shall pluck my feet out of the Net Psal 25.15 And when he had in vain looked for refuge to other things and they failed him then he looked to the Lord for refuge who never fails them that seeks him Psal 142.4 5. and 9.10 For indeed in vain is Salvation either in Grace unto Glory or from Enemies as Sin Satan and their Instruments or Designs looked for from any thing else and therefore it 's good to look to the Lord in whom alone is our Salvation and to wait for him the God of Salvation as in Jer. 3.23 Mich. 7.7 Yea in a word 8. Look to him for all Grace and Blessing the Promises of this Life and of the Life to come For in him all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen to the Glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 And he is the God of all Grace all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him the Fountain of Living Waters who gives freely and liberally and upbraids no man Look therefore for the Mercy of this our Lord Jesus Christ even for the blessed hope and his glorious appearance unto Eternal life Jude 21. Tit. 2.13 And look we to him for all this Secondly In all means As to say 1. In minding his Word and looking into that perfect Law of Liberty as it is called James 1.26 There he is exercising his Spiritual power and affording his help that being Spirit and Life Rom. 1.16 John 6.63 A Ministration of Spirit that quickens and gives Life Strength and Grace 2 Cor. 3.6.8 Ephes 3.16 Heb. 10.29 And gives Wisdom and makes wise the simple Psal 19.9 and 119 130. Yea as it is written The holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise to Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 3.15 And he that hath the Doctrine of Christ in his heart so as to Believe Mind Love and Obey it hath Christ nay both Father and Son 2 John â— There he is Discovered Pourtraied or set forth so as there-through we may see what an One he is and behold his Grace and Glory with open face as in a Glass through the help of his Spirit as is signified Isa 52.15 Gal. 3.1 2 Cor. 3.18 Look upon him there therefore and there wait on and for him And with this 2. In meditating on him as there set forth musing on and pondering his words and on him as declared therein So it 's said Kings shall shut their mouths at him for what they had not been told shall they see and what they had not heard shall they consider Isa 52.15 They shall understand or mind with themselves namely as looking herein and considering them as Preached in the Gospel for unto that the Apostle applies it Rom. 15.21 Spiritual meditation being as it were an inward Contemplation and wister looking into the Law of Liberty and upon him as set forth therein My meditations of thee shall be sweet saith David Psal 104.34 3. In Praying to him and to God in and through him Then we lift up our faces to him Job 22.26 And therein a man may see his Face oft-times with joy lifting up pure hearts and hands to him Job 33.26 In Prayer we both look up to him and upon him fixing the eyes of our mind upon him we lift up our eyes unto and our eyes are upon the Lord our God till he have mercy on us Psal 123.1 2. There we are to take notice of and know his Name in calling upon it Psal 91.14 15. Exercising Faith which is the exercise of the eyes of the mind also to behold as well as of the hand to lay hold of him in him and his Name otherwise it 's not a Prayer of Faith as it should be and as it 's called Jam. 5.15 4. In his Sacraments or Ordinances of Communion together with him In Baptism we may behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 And in the Supper we have to do with his Body and Blood and his Death shewed forth therein it being a Communion of his Body and Blood held forth there to be taken notice of by us and received of us 1 Cor. 10.16 and 11.26 And for and in all these it 's good to look to him 5. In the Unity of the Spirit with his people and in Fellowship with them in his House his Church his Temple those that have his Name upon them and with them Many people shall say Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the House of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Ways c. Isa 2.3 And Oh how good is it for Brethren to dwell together in unity for there the Lord commandeth the Blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.1.4 Thirdly Look we to him and upon him at all times Hear in season and out of season for that 's implied in that the Word is to be Preached in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 for there is no Preaching but to some hearers meditate on him as set forth in it night and day Psal 1.2 whether literally understood for so David Seven times a day will I praise thee Psal 119.164 Consider my meditation in the morning will I direct it unto thee and will look Psal 5.1 3. And Mine eyes prevented the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word Psal 119.148 Or Metaphorically for times of Prosperity and Adversity when we are merry beholding his Goodness set forth in his Word or proved in his Works The Word of Christ dwelling in us will lead us to sing Psalms and when sad and heavy then considering in the day of Adversity him that is able to help us Pray Col 3.16 with James 5.13 Eccles 7.14 Yea that we may Bless him at all times and his praise be continually in our mouth it 's needful that the thought of Him and his Name and so the Consideration and Contemplation of him be always habitually in our hearts That out of the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak and we may out of the good treasure there bring forth good things Psal 34.1 2. and 145.1 2. Mat. 12.34 35. 4. With all earnestness and serious diligence even with the whole heart as Psal 119 10. Jer. 29.13 for this is not a matter of sport and divertisement only from some weightier matters but the main and chief thing of all our whole lives Matth. 6.33 The one thing needful or necessary Luc. 10.42 to be looking up to and upon the Lord Jesus therefore the one thing desired by David to dwell in his House that he might behold the fair beauty of the Lord as was noted before Psal 27.4 The things of greatest moment depending hereupon as to say 1. The deliverance of our Souls from the stings and venome of the old Serpent even from sin and death spiritual death and guilt and filth now and everlasting curse and misery hereafter And is this a thing to be trifled
of this he hath given evident and abundant demonstration both that he perfectly hates sin and that he will severely punish it where not pardoned and purged As 1. In his casting down the Angels that sinned not sparâ—ng them though high and glorious creatures but throwing them down to hell and reserving them in chains of darkness to the Judgment of the great day 2 Pet. 2 4. Jud. 6. 2. And in his casting man out of Paradise and inflicting upon us all the Sentence of Death upon the account of his owâ— offence we being all in him and in him offending Rom. 5.12 18 19. 3. And in his not sparing his only begotten Son when â—e stept in between God and us to Ransom and deliver us from perishing in the first Death Though he was his only begotten Son yet he pleased to bruise him and make his Soul an offering for sin and did not release us from the punishment of it to destruction upon his only praying and interceding for us without his suffering to the shedding of his Blood or powring out of his Soul unto death and therein being made a curse for us Isa 53.4 5 6 10. Gal. 3.13 Rom. 8.32 And surely if sin be so odious to him that he would not let it pass unpunished in his own Son when but imputed to him and undertaken for by him for us how can it be expected that any other person not saved from it by him but abiding in it and committing and practising it to the death especially also against Christs gracious calls and counsels and endeavours to reclaim us shall escape his Judgment If such things were done to the green tree what shall be done to the dry tree As himself said Luk. 23.31 4. And in the great and terrible day that he hath appointed whereof he hath given faith or Assurance to all men in his having raised up Christ from the dead Act. 17.30 31. And the dreadful punishments and destructions which he hath decreed and threatned then to execute upon the wilful and impenitent sinners There is a Judgment appointed to be after Death as well as there was one pronounced before it Heb. 9.27 Rom. 5.16 An Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.3 A day of the Destruction and Perdition of ungodly men 2 Pet. 3.7 The Judgment of the great day Jude 6. When Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with all his mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on all that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.6,7 8. When all the workers of iniquity shall perish being destroyed with as everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength or mighty power When all that are proud and all that work wickedness shall be like stubble and the day of the Lord that burneth like an oven shall utterly consume them and neither leave them root nor branch Mal. 4.1 5. Yea and in those many terrible judgments and destructions of ungodly sinners which God hath oftentimes and in all ages and places signally executed in this world are demonstrations of the severity of his anger against sin and of the power of his wrath prevailing against all the policy or strength of the sinner to withstand it and as certain Types Tastes or Ensamples of the Eternal vengeance in the great day to come to be executed and endured Such was the overflowing of the Old World the World of the ungodly with a Flood in the days of Noah 2 Pet. 2.5 The burning up of Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjacent Cities with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven for their great wickedness Setting them forth as ensamples of suffering eternal Vengeance as the Apostle saith Jude 7. â— 2 Pet. 2.6 The overthrow of Pharoah in the Red Sea the destructions of Saul Nabal c. The destruction and desolation of Jerusalem and the like Psal 9.16 17. Yea and that men are not only in danger of but in the way to perishing naturally and generally in and of themselves is evident too for if we mind the ways men generally walk in we shall find they are such as God hath threatned his Judgments to and revealed his wrath from Heaven against Rom. 1.18 Both so as to exclude from the Kingdom and the Glory to come and so as to destroy with everlasting destruction such as walk in them for are not the generality of men either proud persons and such he hath denounced destruction upon being hateful and abominable to him Mal. 4.1 Isa 2.11.12 Prov. 2.17 Or covetous and such God abhorreth Psa 10.3 Or Idolaters or Fornicators or Adulterers at least in heart Mat. 5.28 Or abominable defilers of themselves with mankind or effeminate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.9 10. delicate sost persons or Thieves or Lyers or Extorâ—ioners or Drunkards or Revilers or Murtherers or the like None of which may have any part in the Kingdom of God or of Christ but in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death A death infinitely more dreadful then the bodily Death however inflicted though in the most lingring painful and tormenting manner that ever was devised or heard of being the punishment prepared for the Devil and his Angels 1 Cor. 6.9.10 Eph. 5.3 4 5 6. Rev. 21.8 22.15 Mat. 25.41 46. At the best are not men too generally walking and passing their times as our Saviour saith of the old World and of the Sodomites in the days of Noah and Lot in eating and drinking marrying and being given in marriage buying selling building planting with a neglect of the safety of their Souls and yet upon those that so walk Destruction will come as the Flood and Fire did upon the men of those days there mentioned by him Luk. 17.26 27 28. c. Yea what need we further Testimony then that of the Apostle proving all men both Jews and Gentiles to be under Sin Rom. 3.9 19. Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in all their ways and the way of Peace they have not known there is no fear of God before their eyes And whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world become guilty or obnoxious to judgment in the sight of God This to the first Point which tends to shew us Vse 1. Our miserable state in our selves that we might be low and little in our own eyes and not lift up our selves and walk either proudly and stoutly as if all were well with us and we in no danger of seeing evil or slothfully and securely in not earnestly looking out for a remedy yea against that it's useful to shew us 2. Our need great need of a Saviour and to inquire diligently after
him Gen. 22.12 How may not we then much more perceive the love of God to us in not withholding but sending down his onely begotten Son from Heaven and making him the Son of Man that he might save us This is Love indeed passing all parallel yea all knowledge Surely we need not as the Pharisees seek after another or greater sign from Heaven that God desires not our ruine but our salvation and happiness but may well rest in this unspeakable gift of God as a sufficient demonstration thereof to us accepting it with all reverence love and thankfulness This is a faithful saying and worthy all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 To save us from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God from the state of death and destruction from the power malice and rage of the Devil and in a word from all that might harm us And had that been all it had been very much but it was not all he sent him also to bring us back to him and so to eternal life glory and happiness 1 Pet. 3.18 John 3.16 Surely this may engage us also Secondly To think well of God to land and bless him perpetually as our great Benefactor our merciful Father our mighty yea almighty Helper as one that so desired our good so loved the world as to send us such a one to save us He may well expect from us and we give to him upon this account all possible love thanks dutifulness and ready obedience He is worthy to be honoured by us that had such a respect for us Well may we cry out with admiration Lord what is man that thou shouldst so magnifie him and that thou shouldst so set thine heart upon him as to send thine own and onely Son not by Adoption and Regeneration a Son onely but by eternal and divine Generation thine onely begotten Son to be the Son of Man and so in Relation and of Kindred to him to help and save him when none else could help him This was the Lords own doing and greatly worthy our admiration Psal 118.22 3. And well may we accept of and confide in such a one as this Son of Man Gods onely Son as a person fit and meet and All-sufficient to save us and to bring us to Heaven and Happiness Good encouragement may this consideration give us as well as it shews us a necessity there being Salvation and Life in none other for us to hearken to him and give up our selves wich full assurance of faith and expectation of good success to his direction and dispose We need not fear but God will be with him to help him in and carry him on with success in all his undertakings for us seeing God is in him and he is God When God sends any on any gracious message he uses to accompany them and give them good success So he was with Moses and Aaron when he sent them to Pharaoh and gave them a command to bring Israel out of Egypt and they effected it in his name notwithstanding the many threatning difficulties and discouragements they encountred with though they were but Gods servants neither of them his proper Son Indeed they led not the people into Canaan because they failed in their faith in and obedience to him not sanctifying him before them at the waters of strife He sent Joshua therefore to lead them in thither expelling and driving out the Gentiles to divide the Land to Israel for their Inheritance And God was with him therein and did not fail him nor forsake him or them that followed him and obeyed his commands but made them successfull by his assisting presence He was with Gideon also when he sent him against their enemies so as with a small handful by unlikely means he vanquished an innumerable number of enemies And what should I mention David Cyrus and divers others Now if God strengthned his servants always in their obedience to him in what he sent them to do how shall we question or doubt the Sufficiency and prevailing powerfulness of his onely Son with whom and in whom he was reconciling the world to himself and is still after a more wonderful way of presence and union of Being then with any of them Surely we may have high expectations of Life and Salvation by him He being sent of God to such purposes to and for us He being neither liable to sin as Moses Aaron and many others did nor hath death any place upon him much less dominion as it had over all them so as that he should fail there-through in his undertakings till he hath perfected what concerns us Indeed his undertakings or the things God sent him to do are and were of a far higher nature and heavier then ever he sent any others about As to take away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Destroy the power of Satan Abolish death through his own death And to save our souls But by how much his work was and is greater by so much is his person more excellent and glorious And why then should we not thankfully entertain and embrace him depend on and trust to him yielding up our selves to his guidance with greatest confidence and fullest assurance both of his sufficiency and faithfulness For in that he is Gods Son his onely Son he hath his power and virtue strength and all-sufficiency rendring him able to save us And in that he is his onely begotten he hath in him his perfect likeness and similitude and therefore God being Love or Charity full of goodness and faithfulness to us he is so also being the express character of his person the brightness of his Glory And being our Kinsman and our Brother and become so on purpose for our good what may we not expect of compassion and faithfulnes from him upon that account also Object But if the Son of God was in his love sent to be our Saviour and he so able and willing to do the work he was sent about how is it then that all are not in the issue saved from perishing nor have eternal life But so many and great multitudes as the Scriptures imply perish If he will save us who can hinder him therein seeing he being Gods onely Son and coming in his Name and Power is Almighty to do what he pleases for and to us Answ He was not sent or came to save us so as to bring us to eternal life absolutely by his omnipotent power otherwise then in a way of willing obedience to him performed by us being endued by him with capacities for such obedience He is able to save us to the utmost and he is willing but he expects that we should come and seek to him in the grace wherewith he prevents us that we may be saved by him and live with him and through him as is agreeable to what we observed in the next place viz. CHAP. XII The Fourth Observation considered and therein the necessity
to us to lead us into his truth Joh. 16.7 14 16 17. Heb. 9.24 25 26. Act. 2.33 And so as the great Lord and King command deliverances honours and blessings to us we could not have him as an Object to look to to forgive us our sins to give us the holy spirit to support our spirits renew our natures guide us to death raise us up from death and give us the Kingdom if he were not impowered to do all these things and all things else for us our faith in him for all these things would be otherwise in vain But now being in all things before-mentioned lifted up made the Son of God in the nature of man delivered up to death for our sins as a ransom and attonement for us and therein supported and accepted and therefrom raised and revived exalted to Gods right hand and there glorified He is a compleat Object of faith to be believed on being every way able to help and save us One who in his death and Resurrection hath delivered us from perishing in the first death or judgment for the first offence and as exalted at Gods right hand able to save us also from the wrath to come and so from the second Death and so he will all that come to God by him through his exercise of his glorious Office of High Priest with God for us and of his Prophetical and Kingly Offices towards all men and especially those that believe and of his Lordly authority over all Creatures in Heaven Earth and Hell for our behoof and benefit and to give Eternal Life to all of us that believe on him being a person also both willing and faithful as his ready undertakings and sufferings of such things for us evince and as his glorious Offices to such purposes put upon him and received by him in a sense enjoyne or require of him I might add hereto that as all this exaltation and lifting up of the Son of Man was necessary to render him an Object to be believed on So was it also necessary for the discovering him to be such an Object which is necessary also to the begetting belief on him for God being true and one that could not lie could not nor would not have discovered that as an Object to be believed on that were not such his making peace was the ground as well as the matter of his preaching in preaching Peace Nor could there therefore have been any sending forth of the Spirit with such a discovery to inable and move to believe it His personal lifting up in those ways and particular being the foundation of all the rest nothing of the rest could have been without that but I only hint it and pass to the second Branch Branch 2. That his being so lifted up and exalted in those real Acts done to himself as is before mentioned was necessary for his saving us from perishing and for his giving us Eternal Life in believing on him and this is evidenced both in what is said before in the fifth Observation about the way of his saving us from perishing and our having Eternal Life and also in what is said on the former Branch And indeed this evinces it in general and as to all the particulars included therein that that being Gods grand design in giving him as the next Verses shew God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him mtght be saved yea and of his lifting him up as this Verse saith That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Eternal Life it follows that either these things before mentioned were necessary to be ordered and done to him to those ends or else those ends might have been otherwise brought about and so they were ordered and done to him needlesly and in vain which would impose upon the infinite wisdom or goodness of God and imply that which neither may be conceived nor conceded or granted For if there had saith he been a Law and by consequence any other way that could have given life doubtless Righteousness should have been by it Gal. 3.21 But besides that all these things were necessary to be ordered and done to him for his saving us from perishing and giving us Eternal Life may be seen also by induction For his being taken into unity of person in the Divine nature that was necessary to his saving us from perishing in the first Death for otherwise his power and ability his worth and excellency would have been too small to have done and suffered what was needful for our Redemption therefrom and for Gods acceptance as sufficient thereunto It was the work of an Infinite and boundless strength such as the finiteness of a Creature or meer man could not reach unto to stand under and bear upon himself the weight of mans Sin and Death and by bearing to overcome them and to satisfie Gods justice for the sin and abolish the death required a Sacrifice of an infinite merit and worth no meer man had either strength or worth enough for such a thing not strength to endure and overcome such agonies and death nor worth to be taken for a sufficient ransom or price of Redemption for all men no nor for any one man for no man that is but a man can give to God a ransom for his Brother a price to God sufficient for him that he may not see death Psal 49.6 7 8. But the Lord Jehovah He that is God also will Redeem my Soul saith David from the hand or power of Hell or of the Grave for he will receive me Verse 15. Nor can any meer man or Creature be able either to raise up the body out of the first death and Grave or to deliver or preserve us from the second death that we should not perish in that for he that would preserve from that must have virtue in his Sacrifice to take away by obtaining for us and dispensing to us the pardon of our following sins committed by us in our own proper persons against the light and truth of God and prevail with God for Grace and Spirit to be given to us and give it to us too to inlighten inliven and raise from Spiritual death discover the evil of sin and the deceits of Sathan so as to enable the Soul to see and avoid them and obtain and give grace for repenting of any such sins and forgiveness of them thereupon and for renewing the Heart yea he must be able to deliver from the power of Sathan and his policy or else he cannot deliver from perishing either from the way to life or in the second death in the end as the issue of perishing from the way Much less can any meer Man or Creature be able to give to us or possess us of Eternal Life because to that it 's
THE BRAZEN SERPENT OR GOD'S Grand Design VIZ. CHRIST'S Exaltation for MAN'S Salvation in his believing on Him OR The Right Way to Regeneration and therethrough to the Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom Discovered by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for our sure Direction therein Considered Opened and Applyed with a double Excursion touching the Glory and Excellency 1. Of the Gospel of Christ 2. Of Christ Himself By J. HORN an Unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ and sometimes Minister of Lin Allhallows in Norfolk Isa 52.13 Behold my Servant shall deal prudently or shall prosper He shall be exalted extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his visage was so marred more than any Man and his form more than the Sons of Men so shall He sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouths at Him c. Isa 55.5 Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for He hath glorified thee Psal 99.10 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for He is holy Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy power Respiciamus nos in faciem serpentis aenci elevati Christi si volumus à pravorum Daemonum suggestionibus serpentinis liberari respicere autem est fide in ipsum tendere Bern. de pass Dominica LONDON Printed for Benjamin Southwood at the Star near to Serjeants Inn in Chancery-Lane 1673. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Gentle Reader LO Here I present thee with what as to the matter treated of is a most needful and excellent Subject worthy thy most serious consideration the Grand Design of the God of Glory the Devise that He in his Infinite wisdome and goodness devised for our recovery from sin and misery and for reducing and bringing us back to life and safety the product and birth of his eternal purposes and most deep counsels for our welfare and happiness A Subject never sufficiently looked upon never throughly enough seen into while we can see but with mortal eyes and imperfect understandings the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen yea very intensively pryed into 1 Pet. 1.12 of Angels preached to us Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 The great Catholicon the Soveraign and Vniversal Remedy for all our spiritual distempers and diseases the supply of all our wants the support of us in all our weaknesses temptations and troubles the instructer and helper of us in and unto all our services the stay of us in this life in and under all its various vicissitudes and changes the joy and comfort of our hearts in Death the Raiser and Resurrection both of our Souls to lively hope and comfort when oppressed with griefs and cast down with sadness and also of our Bodies to immortality and Eternal happiness in a word the spring original and fountain of all our felicity the great subject of the Doctrine both of the holy Prophets and of the holy Apostles the substance and body of all the types and shadows in the Law of Moses the accomplishment and fulfilling of Predictions and Prophecies and the ground and end of all our future hopes and expectations Such I say not is this Treatise but the subject treated of and directed to herein for it is no other than Christ himself and Him crucified and through sufferings and death raised up again and glorified Glorified of God for thee in his own glorious actings in and upon Him and glorified of God to thee by the spirit of God in his word and testimony glorified both ways to save and deliver thee from the stings of the old Serpent and to bring thee to glory A Subject which who can sufficiently treat of for who can shew forth all his marvailous acts who can set forth all his praises Psal 106.2 A Subject much too great for my imbecillity and stupidity too deep and high and large and long for my narrow head and heart to reach its dimensions so as to handle it and set it forth worthily A Subject in my reception of it into and conception of this Discourse about it in my mind and earnestness of my heart to draw it out and incorporate it in this body and give it these lines and lineaments so pleasing to me or perhaps rather my exercise therein that it drew me on with so eager an intention and rapid a motion as indangered my miscarrying of it before its perfection for I received in my self in a manner the sentence of Death before I had finished it till God renewing my strength beyond my expectation and confidence it attained to this Period God therein both shewing me my weakness and perhaps also chastening my unworthiness and unmeetness for such an undertaking and my darkning wisdome so much by words without knowledge and so slenderly and slovenly handling so excellent a subject both therein and since in its sticking so long and coming out at length with so many Errata's in its impression and yet also shewing his great power and goodness in what I received of him for my reviving I confess I had some eye in it upon a good and gracious Woman who had met with some exercise in the death of her only Son and intended she should have had one of the first rights of it as for comforting her also I put in some expressions respecting that her tryal in some part of its application but the Lord pleased to put an end to her days also before it could arrive at her and be perused by her He designing to comfort and satisfy her spirit I trust with another and far perfecter sight of the glory of this blessed Son of man here treated of then this so weak a discourse could have given her of him I trust its conception was not altogether without the Holy Ghost though as it was imbodyed in and by me I cannot but see and acknowledge its too great likeness to me in imperfection It is a rule in Philosophy that Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Whatsoever is received of another is received after the manner or measure of the receiver We cannot expect that a Bucket can contain the Ocean and the purest Wine received in a fusty Cask will somewhat tast of it The Eternal Word as conceived in the Virgins Womb was made partaker of her Flesh and as therein brought forth by her appeared a weak and little one not according to the Immensity and Infinity of the Word but in such small and finite dimensions as agreed to the humane nature and the narrowness of her Womb in which it was formed and therefore He was capable of being wrapt in swadling cloths and laid in a Manger and afterward of being taken up in old Simeon's armes and of growing in stature in wisdome and in favour both with God
wickedness to be removed into the Land of Shinar Zech. 5.6 7. And the lifting up of the Sacrifices upon the Altar to be burnt up But I but mention them But 2. To lift up signifies often to exalt magnifie or glorifie And to the same phrase of lifting up the head is used by Joseph too in his interpretations in a quite contrary sense to the former In Gen. 40.13.20 21. For interpreting the chief Butlers Dream he tells him Within three days shall Pharoah lift up thy head and restore thee into thy place and thou shalt deliver Pharoahs cup into his hand And it came to pass saith vers 20. That the third day which was Pharaohs birth day he lifted up the head of the chief Butler and he restored the chief Butler unto his chief Butlership again And so the lifting up the horn was the exalting and lifting it up on high Psal 75.10 And according to the Spirit the exalting or magnifying the Kingdom and Power of Christ and his Saints 1. Chron. 25.5 And in this sense also Christ was to be lifted up that is exalted and that both by God and Men as we may see And in this sense the same Greek word here rendred lifted up is often translated to exalt or to be exalted or magnified As in Mat. 23.12 Luk. 14.11 18.14 Act. 2.33 5.31 But in this sense of lifting up there is something implyed even that which was done and included in the former sense or way of his being lifted up Namely 1. That he was or is down as it were made low and in a low place condition or esteem For as when the Psalmist had said by the holy Ghost Thou hast ascended up on high The Apostle from it inferrs Now that he Ascended what is it but that be first Descended into the lower parts of the earth Psal 68.18 With Ephes 4.8 9. So we may say here in that he saith The Son of Man must be lifted up What is it but that the Son of man was below or was down in a mean state or posture and in a lower place then that to which he must be lifted up And surely so he was and in some sense is so yet As to say 1. In respect of bodily place This Son of man was though now he is not here upon the Earth born here and living walking acting and conversing here Though he was the heavenly One the Lord in Heaven yet he came from Heaven from above As it 's said He that cometh from above or from Heaven is above all John 3.32 He was above in respect of what he was before he was manifest to men But he descended into the lower parts of the Earth the lower parts of Gods Creation the Earth Yea into the lower parts the heart of the Earth Ephes 4.9 Matt. 12.40 And so it 's said by him And I when I am lifted up from the Earth will draw all men to me John 12.32 He was then on the Earth and thence to be lifted up on the Earth in respect of place And 2 In respect of State in respect of what God did to him and what he submitted and yielded up himself to he was in a low and humble state and appearance among men in the world being of rich made and become poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. Of one in the form of God not thinking it robbery to be equal with God He was made in the form of a Servant and was found in the fashion and habit of a man Phil. 2.6 7. Being made of a Woman he partook with us in Flesh and Blood and was made under the Law in a Bondage and Servile state A Servant to Rulers though he was Lord of all Gal. 4.4.5 Isa 49.7 Born of a mean and poor parentage as was evident in the entertainment given them in the Inne when his Parents were thrust into the Stable and he when born was entertained there in a Manger As also by the offering of his Virgin Mother offering according to the appointment of the Law of Moses for poor people whose hand or sufficiency could not reach to the offering a Lamb. Viz. A pair of Pigeons or two Turtle Doves Luk. 2.7 24. With Levit. 12 8. As also in that his reputed Father to whom the Virgin his Mother was espoused was not a person of any great port in the World or in any office or dignity but a Carpenter as he was called Mat. 13.53 Yea and it appears that he himselfe sometimes wrought of that Trade being therefore called by way of reproach the Carpenter Mark 6.3 And when he manifested himself to Israel he was not attended with any great followers but his Disciples were noted to be illiterate and mean men Fishers Tole-gatherers and the like So as that the people stumbled at that matter saying Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him but this people that know not the Law are accursed John 7.47 48. Yea and he himself when one said he would follow him replyed Foxes have their holes and the Birds of the Air have their nests but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his head Luk. 9.58 Yea and he went lower descending into the lower parts of the Earth into great sorrows and sufferings agonies and overwhelmings of his heart so as to the Death and Grave Dying the Death of the Cross the only accursed death Deut. 21.22 23. With Gal. 3.13 Being therein numbred with Transgressors yea and being dead he was taken down and laid in the Earth in the heart of the earth as we noted before Mat. 12.40 Making his Grave with the rich and with the wicked in his death Isa 53.9 Yea he was compassed about with the snares of death and the pangs of Hell caught hold upon him so as he found we and sorrow Psal 116.2 3. 18.4 5 6. A Worm and no Man a Man of sorrow and acquainted with griefs Yea his Soul went down into Hell in his great sufferings for our sakes as his not being left there implies Act. 2.27.31 So low was he brought and this was low indâ—ed lower not only then the Angels but also as to his abasement therein then other men and from such a casting down was he to be lift up Job 22.29 3 In respect of his esteem with and among men He was and so is still too low in Mens hearts in their thoughts and accounts of him and affections to him There he was very low in all his appearance in his Birth when they afforded him not room in the Inn. And in his Life when they that were his own received him not though he came to them in his Fathers name even in the name power and authority of God John 1.11 5.43 Doing such things as none else did and speaking such things as none else ever spake Yea they not only received him not but also rejected and despised him As it was fore-prophesied Isa 53.1 2 3. Who
according to the testimony of God by his Holy Spirit concerning him Psal 106.3 and accordingly in their hearts liking loving and desiring after the knowledge and enjoyment of him trusting in and cleaving to him with purpose of heart Psal 31.23 Cant. 1 2 3 4. 2.4 5. 5.7 8. 8.6 7. 1 Cor. 16.22 Isa 26.8 9. Phil. 3.7 8 9 10.1 John 3.23 Acts 11.23 24. 2. In their word speaking nothing but what is high holy and honourable concerning him Holding forth the word of life and blessing and speaking well of his name Psal 47.6 7. 98.1 4. 66.1 2 3. 100.1 2 4 5. 3. In their Life and Conversation for there also he may be lifted up and glorified and magnified of us yea both in life and in death Phil. 1.20 As therein also he may be blasphemed dishonoured and denied as is implied 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 1.16 But surely he ought not to be denied blasphemed or put to reproch by us or by occasion of us He hath not so deserved of any man but to be blessed and highly honoured And that is best done when to a high commendation of him in our words we add also such a conversation and carriage as speaks him excellent in our esteems and experiences of him When we shew that he is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him Matth. 5.16 2 Thess 1.12 Psal 92.15 1 Pet. 2.9 11 12. Now though the lifting him up by his Father in the acts done to him in his personal body in his calling him to upholding and accepting him in raising him from and rewarding him for and after his Sufferings and the obedience and service done and performed by him for us be the main and most fundamental lifting him up absolutely necessary with respect to us and our Regeneration and Salvation Yet I apprehend That the lifting him up also as to manifestation and commendation of him to and in the eyes of others both by the Spirit of God and by men especially his holy Saints and Servants that desire and are set for his Glory and the good of others is here also with the former way and acts directly included and intended And indeed as to his being lifted up of God both Father Word and Spirit it must be so as we have partly said because it was so purposed and decreed of God It was his purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world that is made manifest now by his appearance in what God hath wrought by and done to him for us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. And as for mans exalting him and lifting him up in his ministration and service in the Gospel and in heart and life it 's no more then God requires of us and his love and the excellency in and love of Christ to us obliges us to and challengeth of us And therefore so it must and ought to be also Psal 96.3 4. But because that must be lifted up the necessity of his being lifted up hath direct and main respect to the end whereto he is to be lifted up that is That whosoever believeth on him may not perish but have eternal life As also the necessity that he be so lifted up As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness hath reference thereto Therefore I shall not more fully speak to the necessity of his being lifted up and so lifted up till after the speaking to those two following Points The Son of Man must be lifted up that 's the second Point The other two follow in order The manner how and the end to which he must be and must be in such manner lifted up For I shall also leave the Use of all this till we have considered and viewed those Points also they both appertaining to the full view of this which is the main Point CHAP. VIII The third Point That the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness Where several Analogies and Agreements between them are considered Point 3 HOw the Son of Man is to be lifted is the next Point to be spoken to and that is As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness In which may be implied 1. As verily and certainly as that was done so must this be done also and indeed that lifting up of the Serpent being a type and figure preaching forth this lifting up of the Son of Man must not be made frustrate for then as a type it should have failed and been false Where the shadow goes before the body follows And where the type and figure was fore-ordained to instruct into the truth that was to be revealed there the truth also thereby signified must in its time take place and be accomplished all things written of him in the Law of Moses also whether Prophecy or Type and Figure must be fulfilled Luke 24.46 But not onely so but also 2. As so As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness So even after such a sort and manner must the Son of Man be lifted up There is agreeableness correspondency and answerableness between the one and the other as may be seen in many Particulars As 1. In the occasion of it There the people walking in the Wilderness were disobedient murmured against God despised his mercy bounty and goodness and provoked him in wrath to send fiery serpents among them to bite and kill them and as a remedy there against that Serpent was commanded to be and accordingly was lifted up And so here men in the wilderness of thâ—s world being ransomed by Christ out of that sentence of Condemnation that lay upon us all for our first Fathers Transgression and under a state of much mercy and bounty from God yet not without trials and temptations are found sinning against God and despising the Heavenly Manna Christ Jesus and the knowledge of God in him and discontent with Gods dealings through the temptations of sin and Satan and so fall under his power and are obnoxious to destruction This occasions a necessity of lifting up the Son of Man both in his exaltation by God and unto men for their healing Yea our first Parents and we all in them being tempted though in a Paradise listening to the Tempter and siding with him to a discontent with Gods allowance to us in the Creation because one Fruit was forbidden and to a desire of and coveting after what was unlawful and forbidden us fell under the power of the old Serpent the Devil and Satan So as by him to be stung and wounded to death even a death of our souls and spirits from the life and favour of God and of both body and soul to be exposed to and filled with misery and mischief to destruction and as a remedy against that Bite it was necessary Christ should be lifted up on the Cross and dye for us and be raised up again and exalted to a state of Power and Glory for raising us up and so he is
him and accept him heartily being discovered and Preached to us to which end also God added the Law for discovering of our sins that so we might look after accept and imbrace the Saviour whom he had fore-promised to us Gal. 3.19 22 24. Yea the very promise and declaration of that Saviour shews us to have been miserable Yea and yet if we neglect him to be in a most miserable condition for in that one died for all It 's most brightly testified that All were dead Yea and in that it 's such a one that died for us as Gods only Son it signifies and testifies yet more The greatness of our misery in our selves and of that death we were fallen into that put us into a need of such a ones dying for us 2 Cor. 5.14 But that will fall in in the third proposition or observation CHAP. X. The second Observation briefly spoken to and some Objections against it answered Obser 2 THe Second Observation is That God hath no pleasure in the death or perishing of men but that they rather should have eternal life And this is evident 1. By his own assertion under his oath that we might be the more confirmed in it as was noted above in Ezek. 33.11 Where he swears As he lives he hath no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but rather that he turn and live And sure if not in the wickeds in no mans death seeing it's the wicked that he every where threatens with Death As he saith to the wicked in the same Chapter Vers 8 Thou shalt surely die And The Soul that sinneth it shall die Chap. 18.3 20. And the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him ver 21. And yet he saith and sweareth that he hath no pleasure none neither secret nor revealed that the wicked should die 2. And his holy servants assert the same who have had his mind and grace in their hearts and declared it faithfully The Apostle Paul asserts That God wills all to be or that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 And the Apostle Peter that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 And the Prophet Isaiah represents the Lord calling all the ends of the Earth to look to him and be saved Isa 45.22 3. The many addresses that God in and through Christ by his Word and Spirit makes unto sinners to call and bring them to Repentance that they might live and not die are so many evidences and convincing demonstrations of his love to Mankind and that he hath no desire or delight that they should perish but have everlasting life For we may not think such a wicked and impious thought of the Almighty who is love and charity truth and goodness it self as if he should pretend one thing and intend another That he signifies one thing to be his desire and will outwardly and desires and intends the contrary inwardly and so dissembles with his lips seeing he protests the contrary Viz. That the opening of his lips are right things That he speaks right things and wickedness is an abomination to his lips That his words are all right and that there is nothing froward or preverse in them Prov. 8.7 6 8. Isa 45.19 Far be it from us to think that he is like to the wicked whom his Soul abhorreth to cover hatred with deceit As is said Prov. 26.26 Now thinking holily of God and according to truth we shall perceive the desire he hath of mens welfare abundantly testified in his addresses to us diverse ways As 1. In his calls and counsells frequently given us As it s said Wisdom cries out she lifts up her voice in the streets crying how long ye simple turn at my reproofs c. Prov. 1.20.23 And doth not Wisdom cry and Understanding lift up her voice Can that be denied Is not that evident and that to men indefinitely yea and to the worst of them therefore it follows that she stands in the top of high places where and whence she may best be heard and cries To you O men I call and my voice is to the Sons of Men. O ye simple understand wisdom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart Prov. 8.1 2 4 5. And so Turn ye turn ye why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33.11 Yea this was one great end of our Saviours coming into the World in order to his saving the World Viz. To call sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 John 12.47 2. In his promising them great and glorious things upon their hearing and obeying his calls Turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words Prov. 1.23 So in Prov. 8.32 33. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my doors For whoso findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Aske and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find Mat. 7.7 8. And abundance the like 3. In his threatning sinners if they will take the course to perish and will not listen to his counsels As Because I have called and ye refused I stretched out my hands and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamities I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. 1.24 26 c. O wicked man thou shalt surely die Ezek. 33.8 And many the like 4. In his reproving expostulating and reasoning the case with men that he might perswade them to their own good Why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33.11 Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that have no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Why will ye lay out money for that that is not bread and your labour for that that satisfieth not c. Isa 55.1 2 3. 5. In his chastening men also for their follies in neglecting and refusing their own mercy in order to their awakning to Repentance that they might live As he saith I smote them thus and thus yet they turned not to me saith the Lord. As implying that he smote them to that end they might turn Amos 4.6 7 11. All these things doth God twice and thrice with men that he might keep them from going down to the pit c. Job 33.29 6. In his exercising long patience and forbearance towards them with much bounty and goodness to the same end that is To lead them to repentance As is exprest Rom. 2.4.5 With 2 Pet. 3.9.15 Isa 30.18 Waiting that he may be gracious Yea 4. The next Observation is an evident confirmation of the truth of this Namely the gift of Gods only Son the Son of Man for if he gave his only begotten Son to be the Saviour of the World evident it is then that he loved the World and if he loved it he desired not that it should perish but rather be saved
with-hold no good thing c. Psal 84.11 4 Nor shall this happy state be ever taken from him but though through workings of the flesh a man may not be always sensible of these things nor have always actual rejoycing while here yet his state is always such and shall hereafter appear and be most sensibly and perfectly such for this life here begun by Christ and by his Spirit never shall terminate or end but increase and be more full as to the injoyment and perception of it in the abiding believer on the Son of Man till it be most immutably perfect They that seek God shall Praise him their hearts shall live for ever Psal 22.26 Death shall not put an end to this life when the body dies the man even then shall be in a living state of the Spirit or inner man in a truly happy and joyful condition though it appear not upon the body of man or to the view of the natural man much less shall it terminate after death to the Spirit made perfect for it being with Christ shall be in a better state then while here Phil. 2.21 23. To be dissolvd and to be with Christ is far better then to be here much less shall this life cease fail or terminate in the state of the resurrection for that state is most properly and fully called Eternal Life Mark 10.30 In the world to come Eternal life because then neither Soul nor Body shall die any more but then 1. The body shall be in an eternally unchangeably happy and blessed state of life a glorious body like the glorious body of Christ. Phil. 3.20 Raised up in honour incorruptibility power and glory so as it shall never feel or be capable of feeling hunger thirst pain weariness weakness decay sickness old age or any other trouble any more forever For there shall be no more death nei-neither sorrow nor crying c. for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.3 with 7.16 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. 2 The Soul and inward man shall be perfect in its knowledge of conformity to and joy in God and in Jesus Christ our Lord For then we shall see as we are seen know as we are known Then that which is perfect being come that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 12. Then we shall have fulness of joy in Gods presence and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Psal 16.12 1 Joh. 3.2 There shall then be no more ignorance or envy nor sorrow nor care nor whatever may render the Soul in the least defective in its happiness but the favour of God and of the Lamb as a clear River of pure waters pure and immixed and never failing shall fill it perpetually with all Heavenly and Spiritual fruitfulness in every good thing Rev. 21.4 11. and 22.1 Isa 11.9.13 Deut. 33.23 Yea 3. The whole state of the man both in Body and Soul and with respect both to God and Men a state of perfect freedom from all evil Nothing in themselves to treuble or disquiet and nothing from without themselves either of wrath and curse from God he shall neither inflict any evil upon or with-hold any good from them but as one perfectly well pleased with them perpetually fill and satisfie them with his favour and blessing afford them his fellowship and the fellowship of the Lamb and whatsoever so happy a Spring may pour forth to them and therefore neither shall any evil befall them either positively from any man or from any other Creature Angel Devil or any other thing to molest or annoy them the Devil and all his Instruments their Enemies and all evil things being for ever removed from out the Creation or what of it the Saints shall have to do with except so as they may look upon and behold their miseries Isa 66.24 And as the happiness of the Saints may be seen by their Enemies for aggravating their miseries Luke 13.28 16.23 and all other things and persons filled with good for and towards them and not with any thing that may in the least be evil and troublesom to them nor privatively for they shall be in no danger to loose any thing of the good they have or shall have none of those deprivations and losses that here afflict and exercise them shall they then be capable of being exercised and tried with no more Widdowhood or loss of Children or of Fathers Mothers Friends no loss of Riches Honours Pleasures Habitations Ornaments or any thing but what they here lost or were deprived of shall in a better manner and more to their comfort be restored if they were such as appertain to the Kingdom their Relations Husbands Parents Wives Children c. shall be restored then with Christ though not as such Relations or as having such dependance then on them as here but in a far more perfect satisfying and glorious manner Nor shall any one thing or person in the world with-hold from them or any of them any one thing that they may have any need of or good by so that their state then shall be a state of perfect life and that everlasting a spiritual and spiritually sensible and intelligent life an holy life an happy and Eternal life wherein the shall have full knowledge of God and his favour blessing righteousness in the full perfect and perpetual performance of all his blessed promises a full and perfect injoyment of the Lamb and of all the virtues and products of his Cross and sufferings and fellowship of his joys and glory and of and with one another even all the whole company of them in the most perfectly united peaceable satisfying way and manner for ever the fulness of the Spirit filling them all and every one with all Spiritual excellencies and satisfactions for ever and in that their fellowship with Christ and one another they shall have an everlasting full and perfect glory glorious Kingdom and Inheritance such as from the beginning of the world men have not heard of or perceived by the Ear or the Eye seen besides God himself being the glorious things which God hath prepared for them that wait for him Isa 64.5 A life worthy our most constant and earnest seeking after laying hold of and embracing But now Quest 4. How shall they that believe on Christ the Son of man have this Eternal Life Answ I may answer to this diversly with respect to 1. The way to their having it 2. The maner of their having it 1. In respect of their way they have and shall have it 1. Through sufferings and death even as our Lord Christ himself that way entred into his glory It is a faithful saying or the word is faithful for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him And if we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him If we even we who at present believe in him deny him he will also deny us 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. Through much
Gentiles Act. 13.47 and 28.28 Surely it 's every way a heavy judgment and to be much cryed and prayed against as Psal 12.1 2. Well might the Prophet Amos from the mouth of the Lord signifie that the Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord is a worse Famine then that of bread and water Amos 8.11 12. For this is but of sustenance for the body and bodily life and that 's but a momentany and uncertain life which must however dye and depart that is indangered thereby in a bodily death out of which there will be a Resurrection again and in the state of which the Soul mean time may be blessed Rev. 14.13 but the other is of the sustenance and salvation of the Soul and the removal thereof lays open to the loss of Eternal Life and indangers the inevitably falling into everlasting destruction out of which is no recovery or redemption Oh how greatly behoves it us then to pray and pray earnestly for our selves and for our Nation that however God may please to correct and chasten us yet he would be pleased to continue with us his glorious Gospel and not take that from us and that he would vouchsafe to give or restore it to the Places or Nations that are without it or have it not so clearly with them as we have it blessed be God for it And let this suffice for the first Use the Discovery of the Excellency of the Gospel-Doctrine and the Inferences therefrom CHAP. XXI A Second Vse The Excellencies of Christ hence inferred and that is viewed First As the Excellencies of the choice Creatures are ascribed unto Him and so He the first-born of every Creature Use 2 THe Second Thing I shall note is for further Information of us from all said upon God's Grand Design of exalting and lifting up Christ the Son of Man and of the necessity and fulness of Him and his Exaltation both as exalted in Himself and as glorified by the Spirit in the Gospel for effecting Faith in us and there-through preserving us from perishing and giving us Eternal Life to inform us of the exceeding preciousness excellency and glory of the Lord Jesus this Son of Man himself from whom and whose excellency all the Glory of the Gospel and its beneficialness and advantagiousness floweth Surely He that renders the Gospel so glorious must needs excell in glory and excellency himself it s nothing but He in it that makes it rich and full and efficacious Let Men speak as gallant words as they can imagine and use all the skill that Art and Industry can suggest yea that the most wise and subtle spirit can teach them Speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels use the most powerful demonstrations Logick can make and the most perswasive arguments Oratory can invent and make use of yet if there be nothing of the Son of Man in it nothing of Christ and him crucified it avails nothing to our Salvation and enjoyment of Eternal Life But He alone discovered and the better the more nakedly and with the less artifice and use of those Sciences is able to effect all in us for God hath made void the wisdom of this world the wise the Scribe and the Disputer of this World are with him mere ciphers 1 Cor. 1.18 19 20. Deceive men they may and therefore the Apostle cautions us to beware least any man spoil us through Philosophy and vain deceit Coll. 2.8 but save men from perishing they cannot much less advance them to Eternal Life No it s this Object held forth in the Gospel that is the life and vertue of it which is the Son of man Christ Jesus Rom. 1.3 and 16.25 and therefore seeing the Gospel is so excellent by his being the matter of it how excellent is He himself who is its matter He must needs be more precious than the Gold of Ophir more glorious and excellent than the Mountains of prey Isa 13.12 Psal 76.4 That hath in him not only the excellencies of all the Creatures but all the excellencies of God also Gods great glory and mans utmost happiness all meeting in him If when Ahasuerus proposed the Question What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Haman reasonably thought it would be no small matter which would be done to him How much more may it be thought and believed that He whom God not only will honour but honour above all must needs excell in all things that may commend him Yea He honours him with his own with all his own honour and glory which he will not give to any other besides him either thing or person Surely he must needs be infinitely and inexpressibly honourable and glorious seeing God is infinitely honourable and glorious himself and honours him not according to the dictates of the wisest and highest Creatures with whom he takes no counsel in this or any other matter but according to his own wisdom understanding and goodness which are all infinite and boundless unless then we could by searching find out God yea and find him out too to perfection whose Excellency is higher then the Heavens so that What can we do Deeper then Hell and therefore What can we know Longer then the Earth and Broader then the Sea and so altogether Incomprehensible we cannot find out and fathom all the Glory and Excellency of this Man the Son of man the Lord Jesus Well may it therefore be said of him that He hath a Name above every Name and that none knows but himself Rev. 19.12 And as himself saith None knoweth him but his Father Mat. 11.27 Yet many and great and glorious things are said of him by his holy Spirit That searcheth out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And Takes the things of Christ and shews them to us John 16.13 14 15. Things that commend him highly to us though yet his Name which is only Excellent Psal 148.13 Is Exalted above all Blessing and Praise Neh. 9.5 So that when we have searched and said all we can in and from what is Recorded of him by his holy Spirit yet we may conclude as in Psal 106.2 Who can declare his mighty Acts Who can set forth all his Praises God hath so poured out Himself and his Fulness and the Fulness of all things therein as it were into him that he is All and in all in the new Creature or Creation Col. 3.10 It hath pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell and it hath pleased all Fulness to dwell in him yea All the Fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily and in him we are compleat Col. 1.19 and 2.9 10. All things in Heaven and Earth hath God pleased to gather together in one even in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.10 That if any thing in either or all things in both of them may like us and satisfie us we may have them fully and transcendently in him Let us essay to View something of his Infinite
Palaces wherewith they have made him glad Psal 45.8 And we find his Spouse clothed and adorned by him and for him too in Ezek. 10 11 12 13. and in Rev. 19.7 8. But of these things I shall not speak more largely III. We have seen the perfections of man Let us a little as we may view also those of the Angels He is also called the Angel of the Covenant Angel is in English a Messenger and therefore so translated in our later Editions of the Bible in Mal. 3.1 The Angel of Gods presence that saved Israel Isa 63.9 And that redeemed Jacob out of all evil and had power of blessing Gen. 48.16 And surely He is the highest and best Messenger or Angel that was ever sent of God being his only Son Nor can we find any excellency in the Angels in which he doth not out-strip them They are said to excel in strength doing Gods commandments Psal 107.20 but they excel not nor equalize him in either They cannot uphold all things by the Word of their Power as He doth Heb. 1.3 Nor could they stand under the weight of our sins as He did 1 Pet. 2.24 Therefore they give him the preheminence and judge him only Worthy to receive the Power Riches Wisdom and Strength Honour Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 Nor do they Gods Commandments like or equally to him who obeyed to the death the Death of the Cross laying down his life at his Fathers commandement and delighting to do his will therein so as to bear and take away our sins by the sacrifice of himself Philip. 2.8 Joh. 10.18 Heb. 9.26 and 10.5 6. Psal 40.48 Joh. 14.31 They are also intelligent and understanding spirits great in knowledge and excellent in speech 1 Cor. 13.1 yet far short of him for God hath found folly in them saith Job 4.18 but Christ is the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 knowing his Father whom none else so knows Matth. 11.27 and grace is poured into his lips so as God hath blessed him for ever Psal 45.2 They are also great in power especially such of them as are called Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.20 21. but not equal with Christ to whom all of them are commanded to give worship He hath obtained a far more excellent name by inheritance then they as may be seen Heb. 1.5 6. to the end They are indeed Spirits but ministring Spirits to him He is the Lord that Spirit the quickning Spirit so as none of them are 2 Cor. 3.16 17. 1 Cor. 15.45 So that in him are all the perfections and more then all the perfections of Creatures Yea CHAP. XXII Secondly That in Christ are all things Answering the Needs of Fallen man all things that pertain both to Life and Godliness AGain he is and in him are all things answering the Needs of his fallen Creatures of Mankind All things pertaining to Life and Godliness and they are given us in the knowledg of him 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us view that in either Branch First All things pertaining to Life he is and are in him for us And that both as 1. Necessary to the Being and Upholding of it not only as by his Death and Sacrifice we are and this Old World for us is upholden so as that we may subsist and Live as it were from Death or the state thereof which we were Obnoxious to under a comfortable Injoyment of a natural Life and Being and have therein opportunities of seeking the Lord Psal 73.3 Acts 17.26 27. But also in reference to a Spiritual life and happy being in and from him And so whereas First It 's necessary to our so Living that we be Begotten from the Dead to live to God he is the Begetter of men thereto the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Who Begets in his own likenes as Adam did in his but far better Children because Adam Begat none till he was fallen into Sin and Misery whereas Christ Begets as one acquit of sin and raised from Death in and unto Righteousness and Life an holy Seed a blessed off-spring Children of Light and heirs of Life everlasting Yea he is the very Seed of Regeneration as held forth in his Testimony by the holy Spirit the Immortal Seed whereof the Sons of God are Begotten the Word preached in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. And as he himself is the first Begotten from the Dead so by his Resurrection from the Dead he Begets from Death and quickens to a Lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 with Ephes 2.1 Col. 2.12 John 5.21 25. And this as to the Soul here as he will also by his powerful Voice quicken the Dead in Body to Life again at his Coming being the quickning Spirit John 5.28 29. 1 Cor. 15.45 And in both respects the Resurrection and the Life John 11.25 Yea and he gives Power to others and makes them Instruments to Beget Children to God and to bring them forth for him too as in 1 Cor. 4.15 The Apostle tells the Corinthians he was their Father for in the Gospel he had Begot them yet so as in Christ Jesus there is none can Beget Children to God but in him and his Virtue And as they are the Fruit of the travail of his Soul Isa 53.10 So in and from him others are instrumental Mothers to Travail in Birth with them also Gal. 4.19 2. The Children Born must be Nursed up and he is the prime in Nursing what he Begets and brings forth for he can no more forget them then no nor so much as a Mother her sucking Child Isa 49.14 15. He nourishes them principally though he makes his Servants Instruments of Nursing them up too with the sincere Milk of his Word which he also primarily is as more understandibly discovered to the weak in his heavenly Doctrin 1 Pet. 2.2 Isa 55.13 Heb. 5.13 Yea and he comforts his Children as one whom his Mother comforts Isa 66.13 And surely its by manifesting himself to them that he gives them comfort John 14.16 17 21. And in this Nursing up and causing to live as the living Child must have So 1. He is the Bread and Water of Life John 6.35 and 4.10.14 his Flesh meat indeed and his Blood drink indeed And as the living Child needs clothing So 2. He is the Clothing and Apparrel For he as our Righteousness put on by us in believing on him and his Virtues as adorning us is our Raiment and Ornament too Whence that So many of us as have been Baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 And he bids us Buy of him white Raiment that our Nakedness may be covered and that our shame may not appear Rev. 3.18 3. It must have harbour and Lodging And he is the Dwelling-place for his Children in all Generations Psal 90.1 Where is sweet Peace Rest and Safety Psal 4.8 and 91.1 He being a house of Stone a strong habitation to defend and save us from our Enemies Psal 31.4