of rejoycing for us in Christ Jesus upon this his personal constitution as God-man to be a Mediator for us and here First We have dignity Secondly Tranquillity Thirdly Sanctity Fourthly Stability And Fifthly Familiarity given to us or brought in upon us 1. Hereby is the nature of man raised unto unspeakable honour and glory in that Jesus Christ the Second Person hath assumed our nature and taken it into union with his own divine nature in his Person therein does he now reign upon the Throne in Heaven at the right hand of God herein is the nature of man most unspeakably advanced and dignifyed The nature of man was very low before Man was made of the earth of a little red earth man was before but a contemptible Creature but now what honour is put upon it that Jesus Christ hath taken our nature and united it unto the Divine nature that nature that was despised before is now honoured honourable and worthy It hath glory and dignity from the Lord Jesus put upon it saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.43 44. The body of man or the nature of man it is both born and it dies in dishonour ay but it is raised in glory The body of Man is a corruptible body 't is a dying body It hath a sentence of death that hangs over it as soon as ever it hath a being but now though it be sown in dishonour yet it shall be raised in glory there is glory that waits upon the body of man or upon mans whole nature Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his own glorious body c. So as there is unspeakable honour that is given unto our nature in that Christ Jesus hath taken it so near unto himself and advanced it upon the Fathers Throne in Heaven we are here under the contempt and disgrace of men but it matters not Christians they cannot take away your glory The glory of your nature is not laid in the breath of men but it is founded here in Christ Jesus's assumption of our nature and uniting it to the divine nature and if indeed the enemies of the Lords people could take our nature from Christ Jesus then they might take away our glory and our honour but he hath inseparably and everlastingly united our nature unto his divine nature therefore our honour is such as can never be taken away it is counted a great honour for an Ambassadour to be sent forth in the name of some great Prince to personate him in another Country but my friends what is it for Jesus Christ to assume our nature and to personate man before his Father in Heaven this is a greater honour that is put upon us than if God had made man the Lord of all the Angels in Heaven therefore let this satisfy you under all the reproaches and contempts that you meet withall here in the world by one and another though despised and though contemned here and there by a few yet your honour in the Lord that abides 2. In and upon the appearance of Jesus Christ as Mediator for us there is a full firm and lasting peace made between God and us Jesus Christ he came as a Mediator between two to reconcile both and make them one and this he hath done by the blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 and 21. Jesus hath reconciled God and Man together he hath taken away the wrath that the law of God had to denounce against man he hath slain the enmity of our natures he hath brought these two enemies together and made them one in his own mediatory hand so as now you may look unto God and be at peace with him you may see Heaven and all the powers of Heaven reconciled to you Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by saith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and not only so v. 11. But we also Joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the attonement here is the blessing mentioned in the Text I will rejoice in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation but how must I consider him why consider this Lord as Mediator making peace through the blood of his Cross and then Christians you may Joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ because it is by him that you have received the attonement Jesus Christ hath satisfied and reconciled God to you he hath appeased God he hath brought over the heart of God to the sinner that now he may take comfort and encouragement in him and go to him as to a Father in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.13 14. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one c. Is not this a matter of rejoycing for you that now you may go unto God as your God you may look up to God and see him reconciled to you and see all the properties of his nature looking towards you in a friendly way that you may see God over-ruling all providences dispensations for your interest and advantage you may go and comfort your selves in your God you may encourage your selves in him you may go and rejoice in the Lord as your God through the blood of the Cross of Jesus your Mediator 3. Hereby are our corrupt natures sanctified and made holy unto God Jesus Christ becoming man he has consecrated unto the Lord that part of humane nature that he came of and did belong to he hath taken off our nature and he hath offered it up unto the Lord and so consecrated the whole lump that it was taken out of this was typed out of old by the first fruits that did consecrate the rest Levit. 2.1 Or of the Meat-offering here you see was a part taken and offered up unto the Lord and the whole was hereby consecrated Now Jesus Christ he comes of that part of the world that was the Elect and the chosen of God he did not come in General of all mankind though in a general way God hath said that all Nations are of one blood yet Jesus Christ did not come so promiscuously and in the general but he came of that particular part of man that the Lord had chosen and set apart for himself and that is the Elect of the world and as for Reprobates he came not of them he was not of that rank and number as you may see John 17.16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world and v. 19. For their sakes sanctify I my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth For their sakes that is for those that were the Chosen of God and given to Jesus Christ by the Father as v. 6. I have manifested thy name unto the men that thou gavest me out of the world for their sakes I sanctify my self he takes our nature and offers it to God and consecrates
unto those that are companions with you in darkness and pray with them and pray over them and express the affections of your Souls to them in all your remembrance of them and in a little while the Lord may come in for to lead you forth into the company of those whose hearts are made to rejoice and be glad in the light of his countenance and in the evidence of their own interest in Christ SERMON VI. Habakkuk 3.18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation FRom hence we have observed Doct. That there is enough in Christ Jesus alone for the Soul 's full rejoycing and triumph whatsoever his state and condition is in this world We told you in nine particulars what the doubtful Soul should do in the interim until he can clear up his own interest and standing in Christ Jesus We shall only superadd one particular more Tenthly If thou beest Soul stil in the dark in and about thy Interest after narrow and deep searches and enquiries resign up thy self unto the Lord Jesus and stand to his allowance and be willing to work in the dark whilst the Lord shall keep you in the dark Be not your own chusers and carvers in this thing but leave the Lord to chuse for you Indeed we are not to rest satisfied in our spirits without an evidence of our Interest because it is attainable but as to the comfort of our Interest and the Joy and Peace of our Souls upon the Interest we should resign up our selves unto the Lord Jesus and leave him to make the dispose of our state and this is the way to come unto a speedy settlement and assurance But I shall not enlarge here but proceed unto the fourth thing proposed Fourthly And that is to give you some Signs and Evidences of your Interest and standing in blessed Jesus And as we say generally Causes are best known by their Effects Trees are best known by their fruit Life is best known by motion so interest in Christ is best known by the effects of Interest And that you might know what Jesus Christ hath done in you and is doing for you do but consider First In the first place That there is upon the Soul's Interest in Christ a Divine Principle of Life infused into the heart by the Lord Jesus unto whom he is united which becomes the spring of his spiritual motions towards Christ and of his profession of Christ Interest in Christ is a Life-Interest and there is a Divine Principle of Life that upon it is infused into the Soul that becomes the spring of his spiritual motions This Principle of life is variously set out in Scripture sometimes it is called the New Creature If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 A New Creature denoteth life sometimes it is set out by the word life He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 Sometimes it is called the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Now there is life in the Divine Nature the Divine Nature infused becomes a Life-Principle in the heart where it is infused and is the spring of its spiritual motions This is set out sometimes by ingraftment as the Syence is ingrafted into the Stock there is a conveyance of life upon the ingraftment and upon the union Thus the Graft or the Syence doth receive sap nourishment from the Root whereby it comes to live Now says Jesus Christ in your spiritual union with him I am the Vine says he ye are the branches John 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit And Rom. 11.17 And if some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive Tree be grafted in amongst them and with them partakest of the Root and fatness of the Olive Tree Abraham is only instrumentally here spoken of as God was pleased to own him and honour him to be the Father of all Believers but Christ Jesus is principally and effectually the Root the Stock that Believers are ingrafted into he is the Root that both Abraham and all Believers stand in and grow upon and they partake of the sweetness and fatness of that good Olive Tree Sometimes it is expressed by an incorporation as the Head and the Members do make up but one Body and every Member united unto the Body it doth receive life spirit sense motion and strength from the Head Now says the Lord Jesus Ye are all Members of my Body 1 Cor. 12.12 13. We are all Members of the same Body and so have the same Head from thence is life spirit and grace and nourishment conveyed into every part Now from hence it is that Jesus Christ is called the Life of Believers Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear c. So as Christ he doth convey and infuse a Principle of Life into the Soul that is interested in himself and upon that account he is called a quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 The second Adam was made a quickening spirit that he might give Life to all those that are united to him and interested in him And this spiritual Life that we receive from Jesus Christ is the Life of our Life and the very Soul of our Soul in all our motions God-ward and it becomes the spring of our spiritual profession and of all our movings towards God The Soul that is interested in Christ is not moved by an artificial spring but he doth act and move from a life spring from a living spring which is the Principle of Divine Life that in his Interest in Christ he receiveth and this it is that puts him on this it is that constrains him this it is that moves and acts him in all his bendings and inclinings God-ward They that are interested in Christ they do desire Christ and move towards Christ upon a Principle of Life so as they cannot be satisfied without Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby The Babe or Infant does cry after the Breast upon a natural Principle of Life natural Life is the Principle of its crying So doth the Believer move towards and make after Christ from a spiritual Principle of Life and that Principle of Life that he hath received from Christ is the Divine Spring of all his Divine Actions or of his Religious Actings The Soul is not moved only upon a Principle to satisfie and silence his Conscience nor yet to get himself a name to live to make himself honourable among the people that make a profession of Christ nor yet upon the account of any secular advantage but there is a Divine Spring in his Soul of spiritual Life that he hath received from the
related to the Persons that he comes to reconcile A Mediator must be a middle Person that must not be related more to one Person than to another that he comes between but there must be an equal proximity or nearness in him unto the parties that he comes to mediate for or to make peace between Now Jesus Christ was such a Person in whom there was an equal proximity or nearness to both parties that he had to do with for he was both God and Man as he was true Man he stood in a nearness unto man and as he was true God so he stood in a nearness unto the Father that he had to do for he was by the Divine Nature as near unto the Father as by the Humane Nature he was near unto man and he was as near unto man by his Humane Nature as he was unto the Father by his Divine Nature so as he is equally stated between and related unto the persons that he came to reconcile Secondly A Mediator must be impartial and faithful indifferent in and about the interest of the parties that he hath to do for Jesus Christ being made God-man was not only in a nearness to man and to the Father but he was thereby unbiassed and carried out upon equal terms impartially to manage the Concerns of the Interest of both Parties he was both God and man and was not only as so in a nearness to both Parties but he was equally concerned honourably to manage the Interest of both Parties that he came between and had to do for and was engaged in this nearness that he stood in unto both he was engaged thereby equally to manage the Concerns of both Parties being God he was engaged in point of honour to give satisfaction to his Father and being Man he was engaged in point of faithfulness to work out the whole business and concern of our Salvation and to make peace for Sinners he was faithfully indifferent and equally concerned in the Interest of both Parties having the Divine Nature and the Humane united together in one Person both Natures do constrain him to have an equal and right aspect into both Interests if he should look more unto God's side than unto man's side the Humane Nature would speak and if he should look more unto man than unto God the Divine Nature would speak he had both Natures and therein was unbiassed and carried out with an impartial spirit to manage the Concerns of both Interests and to bring them into one and it was requisite that Jesus that was to be a Mediator should be thus constituted for indeed had he undertook the work and had not been thus constituted it would not probably have been so impartially managed neither could Jesus Christ have been compleat for the work of his Mediation but under this constitution for if he had been God only then he had been too high for the work for he must make satisfaction he must suffer and die for Sinners he must be made sin for Sinners and be substituted in the room of sinners Now God absolutely considered cannot be thus And if he had been man only he had been too low for the work for there could not have been that dignity in his sufferings as to give a value and worth to all his layings out and layings down for us He must therefore be God-man and as so he was neither too high nor too low but equally stated between both and so compleated for the work and thus was Jesus Christ constituted and thus do the Scriptures set him forth to us as Mediator Joh. 1.14 The Word that is the Second Person was made flesh there is Jesus becoming Immanuel God with us and 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the flesh c. and Luk. 1.31 32. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus And Rom. 1.3 4. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power c. So as you see he was constituted God-man The Word was made flesh Now being thus constituted God-man he had his nearness to God the Father and his nearness to the Sons of men for whom he came and appeared in the flesh You may see his nearness unto the Father Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts So as Jesus Christ he is and he was the fellow and the companion of the Lord of Hosts So Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God c. Here you see he hath his nearness to the Father and also his nearness to the Sons of men for whom he appeared in the Flesh Heb. 2.14 For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh blood he also himself likewise took part of the same c. and in Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given c. and Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God there was his nearness to the Father and he was born of the Virgin and so clothed with our flesh and therein he was near a kin unto man and hence is he called Immanuel that is God with us now as thus constituted did he undertake the work of his mediation for thus he suffered and thus he satisfied his sufferings hereby came to be satisfactory as he was God he died as man and he overcame death and arose again from the Grave by the power of his God-Head Quest But you will say this indeed is a great mystery worthy of all admiration that the Eternal Son of God should become man that he should be God and Man that there should be a union of the two natures in one Person but what is this to us as a standing constant ground of rejoycing to us in all saddening sinking providences whatsoever Ans I answer much every way and this would be clear to you should I enter upon and open to you the glory of his Person as thus constituted The glorious excellencies of Heaven that are shining in both natures or upon his Person under its constitution in the union of both natures and there may be a greater matter of rejoycing to our Souls in the exercise of faith in our contemplating upon his personal glories It may be a matter of greater rejoycing to our Souls than ever there was satisfaction to the heart and mind upon any object whatsoever it did behold with a bodily eye but I shall not go that way nor enter upon such a prolix discourse but shall only give you some particulars wherein there is a standing ground
it as a part or the first fruits of the whole whereby the whole nature of the Elect of God are dedicated to the Lord and sanctified and made holy or way is made for the sanctifying of it I may allude unto that Scripture in Rom. 11.16 For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches I know this is not the meaning of this Text I only allude to it as the Apostle saies in that case so I say in this case if the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy and if Jesus the root be holy then all the branches are holy to be under a peculiar and special consecration to the Lord now here Christian is a ground of rejoycing for thee thou art born a child of wrath and thy nature is a sinful nature and there is by nature nothing but sin dwelling in thee ay but Jesus Christ he hath taken thy nature he hath worn it and he hath consecrated thy nature to God and made way for the sanctifying of it So as now way is made through Jesus Christs appearing in our flesh for the consecrating of thee unto God and making of thee holy so as thou mayest rejoice notwithstanding the remains of sin that are in thee notwithstanding all the impurity and defilements that are to be found in thy heart thou hast a stained polluted Soul thou lookest into thy self and thou seest thy self so spotted and defiled that thou art ashamed of thy self well but look upon Jesus Christ and consider how thy nature is sanctified in him he sits upon the Throne all holy and thy nature that he did assume is holy why Christian there is holiness in the root for thee there is holiness in Christ thy head for thee and because he is holy thou also shalt be holy because he hath sanctified thy nature therefore thy nature shall be sanctified for your sakes saies he I sanctify my self that you also may be holy I am holy and you also shall be holy Analogically that is in some proportion in your degree and measure you shall be in a suitableness to my holiness that you may be made meet for me Saies the Apostle in 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctify you wholly ay it shall be so because Jesus Christ hath sanctified himself and your nature is sanctified in him and therefore you shall in due time be made holy and therefore rejoice though defiled and sinful for a season yet you shall be made holy and without spot and blameless Christ hath made way for this Fourthly Hereby way is made for our stability for an eternity and perpetuity for us in grace and in glory Jesus Christ he is a Mediator for ever he hath taken our Nature to wear it for ever he will never lay aside our Nature again no not to eternity well therefore we who are consecrated by him and reconciled to God by the blood of his Cross have a perpetual standing in his Grace and shall have an everlasting abiding in that state of Glory unto which we shall be advanced by him and through him all Enemies cannot unthrone Christ Ages cannot remove Christ off from his Throne in Heaven but there he is and there he shall ever Rule and Sit. Now because he Sits there thence is your state in Grace sure Why if he keep our Nature in conjunction with his own Divine Nature then he abides alwaies full and powerful in reference unto the Concerns that he is to manage and the work that he is to do for you full of strength and powerful therein able to make all effectual he Sits there in Heaven to that end This makes him so much concerned about the bringing in and gathering home of those that he did appear for in our flesh Joh. 10.16 See how Christ doth concern himself for all those for whom he was a Mediator There are others says he that are not of this fold I have some among the Jews and among the Gentiles I have some of all Nations these I must gather home Christ will not lose any And those that are brought home he will maintain in his Grace because he is an ever-living and an everlasting Mediator and a powerful Mediator Why under all your temptations Christians in your way that you meet withall to cast away your confidence and to renounce your hope in the Grace of God Do you glory and triumph in Christ Jesus that is our standing Mediator in Heaven comfort your selves in him for as long as he abides in our Nature he will concern himself for us and as he hath his Eye alwaies upon the Glory of God so upon the good of sinners and being a Mediator he is carried on with unbiassed ends and aims to act impartially and indifferently between both Parties therefore whilst Jesus Christ is Mediator your state in Grace is certain whilst Jesus Christ hath God's Glory to care for your Salvation is sure for while he concerns himself for the Glory of God he must concern himself for the Salvation of his People These two Interests are made one by Jesus Christ the Mediator And then Fifthly In the 5th and last place Hereby we have familiarity and communion with God Jesus Christ having as Mediator made peace for us now behold he lets Believers into a comfortable enjoyment of God Now we may look towards Heaven and see God the Father in the face of Jesus Christ He therefore that hath seen the Son saith Christ hath seen the Father also Joh. 14.9 What Do you say Shew us the Father What Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Do you not know that I have reconciled both together and made way for communion that you now in and through me may converse with the Father as your God and Father Jesus as our Mediator hath given us boldness with God and let us into the enjoyment of communion with God and hath given us blessed familiarity with God that now we shall enioy him in a Gospel way here and and have certain hopes of enjoying of him in a glorious way in Heaven ever to be in his presence and to behold his glory all this comes in by Jesus Christ the Mediator and by the way there is no state and condition into which a Soul may be brought while he is under Grace on this side Heaven but in that state and condition he may hold fellowship and communion with God The three Children did so in the fiery Furnace Daniel did so in the Lion's Den. Jonah did so in the Whale's belly when he went down into the great deep yet there he enjoyed communion with God So as whatsoever your discouragements be here in the flesh yet glory in this that having peace with God through the blood of Jesus you may go to him and say Father You may say My Lord and my God You may converse with him in the way of the