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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77515	Two treatises the one, handling the doctrine of Christ's mediatorship : wherein the great Gospel-mystery of reconciliation betwixt God and man is opened, vindicated, and applyed. The other, of mystical implantation : wherein the Christian's union and communion with, and conformity to Jesus Christ, both in his death and resurrection, is opened, and applyed. / As they were lately delivered to the church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the Gospel, and preacher to that incorporation.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1652 (1652)	Wing B4737; Thomason E1223_1; ESTC R22919	314,532	569

appeared to him would teach him another lesson and effectually teach it him viz. to deny ungodlinesse and worldy lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Every of us put our selves upon the triall and passe sentence according to evidence Vse By way of Exhortation Evidence our ingrafting into Christ by our fruitfulnesse in the second place As many of us as perswade our selves of an interest in this priviledge that we are thus planted together with Christ see that we evidence it to our own souls and to the world by bringing forth fruits worthy of such a Stock So the Apostle presseth it upon his Colossians Col. 1.10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of the Lord that is so as becometh those who have so near a relation to Jesus Christ those who have union and communion with him All of us who lay claim to this Priviledge this Dignity let us so walk And how shall we do it why Being fruitfull in every good work So it followeth 1. Being fruitfull in good works which 1. Being fruitfull in good works 1. This is the end of this mysticall Insition viz. Fructification Wherefore doth the Planter put Grafts into a Stock 1. Is God's end in our Ingrafting but for Fructification Multiplication Melioration that they may bring forth fruit and much fruit and good fruit This is God's end in engrafting men into this noble Stock the Lord Jesus that they might bring forth such fruit in him Ye are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works 2. This he expects and will require Ephes 2.10 2. This being God's end he expects it and will require it The Husbandman having planted his Vine in a fruitfull hill he looked that it should bring forth grapes Isai 5.2 And the Owner in the Gospell having let out his vineyard he sends his servants to demand the fruits thereof Luke 20.10 When our Saviour came to the fig-tree he came looking for fruit Mat. 21.19 And John the Baptist preaching to the Pharisees and Sadduces he cals upon them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 3. To this end it is that God exerciseth such long-suffering and patience towards the sons of men 3. To this end he exerciseth patience that they might have time to bring forth fruit The Husbandman Luke 13.6 came year after year 4. Barren trees shall be cut down three years succesively to his fig-tree still waiting for fruit 4. Which not finding he ordereth it to be cut down Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground ver 7. Barren Christians are but a cumber to the grond that bears them a burden to the earth they tread upon And still remaining unfruitfull and that under the means of fruitfulnesse they have just cause to look for the Axe Now is the axe laid to the root of the trees Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down Mat. 3.10 Every branch in me which beareth not fruit my Father taketh away John 15.2 5. Whereas fruit-bearing Grafts 5. Fruit-bearing Grafts shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull being an honour both to the Planter and the Stock they shall be pruned they shall be manured they shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull So shall it be with fruit-bearing Christians They being an honour to their God Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit John 15.8 And an honour unto Christ their Head their Root their Stock they shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull Every branch that beareth fruit my Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit John 15.2 And 6. Having their fruit unto holinesse here 6. They shall have their fruit unto happiness they shall have their fruit unto happinesse hereafter Now being mde free from sin and become servants unto God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 Let these motive be to us effectuall perswasions to take out this lesson Be we fruitfull in good works 2. And secondly In every good work 2. In every good work Other Trees bare but one kind of fruit these Trees of Righteousnesse must bear many That Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God spoken of Revel 22.1 2. is said to bear twelve manner of fruits Such should these Trees of Righteousnesse be fruitfull in all kinds of good works not only in works of Piety towards God but also of Charity and Mercy towards men The Exhortation pressed upon young and old Be fruitfull And this let me in the Name of God presse upon every soul here present both young and old Let not the one say it is too soon The time of fruit is not yet It is noted in the Gospel by Saint Mark and it is worth our noting that when Christ came to the fig-tree it is said The time of figs was not yet yet he cursed it because it had deceived him with a flourishing show making shew of bearing fruit sooner then ordinary but yet was barren Christians none of us know how soon Christ may come unto us in the way of generall or particular Judgment looking for fruit Let none therefore say The time of fruit is not yet nor let any say It is past The Trees of God's planting Trees of Righteousnesse are never superannated never past bearing so long as they stand They that are planted in the House of the Lord c they shall bring forth fruit in their age Psal 92.12 13 Be we fruitfull then and at all times fruitfull Like that Tree in the Revelation which brings forth fruit every moneth Or like the Lemmon and some other trees of like nature which bear fruit all the year long 1. Now that we may do so Direction 1. Make sure our Insition into Christ Let our first work be let me presse that again which can never be pressed too much to make sure our Insition that we are engrafted into Christ united to him by faith Till this be done it is but a preposterous course to think of doing any other good work So much our Saviour insinuateth in that answer which he returned to some of the Jews John 6.28 29. when they demanded of him What shall we do that we might work the works of God Why saith he This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent This is that first work and the great work without which it is in vain to go about any other work In as much as Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 The Graft may as soon bear fruit out of the Stock as the Christian out of Christ Ye are created in Christ Jesus unto good works saith the Apostle Ephes 2.10 A Virgine must be married before she can bring forth children to the joy of her Parents So must Christians be

Annot. ad loc but then they add'd the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord and God A Text speaking so full for the Divinity of Christ that as Beza saith of it All the Arians in the world do but in vaine go about to elude it To this add that other obvious one of the Apostle Rom. 9.5 where speaking of Christ he calleth him God blessed for ever True it is what Erasmus observes Cyprianus lib. adversus Judaeos 2 cap. 5. Hilarius in Psal 12.2 Vide Bezam Graec. Annot. and Grotius sayeth hold of that in citing this Text some of the Ancients as Cyprian and Hilary have left out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God But that omission saith Beza is to be imputed Librariorum vitio to the writers or keepers of those copies which plainly appears in that the designe of both these Authours in those places is from that Text to prove that the Name of God doth truely and properly agree unto Christ To which purpose also the Greek Father Athanasius in his disputation against the Arians urgeth both that Text and Word To these if need were other Testimonies might be added as that known one Phil. 2.6 where the Apostle speaking of Christ he saith that Hee being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Which place however obscured by Erasmus and wrested and blanched by Grotius and others yet speaketh fully for the Divinity of Christ as Beza clearly vindicates it Beza Gr. Annot To these adde Tit. 2.13 3.4 Jude 25. 1 John 5.20 And that other Joh. 5.18 where this is laid down for a ground of the Jews malice against our Saviour that he said that God was his father making himselfe equall with God For the seconding of these Testimonies I might subjoyn many Arguments clearly evincing the God-head of Christ By Arguments Five of which a Modern Divine for memories sake hath comprized in one Latine verse Martinius in Symbolum lib. 2. cap. 5. Jova Dei Natus Propriū Dei et Actio Cultus Arg. 1 1 Jova The name of God J his proper name Jehovah is given to him The proper Name of God Jehovah given to Christ So we find it in that place forenamed Jer. 23.6 2. Dei Natus The Son of God So he Arg. 2 is called Luke 1.35 Gal. 4.4 And that not by Creation Christ the Son of God as Angels are said to be Job 1.6 Psal 89.6 And Adam Luke 3.38 Nor yet only by Profession as all the Worshippers of the true God are called Gen. 6.1 Nor yet by the Grace of adoption as all true Beleevers are Joh. 1.12 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.5 But the Son of God properly so called his Son by nature by an eternall generation an inexpressable and unconceivable emanation of essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic rectè dicitur quia singulari modo à Deo processit Grot. Annot. ad loc Joh. 1.14 and communication of substance Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 which the Apostle applies and appropriates unto Christ Heb. 1.5 Thus is he the Son of God so as no creature is or can be said to be Thence called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 3. Proprium Many of the Properties of God Arg. 3 Incommunicable properties are attributed unto him As Divine Properties attributed to Christ 1 Eternity 1. Eternity In the Beginning was the Word saith Saint John Joh. 1.1 speaking of the Messiah that Essential word of whom and by whom God spake unto the Fathers This Word was in the Beginning Not that temporal and determinate beginning in time or with time of which Moses speaks Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God Created the heaven and the earth But indeterminate and eternall so our new Annotation expounds that word Or in the Beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic mos est Hebraeis aeternitatem populariter describere Grot. Annot. ad loc when the world began first to be created then he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam tum erat having a being before it and consequently from Eternity So much we learn from that of the Wise man Prov. 8.23 24 c. where speaking in the person of Christ the Son of God the Essentiall Wisedome of the Father I saith he was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was When there were no depths I was brought forth c. And to the same purpose our Apostle Col. 1.17 describing of Christ He is saith he Before all things viz. all Created things Before the world was So much we learn from our Saviours own mouth Joh. 17.5 Father glorifie thou we with thine own selfe with the Glory I had with thee before the world was Such glory had the Lord Christ with his Father viz. in the heavens and that before the world was This he had not only in regard of Destination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc Destinatione tuâ Grotius Annot ad loc being predestinated to it by God his Father as Grotius would evade it but in regard of Actuall possession The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ the Son of God Prov. 8.22 And as his Father possessed him so he was possessed of the selfesame glory with his Father before the world was from Eternity His goings forth have been from of old from everlasting from the days of Eternity saith the Prophet Micah speaking of the Messiah Mic. 5.2 2. Immensity 2. As Eternity so Immensity to be present in all places Where two or three are met together in my name saith our Saviour there am I in the midst among them Mat. 18.20 viz. by his Eternall spirit A passage as Grotius observes upon it most like unto that trite sentence in use among the Jews Ubi duo consident sermonem habenies de lege Shecinah est inter ipsos Grot. ad loc Where two are sitting together and conferring about the Law there is the Shecinah the divine majesty amongst them 3. As Immensity and Omnipresence so Omnipotency 3. Omnipresence Hee shall change our vile body saith the Apostle that it may be like unto his glorious body according to the mighty working wherby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. ult 4. As Omnipotency so Omnisciency 4. Omnisciency Lord thou knowest all things saith Peter Joh. 21.17 He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what wat in man Joh. 2.25 He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a searcher of the hearts knowing the thoughts of men and that before they bewrayed themselves by any outward expression De animis hominum certò judicare solius est Dei Grot. in Act. 1.25 as appears from those known places Mat. 9.4 Luke 16.15 now this is confessedly God 's peculiar God which knoweth the hearts Acts 15.8

terrible to nature much more the second But this grace of God in Christ in this Mediatour may support the soul against both This was Job's consolation Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth or as some others read it shall stand the last upon the ground like a Triumphant Conquerour which having vanquished all his enemies put them either to the sword or to flight keeps the field standeth his ground Thus shall the Lord Jesus at the last day having vanquished all his enemies put them all under his feet even the last enemy amongst the rest Death as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 15.25 26. then shall he stand upon the earth And what followeth Then though after my skin worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God Such was Job's hope and confidence in this his Mediatour his Redeemer that however death might for a time bring and keep him under the power of it not only consuming his skin but his flesh yet he should be raised again by his power and vertue at the last day and made partakers of a blessed and glorious Resurrection so that he should both in soul and body enjoy that beatificall vision the presence of his God for evermore This benefit shall all those have by this their Mediatour who are given to him He will be to them the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11 25. Resurrection to their Bodies and Life eternall Life both to Souls and Bodies So it there followeth He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die No living the life of grace here he shall live the life of glory hereafter Over such a one though the first death for a time may yet the second death shall never have any power This benefit shall all believers have by and through this their Mediatour to whom God the Father hath committed this dispensation that he should bestow eternall life upon them Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Joh. 17.2 6. Comfort against the last Judgement Sixthly and lastly Here is comfort against the terrors of that last and dreadful Judgment Such shall that day be when all men shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of what they have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil a dreadful Tribunall So the Apostle looked upon it 2 Cor. 5.10 where speaking of it he infers Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord c meaning the terrour of that day the last and universall Judgment which shal be a day full of terrours to all wicked ungodly men all misbelievers such as have rejected the yoak Government of Jesus Christ would not stand to the Covenant which he had made would not have Christ to reign over them Then shall the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Then shall they bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle thunders it out 2 Thessalonians 1.7 8 9. To them shall that day be a terrible day when they shall looke upon him whom they would not owne as their Mediatour and behold him sitting as a Judge to passe sentence upon them But so shall it not be to Beleevers those who have an interest in this blessed Mediatour let them know that his second appearing shall be to their salvation They being reconciled unto God by him here shall be saved by him there He will not undoe what he hath done Having satisfied for their sins and absolved them in the Court of their own consciences here he will then declare that satisfaction and publish that Absolution before the whole world Then shall they reape the full crop of those Benefits by this their Mediatour whereof they have here received only the first fruits Then shall the Lord Jesus perform the last Act of his Mediatorship on their behalf bringing them into the presence of God his Father presenting them faultlesse before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy as the Apostle hath it Jude 24. These are some of those streames of Consolation which flow from this spiritual Rock this our blessed Mediatour The third and last head of Application is yet behind which is Vse 3 Exhortation Let not this grace of God be in vain A word of Exhortation Take it briefly Let not this Grace of God bee in vain to any of us This is Pauls obtestation to his Corinthians 2. Cor. 1.6 We then as workers together with Christ beseech you also that ye receive not this Grace of God in vain What Grace Why the grace of the Gospel The grace of God in Jesus Christ in giving him to be a Mediatour Of this grace he had spoken in the close of the chapter foregoing God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himselfe verse 19. This he there holdeth forth as the summe and substance of all his preaching He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation And concerning this grace he beseecheth them that they should not receive it in vain And let me in the name of God presse the same upon every soul that heareth me this day You have heard of the grace of God manifested unto Mankind in giving his Son to be a Mediatour betwixt him and them O let not this Grace of God be in vain to any of you So it is and so it shall be to many This grace of God is in vain to them So it is to 1 Ignorant persons 1. So it is in the first place to Ignorant persons Such as live under the sound of the Gospel where they hear the name of a Mediatour rung in their ears but yet they regard not to know him to have any acquaintance with him to know who he was what he was what he hath done how and in what way he hath discharged this office of his Mediatorship 2. And secondly all persons openly profane Such as cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ 1. Profane persons such as refuse to come into the Bond of the Covenant refuse to stand to the Covenant which Jesus Christ as Mediatour hath drawn up betwixt God and man which on man's part requireth faith and obedience Evangelicall Obedience for the conditions of it This they reject saying in their hearts with those rebellious ones in the Psalm Psal 2.3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us As for such better they had never heard of the name of a Mediatour yea better for them there never had been a Mediatour This is and will be no small aggravation of their guilt that they should thus trample the Blood

which my eye is chiefly upon viz. The Resemblance betwixt the Naturall and Spirituall Implantation 4 The Resemblance betwixt naturall and Spirituall Ingrafting The Ingrafting of the Branch into the Stocke and the Incorporating the beleever into Christ Wherein the one of these representeth the other But before I come to this give me leave first to mind you of that vulgar and trite Maxime Not in all things Omne simile est dissimile No two are so like but in something they are unlike Similitude supposeth a Dissimilitude And so is it here Though the Naturall and Spirituall ingrafting doe in many things one resemble the other yet not so in all Question Wherein are they unlike Answer See the Dissimilitude The dissimilitude in three particulars in two or three particulars each usefully observable 1 Ill branches put into a good stock 1. In naturall ingrafting there is a good plant put into a worse Stock as the branch of an Appletree put into a Crab-Stock In this Spirituall ingrafting it is clean otherwise Here ill branches are put into a good Stock This dissimilitude the Apostle may seem to glance at Romans 11.24 Where speaking of the incorporating of the Gentiles into the Stock of Abraham he saith they were grafted contrary to Nature If thou wast cut out of the Olive tree which was wilde by Nature and wast grafted contrary to Nature into a true Olive tree For the wild Olive to be ingrafted into the true is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides or contrary to Nature Ambros Hierom. in Rom. 11. Vide H. Grotium in Rom. 11. v. 17. Bezam Gr. Annot. ibid. As for the Crab to be grafted into the Appletree Now so is it here in this Spirituall ingrafting Here is a branch of a wilde Olive ingrafted into the True Men who by nature are branches of the old Corrupted Adam they are taken out of that degenerous stock and grafted into the second Adam a generous and noble stock A Crab grafted into an Appletree A Crab. Such are all men by nature like wildings Al men by nature Wildings of the wood bringing forth nothing but sowre and bitter fruit So the Lord complains of his vine Isa 5.2 I looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes Vvas putidas saith Montanus vile rotten putrid stinking grapes Such are the fruits which the naturall man yeildeth Sowre grapes The fathers have eaten Sowre grapes Ezek. 18.2 As Sowre grapes are to the pallate of man setting his teeth on edg so are these fruits of the naturall man unto God And how should they be otherwise seeing the stock is naught The first Adam through degeneration a Crabb-stocke a wilding But the second Adam Christ is an Apple-tree Christ an Apple-tree a generous stock so called or compared by the Spouse Can. 2.3 As the Appletree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons All other the sons of men are trees of the wood wildings Christ is the Appletree a generous fruit-bearing tree A tree of Righteousness Like that tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God spoken of Rev. 22.2 which bare twelve manner of fruits and the very leaves thereof are sanative and soveraigne for the healing of the Nations And into this tree are these degenerous branches grafted Branches of the wilde Olive grafted into the true Sinners by nature taken out of the stock of nature and ingrafted into Christ Dissim 2. Dead Branches put into a living stock 2. In Naturall Ingrafting Living branches are put into a living stock If the graft be dead there is no engrafting But here in this Spirituall Implanting behold dead branches put into a living Stock Such are all men by nature dead before they come unto Christ Yee will not come unto me that yee might have life saith our Saviour to the Jews Joh. 5.40 intimating that of themselves they were dead And so is it with all others in their naturall condition before the grace of God meet with them they are dead And you hath he quickned who were dead c. Ephes 2.1 R. And it must needs be so Because the stock is dead The first Adam The first Adam a dead stock dying in Paradise And the Root dying the branches dy in it and with it In Adam all dyed 1 Cor. 15.22 But in Christ they are made alive viz. All that are given to him and made one with him Thus is the second Adam not only a Living soul but a quickning spirit The second A living and Quickning stock verse 45. of that Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quickning those that are put into him Where we may take notice how far grace transcendeth and surpasseth nature In nature the best and most vigorous stock may continue that life to the graft which it hath before But convey it it cannot to a dead and rotten branch But so is it here the Branches being dead they are quickned in and by the stock receiving life from Jesus Christ 3. In the naturall engrafting the graft Dissim 3. The stock changing the nature of the Graft still retains it own nature bringing forth fruit after its own kinde Nativam fructus edendi proprietatem retinet It still keepeth it own native property in fruit-bearing But it is otherwise in this spirituall engrafting The beleever being once engrafted into Christ his nature is thereby changed If any man be in Christ saith the Apostle in Christ inserted engrafted into him he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 He is thereupon changed though not in substance yet in quality Changed in his Affection Motions dispositions having as it were a new nature put into him which S Peter calleth the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 That you might be partakers of the divine nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not the divine Substance which is incommunicable to any Creature but divine qualities of holinesse and Righteousness wherin consisteth the Image of God Hereof all beleevers are in their measure made partakers And being thus changed made new they now bring forth new fruits Fruits meet for Repentance worthy of or answearable to Amendment of life Joh. 3.8 Fruits of Holiness and Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Phil. 1.11 And this they have from the stock whereinto they are ingrafted from Jesus Christ into whom they are engrafted by faith Being engrafted into him though barren before yet now they are made fruitfull He that abideth in me and I in him saith our Saviour Joh. 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit And that fruit good fruit Being now made good trees trees of Righteousness they bring forth good fruit Being now made free from sin and become servants to God they have their fruit unto holinesse Rom. 6.22 Thus I have briefly shown unto you the dissimilitude betwixt these two the naturall and spirituall engrafting wherein they are unlike

ease Still in whatever he doth he reflects upon himself making selfe the ultimate and last end of all But now the new creature hath a new end of his life not himselfe but God None of us liveth to himselfe saith the Apostle Rom. 14.7 8. but whether we live we live unto the Lord c. Thus doth the true Christian live He liveth to the Lord. 1. Acknowledging him to be his Soveraign Lord and himselfe his servant in duty bound to yeild obedience to him in doing in suffering his will 2. Framing and ordering his life and conversation according to his will in all things 3. Depending upon him for protection provision wages 4. Referring and applying his life in the whole course of it to his honour and glory Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 This a Christian should do And this so far as he is regenerate he doth And thus is his life a new life having a new end 4. Ordered after a new manner 4. Ordered after a new manner His conversation is a new conversation far different from what it was Time was when it was a vain conversation So Saint Peter calleth the conversation of all men before the grace of God meet with them 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vain conversation And so it is 1. Proceeding from the vanity of their minds Ephes 4.17 And 2dly In regard of the unprofitablenesse fruitlesnesse of it Men weary themselves for very vanity as Habakuk speaketh Hab. 2.13 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed saith Paul to his Romans here ver 21. of this Chapter A vain and a carnall conversation intending chiefly the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh We in times past had our conversation in the lusts of our flesh Ephes 2.3 Perhaps it was a filthy conversation like that of those wicked Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 It may be a blind superstitious conversation like that of Pauls before his conversion Gal. 1.13 zealously bent against God against his truth servants purity of worship power of godlinesse Such it was But now behold a new life a new conversation viz. such a conversation as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 a good conversation Jam. 3.13 an honest conversation 1 Pet. 2.12 a profitable conversation he that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unprofitable before is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable to himselfe and others as Paul saith of Onesimus Philem. 11 12. And upright conversation Psal 37.14 an holy conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 an heavenly conversation Phil. 3.20 Thus is the believer raised as Christ was to a new life This in the Generall 2. In Particular 2. In particular Resembling the life of Christ being as his was This new life to which the believer is raised resembles the life of Christ both for kind and continuance For kind it is a spirituall life for continuance an immortall life Such was the life to which Christ was raised therein differing from the life of others whom we read to have been raised again They were raised up to the same life which they lived before to a naturall life to a mortall life A naturall life so as they stood in need of meats and drinks and such other supports of nature as they did before When our Saviour had raised Jairus his daughter he presently commanded to give her meat Luke 8.55 And as a naturall so a mortall life They all died again But it was otherwise with our blessed Saviour The life which he was raised to was a spirituall an immortall life A spirituall life not upheld by creature-supports and comforts as formerly it was True our Saviour did use some of the creatures after his Resurrection as the story informs us of his eating the broyled fish and honey-combe which his Disciples gave him Luke 24.42 But this he did not out of any necessity of nature but onely for the confirmation of his Disciples faith in the truth of his Resurrection and reality of his present apparition He lived then a spirituall life and that an immortall life He was raised from the dead no more to return to corruption as Paul hath it in his Sermon at Antioch Acts 13.34 Christ being dead he dieth no more saith our Apostle ver 9. of this Chapter In that he died he died to sin once ver 10. And in both these doth the Christian's spirituall Resurrection carry a resemblance of his Resurrection being a raising up of the soule to a spirituall to an immortall life 1. To a spirituall life 1. A spirituall life Such is the life of a regenerate person He that before was only a naturall man as Paul cals the unregenerate person 1 Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a carnall man as Paul saith of himselfe so far forth as he was unregenerate Rom. 7.14 living onely a naturall a carnall life he is now made a spirituall man as Paul cals him 1 Cor. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indued with the Spirit of God and so living a spirituall life Not living by sense or yet by carnall reason as sometime he did but by faith The life which I now live in the flesh saith the Apostle I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 Paul still lived a naturall life he lived in the flesh but it was after a spirituall manner he lived by faith So doth every regenerate person in measure so far forth as he is regenerate he liveth a spirituall and heavenly life having spirituall meat and drink as the Apostle cals the Manna and water in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Seeking after spirituall and heavenly things Whilest others mind nothing but earthly things as Paul saith of sensuall persons Phil. 3.19 profits and pleasures and honours curvae in terras animae c. having their souls bowed downwards groveling upon the earth like the Serpents brood feeding upon dust the regenerate person so far forth as he is regenerate he minds and seeketh the things which are above Col. 3.2 3. His conversation his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his chief negotiation and businesse is in heaven Phil. 3.20 The chief things which his thoughts are most seriously intent upon and taken up about are heavenly things How a Christian useth the things of this world As for the things of this world true he useth them but how why even as our Saviour did the broyled fish and honey-combe as as if he used them not He hath learned that distinction of Augustines or rather of Paul's 1 Cor. 7.30 31. betwixt uti and frui using and enjoying He useth earth and earthly things but he enjoyeth God and heavenly things making the one his viaticum his voyage-provision the other his possession his portion Thou art my portion O Lord saith David Psal 119.57 As for the things of this life his heart doth not run after them in such an inordinate way as sometimes it did

your souls as he in his body Now Christ hath come unto you and that before he was sent for otherwise he had never come working the same nay a greater work upon you raising you up from the grave of sin not to a temporary as he did Lazarus but to an eternall an immortall life Sure I am he might have had more noble Patients he might have made choice of the Princes and Potentates of the world the wise the rich c. But them he hath passed by many of them most of them Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 You hath he singled out to be the objects of this power and mercy Herein acknowledge the exceeding riches of his grace and give him the glory of it by a thankfull acknowledgement To raise up your hearts whereunto Divers considerations raising up the heart to this acknowledgement look first downwards into the hideous darksome loathsome dungeon of the grave from which you are raised that wretched state of sin and death from whence you are delivered Then look upwards to that blessed state this blessed life to which ye are raised Look inwards into your selves and there behold the Image of God in measure restored the first fruits of the spirit already laid in assuring to you the full crop of heavenly glory in due season Look about you and behold on each side millions of souls still sleeping rotting stinking in the grave abiding under the power of sin and death and then see whether here be not matter for a thankfull Gratulation When the Israelites saw the Egyptians lie dead upon the sea-shoar themselves being come safe to land they could not but break forth into praising and magnifying of God Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord Exod. 14.30 15.1 Such a difference hath God put betwixt you and others raised you from the grave where others lie dead Give unto him the praise and glory of this his free and rich grace Inwardly acknowledging it outwardly expressing that acknowledegment by speaking to his praise and living to his praise so living as Christ himselfe lived after his Resurrection Exhort 2 2. Which let me exhort you unto in the second place Are you in the number of those who have their part in this first Resurrection Are you risen with Christ then walk as you have Jesus Christ himselfe for an Example so living as Christ himself lived after his Resurrection Live as Christ lived after his Resurrection Quest But how is that Ans Take it in three or four particulars 1. No more returning to the grave again 1. See that you return to the grave no more This did Lazarus And this it is supposed did those Saints which accompanied and attended upon Christ in his Resurrection They returned to their graves again they died again But so did not Christ himselfe Christ being risen from the dead he dieth no more ver 9. of this Chapter No more do you Hath God begun to raise you from the grave of sin do not return thither again Take heed of ever returning to your former state Object But happily some may say What need such a Caveat as this A Caveat not uselesse though Saints be not subject to totall and finall Apostacy There being no fear of such an Apostacy Those who are once raised with Christ shall never die again He that liveth and believeth on me shall never die John 11.26 They who have once their part in this first Resurrection shall never come under the power of a second death Such cannot fall away totally and finally from this grace of God Ans What then Shall any hereupon take liberty to continue in sin 1. To continue in sin that grace may abound a desperate conclusion and to live as they list Surely then whoever thou art that shalt dare thus to turn the grace of God into wantonnesse that makest such desperate use of so comfortable a Doctrine drawest such poisonous and damnable inferences and consequences from such sweet and comfortable premisses thou mayest take that unto thy selfe which Simon Peter once said to Simon Magus Acts 8.21 and conclude that as yet Thou hast no part nor lot in this matter Thou art as yet a stranger to this mysticall Resurrection and it may be feared art like so to be Paul will tell such perverters and abusers of this grace of God that their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 And Saint Jude maketh this a character of a man ordained of old to condemnation that shall dare thus to turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Jude ver 4. This for you 2 Saints may fall fouly and fearfully though not totally and finally 2. In the second place as for true Beleevers such as are made partakers of this grace the grace of Regeneration it is true they shall be so upheld by that Manutenentia Divina so kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation as that they shall never totally and finally fall from it but yet they may fall fouly and fearfully so fall as the story tels us that Eutichus did who fell from the third loft Acts 20.9 so as they may be taken up for dead Though their life may be still in them as Paul saith of him ver 10. yet they may be dead in their own and others apprehensions They may lose that strength and vigour with that sense and feeling which sometimes they had so as though they do not return to the grave againe yet their life may draw nigh to the grave so as they may be accounted both by themselves and others amongst them that goe down to the pit free among the dead as Heman saith of himself Psal 85.3 4 5. They may be brought to the gates of the grave as Hezekiah said of himself Isa 38.10 Such may the condition of a true beleever be 3ly As for others such as have a name to live they may die again 3. Such as have a name to live may die again Self-deceiving hypocrites those walking ghosts who seemed to have been partakers of this Resurrection they may return to the grave again losing all that which they seeemed to have as our Saviour saith of the formall Professour Luke 8.18 losing all those common graces which like Bristol Diamonds for a time sparkled and shone forth in them Such Apostacie is no Raritie Saint Peter can tell us of Dogs returning to their vomit again and Swine after they have be washen returning to their wallowing in the mire again Such as After they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledg or acknowledgment of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ yet are again entangled therein and overcome 2 Pet. 2.20.21 And the Authour to the Hebrews wil tel us of some who having been once enlightned by the word and have tasted of the heavenly gift have felt some flashes of inward peace and joy