as in the first Adam we receive of his emptinesse curse for curse ill for ill for his blindnesse and rebellion wee are answerable wee are borne as hee was after his fall so in the second Adam by his Spirit we receive grace for grace Hence issues this that our state now in Christ is farre more excellent then our state in Adam was How doth it spring hence Thus Christ is God-Man his nature was sanctified by the Spirit hee was a more excellent person he gives and sends the Spirit Adam was onely a meere man and therefore his goodnesse could not be so derived to his posterity For how ever the Holy Ghost was in Adam yet the Holy Ghost did not so fill him he was not so in him as in Christ the Holy Ghost is in Christ in a more excellent manner for Christ being equall with God he gave the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost comes from Christ as God now the second Adam being a more excellent person wee being in Christ the second Adam we are in a more excellent and in a more safe estate we have a better keeper of our happinesse then Adam he being a meere man he could not keepe his owne happinesse but lost himselfe and all his posterity though he were created after the Image of God yet being but a meere man hee shewed himselfe to be a man that is a changeable creature but Christ being God and man having his nature sanctified by the Spirit now our happinesse is in a better keeping for our grace hath a better spring the grace and sanctification wee have it is not in our owne keeping it distills into us answerable to our necessities but the spring is indeficient it never failes the spring is in Christ. So the favour that God beares us it is not first in us but it is first in Christ God loves him and then he loves us he gives him the Spirit and us in him Now Christ is the keeper both of the love of God towards us and the grace of God whatsoever is good he keeps all for us he receives all for himselfe and for us he receives not only the Spirit for himselfe but he receives it as Mediator as Head for we all of his fullnesse receive grace for grace he receives it as a fountaine to diffuse it I say this shewes us our happy and blessed condition in Jesus Christ that â—ow the grace and love of God and our happinesse and the grace whereby we are sanctified and fitted for it it is not in our owne keeping originally but in our head Christ Iesus These bee comfortable considerations and indeed the life and soule of a Christians life and comfort if we conceive them aright they will quicken us to obedience and wee shall know what the Gospell is To come to make some use of it I might observe this that none should take that office upon them to which they are not called of God nor qualified by his Spirit especially Ministers because Christ did not set upon his office till the Spirit was put upon him the Spirit must inable us and fit us for every thing but I leave that and come to that which concernes us all First then hath God put the Spirit upon Christ as the Evangelist saith in Ioh. 3.34 Hee whom God hath sent that is Christ hee speaketh the word of God For God gives him not the Spirit by measure God doth not stand measuring grace out to Christ but hee powers it out upon him full measure running over because he receives it not for himselfe alone but for us we receive the Spirit by measure Eph. 4.7 According to the measure of the gift of Christ Christ gives us all a measure of sanctifying knowledge and of every grace till wee grow to be a perfect man in Christ. Therefore it is called the first fruits of the Spirit as much as shall fit us for Heaven and grace sufficient though it be not that measure wee shall have hereafter or that wee would have here Christ had a full measure the fullnesse of a fountaine diffusive not onely abundance for himselfe but redundance and overflowing for the good of others hee being the head of the Church not onely a head of eminence but of influence to bestow and convey all grace in him to all his members proportionable to the service of every member therefore he received not the Spirit according to measure that is sparingly but it was showred upon him hee was filled and cloathed with the Holy Ghost Is it so Let us labour then to see whereto have supply in all our wants wee have a full treasury to goe to all treasure is hid in Christ for us what a comfort is this in any thing we want If wee want the favour of God goe to his beloved Christ desire God to love us in his Beloved and to accept us in his gracious Son in him whom he hath made his servant and annoynted with his Spirit for that purpose If we want particular graces goe to the well-head Christ consider of Christ now filled for us as it was in Aaron the oyle that was powred on Aarons head ran downe to his beard and to the skirts of his cloathing the meanest parts of his garment was bedewed with that oyle so the graces of Gods Spirit powred upon our head Christ our Aaron our high Priest runne downe upon us upon all ranckes of Christians even upon the skirts the weakest and the lowest Christians every one hath grace for grace we all partake of the oyle and annoynting of our spirituall Aaron our High Priest If wee want any thing therefore let us goe to him I can doe all saith S. Paul in Christ that strengtheneth me goe to him for patience for comfort for every thing because God hath put his Spirit upon him to supply all our wants he hath the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes but for his fellowes Psal. 45. he hath the oyle of grace more then any but it is not onely for him but for us all Therefore let us have comfortable meditations of the fullnesse of Christ and make use of it all this is for me in Col. 2. S. Paul sets it out in him the fulnesse of the God-head dwells personally for that is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it followes after in him wee are compleate Wherefore is all the fullnesse that is in him to shew that in him we are compleate so in 1 Iohn 5.20 to shew how the spirits of the Apostles agree in this saith he wee know that the Sonne of God is come in the flesh and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Sonne Iesus Christ This is true God and eternall life Christ is true God and eternall life for us all for our comfort We know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding c. Little
examine our wayes every day especially now when God calles for it by his judgements repentance is the covenant of the Gospell and repentance depends upon this consideration so much for that No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done But did they stay here No it followes Every one turnes to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Every one hath his course his way whether good or evill the course of a wicked man it is a smooth way perhaps but it is a going from God it leades from him and where doth it end for every way hath its end Jt is a going from God to hell there all the courses of wicked men end Examine then where thy course begins and where it ends from what thou walkest and to what whether thy course aime Consider where thy speeches and actions are like to end The specification and denomination of our waies to bee good or evill is especially from the end The wicked they take their courses smooth wide courses the broad beaten way where they may have elbow-roome enough though it end in Hell and destruction but the wicked and their waies are both hated of God otherwise it is with Gods children they may sometimes step into ill waies but they have not an ill course and God doth not judge a man by a step but by his course and way Therefore consider what is the tenour of thy life is thy way good Oh it is an excellent thing to be in a good way For a man every day to repent of his sinnes to make his peace with God to practise the duties of Christianity in his generall calling and in his particular calling to call upon God for a blessing Such a mans way is good it hath a good end Perhaps hee may step out of his way by the temptations of Satan but that is not his course The best man in the world for a passion on the sudden may step into an ill way as David when he determined to kill Naball but it was not Davids way therefore we see how soone he was put off with a little counsell and how thankefull he was Blessed bee the Lord and blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell c. his way and course was another way And so on the other side the wickedest man in the world may set a step in a good way for a fit a very Saul may be amongst the Prophets and speake excellently and divinely but all this while he is out of his way his way is a course of wickednesse to which therefore he will soone betake himselfe againe as it is heere said of these men They turned to their owne courses As the Horse rusheth into the battell Here it is comparatively set downe If you would see how the horse rusheth into the battell it is lively and divinely expressed Iob. 39.19 by God himselfe Hast thou given the horse strength hast thou cloathed his necke with thunder Canst thou make him affraid as a Grashopper the glory of his nostrils is terrible he paâ—eth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength hee goeth on to meet the armed men Hee mocketh at feare and is not affrighted neither turneth hee backe from the sword The quiver ratleth against him the glittering speare and the shield He swalloweth the ground with fiercenesse and rage neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet He saith among the trumpets ha ha and he smelleth the battell a farre off the thunder of the captaines and the shouting There you have an excellent description of this creatures fiercenesse the wit of man hath not such expressions and how he rusheth into the battell God to abase wicked men compares them here to the horse not for that which is good in him but for their violence in ill courses they rush into them as the horse rusheth into the battell Now the horse rusheth into the battell 1. Eagerly as you see him described in the place of Iob and 2. Desperately he will not be pulled away by any meanes and then 3. Dangerously For he rusheth upon the pikes and oft-times falls downe suddenly dead he regards not the pikes nor guns nor nothing but rusheth on in the danger Heerein wicked men are like unto the horse going on in their course eagerly desperately dangerously 1. They go on eagerly it is meate and drinke unto them They cannot sleepe untill they have done wickednesse They plot and study it it is their delight they are not in their element but when they are talking wickedly and corruptly or deceiving or satisfying their desires the ambition and lusts of their corrupt nature They can no more live out of these courses then the fish can live out of the water therfore they goe eagerly upon them And as they goe eagerly so desperately and irreclaimably too nothing will restraine them no thornes nor troubles that can lye in their way though God hedge in their wayes with thornes they breake thorow all Even as Balaam hee would goe on though there were a sword drawne before him hee was more brutish and unreasonable then his poore beast the very sword of the Angell could not moove that covetous wretch to goe backe So it is with every wicked man he goes on desperately nothing will keepe him backe and reclaime him though God take many courses to doe it by his Ministers Magistrates by the motions of his Spirit by his judgements threatned by judgements executed upon others and upon themselves sometimes yet they are so eager upon their sins all this will not beate them off they love their sinnes better then their soules nor is it onely open riotous persons that thus rush into sinnes but civill rebellious persons also that blesse themselves in their wayes and it may be live as irreligiously as the other Take a covetous or an ambitious man hee sacrificeth all to get such a place c. Such a man mockes Christ as the Pharisees mocked him notwithstanding all his good Sermons and miracles hee goes on desperately nothing will hold him hee breakes through all barrs and oppositions he cracks his conscience grieves the good motions of the Spirit despiseth good counsell and will venture upon the outward breach of lawes sometimes rather then he will be defeated of his designes And as they goe eagerly and desperately so dangerously too for is it not dangerous to provoke God to rush upon the pikes to runne against thornes Doe you provoke me to jealousie saith God and not your selves to destruction No they goe both together if you provoke me to anger it will bee to your owne ruine In Levit. 26. God will walke stubbornely to them as they have done to him and he will be froward with the froward Psal. 18. Those that are rebellious sinners whom no bonds will hold no counsell that breake all lawes as the man possessed with the Divell brake his chaines the time will come that when God executes
leave it shortly here he found it and here he must leave it in spight of his heart ere long and all is but vanity in the censure of him that knew all things the best of any man even Salomon that had gone thorow the variety of all things And oft times they misse of that they labour for They doe not rest that they get in hunting they hunt after preferment and after riches but oft times they doe not enjoy them and if they doe they get the curse of God with them and ere long they are stripped of all but here is that that may strengthen our indeavours The Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it it is not an indeavour that is lost Then againe this shewes that the state of true Christians is different from the state of persons that are carried to good things but not violently The violent take it he surprizeth the city at the last he laies his siege and will not remoove till death he will not give over till he have it he will have it or he will dye in the businesse and so at last he obtaines his desire The sluggish carelesse man he goes a little way As Agrippa said to Paul he was almost perswaded to be a Christian so it is with such men in some things they will be Christians but there they are at a stand they will go no farther and so all they have done is to no purpose The sluggard desireth and wisheth but his soule hath nothing A sluggish cold lazie Christian he looseth all his paines If a man be to goe ten miles and goe but nine and there sit downe he shall never come to his journies end If a man will give but 7 or 8. shillings for that which is worth 10. he shall goe without it Grace and Glory are set at this price there is required such strength of labour and indeavour and violence therefore without this a man shall never attaine it unlesse he stretch himselfe to such a pitch He shall never come to the end of his Faith the salvation of his soule to the high calling of God in Christ Iesus The sluggard wisheth and gets nothing the reason is because he is a sluggard because he will not strive but the striver gets the fort and hath all in it and is a man made for ever The sluggard thinkes himselfe wiser then many men that can give a reason The sluggish discreete Christian I warrant you he hath reasons for what he doth It is not good to be too earnest it will incurre the disfavour of such a man or such a man J shall bee accounted so and so for my paines But a wise man he seeth the excellency of the things and he knowes that his courses and his conscience will justifie him at the last and therefore he goes on what ever comes of it God is not so weary of these precious things these precious jewels of grace and glory as to force them upon us Is the Kingdome of Heaven such a sleight thing that it should be obtruded to us whether we will or no Shall we thinke to have it when our hearts tell us wee esteeme other things betâ—er No there are none ever come to Heaven but their hearts are wrought to such an admiration of grace and glory that they undervalue all things to it therefore there is no hope for any to obtaine it but he that takes it by violence We see Moses esteemed the basest thing in the Church better then the greatest excellencies in the world that men are so violent after he esteemed the very afflictions of Gods people better then the treasures and pleasures of sinne for a season nay then the pleasures of a Court. When men shall esteeme the base things of the world above all the treasures of Heaven above the state of Christianity they have no hope of comming there they may pretend God is mercifull and Christ dyed c. I but whosoever he brings to salvation he workes such a sence of misery in them and such an apprehension of grace and of the meanes of grace that there is an undervaluing of all other things God will not bring them to Heaven that shall not glorifie him when they come there and how shall they glorifie him here or there when they value the world and these base things that they must leave behind them more then the things of Heaven This is the reason that few are saved because they content themselves with easie dull and drowsie performances and never consider with what proportion they are carried to things when they had rather loose the advantage of that which will bring everlasting good to their soules then loose the petty commodities of this world and yet think themselves good Christians what a delusion is this It is the violent only that are successefull they take it by force I but what if the opposition grow more and more Then the grace of God and courage will grow and increase more and more As Luther said well the more violent the adversaries were the more free and bold was he So the more the enemies rage the more the spirit of grace growes in Gods people it inceraseth by opposition As Noahs Arke the higher the waters were the nearer still it was carried to Heaven So we are nearer to God and nearer to the Kingdome of Heaven the more opposition swells and rages True courage growes with opposition As the Palme-tree riseth up against the burden that presseth it downe so the divine spirit being a heavenly thing and all opposition below of the Divell and divellish minded men being but earthly what are they to the divine Spirit which sets us on and encourageth us They cannot quell it but the Spirit growes more and more in opposition The Apostles they ran all from Christ when he was to be crucified they had but a little measure of the Spirit but when the Holy Ghost was shed more plentifully on them they beganne to stand couragiously for the cause of Christ when there was more opposition the Spirit grew more and more till they sealed the Truth with their blood Therefore though opposition of enemies and their fury and rage grow let us know whose cause we mannage and with what assurance of successe the violent at length shall take it by force Let us meditate upon this that successe is tyed to violence therefore when you pray to God if he seeme to deny your request offer violence wrastle with him let him not goe without a blessing when he seemes to be an enemy as sometimes he doth to try our strength we must use an holy violence when we are dull and not fit to pray nor fit for holy things Let us stirre up the Spirit of God in us and labour to get our of that estate let us use violence and violence will overcome at the last A man that hath the Spirit of
and in Christ I can doe all things by his Spirit though in my selfe I can doe nothing And so in deadnesse and desolation of Spirit when the soule is cast downe with discomfort let us thinke with our selves the Spirit of life in Christ is a quickening Spirit if I can beleeve in Christ he hath freed me from the guilt of sinne and hee hath by his Spirit given me some little inlargement from the dominion of my corruptions why should I be cast downe I am an heire of heaven ere long Satan shall be trodden under my feet ere long I shall be free from the spirituall combate and conflict with sinne that I am now encountred with therefore I will comfort my selfe I will not be cast downe overmuch In the houre of death let us make use of this freedome of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus from the law of sinne and death When the time comes that there must be a separation of soule and body oh let us thinke with our selves Now I must dye yet Christ hath dyed and I must dye in conformity to my head and here is my comfort the Law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of death it hath freed me from spirituall and eternall death So that now through Christ death is become friendly to me death now is not the death of me but death will be the death of my misery the death of my sinnes it will be the death of my corruptions death now will be the death of all that before troubled me but death will be my birth day in regard of happinesse Better is the day of death then the day of birth When a man comes into this life he comes into misery but when he dies hee goes out of misery and comes to happinesse so that indeed wee never live till we dye wee never live eternally and happily till then for then wee are freed from all misery and sinne Blessed are they that dye in the Lord they rest from their labours they rest from the labours of toyle and misery they rest from the labours of sinne from all labours whatsoever Blessed are they that dye in the Lord and of all times then blessed more blessed then before they rest from their labours and then begins their happinesse that shall never end So you see what comfort a Christians soule sprinkled with the blood of Christ may have if it goe to God in Christ and begge of Christ to be set at liberty from all enemies to serve God in holines and righteousnesse I speake too meanely when I say the Law of the Spirit of life hath fâ—â—ed us from 〈◊〉 and death this is not all the Spirit of life not onely frees us from ill but advanceth us to the contrary good in every thing wherein this freedome is For we are not onely called out of misery but to a Kingdome wee are not onely freed from sinne but intitled to heaven in justification and in sanctification we are not onely freed from corruption but inabled by the holy Spirit of liberty to run the wayes of Gods Commandements and make them voluntary to serve God chearefully zealous of good workes wee are not onely freed from the command and condemnation of sinne and â—he rigour of the Law but we have contrary dispositions ready and willing and voluntary dispositions wrought by the Spirit of Christ to every thing thâ—â—â—s good And so wee are not onely free from death and misery for so things without life are they suffer no misery but wee are partakers of everlasting life and glory the liberty of glory Gods benefits are compleat that is not onely priuative freeing us from ill but positive implying all good because God will shew himselfe a God he will doe good things as a God fully For the Law of the Spirit of life not onely frees us from the law of sinne and of death but writes the Law of God in our hearts he not onely frees us from the law of death but advance us to everlasting life to the glorious life we have in heaven to live for ever with the Lord oâ— happy condition of a Christian if wee could know our happinesse Let us often meditate deepely of Christ and of our selves in him let us see all our ill in him and all our good in him see death overcome and sinne overcome by his death hee being made a curse for us see the Law overcome hee being made under the Law for us when the wrath of God vexeth and terrifieth us see it upon him Hee sweat water and blood in the Garden It made him crie out My God my God why â—ast thou forsaken me See all that may trouble us in him as our Surety And all the good wee hope for see it in Christ first whatsoever he hath in his naturall body it is for his mysticall body for hee gave his naturall body for his mysticall God in the world to humble us exerciseth us with troubles and calamiâ—ies as he did Christ wee must be conformable to our heâ—d but consider the poyson and sting of all ills wee need to feaâ—e is swallowed up and taken away by Christ. And as I said let us see all our good in him wee are sonnes in him raysed 〈◊〉 him blessed in him set in heavenly places with him and shall be follow-heires and Kings with him for wee are his members his Spouse the wife shall enjoy the same condition as the husband whatsoever hee hath she shall have What a comfortable estate is this I we can feare no ill nor want no good whatsoever hee hath it is for us hee was borne for us hee dyed for us hee is gone to heaven for us for us and our good hee did and suffered all these things We cannot exercise our thoughts too much in these meditations The Lords Supper is a Sacrament of union and communion hence it hath its name and by receiving the Sacrament our Communion and union with Christ is strengthned What a comfort then is it to thinke if I have fellowship with Christ it is sealed by the Sacrament when I take the Bread and Wine at the same time I have communion with the Body and Blood of Christ shed for my sinnes and as Christ himselfe was freed from my sinnes imputed to him and by his Resurrection declared that hee was freed so surely shall I be freed from my sinnes So that this Communion taking the Bread and Wine it seales to us our Communion and fellowship with Christ and thereupon our freedome from sinne and from the Law and sets us in a blessed and happy estate Wee should labour therefore by all meanes to strengthen our union and Communion with Christ and amongst the rest reverently and carefully attend upon this blessed Ordinance of God for the body of Christ broken doth quicken us because it is the body of the Sonne of God My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed and hee
Spirit in the Spouse saith Come The Spirit doth all as the soule doth all in the body it acts it and leads it and comforts it and gives beauty to it so the Spirit first knits Christ and us together there is the same Spirit in Christ the head and in the Church there is one common Spirit in head and members And when it hath done so it acts and leads and sanctifies and purifies the Church it acquaints the Church with the good things that God hath given her acquaints her with the deepe meaning of God the love of God in Christ it acquaints God with our desires hee knowes our meaning in our prayers and we know his meaning it acquaints us with the state we shall have after and assures us of it It is the earnest of the Inheritance the Spirit and the graces of it are not onely the earnest but a part of that Inheritance a part of heaven where our bodies shall be spirituall not that they shall turne to be spirits but they shall be ruled wholy by the Spirit as the soule rules the body As it is in a river it is impossible that the streame should run higher then the spring-head from whence it comes so it is impossible that our desires should rise higher then the spring from whence they come the desires of nature cannot goe higher then nature the desires of the flesh are fleshly but spirituall desires as they spring from heaven they have a noble originall and head so they carry to heaven againe Therefore as the Spirit comes from God the Father and the Sonne so it carries us backe againe to the Father and the Sonne as it comes from heaven so it carries to heaven back againe That is one way to know whether our desires be spirituall or no our desire of death and of the comming of Christ if it be from wearisomnesse of life and from afflictions in the world so nature may desire I were better be dead then to be thus as Ionas wished death and the children of Israel and Elias in a passion oh that I were dead c. but if those desires spring from the Spirit then they come from heaven from the consideration of the excellency of the state wee shall have there that it shall be better with us and that death is but a darke passage to a glorious condition We may know our desires are spirituall from the rise of them if they come from spirituall and holy and heavenly considerations the Spirit doth all in the Spouse that is holy and Spirituall Therefore let us give entertainment to the Spirit of God and be where we may have further and further communion with the Spirit in spirituall Ordinances The preaching of Gods holy Word though it be meanely esteemed by the world it is the Ministerie of the Spirit in the hearing of it the Spirit is given if we would have the Spirit let us attend upon the Ministerie of the Spirit And let us study Christ and make him all in all Saint Paul questions with the Galathians saith hee I would know of you how came ye by the Spirit by hearing of Christs Gospel or of the Law preached No it was by the Gospel so that not onely the Ministerie in generall but the Evangelicall Ministerie that unfolds Christ and the infinite love of God in Christ the excellent condition we have in this world and look for in the world to come the Spirit is effectuall with these thoughts to make us holy and heavenly The Law beats downe but the Gospel especially these Evangelicall truths make us spirituall Therefore wee should be willing to heare spirituall points There are a company of men that love to heare curious and nice points and if a Minister be quaint anâ— satyricall and unfold points sutable to their apprehension they can digest this but come to speake of things above nature of Christ and the benefits by him they are spirituall they are remote and transcendent above their nature that they cannot relish them But he that hath the Spirit of Christ of all points there are none to those that unfold Christ and the benefits by him the glory that wee hope for by him in another world And let us not grieve the Spirit but give way to his motions The Spirit is now among us in his Ordinance knocking at our hearts and desiring entertainement let us give way and not quench the good motions that hee stirres up and the Spirit shall be given more and more to us The Holy-Ghost is given to them that ebey him And let us beg the Spirit God will give his holy Spirit to them that aske him Luk. 11. As if hee should say the Spirit is the best thing that God can give you that are evill can give good things to your children but your heavenly Father hath one good thing instead of all he will give his Spirit Therefore when wee find our hearts dead and dâ—ll and earthly and base-minded thinke thus Alas I am a lump of flesh now where is the Spirit of God certainely if I had the Spirit in me I could not be as I am If we love our soules we will take this course wee trifle with Religion else God doth all by the Spirit the Spirit is Christs Vicar here is no need of a Ministeriall head betweene the Spouse and Christ the Spirit and the Spouse are so neere together there is such a conjunction betweene Christ and his Church that where the Spirit is hee stirres up desires of his comming Onely let us attend upon the meanes and Ordinances that hee hath left in his Church And let us consider wee are not for this life we are not to live here alway the child in the wombe is not for that life and when it is in the world it is not for this life there is a third life that we are for An imperfect state rests not till it come to perfection our best is behind let those that are naught feare the second comming of Christ. Let Herod and Iudas and the beast of Rome feare that shall be cast into the burning lake Let Felix tremble the corrupt Judge and all that live in corrupt courses But wee that professe our selves to be Christians and hope for better things in another world let us labour to banish base feares and to this end let us labour to be spirituall and not to be lead by the flesh Whosoever is Christs hath the Spirit of Christ or else he is none of his as it is sweetly and largely and heavenly prooved Rom. 8. We have nothing to doe with Christ unlesse we have his Spirit to stirre up motions and desires of better things then this world can afford FINIS DAVIDS CONCLVSION OR THE SAINTS RESOLVTION In one Sermon By the late learned and reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Grays-Inne Ieremy 30.21 Who is this that ingageth his heart to approach