vast estate of which he had the absolute disposal He was Lord of Heaven and Earth and could give what ever he pleased of the one or other unto his peculiar people It is true he acquired a new title and right by his death but it is as true that he had an unquestionable title and right to all both the Glory of Heaven with the grace that prepares and fits for it and to the goods of the Earth with power to give to best pleased him He did veil his glory and in the daies of his flesh forewent the exercise of that glorious royalty which was his due equally with his Father but he never did disseize or dispossess himself of that inheritance which by the right of eternal generation from the Father and which by the right of creation jointly with the Father he was and will be still seized and possessed of thus the Heavens were his the Earth also Heb. 1.2 He was heir of all things Now could it be likely or indeed imaginable that so great an heir seized of such an estate should die and not dipose of it had it not been wisedom to dispose of it to some or other if he had had no dependances that needed it the worth of the estate would have advised this if the indigency and want of the kindred had not perswaded to it But Indeed Sect. 2. 2. This great heir had a very great kindred and alliance Psal 2.8 who were even poor enough for the greatness of his kindred they were scattered over all the earth Rom. 15.11 Psal 110.3 Rev. 7.9 Heb. 11.12 he hath some of all Nations they were as the dew from the womb of the morning an innumerable company which no man could number as the sand on the sea shore so was his kindred to be And as they were many Rev. 3.17 so likewise were they exceeding poor they wanted much for they had by prodigality spent all they had wasted their goods God gave them a good portion did set them up bravely furnished but all was gone unless a little which the mercy of their Creditor spared to them to live upon There was a Judgment taken out only mercy forbore the Execution Now could such a mulof poor needy kindred be forgotten and neglected think you by such a Dying Friend and how should he have shewed himself of the kindred but by giving them legacies at his death If their unworthy deportment was such as would disengage any other yet it could not disengage him who would do what best became his affection not what best suited with their deserts Take therefore this farther into consideration Sect. 3. 3. That this great Heir had a most hearty and unparallel'd affection of pity and love for all his poor kindred He loved them with a love greater than the love of women he did bear the love of a friend a father of a husband his love to his was so great none could have greater for it was that caused him to die for them Now having thus loved his own he loved them to the end and love hath a good memory it will not easily forget I am sure Christ did neither abate of his love nor forget them he loved which perswadeth me to conclude that this great Heir so dearly loving his poor kindred would certainly provide for them and leave a Will or Testament behind him which they should all be the better for which I the rather incline to believe he would do because Sect. 4. 4. His poor kindred needed some such due lawful and valid Act or Deed to convey his estate unto them For Christ knew and he hath given us to know that we were not his Heirs at Law nor could we have claimed or recovered any part of it by the Law we had lost all our right made forfeiture of all we once were possessed of and God the great Governour and Lord of all had as we know Kings sometimes do given all the estate of the condemned Traitors to his Son and by especial gift had estated him in it Ask of me Psal 2. and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him Our sin was our death and cut off all our claim and title to every desirable good Peccatum abolevit Naturalem eam communionem quae Creaturam cum Creatore consociabat Thes Salm. de trib Foeder sect 33. Sin abolished that Natural Communion which joined the Creature in friendship with the Creatour as the Learned Professors of Saumur observe And God hath set forth this emblematically in the dispossessing and ejecting Adam out of Paradise Whatever God bestow's now he bestow's it in and through Christ with him he giveth all things also This being the case of Christ's poor friends what more likely way of befriending them than by Will what surer way than by ordaining his last Will and Testament since they had no title by Law preceding his gift nor could they have any title any other way He gave it therefore by Will that it might be sure to come to them Sect. 5. 5. This great Heir died in perfect memory and with wisedom that excelled the measures of the wisest men who set and keep their houses in order he died not as some men do of a disease that should disable him to ordain his last Testament but was his own man unto the last he manifested this in his care of his mother his charity towards the sinful murtherers for whom he prayed c. I would add more proofs but that it would wrong your Christianity and call that into question He is not worthy the name of a Christian that is so much a stranger to the Death of Christ In a word he as well knew his friends needed he should give to them as he knew his enemies needed he should forgive them as he did in pity pray for the one so he did in love and care provide for the other And dying friends usually do provide in their last Will or Testament especially if they have what Christ had Sect. 6. 6. Time enough to dispose of his estate Some wise men leave their friends whom they dearly loved ill provided because the surprize and suddenness of death preventeth them But our Lord this great Heir of all things could not be surprized he knew when his hour was how it approached he knew all that concerned others he knew what was in Man and therefore could not but know all that concerned himself and his Death Out of all which circumstances I do adventure to conclude That Christ did before his Death ordain his last Will and Testament and in it provide for his poor kindred out of that vast estate which he was seized of which he possessed and inherited in the right of his infinitely Excellent Nature his Primogeniture his Powerful Creation and the Donation of his Father when Man
had forfeited all and all estreated unto God the King and Soveraign of Man In sum Christ had time enough wherein to do this he had good will enough to move him to it he had estate enough to furnish and enrich them and his poor kindred had need enough And what then think we could hinder him from making his Will or what should disswade us from believing it from his humiliation unto death He humbled himself and became obedient unto death c. Wherefore God hath given him a name c. that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Christ who died and because he died hath this title given him He is Lord and this title is given to him of God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath exalted him and given to him a glorious Title Now this is not a swelling Title without power or riches to befriend and help his people such vain Titles are sometimes given by man to man but never unto any by God himself for he ever invests power with the Title he conferreth and such a power or Authority as became both the greatness of the giver and the greatness of the receiver could not be less then a full uncontrolled and lawfull power of making a Will or Testament giving out legacies to his indigent kindred and friends suitable to all this is that of John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life c. Note well how Christ's laying down his life i. e. Dying for his sheep is is set down as one cause why the Father did so love him Now because the Father loved him he hath given or put all things into his hand John 3.35 Left them all to his disposal These two places of St. John do in effect speak this very language That the voluntary Death of Christ should procure his Father's love to him and this love of his Father should bestow a power and right on Christ to dispose of all things All which was exactly and punctually performed to Christ after his Death as well as largely promised and contracted for upon condition that he should die the promise was made on condition he would die and the right to all contained in the promise was conferred upon him because he died and this right is expressed by St. John thus he hath put all things into his hand because he loved him and he loved him because he laid down his life Thus Christ acquired a right over all by his Death and at his Death disposed of it for the good and benefit of his people whom he made his Heir by Will or Testament which is yet farther confirmed by these two places viz. Luk. 22.29 I appoint unto you a Kingdom I appoint so we read it at large but the Greek doth point out an appointing by Will or Testament on which passage the Learned Beza hath this Note beside what is cited in the Margent These words being the words of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vulg dispono alii Lego Ex illa formula d◠Lego in Testamentis usitatâ Nomen enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiariter de Testamento dicitur Beza in loc Haec Christi ad mortem proporantis verba speciem habent Testamentariae cujusdam dispositionis quo allusit Apostolus Heb. 9.17 approaching now to his Death do carry the form and shew of a certain Testamentary Disposition to which the Apostle alludeth Heb. 9.17 More might be added to clucidate and clear the word in this its most proper and native signification but I forbear that now Vox Testamenti Latina Graecam vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restringit ad Foederis gratiae oecononiam Testamentariam c. Joh. Cloppenb de V.T. Disput 1. sect 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notat declarationem voluntatis ultimae c. Joh. Cocceius de Foeb c. 13. sect 470. Let it suffice that Christ useth a word in this place which naturally imports the making of a Will and so leadeth us to consider him as a Testator as one before his each appointing and ordaining his ast-Testament The second place is that of St. Paul Latinis auribus nota erat Vox Testamentum significare in rebus oivilibus extremam voluntatem de rebus quas post mortem quis fieri velit c. Bened. Aretius in prologum ad Nov. Test Heb. 9.16 17. For where there is a Testament there must of necessiity be the Death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the Testator liveth In which words the Apostle doth argue the certainty and perfection of the Covenant or Promises in Christ and proveth it by this known Argument They are the Testament or last Will of Christ which Christ the Testator hath by his death confirmed beyond possibility of a change Est Oeconomia Testamentaria cui confirmandae mors intercedit Testatoris Heb. 9.16 17. Joh. Cloppenb de Test Vet. disp 1. sect 2. That look how sure and firm the last Will is when he who made it is dead so sure and firm are the Promises to us Voluit Foedas suum babere rationem Testamenti propriè dicti Jacob. Cappellus in soc for they are the Testament of our Lord confirmed to us by his Death For Christ would have his Covenant cast into the mould of a Testament or last Will properly so called On these places I conclude this first point Christ did not die intestate but did ordain his last Will ere he died and so his Death may be considered by us as the Death of a Testator who being our friend made his last Will for our good and benefit for by Will he hath bequeathed very great things to us CAP. II Christ a Testator proper Object to mediditate on at the Sacrament HAving in the Former Chap. Proved what I undertook or at least done so much that we may without errour in our meditation consider Christ Dying a Testator I am in this Chapter to shew that the meditations of Christ's Death as it was the Death of a Testator do very well suit with the Sacrament Sect. 1. 1. First such thoughts are suggested to us by Christ himself in those expressions which he used in the first appointing and administring of this Ordinance when he chose to speak of it at a Testament Among many names wch might have been used and which are gotten into use since none so much pleased our Lord as this Mat. 26.28 Mark 14.24 Luk. 22.20 It is the blood of the New Testament and it is The New Testament in my Blood Now a Testament leadeth our thoughts to the Testator and indeed primarily or in the first place though secondarily it signify a Covenant And though now the frequent use of it in the notion of a Covenant makes us the labour to prove this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testament to signify a Testamentary Disposition or Will yet we can
that whosoever either loves him not or loves him not for his own sake is unworthy of this great ordinance It is disputed whether Judas did partake of this Sacrament but it is not disputable whether a heart like his whether a man or woman who loves Christ no more than Judas did love him be fit for the Sacrament It is a feast for Christs Friends it is an entertainment for his beloved ones if that invitation Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O Behold Cant. 5.1 Be not intended principally for a solemn bidding to this feast yet the general equity or congruity of it warranteth the Friends and lovers of Christ and none else to come The enemies of Christ must expect other kind of entertainment it is bring those mine enemies and slay them before me In one word that heart which is not full of love to God is full unfit for any approach to God in any ordinary and common duty much more unfit for this extraordinary and solemn access to the Lord. Now in the Testament or last Will of Christ we may discern most evidently 1. A love which deserveth to be very highly prized a love toward us wich none but Christ ever did or could bear and express toward us A love which entitled us to a participation of a Kingdom for as the Father hath given a Kingdom to him so hath he given a Kingdom unto us herein appeareth the largeness of his love to us what he hath given declareth how much he loved and the time when he gave sheweth the constancy of his love to us he loved us to the last Now ingenuity sets a value upon men according to the love men bear to their Friends and I am assured who ever readeth the last Will of Christ readeth the greatest the constantest love and why then should it not be esteemed their duty to set the highest price on Christ 2. The incomparable excellencies which he was master of The Legacies which he giveth manifest what surpassing treasures he was possessour of these for kind are spiritual for duration eternal for suitableness full and satisfactory for use sweet safe and pure for certainty unchangeable of all which somewhat hath already been spoken therefore no more shall now be said The vast riches of some men have been kept close until their last will hath discovered them and how then have some men admired them indeed we cannot understand the full treasures of our blessed Lord until we come to read his last Will and Testament in the light of glory with eyes of immortality and then he shall be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 The believing soul when he views the treasures of grace comfort and glory made over to him by Christ's will cannot but admire the incomparableness of his person and although the believers estimate of Christ be so ingenuous as to prize Christ for his own worth yet it cannot be unthankful or not prize him for his gifts bestowed on us Whenever thou art going to a Sacrament if other more quickening motives do not offer themselves think on that which Christ hath given thee by will and consider how glorious and excellent a person he is who bequeathed these great and good things and who can and will bestow every one of them upon thee 3. Read over the will of Christ and ponder well what he hath given and bequeathed then reflect upon thy self and see what thou art now what thou wast when he gave and what thou art like to be so long as thou livest upon earth And when this is well considered thou wilt have cause to say that among all benefactours none can compare with Christ in the noble generous and free disposition of his mind And indeed the excelling beneficence of Christ toward believers doth win an excelling esteem and price in believers toward Christ who 1. Gave these great things of pardon and life of grace and holiness of peace and comfort of victory and glory contained in his Legacies to strangers disesteemers rejecters and in a word enemies of the giver and the gifts Now 't is a generous mind which will do good to miserable forlorn men and women who knew not their misery who undervalued their recovery who rejected the motion who declared their enmity against their deliverer He is a Physician of excellent temper who can and will pass by all these and cure a Dying body because he delight 's to heal Our Lord noteth in the parable Luk. 10.30 That a man went down from Jerusalem a Jew whom thieves robbed and left wounded and half dead insensible of his danger and unable to ask for help The enmity of the Jews against the Samaritanes arose on occasion of that Schism which the Samaritanes were guilty of and maintained against the Jews concerning the Worship of God Joh. 4.20 Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place c. This quarrel began soon after the Captivity of the Ten Tribes by Salmanesar 700 years before Christ was born and it had been countenanced by a High Priest and a Temple in a continued Succession of 300 years and somewhat more before the birth of Christ So old was this enmity whom a Samaritan pittied ver 33. Now observe there was a very rankerous enmity in the Jewes against the Samaritanes as appeareth from Joh. 4 9. 8. v. 48. But this generous compassion of the Samaritan checks the old quarrel and lendeth a helping hand such noble compassion is the compassion of our Lord to us to whom God commendeth his love that when we were enemies Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.8 However disingenious sinners slight and undervalue the person of Christ and his love toward them whilest they were very enemies yet whensoever grace appeath it changeth their minds and maketh sinners cease from sin and become Saints they shall at once both admire the excellency of Christ's person and love towards them and comdemn all their former low unbeseeming apprehensions of Christ his love As the compassion of Christ was thus generous in pittying of an undone enemy 2. So secondly it appeareth a noble and excellent compassion if it appear to thee what thou now art either thou dost not know why self and state or must confess Christ incomparably excellent in mind and disposition There is not now any worth in thee but what thou hast by vertue of Christ's Legacy where had others where hast thou thy grace but from the spirit of grace and note how the Apostle argueth this Gal. 3.14 15. by an argument drawn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Testament and Will of Christ Men do chose persons for some excellency or other and therefore do many times make them their heires But here 's a compassion and love that maketh us excel others by giving us what we could never have expected ex condigno by worthiness of our own The least Saint is more excellent than the eminentest carnal
Prov. 14.20 Both these Motives to love the Believer seeth in every Believer Grace doth very much sweeten Nature and Grace doth very much enrich the person These Motives of love may be found in every Legatee who hath share in the choice Legacies of Christ he giveth an excellency of spirit which sweetneth their disposition they are meek lowly faithful and without guile He also giveth an Inheritance a heavenly a glorious Inheritance these win with the considerate Christian and either thou knowest not what Christ hath bestowed on Believers or thou must confess they are well worthy of thy love and brotherly affection 2. Another Inducement to Brotherly Love contained in this consideration of Christ Dying a Testator may be this Every Believer having interess in this Will was near to Christ's heart as art thou or I or any other who pretendeth title and interess in Christ's Last Testament Now should it not move us to love with hearty love every Christian for so much as every one of them was equally near to the hearty love of Christ Let our hearts be toward them Joh. 15.12 as Christ's was toward us and them It is a maxim in Love and Friendship that it extend it self to all our friends friends Hence the advice of Solomon that thy Father's friend be not forsaken Prov. 27.10 carries sound reason in it for he that is the Father's friend and heartily loved him that begot will be a friend to the Son and love him that was begotten too as the Apostle argueth in a like case 1 John 5.1 The Apostle urgeth this Love of Christ to us as argument to perswade us to love one another Rom. 15.5 with vers 7. to be of the same mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide 2 Cor. 13.11 Idem velle idem nolle ea demum est firma amicitia that so ye may live in Peace and Love which is the fruit of that Union the Apostle perswades us to 2 Cor. 13.11 and Phil. 2.2 where he explaineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The being of one mind by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the same Love The Love we should have for the Brethren of right should be so strong as death because that Love which Christ had for them equally and indifferently was even unto death This is the Apostle's Argument 1 John 3.16 And there is strength in it whether we apprehend it or no. In the last Will of Christ thou mayest discern a Love equally embracing all that believe that seek their portion in Christ There we may find Christ a friend to the poor as to the rich Believer to the unlearned as to the learned Believer to the despised as to the honourable Believer As the Apostle speaketh of Righteousness I may speak and you must understand of all the blessings of the Covenant and Testament The whole is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference Rom. 3.22 Now where Christ hath made no difference in his Love darest thou make so great a difference in thine as to withhold thy love from some Wilt thou not love those who are dear friends to thy dearest Lord thy best friend I do not press an equality of love to all Believers I know our brethren by nature our kindred by alliances our acquaintance and intimate friends have a right to our love and affections both Natural and Civil and where such a Right is doubled by our Relation to each other in Christ our affections may be allowed to double themselves also Whilst Grace and common Hopes do increase our love to each other they do allow for the respects which Nature calleth for of us We must love all with an unfeigned love though we may love some with a more fervent love whom Christ hath equally loved we must unfeignedly love and what reneweth the remembrance of such love to us should renew our love to others 3. In the last Will of Christ is to be seen That it is the express desire of our Dying Lord we should love one another heartily and unfeignedly He hath therefore put them all into one Will and into the same capacity every one by his Will made an heir The Saints do inherit the Riches of Glory Ephes 1.18 Their title is a joint-tenancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are coheirs Heb. 11.9 And this title is by gift of Christ in his last Testament Joh. 17.24 Who desired they should all be where he was that they might behold his glory And read we John 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you This is that Commandment that is so mine as if all others were to yield place to this This is the New Commandment Joh. 13.34 and 35. When Christ attended with Angels gave the Law to Israel the First Great Commandment was Love the Lord c. The Second was Love thy Neighbour c. When he was to die he renewed the Commandment of loving our Brethren Yea so resolvedly doth our Lord require this Brotherly Love that whosoever he is pretends to Christ must make good his pretensions to Christ by his affections to all that are Brethren in Christ Joh. 13.35 Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love for one another Add hereto 1 John 4.20 He loves not God who loveth not the Children of God For how shall he love God whom he hath not seen who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen In a word read the last words of Christ's Intercession John 17.26 which do breathe out the earnest desire of Christ that such love may be among the Brethren one to another as was in the Father and in the Son to them all Now after all this vehemency of desire in Christ that we who are heirs by his Will should love one another Shall any of us dare to hate undervalue reject or despise the other Will you read the last Testament of Love with a heart of enmity Dare you come to the Ordinance which renews the remembrance of Christ's Love to us of his desire we should love each other and not labour to renew your love to them Renewed meditations on Christ's love to us will certainly renew our love to him and to all his renewed thoughts of his last desire of his earnest commending mutual love will renew mutuall love in us if any degree of ingenuity remain in us 4. In the Testament and Last Will of our Dying Lord we have this inducement to renew our love to the Brethren He hath by will designed one onely place in which with most perfect love to enjoy as all the blessed Legacies of our Lord so to enjoy all our fellow Legatees Whether I shall perswade now I know not whether my arguings be powerful enough to suppress envyings and jealousies to remove animosities and quarrels from amongst saints I cannot tell But this I know and this I will tell you when you who
who had offended he would not have brought in the person speaking thus Sanguine placavi Divos Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te by blood of Sacrifice I have appeased the incensed Deities He was nocent for whom a Sacrifice died In a more lofty strain the Prophet Micah cap. 6. ver 6 7. ascertaineth us that the Sacrifice whether Rams or Calves or fruit of the body in what exuberance of measure can be imagined it is all for transgression for the sin of the soul In the solemn offering on the day of Expiation God commanded that the iniquities of the house of Israel should be confessed over the head of the Scape-goat Levit. 16.20 21. Sect. 4. 4. Then must the Sacrifice be slain the Penalty due to the offence and the execution thereof hanging over the head of the offender are thus derived upon the head of the offender his Sacrifice That creature which was made a sin-offering was sure tody for it I might exceed in prosecuting this particular but I will not you read the Generall rule Lev. 1.2 The offering of the cattell herd or flock God required if a Bullock it must be slain ver 5. If of the flock whether Sheep or Goat it must be killed v. 10 11. If a Fowl be offered it must be killed also ver 15. Sacrifices were ever next door to death Nay Scripture speaketh concisely calleth Sacrifice the Killing of an oxe Jsai 66.3 And the Author to the Hebrewes speaking to them in their owne dialect concerning matters of their own intimate acquaintance compriseth all in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shedding of blood Hebr. 9..22 Which must not be understood of the shedding of a little blood by opening a veine or giving a wound but of that shedding of blood which was in use in slaying their victimes which bled all out of their veines and which blood the Horns of the Altar being sprinkled with some small portion of it was wholy poured out at the side of the Altar Lev. 4.34 This was so in separable to Sacrifices that when Superstition had devoted a child though to an idol the Fathers will spare the dearest pledges of their love They could see they must kill their Sacrifices they could not see they ought not Sacrifice their Children Natural affection was not able to divert them from cruelty and unnatural inhumanity when Idolatrous superstition had engaged them in a Murtherous vow But the Ignorance of these salvage brutes may somewhat enervate the testimony I bring from them be it so yet hear one that cannot be excepted against in this point when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his Son he obeyed the command and shewed at once how he understood God's command and wherein his own obedience consisted when he put out his hand to slay his Son Gen. 22.10 Sect. 5. 5. Expiation made in order to setling a Peace between God and the offender was a fifth thing comprized in a Sacrifice It is not much to my present purpose to discourse on the Nature of this Peace and the connexion of it unto sacrifices which do's depend primarily on the institution and warrant we have to offer them He rested in a false Peace who offered up a Sacrifice without a warrant from Heaven and he found no true Peace who offered otherwise with other heart affections and design than God required The Sacrificer aimed at an expiation of his crime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Il. 10. car 495 496 497. a setling of that peace which his offence had disturbed and a reconciling himself to an incensed Deity which I might trace out in the Victims of Idolatrous Heathens but I shall chuse a fairer and a more sure path to follow until I have given you view of this thing Levit. 1.4 He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him Here is the main end of Sacrifice and Sacrificer viz. that the Sacrifice may be accepted and an atonement may be made for the Sacrificer So the sin-offering was to make atonement that the sin might be forgiven to the Sacrificer Levit. 5.20 26 35. In like manner Sacrifices for sins of ignorance were appointed of God himself to take away guilt to make atonement and to procure forgiveness of the errour Levit. 5.17 18. lest farther displeasure broke out against him Sect. 6. 6. A recovery of the favour of God or the restitution of the offender to that good opinion and esteem which he had before he offended The Sacrificer hoped that his errours being expiated and forgiven he should regain the Love of his God who justly might be displeased with him for his offences The conscience once set upon removal of guilt judgeth his work but half done unless it recover the Favour and Love of its God on better principles and stronger desires it sueth as Absolon for a sight of the King's face 2 Sam. 13.32 And this seemeth to me the chief and ultimate end of Sacrificers who know what they go about when they sacrifice unto God and indeed it seemeth contain'd in the Hebrew phrase which we render accepted Lev. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I am sure is contained in the promises God hath made of accepting the Sacrifice of every one who offereth to him according to his mind and will The benevolence or good will of God which is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 satisfieth the soul and the soul seeketh it in its sacrifice Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord Mich. 6.6 seemeth the proper and natural enquiry of each Sacrificer How shall I meet the Lord as my friend and favourer so the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth and so the other part of the question importeth Neh. 13.2 Deut. 22.4 will he be pleased c. ver 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The recovery of the Divine Favour is worth our best and costliest sacrifices and may well be made our aim in sacrificing In brief therefore Christ a Sacrifice for us was substituted in our room was charged with our guilt recognized our faults submitted to their punishment made our atonement and recovered the Favour of God for us This great atchievement is comprized in this small and short phrase Christ Died our Sacrifice Each of which particulars might easily be shewed in Christ's Sacrifice but when we have shewed they are contained in all sacrifices it cannot be reasonably doubted whether they are contained in the Sacrifice of Sacrifices This most excellent and transcendent Sacrifice could not want what was found to perfect less worthy Sacrifices He that was the completion of all Mosaical Sacrifices must in reason be supposed to comprehend all perfection typified in those which were shadows of him And so I pass unto the fourth proposed General CAP. IV. Particular Graces hereby Improvable THE consideration of Christ dying our Sacrifice will afford us arguments well suited
to excite our languishing graces and to strengthen our infirm graces which ought to be more especially found in us and acted by us in our approaches to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as shall particularly be be shewed in these that follow Sect. 1. Repentance is unquestionably a Sacramental Grace None is fit to commemorate the Death of Christ who repenteth not of the sin which occasioned his Dying The weeping eye and mourning heart are exceeding lovely to the Lord at his Table A Repenting soul is a welcome guest there Now let me trace Repentance through these paths and see as we go how it may be suitably fitted with improveing arguments from Christ our Sacrifice 1. Repentance beginneth ordinarily in a conviction of sin not in general only but particularly in the convictions of our owne sin The righteous need no repentance Mat. 9.13 it is the Sinner which is called to repent so long as a proud Pharisaical opinion of our own Righteousness is maintained by us we shall never embrace the practice of Repentance 2. Apprehension of danger either attends or flows from this conviction of the sinner and this forwardeth his repentance the shameful cursed death sin deserveth and the sinner feareth in the midst of his sorrows hath strong influence upon the soul to grieve for self-undoing sin Although a secure unconvinced sinner blesseth himself and feareth no danger the awakened convinced Penitent apprehends greatest danger from his sin 3. Consternation of mind or Amazement at the sight of sin and danger unavoidable for ought the man can do of himself for his own help this I might call if none will be offended at it a seasonable and profitable despair of our selves while we consider our selves and observe what we have done what we deserve what God hath threatned and what millions do and must for ever suffer for sin 4. A mixture of Hope that there may be and of Desires that there should be and of enquiry whether there be not some effectutal help remedy to be obtained The awakned soul doth as it were look about to see what or whence it's help may come Enquireth what shall I do to be saved How shall I escape c. Now when it descryeth mercy to be had upon it's Humbling of it self before God upon condition of sorrow for what is past and of hatred of sin for time to come the Penitent soul set's it self to exert all these and in a vigorous constant uniform exerting these consisteth the whole life and Practice of Repentance And I hope I shall cleare it Christ considered Dying our Sacrifice will be an awakening consideration preparatory to and promoting of this Repentance in its farther Exercise and Growth Sect. 2. Christ Dying a Sacrifice well considered will conduce much to the Convincing us of a state of sin and that we were in particular involved in it we were sinners and the righteous Law of God imputed the sin to us and the righteous Judge whose it was to execute the Law accounted thee and me and every one of the children of Adam as we are transgressours of the Law if thou seest not this look to the Lord Christ a Sacrifice for sin and ruminate what answer thou canst make to these few Questions 1. What need had there been of a Sacrifice for sin if there had been no sin to expiate by Sacrifice There is certainly sin committed where 't is necessary to take away wrath by a Sacrifice There is sin of the soul wheresoever an offering for sin is appointed Tell me then seeing Christ was made an offering for sin what was thy state and mine and what was the state of all men for whom he became a Sacrifice 2. Couldest thou escape the imputation of sin when Christ a Sacrifice for sin could not escape it Could he not be a sacrifice for sin by a voluntary susception of our cause but he must bear our guilt and shall we judge it likely reasonable or indeed morally possible that our wilful transgressings of the Law should be passed over not imputed If thy sins were imputed to thy sacrifice doubtless they had been imputed unto thy self if thou hadst not had a sacrifice Stand then a while and view this No need of Sacrifice to expiate where no sin is but alas I needed such a Sacrifice No need of Sacrifice where no guilt is imputed but I see my sin I see 't is imputed I must not delay or trifle in this matter my sin is evident its imputation is certain it will be laid on my own head or on my Sacrifice and oh how impossible is it I should escape the imputation of it if I carelesly neglect this great Sacrifice For 3. Whose is the guilt is it his or is it mine who deepest in the guilt he who did no guile or I who am full of guile who nearest the crime he who never did it or I who very wickedly committed it Did God impute it to him and can an unhumbled sinner think God will not impute it unto the committer of the sin 4. With whom was God angry who was it against whom offended justice was most incensed was it against him that was the Sacrifice or against him that needed the Sacrifice and brought it undoubtedly the Sacrifice can bear no other displeasure than what it bears for him whose Sacrifice it is and for whom it is offered And canst thou hope guilty offenders may escape when guiltless victims are charged with another's guilt and suffer another's punishment 5. Who hath greater share in the Love of God had Christ thy Sacrifice for sin or hadst thou for whom he became a Sacrifice I know thou wilt not pretend a comparison with Christ the only begotten of the Father thou darest not think but his share was greater in his Fathers love as his love obedience and likeness to his Father was greater infinitely more excellent than thine was or could be Tell me then if God imputed sin to the Son of his Love when his Son had undertaken to bear the fault and punishment of offenders will he thinkest thou spare those who hate him and might justly be hated of him 6. Would God admit his Son his eternal Delight to be thy Saviour on no other terms than that he should as a Sacrifice take upon him and bear the sins of his people imputed to him that they might not be imputed unto them and dost thou not believe canst thou perswade thy self to imagine that thou mayest though a sinner yet not be charged with thy sin Dost thou not clearly discern that God will charge sin either on the sinner or on his Sacrifice In a word or two whoever knows that Christ was made a Sacrifice for sin knows also that they were under a state of sin for whom he was made a Sacrifice and if thou art a Christian and professest that Christ was thy Sacrifice thou dost thereby confess that thou wert under a state of sin that unless mercy toward
thee impute thy sin to Christ justice will impute it unto thy own self View these these things and weigh them impartially possibly they may prevail to the convincing of the heart of its sinful state and of the certainty of a future imputation of sin unless it be prevented by repentance And lest thou shouldst flatter thy self that there is little or no danger in appearing before God under imputed sin I advise thee to consider Sect. 3. The greatness of thy danger as it will appear in thy Sacrifice See if thou mayest not descry 1. Death as certainly following thy Sacrifice as imputation of sin did follow the substitution of a Sacrifice He must die who took thy sin upon him he cannot escape who is thy Sacrifice If Christ taking thy sin on him could not have the Cup pass from him thinkest thou there can be any thing but death awaiting thee under thy sin is not here danger is not here great danger I know not what may be accounted danger if death be not I know not what is greatest danger if death under imputed sin be not 2. Was not the Death of Christ thy Sacrifice full of sorrows and grief he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.3 and if his life were spent in sorrows I am sure his death was full of them Look on him his in agony in the garden explain me the meaning of those unparalleld drops of blood tell me the story of his enemies cruelly buffetting spitting crowning him with thorns and forcing those into his tender temples his blessed head These were preparatory griefs was ever grief like this this thy sin deserved this thou must if Christ had not suffered thou must have been the scorn and triumph of Devils who forever would torment and wrack thee What then judgest thou of death thus aggravated what thinkest thou of the grief and pain of his soul when hands and feet were nailed to the Cross when he hanged there under the sharp pains of a lingriug death what grief was that breath'd out it self in that My God My God why hast thou forsaken me I speak not of the acuteness of his pains which the School-men speak of Let me obtain thy sober thoughts of the sorrows of our Dying Saviour and Sacrifice and then say whether there is danger and how great the danger of thy sin is then say canst thou think of thy danger without fear and astonishment what will become of sinners under the burthen of sorrows which their sins deserve and God will heap upon them 3. View the person who thus suffered view him I say in all his Interresse in the Father's love in all the Priviledges of his nature person and office in all the perfection and excellency of his obedience and see whether any one or all these could exempt him from or defend him against that flame thy sins had kindled and which his blood alone must quench or it will burn for ever and when thou hast thought of this then tell me thy danger 4. Was not his power and strength the power and the strength of a God united to the Humane Nature to support it and yet for all this his Fears Dangers Sorrows were enough to try all his power and albeit he conquered yet not without a bitter conflict How then couldest thou have escaped or born these dangers Thus make an unconvinced heart look on sin in it's Sacrifice make a self flattering secure fearless heart look on the certainty and greatness of it's own danger in the sorrows and grief which fell upon Christ our Sacrifice when thou hast proceeded thus far in this Matter bring thy self to determine these two things 1. whether thou canst bear all the misery which sin deserved and all the sorrows this Sacrifice did sustain Canst thou bear the displeasure of the Almighty if thou think'st thou canst I pity and mourn for thee if thou thinkest thou canst not then 2. say canst thou find out a way for thine escape if the infinit wise God hath not found out any expedient beside this dost thou think thou canst find it out well then if it be intollerable and thou canst not bear it if unavoidable and thou canst not fly from it what remaineth but being shut up under sin as the Scripture speaketh thou shouldst also be shut up in Prison reserved for the day of Execution without any hope in thy self for thou readest thy guilt in the Imputation of sin to thy sacrifice thou readest thy death and danger in the death of thy sacrifice thou readest despair in the unsupportableness of the misery and in the unavoidableness of it's approaches thou art undone and miserable in thy self which cannot but end in consternation of mind and amazement and likely may break out into such enquiries who can dwell with devouring Fire with everlasting Burnings who shall deliver us from wrath to come how shall I escape such great misery what shall I do to be saved Is there not yet Balm in Gilead is there not a Physician there may not this wound be healed dost thou begin thus to fear and enquire I send thee to this Sacrifice for hope and help Sect. 4. 4. Although the death of thy Sacrifice did preach thy danger and thy helpless state in thy self yet doth it also preach help for thee in another it proclaimeth hope of escape for here is a Sacrifice for sin and where a Sacrifice is admitted the offence may possibly be remitted and the offender may be reconciled They that sought out and prescribed their own sacrifices for their Gods maintained their false hopes by this mean And the carnal Jew mistaking the nature of his sacrifices kept up his presumptuous hopes by the same means concluding his peace was made because the sacrifice is offered But he among the Jews who understood the Institution Nature End and Use of the Propitiatory Sacrifices did obtain at first and did maintain unto the last a sound peace between his God and his soul Where there is an appointed sacrifice there is an open and plain declaration of our apprehensions that 1. Our sins are expiable 2. That sacrifice is the way of expiation And 3. That this sacrifice is believed by us fit to expiate our offence These are the common if not universal suppositions of all sacrificing offenders Now beside these common inducements of our hopes let me acquaint my Reader with two things 1. That God hath admitted this sacrifice whose Death we commemorate in the Sacrament Albeit he checked the formal Jew and rejected the Idolatrous Heathen and their sacrifices witha Who hath required this at your hands yet he never will discourage any one who tenders to him by a hand of faith this Propitiatory Sacrifice He will admit this if thou canst present it to him by faith Lift up therefore the feeble hands the drooping head the fainting heart there is hope nay assurance that sins may be expiated For 2. This Sacrifice is of God's own
adoptionis illius vim senserunt in Spiritu Sanctificante PP Salmur de Sp. Adop Sect. 12. so they who are sealed with the spirit of Adoption have still found the power of that Adoption by the spirit of Sanctification Now I say Christ Dying a Testator and leaving us his last Will or Testament to meditate upon hath left us a good answer to our doubts and the due meditations of the soul on the last Will of Christ will much dispel our fears and quiet the soul For whereas there are two sorts of fears which afflict a gracious soul 1. A fear it shall miss of Glory And 2. A fear it doth want truth of grace Christ by his last Will hath secured the believing soul against both these fears against the first by giving a Kingdom and Glory to such by Will he appointed them unto a Kingdom to a Glorious Crown Against the second by bequeathing the spirit of Truth and Grace unto them to lead them in holiness unto the end and this Will of our best Friend who Died to confirm it is a very sure Title on the sacred reverence authority of last Wills and Testaments Legum servanda fides suprema voluntas Quod mandat fierique subet parere necesse est Aug. Imper. de vol. Virg. which must be sacred and inviolate when the man is dead Command of Laws must duly be fulfill'd And so must that our dying friend last will'd how much more when he who died once hath for ever conquered death and lives for ever to see his own Legacies both bestowed and enjoyed which peculiar to Christ our dying friend gives greatest encouragement against such doubts and might very well ease us of all such fears and so be an excellent defence and prop to weak grace whence will soon follow a considerable growth in grace Sect. 3. 3. That which confirms the truth certainty and immutability of the promises improveth Grace I need not give long Proofs of so known a Truth Praecipuum maximè proprium objectum Fidei situm est in promissionibus PP Salm. de Fide sect 7. the promisies are the objects of our faith the good things contained in the promises are the object of our hope the grace and mercy making the promises is the Load-stone of our love In one word we are made partakers of the Divine Nature we do purify our selves and perfect holiness through these promises Grace is as the vine the promises are the frame which beareth up and carrieth the vine which thriveth best when it resteth on the surest and stedfastest frame Grace is a spiritual building which needeth a sure Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is the promise which as the word of God is in it self sure and stedfast for it is impossible that God should lie Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 Yet to this the Lord hath superadded the confirmation and certainty of a Testamentary disposition or last Will making all the promises in Christ and making them all sure and unchangeable by the death of Christ whereby they become to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 that we might have such assurance as should render it next to a moral impossibility for us soberly and deliberately to doubt them Now all this is excellently effected by resolving and moulding the promises into a last Will or Testamentary disposition which is of such a nature that it becomes unalterable on the Death of the Testator Heb. 9.17 for a Testament is of force after men are dead and so the law maxim ensureth us In publicis Lex in privatis Testamentum firmissimum habetur that what the law is in publick concerns that a last Will in private concerns is for ensurance and firmness In brief therefore the last Will of Christ Dying confirms the Promises to us what confirms the promises confirms our faith and hope with other graces faith and hope confirmed do greatly tend to purifying and sanctifying our hearts and making our life fruitful in these things lieth the growth and improvement of grace so that due reflections and right manage of our thoughts on Christ dying a Testator do as is said improve the communicants Graces Sect. 4. 4. That improves grace which doth soften the heart and as it were ripen it unto a mellow temper as the showers which soak into the earth in the spring time which soften the earth do both prepare the way that tender roots of trees and plants may spread abroad and root deeper and also do afford nourishing moisture and sap whence the verdure blossom and the fruit it self so it is here a hard and rocky heart is as unkind a soil for grace as stony ground is for Corn neither can take root to any good purpose Trees of righteousness are planted by the rivers of waters which is a tender soil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the water courses divide themselves and run out into many branches gently and kindly softening the ground And though some vines of the Lord are planted in high Mountaines naturally hard and barren in proud and hard hearts yet these hearts are like plowed ground laid a fallowing and mellowing and so prepared for the seed time every high Mountain is laid low before Christ In one word the pleasant Lillies do grow in the Valleys low and softned grounds so grace thrives best in the humble and tender soul Now there are in the last Will of Christ many both common and ordinary as also Singular and extraordinary motives and inducements to tenderest affections towards Christ Whatsoever cause any true friend any kind Brother any dutiful Child can see in the care love and bounty of his Dying Friend Brother or Father expressed and contained in the porvision made by such one for him that all that and more may the meditating and considerate soul see in the last Will of Christ to melt him into affections for Christ in whose Death he may see love living and growing strong when life fainted and grew weak And as his veines and heart grew empty of blood both grew full of love to you and me So he loved his own to the end What in particular these common and speciall motives are I shall not now specify but reserve them to another more fit place thus you have the sum of this fourth argument before you in the next place Sect. 5. 5. That improves our graces which endeareth the Lord Jesus to us what increaseth our love to Christ doth increase our holiness and addeth to our graces love will long for a more close union love will study the most intire complyance it will ambitiously strive to advance and honour it will without ceasing endeavour to please That soul is most endeared to holiness and most studious of holiness which is most endeared to Christ and most in love with him such a soul keeps his Commandments Now the view and consideration of Christ s last Will and Testament will surely endear
Christ yet a little Friendship would kindle much Zeal for such love and bounty as is expressed by Christ in his Will and last Testament to us Sect. 6. 6. Joy and Gladness in the Lord the heart will rejoice in its own interess in Christ and glory in Christ when the great and good things done for it by Christ and setled upon it by the last Will of Christ are known and duely considered It is a vanity yet common among men to glory and rejoice in their rich Relations and in their ample estates given to them by the will of such Friends but it is no vanity in a believer to rejoice and glory in his large Legacyes bequeathed to him by Christ for the greatness and goodness of these things with the unbeleif and vilifyings which others cast upon believers their hopes and their Lord do warrant yea call for it Sect. 7. 7. Thankfulness and gratefull return of praise unto him who hath so remembred us is another grace improveable upon the considerate observance of Christ making his last Will and upon our meditating on his will it is so apparently due that every one doth usher in the mention of a Legacy or great gift by will with thanks to the Giver I thank him he remembred me c. Sect. 8. 8. Humility and a lowly temper of soul a sober esteem of our selves who have what we have and do hope for all that we can expect of free gift is another grace or Christian habit improvable by due and serious considering Christ's last Will and Testament made by himself before his Death and confirmed by his Death We had been all poor sheaks and pitifull beggars if it had not been for this rich and great Friend of ours I have heard men blow down the pride of some who were set up as we are by anothers bounty with one blast such had not been worth one groat if his Friend had not put him into his Will so do thou Christian consider and so say Sect. 9. 9. Patience in suffering for Christ's sake nay Patient bearing all the afflictions of our whole life is another grace which may be much increased by our due observing and applying our thoughts unto Christ's last Will or Testament He can never suffer too much for Christ who hath so much given to him by Christ nor may he be at any time weary of the labour he undergoeth for Christ who understandeth what is his legacy in the Testament or Will of Christ Sect. 10. 10. Sorrow for doing so little for him and grief for doing any thing at any time against Christ is another effect of our meditations and due observations of the love of Christ manifested to us in his last Will. This part of repentance is improveable by these like reflections on Christ Dying a Testator and putting us into his last Will. If there be any ingenuity lest among the Friends of a Dying person who giveth largely to them all though they all did slight reproach oppose and wrong him this gift will draw out tears for their former carriage toward him Sect. 11. 11. Setled purpose to live in future dayes more worthy of at least with endeavours after a carriage and deportment which may be more answerable to the love of Christ Dying for us and so carefully and bountifully remembring us before he died Renewed obedience is another effect which will be promoted and advanced by such thoughts Sect. 12. 12. A loving and peaceable disposition towards believers our joint Legatees who were in the heart of Christ as well as we and who are by the Will of Christ made joint-heirs with us Charity and Brotherly-kindness is a grace improvable by these sweet influences of Christ's love equally providing for them and us by his Will we shall be constrained to love those whom we know Christ so loved And thus you have in this Chapter the brief Summary of what graces may be increased Now the special influence which the last Will of Christ dying hath on the soul for the increase of each of these graces will occasion the resuming of them in the order I have here laid down and so will be our employment and your farther entertainment in the next Chapter CAP. V. Faith Improved by the last Will of Christ IN this Chap. I foresee I shall be much longer than in all the former and its length will necessitate me to cast it into more branches for I must discourse particularly and distinctly on those twelve Graces mentioned in the fourth Chapter I shall allot therefore a particular Section to each particular Grace in which Sections I hope to clear it That the last VVill of Christ hath a special Influence on the considerate meditating soul to improve its Grace Sect. 1. 1. The believing meditating and considerate Communicant may improve his Faith by the consideration of Christ's last VVill there lye hidden many inducements unto Faith and very strong supports of Faith all which consideration will draw forth and likely enough in some such order as this some of them may be drawn out Now the Scripture tells me that Faith is the substance of things hoped for a perswasion of the certain future accomplishment of those things which are promised to the Believer Credere est persuasum esse de veritate alicujus rei PP Salmur de Fide sect 15. To believe is to be perswaded of the truth of any thing proposed to be believed So that the more the clearer the surer our perswasives and arguments are to believe the stronger will be our Faith and Assent to the Truths which are proposed and argued the stedfaster and more unmoved will our perswasion be Persuasio non fit aliterquam admittendo aut introducendo in intellectum eas rationes caque argumenta quibus unaquaeque res sese veram esse demonstrat PP Salmur de Fide Disp 1. sect 15. Which is wrought in no other manner than by admitting or letting into the understanding those Reasons and Arguments whereby each thing demonstrateth it self to be true VVhich passage of the Learned Professours is a very fit Exposition of the Apostles words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things which are not seen it is the conclusion of the soul arguing with it self from the evidence of truth and from the certainty of those reasons which are discussed and throughly pondered as then there is more or less evidence and certainty in the promise or word on which our faith and perswasion is built so there is more or less strength in our faith or perswasion Confirmat fidem quod magis ac magis persuadet vera esse promissionem c. P.P. Sal. de Sacram. in gen sect 54 and a certainty which grows greater and greater will produce a saith which grows greater and greater like wise Let us then see what increase of our perswasion and faith may be made by the last Will and Testament of our Lord. In which thou
for their meanes and where this discord happens there ever is a great deal less in performance than in purpose farre less in execution than in design and intention But where a great heart possesseth an estate carryeth an interess and enjoyeth opportunities large as its self there are ever great designs rich promises vast expectations and these give being to a hope that maketh not ashamed The favorites of Kings enlarge their hopes to the greatness of those gifts their Princes use to give It were a dishonour to a Prince if his Friend and favourite should hope for a mean and poor gift such as every ordinary man bestows upon his Friend 1 Sam. 22.7 Saul spake more like a King bestowing gifts when he talked of olive-yards and vine-yards and making them Captains over thousands And the ambitious mother measured her hope and request for her sons by the greatness of their masters state when she begged that they might sit the one on the right hand the other on the left hand of their Lord in his Kingdom So let our hopes eye the riches and treasures of our Dying Lord and grow great as his mind and good will as his means and ability to enrich us to satisfy us with most excellent Legacies with Royall gifts 3. As his mind and means were great so was his love and affections toward us Jonathan's love to David was a love that exceeded the love of women but fell short of the love of Christ to believers It is hard to find a love that may shadow out the love of Christ but it is impossible to find out a love that can equal it or set it forth to us in its gaeatness It is greater than the love of a Friend a Brother a Father a wife greater than all these could we compound them all into one Now where so great love to us in so great estate in the hands of so great mind there out hopes cannot but exceed the hopes of a man who hath the largest hopes from his Friend his Brother or Father He knows not the heart of Christ nor the riches of Christ nor the love of Christ who contents himself with small hopes or doth not enlarge his heart towards a hope great as the love of Christ See then what thou mayest expect should be thy legacy think what it likely should be that Christ Dying would bestow upon thee would he not give the greatest he could should you not hope the greatest you are capable of do not men close handed narrow hearted and loath to leave what they have do they not give the most they can to those they love most at their death have not they largest gifts by will who were greatest sharers in their good will is not this the standard by which waiting hoping Heirs measure their hopes and expectations from a Dying Friend let it be thine also and at a Sacrament remember thy hope is justifiable when exceeding great for so much as it is raised upon so great love of so great a mind in so great estate and meanes that none can equall or justify it self in a comparison with it none I say though it were the grandeur of a King of the greatest King ever the Sun did shine upon for if more crowns than one are at his disposal yet can he not bequeath a crown to every loyal subject to every faithful councellour to every dear Friend to every dutiful child Christ thy King thy Friend oh believing soul could alone do this and indeed hath done it by will Luk. 22.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this thou shouldest remember and consider at the Sacrament The renewed memorial of Christ thy Friend Dying a Testator and renewed thoughts of thy Friends greatness who is thy hope will be a renewing of thy hope and an addition to its greatness Sect. 2. 2. As the greatness of our expectations so in the next place the goodness and real loveliness of what we expect either doth add or might justly add to the growth and increase of our Hopes Their Hope may well be a growing Hope which is animated and quickened by such growing goodness Among many cross occurrences which may this often doth lessen our Hopes their greatness may possibly want commensurate goodness the quality and rellish of it may not be sweet enough though the fruit may be larger then we expected The massy bulk may be too great whilst the usefulness and profit of it may be to little David speaks of some who had more than heart could wish but this overgrown increase adds to their pride and atheism and proves a snare to them Psal 73.4 5 6. With the 8. 9. verses Their vices increase as do their riches This a poysonous quality of all worldly greatness and this venom frequently embâ—tters the considerate man's Hopes and this ialwayes empoysoneth the inconsiderate man's enjoyments But on the other side the believers Hope through the death and Testament of Christ hath in it goodness as well as greatness goodness to sweeten our Hope and to sanctify our enjoyment the unbelievers Hope and acquisition makes the estate greater and the person viler but this of the believer makes his estate more great and his person more gracious it makes him happier in his possessions and holier in his affections and so betters both the man and his condition In this the believers Hope excelleth all other which will I hope clearly appear if at a Sacrament we meditate on 1. First the Moral goodness and excellency of those things which Christ hath willed to us they are full of purity and therefore full of loveliness If Moral vertue were so desirable in the eye of the Philosopher that he could say every one would fall in love with it if it were or could be set forth in its native beauty to the eye what then will the Holiness of Christ's Legacies be to a gracious soul what will Moral vertue whereof Christ's Legacies are full enhaunced and dignified with the addition of grace which Christ doth adde to his Legacies Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever ver 16. The spirit of truth Behold here a Legacy which bequeaths all Moral vertues and all sanctifying graces at once in this one gift you have greater and choicer gifts than all the world can give Here is greatness and riches here is goodness and righteousness In one word the great gifts of dying friends have corrupted many a fair and well tempered nature but lo here 's a Legacy greater then all those and which hath rectifyed and beautifyed many a crooked and vitiated nature I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them fom the evill Joh. 17.15 Now as he praies it may be so with them he powerfully worketh upon them and it is so with them they are kept from the evil For he imparteth those internal operative
the Death of Christ the Testatour so that thou and I are beholding to Christ a Testator for all the riches of grace consolation and glory Well worthy of thine and my praise thanks and hearty acknowledgments is Christ therefore for that he by his Death hath procured and by will hath entitled us unto such great and glorious advantages and benefits 2. Christ a Testator hath deserved thy most grateful resentments of his love for that he hath by this means removed all thy fears and prevented all thy doubts least at any time thou shouldst by reason of thy weak faith and defective love fall short of the goodness and blessings thou expectest for this as other Testaments is of force now that the Testator is dead and since he is dead none may either null it or alter it but it must continue for ever in strength And on this consideration of certainty and validity doth the Apostle Gal. 3.15 advance the excellency of the promises made to Abraham and to Abraham's seed Now what ever doth advance the excellency of the promises made to us doth likewise advance our debt of thankfulness for the promises 3. Christ a Testator is worthy of our highest Gratitude for so much as he hath by his last Will and Testament disposed of his rich inheritance amongst us so as we may duly expect and constantly fetch in as much as we will of grace for our present help and comfort reserving the fullness of all unto the final consummation of the elect redeemed Many a man loseth all or else much of his thankes by an unseasonable caution in his will that the Legatees shall have nothing of the gift until such a time to which it is uncertain whether he live but Christ deserveth our admiration as well as our thanks for the present benefit use and advantages we have from his Testament He hath so given that wee may now enjoy we so enjoy now that hereafter we shall receive present enjoyments were not to be compared with future the present improvement is sufficient to keep us handsomely the future is far above mine and your thoughts 4. Christ a Testator worthy of thy thanks for so much as he was thus mindful of thee at the last when enemies insulted and vaunted against him when sorrows and pains did seise him when his Friends stood aloof off and some of them denied him when many were content not to be known of his acquaintance when he foresaw what Friends we in our several generations would be to him for what these persons were under Christ's Eye was both an index or discovery of them and also a symptome or prognostick what we after them would prove And yet for all this his love continued firm to us and made them and us Heirs both of his own and of his Father's love also 5. And lastly consider this Christ a Testator is Christ Voluntarily Dying that he might make all sure to us He was not by nature under an unchangeable law of Death as we are if he had not loved us so much he needed not to have Died here then is his plea and Title unto our Gratitude he did Voluntarily and of choice put himself into a condition that he might dye to procure and confirm the promises to us And yet the kind and manner of Dying and pains he did foresee in his Death are the circumstances which as they set off and advance his love to us so do they increase and augment our debt of a loving hearty resentment of his kindness Sirs Christ must dye a curse under the vindictive justice of God ere he could convey by will the Heavenly blessed and everlasting Legacies which we now expect from him as a Testator Whoso shall cast an Eye upon these particulars if others more quickning do not occur yet these will either perswade to thankfulness or render unthankfulness inexcusable We do usually pick out such circumstances as these to commend the worthiness of our Friends love towards us at his Death he remembred me in what I most needed provided for me as much as I need or can receive he I thank him setled it by will that I might be sure of it And herein I am greatliest beholden to him that as I was unfit to be trusted with all at once and unable to subsist without any of it for present he did in wise kindness to me provide that the main part should be reserved for me and that the lesser be now given unto me So Christ that I might live and rejoice in the present grace of my Lord to me that I might be rich and happy in the possession of the whole when I was fit for and capable of it did wisely bequeath me a portion of peace in him grace from him comfort through him all which I needed but hath reserved fulness of Glory the immarcescible Crown the unchangeable Kingdom the inconceivable and unspeakable blessedness until I should be prepared to enjoy them all herein the love of Christ excelleth insomuch as he did all this for us when sorrows and troubles greater than can be equalled were besetting him nay he put himself into a state subject to all those sorrows and troubles from which by nature he was free that he might be liable to dye and make all this mercy sure to thee and me and such like us by Testament and thou and I must thank him that he did it for us who by our folly and wickedness were the causes of all this sorrow and trouble to him Here is love to be owned with highest rensentments and most enlarged affections Christ is the greatest conquerour of hearts and therefore to be crowned with a triumphant wreath of enflamed hearts oh live and dye in the grateful acknowledgments of his love If as some men will have it his Table where thou suppest with him be an Altar let not this Altar ever want a flaming Sacrifice Let thine heart be offered to him he deserveth more thou canst not tender less it were too little if thou had'st ought more it will be sufficient if thou dost not think it too much Oh my soul thy present income is worth thy thanks thy future full possession is fittest for an estimate and thanks in the highest Heavens CAP. V. Sect. 8. Humility Improved on Christ's Dying a Testator 8. THE eight Sacramental grace I did mention was Humility The proud and lofty heart bearing it self high upon its own deceived opinion is not fit for the Lords Table and Supper the Lord stands not as an endeared Friend to entertain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 4.6 Psal 22.26 but as an armed man to oppose the proud 'T is the meek shall eat and be satisfied as the Psalmist in anocase said who come to the Lords Table richly provided with their self-confidences are sent empty away Luk. 1.53 1 Pet. 5.5 whilst he filleth the hungry with good things In this clothing must we appear for however plain it may seem to be
are now entitled to the Legacies of this great Testator shall every one of you meet together to receive the full and total of what you can receive and Christ will give there shall need no such arguments no such reasonings no such intreaties to perswade you to Mutual Love There you shall not chuse but Love delight in and embrace each other Come then think what you shall be when you Feast all together at your Lord's Table in his Kingdom And judge with your selves is it nor meet we should be such now It will be then a part of your Glory And is not your mind and judgment convinced that it is the Glory of a Christian to strive to be now what he shall be hereafter Christ will bring the Scattred sheep of his flock into one Joh. 11.52 When there shall remain on foot-steps of their former folly and discord It is a high expression which the holy ghost useth Joh. 17.11 And I will now forbear to search in into Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are It is a place which ensureth us that such who by the Father are kept unto the future state of the Saints in Heaven are kept to a most intimate and Glorious Union Friendship and Love Now they who will not be perswaded to cement to unite affections to love one another here how highly do they cross the designe of Christ and of the Father Oh that I could perswade all who hear or read my words and oh that more lively sense of what I write were upon mine own heart Lord I read thy Will Joh. 17.22 The Glory which thou gavest me I have given unto them that they may be one even as we are one Oh let the Remembrance of thy designe of our future Union renewed in the Memorial of thy last Will at each Sacrament cause me and all believers to study and endeavour a present Union and Brotherly love more beseeming our future blessed Union and love It may be I shall be quarrelled at for this endeavour of gaining love from those that yet love me not possibly lose what I thought to keep the love of some that have embraced me with a more Brotherly affection than hereafter they will this may possibly be the Fruit of their passions and the unhappiness of my weak and imperfect discourses But I shall retire my self from such storms and view the blessed Legacies my dying Lord hath bequeathed me peace he hath left for me his peace he hath given unto me And with his Peace his Love I shall at last I Hope Love them for ever who now will scarce give me leave so to do they shall love me who think they never will What my words cannot exexpress what my explanations cannot yet make clear that day of glorious appearing of our blessed Testator to give us the full possession of all bequeathed blessings shall reveale to us and we shall understand All of grace in its Beginnings Improvements Perfection and Crowning in Glory to have been the free Gift of this great Testator dying far us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The end of the Second Part. Gal. 3. v. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us c. THese two verses do acquaint us with what Christ hath done for us and how he hath done it what he was made for us and what we are made by him He was made a curse for us we are made blessed by him In the words you may observe 1. A grand design of Favour proposed Parts of the words i.e. the conferring on us a great Blessing that we Gentiles might receive the blessing of Abraham 2. The accomplishment of the design by Christ he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law c. 3. The Manner how he hath effected this being made a curse for us 3. The Proof of this that Christ was made a curse for us argued from the Manner of his Dying For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree From which declining all but what directly tends to my purpose I commend to you this Truth viz. That the Blessings of Grace are procured for us imparted to us and increased in us Doctr. by Christ's becoming and dying a Curse for us The full blessing of Grace descends on us through Christ made a Curse for us Here I shall 1. Clear the Term. 2. Prove the Truth 3. Essay the Improvement of Grace by shewing how this may excite and exercise Grace Now in the explication of the Terms there are these Terms offer themselves 11. What is this Blessing 2. What is this Curse 3. How Christ was made a Curse Of each in order Sect. 1. This Blessing then is made evident in general by the Apostle vers 14. who calls it The Blessing of Abraham and explaineth it farther it was that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith That Covenant of Grace with all the immunities of it whereby the Jews for a long time had been the peculiar people of God Benedictionis pars maximè memorabilis in spiritûs dono sita est P.P. Salmur Thes de Baptis Sect. 23. and had been advanced high above other Nations is now made with the Gentiles who are now of Aliens made Heirs to the Covenants of Promise Children of God and endowed with the Spirit A most memorable part of the Blessing lieth in the Gift of the Holy Ghost So the words of the Apostle are a Conclusion from the premisses that the Gentiles should be made partakers of the free Blessing of Abraham by Christ Conclusio omnium superiorum gentes fieri in Christo gratuitae benedictionis Abrahami participes consequi promissam illam Evangelii Gratiam quam vocat Spiritum and should obtain the promised Grace of the Gospel which he calleth the Spirit Or in the words of the learned Critick and Divine Promissionem Spiritus pro Spiritu promisso accipio Et Spiritus nomine benedictionem aeternae spiritualis vitae intelligo Th. Beza in Loc. I take the Promise of the Spirit for the Spirit promised and by the Spirit I understand the blessing of an eternal spiritual life The blessing of Renovation and Holiness from the Spirit of Sanctification The blessing of Peace in our Pardon attested by the Spirit of Adoption The blessing of inconceivable Glory reward of all the obedience of our Faith In brief That spiritual life we extinguisht by sin that favour with God which we lost by our disobedience that glory which we fell short of when we fell from God all that happiness which the Law could not give to sinful man accursed by the Law for his transgressing of it But the Gospel hath given to many and still offers to all that it is sent unto This is the Blessing that the Apostle speaketh of and which the Doctrine I am speaking of doth