Rules of tradition and education 60 3 Selfe love and furtherance of private ends 61 4 An Historicall assurance of his being now in glory 66 5 A false and erronious love to his ordinances 68 True love unto Christ is grounded on the Proportion that is in him to our soules 69 True love unto Christ is grounded on the Propriety that our soules have unto him 69 This true love will manifest it selfe 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Spirit 71 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Ordinances 71 1 In an universall extent to any thing of Christ his Members 71 2 In a right manner it is love Incorrupt 74 2 In a right manner it is love Superlative 74 2 In a right manner it is love Vncommunicated 74 3 In the genuine effects thereof Vniversall obedience 75 3 In the genuine effects thereof Chearefull suffering 75 3 In the genuine effects thereof Zeale of his glory 76 3 In the genuine effects thereof Longing after his appearance 77 The continuance and limitation of Christs Kingdome 77 The stability of the Church grounded upon An unalterable Decree 79 The stability of the Church grounded upon A free gift of God to Christ. 80 The stability of the Church grounded upon A growing Nature of its owne 81 Papall Monarchy raised upon inevident presumptious 82 The stability of the Church a ground of comfort against the violence of the enimy 89 The present inconsummatenesse of Christs victories over his Enemies with the reasons of it 91 Gods patience hath fixed bounds 93 The wicked shall bee punished by Gods immediate power 98 The easinesse of Christs victorie over his Enemies 108 The folly of nature to Iudge of God or our selves by things in the present 110 The punishment of the wicked bringeth order and beauty on the face of the World 113 What it is to bee under Christs feete 114 Christ suffereth in the sufferings of his Church 115 Christs Triumph over his enemies and the comforts thereof to us 118 Footstoole noteth Shame 122 Footstoole noteth Burden 123 Footstoole noteth Recompence 124 Footstoole noteth Vsefulnesse 126 The Gospell with the Spirit is full of power and strength 135 1 Towards those that are saved in their Conversion 137 1 Towards those that are saved in their Iustification 140 1 Towards those that are saved in their Sanctification 141 1 Towards those that are saved in their Perseverance 142 1 Towards those that are saved in their Comforts 143 1 Towards those that are saved in their Temporall blessings 144 2 Towards those that perish in Convincing them 145 2 Towards those that perish in Affrighting them 150 2 Towards those that perish in Iudging them 151 2 Towards those that perish in Ripening their sinnes 153 2 Towards those that perish in Enraging them 153 2 Towards those that perish in Altering them 155 The Gospell to bee preached with authoritie 156 The Gospell to bee received in the power thereof 157 The Gospell onely able to hold up in extremities 158 No acquaintance with God but in the Gospell 159 The Gospell is not sent in vaine 161 The Gospell with the Spirit is full of glory 162 1 In regard of Author of it 165 The Gospell a mystery unsearchable by humane reason 167 Contempt of the Gospell preached is contempt of Christ in his glory 171 Expect to heare Christ speaking from heaven in his word 173 2 In the promulgation thereof 176 Evangelicall knowledge the measure of grace 179 3 In the matters therin contained 180 His Wisedome Goodnesse Power Grace Kingdome 182 Gods glory can no where bee looked on with comfort but in Christ. 184 4 In ends and purposes for which it serveth 186 To illighten the conscience 187 To bee a ministration of righteousnesse 189 To bee a ministration of life 190 To bee a spirituall Iudge in the heart 191 To bee an abiding ministration 192 To enoble the heart 195 With Magnanimity 196 With Fortitude 198 With Lustre and majesty 200 With Liberty and joy 201 The dispencers of the Gospell are therein to use Libertie 201 The dispencers of the Gospell are therein to use Sinceritie 205 The Gospell to bee received with all honor and acceptation 208 And to bee adorned in a suteable conversation 214 Wee adorne the Gospell of Christ. 1 When wee set it up in our hearts as our onely rule 216 2 When wee walke in fitting obedience thereunto 219 3 When wee continue therein 219 4 VVhen wee hold it in the unitie of the Spirit 221 5 VVhen wee seriously seeke the knowledge of Christ and heaven in it 222 6 VVhen wee make it our onely Altar of refuge in trouble 223 Christ in the ministery of his Gospell is full of care over his Church 228 This care seen in his Love 233 Studie inquisitivenesse 233 Constancy continuance 234 Emptying of himselfe 235 Laying downe his life  Grace and Spirit 236 Preparations for the future  The effects of his care Food 237 The effects of his care Guidance  The effects of his care Health 238 The effects of his care Comfort 239 The effects of his care Protection  The grounds of this care Hee is our Kinsman 240 Hee is our Companion 241 Hee is our Head  Hee is our Advocate 242 Hee is our Purchaser 244 A right Iudgement of God in Christ doth much strengthen faith 245 The Gospell is Christs owne strength 249 Christ then is to bee preached and not our selves 250 With Authoritie 254 With Wisedome 254 With Meeknesse 256 With Faithfulnesse 256 Christ preached is to bee received 257 With Faith 257 With Love 259 With Meeknesse 259 Gods ordination gives life and majesty to his ordinances 260 There is a naturall Theologie no naturall Christianitie 261 Gods Iudgement unsearchable in hiding the Gospell from former ages 262 The Gospell an heavenly invitation unto mercy 263 The Gospell not to bee preached but by those that are sent 264 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Gods providence casting upon the meanes 265 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Meete qualification of the person sent Fidelity 265 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Meete qualification of the person sent Ability 268 Three things requisit to an ordinary mission Ecclesiasticall ordination by imposition of hands 269 The Church of the Iews was the chiefe Metropolitan Church 269 The calling of the gentiles to be Daughters of that Mother Church 271 The Church is the seate of saving Truth 273 The office of the Church concerning Holy Scriptures 275 The stabilitie of the Church with the grounds thereof 278 VVhether the Church may faile 281 VVhether the Church bee alwayes visible 282 Christs Kingdome is a Hated Kingdome 284 Christ hath enemies there where his Kingdome is set up 286 Christs Kingdome stronger than all adverse opposition 287 Christs Kingdome quiet in the mids of enemies 290 The faithfull are Christs owne people By a right of Donation 296 By a right of Purchase 297 By
estate which shall be tendred unto them To admire adore and greedily embrace any termes of peace and reconciliation which shall be offered them To submit unto the righteousnesse and with all willing and meeke affection to bend the heart to the Scepter of Christ and to whatsoever forme of judicature and spirituall government he shall please to erect therein And this magnifies the strength of this Rod of Christs Kingdome that it maketh men yeeld upon any termes when we see the little stone grow into a mightie mountaine and eat into all the Kingdomes of the world when wee see Emperours and Princes submit their necks and scepters to a doctrine at first every where spoken against and that upon the words of a few despicable peâ—sons and that such a doctrine too as is diametrally contrary to the naturall constitution of the hearts of men and teacheth nothing but selfe-deniall and this for hope of reward from one whom they never saw and whom if they had seene they should have found by a naturall eye no beauty in him for which hee should bee desired and this reward too what-ever it be deferred for a long time and in the interim no ground of assurance to expect it but onely faith in himselfe that promiseth it and in the meane time a world of afflictions for his names sake How can we think that a world of wise and of great men should give eare most willingly unto such termes as these if there were not a demonstrative and constraining evidence of truth and goodnesse therein able to stop the mouths and to answer the objections of all gain sayers Of this point I have spoken more copiously upon another Scripture Secondly there is a Conviction unto condemnation of those who stand out against this saving power of the Gospell and Spirit of grace driving them from all their strong holds and constraining them perforce to acknowledge the truth which they doe not love Thus wee finde our Saviour disputing with the Jewes till no man was able to answer him a word and as he did so himselfe so hee promised that his messengers should doe so too I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say nor resist And this promise wee finde made good the enemies of Steven were not able to resist the Spirit by which hee spake And Apollos mightily convinced the Jews shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ And this the Apostle numbreth amongst the qualifications of a Bishop that he should be able by sound doctrine to convince the gain-sayers and to stop the mouthes of those unruly deceivers whose businesse it is to subvert men for this is the excellent vertue of Gods Word that it concludeth or shutteth men in and leaveth not any gap or evasion of corrupted reason unanswered or unprevented Thus wee finde how the Prophets in their ministery did still drive the Jewes from their shifts and presse them with Dilemma's the inconveniences whereof they could on no side escape either there must be a fault in you or else in God who rebuketh you but now what iniquity saith the Lord have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me Have I beene a wildernesse unto Israel or a land of darknesse wherefore say my people we are lords we will come no more unto thee O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against mee I raised up of your sonnes for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites Is it not even thus O yee children of Israel Here the Scripture useth that figure which is called by the Rhetoritians Communicatio a debating and deliberation with the adverse party an evidencing of a cause so cleerely as that at last a man can challenge the adversary himselfe to make such a determination as himselfe shall in reason judge the merits of the cause to require How shall I pardon thee for this and how shall I doe for the daughters of my people Set me in a way determine the controversie your selves and I will stand to the issue which your owne consciences shall make O inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah judge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard that is doe you your selves undertake the deciding of your owne cause When a band of armed men came against Christ to attach him and at the pronouncing but of two words I am he fell all downe backward to the earth we must needs confesse that there was some mightie power and evidence of Majesty in him that uttered them what thinke wee can he doe when hee raigneth and judgeth the world who did let out so much power when he was to die and to be judged by the world Now Christ raigneth and judgeth the world by his Word and that more mightily after his ascending up on high and therefore he promiseth his Apostles that they should doe greater workes than himselfe had done When I shall see a man armed with scorne against Christ in his Word standing proudly upon the defence of his owne wayes by his owne wisdome and wrapping up himselfe in the mud of his owne carnall reasonings by a few postulata and deductions from Gods Word to bee enforced to stoppe his owne mouth to be condemned by his owne witnesse to betray his owne succours and to bee shut up in a prison without barres when I shall force such a man by the mighty penetration and invincible evidence of Gods Word to see in his owne conscience a hand subscribing to the truth which condemnes him and belying all those delusions which he had fram'd to deceive himselfe withall who can deny but that the rod of Gods mouth is indeed Virga virtutis a rod of strength an iron rod able to deale with all humane reasonings as a hammer with a potsherd which though to the hand of a man it may feele as hard as a rocke yet is too brittle to endure the blow of an iron rod Strange it is to observe how boldly men venture on sinnes under the names of custome or fashions or some other pretences of corrupted reason contrary to the cleere and literal evidence of holy Scriptures the most immediate and grammaticall sense whereof is ever soundest where there doth not some apparant and unavoidable errour in doctrine or mischiefe in manners follow thereupon Men will justifie the cause of the wicked for reward and by dexterity of wit put a better colour upon a worser businesse as hath beene observed of Protagoras and Carneades and yet the Lord saith expressely Thou shalt not speake in a cause to wrest judgement thou shalt keepe thee far from a false matter for God whom thou oughtest to imitate will not justifie the wicked Men will follow the sinfull fashions of the world in strange apparell in prodigious haire in lustfull and unprofitable expence of that pretious
men on the earth The Gospell is the Patent and Charter of a Christian all that hee hath to shew for his Salvation the treasure of his wealth and priviledges all that he hath to boast in either for this life or another the armory of a Christian all that he hath to hold up against the temptations and conflicts of his sorest enemies the only toole and instrument of a Christian all that he hath to doe any action of piety charity loyalty or sobriety withall the onely glasse of a Christian wherein he may see his owne face and so learne to deny himselfe and wherein he may see the face of God in Christ and so learne to desire and to follow him So that upon the matter for any man to be ignorant of the Gospell is to unchristian himselfe againe and to degenerate into a heathen Powre out thine indignation upon the heathen that know thee not Ignorance makes a man a very heathen This I say and testifie saith the Apostle that you henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind for you have not so learned Christ. It is not the title nor the profession which maketh a man a reall Christian and distinguisheth him from other heathen men but the learning of Christ in his Spirit and Gospell For as he who was onely outwardly and in the flesh a Jew might be uncircumcized in his heart so he who is onely in title and name a Christian may be a heathen in his heart and that more fearefully than Sodome and Gomorrah or Tyre and Sydon because he hath put from himselfe the Salvation of the Lord and judged himselfe unworthy of eternall life Lastly if there bee indeed such power in the Gospell wee should labour to beare witnesse unto the testimony which God giveth of his Word in a holy conversation It is a reproach cast upon the ordinances of God when men doe in their lives denie that vertue which God testifieth to be in them Wicked men are said to crucifie Christ againe to put him to shame to make God a liar not that these things can so really bee but because men in their evill lives carry themselves as if indeed they were so And in this sense the Gospell may bee said to bee weake too because the pride of men holds out against the saving power thereof But these men must know that the word returneth not empty unto God but accomplisheth some worke or other either it ripeneth weeds or corne There is thunder and lightning both in the word if the one breake not a heart the other will blast it if it bee not humbled by the word it will certainly bee withered and made fruitlesse Shall the clay boast it selfe against the fire because though it have power to melt wax yet it hath not power to melt clay Is it not one and the same power which hardneth the one and which softneth the other Is not the word a sweete Savor unto God as well in those that perish as in those that are saved Certainly there is as wonderfull a power in adding another death to him who was dead before which upon the matter is to kill a dead man as in multiplying and enlarging life And the Gospell is to those that perish a Savor of death unto death such a word as doth cumulate the damnation of wicked men and treasure up wrath upon wrath If it doe not convert it will certainly harden if it doe not save it will undoubtedly judge and condemne The Lord doth never cast away his Gospell hee that gave charge to gather up the broken meate of loaves and fishes that nothing might bee lost will not suffer any crumme of his spirituall manna to come to nothing Yet wee finde the Lord giveth a charge to his Prophets to preach even there where hee foretold them that their words would not bee heard Thou shalt speake all these wordes unto them but they will not hearken to thee thou shalt also call unto them but they will not answere thee Sonne of Man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellions nation they are impudent Children and stiffe hearted Yet thou shalt speake my words unto them whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are rebellion it selfe They will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto mee For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Certainly when the Lord taketh paines by his Prophets to call those who will not heare hee doth it not in vaine they shall know at length that a Prophet hath been amongst them Therefore as the Apostle saith that the Gospell is a sweet Savour even in those that perish So wee finde those messages which have contained nothing but curses against an obstinate people have yet been as honie for sweetnesse in the mouth of those that preached them I did eate the roule saith the Prophet and it was in my mouth as honie for sweetnesse and yet there was nothing in it written but lamentations and mourning and woe Ieremie did not desire the woefull day but did heartily say Amen to the false Prophets in their predictions of safety yet in regard of his ready service unto God and of that glory which God would worke out unto himselfe in the punishment of that sinfull people the word of Prophesie which was committed unto him was the joy and rejoicing of his heart so that in all respects the Gospell of Christ is a word of power and therein wee doe and must rejoice Wee observed before that this Rod of strength is both Sceptrum Majestatis and Pedum Pastorale Both the Scepter of Christ as hee is a King and his Pastorall staffe as hee is a Bishop It denoteth the Administration of Christs Kingdome which consisteth in the dispensing of his Gospell as it is a word of Majesty and of care So then here are as I before observed two observations yet remaining to bee noted out of these words Virga Virtutis the Rod of thy strength The first that the Gospell of Christ accompanied with his Spirit is a word of great glory and Majesty For wee must ever make these concomitants wee preach the Gospell saith S. Peter with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 And indeed the Spirit is peculiar to the Gospell and not belonging to the Law at all if wee consider it alone by it selfe under the relation of a distinct covenant For though as it proceedeth out of Sion that is as it is an appendix and additament unto the Gospell it tend unto liberty and so cōmeth not without the Spirit yet by it selfe alone it gendreth nothing but bondage And therefore when the Apostle sheweth the excellency of the Gospell above the Law hee calleth one a ministration of death and of the letter the other a ministration of the Spirit and life To shew that properly the Spirit belongeth unto the Gospell of grace
the Law The Law was a glorious ministery as appeares by the thunderings and lightnings the shining of Moses his face and trembling at Gods presence the service of the Angels and sound of the trumpet the ascending of the smoke and the quaking of the mountaine but yet still the glory of the Gospell was farre more excellent a better Covenant a more excellent ministery The Law had weaknesse and unprofitablenesse in it both termes of diminution from the the glory thereof and therefore it could make nothing perfect But that which the Law could not doe in as much as it was weake through the flesh the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus which is a periphrasis of the Gospell as appeareth 2 Cor. 3.6 did doe for us namely make us free from the law of sin and death So then the Law was glorious but the Gospell in many respects did excell in glory 2 Cor. 3.10 To take a more particular view of the spirituall glory of the Gospell of Christ in those excellent ends and purposes for which it serveth First It is full of light to informe to comfort to guide those who sate in darknesse and the shadow of death into the way of peace Light was the first of all the creatures which were made and the Apostle magnifieth it for a glorious thing in those other luminaries which were after created 1 Cor. 15.41 How much more glorious was the light of the Gospell The Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A marvellous light and therefore the kingdome of the Gospell is exprest by light and glory together as termes of a promiscuous signification Esay 60.1 2 3. Of all other learning the knowledge of the Gospell doth infinitly excell in worth both in regard of the object thereof which is God manifested in the flesh and in regard of the end thereof which is flesh reconciled and brought unto God A knowledge which passeth knowledge a knowledge which bringeth fulnesse with it even all the fulnesse of God a knowledge so excellent that all other humane excellencies are but dung in comparison of it What Angell in heaven would trouble himselfe to busie his noble thoughts which have the glorious presence of God and the joyes of heaven to fill them with metaphysicall or mathematicall or philologicall contemplations which yet are the highest delicacies which humane reason doth fasten on to delight in And yet we finde the Angels in heaven with much greedinesse of speculation stoope downe and as it were turne away their eyes from that expressesse glory which is before them in heaven to gaze upon the wonderfull light and bottomlesse mysteries of the Gospell of Christ. In all other learning a Devill in hell the most cursed of all creatures doth wonderfully surpasse the greatest proficients amongst men but in the learning of the Gospell and in the spirituall revelations and evidences of the benefits of Christ to the soule from thence there is a knowledge which surpasseth the comprehension of any angell of darknesse for it is the Spirit of God onely which knoweth the things of God It was the devillish flout of Iulian the Apostate against Christian Religion that it was an illiterate rusticitie and a naked beliefe and that true polite learning did belong to him and his Ethnick faction and for that reason he interdicted Christians the use of Schooles and humane learning as things improper to their beleeving religion a persecution esteemed by the Ancients as cruel as the other bloudy massacres of his predecessors To which slander though the most learned Father might have justly returned the lye and given proofes both in the canonicall bookes of holy Scripture and in the professours of that religion of as profound learning as invincible argumentation and as forcible eloquence as in any Heathen Author for I dare challenge all the Pagan learning in the world to parallel the writings of Clemens of Alexandria Origen Iustin Tertullian Cyprian Minutius Augustine Theodoret Nazianzen and the other champions of Christian Religion against Gentilisme yet he rather chooseth thus to answer that that authoritie which the faith he so much derided was built upon came to the soule with more selfe-evidence and invincible demonstration than all the disputes of reason or learning of Philosophie could create Though therefore it were to the Iewes an offence as contrary to the honour of their Law and to the Greekes foolishnesse as contrary to the pride of their reason yet to those that were perfect it was an hidden and mysterious wisdome able to convince the gain-sayers to convert sinners to comfort mourners to give wisdome to the simple and to guide a man in all his wayes with spirituall prudence for what ever the prejudice of the world may be there is no man a wiser man nor more able to bring about those ends which his heart is justly set upon than hee who being acquainted with God in Christ by the Gospell hath the Father of wisedome the Treasurer of wisedome the Spirit of wisedome and the Law of wisedome to furnish him therewithall It is not for want of sufficiencie in the Gospell but for want of more intimate acquaintance and knowledge thereof in us that the children of this world are more wise in their generation than the children of light Secondly another glorious end and effect of the Gospell is to be a ministration of Righteousnesse a publication of a pardon to the world and that so generall that there is not one exception therein of any other sin than onely of the contempt of the pardon it selfe And in this respect likewise the Gospell exceeds in glory If the ministration of condemnation saith the Apostle bee glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory 2 Cor. 3.9 It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence and the Lord proclaimeth his glory to Moses in that he would forgive iniquitie transgression and sinne that is multitudes of sinnes and sinnes of all degrees Exod. 34.7 And thus the Lord magnifies his mercie and thoughts towards sinners above all the wayes and thoughts of men even as the heavens are higher than the earth because he can abundantly pardon or multiply forgivenesses upon those who forsake their wayes and turne to him Esay 55.7 8 9. and therefore justifying faith whereby we rely upon the power of God to forgive and subdue our sinnes is said to give glory to God Abraham staggered not at the Promise through unbeleefe but being strong in faith hee gave glory to God namely the glory of his power and fidelity Rom. 4.20 21. Ye shall not bring this congregation into the Land which I have given them saith the Lord to Moses and Aaron because yee beleeved me not to sanctifie mee in the eyes of the children of Israel that is to give me the glory of my power and truth for to sanctifie the Lord of hoasts signifieth to glorifie his power by fearing him
completely sent both in regard of manifestation and efficacie than ever before The difference is chiefly in three things First In the manner of his mission To the old Church in dreames and visions in figures and latent waies But to the Evangelicall Churches in power evidence and demonstration 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Therefore it is called the spirit of revelation and knowledge which discovereth and that unto principalities and powers by the Church the manifold and mysterious wisedome of God in Christ Eph. 1.17.3.10 Therefore the Spirit was sent in the latter dayes in wind and fire and tongues and earthquake all which have in them a selfe-discovering propertie which will not be hidden Wheras in the time of the Prophets God did not in any such things save onely in a low and still voyce reveale himselfe 1 Kings 19.11 12. Secondly In the subjects unto whom he was sent Before onely upon the inclosed garden of the Iewes did this winde blow but now is the Spirit powred upon all flesh and this heavenly dew falleth not upon the fleece but upon the whole earth And therefore our Savior opposeth Ierusalem and the Spirit Ioh. 4.21 23. Every beleever is of the Israel of God every Christian a Temple of the Holy Ghost no people of the earth secluded But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted no place uncleane but every where pure hands may be lifted up Thirdly In the measure of his grace At first he was sent onely in drops and dew but after he was powred out in showres and abundance Tit. 3.6 and therefore as I have before observed the grace of the Gospell is frequently expressed by the name of Riches to note not onely the pretiousnesse but the plentie thereof in the Church And it is here worth our observation that the Spirit under the Gospell is compared to things of a spreading multiplying and operative nature First To water and that not a little measure to sprinckle or bedew but to Baptize the faithfull in Matth. 3.11 Act. 1.5 and that not in a font or vessell which growes lesse and lesse but in a springing and living river Ioh. 7.39 Now water besides its purging propertie is first of a spreading nature It hath no bounds nor limits to it selfe as firme and solid bodies have but receives its restraint by the vessell or continent which holds it so the Spirit of the Lord is not straightned in himselfe but onely by the narrow hearts of men into which he comes Ye are not straitned saith the Apostle in us that is in that ministerie of grace and dispensation of the Spirit which is committed to us but in your owne bowels which are not in any proportion enlarged unto that abundance and fulnesse of heavenly grace which in the Gospel of salvation is offered unto you Secondly Spring water is a growing and multiplying thing which is the reason why rivers which rise from narrow fountaines have yet by reason of a constant and regular supply a great breadth in remote channels because the water lives Wheras in pits and torrents it groweth lesse and lesse so the graces of the Spirit are living and springing things the longer they continue the larger they grow like the waters of the sanctuary Ezek. 36.25 and the reason is because they come from a fountaine which is all life Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 14.6 Col. 3.4 Thirdly as water multiplies in it selfe so by insinuation and mollification it hath a fructifying vertue in other things Fruitfull trees are planted by the waters side so the Spirit searching and mollifying the heart maketh it fruitfull in holy obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Fourthly water is very strong in its owne streame we see what mighty engines it moveth what huge vessels it rouleth like a ball what walls and bulwarkes it overthrowes so the spirit of God is able to beate downe all strong holds which the wit of man or the malice of Satan can erect against the Church The horses of Egypt are flesh not Spirit saith the Lord not by might nor by power but by my Spirit noting that that which might and created power could not doe the Spirit of the Lord was able to effect And this strength of water serves to carry it as high as its owne spring and levell so the Spirit will never cease to raise the hearts of his people till it carries them up to their fountaine and spring-head in heaven Secondly The Spirit is compared to the rushing of a mighty winde The learned observe that before Christs time God spake unto men in a soft still voyce which they called Bath Koll but after in the time of the Gospell by a mighty wind noting thereby both the Abundance of his Spirit which he would powre out in the latter dayes and the strength thereof as of a rushing winde Though a man have walls of brasse and bars of iron upon his conscience though he set up fortifications of fleshly reason and the very gates of hell to shut out the Spirit of grace yet nothing is able to withstand the power of this mighty rushing winde Who art thou O great mountaine Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine c. Zech. 4.7 No mountaines no difficulties can prevent the power of Gods Spirit He hath strength to pull downe the strongest oppositions and to enable the weakest condition unto the service which he will have done Though there be mountaines betweene Israel and their deliverance yet the blinde and the lame and the woman with childe and her that travelleth with childe together will he strengthen to climbe over the precipices of the highest mountaine Ier. 31.8 Thirdly The Spirit is compared to Fire noting likewise both the multiplying or diffusive property thereof turning every thing into its owne nature and the mighty strength thereof wherby it either cleanseth or consumeth any thing that it meets with If thou art stubble it will devoure thee if stone it will breake if gold it will purge thee The hard heart it can melt and the foule heart it can purifie Lay downe thine heart under the word and yeeld it to the Spirit who is as it were the artificer which doth manage the word he can frame it into a vessel of honour but if thou resist and be stubborne against the Spirit in the word know that it is but the crackling of a leafe in the fire if thou wilt not suffer it to purge thee thou canst not hinder it to torment thee nothing is more comfortable nothing more consuming than fire nothing more comfortable than the light warmth and witnesse of the Spirit nothing more terrible than the conviction condemnation and bondage of the Spirit Now this difference in the measure of the Spirit may be seen in two things First in a greater measure of knowledge They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord Ier. 31.34 And the earth shall be full of the
of their adoption which is the hansell and earnest of their inheritance and thereby begetteth a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and security thereupon by which fruits of faith and hope there is a glorious joy shed abroad into the soule so ful and so intimately mingled with the same that it is as possible for man to annihilate the one as to take away the other For according to the evidence of hope and excellencie of the thing hoped must needs the joy there from resulting receive its sweetnesse and stability By all this which hath been spoken of the mission of the Spirit in such abundance after Christs sitting at the right hand of God wee should learne with what affections to receive the Gospel of salvation for the teaching whereof this Holy Spirit was shed abroad abundantly on the Embassadors of Christ and with what heavenly conversations to expresse the power which our hearts have felt therin to walke as children of the light and as becommeth the Gospell of Christ to adorne our high profession and not to receive the grace of God in vaine Consider first that the word thus quickned will have an operation either to convince unto Righteousnesse or to seale unto condemnation as the Sunne either to melt or to harden as the raine either to ripen corne or weeds as the Scepter of a King either to rule subjects or to subdue enemies as the fire of a Goldsmith either to purge gold or devoure drosse as the waters of the sanctuary either to heale places or to turne them into salt pits Ezek. 47.11 Secondly according to the proportion of the Spirit of Christ in his word revealed shall be the proportion of their judgment who despise it The contempt of a great salvation and glorious Ministery shall bring a sorer condemnation Heb. 2.2.4 If I had not come and spoken unto them saith our Savior they had not had sinne Ioh. 15.22 Sins against the light of nature are no sins in comparison of those against the Gospell The earth which drinketh in the raine that fals often on it and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars is rejected and nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.7 8. Thirdly even here God will not alwayes suffer his Spirit to strive with flesh there is a Day of Peace which he calleth our day a day wherein he entreateth and beseecheth us to be reconciled but if we therein judge our selves unworthy of eternall life and goe obstinately on till there be no remedy he can easily draw in his Spirit and give us over to the infatuation of our owne hearts that we may not be cleansed any more till he have caused his fury to rest upon us Ezek. 24.13 We see likewise by this Doctrine wherupon the comforts of the Church are founded namely upon Christ as the first comforter by working our Reconciliation with God and upon the Spirit as another comforter testifying and applying the same unto our soules And the continuall supply and assistance of this Spirit is the onely comfort the Church hath against the dominion and growth of sinne For though the motions of lust which are in our members are so close so working so full of vigor and life that we can see no power nor probabilities of prevailing against them yet we know Christ hath a greater fulnesse of Spirit than we can have of sinne and it is the great promise of the new covenant that God will put his Spirit into us and thereby save us from all our uncleanesses Ezek. 36.27 29. for though we be full of sin and have but a seed a sparkle of the Spirit put into us and upheld and fed by further though small supplies yet that little is stronger than legions of lust as a little salt or leven seasoneth a great lump or a few drops of Spirits strengthen a whole glasse full of water Therefore the Spirit is called a Spirit of judgment and of burning because as one Iudge is able to condemne a thousand prisoners and a little fire to consume abundance of drosse so the Spirit of God in and present with us though received and supplied but in measure though but a smoaking and suppressed fire shall yet breake forth in victory and judgment against all that resist it In us indeed there is nothing that feeds but onely that which resists and quencheth it But this is the wonderfull vertue of the Spirit of Christ in his members that it nourisheth it selfe Therefore sometimes the Spirit is called fire Esai 4.4 Matth. 3.11 and sometimes Oyle Heb. 1.9 1 Ioh. 2.27 to note that the Spirit is nutriment unto it selfe that that grace which we have received already is preserved and excited by new supplies of the same grace Which supplies we are sure shall be given to all that aske them by the vertue of Christs prayer Ioh. 14.16 by the vertue of his and his Fathers promise Ioh. 16.7 Act. 1.4 and by the vertue of that Office which he still beares which is to be the head or vitall principle of all holinesse and grace unto the Church And all these are permanent things and therefore the vertue of them abideth their effects are never totally interrupted Fiftly and lastly this sitting of Christ at the right hand of God noteth his intercession in the behalfe of the whole Church and each member thereof Who is he that condemneth saith the Apostle it is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 But of this Doctrine I shall speake more fitly in the fourth verse it being a great part of the Priesthood of Christ. I now proceed to the last thing in this first verse the continuance and Victories of Christs Kingdome in these words untill I make thy foes thy footstoole Wherin every word is full of weight For though ordinarily subdivisions of holy Scripture and crumbling of the bread of life be rather a loosing than an expounding of it yet in such parts of it as were of purpose intended for models and summaries of fundamentall Doctrine of which sort this Psalme is one of the fullest and briefest in the whole Scriptures as in little maps of large countries there is no word wherupon some point of weighty consequence may not depend Here then is considerable the terme of duration or measure of Christs Kingdome Vntill The Author of subduing Christs enemies under him I the Lord. The manner thereof ponam and ponam scabellum Put thy foes as a stoole under thy feete Victory is a relative word and presupposeth enemies and they are expressed in the text I will but touch that particular because I have handled it more largely upon another Scripture and their enmitie is here not described but onely presupposed It shews it selfe against Christ in all the Offices of his Mediation There is enmity against him as a Prophet Enmity against his Truth
they but have an exemption from his spirituall government and a dispensation to live according to their owne lusts stil no man should be more greedily desirous As Sampson met the Lion as an enemie when hee was alive but after he was slaine he went unto him as to a table there was onely terrour while he lived but honey when hee was dead so doubtlesse many men to whom the bodily presence of Christ and the mighty power and penetration of his heavenly preaching whereby hee smote sinners unto the ground and spake with such authoritie as never man spake would have beene unsufferably irkesome and full of terrour as it was unto the Scribes and Pharisees can yet now that he is out of their sight and doth not in person but onely by those who are his witnesses torment the inhabitants of the earth pretend much admiration and thankfull remembrance of that death of his which was so full of hony for all that come unto him for as particular dependencies and expectations may make a man flatter and adore the greatnesse of some living Potentate whose very image notwithstanding the same man doth professedly abominate in other tyrants of the world who are dead or upon whom he hath not the same ends so the selfe-same reason may make men in hypocriticall expressions flatter fawne upon Christ himselfe who is absent and yet hate with a perfect hatred the very image of his Spirit in the power of his Word and in the lives of his people The very Scribes and Pharisees who blasphemed his Spirit and contrived his death could yet be contented to be gainers thereby for see they confesse It is expedient for us that one die for the people Lastly a false love to Christ may be grounded upon a false conceit of love to his ordinances For as it is certaine that he who loves the Word and worship of Christ as his doth love him too who is the Author of them so it is certaine likewise that that love which is sometimes pretended unto them may indeed in them fix upon nothing but accidentall and by-respects This people saith the Lord to his Prophet come and sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Here is love in pretence but falshood in the heart what then was it which in the Prophet they did thus love That presently followes Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument Ezek. 33.31 32. that is it is not my will which in thy ministery they at all regard but onely those circumstantiall ornaments of gracefull action and elocution which they attend with just alike proportion of sensuall delight as an eare doth the harmony of a well tuned instrument for as a man may be much affected with the picture of his enemie if drawne by a skilfull hand and yet therein love nothing of the person but only the cunning of the workman who drew the peece So a man who hates the life and Spirit of the Word of God it selfe as being diametrically contrary to that spirit of lust and of the world which rules in him may yet be so wonderfully taken with that dexteritie of wit or delicacie of expression or variety of learning or sweetnesse of speech and action or whatsoever other perfection of nature or industry in the dispencers of that Word are most sutable to his naturall affections as that he may from thence easily cheat his owne conscience and ground a misperswasion of his love to Gods Word which yet indeed admireth nothing but the perfections of a man Nay suppose he meete not with such lenocinia to entice his affection yet the very pacification of the conscience which by a notorious neglect of Gods ordinances would haply be disquieted or the credit of bearing conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and the established service of God in his Church or some other the like sinister respect may hold a man to such an externall faire correspondence as by a deceitfull heart may easily be misconstrued a love of Gods ordinances Nay further a man may externally glory in the priviledge of Gods oracles hee may distinctly beleeve and subscribe to the truth of them he may therin heare many things gladly and escape many pollutions of the world and yet here hence conclude no cleerer evidence of his love to Christ in his word than the unbeleeving Iews or Herod or Ahab or Simon Magus or the foolish Virgins and apostates all which have attained to some of these degrees could have done For the cleering then of this great case touching the evidence of a mans love to Christ wee must first know that this is not a flower of our owne garden for every man by nature is an enemie to Christ and his Kingdome of the Iews minde wee will not have this man to raigne over us and the reason is because the image of the old Adam which we beare is extremely contrary to the heavenly image of the second Adam unto which wee are not borne but must bee renewed And this is certaine our love is according to our likenesse he who hath not the nature and Spirit of Christ can never love him or move towards him For love is like fire congregat homogenea it carrieth things of a nature to one another Our love then unto Christ must bee of a spirituall generation and it is grounded upon two causes First upon the Proportion which is in him unto all our desires or capacities upon the evidence of that unsearchable and bottomlesse goodnesse which is in him which makes him the fairest often thousand even altogether lovely For that heart which hath a spirituall view of Christ will bee able by faith to observe more dimensions of love and sweetnesse in him than the knowledge of any creature is able to measure In all worldly things though of never so curious and delicate an extraction yet still even those hearts which swimme in them and glut upon them can easily discover more dregs than Spirits nothing was ever so exactly fitted to the soule of man wherein there was not some defect or excesse something which the heart could wish were away or something which it could desire were tempered with it But in Christ and his kingdome there is nothing unlovely For as in man the all that is is full of corruption so in Christ the all that hee is is nothing but perfection His fulnesse is the center and treasure of the soule of man and therefore that love which is therupon grounded must needs be in the soule as an universall habit and principle to facilitate every service whereby we move unto this center for love is the weight or spring of the soule which sets every facultie on worke neither are any of those commandments grievous which are obeyed in Love
the land of Canaan which was a type of Christs Church which he should conquer unto himselfe if any people accepted of the peace which they were first to proclaime they were to become tributaries and servants unto Israel So it is said of Salomon whose peaceable kingdome was a type of Christs after his many victories that he bond-service upon all the nations about Israel and that those princes with whom he held correspondence brought unto him presents as testimonies of his greatnesse and wisedome So when the wise men the first fruits of the Gentiles after Christ exhibited came to submit unto his kingdome they opened their treasure and presented him with gifts gold frankincense and myrrh Againe Monetarum leges valores the authorizing and valuations of publike coines belong unto the prince onely it is his image and inscription alone which maketh them currant Even so unto Christ onely doth belong the power of stamping and creating as it were new ordinances in his Church nothing is with God nor should be currant with us which hath not his image or expresse authority upon it Neither can any man falsify or corrupt any constitution of his without notable contempt against his royall prerogative Againe Iudicium or potestas judiciaria a power of judging the persons and causes of men is a peculiar royalty the administration whereof is from the prince as the fountaine of all humane equitie under God deposited in the hands of inferiour officers who are as it were the mouth of the prince to publish the lawes and to execute those acts of justice and peace which principally belong to his owne sacred breast And so Christ saith of himselfe The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne and hath given him authority to execute judgement Againe Ius vitae necis A power to pardon condemned persons and deliver them from the terrour of the Lawes sentence is a transcendent mercie a gemme which can shine only from the diadems of Princes Now unto Christ likewise belongeth in his Church a power to forgive sinnes it is the most sacred roialty of this prince of peace not onely to suspend but for ever to revoke and as it were annihilate the sentence of malediction under which every man is borne There are likewise Ornamenta Regia regall Ornaments a Crowne a Throne a Scepter and the like Thus we finde the Romanes were wont to send to those forraine kings with whom they were in league as testimonies and confirmations of their dignity scipionem eburneum togam pictam sellam curulem an ivorie scepter a roiall robe and a chaire of state And the like honours wee finde in the Scriptures belonging unto Christ that hee was crowned with glory and honour and that hee had a Throne and righteous scepter belonging to his kingdome Thus we have seene in severall particulars how Christ hath his Royalties belonging to his kingdome Some principall of them we finde in this place A throne a scepter ambassadours armies for the right dispensing of his sacred power We will first consider the words and then raise such observations as shall offer themselves First what is meant by the Rod of Christs Strength or his Strong Rod It notes a thing which a man may leane upon or lay the whole weight of his body on in his wearinesse But being spoken of Christs kingdome wee take it for a scepter or rod of majestie I will not hold you with the variety of acceptions in Expositors Some take it for the branch that groweth out of that roote of Iesse Some for the wood of the crosse Some for the body of Christ borne of a Virgin Some for the kingdome of Christs power taking the signe for the thing signified Some for the power of his mightie workes and preaching That of the body and of the crosse of Christ except by them wee understand the vertue of Christ crucified I conceive to be not so pertinent to the purpose of the Prophet The rest agree in one But for the more distinct understanding of the words wee may consider out of the holy Scriptures what things were sent out of Sion And we finde there two things First the word of the Lord or his holy Gospell The Law shall proceed out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Mic. 4.2 Secondly the spirit of the Lord which was first sent unto Sion for at Hierusalem the Apostles were to wait for the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 and from thence was shed abroad into the world upon al flesh Act. 2.17 and both these are the power or strength of Christ. His word a Gospell of power unto salvation Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 4.7.10.4 and his spirit a spirit of power 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Tim. 1.7 which is therefore called the finger and the arme of the Lord Luk. 11.20 Matt. 12.28 Esai 53.1 so by the Rod is meant the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Secondly what is meant by Gods sending this Rod of Christs strength It notes the manifestation of the Gospell we knew it not before it was sent The donation of the Gospell we had it not before it was sent the invitations of the Gospell we were without God in the world and strangers from the Covenant of promise before it was sent The Commission of the Dispensers of the Gospell they have their patent from heaven they are not to speake untill they be sent Thirdly what is meant by sending it out of Sion It is put in Opposition to mount Sina from whence the Law was sometimes sent with thunders and fire and much terrour unto the people of Israel Ye are not come saith the Apostle unto the mount that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest c. but yee are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant c. Heb. 12.18.24 and the Apostle elsewhere sheweth us the meaning of this Allegoricall opposition betweene Sina and Sion betweene Sarah and Hagar namely the two covenants of the Law and of Grace or of bondage and liberty Gal. 4.24 25. Sion was the place whither the tribes resorted to worship the Lord the place towards which that people praied the place of Gods mercifull residence amongst them the beauty of holines the place upon which first the gift of the holy Ghost was powred forth and in which the Gospell was first of all preached after Christs Ascension We may take it by a Synechdoche for the whole Church of the Jewes unto whom the Lord first revealed his Covenant of Grace in Christ Act. 3.26 Act. 13.46 Rom. 2.10 Rule Thou that is Thou shalt rule which is a usuall forme to put the Imperative for the future Indicative It is not a command which hath relation unto any service but it is a promise a commission a dignity conferred
upon Christ. In the midst of thine enemies Some understand it of changing the hearts of his enemies and converting them as captives unto his obedience Other understand the wonderfull effect of the power of Christs kingdome that he can by his Word and Spirit hold up his Church in despight of all the enemies thereof round about The Church ever was and will be pester'd with divers kindes of adversaries heretikes and hypocrites and false brethren with profanenesse temptations persecutions spirituall wickednesses and in the midst of all these the Church of Christ groweth as a Lily amongst the thornes Now this In medio noteth two things Dominium plenum and dominium securum A perfect and full governement without mutilation without impediment the Church being amongst the wicked as a rocke in the midst of the sea or as a garrison in an enemies towne Media dominantur in urbe is an expression of such a rule as can no way be hindered or removed The Church of God is a burdensome stone they who goe about to remove it out of that place where Christ will plant it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth should gather together against it Zech. 12.3 A secure and confident governement so in the Scripture phrase In the midst notes confidence and security When the Prophet asked the Shunamite would'st thou be spoken for to the king or to the Captaine of the host she answered I dwell amongst mine owne people that is I am safe and have enough already 2 King 4.13 When they of the Synagogue would have cast Christ downe head-long from the brow of a hill it is said that he passed through the midst of them and went his way that is with much confidence safety and assurance he withdrew himselfe Luk. 4.29 30. As the Prophet was full of security and quietnesse in the midst of the Syrian siege 2 King 6 14-16 The words being thus unfolded wee may observe in them Three of Christs principall Regalities Sceptrum Solium and Imperium The Scepter the Throne and the Power or governement of his kingdome His Scepter is the Word of his Gospell animated by the Power of his holy Spirit and accompanied with the blessing and authority of God the Father who sendeth it abroad into the world His Throne from whence this his Scepter is extended Sion the Church of the Jewes His victorious plenarie and secure governement Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies First the Scepter here is the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Christ is a Shepheard towards his Flocke the Church Esai 40.11 A great Shepheard Heb. 13.20 that notes his Power and Majesty over them and a good Shepheard Ioh. 10.14 that notes his care and tendernesse towards his Sheepe Kings in the Scripture are called Shepheards to lead and to feed and to govern the people So David is said to have beene taken from the sheepfolds to feed Iacob and Israel Psal. 78.71 2 Sam. 5.2 and thus Christ is a Shepheard and a King I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feede them Even my servant David I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Ezek. 34.23 24. Prophets Teachers are in the Scripture likewise called Shepherds Ier. 23.1 4. and so Christ is a Shepheard and a Bishop Ye were as sheepe going astray but now ye are returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules 1 Pet. 2.25 And therefore wee finde in the Scripture that Christ hath two pastorall staves to note his great care and double office in his Church The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want I will feare no evill for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal. 23.4 I tooke unto me two staves the one I called Beauty and the other I called Bands and I fed the flocke Zech. 11.7 So then the Rod of Christs strength or his strong staffe doth in these severall relations note unto us three things As it is a staffe of strength so it notes the power of Christ. As it is the Scepter of a King so it notes the majestie of Christ. As it is the staffe of a Bishop or Prophet so it notes the care and superintendencie of Christ over his Church So then this first particular of the Rod of Christs kingdome affoords unto us three observations First that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of power and strength towards the Church Secondly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of Glory and Majesty towards his Church Thirdly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of care and of tendernesse towards his Church First the words of the Gospell with the spirit is full of power and strength No man will denie that Christ in his owne person is full of power And as the power of a Prince is principally seene in his lawes edicts pardons and gratious patents so is the power of Christ wonderfully magnified towards the Church in his Gospell which unto us is both a Covenant of mercy and a Law of obedience We may observe how Christ is frequently pleased to honor his Gospell with his owne titles and attributes And therefore the Apostle speakes of him and his word as of one and the same thing The word of God is quicke and powerfull a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe That which is the word in one verse is Christ himselfe in another which hath given occasion to some learned men without any constraining reason as I conceive to take the Word there for the essentiall Word of God or the person of Christ himselfe to whom I thinke that appellation is not given by any of the sacred Writers but onely by his beloved Disciple Saint Iohn We know that Christ was crucified at Jerusalem and yet the Apostle saith that he was crucified amongst the Galatians Certainely in that he died he died but once unto sin S. Paul could not doe that himselfe which he curseth others for doing Crucifie againe the Lord of Glory So then at Jerusalem he was crucified in his person and at Galatia in the ministery of his Word One and the same crucifying was as lively set forth in Saint Pauls preaching as it was really acted upon Christs person for Christ is as really present to his Church now in the spirituall dispensation of his ordinances as hee was corporally present with the Jewes in the dayes of his flesh And therefore I say it is that we finde the same attributes given to both Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God and the Gospell else-where the Power of God and the wisdome of God in a mystery to them that are perfect Againe Christ the Lord of glory and the Gospell the Gospell of
charge even the great men of the world It is true the ministers of the Gospell are servants to the Church In compassion to pitty the diseases the infirmities the temptations of Gods people in ministerie to assist them with all needfull supplies of comfort or instruction or exhortation in righteousnesse in humility to waite upon men of lowest degree and to condescend unto men of weakest capacitie And thus the very Angels in heaven are servants to the Church of Christ. But yet we are servants onely for the Churches good to serve their soules not to serve their humors And therefore we are such servants as may command too These things command and teach Let no man despise thy youth And againe These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee No ministers are more despicable than those who by ignorance or flattery or any base and ambitious affections betray the power majesticall simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. When we deliver Gods message we must not then be the servants of men If I yet please men I were not then the servant of Christ saith the Apostle To captivate the truth of God unto the humours of men and to make the Spirit of Christ in his Gospell to bend comply and complement with humane lusts is with Ionah to play the runnagates from our office and to prostrate the Scepter of Christ unto the insultation of men There is a wonderfull majesty and authority in the word when it is set on with Christs Spirit He taught men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one who had power and authority or priviledge to speake as one that cared not for the persons of men and therefore where ever his spirit is there will this power and liberty of Christ appeare for he hath given it to his ministers that they may commend themselves in the consciences of those that heare them that they may harden their faces against the pride and scorne of men that they may goe out in armies against the enemies of his kingdome that they may speake boldly as they ought to speake that they may not suffer his word to be bound or his Spirit to be straitened by the humors of men Againe we should all labour to receive the word in the power thereof and to expose our tender parts unto it A Cocke is in comparison but a weake Creature and yet the crowing of a Cocke will cause the trembling of a Lion What is a Bee to a Beare or a Mouse to an Elephant and yet if a Bee fasten his sting in the nose of a Beare or a Mouse creepe up and gnaw the trunke of an Elephant how easily doe so little Creatures upon such an advantage torment the greatest Certainely the proudest of men have some tender part into which a sting may enter The conscience is as sensible of Gods displeasure as obnoxious to his wrath as subject to his word in a prince as in a beggar If the word like Davids stone finde that open and get into it it is able to sinke the greatest Goliah Therefore wee should open our consciences unto that word and expect his spirit to come along with it and receive it as Iosiah did with humility and trembling Wee should learne to feare the Lord in his word and when his voyce cryeth in the city to see his name and his power therein Will ye not feare me faith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence who make the sand abound to the sea No Creature so swelling and of it selfe so strong and incroaching as the sea nothing so small weake smoothe and passable as the sand and yet the sand a creature so easily removed and swept away decreed to hold in so raging an Element What in appearance weaker than words spoken by a despised man and what in the experience of all the world stronger than the raging of an army of lusts and yet that hath the Lord appointed to tame and subdue these that men might learne to feare his power Againe it should teach us to Rest upon God in all things as being unto us all-sufficient a sunne a shield an exceeding great reward in the truth and promises of his Gospell The word of God is a sure thing that which a man may cast his whole weight upon and leane confidently on in any extremity All the Creatures in the world are full of vanity uncertaineties and disappointments and then usually doe deceive a man most when he most of all relies upon them and therefore the Apostle chargeth us not to trust in them But the word of the Lord is an abiding word as being founded upon the Immutability of Gods owne truth he that maketh it his refuge relieth on Gods omnipotency and hath all the strength of the Almighty engaged to helpe him Asa was safe while hee depended on the Lord in his promises against the hugest host of men that was ever read of but when he turned aside to collaterall aides hee purchased to himselfe nothing but perpetuall warres And this was that which established the throne of Iehoshaphat and caused the feare of the Lord to fall upon the kingdomes of the lands which were round about him because he honoured the Word of God and caused it to be taught unto his people Whensoever Israel and Judah did forget to leane upon Gods word and betooke themselves to humane confederacies to correspondence with Idolatrous people to facility in superstitious compliances and the like fleshly counsels they found them alwaies to be but very lies like waxen and wooden feasts made specious of purpose to delude ignorant commers things of so thinne and unsoâ—id a consistence as were ever broken with the weight of those who did leane upon them Let us not therefore rest upon our owne wisedome nor build our hopes or securities upon humane foundations but let us in all conditions take hold of Gods Covenant of this staffe of his strength which is able to stay us up in any extremities Againe since the Gospell is a word of such soveraigne power as to strengthen us against all enemies and temptations to uphold us in all our wayes and callings to make us strong in the Grace of Christ for ever a Christian mans knowledge of the Word is the measure of his strength and comfort wee should therefore labour to acquit our selves with God in his Word to hide it in our hearts and grow rich in the knowledge of it In heaven our blessednesse shall consist in the knowledge and communion with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ. So that the Gospell and the Spirit are to us upon earth the preludes and supplies of heaven for by them onely is this knowledge and communion begun And that man doth but delude himselfe and lye to the world who professeth his desire to goe to heaven and doth not here desire to know so much of God as he is pleased to afford to
these considerations we should labor to walke worthy of so glorious a Gospell and of so great a salvation Thus have we at large spoken of the Rod of Christs strength as it is Insigne regium or Sceptrum majestatis an Ensigne and Rod of Majestie we are now to speake a little of it as it is Pedum pastorale an episcopall Rod which denoteth much heedfulnesse and tender care This is the Precept which the Apostle giveth unto the Pastors of the Church that they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take speciall heed to all the flocke over which the holy Ghost had made them overseers And the Apostle againe reckoneth Vigilancie or care over the flocke amongst the principall characters of a bishop and hee professeth of himselfe that there did daily lye upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Care of all the Churches And this consideration affordeth us another note out of the words namely That Christ in the ministerie of his Gospell and dispensation of his spirit is full of care and tendernesse towards his Church This Christ maketh one maine point of opposition betweene himselfe and hirelings that these Care not for the flock but suffer the Woolfe to come and to scatter them while they fly away whereas hee keepeth them that none may bee lost and prayeth unto the Father to keepe them through his owne name The Lord committed the Church unto Christ as their Head gave them into his hands not as an ordinary gift wherein he did relinquish his owne interest in them or care of them for hee careth for them still but as a blessed depositum entrusted them with him as the choicest of his Iewels as the most pretious casket amongst all the treasures of the Creation that he should polish preserve present them faultlesse and without spot before the presence of his glory at the last day And for this purpose hee gave him a Commandement of the greatest care and tendernesse that ever the world knew that hee should lay downe his life for his sheepe and should lose nothing of all that was given him but should raise it up at the last day So that now want of care or compassion of Christ towards his Church would be an argument of unfaithfulnesse If he had not been a mercifull high priest neither could he have beene faithfull to him that appointed him for he was appointed to bee mercifull and was by the Spirit of God filled with most tender affections and qualified with an heart fuller of compassion than the sea is of waters that he might commiserate the distresses of his people and take care of their salvations Notably doth this Care of Christ shew it selfe First in the apportioning and measuring forth to every oâ—e his due dimensum and in the midst of those infinite occasions and exigencies of his severall members in providing such particular passages of his Word as may be thereunto most exactly sutable for this sheweth that his Care reacheth unto particular men It is the dutie of a faithfull bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make such a difference betweene men and so to divide or distribute the word aright as that every one may have the portion which is due unto him some are but Lambes in Christs flocke young tender weake easily offended or affrighted others sheepe growne up to more strength and maturity some in his garner are but Cummin seede others Fitches and some harder corne some can but beare a little Rod others a greater staffe or flaile and some the pressure of a Cart wheele that which doth but cleanse some would batter and breake others into pieces some are great with young in the pangs of a loaded conscience in the travaile under some sore affliction or in the throwes of a bitter repentance as it were in fits of breeding or new forming of Christ in their soule and these hee leadeth with a gentle hand Others are as it were new borne past their paines but yet very tender weake and fearefull and these he gathers with his arme and carries in his bosome shewes them that his care doth not onely reach unto the least of his kingdome but that his compassions are most enlarged to those that are too weake to helpe themselves that hee hath brests of consolation to satisfie and delight with abundance the smallest infant of his kingdome Some are broken-hearted and those he bindeth some are captives to those hee proclaimeth liberty some are mourners in Sion and for them he hath beautie and oile of joy and garments of praise some are bruized reedes whom every curse or commination is able to crush and some are smoaking flax whom every temptation is able to discourage and yet even these doth hee so carefully tend and furnish with such proportionable supplies of his Spirit of grace as makes that seede and sparkle of holinesse which hee began in them get up above all their owne feares or their enemies machinations and grow from a judgement of truth and sincerity as it is called by the Prophet unto a judgement of victory and perfection as it is turned by the Evangelist In one word some are strong and others are weake the strong hee feedeth the weake he cureth the strong hee confirmeth the weake hee restoreth hee hath trials for the strong to exercise their graces and hee hath cordials for the weake to strengthen theirs According unto the severall estates and unto the secret demands of each members condition so doth the Care of Christ severally shew it selfe towards the same in his Word there is provision for any want medicine for any disease comforts for any distresse promises for any faith answeres to any doubt directions in any difficulty weapons against any temptation preservatives against any sinne restoratives against lapse garments to cover my nakednesse meate to satisfie my hunger physicke to cure my diseases armour to protect my person a treasure to provide for my posteritie If I am rich I have there the wisedome of God to instruct me and if I am poore I have there the obligations of God to enrich mee If I am honourable I have there the sight of my sins to make me vile and rules of moderation to make me humble If I am of low degree I have there the Communion and consanguinitie of Christ the participation of the divine nature the adoption of God the Father to make me noble If I am learned I have there a law of charitie to order it unto edification and if I am unlearned I have there a Spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God which can give wisedome unto the simple which can reveale secrets unto babes which can command light to shine out of darknes which can give the light of the knowledge of the glory fulnesse and love of God in the face of Iesus Christ which can make me though ignorant of all other things to learne Christ in whom there is more
to the wayes of grace as there is in any The consideration whereof may justly humble us in our reflexion upon our selves whom neither the promises of heaven can allure nor the bloud and passions of Christ perswade nor the flames of hell affright from our sinnes till the Lord by the sweet and gracious power of his holy â—â—irit subdue and conquer the soule unto himselfe If a man should rise from the dead and truly relate unto the conscience the woefull and everlasting horrors of hell if a mans naturall capacity were made as wide to apprehend the wrath fury and vengeance of a provoked God the foulenesse guilt and venome of a soule fuller of sins than the heavens of stars as the most intelligent divels of hell doe conceive them If an Archangell or Seraphim should be sent from heaven to reveale unto the soule of a naturall man the infinite glory of Gods presence the full pleasures of his right hand the admirable beauty of his wayes the intimate conformity and resemblance between his divine nature in himselfe the Image of his holinesse in the creature the unsearchable and bottomlesse love of Christ in his Incarnation and sufferings the endlesse incomprehensible vertue pretiousnesse of his bloud and prayers yet so desperately evill is the heart of man that if after all this God should not afford the blessed operation and concurrence of his owne gratious Spirit the revelation of his own arme and power upon the soule to set on those instrumentall causes it would be invincible by any evidence which all the cries and flames of hell which all the armies and hosts of heaven were able to beget There is no might or power able to snatch a man out of the hands of his sin but onely Gods Spirit Notable are the expressions which the holy Ghost every where useth to set forth this wretched condition of the heart by nature wilfulnesse and selfe-willednesse We will not hearken we will not have this man to raigne over us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many wils in one Rebellion and stubbornenesse stoutnesse of heart contestation with God and gain-saying his Word Impudence stiffenesse and hard-heartednesse mischievous profoundnes and deepe reasonings against the Law of God pertinacie resolvednesse and abiding in mischiefe they hold fast deceit obstinacie and selfe-obduration They have hardned their neckes that they might not heare Impotencie immoveablenesse and undocilenesse their heart is uncircumcised they cannot heare there is none that understandeth or seeketh after God scorne and slighting of the messages of the Lord where is his Word Where is the promise of his comming Incredulity and belying the Lord in his Word saying it is not he Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Wrestling resisting and fighting with the Word rejecting the counsell of God vexing and striving with his holy Spirit ye have alwayes resisted the holy Ghost Rage and fiercenesse of disordred affections despising of goodnesse trayterous heady and high-minded thoughts Brutishnes of immoderate lust the untamed madnesse of an enraged beast without any restraint of reason or moderation In one word a hell and gulfe of unsearchable mischiefe which is never satisfied It is impossible that any reasonable man duly considering all these difficulties should conceive such an heart as this to be overcome with meere morall perswasions or by any thing lesse than the mightie power of Gods owne grace To him therefore we should willingly acknowledge all our conversion and salvation So extremely impotent are we O Lord unto any good so utterly unprofitable and unmeet for our Masters use and yet so strongly hurried by the impulsion of our owne lust towards hell that no precipice nor danger no hope nor reward no man or Angell is able to stop us without thine owne immediate power and therefore Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name onely be attributed the glory of our conversion Againe by this consideration we should be provoked to stirre up and call together all our strength in the Lords service to recover our mispent time to use the more contention and violence for the kingdome of heaven when wee consider how abundant wee have beene in the workes of sinne in the pursuing of vast desires which had neither end nor hope in them O how happie a thing would it be if men could serve God with the same proportion of vigour and willingnesse of mind as they served Satan and themselves before I was never tired in that way I went on indefatigably towards hell like a swift Dromedary or an untamed heifer I pursued those evill desires which had vanity for their object and misery for their end no fruit but shame and no wages but death But in the service of Christ I have a price before mee an abiding Citie an enduring substance an immarcescible crowne to fix the highest of my thoughts upon I have the promises of Christ to strengthen me his Angels to guard his Spirit to lead his Word to illighten me In one word I have a soule to save and a God to honour And why should not I apply my power to serve him who did reach forth his owne power to convert me A long way I have to goe and I must doe it in a spanne of time so many temptations to overcome so many corruptions to shake off so many promises to beleeve so many precepts to obey so many mysteries to study so many workes to finish and so little time for all my weaknesses on one side my businesses on another mine enemies and my sinnes round about me take away so much that I have scarce any left to give to God And yet alas if I could serve God on earth as he is served in heaven if I had the strength of Angels and glorified Saints to doe his will it would come infinitely short of that good will of God in my redemption or of his power in my conversion If God should have said to all the Angels in heaven there is such a poore wretch posting with full strength towards hell goe stand in his way and drive him back againe all those glorious armies would have beene too few to blocke up the passageâ— betweene sin and heâ— without the concurrence of Gods owne Spirit and power they could have returned none other answer but this we have done all we can to perswade and turne him but he will not be turned If then the Lord did put to his owne power to save me great reason there is that I should set my weake and impotent faculties to honour him especially since hee hath beene pleased both to mingle with his service great joy liberty and tranquillity here and also to set before it a full a sure and a great reward for my further animation and encouragement thereunto The fourth thing observed in this Verse was the attire wherein Christs people should attend
enabled unto this great function Esay 61.1.42.1 Matth. 3.16 17. Heb. 1.9 If then God call Christ unto his Priesthood by a solemne Oath and make him surety of a better covenant we ought to take the more especiall notice thereof for when God sweares he must be heard The more excellent any thing is the more earnest hee should bee given unto it for how shall we escape saith the Apostle if wee neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so great Salvation so sure a covenant Heb. 2.1 3. This is the onely rocke on which we may cast anchor in any trouble doubt or feare of Spirit It is not our owne will or strength that holds us up from ruine but onely Gods Oath by which Christ is made a Priest Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Saint Paul and his company were in a great tempest all hope that they should be saved was taken away Act. 27.20 yet he exhorts them to bee of good cheere because there should not bee the losse of any mans life amongst them and the ground hereof was Gods promise which he beleeved verse 24 25. The case is the same with us we are compassed about with infirmities with enemies too hard and with sinnes too heavie for us with feares and doubting that we shall lose all againe how can wee in such tempests of Spirit be cheered but onely by casting anchor upon Gods covenant which is established by an oath by learning to hope above hope Rom. 4. 18. to be strong in him when we are weake in our selves to bee faithfull in him when wee are fearefull in our selves to be stedfast in him when we stagger in our selves in the midst of Satans buffets and our owne corruptions to finde a sufficiencie in his Grace able to answer and to ward off all 2 Cor. 12.10 To catch hold of his covenant and to flie to the hope that is set before us as to the only refuge and sanctuary of a pursued soule when wee are not able to stand by our selves Esay 56.6 Heb. 6.18 It is hard very thing when a man hath a distinct view of his filthinesse and guilt by reason of time not to give over himselfe and his salvation as desparate things It is nothing but ignorance and insensibilitie which makes men presume of the pardon of sinne In this case then we must consider Gods Oath and Covenant with his people First not to reject them for their sinnes Israel hath not beene forsaken nor Iudah of his God though their land was filled with sinne against the holy One of Israel Ier. 51.5 My People are bent unto backsliding c. and yet I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim For I am God and not Man c. Hos. 11.7 9. Secondly not alwayes to suffer them to lie under sin but in due time to heale their backeslidings Hos. 14.4 he will not onely remove our transgressions from himselfe but he will remove them from us too and that so farre as that it shall be as possible for the East and West to meet together as for a man and his sin Psal. 103.12 Though we have made him to serve with our sinnes and wearied him with our iniquities yet Hee will not remember against us our sinnes past Esay 43.25 neither will hee see against us the sinnes which remaine Numb 23.11 These he will forgive and these he will subdue and all this because of his Truth unto Iacob and his mercy unto Abraham which he sware unto our fathers from the dayes of old Micah 7.18 19.20 Hee hath given us ground for both our feete to stand upon and hold fast for both our hands to cleave unto A Promise and an Oath that by two immutable things wee might have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 So the Apostle saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and amen yea to note their Truth and amen to note their certainty and stability being confirmed by the Oath of Christ. For so that word may be conceived either as an Oath or at least as a very strong and confident affirmation which is equivalent unto an oath 2 Cor. 1.20 except happily we will understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee the same thing expressed in severall tongues as Abba Pater in other places thereby noting not onely the stabilitie but the universalitie of Gods promises Many things there are in this call of Christ unto his Office to confirme this consolation and upon which the troubled soule may cast Anker First from the Father he hath received a command and call unto thy service and so as a Servant he hath fidelity for God choseth none but faithfull servants Hee was an Apostle and high Priest sent to preach the Will and to pacifie the wrath of God and he was faithfull to him that appointed him as Moses was Heb. 3.11.2 And if he be faithfull we may trust him for he will doe the worke which is given him to doe Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it 1 Thes. 5.24 Secondly from himselfe there is a voluntarie submission whereby he gives himselfe for his Church and layes downe his owne life Eph. 5.25 Tit. 2.14 Ioh. 10.11 for being of himselfe equall with the Father he could not be by him commanded ordained or overruled to any service without a voluntary concurring to the same decree emptying himselfe and taking on him the forme of a servant making himselfe lesse than his Father and in some sort for a while lower than the Angels that so he might be commanded So that besides his fidelitie to rest on as a servant here is his especiall mercy as a concurring agent in the decree whereby he was ordained unto this office He is not onely a Faithfull but a mercifull high Priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of men Heb. 2.17 But a man may both by his Fidelitie as a servant and by his Mercy as having the same tender compassion with him that sent him be willing to helpe another out of misery and yet may not be able to effect his owne desires for want of Power And therefore Thirdly by the Vnction of the holy Spirit who proceedeth from the Father and himselfe hee is said to bee sanctified by the Father Iohn 10.36 and to sanctifie himselfe Iohn 17.19 To have received power and authority from his Father Matth. 28.18 Iohn 5.27 Iohn 17.2 and to have power likewise within himselfe Iohn 10.18 That spirit which for the discharge of this office hee brought with him in fulnesse and unto all purposes of that service into the world is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 whereby he is enabled perfectly to save all commers Heb. 7.25 so that unto his Fidelity and Mercy here is added Abilitie likewise Fourthly as he received an office and a service so hee received a Promise from his father likewise which did much encourage him in