to be tractable sweete and familiar so that the knowledge of God in Iesus Christ you see it is a transforming knowledge and changeth us into the Image of Christ to the likenesse of Christ. Especially upon this ground that when wee looke upon Christ and God in Christ we see our selves there in the love of Christ and in the love of God and thereupon wee are moved to be changed to Christ not by seeing Christ alone or by seeing God in Christ alone but by seeing Gods love in Christ to us and Christs love to us for the Spirit of faith which is given together with the Gospell it sees Christ giving himselfe for me and sees God the Fathers love in me in Christ and giving me to Christ when the Spirit of faith with this appropriation seeth God mine in Christ and seeth Christ mine and sees my selfe in the love of God and in the love of Christ hereupon the soule is stirred up from a holy desire to bee like Christ Iesus that loved me so much and to be conformable to God all I can For if the person be great and glorious and our friend too there is a naturall desire to be like such to imitate them and expresse them all we can Now when wee see our selves in the love of God and Christ out of the nature of the thing it selfe it will stirre us up to be like so sweete and gracious and loving a Saviour There are three sights that hath a wondrous efficasie and they goe together God sees us in Christ and therefore loves us as we are in Christ. Christ sees us in the love of his father and therefore loves us as hee sees us in his fathers love Wee see our selves in Christ and see the love of God to us in Christ these three sights are the foundation of all comfort God gives us to Christ and sees us as given to him in his election Christ sees us as given of the Father as you have it Iohn 17. And loves us as wee are loved of the Father and then sees us as his owne members and wee by a Spirit of Faith see Christ and see our selves in Christ and given to Christ by the Father hereupon comes a desire of imitation and expression of Iesus Christ when we see our selves in Christ God lookes upon us in Christ and we looke upon our selves in Christ and when we looke upon the mercy of God in Christ it kindleth love and love kindleth love as fire kindleth fire Fire hath that quality that it turnes all to it selfe Now the meditation of the glorious love of God in Christ it workes love and love is an affection of changing love transformes as fire doth the love of God warmes us and wee are fit for all impressions as things that are warme Iron is a dull and heavy thing yet when it is warmed it is bright and plyable and hath as much as may be of the nature of fire imprinted upon it so our dead and dull and unflexible and unyeelding soules become mallyable and flexible by the love of Christ shining upon them his love transformes them and kindles them so here is the way how the glory of Gods love in Christ transformes us because the discovery of the bowels of mercy in God towards us kindles love to him and that being kindled it workes likenesse for love to greatnesse transformes us it workes a desire to be like those that are great where there is dependance there is a desire to be like even among men much more considering that God so loves our nature in Christ and that our nature is so full of grace in Christ as it is the love of God in Christ that hath done so much for us it breedes a desire to be like Christ in our disposition all wee can By looking to the glory of God in Christ wee see Christ as our husband and that breedes a disposition in us to have the affections of a Spouse wee see Christ as our head and that breedes a disposition in us to be members like him Quest. How shall wee know then that wee see God in Christ and the glory of God in the Gospell comfortably Answ. Hath this sight a transforming power in thee to the Image of Christ to make thee like him if it have not a transforming power it is a barren empty contemplation that hath no efficacy or comfort at all so farre as the sight of Gods love in Christ breedes conformity to Christ so farre it is graciour and comfortable see therefore whether thou art transformed to the Image of Christ if there be not a change there is no beholding of Christ to speake off no man ever sees the mercy of God in Christ by the eye of faith but he is changed For beloved as there must be a change so it is in this order from beholding the mercy of God in Christ for can you imagine that any soule can see it selfe in the glasse of Gods love in Iesus Christ that it should see in the Gospell Christ and in him God reconciled unto him in particular but that soule out of the apprehension of Gods love in Christ will love God againe and be altered and changed It is impossible such a sight therefore whereby we see our selves in this glasse as when we looke in a glasse and see our owne Image we see our owne selves in Christ and the love of God such a sight altereth and changeth alway it works love and love is the worker of imitaiton for what doth make one labour to expresse another in their disposition carriage and conversation Oh it is love as children imitate their Parents love is full of invention and of this kinde of invention that it studdies to please the person loved as much as it can every way hereupon we come to be desirous to be like Christ because we see the glory of Gods mercy shining in Christ. The adversaries of the grace of God they fall foule upon us because we preach justification by the free mercy and love of God in Christ Oh say they this is to dead the spirits of men that they have no care of good workes Beloved can there bee any greater insentive and motive in the world to sanctification to expresse Christ and to studdy Christ then to consider what favour and mercy wee have in Christ how we are justified and freed by him by the glorious mercy of God in Christ there cannot be a greater therfore we see here they depend one upon another by seeing in the glasse of the Gospell the glory of God we are transformed from glory to glory An excellent glasse the Gospell is by seeing Gods love in it wee are changed The Law is a glasse too but such a glasse as Saint Iames speakes of that when a man lookes into it and sees his duty he goes away and forgets all the Law discovers our sinne and misery Indeed it is a true glasse if wee looke there
wee shall see the true picture of old Adam and of corruption but it is such a glasse as workes nothing upon us but when this glasse is held out by the Ministers of the word whose office it is to hold the glasse to people when they see the love of God in Christ this is a changing transforming glasse to make them that were deformed and disfigured before that bore upon them the image of Sathan before now to be transformed to be like Christ by whom they must bee saved Is there any studdy in the world therefore more excellent then that of the Gospell and of the mercy of God in Christ that transformes changes men from one degree of grace to another as it followes in the Text. Therefore those that finde themselves to be the old men still that have lived in corrupt courses and doe so still let them not thinke to have any benefit by the Gospell they deceive themselves they never knew God for hee that saith he hath communion with God and walkes in darkenesse hee is a lyer Saint Iohn gives him the lye for God is light how can a man see himselfe in the love of God and remaine in a darke state opposite to love will it not alter a man It will not suffer him to live in sinnes against conscience let no man that doth so thinke he hath benefit by Christ that knowledge is but a notionall knowledge a speculation a swimming knowledge it is not a spirituall knowledge because wheresoever the knowledge of God in Christ is to purpose there is a change and conversion of the whole man there is a new judgement and new affections the bent and byas of them is another way then they were before there is a change which is called a turning in the Scripture those things that were before them before are now behind them and those things that were behind them are now before them whereas they turned their backe upon God and good things now they turne their faces they looke God-ward and Heaven-ward and to a better condition for this change is nothing else but a conversion therefore a man may say as hee said I am not I those that have seene Christ it makes them differ from themselves this sight workes a change If there were not a change it would make God forsworne as it is Luke 1. in Zacharies song He hath sworne that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies wee should serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives If any man therefore say he is delivered from his enemies that he thinkes hee shall not be damned and goe to hell and yet doth not live in holinesse and righteousnesse he makes Gods oath frustrate for Gods oath joynes both together He hath sworne that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we should serve him without feare without slavish feare but with a feare of reverence in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Whosoever therefore are in a state of deliverance have grace granted them whereby they may serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life they are changed into the same Image From Glory to Glory By glory is meant especially grace here and that which accompanies the grace of God the favour of God when wee are perswaded of it by the Spirit by which grace is wrought in us upon grace in us there followes peace and joy and comfort and many such things which the Scripture accounts to be glory We say there are foure degrees of the glory of a Christian. First initiall glory in his first conversion and thereupon the knowledge of his deliverance from that cursed and damnable state that he is in the knowledge likewise of his title to life everlasting he comes to have friendship with God he comes to have his nature renewed that he may be friends with God there must be an assimulation by the Spirit like God in a holy disposition Now upon the favour of God wee come to be friends with God and to have our natures altred and hereupon comes those glorious qualifications as peace and joy and consolation in all conditions and liberty and boldnesse to the throne of grace this is glory beloved Is it not a glory to be friends with God and to have God deale with us as friends to reveale his secrets to us of his love and grace in Christ to discover the hidden mysteries of his love to us that was hid from the beginning of the world we never know it till our effectuall calling till our first conversion for God to be friends with us all our life Abraham was the friend of God and then to have our nature renewed to have our shame layd aside indeed sin makes us shamefull it is the dishonour and abasement of the soule The very change of our nature to bee such as God may delight in this is glory the Image of God is glory therefore in Rom. 3. it is sayd we are stripped and deprived of the glory of God since the fall that is of the Image of God by Adams sinne whereby we resembled God in holinesse so grace whereby we resemble God is the Image and likenesse of God and that is the glory of man If one should aske what is the best glory of a man that intrinsicall glory that charactarizeth a man indeede it is the stampe of Christ upon him the Image of the second Adam in his soule to be like him And hereupon those glorious qualifications that follow upon it glorious peace and glorious joy glorious and unspeakeable comfort above all discomforts whatsoever as indeede the comforts of religion are comforts triumphing and prevayling above all discomforts there are no comforts but those in religion that are above the discomforts we meete with in this world for what can bee set against the wrath of God against hell and damnation but the comforts of the Gospell now when a man is in the state of grace and hath these glorious things following him sweete and glorious peace that passeth understanding that all the world and all the devills in hell cannot shake and joy in the holy Ghost and comforts above all discomforts whatsoever And then glorious liberty he hath to come into the presence of God upon all occasions being a friend of God are not these things glorious beloved and these belong to every Christian. Now as a Christian growes in assurance of his Salvation and further friendship with God and further peace and joy and comfort there is a further degree of glory the growth of grace is glory therefore in 2 Pet. 1. hee followes the point at large when we adde grace to grace he saith it gives a further entrance into the kingdome of God for the Kingdome of God is begun in grace here and the further we grow in grace the more we enter into the kingdome of grace and the further
hath done for us Christ hath freed us by his death from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God from death and damnation and the like Now whatsoever Christ hath done the Spirit workes faith to make this our own by uniting us to Christ when Christ and wee are one his sufferings are ours and his victory is ours all is ours then the Spirit perswading us of the love of God and Christ redeeming us from that cursed slavery wee were in that Spirit it workes love in us and other graces whereby the dominion of sinne is broken more and more and wee are set at liberty by the Spirit Now the Spirit doth not worke liberty properly originally but Christ is the grand redeemer but Christ redeemeth two wayes He redeemes us by paying the price and so he only redeemeth for he payed the price to divine justice wee are in bondage to the wrath of God under his justice and so there must be satisfaction to justice before wee can bee free Then we are in bondage to Sathan as Gods Executioner and Iaylor now from him we are freed by strong hand so Christ freeâ—eth us by his holy Spirit working such graces in us as makes us see the loathsomenes of that bondage working likewise grace in us to be in love with a better condition that the Spirit discovers to us so that the Spirit brings us out by discovery and by power All that Christ freeth by vertue of redemption paying the price for all those hee frees likewise by his Spirit discovering to them their bondage and the blessed condition whereunto they are to bee brought to a state of freedome which freedome hee perfects by little and little till he bring them to a glorious freedome in heaven And the reason of this that where Christ doth free by way of redemption to dye and satisfie Gods justice for any to those hee gives his Spirit by which Spirit they are set at liberty the reasons are manifold to name one or two Christ doth save all that hee doth save answerable to the nature of the party saved hee saves them as reasonable persons for he saves us that he may make us friends hee saves us as men and redeemes us as men he doth not only pay a price for us as wee buy a thing that is dead but likewise he frees us so as wee may understand to what and by whom wee are freed and what condition wee are freed from therefore there must be a spirit joyned with the worke of Christ to informe us throughly being creatures fit to bee informed And God intending to come into covenant with us that we may be friends with him which is our glory and happinesse he acquaints us as frends with all the favours and blessings that hee hath done for us hee acquaints us what misery hee brings us out of and what happinesse he brings us unto and what is our duty this is the worke of the spirit to shew us what he hath done for us that we may be friends And then it is a ground to love God God saveth us by a way of love in the covenant of grace his desire is that wee may love him againe and maintaine love Now how can this bee without the Spirit of God discover what God in Christ hath done for us therefore there must bee the Spirit to shew to the eye of the soule and to tell us this Christ hath done for us Then againe there must be a fitting for Heaven for that glory that God intends us in election now this fitting must be altogether by the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctifyed Christ in the wombe the same Spirit that annointed Christ annoints all those that are Christs that they may be fit for so glorious a head so there must bee the Spirit as well as Christ in the worke of redemption and liberty Now this Spirit of God doth set us at liberty in all the course and whole carriage of Salvation from the beginning to the end Hee sets us at liberty at the first in calling us He sets us at liberty when we are justified Hee sets us at liberty when he sanctifieth us And hee sets us then at liberty fully in glorification First of all the Spirit of God is a Spirit of liberty when we are first called powerfully and effectually For living in the Church sets us not at liberty unlesse the spirit stir us up to answere a divine call for many are called but few are chosen In the Church there is Hagar and Ishmael as well as Isaack there are hypocrites as well as sound Christians there is outward baptisme as well as inward there is outward circumcision of the flesh as well as inward of the Spirit a man may have all these outward priviledges and yet notwithstanding be a slave in the bosome of the Church for Ishmael was a bondslave though he were in the house of Abraham therefore the first beginning of spirituall liberty is when the spirit of God in the ordinances in the meanes of Salvation stirres up the heart to answere Gods call as it were when we are exhorted to beleeve and repent the Spirit gives power to Eccho to God Lord I beleeve helpe thou my unbeleefe Lord I repent and desire to repent more and more when the spirit of God in the ordinance saith seeke my face Thy face Lord will I seeke be thou mine Lord and I will be thine this spirituall Eccho and answere of the soule comes from the Spirit of God in calling and it is the first degree of liberty Now this answere of the soule by the power of the spirit overpowring our corruptions is together with the obedience of the inward man to goe out for man answereth the call not onely by the speech of the heart Lord I doe it but he doth it indeede therefore when by the power of the Spirit we come out of the world and out of our corruptions and walke more freely in the wayes of God then we are set at spirituall liberty now the Spirit doth all this for if it were not the Spirit that perswaded the soule when the Minister speakes alas all ministeriall perswasions are to no purpose if the Spirit doe not stirre up the soule to answere all speech is to no purpose from men but this the Spirit doth in the first place he openeth the eyes with spirituall eye salve to see our naturall bondage he openeth our eyes to see I must come out of this condition if I will be saved of necessity or else I am miserable for ever and it is enough for the soule of a miserable man if he be convinced to see his misery and bondage what he is by nature for let us be convinced of that once and all the rest of the linkes of the golden chaine of Salvation will follow let a mâ—n be convinced that he is as the Scripture saith he is
he is above all and seeth all beneath him therefore the greatest men in the world are holy men they are above all other men and without usurpation they passe a censure upon the course and state of other men though they be never so great howsoever the Image of God is upon them in regard of their authority and the like yet in their dispositions they are base and slaves to their corruptions and to Sathan they are not out of the base rancke of nature Now a man that is a child of God hee is taken into a better condition and hath a spirituall liberty in him hee judgeth all things and is judged of none they may call him this and that it is but malice and a spice of the sinne against the holy Ghost but their hearts tells them he is otherwise he shall judge them ere long for The Saints shall judge the world therefore Christians should know and take notice of their excellency where the Spirit of God is there is liberty to judge all things as farre as they come within their reach and calling to judge aright of all things therefore we should know how to maintaine the credite of a Christian that is to maintaine a liberty independant upon all but God and other things with reservation as farre as they agree with conscience and religion thus we see how we may judge of this liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty He doth not say licenciousnesse to shake off all governement for by too much licenciousnesse all liberty is lost but where the Spirit of God is there is liberty for a true Christian is the greatest servant and the greatest freeman in the world for he hath a Spirit that will yeeld to none in things Spirituall he reserves a liberty for his judgement yet for outward conformity of life and conversation he is a servant to all to doe them good love makes him a servant Christ was the greatest servant that ever was he was both the servant of God and our servant and there is none so free the greater portion of the Spirit the more inward and Spirituall freedome and the more freedome the more disposition to serve one another in love and to doe all things that a man should doe outwardly all things that are lawfull we must take heede of that mistake not this Spirituall liberty it stands with conformity to all good lawes and all good orders and there is a great mistake of carnall men for want of this they thinke it liberty to doe as men list it is true if a man have a strong and a holy understanding to be a good leader to it but it is the greatest bondage in the world to have most freedome in iâ—l as I sayd before those that are most free in ill are most slaves of all for their corruptions will not suffer them to heare good things to bee where good things are spoâ—en to accompany with those that are good their corruptions hath them in so narrow a custodie some kinde of men their corruptions are so malignant and binding that they will not suffer them to be in any opportunity wherein their corruptions may be restrayned at all but they hate the very sight of persons that may restraine them and all lawes that might restraine them Now this is the greatest slavery in the world for a man to have no acquaintance with that that is contrary to his corrupt disposition Well new Lords new Lawes as soone as ever a man is in Christ and hath Christs Spirit he hath another law in his soule to rule him contrary to that that there was before before he was ruled by the law of his lusts that carried him whither he would but now in Christ he hath a new Lord and a new law and that rules him according to the regiment of the Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Vse 4 Againe seeing where the Spirit of God is there is this sweete and glorious liberty let us take heede by all meanes that we doe not grieve the Spirit when wee finde the holy Ghost in the use of any good meanes to touch upon our soules oh give him entrance and way to come into his owne chamber as it were to provide a roome for himselfe as Cyprian saith Consecra habitaculum c. enter into thy bed chamber consecrate a habitation for thy selfe so let us give him way to come into our soules when hee knockes by his sweete motions Wee that live in the Church there is none of us all but our hearts tell us that we have ofâ—en reâ—isted the holy Ghost weâ— might have beene saved if we had not beene rebellious and opposite Grieve not the Spirit by any meanes Quest. How is the Spirit grieved Ans. Especially these two or three wayes Answ. The Spirit being a Spirit of holinesse is grieved with uncleane courses with uncleane motions and words and actions he is called the holy Spirit and he stirres up in the soule holy motions like himselfe he breathes into us holy motions and hee breathes out of us good and holy and savory words and stirres us up to holy actions Now when we give liberty to our mouthes to speake rottenly to sweare I am ashamed almost to name that word when we give liberty to such filthinesse is not this a grieving of the Spirit if we have the Spirit at all If wee have not a care to grieve our selves doe we not grieve all about us therefore take heed of all filthy unholy words thoughts or carriages it grieves the Spirit Then the Spirit is a Spirit of love take heede of cankor and malice wee grieve the Spirit of God by cherishing cankor and malice one against another it drives away the sweete spirit of love therefore make conscience of grieving the Spirit he will not rest in a malicious heart who is the Spirit of love Againe the Spirit of Christ wheresoever it is it is joyned with a spirit of humility God gives grace to the humble it empties the soule that it may fill it it empties it of what is in it of windy vanity and fills it with it selfe therefore those that are filled with vaine high proud conceites they grieve and keepe out the good Spirit of God for wee should empty our soules that the Spirit of God may have a large dwelling there or else we grieve the Spirit in a word any sinne against conscience grieves the Spirit of God and hinders spirituall liberty because Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty would we preserve liberty we must preserve the Spirit if we sinne against conscience wee hinder liberty every way we hinder our liberty to good duties when a man sinnes against conscience hee is dead to good actions conscience tells him why doe you goe about it you have done this and that
c. grace is the glorious attribute whereby God doth as it were set himselfe to triumph over the greatest ill that can be over sinne that that is worse than the devill himselfe cannot prevaile over his grace There is a greater height and depth and breadth there are greater dimensions in love and mercy in Christ then there is in our sinnes and miseries and all this is gloriously discovered in the gospell Doe you wonder then why the grace of God hath found such enemies as it hath done alway Especially in Popery where they mingle their workes with grace For the opposite heart of man being in a frame of enmity to God sets it selfe most against that that God will be glorified in therefore we should labour to vindicate nothing so much as grace We have a dangerous incroaching Sect risen up enemies to the grace of God that palliate and cover their plot cunningly and closely but they set nature against grace let us vindicate that upon all occasions for we live by grace and we must dye by grace and stand at the day of judgement by grace not in our owne righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse of Christ being found in him but because it is a sweete point and may serve us all in steed to consider that God will honour himselfe gloriously in this sweete attribute let us see a little how the glory of God shines in Christ more then otherwise parallell it with other things a little The glory of God was in Adam for Adam had the Image of God upon him and had communion and fellowship with God but there is greater glory now shining in the Gospell in Iesus Christ to poore sinners for when man stood in innocency God did good to a good man and God was amiable and friendly to a friend Adam was the friend of God then Now to doe good to him that is good and to maintaine sweete communion with a friend this is good indeede and it was a great glory of Gods mercy that he would raise such a creature as man hereto But now in Iesus Christ there is a further glory of mercy for here God doth good to ill men and the goodnesse of God is victorious and triumphant over the greatest misery and the greatest ill of man Now in the Gospell God doth good to his greatest enemies herein as it is Rom. 5. God set forth and commended gloriously his love that When we were enemies he gave his Sonne for us therefore here is greater glory of mercy and love shining forth to fallen man in Christ than to Adam in innocency The glory of God shines in the heavens The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy Worke Every creature hath a beame of Gods glory in it the whole world is a Theater of the glory of God but what is the glory of Creation of preservation and governing of the world to the glory of his mercy and compassion that shines in Christ The glory of the creature is nothing to this for all the Creatures were made of nothing but here the glory of mercy is such in Christ that God became a Creature himselfe Nay to goe higher to the Angels themselves it is not Philangelia but Philanthropia that out-shines all God is not called the lover of Angels he tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but the nature of man and man is the spouse of Christ the member of Christ Angels are not so they are but ministring Spirits for the good of them that shall be saved Christ as it is Eph. 1. when he rose againe he was advanced above all principalities and powers therefore above the Angelicall nature now Christ and the Church are all one they make but one misticall body the Church is the Queene and Christ is the King therefore Christ misticall the Church is above all Angelicall nature whatsoever the Angells are not the Queene and Spouse of Christ so the glory of Gods goodnesse is more to man to sinfull man after he beleeves and is made one with Christ than to any creature whatsoever thus God hath dignified and advanced our nature in Iesus Christ comparisons give lustre therefore this shewes plainely unto us Christians that the glory of the mercy and love and kindnesse of God to man in Christ shines more than his glory and mercy and kindnesse to all the creatures in the world besides therefore here is a glory with an excellâ—ncie On the other side nothing more terrible than to consider of God out of Christ what is he but a consuming fire but to consider of his mercy his glorious mercy in Iesus Christ nothing is more sweete for in Iesus Christ God hath taken upon him that sweete relation of a Father The Father of mercy and God of all Comfort so that the nature of God is lovely in Christ and our nature in Christ is lovely to him and this made the Angels who though they have not increase of grace by Christ yet having increase of comfort and glory when Christ was borne to sing from heaven Glory to God on high c. what glory why the glory of his mercy of his love of his grace to sinfull men Indeede there is a glory of wisedome to reconcile justice and mercy together and a glory of truth to fulfill the promise but that that sets all attributes for our Salvation on work was mercy and grace therefore that is the glory of God especially here meant for as wee say in morallity that is the greatest vertue that other vertues serve so in Divinity that attribute which others serve is the greatest of all in our salvation wisedome yea and justice it selfe serves mercy for God by his wisedome devised away to content justice by sending his Sonne to take our nature and in that nature to give satisfaction to justice that there might be a harmonie among the aâ—tributes to make some use of this Vse 1 Doth God manifest his glory I will not speake at large of glory being an endlesse argument but confine it to the glory of grace and mercy in the Gospell which therefore is called the glory of the Gospell I say doth God shew such glorious mercy in Christ then I beseech you let us justifie God and justifie this course that God hath taken to glorifie his mercy in Iesus Christ by imbracing Christ It is sayd of the proud Pharisees they despised the counsell of God God hath powred out mercy bowels of mercy in Christ crucified therefore in embracing Christ we justifie the counsell of God concerning our salvation Doe but consider what a loving God wee have who would not bee so farre in love with his onely Sonne as to keepe him to himselfe when we had neede of him a God that accounts himselfe most glorious in those attributes that are most for our comfort he accounts not himselfe so glorious for his wisedome for his power or for his justice as for his
disunion there is no grace conveyed from the head for the body growes up as compact under one head Therefore let us labour to cherish union and as we hate distraction it self so hate distraction and division for dissipation causeth distraction therefore by all meanes labour for union especially now wee are to take the Communion that is a seale of our Communion with Christ by faith and one with another by love let us labor to bring our hearts to a holy Communion none gaines by disunion but the devill himselfe alway his pollicy is to make the breach greater where any is therefore let us labour by all meanes to bee united the more joyne together in the blessed mysteries of the Gospell the more comfort and the more glory when all live and joyne together in holy things of God and in sweete love one to another it is the glory of that place and society and state so much for that We all And are changed I shewed before how mans happinesse stands partly in commnnion with God and partly in his conformity and likenesse to God And surely whersoever there is communion there will be conformity This conformity is here set downe springing from communion We all behold the glory of God now reconciled in Iesus Christ what doth that beholding worke a conformity we are Changed into the same Image from glory to glory In these words we see First a necessity of a change changed we must be Then in this change there must bee a patterne of conformity wee are changed into the Image of Christ who is the pretotipe the first type and Idea of all perfection we are changed into the same Image And then how this change is wrought to the Image of Christ it is by beholding the glory of Christ in the Gospel there is a transforming power in beholding the glory of Gods mercy in Christ it is not a delighting object onely to see the mercy of God in Christ but it is a powerfull object that hath an influence upon the soule And then the state of man after this change it is a glorious condition Wee are changed from glory And then it is a growing condition wee are changed from glory to glory still till wee come to that pitch where there can be no growth when the soule shall bee filled with the fulnesse of God as the Apostle speakes when the soule shal have all the powers that it hath to receive and retaine comprehend al the corners of it filled so we grow from glory to glory till then these things follow one another To begin with the first There is a necessity of a change In the state we are wee must bee changed as Christ tels Nichodemus there must bee a change and such a change as is a new birth it must bee all new as a bell if there be but a cracke in it it must be new molded and cast againe it is good for nothing else so the soule of man if there be but a flaw but a cracke all is naught it must be cast and molded againe anew we must be set in tune againe all is out of tune before the soule can make any sweete harmonie in the eares of God there must bee a change there is no comming to Heaven without a change what neede I presse this it is so easie a point in religion except wee be borne anew wee cannot enter into heaven But to cleare from evidence of reason the necessity of a change in the whole man First because we are in a contrary state to grace and to God we are dead there must be life in us before wee come to heaven we are enemies and of enemies wee must be made friends how shall we be sit for communion else with God wherein our happinesse stands without conformity communion is between friends before those that are in an opposite condition can bee friends there must be an alteration and this alteration it must be on Gods part or on our part Now who must change God that is unchangeable or wee that are corrupt and changeable God will not change there is no reason hee should hee is goodnesse it selfe alway unchangeable his perfection stands in an indivisible point he cannot alter a whit there is not a shaddow of change in God therefore when there is difference betweene God and us the change must be on our part we must be changed as it is Rom. 12. and other places In the Spirit of our mindes wee must bee wholly molded anew where there is a condition so opposite as the frame of our hearts is to God he being holinesse and we a masse and lumpe of sinne of necessity there must bee a change God intends in the Gospell to bring us neere himself and Christs end is to bring us to God as it is 1 Pet. 3. 18. all the Gospell is to bring us back to God from whom wee fell now our nature as I sayd is defiled and unholy and we cannot bee friends with God till there be a likenesse in disposition to God therefore our natures must be sutable to the sweete and holy and pure nature of God in some measure We enter into a covenant with God in the covenant of grace and how can we maintaine the covenant of grace without some likenesse to God and Christ in that regard of necessity there must be a change and this change must be on our part as we see in an instrument those strings that are out of tune are brought to them that are in so it is we that must change and alter and not God God is alway unchangeable like himselfe in his love and it is our comfort that he is so unchangeable in his mercy and holinesse and justice therefore I say the chang must be on our part Flesh and blood as it is cannot enter into heaven that is the nature of man as it is corrupted we must have new judgements of things and new desires and new esteeme new affections new joyes new delights new conversation new company all the frame of the soule must be new there must be a new bent of soule it must be turned another way the face of the soule must looke cleane another way whereas before it looked to the world-ward and to things below now it must looke to God-ward and heaven ward therefore those that are in their pure naturalls that feele no change in themselves what shall we thinke of them they are not in the state of grace for of necessity there must be a change There is a double change reall and graduall First a reall change from ill to good And then a graduall change from better to better from glory to glory The first change is from the state of nature to grace at our first conversion when God puts the first forme and stampe upon us And then a change in grace from glory to glory wee must bee changed Then againe we all expect glory in
be alike therefore God hath ordained that we should be like him in a threefold degree in suffering in grace and in glory whosoever will bee like him in glory must be like him in grace first Gods election and ordaining must have its issue that is the representation of the likenesse of Christ in our natures Againe the end of Christs comming was to destroy the workes of the devill to deface all Sathans workes especially his worke in us the image of Sathan in our dispositions for every man by nature carries the image of the devill on him till the Image of Christ be stamped on and the image of Sathan raced out for in man there is naturally an opposition to the truth a hatred of God and of good things now Christ comming to dissolve the workes of the devill puts out this image and sets his owne stampe and Image upon the Soule therefore unlesse Christ change us to his owne Image hee should misse of the end of his comming these and many such reasons there are to prove that wee are restored according to the Image of Christ Iesus and why Christ will change us to his owne likenesse to adde one more The end of Christ is that wee should enter into a sweete communion with him therefore he will set such a stampe upon us as he may delight in us and bee friends now if hee should not change our natures what correspondence could there be betweene Christ and us now when he hath altred and changed us he lookes on us as carrying his stampe and image Vse 1 If this be so that we are changed into the image of the second Adam lesus Christ Then I beseech you let us labour every day more and more to study Christ that so by beholding Christ wee may be transformed into his likenesse for the looking upon Christ is a transforming sight therfore let us looke into his disposition as it is set forth in the Gospell and to his carriage and looke to his priviledges that so wee may receive grace for grace grace sutable to his grace disposition sutable to his disposition conversation sutable to his conversation and priviledge and prerogative sutable to his pre rogative that wee may bee like him every way What was his disposition and carriage it were too large to unfold it to you as it is in the Gospell but because we must be changed into the Image of Christ it is good to looke to that picture that wee may resemble that Image as much as may be you see in the Gospell how he carryed himselfe To his Friends Enemies the Devill Himselfe You see how full of love he was what drew him from heaven to earth and so to his crosse and to his grave but love to mankinde you see how full of goodnesse he was he went about doing all the good he could how much good doth that speech savour of that Paul speakes of him It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive see how full of zeale he was he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple he was full of goodnesse it was his meate and drinke to doe good it was as naturall to him as for a fountaine to streame out And as I sayd for his carriage toward his friends to those that were good how sweete and indulgent was he where there was any beginnings of goodnesse he did incourage it he never sent any backe againe but those that went backe againe of their owne head as the young man Christ sent him not backe he was so full of sweetenesse to weake Christians nay he discovered himselfe most to the weakest hee was never more familiar with any than with the woman of Samaria that was an adultresse and Mary that had beene a sinner how sweetely did hee appeare to her first how sweete was he to sinners when they repented how ready to forgive and pardon see it in Peter hee never cast him in the teeth with his Apostacy he never upbrayded him with it he never so much as tells him of it onely he lookes upon him and afterward Lovest thou me c. hee would not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede so gentle and sweete a Saviour have we hee was sweete to those that were good in the lowest degree of goodnesse nay where there was but a representation of goodnesse as in the young man he kissed and imbraced him when he came and sayd What good thing shall I doâ— to inherit eternall life hee imbraced him and made much of him and so to the Pharisee Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God he laboured to pull him further he was of a winning gaining disposition those that were good he loved them and carried himselfe so to all as much as might be shall we not labour to be of his disposition not to set people further off but to be of a gayning winning nature See how obedient hee was to his father Not my Will but thine be done both in active and passive obedience in all things he looked to his fathers will being â—ubordinate to him wheresoever there is subordination there ought to be obedience now there is a subordination to God as our Father in Christ therefore wee should labour to be obedient even to death as Christ was our happinesse stands in subordination the happinesse of the inferiour is in subjection to the superiour that may doe him good therefore we must be obedient to God as Christ was wee see hee prayed whole nights For his owne particular how holy and heavenly was he he takes occasion of vines of stones of water of sheepe and all things to be heavenly minded to rayse his soule upon all occasions and when hee rose from the dead and conversed with his disciples what was his talke he discoursed all of matters of the kingdome of heaven so his whole disposition was heavenly and holy in himselfe and patient in wrongs done to him he did not returne injury for injury you see how meeke he was I give you but a touch of every particular you may by proportion apply the rest he was in his owne particular holy and heavenly and full of purity and holinesse and heavenlinesse What was he to his enemies did he call for fire from heaven when they wronged him was he all on a heate when his poore Disciples being more flesh than Spirit would have fire from heaven You know not what spirit you are of saith he he shed teares for those that shed his blood Oh lerusalem Ierusalem c. that afterward crucified him and upon the crosse you see there to his very enemies Father forgive them they know not what they doe so then if we will be like to Christ consider how he carryed himselfe to God in devotion and obedience and how in himselfe hee was full of purity and holinesse unspotted every way how to his friends to all that had any goodnesse
in them and how to his enemies he prayed for his very enemies And for the Devill himselfe deale with him as Christ did that is have no termes with him although he come to us in our nearest friends hee came to Christ in Peter Sathan avoyd saith he if the devill come to us in our wives in our children in our friends avoyd Sathan Sathan comes to us sometime in our friends to give corrupt judgement to maintaine false causes to doe this or that that may cracke our conscience discerne the devill in our best friends for sometime they may be the trunkes of the devill the devill may conveigh his Spirit through Peter let us immitate Christ discerne betweene our friends love and the subtilty of the devill in them and be able to give them an avant avoyd Sathan wee see Christ when hee encountred Sathan he fights not with Sathans weapons and when he was to deale with his instruments but with the Word of God he gives not reproach for reproach nor sophistrie for sophistrie but It is written shewing that we must encounter Sathan with Gods armorie with weapons out of the booke of God And then when Sathan would confesse him and make much of him Oh thou art the Sonne of God he would have nothing to doe with him so those that are manifestly led with the Spirit of Sathan and would presse kindnesses on us have nothing to doe with them so farre as we say of the devill he is not alway a lyer but he alway cozeneth so take those that are lead by the Spirit of the devill that are Iesuited Papists they lye not in all but there is cozening in all for all is but snaring kindnesse and gifts that will hurt more all offers from Sathan and those that are led with the Spirit of Sathan wee ought to suspect as Christ we see when Sathan offered him a kindnesse hee saw he was to bee tooke heed of therefore saith he away you and your kindnesse so have nothing to doe with devillish men those are best at ease and prosper most that have least to doe with them those that see they are alway deceivers though they be not alway lyers those that are nearest hostility prosper best thus you see a taste of Christs carriage to his friends to his enemies to Sathan and for hypocrites hee speakes Woe to them he hated them above all the proud Pharisees I might spend much time in going over particulars in the Gospell to see what expressions there are of Iesus Christ. Vse 2 I beseech you make this use of it when in the Gospell you reade of any expression of his love and gentlenesse of his obedience and humility in washing his Disciples feete and Learne of me for I am meeke c. and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden then thinke this is the expression of my blessed Saviour the socond Adam to whose Image I must bee conformed and transformed and changed and therefore when you are moved and tempted to sinne from your owne corruption or from Sathan reason thus with your selves would our blessed Saviour if he were upon earth doe thus would hee speake thus would he not doe thus if he were here now would he not be ready to doe this good turne surely he would and I must bee changed into his Image and likenesse therefore let me consider what my blessed Saviour would doe in the like case surely our blessed Saviour would not staine and defile his body he would not make his tongue an instrument of untruth to deceive others he would not bee covetous and injurious Art thou a Christian or no If thou be a Christian thou hast the anoynting of Iesus Christ that annoynting that was poured on him as the head it runnes downe to thee as a member as Arons oyntment ranne downe to his skirts if thou be the skirt of Christ the meanest Christian thou hast the same grace if thou be a Christian and therefore thou must expresse Christ that as thou art partaker of his name so thou must be partaker of his anoynting if thou be a Christian why doest thou thus doth this suite with thy profession dost thou carry the Image of Sathan and dost thou thinke to bee a Christian except it be in tytle and profession onely No there is no Christian but if he be a true Christian he is changed into the likenesse of Christ into his Image therefore it is a good thought upon all occasions every day to thinke what would my blessed Saviour say if he were here and what did he in the like case when he was upon earth I must be led by the Spirit of Christ or else I am none of his therefore let us shame our selves when we are moved by our corruptions and temptations to doe any thing contrary to this blessed Image And consider the more we grow into the likenesse of Christ the more wee grow in the love of God who delights in us as hee doth in his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased now the more like we are to Christ the more hee is pleased with us And the more we shall grow in love one to another for the liker pictures are to the first patterne the liker they are one to another so the liker wee grow to Christ the liker we are one to another and the more like the more love Who keepes Christ a live in the world but a company of Christians that carry his resemblance as wee say of a childe that is like his father this man cannot dye as long as his sonne is alive because he resembleth his father so as long as Christians are in the world that have the Spirit of Christ Christ cannot dye he lives in them and Christ is alive no otherwise in the world than in the hearts of gracious ' Christians that carry the picture and resemblance of Christ in them But how are we changed into the likenesse of Christ how come wee to be like him When once we beleeve in Christ we are graft into the similitude of his death and into the likenesse of his resurrection it is a point somewhat misticall yet it is stood upon in the Scriptures in Rom. 6. especially at large How come we to dye to sinne by vertue of Christs death and to live to righteousnesse by the fellowship of Christs resurrection it is sayd we are transformed into the likenesse of Christ the phrases of Scripture shew it but to stand upon these phrases a little Beloved as it was in Christs owne person when Christ dyed whole Christ dyed and was crucified but yet the death it selfe the crucifying was terminate in the humane nature the humane nature dyed and not the Godhead yet by reason of the union whole Christ dyed and was Crucified the Lord of glory was crucified as the Scripture speaks and as it was in Christ naturall so it is in Christ
spirit of the world and the devill get out this by all meanes or else Christ will not owne us at the day of judgement hee will not looke upon us he cannot abide to see us if we have not his image wee must beare the image of the second Adam as wee did the image of the first Againe the law of God that was written in Adams heart it is expressed and coppyed out there see our selves there see all the curses there see our selves guilty of the breach of every commandement if wee understand the law spiritually that desire of women and revengefull thoughts are murther and adultery understand the law spiritually and see our selves in that glasse see our selves utterly condemned this will make us flye to the glasse of the Gospell that we may be changed into the Image of Christ. There is another image that we more desire to be changed into we are transformed into the likenesse of the world cast into the mould of the times we labour to have those opinions that the times have and those wayes of getting and rising to preferment that the world hath and to have that carriage and disposition every way that the world hath and so frame to the spirit of the world in al things that so wee may not be observed by others and crossed in our pleasures and preferments and profits wel this desire to be transformed into the likenesse of the world to have the spirit of the world what will it come to in the end The world shall bee condemned if wee will bee condemned with the world let us labour to bee transformed into the opinion of the world and to goe with the streame and the errours of the time if we desire to be damned The world must bee condemned it is the kingdome of Sathan wherein hee rules therefore there is no image or likenesse for us to be transformed into if we will bee saved and have comfort but the Image of Christ and can wee have a better likenesse to be transformed into then the image of him by whom wee hope to be saved then to be like him from whom wee hope for so great a matter as Salvation is Againe that wee may be changed into the likenesse of Christ let us fix our meditations upon him and we shall find a change we know not how insensible as those that stand in the Sunne for other purposes they find themselves lightned and heate so let us set our selves about holy meditations and we shall finde a secret insensible change our soules will be altered and changed wee know not how there is a vertue goes with holy meditation a changing transforming vertue and indeed we can think of nothing in Christ but it wil alter and change us to the likenesse of it selfe because we have all from Christ can wee thinke of his humility and not be humble can wee thinke was God humble and shall base woâ—â—es be proud shall I bee fierce when my Saviour was meeke can a proud fierce heart apprehend a sweete meeke Saviour No the heart must bee sutable to the thing apprehended it is impossible that a heart that is not meeke and sweetened and brought low should apprehend a loving and humble Saviour there must be a sutablenesse betweene the heart and Christ As hee was borne of a humble Virgin so he is borne and conceived in a humble heart Christ is borne and conceived and lives and growes in every Christian and in a humble and lowlâ— heart made like him by his Spirit that is the wombe The heart that is sutable that is the heart that hee is formed in Againe to be changed into this image when we are once in the state of grace let us looke to the remainder of our corruptions the best of us shall see that that will make us looke after Christ look to our world limindednes to our passions to our rebellions to our darkenesse and deadnesse of spirit and then goe to Christ Lord thou hast appointed Christ to be a head to be a full vessell that of his grace wee might have grace for grace hee was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes but for his fellows I am earthly minded hee is heavenly I am full of rebellions of lusts all is at peace in him the Image of God is perfect in him and hee is a head to infuse grace a head of influence as well as of eminence he is not onely above me but he hath all grace for me therefore goe to Christ I need thy heavenly mindednesse and some portion of thy meekenesse of thy spirituall strength I am weake and darke and dead shine on me thou haste fulnesse for mee so goe to Christ and draw upon every occasion vertue and life from Christ our head this is to know what is meant by being transformed to Christ our head There are two conformities beloved exceeding comfortable to us and wee must meditate on both First Christs conformity to us he was transfigured into our likenesse he became man in love to us not onely man but in the forme of a servant base man he tooke mans nature and mans base condition Phil. 2 here is the ground of our comfort that Christ tooke our forme hee transfigured himselfe to our basenesse and shall not we labour to be transformed to be like him that out of love stooped so low to bee like us let us but thinke of this beloved our blessed Saviour tooke our nature on him pure and holy by his Spirit he followed sinne to death he was conceived and lived and dyed without sinne to satisfie for sinne and now by his Spirit hee cleanseth out sinne he pursued and chased out sinne from his conception in all the passages of his life so we should be like him drive away sin get the Spirit that our nature in us may be as it was in him holy and pure and spirituall shall he be conformed to us and shall not we conforme to him many such reasons and considerations there bee to moove us to be changed into the Image of Christ. Christ in this worke of changing is all in all for first of al by Christs death and satisfaction to divine justice we have the Spirit of God that doth all for the Spirit is the gift of Gods love next to Christ the greatest Now Christ having reconciled God God being reconciled gives the Spirit our sinnes being forgiven the fruite of Gods love is the Spirit so wee have the Spirit by the merit of Christ. Againe we have it from Christ as a head derived unto us we have the Spirit for Christ and from Christ Christ receives the Spirit first and then he sendsit into our hearts so for Christs sake and from Christ as a head we have the Spirit Againe from Christ we have the patterne of all grace whatsoever to which wee are changed the patterne of all grace is from Christ he begins to us in every grace
us labour to grow from glory to glory though wee lose otherwise that is well lost and parted with in the world that is with the gaine of any grace because grace is glory It is a good sickenesse that gets more patience and more humility it is a good loâ—se that makes us grow lesse worldly minded and more humble by it all other things are vanity in comparison and that grace that we get by the losse of them is well gayned grace is glory and the more we grow in grace the more we grow in glory Therefore I beseâ—ch you labour to thrive that way to grow up heaven-ward dayly more and more in our disposition Beloved the more grace we get the more glory and the more like we are to Christ and to God the more we adorne our profession and the more wee shame Sathan and his instruments and stop their mouthes the more duties come off naturally and sweetely from us without constraint it is good for us to be growne Christians that we neede not be cumbred with corruptions the more wee grow the more nimble and cheerefull and voluntary we shall be in duty wee shall partake more of that annoynting that maâ—es us nimble in Gods service There is nothing in the world so glorious as a growne Christian therefore let us be in love with the state of Christianity especially with growne Christians of all things he is compared with the best if he be a house he is a temple if he be a plant he is a Cedar growing up if hee be a flower he is a Lilly rising and growing fresher if he be a stone he is a pearle he growes in estimation and use more and more Beloved if we had spirituall eyes to see the state of a Christian of a growne Christian especially wee would labour above all things to thrive in this way have we not many workes to doe have we not many enemies to resist have we not many graces to perfect are we not to dye and to appeare before God are we not to enjoy the blessings of God purely and doe not these things require a great deale of strength of grace oh they doe therefore labour above all things in the world to behold Gods love in Christ and to behold Christ that by this sight we may grow from glory to glory And this will make us willing to dye what makes a man willing to dye but when he knowes he shall goe from glory to greater glory after death is the perfection of glory then we are glorious indeed when we are in heaven a weake sight here by faith changeth us but a strong sight when we shall see face to face perfectly changeth us then we shall be like him when we shall see him face to face A wicked man cannot desire death he cannot desire heaven it selfe why because heaven is the perfection of grace glory is but grace he loves not Therefore it is a certaine evidence of future glory for a man to love grace and to grow I say such a man is willing to dye a wicked man that hates grace that loves not Christ in his Image in his children or in his truth he hates glory that is the perfection of grace for peace and joy and comfort they are but those things that issue from grace and spring from grace grace is the â—hiefe part of heaven the perfection of the Image of God the perfection of all the powers to be like Christ but for peace and comfort that springs from it a wicked man loves peace and quiet but to have his nature altered he loves not that and if he love not grace how can hee love glory there is no man but a Christian that loves heaven We are ready to drop away dayly now to be in a state unchanged it is a fearefull thing unlesse we be changed by the Spirit of God we shall be afrayd to dye we cannot desire to be in heaven the vâ—ry heaven of heavens is the perfection of grace to see God to be all in all and by the sight of God to be transformed into his likenesse it is the chiefe thing in heaven therefore I beseech you let us labour more and more to grow in grace set Christ before us Let me adde this one â—hing make use of our patternes among us Christ is now in heaven but there will be the Spirit of Christ in his children to the end of the world and grace is sweetely convayed from those that we live amongst we grow up in grace by growing in a holy communion one with another Christ will kindle lights in every generation therefore let us labour to have the spirit of those wee live with given to us in conversing to be like Christ in his mâ—mbers to love the Image of Christ in his children and to converse with them to be altred into their likenesse this will change us to the glorious likenesse of Christ more and more Those that care not what company they keepe those that despise the Image of Christ in those among whom they live can they grow in grace We shall give account of all the good examples we have had doth God kindle lights for nothing we should glorifie God for the Sunne and Moone and Stars and other creatures is not a Christian more glorious than all the creatures in the world we should glorifie God for grace in Christians and labour to be transformed to them that we may grow the liker to Christ that we may grow more and more glorious I speake this to advance the Communion of Saints more and more as wee desire to partake more and more of this grace and to grow from glory to glory Vse 6 Againe considering that God meanes to bring us by little and little by degrees to perfect glory of body and soule and condition in Heaven to be like Christ let this make us be content to bee vile for Christ in this world as David said when he was scorned I will be yet â—ore vile doe you thinke I thinke much to shew my selfe thus for the honour of God when Michall scoffed I will be more vile Let us bee content to goe out of the campe and beare the reproach of Christ beare the reproach of Religion let the world scorne us for the profession of Religion God is bringing us from glory to glory till hee bring us to perfect glory and shall we suffer nothing for him let us bee content to bee more vile and to beare the reproach of Religion the very worst thing in Religion the reproach of Christ as Moses made a wise choyse it is better then the treasures of Egypt the most excellent things in the world are not so good as the worst thing in Religion because reproach ends with assurance of comfort that God will take away that and give us glory after Therefore let us not bee discouraged from a Christian course but goe through good report and bad report break through al