soule did before shelter whole flocks of evill affections when hee came out the tide was driven back the streame turned the center of his heart altered his forrest discovered his lusts scattered and subdued What ailes this man Hee hath but heard an houres discourse the same which others heare and their tide riseth the higher by it Certainly these Devils were not cast out these streames were not turned back but by the finger of God himselfe When the minister of Christ shall whisper in the ears of a dead man whom no thunder could have awakened and hee shall immediatly rise up and give glory to God when Christ shall call men to denie themselves to get above themselves to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and their owne life to sell all that they have to crucifie and be cruell to their owne members to pull out their right eyes to cut off their right hands to part from those sinnes which before they esteemed their choicest ornaments and from those too which before they made their chiefest support and subsistence to stand at defiance with the allurements or discouragements of the world to bee set up for signes and wonders for very proverbs of skorne and objects of hatred to those of their owne house to receive persecutions as rewards and entertaine them not with patience onely but with thankfulnesse and rejoicing to bee all their life long in the midst of enemies put to tedious conflicts with the powers of the world and of darknesse to beleeve things which they have not seen and to hope for things which they doe not know and yet maugre all this to refuse to consult with flesh and bloud to stand still more in awe of Gods word than of any other thing certainly that which with the voice of a weake man bringeth such great things to passe must needs bee Virga virtutis a Rod of strength A Rod like the Rod of Moses which can lead us through such seas as these to one whom wee have never seen nor knowen before Esai 55.5 Secondly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the justification of men as it is Sceptrum Iustitiae a Scepter of Righteousnesse a word of reconciliation a Gospell of salvation a Law of the Spirit of life a ministration of the Spirit of life and of Righteousnesse an opening of prisons and a proclaiming of liberty unto captives in these respects likewise it is full of power There was a mighty power in the Law of God typified in those thundrings and terrors with which it was administred upon mount Sina the Apostle calleth it a Schoolmaster to scourge and drive us unto Christ and the Psalmist an iron Rod able to breake in pieces all the potsherds of the earth And we know boies in a Schoole doe not apprehend so much terror in the King as in their Master Yet in comparison of the Power of the Gospell the Law it selfe was very weake and unprofitable able to make nothing perfect The Power of the Law was onely to destruction the Power of the Gospell for edification The Law could onely hold under him that was downe before it could never raise him up againe Now the power is farre greater to raise than to kill to forgive sinnes than to bind them Herein is the mighty strength of Gods mercy seen that it can passe by iniquities transgressions and sinnes To preach the Gospell of Christ in his name and authority is an evident argument of that plenary power which is given unto him both in heaven and earth And the very dispensing of this word of reconciliation which is committed unto the Ministers of the Gospell how basely soever the ungratefull world may esteeme of them hath honored them with a title of as great power as a man is capable of to bee called Saviors to have the custodie of the keyes of heaven ministerially and instrumentally under Christ and his Spirit to save the soules and to cover the sinnes of men Now then that word which from the mouth of a weake man is able to reconcile a child of wrath unto God and by the words of one houre to cover and wipe out the sinnes of many yeares which were scattered as thick in the soules of men as the starres in the firmament must needs bee virga virtutis a Rod of strength Thirdly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the sanctification of men as it is Sceptrum cum unctione a Scepter which hath ever an unction accompanying it As it is a Sanctifying Truth an heavenly teaching a forming of Christ in the soule a making of the heart as it were his Epistle by writing the Law therein and manifesting the power and image of Christ in the conscience If a man should touch a marble or adamant stone with a seale and taking it off should see the print of it left behinde hee could not but conceive some wonderfull and secret vertue to have wrought so strange an effect Now our hearts are of themselves as hard as the nether milstone when then a holy word so meekly and gently laid on upon them shall leave there an impression of its own puritie when so small a thing as a graine of mustard-seed shall transforme an earthy soule into its owne nature when the eyes and hands and mouth of Christ being in the ministerie of his word spread upon the eyes and hands and mouth of a Childe shall revive the same from death when by looking into a glasse wee shall not onely have a view of our owne faces but shall see them changed into the image of another face which from thence shineth upon us how can wee but conclude that certainly that word by which such wonders as these are effected is indeed virga virtutis a Rod of strength Fourthly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the Perservation and Perseverance of the Saints as it is Virga germinans a Rod like Aarons Rod which blossomed and the blossomes perished not but remained in the Ark for a Testimony of Gods power For as those buds or the Manna in the Ark did not perish so neither doth the word of the Gospell in the hearts of the faithfull The Apostle saith that wee are kept by the power of God unto salvation and S. Iude that Gods power keepeth the Saints from falling and presenteth them faultlesse before the presence of his glory and what is this power of God whereby hee doth it but the Gospell of Christ which S. Peter calleth semen incorruptibile uncorruptible seed and the Spirit of Christ which S. Iohn calleth semen manens an abiding seed If I should see a tree with perpetuall fruit without any variation from the difference of seasons a tree like that in S. Iohns Paradise which every moneth did bring forth fruite of twelve severall kindes I should conclude that it had an extraordinary vitall power in it so
a proclamation of the Gospell unto him Moses his prayer was I beseech thee shew me thy glory How doth the Lord grant this Prayer I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thee and then revealeth himselfe unto him almost all by mercy The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gratious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne to note unto us that the glory of God is in nothing so much revealed as in his goodnesse Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his people Besides though the Law be indeed from God as from the Authour of it so that in that respect there may seeme to be no difference of excellency betweene that and the Gospell yet wee must observe that by the remainders of Creation though God should not have revealed his Law againe unto Moses in the mount much of the Law and by consequence of God himselfe might have beene discover'd by humane industry as wee see by notable examples of the philosophers and grave heathen But the Gospell is such a mystery as was for ever hidden from the reach and very suspicion of nature and wholly of divine revelation Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the hearts of men the things which God hath prepared for them that love him the Apostle speaketh it of the mystery of the Gospell noting that it is above the observation or learning or comprehension of nature so much as to suspect it nay the naturall inquirie of the Angels themselves could never have discovered it even unto them it is made knowne by the Church that is if it had not beene for the Churches sake that God would reveale so glorious a mystery the Angels in heaven must have beene for ever ignorant of it So extremely desperate was the fall of man that it wanted the infinite and unsearchable wisedome of God himselfe to finde out a remedie against it If the Lord should have proceeded thus farre in mercy towards man and no farther Thou art a wretched Creature and I am a righteous God yea so heavy is my wrath and so wofull thy condition that I cannot choose but take compassion upon thee and therefore I will put the matter into thine owne hands requisite it is that my pitty towards thee should not swallow up the respects to mine owne justice and honour that my mercy should bee a righteous and a wise mercy Consult therefore together all ye children of men and invent a way to reconcile my justice and mercy to one another set mee in a course to shew you mercy without parting from mine owne right and denying the righteous demands of mine offended justice and I will promise you to observe it I say if the mercy of the Lord should have confin'd it selfe within these bounds and referr'd the method of our redemption unto humane discovery we should for ever have continued in a desperate estate everlastingly unable to conceive or so much as in fancy to frame unto our selves a way of escape As the Creatures before their being could have no thought or notion of their being educ'd out of that nothing which they were before So man fallen could not have the smallest conjecture or suspition of any feaseable way to deliver himselfe out of that misery into which he fell If all the learning in the world were gather'd into one man and that man should imploy all his time and studie to frame unto himselfe the notions of a sixth or seventh sense which yet are as expressely fashion'd amongst those infinite Idea's of Gods power and omniscience as these five which are already created he would be as totally ignorant of the conclusion he sought at last as hee was at first For all humane knowledge of naturall things is wrought by a reflexion upon those Phantasmes or Idea's which are impressions made from those senses wee already use and are indeed nothing else but a kinde of notionall existence of things in the memory of man wrought by an externall and sensible perception of that reall existence which they have in themselves And yet in this case a sixth or a seventh sense would agree in genere proximo and so have some kinde of Cognation with those wee already enjoy But a new Covenant a new life a new faith a new salvation are things toto genere beyond the straine and sphere of nature That two should become one and yet remaine two still as God and man doe in one Christ that hee who maketh should bee One with the thing which himselfe hath made that hee who is above all should humble himselfe that he who filleth all should emptie himselfe that he who blesseth all should be himselfe a curse that hee who ruleth all should be himselfe a servant that he who was the prince of life and by whom all things in the world doe consist should himselfe be dissolved and dye that mercy and justice should meet together and kisse each other that the debt should bee payed and yet pardoned that the fault should bee punished and yet remitted that death like Sampsons Lion should have life and sweetnesse in it and be used as an instrument to destroy it selfe these and the like Evangelicall truths are mysteries which surpasse the reach of all the princes of learning in the world It is to be beleeved by a spirituall light which was not so much as possible to a humane reason We may observe that every person in the Trinity setteth himselfe to teach the mystery of the Gospell The Father revealeth it unto men Flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven It is written in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto mee The Son likewise teacheth it unto men therefore hee is called the Angell of Gods Covenant and Counsell that is the Revealer thereof because unto the world he made knowne that deepe project of his Fathers counsell touching the restoring of mankind No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him He only it is who openeth the bosome of his Father that is who revealeth the secret and mysterious counsels and the tender and compassionat affections for the bosome is the seat of secrets and of Love of his Father unto the world And therefore he is said to be a Teacher sent from God and to be the Lord which speaketh from heaven in the ministery of his Gospel and the doctrine which he teacheth is called a heavenly doctrin and a heavenly calling a high calling and oft by the Apost to the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly things to note that they are not of a naturall or earthly
dispensation toward one and other the giving of saving knowledge to one people and with-holding it from others was not grounded upon any preceding differences and dispositions thereunto in the people but onely in the Love of God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to bee a speciall people unto himselfe above all people that are upon the face of the earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because yee were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you c. The Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse for you art a stiffe-necked people Your Fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood mold time and they served other gods There was no difference betweene them and the Gentiles from whom I gathered them Fiftly that the Gospell was hidden from others in God his owne will and counsell was the cause of it Hee forbad men to goe into the cities of the Gentiles neither were they to goe unto them without a speciall gift and commission The same Beneplacitum was the reason of revealing it to some and of hiding it from others Even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight If all these particulars bee true needs must we both admire the inscrutablenesse of Gods judgments towards the Gentiles of old for no humane presumptions are a fit measure of the wayes and severities of God towards sinners And also everlastingly adore his Compassions towards us whom hee hath reserved for these times of light and out of the alone unsearchable riches of his grace hath together with principalities and powers in heavenly places made us to see what is the fellowship of that great mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hidden in himselfe Thirdly in that the Lord doth send forth the Gospell of Christ out of Sion into the world wee may further observe that the Gospell is a Message and an invitation from heaven unto men For for that end was it sent that thereby men might bee invited and perswaded to salvation The Lord sendeth his Sonne up and down carrieth him from place to place he is set forth before mens eyes he comes and stands and calls knocks at their doores and beseecheth them to bee reconciled Hee setteth his word before us at our doores and in our mouths and eares He hath not erected any standing sanctuary or city of refuge for men to fly for their salvations unto but hath appointed Ambassadors to carry this treasure unto mens houses where hee inviteth them and intreateth them and requireth them and commandeth them and compelleth them to come into his feast of mercy And this must needs bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unsearchable riches of grace for mercy pardon preferment life salvation to goe a begging and sue for acceptance and very unsearchable likewise must needs bee the love of sinne and madnesse of folly in wicked men to trample upon such pearles and to neglect so great salvation when it is tendered unto them O what a heavy charge will it bee for men at the last day to have the mercy of God the humility of Christ the entreaties of his Spirit the proclamations of pardon the approches of salvation the dayes the years the ages of peace the ministers of the word the booke of God the great Mysterie of Godlinesse to rise up in judgement and to testifie against their soules Lastly in that the Gospell is sent from God the Dispencers thereof must looke unto their mission and not intrude upon so sacred a businesse before they are thereunto called by God Now this call is twofold Extraordinary by immediate instinct and revelation from God which is ever accompanied with immediate and infused gifts of this wee doe not now speake And Ordinary by imposition of hands and Ecclesiasticall designation Whereunto there are to concurre three things First an Act of Gods providence casting a man upon such a course of studies and fashioning his minde unto such affections towards learning and disposing of him in such Schooles and Colleges of the Prophets as are congruons preparations and were appointed for nurseries and seminaries of Gods Church It is true many things fall under Gods providence which are not within his allowance and therefore it is no sufficient argument to conclude Gods consent or commission in this office because his wisedome hath cast mee upon a collegiate education But when therewithall hee in whose hands the hearts of all men are as clay or wax to bee moulded into such shapes as the counsell of his will shall order hath bended the desires of my heart to serve him in his Church and hath set the strongest delight of my minde upon those kindes of learning which are unto that service most proper and conducent when measuring either the good will of my heart or the appliablenesse of my parts by this and other professions of learning I can cleerly conclude that that measure and proportion which the Lord hath given mee is more suteable unto this than other learned callings I suppose other qualifications herewith concurring a man may safely from thence conclude that God who will have every man live in some profitable calling doth not onely by his providence permit but by his secret direction lead him unto that service whereunto the measure of gifts which he hath conferred upon him are most suteable and proper And therefore secondly there is to bee respected in this Ordinary mission the meet qualification of the person who shall bee ordained unto this ministerie For if no Prince will send a mechanick from his loome or his sheers in an honorable Embassage to some other forraigne Prince shall wee thinke that the Lord will send forth stupid and unprepared instruments about so great a worke as the perfecting of the Saints and Edification of the Church It is registred for the perpetuall dishonor of that wicked King Ieroboam who made no other use of any Religion but as a secondary bye thing to bee the supplement of policie that he made of the Lowest of the People those who were really such as the Apostles were falsly esteemed to be the scumme and offscouring of men to bee Priests unto the Lord. Now the Qualities more directly and essentially belonging unto this office are these two Fidelitie and Abilitie The things saith the Apostle which thou hast heard of amongst many witnesses the same commit thou to Faithfull men who shall bee able to teach others also Wee are stewards of no meaner a gift than the Grace of God and the Wisedome of God that grace which by S. Peter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifold Grace and that wisedome which by S. Paul is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisedome of God Wee are the depositaries and dispencers of the most pretious treasures which were ever opened unto the
goodnesse who when wee were desperately and incurably gone had found out a way of escape and deliverance for us God stood not in need of us or any service of ours he could have glorified himselfe in our just destruction Who then can enough expresse either the mercy of God or the dutie of man when hee considers that God should call together all the depths of his owne wisdome and counsell to save a company of desperate fugitives who had joyned in combinations with his greatest enemies to resist and dishonour him It would have posed all the wisdome of the world though misery be commonly very witty to shape and fashion to it selfe images of deliverance to have found out a way to heaven betweene the wrath of God and the sinne of man It would have posed all the heavenly intelligences and the united consultations of the blessed Angels to have reconciled Gods mercy in the salvation of man and his justice in the condemnation of sinne to have powred out hell upon the sinne and yet to have bestowed heaven upon the sinner If God should have instructed us thus farre you are miserable creatures but I am a mercifull God the demands of my justice I must not deny neither will I deny the entreaties of my mercy finde me out a sacrifice answerable to my justice and it shall be accepted for you all O where could man have found out a creature of capacitie enough to hold or of strength enough to beare the sinnes of the world or the wrath of God Where could he have found out in heaven or earth amongst men or Angels a Priest that durst accompany such a sacrifice into the presence of so consuming a fire Or where could he have found out an Altar whereon to offer and whereby to sanctifie so great a sacrifice No no the misery of man was too deepe and inextricable for all the created counsell in the world to invent a deliverance Now then if God himselfe did studie to save me how great reason is there that I should studie to serve him How ought all my wisdome and counsell and thoughts and desires be directed to this one resolution to live acceptably and thankfully unto him who when hee might have produced glory to himselfe out of my confusion chose rather to humble and as it were for a while to unglorifie himselfe for my salvation Certainly that man did never rightly understand the horrour of sinne the infinite hatred of God against it the heavinesse of his wrath the malediction of the Law the mystery and vast dimensions of Gods love in Christ the preciousnesse of his sacrifice the end purpose or merit of his death any of those unsearchable riches of God manifested in the flesh who will not crucifie a vanitie a lust a pleasure an earthly member unto him againe who findes more content and satisfaction in his owne wayes of sinne and death more wisdome in the temptations and deceits of Satan and his owne fleshly minde than in those deepe mysteries of grace and contrivances of mercie which the Angels desire to prie into Therefore in the last place wee should labour to feele this necessitie we have of such a Priest This is the only reason why so few make use of so pretious a fountaine because they trust in their owne muddie and broken cisternes at home and are never sensibly and throughly touched with the sense of their owne wants for it is not the saying and confessing ore tenus that I have nothing nor the knowing in speculation only that I have nothing but the feeling and smâ—rting by reason of my want which will drive me to seeke for reliefe abroad If a man did seriously consider and lay together such thoughts as these I am very busie for the affaires and passages of this present life which will quickely vanish and passe away like a Weavers shuttle or a tale that is told I have another and an abiding life to live after this is over All that I toile for here is but for the backe the belly the bagge and the posterity And am I not neerer to my selfe than I am to my money Am I not neerer to my soule than I am to my carkasse or to my seed Must I not have a being in that when neither I nor my posterity have either backe to be clothed or belly to bee fed or name to be supported O why am I not as sadly imployed why spend I not some at least as serious and inquisitive thoughts about this as about the other Doe I not know that I must one day stand before him who is a consuming fire that I must one day be weighed in the ballance and woe be unto me if I am found too light Appeare before him I dare not of my selfe alone without a Priest to mediate for me to cover and protect me from his fury and to reconcile me unto him againe My person wants a Priest it is clogg'd with infinite Guilt which without him cannot bee covered My nature wants a Priest it is overspred with a deepe and universall corruption which without him cannot be cured My sinnes want a Priest they are in number and in quality above measure sinfull which without him cannot bee pardoned My services want a Priest they are blemished and poisoned with many failings and corruptions without him they cannot be accepted I say if men did seriously lay together such thoughts as these it could not be that rationall and sad men men of deepe thoughts in other matters who love to boult out things to the bran and to be very solicitous for evidence and certainty in them should suffer such a businesse as this their interest in that Priest who must alone clothe their persons with his righteousnesse and cleanse their nature with his Spirit and wash away their sinnes with his bloud and sanctifie their prayers and almes and all religious devotions with his incense and intercession or else all of them must passe thorow the triall of such a fire as will consume them all to be slubber'd over with loose and slender thoughts and to bee rested in and resolv'd upon rather by the lying presumptions of a deceitfull heart than by the evidences and testimony of Gods holy Spirit Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things The second thing proposed to bee considered in the Priesthood of Christ was the qualification of that person who was to be a fit High-Priest for us Legall sacrifices would not serve the turne to purge away sin because of their basenesse They were not expiations of sin Heb. 9.9.12 but were onely remembrances and commemorations of sinne Heb. 10.3 necessary it was that heavenly things themselves should be purified with better sacrifices Heb. 9.23 for they of themselves without that typicall relation which they had unto Christ Gal. 3.23 and that Instrumentall vertue which in that relation they had from him Heb. 9.13 were utterly weake and unprofitable Heb. 7.18 as the
and victorie to encourage him none of which shall be allowed the wicked in hell who shall not onely bee the vessels of his vengeance but which will bee as grievous as that the everlasting objects of his hatred and detestation which made I say even the Sonne of God himselfe notwithstanding all these abatements to pray with strong Cries and bloudy drops and woefull conflicts of soule against the Cup of his Fathers wrath and to shrink and decline that very worke for which onely hee came into the world Thirdly to praise God for that great honour which hee hath conferred upon our nature in the flesh of his Sonne which in him is anointed with more grace and glory and filled with more vast and unmatchable perfections than all the Angels in heaven are together capable of for though for a little while hee was made lower than the Angels for the purpose of his suffering yet hee is now sat downe on the right hand of the Majesty on high Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him Heb. 2 6-9 1 Pet. 3.22 Heb. 1 4-13 And for the infinite mercy which hee hath shewed to our soules bodies and persons in the sacrifice of his Sonne in our reconciliation and favour with him in the justification of our persons from the guilt of sinne in the sanctification of our nature from the corruption of sinne in the inheritance reserved in heaven for us in the Communion and fellowship wee have with Christ in his merits power Priviledges and heavenly likenesse Now saith the Apostle wee are Sonnes and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall bee but wee know that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee â—ike him for wee shall see him as hee is 1 Ioh. 3.2 From these things which have been spoken of the Personall Qualifications of our High Priest it will bee easie to finde out the third particular inquired into touching the Acts or Offices of Christs Priesthood or rather touching the parts of the same Action for it is all but one Two Acts there are wherein the execution of this office doth consist The first an Act of Oblation of himselfe once for all as an adequate sacrifice and full compensation for the sinnes of the whole world Heb. 9.14.26 Our Debt unto God was Twofold As we were his Creatures so wee owed unto him a Debt of Active Obedience in doing the Duties of the whole Law and as wee are his prisoners so wee owed unto him a Debt of passive obedience in suffering willingly and throughly the Curses of the Law And under this Law Christ was made to redeeme us by his fulfilling all that righteousnesse who were under the precepts and penalties of the Law our selves Therefore the Apostle saith hee was sinne for us that is a Sacrifice for sinne to meete and intercept that wrath which was breaking out upon us 2 Cor. 5.21 Herein was the great mercy of God seen to us that hee would not punish Sinners though he would not spare Sinne. If hee should have resolved to have judged Sinners wee must have perished in our owne persons but being pleased to deale with sinne onely in abstracto and to spare the sinner hee was contented to accept of a Sacrifice which under the Relation and Title of a Sacrifice stood in his sight like the body of sinne alone by it selfe in which respect hee is likewise said to bee made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Now that which together with these things giveth the complete and ultimate formality of a Sacrifice unto the death of Christ was his owne willingnesse thereunto in that hee offered himselfe And therefore hee is called the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world because hee was dumbe and opened not his mouth but was obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 Christs death in regard of God the Father was a necessary death for hee had before determined that it should bee done Act. 4.28 Thus it is written and thus it behov'd Christ to suffer Luk. 24.46 The Sonne of Man must bee lifted up Ioh. 3.14 And therefore hee is said to bee a Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world in regard of Gods Decree and preordination But this gave it not the formality of a Sacrifice for God the Father was not the Priest and it is the Action of the Priest which giveth the being of a Sacrifice to that which is offered Againe Christs death in regard of men was violent They slew him with wicked hands and killed the Prince of life Act. 2. â—3 3.15 And in this sense it was no Sacrifice neither for they werâ—â—ot Priests but butchers of Christ. Thirdly his death in regard of himselfe was voluntarie I lay down my life no man taketh it from mee but I lay it downe of my selfe I have power to lay it downe and I have power to take it againe Ioh. 10.17 18. And this oblation and willing obedience or rendring himselfe to God is that which gives being to a Sacrifice Hee was delivered by God Act. 2.23 Hee was delivered by Iudas and the Iewes Matth. 27.2 Act. 3.13 and hee was yeelded and given up by himselfe Gal. 2.20 Eph. 5.25 In regard of God it was Iustice and mercy Ioh. 3.16 17. Rom. 3.25 In regard of man it was murther and crueltie Act. 7.52 In regard of Christ it was obedience and humility Phil. 2.8 And that voluntary act of his was that which made it a Sacrifice Hee gave himselfe for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling savor Eph. 5.2 His death did not grow out of the condition of his nature neither was it inflicted on him by reason of an excesse of strength in those that executed it for he was the Lord of glory but onely out of mercy towards men out of obedience towards God and out of power in himselfe For omnis Christi infirmitas fuit ex potestate By his power hee assumed those infirmities which the oeconomic and dispensation of his Priesthood on the earth required and by the same power hee laid them aside againe when that service was ended And this I say was that which made it a Sacrifice As martyrdome when men lay down their lives for the profession of the truth and the service of the Church is called a Sacrifice Phil. 2.17 If it bee here objected that Christs death was against his owne will for hee exceedingly feared it Heb. 5.7 and prayed earnestly against it as a thing contrary to his will Matth. 26.39 To this I answer that all this doth not hinder but commend his willingnesse and obedience Consider him in private as a Man of the same naturall affections desires and abhorâ—encies with other men and consider the cup as it was calix amarituâ—â—â—â—s a very bitter cup and so hee most justly feared and declined it as knowing that it would bee a most woefull and a heavy combate which hee was entring upon but consider
separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 Hee came not into the world but for us and therefore hee neither suffered nor did any thing but for us As the colour of the glasse is by the favor of the Sunne-beame shining through it made the color of the wall not inherent in it but relucent upon it by an extrinsecall affection so the righteousnesse of Christ by the favor of God is so imputed unto us as that wee are quoad gratiosum Dei conspectum righteous too In which sense I understand those words Hee hath not beheld iniquitie in Iacob neither hath he seen perversenesse in Israel Num. 23.21 Though it is indeed in him yet the Lord looketh on him as cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ and so is said not to see it as the eye seeth the color of the glasse in the wall and therefore cannot behold that other inherent color of its owne which yet it knoweth to bee in it Now of this Doctrine of Iustification by Christs righteousnesse imputed wee may make a double use First it may teach us that great dutie of selfe-deniall wee see no righteousnesse will justifie us but Christs and his will not consist but with the deniall of our owne And surely what-ever the professions of men in word may bee there is not any one dutie in all Christian Religion of more difficultie than this to trust Christ onely with our salvation To doe holy duties of hearing reading praying meditating almesgiving or any other actions of charity or devotion and yet still to abhorre our selves and our workes to esteeme our selves after wee have done all unprofitable servants and worthy of many stâ—ipes to doe good things and not to rest in them to owne the shame and dung of our solemne services when we have done all the good workes wee can to say with Nehemiah Remember mee ô my God concerning this and spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercie Nehem. 13.22 and with David To thee ô Lord belongeth mercie for thou renderest to every man according to his worke Psal. 62.12 It is thy mercy to reward us according to the uprightnesse of our workes who mightest in judgement confound us for the imperfection of our workes To give God the praise of our working and to take to ourselves the shame of polluting his workes in us There is no Doctrine so diametrally contrary to the merits of Christ and the redemption of the world thereby as justification by workes No Papist in the world is or can bee more contentious for good workes than wee both in our Doctrine and in our prayers and in our exhortations to the people We say no faith justifieth us before God but a working faith no man is righteous in the sight of men nor to bee so esteemed but by workes of holinesse without holinesse no man shall see God hee that is Christs is zealous of good workes purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure and walketh as hee did in this world Here onely is the difference we doe them because they are our Dutie and testifications of our love and thankfulnesse to Christ and of the workings of his Spirit in our hearts but wee dare not trust in them as that by which wee hope to stand or fall before the tribunall of Gods Iustice because they are at best mingled with our corruptions and therefore doe themselves stand in need of a high Priest to take off their iniquity Wee know enough in Christ to depend on we never can finde enough in our selves And this confidence wee have if God would ever have had us justified by workes hee would have given us grace enough to fulfill the whole Law and not have left a Prayer upon publike record for us every day to repeat and to regulate all our owne Prayers by forgive us our trespasses For how dares that man say I shall be justified by my workes who must every day say Lord forgive mee my sinnes and bee mercifull unto mee a sinner Nay though wee could fulfill the whole Law perfectly yet from the guilt of sinnes formerly contracted wee could no other way bee justified than by laying hold by faith on the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ. Secondly it may teach us confidence against all sinnes corruptions and temptations Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died c. Satan is the blackest enemie and sinne is the worst thing hee can alleage against mee or my soule is or can bee subject unto for Hell is not so evill as sinne In as much as Hell is of Gods making but sinne onely of mine Hell is made against mee but sinne is committed against God Now I know Christ came to destroy the workes and to answer the arguments and reasonings of the Devill Thou canst not stand before God saith Satan for thou art a grievous sinner and he is a devouring fire But faith can answere Christ is able both to cover and to cure my sinne to make it vanish as a miste and to put it as farre out of mine owne sight as the East is from the West But thou hast nothing to doe with Christ thy sinnes are so many and so foule surely the bloud of Christ is more acceptable to my soule and much more honourable and pretious in it selfe when it covereth a multitude of sinnes Paul was a persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious the greatest of all sinners and yet hee obtained mercy that hee might be for a patterne of all long-suffering to those that should after beleeve in Christ. If I had as much sinne upon my soule as thou hast yet faith could unlade them all upon Christ Christ could swallow them all up in his mercy But thou hast still nothing to doe with him because thou continuest in thy sinne But doth hee not call mee invite me beseech mee command me to come unto him If then I have a heart to answer his call hee hath a hand to draw me to himselfe though all the gates of Hell and powers of darknesse or sinnes of the world stood betweene But thou obeyest not this call True indeed and pittifull it is that I am dull of hearing and slow of following the voice of Christ I want much faith but yet Lord thou dost not use to quench the smoaking flax or to breake the bruized reed I beleeve and thou art able to helpe mine unbeleefe I am resolved to venture my soule upon thy mercy to throw away all mine owne loading and to cleave onely to this planck of salvation But faith purifieth the heart whereas thou art uncleane still True indeed and miserable man I am therefore that the motions of sinne doe worke in my members But yet Lord I hate every false heart I delight in thy Law with mine innerman I doe that which I would not but I consent to thy Law that it is good I desire to know thy will to feare thy name to
is to deny our selves and all we doe to doe no good thing for this end that we may rest in it or rely upon it when we have done but after all to judge our selves unprofitable servants when wee have prayed to see hell betweene heaven and our prayers when wee have preached to see hell betweene heaven and our sermons when we have done any worke of devotion to see hell between heaven and all our services if God should marke what is amisse in them and should enter into judgement with us In one word to see hell betweene heaven and any thing in the world else save onely betweene Christ and heaven Till in this manner men be qualified for mercy they will have no heart to desire it and God hath no purpose to conferre it Christ must be esteemed worthy of all acceptation before God bestowes him and the way so to esteeme of him is to feele our selves the greatest of all sinners And when the soule is thus once humbled with the taste and remembrance of that worme-wood and gall which is in sinne there is then an immediate passage unto hope and mercy Lament 3.19 22. and that hope is this That Christ hath drunken up and dried that torrent of curses which was betweene us and heaven and hath made a passage through them all by himselfe unto his Fathers Kingdome He was made sinne and a curse for us that so hee might swallow up sinne and death and might bee the destruction of hell Hos. 13.14 I will here but touch upon two things First What Christ suffered Secondly why he suffered for understanding of the first we must note first that Christ Humane nature was by the hypostaticall Vnion exalted unto many dignities which to all the Creatures in the world besides are utterly incommunicable as the communication of properties the adoration of Angels the primogenituâ—e of the Creatures the cooperation with the Deitie in many mighty workes the satisfaction of an infinite Justice by a finite passion c. Exalted likewise it was by his spirituall unction above all his fellowes with that unmeasurable fulnesse of grace as wonderfully surpasseth the united and cumulated perfections of all the Angels in heaven Secondly wee must note likewise that all these things Christ received for the worke of mans Redemption and therefore he had them in such a maner as was most suteable and convenient for the execution of that worke Now Christ was to fulfill that worke by a way of suffering and obedience by death to destroy him that had the power of death as David by Goliahs sword slew him that was master of the sword As there fell a mighty tempestuous winde upon the red sea whereby the passage was opened for Israel to goe out of Egypt into Canaan so Christ was to be torne and divided by his sufferings that so there might be a passage for us to God through that sea of wrath which was betweene our Egypt and our Canaan our sinne and our Salvation Here then are two generall Rules to be observed concerning the sufferings of Christ. First that the Oeconomie or dispensation of his Mediatorship is the measure of all that he suffered So much as that required he did suffer and more he did not for though he suffered as man yet he suffered not because he was a man but because he was a Mediator Secondly in as much as a Mediatour betweene God and sinners was to be holy and separate from sinners for if he should have beene a sinner he had beene one of the parties and not a Mediator therefore none of those sufferings which are repugnant to his holinesse and by consequence unserviceable to the administration of his office could belong unto him Such things then as did no way prejudice the plenitude of his grace the union of his natures the quality of his mediation such things as were suteable to his person and requisite for our pardon such as were possible for him and such as were necessary for us those things he suffered as the punishments of our sinnes Now punishments are of severall sorts some are sins some onely from sinnes Some things in severall respects are both sinnes and punishments In relation to the Law as Deviations so they are sinne in relation to the order and disposition of Gods providence so they are punishments As hardnesse of heart and a reprobate sense Other punishments are from sinne and in this regard sinne is two wayes considerable either as inherent or as imputed from sinne as inherent or from the consciousnesse of sinne in a mans selfe doth arise remorse or torment and the worme of conscience Againe sinne as imputed may be considered two wayes either it is imputed upon a ground in nature because the persons to whom it is imputed are naturally one with him that originally committed it and so it doth seminally descend and is derived upon them Thus Adams sinne of eating the forbidden fruit is imputed unto us and the punishment thereof on us derived namely the privation of Gods Image and the corruption of our nature Or else it is imputed upon a ground of voluntary contract vadimonie or susception so that the guilt thereupon growing is not a derived but an assumed guilt which did not bring with it any desert or worthinesse to suffer but onely an obligation and obnoxiousnesse thereunto As if a sober and honest person be suretie for a prodigall and luxurious man who spending his estate upon courses of intemperance and excesse hath disabled himselfe to pay any of his debts the one doth for his vitious disability deserve imprisonment unto which the other is as liable as he though without any such personall desert Now then the punishments which Christ suffered are onely such as agree unto sinne thus imputed as all our sinnes were unto Christ. Againe in punishments we are to distinguish betweene punishments inflicted from without and punishments ingenerated and immediately resulting from the condition of the person that suffereth Or betweene the Passions and Actions of the men that are punished Punishments inflicted are those paines and dolorous impressions which God either by his owne immediate hand or by the ministery of such instruments as he is pleased to use doth lay upon the soule or body of a man Punishments ingenerated are those which grow out of the weakenesse and wickednesse of the person lying under the sore and invincible pressure of those paines which are thus inflicted As Blasphemie despaire and the worme of conscience In one word some evils of punishment are vitious either formally in themselves or fundamentally and by way of connotation in regard of the originals thereof in the person suffering them Others are onely dolorous and miserable which presse nature but doe no way defile it nor referre to any either pollution or impotency in the person suffering them and of this sort onely were the punishments of Christ. Now these punishments which Christ thus suffered are either inchoate or consummate
inchoate as all those penall defects of our nature which neither were sinnes nor grounded upon the inherence of sinnes for hee tooke not our personall but onely our naturall defects And these were either corporeall as hunger thirst wearinesse and the like or spirituall as feare griefe sorrow temptations c. consummate were those which he suffered at last And these likewise were either corporeall as shame mockings buffets trials scourgings condemnation an ignominious and a cursed death Or spirituall and those were principally two First a punishment of Dereliction My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Matth. 27.46 There was some kinde of separation betweene God and Christ during the time of his sufferings for sinne in that cursed manner For understanding wherof we must note that he had a fourfold Vnion unto God First In his humane Nature which was so fast united in his person to the divine that death it selfe did not separate it either from the person or from the deitie It was the Lord that lay in the grave Secondly In Love and so there was never any separation neither but when hee hanged on the Crosse hee was still the beloved Sonne of his Father in whom hee was well pleased Thirdly In the Communion of his Spirit and Holinesse and in that regard likewise there was no disunion for hee was offered up as a lambe without spot or blemish Lastly In the fruition of the light of his countenance and of his glory and favor and in this respect there was for the time of his sufferings a dereliction subtractione visionis non dissolutione unionis by the withdrawing of his countenance not by the dissolving of his union Hee looked upon Christ as a God armed against the sinnes of the world which were then upon him Secondly There was a punishment of malediction Hee did undergoe the curse of the Law hee did graple with the wrath of God and with the powers of darknesse hee felt the scourges due unto our sinnes in his humane nature which squeezed and wrung from him those strong cries those deepe and woefull complaints that bloudy and bitter sweate which drew compassion from the very rocks And surely it is no derogation to the dignity of Christs person but on the other side a great magnifying of the Iustice of God against sinne of the power of Christ against the Law and of the mercy of them both towards sinners to affirme that the sufferings of Christ what-ever they were in specie in the kinde of them were yet in pondere in their weight and pressure equally grievous with those which we should have suffered for being in all things save sinne like unto us and most of all in his liablenesse to the curse of the Law so farre as it did not necessarily denotate either sinne inherent or weaknesse to breake through in the person suffering why hee should not bee obnoxious to as great extremities of paine I see no reason for no degree of meere anguish and dolor can bee unbefitting the person of him who was to bee knowne by that Title A man of sorrowes And surely farre more indignity it was to him to suffer a violent death of body from the hands of base men than to suffer with patience obedience and victorie farre sorer stripes from the hand of God his Father who was pleased upon him to lay the iniquity of us all For the second thing proposed Why Christ suffered these things The Scripture giveth principally these five reasons First to execute the decrees of his Father Act. 4.27 28. Secondly to fulfill the prophesies prefigurations and predictions of Holy Scriptures Luk. 24.46 Thirdly to magnifie his mercy and free love to sinners and most impotent enemies Rom. 5.8 Fourthly to declare the Righteousnesse and truth of God against sinne who would not bee reconciled with sinners but upon a legall expiation Rom. 3.25 For although wee may not limit the unsearchable wisedome and wayes of God as if hee could no other way have saved man yet wee are bound to adore this meanes as being by him selected out of that infinite treasure of his owne counsell as most convenient to set forth his wonderfull hate of sinne his inexorable Iustice and severity against it his unsearchable riches of love and mercy towards sinners and in all things to make way to the manifestation of his glory Lastly To shew forth his owne power which had strength to stand under all this punishment of sinne and at last to shake it off and to declare himselfe to bee the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 For though Christ did exceedingly feare and for that seeme to decline and pray against these his passions yet none of that was out of jealousie or suspicion that hee should not breake through them But hee feared them as being paines unavoidable which hee was most certainly to suffer and as paines very heavie and grievous which hee should not overcome without much bitternesse and very woefull conflict Now for a word of the last Clause Therefore shall hee lift up the Head Wee may hence observe that Christ hath conquered all his sufferings by his owne power As in his passion when hee suffered hee Bowed downe his head before-hand and gave up the ghost with a loud voice to note that his sufferings were voluntary Ioh. 19.30 So in his resurrection hee is said to lift up his head himselfe to note that hee had life in himselfe that hee was the Prince of Life that it was impossible for him to be held under by death as we were by the Law Rom. 7.6 And that his exaltation was voluntary likewise and from his owne power for he was not to have any assistant in the worke of our redemption but to doe all alone Ioh. 2.19.5.26.10.17 Act. 3.15 If it bee objected that Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of his Father and that hee raised him up Rom. 6.4 Act. 13.33 To this I answer that this was not by way of supplement and succor to make up any defect of power in Christ but onely by way of consent to Christs owne power and action that so men might joyntly honour the Sonne and the Father Ioh. 5 19-26 Or by the Glorie of the Father wee may understand that glorious power which the Father gave unto his Sonne in the flesh to have life in himselfe Ioh. 5.26 annexing thereunto a command to exercise the same Power Ioh. 10.18 Or hee is said to bee raised by himselfe and his Father both because that Holy Spirit which immediatly quickned him Rom. 1.4 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 3.18 was both his and his Fathers It was not any personall thing wherein the Sonne differ'd from the Father which raised Iesus from the dead but that Spirit which was common to them both To conclude then with the consideration of those great benefits and that excellent use which this resurrection of Christ doth serve for unto us First it assureth us of the accomplishment
generall motion from the supreme so in the motions of grace in the soule the proportion of all the rest a riseth frō the measure of our spirituall and saving light The more distinctly and throughly the spirit of a mans mind is convinc'd of the necessity beauty and gloriousnesse of heavenly things the more strong impressions therof wil be made upon all subordinate faculties for we move towards nothing without preceding apprehensions of its goodnes which apprehensions as they more seriously penetrate into the true and intimate worth of that thing so are the motions of the soule thereunto proportionably strengthen'd As the hinder wheeles in a Coach ever move as fast as the former which leade them so the subordinate powers of the soule are overrul'd in their maner measure of working towards grace by those spirituall representations of the truth and excellency thereof which are made in the understanding by the light of the Gospel Thus the Apostle telleth us that the excellency of the knowledge of Christ was that which made him so earnest to winne him the knowledge of the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings was that which made him reach forth and presse forward unto the marke and price of that high calling which was before him Thirdly the Glory of the Gospell of Christ with his Spirit may be considered in regard of the matters which are therin contain'd namely the Glory the Excellencies the Treasures of God himselfe We all saith the Apostle with open face behold as in a Glasse that is in the spirituall ministration of the Gospell having the veile of carnall stupidity taken away by the Spirit The glory of the Lord. What glory doe we here behold but that which a glasse is able to represent Now in speculo nisi imago non cernitur nothing can be seene in a glasse but the image of that thing which sheddeth forth its species thereupon and therefore he immediately addeth we are changed into the same image from glory to glory and he elsewhere putteth these two together Man is the image and the glory of God for nothing can have any thing of God in it any resemblance or forme of him but so farre it must needs be glorious But how doe we in the Gospell see the Image of God who is invisible The Apostle expresseth that else-where God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Christ is the Image and expresse Character of his Fathers glory as the impression in the wax is of the forme and fashion of the seale there is no excellencie in God which is not compleatly adequately and distinctly in Christ so that in that glasse wherin we may see him we may likewise see the glory of the Father Now the Gospell is the face of Iesus Christ that which as lively setteth forth his grace and Spirit to the soule as if he were present in the flesh amongst us Suppose we that a glasse could retaine a permanent and unvanishing species of a mans face within it though hee himselfe were absent might we not truly say this glasse is the face of that man whose image it so constantly retaineth So in asmuch as Christ is most exactly represented in his Gospell so that when we come into his personall and reall presence to know even as we are knowne we shall be able truely to say this is indeed the very person who was so long since in his Gospell exhibited to my faith sic ille manus sic ora gerebat it is therefore justly by the Apostle called the face of Iesus Christ and therefore the Glasse wherein we see the Image and glory of God as it is the same light which shineth from the Sunne upon a glasse and from a glasse upon a wall so it is the same glory which shineth from the Father upon the Sonne and from the Sonne upon the Gospell so that in the Gospell we see the unsearchable treasures of God because his treasures are in his Sonne Therefore that which is usually called Preaching the Gospell is in other places called Preaching the Kingdome and the riches of Christ to note the glory of those things which are in the Gospell revealed unto the Church It containeth the glory of Gods wisdome and that wisdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifold and various wisdome as the Apostle speaketh who therefore calleth Christ and his Gospell by the name of Wisdome wee preach Christ crucified to those that are called the power of God and the wisdome of God and we speake wisdome amongst them that are perfect wisdome to reconcile his owne attributes of mercy and truth righteousnesse and peace which by the fall of man seemed to be at variance among themselves wisdome in reconciling the world of obstinate and rebellious enemies unto himselfe wisdome in sanctifying the whole creation by the bloud of the crosse and repairing those ruines which the sinne of man had caused wisdome in concorporating Christ and his Church things in their owne distinct natures as unapt for mixture as fire and water in their remotest degrees wisdome in uniting the Iewes and Gentiles and reducing their former jealousies and disaffections unto an intimate fellowship in the same common mysteries In one word wisdome above the admiration of the blessed Angels in finding out a way to give greater satisfaction to his offended justice by shewing mercie and saving sinners than he could ever have received by either the confusion or annihilation of them It containeth the Glory of Gods goodnesse and mercy of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good-will towards men which brought glory to God and to the earth peace for the Gospell is as it were a Love-token or commendatory Epistle of the Lord unto his Church God left not himselfe without witnesses of his care and evidences of some love even to those whom he suffered to walke in their owne wayes without any knowledge of his Gospell he did them good he gave them raine from heaven and fruitfull seasons so even they had experience of some of his goodnesse the goodnesse of his providence for hee is the Saviour of all men but the Gospell containeth all Gods goodnesse as a heape and miscellany of universall mercy I will make all my goodnesse passe before thee and I will proclaime the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercie Gods speciall and gracious mercy the mercy of his promises in Christ doth convey unto the soule an interest in all his goodnesse nay it maketh all things good unto us so that we may call them ours as gifts and legacies from Christ. He hath given to us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse the world and life and death and things
spirits senses which are in the head are there placed as in a Watch-tower or Councell-chamber to consult and provide for the good of the whole the eye seeth the eare heareth the tongue speaketh the fancie worketh the memory retaineth for the welfare of the other members and they have all the same care one for another Fourthly He is our Advocate and Mediatour he is the onely practicer in the court of heaven and therefore he must needs be full of the businesses of his Church It is his office to dispatch the affaires of those that come unto him and crave his favour and intercession to debate their causes and he is both faithfull and mercifull in his place and besides furnished with such an unmeasurable unction of Spirit and vast abilities to transact all the businesses of his Church that whosoever commeth unto him for his counsell and intercession hee will in no wise cast them out or refuse their cause And this is one great assurance we may take comfort in that be our matters never so foule and unexcusable in themselves yet the very entertaining him of our counsell and the leaning upon his wisdome power fidelity and mercy to expedite our businesses to compassionate our estate and to rescue us from our owne demerits doth as it were alter the propertie of the cause and produce a cleane contrary issue to that which the evidence of the thing in triall would of it selfe have created And as we may observe that men of extraordinary abilities in the Law delight to wrestle with some difficult businesse and to shew their learning in clearing matters of greatest intricacie and perplexitie before so doth Christ esteeme himselfe most honoured and the vertue and wisedome of his Crosse magnified when in cases of sorest extremitie of most hideous guilt of most blacke and uncomfortable darknesse of soule which pose not onely the presumptions but the hope faith conjectures thoughts contrivances which the hearts of men can even in wishes make to themselves for mercy they doe yet trust him whose thoughts are infinitely above their thoughts and whose wayes above their wayes who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God When the soule can goe unto Christ with such complaints and acknowledgements as these Lord when I examine my cause by mine owne conscience and judgement of it I cannot but give it over as utterly desperate and beyond cure my bones are dried my hope is cut off I am utterly lost my sins and my sorrowes are so heavie that they have broken my spirit all to peeces and there is no sound part in me But Lord I beleeve that thou knowest a way to make dead bones live that thy thoughts and waies are above mine that thou knowest thine owne thoughts of peace and mercy though I cannot comprehend them that thy riches are unsearchable that thy love is above humane knowledge that thy peace passeth all created understandings that though I am the greatest of all sinners and feele enough in my selfe to sinke me as low as Iudas into hell yet thou hast not left me without patternes of all long-suffering of thy royall power in enduring and in forgiving sinnes And now Lord though thou afford me no light though thou beset me with terrours though thou make me to possesse the sinnes of my youth yet I still desire to feare thy name to walke in thy way to wait upon thy counsell I know there is not in men or Angels so much wisdome compassion or fidelity as in thee and therefore if I must perish I will perish at thy feet I will starve under thy table I will be turned away and rejected by thee who hast promised to cast away none that come unto thee I have tried all wayes and I here resolve to rest and to looke no further thou that hast kept such a sinner as I am out of hell thus long canst by the same power keep me out for ever upon thy wisdome and compassion who canst make dried bones to flourish like an herbe and broken bones to rejoyce and sing I cast the whole weight of my guilty spirit into thy bosome I emptie all the feares cares and requests of my distracted and sinking soule I say when a man can thus powre out himselfe uâ—to Christ he esteemeth the price and power of his bloud most highly honoured when men beleeve in him against reason and above hope and beyond the experience or apprehensions they have of mercy for Christ loveth to shew the greatnesse of his skill in the salvation of a Manasse a Mary Magdalen a crucified Theefe a persecutour and injurious blasphemer in giving life unto them that nailed him to his Crosse the more desperate the disease the more honourable the cure Fifthly He is our Purchaser our Proprietary wee belong unto him by grant from the Father Thine they were and thou gavest them unto me and by payment from him unto the Father yee are bought with a price There is no good that concernes the Church that he hath not fully paid for with his owne pretious bloud And Christ will not die in vaine he will take order for the accomplishing of that redemption which himselfe hath merited And this is the greatest argument of his care and fidelitie that he is not as a servant but as a Lord and his care is over His owne house An ordinary advocate is faithfull onely ratione officii because the dutie of his office requireth it but the businesses which he manageth come not close unto his heart because he hath no personall interest in them but Christ is faithfull not as Moses or a servant onely but ratione Dominii as Lord in his owne house so that the affaires of the Church concerne him in as neere a right as they concerne the Church her selfe so that in his office of intercession hee pleadeth his owne causes with his Father and in the miscarriages of them himselfe should lose that which was infinitely more pretious than any thing in the world besides even the price and merit of his owne bloud These are the grounds of the great care of Christ towards his people And from hence we should learne faith and dependence on Christ in all our necessities because we are under the protection and provision of him who careth for us and is able to helpe us A right judgement of God in Christ and in his Gospell of salvation will wonderfully strengthen the faith of men Paul was not ashamed of persecutions because he knew whom he had beleeved hee doubted neither of his care or power and therefore hee committed the keeping of his soule unto him against the last day and therefore when all forsooke him he stood to the truth because the Lord forsooke him not The reason why men
of the worke but onely the willingnesse the loving and obedient disposition of the heart and therefore I passe over those failings and weaknesses which discover themselves for want of skill or strength and not of love praising the endevours and pardoning the miscarriages Thus doth the Lord deale with his children Fourthly if we be Christs he will pray for us I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine c. so that wee shall be sure to have helpe in all times of need because we know that tho Father heareth his Sonne alwayes and those things which in much feare weaknesse and ignorance we aske for our selves if it bee according to Gods will and by the dictate and mouth of the Spirit in our heart Christ himselfe in his intercession demandeth for us the same things And this is the ground of that confidence which we have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us and we have the petitions that we desire of him For as the world hateth us because it hateth him first so the Father loveth and heareth us because he loveth and heareth him first Fifthly if wee be Christs then hee will teach us and commune with us and reveale himselfe unto us and lead us with his voice He calleth his owne sheepe by name and leadeth them and putteth them forth and goeth before them Because Israel was his owne people therefore he shewed them his words The Law was theirs and the Oracles theirs when hee entreth into covenant with a people that they become his then he writeth his Law in their hearts and teacheth them This is the Prophet Davids argument I am thy servant give me understanding Because I am thine in a speciall relation therefore acquaint me with thee in an especiall manner The earth is full of thy mercy there is much of thy goodnesse revealed to all the nations of the world even to those that are not called by thy name but as for mee whom thou hast made thine owne by a neerer relation let mee have experience of a greater mercy Teach mee thy Statutes Sixthly if we be his he will chastise us in mercy and not in fury though he leave us not altogether unpunished yet he will punish us lesse than our iniquities deserve he will not deale with us as with others Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have driven thee yet I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure I will correct thee to cure but not to ruine thee The second thing considered in the words was the Present condition of the people of Christ which was to be military men to joyne with the armies of Christ against all his enemies As he was so must we be in this world no sooner was Christ consecrated by his solemne Baptisme unto the worke of a Mediatour but presently hee was assaulted by the Tempter And no sooner doth any man give up his name to Christ and breake loose from that hellish power under which hee was held but presently Pharaoh and his hoasts Satan and his confederates pursue him with deadly fury and powre out flouds of malice and rage against him Hell and death are at truce with wicked men there is a covenant and agreement betwixt them Satan holdeth his possession in peace but when a stronger than he commeth upon and overcommeth him there is from that time implacable venomâ— and hostility against such a soule the malice power policie stratagems and machianations of Satan the lusts and vanities the pleasures honours profits persecutions frownes flatteries snares of the wicked world the affections desires inclinations deceits of our owne fleshly hearts will ever plie the soule of a Christian and force it to perpetuall combates There is in Satan an everlasting enmitie against the glory mercy and truth of God against the power and mystery of the Gospel of Christ. This malice of his exerciseth it selfe against all those that have given themselves to Christ whose Kingdome he mightily laboureth to demolish by his power persecuting it by his craftinesse and wily insinuations undermining it by his vast knowledge and experience in palliating altering mixing proportioning and measuring his temptations and spirituall wickednesse in such manner as that he may subvert the Church of Christ either in the purity thereof by corrupting the doctrine of Christ with heresie and his worship with idolatrie and superstition or in the unity thereof by pestering it with schisme and distraction or in the liberty thereof by bondage of conscience or in the progresse and inlargement thereof endevouring to blast and make fruitlesse the ministery of the Gospell And this malice of Satan is wonderfully set on and encouraged both by the corruption of our nature those armies of lusts and affections which swarme within us entertaining joyning force and co-operating with all his suggestions disheartning reclaiming and pulling backe the soule when it offers to make any opposition and also by the men and materials of this evill world By the examples the threats the interests the power the intimacie the wit the tongues the hands the exprobrations the persecutions the insinuations and seductions of wicked men By the profits the pleasures the preferments the acceptation credit and applause of the world By all which meanes Satan most importunately pursueth one of these two ends either to subvert the godly by drawing them away from Christ to apostacie formalitie hypocrisie spirituall pride and the like or else to Discomfort them with diffidence doubts sight of sinne opposition of the times vexation of spirit and the like afflictions And these oppositions of Satan meet with a Christian in every respect or consideration under which he may be conceiv'd consider him in his spirituall estate in his severall parts in his temporall relations in his Actions or imployments and in all these Satan is busie to overturne the Kingdome of Christ in him In his spirituall estate if he be a weake Christian he assaulteth him with perpetuall doubts and feares touching his election conversion adoption perseverance christian liberty strength against corruptions companies temptations persecutions c. if he be a strong Christian he laboureth to draw him unto selfe-confidence spirituall pride contempt of the weake neglect of further proficiencie and the like There is no naturall part or facultie which is not aimed at likewise by the malice of Satan for Christ when hee comes takes possession of the whole man and therefore Satan sets himselfe against the whole man Corporeall and sensitive faculties tempted either to sinfull representations letting in and transmitting the provisions of lust unto the heart by gazing and glutting themselves on the objects of the world or to sinfull executions finishing and letting out those lusts which have beene conceived in the heart The phantasie tempted
this service And this promise is twofold First the promise of a great seed which by the execution of his office hee should gather unto himselfe and of a great conquest over all his enemies God conferred this hoâ—our upon him to be the King of a mighty People whom he should save and sanctifie to himselfe They were given unto him Psal. 2.8 Iohn 17.6 so that unto his Fidelitie Mercie and Power here is further added a Propriety to the thing which hee saves and who would not use all fidelitie in his owne businesse all mercy towards his owne seed all the power he hath to deliver his owne House from the fire and Christ was faithfull as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are wee Heb. 3.6 Secondly there was the promise of a great Glory and Crowne which the nature he had assumed should in his Person receive after the fulfilling of his Service After he had beene a little while lower than the Angels hee was to bee crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2.7 and therefore we may bee sure that hee hath fulfilled all righteousnesse and done for his Church all which hee was to doe upon the Earth because hee is gone and wee see him no more for his sufferings were to goe before and his glory to follow 1 Pet. 1.11 This is the Apostles argument why we are not in our sinnes but delivered from them because Christ is risen 1 Cor. 15.17 Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 And it is his argument againe why wee ought to hold fast our profession and to come boldly to the Throne of Grace for help in time of neede because wee have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Heb. 4.14 15 16. Fifthly as hee had a Promise from the Father to encourage him so he had a Nature from us to incline him unto the execution of his Office He was made of a woman made like unto us in all things sinne onely excepted tempted and afflicted as we are and so there are two things which the heart of a beleever may rest upon in him in any discomforts First his Sympathie for besides his Essentiall mercy as he is God there was in him a mercie which he learned by being like unto us In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that hee might be a mercifull and a faithfull high Priest Heb. 2.17 Such was his compassion towards the hunger of the multitude Matth. 15.32 because hee himselfe knew what hunger was Matth. 4.2 and such was his compassion towards the sorrowes of Mary and Martha Iohn 11.33 35. because he himselfe was acquainted with griefe Esay 53.3 and such was his compassion towards Peter in that state of desertion wherein he lay Luke 22.61 because he himselfe knew what it was to be forsaken Matth. 27.46 And this is the Apostles assurance that we shall obtaine mercy and grace to helpe in time of neede because hee had a feeling of our infirmities and was tempted as wee are Heb. 4.15 16. Secondly His consanguinitie He is not ashamed to call us brethren He is our Goel our Kinsman and therefore our Redeemer Heb. 11. Ruth 3.9.4.4 And will not repent Many things God hath said which hee hath revoked as the destruction of Ninive the death of Ezekiah and the like which implying a tacite condition fit in the particular cases to be conceal'd upon the varieties of that God might bee said either to persevere or to repent Ier. 18.7 8.26.13 19. God is ever most unchangeable in all his wayes counsels and purposes they stand for ever Nothing can fall out to make God more wise more mercifull more provident more powerfull than hee was before and therefore nothing can make him truely to change his will or to repent of his former actions or resolutions There is with him no variablenesse nor shadow of changing He is not a man that hee should repent I the Lord change not Iam. 1.17 1 Sam. 15.29 Mal. 3.6 Only in mercy unto our weaknesse God condescends unto the manner of humane expressions retaining still the stedfastnesse of his owne working which receiveth no variation nor difference from the contingencies of second causes He speaketh according to our capacitie but he worketh according to his owne counsell so that God is then said to repent when that which he once willed to be hee after by the counsell of the same will causeth not to be therein not changing his owne counsell but onely willing the change of the things that the same thing for this period of time shall be and then shall cease As when a rope is fixed to either side of a River by the same without any manner change or alteration in it I draw the boate wherein I am backward or forward so the same will and counsell of God stands constant and unmoved in the severall mutations of those things which are wrought or removed by it Now then when not onely the counsell of God is immutable in it selfe but also hee hath ordained some Law Covenant or Office which hee will have for ever to endure without either naturall expiration or externall abolishment then is God said not to repent To apply this to the present businesse the Apostle speaking of a new covenant which is established upon this new Priesthood of Christ for the Priesthoods and the Lawes goe both together the one being changed there is made of necessitie a change of the other Heb. 7.12 maketh the introducing of this new Covenant which is founded upon the Oath of God to make the preceding covenant old and transitory In that hee saith A new Covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 And hee saith peremptorily that it was therefore disannul'd because of the weakenesse and unprofitablenesse thereof Heb. 7.18 and this he affirmeth even of the morall Law that law the righteousnesse whereof was to be fulfilled in us by the Spirit of Christ namely in sincerity and in love which is the bond of perfection and the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 8.3 4. For the full understanding then and applying the words to the priesthood of Christ and the Law of Grace or the second covenant thereupon grounded it will be needfull to resolve these two questions First whether God hath repented him of the Law which was the rule and measure of the Covenant of workes Secondly upon what reasons or grounds the immutabilitie of the second Covenant or Law of grace standeth For the first of these the Psalmist telleth us that the Commandements of God are sure and that they stand fast for ever and ever Psal. 111.7 8. and wee may note that the same forme of speech which the Lord useth to shew the stability of the new covenant The Mountaines shall depart and
him in his publike Relation as a mediator a surety a mercifull and faithfull high Priest and so hee most willingly and obediently submitted unto it And this willingnesse ratione officii was much the greater because ratione naturae his will could not but shrinke from it It is easie to bee willing in such a service as is suteable to our naturall condition and affections but when nature shall necessarily shrinke sweate startle and stand amazed at a service then not to repent nor decline nor fling off the burden but with submission of heart to lie downe under it this is of all other the greatest obedience It was the voyce of nature and the presentation of the just and implanted desires of the flesh to say Transeat let it passe from me It was the retractation of mercy and duty to say Glorifie thy selfe What-ever my nature desires what-ever my will declines what-ever becomes of me yet still glorifie thy selfe and save thy Church If it cannot otherwise bee than by my drinking this bitter Cup Thy will bee done The second Act in the worke of Christs Priesthood is the act of Application or virtuall continuation of this Sacrifice to the end of the world and that is in the Intercession of Christ unto which there is prerequired a power and prevalency over all his enemies to breake through the guilt of sinne the Curse of the Law and the chaines of death with which it was impossible that hee should bee held The vision which Moses had of the burning bush was an excellent resemblance of the Sacrifice of Christ. The Bush noted the Sacrifice the fire the suffering the continuance and prevailing of the bush against the fire the victorie of Christ and breaking through all those sufferings which would utterly have devoured any other man And this power of Christ was shewed in his Resurrection wherein hee was declared to bee the Sonne of God with power Rom. 1.4 and in his ascension when hee led all his Enemies captive Eph. 4.8 and in his sitting at the right hand of God farre above all principalities and powers Eph. 1.19 20. All which did make way to the presenting of his Sacrifice before the mercy-seate which is the consummation thereof and without which hee had not been a Priest Wee have such an high Priest saith the Apostle as is set downe on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens for if hee were on earth hee should not bee a Priest seeing that there are Priests which offer gifts according to the Law Heb. 8.1.4 It was the same continued action whereby the Priest did offer without the Holy place and did then bring the bloud into the holiest of all Heb. 13.11 For the reason why it was shed was to present it to the mercy-seate and to shew it unto the Lord there So Christs act or office was not ended nor fit to denominate him a complete Priest till hee did enter with bloud and present his offering in the holiest of all not made with hands Heb. 9.24 And therefore he had not been a Priest if hee should have continued on the earth for there was another Priesthood there which was not to give place but upon the accomplishment of his for the whole figure was to passe away when the whole truth was come Now Christs Oblation was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth prefigured in the Priests Sacrificing of the Beast and his entrance into heaven was the Truth prefigured in the Priests carrying of the bloud into the holiest of all And therefore both these were to bee accomplished before the Leviticall Priesthood did give place Here then it will bee needfull for the more full unfolding of the Priesthood of Christ to open the Doctrine of his Intercession at the right hand of his Father The Apostle calleth it the Appearing of Christ for us Heb. 9.24 which is verbum forense an expression borrowed from the custome of humane courts for as in them when the plaintiffe or defendant is called their Aâ—turnie appeareth in their name and behalfe so when we are summoned by the justice of God to defend our selves against those exceptions and complaints which it preferreth against us wee have an Advocate with the Father even Iesus Christ the righteous who standeth out and appeareth for us 1 Ioh. 2.2 As the high Priest went into the sanctuary with the names of the twelve Tribes upon his breast so Christ entred into the holiest of all with our persons and in our behalfe in which respect the Apostle saith that he was Apprehended of Christ Phil. 3.12 and that we doe sit together in heavenly places with him Eph. 2.6 Merit and Efficacie are the two things which set forth the vertue of Christs Sacrifice by which hee hath reconciled us to his Father The Merit of Christ being a Redundant merit and having in it a plentifull redemption and a sufficient salvation hath in it two things First there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expiation or satisfaction by way of price Secondly there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance by way of purchase and acquisition Eph. 1.14 Hee was made of a woman made under the Law for two ends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee might redeeme us from the curse under which wee lay and that hee might purchase for us the inheritance which we had forfeited before for so by adoption in that place I understand in a complexed and generall sense every good thing which belongs unto us in the right of our sonship with Christ and that is the Inheritance of glory Rom. 8.17.23 Now all this effected by the obedience of Christs death for in that was the act of impetration or procurement consisting in the treaty betweene God and Christ. But there is yet further required an execution a reall effectualnesse and actuall application of these to us As it must bee in regard of God a satisfaction and a purchase so it must bee likewise in regard of us an actuall redemption and inheritance And this is done by the intercession of Christ which is the commemoration or rather continuation of his Sacrifice He offered it but once and yet hee is a Priest for ever because the Sacrifice once offered doth for ever remaine before the mercy-seate Thus as in many of the Legall Oblations there was first mactatio and then Ostensio First the beast was slaine on the Altar and then the bloud was together with incense brought before the mercy-seate Levit. 16 11-15 So Christ was first slasnâ— and then by his owne bloud hee entred into the holy place Heb. 9.12.10.12 That was done on the earth without the gate this in heaven Heb. 13.11 12. That the Sacrifice or obtaining of redemption this the Application or conferring of redemption The Sacrifice consisted in the Death of Christ alone the application thereof is grounded upon Christs death as its merit but effected by the Life of Christ as its immediate cause
of him that is above all and so are a security unto us against all adverse power or feare for what or whom need that man feare that is one with the most high God If God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 When God blesseth his blessing is ever with effect and successe it cannot be reversed it cannot be disappointed Hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Behold saith Balaam I have received commandement to blesse and hee hath blessed and cannot reverse it Numb 23.19 20. Note fifthly from Melchisedeks meeting Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings we may observe the great forwardnesse that is in Christ to meet and to blesse his people when they have beene in his service Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Esay 64.5 I said I will confesse my sinnes and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sinne Psal. 32.5 No sooner did David resolve in his heart to returne to God but presently the Lord prevented him with his mercy and anticipated his servants confession with pardon and forgivenesse Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodnesse Psal. 21.3 As the father of the Prodigall when he was yet a great way off far from that perfection which might in strictnesse be required yet because hee had set his face homeward and was now resolved to sue for pardon and re-admittance when he saw him he had compassion and ranne the fathers mercy was swiâ—ter than the sonnes repentance and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15.20 We doe not finde the Lord so hastie in his punishments He is slow to anger and doth not stirre up all his wrath together He is patient and long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance hee comes and hee comes againe and the third yeere he forbeares before he cuts downe a barren tree But when hee comes with a blessing hee doth not delay but prevents his people with goodnesse and mercy O how forward ought we to be to serve him who is so ready to meet us in his way and to blesse us Note sixthly from the refection and preparations which Melchisedek made for Abraham and for his men we may observe That Christ as King and Priest is a comforter and refresher of his people in all their spirituall wearinesse and after all their services This was the end of his unction to heale and to comfort his people The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because hee hath annointed me to preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent mee to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and a recovering of sight to the blinde to set at libertie them that are bruized and to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord Luke 4.18 19. To provide a feast of fatted things of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Esay 25.6 To miâ—ke out unto his people consolations and abundance of glory Esay 66.11 To speake words in season to those that are weary and to make broken and dry bones to rejoyce and to flourish like an herb Esay 50.4 Psal. 51.8 Esay 66.14 And this is a strong argument to hold up the patience faith and hope of men in his service and in all spirituall assaults we have a Melchisedek which after our combate is ended and our victory obtained will give us refreshments at the last and will meet us with his mercies If we faint not but wait a while we shall see the salvation of the Lord that in the end he is very pitifull and of tender mercy Exod. 14.13 Iam. 5.11 He is neere at hand his comming draweth nigh He is neere that justifieth mee who will contend with mâ—e Let us stand together Who is mine adversary let him come neere to me The readinesse of the Lord to helpe is a ground of challenge and defiance to al enemies Phil. 4.5 Iam. 5.8 Esai 50.8 9. Iob went forth mourning and had a great warre to fight but the Lord blessed his latter end more than his beginning and after his battle was ended met him like Melchizedek with redoubled mercies David Hezekiah Heman the Ezrahite and many of the Saints after their example have had sore and dismall conflicts but at length their comforts have beene proportionable to their wrestlings they never wanted a Melchizedek after their combats to refresh them Rejoyce not against mee O mine enemie when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall bee a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Mic. 7.8 9. He hath strength courage refection spirit to put into those that fight his battles though they bee but as Abraham a family of three hundred men against foure kings yet hee can cut Rahab and wound the dragon and make a way in the sea for the ransomed to passe over and cause his redeemed to returne with singing and with joy and gladnesse upon their heads I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that shouldest bee affraid of a man that shall dye and of the sonne of man that shall bee as grasse Esai 51.12 Note seventhly from Melchisedeks receiving of tithes from Abraham which the Apostle taketh speciall notice of foure or five times together in one Chapt. Heb. 7.2 4 6 8 9. we may observe That Christ is a receiver of homage and tribute from his people There was never any type of Christ as a Priest but he received tithes and that not in the right of any thing in himselfe but meerely in the vertue of his typicall office so that originally they did manifestly pertaine to that principall Priest whom these represented whose personall priesthood is standing unalterable and eternall and therefore the rights thereunto belonging are such too If it objected why then did not Christ in his life receive tithes I answer first because though hee were the substance yet the standing typicall priesthood was not abolished till after his ministery on earth was finished for his priesthood was not consummate till his sitting at the right hand of God secondly because he tooke upon him a voluntary poverty for especiall reasons belonging to the state of his humiliation and to the dispensation of mans Redemption 2 Corinth 8.9 You will say now Christs priesthood is consummate and hee himselfe is in heaven whither no tithes can bee sent therefore none are due because he hath no typicall priests in earth to represent him I answer though hee bee in heaven in his body yet he is on earth in his ministery and in the dispensation of the vertue of his sacrifice and the Ministers of the Gospell are in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 and ought to bee received