person Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory The Word that is the divine Nature the God-head of Christ was made Flesh that is united to the humane Nature and this in a visible way and dwelt amongst us it was not a Fiction but really Christ God-man dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory it was obvious to our view 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels If this be not real what can be so He was manifest in the Flesh How By way of real Union Justified in the Spirit by the divine Nature here 's Flesh and here 's the divine Nature in one person Jesus Christ God-Man seen of Angels Rom. 1. 3. 4. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead Here 's a Person consisting of both these Natures real man born of the Seed of David then real God thus the Divine Nature was manifested to be in Christ by the Resurrection of the dead Rom. 9. 5. And of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Here both Natures are attributed to one Person Jesus Christ as concerning the Flesh descended from Abraham he came from David that is he received the humane Nature from the Virgin Mary and he is God over all blessed for ever The God-head is said to dwell in him bodily Col. 2. 9. Secondly It is a very near Union the nearest Union that possibly can be As the Soul and the Body make up one man so the divine and humane Nature of Christ make up one Person It is set forth by way of Inhabitation Col. 2. 9. In him dwells all the Fullness of the God-head bodily God manifest in the Flesh and justified in the Spirit makes up one entire Person As the Matter and the Form makes up one Being so this divine and humane Nature makes up one person Thirdly It is a mystical and unconceivable Union There 's a relative Union between Man and Wife making one Flesh a real Union between the Head and Members constituting one Body but this cannot reach this Union it is unconceivable above all Conception 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh We may admire it and adore it but we cannot fathom the depth of this Union between the divine and humane Nature of Christ Fourthly It is a pure and unmixed Union as to each Nature In regard of Essence the divine Nature cannot be converted into the humane nor the humane into the divine but each Nature remains distinct and it's Properties are distinct Rom. 1. 3. 4. So that there are in Jesus Christ two Natures two Wills a divine Will and a humane Will he hath the Will and Affections of a man though fully sanctified and glorified he wills whatever the God-head wills but still as to his humane Nature it is with a humane Will so that something of the workings of Christ are by the divine Power and something by the humane Nature This Union consists in the Communication of the divine Nature with the humane the God-head and the humane Nature agree so that the divine Nature of Christ communicates all its fullness as far as may further Redemption-ends for the Sanctification and Salvation of the whole body of Christ and for the fulfilling of all Redemption-Work 1 Pet. 3. 18. This is a glorious Union but it is worthy to be known Ah how little of Christ is known as to these two Natures how little a portion do we know of him Fifthly It is an inseparable Union it can never be parted more Therein lies the Happiness of Believers that Jesus Christ is God-man to all Eternity never can there be an end of this Relation Jesus Christ God-Man is the same Yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He was the same while in his obediential Work on Earth he is the same in Glory and will be the same to all Eternity This Union of Christ's two Natures must be eternal or else he cannot be said ever to live to make Intercession But he ever lives to make Intercession Heb. 7. 25. That which made Christ's Redemption infinite was that he was God as well as Man Christ the Interceder God-Man is now in Heaven and this must be for ever O what a glorious Truth is this that there can be no Cessation of this Union could this Union be separated as Nestorius holds then Redemption-work would cease He is over all God-Man blessed for evermore Rom. 9. 5. If the Saints Union with Christ be inseparable and their Interest in the Love of Christ inseparable then Christ is unalterable but because the Saints must have an eternal Union with him and he is an eternal Jesus he must be eternally God-Man Romans 8. 34 35 36 37 38 39. Joh. 17. 21. 23. 24. Secondly What are the Effects and Consequents that flow from and issue out of this Union between the divine and humane Nature â—â— Christ First from this Union of these two Natures in Christ there follows a Communication of Properties so that which is said to be done by each Nature is applied to the whole Person of Christ O this is a very glorious Mystery as this Christ's Sufferings in the humane Nature is applyed to the whole Person of Christ therefore the Blood of Christ which was but the Blood of the humane Nature is called the Blood of God Acts 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood being of infinite Value and Worth So the Sufferings of the humane Nature are ascribed sometimes to the divine Nature and to the whole person of Christ so 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifest in the Flesh and justified in the Spirit yet both these applyed to the person of Christ whatever the divine nature can do is applyed to the Person of Christ by a Communication of Properties â—â—owing from this Union Secondly From this Union flows this Consequence That there is Fullness of Grace plac'd in Jesus Christ to be given out to all his Seed The God-head fills the humane Nature of Christ Jo. 3. 34 God hath not given the Spirit by measure to him When we read of Christ's receiving any thing understand it of his humane Nature for the divine Nature cannot be capable of receiving any thing it is as full of Grace as ever it can hold And as the Breast is full of Milk for the Poor Babe so is Jesus Christ full of Grace in his Humane Nature to distribute to his Children His pity moves him to give out this and the other Grace to his People and it is in him to bestow it He wills the best good to all his People and what he wills
that thou should'st keep them from the Evil. This implies Christ's mind is his People should continue in the World till their Work be done that neither Sin nor Danger may cut them off till their full time be come but that they may be kept from Evil from the Evil of Temptation and the Evil of Persecution Secondly He intercedes for the Sanctification of his People and this is a glorious Priviledge indeed Jo. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth By the word of thy Truth make them partakers of thy Holiness For their sakes I sanctifie my self ver 19. I set apart my self now on Earth as an High-Priest and Mediator And why so That they may be sanctified through the Truth It may be a poor tempted Soul hath beg'd for Grace but finds no answer as Paul prayed twice thrice many times without return but Jesus Christ intercedes who will prevail and because he prayes they shall obtain according to the measure of Christ and in his time Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ pleads in Heaven for Believers Union with himself and with one another Jo. 17. 11 21 22 23. Holy Father keep through thy own Name those whom thou bast given me that they may be one as we are That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one This he died for to gather his People into one and this he will procure in due time Their Union with himself shall be inseparable their Communion may be interrupted but their Union can never be broken And it is a matter of Comfort to Believers that grieve for the sad Breaches amongst Saints how that Christ intercedes in Heaven for their Union who cannot be denied Fourthly The Lord Jesus Christ intercedes for his Peoples Succour and support under and deliverance from Temptation Luke 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that tby Faith fail not Ah Soul Art thou followed with new Temptations every day Doth the Devil vex thee casting in wicked vile thoughts that do make thee tremble pulling and haling thee Fear not sayes Christ the Devil shall not prevail O sayes a Soul What shall I do for Faith I cannot take hold of this and the other Promise Why Christ in Heaven pleads for Believers that their Faith shall not fail shall not sink away nor faint in the day of Temptation He will not suffer you to be tempted above measure 1 Cor. 10. 13. He will make a way to escape As sure as Christ himself hath escaped from Satan and Dangers unto Glory so sure shall Believers pass thither also O Soul thou canst not tell how to pray this and the other wicked thought hurries thee Faith and Hope all seem to be gone but O what a blessed thing is this that there is a Mediator in Heaven to pray for thee Fifthly Jesus Christ intercedes in Heaven for the Pardon of all the Sins of his People and for the enjoyment of his Fathers favour If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. That 's part of Christ's Work in Heaven to Advocate in regard of their Sins So Joh. 17. 26. That the Love with which thou lovest me may be in them I have purchased thy Favour for them and Peace with thee by my own Blood therefore Father O take not away thy loving kindness from them O do not be angry with them for ever O what a wonderful Priviledge is this Christ is not contented that his Father love them with an ordinary and a common Love but his Will is that the same Love with which the Father loved Christ as Mediator be bestowed upon them Sixthly The Lord Jesus Christ Advocates in Heaven for the supply of all the wants of his People Phil. 4. 19. My God shall supply all your need according to the Riches of his Glory by Jesus Christ Observe the ground and meritorious cause of all the Supplies of the Saints Needs is the Riches of Christ in Heaven the Riches of Christs Intercession O! when the poor Believer goes mourning under a sense of this and the other Want Christ in Heaven is interceding for them O sayes one I want a soft Heart a Heart to love God I want more power over Corruptions and Temptations More Humility sayes another O my proud heart I want more Patience I am fill'd with the Fire of Hell I want more Purity unclean Thoughts lodge in my Soul but Christ in Heaven is interceding for them thus Father There 's a Child of mine wants a soft Heart I will that thou give it to him there 's another goes complaining for want of more power over Corruptions I will that thou grant it to him Another wants Bodily supplies he is in straits in the World and knows not what to do Father thou hast made me Heir of all things and I will that thou give him some of mine Inheritance O that Believers did know this when they are pining away in their straits that they would look to Jesus and by Faith see him interceding for them Seventhly Another thing Christ pleads in Heaven for is the subduing of all the Enemies of his People Whatever is like to endanger their well-being in thelr work of glorifying God and in their way to Glory with God Christ pleads that it may be removed Are the Snares of the World like to carry away one the Snare of Prosperity or vain Company like to ruin another Doth the Flesh lust against the Spirit and ready to reduce it into Bondage Christ pleads in Heaven for the destruction of these Leviathans and will in his own time bring down all the Enemies of his People Yea Gog and Magog and all the implacable Adversaries of Sion must be subdued because Christ intercedes for it and Reigns till he hath put down all Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. Eighthly He intercedes for his Peoples Consolation He seems to be much concern'd in this that his People be of good cheer in the World Joh. 16. 33. Be of good cheer Pluck up your Spirits walk comfortably I have overcome the World for you I will not leave you comfortless I will not leave you in danger of overwhelming Christ takes care that his People be not overladen with trouble but that they have comfort in due time Ninthly The Lord Jesus Christ pleads for their thorough and compleat Salvation for their preservation in Grace and their sure and certain enjoyment of Glory Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost because he ever lives to make Intercession Heb. 7. 25. Whatever their dangers straits and hazards be Christ intercedes in Heaven for their utmost saving thorough all and from all The gracious Soul miscarries sadly this and the other time in this and the other matter he falls dangerously and bruises his Bones but Christ pleads in Heaven that this might not prove
with God through this Intercession of Christ Eph. 1. 6. Who hath made us accepted in the Beloved All that glorious Chain of Mercy that is made over to and fastned upon the Believer hath its tye to Jesus Christ Predestination Adoption Justification Sanctification and Salvation are all laid upon Christ It is a piece of usual weakness in poor Believers or rather Doubting-souls to judge of their Acceptance with God or Non-acceptance according to their Deservings or ill-deservings and the nature and frame of their Spirits and Duties when they have been drawn out in Frames and wonderfully rais'd in Duties they think now they shall find Favour But it is not that which gives your Suits Entertainment in Heaven it is as God accepts the Soul in Christ notwithstanding all the Failings and Infirmities of Believers they are entertained with a well done good and faithful Servant upon the account of Christ Again They are sure to be secur'd against the prevailing Power of all their Enemies let Beelzebub with all his Train and Forces be united against them he must be broken to pieces for Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding for them Sin shall have no Dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. God will bruise Satan under their Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. Hence it is they may be sure none of their Enemies shall prevail Luke 1. 74. Again They may be sure to receive more Grace and Life more abundantly God giveth more Grace James 5. 6. whilst Christ's Interest holds in Heaven whilst he hath a Fullness of Grace to bestow Believers may expect more Access to the Throne of Grace at all times in his Name is another procured Advantage of his Intercession it is by the Blood of Christ Believers come to God with Boldness Heb. 4. 14. 16. Heb. 10. 21. 22. Hence the Blood of Christ makes Peace and an open door for Believers to approach to God Eph. 3. 12. Because he is there at the Throne of Grace he will open his Door to his Children and let them in within the Veil what tender Mother would shut the door against her weeping Child Again They have not only Access to the Throne of Grace but Success they shall speed when they cry with all their Hearts Joh. 14. 13. 14. Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son if you shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Christ was leaving his Disciples and they might tremblingly dispond how shall we live when thou art gone the World will persecute us and Satan will devour us Why says Christ I will protect you then as well as now and hear your Requests you think it is only your Concernment to have your Prayers answered no it is the Concernment of my Father too his Glory lies at stake for it O! what bold Encouragement is this Rev. 8. 3 4 5. Prayers ascended up and presently comes down Thunders Noises Lightnings and Earth-quakes as a Symbol of God's Reception believe it Saints have still as great Potency with God on the Account of Christ as ever and their right Prayers shall surely find an answer at the Throne of Grace Again They shall certainly have Perseverance in Grace for the Certainty of a Believers Graces depend not upon his own Strength that it should dye if he cease to exercise it but is secured by the Intercession of Christ Luke 22. 32. Jer. 32. 40. Another Effect of Christ's Intercession is this The Saints have Oneness with and an Interest in the Love of God Jo. 17. 21. 22. And they shall be sure of Grace and of Glory they shall have a Mansion in Heaven Jo. 14. 3. Jo. 17. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my Glory CHAP. VI. Shewing the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved the Sin and Misery of such as refuse Christ with Reproof to several sorts of Persons WE have a little opened the Transcendent Glory of Christ as Mediator wherein so much of his vast Treasury lies we come now to make some Application of this glorious point First By way of Information First How wonderfully are poor Sinners indebted to the Lord for giving such a Mediator as Jesus Christ God-Man none else in Heaven or Earth could have procured the Salvation of lost Sinners had he been God only he had had neither Right or Capacity to suffer had he been only Man he could never have born up under the dreadful weight of these Sufferings Death would have had Dominion over him his Sufferings unsatisfactory his Intercession rejected and all the hopes of Sinners perished but now he is able to save all that come to God by him O admire at and rejoyce in this Love of God in giving Christ Jo. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Life and Liberty Health and Strength Peace and Plenty are excellent Mercies but the giving of Christ is transcendently super-eminent Can you bless the Lord for lower Springs O adore these upper ones this Grace that brings Salvation Secondly See the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved he would never else have assum'd the work of a Mediatour nor have given himself for this very end that Sinners might be brought to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. He would never have undertaken the bloody way of Death nor drunk off such a bitter tremendous Cup that Sin had brewed for him he would not have interceded with God for Terms of Reconciliation nor undergone such direful unconceivable Torments had he not been willing Sinners should live hath Christ so carefully prepared the Ministration of Reconciliation and absolutely commanded the Promulgation of the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. Hath he laid such a Necessity on his Messengers and Ambassadors and oblig'd them by the Penalty of fearful Woes to preach the Gospel and he is not willing that Sinners should be saved 1 Cor. 9. 16. See how he charges his Servants to be instant in Season and out of Season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all Long-suffering and Kindness 2 Tim. 4. 1. To perswade and beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 11. 20. And will he reject them when they come He would not have griev'd and mourn'd so much at Sinners Unbelief and out-standing the day of Grace had he been unwilling they should have liv'd Joh. 5. 40. Luke 19. 41. 42. Behold how he waits till the last hour of the Day and treats his Enemies with an affectionate Kindness why will you dye O House of Israel He heaps up Coals of Fire on their Heads and draws them with Cords of Love and with the bands of a man Mat. 5. 45. Hos 11. 4. he offers Violence by his Spirit to unwilling Souls and attempts the most charming Persuasions to allure them to him he thunders and lightens as on Mount Sinai and threatens them terribly if they will
evil wayes Come and close with Christ O! obey those Counsels he gives you in his Gospel Lastly Shew your high valuation of the Gospel by holding forth a Conversation sutable to it Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1. 27. As if he should say chiefly this is the main and sum of all O! live worthy of the Gospel First Then is your Conversation as becometh the Gospel when you live as becomes the grace of God discover'd in the Gospel 'T is infinite grace is revealed in it you should walk so as to honour grace you should press after more grace in your Conversations there should be grace in every step of your lives Tit. 2. 1 12. Secondly Then you live sutable to the Gospel when you live up to those great and Glorious things held out in it When the Gospel is opened there are choice Jewels brought forth to sale O most excellent things produc'd by it and you should live up sutable to these There 's the manifold Wisdom of God held forth in the Gospel Eph. 3. 10. Treasures of wonderful wisdom are opened in the Gospel O live up to these mysteries O Christians let your lives be exact for you have curious eyes to look upon you labour to hold forth much wisdom and much light in your Conversations In the Gospel is held forth the mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of godliness O what mysteries are here God Manifested in the flesh God and yet cloath'd in flesh Condemn'd for sin and yet justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached to the Geutiles the worst of Sinners in the World Now live sutable to the mysteries of Godliness Again the Gospel opens the glorious priviledges of Saints of every saved Soul O wonderful priviledges That Enemies should be reconciled and strangers made nigh that Rebels should be adopted Sons and Daughters made the Children of God by Christ Rom. 8. 16 17. O what a glorious priviledge is this Believing Souls are brought into by the Gospel to a state of Adoption Gal. 4. 6. A state of glorious liberty Eph. 5. 1. Gal. 5. 1. O live up to these glorious priviledges You are Children of the light walk as Children of the light Eph. 5. 8. The Gospel shews you the the things freely given of God the infinite love of God the wonderful Salvation-Grace of God O then you live sutable to the Gospel when you live up to those great and glorious things held forth in it Thirdly Then are your lives according to the Gospel when they are suted to the Rules of the Gospel look what the Gospel commands and requires that you do Gal. 6. 16. Math. 28. 20. Now the Gospel requires not only Bodily but Spiritual worship to worship God in the Spirit It requires not only external duties but internal holiness It calls for Obedience flowing from love and labours springing from faith well principled duties when you endeavour the greatest strickness in your lives That 's sutable to the Gospel Fourthly Then is your Conversation as becomes the Gospel when it is Subordinate to the ends of it One end of the Gospel is to exalt the praise of the glory of grace Eph. 1. 12. To make you vessels of Mercy for the glory of Mercy O Christians live so as you may most advance the glory of grace live self-denyingly and humbly exclude boasting then you live as becomes the Gospel Another great end of the Gospel is the sanctification of saved Souls to make Souls holy 2. Cor. 7. 1. Then you live as becometh the Gospel when you carry on Gospel holiness inward Holiness outward Holiness 1 Thes 4. 3. The Salvation of Souls that 's another great end of the Gospel that the Promise may be sure to all the seed 2 Thes 2. 10. That he that believes in Christ may have Everlasting Life O then live as you may be saved you must tread upon the World you have so much doted upon you must account all things loss and dung for Christ if ever you be saved O Christians labour then to hold forth a Conversation sutable to the Gospel So much for the first Inference Secondly If such great and unsearchable treasures are opened and tendered to Sinners in the Gospel O then how great is their sin that oppose and persecute the Preaching of it O this is a black sin indeed this activity comes from the Spirit of darkness O 't is a dreadful thing to oppose resist and persecute the Ministery of the Gospel For such do all they can to hinder the tenders of unsearchable Riches to the World they labour to keep the World poor to hinder the Salvation of Souls And is not this sad work Again such as oppose and persecute the Gospel are of the cursed brood and off-spring of the Pharisees who do shut up the Kingdom of God and neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that are entring to go in So do those that do oppose and persecute the Gospel and would put out the light of the Gospel they are the Children of the Devil the first-born of Hell they do their Fathers work Joh. 8. 41 44. They that hate the light are the Children of the Devil their deeds are evil Joh. 3. 20. They carry the Devils mark upon their forehead wherever they go up and down to say there goes the Devils Children there goes an Heir of Hell Again They are Soul murtherers they do hunt Souls and shed the blood of Souls Ezek. 13. 30. As well as they that hinder the Gospel of Life as they that bring in false Doctrines and feed persons with Lies and occasion death They that starve mens Souls as well as they that poyson them both are Soul murtherers They sight against Christ in Heaven They go up and down with drawn Swords pointed against Christ in Heaven O bloody wretches that have murthered Christ on Earth and now would kill him in Heaven too Acts. 9. 4. Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me O Souls 't is a fearful thing to oppose and persecute the Ministery of the Gospel for all the blood of all the Saints from the beginning of the world to this day shall be upon their heads Math. 23. 35. O 't is a sad thing to lye under the blood of one person but to have all the blood of all the Saints in the world to lye upon the head of a poor Creature O what will that Soul do That Soul will go to Hell with a vengeance and lye tumbling under the wrath of God to all Eternity Thus much of the Second Inference CHAP. XXIV Shewing the poor and lamentable State of all Christless Souls IF there are such vast and unsearchable treasures in Christ tendered to sinners in the Gospel Hence see then the poor and lamentable state of all those Souls that are without Christ O they are very beggerly Souls that are Christless Souls As they that are far from the Sun must needs be far from