higher than naturalness of the place If I shall make this place by the consecration of man to bee used as an Ordinance to draw mee nearer to God or God nearer to mee that is to think that my prayers in that place are more acceptable than in another that because I perform services in that place it shall bee more accepted Here I say man raises it higher than natural and puts a Divine Institution upon it and so it comes to bee sinful and so now you may come to know what the meaning is when wee say that Christ only can make Lawes for his Church and Officers for his Church Why because whatsoever is spiritual it must bee only by the Authority of Jesus Christ this great King of his Church 6 And then Sixthly Christ is a wonderful King in this that his Soveraignty is absolute which no Kings power is though they have great power in the world yet they have not an absolute power to doe what they list and certainly no Subjects are bound so farre to the humours of men that they shall doe what they list there is no absolute power that one man hath over another bur the power that Jesus Christ hath is absolute an absolute Kingly power his Will it is the Law no mans will in the World is sufficient to be a law but the will of this King it is sufficient 7 And then in the Seventh place hee hath power to bind Conscience his Laws are such as lay obligations and bonds upon the Consciences of men no Law that would be made by all the Angels in heaven could lay bonds upon conscience but the Lavv only of Jesus Christ all the Lavves that men can make must receive their povver and authority especially from the end of them and therefore if they should not conduce unto that end for vvhich God sets up Magistracy over men that is for the good of the place then the rule vvill hold that if there be not scandal or contempt there is no obligation upon a mans conscience meerly because it is the will of man But now the Lavves of Christ vvhatsoever they are they lay bonds upon consciences and if I doe offend them never so secretly I stand as guilty before the great God and that is the seventh thing 8 And then in the Eighth place Christs Kingly power it reaches to mens hearts I must not as I goe along enter into the large opening of any thing that may be controversal but meerly present vvhat at large might be opened to you about the Kingly povver of Christ I say Christs Kingly povver is vvonderful in this in that it rules over the hearts of men as vvell as their consciences Christ by his povver is able to subue the vvills of men and bring their hearts to obedience to him all the power there is in the World cannot doe this vvhy the Kings of the earth if they vvere put all together they could not subdue the heart of any one poor man in the world the will of the poorest Creature in the world cannot be subdued by all the powers of all the Potentates and Emperours upon the face of the earth they may beat his body or torter his body or kill his body but to subdue his heart to make his soul to bee subject and obedient to them that I say all the powers of all the Potentates in the world nay all the Angels in heaven cannot doe it the will of a man or woman is such that all the Angels in heaven cannot bring it down only God himself you many times say you will break the will of such a one that is you will make them not to doe such a thing but you are never able to break their wills Kings may prevail over their subjects to make them to doe what they would have them doe and their Estates and Liberties may come to be at their dispose but all this while it may be he hath never a one of their hearts and that is but a very mean kind of Kingly power only to rule over men by fear and they not to love him But now Christ in his Church he hath never a subject that is truly under his Kingly power but he rules his very will and hath never a subject but loves him where Christ doth rule Spiritually in the hearts of his people though they were never so stubborn and rebellious before yet when Christ comes and brings them under his power hee brings their wills and their hearts to him and that is the glory of the Kingly power of Christ 9 And then in the Ninth place Christ is a wonderful King in this that he hath the perfect knowledge of all his Subjects and of their wants alas Kings and Princes in great States they know but very few Subject that they have but now Jesus Christ takes notice of every subject that is in his Kingdom and knowes all their thoughts and all their vvayes and all their vvants all their conditions he knovves them all perfectly Oh this is the glory of this King and vvonderful is hee in his Kingly povver in this 10 Hee is present vvith them all in all the Administration of Justice the King hee cannot administer Justice but hee must use Instruments to doe it and hee cannot bee present alvvayes but Jesus Christ hee is alvvayes present in the Administration of vvhat ever is administred to any of his Subjects he stands by and looks upon them all 11 Christ is such a King as he hath no need of any Instruments at all hee may make use of them sometimes but he hath no need of any Kings can doe but very little vvithout some Instruments vvhat can a King doe for the ruling of a Kingdom but vvith such and such Instruments But Jesus Christ is vvonderful in his Kingly povver in that hee hath no need of any Instruments for the administration of any Justice but he can doe it all immediately himself if he pleases 12 Christ is glorious in his Kingly power in this that he doth over-rule all the plots and counsels of all the enemies of his Subjects for the furtherance of the glory of his Kingdome and the good of his Subjects now my brethren look upon these things as real and certainly by faith they are made real to the hearts of the Saints and they doe rejoyce in this if we had such kind of Governours that had power over all the plots and designs of the enemies what a happy condition would we think our selves to be in Now this is in our King the Lord Jesus Christ he hath power over all the plots and endeavours of all adversaries to work them all for the good of his Church 13 Further the Lord Christ is wonderful for his Kingly power in regard of his righteousnesse Thy scepter is a righteous scepter he is King of righteousnesse and so King of peace as Melchisedeck was It is a happy thing when people live under righteous Governours that they
Rulers and great ones of the world have been and are enemies to his Kingdome yet to keep things in a civil order Christ would have Rule and Authority for the present But there is a time coming when his people shall bee made so subâ—ect as they shall have no need of these things but Christ will put them all down here in the world and himself onely shall Reign so you have it in the book of the Revelations chap. 11. vers 15. That there were gâ—eat voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and hee shall Reign for ever and ever For that it seems Christ hath not yet taken his Power had not then neither hath hee since But there is a time coming for the Kingdomes of the earth to bee the Lords and his Christs in another way than now they are 18 And then the last of all Christ is such a King as hee doth in a spiritual sense make all his Subjects Kings hee hath a Crown of glory for every Subject for every one of those that are his Subjects in that near relation as hee is King of Saints I say hee will put Crowns of glory upon them all you have it in Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and wee shall Reign on the earth not onely in heaven but on the earth Why now how wonderful is Christ in this his Kingly power that hee is able to make every Subject that hee hath a King and hee will do it Now then If wee should put all these together that have been named you see how wonderful Christ is in his Kingly Power 1 Hee is high above all King of Kings Lord of Lords 2 Hee is an universal King over all the World a heavenly King over Angels yea over Powers over the Devils themselves 3 It is hee that makes his Subjects not they him 4 His Subjects are for him and not hee for them 5 Hee alone is able to make Laws for his Church 6 Hee hath absolute Sovereignty 7 His Laws do binde conscience 8 Hee rules in the hearts of men 9 Hee hath perfect knowledge of all his Saints and all their conditions 10 Hee is present in all Administrations 11 Hee is the KING of Righteousness and of Peace 12 Hee hath no need of any Instrument to do any thing 13 Hee over-rules all the plots counsels endeavours of his enemies 14 Hee was not onely born to bee a King but hee dyed to bee King 15 Hee is an everlasting King his Kingdome endures from Generation to Generation 16 Hee sits upon his Fathers Throne as equal with him 17 And will certainly subdue all enemies and will put down all Rule and all Power 18. And will put a Crown of glory upon every one of his Subjects This is our King Rejoyce therefore oh Daughter of Zion for thy King cometh Oh did wee but apprehend these things by faith that wee have to do with Christ as such a King certainly our hearts could not bee troubled whatsoever stirs there are in the world whatsoever Kings and Princes do in the world yet when wee look up to this King and by faith make all this real to our souls Oh what matter of infinite joy is it I beseech you do not think that these are notions that I speak unto you those that exercise their faith aright upon Christ they exercise their faith upon him as such a King You say you do beleeve in Jesus Christ In Christ Why what do you mean by Jesus Christ Why you will say hee was the Son of God But what is further Christ that is Anointed Anointed to what to King Priest and Prophet King what kinde of King Here I have presented to you what kinde of King Jesus Christ is Anointed by the Father And thus must you present him before your souls when you exercise your faith upon him Certainly there are few people that know what it is to exercise their faith upon Christ because they never knew Christ to be thus Well might the Psalmist say Psal 97.1 The Lord Reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles bee glad thereof Oh it is well for us that the Lord Reigneth certainly did not Jesus Christ reign in his Church yea did not hee reign in the world all things would come to confusion presently Were it possible that such a handful as his Church that is a despised company a poor people that lives in the world and is so hated by the world and all the Devils in hell and their instruments which do labour to extirpate them and yet that they should continue certainly it is because the Lord Reigns and so orders aâ—â— things that seems to bee against his Church for the good of his Church otherwise it could not continue in the world Oh let the earth rejoyce because the Lord doth Reign And again in Psal 99.1 mark there what use is made of Christs Kingly power The Lord Reigneth let the people tremble Oh the Lord Reigneth let the people tremble certainly all wicked and ungodly men that are Rebels against this King they have cause to tremble such men as say of Christ Wee will not have this man to reign over us they have cause to tremble for the Lord Christ will overcome them certainly his Garments shall bee dyed in blood and what will become of them when hee shall come to take his Kingdome to himself Moreover Those mine enemies that would not have mee to Reign over them come and bring them and slay them before my face All wicked and ungodly men in their sins they do as if they should say thus wee will not have this man to Reign over us thou who doest cast off Jesus Christ as a King certainly thou canst not expect good from him as a Saviour Christs Priestly Office Now for the second thing and that is the Priestly Office of Jesus Christ Christ is wonderful in that hee is a great High Priest In Heb. 4.14 Christ is there called a Great High Priest Seeing then that wee have a Great High Priest that is passed into the heavens And so in Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens A great High Priest a High Priest made higher than the Heavens this is the High Priest that we have which we are to exercise our faith upon 1 Hee hath a Royal Priest-hood for it is joyned with Kingly Power and therefore Melchisedeck was his type Hee was not after the Order of Aaron but hee was after the Order of Melchisedeck because it is a Royal Priest-hood and so the Saints are called a Royal Priesthood And Melchisedeck is said to bee without Father or Mother the meaning is Hee was not so as hee was a man for hee had Father and Mother beginning and end but in his typical relation hee was so they were concealed to
Gospel-Revelation IN THREE TREATISES Viz 1 The Nature of God 2 The Excellencies of Christ And 3 The Excellency of Mans Immortal Soul By JEREMIAH BURROUGHS late Preacher of the Gospel at Stepney and Giles-Cripple-gate London Published by William Greenhill William Bridge Philip Nye John Yates Matthew Mead. William Adderly Let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is Excellent Psal 148.13 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul Matth. 10.28 LONDON Printed for Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill and Thomas Parkhurst at the three Crowns over against the Great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside 1660. Burroughs Gospel-Revelation A Testimony to the world concerning these Three Treatises contained in this Book of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs Reader THese may assure thee that whatever thou findest here spoken either of God of Christ or the Soul was taken from the mouth of that Reverend Author Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs as hee preached them and by the same ready hand that took most of the former Treatises as Gospel-worship Contentment c. Now in Print William Bridge William Greenhill Philip Nye John Yates Matthew Mead. William Adderly THere is now published that much-desired Discourse of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs on the fifth of Matthew being many Sermons preached at Cripple-gate upon all the Beatitudes taken by the same ready hand and published by the same Testimony viz. VVilliam Bridge VVil. Greenhill Philip Nye John Yates Matthew Mead. VVil. Adderly To the Reader THou art here presented with the living Sermons of one who is faln asleep in Jesus whose memory is sweet and fragrant unto the Saints Hee was famous for the Work of God and Christ in his Generation and Instrumental for the begetting of many spiritual Children unto the Lord Jesus The Author of these Sermons Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs like Abel being dead yet speaketh And of that which is not only our Duty to hear but our Priviledge to be made acquainted with for he Treats of God of Christ and Mans Soul three choice subjects Knowledge is Pleasant Prov. 2.20 but none more pleasant than that is Divine The knowledge of the holy God is Vnderstanding Pro. 9.10 the knowledge of Christ is Excellent Phil. 3.8 the knowledge of both is Life eternal John 17.3 And for the Soul it is that piece of Immortality which is of greater value than the whole world Mat. 16.26 It is that which God challengeth to be his Ezek 18.4 and that which the Lord Christ accounted not his precious blood too much to give for 1 Pet. 1.18 19. I shall not hold thee longer from the Work it self But desire the blessing of God to go along with it and those that are exercised in it R. W. The CONTENTS of the Treatise Of the NATVRE of GOD. NAme of God what meant by it p. 2 A gracious heart pâ—aises God for himself p. 3 And loves God for himself p. 4 Which is the difference between sanctifying and Common Grace ib. God is a most excellent Beeing above all things p. 5 Impossible it is to set forth the excellency of Gods Beeing ib. 1 God is and there is none else besides him p. 6 Other beeings are but a shadow to Gods Beeing ib. 2 God is a present Beeing p. 7 This Beeing of God is in all places God is in all places p. 8 3 God is as much beyond every place as hee is in every place p. 9 4 God is a Beeing that is all-sufficient in himself 5 All the excellencies in the creature are in God virtually and eminently p. 10 11 6 All the scattered excellencies in the creatures are united into one excellency in him p. 13 7 All possible good and excellency is in God p. 14 8 All good and excellency in God is eternal in him p. 15 9 And not onely eternally but also immutably ib. 10 All these are essentially in God p. 16 11 All excellencies are in God purely and unmixtly God hath nothing but excellency in him 12 All excellencies are in God originally p. 20 13 God is the fountain of all excellency to all creatures ib. 14 All things depend upon him ib. 15 God alone is excellent in his operation hee doth whatsoever hee will in Heaven and Earth p. 21 Hee doth the greatest things as easily as hee doth the least ib. What is done in time was decreed to bee done from eternity p. 22 Act of Gods will that was from eternity is matter enough to work by ib. All Gods works add nothing to God p. 23 16 God alone is excellent in the manner of communication of himself ib. God can let out as much of himself as hee will to any creature ib. God hath never the less for what hee lets out to the creature p. 23 17 There is no comparison to bee made between God and any thing else p. 24 18 God hee is the highest end of all things p. 25 Use What cause wee have to bee ashamed of those low thoughts wee have had of God p. 27 2 It shews the dreadful evil that is in sin it being against such an infinite God p. 28 29 30 3 Wee see cause to bee vile in our own eyes p. 34 4 Hence wee may learn to know the vanity of the creature p. 36 5 Let us labour to know God to search into his excellency p. 39 6 Wee are taught from hence to labour to keep the sense of the infinite distance there is between God and the creature alwaies in our hearts p. 40 Grace doth cause this the heart hath a kinde of infiniteness towards God p. 41 7 If God bee so excellent then Gods people are the most excellent ones p. 43 8 See what caâ—se wee have to fear this great God from p. 45 to the end THE CONTENTS OF THE EXCELLENCY of CHRIST COherence of the words 49 50 Clearest Prophecies of Christ when the Church was in the greatest distress 50 Four Reasons of it 50 51 Five notable and famous Titles of Christ 52 Doct. Christ is the great wonder of the world proved 52 53 54 Thirteen things in and concerning Christ that are wonderful 55 1 Hee is wonderful in his Natures God and Man 56 57 58 2 Wonderful in his Natures 59 Two wonders in Christian Religion 59 The Lord of man-kinde the Son of man 60 The knowledge of the union of the two Natures how a help to Faith 61 3 Christ is wonderful in the manner of his Incarnation 63 4 Christ is wonderful in his works 65 What the work was Christ came about ib. Use of it 67 Christ wonderful in his Offices hee was the Anointed 69 71. Wonderful in his Kingly Office 69 Hee is King over all Kings 71. His power is universal ib. Hee makes his subjects his subjects do not make him ib. Subjects of this King are for him 70 It is this King alone that makes Laws ib. Quâ—st Can there bee no Laws
added for decency and order in the Church Answered 72 73 Christ is such a King whose soveraignty is absolute 74 Hee hath power to binde conscience ib Christs Kingly power reaches to mens hearts ib. Christ is wonderful in his Kingly office in this hee hath A perfect knowledge of all his subâ—ects 75 Is present with them in all administrations hee over-rules all the plots and counsels of his enemies hee is the King of righteousness and peace 76 14 Christ is wonderful in his Kingly office other Kings are born to bee Kings but Christ died that hee might bee King 77 15 Christ is a King from everlasting to everlasting 78 16 Hee sits at his Fathers Throne now at this time ib. 17 Christ will not onely subject all enemies but hee will put down all rule and all authority 79 18 Wonderful is Christ in his Kingly office for hee makes all his subjects Kings with him in a spiritual sense 80 Exercise of Faith aright is upon Christ as King 81 Christ wonderful in his Priestâ—y office 83 1 Christs Priesthood joyned with Kingly power ib. 2 All Priests in the Law did typifie Christ and cease in him 3 Hee needed not to offer for himself 4 Christ offered the blood of God 83 5 Christ offered a Sacrifice that was sufficient to satisfie God 84 6 Hee is wonderful in that hee offered himself ib. 7 Christ was not onely a Sacrifice but an Altar 85 8 Christ offered but one sacrifice at one time 86 9 His Priesthood indures for ever 87 Christs Priesthood preferred before Aarons Priesthood 88 89 Christ wonderful in his Prophetical office 90 Hee knows all the mind of God perfectly therefore must bee a wonderful Teacher 91 2 Dulness of understanding weakness of parts cannot hinder his teaching 92 How wee shall know whether Christ teach us 93 3 Christ is wonderful in his Priestly office in that hee is sent to reveal high and supernatural things 94 95 4 These high things are not revealed to the wisest and great ones of the world 96 97 5 Hee reveals these things many times suddenly 98 6 Jesus Christ teaches the heart so hee is wonderful 7 Christ teaches immediately himself 100 8 Christ teaches infallibly so hee is wonderful 101 Christ wonderful in his Miracles 102 In the wonders that hee wrought while hee lived 103 Christ wonderful in his endowments and excellency of his person ib. Fairer than the children of men ib. All the fulness of the God-head in Christ 104 This an Argument to us to take heed of abusing the humane nature of our bodies ib. Christ the brightness of Gods glory 105 Christ hath his excellency by virtue of the personal union 106 Christ wonderful in this that all his personal excellencies depend upon himself 107 Christ becomes worthy of divine honour ib. Christ wonderful in this that hee is an infinite object of the delight of his Father 107 108 109 Christ wonderful in his endowments in this that his excellencies are in him to bee conveyed unto his people 110 This should bee a strong Argument to draw our hearts to Christ 111 Christ is wonderful in regard of the glory of the Father that shines in him 112 113 First The glory of Gods Attributes shines in Christ as for iâ—stance Power 11â— Wisdome ib. Holiness 115 Justice 115. Mercy 116. Truth 117 2 The glory of thâ— great counsel and works of God appears in Christ 118 3 All the good from God in order to Eternal Life is from Christ 119 4 The glory of the Father is wonderful in Christ in this that by him hee attains unto his greatest design in making the world and preserving the world 120 What design ib. 5 All the services and praises of Gods Elect come to him through Christ 121 Christ wonderful in his Humiliation 122 The first wonder in his humiliation is that all the sins of the Elect should bee laid upon Christ 122 A second That hee that was so high should bee brought so low for the sin of man 123 A third Christ is wonderful in his humiliation in that hee suffered in his soul 124 A fourth wonder in Christs humiliation is that hee should suffer so much from his Father 126 A fifth In that God doth not spare him at all but is the executioner himself 127 A sixth wonder of Christs humiliation is that God should leave him 128 A seventh Though Christ sore-saw his suffering yet that hee should willingly undergo it 128 An eighth That this should bee the way of saving men 129 Use of Trial whether Christ bee revealed to us 131 A ninth wonder in Christs humiliation is this that God the Father should bee pleased with all this 132 A tenth is the efficacy of his humiliation is a wonder 133 An eleventh Christs humiliation takes away the venom of all the Saints sufferings ib. A twelfth Christ suffered as a common person ib. A thirteenth another wonder is that by such a way of humiliation Christ entred into his glory 134 A fourteenth Christs humiliation was a most wonderful argument of Gods hatred of sin 135 Christs suffering a pattern of Self-denial ib. Christ wonderful in his Conquests what did hee conquer answered 136 Christ conquered death by dying 137 Christ conquered in his own power ib. Christ conquered as a common person 138 Christ wonderful in his resurrection 139 to 144 Christ wonderful in his ascension 145 And sitting at the righâ— hand of his Father 144 Christ wonderful in his coming to judgement 145 Christ wonderful in his working towards his Saints and in their high esteem of him 146 In Heaven Christ shall bee wondred at for ever 147 Application 1 Christ but little known in the world 150 2 How vile a thing is it to prefer a filthy lust before Christ 151 3 It discovers the misery of mankinde to bee exceeding great 154 4 Hence then all beleevers have exceeding cause of rejoycing in hearing of what Christ is what a wonderful Saviour they have 156 God hath exceedingly honoured Beleevers ib. Jesus Christ a full Object for their souls rest 156 157 God doth intend wonderful things for the Saints 158 to 163 The reason that Christians are so empty in their spirits and conversations is because they know so little of the Mystery of the Gospel 164 Duty of Christians to hold out the wonderful glory of Christ in their conversations 166 If Christ bee wonderful here every one that hears of Christ should think it a dreadful thing to miss of Christ 167 Lastly Let us long for the time when Jesus Christ shall appear in all his glory 168 to the end The First SERMON ON The Nature of God THE last day you may remember wee opened that Point of the condition that men are in that live without a God in the world It is evil to bee without bread without friends without outward comforts how great an evil then to bee without a God in the world and who they were that did live without a God in the
are undeâ— him to govern and to judge and to make use of for the good of his Church Hee is not onely the governour of the World universally but a heavenly King even the Angels themselves are under him Thrones and Principalities and Dominions in Eph. 1.20 They are all brought into one under Christ yea and the Devils themselves are under him It is hee that hath the Keyes of Heaven and the Keyes of Hell Rev. 1.18 Hee that was dead is alive and hath the Keyes of Hell and Death And this Kingly Power of Christ must needs bee wonderful 3 But further in the third place Christ is wonderful in this his Kingly Power for hee makes his Subjects his Subjects do not make him Col. 1.16 By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth There is no King that ever was in the World but either God from heaven doth tell people that hee would have such a one to bee a King or hee is made by the peopâ—e For what is one mans flesh more than another mans I say at first men they agree together to set up such a man or family to have a Kingly Power so that the Kingly power of the Family and of every one that comes of that Family it is by the people at first none must plead it to bee by conquest for then whosoever can conquer again hee must bee King if another can conquer hee must have right too if that bee the onely right if that were the onely right that a King had over his people conquest then as hee had his right over the people by conquest so if the people conquer him then they have right Certainly the best right of all the Kings of the earth this day it must bee by the first compact with that Family that is their right I but our King that wee have to do withall hee makes his Subjects they make not him King but this King makes all his Subjects Indeed if Kings could give being to their Subjects then their right were another kinde of right than now they have but the truth is Subjects do give being to their King I but our King the Lord Christ hee is Wonderful a Wonderful King in this because hee doth give being to all his Subjects 4 And then fourthly The Subjects of thâ—s King are for him hee is not for them whereas it is otherwise between man and man certainly the Subjects are not made for the King but the King is made for his Subjects a Kingdome is not made for a King but a King for the Kingdome But it is otherwise here Christ was not made for us but wee were made for him all the Subjects of Christ were made for the honour of Jesus Christ and Christ I say was not set up King for them 5 And then fifthly This King Jesus Christ is King in another manner than any other Kings upon the eaâ—th foâ— it is hee alone that makes Laws other Kings have not power themselves to make Laws but together with their people but hee alone makes Laws It is true the Kings of Israel they made not the people joyn with them in all their Laws because God himself let Laws there for the government of the Commonwealth But Jesus Christ I say hee is the onely Law-giver unto his Church and therefore there can bee no new Ordinances nor no new Laws nor no new Officers in the Church that can bee invented by man It is true in the Civil state there God leaves to humane prudence and wee may invent Laws and humane Ordinances and new Officers so as may bee good for the Church one Kingdome one kinde of Law and another another But now when wee come to speak of Christs Kingly Power especially as it hath reference to the Church there as hee is King of Saints there are no Ordinances nor no Laws nor no officers that can bee newly erected but it must bee the same and it must bee the same in all Churches in the World the same Laws must rule all and the same Ordinances and the same Church-officers there must bee no additions of any Why because that in Spiritual government there wee wait upon God for his presence wee wait upon the presence of Christ to work spiritually upon the soul and wee expect a spiritual efficacy from Jesus Christ upon our souls to draw us nearer to him and to draw him near to us that wee do in all Church Ordinances and therefore onely Christ can appoint Laws for them You will say an there bee no Laws no nothing added in the Church for way of decency and order and such kinde of things To that I answer briefly thus There are some things that do belong to those spiritual Ordinances things that are in the Church that may bee helpful to them in a natural way as now if congregations meet they must meet in some place they must have civil order in their meeting there may bee some things civil and natural subservient unto those things that are spiritual but that that is properly Ecclesiastical whereby I vvait upon Jesus Christ to have my heart dravvn nearer to him or to have him dravv nearer to mee therein there must bee no addition of men in any Law whatsoever but onely the things of Christ that are meerly spiritual if there bee any natural help or civil help as wee that are men cannot bee exeâ—cised in things that are spiritual without some natural and civil helps there certainly the prudence of man may come in but this cannot come to set up any new Ordinances or set up any new Officers in the Church or make any new Laws that shall concern the spiritual Worship of God to work my heart in a spiritual way to God or God unto mee here lyes the evil of mans inventions when there shall bee any inventions of man that shall come instead of a spiritual Ordinance that shall bee set by mans Institution and have more put upon it than it hath in a natural and civil way to bee helpful why then it comes to bee superstition I say when any thing is set by man in the worship of God that shall have more in it than that that is natural or civil to help then it comes to bee sinful and wicked When I think that by any thing of mans appointment God shall come nearer to mee or my heart shall bee drawn nearer to God by vertue of any Institution of man here is the very proper nature of Institution As for instance Some thing that is natural or civil to help Gods worship that man may appoint but nothing that is spiritual to draw my heart nearer to God or God nearer to mee As thus If the Church of God meet together for Ordinances it must meet in some place this is a natural help to have a convenient meeting-place to have a place to keep them from the air or rain or wind this is natural but if it go one step
cause faith in the soul Christ is not onely an object for us to work upon when wee have a faculty but such an object as being set before the soul hath a quickning power to cause life therefore we cannot say why should Jesus Christ bee preached to a company of people as are dead in sins I Christ indeed is a glorious object But they must have somewhat to work upon Christ Wee must not say so for Christ is not onely an object for the soul to work upon when it hath an eye to see but such an object as the very setting of it before the soul hath a quicking power to work life in the soul to cause an eye to see him and to cause the heart to make after him though it was never so dead before And it should bee the work of Ministerâ— to set Jesus Christ before the hearts of people before their eyes continually and though it may bee there comes nothing of it this time I but try it again and though nothing comes of it the other time but they passe all lightly by and little regard the glory of God that appears in Jesus Christ yet hee is to bee set before them again and again who knows when the quickning power and life may come from Christ Now this is the scope of the setting Christ thus before you This day I have endeavoured to set him but a little before you in the opening this Title of his Let this bee the Use of it Oh when you go home go and meditate of what hath been said and labour when you are before God which is the time for the exercising of your faith upon Christ Labour to set Jesus Christ before your eyes and look upon him as the great Wonder of the World and never leave meditating until you finde your heart come to this to admire at the Glory of God in Jesus Christ If ever your hearts were taken with admiration at any thing in the World Oh let them bee taken up with the admiration of Jesus Christ this may confidently bee concluded upon that that Soul that â—eâ—â—r found its self taken with admiring of the Glory of God in Christ did never know what Christ meant for Christ is such a kinde of Saviour that if God do propound Christ to the Soul in any measure it is impossible but that the heart must bee taken with him There is a Saviour sent into the World hee that is the Object of my faith and by him my Soul shall bee saved Now the first work of the heart is for to think this is too good to bee true do not therefore think that you must bee onely saved by Jesus Christ but know what manner of Saviour it is it s hee whose Name is Wonderful The Second SERMON ON The Excellency of Christ Isaiah 9.6 And his Name shall bee called Wonderful Christ Wonderful in his Offices CHrist further is the Wonder of the World in his Offices In his Natures In his Person In the manner of his Incarnation In the end why hee was sent hither And in his Offices in his Anointment as hee was Christ Christ signifies the Anointed of God and is all one with the Messias that that was the Messias in the Old Testament is Christ in the New The word signifies Anointed And Christ is the Anointed of the Father Anointed to those three great Offices King Priest and Prophet Great in all these three Offices never any man in the world had them all before I say never man in the world was Anointed to these three together but onely Christ Wee read in Scripture of a King and Priest so Melchisedeck was wee read in Scripture of a King and a Prophet and so David was wee read in Scripture of a Prophet and a Priest so Jeremiah was but of King Priest and Prophet together anointed by God wee read of none but Jesus Christ onely Among the Egyptians they were wont out of their Philosophers their wise men to choose their Priests and out of their Priests to choose their Kings and so whosoever was a King to them was eminent first in wisdome being a Philosopher able to teach and eminent in his Priestly office and then eminent in his power that hee might bee honoured by all people as having those threefold eminencies that was accounted the greatest eminency in the world for those were the three great eminencies the eminency of wisdome to teach and of Priesthood and of Kingly power Now Jesus Christ hee was wonderful in all these now that is the thing that I aim at to shew in every particular of these Offices of Christ how wonderful hee was and then though but briefly I shall set the beauty and excellency of Christ in his three Offices before you and that shall bee all that I intend to do at this time and shall but bee very brief in them too For I told you in the opening of the Excellency of God I did not intend to stand to open every particular Attribute at large but onely to set the Excellency of God before you briefly so of Christ The Kingly Office of Christ Now for these Offices of Christ his Kingly Office first Christ is King and wonderful in this Office of his for you cannot understand Christ your Saviour aright except you understand him as before in his Natures in his Personal union and so in his Offices First As King I shall not need to shew Scripture for these the Scripture is full If you read the 45. Psalm at your leasure about the middle of it Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter And Rev. 17.14 Christ there is said to bee Lord of Lords and King of Kings Now Christ is a glorious King and wonderful in his Kingly power First Hee is King over all over all Kings over all Powers hee hath the highest Authority of all Take that for the first thing In Rev. 9 hee is said to bee King of Kings and Lord of Lords I remember Theodotius and another Emperour did use to call themselves the Vassals of Christ and so certainly all the Kings and Princes in the world they are but the Vassals of this great King Now hee is wonderful in his Kingly power that hath all the Kings and Lords and all Authority in the world under his feet indeed they all hold on him and that will appear from the second place 2 As his power is the highest so it is universal universal over all the world the Government of all the world is committed to him 1 Cor. 15.27 All things are put under his feet God the Father hath given unto him the Government of all the world hee is not onely the King of the Saints though hee bee their King in a special manner but hee is the King of Nations too Christ hee is the King of Nations God-Man I say the government of all the world is given to him all the Nations of the World
shall be sure never to have any oppression any wrong at all done by them but they shall enjoy all in a righteous and just way Jesus Christ is such a King thou shalt have nothing but righteous dealings from him I but there is something more in this he is not only righteous because he makes righteous Lawes and hath righteous Administrations but this is a King that brings everlasting righteousnesse to his people yeâ— he himself is the righteousnesse of his people it is hee that doth cloath his people with righteousnesse Indeed it is said of Saul that hee cloathed the people with Scarlet By a good Governour people may come to be cloathed with fine raiment and enjoy glorious prosperity and the like But this is that King that cloathes his people with everlasting righteousnesse to make them all to stand righteous before his Father here is the glory of this King And then hee brings peace he brings peace by righteousnesse hee doth not bring peace to them by the sword but by his righteous Administrations so he comes and brings peace brings peace to the conscience to the soul which no Kings can doe What can Kings doe they may treat about peace and if they be righteous they may be the cause of abundance of outward peace I but they cannot bring peace of soul Christ is the King of Righteousnesse and the King of Salem so Melchisedeck signifies hee was King of Righteousness and King of Salem that is King of peace this is the glory of this our King 14 And further other Kings are born to bee Kings but Christ dyed that hee might bee a King it is true hee was a King when hee was born and hee was born as others are to be a King but especially Christ had his power upon his death it behooved him to suffer and so to enter into his glory so to enter into his glory that is upon his sufferings it behooved him and so the Apostle tells the Jewes in the second of the Acts that they had crucified Christ and upon their crucifying of him Peter there stands up and tells them in the six and thirtieth verse that God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ by his death he came unto his glory Others come to glory by their Lives but Christ comes to his glory by his Death and was raised to sit upon the Throne of Majesty and glory upon his death and in that hee is wonderful in his Kingly power 15 Further Christ is King from everlasting to everlasting for ever Thy throne O Lord endures for ever and ever other Kings are but of yesterday and they are dead and gone but it is not so with our King the Lord is King for ever 16 Further he is wonderful in this he sits upon his Fathers Throne now at this time You have such a place in the third of the Revelations vers 21. where Christ promises to those that over-come that they shall sit upon his throne even as he over-came and is set down with his Father in his throne The administration of all things in the World now I say it is given to Christ joyntly with his Father Jesus Christ God-Man sits upon the Throne of his Father not only the second Person in Trinity but Christ God-Man sits upon the Throne of his Father together with his Father doth order and govern all things here is a height of glory that no creature else can bee capable of the Humane Nature of Christ being joyned in one Person with the Divine so it comes to have of the glory of this Kingly power upon it that it may bee said That Person that is Man doth now at this time sit upon the Throne of his Father and together with his Father doth administer his power so that the Apostle speaks of a subjection of Christ that shall be afterwards unto the Father more than is now 1 Cor. 15.25 26 27 28. in 1 Cor. 15.25 it is a text certainly that hath a great mystery in it and is very hard to understand For hee must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death for he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all When all things shall be subdued unto him then the Son himself shall bee subject It seems there is not that subjection now as shall be hereafter Christ now sits upon the Throne of his Father and rules together with his Father but there is a time that Christ shall give up the Kingdome that now hee hath and hee himself shall bee subject that is hee when hee hath subdued all the enemies of the Church hee shall in a visible and a more glorious way rule over his own Saints and that eternally and then hee to together with his Saints he as the head of his Saints shall in another way bee subject unto God than now hee is for the present there shall bee another administration of things than now there is now Christ sits upon the Throne oF his Father here Christ makes his Throne his Fathers Throne distinct so that there is yet to come another kinde of Throne that Christ hath besides the Throne that now hee sits upon but this I say is a great mystery onely the Scripture holds forth such a thing as this that hereafter Christ shall have another Throne than that hee hath now 17 Yea Wonderful in this that hee will not onely subject all enemies in the conclusion but hee will put down all Rule and all Authority and Power It is a very notable Text often read but little observed 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power Though as our condition is for the present we have a great deal of need of humane Rule and Authority yet that is certain that there hath not been any such enmity unto the Kingdome of Christ as the Rulers and Kings and Princes of the earth for the greater part I say Christ hath had no men that have more kept-under his Kingdome than the Rulers great ones and Princes of the earth therefore it seems his Kingdome cannot bee full till hee hath put down all Rule and Power and hee himself to reign wholly without any such help of man as now But now in regard of our necessity it is true If all Rule and Authority should bee put down while wee are in such a condition as wee are for the present certainly wee should bee all in a confusion therefore though Christ sees that so many of the