servant to do our worke for us to suffer for us to beare the burthen of our sinnes upon the tree to become our husband to bestow his riches upon us to raise us to the same condition with himselfe and withall to be such a one as God hath chosen out to love and delight in as the best object of his love and most capable of it and for us not to solace and delight our selves in him that God delights in when God delights in him for our sake God loves and delights in him for the worke of salvation and redemption by his blood and shall not wee love and imbrace him for his love which is for our good What good hath God by it but onely the glory of his mercy in saving our soules through Christ Therefore if God love him for the good he doth to us much more should we love him for the fruit of it that wee receive our selves It should shame us therefore when we finde dullnesse and coldnesse upon us that wee can heare of any thing better then of Christ and arguments concerning Christ are cold to us alas where is our love and joy and delight and when we can make no better but a carnall use of the incarnation and other benefits by Christ we should therefore desire God to shed the love of Christ into our hearts more and more that we may feele in our soules the love that hee beares to us and may love God and Christ againe for that that hee hath done for us Hence we have also a ground of estimation of Christians to be excellent persons doth God valew poore sinfull soules so much as to give Christ for them to become a Saviour doth he delight in Christ for giving himselfe for them and shall not we love one another whom God and Christ so loves But if God love and delight in those that are in Christ with the same love and delight that he hath in him how shall I know that I am in Christ and that God thus delights in me Briefly a man may know that hee is in Christ if he find the Spirit of Christ in him for the same Spirit when Christ tooke our nature that sanctified that blessed masse wherof he was made when there was an union betweene him and the second person the same Spirit sanctifies our soules and bodies there is one Spirit in the head and in the members therfore if we find the Spirit of Christ in us we are in Christ and he in us Now this Spirit is renewing Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature all is new old things are done away the old manner of language the old disposition old affections old company all old things are past all is new and if a man be a new creature hee hath right and title to the new heaven and new earth let us examine the worke of grace in us if there be no change in us we have no present interest in Christ we have to do with him because he is still woing us to be in him but as yet we have no title to him The very beholding of Christ is a transforming sight the Spirit that makes us new creatures and stirres us up to behold this servant it is a transforming beholding if wee looke upon him with the eye of faith it will make us like Christ for the Gospell is a mirrour and such a mirrour that when we looke into it and see our selves interessed in it wee are changed from glory to glory a man cannot looke upon the love of God and of Christ in the Gospell but it will change him to be like God and Christ for how can we see Christ and God in Christ but we shall see how God hates sin and this will transforme us to hate it as God doth who hated it so that it could not bee expiated but with the blood of Christ God-man so seeing the holinesse of God in it it will transforme us to be holy when we see the love of of God in the Gospell and the love of Christ giving himselfe for us this will transforme us to love God when wee see the humility and obedience of Christ when we looke on Christ as Gods chosen servant in all this and as our surety and head it transformes us to the like humility and obedience those that find not their dispositions in some comfortable measure wrought to this blessed transformation they have not yet those eyes that the Holy Ghost requireth here Behold my servant whom I have chosen my Beloved in whom my soule delighteth I will put my Spirit upon him Now wee come to the qualification of Christ for his calling in these words I will put my Spirit upon him that is I will cloath him with my Spirit I will put it as it were upon him as a garment Now there were divers degrees of Christs receiving the Spirit at severall times for hee was conceived by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost did sanctifie that blessed masse whereof his body was framed in the wombe of the Virgin he was quickned in the wombe in his conception by the Holy Ghost and he was graced by the Holy Ghost and led by the Spirit in all things before his Baptisme but afterward when he came to set upon his office to be the Prophet and Priest and King of his Church that great office of saving mankind which he did not solemly set upon till hee was thirty yeares old then God powred upon him a special portion of the Spirit answerable to that great calling then the Spirit lighted upon him Christ was ordained to his office by the greatest authority that ever any was ordained from the beginning of the world for at his Baptisme when he was ordained and set apart to his office there was the Father from heaven uttered an audible voice This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and there was Christ the partie baptized and installed into that great office then there was the Holy Ghost in the forme and shape of a Dove it being a matter of the greatest consequence that ever was in the world greater then the Creation it was fit it should be done with the greatest authority and so it was the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost being present at the admission of Christ into his office this is especially here intended though the other bee included I will put my Spirit vpon him that is I will annoint him as it is in Isaiah 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee saith Christ because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives to open the prison for them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord that is the yeare of Iubile for that was a Type of Christ to preach the Gospell deliverance to all that are in captivity servitude and thraldome under Satan and sin this was
downe the glorious condition of the Church in this world in part yet the desire of the Church rests not in any condition here therefore it is carried to the consummation and perfection of all There shall be a kind of new world at the conversion of the Iewes but when the Church is under that blessed condition yet it is under desires still of farther perfection till an end be made of all things Therefore this saying here Come hath reference to the future state of the Church All the desires of the Church are restles till the consummation of all things in the latter comming of Christ. It carries all before it in a desire Come Lord therefore to call the Iewes Come Lord to confound Antichrist which must be before that for the Iewes wil never come in till the scandal of Idolatry be removed when all this is fulfilled then come Lord to make an end of this sinful world As it is with a river it carryes all before it till it discharge it selfe into the Ocean where it is swallowed up so it is with the desires of a Christian they carry all in the meane time between heaven and them in a streame and never rest â—â—ll they be swallowed in heaven it selfe and â—â—e second comming of Christ to finish 〈…〉 s and then is the period of all happinesse and â—he accomplishment of all promises when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints The words they are as it wâ—re â—n eccho aâ— answere backe againe of the Bride the Spouse of Christ unto his promise of his comming which he makes twise in this Chapter in ver 7. Behold I come quickly and in ver 12. Behold I come quickly and he comes not empty handed My rewardâ— is with me Now the Church here ecchoes backe againe Christ saith I come and the Spirit and the Bride say come The words containe the most heavenly desire that can be of the most excellent personage in this world the Queene the Bride of Christ and it is a desire to the most excellent person absolutely Christ himselfe a desire of his comming and it is stirred up by the most excellent Spirit the holy Spirit of God for the meaning of the words is this The Spirit and the Bride say Come not as distinct and severed but the Bride by the Spirit saith Come the Holy Ghost in the Bride as it is Rom. 8.26 Wee know not what to pray but the Spirit makes intercession How is that The Spirit makes intercession by making us make intercession for what Christ doth the Spirit causeth us to do for there is one Spirit in Christ and us So the Bride by the motion of the holy and blessed Spirit say Come The order of our discourse upon these words shall be this First to speake of the person wishing and her condition The Bride And then of the desire of this excellent personage the Bride And then of the mooving cause that stirres up the Bride to desire the comming of Christ First for the person the Bride The Church is sometime compared to a woman for weakenesse sometimes to a wife for faithfulnesse to her Husband and Christ sometimes to a Bride because she is contracted to Christ in this world sometimes to a mother for her fruitfulnesse sometimes to a Virgin for her chastity here to a Bride because this life is but the time of Contract but the consummation of the marriage shall be in heaven Now this contract between the Church and Christ and betweene every particular soule and Christ for both are the bride of Christ. Even as it is the same soule that is in the little finger and in all the whole body the same soule enlivens both so it is the same Spirit in the Bride in generall and in every particular Christian therfore the Bride is both every particular Christian the whole Church Now the contract that is made betweene the soule and between the Church Christ it is by the Spirit of God which knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soule And for this end that Christ might be a Husband and contract this Bride to himselfe in our nature he married our nature that he might marry our persons There is a three-fold degree of union An union of Nature An union of Grace An union of Glory The union of nature was then Christ tooke our nature upon him The union of grace is when we take his nature when wee partake of the divine nature The union of glory is when we shall all be in heaven The first is for the second and the second for the third Christ became bone of our bone in nature that we might be bone of his bone with him in grace and so perfectly one with him in glory We see the Bride that is the Person Here I might take occasion to speak of the sweet comfort that issues from this that the second Person in the Trinity should dignifie us so much as to take us to unity with and contract us to himselfe but I will not speak much of this point having spoken more at large of it out of the Canticles If marriage be honorable what is this marriage and contract which is indeed the patterne of all other others are but shadowes to this Hence comes the sweet security peace of the Church from this contract between Christ and it for all our debts are discharged by this he tooke upon him our sins And then the Church hath interest in him and all his in this contract and marriage which is to be consummate all that he is hath is the Churches All is yours because you are Christs What a large comfort is this if we had hearts to consider of it and to improove it his grace serves for the Church Of his fulnesse wee receive grace for grace So wee may say of all the priviledges that Christ hath they are first in him and then in the Church the Church shines in his beames And as it is matter of wondrous comfort so it is likewise matter of more speciall comfort in case of infirmities The Church is a woman therefore the weaker vessell Now God that bids us beare with the woman as the weaker vessell to honour her with the honour of gentle usage for that honor is meant he that teacheth man his duty will he not performe it himselfe to beare with his Church as the weaker vessell Especially when it is the condition of the marriage Hosea 2. I will marry thee to me in mercy wee may clayme mercy as a part of our dowry by Christ pardoning mercy forbearing pittying mercy we make not use of this comfort when we are discouraged But this teacheth us likewise how to carry our selves to Christ as we should doe chastly to take heed how we judge of things we must keep our judgements chast A Christian hath not liberty to ryot in his opinion to run at randome to see what 〈◊〉
of red well coloured earth to a lump of flesh it is a wondrous conjunction But there is a more supernaturall conjunction of man when all of us sinners as we are are knit to Christ our head and head and members make one Christ here is a wondrous conjunction Saint Paul calls it a mystery Ephes. 5. these conjunctions in us are wonderfull But now to goe higher in Christ there are more wonderfull conjunctions for the greatest and the meanest to joyne together for God and man to come together the Lord of all and a servant and such a servant as should be under a curse for the highest of all to come to the deepest abasement for there was no abasement ever so deepe as Christs was in a double regard First none ever went so low as he for hee suffered the wrath of God and bore upon him the sins of us all none ever was so low And then in another respect his abasement was greatest because hee descended from the highest top of glory and for him to be man to be a servant to be a curse to suffer the wrath of God to be the lowest of all Lord whether dost thou descend here is a wonder in these conjunctions Next to Christs abasement was Adams because he was the most excellent being in the state of innocencie and carrying the image of God and being familiar with God for him presently to come into that fearefull condition it was the greatest abasement because it was from the greatest dignity that made the abasement of Christ so great for Lordship to submit to service for God to be man the blessed God to become a curse heere is matter of wonder indeed In Christ againe there was a conjunction of perfect body perfect soule and perfect God and all make one Christ In the Trinity there is a conjunction of three persons in one nature that is a wondrous conjunction but it belongs not to our present purpose here you see there is matter of wonder in the person that Christ should be a servant There is matter of wonder likewise in that from whence he is a servant whence comes it that Christ is a servant It is from the wondrous love of God and the wondrous love of Christ to be so abased it was wondrous love in God to give him to us to be so abased and the wondrous misery we were in that we could not otherwise be freed from for such was the pride of man that he being man would exalt himselfe to bee like God God became man he became a servant to expiate our pride in Adam so that it is wondrous in the spring of it There was no such love as Christs to become a servant there was no such misery as we were in out of which we were delivered by this abasement of Christ becomming a servant so it is wondrous in that regard springing from the infinite love and mercy of God which is greater in the worke of Redemption and Reconciliation then in the Creation of the world for the distance betweene nothing and something was lesse then the distance betweene sin and happinesse For nothing adds no opposition but to be in a sinfull state there is opposition therefore it was greater love and mercy for God when wee were sinfull and so obnoxious to eternall destruction to make us of sinners not onely men but to make us happie to make us heires of heaven out of a sinfull and cursed estate then to make us of nothing something to make us men in Adam for there God prevailed over nothing but here his mercy triumphed over that which is opposite to God over sinfullnesse and cursednesse To shew that the creature cannot be so low but there is somewhat in God above the misery of the creature his mercy shall triumph over the basest estate where hee will shew mercy therefore there is mercy above all mercy and love above all love in that Christ was a servant Thirdly it is wondrous in regard of the fruit we have by this service of Christ the worke of our Redemption to be translated from the kingdome of Satan to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God to be brought out of darkenesse into marveilous light it is marveilous matter of wonder the good wee have by this abasement of Christ Behold what love the Father hath shewed us that wee should be called the sonnes of God Now all this comes from Christs being a servant our liberty comes from his service and slavery our life from his death our adoption and sonship and all comes from his abasement therefore it is a matter of wonderment for the great things we have by it O the depth O the depth saith Saint Paul here are all dimensions in this excellent worke that Christ hath wrought by his abasement by his incarnation and taking upon him the forme of a servant and dying for us here is the height and breadth and length and depth of the love of God in Christ O the riches of Gods mercie the Apostles they stand in a wonder and admiration of this and indeed if any thing be to be admired it is Christ that wondrous conjunction the wondrous love that wrought it and the wondrous fruit we have by it It is the basenesse of our nature we can wonder at shallow things there cannot be a foolery but there will be many about it presently and stand admiring every emptie idle thing that the nature of man is carried away with whereas indeed there is nothing worthy of admiration but the wonderfull love of God O how wonderfull are thy workes saith David of the works of Creation Psal. 8. the worke of Creation and of providence whereby God guides the world are wonderfull and the Psalmist cries out of the folly of men that do not regard the worke of the Lord Psal. 107. Fooles regard not this The workes of the Lord are worthy to bee considered they are knowne of all that delight in them Psal. 111. but if these things bee so wonderfull and to bee regarded and delighted in alas what is all the worke of redemption Great is the mysterie of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh c. there are mysteries matters of admiration but carnall men thinke these triviall matters they can heare matters of more rarity and when they speake of these things alas they are too wise to wonder tush they know the Gospell well enough whereas indeed as wee see here they are things that deserve the admiration of Angels and as they deserve it so the Angels prie into these excellent secrets in Jesus Christ. Christ was a servant by office and by condition we must not rest in this base condition for he took upon him the forme of a servant that he might be an excellent servant there is both basenesse and excellencie in the word servant for his humiliation was a degree of his exaltation and a part of his advancement if wee regard his
humane nature it was an advancement for mans nature to bee grafted into God by conception and incarnation bâ—t if wee regard his God-head for him to conceale himselfe and lay aside the beames and rayes of Majesty and cloath himselfe with mans flesh this was the first degree of humiliation it was an advancement to his flesh but it was a concealing and hiding to his God-head for God to become a servant this was an abasement but then consider the excellencie of the service how God delighted in it and how usefull it was to us and wee shall see that he was a servant by way of excellencie There was first in Christ humane flesh abased flesh and then glorious flesh abasement was first necessary for Christ for hee could not have performed the office of a servant unlesse hee had undertaken the condition of a servant he must first bee abased and then glorious our ill must be his before his good could be ours and how could hee undergoe our ill our sin and misery and the curse due to us but he must bee abased our sins must be imputed to him and then his righteousnesse and whatsoever is good is ours so here is both the abasement of his condition and the excellencie of his office to be a King Priest and Prophet to his Church as wee shall see afterward Is the Lord Christ a servant this should teach us not to stand upon any tearmes if Christ had stood upon tearmes if he had refused to take upon him the shape of a servant alas where had we and our salvation beene And yet wretched creatures we thinke our selves too good to doe God and our Brethren any service Christ stood not upon his greatnesse but being equall with God he became a servant Oh we should dismount from the tower of our conceited excellency The heart of man is a proud creature a proud peice of flesh men stand upon their distance what shall I stoupe to him J am thus and thus we should descend from the heaven of our conceit and take upon us the forme of servants and abase our selves to doe good to others even to any and account it an honour to doe any good to others in the places wee are in Christ did not thinke himselfe too good to leave Heaven to conceale and vaile his Majesty under the vaile of our flesh to worke our redemption to bring us out of the cursed estate we were in shall we thinke our selves too good for any service Who for shame can be proud when he thinks of this that God was abased shall God bee abased and man proud shall God become a servant and shall wee that are servants thinke much to serve our fellow-servants Let us learne this lesson to abase our selves we cannot have a better patterne to looke unto then our blessed Saviour A Christian is the greatest freeman in the world hee is free from the wrath of God free from hell and damnation from the curse of the Law but then though he bee free in these respects yet in regard of love he is the greatest servant love abaseth him to doe all the good hee can and the more the Spirit of Christ is in us the more it will abase us to any thing wherin we can be serviceable Then againe here is comfort for us that Christ in whatsoever he did in our redemption is Gods servant he is appointed by God to the worke so both God and Christ meete together in the worke Christ is a voluntary in it for he emptied himselfe he tooke upon him the forme of a servant he came from Heaven voluntary And then withall the Father joynes with him the Father appointed him and sent him the Father layed him as the corner stone the Father sealed him as it is Iohn 6. The Father set him out as it is Romans 3. hee hath set him out as the propitiatory Therefore when wee thinke of reconciliation and redemption and salvation wrought by Christ let us comfort our selves in the soliditie of the worke that it is a service perfectly done it was done by Christ God Man it is a service accepted of God therefore God cannot refuse the service of our salvation wrought by Christ Christ was his servant in the working of it we may present it to God it is the obedience of thy servant it is the satisfaction of thy servant here is that will give full content and satisfaction to conscience in this that whatsoever Christ did he was Gods servant in it but wee shall better understand the intent of the Holy Ghost when we have gâ—ne over the rest of the words Behold my sâ—rvant Whom I have chosen Christ was chosen before all worlds to bee the head of the elect hee was predestinate and ordained by God As wee are ordained to salvation so Christ is ordained to be the head of all that shall be saved hee was chosen eternally and chosen in time he was singled out to the work by God and all others that are chosen are chosen in him there had beene no choosing of men but in him for God saw us so defiled lying in our filth that hee could not looke upon us but in his Sonne he chose him and us in him Here is meant not onely choosing by eternall election to happinesse but a choosing to office there is a choosing to grace and glory and a choosing to office Here it is as well meant a choosing to office as to grace and glory God as he chose Christ to grace and glory so he chose him to the office of Mediatorship Christ did not choose himselfe he was no usurper No man cals himself to the office as it is in Hebrews but Christ was called and appointed of God he was willing indeed to the worke hee tooke it voluntary upon him but as Mediator God chose him God the Father and he joyning together If we respect eternall salvation or grace or office Christ was chosen in respect of his Man-hood For as it is well observed by Divines Christ is the Head of al that are predestinate and the humane Nature of Christ could not merit its choise it could not merit its incarnation it could not merit union with the God-head it was meerely from grace How could Christs Man-hood deserve any thing of God before it was Things must have a subsistence before they can worke Our blessed Saviour is the patterne of all election and his Man-hood could not merit to bee knit to the second person as how could it being a creature Therefore the knitting of the humane nature of Christ to his divine it is called the grace of Vnion the choosing of the humane Nature of Christ to be so gratious and glorious it was of grace Christ he was both a chosen servant and a choise servant in calling him a chosen servant it implies his excellency as a chosen vessell a chosen arrow in Gods quiver so a chosen servant every way excellent This
other men it is with the spirit of the writer He cannot speake to God in praise or to others in experience of the worke of grace because he hath a dead soule Put him to his owne arguments to talke of vanity to sweare or to talke of the times you shall have him in his theame but to talke of God and divine things unlesse it be to sweare by them and to scorne good things he cannot he is speechlesse there it is not his theame And as he is speechlesse so he hath no spirituall eyes to see God in his works There is nothing that we see with our bodily eyes but our soules should have an eye to see somewhat of God in it his mercy and goodnesse and power c. And so he hath no relish to taste of God in his creatures and mercies when a man tasts of the creatures he should have a spirituall taste of God and of the mercy in him Oh how sweet is God! A wicked man hath no taste of God And he cannot heare what the Spirit saith in the Word he heares the voice of man but not of the Spirit when the trumpet of the Word sounds never so loud in his eares These things ought not to be overmuch pressed much curiosity must not be used in them but because the Holy Ghost raiseth the proportion from these things some thing must be said of them As there is no sence nor mooving to outward things so no outward thing can moove a dead body offer him colours to the eye food to the taste or any thing to the feeling nothing mooves him So a dead soule as it cannot moove to good so it is mooved with nothing that that affects a child of God and makes him tremble and quake it affects not a carnall man at all And as in bodily death the longer it is dead the more noysome and offensive it is every day more then other So sinne it makes the soule more loathsome and noysome daily till they have filled up the measure of their sinnes till the earth can beare them no longer We say of a dead body it is heavy so dead soules I am sure they are heavy heavy to God and to Christ that dyed for sinne and heavy in themselves they sinke to earthly things in their affections and thereby they sinke lower and lower to Hell and never leave sinking till they be there As the life of grace is like the Sunne when it riseth it growes still till it come to full perfection till it come to the life of glory So on the contrary this death is a death that is more and more increased in the loathsomenesse and noysomenesse of it every way so that the longer a carnall man lives the more guilt hee contracts A child of a hundred yeares old as the Prophet saith the longer he lives the more vengeance is stored for him he treasures vengeance up against the day of vengeance and it is a curse for a man in his naturall estate to live long for he growes more and more abhominable every way These things helpe to understand the Scripture and therefore so far we may well thinke of them If this be so I beseech you let us learne to know what we are by nature not to make our selves in our owne conceits better then indeed wee are We judge of our selves as we are to civill things A man that hath naturall parts that can discourse and understand the mysteries of law and of the state we value men by these Alas poore soule thou mayest be dead for all this what are all these abilities for Are they not for the spirituall life What is this to the life of grace They onely blow thee up with pride and set thee further off and make thee uncapable of grace If thou talke of learning the Divell is a better scholler then any man he knowes matters of state and other things better then thou doest and yet he is a Divell for all that therefore never stand upon these things But there is a company that are more to blame then these one would thinke that these have something to be proud off that they might set themselves against God and goodnes but there is a generation that have little in them that yet think themselves the only men in loose licentious life despising all caring for none think it the only life to live as they list to goe where they list in what companies they list to have bounds of their owne these think themselves the onely men when indeed they are no body they are dead loathsome creatures it is the mercy of God that the ground doth not sinke underthem and yet they carry themselves as if they only were alive Againe if we be all dead by nature and there ought to be a separation of the living from the dead let us take heed in our amity and society that we converse not with naturall men too much that have not spirituall goodnesse in them that we converse not with them with delight and complacency It is a tyrannicall thing to knit dead and living bodies together and he was accounted a tyrant that did so surely in choosing our society conjugall or friendly any intimate society to joyne living and dead soules together we are tyrants to our owne soules Wee wrong our soules to joyne with dead persons who would converse with dead courses and corps The very creatures startle at the sight of a dead body nature startles at that that is dead If wee had the life of grace further then the necessity of civill conversation and the hope of bettering them forceth it upon us wee would have no society with those that we see are in the state of nature What issues from them but stench eyes full of adultery nothing that is pleasing can come from them nothing can come from all their sences but rottennesse and stench what comfort can a man that loves his owne soule and hath any desire to be saved have by intimate converse with such persons let them have never so good parts they hurt more one way then they doe good another you see wee are all dead by nature and what this death is But you will say there is a difference betweene naturall death and spirituall death for in naturall bodily death there is no mooving but in this spirituall death of the soule men have sences and motion c. Jt is true thus farre they differ though a man be spiritually dead yet notwithstanding he hath feete to carry him to the house of God he hath eares to heare the Word of God he hath abilities of nature upon which grace is founded God workes grace upon nature Now a man living in the Church of God that is a grace when a man hath grace to live within the compasse of the meanes he can by common grace without any inward change of nature come and heare the Word of
consider how the Law of the Spirit of life is in Christ what it doth in him and then how it is derivatively in us First of all we must know this for a ground whatsoever is done to us is done to Christ first and whatsoever wee have Christ hath it first Therefore life is first in Christ and then in us Resurrection first in Christ and then in us Sonne-ship first in Christ and then in us Justification from our sins first in Christ he is freed from our sinnes and then in us Ascension first in Christ and then in us Glory in heaven first in Christ and then in us We have nothing in us but it is derived from Christ therefore this being layd as a ground we must consider how the Spirit of life works in Christ what it doth in Christ and then what it doth as it is in us for whatsoever Christ hath it is not onely for himselfe but for us What doth it in Christ The Spirit of life in Christ first of all it did quicken and sanctifie his humane nature that nature that Christ pleased to take upon him it stopped sinne it made a stop of originall sinne in sanctifying that blessed masse out of which his body was made for the foundation of his obedience actuall that it was so holy it was hence that his nature was purified by the Holy-Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin the foundation that his death and sufferings was satisfactory and acceptable it was that his holy nature was sanctified by the Spirit of God So the first worke of the Spirit of life in the Sonne of God it was to sanctifie and quicken that blessed masse that he tooke upon him And the Spirit of life that quickned and sanctified our nature in Christ did likewise ennoble our nature for even as a base woman is ennobled when she is taken in marriage with a great man shee hath his dignity accounted hers so our nature by the Spirit being sanctified is knit into the union of person with Christ that our nature and the second Person make one Christ so our nature by the Spirit is ennobled by this union And also inriched it with all grace that our nature is capable of for the nature of Christ had this double prerogative above ours First of all that blessed masse of flesh it was knit to be one person with God and then that nature was inriched and ennobled with all graces above ours And this the Spirit of life did to Christ himselfe to his humane nature that he tooke upon him that hee might be a publicke Person For God the second Person tooke not upon him any mans particular person of Peter or Paul or Iohn for then there should have beene distinct persons one person should have dyed and another rise but hee tooke our nature into his Person so that the same Person that did dye was God though he dyed in our nature that he might be a publicke Person So we must consider Christ sanctifying our nature that he might sit and sanctifie all our persons But did the Spirit of life doe nothing else but sanctifie and inrich the humane nature of Christ with grace Yes for the Spirit of life in Christ did sanctifie him for his Sacrifice as he saith Iohn 17. in that blessed prayer I sanctifie my selfe for them it prepared him for his death and made him a fit Sacrifice When he entred upon his calling he had more of the Spirit the Spirit of life as it were was increased For it is no heresie to thinke that the gifts of Christ for the manifestation of them were increased For in every state he was in hee was perfect and when he set upon his Office and was baptised hee was fuller of the Holy-Ghost as it were there was a fuller manifestation then before when he did not set upon his Office openly In his death what did the Spirit of life then It supported him in his very death for there was an union of the Spirit when there was a separation of his soule and body there was not a separation of the union That which gave dignity and strength and value and worth to his death it was the Spirit though there was a suspending of the comfort a while yet there was no separation of the union but I speake no more of that being not especially meant here But especially in his Resurrection which we are now to thinke of by reason of the day and it is not amisse to take all occasions especially then the Spirit of life that had sanctified Christ and quickened him and inriched his nature and supported him and done all that Spirit of life quickened the dead body of Christ And he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by the Spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 by his Resurrection from the dead The Spirit of life raised him from the dead and put an end to all that misery that he had undergone before for our sakes For untill his resurrection there was as it were some conflict with some enemies of Christ either with Satan or the world or with death it selfe he lay under death three dayes untill Christs body was raised our enemies were not overcome Gods wrath was not fully satisfied it was not declared to be satisfied at least for he being our surety till he came out of the grave we could not know that our sinnes were satisfied for But now when the Spirit of life in Christ comes and quickens that body of his in the grave and so doth justifie us as it is Ro. 4. He dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification that is by the Spirit of life in Christ quickning his dead body hee declared that we are fully discharged from our sinnes because he was fully discharged from our sinnes being our surety hee shewed by his Resurrection that he was fully discharged from all that he tooke upon him When a man comes out of prison that is a surety his very comming out of prison shewes that he hath a full discharge of all the debt hee undertooke to pay so the Spirit of life raising Christs body the third day manifestly declared that the debt he tooke on him was fully discharged and so as he dyed for sinne to satisfie Gods Justice for them so hee rose againe for our justification to shew that hee had a full discharge for all Now since the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath quickned his body the soule may make a bold demand to God as it is in 1 Pet. 8. It may make that demand Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is Christ that dyed nay rather that is risen againe and ascended into heaven and makes intercession for us Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people it is God that justifieth who shall condemne our sinnes Christ hath taken our sinnes upon him and satisfied divine
these things which I say are true both for the necessity and excellency of this foode they will be effectuall to stirre you up to labour more after this foode that endures to everlasting life So much for that Which the Sonne of man shall give you for him hath God the Father Sealed To come now to the possibility of attaining this food which is the third argument our blessed Saviour useth to enforce upon us this injunction to labour for the food that endures to everlasting life Hope stirreth up endeavour as we see in marchandizing though when wee venter beyond the seas we commit all to winde and water as they say and it is doubtfull what the issue may be yet we hope and that sets us on worke So the poore Husbandman but that he hopes to have a comfortable issue to have a harvest he would never set himselfe to worke Now heere is hope and hope on a better ground a great deale for hee that makes other things successefull he hath given Christ for this purpose and Christ you see heere hee gives himselfe which the Sonne of man shall give you Heere is all that we may ground and found our hope upon heere is will heere is power and here is authority to give it Heere is will Christ will give it why because he is the Sonne of man What use is there of these words in this place why doth he not say which the Sonne of God shall give you O the Sonne of God without the Sonne of man is indeed a Fountaine of good things but he is a sealed Fountaine alas of no comfort our comfort is in Emanuell God-Man all our comfort is to be brought back to God from whom we fell in Paradise and we must bee brought backe againe to God by God but unlesse God had become man man had never come backe againe to God therefore all the union and communion we have with God it depends on this first union of Christ with our nature that the Sonne of God became the Sonne of man as Saint Austine saith for now the next union that we become the Sons of God it comes from this that God became man and therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man shall give it you you need not climbe up to Heaven to fetch this food that endures to everlasting life for the Sonne of God is come downe from Heaven to Earth to take the nature of man and in that to die in that to satisfie Gods wrath and so to become this blessed and everlasting food The Sonne of man the second Adam as by one man we all come to misery so by the second Adam by man wee are restored to a blessed condition againe therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man because in the humane nature all our salvation was wrought indeed the worth and efficacie of our salvation comes from the divine nature but it was wrought in mans nature the divine nature could not worke it alone But I will not dwell on this The Sonne of man shall give it you you neede not feare it God is become man on purpose to give it you we may now boldly go to a Mediator which is made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh wee should have feared and trembled if hee had onely beene God but now all grace and comfort is hid in this nature of ours in Christ if Christ had not tooke this poore wretched nature of ours upon him it had beene a hatefull nature to God God hated the nature of man but now because the Sonne of God is become the Sonne of man our nature is become lovely in the eyes of God and not onely lovely but it is filled in him with all grace and of his fullnesse wee receive grace for grace Hee will give it therefore because he is the Sonne of man Heere is will I but what power and strength hath he to give it He is so the Sonne of man as that hee is also the Sonne of God therefore we are said Acts 20. to bee redeemed with the blood of God Christ by his eternall Spirit by his God-head offered himselfe a Sacrifice for sinne so that he can give it because he is God But what authority hath he He is Sealed to doe it that 's the third that is he hath authority for authority is here expressed by Sealing Now Christ is said to be Sealed first because there is the impression of God upon him even as the seale imprints in the wax the likenesse of that which is in it so God hath imprinted in Christ his owne likenesse he is the Image of God for Christ as he is God is the character of his Father and his humane nature is likewise as like God as nature can expresse we saw saith the Apostle his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of God we saw a kinde of divinity in him as much as humane nature could receive the likenesse of God sparkeled in him therefore hee is said to be Sealed but that is not all nor the principall here meant Againe secondly the use of a seale is to appropriate and distinguish from other things so Christ is Sealed that is God hath appropriated him to be his owne Sonne and to be a Mediator of his owne appointing and hath distinguished him from all others by a blessed annointing and qualification of him above all he is as Saul amongst the rest higher then all he is as Aaron annointed with the oyle of gladnesse but above his fellowes and yet for his fellowes from him distills the blessed ointment of grace it is powred on his head first and descends from him downe to all the skirts of his garment to all his members So heere is in this Sealing likenesse distinction and appropriation But especially by Sealing heere is meant authority for a thing sealed is not onely to distinguish and appropriate to a mans use but to authorize also as a Magistrate that hath the Kings broad Seale he is authorized so Christ he hath Gods Seale God hath authorized him to be a Mediator and as hee was fore-ordained before all worlds as the Apostle Peter saith to be the head of them that should be saved and to be their Mediator so when the fullnesse of time was come when he came in the flesh hee was authorized by the greatest testimony that ever was by the blessed Trinity God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost at his Baptisme This is my beloved Sonne heare him saith a voice from Heaven there was the Father the Sonne in the voice the Holy Ghost in the Dove there was the whole Trinity so he was authorized from Heaven And then he was authorized by his miracles God gave him power to worke those workes which none could doe but a Mediator therefore he saith if you beleeve not me yet beleeve me for my workes sake He was authorized also by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith in Rom. 1.4 He mightily declared himselfe to be
charge this and that let us accuse our selves as he would and as he will ere long The more we accuse and judge our selves and set up a tribunall in our hearts certainely there will follow an incredible ease Ionah was cast into the Sea and there was ease in the Ship Achan was stoned and the Plague was stayed out with Ionah out with Achan and there will follow ease and quiet in the soule presently conscience will receive wonderfull ease It must needs be so for when God is honoured conscience is purified God is honoured by confession of sinne every way It honours his omniscience that he is al-seeing that he sees our sinnes and searcheth the hearts our secrets are not hid from him It honours his power what makes us confesse our sinnes but that we are afraid of his power least he should execute it And what makes us confesse our sinnes But that we know there is mercy with him that he may be feared And that there is pardon for sinne we would not confesse our sinnes else with men it is confesse and have execution but with God confesse and have mercy it is his owne protestation we would never lay open our sinnes but for mercy So it honours God and when he is honoured he honours the soule with inward peace and tranquility We can never have peace in our soules till we have dealt roundly with our sins and favour them not a whit till we have ripened our confession to be a thorow confession What is the difference betweene a Christian another man Another person slubbers over his sins God is mercifull c. and he thinkes if he come to the Congregation and follow the Minister it will serve the turne But a Christian knowes that Religion is another manner of matter another kinde of worke then so he must deale throughly and seriously and lay open his sinne as the chiefe enemy in the world and labour to raise all the hatred he can against it and make it the object of his bitter displeasure as being that that hath done him more hurt then all the world besides and so he confesseth it with all the aggravations of hatred and envy that he can But to come more particularly to the confession here spoken off We all are as an uncleane thing c. We all We see here holy men themselves confesse their sins and ranke themselves among sinners in their confessions so we learne hence this That we in our confessions in our Fastings especially ought to ranke our selves amongst the rest of sinners and not to exempt our selves from other sinners Perhaps we are not guilty of some sinnes that they have beene guilty off God hath beene mercifull to us and kept us in obedience in some things but alas there is none of us all but we have had a hand in the sinnes of the times the best of all conditions are guilty of them therefore wee have cause to ranke our selves among others as he saith here We are all as an uncleane thing and as Daniell he makes a confession of the sins of all we are all of us guilty How are we all guilty We are all guilty in this respect we receive some taint and soyle from the times we live in either our zeale is weakned we doe not grieve so much for the sinnes of the times and who is not guilty in this respect We doe not grieve and lament as we should as S. Paul tels the Corinthians they should have beene sorry and humbled they were guilty of the sinne of the incestuous person because they were not humbled for it We are thus farre guilty at least the best of us that we doe not sorrow for the common sinnes Alas how many sinnes are there that every body may see in the times in all rancks In Pastors what unfaithfullnesse and 〈◊〉 Governours and in places of justice what crying of the poore and men oppressed and in all rancks of people we see a generall security we see filthinesse and heare oaths for which the Land mournes as Ieremy saith Ier. 23. These and such like sinnes provoke God and solicite the vengeance of God and will have no nay till they have pulled downe vengeance Who hath beene so much humbled for these sinnes as he ought Perhaps our selves are not personally guilty of them but are they not our sinnes so farre as we are not abased for them and oppose them and represse them as we should in our places and standings whether we be Ministers or Magistrates Thus farre wee are guilty all therefore the Prophet might well say We all are as an uncleane thing c. Then againe there is a great Simpathy in the hearts of good men they are full of pitty and compassion and therefore they joyne themselves with others partly knowing that they are guilty in some degree with others and partly because they are members of the same body politike and ecclesiasticall they live in the same Church and common wealth therefore all joyne their confession together wee all are as an uncleane thing c. Let us make this use of it every one of us to be humbled doe not every one of us bring sticks to the common fire Do we not adde something to the common judgement If there be two malefactors that have committed a trespasse one of them is taken and used in his kinde he is executed will it not greeve the other he will thinke was it not my case I was a wretched sinner as well as he If there be divers Traitors and the King is mercifull to one and the other hee executes will it not grieve him that is spared if hee have any bowells or good nature besides goodnesse in other kindes will hee not thinke it was my owne case there was no difference betweene me and them only the mercy of the King So the best of us may thinke have I not a corrupt nature and for the sinnes of the times am not I soyled with them others have beene stricken might not the same arrow have stricken mee certainely this consideration that we bring somthing to the publique sinnes it will make us humbled for the publique as the Church here confesseth We are all as an uncleane thing c. To come to the particulars of the Confession We are all as an uncleane thing Heere is a confession of their persons their persons were tainted we are all a tainted seed and generation in nature what the wickedest is wholy the best are in part therefore it is no error that wee should say so and so of our selves in our confessions as Saint Paul saith of himselfe I am sold under sinne Rom. 7. one would wonder that he should confesse so Alas blessed man he felt that in part that others in the state of nature are wholy so we are all filthy the best as farre as they are not renewed are as other men are Vncleane It is a comparison taken from the
Leprosie or some other contagious disease those that were tainted of them were separated from the Congregation seven daies or some set time So it is with sin especially the sins of this people they had sinned grievously and were severed from their land not seven daies but seventy yeares the leprosie and filthinesse of their sins and lives was such Indeed sinne especially the sinne of nature it is a leprosie contagious pestilentiall and as a leprosie it spreads over all the parts and powers of body and soule Take a man that is not changed he hath a leprous eye full of adulterie hee hath a leprous uncircumcised â—are aske him how he judgeth of discourses and Sermons hee relisheth nothing but that which is frothy and vaine plaine substantiall solid discourses either in hearing or reading will not downe with him hee hath a leprous judgement his eyes and eares and tongue are defiled and corrupt he is vile and abhominable in his speeches he is uncircumcised in all all are uncleane all his powers are defiled by nature All the washings in the Law did signifie this the corruption and defilement of our natures which needs another washing which they tipified a washing by the blood and Spirit of Christ. Christ came by water and blood both in Justification and Sanctification There is a Fountaine opened for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in All those washings shewed a defilement spirituall that needed a spirituall washing This sinne is a leprous contagious sinne therefore by nature we may all crie as the Leper uncleane uncleane the best of us may take up that complaint as farre as we are not renewed A leprous man defiled the things that he touched so it is with sinne till it be forgiven we defile every thing A proud man especially when he is set out in his bravery he thinkes himselfe a jolly man a brave creature alas he is a filthy creature not onely in himselfe but in every thing he puts his hand unto he taints and defiles every thing even civill actions hee sinnes in eating and drinking not that they in the substance of them are sinnes but he staines every thing for he forgets God in them he forgets himselfe exceedingly and he returnes not thankes to God so in morall civill actions much more in religious he defiles himselfe in every thing he is defiled to all things and all things are defiled to him this is our state by nature We are all as an uncleane thing This should enforce a necessity of cleansing our selves in the blood of Christ that is in the death of Christ who hath satisfied the justice of God Our natures are so foule in regard of the guilt and staine that the blood of God-man that is the satisfactory death of God-man was necessary to breed reconciliation and attonement betweene God and us And the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe must purge our consciences c. our consciences will not otherwise be pacified and cleansed in regard of guilt but will clamour and crie still much lesse will God be appeased neither God nor conscience will be pacified but by the blood of him who by the eternall Spirit offered up himselfe and then it will in regard of the guilt and staine then God and conscience will both be appeased Therefore in Zach. 13. There is a Fountaine opened for Iuda and Ierusalem to wash in And The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne Blood is of a defiling nature but the blood of Christ cleanseth because it is a satisfactory blood he died and was a sacrifice as a publique person for us all Then againe considering that we are all defiled besides this cleansing from the guilt of sinne let us get our natures cleansed by the Spirit of Christ more and more wee are all defiled And take heed of those that are defiled take heede of sinners who would willingly lie with a leprous person yet notwithstanding for matter of marriage and intimate society there is a little conscience made men converse with leprous company they joyne in the most intimate society with those that are leprous in their judgements The life of nature we know and are carefull to avoid what may impaire it but it is a signe we have not the life of grace begun in us because we doe not valew it if we had we would be more carefull to preserve it and to take heeed of contagious company Who would goe to the Pest-house or to one that hath Lord have mercy upon us on the doore none but a mad man he might doe soe and surely those that joyne with swearers and drunkards and filthy persons and goe to filthy places and houses as many doe the more shame for them they think they have no soules nor no account to make 〈◊〉 goe to these places and infect themselves It is a signe they have no life of grace all companies are alike to them Is this strength of grace No they have no life of grace they have nothing to loose for if they had the life of grace they would preserve it better Sinne is a filthy thing more filthy then the leprosie nay then the plague it selfe for the plague or leprosie makes but the bodie loathsome but the sinne that we cherish and are loath to heare of makes the soule loathsome The one makes unfit for the company of men but the other sinne and corruption and lusts unfit us for the Kingdome of God for Heaven for life or death therefore it is worse The leprosie of the body makes a man not a whit odious to God but the leprosie of the soule makes us hatefull to him We may have more intimate communion with God in the plague then out of the plague because God supplies the want of outward comforts but in sinne we can have no comfortable communion and society with God therefore this plague of the soule is many waies worse then the pestilence But we want faith God hath not opened our eyes to see that that we shall see and know ere long and it is happie if wee consider it in time To conclude this point concerning the corruption of nature take Davids course Psal. 51. when sinnefull actions come from us or unsavourie words or beastly thoughts or unchast and noysome desires that grieve the Spirit of God let us go to the Fountaine alas my nature is leprous as farre as it is not purged I was conceived in sinne my mother brought mee forth in iniquity The more we take occasion every day to see and observe the corruption of our nature the lesse it is and we cannot better take occasion then upon every actuall sinne to run to the fountaine the filthy puddle from whence all comes and be more humbled for that then for particular sinnes It is a mistake in men they are ashamed of an action of injustice c but they should goe to their nature and thinke I
under Gods hand to bee sonnes you are sonnes by Creation already offer thy selfe to be of his family for the time to come and God will give a sweet report to thy soule Stand not out at the staves end Thou art our Father Lord. If you have a purpose to live in firme the Divell is your father and not God you are of your father the Divell but if wee bee willing to submit wee may say Doubtlesse thou art our Father We are the clay thou art the potter Heere is a resignation of themselves to God in this tearme thou art the potter we are the clay Indeed we are but earthen vessells the best of us in regard of the bodily life we have and we are at the liberty of God to dispose of as he pleaseth So before he comes to put forth this prayer to God he useth this resignation of themselves into the hand of God we are as clay in thy hands Lord dispose of us as thou wilt Let us remember this when we come to pray to God use all meanes of abasement that can be lay aside all tearmes other then abasing tearmes wee are the clay and as Iob saith I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes So the Saints have done in all times I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne and I am lesse then the least of thy mercies Let us lay aside proud and lofty tearmes and cast downe our crownes at the foot of Christ as the Saints in Revel 4. cast downe all our excellencies let us have no thought of outward excellencies of beautie or strength or riches or high dignity when we come to God wee must come with low thoughts to the high God can the creature be too low in his presence And then come with resignation wee are the clay thou art the potter doe with us as thou wilt if thou dash us in peeces as a potters vessell thou maist doe it that is the way to escape That is well committed that is committed into Gods hand some men shift by their wits and will not trust God with their health and strength they bee double minded as Saint Iames saith they will have two strings to their bow if lawfull meanes will not serve unlawfull shall No but wee must commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator and then see what hee will doe then it stands with his honour hee will looke to the lowlie I am the clay thou art the potter heere I am doe as thou wilt as David saith it is a blessed estate thus to resigne our selves into Gods hands If the Divell and Reprobates could bee brought to this they should never come there where they are in terrours of conscience Let us labour to practise this dutie Lord I commit to thy hands my body and soule I cast my selfe into thy bosome doe with mee as thou wilt Some that have stood out at the staves end with temptations many yeares have gotten comfort by this resignation VVe are the clay thou art the potter thou maist mold and break us as thou wilt The way now to escape the plague is not alltogether to use tricks of wit and policie though lawfull meanes must be used but labour to get into Christ and resigne our selves into Gods hand absolutely and say thus VVe are the clay c. Lord thou maist dash us if thou wilt as thou dost now many hundreds weekely thou maist dash us in that fashion if thou wilt Only we may have a desire that God would make our lives and health pretious to him that we may serve him as if we were now in Heaven and that we may have grace to make good use of all But if God have determined and decreed to take us away let us resigne our selves into his hands It is no matter though the body bee sowne in dishonour they shall be raised in honour wee are the clay he is the potter let him do what he will with our carkasses and bodies so he be mercifull to our soules These vessells of clay when they are turned to earth they shall be renewed of better stuffe like the glorious body of Christ then our soules and bodies shall be glorious by him that took a peece of flesh and clay for us O the humility of Christ we wonder that the soule should animate a peece of clay so excellent a thing as the soule is much more may we wonder that the Sonne of God should take a piece of flesh and clay upon him to take our nature of base earth to make us eternally glorious as himselfe Let it comfort us though God dash our clay in pieces as a Potter yet Christ that tooke our clay to the unity of his Person our nature being ingrafted into him hee will make our bodies eternall and everlasting as his owne glorious body Let us resigne our selves into Gods hands as the Church here Thou art the Potter and we are the clay and then wee shall never miscarry FINIS THE SPIRITVALL IUBILE In two Sermons By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE JOHN 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed GAL 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange and in Queens head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row at the gilt Bible 1638. THE SPIRITVALL IVBILE ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death THERE be foure things especially that trouble the peace of a Christian and indeed of any man in this world The first is sinne with the guilt of it binding them over to the wrath of God and the expectation of miserie a heavie bondage The second is besides the guilt of sinne the remainders of corruption with the conflict that accompanies them while we live in this world and that conflict must needes be tedious The third is the miseries of this life that accompanie alway both the guilt and remainders of sinne in this world we are condemned to a great deale of trouble here and this doth much exercise and perplex Gods children And then the shutting up of all death and damnation the thought of these things doth much disquiet and disturbe the peace of a Christians soule Now in this Epistle we have comfort against all these First for the guilt of sinne that binds us over to eternall judgement and the wrath of God we are freed by the obedience of Christ the second Adam as is excellently she well in the fifth Chapter And for the remainders of corruption that we conflict with in this world we are assisted against that by the Spirit of Christ for as by the obedience of Christ we are freed from the guilt so by the Spirit
that hath not learned the first lesson in the Gospel to deny himselfe he is a wretched slave to the Devill in his best part and power his lusts imprison his will and affections his wit that should devise how hee should be happy for for eternitie it is onely a drudge to his base lusts There are a company of men that are the shame and blemish of the Gospel that set their wits a worke onely how to devise to satisfie their base lusts and then the issue and conclusion of all this is eternall misery and in the meane time the expectation of misery in terrours of conscience This is the estate of every man till he be translated by the Spirit of God to a better condition in Christ that he spends out his time in a base and miserable thraldome worse then the thraldome of the Israelites in Egypt or in Babylon And it is so much the more fearefull because men are insensible of it like Bedlams that make nothing of their chaines that laugh in their chaines A franticke man when he is bound in chaines he laughs when they that are about him weepe at his misery so you have men frolicking in sin they will sweare at liberty and besot themselves at liberty and corrupt their consciences even for base trifles they thinke they are in no bondage they doe all wondrous chearefully and well when as indeed the more chearefully and readily any man performes the base service of sinne the more he is in bondage Freedome is opposite to bondage notwithstanding such is the nature of sinne that the more freely we doe it the more we are bound because the more freedome we have the more we are intangled wee runne into guilt upon guilt till after guilt comes execution an eternall separation from the presence of God and an adjudging to eternall torments for ever So that it is a false judgement that the world hath they thinke great men happy men why They doe as they list I they may doe so and oft times they take the liberty to doe so they will be under no Lawes they are so farre from obeying the Law of God that they are loath to be hampred with the Lawes of the State or with any Lawes but they will be above all A miserable condition why the more will a man hath in evill the more miserable for the more freely and with lesse opposition hee tangleth himselfe let his place be never so great the deeper he sinks in rebellion and the deeper hee sinks into guilt upon guilt which will all come to a reckoning at the houre of death and day of Judgement So the men that we admire and envie most out of simplenesse and want of judgement they are the most miserable creatures in the world if they be out of Christ and have not grace for they have nature let loose in them without restraint and nature being under the captivitie of sinne becomes out of measure sinfull in such The lesse a man is curbed either from Lawes above him or the Law within him to check him the more wretched man he is for the deeper hee goes in rebellion and sinne the deeper his torment shall be afterward Great persons have a great priviledge what is that they shall be greatly tormented that is all the priviledge that I know if they be naught Those that shake off all bonds any earthly priviledge and prerogative is so farre from exempting them from misery that it makes them more miserable for unlesse they have grace to use those things that might be an advantage to better things they sinke deeper and deeper into sinne and so into terrours of conscience first or last and by consequence to damnation Oh it is a fearefull condition to be the greatest Monarch in the world and not to be in Christ and under the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ they are the objects of pitty above all kinde of men to truely judicious soules that know out of Gods truth and by the light of the Spirit what is to be judged of the state of men You see then what kind of misery it is that naturall men are under being under the Law of sinne To declare it a little further for men will hardly thinke it is such a bondage to be under sinne Therefore I beseech you doe but consider how sinne tyrannizeth where it gets strength see it in some instances The covetous worldly man that is under the Law of that lust he hath the law of other lusts but that is predominant see how it tyrannizeth it takes away his rest the use of Gods blessings the good things he hath given him to enjoy it makes him in thrall to the creature Wee see it in carnall pleasure Amnon when he lusted after his sister Thamar it tooke away his rest And how doth this base affection tyrannize in some men it makes them forget their bodies so that they overthrow their health and hasten death temporall it hurts the naturall man it makes them forget their credit it makes them forget their soules it makes them stinke by living in that carnall noysome sinne The judicious Heathen were sensible of it by the strength of naturall judgment yet sinne where it is in any strength uncurbed it so tyrannizeth that it makes men forget both health and life and credite and estate in this world that they come to nothing What should I speake of forgetting life eternall and damnation they have no faith to beleeve that but such is the tyrannie of sinne that it makes them forget things sensible that by experience after they see how dearely they have bought their base pleasures with the losse of credite and health and comfort with the losse of the estate that God hath trusted them withall in this world Take a man that is under the base Law of ambition a proud person see how it tyrannizeth over him it makes him forget blood and kinred all the bonds of nature he will kill his brethren to make his way as you know in our owne Stories such Tyrants if there were not Stories enow in this kind daily experience shewes it Where the Law of ambition and pride raignes it makes the heart wherein this Tyrant sets up his Throne to forget all bonds whatsoever of nature and justice You know whose speech it was If the Law must be violated it must be for a Kingdome but men will doe it for farre lesse we see what men will doe for a base place to command others in this world when they are conscious of their owne ill courses and commanding corruptions and all to give way to the base affection of ambition A touch is enough of these things for experience witnesseth and goes along with me All men that are not in Christ they have some predominant sinne either some base sinne or some more refined sinne and lust that keepes them from Christ and salvation and this tyrannizeth over them And this
and to have societie with the Devill and his Angels in hell and that forever and for ever Thou maist perhaps make â—light of the service of sinne because thou hast the present baits to delight thee but thou shouldst regard death Thou maist neglect death but then regard eternall death This word Eternall it is a heavy word Eternall separation from all good and eternall communion with the Devill and his Angels and for the wrath of God to seize on thy soule eternally world without end me thinkes men should not set light by that Therefore considering that this is our estate by nature we are all slaves to sinne and death let us labour to get out of this cursed estate by all meanes which is by The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus Now I come to speake of our freedome The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and death This is good news indeed to heare of freedome good newes to the Israelites to heare of freedome out of Egypt and for the Jewes to heare of Cyrus Proclamation for their freedome out of Babylon Freedome out of bondage is a sweet message Here we have such a message of spirituall freedome from other manner of enemies then those were The yeare of Jubile it was a comfortable yeare to servants that were kept in and were much vexed with their bondage when the yeare of Jubile came they were all freed therefore there was great expectation of the yeare of Jubile Here we have a spirituall Jubile a manumission and freedome from the bondage we are in by nature The Spirit of life in Christ makes us free from the Law of sinne and death There is life in Christ opposite to death in us there is a Spirit of life in Christ and a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ opposite to the law of sinne and of death in us So that this is our happinesse while we live here oh it is the blessednesse of men to make use of it while they have time and space and grace to repent and to cleave to Christ that whatsoever ill we are under by nature we may have full supply in Christ for all the breaches that came by the first Adam There came the wrath of God the corruption of our nature terrours of conscience death and damnation all these followed the sinne and breach of the first Adam all these are made up in the second He hath freed us from all the ill wee received from the first Adam and that we have added our selves for we make our selves worse then we come from Adam by our voluntary and daily transgressions but wee are freed from all by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus How comes this freedome There can no freedome be without satisfaction to divine Justice For why are we under sinne God gives us up to sinne why are we under death God gives us up to death Why are we under Satans government he is Gods executioner Gods serjeant he gives us up to him here because we offend him Why are we under damnation and wrath because God is offended All our slavery comes originally from God however it be sinfull in regard of Satan that keepes us yet the power whereby he keepes us is good for he doth it from God His will is alwayes naught but his power is alwayes lawfull therefore the power whereby the Devill keepes us if wee looke up to God under whom the power is it is a lawfull power for God hath a hand in giving us up to finne it is a judiciall giving up and then by lusts and â—inne to Satan and death and damnation So if we speake of freedome wee must not begin with the executioner the wrath of God must be satisfied God must be one with us so as his Justice must have contentment Satisfaction must be with the glory of his Justice as well as of his Mercie his Attributes must have full content one must not be destroyed to satisfie another hee must so be mercifull in freeing us as that content must be given to his Justice that it complaine not of any losse Now reconciliation alway supposeth satisfaction it is founded upon it And satisfaction for sinne it must be in that nature that hath sinned now man of himselfe could not satisfie divine Justice being a finite person therefore God the second Person became man that in our nature hee might satisfie Gods wrath for us and so free us by giving payment to his divine Justice The death of Christ God-man is the price of our liberty and freedome But why doth the Apostle speake here of a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which frees us but here is no mention of satisfaction by death Oh but death is the foundation of all as we shall see afterwards To unfold the point therefore because it is a speciall point and the words need unfolding Here it is said there is life in Christ. A Spirit of life in Christ. and a Law of a Spirit of life in Christ. There is life in Christ not onely as God for so indeed he is life God his life is himselfe for life is the being of a thing and the actions and moving and vigour and operations of a thing answerable to that being So the life of God is his being As I live saith the Lord that is as I am God I will not the death of a sinner Now Christ hath life in him as God as the Father hath but that is not especially here meant There is life in Christ as God-man as Mediator Now this life is that life which is originally from the God-head indeed it is but the God-heads quickening and giving life to the man-hood in Christ the Spirit quickning and sanctifying the man-hood And we have no comfort by the life of God as it is in Gods life alone severed for alas what communion have wee with God without a Mediator but our comfort is this that God who is the fountaine of life he became man and having satisfied Gods Justice he conveyes life to us he is our head hee hath life in himselfe as God to impart spirituall life to all his members so there is life in Christ as Mediator And there is a Spirit of life that life it is a working life for spirit is an emphaticall word spirit added to a thing increased the thing Againe he saith the Law of the Spirit of life Law is a commanding thing to shew that the life in Christ it is a commanding life it countermands all opposite lives whatsoever of sinne and death and this Law is a countermand to all other Lawes the Law of the Spirit of life frees us from all other Lawes So here is life the Spirit of life and the Law of the Spirit of life all words of strong signification But for the cleare understanding of this sweet and comfortable point First
Justice for them and by the Spirit of life hath quickned that dead body of his that was surety for us himselfe we may well say Who shall lay any thing to our charge he that is our surety is dead dead nay risen againe nay ascended and sits at the right hand of God Therefore now the conscience of any Christian may make that interrogation and bold demand there it may stand out any that dares to oppose the peace of his conscience now that he may say who is it it is God-man that dyed it is Christ that dyed in our nature and hath raised that nature of ours againe and is at the right hand of God who shall lay any thing to our charge The Spirit of life in Christ quickning him hath quickned us together with him so that now we may boldly demand we are freed from our sinnes because our surety is free from all All this was for our good what Christ did it was not for himselfe but for us and in his birth and life and death and resurrection we must consider him as a publicke person and so goe along with all that hee did as a publicke person Whatsoever may be terrible to us we must looke upon it first in Christ. If we looke upon the corruption and defilement in our nature looke upon the pure nature of Christ his nature was sanctified in his birth and he is a publicke person therefore this is for me and though I be defiled in my owne nature and carry the remainders of corruption about me yet the Spirit of life in Christ sanctified his nature and there is more sanctity in him then there can be sinne in me When we looke upon our sinnes let us not so much looke upon them in our consciences as in our surety Christ. When wee looke upon death looke not upon it in our selves in its owne visage but as it is in Christ undergone and conquered for the power of the Spirit of life in Christ overcame death in himselfe first and for us and will overcome in us in time When the wrath of God is on our consciences looke not upon it as it is in our selves but as undergone by Christ and as Christ by the Spirit of life now in him is raised up not from death alone but from all terrours My God my God why hast thou forsaken me See Christ by the Spirit of life quickened from all not onely bare naturall death but from all enemies thou needest to feare from the Law it is nayled to his Crosse hee now triumphs over it and from sinne hee was a Sacrifice for it and from the wrath of God he hath satisfied it or else he had not come out of his grave So whatsoever is terrible look on it in Christ first see a full discharge of all that may affright thy conscience and trouble thy peace any way See him in his death dying for every man that will beleeve Consider him in his resurrection as a publicke person not rising himselfe alone but for all us therefore is 1 Pet. 1. There is an excellent place Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. and so goe along with him to his Ascension and see our selves sitting with him in heavenly places as Saint Paul speakes oh this is a sweet meditation of Christ to see our selves in him in all the passages of his birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension to glory in heaven for all that he did was as a publicke person as the second Adam But now before the Spirit of life in Christ come to free me I and Christ must be one there must be an union betweene me and Christ I must be a member of Christ mysticall For as Christ quickened his owne body every joynt when it was dead because it was his body so he quickens his mysticall body every member of it but I must be a member first I must not be my selfe severed from Christ. Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ the first thing it doth next to impetration and obtaining of happinesse it workes application for these two goe together impetration and application Christ by his death obtained all good and by his resurrection hee declared it but there must be an application to me Now this Spirit of life which is in Christ which quickened him and raised him up and all for my good must apply this to me The grace of application it is faith therefore this must be wrought in the next place How doth the Law of the Spirit of life free me because first it freed Christ therefore me but that is not enough except there be application Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life workes faith in me to knit me to Christ to make me beleeve that all that hee hath done is mine and the same power that raised Christ from the dead workes the power of faith and application For wee must not thinke that it is an easie thing for a carnall man to beleeve to goe out of himselfe that it is salvation enough to have salvation by the obedience of another man No both in the Ephesians and Colossians in divers places it is S. Pauls phrase that the same power that raised Christ from the dead must raise our hearts and worke faith in them For as the good things that faith layes hold on are wondrous good things even above admiration almost that poore flesh and blood a piece of earth should be an heire of heaven a member of Christ that it should be above Angels in dignity as the things are superexcellent things even above admiration in a manner so the grace that beleeves these things it is a strange and excellent and admirable grace that is faith Therefore faith must be wrought by the Law of the Spirit of Christ by the ministery of the Gospell This is the grace of application when a man goes out of himselfe when he sees himselfe first in bondage to his corruptions to Satan and to death and then sees the excellent way that God hath wrought in Christ to bring him out of that cursed estate then hee hath by the Spirit of life faith wrought in him And indeed the same power and Spirit that quickened Christ from the dead must quicken our hearts to beleeve in Christ. It is a miracle to bring the heart of man to beleeve Wee thinke it an easie matter to beleeve indeed it is an easie matter to presume to have a conceite but for the soule in the time of temptation and in the houre of death for the guilty soule to goe out of it selfe and cast it selfe upon the mercy of God who is justly offended and to beleeve that the obedience of Christ is mine as verily as if I had obeyed my selfe here must be a strong
sanctified judgement and a mighty power to raise the soule to cast it selfe so upon Gods mercy in Christ. So that besides the obtaining saluation by Christ there must be a grace to apply it and this faith doth Faith is said to doe that that Christ doth because faith layes hold upon Christ what faith doth Christ doth and what Christ doth faith doth therefore it hath the same actions applyed and given to it that Christ hath Faith is said to save us you know it is Christ that saves us but faith layes hold on Christ that saves us faith purgeth the heart and overcomes the world Christ by his Spirit doth all this but because faith wrought by the Spirit is such a grace as layes hold on the power of Christ it goes out of it selfe to Christ therefore what Christ doth faith is said to doe So then the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ not onely freed Christ himselfe by his Resurrection but likewise by the same power whereby hee raysed himselfe he rayseth our hearts to beleeve what hee hath done both in his state of humiliation and exaltation and makes all that Christ did ours The Spirit of life in Christ Iesus working faith in us and by faith other graces doth free us from the Law of sinne and death Christ doth it and faith doth it and grace which issues from faith doth it subordinately Christ doth it by way of merit and by his Spirit working faith in us to lay hold upon whatsoever Christ hath done or suffered as if we had done it our selves so it frees us from the law of sinne and death because it layes hold of the freedome wrought by Christ for us But besides and next to faith there is a Spirit of sanctification by which we are free from the commanding law of sinne and death But to cleare all this consider there is a freedome in this life and in the life to come from sinne and from death A freedome in this life in calling in justification in sanctification and in the life to come a freedome of glory There is a freedome in effectuall calling by the minâ—sterie of the Gospel the Gospel being preached unfolded faith is wrought whereby wee know what Christ hath done for us and wee see a better condition in Christ then we are in by nature seeing by the Spirit of God the cursed estate wee are in we are convinced of sinne in our selves and of the good that is in Christ and hereupon wee are called out of the thraldome wee are in by nature by the Spirit of Christ and the Word of God unfolding what our condition is for man by nature having selfe-love in him and that selfe-love being turned the right way he begins to thinke I doth the Word of God say I am a slave to sinne and damnation the Word of God can judge better then my selfe and then the Spirit of God sets it on with conviction that undoubtedly this is true And together with the cursed kingdome and slavery that I am under there is discovered a better state in Christ for the Gospel tells us what we are in Christ freed from hell and death and heires of heaven oh the happy estate of a Christian to be in Christ The Gospel with the Spirit discovering this a man is called out of the cursed estate he is in by nature to the fellow-ship of Christ by faith which is wrought in this calling so that now he comes to be a member of Christ by faith so that whatsoever Christ hath or is or hath done or suffered it is mine by reason of this union with him by faith which is the grace of union that knits us to Christ and the first grace of application So there is the first degree of liberty and freedome wrought by the Spirit of God together with the Gospel in effectuall calling The second is in justification that faith and beleefe in Christ that was wrought in effectuall calling it frees me from the guilt of my sinnes For when the Gospel in effectuall calling discovers that Christ is such a one and that there is such an estate in Christ and there is faith wrought in me then that faith layes hold upon the obedience of Christ to be mine For Christ in the Gospel offers his obedience to be mine as if I had done it in mine own person whatsoever Christ did or suffered is mine for he is made of God to be Wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to be all in all the Gospell sets him forth to be so Now faith laying hold of Christ to be made of God all in all obedience righteousnesse c. whatsoever is needfull hereupon this faith justifies me hereupon I come to be free from the guilt of my sinnes because my sinnes were laid upon Christ Christs death was the death of a surety it was as if I had dyed my selfe and more firme thus I come to be free in justification for what my surety hath done I have done Againe there is a freedome in sanctification that is when a man beleeves that Christ is his and that his sufferings are his then the same Spirit that discovers this to be mine it workes a change and alteration in my nature and frees me from the dominion of sinne The obedience of Christ frees me from the condemnation of sinne and the Spirit of sanctification frees me from the dominion of sinne This is the freedome of sanctification which faith layes hold on Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Christ as a head derives to me the holy Spirit to sanctifie my nature and of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace so the Spirit of sanctification in Christ frees me from the dominion of sinne and death It is said here that by Christ we have spirituall liberty and freedome not from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and of death It is one thing to be freed from sinne and death and another thing to be freed from the law of them for wee are not indeed freed from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and death that is from the condemning power of sinne that though sinne be in us yet it doth not condemne us and though we die yet the sting is pulled out death is but a passage to a better life So I say in Justification wee are freed from the condemning power of sinne and in sanctification from the commanding power of sinne When we are knit once to Christ we have the obedience of Christ ours in justification and the holinesse of Christ is derived to us as from the head to the members in sanctification and so we are freed from the law of sin To understand this a little better the same Spirit that sanctified the naturall body the humane nature of Christ wherby he became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh the same Spirit doth sanctifie the mysticall body of Christ
calls his body broken the bread of life Why because it was the body of the Sonne of God who is life Iob 6. All life comes from God Now Christ taking our nature upon him his death is a quickning death and by reason of the union with the divine nature now it is the body of God broken and the blood of God shed for us there is our comfort and hee was declared to be so by his Resurrection that declared that he was God and that hee was freed from our sinnes Powerfull must that Saviour needs be that was so strong in his very death when his very body was broken and his blood let out then hee did worke the foundation of all comfort for then hee satisfied the wrath of God Christ was strongest when hee was weakest The Resurrection was but a declaration of the worth of that hee had done Now in the Sacrament wee have Communion with Christ dying especially as his body is broken and his blood shed for that is the foundation of all comfort by his Resurrection And because the Spirit of life was in Christ and did quicken his body while hee was alive and was a Spirit of life even when hee dyed and gave worth and excellency to his death therefore when wee take the Communion wee ought not to meditate meerely of the death of Christ as his blood was shed and his body broken but of the death of such a person as had the Spirit of life in him as was God and man and so set the excellency of his person against all temptations whatsoever Set the excellency of Christ so abased his body broken and his blood shed against all temptations if it be the greatest the wrath of God upon the conscience yet when conscience thinkes this God the party offended gave his owne Sonne to be Incarnate and the Spirit of life in him did quicken mans nature and in that nature did die for satisfaction now God will be satisfied by the death of such a Surety as his owne Sonne so that the excellency of the Person having the Seale of God upon him For him hath God the Father sealed doth wondrously satisfie conscience in all temptations whatsoever What need a man feare death and damnation and the miseries of this life and Satan what are all if God be appeased and reconciled in Christ then a man hath comfort and may thinke of all other enemies as conquered enemies Now we cannot thinke of the death of Christ who was a quickening Spirit but wee must thinke of the death of an excellent person that gave worth to his death to be a satisfactory death for us Therefore let us receive the Communion with comfort that as verily as Christ is mine so his quickening Spirit is communicated to me and whatsoever he hath is mine If I have the field I have the Pearle in it his obedience his victory over death his Sonship is mine his sitting in heaven is for me he sits there to rule me while I am on earth and to take me up to himselfe when I am dead all is for me when wee have Communion with Christ wee have communion with all Therefore the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus when I am one with him it quickens mâ— and frees me from the law of sinne and death FINIS SAINT PAULS CHALLENGE In one Sermon By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE PSAL. 27.3 Though an Host should encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against me In this will I be confident LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford 1638. SAINT PAVLS CHALLENGE ROM 8.30 What shall wee then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us THE words are a glorious conclusion and triumph of faith the conclusion upon all the former particulars in the Chapter and the foundation of all the comforts that follow after to the end of the Chapter They are as the center of the Chapter all the beames of heavenly comfort in this divine Chapter they meete as it were in one in this short clause What shall we say then to these things c. In the words briefly there is first a question What shall we say to these things And then a triumph If God be with us who can be against us It is a question answered with another question What shall wee say to these things He answers it with another question If God be with us who can be against us What shall we say to these things To these things before mentioned If wâ—e be in Christ there is no condemnation to us if wee be led by the Spirit if we be heires of heaven and fellow heires with Christ if we suffer with him if we have the spirit of prayer to helpe our infirmities in the worst conditions if all creatures groane with us and if all worke for our good if God from all eternity hath written our names in heaven by election and separated us from the rest of the world in vocation and hath sanctified and justified us and will after glorifie us what shall wee say to these things The heart of man is full of doubtings and misgiving full of thoughts According to the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts refreshed my soule a multitude of thoughts and a multitude of comforts there is comfort after comfort because there are thoughts after thoughts and surmises after surmises There is no wast comfort set down in this Chapter and when he hath set down all he comes and concludes in a triumphant manner What shall wee say to these things He propounds the quaere to himselfe he catechiseth his own heart and others if these things be so what can be sayd against them Surely the unbeleeving doubting darke rebellious heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths for though divine truths be lighter then the Sunne and there is no greater evidence of any thing in the world yet they find no place in the unbeleeving heart Let God say what he will the doubting heart is ready to gain-say it but these truths are so pregnant and cleare that it is a wonder that any thing should be said against them What shall we say to thâ—se things Againe he meanes what comfort can you have more what can you desire more what can be said more what use will you make of all that hath beene said what will you sucke out of it If all this be true that hath beene spoken before that a Christian is so elevated above the common condition if God love him from everlasting in election and to everlasting in glorification if in the middle time all shall worke for the best what comfort can the heart of man desire more and what use can you make of this for courage and for comfort for the time to come these things are implyed in this
might satisfie the just wrath of God foâ— our sinnes and so reconcile God and us together he hath made God and us friends so that this that God is with us it is grounded upon an excellent and sound botâ—omâ— upon the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour that for this very end that God might be with us was God with us that is he was God and man to bring God and man together he was God and man in one to bring God and man that were at contrary termes to termes of reconciliation to recollect and bring us backe againe to God from whence we fell So the reason why God the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are with us it is because Christ the second Person God and man is with us or else there could be no such sweet termes as these are you see how it is founded Christ took our nature and advanced and inriched it Now hee having taken our nature and our persons to be one with him how neere are Christ and we together There is one common spirit in him and us one common Father I goe to my Father and your Father to my God and your God There is one common Kingdome and inheritance wee are fellow-heires with him oh how neere is Christ to us our soules are not so neere our bodies as Christ is to us and God in Christ. So you see this that God is with us it is founded upon an excellent wonderfull comfortable mysterie This I suppose is cleare therefore I come to that I intend further to enlarge that is the comfort built upon this ground If God be with us Who shall be against us One would think this a strange question for a Christian no sooner comes to be one with Christ and so to be reconciled to God but he hath against him all the powers of hell and then he hath the whole world against him presently Satans Kingdome and then hee hath an enemy that is worst of all that stirres up strife and rebellion and contention even in his owne heart his owne flesh So that we may say who is not against a Christian If God be with us all else but God will side against us There are two grand sides in the world to which all belong there is Gods side and those that are his and there is another side that is Satans and those that are his two Kingdomes two seeds two contrary dispositions that pursue one another till all the one be in hell Satan and all his seed together the Devill and all that fight under his banner that are led with his malignant poyson-full spirit though it may be they cannot doe more hurt or doe not out of politicke respects though they have poyson-full hearts yet these never leave contending till they be in hell and the other never leave till they be in heaven together Christ makes it his prayer My will is that where I am they may be also and his will must be performed so that he need not aske the question If God be with us who shall be against us there will be enow against us It is true but in what sense are they against us and how farre are they against us They are thus farre against us in their wit in their plots and policies in their wills they would devoure all if they could they are against us in their indeavours they doe what they can against the Church and people of God They are against us in their prevailing likewise their indeavours are not idle but prevayle very farre over Gods people even to insolency Where is now their God as it is oft in the Psalmes and to the dejection of Gods people The Lord hath forsaken me The Lord hath forgotten me Gods people are brought very low to the pits brinke the pit almost shuts her mouth upon them So you see they are against them many wayes God gives a great length to their tether And many reasons God hath to let them prevaile both to draw out their malice the more and then to shew his people their corruptions the more and then to exercise their graces in wayting and for the just confusion of their enemies at the latter end and for the sweet comfort of his children at the end when God sees the fittest time to meet with the enemies that they might have sweet experience of Gods seasonable care how ever God put off a long time for some respects so you see they may prevayle a long time Yet who can be against us in this sense that is to prevayle altogether who shall be against us so farre as to have their will in the issue They prevayle a great way what doe they intend not to prevayle over the persons of Gods Church and people but the cause which in spite of Satan and his instruments and all must stand invincible to the end of the world They intend likewise to prevayle over the courage of Gods people that they cannot neither for Saint Paul saith after in this Chapter In all these things we are more then conquerours that is abundant conquerours a strange high terme But in some sense we are more then conquerours for if we consider what weake persons Gods children are what strong enemies they have and what weake meanes they prevayle with in the sight of the world to flesh and blood that such persons should prevayle over such enemies by such weake meanes as they doe in this respect they are more then conquerours So he may say Who can be against us that is to have their wills to overthrow the cause of Christ and the courage of Gods children they may prevayle in this or that particular but at the last all their plots and counsels shall proove abortive and bring forth a lie All is but to magnifie Gods power the more in letting them goe so farre and then to dash all their molds and plots Gods children they have the Devill and all his company the world and the flesh but there is God the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost for them the blessed Trinity that are able to blow away the other three and all the strength and support they have whatsoever Who shall be against us It is not a question of doubting or inquisition to learne any thing but it is a question of triumph he doth as it were cast a bancke and bid defiance to all enemies whatsoever Who shall be against us Let them stand out Satan and the world and all Satans supports let them doe their worst There is a strange confidence which is seated in the hearts of Gods children that they dare thus dare hell and earth and all infernall powers they set God so high in their hearts that they dare say with a spirit of confidence Who shall be against us The meaning is not who shall be against us to take away our lives or liberties c. As the speech is they may kill us but they cannot hurt us the worst they can doe is
that all scandals and offences may be removed as it is in the Gospel Christ will come and take away all that offend Look again to the state of the Church here it is but a persecuted afflicted estate nay those that should countenance the poore Church how roughly is the poor Church used ofttimes of those Those that should encourage the Church their rugged and rough usage stirres up this desire in the Church whē those that should be most encouragement are oft times the greatest discouragement Then again the Church hath Antichrist to oppose it and false Brethren in it false persons that hang in their affections to the world and however they make a shew yet their minds are carried to pompe and to a false Religion because they are besotted with a proud carnall disposition which they prefer before the simplicity of the Gospel vaine persons in the bosome of the Church that know not what the glory of the Church is Then againe if we regard even the weaknesse of the Church it selfe it breedes a desire of Christs comming for alas there is but a weake sight in men and variety of sight where there is weaknesse breeds variety of judgement and where there is variety of judgement there will be jealousies even among good persons and these are irksome to the Spirit of God in any that love the sweet peace and concord of Christians that are contracted to Christ this will not be avoided in this world only those that are wise strōgest in grace they wil be the greatest peace makers and beare with the weake in this kind Then againe while we are in this world there is not the best thing but Satan will put his foot and claw in except grace over-power him The Magistracie and ministery alas how are they many times prophaned and abused by Satan and corrupt hearted men that know not how to manage them graciously and fruitfully The Magistracie that is for good it is turned oft-times for grievance as if al the world were made for them and they to doe nothing but to have others Idolize them And then for the Ministery those that should be teachers of others many times discourage those that they should cherish and as the Prophet complains in his time of the false Prophets they discourage those that they should encourage and strengthen the hands of the wicked and grieve those that God doth not grieve by their false carriage taking contrary wayes to Gods Spirit they grieve those that they should cherish and comfort and strengthen the hearts of those that they should take downe by flattery and false applications This will be to the end of the world notwithstanding the excellent Ordinance of God by which God workes his owne good ends while the world stands there will be a taint upon Gods Ordinance till Christ come and then all that grieve and offend shall bee taken away there shall be no Sun nor Moon then for the Lambe will doe all there shall be no Magistracy nor Ministery then God will be all in all And so for all conditions there is no condition nor nothing that is good in the world but Satan labours to bring a vanity upon it and the corrupt heart of man is prone to yeeld to him this will be to the end of the world Therefore wee should not bee overmuch offended to see things carried otherwise than wee would have them Why should we wish for that condition that will never be in this world Wish we may but we must wish it in its owne time it will bee hereafter Let us labour that it may be so then and beare with all here as patiently as we can Againe take the best Christians of all in themselves in their own particulars Alas what a conflicting life hath a Christian with his own heart Sometimes in generall he can see truths very cleare but in a particular some passion or other of Anger or Revenge c. it clouds his judgement that hee cannot see what is to be done what is best The reason is the imperfection of the work of mortification hinders him in his passages and businesse that hee cannot clearely decide of what is best at this time S. Paul complaines of this that he could not doe the good that hee would and that he did the ill that hee would not There are none but they carry some of these dregs with them in this world that hinders them in their designes and determinations onely those that have the power of Gods Spirit in a greater portion then the rest they get more victory over these things and can more clearely see any thing then others yet notwithstanding all have some impediment this way even the best The necessities of this life inforce a great deale of trouble the supplying the necessities of nature and of the condition that God hath set us in which all shall have an end then Then againe the relation between Christ and this contracted Spouse and every faithfull soule inforceth a desire of his comming It is the time of the Churches contract she is a Bride now she is contracted now al the time between the contract and the marriage it is a time of longing and desire therefore the Church cannot but desire the second comming of Christ. It is the nature of imperfection where there is truth in imperfection to desire perfection you see the little seed that is sown in the ground it breakes through the thicke clods because it is not in its perfection till it be in the eare nature hath given it an instinct to breake out so where the seed of grace is it will breake out and shoot forward to desire still and still till it comes to perfection Grace being an imperfect state here it puts forward in desiring that perfection that it cannot attaine in this world but in the world to come therefore the Spirit and the Spouse say Come And then from the nature of the affection of love it selfe where it is planted it is an affection of perfect union contract will not serve but marriage must come after Love will not satisfie it selfe in imperfect union but it cries Come Come still it is carryed in a restlesse desire till it come to perfection Therefore put the case the Jewes were called and converted and Antichrist subdued hath the Church an accomplishment of the period of her desires to say no more Come oh no yet Christ is not come as he will there is not a perfect consummation of all untill that of time it selfe there will be a desire of the Bride and Spouse to say come Thus we see what grounds there are of this desire But is this onely true of the Church militant herebelow doth not the Church in heaven say Come too Yes the Church in heaven saith Come too The Church in heaven and earth are but one Family they are as it were but one Parliament there is the
and carry him the contrary way but yet there is left this generall foundation of Religion in all men as the heathen could say naturally all men from the principles of nature draw to that which is good Here religious courses are justified and commended from that which hath the best attractive and most magnetticall force It is good to draw neere to God Good hath a drawing force for the understanding that shewes and discovers but the will is the cheife guide in man and answerable to the discovery of good or ill in the understanding there is a prosecution or aversation in the will which is that part in the soule of man that cleaves to good discovered To unfold the words a little It is good To draw neere to God who is the chiefe good It is good in quality and good in condition and state It is good in quality and disposition for it is the good of conformity for the understanding creature to draw neare to God the Creator who hath fitted the whole inward man to draw neare to conforme to him And then it is good in condition for it is his happinesse to do so the goodnesse of the creature is in drawing neare to God The nearer any thing is to the principle of such a thing the better it is for it the nearer to the Sunne the more light the nearer to the fire the more heat the nearer to that which is goodnesse it selfe the more good the nearer to happinesse the more happy therefore it must needs be the happinesse of condition to draw neare to God So you see what is meant when he saith here it is good It is a pleasing good conformable to Gods will he commands it and it is for my good likewise it advanceth my condition to draw neare to God To draw neare what is it to draw neare to God wee shall see by what it is to go from God God is every where wee are alwayes neare to God Whither shall I go from thy presence If I go to hell thou art there c. saith the Psalmist God is every where indeed in regard of his presence power disposing providence but then there is a gracious presence of God in the hearts of his children And there is a strange presence of God to Christ the presence of Vnion which makes the humane nature of Christ the happiest creature that ever was being joyned by a hypostaticall Vnion to the second person but wee speak not of that nearnesse here There is a gracious nearenesse when the spirit of God in the spirits of those that belong to God sweetly inlargeth and comforts and supports and strengthneth them working that in them that hee works in the hearts of none else for instance The soule is in the whole man it is diffused over all the members it is in the foot in the eye in the heart and in the braine but how it is in all these It is in the foot as it moves it it is in the heart as the principle of life it is in the braine and understanding using and exercising his reasoning understanding power so that though all the soule be in the whole man yet it is otherwise in the braine than in the rest so though God bee every where yet hee is otherwise in his children than in others he is in them graciously and comfortably exercising his graces in them and comforting them hee is not so with the rest of the world you see how God is present every where and how hee is graciously present with his So answerable wee are faid to be neare to God we are neare him in what state soever we are but then there is a gracious nearnesse when our whole soule is neare to God as thus when our understandings conceive aright of God as it is said of the young man in the Gospell when hee began to speak discreetly and judiciously Thou art not farre from the Kingdome of God when men have a right conceit of divine truths they are not farre from the Kingdome of God when there is clearnesse of judgement to conceive aright Those that have corrupt principles are farre off if the understanding bee corrupt all the rest will go astray there is the first nearnesse when the judgement is sanctified by the spirit to conceive aright Then againe there is a nearnesse when we not only know things aright but mind them when the things are present to our minds when God is in our thoughts David saith of the wicked man God is not in his thoughts When we mind and think of God and heavenly things they are neare to us and wee to them For the soule is a spirituall essenâ—e it goes every where it goes to heaven and is present with the things it minds wee are nearer to God and heavenly things when wee mind them and think on and feed our thoughts on them Againe wee are neare them when our wills first make choyce of the better part with Mary when upon discovery of the understanding the will chuseth deliberatly upon consideration followes the determination and chusing of the will and upon choice cleaving which is another act of the will when it chuseth that which is spiritually best every way best for grace and condition then it cleaves to it As it is said of Ionathan his heart did cleave â—o David so the woman cleaves to her husband as Saint Paul speaks when the will chuseth and cleaves to that which is good then there is a drawing neare And likewise when the affections are carried to God as their object then there is a drawing neare to God when our love imbraceth God and heavenly things for love is an affection of union it makes the thing loved and he that loveth to be one it is the primary the first borne affection of the soule from which all other affections are bred when we love God we desire still further and further communion with him And where there is love if we have not that wee love then the soule goes forth to God in desire of heavenly things the heart pants after God as the Hart doth after the rivers of waters and after holy things wherein the spirit of God is effectuall And when we have it in any measure then the soule shewes a sweet enlargement of joy and delight in God Thus when we judge aright of and mind heavenly things and make choyce of them and cleave to God with all our affections of love and joy and delight when these are carried to God and heavenly things then we draw neare to him And especially when the inward man is touched with the spirit of God even as the Iron that is touched with the Load-stone though it be heavy of it selfe it will go up so when the inward man is touched by the spirit of God with a spirit of faith which is a grace by which we draw neare to God with trust for