us And we know that the Son of God is come This is the true God and eternal Life And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the Flesh 2. Unanswerable Reasons drawn from Scriptures prove him God Thus it appears 1. From those incommunicable properties of the Diety which are properly ascribed unto him He is eternal as God Rev. 1.17 He is infinite as God Mat 28.20 He is omniscient as God Mat. 9 4. He is omnipotent as God He that cometh from above is above all John 3.41 Phil. 3.21 Rev. 1.18 He is able to subdue all things unto himself He hath the keys of hell and death 2. From these Relations he hath with God as to be the only begotten Son of God John 1.18 The Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.15 3. From those Acts ascribed to him which are only agreeable to the divine Nature as to be the Author of our Election John 13.18 To know the Secrets of our Hearts Ma. 9.4 To hear the prayers of his people John 14.14 To judge the quick and the dead John 5.22 And thus he creates as God John 1.4 He commands as God Mat. 8.26 He forgives as God Mat. 9.6 He sanctifies as God John 1.12 He glorifies as God John 10.28 4. From all those acknowledgments given to him by the Saints which are only proper unto God and thus he is believed on as God John 3.18 He is loved as God 1 Cor. 16.22 He is obeyed as God Mat. 17.5 He is prayed to as God Acts 7.59 He is praised as God Rev. 5.13 He is adored as God Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.10 Surely all these are strong demonstrations and prove clearly enough that Christ Jesus is God But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be God I answer 1. Because none can save Souls nor satisfie for sin but God alone There is none saith the Psalmist that can by any means redeem his Brother or give a ransom for him Psal 49.7.15 but God will redeem my soul from the power of Hell 2. Because the satisfaction which is made for sin must be infinitely meritorious an infinite wrath cannot be appeased but by an infinite merit and hence our Saviour must needs be God to the end that his obedience and sufferings might be of infinite price and worth 3 Because the burden of God's wrath cannot be endured and run through by a finite Creature Christ therefore must be God that he might abide the burden and sustain the Manhood by his divine power 4. Because the enemies of our salvation were too strong for us How could any creature overcome Satan Death Hell Damnation Ah! this required the power of God there 's none but God that could destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil 2. As Christ is God so he is true man he was born as man and bred as man and fed as man and slept as man and wept as man and sorrowed as man and suffered as man and died as man and therefore he is man But more particularly 1. Christ had a humane body Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he came into the world he said Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me And when the Apostles thought they had seen a Phantasm or a Spirit he said unto them Handle me and see because a Spirit hath no flesh and bones as you see me have Luke 24.39 Here 's a truth clear as the Son and yet O wonder Some in our times as Cochlaeus witnesseth do now avouch that he had but an imaginary body an aerial body a phantasm only in shew and no true body 2. Christ had an humane reasonable Soul My Soul is heavy unto Death said Christ Mat. 26.38 Luke 23.46 and again Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Surely saith Nazianzen either he had a Soul or he will not save a Soul The Arrians opposed this saying Christ had no humane Soul but only a living flesh because the Evangelist saith that the Word was made flesh but this is a Synechdoche John 1.14 very usual in Scripture to put the part for the whole and signifieth as much as that he had said the Word was made man I know some reasons are rendred why the Evangelist saith he was made flesh rather than he was made man as 1. To shew what part of Christ was made of his Mother not his Deity nor his Soul but only his flesh 2. To express the greatness of Gods Love who for our sakes would be contented to be made the vilest thing flesh which is compared to grass Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass 3. To shew the greatness of Chirsts humility in that he would be named by the meanest name and basest part of man the soul is excellent but the flesh is base 4. To give us some confidence of his love and favour towards us because our flesh which was the part most corrupted is now united to the Son of God 3. Christ had all the properties that belong either to the soul or body of a man nay more than so Christ had all the infirmities of out Nature sin only excepted I say the infirmities of our nature as cold and heat and hunger and thirst and weariness and weakness and pain and the like but I cannot say that Christ took upon him all our personal infirmities infirmities are either natural common to all men or personal and proper to some men as to be born lame blind diseased as to be affected with Melancholy Infirmity Deformity how many deformed Creatures have we amongst us Christ was not thus his Body was framed by the holy Ghost of the purest Virgins Blood and therefore I question not it was proportioned in a most equal symetry and correspondency of parts He was fairer than the sons of men his countenance carried in it an hidden vailed star like brightness saith Jerome which being but a little revealed it so ravished his Disciples hearts that at the first sight thereof they left all and followed him and it so astonished his enemies that they stumbled and fell to the ground So then he had not our personal infirmities but only our natural and good reason for indeed he took not upon him an humane person but only an humane nature united to the person of his Godhead But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be Man I answer 1. Because our Saviour must suffer and die for our sins which the Godhead could not do 2. Because our Saviour must perform obedience to the Law which was not agreeable to the Law-giver the Godhead certainly is free from all manner of subjection 3. Because our Saviour must satisfie the justice of God in the same nature wherein it was offended For since by man came death 1 Cor. 5 21. by man came also the resurrection of the dead 4. Because by this means we might have free access to the Throne of Grace and might
person should be effected I must answer you with the Apostle Who is sufficient for these things Certainly these are the things which the Angels desire to stoop and look into It is an Inquisition fitter for an Angelical intelligence than for our shallow capacity 1 Pet. 1.12 and yet as Moses could not chuse but wonder though he must not draw nigh to the Bush burning with fire and not consumed so though we dare not draw too nigh to see this great sight How poor dust and ashes should be assumed into the unity of God's own person and that in the midst of those everlasting burnings the Bush should remain unconsumed Isa 33.14 and continue fresh and green for evermore yet what doth hinder but we may stand aloof off and wonder at it this is one piece of our duty to recite all the long-fore-passed acts and benefits of God as well as we may Scripture still going along that thereby we may admire and adore and express our Love and Thankfulness unto God For the untying of this Knot I cannot but wonder what a world of questions have been tossed in Schools As 1. Whether the union of the Word incarnate was in the Nature 2. Whether the union of the Word incarnate was in the Person 3. Whether the humane Nature was united to the Word by way of accident 4. Whether the union of the divine Nature be something cremated 5. Whether the union of the Word incarnate be the same with assumption 6. Whether the union of the two Natures of Christ be the chief of all unions 7. Whether the union of the two Natures of Christ was made by Grace 8. Whether it was convenient for the divine person to assume a created Nature 9. Whether a divine Person could assume the Nature humane 10. Whether more persons divine could assume one Nature humane 11. Whether it was more convenient that the person of the Son should assume humane nature than any other of the persons in the Godhead 12. Whether the humane nature was more assumptible by the Son of God than any other nature 13. Whether the Son of God did not assume the person of man 14. Whether the Son of God assumed the humane nature in all its Individuals or as abstracted from all Individuals 15. Whether the Son of God assumed a true Body Soul and all its Intellects 16. Whether the Son of God in respect of nature though not of time did first assume the Soul and then the Body of man 17. Whether the Son of God in humane nature assumed all the defects of the Body 18. Whether the Son of God assumed all the defects of the Soul of man 19. Whether by Virtue of this union those things which are agreeable to the Son of man may be predicated of the Son of God and e converso 20. Whether Christ be one or two and whether in Christ be one or two Wills one or more Operations These and many other like Questions are raised that in their discussions make up large Volums but I shall leave them all to the Schools In the explication of this union that which I shall insist on as the most necessary for our understanding is 1. The Union it self 2. The Effects or Benefits of it 1. For the Union it self we shall discuss 1. Of the sorts of Union and of what sort this is 2. Of the very thing it self wherein this union consists 3. Of the Scriptural Texts that confirm this union 4. Of the similitudes that hold sorth this union 5. Of the person assuming and of the nature assumed and of the reason of this way And of these as briefly as I may I would rather say much in a little than a little in much 1. Union is of divers sorts as natural and mystical accidental and substantial essential and integral But I shall pass these by and speak only of these sorts 1. When one of the things united is turned into the other as when a drop of water is poured into a vessel of Wine 2. When both the things united are changed in nature and essence as when the Elements are united to make mixt or compounded bodies 3. When there is no change of things united but the constitution of a third nature out of them both as is the union of the soul and body 4. When there is neither a change of natures united nor constitution of a third out of them both but only the founding setling and staying of the one of the things united in the other and the drawing of it into the unity of the personal being or subsistence of the other so the Branch of a Tree being put upon the stock of another Tree it is drawn into the unity of the subsistence of that Tree into which it is put and whereas if it had been set in the Ground it would have grown as a separate Tree in it self now it groweth in the Tree into which it is graffed and pertaineth to the unity of it and this kind of union doth of all others most perfectly resemble the personal union of the two Natures of God and man in Christ wherein the nature of man that would have been a person in it self if it had been left to it self is drawn into the unity of the divine person and subsisteth in it being prevented from subsisting in it self by this personal union and assumption 2. For the thing wherein this union of two natures consists we say that this union consists in that dependance of the humane nature on the person of the Word and in that communicating of the person or substance of the Word with the humane nature that is assumed so that it is an hypostatical or personal union that is such an union as that both natures do make but one person of Christ for the better understanding of this we must consider what the difference is betwixt Nature and Person and what makes an individual Nature to be a Person briefly thus To be this or that we say is an individual nature to be this or that in or for it self is a person or subsistence to be this or that in or for another is to pertain to the person or subsistence of another Now amongst those created things which are naturally apt to make a personal being or to subsist in and for themselves there is a very great difference for 1. Some things of this kind may become parts of another more entire thing of the same kind as we see in all those things wherein every part hath the same nature that the whole hath as every drop of water is water and being lest to it self it is a subsistence in it self and hath its quality nature and being in and for it self but if it be joyned to a greater quantity of water it hath now no being quantity nor operation but in and for that greater quantity of water into which it is poured 2. Other things of this kind cannot naturally put themselves into the
unity of any other thing and yet by the help of some forreign cause they may be united as the branch of a Tree of one kind which put into the ground would be an intire distinct Tree in it self may by the hand of a man be put into the unity of a Tree of another kind and so grow move and bear fruit not distinctly in and for it self but jointly in and for that Tree into which it is planted 3. Other things of this kind cannot by force of natural causes nor by the help of any forreign thing ever become parts of any other created thing or pertain to the unity of the substance of any such thing as the nature of man and the nature of all living things and yet by divine and supernatural working it may be drawn into the unity of the subsistence of any of the Persons of the blessed Trinity wherein the fulness of all being and the Perfection of all created things is in a more eminent sort than in themselves for though all created things have their own being yet seeing God is nearer to them than they are to themselves and they are in a better fort in him than they are in themselves there is no question but that they may be prevented and staid from being in and for themselves and caused to be in and for one of the divine persons of the blessed Trinity So that as one drop of water that formerly subsisted in it self if it be poured into a vessel containing a greater quantity it becomes one in subsistence with the greater quantity of water and as a branch of a Tree that being set in the ground and left to it self would be an intire and independant tree becomes one in subsistence with that tree into which it is grafted so the individual nature of man assumed into the unity of one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity it looseth that kind of being that naturally left to it self it would have had and it becomes one with the Person for now it is not in and for it self but hath got a new Relation of dependance and being in another But you will say all the Creatures in the world have their being in God and dependance on God and therefore all Creatures as well as Man may pertain to the Person or Subsistence of God I Answer it is not a general being in and dependâ—nce on God but a strict dependance on mans part and a Communicating of the subsistence on Gods part that makes up this union Hence we say that there are four degrees of the presence of God in his Creatures the first is his general presence whereby he preserves the substances of all Creatures and gives unto them to live and to move and to have their being Acts. 7.28 and this extends it self to all Creatures good and bad The Second degree is the presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of his Creature but also gives Grace unto it and this agrees to the Saints and Gods People on earth The third degree is the presence of glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in heaven and hereby God doth not only preserve their substances and give them plenty of his Grace but he also admits them into his Glorious presence so as they may behold him face to face The fourth and last degree is that whereby the God-Head of the Son is present with and dwells in the Manhood giving unto it in some part his own subsistence whereby it comes to pass that this Manhood assumed is proper to the Son and cannot be the Manhood of the Father or of the Holy Ghost or of any Creature whatsoever And this is a thing so admirable and unspeakable that though we may find some similitudes yet there cannot be found another example hereof in all the World Hence it follows that in the Manhood of Christ consisting of Body and Soul there is a Nature only and not a Person because it doth not subsist alone as other men Peter Paul and John do but it wholly depends on the Person of the Word into the unity whereof it is received and this dependance of the humane nature on the person of the Word and the communicating of the Person or subsistence of the Word with the humane nature is the very thing it self wherein this union consists 3. For the Scriptural texts that confirm this Union you see the Well is very deep but where is the Bucket What texts of Scripture have we to confirm this wonderful Union of two Natures in one Person Amongst many I shall only cite these Mat. 16.13 16. When Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Simon Peter answered Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Now if but one Christ then surely but one Person and if the Son of man be the Son of the Living God then surely there are two natures in that one Person Observe how the Son of man and the Son of God very Man and very God concenter in Christ as the Soul and the Body make but one man so the Son of man and the Son of God make but one Christ Rom. 1.3 4. Thou art Christ saith Peter the Son of the Living God So Paul speaking of Jesus the Son of God he tells us that he was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit 1. Made of the Seed of David of the substance of the Virgin who was Davids posterity 2. Declared to be the Son of God not made the Son of God as he was made the Son of Man but declared to be the Son of God The word in the Original signifies a Declaration by a solemn sentence or difinitive judgment I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son That which I point at he is the Son of David Psal 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Manhood and he is the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Godhead here be the two Natures but iâ—â—he words before these two natures make but one Son Jesus Christ our Lord and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ry words themselves he is declared to be the Son of God he doth not say Som◠〈◊〉 two but his Son Jesus Christ first before and then after to shew unto us thâ—â—â—â—fore his making so after his making he is still but one Son or one person of the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tinct natures subsisting Col. 2.9 To the same purpose is that same Text In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily by the union of the divine nature with the humane in the unity of his person the Godhead dwelleth in Christ as the Soul in the Body it dwelleth in him bodily not seemingly but really truly and indeed not figuratively and in a shadow as he dwelleth in the Temple not by power and efficacy as he dwells
in all the Creatures not by Grace as in his People nor by Glory as in the Saints above but essentially substantially personally the humane nature being assumed into Union with the person of the Word Observe the passages he in whom that fulness dwells is the Person that fulness which doth so dwell in him is the Nature now there dwells in him not only the fulness of the Godhead but the fulness of the Manhood also for we believe him to be both perfect God begotten of the substance of his Father before all Worlds and perfect man made of the substance of this Mother in this World only he in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth is one and he in whom the fulness of the Manhood dwelleth is another but he in whom the fulness of both these natures dwelleth is one and the same Immanuel and consequently one and the same person in him i. in his person dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead and all the fulness of the Manhood In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily 4. For the similitudes that resemble or set forth this mystery many are given but for our better understanding let us consider these few The first is of the soul and body that make but one man as the soul and body are two distinct things and of several natures yet being united by the hand of God they make one Person so the Godhead and Manhood are two distinct things and of several Natures yet being united by the hand of God they make but one Person Indeed herein is the similitude defective first in that the Soul and Body being imperfect natures they concur to make one full and perfect nature of a man Secondly in that the one of them is not drawn into the unity of the substance of the other but both depend on a third substance which is that of the whole The second is of Light and Sun as after the Collection of and Union of the Light with the Body of the Sun no man can pluck them asunder nor doth any man call one part the Sun and another part the Light but both of them jointly together we call the Sun even so after the Union of Flesh with that true Light the Word no man doth call the Word apart to be one Son of God and the Son of Man another Son of God but both of them jointly together we call one and the self-same Christ I know in this similitude are mamy defectives Justin Martyr de recta confes de Coessent Trinit yet if hereby we be not altogether able to attain the truth of this great Mystery certainly we have herein a most excellent similitude which will greatly help and contentedly suffice the godly and moderate searchers of this divine truth The third is of a fiery and flaming Sword as the subsistences of the Fire and Sword are so nearly conjoyned that the operations of them for the most part concur for a fiery sword in cutting burneth and in burning cutteth and we may say of the whole that this fiery thing is a sharp piercing Sword and that this sharp piercing Sword is a fiery thing even so in the union of the two natures of Christ there is a communication of properties from one of them to the other as shall be declared if the Lord permit only this similitude is defective in this in that the nature of the Iron is not drawn into the unity of the subsistence of fire nor is the nature of the fire drawn into the Unity of the subsistence of Iron so that we cannot say this fire is Iron or this Iron is fire The fourth is of one man having two qualities or accidental natures as a man that is both a Physitian and a Divine he is but one person and yet there are two natures concurring and meeting in that same one Person so we may rightly say of such a one this Physitian is a Divine and this Divine is a Physitian this Physitian is happy in saving souls and this Divine is careful in curing bodies even so is Christ both God and Man and yet but one Christ and in that one Christ according to the several natures are denominations of either part as that this man is God and this God is man or that this man made the world and this God died upon the Cross but in this similitude is this deffect in that the different natures are accidental and not essential or substantial The fifth and last is of the Branch and Tree into which it is engraffed as suppose a Vine-branch and an Olive-tree now as this Olive-tree is but one but hath two different natures in it and so it beareth two kinds of fruit and yet between the Tree and the Branch there is a composition not hujus ex his but hujus ad hoc i.e. not of a third thing out of the two things united but of one of the two things united or adjoyned to the other even so Christ is one but he hath two different natures and in them he performs the different actions pertaining to either of them and yet between the different natures the Divine and Humane nature there is a composition not hujus ex his but hujus ad hoc not of a third nature arising out of these but of the humane nature added or united to the Divine in unity of the same person so that now we may say as this Vine is an Olive-tree and this Olive-tree is a Vine or as this Vine bears Olives and this Olive-tree bears Grapes so the Son of man is the Son of God and the Son of God is the Son of Man or this Son of Man laid the Foundation of the Earth and this Son of God was born of Mary and crucified by the Jews This similitude I take it is the aptest and fullest of all the other though in some things also it doth fail for the branch hath first a separate subsistence in it self and losing it after then it is drawn into the unity of the subsistence of that Tree into which it is implanted but it is otherwise with the humane nature of Christ it never had any subsistence of its own until it was united to the person or subsistence of the Son of God 5. For the person assuming and the nature assumed and for the reason of this way we say 1. That the person assuming was a Divine person it was not the Divine nature that assumed an humane person but the Divine person that assumed an humane nature and that of the three Divine persons it was neither first nor the third neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost that did assume this nature but it was the Son the middle person who was to be the middle one that thereby 1. He might undertake the mediation between God and us 2. He might better preserve the integrity of the blessed Trinity in the Godhead 3. He might higher advance man-kind by means of that relation which the
from the custome of Kings who place those they honour anâ— to whom they commit the Power of government at their right hand more particularly this sitting at Gods right hand implies two things 1. his glorious exaltation 2. The actual administration of his Kingdom Phil. 2.9 1. Christ is exalted Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow this Session is the supreme dignity and glory given by the Father unto Christ after his Ascension this Session is the peerless exaltation of the Mediator in his Kingdom of glory But how was Christ exalted I answer 1. In regard of his divine nature not really or in it self Impossible it was that the divine nature should receive any intrinsecal improvement or glory because all fulness of glory essentially belonged unto it but declaratory or by way of manifestation so it was that his Dâ—vinity during the time of his humiliation lay hidden and overshadowed as the light of a candle is hidden in a dark and close lanthorn but now in his Session that Divinity and Glory which he had alwayes with his Father was shewed forth and declared Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with Power both at his resurrection and at his Session 2 Iâ— regard of his humane nature and yeâ— that must be understood soberly for I cannot think that Christs humane nature was at all exalted in regard of the grace of Persâ—nal union or in regard of the habitual perfections of his humane soul because he possessed all these from the beginning but in regard of those interceptions of the beams of the Godhead and Divine glory and in respect of the restraints of that sense and sweetness and feeling opperations of the beatifical Vision during his humiliation in these respects Christ was exalted in his humane nature and had all the glory from the Diety communicated to it which possibly in any way it was capable of There was a time when the Office which Christ undertook for us made him a man of sorrows but when he had finished that dispensation then he was filled with unmatchable glory which before his Session he enjoyed not there was a time when the natural consequence and flowings of Christ's glory from that personal union was stayed and hindred by special dispensation for the working of our salvation but when that miraculous stay was once removed and the work of our redemption fully finished then he was exalted beyond the capacity or comprehension of all the Angels of heaven Heb. 1.13 To which of the Angels said he at any time sit at my right hand in this respect it is said that God highly exalted him exalted he was in his Resurrection Ascension but never so high as at his Session in his Resurrection he was exalted with Jonah from the lower parts to the upper parts of the earth in his Ascension he was exalted with Elijah above the Clouds above the Stars above the Heavens but in his Session he was exalted to the highest place in Heaven even to the right hand of God Far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 2. Christ reigns or actually administers his glorious Kingdom and this is the principal part of Christ's sitting at God's right hand So the Psalmist Psal 110.1 2. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thy enemies The Apostle is yet more large God set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Eph. 1.20 21 22 23. far above all principallity and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Some describe this Session at Gods right hand to be all one with his reigning in equal power and glory with the Father but the Son hath alwayes so reigned and the holy Ghost hath alwayes so reigned who yet is not said in Scripture to sit at the right hand of the Father I believe therefore there is something in this Session or Reign of Christ which doth difference it from that reigning Power and Glory of the Father and of the Son as only God and of the holy Ghost and if we would know what that is I would call it an actual administration of his Kingdom or an immediate executing of his Power and Glory over every creature as Mediator There is a natural and a dispensatory Kingdom of Jesus Christ for the first the Father reigns immediatly by the Son but by the holy Ghost the Father doth not reign immediatly but through the Son the same order is to be kept in their power which is in the Persons the Father reigns not by himself but of himself because he is of none the Son reigneth by himself not of himself because he is begotten of the Father the holy Ghost reigneth by himself but from the Father and the Son from whom he doth proceed And as in the natural so in the dispensatory Kingdom the Father reigns immediatly by the Son as Mediator and hence it is that the Son as Mediator is only said to sit at Gods right hand because the right of actual administration or immediate execution of the Sovereign power is appropriate and peculiar to the Son as Mediator betwixt God and man And this made Christ to say The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5.22 as Mediator You may object Christ was Mediator immediately after his incarnation but he did not actually administer his Kingdom then I Answer it is true Christ for a time did by a voluntary dispensation empty himself and laid aside the right of actual administration of his Kingdom but immediatly after his Ascension the Father by voluntary dispensation resigned it to the Son again Come now saith the Father and take thou power over every creature till the time that all things shall be subdued under thee This right the one relinquished in the time of that humiliation of himself and this right the other conferred at the time of the exaltation of his Son SECT V. Of the two Natures wherein Christ sits at God's right hand 3. ACcording to what Nature is Christ said to sit at the right hand of God I answer according to both Natures first he sits at God's right hand as God hereby his Divinity was declared and his Kingdom is such that none that is a pure creature can possibly execute Psal 110.1 The Lord said to my Lord saith David sit thou on my right hand The Lord said to my Lord i.e. God said to Christ now
the sprrits of all just men made perfect with God if there be enough in God for Angels whose capacities are greater than the Saints if there be enough in God for Jesus Christ whose capacity is yet far wider than the Angels if there be enough in God for God himself whose capacity is infinitely greater than them all then there must needs be satisfaction enough in God to any one poor soul Here is another thing wherein God is our all in all we shall enjoy him fully 3. It consists in our enjoying God solely Not as if there were nothing else in Heaven but onely God but that God in Heaven shall be all in all and instead of all it is God in Heaven that makes Heaven to be Heaven the Saints blessedness and Gods own blessedness doth consist in the enjoyment of God himself the Schoole-men tells us that we shall not properly enjoy any thing else but only God we may have some use of the Creatures but no fruition and therefore is God said to be all or as good as all And indeed what can we imagine to be in Heaven which is not eminently in God himself if it be greatness power and glory and victory and majesty all these are his if it be joy or love or peace or beauty or any thing amiable or desirable all these are in him Hence some take it to be David's meaning when he said he had none in Heaven but God Psal 73.25 that the sole enjoyment of God of God and of nothing else but God is the souls true happiness when it is at highest whom have I in heaven but thee whom why there are Angels there are Saints there are the spirits of just and perfect men are these nothing with David O yes all these are good but they are not able to satisfie a soul without God himself Whether God will make use of any Creatures for our service then or if any of what Creatures and what use is more than I yet know but to make up a full enjoyment there is required a gracious-glorious presence a sweet effusion or communication of that presence a just comprehension of the excellency of that communication a perfect love and a perfect rest in the love of whatsoever it is we comprehend now this is proper only to God it is he only that fills the whole capacity of the Soul it is he that so fills it that it can hold no more it is he only that is the object of love intended to the utmost and therefore he only is properly enjoyed he only is possessed with a full contentment as portion enough and as reward enough for the soul for ever But shall not the Saints have to do with something else in Heaven but only with God O yes I believe there shall be in Heaven a communion of the blessed Spirits in God an association of the Saints and Angels of God yet this shall not take away the sole enjoyment of God that he should not be their all in all For they shall not mind themselves or their own good as created things but altogether God they shall not love them or one another as for themselves but only for God here we love God for himself and it is a gracious love but there we shall love our selves for God and 't is a glorious love why this is to enjoy God solely in this respect he is all and in all whom have I in Heaven but thee Here 's a point enough to wean us to the World Alas the time is coming on a pace Vse that all this World shall be dissolved and then God shall be all in all here lies the Saints happiness to have God immediately God fully and God solely and will not Saints prepare themselves for such a condition as this you that have the World use it as if not 1 Cor. 7.31 for the fashion of this World passeth away and you that have but a little to do with the World improve that condition surely 't is your own fault if you have not more to do with God for you have little else to take up your hearts God may dwell and walk in your hearts without disturbance give me neither poverty nor riches saith the wise man upon that account a mean condition is more capable of happyness than that which over-loads us with outward things whilst others are casting up their accounts you may say with David how precious are thy thoughts unto me O God Psal 139.17 how great is the sum of them whil'st others are following their suits at courts of Justice you may follow all you have at a Throne of grace whil'st others are numbring their Flocks and Heards all your Arithmetick may be imployed to number your days whilst others cannot get out of the clutches of the world you may get into the embraces of your God why this is to prepare your selves for fuller and fuller enjoyments of God it is God will be all in all and this is the very top of Heavens happyness surely the less you have of the World now if you can but improve it the more you may have of Heavens happiness even upon earth for what is the happiness of Heaven but the sole enjoyment of God Christians if you feel any inclinations pantings breathings after this world give me leave to tell you that you will never be happy till you have lost all till you have no friends nor estates no enjoyment but God alone when all his done when this world is nothing when means shall cease both for bodies and souls and when Christ shall cease his Mediators office and the Son of man be Subject to his Father then God shall be all in all SECT X. Of Christs notwithstanding this being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity 10. FOR Christ's being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity we shall dilate in this Section Some may object if God be all in all what then becomes of Christ is not this derogatory to Jesus Christ I answer no in no wise for 1. It is not the Father personally and only but the Deity essentially and wholly that is our all in all when we say God is all in all we do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost for the whole God-head is all in all to all the Saints as well as the first person in the Trinity the Father is all and the Son is all and the holy Ghost is all and in that Christ is God and the Son of God we may say of Christ that he is all in all only the truth of this position is not from the humane nature but from the divine nature of Jesus Christ 2. It is not derogatory to Christ but rather it doth exceedingly advance Christ in the thoughts of all his Saints while it was necessary Christ veyled his Deity and when his work of Mediation is fully finished Christ then shall reveal his Deity
out of our selves otherwise we cannot see his Glory we are in our selves shut up in a dark dungeon and therefore we are called upon to come forth into the clear light of faith and with the Eyes of Faith to behold in daily meditation the Glory of Christ Jesus SECT II. An Exhortation to look off all other things ONe word of Exhortation Christians I beseech you look off all other things especially all evil things I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing I had need of the Rhetorick of an Angel to perswade you to turn your Eyes from off these things nay if I had all were too little it is God only must perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem and yet let me offer a few considerations venture at a perswading of you Gen. 9.17 and leave the issue with God 1. Consider that all other evil things are in Gods account as very nothing verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity not only man but every man Psal 39.5 nor every man in his worst condition but every man at his best estate nor every man man at his best estate is little worth but every man at his best estate is vanity emptiness nothing it may be so in part nay but in every part he is wholly totally altogether vanity would any man think that a great rich honourable Man whom we look upon with such high admiring thoughts should be laid thus low in Gods esteem O wonder wonder and yet 't is no such wonder but one day you shall find the experience of this truth your selves Rich men have slept their sleeps and none of the men of might have found their hands Psal 76.5 or as others render it they have found nothing in their hands that is rich men have passed over this life as men do pass over a sleep imagining themselves to have golden mountains and rocks of diamond but when they awake at the day of death they find themselves to have nothing Why Christian wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 1. Observe that riches are not they are nothing those things that make men great in the eyes of the world are nothing in the eyes of God 2. Observe that God would not have us so much as set our eyos upon them they are not objects worth the looking on 3. Observe with what indignation he speaks against those that will set their eyes upon these vanities Wilt thou set thine eyes upon a thing which is not q. d. what a vain unreasonable sottish sensless thing is this 2. Consider that all such things if they are any thing they are but trifles deceits thornes miseries uncertain things this is an ordinary theme it is every mans object every mans subject a very easie thing it is to declaim up the vanity misery uncertainty of the creatures Ay but do you make it the matter of your meditation be you serious in it think of it deeply and desire God to be in your thoughts Oh what work will it then make in your breasts O how would it wean your loves and desires off all these things Christians consider all these adjuncts of all sublunary things when the creatures tempt you be not inticed by the beauty of them so as to forget their vanity say Here is a flower faire but fading here is a glass that 's bright but very brittle 3. Consider the difference of these objects Christ and all other things as thus all other things are vanities but Christ is a real solid substantial excellent glorious thing all other things are temporary fading things but Christ is an enduring substance the same yesterday Revel 1.4 and to day and for ever which is and which was and which is to come all other things are thorns vexation of spirit but Christ is full of joy and comfort a most ravishing object Cant. 5.16 all composed of loves or altogether lovely O who would make it his businesse to fill his coffers with pibbles when he may have pearls or gold or silver or precious things what must you look off your sins why see before you the graces of the Spirit of Christ must you look off your idel sinfull company see before you the fellowship of the Father 1 John 1.3 and the Son the Lord Jesus Christ must you look off your pomp and glory see before you the priviledge of adoption you shall be called the sons and daughters of God Rom. 8.13 heirs and co-heirs with Christ must you look off your worldly riches see before you the riches of the graces of Christ must you look off sinful pleasures see before you fulness of joy Psal 16.11 at Christs right hand are pleasures evermore must you look off your own righteousness see before you the righteousness of Christ Jesus O what a vast difference is there betwixt these objects Christ and all other things 4. Consider that Christ looked off heaven and heavenly things for you how much more should you look off the earth and earthly things the world and worldly things for him Christ left the glory the company the pleasures of Paradise for you and he made himself of no reputation he nothing'd himself as it were for you you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor 8.9 who though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that you through his poverty might be made rich O let that melting love win you to him and wean you off all other things 5. Consider that the rational soul of man is oft too high a birth to spend its strength upon other things the soul of man is of the same nature with Angels it is a kind of divine spark now if a man have a golden mill he would not use it to grind dirt straws and rotten sticks in the soul the mind the thinking faculty of man is too high to be exercised in the things of this earth the soul is of a most excellent capacious nature it is fit to converse not only with Angels but with the eternal God himself with Father Son and Holy Ghost it is of a transcendent being put all the world into the ballance with it and it is nothing in comparison the soul of the meanest gally-slave is more precious than heaven and earth than Sun and Moon and stars and all the hoast of heaven now if a mans soul be of such an high-born nature if the Lord hath put such a spirit into the bosome of man for him to bestow the strength of it upon low base mean and earthly things Oh what an evil is this 9. Consider how short is the time that you have here in this world this is the argument of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29.31 because the time is short therefore let us use the world as if we used it not therefore let our hearts be taken off these things yet a few days and you
that is begotten which brings forth a third person or subsistence which we call the Holy Ghost 1. For the thing it self it is Jesus Christ who must be considered two ways as he is a Son and as he is a God Now as he is a Son he is the thing begotten but not as he is a God As he is God he is of himself neither begotten nor proceeding the God-head of the Father and the God-head of the Son is but one and the same thing and therefore * Esientia filiis est a seipsa hac ratione dici potest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia tamen siliis non est a seipso ideo sic non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son as he is God he is God of himself without beginning even as the Father but as he is a Son he is not of himself but the Son of the Father begotten of him and hereupon it follows that the Son is begotten of the Father as he is a Son but not as he is a God 2. For the time of this generation it hath neither beginning middle nor end and therefore it is eternal before all worlds this is one of the wonders of our Jesus that the Father begetting and the Son begotten are coeternal Wisdom in the book of Proverbs which with one consent of all Divines is said to be Christ affirmeth thus Prov 8.24.25 2â— 2â— When there was no depths I was brought forth When there were no fountains abounding with water before the Mountains were setled before the hills was I was brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the world when he prepared the heavens I was there when he set a compass upon the face of the depth I was there And a little before â—rov 8.22 23 the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the world was that is to say from eternity for before the world was made there was nothing but eternity It may be alleaged to the contrary that the saying of God the Father thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psa 2.7 Acts 13.32 33 is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection And we declare unto you glad tydings saith Paul how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm thou art my Son this â—ay have I begotten thee But we distinguish betwixt generation it self and the manifestation or declaration of it Jesus the Son of God from all eternity was begotten but when he was incarnate and especially when he was raised again from the dead then was he mightily declared to be Gods Son by nature And of this declaration or manifestation of his eternal generation is that of the Apostle understood 3. For the manner of this generation of Jesus the Son of God understand there be two manners of begetting the one is carnal and outward and this is subject to corruption alteration and time the other is spiritual and inward and such was the beginning of the Son of God of whose generation there is neither corruption alteration nor time Isa 53.8 Rom. 11.33 But alas how should we declare his generation O my soul here thou mayest admire and adore with Paul and David and cry out O the depths of the riches both â—f the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways pâ—â—â— finding out There is no searching for us into the secret counsels of God which he never revealed in his Word but so far as he hath revealed himself we shall in sobriety according to the light of the Scriptures endeavour a discovery of the manner of this spiritual generation of the Son of God as thus We must consider in God two things 1. That in God there is an understanding 2. That in God this understanding everlastingly acts or works For the first that God hath a most excellent understanding or that he is understanding it self in the highest degree is very clear for he that gives understanding to all his intelligible creatures must needs have it and be it most eminently in himself if fire be the cause of heat in other things it must needs be that fire is the hottest of any thing * Propter quod unum quodque tale illud est magis talâ— Job 12 13 Prov. 8.14 the axiome is common but the Scripture verifies it with God is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding Nay that this understanding is his very being is very plain Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding and I am strength For the second that this understanding in God everlastingly acts or works is very clear for that understanding which is the nature essence and being of God is a meer act or the first act it is all one with the life of God now as all life is active in it self so the chief life such as in the highest degree is to be attributed to God must needs be active what is the life of God but an essential property whereby the Divine nature is in perpetual action living and moving in it self and hereof is that speech in Scripture so often used Jer. 4.2 Jer. 38.16 Numb 14.21 Rom. 14.21 the Lord liveth hereof likewise is that asseveration or oath so often used by God as the Lord liveth and As I Live saith the Lord well then the understanding of God being active or working from all eternity it must needs have some eternal object on which it acts or works every action requires a sutable object about which it must act or be exercised so then if Gods understanding act eternally it must have some eternal object and if Gods understanding act most perfectly it must have some most perfect object to act upon and what is that but onely God himself that Gods understanding should act out of himself would argue his understanding to act upon that which is finite and imperfect Certainly nothing is infinite eternal and perfect but onely himself and therefore if his understanding will act upon any sutable object he must act upon nothing but himself And now we come to the manner of this high mystical spiritual generation of Jesus the Son of God As the understanding of God doth act and reflect upon it self from all eternity so it works this effect that it understands and conceives it self it apprehends in the understanding an image of that Object which it looks upon and this very image is the Son of God This we shall lay out by some similitudes A mans soul we know doth sometimes muse and meditate on other things as it thinks of Heaven or it thinks of earth this we call a right or direct or emanant
read thy name in the Book of Life but search into these fruits and effects of thy election As 1. If thou beest within Gods decrees for salvation then sooner or later God will cause the power of his Word to come with authority and conviction upon thy conscience knowing brethren beloved your election of God for our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but also in power The Apostle speaks thus of others 1 Thes 1.4 5 he might know they were the Elected of God either by his judgment of charity or by a spirit of discerning which was vouchsafed to some in the Apostles times but how comes he immediately to know this truth by this glorious effeâ—t our Gospel came not in Word only but also in power Oh 't is good to consider with what power the Word preached falls into thy heart doth it convince thee humble thee mollie thee soften thee this argues thou belongest to God The Word preached will be more than the word of a man more than a meer human Oration or verbal declamation where it comes in power Oh! it will be like fire in thy bowels like a two edged Sword in the secret places of thy heart thou wilt cry out verily God is here Oh the power the conviction the meltings of my soul that I feel within me 2. If God hath ordained thee to Salvation then sooner or later God will effectually call thee Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8.30 this calling is a calling of the Soul from sin from amongst the rest of the World unto Jesus Christ it is such a call as enables the soul to follow Christ as Matthew being called by Christ he arose and followed Christ These two are linked together in Pauls golden chain predestination and effectual vocation Mat. 9.9 We are bound to give thanks alway unto God for you brethren â— Thes â—â—3 14. beloved of the Lord and why so because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation Wherunto he called you by the Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ All those that belong to Gods election are sometime or other effectually called by the Word and Spirit of Christ and it must needs be so because as the Lord hath put a difference betwixt his Elect and others before the world was and he will make a final difference betwixt them and others after the end of the World so he will have them differenced and distinguished whilest thy are in this World by this inward effectual operative calling they are men of other minds wills affections dispositions Acts 26 18 Ephes 5.7 8 conversations they are called from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God As the Apostle ye were somtimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. Be not ye therefore partakers with them 3. If thou art chosen for salvation then sooner or later thou shalt have true soul-saving justifying faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed When God hath a people to call home to himself he either brings them to the means or the means to them and those that belong to the Election of Grace believe O my soul hast thou this saving faith not a fancied faith a dead faith an easie faith but saving faith such a faith as was wrought in thee by the Word and Spirit with power such a faith as was not in any power to give nor in any power to receive untill God enable thee by his Spirit Rom 8 â—0 Rom. 5 1 then here is thy ground that thou art ordained to eternal life for whom he calls he justifies and we are justified by faith Not that the essence of faith justifies but faith justifies instrumentally in that it lays hold upon that which justifies even the righteousness of Christ Jesus 4. If thou art decreed for salvation then sooner or later the Lord will beget and increase in thee grace holiness sanctification Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.2 through sanctification of the Spirit God predestinates his people unto holiness Ephes 1.4 he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him If God appoint thee to eternal life he doth here in this World appoint thee to an holy gracious life No sanctification no election no grace no glory thou art to be a precious Jewel here ere God will make thee up at that great day Observe the chain Rom. 8.29 If I be sanctified with the Divine Nature in which glory is begun then I am justified if justified then I have been called according to purpose if called then I was predestinated and if predestinated to means then I was foreknown as one whom God would choose to the end even immarcessible and eternal glory 5. If thou art appointed and prepared for glory then God will give thee a thankful heart for so great a mercy thou canst no more keep in the heart from over-flowing when thou art sensible of this everlasting love then thou canst put bounds to the Sea See Paul praising God for the Election of himself and others after I heard of your faith and love Ephes 1.15 1â— Ephes 1.3 4 I cease not to give thnaks and Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world And what glorious triumphs doth Paul in the person of all the Elect make over all kind of enemies that can be thought of he challengeth every adversary to put forth his sting and why even because God hath Elected Rom. 8.33.39 and nothing can separate them from this unchangeable love this was it that begot his thanksgiving Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. O my soul how is thy heart affected with praise and thankfulness in this matter he that bestoweth great things looks for great return of thanks especially this being all thou canst do 6. If the project counsel love purpose decree and Covenant of God with Christ concerned thee and thy souls happiness then God will crown thee with perseverance and a stedfast continuance in the way of grace thou wast first set in final apostasie and total back-sliding from the ways of God can never befal those that are thus chosen they went from us 1 John 2.19 Mat. 24 â—4 Jer. 32.40 because they were not of us said the Apostle and if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect said Christ but it is certainly impossible and why I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart from me Oh what a blessed mercy is this when there are so many hours of temptation in the world so many blustering storms and tempests that are able to raise up the very
where-ever Christ is clusters of divine promises grow out of him as the motes rayes and beames are from the Sun I shall instance in some few As 1. God in the Covenant gives the world All is yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World Mat. 6 33. 1 Cor. 3.22 First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you These temporary blessings are a part of the Covenant which God hath made to his People It is he that giveth thee Power to get wealth that he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy Fathers Others Deut. 8.18 I know may have the World but they have it not by a Covenant-right it may be thou hast but a little a very little of the world well but thou hast it by a Covenant-right and so it is an earnest of all the rest 2. As God in the Covenant gives thee the world so in comparison of thee and his other Saints he cares not what becomes of all the world I loved thee saith God Isa 43.4 therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy Life If the case be so that it cannot be well with thee but great evils must come upon others kindred people and nations I do not so much care for them saith God my heart is on thee so as in Comparison of thee I care not what becomes of all the world O the love of God to his Saints 3. God in the Covenant pardons thy sins this is another fruit of Gods love Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood Rev. 1.5 it cost him dear to pardon our sins even the heart-blood of Christ such were the transactions betwixt God and Christ if thou wilt take upon thee to deliver souls from sin saith God to his Son thou must come thy self and be made a Curse for their Sin Well saith Christ thy will be done in it though I lose my Life though it cost me the best blood in my heart yet let me deliver them from sin This exceedingly heightens Christs Love that he should foresee thy sin and that yet he should Love Many times we set our Love on some outward unthankful Creatures and we say could I but have foreseen this untowardness they should never have had my Love but now the Lord did foresee all thy sins and all thy ill requitals for love and yet it did not once hinder his love towards thee but he puts this in the Covenant I will forgive their Iniquities and remember their sins no more Ezek. 36.25 4. God in the Covenant gives thee Holiness and Sanctification I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you this Holiness is our excellency in the eyes of Men and Angels this is the Crown and Diadem upon the heads of Saints whence David calls them by the name of excellent ones Holiness is a Spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4.14 it is the delight of God Psal 16.3 1 Pet. 4.14 as a Father delights himself in seeing his own Image in his Children so God delights himself in the Holiness of his Saints God loved them before with a love of benevolence and good-will but now he loves them with a love of complacency Psal 47.11 Psal 149.4 The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him the Lord takes pleasure in his People Holiness is the very Essence of God the Divine Nature of God O what is this that God should put his own nature into thee You are partakers of the Divine Nature O what a love is this that God should put his own Life into thee that he should enable thee to live the very same life that he himself lives remember that piece of the Covenant I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts 5. God in the Covenant gives thee the knowledg of himself it may be thou knewest him before but 't is another kind of knowledg that God now gives thee than thou hadst before When God teaches the Soul to know him it looks on God with another eye it sees now another beauty in God than ever it saw before for all that knowledg that it had before bred not love only Covenant-knowledg of God works in the Soul a true Love of God But how doth this Covenant-knowledg work this Love I shall tell you my own experiences I go through all the Virtues Graces and Excellencies that are most amiable and I look in the Scriptures and there I find them in God alone if ever I saw any excellency in any man or in any Creature I think with my self there is more in God that made that Creature He that made the Eye shall not he see And so he that made that Loveliness is not he Lovely Now when by these Mediums I have presented God thus lovely to my Soul then I begin to feel my heart to warm As when I conceive such an Idea of a man that he is of such a carriage behaviour disposition that he hath a mind thus and thus framed qualified and beautified why then I love him so when I apprehend the Lord aright when I observe him as he is described in his Word when I observe his doings and consider his workings and learn from all these together a right Idaea opinion or apprehension of him then my will follows my understanding and my affections follow them both and I come to love God and to delight in God O here 's a sweet knowledg surely it was God's Love in Christ to put this blessed Article into the Covenant of grace They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. 6. God in the Covenant of grace gives thee his Son John 13.6 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay more as God hath given thee his Son so he hath given thee himself O my Soul wouldest thou not think it a marvellous love if God should say to thee Come Soul I Will give thee all the World for thy Portion or that I may give thee a testimony that I love thee I will make another world for thy sake and I will make thee Emperour of that world also Surely thou wouldst say God loves me dearly ay but in that God hath given thee his Son and given thee himself this is a greater degree of Love Christiâ—ns stand amazed Oh what love is this to the Children of men Oh that we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I am the Lord thy God I will be their God and they shall be my People O my Soul where hast thou been rouze up and recollect and set before thee
as one says well that had been Virgo decipiet not concipiet rather a deceiving of us than a conceiving of him 2. That of the Valentinian revived lately in the Anabaptists who hold that he had a true body but made in heaven and sent into the Virgin here on earth and if so that had been virgo recipiet not concipiet rather a receiving than conceiving yet I cannot but wonder how confidently the Anabaptists tell us that the Flesh of Christ came down from heaven and passed through the Virgin Mary as water through a Conduit-pipe without taking any substance from her Their objections are raised out of these Texts 1. No man ascendeth into heaven but he that came down from heaven John 3.13 even the son of man which is in heaven I answer first this speech must be understood firstly in respect of the God-Head which may be said in some sort to descend in that it was made manifest in the Manhood here on earth 2. This speech may be understood truly of the whole person of Christ to whom the properties of each Nature in respect of the communication of properties may be fitly ascribed but this doth no way prove that this flesh which he assumed on earth descended from heaven 1 Co. 15.47 48 2. The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven heavenly I answer 1. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly-minded as sometimes he told the Jews you are from below I am from above you are of the World I am not of this World Christ was not worldly-minded or swayed with the lusts of the Flesh John 8.23 John 15.19 or any way earthly affected as sometimes he could tell his Apostles ye are not of the world so much more might he say of himself that he was not of this world but his Conversation was in heaven Or 2. This holds forth that Christ was heavenly or from heaven in respect of the glorious qualities which he received after his Resurrection and not in respect of the substance of his Body many glorious qualities was Christ endowed with after he was raised I shall not now dispute them which he had not before and in respect of these he might be called heavenly or from heaven 3. This holds forth that Christ also was in some sort heavenly or from heaven in his humane nature in that the humane nature was united to the divine and withal in that the humane nature was formed by the holy Ghost so John's Baptism is said to be from heaven though neither he nor the water wherewith he Baptized descended from heaven but because he received it from God who is in heaven Christ was conceived as you heard by the Holy Ghost and in that regard his generation was divine and heavenly or from heaven 2. In way of comfort and incouragement Christ was thus conceived that he might Vse 2 sanctify our conceptions as the first Adam was the root of all Corruption so is the second Adam the root of all sanctification Christ went as far to cleanse us as ever Adam did to defile us what were our very Conceptions defiled by Adam in the first place Christ takes course for this you see he is conceived by the Holy Ghost and he was not idle whilst he was in the womb for even then and there he eaâ—e out the Core of corruption that cleaved close to our defiled natures so that now God will not account evil of that nature that is become the nature of his own deare Son O the Condescentions of our Jesus O that ever he would be conceived in the womb of a Virgin O that he would run through the Contumelies of our fordid Nature that he would nor refuse that which we our selves in some sort are ashamed of Some think it a reason why the Anabaptists and some others run into such Fancies and deny this Conception of Christ only to decline those soul indignities as they take them for the great God of heaven to undergo but certainly this was for us and for our sakes and therefore far be it from us to honour him the less because he laid down his honour for our sakes no no let us honour him more and love him more the lower he came for us the dearer and dearer let him be unto us consider in all these transactions Christ was carrying on the great work of our salvation otherwise he had never been conceived never had assumed to his Person humane Nature never had been Man SECT III. Of the Duplicity of Natures in Christ Isa 9.6 Gal. 4.4 3. THe duplicity of Natures in Christ appears in that he was truly God and truly Man To us a Child is born saith the Prophet there is a Nature humane and he shall be called the Mighty God there is a Nature divine God sent his Son saith the Apostle therefore truly God and this Son made of a Woman therefore truly Man one would have thought this truth would never have come into controversie in our days but these are the last days and that may take off the wonder In the last days shall come perillous times 2 Tim. 3.1 Men shall resist the Truth c. In the last days I know there will be abundance of Truth revealed Zech. 12.8 The Knowledg of the Lorâ— shall be as the waters that cover the Sea and every Child shall be as David And the Book that was sealed must be opened Dan 12.4 and knowledg shaall be increased but Satan even then will be busie to sow his Tares as God is in sowing of his Wheat then is Satan active to communicate errors when he sees God begin to discover truths he hopes in the heat of the Market to vent his own wares and I believe this is one reason why now the Devil sets on foot so many dangerous errors that so he may prejudice the hearts of God's People in the receiving and entertaining of many Glorious truths But that we may not pass over such a Fundamental Error as this some saying with Martian that he is God but not man and others with Arrius that he is man but not God I shall therefore confirm this truth of the two Natures of Christ against the Adversaries of both sides And 1. That Christ is true God both apparent scriptures and unanswerable Reasons drawn from scriptures do plainly evince 1. The scriptures call him God In the beginning was the word and the word was with God Dan. 12.4 John 1.1 Heb. 1.8 John 20 28. Acts. 20.8 1 John 3.16 1 John 5.20 1 Tim. 3.16 and the word was God And unto the son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God and take heed to your selves and to all the flock To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood And hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his life for
find help in our necessities having such an High-Priest as was in all things tempted like unto us and was acquainted with our infirmities in his own person Heb. 4.15 5.2 SECT IV. Of the distinction of the two Natures of Christ 4. A Real distinction of these two Natures is evident 1. In regard of essence the Godhead cannot be Manhood nor can the Manhood be the Godhead 2. In regard of proprieties the Godhead is most wise just omnipotent yea wisdom justice omnipotency it self and so is not the Manhood neither can it be 3. They have distinct Wills Luke 22.42 Not my Will but thy Will be done O Father Plainly differencing the Will of a Creature from the Will of a Creator 4. The very actions in the work of Redemption are indeed inseparable John 10.18 and yet distinguishable I lay down my life and take it up again to lay it down was the action of man not of God and to take it up was the action of God not of man in these respects we say each nature remains in it self entire without any conversion composition commixtion or confusion there is no conversion of one into the other as when he changed water into wine no composition of both no abolition of either no confusion at all It is easy to observe this real distinction of his two natures from first to last as first He was conceived as others and so he was man but he was conceived by the holy Ghost as never man was and so he is God 2. He was born as others and so he was man but he was born of a Virgin as never man was and this speaks him a God 3. He was crucified died and was buried and so he was man but he rose again from the dead ascended into Heaven and from thence shall come at last to judge the quick and the dead and so he is God Or if from the Apostles Symbol we go to the Gospel which speaks both natures at large we find there 1. He was born of his Mother and wrapped in swadling-clouts as being a man but the Star shines over him and the wise men adore him as being a God 2. He was Baptized in Jordan as being a man but the holy Ghost from heaven descended upon him as being a God 3. He is tempted of Satan as being a man but he overcame Satan and dispossessed Devils as being a God 4. He travelled and was thirsty and hungry and weary as being a man but he refreshed the weary and fed the hungry and gave drink even water of life to the thirsty as being a God 5. He slept in the Ship and his Disciples awoke him as being a man but he rebuked the winds and stilled the raging of the tumultuous Seas as being a God 6. He was poor and needy had not an house to put his head in as being a man but he was and is rich and mighty and cannot be contained in the heaven of heavens as being a God 7. He was sorrowful and sad he wept and he prayed as being a man but he comforts the sorrowful and heareth the prayers of all his Saints as being a God 8. He was whipped and rent and torn and crucified as being a man but he rent the vail of the Temple and caused the Sun to hide his face for shame when he was crucified as being a God 9. He cried out on the Cross Eloi Eloi lamasabacthani as being a man but he could say to the Thief To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as being a God 10. He died and was buried and lay in the grave as being a man but he overcame death and destroyed the Devil and raised up himself to life again as being a God 11. After his Resurrection he appeared to his Disciples and ate with them and talked with them as being a man but he provided meat and vanished out of their sight as being a God 12. He ascended into heaven and the heavens now contain him as he is Man but he sustains the Heavens and commands all therein and rides on the same as being a God Thus we see all along two real distinct natures still continuing in Christ God being become Man the Deity being abolished but the humane nature was adjoyned according to the old Distich Sum quod eram nec eram quod sum c. I am that I was but I was not that I am You will say How then is it said the word was made flesh or God became Man I answer one thing may become another either by way of change as when the water was turned into wine but thus was not Christ the Godhead was for a time concealed but it was never cancelled or one thing may become another either by way of union as when one substance is adjoyned unto another and yet is not transferred or changed into the nature of the other thus a Souldier putting on his Armour is an armed man or a man wearing on his Garments is no more a naked but a cloathed man and yet the Armour and the Souldier the man and his Apparel are distinct things and thus was it with Christ the flesh is said to be deified and the Deity is said to be incarnate not by the conversion of either into the nature of the other but by assuming and adjoyning the humane nature to the divine and yet still the humane nature and the divine are distinct things both the natures in Christ do remain entire and inconfused indeed the humanity is much magnified by the divinity but the divinity is nothing altered by the humanity Thus much for the distinction of his two Natures SECT V. Of the Vnion of the two Natures of Christ in one and the same Person 5. THe Union of two Natures of Christ in one and the self-same person is that great wonder which now we must speak of as we are able but alas how should we speak this union and not be confounded in our selves It is a great mystery a secret a wonder many wonders have been since the beginning of the world but all the wonders that ever were must give place to this and in respect thereof cease to be wonderful neither the Creation of all things out of nothing nor the restauration of all things into their perfect being I mean neither the first work nor the last work of God in this world though most admirable pieces may be compared with this This Union of the two Natures of Christ into one person is the highest pitch if any thing may be said highest in that which is infinite of God's wisdom goodness power and glory well therefore said the Angel to Mary The power of the highest shall overshadow thee and if God did overshadow this Mystery with his own Vail How should we presume with the men of Bethshemesh to look into it Christians If you will needs put it to the question How that wonderful connection of two so infinitely differing natures in the unity of one
the honour done to the King redounds to the Crown upon his head not that we worship the Manhood alone as meerly a Creature but that we adore the person of Christ which consisteth of the Manhood and of the Godhead 6. That the Manhood hath an extraordinary measure without measure of habitual Graces poured into it in this he excels the very Angels for to them was given Grace only by measure but to the humanity of Christ was given Grace without measure even so much as a Creature is any ways capable of I know it is said that Jesus increased in Wisdom and Stature and in favour with God and Man Luk. 2.52 but this increase or growth in Wisdom is not to be understood in respect of the essence or extension of the habit for that he had from the beginning even from the first moment of his incarnation and he brought it with him out of the womb but in respect of the act and use of it or in respect of his experimental knowledg so he increased and not otherwise Never was there any but Christ whose Graces were no way stinted and that was absolutely full of Grace Divines tell us of a double Grace in Christ the one of union and that is infinite the other of unction which is all one with Grace habitual and that is in a sort infinite for howsoever it be but a finite and created thing yet in the nature of Grace it hath no limitation no bounds no stint but includeth in it self whatsoever any way pertains to Grace or that cometh within the compass of it The reason of this illimited donation of Grace bestowed on the Nature of man in Christ was for that Grace was given to it as to the universal cause whence it was to be derived unto all others he is the Fountain of Grace John 1.16 and of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace 3. For the Communication of the Properties It is a kind of phrase of speech peculiar to the Scriptures when the properties of either Nature of Christ considered singly and apart are attributed to the person of Christ from which soever of the natures they be denominated For the understanding of this observe 1. That words are either abstractive or concretive the former speaks the Nature of things the latter speaks the person that hath that nature as the God-Head and God the Man Hood and Man Holiness and Holy 2. Observe that abstractive Words noting precisely the distinct Natures cannot be affirmed one of the other we cannot say the God head suffered or the Man-hood created but we may truly say that God suffered and man created because the person which these concretive words imply is one and all actions passions and qualities agree really to the person though in respect somtimes of one nature and sometimes of another thus God purchased the Church with his own blood Acts. 20.28 John 3.13 not that the God-head shed blood but the person which was God and thus the Son of man talking with Nicodemus is said to be in Heaven not that the Man-hood was in Heaven while he was on earth but the person of the Son of Man Thus we may say that God was born of a Virgin and that God suffered and God was crucified not simply in respect of his God-head but in respect of his person or in respect of the humane nature which God united to himself because God here is a concrete word and not an abstract and signifieth the Person of Christ and not the divine nature of Christ And thus we may say that the Man Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent yet not simply in respect of its Man-hood but in respect of the Person which is the same God and Man or in respect of the divine nature of the man Christ Jesus for that here also Man is a concrete word and not an abstract and signifieth the whole person of Christ and not the humane nature but on the contrary we may not say that the God-head of Christ was born of a Virgin or suffered or was crucified nor may we say that the Manhood of Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent because the Godhead and Manhood are abstract words i.e. such words as note to us the two natures of Christ the one divine the other humane and not the person of Christ And this I think is the mind of Luther and his Followers and yet O wonder what a deal of objections are made to the multiplying of needless and fruitless contentions The Lutherans confess however they hold the ubiquitary presence of the humanity of Christ that his Body is only in one place locally If we ask them saith Zanchius * Zanchius in judicio de dissidio caenae Dominicae whether Christs body be every where they answer that locally it is but in one place but that personally it is every where now if they mean saith he that in respect of Essence his Body is finite and confined to one certain place but in respect of the being of subsistence or of his person it is infinite and every where they say the truth and there is no difference amongst us Happy are the Reconcilers of dissenting Brethren Vnto their Assembly mine honour be thou united 2. The Effects or benefits of this hypostatical union in respect of Christians are their spiritual union and communion with God and Christ 1. There is a spiritual union of Christians with God in Christ O the wonder of these two blessed unions first of the personal or hypostatical union secondly of this spiritual or mystical union in the personal union it pleased God to assume and unite our humane Nature to the Diety in this spiritual union it pleased God to unite the person of every Believer to the person of the Son of God This union is mystical and yet our very Persons natures bodies souls are in a spiritual way conjoyned to the Body and Soul of Christ Eph. 5.30 so that we are members of the Body of Christ and of the Flesh of Christ and of the Bones of Christ and as this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature 2 Pet. 1.4 so thereby we are also united to the divine nature yea the person of the Believer is indissolubly united to the Glorious person of the Son God Now concerning this union for our better understanding observe these four things 1. It is a most real union it is not a meer notional and intellectual union that consists only in the understanding and without the understanding is nothing it is not an imaginary thing that hath no other being but only in the Brain no no it is a true real essential substantial union In natural unions I confess there may be more evidence but there cannot be more truth spiritual Agents neither have nor put forth less virtue because sense cannot discern their manner of Working even the Load-stone though an earthen substance yet when it is out of sight whether under the
Father-virgin is this the Babe whom we look unto as our Jesus is this a Mother as Austin scarce fourteen years of age is this the Father that knew her not until she had brought forth her first-born Son Mat. 1.25 what a strange birth is this Look on the Babe there is no Cradle to rock him no Nurse to Lull him no Linnens to swaddle him scarce a little food to nourish him look on the Mother there 's no Mid-wives help no downy pillows no linnen hangings scarce a little straw where she is brought a-bed look on Joseph the reputed Father he rather begs than gives a blessing poor Carpenter that makes them a Chamber of an Oxe-stall and carves him a Cratch to be his Cradle Mary that sees with her eyes and ponders all in her heart how doth modest shame fac'dness change her colours so often as her imagination works she must bear a Son an Angel tells her the Holy Ghost overshadows her the dayes are accomplished and she is delivered each Circumstance is enough to abash a modest Virgin But who will not wonder a Maid believes a Maid conceives a Maid brings forth and a Maid still remains How might we descant on this Subject but I shall contract my self and reduce all wonders to this word I am the Vine John 15.5 It is a blessed Parable in which under the shadow of a Vine Christ elegantly sets forth himself Christ in many resemblances is a precious Vine but why a Vine rather than a Cedar Oak or some of the strongest tallest trees Many reasons are given as 1. Because of all Trees the Vine is the lowest it grovels as it were on the ground 2. Because of all Trees the Vine is weakest hence they that have Vines have also their Elms to support them and hold them up 3. Because of all Trees the Vine hath the meanest Bark and outside it is of little worth or reputation 4. Because of all Trees Psal 128.3 the Vine is fruitfullest and therefore it is called the Fruitful Vine In every of these respects Christ is called a Vine who by his Incarnation took upon him the lowest condition and made himself by emptying himself of no Reputation but he was the fruitfullest Vine that ever the earth bore Phil. 2.7 and in this respect no Vine nor all the Vines on the Earth were worthy to be compared with him or to be so much as resemblances of him I shall not prosecute the resemblances throughout for so I might pass from his Birth to his Life and from his Life to his Death when the blood of the Grapes was pressed out only for the present wee 'll take a view of this Vine 1. In its Plant. 2. In its Bud. 3. In its Blossom 4. In its Fruit and so an end 1. For the Plant the way of Vines is not to be sowed but planted that thus translated they might better fructifie so our Jesus first sprung from his Father is planted in a Virgins womb God from God coeternal with God but by his Incarnation made that he was not and yet remaining that he was God of his Father and Man of his Mother before all time yet since the beginning Bernard tells us that this Vine sprung of the Vine Ber. de Passione Dom. is God begotten of God the Son of the Father both coeternal and consubstantial with the Father but that he might better fructifie he was planted in the Earth i.e. he was conceived in a Virgins womb There is indeed a resemblance in this in this resemblance we must be careful to observe that communication of properties of which I told you we may truly say that God was planted or conceived but not the Godhead God is a concrete word and signifies the Person of Christ and his Person was planted or conceived not simply as God but in respect of the Manhood united to it and thus he that is infinite was conceived and he that is eternal even he was born the very fulness of all perfection and all the properties of the Divine Essence are by this communication given to the nature of man in the Person of the Son of God no wonder therefore that we say that this Vine the Son of God is planted in Mary I know some would have the Plant more early and therefore they say that Christ was a Vine planted in Adam budded in David and flourished in Mary but I take this but for a flourish all before Mary were but Types now was the Truth now in Mary was Christ planted and not before as in the beginning there was not a Man to Till the Ground but out of the ground the Lord made to grow every Tree and a River went out of Eden to water the Garden so there was no man that tilled this Ground but out of this Ground the Virgin the Lord made to grow this Plant watering it by his Spirit The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee Luke 1.35 and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Of this conception and of the Holy Ghosts efficiency I believe spake the Prophet when there was such longing after Christ's coming in the flesh Isa 45.8 Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Sky pour down Righteousness let the Earth open and bring forth Salvation But of this Conception before 2. For the Bud the nature of Vines is to Bud before it Blossom or bring forth its fruit Psal 85.11 so was it said of Christ before he came Truth shall Bud out of the Earth now what was this budding of Truth out of the Earth but Christ born of a Woman What was the Truth saith Irenaeus and Augustine but Christ Iraen l. 3. c. 5. and what the Earth but our flesh and what Truth budding but Christ being born Here let us stay a while surely it is worth the while as the Spouse said in another place to get up early to the Vineyards and to see how the Vine did flourish Cant. 7.12 and how the tender Grape did open In Christs carrying on the great Work of our Salvation before all Worlds we told you of Gods Councils as if he had been reduced to some straits and difficulties by the cross demands of his several Attributes but Wisdom found out a way how to reconcile these differences by propounding a Jesus and in him Mercy and Truth met together Righteousness and Peace kissed each other Psal 85.10 That reconciliation was in the Counsel of God from all Eternity but for the execution of this Counsel it was now in the fulness of time even at this time when Christ was born Now in deed and in truth in execution and performance was the reconciliation of all differences and of this time was the Psalmists Prophecy more especially meant Mercy and Truth shall meet together Righteousness and Peace shall kiss each other Psal 85.10 12 and Truth shall bud out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven In
Jesus and he shall not bear his Name for nought believe in him and ye shall live with him in Glory O blessed news Men may talk what they will of this and that news every one gapes after it but there is no news so welcome to one even now ready to perish as to hear of a Saviour tell a man in his Sickness of one that will make him well again tell a man in Captivity of one that will rescue him and set him free again tell a man in Prison condemned to die of one with a pardon that will save his life and every one of these will say this is the best news that ever was heard O then if it be good tidings to hear of a Saviour where is only a matter of loss of life or of this Earth how much more when it comes to the loss of Heaven to the danger of Hell when our Souls are at stake and likely to be damned for evermore what glad tidings would that be to hear of one that could save our souls from that destroyer is not such a Saviour worth the hearkning after were not the birth of such a one good news O my soul ponder on these words as if an Angel seeing thee stand on the brim of Hell should speak to thee even to thy soul 2. Consider Jesus in his Conception no sooner the news heard but Christ is conceived by the Holy Ghost in the Virgins Womb this Conception is worthy our consideration what that the great God of Heaven should condescend so far as to take our Nature upon him and to take it in the same way and after the same manner as we do the Womb of the Virgin was surely no such place but he might well have abhorred it true but he meant by this to sanctifie our very Conceptions and to that purpose he is conceived in an holy manner even by the holy Ghost we must not be too curious to enquire after the manner of the holy Ghosts operation who therefore overshadowed the Virgin this is work for our hearts and not meerly for our heads humble Faith and not curious inquisition shall find the sweetness of this Mystery It was Davids Complaint Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me O my Soul this was thy case in thy very first being or beginning Psal 51.5 and hadst thou died in that condition the word is express that nothing defiled nor unclean shall enter into the City of Glory but here 's the remedy thy sinful Conception is sanctified by Christs holy Conception the holiness of thy Jesus serves as a Cover to hide thy Original pollutions from the eyes of God O consider this Jesus Christ was not conceived in vain he was not idle doing nothing whiles he was in his Mothers Womb he that from all eternity began he was then carrying on the great work of our salvation for us O consider this Conception thus till thou bring'st it near and close to thy soul till thou feelest some sweetness and power coming and flowing from Jesus in the Womb. 3. Consider the duplicity of Natures in Jesus Christ The Word was made Flesh John 1.14 no sooner was he conceived but he was God-Man Man-God he was perfectly framed and instantly united to the eternal Word God sent his Son there 's the Nature Divine made of a Woman there 's the Nature Humane Certainly great is this Mystery that the Word is made Flesh that the Son of God is made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 that a Star gives Light to the Sun that a Branch doth bear the Vine that a Creature gives being to the Creator that the Mother was younger than what she bear and a great deal lesser than what she contained Admire O my Soul at this but withal consider that all this was for us and our Salvation he was Man that he might die for us and he was God that his death might be sufficient to save us had he been Man alone not God he might have suffered but he could never have satisfied for sin he could not have been Jesus a Saviour of Souls and had he been God alone not Man he had not been of kin to our Nature offending and so he could not have satisfied the Justice of God in the same Nature wherein it was offended neither could he as God alone have died for Sin and the Decree was out that our Redeemer must die for Sin for without shedding of Blood there is no Remission and no shedding of Blood Heb. 9.22 no Passion could possibly befal the Godhead of Jesus Christ I shall not dispute the power of God whether he was able to lay down another kind of way of mans Redemption than by the Incarnation of the Son of God without controversie this was the Will of God and he appointed no other way because he would not O my Soul consider of this in relation to thy self he is God-man that he might suffer and satisfie for thy sins he is God-man that he might be able and fit most fully to finish the work of thy salvation as God he is able and as man he is fit to discharge the Office of Mediator as God he is able to bear the punishment of sin and as man he is fit to suffer for sin O the wisdom of God in this very way Mans Nature can suffer Death but not overcome it the Divine Nature can overcome death and all things but he cannot suffer it and hence there is a duplicity of natures in Jesus Christ O muse on this it is a matter worthy of thy serious consideration 4. Consider the real distinction of these two Natures in Christ As the unapproachable light of the God-head was put into the dim and dark Lanthorn of humane flesh so these two natures remained entire without any conversion commixion or confusion they were not as Wine and Water that become one by mixing there is no such blending the divine and humane nature they were not as Snow and Water that become one by dissolving of the Snow into the Water there is no such changing of the Humane Nature into the Divine or of the Divine Nature into the Humane Some say indeed that the God-head was more plentifully communicated with the Manhood after his Resurrection than now at his Conception but howsoever it did not then swallow up the Truth of his Manhood as a whole Sea would swallow up one drop of Oyl look as at first moment of his Conception he was God and man so these two Natures continued still distinct in substance properties and actions Why consider this O my soul in reference to thy self O ther 's comfort in this by this meanes thou hast now free access unto the Throne of Grace that thou mayest find help in thy necessities and as thou hast free access so thou mayest boldly draw near his Deity indeed confounds but his Humanity comforts faint and feeble Souls his Divine Nature amazeth but his
the Spirit of our God As every man is so is he affected so he speaks and so he lives if thy life be supernatural so is thy affections so is thy words so is thy conversation Paul lived a life once of a bloody persecutor he breathed out threatenings against all the Professors of the Lord Jesus but now it is otherwise The life which I now live in the flesh Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me O my soul Hast thou the old conversation the old affections the old discourse the old passions thou used to have What Is thy heart a den of lusts a cage of unclean imaginations Then fear thy self there cannot from a sweet fountain come forth bitter streams there cannot from a refined spirit as refined come forth corrupted actions or imaginations a Thorn cannot send forth Grapes saith Christ so neither can a Vine send forth Thornes say we I know there is in the best something of flesh as well as of the spirit but if thou art new born then thou canst not but strive against it and wilt endeavour to conquer it 1 Pet. 3.4 2 Pet. 1.4 Rom. 7.22 2 Cor. 5.17 3. Where this new birth is there is a new nature a new principle Peter calls it the hidden man of the heart the divine nature Paul calls it the inward man the new creature it is compared to a root to a fountain to a foundation and for want of this foundation we see now in these sad times so much inconstancy and unsetledness in some professors themselves many have gotten new and strange notions but they have not new natures new principles of grace if grace were but rooted in their hearts though the winds did blow and storms arise they would continue firm and stable as being founded upon a Rock Never tell me of profession shew outward action outward conversation outward duties of Religion all this may be and yet no new creature you have some bruits that can act many things like men but because they have not an humane nature they are still brutish so many things may be done in a way of holiness which yet come not from this inward principle of renovation and therefore it is but copper and not gold mistake not O my soul in this which is thy best and surest evidence though I call the new birth a new creature my meaning is not as if a new faculty were infused into him that is new born a man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before his regeneration only in the work of regeneration those ablities which the man had before are now improved and made spiritual and so they work now spiritually which before wrought naturally As in the resurrection from the dead our bodies shall have no more nor other parts and members than they had before only those parts and members which now are natural shall then by the power of God be made spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body so the same faculties and the same abilities which before regeneration were but natural are now spiritual and work spiritually they are all brought under the government of the Spirit of Christ a lively resemblance of this change in the faculties of the soul we may discern in those natural and sensitive faculties which we have common with beasts as to live to move to desire to feel the beasts having no higher principle than sense use them sensually but a man enjoying the same faculties under the command of a reasonable soul he useth them rationally so is it in a regenerate man his understanding will and affections when they had no other command but reason he only used them rationally but now being under the guiding of the Spirit of Christ they work spiritually and he useth them spiritually and hence it is that a regenerate man is every where in Scripture Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.18 25. said to Walk after the Spirit to be led by the Spirit to walk in the Spirit the Spirit by way of infusing or shedding gives power an ability a seed a principle of spiritual life which the soul had not before and from this principle of spiritual life planted in the Soul flows or springs those spiritual motions and operations as the Spirit leads them out according to the habit or principle of the new creature the divine nature the spiritual life infused Come then look to it O my soul What is thy principle within consider not so much the outward actions the outward duties of Religion as that root from whence they grow that principle from whence they come they are fixed ones setled ones by way of life in thee Clocks have their motions but they are not motions of life because they have no principles of life within Is there life within then art thou born again yea even unto thee a Child is born This is one evidence 2. From the latter words I lay down this position unto us a Son is given if we are Gods Sons The best way to know our Interest in the Son of God it is to know our selves to be Gods Sons by grace as Christ was Gods Son by nature Christians to whom Christ is given are coheirs with Christ only Christ is the first-born and hath the preheminence in all things our sonship is an effect of Christs sonship and a sure sign that unto us a Son is given Say then O my soul Art thou a Son of God Dost thou resemble God according to thy capacity being holy even as he is holy Why then Christ was incarnate for thee he was given to thee If thy sonship be not clear enough thou mayst try it further by these following Rules 1. The Sons of God Fear God If I be a Father Where is my Honour Mal. 1.6 saith God if I be a Master Where is my Fear If I be a Son of God there will be an holy Fear and Trembling upon me in all my approaches unto God I know there is a servile mercinary Fear and that is unworthy and unbeseeming the Son of God but there is a filial Fear and that is an excellent check and bridle to all our wantonness What Son will not Fear the frowns and anger of his loving Father 1 Pet. 1.17 I dare not do this will he say my Father will be offended and I whether shall I go Agreeable to this is the Apostles advice If ye call on the Father pass your sojourning here with Fear 2. The Sons of God Love God and Obey God out of a principle of Love Suppose there were no Heaven or Glory to bestow upon a regenerate person yet would he Obey God out of a principle of Love not that it is unlawful for the Child of God to have an Eye unto the recompence of reward Heb.
which I believe are the beautifullest creatures the world has should be compared with the beauty of Christ which consists in the perfection of the divine nature and in the perfection of his humane nature and in the perfection of the graces of his Spirit they would be but as lumps of darkness The brightest Cherub is forc'd to skreen his face from the dazling and shining brightness of the glory of Christ Alas the Cherubims and Seraphims are but as spangles and twinkling stars in the canopy of Heaven but Christ is the Sun of righteousness that at once illuminates and drowns them all Come then cast up thy desires after Christ breath O my soul after the enjoyments of this Christ fling up to heaven some divine ejaculations Oh that this Christ were mine Oh that the actions of Christ and the person of Christ were mine Oh that all he said and all he did and all he were from top to the were mine Oh that I had the silver wings of a Dove that in all my wants I might fly into the bosom of this Christ Oh that I might be admitted to his person or if that may not be Oh that I may but touch the very hem of his Garment If I must not sit at Table Oh that I might but gather up the Crumbs Surely there 's Bread enough in my Fathers House Christ is the Bread of Life this one Loaf Christ is enough for all the Saints in heaven and earth to feed on and what must I pine away and perish with hunger Oh that I might have one Crum of Christ Thousands of Instructions dropped from him whiles he was on earth Oh that some of that food might be my nourishment Oh that my wayes were directed according to his Statutes many a stream and wave Psal 119.15 John 7.37 and line and precept flowed from this Fountain Christ Oh that I might drink freely of this water of life He hath proclaimed it in my ears if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Oh that I might come and find welcome why sure I thirst I am extreamly a thirst I feel in me such a burning drought that either I must drink or die either the righteousness of Christ the holiness of Christ the holiness of his Nature and the holiness of his Life must be imputed unto me or farewel happiness in another World why come come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh I long to see the beauty of thy face thy glory is said to be an enamouring glory such is thy beauty that it steals away my heart after thee and cannot be satisfied till with Absolon I see the Kings face come Christ or if thou wilt not come I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved Cant. 5.8 that ye tell him I am sick of Love SECT IV. Of Hopeing in Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life By this hope I mean not a fluctuating wavering doubtful hope but an assured hope an hope well grounded The main soul question is whether Christ's life be mine whether all those passages of his life lâ—id open belong unto me whether the habitual righteousness and actual holiness of Christ be imputed to my justification and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built The Apostle tells us that God gives good hopes through Grace if hope be right and good 2 Thes 2.16 it will manifest it self by operations of saving Grace O look into thy soul what gracious effects of the life of Christ are there certainly his life is not with out some influence on our spirits if we be his Members and he be our Head The Head we say communicates life and sense and motion to his members and so doth Christ communicate a spiritual life and sense and motion to his members O the glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believers soul I shall lay down these As 1. If Christ's life be mine then am I freed from the Law of sin This was the Apostles evidence For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Christ's Life is called the Spirit of Life because of its perfection and this Spirit of Life hath such a power in it here termed a Law that it works out in Believers a freedom from the Law or Power in Sin I cannot think notwithstanding the influence of Christ's life on me but that sin still-sticketh in me I am still a sinner in respect of the inherency of sin but I am freed from the power of sin i.e. from the guilt of sin as to its condemning power and from the filth of sin as to its ruling reigning power Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof I grant there is some difference among Divines in their expressions concerning the sins of Gods own people though they mean one and the self-same thing Some call them only sins of infirmity and others grant the name of reigning sins but with this limitation that this is not a total reigning Sin reigneth as a Tyrant over them not as a King at sometimes as in Davids case the will and consent may run along with sin no actual resistance may be made against sin at all 1 John 3.9 and yet at the very same time the seed of God remaineth in them though it seem dead and in Gods good time that very seed will revive again and throw out the Tyrant there is not cannot be that antecedent and consequent consent to sin in the godly as in the wicked O my soul consider this if the vertue of Christ's life come in it will take down that soveraign high reign of sin which the wicked suffer and will not strive against the flesh indeed may sometimes lust against the Spirit but it shall not totally prevail or get the upper hand Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin may tyrannize in me for a time but it shall not King it in me Look to this Rom. 6.14 Doth the power and dominion of Christs Life throw out of thy heart and life that Kingly power and dominion of my sin here is one ground of hope 2. If Christ's life be mine then shall I walk even as he walked such is the efficacy of Christ's life that it will work sutableness and make our life in some sort like his life The Apostle observes that our communion with Christ works on our very conversations he that abideth in him walkes even as he walked and to this purpose are all those holy admonitions walk in love as Christ also loved us and 1 John 2.6 Eph. 5.2 John 13.15 1 Pet. 1.15 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you And as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all
that Respect 5. LEt us believe in Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his Sufferings and Death Every one looks upon this as an easie duty only the humble Soul the scrupulous Conscience cries out What! Is it possible that Christ should die suffer shed his blood for me His incarnation was wonderful his life on earth was to astonishment but that the Son of God should become man live amongst men and die such a death even the death of the Cross for such a one as I am I cannot believe it it is an abys◠past fadoming the more I consider it the more I am amazed at it suppose I had an enemy in my power man or Devil one that provokes me every day 1 Sam. 24.19 one that hunts my soul to take it away should I not say with Saul if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away It may be an ingenuous spirit such as David would do thus much but would David or any breathing soul not only spare his enemy but spill himself to save his enemy would a man become a Devil to save Devils would a man endure hell pains to free all the Devils in hell from their eternal pains and yet what were this in comparison of what Christ hath done or suffered for us It is not so much for us to suffer for Devils for we are fellow-creatures as it is for Christ God-man man-God to suffer for us Oh what an hard thing is it considering my enmity against Christ to believe that Christ died for me that he gave himself to the death even to the death of the Cross for my soul Trembling soul throw not away thy self in a way of unbelief It may thou wouldst not die for an enemy an irreconcileable enemy but are not the mercies of God above all the mercies of men O believe And that I may perswade effectually I shall say down first some Directions and secondly some Encouragements of Faith 1. For the Directions of Faith in reference to Christ's death observe these particulars 2. Faith must directly go to Christ not first to the promise and then to Christ but first to Christ and then to the promise the Person ever goes before the Prerogative 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh this was the difference betwixt the New-Testament and old-Testament-Believers their Faith directs only to God but our Faith looks more immediately to Jesus Christ Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 3. Faith must directly go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law He continued in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and so our Faith must look upon him But of these before I shall say nothing more to these particulars 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part of the Law by his death in both these respects Christ was made under the law The one half of the Law he satisfied by the holiness of his life he fulfilled the law in every jot and every tittle the other half of the Law he satisfied by his enduring the death even the death of the Cross he paid both the Principal and the Forfeiture and though men do not so yet Christ did so that the whole Law might be satisfied fully by his being under both these parts of the Law pay and penalty Come then and look upon Christ as dying it was the Serpent as lifted up and so looked at that healed the Israelites of their fiery stings Alas we are diseased in a spiritual sense as they were and Christ Jesus was lifted up as a remedy to us as the Serpent was unto them it remains therefore that as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent so we look up to Jesus believe in Jesus as lifted up for life and for salvation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness John 14.15 so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Indeed some difference there is betwixt the Serpent and Christ As 1. The Brazen Serpent had not power in if self to cure as Christ hath 2. The Serpent cured the Israelites but for a time John 11.26 to die again but whomsoever Jesus cures in a Spiritual sense he cures for ever they shall never die 3. The serpent also had its time of curing it did not alwayes retain its virtue but during the time they were in the Wilderness only Iesus Christ our Brazen Serpent doth ever retain his power and virtue to the end of the world and hence it is that in the Ministry Christ is still held forth as lifted up that all that will but look on him by faith may live 4. The Serpent sometimes a remedy against poyson was after turned even to poyson the Israelites which made Hezekiah to crush it and brake it and stamp it to powder but Jesus Christ ever remains the sovereign and healing God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is unchangeable in his goodness as he is in holy and divine nature he can never be defaced nor destroyed but he abideth the saviour of sinners to all eternity why then let us rather look unto Christ and believe in Christ as lifted up i.e. as he was crucified and died on the Cross In this respect he is made a fit object for a sinner's faith to trust upon and rest upon Christ as crucified as made sin and a curse for us it the object of our pardon O this is it that makes Christ's death so desirable why therein is virtually and meritoriously pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation and what not Oh! cries a sinner where may I set my foot how should I regain my God my sin hath undone me which way should I cast for pardon why now remember that in seeking pardon Rom. 8.34 Christ was crucified Christ as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 No Question Christs active Obedience during his Life was most exact and perfect and meritorious yet that was not the expiation of sin only his passive obedience Christ only in his sufferings took away sin the guilt of sin and punishment for sin We have redemption through the blood of Christ Eph. 1.7 even the forgiveness of sins If any humble soul would have recourse to that Christ who is now in heaven let him first in the actings of his Faith consider him as crucified as lifted up as made sin for us as through whom under that consideration he is to receive pardon of sin Justification redemption reconciliation sanctification salvation 5. Faith in going to Christ as lifted up it is principally and mainly to look unto the 〈◊〉 meaning intent and design of Christ in his sufferings as he was lifted up we
Heb. 11.19 2. For Jonah from the time that Jonah was cast into the sea and swallowed up of the Fish Jonah was in account as a dead man but the third day the Lord spake unto the Fish and it vomited up Jonah upon the dry land Jonah 2.10 Jonah 2.10 And that this was a figure of Christ Christ himself discovers for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Mat. 12.40 3. For Hezekiah from the time that Isaiah said unto him set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live 2 King 20.1 Hezekiah was in account as a dead man his bed was to him as a grave but on the third day he was miraculously raised up again and as the Prophet said on the third day thou shalt go up to the house of the Lord. Ver. 5. Surely this was a figure of Christ And thâ—se Types prefiguring Christ are as one Reason 2. Because the Prophets and himself had so foretold for the Prophets we have cited Psal 16.10 Hosea 6.2 And for himself he told them very expresly that he must suffer many things of the Elders Mat. 16.21 and chief Priests and Scribes and be raised again the third day Mat 17.22 23. Mat 20.18.19 yea said he the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men and they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again and after this he tells them again that the Son of man should be betrayed and crucified and the third day he should rise again so often had he prophesied thus that the chief Priests and Pharisees came to Pilate after his death Mat. 27.62 63.64 saying Sir we remember that this deceiver said while he was yet alive after three dayes I will rise again command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure until the third day And no question his Disciples remembred these sayings for so the two Disciples travelling towards Emmaus after they had said many things concerning him and that they trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel they added this as a most special observation above all the rest Luke 24.21 that to day is the third day since these things were done Why all these signifie that his rising on the third day was the accomplishment of Prophesies and a certain evidence that he was the Messiah indeed 3. Because that time was most suable for comforting his friends for confounding his enemies for clearing the truth both of his Humanity and Divinity he would stay no longer lest his Disciples might have been swallowed up with grief and he would come no sooner lest his enemies should have urged that he had not died the watchmen kept the Sepulchre till this very time but then the Angels appearing and the earth trembling they became as dead men and assoon as they could they run away and with their tidings confounded all Christ's enemies And withall as Christ consisted both of a divine and humane nature so in respect of his humanity he must die and to shew his death it was requisite that he should rise no sooner than the third day and in respect of his divinity it was impossible that he should be held of death any longer than three days for as he must not see corruption so God raised him up having loosed the pains of death Acts 2.24 because it was not possible that he should be holden of it SECT II. Of the Reasons of Christ's Resurrection 2. WHy he rose we have these Reasons 1. That he might powerfully convince or confound his adversaries they that crucified him were mightily afraid of his Resurrection they could tell Pilate Sir we remember this deceiver said while he was yet alive after three days I will rise again Mat. 27.63 64. and therefore they desire him of all loves to command the Sepulchre to be made sure until the third day if ever he rise again whom they have killed then they knew they were all shamed then the last errour as they said would be worse than the first All the world would look on them as a cursed generation to kill the Messiah to crucifie such a one as after his death and burial should rise again now then that he might either convince them or confound them notwithstanding their care their watch their Seal their making all sure as possibly they could at the very same time he told them before he broke open the gates of death and made the gates of Brass to flie asunder 2. That he might confirm the faith of all his followers If Christ be not risen 1 Cor. 15.14 your Faith is vain saith the Apostle Christs resurrection both confirms our faith as to his person and to his office for his person Rom. 1.4 this speaks him to be the eternal Son of God by the resurrection from the dead and for his office this speaks him to be the promised Messiah the great Prophet the chief high Priest the King and Saviour of his Church When the Jews saw Christ purging the Temple and Messiah-like reforming what he saw amiss in the House of God What sign say they shewest thou unto us Joh. 2.18 19 22. seeing thou dost these things And he said unto them destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up When therefore he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had said As the resurrection of Christ argues his Mediatorship so it confirms their faith as it is said They believed the Scriptures and they believed Jesus Christ And thus John writing of his resurrection tells us John 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe and that believing c. 3. That it might clearly appear that he had fully satisfied the justice of God for sin So it was that God laid the forfeiture of the bond on Christ he arrested him brought him to the Goal the Grave and there he was till the Debt was paid to the utmost farthing and then that it might clearly appear that the bond was cancelled the Prisoner discharged God's justice satisfied he rose again from the dead Some make a question when his Bond was cancelled and they say as the debt was paid so the Bond was cancelled ere he stirred off the Cross only by the Cross I suppose they mean the utmost degree of Christs humiliation viz. his being held in captivity and bondage under death and so the hand-writing of the Law that was against us was there delivered him and there he blotted it out cancelled it took it out of the way Col. 2.14 nailing it to his Cross Others think that as to the full discharge of a debt and freeing the debtor two things are requisite first the payment of the debt secondly the tearing or
earthly men included in him and Christ had all his elect whose names are written in heaven and therefore called Heavenly men included in him so that now whatsoever Christ did it is reckoned by God as if done by us and for us When Christ arose he arose as our head and as a common Person and in God's account we arose with him and in him As among all the sheaves in the Field there was some one sheaf that in the name and room of all the rest was lift up and waved before the Lord so when all were dead Christ as the first-fruits rose again from the dead and by this act of his resurrection all the Elect from the beginning of the World to the end are risen with him and in him He is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 though the Saints are a sleep yet are they vertually risen already with Christ because he is their first-fruits Let this ever be remembred that Christ rose again as the first-fruits as the second man as an head as a common Person 2. That Christ rose again by his own Power this he meant when he said John 2.19 destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up He saith not destroy you and some other shall raise it up no no but I even I my self will do it yea and I will do it by my own Power and vertue here is a plain argument of the Divine nature of Christ for none ever did ever could do that but God himself some were raised before Christ was incarnate but not any by himself or by his own proper Power only a Power was imparted to some Prophet by God for that time and turn and so they were raised but Christ rose again not by a Power imparted to some but by his own Power The Widows son of Sarephtah was raised by Elias and the Shunamites son was raised by Elisha both these were raised by others and those others that raised them did it not by their own power but by a power given them from above and therefore though in their life-time they raised others yet being dead they could not raise themselves but Jesus Christ did not only in his life-time raise others but also being dead and laid in his grave and pressed with stones and watched by Souldiers and sought to be deteined by all the Power of darkness yet he as a conqueror by his own Power raised himself he caused all things by the strength of his own arme to give way unto himself I have Power to lay down my life and I have Power to take it up again an equal Power to take it up as to lay it down John 10.18 But against this it may be objected The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus Acts. 5.30 Acts. 3.24 whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death In many places the resurrection of Christ is ascribed to his Father how then is he said to raise up himself by his own Power I answer it is true that the Father raised him and yet this contradicts not but that he raised up himself Whatsoever the Father doth I do saith Christ Christ's resurrection is the indivisible work of the blessed Trinity it is a work common to all the three persons there is but one power of the Father and of the Son so that of both it is truly verified the Father raised him and the Son raised himself Mat. 28.2 3. That Christ rose again with an Earthquake and behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven The earth shook at his death and now it trembles at his Resurrection plainly speaking that it could neither endure his suffering nor hinder his rising As a Lion with a Roar is said to make the Bed wherein he lies to tremble so this Lion of the tribe of Judah was able with his voice or sight to make his Bed the earth wherein he lay to tremble no sooner he shakes himself but he shakes the earth at his first motion the earth moves and now was fulfilled that prophesie Psal 114.7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. It is not for us curiously to enquire into the cause of this earthquake certainly the cause was above Natures reach it was not any hollow wind got into the bowels of the earth but either it was Christ's rising or the Angels descending the earth either danced for joy that Christ was risen or it trembled for fear that men would no believe his resurrection The Evangelist seems to lay it on the Angel for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven sure the power of Angels is very great they can move all corporeal things almost in an instant they can stir up tempests they can shake the earth move the waters only all their power is subjected to God's will Bless the Lord all ye Angels that excel in strength Psal 103.20 that do his Will it was the Will of God that now an Angel should take hold on the pillars of the earth and make it shake no wonder if for fear of him the keepers shake Mat. 28.4 and become as dead men and if one Angel be able to shake the earth and to shake the Keepers those armed Souldiers that were set to watch the Tomb what then will Christ himself do when he shall come to judgment the second time with many thousand thousands of Angels Oh now terrible and fearful will his coming be As at Christs Resurrection so at the last Resurrection there will be earthquakes in divers places Mat. 24.7 Christ hath shewed and he will shew himself to be the absolute Lord of heaven and earth see how the earth trembling under his feet doth as it were pay him homage and behold there was a great Earthquake Mat. 28.2 4. That Christ rose again Angels ministring to him An Angel came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it Christs Power was not included in the grave or on the earth but extended to Heaven and to the Hosts therein however the chief Priests and Pharisees conspired together to close him in the earth they sealed the stone and set a watch they made all as sure as possibly they could yet the Angels of heaven are ready to wait on him as their Sovereign Lord. An Angel descended to role away the Stone not that Christ was unable to do it himsef he shook the earth and could he not lift up a stone O yes but thus he would manifest his Power by declaring his Power over the mighty Angels he needed but to say unto his Angel do this and he doth it I find some difference amongst Authors why an Angel should role away the Stone some think it was only for the womens sake that they might go into the Sepulchre and take a view of the empty Tomb and so be satisfied that Christ was
any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodyes and I may add your mortal souls by his spirit that dwelleth in you Christs Spirit if Christs resurrection be ours will have the same operation and effect in our souls that it had in his body as it raised up the one so it will raise up the other as it quickened the one so it will quicken the other But the question here will run on how shall we know whether we have received this quickning Spirit many pretend to the Spirit never more than at this day but how may we be assured that the Spirit is ours I answer 1. The Spirit is a Spirit of illumination here is the beginning of his work he begins in light as in the first creation the first-born of God's works was light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be light and there was light so in this new creation the first work is light God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Hence the state of nature is called darkness and the state of grace is called light Ye were sometimes darkness but now ye have light in the Lord. Eph. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 And he hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light There is a light in the mind and a light in the heart of those who have the Spirit of Christ there is a speculative and an affective knowledg not only to know the truth but to love it believe it embrace it O my soul wouldst thou know whether Christs Spirit be thine consider and see then whether any of this new light of Jesus Christ hath shined into thy heart take heed deceive not thy self thou mayest have a great deal of wit and knowledg and understanding and yet go to hell this light is a light shining into thy heart this light is a Christ-discovering light this light is a sin-discoverings light this light will cause thee to find out thy hypocrisy deadness dulness in spiritual duties if thou hast not this light thou art near to eternal burnings darkness is one of the properties of hell and without this light inward darkness will to utter darkness where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth 2. This quickening spirit is a spirit of faith as it reveals Christ so it inclines mens hearts to close with Christ upon those Gospel-terms as he is offered I know there are degrees and measures of faith but the least measure of faith is a desiring panting breathing after the Lord Jesus and no sooner hath the soul received that new light from the spirit of Christ but it is presently at the same instant exceedingly affected with Jesus Christ O it desires Christ above all desires I know not a more undeceiving sign than this read over the whole Bible and where ever there was any soul-saving discoveries there ever followed inward desires soul-longings after Jesus Christ when Paul preached of the resurrection of Christ some there were that mocked jeered and slighted that doctrine but others whose heart the Lord stirred they were exceedingly taken with it saying we will hear thee again of this matter yea this very Sermon so wrought on some that they believed among whom was Dyonysius the Areopagite a woman named Damaris and others with them Acts 17.32 34. and when he preaced another Sermon on the same subject at Antioch the Jews were much offended but the Gentiles were so exceedingly taken with it that they besought Paul that these words the very same resurrection Sermon might be preached to them the next Sabbath day Their very hearts did so long after Christ whom Paul had preached that when the congregation was broken up Acts 13.42 many of the Jews and religious Procelites followed Paul and Barnabas and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the same Sermon O my soul 43. dost thou hear these Sermons of Christs resurrection dost thou hear sweet-Gospel-preaching 44. dost thou hear the free tenders and offers of Christ with all his glory and excellency to poor sinners to vile lost undone souls and art thou no whit taken with them canst thou sleep away such Sermons as these hast thou no heart-risings no stirrings workings longings desires in thy soul O take heed this is a dangerous case but on the contrary if thou sayest in thy heart Oh that I could hear this Sermon again O the sweet vertues of Christs resurrection I had not thought such honey could have dropped out of this rock O the blessed beginnings and springings of grace which I felt in my soul on such a meditation Oh the desire the delight O the longings O the comforts of Christs resurrection O the drawings of the Spirit inclining my heart to receive Jesus Christ to close with him and to rest on him and to give up my self to him why this Spirit of faith doth argue thy title and interest to the quickening spirit of Christ 3. Thy quickening Spirit is a Spirit of sanctification such was the Spirit whereby Christ was raised he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead That same Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ was that same divine Spirit which sanctified his humane nature wherein it dwelt and such is that quickening Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth it is a Spirit of holiness and it works holiness changing the heart and turning the bent of it from sin to holiness 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new q. d. When once the believer is by an act of faith passed over unto Christ there goes immediately from the Spirit of Christ into his soul an effectual power which alters and changes the frame of the whole man now he is not the same that he was he is changed in his company in his discourse in his practise he is changed in his nature judgment will affections he is sanctified throughout in soul body and Spirit O my soul try thy self by this sign dost thou find such an inward change wrought in the soul dost thou find the law of God a law of holiness written on thy hearr dost thou find a law within thee contrary to the law of sin commanding with authority that which is holy and good so that thou canst say with the Apostle I delight in the law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.23 25. Rom. 8.1 and with my mind I my self serve the law of God if so surely this is no other but the
Christ was not David's Lord meerly as man but as God And 2. He sits at God's right hand as man too hereby his Humanity was exalted and a Power is give to Christ as man He hath given hiw power to execute judgment John 5.27 in as much as he is the Son of man In the administration of his Kingdom the man-hood of Christ doth concur as an Instrument working with his God-head Hence this Session at God's right hand is truly and properly attributed to Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only to the one nature of Christ whether Divine or Humane Or it is attributed to Christ as Mediator in which respect he is called an high Priest Heb. 8.1 We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens And in which respect he is called a Prince Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour Now Christ is not a Priest and a Prince meerly according to one Nature whether Divine or Humane I deny not but Christ had a natural Kingdom with his Father as God before the foundation of the world but this Kingdom as God-man Christ had not before his Asension into heaven So then Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by a mediatory action which he executeth according to both natures the word working what pertaineth to the word and the flesh what appertaineth to the flesh Christ is Mediator as God and man and glory hath redounded unto him as God and man and living in this glory he ruleth and governeth his Church as God and man he ascended indeed into heaven in his humanity only but he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediator in respect of both natures The Lutherans attribute this Session at God's right hand only to the humane nature of Christ they say this Session is nothing else but the elevating of his humane nature to the full and free use of some of the divine properties as of omnipotency omniscience omnipresence the ground of this error is that they suppose upon the union of the two Natures in Christ a real communication of the divine properties to follow so that the humane nature is made truly omnipotent omniscient omnipresent not by any confusion of properties nor yet by any bare communion and concourse of it to the same effect each nature working that which belongeth to it with commuion of the other for this we grant but by a real donation by which the divine properties so become the properties of the humane nature that the humane nature may work with them no less than the Divine nature it self for the perfecting of it self Against this opinion we have these Reasons 1. The union cannot cause the humane nature to partake more in the properties of the Divine than it causeth the Divine to partake in the properties of the humane 2. If a true and real communication did follow of the Divine Attributes it must needs be of all the Attributes as of eternity and infiniteness seeing these are the Divine Essence which can no way be divided 3. Infinite perfections cannot perfect finate natures no more than reasonable perfections can make perfect unreasonable creatures 4. To what end should created gifts serve which Christ hath received above measure if now more noble properties should enter and be conferred on Jesus Christ other reasons are given in but I willingly decline all controversal points SECT VI. Of the Reasons why Christ doth sit on God's right hand 4. WHy doth Christ sit at the right hand of God his Father in glory I answer 1. On Christ's part that He might receive power and dominion over all the creatures Math. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth he speaks of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed Christ at his Session received a power imperial over every Creature that he hath Power over the Angels is plain both by the reverence they do him and by their obedience towards him at the name of Jesus every knee must bow good Angels and evil Angels must yield signs of subjection to Jesus Christ if the Saints shall judge the Angels how much more shall Christ Oh what Power hath Christ himself this way and as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose it is Jesus Christ that is Crowned with Glory and Honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 27.8 And hence it is that when the Apostle speaks of Christs session at the right hand of God he tells us he is far above all Principalities and Powers on earth Eph. 1.21 and Mights and Dominions in Heaven yea that Angels and Authorities 1 Pet. 3.22 and Powers are made subject unto him 2. On our part many reasons may be given As 1. That he might be the Head of his Church I mean not head in a large sense for one who is in any kind before another for so Christ is the head of Angels and God is the head of Christ and to this we have spoken before But in a strict sense for one that is in a near and communicative sort conjoyned with another as the Head is conjoyned with the Body and Members and so is Christ the head of his Church Look as the King hath a more intimate and amiable Superiority over the Queen then over any other of his Subjects so is it here in Christ our King he is more amiably tempered and more nearly affected to his Spouse and Queen the Church of God then to any other whomsoever And to this purpose he sits at Gods right hand that having now fulness of Grace and Glory in himself he might be ready to communicate the same to his Church who are as the members of his body that he might give them Grace here and Glory hereafter when he shall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and be all in all 2. That he might be the object of divine adoration then especially it was said and accomplished Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 and let all men Honour the Son as they Honour the Father After Christ's Session John 5 23. Stephen looken up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and then he Worshipped and called upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is true Acts 7.59 that the ground of this divine adoration is the Union of the two natures of Christ and therefore the Magi worshipped him at his Birth and as soon as ever he came into the World the Angels of God Worshipped him but because by his Session at God's right hand the Divine Nature was manifested Heb. 1.6 and the Humane Nature was exalted to that dignity and glory which it never had before therefore now especially and from this time was the honour and
dignity of Worship communicated to him as God and man And hence Divines usually make this one ingredient of Christ's sitting at the right hand of God viz. That Christ God and Man is the object of Divine adoration O it is a great thing and admirable and full of wonder that the man Christ should sit above at God 's right hand and be adored of Angels and Archangels Chry. Hom. 5 in Heb. Before this was the grace of Union conferred on Jesus and so he was adored before he suffered but after he had humbled himself and was made obedient unto death even to the death of the Cross then yea and therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name Phil. 2.8 9 10 11. which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father He was Lord before in that he is the Son of God but now he is Lord again by vertue of his humiliation and Session at God's right hand Trouble not your selves with their objection who say That if adoration be due to Christ as God and man that then the humane nature is to be adored the Person adored is man but the humanity it self is not the proper object of that Worship There is a difference betwixt the concrete and the abstract though the man Christ be God yet his manhood is not God and by consequence not to be worshipped with that worship which is properly and essentially Divine Certainly if adoration agree to the humanity of Christ then may his humanity help and save us but the humanity of Christ cannot help and Save us because omnis actio est suppositi whereas the humane nature of Christ is not suppositum a subsistance or personal being at all 3. That he might intercede for his Saints Heb. 8.1 2. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Summe we have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens and a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men he is set on the right hand of God as an high Priest or Minister to intercede for us For as Christ is not entred into the holy Place made with hands which are the Figures of the true Heb. 9.24 but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us This appearing is an expression borrowed from the custome of human Courts for as in them when the Plaintiff or Defendant is called their Attorney appeareth in their names so when we are summoned by the justice of God to answer the complaints which it preferreth against us we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous John 2.1 Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. and he standeth up and appeareth for us or it may be this appearing hath a respect to the manner of high Priests in the time of the Law for as they used to go into the most holy place with the names of the Children of Israel written in precious stones for a remembrance of them that they might remember them to God in their Prayers so Jesus Christ being gone up to Heaven he there presents to his Father the Names of all his chosen and he remembers them to his Father in his Intercessions Certainly Christ is not gone to Heaven and advanced to the right hand of God only to live in eternal joy himself but also to procure happiness for his Saints it is to excellent purpose and to the great good of his Church that he sits at the right hand of his Father for thereby he governs and protects his people and he continually executes the Office of his Priesthood presenting himself and the sacrifice of himself and the infinite merit of that sacrifice before the eyes of his Father in their behalf 4. That true Believers may assuredly hope by vertue of Christs Session to sit themselves in the Kingdom of Glory Heb. 1.5 It is true that Christ and only Christ hath his seat at the right hand of God to which of the Saints or of the Angels did he ever say sit thou at my right hand It is a prerogative above all Creatures and yet there is something near it given to the Saints Rev. 3.21 for him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also am set down with my Father in his Throne There is a proportion though with an inequality we must sit on Christ's Throne as he sits on his Fathers Throne Christ only sits at the right hand of God but the Saints are to sit at the right hand of Christ Psal 45.9 and so the Psalmist speaks upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir It is enough to greaten the Spirits of Saints how should they tread on earth and contemn the World when they consider that one day they shall judg the World 1 Cor. 6.2 do you not know that the Saints shall judg the World nay 2 Tim. 2.12 when they consider that one day they shall reign with Christ if ye suffer with him ye shall reign with him Christ sitting in Heaven is a very Figure of us Christ's person is the great model and first draught of all that shall be done to his Body the Saints therefore he is said to be the Captain of our Salvation that leads us on he is said to be our fore-runner into Glory he breaks the clouds first he appears first before God he sits down first and is glorified first and then we follow Christ wears the Crown in Heaven as our King and he is united and marryed to God as our proxy And yet there is another ground of hope not only shall we sit with Christ in Glory but even now do we sit with him in Glory Christ is not only gone to heaven to prepare a place for us but he sits in Heaven in our room and God looks on him as the great picture of all that body whereof he is Head and he delights himself in seeing them all Glorified as in his Son To this purpose the Saints are said to sit down with Christ at very present Ephes 2.6 he hath made us to sit together with him in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ in our nature is now exalted this is that admirable thing which carried up Chrysostom into an extasie that the same nature of which God said dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return should now sit in Heaven at God's right hand but not only the human nature but Christ in person sits there as a common person in our stead he is in his Throne and we sit with him in supercelestial places O what structures and pillars of hope are raised up here 5. That he might defend
Christs Resurrection and the coming down of the holy Ghost What was the meaning of this but to hold harmony and to keep correspondency with those memorable things as on the day of Pentecost fifty days after the feast of the Passeover the Israelites came to mount Sinai there received they the Law a memorable day with them and therefore called the feast of the Law so the very same day is accomplished that prophesie Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 now was the promulgation of the Gospel called by James the Royal Law Jam. 2.8 as given by Christ our King and written in the hearts of his servants by this holy Ghost it seems to shadow out the great difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel the Law was given with terrour in lightning and thunder it discovers sin declares God's Wrath frights the Conscience but the Gospel is given without terrour there was no lightning and thunder now no no the holy Ghost slides down from heaven with grace and gifts and with great joy sits on the heads and in the hearts of his Saints 2. On the Jubilee or fiftyeth year was a great feast whence some observe that the Latines made their word Jubilo to take up a Merry Song though the word be derived from the Hebrew Jobel which signifies a Rams horn for then they blew with Rams horns as when they gathered the people to the Congregation they blew their Silver Trumpets There were many uses of this feast 1. For the general release of Servants 2. For the restoring of Lands unto their first owners who had sold them 3. For the keeping of a right chronology and reckoning of times for as the Greeks did reckon by their Olimpiads and the Latine by their Lustra so did the Hebrews by their Jubilees this falls fit with the proclaiming of the Gospel which is an act or tender of Gods most gracious general free pardon of all sins and of all the sinners in the World now was the sound of the Gospel made known unto all Acts 2.5 out of every Nation under heaven now was that spiritual Jubilee which Christians enjoy under Christ now was the remission published which exceeded the remission of the Jubilee as for as the Jubilee exceeded the remission of the Seventh year i.e. not only seven times but seventy times seven times Mat. 18.22 Lev. 23.17 20 3. On the day of Pentecost they offered the two wave-loaves called the bread of the first fruits unto the Lord. In like sort this very day the Lord of the harvest so disposing it the Apostles by the assistance and effectual working of the Spirit offered the first-fruits of their harvest unto the Lord Act. 2.41 for the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls We see the circumstance of time hath its due weight and is very considerable when the day of Pentecost was fully come then came the holy Ghost SECT VIII Of the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent 2. FOr the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent it is said to all that were with one accord in one place Act. 2.1 who they were it is not here exprest yet from the former chapter we may conjecture Acts 1.13 14. they were the twelve Apostles together with Joseph called Barsabas and the Women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and his brethren these all continued with one accord in one place for so was Christs command that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me This promise we read of in the Evangelists Act. 1.4 when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father John 15.26 even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he will testifie of me Luke 21.49 And behold I send the promise of the Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be indued with power from on high It was the great promise of the Old Testament that Christ should partake of our humane Nature and it was the great promise of the New Testament that we should partake of his divine Nature he was cloathed with our flesh according to the former and we are invested with his Spirit according to the latter promise For this promise the Apostles and others had long waited and for the accomplishment they were now fitted and disposed 1. They had waited for it from the Ascention day till the feast of Pentecost he told them at the very instant of his Ascention that he would send the holy Ghost and therefore bid them stay together till that hour upon which command they waited Isa 28.16 and continued waiting until the day of Pentecost was fully come He that believeth shall not make hast saith Isaiah surely waiting is a Christian duty for the Vision is yet for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 but at the end it shall speak and shall not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Well may we wait and wait for him if we consider how God and Christ have waited for us and our conversion and especially if we consider that the Comforter will come and when he comes that he will abide with us for ever But 2. John 14.16 As they waited for the Spirit so they were rightly disposed to receive the Spirit for they were all with one accord in one place Mark here the qualifications of these persons they were all with one accord c. To those that accord in the Spirit given where is nothing but discord jars divisions fractions there is no Spirit of God for the Spirit is the Author of concord peace unity and amity he is the very essential unity love and love-knot of the two persons the Father and the Son even of God with God and he was sent to be the union love and love-knot of the two natures united in Christ even of God with man and can we imagine that essential unity will enter but where there is unity can the Spirit of unity come or remain but where there is unity of Spirit verily there is not there cannot be a more proper and peculiar a more true and certain disposition to make us meet for the Spirit then that quality in us that is likest to his nature and essence and that is unity love concord do we marvel that the spirit doth scarcely pant in us Alas we are not all of one accord the very first point is wanting to make us meet for the coming of the holy Ghost upon us We see the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent they were they that were together with one accord in one place SECT IX Of the manner how the holy Ghost was sent 3. FOr the manner how he was sent or how he came to these Apostles we may observe these
given to Christ such as Mediator Intercessor Appellationes officii competunt Christo secundum utramque naturam c. agree unto him according to both natures and can the act of Christ's intercession be the act of Christ's manhood alone what to hear and offer up prayers to receive and present the prayers and praises and other spiritual sacrifices of all believers in the World to negotiate for them all at one and the same time according to the variety and multiplicity of their several occasions surely this is and must be the work of an infinite and not of a finite agent this cannot be effected without the concurrence of the divine nature with the humane but what needs any further answer to this objection suppose Christ intercede to himself as God that is not immediately and directly to the same person God the Son though to the same God essentially indeed Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in respect of his natures agreeth with both being not only God not only man but God-man man-God blessed for ever but in respect of his person being the second person in the Trinity he is distinct from both 1. From the personality of man for he hath only the personality of God and not of man 2. From the first person of the God-head who is God the Father 1 John 5.7 for there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one i e. three persons and but one God SECT IV. For whom this Intercession is made 4. FOR whom is this Intercession made I answer 1. Negatively not for the World John 17.9 I pray not for the World saith Christ whiles Christ was on Earth he would not so much as spend his breath or open his lips for the World he knew God would not hear him for them in like maner Christ prays now in Heaven Not for the World he never had a thought to redeem them or to save their fouls and therefore they have no share in his intercessions I know the objection that Christ upon the the Cross Luke 23.34 prayed for the bloody Jews Father forgive them for they know not what they do but that might be of private duty as man who in that respect submitted himself to the Law of God which requires that we forgive our enemies and pray for them that persecute us and not of his proper office as Mediator or if it be referred to the proper mediatory intercession of Jesus Christ which I rather think it will not prove that he prayed for them all universally but only indefinitely i.e. only for them that were present at his crucifying and that in simplicity of heart and not of affected ignorance crucified Christ and accordingly this prayer was heard which so many of the Jews were converted at Peter's Sermon Act. 2.41 what needs more his own words are express that Christ's intercessions are not for the World or reprobates So much negatively 2. Positively Christ's intercession is general and particular for all and every faithful man John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you Luk. 22.31 32 that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not As the High-Priest went into the Sanctuary with the names of the twelve tribes upon his brest so Christ entred into the holiest of all with the names of all believers upon his heart and still he carries them upon his brest and presents his will and desire unto his Father for them nor doth he only intercede in general but Simon Simon mark that what ever thy name is John Peter Thomas Mary Martha if thou art a believer Christ prays for thee it is our common practise to desire the prayers one of another but O who would not have a share in the prayers of Jesus Christ why certainly if thou believest in Christ Christ prays for thee I have prayed and I will pray for thee saith Christ that thy faith fail not SECT V. What agreement there is betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the High-Priests of Old 5. WHat agreement is there betwixt the intercessions of Christ and the intercessions of the High Priests of Old Among the Jews in the times of the Old Testament they had an High-Priest who was in all things to stand betwixt God and them Now as the Jews had their High-Priest to intercede for them so the Lord Jesus was to be the High-Priest of our Christian profession and to intercede for us it will therefore give some light to this doctrine of intercession if we will but compare these two and first consider what agreement betwixt Christ and the High-Priests of Old betwixt Christ's intercession and the High-Priests intercessions 1. Christ and the High-Priests of Old agreed in name not onely they but Christ himself is called an High-Priest Heb. 8.1 Heb 3.1 We have such an High-Priest who is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Heb. 5.6 Jesus Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech The Old Priest-hood of Aaron was translated into the Priest-hood of Jesus Christ so that he was a Priest as well as they 2. They agreed in office that consisted of two parts oblation and presentation First They offered a sacrifice And secondly They presented it in the holy of holies with prayer and intercession unto God the one was done without the other within the holy of hollies and in answer thereunto there are two distinct parts of Christ's Priesthood 1. The offering of himself a sacrifice upon the Cross 2. The carrying of himself and of his blood into the holy of holies or in the heaven of heavens where he appears and prays in the force of that blood and this was so necessary a part of his Priest-hood that without this he had not been a compleat Priest Heb. 8.4 for if he were on earth he should not be a Priest that in if he should have made his abode upon the earth he should not have been a compleat or perfect Priest seeing this part of it which we call the presentation or intercession lay still upon him to be acted in heaven And indeed this part of his Priest-hood is of the two the more eminent yea the top and height of his priest-hood and therefore it is held forth to us in the Types of both those two orders of Priest-hood that were before him and Figures of him both that of Aaron and Melchizedech 1. This was Typified in that Levitical Priest-hood of Aaron and his fellows the highest service of that Office was the going into the holy of hollies and making an attonement there yea this was the height of the high Priest's honour that
such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Because it favours too much of the error of Arrius Nestorius and indeed of the Romanists themselves 3. Because our prayers are most-what directed to Christ in his person or divine subsistence whose part is rather to give than to ask or if they are directed to Christ as Mediator and not simply as the only begotten Son of God then I see no incongruity though in the former respect some inconvenience but that we may pray to Christ to intercede for us for so he is God and man and he is considered according to both Natures only the difference of both Natures is still to be kept and maintained intercession is the office of the whole person of Christ and of the two natures of Christ But he performs this office one way according to his Divine nature and another way according to his humane nature I list not to quarrel about niceties it is thus agreed on all hands and that is enough to our purpose that we may call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus that Christ's intercessions may be ours and that he would make it out to us in a way of assurance every day more and more 2. Let us praise let us bless God and bless Christ for every transaction in Heaven for us It is a wonder to observe what songs of praise were chanted to Christ in Heaven for that one transaction of opening the Book and loosing the seven Seals thereof first The four beasts Rev. 5.8 9 11 12 13 14. and then the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And then the Angels round about the Throne whose number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands came on saying worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And then every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea came on saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever and the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever I cannot tell what other transactions may be in Heaven we have but hints of them here nor shall we fully or particularly know them till we come to Heaven but for this one transaction of Christ's intercession we cannot imagine less praise to be given to Christ than for any other O then let us do this duty on earth as it is done in Heaven what is Christ praying for us O let us be on the exercise of praising him is Christ interceding for us let us give him the glory of his intercession Heaven is full of his praises O why should not earth ring with the sound thereof Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his intercession I cannot think but in every action of Christ there is something imitable of us And as to the present work I shall instance only in these few particulars As 1. Christ appears in Heaven for us let us appear on earth for him Is there not equity as well as conformity in this duty O my soul consider what thy Christ is doing consider wherein the intercession of Jesus Christ consists is not this the first part of it why he appears in Heaven before Saints and Angels and before God his Father in thy behalf and art thou afraid to appear before worms mortals dust and ashes in his cause or for his truth shall Jesus Christ own thee in Heaven and wilt thou not own Jesus Christ here in this world shall Jesus Christ as thy great high Priest take thy very name carry it upon his breast into the presence of God and wilt not thou take the Name of Christ and hold it forth in profession and practise to all men Oh what a mighty engagement is here to stand to Christ and to appear for Christ and to own his cause in these backsliding-times in that Christ who sits at the right hand of God is willing and ready to appear in person for us both as a Mediator and Sponsor and Solicitor and Advocate and Leiger Embassador 2. Christ spends all his time for us and our salvation let us spend all our time for him and in his service the Apostle tells us that He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 it is not for a day or a month or a year but he lives for ever upon this account for ever i.e. during all the time from his Ascension until the end of the world he is still interceding he spends of all that time for us and shall we think it too much time to spend a few dayes that we have here to live upon the earth for him one thinks this the greatest Argument in the world to make us to walk closely with God in Christ He spends of his eternity for us and shall not we spend of our whole time for him surely people do not think what Christ is doing in Heaven for them if you who are Saints would but seriously consider that Christ this Sabbath this day of rest is at his work that without any weariness or intermission from morning till evening and from evening till morning he is ever ever interceding how would this engage you in his service Ah Christians if you should continue praying praising reading hearing all this day without any intermission or breaking off Oh what weariness O how would you say When will the day be done when will the Sabbath be at an end Well but Christ is not weary of serving you this Sabbath and the last Sabbath and the other Sabbath and every Sabbath when you had done your duties he took your persons and duties and presented all unto his Father he prayed over your prayers and continued praying and saying Lord accept of a short poor lean imperfect service done on earth for my sake and for those merits sake which I am continually presenting to thee here in heaven Oh why do we not come up to this conformity Oh why are we so uncomformable to the actings of Christ he is preparing Mansions for us in Heaven and are we digging in this world he is making mention of our names to God and are we sinning against him and God his blood cryes O that these souls may be saved and shall our sins cry It is just that these souls should be damned O mind the exemplar Christ spends
and destroys the sense as the Sun by its brightness darkens the eye and other things by mighty sounds bring deafness to the ear Paul indeed had a vision of glory but because his faculties were not glorified he was he knew not how whether in the body or out of the body whether alive or dead he did not know certainly the sight of the glory of the other world would amaze distract and destroy us if we had a sight of it as now we are but in heaven the eye shall have great pleasure in beholding the brightest light because it shall be advanced to the highest pitch of strength that may be 2. As the eye shall be glorified so it shall act in a glorified body and this will make the sight of the glory of Christ in stead of hurting us to leave upon us a more sweet enlivening and powerful impression By this means all the impediments that hinder the conveyance of divine influences from that heavenly object will be removed To illustrate this let the most excellent sight be set before a man that is defective in his bodily state and it doth not take him what should a sick man do with such things he makes nothing of the most pleasant gardens orchards buildings nor of the most glorious sights that are when he is sick they are but sick things to him and of none effect but in heaven the body shall be glorified and stript of all corruptions and imperfections so that there shall be no bar unto the influences of the glory of Christ which shall there be seen 3. As there shall be a glorified eye acting in a glorified body so it shall be acted by a glorified Spirit the eye is but the organ or instrument of sight and without the spirit would conveigh no more then a glass doth it is the Spirit of a man that gives life to vision it is the Spirit of a man that discovers things and sets them forth in their worth vertues ends now in heaven the spirit of men shall be glorified and enabled to perform all those offices in perfection so that when a man shall look on the man Christ Jesus by vertue of a glorified spirit he shall see more know more taste more than any other can As a man of understanding when he looks on a diamond or a wedge of gold he hath other apprehensions of it and a further touch upon his spirit then a beast or a child in a cradle hath so where the sight of the eye is acted by a glorified mind it takes in more from the sight of every thing which is to be seen unexpressibly more then what can be done here by the most sanctified Spirit in the World Now in these respects Christ's glorified body though it be the brightest visible thing in the Heaven of Heavens yet may it be the object of the eye of Saints for they shall have glorified eyes in glorified bodies and acted by their glorified spirits 2. There is a mental vision a sight of Christ by the eyes of our understandings and surely this exceeds the former the eye of the body is only on the body of Christ but the eye of the soul is on the body and soul on the Humanity and Deity of Jesus Christ This is the very top of heaven when Saints shall be illightned with a clear and glorious sight of Christ as God Divines usually call it Beatifical vision Quest But how shall Saints behold the glorious Essence or God-head of Christ Answ 1. Some say Christ as God or the God-head of Christ shall be known by the Humanity of Christ such a lustre of his Deity shall shine through his humanity as that thereby and by no other means shall the Essential glory of Christ appear 2. Others say That besides the Humanity of Christ there shall be a species representing the Divine Essence of Christ and a light of glory elevating the understanding by a Supernatural strength and that thereby the glorious Essence of Christ shall be discovered 3. Others say That the Divine Essence shall be represented to the glorified understanding not by Christs humanity nor by any species but immediately by it self yet they also require a light of glory to elevate and fortifie the understanding by reason of its weakness and infinite disproportion and distance from the incomprehensible Deity 4. Others hold that to the clear vision of Christ as God there is not required a sight of Christ's humanity as the first suppose nor a species representing the Divine Essence as the second suppose nor any created light elevating the understanding as the third suppose but only a change of the natural order of knowing It is sufficient say they that the Divine Essence be immediately represented to a created understanding which though it cannot be done according to the order of nature as experience tells us for so we conceive things as first having passed the sense and imagination yet it may be done according to the order of Divine grace I shall not enter into these Scholastical disputes 1 Cor. 13.12 Rev. 22.4 it is enough for a sober man to know that in heaven we shall see him face to face his Servants shall serve him and they shall see his face Quest His face what 's that I answer Answ 1. They shall see Christ as God of the same Essence with the Father and the holy Ghost and yet a distinct Person from them both they shall see the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity they shall see how the Son is begotten of the Father and how the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son they shall see the difference between the generation of the Son and procession of the Spirit These are mysteries in which we are blind and know very little or nothing but in seeing his face we shall see all these 2. They shall see Christ at their first being or principle of all the good that is in the World they shall see how all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made they shall see all the good in the creature as flowing from Christ John 1.3 and as contained in the absolute perfection of Christ's Divine Nature they shall see in one Christ all the excellencies of all the creatures united which is indeed to see him in his eminency if there be any beauty riches honour goodness in any creature that is eminently transcendently and originally in Christ and that shall be seen 3. They shall see Christ in all his ways counsels decrees executions transactions from everlasting to everlasting that great business of Election and Reprobation will then be discovered it is an expression of Augustine They shall then see the reason why one is Elected and another Reprobated why one is rich and another poor they shall then see all the works that ever God did or that ever God will do it is not yet Six thousand years since
the creation of the World and what is Six thousand years to Eternity certainly the truth of Origen's opinion touching the existency of other worlds before this Orig. l. de Prin cipiis 3. c. 5. and the future succession of other Worlds after this will then be known If no worlds before this yet if God in Christ hath done such great things in only Six thousand years what he may do in the next Six thousand years and so in the next Six thousand years who now can tell we see not these things but the Saints in seeing the face of Christ shall see all things 4. They shall see Christ in all his glory ways counsels decrees executions transactions as working for their happiness Now this 〈◊〉 more then the former there 's a great deal of difference in seeing an object as excellent in it self and in seeing an object as conducing to my happiness As one that is a stranger and another is an heir rides over such a demesgne the stranger rides over it and takes delight to see the situation rivers trees and fruits but the heir looks upon it after another manner this saith he is the land for which my Father laid out so much and all to enrich me and all to bestow it on me as my Inheritance So the Saints admitted into the glorious sight of Christ they take not only a view of Christ of the Essential glory of Christ of the transactions of Christ things excellent in themselves but they see all these as to make them happy they say of Christ and of all his actings these are mine and for my happiness A stranger may look upon a King and see beauty and Majesty and glory and honour in him but the Queen looks upon the King and his beauty as her own so the Saints look upon the King of Heaven they see Christ and all in Christ as their own to make them happy for ever and ever 5. They shall see Christ as he is but what do we not see him now as he is oh no 1 John 3.2 we now see him not as he is indeed and truth but only as he is in hear-say and report we now see him only as he is shadowed out to us in the Gospel of peace and what is the Gospel but the pourtraiture of the King which he sent to another Land to be seen by his Bride so Kings and Queens on earth wooe one another whilst the Bride is on earth she never seeth him as he is in his best Sabbath-Royal Robe of immediate glory she seeth him rather by the second hand i.e. by messengers words mediation he rather sends his pourtraiture then comes himself but in heaven the Saints see him as he is they see Christ himself in his own very person they see the red and white in his own face they see all the inside of Christ and thousands of excellencies shall then be revealed that we see not now the mysteries of that glorious Ark shall then be opened his Incarnation his two Natures in one person his Suffering as Man and his sitting in the seat of God as God all these shall be seen 6. They shall see Christ without interruption and without intermission to all Eternity If once the eye be set on the face of Jesus Christ it will never be taken off again Some conceive this to be the reason why the Saints in heaven can never fall away because they shall have a continual view of Christ as God Surely to have but one glimpse of Christ in this respect though it were gone presently it were a great happiness beyond all that the World affords it was sometimes the desire of a Philosopher to see the nature of the Sun though he were to be burnt by it so if Christ should but grant us this happiness you shall come to see me but the sight of me will destroy you this were a desirable thing but to have such an excellent glorious sight as shall never end that Christ should not only pass by but stand still so as the soul shall never lose his sight O how glorious is this if a man do but look upon a delightful Object he is loath to have his eye drawn from it surely the eye of Saints shall be eternally opened to see the divine nature of Christ turn them which way they will they shall never turn aside the busied eyes of their understanding from off the Deity of Christ he fills heaven he is that fair Tree of life the branches whereof in all that huge and capacious borders of heaven have not room to grow in for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him O the wonders of heaven There is Abraham Moses Elias the Prophets the Apostles and the glorified Martyrs but the Saints have neither leisure nor hearts to feed themselves with beholding of creatures no no all the eyes of heaven which are a fair and numerous company are upon only only upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Father hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to his Son the Husband hath no leasure to look over his shoulder to his Wife Christ takes all eyes off from such created things surely 't is enough for the Saints and Angels in heaven to study Christ for all Eternity it shall be their only labour to read Christ to smel Christ to hear see and taste Christ to love joy and enjoy Jesus Christ for ever and ever Thus far of the second point how the Saints shall behold the glory of Christ 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all I answer 1. It comprehends the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which Jesus Christ hath 2 Cor. 5.7 In this sense Paul took it when he complained we walk by faith not by sight q. d. on earth we have faith and in heaven we have sight it is some comfort that now I see Jesus Christ by faith but comparatively to that sight which the Saints have in heaven it is as no comfort at all alas I am not I cannot be satisfied so long as I am absent from the Lord I look upon my self as one from home And as a Prince in a strange Land sits down sadly because he hath not the sight of his Father so I am forced to complain O I cannot see my Lord I would fain behold him I am a stranger on earth a Pilgrim in this world I am not where I would be I am absent from him whom I most desire O I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ I walk with him here on earth by faith but to walk with him in the streets of heaven by sight is far better O I long I pant I breath I desire I think every day a year and every year an age till I be in heaven at home in my Father's arms that I may behold and see him and that immediately I say immediately in his glory This
second person the Mediator did bear unto his Father for this very end saith the Apostle God sent his own Son made of a woman Gal. 4.4.5 6. that we might receive the Adoption of Sons wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ intimating thereby that what relation Christ hath unto God by nature we being found in him have the very same by Grace Rom. 8.29 Exod. 4.22 23 he was Gods Son by nature and we are his Sons by Grace he was in a peculiar manner the first born among many Brethren and in him and for him the rest of the Brethren by grace of Adoption are accounted as first-born Heb. 12.23 Heb. 2.16 2. The nature assumed was the seed of Abraham for verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Rom. 1.3 Gen. 3.15 Gal. 4.4 elsewhere the Apostle calls it the seed of David He is made the seed of David according to the Flesh and elsewhere he is called the seed of the Woman I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed and when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman no question she was the passive and material principle of which that precious flesh was made and the Holy Ghost the agent and efficient that blessed womb of her was the Bride-Chamber wherein the holy Ghost did knit that indissoluble knot betwixt our humane Nature and his Deity the Son of God assuming into the unity of his person that which before he was not even our humane Nature O with what astonishment may we behold our dust and ashes assumed into the unity of Gods own Person 3. For the reason of this way why did the person assume a Nature or rather why did not the person of the Son of God joyn it self to a perfect person of the Son of man I answer 1. Because then there could not have been a personal union of both natures and so Christ had not been a perfect Mediator 2. Because then the work of each of the Natures of Christ could not have been counted the works of the whole person whereas now by this union of both natures in one person the obedience of Christ performed in the Manhood is become of infinite merit as being the Obedience of God and thereupon God is said to have purchased the Church with his own Blood Acts. 20.28 3. Because if the Person of the Son of God had been joyned to the Person of man there should have been four Persons in the Trinity It is very observable how for the better preservation of the integrity of the blessed Trinity in the Godhead the humane Nature was assumed into the unity of the second person for if the fulness of the Godhead should have dwelt in any humane Person there should then have been a fourth Person necessarily added unto the Godhead and if any of the three Persons besides the second had been born of a Woman there should then have been two Sons in the Trinity whereas now the Son of God and the Son of Man being but one Person he is consequently but one Son and so no alteration at all made in the relations of the Persons of the Trinity but they are still one Father one Son and one Holy Ghost These are the deep things of God and indeed so exceedingly mystical that they can never be perfectly declared by any man Bernard compares this ineffable mystery of the union of two natures with that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity in unity In the Trinity is three Persons and one Nature in Christ is two Natures and one Person that of the Trinity is indeed the greatest and this of the Incarnation is like unto it they both far exceed mans capacity for his way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters Psal 77.19 and his footsteps are not known 2. For the effects and Benefits of this Hypostatical Union they are either in respect of Christ or in respect of Christians 1. Those in respect of Christ are 1. An exemption of all sin 2. A Collation of all Graces 3. A Communication of all the properties 1. We find that although Christ appeared as a sinner and that he was numbred among the wicked or with the Transgressors Isa 53.12 Isa 53.12 Yet in very Deed and Truth he did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 1 Pet. 2.22 Heb. 7.36 The Apostle tells us he was holy harmless undefiled and separate from Sinners he assumed the nature of man yet by reason of his pure Conception and of this Hypostatical Union he was conceived and born and lived without sin he took upon him the seed of man but not the Sin of man save only by imputation but on this point I shall not stay 2. The Graces collated unto the humanity of Christ by reason of his union are very many I shall instance in some As 1. That the Manhood hath its subsistence in the second Person of the Trinity whereof it self as of it self is destitute 2. That the Manhood is a peculiar Temple for the Deity of Christ to dwell in it is the place wherein the Godhead shews it self more manifestly and more Gloriously than in any other Creature whatsoever it is true that by his providence he shews himself in all his Creatures and by his Grace in his Saints but he is only most Gloriously eternally according to the fulness of his Deity and by an Hypostatical Union in the humanity of Jesus Christ in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Some are of opinion that as now in this Life Col. 2.9 No man cometh unto God but by Christ so hereafter in the next life no man shall see God but in the face of Jesus Christ 3. That in the Manhood is a nearer familiarity with the Godhead than any other Creature whether Men or Angels as sometimes he said My Father and I are one i.e. one essence so he may as truly say the Manhood and I are one i.e. one person for ever 4. That the Manhood of Christ according to its measure is a partner with the Godhead in the work of Redemption and Mediation as he is Immanuel in respect of his person so he is Immanuel in respect of his office He must needs be man as well as God that he might be able to send this comfortable message to the Sons of men go to my Brethren John 20 17. and say to them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God I as man am in the work of redemption and in the work of mediation as well as God my Flesh is indeed the Bread of Life 5. That the Manhood of Christ together with the Godhead is adored and worshipped with Divine honour as in like case