for these things will help our conversation to be heaven-ward Certainly the day is a coming when Jesus Christ shall come with his Angels in his glory and then shall the bodies of the Saints shine gloriously before the Face of God and Jesus Christ O the wonder of this day the glory of Christ shall then darken the glory of the Sun and Moon and Stars but my body shall not be darkned but rather it shall shine like the glorious body of Christ Jesus if a candle should be raised to have so much lustre and beauty as if you should put it into the midst of the Sun yet it would shine you would think it a strange kind of light surely it shall be so with the bodies of Saints for though they are put into the midst of the glory of God and of his Son Jesus Christ yet their bodies shall shine in beauty and lustre there now did we believe this and wait for it every day How would it change us how would it work us to an heavenly conversation I have a diseased and lumpish body and my body hinders me in every duty of God's worship but within a while Christ will come in his glory and then he will make my body like unto his glorious body so that I shall be able to look upon the face of God and to be exercised in holy duties to all eternity without weariness without intermission I have many things here that trouble my mind and spirit and that hinder me in my converse with Heaven and heavenly things but within a while Christ will appear with his mighty Angels to be admitted of his Saints and then shall I sit as an assessor on the Throne with Jesus Christ to judge the world and then shall I live for ever with him to be where he is and enjoy all he has yea all that he hath purchased for me by his blood oh let me wait for this let me look for it every day God hath but a little work for me here on Earth and when that is done this shall be my condition Christians if but every day we would work these things on our souls it would be a mighty help to make our conversations heavenly conversations 5. Let us observe the drawings and movings and mindings of the Spirit and follow his dictates to this purpose Christ ascended and sate down at God's right hand and sent down the holy Spirit that the Holy Ghost being come down he might do his office in bringing on our souls towards salvation and if ever our souls get above this earth and get acquainted with this living in Heaven it is the Spirit of God that must be at the chariot of Elijah yea the very living principle by which we must move and ascend O then take heed of quenching its motions or resisting its workings take we heed of grieving our guide or of knocking off the chariot-wheels of this holy Spirit We little think how much the life of graces and the happiness of our souls doth depend upon our ready and cordial obedience to the Spirit of God when he forbids us our own known transgressions and we will go on when he tells us which is the way and which is not and we will not regard no wonder if we are strangers to an heavenly conversation if we will not follow the Spirit while it would draw us to Christ how should it lead us to Heaven or bring our hearts into the presence of God O learn we this lesson and let not only the motions of our bodies but also the very thoughts of our hearts be at the Spirits beck do we not sometimes feel a strong impulsion to retire from the world and to draw near to God O let us not despise or disobey but take we the offer and hoise up our sail while we may have this blessed gale if we cherish these motions and hearken to the Spirit O what a supernatural help should we find to this heavenly mindedness or heavenly conversation Thus far we have looked on Jesus as our Jesus in his Ascension Session and Mission of his holy Spirit our next work is to look on Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his Intercession which he makes and will make to his Father on our behalf till his second coming to judgment LOOKING UNTO JESUS In his Intercession Book IX Part VI. CHAP. I. Heb. 3.1 Rom. 8.34 Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession Christ Jesus who also maketh intercession for us SECT I. What the Intercession of Christ is WE have spoken of Christ's entrance into Heaven and of his immediate actings after his entrance there that transaction which yet remains and will remain untill his coming again it is his Intercession for the Saints In these actings of Christ in Heaven if we will follow him we must go from glory to glory no sooner come we out of one room of glory but presently we step into another as glorious as that before one would think enough had been said already of the glory of Christ and of our glory in Christ who would not willingly sit down under the shadow of this happiness and go no further but yet this is not all so thick and fast doth the glory of Christ break in upon us that no sooner out of one but presently we are led into the bosom of another Oh what a blessed thing is it to be viewing Christ and to be looking up to Jesus Christ Saints might do nothing else if they pleased but ravish their hearts with the diversity of heavenly light and comfort which breaks forth from the bosom of Jesus Christ Here is now another mystery as great and amazing as the former which springs out before our eyes in this transaction of Christ's Intercession And in prosecution of this as in the former I shall first lay down the object and secondly direct you how to look upon it The object is Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in his Intercession in ordering of which I shall examine these particulars 1. What is this intercession of Christ 2. According to what nature doth Christ intercede 3. To whom is Christ's intercession directed 4. For whom is the intercession made 5. What agreement betwixt Christ's intercessions and the intercessions of the High-Priests of old 6. Wâ—â—t is the difference betwixt Christ's intercession and the intercessions of those High-Priests 7. What are the properties of this intercession of Jesus Christ 8. Wherein more especially doth the intercessions of Christ consist 9. How powerful and prevailing are Christ's intercessions with God his Father 10. What are the reasons of this great transaction of Christ's intercession for his people 1. What is the intercession of Christ some define it thus Christ's intercession is that part of his Priestly office whereby Christ is Advocate and intreater of God the Father for the faithful I shall give it thus Christ's intercession is his gracious will fervently
make you able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit He is such a Prophet as teacheth inwardly clearly experimentally and sweetly no man in the world can say this or do this but Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the Church whom God hath raised up like unto Moses or far above Moses Oh my Soul consider if thou art thus taught of God 4. I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their Sins no more Rom. 4.7 Consider of this Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose Sins are covered Consider O my soul suppose thy case and thy condition thus As thou livest under Laws of men so for the transgression of those Laws thou art called to account the Judge weighs and gives an impartial and just judgment he Dooms thee to the Axe or Rack or Wheel and because of the aggravation of thy Crime he commands thee to be tortured leisurely that Bones Sinews Lights Joints might be pained for twenty thirty forty fifty years that so much of thy flesh should be cut off every day that such and such a Bone should be broken such and such a day and that by art the flesh should be restored and the Bone cured again that for so many years as is said thou mightest be kept every day dying and yet never die that all this while thou must have no Sleep nor Ease nor Food nor Cloathing convenient for thee that Whips of Iron Lashes and Scourges of Scorpions that Racks Wheels Cauldrons full of melted Lead should be prepared instruments of thy continual horrible terrible Torments in this case suppose a mighty Prince by an Act of free and special Grace should deliver thee from this Pain and Torture and not only so but should give thee a Life in perfect health should put thee into a Paradise of Pleasures where all the honour acclamations love and service of a world of Men and Angels should await thee and where thou shouldst be elivated to the top of all imaginable Happiness above Solomon in the highest Royalty or Adam in his first Innocency where not this mercy wouldest thou not thing it the highest Act of Grace and Love that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature and yet O my Soul all this is nothing but a shadow of grace in comparison of the love and rich grace of God in Christ in the justification of a sinner If thou hast a right to this promise I well forgive thy Iniquity and I will remember thy sin no more Thou art delivered from eternal Death and thou art entitled to an eternal Kingdom O know thy blessedness aright Consider how infinitly thou art engaged to God and Christ and mercy and free-grace This promise sounds forth nothing but grace and blessing grace from God and blessing on us it is grace because nothing but grace and mercy can forgive it is grace because God if he will hath power in his hand to Revenge he doth not pass by sin as men do offences when they dissemble forgiveness they may forgive because they have not power to avenge Dut 32.35 Exod. 36. â—4 it is otherwise with God To me belonges Vengeance and Recompence saith God He is able to destroy and yet he chuseth to forgive this is his Name strong and gracious O my Soul thou art apt to complain what will the Lord forgive my Sins What reason hath God to look on me to Pardon me to pluck me as a firebrand out of the Fire of Hell why should God forgive me But now consider if thy heart be humbled the Lord will do it 1. Because he delighteth in Mercy it is a pleasure to God to forgive Sins Micah 7.18 never did we take more pleasure nor so much pleasure in acting and committing of sin as he doth in the pardoning of sin he is the Father of Mercies 2 Co. 1.3 he delights in mercy as a Father in his Children it doth him good to see the Fruits of his own mercy in taking away the sins of his own people 2. Because it is his purpose which he hath purposed within himself from all Eternity this was the great design of God as you have heard to make his grace glorious in those whom he intends to save he will have the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1.6 2 Thes 1.10 he will not lose his glory he will be admired in his Saints he will make the World to wonder when it shall be known what sin hath been committed by them Rom 9. â—â— and pardoned by him And hence it is that Gods people are called Vessels of Mercy that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy for as Vessels are or may be filled up to the brims so the Vessels of Mercy shall be filled with Mercy up to the Brim that the Riches of his Glory in the pardon of Sin may be seen and known to the wonder of all the world 3. Because it is his Nature and Inclination to pardon Sin this appears 1. In the Proclaiming of his Name the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering Exâ—d 34.6 abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin Mat. 11.28 2. In his gracious Invitations Come unto me saith Christ if sin burden you I will ease you 3. In his patience and waiting for Repentance he waits to this very end that he might be gracious Isa 30.18 and that he may have mercy for the Lord is a God of judgment Isa 43.25 4. Because it is his promise to pardon sin I even I am he that blots out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins This promise of Pardon is one of the great blessings of the Covenant of Grace you hear the words in this very expressure of it Jet 31.34 I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their sins no more Now come consider O my soul of every particular in this gracious Covenant and O be serious in thy Consideration surely there is too much expence of thy spirit upon vain and transitory and worldly things alas alas thou hast but a short time to live and the strength of thy mind that I call for it is the most precious thing thou hast O then let the business and activeness of thy mind let thy inmost thoughts and deep affections be acted and exercised on this Subject be careful that none of these waters run besides the Mill. If God and Jesus and all thy good be included here why should not thy whole soul be intent on this Why shouldst thou spend it on the Creature why shouldst thou be so subject to carnal griefs and fears surely all these are fitter to be fixed on God in Christ on Jesus in a Covenant of Grace SECT III. Of Desiring Jesus in that respect 3. WE must desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of
which makes the encounter so much the more dangerous As 1. A Garrison of Soldiers ready at hand to appease occasional tumults 2. The temper of those mens spirits with whom the business was Cham. in loc they were men set upon gain the World's God 3. The great Confluence of the people it being the most solemn Mart of the Passover O what a Zeal was this that neither the weakness of the means on the one side to effect it nor the greatness of the power on the other side to hinder it did at all dismay him or cause him to desist seem he never so weak or be they never so strong he whips them out of the Temple and bids them be gone This action of Christ fulfils that Prophesie of Malachy Mal. 3.1 2 3. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple but who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like Refiners fire and like Fullers Sope and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and as Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness From the main we may observe that a perswasion of Christ's presence in our Church-assemblies is a special means or motive to bring all into order But what is this presence of Christ in Church-assembles If by Christ's presence we mean his bodily presence it is true that Christ in his Humanity whipped the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple of Jerusalem then in his Manhood he was upon Earth and accordingly he vouchsafed his bodily presence to their assemblies and publick places but now his Manhood is in Heaven Acts 3.21 and the Heavens must contain him till the times of restitution of all things Now therefore we cannot expect his bodily presence unless we will maintain the Doctrine of Transubstantiation or of Consubstantiation which far be it from us 2. If by Christ's presence we mean his spiritual presence then the question is what is this spiritual presence of Christ for if we say it is his presence as he is God I should then query how God is said to be present with men in one place more than another God in his essence is fully every where and inclusively no where Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Footstool and yet nor Earth nor Heaven nor the Heaven of Heavens is able to contain him whiles we speak spiritually of Christ's presence in the assemblies of his People we cannot mean his Universal presence but his especial presence and therefore as yet I suppose we have not the meaning of it 3. If by Christ's presence we mean the presence of his Spirit either in himself or especially in his workings stirrings actings and movings in our Spirit I should then subscribe only I think this is not all that is included in his especial presence true it is that when Christ was upon Earth he told his Disciples that he must go away for if he went not away the Comforter would not come unto them John 16.7 But if I depart said he I will send him unto you and accordingly when that Church-assembly was convened at Pentecost God sent the Holy Ghost much people being then gathered at Jerusalem that it might be divulged to all the World To all the Assemblies of the Saints Christ promised his Spirit though not alwayes in a visible manner Mat. 8.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name saith Christ there I am in the midst of them Christ in his Spirit is in the midst of us stirring and moving in our spirits or the spirit of Unity is with united spirits O he is a sweet Spirit a Spirit of Love and Concord and Peace and Glory and therefore where should he be but with those that make harmony upon Earth He is with them and amongst them and in them 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and worketh in you 4. If by Christ's presence we mean the presence of his Angels I shall then say we have said enough as a King is said to be where his Court is where his Train or Retinue are so Christ the King of Kings is there especially present where the Heavenly Guard the blessed Angels keep their sacred Station and Rendezvouz wheresoever it is Now that this is Christ's special presence it will appear in sundry Texts 1. When Jacob saw that vision in Bethel of the Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28.16 17 and of the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it Surely saith Jacob the Lord is in this place and I knew it not and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven He calls it God's House where God and his holy Angels who are of his Houshold are especially present and he calls it the Gate of Heaven Heaven's Guild-Hall Heaven's Court namely because of the Angels for the Gate Guild-Hall or Court was wont to be the judgment-Hall and the place where Kings and Senators used to sit attended by their Guard and Ministers The Caldee addeth This is no common or private place but a place wherein God taketh pleasure and over against this place is the Gate of Heaven 2. When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai to give the Law some place the specification of God's presence in the Angels to which purpose are alledged these Texts Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Heb. 2.2 and have not kept it and again The Law was ordained by Angels in the Hand of a Mediator Again the Apostle calls the Law the Word spoken by Angels I have already delivered my thoughts concerning these Angels but some I say conclude from hence that the special presence of the Divine Majesty consists in the encamping of his sacred Retinue the blessed Angels for that the Lord of himself who filleth Heaven and Earth could not descend or be in one place more than another There 's yet another Text very pertinent to this And he said Deut. 33.2 the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from Mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery Law for them Psal 68.17 the words translated ten thousand of his Saints are in the Original ten thousands of Sanctity or holy ten thousands or holy Myriads which in my apprehension points to the Angels rather than his Saints and the Psalmist puts it out of question The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy Place 3. After the Law given this presence of God was fixed to the Temple and what that was Isa
shew you the Word of the Lord. Deut. 5 5. The Vulgar renders it thus Ego sequestor medius I was a Mediatour a Midler betwixt God and you and so Christ Jesus he is a Mediatour a Midler an Interpreter an Inter-messenger betwixt God and his People 2. The Reasons of Christs being a Prophet were these 1. That he might reveal and deliver to his people the will of his Father 2. That he might open and expound the same being once delivered 3. That he might make his Saints to understand and to believe the same being once opened 1. As a Prophet he delivers to the people his Fathers will both in his own Person and by his Servants the Ministers In his own Person when he was upon earth as a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 Heb. 2 3. and by his Servants the Ministers from the beginning of their mission till the end of the World Thus the Gospel is called A great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Christ in his own personal preaching is said but to have begun to teach Acts 1.1 and the consummate publication was the sending of the holy Ghost to these Select Vessels who were to carry abroad this Treasure unto all the world it was begun by the Lord and it was confirmed by them that were the Disciples of the Lord. In this respect we cannot look on the publishing of the Gospel to the world but as very glorious was there not a resemblance of state and glory in the preaching of Christ You have heard how a forerunner was sent to prepare his way as an Herald to proclaim his approach and then was revealed the glory of the Lord but because the publication was not consummate till afterwards Eph. 4.8 Christ carries it on in greater state afterwards than he did before When he ascended up on high he then led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men as Princes in time of their solemn inauguration do some special Acts of magnificence and Honour they proclaim Pardons open Prisons Create Nobles fill Conduits with wine so Christ to testifie the glory of his Gospel at the day of his instalment and solemn readmission into his Fathers glory he proclaims the Gospel gives gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints Ver. 12. for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ 2. As a Prophet he opens and expounds the Gospel Thus being in the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day Luke 4.17 18 21. he opened the book and he found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor c. and then he closed the book and said Luke 24.27 this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And thus joyning himself with two of his Disciples going towards Emmaus he begun at Moses and all the Prophets and he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself the Prophesies of Christ were dark and hard to be understood and therefore Christ came down from Heaven to discover such truths John 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven i.e. to be acquainted with Gods secrets but he that came down from Heaven the gracious purpose of God towards lost mankind was a secret locked up in the breast of the Father and so it had been even to this day had not Christ who was in the bosome of the Father and one of his Privy Council revealed it unto us hence Christ is called the Interpreter of God Mat. 11.27 no man knoweth the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him by his interpretation Luke 24.45 Acts 10.14 3. As a Prophet he gives us to understand and to believe the Gospel Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures and thus was the Case of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened he that first opens Scriptures at last opens hearts He is that true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 he enlightens every believer not only with a common natural light but with a special supernatural light of saving spiritual and effectual knowledge now there is no Prophet can do this save only Jesus Christ he only is able to cause our hearts to believe and to understand the matter which he doth teach and reveal other Prophets may plant and water Paul may plant and Apollo may water but he and only he can give the increase other Prophets may teach and Baptize but unless Christ come in by the powerful presence of his Spirit 1 Pet. 2.5 Psal 127.1 they can never be able to save any one poor soul We as lively stones are built up a spiritual house saith Peter but except the Lord do build this house they labour in vain that build it O alas who is able to breath the Spirit of life into these dead stones John 5.25 but he of whom it is written The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live Who can awaken a dead soul out of a dead sleep And who can give light unto these blind eyes of ours but he of whom it is written Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 3. The Excellencies of Christ above all other Prophets are in these respects 1. Other Prophets were but Types and shadows of this great Prophet even Moses himself was but a figure of him Acts 7.37 A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me saith Moses these words Like unto me do plainly shew that Moses was at the best but an image and shadow of Christ now as substances do far excel shadows so doth Christ far excel all the Prophets they were but shadows and forerunners to him 2. Other Prophets revealed but some part of Gods will and only at sometimes God saith the Apostle at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time-past unto the Fathers by the Prophets Heb. 1.1 i.e. he let out his light by little and little till the Day-star and Sun of Righteousness arose Ver. 2. but in these last dayes he hath spoken by his Son i.e. he had spoken more fully and plainly in this respect saith the Apostle the heirs of Life and Salvation were but children before Christs incarnation Gal. 14.1 2. As now we see but through a glass darkly towards what we shall do in the life to come so did they of old in comparison of us their light in comparison of ours was but an obscure and glimmering light Christs discovery of himself then was but a standing behind the wall a looking forth of the window Cant. 2.9 a shewing of himself through the
lattice 3. Other Prophets spake only to the ears of men but Christ spake and still speaks to the heart Revel 3.7 He hath the Keyes of David that openeth and no man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth it is a similitude taken from them that keep the Keyes of a City or Castle without whom none can open or shut no more can any man open the heart or break in upon the Spirit but Christ he only is able to open the eyes of the mind by the secret kindly and powerful working of his own Spirit 4. Other Prophets preached wisdom unto men but only Christ preacheth men wise other Prophets warned men by telling them of their sins and denouncing the judgments of God but Christ reclaimed them and turned them from sin hence it is said that he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes John 5.25 it came daily and coldly from them but it came from him as being full of conviction and reproof 1 Cor. 2.4 full of the evident demonstration of the Spirit and of power 5. Other Prophets might not preach themselves the Apostle inveighs against self-commenders We dare not saith he make our selves of the number 2 Cor. 10.12 or compare our selves with some that commend themselves Yea Christ himself relating to himself as a meer man saith that his witness is not true if he bear witness of himself John 5.31 But in another place relating to himself as Mediator he speaks clean contrary John 8.14 Though I do bear record of my self yet my record is true Here then is a wide difference betwixt other Prophets in respect of their Office and Christs they might not preach themselves but he bears witness of himself because he hath not a greater in the point of our Justification Sanctification and Salvation to bear witness of them himself And hence are those self-predications of his which we find in Scriptures as Look unto me Isa 45.22 Mat. 11.28 Luke 24.27 and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden And conferring with the two Disciples it is said that beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Surely it commends to us the Prophesie of Christ that he might preach and commend himself without any blot of Arrogancy or taking too much upon him 6. Other Prophets had their Commission and Authority from him Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of the Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd i.e. the words of the wise are divine and Heavenly instructions the Masters of Assemblies are Gospel-Ministers and Christ is that one Shepherd from whom these words are given and from whom these Masters have their Authority 2 Cor. 5.20 Ezek. 20.46 are they not called Embassadours for Christ and doth not Ezekiel tell us that he must drop his words towards the South Now what is the meaning of that dropping It is a phrase borrowed from rain as the clouds from whence the rain descends have not their water Originally and natively in themselves but from the Sea so have not the Prophets a spirit of Prophesie of themselves but all is drawn up out of Christ as out of a full Sea of all excellent Wisdom and knowledge In him are all the Treasures a Sea an Ocean of knowledge and from him all the Prophets derived whatsoever they had SECT IV. Of Christs Miracles 2. THe Miracles of Christ this year were many now what were these Miracles but a pursuance of the Doctrines delivered in Christs Sermons One calls them A verification of Christs Doctrine a signal of Christs Sermons If we observe we shall find him to work most of his Miracles in actions of mercy indeed once he turned water into wine and sometimes he walked upon the waters but all the rest were actions of relief according to the design of God who would have him manifest his power in shewing mercy and relief to men Amongst all his Miracles done this year now was it that at Cana where he wrought the first Miracle he does a second a certain Noble man or Courtier or little King as some would have it came to Jesus and besought him to come down to his house John 4.47 and to heal his Son who was at the point of Death We do not find Christ often attended with Nobility but here he is Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty 1 Cor. 1.26 not many noble are called yet God forbid but that some are and may be this noble Ruler listens after Christ in his necessity happy was it for him that his Son was sick for else he had not been so well acquainted with his Saviour O we are loth to come to Christ till we see a need a necessity for it and hence it is that Christ sends weakness sicknesses infirmities oppositions and many afflictions that he may be sought unto Come then are we afflicted whither should we go but to Cana to seek Christ whither should we go but to that Cana of Heaven where our water will be turned into wine where our Physitian lives that knows how to cure souls and bodies and all that we may once say It is good for me that I was afflicted The first answer Christ gives this Nobleman is a word of reproof John 4.48 Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe Incredulity was the common disease of the Jews which no receipt could cure but wonders A wicked and Adulterous generation seeks after signs the Doctrine of Christ and all the Divine words that he spake must be made up with Miracles or they will not believe it was a soul fault and a dangerous one Ye will not believe What is it that condemns the world but unbelief Here 's a Noble Capernaite that probably had heard many a Sermon of Jesus Christ and yet here is Taxed with unbelief if such as we that live under the clear Sun-shine of the Gospel shall not believe O what a sin is this Christs next answer to this Nobleman is a word of comfort Ver. 50. Go thy way thy Son liveth Oh the meekness and mercy of Jesus Christ when we would have looked that he should have punished this Suitor for not believing he condescends to him that he may believe as some tender mothers that give the breast to their unquiet children instead of the rod so usually deals Christ with our perversness Go thy way thy Son liveth with one word doth Christ heal two Patients the Son and the Father the Sons feaver and the Fathers unbelief we cannot but observe here the steps of Faith he that believed somewhat ere he came and more when he went he grew to more and more saith in the way and when he came home he enlarged his faith to all the skirts of his family And the
saw thee in danger of death through thy own unbelief for except thou sawest in his hands the print of the nails and put thy finger into the print of the nails except thou hadst clear manifestations of Christ even to thine own sense thou wouldest not believe he condescends so far to succour thy weakness as to manifest himself by several witnesses three in heaven and three on earth yea he multiplies his three on earth to thousands of thousands so many were the signes witnessing Christ that the Disciple which testified of them John 21.25 could say If they should be written every one the world could not contain the Books that should be written 4. When he saw the buying and selling in the Temple yea making Merchandize of the Temple it self I mean of thy Soul which is the Temple of the holy Ghost he steps in to whip out those Buyers and Sellers those Lusts and Corruptions O cries he will you sell away your souls for Trash O what is a man profitted though he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Prov. 30.2 3. 5. When he saw thee like the horse and mule more brutish than any man not having the understanding of a man thou neither learnedst wisdom nor hadst the knowledge of the most holy he came with his instructions adding line unto line and precept on precept teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and sealing his truths with many Miracles Mat. 4.23 that thou maist believe and in believing thou mightest have life through his Name and Oh! what is this but to make thee wise unto salvation 6. When he saw thee a sinner of the Gentiles a stranger from the common-wealth of Israel and without God in the world he sent his Apostles and Messengers abroad and bad them preach the Gospel to thee q. d. Go to such a one in the dark corner of the world an Isle at such a distance from the Nation of the Jews and set up my Throne amongst that people open the most precious Cabinet of my Love there and amongst that People tell such a Soul that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he is one O admirable Love 7. When he saw thee cast down in thy self and refusing thy own Mercy crying and saying what is it possible that Jesus Christ should send a Message to such a dead Dog as I am why the Apostles Commission seems otherwise Go not into the way of the Gentiles Mat. 10.5 6. or into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel O I am a lost sheep but not being of the House of Israel what hope is there that ever I should be found He then appeared and even then he spred his arms wide to receive thy soul he satisfied thee then of another Commission given to his Apostles Go teach all Nations And he cried even then Come unto me thou that art weary and heavy laden with sin and I will receive thee into my bosom Mat. 28.19 and give thee rest there 8. When he saw thee in suspence and heard thy complaint But if I come shall I find sweet welcome I have heard that his ways are narrow and straight Oh it is an hard passage and an high ascent up to heaven Many seek to enter in but shall not be able Luke 13.24 Oh! what shall become of my poor Soul why then he told thee otherwise Prov. 3.17 that all his ways were ways of pleasantness and all his paths peace he would give thee his Spirit that should bear the weight and make all light he would sweeten the ways of Christianity to thee that thou shouldest find by experience that his yoke was easie Mat. 11.29 and his burden was light 9. When he saw the wretchedness of thy Nature and original pollution he took upon him thy Nature and by this means took away thy original sin O here is the lovely Object What is it but the absolute holiness and perfect purity of the Nature of Christ This is the fairest Beauty that ever eye beheld this is that compendium of all Glories now if Love be a motion and union of the Appetite to what is lovely how shouldst thou flame forth in loves upon the Lord Jesus Christ this is rendered as the reason of those sparklings Thou art fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 10. When he saw thee actually unclean a transgressor of the Law in thought word Heb. 10.9 and deed then he said Lo I come to do thy will O God and wherefore would he do Gods will but meerly on thy behalf O my Soul canst thou read over all these passages of Love and dost thou not yet cry out O stay me comfort me for I am sick of Love Can a man stand by an hot and fiery furnace and never be warmed Oh for an heart in some measure answerable to these Loves Surely even good natures hate to be in debt for love and is therein thee O my soul neither grace nor yet good nature O God forbid awake awake thy ardent love towards the Lord Jesus Christ why thou art rock and not flesh if thou beest not wounded with these heavenly darts Christ loves thee is not that enough fervent affection is apt to draw love where is little or no beauty and excellent beauty is apt to draw the heart where there is no answer of affection at all but when these two meet together what breast can hold against them See O my soul here is the sum of all the particulars thou hast heard Christ loves thee and Christ is lovely his heart is set upon thee who is a thousand times fairer than all the children of men doth not this double consideration like a mighty loadstone snatch thy heart unto it and almost draw it forth of thy very breast O sweet Saviour thou couldst say even of thy poor Church though labouring under many imperfections Thou hast ravished my Heart Cant. 4.9 10. my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck how fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than wine and the smell of thy oyntments than all Spices Couldst thou O blessed Saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of the Church and shall not I much more be enamoured with thy absolute and divine Beauty It pleased thee my Lord out of thy sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love to say to thy poor Church Turn away thine Eyes from me for they have overcome me but Oh let me say to thee Turn thine eyes to me that they may overcome me my Lord Cant. 6.5 I would be thus ravished I would be overcome I would be thus out of my self that I might be all in thee Thus is the Language of true love to Christ but alas how dully and flatly do I speak
the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part by his death of all these before 5. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the directive and penal part of the Law and as quickened by the Spirit He was put to death in the flesh saith Peter and quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 And accordingly must be the method and order of our faith after we have looked on Christ as dead in the flesh we must go on to see him as quickened by the Spirit 1 Cor. 15.17 if Christ was not raised or quickened saith the Apostle your faith were in vain q. d. to believe in Christ as only in respect of his birth life death and to go no further were but a vain faith and therefore shore up your faith to this pitch that Christ who dyed is risen from the dead to this purpose all the Sermons of the Apostles represented Christ not only as crucified but as raised In that first Sermon after the mission of the holy Ghost ye have crucified Christ said Peter to the Jews and then it follows whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains or chains of death Acts 2.23 24. because it was not possible that he should be holden of it In that next Sermon Peter tells them again ye have killed the Prince of life and then it follows whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses In the next Sermon after this be it known unto you all said Peter and to all the people of Israel Acts 3.15 that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth whom ye crucified and whom God raised from the dead is this man whole And in the next Sermon after this the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 4.10 And as thus he preached to the Jews so in his first Sermon to the Gentiles he tells them we are witnesses of all things which Jesus did both in the land of the Jews Acts 5.30 and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly And as thus Peter preached so in that first Sermon of Paul at Antioch Acts 10.39 40. Acts 13.30 he tells them of the Jews crucifying Jesus and then it follows but God raised him from the dead And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David Ver. 34 35. and thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption And after this Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogue at Thesalonica and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs suffer and rise from the dead This was the way of the Apostles preaching they told them an history I speak it with reverence of one Jesus Christ that was the word of God and that was become man Acts 17.2 3. and how he was crucified at Jerusalem and how he was raised from the dead and all this in a plain simple spiritual way and manner and while they were telling those blessed truths the Spirit fell upon the people and they believed and had faith wrought in them Faith is not wrought so much in the way of ratiocination as by the Spirit of God coming upon the souls of people by the Relation or representation of Jesus Christ to the soul And this our Lord himself hints as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up John 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life When the people were stung God so ordered that the very beholding of the brazen Serpent should bring help though we know not how to those that were wounded and stung by those fiery Serpents so God hath ordained in his blessed wisdom that the discovery of Jesus Christ as crucified and raised as humbled and exalted should be a means of faith come then set we before us Christ raised not only Christ crucified but Christ raised is the object of faith and in that respect we must look up to Jesus 6. Faith in going to Christ is raised from the dead or as quickned by the Spirit it is principally and mainly to look to the end purpose intent and design of Christ in his resurrection very devils may believe the history of Christ's resurrection Jam. 2.19 they believe and tremble but the Saints and people of God are to look at the meaning of Christ why he rose from the dead now the ends are either supream or subordinate 1. The supream end was God's Glory and that was the meaning of Christ's prayer Father John 17.1 Rom. 6.4 the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee with which agrees the Apostle he rose again from the dead to the glory of the Father 2. The subordinate ends were many As 1. That he might tread on the Serpents head 2. That he might destroy the works of the Devil 3. That he might be the first fruits of them that sleep 4. That he might assure our faith that he is the word and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him against that day 5. That he might be justified in the Spirit as he was begotten in the womb by the Spirit led up and down in the Spirit offered up by the eternal Spirit so he was raised from the dead by the Spirit and justified in the Spirit at his resurrection Christ was under the greatest attainder that ever man was he stood publickly charged with the guilt of a world of sins and if he had not been justified by the Spirit he had still lyen under the blame of all and had been liable to the execution of all and therefore he was raised up from the power of death that he might be declared as a righteous person 6. That he might justifie us in his justificaon when he was justified all the elect were vertually and really justified in him that act of God which past on him was drawn up in the name of all his Saints as whatever benefit or priviledge God meant for us he first of all bestowed it on Christ thus God meaning to sanctifie us he sanctified Christ first and God meaning to justifie us he justifies Christ first so whatever benefit or priviledg he bestowed on Christ he bestowed it not on him for himself but as he was a common Person and one re-resenting us Thus Christ was sanctified instead of us for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through thy truth and thus Christ was justified in stead of us for as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
particulars 1 He came suddenly which either shews the Majesty of the Miracle that is gloriously done which is suddenly done or the truth of the miracle there could be no imposture or fraud in it when the motion of it was so sudden or the purpose of the miracle which was to awake and affect them to whom it came usually sudden things startle us and make us look up We may learn to receive those holy motions of the spirit which sometimes come suddenly and we know not how I am perswaded the man breathes not amongst us Christians that sometimes feels not the stirrings movings breathings of the spirit of God Oh that men would take heed of despising present motions Oh that men would take the wind while it blows and the water while the Angel moves it as not knowing when it will or whether ever it will blow again 2. He came from heaven the place seems here to commend the gift as from earth earthly things arise so from heaven heavenly spiritual eternal things And this is one sign to distinguish the spirits Beloved believe not every spirit 1 John 4.1 but try the spirits whether they are of God If our motions come from heaven if we fetch our grounds thence from heaven from Religion from the sanctuary it is the spirit of God or if it carry us heaven-ward if it make us heavenly minded if it wean us from the world and if it elevate and set our affections on heavenly things if it form and frame our conversations towards heaven we may then conclude the motions are not from below but from above O that Christians would be much in observation of and in listning to the movings workings hints and intimations of that Spirit that comes from heaven Certainly that Spirit is of God that comes down from heaven and that lifts up our Souls towards heaven 3. He comes down from heaven like a wind The comparison is most apt of all bodily things the wind is least bodily it is invisible and comes nearest to the nature of a Spirit it is quick and active as the Spirit is But more especially the holy Ghost is compared to a wind in respect of its irresistable workings as nothing can resist the wind it goes and blows which way soever it will so nothing can resist the Spirit of God wheresoever it hath a purpose to work efficaciously I will not say but the heart of a man may resist and reject the work of the Spirit in some measure Act. 7.51 2 Cor. 10.5 and in some degrees Stephen told the Jews they had always resisted the holy Ghost and the Apostle tells of strong holds and of every high thing that exalteth it self against God so there is a natural contrariety a constant enmity and active resisting of Gods Spirit by our spirits we must therefore distinguish between a prevalent and a gradual resisting the spirit in conversion so works that he takes away the prevalent but not the gradual resisting A man before he be converted is froward and full of cavils and prejudices he is unwilling to be saved he cannot abide the truth he doth what he can to stifle all good motions yet if he belong to the election of grace God will at last over-master his heart and make him of unwilling willing he will omnipotently bow and change the will and work on his soul by his mighty power efficaciously insuperably and irresistably Again the holy Ghost is compared to wind John 3.8 in respect of its free actings the wind bloweth where it listeth saith Christ and so the Spirit bloweth where it listeth who can give any reason why the Spirit breathes so sweetly on Jacob and not on Esau on Peter and not on Judas is it not the free grace and good pleasure of God springs it not from the meer freedom and pure arbitrariness of his own only workings to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven saith Christ but to them it is not given Mat. 13.11 And I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent Mat. 11.25 26 and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight These and the like Texts are as so many hammars to beat in pieces all those Doctrines of free-will and of the power of man to supernatural things grace makes no gain of mans work free-will may indeed move and run but if it be to good it must be moved and driven and breathed upon God's free grace The Spirit blows where it listeth 4. He came like a rushy mighty wind as the wind is sometimes of that strength that it rends and rives in sunder Mountains and Rocks it pulls up trees it blows down buildings so are the operations of the holy Spirit it takes down all before it it brings into captivity many an exalting thought it made a Conquest of the World beginning at Jerusalem and spreading it self over all the earth it is mighty in operation able to shake the stoutest and the proudest man and to break in pieces the very stoniest heart indeed our words without this spirit are but weak wind we may spend our selves and never waken Souls but if the Spirit blow he will amaze the consciences of the stoutest peers and drive away our sins as the wind drove away the Grashoppers and Locusts that over-spread the land of Aegypt Some Analogy there is betwixt this vehement wind and the spirits workings the spirit first comes as a spirit of bondage and then as a spirit of Adoption the spirit of bondage is as a vehement wind that terrifies to shew that we are not fit to receive the grace of God unless the door be first opened by fear and humiliation others say that the vehement rushing of this wind shewed how irresistably the Apostles should proceed in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ they had a Commission to go into all the World and to teach all Nations and they had a promise that though many might oppose yet the gates of hell should not prevail against the Church the spirit should go along with them and he in them and they in him should prevail mightily like a rushing mighty wind 5. He filled all the house where they were sitting there were none there that were to filled with the holy Ghost this room contained a congregation of none but Saints All the men and women an hundred and twenty as some think in this room were visited from on high for the holy Ghost came upon them and dwelt in them well might David say Blessed are they that dwell in thy house I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tents of wickedness They that abode in this house were under a promise that the Spirit should come and now was the promise accomplished for it filled all the house where they were sitting I say
some Pastors and Teachers Three of these gifts are now gone and their date is out but in the same place we find Pastors and Teachers and them we have still Oh how may this teach us to think of such even of Pastors and Teachers as of the special gifts and favours of Jesus Christ if one special friend should but send us from a far Countrey one of his chief servants would we not welcome him Christ now is in Heaven and he sends us Ministers as the stewards of his house sure if we have any love to Christ The vâ—ry feet of them would be precious and beautifull Rom. 10.15 who bring us glad tydings of peace Again the Apostle tells us in another place that there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and diversities of calling but the same Lord or Christ 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 and diversities of works but the same God and Father worketh all in all Christs errand being done and he gone up on high the Spirit came down and in Christ's stead established order in the Church which order or establishment is here set down by gifts callings and works Here is first a Gift Secondly a Calling Thirdly a Work Gifts are ascribed to the Spirit Callings to Christ and Works to God even to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ where the Spirit ends Christ begins and where Christ ends God begins if no gift we must stay there and never meddle with the calling and if no calling we must stay there and never meddle with the Work first the Spirit comes and bestows the Gift and then Christ comes and bestows the Calling and then God the Father comes and sets us to the Work the gift is for the calling and the gift and calling are both for the Work And if this be the order established by the Spirit in his Church Oh what shall we say of them that either have no gifts yet step into the calling as if there were no need of the Holy Ghost or that have no calling and yet will fall upon the work utterly against the mind and rule of Jesus Christ Oh what the poor Church of Christ suffers at this time in these respects certainly these men have no commission from the holy spirit he was never sent to them that brâ—ak this order first gifts and then Calling and then the Work But why doth the Spirit endow men with gifts surely saith the Apostle to this end 1 Cor. 12.7 to profit withall Gifts are given for the good of others gifts are for edifying we should not contemn them gifts are a blessing of God and therefore we aâ—e to endeavour after them 1 Tim. 4.15 1 Cor. 12.31 Let thy profiting appear to all and covet earnestly the bâ—st gifts And yet sayes Paul I shew unto you a more excellent way and that was true grace of which he discourseth in the next Chapter and this brings in another reason of the Spirits mission 5. That the Holy Ghost might according to his Office endow men with graces In doing this he first gives the inward principle and habit of grace and then the fruit or actings of grace 1. He gives a Power an Habit a spiritual Ability a Seed a Spring a principle of Grace whatsoever we call it I cannot conceive it to be a nâ—w faculty added to those which are in men by nature A man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before he was regenerate only in the work of â—egeneration those abilities which the man had are Improved to work spiritually as before naturally as our Bodies in the resurrection from the dead shall have no more nor other parts than they have at present only those which are now natural shall thâ—n by the Power of God be made Spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 Now this Principle is infused or poured in by the Spirit of God and hence he is called The spirit of sanctification 2. He gives the fruit or actings of Grace 2 Thes 2.13 Gal. 5.22.23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Some call these the diversifications of the actings of that spiritual principle within us certainly the spirit doth not only at first infuse the principles of grace but he doth also enable us to act and improve those blessed principles Phil. 2.13 he doth not only give us power to Holy actions but he works also the Holy actions themselves God works in us not only to will but to do God hath a two-fold grace psal 119.88 initial and converting exciting and quickning in respect of this last David prayes Quicken me after thy loving kindness O Lord and so shall I keep thy testimonies This is the actuating grace that we need every hour and every moment and must pray for more earnestly than we would pray for our daily bread Two priviledges more especially flow from this Heb. 4.16 As 1. Hereby the soul will be kept from negligence and dulness from gross and soul sins the Apostle calls it grace to help in time of need Oh this is admirable when grace comes in the very nick of need it may be sometime or other thou wert even falling into such and such a sin it may be thou wert sometime or other drowning in such and such a wickedness and this exciting quickning grace came in and kept up thy head above the waters 2. Hereby the soul will be kept in a frame for every duty if the spirit come but with exciting quickning grace then it is ready to say My heart is prepared O Lord my heart is prepared I can now do and suffer thy Will sometimes the principle of grace lies still within us and begins to rust but then comes the Holy Ghost and breaths upon our souls and so it excites and quickens and commands faith patience zeal and other graces to be in exercise and this is as it were the file to take off the rust it s the whetting of the edge it s the stirring up of the coals into a mighty flame Christians have you not clear â—xperimental demonstrations of this truth sometimes you are on the wing of duty and sometimes you are dull and dead sometimes the least temptation the least snare is ready to make you fall and sometimes again though strong winds and tempests blow upon you yet you are able to stand like Mount Zion that cannot be removed Oh what 's the reason of the difference surely according to the incomes of the Spirit of God this difference comes not from our selves but from the Spirit as this exciting quickning grace is ready or a far off so is our condition you know what changes David usually found in his own heart sometimes he was able to trust in God and at other times he was so cast down as if he had no strength within him and whence all this but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting quickning
grace well may we cry come holy Spirit Oh what a comfortable condition would it be if our Spirits never lay still but we were alwayes hungring thirsting or moving after God and goodness 6. That the holy Ghost might according to his Office comfort his Saints amidst all their afflictions this was that which Christ had so often told his Apostles John 14.16 V. 18. V. 26. John 15.26 I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me John 16.17 If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you But how is it that the spirit comforts Saints I answer in these particulars †See at large Dr. Reynolds on Psal 116. 1. The Spirit discovers sin and bends the heart to mourn for sin and such a sorrow as this is the seed and matter of true comfort as Josephs heart was full of joy when his eyes poured out tears on Benjamin's neck so there is a certain seed and matter of joy in spiritual mourning I know they are contrary but yet they may be subordinate to each other as a dark and muddy colour may be a fit ground to lay gold upon Certainly there is a sweet complacency in an humble and spiritual heart to be vile in its own eyes But especially the fruit of it is joy and great joy John 16.21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of her Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the World 22. and ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 2. The Spirit doth not only discover but heal the corruptions of the soul and there is no comfort to the comfort of a saved and cured man the lame man that was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exaltation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 and for this cause the Spirit is called the Oyl of gladness because by that healing vertue that is in him he makes glad the hearts of men 3. The Spirit doth not only heal but renew and revive again when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischief a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgeon can heal the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because total privations admit no regress or recovery But the spirit doth not only heal and repair but renew and re-edifie the spirits of men as he healeth that which was torn and bindeth up that which was broken so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos 6.1.2 And this the Apostle calls the renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy for so the Lord comforts his afflicted people O thou afflicted tossed with tempest Isa 54.11 12. and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphyres and I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones The meaning is that all must be new and new built up as for a goodly costly and stately structure 4. The spirit doth not only renew and set the frame of the heart aright and then leave it to it self but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it and to make it victorious against all tempests and batteries and this further multiplyeth the joy and comfort of the heart victory is ever the ground of joy Isa 9.3 They joy before thee as men rejoyce when they divide the spoyle And the spirit of God is a victorious spirit A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench Mat. 12.20 till he send forth judgment unto victory 5. The spirit doth not only preserve the heart which he hath renewed but he makes it fruitfull and abundant in the work of the Lord. And fruitfulness is a ground of comfort Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing Isa 54.1 and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with Child for more are the Children of the desolate than the Children of the married Wife saith the Lord. 6. The Spirit doth not only make the heart fruitful but gives it the hansel and earnest of its inheritance and thereby it begets a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and comfort thereupon Oh when I feel a drop of heavens Joy shed abroad into my soul by the Holy Ghost and that I look upon this as a taste of glory and a forerunner of happiness how should I but rejoyce with joy unspeakable in all these respects the Spirit is our Comforter and this is another reason why the Holy Ghost is sent I will not leave you comfortless saith Christ no no for I will come unto you by my spirit Eph. 4.30 7. That the Holy Ghost might according his Office seal us unto the day of redemption By sealing is meant some work of the Spirit by which he assurâ—s a believer that he is Gods it is all one with the spirits witnessing only under that notion I shall speak of it another time But all the question is what is that work of the spirit by which he assures I answer this work is many-fold As 1. There is a reflex work of faith and this is the work of the Spirit too assuring our souls of our good estate to God-ward 1 John 5.10 and Christ-ward He that believeth hath the witness in himself he carries in his heart the Counterpane of all the promises this is the first seal or if you will the first degree of the Spirits sealing the first discovery of our election is manifested to us in our believing as many saith the Text as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13.48 2. There is a work of sanctifying grace upon the heart and this is a seal of the Spirit also 2 Tim. 2.19 for whom the Spirit sanctifieth he saveth The Lord knoweth who are his saith the Apostle ay but how should we know it why by this seal as it follows Let every one that Nameth the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity none are children of God by adoption but those that are Children also by regeneration none are heirs of Heaven 2 Pet. 1.3 4. but they are new born to it Blessed be
I need not doubt of my acceptance at the Throne of Grace when Jesus Christ is accepted for me and that I stand in such a relation to Jesus Christ Oh what joy is in this 2. How should it heighten my joyes and enlarge my comforts when I do but consider that Christ is set down at God's right hand Why now he hath the keys of Heaven delivered into his hands Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth and now he can do what he will God the Father hath given away as it were all his Prerogatives unto Jesus Christ John 5.22 All judgment is committed to the Son for the Father judgeth no man Now he is in a Capacity of acting out all his love and the Father's desire to me in the most glorious way he is highly advanced and thereby he hath the advantage to advance me and to glorifie me God hath given into his hands all the treasures and riches of Heaven in bidding him sit down at his right hand he told him that he would have no more to do with the world but that Christ should have all and that Christ should bestow all he had amongst his Saints and that this should be the reward of his death and when once his Saints were come about him and sate with him in his glory 1 Cor. 15.24 why then Christ should resign up again his place And deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father Oh what joy may enter into this poor dark dungeon disconsolate soul of mine whiles I but think over these glorious passages of my Christ in glory 3. How should it heighten my joyes and fill me with joy unspeakable and full of glory when I do consider that Christ hath sent down his holy Spirit into my heart when sorrow had filled the Apostles hearts John 16.7 because he had told them I must go away he comforts them with this If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you The spirit is the Comforter and where he comes he fills souls with comforts O what comfort is this to know that the spirit of Christ is my Inmate that my soul is the Temple the Receptacle the House and dwelling of the spirit of God that Christ is in me of a truth and that not only by the infusion of his grace but by the in-dwelling of his spirit surely it is some comfort to a sickly man that he hath a Physitian alwayes in the house with him and to a woman that is near her travail that the Midwife is in the house with her but what comfort is it to a poor soul that the spirit of Christ is alwayes in him John 14.16 I will send you another Comforter said Christ that he may abide with you for ever Christ in his bodily presence went away Mat. 28.20 but Christ in his spirit continues still Lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world he is with us and which is more he is in us for our comfort Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory Not Christ in Sermons which we hear nor Christ in Chapters which we read nor Christ in Sacraments which we receive nor Christ in our heads by high notions nor Christ in our mouths by frequent glorious expressions but Christ in our hearts by his spirit is unto us the hope of Glory The grounds of our comforts in this respect is 1. Christ's Presence it is said of Paul that after a sad shipwrack the sight of some Christian brethren so cheated him Act. 28.15 that upon the sight of them he thankâ—d God and took courage it is said of Caesar that he cheared the drooping Mariners in a storm by minding them of his presence You carry Caesar how much more should the in-being of Christ solace Saints Lo I am with you O my soul was it not a cordial to the Disciples in a storm that Christ was with them whom the winds and waves obeyed chear up now for if the Spirit be in thee Christ is with thee 2. Christ's Complacency if his Spirit dwell in us how should he but be well pleased with us a man cannot properly be said to dwell in a prison in which he taketh no delight Psal 132.14 the Spirits in-dwelling imports a delight of Christ in such a soul Here will I dwell for I have desired it or delighted in it saith God of Zion though many times drooping Christians viewing their own beggarliness and vileness judge themselves worthy to be detested and deserted and would relinquish themselves if they possibly could yet Christ looketh to the poor and contrite soul as a meet habitation for himself to dwell in Isa 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit 3. Christ's Communications union is the ground of our communion with Christ and the nearer our union the greater is our communion if Christ were only in a believer by the habit of grace the union would not be so great but if Christ be in us by his spirit the union is nearer and therefore the communion will be greater O my soul remember this in all thy straits there can be no creature-want or danger whatsoever wherein the improvement of this in-dwelling of the Spirit may not refresh thee art thou sick the Physitian both of soul and body is within thee art thou sad the Comforter himself that supplies the stead and room of Christ inhabits in thee art thou in exile in banishment imprisonment at greatest distance from thy dearest Friends see Paul's refreshment when they were ready to pull him in pieces and threw him into the Castle even the night following the Lord stood by him and said be of good chear Paul Acts 23.11 Christ will stand by thee nay Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in thee and will speak to thee comfortable words in thy greatest pressures 4. Christ's Witnessings if his Spirit dwell in us we may then be assured of future glory Christ in you the Hope of Glory 'T is a sweet note of a Divine upon it Col. 1 27. Mr. Ash in his Sermon of Christ the riches of the Gospel Acts 8.13 Mat. 27.3 Heb. 12.17 Heb. 6.5 6. Heb. 10.29 The existency of Christ's Spirit in Believers giveth existence to their hopes of Glory The Spirit in us is God's earnest of Glory the Spirit in us doth prepare us for participation in that Glory I look upon this in-dwelling of the Spirit as that which no Hypocrite in the World can lay any claim unto as for gifts or graces an Hypocrite may attain them or somthing like them it is said of Simon Magus that he believed it is said of Judas that he repented and of Esau that he sought his birth-right with tears it is said of some that they partook of the Heavenly Gift and of the Powers of the