beauty of it This shal be doâ—e to the man whom God hath now and wil then honor They shal sit wich the Lord Jesus in his throne and shal judg the twelve Tribes of Israel The wicked when they shal see the Saints next unto Christ and judging with Christ they cannot but acknowledg and that to the grief of Their hearts that they be highly honored and dearly beloved like unto the Lord Jesus That is the truth of the point before we can come to the Reason there must be two Questions answered which wil give in the light of explication to the several branches of the Doctrine Quest 1. How wicked men the world can be truly said to know the love of God to beleevers which is so special a secret that it is not many times made known to Gods own for many years together nay the Apostle professeth it exceedeth knowledg Eph. 3.19 At least this new name writ upon the White-stone no man knows but he that hath it And therefore this love seems to be beyond the reach of the world too far off for their blind Eyes to see yea the Apostle professeth they have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit of God that they might know the things that are graciously given them of God and is one if not the cheifest of al those good things given the surpassing indearedness of the Fathers affection to his How then can the world who have no other but the Spirit of the world be able to know this Answ I answer three things wherein the meaning of the places wil be opened and the weight of the Objection removed and taken away 1. To discern and judg of the spiritualness of the work of any saving Grace is wholly beyond the ability and reach of any natural man much more unable is he to know Gods love therein or to view the beauty and surpassing sweetness thereof These waies of Wisedom are too high for a Fool. He must have Gods Eye-salve that must be able to see the things of Gods Grace in himself much more in another All sanctifying works are peculiar to the Saints There is sanctifying work in the understanding to act it and inable it to close with its object as well as any sanctifying work upon any of the other faculties and this is proper to the Saints And the Scripture is plain and peremptory the world knows not the Father nor Christ Nor yet any that are begotten of Christ and so neither the love of the Father conveyed by Christ unto any 1 Joh. 3.2 Therefore the world knows us not because it knows not him And upon this ground it is they are called Gods hidden ones Though the world and wicked men cannot discern nor rightly understand what this love is nor the spiritual Nature of it which is done by a spiritual light yet they may know and then they shal-know that God the Father hath and doth affect them with a most peculiar love both glorious for the manner and incomparable for the measure of it even next unto the Lord Jesus and this shal be discovered by the fruits of this love and the amazing expressions of the riches of his mercy which then shal appeare upon the faithful in their deliverance from so great evils which is wrought for them the crowning of them with that Excessive Exceeding weight of glory with which they shal stand possessed and that unto the astonishment of the ungodly and the torment of their Souls with envy and indignation thereat No man knows the affection of a Father or Husband but those that are in that estate and condition because its a secret of Nature which is only to be seen in the impression of the work yet that a Father loves his Son above al other his dearest friends and neerest acquaintance That the Husband tenders his Spouse with an indeared affection above al mortal creatures This appeares by the expressions of his respect that all he hath is at her command al he can do is wholly improved for her content and comfort she lies in his Bosom and his heart trusts in her which forceth al to confess that the stream of his affection like a mighty current runs with ful Tide and strength Though what that affection is he doth not know yet this he knows The choicest affection is there So it was with Haman when the Question was by the King made What shal be done to the Man whom the King will Honor He expressed his opinion and was forced to put it also in practise He then knew who was most deep and dear in the Kings Royal affection Mal. 3.20 When God makes up his Jewels then men shal discern betwixt him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not how ever happily before they were al shuffled up together and then there was no differencing betwixt the most precious Jewel and the most reffuse Pebble 3. This knowledg in the ful extent of it as it is here to be attended and that which is appropriated to that time in peculiar it may be expressed in two particulars if we would lay out the limits and bounds thereof 1. They shal then stand perswaded of the love of God to beleevers by a setled and wel grounded conviction that cannot be removed I say setled conviction because for a time or turn for a present push and undeâ— pressure they may freely yield and confess and profess as much So many profane wretches in the horroâ— of their hearts they have then honored then advanceâ— the faithful as the most happy Oh Blessed such that ever they were Born Balaam-like Let my Soul die thâ— Death of the righteous and my latter end be like his But this is but a pang Now only setled conviction Seizeth upon the Souls of the worldly men 2. It is a grounded Acknowledgment from a sensible Experience of the contrary Condition which they have observed in their own Souls and therefore now it 's past gainsaying when their own sense gives in constant Evidence without alteration of which more afterward If Conviction be setled so as it cannot be removed their Experience undeniable which brings in Evidence that cannot be gain-sayed then it 's true The World may be said to know that there is such a Love of God to the Saints Quest 2. Why doth not the World come to know this in this Life Answ Upon a double Ground or for a two-fold Reason 1. Because the Life Spiritual of the Saints is hid and concealed while they wilder up and down in this Vale of Tears clouded partly with sorrows and miseries which attend them as a constant Companion in a Christian Course partly collied and bemited with corruptions of their hearts and lives so that neither the beauty of Gods Grace nor the tender expressions of Gods Love doth in any peculiar manner appear in them and go no further than the Judgment of Sense they are the most forlorn despicable Persons upon the face of the
of the Load-stone By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward Clows Chyrurgery Marks of Salvation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr. Love's Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech Vox Pacifica or a perswasive to peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament Time Mr. Symsons Sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks Sermon before the Lord Major Mr. Phillips of Christs Genealogy Eaton on the Oath of Allegiance and Convenant shewing that they oblige not A Congregational Church is a Catholick Visible Church 〈◊〉 Samuel Stone in New England A Treatise of Politick Powers wherin seven Questions are Answered 1. Whereof Power is made and for what ordained 2 Whether Kings and Governors have an Absolute Power over the People 3 Whether Kings and Governors be subject to the Laws of God or the Laws of their Countrie 4 How far the People are to obey their Governors 5 Whether all the people have be their Governors 6 Whether it be Lawful to depose an evil Governor 7 What Confidence is to be given to Princes The Compassionate Samaritan Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians The Best and Worst Magistrate By Obadiah Sedgwick The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries By Matthew Newcemen A Sacred Penegerick By Stephen Martial Barriffs Military Discipline The Immortality of Mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized King Charts his Case or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Tryal Mr. Owens stedfastness of the Promises A Vindication of Free Grace Endeavoring to prove 1 That we are not elected as holy but that we should be holy and that Election is not of kinds but persons 2 That Christ did not by his Death intend to save all men and touching those whom he intended to save that he did not die for them only if they would beleeve but that they might beleeve 3 That we are not justified properly by our beleeving in Christ but by out Christ beleeving in him 4. That which differenceth one man from another is not the improvement of a common ability restored through Christ to all men in general but a principle of Grace wrought by the Spirit of God in the Elect. By John Pawson Six Sermons preached by Doctor Hill Viz. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Church of Christ 3 The Spring of strengthening Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4 The strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their strength 5 The Best and Worst of Paul 6 Gods eternal preparation for his Dying Saints The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech on the Scaffold The King's Speech on the Scaffold The Magistrates Support and Burden By Mr. John Cordel The Discipline of the Church 〈◊〉 New England by the Churches and Synod there A Relation of the Barbadoes A Relation of the Repentance and Conversion of the Indians in New England by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhâ—w The Institutes of the Laws of England by John Cowel Octavo A description of the Grand Signiors Seraglio or the Turkish Emperors Court By John Greaves Octavo The reigning error Arraigned at the Bar of Scripture and Reason By Franscis Fulwood Octavo The state of Future Life By Thomas white Twelves The Royal and delightful Game of Picquet written in French and now rendered into English Octavo De copore Poliâ—â—â— or The Elements of Law moral and politick By Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury The London Dispensatory in Latin in Folio The London Dispensatory in Latin in Twelves The Parliament Faâ—t These several Books of Physick and Chyrurgerie will shortly be printed in English Reverius Observations with fifteen hundred and seventie other Histories and Observations of other men Riolanus Anatomy Bartholinus Anatomy All the Works of Daniel Sennerius The Idea of Practical Physick being a compleat Body of Physick And all Fernelius his Works Francisci Tayleri Capitula Patrum Hebraicè Latinè edita Una cum Annotationibus sensum locorum difficilium Exprimentibus Francisci Tayleri Lamentationes Jeremiae vatis Denuo è fontibus Hebraicis translatae cum Paraphrasi Chaldaica Masora magna parva Commentariis Rabbi Shelomoh Jarchi Aben Ezrae è Buxtorfii Bibliis magnis excerptis Mr. Burroughs on 1 Cor. 5 7. and 18 19.29 And fifty nine Sermons on Matthew 11.28 29 30. Are Printing The Contents of Mr. Hooker's seventeenth Book made in New-England JOHN 17.20 CHrist's Prayer as a Mediator Page 1 The excellency of that Prayer Page 2 The Parts of it 1 For himself to verse 6. ib. 2 For his Servants ibid. DOCT. 1. The first especial scope of prayer should be for such things as do more especially concern us ibid. The Subjects of our Saviors prayer are set forth two waies Page 3 1 From their Quality They shal beleeve Page 4 2 From a comparison of equality not only for the Apostles but for all Page 4 For Explication there is no difficulty in the words but what is meant by their Word ibid. That is the Gospel which they preached ibid. Their word opposed to two things ibid. 1 To the Law ibid. 2 To the Doctrines of men Page 5 DOCT. 2. The word of the Gospel is the only ordinary meâ—â—â— to work Faith ibid. Reas 1. ibid. Reas 2. Page 7 Reas 3. ibid. Use 1. Of Terror Page 8 Use 2. For Instruction and Comfort Page 9 Use 3. Examination Page 10 Use 4. Exhortation ibid. DOCT. 3. Saving Faith hath the Lord Jesus for its Object Page 11 The Second thing is The Comparison of equality ibid. DOCT. 4. The Interceding prayer or Intercession of our Savior doth alike respect all Page 12 Christs Intercession was intended for al Beleevers alike ib. Three things opened 1 The Nature and manner of Christs Intercession Page 13 2 The works and vertue of it 3 The Reasons of the Point ibid. Quest What are those spiritual affairs of ours Page 14. Answ They appear in three Particulars ibid. The Reasons are three Page 16 1 Because Christ indifferently undertook to be our Mediator ibid. 2 Because it is common to all alike 17 3 Because it is necessary to all alike ibid. Use 1. For Instruction ibid. Use 2. For Direction Page 19 Use 3. Consolation ibid. Use 4. Terror Page 20 Use 5. Exhortation to Beleevers Page 21 DOCT. 5. Christ hath especial care of such as shal be Beleevers even in the worst condition of their Unbelief Page 22 See this made good in some particulars 1. In the several degrees of it 2. The Reason 3. The Vse Page 23 The vertue of Christs prayer appears in five particulars ibid. The Reasons are three 1 From the soveraignty of Gods will Page 28 2 From the Riches of Gods mercy in Christ ibid 3 It is the scope also of Christs coming ibid. Use 1. Of Instruction Page 29 Use 2. Matter of admiration Page 31 Christ's Prayer
Christ the Author of Grace the giver of all grace and peace He is the great Almner by whom God gives al As in another case it s said The Father judgeth no man but hath committed al judgment to his Son so he comforts quickens none but by his Son therefore in these of al ordinances priviledgeâ— performances look at them only either as those which lead to Christ or come from Christ What Christ hath received as man we have dispatched 2. What he gives now comes into consideration where there be two Doctrins 1. The Saints share in a like glorious grace with Christ 2. This glorious grace they receive by way of gift from our Savior To the First 2. Cor. 3.18 The Apostles Testimony is pregnant even to the letter of the doctrine We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory c. i. e. while by Faith in the evidence of the gospel we behold the glorious grace of God imprinted upon the humane nature of our Savior we come to receive the like print and impression of glorious grace upon our own Souls 2. Tim. 2.1 My Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ As it is with the beams of the Sun that be in the aire they have heat and light continued to them while they are continued to the body of the sun If once that be intercepted the other decayes and vanisheth away So it is with the grace that iâ— in us which hath its beauty and glorious strength from the daily influence and continuance we have and hold in our communion and sweet intercourse with the Lord Jesus as the fountain of al grace and glory See this truth made good in four particulars 1. This grace is Inward and spiritual not that which orders a mans carriage in regard of himself nor moralizes his behavior to walk civilly and inoffensively towards others but it leaves an impression upon the most inward motions of the soul as they meet with God in the most retired and refined actions thereof Psal 15. The Queen is al glorious within Truth in the inward parts in those contrivements which God alone is privy to Sound ones in Gods statutes 2. This impression of glorious Grace in VNIVERSAL Every faithful hath not some few or many but all the saving and sanctifiâ—ng Graces of the Spirit in al the kinds of them and is able and doth also put forth the operations thereof as occasions do invite and the Law and his own duty doth require at his hands Joh. 1.16 Of his fulness we al receive grace for grace i.e. for each grace in Christ there is the like and answerable Grace left in the heart of every beleever As it is with the seal and the Wax There is in the Wax letter for letter syllable for syllable word for word answerable to that which was in the Seal Every letter there instamped is for the kind and number imprinted upon the Wax So it is with the grace of our Savior that is like the seal our hearts like the wax We receive patience from his patience humility in him leaves a like impression of humility in us c. Holiness from his holiness courage from his courage Hence is that of the Apostle Galat. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travail again until Christ be formed in you As it is with the parts of the Body of a Child naturally in an ordinary and common way of Providence There is not one or few or many members of a man but al the particulars are fashioned when the Child is conceived otherwise it is not a human creature but a monstrous birth If the hand should want some fingers or the Arm a hand or the Body an Arm But Nature in the course of generation intends al the parts and al the proportions of them unless her work be hindered and blemished So it is in our spiritual Regeneration when a Christan is born by the immortal Seed of the word in the Womb of the Church Whol Christ i.e. All the saving and gracious dispositions of soul whereby a man comes to be a perfect Christian and to carry the stamp of Christ his everlasting Father are left upon him otherwise he is not a new Creature but indeed a falâ— birth and Monster in Christianity And hence the Apostle wisheth they should comprehend c. And be filled with al bis Fulness Eph. 3.19 i.e. They should not be an empty crevis or corner no part of the Body but it should be sanctified to become a weapon of righteousness no faculty of the soul but it should be adorned with some glorious impression of the power of Grace wisedom and prudence in the mind holiness in the wil harmonious readiness in al the affections to attend the counsel of the Lord to be instruments of holiness 3. As they share in al the kinds of glorious Grace here while they are in their infancy and in the Bosom of the Church So also They do partake of all the PERFECTIONS of al these kinds When they shal arrive at the end of their hopes the Salvation of their souls Here the earnest there the ful bargain Here the first fruits there the whol harvest of holines and happiness 1. Joh. 3.2 We are now the sons of God but it doth not appear what we shal be but this is known that when Christ doth appear we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is Then we shall not see him darkly as he is revealed in his word dispensing himself in his Ordinances But we shall see him as he it He shall dart in those unconceiveable beames of the fulness of all holiness from himself immediately upon the Soul Then the Soul shall see nothing but a Christ and receive nothing but the impressions of the holiness happiness of a Christ This is called the Perfect Man that a perfect Christian when this glory is made Perfect when there shall be no weakness to enfeeble the strength of Grace no blemishes to darken the surpassing beauty of holiness This is the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 4. They share in the CONSTANCY and immutability of al this glorious Grace When they shall be beyond all fears and changes above principalities and powers beyond the noise of temptations which may assauk and hinder the work of Grace without and beyond the sight and presence of sin which may any waies enfeeble it Called An excessive exceeding eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 This is called the Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 The Crown of life and glory Jam. 1.12 This is the Diamond in the Crown and glory of our glory when Grace is now setled in the Throne and Crowned with immutability and Eternity i.e. becomes victorious and enemies vanquished as admitting no alteration nay no opposition of any thing to hinder nay not the sight of any enemy more
did it not to me Therefore if the Argument was strong whereby our Savior would perswade all to be feareful of offending even one of these little ones though they were alone and though little because â—hat in Heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the fâ—ce oâ— their heavenly Father ready to attend his pleasure to execute his wil for their preservation and for the ruine of their enemies Math. 18.10 Then much more this Argument He that is Lord of glory and hath all power in Heaven and Earth is in them and suffers with them and therefore cannot but protect them and relieve both his and their wrongs Is in Heaven at Gods right hand and is also in their hearts USE 2. To desire the fellowship and to delight in the society of the faithful For we shal keep no worse company than that of our Savior Though happily they dwel in a smoâ—ky cottage have course faâ—e be in a mean condition yet if Christ dwel in them we need not be ashamed to converse with them and own them Go in to their companies as resolving to go to Court For where the King is the Court is his presence makes it We should look at the faithful as the great Heires of glory and Courtiers of Heaven we cannot injoy their society but we may also come to the sight of our Savior and speech with him So 1. Joh. 1.3 This we write that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with the Sâ—n. So they Zach. 8.13 And therefore as the Apostle Hebr. 13.2 Be careful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares so be ready to entertain the Saints the poor members of Christ hereby we shal entertain Christ Receive such servants into your families c. USE 3. Hence by way of TRYAL we way gain undoubted evidence unto our Hearts that we are indeed Beleevers and truly beloved of God and his Son If once we find this blessed Son the Lord Jesus by his spiritual and special presence in our souls It s a never failing argument which will give in assurance of our good condition beyond all that the Divels can object or our fears and discouraged hearts can question The Apostle puts it beyond the possibility of any cavil If Christ be given to thee how shal not God but give al things Els that is hold this ground and make that good Thy carnal reason by al the deluded Devise whereby it would daunt thy heart it cannot put a colorable appearance of any possibility but that al things that are good should be given thee He that hath the Son hath life Make that sure and then al the rest is safe past al peradventure nay beyond dispute For al the jealousies and suspicious that arise in our own hearts al the darkness and difficulties that appear in al discoveries that are made all the questions that come upon the most searching inquiries and examinations touching any soundness of any Grace or any work of Grace and so of the sincerity of the heart and the truth and goodness of a mans estate If any doubt arise whether sure or no certain or no in conclusion it is lastly resolved settles and centers as they say Here If Issues from our not-union with Christ This may be done by some other power proceed from some other principle than the spirit of the Lord Jesus This is not a certain fruit of our union to Christ or the inhabitation of the spirit of Jesus in us And in Issue unless it lead necessarily to a Christ or be derived infallibly from him and the interest we have in covenant with him It s no more than that a man may have who hath no Grace It s no more but that which a man may do that hath no part in a Savior And hence al such evidences fal to the ground and utterly fail And in truth the weakness of expressions in this kind men taking shews for substance seemings and some appearances of things for the truth of things themselves hath been the cause that many have been cousened with their own conceipts and apprehensions many have denied all evidences because those which they had and too much trusted unto were fall and failed them utterly at times of need Therefore the Holy Ghost presseth this so instantly and checks the failing in it so sharply 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove and examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith or no Acted by and carried by the power of Faith Why how shal we discern that Know ye not that Christ is in you If once that be brought about the business is offa hand and its a sin and a shame ye should not Vnless ye be reprobates that is drossy men Christians that have not the right mettal are not of the right make you should not but know this This presence special and spiritual discovers it self in two things Not to trouble you with more 1. He that hath this presence hath somthing and finds somthing above the bounds of al created abilities that even the greatest sufficiency of the creature the best indeavours and improvements of the best meanes in providence could reach unto A wisedom beyond all a mans Wit and readiest subtilties and largest apprehensions a power beyond all the power of Nature beyond what a mans abilities and dexterity can compass education give skil of art and sciences attain practise and experience find out beyond al the moral impressions that the power of all meanes and help under Heaven can leave upon the Soul It was said of Saul that the Lord gave him another heart than formerly he had he had the spirit of Government a special ability to the discharge of the place that the Lord had called him unto So it is with every Christian he hath another heart than ever before and performes his duties from another power than ever he did before Gal. 2.20 even by the power of Christ So the Apostle professeth He did not live nor pray nor preach It was not abilities of nature which he had not knowledg of Art and learning in which he excelled by which he prayed but it was the power and gracious presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ that acted and carried out al those abilities yea that spiritual power of grace he had to this work either of praying or preaching So 2. Cor. 13.3 If any man require a testimony of Christ speaking in me And therefore it s the reason which he gives why the things of God are known by beleevers and not known to the greatest of the world 1. Cor. 2.11 No man knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God and we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God Nay he comes yet lower to the very expression of the words Which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth And the Saints often find and profess it they are helped
him as we have heard But the same Spirit by the same power that raised Christ from the dead works it Eph. 1.20 No man comes unless the Father draw John 6.44 He that hath heard and learned of the Father comes verse 45. He it is that begets us again by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 2. Adams closing with God in the performance of this Covenant was in this That he did imitate the Lord in the manner of his Work for that was the excellency of his Image to work as God had wrought To do not what God requited only but to wil Gods Wil that is to meet with him and to concur with him in the Act of his Will As the Clock doth with the Sun at the point of such an hour when the Sun goes twelve it strikes twelve or as ye have heard somtimes two Clocks meet and melt into the same stroak at an instant To wil as he love as he delight as he Make my heart one with thee Psal 86.11 Acts 13.22 Col. 4.12 But every Saâ—â— of God that by his Spirit is carried to him he is made one with Christ in an unspeakable manner 1. The Soul is pitched immediately upon the Deity and so the Father Son and Holy Ghost and in the most intimate Union that can be imagined Not as the Branches to the Vine John 15.1 nor as the Members to the Head Eph. 1.22 but yet neerer they are bone of his bone and flâ—sh of his flesh and that is neerer than to be Members to a Head Eph. 5. and 30.32 yea are one Spirit â—ith him 1 Cor. 6.17 and this is beyond the compass of al that sufficiency and excellency God implaâ—ted in Adam The Spirit of the Lord Jesus that caâ—ried the Soul to the Father and Christ closeth the â—oul with the Spirit of the Father and Christ By the Spirit from the Father and Christ we close with the Spirit in Christ and the Father If the Spirit which raised Christ from the dead be in you Rom. 8.11 As by the same Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 Adam had Supernatural Grace but this â—s more than Supernatural for that was not able to incorporate the Soul into Christ The Lord by his Eternal Spirit plucks him from his sin carries him to himself and puâ—s him under the power of the Spirit of the Second Adam As the first Adam by natural Generation turns the Soul from God to Sin puts it under the right and rule of the perverted mutability or disobedience and curse of the first Adam Adam traded out of his own Stock and from those Principles of Grace he had received and the Lord had implanted in his Nature coming into the World gifted and qualified from the bounty goodness and faithfulness of the Lord And therefore it 's said He had wherein to rejoyce had he obeyed and performed the Covenant and wrought for his Life But beleevers are not in their own hands nor at their own finding but kept in the hand of Christ and live meerly and immediately upon dependance have all their Store and Stock in the hand of the Lord Jesus are brought and taken into fellowship with the Father and his Son and thence fetch al that dayly quickening and efficacious influence of the Favor and presence of the Lord to carry them out to al the Duties they do Thus the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I live not but Christ lives in me and that I do now live The Fountain of Life is not firstly in himself Adam might have said I live by the Power and Principle of Grace received and in which I was created and thereby I have pleased God and according to the Covenant of Works may challenge life and happiness But Paul in the Person of al beleeving sinners professeth that I live not Christ hath brought me to himself made me one with himself that he might be al in al to me and work al by me We are dead and our Life is hid with Christ in God Christ is the Keeper of our Life the Father the Author of it So that it is not any Power in Man or Principle of Grace whereby we come firstly to close with God but the Spiritual Union of the Faithful is of a higher or neerer Nature than that it can at the first readily be apprehended namely not by the Power of Man or Principle of Grace for al this is but a Creature never brought the Soul to God or kept it with him But the power of the Deity in Christ by his Spirit hath fitted me for himself and hath carried me to himself made me one Spirit with himself doth al for himself in me that he may receive al to himself from me and I might wholly have such a desire that al that we have may hold out his Excellency in al these his Dispensations and so have nothing of my self do nothing from my self which excludes Works wholly Here the Soul is compassed about with al the Power of Heaven nothing but with the power of God in Christ Whereas Adam who did somting of himself from a Principle he had so he might have taken somthing to himself he had whereof to rejoyce But God in this way and work he doth al from himself by man no man doth it He receives al to himself from Man Man must take nothing 2. Love of complacency that the Father takes content and solaceth himself in the enjoyment of his Faithful whom he hath thus chosen out of the World therfore termed his own Joh. 13.1 A little of our own say we gives to little content and rest to their owner A mans own house he delights to lodg in delights to converse with his own servants or little ones Thus the Lord is said to know the righteous not to know the way of the Vngodly Depart I know you not As a man is said to own such a person so educated As the sensible Creatures can own their Mates and their yong by the sence they scent the Nature of such and own somthing of themselves in them as generated of them So he that hath not the Spirit is none of Christs the Spirit which God the Father sent in Christs Name by that his are owned As somtime a Parent when the Child sent into a far Country and conceived to be lost and dead shall yet return there is some manner of his Speech some Natural guise in his Carriage some cast of his Look whereby the Parent wil own him and know him for his As there was a secret owning and yerning of Bowels in the true Mother to the Child when it could not be determined whose it was So God the Father who hath sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his he cannot but know and acknowledg it and take complacency and contentment in it Rom. 8.27 he is said to know the meaning of his Spirit Hence they are called Gods precious ones Isai 43.4 his Jewels Mal. 3.17 yea Christ professeth he is ravished
sinners This is a faithful word and worthy of al acceptance and therefore the Soul looks out and saies It may be This keeps the Head above Water Reason 2. Here in the Gospel only is certainty to be had of some interest and special Title whereby the Soul may be encouraged and faith also find some foot-hold whereby the heart may bottom and bear up it self in some confidence For righteousness there is to be had from God in Christ but this Issues only in the communication of it from free mercy The Lord may do with his own what he will and therefore he may deny whom he wil and give to whom he please how then shal I know and have any ground or evidence upon any certainty that he wil do good to me God is bound to none True God is bound to none further then he will bind himself and he binds himself in no wise to the creature but by his promise and that he wil never deny who cannot deny himself Now in the Gospel only this promise and ingagement of God is revealed he hath promised to work the condition and then tied himself in his truth to do good to those whom he wil so fit for his mercy And now the Soul upon this notice grows in upon God here is a handle as it were for faith to lay hold on therefore said a word of promise Rom. 9.9 and therefore the whole Gospel is called the promise Gal. 3.29 Beleevers are said to be the Children of the promise that is of the Gospel Reason 3. The Gospel is the only means whereby the Soul is inabled with power from above even with a Spirit of Grace fâ—â— to go for succour and reliefe where it is thus evidenced and whence it hath now received some intimation of Gods ingagement intendment and so of certainty by which it may be incouraged to go upon such grounds as will never fail nor break under a man That he may go stedily and comfortably 2. Cor. 3.6 It s said to be the administration of the Spirit Not of the Letter that is there is not Barely a discovery and manifestation of what Gods mind and counsel is that should be done such the sense and meaning of words and sentences may descry set out and hold forth But there is a Spirit of power that is promised and so dispensed and conveyed in and by this word for to inable the Soul to do that which the Letter shews it should do Gods saying is doing his calling is making he speaks not only to the ear but conveyes a power by speaking Lazaruscome forth The dead shall hear John 5.25 Gal. 3.3 Received ye the Spirit even this Spirit by the preaching of the Law or by the Doctrin of faith This is the word by which God begets us Jam. 1.18 If in the Gospel there be that freeness of Grace that is sufficient to answer all the necessities and desires of the Heart certainty of promise to incourage it if it shal come and power and Spirit to inable it for to come Then The word of the Gospel is the only meanes to work faith Use 1. Of Terror This discovers the woeful and miserable condition of such who want this Gospel But especially the hainousness of the sin and the dreadful condemnation of such who Oppose the Gospel God hath shut up al under unbelief in the Kingdom of darkness under the power of the Prince of darkness they look out as prisoners through the Grates of Hell and Infidelity there is no possibility to help to a Key to open this Dore but the Key of the Gospel they wilfully keep the Dore bolted and refuse the only help which the Lord hath provided Christ hath purchased with his Blood appointed and sanctified by his spirit and doth promise to accompany for their deliverance yea this they oppose This was the doom and sentence which Paul passed upon them Act. 13.46 Ye judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life by putting away the word Thou stoppest thine ear at the glad tidings of it shuttest thine eyes at the righteousness thereof Puttest by and castest away withdrawest thy soul from under the prevailing power of that word Know Thou needest no Devil to accuse no witness to evidence no Judg to condemn thy practise doth judg thy self unworthy unfit to receive Grace who resistest it to share in mercy who despisest it or to injoy eternal life who hast rejected the offer of eternal life So Paul again sent those away with their load when they refused to hear Act. 28.26 Use 2. Instruction and Comfort Therefore this word of the Gospel shal undoubtedly be preserved and published and that until the end of the world as long as the Lord Christ hath any to be gathered any of his to be brought home to himself by a saving Faith They shal beleeve by this therefore they shal have this maugre al the malice the power and policy of Hel the rage and restless opposition of al the instruments of Satan That word cannot be falsefied This Prayer cannot be frustrated and therefore This work cannot be hindâ—ed Seem it never so improbable never so impossible in our Eyes and feeble apprehensions Measure not the power and Faithfulness and wisdom of the Lord by the scantling of our shallow apprehensions but know he hath said it and he wil doe it The fan is in his hand not in any mans hand It s said of the Apostles their sound went through the world They are compared to the course of the Sun in his Sphoere and Orb. So it wil be with his messenger when it is his mind to cal any of his His Doctrine is as the dew no man can hinder it from falling Either the means to the man or the man to the means he wil send Onesimus his theft shal bring him to prison and so to Pauls ministery and so to Heaven Naaman must go to be cured of his Leprosy and so meets with the Prophet to cure him of his sin Philip is sent post to the Eunuches Coach though it was in an extraordinary way Use 3. Examination Know whether our Faith be of the right make or no. Ask whence came it where hadst thou thy Faith by what word If it came the right way It came by preaching the Gospel It wil shew thee 1. Thou hadst once none 2. That thou art not able to beleeve Jam 1.18 By bis own good wil begat be us by the word of truth If thou canst say I heard thus and thus of a Christ and so I beleeved then it is in thy wil to beleeve not in Gods wil that begets thee 3. It wil shew thee that Faith is made of the immortal Seed of the word 1 Pet. 1.23 that is the Spirit in the promise That as a man is made up of the Seed which enters his constitution so made up of promises Hither belongs that of Eph. 5.30 We are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone i. e. As the woman
a Son The Son is not therefore Son because he is God but because he hath a Father for they are both equally one God and have the Deity indifferently agreeing to them both As a man is not therefore a Husband because he is a man for then every man should be a husband but in reference to the Woman he hath married And hence the Father is said to be in the Son and the Son in the Father namely to be one in this mutual respect The Father had an Eye only to the Son in giving his subsistence of a Son The Son again hath an Eye to the Father alone returning the being of his sonship to him And they are prefect in this They wholly give wholly take Thus they are said to be in each other Joh. 14.10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me so said again to be one with another and delighting one in another Prov. 8.30 And mutually to glorifie one another Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee Joh. 17.1 3. The second person in the glorious Trinity so takes our Human Nature into personal Union with him that he is the same person he was no other and it becomes one person with him leanes upon him hath his dependance from him looks alone to him for his subsistence As a Son he assumes our Nature and as a Son with our Nature looks to the Father Therefore said he doth nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do Joh. 5.19 As the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to he Son to have life in himself because the Son of man verse 26.27 4. As the Father is said to beget his Son and give being to him so the Son as thus begotten assumes our Nature be comes the Head of the covenant and gives being of Sonship to his Children and they returne al that being to the Lord Christ and the Father in him Therefore called the eternal Father Isa 9.6 Hebr. 2.1 3. Here am I and the Children thou hast given me called also his seed The manner of which words may thus be conceived The Lord hath purchased the Spirit he is said then to beget when he sends the spirit of Sons inâ—o their Hearts which by the immutable assistance thereof sets their hearts for God holds the bent thereof towards him alone as their Father and principle of life As they receive this being of Sons they returne it wholly to the Father in Christ The whole man in the whol and that with his whol strength fastens upon God in Christ acted wholly by the influence of his spirit and holds the not excellency thereof The Sum of all out of all that hat been said 1. Vnity is the chiefest priviledg for which Christ prayes and beleevers can partake of as their peculiar good in themselves I add that In themselves because there be higher ends than this in the Text To-wit the setting up of God in Christ in the Consciences of the ungodly that they may be forced to confess that God sent his Son to this end That he loved them as he loved Christ There is yet another and higher end That they may behold and wonder and be swallowed up in the admiration of the glory of Christ which the Father hath given him Enquire here how far Christ being in the Saints and his love in them may yet be a higher end than this 2. This Vnity is not the unity of affection between each other so much but the unity of relation to God in Christ That as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father by eternal generation Beleevers so ought to be in both by spiritual Adoption 3. In this Spiritual Adoption as there is an influence from God in Christ to bend and settle the frame of the Heart towards him So there is a re-fluence and return by the power and impression left of the same spirit to come again to him Conveyance of help on Gods hand should quicken our dependance to look to him and stay our selves with him there 4. Had Adam stood his posterity out of principles in themselves might have challenged happiness though a covenant performed by a man conveyed by a man unto them by way of natural generation But in the covenant of the Gospel the second Adam the second person taking our Nature by the power of the Deity wrought al for us communicates al to us by the same almighty power inables us to receive what we have from him To be acted in al by him To return all to him The mutable principle in the creature never brought a man to God nor kept him with him But the mutable presence and Spirit of Christ So that there is a priviledg here above that principle of Grace that was in Adam for that was but a creature But here the spirit and so the power of God through Christ that takes our Nature into the neerest union with him even personal which in Adam it attained not in that purchaseth all for us Not a principle in us firstly but the spirit of God in Christ it is by which the bent of our Hearts are held and carried towards him acted by him and so inabled to hold out the vertue power praise and excellency of the spirit in Christ from the Father So that a poor creature is compassed about with nothing but whith the power of God in Christ and becomes one with Father and Son in their mutual relation to them and totall dependance upon them And this is above the innocency and excellency of Adam in Paradise and all that he could attain unto and above all created Grace in Heaven being wholly taken up with God in Christ and loose our selves in God and Christ Eph. 4.13 The acknowledgment of the Son of God It was not the Son of man that did it The Son of God that recovered us held the bent of our hearts to him acted us kept us perfected us crownes us God shal be all in all The Father gives being to the Son returnes all to the Father and that eternal generation and so one The Lord Christ as a son and begotten of the Father gives us the being of Children by Adoption sets us and holds us We take al acted by him return to him As the Father in Christ gives all we receive and to the Father through Christ we return al and so we are one in the Father and the Son I. Reason 1. Because this is the scope of our Saviors coming into the world and the next end I say the next end he intended in the great work of Redemption which he wrought for lost man To bring him into this neer relation of dearest Love of the Father by himself and the work of his spirit and it s that wherein the life and power and pith of the covenant of Grace doth especially consist and appeare and the excellency thereof That peculiar and spiritual intercourse not alone
of affection but of divine operation of God upon the soul whereby the soul returns all unto God to do al and to receive all to do all for himself in man and to receive all to himself by man So that God alone doth all in this firstly upon man and then by man If this work was so much in the Eye of our Savior and that intended So chief also in the performance and that accomplished with care no wonder it had the next Room and remembrance in his prayer But so it was this was the main errand of our Savior when he was sent into the world and the very life of the kingdom of Grace and the covenant of Grace as it concerned them So the Lord professeth by the Prophet Esa 49 5 And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant Our Savior appointed in Gods decree sanctified and overshadowed by the Holy Ghost in the womb and called to this end for this work To bring Jacob back again to him It was that which was plotted by the Head and policy of Satan and brought about by the fal and through the folly of our first parents To break off this unity and Oneness betwixt God and Adam For Satan had found it by woful experience in himself that by sin God would be estranged from him and he also from God neither to find his favour towards him nor the presence of his spirit of Grace to work upon him nor yet would Adam thus departed act for God nor return to him that praise he ought So that God and Adam are not one but at odds It s the meaning of that place Gal. 3.19 20. When the Apostle had shewed the weakness of the Law in the work of Justification and the promise only carried it He makes thig Objection wherefore then served the Law i.e. The giving of the Law Answer It was to discover transgression and therefore it was given by the Hand of a Mediator to-wit Moses who was between God and the people Now in that Moses was a Mediator it shews there was diverse parties differing and disagreeing one from another for a Mediator is not of one not of parties that are at unity and agreement but God is one ever like himself and the same Therefore the cause of difference was not on Gods part but by Reason of trangression which shews man to be other than he was by Nature ful of guilt and sin and that 's the reason God is at odds with him as he is departed from God Now the scope of our Saviors coming is to bring the Soul back again unto God by himself and to make it one with the Father and himself It was beyond the power of any created Grace to bring back a fallen Soul but the God-Head of Christ in the Nature of man assumed must bring the Nature of man to God again And where as it was found by proof in our first parents that the power of created Grace did not nay indeed could not hold the Soul unchangeably to him and so to act by and for him Herein lies the life and incomparable excellency of the covenant of Grace and the fulness of the sufficiency of the quickning power of the second Adam the Lord Jesus not only to procure unto acceptance and approbation with the Father but the lively communication of himself and the assistance of his spirit to keep our hearts and the gracious work thereof to him for ever So that though our Graces might and would fall us in Adam yet the spirit of Jesus upholds and holds us for ever towards him a fountain of living water Though the vertue and work thereof would wanse away and through not-attendance not put forth it self upon the rule and for the work as we see in Adam He attended not unto acted not upon a command but listened to the delusion and suggestion of the enemy Yet the spirit of Christ which dwelleth with us and shall be in us is there not only to keep with us and carry us to Christ but to quicken us by vertue from Christ according to the tenure of the Gospel Joh. 14.17 And this is indeed to be under the powerful impression of the covenant of Grace And this is the meaning of that place I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 3.20 Christ by Faith brings me to God By his spirit keeps the bent of the heart towards him carryes it to himself acts it upon himself quickens it by influence of vertue the fountain whereof is in himself Adam might have said I live by a power and principle of Grace in which I was created and in which I have pleased God thereby and according to a covenant of works may challenge life and happiness But Paul in the person of al self-denying sinners professeth that I live not Christ hath called me brought me to himself gives me his spirit and keeps the Eye of my Soul upon himself That he may thereby Be all in all to me work all in me and by me It s the meaning also of that Col. 3.3 4. Our life is bid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appeare God is in Christ is in us keeps us to himself and communicates al saving Graces of life here and will quicken and perfect all in the whol man at his resurrection Thus then we see The end of our Saviors coming and the life of the covenant of Grace both these our Savior would further by his prayer But this unity with the Father and the Son is the end of our Saviors coming and the life of the Covenant 2. Reason This work being savingly and effectually made good upon the soul it maks way for the inlarged expression of all the fruits and works of holiness which might further set forth the honor of God the kingdom of Christ our own comforts here and happiness in another world It s the meaning of that Joh. 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit True it is done by faith but it is somthing other and somthing more than the bare coming to Christ or our Union with him It is the keeping the Eye of the soul and carrying the bent of the Heart upon the engagements of Gods dearest love and the unchangeable work of the spirit of Adoption to be acted by the quickning vertue thereof in Gods time and after Gods manner and answerable to our need and that condition and place we possess in the Body of Christ for so that phrase implieth Joh. 6.56 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood that is done by beleeving He abideth in me and I in him That is another and a further work And it intimates a free and a ful intercourse of spiritual communion between God and the soul and a communication of his presence and spiritual influence upon the beleever As it is in the Body natural when the constitution is healthful and the
will deny Christs prayer I am content he should deny my comfort and support But the one is impossible and the other is incredible It s seasonable even for unbeleeving creatures leaving secret things to Gods counsel when they have no heart to pray not Hope to expect any favor and where ever they cast their Eye they find nothing but cause of discouragement and confusion of face look into the world there is nothing but vanity there to deceive and vex look they into their own hearts and lives there is nothing but Hells of sin and guilt which might overwhelm them Look then to the Prayer of our Savior who prayed for His in their worst condition when they did not beleeve and could not pray for themselves and were as bad as I am even for Paul when he was persecuting and blaspheming even for many of the Jews when they were killing of him and why not for me why may I not Hope the best when I cannot conclude the worst what God wil do he knows not what he may do he hath revealed and I will yet expect Use 3. Exhortation He prayed for this disposition labor thou to attain it He desired it of his Father in Heaven indeavor thou to the utmost of that care and skill thou hast in the use of all means to attain it upon earth The Sum is That the whol strength of the Soul should be wholly carried to God in Christ for all not to any thing in our selves we have or for any thing we can do as Adam might have pleaded I have done I have deserved it but wholly to be quickened and acted by the spirit of God through Christ The Soul should be like the Herb Heliotropium the Nature whereof is such as the philosopher observes It turnes the face of it towards the Sun what way soever it turnes In the morning looks to the East the Sun rising In the evening to the West the Sun setting So it should be with the beleeving sinner the face and Eye of the Soul ever towards God in Christ That which our Souls need and which is able to answer our desires and satisfie our necessities is here alone to be had hither alone we must come from hence for ever look to receive it So Peter disputes Act. 4.12 Job 6. When our Savior would settle their staggering disposition least they should be taken aâ—â—de will ye also go away He answers and yields the argument Whither should we go thou only hast the words of eternal life Here only is that wisedom that may guid here only that mercy that may succor here only is that Grace that may refresh and quicken It s good therefore coming being here So they by experience concluded Jer. 3.29 Surely in vam is Salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the multitude of the Mountaines truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel And upon the like ground they resolves Hos 14.3 For in thee the Fatherless findeth mercy It s not Els-where to be found Therefore learn we to chide our hearts out unto God in Christ As Jacob his Sons Why stand ye here gazing one upon another go unto Egypt and buy that we may live and not die Gaze not upon the sins weaknesses temptations miseries means ordinances c. get ye to God in Christ that ye may for ever be assured comforted and quickened As its alone here to be had So here we shal never fail to receive what we seek and expect Ps 10.20 Verse 21. That the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me THese last words lay out the main scope of the Prayer of our Savior at which he aimed and which he looked at principally by the grant of that spiritual unity which he craved in the behalf of his disciples And the end is To lift up the prais and honor of that supream and absolute soveraignty of God the Father in sending his own faithfulness and infinite sufficiency in executing and accomplishing the great work of Redemption about which he was sent so that there was nothing failed of all that the Father purposed and he undertook to perform and that the world and worst of men however formerly they rebelled against his authority counsel and command in sending rejected also the person and proceeding of our Savior Christ in coming who was a stumbling to the Jew and foolishness to the Grecians The Head-corner-stone whom the Jews refused whom the Gentiles trampled under their feet against whom both Jews and Gentiles banded themselves So the Apostle Peter observes the Prophecy and concludes by proof and experience and accomplishment of it Act. 4.24 25 26 27. Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and al that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together c. Let us break their bonds and cast their cords away I know not the Lord saies Pharaoh We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow so contemptuously they spake of Jesus we know not whence he is Joh. 9.29 The Jews had certain questions against Paul saies Festus and of one Jesus Act. 25.19 And the whol rabble cry out Away with him from the earth not him but Barabbas And yet when the prayer of our Savior shal attain his end in the hearts of the Faithful so that they shal be wholly carried to God in Christ by the immutable assistance of his Spirit their hearts kept with him their graces acted upon him themselves quickned by him for ever then al these wil they nil they shal by a constraint be forced to acknowledg their own consciences wil yield it and their mouths confess it at the day of Judgment That Christ was the true Messias sent by the Father and that he hath fully accomplished the great work of salvation for the good of his And God only shal be exalted in that day There be two particulars in the words We shall open all and handle that which is the main 1. Christ is sent by God the Father 2. God will have this beleeved by the ungodly Which will be when the Saints attain this unity here prayd for then Christ will attain this glory To the First That Christ is sent by God the Father for the Redemption of his It needs no further witness to settle it the words are so express We will a little open it that as it is true so it may be plain and evident and so much the rather because our Savior laies so great a weight upon it and bestows the very strength of his prayer in the first place for the attainement of the
acknowledgment thereof And to speak once for all 1. What the word the weight of the phrase carries 2. In what regard our Savior is said to be sent 3. Wherein this sending lies 1. The word sending or as the Latin phrase hath it Mission carries ever two things in it 1. The Authority of him that sends in respect of the party that is sent but it is not the authority of dominion and rule so much as that Authority of order or communication of a work from one unto another And in this sence he only can be said to be sent who works from another and works not originally from himself 2. It implies a new act or impression upon the creature whereby it hath it's self in some other frame or disposition than formerly Take it in this breadth and extent you shal find that in scripture the Son and holy Spirit are only said to be sent and it is never attributed to the Father Gal. 4.4 God sent his son Joh. 15.26 But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send unto you from the Father And this cannot be any created Grace or work for the words following determine that full The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Joh. 14.20 But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name When-ever then the action with the manner also from such a person are comprehended in this sending It is 〈◊〉 given to or affirmed of the Father because it sigâ—â—â—ie not an act only expressed by a person but an 〈◊〉 from a person in such a manner as that he hath Auâ—â—â—â—â—y in way of order originally to act before another at the least And the other to act from him But because the Father cannot act from the Son and Holy Ghost but both Son and Holy Ghost they do not act only but act in their order and manner from another the Son from the Father and the Holy Ghost from both therefore they are truly said to be sent But if they look at the act only which is expressed upon the creature then this sending is and ought to be given to all the presons As the Incarnation of our Savior is one thing in his sending Therefore those two are joined God sent his Son made of a Woman as made so sent and herein the Holy Ghost had a hand whether we look at the sanctification of the seed in the Womb or the uniting of it to the second person There al the persons work So likewise in the dispensation of the office of our Savior in his whol proceeding the works of the Holy Ghost went along Isa 61. The Spirit of God was upon me he sent me to preach and he preached and performed all those great works by the strength and operation of his spirit 2. In what regard our Savior is said to be sent Not as the second person in the glorious Trinity whereby he is God blessed for ever equal with the Father for so the Apostle professeth Phil. 2.6 Being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God i.e. Had the glory of the Deity truly appertaining to him and the God-Head dwelling in him and knew his own worth and right therefore willingly submitted himself to that Under-condition not by constraint for he wel understood what his due was But as he was God and man and assumed our Nature and became mediator in our Room and stead So he professeth of himself That his Father is greater than he As he took upon him the forme of a servant became our surety and came in the similitude of sinful flesh yet without sin Joh. 14.28 In his voluntary and free dispensation as he was willing to take our flesh and dwel thereby amongst us so is he inferiour to himself as God and so to his Father And yet take the work it self and the manner of the work as it was explicated before and the phrase of sending implies he is only sent of the Father But look at the work Earely he may be said to be sent by all but that is unusual nay in open phrase never to be found in Scripture because the word comes not in that sense to our view As he becomes to take our Nature so he was sent But as Son by eternal generation he is made fit to take our Nature And therefore it is the assuming of Human Nature is made a propriety a thing peculiar to the second person Insomuch that it is heresie to say the Father was incarnate or the Holy Ghost incarnate What ever appertaines to our Savior as the second person and as the Son of the Father that he had by eternal generation and in a peculiar manner from the Father But as second person he assumes and so is sent and dispenseth the work of our Redemption Therefore so far he is in a peculiar manner sent from the Father and in this sense he is never said to be sent but from the Father in the Verdict of Scripture 2. As he assumes and becomes incarnate so is our Nature taken into personal union with the second person so far is it advanced and hath a priviledg and liberty to use any Attribute so far he sends the spirit even the Holy Ghost from the Father and dispenseth al power from the Father by the spirit for the Good of his And therefore so far he doth al in al as he is sent from the Father in a peculiar manner In a word hence it appears that the work of incarnation as he took our Nature the work of dispensation in sending the spirit appointing al Officers Offices ordinances and accompanying and blessing all for good Issues in a peculiar manner from this his sending from the Father Which the wicked world doth not see will not acknowledg cannot submit unto but they shal one day be forced unto it Hence it is our Savior alwaies professeth he doth al as sent Joh. 5.36 Arms himself by his sending against al. Joh. 10.36 Looks wholly and only at that work for which he was sent Joh. 5.30 And generally all runs upon this string comforts all from his sending As my Father sent me So I send you shews the greatness of their sin that oppose him He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 3. Wherein this sending consists look at the work of it Answer in four things 1. He is appointed and set apart to this great imployment and Ambassage Joh. 6.27 For him hath God the Father sealed Jsa 49.5 I have formed thee from the Womb to be my servant to bring Jacob again And verse 6. That thou maist be my Salvation to the end of the Earth He is now in Gods counsel and everlasting decree designed to this so great a work and in his season called out to the execution sent from his Bosom abroad into this world to act the great affaires of Gods everlasting purposes touching the recovery of man 2. The Father committed this so
made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which came out of the Bosom of the Father he hath revealed him Eph. 3.7 8 9. to the 20. Here is the great mystery of Godliness Christ manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.6 3. That hereby al mouths might be stopped and the wicked might be made beyond excuse Joh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Use 1. Of Exhortation That our practise should concur with the prayer of our Savior his desire and our indeavor That we should put forth the utmost of our skil and care that our savior may be acknowledged by all hearts confessed by al Tongues as sent of God We should pomoâ—e and help forwards this This is Gods main work in the waies of his providence and all his dispensations in the world and in the Church Psal 2.6 Yet I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion in despite of al the wrath and rage of Heathens Pilate Jews c. So let us set him up as King in al the minds of men that they may know in all consciences that they may confess him This Paul indeavoured Rom. 15.19 He made the Gospel of Christ to sound out from Jerusalem to Illiricum and strove to preach the Gospel that to whom he was not spoken of they should see So Act. 2.36 This Paul rejoyced in Philip. 1.18 If Christ be preached any way he doth and will rejoyce in it Verse 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one THe Nature of this oneness and the end why it is and was so earnestly preyed for by our Savior we have spoken to both these in the foregoing verse In this we have the means set forth unto us by which they should be inabled to attain the end and our Savior plainly expresseth himself That he hath given them his glory which he hath himself received that they might attain this so great a priviledg Here we have three things to be attended 1. What it is our Savior hath received 2. What it is he doth communicate 3. The end why 1. Touching the former of these two words are to be opened that we may understand the sense of the Spirit and the several truths therein contained 1. What is meant by Glory 2. In what regard our Savior may be said to receive it and how God the Father gave it him 1. GLORY Somtimes â—â—gnifies that unconceiveable excellency of al that incomprehensible worth and infinite goodness that is in the Lord which is Gods peculiar and Prerogative Royal as onely appertaining to him who is the first cause and the last end and therefore as he is the author of all because they come from him so he is the good of al because al â—end to him The shine and lusâ—â—e of al those glorious Attributes of the Lord meeting together in that infinite fulness as they be in him like the beauty of so many thousand Suns in the Firmament that is called the GLORY of GOD with which the Eyes of blessed Angels are dazelled as not able to behold it and therefore cover their faces Isa 6. Instead of comprehending falling into admiration of it Thus it is used in verse 4. of this Chap. Joh. 17. Father I have glorified thee on Earth now glorifie me with thy self with that glory which I had with thee before the world was Therefore it must be before his human Nature was and so it must be that which doth in a peculiar manner appertain unto him as God But this cannot be meant in this place For that glory is here meant which is given by our Savior unto his faithful ones But the glory which is the Prerogative of the Deity he professeth he will not give unto another Isa 42.8 Therefore this is not intended 2. GLORY Is put in phrase of Scripture for Grace whether attended in the entrance and beginnings of it here on Earth or in the consummation and perfection of it in the highest Heaven Because there is the greatest worth in it greatest beauty Issues from it the greatest esteem and highest account is acknowledged to be due thereunto by those who can judg This glorious Grace is called Glory as that which is attended and accompanied with it as the Body with the shadow the Sun with the shine and light yea that supream excellency with which the Saints shal be crowned in Heaven is northing Els but Grace attaining its ful consummation So that the odds is not in the kind but in the degree only and therefore we are saâ—d to be blessed in heavenly places and to siâ— together with Christ in heavenly places Eph. 1.3 and 2.6 Here is the suburbs of happiness and of the New Jerusalem Grace is the Porch as it were Glory the Palace Thus ye shall find it Rom. 3.23 But it is most pregnant and very remarkable 2. Cor. 3.18 We all with open face as in a Glass behold the glory of God and are translated or changed we are transformed or have a new form or frame set upon us from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Glass is the Lord Christ in whom the Glory of the Grace of God is imprinted and by whom and through whom it is dispensed and communicated to us that we not only receive but increase in this Glorious Grace from one degree thereof unto another And that by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. Both these are here understood Grace in the begining of it and that especially and Firstly yet not excluding the perfection of it For our Savior speaks of it as a thing certain to himself and that which wil assuredly also accrew to his nay which they have now in the kind of it Hence before we pass we may learn how to judg of true Glory and how to attain it 1 How to judg of true Glory that which wil go for currant in the Court of Heaven and in the account of the Almighty to-wit It s not what the folly of mens minds doth conceit or the breath of the world would advance or the pride and ignorance of the most do take and admire as glorious that wil indeed give in evidence sufficient to pass a righteous Sentence in this behalf It s not the wealth and riches of the world be they never so great revenues never so fair and beautiful though thy friends alliance and acquaintance be never so many and high wil ad any glory to thee in truth or in the account of Christ If thou hast a base heart leadest a graceless life thou art a base man and a base woman Thy Favourites may flatter thee and friends applaud thee and thy neighbors speak wel of thee but thou art abhorred of the Lord art loathed of the
Saints that can tel how to judg Psal 15. In whose eyes a vile person is despised If thou beest a wicked man a vicious proud stubborn froward person truly thou art a vile person and it a note of him that wil enter into God Tabernacle and dwel in his Holy Hil that he should despise thee as such though thou hadst never so much of al this earthly pomp the world can afford Dross is base though it be kept in the best place of the treasury Copper is yet vile and worthless though it be set upon the highest place of the Cupboard and not only man should so judg but God wil. The froward in spirit is abomination unto the Lord. Nay though thy place and priviledges be never so high and great they indeed may be glorious as having some impression of Gods power and authority painted upon them but yet if thy heart be void of Grace and thy life of Holiness Thou art wholly destitute of any true glory Thy place and the impression of Gods power must be honoured in thee buâ— thy self art despicable and worthless as that King Jehoram that died undefired 2 Chro. 21.20 2. We here see the ready way and the Kings road in which we must walk if we would be truly glorious in the eyes of wise and in the account of our Savior that we may be sure to get such glory as wil go in Heaven Be truly savingly gracious then art thou truly glorious in the account of the Almighty and shalt be received into glory when this life shal not be But they must be grace of the right make and true stamp issuing from the glorious spirit of the Lord. It s not any of those counterfeits of morality civillity which carry a meer shew of Godlyness without the power of it nor yet the Gilt as I may so cal it of those higher Stroaks of Illuminations which appertaines to Apostates of whom the Apostle faith That they tasted of the Heavenly gift and the good word of the Lord and of the powers of the world to come this is hansome gilt and yet the heart base and leud therefore miserable therefore I ad that which followes of the Apostle and ye should ad it also We hope better things of you and those that accompany Salvation not gilt in appearance but true Gold in the substance of it not the â—ast of these but the truth of these somthing better than astonishing terrors than fleshy and groundless inlightenings and raptures better humiliations better evidences better and more real expressions of the power and conquering vertue of the saving work of God The Church is said to be al glorious within Psal 45. The workmanship of God created unto good works Eph. 2. would ye then be glorious servants in the families wherein ye dwel glorious Inhabitants in the Plantations where ye live glorious members of Churches and Congregations and leave your names for a glory and blessing behind you Do not catch at a shadow but get the body and that wil not fade away do not thing to keep the light in the room and shut out the Sun-beames or let the candle be carried away Be truly vertuous and it cannot be but glory wil be thy companion and that in the very consciences of the wicked though their mouthes it may be wil be-ly their Consciences for to maintain their own wayes So it was with David 2 Sam. 6 21.22 When he danced before the Lord Michal conceited he laid open himself unto contempt How glorious was the King this day c. He answers Iâ— was before the Lord that I did it and if this be to be vile I wil be yet more vile and even of these Hand-maids I shal be had in hanor Lively faith is called Precious Faith 2. Pet. 1.6 Hebr. 11.4 By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Would ye therefore pray more excellently hear more excellently confer more excellently than al the carnal men in the world get this Precious Faith then ye wil be Precious Christians and have precious comforts 2. How our Savior received this Answ He received this Grace as man not as God or as the second person properly for so he is equal to the Father and hath equal propriety in al the Attributes of the God-Head Besides the Grace here is that which is given to beleevers but so that cannot be He receives it therefore as man and that by gift saith the Text for our Savior acknowledgeth it 1. It is Given by the Grace of personal Union in that it pleased God the Father that the second person his beloved son should take our Nature into personal Union so that though he was a perfect person before that was assumed yet he remained one and the same person after it was assumed there he two Natures but one person still Thus the Apostle disputes and the connection implyes so much Col. 1.15 He is the image of the Invisible God i. e. as second person and so in him all things consist and by him al created and he is the Head of the Body the Church and the Issue of al is For it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwel i.e. al the fullness of al Grace is in Christ in that he is Head and so head as that he is also the invisible image of the Father In a word Look what the Human Nature did receive from the Son as a Son and begotten of the Father that it receives by gift also and firstly from the Father because what the Son doth as Son he doth it from the Father But the Human Nature received it as the highest gift that ever was given to be taken into personal union by the Son as the second person begotten of the Father What the Son as the Son begotten of the Father gives to the human Nature that the Father gives firstly But this personal union the Son as from the Father gives Therefore the Father gives it firstly Upon this ground is that Inference also or the Apostle Col. 2.9 10. The Apostle would have them walk in Christ in the power of his Grace and in the direction of his rule and government and he joyns these two together as the reason For in him dwels the fullness of the God-Head Bodily Nor by way of type but truly nor yet by communication of vertue which he doth to and in the Saints nor yet by sacramental relation as he doth accompany his ordinances but the very essence of the God-Head in the second person supports the Human Nature as one person with it This is the Union verse 10. Ye are complete in him who is the Head c. Compleat in al-Grace to inable in al the fulness of wisedom aâ—â— Prophet and rule as a King to guid you in the waies of his Grace He is the Head from the former of al life and motion If the fullness of the God-Head personally then the fulness of al Grace dwels in him 2.
It s given by way of Covenant Psal 45.7 Loving al righteousness as to fulfil it Hating al iniquity as to suffer for it and to remove it Act. 2.34 Being exaked at the right hand of the Father and having received the promise of the spirit he hath shed it abroad It behoved Christ to suffer al these things and so to enter into his glory The Human Nature of our Savior having now attained al that fulness of glorious Grace hat is compatible to any creature Hence 1. Our Savior hath received Al most glorious Grace in a most Eminent Manner Grace is first in his Human Nature For since the fal and that Adam through his just desert hath deprived him of the Grace that God had given him in Innocency Had not our Savior taken our Nature into union with himself that in it he might suffer and satisfie and purchase Gods Favor and spirit to bring us again It had not been possible that ever any grace should have been imparted to us He is the Head of his Church Eph. 1 22. The Root or Stock unto the Scions and Branches Joh. 15.1 The fountain of living Water al means and men and ordinances are but conduits which give no more than they do receive As the Moon from the Sun as the looking Glass reflects the light hath no light 2. Cor. 4.6 To give the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ 2. He hath it OUT OF MEASURE not only because he hath the spirit of Grace dwelling in him with the God-Head and all the fulness of the God-Head But also He hath al Graces in al the Kinds of them and all the degrees As there is no weakness attending any Grace which ought to be removed there is not any Scantness that any more can be added nothing but wisedom no folly or ignorance to blemish it and there is so much that Human Nature is capable of no more no further increase can be expected In the Body of Christ and amongst al Christians each man hath his measure and proportion suitable to his place and answerable to the condition he doth possess in the Body As in the Body natural The finger is not so big as the hand nor that as the Arm ' nor that as the Back or Thighs but each holds his place and proportion and so his perfection in his kind So in the Body mystical one excels in patience and Meekness though truly Zealous another excels in Zeal and courage though meek and humble in his measure also Some are hands and some are fingers and feet in this mystical Body and all the while the proportion of their Graces answer their places It s comly But it s otherwise with our Savior He is Zealous and meek and patient and nothing can be added to the measure fulness and perfection of these Eph. 4.13 Vnto the measure of the stature c. 3. Without ALTERATION or possibility of loosing weakening or decaying in the power of any Grace This was incident as we find by woful experience to the state and perfection of Adam in innocency He came compleatly furnished with all abilities which might answer his condition and the obtaining of his end His understanding and knowledg clear and yet became first to be darkned then deluded and then lost and taken away from him His will holy and fitted to choose and to injoy the chiefest good but immediately unsetled and perverted and corruption defaceth the whol man But it is beyond al possibility that the least decaying in any of these glorious Graces should betide him because our Human Nature is not vertually only as to Adam but the Essence by the person comes to be knit in personal Union with it and so sustaines it in that unchangeable condition For if our savior should be changed the infinite power of the Spirit of the God-Head might be over-come and put to the worse which is impossible It was an argument to them for their safety that they should overcome the world because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world Therefore much more in our Savior essentially when in us vertually The Prince of this world comes saies our Savior and finds nothing in me Finds no sin that he can provoke so taketh an advantage nor finds he weakness or mutability of any Grace that he is beyond all Hope to shake 4. It is in him by POWERFVL and Efficacious communication i. e. He hath so Grace in himself that he can convey Grace to others and work it also in them So it is not with any man He may exercise and put forth the act of Grace upon another but to convey of his own Grace to another to make him wise by anothers wisedom this cannot be Joh. 1.16 Of his fulness we all receive Likewise Eph. 1.23 The Church is said to be the fulness of him that filleth all in all Paul studies this That Christ may be formed in them Gal. 4.19 USE 1. Of Examination We may hence discover whether our Graces be counterfeit or of the right kind such as a man may be content to appear before Chirst withal such as will go in Heaven with us All Graces are firstly in him as the treasurer of all Graces therefore ours must be from him if they favor any thing of Christ or we expect any acceptation for them So Paul 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking So we should seek a proof of Christ humbling of Christ making us patient and meek and Zealous For there be counterfeits of al these which carry a great shew and appearence to those that have no skil in mettalls and carry not the Touch-stone of discerning about them Ask therefore this whence come thy Graces If they be of the right make they came from the right mint or quarry So Paul issues it Cor. 13.5 Prove and examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith or no. And how is that done know ye not that Christ is in you unless ye be reprobates al is drossy otherwise Splendida peccata Prove that and the other wil be apparent As we say of China Mettal If it be right it s only there found and must from thence be fetched There is counterfeit and false that is meerly imitated So it is If saving Christian Grace they must be from a Savior and a Christ Thus Paul intimates and points out apparently by way of distinction Phil. 1.2 Saints in Christ Jesus Nay of himself professeth that he lived not USE 2. Of Comfort to al the Saints If they be empty here is fullness of Grace to satisfy If scant here is grace out of measure to content and supply them If poor here is treasury of wisdom and knowledg and though they may decay this wil recover and strengthen and establish to perfection USE 3. For DIRECTION How to get this glorious grace Go to him who hath it As Peter in a like kind Whither should I go but unto
that may disturb our setled and established state of happiness They who share in the Truth of all kinds of Graces in the Perfections of al kinds in the Immutability of al those perfections They partake of the like glorious Grace with our Savior This last indeed is the end and perfection of Grace It was given to Adam and he should have used it that he might have been immutable in the use of it But missing it he lost his Grace and fel short of glory Now that which the first Adam should have done and failed the second Adam hath done and so hath obtained it 2. They receive this by Gift He it is in whom al Grace as a fountain is setled To whom the immediate dispensation and communication of it is committed by God and from his free gift they must receive it For look we at the Saints as they ly in the Loynes of Adam 1. They have forfeited this glory put away this Grace from them and by reason of their rebellion have justly deserved the Lord should depart away 〈◊〉 withdraw the presence of his Grace which he formerly furnished them withal Rom. 3.23 We have sinnâ—â— and are deprived of his Glory Yea they take shame and confusion as their due and portion Dan. 9.7 O Lord to us belongeth shame and confusion of face as it appeareth this day Yea they ly down in shame Jer. 3.25 2. They have nothing of worth that may purchase it they can do nothing that can deserve it For when they have done all they can they are not only unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 Psal 143.2 But that is not al should the Lord reckon with them for what is done who could abide they are so far from having hope to receive glory from God as that they might justly expect a Curse at his hand and he could not but in Justice send it 3. And lastly such is the baseness of the hearts of men and the crosseness of their corrupt Natures to his glorious Grace that as they wil hot so in truth they cannot receive it No man can receive any thing unless it be given from above Joh. 3.27 Joh. 14.17 The world cannot receive the spirit because they have not seen him nor known him Object But our Savior hath entered into covenant with God the Father to become the Shepheard of his Sheep to undertake the charge and care of his Elect to bring them to Grace and so to glory Joh. 17.2 To as many as are given to Christ he should give eternal life to them Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth to me shall come and I wil lose none If therefore a debt and agreement unto which our Savior is bound how is it then a gift which is in his liberty to deny Answ True It s that which Justice and righteousness cal for that haveing tyed hmself by promise ingaged his faithfulness and truth To seek and to save to â—â—ing other of his sheep and to bless c. He cannot fail â—â—â—â—g his faithfulness and deny himself and not 〈◊〉 â—nd the honor of his own word But let it be demanded why the Lord did Engage himself to undertake the work of our Salvation It wil appear that there is nothing but free Grace breathing in al the work he freely undertook it out of his free good wil performed it and out of his free Grace applies it So that there is nothing but free Grace and the free gift of Grace in what Christ hath wrought for us or wrought in us You have both the particulars opened we will give you the Reasons of both together REASONS 1. Taken from the proportion between the first and second Adam the Type and the Truth As the first Adam conveyed his sin and wrath by a covenant of works the second must convey holiness and life by a covenant of Grace and the free gift thereof The first Adam begat a Son in his own image wholly defiled and defaced with original corruption and so made him Heir apparent to the curse and condemnation thereby The second Adam must instamp the image of holiness upon his without which none shal see life Hebr. 12.14 Thus the Apostle disputes 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the image of the Earthy the first so we shal bear the image of the Heavenly 2. For this end the human Nature of our Savior hath received and is become the first subject of al Grace that from thence it might be derived unto the Nature of his Children For this end in our Nature he hath performed what ever divine Justice hath required purchased and provided a way and means for the communication of al Grace to his Therefore undoubtedly he wil give it and they receive it Otherwise he should miss his end and they their good 1. For this end he hath received al Grace For had not the second person by the power of the Deity brought our Nature to God and assumed it into personal union with himself so that the fulness of the God-Head might dwel Bodily in it and so the fulness of al Grace communicated thereunto It had not been possible that ever the Sons of Adam who are become enemies to God and the work of his Grace should have been made partakers thereof being wholly cross thereunto Col. 2.10 Ye are complete in Christ because in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-Head Bodily Ye need no other King to rule nor Prophet to teach nor Priest to sanctifie Yea for this end in our Nature he hath purchased al provided a way to convey al Grace For had he not died and by death satisfied the Law ' the strength of sin had never been subdued nor could our corruptions be mortified Had he not by his resurrection triumphed over the power of Grave and Satan and al sinful weaknesses we had never had our hearts raised and quickned to Newness of life But when he died we by his death dy to sin and sin died when he rose we by his resurrection must rise to Newness of life For this end these were performed and this must also be attained Rom. 6.8 Therefore it is that this gift of Grace is committed to him and the dispensation and immediate communication belongs to him Therefore the Spirit is said to take of Christs Joh. 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you There is no killing vertue quickening vertue could be applied or received but only through his death first in him thereby then in us 3. He that gives the faithful the Spirit of Grace and glory must needs also give them all glorious Grace But our Savior doth so This is the reason the Apostle alledgeth 2 Cor. 3.18 As by the spirit of the Lord. Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life hath freed us from the Law of sin As it is in the Scion knit unto the stock It is partaker of the same sap with the stock So here They are said to be implanted into the similitude
i.e. To grow up together in the similitude of his death Rom. 6.5 As his spirit by his death killed sin that was charged upon him So we by that Spirit grow up in the vertue of that death and die to sin USE 1. This gives in heavy evidence against a world of wicked wretches and casts out a crowd of ungodly persons our of the pale and fold of Christ as such as never yet had the work of faith here nor have any hope of glory hereafter If all beleevers share in the Grace of Christ what shal we think of such ignorant poor creatures that never knew this of those profane ones who profess themselves to be Scorners and Opposers of grace and the gospel of grace and the spirit of grace and Christ himself what shal we think of them think of them as they are They are unbeleeving creatures yet in the gal of bitterness and bond of iniquity and must and wil have their portion with unbeleevers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone They loath the glorious grace of God now they shal be shut out and banished from his glorious presence for ever But I wil not trouble you nor my self with these whose conditions are so loathsome even unto their own consciences Only I shal settle it as a matter of sad reproof upon two sorts whose hopes and professions seem to promise better but in the issue couzen themselves and fal short of their own comforts 1. It crusheth the confidence and splits the vain pretences of al the most refined Hypocrites upon Earth It s not the gilt enameling of any ordinary duty nor the paint of any profession that wil evidence either their Title to Christ or the Grace of Christ which he gives indeed to his No it is the spiritualness of the work in their Souls If the outside be never so clean If there be rottenness within he loaths it Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within c. The garments of the spouse are not gilt but wrought Gold It s not the shew and appearance in your lives if ye deny the power of Godliness in your hearts 2 Tim. 3.5 That is not Circumcision that is outward in the flesh that is not the glorious Grace of Christ that reformes a mans course before men But that is Circumcision which is of the spirit that is the Grace of Christ that makes a man close with God in Christ Thou mayst have strong inlightenings in thy mind strange raptures in thy spirit and rellâ—shes of joy tast of the good word and the heavenly gift and the power of the world to come have a Peep-hole into Heaven and see a glimpse of glory passing by and all this be nothing but the Grace of Apostates and Hypocrites not the Grace of Christ No saies the Apostle We hope better things of you Deeper impressions of the power of the Lord Christ and the work of the spirit must soak through thy soul and that not only tasted but digested and thy heart delivered up into the authority thereof 2. Those who please themselves with the apprehension that they have some Grace but are content to want some other and so indeed want al. When either education hath reformed them or their conscience awed them or their occasions or conditions free them from such assaults and because they want the temptation to sin they suppose they have the grace of Christ One man blesseth himself he is not worldly and sensual yet contents himself to be proud another is not passionate and loose yet worldly whereas if Christ be formed in a man nothing of the saving work of Christ wil be wanting if a new creature al things are new otherwise he is a Monster in Christianity not in truth a Christian of Christs make Either al or none at al. If ye have heard and learnt as the truth is in Jesus put off the old man not an old Hand or Eye but the frame of heart and life put on the â—â—w man USE 2. Of Instruction Sanctification is a never-failing argument of a beleeving and happy condition If God give glorious Grace here he will give possession of glory hereafter It s Christs work he will approve of it It s the image of himself he will own it It s the tenure of the promise Jer. 31.33 It s the sentence which is now passed upon such Judged they may be condemned they shall never be Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Eph. 4.20 21 22. USE 3 Its Matter of Thankfulness If Christ think nothing too good for us we should be ashamed to stand for a little cost and labour for him He parts with the choicest of his favour his Glory to us we should part with the best of our Duties to him the best of our hearts to love him of our love to honor him of our indeavours to serve him They are not common courtesies which he vouchlafes to us not creatures to comfort us profits to enrich but the most precious favor that the Father bestowed He hath no greater nor better and that glory he gives to them Let us be ashamed to give the Lean the Lame the leavings to the Lord. Give him the glory of al that glory we do receive As the Elders Rev. 4.10 Cast down our Crowns before him And let him be advanced in al that he advanceth us USE 4. Of Exhortation Whither we must go if we Hope to speed and to receive this gift to what dore to go to receive this dole come to Christ the giver if we Hope to receive this gift The Spirit takes of Christ before he gives it to us therefore much more we must go to him before we can receive it The way lies in these four things 1. See all in him And Joyn none with him as the Author and worker of this There be instruments to convey Grace but there is no Author of this or giver of this but Christ Of his fulness we receive All other things are empty without him and can work nothing further than he will work by them Christ is al in al. Col. 3.11 Not ordinances not Duties not Sacraments Paul is nothing Apollo is nothing but Christ is all Christ by all Christ through all these works 2. Look at that in Christ which we need and would have and keep the heart under the stroke of the Spirit in Christ that working Grace in the Nature of our Savior from thence he may work Grace in us If we would have patience Eye the patience of Christ and the Spirit working patience in him and from his patience patience in me As it is in a Glass that hath many colors Red Green Blew Yellow If the Sun shine upon it it wil convey the like colors upon that which is opposite to it The Human Nature of our Savior is as the Glafs all the Graces in their variety are like so many colors The Spirit shining upon the Nature of
be one with the Father and the Son is the END and so of greater excellency than al the glorious Grace the Saints do partake of 1. This unity or oneness is not the unity of affection which the faithful as members of the same body ought to maintain in their hearts and consciences and convers As being of one heart and mind Keeping the unity of the faith in the bond of peace For First The express words of vers 21. hold forth the contrary and the latter looks another way That they may be one in us As though our Savior had purposely added the interpretation of his prayer and words q. d. If you ask me of what unity I speak when I pray that beleevers should be one my intendment may most easily and fully be understood of this resemblance As I am in the Father and the Father in me the scope of my prayer is they should be one in us The unity in themselves wil surely follow but that 's not it I now so fully look at Again the words of the verse wil not admit this sense The glorious grace given to the Saints by Christ is made here distinct from this Oneness as the means is different from the end and less excellent than the end But unity of Affection is part of that glorious Grace which our Savior hath given the faithful So that it is the unity of relation As the Father wholly and alone gives his being and Sonship to Christ The Son as he receives so he returnes his being to the Father as things in relation look each to the other receive and give consistence one to the other and so may be said to be in each other and to be one in this mutual respect Joh. 14.10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me So here As the Father is to Christ looks only as a Father to a Son and gives subsistence to him The Son again looks only to a Father and returnes his being subsistence of a Son to him So Christ to the faithful He gives Spiritual being in Adoption to them as his Sons only They as Sons return al that spiritual being to him again So our Savior As I am one in them and thou in me and by spiritual influence communicate the being of Sons to them So they are one in me and to in thee by receiving and returning al alone unto us So that our Savior doth not only bring the Soul of the faithful into the neeâ—est relation of dearest love as Adopted Sons But also into that spiritual intercourse of the peculiar and divine operation of God upon the Soul whereby the Soul returnes unto God to do al and receive al. To do all for himself in man To receive al to himself by man The Lord Jesus having fitted the Soul for himself and united the Soul to himself and made the Soul acceptable to the Father in his Blood He sends the spirit of Adoption into the hearts of his sets their hearts for God Holds the â—ent of their hearts towards him This is the gracious look of a Father towards them The faithful receiving this spiritual being of Sonship Fasten to Christ as the fountain of life leave their hearts with him and abide in him to be wholly acted by the influence and assistance of his Spirit and to hold up the excellency thereof Thus they return al to God in Christ 2. How this glorious Grace which the Lord imprints upon the Soul is distinguished from this Oneness Answ The words in the Text evidence the distinction i. e. They differ as the means appointed to an end are distinct from the end This unity of relation carries the glorious operations or motions of the presence of the Spirit upon the beleevers Heart I cal them Stirrings of his presence as implying that which is somwhat more general than the gracious dispositions spiritual and supernatural habits of Grace For though those also Issue from the operation of the spirit yet they are somwhat more As the Spirit assisting fastening holding the heart and making it to abide under the stroke of the spirit pacifying quickening Are not so much habits of Grace poured into the Soul but rather Dints and stirrings of the Spirit assisting or inhabiting As he that sets or Joints the part that is out and chafeth it out of its numness leaves a remembrance of the power and motion of his Hand But he that puts in Oyl leaves a quality or Oyly moisture which remaines in the part So here The spirit draws and unites the soul in vocation leaves the poyse of the assistance of the spirit upon it in Adoption whereby it makes the soul abide in Christ and under the stroke of his spirit as he abides in it And hence follows the impression of the image of God the gracious habits of wisedom holiness righteousness in the wil and so a liberty to spiritual good whereby the beleever is inabled not only to put forth acts of obedience and observance which concern the works of the Law but even to set a going and that a fresh those several operations of the Spirit unto which he had been formerly quickened by the vertue of the Gospel and carried unto by this covenant of Grace as to fasten to Christ to abide in him and resign it self to be acted by him and the power of his spirit and Grace And this is indeed a thing of highest excellency and therefore to this end and purpose the Choicest of all Graces ought in an eipecial manner to be improved And this appeares by these Reasons following 1. That therein the glory of God and his divine and unconceiveable excellencies are most magnified and Advanced for that end even the glorious Graces in their highest pitch ought to be improved But in this union of relation towards God al the divine excellencies will most gloriously appear and in truth much more than in al the gracious habits the Soul is capable of Thus the Apostle intimates to my apprehension with some evidence as though he of purpose intended it and would have al to understand it so 2 Thess 1.10 When the Lord shal come at the day of Judgment to render vengeance to those that obey not the Gospel then saies the Apostle The Lord shal be glorified in his Saints but admired in those that beleeve True it is that those who are Saints do beleeve but the Apostle seems apparently to shew the odds and this glorious excellency of the true Graces They who are sanctified and express the power of Gods Grace in their hearts and lives God wil be glorified in them that they do express his vertues and so set forth the glory of his Name But when he comes to consider of the bringing of a man to beleeve here the work of God and the excellency of his dealing is that which dazels the very Eyes of Angels and amazeth the hearts of Devils There his works are beyond all admiration Admiration
implies a thing not expected or some thing more than we looked for or lies open in a common course we wonder at such a thing when it fals And secondly we cannot tel what to make of it or how to conceive or comprehend the Reason its matter of admiration not of comprehension When the Devil and wicked men knew such men in their unbeleeving courses under the curse of the Law and the power of their corruptions contemners of Christ and mercy The Devils have seen men holy and to walk unblameably so in paradise and therein God is glorified and his vertues expressed But when they shall see such poor wretched creatures at Gods right hand He was sunk deep under the curse of the Law now pardoned under the Tyranny of Satan and so in his Claws he took him alive now restored In the bottom of Hel now delivered In death and darkness now again restored to life and he that was so opposite to Christ now brought so neer to him and the Father and in them injoy the blessed and holy communion which is beyond the happiness of Heaven The Angels wil be swallowed with admiration and the Devils confounded and astonished at the wonderment of the unconceivable compassion of the Lord and the blessedness of this condition 1 Cor. 15. The first Adam was a living Soul could by natural generation beget one like himself But the second Adam is a quickening spirit That when dead he can quicken them when lost and opposite to him and Grace he can and doth receive them to himself 2. That which brings us neerer unto God and makes us to receive more from him that is most excellent and other things must be subordinate thereunto But this unity of relation doth so For to have glorious Graces and to put forth obedience there from is no more but that a creature may do from a principle in it self had Adam stood his posterity might have challenged happiness by vertue of a covenant of works done by a man and from a man conveyed by natural generation But in the covenant of the Gospel the God-Head of Christ in the Nature of man brings man again unto God and keeps it with him The God-Head in our Nature wrought al for us communicates al to us The mutable principle of Grace never brought a man to God or kept him with him nor since the fal can do it But it was not a principle in us firstly but the holy spirit of God by the infinite power of the God-Head carries the bent of our hearts to him acts it upon him keeps it with him and so inables us to hold up the power and praises of Christ from the Father So that a poor creature is compassed about with nothing but the power of God in Christ being one with the Father and the son in his relation to them and dependance upon them USE 1. Of Reprehension This shews the greatness of the sin of unbeleef and the misery of unbeleevers who not only oppose the righteousness of the Law of God which should rule them his statutes and precepts which should direct them But the Blood of the covenant shed by Christ they trample upon it the reconciliation wrought and tendered they despise it the Bowels compassions which would imbrace them they scorn and cast behind their Back If the union to the Father and the Son be beyond Heaven and happiness it self Then the opposition to these by unbeliefe is more bitter than death and worse than Hell And Therefore it seemes God comes against such in the fierceness of his fury as the marks and Objects of his heaviest iâ—dignation 2 Thess 1.8 9. He will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to such that obey not the Gospel Against these he proceeds in the first place with greatest fury and punisheth them with everlasting destruction from his face not have one favorable cast of his countenance or smile when before he hath woed them and wept over them and intreated in the Gospel to be reconciled Yea from the glory of his power Object But is not that an ease that his power should not plague Answ That is not the meaning for this is their plague that they are secluded from the presence of his glorious power The glorious power of all Gods Attributes were put forth in the Gospel and they shal be beyond the Hope and thought of it The glorious power of Gods wisedom will never contrive any thing for their good nor his mercy accomplish it or goodness communicate it 2. It s matter and ground of marvailous comfort and Content to the faithful to solace them in the interest they have in Christ and this their Relation to Christ as their Redeemer Head and Husband with whom they are made one Spirit which is more than to be in Heaven better than happiness it self Thus Asaph Ps 73. Answers all doubts supplies al his wants cures all his feares Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Covetous have the world the Epicures their pleasures but I have thee in comparison of whom these are not worth the having nay not worth the nameing Yea in Heaven when I am come to the end of my Hopes what would I what can I have there I can have no more but this but that the Lord wil be all in all to us in glory As long as he is and wil be all in all to us in mercy what need we fear why should we care But these thoughts be precious and Meditations sweet and let us go to them and be in them with the like affection as we shall be in Heaven Verse 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast love me THe foregoing verse discovered the means which our Savior appointed and improved also for the accomplishment of that Vnion which he so earnestly begged for his disciples and hath pursued by so many expressions In this verse we have the Order set down according to which it is wrought by the wise counsel of the Lord And this our Savior fetcheth very far I in them and thou in me that they c. Two things we are to attend in this vâ—rse 1. The ORDER and several Degrees by which this Vnity Oneness is accomplished and these are here now expressed 1. The Father is in Christ 2. Christ is in them and that which is implied is that they are one in them 2. We have the several ENDS aimed at in this proceeding of the Lord and those are three 1. That they may be perfected in one 2. That the world may know that thou hast sent me 3. That they may know thou hast loved them as thou lovest me 1. As touching The ORDER our Savior doth not mention and propound it as it is in Nature but so as it may be best
this In-being of the Father in him See the very ground given Joh. 10.10 The word I speak is not mine but the Father that dwels in me c. Joh. 8.38 For the works sake beleâ—ve that the Father is in me and I in the Father Joh. 5. The Son doth nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Issue the whol Thus. What ever the second person and Son of God as such doth that he doth by vertue of his eternal generation from the Father and from his abiding in him But as Son he takes our Nature into personal union with himself and as Son advanceth it to that priviledg and liberty to set al the Attributes on work and to send the Holy Ghost yea sends al Officers and appoints al Offices and blesseth them Therefore by vertue of this his eternal generation from the Father and his abiding in him this Union Mission and Operation of the Human Nature proceeds The second person by this eternal generation from the Father and abiding in him is reflected upon the Father and as the Father hath an Eye only to the son in giving the susibstence of a Son the Son hath an Eye to the Father in returning the subsistence of a son to him they wholly give and take So the Son uniting the Human Nature into one person holds it in reference and dependance with himself upon the Father All is communicated to him as sent and so to the Human Nature All acted by him and so by the Human Nature The In-being or existence of the Father in the Son is the first rise whence the unity of the faithful with the Father and the Son comes to be perfected Hither our Savior ascends and here he staies Leads us to the Well-Head and fountain whence our spiritual wellface and everlasting good Issues And this is the highest of al and higher we cannot go beyond this visible world and al creatures therein even to Heaven and in Heaven above Angels to God and in the God-Head to the first original in the glorious and blessed Trinity and the first act in that origination To this accords that of the Apostle each place adds mutual light unto the other Col. 3.3 We are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God Christ is the Treasurer but the Father is the Author Christ is the keeper but the Father is the first Appointer thereof For so you must understand the Name God not essentially but personally being put in opposition and reference unto Christ our life is hid with Christ but Christ and life and al is in God in the Father Upon this ground it is and to the like purpose that the Apostle carries the hearts of the Corinthians in the work of their calling unto this consideration as that wherein the lowest part of the foundation of our comfort lies 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God in made unto us wisedom righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Christ is all even complete Redemption who delivers from the power and presence of al evil and gives all Grace quickens what he gives perfects what he quickens owns what he perfects But he is made this to us not of himself but of the Father for so stil the word and Name of God is to be taken as appears verse 24. Christ is the power of God and the Wisedom of God Christ is made our Redemption and we are made his redeemed ones and the Father makes both he our Redemption and we his redeemed And this is the cause why the Apostle is so inlarged inlaying forâ—h the soveraignty of the Fathers work beyond al the compass either of the being of the creature or the Graces and apprehensions of all Churches Eph. 4.5 6. There is one Lord Jesus one Faith and one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you al. Above al even in the highest power that is dispensed in his Church Christ is the Head and Husband the Holy Spirit the comforter God is the Father Through al the operations and administrations that are in the Churches and Graces dispensed He sends his Son to the great work of our Redemption God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Tim. 1.4 Given us Grace in Christ Jesus before the world was He sends the Spirit in the work of Application Joh. 26. In all the Saints as drawing and conjoining the hearts of the faithful as fellow Brethren unto himself with the Father and one to another in him and for him So one in relation here as wel as in a Savior And from hence lastly it is we meet usually with that phrase which may receive a right explication and true understanding from t he point in hand 1 Then 1.1 To the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus And that so al the Churches and al the faithful are in God the Father as the Father of the Churches in the Son as the Head of the Church In the Father who out of the Authority or priority of order not of dominion first appoints our Savior to the word and the work to him In the Lord Jesus as he is appointed by the Mission to work from the Father and by commission sent as man united to the second person to have al Graces first in way and right of communication to the Church The Father he knows the Son there is the Deity and al the excellencies thereof reflecting exemplifying or characterising upon it self where the expressions of the Deity and all the excellency thereof exemplifying from it self that 's to be in the Father that is it is in the vertue of the Father that it is so done The Son again as the Character reflected or exemplified and where this examplification or excellencies returned again is to be seen so far the Soul may be said to be in Christ that is in his vertue not looking so much at the work or thing done for that Issues from all but at the manner of doing and carry that along it wil direst and not deceive Open the Doctrin 1. Recal what this Oneness is 2. How it s Perfected The first I shal not trouble you withal because I have heretofore opened it at large only mention so much as you may keep your Eye or consideration upon it as the White or Mark that you may discern how the following expressions hit it Briefly then This unity as ye have heard is not the Oneness of affection amongst the Saints but the Oneness of relation they have to God in Christ as his Adopted ones One with us nor one with themselves This Oneness of Relation lies here in that our Saviour doth not bring the Souls of the faithful in neerest relations of dearest love as adopted Sons but also into that spiritual intercourse of peculiar and divine operation of God upon the Soul whereby the Soul returnes unto God to do al and to take al.
To do al form himself in man not man to do it To receive all to himself by man not man to take it which was otherwise in the covenant of works The Lord Jesus having fitted the Soul for himself and united the Soul to himself and made the Soul acceptable to the Father in his Blood He sends the spirit of Adoption into the hearts of his sets their hearts for God and holds the bent of their heâ—rts towards him This is the gracious look of the Father The faithful the spiritual being of Sonship 1. Fasten to God in Christ as the fountain of life 2. Leave their hearts there and abide to be wholly acted by the influence and assistance of his Spirit 3. And to hold up the excellency thereof not I but Christ by the power of his might Mark that to be acted by the influence of the spirit not by a principle of Grace in our selves This is the Oneness to be carried beyond the covenant of works and the work of Grace or any principle thereof in our selves but to cling about God in Christ that he may act al in us and by us and we hold out him in al our works 2. How is this said to be perfected We shall better understand this if we a little consider the imperfection of this Oneness and wherein it appears the ful removal of those weaknesses wil be the perfecting of this priviledg in our Souls This imperfection lies in three things 1. In the feebleness and unsoundness of our spirit when we do not abide in the Lord we do out leave our selves under the power and stream of the Spirit of promise in and through which al spiritual vertue is dispensed and the influence of the Spirit is conveyed unto us But either we are crowded and thrust off by the strength and violence of temptation which as violent and boisterous winds and raging waves force the Vessel out of the Channel carries at upon the shore and shelves where it is set on ground if not split So Peter in the shock the assault came so fierce that it rowted his heart wholly and David in hast faid I shal one day perish c. Psal 16.11 Or Els We go aside willingly through the folly and deceiveable lusts of our carnal mind which catch at every Twigg hang upon every Hedg rawm and reach after re set by our own devices Will ye also go away Joh. 6.67 Jonah hath a fetch of his own and forlook his own mercies Jon. 2.8 Somtimes out of sinful discouragements the Soul like the Body in a fainting sit cannot see his way nor his Comfort nor can it help it self by holding that which is next at hand Like a man wildering in a dark night and out of the way he goes he knows not which way Isa 49.14 My God hath forsaken me This comes thus to be helped when God settles and stakes down the soul that it wil not go away nor be carried away O! intreat me nat to leave thee Ruth 1. Ashur shall not save us but with thee the fatherless finds mercy Hos 14.3 When we grow up in Christ as they I will wait upon him that hides his face from the house of Jacob and will look upward Isa 8.17 not inward outward downward backward when nothing from without moves us nothing from within stirs us or makes us turn back 1 Chron. 29. 18 as they Dan. 3.16.17 We care not to answer our God can and if he please he will however thither they look and thence they wil not go 2. As there is feebleness we abide not so there is crossness to the power of the Spirit which gives not way thereunto Though God through Christ let in some intimation to the soul and our Savior put his hand into the hole of the door and his fingers drop Mirrh leaves sweet insinuations of his favor present remembrances of himself Cant. 4.4 yet the soul is composing it self to a secure sluggish frame Psal 77.3 My soul refused comfort Ahaz will not ask a sign Isa 7.12 So Exod. 6.9 As Job in another case If God will speak kindly I could not beleeve it As Asa in a desperate pang refused to hear and receive Direction and Reproof from the Seen who would have brought him again to the Lord 2 Chron. 16. told him the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the world to shew himself stronger He lost his strength and peace all his daies This hindrance is removed when this crossness of whatever kind it is that may â—op the passage and Influence of the Spirit is taken off and when it 's wholly removed then is it fully perfected I can do nothing against the Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 I came without gainsaying Acts 10.29 Pray without Dialogueing 1 Tim 2.8 Abraham considered noâ— Sarahs barren Womb Rom. 4.19 Live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 As the Soul when a obstructions are removed hath his ful intercourse in the Body so when this opposition is removed 3. When by feebleness we abide not by crossness we close not or come to be fully ingrafted into the Promise So lastly When the Soul will joyn any thing with Christ or expect any Principle or Power to quicken or carry our hearts or abilities to any Service beside Christ as sharing with him in any quickening vertue further than he appoints them goes with them works by them This is a desperate prejudice to the perfection of this Unity and returning al to God in Christ To lean upon Christ and our own Wisdom expect from Christ and our own Abilities Ordinances Offices c. I am Pauls and I am Christs 1. Cor. 1.12 this is to joyn a stone and staff together and so we hold neither in our hand This is perfected When we come to eye nothing but Christ to joyn nothing with him expect nothing but from him no strength but from a Savior but from Christ who hath appointed it sanctified and blessed it Paul is nothing Apollo is nothing Word Ordinances nothing but Christ in them they work nor further than Christ is in them prosper not further than Christ blesseth them A Sacrament may poyson thee as wel as nourish if thou discernest not there who is the Food of thy Soul The Word may be a savor of Death as wel as of Life if Christ breath not bless not Therefore al the Faculties should fasten upon God in Christ as Eagles upon their Prey or as so many lines about the Centre al meet him Hopes expect Grace from God in Christ and from nothing else Desires long for mercy from God in Christ and nothing else As they We will remember thy Name only Jehosaphat had al the Forces in Israel yet staies there There is no strength in us our eyes are towards thee When once it comes to that we shall see him as be is then we shall be like unto him 1 John 3.2 When we are setled so that we stir not yield so to al of Christ
thy waies and do likewife it s a mercy that he wil accept of our love and suffer us to love him 1. None more worthy than our Savior One of then thousand altogether pleasantnesses Wouldest thou love thy peace love Christ that procures it lovest thou thy Soul and salvation love Christ that purchased it 2. None deserves our love more whom wil ye love if ye love not Jusus ye wil love the world and it wil deceive you Ye wil love you friends and they wil forsake you Ye wil love your own conceits and those wil delude and ruin you No Christ hath bought our love dearly and us also He loved us more than Heaven He emptied himself of his glory He loved us more than his own life loved us more than the sense and feeling of his Fathers love which is better than life it self Therefore he that hath bought our love and us so dearly we should dearly love him Let our minds love him who hath inlightened them our hearts who hath comforted them our consciences because they have been pacified and refreshed by him 3. We cannot lay out our love better to better advantage and improvement for our own spiritual wellfare Joh. 14.21 If any man wil love me he shal be loved of my Father and my Father and I will come to him and Sup with him and manifest our selves to him Is there no drooping and distressed Spirit when thou breathest after the assurance of Gods love Oh but one smile of his countenance when thou sittest in darkness and in a disconsolate condition what wouldest thou now give to gain evidence of Gods favor that he should make known himself unto thy Soul and say unto thee I am thy Salvation Oh thou sayest part with any thing do any thing Why Love jesus Christ lay out thy affection upon him and its certain thou shal attain what thou desirest Prov. 4. Love Wisdom and she will keep thee exalt her and she will preserve thee she will bring thee to honor if thou wil embrace her Thus we have finished the first point of the three observed from the last end of our Savior's prayer Viz. The Father loved the Lord Jesus We are now to inquire of the second proposition that is plainly expressed and taken for granted as the main thing that is intended here by our Savior The point then is in the express words of the Text Viz. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ He loves the Saints as he doth our Savior he loveth his adopted Sons as he doth his natural Son the members as the Head I confess judicious Calvin â—asts another Construction upon the word and therefore interprets the Particle which carries a similitude with it causally thus That thou lovest them because thou lovest me But since this Translation which we read carries the proper signification of the Word with it and since that which he intends is not denied but included in it I therefore chuse rather to follow the Native and Natural signification of the word when there is no constraining Argument to the contrary nor any inconvenience doth accrew thereby to the Context and Scope of the place Only attend this that ye may not mistake the mind of our Savior nor the meaning It is but AS for the quality and likeness of this Love not so much as that it should be equal for the quantity and greatness of that Love which was extended to our Savior and to his Saints and Children For that were to derogate from the Wisdom and Goodness of the Father from the Honor and Excellency of our Savior and to lift up both the Persons and Priviledges of the Faithful more than were meet and due It sufficeth nay it 's unmatchable and incomparable Mercy and unconceivable goodness of the Lord that poor sinful Dust and Ashes may so far be advanced that they may be like to Christ which they deserve not though to be equal to him is unreasonable to expect as impossible to attain it The like Phrase we have again repeated in the last verse of this Chapter with which our Savior ends his Prayer leaving that as the last farewel in which such spiritual god things and those glorious Priviledges that ever were promised or could be expected or received were summed up even the marrow of al those loving kindnesses the Lord lets out unto his People the tast and rellish whereof if it were kept upon the Soul it would keep a satisfing and ravishing content upon the heart of a Christian in al Conditions yea carries him beyond al the fulness of Comforts that al created Nature can afford whether in Earth or Heaven being somthing above Heaven it self and al the beauties of all created Excellencies which the place can afford We shal open Two things 1. Wherein the Love of the Father to the Saints shews it self 2. That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son 1. To discern wherein this Love appears we shal follow it in these Particulars by which Love is in a special manner made known as before Love of Vnion Complacence Benevolence Love Desires Union to the thing Rests contented with it Desires the good of the thing beloved 1. God loves his Saints with a Love of Vnion that 's thus conceived God the Father brings the Faithful into a neerer Vnion with himself and Christ than any Creature by any ability or excellency received by Creation could ever be capable of or could ever attain unto And this wil appear if we compare the surpassing excellency of this Union and the intimate neerness which every Beleever hath with God in the Covenant of Grace with that which Adam could attain unto by the Covenant of Works Had Adam stood and attained the utmost perfection it was possible for him to be made partaker of by the improvement of the Spiritual Stock of Grace bestowed upon him The utmost of al his happiness had been confined within this compass 1. A man by the Principle of Grate was fâ—â— to close with God and perform the Covenant made betwixt God and him But since the Fall of our first Parents and departure from God it was impossible for any Creature or any created Grace to bring back the soul to God therefore the God-head of Christ dwelling in the Nature of Man assumed bodily must bring the Nature of Man again unto God Man out of the mutability of his Grace departed from God but neither man nor Grace but the infinite Power of the God-head must bring man to God again and keep him with him So that the Second Person in the Glorious Trinity taking our Nature upon him did not only purchase by the power of the Deity all for us but by the same power enables us to receive the Work of his Spirit by which he carries us unto himself and the Father So that it is not any created Principle of Grace or gracious habit which either fits us for Christ or carries us to
second Adam it wholly fastens upon God in Christ and so leaves it self wholly to be acâ—ed by the influence thereof and holds out the excellency thereof that is not I but Christ not by my power and might but by the power of the might of Christ Thus the Sinner is wholly beyond the covenant of works So that the faithful hath nothing of himself doth nothing from himself or for himself As Christ the Son doth nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do Joh. 5.19 But God in Christ doth al for himself in man man doth it not receives al himself by man man can take nothing This I said was the leaving of the Soul under the influence of the spirit not under a principle of Grace or sanctification for that comes after is there is acted and preserved by this For the spirit holds nor us only but our Graces quickens and keeps them But a clinging about God in Christ that he may act al in us and by us Therefore the Apostle joins both these Eph. 3.16 Praies that we may be strengthened by the power of the spirit in the inward man The inward man is the man of Sanctification Now there is a power of his spirit that gives strengthening vertue to that This is that for Christ to abide in us and we in him Joh. 15. As the Father abides in Christ so Christ in the Father so Christ abides in us and we in him Christ gives al we receive and return all Christ looks upon us by his spirit we look wholly to Christ or wholly to the influence of that spirit in Christ hold out the power and vertue thereof that it may leave impression of al vertues in us preserve perfect quicken what it leaves So that God is in Christ and he as from the Father is in them God out of his love begets his Son gives the being of Son to him Christ out of his love begets his gives the being of adoped ones to them Once more As Christ looks only towards the Father as his Son begotten as he receives so he returnes So the faithful under the impression of the spirit of Christ as his begotten and adopted ones look towards him leave their hearts with him as of him to receive al as from him to do al. If Christ as begotten of the Father and one with him and abiding in him doth from the Father beget his adopted ones and makes them one with the Father and himself then doth the Father love the faithful with the like love of union as his Son issues from a like ground is in a like manner dispensed Only the odds is in the measure His love infinite immediate inconceiveable This finite mediate and proportionable to the condition of a creature And I cannot see by al the little light I have how to give a savory and seasonable interpretation of the place but according to this ground Joh. 10.14 15. I know mine his sheep his Sons whom he hath taken to himself and am known of them his knowing of them makes himself to be known and the rise from whence this comes verse 15. As my Father knows me and I am known of my Father 2. God loves the faithful with a like love of complacency as he doth the Son stil attend the likeness not the largness and equality of it with Christ God is first wel pleased and in him with is and such a complacency the Father takes in the Son as no creature indeed could procure and therefore no meer creature was able to receive and without Christ none ever could have been made partaker of it For had Adam obeyed the Law and done that which suited the covenant and so answered the rewarding justice of the Lord yet the revenging justice of the Lord had not yet been manifested When then sin was committed and an infinite justice wrought and an infinite punishment deserved it was beyond the compass of any creature to answer that wrong pay that debt Therefore the Lord Jesus takes our Nature that he may suffer and support our Nature in suffering by the power of his Deity that it sink not under the infinite wrath and justice of the Father and so this revenging justice is answered to the very ful and his rewarding justice please also And as thus with Christ so with the faithful Hebr. 10.14 They who have the acceptation of God in Christ made theirs to them the Lord extends the love of complacency But they have the love of God in Christ made theirs and set the evidence of this by the proportion A finite sin committed against an infinite being infinitely offends A finite suffering infinitely satisfies because the person was infinite that bore it God is infinitely wel pleased Because from the worth of his person and the vertue of his Merit he hath laid down ful Satisfaction But he is infinitely pleased with the Faithful by way of imputation because the fruit of that Merit proceeding from such a person is accounted theirs God loves the faithful with the love of Benevolence he wisheth the like good to them procures a like good for them as for Christ He makes them sharers with him in Christ-like priviledges He only hath the preheminence and they the second place They are said to ascend into Heavenly places to sit with Christ to judg the world yea al enemies to be put under feet Yea when the Kingdom shal be given up by our Savior no further dispensation in any outward means 1 Cor. 15.28 God the Father shal be all in all But in the infinite expressions of the riches of al glorious Grace upon the man Christ Jesus and in and through him upon them God the Father hath taken the Lord Christ into neerest union with himself Taken unconceiveable content in him Advanced him to infinite glory with himself The faithful next to Christ they are in a like manner united to God as Jesus In like manner accepted as Jesus Advanced as Jesus And herein lies the Crown of this glory the Diadem of this Crown the excellency above the happiness of Heaven that none of al this did come from a man by the power of any Grace or performance of any work Hence we have matter of admiration in regard of the goodness and kindness of the Lord who is al-sufficient of himself in himself yet should vouchsafe to look from Heaven to such poor worthless creatures and to extend such tender compassions unto poor wretches Tantus Tantum Tantillis but that we have spoken unto There be many Collections yet remaining we shall touch only some because we would willingly put an end to the verse 1. Instruction The sinns of the faithful are exceeding grievous unto the Lord above the sins of al other persons they go neerest unto the heart of the Almighty Not only against light but again love yea the greatest love that could be shewed and therefore cause great distast If Enemies abuse and wrong us If Strangers to whom we are
Earth And truly were their hopes only in this life they were of all men most miserable and further than this Life men do not look nor can in truth see wanting Faiths Prospective which is the Evidence of things not seen that they so judg nay conclude it as beyond controversie And this somtime stumbled holy Asaph Psal 73. See also 1 John 3.1 2. Our Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Because their Understandings are wholly perverted and their hearts also so corrupt that they are not able to judg of the Love of the Lord or the evidencing expressions thereof The god of this World hath so blinded their eyes that the beauty of Gods Grace and so the beams and heat of Gods Love cannot come home to their Consciences to convince them thereof And such is the corrupt distempered frame of their hearts that they savor only the things of the Flesh and not to have things suit their sensual Appetite or to contrive Contentments to their own carnal Affections they count it the greatest curse and expression of Gods distast and displeasure that may be The carnal heart savors the things of the Flesh nothing seems sweet unless it suits his corruption So that If the Life of a Beleever and so the Evidences of Gods Love be hid and cannot be discerned The hearts and minds of the World be so perverted and surfeted with the sweetness of their own lusts that they cannot judg of the fruits of Gods Love though presented before them Then it is no marvel that they do not know it nor acknowledg it as dispensed to the Saints The Point now explicated the Reasons which give in the Proof thereof will appear more easie and more undeniably plain 1. At the Day of Judgment the World of the wicked they come to have convicting Evidence which can neither be gain-sayed nor wil ever be removed what is a never failing proof of Gods Love by the sense woful Experience they have of Gods direful hatred and displeasure upon their own Souls Their hearts now find it and feel it their Consciences confess it their Judgments acknowledg it that the Plague of al Plagues the Curse of al Curses that wherein the venom of Gods Vengeance and infinite Indignation and hatred of the Lord from his Blessing and comforting presence to be destroyed from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power the glorious and powerful expression of his saving Mercy However formerly the soul while it was surfeting in its sinful distempers found no greater content nor conceived any greater favor than to have it ful of its own lusts and not to be crossed with the Counsel of the Lord and concluded no other Heaven nor happiness like the enjoying of their hearts delight without check of God or Conscience Yet now he sees the sweet and surfets of those sins become the greatest torment unto him the very quintessence of the Curse and the substance of the Sentence of Condemnation Depart from me ye cursed was the Commission thereof I thought nothing so delightful that I might without gainsaying depart from God by sinning therein the execution of Gods Indignation doth wholly appear to cast me out of his presence and to stake me down in his departure never to see his face enjoy his presence come within the smile of his Favor any more Therefore those who are brought so neer to God so accepted of him Christ at the right hand of the Father they at the right hand of Christ being ever with him what that Love is we cannot tel that is beyond our reach yet it is a fruit of the greatest Love we cannot but see and confess our departure being the fearful fruit of Gods fierce displeasure Thus Ecclesiasticus brings them in at the day of Judgment taking the shame to themselves which formerly they cast upon the Saints We Fools thought this mans life madness but now he is advanced and we cast out of Gods fight and presence for ever 2. They are fully convinced and experimentally perswaded that al this comes from Christ and not from them and from Christ as the Head of the Second Covenant for from Adam it could not come in whom they had a like share as al the Sons of Men hewed out of the same Rock and digged out of the same Pit had the same Nature as they had as good Abilities and as great means as they and yet notwithstanding they found infinitely beyond their power nay their own Apprehensions either to attain this nay it could not enter once into their thoughts that they who knew not Christ should receive him they who opposed him should become one Spiritually and one Spirit with him even as neer as the Members to the Head for so they now hear the Saints acknowledg it it was the Son that died for them that was sent from the living Father that they might live through him They now see the Son of God the Lord Jesus stands betwixt them and al their harms that no Devils can accuse them that no malice can charge them but Christ saies I have undertaken answered satisfied and they now come to be accepted as he advanced as he set up on the Throne to judg as he and to regin as he through al Eternity They who receive al this good from the Father through Christ as the Head of the Covenant for them and in their behalf and enjoy al next unto Christ they are loved as the Lord Jesus Christ O! we wretches hated them when God loved them contemned them when God honored them we did not know them and therefore wo unto us we despised them we looked at them as the basest of al men when they were more than men yea more excellent than the Angels the Spouse of Christ the Members of Christ the Beloved of the Father in Christ yea beloved as Christ USE 1. Hence we have matter of Patience for the Saints of God they are the contempt of the wicked the scorn of the World the Object of the ignominy and reproach of ungodly men But their Life is hid with Christ in God beyond their ken their reach and reason and no wonder they know nor them nor Christ The God of this World hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts no marvel that what they cannot see they cannot judg aright of they know not the things of the God of Heaven nor the work of his Grace nor the worth of his Servants The Saints are Princes but they are not in their Country they are in strange places and amongst strange People who do not know them and therefore cannot honor them and therefore they are content to bear it for the while to stay til they come into their own Countrey and to the day of Coronation Saies Paul I pass not for mans day This is mans day but at that day the day of Jesus c. The
of Wrath and expectation when thou shalt be arraigned and condemned by the righteous Sentence of Gods revenging Justice Satan accuseth Conscience gives in witness against thee and the Justice of God passeth Sentence Look up to this Glory that Christ stands possessed of now in Heaven and al these Accusations will vanish immediately nor wil once appear to plead against a beleeving sinner Upon this ground Paul flings out the Gantlet against al Adversaries and there is not an Action that can pass nay not so much as a motion made against him that can find audience in Court Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods Chosen it's God that justifies nay it 's Christ that hath died nay rather risen again nay sits at the right hand of God Justice cannot condemn Christ hath satisfied and is freed and now is at Gods right hand and is at the better hand with Justice triumphs there Devils cannot cavil they are silenced Conscience accuse that is answered nay those dayly failings which might seem to interrupt the Terms of Agreement betwixt God and the Soul and make new Controversies These are taken up and intercepted by the Lord Jesus Nay the main Pith of this Glory was as ye have read before That the immediate execution of Gods whol Counsel towards the Sons of Men is by his means comes through his hands And if there be any thing against his Members his Spouse he wil be sure to stop that proceeding So Paul disputes Rom. 5.9 If reconciled by his Death how much more shall we be saved by his Life 5. By this all Graces shall be strengthened and made glorious answerable and in some measure proportionable to the Glory that Christ hath possessed The Father gives glorious Power and Grace to him and he dispenseth glorious Grace and Power to us This is the ground of the Inference The Spirit was not sent because Christ was not ascended That the larger measure of the Spirit in the more spiritual and efficacious operations thereof was not yet given because he was not yet in the Throne of Glory and invested with the fulness of that power which then he should re-assume and challenge to himself And this Peter renders to be the reason of those extraordinary Gifts that were given and admirable Works that were done by the Apostles When al the People wondered and stood amazed to hear each man speak in his own language the magnificent things of God the holy Apostle Peter carries them hither as to the first root and rise of al those miraculous Dispensations Acts 2.34 36. That Christ whom ye have crucified God hath raised and made him both Lord and Christ and having received the Promise of the Spirit having as man received the Spirit without measure as much as Nature was capable of and as God possessed and recovered the same Glory which he had with the Father before al Worlds He now sheds abroad this which ye now see and hear Great Princes reserve the greatest Gifts and Entertainment unto the daies of greatest Solemnity as Coronation or Conquest The day of Christs Ascention and sitting and so possession of Glory is the day of his Coronation and Conquest returns into his own Country and there triumphs and then gives Gifts enlargeth himself in the Graces of his Spirit Eph. 1.20 22 23. when Christ was set in Heavenly places and advanced to his Glory It was that he might be Head of his Church and might fill all in all By this he comes to be Head and hath all Graces By this he comes to communicate himself not in sparing manner but fully and freely he fils all in all 6. By this thou mayest be enlarged in all Services not only receive more Graces but exercise what thou hast received in a more active and excellent manner than ever otherwise thou should'st or could'st have attained unto The Glory of our Savior over-shadowing thee wil make thee pray gloriously lead a glorious life and perform glorious Duties Thus our Savior disputes John 14.22 Verily verily I say unto you he that beleeveth in me shall do the Works that I do that is in regard of the Doctrine he then delivered or Works he then wrought Nay greater works than these shall he do Why Because I go to my Father He goes to possess al Glory in al the fulness of the Execution of al power and dispensation thereof And therefore having more dispenseth more vertually by the power of his sitting at the right hand of God than he did when he was bodily present in the daies of his Humiliation Peter by the vertue of his death and that glorious power which Christ possessed in Heaven he converted at once three thousand which our Savior never did while he preached Christ healed the Sick and cured Diseases of such as came to him but Peter such as he sent his Hand-kerchief unto Nay our Savior ads Whatever ye ask in my Name in the Name of Christ now in Glory as he is gone to his Father If ye ask any thing never so miraculous hard improbable impossible to Flesh and Blood he wil bring it about And upon this Tenure it is that promise is made to the Church of Thyatira That she shall rule the Nations with a rod of Iron Rev. 2.26 27. A poor handful of People the mighty and invincible power of a multitude of Nations See the Reason it is As I have received from my Father This power of this glorious Dispensation is such as he hath received in a more ful and eminent manner he wil so also communicate it And therefore our Savior professeth it is expedient that he should go away for if he go not he wil not send the Comforter but if he do he wil send him and then he shal lead you into all truth John 16.7.13 The last resolution rests there Al is Christs that the Father hath and he shal take of Christs and give to them 7. By this thou maiest be sure thou canst not miss of Eternal Life This was the end why Christ receives God the Father gives this Glory that he may give it unto the Faithful John 17. Thou hast given me power over all Creatures that I may give unto them Eternal Life Christ cannot miss of his End nor thou of Glory And if al power can bring to Eternal Life thou canst not but enjoy it Christ must fail of his intent if thou fail of thy happiness and therefore you shal find our Savior so solicitous to settle the hearts of his Disciples in this and himself so unweariable to accomplish it John 14.2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled c. They were and al the Saints find a hard shock here they are troubled what wil become of them at last and how shal they once arrive at the Haven the storms so strong the waves so fierce oppositions from without so great corruptions from within so out-ragious Why our Savior saies Be not troubled I go to
the Children that thou hast given me then he shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father The Rule and Government of our Savior in al these outward Dispensations shal be at an end The end and scope of the Death and Obedience Ascention and Redemption wrought out by Christ that he must affectionately desire But this is so Therefore 2. By this means the perfection of his Body mystical and himself as mystical Christ is accomplished without this somthing would be wanting to make up the fulness thereof Eph. 1. last It 's said of the Church and is true of each Member for their measure It is the fulness of him who filleth all in all the hearts of al his Saints with al saving Graces If at the last day of that great assembling of the first-born there should be but the poorest Saint wanting and out of the way the mystical Body of Christ would so far want it's fulness if a finger or a joynt be lacking the Body would lack somthing of its ful integrity And therefore Eph. 4.13 God never leaves sending Officers they never leave gathering and perfecting the Body of Christ until we all arrive and meet at the unity of Faith and the acknowledgment of the Son of God The Head and Members should in reason be present one with another The Husband and Wife in comliness should co-habit in the same place and dwel together Christ is the Head his Faithful his Members Christ the Husband is gone into his own out of fair Countrey and therefore he cannot but affectionately desire the coming of his Bride unto him Nay rather than fail as we heard he wil come down from Heaven and fetch her John 14. I will take you to my self that where I am ye may be also 3. The compleat happiness of the Saints can only by this means be fully procured The Lord redeems not only from guilt and punishment and power of our sins and miseries but even from the presence of them And we cannot be wholly freed from the presence of the evil of the world before we be taken out of the World And therefore as the Lord hath advanced our Savior far above Principalities and Powers beyond the gun-shot of Satans temptations and the evils of this vale of Tears So the Lord Jesus provides that we may triumph with him as we have suffered with him Matth. 13.41 Therefore in the Parable while we live in the Field of the World and the Church is here Militant there wil be Tares which wil annoy and trouble But when the Lord shal send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom al things that offend and them which do iniquity Then shal his Saints be translated into the Kingdom of the Father That which is the end of Christs Redemption the perfection of his Body the compleat happiness of his People that he must affectionately desire For the end ever carries and commands the affection of the Agent who works by Counsel and Reason USE 1. Of Instruction Hence al that are given to Christ must be raised from the dead and be in an immortal condition and in everlasting happiness As our Savior reasoned against the Sadduces God is the God of Abraham Isaac Jacob God is a God in Covenant with the Living Therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob must live and that in Bodies and Souls because he is the God of both So those that must ever be with Christ they must have a Being and be raised out of the dust nor matters it though they were returned to the dust and that scattered into the four corners of the World into the Sea where they have been drowned into the Earth where they have been buried into the Fire where they have been burned The Lord wil send his Angels and he wil gather his Elect The Sea shal give up her dead the Fire and Earth their dead They shal be made immortal that so they may be ever with the Lord. USE 2. Of Reprehension It condemns both the Spirits and Practices of such who cannot abide the presence much less prize the communion and company of the Saints Christ is not at rest in Heaven without them and they are in a Hell count themselves in a Prison while the are in the place and the presence where they be Certainly Christ is deceived or thou art justly to be condemned as one who hast not the heart of Christ the Grace and Spirit of Christ in thee and that one day thou shalt find They shal ever be with Christ and thou that canst not indure their society in the Kingdom of Grace thou shalt never have their company in the Kingdom of Glory Such is the exquisite Constitution and Soveraign temper of the Irish Mold that there poysonous Vermin Toads and Spiders and such like they die presently if confined to the compass of the Earth and therefore they forthwith leave the Mold lest they lose their lives So here if thou countest it a kind of death to be confined to the holy Society and gracious and Spiritual communion of the Saints it 's certain Thou hast the poyson of a prophane and a graceless heart within thee They went out from us saies the Apostle because they were not of us had they been of us had they grown upon the same root the Lord Jesus knit one to another by the same Spirit They would never have departed from us When loos-hearted and wicked Hypocrites are hemmed in by the Communion of the Faithful at unawares they stand upon coals and sit upon Thorns like Fish out of their Element their hearts faint and die away presently as professedly contrary to the Spirit of our Savior as Light to Drakness Christs Wil is They should be where he is and their wil is To be any where else but where they are USE 3. Of Spiritual Comfort Hereby we may learn to support our selves in several occasions that would prejudice us in our Christian Course Hence we may fetch supply to bear up our hearts in al over-bearing pressures Comfort against al Opposition of our Spiritual Adversaries which may hinder our Happiness Against contempt of the World that would disparage our persons and Professions Against our own weaknesses and feebleness that might discourage us in a Christian Course The former Doctrine affords Spiritual refreshing against al these Against the fiercest of al opposition which al the Enemies of our Salvation can make against our progress and success in a Christian Course The Prayer of our Savior is above the Power of Hel and Devils though they rage above their malice and policy though they undermine above the corruption of mine own heart which would betray and deliver me as a prey into the hands of Devils and their Instruments This Prayer of our Savior shal carry the Cause against them all and thee to Heaven in despight of al. This Request wil not be denied this Wil of Christ nothing can resist The grant of the Father to our Savior none in
he wil drop in in this or that Ordinance and how liâ—tle do we see of hinâ—â— yet that 's al we seek and that 's al the good we can receive to do us good But them â—hrist in the glorious sufficiency of the fulness of his Grace shal shine in a-main upon the mind in the ful beauty of it Al Comfort and Peace and Grace of al kinds shal like a mighty stream take up the whol man Here by re-tale as persons who are poor buy and bring in their Provisions Then by whol-sale Here the Light of the Sun shining in a crevis and day-hole leaves yet the place dark but then the Lord Christ shal arise as the Sun of Righteousness and fil as that the whol Heaven so this the whol heart So Christ shines in the Counsels Comrorts c. of the Ministry of the Word and makes us see the Day-star arising but stil there be shadows But then he wil arise in our hearts and al these shadows shal fly away I shall know as I am known 3. Most effectually and powerfully 1 John 3.2 It 's the Inference the Apostle makes and the reason he brings to force this Consequence and that infallibly We shal be like him How comes that We shall see him as be is For as the Spirit of Christ by his Special presence in the Soul and work upon it is the only Author of al Grace and Holiness which we do here or shal hereafter possess 2 Cor. 3.18 We are transformed into one degree of glorious Grace from another by the same Spirit So the Spirit of God useth first to enlighten our minds aâ— the first means whereby he comes to make way for himself into the heart and to communicate al that glorious Grace to those upon whom he is pleased to bestow it And hence our Savior when he would difference his Servants from the wicked in the World to whom he never intends any saving good nor do they partake thereof he gives this as a ground John 14.17 The Father will send his Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him No Spirit no Grace But the World hath no Spirit because they cannot receive him and that because they do not see not know But they see therefore receive and therefore have the Spirit and therefore have Grace and therefore the Apostle concludes 1 John 3.6 Whoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him True it is possible the wicked may have a glimmering of the Truth and hear tel of a Christ by the common bruit of the World as they read such things writ But this is a false Light the Star-light of some common apprehensions of Reason Arguments which are presented to us in Speech and Discourse But the Apostle ads Eph. 4.20 If ye have heard and learned Christ and been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus Ye have heard of the Truth and Christ as then are in words which report him as Arguments and Reasons which discourse and dispute about him but the Truth as it is in Jesus as it issues from a Jesus from a Savior and from that saving enlightening over-powring work when it 's set on by the hand of a Jesus not by Man Education or Disputation then it wil make men to put off the old man and be renewed in the spirit of their minds This the eyeing of Jesus in a right manner in this Life wil do But when we come to see Christ as he is in his Glory all those impediments which either stopped or lessened the work of the Spirit from conveying that fulness of Grace which otherwise it would and by which we might have been perfectly like him are then taken away Now the impediments which stop the current and passage of the Spirit are either in regard of the means whereby he is dispensed or in regard of our hearts wherein he is received 1. For the means they are either narrow as Conduits from the Fountain or Creeks from the Sea of smal power and convey little help in spiritual supply as Word and Sacraments Or else the Instruments are weak and cracked and so stop the stream and corrupt and sinful and therefore though not utterly hinder the work of the Spirit yet wrong and defile it much But then the Lord Christ wil do his work by himself when his Spirit shal have ful scope the narrowness of means shal not streighten him the weakness of instruments hinder him to express the ful power of his Grace in ful perfection but God shall now be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 1. Whatever Word and Sacraments and Prayer could or did convey whatever the Power of Ordinance the Ministry of the Word the Counsel of Saints endeavored to work in you he wil be instead of al and do more than al. Ye prayed for a Christ did ye not Ye heard for a Christ received for a Christ conferred humbled to come more neer a Christ to enjoy more of him do more for him Alas that Christ ye desired to hear some Tidings of ye shal see him not in weakness of Ordinances Ministry of his Servants c. ye shal see him as he is in the highest strain of Eminency of al Grace acting to its utmost for your good that which they all could not do They did convey but imperfect power against sin peace and comfort to your Conscience but now ye shal find al power perfectly and constantly gloriously conveyed from this Glory of Christ 2. There shal be no impediment to hinder or streighten the Spirit from conveying no impediment on our part no hindrance in our Souls because they shal readily receive the ful impression of Grace The set frame and face of the Soul being alone for Christ and towards him The whol imployment of the whol man being nothing else but to attend upon Christ and to submit to him to be carried by the presence power and influence of his Spirit alone Look as it is with In-mates under a Roof the one is constrained to confine himself to heap up and tumble his Houshold-stuff together because he hath not room to set it forth but when al are outed and he hath ful scope in his House and Family he may order al in their ful beauty So here paâ—â—ly our Corruptions partly the World and Earthly occasions keep house with Christ thoughts of Christ and the Family â—are for the Promises and for Provision also pains and labor to settle our Spiritual the like contrivements to suit our temporal Condition and al takes up if not take off and carriâ—â— our minds and thoughts our hearts our care so that Christ and the works of his Grace are crowded into corners and narrows But then the House wil be free the heart quit of al these and Christ wil have ful scope Hence the Apostle 1. Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with him We are now pestered with unwelcome guests which we cannot send going
everlasting Mercy and Fatherly Faithfulness in Christ These are deep things and as no man knows what is in man but the Spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God And it 's the Answer to that Question 1 Cor. 2. and last Who hath known the mind of the Lord q. d. None can pry into the Ark of his Privy Counsel which hath been from everlasting and therefore he ads We have the mind of Christ He that hath Christs mind may know Gods mind for he is Privy to it Luke 10.21 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight no man knows who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him It must be from the Revelation of Christ that any come to the right knowledg of the Father John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son who came out of the Bosom of the Father he hath revealed him that is those Bosom Affections of his Fatherly Love 2. Our Apprehensions and Conceivings of God hold proportion with his Dispensations of himself to us There must be ever some print of some operation and impression of his Excellencies or Relation left upon us before any thing can be discerned For he dwells in the Light that no Creature can attain unto and to pry into his Secrets which he hath reserved in his own Bosom as indeed we should not Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us so in truth we cannot reach them they are far beyond the scantling of our shallow Conceits Now the expressions which God leaves of his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness are sound no where but in the hearts of his whom he cals unto himself Them he takes into the Bosom of his Love To them he communicates these Bosom Secrets the Foot-steps whereof are to be found no where upon Earth but in the Souls of the Faithful Therefore they only can see the Print of them they only come to know them The great Characters of Gods Power Wisdom and Bounty are left instamped and engraven upon each Creature and therefore they may be seen of al and read of al and so known But that he should set his heart upon any lost Son of Adam an his Christ and draw him into special intimate and spiritual Communion with himself through his Son this is only to be found recorded in the Consciences whom he hath called out of the World These are the unknown yernings of the Bowels of a Father which can be owned by none but such who are his own Rev. 2. He gives a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it unknown Benevolence and unknown Complacency of a Fathers Bowels USE 1. Of Instruction 1. Therefore it is not safe to lean to the Counsel or be led by the Opinion of Carnal men touching the doubts we have or difficulties we find concerning the Love of God unto our souls and his Faithfulness in the performance of his gracious Promises Alas they know nothing of those things how shal they be able to make us know them They understood nothing themselves and how shal they reach others Is any so weak and silly that he would go to a blind man to make him judg of Colors or a deaf man of Sounds or he that never knew the way to be a Guide to lead him the way unless he were resolved to miss his way and end also True indeed they may somtimes speak things by hear-say but to speak things from grounded Knowledg and Experience they cannot because they have none 2. Hence it 's plain That the meanest Saint and most ignorant doth yet know more of Gods Fatherly Love and is better acquainted with the Faithful Performance of his Promises than the most learned and profound Doctors of the World Because they know the Father and are privy to his Secrets and have his Bosom Counsels communicated to them by the Lord Christ which are Riddles and Wonders and Mysteries to the whol World and to the Princes thereof USE 2. Of Terror It discovers the dreadful Estate and miserable Condition of al wicked men the Children and Darlings of the World who take content in it and give content to it The World it is likely may lay you in her Bosom for the World wil love her own but ye be far enough from the Love of the Father as ye be far from the knowledg of him Hence a Sea of Misery breaks in upon thee able to over-whelm thy Soul irrecoverably If it can be once said Thou knowest not the Father there is enough said to sink thy heart in everlasting discouragement In this Estate thou canst expect no good for thon canst receive no good from the hand of the Lord though he be the Father of Mercies and God of al Consolation There is none for thee not one Blessing nor Comfort For if God communicate any thing of himself unto the Sons of Men it is by his Spirit whose Office it is To lead them into all Truth John 16.13 and to seal them up in the Truth unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. Al that is the Fathers is Christs and the Spirit takes of Christs and so of the Fathers and gives it unto such for whom it is appointed John 16.15 But it 's the depth of thy Misery thou canst not receive the Spirit 1. Thou canst receive nothing of the Father though it were given thee John 14.17 I will send the Comforter whom the World cannot receive because it doth not see nor know him This is thy Condition right Thou canst not see nor know the Spirit and consequently nor the Father therefore not receive him and therefore receive no good The Spirit wil not take the Mercy of a Father to pardon thee the Love of the Father to support the Peace of the Father to quicken Grace of a Father to purge and sanctifie thy corrupt heart The holy Spirit would take of Christs and so of the Fathers and give to thee But thou art a worldly wicked wretch and thou canst not receive the Spirit nor Christ nor Mercy nor Love if thou had'st them laid before thee 2. And as thou canst receive no good from the Father so thou canst perform no good Duty to him that may find acceptance with him or a blessing from him Thou knowest not the Father therefore thou canst not love him nor fear nor honor nor obey him That which the Eye sees not the Mind knows not the Heart affects not fears not prizeth not at al nor performs the least Duty to him because thou fallest short in thy Apprehensions wholly of him Nay mark what I say Thou did'st never pray to this Father of Christ and of al compassion in him If I wil pray with my Tongue I wil pray with my
Understanding also saies the Apostle Upon that Father thou did'st never cal that thou did'st never know to this day It was a Fancy of thine own devising it was not the Father of Christ and thine in him thou called'st upon For thou could'st not seek to him that thou could'st never know to this day Happily thou hast learned the Lecture without Book and canst speak the words by rote but thou wilt not say speaking words argues the reality of knowledg Parrots can prattle words which out of Custom they have heard but understand not the things Therefore it 's an Idol of thine own making thou petitionest unto not the true God and Father of Mercy and therefore thou loseft al thy Prayers and Performances they never come neerer to God As thou knowest noâ— him he wil profess to thee at that day Depart from me ye wicked I know you not I own not either Persons or Prayers or Duties Ye did not call upon me when ye bowled upon your beds When the Dog is hanged upon the pale Nature teacheth him to howl for help and release out of misery though he hath neither Reason nor Understanding to know what that is which must help So Nature teacheth and misery forces to howl out 3. Thou layest thy self open to the in-rode of al Temptations and Corruptions that either the occasion from without or distempers from within shal lead thee into to turn desperate Opposer of the Truth Hater and bloody Persecutor of Gods People Thou knowest not God and thou knowest not what thou dost against him or his People John 16.2 3. 4. Carnal Men can have no discerning or right Judgment of a Spiritual Condition either their own or others The Devil may cozen thee with Colors and thou mayest delude thy self with Dreams prop up thy heart with vain hopes But it 's certain where there is no knowledg but ignorance there can be no evidence or certainty Thou knowest not the Father nor his Love nor Mercy nor Faithfulness in his Promises and therefore canst have no assurance of his acceptance of thee Object But I hope I am somwhat and have somwhat more than the World Answ Try it thus The whol World lies in wickedness is brought to bed sits at ease in some sinful lusts out of which they would not be removed So the yong man If thou lie or lodg in a distemper takest up thy rest therein as Beetles though they fly abroad yet logd last in a Dunghil know thou art one of the World and shalt perish with the World That they might all be damned which love not the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2. Thes 2.12 Thus we have seen what the Condition of the World is as touching their Ignorance of the Father They know him not There is yet somthing further held out in the Words as they are set in way of opposition to our Savior They do not know but I do know and these know The Disposition Doct. and Carriage of our Savior and the Saints towards God is wholly cross to the world This the Reason and frame of the Words fully lay open unto us at the first view And hence it is that they are set forth unto us by way of Contradiction which carry the Contrariety of the largest extent that can be Contradiction divides the whol breadth of being or entity al come within the compass of one of the sides The World hath not known thee I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Knowledg it is that makes way for the allowance and choyce of the heart for the stirring and moving of the Affections for the exercise and putting forth of al such Operations that issue from them and the whol man Therefore if they do not know him then not chuse him love him fear him desire delight in him serve him or seek his Glory in the least measure And hence there is a contrariety betwixt Christ Christians and the World in the whol compass and largest extent that can be conceived either in disposition or action And this is made the Evidence and Ground why the World hath nothing to do with God nor Spirit in the things of Grace John 14.17 The Comforter the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him And therefore it is the Scripture expresseth the most perfect and absolute opposition that can be when it would discover the distance betwixt Christ and his and the world 1 Cor. 3.19 The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God It 's not the weakness and the occasional mistakes of the World or somthing that is most erronious in the world But the very wisdom of the world what is it at the best or it may seem to be in the highest stream of worth if any worth be in it that is not only foolish mingled mixed or accompanied with somthing that was foolish may be a little blended or blemished with folly but it is foolishness in the Abstract The best that is in the world is the worst that can be conceived in the way of God So James takes it for a thing confessed and notorious Chap. 4.4 Know ye not ye Adulterers and Adulteresses that the Friendship of the World it is Enmity against God Al of it is altogether in the highest strain of Opposition against the Lord. This is that the Apostle John peremptorily affirms and that with as much indignation and distraction as can be 1 John 5.19 We are of God but the whol world lies in wickedness It is not only wicked or some of it may be so conceived but the whol of it is wickedness and it lies in it The whol Frame Disposition yea the very Constitution of the Circuit of the World is setled upon such Lees and therefore the same Apostle undeniably infers it Chap. 2.15 Love not the World c for if any man love the world these are at that deadly feud that they cannot stand together they destroy each other If any man be he what he wil you ever find it true in al persons at al times the Love of the Father is not in him REASONS are three 1. Consider the highest Fountain and first author from whence their dispositions and operations do arise both in our Savior in the Saints in the World and in the Wicked There ye shal perceive the opposition to be in the highest strain that can come within the reach of reason or indeed can be in the reality of truth Hither our Savior looks when he would discover the rock out of which they were hewn and the first Pedegree of that profaneness and Wickedness which overflowes in the hearts and lives of the ungodly Joh. 8.38 When he would lead the wicked Jews to the Fountain whence their cruelty and murderous carriage did proceed he points at it with the Finger I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father They Answer Abraham
is our Father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams Children ye would do Abrahams works but ye seek to kill me and this did not Abraham But ye do the deeds of their Father They could not conceive what he meant And therefore stil reply We are not born of Fornication we have one Father even God Our Savior again returnes an undeniable evidence If ye were of God ye would love me for I came from God nor came I of my self but God sent me But because al these were Riddles he speaks out and shews them the Root of their wretchedness Verse 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye wil do He was a murderer and abode not in the truth and what he saies of one he saies of al sins in the like case When he speaks a lie he speaks of his own for he is the Father of lies As God is the first cause of truth and goodness and from his fulness al the beams and streams of truth are derived to any who share therein So Satan is the first cause of falshood and wickedness and therefore called The Wicked one And from him al wickedness is derived And hence ungodly men are called The Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 They are said to be of that Wicked one 1 Joh. 3.11 Cain was of that Wicked one Put in way of opposition To be born of God This I take to be the meaning of those Phrases and texts which hence receive their explication as belonging I conceive properly to this place Joh. 8.23 When our Savior would shew the distance and great disagreement between himself and the wretched and ungodly Jews he speaks Ye are from beneath I am from above Ye are of this world I am not of this world Joh. 17.14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of this world even as I am not of this world Here we have the Wel-head of hatred because they are not of the world And we see that this agrees to Christ as to them and to them by means of Christ that as he speaks els where Joh. 8.28 He can do nothing but what he sees his Father do Joh. 14.10 The words that I speak I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me As the first person dwels in the second he is thus from the Father and works from the Father So his Saints and faithful are of and from the Father by him Whereas the wicked They are of the world That is their dispositions which are corrupt they issue firstly from Saâ—an who cast's in his Seed of rebellion into their hearts according to which they are framed And upon this ground he is called the God of the world As he is firstly evil and cannot but be evil and al evil is from him that is in the world For by his wickedness al the world and wicked comes to be tainted and by the leaven of his wickedness defiled Their minds so far as erronious are made up of his delusions Their hearts as they are stuborne and ungodly are made up of his rebellions 2. Consider the next immediate cause by which they are acted this also wil evidence the strength and distance of their opposition and that in the greatest extremity And this you shal find most pregnantly 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of God So that there is a spirit of the world which blinds mens minds and minds which the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ cannot shine upon them nor the power of any savory truth or good come neer them or work upon them but they stop the passage against al do most desperately and resolutely oppose al. And that is perverted mutability set on or set a going by the provoking and cursing power of the Law the malignity of Satan having leave and somtime command from God to wind up the wickedness of mens spirits to the highest strain of the activity of evil When God said who wil go and deceive Ahab Satan answers I wil. The Lord asks how I wil saies he Be a lying Spirit in the mouth of the fals Prophets q. d. It was in his power if God would give leave to act their minds and Tongues as one man to speak and perswade unto deceiptful waies which would undoubtedly bring to ruin And this is the meaning of those two Phrases Eph. 2.2 Men are said to walk according to the course of the world one Spirit and guise in them al. If it be asked what that is he adds According to the Prince of the Air the Spirit that now worketh c. When the Prince of the Air by his impulsions and suggestions draws out the distempers of the ungodly to the utmost activity And this is noted in the next words They fulfilled the wils of the Flesh and of the mind what a corrupt heart and Vain Head would carry a man unto He must needs go whom the Devil drives This is called the wil of the Gentiles that is what men left to the corruption of their Natures would wil. Contrarily The Holy Ghost takes ful possession of our Savior and from Christ dwels in the hearts of his Saints by which they are strengthened Eph. 3.16 Strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man So that there is 1. The inner man which is Grace 2. Strengthened in this 3. By the might of his Spirit So led by the Spirit Rom. 8.15 yea not only strengthen and lead but mightily and actively works in his when they are quickened to work the Works of God Col. 1. last I strove but it is according to the working of Christ and that is mightily therefore Stephen said They could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Acts 6. As the Prince of Darkness by his Impulsions draws out the Activity of Corruption in the strength of it So the Prince of Light and Grace the Lord Christ is greater than he that is in the World and carries the Faithful by an invincible Power 3. Look at them in the main ends at which they aim in al their Operations and Proceedings Our Savior came not to do his own wil or seek his own but to do the wil and seek the Glory of the Father Therefore the Scope of his whol Work it is to break the Head of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 To destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 To deliver from the present evil world Gal. 1.4 And al the Saints are of the same Heart follow his Colors and Command When the Devil and the World the Prince of this World and the Children of this World they set themselves in al their Contrivements plottings practices to destroy the Glory of God the Kingdom of God and Christ and set up the Kingdom of darkness and
of his ascension so it is true for the reality of the thing in regard of his Mission from the Father For the spirit must be sent from the Father and the Son And therefore it presumes his sending And Hence it is when he is come being sent of the Father He shal teach you al things and shal bring to mind what ever I have said to you And that which Christ speaks he hath from the Father not from the Spirit Joh. 14.10 The words he speaks not of himself And Verse 24. The words which ye hear are not mine but the Fathers which sent me He hath the message from him Joh. 12.49 I have not speken of my self but the Father which sent me gave me a command what I shal say and what I should speak Nay our Savior doth not take of the Spirit but the Spirit hears from him speaks from him Joh. 16.13 Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he wil guid you into al truth For he shal not speak of himself but whatever he shal hear that shal he speak He shal take of mine and shew it unto you Verse 15. Christ doth not go to take of the graces from the Spirit but the Spirit because Christ is sent to be the Head of the Church to have al Grace and to be the Fountain to communicate al Grace therefore the Spirit takes of his Not takes of the Father because the Father hath given al to him but takes of his who hath his commission from the Father and is sent out his work of purpose The sending of al Officers is hence As my Father sent me I send you And this is the order and Method of Gods Communication He that receives you receives me and he that receives me receives him that sent me Yea the sending of Gospel and al ordinances Joh. 17.8 For I have given unto them the words thou gavest me and they have received them and have known and beleeved that thou didst send me Yea the ground of al those glorious works he hath accomplished in his own Person and wil perform for his and against his enemies for their good is hence Joh. 9.4 I must do the works of him that sent me while it is day And 5.36 The works which the Father hath given me to do bear witness that the Father hath sent me And when he had fulfilled al he then returnes to his Father 5. As sending evidenceth an Authority in him that sends So to be sent implies that he that is sent takes this Authoritative Order stands ingaged to answer it thus given and taken And is fully to act under the will of him from whom he must work And thus it is with the Lord Christ as second person in the glorious Trinity being sent by God the Father to work as from him For as the manner of their being so is the manner of their working the Son from the Father and therefore works from the Father he is ready to entertain this Order of working and ingageth himself to answer the Order and wil of the Father and stands fitted to have the Nature of man united to him that he may go upon the operation of that work of the Father according to the Order of the Father given him and al this in a peculiar manner appropriate to the Son What ever belongs to the Second Person and none els that he hath as a Son received from the Father But to act by Authoritative order form the Father alone belongs to the Second Person and none els Therefore this as a Son he hath received from the Father Therefore as he must act from him alone so he is bound to answer that Order of his Therefore works nothing but what he sees his Father work speaks nothing but what he hears his Father say Therefore does nothing but what the Father wil. Therefore to be fitted when his wil is to take the Nature of man into Personal union that he may go upon the execution of his wil. I say receive it into personal union Because this belongs to no other Person not Father nor Holy Ghost but himself For its Haeresie to say the Father is incarnate or the Holy Ghost is incarnate How ever therefore he did not receive the Human Nature but in time Yet he was fitted for this work by this sending and eternal mission of his before al time this makes way for that work of Redemption The Human Nature hath a new manner of subsistence and alteration according to its being but there is no alteration in the Second Person As Gods power is the same before the things were made though they cannot be supported but when they are made Again when the Human Nature is united this union we know is in reason reall me non cogitante If the proper being of the union issued only from the Human Nature then there should be no difference in regard of the persons but they should share a like in it But that is false and Heretical For neither Father nor Holy Ghost are incarnate Nor is the Human Nature taken into personal union or becomes one person with the Father on Holy Ghost Therefore there is somthing of this union issues from the Second Person in an especial manner and that is to receive it into personal union for which he was fitted from eternity by his mission but takes it up in the fulness of time when he was sent by the Father thereunto Some such thing I have thought might be intimated in those Scriptures Joh. 8.42 and 17.8 and 13.2 He came out proceeded from God When he was to enter upon the Execution of the work and make the Human Nature feele that support Leaning and being terminated in the subsistence of the Second Person and went abroad in the execution of the work and therefore now he returnes to God again Lastly this sending in regard of the work upon the Creature This conclusion may give some light as much as shal serve our purpose The Lord Christ as God and man hath some things proper to himself 1. In the manner of the work and Priviledg where with he stands possessed he is the head of his Church and hath the immediate dispensation of al power committed to him for the good of it and these are peculiar He is the Head of his Church None but he Al power is committed to him and to none but him But in regard of the work there is a common concurrence of al the Persons with him II. For what he is sent 1. To bring Jacob again Isa 49.5 Those I must bring Joh. 10.16 All that he hath given me come to me Joh. 6.37 And Verse 39. God gives them to him And Chap. 17.8 And he gives them his word and they know that he is sent 2. To keep them when they are brought Joh. 6.38 I came to do the wil of my Father And Verse 39. This is his wil that I should lose nothing And Therefore prayes for them that the
Father would keep them Joh. 17.11 3. To perfect that life of Grace in Glory Joh. 12.49 50. 1 Joh. 4.9 Joh. 6.40 I wil raise them up at the last day He is sent on this Errand that he shal see them safe arrived landed in Heaven USE 1. Matter of Admiration See and be swallowed up with the wonderment of Gods love to such worthless ones as we Had he sent his letters to comfort his Creatures to visite his Angels to administer it had been more than we worthless worms could have expected So the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us in that he sent his Son If any man question his love or desire to see the discovery of love In this it s manifested undeniably infallibly Love unmatchable unconceivable that he should send his own Son from his own bosom to such worthless dust In this is Love herein is Love it 's here to be adored admired for ever Not that we loved him for that had been Love to have owned us and accepted of us But that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins Elizabeth is drawn to a wonderment at the coming of Mary How comes it that the Mother of my Lord cometh unto me Luke 1.43 But how cometh it that the Lord himself come It 's more than is usually observed or indeed can be expected that a man should send a choyce Pearl from his Closet a Diamond out of his Cabinet But that one should send his whol Treasure it 's more than can be imagined Or desired But it 's so here God hath sent his Son in whom al the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg are his and to us so vile so unthankful and unworthy Nay as God when he would convince Satan of Jobs Sincerity he impannels a Jury from Hel tels him that he had moved him to afflict Job without a Cause for yet he held his Innocency and the Devil could not deny it So consider here for thy shame if thy heart stir not with admiration we shal impannel a Jury from Hel which wil give in a Verdict 2 Thes 1.8 9. At the day of Judgment God shal be Glorious in all his Saints but admired in them that believe When al the wicked shal be gathered at the left hand of Christ the Devils and damned Spirits and al the rabble of those fulsom Goats shal see the poor Saints such as were opposite to Christ haters of him to be made one with him They who rejected nay may be persecuted Christ and the means of Grace to be now made partakers of Christ and Grace The Devils wil admire this mercy though they never share in it and shalt not thou admire it who art partaker of it 2. Comfort of never failing assurance of our safety and happiness It 's the wil of the Father and that must stand and Christ is sent to do his wil and he wil not fail of doing that for which he was appointed and therefore thou canst not fail of Heaven Christ professeth John 6.38 39. he came to do the Wil of the Father and this is his Wil That he should lose none but raise them up at the last day and he resolves he wil lose none but he wil raise them up verse 40. We have done with the Two former Things which were to be attended in the Explication 1. What it was to be sent 2. Why or for what End he was sent III. We are now to enquire touching the knowledge of this so far as it comes in an especial manner to be appropriated to the Saints And his is the third Particular to be opened for the discovery of the former Point are we shal only look at it in that peculiar respect as it is a proper Brand for Christs Sheep and a Livery of his Servants and Followers For so the Text intimates and our Savior speaks of it in that regard The World knows thee not they never attained this Learning nor were trained and taught up to it they are amongst the Petties and Punies of the world and may have some worldly wisdom These waies of wisdom they are above and too high for a Fool such as the wicked of the World are These who are promoted to the University of the Gospel and have learned of Christ these know such and such only know have a special knowledge of God the Father in Christ they know him as sent and therefore must needs know the Father who did send him Touching the Specialty of this Knowledg which is the Portion and Inheritance appropriated to the Saints as the wise man saies The Wicked meddle not with the Joy of the Righteous so it 's as true in this they reach not their Knowledg Of this we shal enquire 1. Wherein the Specialty of this Knowledg consists 2. How it comes to be communicated to them First The Specialty of this Knowledg consists in Four Things 1. In the Ability by which they know 2. In the thing known 3. The Manner of the discovery of that so known 4. The setling of the heart by that 1. This Knowledg is peculiar to the Saints in regard of that special Ability which they do receive from God in special manner by which their Judgments are cleered and their Understandings enabled to search and see into such mysterious depths and secret Dispensations of God unto the Souls of his in the Covenant of his Grace and the Conveyance of his Mercy which exceeds and over-flies the most Eagle-sighted Apprehensions of any Natural Man in the World They have the wisdom and enlightening Grace of the Spirit in their Minds and the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit to act and lead them out and thereby to lead them into al Truths and these must not be severed because God hath joined them together Zach. 4.2 3. There must not be Lamps only to burn in the Golden Candle-stick but there must be Olive Trees to feed those Lamps and to further their Light in their dayly burning As that is true in the Church of Christ it 's true also in the heart of every Member of the Church there is not only a Lamp of Knowledg burning in the Mind but there must be also a constant supply of the Oyl of the Spirit which must quicken and act out that Spiritual Wisdom for the right discerning of the things of our Peace And this is the Condition of al the Saints and the ordinary course of Gods Dispensation of himself in the way of the Gospel He hath given us a mind to know him saies the Apostle 1 John 5.20 he hath given his Spirit saies Paul whereby we may know the things that are graciously given us of God This is the end of giving both without which it cannot be So the words run 1 Cor. 2.11 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of
the Lord Jesus the Son of his Love blessed for ever and that to such as they are so unworthy and vile in themselves so loathsom and abominable by reason of the Number and Nature of their Hellish Iniquities That it seems so cross to the compass of al Reason that they cannot but cavil at it as a thing absurd and unreasonable to beleeve and their distrustful and guilty hearts cannot but reject it as a thing impossible Yea the Disciples themselves when the hardness of the work was resembled by a comparison from our Savior they cried out Who then can be saved To make known and make good this Ambassage to the Soul God must make known his Almighty Power to the sinner which he only that feels is forced to confess others cannot conceive So Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1.17 c. praies for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation another Spirit and common Understanding cannot come neer such things That they might know the excessive exceeding great Activity of the might Power of God in bringing a sinner home to himself verse 19. and therefore the Convert 1 Cor. 14.24 when he hath but a glimpse hereof in the search of the Secrets of his own heart he fals down and confesseth God is in you of a Truth It 's the Wisdom Power Soveraignty of a God It 's beyond al created Power ever to discover such things to work so upon the Soul 2. As the Power that settles the Message so the Light that discovers the Beauties and Excellencies that are therein utterly beyond apprehension expectation admiration Peter professeth that the very Angels of Heaven pry into these Secrets delight to lie down and look wishly into them because they lie so low and deep beyond their discerning 1 Pet. 1.11 yea the Apostle Paul concludes the Eye never saw the Ear never heard nay it never entred into the heart of man to conceive thâ—se things 1 Cor. 2.9 Nothing can be seen by proof and observation nothing heard by report from others no such thing can be anvilled and contrived by the conceitings of al the Understanding of men and yet they are such things which God hath revealed by his Spirit in the Gospel Hence the Phrase 1 Pet. 2.9 God hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous Light Every thing is a Mystery a marvel in the work of Grace when once we have an Eye to see We marvel at our own wretchedness and baseness we marvel at Gods Patience to bear with such worthless and sinful ones as we be our Peace is marvelous such as passeâ—h al understanding joy marvelous unspeakable and glorious And the ungodly meddle not in any of these things being indeed unknown to them There is hid Manna Revel 2. Secret and unconceivable refreshings â—ound in Câ—rist a white Stone and a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it and therefore he judgeth all things saith the Apostle he that is Spiritual and is judged of no man And Lastly For the setling of the heart It lets in such an overbearing both Power and Sweetness of the good thus known that it carries the heart along with it and settles and keeps the heart to it And therefore it ever hath Faith accompanying it They that know thy name wil trust in thee Psal 9 10. Hadst thou known who it is that said unto thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living Water Joh. 4.10 Therefore she should have asked in Faith By this we know that we do know We have the science of knowledge that we have the truth and soundness of Faith And somtimes yea frequently in the phrase of Scripture it is put for faith Joh. 17.3 This is Eternal life to know thee that is to beleeve in thee 2. The means how this knowledge comes to settle the faithful Answ It is by the means which God in the course of his Providence appointment hath ordained for that end that is his good word in the Scriptures recorded by his Ministery delivered to them It is true there is a spirit of Wisdom and revelation that is put forth in this dispensation but it s as true that this Spirit goes along with this word and works in this word as seems good to the good pleasure and wil of Christ The place is more precious than Pearls and worthy to be retained in the table of our hearts for ever Joh. 17.7 8. Now they to wit the Apostles Have known that all things whatever thou hast given me are of thee Whence comes that Answer verse 8. I have given to them the words which thou givest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me Loe The words that God the Father gave Christ the words of he Gospel Evâ—ngelium that good tidings he gave the Apostles And they received them and by them they knew that Christ came from God and beleeved he was sent of that message Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Answ For the reality and substance of what hath been said it appertains to al though there be much difference in the manner and measure how these discoveries come to be dispensed Object But we see by experience many of Gods own are Ignorant here Answ There is a discovery of these in a manner and measure to al for al have that spiritual light all have notice of that Ambassage of peace of love and of life brought them in and by Christ and by that overbearing power and light those good things of Christ in the Gospel are discovered so convictingly and set on so efficaciously that the heart is kept to them By such a knowledg they come to be apprehended and receive But there is a reflect act when our understanding views and looks over the work of the mind and heart so that we know that we do know and know that we do receive This the Saints may and do want many times for some while We have this dispatcht the four Particulars and so cleared our way to the understanding of the Doctrine proposed which was The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for the work of their Salvation We shal now proceed to the Reasons and Uses in few words The Reason of the point is double 1. From the Office of our Savior Reas 1. and the Aim and scope he hath in the execution of the work thereof He comes not to do his own wil nor to seek his own glory but to do the wil and seek the glory of him that sent him Therefore he must dispense al as from him draw al Eyes and hearts towards him For the Nature of an Ambassage doth of necessity imply and require this It makes al to look to the person who sends the Ambassage whose power and pleasure is there firstly attended and leads al by the hand
but it is a delusion to keep our complaints and keep our discouragements Keep neither but keep the Direction Quest But must I put out mine Eyes to see by anothers Spectacles or pinion my self to anothers Apprehensions Answ Thou dost not follow the man but the light that is brought by him Captivate thy Carnal Reason to Gods Counsel Isa 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his Servant c. Let him stay himself upon his God See therefore God in that and possess thy heart with a holy fear not to dare to cavil or by carelessness not to attend as Sampson be led to the main Pillar 2. When thou hast no word against thy self let no wants miseries weaknesses unworthiness hinder thee from adventuring thy self upon his Fatherly Mercy and expecting supply from it And who knows but God wil shew thee mercy Thou dost not know the height the length the breadth the depth of his Mercy and who knows but God may extend his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness unto thy Soul The Second Doctrine The Lord Christ lends dayly Direction Doct. and and Discovery of Mercy according to the dayly need of his Faithful Servants See it in the Pillar of Cloud and Fire Exod. 13.21 So also in his Care to his Vinyard watering it every moment Isa 27. Not to al at once not to al alike but as in the gathering of the Manna he that gathered the least had no lack So every one that which answers his present Condition Psal 21.3 Thou preventest me with blessings of goodness takest measure and suitest every ones wants In the opening attend 1. The Measure he takes in the supply 2. The Manner how he doth it I. The Measure he takes in this supply appears in Four thing 1. When we are doubtful in our way he directs us when we are at a stand and know not which way to take we then have a voyce behind us Isa 30. And thine Ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way c. And Chap. 42.16 I will bring the blind by a way that they know not I will lead them c 2. Suitable to our needs he supplies Isa 40.11 Carries the Lambs in his Bosom Where there is most want he lends most supply 3. What is most Serviceable to our occasions he furthers and sets forward with success he doth for us as occasion doth require My Grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12.9 then when the shock was he steps in his Faithfulness is the Magazine furnisheth us fully he furnisheth with Grace suitable to our Service Phil. 4.13 I can do all things with Patience in Journeys Courage in Difficulties in the Fire and in the Water Isa 43.2 and 25.4 4. Al these in the best Season Heb. 4. last in the time of need Isa 41.17 when the four hundred and thirty yeers were expired that very day Exod. 12.41 II. The Manner how 1. Christ hath purchased al at the hands of the Father and so is become the Head of the Church John 16.10 For had not Christ been possessed of Grace as our Surety and purchased the Grace of Adam lost the corrupt Nature of Man had been uncapable of Mercy 2. He sends the holy Ghost who takes of his and gives to us John 16.15 He shal take of mine he doth not take of the Fathers immediately but Christ of the Father he of Christ John 14.26 The Reason is Because al is summ'd up in this 1. Al depends upon this I mean upon the Name of his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness I speak of it now as it issues peculiarly from the special manner of the Fathers subsistence and work For therein the out-goings of the Deity are firstly discerned and lastly resolved Especially this is to be attended because the Father was directly offended by the sin of Adam and therefore it must come firstly in order from him to appoint and to accept a Surety for the Conveyance of Grace and Mercy And herein lies the out-going of the God-head first I look at the manner of his working The Father works of himself the Son from the Father the Holy Ghost from both So that had not the Father moved or put forth this work the Son would not the Holy Spirit would not because they work in order from the Father John 5.19 and 12. and last verse So John 16.13 Christ speaks what he hears from the Father the Spirit what he hears from Christ 2. Al is contained in this and from this communicated to the Saints Hence the Covenant of Grace which is here first attended The Promise of God in Christ before the World was 2 Tim. 1.2 This was in Christ 2 Tim. 1.9 God fed the Patriarchs with this nothing but the dayly repetition and consideration of the Covenant therefore blessing goes with it is discovered by it I will bless thee In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed He hath sworn that he wil bless us Luke 1.72 73. that is he wil be a God in Covenant This is the Cause why God so appears I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob. And this is the Ground of our Resurrection God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living God remembers his Covenant with us and for us Collections hence are many This Truth this Tree is loaded with abundance of Fruit We wil shake it a little and see what is most ripe and most readily offers it self to our Observation for our benefit that each man may gather and take that which may be most for his own Help and Satisfaction 1. Collection Hence it 's cleer The best of the Saints men of choycest Graces and best Abilities as touching the right Apprehension of the mysterious Deeps of Gods Fatherly Mercy the live meerly upon a dayly dependance while they have a day to live in this World The Lesson is so hard and difficult that our Savior is dayly spelling and repeating alwaies teaching and yet there is more to be taught more knots to be untied secrets to be opened As to Nathaniel John 1.50 Thou shalt see greater things than these And therefore David when he was a Scholler of the highest Form he craves the further help of Christ because the work was too hard Teach me the way to thee thy Spirit is good Psal 143.8 10. Open mine Eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law There were yet more wonders to be seen though he had seen wonders al his daies This Name is Wonderful as the Angel to Manoah Beside The Lesson is marvelous large we had need be dayly learning and yet we shal never come to the end of it before we come to the end of our daies As men who travel in the main Ocean they see nothing but Water and yet see neither Side nor Shore Brim nor Bottom and there is more Water to be seen The saving Knowledg of this Name of Gods Fatherly Mercy
our Savior by it leaves the like impression of Graces upon our Souls while by faith we keep our Hearts under the stroke thereof 3. Faith acts each faculty to disgest and improve that power from Christ received for his particular use according to its particular end As the Veines deliver up the Blood to each part as that special portion and provision which is allowed in the course of Nature for its relief and so each part taking the Blood it doth appropriate it to its own Nature Bone makes Bone of it Sinews make Sinews c. So Faith like those Veins conveys the efficacy of the Blood and merits of Christ to all the faculties to answer al their necessities 4. We must wait Gods leasure and stay his time for the bestowing of his favors Beggers must not be Chusers And nothing more free than gift And therefore he that will challenge it at his time and according to his wil makes it a Debt and not a Gift That they may be one as we are one Here is the third thing that was especially intended in the verse 1. We heard that Christ had all glorious Grace given him 2. That he gives all that glorious Grace unto his Saints Here lastly we have the END AND AIME of our Savior in this his bounty in giving and the benefit of the faithful in receiving Viz. That they may be one in the Father and the Son Hence The end why the Saints receive all glorious Grace from our Savior Christ is this Doct. that they may be one as the Father and Son are one with themselves This is a truth not included or that which may by way of consequence be collected or probably inferred out of the text But that which is clearely intended as the chief scope of our Savior yea fully and plainly expressed in the words beyond all exception or disputation and that which carries such evidence out of the phrase of speech that unless a man wil cast away the rule and dictate of right reason he can in no wise reject or refuse Ask but the Question why did our Savior Christ receive all glorious Grace into his Human Nature from God the Father The Answer is He received it by way of gift that he might give it to others out of his faithfulness He was their Treasurer But ascend one stair higher if yet further we may stirr What was the end of our Saviors giving of this Grace The Answer is ful and fair from the letter of the text for this is another reason that can be fastened upon the manner of the speech It was for this end it s that which our Savior aimed at in a peculiar manner That they may be one as the Father and Son are This is the Crown of that glory which the Saints shal attain in the ful perfection thereof in Heaven yea the diamond of that Crown the Pinnacle and highest point of perfection there to be expected in regard of their own particulars as that which each man hath in his Eye The Heaven of Heaven and one step higher than the highest Star of glorious Grace For we know the end is better than the meanes and adds beauty to the meanes Els there would be a flaw and blemish in glory and some defect Eph. 4.13 When all the Churches are perfected and the Saints gathered and come to the fulness of the Stature of Christ and have attained the unity of the faith The highest strain of their happiness is to acknowledg the Son of God q. d. There is nothing to do in Heaven but only that That 's the top of glory and one step higher than al the happiness of al that glorious Grace they shal injoy there to perfection To give in witness through al Eternity that al the good they have received it was in Christ as the fountain all that was done by al means it was done by him So the Apostle gives in the Reason of Gods dispensation It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwel That in all things he might have the Preheminence Tha Sacraments were ful of comfort and the word and Sermons ful of wisedom consciences ful of peace that passeth understanding but it was because the fulness of Christ overflowed in these filled these otherwise had he withdrawn himself the word had been a clasped Book and a killing letter and 〈◊〉 heart an empty Vessel So the Soul in glory acknowledg no means nor orders nor offices further than he appoints them nor was there any power in them or vertue communicated thereby further than the Lord was pleased to work by them The power was Christ that strengthened The life and vertue Christ that quickened The success was Christs only who was pleated to breath upon and bless I take it to be the meaning of that place very difficult and the expression very spiritual and of a high strain 2 Thess 1.12 That the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the Grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ Why you would say Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ or glory due to any beyond or after Christ why is it added that Christ should be glorified and you in him For Answer open the words a little as we pass for the present we shall speak more fully and largely when we shall come to them again that which may suffice for the while is this The Apostle having prayed in the foregoing verse That God would count them worthy of their calling i. e. Worthy of the glory Vnto which they were called and so fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness i.e. fully bestow al that spiritual good which in the ful purpose of his good pleasure he intended to them and that he would bring the work of Faith to perfection by his mighty power Now the end of al that glory and fulness of al that spiritual good he prayes for for them and they should partake of according to his prayer The end of all is that the Name of Christ Christ as he is made known in his word and Offices and the execution of the great work of Redemption may be made glorious in you He from the Father giving al to you You also may be glorified not in your selves but in your reference and Oneness towards Christ in receiving and returning al to the Father by him And therefore those words are added according to the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ you so in him as through him in God God through Grace in Christ gives himself and Christ to you you also through Grace give up your selves to Christ and through him to God For the opening do three things 1. Recal what this oneness is 2. How this oneness and glorious Grace differ each from other or may be rightly discerned in their several considerations 3. The Reasons of the point upon what grounds it may rightly be gathered and concluded to