Mary yea seek and weep and weep and seek and never rest satisfied till Christ appear If thou art but in the use of means he will appear sooner or later or what if thou never sawest a good day on earth one sight of Christ in heaven will make amends Surely if thou knewest the joy of Christ's presence thou wouldst run through death and hell to come to Christ it was Paul's saying I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1.23 he cared not for death so he might go to Christ for that was better than very life it self 2. Muse on his Apparition to the Ten Disciples John 20.19 When the doors were shut for fear of the Jews then came Jesus and stood in the midst saying to them Peace be unto you Before his Apparitions sorrow and fear had possessed all their spirits sometime they walked abroad and were sad and sometimes they kept within and shut the doors upon them as being exceedingly afraid In this condition Jesus Christ that knows best the times and seasons of grace and comfort comes and stands in the midst of their Assembly he comes in they know not how and no sooner he is in but he salutes them in this manner Peace be unto you This was the prime of all his wishes no sooner is he risen but he wisheth peace to all his Apostles no sooner meets he with them but the very opening of his lips was with these words they are the first words at the first meeting on the very first day A sure sign that peace was in the heart of Jesus Christ howsoever it is with us peace or war there is a Commonweal where Christ is King and there is peace and nothing but peace come sift try and examine art thou O my soul a member of this body a subject of this Common-weal hath the influence of Christ's peace wrought and declared at his resurrection any force on thee hast thou peace with God and peace within and peace without dost thou feel that ointment poured upon Aaron's head and running down to the skirts of his garments dost thou feel the dew of Hermon and the dew that descends upon Mount Sion dropping as it were upon thy heart doth the spirit assure thee that Christ the Prince of peace hath made peace and reconciliation betwixt God and thee betwixt the King and thee a rebel to his Crown and dignity Isa 52.7 O how beautiful upon the mountains would the feet of him be that should publish peace that should bring these good tydings that thou art a Citizen of that Jerusalem Psal 122.3 where God is King and Christ the Prince of peace where all the buildings are compact together as a City that is at unity within it self 3. Muse on his Apparition to all the Apostles when they were all convened and Thomas with them This Apparition was occasioned by Thomas's incredulity except said he I see in his hands the print of the nails John 20.15 and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Now therefore saith Jesus to Thomas Ver. 27. Come reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Methinks I see Thomas's finger on Christ's boared hand and Thomas's hand in Christ's pierced side Here 's a strong Argument to convince my soul that Christ is risen from the dead why see this is the same Christ that was crucified the same Christ that had his hands boared with nails and that had his heart pierced with a spear though the wounds are healed as to sense of pain yet the skars and holes and clefts remain as big as ever the hole in his hand is yet so large that Thomas may put his finger not only on it but into it and the cleft in his side is yet so large that Thomas may thrust his whole hand into his side and with his fingers touch that heart that issued out streams of blood for my salvation In this meditation be not too curious whether the print of the nails were but continued till Christ had confirmed his Disciples faith or whether he retains them still for some further use it is a better consideration to look upon them so as to confirm thy own faith is there not too much of Thomas's incredulity in thy breast dost not thou sometimes feel some doubtings of Christ's rising or at least dost thou not question whether Christ's resurrection belongs unto thee is not Satan busie with a temptation is not thy conscience troubled for thy sins and especially for thy sin of unbelief if so and I know not but it may be so with thee and the best of Saints Come then and reach hither thy finger and behold Christ's hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into his side my meaning is come with the hand of faith and lay hold on Christ yea hide thy self in the holes of the rock Be like the Dove that maketh her nest in the side of the holes mouth Jer. 48.28 the Dove that would be safe from the devouring Birds or from the Fowlers snare she flyes to the hole in a rock and thus Christ invites his Spouse O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock Cant. 2.14 Ber. â—er 61. in Cant. in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice In the clefts of the rock I am safe said Bernard there I stand firmly there I am secure from Satan's prey It is storied of a Martyr that writing to his Wife where she might find him Surius in vita Sancti Elzearii when he was fled from home O my Dear said he if thou desirest to see me seek me in the side of Christ in the cleft of the rock in the hollow of his wounds for there have I made my nest there will I dwell there shalt thou find me and no where else but there O my soul that thou wouldst make this use of the wounds of Christ are they not as the Cities of refuge whither thou mayst fly and live Nothing is more efficacious to cure the wounds of conscience than a frequent and serious meditation of the wounds of Christ Bern. ibid. Come be not faithless but believing these Monuments of Christ's resurrection are for the confirmation of thy faith if well viewed and handled they will quiet thy conscience quench the fiery darts of Satan increase thy faith till thou comest to assurance and sayest with Thomas Turbabor sed non perturbabor quia vulnerum Christi recordabor Aug. My Lord and my God I may be troubled but I shall not be overwhelmed because I will remember the print of the nails and of the spear in the hands and side of Jesus Christ 4. Muse on his Apparition to the seven Disciples at the Sea of
Prodromus he was 2. That Christ himself might be anointed or installed to his Function Isa 61.1 2. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good tidings unto the meek c. As Aaron and his Sons were anointed with material Oyl when they entred into their Offices so Christ was by the Spirit as it were anointed that so he might receive this Consecration and Institution for the Office that he was to enter on viz. the Preaching and Ministry of the Gospel 6. Upon what account was it that the Holy Ghost should reveal himself at this time and why in form of a Dove rather than some other form To the first I answer the Holy Ghost now revealed himself because the Spiritual Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which he was to rule all Nations for ever was now at hand Dr. Lightf Harm of the Evang. It was agreeable saith my Author that the spiritualness of this Kingdom should be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirits shewing himself even in the beginning of it The carnal Rites of Moses were now to vanish and his Corporal and Ceremonial Observances were now to be changed into a Spiritual Worship and neither at Jerusalem or at Mount Gerazim nor elsewhere must there be any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremonies John 4.21 24. but he that will Worship God must worship him in Spirit and Truth and therefore it is no wonder if now the Holy Ghost doth reveal himself I say now when his Spiritual Dominion by sanctification is to begin Secondly Because the Holy Ghost was now in especial manner to be restored again Some observe that he was visibly departed from Israel after the Death of the last Prophets and therefore now at his restoring he comes in a visible and apparent form and he lights on him to whom it belongs to give the Spirit and his gifts to whom he pleaseth As John had preached that Christ should baptize with the Holy Ghost so now the Holy Ghost comes and abides on Jesus Christ in the sight of John as if the Father should have said Now I seal that Power and Priviledge to Christ my Son which John hath spoken now the Holy Ghost is upon himself and hereafter he shall baptize others with the same Holy Ghost Thirdly Because at the beginning of the Gospel it was most sutable that a full clear and sensible demonstration of the whole Trinity should be made The Learned observe that the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath a special regard to express this Mystery of the Trinity upon singular occasions so the very first thing that is taught in all the Bible Gen. 1.1 2 3. is this same Mystery In the Begining God Created there is the Father and God said there is the Word or the Son and the Spirit of God moved there is the Holy Ghost And the very first word of the Bible that speaks of a man it holds out the Trinity as creating him and God said Let us make Man in our own Image he saith let us to shew the Trinity of persons Gen. 1.26 and he saith in our Image not in our Images to shew the Unity of Essence And when Moses begins to rehearse the Law to Israel the first thing he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God Deut. 6.4 the Lord is one The last word One denotes the Unity the three words the Lord our God answer the three Persons and the middle word our God deciphers fitly the second Person who assumed our Nature how fit then was it that at the beginning of the new world and the new Law and the Baptism of Christ the three persons should be revealed especially since he ordained Baptism to be admitted in all their names Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son Mat. 28.19 and of the holy Ghost But where is it revealed see Mat. 3.16 17. where the Father speaks from Heaven the Son comes out of the water and the holy Ghost appears in the likeness of a Dove This was the greatest meeting that ever was upon the earth every person of the Trinity gives some sensible evidence of his presence at it To the second why in the form of a Dove rather than some other form Many reasons are given as 1. To shew Christs innocency purity simplicity charity and love 2. To shew what innocency and harmlesness should be in those that are baptized 3. To answer the Figure in Noahs Flood for as a Dove at that time brought tidings of the abatings of the waters so now it brings tidings of the abating of Gods wrath upon the preaching of the Gospel the first Dove we find in the Bible is Noahs Dove with the Olive-Branch in her Bill proclaiming peace the next is Davids Dove with Feathers silver-white as noteing sincerity then Esays Dove mourning with her voice as signifying patience and lastly Christs Dove innocent and harmless now all these properties meet in this Dove the Spirit of God Much more might I add to these but I desire to hasten to some more edifying truths From this Baptism of Christ we may learn a practical necessary Truth Vse There is a Generation that cries down Baptism of water and upon this score because they suppose it was proper to John to Baptise only with water and to Christ to Baptise only with the holy Ghost and with fire Indeed Christ in his own person Baptized none otherwise but with the holy Ghost immediately after his Ascension he sent his Spirit upon the Church and baptized them with fire the spirit appearing like a flame and to this day though not visibly he Baptizeth all his Saints with the Holy Ghost and with fire but for all this he appointed John and not only John but all his Apostles and their Successors for ever to Baptise with water and they did so and yet do so obeying the preceptive words of Christ which are almost the last words that he spake upon the earth And though Christ did not Baptize with water yet Christ himself we see here was Baptized with water he himself enters at that door by which his Disciples must for ever follow after him and indeed therefore he went in at that door of Baptism that he might hallow or sanctifie the entrance which himself made to the house he was now a Building And for the difference they make betwixt Christ's Baptism and John's Baptism what 's this to the purpose we all know that in Baptism are two parts the outward part and the inward part you may call them if you please the outward Baptism and the inward Baptism the outward Baptism is of the Minister but the inward Baptism is of Christ But must we separate these or rather Joyn them if these in ordinary must be joined as we find them in Christ Mark 1.4 and as we desire they may
and the fellowship of his sufferings now by the Grace of Christ I am made conformable to his death As he died for sin so I die to sin and here is the ground of my hope that Christs death is mine For the second whether we encrease and grow in our mortification this question is needfull as the former to satisfie our souls interest in the death of Christ As true Grace is growing Grace so true mortification is that which grows Now that we may be resolved in this point also the growth of our mortification will appear by these following signs 1. Growing Mortification hath its chiefest conflicts in spiritual lusts At first we mortifie grosser evils such as Oaths Drunkenness Uncleanness worldly-mindedness or the like but when we grow in this Blessed duty we then set our selves against spiritual wickednesses as Pride Presumption Self-carnal confidence in a man 's own graces or the like 2 Cor. 7.1 this Method the Apostle sets down let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit first from all filthiness of the flesh or body and then from all filthiness of the spirit or soul as the children of Israel in their entrance into the land of Promise first they sate upon the frontiers and skirts of the Land and then they sought it out and prevailed in the heart of the Country so Christians in their mortification they first set upon worldly lusts gross evils outward sins and when they have encountred them at the frontiers they then conflict with such corruptions as lie more inwardly in the very heart spiritual wickednesses that are within Now if this be our case here is one sign of our growth 2. Growing mortification is more even constant lasting durable when there is in the heart a sudden flowing and reflowing it comes from those vast Seas of Corruptions that are within us many souls have their Ague-fits sometimes hot and sometimes cold it may be now they are in a very good frame and within an hour or two a mighty Tide comes in and they are born down by sin and corruption in this case mortification is very weak But on the contrary if we find our standing more firm and sure if for the main we walk evenly and keep closely to the Lord it carries with it an evidence that our mortification grows 3. Growing mortification feels Lust more weak and the Spirit more strong in its ordinary actings If we would know the truth of growth let us look to our usual fits of sinning for then a man's strength or weakness is discerned most as a man's weakness to good is discerned when he comes to act it Rom. 7.18 to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not so a man's weakness to sin is best discerned when he comes to act it Mark then the ordinary fits as we call them of sinning sometimes God is pleased to appoint some more frequent assaults as if he would on purpose suffer the law of the members to war and to muster up all their forces that so we might the rather know what is in our hearts at such a time if we find that resistance against sin grows stronger that sin cannot advance and carry on his Army so as formerly that sin is encountâ—ed at first or met withal at the frontiers and there overthrown this is a good sign that now our mortification grows as suppose it be a Lust of Fancy it cannot boyl up to such gross fancies as it was wont or suppose it be a Lust of Pride it boyls not up to such a spirit of Pride as formerly in stead of bringing forth fruit it now brings forth blossomes or instead of bringing forth blossomes it now brings forth nothing but Leaves why this is a sure sign that this Lust is withering more and more when the inordinate thirst is not so great in the time of the Fit when the inward lusts pitch upon lower acts than they had wont when the waters abate and fall short and lessen and overflow less ground we may conclude certainly that mortification grows 4. Growing mortification hath more ability to abstain from the very occasions and beginnings of lust Ioâ— 31.1 Thus Job whom we look on as a man much mortified made a Covenant with his eyes that he would not think upon a Maid and no question as he made a covenant so he kept his Covenant Oh! when a man cannot endure to come where such a one is that he loves not when he cannot endure the fight of him or any thing that puts him in mind of him not so much as to parlie or speak with him this is a sign of a strong hatred and so when a man hates the very garment spotted with the flesh here 's a good sign I know this height is not easie to attain to and therefore some in imitation of Job and David have bound themselves with vows and promises as much as might be to abstain from the appearance of evil to crush the Cockatrice Egg before the Serpent could creep out of it to avoid sin in its first rise but alas how have they broken their vows from time to time For all this I dare not speak against vows provided that 1. They be of things lawful 2. That we esteem them not as duties of absolute necessiâ—y And 3. Thâ—t we bind not our selves perpetually left our vows should become burdens unto us but only for some short time and so renew them as occasion requires in this way our vows might much help us in our mortification and if once through the help of vows or prayer or looking unto Jesus or going to the Cross of Jesus Christ or by any other means we feel our selves more able to resist sin to hate sin in its first rise first motions first on-set we may assuredly hope that now our mortification grows O my Soul try now the growth of thy mortification by these signs hast thou overcome grosser sins and is now thy chiefest coâ—flâ—t with spiritual wickednesses is thy standing and walking with God more close and even and constant than sometimes it hath been is thy lusts more weak and thy Grace more strong in ordinary actings I say in ordinary actings for the estimate of thy growth must not be taken for a turn or two but by a constanst course hast thou now more ability to quench the flame of sin in the very spark to dash Babylon's Brats against the stones even whilst they are little to abstain from sin in its first motion or beginning why then is the promise accomplished he will subdue our iniquities Surely thou art a growing Christian Micah 7.19 thou hast fellowship with Christ in his sufferings thy ground is solid firm and stable thy hope hath a rock-foundation and thou maiest build upon it that Christ's death and blood and sufferings are thine even thine he loved thee and gave himself for thee SECT V. Of Believing in Jesus in