who easily spied their want of commission mightily preuailed against them Act. 19. 3. That God will blesse his labour and the workes of his calling and make it powerfull and fruitfull because it is his owne worke whereas such as haue not their commission sealed from the Lord finde not their sacrifices burnt by God but often labour all day and night and catch nothing A caueat not to runne vpon mans calling without Gods as the false apostles did against whom the Apostles opposed themselues see that the chiefe Bishop of soules send thee that he hath laid his hands vpō thee that hee hath bid thee receiue the holy Ghost as for the order and ordination of the Church it is onely a manifestation and declaration of him whom God hath fitted Let euery Minister be able to say as Christ himselfe did Isa. 48. 16. The Lord God himselfe and his spirit hath sent me namely to declare what Cyrus in his time was to performe to the Church And here he that would haue good and assured comfort of his commission must examine what kinde of gifts they be which he hath receiued of the Spirit for they be of two sorts 1. Common to good and bad as those of knowledge tongues interpretation eloquence to which if working of miracles if a man haue no more were added while he might much benefit others himselfe might remaine a reprobate For Saul and Iudas had the Spirit of God 2. Proper and peculiar to the elect as iustifying faith true loue inuocation repentance vnspeakable groanes and mourning of the Doue innocencie meeknesse sinceritie and such like testimonies that God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into the heart purifying it making it cry Abba Father These are gifts worth hauing making all the former not onely profitable to others but truly comfortable to himself and acceptable to God Now shall a man speake powerfully feelingly and conscionably and resemble those holie men of God who wrote the Scriptures in interpreting thē they shall speake and do as they are moued by the holy Ghost men shall perceiue and after a sort see a fiery tongue vpon their heads such shall be the efficacie and power of their ministerie in separating the precious from the vile 3. Note wheresoeuer the Spirit descendeth on any Christian it descendeth like a Doue that is maketh a Christian resemble the Doue Whence it is that the holy Church or company of beleeuers is called by Christ his Doue Cant. 2. 14. 1. Because the same sweet oyntment as that of Aaron runnes downe from the head to all the mēbers the same graces which this Spirit in the shape of a Doue did fill Christ withall aboue measure hee doth also bestow in measure vpon Christians Thus are we said to receiue of his fulnesse A fountaine sends the same water into the streames that it self hath 2. The Spirit of God is euery-where like to himself both in the head and members as the same iuyce is in the roote and branches in the tree and fruites looke what were the fruites of the Spirit in Christ the same also are in the members Gal. 5. 23. To examine whether we haue receiued this Spirit or no by the properties of a Doue 1. Meeknesse is an essentiall mark of one of Christs Doues and on whom the Spirit of Christ is descēded as himselfe witnesseth Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke 1. He in heart neuer conceiued fierce or reuengefull thought 2. In word being reuiled he reuiled not againe 3. In action hee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter and was dumbe before the shearer 1. Pet. 2. 23. Moses was the meekest man on earth but not like him If any be a rough Esau of a froward and peruerse disposition the Spirit of Christ hath not sate and lighted vpon him for in the kingdome of Christ the lyon and the lambe shall feed together Let vs therefore put on and decke our selues with meeknesse Col. 3. 12. A most beautifull grace much set by of God How glorious a sight was it and how delightfull to God his Father as the voyce witnesseth when the Doue sate vpon Christ and euen so the Apostle commendeth this grace to women as a most precious garment to set them out to God and make him set by them as their most costly garments doe set them out to men neither is it a garment proper to the women as distinguishing the sexe which the cloathing of our bodies doe or ought to doe but the condition between a naturall and spiritual man an old and new creature for this makes difference before God when none is betweene male and female And though we take little notice of a meeke-hearted Christian yet God doth so account of it as he doth denominate the righteous by it and maketh it a speciall title of the iust Zeph. 2. 3. Seeke the Lord ye meeke of the earth as though none were fit to seeke him and he would be found of none else A second qualitie of those on whom the Spirit is lighted like a Doue is simplicitie innocencie commended to vs also by Christ Be wise as serpents but innocent as Doues enforcing it plainly to be a qualitie of those who are baptized with the Spirit of Christ To which purpose he knitteth these two together Cant. 5. 12. and 6. 8. My Doue my vndefiled Elsewhere he calls the Church faire as the Sunne pure as the Moone the Lords holy ones vndefiled in their wayes Saints pure not only in regard of their iustification by the bloud of Christ clensing them from all sinne but also of their endeuour in sanctification These Doues of the Lords Culuer-house are cleane fowles not of the vncleane birds Vultures Crowes and Hawkes that can smell a carrion a farre off to flye to it and feede vpon it the Spirit neuer tooke such a shape Let vs be carefull of our wayes not to foule our selues with sin which is the most filthy vncleannes but rather when the Spirit sate vpon Christs head make knowne that it sate like a Doue on our head by purging our selues euen as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3. 3. as it is a marke of our adoption in that place He is not capable of any grace that endeuoureth not in this wil the Spirit of God dwell in a stye or will hee powre his gracious liquors into fustie and filthie vessels What may wee thinke the hire of those that moyle themselues in all filthie lusts and tumble like swine in their sinnes and in the meane time scorne at those who desire to bee more free and innocent from the riots of the world seeing GOD is good to none but the pure of heart heareth none pray but such as lift vp pure hands accepteth no seruice but a cleane offering and from a cleane offerer admitteth none to the blessed vision of God but the pure of heart and much lesse to stand in his Holy place but hee that is of innocent hands and a
fit for his priuate estate yet now entring vpon a publique office and a worke after a sort infinite he needeth more grace and receiueth according as his calling required Obiect But then Christ had imperfection in him if hee wanted some grace Answ. It implies a degree but not imperfection hee was perfectly graced so farre as his youth and priuate estate required yea as much as that was capable of it being with him as with the Saints in heauen among whom are degrees of glory but not want nor imperfectiō And 3. to shew that the Spirit did perpetually rest with Christ therefore Ioh. 1. 32. the Spirit abode vpon him This was prophecied Isa. 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the Spirit of counsel and vnderstanding of wisedome and strength the Spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord. Obiect But the Spirit of God dwels in the Elect therefore this was no priuiledge An. Neuer did or can the spirit rest with Saint or Angel as hee did with Christ. 1. In respect of his humanity the Spirit is euer with that working in y t nature all diuine vertues graces glory both in nūber degree perfect as fitting the Head wheras the members haue some not all and in some small degree not in all perfection of degrees as hee was being anointed with y e oyle of gladnes aboue al his fellowes 2. In respect of his Deity the spirit the third person is perpetually present with the Son as ioyned vnto him in the admirable vnity of one the same nature yea so ioyned as he proceedeth from the Son as frō the Father and hath his subsistence from the Son as frō the Father by the vnspeakable cōmunication of one and the selfe-same nature In which respects the Spirit neuer lighted nor did rest with any but with Iesus Christ alone 4. Some adde a fourth reason of the Spirits lighting on Christ not only to designe Christ but to distinguish him by an apparent signe from Iohn lest any should thinke that the voyce following This is my well-beloued Sonne was vttered of Iohn and not of Christ himselfe The fifth point is Why it is said that Iohn saw all this this was 1. that the Word of the Lord might be accomplished who had promised Iohn that he should certainely know Christ by this signe Ioh. 1. 33. 2. That Iohn might beare record of the trueth heereof not onely in his age but to all succeeding ages so it is said Ioh. 1. 32. Iohn bare record saying I saw the Spirit c. Hence was it that it did so openly appeare because it was not onely for Christ who as hee was man and had taken vpon him our infirmities had need of assistance but for Iohn also and the people of God see Iohn 12. 30. 1. Note that the Spirit of God is no quality or created motion in the minde of man for then hee should not exist without the mindes of men for the accident cannot be without the subiect to which it cleaueth and much lesse could the Spirit appeare in a visible and distinct forme as he did heere and in the feast of Pentecost 2. Hee is here a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne and yet ioyned with the Father and the Sonne 3. He is called God Act. 5. 3 4. To lye to the holy Ghost is to lye vnto God and 1. Cor. 12. 11. Hee giueth gifts to euery one according to his will as heere hee anointeth Christ the head consequently is the Author of all good gifts with the Father of lights and not the gifts themselues 2. Note as Christ was set apart both by the ministry of man and by the Spirit by the visible appearance of which God would manifest that hee was fitted thereunto so in all those that are set apart by man to the ministry must be an apparant descending of the Spirit though not in visible shape yet in euident gifts and graces The reason is sound if Christ himselfe must not take this honour vpon himself but the spirit of the Lord must be vpō him to preach much more must it be so with those that come in his name Adde hereunto these arguments 1. If God when hee had set down the frame parcels of the materiall Tabernacle did set apart a Bezaleel and fill him with the Spirit of God in wisedome vnderstanding in knowledge and all curious workmanship and ioyned an Aholiah vnto him into whom he put wisedome to make al after his draught Exod. 31. 3 6. And if when Salomon is to build the material Temple he must haue his Hiram sent for a man full of wisedom vnderstanding and knowledge to work all manner of worke in brasse 1. King 7. 14. much more the true Salomon in building his spiritual Temple makes choice of men filled with the spirit c. 2. If the Prophets Apostles performed euery thing by vertue of their extraordinary calling by God then must Pastors Teachers also by vertue of their ordinary calling by God They spake wrote as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. vlt. they reuealed and fore-told things by the Spirit 1. Pet. 1. 10 11. The Spirit of Christ in the Prophets searched and signified the time and passion glory of Christ the Spirit was promised to teach the Apostles what to speake and to leade them in all trueth Ioh. 14. Yea the Spirit shall teach you in that houre Luk. 12. so must we be furnished by the Spirit to our duties 1. Cor. 17. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery one to profit withall to one a word of wisedome to another a word of knowledge Whence the Spirit is said to send Pastors Act. 20. 28. Pastors at Ephesus were made ouer-seers by the holy Ghost because he fitteth them to the Church and commendeth them by gracing them to the vse of it 3. This sitting of the Spirit giueth a mans selfe much comfort 1. That hee is lawfully called of God who sendeth not his message by the hand of a foole for this is as he that cutteth off the feet but he sendeth a learned tongue an Ezra an Apollos mighty in the Scriptures This was signified by the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes who must be 1. washed purged from whatsoeuer might blemish their calling 2. Arrayed with new garments signifying their furnishing and instructing with graces of wisedom knowledge c. 3. Perfumed with a sweet smell of the holy oyle noting the sweetnesse the sweet sauour by holy doctrine and life which they were to diffuse into the Church This when it was done then were they set apart by the Lord and not before Leu. 8. 3. 2. That God who hath graced him will protect him and carrie him thorow the troubles of his calling which Satan and the wicked of the world whom hee is to encounter with will raise against him which promise of speciall protection while the sonnes of Sceua wanted Satan
pure heart Psalme 24. 3. What other spirit hath lighted vpon them then the spirit that beareth rule in the world The spirit of lying railing swearing slandering hath light vpon their tongues the spirit of reuenge wrong and wickednesse vpon their heads the spirit of fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse vpon all their parts and members and the spirit of errour delusion desperate impenitency hath settled vpon their hearts all this because they haue grieued this holy Spirit and made this Doue betake himselfe to his wings and left them to bee haunted with an euill spirit as Saul was when God had forsaken him A third quality of such on whom this Spirit of Christ hath lighted is chastity sincerity and singlenesse in heart and life in body and soule the Doue is a most chast bird truly keeping her to her mate and this is required in all the members of the Church Cant. 4. 1. Thine eyes are like the Doues that is single chast beautifull This eye of faith beholds Christ and him alone acknowledging all perfection of beauty and sufficiency in him it keepes the heart into him alone in the purity of his worship it keepes the affections vnto him as the chiefe of ten thousand it watcheth against all vnchast lusts and abandoneth all vnlawful strange and stolne pleasures called in 1. Cor. 7. 34. The holines of body and spirit Of spirit when it is not tempted to vncleannesse or being tempted yeeldeth not or hauing yeelded reneweth it selfe to repentance Of body when as a fit instrument to a chast soule it neuer exciteth nor being excited executeth vncleannesse Whence it followeth that those that goe a whoring from God as all Idolaters that seek to many louers or are bawds to their owne lusts and sinfull pleasures of any kind or prostitute their bodies to any vncleannesse or their members as seruants of vnrighteousnesse are not possessed with the Spirit of Christ. Idolatrous eyes adulterous eyes couetous eyes euill or enuious eyes blind eyes or wanton eyes are not the eyes of Doues A fourth quality in Isa. 60. 8. is this They al fly to the Church of God and ioyne together in his pure worship Who are these that fly like the Doues to the windowes A prophesie of the Gentiles conuerted that shall in such flockes come into the Church as if a whole flight of Doues driuen by some Hawke or tempest should scoure to the columbary and rush into the windowes The Church is compared to Gods culuer-house thither the Doues fly together feed together roost together which signifies the Communion of Saints who are of one heart and soule and which worship God purely with one shoulder It is no receptacle of Eagles and rauenous birds which deuoure one another and the reason is because the Spirit lighting vpon Christians tyes them together with fast bands of peace called The bond of the Spirit And hence it followeth that whosoeuer neglecteth the ministery which is the chariot of the Spirit the Spirit lights not vpon him whosoeuer ioyneth not in this society of Saints and carryeth not himselfe as one liuing with other the children of God vnder the same roofe of one Father he hath not the Spirit of God and consequently is none of his What may wee thinke of him that is an enemie to the Church that malignes the members of it that opposeth the pure worship and worshippers that flies from the culuer-house but to be an vncleane bird no Doue This is one speciall note of the presence of the Spirit which I would not omit because many may come to see themselues better by it Vers. 17. And lo a voice came from heauen saying This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Sect. 8. HEre is the third sensible testimony of Christs most solemne setting into his office and that from heauen also as the other were and that by an audible voice wherein are two things 1. The circumstances three 1. Whose voice it was The Fathers 2. The place whence it came From heauen 3. The manner It was a sensible and audible voice II. The substance in which are three particulars 1. That Christ is the Sonne of God to note the relation between God and Christ. 2. That hee is his beloued Sonne to note the neernesse of that relation 3. The fruit of it in whom I am well pleased 1. The Person whose voice it was is God the Father for he saith Thou art my beloued Sonne Euery testimony receiues validity and authority from the Testator therefore this must needs be sound and good God had giuen testimony to Christ by many famous men euen all the Prophets and now lately by Iohn Baptist who was greater than a Prophet that Christ was greater than he yea more had giuen testimony of him by a multitude of heauenly Angels Luk. 1. 30. and 13. But not content with all this he giues from heauen his owne testimony of him 1. To strike vs with reuerence in receiuing this testimony which hath this priuiledge aboue other parts of Scriptures that it was vttered by Gods owne mouth not by men or Angels 2. To confirme vs in the truth of the testimony proceeding from him who is prima veritas Truth it selfe not onely true in his Essence and much more in his words and workes who cannot bee deceiued nor deceiue vs. 3. To shew the necessity of beleeuing this testimony being the first and onely principle in Christian Religion without which foundation laid can bee no religion nor saluation as we see in the Iewes and Turkes That we might more firmly beleeue in the Sonne of God for life Gods owne mouth testifieth so honourably of him 4. That such a glorious commendation of this testimony might stir vp our best attention and affections in the vnfolding of it wee haue heere the word of a King which was neuer stained and that not vttered by any Herald or a Lord Chancellor but from his owne mouth which carryeth more waight with it if God speake woe to him that heares not 2. The place whence from heauen for these reasons 1. For more authority to the Person of Christ whom God from heauen doth honour and if God thus honour him how ought we to honour him 2. Pet. 1. 17. Hee receiued of God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloued Sonne which was verified not onely in the time of his transfiguration but here also 2. Because the testimony containes the summe of the whole Gospell to declare that the doctrine of the Gospell which Christ deliuered to the world was from heauen because God from heauen so testifieth it to bee wherein it differs from the doctrine of the Law which although God renewed from heauen in the Tables of stone yet was it written in the heart of man by nature so was not the Gospell but as after y e fall it was immediately deliuerd by God to Adam in the promise
beloued as a sea or fountaine from whose fulnesse loue must be deriued to all other Eph. 1. 6. He hath made vs accepted in his Beloued the head of the body must be filled with sense and spirit and life because it must send these into all the members so the Head of the Church As the Apostle therefore saith In him are the treasures of wisedome so he is Gods store-house of loue whence all our supplies must be fetched Of consolation 1. In respect of Gods affection 2. Of Christs intercession 3. Of our owne acceptation The first if God thus dearely loue Christ the Head he must needes dearely loue the mēbers whence Christ prayeth thus Ioh. 17. 23. That the world may know that thou louest them as thou hast loued me namely with a fatherly and free loue What then if the child of God be in want distresse danger death it selfe God looking on him in Christ cannot but pitty him the wife and children cannot so pitty and helpe vs when they can weepe about vs. Psal. 103. 13. Secondly Christs intercession for vs must needes be powerfull and preuailing because he therefore euer liueth to make requests for vs and being also euer loued it must needes be fruitfull for vs he was heard in all things in the dayes of his flesh and much more now in his glory We see what great suits a Kings fauorite can carry away as Ahashuerosh because Hester found grace in his sight would not deny her to the halfe of his Kingdome and shee easily got her suit for her selfe and all her people But Christ shall not be denied the whole Kingdome if he aske it for his Elect. Thirdly hence comes in our boldnesse to come to God in the name and for the sake of Christ in whom our persons and prayers finde acceptance we in our selues being enemies to God strangers from God and his couenant hauing forfaited all are by his mediation receiued into such fauour as Aske what wee will in his name in faith and vnderstanding and wee shall be speeders Of instruction in two things 1. If God thought not his deare Sonne too deare for vs but although his whole loue was cast on him would not spare him shall wee thinke any thing too deare for him If benefits will binde search heauen and earth you shall not finde such a loue which is left with an admiration Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world c. And oughtest not thou to giue vp thy soule body and life it selfe as a reasonable sacrifice for him Oh the ingratitude of men that are so farre from this as that they will not part with a grain of their wealth with a dram of their credit nor with their base lusts The proud will not depart from his pride nor the drunkard with his drunkennesse nor the froward with his malice and reuenge for Christ and much lesse from liberty life c. And what is the reason Men loue their liues their lusts c. and did not God loue his Sonne more than thou canst loue these he set his whole loue euen an infinite loue vpon him and yet hee gaue him to death for thee and wilt thou doe nothing suffer nothing for him Wilt thou loue hatefull things better than God who loued not his dearest Sonne too well for thee 2. If God so dearely loued Christ his Sonne so must we we want no reasons or motiues thereunto for first hee loued vs first not existing yea resisting Secondly he hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts of body and soule yea by that inualuable gift of his owne bodie and soule Thirdly hee hath more to declare to vs hereafter in greater things which eye hath not seene eare hath not heard for hee will not be in heauen without vs. Fourthly God cannot loue vs if wee loue not his beloued Sonne Can a father who hath cast his whole affection on his childe and worthily endure that hee should be contemptuously entreated and despised The sentence is passed If any loue not the Lord Iesus let him bee accursed Fifthly the greatest reason of all is the strait vnion and band between Christ and the Christian he the foundation wee the building coupled he the roote we the branches ingrafted he the Head we the body vnited he the Husband we the wife married and hence is the communication betweene vs in natures goods estates he puts on our nature to cloath vs with his diuine nature he put vs in state of all his goods wisedome righteousnes sanctification and Redemption yea giues vs right to heauen to earth and the creatures he takes on him our low estate to aduance vs to his glory yea our troubles are his in our wrongs he is wronged and whatsoeuer is done to vs of well or woe hee takes it as done to himselfe either to recompence or reuenge it Now what an vnseemly and confused sight were it to behold the building falling off of the foundation the branches seuering from the roote the members cutting themselues from the head and the wife suing for a diuorce or at daggers with her husband Notes of our loue to Christ are these 1. Often to thinke of him and these thoughts bee deepe large frequent which argues abundant affection in the soule Often out of that abundance to speake of him and neuer but to his glory for where we heartily loue we can willingly praise Thus the loue of God in Dauids heart filled his mouth and pen with often praises Psal. 119. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Thus the Spouse in the Canticles loued much and praised much My beloued is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand chap. 5. 10. Yea by this meanes bring others to be in loue with him as wee doe with our deare friends Psal. 31. 23. O loue the Lord all ye his Saints Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is as sweet things he is wholly delectable this is my welbeloued and this is my louer O daughters of Ierusalem 2. To bee carefull to please and content him in all things the man I loue I will doe any thing wherby I may please him I will abstain from y t which will offend and incense him 2. Cor. 5. 9. We couet both at home and from home to be acceptable vnto him I will not forget his desire his word I will thinke the time short and well spent to do his requests I will not imprison his loue in my heart or mouth but expresse it in my whole course and calling as Peter was thrice enioyned to expresse his loue to Christ in feeding his sheepe and lambes Ioh. 21. 16. 3. Loue is bountifull I will spare nothing for my friend all I haue is his to command and vse because my selfe am sincere loue is communicatiue and will be at cost for Christ those that loue Christ first giue themselues to Christ and then their gifts their graces their goods to the vse of Christ and of his members