Egypt and its Bondage and the Law-giver from God to whose Laws they were bound in all ages to yeild obedience till the Messiah should be revealed So also the Son of man was appointed and is made of God the Redeemer and Deliverer of us Mankind from the hands of our Spiritual Enemies and from all that hate us Luk. 1.70 72 73. Especially his followers and obeyers those that believe in him and are made the Seed or Israel of God in and by him He being also as Abraham and Israel was their Father The Everlasting Father of this Spiritual off-spring Isa 9.6 And he is the great Law-giver to the World for whose Laws the Iles or Gentiles are to wait and to them to yeild obedience to the end of the World For the Lord is our Law-giver Isa 33.22 42.1 4. 2. Again as Joshua was a Saviour and the bringer of them into the Inheritance which God had promised to their Fathers delivering them from the Inhabitants of that Land the Cananites utterly destroying them before them and dividing their Land to them by Lot So also Jesus the Son of Man was to be and is exalted and lifted up of God to be the expeller and driver out of Sathan and his Angels the powers of darkness out of their possession and the bringer in of his People the Israel of God that follow him into the heavenly Country and City of God which he hath promised to the spiritual Israel that are subject to him driving out all the power of Sin and Corruption from them Yea and in due time driving out all the Tyrants of the World with their Captains and Ring-leaders into Destruction he shall possess his People of the glorious Kingdom and divide to them their several portions and rewards in giving the Kingdom and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdom to the Saints of the most high God whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and his dominion that that shall have no end Dan. 7.27 3. As they had Judges also to be their helpers and Saviours from their enemies and to judge and avenge them of them and order their Affairs So Christ the Son of Man is raised up and appointed of God to be the great Judge the pleader of the Causes and avenger of Man-kind against Sathan and the Powers of Darkness And more especially of his Israel the Seed and Sons of God through the faith of him against all their Enemies Yea the great Judge of quick and dead who shall raise up all from their Graves and gather them together from all quarters of the World determining all Cases deciding all controversies and finally disposing to every man according to his Works everlasting rewards or punishments in Justice and Righteousness And seeing his Sentences put in execution with great and irresistible Power and Authority Act. 10.42 17.30 31. But perhaps we might as well have reduced these last mentioned offices or honours unto that that follows Viz. That 4. Whereas they had Kings set over them to go in and out before them to be their Captains and Leaders and to appoint Officers under them giving them Laws and Commands fighting their Battels and so to subdue their enemies protect them in peace and quietness in the peaceable possession of their Inheritances and enlarge their borders c. And so Moses also was said to be King in Jesurun So Christ this Son of Man is lifted up of God to that Authority and Sovereign dignity made his King by him set upon his holy hill of Sion Psal 2.1 2 6 7. And Maugre all opposition made by the Heathen and People the Kings and Rulers the Jews and Gentiles Herod and Pontius Pilate and all or any of their Successors that set themselves against him Act. 4.26 29. The King of Nations Jer. 10.7 Yea Of all the Earth Psal 47.7 And the King of Saints Rev. 15.4 5. A Great King above all Gods Psal 95.2 The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our Judge The Lord is our King and he will save us Isa 33.20 Yea and further 5. Whereas their Priests and Kings and once we find a Prophet was anointed by Gods appointment to their several offices and so designed of God to them upon which also as we sometime find God gave his Spirit to fit them for the discharge of them as thereby also they were seperated from others to attend unto God to serve him and his People therein and receive his help and supplies for the same So also the Son of Man Christ Jesus was to be and is and was anointed of God with the holy Ghost and Power Act. 10.38 To design seperate and authorize him to and furnish him for all those Offices and undertakings to which God appointed and called him As for the discharge of his Prophetick Office and work it is said The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the poor to bind up the broken hearted c. Isa 61.1 2. With Luk. 4 18 19. for by his word and the Divine force and power of his holy Spirit breathing forth his grace therein He is as a great yea the great and only Phisician of the Soul and his words do good like a Medicine being words of grace words of eternal life pleasant words that are like a honey-comb pleasant to the taste and healing to the bones Prov. 15.14 16.24 Wholsome and sound and healing words are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine that is according to Godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 4 Again it is said Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my holy Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles c. Isa 42.1 And as the great King the Great God and our Governour He is Gods Christ or Anointed whom he hath set upon his holy hill of Sion Psal 2.2 6. And anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal 45.6 7. And as the most holy even the most holy High Priest who is holy harmless undefiled seperated from Sinners He may be understood to be the Anointed or Messiah spoken of by Daniel Dan. 9.24 When he saith To Anoint the most holy And so that he was Consecrated that way also as well as by the word of the Oath Though the former was tipyfied in Aaron and his Sons Sanctified and Consecrated with the holy anointing Oyl powred upon and anointing them Exod. 30.29 30. Levit. 8.12 And the latter exceeded them Heb. 7.20 21 28 To Minister before the Lord for ever Sure it is that Through the Eternal Spirit he offered up himself as the spotless Sacrifice Heb. 9.14 And with reference to this anointing him and furnishing him with the fullness of the holy Ghost The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding the Spirit of counsel and of might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that rests and abides upon him and makes him quick
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
I begotten thee And Sit thou on my right hand till I make thy foes thy foot-stool Heb. 1.5.13 Yea All the fullness of the God-head dwells in him bodily Col. 2.9 2. A State of greater Authority Power and Majesty For he is set above all Authorities Principalities Powers Thrones Might or Dominion yea and every name that is named not only in this World but in that which is to come Eph. 1.21 For He hath put all things under his feet And Given him to be Head over all things to his Church ver 22. The Head top or chief of all Principality and Power Col. 2.10 Not only Lord of Lords and King of Kings Gods first-born higher then the Kings of the Earth As Rev. 17.14 19.16 Psal 89.27 But he is also A great King above all Gods Psal 95.2 Angels and Principalities and Powers being made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 Lord of all Act. 10.36 Being made in the Nature of Man so much better higher and more glorious then the Angels at he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they being not only owned of God as his Son begotten by him from the dead to all this excelâ—ent glory dignity and majesty even to be set at his right hand on the Throne of Majesty in the highest Heb. 1.3 4 5 13. 8.1 But as set on Gods own Throne Rev. 3.21 So as it 's said to all other Potestates and Powers Let all the Angels of God Or as in Psal 97.7 Worship him all ye Gods And again to him it is said Thy Throne O God endureth for ever The Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a Sceptre of Righteousness or a right Sceptre Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Above all other Gods Potentates or Powers among either Men or Angels And thou Lord Jehovah in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou remainest they shall all wax old as a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them Or fold them up And they shall be changed but thou endurest and thy years shall not fail Heb. 1.6 8 9 10 11 12. Yea the Angels are all Ministring Spirits to him commanded by him and with one consent proclaim him the excellent and worthy one Worthy to receive Power and Riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Rev. 5.11.12 In a word All Authority and Power in Heaven and over the Earth is given unto him And all that the Father hath is his Even all the Authority Power and fullness of the Father and it pleases to dwell in him Mat. 28.18 John 16.14 15. Col. 1.19 2.9 So that it may well be said as the Prophet foresaw That He is exalted extolled and very high Higher then Moses then Adam or David as some Jewish Criticks observe from the letters of the word Translated very being made up of the initial letters of those three Names Yea and should they to Adam joyn Abraham too whose name begins with the same letter their observation might hold true Isa 52.13 And herein also he is lifted up and so it behoved that he should be that he should suffer such things as he did and so should enter into Glory Luk. 24.26 That he might exercise and discharge the most glorious Offices most useful for us and most honourable for himself for and concerning our welfare and happiness Such as wherein he answers to all the most excellent and honourable things and persons under the Law and among the Israel after thâ— flesh that was lifted up to any honourable and useful Office or Service as the Covenant of Circumcision the Sabbaoth Sacrifices Temple c. Of which I may say more elsewhere I shall here only mention such Offices as were estated upon and exercised by most honourable persons amongst them as 1. The Prophets were holy and honourable persons and the office of a Prophet a most excellent useful and honourable imployment they having intercourse and Power with God and receiving their message from him for directing the people into the knowledge of him and of his mind and will concerning them Whence that of God to Abimelech concerning Abraham Restore the man his wife For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee Gen. 20.7 And Do my Prophets no harm Psal â—05 15 The Son of Man was to be and is lifted up into that honour and office For this is he of whom it was said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Deut. 18.15 18. With Act. 3.22 23. The Great Prophet And The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Rev. 19.10 The Great Light In his Testimony Word and Doctrine and the true Light lightning every man coming into the World Who came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth on and followeth him may not abide in darkness but see the Light of Life John 1.9 8.12 12.46 And so I might say also of the Apostles That they were highly honourable and useful as to their office and he is the Great Apostle of our Profession Heb. 3.1 2. The Priests were holy and honourable Persons under the Law in respect of their Office And the Priesthood a most honourable and useful Office for making attonement and Reconciliation for the People by offering gifts and Sacrifices for them to that purpose their lips keeping Knowledge also and teaching the People the Law And Christ the Son of Man was to be and is exalted to that Honour and Office to be the Priest the great High Priest after the order of Melchisedech As God did raise him up to be his Prophet and Apostle giving him that honour and glory that no man in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth was found worthy of even to open the book of Gods Counsels and unloose the Seals of it and unfold the Mysteries therein contained Rev. 5.2 3 6. So he gave him also the honour and Office of the Priest-hood For no man takes to himself that honour of the High Priest-hood but he that is called of God as Aaron was Wherefore Christ also glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Said also to him Thou art a Priest to me for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Yea the Lord sware and will not repent saying Thou art a Priest for ever c. Heb. 5.3 4 5. c. 3. Whereas some of the Prophets or Priests had other additional honours beside merely their being Prophets and Priests or the like Christ is lifted up in this his glory unto such honour also As to say 1. Whereas Moses was also a Deliverer of them by the Power of God out of
from henceforth and for ever That he should be Gods first-born higher then the Kings of the Earth Having an everlasting Throne and Kingdom Preaching peace to the Heathen bringing forth Judgment to them and affording glorious rest and blessing to all that trust in him Psal 2.6 12. 89.3 4 19 20 25 26 27. 132.11 17 18. Isa 6.9 10. 11.1 10. 42.1 4. Zech. 9.9.10 That he should be a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck Psal 110.3 And many such excellent and high commendations as may be seen in what he fore-signified to and by the Prophets of his Sufferings and of the Glory that should follow in all the Scriptures 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. With Luk. 24.27 And so the Apostle saith speaking of the perfection of the Sacrifice and Priesthood of Christ Whereof the holy Ghost is a Witness to us for after he had said before This is the Covenant that I will make with them After those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their hearts and in 〈◊〉 minds will I write them He adds And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 10.15 16 17. As it is also said that in ordering the Sanctuary or holy place with the Ordinances of it The holy Ghost this signified that the way into the holy of holies was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing Heb. 9.8 In a word Whatever things the holy men of God did foreshew of the coming of the Just One and the things to be found and effected by him they spake not of themselves but as they were moâ—ed thereto by the holy Ghost Whence they who resisted them in their Testimony resisted the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. Act. 7.51 52. 2. In preparing and Sanctifying that blessed Body taken by him in which he was made the Son of Man Luk. 1.35 And appearing visibly to Descend and rest upon him in it in the likeness of a Dove as a Sign and signification of his being the Christ Mat. 3.17 John 1.31 32 33. In his anointing filling and working in and by him in all his Doctrine and Miracles assisting and strengthening him in all his temptations sufferings and services Matt. 4.1 Luk. 4.1.14.18 21. Mark 3.29 30. And in his raising and carrying up his body into Heaven For in the Eternal Spirit he offered up himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 Rom. 6.4 But these things were evident some of them but to few Therefore I add that he witnessed to him more openly 3. In his gifting and furnishing the Apostles and Prophets and Servants of God for their work and service in the Gospel and for that purpose miraculously descending upon and working in many of them strengthning and helping them yea doing great Miracles and Signs by them and through their Doctrine and Miracles working upon the World to convince them of sin for not believing on him c. As our Saviour said When the Comforter shall come even the holy Ghost he shall bear witness of me and he shall convince or reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment c. And in that he did Baptise or Wash and Sanctifie the Apostles so preparing and fitting them for their holy Work and Service lead them into all truth glorifie Christ taking of his things and shewing them John 15.26 27. 16.8 9 13 14 15. Act. 1.5 8. 2.2 3 4 17 18. 4.31 And that the holy Ghost that God gave to them that believed on or obeyed Christ was a witness to him and to his glory is said Act. 5 32. And this also was a Testimony from God the Father as it is said God bare them witness by Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 As also the holy Ghost bears witness to the hearts and consciences of men concerning him Rom. 8.15 16. 2 Cor. 3.3 6 8 18. Causing the believing heart to see his glory as in a glass with open face to the changing it into his likeness from glory to glory But this he doth chiefly 4. In his Doctrine and teaching in and by the Gospel in his Revelation of him to and by the Apostles and to the World and Churches gathered out thereof As to them also the Spirit hath said Great and Glorious things as may be seen in those Epistles to the Seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. And thus the Three in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost bare witness of and to and therein lifted up the Son of Man and so is he lifted up of God and must be fully lifted up at his glorious coming and Kingdom when he shall appear in his own glory and in the glory of his Father and of his holy Angels Luk. 9.26 For the Great God the blessed and holy Potentate who only hath immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto and which no man hath seen nor can see to whom be honour and power for ever and ever Amen will in his time shew him When he shall come and appear sitting on the right hand of God with Power and great Glory and pâ—ssâ—ss the great and glorious Kingdom which God hath promised to possess him of and to Admâ—nister by him but â—â—sâ—e ms to be beyond what this Text speaks of which speaks of his being lifted up that men might in believing on him not perish but have eternal Life And so of that which is in order of Nature if not also of time before mens believing on him And these particulars chiefly of the Spirits witnessing to him and lifting him up were and are needful and such as must be 1. That he might receive the Glory promised For God said that he would glorifie him Isa 49.7 55.5 And God cannot lye Yea he hath sworn by his holiness that he will not lye unto David his Seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun which is all glorious bright and lightsome before him Psal 89.35 36. Yea and 2. That men might run unto him and believe on him As it is said Kings shall see and arise Princes shall also worship him because of the Lord that is faithful and he shall chuse thee Isa 49.7 And thou shalt call a Nation whom thou knewest not and 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 Isa 55 5. But unto this it was and is needful also that he be lifted up 2. Subordinately by Creatures and here we might consider 1. The holy Angels they have lifted him up in their honourable Testimony of him as the Son of Man The Word made Flesh They having also seen this Mystery and peeped down curiously to pry into it 1. Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 1.12 And they have brought down honourable messages and discoveries concerning him He being as the Son of Man the Ladder
Pet. 3.18 As it follows here That whosoever believes ◠him might not perish but have Eternal Life 3. As to his abundant Love Charity Goodness and Grace in all this such as passeth Knowledge Eph. 7.18 19. And therein the love of God the Father in appointing preparing sanctifying and furnishing him to all this great business and undertaking John 3.16 1 John 4.9 10 14. It was by the grace of God that He tasted Death for every one Heb. 2.9 And his own grace even The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ it was to abase himself And when rich to become poor for our sakes th◠we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 And so to lay down his life for us even when and though ungodly and enemies worthy of no love at all much less of such and so great love 1 John 3.16 17. Rom. 5.6 7 8. John 3.16 Love worthy admiration acceptation and imitation by us Eph. 5.1 2 3.18 19. Stronger then death such as many waters could not quench it nor the flouds drown it Cant. 8.6 7. Fourthly In the preciousness of his Abasement Obedience Bloud Death Sufferings and Sacrifice for us That however he was therein made low and despicable among men and became an offence to the worldly-wise and honourable yet He in and by them was a most acceptable Sacrifice to God an offering of a sweet smelling savour 1 Cor. 1.22 23. Eph. 5.2 That for which we all have great cause to love and admire him and flee for refuge and sanctuary to him He having therein made peace for us slain the enmity broken down the wull of partition between God and man and between Jew and Gentile wrought Reconciliation or that where-through we may be reconciled or made at one with God Col. 1.20 Eph. 2.14 15 16. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. having therein given himself a Ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 and being become there through the Propitiation for our sins yea for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.1 2. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiatory or Mercy-seat through faith in his bloud for remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God and for the declaration of his righteousness therein that he is just and the justifier of those that believe in Jesus Rom. 3.25 26. There being therein Redemption and through that Redemption a free Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or for all and upon all that believe v. 22.24 There-through the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us being blotted out and what was contrary to us taken out of the way and nailed to his Cross and Principalities and powers thereby spoiled and triumphed over by him Col. 2.14 15. So that great is the power and vertue of that his despised and reproched Cross So as that it 's accepted of God far before and above all the Sacrifices and Services ordained by him in the Law of Moses they being not able to take away sin But this one Sacrifice is so powerful and prevalent a purgation and expiation of it that Christ hath by that one Sacrifice once offered perfected for ever those that are sanctified So that the Consciences of the comers to God there-through are purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 1.3 9.14 10.2 3 4 5 10 14. So as that there-through we may have access to God in the holy of holies and may draw nigh to him and call upon him with full assurance of faith and confidence Heb. 10.19 22. His precious Bloud being the Bloud of sprinkling for sprinkling the heart from an evil conscience and speaking better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 Therefore also the Cross of Christ the onely thing to be gloried in by us Gal. 6.14 Fifthly In the exceeding greatness of that Glory that God hath given him as a reward of his sufferings and hard service sustained against the World and Sathan for us Wherein also is further evidenced the exceeding preciousness of his Bloud and Sufferings the infinite value of them and the force and vertue they have in them with him They set forth his Glory to be far above all the glory of the world yea or the glory of Moses or any of the former glorious ones then the Glory of Solomon and the Glory of his Ministration Far transcending that of the Law as being more powerful in the discoveries of it for transforming the beholders of it into his likeness so as when we see him as he is we shall there-through be made like him 2 Corinthians 3.3 8 9 18. 1 John 3.2 Col. 3.4 For they declare that God hath glorified him with his own self filled him with all his fulness so as all the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily and so as that in him we are compleat Col. 1.19 2.9 Oh let us go out and see this King Solomon this excellent Prince of Peace the Peace and Peace-maker of whom and of whose Glory Solomon of old was but a type and figure and the glory and lustre of his Kingdom but a type and figure of the the Glory of his which passeth all our conceptions and expressions let us go forth I say and behold him with the Crown wherewith his Mother the infinite Wisdom Love and Grace of God as also his Disciples who have heard and received the Word of God and kept it who are to him as his Mother Brethren and Sisters Matth. 12.49 50 have crowned him in the day of his espousals and of the gladness of his heart When being espoused to the nature of man he received the holy Spirit and poured it forth upon them Cant. 3.13 Matth. 22.1 Acts 2.33 But indeed it is not to be fully seen and known till the great day of his appearance the time of the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 1 John 3.2 Sixthly In his perfect and compleat Furniture wherewith he is furnished for executing and performing the works of his glorious Offices and bringing about the end of them the salvation of man the eternal salvation of all that obey him in which they present us as compleatly provided for of all things pertaining to life and godliness as given to him and dwelling in him for us I shall here onely touch upon something thereof in some few Particulars As First They declare him to be the great Prophet and as such fully and perfectly accomplished with ability fitness and faithfulness for teaching us the knowledge of himself and of God and of all things As being filled to that purpose with the fulness of God the gift of the Holy Ghost being so immeasurably received by him that he hath the seven spirits that are before the Throne Rev. 1.4 3.1 The fulness of the Holy Ghost and of all spiritual gifts for both giving forth to men and enabling and moving men to receive the exact and perfect knowledge of God and for gifting whom
unspeakable excellency and the injoyment of his favour and presence the very end and reward of all the virtue and goodness to be attained to by all his lifting up for and to us and being looked to by us for he is not only the Medium or means to an end though his flesh or humanity and so the things done by it may be so looked upon but he is also the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End the First and the Last The Way the Truth and the Life Rev. 1.8 17. John 14.6 6. As Moses lifted up the Serpent upon the Pole so highly as that it might be seen or looked to by the people that were wounded distinctly from all other things putting nothing between to hinder the sight of it and lifting it up above all that might hinder its being seen Even so is Christ to be lifted up above all other things so as nothing may hinder the sight and beholding of him by the sinful and perishing Soul but so as he may be seen and discerned of it to be the only excellent and all-sufficient remedy for it So hath God lifted him up above all as well as him only and nothing with him either on the Cross or on his own right hand That there is nothing so high as he no thing to be compared to him nothing no person no virtue no frame work ordinance nothing visible or invisible no Angel Principality or Power He is set down in the Heavenly places or injoyments fâ— above all Principalities Powers Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the World to come Eph. 1.20 21. Yea he is lifted up above the Law of Moses both as the Lord of the Law for the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 And as able and sufficient to do for us that which the Law could not nor can do that is make Attonement for us justifie sanctifie and save us Rom. 8.3 1 Cor. 1.30 Heb. 7.14 19. 10 4 5 6 c. Act. 13.38 39. And so is he also to be lifted up by the Preachers of the Gospel for so is he by the holy Spirit in the Gospel as Ministred by the holy Apostles and Prophets above all other things and persons whatsoever both as the means to our happiness and the Spring and Ocean of our happiness it self as to the knowledge and injoyment of him and his glory And they that lift up any other thing above him or any otherwise then in him they do not lift him up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness nor they that put a veil over his face or dress the discoveries and preaching of him with the wisdom of man or of words for that is as if Moses should have drest the Serpent in some curious wrought cloth or painted him over with Vermilion as the Idolaters did their Idols least the simplicity of their matter should be seen Thence the Apostle who lifted him up as Moses did the Serpent tells us That Christ sent him to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words least the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1.17 And that when he came declaring the Testimony of God he came not with the excellency of speech or of wisdom for he determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him Crucified and that his speech and his Preaching was not with the inticeing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and Power that their Faith might not stand in the wisdom of man but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.1 2 3 4 5. As implying that the presenting Christ with such paintings and garnishments of speech hinders mens seeing and beholding him while the eye is drawn by the wisdom of the words from the simplicity and nakedness of the matter and so the efficacy of the Cross may be hindred Like as the healing efficacy of the Serpent might have been by any intervening Garment clothing it or Paint dawbing it over so as the nakedness or substance of the Brass could not have been seen And that the faith begot through such wisdom of words oâ— inticeing words of Mans wisdom is but a human not a divine Faith and so could not have such divine and saving efficacies as where it is divine and such as the nakedness and simplicity of the Truth discovered and discerned doth effect 7. As Moses lifted up the Serpent to and for all the wounded Israelites that so who ever of them were wounded what ever were their wounds might looking to it live not excluding any of them from the intent of good by it as setting it up for some certain number of them only seperated from the rest and excluding the rest so as that if any other then that number looked to it they might not get the healing benefit of it it being not set up for them but it was lifted up for all and every one of them without respect of persons not as if it were for the richer rather then for the poor for the wise rather then for the foolish and without exclusion of any So that it could be nothing but mens own refusal of looking to it or neglect of it that would hinder them of its healing efficacy Even so is Christ the Son of Man to be lifted up to and for all and every one that is stung by the old Serpent the Devil who or what ever they be or how ever many or great their wounds sins or sorrows without respect of persons or exclusion of any but inclusion of all that all may see a way of healing as well as know that they are wounded and be induced to seek healing in the forgiveness of their sins and renewing of their hearts and natures thereby So as therein the goodness of God may be commended to all and all have and see in crediting the Testimony concerning him cause to thank and bless him as all Nations and People frequently are called upon in the Scriptures to do As in Psal 66.1 98.4 100.1.4 117.1 2 And to apply their hearts to him in whom there is certain and undoubted healing for them of which in so doing they shall not fail And that if any perish it may be evident that it is through their own voluntary neglect of that Salvation and refusing to seek help in him And so shall God loose nothing of his glory in their destruction forasmuch as he prepared his Salvation before the face of all people so as all might see it but they refused it and by observing lying vanities deprived themselves of their own mercies And so God hath lifted him up and his holy Spirit and Servants have set him forth not as one that dyed only for an elect number or chosen people leaving the rest as unprovided for of help but for all and every one 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the World John 1 29.
all that trust in him should be happy Psal 2. Yea all Nations are exhorted to gladness upon the account of his Victories and Reigning Psal 47. 97.1 2 c. 98.1 4 c. Yea they only point to one that should be the Seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham of Isaac of Jacob of David a root of Jesse c. Who should yet be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Gen. 3.15 22.18 26.4 28.14 Psal 89.3 4 19 20. Isa 9.6 11.1 10. 2. In the writings of the Apostles the accomplishment of those Prophecies is declared to be made in the raising up Jesus He being the Son of God sent forth by him made of a Woman and made under the Law Act. 13.32 33. Gal. 4.4 Made in the similitude of sinful flesh and an offering for sin to condemn sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 Delivered up to Death for our offences and raised again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 That there is Salvation in no other nor any other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved Act 4.11 12. The Law being not able to help us being too weak and unprofitable Rom. 8.3 Heb. 7.14 19. 10.4 5. God therefore prepared a body for his own Son and made him therein the Son of man that he might be able to do that for us and to us that none other could that He in the nature of man might bear our sins and make satisfaction to Gods Justice therein and atonement for us and offering up himself to God as a spotless Sacrifice through the eternal spirit receive into himself the fulness of the grace and blessing of God his Father that as the head of us men he might derive it to us and we receive it from him both Light and Teaching for renewing our minds and directing us unto peace and happiness and Spirit to inliven quicken and strengthen us to walk in the way he directs us in unto them And for working all the works of God in us and giving protection and defence against all adversaries and adverse power and whatever grace and blessing may be necessary for us and advantagious to us which as the Great High Priest in the virtues of that his Sacrifice appearing in the presence of God for us he obtaines to be given us And who so fit to be mans Saviour as such a one as is also man and so as our kinsman had right to redeem us and having proved our infirmities and miseries can pity and Sympathize with us and will not terrifie or affright us And what man could be able to satisfie Gods Justice by any Sacrifice yea though of himself and obtain his grace and blessing for us or be able to receive the fulness of Gods grace and blessing for us and derive it to us besides him that is also God Gods only begotten Son such a one being our Prophet must needs be able to speak forth the mind and counsel of God to us being one with him and in his bosom and so acquainted fully and most certainly with all his secrets as we have before considered Heb. 1.2 3. And is most worthy to be hearkned and diligently attended to in all things by us Heb. 2.1 3. 3.1 7. 12.25 Such an High Priest must needs be great with God as well as pitiful to us who is both the Son of God passed into the Heavens and made higher then the Heavens and is holy harmless undefiled and seperated from sinners and yet hath had experience of our infirmities and temptations Heb. 4.14 15. 7.26 And such a King and Lord as is Gods only begotten Son is and must needs be able to Protect and save us from what may harm us and being one chosen out from the People will be ready to hear and save when we call upon him and to redeem us poor men from the deceits and violences of Sathan and his instruments and account of our lives as precious and come down like showers of blessing upon the humble and obedient Subjects Psal 2.6 89.19 20. 72.4 5 6 14. 20.9 And what need is there or can there be of any other Saviour when he is so every way fit powerful and all-sufficient for us therefore He and He alone is propounded to us and to Him alone God and his Spirit and his Servants direct and call us None else did God elect and chuse to this office and service but him who alone was crucified for us Isa 4â— 1 1 Cor. 1.13 To none else hath he given nor will give his honour and glory Isa 42.8 None else hath received a name above every name into which we may be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins and the gift and blessings of the Holy Spirit to be given us Phil. 2.10 11. 1 Cor. 1.13 Yea seeing it hath pleased God that all fulness of grace and blessing and of the Godhead should dwell in him bodily what can all other things and persons of themselves be and as in competition with him or any other ways but as in subserviency to him and as made use of by him as instruments for conveying grace and vertue to us from him but meet emptinesses and vanities Col 1.19 2.9 Psal 4.2 Joâ— 2.8 Surely as the Brazen Serpent was the onely Medicine prepared for the cure of the stung and wounded Israelites and the River Jordan the onely remedy for Naamans Leprosie So this Son of Man being such a one may well be the onely Salvation for us miserable sinners Vse 1. And this may be a sufficient testimony evidence to us both of the exceeding greatness of our misery needing such a remedy as was hinted in the first Observ And also that God loves us that he hath raised up such an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David Luke 1.69 Herein is the love of God manifested to us that â—e sent his onely begotten Son into the world and made him the Son of Man for us that we might live through him Herein is love noâ— that we loved God but God loved us and gave this his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 4.9 10. This this was a far greater testimony of his good will to us and that he desired not our perishing but eternal happiness then if he should have sent down Angels to us in our particulars to tell us he loves us He did send divers of his Angels with gracious messages and his Law was given by the disposition of them But the best news that any of them ever brought was what they brought concerning this Son of man and his being appointed sent forth and impowred of God to save us Luke 2.10 11. That this Lord of men and Angels looked after us as the good Shepherd and came to deliver us from our destructions If God said to Abraham that he knew he feared him in that he withheld not Isaac his onely Son from
upon and for him in observing all his Ordinances and Appointments and him in them all and to receive commands counsels and help from him and waiting patiently upon him for them Whence those expressions of Wait on the Lord and wait I say on the Lord Psal 27.14 37.34 And they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength c. Isa 40.31 Yea and in this waiting a diligent listening to him and observing his sayings and looking for his help Psal 85.8 130.5 6. IV. It 's a dependance or reliance on him as believing him and him onely able willing and faithful to help and save And this includes in it as also the betaking a mans self to him doth 1. A renouncing it self and all confidence in it self it s own power strength wisdom righteousness worth or merit as altogether weak and unprofitable to help save or satisfie it denying a mans self Matth. 26.24 And 2. A rejecting all confidence or dependance on others whether things or persons besides Christ and God in him as believing also an utter insufficiency or unfaithfulness in them and every of them to help save or satisfie us either by way of mediation for obtaining favour or dispensation of favours obtained either as to teaching and counsel or as to power and strength for defence and safety c. that in vain salvation is looked for to the hills or mountains or any thing besides him Jer. 3.23 And also 3. In betaking and yielding up it self to him there is a leaving it self wholly with him to his guidance government dispose and ordering as believing it shall find what it wants or is good for it in and with and from him Psal 62.1 2. 121.1 2. 84.11 12. Rom. 8.32 And 4. Going forth to act and obey bear and suffer what he orders not in its own wisdom and strength or in other creatures but in his light and direction strength and sufficiency expected and given as it was said to Gideon Go forth in this thy strength namely that which God in looking upon him gave him Judg. 6.14 So David saith I will go in the strength of the Lord God and make mention of his righteousness and of his onely Psal 71.16 And they shall walk up and down in the name of the Lord Zech. 10.12 Yielding up themselves to obey and follow him and relying on him for his direction and guideance therein to go before them shewing and leading them in the way and for his strength to enable support and save them harmless therein As Israel did when they followed God in the wilderness through the sea and over Jordan This is also called a staying on the Lord or on his arm or name or a leaning thereon Isa 10.20 50.10 Cant. 8.5 or on the worth and prevalency of his Sacrifice and Mediation for all our acceptance And this with trust or confidence And so V. It 's a committing a mans self and way and all his concernments to the Lord with an hope trust expectation and confidence that he will not fail or forsake him so as to check all arising fears either of Gods failing or of any mans or devils prevailing against him I will trust and not fear for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song and he also is become my salvation Isa 12. â— We may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me Psal 56.3 4 10 11. Heb. 13.56 Fears and doubtings though they may be in believers yet they argue want or weakness of faith or of believing on him Mat. 8.26 14.31 Psal 42.5 6. This for the acts of this believing But we have also in this description 5. The extent of the exercise of this faith and that both 1. For matters or cases and that is for all grace and blessing The promises both of the life that is and of that which is to come being all in him and in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 with 1 Tim. 4.8 We are in our selves empty and destitute of all things and of all ability to help our selves in or unto any thing poor miserable wretched blind and naked Rev. 3.15 16 17. Nor is there help any where else in any thing to purpose for us He onely is the Saviour ordained and perfected of God for us His merit righteousness and worth onely procures all and he onely dispenses all by his Word Spirit and Divine Power and Providence And in his way onely even in listening to his word and obeying his counsels and commandments all good and blessing is to be met with and received of us 2. For duration And so in all this is included continuance or perseverance For in these kind of speeches that is implied As when it is said He that believeth not is damned or the wicked man shall dye it s meant if they persevere to do or be so So it 's here He that continueth to the end shall be saved Matth. 24.13 He that abideth in him sinneth not that is misses not the promised blessing 1 John 3.6 But he that abideth not in him is like a branch that abides not in the Vine that withers and is gathered and is cast into the fire and burned John 15.5 6. And thus much about that believing that is required of us and is needful to our Salvation Now that this believing is both required of us by and is acceptable unto God is also evident 1. That God requires it these following Considerations among divers others make it evident 1. In that God calls to and commands it Look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45.22 And the same is implied in all those calls and commands to make a joyful noise to the Lord to serve him with gladness c. Psal 47.1 62.1 2. 98.4 100.1 2 4. Yea in 1 John 3.23 it 's expresly said This is his commandment that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another 2. In that he hath given forth his word and raised up a multitude of Preachers of it Psal 68.11 Men and Angels and all creatures in their kinds praising him and preaching forth his excellencies Psal 145.9 10. 148. John heard them do so though few have so good a hearing as he had and therefore perhaps some may deny it Rev. 5.13 Especially his holy ones the holy Apostles and Prophets and their followers out of whose mouth God hath ordained praises Psal 8.2 And this for the obedience of â—aith in all nations Rom. 1.5 16.25 26. 3. In that he gives his holy Spirit to work in and upon men to strive with or judge in them as is implied in his saying My Spirit shall nâ—t always strive with man Gen. 6.3 See also Neh. â— 20 30. 1 Pet. 3.19 1.12 Acts 7.51 And in this Spirit and wisdom it is that Wisdom is said to cry without and call to men yea and to stretch forth
and the Salvation of his Soul And if he perish as to any other hope and design which is carnal which as a man yet subject to infirmity and in many things offending he may as Abraham did in his hope and design of bringing about Gods promise by his going in unto Hagar and the birth and life of Ishmael Gen. 16 such perishings of such hopes and designes though causing some grief shall not hurt them It may be said of such as it is of the hay and stubble built upon the good foundation which shall be burnt and the builder of it suffer loss but himself shall be saved so as by fire 1 Cor. 3.12 15. The believer himself as to his great hope and design shall not perish nor shall he his Soul perish as they that draw back but his believing is to the Salvation of that both in his Death wherein he hath hope that will not make him ashamed or fail him Prov. 14.32 Rom. 5.5.6 And in the Judgment when he shall be adjudged to and enter into everlasting life Mat. 25.35 46. Qu. 2. As to the Second Querâ— How the believer shall be saved from this perishing either from the way or in the end in his Death or in the Judgment We may say 1. He shall be saved from perishing from the way by Christ 1. By his giving in light and truth faithfully to direct him and shew him the way that he should go in As it is said The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way And what man is he that fears the Lord him shall he teach the way that he shall chuse his Soul shall dwell at ease or lodge in goodness shall not fall into snares and mischiefs Psal 25.8 12 13 14. And in beholding him who is Gods Servant upon whom he hath put his Spirit to bring forth Judgment He that is Christ will not fail to teach him and to bring forth Judgment into truth or victory Isa 42.1 3 4. Christ being come a Light into the world that whosoever believeth on him should not abide in darkness but see the light of Life John 8.12 And his word being believed and abid in as it is in believing on the Son of man keeps from sinning against him Psal 119.11 Yea it cleanseth their way and makes it more perfect ver 9. And so gives a continuance in the Father and in the Son both in dependance on them and in their favour and protection from what might harm them whether it be the World or any Antichristian principles or Doctrine 1 John 2.24 And that because Christ also therein and there-with 2. Gives in his holy Spirit to work in men both a right discerning of his truth and love and affection to it and so conformity to him in and by it his Doctrine being a ministration of Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Yea his words are Spirit and Life John 6.63 And he hath promised that they that believe on him as the Scripture hath said to them he will give so as they shall receive his holy Spirit Joh. 7.37 38 39. Act. 5.32 We have not now his blessed Body of Flesh to see and converse with sensibly or to shew and testifie our love to as his Disciples and Mary had but instead thereof he hath left us his words and therein his mind and Commandment and we may shew love to him therein though we cannot anoint his head kiss his feet take his body in our armes which his enemies might do and one that pretended love to him in some such actions betrayed him yet we have that in which we may testifie love even his word we may attend to him in that hear him and hugg him too as it were therein take that and lay it up in our hearts keep it in our breasts and diligently observe and follow it And he that hath his Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth him and he that loveth him shall be loved both of the Fathe and of him and he will manifest his own self to him praying the Father for them and sending his holy Spirit to lead and guide them into all truth and abide with them for ever John 14.15 16 17 21. And he will so glorifie Christ to the Soul and shew it things to come as to make afflictions and persecutions light and bearable to it and give it peace and comfort in them and carry them above and keep them from being harmed by the prosperity and allurements of this World or by any baits or temptations It being the spirit of wisdom will make wise and fill with such discretion and understanding as will preserve from the way of the evil Man and of the strange woman and so from every false way as was noted before Prov. 1.23 2.10 11 12 15 16. Psal 119.104 17.4 And the Soul that trusts to and follows its conduct shall not miscarry To these ends also 3. He preserves them by mediating with God his Father from them that the weaknesses and infirmities and through infirmity neglects and wanderings from him being seen confessed and turned from might not be imputed to hinder or with-hold his grace and Spirit from being given forth to lead instrust reprove reduce comfort and work the works of God in them till it perfect what concerns them Heb. 7 25. And there-through he saves them to the utmost So he helped Peter Luk. 22.31 32. 4. By the exercise also of his glorious power and authority over all things he keeps off what might be too hard for us in our depending on him he will be faithful to us and will not fail nor be discouraged Isa 42.1 4. He will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able but with the temptation will give an issue that we may escape 1 Cor. 10.11 12. Surely the wrath of man shall praise him and the remainder thereof he can and will restrain Psal 76.11 Yea and 5. By ordering merciful and faithful corrections and Chastisements to us to break us off from our purposes and hide pride from us to purge away our sins purifie and make us White and so to be partakers of his holiness that we might be kept from going down to the Pit and our life might see the light and that we being made holy might see the Lord. Job 33.16 17 29. Dan. 11.35 Heb. 12.10 11. Thus he delivers the believer on him from every evil way and preserves him to his heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.18 And then 2. He preserves him from perishing in the end 1. By receiving his Spirit when it departs hence washing it in his precious Blood and presenting it pure and glorious to himself Eph 5.25 26. Psal 49.15 Acts 7.59 Rev. 6.10 11. 2. By redeeming him from the power of the Grave raising him up from death and redeeming the body from all corruption and mortality Psal 49.15 Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 4.15 3. By his adjudging him being raised to a better condition fully blotting out
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
all the goodliness of man is like the Flower of the Grass the Grass withereth and the Flower fadeth but the Word of the Lord even that word that in the Gospel is Preached to us the Word made Flesh abideth for ever That we might only look to and believe on him Isa 41.29 with 42.1 2 3 4 8. and 40.6 7. Acts 4.10 11 12 1 Pet. 1.24 25. 11. With this Doctrine and Exaltation of the Son of man therein is also the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit whose Word it is and whose work and business it is to Lift up this Standard in and by all Means and Mediums for Working and Begetting Confirming and Strengthening Increasing and Giving growth to this Faith or Belief on the Son of man He I say is present in and with it to make it Powerful and Effectual to in and upon the Heart of the Hearer that in hearing he might believe and live That he in hearing opening the Mouth to take in this Word of Faith he might strengthen and cause the Soul to Eat and feed upon Christ held forth therein EZek. 3.1 2. Whence it is called The Ministration of the Spirit and the Words of Christ said to be Spirit and Life because of the Spirit Ministred therein and there-with which Spirit quickneth and giveth Life whence also it is a Ministration of Righteousness and Life 2 Cor. 3.6 8 9. John 6.63 The Spirit is Ministred not in the works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 In the lifting up of the Son of man or report given in the Gospel of and concerning him is the Arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53.1 And this Spirit being the Arm of the Lord must needs be powerful for all that it is given or put forth to either for begetting preserving strengthening or increasing this Faith or believing on the Son of man Whence it is also called the Spirit of Faith We having the same spirit of Faith we also believe and therefore we speak knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up by him 2 Cor. 4.13 14. And God hath not given us the spirit of Fear but of Power and Love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 As implying that it is the Effect and Fruit of the holy Spirit working in and received by men that they believe and stand strongly and stedfastly in the Faith though under Temptations and Oppositions to the contrary Whence it also follows as a further Conclusion Conclusion 4. That the lifting up of the Son of man in the sense aforesaid viz. the Magnifying and Exalting him in the view of men is the proper and effectual means though not for putting any thing into Christ for us more then God hath put into him and upon him in his real Exalting and Lifting him up in his Person for in that respect he is compleat and perfect before the Preaching and Testifying of him The preparation for the poor was perfect before God gave the word and raised up the multitude of Preachers Psal 68.10 11. Even as the Serpent was perfect in it self as to what Moses was to make it before he set it up on the Pole Yet for the conveying Grace and Blessing to men and putting his Salvation and Life Eternal into them This in part was spoken to and its truth shewed in what was said above to the way of Christs saving the Believer from perishing from the way And in what we said of the Believers receiving and having Eternal life yet something we shall further here note And so I say this way of Exalting though it puts nothing into Christ but only ascribes and attributes to him what is in him yet it brings something into men even of Gods salvation to preserve them from perishing from the way of Life and Righteousness and so from the second Death in the Conclusion and of the Eternal life that is given us in him And this may be further Evidenced and Confirmed from the Titles given to the Gospel as that it s called the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 The Gospel of Peace Ephes 6.15 The Gospel of our Salvation Ephes 1.13 The Word of Life Phil. 2.16 The Word of Righteousness Heb. 5.13 Yea The Words of Eternal life John 6.68 Which Names are given to it not only because it declares what God hath done in Christ for Reconciling us to himself and making Peace Or what Peace and Peaceableness is in the Heart of God towards us or what salvation righteousness and life are given us in him but also because it is it self the way Medium or power of God for reconciling the hearts of men to himself and creating peace in them Isa 57.17 and of saving quickning and giving life Num. 1.16 James 1.21 1 Cor. 15.2 Psal 119.93 Isa 55.3 c. Let us view the effects and fruits produced thereby in Men. 1. Therein and thereby Christ gives forth his voice and divine light to declare and discover to Men where and what they are what case and state they are in and where their safety lies and which way they may attain it Yea what not that may be useful for Men to see and know for saving them from the powers of darkness and what ignorance and error expose them to Thus as Christ is called the Light of the World so his word that declares and lifts him up is a light too a light to our feet and a lanthorn to our steps Psal 119.105 Whatsoever makes manifest is light Eph. 5.13 and this word manifests God and Christ Sin and Righteousness Life and Death and all things and therein also is the voice of God and Christ calling to us to awaken and stand up from the dead that Christ may give us light that so our feet may be directed into the ways of peace Ephes 5.13 14. yea this makes the Preachers of and walkers in it Lights too to Men as the Baptist who bare witness to Christ as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World and lifted him up as the true light the Christ preferring him before him as one who was before him was therein a burning and a shining light Joh. 1.6 7 8 9 28 29. 5.32 33. And the Apostles whose work it was to witness to and preach forth Christ and his excellencies were called the light of the World and were sent forth to open mens eyes by their word and turn them from darkness to light Matth. 5.16 Act. 26.18 For with this voice and light in the exalting of Christ is given forth 2. A certain divine force power and operation of and by the spirit to inliven quicken and so indue the hearer and receiver thereof with a capacity 1. Of seeing and discerning the light and hearing the voice of the Lord discovering and directing into the way of peace and safety and so saving from the way of errour and deceit that leades to destruction thence the light of Christ which he gives
such purpose be led by some blind Zeal for some false way and against the Truth it self opposing it as Errour and Falshood Like the Councel at Jerusalem who forbad the Apostles to Preach in the Name of Christ and the Resurrection of the Dead being Sadduces themselves that denied the Resurrection and therefore also the more zealous against Christ and the Doctrine of his Resurrection that Establisheth it Putting them into Prison and Scourging them for their so Preaching Acts 4.18 and 5.28.40 Though such doing it in Ignorance of unbelief and upon convincement thereof repenting they may obtain Mercy as St. Paul did 1 Tim. 1.13 14. But doing it maliciously and against Light and Knowledg their case is exceeding sad and dangerous Or whether it be out of Will and Zeal to some fond Ceremonies Will-worships or devised and imposed Observances that they forbid the Preaching of the Truth except they will fall down and Worship them in submitting thereto like that in Rev. 13.16 17. Where the Beast and false Prophet cause all that will Buy or Sell that is Trade in Religious exercises to receive a Mark in their Right-hand or in their Fore-head or else they shall be prohibited there-from if not also either Bodily or Civilly killed the fear of falling under the guilt of receiving which Marks caused some that I know rather chuse to be as civilly Dead then to keep their Places and Liberty of Preaching therein upon the terms of Conformity proposed Whether they did well or ill therein God will judg but surely all Hinderrers and Letters of the Preaching of the Gospel are so far as guilty of it fighters against God and his Grand design and therefore in a way to misery and destruction And therefore it concerns all to beware of so doing lest by any Humour Faction Ambition or false Principles whatsoever or undue-standing upon needless disputable matters they incur the guilt thereof Infer 5. They that under any pretence or for any cause reject and put away the Gospel and the Preaching of Christ from them must needs run upon their own misery and destruction in so doing because they put away or neglect their own Salvation even that in which God is offering and bringing Salvation Life and his Kingdom which is Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost to them Whether it be that they only disregard and neglect it through mindfulness of other matters as those who being Bidden to the Wedding-Dinner turned away some in their Farms others to their Merchandize Or those in the Supper who prayed to be excused because they had bought Oxen hired a Farm or Married a Wife Mat. 22.5.7 Luke 14.18 19 20 23. Or whether out of unbelief of the Message or zeal against it or for some other false way deride abuse and persecute the Messengers and Preachers of it Mat. 22.6 7. Or whether they pretend to entertain it but yet denie the power of it and will not suffer it to unstrip them of their own rotten Rags their Carnal confidences hopes and rejoycings in themselves their own wisdom Righteousness Fleshly priviledges and conceits of Righteousness gathered up some other way as from some Applications of promises to themselves or practice and performance of Religious Duties And not from beholding and eyeing the Grace of God in Christ Crucified as also their Wills Purposes and sinful conversations that they might be clothed by and with Christ and his Virtues the true Wedding Garment in which God will accept us Like the man that came to the Feast but took not on the Wedding Garment Mat. 22.11 12. who therefore was taken away bound hand and foot and cast into the outer darkness vers 13. Yea which way soever it be or upon what account soever whether love of the World or fear of sufferings from men that men reject the Gospel and so the Son of man as lifted up therein they inevitably run themselves upon their own mischief both as not receiving the only Medicine prepared for them for their escape from death and destruction For How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 As the wounded Israelites must needs die that neglected the Brazen Serpent and its lifting up it being Gods only Medicine And also as provoking God further against them for slighting his Goodness despising his Wisdom and its Design and Device setting light by his Son the choice Object and Evidence of his Love For if they that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three Witnesses of how much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trampled under foot the Son of God and counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an unholy or common thing and hath done despight to the spirit of grace for we know him that saith vengeance is mine and I will repay Heb. 10.28 29 30. Surely herein the reason and cause of mens destruction is evident and the greatness of it seen to be right and reasonable seeing they suffer not but by and for putting that away which would have made them safe and happy But of this more afterward Infer 6. Lastly Seeing the Gospel is such a glorious Doctrine and of such great good and advantage to men as its a great mercy to a Man or People when God sends it to them So it must needs be a heavy judgment and argue great displeasure against a People when God takes it away from them for is it not his taking away his grace and peace from them May not I-chabâ—d The Glory is departed be said in that case as when the Ark of God was taken from Israel for Salvation and Life and Gods Kingdome is gone then as our Saviour said to the Jews by way of threatning shewing the greatness of Gods wrath against them for their rejecting him and his servants and Gospel ministred by them Therefore I say unto you that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation that will bring forth the fruit of it Matth. 21.43 And is not the taking away Gods Kingdom a sad loss to a People seeing therein is contained all spiritual and eternal grace and blessing a sad and fearful judgment and that which above all here is to be deprecated and avoided as laying open to eternal destruction whether it be by sending strong delusions that men may believe a lye and they all be damned that received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. suffering those strong delusions to be so publickly imbraced and enjoyned as to justle and thrust out the Gospel as is most grosly and most grievously seen in the Mahumetan Countries and in the Papacy though God is not wholly leaving himself without witness to them or by suffering barbarous and wicked Enemies to over-run a Nation or Country or by taking away his Servants either to send them else-where as when the Apostles the Jews being left to their obstinacy were sent to the
not in this spiritual sense to be Carpenter and Mason and Ingraver too Zech. 3.9 and his house is for us to dwell in and feast in too Psal 84.4 10. and 91.1 and 65.4 and 36.8 9. Yea 4. He is the good Husbandman that tills the Land breaking up the fallow ground and as he is the grain of Wheat that fell into the ground and dyed and brought forth or brings forth much fruit so he is the Sower too The Son of Man is the Sower saith Christ himself Joh. 12.24 with Matt. 13.37 Yea and the great Reaper too though he also make use of the Ministry of Angels therein Isa 28.24 25. Rev. 14.14 Matth. 13.39 Yea the Thresher too else he would not call his People his threshing Instruments wherewith he will thresh the Mountains and his Enemies Isa 21.10 and 41.15 Hab. 3.12 And he makes his People Plowers Sowers Reapers and Threshers too Jer. 4.4 Hos 10.12 Joh. 4.36 38. 1 Cor. 9.10 2 Cor. 9 6 10. Mic. 4.13 He also hath his fan in his hand and fans out the chaff casting it into the unquenchable fire and gathers the good grain into his granary c. Matth. 3.12 Yea he is that good husbandman that plants a Vineyard and dresses it fencing it gathering out the stones from it building a Tower in it digging a Wine-press in it and doing all the works of the Vine-dresser in it so as to challenge any to say what he hath therein omitted Isa 5.2 3. Yea and the great Vine-dresser in the Parable that intercedes for the barren Fig-tree ingaging to dig about it and to dung it Luc. 13.7 8. Yea and the Keeper of the Vine-yard that watcheth it day and night least any harm it Isa 27.2 3. And he reaps the Vintage and treads the Wine-press of the wrath of God Rev. 14.19 and 19.15 Isa 63.1 6. 5. We are naturally unclean and He is both the fountain opened for us to wash in Zech. 13.1 and the washer of us therein too sanctifying and washing us with the washing of Water in the Word Eph. 5.25 26. Yea he disdains not to wash his Disciples feet as really in the spirit as he did once in the flesh having risen from the Table with his Father and holy ones above laid aside his Robes of glory girded himself with a Towel prepared himself for the service poured Water into the Bason even the water in the Word into his Instruments for conveying it his Ministers He stands ready and proffers his service to wash us and waits for our acceptance crying Wilt thou not be made clean when will it once be Joh. 13.4 5 6 7. Jer. 13 35. 6. He is also the purifier of the Sons of Levi that both is as Refiners fire and Fullers sope and that sits as a Refiner and purifier of Silver to that purpose Mal. 3.3 4. 7. He is the great and good Shepherd of us his Sheep Joh. 10.11 Heb. 13.20 The chief Shepherd 1 Pet 5.4 that leads out the Sheep going before them and calling them by their Names and will give them pasture He seeks up the lost strengthens the weak fetches back that which is driven away and doth all the Offices of a good Shepherd Ezek. 34.10 11 12. Psal 23.1 2 3 4. 8. If we be Dishes of his Sanctuary He will wash and wipe us too when defiled as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it upside down 2 Kings 21.13 And 9. He will sweep out the wicked of the earth like dross with the besome of destruction that his and his Fathers house may not be defiled Isa 14.23 As once to the same end also he whipt out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple at Jerusalem Joh. 2.14 15. As also in seeking what is lost he sweeps out of his house what may hinder the Souls being found of him Luc. 15.8 Oh the humility and condescention of this high and holy One to condescend to such ministry and service for us and which adds to all the rest in the exercise of all these relations offices and services He is 1. Infinitely able as to strength and power for them all being the great God and our Saviour Tit. 2.13 The man or Son of man that God hath made strong for himself Psal 80.17 2. Infinitely furnished with wisdom and understanding how to do all things in the most exact way and as is most befitting All his ways are judgment Deut. 32.4 For the spirit of wisdom and understanding rests upon him and makes him quick in understanding in all things Isa 11.2 3. Can we doubt that seeing he is that word and wisdom of God in which the World and all things therein were made and were so admirably disposed as they be Psal 104.24 with Joh. 1.2 3. Heb. 1.2 3. Infinitely faithful to exercise both power and wisdom so as may be best and most pleasing to God his Father and most conduce to our good and welfare in our attending to and being guided by him faithful in all things to him that appointed him Heb. 3.2 Thus all things pertaining to life are in and with him Yea pertaining to and included in 3. The life to come even Eternal Life as we have seen in which he will be 1. The everlasting Rest and Sabbath and give everlasting cessation and rest from all labour sorrow and suffering and in the fruition of God and himself to full satisfaction 2. The Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God giving eternal life an everlasting well and happy being 3. The fountain of life affording a River or rivers of delights and pleasures for ever more Psal 36.9 and 16.11 Rev. 22.1 II. He is and in him also are and in the knowledge of him are given all things pertaining to godliness or the right worshipping and serving God which is the great end of his dying for us and being a Light and Leader to us that being delivered from the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of hur life Luc. 1.75 All those also he is and affords to us As to say 1. Needful it is that to our right worshipping of God we have a right understanding and knowledge of him his name excellency and greatness love unto us and will concerning us how it is meet for him to be and how he will be served by us and to this purpose we have him made of God wisdom to us 1 Cor. 1.30 Our Great Prophet Act. 3.22 Our Rabbi Master or Teacher Mat. 23.8 10. The great Apostle of our Profession Heb. 3.1 Yea he is both the great Apostle Prophet Evangelist or Gospel-preacher and the great Pastor or Shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 and Teacher and all these gifts for furniture and helpfulness to others are given forth from and by him according to the measure of his gift and pleasure of his will and by them all it s he that declares the mind of the Lord and his name and
And surely he in his Divine Nature or Spirit bare up the Sacrifice of his own Body and the fire of his Divine Love kindled it and made it an whole Burnt-offering unto the Lord and on him as our Altar are all our Sacrifices to be offered too Heb. 13.10.15 For as the Divine Nature in him sanctified the humane as the Altar the Sacrifice Mat. 23.19 So it 's he that is our Sanctifier 1 Cor. 1.30 And by the Faith of him are we sanctified to him Acts 26.18 Though as there the Altar could not sanctifie any unclean thing forbidden by the Law nor might it come thereon So here we may not think to offer up any sin or what is in it self sinful by retaining the corruption in it to be sanctified by Christ but that that is made clean in him and through his Word commanding or allowing it and his Spirit springing it up and then the Pollutions thereto cleaving he takes away as he himself was the spotless Lamb and Sacrifice to which was no Pollution adhering 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 8. There was a Laver appointed that the Priests might wash their hands and feet and so go to the Altar and offer the Sacrifice Exod. 30.18 and 40.7 With respect to which David said I will wash my hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord Psal 26.6 And this we have in Christ who washeth his Church with the Water in the Word as the Greek reads * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 5.26 Which Water what is it but that Free-grace Love and Knowledg of God therein declared 9. Yea all the things in the Tabernacle we have in him as for brevity to say in few words The Table of Shew bread whereon were the Twelve Loaves according to the number of the Children of Israel might signifie him the Bread of God for all the Israel of God John 6.35.48 And making us as Bread to God such as his Love feeds on to the rejoycing of his heart in our welfare as presented in him for by eating of him who is that Bread we also become one Bread and one Body saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.17 The Candle stick and its Lamps giving Light in the Tabernacle or House of God represented that Light which we have and are made to be in him Ephes 5.8 For though the Churches are compared to and represented by the Candlesticks yet they both are so as they are in him for in him it is that any are made a People and Church to God and he and the knowledg of him are the great and true Light shining in and through them John 8.12 The Altar of Gold by the Vail and the Incense burnt thereon to perfume the Services of the Tabernacle we have in him and his Mediation and Intercession in which with the Virtues of his Obedience and Sacrifice he perfumes all our Services done in the Spirit And he himself was an Offering of a sweet smelling Savour to God for us Rev. 8.2 Ephes 5.2 Yea and in him we have 10. What was in the Sanctuary or Holy of holies yea and the Vail between both which is said to be his flesh Heb. 10.20 the Ark of Gods strength wherewith he shewed forth his presence and the strength of it as in drying up Jordan throwing down the Walls of Jericho c. and in which was the Covenant of God was a Type of him the Strength and Arm of God by whom he hath shewed forth strength in overthrowing the strength of Satan and what stood against our happiness and in whom are all the Promises and Covenant of God Yea and Amen 1 Cor. 1.22.24 2 Cor. 1.20 And in a secondary sense through him the Gospel of Christ the power of God to Salvation And the Pot of Manna and Rod of Aaron we have in him for whereof were they Types but of the hidden Comforts in him and of his Rod and Sceptre flourishing and bringing forth much Fruit even his Power and Prevalency as High-priest with God in his Mediation and Blessing men in his Name He also is the Propitiatory or covering Mercy-seat for our sins through Faith in his Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle himself tells us Rom. 3.25 And the Cherubims of Glory over that was but a shadow of that shadow of his Protection which he affords them who dwell in his secret place who trust in the Ark and Mercy-seat his Mercy and Truth and are directed and guided by that heavenly Voice that proceeds from him that sitteth on those Cherubims of Glory Rides on the Heavens and useth the Ministry of the Angels for the Protection and Safety of his Servants as is at large expressed Psal 91.1 2 3 4 9 11 c. And now we being furnished in him with all this for our approaching to God having him to teach us the way of his Worship and him as the Person by whom we may present our Worship and that furnisheth us with all that may render our Worship orderly and acceptable What wanteth but that we may Worship God acceptably and live Godlily approaching with Boldness and Confidence by him into his Presence with true hearts and full assurance of Faith Except we shall say there are two things wanting yet viz. a God to Worship and a Spirit of Life and Power to put life and breath into us with an heart to worship him but surely in him we have these two also as follows to be seen For CHAP. XXIII That all the Perfections of God both the Father and holy Spirit are in Christ Jesus IN him are all the Perfections of God even God himself both Father and Spirit for In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily so that in him we are compleat who is the Head of all Principality and Power He is so glorified with Gods own self that he is the Mighty God Isa 9.6 The great God and our Saviour Tit. 2.13 God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 He even he also sits between or upon the Cherubims of Glory and gives forth the Answers and Commands of God and hears the Prayers and accepts the Services and Sacrifices offered up in his House and with respect to this doubtless it was that Ezekiel in his Visions saw Over the Firmament upon the heads of the living Creatures the likeness of a Throne as the appearance of a Saphire stone and upon the likeness of the Throne as the appearance of a man above it Ezek. 1.22 26. Plainly importing that the Nature of man in him is Exalted to the Throne of God and that the supreme Power and Authority above all Creatures is given to him And indeed the Cherubims and Mercy-seat were the Throne of God the Throne of Grace And he tells us himself That he is set down with the Father in his Throne having overcome all his and our Enemies in and through his Sufferings Rev. 3.21 Being herein infinitely higher then the high Priests under the Law of Moses for
helpfulness of others what is the hope of his calling what the unsearchable riches of his grace to be believed and preached by us Eph. 1.18 19. 3.8 and to that purpose say as the Psalmist Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so shall we sing and praise thy power Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thy own glory and excellencies so shall we see and sing of them CHAP. XXIV Some Usefulness of this Doctrine by way of Exhortation and first To look to Christ as lifted up for Vs in all Cases Use 3 ANd surely all that hath been hitherto said of the lifting up of this Son of man and of the end of it may provoke and lead us Exhort 1. To look diligently to him as so lifted up that in looking to him we may be inlightned and our faces may not be ashamed as is said Psal 34.5 He being set or lifted up of God both in himself first and then to us that we might behold him and that in seeing or looking to him we might be strengthned and framed to believe on him and seeing and believing on him we might be saved and have eternal life according to the good and holy will of God Joh. 6.40 Isa 45.22 To which 1. God himself directs and commands us saying Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my holy spirit upon him c. Isa 42.1 And 2. Christ himself also calls us saying Behold me behold me to a Nation that was not called by his Name Isa 65.1 And look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45.22 And 3. The holy Spirit exhorts and commands us saying All ye Inhabitants of the World and Dwellers on the Earth when He lifteth up an Ensign on the Mountains see ye and when he bloweth a Trumpet hear ye Isa 18.3 And there is great Reason for it For Motive 1. If we refuse to look to and behold him how then shall we hereafter look upon him when He comes in his glory and calls us to an account and when we must make a reckoning to Him of our doings when He shall set before us that God for our good and welfare out of his abundant grace and mercy to us gave him his only begotten Son and He himself for us and how He through his great and heavy sorrows and sufferings was exalted and lifted up for us as an Object prepared to our hands and every way sufficient able and ready to save and heal us and we after all that would not turn away our eyes from beholding vanity to look upon and consider Him such a loving and lovely Object an Object so fair and beautiful so comely and glorious both for escape and for delight for safety and life Isa 4.2 Psal 45.2 as He was and is to us How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation as was prepared before the face and answerable to the needs and wants of all People and published and lifted up to us If they that despised Moses law dyed without mercy as we noted before under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy that hath trampled under foot the Son of God such and so excellent a one as we have seen before in part counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified a common or unholy thing and hath done despight to the spirit of grace c. Heb. 2.3 and 10.28 29. This would be now seriously considered by us As also that Motive 2. If we look to Him the benefit will be great for He will help and heal us at all turns He is of vertue and force to heal our hearts minds and consciences in all cases as it was with the Brazen Serpent what-ever were the stings and wounds received by the fiery Serpents in looking to the Serpent of Brass they were cured of them None of them were so slighty as that they had any promise of living with them without looking to that nor any so deep and dangerous but that in looking up to that they lived So is it here None so good so holy or so little sinful as that without looking to Christ they may expect to be saved and to have eternal life nor are any so bad or desperately wicked but in a hearty serious and timely looking to Christ they may be healed and live for ever Let that then move us to look to him as delivered up to Death for our offences and raised again from the Dead for our Justification glorified at the right hand of God and lifted up in the Gospel by the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of the spiritual gifts of God's Servants given them to that purpose yea in every case let us look to Him to be healed and saved by Him As for instance Case 1. Are we sensible of our sins and sinfulness and ready to despair because they are so great and manifold The way to be healed of such wounds upon our hearts and consciences the fears horrours and smarts of such stings is to turn the eye hither to the Son of man the Lord Jesus not to pore upon our selves our own unworthiness inability to satisfy Gods justice by any sorrows bewailings confessions or amendments of ours nor to set our selves as conceiting our selves able to help or heal our selves by any such courses or by any devises or contrivances of our own or others as Plaisters of our own making or others commending or giving but only to mind and look unto the perfect Law of Liberty continuing to look thereinto that we may see what He is and what He hath done and suffered for us what satisfaction He hath given to justice what Redemption He hath obtained what Peace he hath made what Pardon is Proclaimed in Him for whom He hath suffered according to the Spirits testimony in the Scriptures and to whom He proclaims and preaches Peace there-through the greatness of his love and freeness of his Grace to Man-kind c. Thus the Apostle Peter preached Christ to those who were prickt at their hearts at their hearing that they had been guilty of murthering Christ directing them to believe on Him upon that account that there was in Him remission of sins and the Holy Ghost to be given them by him and they looking to him and yielding up to what He so looked to wrought in them were comforted and healed Act. 2.37 38 41. So also in Act. 3.13 14 19 26. He proposed to others guilty of the same fault the consideration of the blessing in him the Seed of Abraham for all the Families of the Earth and that to them the Jews first God sent Jesus to bless every one of them in turning every one of them from their iniquities The like in Act. 5.30 31. And the Apostle Paul to the Jaylour ready to make away himself and inquiring in a great affrightment what he should do to be saved directed him to
there a little neglecting the vision of All the Foundation and Rest wherewith the weary should be caused to rest Isa 28.12 13 16. and 29.11 They that so do are so far from being healed and saved in and by such ways that they fall under reproof as taking the wrong course for themselves because not looking to yea are under greater misery and judgment for neglecting and despising this healing Object These things then being considered let us be exhorted to look off from other things as vain and unprofitable as being neither Crucified for us nor having a Name Power and Virtue able to afford Relief to us Yea oftentimes bewitching of and destructive to us as the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil was to Evah and the Wedg of Gold and Babylonish Garment proved to Achan and to look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of the Faith c. Yea let us look to him in all cases for all things in all means at all times and with all diligence and perseverance I say First Let us look to him in all cases for all Grace and Blessing needful for us As to say 1. For pardon of our sins for in him is forgiveness of sin Preached to us and to him give all the Prophets witness c. as we noted before in speaking to the believing on him to be exercised by us It is not for us to pore upon our selves and sins and think that way to get rid of them without looking to him in believing on him Nor is it for us to run to other Means or Medicines or trust to any Popes or Priests to pardon us but look to him directly as our only Saviour that having Suffered and Died for our sins hath there-through both Power and Readiness to forgive them and so we shall receive it of and in him 2. Let us look to him for cleansing from the filth of our sins For he is filled with Spirit and Power to that purpose the Spirit of the fear of the Lord is upon him to inable and furnish him to frame our hearts to fear him and in his Mediating and Ministring the New Testament or Covenant he puts the fear of God into the heart which is clean and leads to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit and to perfect holiness before him Jer. 32.39 40. with Heb. 8.6.10 Psal 19.9 2 Cor. 7.1 And to that purpose look we to him 3. For Light and Direction in the Truth of God as it is in him and to receive from him that Unction by which we may know all things and be lead into all truth That Light that will guide our feet into the Paths of Peace at all times and in all cases for He is come a Light into the World that whosoever believeth on him might not abide in darkness John 12.46 And he Will bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles and cause his Judgment to rest for a Light to the people Isa 42.1 and 51.4 They looked to him and were enlightned and their faces were not ashamed Psal 34.5 All others are vanity and their works wind and confusion none of them where he is not can answer any thing Isa 41.28 29. Let us look to him for direction in our ways as well as for instruction to our minds that we may know and understand his will concerning us in what he requires of us as well as what he is and hath done for us for he is the Counsellor to Action and Practice as well as the Teacher of us in Faith and Doctrine and he will teach us his ways that we may walk in his paths Isa 2.3 It 's good to seek to him both in matters of Faith and Practice and not to lean to our own understandings nor take things on trust from men simply on the account of their Authority or Wisdom 4. For Spirit and Grace to incline our hearts to believe on him and walk in his ways For the Spirit is put upon him and he is the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost John 1.33 which he gives to them that obey him Acts 5.32 Thus we find David looking to him for by Lord he oft-times signified the Son see Psal 97.1.5.7 and 68.17 18 19. and 102.12.25 with Heb. 1.6.10 11. Ephes 4.8.11 for the holy Spirit and for its inclining his heart to his fear and way Witness these and the like Expressions Uphold me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11 Thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of uprightness Psal 143.10 Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity quicken me in thy ways Psal 119.35 36 37. 5. Look we also to him For strength to strengthen us unto every good way and work and to uphold us in all difficulties and against all oppositions for the Spirit that is upon him is as well a Spirit of Might as of Vnderstanding and Counsel Isa 11.2 And the holy Men of God have looked to him for strength both unto all good so David In the day when I cried unto thee thou strengthnedst me with strength in my soul Psal 138.3 Strengthen me according to thy word Psal 119.28 And against all evil and opposition as Vphold me according to thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope hold thou me up and I shall be safe c. Psal 119.116 117. And so it s promised that they who wait on the Lord the Lord will strengthen their hearts and they shall renew their strength they shall mount up as with wings like Eagles they shall run and not be a weary walk and not faint Psal 27.14 and 31.24 Isa 40.29 30 31. 6. For comfort in Distresses Troubles and Temptations For it s he that prays the Father for and obtains and sends the Comforter even the Spirit of Truth John 14.16 17. and 15.26 And in his seeing his people or visiting them with his Salvation he makes their hearts rejoyce so as their joy shall no man take from them John 16.22 Thus David looked up to the Lord for comfort When wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.82 and When wilt thou come to me Psal 101.2 And Rejoyce the soul of thy Servant for unto thee do I lift up my soul O Lord Psal 86.4 But in looking to him for this and all other things take we heed to love him and keep his Commandments as our Saviour instructs us John 14.15 16 21. 7. For help and succour in dangers and deliverance from evils and from all enemies whether they be men or Devils For all Power and Authority in Heaven and upon Earth is his and he stands and feeds or rules in the strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of his Name and is both mighty to save his Servants and to destroy his and their enemies Mat. 28.18 Mich. 5.4 Isa 63.1 James 4.12 Thus David Mine eyes are evermore to the Lord for he
man and Saviour of the World that hath dyed for all men and through his Death hath the only name in which there is salvation and that He is the only Justifier of men that will convince them of a need of going out of themselves and all their own works and righteousness unto Christ to believe on him 2 Cor. 5.14 Gal. 2.15 16. Those who were not sinners of the Gentiles but Jews and had great fleshly priviledges which they looked upon as advantage to them yet hereby were convinced of their righteousness that it would not profit them even by the Spirit witnessing to and glorifying Jesus in and by the Ministry of his Servants Phil. 3.4 7 8. as it is said He the Holy Ghost namely shall convince the World of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Joh. 16.10 And that 's our way through the Spirit to convince such too And so Instance 4. Would we convince men of righteousness in Christ for them the righteousness of God freely prepared for and given to them of God that so they may come to believe on him This is the way glorify Christ and Preach his acceptable Sacrifice which He hath offered for us that He the Son of God the Word by whom all things were made hath given himself the ransome for all the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and that He hath offered up so acceptable a Sacrifice to God that in the vertues of it He is ascended up to God and is entertained of him so as He comes down no more to be abased or to suffer for us In the sight of this that men are not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus which implies the vertues of his Death and Sacrifice and the acceptableness thereof for taking away sin and obtaining favour for the approachers to God thereby the Apostles and others were moved to let go their trusting in their own righteousness according to Law and to believe in Christ that they might be justified Gal. 2.16 And so in the lifting up of the Son of man all that have come in to believe on him have been prevailed with thereto it being as well through his Name that any do believe on him as that they that do believe on him do and shall receive there-through remission of sins Act. 10.43 1 Cor. 1.21 Instance 5. Would we convince the World of Judgment that their judgment is naturally false and wrong and that God will judge the World in righteousness and give to every man according to his works The way is to lift up the Son of man and shew forth the truth as it is in him for that light makes manifest whatsoever is reproved and lays open the foundation of the Eternal Judgment and discovers the truth certainty and impartiality thereof Upon this ground and in so lifting up the Son of man Paul preached to the Athenians the reproof of their former judgment and the certainty of the Judgment to come Act. 17.30 31 32. And to the Corinthians He saith that their judgment concerning both Christ and all men besides so as no more to know them after the flesh sprung from their understanding and judging that Christ dyed for all as also from thence he grounds the judgment and the appearance of all before Christ's Tribunal 2 Cor. 5.10 14 15 16. with Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. Because Christ hath dyed for all and released all from under the first judgment and is there-through become Lord of all and all ought to live to Him and not to themselves Instance 6 Would we have men to Repent yea or exercise Faith The way to move them thereto is to lift up the Son of man So the Apostle Paul that saith He testified both to Jews and Greeks repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus tells us he did that in testifying the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20.21 24. And that he fulfilled his Commission given him of Christ To open the eyes of the blind and turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God in shewing to them at Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the Coasts of Judea and to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do good Works meet for Repentance All which he did in Witnessing both to small and great saying no other things but those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come to pass to wit that Christ should suffer and be the first that should rise from the Dead and should shew light to the People and to the Gentiles Acts 26 18.20.22 23. Or with these Arguments he moved them to that Repentance and Faith which he Preached and Urged Instance 7. Would we dehort from any sin This is our way to do it lift up the Son of man shew him to be Lord and Christ that to him we owe subjection and obedience and that he hath suffered for sins the Just for the unjust that he might bring us to God and therein hath given himself for us that he might redeem us there-from to himself So the Apostle disswades from Fornication 1 Cor. 6.14.18 19. and so we may disswade from Covetousness Fraud Envy Malice and every evil thing as is implied Rom. 6.1 2 3.9 10 11. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. and 3.4 5. Yea it 's the usual way of the Apostles first laying down the Doctrine of Christ and therein lifting him up in the former part of their Epistles then in the latter part to dehort and disswade from all evil and provoke and stir up to all Virtue and Goodness And therefore also Instance 8. Would we perswade to Obedience and Virtue This is the powerful Argument to be used and the way wherein to do it Lift up the Son of man and shew how all is due from us to God upon account of the Grace in him and brought to us by him by which he Teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2.11 12 13. And so that 's here observable that we noted in the foregoing going particular concerning the manner of the Apostles in their Epistles as may be seen in the Epistles to the Romans Galatians Ephesians Hebrews c. Instance 9. Would we convince of Errour The way is to hold forth the Truth as it is in Jesus Lifting up and Glorifying the Son of man So the Apostle refutes those that denied the Resurrection of the Dead by minding them of the Gospel Preached to them and therein of the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. And so he reproves the Errours of the false Apostles and the Galatians by minding them of the Lord Jesus his giving himself for our sins that he might deliver us from the present evil world and of the Grace in and of him Gal. 1 2 3 4 5
dispensing to us his grace and blessing and so remaining as a perpetual High Priest for us and Mediator of God and us through whom we are to have all our access to and dependance on God in all things but as if Christ was gone out of the Flesh or Beeing of a Man again Or else or also 6. Talk of waiting upon God or the Spirit without use of or attending to the Means and Ordinances appointed by Him and the gifts given by him for our helpfulness dissolving Jesus at it were and loosing or dividing the Spirit from the Flesh or Humanity of Christ and so from the Means and Mediums appointed in liew of the Personal Presence of his Flesh in the World the Apostles Prophets Evangelists and other Ordinances given and appointed by him Eph. 4.8 11 12 13 14 c. Or whether He 7. Mock at or deny the glorious appearance of the Person of Christ as the Son of man sitting on the right hand of God and coming in the power and glory of God with all the Angels of his might to raise the Dead in Body out of their Graves and to judge them all according to their works condemning the wicked to everlasting misery for their obstinacy in their wickedness and giving an everlasting Kingdom and glory to all that have here believed in and obeyed him for these deny him a great part of the glory given him of his Father and so do not lift Him up but cast him down from his excellency Act. 10.42 and 17.30 31. Matth. 26.64 Luc. 22.69 c. Take we heed of all these Principles and Spirits as erring and not lifting up the Son of man and therefore not of Gods sending and owning CHAP. XXVII The second Branch of the use of Reproof viz. Of those who look not to Christ as lifted up of God his Spirit and Servants Use 6 Reproof 2 ANd as they are worthy of Reprehension and Reproof who lift not up the Son of man in their Doctrine or make not that their great design in order to the glorifying of God and doing good to others What ever or who ever else they lift up yea though they lift up as some do humane Virtues yea or Gods Gifts and Graces which are lift up out of their places when men lift them up neglecting him the right Spring of all truly good Works and the Author and Infuser of all real and right Virtues as discovered to and looked to by us So again many are greatly faulty too in not looking to and believing on him when lifted up as he is rightly lifted up in the Scriptures And indeed as the former sort are reproveable exceedingly as dishonouring God and Christ abrogating Gods Grace and obscuring Christs Glory so as men may not clearly see it and so are also very injurious and destructive to men hindring them of what is prepared of God for their Welfare and Happiness as was noted before And thereby also procure a woe and curse against themselves for how shall they escape the damnation of Hell who stand so cross and opposite to God in his grand Design and to Christ in the Honour due to him and to his Name and to the good of all men if they repent not Surely wrath is likely to and without Repentance will come upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2.16 So also are they enemies to their own good and go contrary to Gods Ordinance Will and Command and by their evil examples are also at least prejudicial and injurious to others who when he is rightly lifted up of God and of his Spirit and his holy Apostles and Prophets as all their liftings of him up are right and by his Servants Ministers and Disciples yet refuse to behold and look to him and to seek their help and healing in and by him But either First Neglect him looking after and upon other things As the World and Flesh going in their hearts after their Covetousness their Oxen Farms Wives that I say not worse things as Hawks Hounds Whores Wine and Belly-chear Sports Pastimes c. like those in Mat. 22.5 6. Luke 14.19 20 21. and as those that look to their gain from their quarters neither sensible of their Wounds nor seeking to be healed of them they look rather on the Wine when its red or on Women or the Wedg of Gold c. Prov. 6.25 and 23.5.31 Josh 7. Or Secondly In case they be sensible that they be as it were bitten and punished for their sins If Afflictions Dangers Fears Poverty Pains or the like come upon them yet they look not to the Son of man for help or healing They turn not to him that smites them neither seek the Lord of Hosts but look to other things as their Policies and Contrivances for themselves saying In the pride and stoutness of their hearts the Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stones The Sycamore Trees are cut down but we will build with Cedars Isa 9.10 13. Or else looking to those that smite them as instruments of their troubles thinking by complying with them and getting their favour and friendship and making them on their side shall be safe saying A confederacy to them that say a confederacy and staying upon them Isa 8.12 and 10.20 Or else looking to Humane helps and Carnal ways of defence and safety as when God brought War upon and discovered the Covering of Judah the weakness and nakedness of their Covering or else that Covering of his Spirit wherewith they should have covered themselves Isa 30.1 Even Christ as held forth to them in the Law and Prophets the true Propitiatory or covering Mercy-seat Rom. 3.25 then they not looking to that true Covering looked to the Armour of the house of the Forest and and saw the breaches of the City of David that they were many and gathered together the Waters of the lower Pool and numbred the houses and made a Ditch c. Such like Humane courses for safety they took But they looked not to the Maker thereof nor had respect to him that Fashioned it long ago looked not to the Lord the Maker Advancer and Blesser of their City nor to him that Fashioned it or made and fashioned the Covering wherewith they should have covered long ago Isa 22.8.11 Or they looked to Egypt and their Horses and Chariots Isa 30.1 2. but looked not to the holy One of Israel Isa 31.1 2 3. As men in a danger or fright that look hither and thither for help but look not to the true place for help So are men apt to look to Hills and Mountains in times of War in times of Sickness to the Physician as Asa 2 Chron. 16 12. and the like But seeing God hath set up and exalted such a one as is mighty to save the Son of man one chosen out of the People one who is one with us our Brother and Kinsman and so one compassionate of us as acquainted with our Temptations and Troubles And one that
their hearts to Favour her she takes it out of his Hands with thankfulness She relies not upon the multitude of her Members the great and profound Learning of her Doctors the high Degrees Dignities and Eminencies of her Officers and Ministers in the World her great Revenues Possessions and Riches among men These are the things the Whore loves looks after and leans upon and hath her glorying and confidence in But the true Spouse of Christ leans upon his Shoulders Looks to Magnifie and Loves Lives to and Believes on him for all Peace inward and outward Protection Safety Blessing and Satisfaction she makes it not her business then to serve this World or the great men thereof to humour observe comply with and complement them and receive their Impositions in Faith and Worship though according to her Lords directions she Submits to every Ordinance of man for his sake whether to the King as Supreme or to the Governours as sent by him And meddles not with Seising on their Crowns and Kingdoms raises not up Wars and Commotions against them contests not nor strives with them for worldly Greatness Honour and Riches thence Murthering or Trampling upon them or stirring up Rebellions against them It 's the Whore and her Daughters and such as drink of her Cup that practice such things But she Prays for them and gives them all due Reverence Honour and Subjection as her Lord commands her It 's her great business to please her Lord receive and keep his Sayings conform her self to his Will and Orders seek his Favour Protection and Countenance for she depends on him for all things both for this life and for that which is to come and therefore matters not nor fears to displease the greatest Persons and expose themselves to their Frowns and Persecutions for his sake so She and her Members may please him her Head and Husband and keep in with him and keep him with them Such is the Way Heart and Carriage of them that believe not on men nor trust to themselves their own Power Policy Riches or Multitude but believe on the Son of man as knowing and believing that he though the Son of man is able and faithful to maintain them and make them happy And then for Her and their Priviledges they are such as they have in and by their believing in him and depending upon him That is they are and shall be saved and have Eternal life with him in his Kingdom and these Priviledges do very well content her and every Part and Member of her as led by his Spirit in her Though he do not keep them from being Tempted of Satan and his Instruments or from being Hated Opposed Oppressed and Persecuted of men yea Fought against and Murthered sometimes by the Beast the Whore or False prophet and their Members and Admirers the Limbs of Antichrist because he sees it may be profitable for them and he knows how to turn it to good to them and to his own praise in their Salvation and increase of Glory yet she is there-with well contented having the assured hope and certain promise and ingagement of her Husband to preserve her in his Grace and Favour and to keep her from perishing from the way to his Kingdom She is willing that Satan may be permitted to tempt her as her Head and Husband sees good so he do but step in between him and her and secure her from being defiled or injured by him She is willing to be Mocked Scoffed Buffetted Reproached put to Death in her Members with and for him so he may be the more Honoured there-through and she may but Live in and with him She is willing to take part with him in the Tossings and Troubles in the way for his sake having confidence that he will preserve her from fainting and perishing in the end and that he will see and set her safe at last in rest with himself in the Injoyments and Embracements of his Love in his Fathers Kingdom It is not this Worlds Wealth Riches Honours Ornaments Scarlet Gowns Lawn Sleeves Mitres Scepters Crowns Applause and such like Carnal and Perishing things not to have stately Palaces full and fat Livings and Benifices the Salutations and Complements of the Rich and Potent in their Meetings and uppermost Seats in Conventions and the like In a word it is not the Ease Safety Grandeur Favour of this World or the Wise and Great ones of it that she looks for her priviledges in No no they are the Whore and her Daughters and Members that look for such fine things and contend for such like Priviledges and Respects and by that they may in part be known not to be Christs true Spouse nor to have their dependance on him but other things His true Church are those that believe in him and look after and rejoyce in his Salvation that they may be upheld and kept in his Service that they perish not there-from and that they may be saved from every evil thing and obtain Eternal life the knowledg of the true God the Father and Himself and the everlasting Injoyment of their Fellowship and Favour in his everlasting Kingdom And these are priviledges which the Whore it may be sometime talks of but in heart seeks not nor rejoyces in But they are such as far exceed all the priviledges and greatest Advantages that can any other way then in believing on the Son of man be injoyed by men or then are injoyed by any other beside them Nor do they that are Members of this holy Church and this true Spouse envy the enjoyment of those priviledges by any nor strive to keep them by themselves or get them from one another as the Whore and her Daughters and Members do envy their Honours Places Ornaments Fame for Learning rich Livings and the like seeking to get or keep them from one another Nor call others to behold their Parts Gifts Excellencies as the Whore or whorish Members do But they desire all should have and injoy the Favour of the Lord in Union with them and partake of their Priviledges in joyning with them in Honouring and Serving him calling all to him and not to themselves but as in coming to him they become one in heart way and design of Glorifying him and injoying safety and life Eternal with them Thence the Spirit and the Bride say come they gather to the Lord and desire the Lords coming to and company with them which the Whore and her Bawds and Panders care not for thinking of they had rather have his Room then his Company to have his Place Honour Worship and Respect then to have his Spiritual or Glorious presence with them because they know themselves guilty of disloyalty towards him and love their present carnal Injoyments which they know his coming and company would part them from Whereas his true Spouse believing on him know his presence will be the compleat deliverance of them from all danger and possibility of perishing and the