joy is full and universall either in regard of objects degrees or duration 1. Then a Christian hath all joy in regard of objects When he possesseth in some measure all the objects that is all the grounds or motives of a true Spirituall joy when he hath for substance all that a believer ought to rejoyce for when believers reach such a happinesse their joy is full John 15.11 16.24 1 Iohn 1.4 The joy of Christ is fulfilled in themselves Iohn 17.13 2. A Christian may have all joy in regard of degrees though not absolutely yet so far forth as the measure of joy is attainable in this present life which is but the seed time of joy Ps 97.11 And indeed I believe the heart of man during his abode on earth is hardly capable of a more overflowing quantity of joy then that which supported the Martyrs and made them laugh and sing in their fiery trialls their most bloudy persecutions Lastly a believer may have all joy in regard of duration He may as the Apostle exhorts him Phil. 4.4 rejoyce alwaies in the storme of the most violent opposition as well as in the calme of peace and protection The troubles and miseries of this life may sometimes dimme his joy but they can never totally or finally extinguish it Your joy saith our Saviour no man taketh from you John 16.22 He might have said no Devil too Secondly Paul beseecheth God in the behalfe of the Romans that as their joy so their peace too may be full and universall The God of hope fill you with all peace that is with all sorts and kinds of peace the peace of concord towards their brethren the peace of conscience in themselves and that both speculative and practicall 1. Speculative which was a freedome from scrupulous doubtings concerning things indifferent of which he spake before 2. Practicall and that both of justification and sanctification 1. The peace of justification which ariseth from the assurance of pardon and sense of Gods favour 2. The peace of sanctification which proceedeth from the mortification of all lusts and corruptions Such is the fulnesse of this peace of believers as that as the Apostle saith it passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 that is it is incomprehensible by any created understanding save that of the humane nature of Christ In the next place we have this full and universall joy and peace amplified from the causes and that both efficient and finall 1. From the efficient causes thereof and that againe both subordinate and supreame 1. From the subordinate cause thereof faith The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that is by believing And indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the Apostle often used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the propriety of the Hebrew The influence of faith upon joy you have in the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom though now we see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And as for its efficiency of peace the Apostle Paul plainely expresseth it Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ faith is the ground of all true inward joy and peace in our owne bosomes and the boundary of all true sincere and sound joy and peace with others A Second amplification is from the supreame and first efficient cause through the power of the Holy Ghost Nothing can fill a soule with all joy and peace but the full and infinite power of the Spirit of God Paul may plant and Apollo may water but Omnipotency only can reach such an increase The last amplification which we have of this fulnesse of joy for which the Apostle is a suiter in the behalfe of the Romans is the finall cause thereof that ye may abound in hope Pareus observeth that there is an Emphasis in the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth not wish unto them barely hope but to abound in hope and to abound in hope denoteth 1. a plenteous progresse in the degrees 2. a fulnesse of the objects 3. a constant sufficiency in reference to the use of hope 1. A plenteous progresse in the degrees of hope an arrivall unto a full assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 By which an entrance is minister'd unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 2. A fulnesse of the objects of hope Some by this abounding in hope saith Willet upon the place understand the hoping for of all things needfull both for the body and soule 3. It denoteth a constant sufficiency as touching the use of hope Looke as he may be said to abound in money or treasures who hath enough to serve his turne upon all occasions to supply all his wants So a soule may be said to abound in hope when it hath such a measure thereof as is constantly sufficient for a victorious encounter with the thickest variety of the greatest perils incident unto mankind Our hope is then truely abundant when it is an helmet strong enough to beare the blowes of our most powerfull and malitious enemies When it is an anchor sure and stedfast enough whereby the soule may ride it out safely in the most dangerous tempest Vnto Pauls petition for the beginnings of glory in the Romans I shall subjoyne his thanksgiving for the like in himselfe 2 Cor. 1.3,4,5 Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ In a second place this conformitie unto Christs glory begun here in this life and permixed with our infirmity and misery shall hereafter in heaven be compleated and perfected for then we shall have a full and everlasting fruition of all honour and blisse derivable from God and proportionable unto our capacities God will then make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 Then he will reveale the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Ephes 1.18 David makes a large profession of the inward gladnesse of his heart and the outward expression thereof by his tongue My heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth Psalm 16.9 Nay he expresseth that the feare of death did not put a dampe upon his rejoycing My flesh saith he shall also rest in hope The hope of a resurrection unto a glorious and immortall life made him looke upon his grave as a bed Esay 57.2 upon death as a sleepe or rest 1 Thes 4.14 Now the ground of this his joy and hope was the resurrection of Christ's body and glorification of his soule vers 10 11. But now this could never have begotten such a joy
together gâ—oweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. As the ground stone in the corner because it beares up the joynts couplings of the whole edifice is therefore the chief stay thereof So Christ upholds the chief weight of his Church because he is a prop unto the salvation of every soule therein as a Prophet by his word as a Priest by the satisfaction and merit of his sacrifice and by his constant and uninterrupted presentation thereof unto his Father in his intercession and as a King by his power and spirit But now the chief corner stone though it be a foundation stone yet it is but a part though a principal part of the foundation But now Christ is not only a principal but the total sole and entire foundation of his Church that is of her salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundations can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ Acts. 4.12 Yea but the Prophets and Apostles are at least a secondary and ministerial foundation Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 But 1. Some here by foundation understand Christ himselfe who is said to be the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles objectively the fundamental object of their doctrine the foundation which they laid in their ministry both by preaching and writing But suppose 2. that these words the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles be as Estius saith expounded intransitively and thus paraphrased which is the Prophets and Apostles Why then the Prophets and Apostles are taken not in regard of their persons or successours but metonymically in regard of their doctrine which they left behind them in scripture for they declared it with such infallible certainty as that it is unto the Church a doctrinal foundation and serveth as an instrument to lay every Believer on the personal foundation Christ Jesus But 2. I shall prove the sulness of each of his offices his Prophetical his Priestly his Kingly office 1. There was in him a fulness of the Prophetical office Mal. 3.1 He is the Angel or messenger of the Covenant to wit of grace and reconciliation the chief Ambassadour from the Father for the revelation offer and confirmation thereof unto the Church He is the Apostle of our profession the Gospel Christian doctrine faith or Religion which we profess and he is so tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is the supreame of all the Ambassadours whom his Father hath sent for the promulgation thereof Thus also is he tearmed by way of eminency the faithful and true witness Revel 3.14 Because he alone hath fully and effectually revealed the truth and will of God by himselfe and his ministers He is the word of the Father because he alone hath fully disclosed his mind Math. 23.8,10 One is your master even Christ he only teacheth with authority and efficacy and therefore he alone hath the mastership amongst all the teachers of the Church between whom there is a brotherhood and equality One is your-master Christ and all yee are Brethren No Teacher is an under master unto other Teachers One part of Christ's pastoral office is his Prophetical office to feed his sheep with the sound and saving doctrine of his word to make them to lie down in green pastures to lead them beside the still waters Psal 23.2 And the pastoral office agreeth unto him in all fulness ' He is the one shepherd Eccles 12.11 The chief shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 The great shepherd of the sheep Hebr. 13.20 2. There was in Christ a fulness of the Priestly office such an unspeakable superexcellency of Priesthood as is incommunicable unto any other of the Sonnes of men And therefore the Apostle Paul stileth him emphatically a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 an High Priest of good things to come chap. 9. vers 11 an High Priest over the howse of God chap. 10. vers 21 the High Priest of our profession chap. 3. vers 1 a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Heb 7.17 he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.24 an intransmissible Priesthood which passeth not from one unto another as it is varied in the margent which cannot pass from his own person unto any Successours or Vicars and Substitutes 3. And lastly there was in him a fulness of the Kingly office The government to wit of the Church shall be upon his shoulder Isai 9.6 and that this Government is supreame and regal is plaine by vers 7 where it is described to be upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome He is the Lord of the vine-yard Math. 21.40 He is in his howse not as a Servant but as a Sonne that is as Lord and master Hebr. 3.5,6 He is the King of Saints Revel 15.3 He is Michael the great Prince which standeth for the Children of his people Dan. 12.1 and 7.14 Christ is the Lord of all Acts. 10.36 that is as appeares by the foregoing verse of all that in every nation feare God and worke righteousness He is the Lord as of all persons so of all ordinances in his Church The Sonne of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Math. 12.8 All things are dilivered unto me of my Father Math. 11.27 that is as Beza restraines the place all things appertaining unto the salvation of the Elect And indeed this his restriction is warrantable by the particular instance which he brings for examplification of this general Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Sonne will reveale him The Sonne only hath delegated unto him from the Father authority to call and enlighten the Elect and reveale the Father unto them This fullnesse of Christs Kingly office is set forth in Scripture by his Head-ship over his Church for as head he hath such a full influence upon his Church internall and externall as that he needeth no viceroy no ministeriall or visible head on earth And that to be head of the Church is a dignity proper unto Christ and incommunicable unto any other the incomparable Cartwright proves as by others so especially by these two following arguments in his confutation of the Rhemist annotations on the New Testament pag. 487. 1. By the same reason that you may give this title of head unto a meere Man you may also give him the name of the first begotten of all creatures and the first begotten of the dead considering that the Apostle fastneth this unto the Crowne of our Saviour Christ as well as he doth the other Col. 1.15,18 2. This is further strengthned by the demonstrative Article whereby the Scripture is accustomed so to appropriate a thing unto one that it shutteth forth all other from communication therewith for when he saith that he is the head it is as much as if he would say he and none other Col. 1.18 This fullnesse of Christ's Kingly office is further signified by his power of the keyes
God of this world John 14.30 and 16.11.2 Cor. 4.4 the prince of the power of the aire Ephes 2.2 For he hath the keyes of Hell and death Revel 1.18 He hath the keyes of hell he can cast the Dragon that old serpent the Devill and Satan into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seale upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled Rev. 20.3 He hath the keyes of death and one day will unlock the graves of all men In a second place we are to prove that Christ's fulnesse of Authority the all-power that was given to him in heaven and in earth was a consequent of his resurrection and this I shall make good by foure places of scripture The first is Ephes 1.20,21,22 Where we have Christs soveraigne authority or dominion set forth unto us a comparatis ab object o principalitatis or perfectionis and lastly a distributione 1. By a comparison of similitude 2. By the chiefe objects of it 3. By a distribution of it 1. A comparatis by a comparison of similitude It is as it were a placing of him at Gods owne right hand in the heavenly places v. 20. At the right hand of majesty on high Heb. 1.3 at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 For what is this his sitting at the right hand of God but the highest degree of his exaltation whereby he enjoyeth the highest glory of his mediation and that is properly and formally a kingly glory which doth also redound unto other of his offices so that he exerciseth a kingly priesthood and a kingly prophecy as you may see in Ames Med. lib. 1. cap. 23. Num. 32 33 34. The phrase is metaphoricall in allusion to the custome of great potentates who placed at the right hand of their thrones their most inward and powerfull favourites or their heires and successors or such great persons as were next in dignity and office unto them Solomon to honour his mother seated her on his right hand 1 Kings 2.19 Vpon the kings right hand did stand the Queene in gold of Ophir Psalm 45.9 When the mother of Zebedees Children desired that her sonnes might sit the one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Christ in his kingdome what did she crave but the two chiefe dignities in his kingdome Math. 20.21 Eccle 12.12 1 Esdr 4.29 By Christ's sitting then at the right hand of God is understood as the unspeakable glory and dignity so also the imperiall and soveraigne Authority or dominion which Christ hath as man next under God over the whole creation And unto this interpretation of the phrase we are guided by the scripture it selfe The Apostle in his quotâ—tion of that of David Psal 110. v. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies my footstoole thus varieth the words 1 Cor. 15.25 he must raigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet From which variation we may observe that with Paul for Christ to sit at the right hand of God toraigne are all one Thus Peter also having in his sermon Act. 2. v. 34 35. cited the very same place of of the Psalmist in v. 36. he expounds it by Gods making Jesus Lord and Christ The same exposition also he giveth of it 1 Pet. 3.22 He is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels authorities and powers being made subject unto him To be at the right hand of God is to have Angels authorities powers made subject unto him The largest comment that we have in scripture upon the phrase is in the place now under debate Here the Apostle having affirmed v. 20. that the working of Gods mighty power set Christ on his owne right hand c. In v. 21 22. he fully explaineth what is meant by his sitting at Gods owne right hand why to be farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come To have all things put under his feet to be given to be head over all things to the Church 2. We have Christs kingdome soveraigne authority or dominion set forth here unto us ab objecto principalitatis or perfectionis from it's chiefe or principall objects 1. The most powerfull 2. The most renowned of it's objects 1. The most powerfull of it's objects far above all principality and power and might and dominion Cartwright upon the place Where it is evident that the Apostle heapeth up divers words of one and the same signification thereby the more effectually to set forth the supereminent power of our Saviour Christ above all A great deale of Curiosity there is in interpreters touching the distinction of these termes some understanding them partly of things in earth and partly of things in heaven Others only of things in earth others only of things in heaven and here the Papists with a great deale of Confidence talke out of a counterfeit or forged Dyonysius concerning the distinction of the Orders of Angels as if they had with Paul been rapt up into the third heaven and there exactly muster'd all the heavenly Hostes Hilary Augustine and Bernard doe here with a great deale of modesty and ingenuity confesse their Ignorance herein Indeed there is no ground in Scripture for the severall signification of every of these words And for men in interpretation of Scripture to flee unto groundlesse conjectures would bring in a strange if not a mad kind of Divinity Divers learned expositors both Papists and Protestants say that if the termes be not Synonyma but have severall significations that then the Apostle speakes of them not by way of assertion but by way of concession or supposition in reference say some unto the Jewes say others unto the Gnosticks both which might hold such a distinction between the celestiall spirits or else with relation unto the fables of the Greeke Poëts their Divines who maintained perhaps such a difference betwixt their Imaginary Deities as if the Apostle should have said Suppose though not grant this distinction of principality and power and might and dominion yet Christ is advanced far above them all in dignity and authority 2. We have the kingdome or supreme dominion of Christ illustrated from the most renowned of it's objects Every name that is every person of name or renowne Famous or renowned persons were termed by the Hebrewes * Apud Hebraeos viri celebres dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est viri nominis quos graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo modo etiam in vernaculo nostro sermone loquimur Beza Cornel. Alapide hath also the same note but he fetcheth it out of Beza as it will appeare to any one that will compare them together persons of name and here we have a distribution of these famous or honourable
and lively description of Christs exaltation 1. from the antecedent 2. from the parts or branches thereof 1. We have the antecedent of it Christs humiliation He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him c. Not only Papists but divers Protestants as Peter Martyr and Zanchy are of the opinion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quapropter wherefore denoteth a meritorious cause and not only a bare antecedent Doctor Featly to compose the controversy distinguisheth of Christ considered as a mediatour and as man Albeit saith he as mediatour he merited for us yet as man he might also merit for himselfe I should rather say that by his humiliation he merited his exaltation not for himselfe but for us in our behalfe and for our behoofe He merited it as it was the exaltation of a publique person the head of the Church The first light of this I confesse I had from Mr Cartwright in his answer unto the annotations of the Rhemists upon Philippians 2. v. 9. Whereas the Rhemists had alleadged Revel 5 9. Thou art worthy to take the booke c. for thou hast slaine and hast redeemed us v. 12. The place saith Mr Cartwright is nothing to this question For the worthinesse there spoken of is not considered in regard of that wich Christ was worthy to receive for himselfe but in regard of that which he was worthy to receive for us Now he was worthy for himselfe after the personall unitie to know all misteries and to receive all glory without regard of any worke that ever be did But to be worthy to receive it that we might be partakers of it could not be with safety of Gods justice but by his obedience and that to the death of the Crosse And this is the worthinesse which the Angels do so dignifie and commend in Jesus Christ v. 12. 2. Christ's exaltation is here made to consist in two particulars Transcendency of renowne v. 9. Supremacy of Authority vers 10 11. 1. Transcendency of renowne Gave him a name which is above every name The Lord rold David 2 Sam. 7.9 the type of Christ that he had made him a great name like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth But here we see that he hath given Christ the Antitype a name farre surmounting that of the greatest men upon the face of the earth A more glorious a more unspotted a more powerfull name 1. A more glorious name How narrow is the fame of the most renowned of the sonnes of men in comparison of that of Jesus Christ which is like the circuite of the sunne universall successively unto the whole world Hath the persons of any men been adored and worshipped with that Zeale and sincerity as Jesus Christ hath been by his Saints What mortall wight or immortall Angell hath been so much upon the tongues and hearts of men as he Whose life hath been read or heard with that assent that admiration and those affections as his No name you see hath been so celebrated and magnified as his And indeed none deserveth the praise and glory that his doth For what are the conquests of the greatest warriers unto that victory of his over our spirituall adversaries on the Crosse Where he spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Col. 2.15 No scepter like unto the rod of his strength Psal 110.2 no earthly throne like to his on the right hand of the majesty on high The exploits of the greatest conquerours by the most formidable armies are but triflâ—… compared with his atchievements by the ministery of a few weake despised men 2. Christs name is more unspotted then any other name whatsoever and therefore in this respect it out shineth all other names farre more then the light of the sunne doth that of the dimmest taper The greatest chieftaines in the world have had some blot some odious but or other upon their names that have darkened all their glory Thus the name of Alexander the great was sullied with pride drunkenesse and Luxury the name of Hanniball stained with cruelty the name of Julius Caesar spotted and blur'd with ambition and tyranny But the name of Christ is as a most glorious so a spotlesse name Heb. 7.26 which is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners In a third place It is a most powerfull name that hath all the world at a beck and that unto the very end of it The power of mens names hath seldome out-lived their persons Those that in their life time have most flourished in military glory whose very names hath awed not only their owne but bordering kingdomes yet we see their authority hath died with them After death their names have had a weake influence upon those of their servants and subjects whom they have most obliged In the Charnell house the greatest coward may tread upon the dust of the greatest conquerour The great name of Alexander could not secure his mother sister wives concubine posterity from violent and untimely ends The great name of * Three daies the corps of this great Monarch is said to have laine neglected while his servants attending to imbeazle his moveables in the end his youngest Son Henry had it conveyed to the Abbey of Cane where first at the entry into the Towne they who carried the corps left it alone and ran to quench an house on fire afterward brought to be intombed a Gentleman stands forth and in sterne manner forbids the interment in that place claiming the ground to be his inheritance descended from his Ancestors taken from him at the building of that Abbey appealing to Row their first founder for justice Whereupon they were faine to compound with him for an annuall rent Such adoe had the body of him after death who had made so much in his life to be brought to the earth and of all he attained had not now a roome to containe him without being purchased at the hand of another men esteeming a living dog more then a dead lyon Daniel Hist England p. 50 51. William the conquerour could not procure him in his own dominions a respectfull quiet and undisturbed funerall But now the name given unto Christ in his exaltation was no empty powerlesse thing but accompanied with the vast empire and authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as Beza noteth dignitatem celebritatem nominis cum re ipsâ conjunctam He gave him such a name that thereat every knee should how of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father v. 10 11. In which words we have the supremacy of Christs authority set forth unto us by three particulars à correlato ab adjuncto occupato à fine 1. From the generall subordination of all creatures unto it 2. From
their externall confession of it 3. From the reference of it unto its end the glory of God the Father 1. A correlato from the subordination of all rationall creatures unto it expressed in a borrowed speech by the bowing of the knee that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth The words plainly have reference unto Isaiah 45.23 which place Rom. 14.10,11,12 is brought as a proofe of the last and generall judgment we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ for it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God So then every one of us shall give account of himselfe to God Now all rationall creatures and only rationall creatures shall be judged and therefore they and only they are here meant However they may here in this world make head and opposition against the kingdome of Christ Jesus yet at last in the day of judgment they shall submit thereunto if not voluntarily yet by constraint and from this bowing and bending this submission of all intellectuall creatures unto Christ we may also argue by way of comparison from the greater unto the lesse for the universall subjection of all other creatures in their kind unto his authority 2. Ab abjuncto occupato from the confession hereof which shall be not only internall in the conscience but some way or other externall that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord. The good Angels and the glorious Saints in Heaven together with the Devils and damned ghosts in hell have neither bodily knees nor fleshly tongues as men have yet they have some meanes whereby they can and shall will they nill they testify their subjection unto the Lordship and dominion of Christ 3. We have this supremacy of Christs authority explained from it's end To the glory of God the Father The Kingdome Authority and dominion of Christ hath relation unto the glory that is knowledg worship and service of the Father and was confer'd upon him purposely for the promoting thereof Now is the Son of man glorified and God is glorified in him John 13.31 The third place is Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living That this is spoken of Christ as man is evident because the procurement of this dominion was the end of Christs death resurrection or revivall Two things here are to be considered 1. Who are the dead and living here spoken of 2. How his death and resurrection conduced unto his Lordship over these dead and living 1. Who are the dead and the living here spoken of He that expoundeth this of some only of the dead and living dares pervert Scripture from it's plaine sense saith Mr Baxter against Mr Tombes pag. 229. To say nothing of Estius and other Papists that so interpret it my poore plunder'd study affords five Protestants that so expound it Aretius Pareus Piscator Diodati and Dickson The holiest and most learned of men may mistake in the sense of a place of Scripture but sure me thinkes it is somewhat too severe a censure so say of such learned reverend and godly men that they dare pervert Scripture from it's plaine sense Such toothed expressions we must account but keenenesse in Mr Baxter But if such a passage had dropt from the tongue or penne of others very wise and pious men would have charged it at least with the appearance of scorne and arrogance But this exposition hath countenance from the coherence Whereas Mr Baxter saith nothing for the justifying of his sense only in a magisteriall way he passeth a very bitter censure upon those that dissent from him The dead and living here are as appeares by comparison of this verse with the foregoing such as live unto the Lord and such as die unto the Lord. And if Mr Baxter will say that all the living live unto the Lord and all the dead die unto the Lord he will make very bold with Scripture to maintain his prejudice and some perhaps may thinke as hardly of him as he doth of those worthies above mentioned that he dare pervert Scripture from it's plaine sense The scope of the Apostle is to take off believers from despising and judging one another v. 3. and the argument which he brings to perswade hereunto v. 7 8 9. is that all believers are the Lords servants They all live and die unto him for to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living And if this be the scope of the words as Divers men of great ability and piety suppose why then the living and the dead spoken of v. 9. are not all the living and dead but only such as are believers and the Lords servants In a second place we are to enquire how Christs death and resurrection conduced unto this his Lordship over the dead and the living Why he died that he might purchase this Lordship over the dead and the living Revel 5.12 and he arose and revived that he might as man actually * notandum est non dicit ut fiat dominus scilicet ut accipiat jus potestatem dominandi sed ut dominetur id est ut exerceat acceptae patestatis et dominii usum Nam Christus a primo instanti suae incarnationis ratione unionis Hypostaticae fuit dominus omnium sed post mortem hujus dominii plenum exercitium accepit Cornel Alapide exercise and administer it that he might Lord or rule it over the dead and the living and indeed if he had not risen and revived he could not have as man actually exercised this Lordship because if he had not risen he had ceased to have been man In triduo mortis as Aquinas resolves and proves it * Dicendum quòd Christum verè fuisse mortuum est articulus fidei unde assercre omne illud per quod tollitur veritas mortis Christi est error contra fidem Propter quod in epistolâ Synodali Cyrilli dicitur fi quis non confitetur Dei verbum passum carne et crucifixum carne et quod mortem gustavit carne anathema fit Pertinet ad veritatem mortis hominis velanimalis quod per mortem definat esse homo vel animal mors enim hominis vel animalis provenit ex separatione animae quae complet rationem animalis vel hominis Et ideò dicere Christum in triduo mortis hominem fuisse simpliciter et absolute loquendo erronecum est par tert quaest quinquages Art quart He was not man He had not been able as man to have saved unto the uttermost unlesse he had lived for ever to make intercession for such as belong unto him Heb. 7.25 The fourth and last place is Col. 1.18 He is the beginning the first borne from the dead
the sheep of Christ out of the Fathers hands And if they be in the Sonnes hands they be in the Fathers to o Joh. 17.10 But now Christ assumeth that he is one with his Father in regard of essentials I and my Father are one vers 30. and therefore he is as powerful as his Father He is whatsoever his Father is as touching his essence and can doe whatsoever his Father can doe What things soever the Father doth these also doth the Sonne likewise Joh. 5.19 Hereupon then it undeniably followeth that all the men on earth all the Devils in hell are not able to pluck so much as one of his sheep out of his hands That the fulness of the Godhead in Christ is a storehouse of blessings that never can be emptied I shall yet farther evidence by a brief view of the names attributes and workes of God and their application unto Christ 1. Then as touching the names of God and their attribution unto Christ together with the comfort that hereupon redounds unto the people of Christ I shall desire the Christian Reader to peruse and consider these following Scriptures Jer. 23.6 In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwel safely and this is his name whereby he shall bee called The Lord our righteousness Here we have a name of God given unto Christ Jehovah the Lord and the salvation and justification of the Church depending upon and resulting from this name 1. The salvation in general of the Church depends upon this his name Because he is Jehova the Lord therefore in his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Which words of the Prophet may be paraphrazed by those of the Angel Math. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sinnes 2. A particular branch of salvation depends upon this his name Because the branch of David is the Lord therefore he is able to justifye us to be our righteousness This is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse Which words may be expounded by those of Paul 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is made of God unto us righteousness c. Unto this place we may aptly conjoyne Isai 45.22,23,24,25 for that it is meant of Christ a comparison of vers 23. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 will easily demonstrate Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth For I am God and there is none else I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Another name of God given unto Christ is the Lord of Hosts and how comfortable the attribution of it unto Christ is may be cleared from these two following scriptures The first is Isai 8. vers 13 14. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himselfe c. and he shall be for a Sanctuary c. Because he is the Lord of Hosts therefore he is a sanctuary which none can violate a sure refuge That the Person there spoken of is Jesus Christ cannot not be questioned by any true Christian For Simeon in Luke Paul Peter applieth the latter part of the 14 verse unto him and that speaks still of the same Person which the former part doth Agune in Zech. 2. vers 8 9 10 11 12. Because he is the Lord of Hosts sent by the Lord of Hosts therefore he assureth the Church of the Jewes that after their own glorious restitution they should enjoy a full victory over their enemies unto whom for the present they were vassals and servants And that this victory should be gained very easily on his part as it were with the shaking of his hand or lifting up of his finger And hereupon he exhorts them to triumph sing and rejoyce and he back 's his exhortation from a promise of his presence in her of the conjunction of the Gentiles with her and of his government of her For thus saith the Lord of Hâ—sts after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoyled you For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye For behold I will shake my hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants and ye shall know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me Sing and rejoyce o Daughter of Sion for lo I come and will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me unto thee And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall chuse Jerusalem againe To go from the Old Testament unto the New and there I shall single out but one place at present 1 Joh. 5. vers 18 20. where he is tearmed the true God and his being so is a reason of the saving illumination of the regenerate as also of their preservation from the sinne unto death and protection against the temptations of Satan We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not But he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not And we know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Sonne Christ Jesus This is the true God and eternal life 2. Proceed we next from the names of God unto his attributes and consider we what comfort the ascribing of them unto Christ doth minister I shall at present instance onely in his eternity immutability omnipresence omnipotency omniscience 1. Then for his Eternity Because his goings forth have been from of old from everlasting therefore the remnant of his Brethren shall returne unto the Children of Israel And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land and when he shall tread in our palaces Micah 5.2,3,4,5 If he had beene but a meere man if his coming forth had beene onely from Bethlehem Ephratah he had been utterly unable to have accomplisht any of all this He could not have brought in the fulnesse of the Gentiles the remnant of his brethren and have joyned them unto the believing Israelites He could not have fed them that is he could not have made provision for them He could not have governed and protected them He could not have been peace and security unto them against the dreadfull fury of the Assyrians invasion Our Saviour Christ having averred Joh. 8.51 that whosoever kept his sayings
this where the phrase is used in the new testament Now 1. They are tearmed rudiments or elements in an allusion unto Grammar wherein letters are the rudiments or elements of all literature even so the ceremonies of the Mosaicall law contained an elementary kind of instruction They were as it were the Primer the A B C of the Church suited unto her age of infancy Even so we when we were Children were in bondage under the elements or rudiments of the world Gal. 4.3 2. They are tearmed rudiments of the world or worldly rudiments because they enjoyned Corporeall sensible and in comparison of the more spirituall ordinances of the Gospell earthly and carnall ceremonies And the reason of this appellation Estius conjectureth to be Because the world is often in Scripture put for that part thereof which is corporeall and sensible and in conformitie hereunto the Leviticall sanctuary is said to be a worldly Sanctuary Heb. 9.1 By this you see that those who presse the antiquated and abrogated ceremonies of the Mosaicall law are seducers that carry away the sheepe of Christ from his fold as a spoile a prey or bootie Gal. 5.2 Lastly we have these two rules of superstition the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world set downe adversatively by way of Antithesis or opposition And not after Christ that is they are not after the doctrine or commandement of Christ Whatsoever is not after Christ that is according unto the doctrine of Christ in the Gospell is against Christ and therefore vaine deceit The uncommandednesse of a worship is sufficient to brand it for unlawfull Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not Levit. 10.1 They have built the high places of Tophet c. Which I commanded them not neither came it into my heart Jerem. 7.31 You have seen the words expounded in themselves I shall in the next place briefely dispatch the inference of this exhortation from the dwelling of all-fulnesse of the Godhead in him bodily implied in the particle for Beware lest any man spoile you through philosophy and vaine deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ for in him dwelleth all fullnesse of the Godhead bodily From the fulnesse of the Deitie in the person of Christ we may conclude the fulnesse perfection and all-sufficiency of his doctrine And consequently the danger vanity and deceitfulnesse of all additions thereunto whatsoever whether heathenish philosophy Pharisaicall or Popish the traditions of men or Judaicall the rudiments of the world What seducers can more spoile the flock of Christ then the patrons of such additionals For they withdraw from all fulnesse in the God head unto that which is but vaine deceit They lead from the fountaine of living waters unto broken cisternes that can hold no water The Philosophy of the Gentiles hath indeed a shew of wifedome but it was but folly and thick darknesse compared with the wisdome of Christ In him as man were hid 〈◊〉 the treasures of â—…sedome and knowledge vers 3. of this chapter And as the sonne of God he was the eternall uncreated wisedome He was full and perfect God His knowledge then was infinite and therefore he was able to provide not onely sufficiently but abundantly for the instruction and salvation of his Church without the supply of humane traditions or Mosuicall â—eremonies All men are lyars and therefore it would be a madnesse to embrace the traditions of men as long as we have the truth it selfe to instruct us The highest perfection of the saints of God is to be pantakers of the divine nature to have the Godhead dwell in them operatively in regard of it's gracious effects Whereas the sonne of God hath the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in him personally and therefore in comparison of his precepts which are able to make even the simple wise unto salvation Psal 19.7.2 Timoth. 3.16 the most specious and plausible traditions of even the best of men are in matters of faith and salvation most vaine empty and deceitfull trifles In Christ dwelleth an all fulnesse of knowledge and we having so able a seacher it would be extreame and unspeakable folly in us to fall back againe unto our horne booke unto the rudiments of the world unto an elementary worldly or carnall way of instruction by the ceremonies of Moses his law that was accommodated onely unto the Childish condition of the Church Besides Christ himselfe hath abrogated all ceremonies of the law and from the all-fulnesse of the Godâ—head in him we may gather his all-fulnesse of power and authority to make such an alteration Because he is God he is Lord of the Sabbath and all other ordinances in the Church It is no lesse therefore then a treasonable presumption for men to revive those lawes which he hath repealed to presse those observances which he hath abolished Interpreters upon the place generally make this observation upon the coherence that the Apostle giveth this generall refutation of those three impostures before specified that they are not according unto the doctrine of Christ not after Christ to shew that this consideration alone is ground enough to reject any doctrine or part of worship For he that derogates from the all-sufficiency of Christs doctrine detracteth from the alsufficiency and infinitenesse of his Godhead If men would but seriously consider how great and glorious a person he is how infinitely wise they would not listen unto impostors but hang upon Christ's mouth onely for direction in matters of faith and worship They would never dare to presume to attempt any supply unto the unsearchable riches or fulnesse of wisedome the manifold wisedome of God displaid in his Gospell Ephes 3.10 In him dwelleth all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and therefore beware least any man spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ The Deitie of Christ was the maine ground why Peter professeth in the behalfe of the rest of the Aposties a resolution to adhere constantly and solely unto the doctrine of Christ Joh. 6.68,69 1. He layeth downe two reasons for adherence unto Christ's doctrine alone 1. The alsufficiency thereof to instruct us in the way unto eternall life and salvation Thou hast the words of eternall life vers 68. and this he maketh good from the alsufficiency of his office and person vers 69. Thou art that Christ the sonne of the living God Thou are not onely man but God The sonne of the living God therefore thou art all-sufficient to be our Christ our Priest King and Prophet and therefore thou hast the words of eternall life 2. We have the utter insufficiency of all created persons to give us any light herein whither shall we goe vers 68 that is for the words of eternall life Christ is the sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 therefore will infallibly guide us unto heaven But if
God will make plentifull provision for all their wants It is the inference of the Apostle himselfe Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things He that soared not his owne sonne his deare son his most tenderly beloved sonne but delivered him up for us all unto the slaughter how shall he not with him freely give us all things that is all things needfull for our eternall happinesse and salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.13 The promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Timoth. 4.8 4. They may hence be certaine of a continuall confirmation of their graces and preservation from Apostacy Gods t If Kings bear goodwill to some family if his love begin in some chief one who is with him at court as his speciall favourite it is so much the firmer to all the rest of them Thus here how firme and sure is his love to us whoâ—n he hath loved unto life in Christ our head and eldest brother who is his naturall sonne from whom it is impossible that his love should ever start and when it is sure to the head can the body be forsaken Mr Bayne on Eph. â— ver 4. pa. 39. love of them is like his love of him immutable Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me saith Christ Joh. 17.23 If the head be alwaies the beloved the members can never be hated The fruits therefore of this love the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 If the naturall sonne of God be daily his delight and that as well unto as from eternity Therefore with everlasting kindnesse he will have mercy on his adoptive sonnes The mountaines shall depart and the hils be removed But my kindnesse shall not depart from them neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on them Isai 54.8,10 But now if he should not uphold and establish them by his spirit Psalm 51.12 if he should not continually support and underprop their graces but suffer them totally and finally to decay and wither this would be a palpable withdrawing of his loving kindnesse and a shutting up his tender mercies in anger Besides the sonnes love of them resembleth the fathers love of him Joh. 15.9 As the father hath loved me so have have I loved you Now there is no change in the fathers love of him therefore neither in his love of them And therefore we may conclude that as it is their duty so it shall be their priviledge and happinesse to continue in his love The Apostle Paul professeth in the behalfe of all believers that nothing can divorce them from the love of God in Christ that is for Christ I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38,39 In those last words which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The Apostle layeth downe the ground of the perpetuity of God's love of his children 'T is not in themselves but in Christ Jesus that is it is for his sake for that unalterable affection which he beareth unto him Lastly from the eminency of God's favour unto Christ his members may with confidence expect the perfect and full glorification of their soules and bodies hereafter in heaven For our Saviour himselfe in that prayer of his Joh. 17. having petitioned for the glory of all that were to believe on him he inforceth this his petition by representing unto the Father the love that he hath borne unto him as man from all eternity Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world ver 24. Is is as if he had said That love which thou bearest unto me expresse unto those that are mine As thou loved'st mee invest them with that glory which thou hast decreed unto my humanity Believers then may as confidently expect their owne glory as they are assured of the Fathers affection unto Christ and this assurance should digest all their sorrowes and miseries here in this life From Consolations I proceed unto Exhortations and they shall be directed either unto the enemies or members of Christ 1. Then for enemies and aliens they may hence be exhorted 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against Christ 2. Unto a serious and earnest endeavour after reconciliation and union with him 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against him and his his members ministers and other ordinances Who dare almost oppose the Minions of earthly Princes for History presents us with plentifull instances of such whom their very frownes have ruined O then the hatred of heavens favourite must needs be infinitely more fatall and unfortunate Because he is able to crush his most potent adversaries tremble then to consider that all thy life long thou hast hated the beloved loathed and abhorred God's darling been averse from the Son of his love rejected his elect servant in whom his soule delighteth been a most disaffected and malignant Antagonist unto him in whom the Father is well-pleased 2. Because Christ is so highly graced with God all his enemies may be exhorted to doe what lieth in them for the future for reconciliation and union with him by application of themselves unto the diligent use of such meanes and ordinances as God hath sanctified and set apart for that purpose For those that are not united with him cannot expect so much as a good look from God because God is reconciled onely in him 2 Cor. 5.19 he accepts none but in the beloved Ephes 1.6 He is well pleased with none but such as are in him Those that are out of him lye under the displeasure and wrath of God which is a consuming fire In terrene courts how ambitious are men to be related unto the grand favourite as knowing that he is the channell of all considerable preferments Should it not then be the utmost ambition of men to have relation unto Christ for through him onely God dispenseth all saving favours unto the sonnes of men We may say of him in reference unto God as Tacitus did of Sejanus the powerfull favourite of Tiberius ut quisque Sejano intimus ita ad Caesaris amicitiam validus Contrà quibus infensus esset metu ac sordibus conflictebantur He that was an intimate of Sejanus needed not with any great labour search for honours He that had him his enemy languished under dispraise and misery None had any honour without his favour Neither without him could any keep any place of either profit or credit with security Besides
our dayes in the fruits and offices of love so that all our actions flow from love be manaâ—…d in love and end in love 2. The Apostle directs us to conforme our selves herein unto Christs love of us Walke in love as Christ hath loved us There be foure things especially wherein our love of our brethren should be conformable unto Christs love of us 1. Constancy 2. Freenesse 3. Selfe-denyall and humility 4. Reality of expressions 1. Constancy As God he hath loved us from everlasting Prov. 8.30 As man he loveth his owne in the world unto the end Iohn 13.1 That is for ever Our love of our Brethren should therefore be perpetuall and not be altered interrupted or abated by their petty unkindnesses much lesse by the greatest and most miserable change of their outward condition Prov. 17.17 2. Freenesse He died for the ungodly and for sinners Rom. 5.6,8 He loved us in the very height of our rebellion How did he weep over Jerusalem and bemoane its sad fate though it were a place replenisht with persons that breathed nothing but hostility against him Luk. 19.41,42 c. And at his death how fervently prayed he for the pardon of his rageing and insulting crucifyers Luk. 23.34 If we will walke by this patterne of Christs love we must exercise some love unto the most impious and undeserving wretches imaginable We must love our enemies blesse them that curse us doe good to them that hate us and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us Math. 5.44 3. Our love must be conformable unto Christs love in the selfe-denyall and humility of it 2 Cor. 8.9 Phil. 2.5,6,7,8 His love was so humble as that it condescended unto the very washing of his disciples feet Iohn 13. We must so farr deny our selves in our love as to shew it though it make nothing unto our advantage nay though it make much unto our disadvantage though it be with the hazard of peace reputation wealth and in some cases of life We must stoop unto the lowest and meanest offices of love especially to promote the good of soules Lastly we should imitate Christs love in the reality of its expressions He went about all his life doing good Act. 10.38 and at last sacrificed 〈◊〉 life for us and therefore we should love not in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 Ioh. 3.18 Iam. 2.15,16 There should be a labour and worke of our love 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 that is our love should be laborious and working ministering unto the saints Christs love was so liberall as that he gave himselfe his blood his life his soule for us and he communicates unto us the satisfaction and merit of his sufferings the graces of his spirit and all his communicable prerogatives There should be likewise such a franke disposition in our love as that we should impart what we hold dearest for the good of Gods Church and people We should lay downe our lives for some brethren 1 Iohn 3.16 Thus Aquila and Priscilla for the life of Paul laid downe their owne necks Rom. 16.3,4 Christ expressed his love in forgiving those that offend as well as in giving those that want He forgiveth us ten thousand talents infinite treasons and rebellions we should not therefore be inexorable unto our brethren for a debt of an hundred pence Math. 18. from verse 24. unto the end of the chapter I proceed unto the second fulnesse of grace that dwelleth and inhereth in Christ's humanity The fulnesse of the grace of the spirit which shall be by me with all possible brevity and plainnesse 1. explained and cleared 2. confirmed 3. applied 1. For explication In the words of the Apostle under this sence we have an adjunct grace set forth unto us 1. By its extent and excellency 2. By its subject 3. By its inhesion in that subject 4. By its cause and originall 1. The extent and excellency of it is expressed in two severall gradations It was 1. A fulnesse 2. An all-fulnesse of grace 2. It s subject was Christs humane nature in him that is in Christ as man 3. We have the inhesion of this adjunct grace in this subject him dwelleth Of which terme I conceive choice is made to denote that this all-fulnesse was in Christ after a permanent and fixed manner it dwelled in him Sutable to which expression is that of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 11. ver 2. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Vbi verbum requiescit saith Suarez ibi indicat permanentiam per modum habitus The word rest signifieth the permanency and constancy of abode that the spirit was to make in him it was habitually to rest in him 4. Lastly we have the cause of all of all this fulnesse dwelling in him the decree of the father It pleased the father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Christ owed it not either to his owne or others merits but solely to the free purpose and independant pleasure of heaven Indeed the word father is not found in the Originall yet it is understood and therefore rightly supplied by Erasmus who herein is followed by the best translations All that I shall say in farther unfolding these words as understood of Christ's habituall grace shall be in giving satisfaction unto these two questions 1. What is meant by this fulnesse of grace in Christ 2. How an all-fulnesse of grace can be said to be in his humane nature 1. What is meant by this fulnesse of grace in Christ Antonius Delphinus upon John 1.14 puts a difference between these two expressions To be full of grace and to have the fulnesse of grace A river nay a pit or pond the least vessell or measure may be full of water only a fountaine the sea hath in it a fulnesse of water A starr a beame nay a glasse inlightned by the Sun may be full of light only the Sun hath in it the fulnesse of light Even so divers of the saints the virgin Mary Iohn the Baptist Zacharias Elizabeth and Stephen are in Scripture said to be full of the holy Ghost and grace full as vessells as streames full as starrs as beames But Christ only had in him the fulnesse of grace he was full of grace as a fountaine as a sea as a sun He was not only full of grace but the fulnesse of grace dwelled in him so that in his grace there was an all-sufficiency an indeficiency 1. An all-sufficiency sufficient it was for ornament unto himselfe and for influence upon others He had so much as was requisite for the dispensation of all his offices and for transacting all businesses belonging to his Church and as was necessary for his filling up all the emptinesse of grace expelling all the fulnesse of sinne and supplying all the defects and wants possible in his members 2. An indeficiency It will never faile Chrysostome in the beginning of his 13. Homily upon the first of John illustrates this by the
concerning Christs gracious endowments the plenty and the excellency of them 1. The plenty of them and therefore it is in the plurall number lights and perfections 2. The excellency of them imported by the joyning of the article in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those lights those perfections For this saith Ames in an oration of his touching this subject is not without it's emphasis and might signifie that the light of his knowledge the perfection of his purity surpasseth that of all other creatures 9. And lastly The unction of Solomon Psal 45.7 was a type of Gods anoynting Christs humanity with the holy Ghost Act. 10.38 as appeareth by the Apostles application of the Psalmists words unto Christ Heb. 1.9 Now Solomons unction in the Psalme was not outward visible and ceremoniall with materiall oyle 1. Because it is attributed immediatly unto God God thy God hath anoynted thee Whereas the externall anoynting of Solomon at his coronation day was by Zadock the Priest 1 King 1.38 2. It is preferd unto that of his fellowes God hath anoynted thee c above thy fellowes And how his externall unction excelled that of his fellowes cannot be evidenced out of Scripture But if we speake of an inward spirituall and metaphoricall anoynting of him with gifts qualifying him for the office and duty of a King those that are here termed his fellowes fell farr short of him Solomons wisdome excelled the wisdome of all the children of the East country and all the wisdome of Aegypt for he was wiser then all men then Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sons of Mahol and his fame was in all nations round about 1 Kings 4.30,31 Solomon therefore did very fitly typifie Christ whom God anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes in an higher and fuller sense then him Here we have a twofold comparison of the infusion of gifts and graces into Christs manhood one of similitude another of unequalls 1. Of similitude t is resembled unto an anoynting God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse And this oyle unto which Christs habituall grace was likened was not meere oyle of Olive but mixed with precious spices compounded after the art of the Apothecary or perfumer as it is said of the sacred oyle of the tabernacle Exod. 30.25 and unto this oyle there is an apt resemblance of the grace of the spirit in Christ because it answereth all the properties and effects thereof This oyle was fragrant yielding a sweet smell And what is said of the name of Christ in generall is appliable unto his graces in particuler Cant. 1.3 Because of the savour of thy good oyntment thy name is as oyntment powred forth therefore do the virgins love thee Oyle strengthned the body so the grace of the spirit strengthned Christ with might in the inward man Eph. 3 16. It is said of him Luk. 2.40 that he waxed strong in spirit being filled with wisdome and the reason of it is subjoyned and the grace of God was upon him With this oyle in those times they beautified their faces Oyle maketh mans face to shine saith the Psalmist Psal 104.15 So the grace and holinesse of Christ put a lustre upon him and made him to shine gloriously before God and man This oyle was of a refreshing nature and therefore used in feasts and times of rejoycing Whereupon it is termed the oyle of joy and opposed unto mourning Is 61.3 The grace of Christs soule produceth gladnesse and joy unspeakeable and that both in Christ anoynted and his members for whom he was anoynted and therefore it is very fitly stiled the oyle of gladnesse The oyle in those Easterne countries was so sweet as that Manna is for pleasantnesse of tast compared unto it Numb 11.8 The tast of it was as the tast of fresh oyle or the best * Ainsworth moisture of oyle Thus the graces of Christ are delectable and pleasant unto every soule that feeds on them by faith and devout meditation The end for which Aaron and his sons were anoynted was to consecrate them that they might minister unto the Lord in the Priests office Exod. 30.30 So the designe in powring forth without measure the true oyle of anoynting the Spirit upon the Lord Christ was the consecration authorizing and qualification of him for the administration of all his offices 2. Here is a comparison of Christs Unction with the spirit in point of quantity a comparison of unequalls collatio majoris cum minoribus He was anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Here by fellowes may be understood those that were such in a speciall or generall manner 1. Those that were such in a speciall manner by peculiar office all Kings Priests and Prophets for they in those times were anoynted and therefore might in that respect be termed the fellowes of Christ who was anoynted by God himselfe to be the King Priest and Prophet of the Church And he was anointed above these his fellowes because all these three offices were conjoyned in him in dignity surmounted theirs Besides his abilities for them were vaster then theirs But 2. the fellowes of Christ may be understood in a generall way unto which interpretation I incline as the more probable of those that are such by that vocation which is common unto all beleivers for they are all consorts and sharers with Christ in the unction of his spirit and thereby are made Kings and Priests unto God Revel 1.6 But now they were his fellowes not in a way of equality but only in a way of subordination He was anoynted above these his fellowes extensively in regard of the number of his gifts and endowments intensively in respect of the degree or measure For the spirit was not given by measure to him Job 3.34 2. Of this fulnesse that was to be in Christ there ran diverse prophesies under the Old Testament The first is that of Isaiah 11.2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Others may have some feathers of the dove as it were the first fruits of the spirit only But upon him there descended the dove it selfe the whole entire spirit fons omnis spiritus sancti saith Hierome upon the words all the gifts and graces of the spirit The spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. And this descent of the spirit on him was not ut avolaret sed jugiter permaneret as the same Father hath it It was to rest upon him Answerable to which was the record that Iohn bare saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him John 1.32 2. A second prophesie concerning this particular we have in Daniel 9.24 where the Angell Gabriel informed Daniel that Christ was to be the most Holy Seventy weeks are determined to anoint the most holy The most holy he was to be not only essentially as God
the whole series of the Apostles discourse that he speakes of the Church and therefore all is to be restrained unto the Church and her members And of such restraints of the particle we have in this Epistle besides the present place three instances Chap. 1.10,23 Chap. 4.6 Beza thinkes that the Apostle useth it here of set purpose to shew that all difference betweene Jew and Gentile is taken away Before Christs ascension the heavenly dew of Gods grace fell onely upon the fleece the land of Canaan but since upon the whole earth upon even the fulnesse of the Gentiles For Christ ascended farre above all heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might fill all that is to paraphrase the words by parallel places of Scripture that he might poure his Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 that the earth might be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Esay 11.9 The Lutherans understand the words concerning the absolute filling of all places with Christs manhood Cajetan Emanuel Sa and others thinke that to fill all is as much as to fulfill all promises and prophecies that were written of him in the old Testament But the interpretation of the words which I have brought is favoured as expositours upon the place generally alleadge by the scope unto which they serve for confirmation by both the words foregoing of which they are an explication and by the words following which are of them an exemplification 1. By the scope not onely of these words but also of the whole verse nay of the two verses immediately preceding which is laid downe verse 7. Vnto every one of us grace is given c. Now unto the confirmation of this that unto every one grace is given by Christ Christ's ascension to fill every one to fill all is very aptly referred 2. By the words foregoing vers 8. of which they are an explication When he ascended up on high c. hee gave gifts unto men To ascend up on high is to ascend up farre above all heavens and to give gifts unto men is to fill all sorts and kinds of men with gifts The Apostle seemes plainly thinkes Beza to allude unto the verse following that testimony of the Psalmist quoted vers 8. Blessed be the Lord God who daily loadeth us with benefits Psalm 68.19 The filling all things in the Apostle is the same that loading with benefits is in the Psalmist 3. From the words following which are of them as it were an exemplification And he gave some Apostles and some prophets and some Evangelists and some pastours and teachers c. ver 11. Every office there mentioned includeth and presupposeth gifts for it for ungifted officers are no gift or blessing but a curse and judgment rather In the words then as there is expressed the institution of Church officers both extraordinary and ordinary so there is implied the qualification of these officers with abilities and endowments for discharge of their severall duties Now from the qualifying of Church officers with the graces of edification we may inferre the furnishing of Church members with the graces of sanctification Because those were purposely conferred for the production augmentation and confirmation of these He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the edifying of the body of Christ vers 11.12 And the saints are not perfected untill they be filled with grace The body of Christ is not edified unlesse Christ fill all in all unlesse in every part of this body mysticall all faculties of the soule and all members of the body be cloathed with befitting graces In these words then we have a description of the effusion of the spirit upon the Church 1. a finito 2. ab adjunctis intensionis extensionis 1. Afinito medio sive destinato the meanes designed to make way for it Christ's glorious ascension He ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all Joh. 7.38,39 Chapt. 16.7 It is Christs errand and businesse into heaven and therefore you may be confident he will mind it and be very intentive upon the compassing of it The eye and heart of a wise man is almost never off from the end of any important action It were then blasphemy but to imagine that Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge should not constantly have in his consideration and intention the end of so glorious and action as his ascension far above all visible heavens into paradise the house of God the third heaven the heaven of heavens Next we have the adjuncts of this effusion of the spirit the intension and extension of it 1. The intension measure or degree of it It was in comparison of that sparing communication of the spirit before Christ's ascension a filling The spirit was not as before onely sprinkled but powred forth It did descend not in drops or dew but in showers of blessing Ezek. 24.26 The Holy Ghost is now shed on us abundantly Tit. 3.5,6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richly as it is varied in the margent that is largely or plenteously 2. We have the extension of it It was a filling of all He ascended that he might fill all that is that he might fill the universall Church and every true and genuine member thereof The subject then of this distribution of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is generall and universall and that in as many respects as the Church is now said to be Catholick In respect of 1. place 2. persons 3. time 1. In respect of place It is no longer a little garden inclosed within the territories of Jacob but a spacious field diffused successively at least through all nations all lands and countries 2. In respect of the persons Because this filling excludes no sort or condition of men neither Jew nor Gentile Greek nor Barbarian bond nor free male nor female Thus Dionysius Carthusianus expounds here the universall signe He restraines it unto men and takes it distributively de generibus singulorum He ascended farre above all heavens ut impleret omnia genera hominum id est quosdam de universis generibus hominum donis gratiis spiritus Sancti That he might fill all sorts kinds or conditions of men that is some of all sorts with the gifts and graces of the holy Spirit Lastly in respect of time This distribution was not confined unto the times presently after Christs ascension but if we speake of ordinary gifts of the Spirit to continue untill the last day according unto that promise of our Saviour That he will be with as the ministers so the members of the Church alwayes even unto the end of the world Math. 28.20 What comfort doth this place afford against the badnesse barrennesse unhealthinesse or any other incommodiousnesse of the place of a mans habitation against the meannesse or misery of a mans condition against the iniquity of the times upon which a man is cast
then of then sufficiency to perfect in things concerning the conscience implieth that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to peâ—fect the conscience to purify it and pacify it to enable it for the regular performance of all its offices It can put both into our hearts and mouthes the answere of a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 He hath perfected them for ever as a morall cause in the way of satisfaction and merit 1. He hath perfected them satisfactorily He hath fully satisfied Gods justice for all their sinnes 1 John 1.7 Tit. 2.14 Acts 13.39 and for all things considerable in their sinnes for the fault in the offence of Gods majesty and violation of our friendship with him the staine or corruption of sinne all punishments for sinne whether eternall or temporall so that they are freed from the whole curse of the law Galat. 3.13 and totally exempted from any condemnation whatsoever Rom. 8.1 Sprinkling of bloud seven times was required upon severall occasions under the law As in the sin offering for the ignorance of the anointed Priest * Aynsworth Levit. 4.6 on the day of expiation or attonement Chap. 16.14 and in the cleansing of the Leper Chap. 14.7 Now seven is a perfect number used for the compleating of a worke Gen. 3.2,3 and therefore this sprinkling of bloud seven times fitly served to typify that the bloud of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 perfectly and fully cleanseth our soules from all sinnes purgeth our consciences from all dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 This utter and toâ—all removall of our sinnes from us in a way of remission by the all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ was typified by the Scape-goate that did beare upon him all the iniquities of the Children of Israel unto a land not inhabited a land of separation Levit. 16.22 Secondly He hath by the offering of himselfe perfected them that are sanctified meritoriously He hath purchased for them not only a possibility but also a certainty of salvation He hath not onely by his merits opened the gate of heaven made salvation possible unto all that believe but further procured in the behalse of all the elect an actuall admission into glory for he hath merited for them faith repentance regeneration perseverance all gifts and graces that are absolutely necessary and will infallibly bring unto salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 The chastisement of our peare was laid upon him Esay 53.5 the chastisement that was laid upon him was of such worth as that it was sufficient to purchase a through and perpetuall peace full favour and perfect reconciliation with God And a peace with the God of heaven is an ample security and protection against an uncessant warre with all the Divels in hell against the greatest enmity and rancour the most powerfull opposition of wicked men on earth and withall an assured and undoubted pledge of all such favours priviledges honours and dignities as favourites may expect from so royall and munificent a master as the King of kings and Lord of Lords Of this perfection of Christs influence that I have spoken of we have in the remainder of the words an amplification 1. from the extent thereof in regard of continuance 2. from a restraint thereof in respect of object 1. From the extent thereof in regard of continuance By one offering he hath perfected them that are sanctified for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated for ever may be referred either unto the duration of the world or else the duration of these that are sanctified 1. Vnto the duration of the world Christs oblation of himselfe perfects those that are sanctified in all ages of the world It is an in exhaust fountaine the satisfaction and merit of which will never be drawne drie As the sunne enlightens all men having the use of sight that ever were are or shall be in the world So Christs sacrifice being of infinite merit perfects all those that ever were are or shall be sanctified unto the end of the world Indeed of it selfe it is sufficient for the perfection of even infinite millions of worlds This perpetuall efficacy of Christs death was typified under the law by the casting of Cedar wood into the midst of the burning of the heifer of whose ashes was made the water of separation and purification for sinne Numb 9.6 Now of this Cedar was a very meete type because it is a firme and durable wood that never rotteth 2. For ever may be referred unto the duration of those that are sanctified and so it denoteth the perseverance of this influence upon them It is not for a time only but unto the end of their lives indeed unto all eternity It keeps them by the power of God through faith unto salvation Lastly you have the restraint of this influence unto them that are sanctified both by infusion of habituall grace and holinesse from God and also by dedication and consecration as vessells of honour unto God as by Gods decree of election so by their owne stedfast purpose and resolution Unsanctified and unrenewed persons then dogs and swine who are not as yet separated out of the world but prostituted unto the vanities thereof whose soules are destitute of all saving and sanctifying graces and defiled with innumerable lusts and corruptions that are unmortified who are utterly neglective and contemptuous of Gods ordinances grosse and impenitent profaners of his worship can expect no share in comfort or benefit by the fulnesse of Christs satisfaction and merit Unto this place we may adde another in the same booke Chap. 5.9 being made perfect he became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him In which words we have 1. The Ground 2. Manner 3. Effect 4. Extension And 5. Restriction of the object of this influence The ground of it Being made perfect to wit by the things which he suffered as appeareth by comparison of the words with the foregoing vers 8. By his sufferings he was perfectly qualified and fully fitted for discharge of this great businesse the purchasing of our salvation 2. The manner of this influence He was not the instrument or meanes but the principall cause the author of our salvation 3. The effect It was not only salvation but eternall salvation * Bilson Fuller or more sufficient then eternall salvation we neither expect nor ever shall have any since that which is eternall admitteth no change nor increase 4. The extension of this influence in regard of object He became the Author of eternall salvation unto all that obey him of what condition soever though never so low and despicable want of learning meanenesse of parts basenesse of birth poverty of estate and all other outward miseries of life can be no impediment unto the all-powerfull influence of Christs merits Lastly we have the restriction of this influence in regard of object He
describeth 1. in regard of the tearme from which 2. In respect of the tearme unto which it was 1. In regard of the tearme from which it was It was a deliverance from death and corruption 1. From death and the grave by way of subvention and release Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is my person considered in its mortall part in the state of the dead 2. It was a deliverance from corruption that is putrefaction by way of prevention and preservation Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption that is to feele and to suffer rottennesse 2. Christs resurrection is here set forth in regard of its tearme unto which as it was the way unto a glorious and immortall life Thou wilt shew me the path of life vers 11. or as Peter quotes it Act. 2.28 Thou hast made known unto me the wayes of life that is in my resurrection thou hast given me experience of the way unto life from death Secondly David prophesyeth of the glorification of Christs soule consequent unto the resurrection of his body In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Which passage we have thus abbreviated in the Apostle Peter's quotation of it Acts. 2.28 Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance Here we have the 1. Matter 2. Measure 3. Duration 4. The Causes of that glory with which Christs soule in his exaltation was repleate 1. The matter of it joy and pleasures The Apostle Peter speaking of the imperfect and begun joy of Believers here in this life saith it is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 The joy then of Christs soule in its glorified condition is glorious beyond all comprehension 2. Here is the measure or degree of it fulnesse of joy God hath promised to make all that trust in him to drinke of the river of his pleasures Psalm 36.8 But in the heart of his son Christ Jesus there is an ocean of joy The Spirit was given not by measure unto him John 3.34 And as the Spirit was the principle of his grace so it was the fountaine of his glory and therefore his glory as well as his grace was unmeasurable Thirdly here is the duration of this glory pleasures for evermore All his life long he was a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe Is 53.3 Towards his passion his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Math. 26.38 And in the dolefull time of his passion that fearfull houre of darkenesse his sorrowes were beyond measure Math. 27.46 But for all this God made him ample amends in the eternity of his joy and pleasures at Gods right hand Lastly we have the causes of this glory of Christs soule the full vision and the infinite power of God 1. The full vision of God In thy presence is fulnesse of Joy which in Acts. 2.28 is thus varied Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance 2. The right hand that is omnipotency of God elevating his soule unto this vision by the light of glory At or rather by thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Jesus was exalted by the right hand of God Acts. 2.33 Unto this prophecy I shall adde three more The first is Isaiah 4.2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely c. In which words Christ if we understand them of him in respect of his humanity is called the branch of the Lord in reference unto the active principle of his conception the holy Ghost the power of the highest Luk. 1.33 The fruit of the earth in respect of the passive principle of his conception the Virgin Mary Another prophecy is Isaiah 52.13 Behold my servant shall be exalted and extolled and be very high In that nature according unto which he is my servant he shall be exalted and be very high Here are divers tearmes of the like import heaped up to expresse the unexpressible glory of Christs humanity in its Exaltation The last prophecie which I shall mention is Ezek. 17.22,23 Thus saith the Lord God I will also take off the highest branch of the high Cedar and will set it I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one and will plant it upon a high mountaine and eminent In the mountaine of the height of Israel will I plant it and it shall bring forth boughs and beare fruit and be a goodly Cedar and under it shall dwell all fowle of every wing In the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell Here Christ in regard of his Humiliation was but a tender one cropt off from a young twig In his exaltation he will be a goodly or stately Cedar which God will plant upon a high mountaine and eminent In the mountaine of the height of Israel that is not only in the Church militant which is tearmed Gods holy hill of Sion Psalm 2.6 But also in the Church triumphant intitled Heb. 12.22 mount Sion the city of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem With the prophecies concerning Christs glory concurre also the types of it I shall instance but in a few 1. The Arke of the Testament was to be overlaid with pure gold within and without and to have a crowne of gold round about it Exod. 25.11 2. The Altar of Incense also was to be overlaid with pure gold the top thereof and the sides thereof round about and the hornes thereof and it was also to have a crowne of gold round about Exod. 30.3 And all this may be to typify the plentifull glory that was to be in Christs humanity He was to be glorious within and without he was to be covered and crowned with glory Unto these two types of Christs fulnesse of glory I shall adde a third the garments of the high Priest that were for glory and beauty Exod. 28.2 In Levit. 16.4 the high Priest was to weare in the day of expiation plaine linnen garments and this figured thinkes Aynsworth the base estate of Christ here on earth And why may not we say answerably that his glorious and golden garments typified his glorious estate in heaven These forementioned prophecies and types receive cleare light from expresse affirmations of Christs glory in the new Testament Christ after he had suffered enter'd into his glory Luk. 24.26 Where glory is as it were appropriated unto him as the most eminent subject and principall efficient of glory He had as it were the monopoly of glory All the glory in heaven was in some sort his glory God crowned him with glory and honour Heb. 2.7 and set him at his owne right hand in heavenly places Ephes 1.20 Where by placing of him at Gods right hand is understood a conferring upon his humanity as soveraigne authority so also unspeakable glory and dignity Unto these places we may also refer all those passages that speake of Christs exaltation Col.
1.18 God gave him in all things the preheminence Phil. 2.9 He highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name Ephes 1.21 and placed him far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come All these and the like Scriptures evidently hold forth as a fulnesse of office and authority so also a fulnesse of glory and majesty in Christ as man Christs manhood was exalted unto an higher degree of glory majesty and dignity then the most glorious Saint or Angell ever was or shall be Principalities powers mights and dominions fall far short of his glory This doctrine concerning the all-fulnesse of glory in the manhood of Christ in its state of exaltation may be applied for Refutation Consolation Exhortation 1. For refutation of the doctrine of the Papists touching the corporall presence of Christs body in the Lords supper For this doctrine of theirs by just consequence makes Christs body of glory or most glorious body his impassible body to be most inglorious because it affirmeth it under the formes of bread and wine to be obnoxious unto as execrable indignities and obscenities as can be imagined as for example to be burnt by fire to be blown away by the wind to be vomited and disgorged by either a sickly or drunken communicant to be put in a dunghill to be devoured by wormes mice dogs or hogs to passe through the guts or entrals into the draught See farther of this Bishop Morton of the institution of the Sacrament of the blessed body and bloud of Christ c. lib. 4. cap. 10. Secondly Christs fulnesse of glory in his exaltation may serve for the consolation of all his members because they may be confident of conformity thereunto for God hath predestinated them to be conformed unto the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 Vnto the image of his glory as well as unto the image of his grace and crosse For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also reigne with him 2 Tim. 2 11,12 If Christ himselfe the King be crowned with glory and honour he will bestow a matrimoniall crowne of glory and honour upon his Queen the Church and every faithfull soule It is said of David that the Lord had established him King over Israel and that he had exalted his Kingdome for his people Israels sake 2 Sam. 5.12 and therefore doubtlesse his care was to promote the glory and happinesse of the whole people of Israell as well as of his owne person and family David was a type of Christ and therefore we may say of Christ that God established him in and exalted him unto his Kingdome of glory for his people his Churches sake and upon this we may conclude that he will be carefull to make them glorious and happy as well as himselfe This conformity of Christs members unto his fulnesse of glory is either inchoate here in this life or else consummate hereafter in heaven 1. Then the saints here even in this life may enjoy a begun and imperfect conformity unto Christs glory and this may be evinced from 1. the relations of it 2. Gods promises of it and 3. the saints prayers for it 1. From the relations of it It had the relation of an end 1. Vnto the ministery of Christ himselfe here upon earth These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you and that your joy might be full John 15.11 John 17.13 2. Unto the penning of the sacred Scriptures These things write we unto you that your joy may be full 1 Iohn 1.4 Thirdly unto the prayers of the Saints Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full John 16.24 2. There are many gracious promises in Scripture of this inchoation of the Churches and Saints glory here on earth 2 Peter 1.10,11 If ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be minister'd unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Even here in this life we may have an entrance into Christ's Kingdome of glory that shall be everlasting And this entrance may be abundantly minister'd unto us Hag. 2.7 I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of Hostes The words perhaps may primarily be understood of Gods honouring the materiall Temple with the bodily presence of Christ hut we may put an enlargement upon them and extend them unto the Spirituall house of God his Church which he filleth here in this life with the beginnings and first-fruites of glory Ps 36.7,8 Those of the childrē of men that put their trust under the shadow of thy winges shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasure In Esay 66.10,11 God promiseth all the true members of the Church all that rejoyce with Jerusalem and are glad with her all that love her to satisfy them with the breasts of her consolation that they may milke out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory For thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend peace unto her like a river c. vers 12. If the Church be in a distressed and persecuted condition as a meadow that is mowne downe why Christ shall come like raine upon the mowen grasse as showers that water the earth Ps 72.6 When she lieth under reproaches and suffering even then a Spirit of glory shall rest upon her 1 Pet. 4.13 In his dayes that is under his goverment shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth Psalm 72.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phil. 4.7 Lastly we have the Saints prayers for these beginnings of glory recorded in Scripture and that both of petition and thanksgiving 1. Petition Now the God of hope saith Paul in the behalfe of the Romans fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 This petition doubtlesse had a favourable and gracious reception The least that can be said of it is that it is a sufficient argument of not onely the possibility but also probability of the thing petitioned for In it there are two things especially remarkable pertinent unto the argument in hand 1. The matter with which he praied that they might be filled all joy and peace 2. An amplification of this matter from its causes to wit instrument end and principall efficient 1. Then we have the matter with which he prayed that they might be filled all joy and peace which Synechdochically may be very well put for all other inchoations of glorification because they some way or other imply them 1. Then he prayeth that God would fill them with all joy Now a Christian hath all joy that is his
teares Here they sow in teares Psal 126.5 Thou feedest them with the bread of teares and givest them teares to drink in great measure Psalm 80.5 But light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Psalm 97.11 and a glorious harvest will come wherein they shall reape in joy and God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Revel 21.4 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and trouble Job 14.1 man is borne unto trouble as the sparkes flee upward Job 5.7 But there remaineth a rest unto the people of God Hebr. 4.9 a rest from all their labours Revel 14.13 their hearts therefore may be glad and their glory may rejoyce and their flesh also shall rest in hope Psalm 16.9 who almost but may take up that complaint of the Psalmist Psalm 88.3 My soule is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave But unto it all Christ's members may oppose that which David speaketh in the name of Christ himselfe Thou wilt make knowne unto mee the waies of life Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance Act. 2.28 Here Gods people have waters of affliction of a full cup wrung out unto them Psalm 73.10 Here they have a full draught of misery But against the bitternesse of this cup they may be cheared by expectation of the river of divine pleasures the streames thereof make glad the city of God which God hath promised to make all those drinke of that put their trust under the shadow of his wing For with him is the fountaine of life in his light shall we see light Psalm 36.8,9 Amongst the miseries of this life we may well range the infamy of our names and it is common and incident to the most of men Who almost so innocent but hath occasion to complaine as David Psal 69.19,20 Thou hast knowne my reproach and my shame and my dishonour c. Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse Against this we should comfort our selves with this confidence that God will one day cleare up our reputations and wipe away all obloquies from our names The Lord Christ will come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 The Lord Christ will be the fountaine of their glory and the measure of it will be unto admiration Unto the reproaches which the names of saints and Believers lie under we may add that which ministreth no lesse argument of griefe and sorrow unto a sanctified soule the unavoidable society of the ungodly How was just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 Woe is me saith David that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Psalm 120.5 But against this we must solace our selves by the hopes of Gods glorious presence in which we shall enjoy as Christ now doth fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore at the right hand of God Lastly here is comfort and encouragement unto those that are Christs against the terrours of death When we are as Joshua and David to goe the way of all the earth Joshua 23.14 1 Kings 2.2 to die This consideration may comfort us that God will shew us the path of life make knowne unto us experimentally the waies of life Nature trembleth to consider that one day it must descend downe into the throne of death make it's bed in the dust among wormes and putrefaction But Faith erects the soule by giving evidence of our future full vindication from all the dishonour of the grave and full conformity unto the all-fulnessē of Christs glory Lastly the all-fulnesse of glory that dwelleth in Christs humanity may be applied in a way of exhortation 1. Because it is the pattern pledge of our owne fulnesse of glory Phil. 1.21 Therefore it should weane us from the love of this miserable world and life and quicken in us an earnest expectation of and fervent longing for that time day wherein this glory shall be not only revealed but communicated unto us Death will put a period unto the most lasting joyes of this world therefore we should not let out our hearts unto them but there are pleasures at Gods right hand that are beyond its reach for they shall be for evermore The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from a word that signifies victory because * Rivet in locū eternity is as it were a conquest of time and whatsoever is measured thereby Unto these everlasting delights our soules should be alwaies suspiring Here we are troubled with the passibility animality and weaknesse of our bodies and we dread all thoughts of the corruption and dishonour of the grave and therefore we should sigh and groane in our selves for the redemption of our bodies we should ardently wish and pray for incorruptible powerfull glorious and Spirituall bodies The sin of the soule is an heavier loade unto a gracious heart then the frailty of the body O wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Why death it selfe will give a full and finall deliverance it will exempt as from the pollution of sin so from the vexation of all temptation to it After death there will be no more any lustings of the flesh against the Spirit no more any warring of the law in our members against the law of our minds and bringing us into captivity unto the law of sin which is in our members Rom. 7.23 And therefore death is desirable by all that are in Christ Phil. 1.23 so it be with submission unto the decree of God with a patient contentation to serve our owne generation by the will of God Act. 13.36 To do first that service for the Church which God hath appointed us No filthinesse comparable unto that in the spot of sin and therefore how welcome should a glorified condition be unto us in which we shall be without spot blemish wrinkle or any such thing The mortification of sin in this life is attended with the peace of conscience that passeth all understanding but because it is not perfect therefore it is often interrupted with stormes But the utter eradication of sin is followed with a perpetuall calme and therefore ardently desired by all that know and prize tranquillity of Spirit A cluster of grapes cut down at the brook of Eshcol and brought into the wildernesse was very sweet Numb 13. Oh then how pleasant will the whole vintage in the land of Canaan be If the first fruites of our glory be so joyous and delightfull O then the comfort that we shall reap in the whole crap or harvest The fulnesse and perfection of our glory is such as never entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 The glory of Christ in his transfiguration on the mount was so satisfactory unto Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or
fulnesse unto us And they shall be foure 1. The actuation of our faith which is our receiving or acceptance of Christs fulnesse 2. an increase in spirituall poverty 3. hunger and thirsting after Christ's fulnesse 4. A diligent use of ordinances which are instruments on Christ's part by which he conveyeth unto us of his fulnesse 1. The Actuation the stirring up of our faith which is our receiving and acceptance of Christs fulnesse There is a fulnesse of light in the sunne but it illightneth none but those who open their eyes to admit make use of it's light There dwelleth an all-fulnesse in Christ But what advantage can we expect thereby unlesse we open our hearts to receive of it This all-fulnesse is the vniversall foode of the whole Church It is a feast of fat things of fat things full of marrow Esay 25.6 But our hungry soules will receive but little satisfaction thereby unlesse by faith we feed on the severall dishes that are therein It comprizeth abundant provisions not onely for the necessities but also comforts and delights of all his people But we must reach out the hand of faith to supply thence all our wants or else notwithstanding this abundance we may yet be in an indigent and comfortlesse condition The Church hath in Christ breasts of Consolation an abundance of glory but she must suck before she can be satisfied with these breasts She must milke out before she can be delighted with abundance of glory Esay 66.11 Christ is the bread of life but the bread of life cannot quicken nourish unlesse we eat of it In him are the waters of life but these waters cannot refresh and comfort unlesse we drinke liberally of them And he that believeth out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water John 7.37 Those of the children of men that put their trust under the shadow of the Lords wings that is true believers shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he shall make them to drinke of the river of his pleasures Psam 36.7,8 The woman of Samaria said to our Saviour Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deepe Joh. 4.11 Christ indeed is a deepe well But God his name be praysed for it hath provided something to draw with the bucket of faith Let us let downe this bucket into this well Let us actuate and exercise our faith upon the all-fulnesse that is in Christ and hereby with joy we shall draw water out of the wells of salvation Indeed this well is of infinite depth the bucket of our faith is of a narrow capacitie and our wants are continually renewed for the supply of which we must alwaies be letting downe and drawing up this bucket of faith We must not suffer it to be idle but set it alwaies a worke What the Apostle speakes concerning the revelation of one part of Christ's fulnesse the fulnesse of his righteousnesse Rom. 1.17 may be applied unto the revelation and communication of other parcels thereof They are revealed and communicated proportionably unto the growth and progresse of our faith From faith to faith A second help that will conduce much unto the enlargement of our participation of Christ's fulnesse is an increase in spirituall poverty humility self deniall and apprehension of our utter emptinesse in spirituals For this emptieth a man of himselfe and the more a man is emptied of himselfe the more roome is made for the fulnesse of Christ and so a soule is the better fitted and prepared for the reception thereof Every valley every lowly soule shall be filled Luk. 3.5 The humble valleys are covered over with corne Psalm 65.13 whiles the high hills are barren Pride selfe sufficiency selfe-dependancy unqualifieth a man for receiving from Christs fulnesse for they fill a man with himselfe and the fuller a man is of himselfe the lesse place there is for Christ The rich saith Mary he hath sent empty away Luk. 1.53 Those who are rich and full onely in a proud opinion he slightingly dismisseth them they get nothing of his fulnesse and no wonder for they relish it not they make no reckoning of it To allude unto that of Solomon Prov. 27.7 The full soule loatheth the honey combe the soule that is full in fancy conceit Whereas on the other side a soule throughly convinced of its owne wants and emptinesse cannot but be deeply sensible that without a supply from Christ it is lost and undone for ever and therefore its emptinesse presents unto it a continuall argument for mourning And a mourning and humbled soule God will never leave unsatisfied and uncomforted I have satiated saith he the weary soule and I have replenished every sorrowfull soule Jer. 31.25 The third meanes qualifying and fitting of us for receipts out of Christs fulnesse is hunger and thirst after it For this in some sort enlargeth the capacity of the soule makes it more capacious and comprehensive of Christs fulnesse then otherwise it could be Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psalm 81.10 Desire is the mouth of the soule if that be widened we have Gods promise for the filling of our soules Dissatisfaction is the inseparable curse of inordinate and unlawfull desires But holy and heavenly desires are still rewarded with the blessing of satisfaction Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Math. 5.6 He hath filled the hungry with good things Luk. 1.53 He satisfyeth the longing soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse Psalm 107.9 I will powre water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground Isa 44.3 A thirsty soule is here resembled unto dry ground unto the earth in a great drought when it doth as it were gape for raine upon such a soule saith God I will powre not drops but flouds David in Psalm 63.1 professeth a very earnest desire after communion with God in Christ O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is and hereupon vers 5. he promiseth unto himselfe sweet and full satisfaction My soule shall be satisfyed as with marrow and fatnesse That which Paul speaketh of himselfe and Timothy in reference unto the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.11 is applicable unto Christ in order unto all Christians His mouth is open unto us his heart enlarged We are not straightned in him but we are straightned in our owne bowels that is in our narrow affections which are not in any measure of proportion corresponsive unto the all fulnesse that dwelleth in him The last help which I shall advise unto for enlargment of our participation from Christs fulnesse is a diligent use of ordinances for these are the Instruments by which Christ conveyeth of his fulnesse These are the two golden pipes by which the two Olive branches the two natures of Christ or his two offices Regall and