work is wrought By this Word is the soule first cut off from the wilde stock of corrupt nature and planted into the true Olive-tree or Vine Jesus Christ Hence the work of planting is in Scripture attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted saith the Apostle Apollo watered God indeed is the great Planter So v. 1. of this Chapter I am the true Vine and my Father iâ— the 〈◊〉 He is the Master-Planter the Ministers are subordinate-planters We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. They are so called because by the Word preached this great work is done This the Prophet clearly affirmes Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach Christ that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. These mystical trees are Gods planting but the instrument wherby they are made such trees is the Word preached Hence the Word is called the incorruptible seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. As all the Trees and Plants in the first Creation were set and sprung up by the Word of God Gen. 1. 11 12. So are all these mystical Branches ingraffed by the Ministerial Word 2. The Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is the immediate Instrument whereby the soule is ingraffed It is the Spirit which gives efficacy to the Word both to cut off the soule from the stock of nature and to implant it into the Stock of grace The Word would never be able to tear off any person from his first root if it were not edged and strengâ—hred by the Spirit of God The Scripture calleâ—h the Holy Ghost the finger of God Luke 11. 20. compared with Mat. 1â— 28. He is so câ—â—â—ed as for other reasons so for this because he is the immediate instrument whereby God works in the hearts of his creatures Particularly for this work of ingraffing the soule into Christ the Holy Ghost is affirmed to be the immediate instrument 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body c. and have been all made to drink into one spirit And againe Eph. 2. 21 22. where the Apostle speaking of this great mystery under another resemblance saith that in Christ we are builded an habitation of God thorough the Spirit The same Spirit which builds us upon Christ into one Temple doth ingraffe us into Christ as one Vine 3. Faith This is the immediate instrumental cause on mans part Faith is an uniting grace it knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soul Faith is an incorporating grace it doth as it were embody the soule into Christ making it one with Christ and Christ with it This is that which the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as to a living stone c. Ye also are built up as lively stones c. Two things are observable in that Text. First that the Saints are built together upon Christ the foundation-stone an holy house to God Secondly how Christ and they are cemented together into one building this is by beleeving set out by the expression of coming which is used ordinarily for beleeving as Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God first works saith in the heart of a person through the Word and then the soul is by the Spirit through faith ingraffed into Christ and made a lively Branch For the second particular What advantage the soul hath by being a Branch of Christ I shall here follow the Metaphor The same advantage the Branch hath by being ingraffed into the Stock hath a Beleever in a spiritual sense by being ingraffed into Christ I name these five 1. Spiritual supportation The Branch hath this benefit from the Stock into which it is ingraffed that it is born up and supported by it The Branch doth not bear the Vine nor doth it beare it self but is born of the Vine A beleever hath supportation from Jesus Christ We stand on Christs legs not on our own I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. The strength of the Branch is in the Vine so is the strength of a Beleever in Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. 5. I laid me down and slept saith David I awaked for the Lord susteined me Many blasts passe over a beleever many violent concussions and shakings is he exposed unto partly by reason of sinne partly by temptations from the Devil from men in all these shakings he hath sustentation from Christ into whom he is implanted My grace saith Christ to Paul shall be sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse in 2 Cor. 12. 9. A beleever may with confidence go to Christ and pray for support in all his weaknesses A beleever may go to Christ and chalenge support Christ would never have made thee a Branch if he had not intended to support and strengthen thee Esay 41. 10. there are repeated promises of sustentation I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee In doing in suffering in dying is a beleever supported by Christ A beleever never wants support but when either through pride he will not have it or through slothfulnesse he will not 〈…〉 Jesus Christ 2. Spiritual nourishment The Branâ—â— doth not give nourishment to the Stock nor doth it nourish it selfe but it receives nourishment from the Stock A beleever hath nourishment from Jesus Christ The Root feeds the Branch it conveys its sap to each Branch whether it be great or little whether it be nearer the Root or at a farther distance from it Christ conveys proper nourishment to every beleever The Apostle speaks of this Col. 2. 19. The whole body from Christ by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred the Ordinances are the joynts and bands by which nourishment is carried but Christ is the great treasury from whence it is carried He nourishes Faith he feeds Hope he nourisheth love c. Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Every grace a beleever hath would die and wither if it did not receive daily nourishment from Jesus Christ 3. Spiritual increase The branch receives its Augmentation from the Vine The graffe when it's first implanted is very small a childe may break it with one of his fingers but by abiding in the Stock it grows till it come to perfection All a Beleevers increase is from Jesus Christ 'T is by and through him that we grow from infancy to a perfect man Two Texts of Scripture do fully set out this benefit of our implantation The one is Col. 2. 19. In him the whole body having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God The other is Eph. 4. 16. Where the Apostle tells us that by and from Christ the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every part supplieth maketh increase
the light Jesus Christ hath a penetrating and searching power No heart so close but his eye is in it no conscience so dark but he sees to the bottome of it See what the Apostle saith of him Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes and every creature is manifest in his sight 4. Light hath a chearing and 〈…〉 The light contributes much 〈…〉 and growth and life of 〈…〉 creatures Light and motion are the câ—me of that heat which the heavenly bodies send down upon the earth Light is that instrument whereby all the influences of heaven are communicated and dispensed to the world The motions of nature are both quickned and comforted by the light and by it all the births of nature are cheared and comforted Jesus Christ hath a chearing comforting and quickning vertue 'T is by influences from Christ spiritual life and comfort are obtained and preserved The Prophet speaks of this vertue of Christ under this very Metaphor of light Mal. 4. 2. All that spiritual livelinesse and brisknesse that beleevers have at any time in their hearts is from the beaming wings of Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse He is a heart-chearing a heart-warming a heart-quickening Saviour 5. Light hath a Purifying vertue Fogs and Mists that are gathered in darknesse are dispersed and scattered when the light comes When a candle is lighted and set up in a room if there be any damps they gather about it Light is the fining pot of Nature The world would be an unwholsom Pest-house if it had not light Jesus Christ hath a purifying and cleansing vertue By vertue from him it is that those nasty filthinesses of sinne which are in the soul are purged away Heb. 8. 14. All the Levitical Ceremonial purifications used in the Law were types of him The Prophet compares him to a refiner and purifier of silver Mal. 3. 3. By his blood he purifies the soul from the guilt of sin By his grace he cleanseth the soul from the filth of sinne The Prophet compares him to a fountaine set open for purification Ezek. 13. 1. All that ever were all that ever shall be cleansed from the filthinesse of sin are cleansed by Jesus Christ 6. Light is of an undefilable nature Though it passe through sinks and the most polluted places yet it contracts no defilement It cleanseth all things but is defiled by nothing It is a quality so spiritual that nothing can fasten upon it to pollute it Jesus Christ is fitly resembled to light in this respect He is not capable of any defilement He assumed sinful nature without the least sinne He had the likenesse of sinful flesh Rom 8. 3. but not the least sinne in his flesh In the dayes of his flesh he did as a spiritual Physician repaire to all sorts of sinners but he carried away from them no pollution at all He conversed with Mary Magdalen with Zacheus the Publican and other Publicans and sinners without the least taint of corruption He was born he lived and died in a corrupt generation in a very Pest-house of sinne without the least tincture of sinne He lived and died holy harmlesse undefiled and separated from sinners as the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 26. 7. The nature of the light is hard to be known The Philosophers are much troubled about the defining and describing of it 'T is not a substantial forme because it is perceived by the sight which no substantial forme is 'T is not a body because then when the light passeth through a perspicuous body two bodies would be in one place which is against 〈…〉 and reason Nor is it an 〈◊〉 from a luminous body for then the Sonne by his continual shining would be deprived of â—igâ—t but it is an accidental forme or a patibâ—e quality and so very hard to be described The Scripture speaks of the difficulty of searching out the nature of the light perfectly by any mortal man Job 38. 19 20 21 24. Onely he who is the Father of lights doth perfectly understand it Jesus Christ is not perfectly to be understood by any living man Who can declare his generation as he is the Sonne of God Esay 53. 8. Who can declare his conception exactly as he is the Sonne of man the Holy Ghost hath overshadowed it Luke 1. 35. He that created the flesh of Christ is onely able perfectly to understand the manner of it Who is able to declare the mystery of the hypostatical union of the two natures in one person exactly We beleeve these things comprehend them perfectly we are not able His Name is wonderful Esay 9. 6. there are such wonderful mysteries in the nature of this light as no man no creature can fully and perfectly comprehend Secondly Christ dispenses this light these two wayes 1. By the preaching of his Gospel in the publick Ministery thereof The Ministers are called Stars and the Ministery or preaching of the Gospel is that Orb in which this light shines and by which it is communicated and dispensed to the world We preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Where the Gospel hath never been preached this light hath never yet shined This is the chariot in which this glorious light is carried about ordinarily in the world 2 Cor. 4. 3 4 5 6. 2. By the vertuous efficacy of his Spirit in the Ministery The most powerful preaching of Christ that can be will be to no purpose without these inward workings of the Spirit By the Spirit of Christ three things are done 1 The blindnesse of the minde is removed The holy Ghost causes the skales to fall off the eyes 2 A visive faculty is bestowed This is that which the Apostle calls the enlightening of the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1. 18. 3 Power is given actually to close with the light The soule is enabled to follow the light or to walk in the light as our Saviours phrase is John 12. 35. So that by these two meanes this light is communicated By the preaching of the Gospel the object is made present and by the Spirit of Christ the object is made visible the faculty of sight is bestowed and a power of following the light is created Thirdly Christ is differenced from all other lights viz. Prophets Apostles who are called lights Mat. 5. 14. He is differenced from all them five ways 1. They are lights onely Ministerially They are lights onely as they do by their office hold out this light They are lights as the candlestick may be called a light because it carries the candle where the light is But Christ is a light of and in himselfe He is a light not Ministerially but Originally The fountaine of light 2. They are small lights Christ i◠〈…〉 light They were but like little â—â—thing 〈◊〉 Christ is as a great Torch which teacheth from heaven to earth They are light as the Stars are light a little glimmering borrowed light Christ is light as the Sunne and therefore he is called The
any Saint should perish eternally God himselfe would be robbed for every Saint iâ— his inheritance Ephes 1. 1â— The Lord Christ 5. will not suffer the Spirits Temple to fall into the eternal possession of the Devil Now the Elect are the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor 6 19. 6 Christ will not empty Heaven to fill Hell Every Saint helps to fill heaven 7 Christ will not bear a Name in vaine He will neither mock himselfe nor mock his Father nor his people Now if he should be called an Horn of salvation and not actually his Elect of salvation he would be the greatest mock that ever was in the world 2. Vse Reprehension Those are to be blamed that erect other hornes of salvation 1. The Papists they do set up their own works as a horne of salvation at least they joyne works and Christ together as con-causes of salvation the Scripture layes the whole merit on Christ they lay a part of it on works Greater dishonour then this cannot be done to Christ If he be of himselfe sufficient what needs the addition of other things but he is sufficient Heb. 1. 3. chap. 7. 25. Hear what the Scripture saith concerning those that look for salvation by works Gal. 5. 4. As many as seek to be justified by the Law are fallen from grace How did it fall out with Israel that followed after the Law of works the Apostle will tell you Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Yea I shall adde this Jesus Christ will be a horne of destruction to those who will not make him the sole horn of Salvation 2. Much like to these are many ignorant Protestants who think to be saved by their duties by their prayers and by their repentanâ—◠〈◊〉 men should consider that Christ must 〈◊〉 them from the guilt of all their duties as well as from the guilt of their sinnes Our holiest services have a mixture of unholinesse in them Domine lava lachrymas was Austins prayer And it must be ours The filth of our holy things must be expiated by Christ 't is thorough him that they are accepted You may read this Gospel in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 28. 36 37. The holy services we do are not accepted because of any worth that is in us or them but because of the engraved plate which is upon the forehead of Christ 3. Vse Exhortation 1. This should provoke all sinners to close with Christ The great work of the Ministery is to bring Christ and the soule together They are the friends of the Bridgroome and it 's their office to woo sinners to come in to Christ Here is encouragement enough in this text He is a horn of salvation a horn of Gods raising flie to him for salvation salvation is to be had in Christ salvation is to be had no where else Acts 4. 12. Under the Law offenders did flie to the hornes of the Altar 1 Kings 2. 28. He that flies to the hornes of this Altar shall be sure to be safe Onely two things must be observed 1 All sinne must be cast away The wicked man must forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts Esay 55. 7. Jesus Christ will not be a horn of salvation to an impenitent sinner He came not to save men in their sinnes but to save them from their sins Mat. 1. 21. 2 Christs own termes must be embraced Christ came not to save men upon any termes but upon his own termes Now the termes of the Gospel are A voluntary resignation of our solvet to be at Christs disposing To do his Will to submit to his Scepter The soul must say as Saul did to Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. That soul that doth cast away sinne by repentance and surrenders himself to Christ to be in all things ruled by him shall whatever his condition hath been before finde Christ an horn of salvation to him Do not say my sinnes are great c. The greatest sinne thou didst ever commit is thy so long standing out against Christ John 3. 19. Murther Adultery are great sins but the souls refusal to come in to Christ is a greater sinne those are sinnes onely against the Law this is a sinne against the Gospel this is a sin against the Remedy this is a sinne that bindes and continues the guilt of all thy other sinnes upon the conscience He that doth not close with Christ saith one of these things either that he hath no need of Christ or else that Christ is not able to save him 2. This teacheth Gods people whither to go when their salvation is endangered Sometimes Satan by hot temptations sometimes corruption by its violent out-breakings do so exceedingly prevaile upon the servants of God as that in their apprehension their salvation is in a great hazard they feare the Crown will be pluckt away from them God lets them come into such jeopardy that they may exercise all their graces and thrive the faster They pray they watch yet Satan gets ground sinne overpowereth them so that the◠〈…〉 to conclude that the hope of 〈…〉 In such case your onely refuge must be to 〈◊〉 is horn of salvation David when sinne was 〈◊〉 hard for him goes to God Psal 65. 3. We must flie to this horn and by his strength defend our selves and vanquish our enemies There are several branches of this Horn which must be improved at such a time His Death his Resurrection his Ascension his Intercession All his Attributes all his Promises these are several little hornes growing out of this great Horne This Horn will give you strength to overcome this Horne will keep what he hath purchased for you He hath pushed down Satan sinne the world already and if they get head againe he can easily subdue them He is not onely the Horn of your salvation but the Captain of your salvation Heb. 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was his free-will at first to undertake it but having undertaken it 't is his office to perfect it When salvation is at a hazard go to him fight in his Name and he will give you victory 3. Blesse the Father for Jesus Christ This holy man that pend this song he begins it with praises Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation Never think of a horn of salvation but have in your hearts and mouths a Benedictus Dominus If every thought of heart were a rapture we could never sufficiently extol the love of God in raising up Christ for us Especially if he have made Christ an horn of salvation to us in particular What storms did Christ go thorough what deeps did he wade over that he might be to us an Horne of salvation He that is not thankful for Christ can be truly thankful for nothing When God gave Christ he gave all Naturallists speak much of the Unicorns horn Christ is the true Unicorn 4. Do
the Holy Ghost Our Saviour was anointed with the Holy Ghost Esay 61. 1. This Peter mentions in his Sermon Act. 10. 38. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Now this ointment was shed upon the Lord Jesus in such great plenty that he may well be called by the name of ointment Psal 45. 7. he had more of this spirituall ointment poured upon his humane nature then all the Saints put them altogether The Spirit was not given him by measure but above measure Joh. 3. 34. He was from his conception filled with the holy Ghost He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. He had not only drops but whole rivers of Oyle poured upon his head He may be denominated ointment from that abundance of spiritual ointment wherewith he was filled his God-head anointed the manhood with an unspeakable fulnesse Col. 1. 19. And 2. Christ is ointment in regard of the excellent vertues which are in him He hath all the good properties of ointment I name five As 1. Oyntment is very fragrant and odoriferous Precious oyntment yeilds a very sweet small When the woman in the Gospel had poured her box of oyntment upon the head of Christ the text saith the whole house was filled with the odour of it John 12. 3. The Lord Jesus Christ is very odoriferous he is sweet in himself and he is exceeding sweet in the nostrils of his Saints the perfume in the Law was type of him Exod. 30 34. He doth perfume all persons and places where ever he comes If there be but one drop of Christ poured upon the soul the whole soul is perfumed with the smell of it When Christ had but put his finger into the hole of the door how was the hand of the Spouse perfumed as with sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 5. That soul wants its spiritual smelling which doth not finde a sweetnesse in Jesus Christ Every thing in Jesus Christ is very fragrant 1 There is a fragrancy in his person He is a bundle of precious myrrh Cant. 1. 13. His life and holy conversation yeilded a sweet smell in the world Psal 45. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrh aloes and cassia The graces of the Spirit of which his life was full His righteousnesse meeknesse piety patience what a sweet smell do they cast abroad in the Gospel to this very day 2. There is fragrancy in his death His death was a sweet favour unto God Eph. 5. 2. His dead body was enbalmed with sweet spices John 19. 39. not that he had need of any such His body did never see corruption Psal 16. 10. So fragrant was the death of Christ that he hath perfumed the grave and made it as a bed of roses to all the Saints 3 There is a sweet fragrancy in his intercession The intercession of Christ is so sweet that it perfumes heaven it self See how it was typified under the Law Lev. 16. 12 13. The odours of the sweetest incense are not so fragrant to the nostrils of men as the odours of Christs intercession are to God So fragrant is his intercession that the services of his people which are unsavory in themselves come up as a cloud of incense before the Lord. See this Cant. 3. 6. It 's spoken of the Church because it 's the feminine gender Quae ista All this sweetnesse which is upon the Church and in her services is because they are perfumed with the incense of Christs mediation 4 There is a fragrancy in the word of Christ The breath of Christs mouth is sweeter then any perfume in the world this is that which the Church mentions Cant. 5. 16. His mouth or palate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetnesses so it is in the original all his promises all his precepts are very favoury 5. There is a fragrancy in all his Ordinances Prayer Sacraments Preaching singing of Psalmes are in themselves and to a gracious heart like sweet smelling oyntment The Church mentions this Cant. 2. 3. No such sweet aire bloweth under heaven as doth in the Church of God where the Ordinances of Christ are dispensed in power and purity In one word there is nothing of Christ but is more sweet then the best oyntment that ever was compounded by man This is the first property of oyntment it 's very sweet 2. Oyntment hath an exhilarating vertue It cheeres the spirits and makes the heart glad This is observed by Solomon Prov. 27. 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart When Solomon exhorts men to a cheerful life he makes mention of oyntment let thy head want no ointment alluding to the custome of the ancients who in their banquettings and feastings used such signes of joy And the Prophet expressing the jovialty of those Epicures Amos 6. 6. saith they anoint themselves with the chief oyntments The Lord Jesus Christ hath a cheering vertue The heart of a sinner is never truly merry till it be anointed with the graces of Christ and the comforts of Christ Christ is the onely remover of spiritual heavinesse The oyntment is the onely cure for spiritual melancholy Mat. 11. 28. All spiritual refreshing is from Jesus Christ He was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse that he might work gladnesse in the hearts of others This work is committed to him by God the Father Esay 61. 3. There 's not one drop of the oyle of joy but what comes out of this great olive tree the Lord Jesus that gladnesse which doth not proceed from Christ and which is not bottom'd on Christ is worldly madnesse not true joy He is called the consolation of Israel Luke 2. 25. He hath laid the foundation of Israels comfort and he it is that doth convey to them all their comfort 3 Oyntment hath a mollifying and suppling vertue If there be any hard tumour or swelling upon the body we use oyntment to soften it The holy Ghost alludes to this Esay 1 6. Where speaking of the state diseases he saith they have not been mollified with oyntments Jesus Christ hath a mollifying vertue let a heart of Adamant be but once anointed with this oyntment and it becomes an heart of flesh It was by this oyntment that the hard heart of Manasseh was softned God by his Spirit chafed this oyntment into it and it became tender And it is by the Application of this unction through the warm hands of the Spirit of God that the stony hearts of sinners are softened from day to day Thou that hast now a tender heart wouldest have carried thy stony heart with thee to thy grave if this precious oyntment had not been spread upon it 4. Oyntment is of a shining nature It hath a brightning and beautifying vertue Those Virgins that were prepared for the Persian King did use divers oyntments to make themselves beautiful Est 2. 12. they used six moneths sweet odours and six moneths oyle of myrrh This oyle as those that write of it say had
every 〈◊〉 beleever doth very much resemble Jacob 〈◊〉 that 1. In regard of their godly simplicity It was the commendation of Jacob that he was a plain man Gen. 25. 27. It relates not so much to his outward condition as to the inward frame of his heart Beleevers are a single hearted generation That which our Saviour saith of Nathaniel is true of them at least in desire and affection they are not only without gall but even without guile John 1. 47. they study plainnesse rather then greatnesse they put away deceit far from their Tabernacles 2. In regard of their holy zeal Jacob was a man full of the fire of heavenly zeal How earnest was he in reforming his family Gen 35. 2 3. Here is true zeal it begins reformation at home all true beleevers have sparks of this coelestial fire in their bosomes Tit. 2. 14. They desire that they and theirs may be reformed who ever walk disorderly They resolve as Joshuah I and my house will serve the Lord Joshuah 24. 15. 3. In regard of their wrestlings with God Jacob had the Name of Israel given him because of his violent wrestlings with God by prayer Gen. 32. 28. The Prophet doth fully interpret what this wrestling was Hosea 12. 3 4. His prayers and teares were the two armes by which he wrestled with God Every true beleever is frequent in this exercise I give my self to prayer saith David Psal 109. 4. he that hath true grace loves no exercise better then this of holy wrestling with God Epaphias is described by his frequency in these holy wrastlings with God both for himself and others Col. 4 12. In all holy vertues true beleevers are like Israel and therefore may well be called by his name 2. For the second Christ is the consolation of Israel in two respects By way of purchase By way of conveyance First By way of purchâ—se and merit Whatsoever is an ingredient or cause of true consolation is by the purchase and procurement of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of many grounds of spiritual consolation To instance some particulars 1. Reconciliation with God There can be no true comfort till God and the sinner be made one Reconciliation is the first bottom of Consolation Rom. 5. 2. The begining of his Prodigals joy was the reconciliation of his father to him Luke 15. latter end Now the Scripture tells us that reconciliation is the purchase of Christs blood he is the only atonement of the soule Col. 1. 21 22. There had never been any pacification between heaven and earth if Jesus Christ had not interposed himself He was contented that the Father should make war with him that his fury towards us might cease He is our peace-offering by whom we have peace with God and with our selves 2. The work of grace in the heart Sanctification is one ground of consolation The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. That comfort which is true is builded upon righteousnesse The effect of righteousnesse shall be peace and the fruit of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for 〈◊〉 Esay 32. 17. Now all our holinesse and grace is the purchase of Jesus Christ The shedding of his blood doth not onely procure for us glory hereafter but grace here The conscience is purified by the streames of his blood Heb. 9. 14. He is as properly our sanctification as our salvation 3. The pardon of sinne Remission is an inlet of Consolation Esay 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people tell them that their iniquity is forgiven Sence of pardon is the true ground of spiritual laughter Our Saviours usual receipt for the working of comfort is this Be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven So he saith to the paraâ—ytick Mat. 9. 2. the heart may be light in heavinesse when sinne is once remitted Now we know Christs blood is the meritorious cause of the remission of sinne 'T is he that hath expiated our sinnes Col. 2. 13 14. He that will be forgiven any other way shall never be forgiven His blood is the onely bath for the washing away of sin Eph. 1. 7. 4. Right to the promises The promises of the Gospel are the wells of true Comfort The Apostle makes mention of the comfort of the Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. If there be any comfort in the Scriptures it is in the promises Precepts are written for direction threatnings for terror promises chiefly for consolation The Prophet mentions the breasts of the Churches consolation Esay 66. 11. The promises of the Gospel are the breasts of the Churches consolation by sucking at these breasts the heart is made glad Now who but Christ purchased the promises The Apostle saith that all the promises of God are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are in him as the procuring and meritorious cause of them all The Covenant of grace which is nothing else but a bundle of rich promises is the purchase of Christs blood The world had never heard of a promise of any good if it had not been for Jesus Christ 5. Hope of salvation Hope is the door of consolation We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 2. There 's more cause of rejoycing in this then in being able to cast out devils Luke 10. 20 Now we know that it was none but Jesus Christ that did or could unlock the way to heaven He is the way to heaven He is the purchaser â—f heaven God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. He is called the salvation of God in this song v. â—0 There would have been no entrance for any of Adams lost seed into glory if Christ had not set the door open it is be that opened the Kingdome of heaven to all beleevers 6. The gift of the Spirit The holy Ghost is called the Comforter John 14. 26. His office is to work consolation â—â—â—he hearts of Gods people Spiritual comfort is therefore called joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. because the holy Ghost doth create it in the soul Now we know the in-dwelling of the holy Ghost in us is the purchase of Christ John 15. 26. When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father The third person had never been our comforter if the second person had not been our Redeemer There is nothing can be thought on which hath any causality or efficiency in our consolation but it is of Christs procurement This is the first Secondly By way of conveyance As all our grace is communicated and conveyed unto us from Christ so is also our consolation Jesus Christ doth by his Spirit in the Ordinances of grace actually convey comfort unto his people as he sees them stand in need of it The Apostle speaks of the beleevers consolation abounding by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. All comfort is in Christ as a fountaine in him God hath put it
cured Thousands and ten thousands are now in heaven that have been as siâ—k as thou canst be 2. Christ iâ— still in a way of curing His hand is in Indeed his hand is never out 3. He hath undertaken to cure all thy diseases He hath given the hand to his Father 4. He hath healed them all 〈◊〉 He hath done that which will heale you He hath shed his blood he hath poured out his Spirit c. 5. He is related to you Your brother your kinsman your husband your head a part of your self If a sick man had a brother or husband a Physician which could cure him would he despair c Why should a sick Christian despaire of cure whose husband is such a Physician 1. Object But I have many diseases upon me what hope shall I have Sol. Christ can cure all manner of diseases He cured Paul a blasphemer c. He cured Mary Magdalen He cured Manasseh c. Let thy disease be what it will so Christ be thy Physician 2. Object But my diseases have been long upon me what hope shall I have Sol. Christ can cure long diseases He cured one that was eighteen yeares diseased Luke 13. 16. Another that had been sick thirty eight yeares John 5. 5. All the diseases he cures are old diseases The original fountaine of all is from the fall of Adam 3. Object But I have relapsed c. what hope shall I have Sol. There is a peculiar promise for this disease Hos 14. 4. Peter relapsed and Christ healed him c. Whatever your diseases are if you will be willing to be cured Christ is willing to heal you Onely you must First Take Christs counsel Follow his Direction Never any miscarried that took Christs advice Secondly Keep back no disease Let him heale all or he will heale none Oh that Christ might get some custome with you this day 4. Object But I am worse since Christ took me in hand c. Sol. 1. Thou art so much the better because thou thinkest thy self worse if it be thy complaint that thou art worse 2. Let Christ alone with the cure he goes the safest way yea he goes the neerest way when he seems to go the farthest way 3 Take notice of the alsufficiency of Christ He is every thing to the soule which it wants The soul wants bread Christ is that the soule wants drink Christ is that the soule wants rayment Christ is that the soul wants a shadow Christ is that the soul wants a Physician and Christ is a Physician not a Mountebank but a learned skilful Physician The soule that hath Christ hath every thing One Jesus Christ is enough for all the Necessities of the soule 4. What comfort is this for the children of God! We get new falls every day we breed new diseases every day We contract new guilt new filth Christ is a Physician he hath healing in his wings he can cure your deadnesse your dulnesse your hardnesse your blindnesse c. He is a compassionate Physician He is touched with the sense of your infirmities Heb. 4. 15. Get nearer and nearer to Christ get farther under his healing wings c. 5. Rob not Christ of the honour of this Doctrine Christ is robbed of the honour of a Physician two wayes 1. When we go to other Physicians To creatures to duties to carnal mirth c. all which are Physicians of no value 2. When we attribute our spiritual healing to our selves or any creature and not to Christ He that robs Christ of the honour of a Physician shall when he is sick perhaps want a Physician Doct. 3. That there are many sick of this spiritual disease who think themselves to be whole As in regard of the body many that are very full of diseases judge themselves to be healthy and strong so very many there are who are mortally sick of spiritual maladies and yet conceive themselves to be in perfect health As many that are spiritualy healed think themselves sick unto death so many that are spiritually sick unto death judge themselves to be in a healthful estate Thus it was with the vain glorious Pharisee Luke 18. 11. he thought himself perfectly in health when as he was ready to drop into his grave yea to fall into hell through the abundance of his spiritual sicknesses Thus it was with those other Pharisees John 9. 39 40. Our Saviour hints their sad condition to them v. 9. They imagin'd themselves unconcern'd in what was spoken Are we also blinde q. d. our eyes are as cleare as the eyes of any in the world we are far from blindnesse They thought themselves to see as perfectly as any v. 40. Thus was it with the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. 17. she thought her condition as good as the best in the world when she was indeed as sad a spectacle as the earth bore Experience shews it to be so still and that with the greatest part of men in the world Come to men that are grossely profane tell them of their dangerous condition ask them why they will not think of another course c. What is their answer Trouble not your self about us we are well our condition is good we hope to be saved as well as you that are so stâ—nct and so zealous heaven belongs to us as well as to you c. But whence comes this to passe I shall reduce all to these heads or springs First Ignorance The greatest part of men are grossely ignorant of their spiritual estate They know not they do not understand their inward estate The Scripture tells us that a carnal condition is an ignorant condition Eph. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 1 14 A carnal heart is spiritually an ignorant and blinde heart The state of nature is called a state of darknesse Acts 26. 18. And a state of folly Prov. 5. 23. And all such men are called spiritual fooles Psalme 14. 1. They may know much in outward things they may know much of the letter of the Scripture but as to saving knowledge they are very ignorant and without understanding And as they are ignorant of other matters so they are ignorant of their spiritual condition This ignorance is to be ascribed to these four heads 1. They want the Spirit of God The holy Spirit is the principle of all saving light It is called by the Apostle The Spirit of wisdome and revelation Eph. 1. 17. because all true wisdom and saving illumination is the work of the Spirit the Spirit gives us power to discern and light wherby to see spiritual things Pregnancy of natural wit without the Spirit of God can never make a person wise unto salvation Elihu tells Job Chap. 32. 8. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him wisdome He that wants this spirit cannot possibly know his spiritual estate But now many men all unregenerate men want this Spirit Ergo. This the Apostle largely disputes in 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 13
between the work of a Minister and the work of a shepherd 3. God himself is called a shepherd David gives him that name Psal 23. 1. And againe Psal 80. 1. He is called the shepherd of Israel because his care of Israel hath great resemblance to the care of a shepherd over his flock 4. Jesus Christ is called a shepherd as in many other places so in this Text. 'T is him of whom we are to understand this Text Our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish him from all other shepherds who in comparison of him are very small and inconsiderable shepherds Thus much for Explication The Observations are two according to the two Metaphors viz. 1. The people of God are sheep 2. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of these sheep Doct. 1. The people of God are sheep 'T is a very usual Metaphor whereby godly persons are described in Scripture Sometimes they are called Gods sheep Ezek. 34 6 11 12. Sometimes they are called Christs sheep so frequently John 10. and Iohn 21. 16. Feed my sheep saith Christ to Peter And sometimes they are called sheep without any mention of the owner of them Take but two or three Texts for farther confirmation Psal 74. 1. Why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture Psal 79 13. So we thy flock and sheep of thy pasture Ps 100. 3. We are the sheep of his pasture In the handling of this Point I shall open two things 1. In what respects they are compared to sheep 2. How they come to be sheep First They are like sheep in five respects 1. Sheep are very harmlesse and innocent creatures Wolves they teare and hurt and do mischief but sheep are innocent and inoffensive creatures they neither bite with their teeth nor kick with the heele as other creatures do Innocent and harmlesse persons are called sheep in Scripture 2 Sam. 24. 17. These sheep what have they done The people of God are â—â—â—â—mlesse and innocent generation though the world looks upon them as turbulent c. Theâ— know it is the Will of God that they be harmlesse and blamelesse Phil. 2. 15. and they desire that they may so walk They desire and endeavour that they may walk without offence that no man may receive the least detriment or prejudice by them either in temporals or spirituals You may see this in the Apostle Paul Act. 24. 16. the same desire is in all the sheep of Christ and if they do through mistake or inadvertency harme any they are never at rest till they have made them reparation and satisfaction 2. Sheep are meek and patient Creatures The sheep is an emblem of meekness The sheep suffers the shearer to take his fleece and the butcher his blood without the least frowardness or resistance The meeknesse of the lamb is grown into a Proverb Quum fervet maximè tam placidum quam ovem reddo Terent. The people of God are a patient and meek people They are called in Scripture the meek of the earth because they excel in this grace Psal 76. 9. Zeph. 2. 3. They can endure losses beare afflictions suffer persecutions for the Name of Christ without impatience They do not render reviling for reviling nor railing for railing Yea they repay sweet for bitter blessing for cursing When Shimei railes on David Come out thou man of blood c. how meekly doth he beare it Let him curse for God hath bid him curse David 2 Sam. 16. 10. When he was so unnaturally used by his Sonne Absalom how sweetly doth he subject himself and kisse the rod Psal 39. 9. A châ—â—â—e of God may sometimes fall into a sir of frowardnesse and impatience as Ionah did Even meek Moses was once too much transported with passion Numb 20. 10 11. but they are much grieved for such angry heats The frame and bent of their hearts is towards the grace of meeknesse and what the heart of a person would be that God interprets it really to be Wicked men are men of blustring and turbulent spirits but Gods people are of a calme placid temper 3. Sheep are clean Creatures Swine they use to wallow in filthy and myry places But sheep desire and delight to preserve themselves clean they love pure streames and green pastures The people of God are a cleane and holy generation See how the Holy Ghost describes them Psal 73. 1. Our Saviour calls them the pure in heart Mat. 5. 8. They study holinesse they pray for holinesse they allow no spot yea they are heartily grieved when they do bemire themselves and are never at rest till they be cleansed againe See the Prophet David when he had fallen into the mire and defiled himselfe how earnest he is with God for cleansing Psal 51. 2. and again v. 7. and yet againe v. 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God He that hath the nature of a true sheep of Christ in him though he may fall into sinne yet he cannot lie and wallow in uncleannesse as the wicked do 4. Sheep are simple creatures Some kinde of bruit creatures are very cunning and crafty as the Fox the Ape c. but the sheep is of a simple nature Ye use to call silly men sheepish men The people of God are a simple plain-hearted people noâ— onely withâ—â—◠〈…〉 without guile Psal 32. 2. That 〈…〉 of their Father Iacob Gen. 25. 2â— it is 〈…〉 all his posterity in their propoâ—tion they are plain-hearted men Though they have hypocrisie in them as they have other corruptions yet they are not hypocrites They know not nor are they desirous to learne the art of dissimulation equivocation They cannot look one way and row another they love not to have oyle in their mouths and swords in their hearâ—s They desire to be sincere without mixture They cannot carry fire in one hand and water in the other They are strangers and they desire to be strangers for ever to those doublings and fraudulencies and subtile artifices which hypocrites use They can pray and do pray with David Psal 119. 8. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes c. Their tongue and heart go both one way they desire that God would keep their hearts right and they desire that their tongue may be the interpreter of their heart they chuse to act not according to principles of carnal policy but the rules of Gospel piety they had rather be the meanest of Christs Disciples then the highest of Mâ—chiavels Scholars 5. Sheep are creatures of a tractable nature They are easie to be led A childe may drive a flock of sheep with more ease then many can a herd of other cattel The people of God are of a ductile tractable nature They are more easily guided then other men Shew them what the minde of God is let them have the Rule clear and then a little childe may lead them We have a Gospel prophecy of the lâ—â—enesse which grace works
a proper sense as if the bread were changed into the substance of his body c. They are angry with the Protestants because they will not beleeve it Amongst many reasons which overthrow that fond interpretation this and such like other figurative speeches may help us to understand that Christ sometimes calls himself the light sometimes the door and here the Vine not as if he were substantially changed into these things but to shew the spiritual resemblance which is between him and these corporal things Why there should be any more change of substance when Christ saith this is my body then when Christ saith I am the door I am the Vine I cannot see but God hath upon the blinde Papists fulfilled that threatning 2 Thes 〈…〉 â—â—dicially blinded their 〈…〉 antiscriptural opinions 〈…〉 2. See the excellency and 〈…〉 All these comparisons are but to convinc◠〈◊〉 carnal soules of Christs transcendent excellency Christ hath in a spiritual sense al the good properties of the Vine and of all the fruits of the Vine He hath all the excellencies of Wine I name foure I. Wine nourisheth It helps digestion Christ is a great nourisher the soul would decay and dwindle to nothing if Christ did not continually nourish it and feed it 2. Wine is a comforter Psal 104. 15. Jesus Christ is the great comforter of the soul When the soul droops and languisheth when it 's cast down and dejected the love and presence of Christ doth chear it again Ps 21. 6. David confesseth it in Ps 23. 3. He restoreth my soul Jesus Christ is the souls restorer 3 Wine emboldneth Being a spiritual creature it doth raise the spirits and being moderately used puts courage into the fearful Jesus Christ doth embolden the soul His presence and his grace fills the soul with a holy courage he that was fearful dares now speak for God and act for God the very tydings of Christs coming expels feare from the hearts of his people Esay 35. 3 4. There is no true valour in the soul till Christ be there All the souls confidence is built on Christ and on Christ alone We have no boldnesse in prayer no boldnesse in approaching to God in any Ordinance but is communicated by and from Jesus Christ Heb. 10 19. 4 Wine is healing Some kind of wines are prefer bed for the healing inward of distempers c. The Samaritan poured oyle and wine Luk. 10. 34. Christ is a great heales he heales broken hearts and wounded spirits and all inward distempers whatsoever There is no health in the soul till Christ be there Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. Christ is that tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Rev. 22. 2. Christ is an excellent and precious person Never look upon the Vine never see the fruit of the Vine but meditate on Jesus Christ JOHN 15. 5. Ye are the branches XV. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Octob. 24. 1652. I Go on to the description of beleevers in reference to Christ as it is laid down in these words Ye are the Branches The Observation will be this viz. Doct. That all true Beleevers are spiritual Branches ingraffed into Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the royal Stock and all Beleevers are mystical Branches of this Stock The Scripture asserts this priviledge in many places Rom. 6. 5. If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is there compared to the Root and Beleevers to the Branches or Cions that grow in this Root Erasmus therefore translates it very fitly Insititii ingraffed or implanted The Apostle sets down this mystery under another apt similitude of the foundation-stone of a house and the superstructory stones Eph. 2. 20 21. Christ is compared to the foundation and the Beleevers to stones built upon that foundation Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in 〈◊〉 the whole building fitly framed together 〈◊〉 â—nto â—â— holy Tâ—mple in the Lord. There are 〈◊〉 wayes of being Branches of Christ The one is by external profession onely In this respect all that are members of the visible Church are Branches of Christ Thus the Apostle saith that all the Gentiles when they were called into the Church by the preaching of the Gospel were graffed into Christ Rom. 11. 17. the Metaphor is often used in that Chapter This is not that ingraffing which I shall now handle For though it be an honour and priviledge to be a branch of Christ in this general way yet is it not a saving priviledge A man may be a Branch of Christ in this respect and yet at last be cut off and burned So our Saviour saith in the verse after the Text. The other way of being graffed or made a Branch of Christ is by the grace of union Thus all true Beleevers and onely true Beleevers are made Branches This is that which the Apostle elsewhere calls being members of Christ Eph. 5. 30. and dwelling in Christ John 6. 56. and putting on Christ Gal. 3. 27. That they are made Branches of Christ besides these testimonies of Scripture it will appeare from the Sacraments both of Baptisme and the Supper This is the plaine language of both the Sacraments 1. Baptisme speaks it 'T is the seal and signe of this ingraffing This is clear from two texts before cited the one Rom. 6. 5. If we have been planted together into the likenesse of his death How is that see verse before We are buried with him by Baptisme unto death The other iâ— Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Nor as if all baptized persons were really made Branches but because this is sealed in Baptisme as the priviledge of all Beleevers They are as certainly made Branches of Christ invisibly and mystically as all that are baptized are made members of the Church visibly and externally 2. The Supper of the Lord doth also speak it Our eating and drinking of Christ Sacramentally is a seat and pledge of our being ingraffed into him spiritually This is cleare from that Text I cited before John 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him We are therefore nourished by his flesh and blood because we are united to his body In the handling of this Doctrine two things are to be opened by way of Explication 1. How we are made Branches of Christ 2. What benefit we have by being so For the first How men are made Branches of Christ There are three things which concur to this work of the souls ingraffing into Christ The Word of God The Spirit of God Justifying Faith 1. The Word of God The Word preached is the ordinary and common mediate instrument whereby this great
you be ignorant of Gods Wiâ—l of your duty you are inexcusâ—blâ— becauâ—e the Sunne of light is risen upon you 〈◊〉 â— 1. Ephesians 4 17 18 19 20 2. Gâ—â— and keep 〈◊〉 warmth in your hearts The Sunâ—e hath an heating vertue Câ—ldnessâ— of spâ—â—â—t is a temper unbefitting a childe of God If a man be cold in winter when the Sunne is at a great distance 't is more excusablâ— but to be cold when the Summer Sunne shines hot upon him argues great distemper To be luke-warme when Christ is risen upon you is inexcusable Christ expects heat and fervency from you in all your duties hot love hot devotion fervency of spirit in the service of God is expected from you Râ—m 12. 11. you will shame the beames of Christ if you have not a holy warmth in all your services My heart saith David was hot within me Psal 39. 3. Ex omni parte caluit igne Dei i. e. a-more Coelestium A cold-hearted Christian shames the Sun 3. Be very fruitfull The Sunne hath a fructifying vertue it ripens every thing Christians must be carefull that their graces be ripened raw lean weak graces shame the beames of Christ you must be sure to grow in grace to perfect holinesse 2 Cor. 7. 1. 4. Keep your soules sweet The Sunne hath a sweetning vertue A mouldy musty heart disparageth Christ you must be as the smell of a field which God hath blessed 5. Be raised up in affection to heavenly things The Sunne hath an exhaling vertue Christians must be higher then others Revel 12. 1. 6. Nourish spirituall softnesse The Sunne hath a molifying vertue A hard frozen heart is a shame to Christ Davids heart was like melting wax Psalme 22. 14. Josiahs heart was tender 2 Kings 22. 19. A frown from God an angry word from God must melt a Christians heart If your hearts be hard Christ may justly draw his beams from you if the Sunne of righteousnesse doth not melt you it is because you are clay not wax 3. For consolation Great comfort ariseth hence to godly men 1. Against spiritual darknesses Sometimes Gods people see neither Sunne nor Starres Esay 50. 10. Well be comforted Christ is the Sunne of righteousnesse he will arise and scatter all those black mists that trouble you your Sun is not set it is only eclipsed the light of it will shine again 2. Against all your own unrighteousnesse The servants of God finde much unrighteousnesse and guilt in themselves because of it they are cast down and go heavily Well remember Christ is a Sun of righteousness he is as full of righteousness as the Sun is of light and his righteousnesse is for thy benefit 'T is as much thine as if it were thine own 3. Against the want of sublunary comforts Gods people have often but little of these things Well yet the Sun is up what folly is it to complaine for want of Moon-light or Star-light when the Sunne shines If God hath cloathed you with the Sunne the want of Moon and Starres may well be endured CANT 1. 3. Thy Name is as ointment poured XXVII SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. May 15. 1653. forth THe scope of the Holy Ghost in this song is to discover the exceeding great love that is between Jesus Christ and his Church We may see here Christ and his Church as it were striving who should expresse their love to each other most At the second verse in this Chapter the Church doth passionately desire to be made partaker of further Communion with Christ Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Those who have once tasted of the sweetnesse of Christs love are exceedingly carried out after a further degree of his love The reason of this passionate desire is ver 2 3. namely from the sweetnesse of his love This is set out by a double comparison 1. His love is better then wine v. 2. 2. It s more desireable then precious ointments This is mentioned in the beginning of the third ver Because of the savour of thy good ointments and amplified further in the text Thy name is as ointment poured forth The words are a proposition in which we have 1. The subject Thy Name 2. The predicate Oyntment poured forth By the name of Christ some would understand the Doctrine of the Gospel So Ainsworth by his name saith he is meant the Doctrine of grace the Law of faith His Doctrine is sometimes in Scripture called his Name as the Iles shall wait for his Law Esay 42. 4. Which is expounded in his Name shall the Gentiles trust Mat. 12. 21. And it is most certain that his Law is far more sweet then the most precious oyntment But yet by his Name in this place we are better to understand his person as it is set forth in the Gospel his person is often called his Name as Mat. 10. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake and Act 9. 16. I will shew him how great things be must suffer for my names sake that is for my sake The Observation is this Doct. That Jesus Christ is like ointment poured forth Jesus Christ is spiritual ointment His Name both in the Hebrew and Greek signifies anointing or anointed He is called in Dan. 9. 26. Messiah which the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anointing The Prophet Esay chap. 10. 27. calls him the anointing It is reported by Historians that at the birth of Christ in Rome a sudden fountaine of Oyle sprung up and flowed for a day and a night together our Annotatours mention it in their Exposition of this text The Oyles or Ointments used in sundry cases under the ceremonial Law were some way or other typical of Christ the true ointment In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open these foure things by way of Explication 1. In what respects Christ is compared to ointment 2. Why he is compared to ointment poured forth 3. How this ointment is poured forth 4. How Christ excels all other ointments 1. For the first 1. Christ is ointment in regard of that divine unction wherewith he was anointed by God The Scripture makes mention of Christs being anointed with the graces of the Spirit as our Mediator This was typified by the anointing of the Priests under the Law especially of the high-Priest you may read at large of the holy ointment and of the anointing of Aaron and his sons with it Exod. 30. 23 24 25 30. It was also typified by the anointing of Kings and Prophets ye may read much in Scripture of the anointing of these Elisha was anointed to the office of a Prophet 1 Kings 19. 16. and Kings were also anointed We read of Davids anointing 1 Sam. 16. 1. of Solomons anointing 1 King 1. 34. 39. All these were types of Christ the great King Prophet and Priest of his Church the anointing Oyle did typifie the graces of the Spirit the anointing of Aaron with that Oyle did typifie Christs anointing with
Iohn 13. 10. he that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet He that hath the least measure of this oyntment shall as certainly finde all the effects of it as if he had the whose vessel poured upon him 5. He excels all other oyntments in the manner of composition All other oyntments are compounded and made by men they are called the oyntments of the Apothecary Eccles 10. 1. God created the materials and he it is that hath given man skil and understanding how to make use of them but the composition is made by men But this precious oyntment is not made by men but by God It is he that hath compounded this golden box of oyntment It was God that anointed Christ with the holy unction of the Spirit Psal 45. 7. and it is he that hath designed him to be oyntment unto others Yea the truth is this oyntment is God himself Though the humanity be a creature yet the Divinity is the Creator Christ is not only unguentum Dei the oyntment of God but unguentum Deus that oyntment which is God himself The Uses These I shall draw 1. From the general Doctrine 2. From the particular resemblances First In general We may take notice of 1. The excellency of Christ He is compared in Scripture to all things that are necessary and to all things that are pleasant and delightful One great piece of the study of Christians in this life is to search into the excellency of Christ To know what Christ is in himself and what he is to us comprehends a very great part of a Christians study in this life Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. This one resemblance shews him to be a precious one he is so excellent that all the choice things in nature are made use of to shadow out his glory His Name saith the Prophet shall be called wonderful Esay 9 6. how wonderful is that Name which is comâ—â—sed of so many excellent things 2. This should draw our hearts exceedingly towards the Lord Iesus It should beget in us desire after him and delight in him Precious oyntment draw the affections of men towards them The best oyntment is but a drug to Jesus Christ If we be not enamoured with him we do despise him He that looks on him as oyntment cannot but be greatly delighted in him It follows in the text Therefore do the virgins love thee draw me we will runne after thee That man doth not value Christ as oyntment that doth not love him and desire to be drawn after him 3. The excellency of grace 'T is the graces of the Spirit in Christ that makes him compared to ointment his sweet oyntments are his meeknesse patience holinesse and the rest of those heavenly graces True grace is a choise thing the Scripâ—ure compares it to the choisest things in all the world Cant. 4 13 14. Next to God and Christ and the Spirit there 's nothing in heaven or earth comparable to Christ 4. That the grace of Christ is not a thing common to all His common graces are communicated to all his special grace is more confined His Name is oyntment The holy oyntment in the Law was poured upon none but upon consecrated things and persons Exod. 30. 2â— 24 25 30. It must not be poured on mans flâ—sh v. 32. Christ is compared here to this oyntment A select number the Elect of God onely those that are spiritual Priests these and these onely â—e made partakers of Christ and his graces Thuâ— much for the general doctrine Secondly particularly First from the fragrancy of Christ 〈◊〉 may learne four thing 1. How unsavoury they are that want Christ Wicked men have animam pro salâ— their soules keep their bodies sweet but what have they then to keep their soules sweet the holy Ghost compares men that are in the state of nature to that which is most unsavory Psal 14. 3. They are unsavory both in their persons and in services that want this oyntment A heart unanointed casts the worst smell of any corrupt thing in the world 2. Acknowledge from whence it is that all your fragrancy proceeds If there be any good smell upon your souls it is because this oyntment hath been poured forth upon you Jesus Christ mentions the sweet smell of his Spouse Cant. 4 10 11. and indeed every beleever is a sweet savour unto God The precious oyntment of the graces of Christ poured upon your head at your conversion is the onely reason of this good savour 't is great pride and ingratitude not to own it 3. This teacheth us all how to make and keep the soul sweet Satan labours to make it musty by breathing the ill ayre of sinne into it and if you would have it smell sweetly you must anoint it with this oyntment every day Drop but every day a drop of this oyntment upon it by prayer meditation or some other holy duty and it will preserved sweet notwithstanding the thick fogs of sinne and temptation Carry Christ in your bosome and you will smell very sweet in every company 4. When ever you smell any sweet savour think on Christ The best use which we can make of perfumes and oyntments is to make them remembrancers to put us in mind of him who perfumes both earth and heaven And then Secondly from the cheering vertue of this oyntment learne two things 1. Whither to go for heart reviving When you finde your spirits dull and melancholy when your hearts are tired out and your souls languish smell to this precious oyntment and it will revive you It 's Christs work to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite The smell of the oyntment either of Christs satisfaction or of his promises or of his intercession is the speediest and surest way to be rid from the power of spiritual heavinesse 2. Let them that have this oyntment maintaine spiritual cheerfulnesse God calls for spiritual gladnesse as well as spiritual sorrow Phil. 3. 1. A well grounded cheerfulnesse honours religion as much as holinesse The Scripture was written for consolation as well as for conversion John 15. 11. Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit is a comforter as well as a sanctifier John 15. 26. You that have this oyntment maintaine a holy light-heartednesse There is a vaine mirth and there is a sinful and sensual mirth avoid these but the holy mirth must be kept up It s a disparagement to the holy oyntment to see anointed ones droop in the blackest seasons And then Thirdly from the mollifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. The Scripture remedy against hardnesse of heart It 's a disease the best are troubled with lesse or more chafe this suppling oyntment 〈◊〉 to it and it will grow soft This oyntment was never used aright but it did in time remove the spirituâ—l hardnesse of the soul 2. Ascribe all heart softnesse to Christ Had not this