A TREATISE Concerning THE FVLNESSE OF CHRIST Considered ACCORDING VNTO 1 His relations 2 His Natures Divine and Humane 3 His twofold state of Humiliation and Exaltation OXFORD Printed by H. H. for Th Robinson 1656. VNTO HIS HONOVRED FRIEND COLONEL HENRY HENLY A worthy example of personall piety and publike affections HENRY IEANES VVith his unfained prayers for the prosperity of him and his devoteth this part of his labours THERE DWELLETH IN CHRIST ALL FVLNESSE COLLOSS 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell FRom verse the 15th unto the 20th we have a full and pithie description of our Redeemer Christ Jesus and that by his inward by his outward relation First by the intrinsecal relation he beareth unto his Father in the beginning of the 15th verse who is the Image of the invisible God As for his extrinsecal relations they are either unto the creatures in general or else unto the Church in special Unto the creatures in general he carrieth the relation 1. Of first borne the first borne of every creature the latter part of the 15th verse 2. Of Creator and Preserver verses 16th and 17th Unto the Church in speciall he is referred as head verse 18th And he is the head of the body the Church Of which relation we have an amplification a confirmation 1. An amplification from two other titles dependant thereon and resulting therefrom Who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Who is the beginning that is the cause and principle unto all his members of their resurrection of their spiritual resurrection from the death of sinne here of their corporal resurrection from the grave the death of nature hereafter The first borne from the dead the first that was borne from the dead that is the first that rose by his own power unto a present and plenary participation of glory That in all things he might have the preheminence In that he was not only a Creator and Preserver of the living but also a raiser and restorer of the dead Of this relation of headship unto his Church we have 2 a Confirmation from his fitness and qualification for it For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Upon which words we may look 1. according to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing 2. as they are in themselves 1. According to the reference they have of a proof unto the foregoing which is implied in the particle for Here to clear the Apostles meaning we must know there is wanting this proposition He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church This is to be supplied as necessarily understood and then we have a full compleat syllogisme to prove Christ the head of the Church He in whom all fulness dwelleth is to be the head of the Church because qualified and fitted for it but in Christ dwelleth all fulness and that by his Father's decree therefore he is the head of the body the Church In the head of the Church you see there resides all-fulness Were it not so the Apostle had reasoned but weakly in inferring Christ's being head of the Church from the dwelling of all-fulness in him If any one want this fulness it will goe well with him if among the members of the Church he can find a place of head the name and honour he cannot challenge without the just imputation of excessive both pride and folly I cannot but marvel then how it comes about that the Popes of Rome have for a long time laid so eager claime unto this title for what fulness save that of sin and Satan can be ascribed unto the greatest part of them since their arrogant and sacrilegious usurpation of this incommunicable attribute of our Redeemer We may say of them as Paul of the Gentiles Rom. 1.29 they are filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousnes full of envy murder debate deceit malignity of this the miserable face of almost whole Christendome is too palpable an evidence Antichrist is stiled in scriptures that man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 For this reason perhaps because he is not only full of sin but the fulness of sinne dwelleth in him Sathan hath filled his heart as Peter spake of Ananias Act. 5.3 And good reason there is Sathan should communicate unto him a double portion the greatest portion of his spirit for he is his eldest sonne the sonne of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 his vicar-general the most powerful and universal agent he hath here upon earth Thus you see standeth the context If we look upon the words as they are in themselves so for the better unfolding of them we must know that in Christ there was a manifold fuâ—ness according to the diverse considerations of him and considered he may be either relatively or absolutely 1. Relatively and so againe three wayes 1. As an object of all promises and prophecies delivered under the law and also as an antitype unto legal types and ceremonies And so there was in him that fulness of truth of which the Evangelist St. John speaketh John 1.14 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth He is said to be full of truth because he is the performance of the promises the fulfilling of the prophecies the fulfilling of the typical prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law Quia plenus gratiae saith Bonaventure tulit peccata quia plenus veritatis solvit legis promissa because full of grace therefore he bore our sins in his body on the tree and so suffered the curse of the Law because full of truth therefore he accomplisht all the promises of the old Testament In him all the promises of God were yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers Rom. 15.8 Full he was of truth because in him were fulfilled all the prophecies that ran of the Evangelical Church and therefore he is said Dan. 9.24 to seale up the vision and the prophecies Quonià m Christus est signaculum omnium prophetarum adimplens omnia quae retro erant de eo nunciata as Tertullian contra Judaeos observeth upon the place Because Christ is the seal of the prophets fulfilling whatsoever was foretold of him Full he was of truth because he made good the prefigurations of the whole ceremonial law In them there was an emptiness they were but shadowes figures Col. 2.17 A fulness then there must be in Christ who is the body of those shadowes the substance of those figures In him they were to be filled full fulfilled perfected and accomplished And so the new Testament whereof he is the substance is said by Aquinas to fill up or fulfil the old because whatsoever was promised or prefigured in this is really and truely exhibited in that 1 a 2 ae
for my health and thankes is a sufficient requitall But let a Doctor of Physicke doe it and a fee is due unto him That advice which delivered by a common man is good cheape yet comming from a counseller serjeant judge are of great value Even so that bloud which Christ shed that death which he suffered if it had been by an ordinary person would have been of no great force but being by him who was over all God blessed for ever it was of high indeed infinite price As sin though it be of a finite nature yet it is objectivè infinite as being committed against an infinite Majesty and so meriting an infinite wrath and punishment So Christs obedience though it were metaphysically for its nature finite yet it was morally infinite as being performed by a person of infinite dignity and majesty and so consequently it was of infinite merit to appease Gods wrath and procure all good things in the behalfe of his members But by reason of the infinitenesse dignity of Christ person there was in his obedience and sufferings of satisfaction and merit not only a fulnesse of Sufficiency He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 But also a fulnesse of Redundancy The satisfaction merit and acceptablenesse of his sufferings did as farre surmount thinkes Chrysosteme the demerit malignity and unpleasingnesse of our disobedience of our transgressions as the vast Ocean doth the least drop of water as the payment of infinite millions doth the debt of some few pence Speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins Isaiah 40.2 to wit in her head and surety Christ Jesus This redundancy overflowing and overplus as I may say of Christ satisfaction will be more apparent if with the acute Albertinus tom 1. quaest 18. Theolog. Ex primo principio Philos pag 135. We will be pleased to consider that however there was a kind of infinitenesse as well in our sins against God as in Christs satisfaction for them yet this latter infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction was of a higher ranke and nature then the infinitenesse of sin Because the reference of the satisfactory and meritorious workes of Christ unto his infinite person was greater nearer and more intimate then that of sin unto the infinite nature of God offended thereby the person of Christ respecting those formally and as it were intrinsecally because as a morall circumstance it morally informed and dignified them and the demerit of sin respecting God offended thereby onely objectively and extrinsecally as outwardly terminating its reference unto him and therefore however from the infinite person of Christ there redounded unto his satisfactory actions an absolute infinitenesse of value and acceptablenesse which was absolutely and simply such yet from the infinite nature of God offended by sin there redounded unto sin onely an infinitenesse of guilt and demerit secundum quid after a sort in such a kind This doctrine of the all-fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction and merit the Papists injure 1. By abuse of it 2. By a consequentiall impugning of it 1. They abuse pervert and wrest it unto the Patronage of Papall Indulgences for they make it the principall pillar of that treasury of the Church erected by Pope Clement the sixth to raise a stocke to redeeme Soules out of Purgatory Christâ— satisfaction being of infinite worth was enough for the sinnes of the whole world all the men that ever were are or shall be in the world but it is applied onely unto a little flock There is thereâ—ore a surplusage or plentifull remainder of the price of Christs satisfaction that may alwaies farther be applied For answer we readily grant that there was such an all-sufficiency in the humiliation of Christ as that it was able to satisfy for the sins of all men in the world if it were applied unto them But then we * Ames Bell. Enervat tom 3. lib. 6. c. 1. p. 232.233 utterly deny any superfluous and superabundant satisfactions of Christ not applied unto those for whom they were by God and Christ intended For the intire price of Christs satisfaction is applied wholly unto every believer and not by pieces and patches To affirme that Christs satisfaction is applied but in part that some of his satisfactions are applied and that others remaine unapplied what is this but to divide Christ The * Chamier tom â— lib. 24 c. 12. sect 1093. light of the Sun is sufficient to ilâ—ighten all the men in the world and yet there are many born blind that never see the light thereof But now how ridiculous would it be to infeâ—…hence that there are any supervacaneous beames of the Sun to be put into a treasury of light The same light of the Sun may serve for millions of men So the same satisfaction of the Sun of righteousnesse may be is applied unto all the Saints And indeed if but one single person had been saved and redeemed it could have been at no lower a rate then the whole death of Christ the whole satisfaction of Christs blood must be applied unto such a soule and not only a parcell thereof The reservation then of many satisfactions of Christ in the treasury of the Church that are not applied is but a fiction invented for the filling of the Coffers of his Holinesse But to speake of this somewhat more accurately The maine foundation upon which Papalins build the superfluous satisâ— factions of Christ and that imaginary treasure of the Church consisting principally of them is the infinitenesse of Christs satisfaction and this may be branched into two arguments The first Such is the infinite worth of Christs satisfaction 〈◊〉 that it may be extended unto those unto whom it is never actually extended But how sandy a foundation this is for such a structure is well discovered by Ames Because as much may be said of Gods power and mercy whence yet to inferr any superfluity in them were very ridiculous Satisfactio Christi non magis dicenda est super flua aut Thesaurus ab Ecclesia dispensandus quia suâ naturâ potest ad illos extendi ad quos non extenditur actu quam misericordia aut potentia Dei Bell. Enerv. tom 3. lib. 6. C. 1. pag. 232. The substance of this answer we meet with in one of their owne Schoolmen Suarez in tertiâ part Thomae tom 4. disp 51. sect 1. pag. 686. Though indeed it be brought by him to another purpose Having affirmed that this supposed treasury of the Church shall continue even after the day of judgment he hints an objection against it that the remaining of it would be idle vaine and without fruit To what purpose should there be in it sufficient satisfactions for infinite sins when there is no longer any place for the
then of then sufficiency to perfect in things concerning the conscience implieth that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to peâ—fect the conscience to purify it and pacify it to enable it for the regular performance of all its offices It can put both into our hearts and mouthes the answere of a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 He hath perfected them for ever as a morall cause in the way of satisfaction and merit 1. He hath perfected them satisfactorily He hath fully satisfied Gods justice for all their sinnes 1 John 1.7 Tit. 2.14 Acts 13.39 and for all things considerable in their sinnes for the fault in the offence of Gods majesty and violation of our friendship with him the staine or corruption of sinne all punishments for sinne whether eternall or temporall so that they are freed from the whole curse of the law Galat. 3.13 and totally exempted from any condemnation whatsoever Rom. 8.1 Sprinkling of bloud seven times was required upon severall occasions under the law As in the sin offering for the ignorance of the anointed Priest * Aynsworth Levit. 4.6 on the day of expiation or attonement Chap. 16.14 and in the cleansing of the Leper Chap. 14.7 Now seven is a perfect number used for the compleating of a worke Gen. 3.2,3 and therefore this sprinkling of bloud seven times fitly served to typify that the bloud of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 perfectly and fully cleanseth our soules from all sinnes purgeth our consciences from all dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 This utter and toâ—all removall of our sinnes from us in a way of remission by the all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ was typified by the Scape-goate that did beare upon him all the iniquities of the Children of Israel unto a land not inhabited a land of separation Levit. 16.22 Secondly He hath by the offering of himselfe perfected them that are sanctified meritoriously He hath purchased for them not only a possibility but also a certainty of salvation He hath not onely by his merits opened the gate of heaven made salvation possible unto all that believe but further procured in the behalse of all the elect an actuall admission into glory for he hath merited for them faith repentance regeneration perseverance all gifts and graces that are absolutely necessary and will infallibly bring unto salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 The chastisement of our peare was laid upon him Esay 53.5 the chastisement that was laid upon him was of such worth as that it was sufficient to purchase a through and perpetuall peace full favour and perfect reconciliation with God And a peace with the God of heaven is an ample security and protection against an uncessant warre with all the Divels in hell against the greatest enmity and rancour the most powerfull opposition of wicked men on earth and withall an assured and undoubted pledge of all such favours priviledges honours and dignities as favourites may expect from so royall and munificent a master as the King of kings and Lord of Lords Of this perfection of Christs influence that I have spoken of we have in the remainder of the words an amplification 1. from the extent thereof in regard of continuance 2. from a restraint thereof in respect of object 1. From the extent thereof in regard of continuance By one offering he hath perfected them that are sanctified for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated for ever may be referred either unto the duration of the world or else the duration of these that are sanctified 1. Vnto the duration of the world Christs oblation of himselfe perfects those that are sanctified in all ages of the world It is an in exhaust fountaine the satisfaction and merit of which will never be drawne drie As the sunne enlightens all men having the use of sight that ever were are or shall be in the world So Christs sacrifice being of infinite merit perfects all those that ever were are or shall be sanctified unto the end of the world Indeed of it selfe it is sufficient for the perfection of even infinite millions of worlds This perpetuall efficacy of Christs death was typified under the law by the casting of Cedar wood into the midst of the burning of the heifer of whose ashes was made the water of separation and purification for sinne Numb 9.6 Now of this Cedar was a very meete type because it is a firme and durable wood that never rotteth 2. For ever may be referred unto the duration of those that are sanctified and so it denoteth the perseverance of this influence upon them It is not for a time only but unto the end of their lives indeed unto all eternity It keeps them by the power of God through faith unto salvation Lastly you have the restraint of this influence unto them that are sanctified both by infusion of habituall grace and holinesse from God and also by dedication and consecration as vessells of honour unto God as by Gods decree of election so by their owne stedfast purpose and resolution Unsanctified and unrenewed persons then dogs and swine who are not as yet separated out of the world but prostituted unto the vanities thereof whose soules are destitute of all saving and sanctifying graces and defiled with innumerable lusts and corruptions that are unmortified who are utterly neglective and contemptuous of Gods ordinances grosse and impenitent profaners of his worship can expect no share in comfort or benefit by the fulnesse of Christs satisfaction and merit Unto this place we may adde another in the same booke Chap. 5.9 being made perfect he became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him In which words we have 1. The Ground 2. Manner 3. Effect 4. Extension And 5. Restriction of the object of this influence The ground of it Being made perfect to wit by the things which he suffered as appeareth by comparison of the words with the foregoing vers 8. By his sufferings he was perfectly qualified and fully fitted for discharge of this great businesse the purchasing of our salvation 2. The manner of this influence He was not the instrument or meanes but the principall cause the author of our salvation 3. The effect It was not only salvation but eternall salvation * Bilson Fuller or more sufficient then eternall salvation we neither expect nor ever shall have any since that which is eternall admitteth no change nor increase 4. The extension of this influence in regard of object He became the Author of eternall salvation unto all that obey him of what condition soever though never so low and despicable want of learning meanenesse of parts basenesse of birth poverty of estate and all other outward miseries of life can be no impediment unto the all-powerfull influence of Christs merits Lastly we have the restriction of this influence in regard of object He
became the author of eternall salvation onely to them that obey him to wit with the obedience of faith and with new obedience the obedience of good workes and sanctification Children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will not be perswaded will not hearken unto divine admonitions though never so perswasive who are refractory obstinate and impenitent in their disobedience and rebellion are hereby quite excluded from the sweet and comfortable influence of Christs sufferings though in themselves infinitely satisfactory and meritorious But this perfection or fulnesse of Christs influence upon his members we have set down as here in these places absolutely in it selfe so Rom. 5. comparatively as compared with the influence of Adam upon his off-spring Adam was the figure or type of him that was to come vers 14. to wit Christ Jesus in respect not of such things as were personall unto either of them but of that which is by them communicated unto many As Adam was a head root and fountaine of sin and death unto the universality of men so Christ was a head root and fountaine of righteousnesse grace and life unto the universality of Believers But now to prevent all mistaking before he prosecutes the comparison of similitude between their influences he first premiseth the great disparity that is between them and this he first affirmeth and then confirmeth 1. He affirmeth it vers 15. but not as the offence so also is the free gift But he doth not content himselfe with affirming it once but repeates it againe vers 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift The repetition was perhaps to signify the great weight of the points handled as also to import the more then ordinary incredulity that is in men generally touching them There is nothing almost in Divinity goes down more hardly with flesh and bloud then the imputation of Adam's sin and Christs righteousnesse Having thus earnestly affirmed this disparity he in the next place as strongly demonstrates it and that first generally secondly particularly by instancing in some particular heads of disparity 1. Then in generall he proves this disparity by way of comparison by arguing from the lesse unto the greater Vers 15. For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many In which words by the grace of God is understood his favour and love and by the gift of grace is meant the obedience of Christ mentioned vers 18 19. which as Beza noteth in relation unto God is tearmed the gift by grace or the free gift because it is by him freely or graciously imputed to us in relation unto us it is stiled righteousnesse vers 18 Because by it imputed to us we are made righteous vers 19. Now this is here far advanced above the offence fall disobedience or transgression of Adam in regard of fulnesse of efficiency If that hath abounded this hath much more abounded much more overflowed It is a metaphor taken from rivers that overflow their bankes This superiority superabundancy of Christs obedience unto Adam's disobedience in point of efficacy may be demonstrated from the inequality that is between them in regard 1. of their generall Nature 2. Efficient 3. Effects 1. From the inequality that is between them in regard of their generall nature The offence or disobedience of Adam was privative Christs obedience or righteousnesse is positive and therefore more available and forcible unto salvation then that unto condemnation This is an argument urged by Pareus but I shall lay no great stresse upon it But proceed unto a second inequality that is between them in regard of efficients The disobedience of Adam was the disobedience of a meere man The obedience and righteousnesse of Christ was the obedience and righteousnesse of him that was God as well as man and therefore the merit of it infinitely surmounted the demerit of Adams sin and consequently was more able to justify and save then this to condemne and destroy If you will derive Adams sin higher from the Devill even yet he was but a creature and so infinitely short of Jesus Christ who was God man And hereupon we may conclude that there is more vertue in him the seed of the woman by way of eminency then there was venome in the head of the serpent He is more able to heale soules then Satan to poyson and infect them A third inequality between them is in respect of their effects in regard of their excellency difficulty and certainty of eveniency 1. Excellency By Christ's obedience we are restored unto greater mercies and priviledges then ever we were deprived of by Adam's disobedience Unto gifts without repentance as the Apostle speakes Rom. 11.29 Constancy irreversiblenesse in the justification of our persons such a firmenesse in the sanctification of our natures as is unconquerable by the gates that is power and policie of hell such an immortality of the body in our resurrection as is not onely à posse non mori a possibility of not dying but a non posse mori an impossibility of dying Secondly The effects purchased by the merits of Christ's obedience surmount those redounding unto mankind by the guilt of Adam's sinne in regard of difficulty It is farre more difficult to build up then to pull downe and destroy There is more merit and efficacy requisite for the justification and salvation of one soule then there is guilt and demerit for the damnation of millions Thirdly The effects of Christs obedience transcend those of Adams disobedience in regard of certainty of eveniency The actuall damnation unto which we are liable by the fall of Adam is preventable and avoidable by faith and repentance Whereas the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Christ Jesus inferreth a hypotheticall necessity of salvation and so sensu composito excludes all possibilitie of damnation Secondly The Apostle proves the disparity betweene the influence of Christ upon his and the influence of Adam upon his particularly by instancing in some particular heads of disparity The first head of disparity is the difference between the meritorious cause of our guilt and condemnation by Adam and the Antecedents or occasions of ur justification by Christ The condemnation accruing unto us from Adam is onely for one sinne the judgment was to condemnation by one vers 16. that is by one offence One for number if we speake of that first sinne committed by him in paradise compleated in the eating of the forbidden fruite One for kind if we speake of that contracted from him usually called Originall sinne But now our justification by Christ is a full absolution discharge not only from the sin which proceedeth frō Adam but frō all other personall sinnes The free gift is of many offences unto justification vers 16. the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 Joh. 1.7
those whom thou hast given me c. And to be given unto Christ signifies the state of Election for it signifies a good and happy state or condition precedaneous unto effectuall vocation Iohn 6.37 All that the father giveth me shall come unto me But to come unto Christ is to believe in Christ by an effectuall Vocation By this then you may gather that none shall communicate in the fulnesse of Christs glory but such as the father hath given unto him by election And they are such as in God's appointed time are drawne and wrought over to come unto Christ that is to believe in Christ by an effectuall calling None then can have a sound confidence of their future glorification that are not assured of their past election and a well built assurance of election presupposeth an assurance of vocation and of comming unto Christ thereby and therefore the Apostle Peter in his exhortation 2 Pet. 1.10 premiseth the making sure of their calling unto the making sure of their election Give diligence to make your calling and election sure None can make their election sure that have not first made their calling sure Those mens hopes therefore of glory are but rash and ungrounded presumptions who turne the deafe eare unto the call and command of Christ who stand of and refuse to come in and submit to his Regiment but stick still in their sins without repentance and wallow in that filthinesse wherein the world lieth 1 Joh. 5.19 A second amplification of this glory which awaits believers is from the causes of it and that both moving and disposing 1. From the moving causes of it to speake of God after the manner of men and the impulsive causes of it are either outward or inward outward Christs intercession inward 1. Gods love of Christ 2. Gods righteousnesse The dispositive cause is a sanctifyed and saving knowledge of Christs mission To begin with the moving causes of it and 1. with that which is outward and procatarticke Christs intercession Father I will that those c. It is not voluntas imperantis but optantis rogantis It is not a will of command but a will of desire request and prayer and God cannot but gratify Christ in all his petitions He cannot but fulfill his will and satisfy his desires Christ intercedeth for the future glory of his members and therefore they cannot but be happy for impossible that the father should deny him any thing for which he is a suter Iohn 11.42 The inward or proegumenall moving causes of the glory of believers come next to be considered 1. Gods love of Christ 2. Gods righteousnesse 1. Then they have Gods love of Christ as it were a pawne and pledg of their compleate glory in heaven Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am c. for thou hast loved me before the foundations of the World The summe of the words is because thou hast loved me the head therefore glorifie them my members Thou hatest all those whom thou dost not glorifie and hatred of the members is inconsistent with love of the head If thou lovest me thou canst not hate them and therefore as thou lovest me let them be where I am and there participate in my glory Can believers desire greater security against the hazard of their blisse and salvation They cannot misse of heaven and happinesse unlesse there be a change in Gods affection unto his owne sonne whom as man and our mediatour he hath loved before the foundation of the world That love of God then which raised Christ from his grave the state of the dead unto a throne and crowne at the right hand of the majestie on high will also in due time exalt all believers unto a full conformitie unto his glory It will place them with him in his throne Revelat. 3.21 and kingdome 2 Timoth. 2.12 and distribute unto them fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Secondly The second impulsive cause of the glorification of those whom the father hath given unto the sonne is his righteousnesse compared with the dispositive cause thereof on their part their faith the condition of the new Covenant O righteous Father c. these have knowne that thou hast sent me It is as if he had said because thou art righteous therefore let those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am and behold my glory For in them there is the condition prerequired unto a full enjoyment of glory They believe in me and they know that thou hast sent me And faith in Christ which is often expressed by knowledge of Christ is the prerequisite of eternall life and glory Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Unto these then compleatnesse of glory is due though not by debt of desert yet by debt of promise Therefore though eternall life be the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 yet it is also tearmed a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge will give 2 Timoth. 4.8 And the reason of this appellation of it is because God by his promise hath bound himselfe to give it and in the performance of his promise he is approved righteous The righteousnesse then of God that Christ here appealeth unto in the behalfe of believers is justitia fidelitatis Gods truth and fidelity in the making good of his word and promise Believers have the fidelity and veracity of God engaged for their perfect and compleate happinesse Lastly We have the disposing cause of their glory These have knowne that thou hast sent me Because they have knowne this let them be where I am and there behold my glory The knowledge of an object in scripture ever implieth suitable affections and actions To know Christ then is to believe in him to adhere unto him to imbrace and love him to obey him c. To know that the father hath sent him is besides the knowledge hereof and assent hereunto to accept Christ in regard of all those offices for the discharge of which he was sent by the father to depend upon him as a prophet for the declaration and revelation of his father to rest upon him as a priest for the remission of our sinnes and acceptation of our persons to submit unto him as a king for government and guidance in all spirituals Such a knowledge as this is though not a meritorious yet a disposing cause of heaven a necessary antecedent thereof the way thereunto Our future happinesse and glory is stiled in scripture the light of life Iohn 8.12 the inheritance of the saints in light Col. 1.12 and therefore what qualification or preparation for it more congruent then the light of such a knowledge as we have described By it we are made meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light Whereas on the contrary the darknesse of Ignorance is a
interruption Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias And yet Peter was only a spectator of this glory and had himselfe no share in it O then what infinite satisfaction may we expect in the beholding of Christs glory in heaven for it will be accompanied with an everlasting enjoyment thereof the lustre of it will be diffused unto us so that some shall enjoy the glory of the Sun some of the Moone some of the Starres 1 Cor. 15.41 We may conclude then of heaven as Peter of the mount of Christs transfiguration Lord it is good for us to be here In earth we are surrounded with spectacles of discontent but in heaven the glory of Christ will be an all-pleasing object for in the sight of it will stand part of our blisse and therefore it should command our hearts and draw unto it our thoughts and affections Christ glorified is our treasure and where your treasure is there will your heart be also Math. 6.21 Wheresoever the body is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Luk. 17.37 Math. 24.28 Hosea chap. 1.11 Prophesying of the true members of the Church under the Gospell giveth them this character They shall appoint themselves one head and ascendent è terrâ they shall come up out of the land that is they shall ascend from earth to heaven in their desires In Cant. 8.3 the motion of the Church even here in her state militant is ascension Who is this that commeth up out of the wildernesse Though she be in a wildernesse condition yet the texminus ad quem of all her motions is the land of promise the heavenly Jerusalem she is still comming up out of the wildernesse The constant prayer of the Church is for the comming of her Lord and Husband Christ Jesus and the spirit dictates this prayer unto her The spirit and the bride say come Revel 22.17 She knoweth that the day of his comming will be her wedding day And hath she not reason to long for the consummation of her marriage with so all-glorious an husband She is assured that the day of his comming will be her coronation day wherein he will grant her to sit with him in his throne Revel 3.21 and place upon her head a crowne of righteousnesse 2 Timoth. 4.8 of life Jam. 1.12 and glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 What more tempting and alluring then the beauty of such a crowne the glory of such a throne And therefore she hath great cause to love the appearing of the Lord Jesus 2 Timoth. 4.8 and to desire that it may be hastened 2. From Christ's all-fulnesse of glory and the certainty that we have of our participation thereof we may be exhorted to use our strictest endeavours in our declining of sinne pursuite of holinesse and tracing the waies of new obedience Hath not Christ decreed to make us glorious like himselfe The glory which thou gavest me I have given them Joh. 17.22 and is it not then a very undecent thing for us to have here inglorious soules base and unworthy affections and conversations He hath prepared for us riches of glory And unto such riches will not poore and low soules be unsuitable We are begotten by the refurrection of Jesus Christ unto a lively hope an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us 1 Pet. 3.4 and unto such an undefiled and heavenly inheritance will not defiled consciences and earthy minds be altogeather disproportioned and so unqualified and unmeete for the partaking of it If you compare vers 20 21. of 3 Phil. you may find an argument to stirre us up unto heavenly mindednesse We looke from heaven for the saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body c. Therefore let our conversation be in heaven Here on earth as it was said of Lazarus Luk. 16.25 we receive our evill things Even a Jacob complaines of the few dayes of his Pilgrimage as evill Gen. 47.9 and unto a Solomon all things under the sunne were vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 1.2 and therefore while our bodies are fastened unto the earth this theater of misery our soules should soare up to heaven in devotion Because those that have chosen Christ for their Head and King shall ascend from earth to heaven in their bodies at the resurrection ascendent è terra Hos 1.11 They shall come up out of the land therefore it is fit that now in this life they should come up out of the land ascend and mount unto heaven by divine and spirituall meditations and heavenly affections When Christ took Peter James and John to be witnesses of his glorious transfiguration he bringeth them up into a high mountaine apart Math. 17.1 and why might not this betoken that to qualifie us for the contemplation of Christ's glory here and the fruition of it hereafter there is requisite an elevation and separation of our hearts from the distractions of all things here below Saint John having propounded our future conformitie unto Christ's glory 1 Job 3.2 when he shall appeare we shall be like him c. he presently addeth vers 3. that the hope of this conformitie is accompanied with unfeigned endeavours after purity and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as he is pure And indeed it would be very irrationall for a man to hope to be like Christ in his glory and happinesse and at the same time to resolve to be unlike him in his grace and holinesse In Rom. 8.23 they that waite for the Adoption that is the consummation and manifestation of their adoption to wit the redemption of their bodies are described by the Apostle to be holy and penitent persons such as have the first fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22,23 and such as groane within themselves that is under the sight and sense of their lusts and corruptions This connexion of spirituall sorrow and humiliation with the first fruits of the spirit is very congruent because there is a great deale of equity in this that we should mourne and groane for that which grieveth the Spirit by whose graces we are sealed that is marked out for redemption Ephes 4.30 In heaven the spirits of just men shall shall be made perfect Ephes 12.23 and if we desire after death to be rankt amongst them we should labour by the promises to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 to be perfect as our father which is in heaven is perfect Math. 5.48 When we awake satisfaction with the image or likenesse of God will be our reward Psal 17. vers last and therefore here it is our duty to put on the new man which is renewed after the image