enlivening the soules of men graciously reigning and ruling within them plentifully ministring all spirituall and heavenly gifts unto them k Rev. 7.15 Hee that sitteth on the throne saith Saint John shall dwell among them they shall enjoy his grace and favour here and his glory hereafter The God-head dwells in the humane nature of Christ by personall and perpetuall union of both natures and this is the dwelling here spoken of Whence wee see that Doctr. Christ is God and man in one person by an inseparable union The pillar which conducted Israel was a fire and a cloud yet both but one Pillar Christ the great conductor and guide of Gods Israel is God and likewise man yet in both but one person therefore called l Isa 7.14 Immanuel God with us or God made flesh noting the union of his two natures in one person and his office of mediation between God and Man being the authour of salvation both temporall and eternall to the soule and body of man The Temple was a type of Christ stone without and gold within Christ was flesh without according to his humane nature full of resplendent glory and divine majestie within in respect of his divine nature In the Temple the glory of God appeared the Temple was filled with it in the flesh of Christ the God-head inhabiteth most gloriously replenishing it The m Iohn 1.14 Word sayth Saint John was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The Word was made flesh not by bare and naked inhabitation in the flesh presence with the flesh affection to the flesh or grace and dignity conferred on the flesh nor by conversion of the word into flesh or commixture of the Word with the flesh but by the assumption of our flesh into the unitie of his person the hypostasis or subsistence of the Sonne being made the hypostasis or subsistence of the flesh assumed the flesh subsisting in the person of the Word The Apostle makes mention of the Sonne thus speaking to the Father n Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou fitted me by incarnation by uniting it to my person and this union is not a union of two persons in one Christ but of two natures in one person the subsistence of the word is so communicated to the flesh that the Word and flesh are one person the naturall properties and operations of both natures remaining distinct and without confusion the divine and humane nature are both united the humane nature is assumed the divine nature is the assument not the person but the nature of man not man but the humanitie is taken by Christ into the unitie of his person otherwise hee should not bee one but two persons not one but two Christs The Scripture therefore calles him Davids o Mat. 22.45 Sonne and Davids Lord because hee is both God and Man in one person And this union is without mutation of the divine Person without division confusion or separation of the natures the union is everlastingly permanent Of this Christs appearing to the Fathers of old in the shape of man were Praeludiums Symbols and this was also typified by the Tabernacle of Moses in the Desert that being a type of Christs assuming our flesh and dwelling amongst us as in a Tabernacle The Tabernacle was a testimony of Gods presence with his people p Luk 1.18 78 79. God by his Sonne made flesh doth testifie himselfe to bee graciously present with us The people came to the Tabernacle to worship invocate and offer their Sacrifice unto God God will not bee invocated and adored by man but in and through Christ manifested in the flesh of man And it was necessary that Christ should be God and Man in one person 2 Grounds hereof In regard of the exaltation of the humane nature of Christ above all creatures all Men and Angels 1. Christs exaltation Saints and Angels are one with God and Christ by gracious qualities consent of will and opinion and mysticall conjunction the humane nature of Christ is one with his divine person by a more transcendent eminent and immediate conjunction being assumed into the unity of his person Ioseph was exalted above his brethren above all the Nobles in the Court of Pharaoh Christ even according to the flesh is exalted above all men yea above all the Angels the choycest Nobles of him that is the King of kings From this personall union is derived an incomprehensible communication of all divine and heavenly gifts to the humane nature of Christ an unction above q Ps 45 7. all his fellowes like that of Ioseph to Benjamin five times as good many degrees more excellent then that which is bestowed on his brethren whether Angels or Men the Spirit being given unto him r Ioh. 3.34 above measure having all heavenly fulnesse like the fulnesse of light in the Sunne or waters in the Sea From this union the humane nature obtaines the honour of adoration yet not of the flesh as flesh but of the God-head in the flesh the God-head and the manhood making but one person in the Sonne and hee is said to bee set downe at the right hand of God being made so Å¿ Heb. 1.4 much better then the Angels as hee hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they the Angels being servants Christ a Sonne both by eternall generation and hypostaticall union 2. Mans salvation In regard of mans salvation Such was mans necessitie of Christs incarnation of his assuming mans flesh into the unity of his person that hee could not bee saved but by such a Redeemer as was both God and Man in one person First the Majesty of God the poverty and indigencie of man the greatnesse of the evill to bee removed and the greatnesse of the good to bee restored required that mans Redeemer should bee God Such is the Majesty of God that none could interpose himselfe but hee that is one with the Father the Angels could not they themselves have need of a mediator of t Col. 1.16 17. union and confirmation they themselves compared with God are not u Job 15.15 pure in his sight and therefore they w Isa 6.2 cover their faces how much lesse can man doe it when not one of them is x Rev. 3.10 righteous The evill to be taken away sinne and the consequents of sinne the wrath of God the power of Satan death temporall and eternall are a disease of that difficultie that none can cure it a fire of that heat that none can endure it a burthen of that weight that none can stand under it but hee that is omnipotent for by whose passion can the offence of an infinite Majestie bee expiated but by his who is also infinite By whose intercession can the wrath of God be appeased but by his
light but the Sunne is more full the Rivers be full of waters but the Sea is more full their fulnesse is not communicable to others they cannot derive their graces to others but Christ as a head and fountaine imparts his fulnesse to others and therefore the Apostle saith here of him In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and yee are complete in him who is head of all Principality and power The Apostle having dehorted and disswaded from hearkning to receiving Christs fulness the ground of the Apostles dehortation from humane doctrine and embracing the doctrines traditions devices and inventions of men as from emptie Lamps wherein is no light to discover sin to reveale God in Christ to make man wise unto salvation as from woodden swords fairly guilt and flourisht over but having no edge no power to penetrate the heart to hew downe sinne to cast downe the holds of ungodlinesse as from broken Cisternes wherein is no pure and living water to refresh the soule to satisfie the thirst thereof as from Chaffe wherein is no nourishment to strengthen the inward man and as from false Physicke wherein is no vertue to heale the breaches of the soule and to cure the wounds of the Conscience Having disswaded from this by an argument drawne from the vanitie emptinesse idlenesse unprofitablenesse and deceitfulnesse of such doctrines and observations hee here perswades by another argument drawne from the perfection and fulnesse of Christ In Christ is the height of all perfection such perfection that no more can bee added to him in him meets the fulnesse of all perfections as of beames in one Sunne and lines in one Center and rivers in one Ocean Whatsoever fulnesse or perfection can bee mentioned desired imagined it is to bee found in him It is absurd to runne to a rotten Cisterne for water having by us a full and living fountaine to goe to a glow-worme for light having the Sunne to guide us It is a great folly to have recourse to humane traditions Philosophicall doctrines vaine and empty ceremonies having Christ in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and in whom we are complete In the words wee have a double plenitude or fulnesse The first of Christ A double Fulnesse vers 9. The second of his members vers 10. The first is originall absolute independent the second communicated derivative and borrowed The first is the fountaine the second the streame the first the root the second the branch the first is of the head the second is of the members the first is like the fulnesse of the Sunne the second is like the fulnesse of the Starres the first like the fulnesse of a King the second like the fulnesse of a Subject the former like the fulnesse of the Lord and Master of the house the later like the fulnesse of a Servant in the house For in Christ dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and wee are complete in him who is head of all principality and power First of the former of these Anâ—lysis the plenitude and fulnesse of Christ For in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily In the words wee have 1. Terminus connexionis First a terme or note of coherence For which is a particle redditive rendring the reason of the foregoing sentence Beware lest any man spoyle you through Philosophy and vaine deceit Be not a scholler in their schoole understand not beleeve not adore not after their doctrines there is no need of having recourse to them you have all in Christ For in him is the fulnesse of the God head all fulnesse appertaining to life and happinesse is to bee found in Christ Jesus 2. Subjectum Secondly here is a subject in him in Christ in his person as he is the Sonne of God by eternall generation as he is God and Man in one person as hee is Mediatour a middle person between God and Man by divine ordination by his office of mediation In Christ is such perfection that there needs no addition 3. Actus Thirdly here is the act dwelleth an act of duration Christs humane nature and his God-head are never separated Fourthly 4. Tantum here is the matter which is in Christ and that is a fulnesse a perfection the highest perfection the greatest fulnesse the fulnesse of any thing is the excellencie of the thing fulnesse of corne in the eare fulnesse of branches and fruit on the tree fulnesse of children in the house as of arrowes in a quiver fulnesse of light in the Sunne fulnesse of pretious substance in a pearle is the excellencie of the eare the tree the house the Sunne the pearle divine and incomprehensible fulnesse is the excellencie of Christ Jesus above others Such is Christs fulnesse that in comparison thereof the fulnesse of all creatures is but emptinesse 5. 5. Quale Here is the qualitie or condition of Christs fulnesse The fulnesse of the God-head a fulnesse communicable to no creature In Saints and Angels there is a finite fulness of divine qualities in Christ there is the infinite fulness of the divine essence a fulnesse by which d Heb. 1.4 hee hath obtained a more excellent name then the Angels Hee that partakes of God above others is more excellent then others the Lord Jesus is farre exalted above all creatures Sixtly 6. Modus here is the manner how this fulness dwelleth in Christ Bodily not seemingly but really truly and in deed not figuratively and in shadow as hee dwelt in the Temple but completely not by power and efficacie as hee dwelleth in all creatures nor by grace as in the Saints nor by glory as in the blessed in heaven but Essentially Substantially the humane nature being assumed into union with the person of the Word Great is the difference between the dwelling of the God-head in Christ and in his members Such is the presence of the fulnesse of the God-head in Christ that hee is abundantly able to fill all that come unto him CHAP. II. Declaring the vanity of joyning humane observations to Christ Jesus 1. Terminus connexionis BUt first of the terme of connexion the particle For rendring the reason why wee should abstaine from all forraigne and strange guides to direct us from all the rotten pillars of humane inventions to support us and from the broken Cisterne of all the traditions and observations of men to fill us to perfect us to promote the welfare of our soules for or because in Christ there is all fulnesse and therefore no cause no need of stepping out from Christ of casting our eyes abroad on other lights of joyning other things to Christ of mixing and mingling other things with Christ Whence we learne that Such is Christs fulnesse Doct. that men ought not to joyne to him other Doctrines and observations to further their eternall happinesse Such is the fulnesse of the light of the Sunne that the traveller need not joyne
fathers house Hee that feeds on the huskes of forraine and strange doctrines will starve his soule if hee returne not to God his fathers house where is heavenly bread enough man may feed on these plentifully and yet like Pharaohs leane b Gen. 41. kine after their eating up the fat be as leane as ever Fourthly they pacifie not Like Iobs friends they are miserable c Iob 16.3 comforters they d Zach. 10 2. comfort in vain The e Mark 5.29 woman in the Gospel spent all upon the Physitians and yet could not be cured untill she came to Christ there is no cure for wounded consciences unlesse they come to Christ Jesus Fifthly f 2 Corin. 11.3 they deceive as the Serpent deceived our first parents and as g 2 Kings 18. Rabseca would have deceived Ezekiahs subjects Sixthly they allure and draw to sinne as the h Prov. 7. harlot allured the young man Seventhly they impoverish the soule as by meanes of a whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Eighthly they captivate and bring the soule into bondage make man the servant of men the servant of corruption as Delila by her singing caused Sampson to sleepe and cut off his lockes Ninthly they adulterate the true doctrine of Gods Ministers as tares corrupt the wheat and as a little leaven doth season the whole lumpe Tenthly they derogate from the dignity and honour of Christ Eleventhly they deny Christs authority by making men our Lords and Masters Twelfthly they deny Christs wisedome by setting up other rules to direct us as if Christ had not wisedome enough to guide us O then hold fast that forme of doctrine which Christ hath taught you walke in that light which he hath set up to conduct you and beware of making the doctrines of men the rule of faith or life feed not on them lest they poyson you build not upon them lest they sinke under you leane not on them lest they pierce you walke not after them lest they deceive you but take all your direction from Christ Jesus in whom is all fulnesse This must teach us to suffer our selves in all things to bee guided by Christ 2. An admonition to wait on Christ receive all direction from him to wait upon him to take all our direction from him As Moses received the whole patern of the Tabernacle from the Lord and accordingly framed it so let us receive the whole paterne of our faith and life from Christ accordingly beleeve walke repent and obey Let us wait upon him and receive our commission from him as i 2 Sam. 18. Ahimaas sometime waited upon Ioab and ran when he bid him Let us feele Christ in his fulnesse shining into our hearts as the Sunne in the fulnesse of his strength shineth into the aire filling us with such divine and heavenly light that we may see our owne vilenesse as a man in a glasse beholds his spots that wee may discerne the things that differ as in the day men discerne colours that wee may bee humbled in the apprehension of our owne unworthinesse as Paul fell unto the ground when the light shined about him that wee may know and feele the vanitie and emptinesse of the creature as the children of the Nobles knew the k Ier. 14.4 emptinesse of the pits when they came and found no water in them as Iacob knew the vanity of Laban having changed his wages ten times that we may see the necessitie we have of Christ as the Elders of Gilead saw the need they had of Ieptha and the Gibeonites their need of Iosua that we may behold God in Christ as a Father regenerating us as a King of mercie pardoning us as a gracious friend coÌ„ming neare unto us bestowing all heavenly gifts upon us enriching us with all blessings in Christ Jesus that we may have a cleare apprehension of Christs beauties and bee thereby drawne to value him above all treasures to love him above all friends to honour him above all commanders to desire him above all riches to solace our selves in him as in the Paradise of all our comforts to stay upon him in all distresses to intend him in all our undertakings to meditate upon him at all seasons receiving daily more and more of the fulness of his grace that at length wee may reigne with him in the fulness of his glory CHAP. IV. Setting forth the beautie of all divine and heavenly fulnesse in Christ THe second thing in these words is the Subject in which all fulnesse dwelleth Subjectum and that is in him in Christ in the person of Christ as God and Man in one person in the humane nature assumed into the unity of the second person in the body of Christ as in a * In corpore Christi ceu in Templo Temple saith Augustine Corpus Christi verè est Templum in ipso enim voluit habitare corporaliter tota plenitudo deitatis saith Cyril The body of Christ is truly a Temple for in it would all the fulnesse of the God-head dwell bodily From whence we learne that Doct. All Divine and Heavenly fulnesse is to bee found in Christ Iesus All the fulnesse of the land of Egypt was to bee found with Ioseph All the fulnesse of God of grace of peace of glory is found with Christ It l Col. 1.19 pleased God saith Saint Paul that in him should all fulnesse dwell the fulnesse of wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of all good things have their abode and dwelling in Christ in him they are found in their complete perfection and Christ is said to m Ephes 1.23 fill all in all The Sunne filleth all the Starres with light the Sea filleth all the Rivers with waters Christ filleth all the creatures with a naturall fulnesse Christ filleth all the children of God with a spirituall and heavenly fulnesse and of his fulnesse they are said to n Joh. 1.16 receive as streames from the fountaine branches from the root and members from the head Grace for grace The grace of the new Testament for the grace of the old permanent for shadowish grace or rathâ—r grace upon grace one grace of the Spirit after another the Spirit of Christ daily powring a new increase of grace upon us Such is Christs fulnesse that he more and more filleth the soules of his servants and this fulnesse of Christ is sometimes expressed by likening Christ to a Store-house wherein is all treasure in o Col. 2.3 whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome to a p Rev. 2â— 2 Tree on which growes all varietie and fulnesse of fruit to a q Rev. 19.16 King for the fulnesse of his majestie glory dignity excellencie All creatures are but beggers in comparison of Christ Jesus to a man that keepes open house for his fulnesse freenesse readinesse to communicate to hungry soules r Isa 55.1 Ho saith the Lord by the Prophet every
on earth besides him and is as a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord Isa 62.3 and as a royall Diadem in the hand of his God Joh. 1.12 Rom 8.18 Rev. 1.6 All that have Christ are sonnes of God heires of heaven spirituall Kings hee is most honourable and glorious that comes nighest unto Christ that receiveth most of Christ it is not naturall birth but new birth not worldly abundance but heavenly fulness that honors man in Gods presence * Sola apud Deum libertas est non servire peccatis summa apud Deum nobilitas est clarum esse virtutibus Rev. 12.1 The onely freedome with God saith Ierome is not to serve sinne and with God to excell in vertue is the highest nobility Most honourable and glorious is the description of the Church represented by a woman clothed with the Sunne a crowne of twelve starres on her head and the Moone under her feet That mans condition is questionlesse most honourable that hath the Sunne of righteousnesse clothing him the starre of Gods word guiding him and all the things of the earth put under him 5. The having of all things Fifthly hee that hath Christ hath all shee that is wedded to the Master of the house hath all the house Man by his spirituall wedlocke with Christ hath interest in all the things of this great house of the world Of such as have Christ the Apostle saith All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 23. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods All things are yours all the creatures here below are yours as your servants to doe service to you as all the servants of the house are under the mistresse of the house the Angels are also yours to minister to you as the Nobles of the land are the Queenes to attend and wait upon her All things are appointed for your good for your edification supportation and comfort Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all the Ministers of God from the highest to the lowest are yours as lights to guide you pastors to feed you with knowledge and understanding as shepheards to gather you home to Christ as physicians to heale you as builders to hew and square you as husbandmen to manure and dresse you as the friends of the Bridegroome to wooe you to perswade and betroth you to Christ All the ordinances of God are yours as a schoole to instruct you as a Banquetting house to feed you as an Artillery house to furnish you with spirituall armour as a Bethesda to heale you All these are for your sakes for your good The world is yours as a house for you to dwell in a countrey for you to live in for a season All the goods of the world are yours to use as the things of the house are the wives to use they are all sanctified unto you All the malice and opposition of the world is yours to weane you from the earth to drive you home to Christ to exercise your graces and sweeten unto you Christ Iesus The fulnesse pompe and glory of the world is yours to try your sobriety humility vigilancie and moderation in all things Not onely all things are yours but all conditions whether life or death life is yours the time of life is yours to learne and know God to get assurance of another life The prosperity of life is yours to bee thankfull to God for it the troubles of life are yours to learne to beare the crosse with patience All the severall estates and conditions of life are yours in each of them to shew your subjection and obedience unto God Death is also yours to put an end to all your miseries as a Physician to cure all your diseases as a haven of peace after all tempests as a place of rest after all labours as the red sea to Israel drowning all sinnes ending all sorrowes and giving entrance into endlesse joyes as the red sea drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians and proved a safe passage to the Israelites and gave them occasion of great triumph and exultation Things present and things to come are yours present things are yours present good things are yours to behold God in them to praise God for them to serve God with them to doe good to others by them present afflictions are yours to try you to humble you to purge you to sweeten the meditation of Christ and heaven to you present sinnes are yours to make you vile in your owne apprehension to drive you out of your selves to let you see the necessarie use of Gods ordinances and the necessity of Christ Jesus Things to come are yours afflictions to come are yours to prepare for them sinnes to come are yours to prevent them heaven and happiness to come are yours to sustaine and comfort your selves with the thought and beleefe of them All things of whatsoever kinde or nature are yours and you are Christs Christs servants to obey him Christs Spouse to love him Christs members receiving all from him possessing all in him and Christ is Gods subordinate unto God as Man and Mediator between God and Man Here are all the latitudes of a Christians riches his having of all in Christ Jesus Let the proud man with Nebuchadnezar blesse himselfe in his stately palace let the mighty man with Golâ—ah boast himselfe in his tall stature and strong armour let the valiant man with Senacharib magnifie himselfe in his victories and the covetous blesse himselfe with him in the parable in having his barnes full but let the Christian pronounce himselfe happy onely happy truly happy fully happy everlastingly happy in his having of Christ for Christ Jesus is mans sole and joyfull constant and most glorious happinesse because in him dwells all fulnesse even the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily The last thing in this verse is the manner how the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ and that is bodily in the body or humane nature assumed in that the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth Omnis plenitudo divinae narae in corpore ejus inhabitat All fulness saith Ierom of the divine nature dwelleth in his body And the Apostle addeth this word bodily 1. To put a distinction betweene the dwelling of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed and in the Saints in them the Godhead dwels by the communication of vertue but in this the Godhead dwels personally by the coÌ„munication of the person of the Son to the humane nature 2. This the Apostle addeth to shew that Christ according to his humane nature is head of the Church by reason of the personall inhabitation of the Godhead in the flesh 3. To declare the full and open manifestation of God in Christ God did often manifest himselfe unto men in shadowes and in powerfull and mighty workes but in Christ he hath manifested himselfe most fully dwelling
which Christ hath assumed abides unchangeably united to the person of the Sonne so o Ioh. 15.7 abide with Christ in attendance on his ordinances in faith in his promises in love to his truth and in obedience to his precepts As the assumed nature is ascended from the earth to heaven so raise thy thoughts and affections p Col. 3.2 from the things below to the things above ascend continually by meditation by faith by love and longing to the things which are spirituall As the assumed nature hath no subsistence but in the person of the Sonne so have thou no dependance upon any thing but on Christ alone let him q Psal 73.15 bee all in all And as the assumed nature is filled with the fulnesse of the Godhead so labour more and more to bee filled with the fulnesse of all grace and holinesse so shalt thou maintaine that honour to which Christ hath exalted thy nature CHAP. XII Shewing that mans choycest excellencie consisteth in union with God THis sheweth us wherein the choycest excellencie of man consisteth even in being united unto God in having God dwelling in his heart Wherein stands the excellencie of Christ as Man but in having the Godhead dwelling in his flesh in being assumed into the unity of the second person And wherein stands the excellencie the glory and the happinesse of man but in being reconciled and brought nigh to God in being entred into a sweet and gracious communion with God Is it not the excellencie of the branches to bee united to the Vine of the members to bee united to the head of the wife to have communion with the husband and of the children to have communion with the parent And what is the excellencie the joy and comfort of the soule but sweet and gracious communion with God in Christ Jerusalem though the joy of the whole earth pleased not Absolom unlesse hee might r 2 Sam. 14.32 see the face of his father David The paradise of the world is but a wilderness to to the childe of God unlesse hee see the face enjoy the comfortable presence of God his Father Whom doth the Psalmist pronounce blessed Him that hath communion with Princes in their Courts with Nobles in their honours with valiant men in their victories with rich men in their wealth voluptuous men in their pleasures or him that hath communion with his God in his ordinances in his spirituall comforts Å¿ Psal 65.4 Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approch unto thee whom thou chusest embracing him with thy love adopting him for thy sonne and making him a member of thy Church and causest him to approch unto thee as a Scholler to thy Schoole as a friend to thy house as a childe to thy table as a bride into the bosome of thy love to know thy will to beleeve thy truth to receive thy grace and to feele thy love and to bee satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple What is the fruit and end of all the labours of Gods Ministers but to worke and draw home the soules of men to God to the fruition enjoyment of God to union and communion with God All the labour of Eleazar was to bring home Rebecca unto Isaac to espouse her to Isaac and all the labour of Gods Ministers his servants is to bring men home to Christ to espouse them to Christ as Paul saith I t 2 Cor. 11.2 have espoused you to one husband This is the summe of all to gather men home to God and Christ as Chicken to the Henne as Sheep unto the Shepheard as Children to the Parent that they may bee u 2 Cor. 5.19 reconciled unto God made one with God and have the blessed enjoyment of God as their highest excellency chiefest good And what are the longings of the soules of holy men who have discerned Gods beauties who have tasted Gods loving kindnesse but the fruition of God in his ordinances and in his graces w Ps 42.2 My soul saith David thirsteth for God O when shall I come appeare before God! And againe My soule x Ps 119.20 breaketh for the longings which it hath unto thy judgements at all times Very vehement and laborious are the desires of Gods servants after him and his testimonies desires which doe even consume and weare out the strength and vigour of their soules desires of perseverance longing at all times in prosperitie and adversitie The soule of a good man is restlesse untill it hath the enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ nothing else can content and answere it Herein stands the excellencie the glory and comfort of it untill it attaine this it is unquiet Union and communion with God makes the soule flourish Benefits of union and communion with God as the branches by union with the vine They y Ps 92.12 that are planted in the house of the Lord that draw nigh to God conscionably frequent his word and are ingrafted into Christ they shall flourish in the courts of our God as a watered garden or a tree planted by the waters side this fils the soule with spirituall life with heavenly sense and motion as the members which are united to the head z 1 Ioh. 5.12 Hee that hath the sonne hath life power strength a blessed fulnesse of holy and heavenly life hee spiritually moves and eates and walkes and workes and rejoyceth like a living man this makes him strong as the a Mat. 7. house that was united to the rocke no windes nor waves of trouble can beate him downe this makes him strong as Christ is strong to beare afflictions and to runne like a strong man the race of Gods commandements this sustaines him in all worldly desertions this is in stead of light when he is in darknesse in stead of b Psa 4.6 wealth when he is poore c. Union and communion with God answers all things O be assured then that the top and flower of the soules happinesse consists in union with God and Christ Jesus And as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the humane nature of Christ bodily substantially so labour to feele God in Christ dwelling in thy soule spiritually feele him dwelling there by illumination as the sun dwelleth in the aire by ministration as the vine to the branches by powerfull and gracious gubernation as a centurion in the army a master in the house and a king in his courts by spirituall and holy inclination bowing bending and framing the heart to doe the will of God As the pilot at the sterne workes the ship towards the haven as the spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision being in the wheeles Wheresoever the Spirit moved c Ezek. 1.20 they moved so feele the Spirit of Christ in thy soule so possessing sanctifying and framing it that there be a disposition and readinesse within thee to move as God in his word
of the soule as the cloudes under the Sun Christ being able to dispell and blot them out as the Sun the clouds as debts under a rich man Christ being able to make full satisfaction death and hell are put under him as the o Rev. 1.18 opening and shutting of the house are under him that hath the keyes of the house Absolute universall irresistible is Christs jurisdiction p Mat. 28.18 having all power both in heaven and earth given him Behold in this who are filled with the chiefest choycest fulness Use this is the excellency of Christ Who have choycest fulnesse that hee is filled with all the fulnesse of the Godhead and this is the excellency of the soule to bee filled with the fulnesse of the Spirit of all fulnesse heavenly fulnesse is the choycest Christ of all creatures commeth nearest to God and his fulnesse is the fulnesse of the divine essence Among men such as are most nigh and most deare to God their fulnesse is a fulnesse of heavenly gifts and graces God often fills his enemies with q Psal 17.14 Job 12.6 earthly abilities as Abraham filled the hands of Ismael with the moveables as men fill swine with huskes and Acornes but his friends hee fills with spirituall gifts as Abraham gave the inheritance unto Isaac and Elkana a worthy portion to Hanna Spirituall fulnesse is a portion of the highest price of the sweetest choycest use and with this fulnesse wee must all strive to bee filled Bee not r Ephes 5.18 drunke saith Saint Paul with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the Spirit with the wisedome of the Spirit with the holinesse of the Spirit with the power of the Spirit with the joy and peace of the Spirit Spirituall and heavenly fulnesse is proper to the Lords servants let the covetous like the rich man in the parable fill his barnes with corne let the drunkard like them in the ſ Isay 59.11 Prophet fil themselves with strong drinke let the ambitious like Haman fill himselfe with worldly honours but let the Christian fill himselfe with the graces of the Spirit for this let us pray heare contend and strive to bee filled t Eph. 21.3.19 with the fulnesse of God with the highest measure of spirituall perfection whereunto wee can attaine This fulnesse is the most excellent therefore stiled 1. Excellent the fulnesse of God God is infinitely more excellent then the earth and this fulnesse farre excelleth all worldly fulnesse As Bathsheba said of the vertuous woman Many daughters have done excellently but thou excellest them all so may wee say of this fulnesse how excellently soever other fulnesses may doe in their place and kind yet this fulness of grace excelleth them all This fulnesse is the most permanent 2. Permanent this abideth as the Sunne in the firmament as the waters of the sea as the fire upon the altar when other fulnesse faileth like the waters of Tema and vanisheth like a vapour this is a growing fulnesse like the waters comming out under the Temple rising higher and higher shining like the light more and more to the perfect day This is an honourable fulnesse 3. Honourable it is a Crowne and a Diadem to him that hath it it makes man an excellent man indeed To excell in vertue is mans choycest excellencie It is a sweet and comfortable 4. Sweet satisfactory a satisfactory and contenting fulnesse a Feast of marrow and fat things and of wine refined upon the lees a river that filleth and makes glad the soule Oh then above all fulnesse highly prize diligently seeke earnestly hunger after the fulnesse of God care not for the fulnesse of gold fulnesse of lands fulnesse of honour fulnesse of carnall contentments but for the fulnesse of God this will make thee strong against temptations patient in afflictions joyfull in sufferings holy in thought gracious in speech fruitfull in action humble in prosperity confident in adversitie fervent in prayer profitable in hearing godly in conversation and graciously assured of future fulnesse of an eternitie of all blisse and happinesse CHAP. XIIII Setting forth the superlative excellency of Christ above all creatures HERE as in a glasse wee may behold the transcendent and superlative excellency of Jesus Christ above all the creatures 2 Sam. 18 3. David was better then ten thousands of the people Christ is more excellent then all the thousands of men and Angels Ps 148.13 his name alone is excellent for his divine originall for his union of two natures in one person and for the mighty workes which have beene wrought by him Phil. 2.9 God hath given him a name above every name for dignity majesty authority power and most complete perfection as the name of kings is above the name of subjects the name of an heire above the name of servants the name of a centurion above the name of souldiers the name of ransomer above the name of redeemed captives excelling all the creatures as the tallest cedars the lowest shrubs the most glorious Sunne the weakest lights the deepest Sea the smallest drops the highest Prince the poorest beggars and the richest jewell the most unworthy stone The Apostle saith of the glory of the Law in comparison of the glory of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.10 That which was glorious had no glory by reason of that which excelleth Thus the glory and excellencie of all creatures is as no glory and excellencie in respect of the surpassing glory and excellencie of Christ Jesus Full of divine and heavenly sweet and soule-ravishing excellencie are the names given in sacred Scripture unto Christ as Immanuel Esay 7.14 God with us in regard of his person being God and Man in the unity of his person and in regard of his office being with us by intercession with his Father for us by protection against all enemies by sustentation in all adversities Christs being made one with us is the fountaine of all our happinesse Sometimes hee is stiled Iesus Mat. 1.21 a Saviour no typicall but a proper true spirituall Saviour no mediate but an immediate Saviour a Saviour by merit obtaining salvation by his perfect obedience and satisfaction a Saviour by efficacie applying all his benefits by the operation of his Word and Spirit a Saviour in regard of the terminus à quo the sinnes wrath of God and condemnation from which hee saves us and in regard of the terminus ad quem the perfect righteousnesse favour of God and life eternall whereunto hee brings us Christ is the complete and perfect authour of salvation to all Gods children Full of heavenly sweetnesse is the name Iesus to all true beleevers Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Hony in the mouth musicke in the eare a jubilee in the heart saith Bernard Superlatively sweet and excellent is that salvation which Christ brings to all that unfainedly receive him Sometimes