Alms shall famish for want of it Vse 2. For Exhortation I. To such as want Christ My counsel to them is that they would labour for an interest in him you cannot be well without him you will famish your soul if you have not Christ for your meat and drink Quest How may we come to have an interest in him 1. Be thorowly perswaded of your need of him This is the first step to the attainment of him Look upon your natural guilt upon all your sinnes upon the severity of the curse of the Law against disobedience upon the exact justice of God in punishing sinne and upon your own helpless nesse either to satisfie justice or to stand out under the deserved wrath of God and you will be convinced of your need of him 2. Wait upon Jesus Christ in that way in which he gives himself to sinners The publick Ordinances chiefly the preaching of the Word In that Christ makes the tender of himself and by that ordinarily faith is wrought in the heart to embrace that tender Rom. 10. 17. Zacheus obtained Christ by being in the way of Christ Luke 19. 4. the Ordinances are the Sycamore-tree Câ—â—mb up into them and stay and wait till Christ come He is to passe by that way 3. Observe his call and embrace it Prov. 9. init Luke 14. 16 17 18. Mark the impressions of the Spirit the knocking 's of Christ Thus did Zacheus Luke 19. 5 6. Zacheus Come down c. And he made haste and came down c. Beg of Christ that he would give a heart to come down when he sayes come down He is the meat and drink of God He that refuseth him sinneth against his own soule Consider seriously of it When you finde your stomack crave meat and drink think O what shall I do for spiritual meat and drink II. To such as have an interest in Christ who is meat and drink let me commend a few things to you 1. Feed on him Eat and drink of this flesh and blood every day Christians grow weak because they let their meat and drink stand by them 'T is not the flesh in the pot but the flesh in the stomack that gives nourishment 'T is not the drink in the vessel but the drink taken down that revives Stir up spiritual hunger and that will make you feed heartily on Christ Eat and drink Christ by Meditation eat and drink him by Application Let your faith draw in Christ in every Ordinance Keep your Spiritual meals as constantly as you do your other meales Your eating will help you to a stomack Satisfaction and hunger are mutual helps one to another Eating and drinking other meat takes away the appetite but it increaseth the spiritual appetite Fixed times of spiritual feeding every day are marvellous profitable When you have prayed call your heart to account what it hath taken in of Christ When you have been reading ask it what nourishment it hath received from the Word When the Lords Supper is over enquire what refreshment is received Put your selves forward to frequent constant actual feeding It 's pitty such precious meat and drink should stand in corners when the soule hath so much need of it 2. Be thankful for this meat and drink That it is provided for any that it is actually dealt out to you That you have that meat and drink which others want There are many that have no other meat but sinne They drink iniquity like water Job 15. 16. Some eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit Some there are that drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God Amos 2. 8. They eat the flesh of men and drink their blood like new wine Micah 3. 3. The greatest part of men have no other meat then the pulse of worldly comforts no other drink then the puddle water of created things and thou hast the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ to eat and drink prize and value at an high rate the exceeding riches of this grace We are to blesse God for our corporal meat and drink Jesus Christ gave thanks when he ate and drank John 6. 11 And so did the Apostles Acts 27. 35. and so should all men do It is brutish to eat and drink without Thanksgiving How much more cause have we to blesse God for our spiritual meat and drink The corporall is common to us with others This is peculiar onely to the Elect no other shall taste of this provision 3. Let your growth be answerable to such excellent feeding God expects that our spirituall growth should be proportionable to our spiritual feeding Bos Macer pingui in arvo is prodigious Husbandmen expect that when they put their cattel into pastures that are rich where there is plenty of grasse and abundance of water they expect that their growth should be answerable The Saints of God are highly fed They have Angels meat should they not then do Angels work If you do not grow very fast you will bring up an evil report of Christ as if his flesh were not nourishing meat as if his blood were not nourishing drink as if it were meat in shew and not meat indeed as if it were drink in shew not drink indeed Jesus Christ may repent that his body was broken his blood poured out to be meat and drink for you that are still leane and ill-favoured even dwarfs in grace It 's the Saints priviledge that they shall grow because Christ is their feeder and it is their duty because they have such food to be carefully mindful of growing Every limb of the new man should thrive We should grow lower in humility higher in heavenly-mindednesse broader and thicker in spiritual affections c. you cannot expresse your thankfulnesse for this royal meat and drink any other way so much to the contentment of Christ as by growing abundantly It is that which our Saviour requires as a testimony of our union with him and of thankfulnesse for that feeding vertue we receive from him John 15. 5 8. As he is unworthy of meat that doth not labour so is he more unworthy that doth not grow 4. Shew pitty to others that feed on other meat and drink Endeavour to communicate Christ to those that want him We naturally pity famished men lean cheeks and pale faces work some bowels in a miser in an enemy Commend Christ to others perswade them to embrace him You shall feel no want of meat and drink for your selves by communicating Christ to others Though a thousand eat and drink of him no one shall have the lesse 5. Do not despair of spiritual growth and strength 'T is a dishonour to Christ to think that he should starve you His flesh is strengthning flesh his blood is strengthening blood quickening blood 'T is full of spirits 't is full of life Though thy graces be weak thy spiritual diseases violent yet despair not Thou receivest more from Christ then thou canst lose or spend
shall appear so the Angels tell the Disciples at his Ascension Act. 1. 11. This same Jesus which is taken into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven As he did really and bodily ascend so shall he really and corporally descend God will honour the humane nature of Christ in the world They shall look upon him whom they have pierced The same flesh of Christ which was pierced shall be manifested in his second coming 2. It shall be a sudden appearing His coming is compared to a sudden flash of lightning Mat. 24. 27. The appearance of Christ is compared to the lightning in two respects 1. For the evidence of it It shall be as clear to the eyes of men as the lightning is 2. For the suddennesse of it A flash of lightning doth suddenly break forth and in an instant shines from one end of the heaven to another so shall the appearance of Christ be And for this very cause is it compared to the coming of a thiefe in the night Luk. 12. 39 40. As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be when the Son of man cometh They ate they drank c. Mat. 24. 37. when men say peace c. 3. It shall be a very glorious appearance He shall come with power and great glory Mat. 24. 30. He was not so mean and despicable in his first coming as he shall be majestical and renowned in this his second coming His first appearance was in the form of a servant He came not to be ministred unto but to minister A low kinde of appearance was most fit for such work but when he appeares again he shall come as a Judge as King of kings and Lord of lords therefore Majesty is fit for him The Scripture doth set out the glory of his coming sundry wayes 1. He shall come in the clouds of heaven The bright cloud shall be his chariot Mat. 24. 30. 2. He shall come attended with an innumerable company of glorious Angels Those glorious spirits shall come in full regiments attending upon his person to do him service and to execute his will Mat. 25. 31. He had the beasts to attend on him at his first coming but he shall have Angels to wait upon him at this coming 3. He shall come with the voice of the Archangel with a mighty shout and with the trumpet of God 1 Thes 4. 16. All these expressions are used to set out the glory of it All outward glory which ever man beheld is but darknesse in this respect 4. It shall be a very dreadful and terrible appearance Full of Majesty and therefore full of terror His first coming was dreadful Mat. 4. 5. The Scripture sets out the dreadfulnesse of it by the Antecedents Concomitants Consequents of it The Antecedents are in Matthew 24. 29. such an alteration shall be made upon the creatures being that Sunne Moon and Starres being obscured by the glory of Christ shall cease from their service and not be able to shew their glory as before The Concomitants the firing of the world The Apostle speaks of this 2 Pet. 3. 10. what a dreadful sight will this be to the wicked The consequents of it are the raising of the dead the setting up of the Thrones the summoning of all the world to judgement Well doth the Scripture call it the terrible day of the Lord. IV. When shall this appearing be you cannot imagine that I should be so bold as to say any thing of the particular day moneth or yeare of Christs coming Our Saviour hath for ever silenced all curious enquirers about it Mar. 13. 32. The Scripture tells us thus much about the time of it that it shall be when the time of the Churches tribulation is ended Matth. 24. 29. When the number of Gods elect is converted In the end oft dayes Dan. 12. 13. It is one of those Novissima or last things which is to be expected in the world V. Why is it deferred 1. Because the Elect of God are not yet called All the Vessels of glory are not borne into the world Christ stayes till these flowers be sprung up The fetching of these to heaven is one end of his coming And he will not come till these are brought forth As the world was made at first so doth it stand and continue for their sakes 2. That space and time for repentance may be afforded unto sinful men This reason the Apostle renders of it 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack c. but is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance He defers his coming that sinners may have more tenders of salvation made to them that so they may be inexcusable if they do not returne 3. That the faith hope patience of his own children may be exercised The delaying of Christs coming is a very great help both to exercise faith watchfulnesse and patience We may say of this as the Prophet doth of the delaying of another day of the Lord Hab. 2. 4. Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry And the just shall live by his faith 4. That all other of Gods decrees for and about the things which must come to passe before this day may be accomplished Many things God hath decreed shall be done before his appearance which are not yet done in the world The preaching of the Gospel to all Nations Mat. 24. 14. The overthrowing of Antichrist 2 Thes 2. 3 8. The making of the Jewes and Gentiles into one Church c. Christ stayes because these decrees must be accomplished The Uses of this Point Use 1. Away with those Atheists and Epicures who deny this Doctrine In the very dayes of the Apostles there were some scoffers that did mock at this doctrine of Christs appearing 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. where is the promise of his coming we have many such scoffers in our dayes that deride the Doctrine of the resurrection of eternal life of Christs second coming The Apostle tells us the reason of this scoffing in the same place 1. The impurity of their hearts They walk after their own lusts That 's one great ground of Atheistical and wicked opinions Such Doctrines curb and check their lusts and because they cannot have their lusts by retaining such doctrines they therefore reject and scoffe at such doctrines 2. They walk more by sense then by the testimony of the Word of God Since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation because they cannot apprehend with their sense any such doctrine or any ground of it therefore they reject it Such as these who will not be convinced by Scripture we shall leave to feel the severity of that coming which they will not beleeve They that now scoffe will have time enough sadly to bewaile their scoffing they shall then feele what they will not now
life so the meat that is appointed for the natural life if compared with the meat of the Spiritual life is but a very image of meat Christs flesh is real meat 2. In respect of that typical meat which the Jews had lately spoken of v. 31. Our fathers did eat Manna in the desart c. Our Saviour tells them that that is but typical bread but his flesh is bread indeed it is the real substance of which that was but a meere type and shadow Thus for Explication The Observation is this Doct 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly the food and meat of beleevers Flesh is here put for the whole person of Christ Jesus Christ as he is held out in the Scriptures is the true real and very meat of beleeving Christians Christ as he is propounded in the Gospel dead broken crucified Christ in all his perfection compleatnesse fulnesse is meat indeed to a true beleever 'T is the very scope of this Sermon from v. 27. to v. 59. in which this truth is inculcated over and over againe and all objections answered which the carnal reason and unbeleefe of mans heart can make against it I shall in the Explication of this Doctrine open these things 1. Prove that Christ is a beleevers meat 2. Shew the Analogy between Christ and other meat 3. How this meat is eaten and received I. That Christ is the soules meat This is proved two wayes First from the types of Christ in the Old Testament The Ceremonial Law had many types of Christ Whatsoever is revealed of Christ in the New Testament was some way or other typified of him in the Ceremonial Law There are foure types which did set out Jesus Christ as the souls meat 1. The Manna in the wildernesse The History of the Manna is set down Exod. 16. the people being in some want of provision in the Wildernesse of sinne began to murmur against Moses and Aaron v. 3. God promiseth v. 4. to raine bread from heaven for them which accordingly was done v. 14 15. That this was a type of the feeding vertue of Christ is plainly discovered by our Saviour in this very Sermon v. 31 32. The Wildernesse did typifie the state of the Church in this world and the Manna was a plaine type of Christ the Churches meat 2. The Shewbread The Law and manner of the Shewbread you have at large Lev. 24. 5 6 7. 8 9. There are two things represented by this Shewbread First the multitude of the faithful presented unto God in his Church as upon a pure table continually serving him made by faith and holinesse as fine cakes and by the mediation of Christ as by incense made a sweet odour unto God Secondly the Spiritual repast which the Church hath from and before God who feedeth them with Christ the bread of life 3. The meat-offerings Concerning this Minchah or meat-offering you may reade at large Lev. 2. 1 c. These meat-offerings were of two sorts some were the meat-offerings of the Congregation some of particular persons of these latter there were several sorts mentioned in that Chapter It 's said v. 3. that Aaron and his sons shall have the remnant of the meat-offering that is all of it but that which is burned upon the Altar for a memorial v. 2. Several things were signified by the meat-offerings Being referred to Christ who by the oblation of his own body was our meat offering Psal 40. 6. Heb. 10. 5. they did shadow out our communion with Christ and participation of his death and resurrection by faith whereby he becomes unto us spiritual meat of which the whole Church are made partakers 4. The flesh of the sacrifices of the peace-offerings and others which were given to the Priests of which you read Lev. 7. 15. they were to be eaten the same day it was killed Now what was meant by the eating of the flesh of these sacrifices and of the flesh of the other sacrifices which were given to the Priests to eat vid. Lev. 10. 12 13 14. Surely Jesus Christ who by his flesh as by precious meat feedeth his people who are spirituall Priests unto everlasting life Secondly from the Sacraments of nourishment both of the Old and New Testament There were Sacraments of implantation or initiation and of growth under the Law Circumcision Passeover under the Gospel Baptisme Supper of the Lord. 1. The Sacrament of nourishment under the Old Testament was the Paschal lamb The Law and rites of this are set down Exod. 12. 3 4 5 c. What did this Paschal Lamb signifie but Jesus Christ our Passeover the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world In this Sacrament was Jesus Christ set out as a nourisher He is that precious meat upon which all the true Israel of God feed continually who is therefore called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. 2. The Lords Supper This is the Sacrament of nourishment under the New Testament And herein clearly Christ is exhibited as our spiritual meat His flesh is the bread the wine is his blood As the body is nourished by bread and wine so is the soule by his body and blood nourished and fed to life eternal II. The Analogy between Christ and corporal meat stands in these three particulars Three great ends of meat 1. Corporal meat is for the preservation of the Susientation natural life The natural life is maintained by meat through the concurrence of Gods ordinary blessing 'T is pabulum vitae Hence bread under which all other provision is comprehended is called the staffe of life Esay 3. 1. Keep the strongest man from meat but a few dayes and the life will extinguish and go out 1 Sam. 30. 12. Jesus Christ is the maintainer and preserver of the spiritual life As he gives it at first so he upholds it 'T is by continual influences from him that the life is kept from expiring If he withdraw his influx never so little the soule is at the giving up of the Ghost even halfe dead 2. Corporal meat is for growth 'T is by meat Vegetation that the body is brought from infancy to childhood from childhood to youth from youth to a perfect man Jesus Christ is he that carries on a Christian from infancy to perfection All the soules growth and increase is from Christ So the Apostle Col. 2. 19. From him the whole body having nourishment ministred c. The branches live and increase by vertue of the sap which is derived from the root Christians grow by vertue of the sap which is to them derived from Jesus Christ Every part growes by Christ 3. Meat is a repayer of natures decayes When Reparation by some violent sicknesse the spirits are consumed the body wasted the strength lost meat fitly and seasonably taken helps through the divine blessing to recover all again 1 Sam. 30. 12. his spirit came to him againe Jesus Christ is the repairer of the soules decayes
communication of the Divine nature to them cause them to become the servants of righteousnesse Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 18. Being made free from sinne ye became the servants of righteousnesse This is the work of Sanctification Of this the Apostle speaks Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might purifie us unto himselfe c. Christ takes off the yoke of sinne and puts on the neck the yoke of grace This the Apostle fully expresses Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death 3 The condemnation of sinne The wages of sinne is damnation Rom. 6. ult Jesus Christ is a horne of salvation to his 〈…〉 for he hath 〈◊〉 the wine 〈…〉 anger and suffered the 〈…〉 their sinnes for them Of 〈…〉 speaks in 1 Pet. â— 2â— Who his 〈…〉 sinnes in his body c. And the 〈…〉 affirms Rom. 8. 1. That there i◠〈…〉 to them that are in Christ Jesus Thus in respect of sinne Christ is a horne of salvation 2. In respect of Satan Satan is a sworne adversary to the Elect. He goeth about continually like a roaring lion seeking how he may devoure them 1 Pet. 5. 8. There are three things in respect whereof Christ is salvation to them from Satan 1. The Dominion of Satan The Elect are by nature as well as others the bondslaves of Satan Eph. 2. 2. they are his servants by nature and by their own voluntary sinfulnesse they have enslaved themselves to his bondage more Of this the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now Jesus Christ is salvation to the Elect from this estate He doth at the conversion of the Elect cut the cords and unloose the chaines by which the devil holds them fast in bondage Of this our Saviour speaks Luke 11. 21. By his death he did triumph over him Col. 2. 15. and at the moment of our conversion he doth actually put us into the possession of this victory Acts 26. 18. He doth then turn us from the power of Satan unto God 2. The temptations of Satan Satan as he tempted Christ the Head of which we reade Mat. 4. 1 2 3. so doth he not cease to assault and tempt all his members The more visible Christs image is in any person the more violently doth the devil assault him The Apostle speaks of this as in many other places so fully in Eph. 6. 12. Now in this respect Christ is salvation to them He stands by them that these temptations may not prevaile over them He interposeth himself between them and the teeth of this roaring lion that he may not have his will on them Of this our Saviour speaks Luk. 22. 31 32. 3. The accusations of Satan The devil is called in Scripture The accuser of the brethren Rev. 12. 10. and he is a diligent creature at this work for he accuseth them day and night before the Lord. There are many imperfections and weaknesses in the children of God they do too often step aside out of Gods way we have too many sad instances of the truth of this in Scripture which I need not name The Devil takes occasion from these to accuse us not onely to men but to God He that turnes every stone to hurry us into sinne doth when he hath overcome us represent all to God against us in the ugliest shape he can that he may hinder mercy from us Yes he is so malicious that when he can have nothing visibly to lay to our charge he will pretend something as we see in the case of Job Chap. 1. 9 c. Ch. 2. 4 c. Christ now is a horne of salvation to us in this respect He stands continually pleading for us at Gods right hand as soone as Satan puts in a Bill Christ puts in an answer and so doth cast out and nullifie all his Accusations Thus is he salvation to them in respect of Satan 3. In respect of â—â—n 〈…〉 by men both in theâ—◠〈…〉 spiritual estate 1. In their outward 〈◊〉 Men 〈…〉 against them they 〈…〉 because they 〈…〉 image they have so much of the 〈…〉 Because I have chosen you out of the 〈◊〉 therefore doth the world hate you John 15. 19. The great ones of the world they rise up often against them and vex them c. Now Christ is salvation to them in this regard Sometimes breaking the hornes that devoure them Sometimes melting the hearts of their devourers making their enemies their friends Sometimes removing them from them that would break them alwayes delivering them from the evil and hurt of the attempts made against them turning them for their greater and best good He makes their vinegar better then their wine Of this the Apostle was confident in his own case Phil. 1. 19. This shall turne to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Christ is a horne even of temporal salvation to the Elect in this regard He makes your troubles as good friends to you as your comforts He makes your worst conditions work together for your best good 2. In your spiritual estate Christ is salvation to you from men in two respects First In regard of the corruptions of the world Wicked men give wicked examples and by the example of one wicked man others are corrupted Now albeit the Godly are sometimes infected in regard of some particular acts yet are they saved from the general corruptions of wicked men amongst whom they live Jesus Christ keeps them from soyling themselves as others do This is that which is recorded of the Angel of the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2. 1â— and of those few in Sardis chap. 3. 4. Thâ—s was Noah saved in that corrupt age in which he lived Gen. 7. 1. Secondly â—n regard of the evil counsels of men Wicked men are of the same minde with the devil their father They are daily tempting inticing alluring and perswading the godly to walk with them in their wayes Joseph was tempted by his Mistresse Gen. 39. 7. This is put in amongst the Catalogue of the sufferings of the old Martyrs that they were tempted Heb. 11. 37. Christ the great Counsellor of his Church saved all these from yielding to such temptations Though they are sometimes ensnared yet they are againe brought off by Christ from those ensnarements and Christ gives them power afterward the more to resist them and to abhor them II. Positively Christ is salvation 1. In respect of grace 2. In respect of glory Jesus Christ is eternal salvation unto the Elect. All that salvation which hath been mentioned before is in reference to this which is the upshot of all He therefore saves them from sinne from the devil from men that he may bring them to this eternal happinesse He is called in Scripture eternal life 1 John 5. 20. The Authour of eternal salvation Heb. 5. 9. The salvation of Israel Psal 53. 6. The Captaine of our salvation Heb.
Sometimes a beleever through the neglect of his duty through surfetting upon sinne brings spiritual languishings upon himself his strength is decayed his vigour is abated his pulse beats very weakly he can scarcely creep in the wayes of God In such a case Jesus Christ recovers him repaires his breaches and renues his strength as in former times The Psalmist speaks of this Psal 23. 3. He restoreth my soul He leadeth me in the paths of righteousnesse for his Names sake The Saints have every day experience of this restoring vertue of Christ III. How this meat is eaten and received The Scripture makes mention of three things which concur to this act 1. The Ordinances These are the conduits Jesus Christ hath instituted and appointed his Ordinances to be the meanes of carrying his nourishing vertue to the soul The Ordinances are the dishes of gold upon which this heavenly meat is brought Prayer Reading Preaching Meditation holy conference the Sacrament in these Christ presents himself to the soul He that forsakes these can expect no feeding from Christ In this mountaine will the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things c. Esay 25. 6. The feast is made in the mountain of Gods house and the Ordinances are the dishes on which this meat is set and the knives by which it s carved out to the soul 2. Saving lively faith This is the instrument What the hand and mouth and stomack are in the corporal eating that is faith in this spiritual eating Faith is the hand that takes this meat the mouth that eats it and the stomack that digests it Yea faith is as the veines and Arteries that do disperse and carry this nourishment to every power of the soule This is abundantly cleared in this very Chapter v. 35. he that cometh to me shall never hunger he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Cometh is expounded by beleeveth Eating and drinking are here put for believing Crede manducasti He that beleeves eats and he that eats not it is because he beleeves not Hic edâ—re est credere Doct. 2. That the blood of Jesus Christ is drink indeed Blood is here put for the whole person as flesh was And it s rather his blood is drink then that He is drink because the great efficacy of all Christ did lies principally in his blood Heb. 9 22. And in the same respects as his flesh is said to be meat indeed his blood is said to be drink indeed And those three things which concurre to the act of eating his flesh concur also to this act of drinking his blood The mystical union saving faith the Ordinances I shall therefore onely open two things 1. Shew that Christs blood is drink 2. The Analogy between his blood and other drink I. That the blood of Christ is spiritual drink will appear 1. From the drink-offerings under the Law In the Law there were sundry drink-offerings appointed as well as meat-offerings The daily sacrifice which was to be offered continually every morning and evening had both a meat-offering and drink annexed to it Exod. 29. 40 41. The daily sacrifice did signifie three things 1 That Jesus Christ the true Lamb of God was available to the Church of God from the morning of the world to the evening the end of the world 2 To signifie the continual need the Church had of reconciliation by Christs blood which taketh away sinne 3 To sanctifie the morning and evening prayers of the Church by the interceding sacrifices of Christ the Mediator And the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto did signifie that Jesus Christ by offering himself to God becomes not onely our redemption but also meat and drink to the soul The sheaf of the first fruits appointed to be offered every year had both the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto Lev. 23. 10 11 12 13. The like is to be observed in other sacrifices Now as the meat-offerings Numb 15 init did represent Christ as food so the drink-offerings did set him out as our spiritual drink 2. From the water issuing out of the rock You read the story of that Numb 20. The people in the desart of Zin wanted water In their necessity as their sinful custom was they fall a murmuring v. 3 4 5. God commands Moses v. 8. to speak unto the rock to give them water that they and their cattel might drink Moses smites the rock twice which was his sinne because God only commanded him to speak to the rock and it gave forth its water in abundance v. 11. Now what the meaning of this water was the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10. 4. They drank of the rock that followed them and that rock was Christ The rock typisied Christ and the water of the rock of which they and their cattel drank typed out the blood of Christ our spiritual drink 3. From the cup in the Lords Supper Why is the cup added to the bread Is it not to let us know that Jesus Christ is spiritual drink as well as our spiritual bread 4. From the resemblance of the vine Our Saviour John 15. is compared to a vine Why to a vine 1. To shew the great mystery of the union of all the spiritual branches with him the root 2. To signifie that he is our spiritual drink The vine doth yield wine which is drink for the body the Lord Jesus Christ doth yield spiritual drink for all those that are his members He is the wine of God as well as the bread of God II. Quae Analogia The Analogy stands in foure things There are four properties of drink distinct from meat 1. Drink is for refreshing and cooling When the body is hot by labour or by sicknesse or travel drink doth coole and refresh it The heart panteth after the water-brooks Psalm 42. 1. The chased Hart when he is heated with hunting makes to the river and by drinking is refreshed The sweating Traveller goes to the spring and cooles himselfe by drinking of the streaming waters The blood of Jesus Christ is of a very refreshing and cooling nature When the soul is heated with temptations parched with the fiery wrath of God in the conscience when it lies sweating and sweltring under guilt one draught of Christs blood taken down by faith yea one drop of it sensibly falling upon it doth cool and refresh it again Hence he is also compared to the rivers of water in dry places Is 23. 2. Hence is that invitation Mat. 11. 28 I wilâ— give you rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give you refreshment so 't is translated Phil. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing indeed can coole the parched soule but Christs blood And this will do it abundantly when 't is quite melted with wrath and burnt up with anguish 2. Drink cleanseth the body The inward parts are washed and purified as well as refreshed As the running water cleanseth the channel and carries away rubbish and filth so drink seasonably and
Ergo. The Uses of this 1. What shall we say of those that instead of putting on Christ put on their own works and duties The Papists teach their proselytes to cover themselves not with Christ and his righteousnesse but with their own works and their own righteousnesse They call Impuâ—â—tive righteousnesse in scorn putative righteousnesse Well! let them cloath themselves with their own fleece but let us be cloathed onely with Christs righteousnesse Our own righteousnesse is too thin and too narrow it will neither cover us nor warme us Esay 28. 20. our own righteousnesse is a soiled garment a very filthy rag Esay 64. 6. The Apostle Paul was as touching the righteousnesse of the Law blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. and yet he durst not appeare before God in the day of judgement in that garment but in the garment of Christs righteousnesse Phil. 3. 9. Let us therefore abhor this Doctrine rather take Christs counsel then Antichrists counsel Antichrists advice is buy of him c. but Christs counsel is to buy of him precious rayment Rev. 3. 18. Let us rather be advised by the Churches Counsellor Christ Isa 9. 6 then by him who is next to Satan the Churches greatest outward destroyer 2. What shall we say of those that instead of putting on Christ by imitation put on the devil Instead of expressing the vertues of Jesus Christ hold out the vices of Satan live inordinately unholily serving divers lusts and pleasures full of envy malice intemperance covetousnesse licentiousnesse of every kinde instead of putting on Christ themselves they hate persecute all those that do thus put him on Let them know they that will not put on Christ by sanctification shall not put him on for justification He is made of God to us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. He that rejects him as to sanctification shall be rejected by him as to righteousnesse and redemption 3. Be intreated to put on Christ Put him on both these wayes 1. Put him on for righteousnesse 1. Have you not all need of him are you not unrighteous are ye not under guilt If your righteousnesses be as filthy rags what are your unrighteousnesses 2. Is there any other garment that will carry you dry thorough the dreadful storms of Gods wrath you must make another Scripture if you will finde another garment Gods Scripture mentions no other covering but Gods righteousnesse Read and remember that Text Rom. 9. 30 31 32. 3. Undervalue not the great love and deep design of God in providing his Son for your rayment He is made unto us of God wisdome righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Therefore called the righteousnesse of God Phil. 3. 9. 4. God will accept of nothing you do till you be invested in this garment He will own none that come not in his own livery You shall have no blessing yea you shall have his curse if you have not the kid-skins of Christs righteousnesse upon your necks and upon the smooth of your hands your elder brothers garments must be on you else you cannot be blessed Now that you may put on Christ you must 1 put off all thoughts of your own worth These are inconsistent Phil. 3. 7 8 9. 2. Beg of him that he would cloath you Lie at his feet as Ruth did at the feet of Boaz and say Spread thy skirt over me for thou art my neer kinsman Ruth 3. 9. I conclude this with comparing those two Scriptures Jer. 23. 6. with Jer. 33 16. in the first Christ is called the Lord our righteousnesse in the other the Church is so called 1. Because that which is proper to the head is common to all the members 2. They are as willing to apply Christs righteousnesse as he is to communicate it 2. Put him on by a holy imitation Walk as Christ walked 1. Christianity consists chiefly in this Christianity is imitatio divinae naturae 1 Pet. 2. 21. 2. 'T is one end of Christs incarnation He became man that that might be a perfect pattern of holinesse in our nature 3. He that doth not imitate his life shall have no benefit by his death 1 Pet. 2. 21. ESAY 32. 2. And a man shall be as a hiding place VIII SERM. aâ— Mary Wolnoth Lon. Feb. 8. 1651. from the winde IN this Chapter we have a glorious prophecy of the spiritual Kingdome of Christ It 's written by the Prophet for the consolation of the Church in her present afflicted condition This Prophecy hath four parts 1. The constitution of this Kingdome ver 1. to 9. 2. An exhortation given unto the people by repentance to prevent the miseries which should happen before the constitution of this Kingdom v. 9. to 15. 3. A description of that good which the godly should receive from this Kingdom v. 15 16 17 18 19. 4. The conclusion of all in that Epiphonema v. 20. wherin the Prophet compares the people of God to those happy husbandmen who are in expectation of a plentiful harvest after their labours and cost in tilling and sowing Blessed are they that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the oxe and the asse In the constitution of this Kingdom two things are to be observed 1. The safe administration of it This is in the two former verses Behold a King c. By King we are to understand Christ the King of his Church by Princes we are to understand those that do under Christ administer this Kingdome 'T is an allegory taken from humane Kingdomes in which the King himselfe and all his officers do administer in righteousnesse The safety of this government is expressed in the second verse And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the winde c. 2. The true simplicity of it in the publick and private administration of all things and all persons ver 3 4 5 6 7 8. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim c. the administration of this Kingdome shall be with sincerity as well as safety God would give men eyes to see and eares to hear Those that before were spiritually blind and deaf should now have spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear Those that were rash and heady should now understand knowledge those that stammerd in the things of Christ should now speak plainly v. 3 4. yea there should be such simplicity in the administration of this Kingdome that vices should not be called any more by the names of vertues evil should not be called good nor good evil but every thing should be called by its own name ver 5 6 7 8. The vile person shall be no more called liberal nor the churle said to be bâ—untiful c. Holinesse shall be called holinesse covetousnesse covetousnesse basenesse shall be called basenesse under this spiritual Kingdom of Christ The Text falls under the first of these viz. the safe administration of this Kingdome And a man c. we may divide it into two parts 1. A danger hinted
Armour 1. No other Armour will serve Sauls Armour will not serve Gods souldiers 2. This Armour will serve it was never battered it will never be broken Take it therefore and put it on 1. Put it on wholly 2. Put it on speedily 3. Use it when it is on 4. When you have done all hide your selves in Christ who is here called for their comfort Latibulum à vento of which comfortable point I shall speak the next time ESAY 32. 2. And a man shall be as a hiding place IX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Feb. 15. 1651. from the winde TWo things I observed in this Text. 1. A danger intimated in this word Winde 2. A remedy prescribed A man shall be as a hiding place The Observations were two 1. That Christians must expect to meet with windy dayes even under the Kingdome of Christ Of which I have spoken Doct 2. That Jesus Christ is the beleevers hiding place in all the windy dayes which they meet withal in the world He is latibulum or Absconsio à vento whether they be windy dayes of outward trouble or windy dayes of inward trouble temptation desertion discouraging feares and terrours Christ is a hiding place to them in all these days and in all these cases Here are foure words used in this text which set out this hiding vertue that is in Christ hiding place covert rivers of water shaâ—ow of a rock Many other Scriptures bear pregnant testimony to this truth Esay 4. 5 6. The Lord will creatâ— upon Mount Sion upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon all her assemblies a cloud c. This is spoken of Christ the beautiful branch of the Lord v. 2. This glorious and beautiful branch the root of the stock of Jesse shall be a cloud and smoak a defence a Tabernacle a shadow a place of refuge a covert and that not to one but to every dwelling place of Mount Sion and to all her Assemblies To this agrees that of our Saviour Cant. 2. 14. O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock and in the secret place of the staires Jesus Christ is this cleft of the rock he is this secret place of the staires Christ is called Shiloh Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies in quietâ— vel pace agere tranquille in otio vivere all safety is in Christ The tunicle in which the infant is wrapt in the mothers belly is called by the Hebrews Shiloh because it lies there securely out of fear In the prosecution of this point I shall open these three things 1. What it is in Christ that is a hiding place 2. What it is of theirs that Christ hides 3. Why Christ is a hiding place to them 1. There are several things in Jesus Christ which make up this hiding place indeed every thing in Christ is a hiding place I shall instance in some 1. The providence of Christ The Scripture tells us that the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro thoroughout the earth 2 Chron. 16. 9. Jesus Christ hath the same watchful eyes of providence over his people that the Father hath Col. 3. 17. By him all things consist It 's one Argument Divines bring to prove Christs divinity because be governs the world by his providence as the Father doth John 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work It 's meant of his providential working And Heb. 1. 3. Christ is said to uphold all things by the Word of his Power which is an act of providence Now as Christ by his providence watcheth over all things and and creatures so do his eyes watch continually over his people Esay 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it I will keep it night and day This is one great stone of this biding place 2. The Attributes of Christ All the Divine Attributes are ascribed to Christ as well as to the Father Eternity Micah 5. 2. Almightinesse Esaâ— 9. 6. Omniscience Heb. 4. 13. It 's spoken of Christ our high Priest Wisdome Prov. 9. 1. He is called God onely wise Jude 25. All these Attributes are as so many stones that make this hiding place Prov. 18. 10. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Christs name the Prophet mentions Esay 9. â— Wonderful Counsellor c. every one of these names is a room in this hiding place 3. The Promises of Christ All the promises of God are in Christ yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Christ hath purchased them they all have their ratification and accomplishment in Christ The Scripture is full of promises of all sorts of protection provision deliverance salvation Every promise is a piece of this hiding-place Ps 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is tryed He is a buckler to them that trust in him Christs Word of Promise is the souls defence 4. The merits of Christ. Christ hath by the shedding of his blood merited for his Elect whatsoever is necessary These merits are a beleevers hiding place O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock Cant. 2. 14. those foramina petrae are vulnera Christâ— There the beleever hides himself in the time of danger As the dove when she is pursued flies to her windows so the beleever flies to the wounds of Christ and there is hid 5. The intercession of Christ The Scripture tells us that Christ appeares continually before the Father for us he is still moving for us at the right hand of God His Intercession in heaven is the beleevers Sanctuary on earth So the Apostle tells us in two places Heb. 6. 18 19 20. and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save c. because he lives for ever to make Intercession for us Christ directs Peter to this Luke 22. 31. 2. What it is of a beleever that Christ is a hiding place unto 1. Christ is a hiding place to the outward man He hides that in time of stormes Christ hides that two wayes 1. Sometimes he hides it from danger He keeps his people from the rage of them that would swallow them Thus the Church was hid Rev 12. 6. The woman fled into the Wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred sixty dayes Thus David was often hid from the fury of Saul and his Courtiers that sought his life 2 Sometimes God hides it in danger That though his people be in danger yet they are not destroyed Thus the Church was hid in Egypt The bush was burning yet was not consumed Ex. 3. 2. 2. Christ is a hiding place to the inward man And herein he excells all other hiding places 1 He hides the soul from sinne The best of his people would sinne more frequently and more grievously if Jesus Christ did not hide them from sin 2 He hides the soule from temptations He chaines up Satan from tempting them that he cannot bait them so furiously as he would and when
without any investiture of promise or threatning carries a man out against sin then is his abstaining from sinne from a principle of true grace Not but that he that hath true grace may look both at the word of promise and the word of threatning God hath propounded both promises and threatnings to be as helps to preserve his people from sinning but the principal ground of acting against sinne is the revelation of Gods Will forbidding such actions This is that which David saith of himself Psal 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word He was kept from sinne upon the meer awful respect that his heart bore to the naked Word of God So Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sinne against thee So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. When the heart and the Word of God are shut up alone when heaven and hell promises and threatnings are laid aside and the heart and Gods command are alone if then thou be restrained from sinful actions upon the account of Gods command then is thy forbearing of sinne from a principle of grace Vid. Psalme 17. 4. By the words of thy lips Balaâ—m shewes himselfe an hypocrite in this very thing He pretends to abstaine from sinne upon the Authority of Gods Word Numb 22 18. yet afterwards in that very act goes away from God out of a covetous principle 2. He that forbeares sinful actions from a principle of grace acts against sinne out of love to holinesse He abstaines from sinne not onely as it is a deadly thing but as it is a loathsome thing Ps 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it David abstained from sin because of his love to the purity of Gods Law out of his love to righteousnesse This is that which is in Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me When we are kept from sinne because of the feare of God then its a right abstinence Neh. 5. 15. Esay 30. 22. When sinne is cast away and abstained from as a menstruous cloath because it hath filthinesse in it and because it pollutes them that meddle with it such forbearance of sinne argues truth of grace Psal 119. 113. 3. He that abstaines from sinne upon principles of grace will abstaine from all sinne From profitable and pleasurable sinnes as well as disparaging disgracing sinnes from small sinnes as well as great sinnes from sinful anger as well as murther from sinful words as well as sinful actions He will abstaine from walking and standing as well as from sitting with the ungodly Psal 1. 1. he will pray with David Psal 139. ult See if there be any wicked way Psal 119. 104. I hate every false way This is clear from what goes before he 〈…〉 sinne out of respect to Gods Law and 〈…〉 to holinesse therefore he cannot but desire to forbear all because every sin is unholy every sin is derogatory to Gods Law 4. He that forbears sin from a principle of grace will act as well against the being of sinne in his nature as the breakings out of sinne in his life He will labour to suppresse the corruption of his heart as the excursion of his feet Psalme 51. 5. In iniquity was I shapen c. He would be delivered from a polluted heart as well as from a polluted hand So it was with Paul Rom. 7. 23 24. he that acts against sinne from common restraint will never much care for the inhabitation of sinne but he that hath grace is most careful and sorrowful for that he would keep down the filthinesse of the spirit as well as of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. the sinful habit is worse to a gracious man then the sinful Actions 5. He that forbears sinne from a principle of grace is as careful of doing good as of abstaining from evil He prays as David did Psal 119. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes He that hath onely restraining grace matters not much the neglecting of good but he that hath true grace is very careful for this as well as for the other he chuseth the way of obedience as well as refuseth the way of disobedience A godly man is described by this character that he chuseth the things that please God Isa 56. 4. He is every jot as careful for the Positives as he is for the Negatives of Religion When these things concur then the forbearance of sinne will witnesse your condition to be good otherwise it will be no evidence 2. The second false Rule is Outward profession There are many who do conclude that they are in a good condition for their souls meerly because they are members of the Church especially if they heare pray c. This is the general rule whereby carnal Professours judge their condition to be good They have been baptized they have come to Gods Table they have lived in the Church c. therefore surely they are in a very healthful condition I have four things to say for this particular 1. 'T is a great honour to be a member of the Church though it be onely by visible Profession Theodosius accounted it a greater honour to be Membrum Ecclesiae then Caput Imperii It was that which advanced the people of Israel above all other people Rom. 3. 1 2. The Church of God is the most honourable society upon earth Such as are the members of the Church are neerer to God then any others They enjoy such priviledges as none else enjoy They have more helps to salvation then any others We can never be sufficiently thankful for this favour 2. To pray and to hear and to frequent the publick Ordinances c. is that which all that hope to be saved are to do That man is in a bad estate that slights these duties The wrath of the Lord lies upon them that do not call upon the Name of the Lord Jer. 10. 25. He that wilfully neglects these can never be saved Psal 14. 14. not to call upon God is the character of a worker of iniquity 3. Yes all this may be done and 〈…〉 be in a very sick estate 1. There are many instances in Scripture to prove this Was not Ishmael circumcised was not he a member of the Church Gen. 17. 16. and yet without any saving interest in the promise Was not Esan Jacobs brother was not he likewise a member of the Church and yet lived and died a profane wretch Heb. 12. 16. Did not Cain sacrifice as well as Abel Gen. 4. init and yet the Apostle saith he was of that wicked one 1 John 3. 11. What think you of Saul Ahab and all those wicked men did not they live in the Church did they not observe outwardly the worship of God and yet the sonnes of Belial In the new Testament did not the Publicans fast and pray Luke 18. 12. Was not Judas a Disciple did not he preach as well as
between the work of a Minister and the work of a shepherd 3. God himself is called a shepherd David gives him that name Psal 23. 1. And againe Psal 80. 1. He is called the shepherd of Israel because his care of Israel hath great resemblance to the care of a shepherd over his flock 4. Jesus Christ is called a shepherd as in many other places so in this Text. 'T is him of whom we are to understand this Text Our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish him from all other shepherds who in comparison of him are very small and inconsiderable shepherds Thus much for Explication The Observations are two according to the two Metaphors viz. 1. The people of God are sheep 2. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of these sheep Doct. 1. The people of God are sheep 'T is a very usual Metaphor whereby godly persons are described in Scripture Sometimes they are called Gods sheep Ezek. 34 6 11 12. Sometimes they are called Christs sheep so frequently John 10. and Iohn 21. 16. Feed my sheep saith Christ to Peter And sometimes they are called sheep without any mention of the owner of them Take but two or three Texts for farther confirmation Psal 74. 1. Why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture Psal 79 13. So we thy flock and sheep of thy pasture Ps 100. 3. We are the sheep of his pasture In the handling of this Point I shall open two things 1. In what respects they are compared to sheep 2. How they come to be sheep First They are like sheep in five respects 1. Sheep are very harmlesse and innocent creatures Wolves they teare and hurt and do mischief but sheep are innocent and inoffensive creatures they neither bite with their teeth nor kick with the heele as other creatures do Innocent and harmlesse persons are called sheep in Scripture 2 Sam. 24. 17. These sheep what have they done The people of God are â—â—â—â—mlesse and innocent generation though the world looks upon them as turbulent c. Theâ— know it is the Will of God that they be harmlesse and blamelesse Phil. 2. 15. and they desire that they may so walk They desire and endeavour that they may walk without offence that no man may receive the least detriment or prejudice by them either in temporals or spirituals You may see this in the Apostle Paul Act. 24. 16. the same desire is in all the sheep of Christ and if they do through mistake or inadvertency harme any they are never at rest till they have made them reparation and satisfaction 2. Sheep are meek and patient Creatures The sheep is an emblem of meekness The sheep suffers the shearer to take his fleece and the butcher his blood without the least frowardness or resistance The meeknesse of the lamb is grown into a Proverb Quum fervet maximè tam placidum quam ovem reddo Terent. The people of God are a patient and meek people They are called in Scripture the meek of the earth because they excel in this grace Psal 76. 9. Zeph. 2. 3. They can endure losses beare afflictions suffer persecutions for the Name of Christ without impatience They do not render reviling for reviling nor railing for railing Yea they repay sweet for bitter blessing for cursing When Shimei railes on David Come out thou man of blood c. how meekly doth he beare it Let him curse for God hath bid him curse David 2 Sam. 16. 10. When he was so unnaturally used by his Sonne Absalom how sweetly doth he subject himself and kisse the rod Psal 39. 9. A châ—â—â—e of God may sometimes fall into a sir of frowardnesse and impatience as Ionah did Even meek Moses was once too much transported with passion Numb 20. 10 11. but they are much grieved for such angry heats The frame and bent of their hearts is towards the grace of meeknesse and what the heart of a person would be that God interprets it really to be Wicked men are men of blustring and turbulent spirits but Gods people are of a calme placid temper 3. Sheep are clean Creatures Swine they use to wallow in filthy and myry places But sheep desire and delight to preserve themselves clean they love pure streames and green pastures The people of God are a cleane and holy generation See how the Holy Ghost describes them Psal 73. 1. Our Saviour calls them the pure in heart Mat. 5. 8. They study holinesse they pray for holinesse they allow no spot yea they are heartily grieved when they do bemire themselves and are never at rest till they be cleansed againe See the Prophet David when he had fallen into the mire and defiled himselfe how earnest he is with God for cleansing Psal 51. 2. and again v. 7. and yet againe v. 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God He that hath the nature of a true sheep of Christ in him though he may fall into sinne yet he cannot lie and wallow in uncleannesse as the wicked do 4. Sheep are simple creatures Some kinde of bruit creatures are very cunning and crafty as the Fox the Ape c. but the sheep is of a simple nature Ye use to call silly men sheepish men The people of God are a simple plain-hearted people noâ— onely withâ—â—◠〈…〉 without guile Psal 32. 2. That 〈…〉 of their Father Iacob Gen. 25. 2â— it is 〈…〉 all his posterity in their propoâ—tion they are plain-hearted men Though they have hypocrisie in them as they have other corruptions yet they are not hypocrites They know not nor are they desirous to learne the art of dissimulation equivocation They cannot look one way and row another they love not to have oyle in their mouths and swords in their hearâ—s They desire to be sincere without mixture They cannot carry fire in one hand and water in the other They are strangers and they desire to be strangers for ever to those doublings and fraudulencies and subtile artifices which hypocrites use They can pray and do pray with David Psal 119. 8. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes c. Their tongue and heart go both one way they desire that God would keep their hearts right and they desire that their tongue may be the interpreter of their heart they chuse to act not according to principles of carnal policy but the rules of Gospel piety they had rather be the meanest of Christs Disciples then the highest of Mâ—chiavels Scholars 5. Sheep are creatures of a tractable nature They are easie to be led A childe may drive a flock of sheep with more ease then many can a herd of other cattel The people of God are of a ductile tractable nature They are more easily guided then other men Shew them what the minde of God is let them have the Rule clear and then a little childe may lead them We have a Gospel prophecy of the lâ—â—enesse which grace works
free from 〈…〉 Mat. 25. 31 32 33 c. 5. Shepherds are to heal their shâ—ep Ezek. 34. 4. Christ is a healer First by his promises they are oyle Secondly By his threatnings Thirdly by Church-censures Christs physick that 's wine Luke 10. 34. Secondly Why Christ is called That great Shepherd This I told you was a discriminating note to put a difference between him and all other shepherds both those that went before him and those that should succeed him to the end of the world There is a vast difference between Christ and other shepherds It stands in the eight following particulars 1. In regard of the dignity of his person above others All other shepherds were onely men Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers the best of them were but men Though many of them had gifts and abilities extraordinary yet they were but men but this Shepherd is both God and Man He is the Sonne of God as well as the Sonne of Adam Never was there any shepherd in the Church before him never shall any arise after him of whom it can be said this Shepherd is equal with God This is said of Christ by the Father himself Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts smite the shepherd No shepherd beside this had the honour to be by onenesse and identity of nature the fellow and companion of God 〈…〉 the great Shepherd in regard of the grâ—at 〈◊〉 â—e hath Other shepherds although they had many of them singular abilities both for feeding and ruling yet in respect of the abilities of Christ they were but small Other shepherds though they were richly furnished yet they had not any of them all kindes of gifts God scattered his gifts and graces amongst them in some of one sort in others of another sort to maintain unity amongst them See what the Apostle saith to this purpose 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Some of them did excel chiefly in one thing some in another and then none of them had any other then a stinted and measured portion either of gifts or grace so the Apostle tells us Rom. 12. 3 4 6. those that had the miraculous gift of healing could not heal that way when they pleased Trophimus have I left at Milesum sick 2 Tim. 4. 20. Paul would not have left him sick if he could have cured him miraculously But now this great Shepherd â—ath â—ll kâ—nds of abilities he is as good at one part of the Pastoral work as at another the gifts which were scattered amongst the other shepherds do all meet in this Shepherd he is as good at feeding as at ruling and as good at ruling as at feeding To one shepherd is given the Word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. 1 Cor. 1â— â— but now all these are equally given to Christ he is as exact in the word of wisdome as in the word of knowledge he can performe equally exactly the work of the Pastour and of the Teacher And then as he hath all kinde of abilities so he hath an unlimited fulnesse of all for John 3 34. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him He hath not onely the fulnesse 〈…〉 but of the fountaine the fulnesse 〈…〉 head dwelling bodily in him And then 〈…〉 all the abilities of other shepherds are 〈◊〉 themselves but from him but the abilities of Christ are from himselfe The Divinity hath filled the humanity with all those gifts which it hath received for the work of a Mediatour 3. He is the great Shepherd in regard of his propriety in the sheep Jesus Christ is not onely the Shepherd of the sheep but the owner of the sheep also He often calls them his sheep Joh. 10. He is the possessor of the sheep as well as the feeder of the sheep Other Shepherds are onely shepherds not proprietors They are forbidden to carry themselves as Lords over the sheep â— Pet. 5. 3. The sheep are said to be theirs onely in a Ministerial way as the care and charge of them is committed to them but they are Christs in an hereditary way the Father hath given them to him John 17. 6. He hath by his own blood purchased them Acts 28. 20. and they have voluntarily dedicated themselves to him for a possession they have by the Baptisme dedicated themselves to Christ Other shepherds are onely servants but Christ is the Lord of the flock This is that which the Apostle mentions as the difference between Christ and Moses Heb. 3. 5 6. Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant but Christ as a Sonne over his own house 'T is the horrible pride of that man of sin that he dares to call himself the head of the Church because this title is onely proper to Christ 4. Other shepherds are sheep as well as shepherds 〈◊〉 Apostles Evangelists and all the 〈◊〉 which succeed them are sheep as well as shepherds They are shepherds Ministerially in regard of the Church but they are sheep Really in regard of Christ They have as much need of feeding watering and governing as any of the sheep have by the same Ordinances by which they feed others are they themselves fed by their preaching and praying they instruct encourage and comfort themselves as well as others But now Jesus Christ is onely a shepherd he feeds others but hath no need of being fed himselfe He teacheth others but he himselfe hath no need of being taught Preaching Prayer Sacraments all other Ordinances are as useful for other shepherds as they are for the sheep but they are not at all useful or necessary to Christ When he was on earth he made use of them to shew his obedience to the Law to teach others their duty to sanctifie them to others that should make use of them he wanted them not then He stood in need of nothing for which the Ordinances were appointed much lesse doth he stand in need of them now but all other shepherds did stand in as absolute need of the Ordinances as the sheep did 5. Christ is the great Shepherd in regard of his Dominion over all other shepherds He is as truly the Lord of the shepherds as of the sheep He is the Master of all the Shepherds which ever were in the Church or which shall be in the Church to the end of the world Eccles 12. 11. 1 They received their Authority from him He made them shepherds of the flock Eph. â— 11. He hath set them over his 〈…〉 â—â—vested them with all the power they hav◠〈◊〉 that do not come into Pastoral office and authority by him they are not shepherds but theeves John 10. 1 2. 2 They are to act and administer all they do as shepherds in his Name and in his Name onely All acts of feeding all acts of ruling are to be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus When Paul excommunicated the incestuous person he did it in
work is wrought By this Word is the soule first cut off from the wilde stock of corrupt nature and planted into the true Olive-tree or Vine Jesus Christ Hence the work of planting is in Scripture attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted saith the Apostle Apollo watered God indeed is the great Planter So v. 1. of this Chapter I am the true Vine and my Father iâ— the 〈◊〉 He is the Master-Planter the Ministers are subordinate-planters We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. They are so called because by the Word preached this great work is done This the Prophet clearly affirmes Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach Christ that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. These mystical trees are Gods planting but the instrument wherby they are made such trees is the Word preached Hence the Word is called the incorruptible seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. As all the Trees and Plants in the first Creation were set and sprung up by the Word of God Gen. 1. 11 12. So are all these mystical Branches ingraffed by the Ministerial Word 2. The Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is the immediate Instrument whereby the soule is ingraffed It is the Spirit which gives efficacy to the Word both to cut off the soule from the stock of nature and to implant it into the Stock of grace The Word would never be able to tear off any person from his first root if it were not edged and strengâ—hred by the Spirit of God The Scripture calleâ—h the Holy Ghost the finger of God Luke 11. 20. compared with Mat. 1â— 28. He is so câ—â—â—ed as for other reasons so for this because he is the immediate instrument whereby God works in the hearts of his creatures Particularly for this work of ingraffing the soule into Christ the Holy Ghost is affirmed to be the immediate instrument 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body c. and have been all made to drink into one spirit And againe Eph. 2. 21 22. where the Apostle speaking of this great mystery under another resemblance saith that in Christ we are builded an habitation of God thorough the Spirit The same Spirit which builds us upon Christ into one Temple doth ingraffe us into Christ as one Vine 3. Faith This is the immediate instrumental cause on mans part Faith is an uniting grace it knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soul Faith is an incorporating grace it doth as it were embody the soule into Christ making it one with Christ and Christ with it This is that which the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as to a living stone c. Ye also are built up as lively stones c. Two things are observable in that Text. First that the Saints are built together upon Christ the foundation-stone an holy house to God Secondly how Christ and they are cemented together into one building this is by beleeving set out by the expression of coming which is used ordinarily for beleeving as Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God first works saith in the heart of a person through the Word and then the soul is by the Spirit through faith ingraffed into Christ and made a lively Branch For the second particular What advantage the soul hath by being a Branch of Christ I shall here follow the Metaphor The same advantage the Branch hath by being ingraffed into the Stock hath a Beleever in a spiritual sense by being ingraffed into Christ I name these five 1. Spiritual supportation The Branch hath this benefit from the Stock into which it is ingraffed that it is born up and supported by it The Branch doth not bear the Vine nor doth it beare it self but is born of the Vine A beleever hath supportation from Jesus Christ We stand on Christs legs not on our own I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. The strength of the Branch is in the Vine so is the strength of a Beleever in Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. 5. I laid me down and slept saith David I awaked for the Lord susteined me Many blasts passe over a beleever many violent concussions and shakings is he exposed unto partly by reason of sinne partly by temptations from the Devil from men in all these shakings he hath sustentation from Christ into whom he is implanted My grace saith Christ to Paul shall be sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse in 2 Cor. 12. 9. A beleever may with confidence go to Christ and pray for support in all his weaknesses A beleever may go to Christ and chalenge support Christ would never have made thee a Branch if he had not intended to support and strengthen thee Esay 41. 10. there are repeated promises of sustentation I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee In doing in suffering in dying is a beleever supported by Christ A beleever never wants support but when either through pride he will not have it or through slothfulnesse he will not 〈…〉 Jesus Christ 2. Spiritual nourishment The Branâ—â— doth not give nourishment to the Stock nor doth it nourish it selfe but it receives nourishment from the Stock A beleever hath nourishment from Jesus Christ The Root feeds the Branch it conveys its sap to each Branch whether it be great or little whether it be nearer the Root or at a farther distance from it Christ conveys proper nourishment to every beleever The Apostle speaks of this Col. 2. 19. The whole body from Christ by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred the Ordinances are the joynts and bands by which nourishment is carried but Christ is the great treasury from whence it is carried He nourishes Faith he feeds Hope he nourisheth love c. Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Every grace a beleever hath would die and wither if it did not receive daily nourishment from Jesus Christ 3. Spiritual increase The branch receives its Augmentation from the Vine The graffe when it's first implanted is very small a childe may break it with one of his fingers but by abiding in the Stock it grows till it come to perfection All a Beleevers increase is from Jesus Christ 'T is by and through him that we grow from infancy to a perfect man Two Texts of Scripture do fully set out this benefit of our implantation The one is Col. 2. 19. In him the whole body having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God The other is Eph. 4. 16. Where the Apostle tells us that by and from Christ the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every part supplieth maketh increase
When Jesus Christ comes to the soul he brings joy to the soule Esay 9. 3. They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as mon rejoyce when they divide the spoile When the Eunuch had his soul bedewed with this raine He went on his way rejaycing Acts 8. 39. The ground of his rejoycing you may see v. 32 33 35. Philip had acquainted him with Christ and Christ upon Philips preaching had rained down a soaking shower upon his soule that created a holy gladnesse in his heart Christ is the onely cheerer of the heart He can remove spiritual melancholy he can take off spiritual heaviness and put unspeakable joy into the soule 'T is true many of the members of Christ want spiritual joy This ariseth either from the restraining of this raine or from their not discerning of this raine When ever the distressed soul shall come to the feeling of these showers it will rejoyce and be no more sad The Doctrine of Christ is a cheering Doctrine The whole Doctrine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine of good tidings All the Ordinances of Christ are cheering Ordinances I will make them joyful in my house of prayer God hath planted Jesus Christ as a root of joy to his people As he is a plant of salvation so he is a plant of consolation no joy is either real or lasting which is not bottomed upon Jesus Christ That soul that hath received this raine into his heart shall have some joy here and he shall have everlasting full soul-satisfying joy in Christ and with Christ and from Christ in the other world This is the second Christ is like raine in respect of usefulnesse 3. Christ is like the raine if we consider the manner of its descending There is a great similitude between the manner of Christs descension upon the soule and the descension of the rain upon the earth I shal instance in seven particulars First The raine comes down successively and gradually now a little and then a little The raine doth not fall down all at once but it comes now a shower and then a shower as the earth stands in need of it God pierces now one cloud and then another in a pleasant succession Jesus Christ comes now a little and then a little as the condition of the soule requires A drop in one Ordinance and a drop in another Ordinance A shower falls in this Sermon and a shower at another Sermon This is that which the Prophet mentions Esay 28. 10. Precept must be upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Now one comforting influence comes down and then another now one quickning impulsion then another now one promise is rained down then another 1 Jesus Christ would have his people in a constant dependance on himself 2 He would have them wait constantly upon every Ordinance 3 He would not have them surfet either upon his Doctrines or comforts therefore he observes a succession in his distillations of good things upon them 4 He would have every Doctrine and every comfort soak into their hearts Luke 9. 44. 5 Christ would have nothing lost which he is pleased to bestow 6 Christ would endear every drop of his grace to his people 7 The soules of his people are like narrow mouth'd vessels they cannot receive much at once without spilling 8 We are such bad husbands that Christ dares not trust us with much at once For these and such like reasons doth he cause all he gives to distill in a way of succession Jesus Christ doth in a way of wisdome parcel out all the good which he raines down upon the souls of his people Secondly The rain comes down irresistibly When God doth by his Word of command speak to the cloud to distil its moisture upon the earth it is not in the power of all the creatures in heaven and earth to hinder its falling down As the clouds cannot open their own veines till God give the word no more can they â—â—â—â—ch themselves when God sets them a bleeding Jesus Christ comes down upon the hearts of men with an irresistible power and efficacy whether we understand it of his Doctrine or of his Scepter or of the influences of his Spirit he doth descend with a forcible and mighty power His Word is called a powerful Word Heb. 4. 12. The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Scepter is called a Scepter of strength Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion His Spirit is a Spirit of might and it s said to work mightily in the hearts of his people Col. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Pelagians and Arminians talk what their wilde fancy dictates of the resâ—stibility of grace the Scripture mentions no such thing the raine will come down whether men will or no and let the earth be never so hard it will soak into it When Christ by his Word and Spirit descends it is with a mighty power that the soul is not able to resist it I shall shew the power of Christs Word Spirit and Scepter in three great works Conviction Conversion Consolation To speak particularly to these 1. For Conviction When Christ comes down with an intention thoroughly to convince the conscience of sinne and righteousnesse the soul though it may stand out for a time yet it is through the mighty smitings of Christs Word and Spirit so powerfully over-ruled that it cannot but yield we have an instance of this in Paul Act. 9. 6. Jesus Christ doth with such an invincible evidence come upon his conscience that though he was in a violent motion carried on in a contrary course yet he yields up himselfe as a prisoner into his hands crying out Lord what wilt thou have me do He hath no strength to stand out any longer nay not so much as to dispute it with Christ Of this convincing power the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Jesus Christ when he comes down with a purpose to bridle the conscience doth deal so effectually that the proudest sinner is brought upon his knees and made to passe sentence against himself Yea with such a mighty power doth he come down upon the soule that even those who are not savingly brought in have their mouths stopped and are unable to say any thing for themselves Thus it was with those that brought the woman taken in the act of Adultery to Christ John 8. 9. They were so mightily convicted by the Word and Spirit of Christ that they were not able to abide in his presence but shrunk away one by one as men self-condemned Thus it was when Christ descended in the word of Stephen Acts 6. 10. Though they would not yield yet they were so powerfully convinced that they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Christ doth so demonstratively smite the conscience that carnal reasoning hath no door of evasion Of this powerful
soules nourishment The milk of the mothers breast was not more nourishing to the new-borne Ver. 2. infant then the Doctrine of the Gospel is to the souls of regenerated Christians 2. God had sanctified these to be the meanes of their spiritual growth As the childe grows by sucking the milk of the breast so do Christians grow by drinking in the Doctrine of Ibid. the Gospel 3. The Doctrine of the Gospel containes in it the sweetnesse of the love of God and of Jesus Christ towards them that beleeve he that hath tasted of this sweetnesse cannot but thirst after Ver. 3. it 4. By receiving into their hearts this doctrine they should have the closer communion with Jesus Christ To whom coming as to a living stone ye as lively stones are built up c. This he confirmes by an argument taken out of the Old Testament which is here cited and improved to illustrate the thing in hand This is in the Text wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion c. Two things are considerable in the Text. 1. The denomination or litle given to Christ A chief corner stone 2. The Explication of this Title by the properties of it These are two 1. He is an Elect or chosen stone 2. He is a precious stone I shall first begin with the denomination A chief corner stone The sum is this The Church of God is here compared to a spiritual edifice or building Every true beleever is compared to a mystical stone in this building And Christ is here resembled to the Corner stone The Note from that first particular will be this viz. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the chief Corner stone of the spiritual structure of Gods Church Both Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself give ample Testimony to this truth 1. The Prophets which were before Christ do bear witnesse to this See Esay â—8 16. From this Testimony my Text is borrowed Behold I lay in Sion fâ—r a â—â—undation a stone a tryed stone a preciouâ— corner stone a sâ—â—â—e foundation And the Prophet David long before him Psalme 118. 22. speaking of Christ hath these words The Stone which the builders refused i◠〈…〉 bâ— Headstone of the Corner 2. The Apostles which succeeded Christ they concur with the Prophets See that famous Testimony which is given before the greatest of Christs adversaries by Peter and John two of his Apostles Though Peter was the onely spokeâ—man yet doth John also agree with him Acts 4. 10 11. Be it known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth doth this man stand here before you whole This is the Stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the Head of the Corner Hear also the Testimony of Paul which is both full and clear to this purpose Eph. 2. 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone 3. We may adde to these the Testimony of Christ himself hear it from his own mouth as it is recorded by three of the Evangelists Mat. 21. 42. Mark 12. 10. Luke 20. 17. Jesus said unto them did you never read in the Scriptures the Stone which the builders refused is become the Head of the Corner In the mouth of all these witnesses is this truth fully established Two things I shaâ—l here open 1. In what respects Christ is compared to the Corner stone 2. How he excels all other corner stones 1. For the first Christ is called the Corner stone in foure respects 1. In regard of sustentation The corner stone doth uphold the whole building if the corner of the house fall the whole structure comes to the ground The Holy Ghost speaking of the slaughter of Jobs children saith There came a winde from the Wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead Job 1. 19. Some stones may drop out of the middle of the building and yet the building may stand but if the corners or foundation shrink the whole fabrick is dissolved Jesus Christ is the susteiner and upholder of his Church Therefore he is called the foundation stone as well as the corner stone Esay 28. 16. He is the great pillar that beares up his Elect. The Churches peace the Churches grace the Churches comfort the Churches salvation are all upheld and maintained by him Solomâ—n reared up two pillars of brass in the Porch of the Temple the one he called Jachin that is he shall establish the other Boaz that is strength 1 Kin. 7. 21. These two Pillars amongst other things did typifie the invincible stability and strength of the Church whereof the Temple was a sign and figure The Lord Jesus Christ is to his Church both Jachin and Boaz he is both the establishment and the strength of his Elect he is that golden pillar that beares up all The Poets have a fictitious conceit of Atlas a great Astronomer that he beares up the heaven upon his shoulders That 's but a fable the great body of the heaven is a burden insupportable to any creature Jesus Christ is really the great Atlas that bears the whole burden of the Church with all its concernments upon his shoulders Eliakim was in this a type of Christ the Prophet saith of him Esay 22. 21 22 13 24. that he shall be fastned as a naile in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from vessels of cups to all vessels of flagons This Eliakim was a figure of Christ for Rev. 3. 7. that which is here promised to him is attributed to Christ These things saith he that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and he that shutteth and no man openeth He is that golden naile upon whom all the concernments of the Church both small and great do depend From vessels of cups to vessels of flagons all hang upon him The Prophet Esay foretelling his birth doth attribute this to him Chap. 9. 6. When he saith that the Government shall be upon his shoulder God hath devolved the whole care and weight of his Church upon him and upon him must we roll it 2. In regard of Vnion The corner stone is that Medium by which the walls of the house are united into one building Pull out the corner stones and the two sides of the house are separated one from the other Jesus Christ is he and he alone that doth unite the several stones of the spiritual building one to another This may be considered two ways 1. In reference to the uniting of the Jews and Gentiles Before Christ the Jew and Gentile were divided and separated one from another This separation did commence and begin after the return
if he had not elected him for the work he undertook And then 3. For the comforting of Christ in undergoing that which he was to suffer for the carrying on of this work He must endure the wrath of God the contradiction of sinners before he could be the corner stone Divine appointment comforts a man in the hardest sorrows Gen. 31. 9. Thou saidst return to thy country The consideration of this strengthned and comforted Christ in all he suffered John 18. 11. The Uses of this 1. The Father and holy Ghost have a hand in the work of mans salvation as well as Christ we scarce take notice of the Father in the work of redemption as if he only did look on and approve what Christ did he acts in it as well as Christ he chose Christ he sent out Christ he fitted Christ for this great work Though the second person was he that was incarnate yet both the first and third person concurre and contribute to the work The divine election is the first wheele that moves in this work 2. That the work of our salvation by Christ is not a rash work 'T is not a work of inconsideration or precipitancy but a serious work There was much deliberation and consultation about it Here is mention of electing Christ It 's a work of infinite and unsearchable wisdom The mystery of godlinesse the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 3. 16. The manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3. 10. here is depth of wisdome in this work 3. That the Elects salvation by Christ is a work well pleasing to God It 's called the pleasure of the Lord Esay 53. 10. It is a great contentment to God to see it carried on it cannot be otherwise when he himself hath elected Christ to it That which a man chuseth and contrives he is pleased when it is carried on God that hath chosen Christ for the foundation will carry on the work in his hand 4. Why Christ is called Gods Elect and Gods Servant Esay 42. 1 2. not as if he were inferior to God in regard of his divine nature Zech. 13. 13. Phil. 2. 6. but because he is chosen of God to be the foundation He is chosen to be the head of the Election all the Elect are chosen 5. Let us with confidence cast our selves on Christ Can we chuse better then God hath chosen 'T is an undervaluing not onely of Gods love but of his wisdom to chuse another foundation God will take it ill if we reject his choice Adventure on him you may Believe and trust in him without doubting He that hath elected Christ will not reject those that accept and relie on Christ The Election of God will mightily aggravate the refusal of Christ Encourage faith by this He that beleeveth in him shall not be ashamed 6. Very great comfort to them that have built on Christ God doth not chuse mouldring stones but firme stones If God have any wisdome to chuse Christ is sufficient to beare all their weight He hath laid help on one that is mighty Psalme 89. 19. Let what blasts will come this Elect stone will hold 1 PET. 2. 6. XXI SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Febr. 13. 1652. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precious I Go on to the second property of this corner stone as it is laid down in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious The word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that which is of great worth or value in it selfe and that which is much prized and esteemed by another A thing and a person may be valuable in it self and not valued by others And then a thing may be highly in it self esteemed which is of no great worth but this word signifies both That it denotes the worth of things or persons you may see Luke 14. 8. When thou art bidden to a wedding sit not down in the highest room lest a more honourable man then then be bidden of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it signifies the valuation or high esteeme of things or persons appears from Phil. 2. 29. The Apostle writes to the Church about Epaphroditus that they would receive him and saith he hold such in reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make much of such let them be deer to you 'T is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies one of no esteeme or account amongst men The Observation is this Doct. That Jesus Christ the chief corner stone of the Church is exceeding precious As he is a stone of Gods chusing so he is a choice stone He is therefore precious because he is of Gods choice Christ is a corner stone precious in himself and it is our great sinne if he be not precious unto us Christ is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of very great price Matth. 13. 46. What is that pearle of great price but Jesus Christ himself for the obteining of whom a wise Merchant will readily part with all that he hath Nothing is worth a mans All but Jesus Christ But in comparison of him all things even the best are nothing worth Jesus Christ is a precious stone as well as an elect stone In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open two things for Explication 1. In what respects Christ is precious 2. Why he is so meanly esteemed by the greatest part of men 1. For the first Christ is precious in foure respects 1. He is precious in the account of God Jesus Christ is the delight both of the Father and of the holy Ghost God values him as a pearl of great price 1 He is in Scripture called the Son of his bosome The onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of his Father John 1. 18. As men and women shew their esteeme of jewels and pearls by wearing them at their bosome so doth God testifie his high esteem of Christ by laying him in his bosome The Sonne of God never was never will be out of the bosome of the Father 2 The publick testimony which God gave from heaven to Jesus Christ at his baptisme is an evidence of the high esteeme he hath of him Mat. 3. 17. This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 3 He is so precious in Gods account that the Father will accept of none but through him nor will he reject any whom he recommends to him 4 The great designe of God in the Gospel is to put honour upon Christ He commands all men to honour the Sonne as they honour the Father All the good he bestows upon men is in Christ and through Christ alone 5 The Father would never have put such a trust into his hands as the redeeming and saving of the Elect if he had not been of precious account in his sight 6 His present session at Gods right hand in heaven is a full and manifest proof how dear he is to him God hath set him there as a testimony of the highest account
It makes Christ damnation to a person That of our Saviour is a dreadful Text Mat. 21. 44. To turne salvation into damnation will be a double damnation better to have been damned without a Christ then to be damned with a Christ better a thousand times to have been destroyed without a Redeemer then to be destroyed by a Redeemer better to die without a Saviour then to die by a Saviour What should be done that we may stumble no more 1. Get a clear knowledge of Christ 2. Be acquainted with those that embrace him 3. Be truly offended at sin 4. Pray that God would root out of your hearts all occasions of offence 5. Remember what Christ hath done for you and what he is still a doing for you His doctrines his offices his government All that at which offence is taken is for your benefit and salvation 6. To take offence at Christ is to stumble at Gods wisdom mercy goodnesse in giving Christ and in fitting Christ MAL. 4. 2. The Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise XXV SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. April 10. 1653. with healing in his wings THe Prophet Malachy hath in this book many contests with the Jewes for several impieties which raged amongst them At the thirteenth verse of the former Chapter he contends with them for their Atheisme and blaspheming of the providence of God Your words have been stout against the Lord and ye have said it is in vaine to serve the Lord. They that work wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are delivered Amongst other answers which the Prophet gives to this blasphemous charge he tells them there was a day coming when Gods dealings shall be manifest that they themselves should discerne a clear difference betwen them that served God and them that served him not ver 18. This difference which should be made between the godly and the wicked is amplified in the first verses of this Chapter for Behold the day cometh c. His dealing with the wicked and disobedient is set down fully ver 1. The day of the Lord cometh that shall burne as an oven This day though it be particularly meant of the day of Christs first coming as is cleare by the context ver 5. which is by our Saviour himself interpreted of John Baptist his forerunner Matth. 11. 14. yet as some good inteâ—preters think it may have a further reference namely to the day of his second coming when all this shall be fully accomplished His dealing with the godly is set down verse 2. 3. In which are two things 1. The greaâ— happinesse which the godly should enjoy in thesâ— own persons verse 2. 2. The conquest they shall obtaine over the wicked verse 3. Ye shall tread down the wicked c. In the happinesse which is promised to the persons of the godly as it is set down in this Verse we have these three things observable 1. A description of their persons unto them that fear my Name This is an ordinary and usual description whereby the people of Goâ— are distinguishâ—d from all others Mal. 3. 16. Eccl. 8. 12. Isa 50. â—â— 2. The authour of their happinesse The Sunne of righteousnesse 3. The nature of their happinesse This is set down two ways 1. Generally he shall arise upon you 2 Particularly This is let down three ways Tâ—ere are three great blessings which they should enjoy by the rising of this Sun upon them 1. Spiritual healing 2. Spiritual freedome Ye shall go forth 3. Spiritual increase Ye shall grow up as calves of the shall I shall wave the description which is here made of the persons of godly men And proceed to the Authour of their happinesse which is said to be The Sunne of righterusnesse for it is to open this expression that I have now chosen this text in the handling of which I shall have occasion to open the particular benefits which should accrew to the godly healing freedome growth The Sunne of righteousnesse The Sunne is used in Scripture in a double sense 1. Properly For that creature which God hath set in the heavens and called by that name Psal 136. 8. 2. Metaphorically or improperly and so it 's used for several things which carry some similitude to the natural Sunne And thus it s used several wayes First for Gods special favour Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sunne and shield Secondly for comfort Job 30. 28. I went mourning without the Sunne that is without comfort Thirdly for prosperity and settled peace Esay 60. â—0 Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self Fourthly for eminency and height of condition and state Rev. 16. 8. The fourth Angel poured out his vial upon the Sunne which Mr. Mede makes to be the Germane Empire the Papal Sunne of the heaven Fifthly for Christ himself So 't is used in this text he that is called the Messenger of the Covenant chap. 3. 1. is here called the Sunne of righteousnesse The Observation is this Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Sun of righteousnesse Zacharias the father of John Baptist gives him a name parallel to this Luke 1. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The day-spring from on high hath visited us In the handling of this Doctrine I shall by way of Explication open these three things 1. In what respects Christ is called the Sunne 2. Why he is called the Sunne of righteousnesse 3. How he doth excell the natural Sunne 1. For the first Christ may be compared to the natural Sun in three respects 1. In respect of his own person The natural Sun hath a shadow of two excellencies which are in the person of Christ As 1 His glory and Majesty Of all the visible works which God hath made there is not any so glorious as the Sunne it 's full of splend or and glory The Sunne is Anima munds the very soul of the world The brightnesse of the Sunne is so transcendent that the weak eye of man is dazzled with the beholding of it See how David describes this creature Psal 19. 5. He is as a bridegroom coming out of his Chamber Never was any bridegroome no not the greatest Prince in the world in such attire on his wedding day as the Sunne is every morning at his coming out of his Chamber So glorious is the Sunne that he draws all the eyes of men to look upon him at his appearing The Lord Jesus Christ is a glorious person The Sunne is but blacknesse if it be compared with Jesus Christ His face is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne when it is cloathed in its best apparel He is the bright shining of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person Heb 1. 3. When he was transfigured upon the mountaine in the sight of his Disciples the text saith His face did shine as the Sâ—nne and his rayment as white as the light Matth. 17. 2. Could we but see the face of Christ as it is
faint when the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah he fainted Ch. 4. 8. 3. The fruits of the earth are many times scorched and withered to nothing by the violent heat of the Sunne Mat. 13. 6. If God do withhold the raine and send out the burning heat of the Sunne the fruits of the earth mourn and languish But now Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath no hurtful quality his beames neither make the face black nor the spirits faint He ripens the fruits of grace in the soul but he never withers them his beames are destructive to none but to such as will not suffer him to shine upon them Those fruits that have no root Christ withers but where there is root and â—p the beams of Christ are never prejudicial The Sunne hath a hardning vertue but Christ never hardens any unlesse it be by accident because they will not suffer his beames to enter into their hearts 'T is rather the want of Christs beames then the presence of them that occasions hardning in any heart 4. The natural Sunne is the creature of this Sunne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ as he is God made this Sunne that shines in the Firmament and put into it all the glory which is in it For the Evangelist tells us that all things were made by him and without him was not made any thing that was made Joh. 1. 3. He gave it both the light and heat which it gives to us He hath set and appointed it the course which it runs and which it hath run since its creation and he doth by his providence order its setting and rising for the good of the world He is the light of all that light which the Sunne hath He is the fountain both of the being and preservation of all that influence which the Sunne doth cause to descend upon the world The dependence of the Sunne of righteousnesse is upon himself but the dependence of the natural Sunne is upon him 5. The natural Sunne doth communicate his light and heat equally to all He shines as much upon the house and lands of the wicked as he doth upon the righteous He doth impart and dispense his influences alike to all in the same manner and in the same measure This our Saviour notes as an act of the bounty of God Mat. 5. 45. But now it is not so with Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse He gives light and heat to one and not to another Though all that live under the shining of the Ordinances do receive so much from Jesus Christ as is sufficient to leave them without excuse yet doth he cause peculiar beames to fall upon the hearts of some which do not fall upon another He shines upon one only to conviction on another to conversion He shines only upon the eares of some He lets down hot gleames into the very hearts of others 2 Cor. 4. 6. We have an instance of this in Paul and those that were in company with him Act. 9. 6 7. They saw the light and heard a voice too a confused voice which they did not understand and therefore chap. 22. 9. Paul saith they heard not the voice of him that spake They heard an inarticulate sound or a confused voice but they knew neither who spake nor what was spoken therefore they heard the voice and yet heard it not but now Paul both heard the voice and understood it and was converted by it which we do not finde recorded of any of the rest Some common beames doth Christ cast forth upon all but his special beames and influences are imparted to none but the Elect Nor is this any derogation to the freeness of the grace of Christ or to the fulnesse of it The fulnesse and freenesse of grace consists more in the greatnesse of that he bestowes then in the multitude of them that enjoy what he gives them Read of hidden Manna of a white stone and a new name which Christ gives to some and not to others Rev. 2. 17. This Sunne of righteness shines sometimes on one in a house and leavs the rest still in darknesse 6. The natural Sunne is an inanimate thing Though it be in some sence called the fountaine of life yet it is in it self without life It hath neither the rational nor the sensitive nor the vegetative life And in this respect the least-living creature is more glorious then the Sunne a living dog is better then an inanimate jewel But now Jesus Christ is a living Sunne This Sunne of righteousnesse hath life as well as light and heat Joh. 1. 4. All that spiritual life which is in the soul is communicated from Christ and preserved by Christ the soul is dead till it be imbreathened by Jesus Christ And hence it is that Christ is so often in Scripture called our life as Col. 3. 3 4. because he gives and maintaines both the natural and spiritual life Yea the brightest beame the soul ever had from Christ here is but a little glimpse in respect of what shall be in heaven There he shall shine 1. Perpendicularly 2. In all his strength 3. Without over-casting 7. The natural Sunne is the servant of men It is called Shemesh in the Hebrew from a root that signifieth to minister because it is the great servant of the world in giving light But now Jesus Christ is not our servant but our Lord whom men and Angels must worship It is grosse Idolatry to worship the natural Sunne Job vindicates himself from it chap. 31. 26. Josiah demolished all Sunne worship in his reformation 2 King 23. 5. It s idolatry to worship the Sunne but its grosse impiety not to worship Christ the very Angels of heaven are commanded to worship him Heb. 1. 6. 8. The natural Sunne is onely useful for the time and state of this life Whether the heavens shall be abolished and annihilated at the day of judgement or only renewed is a great question amongst learned men If they shall be only renewed as they probably will be yet they shall not be useful to men in that way they now are The glorified bodies of the Saints have no need in heaven of the light of the Sunne to shine upon them as now they have Rev. 2â— 5. The Saints in heaven shall be above the shining of Ordinances and above the shining of the natural Sunne Every glorified body shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father They shall be farther above the Sunne then the Sunne is now above them But the Sunne of righteousnesse is useful in heaven the Saints shall have the benefit of Christs shining upon them for ever and ever This Sunne of righteousnesse shall cast his beames upon the soul and body glorified for ever Rev. 7. 17. All the glory of heaven is communicated to the Saints through the Lord Jesus Christ The uses of these are Information Exhortation Consolation 1. For Information It teacheth us these foure lessons 1. Behold from hence the glory of
the Gospel The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glorious Gospel or the Gospel of glory 1 Tim. 1. 11. The Gospel is exceeding full of glory there 's nothing in it but that which is very glorious This is enough to proclaim the glory of it because in it the Lord Jesus Christ is discovered the Gospel is the Orbe in which the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth it is the Chariot in which Christ rides It is the Golden vessel which carries this glorious light about the world The Gospel is the true Bethshemesh or house of the Sunne it is called the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. Because by this Word Jesus Christ is discovered and manifested to the world David doth admire the heavens for this that in them God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sunne Psal 19. 4. The Gospel is that glorious Tabernacle which God hath set and established for this great Sunne of righteousnesse Where the Gospel is not Christ is not known remove the Gospel and Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse is totally removed 2. The exceeding great glory of heaven The Scripture makes mention of heaven as of a glorious place Amongst other things this shewes the glory of it that this Sunne of righteousnesse shines in it Rev. 21. 23. and 22. 3 This will further appear if we consider how far Christs shining in heaven dazzels his shining here on earth I will instance in these three particulars 1. In heaven Christ shines upon the soul immediately There is nothing to interpose between Christ and the soul his shinings in this life are immediate through the Ordinances We see his beames in this life through the thick glasse of Ordinances the Churh tells us the manner of his shining in this life Cant. 2. 9. We have his beames here only by reflection but in heaven they are immediately darted down upon the soul There is no Temple in heaven Rev. 21. 22. Christ himselfe is the Temple Now if the mediate beamings of Christ upon the soul he so glorious What abundant glory will there be in his immediate shinings 2. In heaven he shines with his full strength upon the soul All have here on earth but small beames of this Sunne A beam in one Ordinance and a beam in another here a little and there a little as we are able to bear it the eye of the soul while it is unglorified is not able without dazling to look upon Jesus Christ shining in his full strength Thou shalt see my back parts but my face cannot be seen Exod. 33. 22 23. but in heaven the soul shall be able to take a full view of Christs face 1 Cor. 12. 12. All that ever we have seen of Christ in this world will be but darknesse in respect of that full sight of his glory we shall have in heaven 3. In heaven Christ shines without intermission The soul here doth often lose the sight of Christs face every day is not a Sunne-shine day There are some dark and gloomy dayes even to them that have the greatest interest in Christ Esay 50. 10. but in heaven the Sunne is alwayes up There are no clouds to Eclipse the light of Christs face in that region There 's no night in heaven Rev. 27. 25. That which causes the soul here to lose the sight of Christ shall not be in heaven No sinne enters into that holy place if the immediate perfect uninterrupted shining of Christ can make a place glorious heaven is a most glorious place 3. The miserable condition of those that have no interest in Jesus Christ The Scripture makes it the top of all misery to be without Christ Eph. 2. 12. This text beares witnesse to it How uncomfortable would the world be if there were no Sunne If God had not made the Sunne the world would have been but an uncomfortable prison What a muse and astonishment are men put into when the Sunne is Eclipsed but for a few houres How doleful is their condition upon whom the Sunne of righteousnesse hath never risen They have neither spiritual light nor spiritual warmth nor spiritual healing nor spiritual softnesse that are without Christ They want both the righteousnesse of justification and of sanctification that have not a saving interest in this Sunne of righteousnesse There are no people upon the earth that stand in more need both of your compassions and prayers then those that want Jesus Christ And they are so much the more miserable because they want eyes to see their misery 4. That there is no righteousnesse either of justification or sanctification without Christ he is called the Sunne of righteousnesse in both these respects and therefore till he arise upon the soule it hath no righteousnesse in either of these respects 1. For the righteousnesse of justification The Papists they teach and maintain that a person must have in himself inherent righteousnesse to justifie him before Gods tribunall They say that Christs righteousnesse is not the proper cause of justification but that whereby God is pleased to accept of the habits of righteousnesse in us placing the matter of justification either in something habitually inherent in us or flowing from us This Doctrine doth devest Jesus Christ of this name which God hath here given him He is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. If he be our righteousnesse then we are not our own righteousnesse I would not be found saith a good Divine in the righteousnesse of the best prayers I ever made at the day of judgement To take off men from this Popish doctrine I shall lay down these Arguments against it 1. The righteousnesse of God and the righteousnesse of man are opposed in Scripture as things inconsistent in the matter of justification Phil. 3. 9. To mingle these two together were to wear a garment of linnen and woolen which God forbade in his Law He that submits to the one cannot submit to the other So the Apostle teacheth us expresly Rom. 10. 3. he that trusts to the righteousnesse of man cannot trust to the righteous of God Our righteousnesse is that which we do in obedience to the Law but Christs righteousnesse is that by which we are reckoned righteous in the sight of God 2. If righteousnesse be by workes then it is not of free grace but of due debt This is the Apostles argument Rom. 11. 6. The Papists answer this by understanding by works there the works of nature and unregeneracy only and not of works flowing from faith But this is a meer falshood for the Apostle proves Rom. 4. 2. that works flowing from faith cannot justifie before God Abraham was regenerate Abrahams works were works flowing from faith yet were not those works his righteousnesse but Christ apprehended by faith 3. That righteousnesse by which and for which a person is justified must exactly answer Gods justice It must be so every way perfect that justice it self can require no more but the best of our works are imperfect and
Iohn 13. 10. he that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet He that hath the least measure of this oyntment shall as certainly finde all the effects of it as if he had the whose vessel poured upon him 5. He excels all other oyntments in the manner of composition All other oyntments are compounded and made by men they are called the oyntments of the Apothecary Eccles 10. 1. God created the materials and he it is that hath given man skil and understanding how to make use of them but the composition is made by men But this precious oyntment is not made by men but by God It is he that hath compounded this golden box of oyntment It was God that anointed Christ with the holy unction of the Spirit Psal 45. 7. and it is he that hath designed him to be oyntment unto others Yea the truth is this oyntment is God himself Though the humanity be a creature yet the Divinity is the Creator Christ is not only unguentum Dei the oyntment of God but unguentum Deus that oyntment which is God himself The Uses These I shall draw 1. From the general Doctrine 2. From the particular resemblances First In general We may take notice of 1. The excellency of Christ He is compared in Scripture to all things that are necessary and to all things that are pleasant and delightful One great piece of the study of Christians in this life is to search into the excellency of Christ To know what Christ is in himself and what he is to us comprehends a very great part of a Christians study in this life Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. This one resemblance shews him to be a precious one he is so excellent that all the choice things in nature are made use of to shadow out his glory His Name saith the Prophet shall be called wonderful Esay 9 6. how wonderful is that Name which is comâ—â—sed of so many excellent things 2. This should draw our hearts exceedingly towards the Lord Iesus It should beget in us desire after him and delight in him Precious oyntment draw the affections of men towards them The best oyntment is but a drug to Jesus Christ If we be not enamoured with him we do despise him He that looks on him as oyntment cannot but be greatly delighted in him It follows in the text Therefore do the virgins love thee draw me we will runne after thee That man doth not value Christ as oyntment that doth not love him and desire to be drawn after him 3. The excellency of grace 'T is the graces of the Spirit in Christ that makes him compared to ointment his sweet oyntments are his meeknesse patience holinesse and the rest of those heavenly graces True grace is a choise thing the Scripâ—ure compares it to the choisest things in all the world Cant. 4 13 14. Next to God and Christ and the Spirit there 's nothing in heaven or earth comparable to Christ 4. That the grace of Christ is not a thing common to all His common graces are communicated to all his special grace is more confined His Name is oyntment The holy oyntment in the Law was poured upon none but upon consecrated things and persons Exod. 30. 2â— 24 25 30. It must not be poured on mans flâ—sh v. 32. Christ is compared here to this oyntment A select number the Elect of God onely those that are spiritual Priests these and these onely â—e made partakers of Christ and his graces Thuâ— much for the general doctrine Secondly particularly First from the fragrancy of Christ 〈◊〉 may learne four thing 1. How unsavoury they are that want Christ Wicked men have animam pro salâ— their soules keep their bodies sweet but what have they then to keep their soules sweet the holy Ghost compares men that are in the state of nature to that which is most unsavory Psal 14. 3. They are unsavory both in their persons and in services that want this oyntment A heart unanointed casts the worst smell of any corrupt thing in the world 2. Acknowledge from whence it is that all your fragrancy proceeds If there be any good smell upon your souls it is because this oyntment hath been poured forth upon you Jesus Christ mentions the sweet smell of his Spouse Cant. 4 10 11. and indeed every beleever is a sweet savour unto God The precious oyntment of the graces of Christ poured upon your head at your conversion is the onely reason of this good savour 't is great pride and ingratitude not to own it 3. This teacheth us all how to make and keep the soul sweet Satan labours to make it musty by breathing the ill ayre of sinne into it and if you would have it smell sweetly you must anoint it with this oyntment every day Drop but every day a drop of this oyntment upon it by prayer meditation or some other holy duty and it will preserved sweet notwithstanding the thick fogs of sinne and temptation Carry Christ in your bosome and you will smell very sweet in every company 4. When ever you smell any sweet savour think on Christ The best use which we can make of perfumes and oyntments is to make them remembrancers to put us in mind of him who perfumes both earth and heaven And then Secondly from the cheering vertue of this oyntment learne two things 1. Whither to go for heart reviving When you finde your spirits dull and melancholy when your hearts are tired out and your souls languish smell to this precious oyntment and it will revive you It 's Christs work to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite The smell of the oyntment either of Christs satisfaction or of his promises or of his intercession is the speediest and surest way to be rid from the power of spiritual heavinesse 2. Let them that have this oyntment maintaine spiritual cheerfulnesse God calls for spiritual gladnesse as well as spiritual sorrow Phil. 3. 1. A well grounded cheerfulnesse honours religion as much as holinesse The Scripture was written for consolation as well as for conversion John 15. 11. Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit is a comforter as well as a sanctifier John 15. 26. You that have this oyntment maintaine a holy light-heartednesse There is a vaine mirth and there is a sinful and sensual mirth avoid these but the holy mirth must be kept up It s a disparagement to the holy oyntment to see anointed ones droop in the blackest seasons And then Thirdly from the mollifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. The Scripture remedy against hardnesse of heart It 's a disease the best are troubled with lesse or more chafe this suppling oyntment 〈◊〉 to it and it will grow soft This oyntment was never used aright but it did in time remove the spirituâ—l hardnesse of the soul 2. Ascribe all heart softnesse to Christ Had not this
suppling oyntment dâ—opt upon it it had been stony to this present day Fourthly from the beautifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. What true beauty is To be anointed with Christ to be filled with his graces to be made partaker of the divine nature this is beauty this is true beauty this is lasting beauty this is beauty that will commend us to God 'T is not he that hath the beautiful face but he that hath the beautiful soule that is accepted of God And then 2. He that would be beautiful let him anoint himself with Christ How vaine are persons in painting their faces Jezabels daughters abound 2 Kings 9. 30. as if they would mend Gods workmanship it was formerly whores customes Ezek. 23. 40. Anoint your selves once with this oyntment and all others will be unpleasant And then Fifthly from the healing quality of this oyntment learn two things 1. To acknowledge how their sores were healed Thou wast one full of wounds now they are bound up and healed Thou mayest blesse God for this balsome of heaven â—esus Christ otherwise thou hadst died of thy wounds 2. Get this oyntment into 〈…〉 Wise men will not be without healing oyntment in their houseâ— especially were they are farre from Chirurgion All our houses by reason of sin are no better then spiritual hospitals There 's no balme in Gilead that can heal one sore but this divine balm Jesus Christ get your vessels fill'd with this oyntment and all will be well pray that God would poure this oyntment into your wounded children and servants else they are but dead men LUK. 2. 25. Waiting for the consolation of Israel XXIX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon May 29. 1653. THere are in this Chapter foure things observable concerning Jesus Christ 1 His nativity ver 1. to ver 21. 2 His circumcision verse 21. 3 The presenting of him in the Temple ver 22. to v. 41. 4 A proof of his prophetical office v. 41. ad finem In that part which speaks of his presentation in the Temple we have many things observable 1. The time of it ver 22. which was the fourtieth day after his nativity 2. The efficient cause of it his parents Joseph and Mary 3. The final cause of it this is declared ver 23 24. 4. The adjuncts accompanying this work These are principally two First the prophecy of Simeon verse 25. to verse 36. Secondly the prophecy of Anna concerning him v. 36 to 39. In this prophecy of Simeon we have 1. A description of some things concerning his person v. 25 26. And then 2. A declaration of his prophecy v. 27 c. His person is described two wayes First by his piety v. 25. init Secondly by his gift of prophecy this is expressed generally by the efficient cause of it v. 25. The holy Ghost was upon him particularly by the revelation which he received v. 26. His piety is set down by three graces 1. His justice or righteousnesse He was just 2. His devotion he was a devout man 3. His faith and hope in expecting the fulfilling of Gods promise concerning Christ This is in the text He waited for the consolation of Israel â—n which words we have two things 1. A description of what Christ is to his people 2. A 〈◊〉 of what Simeon did in reference to â—â—rist 〈…〉 him God had reveaâ—ed 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 â—oly Ghost that Jesus Christ 〈…〉 before his soule went out oâ— the flesh 〈◊〉 â—he holy man beleeved this and 〈…〉 wâ—it for it From 〈…〉 two particulars we have this double Observation 1. That Jesus Christ is the consolation of Israel 2. That godly men do expect and wait for the accomplishment of divine promises even of such as are most unlikely to be fulfilled I begin with the first viz. Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is that consolation of the Israel of God Simeons expectation was for the coming of Christ in the flesh as is clear from v. 25. He that is there called the Lords Christ is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consalation of Israel Christ is the only true consolation of all Gods Israel the consolation of Israel is a periphrasis of Christ the Messiah saith Piscator 1 See the type Noah was herein a type of Christ Gen. 5. 29. 2 See it in the prophecies They that foretold Christ prophecied of him as a comforter Esay 9. 3 6. Esay 40. 1. Esay 51. 3. Esay 52. 9 10. 3 See it in the Angels that proclaimed his birth Luke 2. 10 11. In opening of this doctrine I shall handle these three particulars 1. Who are meant by Israel 2. In what respects Christ is said to be the consolation of Israel 3. That he is the consolation of Israel only 1. For the first By Israel we are to understand true beleevers the members of the truly invisible Church so we find them called Gal. 6. 16. They are called Israel or the Israel of God in two respects First in reference to the people of Israel beleevers are like the people of Israel in three respects 1. In regard of their inward circumcision It was the badge of an Israelite and that whereby he was distinguished from all other Nations that he was circumcised Other Nations are called uncircumcision the Israelites are called ordinarily â—he circumcision Beleevers they and they onely are spiritually circumcised the foreskin of their flesh is mortified and cut off they are circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands Col. 2. 11. The body of sinne is truly mortified in them Hence they are called in Scripture the circumcision as the Israelites were Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision saith the Apostle speaking of beleevers which worship God in the Spirit a true Beleever is a true circumcised person 2. In regard of the Law written in their hearts It was the great priviledge of the people of Israel that they had the Law of God amongst them The Apostle mentions this Rom. 2. 2. And the Prophet David long before him Psalme 147. 19. Beleevers have this priviledge above all people under heaven that the Law of God is with them nay the Law of God is in them not the Law of nature but the Law of grace it is not onely written amongst them but it is written in them The Apostle speaks of this Heb. 8. 10. 3. In regard of their neernesse to God It was the great dignity of the people of Israel that they were of all people neerest to God Deut. 4. 7. They were Gods heritage his peculiar people separated from all people under heaven It is the great priviledge of beleevers that they are neerer to God then all other people They are neer to God in affection they are neer to God in relation Of this the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 13. Thus they are called the Israel of God in regard of the people of Israel Secondly in reference to the 〈…〉 rael Israel is Jacob he had that name 〈◊〉 him of God Gen. 32. 28. Now
Ordinance through which it is conveyed Seldome are our eyes lifted up so high as Christ We should labour to be better informed for time to come What ever conduit pipe be used Christ is the fountaine and foundation of every drop of comfort Christ is the God of all true consolation It is not in the power of all the Angels of heaven to give any soul one drop of comfort Nor can all the Ministers on earth give you one dram of comfort They can speak the words of comfort but they cannot cause the soul to receive comfort God comforts by them 2 Cor. 6. 6. Titus was but an instrument Comforting is called frequently in Scripture the speaking to the heart Hoseâ— 2. 14. Who is able to speak to the heart but he who is the Lord and Commander of the heart God hath put all the oyle of spiritual joy into the hands of Christ Esay 61. 3. and none but he can give it out He that wants comfort must go to Christ he that hath received any true comfort must ascribe it to Christ All my springs saith the Church are in thee Ps 87. 7. 5. Let the Israel of God take heed of being a discomfort to Chrâ—st We cannot properly be either a comfort or diâ—comfort to Christ by any thing we do He receives properly no joy from us nor is he capable of enduring any sorrow from us yet our sinnes are said in a figurative sense to be a grief and discomfort to him If Christ were capable of sorrow nothing would go neerer his hear then this to see his people sinne against him What the Apostle saith of the Spirit we may in the same sense say of Christ Ephes 4. 30. It is but a disingenuous and unfriendly thing to be a grief to him that is a consolation to thee If Christ be thy comforter it 's an unworthy thing in thee to be his tormentor The Apostle speaks of some who crucifie to themselves afresh the Sonne of God Heb. 6. 6. Every sinne is in a sort the cruifying of Christ afresh if there be any dram of thankfulnesse in our hearts we shall loath the thoughts of vexing Jesus Christ 6. Maintain close communion with Christ Vse 3. Consolation to the people of God 'T is better in his hands then in ours we are cruel to our selves foolish 1. In case of the want of outward comforts It 's often the loâ— of Gods people to be cut short of outward things God sees they are apt to surfeit on this sweet fruit therefore he with-holds it Well Christ is thy consolation These things could not comfort thee without Christ he can comfort thee abundantly without these 2. In case of spiritual heavinesse and trouble of heart Remember Christ is the consolation of Israel First He can comfort in all cases 2 Corinth 1. 4. Secondly He can comfort against all difficulties He can bring comforts through hell through an host of temptations to the soule Hosea 2. 14. Thirdly He can give the soul ability to receive comforts Esay 66. 13. Wait on him and on his Ordinances and you shall have comfort as much as is sufficient Fourthly he is full of comfort Fifthly â—e is willing to comfort He hath undertaken to be thy consolation as well as thy salvation He 's anointed to comfort them that mourne Esay 61. 1 2 3. Say not I have been so long without Comfort Jesus Christ can drop that into thy soul in one moment which shall make thee forget all thy discomfort Only wait on him wait patiently wait beleevingly Wait on him at the pipes of comforts the Ordinances and desire grace rather then comfort and thou shalt finde heart-revivings before thou die Vse 4. Advice to them that are without Christ Labour to close with him he is the consolation of Israel What poor comforts are those which you now feed upon You feed on ashes you eat husks you are jolly and brisk and full of a frantick joy If Christ be not yours no comfort in Scripture is yours Come and taste of these comforts They are pure They are soul-satisfying They are eternal All your comforts will be your torments if Christ be not your comfort Luk. 2. 25. XXX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lonâ— June 6. 1653. Waiting for the consolation of Israel I Proceed to the second doctrine which is this viz. Doct. 2. That true believers do wait for the accomplishment of divine promises even those that are most unlikely to be fulfilled No promise which God ever made to man had more improbabilities and seeming impossibilities to break its way thorough then the promise of Christ He is called a root out of a dry ground Esay 53. 2. He was to be borne of a Virgin Awâ—-man shall compasse a man Jer. 31. 22. and yet this good man having a Revelation from God that he should not depart this life till his eyes had seen him did wait for the fulfilling of this promise If any should wonder why Simeons waiting for Christ should be noted as an act of such singular faith when as now the generality of the Jewes were big with the same expectation Câ—â—mnitius gives two good Reasons of it 1. The common bulk of the Jews did expect Christ onely for external advantages They expected him onely as one that should restore their outward liberties which were now invaded and taken away but Simeon waited for him as a spiritual Redeemer that should save their souls from sin and hell 2. Simeon expected his coming to be neer at hand according to the predictions of the Prophets whereas the generality of the Jews had but onely a loose uncertain expectation of him Simeon waited for a speedy coming of Christ therefore doth the holy Ghost take such strict notice of it Other examples we have in Scripture of the holy waitings of godly men for the fulfilling of Divine promises Abraham waited for the promise of a Sonne when his body was even dead and his wife unlikely according to the course of nature to conceive the Apostle mentions â—â— â—om 4. chap. 20 21. 18. 19. David waited many years for the promise which God made to him of succeeding Saul in the throne Though upon difficulties and crosse providences which did arise he was sometimes put to a stand yet he did expect the accomplishment of the thing promised He doth often in the book of Pâ—almes make mention of his waiting as Psal 62. 1 2 5. Daniel waited for the accomplishment of Gods promise for the restoring of the Church from their captivity though there were many difficulties in the way the Church being then as dâ—y bones Ezek. 37. 3 4 5 6. yet Daniel beleeved and waited for it as appears by chap. 9. init He did count the number of the years and when they drew neer a period then he stirs up himself to pray with more then ordinary faith The whole Church waited for the fulfilling of this promise Micah 7. 7. I wiâ—â— wait for the God of my salvation my
making a promise This is the second 3. 'T is an undecent thing 'T is a very uncomely thing that God should be hurryed by his creatures to make good his promises before his own time The undecency of it will appear these wayes As. 1. God is our Superiour He is our King he is our Master he is our Father he is the supreme Lord as far above the bighest of us as the Creator is above the creature 'T is not good manners to be too hasty with a Superiour Woman saith our Saviour to the Virgin What have I to do with thee my houre is not yet come Joh. 2. 3. It is unsutable to the highnesse of the God of glory to stoop so low as to observe the time of the best of creatures Great men will not be hastened by their servants its incongruous that the great and mighty God should have his time appointed him by the works of his own hands The great God is willing to be petitioned by the meanest but he will not be determined by the greatest of his creatures Greatnesse will not be uncivilly hurryed by meannesse Luther having once been too bold with God bout a businesse which he thought necessary telling God it must be dâ—â—ne thought he heard this answer Martine admodum sapis sed ego non sum Deus sequax It is not meet that God should either take counsel or be importunately hurried by his servants 2. God is a free agent in whatever he doth or promises All his promises are gracious and all his gracious promises are free Nothing bâ—t his meer will caused him to make any promise They are called promises of grace not only because they conteine gracious things but because they are the effects of free-grace Now it is not meet that a free agent should be determined either for matter or time When we do with impatience over-eagerly put God on to fulfil what he hath promised we do forger that he doth all things according to the counsel of his own Will which is affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 1. 11. It 's not equal to determine a free agent 3. God hath waited patiently and doth still wait patiently on us Before our conversion he waited long stretching out his hands with unwearied patience while we did oppose him Since our conversion he waits still Cant. 5. 2. Rev. 3. 20. He waits for our rising after falls for our obedience to duties commanded 'T is the most incongruous thing in the world that a patient waiting God should be impatiently hastened This is the first 2. For those who never look after the promises of God Many men are so negligent and careless that they never take any thought about the promises of God they neither pray for them nor wait for them Iâ— God will give them a â—eing they can be contented if he never fulfil them they can bear it I would have such Christians consider these four things 1. This is a great sleighting of the promises and of the good which is centained in them The Apostle Rom. 2. 4. speaks of some who despise the riches of Gods goodnesse He that never looks after the promise is guilty of this sinne He scornes the love of God the Father the maker of the promise the blood of God the Sonne the purchaser of the promise the grace of God the holy Ghost the applyer of the promise God complaines of his people that they accounted the great things of his Law as strange things Hos 8. 12. He that never looks after the fulfilling of the promises of God accounts the Gospel and the great things thereof mean things 2. It renders the promise lesse comfortable when it is fulfilled The souls consolation in receiving the good of the promise is according to the souls expectation in waiting for the promise The Prophet mentions this Esay 25. 9. He that exerciseth most saith and hope in waiting for a promise shall finde most joy in gathering the promise We know how it befel that incredulous Lord who would not beleeve the promise of plenty which God made by his Prophet 2 Kings 7. 1â— He saw iâ— with his eyes but did not eat of it He that mindes not the good which God hath promised robs his soul of half of that joy which he might have from the promise The promise will neither be so fat nor so sweet as it would have been if the heart can be more confident in expecting it 3. This makes the promise wholly uncomfortable till the accompâ—â—shment of it The very blossâ—ms of Gods promises yield some comfort to the soul God hath for this end revealed his promises that the souls of his people might have some refâ—eshment by them before they be brought forth The thoughts that such a good shall certainly be ours beare halfe as â—uch comfort as if it were already ours We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 2. The present hope of future glorification is not without some joy Good in reversion yields much joy in possession The promise made to Christ that his body should not see corruption was a foundation of present comfort Psalme 16. 9 10. the hope of the bodies resurrection makes a childe of God die with comfort All Gods promises lay a foundation of present comfort But he that never looks after the promise what joy can he have from the promise 'T is the souls beleeving and studying of the promise that draws comfort out of the promise He that mindes not what God hath promised hath as little present joy from the promise as if it were not at all 4. The neglecting of the promises is a real slighting of the Precepts The same God which hath made the promise hath commanded the soul to wait for the promise and no man can dis-regard the promise but he doth thereby make himself guilty of disobeying the Precept This is the second use of the point 3. For Exhortation Let all that professe themselves to be of Simeons religion waite as he did for the accomplishment of the promises of God God hath made many promises which are of general concernment to the Church of God the promise of calling the Jews of ruining Antichrist of Establishing the mountaine of the Lords house upon the top of the mountaines of settling unity and uniformity of worship in his Church God hath made many promises of particular good things to beleevers the takâ—ng away the stony heart the giving of them victory over their spiritual enemies c. be intreated to expect the fulfilling of all these I shall in this Use 1. Urge the duty by some Motives 2. Propound some rules to direct us in the manner of our waiting 3. Answer some objections which the soule makes against waiting 1. For Motives Consider 1. That all the promises which God hath made shall have their certaine accomplishment in their time The Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 1. 20. That all the promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yea