amongst the Hebrews who for these three thousand years and upwards have acknowledged none except Moses greater than Abraham the Jews could say to very Christ art thou greater then our father Abraham John 8.53 whom makest thou thy self and God hath so magnified his name amongst Christians that all believers look upon it as a glory to be called children of Abraham nay we cannot be Christs we have no part in Christ
this faith accompanied with works observe but saith the Apostle when God bade him offer his son Jam. 2.23 compared with 21.22 did he not do it and was not that an exceeding great work surely his faith wrought with his works and by faith was his works made perfect 7. Who is the head both as undertaker and purchaser and treasurer upon whom this Covenant is established 2 Cor. 1.20 I answer Christ and none but Christ All the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen unto the glory of God by us This was very darkly held forth in the first manifestation of the Covenant to Adam but now in this second breaking forth of it it is very fully expressed and often repeated thus Gen. 12.3 Gen. 12 3 in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed and Gen. 18.18 Gen. 18.18 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in Abraham and Gen 22.18 Gen. 22.18 See the same in Gen. 26.4 and 28.14 in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed In comparing these texts we have a clear understanding thereof in thee in Abraham shall all the families and nations of the earth be blessed but lest Abraham himself should be thought author of this universall blessing therefore is the explication in thee i. in thy seed Gal. 3 16 and this seed saith the Apostle very expressely is Jesus Christ now to Abraham and 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 So then here is the sense out of thy posterity shall spring the Messiah by whom not only thy posterity but all the nations of the earth shall be blessed You may remember in the first promise Christ was called the seed of the woman but now the seed of Abraham Christ was the Son of Eve or if you will the Son of Mary and so the seed of the woman and Mary was a daughter of Abraham and so Christ and Mary and all upwards were of the seed of Abraham But where shall we find mention of the passion of Christ in this expressure of his Covenant to Abraham in the first manifestation it was included in that phrase of bruising his heel and surely this is essential to the covenant of grace in any overture of it some answer that this is thrice put on in the passage of this covenant with Abraham Gen. 15.17 first in the federal confirmation by the smâ—aking furnace and burning lamp that passed between those pieces of the sacrifice as the sacrifice was divided so was Christs body torn and as the smoaking furnace and burning lamp passed between the divided pieces so the wrath of God run betwixt as I may say and yet did not consume the rent and torn nature of Christ Gen. 17.10 11 2. In that federal confirmation by the sign of circumcision there could not be circumcision without shedding of blood and where God commands shedding of blood in any of his antient ordinances it doth certainly reach to the blood of Christ and his everlasting testament 3. In the resolved Sacrifice of Isaac which was a plain type of the death of Christ See it in these particulars 1. Isaac was Abraham's son his only son his innocent son Gen. 2â— 10 the beloved son of his Father and yet Abraham freely offers up his son so Christ was the son of God his only Son his innocent son like to us in all things sin only excepted and the beloved son of his Father this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and yet God more freely offers up his Son out of his own bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission rose early in the morning to sacrifice his Son and the Jews by Gods permission rise early in the morning to condemn the Son of God and hence he is called the Hind of the morning Psa 22.1 compassed with dogs that hunted and pursued his life 3. Abraham must offer his Son upon the Mount the very Mount on which Solomon's Temple was built John 2.19 which typified the body of Jesus Christ Joh. 2.19 So God offered his Son upon the Mount if not on the same Mount as Augustine thinks yet on a Mount not far distant from it Golgotha was the very skirt of Moriah the one being within the gate of the City and the other not far without the very nearest to the City of all 4. Abraham first laid the wood on Isaac and then he laid Isaac on the wood so God first layes the Cross on Christ Joh. 19.17 18 He bearing his Cross went forth into a place called the place of a skul and then he layes Christ on the Cross there they crucified him saith John or there they bound him to the Cross and fastned his hands and feet thereto with nails 5. Isaac must be offered alone the servants must stay at the foot of the hill little knowing the business and sorrow in hand Isa 63.3 so Christ must tread the wine press alone the disciples fear and fly and little consider the agony of their Master 6. Abraham carries in his hand the sword and fire against his Son so God carries in his hand the sword and fire the sword signifying the Justice of God the fire his burning wrath against the sins of men and both these were bent against Christ in whom the justice of God is satisfied and the flame of his wrath extinct and quenched Gen. â—2 16 17 18. That this was a plain type of Christs passion is hinted at in the blessing that God speaks to Abraham after this tryal by my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son that in blessing I will bless thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed All believers are blessed in the death of Christ who was that seed of Abraham typified by Isaac Abrahams Son for as Abraham intended so God truely sacrificed his Son his onely Son to take away sin Thus far of the Covenant of promise as it was manifested from Abraham to Moses SECT IV. Of the Covenant of promise as manifested to Moses THe next breaking forth of this gracious Covenant was to Moses The revenging justice of God had now seized on mankind for many generations even thousands of years so that now it was high time for God in the midst of wrath to remember mercy and to break out into a clearer expression of the promise or Covenant of grace To this purpose the Lord calls up Moses to Mount Sinai and there of his infinite love and undeserved mercy he makes or renews his Covenant with him and the children of Israel I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 thou shalt have no other gods before me For the right
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
a Covenant of grace which runs in this tenor I will be your God aâ—d you shall be my people my peculiar treasure a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation if you will but hear and obey my Commandments Surely these priviledges could never have been obtained by a Covenant of works what to be a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation a peculiar treasure to the Lord what to be beloved of God as a desirable treasure for so it is in the original which a King delivers not into the hands of any of his Officers but keepeth it to himself this cannot be of works No no these are priviledges vouchsafed of meer grace in Jesus Christ and therefore Peter applyes this very promise to the people of God under the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.9 2. It appears by that contract betwixt God and Israel in the promulgation of the Law then it was that God proclaimed himself to be the God of Israel saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of bondage Some hold this to be the affirmative part of the first Commandment in which the Gospel is preached and the promises therein contained are offered We say it is a preface to the whole Law prefixed as a reason to perswade obedience to every Commandment But all universally acknowledge that it is a free Covenant which promiseth pardon of sin and requireth faith in the Messiah when God saith to Israel I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt doth he not propound himself as their King Judg Saviour and Redeemer Yea and spiritual Redeemer from their bondage of sin and Satan whereof that temporal deliverance from Egypt was truly a type the Lord begins his commandments with an evangelical promise and it is very observable that as these words I am the Lord thy God are prefixed immediatly to the first Commandment so in sundry places of Scripture they are annexed to all the rest ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths Lev. 19.3.11 12.16 18. I am the Lord your God ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lie one to another and ye shall not swear by my Name falsely neither shalt thou profane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neigbour I am the Lord. In a word thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the Lord or if that contain only the second Table therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the Lord. Add we to this 37. that in the second Commandment God is described to be one shewing mercy unto thousands all which must needs argue the Law to be a Covenant of grace 3. It appears by the Contract betwixt God and Israel after the promulgation of the Law is it not plainly expressed by Moses Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and Commandments And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldst keep his commandments Yea and after this in the Land of Moah Deut. 26.17 18. Moses was commanded by the Lord to make a Covenant with the children of Israel besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb now this was the very same that God made with them on Sinai only it must be renewed and it is expresly said ye stand this day to enter into a Covenant with the Lord your God Deut. 29.12 13. That he may establish you to be a people unto himself and that he may be a God unto you as he had sworn to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Surely this must needs be a Covenant of grace how should it be but of grace that God promised to be the God of Israel here are many sweet precious promises and they are all free and gracious and therefore we conclude the Law in the sense aforesaid to be a Covenant of grace 4. Why should God in the Law deal with us in a Covenant-way rather than a meer absolute supream way I answer 1. In respect of God it was his pleasure in giving the Law not only to manifest his Wisdom and Power and Soveraignty but his faithfulness and truth and love and the glory of his grace Rom. 9. 1 Joh. 4.8 that he might make known as the Apostle speaks the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Gods love is apart of his name for God is love and Gods faithfulness is a part of his name I saw Heaven opened said John in a vision and behold a white horse Rev. 19.11 he that sate upon him was called faithful and true now how should we ever have known Gods love at least in such a measure or how should we ever have known Gods faithfulness truth at all if he had not entered into a Covenant with us it is true if he had given the Law in a meer absolute supreme way if he had given the precept without any promise he might fully have discovered his illimited supream power but his so dear love and faithfulness could not have been known now therefore let the world take notice of his singular love and of his faithfulness as Moses said to Israel Because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the hands of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh â—t 7.8 9. King of Egypt Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to a thousand generations 2. In respect of us God would rather deal with us in a covenant-way than in a meer absolute supream way upon these grounds 1. That he might bind us the faster to himself a covenant binds on both parts the Lord doth not bind himself to us and leave us free No I will bring you saith God into the bond of the Covenant â— 20.37 The Lord sees how slippery and unstable our hearts are how apt we are to start aside from our duty towards him we love to wander and therefore to prevent this inconstancy and unsetledness in us 〈◊〉 14.10 and to keep our hearts more stable in our obedient walking before him it pleased the Lord to bind us in the bond of Covenant that as we look for a blessing from God so we look to it to keep Covenant with God you may say a command binds as well as a Covenant it is true but a Covenant doth as it were twist the cords of the Law and double the precept upon the soul when it is only a precept then God alone
Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 Rev. 3.20 Cant. 1.1 2 Deut. 4.7 and Christ is said to come and sup with us and to kiss us with the kisses of his mouth and to be near to us in all that we call upon him for surely this is the highest happiness of the Saints that God is their God when they can say this they have enough if we could say this House is mine this Town this City this Kingdom this World is mine what is all this O but when a Christian comes at length and sayes this God that made all the world is mine this is enough indeed this is the greatest promise that ever was made or ever can be made to any creature Angels or Men herein if we observe it God gives himself to be wholly ours consider God essentially or personally Consider Jehovah Elohim all is ours God in his essence and glorious attributes communicates himself to us for good and God personally considered as Father Son and Holy Ghost they all enter into Covenant with us 1. The Father enters into Covenant with us he promiseth to be a father to us hence saith the Lord Israel is my Son my first born and again is Ephraim my dear Son Exod. 4.22 Jer. 31.20 Psal 14.11 Psal 103.13 is he a pleasant Child the Lord speaketh as through he were fond of his Children as delighting in them for so it is said the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him or as pitying of them for so it is said likewise like as a father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 2. The Son is in Covenant with us and speaks to us in this language thou art mine how comes that about why I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name Isa 43.1 and therefore thou art mine this is Christ's Covenant with us he brings us back to his Father from whose presence we were banished and sets us before his face for ever he undertakes for us to take up all controversies which may fall out between God and us he promiseth to restore us to the Adoption of Sons and not only to the title but to the inheritance of Sons that we might be where he is Joh. 17.24 Heb. 10.14 15 16. 3. The Holy Ghost makes a Covenant with us By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness and a worker This is the Covenant that I will make with them I will put my Law into their hearts and in their minds will I write them I know the Father is implyed in this yet here is the proper work of the Holy Ghost what the Father hath purposed for us from all Eternity and the Son hath purchased for us in his time that the Holy Ghost effects in us and for us as in our time he applyes the blood of Christ for the remssion of Sins he writes the Law in our hearts he comforts us in our sadness he supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wanderings Now he that effects these things for us and in our behalf he is therefore said to make a Covenant with us Thus Elohim God personally considered Father Son and Holy Ghost are in Covenant with us 4. This is the great promise what can be greater when God said to Abraham I will be thy God Heb. 6.13 what could he give more so when God tells us I am the Lord thy God what could he say more God having no greater to swear by saith the Apostle he swore by himself So God being minded to do great things for his People and having no greater thing to give he gives himself O the goodness of God in Christ I am the Lord thy God 5. Let us see the fruit of this in reference to Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This was God's promise long before to Abraham know of a surety Gen. 15.13 4. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years and also that Nation whom they shall serve will I judg and afterwards they shall come out with great substance See here Israel must be strangers in Egypt and serve the Egyptians four hundred years but then he will bring them out of the land of Egypt and out of their servile bondage why this argues that God is Jehovah now he has performed what he had foretold and this argues that God in Christ is our Redeemer for what was this redemption from Egypt but a type of our freedom from sin death and hell here is the work of redemption joyned with that great name Jehovah Elohim to signifie that such a redemption is a clear testimony of a true and mighty God Whether this were laid down only as a peculiar argument to the Jews to keep the Commandments or it belongs also to us being grafted in and become of the same stock with them I shall not dispute this is without any controversie that their bondage was typical and ours spiritual you see the good things promised in this Covenant 6. What is the condition of this covenant on our part as we may gather it hence The condition of this covenant is faith in Jesus which is implyed in the promise I will be thy God or I am the Lord thy God and commanded in the precept built upon it thou shalt have me to be thy God or thou shalt have no other Gods before me But where is faith in Jesus Christ mentioned either in promise or precept I answer if it be not expressed it is very plainly intended or meant God is not the God of Israel but in and through the Mediator neither can Israel take God to be their God but by faith in the Messiah In the prophets we read frequently these exhortations trust in the Lord commit thy self unto the Lord lean upon the Lord and roul thy burden upon the Lord but what the Prophets exhort unto that is commanded in this expressure of the Covenant and who can trust in the Lord or commit himself to the Lord or lean upon the Lord or roul his burthen on the Lord if he be a sinner unless it be in and through a Mediator Israel must walk before God in all well-pleasing and the Apostle tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God But to go further what is the meaning of this first commandment in the affirmative part but to have one God in Christ to be our God by faith it is true Heb. 11.6 there is no mention made of Christ or faith but that is nothing is there is no mention of Love and yet our Saviour discovers and commands it there when the Lawyer tempted Christ Master which is the great Commandment in the Law you know Christs answer Mat. 22.36 37 38. thou shalt love the Lord
Holy One to see Corruption 4. That He Ascended up into Heaven Thou hast Ascended on High Thou hast led Captivity Captive Thou hast received Gifts for Men. 5. That He must be King over us both to Rule and Govern His Elect and to bridle and subdue His Enemies I have set My King upon My Holy Hill of Sion Psal 2.6 7. I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto Me Thou art My Son this day have I begotten Thee Acts 13.33 The Lord said unto My Lord Sit Thou at My Right Hand Psal 110.1 2. Heb. 1.13 until I make Thine Enemies Thy Foot-stool The Lord shall send the Rod of Thy Strength out of Zion Rule Thou in the midst of Thine Enemies 6. That He must be Priest as well as King and Sacrifice as well as Priest Psal 110.4 Heb. 5.6 The Lord hath Sworn and will not Repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Wickedness Psal 45.7 therefore God Thy God hath anointed Thee with the Oyl of Gladness above Thy Fellows i.e. Above all Christians who are thy Fellows Consorts and Partners in the Anointing Sacrifice and Burnt-Offering Thou wouldst not have but mine Ear hast Thou bored Psal 40.6 7. Heb. 10.5 6 7. Burnt-Offering and Sin-Offering hast Thou not required Then said I Loe I come In the Volume of the Book it it written of me That I should do Thy Will O God Mine Ears hast Thou bored or digged open The Septuagint to make the Sense plainer say But a Body hast Thou fitted me or prepared for me Meaning that His Body was ordained and fitted to be a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World when other legal Sacrifices were refused as unprofitable O see how clearly Christ is revealed in this Expressure of the Covenant It was never thus before And thus far of the Covenant of Promise as it was manifested from David till the Captivity SECT VI. Of the Covenant of Promise as manifested to Israel about the Time of the Captivity THE great Breaking-forth of this Gracious Covenant was to Israel about the Time of their Captivity By reason of that Captivity of Babylon Israel was almost clean destroyed and therefore then it was high time that the Lord should appear like a Sun after a stormy Rain and give them some clear Light of Christ and of this Covenant of Grace than ever yet He doth so and it appears especially in these words Behold the days come saith the Lord Jer. 31.31.32 that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel 33.34 and with the House of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the Hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they break although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their Inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be My People and they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know Me from the Least of them unto the Greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquity and remember their Sin no more In this Expressure of the Covenant we shall examine these Particulars 1. Why it is called a New-Covenant 2. Wherein the Expressure of this Covenant doth excel the former which God made with their Fathers 3. How doth God put the Law into our inward Parts 4. What is it to have the Law written in our Hearts 5. How are we taught of God so as not to need any other kind of Teaching comparatively 6. What is the Universality of this Knowledge in that All shall know me saith the Lord 7. How is God said to forgive Iniquity and never more to remeber sin 1. Why is it called a New Covenant I answer It is called New either in respect of the late and new Blessings which God vouchsafed Israel in bringing back their Captivity with Joy and planting them in their own Land again or it is called New in respect of the Excellency of this Covenant Thus the Hebrews were wont to call any thing Excellent Psal 96.1 New O sing unto the Lord a New Song Psal 96.1 that is an Excellent Song Or it is called New in contradiction to the Covenant of Promise before Christ came In this latter Sense the very same words here are repeated in the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 8.8.13 Behold the Dayss come saith the Lord when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah In that He saith a New Covenant He hath made the First Old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away The New-Covenant is usually understood in the latter Sense it is New because diverse from that which God made with the Fathers before Christ it hath a new Worship new Adoration a new Form of the Church new Witnesses new Tables new Sacraments and Ordinances and these never to be abrogated or disannulled never to wax Old as the Apostle speaks Yet in respect of those new Blessings which God bestowed upon Israel immediately after the Captivity this very Manifestation may be called New Jer. 23.7 8. And in reference to this Behold the Dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say The Lord liveth which brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt but The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the Seed of the House of Israel out of the North Countrey and from all Countries whither I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own Land 2. Wherein doth the Expressure of His Covenant excel the former which God made with their Fathers I answer 1. It excels in the very Tenor or outward Administration of the Covenant for this Covenant after it once began continued without Interruption until Christ whereas the Former was broken or did expire Hence God calls it a New-Covenant Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them by the Hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord. In this respect it might be called New or at least it may be called an Inchoation of the New because it continued till Christ which no other Expressure of the Covenant did before and so it excelled all the former 2. It excels in the Spiritual Benefits and Graces of the Spirit We find that under this Covenant they were more plentifully bestowed upon the Church than formerly Mark the Promises Jer. 24.6 7. I will set My Eye upon them for Good and I will bring
these have known that thou hast sent me Christ gives a good report of the Saints in Heaven the Father and the Son are speaking of him as I may say behind back and surely a good report in heaven is of high esteem Christ tells over Ephraim's prayers behind his back I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Jer. 31.18 20 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unacustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned thou art the Lord my God and thereupon God resolves Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Happy souls of whom Christ is telling good Tidings in heaven for he is the Angel of the Covenant 3. He is the witness of the covenant he saw and heard all Isa 55.4 Rev. 1.5 Rev. 3.14 Luke 19.10 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people And he is called the faithful witness The Amen The faithful and true witness The covenant saith The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Amen saith Christ I can witness that to be true the covenant saith Christ dyed and rose again for sinners Amen saith Christ I was dead and behold I live for evermore Amen Rev. 1.18 There 's not any thing said in the covenant but Christ is a witness to it and therefore we read in the very end of the Bible this Subscription as I may call it in relation to Christ He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Rev. 22.20 4. Christ is the Surety of the covenant Heb. 7.20 22. In as much as not without an oath he was made a Priest by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better Testament The covenant of works had a promise but because it was to be broken and done away it had no oath of God as this hath O doubting soul thou sayest thy salvation is not sure think on this Scripture thou hast the oath of God for it it is a sworn article of the covenant Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be Saved and to this end is Christ a Surety 1. Surety for God he undertakes that God shall fulfil his part of the covenant Fear not little flock Luke 12.32 for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And all that the Father giveth me John 6.37 shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 2. Surety for us and to this purpose he hath paid a ransome for us and giveth a new heart to us and he is ingaged to lose none of us Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost John 17.12 Heb. 12.24 5. Christ is the Mediator of the covenant the Apostle calls him Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant He hath something of God as being true God and something of man as sharing with us of the nature of man hence he is Mediator by office Job 9.33 and layeth his hands on both parties as a dayes-man doth and in this respect he is a friend a reconciler and a servant 1. A friend to both parties he hath Gods heart for man to be gracious and he hath mans heart for God to satisfie justice 2. A reconciler of both parties he brings down God to a treaty of peace and he brings up man by a ransome paid so that he may say unto both Father come down to my brethren my kindred and flesh and thou my Sister and Spouse come up to my Father and my Father to my God and thy God 3. He is a servant to both parties Behold my servant saith God Isa 24.1 Isa 53.11 Mat. 20.28 my righteous servant Yea and our servant He came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many 6. Christ is the Testator of the covenant He dyed to this very end that he might confirm the covenant Where a Testament is Heb. 9.16 17. there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the Testator liveth Christ then must dye and Christs blood must be shed to seal the covenant of grace it is not every blood but Christs blood that must seal the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 And his blood being shed he is then rightly called the Testator of the covenant O what fewel is here to set our desires on flame come soul and bend thy desires towards Christ as the Sun-flower towards the Sun the Iron to the Loadstone and the Loadstone to the Pole-star yea the nearer thou drawest towards Christ the more and more do thou desire after Christ true desires never determine or expire Bern. delect evang serm He that thirsts let him thirst more saith Bernard and he that desires let him desire yet more abundantly Is there not cause O what excellencies hast thou found in Christ Poor soul thou hast undone thy self by sin there 's but a step betwixt thee and damnation but to save thy soul Christ comes leaping on the Mountains and skipping on the Hills he enters into a covenant with God he is the covenant the Messenger of the covenant the Witness of the covenant the Surety of the covenant the Mediator of the covenant the Testator of the covenant the great business the all in all in a covenant of grace If David could say Psal 119.20 My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy judgements at all times how mayst thou say My soul breaks for the longings that it hath to thy mercies and my Jesus at all times Oh I gaspe for grace as the thirsty land for drops of rain I thirst I faint I languish I long for an hearty draught of the Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Oh that I could see Jesus flying through the midst of heaven with the Covenant in his hand Oh I long for that Angel of the Covenant I long to see such another vision as John did when he said And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth What Is that Covenant in the hand of Christ and is my name written in that roll Say Lord Is my name written on the Heart of Christ Oh! if I had the glory and possession of all the world if I had ten thousand worlds and ten thousand lives I would lay them all down to have this poor trembling soul of mine assured of this Oh my thirst is insatiable my bowels are hot within me my desire after Jesus in reference to the Covenant is greedy as the grave the coals thereof are coals of
for God will magnifie his grace and therefore he will do this great thing all that thou hast to do and all that God requires of thee in this case is onely to believe indeed thou hast no part in Christ no part in the covenant of grace if thou wilt not believe faith is the condition of the covenant of grace and therefore either believe or no covenant I know it is not easie to believe nay it is one of the hardest things under heaven to perswade a soul into faith What Will the great God of heaven make a Covenant with such a wretch as I am I cannot believe it Why What 's the matter Ah my sins my sins my sins God is a consuming fire against such he cannot endure to behold iniquity little hopes that ever God should enter into a covenant with me But to help on or to allure a soul in consider O thou soul of these following passages 1. Consider of the sweet and gracious nature of God that which undoes broken hearts and trembling souls it is misconceivings of God we have many times low diminishing ex enuating thoughts of Gods goodness but we have large thoughts of his power and wrath now to rectifie these misapprehensions consider his name and therein his nature the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgressions Sins and will by no means clear the guilty visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the Third and Fourth Generation O terrible Text Exod. 34.6 7 sayes the Soul alas I am guilty of thousands of sins and if this be his Name I am undone woe to me and mine unto the Third and Fourth Generation But consider again and in this description of God we shall find an Ocean of Mercy to a Drop of Wrath a Sea of Oyl to an half drop of scalding Lead For 1. God doth not begin the Lord the Lord that will by no means clear the guilty but the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering this is the first and greatest part of his Name God is loath to speak in justice and wrath he keeps it to the last mâ—rcy lies uppermost in Gods heart if the sentence must come it shall be the last day of the Assize 2 Many words are used to speak his goodness Merciful Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin here be six several phrases to shew the Riches of his Goodness but when he speaks his wrath what haste makes he over it there 's only two expressions of that it was a Theam he took no delight in Judgment is his Work his strange Work Isa 28.22 for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. 3. There 's a difference in the expression when God speaks of mercy Lam. 3.33 he expresseth it thus abundant in Mercy keeping Mercy for Thousands But in visiting sins it is not to thousands but only to the Third or Fourth Generation Surely Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment God would shew Mercy to Thousands Jam. 2.13 rather than he would destroy three or four 4. What if by no means God will clear the guilty stubbornly guilty yet never will he destroy humble souls that lye at his feet and are willing to have mercy on his easie terms How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel Hos 11.8 9. how shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim My heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger I will not destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man the Holy One in the middest of â—â—ee O my soul why standest thou at a distance with God Why dost thou fancy a Lion in the way O bâ—lieve in God believe in Jesus and believe thy portion in this Covenant of grace have sweet and delightful thoughts of Gods nature and thou wilt not thou canst not sly from him some are of opinion that a soul may fetch more encouragements to believe from the consideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature than from the promise it self 2. Consider of the sweet and gracious nature of Jesus Christ our thoughts of God are necessarily more strange than of Jesus Christ because of our infinite distance from the Godhead but in Christ God is come down into our nature and so infinite goodness and mercy is incarnate art thou afraid O my soul at his name Jah and Jehovah O remember his name is Emanuel the Lyon is here disrobed of his garment of terrour his rough hair is turned into a soft wooll see thy God disrobed of his terrible Majesty see thy God is a man and thy Judg is a Brother mince Jehovah with Jesus and the Serpent wiâ—l be a rod O that Balsamy name Jesus that name that founds healing for every wound settlement for every distraction comfort for every sorrow but here 's the misery souls in distress had rather be poring on hell than heaven rather frighting themselves with the terrours of justice than staying themselves with the flâ—ggons of Mercy O my soul how canst thou more contradict the nature of Christ and the Gospel-description of Christ than to think him a destroyer of men bâ—t wherein appears the gracious nature of Christ I answer in his being incarnate O how could Jesus have manifested more willingness to save than that the God-head should condescend to assume our nature surely this is ten thousand times more condescention than for the greatest King to become a sly or a toad to save such creatures as toads and flyes 2. In his tender dealing with all sorts of sinners he professed th t he came into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved He wept over Jerusalem saying O Jerusalem Jeâ—usalem Mat. 23.37 how oft would I have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but ye would not I would but ye would not And when his Disciples would have had fire come down from Heaven to consume thoâ—e that refused him he reproves them and tells them they know not of what spirits they were of 3. In his care of his own not caring what he suffered so they might be saved Alas alas that the Lord Jesus should pass through a life of misery to a death more miserable to manifest openly to the world the abundance of his love and yet that any soul should suspect him of cruelty or unwillingness to shew mercy Ah my soul believe never cry out my sins my sins my sins there is a gracious nature and inclination in Jesus Christ to pardon all 3. Consider of that office of saving and shewing mercy which Christ hath set up this is more than meerly a gracious inclination Christ hath undertaken and set up an office
of assurance but if thou art perswaded of thy Interest O then rejoyce therein is it not a Gospel-duty to rejoyce in the Lord and again to rejoyce The Lord is delighted in thy delights Phil. 4.4 he would fain have it thy constant frame and daily business to live in joy and to be alwayes delighting thy self in him This one Promise I am the Lord thy God is enough to cause thy appetite to run to it and to unite it self to it by Love and to scatter it self on it and to overflow those powers of the Soul that are nearest to it that every part of the Soul may concur to the possession of it Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David and all that is within me bless his holy Name So rejoyce in the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me rejoyce in the Name of God This is true joy when the soul unites it self to the good possessed in all its parts And was there ever such an object of true joy as this Heark as if Heaven opened and the voice came from God in Heaven I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I am the Lord thy God and I will be thy God What doth not thy heart leap in thy bosom at this sound John the Baptist leaped in his mothers womb for joy at the sound of Maries Voice and doth not thy soul spring within thee at this voice of God O wonder some can delight themselves in sin and is not God better than sin Others more refined and indeed sanctified can delight themselves in remission of Sin in Grace Pardon Holiness Fore-thoughts of Heaven how exceedingly have some gracious hearts been ravished with such thoughts But is not God the objective happiness the Fountain-blessedness more rejoycing than all these Why Dear soul if there be in thee any rejoycing faculty now awake and stir it up it is the Lord thy God whom thou art to rejoyce in it is he whom the glorious spirits joy in it is he who is the top of Heavens joy their exceeding joy and it is he who is thy God as well as their God Enough enough or if this be not enough hear thy Duty as the Lord commands thee Rejoyce in the Lord Phil. 3.1 Phil. 3.1 Be glad ye Children of Zion and rejoyce in the Lord your God Joel 2.23 Joel 2.23 Rejoyce in the Lord all ye Righteous for praise is comely for the upright Psal 33.1 Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye Righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psal 97.12 Psal 97.12 Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoyce let thâ—m ever shout for joy because thou defendest them let them also that love thy Name be joyful in thee Psal 5.11 Psal 5.11 Let the Righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 68.3 Psal 68.3 Glory ye in his holy Name let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord Psal 105.3 Psal 105.3 Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Zion be joyful in their King Psal 149.3 Psal 149.3 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce O ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 23.11 Psal 23.11 O what pressing Commands are these SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 1. WE must call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus in reference to this gracious Covenant Now this calling on God containes Prayer and Praise Jer. 31.16 1. We must pray we must use Arguments of Faith challenging God Turn thou me and I shall be turned Why for thou art the Lord my God This Covenant is the ground on which all Prayers must be bottomed the Covenant we know contains all the Promises and what is Prayer but Promises turned into Petitions Thus prayed the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 14.21 22. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory remember break not thy Covenant with us VVhy Art not thou he the Lord our God And thus prayed the Prophet Isaiah Isa 64.9 Be not wroth very sore neither remember iniquity for ever behold we beseech thee and why so we arâ— all thy Poople q. d. Every one doth for its own the Prince for his People the Father for his Children and the Shepherd for his Sheep and will not God do for his own in covenant with him Be thy soul in the saddest desertion yet come and spread the Covenant before God A Soul in the greatest depth swimming on this Covenant of Grace it keeps it from sinking whence Christ in his blackest saddest hour prayed thus My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Be thy Soul in trouble for sin and prevailing corruption yet go to God and plead his Promise and Covenant say as Johoshaphat Lord I am so born down by the power of my sin that I know not what to do only mine eyes are unto thee O do thou subdue mine iniquities Be thy soul troubled for want of strength to do this or that duty yet go to God and Christ in the Covenant of Grace and say Lord thou knowest I have no strength of my self I am a barren Wilderness but thou hast entred into a Covenant of Grace with me that thou wilt put thy Law into my inward parts thou wilt cause me to keep thy judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 36.27 As sometimes thou saidst to Gideon I have sent thee therefore I will be with thee Judg. 6.16 Judg. 6.16 Many are apt to set upon their duties in their own strength but Oh my soul look thou to the promise of Grace and of the Spirit and put them in suit and alledge them unto Christ Many are apt to work out their sanctifications by their VVatchfulness Resolutions Vows Promises made unto God but alas were there not more help in Gods Promises which he makes to us than in our Promises which we make to him we might lie in our pollutions for ever O here 's the way in every want or strait or necessity fly to God and Christ saying Thou art our Father and we are thy People O break not thy Covenant with us I confess strong expressions and affections are good in Prayer but surely strength of Faith in the Covenant of God is the greatest strength of our Prayer Here it may be some Soul will object Object O if I were assured that I were in Covenant with God thus would I pray but alas I am a Stranger an Alien and so have been to this very day I have no part in the Covenant I Answer Answ If thou art not actually in Covenant yet thou may'st be in Covenant in respect of Gods purpose and gracious intention Howsoever to encourage all to seek unto God consider these Particulars 1. The Freeness of the Promise in this Covenant of Grace Come and buy
his youth because in Scripture there is so deep a silence I shall therefore pass it by Thus far have I propounded the Object we are to look unto it is Jesus in his first coming or incarnation whiles yet a Child of twelve years old Our next Work is to direct you in the Art or Mystery how we are to look unto him in this respect CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great Work of our Salvation in his Birth WHat Looking comprehends you have heard before And that we may have an inward experimental look on him whom our souls pant after let us practise all these Particulars As 1. Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Coming or Incarnation Come let us learn what he did for us when he came amongst us There is not one Passage in his first appearing but it is of mighty concernment unto us Is it possible that the great God of Heaven and Earth should so infinitely condescend as we have heard but on some great Design And what Design could there be but only his Glory and the Creatures good O my Soul If thou hast any interest in Christ all this concerns thee the Lord Jesus in these very transactions had an eye to thee he was Incarnate for thee he was conceived and born for thee look not on these things as Notionals or Generals look not on the bare history of things for that is but unprofitable the main duty is in eying the end the meaning and intent of Christ and especially as it relates to thee not to others but to thy self Alas what comfort were it to a poor prisoner if he should hear that the King or Prince of his meer grace and love visited all the Prisoners in this and that Dungeon and that he made a Goal-delivery and set all free but he never came near the Place where he poor wretch lies bound in Fetters and cold Irons or suppose he gives a visit to that very man and offers him the tenders of Grace and Freedom if he will but accept of it and because of his waywardness Perswades Intreats Commands him to come out and take his liberty and yet he will not regard or apply it to himself what comfort can he have what fruit what benefit shall he receive Dear soul this is thy case if thou art not in Christ if thou hadst not heard the Offer and embraced and closed with it then what is Christ's Incarnation Conception Nativity unto thee Come learn not meerly as a Scholar to gain some notional-knowledge but as a Christian as one that feels virtue coming out of Christ in every of these respects Study close this great transaction in reference to thy self I know not how it happâ—ns whether out of the generality of some Preachers handling this Subject or whether out of the Superstition of the time wherein it usually hath been handled it either savours not with some Christans or it is seldom thought of by the most O God forbid we throw out of the doors such a blessed necessary truth If rightly applied it is a Christians joy Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all People for unto you is born in the City of David Luk. 2.10 11. a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Sure the Birth of Christ is of mighty concernment unto thee Isa 9.6 unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given there is not any piece of this transaction but it is of special use and worth thy pains How many break their brains and waste their Spirits in studying Arts and Sciences things in comparison of no value whereas Paul otherwise determined not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ To know Jesus Christ in every piece and point 1 Cor. 2.2 whether in Birth or Life or Death it is saving knowledge O stand not upon Cost whether Pains or Study Tears or Prayers Peace or Wealth Goods or Name Life or Liberty sell all for this Pearl Christ is of that worth and use that thou canst never over-buy him though thou gavest thy self and all the World for him the study of Christ is the study of studies the knowledge of Christ is the knowledge of every thing that is necessary either for this World or for the World to come O study Christ in every of the foresaid respects SECT II. Considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this great work of our Salvation at his first Coming or Incarnation It is not enough to study and know these great Mysteries but according to the Measure of Knowledge we have we must Muse Meditate Ponder and Consider of them Now this Consideration brings Christ nearer and closer to the soul Consideration gathers up all the long fore-passed Acts and Monuments of Christ and finds a deal of sweetness and power to come flowing from them Consideration fastens Christ more strongly to the Soul and as it were rivets the Soul to Jesus Christ and fastens him in the heart A soul that truly considers and meditates of Christ thinks and talkes of nothing else but Christ Prov. 4.13 it takes hold and will not let him go I will keep to thee saith the soul in meditation for thou art my life Why thus O my Soul consider thou of Christ and of what he did for thee when he was incarnate and that thou maist not confound thy self in thy meditations consider a part of these particulars As 1. Consider Jesus in his Fore-runner and the blessed tidings of his coming in the flesh now the long-looked for time drew near a glorious Angel is sent from Heaven and he comes with an Olive-branch of peace first he presents himself to Zachary and then to Mary to her he imparts the Message on which God sent him into this neather World Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus Luke 1.31 Till now Humane Nature was less than that of Angels but by the Incarnation of the Word it was to be exalted above the Cherubims What sweet News What blessed Tidings was this Message The Decree of old must now be accomplished and an Angel proclaims it upon Earth hear O ye Sons of Adam this concerns you as much as the Virgin Were ye not all undone in the Loins of your first Father Was not my Soul and thy Soul in danger of Hell-fire was not this our case and condition that after a little life upon Earth we should have been thrown into eternal torments where had been nothing but Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth And now that God and Christ should bid an Angel tell the News Ye shall not die lo here a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and he shall be your Jesus he shall save you from this Hell and Death and Sin he shall deliver your Souls he shall save you to the utmost his Name is
our hearts are as it were Seas of corruptions yet we must daily cleanse our selves of them by little and little Christ could not have been a fit Saviour for us unless first he had been sanctified neither can we be fit Members unto him unless we be in some measure purged from our sins and sanctified by his Spirit To this purpose is that of the Apostle I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodyes a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 In the Old Testament they did after a corporal manner slay and kill Beasts presenting them and offering them unto the Lord but now we are in a spiritual manner to crucify and mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts all our inordinate passions all our evil affections of anger love joy hatred are to be crucified and all that is ours must be given up to God there must be no love in us but of God and in reference to God no Joy in us but in God and in reference to God no fear in us but of God and in reference to God and thus of all other the like passions O that we would look to Jesus and be like unto Jesus in this thing if there be any Honour any Happiness any Excellency it is in this even in this we are not fit for any holy duty or any religious approach unto God without sanctification 1 Thes 4.5 this is the Will of God saith the Apostle even your Sanctification All the commands of God tend to this and for the comfort of us Christians we have under the Gospel promises of sanctification to be in a larger measure made out unto us Zech. 14.20 21. In that day there shall be upon the Bells of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord every Vessel under Christ and the Gospel must have written upon it Holiness to the Lord thus our spiritual services figured by the Ancient Ceremonial services are set out by a larger measure of holiness than was in old time it is a sweet resemblance of Christ to be holy Acts 4.27 for so he is stiled the holy Child Jesus he was sanctified from the womb and sanctified in the womb for our imitation for their sakes I sanctifie my self saith Christ that they also might be sanctified John 17.19 3. Christ the son of man is by nature the son of God so we poor sons of men must by Grace become the sons of God even of the same God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 4.4 5 7. for this very end God sent his own Son made of a woman that we might receive the Adoption of Sons wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a Son then an heir of God through Christ This intimates that what relation Christ hath unto the Father by nature we should have the same by Grace by nature he is the only begotten Son of the Father and as many as received him saith John John 1.14 V. 12. to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name It is true Christ reserves to himself the preheminence Rom. 8.29 he is in a peculiar manner the first born among many Brethren yet in him and for him all the rest of the brethren are accounted as first borns Exod. 4.22 23. So God bids Moses say unto Pharoah Israel is my son even my first born And I say unto thee let my Son go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold I will slay thy Son even thy first-born And the whole Church of God consisting of Jew and Gentile is in the same sort described by the Apostle to be the General Assembly and Church of the first-born enrolled in Heaven Heb. 12.23 Rom. 8.17 by the same reason that we are sons we are first-borns if we are Children then are we heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ O who would not endeavour after this priviledg who would not conform to Christ in this respect 4. Christ the Son of God was yet the Son of Man there was yet in him a duplicity of Natures really distinguished and in this respect the greatest Majesty and the greatest humility that ever was are found in Christ so we though sons of God must remember our selves to be but sons of men our priviledges are not so high but our poor conditions frailties infirmities sins may make us low who was higher than the Son of God and who was lower than the son of man as he is God he is in the bosom of his Father as he is man he is in the Womb of his Mother as he is God his Throne is in Heaven and he fills all things by his emmensity as he is man he is circumscribed in a cradle I mean a Manger a most uneasy Cradle sure as he is God he is cloathed in a robe of Glory as he is man he is wrapped in a few course swadling bands as he is God he is encircled with millions of bright Angels as he man he is in company of Joseph and Mary and the Beasts as he is God he is the eternal Word of the Father all-sufficient and without need as he is man he submits himself to a condition imperfect inglorious indigent and necessitous well let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and being founded in fashion as a man he humble himself he that thought it no robbery to be equal with God humbled himself to become man we should have found it no robbery to be equal with Devils and are we too proud to learn of God what an intolerable disproportion is this to behold an humble God and a proud man who can endure to see a Prince on foot and his Vassal mounted shall the Son of God be thus humble for us and shall not we be humble for our selves I say for our selves that deserve to be cast down amongst the lowest Worms the damnedst Creatures What are we in our best condition here on earth had we the best natures purest conversations happiest indowments that accompany the Saints pride overthrows all it thrust proud Nebuchadnezzer out of Babel proud Haman out of the Court proud Saul out of his Kingdom proud Lucifer out of Heaven poor man how ill it becomes thee to be proud when God himself is become thus humble O learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and humble and lowly in spirit Math. 11.29 and you shall find rest unto your souls 5. The two natures of Christ though really distinguished yet were they inseparably joyned and made not
not Christ come down sinners could not have gone up into Heaven and therefore that they might ascend he descends 2. I come down from Heaven not to do mine own will Heb. 3.1 2. but the will of him that sent me his Father had sent him on purpose to receive and to save sinners and to this purpose he is called the Apostle of our profession who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house His Father could not send him on any errand but he was sure to do it his Fathers mission was a strong demonstration that Christ was willing to receive those sinners that would but come to him Again Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst John 7.37 let him come unto me and drink the very pith heart and marrow of the Gospel is contained in these words the occasion of them was thus on that last day of the Feast of Tabernacles the Jews were wont with great solemnity to draw water out of the fountain of Siloam at the foot of Mount Sion and to bring it to the Altar singing out of Isaiah Isa 12.3 With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation now Christ takes them at this Custom and recalls them from earthly to heavenly waters alluding to that of Isaiah Isa 55.1 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Incline your ears and come unto me and your souls shall live The Father saith come the Son saith come the Spirit saith come yea Rev. 22.17 the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely All the time of Christs Ministry we see him tyring himself in going about from place to place upon no other errand than this to cry at the markets Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters if any sinners love life if any will go to heaven let them come to me and I will shew them the way to my Fathers bosom and endear them to my Fathers heart Again hither tend all those Arguments of God and Christ to draw souls to themselves Thus God draws 1. From his equity Hear now O house of Israel Ezek. 18.25 is not my way equal or are not your wayes unequal q. d. I appeal to your very consciences is this equal that sinners should go on in sin and Trespass against him that is so willing to receive and save poor sinners 2. From our ruine in case we go on in sin Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have Transgressed and make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel 3. From his own dislike and displeasure at our ruine I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth Ver. 32. saith the Lord God wherefore turn your souls and live ye 4. From his mercy and readiness to pardon sinners Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Hos 14.4 John 3.16 5. From the freeness of his love I will love them freely and God so loved the world so fully so fatherly so freely that he gave his only begotten Son c. and I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely 6. From the sweetness of his Name Rev. 21.6 Exod. 34.6 7. Isa 48.18 19. The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity Transgression and sin 7. From the benefits that would follow O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the Sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof 8. From his Oath As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live O happy creatures saith Tertullian for whom God swears O unbelieving wretches if we will not trust God swearing Ezek. 33.61 Ezek. 33.11 Mich. 6.3 Isa 5.4 Isa 5.3 9. From his expostulations Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel O my people what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me what could I have done more for my vineyard than I have done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Mich. 6.2 10. From his appeals Judge now O ye inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem and hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong foundations of the earth Deut. 5.29 for the Lord hath a controversie with his people and he will plead with Israel 11. From his groans Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandments alwayes Deut. 32.29 that it might be well with them and their children for ever And oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end 12. Hos 11.8 From his loathness to give men up How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together O the goodness of God! And as God the Father so God the Son draws Arguments to win souls to himself 1. From his coming it was the very purpose and design of his coming down from Heaven to receive sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying sayes Paul and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 2. From his fair demeanour and behaviour towards sinners this was so open and notorious that it was turned to his disgrace and opprobry Mat. 11.19 Behold a friend of Publicans and sinners And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured at him Luke 5.30 and his Disciples saying Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners 3. From his owning of sinners and answering for them in this respect Luke 5.31 32. And Jesus answering said unto them they that are whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but Sinners to repentance 4. From his rejoycing at sinners conversion indeed we never read of Christs Laughter and we seldom read of Christs joy but when it is at any time recorded it is at the Conversion of a poor soul he had little else to comfort himself in being a man of sorrows but in this he rejoyced exceedingly Luke 10.21 In that hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit
saw thee in danger of death through thy own unbelief for except thou sawest in his hands the print of the nails and put thy finger into the print of the nails except thou hadst clear manifestations of Christ even to thine own sense thou wouldest not believe he condescends so far to succour thy weakness as to manifest himself by several witnesses three in heaven and three on earth yea he multiplies his three on earth to thousands of thousands so many were the signes witnessing Christ that the Disciple which testified of them John 21.25 could say If they should be written every one the world could not contain the Books that should be written 4. When he saw the buying and selling in the Temple yea making Merchandize of the Temple it self I mean of thy Soul which is the Temple of the holy Ghost he steps in to whip out those Buyers and Sellers those Lusts and Corruptions O cries he will you sell away your souls for Trash O what is a man profitted though he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Prov. 30.2 3. 5. When he saw thee like the horse and mule more brutish than any man not having the understanding of a man thou neither learnedst wisdom nor hadst the knowledge of the most holy he came with his instructions adding line unto line and precept on precept teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and sealing his truths with many Miracles Mat. 4.23 that thou maist believe and in believing thou mightest have life through his Name and Oh! what is this but to make thee wise unto salvation 6. When he saw thee a sinner of the Gentiles a stranger from the common-wealth of Israel and without God in the world he sent his Apostles and Messengers abroad and bad them preach the Gospel to thee q. d. Go to such a one in the dark corner of the world an Isle at such a distance from the Nation of the Jews and set up my Throne amongst that people open the most precious Cabinet of my Love there and amongst that People tell such a Soul that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he is one O admirable Love 7. When he saw thee cast down in thy self and refusing thy own Mercy crying and saying what is it possible that Jesus Christ should send a Message to such a dead Dog as I am why the Apostles Commission seems otherwise Go not into the way of the Gentiles Mat. 10.5 6. or into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel O I am a lost sheep but not being of the House of Israel what hope is there that ever I should be found He then appeared and even then he spred his arms wide to receive thy soul he satisfied thee then of another Commission given to his Apostles Go teach all Nations And he cried even then Come unto me thou that art weary and heavy laden with sin and I will receive thee into my bosom Mat. 28.19 and give thee rest there 8. When he saw thee in suspence and heard thy complaint But if I come shall I find sweet welcome I have heard that his ways are narrow and straight Oh it is an hard passage and an high ascent up to heaven Many seek to enter in but shall not be able Luke 13.24 Oh! what shall become of my poor Soul why then he told thee otherwise Prov. 3.17 that all his ways were ways of pleasantness and all his paths peace he would give thee his Spirit that should bear the weight and make all light he would sweeten the ways of Christianity to thee that thou shouldest find by experience that his yoke was easie Mat. 11.29 and his burden was light 9. When he saw the wretchedness of thy Nature and original pollution he took upon him thy Nature and by this means took away thy original sin O here is the lovely Object What is it but the absolute holiness and perfect purity of the Nature of Christ This is the fairest Beauty that ever eye beheld this is that compendium of all Glories now if Love be a motion and union of the Appetite to what is lovely how shouldst thou flame forth in loves upon the Lord Jesus Christ this is rendered as the reason of those sparklings Thou art fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 10. When he saw thee actually unclean a transgressor of the Law in thought word Heb. 10.9 and deed then he said Lo I come to do thy will O God and wherefore would he do Gods will but meerly on thy behalf O my Soul canst thou read over all these passages of Love and dost thou not yet cry out O stay me comfort me for I am sick of Love Can a man stand by an hot and fiery furnace and never be warmed Oh for an heart in some measure answerable to these Loves Surely even good natures hate to be in debt for love and is therein thee O my soul neither grace nor yet good nature O God forbid awake awake thy ardent love towards the Lord Jesus Christ why thou art rock and not flesh if thou beest not wounded with these heavenly darts Christ loves thee is not that enough fervent affection is apt to draw love where is little or no beauty and excellent beauty is apt to draw the heart where there is no answer of affection at all but when these two meet together what breast can hold against them See O my soul here is the sum of all the particulars thou hast heard Christ loves thee and Christ is lovely his heart is set upon thee who is a thousand times fairer than all the children of men doth not this double consideration like a mighty loadstone snatch thy heart unto it and almost draw it forth of thy very breast O sweet Saviour thou couldst say even of thy poor Church though labouring under many imperfections Thou hast ravished my Heart Cant. 4.9 10. my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck how fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all Spices Couldst thou O blessed Saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of the Church and shall not I much more be enamoured with thy absolute and divine Beauty It pleased thee my Lord out of thy sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love to say to thy poor Church Turn away thine Eyes from me for they have overcome me but Oh let me say to thee Turn thine eyes to me that they may overcome me my Lord Cant. 6.5 I would be thus ravished I would be overcome I would be thus out of my self that I might be all in thee Thus is the Language of true love to Christ but alas how dully and flatly do I speak
the Day of his espousals And this we shall do the next hour SECT V. Of Christ brought forth and sentenced ABout ten Christ was brought forth and sentenced 1. For his bringing forth I shall therein observe these particulars As 1. We find Pilate bringing forth Jesus out of the common Hall and shewing this sad spectacle to all the People John 19.5 Then came Jesus forth wearing the Crown of Thorns and the purple Robe and Pilate saith unto them behold the Man he thought the very sight of Christ would have moved them to compassion they had lash'd him almost unto death they had most cruelly divided those azure channels of his guiltless Blood they had cloathed him with Purple crowned him with Thorns and now they bring him out by the hair of the head say some and expose him to the Publick view of the scornful company Pilate crying unto them Behold the man q. d. Behold a poor silly miserable distressed man behold I say not your King to provoke you against him nor yet the Son of God which you say he makes himself to be but behold the man a mean man a worm and no man behold how he stands disfigured with wounds behold him weltring and panting in a crimson river of his own gore blood and let this sufficient yea more than sufficient punishment suffice to satisfie your rage what would you have more if it be for malice that you are so violent against him behold how miserable he is if for fear behold how contemptible he is As for any fault whereby he should deserve his death I find no fault in him he is a Lamb without spot a Dove without gall O come and behold this man I can find no fault in him Some Doctors affirm that while Pilate cryed out behold the man his servants lifted up the purple robe that so all might see his torn and bloody and macerated body he supposed his words could not so move their hearts as Christ's wounds and therefore said he Behold the man as if he had said again Look on him and view him well is he not well paid for calling himself King of the Jews now see him stript and whipt and crowned with thorns and scepter'd with a reed anoynted with spittle and cloathed with purple what would you more 2. We find the Jews more inraged against Jesus John 19.6 When the chief Priests and Officers saw him they cryed out saying crucifie him crucifie him The more Pilate endeavours to appease them the more were the people enraged against him and therefore they cry away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him Ver. 15. Jer. 12.8 Now was fulfilled that prophesie of Jeremy My heritage is unto me as a Lion in the forrest it cryeth out against me The Naturalists report of the Lion that when he is near to his prey he gives out a mighty roar whereby the poor hunted beast is so amazed and terrified that almost dead with fear he falls flat on the ground and so becomes the Lions prey indeed And thus the Jews who were the heritage of the Lord were unto Christ as a Lion in the forrest they hunted and pursued him to his death and being near it they give out a mighty shout that the earth rung again Away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him O ye Jews children of Israel seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is not this he concerning whom your fathers cryed O that thou wouldst rent the heavens Isa 64.1 that thou wouldst come down that the mountains might flow down at thy presence How is it that you should despise him present whom they desired absent How is it that your cry and theirs should be so contrary The Panther say they is of so sweet a savour that if he be but within the compass of scent all the beasts of the field run towards him but when they see his ugly visage they fly from him and run away so the Jews afar off feeling the sweet savours of Christ's Oyntments they cryed Draw me Cant. 1.2 we will run after thee come Lord Jesus come quickly but now in his passion looking on his form they change their note He hath no form or comeliness there is no beauty Isa 53.2 that we should desire him away with him away with him 3. We find Pilate and the Jews yet debating the business Pilate is loath to pronounce the sentence and the chiefest of the Jews provoke him to it with a threefold argument As 1. They had a law and by their law he ought to dye John 19.7 Ejus absolvere cujus est condere legem because he made himself the Son of God thus the Doctors of the Law do accuse the Author and Publisher of the Law but they consider not the rule concerning Laws He may lawfully abolish who hath power to establish nor did they consider that this Law concerned not himself who is indeed and in truth the Son of God the Text tells us that Pilate hearing this argument was the more afraid Pilate saith Cyril was an heathen idolater and so worshipping many Gods he could not tell but that Christ might be one of them and therefore in condemning Christ he might justly provoke all the Gods to be revenged of him This was the meaning of Pilate's question Whence art thou what is thy Off-spring of what Progenitors art thou sprung And from thence forth Pilate sought to release him 2. The Jews come with another Argument they threaten Pilate John 19.12 If thou let this man go thou art not Cesar's friend a forcible reason as the case then stood it was no small matter to be accused by so many audacious impudent men of high treason against Cesar and therefore under this obligation Pilate seems to bend and bow whom the fear of Christ's Divinity had restrained him the fear of Cesar's frown provoked to go on to sentence and condemnation Oh he was more afraid of man whose breath is in his nostrils than of God himself who made the heavens and framed the world Matth. 27 24. And yet before he gives sentence he takes water and washeth his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person see ye to it 3. In reference to this they engage themselves for him which was their last argument Matth. 27.25 His blood be upon us and our children q. d. act thou as Judge let him be condemned to dye and if thou fearest any thing we will undergo for thee let the vengeance of his blood be on us and on our children for ever Thus far of the first general John 19.13 2. For the sentence it self When Pilate heard that he sate down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement because erected of stones but in the Hebrew Gabbatha This word signifies an high place and raised above it was so on purpose that the Judges might be seen of men when
Solomon answers that white is the colour of joy Let thy garments be alwayes white and let thy head lack no ointment Eccles 9.8 Mark 9.3 Rev. 7.9 When Christ was transfigured his Rayment was all white no Fuller in the earth could come near it and the Saints in Heaven are said to walk in white Robes And here the Angels are in white to signifie the joy they had in Christ's resurrection from the dead But 4. Why are they one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen Some answer that as Mary Magdalen had anointed his head and feet so at those two places the two Angels sit as it were to acknowledg so much for her sake Others think it speaks comfort to every one of us if we are but in Christ we shall go to our graves in white and lye between two Angels who are said to guard our Bodies even dead and to present them alive again at the day of the resurrection But in this apparition we see further a question and answer 1. The Angels question Mary Woman why weepest thou May I paraphrase upon these words it is as if they had said O Mary what cause is there for these tears where Angels rejoyce it agrees not that a woman should weep thou couldst before with a manly courage arm thy feet to run among swords when thou camest to the grave and art thou now so much a woman that thou canst not command thine eyes to forbear tears O woman why weepest thou If thy Christ were here in his grave under this Tomb-stone we might think thy sorrow for the dead enforced thy tears but now that thou findest it a place of the living why dost thou stand here weeping dead for if thy tears be tears of love as thy love is acknowledged so let these tears be suppressed if thy tears be tears of anger they should not here have been shed where all anger was buried if thy tears be tears of sorrow and duties to the dead they are bestowed in vain where the dead is now revived and therefore O woman why weepest thou would our eyes be dry if such eye-streames were behoveful for us did not Angels alwayes in their visible resemblances represent their Lords invisible pleasure shadowing their shapes in the drifts of his intentions As for instance when God was incensed they brandished swords when he was appeased they sheathed them in scabbards when he would defend they resembled Souldiers when he would terrifie they took terrible forms and when he would comfort they carried mirth in their eyes sweetness in their countenance mildness in their words savour and grace and comeliness in their presence why then dost thou weep seeing us to rejoyce dost thou imagine us to degenerate from our nature or to forget any duty whose state is neither subject to change nor capable of the least offence art thou more fervent in thy love or more privy to the counsel of our eternal God than we that are daily attendants at his Throne of glory O woman why weepest thou Thus for Paraphrase Iohn 20.13 2. For her answer She saith unto them because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Here was the cause of Mary's tears 1. They have taken away my Lord. 2. I know not where they have laid him q. d. He is gone without all hope of recovery for they but I know not who have taken him away but I know not whither and they have laid him but I know not where there to do him but I know not what O what a lamentable case is this she knows not whither to go to find any comfort her Lord is gone his life is gone his soul is gone his body is gone yea gone and carryed she knows not whither and do they ask her Woman why weepest thou why here 's the cause They have taken away my Lord i.e. the dead body of my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Where a little of Christ is left and that is lost it is a lamentable loss Mary had sometimes a possession of whole Christ she had his presence she heard his words she saw his divinity in his miracles and in casting seven devils out of her own Body but now she had lost all Christ his presence lost his preaching lost his divinity lost his humanity lost his soul lost and last of all his body lost O what lamentable loss was this Mary would now haven been glad of a little of Christ O ye Angels fill but her arms with the dead body of her Jesus and she will weep no more one beam of that Sun of righteousness would scatter all the clouds of Mary's grief Quest But doth Christ ever leave his totally Answ I answer not indeed but only in apprehension In desertions a Christian may to his own apprehension find nothing of Christ and this was the Case of Mary Magdalen or if Christ desert a soul indeed and truth for desertions are sometimes in appearance and sometimes real yet never doth he forsake his own both really and totally The Lord will not wholly forsake his people 1 Sam. 12.22 for his great Name sake the acts of his love may be withdrawn but his love is still the same it is an everlasting love those acts which are for well-being may be withdrawn Jer. 31.3 but his acts of love that are for being shall never be removed No such good things will God withhold from them that walk uprightly Or Christ may go away for a season Psal 84.11 Isa 54.7 8. John 14.18 but not for ever For a moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee in a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer It was Christ's promise to his Disciples I will not leave you comfortless or as Orphans but I will come again Though his compassions may be restrained yet they cannot be extinguished as the Sun sets to rise again and as the tender Mother layes down her Child to take it up again so deals Christ with his only for the present it is a sad thing O it is a lamentable thing to lose all Christ though but in our own apprehensions To hear Maries pitiful complaints They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid my Lord it would make a flint to weep methinks I hear her cryes O my Lord What 's become of Thee Time was that my Soul was an enclosed Garden and the chiefest of Ten Thousands did walk in the shadow of the Trees but now the Fence is down my Love is gone and Sharon is become a desart Time was that I sate at the Feet of my Lord and I received daily Oracles from his Mouth but now he hides himself and will not come at me I pray and he hears
not I hearken after him but he speaks not I call but he answers not O my Lord if I had never known thee I could have lived without thee but this is my misery not so much that I am without thee as that I have lost thee many are well without thee because they never enjoyed thee the children of beggars count it not their misery that they are not Princes but oh the grief when the children of Princes shall be turned to beggars O my Lord once I had thee but now I have lost thee yea I have lost thee every jot and piece and parcel of thee O ye Apostles Where is the dead body of my Lord O Sir Angel tell me if you saw his torn his macerated crucified body O grave O death shew me is there any thing of Christ's body though but a few dead ashes in your keeping no no all is gone I can hear nothing of what I would hear death is silent the graâ—e is empty the Angels say nothing to the purpose the Apostles are fled and they I know not who have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him 2. After this Christ himself appears but first as unknown and then as known 1. As unknown She turned her self back and saw Jesus standing John 20.14 15. and knew not that it was Jesus Jesus saith unto her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardiner c. In this Apparition of Christ unknown I shall only take notice of Christ's queâ—â—ion anâ— Maries inquisition his question is in these words Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou 1. Why wâ—epest thou This very question the Angels asked her before and now Christ asks it again sure there is something in it and the rather we may think so because it is the first opening of his Mouth the first words that ever came from him after his rising again Some say that Mary Magdalen represents the state of all mâ—nkind before this day viz. One weeping over the grave of another as if there were no hope and now at his resurrection Christ comes in with weep not Woman Why weepest thou q. d. there is no cause of weeping now Lo I am risen from the dead and am become the first-fruits of them that sleep And yet we may wondâ—r at the question Why should Christ demand of Mary why she wept but a while since shâ— saw him hanging on a tree with his head full of thorns his eyes full of tears his ears full of blasphemies his mouth full of gall his whole person mangled and disfigured and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou scarce three dayes since she beheld his arms and legs racked with violent pulls his hands and feet bored with nails his side and bowels pierced with a spear his whole body torn with stripes and gored in blood and doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou she saw him on the cross yielding up his soul and now she was about to anoint his body which was the only hope she had alive but his body is removed and that hope is dead and she is left hopeless of all visible help and yet doth he ask her Woman Why weepest thou O yes though it may be strange yet it is not a question without cause she weeps for him dead who was risen again from the dead she was sorry he was not in his grave and for this very cause she should have been rather glad she mourns for not knowing where he lay when as indeed and in truth he lay not any where he is alive and present and now talks with her and resolves to comfort her and therefore Woman Why weepest thou 2. Whom seekest thou she seeks Christ and Christ asks her Woman Whom seekest thou We may wonder at this also if she seek Christ Why doth she not know him or if she know Christ Why doth she seek him still O Mary Is it possible thou hast forgotten Jesus there is no part in thee but is busie about him thy eye weeps thy heart throbs thy tongue complains thy body faints thy soul languisheth and notwithstanding all this Hast thou now forgotten him What are thy sharp eyes so weak sighted that they are dazled with the Sun and blinded with the Light O yes a shower of tears comes betwixt her and him and she cannot see him or it may be Her eyes were holden that she should not know him Luke 24.16 or it may be he appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some other shape such as resemble the Gardiner whom she took him for howsoever it was She saw Jesus standing but knew not that it was Jesus and therefore saith Jesus to her Woman Why weepest thou whom seekest thou There is a double presence of Christ felt and not felt the presence felt is when Christ is graciously pleased to let us know so much and this is an heaven upon earth The presence not felt is that secret presence when Christ seems to draw us one way and to drive another way So he dealt with the Woman of Canaan he seemed to drive her away but at the same time he wrought in her by his Spirit an increase of faith and by that means drew her to himself Thus may a soul suppose Christ lost and seek and weep and weep and seek and yet Christ is present 2. For Maries enquiry She supposing him to be the Gardiner said unto him Sir If thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away In the words we may observe first her mistake 2. Her speech upon her mistake 1. Her mistake She supposing him to be the Gardiner O Mary hath Christ lived so long and laboured so much and shed so many showers of blood to come to no higher preferment than a Gardiner this was a very strange mistake and yet in some sence and a good sence too Christ might be said to be a Gardiner As 1. It is he that gardens all our souls that plants in them the seeds of righteousness that waters them with the dew of grace and makes them fruitful to eternal life 2. It is he that raised to life his own dead body and will turn all our graves into a garden-Plot Thy dead men shall live together Esa 26.19 with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for the dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Besides there is a mystery in her mistake As Adam in the state of grace and innocency was placed in a garden and the first office allotted to him was to be a Gardiner so Jesus Christ appeared first in a garden and presents himself in a Gardiners likeness And as that first Gardiner was the Parent of sin the ruine of mankind and the Author of death so is this Gardiner the ransome for our sins the raiser of our ruines and the restorer of our
fully finished the mercy which thereupon depended was now made certain and as the Apostle speaks sure unto all the seed Methinks a thought of this object in respect of it self and in respect of us should put our souls into a longing frame Rom. 4.16 is it not a desirable thing to see the King in his beauty were not the Daughters of Zion glad to go forth Cant. 3.11 and to behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousalls If Christ incarnate and in humane frailty was the desire of Nations how much more is Christ exalted and in his glory if it was Augustines great wish to have seen Christ in the flesh how should we but wish to see Christ as risen again from the dead he is altogether lovely or he is altogether desireable desireable in the womb Cant. 5.16 desireable in the cratch desireable on the Cross even when despised and numbred with thieves desireable in his resurrection yea all desirable yea above all desirable as risen exalted glorified in this consideration we cannot fathom the thousand thousand part of the worth and incomparable excellency of Jesus Christ Or if Christ's resurrection in it self will not stir up our lazy desires as it not desirable as in reference unto us what that he should rise again for our justification that by vertue of his resurrection thy soul should appear righteous before the judgment seat of God O what a ravishing word is that what a triumphing challeng Rom. 8.33 34. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again O the stings that many have saying what shall I do when I dye and go down to the dust may not the Lord have something against me at the day of reckoning why no poor soul if thou art in Christ it is he that dyed yea rather that is risen again for thy justification by his resurrection he hath cleared all reckonings so that now who shall condemn not sin Christ hath took it away not the law Christ hath fulfilled it for us not Satan for if the Judge acquit us what can the Jaylor do O my soul that thy portion may be with theirs who hath right and title to this blessed resurrection of Jesus Christ But thou sayest again what is it to me if I be justified in Christ and yet my heart remain unholy and unsubdued to Christ it is true thou findest a wofull sinful nature within thee cross and contrary to holiness and leading thee dayly into captivity yet remember it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again and by vertue of his resurrection he hath given thee a new nature another nature which makes thee wrestle against sin and shall in time prevail over all sin But thou sayst again what if I be justified and sanctified if after death I shall not be raised to life why fear not O my soul for if Christ be risen thou shalt rise and rise to eternal life John 14.19 I am the resurrection and the life not only the resurrection but life is in him originally as water is in the fountain and from him it is derived to us because I live ye shall live also But thou sayst again O that I were assured of this many doubts and jealousies are upon me from day to day Sometimes indeed I have a comfortable hope of my justification Psal 88.14 sanctification salvation and sometimes again I am forced to cry Lord why caâ—test thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me O consider of the ends of Christ's resurrection was it not to give thee the sure mercies of David was it not to apply the merits of Christ's active and passive obedience and to bring them home to thy soul 1 Cor. 15.17 was it not to confirm and to ratifie thy faith else were it in vain O the Person of Christ and O the priviledges of Christ as being raised from the dead O my soul that thou wert on the wing in thy desires after Christ O that thy motions were as swift as the Eagles that hasted to eat O that feelingly thou knewest him and the power of his resurrection that thou wert resolved to give no sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids until thou couldst say Christs resurrection is mine why Lord that I should long after vanities trifles toyes pleasures profits earthly contentments that I should long like some women with Child for a deal of baggage coles or ashes very lothsome food and yet that I should feel no pantings breathings hungerings thirstings after Christs resurrection to feed upon it and to be satisfied with it come here 's a blessed object here 's delights O stir up thy appetite suck and be satisfied drink ye drink abundantly O my beloved SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that respect LEt us hope in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection Only remember I mean not a fluctuating wavering unsetled unestablished hope no no let us hope firmly surely fixedly let us come up to that plerophory or full assurance of hope that we may conclude comfortably and confidently Christs resurrection is ours and yet that our conclusion may not be rash but upon right grounds we may examine the firmness solidness substantialness of our hope in Christs resurrection by these following signs 1. If Christs resurrection be mine then is Christs death mine the fruits or effects of Christs death and resurrection cannot be severed if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection Mortification and vivification are twins of one and the same spirit depart from evil and do good Cease to do evil learn to do well Many may think they have their part in the first resurrection Psal 34.14 Isa 1.16 17. but can they prove their death unto sin as there cannot be a resurrection before a man dye so there cannot be a resurrection to a new life but there must be a separation of the soul from the body of sin what shall a man cleave to sin be wedded to sin yea shall a man like it love it live in it and yet say or imagine that Christs resurrection is his O be not deceived God is not mocked come scearch try examine hast thou any share in Christs passion knowest thou the fellowship of his sufferings art thou made conformable to his death that as he dyed for sin so thou dyest to sin if herein thou art at a stand peruse those Characters laid down in his sufferings and death the truth and growth of our mortification or of our death unto sin is discovered before 2. If Christs resurrection be mine then is Christ's Spirit mine yea then am I quickened by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 11. If
have preached his resurrection oh no he himself would stay in person he himself would make it out by many infallible proofs that he was risen again he himself would by his own example learn us a lesson of love of meekness of patience in waiting after sufferings for the reward Methinks a few of these passages should set all our hearts on a flame of love we love earth and earthly things we dig into the veins of the earth for thick clay but if Christ be risen set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Oh if the love of Christ were but in us Colos 3.1 2 as the love of the world is in base worldlings it would make us wholly to despise this world it would make us to forget it as worldly love makes a man to forget his God Nay it would be so strong and ardent and rooted in our souls that we should not be able voluntary and freely to think on any thing else but Jesus Christ we should not then fear contempt or care for disgrace or the reproaches of men we should not then fear death 1 Cor. 15.55 57. or the grave or hell or devils but we should sing in triumph O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory now thanks be to God which giveth us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection This is the great Gospel-duty we should rejoyce in the Lord and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 yea rejoyce evermore A Christian estate should be a joyful and comfortable estate none have such cause of joy as the Children of Zion sing O daughter of Zion 1 Thes 5.16 shout O Jerusalem be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem Zach. 3.14 And why so a thousand reasons might be rendred but here is one a prime one Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that sleep A commemoration of Christ's resurrection hath ever been a means of rejoycing in God 1 Cor. 15.20 Some may object what is Christ's resurrection to me indeed if thou hast no part in Christ the resurrection of Christ is nothing at all to thee but if Christ be thine then art thou risen with him and in him then all he did was in thy name and for thy sake Others may object supposing Christ's resurrection mine what am I better how do not all the priviledges of Christ flow from the power and vertue of his resurrection as well as death tell me what is thy state what possibly can be the condition of thy soul wherein thou mayst not draw sweet from Christ's resurrection As 1 Pet. 3.21 1. Is thy conscience in trouble for sin the Apostle tells thee the answer of a good conscience towards God is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Rom. 4.25 2. Art thou afraid of condemnation the Apostle tells thee he was delivered for our offences and he was raised again for our justification 1 Pet. 1.3 3. Dost thou question thy regeneration the Apostle tells thee he hath begotten us again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4. Art thou distressed persecuted troubled on every side the Apostle tells thee wherein now consists thy confidence comfort courage to wit in the life of Christ in the resurrection of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. We alwayes bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our body for we which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh And thus Beza interprets those following words knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus 14. i.e. unto a civil resurrection from our troubles Paul was imprisoned and in part martyred but by the vertue of Christ's resurrection he foresaw his enlargement And this interpretation Beza grounds on the word following and foregoing wherein Paul compares his persecutions to a death and his preservation from them to a life as he had done before also chap. 1. v. 9 10. 5. Art thou afraid of falling off or of falling away why remember that the immutable force and perpetuity of the new covenant is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Isa 55.3 I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David this the Apostle applies to the resurrection of Christ as the bottoming of that sure covenant and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Act. 13.34 6. Art thou afraid of death hell and the power of the grave why now remember that Christ is risen from the dead and by his resurrection death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. so that now thou mayst sing O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory now thanks be to God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ It is the voyce of Christ thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Isa 26.19 awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead David was so lifted up with this resurrection Psal 16.9 10. that he crys it out therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Job 19.23 24 25 26 27. But especially Job was so exceedingly transported with this that he breaks out into these extasies O that my words were now written O that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me No man ever since Christ did speak more clearly of Christ's resurrection and his own than Job did here before Christ Observe in it O my soul Job's wish and the matter wished his wish was that certain words which had been cordial to him might remain to memory and this wish hath three wishes in one 1. That they might be written 2. That they might be registred in a book enrolled upon record as publick instruments judicial proceedings or whatsoever is most authentical 3. That they might be engraven in stone and in the hardest stone the rock records might last long
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
grace well may we cry come holy Spirit Oh what a comfortable condition would it be if our Spirits never lay still but we were alwayes hungring thirsting or moving after God and goodness 6. That the holy Ghost might according to his Office comfort his Saints amidst all their afflictions this was that which Christ had so often told his Apostles John 14.16 V. 18. V. 26. John 15.26 I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me John 16.17 If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you But how is it that the spirit comforts Saints I answer in these particulars †See at large Dr. Reynolds on Psal 116. 1. The Spirit discovers sin and bends the heart to mourn for sin and such a sorrow as this is the seed and matter of true comfort as Josephs heart was full of joy when his eyes poured out tears on Benjamin's neck so there is a certain seed and matter of joy in spiritual mourning I know they are contrary but yet they may be subordinate to each other as a dark and muddy colour may be a fit ground to lay gold upon Certainly there is a sweet complacency in an humble and spiritual heart to be vile in its own eyes But especially the fruit of it is joy and great joy John 16.21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the World 22. and ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 2. The Spirit doth not only discover but heal the corruptions of the soul and there is no comfort to the comfort of a saved and cured man the lame man that was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exaltation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 and for this cause the Spirit is called the Oyl of gladness because by that healing vertue that is in him he makes glad the hearts of men 3. The Spirit doth not only heal but renew and revive again when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischief a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgeon can heal the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because total privations admit no regress or recovery But the spirit doth not only heal and repair but renew and re-edifie the spirits of men as he healeth that which was torn and bindeth up that which was broken so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos 6.1.2 And this the Apostle calls the renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy for so the Lord comforts his afflicted people O thou afflicted tossed with tempest Isa 54.11 12. and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphyres and I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones The meaning is that all must be new and new built up as for a goodly costly and stately structure 4. The spirit doth not only renew and set the frame of the heart aright and then leave it to it self but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it and to make it victorious against all tempests and batteries and this further multiplyeth the joy and comfort of the heart victory is ever the ground of joy Isa 9.3 They joy before thee as men rejoyce when they divide the spoyle And the spirit of God is a victorious spirit A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench Mat. 12.20 till he send forth judgment unto victory 5. The spirit doth not only preserve the heart which he hath renewed but he makes it fruitfull and abundant in the work of the Lord. And fruitfulness is a ground of comfort Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing Isa 54.1 and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with Child for more are the Children of the desolate than the Children of the married Wife saith the Lord. 6. The Spirit doth not only make the heart fruitful but gives it the hansel and earnest of its inheritance and thereby it begets a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and comfort thereupon Oh when I feel a drop of heavens Joy shed abroad into my soul by the Holy Ghost and that I look upon this as a taste of glory and a forerunner of happiness how should I but rejoyce with joy unspeakable in all these respects the Spirit is our Comforter and this is another reason why the Holy Ghost is sent I will not leave you comfortless saith Christ no no for I will come unto you by my spirit Eph. 4.30 7. That the Holy Ghost might according his Office seal us unto the day of redemption By sealing is meant some work of the Spirit by which he assurâ—s a believer that he is Gods it is all one with the spirits witnessing only under that notion I shall speak of it another time But all the question is what is that work of the spirit by which he assures I answer this work is many-fold As 1. There is a reflex work of faith and this is the work of the Spirit too assuring our souls of our good estate to God-ward 1 John 5.10 and Christ-ward He that believeth hath the witness in himself he carries in his heart the Counterpane of all the promises this is the first seal or if you will the first degree of the Spirits sealing the first discovery of our election is manifested to us in our believing as many saith the Text as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13.48 2. There is a work of sanctifying grace upon the heart and this is a seal of the Spirit also 2 Tim. 2.19 for whom the Spirit sanctifieth he saveth The Lord knoweth who are his saith the Apostle ay but how should we know it why by this seal as it follows Let every one that Nameth the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity none are children of God by adoption but those that are Children also by regeneration none are heirs of Heaven 2 Pet. 1.3 4. but they are new born to it Blessed be
he did this alone and it constituted the difference betwixt him as he was high Priest and other Priests for they killed and offered the Sacrifices without as well as he but only the high Priest was to approach the holy of hollies with blood and that but once a year 2. This was Typified by Melchizedech's Priest-hood which the Apostle argues to have been much more excellent then that of Aaron's in as much as Levi Aarons Father payed Tythes to this Melchizedech in Abrahams loyns now Melchizedech was his Type not so much in respect of his Oblation or offering Sacrifice as in respect of his continual presentation and intercession in heaven and therefore the same clause for ever still comes in when Melchizedech is named thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 7.17 Here then is the agreement betwixt Christ and the high-Priests of old in respect of name both were Priests and in respect of Office both had their oblations and presentations or intercessions with God in Glory 3. In the point of Intercession they agreed in these particulars 1. The high-Priest of old usually once a year went into the most Holy place within the vail and so is Christ our great high-Priest passed into the Heavens within the Vail even into the holy of holies Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Not into the holy places made with hands Heb. 9.12 24. which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 2. The high-Priests of old had a plate of pure Gold upon their Fore-heads which was to bear the iniquity of the holy things that they might be accepted before the Lord Exod. 28.38 and so doth Christ bear the iniquity of our holy things Spiritual Christians here is your comfort you are not able to perform any duty to God but there is a great deal of sin in the same you cannot hear nor pray nor confer nor meditate without much sin but Christ bears all these sins even the iniquity of your holy things and he presents your persons and prayers without the least spot to his Father he is the Angel of the Covenant that stands at the Altar Rev. 8.3 having a golden Censer with much incense to offer it with the prayers of his Saints and so they are acceptable before the Lord. 3. The Jewish high-Priests bore the names of the Children of Israel on a breast-plate of judgment upon their hearts for a memorial before the Lord continually Exod. 28.29 and so doth Christ our great high-Priest bear the names of his people upon his heart before the Lord continually But how is Christ said to bear the names of the Saints upon his heart I answer 1. Continually in presenting of them to his Father as they are in him how is that why he represents them without spot as righteous in his own righteousness Ephes 5.27 Christ loved the Church that he might present it to his Father and in him to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2. In this continual remembring of them Psal 112.6 the righteous shall be had in continual remembrance this is the souls comfort in a time of desertion or in an evil day Psal 13.1 if any cry out as sometimes David did how long wilt thou forget me Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Isa 40.14 15 16. Let such a one remember that Christ's redeemed ones are upon his heart and he can not forget them But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh no! can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me the Sons of Zion are upon Christ's heart and hands and they are ever in his sight 3. In his perpetual loving of them they are near and dear unto him he hath set them as a Seal upon his heart so was the prayer of the Spouse set me as a Seal upon thine heart Cant. 8.6 as a Seal upon thine arme and then it follows for love is as strong as death Christ hath an entire love to his Saints he dyed for them and now he intercedes for them he keeps them close to his heart and there is none shall pluck them out of his hands John 13.1 for whom he loves he loves unto the end Thus far of the agreement betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old SECT VI. What the difference is betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old 6. VVHat is the difference betwixt Christ's Intercessions and the intercessions of the high Priests of old There is no question but howsoever they might agree in some respects yet Christ officiates in a more transcendent and eminent way then ever any high Priest did before him now the difference betwixt Christ and them and betwixt Christ's Intercessions and their Intercessions may appear in these particulars Heb. 4.14 1. They were called high Priests but Christ is called the great high Priest such a Title was never given to any but Christ whence the Apostle argues for the steadfastness of our profession seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession 2. The high-Priests then were Aaron and his Sons but Christ our great high-Priest is the Son of God for so he is styled in the same verse the great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Heb. 4.14 Jesus the Son of God 3. The high-Priests then were but for a time but Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 5.6 Heb. 7.3 Melchizedech saith the Apostle was without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life That is as far as it is known and so is Christ without a Father on earth and without a Mother in Heaven without beginning and without end he abides a Priest perpetually even to the end of the World yea and the vertue of his Priesthood is infinitely beyond all time even for ever and ever 4. The high-Priests then entred only into that place that was Typically holy but Christ is entred into that place that is properly holy he is entred into the Heavens or if you will as into the holy of holies so into the heaven of heavens 5. The high Priests then did not always intercede for the people only once a year the high Priest entred into the holy of holies and after he had sprinkled the mercy-seat with blood and caused a cloud to rise upon the mercy-seat with his
were to mediate for the people and the people had experience that God would hearken to the cry of their Priest 1 Sam 12.18 19 23. Samuel called unto the Lord and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day And all the people said to Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God And Samuel said unto the people God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Now such an High-Priest as this though with far more eminency is Christ to God he intercedes for his people God forbid that he should ever cease to pray for his people and he hath God's ear in especial manner if ever God lend his ear to any one it must needs be to this High-Priest because of his office to intercede betwixt God and his people Christ stands in the middle or indeed next to God as he is in these Gospel-times our great High-Priest and therefore he must needs prevail with God in every petition he puts up for us Heb. 5.4 5. 2. That Christ was called to this office by God Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest no no but he was called of God as Aaron was it was God the Father that designed him to it and that furnished him for it and that invested him in it Psalm 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Now to what purpose should God call him to this office but especially to intercede for them to whom God was willing to communicate salvation it was God's mind as well as Christ's mind to save his Elect and this was the way where on they agreed that an High-Priest should be appointed and an office of intercession should be erected and by that means the salvation purchased should be applied many times we are apt to conceive legal or law-thoughts of God the Father as that he is just and severe and that Christ his Son is more meek and merciful but this cannot be for there are not two infinite wills not two infinite mercies one in the Father another in the Son but one will and one mercy in both And to that purpose observe but the readiness of God the Father to receive Christ honourably into heaven that he might do the work of the High Priest there no sooner had Christ entred through the gates into the City but presenly sit thou down saith God at my right hand but to what end surely not only to rule as King of which we have spoken before but also to intercede as our great High Priest hence we find in Scripture that Christ's session and intercession his Kingly and Priestly office are joyned together Heb. 8.1 He is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens he who why Christ our High Priest we have such an High Priest who is set down It is as if Christ at his enterance into heaven had said My Father I am come hither as the great High Priest having on his breast-plate the names of all the Elect and I come to intercede for poor sinners what shall I have welcome on these same terms to whom the Father replied Welcome my son my only Son on these very terms come sit thee down and interede for whom thou pleasest I have called thee on purpose to this very office and thou shalt prevail Surely the Father is engaged to purpose to hear the Son in that he is an High Priest to God and called to his office by God 3. That Christ is God's Son and that is more than God's High Priest he is his natural Son his beloved Son his Son that never gave him the least offence sure then when he comes and intercedes for a man he is most like to speed if a gracious child do but cry my Father my Father he may prevail very much especially with a Father who is tender-hearted Jesus Christ is the gracious precious Son of God the father and God the Father is a dear and kind-hearted Father how then should the intercessions of Christ but be most powerful with God hence some gather the prevalency of Christ's intercession because in many places of Scripture where this part of Christ's Priest-hood or intercession is laid down this Sonship is also expressed or set forth Heb. 4.14 Heb. 5.5 6. as we have a great High Priest entered into the heavens Jesus the Son of God And thou art an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech But immediately before Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee O needs must the intercession of such a Son be very prevalent I say of such a Son for was ever any Son like this Son of God was ever any Son so like his Father or so equal with his Father we know he is a begotten Son and yet never begun to be a Son he is the Son of the Father and yet never begun to have a Father he is a branch of the King of ages and yet in all the ages past was never younger surely all the relations of Son and Father in the World are but a shadow of this relation betwixt God and Christ it is so near that though they are two as in all relations there must needs be relatum and correlatum yet Christ speaks of them as if they were but one I and my Father are one John 10.30 if then the Father should deny him any thing he should deny himself or cease to be one with his Son which can never be Christ is God's Son his natural Son his beloved Son Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith God O then how prevalent must Christ's intercession be with God 4. That Christ is God himself not only God's Son but God himself how powerful in this respect must his intercessions be unto the Father it is true that Christ is another subsistence and person from the Father but Christ is one and the same God with the Father Christ is the very essential substantial and noble representation of God himself Christ is the very self of God both God sending and God sent Christ is the fellow of God Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow Zach. 13.7 nay Christ is God and not another God but one God God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Can we imagine now that God himself should be denied any boon of God himself if God sometimes spoke to his servants Ask of me Isa 45.11 command ye me concerning all the work of mine hands will not God much more say to God Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance Psal 2.8 and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession we have brought it now so near that if God be God
alledge that this priviledge was granted to Peter as an Apostle but we say that if it was granted to Peter as an Apostle then it was common to Peter and Judas in that both were Apostles They alledge further that Christ prayes not for the absolute perseverance of Believers but after a sort and upon condition But we say the Prayer of Christ is certain and not suspended in this Prayer his desire is not for Peter that would presevere but his desire is for Peter that he should persevere the object of the thing for which Christ prayes is distinct from the thing it self prayed for 9. That we might have the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they might behold my glory Why this is the main end in respect of us our glory and indeed herein is the main piece of our glory to behold this glory Oh to see the Lord Jesus Christ glorified as he shall be glorified must be a glorious thing What is it to see his glory but to behold the lustre of his Divinity through his humanity In this respect our very eyes shall come to see God as much as is possible for any creature to see him we may be sure God shall appear through the humanity of Christ as much as is possible for the Divinity to appear in a creature and therefore Men and Angels will be continually viewing of Christ I know there is another glory of Christ which the Father will put upon him Because he humbled himself therefore God will exalt him Rev. 14.4 and give him a name above every name and we shall see him in this glory O the ravishing sight of Saints Christ is so lovely that the Saints cannot leave but they must and will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes there shall be no moment to all eternity wherein Christ shall be out of sight to so many thousand thousands of Saints now this is the glory of the Saints above as a Queen that sees the Prince in his glory she delights in it because it is her glory so the Church when she shall see Christ her Husband in his glory she shall rejoyce in it because she looks upon it as her own Is not this a blessed end of Christ's intercession why hither tend all the rest all the other ends end in this and for this above all Christ intercedes to his Father Father Cant. 3.11 I would have my Saints with me O that all the daughters of Zion may behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith thou hast crowned him in the day of his Espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Only one Question and I have done how should I set my faith on work to act on Christ's intercession for these ends I answer 1. Faith must perswade it self that here is a vertue in Christ's intercession Certainly every passage and acting of Christ hath its efficacy and therefore there is vertue in this it is full of juyce it hath a strong influence in it 2. Faith must consider that it is the design of God and the intendment of Christ that this intercession should be for the good of those that are given to Christ O there 's enough in Christ enough in Christ's intercession to convey communion the Spirit protection free access to the Throne of Grace a Spirit of prayer pardon of sins continuance in grace salvation of souls to the Saints and people of God through all the world and this is the design of God that Christ's intercession should be as the fountain whence all these streams must run and be conveyed unto us 3. Faith must act dependantly upon the intercession of Christ for these very ends this is the very nature of Faith it relyes upon God in Christ and upon all the actings of Christ and upon all the promises of Christ so then Is there a desirable end in Christ's intercession which we aim at O let us act our Faith dependantly let us rely stay or lean upon Christ to that same end let us roul our selves or cast our selves upon the very intercession of Jesus Christ Saying O my Christ there is enough in thee and in this glorious intercession of thine and therefore there will I stick and abide for ever 4. Faith must ever and anon be trying improving wrestling with God that vertue may go out of Christ's intercession into our hearts I have heard Lord that there is an Office erected in heaven that Christ as Priest should be ever praying and interceding for his people O that I may feel the efficacy of Christ's intercession am I now in prayer O that I could feel in this prayer the warmth and heat and spiritual fire which usually falls down from Christ's intercession into the hearts of his Lord warm my spirit in this duty give me the kisses of thy mouth O that I may now have communion with thee thy Spirit upon me thy protection over me O that my pardon may be sealed my grace confirmed my soul saved in the day of Jesus In this method O my soul follow on and who knows but God may appear e're thou art aware howsoever be thou in the use of the means and leave the issue with God SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that Respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on this great work of our salvation in his intercession Now two things more especially will excite our love 1. Christ's love to us 2. Our propriety in Christ For the first many acts of Christ's love have appeared before and every one is sufficient to draw our loves to him again As 1. He had an eternal love to man he feasted himself on the thoughts of love delight and free-grace to man from all eternity since God was God O boundless duration the Lord Jesus in a manner was loving and longing for the dawning of the day of the Creation he was as it were with child of infinite love to man before he made the world Some observe that the first words which ever Christ wrote were Love to Believers and these were written with glory for it was before gold was and they were written upon his bosom for then other books were not 2. In the beginning of time he loved man above all creatures for after he had made them all he then speaks as he never did before Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and though man at that very instant unmade himself by sins Christ's love yet was not broken off but held forth in a promise till the day of performance The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3. In the fulness of time his
meet 2 Thes 1.3 because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Christians if we did but consider that every duty done to God or Man that every penny given to a poor naked Saint that every cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet should not lose his reward but this day should be reckoned up or drawn as it were into a full Inventory Imprimis For this piece of silver given such a day to such a one Item For this piece of bread such a day given to such a one c. Oh who would not abound in faith and love oh who would think any thing too much too good too dear to give to the needy members of Jesus Christ there is a charge laid upon Ministers to preach this Doctrine I beseech you give me leave to discharge my duty and to lay it and leave it at your doors where beggars usually stand 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to destribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life You to whom God hath given the riches of this world as you would meet Christ with comfort learn this lessen consider whether of these too reckonings will be more comfortable at that day Item So much given to such and such a religious use or so much given towards such a Feast and for the entertainment of such brave gallants so much to promote the Gospel or so much at Dice Cards Horse-races if one should tell you that either you must feed Christ in the poor or you must starve in Hell you must either cloath naked Christ in the poor or you must be laid naked to the fiery indignation of the Lord for ever oh what strictness would you call this but I recollect my self if Christ set you at his right hand he will then recount all your charities and all your labours of love to the Saints you that are poor and had nothing to give he will tell you of your good works if it was no more but at such a time you cast a mite into his Treasury and at such a time you carried a Letter for the Lord Jesus he will produce and commend these pittances of your poor charities to all the world 2. Nor only good works to man but all the Saints duties to God shall come in remembrance Oh then it will be known who served the Lord in spirit and truth and who did not then Men and Angels shall know such a day this poor Saints performed such a spiritual service every prayer in publick or private every tear shed for sin every sob or sigh every spiritual meditation or self-examination every glance ejaculation or looking unto Jesus shall be recounted by Jesus It was said of Cornelius Act. 10.4 that as well his prayers to God as his alms to men came up for a memorial before God certainly every duty in reference to the first table is booked in Heaven and at this day the book being opened it will appear that such a prayer thou madest such a morning and such an evening in thy closet Mat. 6.6 and now will Christ say Did not I tell thee that if thou wouldst pray to thy Father in secret then he that saw thee in secret should reward thee openly why now shalt thou have thy reward in a full view I will divulge here all thy secret duties to Men and Angels all the world shall know it thy wandrings I told them Psal 56.8 and thy tears I bottled them lo here are they not all written in my Book 3. Nor onely duties but graces shall now be rehearsed thy Knowledge Faith Hope Love spiritual Joy thy Fear Obedience Repentance Humility Meekness Patience Zeal Perseverance shall be fully discovered time was that in the incense of such a Prayer many sweet spices were burned together therein was Faith working by Love therein was Humility therein was Patience in submiting to God's will and pleasure therein was Hope of a gracious answer in God's due time therein was Holiness brokenness of Heart Cant. 5.1 and love to others c. Time was saith Christ that I gathered my myrr with my spices that I eat my honey-comb with my honey that I both accepted and delighted my self in thy heavenly graces I shall never forget how thou didst ravish my heart my sister my spouse how thou dost ravish my heart with one of thine eyes and with one chain of thy neck Why thus shall the Lord set forth and tell all the world what gracious children he had then will appear indeed the Meekness of Moses the Faith of Abraham the Patience of Job the Zeal of Phineas the Love of Magdalen and according to the measure of grace conferred upon thee Christ will set thee out We commend the graces of such and such Saints at their death but oh let Christ blazon me and his graces in me at the resurrection-day Thus far for the Exploration or trial before sentence Mat. 25.24 2. For the sentence it self then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Every word here is full of life and joy 1. Come this is the King's invitation of his Saints to his Court he had summoned them before to his presence and now they are about him he will not part with them they must come a little nearer yet they must go with him into his presence chamber the mansions are ready the Supper of the Lamb is ready and now he begins the solemn invitation to his bride Come 2. Come ye blessed of my Father Christ blessed them when he went up to Heaven Luke 6.20 21. and whiles yet on earth he pronounced them blessed many a time Blessed be ye poor Blessed are ye that hunger Blessâ—d are ye that weep but now he calls them the blessed of his Father not onely Christ but God the Father hath ever looked upon them as his children it is the Father's will as well as Christ's that they should be blessed Ye blessed of my Father Luke 12 32. Rom. 8.17 3. Inherit the Kingdom Christ had told them before It is your Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom but then they were only as servants or as children under age but now they are heirs Eph. 4.13 Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and now they are come to full age To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ and therefore they must have the inheritance in possession they must all be Kings this very word speaks them Kings and makes them Kings it is the solemn coronation of the Saints It is the anointing the setting of the Crown upon
and Powers that captive wicked men at their pleasure even they must be judged by those whom they formerly soyled so then there is no question but they shall judge Only how the Saints shall judge together with Christ is a very deep question For my part I am apt to think that it shall not be directly known ere it be seen or done I shall only relate what others say to this point and so leave you to your liberty of judging what is right 1. Some say that the Saints shall judge the World by presenting their persons and actions by comparing their good examples with the evil examples of all the Reprobates Jude 15. and so they shall convince and condemn the World Behold the Lord cometh with Ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them This I conceive to be a truth yet surely this is not all truth 2. Others say that the Saints shall judge the World by way of indicting impleading accusing witnessing c. And I conceive it may be thus too the Saints of the Law more especially accusing the breakers of the Law by the Law Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father John 5.45 there is one that accuseth you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust And the Saints of the Gospel more especially judging the prophaners of the Gospel Rom. 2.16 by the Gospel in that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel This likewise is truth but I believe as yet we have not the whole truth Psal 58.10 3. Others say that the Saints shall judge the World after the manner of exaltation glorying and rejoycing to see the vengeance The Righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked But this their exulting being a constant and perpetual act not for a time but for eternity methinks this present act should be yet somewhat more Rev. 16.17 Rev. 19.1 2. 4. Others say that the Saints shall judge the World by way of assession assent vote suffrage comprobation and the like subordinate and conformable acts And I heard another out of the Altar say even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgments And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments this certainly is truth and commonly so received yet neither is this all truth 5. Others say that the Saints shall judge the World i.e. Christ in the Saints and the Saints in Christ He in them by those Infallible principles of Divine Justice which are imprest in them and they in him by those inseparable bounds of union whereby they wholly relate to him or he and they together as head and members the act of the head imputed to the members and the act of the members acknowledged by the head his Judiciary Act especially as from his Mediatorship and Manhood having a peculiar influence upon them and their Judiciary act in a perfect conformity though not any absolute proportion having a peculiar reference to him And methinks those Texts of Mat. 19.28 Jude 14.15 speak there of Christs and of the Saints judgment as of one joynt act Oh what terror will be to all wicked men when not only Christ but all the Saints shall say of them away with them away with them let them be damned You that are Fathers it may be that your Children will thus sentance you I remember when the Jews told Christ that he cast out Devils through Belzebub the Prince of Devils Mat. 12.7 he answered If I through Belzebub cast out Devils by whom do your Children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges They liked well enough of the Miracles of their Children who were the Disciples of Christ but they could not endure them in Christ and therefore he tells them that their Children whom God hath converted and to whom he had given power to do the same works as he did even they should be their judges to Condemn them And so it may be with you if any of your Children be converted to the Lord and you remain still in a natural estate your very Children shall be your judges and condemn you to Hell But of that anon 6. In this doom which Christ and his Saints shall pass on Reprobates our Saviour tells us of some reasonings betwixt him and them I was an hungred saith Christ and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink c. Mat. 25.42.44.45 Then shall they answer Lord when saw we thee hungry or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee and then shall he answer them verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me As if Christ should have said time was that I was under reproach misery calamity necessity I lay at your doors like Lazarus full of sores and as I thought nothing too much for you so I expected also something from you but oh cruelty to see thy Christ an hungred and not to feed him to see thy Christ a thirst and not to cool or quench his thirst to see thy Christ a stranger and not to give him a nights lodging to see thy Christ naked and not to cover him with a garment who would gladly have covered thee with the robe of righteousness the garment of Salvation O monstrous inhumane heart O prodigious wretch who among the Heathens ever dealt thus with their Idols have any of the Nations starved their Gods turned them out of doors and must I only be slighted away Reprobates you had no mercy on me and now I laugh at your calamity surely he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy They stand wondering at this and cannot remember that ever they saw Christ in such a condition Why Lord say they when saw we thee an hungred or thirsty or naked art thou not he that rose again from the dead and ascended on high and ever since hast been exalted above the highest Cherubims a name being given thee above every name at which name to this day but especially now on this day every knee doth bow of things in heaven and things in earth Phil. 2.9 10. and things under the earth how then could we see thee in such a condition is not this thy second coming in glory and were we alive at thy first coming in humility how can this be oh how shouldst thou charge us with unkindness to thy self surely if we had known thee in need we would have given thee of thy own thou shouldst never have wanted what things we enjoyed but thou shouldst
directive part of the Law by his life and under the penal part of the Law by his death 5. Faith must go to Christ as put to death in the Flesh and as quickned by the spirit 6. Faith must go to Christ as going up into glory as sitting down at God's right hand and as sending down the holy Ghost 7. Faith must go to Christ as interceding for his Saints in which work he continues till his coming again Of all these before 8. Faith must go to Christ as coming again into this neather world to judge the quick and the dead This is the last act of Faith in reference to Christ From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The coming of Christ the resurrection of the dead the change of the living the last judgment and the glory of Christ with his Saints to all eternity is that transaction which must be dispatched at the end of the world now this is the object of faith as well as the former Christ's work is not fully perfected till all these be finished nor is our work of Faith fully compleated till it reach to the very last act of Christ in saving souls Oh what an excellent worker is Jesus Christ he doth all his works throughly and perfectly the greatest work that ever Christ under took was the work of redemption that work would have broken Men and Angels and yet Jesus Christ will carry it on to the end and then will he say not onely prophetically but expresly I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17.46 Now Faith should eye Christ as far as he goes if Christ will not have done till he comes again and receive us to himself and settle us in glory no more should Faith it should still follow after him and take a veiw of all his transactions from first to last what will Christ come again will he summon all the elect to come under judgment will he sentence or judge them to eternal life will he conduct them into glory present them to his Father and be their all in all to all eternity why then let our faith act it self upon all these promises or if I may instance in one for all Christ's coming is the most comprehensive of all and is not the coming of Christ very frequently mentioned in the pâ—omises as the great support and stay of his peoples spirits till then do not the Apostles usually quicken us to duty and encourage us to waiting by the mentioning of this glorious coming of Jesus Christ why then let us act our faith on this glorious Object Christians what do we believe and hope and wait for but to see this coming this was Pauls encouragement to rejoycing and moderation Phil. 4.4 5. Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and let your moderation be known to all the Lord is at hand To think and speak of that day with horror doth well beseem the impenitent sinner but doth ill beseem the beliâ—ving Saint such may be the voice of an unbeliever and it may be of a believer in desertion or temptation but it 's not the voice of faith O believe on Christ as carrying on our salvation at his coming again For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and he will not tarry Heb. 10.37 9. Faith must principally and mainly look to the purpose design intent and end of Christ in his second coming to Judgment Now the ends are 1. In respect of the wicked that they may be destroyed for he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet He shall come with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 and then he will take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power O miserable men now it is God's design to be revenged on you This is the day when the wicked shall suddenly start out of sleep and meet with gastly amazedness at the mouth of their sepulchers above them stands the Judge condemning beneath Hell gaping on the right had justice threatning on all sides the world burning to go forward is intollerable to go backward is impossible to turn aside is unavailable which way then Heaven gates are shut Hell mouth is open where they must end their endless misery the last torment lasteth ever O the shrikes of the wicked at every passage of this day when the Prophet Joel was describing the formidable accidents of his day he was not able to express it but stammered like a Child or an amazed imperfect person A. A. A. for the day of the Lord is at hand We translate it Alas Joel 1.17 for the day of the Lord is at hand But Lyra Ribera the Vulgar Latine and others translate it A.A.A. in Hebrew it is indeed but one word and sounds as Aha which howsoever so written yet is it pronounced without any aspiration as Aharon is pronounced Aaron The best Criticâ—s would but have it one word and so they write it A-a-a for the day of the Lord is at hand thus they that stammer and cannot suddenly speak say A-a-a it is not sense at first the Prophet was so amazed that he knew not what to say the stammering tongue that is full of fear can best speak that terror which will make all the wicked of the world to cry and shrike and speak fearfull accents oh the shrikes oh the fearful sounds that will then be heard sure that noise must needs be terrible when millions of men and women at the same instant shall fearfully cry out and when their cryes shall mingle with the thunders of the dying and groaning Heavens and with the crack of the dissolving World when the whole fabrick of nature shall shake into dissolution Psal 51.21 and eternal ashes Now consider this ye that forget God lest he tare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Shall not the consideration of these things awake your spirits and raise you from the death of sin what do you believe these things or do you not if you do not believe these things where is your saith if you do believe them and sin on where is your prudence and where is your hope but enough of this it belongs to the wicked 2. In respect of the Godly that they may be saved Now this contains several steps As 1. They must be regenerated It is true they partake of this grace before but now is the full perfection and manifestation of it Mat. 19.28 and therefore the last day is called the day of regeneration Col. 1.13 14. 2. They must be redeemed So they are in this life Paul could tell his Colossians that Christ had delivered them from the power of darkness and that in him they had redemption through his blood Yet the Scripture calls the day of judgment
In his mercy or free grace 1. His justice will be glorified especially in punishing the wicked here on Earth litle justice is done on most offenders though some publick crimes are sometimes punished yet the actions of closets and chambers the designs and thoughts of men the businesses of retirements and of the night escape the hand of justice and therefore God hath so ordained it that there shall be a day of doom wherein all that are let alone by men shall be questioned by God Shall not the judge of all the world do right Gen. 18.25 then all thoughts shall be examined and secret actions viewed on each side and the infinite number of those sins which escaped here shall be blazoned there all shall have justice and the justice of the judge shall be so exact that he will account with men by minutes and that justice may reign entirely God shall open his treasure I mean the wicked man's treasure and tell the sums and weigh the grains and scruples Deut. 32.34 Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures I will restore it in the day of vengeance saith the Lord. Oh how will God glorifie his justice at that day surely his justice shall shine and be eminently glorious in every passage 2. His mercy or free grace will be glorified in rewarding the Saints And this is the main the supreme end of his coming to judgment 2 Thes 1.10 He shall come saith the Apostle to be glorified in his Saints not but that the Angels shall glorifie the riches of his grace as well as Saints but because the Angels never sinned they have now kept their Robes of innocency their cloth of Gold above five thousand years without one spark of dirt or change of colour therefore the glory of his grace is more especially fastened on Saints that sometimes were sinners Oh what stories will be told at this day of graces acts I was a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and a persecutor and an injurious person said Paul but I obtained mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I was be-mercied as if he had been dipt in a River in a Sea of mercy it may be he will make the same acknowledgment at the day of judgment I was a sinner but the grace of the Lord Jesus to me was abundant superabundant I obtained as much grace as would have saved a world Certainly free grace shall then be discovered in some purpose Rom. 5.20 then it shall be known That where sin abounded grace far more it over-abounded or more than over-bounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a word borrowed from Fountains and Rivers which have over-flowed with Waters ever since the Creation then all the Saints shall exalt and magnifie and with loud voyces praise the glory of his grace they shall look on their debts written in graces book and then shall they sing and say O the mystery of grace O the gold-mines and the depts of Christs free love why this was the great design of our salvation at the first when God was willing to communicate himself out of his aloneness everlasting he laid this plot that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 and now at his second coming having done all he will do the Saints for whom he hath done all admire esteem honour and sound forth the praises of his grace Is not this their everlasting song which they begin at this day Glory to the Lamb and glory to his grace that sitteth on the Throne for ever more not but that they glorifie him in his wisdom power holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is his Grace in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other Vertues to be had in honour for their Clemency and Bounty so Jesus Christ the King of Kings affects above all the glory of his grace And to this purpose Heaven it self is an house full of broken men who have borrowed millions from Christ but can never repay more than to read and sing the praises of Free-grace Glory to the Lamb and glory to the riches of his grace for evermore Thus for directions one word of Application or a few motives to work Faith in you in this respect 1. Christ in his word invites you to believe these are his Letters from Heaven Come all to the marriage-supper of the Lamb Ho every one that thirsts come in Heaven-gate is open to all that knock but fools foolish Virgins foolish souls which have no Faith nor will have any to render them fit for Heaven This meets with some that scruple what will Christ come again to receive me to himself shall I enter with him into glory alas no unclean thing shall enter into that holy City and shall such a sinner as I am be admitted Oh believe believe thy part in this coming of Christ to receive thee to himself and no sin that thou feelest a burthen shall keep thee out of Heaven There is Rahab the Harlot and Manasseh the Murtherer and Mary that had so many Devils a man that hath many Devils may come where there is not one Luke 14.22 Lame and Blind and Halt may enter into Heaven and yet still there is room there is a great variety of guests above and yet one Table large enough for all no crouding and yet thousands and thousands of thousands sitting together Ah poor soul why dost thou make ecceptions where God makes none why shouldst thou exclude thy self out of these golden gates when God doth not believe onely believe in the Lord Jesus and the promise is sure and without all controversie thou shalt be saved 2. Christ by his Ministry intreats you to believe come say they we beseech you believe in your judge it may be you startle at this what to believe in him who is a coming to be your judge but if your judge be Jesus if the same person who dyed for you shall come to judge you why should you fear indeed if your judge were your enemy you might fear but if he who is your Lord and who loves your souls shall judge you there is no such cause will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friends a brother by a brother a child by a father or a wife by her husband consider is not he your Judge who came down from Heaven and who being on earth was judged condemned and executed in your stead and yet are ye fearful O ye of little faith Oh what an unreasonable sin is unbelief nay say the scrupulous if I were assured of this if I knew that my judge were my friend I should not fear but is he not my enemy have not I provoked him to enmity against my soul do I not stand it out in arms against my judge am not I daily sinning against him who justly may condemn me for my sin give this