King so graced with mentall endowments a great Potentate and most Christian King if God had given us one though of obscure parentage it had beene a blessing but much obscured even by this circumstance So if that noble quality of the person ruling hath this force in earthly States what a thing is this that we have one annointed over us who is God over all Now as this increaseth our happinesse and is matter of thanksgiving So it must augment in us all reverence and dutie all holy confidence of obtaining good of getting aid and deliverance against and out of all evils We see the more excellent the gifts are as the strength wisdome of our King the more awfully they are respected the more obsequious we are to them the more confidently we promise our selves all things under their regiment Looke at Salomon one part of wisedome made feare fall on all Israel see their subjection though he taxed them heavily yet none durst quitch against him What shall we be to our God who in his abasement was greater than all Salomons This shall suffice to have observed out of the scope Now for the words themselves 1 For the opening of them 2 The deductions or use of them 1 He is said to be an Image but coessentiall with God the Father whose Image he is 2 He is that is Christ whole CHRIST God and man is said to be this Image of the invisible GOD and that not onely as invisible GOD with the Father but as man visible But this must bee warily understood not that CHRIST man hath qualities of other nature than wee have for more and lesse change not the kinde but because the man is taken into personall union with God the Son So that this man secundum Esse personale is God 3 It is to be marked of what he is the Image not of the personall difference in the Father but of the invisible God-head common to the Son with the Father as the childe is the image of his parent not in regard of the characteristicall property which his father and every one hath in singular to themselves but in respect of the same substance and nature derived by generation from the Father Look Heb. 1.3 Character Personae and that derived by generation from the Father We may learne to see the reason of that truth which our Saviour uttereth to Philip Vse 1 Philip Hee that seeth mee seeth the Father This teacheth us how wee must come into the knowledge of God invisible Vse 2 even by looking unto this visible Image of IESUS CHRIST our LORD Cast thy eyes to that nature of thine thou seest not onely where God is but that which personally is God if one had seene where the HOLY GHOST was and a figure with which Hee did extraordinarily and temporarily testifie His presence yet he should not have seene the HOLY GHOST because the Dove was not so taken in one Person with the HOLY GHOST but this humane nature is taken into fellowship of Person with GOD and so is become GOD. He that seeth this or that body hee seeth the man though he seeth not the spirituall nature in man because he seeth that visible nature which is a part and belongeth to the person of man So who so seeth this visible nature of God the Son may be said to see God though he see not the invisible Godhead because he seeth the nature which is joyned in unity of Person with God 2. By looking at the divine workes which this man wrought we come to conceive of the God-head in this Person as in His giving sight to the blinde raising the dead stilling the Sea I come to see that He is Almighty a quickening Spirit Setting before me that which He speaketh of Himselfe Vse 3 as in a glasse I see a reflected Image with the eye of my minde thus Moses by Faith saw the invisible God Considering such sentences who commeth downe from heaven but the Sonne of man which is in heaven Ioh. 3. I see an omnipotent nature I am the resurrection and the life When He knew their thoughts Lord thou knowest all things who can subdue all things to Himselfe In these and such like sentences let mee see the Image of an All-knowing Omnipotent Life-giving Nature Now thus seeing CHRIST in regard of both Natures I come to see the Father who hath the selfe-same Nature and the Spirit for in this Sonne is the Father and the Father in Him in the Sonne and Father is the Spirit and they in the Spirit This shewes us the grosse idolatry of the Papists Vse 2 who looke at Images of wood and stone at pictures of old men leaving this lively Coessentiall Image that is painted before us in the Gospell This is an introduction to us how wee may come to know the Father and Spirit get CHRIST Vse 3 know Him and thou knowest all The second Person onely is incarnate but the three Persons are all made manifest in that flesh with which the second Person is coupled For the selfe-same divine Nature of the second is the Nature of both the other also We say of a childe like his parent Doe you see this boy you see his father he resembles him up and downe But if thou seest this Sonne then thou feest the Father and Spirit for they are in Him as if wee could suppose three Persons all subsisting in one onely soule and body he that should see the one should see the other for the same soule and body which one hath the other two have also Now followeth his description in regard of that respect He hath to the Creature set downe in this Verse Hee is the first begotten of every creature Secondly Hee is proved both to be the Coessentiall Image of God and first begotten of the Creature by three arguments 1 His creating all Creatures 2 His antiquity and being before all Creatures 3 His susteining all Creatures But these words are doubtfull Two principall constructions are these the one that these words note Christs eternity begotten before all Creatures of the Father by eternall generation Secondly these words may signifie Him to be Heire of the Creatures the Lord of them by a metonymie of the subject for the adjunct the right of inheritance and dominion belonging by God's Law to the first begotten and this I take to be the true meaning for these reasons 1. CHRIST's eternall existence before all Creatures is laid downe in the next Verse save one in plaine words 2. The Holy Ghost construeth this being the first begotten as having this annexed the preeminence over other 3. Hebr. 1.2 Hee is said to be made heire of all things and this followeth For by Him all things were created as a reason both of His being the naturall Son of God with God and true Heire as here the same words are set downe to prove Him the Essentiall Image or naturall Sonne and the first begotten that He is Heire or Lord of all the
obedience which should of grace have that acceptance and the glorious fruit which followed upon them and therefore the Scriptures yea CHRIST Himselfe referres all those benefits to God's grace which upon the death of CHRIST are given us For it was the fatherly love of God which made Him pleased in the death of His Sonne and smell a savour of rest not that the merit of His death did extort so much derigore justiti◠And truly that the second Person should ever be so joyned to our Nature was unspeakable grace the Nature of Angels more excellent than ours found not this favour He tooke not the Angelicall Nature but the seed of Abraham If a King doe but light and rest Himselfe in some meane Cottage it is no small favour But for the immortall God to dwell by indissoluble bond of union personally in such an house of clay as our Nature is sinne excepted it is grace that cannot be comprehended The greater if we consider how that God full of all Majesty and glory by His incarnation thus dwelling in the forme of a servant did emptie Himselfe by vayling under this flesh the brightnesse of His glory We are then hence to learne Vse that all things must be ascribed to God's grace and with CHRIST to rest in this Father it hath pleased thee to give me CHRIST this or that benefit in CHRIST yea to doe all both in me and CHRIST my SAVIOUR to the glory of thy rich grace all must come hither God hath made me good in His eyes for this or that As for the Papists merit even in rigour of justice not onely in gracious fidelity it is prejudiciall to God's grace I think not to be found betweene the Father and the Sonne much lesse betwixt our God and us with whom it were woe if all our merits were not free mercies This in generall Now for the matter affirmed which first is the Qualification of the Person to be a Mediator 2. The work of mediation touching which 3. Things must bee opened 1 How wee are to conceive of the Person here spoken of in Him 2 What is meant by all fulnesse 3 What is meant by dwelling For the first he meaneth the beloved Sonne as Man as of the Person of CHRIST as incarnate the reason is because the Sonne of God absolutely considered as the second Person in Trinity hath all fulnesse not by voluntary dispensation but by naturall necessity in as much as the eternall Father never was nor could be without His eternall Sonne God with Himselfe this thing never was in the power of His free-will For the second you must know that there is in Christ His Person a three-fold fulnesse The first fundamentall the other two following as derived from it The first is the fulnesse of the divine Nature which doth personally dwell with that Man-hood in Christ whence it commeth to passe that this Man is truly called God that is the Man-hood taken into fellowship of the selfe-perfect and eternall Person of the Sonne of God so that it is become as a part of His Person The second fulnesse is the fulnesse of Office to which even Christ Man is called of being our Mediator Priest Prophet and King For in regard of his humane Nature now united to the second Person He is as Man called to be the Christ of God that is Anointed Thirdly the fulnesse of created or habituall graces wherewith the divine Nature doth fill the soule of Christ which are not the divine Properties but effects which the God-head worketh distinct from it as the soule giveth the body a life which is not the life wherewith the soule liveth for then when the body dieth the soule should die likewise but is an effect of it Now all of them may be here understood for they are all antecedent qualifications fitting him for this worke which in the next words is mentioned especially the first Now for the dwelling of all fulnesse in Christ Man the later two are in Him subjectively the former viz. the God-head doth dwell in Christ Man not as in the Saints 2 Cor. 6.23 I will dwel with you you are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitation of God of God by the Spirit the Temple of the HOLY GHOST which is onely a dwelling by relation of love and communion of the effects of it in grace nor yet as God dwelleth in the glorified Saints 1 Cor. 15. when God shal be all in al which is likewise a dwelling together in regard of aboundant love manifested in the gift of glory nor any such simple cohabitation but it dwelleth with this man-hood as with a Nature which is taken to Vnity of Person in the Sonne of God and so is through grace become of the substance of the second Person So that He is now as truly said to be Man also as before He was said to be God only Now then the summe is Christ as Man or the Manhood of Christ hath the second Person of Trinity God with the Father and Spirit dwelling personally in it So that this Man-hood is essentially and substantially coupled with the Deity in unity of one selfe perfect and eternall Person Secondly it is anointed with fulnesse of Office and of Created gifts that Christ God-man that every way filled might be a fit Person to work our reconciliation following and to be an Head replenishing His Church which went before First then from the matter we see what an all-sufficient Head we have Looke to thy Nature in heaven Such a man as hath Plenitudinem Potestatis in regard of office full of all habituall graces which our nature can receive farre above all Angels yea full of that never drying Fountaine of life grace and glory it being taken into one Person with God neither could he else bee an Head quickening His Church He that must fill all the blessed Angels and all the redeemed peculiar people of God had need to have the Fountaine of life residing in him Which doth both refute that presumptuous usurpation of the man of sinne Vse 1 I meane the Pope in challenging to be an head of all the visible Church whereas Christ could not be our Head were He not God as well as Man As also it teacheth us our duty Vse 2 both whither to run for supply even hither to the Well-head of grace and life all fulnesse is in Him that we might draw from Him grace plenteously grace heaped on grace Oh blessed are those streames of grace which have this Head of living waters to feed them As likewise it teacheth where to offer prayse for the measure of grace we have received we should be affected as receivers in thankfulnesse to GOD in humility towards men For what have wee that wee have not received Lastly this is very comfortable for if there be such a fulnesse in CHRIST then what though there be abundance of sinne in us and guiltinesse yet there is a fulnesse in Him to remove it and take it away
much lesse canst thou divide the Divine Nature And this is to be marked against the Lutherans Vse who imagine a communion of the Divine properties with the humane nature in part onely for they give it an omnipotency the omniscience of the God-head but not the eternity and simplicity whereas the Scripture knoweth no union nor communion of the Divine Nature with the humane which is not of all the fulnesse of the God-head No it is so absurd that sound reason cannot imagine it without making the essence of GOD such as may bee divided one part being where another is not 3 That he faith the fulnesse of the God-head is in Christ hence it is to be noted That not created guifts Doct. or miraculous effects of the Divine Nature are united with Christ man but the deity it selfe the fulnesse of it yea the whole fulnesse which is to bee noted against Arrius and all such spirits Againe this sheweth that the same singular Nature is in all the three Persons for he speaketh of the God-head in the singular number as being but one and as it is in the Father without controversie so it is wholly in the Son also as but one Sun in the firmament in which the whole kind of the creature subsisteth So there is but one Divine Nature neither indeede can be for the Divine Nature is most perfect infinite omnipotent the most absolute thing that can bee imagined Now were there many Gods having every one a distinct deity none of them were most perfect powerfull for every one had but his owne wanting that which is with others as no man hath all the perfections of mankind for he wanteth all that which is out of himselfe in others This is to bee marked for hence we come to know that there is but one God though three persons because the same fulnesse of the Divine Nature that is in the Father is in the Son and the same that is in the Father and the Son is in the spirit for He is called Iehova and it may as well bee all the fulnesse of it in the spirit with them both as in the Son with the Father as well be the essence of three as two Now hence it is manifest that these three persons are but one God for as Iohn Richard and Thomal if they all had but one body and one soule should all bee but one man So these all having but one God-head can bee but one God To be three Gods there must be not onely three Persons but three distinct Natures differing the one in number from the other for so many men as you have so many soules and bodies must be multiplied in which standeth the nature of man But how can three persons be one in nature I answer we are content to know it is so though how it is so we know not aspici Deus potest introspici non debet Though why not three persons in one nature as well as three Natures in one Person which is in Christ A bodily a spirituall created as His soule a spirituall increate And as the same light is originally from no other in the Sunne and secondarily by communication in the ray or beame of it So what hindereth c. Dwelleth bodily Obs The manner of GOD's dwelling in this man Doct. He doth dwell personally in Him that is so as that GOD the SONNE is thereby become personally man as he was from all eternity personally God with the Father and Spirit the God-head so dwelleth in this man that with the man-hood it maketh but one Person even as the soule and body in man make one man So this divine Nature and humane are now joyntly but one Person of CHRIST He which was a compleat Person from everlasting in fulnesse of time creating within His owne Person a singular body and soule such as we have sin excepted as a substantiall part of His Person not a part which made up the Person of God as before imperfect but a part because a new thing substantially that is personally assumed to that which before was perfect thus much this word Bodily or personally teacheth For it putteth a difference 1 betweene God dwelling in every thing as an efficient and preserver of them 2 betweene His dwelling in the Saints and Prophets by His assistance and workes of grace in them 3 Betweene His dwelling in the Saints in heaven God shall be all in all by His presence of glory and this dwelling in CHRIST which is by being united personally with this humane Nature As the Arrians abuse the similitude in the first Chapter when CHRIST is said to be the Image of His Father they gathered that therefore Hee had not the same substance with Him for we see a mans image or picture is not of the very same substance with the man whose picture it is not distinguishing betwixt naturall things properly so called and these artificiall ones which are but respectively and abusively so termed So here Nestorius Loe saith he GOD dwelleth in CHRIST man therefore he is not personally united with man For a man is no part of person with the house he dwelleth in not distinguishing betwixt common inhabitation and that which is personall But we see here the Text is plaine that He so dwelleth in this Nature that it is essentially or substantially united to Him as a part of His Person Againe He so dwelleth or doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Nature that He is made flesh the Word was made flesh which cannot be understood of a simple but bodily or personall inhabitation This therefore doth first serve to confute all erroneous opinions touching the union of Christ Vse 1 for first wee see all Arrius his opinions overturned who granted that there were most divine qualities in Christ and wonderfull effects wrought by God in the man Christ but would not yeeld Him true God Marke all the fulnesse of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine Nature as Saint Peter speaketh dwelleth in Him All Eutiches his schollars Vse 2 who grant that God Himselfe was man but they say that this Vnion stood in that the divine Nature did swallow up the humane for they could not else see how they could make up one Person The Monothelites granted two Natures but one action For they could not see how divers actions would not conclude that there were many Persons But marke the divine Nature dwelleth in Christ Now the inhabiting and the inhabited are not confounded therefore both the Natures and their actions are distinct and if there were such a swallowing up of the humane Nature then flesh were made God not God flesh by force of the Vnion As for diversity of Persons it doth not follow upon the diversity of actions for there may be as well three actions in one Person as there are three Persons all having but one action If the multiplicity of action did come from the number of Persons then there
a fulnesse of mercie to heare our supplications a fulnesse of merit to make a full atonement for our foulest sinnes a fulnesse of favour to prevaile with His Father in any request if therefore there be such a fulnesse in Christ as there is be not discouraged though thy sinnes abound yet his grace abounds much more they cannot be so out of measure sinfull as he is mercifull Remember but the two metaphors in Scripture I will scatter your sinnes as a mist I wil drowne them in the bottome of the Sea Now the Sunne by reason of his force can scatter the thickest mist as well as the thinnest vapour and the Sea by reason of his great vastnesse can drowne mountaines as well as mole-hils So CHRIST by reason of the great vastnesse of grace that is in Him is able yea forward and willing to forgive the greatest as well as the least sins For mercy though it be a quality in us yet it is a Nature in God now that which is naturall there is no unwillingnesse nor wearinesse in doing of it as the eye is not weary of seeing the eare is not weary of hearing therefore though our sinnes be never so great and many His grace is all-sufficient for the pardon of them Now I beseech you take not this exhortation in vain for there is nothing more effectual to heale a rebellious disposition and to cause a sinner to change his course than to bee fully perswaded that hee shall be received to mercy and that his sinnes shall be forgiven him in Christ Therefore let this fulnesse of mercy in Christ be an effectuall motive to us all to come in and to give up our selves wholly to Christ to serve Him with perfect hearts all our dayes Secondly Obs marke Into what glory our nature is exalted that God should dwell personally in our nature and take it to Himselfe so as to be of the substance of his Person It is an unspeakable dignity all the conceits of men and Angels put together cannot devise an higher exaltation of it See what love the Father hath shewed us 1 Ioh. 3.1 that we should be called the sonnes of God having the title and thing through grace of adoption but that our Nature should be made the true Naturall Sonne of God of the substance of His Person what admiration is here sufficient Which must be taught diligently to the people for this is the rocke to see the Son of God God with the Father blessed for ever Personally existing in this our Nature which Hee hath taken unto Him to see God dwelling in this His owne soule and bodic no lesse now through free grace of His Person than my soule and body are of mine This is the rocke against which Hell-gates cannot prevaile this is the onely rocke of Israel But there is place of speaking more fully of this in the next Chapter VERSE 20. And by Him to reconcile all things unto Himselfe and to set at Peace through the bloud of His Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heaven NOw followeth the benefit hee had said before In Christ wee had pardon and were received to favour Now he sheweth the ground of this viz. It pleased God as to qualifie the Person of Christ in manner above-named so to doe it to this end that we might by Him be reconciled The benefit is first simply propounded then applyed The simple propounding hath two parts 1 The thing to be done by Him To reconcile all things to Himselfe 2 The manner of doing in those words Pacifying all things by His bloud Marke first in the coherence Observ What gave occasion to the incarnation of the Son of God viz. our enemy like estrangement from God We see here that to the intent God might reconcile us He calleth His Sonne to be a Mediator Evill manners give occasion as we say to good lawes You know what brought forth first that secret of the Gospell The Seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. This is the nature of God to bring light out of darknesse to overcome evill with good As there is nothing so good which the Divell will not draw evill out of as when he perverteth this grace shewen in Christ to become a cloake of wantonnesie which Gregory observing exclaimeth O foelix flagitium and indeed the event to the faithfull is happie but we must not take heart to doe evill that the miracles of grace might be discovered you know what the Apostle saith Shall we sin that grace may abound Rom. 6. â— God forbid though the Physitian restore life with poyson none will therefore eat it who is wise but let us expresse the vertue of our heavenly Father who hath called us out of darknesse into His marvellous light and learne out of evill to doe good and to wound the Divell with his owne weapon Secondly marke that whereas we were the offenders and should have sought to God He doth when we goe on in our enmitie seeke out a way to reconcile us Observe then Obs How God followeth froward man He had never done but good by us we had revolted to the divell from Him highly provoking Him yet see He seeketh us O gracious Shepheard of soules that commest downe from heaven to seeke stray soules that are as willing to wander as they wickedly strayed God was in Christ reconciling the world you never heard the world first sought Him mark it for it setteth out His love Hee is faine to love us first and to overcome our peevish wickednesse with love or we should never leave our enmitie It teacheth us our duty rebuking the pride of many Vse who if one have done them any wrong and bee stiffe through weaknesse they will say A God's name let him seeke to them they are as good as he they are sure he did the injury But what if God should have stood on such nice termes with you Let us overcome evill with good doe good to those that hate you Seeke Peace and follow after it when through peevishnesse of men shee is running from you Thirdly marke Obs That Christ must have the God-head first dwell personally in Him before He can take up the matter betwixt God and us Whence note what it is that maketh the death of Christ accepted for all our reconciliation even this that He is not bare man but God also God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himselfe who not being God durst have ventured on this worke 1 Sam. 2.25 If man offend the Iudge can determine but if a man sinne against the Lord who will plead for him who could have endured the wrath which was to be borne before attonement could be made whose death could have beene a sufficient pacification the Scripture doth hold out this with emphasie God hath redeemed us with His bloud Act. 20.28 Tit. 2.14 the great God hath given Himselfe for us to redeeme us and purifie us
they should never meete till they yeelded a little Thus many now a dayes thinke it wisedome to retaine some things though altered common with the Papists that we might gaine them more commodiously But though there be place for some indulgence this way and therefore for a while tolleration and practice of some thing more indifferent yea and so far as edification and avoyding offence a law made for such things yet this must be in indifferent things onely and that for a time onely least they plead themselves as perpetuall by a kind of prescription which was the ground of the Nazarites heresie as S. Augustine thinketh Wherefore when we would heale men Vse let us not be ficke with them for this is folly But remember that safe maxime contraria contrarijs curantur Let us recover them with giving them an example of spirituall worship least admitting a little poyson we hurt our selves more then with all our good beside we can helpe them You that will walke in CHRIST be not deceived with things after this world Lastly marke by the opposition Doct. That what is meerely grounded on tradition and what is carnall and sensuall in Gods service is contrary to CHRIST In CHRIST all things are new the old carnall worship is changed into a spirituall according to that Iohn 4. and for all pure humane traditions in GODS matters they are accursed Gal. 1 9. Which is to be marked against the Papists Vse who reconcile humane traditions and make them according to Christ who will also have all their carnall rites agreeing with Christ. VERSE 9. For in Him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily NOw he setteth downe the reasons why these things not being after Christ must bee avoyded the first taken from the alsufficiency which he hath in himselfe the second from his alsufficiency to us You must not listen to others besides him who is not man onely but very GOD in one Person But such is CHRIST or in CHRIST dwelleth the fullnesse of the GOD head Corporally these are all one in sense To open the words before wee come to the Doctrine In Him That is in Christ-man or in that person whom we know to have had a body and soule like us is the same divine Nature which the Father and the Spirit have Or it may be constred thus in Christ that is the humane Nature of Christ dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head that is God the Son with His infinite deitie which commeth to no more then this God the Word was made flesh But the former is better because this phrase the fulnesse of the deitie doth note the divine Nature without any personall relation of it whereas the second sense doth necessarily take it to signifie the Person of God the Son with His Nature Secondly Christ man is fitly called God and therefore in Christ-man the God-head is sayd to dwell properly But CHRIST His humane Nature may not be sayd God and therefore the God-head is not so fitly sayd to dwell in the humane Nature as in the person denominated after it that is in Christ-man All the fulnesse That is the whole infinite indivisible Nature of GOD. bodily that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially or Personally the Greekes call body as we in our vulgar tongue here is no body that is no person so we say bodily perill for such danger as toucheth ones person The summe For in that man Christ Iesus the whole infinite Nature of God dwelleth not as in all believers who are His habitation nor as in His beloved Prophets in whom hee spake and gave His Oracles nor as in a materiall Temple which is different from the substance of him that inhabiteth but bodily that is so that this Divine Nature with the humane maketh one Person For the Doctrines 1 We see in generall What must make nerest in Christ onely as alsufficient even this that we know Him God blessed forever Shall not God allsufficient in Himselfe to Himselfe to all the creatures shall not He undertaking to be our King Priest and Prophet be allsufficient for it We fitly leave men seeking supply at God but to turne from God to men is to dig puddles and leave the spring of living waters Hence then first gather to thy selfe Vse how absurd those Papists are and how far from considring that which they know that Christ is God would they did they weigh this be so bold as to adde to His institutions to take away as in the Supper the Cuppe would they leave this Sunne of righteousnesse to follow the blind starre of their traditions let them say what they will they doe not truly consider this Let us likewise confirme our selves in our resting onely on Christ even from hence that He is God Vse 2 let us say with Saint Peter Whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life thou art the naturall Son of God thou art allsufficient In particular marke three branches of this Text 1 In whom this dwelling is sayd to be 2 What is sayd to dwell 3 In whom 1 Note That we must not looke at Christ as meere man Doct. but life up our mindes to that invisible nature which is in him Those that saw Him on earth whose eyes God opened not they saw nothing but man and therefore not knowing any thing else they crucified the Lord of glory And thus we al naturally are ready to know him after the fresh but when God giveth us that eagles eye of beliefe the evidence of things not seene then we see that God is with this man as being now substantially united to Him and made a part of His person This maketh Christ say when Saint Peter told Him Thou art the Sonne of God Flesh and blond hath not reveiled this to thee Peter And what doth make the Apostle often inculcate such descriptions but that we are slow of heart in considering this point For as many see a house or a tent that see not the inhabitant and as the body is hidde when the apparell is discerned So this humane nature unles we get the better eyes may be seene when the deity which dwelleth in it is not perceived 2 Marke Doct. That all the fulnesse of the God-head is communicated with Christ as man the whole entyre nature of God I understand by communicated as much as is united dwelleth bodily that is in unity of person w th Christ-man or in the same person with the humane nature For the divine Nature is a thing most simple not having bodily quantity one part out of another nor yet any composition in it Now that which is not compounded of parts cannot be divided If a man have house and land he may give to one Son one part to the Wife another but when the divine Nature is communicated it is all of it given or none at all Thy soule cannot bee divided one part from another thou canst not cut the light how
us should quicken us to all duty 2 Our riches of glory are kept for us in the heavens 3 The hearing of the Gospell bringeth us to be possessed of our hopes 4 The promises of the Gospell are infallible and certaine Verse 6. 1 THe Gospell doth visit us not looking after it 2 The faithfulnesse of God in His promises and the piercing force of His heavenly truth 3 The Word of God is effectuall it never wanteth His fruit where it commeth 4 It is good dealing with men to come home to their own experience 5 Before wee can have the fruit of the Word wee must heare the Word 6 Not all hearing no nor all knowing but the true inner powerfull affectionate knowledge is it which is fruitfull Verse 7. 1 ALbeit men are not graced with great titles yet their worke is not in vaine in the Lord. 2 We must speake the best of all but especially of Ministers though not outwardly glorious Verse 8. 1 WE are to speake such things of man to man as may tye them in love more neerely one to another 2 The best intelligence and newes fittest for Ministers to speake and heare of is how it fareth with the soules of the faithfull 3 We are to tell what good things God worketh in our people 4 Our love must be hearty and unfeigned Verse 9. 1 MInisters must not onely teach and admonish but pray for their people 2 We must not delay going to God when occasion is offered 3 We must persevere in Prayer 4 Our Prayers must be fervent 5 We must wish those that are called a blessed proceeding in grace Verse 10. 1 OVr pleasing of God must be in all things 2 We must be fruitfull in good workes 3 We must encrease in the knowledge of God Verse 11. 1 CHristians have need of spirituall strength to walk with God in their spirituall conditions 2 We have not need of strength only but great strength 3 All our strength commeth from the strong God 4 Long-suffering is an argument of great spirituall strength 5 We have need of patience and long-suffering Verse 12. VVE must as well give thankes for the things given us as begge for that we want 2 By nature we are unfit for God's Kingdome 3 That matter God calleth us unto viz an heavenly inheritance must move us to blesse Him 4 Onely Saints shall inherit the glorious inheritance 5 Our inheritance in heaven for substance and nature is light Verse 13. 1 NOne living in the state of darknesse can be inheritours of God's Kingdome 2 Wee are all by nature under the power of the Divell the prince of darknesse and are in all kinde of darknesse 3 It is speciall matter of praise that God hath put us under the government of Christ Verse 14. 1 THe singular love of Christ our King that Hee hath bought us with His bloud 2 The greatest blessing we have by Christ our King is that He doth procure us pardon of our sinne 3 Before we can have any blessing from Christ we must be partakers of Christ Verse 15. 1 IT is matter of praise that we have such an one to be our King and Saviour who is God with the Father 2 It is a wonderfull benefit to us that we are made subjects to such a King as is the Lord lesus Christ Verse 16. 1 THese creatures which we see doe give testimony to the invisible God whom we see not 2 Christ hath just title to the Lordship and inheritance of all the creatures 3 Christ our King is the Creator of all things 4 God hath His places and ministers attending about Him unseene and unknowne to us 5 Our Lord Iesus Christ is the Creator of Angels 6 As by Him so to His honour all the creature was made Verse 17. 1 OVr King is ancienter than all creatures 2 All things are preserved in their being moving and order by Christ Verse 18. 1 CHrist hath not Lordship over the creatures onely but also over the Church 2 We have such a Head given us of God who is God with the Father 3 Christ hath a most neere compassionate and beneficiall superiority over His Church 4 Onely the Church and people of God have Christ so neere and so beneficiall to them 5 All the Church is the body of Christ 6 The dignity of the faithfull in having so neere conjunction with Christ 7 Christ's Resurrection hath speciall priviledge above all others Verse 19. 1 VVHatsoever the man-hood of Christ is advanced unto it is the meere grace of God not the merit of the creature 2 It is an admirable glory to which our nature is exalted that God should dwell personally in our nature and take it to Himselfe so as to be of the substance of His person Verse 20. 1 THat which gave occasion to the incarnation of the Son of God was our enemy-like estrangement from God 2 God followeth froward man 3 Christ must first have the God head dwell personally in Him before Hee can take up the matter betwixt God and us 4 The deare Sonne of God is the worker of our reconciliation with God 5 All our peace is grounded in the bloud-shed of Christ Iesus 6 The Fathers of old were reconciled to God by the bloud of Christ 7 The Fathers were in heaven before Christs Ascension Verse 21. 1 VVE must not only teach in generall but apply in particular the things of the Gospell 2 We must not forget our miserable condition by nature 3 A most miserable condition not to be a member of the visible Church 4 We by nature are enemy-like affected to God and His people 5 Our naughty actions discover our enemy-like affections Verse 22. 1 AS we must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse so wee must cast the other up on God's mercies to us 2 The grace of God is most free and large 3 Every one who findes his sinne forgiven in Christ shall one day be made glorious before Him Verse 23. 1 VVHosoever is partaker of the benefit of reconciliation by Christ must persevere founded and established in Christ 2 Wee must bee well grounded and lay a good foundation 3 Hee loseth his hope that is removed from his profession 4 The Gospell hath beene preached thorow the world 5 Paul was a speciall instrument thereof Verse 24. 1 IT is no new thing for the Ministers of Christ to be afflicted for the Gospell 2 The Church loseth nothing but gaineth much by the sufferings of the godly 3 The Church is the body of Christ Verse 25. 1 TThe Ministers of CHRIST are the Ministers of the Church 2 Their ministery is committed to them by the most wise and holy government whereby God governeth the Church His house 3 A Minister must have a care of every part of his charge Verse 26. 1 THe Gospell is a mysterie not to be attained by any wit or learning 2 It is the priviledge onely of the Saints to know the mysteries of the Gospell Verse 27. 1 THe Gospell
us It followeth that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible by heavens He meaneth not onely these aspectable ones which our eyes see but those supreame ones where God His Angels and the spirits of the just abide Obs 3 Observe hence How that God hath His places Ministers attending about Him unseene and unknowne too many such things hath He which the eye of man hath not seen nor have not fully entered into mans heart We that live farre remooved from that heavenly Court we can know but little and that by hearesay onely Take some hamlet of poore subjects that live North-ward remote from the Court what doe they know of Kings Mannor houses of His Court at White-Hall of the furniture of his roomes the state of his attendance and service the solemnities of his Triumphs the manner of his going to the Parliament House we that creepe here below live in a remote place occupied in meane affaires we cannot imagine the glorious Majestie of that high Court where our God our Mediator with the Angels and spirits of the just display their glory True it is we that are truely faithfull we are come a little neerer for we are got into the Suburbs of this City we are come nigher to God in comparison of the world nigher to our Mediator we converse in heaven we are adjoyned to the innumerable multitude of Angels and spirits of the just But yet we have but the report and so a sight by faith without evident view of these things These things must teach us first Vse not to be like such who will beleeve no more then they see and are halfe Sadduces for Spirits and Angells they thinke them fancies O foole doest thou see the wind an elementary thing yet too subtle for the eye to behold doest thou see thy owne soule and yet thou feelest it yea when thou sleepest ere-while it wakeneth and is in action but the spirits of these men are incarnate the things we see are nothing to the things that are not as yet seene Wherefore in the second place this must stirre up our desire further and further to peepe into these things within the vaile and long for the sight of these things that yet are folded By nature we have a desire of knowledg which maketh us long after newes where the court is c. If one should open a piece of some rare workmanship we could not be quiet till we got the rest unfolded yea this maketh some of better abilities which dwell in the utmost parts that once in their lives they will goe up to London to see the City Court King c. How should this provoke us and checke us as sluggards who care not to see further off these most glorious workes of nature and grace which our God hath begunne to unfold that long not to see the City of GOD and our Prince His deare Sonne and with Him to make our glorious aboade To thinke of these invisible things about us must affect us with a sense of our blindnesse our God is looking with a broad eye upon us good Angels armies of them about our bed bad Angels the starres not so thicke in the firmament over our heads as they are hovering to spy their advantage ô shall not we grieve that we cannot see them should thy Father and all thy brethren stand by wouldest thou not mourne to have so sicke a sight as could not discerne them and art thou contented with such weake eyes as cannot behold thy heavenly Father thy brethren and fellow servants would it not grieve thee to be as Sampson with the Philistines thy enemies about thee and eyes out wilt thou not grieve to have innumerable evill spirits about thee not being able to perceive them pray to God to open thy eyes looke into the nature of thy owne soule that will be a good introduction if thou canst find thy owne soule at the rebound of it abstract thy selfe from sensible objects ponder things intellectuall Further it is to be marked Obs 4 That our Lord CHRIST is the Creator of all the Angels all these excellent creatures were created as the matter of heaven and earth the soule of man they were not begotten of GOD The Divell would by those Primitive monsters have broached to the disgrace of the only begotten Sonne of God though the Scripture calleth us begotten of God Iam. 1.18 in regard of our regeneration yea they were created by CHRIST who is therefore called the Lord of hoasts If He had created the inferiour things only it had not beene such an argument of His power and equality with His Father But when the most divine creatures are the workes of His hands O how glorious is He This doth greatly tend to the Majesty of our King into whose government we are translated O we admire and our eyes dazle at the lustre and pompous magnificence of earthly Kings who at their Coronations make Knights create Earles Marquesses Dukes how glorious doe we count them who can give such degrees But what are these All of them flesh What are we to these Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers Angels Archangels which our King hath created It might be asked when He made these Quest The day cannot certainly be defined Answ onely these two things are certaine 1 That they were not created before that beginning wherein GOD gave being to the whole systeme of the creature for before it nothing was that is made 2 It is certaine they were created before the second day was expired 3 By analogie of mans creation so soone as his seat was perfected it is probable that proportionably when these blesied invisible mansions were finished even on the first day that then likewise the hoasts of Angels were created The use of this here so plainly set downe Vse 1 doth let us see even in this one point the great increase of light over that which Moses affordeth in all the story of the Creation they are not expressely named their weake sights not able to endure discourse of such brightnesse but our Apostle who had beene wrapt up into the third heaven doth specifie things which under the Testament lay vailed This doth let us see with how good reason our King in regard of His humane Nature is Lord even of all the Angels Vse 2 with how good reason they are bid to adore Him they accordingly did minister to Him at His birth in His temptations at His refurrection and ascension And what a spurre should this adde to us in our obedience unto Him Shall Angels and Archangels adore Him and shall not wee bee obsequious to Him Dare poore Commons deny homage to that King to whom they see great Princes in their places doe all obeysance This giveth us security that we shall have sent us the helpe of good Angels in our necessities Vse 3 why because our King is the Creator and Lord of them He hath the command of them at His pleasure We see if the
subject in the furthest part of our Countrey be assailed with forren power which doth over-match it the King will levie an armie from the Citie and places neere him and so send them succour Even so our King will send these His heavenly Citizens when the powers of darknesse doe assaile us They are ministring spirits sent forth for their sakes that shall be heires of salvation Lastly Vse 4 we may hence observe the blinde folly of such who withdraw themselves from using CHRIST's mediation and betake them to the intercession of Angells Is not this to leave the Creator in such a way wherein He would have us to use Him and to fly to the Creature Besides the Angels are not such ill taught servants as to take their Lord's worke out of His hands Againe here is occasion given to speake of the distinct ministeries of Angels but nescire oportet quod nec scire possumus nec debemus The cleere knowledge of these things is reserved till we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 20.36 in the heavens Lastly observe That as by Him so to His honour the creature was made Obs Whence we marke first that the Son worketh not as a servile Minister but as a joynt Author in making all the creatures Indeed the Scripture giveth an equall authority to CHRIST with the Father in working As the Father quickeneth Ioh. 5.21 so doth the Sonne whom He will That which I as the Principall doe use my servant to doe is not for his sake but my owne But the end of all these things was no lesse the honour of CHRIST than of the Father It is enough to note that the equality in Nature of this Sonne with the Father may bee conceived Marke hence That glory is due to CHRIST from all the Creatures the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost all one God have made all things for their glory Rom. 11. For of Him and by Him and for Him are all things to Him bee glory for ever God hath made all for Himselfe the wicked for the day of evill More particularly CHRIST both as God and man is the end of the Creature as God Hee is with Father and Spirit the last end of all as man every thing serveth for His praise both workes of nature and grace yet so that even Himselfe as God man looketh to a further end the Father Spirit and Himselfe absolutely considered the harmony of all is made on foure strings The Creature And this is the sweet concord of all when the Creature serveth man and is for Him He CHRIST's and CHRIST GOD's The Man And this is the sweet concord of all when the Creature serveth man and is for Him He CHRIST's and CHRIST GOD's The Christ And this is the sweet concord of all when the Creature serveth man and is for Him He CHRIST's and CHRIST GOD's The God And this is the sweet concord of all when the Creature serveth man and is for Him He CHRIST's and CHRIST GOD's All is yours you CHRIST's and CHRIST GOD's A wise man doth not worke that which hee hath no end in much lesse God neither could God have any other end than Himselfe for there was nothing but Himselfe when this worke was intended We may see how injurious we are to God Vse 1 that doe not glorifie Him in His creature it is strange we should be so little affected toward Him in all this goodly frame wee see that wee should so carelessely passe by it when wee will give money to see a Lion Bawboones yea the skins of some sea-creatures and yet not to eye with any observation all the goodly creatures which under our feet and over our heads are so frequnt We must labor to give praise to God from every thing Vse 2 first by an heedfull looking upon it for as it is an artificers glory to have his workes gazed on So it is God's honour when wee doe but with devotion eye His workmanship Secondly you must learne to see and publish the wisdome and power of Him and His goodnesse and mercy which is over all When I see it raine I may think what a mighty wise good God is this that as a gardiner watereth a bed with his spout-pot so watereth all the earth at once so sweetly why are yee snow haile c. these bid us to praise the Lord Have these tongues No but it is meant that they should shew matter to us who have tongues to magnifie His Name We must learne from them Vse 3 and provoke our selves to some good by them if wee could take them forth God hath written lessons upon them the Ant the Oxe the Asse they would teach us instructions VERSE 17. And Hee is before all things and by Him all things consist NOw followeth His Antiquity He that is before all things must needs be God and Lord of the Creature Observe then Obs That our King is antienter than all the Creatures He was before the beginning in which all these were made Ioh. 1.1 IESUS CHRIST yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 His goings forth were from everlasting he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which doth still serve to amplifie the dignity of our King Vse 1 and our compleat happinesse who are translated into His Kingdome Among other things that grace and adorne Princes this is one If they are of ancient House and can derive their Pedegrees from utmost memory but our SAVIOUR is the eternall of dayes What Herauld can set downe His descent No He is of antiquity which surpasseth the thought of all the Creature He was from all eternity is and shall be for ever And as it augmenteth His glory Vse 2 So it sheweth that the right of inheritance is His The Angels are called sons Iob 38.7 and we are called sons but besides that we are equivocally so termed we are also younger brethren and therefore the Lordship and inheritance belongeth not to us I meane that which is primary and universall This teacheth us our duty Vse 3 even to reverence our King in this consideration hee that riseth not respectively to the gray-head forgetteth his duty But he that reverenceth not that God which is eternall to whom all ages past are but as yesterday how foulely is he wanting to himselfe It is added by Him all things consist Which word noteth not onely their being but that they keepe with their being their sweet order and melodious consent one with another through Him Observe then That all things are preserved in their being Obs moving and order by Him Hee doth continue the selfe-same creature and order which Himselfe made first and appointed And as the former gave the glory of Creation to Christ so this giveth the glory of preservation and providence to Him also This is plaine by Scripture Hebr. 1.3 He beareth up all things by the Word of His Power In God we live and move and have our being Act. 17. Not
under the government of a flagitious servant such as the Papists grant Popes may be Let us therefore take heed that while we set up other heads then Christ over the Churches we doe not reject this glorious Head Iesus Christ from ruling over us as the Israelites when they refused that Aristocraticall governement in which God ruled and would have a King like other Nations the Lord chargeth them not only to have cast off Samuell but himselfe and what is more foolish then to thinke it needfull to have a visible universall high Priest on earth because CHRIST is in heaven invisible to us touching His corporall presence should the people of Israell have erected another High Priest to themselves when Aaron was at any time in the Holy of Holies where he was not visible to them so we stand here below in the entry our High Priest is but gone into the Holiest Sanctuary and we though His Divine nature be with us will set up another Sooner shall the heaven have two Suns then the Church two heads and though metaphorically one may be said to be the Head of a Church for the name of God Himselfe is thus Communicable yet in proper analogy none can be so termed For then the Church might be said His body properly which is such sacriledge as He I thinke in whose forehead blasphemy is written dare scarce commit A double head and a double husband become not the Church the latter is not for her honesty the former fitteth not to decency Thus much who is over us 2 Marke from this Observ that He is called the Head of His Church what neere compassionate and beneficiall superiority or authority that is which Christ hath over His Church He is the Lord of all Creatures yea the hellish fiend must bow the knee to Him But He is not an head to every creature if we take it in that proper analogicall accommodation which the Scripture looketh to in this terme The head hath the highest place and power in the body but yet it is so intimately conjoyned with every member so amiable and beneficiall a superiority that the like cannot in nature be shewen For first looke at the head it is by sinewes and other ligaments straitely conjoyned to every member so is Christ through the spirit of faith coupled with us Secondly from this union the head commeth to have a sense if any part be disturbed so hath Christ He knoweth how to compassionate our infirmities Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me Thirdly the head what ever it hath hath in a sort for the good of the body The perfect comlinesse of the head is the ornament of that body whereof it is the head the body being but a deformed trunke if the head be remooved Againe the sense and motion which are originally in the head as a fountaine they are derived from it to every member Fourthly The head giveth full direction to the other members So Christ is our glory He quickeneth us He giveth us direction both inward and outward We see then that His superiority He hath is most intimate fellow-feeling and commodious unto us Which first doth let us yet farther see what cause we have of thankesgiving who are come into His kingdom Vse 1 who is rather an head unto us then a King over us as the head is to the body To have a powerfull wise King is a great guift but to have one who is rather Pater then Rex Patriae is greater but to have one who should so affect his subjects as to condole with the poorest of them this were a miracle This must breed willing subjection to CHRIST our Lord Vse 2 looke at the members of the body doe they feele it a burthen to doe that which the head directeth to This must strengthen our affiance towards CHRIST Vse 3 that He will not faile to take notice of our griefes to succour and direct us That is a blockish head which can goe on in a Stoicall dedolency when the members are ill affected yea it must assure us that we shall have direction and protection from him Marke Obs 3 Who they are that have Christ so neere so beneficiall to them viz. the Church that is such only who are truely faithfull who shall one day be presented glorious in the heavens such as shall at length have salvation by Him There are in the visible Church many who are by outward profession members of Christ but if they have not learned Christ as the truth is in Christ they shall be found not to be of His body though they seeme so a while A glasse eye may be so set into the head that one would take it verily to be a naturall part of the head yet it hath but an externall insition which art affordeth and is nothing lesse then the naturall eye So many are externally by the Sacrament and externall profession tyed to Christ which are not native members and have no spirituall combination with Him Nay if like some temporisers thou dost get some quicknance of the spirit of Christ yet not such as purifieth the heart bringeth thee above all things to rejoyce in Christ Iesus thou art not of His body nor a true member having Him thy head but art like a wenne or warte mole or such like thing which hath a life in the body but is no member of it Wherefore as you would have any benefit by Christ Vse labour to come into this body not to be as wennes and wooden legges but to be living members such as have Christ living in you teaching you by His spirit to thinke speake and doe all things it is good being members of good Corporations which have good endowments priviledges and Charters but there is not a body like to this which hath all the unsearchable riches of IESUS CHRIST given it in which onely there is salvation That nothing is betwixt Christ and His body Obs 4 and that all the Church is his body and every one in the Church a member of the body not a substitute head unto it Where then shall we find the Pope let him take heed least while he strive to be a secondary head he doe not deprive himselfe of roome in the body out of which there is no salvation I know a Papist will say that the Pope as he is referred unto Christ is a member of the body but as he is referred to men subjected to him he is a head under Christ Answer that every one is a member we reade it and therefore beleeve that any one is a head to all but Christ we reade it not and therefore reject it Beside it is likely that betwixt Christ and the visible Church Saint Peter should have come in thus God is Christs head Christ of the Spirits with Him and Saint Peter and his successors the Churches head but this is no where found yea the contrary God over Christ Christ over the Church the Churches above Cephas Objection Emperours are
for the people yet not inferior to them Answer Emperors are so for the people that they are Lords over them and the people are for them even their Subjects and bodies politique but Saint Peter nor no Apostle are so for the Church that they are Lords of it and that the Church is their Church and body mysticall therefore they are so for the Churches that they are inferiors to them Object Was not Saint Peter and the rest immediate legates from Christ Object and had they not authority which all the Churches were to obey Answer They had yet their persons still under the Church and their worke of Ministery not to domineere over the Churches the reason is because it was the message and order of the Churches Husband which was of authority above her not their persons that did relate it If a man send one of his servants with a command to his Wife the servant when he hath got this errand is not a Lord over the Wife but a servant under her though his message from her Lord is such which she may not gainesay Fiftly Observe Obs the dignity of the faithfull and their neere conjunction with Christ they are the body of Christ not the naturall body united to the second person nor the Sacramentall body but a mysticall body such who by force of Christ His Spirit are knit to Him and receive all things from Him proportionably as the body naturall doth from the head Many other comparisons as of Vine and branches Man and Wife c. doe set it downe but none more lively then this which is the oftenest frequented To shew us the excellent condition to which we are brought Vse 1 to assure us of Christs love who ever hated His owne flesh He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of Mine eye This letteth us also see the fearefulnesse of abusing the godly that are truely faithfull Vse 2 they lift at mill-stones Lastly Obs seeing Christ is risen from the dead we must labour and strive thither also if a Captaine hath made a breach and entered the hold of the enemy will not the souldiers presse after and ambitiously affect who should get next him so we Christ hath led us the daunce and broke through the gates of death into the City of God we should affect to come after as Saint Paul did strive for conformity with Christ in this point both in the first and second Resurrection The third point is Observ That Christs Resurrection hath speciall priviledge above all others for all others before were not begotten from among the dead because they were raised up with mortality tending to death againe but our Saviour Christ in that He dyed He dyed at once not long to be held of it but in that He is risen He is raised to live for ever death shall no more have dominion over Him 2 All other rose as private and singular men not as publique persons in the name of other making hope to all the dead of their resurrection therefore they were not the first fruits duely gathered but like a singular eare of corne by occasion more timely gathered Now Christ is risen as He dyed not for Himselfe onely but for all us so Christ is risen in al our names so that as we all dyed in Him so we all are raised in Him as a Burgesse of a Parliament what he doth or speaketh it is in the name of the Corporation who doth it in him When God created Adam He made all mankinde in as much as He made him who was to be a Principle of naturall generation to all mankind conveying life and being to them in their order so when He raised Christ He raised us all in as much as He hath raised up a second Adam a Principle of spirituall regeneration even of the first and second resurrection to all Gods chosen in their order Hence it is that Paul saith Eph. 2.6 We are raised up in Christ and set in heavenly places in Him that Peter saith 1 Peâ— 1.3 God hath begotten us to that happy hope in the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Lastly He raised Himselfe as who was the Lord from heaven the quickening Spirit Destroy this body and in three dayes I will raise it up Great therefore every way is the prerogative of our Lord IESUS CHRIST even in regard of that Nature which was dead but now is alive He was slaine before the foundation of the world Hee is raised up as the hope and fore-runner of all our immortality Thou lookest at His death as thy death and against all guilt of sinne and terrour of conscience threatning the Curse doest say I have borne the Curse in my Lord Gal. 3.13 made a curse for me So against all terrours of bodily death hold this I am raised up in CHRIST for He is risen in all our names who beleeve on Him If wee beleeve that IESUS is dead and risen againe 1 Thess 4.14 so also God shall bring those who are slept in Iesus say to life eternall with Him VERSE 19. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulnesse dwell NOw he commeth to give a reason of the former opening the fountaine where the Man IESUS CHRIST found such grace as that in Him all of us should be redeemed that Hee should be God in Person over all creatures yea the Head of His Church filling all in all Now the Reason is here set downe to be the good pleasure of God the Father First that the fulnesse of the God-head for so it is best construed out of the second Chap. Vers 9. and not only that the fulnesse of created gifts should dwell personally in this humane Nature as a Temple 2. That this Person God-man should by the Sacrifice of Himselfe reconcile all unto God First then in generall we see Obs That whatsoever the manhood of CHRIST is lifted up unto it is the meere grace of God not the merit of the Creature What could this Man doe which could deserve this grace that it should be personally united with God and so lifted up to be incomparably above all the Angels in heaven And therefore Saint Augustine doth not doubt to make CHRIST the Sampler of GOD's free Predestination the free grace of God appearing in none so much as in Him which is the Head of all This CHRIST looketh to in His members Lord I thanke thee that thou hast beene pleased to reveile these things unto babes and sucklings and hast kept them from the wise and learned Even so O Father because it pleased thee Yea I doubt not but as God did predestinate him of grace to this honour of being God in fellowship of Person and of being the Prince of our salvation So God in the Covenant He did make with Him and the commandement He gave Him of laying downe His life did strike it and fulfill it of grace not requiring any thing Hee imposed on His Sonne more than duties of free
discipline practised where those duties flourish to which the communion of Saints doth tye us They that are estranged from Gods Church can have no society with God He is walking amongst the golden Candlesticks amongst His Saints onely where two or three are met together in His Name He is present among them As they have no acquaintance with God so they are under the power of Sathan where it is that Saint Paul calleth excommunication the giving up to Sathan Hee that hath not the Church for his Mother cannot have God for His Father In a word heaven and earth the Eden and Paradise of God is His Church So that miserable is that state neverthelesse this was ours sometime in our predecessors We were all of us alients from Israel but God hath kept us for happy times Let us therfore be thankfull and bring forth fruites least he take away our Candlesticke Vse 1 and deface the face of our Churches causing us to want our holy assemblies Let us not leave our fellowship Vse 2 and estrange our selves from Gods people from the assemblies as Brownists and other Novelists doe To be discommoned a Towne for a Citizen to be banished a City is a great reproach but to be an exile from Gods City and discommoned from the communion of Saints this is lamentable indeede being alients from this Common wealth of the Church they have nothing to doe with the covenants of grace and of the Gospell but strangers from all meanes of salvation This letteth us see that all true comfortable affinity Vse 3 kindred and society is in Christ onely and in the Word and Ordinances count all strangers that are not allyed to us in Him count them forreyners that will not communicate with us in the Word and Ordinances of GOD strangers as men of another Nation though never so neere allyed in Nature and let our neerest society fellowship and acquaintance be with Saints and holy Christians in the word and ordinances as our neerest kindred our spirituall brethren in CHRIST Therefore Abraham after he was called of GOD and sanctified was commanded to come out from his kindred and fathers house to count them Aliens and strangers to seeke new kindred a new Nation of his owne nature and bloud the generation of the righteous Why should we like prodigalls withdraw our selves from our fathers house and bring upon our selves by such singular separations this great misery to be estranged from them who are Gods true Israell Againe he saith they were enemies in mind and workes affection and action note hence What is our estate by nature Observ we are enemylike affected to God and His people the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8. it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be In his Iudgement he counteth the things of God foolishnesse in his affections he doth not savour them he counteth of His Commandements as a yoake intollerable and maketh a tush at sincere obedience so for the Saints the righteous is an abomination to the wicked Gal. 4.29 Were not the Iewes a mocking in the mouth of the heathen did they not reproach them for their circumcision To let us see our selves Vse 1 we are altogether by nature thus heathens beasts the most of men in part we have a law in our flesh rebelling against the law of our mindes not enduring the spirituall obedience of Gods law What is all our love of this world know you not that the amity of the world is enmity with GOD If a woman cared not for her husband but were bent to the imbraces of other men were she not enemylike affected to him so we to God what is enmity if this be not not to care for him and his wayes to incline and looke another way for the Saints they are our enemies as we thinke and they are hatefull of all other to us our spirituall phrensie like not them of all others whose presence doth binde us in some sort We must labour to be changed Vse 2 seeking to God to give us another mind who can endure to heare these termes thou art an enemy a hater of God yet who laboureth to be free of the thing praying to God to purge forth the secret hatred which maketh him hee cannot assent to and affect that which is good Could an honest woman find a heart strange to her husband would shee not be ashamed of it labour to the contrary doest thou finde a heart averse not affected toward thy God ô wilt thou not cry who shall deliver me from this body of death Seeke to GOD to put enmity against the seede of the Serpent and to circumcise thy heart making thee love Him Deu. 30.6 Who ever hardened his heart against GOD and prospered Your mindes were set in evill workes By repeating the words from the part of the sentence before it teacheth thus much Obs What it is that maketh discovery of this enemy-like affection our naughty actions when we do that which crosseth God's will that evill worke is the triall of the inward affection He that loveth me keepeth my Commandements he that keepeth them not and saith he knoweth me is a lyar and the truth is not in him As the tongue is the interpreter of the minde so is the action to the affection A traytor we see may be a traytor in heart and not in attempt but when his treason breaketh forth in some disloyall action then it is manifest that he bare a trayterous heart So it is with this inward corruption when now ripe it practiseth the rebellion of it in the workes of unrighteousnesse Which meeteth with such as will say they love God Vse he were unworthy to live that is an enemie to God but if we looke at their course of life they leave the wayes of God and will have leave to walke in their owne wayes This is to give God good words and speake Him faire but indeed to deny Him But we have no such intention in any thing we doe Object If we through ignorance sinfully contracted Answ doe not know that we sinne against God when we doe this mitigateth not our offence If one should make himselfe drunke and after practice against the life of the King and State would this excuse him from being a traytor if he say I had no such meaning in that I did I meant the Kings person no hurt Lastly marke hence That men by nature are altogether occupied in evill works None doth good no not one the thought of man is evill onely and continually It is strange how the naturall man is devoted to his owne wayes which are all evill He museth mischiefe on his bed hee sleepeth not if hee have not done his mind For his mind is as meat and drinke to him and hee is fasting not able to take rest when hee hath not effected it He committeth sinne and doth his owne will with greedinesse he hateth to be reformed in these wayes
this their restoring to life The first is pardon of sin The second is cancelling the obligation against them The third is the setting them free from those jaylors and executioners in whose keeping they were The two first are in this thirteenth verse the latter in the end of the thirteenth verse and in the other two following The first of the antecedents in the end of the thirteenth verse The second in the fourteenth verse The third in the fifteenth verse To returne to the thirteenth verse And first in genenerall from this his Commoration in this benefit wee note Doct. That our quickning in CHRIST is such a benefit which we must not quickly have done with and lightly passe over The Apostle cannot move from this till hee have dwelt a while upon it and amplified and enforced on them the consideration of it So it is we lend it little thought but the more is our fault we should when wee thinke on God's benefits in Christ make a stand and dwell upon them that so we might be more affected 2 Marke What Ministers must doe Doct. viz. they must amplifie to their people the benefits bestowed on them how often doth Moses this in Deutr. For 1 It is for the honour of God that His benefits should be set forth 2 It edifieth others and gaineth glory to God while they are to know the things bestowed on them and they are by this meanes wrought unto thanksgiving Againe wee are like children wee know not the worth of those great things wherewith GOD hath enriched us As a young childe that hath great patrimonies and priviledges doth not to any purpose conceive the worth of them yea we are as forgetfull as the eaten bread is quickly forgotten And beside a benefit while enjoyed groweth no dainties with us in all these regards we must use this practise of the Apostle If men have outward commodities and abilities and gifts of any kinde they know them too well even till they be proud of them but in heavenly things it is quite otherwise Now for their condition it is described from the state of death You when you were dead 2. The kinde of death viz. in sin 1. Actuall in trespasses 2. Originall in uncircumcision of heart which is set downe by a Synecdoche or Metonymie of the signe for the thing signified Outward Circumcision put for outward and inward which is more emphatical when they were so dead that inwardly and outwardly they did lye in evill the meaning is when you were utterly dead in soule mortall in body subject to eternall damnation by reason of your actuall transgressions and original corruption You then He quickened that is GOD the Father out of the Verse before with His CHRIST First then observe That we are by nature dead to God the same is Eph. 2.1 We are not like a man in a sleepe nor like the Samaritan greatly wounded but we are starke dead in regard of the life of GOD. Rom. 5. he saith Wee are of no strength not of feeble strength and the naturall man is often so called My Sonne was dead and is alive let the dead bury their dead A man is every way by nature dead his body is mortall in dying from his birth eternall death of soule and body hangeth over him His soule is quite dead for God in regard of His presence of sanctifying grace going from a man he dyeth in soule As the soule going from the body the naturall life is extinct But it may be said Object why man hath some reliques of knowledge Againe some of the Heathen have excelled in vertuous actions without grace Every knowledge is not the life of God strictly so called Answ but that knowledge which affecteth the heart to follow God to trust in Him love Him They that know thee will trust in thee otherwise the divels doe know God in their kinde 2 The knowledge of man is able to make him unexculable onely not able to make him alive according to GOD for these Heathens vertues they were but pictures without the soule and life of vertue in them splendida peccata good trees they were not and therefore their fruit could not be good all is not gold that glisters This then confuteth all doctrines of free-will Vse 1 or of any power in man which holpen a little can helpe it selfe Dead men have nothing in them to help themselves toward this world so it is with us toward the other Yea we see hence that it is not suggestions to the minde nor exhortations that will doe it we doe but tell a dead man a tale and all in vaine till God create a new light in the minde and take away the heart of stone and give us tender new hearts let us confesse our utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotencie and inability and give glory to God Hence must be enforced to the natural man what is his estate dead in his soule Vse 2 hee heareth not the thunder of GOD's Law nor His sweet promises he seeth no heavenly thing neither GOD nor any spirituall matter hee tasteth no relish in any meat of the soule he speaketh not a word powdred with grace hee stirreth not hand nor foot to that which is good Oh the world is full of these ghosts twice dead as Saint Iude speaketh yea the relikes of this spirituall death hangeth about us all Marke from this that we who are alive through grace Vse 3 must not associate our selves with those that are meere naturall men for we see that no living thing can abide that which is dead the beasts will start at a dead carrion our dearest friends we put from us when dead but alas the LORD's children now can goe hand in hand with such who have not a sparke of grace in them Oh this death is not terrible we are al so much in it that we see not the filthinesse of it As a blacke hue among the Black-moores is not reproachfull So dead ones with us whose graces are ready to dye agree well enough In sinnes Observe Doct. That sinne both originall and actuall is the death of the soule Mors animae peccatum Our sin in which we are borne and live is the death of our soules and the demerit of further death Death it is to death it goeth Now what is death is it not the absence of life the soule being gone with the entrance of corruption And what is sinne Is it not the absence of saving knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse with the corruption of the minde will affections so that the spirituall stinch of it streameth out at the eye lust at the eare itching after vanity at the mouth rottennes is the best I mean unfruitfull speech sometime bitternesse Looke as holinesse is the beginning of life everlasting which goeth on till it end in glory so is sin the death of the soule which doth if the grace of CHRIST heale it not never stay till it come to everlasting damnation As for sinfull actions they