rule to besiege heaven with armies of united Prayers to be mutually serviceable to the City of God and to one another as fellow members Therefore hath the Lord given unto men severall gifts and to no one man all that thereby wee might bee enabled to and induced to worke together unto one end and by Love to unite our severall graces for the edification of the body of Christ Ephes. 4.11 13. Now for the manner of producing or procuring these multitudes it is set forth unto us in two Metaphors A wombe and Dew of the morning Now the birth of Dew is first generatio caelestis That which is exhal'd is an earthly vapor but the heavenly operation changeth it into Dew no art of man is able to doe it It is also undiscerned and secret when it is fallen you may see it but how it is made you cannot see Lastly it is a sudden Birth in a night or morning it is both begotten conceived and brought forth Here then wee have foure notes First that all Christs subjects are withall his Children They are borne unto him Christianity is a Birth except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of God There is a Father Christ our Father by generation Behold I and the Children whom thou hast given mee as wee are his brethren by adoption Hee is not ashamed to call us brethren There is a Mother Ierusalem which is above is the Mother of us all And there are subordinate instruments both of one and other the holy Apostles Evangelists Doctors and Pastors who therefore are sometimes called Fathers begetting us in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell and sometimes Mothers bearing and bringing forth of whom I travell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you There is a holy seed out of which these Children of Christ are formed namely the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For the heart of a man new borne unto Christ cometh from the word as a paper from the presse or as a garment from a perfume transformed into that quality of spiritualnesse and holinesse which is in the word There is a Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative vertue which is the energie and concurrence of the Spirit of grace with the word for the truth is not obeyed but by the Spirit except a man bee borne of water and the Spirit water as the seed and the Spirit as the formative vertue quickning and actuating that seed hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God There are Throwes and paines both in the Mother and in the Childe much trouble and care in the ministery of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom I travell in paine againe I ceased not to warne every one night and day with teares As a woman with Childe by reason of the feare and danger of miscarriages doth abridge her selfe of many liberties in meates physick violent exercise and the like so those who travell in birth with the Children of Christ are put to denie themselves many things and to suffer many things for the successe of their service I will eate no flesh while the world standeth rather than make my brother to offend I am appointed a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffer these things I endure all things for the elects sake that they may obtaine the salvation which is in Christ Iesus And there is paine in the Childe too a sinner doth not leave the warmth and pleasure of his former condition without paine Christ comes not without shaking unto the soule There is a New being or nature a corruption of our old man and a formation of the new Old things are done away behold all things are become new the same holy nature the same minde judgement will affections motions desires dispositions spirit wrought in us which was in him Hee that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure as hee is so are wee in this world patient as hee is patient Heb. 12.2 Holy as hee is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 Humble as hee is humble Ioh. 13.14 Compassionate as he is compassionate Col. 3.13 Loving as hee is loving Ephes. 5.2 in all things labouring to shew Christ fashioned in our nature and in our affections There is a new conversation answerable to our new nature that as God is good in himselfe and doth good in his workes Psal. 119.68 so we both are as Christ was 1 Ioh. 4.17 and walke as hee walketh 1 Ioh. 2.6 There is new food and appetites thereunto sutable A desire of the sincere immediate untempered uncorrupted milke of the word as it comes with all the spirits and life in it that wee may grow thereby New Priviledges and Relations the Sonnes of God the brethren of Christ the citizens of heaven the houshold of the Saints New Communion and society the fellowship of the Father and the Sonne by the Spirit fellowship with the Holy Angels we have their love their ministery their protection followship with the spirits of just men made perfect by the seeds and beginnings of the same perfection by the participation of the same Spirit of holinesse by expectance of the same glorie and finall redemption In the meane time then wee should walke as Children of the light or as it is here as Children of the morning The Day is given us to worke in and therefore in the morning as soone as wee have our Day before us wee should endevour to walke honestly Night-workes are commonly workes of uncleanesse violence dishonor and therefore want a cover of darknesse to hide them Theeves use to come in the night 1 Thes. 5.2 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twylight saying no eye shaâ—l see mee and disguiseth himselfe Iob 24.15 In the twylight in the evening in the black and darke night hee goeth to the house of the strange woman Prov. 7.9 The oppressor diggeth through houses in the darke For the morning is to them as the shaddow of death Iob 24.16 17. They that are drunken are drunken in the night 1 Thes. 5.7 Sinnes are of the nature of some sullen weeds which will grow no where but in the side of wells and of darke places But workes of Christianity are neither uncleane nor dishonorable they are beautifull and roiall workes they are exemplary and therefore publike workes they are themselves light let your light shine before men and therefore they ought to bee done in the light If wee bee Children wee should expresse the affections of Children The innocencie humility and Dove-like simplicity of little Children as the Sonnes of God blamelesse pure and without rebuke Children in malice though men in understanding The Appetite of little Children As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby In all impatiencie the breast will pacifie a little infant in all other delights the breast will entice it
they but have an exemption from his spirituall government and a dispensation to live according to their owne lusts stil no man should be more greedily desirous As Sampson met the Lion as an enemie when hee was alive but after he was slaine he went unto him as to a table there was onely terrour while he lived but honey when hee was dead so doubtlesse many men to whom the bodily presence of Christ and the mighty power and penetration of his heavenly preaching whereby hee smote sinners unto the ground and spake with such authoritie as never man spake would have beene unsufferably irkesome and full of terrour as it was unto the Scribes and Pharisees can yet now that he is out of their sight and doth not in person but onely by those who are his witnesses torment the inhabitants of the earth pretend much admiration and thankfull remembrance of that death of his which was so full of hony for all that come unto him for as particular dependencies and expectations may make a man flatter and adore the greatnesse of some living Potentate whose very image notwithstanding the same man doth professedly abominate in other tyrants of the world who are dead or upon whom he hath not the same ends so the selfe-same reason may make men in hypocriticall expressions flatter fawne upon Christ himselfe who is absent and yet hate with a perfect hatred the very image of his Spirit in the power of his Word and in the lives of his people The very Scribes and Pharisees who blasphemed his Spirit and contrived his death could yet be contented to be gainers thereby for see they confesse It is expedient for us that one die for the people Lastly a false love to Christ may be grounded upon a false conceit of love to his ordinances For as it is certaine that he who loves the Word and worship of Christ as his doth love him too who is the Author of them so it is certaine likewise that that love which is sometimes pretended unto them may indeed in them fix upon nothing but accidentall and by-respects This people saith the Lord to his Prophet come and sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Here is love in pretence but falshood in the heart what then was it which in the Prophet they did thus love That presently followes Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument Ezek. 33.31 32. that is it is not my will which in thy ministery they at all regard but onely those circumstantiall ornaments of gracefull action and elocution which they attend with just alike proportion of sensuall delight as an eare doth the harmony of a well tuned instrument for as a man may be much affected with the picture of his enemie if drawne by a skilfull hand and yet therein love nothing of the person but only the cunning of the workman who drew the peece So a man who hates the life and Spirit of the Word of God it selfe as being diametrically contrary to that spirit of lust and of the world which rules in him may yet be so wonderfully taken with that dexteritie of wit or delicacie of expression or variety of learning or sweetnesse of speech and action or whatsoever other perfection of nature or industry in the dispencers of that Word are most sutable to his naturall affections as that he may from thence easily cheat his owne conscience and ground a misperswasion of his love to Gods Word which yet indeed admireth nothing but the perfections of a man Nay suppose he meete not with such lenocinia to entice his affection yet the very pacification of the conscience which by a notorious neglect of Gods ordinances would haply be disquieted or the credit of bearing conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and the established service of God in his Church or some other the like sinister respect may hold a man to such an externall faire correspondence as by a deceitfull heart may easily be misconstrued a love of Gods ordinances Nay further a man may externally glory in the priviledge of Gods oracles hee may distinctly beleeve and subscribe to the truth of them he may therin heare many things gladly and escape many pollutions of the world and yet here hence conclude no cleerer evidence of his love to Christ in his word than the unbeleeving Iews or Herod or Ahab or Simon Magus or the foolish Virgins and apostates all which have attained to some of these degrees could have done For the cleering then of this great case touching the evidence of a mans love to Christ wee must first know that this is not a flower of our owne garden for every man by nature is an enemie to Christ and his Kingdome of the Iews minde wee will not have this man to raigne over us and the reason is because the image of the old Adam which we beare is extremely contrary to the heavenly image of the second Adam unto which wee are not borne but must bee renewed And this is certaine our love is according to our likenesse he who hath not the nature and Spirit of Christ can never love him or move towards him For love is like fire congregat homogenea it carrieth things of a nature to one another Our love then unto Christ must bee of a spirituall generation and it is grounded upon two causes First upon the Proportion which is in him unto all our desires or capacities upon the evidence of that unsearchable and bottomlesse goodnesse which is in him which makes him the fairest often thousand even altogether lovely For that heart which hath a spirituall view of Christ will bee able by faith to observe more dimensions of love and sweetnesse in him than the knowledge of any creature is able to measure In all worldly things though of never so curious and delicate an extraction yet still even those hearts which swimme in them and glut upon them can easily discover more dregs than Spirits nothing was ever so exactly fitted to the soule of man wherein there was not some defect or excesse something which the heart could wish were away or something which it could desire were tempered with it But in Christ and his kingdome there is nothing unlovely For as in man the all that is is full of corruption so in Christ the all that hee is is nothing but perfection His fulnesse is the center and treasure of the soule of man and therefore that love which is therupon grounded must needs be in the soule as an universall habit and principle to facilitate every service whereby we move unto this center for love is the weight or spring of the soule which sets every facultie on worke neither are any of those commandments grievous which are obeyed in Love
intendeth to visit another there is no state nor distance no ceremonies nor solemnities observed but when a prince will communicate himselfe unto any place there is a publication and officers sent abroad to give notice thereof that meete entertainements may be provided So doth Christ deale with men he knoweth how unprepared wee are to give him a welcome how foule our hearts how barren our consciences and therefore he sendeth his Officers before his face with his owne Provision his Graces of Humiliation Repentance Desire Love Hope Joy hungring and thirsting after his appearance and then when hee is esteemed worthy of all acceptation he commeth himselfe Looke upon the more consummate publication of the Gospell for Christ in his owne personall preaching is said but to have begun to teach and we shall see that as Princes in the time of their solemne Inauguration doe some speciall acts of magnificence and honour open prisons proclaime pardons create nobles stampe coyne fill conduits with wine distribute donatives and congiaries to the people So Christ to testifie the glory of his Gospell did reserve the full publication thereof unto the day of his instalment and solemne readmission into his Fathers glory againe When he ascended up on high he then led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men namely the Holy Ghost who is called the Gift of God Act. 2.38 Act. 8 20 Ioh. 4.10 and in the plurall number Gifts as elsewhere he is called seven spirits Revel 1.4 to note the plenty and variety of graces which are by him shed abroad upon the Church Wisedome and faith and knowledge and healings and prophesie and discerning and miracles and tongues All these worke one and the selfe-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will And these gifts were all shed abroad for Evangelicall purposes for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edifying of the body of Christ. And this spirit Saint Peter telleth us is a spirit of Glory and therefore that Gospell for the more plentifull promulgation wherof he was shed abroad must needs be a Gospell of Glorie too And this further appeares because in this more solemne publication of the Gospell there was much more Abundance of glorious light and grace shed abroad into the world The Sunne of Righteousnesse in his estate of humiliation was much ecclipsed with the similitude of sinfull flesh the Communion of our common infirmities the poverty of a low condition the griefe and vexation of the sinnes of men the overshadowing of his divine vertue the forme and entertainement of a servant the burden of the guilt of sinne the burden of the Law of God the ignominie of a base death the agonie of a cursed death But when hee ascended up on high like the Sunne in his glory hee then dispell'd all these mists and now sendeth forth those glorious beames of his Gospell and Spirit which are the two wings by which he commeth unto the Churches and under which the healing and salvation of the world is treasured Iohn Baptist was the last and greatest of all the Prophets who foretold of Christ a greater had not beene borne of women and yet he was lesse than the least in the kingdome of heaven that is than the least of those upon whom the Promise of the Spirit was shed abroad for the more glorious manifestation of the kingdome of his Gospell All the Prophets and the Law prophesied untill Iohn but at the comming of Christ they seem'd to bee taken away not by way of abrogation and extinguishment as the ceremonies but by way of excesse and excellency ut stellae exiliores ad exortum solis as the Orator speakes so saith the Apostle Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth Therefore the full Revelation of the Gospell is called an effusion of the spirit not in dew but in showres of raine which multiply into rivers of living water for the raine of the spirit floweth from heaven as from a spring and into wels of Salvation and into a sea of knowledge Which attributes note unto us two things First the abundance of spirituall grace and knowledge by the Gospell it should be a River Secondly the growth and increase thereof it should be living water multiplying and swelling up like the waters of the Sanctuary till it came to a bottomelesse and unmeasurable sea of eternall life And to touch that which was before spoken of very glorious are the vertues of the Spirit in the Gospell intimated in this similitude of living water To quench the wrath of God that otherwise consuming unextinguishable fury which devoureth the adversaries with everlasting burnings To satisfie those desires of the thirsty soule which it selfe begetteth for the Spirit is both for medicine and for meate for medicine to cure the dull and averse appetites of the soule and for meate to satisfie them The Spirit is both a Spirit of supplication and a Spirit of grace or satisfaction A Spirit of supplication directing us to pray and a Spirit of Grace supplying those requests and satisfying those desires which himselfe did dictate To cleanse to purifie to mollifie to take away the barrennesse of our naturall hearts To overflow and communicate it selfe to others To withstand and subdue every obstacle that is set up against it To continue and to multiply to the end By this then wee learne the way how to abound in grace and glory and how to bee transformed into the Image of Christ. The beame and light of the Sunne is the vehiculum of the heate and influence of the Sunne so the light of the Gospell of Christ is that which conveieth the vertue and gracious workings of his Spirit upon the soule And therefore we are to seeke those varieties of grace which are for meate to satisfie the desires and for medicine to cure the bruizes of the soule onely upon the bankes of the waters of the Sanctuary that is in the knowledge of the word of truth which is the Gospell of Salvation The more of this glorious light a man hath the more proportion of all other graces will he have too And therefore the Apostle puts the growth of these two together as contributing a mutuall succour unto one another Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. Your Grace will inlarge your desires of knowledge and your knowledge will multiply your degrees of Grace And Saint Paul makes the knowledge of the will of God in wisdome and after a spirituall maner to be the ground of fruitfulnesse in every good worke and that again an inducement to increase in knowledge as in the twisting together of two cords into one rope they are by art so ordered that either shall bind and hold in the other As in the heavens the inferior orbes have the measure and proportion of their
faine to confesse and declare to the world in their Councell of Trent Onely herein is the difference The Councell pretended a Reformation in points of Discipline and manners and wee made a Reformation in points of Doctrine too When Christ purged the Temple of buyers and sellers it was the same Temple after which before When a man separateth the wheate from the chaffe it is the same corne which before In these corrupter ages then the pure Professour of Christ who denied not his faith did dwell where Satan had his seate The members of Christ were amongst the Rulers of Antichrist Wee are not another Church newly started up but the same which before from the Apostles times held the common and necessarie grounds of Faith and Salvation which grounds being in latter ages perverted and over-turned by Antichristianisme have beene by valiant Champions for the faith of Christ therefrom vindicated who have onely pruned the Lords Vine and picked out the stones and driven out the bores out of his Vineyard but have not made either one or other new Now this point that Christ ruleth in the midst of his enemies is ground of great confidence in his Church in as much as shee subsisteth not upon any corruptible strength of her owne but upon the Promise decree oath power and love of God things invincible by all the Powers of darkenesse Let the enemies rage never so much they cannot dis-throne Christ nor extinguish his Gospell for it is an everlasting Gospell It is but as the comming forth of a Shepheard against a Lion as the Prophet compareth it For either Christ is unable to protect his people and that is against Saint Iude Hee is able to keepe you from falling and to present you faultlesse c. or else he is unwilling and that is against Saint Paul This is the will of God even your sanctification Or else both his Power and his will are suspended upon expectation of humane concurrence or nullified and disappointed by us and that is against the influence of his Grace which giveth us both the will and the deed against the mercie of his gracious promise I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more I will heale their back-slidings I will save them freely against the immutabilitie of his Covenant and holy nature I am God and not man I change not therefore the sonnes of Iacob are not destroied Now besides this generall observation the words afford some particular notes which I will but briefly touch As first That Christs kingdome in this world is Regnum Crucis a Kingdome beset with enemies of all other the most hated and opposed They that submit unto it must resolve to be herein conformable to their head a Crosse was his Throne and Thornes were his Crowne and every one which will live godly must suffer persecution and through many afflictions enter into his Masters Kingdome Quod erat Christus erimus Christiani No marvell if the world hate the Church of Christ for it hated him first In his word he is resisted disobeyed belied and if it were possible silenced and corrupted in his officers mocked and misused in his subjects persecuted and reviled in his Spirit thrust away and grieved in his worship neglected and polluted in all his wayes slandered and blasphemed The Reasons of which strange entertainement of the Kingdome of Christ are first because it is a New Kingdome which enters into the world by way of chalenge and dispossession of former lords and therefore no wonder if it finde opposition Secondly it is an invisible unconspicuous unattended desolate and in appearance ignoble kingdome It began in the forme of a servant in the ignominie of a Crosse none of the Princes of this world none of the learned of this world to countenance or helpe set it up but amongst them all esteemed as an offensive and foolish thing Thirdly it is an universall kingdome Nec parem patitur nec superiorem Christ will admit of no Consorts or Corrivals in his Government Body and Soule and Spirit hee will have wholly and throughout unto himselfe And this amongst others is given for the reason why when Tiberius proposed Christ unto the Romane Senate with the priviledge of his owne suffrage to be worshipped they rejected him because hee would be a God alone If hee would exempt some of the earthly members from his subjection let lust have the eye or folly the eare or violence the hand or covetousnesse the heart or any other evill affection share with him he would be the easier tolerated but when he will be absolute and nothing must remaine in our hearts but as his vassall to be spoiled subdued condemned and crucified by him if the whole state of sinne must bee ruined and the body destroied no wonder if the world cannot away with him Fourthly which is the Summe of all It is a heavenly Kingdome a spirituall Kingdome My Kingdome is not of this world and therefore no marvell if the divels of hell and the lusts of the flesh doe set themselves against him Note secondly even there where Christs Throne and Kingdome is set up hee hath enemies Satan hath his seate even where Christ dwelleth Men may say they are Jewes and are not but of the Synagogue of Satan and men may say they are Christians and are not but of the kingdome of Satan too A Wenne in the body seemeth to belong unto the integrity of the whole when indeed it is an enemie and thiefe therein Ivie about a tree seemeth to embrace it with much affection when indeed it doth but kill and choake it Men may take upon them the profession of Christians and like a Wenne bee skinned over with the same out-side which the true members have may pretend much submission worship and ceremony unto him and yet such is the hellish hypocrisie of the heart the same men may haply inwardly swell and rancle against the power of his truth and Spirit This people saith the Lord draw neere me with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but have removed their heart farre from me and their feare towards mee is taught by the precepts of men In the Apostles times there were false brethren and false teachers who crept in to spie out and betray the libertie of the Church and privily to bring in damnable heresies and to speake lies in hypocrisie that is under the pretext of devotion and carnall humilitie to corrupt the Doctrine of Christ and under a forme of Godlinesse to denie the Power thereof Therefore Antichrist is called a Whore because hee should seduce the Christian world with much expression of love and creepe peaceably and by flatteries into the kingdome of Christ of these severall enemies of Christ under the profession of his name and worship some are Christians but not in purity as heretikes some not in unity as schismatikes some not
AN EXPLICATION OF THE HVNDRETH AND TENTH PSALME WHEREIN The severall Heads of CHRISTIAN Religion therein contained touching the Exaltation of Christ the Scepter of his Kingdome the Character of his Subjects His Priesthood Victories Sufferings and Resurrection are largely explained and applied Being the Substance of severall Sermons preached at LINCOLNS INNE By EDWARD REYNOLDES sometimes Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford late Preacher to the foresaid Honorable Society and Rector of the Church of Braunston in Northhampton-shire LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD COVENTRY Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England c. Most Noble Lord IT was the devout profession which Saint Austin once made of himselfe when speaking of the great delight which hee tooke in Ciceroes Hortensius as containing a most liberall exhortation to the love of wisdome without any bias or partiality towards sects he affirmeth that the heate of this his delight was by this onely reason abated because there was not in that booke to bee found the Name of Christ without which Name nothing though otherwise never so polite and elaborate could wholly possesse those affections which had beene trained to a nobler studie And Gregory Nazianzen that famous Divine setteth no other price upon all his Athenian learning wherein hee greatly excelled but onely this that hee had something of worth to esteeme as nothing in comparison of Christ herein imitating the example of S. Paul who though hee profited in the Iewish Religion above many others yet when the Sonne of God was revealed in him laid it all aside as losse and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord. The consideration of which sacred affections in those holy men together with the many experiences of your Lordships abundant favor hath put into mee a boldnesse beyond my naturall disposition to prefix so great a name before these poore pieces of my labours in Gods Church Other argument in this booke there is none to procure either your Lordships view or patronage than this one which that good Father could not finde in all the writings of Plato or Cicero that it hath that High and holy Person for the Subject thereof the knowledge of whom is not onely our greatest learning but our Eternall Life In this confidence I have presumed to present unto your Lordship this publike Testimony of my most humble duty and deep obligations for your many thoughts of favour and bounty towards me not in my selfe onely but in others unto whom your Lordships goodnesse hath vouchsafed under that respect to overflow The Lord Iesus our eternall Melchisedek meet your Lordship in al those honorable affaires which hee hath called you unto with the constant refreshment and benediction of his holy Spirit and long preserve you a faithfull Patrone of the Church which hee hath purchased with his owne blood and a worthy instrument of the justice honour and tranquilitie of this kingdome Your Lordships most humbly devoted Ed. Reynolds To the Reader CHristian Reader when I was first perswaded to communicate some of my poore labours to the publike my purpose was to have added unto those Treatises which were extant before so much of these which I now present unto thy view as concerneth the Elogies of the Gospell of Christ the instrument of begetting the life of Christ in us for little reason had I considering mine owne weakenesse the frequent returnes of that service wherein these pieces were delivered and the groning of the presse of late under writings of this nature to trouble the world a second time with any more of my slender provisions towards the worke of the Sanctuary in this abundance which is on every side brought in But finding that worke grow up under mine hand into a just volume and conceiving that it might bee both more acceptable and usefull to handle a whole Scripture together especially being both of so noble a nature and at first view of so difficult a sense as this Psalme is than to single out some verse and fragment by it selfe I therefore resolved once more to put in my Mite into the Treasurie of the Temple which though for no other reason may yet I hope be for this cause accepted because it beareth the Image and Inscription of Christ upon it Some passages therein are inserted which were delivered in another order and on other Scriptures and some likewise which were delivered in other places and on other occasions which yet being pertinent to the series of the discourse I thought might justly seeme as naturall parts and not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incoherent and unsuteable pieces Such errors as have escaped in the presse and the unfitnesse of some of the Titles of the Pages which in my farre absence from the presse while most of the booke was under it were ordered by others who attended upon it I shall desire thee courteously to passe by those greater slips which may haply perturbe the sense I have noted together So submitting my poore labours to thy favourable Censure and commending thee to the Blessing of God I rest E. R. A Table of the Contents CHrist Iesus the summe of Holy Scriptures Pag. 1 The Ordination of Christ unto his Kingdome 6 The Qualifications of Christ for his Kingdome 7 The Qualitie of Christs Kingdome 9 How the will is drawen unto Christ. 11 Subjection unto the Kingdome of Christ. 12 How Christ is a Lord to his people and to his fore-fathers 17 The right hand of God 22 Christs sitting at Gods right hand noteth 1 His glorious Exaltation 23 All strength from his exciting and assisting grace 25 2 His accomplishing all his workes on earth 29 3 The actuall Administration of his Kingdome 33 4 The giving of gifts unto men 34 The Arke how a Type of Christ. 35 How the Spirit was given before Christ and how after 37 The difference was in the Manner of his mission pag. 39. The difference was in the Subjects to whom hee was sent pag. 39. The difference was in the Measure of his grace in regard of knowledg p. 42 The difference was in the Measure of his grace in regard of strength p. 42 The Reason of the Spirits Mission How the Spirit is a comforter to the Church 43 1 By being our Advocate and how 44 2 By representing Christ absent to the soule 47 3 By a sweete and fruitfull illumination  4 By unspeakable and glorious joy 48 How the Spirit worketh this joy in the heart 49 By his Acts of Humbling By his Acts of Healing By his Acts of Renewing By his Acts of Preserving By his Acts of Fructifying By his Acts of Sealing Enmitie against Christ in all his Offices 56 Grounds of misperswasion touching our love to Christ 1 The countenance of Princes and publick Laws 59 2 The
that proceed out of our mouth Eph. 4.29 a respect unto the glory of God in whatsoever workes wee goe about 1 Cor. 10.31 The whole soule body and Spirit should bee Sanctified throughout and that even till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 5.23 Christ hath service much more than enough to take up all the might strength studies abilities times callings of all his servants Businesses towards God and himselfe worship feare Communion love prayer obedience service subjection businesses towards and for our selves watchfulnesse repentance faith sincerity sobriety growth in grace businesse towards other men as instruments and fellow members exhortation reproofe direction instruction mourning rejoycing restoring releeving helping Praying Serving in all wayes of love So much evill to bee avoided so many slips and errors to bee lamented so many earthly members to bee crucified so much knowledge and Mysteries to bee learned so many vaine Principles to bee unlearned so much good to bee done to my selfe so much service to bee done to my brother so much glory to bee brought to my Master every Christian hath his hands full of worke And therefore Christ expostulateth it as an absurd thing to call him Lord Lord to professe and ingeminate a verball subjection and yet not to doe the things which hee requires Luk. 6.46 The third thing observed touching the Kingdome of Christ is the Glorie and Power thereof intimated by his sitting at the Lords right hand Gods right hand in the Scripture is a Metonymicall expression of the strength power majesty and glorie that belongs unto him This is mine infirmitie saith the Psalmist but l will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most high Psal. 77.10 Where wee finde Gods power under the metonymie of a right hand opposed to the infirmitie of his servant My infirmitie and weake faith made me apt to sinke under the sense of Gods displeasure but when I called to minde the experiences of Gods former power in alike distresses I recollected my Spirits and was refreshed againe So the right hand of the Lord is said to spanne or extend the heavens Esai 48.13 And the Psalmist expresseth the strength and salvation of the Lord by his right hand Psal. 118.14 15 16. and his fury is the Cup of his right hand Hab. 2.16 And he strengthneth and helpeth and upholdeth his people by the right hand of his Righteousnesse that is by his Power and faithfull promises which in their weaknes strengthens them in their feare and flagging helps them in their sinking and falling upholds them Esai 41.10 So the Psalmist saith of wicked men that their right hand is a right hand of falsehood Psa. 144.11 that is either confidence in their owne power will deceive themselves or they will deceive others to whom they promise succour and assistance Therfore Gods right hand is cald the right hand of Majesty Heb. 1.3 and the right hand of power Luk. 22.69 To sit then at Gods right hand noteth that great Honor and Judiciarie Office and plenitude of power which God the Father hath given to his Sonne after his manifestation in the flesh in his nativity and justification by the Spirit in his resurrection he was then amongst other dignities received up into glory 1 Tim. 3.16 This wee finde amongst those expressions of honor which Salomon shewed unto his Mother that shee sate at his right hand 1 King 2.19 And herein the Apostle puts a great difference betweene Christ and the Leviticall Priests that they stood daily Ministring but Christ after his Offering Sate downe on the right hand of God Heb. 10.11 12. noting two things First That Christ was the Lord and they but Servants for standing is the posture of a Servant or Minister Deut. 10.8.17.12 Ezek. 44.24 and not sitting Luk. 17.7 Secondly that their worke was daily to bee repeated wheras Christs was consummate in one offering once for all after which hee rested or sate downe againe This fitting then of Christ at the right hand of Majestie and glorie notes unto us first The great Exaltation of the Lord Christ whom God hath highly honoured and advanced and given a name above every name First his Divine nature though it cannot possibly receive any intrinsecall improvement or glory all fulnesse of glory essentially belonging thereunto yet so farre forth as it was humbled for the oeconomie and administration of his office so farre it was readvanced againe Now he emptied and humbled himselfe not by putting off any of his divine glory but by suffering it to be overshaddowed with the similitude of sinfull flesh and to be humbled under the forme of a Servant as the light of a candle is hidden in a darke and close Lanterne So that Declaratorily or by way of Manifestation he is in that respect magnified at Gods right hand or as the Apostle speakes declared to be that Sonne of God by Power in rising from the dead and returning to his glory againe Rom. 1.4 Againe how ever in Abstracto wee cannot say that the Deitie or Divine nature was exalted in any other sense than by evident manifestation of it selfe in that man who was before despised and accused as a blasphemer for that he made himselfe equall with God yet in Concreto and by reason of the Communication of properties from one nature to another in the unitie of one person it is true that as God saved the World by his bloud and as it was the Prince of life that was crucified and the Lord that lay in the grave so God likewise was in the forme of a servant humbled and at the right hand of Majestie exalted againe Secondly the humane nature of Christ is most highly exalted by sitting at Gods right hand for in the right of his Hypostaticall union hee hath an ample and immediate claime to all that glory which might in the humane nature bee conferr'd upon him So that though during the time of his conversation amongst men the exigence and oeconomie of the Office which he had for us undertaken made him a man of sorrowes and intercepted the beames of the Godhead and Divine glorie from the other nature yet having finished that dispensation there was in the vertue of that most intimate association of the natures in one person a communicating of all glory from the deitie which the other nature was capeable of For as by the Spirit of Holinesse he was filled with treasures of wisdome and knowledge and grace and thereby fitted for the Office of a Mediator and made the first fruits the first borne the heire of all things the head and Captaine of the Church furnished with a residue and redundancie of the Spirit to sanctifie his brethren and to make them joynt heirs and first borne with himselfe so by the Spirit of glory is he filled with unmatchable perfections beyond the capacitie or comprehension of all the Angels of Heaven being not onely full of glory but having in him all the fulnesse of glory
which a created nature joyned to an infinitie and bottomlesse fountaine could receive From hence therefore wee should learne to let the same minde bee in us which was in Christ to humble our selves first that wee may bee exalted in due time to finish our workes of selfe-deniall and service which wee owe to God that so wee may enter into our Masters glory For he himselfe entred not but by a way of bloud Wee learne likewise to have recourse and dependance on him for all supplies of the Spirit for all strength of grace for all influences of life for the measure of every joynt and member He is our treasure our fountaine our head it is his free grace his voluntarie influence which habituateth and fitteth all our faculties which animateth us unto a heavenly being which giveth us both the strength and first act wherby we are qualified to worke and which concurreth with us in actu secundâ— to all those workes which wee set our selves about As an instrument even when it hath an edge cutteth nothing till it be assisted and moved by the hand of the artificer so a Christian when hee hath a will and an habituall fitnesse to worke yet is able to doe nothing without the constant supply assistance and concomitancie of the grace of Christ exciting moving and applying that habituall power unto particular actions He it is that giveth us not onely to will but to doe that goeth through with us and worketh all our works for us by his grace Without him wee can doe nothing all our sufficiencie is from him But it may bee objected if wee can doe nothing without a second grace to what end is a former grace given or what use is there of our exciting that grace and gift of God in us which can doe nothing without a further concourse of Christs Spirit To this I answer first that as light is necessarie and requisite unto seeing and yet there is no seeing without an eye so without the assisting grace of Christs Spirit concurring with us unto every holy Dutie wee can doe nothing and yet that grace doth ever presuppose an implanted seminall and habituall grace fore-disposing the soule unto the said Duties Secondly as in the Course of naturall Effects though God bee a most voluntary Agent yet in the ordinary Concurrence of a first Cause hee worketh ad modum naturae measuring forth his assistance proportionably to the Condition and Preparation of the second Causes so in supernaturall and holy operations albeit not with a like certaine and unaltered constancy though Christ bee a most voluntary head of his Church yet usually he proportioneth his assisting and second grace unto the growth progresse and radication of those Spirituall habits which are in the soule before From whence commeth the difference of holinesse and profitablenesse amongst the Saints that some are more active and unwearied in all holy conversation than others as in the naturall bodie some members are larger and more full of life and motion than others according to the different distribution of Spirits from the heart and influences from the head This then affords matter enough both to humble us and to comfort us To humble us that wee can doe nothing of our selves that wee have nothing in our selves but sinne All the fulnesse of grace is in him and therefore whosoever hath any must have it from him as in the Egyptian famine whosoever had any corn had it from Ioseph to whom the granaries and treasures of Egypt were for that purpose committed And this Lowlinesse of heart and sense of our owne Emptinesse is that which makes us alwayes have recourse to our fountaine and keepe in favor with our head from whom wee must receive fresh supply of strength for doing any good for bearing any evill for resisting any temptation for overcomming any enemie For beginning for continuing and for perfecting any Dutie For though it bee mans heart that doth these things yet it is by a forraigne and impressed strength as it is iron that burnes but not by its owne nature which is cold but by the heate which it hath received from the fire It was not I saith the Apostle but that grace of God which was with mee To comfort us likewise when wee consider that all fulnesse and strength is in him as in an Officer an Adam a treasurer and dispencer of all needfull supplies to his people according to the place they beare in his bodie and to the exigence and measure of their condition in themselves or service in his Church Sure wee are that what measure soever hee gives unto any hee hath still a residue of Spirit nay hee still retaineth his owne fulnesse hath still enough to carry us through any condition and according to the difficulties of the service hee puts us upon hath still wisedome to understand compassion to pitie strength to supply all our needs And that all this hee hath as a mercifull and faithfull depositarie as a Guardian and husband and elder brother to imploy for the good of his Church that he is unto this office appointed by the will of him that sent him to lose nothing of all that which is given him but to keepe and perfect it unto the resurrection at the last day That God hath planted in him a Spirit of faithfulnesse and pittie for the cheerfull discharge of this great Office given him a propriety unto us made us as neere and deare unto him as the members of his sacred body are to one another and therfore whosoever commeth to him with emptines and hunger and faith he will in no wise cast them out it is as possible for him to hew off and to throw away the members of his naturall body to have any of his bones broken as to reject the humble and faithfull desires of those that duly waite upon him Againe from this Exaltation of Christ in his humane nature wee should learne to keepe our vessels in holinesse and in honor as those who expect to bee fashioned at the last like unto him For how can that man truly hope to bee like Christ hereafter that labors to bee as unlike him here as hee can Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot saith the Apostle So may I say shall I take the nature of Christ that nature which he in his person hath so highly glorified and make it in my person the nature of a devill If a Prince should marry a meane woman would he endure to see those of her neerest kindred her brethren and sisters live like scullians or strumpets under his owne eye Now Christ hath taken our nature into a neerer union with himselfe than marriage for man and wife are still two persons but God and man is but one Christ. Death it selfe was not able to dissolve this union for when the soule was separated from the body yet the Deitie was separated from neither it was the Lord that lay
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Esai 11.9 Our Saviour told his Disciples that all things which he had heard of his Father he had made knowne unto them Ioh. 15.15 and yet a little after he telleth them that many other things he had to say unto them which they could not beare till the Spirit of truth came who should guide them into all truth Ioh. 16.12 13. noting that the Spirit when hee came should enlarge their hearts to a capacity of more heavenly wisedome than they could comprehend before For we may observe before how ignorant they were of many things though they conversed with Christ in the flesh Philip ignorant of the Father Ioh. 14.8 Thomas of the way unto the Father Ioh. 14.5 Peter of the necessity of his sufferings Matth. 16.22 The two Disciples of his resurrection Luk. 24.45 all of them of the quality of his Kingdome Act. 1.6 Thus before the sending of the Holy Ghost the Lord did not require so plentifull knowledge unto salvation as after as in the valuations of money that which was plentie two or three hundred years since is but penurie now Secondly in a greater measure of strength for Spirituall obedience They who before fled from the company of Christ in his sufferings did after rejoyce to be counted worthy of suffring shame for his name or as the elegancie of the originall words import to be dignified with that dishonor of Christians Act. 5.41 For suffering of persecution for Christ and the triall of faith by diverse temptations is in the Scriptures reckoned up amongst the gifts and hundred fold compensations of God to his people Mark 10.30 Phil. 1.29 Heb. 11.26 Iam. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.6 7. No man saith our Saviour putteth new wine into old bottles that is exacteth rigid and heavie services of weake and unqualified Disciples and therefore my Disciples fast not while I am amongst them in the flesh But the dayes will come when I shall be taken from them in body and shall send them my holy Spirit to strengthen and prepare them for hard service and then they shall fast and performe those parts of more difficult obedience unto me Matth. 9.15 17. Now farther touching this sending of the Holy Spirit which together with Christs intercession was one of the principall ends of his ascending up unto the right hand of power it may be here demanded why the Holy Spirit was not before this exaltation of Christ sent forth in such abundance upon the Church The maine reason wherof next unto the purpose and decree of God into which all the acts of his wil are to be resolv'd Eph. 1.11 is given by our Savior Ioh. 14.16 Ioh. 16.7 Because he was to supply the corporall absence of Christ and to be another comforter to the Church Of which Office of the Spirit because it was one of the maine ends of his mission and that one of the chiefe workes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand I shall here without any unprofitable or impertinent digression speake a little First then the Spirit is a comforter because an Advocate to his people for so much the word signifies and is else where rendered 1 Ioh. 2.1 Now he is called another comforter or Advocate to note the difference betweene Christ and the Spirit in this particular There is then an Advocate by Office when one person takes upon himselfe the cause of another and in his name pleads it Thus Christ by the Office of his Mediation and intercession is an Advocate for his Church and doth in his owne person in heaven apply his merits and further the cause of our salvation with his Father There is likewise an Advocate by energie and operation by instruction and assistance which is not when a worke is done by one person in the behalfe of another but when one by his counsell inspiration and assistance enableth another to manage his owne businesse and to plead his owne cause And such an Advocate the Spirit is who doth not intercede nor appeare before God in person for us as Christ doth but maketh interpellation for men in and by themselves giving them an accesse unto the Father emboldning them in their feares and helping them in their infirmities when they know not what to pray Eph. 2.18 Heb. 10.15.19 Rom. 8.26 Eph. 3.16 First then the Spirit as our Advocate justifieth our persons and pleadeth our causes against the accusations of our spirituall enemies For as Christ is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods justice to plead our cause against the severitie of his Law and that most Righteous and undeniable charge of sinne which he layeth upon us so the Holy Spirit is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods mercie enabling us there to cleere our selves against the temptations and murtherous assaults of our Spirituall enemies The world accuseth us by false and slanderous calumniations laying to our charge things which we never did the Spirit in this case maketh us not onely plead our innocencie but to rejoyce in our fellowship with the Prophets which were before us to esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world to count our selves happy in this that it is not such low markes as we are which the malice of the world aimeth at but the Spirit of glory and of God which resteth upon us who is on their part evill spoken of 1 Pet. 4.14 Satan that grand accuser of the brethren doth not onely load my sinnes upon my conscience but further endeavoreth to exclude me from the benefit of Christ by charging me with impenitencie and unbeliefe But here the Spirit enableth me to cleere my selfe against the Father of lies It is true indeed I have a naughty flesh the seeds of all mischiefe in my nature but the first means which brought me hereunto was the beleeving of thy lies and therefore I will no longer entertaine thy hellish reasonings against mine owne peace I have a Spirit which teacheth me to bewaile the frowardnesse of mine owne heart to denie mine owne will workes to long and aspire after perfection in Christ to adhere with delight and purpose of heart unto his Law to lay hold with all my strength upon that plaâ—ck of salvation which in this shipwrack of my soule is cast out unto me These affections of my heart come not from the earthly Adam for whatsoever is earthly is sensuall and devillish too And if they be holy and heavenly I will not beleeve that God will put any thing of heaven into a vessell of Hell Sure I am he that died for me when I did not desire him will in no wise cast me away when I come unto him He that hath given me a will to love his service and to leane upon his promises will in mercy accept the will for the deed and in due time accomplish the worke of holinesse which he hath begun Thus the Spirit like an Advocate secureth his clients title against the
up with joy Mal. 2.13 and of all Sacrifices a broken heart is that which God most delighteth in Psal. 51.16 17. there is joy in heaven at the repentance of a sinner and therefore there must needs be joy in the heart it selfe which repenteth in as much as it hath heavenly affections begunne in it Therefore as the Apostle saith Let a man become a foole that he may be wise so may I truly say let a man become a mourner that he may rejoyce If it be objected how one contrary affection can be the ground and inducement of another and that he who feeleth the weight of sinne and displeasure of God can have little reason to boast of much joy To this I answere First that we doe not speake of those extraordinary combates and grapplings with the sense of the wrath of God breaking of bones and burning of bowels which some have felt but of the ordinary humiliations and courses of repentance which are common to all Secondly that such Spirituall mourning and joy are not contrary in regard of the Spirit nor doe one extinguish or expell the other As black and white are contrary in the wall but meete without any repugnancie in the eye because though as qualities they fight yet as objects they agree in communi conceptu visibilis so joy and mourning though contrary in regard of their immediate impressions upon the sense doe not onely agree in the same principle the grace of Christ and in the same end the salvation of man but may also be subordinated to each other as a darke and muddie color is a fit ground to lay gold upon so a tender and mourning heart is the best preparation unto spirituall joy Therefore our Savior compareth Spirituall sorrow unto the paines of a woman in travell other paines growing out of sicknesse and distempers have none but bitter ingredients and anguish in them but that paine groweth out of the matter of joy and leadeth unto joy so though godly sorrow have some paine in it yet that paine hath ever joy both for the roote and fruit of it Ioh. 16.21 and though for the present it may haply intercept the exercise yet it doth strengthen the habit and ground of joy as those flowers in the spring rise highest and with greatest beautie which in winter shrinke lowest into the earth I trembled saith the Prophet in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble Hab. 3.16 Secondly the Spirit doth not onely Discover but heale the corruptions of the soule and there is no joy to the joy of a saved and cured man The lame man when he was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exultation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 for this cause therefore amongst others the Spirit is called the oile of gladnesse because by that healing vertue which is in him he maketh glad the hearts of men The Spirit of the Lord saith Christ is upon me because the Lord anointed me to preach good tydings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde the broken hearted Esai 61.6 and againe I will binde that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick Ezek. 34.16 Now this healing vertue of Christ is in the dispensation of his word and Spirit and therefore the Prophet saith the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 where the Spirit in the word by the which he commeth and preacheth unto men Eph. 2.17 1 Pet. 3.19 is called the wing of the Sunne because he proceedeth from him and was sent to supply his absence as the beame doth the Suns and this Spirit the Apostle calleth the strengthner of the inner man Eph. 3.16 Thirdly the Spirit doth not onely heale but renew and revive againe when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischiefe a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgian can heale the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because totall privations admit no regresse or recovery but the Spirit doth not onely heale and repaire but renew and reedifie the spirits of men As he healeth that which was torne and bindeth up that which was smitten so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos. 6.1 2. and this the Apostle cals the Renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 whereby old things are not mended and put together againe for our fall made us all over unprofitable and little worth Rom. 3.12 Prov. 10.20 but are done quite away and all things made new againe 2 Cor. 5.17 The heart minde affections judgment conscience members changed from stone to flesh from earthly to heavenly from the image of Adam to the image of Christ Ezek. 11.19 1 Cor. 15.49 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy For so the Lord comforteth his afflicted people Esai 54.11 12 13. Fourthly the Spirit doth not renew and set the frame of the heart right and then leave it to its owne care and hazards againe but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it against all Tempests and batteries And this further multiplieth the joy and comfort of the Church that it is established in Righteousnesse so that no weapon which is formed against it can prosper Esai 54.14.17 Victory is ever the ground of joy Esai 9.3 And the Spirit of God is a victorious Spirit His judgment in the heart is sent forth unto victory Matth. 12.20 and before him mountaines shall be made a plaine and every high thing shall be pulled downe till he bring forth the head stone with shoutings Ezek. 4.6 7. To Stephen he was a Spirit of Victory against the disputers of the World Act. 6.10 To the Apostles a Spirit of liberty in the prison Act. 16.25 26. To all the faithfull a Spirit of joy and glory in the midst of persecutions 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Fifthly the Spirit doth not onely preserve the heart which he hath renewed but maketh it fruitfull and abundant in the workes of the Lord Gal. 5.22 Rom. 7.4 And fruitfulnesse is a ground of rejoycing Esai 54.1 Therefore they which are borne of God cannot commit sinne that is they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers or artificers or finishers of iniquity because they have the seed of God that is his Spirit in them which fitteth them as seed doth the wombe or the earth to bring forth fruite unto God Partly by teaching the heart and casting it as it were in the mould of the world fashioning such thoughts apprehensions affections judgements in the soule as are answerable to the will and Spirit of God in the word so that a man cannot but set his seale and say Amen to the written Law partly by moving animating applying and most sweetly leading the heart unto the Obedience of that Law which is thus written therein Lastly those whom he hath thus fitteth he sealeth up unto a finall and full redemption by the Testimony
of their adoption which is the hansell and earnest of their inheritance and thereby begetteth a lively hope an earnest expectation a confident attendance upon the promises and an unspeakable peace and security thereupon by which fruits of faith and hope there is a glorious joy shed abroad into the soule so ful and so intimately mingled with the same that it is as possible for man to annihilate the one as to take away the other For according to the evidence of hope and excellencie of the thing hoped must needs the joy there from resulting receive its sweetnesse and stability By all this which hath been spoken of the mission of the Spirit in such abundance after Christs sitting at the right hand of God wee should learne with what affections to receive the Gospel of salvation for the teaching whereof this Holy Spirit was shed abroad abundantly on the Embassadors of Christ and with what heavenly conversations to expresse the power which our hearts have felt therin to walke as children of the light and as becommeth the Gospell of Christ to adorne our high profession and not to receive the grace of God in vaine Consider first that the word thus quickned will have an operation either to convince unto Righteousnesse or to seale unto condemnation as the Sunne either to melt or to harden as the raine either to ripen corne or weeds as the Scepter of a King either to rule subjects or to subdue enemies as the fire of a Goldsmith either to purge gold or devoure drosse as the waters of the sanctuary either to heale places or to turne them into salt pits Ezek. 47.11 Secondly according to the proportion of the Spirit of Christ in his word revealed shall be the proportion of their judgment who despise it The contempt of a great salvation and glorious Ministery shall bring a sorer condemnation Heb. 2.2.4 If I had not come and spoken unto them saith our Savior they had not had sinne Ioh. 15.22 Sins against the light of nature are no sins in comparison of those against the Gospell The earth which drinketh in the raine that fals often on it and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars is rejected and nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.7 8. Thirdly even here God will not alwayes suffer his Spirit to strive with flesh there is a Day of Peace which he calleth our day a day wherein he entreateth and beseecheth us to be reconciled but if we therein judge our selves unworthy of eternall life and goe obstinately on till there be no remedy he can easily draw in his Spirit and give us over to the infatuation of our owne hearts that we may not be cleansed any more till he have caused his fury to rest upon us Ezek. 24.13 We see likewise by this Doctrine wherupon the comforts of the Church are founded namely upon Christ as the first comforter by working our Reconciliation with God and upon the Spirit as another comforter testifying and applying the same unto our soules And the continuall supply and assistance of this Spirit is the onely comfort the Church hath against the dominion and growth of sinne For though the motions of lust which are in our members are so close so working so full of vigor and life that we can see no power nor probabilities of prevailing against them yet we know Christ hath a greater fulnesse of Spirit than we can have of sinne and it is the great promise of the new covenant that God will put his Spirit into us and thereby save us from all our uncleanesses Ezek. 36.27 29. for though we be full of sin and have but a seed a sparkle of the Spirit put into us and upheld and fed by further though small supplies yet that little is stronger than legions of lust as a little salt or leven seasoneth a great lump or a few drops of Spirits strengthen a whole glasse full of water Therefore the Spirit is called a Spirit of judgment and of burning because as one Iudge is able to condemne a thousand prisoners and a little fire to consume abundance of drosse so the Spirit of God in and present with us though received and supplied but in measure though but a smoaking and suppressed fire shall yet breake forth in victory and judgment against all that resist it In us indeed there is nothing that feeds but onely that which resists and quencheth it But this is the wonderfull vertue of the Spirit of Christ in his members that it nourisheth it selfe Therefore sometimes the Spirit is called fire Esai 4.4 Matth. 3.11 and sometimes Oyle Heb. 1.9 1 Ioh. 2.27 to note that the Spirit is nutriment unto it selfe that that grace which we have received already is preserved and excited by new supplies of the same grace Which supplies we are sure shall be given to all that aske them by the vertue of Christs prayer Ioh. 14.16 by the vertue of his and his Fathers promise Ioh. 16.7 Act. 1.4 and by the vertue of that Office which he still beares which is to be the head or vitall principle of all holinesse and grace unto the Church And all these are permanent things and therefore the vertue of them abideth their effects are never totally interrupted Fiftly and lastly this sitting of Christ at the right hand of God noteth his intercession in the behalfe of the whole Church and each member thereof Who is he that condemneth saith the Apostle it is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 But of this Doctrine I shall speake more fitly in the fourth verse it being a great part of the Priesthood of Christ. I now proceed to the last thing in this first verse the continuance and Victories of Christs Kingdome in these words untill I make thy foes thy footstoole Wherin every word is full of weight For though ordinarily subdivisions of holy Scripture and crumbling of the bread of life be rather a loosing than an expounding of it yet in such parts of it as were of purpose intended for models and summaries of fundamentall Doctrine of which sort this Psalme is one of the fullest and briefest in the whole Scriptures as in little maps of large countries there is no word wherupon some point of weighty consequence may not depend Here then is considerable the terme of duration or measure of Christs Kingdome Vntill The Author of subduing Christs enemies under him I the Lord. The manner thereof ponam and ponam scabellum Put thy foes as a stoole under thy feete Victory is a relative word and presupposeth enemies and they are expressed in the text I will but touch that particular because I have handled it more largely upon another Scripture and their enmitie is here not described but onely presupposed It shews it selfe against Christ in all the Offices of his Mediation There is enmity against him as a Prophet Enmity against his Truth
of our progresse in brotherly love is punctually answerable to the growth of our love to Christ. Secondly a true grounded love unto Christ will shew it selfe in the right manner or conditions of it Which are principally these three First it must bee an incorrupt and sincere love Grace bee upon all those that love the Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in incorruption or sincerity saith the Apostle Eph. 6.24 that is on those who love not in word or outward profession and stipulation onely but in deed and truth or in the permanent constitution of the inner man which moveth them to love him alwayes and in all things to hate every false way to set the whole heart the studie purpose prayer and all the activity of our Spirits against every corruption in us which standeth at enmity with him and his Kingdome Secondly it must be a principall and superlative love grounded upon the experience of the soule in it selfe that there is ten thousand times more beautie and amiablenesse in him than in all the honours pleasures profits satisfactions which the world can afford that in comparison or competition with him the dearest things of this world the parents of our body the children of our flesh the wife of our bosome the bloud in our veines the heart in our brest must not onely be laid downe and lost as sacrifices but hated as snares when they draw us away from him Thirdly it must bee an unshared and uncommunicable love without any corrivals for Christ as he is unto us all in all so he requireth to have all our affections fixed upon him As the rising of the Sunne drowneth all those innumerable Starres which did shine in the firmament before so must the beauty of this Sunne of righteousnesse blot out or else gather together unto it selfe all those scattered affections of the soule which were before cast away upon meaner objects Lastly true love unto Christ will shew it selfe in the naturall and genuine effects of so strong and spirituall a grace some of the principall I before named unto which we may adde First An universall cheerefull and constant obedience to his holy Commandements If a man saith Christ love me he will keepe my Commandements and my Father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him Iob. 14.24 There is a twofold love a love which descends and a love which ascends a love of Bounty and beneficence and a love of Dutie and service so then as a father doth then only in truth love his childe when with all care he provideth for his present education and future subsistence so a childe doth then truly love his father when with all reverence and submission of heart he studieth to please and to doe him service And this love if it be free and ingenuous by how much the more not only pure and equall in it selfe but also profitable unto him the commandement is by so much the more carefully will it endevour the observation thereof And therefore since the soule of a Christian knowes that as God himselfe is good and doth good so his Law which is nothing but a ray and glimpse of his owne holinesse is likewise good in it selfe and doth good unto those which walke uprightly it is hereby enflamed to a more sweet and serious obedience thereunto in the keeping whereof there is for the present so much sweetnesse and in the future so great a reward Thy Word saith the Psalmist is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Secondly A free willing and cheerefull suffering for him and his Gospell Vnto you saith the Apostle it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 We see how far a humane love either of their countrey or of vain-glory hath transported some heathen men to the devoting and casting away their owne lives How much more should a spirituall love of Christ put courage into us to beare all things and to endure all things as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 13.7 for him who bare our sinnes and our stripes and our burdens for us which were heavier than all the world could lay on And this was the inducement of that holy martyr Polycarp to die for Christ notwithstanding all the perswasions of the persecutors who by his apostacie would faine have cast the more dishonour upon Christian Religion and as it were by sparing him have the more cunningly persecuted that This eightie six yeares saith he I have served him and he never in all that time hath done me any hurt why should I be so ungratefull as not to trust him in death who in so long a life hath never forsaken me I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. Nothing able to turne away his love from us and therefore nothing should be able to quench our loue to him Many waters that is by the usuall expression of the holy Scriptures many afflictions persecutions temptations cannot quench love neither can the flouds drowne it Cant. 8.7 Thirdly A zeale and jealous contention for the glory truth worship and wayes of Christ wicked men pretend much love to Christ but they indeed serve onely their owne turnes as Ivie which claspes an Oake very close but only to sucke out sap for its owne leaves and berries but a true love is full of care to advance the glory of Christs kingdome and to promote his truth and worship feares lest Satan and his instruments should by any meanes corrupt his truth or violate his Church as the Apostle to the Galatians professeth the feare which his love wrought in him towards them I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine Gal. 4 11-16 So we finde what contention and disputation and strife of spirit the Apostles and others in their ministery used when Christ and his holy Gospell was any way either injured by false brethren or kept out by the idolatry of the places to which they came Act. 15.2 Act. 17.16 Act. 18.25 19.8 Gal. 2.4 5. Iude v. 2. Lastly A longing after his presence a love of his appearing a desire to be with him which is best of all a seeking after him and grieving for him when for any while he departs from the soule a waiting for his salvation a delight in his Communion and in his spirituall refreshments a communing with him in his secret chamber in his houses of wine and in his galleries of love By which lovely expressions the Wise-man hath described the fellowship which the Church desireth to have with Christ and that abiding and supping of Christ with his Church feasting the soule with the manifestations of himselfe and
his graces unto it Psalm 42.3 105.4 2 Cor. 5.2 2 Tim. 4.8 Phil. 1.23 Cant. 3.1 2. Cant. 5 6-8 Gen. 49.18 Psal. 119.131 Cant. 1.4 2.4 Cant. 7.5 Ion. 14 21-23 Revel 3.20 Having thus by occasion of the enemies of Christ spoken something of the true and false Love which is in the world towards him we now proceed to the particulars mentioned before And the first is the terme of Duration or measure of time in the Text Vntill It hath a double relation in the words unto Christs Kingdome and unto his Enemies As it looks to the kingdome of Christ it denotes both the Continuance and the Limitation of his kingdome The continuance of it in his owne person for it is there fixed and intransient He is a King without successours as being subject to no mortality nor defect which might be by them supplied The kingdome of Christ as I observed is either Naturall as he is God or Dispensatory and by Donation from the Father as he is Mediator and not onely of the former but even of this likewise the Scripture affirmes that it is Eternall It is a kingdome set up by the God of heaven and yet it shall never be destroyed but stand for ever Dan. 2.44 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion that notes the unction and donation Psalm 2.6 and in mount Sion where God hath set him hee shall reigne from henceforth even for ever Mic. 4.7 Though hee be a childe borne and a sonne given yet of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and justice from henceforth for ever and ever Esay 9.6 7. unto the Sonne hee saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Heb. 1.8 And here wee must distinguish betweene the substance of Christs kingdome and the forme or manner of administring and dispencing it In the former respect it is absolutely eternall Christ shall bee a head and rewarder of his members an everlasting Father a Prince of peace unto them for ever In the latter respect it shall be Eternall according to some acception that is it shall remaine untill the consummation of all things as long as there is a Church of God upon the earth there shall be no new way of spirituall and essentiall government prescribed unto it no other Vicar Successour Monarch or Vsurper upon his office by God allowed but he onely by his Spirit in the dispensation of his ordinances shall order and over-rule the consciences of his people and subdue their enemies yet he shall so reigne till then as that hee shall then cease to rule in such manner as now hee doth when the end comes hee shall deliver up the kingdome to God the Father and when all things shall be subdued unto him he also himselfe shall be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15 24-28 He shall so returne it unto God as God did conferre and as it were appropriate it unto him namely in regard of judiciary dispensation and execution in which respect our Saviour saith that as touching the present administration of the Church The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement and hath given authority to execute it unto his Sonne Ioh. 4.22 27. Now Christ governeth his Church by the ministery of his Word and Sacraments and by the effusion of his Spirit in measure and degrees upon his members by his mightie though secret power he fighteth with his enemies and so shall doe till the resurrection of the dead when death the last enemie shal be overcome and then in these respects his kingdome shall cease for he shall no more exercise the offices of a Mediator in compassionating defending interceding for his Church but yet he shall still sit and reigne for ever as God coequall with his Father and shall ever be the Head of the Church his body Thus we see though Christs kingdome in regard of the manner of dispensation and present execution thereof it be limited by the consummation of all things yet in it selfe it is a kingdom which hath neither within the seeds of mortality nor without the danger of a concussion but in the substance is immortall though in regard of the commission and power which Christ had as Mediator to administer it alone by himselfe and by the fulnesse of his Spirit it be at last voluntarily resigned into the hands of the Father and Christ as a part of that great Church become subject to the Father that God may bee all in all Now the grounds of the Constancy of Christs government over his Church and by consequence of the Church it selfe which is his kingdome are amongst others these First the Decree and promise of God sealed by an oath which made it an adamantine and unbended purpose which the Lord would never repent of nor reverse All Gods Counsels are immutable though he may alter his workes yet he doth never change his will but when he sealeth his Decree with an oath that makes their immutability past question or suspition In that case it is impossible for God to change because it is impossible for God to lye or deny himselfe Hebr. 6.18 Now upon such a Decree is the Kingdome of Heaven established Once have I sworne by my Holinesse that I will not lye unto David saith the Lord Psal. 89.35 Once that notes the constancie and fixednesse of Gods promise By my Holinesse that notes the inviolablenesse of his promise as if he should have said Let me no longer be esteemed an Holy God than I keepe immutably that Covenant which I have sworne unto David in my truth Secondly the free gift of God unto his Sonne Christ whereby he committed all power and judgement unto him And Power is a strong argument to prove the Stability of a kingdome especially if it bee on either side supported with wisedome and righteousnesse as the power of Christ is And therefore from his power hee argues for the perpetuitie of his Church to the end of the world All power is given mee in heaven and earth Goe yee therefore and preach the Gospell to all nations and loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Matth. 28 18-20 And the argument is very strong and emphaticall for though kingdomes of great power have beene and may be subdued yet the reason is because much power hath still remained in the adverse side or if they have beene too vast for any smaller people to root out yet having not either wisdome enough to actuate so huge a frame or righteousnesse to prevent or purge out those vitious humours of emulation sedition luxury injustice violence and impietie which like strong diseases in a body are in states the preparations and seminaries of mortalitie they have sunke under their owne weight and beene inwardly corrupted by their
faith worship and obedience dependeth But wee say that as Peter was a foundation so were all the other Apostles likewise Eph. 2.20 Revel 21.14 and that upon the same reason For the Apostles were not foundations of the Church by any dignity of their persons as Christ the chiefe corner stone was but by the vertue of their Apostolicall office which was universall jurisdiction in governing the people of Christ universall commission in instructing them and a Spirit of infallibility in revealing Gods will unto them throughout the whole world And therefore as Peter had the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven to remit or retaine the sinnes of men so likewise had the other Apostles Ioh. 20.23 That Christs charge to Peter feed my sheepe feed my lambes is no other in substance than his commission to them all goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost And that the particular directing of it unto Peter and praying for him was with respect unto his particular onely by way of comfort and confirmation as being then a weake member not by way of dignity or deputation of Christs owne regall power to him in the visible Church For all the offices of Christ are intransient and uncommunicable to any other in as much as that administration and execution of them dependeth upon the dignity of his person and upon the fulnesse of his Spirit which no mortall man or immortall Angell is capable of But all this is not enough to bee granted them for the raising their authority But then thirdly we must grant them too that Peter thus qualified was Bishop of Rome for proofe wherof they have no Testimonie of Holy Scriptures but onely humane tradition Cui impossibile non est subesse falsum So that in this which is one of the maine principles they build upon their faith cannot bee resolved into the word of God and therefore is no divine faith Fourthly that hee did appoint that Church to bee the monarchicall and fundamentall see to all other Churches for hee was Bishop as well of Antioch as of Rome by their owne confession And I wonder why some of his personall vertue should not cleave to his chaire at Antioch but all passe over with him to another place Fifthly that hee did transmit all his prerogatives to his successors in that chaire By which assertion they may as well prove that they all though some of them have been sorcerers others murtherers others blasphemous atheists were inheriters of S. Peters love to Christ for from thence our Savior inferres feed my sheep to note that none feed his sheepe but those that love his person Lastly that that long succession from S. Peter untill now hath ever since been legall and uninterrupted Or else the Church must sometimes have been a monster without a head Wee grant that some of the Ancients argue from succession in the Church but it was while it was yet pure and while they could by reason of the little space of time betweene them and the Apostles with evidence resolve their Doctrine through every medium into the preaching of the Apostles themselves But even in their personall succession who knoweth not what Simonies and Sorceries have raised divers of them unto that degree and who is able to resolve that every Episcopall ordination of every Bishop there hath been valid since therunto is requisite both the intention and Orders of that Bishop that ordained him These and a world of the like uncertainties must the faith of these men depend upon who dare arrogate to themselves the prerogatives of Christ and of his Catholike Kingdome But I have been too long upon this argument Againe this point of the stabilitie of Christs Kingdome is a ground of strong confidence comfort to the whole Church of Christ against all the violence of any outward enemies wherwith sometimes they may seeme to bee swallowed upon Though they associate themselves and gird to the battle though they take counsell and make decrees against the Lords anointed and against his spouse yet it shall all come to nought and be broken in pieces all the smoake of hell shall not bee able to extinguish nor all the power of hell to overturne the Church of God and the reason is Immanuel God is with us Esai 8.9 10. That anointing which the Church hath received shall deliver it at last from the yoke of the enemie Esai 10.27 Though it seeme for the time in as desperate a condition as a dry stick in the fire or a dead body in the grave yet this is not indeed a sepulture but a semination Though it seeme to bee cast away for a season yet in due time it will come up and flourish againe Zechariah 3.2 Ezekiel 37.11 And this is the assurance that the Church may have that the Lord can save and deliver a second time Esai 11.11 that hee is the same God yesterday and to day and for ever and therfore such a God as the Church hath found him heretofore such a God it shall finde him to day and for ever in the returnes and manifestations of his mercy Which discovers the folly and foretels the confusion of the enemies of Christs Kingdome they conceive mischiefe but they bring forth nothing but vanity Iob 15.35 They conceive chaffe and bring forth stubble Esai 33.11 They imagine nothing but a vaine thing their malice is but like the fighting of briars and thornes with the fire Esai 27.4 Nahum 1.10 like the dashing of waves against a rock like a mad mans shooting arrowes against the Sunne which at last returne upon his owne head like the puffing of the fanne against the corne which driveth away nothing but the chaffe like the beating of the winde against the saile or the foming and raging of the water against a mill which by the wisedome of the artificers are all ordered unto usefull and excellent ends And surely when the Lord shall have accomplished his worke on mount Sion when hee shall by the adversary as by a fanne have purged away the iniquity of Iacob and taken away his sinne hee will then returne in peace and beauty unto his people againe Looke on the preparation of some large building in one place you shall see heapes of lime and morter in another piles of timber every where rude and indigested materials and a tumultuary noise of axes and hammers but at length the artificer sets every thing in order and raiseth up a beautifull structure such is the proceeding of the Lord in the afflictions and vastations of his Church though the enemie intend to ruine it yet God intends onely to repaire it Thus farre as Donec respects Christs Kingdome in it selfe Now as it respecteth the enemies of Christ it notes First The present inconsummatenesse of the victories and by consequence the intranquillity of Christs Kingdome here upon the earth All his enemies are not yet under his feete Satan is not yet shut up
present and things to come all are yours saith the Apostle Death it selfe and persecutions are amongst the legacies of Christ unto the Church and a portion of all that goodnesse with which in the Gospell shee is endowed It containes the glory of Gods power and strength for it is the Power of God unto salvation as hath beene declared It containeth the glory of Gods grace The grace of his favour towards us and the grace of his Spirit in us The Law was given by Moses but grace came by Christ that is favour in stead of Gods fury and strength in stead of mans infirmitie for because man was unable to fulfill the Law therefore the Law came with wrath and curses against man but in the Gospell of Christ there is abundance even a whole kingdome of grace the Apostle saith that by Iesus Christ grace raigned there is grace to remove the curse of the Law by Gods favour towards us so that on all sides the Law is weake unable by reason of mans sinne to save and unable by reason of Gods favour to condemne and there is grace to remove the weaknesse of man by Gods Spirit in us for though our owne spirit lust unto envie or set it selfe proudly against the Law of God yet hee giveth more grace that is strength enough to overcome the counterlustings of the flesh against his will and to enable us in sincerity and evangelicall perfection to fulfill the commands of the Law Lastly it containeth in some sort the glory of Gods heavenly kingdome in that therein are let in the glimpses and first fruits the seales and assurances thereof unto the soule by the promises testimonies and comforts of the Spirit And therefore it is frequently called the Gospell of the kingdome and the mysteries of the kingdome of God namely that kingdome which beginneth here but shall never end As if a man borne in Ireland bee afterwards transplanted into England though he change his countrey he doth not change his King or his Law but is still under the same government so when a Christian is translated from earth to heaven he is still in the same kingdome in heaven it is the kingdome of glory mended much by the different excellencie of the place and preferment of the person in earth it is the same kingdome though in a lesse amene and comfortable climate the kingdome of the Gospell These and many other the like things are the glorious matters which the Gospell containeth Here then wee see how and wherein we are to looke upon God so as that wee may abide his glory and bee comforted by it wee must not looke upon him in his owne immediate brightnesse and essence nor by our sawcie curiosities prie into the secrets of his unrevealed glory for he is a consuming fire an invisible and unapprochable light we may see his back-parts in the proclaiming of his mercy and wee may see the hornes or bright beames of his hands in the publishing of his Law but yet all this was under a cloud or under the biding of his Power His face no man can see and live Wee must not looke upon him onely in our selves Though wee might at first have seene him in our owne nature for we were created after his Image in righteousnesse and true holinesse yet now that Image is utterly obliterated and we have by nature the Image onely of Satan and the old Adam in us we must not looke upon him onely in mount Sinai in his Law lest the fire devoure us and the dart strike us thorow we can finde nothing of him there but rigour inexorablenesse wrath and vengeance But we must acquaint our selves with him in his Sonne wee must know him and whom he hath sent together there is no fellowship with the Father except it be with the Sonne too we may have the knowledge of his Hand that is of his workes and of his punishments without Christ but we cannot have the knowledge of his bosome that is of his counsels and of his compassions nor the knowledge of his Image that is of his holinesse grace and righteousnesse nor the knowledge of his presence that is of his comforts here and his glory hereafter but onely in and by Christ we may know God in the World for in the Creation is manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may bee knowne of him namely his eternall power and God-head But this is a barren and fruitlesse knowledge which will not keepe downe unrighteousnesse for the wise men of the world when they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and held that truth of him which was in the Creation revealed in unrighteousnesse Wee may know him in his Law too and that in exceeding great glory when God came from Teman and the Holy One from mount Paran whereabout the Law was the second time repeated by Moses his glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise his brightnesse was as the light c. But this is a killing knowledge a knowledge which makes us flie from God and hide our selves out of his presence and fight against him as our sorest enemies and come short of his glory therefore the Law is called a firy Law or a fire of Law to shew not onely the originall thereof for it was spoken out of the middest of the fire but the nature and operation of it too which of it selfe is to heap fire and curses upon the soule and therefore it is called the ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 But now to know the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ is both a fruitfull and a comfortable knowledge wee know the patterne we must walke by we know the life we must live by we know the treasure wee must be supplied by we know whom wee have beleeved wee know whom wee may be bold with in all straits and distresses wee know God in Christ full of love full of compassion full of eares to heare us full of eyes to watch over us full of hands to fight for us full of tongues to commune with us full of power to preserve us full grace to transforme us full of fidelity to keepe covenant with us full of wisdome to conduct us full of redemption to save us full of glory to reward us Let us therefore put our selves into this Rocke that Gods goodnesse may passe before us that he may communicate the mysteries of his kingdom and of his glory unto us that by him our persons may be accepted our prayers admitted our services regarded our acquaintance and fellowship with the Lord increased by that blessed Spirit which is from them both shed abroad in his Gospell upon us Now lastly the Gospell of Christ is glorious in those ends effects or purposes for which it serveth And in this respect principally doth the Apostle so often magnifie the glory of the Gospell above
that it doth not onely sanctifie men but preserve their holinesse in them If it were not for the treasure of the word in the heart every little thing would easily turne a man out of his way and make him revolt from Christ againe How easily would afflictions make us mistrust Gods affection to us and so change ours unto him for this is certaine His Love to us is the originall of our love to him make us murmure repine struggle fret under his hand if in the Gospell wee did not looke upon them as the gentle corrections of a Father who loves us as the pruning and harrowing of our foules that they may bring forth more fruit Except thy Law had beene my delight I should have perished in mine affliction My affliction would have destroied me and made mee perish from the right way if it had not beene tempered and sanctified by thy Word It wrought so with that wicked king of Israel Behold this evill is of the Lord what should I waite upon the Lord any longer what profit is there to walke humbly before him or to afflict our selves before him who will not see nor take knowledge of it but continue to be our enemie still But the Gospell teacheth a mans heart to rest in God assureth it that there is hope in Israel and balme in Gilead that they which beleeve should not make haste to limit or to misconstrue God but waite for his Salvation which will ever come in that due time wherein it shall be both most acceptable and most beautifull Againe how easily would Temptations over-turne the faith of men if it were not daily supported by the Word what is the reason that the sheepe of Christ will not follow strangers nor know their voice that is will not acknowledge any force nor subscribe in their hearts to the conviction or evidence of any temptation which would draw them from God but onely because they heare and know the voice of Christ in his Gospell and feele a spirit in their owne hearts setting to its seale and bearing witnesse to that truth from whence those solicitations would seduce them The Apostle foretold the Elders of Ephesus at his solemne departure from them that grievous wolves would enter in amongst them that some of themselves would arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them And the maine remedie which the Apostle gives them against this danger was I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up c. Noting that it is the Word of God which keepeth men from being drawne away with perverse disputes And the same intimation he gives them in his Epistle unto them Hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceive The more richly the word of God in the love and evidence thereof doth dwell in any man and enable him to prove all things the more stedfastly will he hold that which is good and stand immoveable against the sleights and solicitations of men Againe how easily would our owne evill hearts gather a rust and unaptnesse for service over themselves if they were not daily whet and brightned upon the Word of God That onely it is which scrapeth away that leprosie and mossinesse which our soules are apt to contract out of themselves A man may lose all that hee hath wrought all the benefit of what hee hath done already and all the strength to doe any more onely by not abiding in the Doctrine of Christ. Hee onely is no doer of the Word who looketh in it as a man on a glasse and presently forgetteth the image and state of his conscience againe it is onely hee that continueth therein who is a doer of the worke and blessed in his deed He that treasureth up the Gospell in his heart and laboureth to grow rich in the knowledge thereof can never be turned quite out of his way or become an Apostate from the grace of Christ. Lastly it is a glorious Gospell in regard of those noble and majesticall endowments with which it qualifieth the soule of a Christian for there is no nobility to that of the Gospell It giveth men the highest priviledge in the world to bee called the Sonnes of God to bee kings and priests before him to be a Royall priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people a nation of priests Nothing doth so honour a land as to bee the seate of the Gospell It was the honour of the Iewes that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Therefore the Arke is called the Glory of Israel and Christ the glory of Israel and the excellency of Iacob neither is there any thing else allowed a man to glory in save onely this that hee understandeth and knoweth the Lord in his word It putteth magnanimity into the breasts of men high thoughts regall affections publike desires and attempts a kinde of heavenly ambition to doe and to gaine the greatest good The maine ends of a Christian are all high and noble The favour of God the fellowship of the Father and the Son the Grace of Christ the peace of the Church his trafficke and negotiation is for heaven his language the Dialect of heaven his order a heavenly order innumerable companies of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect A holy man who hath the spirit of his minde raised and ennobled by the Gospell is an Agent in the same affaires and doth in his thoughts desires prayers emulations pursue the same high and heavenly ends for the advancement of the glory of Christ and demolishing the kingdome of Satan with the blessed Angels of God His desires looke no lower than a kingdome a weight of massie and most superlative exceeding glory That which other men make the utmost point even of their impudent and immodest hopes the secular favours and dignities of the world these put lowest under their feet but their wings the higher and more aspiring affections of their soule are directed onely unto heaven and heavenly things They no sooner are placed in the body of Christ but they have publike services some to preach some to defend all to pray to practise to adorne the profession they have under-taken For indeede every Christian hath his talent given him his service injoyn'd him The Gospell is a Depositum a publike Treasure committed to the keeping of every Christian each man having as it were a severall key of the Church a severall trust for the honour of this kingdome deliver'd unto him As in the solemne Coronation of the Prince every Peere of the Realme hath his station about the Throne and with the touch of his hand upon the roiall Crowne declareth the personall
interpretatively in the constitution and preparation of heart the violation of all because they are all grounded upon the same divine authority and directed unto the same saving ends and therefore wee ought not to picke and choose either in the preaching or practising thereof Thirdly we are to answere for the bloud of the people if wee prevaricate if wee let their sinnes alone they will have a double edge to kill them and us both like the mutuall embracements of two in a river which is the meanes to drowne them both Speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismaied at their faces saith the Lord to his Prophet lest I confound thee before them If thou warne not the wicked from his wicked way that hee may live he shall dye in his wickednesse thy bashfulnesse shall doe him no good but his bloud will I require at thy hands Is it at all congruous that men should have boldnesse enough to declare their sinnes to speake them to proclaime them to weare them to glorie in them and that those officers who are sent for no other businesse but in the name and authority of Almighty God to fight against the corruptions of the world should in the meane time hang downe the head and be tongue-tied that men should have more boldnesse to destroy themselves and to doe Satans works than we to save them or to serve God Fourthly we are to speake in the person of Christ and in the vertue of his Spirit We must speake as the Oracles of God and with his words as if he himselfe did by us speake unto the people We must give manifestation of Christ speaking by us that men may be convinc'd that God is in us of a truth and that we are full of power by his spirit that his spirit setteth to his seale to authorize our commission and to countenance our ministery and therefore we must use judgement and might that is spirituall discretion and inflexible constancy against the sinnes of men for these two are contrary to the two grand props of Satans kingdome which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his craftinesse and his weapons of power for where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty his spirit will not be straightned neither will the Lord keepe silence hee that speaketh by the spirit of Christ must speake though not in equality which is impossible yet in some similitude and proportion as he spake that is as those that have Authority and power committed to them for the edification of the Church Lastly a partiall unsearching and unreproving Minister is one of Gods curses and scourges against a place the forerunner of a finall and fearefull visitation The dayes of visitation and recompence come saith the Lord. The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred If a man walking in the spirit and falshood that is professing the worke of a spirituall man and yet betraying his office or in a false and lying spirit prophesying of wine and strong drinke that is cherishing and encouraging sensuall livers in their pernitious courses he shall even be the prophet of this people And therefore when the Lord will punish with an extreme revenge the rebellion of a people against his Gospell who judge themselves unworthy of so great a salvation hee either removeth their Candlesticke and taketh it away from them or else sealeth up the mouth of his Prophets that they may bee dumbe and reprove them no longer and that they may not bee purged any more from their filthinesse or else infatuates their Prophets and suffereth Satan to seduce them and to be a lying Spirit in their mouthes that he may destroy them as wee see in the ruine of Ahab and in the captivity of Iudah Againe as the Ministers of the Gospell must use liberty so must they likewise use sinceritie in the dispensation thereof because it is a glorious Gospell This likewise is the Apostles inference for having spent a whole chapter in this one argument of the glory of the Gospell he presently concludeth Therefore seeing we have this ministery that is the dispensation of such a Gospell committed unto us wee faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonestie that is as I conceive the arts of dawbing and palliating and covering over uncleane courses with plausible reasonings and fleshly apologies which is the use of false prophets not walking in craftinesse that is not using humane sleights or cogging to carry men about with every wind of false doctrine as sinners are very willing to be deceived and love to have it as false prophets say it is nor handling the Word of God deceitfully that is falsifying and adulterating it with corrupt glosses and so tempering it to the palat of sinners that the working searching vertue thereof whereby of it selfe it is apt to purge out and wrestle with the lusts of men may be deaded and so it may well consist with the power of lusts still as Physitians use so to qualifie and allay poison by other correctives and crosse ingredients that it shall serve as an instrument to strengthen us not extinguish life or as immodest Poets may so tamper with the chast expressions of Virgil or Homer as by them both to notifie and in corrupt minds to kindle uncleane lustings but by manifestation of the truth that is by such spirituall and perspicuous demonstrations as under which there cannot subesse falsum there can no falsitie nor deceit lurke commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God that is working not the fancies or humours or fleshly conceits of men which alwayes take the part of sinne but their very consciences which alwayes is on Gods side to beare witnesse unto the truth which wee speake to receive it not as the wit or learning of a man but as the Word and wisdome of God to acknowledge the conviction the judicature the penetration thereof and so to fal down upon their faces and to glorifie God and report that he is in us of a truth and all this in the sight of God that is so handling the Word as that wee may please and approve our selves to his eye whose servants we are and whose worke wee doe This is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vncorruptnesse gravitie sinceritie soundnesse of doctrine such as the very adversaries themselves shall not be able to picke quarrels withall or to speake against we must not then make account to adorne the Gospell with our owne inventions or with superstructions of humane wit and fancie though these things may to fleshly reason seeme full of beautie yet indeed they are but like the mingling of glasse-beads with a chaine of diamonds or of lime with pure and generous wine they are indeed but
and to heale and prevent back-slidings for the time to come Fourthly that he might be fit for so meane and humble a service there was a lessening and emptying of himselfe he was contented to be subject to his owne Law to be the childe of his owne creature to take upon himselfe not the similitude onely but the infirmities of sinfull flesh to descend from his throne and to put on rags in one word to become poore for us that we through his povertie might be made rich Amongst men many will be willing to shew so much mercy as will consist with their state and greatnesse and may tend to beget a further distance and to magnifie their heighth and honour in the mindes of men but when it comes to this exigent that a man must debase himselfe to doe good unto another that his compassion will be to a miserable man no benefit except he suffer ignominie and undergoe a servile condition for him and doe as it were change habits with the man whom he pities what region of the earth will afford a man who will freely make his owne honour to be the price of his brothers redemption yet this is the manner of Christs Care for us who though hee were the Lord of Glory the brightnesse of his Fathers Majestie and the expresse Image of his Person did yet humble himselfe to endure shame and the contradiction of sinners that he might be the Author and finisher of our faith Fifthly There was not onely an humbling or metaphoricall emptying of himselfe in that he made himselfe of no reputation but there was likewise a reall and proper emptying of himselfe he therein testified his wonderfull Care of the businesses of man that for them he put himselfe to the greatest expence and to the exhausting of a richer treasure than any either heaven or earth could afford besides yee were not redeemed saith the Apostle with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot That which no man will bestow upon himselfe and that which was in nature and might justly in love have beene neerest to Christ himselfe even the soule in his body and the bloud in his veines he was contented to make a sacrifice for them who powred it out as the bloud of a malefactour Sixthly besides this great price which he paid to his Father for us hee hath opened another treasure of his Grace and Spirit out of which he affordeth us daily supplies and putteth into our hands as it were an heavenly stocke for the better negotiating and improvement of our salvation Hee setteth up his Spirit in our hearts thereby conversing and communing with us teaching us the trade of the citizens of heaven and of laying up treasures there where our finall abode must be of having our conversation and commerce with innumerable companies of Angels and with the spirits of just men made perfect and withall that generall assembly or Church of the first-borne which is inrolled in heaven Lastly to all this he addeth Preparations and provisions for the future for us he doth not onely give but he prepareth things for those that love him and what ever is wanting now he will make it up unto us in the riches of his glory It was for our expediencie that hee left the Church on earth in regard of his carnall presence and went unto his Father againe Hee was not beholden to change oâ— place for his owne glory for his heaven was within him as a fountaine and indeed it is his presence which maketh heaven to be the place of glory therefore Saint Paul desired to depart and to be with Christ noting that it is not heaven but Christs presence which is the glory of the Saints Therefore I say it was for us that he went to heaven againe for their sakes saith he I sanctifie my selfe it is expedient for you that I goe away Expâ—dient to seale and secure our full and finall redemption unto us for as the Leviticall Priest entred not into the holiest of all without bloud so neither did Christ into heaven without making satisfaction hee first obtained eternall redemption for us and then he entred into the holy place and expedient to prepare a place for us that the glory which is given to him hee may give unto us that being raised up together we may likewise sit together with him in heavenly places for when the head is crowned the whole body is invested with royall honour Hee by the vertue of his Ascension opened the kingdome of heaven for all beleevers even the Fathers before Christ entred not in without respect unto that consummate redemption which hee was in the fulnesse of time to accomplish for his Church As a man may be admitted into an actuall possession of land onely in the vertue of covenants and under the intuition of a payment to be afterwards performed Thus we see in how many things the abundant Care of Christ doth shew it selfe towards the Church And as there are therein all the particulars of a tender care so by the Gospell likewise doe all the fruits and benefits thereof redound unto the faithfull First in the Gospell he feedeth and strengthneth them even in the presence of their enemies he prepareth them a table and feedeth them with his rod and according to their comming out of Aegypt he sheweth unto them marvellous things And therefore our Saviour calleth his Gospell The childrens bread It is that which quickneth which strengthneth them which maketh them fruitfull in spirituall workes Secondly He upholdeth them from fainting if their strength at any time faile hee leadeth them gently and teacheth them to goe As Iacob led on his cattell and his children softly according as they were able to endure so Christ doth lead out his flocke and hold his children by the hand and teach them to goe and draweth them with the cords of a man that is with meeke and gentle institution such as men use towards their children and not to their beasts and with bands of love As an Eagle sluttereth over her young and spreadeth abroad her wings and taketh them and beareth them on her wings so doth the Lord in his Gospel sweetly lead on and institute the faithfull unto strength and salvation he dealeth with them as a compassionate nurse with a tender infant condescendeth to their strength and capacitie when we stumble he keepeth us when we fall he raiseth us when we faint hee beareth us in his armes when wee grow weary of well-doing the Gospell is full of encouragements to hearten us full of spirit to revive us full of promises to establish us full of beautie to entice us when we seeme to be in a wildernesse a maze where there is no issue nor view of deliverance even there he openeth a doore of hope and allureth and speaketh
in sincerity as hypocrites some not so much as in externall conformity as evill workers The heretike corrupteth Christ the schismatike divideth him the hypocrite mocketh him the prophane person dishonoreth him and all deny him Let us then learne to look unto our hearts for we may slatter Christ when we doe not love him we may inquire and seeke early after him and yet have no desire to finde him wee may come unto his schoole as untoward children not for love of his Doctrine but for feare of his rod we may call him husband and yet bee wedded to our owne lusts we may be baptized in his name so was Simon Magus we may preach him so did the false brethren we may flocke after him so did the multitude who followed him not for his words or miracles but for the loaves we may bow unto him so did his crucifiers wee may call upon his name so did the hypocrites that said Lord Lord and yet did not enter into the kingdome of heaven we may confesse and beleeve him so doe the very divels in hell we may give him our lips our eyes our tongues our knees our hands and yet still our kingdome our throne our hearts may bee Satans And all this is to make him but a mock-king as the Jewes did when indeed we crucifie him Note thirdly Christs Word and Spirit are stronger than all adverse opposition This is his Glory that his kingdome commeth in unto him by way of Conquest as Canaan unto Israel Therefore at the very first erecting of his kingdome when in all presumption it might most easily have beene crushed he suffer'd his enemies to vent their utmost malice and to glut themselves with the bloud of his people that so it might appeare that though they did fight against him they could not prevaile against him but that his counsell should still stand and flourish and should consume and breake in pieces all the kingdomes which set themselves against it that they all should be affraid of the Ensigne of the Gospell and should fly from it This jealousie of God for his Church may be seene in frustrating the attempts and pulling off the wheeles on which the projects which are cast against his Church doe move as hee dealt with Pharaoh Hee can dissolve the confederacies shatter the counsels cast a spirit of treachery unfaithfulnesse and mutinous affections into the hearts of his enemies as hee did into the Midianites and into the children of Ammon Moab and Edom when they gathered together against his people He can infatuate their counsels and make them the contrivers and artificers of their owne ruine as we see in the consultation of Rehoboam with his young men and of Ieroboam in his idolatrous policy and of Haman in his gallowes He can defeat their expectations and disannull their decrees and make his owne Counsell alone to stand But when all this is done this is onely to rule in spight of his enemies But besides this his Kingdome fetcheth his enemies under and in some sort ruleth over their consciences and striketh them to the ground maketh the divels in hell the stoutest of all sinners to tremble breaketh the rockes asunder affrighteth judgeth sealeth hardeneth thresheth revengeth the pride of men and maketh them before-hand to taste the bitternesse of that damnation which waketh over them and commeth swiftly against them Let us take heed then of being Christs enemies in opposing the power and progresse of his word the evidence and purity of his Spirit in the lives of men It is but to make a combination to pull the Sunne out of heaven or for a wave to contend with a rocke for as the ruines of a house are broken on the things upon which they fall so are the enemies of Christ which gather together against his Church and fall upon the rocke at length ruined by their owne malice Sampsons foxes were themselves burnt amongst the corne which they fired The land brought forth corne the next yeere againe and it may be more plentifully by reason of that fire but the foxes never came up any more Even so can the Lord deale with those enemies which waste and depopulate his Church make them the authors of their owne utter confusion and bring forth his Church with shouting and with doubled graces Who then is the man that desireth tranquillitie of life and securitie against all evill Let him become a subject in this conquering kingdome and cast himselfe under the banner and protection of Christ and he cannot miscarrie He that walketh uprightly walketh surely The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous flieth unto it and is safe The Lord is a Sunne and a shield a Fountaine of all good Grace and Glorie will hee give and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke uprightly and a protection against all evill I will not be affraid of ten thousand of men saith the Prophet David that compasse me about When there is no light nor issue nor in nature possibility of escape he can open a doore of deliverance to relieve his Church As a man in the kings high-way is under the kings protection so in Christs way we are under his protection Let us then never repine at the miscarriages of the world nor murmure against the wise proceedings of God in the severall dispensation towaâ—ds his Church on earth when he punisheth he doth it in measure lesse than our sinnes deserved and when we search and try our wayes and returne unto him hee knoweth how to worke his owne glory in our deliverance Those stones which are appointed for a glorious building are first under the saw and the hammer to be hewed and squared and those Christians in whom the Lord will take most delight he usually thereunto fitteth by trials and extremities Hee that is brought to tremble in himselfe may with most confidence expect to rejoyce in God Note fourthly this is the honour of Christs kingdome to be a peaceable quiet and secure kingdome not onely after the victory but in the midst of enemies This man saith the Prophet of Christ shall be the peace when the Assyrian the enemie is in the land Wee have peace in him when wee have tribulation in the world Christ saith of himselfe I came not to send peace but a sword and yet the Apostle saith That hee came and preached peace to those which were afarre off and to them which were neere How shall these things be reconcil'd Surely as a man may say of a Rocke Nothing more quiet because it is never stirr'd and yet nothing more unquiet because it is ever assaulted so wee may say of the Church Nothing more peaceable because it is established upon a Rocke and yet nothing more unpeaceable because that rocke is in the midst of seas windes enemies persecutions But yet still the Prophets Conclusion is certaine The worke of righteousnesse is
peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever VERSE 3. Thy people shall be willing in the Day of thy Power in the Beauties of Holinesse from the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth THe Prophet before shewed the Raigne of Christ over his enemies hee now speaketh of his Raigne over his people and describeth what manner of subjects or souldiers Christ should have I will not trouble you with varietie of expositions occasioned by the many Metaphors and different translations but give in a few words those which I conceive to be most literall and pertinent to the place Thy people that is those whom thou dost receive from thy Father and by setting up the standard and Ensigne of thy Gospell gather to thy selfe Shall be willing the word is willingnesses that is a people of great Willingnesse and Devotion or as the originall word is elsewhere used Psal. 119.108 shall bee free will offerings unto thee The Abstract being put for the Concrete and the plurall for the singular notes how exceeding forward and free they should be as the Lord to signifie that his people were most rebellious saith that they were Rebellion it selfe Ezek. 2.8 So then the meaning is Thy people shall with most readie and forward cheerefulnesse devote consecrate and render up themselves to thy governement as a reasonable sacrifice shall bee of a most liberall free noble and unconstrained spirit in thy service they shall bee Voluntaries in the warres of thy Kingdome In the Day of Thy Power or Of thine Armies by these words wee may understand two things both of them aiming at the same generall sense First so as that Armies shall bee the same with Thy people before In the Day when thou shalt assemble thy Souldiers together when thou shalt set up thine Ensignes for them to seeke unto that is when thou shalt cause the preaching of thy Gospell to sound like a Trumpet that men may prepare themselves in armies to fight thy battels then shall all thy people with great devotion and willingnesse gather themselves together under thy Colours and freely devote themselves to thy militarie service Secondly so as that by Power or Armies may bee meant the Meanes whereby this free and willing Devotion in Christs people is wrought that is when thou shalt send foorth the Rod of thy strength when thou shalt command thy Apostles and Ministers to goe forth and fight against the kingdomes of Sinne and Satan when thou shalt in the dispensation of thine Ordinances reveale thy Power and spirituall strength unto their Consciences then shall they most willingly relinquish their former service and wholly devote themselves unto thee to fight under thy banners and to take thy part against all thine enemies In the Beauties of Holinesse This likewise wee may severally understand Either in thy Holy Church Which may well so bee called with allusion to the Temple at Ierusalem which is called The Beauty of Holinesse Psal. 29.2 and a Holy and Beautifull house Esai 64.11 and a glorious high throne Ier. 17.12 And hither did the tribes resort in troopes as it were in armies to present their free will offerings and celebrate the other services of the Lord. Or else wee may understand it Causally thus In the Day of thy Power that is when thou shalt reveale thy strength and Spirit and in the Beauties of Holinesse that is when thou shalt reveale how exceeding beautifull and full of lovelinesse thy Holy wayes and services are then shall thy people bee perswaded with all free and willing devotion of heart to undertake them Or lastly thus as the Priests who offered sacrifices to the Lord were cloathed with Holy and Beautifull garments Exod. 28.2.40 or as those who in admiration of some noble Prince voluntarily follow the service of his warres doe set themselves forth in the most complete furniture and richest attire as is fit to give notice of the noblenesse of their mindes for beautifull armor was want to bee esteemed the honor of an armie So they who willingly devote themselves unto Christ to bee Souldiers and Sacrifices unto him are not onely armed with strength but adorned with such inward graces as make them Beautifull as Tirza comely as Ierusalem faire as the Moone cleâ—re as the Sunne and terrible as an armie with banners All which three Explications meete in one generall which is principally intended that Holinesse hath all beauties in it and is that onely which maketh a man lovely in the Eyes of Christ. From the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth There is a middle point after those words The Wombe of the Morning which may seeme to disjoine the clauses make those words referre wholly to the preceding In which relation there might bee a double sense conceived in them Either thus In the Beauties of Holinesse or in Holinesse very beautifull more than the Aurora or wombe of the morning when shee is ready to bring forth the Sunne And then it is a notable metaphor to expresse the glorious beautie of Gods wayes Or thus thy people shall bee a willing people from the very wombe of the morning that is from the very first forming of Christ in them and shining forth upon them they shall rise out of their former nakednesse and security and shall adorne themselves with the beautifull graces of Christs Spirit as with cloathing of wrought gold and rayment of needle-worke and shall with gladnesse and rejoycing with much devotion and willingnesse of heart bee brought unto the King and present themselves before him as Voluntaries in his service But because the learned conceive that the middle point is onely a distinction for convenient reading not a disjunction of the sense I shall therefore rest in a more received exposition Thy Children shall bee borne in great abundance unto thee by the seed of thy word in the wombe of the Church as soone as the morning or sunne of righteousnesse shall shine forth upon it As the dew is borne out of the coole morning aire as out of a wombe distilling down in innumerable drops upon the earth so thine elect shall bee borne unto thee by the preaching of thy word and first approach of thy heavenly light in innumerable armies And this explication is very suteable to the harmonie of Holy Scripture which useth the same metaphors to the same purpose in other places The Remnant of Iacob saith the Prophet shall bee in the middest of many people as a dew from the Lord. And Christ is called the Bright-morning-starre and the Day-spring and the Sunne of Righteousnesse and time of the Gospell is called the time of Day or the approach of Day So that from the wombe of the morning is from the heavenly light of the Gospell which is the wing or beame wherby the Sunne of Righteousnesse revealeth himselfe and breaketh out upon the world as the rising Sunne which rejoyceth like a Giant to runne
subscribe unto if God would then shew him mercy when the court of mercy is shut up wouldst thou returne to the earth and live there a thousand yeares under contempt and persecution for my service O yes not under thy service onely but under the rockes and mountaines of the earth so I may be hid from the face of the Lambe Wilt thou be content to goe to hell and serve me there a thousand yeeres in the midst of hellish torments and the reviling of damned creatures O yes even in hell infinitely better would it be to be thy servant than thine enemie Wilt thou revenge every oath with an yeare of prayers every bribe or corruption with a treasury of almes every vanity with an age of precisenesse Yes Lord the severest of thy commands to escape but the smallest of thy judgements O let us be wise for our selves there shall be no such easie conditions then proposed when it will be impossible to observe them and there are now farre easier proposed when we are invited to observe them Lastly from hence we learne that none will be Willing to come unto Christ till they see Beauty in his service which with a carnall eye they cannot doe for naturally the heart is possessed with much prejudice against it that the way of religion in that exactnesse which the Word requires is but the phantasme of more sublimated speculations a meere notionall and airy thing which hath no being at all but in the wishes of a few men who fancie unto themselves the shape of a Church as Zenophon did of a Prince or Plato of a Common-wealth And therefore though with their tongues they doe not yet in their hearts men are apt to lay aside that rigour and exactnesse which the Scripture requires namely to pull out our right eyes to cut off our right hands to hate father and mother and wife and lands and our owne life to deny our selves to crosse our own desires to mortifie our earthly members to follow the Lambe through evill report and good report through afflictions and persecutions and manifold temptations whither soever hee goeth to warre with principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses to acquaint our selves with the whole counsell of God and the like and in stead thereof to resolve upon certaine more tolerable maximes of their owne to goe to heaven by certaine mediocrities betweene piety and prophanenesse wherein men hope to hold God fast enough and yet not to lose either the world or their sinfull lusts This is a certaine and confessed truth that the spirit which is in us by nature is contrary to the spirit of purity and power which is in the world and therefore the universall and willing submission of the heart unto this must needs finde both many antipathies within and many discouragements and contempts without Christ was set up for a signe of contradiction to be spoken against and that in the houses of Israel and of Iuda and as it was then so is it now even in Abrahams family in the houshold and visible Church of Christ They that are of the flesh persecute those that are after the spirit Christ had never greater enemies than those which professed his name This is one of the sorest engines Satan hath against his kingdome to make it appeare in the eyes of men as a despicable contemptuous and unbeautifull thing And therefore no man comes under Christs government till that prejudice by manifest evidence of the Spirit be removed And for this reason the wayes of Christ are set forth as beautifull even under crosses and afflictions I am blacke with persecution with the beating of the Sunne upon me but yet I am comely O yee daughters of Jerusalem When the watch-men smote the Church and wounded her and tooke away her veile yet still she acknowledged Christ for whose sake she suffered these persecutions to be the white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand and the same opinion hath Christ of his Church though she be afflicted and tossed with tempest yet he esteemeth of her as of a beautifull structure How faire and how pleasant art thou O love for delights And this is that we should all endevour to shew forth in a shining and unblameable conversation the Beauty of the Gospell that the enemie may have no occasion from any indiscretions affectatitions unnecessary reservednesse and deformities ungrounded scrupulosities over-worldly affections or any other miscarriages of those who professe not the name onely but the power of religion to blaspheme or fling off from a way against which they have such prejudices offered them for all that which the faithfull have common with the world shall yet be sure to be charg'd upon their profession by wicked men who have not either reason or charity enough to distinguish betweene Gods rule and mans errour Submit your selves saith the Apostle to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake c. for so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men for this is certaine the ignorance of foolish men will not so much lay the blowes upon your persons as upon that truth and religion which you professe when you needlessely withstand any such ordinances as you might without sinne obey The last thing observed in this verse was the Multitudes of Christs subjects and the manner of their birth From the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Thy children are borne in as great abundance unto thee as the dew which falleth from the morning wombe From whence we may note First that Christ in the day of his power in the morning of his Church had multitudes of children borne unto him This promise the Lord made to Abraham and it is not to be limited to his children after the flesh but to his children of promise that his seed should be as the Starres and as the Dust for multitude And the Prophet applies that Promise to Israel by promise when those after the flesh should be dissipated and become no people yet saith the Prophet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred c. meaning the Israel of God amongst the Gentiles Thus the faithfull are said to flocke like Doves unto their windowes and to swell into a sea of great waters an hundred and foure and forty thousand with an innumerable company more all sealed and standing before the Lambe Now this was in die copiarum in the time when Christ first sent abroad his armies and the rod of his strength into the world Before this God suffered men to walke in their owne wayes yea in his owne life-time hee forbade his Disciples to enter into the Cities of the Samaritans or the Gentiles And he promised them that they should do greater works than he himselfe had done because he went unto his Father
for when he ascended up on high he then led captivitie captive that ignorance and thraldome under which the world was held he triumphed over and gave gifts of his Spirit unto men of all sorts in abundance Visions to the young Dreames to the aged and his gracious Spirit unto all Wee never reade of so many converted by Christs personall preaching which was indeed but the beginning of his preaching for it is the Lord which speaketh from heaven still as by the ministery of his Apostles he thereby providing to magnifie the excellencie of his spirituall presence against all the carnall superstitions of those men who seeke for an invisible corporall presence of Christ on the earth charmed downe out of heaven under the lying shapes of separated accidents And who cannot be content with that All-sufficient Remembrancer which himselfe hath promised to his Church Ioh. 14.26 except they may have others and those such as the holy Scriptures every where disgraceth as teachers of lyes and vanity the Crucifixes and images of their owne erecting therein infinitly derogating from that all-sufficient provision which the Lord in his word and Sacraments the onely living and full images of Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 hath proposed unto men as alone able to make them wise unto salvation being opened and represented unto the consciences of men not by humane inventions but by those holy ordinances and offices which himselfe hath appointed in his Church the preaching of his word and administration of his Sacraments And surely they who by Moses and the Prophets by that Ministerie which Christ after his ascension did establish in his Church doth not repent would bee no whit the neerer no more than Iudas or the Pharises were if they should see or heare Christ in the flesh Therefore it is observed after Christs ascension that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed and that there were men dayly added unto the Church That the Savor of the Gospell was made manifest in every place That the Children of the desolate were more than of the married wife Therefore the beleevers after Christs ascension are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The multitude of them that beleeved and multitudes of men and women were added to the Lord. Ten to one of that there was before Ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations of the skirt of him that is a Iew saying We will goe with you that is shall take the Kingdome of heaven by violence as Saul laid hold on the skirt of Samuels Maâ—tle that hee might not goe from him The Reason hereof is to magnifie the exaltation spirituall presence and power of Christ in the Church while he was upon the earth he confin'd his ordinary residence and personall preaching unto one people because his bodily presence was narrow and could not bee communicated to the whole world For he tooke our nature with those conditions and limitations which belong thereunto But his Spirit and power is over the whole Church by them hee walketh in the middest of the Candlesticks Christs bodily presence and preaching the Iewes withstood and crucified the Lord of glory But now to shew the greatnesse of his power by the Gospell hee goes himselfe away and leaves but a few poore and persecuted men behinde him assisted with the vertue of his Spirit and by them wrought workes which all the world could not withstand Hee could have published the Gospell as hee did the Law by the ministery of Angels hee could have anointed his Apostles with regall oyle and made them not Preachers only but Princes and Defenders of his faith in the world But hee rather chose to have them to the end of the world poore and despised men whom the world without any shew of just reason which can bee by them alleaged should overlooke and account of as low and meane conditioned men that his Spirit might in their ministerie bee the more glorified God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and weake things of the world to confound things that are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen ye and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence But that his own Spirit might have all the honor therefore I was with you in weaknesse saith the Apostle and in feare in much trembling c. That your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God And againe Wee have this treasure in earthen vessells that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of us not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord. Thus we finde that when the Church was most persecuted it did then most grow and in the worst times it brought forth the greatest fruit to note the power of Christs Kingdome above all the attempts of men A great doore and effectuall is opened unto mee saith the Apostle and there are many adversaries intimating that the Gospell of Christ had great successe when it was most resisted All persecutors as S. Cyprian observes are like Herod they take their times and seeke to slay Christ and overthrow his Kingdome in its infancie and therefore at that time doth hee most of all magnifie the power and protection of his Spirit over the same Never were there so many men converted as in those infant-times of the Church when the dragon stood before the woman ready to devoure her Childe as soone as it should bee borne The great Potentates of the world which did persecute the name of Christ were themselves at last thereunto subjected Non a repugnantibus sed a morientibus Christianis not by fighting but by dying Christians As a tree shaken sheds the more fruit and a perfume burnt diffuseth the sweetest Savor so persecuted Christianity doth the more flourish by the power of that Holy Spirit whose foolishnesse is wiser and whose weaknesse is stronger than all the oppositions and contradictions of men But if there bee such multitudes belonging unto Christs Kingdome is not universality and a visible pompe a true note to discerne the Church of Christ by To this I answer that a true characteristicall note or difference ought to bee convertible with that of which it is made a note and onely suteable thereunto for that which is common unto many can bee no evident note of this or that particular Now universality is common to Antichristian idolatrous malignant Churches The Arrian heresie invaded the world and by the Imperiall countenance spread it selfe into all Churches The whore was to sit upon many waters which were peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues the Kings of the earth were to bee made drunk with the wine of her fornications and all nations to drinke thereof Therefore touching these multitudes in the Church we are thus to state the point
Consider the Church in it selfe and so it is a very vast body but yet consider it comparatively with the other more prevailing malignant part of the world so it is but a little flock as many graines and measures of corne may lie hid under a greater heape of chaffe Secondly the Church now is many comparatively with the old church of the Iewes more are the Children of the desolate than of the married wife Esai 54.1 But not comparatively with the adversaries of the Church in generall Wee see of thirtie parts of the world nineteene are either idolatrous or Mahumetan and the other eleven serving Christ in so different a manner as if there were many Christs or many Gospels or many wayes to the same end Thirdly though Christ alwayes have a numerous offspring yet in severall ages there is observable a different purity and conspicuousnesse according to the different administrations and breathings of the Spirit upon his garden In some ages the Doctrine more uncorrupt the profession and acceptation more universall than in others In the Apostles times there were many borne unto Christ by reason of the more abundant measure of Spirit which was shed abroad upon them Tit. 3.6 In the times of the Primitive persecutions there were many likewise born because God would glorifie the foundations of his Church and the power of his Spirit above the pride of men In the first countenancing of it by Imperiall Laws and favors it was very generall and conspicuous because professed by the obedience and introduced by the power of those great emperors whom the world followed But after that long peace and great dignities had corrupted the mindes of the chiefe in the Church and made them looke more after the pompe than the purity thereof the mystery of iniquity like a weed grew apace and overspread the Corne first abusing and after that subjecting the power of princes and bewitching the Kings of the earth with its fornications Hence likewise wee may learne to acknowledge Gods mercy in the worst times in those ages wherin the Church was most oppressed yet many have yeelded themselves unto Christ. The woman was with Childe and was delivered even when the Dragon did persecute her Revel 12.1.4 and even then God found out in the wildernesse a place of refuge defence and feeding for his Church As in those cruell times of Arrianisme when heresie had invaded the world and in those blinde and miserable ages wherin Satan was loosed God still stirred up some notable instruments by whom hee did defend his truth and amongst whom hee did preserve his Church though they were driven into solitary places and forced to avoid the assemblies of Hereticall and Antichristian Teachers Wee learne likewise not to censure persons places or times God had seven thousand in Israel when Elias thought none but himselfe had been left all are not alike venturous or confident of their strength Nicodemus came to Christ by night and yet even then Christ did not reject him Therefore we must not presently censure our neighbours as cold or dead if they discover not immediatly the same measure of courage and publike stoutnesse in the profession of Christ with our selves some men are by nature more retir'd silent unsociable unactive men some by the engagement of their places persons and callings wherein they are of more publike and necessary use in the Church are put upon more abundant caution and circumspection in the moderate carriage of themselves than other men Paul was of himselfe very zealous and earnest in that great confusion when Gaius and Aristarchus were haled into the theater to have gone in unto the people in that their outrage and distemper but the wisedome of the Disciples and some of his chiefe friends is herin commended that they sent unto him desiring him that hee would not adventure into the theater and that they suffered him not Act. 19.30 31. It is a grave observation which Gregorie Nazianzen makes of that great champian and universall agent for composing the differences and distractions of the Church S. Basil that pro temporis ratione Haereticorum principatu by reason of the prevalencie of adversaries and condition of the times hee did in the controversies concerning the Deitie of the Holy Ghost abstaine from some words which others of an inferior ranke did with liberty and boldnesse use and that this hee did in much wisedome and upon necessary reasons because it was not fit for so eminent a person and one who had such generall influence by the quality of his place and greatnesse of his parts in the welfare of the Church by the envie of words or phrases to exasperate a countenanced enemie and to draw upon himselfe and in him upon the Church of God any inevitable and unnecessary danger And surely if the wisedome and moderation of that holy man were with the same pious affection generally observed that men when they doe earnestly contend for the truth once delivered which is the duty of every Christian did not in heate of argument load the truth they maintaine with such hard and severe though it may bee true expressions as beget more obstinacie in the adversarie and it may bee suspition in the weake or unresolved looker on differences amongst men might bee more soberly composed and the truth with more assurance entertained Againe wee have from hence an encouragement to goe on in the wayes of Christ because wee goe in great and in good Company many wee have to suffer with us many wee have to comfort and to encourage us As the people of Israel when they went solemnely up to meete the Lord in Sion went on from troope to troope the further they went the more companie they were mixed withall going to the same purpose so when the Saints goe towards heaven to meete the Lord there they doe not onely goe unto an innumerable Company of Angells and just men but they meete with troopes in their way to encourage one another All the discouragement that Elias had was that hee was alone but we have no such plea for our unwillingnesse to professe the truth and power of Religion now Wee are not like a lambe in a wide place without comfort or company but wee are sure to have an excellent guard and convoy unto Christs Kingdome And this use the Apostle makes of the multitudes of beleevers that wee should by so great a Cloud of witnesses bee the more encouraged in our patient running of that race which is set before us Heb. 12.1 Lastly It should teach us to love the multitudes the assemblies and the Communion of the Saints to speak often to one another to encourage strengthen one another not to forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is to concurre in mutuall desires to conspire in the same holy thoughts and affections to bee of one heart of one soule of one judgement to walke by one the same
and to love any of thy words Thy Law is my Counsellor I will bee ruled by it it is my Physitian I will bee patient under it it is my Schoolemaster I will bee obedient unto it But who am I that I should promise any service unto thee and who is thy Minister that hee should doe any good unto me without thy grace and heavenly call bee thou therefore pleased to reveale thine owne Spirit unto mee and to worke in mee that which thou requirest of mee I say if a man could come with such sweete preparations of heart unto the word and could thus open his soule when this spirituall Manna fals down from heaven he should finde the truth of that which the Apostle speaketh Ye are not straitned in us or in our ministerie wee come unto you with abundance of grace but yee are straitned onely in your owne bowels in the hardnesse unbeliefe incapacity and negligence of your owne hearts which receiveth that in drops which falleth downe in showres Note 3. As it is a divine so it is a secret and undiscerned Birth As the winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but caust not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So saith our Savior is every one that is borne of God Ioh. 3 8. The voluntary breathings and accesses of the Spirit of God unto the soule whereby hee cometh mightily and as it were cloatheth a man with power and courage are of a very secret nature and notwithstanding the power thereof bee so great yet there is nothing in apparance but a voyce of all other one of the most empty and vanishing things As Dew fals in small and insensible drops and as a Childe is borne by slow and undiscerned progresses as the Prophet David saith Fearefully and wonderfully am I made Such is the birth of a Christian unto Christ by a secret hidden and inward call Vocatione Altâ as S. Austen calleth it by a deepe and intimate energie of the Spirit of grace is Christ formed and the soule organized unto a spirituall being A man heares a voyce but it is behinde him hee seeth no man hee feels a blow in that voyce which others take no notice of though externally they heare it too Therefore it is observable that the men which were with Paul at his miraculous conversion are in one place said to heare a voyce Act. 9.7 and in another place not to have heard the voyce of him that spake unto Paul Act. 22.9 They heard onely a voyce and so were but astonished but Paul heard it distinctly as the voyce of Christ and so was converted Note 4. As it is a Divine and secret so is it likewise a sudden birth In naturall generations the more vast the creature the more slow the production an Elephant ten years in the wombe In humane actions magnarum rerum tarda molimina great workes move like great engines slowly by leasure to their maturity but in spirituall generations Children are borne unto Christ like Dew which is exhaled conceived formed produced and all in one night Paul to day a Woolfe to morrow a Sheepe to day a Persecutor to morrow a Disciple and not long after an Apostle of Christ. The Nobleman of Samaria could see no possibility of turning a famine into a plentie within one night neither can the heart of a man who rightly understands the closenesse and intimate radication of sinne and guilt in the soule conceive it possible to remove either in a sudden change yet such is the birth of men unto Christ Before shee travelled shee brought forth before her paine came she was delivered of a man-Childe The earth bringeth forth in one day and a nation is borne at once It is spoken of Ierusalem the mother of us all Esai 66.7 8. VERSE 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not Repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck FRom the Regall Office of Christ and the Administration thereof by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit to the conquering of a willing people unto himselfe the Prophet now passeth to his sacerdotall office the vigor and merit whereof is by the two former applied unto the Church Therefore wee may observe that though the tribes were interdicted confusion with one another in their marriages Num. 36.7 Yet the Regall and Leviticall Tribes might interchange and mingle blouds to intimate as I conceive that the Messiah with relation unto whose lineage that confusion was avoided was to bee both a King and a Priest Thus wee finde Iehoiada the Priest married Iehoshabeath the Daughter of King Iehoram 2 Chron. 22.11 And Aaron of the Tribe of Levi tooke Elishâ—ba the Daughter of Amminadab who was of the tribe of Iuda Exod. 6.23 Numb 1.7 In which respect I suppose Mary and Elizabeth the Wife of Zatharie the Priest are called Cousins Luk. 1.36 In the Law indeed these two Offices were distinct Our Lord saith the Apostle sprang out of the Tribe of Iuda of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Heb. 7.14 And therefore when King Vzziah incroached on the Priests Office hee was smitten with a Leprosie 2 Chron. 26.18 21. But amongst the Gentiles amongst whom Melchizedek is thought to have beene a Priest it was usuall for the same person to have been both King and Priest The words containe the Doctrine of Christs Priesthood The Quality of it Eternall The Order not of Aaron but of Melchizedek The foundation of both Gods immutable decree and counsell hee cannot repent of it because hee hath confirmed it by an Oath I shall handle the words in the Order as they lie The Lord hath sworne Here two things are to bee enquired First how God is said to sweare Secondly why hee swears in this particular case of Christs Priesthood The former of these the Apostle resolves in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.17 Hee interposed in or by an oath namely himselfe for that is to bee supplied out of the thirteenth verse where it is said that bee sware by himselfe So elsewhere it is said that he sware by the excellency of Iacob that is by himselfe Amos 8.7.6.8 By my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord that in blessing I will blesse thee Gen. 22.16 The meaning is that God should denie himselfe which hee cannot doe 2 Tim. 2.13 and should cease to bee God if the word which hee hath sworne should not come to passe So that usuall forme as I live is to be understood let me not be esteemed a living God if my word come not to passe so elsewhere the Lord interposeth his holinesse I have sworne by my Holinesse that I will not lie unto David Psal. 89.35 As impossible for him to breake his word as to bee unholy For the second question why God swears in this particular I answer First and principally to shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The immutable and irreversible certainty
His death did obtaine his life did conferre redemption upon us And therefore in the Scriptures our justification and salvation are attributed to the Life of Christ. Hee was delivered for our offences and Rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 If Christ bee not raised your faith is vaine you are yet in your sinnes 1 Cor. 15.17 Hee shall convince the world of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Ioh. 16.10 Because I live you shall live also Ioh. 14.19 If wee bee dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 Being made perfect or consecrated for ever he became the Author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.8.7.28 Hee is able perfectly to save because hee ever liveth Heb. 7.25 Wee were reconciled in his death but had he there rested we could never have been acquitted nor entred in for hee was to bee our forerunner And therefore the Apostle addeth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a much more to the Life of Christ. Much more being reconciled shall wee bee saved by his life Rom. 5.10 Not in point of merit but onely of efficacy for us as in buying Land the laying downe of the price giveth a man a meritorious interest but the delivering of the deeds the resigning of the propertie the yeelding up of the possession giveth a man an actuall interest in that which hee hath purchased so the death of Christ deserveth but the intercession and life of Christ applieth salvation unto us It was not barely Christs dying but his Dying victoriously so that it was impossible for death to hold him Act. 2.24 which was the ground of our salvation Hee could not justifie us till hee was declared to bee justified himselfe therefore the Apostle saith that he was Iustified by the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Namely by that Spirit which quickned him Rom. 1.4.8.11 1 Pet. 3.18 When Christ offered himselfe a Sacrifice for sinne hee was numbred amongst transgressors Mark 15.28 Hee bare our sinnes along with him on the tree and so died under the wrongs of men and under the wrath of God in both respects as a guilty person but when hee was quickned by the Spirit of holinesse he then threw off the sinnes of the world from his shoulder and made it appeare that hee was a righteous person and that his righteousnesse was the righteousnesse of the world So then our faith and hope was begun in Christs death but was finished in his life he was the Author of it by enduring the crosse and hee was the finisher of it by sitting downe on the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 The Apostle summes up all together It is God that justifieth who is hee that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.33 34. Now then to shew more distinctly the nature and excellencie of Christs Intercession It consisteth in these particulars First his appearance or the presenting of his person in our nature and in his owne as a publick person a mediator a sponsor and a pledge for us as Iuda was both a mediator to request and a suretie to engage himselfe to beare the blame for ever with his Father for his brother Benjamin Gen. 43.8 9. And Paul for Onesimus a Mediator I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus Phil. v. 9 10. And a sponsor If hee hath wronged thee or oweth the ought put that on mine account I will repay it v. 18 19. So Christ is both a mediator and surety for us Heb. 7.22.8.6 Secondly the presenting of his merits as a publike satisfaction for the debt of sinne and as a publike price for the purchase of Gloâ—y for the Iustice of God was not to be intreated or pacified without a satisfaction and therefore where Christ is called an Advocate hee is called a Propitiation too 1 Ioh. 2.2 Because hee doth not intercede for us but in the right and vertue of the price which hee payed For the Lord spared not his Sonne but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 Hee dealt in the full rigour of his Iustice with him Thirdly in the name of his person and for the vigour and vertue of his merits there is a presenting of his Desires his will his request and interpellation for us and so applying both unto us Father I will that they also whom thou hast given mee be with me where I am c. Ioh. 17.24 Fourthly to all this doth answere the consent of the Father in whose bosome hee is who heareth him alwayes Ioh. 11.42 And in whom he is well pleased Math. 17.5 Who called him to this office of being as it were Master of Requests in the behalfe of his Church and promised to heare him in his petitions Ask of mee and I will give thee c. Psal. 2.8 Thus as once when Aeschylus the Tragedian was accused in Arâ—opago for impiety his brother Amynias stood out as his Advocate using no other plea but this hee opened his garments and shewed them cubitum sine manu how hee had lost his hand in the service of the state and so vindicated his brother or as Zaleucus when hee put out one of his owne eyes for his Sonne who had been deprehended in adulterie delivered him from halfe the punishment which himselfe had decreed against that sinne or to come neerer as when the hand steales if the back bee scourged the tongue may in matters that are not capitall intercede for a dismission so Christ when hee suffered for us which hee might more justly doe than any one man can for another because hee was by divine preordination and command and by his owne power more Lord of his owne life than any other man is of his Ioh. 10.18 1 Cor. 6.19 may justly in the vertue of those his sufferings intercede in our behalfe for all that which those his sufferings did deserve either for the expiation of sinne or for the purchase of salvation In which sense the Apostle saith that the bloud of Christ is a speaking or interceding Bloud Heb. 12.24 By all which wee may observe the impiety of the Popish Doctrine which distinguisheth between Mediators of Redemption and Mediatores of Intercession affirming that though the Saints are not redeemers of the world yet they are as the courtiers of heaven Mediators of Intercession for us and so may bee sought unto by us To which I answer that wee must distinguish of interceding or praying for another There is one private and another publike which some learned men have observed in Christs owne Prayers or praying out of Charitie and out of Iustice or Office or thirdly praying out of Humilitie with feare and trembling or out of Authoritie which is not properly Prayer for Prayer in its strictest sense is a proposing of requests for things unmerited which wee expect ex vi promissi out of Gods gratious promise and not
ex vi pretii out of any price or purchase but the presenting of the will and good pleasure of Christ to his Father that hee may thereunto put his seale and consent the desiring of a thing so as that hee hath withall a right joyntly of bestowing it who doth desire it That the Saints in heaven and the blessed Angels doe pray for the State of the Church militant as well as rejoyce at their conversion in as much as charity remaineth after this life seemeth to bee granted by Cyprian and Hierom neither know I any danger in so affirming if rightly understood But if so they doe it onely ex charitate ut fratres not ex officio ut mediatores Out of a habit of charity to the generall condition of the Church for it reacheth not to particular men not out of an office of mediation as if they were set up for publike persons appointed not onely to pray for the Church in generall but to present the prayers of particular men to God in their behalfe To bee such a mediator belongs onely to Christ because True intercession as it is a publike and authoritative act is founded upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding Hee cannot bee a right Advocate who is not a propitiation too And therefore the Papists are faine to venture so farre as to affirme that the intercession of the Saints with God for us is grounded upon the vertue of their owne merits Wee pray the Saints to intercede for us that is that wee may enjoy the suffrage of their merits But this is a very wicked Doctrine First because it shareth the Glory of Christ and communicateth it to others Secondly because it communicateth Gods worship to others Thirdly because under pretence of modesty and humility it bringeth in a cursed boldnesse to denie the faith and driveth children from their Father unto servants expressely therein gainsaying the Apostle who biddeth us make our requests knowne to God Phil. 4.6 And assureth us that by Christ wee have boldnesse so to doe Heb. 10.19 and free accesse allowed us by the Spirit Eph. 2.18 whereas one chiefe reason of turning to the Saints and Angels is because sinfull men must not dare to present themselves or their services unto God in their owne persons but by the helpe of those Saints that are in more favour with God and with whom they may bee bolder Now from this Doctrine of Christs intercession many and great are the benefits which come unto the Church of God As first our fellowship with the Father and his Sonne I pray for these that as thou Father art in mee and I in thee they also may bee one in us Ioh. 17.21 Secondly the gift of the Holy Ghost I will pray the Father and hee shall give you another comforter that hee may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 14.16 17. all the comforts and workings of the Spirit in our hearts which wee enjoy are fruits of the intercession of Christ. Thirdly protection against all our spirituall enemies Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 I pray that thou wouldst keepe them from the evill Ioh. 17.15 But are not the faithfull subject to evils corruptions and temptations still how then is that part of the intercession of Christ made good unto us for understanding hereof wee must know that the intercession of Christ is available to a faithfull man presently but yet in a manner suteable and convenient to the present estate and condition of the Church so that there may bee left roome for another life and therefore wee must not conceive all presently done As the Sunne shineth on the Moone by leasurely degrees till shee come to her full light or as if the King grant a pardon to bee drawen though the grant bee of the whole thing at once yet it cannot bee written and sealed but word after word and line after line and action after action so the grant of our holinesse is made unto Christ at first but in the execution thereof there is line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little such an order by Christ observed in the distribution of his Spirit and grace as is most suteable to a life of faith and to the hope wee have of a better Kingdome I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not saith Christ unto Peter yet wee see it did shake and totter non rogavit ut ne deficeret sed ut ne prorsus deficeret the Prayer was not that there might be no failing at all but that it might not utterly and totally faile Fourthly the assurance of our sitting in heavenly places His sitting in heavenly places hath raised us up together and made sit with him Eph. 2.6 First because he sitteth there in our flesh Secondly because hee sitteth there in our behalfe Thirdly because hee sitteth there as our Center Col. 3.1 2. And so is neere unto us natura officio spiritu by the unity of the same nature with us by the quality of his office or Sponsorship for us and by the Communion and fellowship of his Spirit Fifthly Strength against our sins for from his Priesthood in heaven which is his Intercession the Apostle inferres the writing of the Law in our hearts Hebr. 8.4.6.9 10. Sixthly the sanctification of our services of which the Leviticall Priests were a type who were to beare the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel that they might be accepted Exod. 28.38 He is the Angell of the Covenant who hath a golden Censer to offer up the prayers of the Saints Revel 8.3 There is a three-fold evill in man First an Evill of state or condition under the guilt of sinne Secondly an Evill of nature under the corruption of sinne and under the indisposition and ineptitude of all our faculties unto good Thirdly an Evill in all our services by the adherencie of sin for that which toucheth an uncleane thing is made uncleane and the best wine mixed with water will lose much of its strength and native spirits Now Christ by his righteousnesse and merits justifieth our persons from the guilt of sinne and by his grace and Spirit doth in measure purifie our faculties and cure them of that corruption of sin which cleaves unto them And lastly by his incense and intercession doth cleanse our services from the noysomenesse and adherencie of sinne so that in them the Lord smelleth a sweet savour and so the Apostle calleth the contributions of the Saints towards his necessities an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing unto God Phil. 4.18 Gen. 8.21 And this is a benefit which runneth through the whole life of a Christian all the ordinary workes of our calling being parts of our service unto God for in them we
follow thee whithersoever thou leadest mee But these are but emptie velleities the wishings and wouldings of an evill heart Lord to me belongeth the shame of my failings but to thee belongeth the glory of thy mercy and forgivenesse Too true it is that I doe not all I should but doe I allow my selfe in any thing that I should not doe I make use of mine infirmities to justifie my selfe by them or shelter my selfe under them or dispence with my selfe in them though I doe not the things I should yet I love them and delight in them my heart and Spirit and all the desires of my soule are towards them I hate abhorre and fight with my selfe for not doing them I am ashamed of mine infirmities as the blemishes of my profession I am weary of them and groane under them as the burdens of my soule I have no lust but I am willing to know it and when I know to crucifie it I heare of no further measure of grace but I admire it and hunger after it and presse on to it I can take Christ and affliction Christ and persecution together I can take Christ without the world I can take Christ without my selfe I have no unjust gaine but I am ready to restore it No time have I lost by earthly businesse from Gods service but I am ready to redeeme it I have followed no sinfull pleasure but I am ready to abandon it no evill company but I mightily abhorre it I never sware an oath but I can remember it with a bleeding conscience I never neglected a duty but I can recount it with revenge and indignation I doe not in any man see the Image of Christ but I love him the more dearly for it and abhorre my selfe for being so much unlike it I know Satan I shall speed never the worse with God because I have thee for mine enemie I know I shall speed much the better because I have my selfe for mine enemie Certainly hee that can take Christ offer'd that can in all points admit him as well to purifie as to justifie as well to rule as save as well his grace as his mercie neede not feare all the powers of darknesse nor all the armies of the foulest sinnes which Satan can charge his conscience withall The second great vertue and fruit of the Priesthood of Christ was ex redundantia meriti from the redundancy and overflowing of his merit First hee doth merit to have a Church for the very being of the Church is the effect of that great price which he payed therefore the Church is called a purchased people 1 Pet. 2.9 Ask of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Psal. 2.8 when hee made his soule an offering for sinne hee did by that meanes see his seed and divide a portion with the great Esai 53.10 11 12. The delivering and selecting of the Saints out of this present evill world was the end of Christs Sacrifice Gal. 1.4 Secondly hee did merit all such good things for the Church as the great love of himselfe and his Father towards the Church did resolve to conferre upon it They may I conceive be reduced to two heads First Immunitie from evill whatsoever is left to bee removed after the payment of our debt or taking off from us the guilt and obligation unto punishment Such are the Dominion of Sinne. Sinne shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the Law of Sinne and of Death Rom. 8.2 He that committeth sinne is the servant of sinne but if the Sonne shall make you free you shall bee free indeed Ioh. 8 34-36 Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne 1 Ioh. 3.9 That is he is not an artificer of sinne one that maketh it his trade and profession and therefore bringeth it to any perfection Hee hath received a Spirit of Iudgement that chaineth up his lusts and a Spirit of burning which worketh out his drosse Esai 4.4 Mal. 3.2 3. Matth. 3.2 Such is The Vanity of our Minde whereby wee are naturally unable to thinke or to cherish a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Eph. 4.17 The Ignorance and hardnesse of our hearts unable to perceive or delight in any spirituall thing Eph. 4.18 Ioh. 1.5 Luk. 24 25.45 The Spirit of disobedience and habituall strangenesse and aversenesse from God Eph. 4.18 Iob 20.14 Such are also all those slavish affrightfull and contumacious effects of the Law in terrifying the conscience irritating the concupiscence and compelling the froward heart to an unwilling and unwelcome conformitie The Law is now made our counseller a delight to the inner man that which was a lion before hath now food and sweetnesse in it Secondly Many Priviledges and dignities in the vertue of that principall and generall one which is our unitie unto Christ from whence by the fellowship of his holy and quickning Spirit wee have an unction which teacheth us his wayes and his voyce which sanctifieth our nature by the participation of the divine nature that is by the renewing of Gods most holy and righteous Image in us Which sanctifieth our Persons that they may bee spirituall Kings and Priests Kings to order our owne thoughts affections desires studies towards him to fight with principalities powers corruptions and spirituall enemies Priests to offer up our bodies soules prayers thanksgivings almes spirituall services upon that Altar which is before his mercy-seate and to slay and mortifie our lusts and earthly members which sanctifieth all our actions that they may bee services to him and his Church acceptable to him and profitable to others Secondly from this unity with him growes our adoption which is another fruit of his Sacrifice Hee was made of a woman made under the Law that wee might receive The Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4.5 By which wee have free accesse to call upon God in the vertue of his Sacrifice sure supplies in all our wants because our heavenly Father knoweth all our needs a most certaine inheritance and salvation in hope for we are already saved by hope Rom. 8.24 and Christ is to us the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Lastly there is from hence our exaltation in our finall victory and resurrection by the fellowship and vertue of his victory over death as the first fruits of ours 1 Cor. 15.20.49 Phil. 3.21 And in our complete salvation being carried in our soules and bodies to be presented to himselfe without spot and blamelesse Eph. 5.26 27. and to bee brought unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now to take all in one view what a summe of mercy is here together Remission of all sinnes discharge of all debts deliverance from all curses joy peace triumph security exaltation above all evils enemies or feares a peculiar purchased roiall seed the gift of God the Father to his Sonne deliverance from the dominion and service of all sinne vanity ignorance hardnesse disobedience bondage coaction terror sanctification
of him that is above all and so are a security unto us against all adverse power or feare for what or whom need that man feare that is one with the most high God If God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 When God blesseth his blessing is ever with effect and successe it cannot be reversed it cannot be disappointed Hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Behold saith Balaam I have received commandement to blesse and hee hath blessed and cannot reverse it Numb 23.19 20. Note fifthly from Melchisedeks meeting Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings we may observe the great forwardnesse that is in Christ to meet and to blesse his people when they have beene in his service Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Esay 64.5 I said I will confesse my sinnes and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sinne Psal. 32.5 No sooner did David resolve in his heart to returne to God but presently the Lord prevented him with his mercy and anticipated his servants confession with pardon and forgivenesse Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodnesse Psal. 21.3 As the father of the Prodigall when he was yet a great way off far from that perfection which might in strictnesse be required yet because hee had set his face homeward and was now resolved to sue for pardon and re-admittance when he saw him he had compassion and ranne the fathers mercy was swiâ—ter than the sonnes repentance and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15.20 We doe not finde the Lord so hastie in his punishments He is slow to anger and doth not stirre up all his wrath together He is patient and long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance hee comes and hee comes againe and the third yeere he forbeares before he cuts downe a barren tree But when hee comes with a blessing hee doth not delay but prevents his people with goodnesse and mercy O how forward ought we to be to serve him who is so ready to meet us in his way and to blesse us Note sixthly from the refection and preparations which Melchisedek made for Abraham and for his men we may observe That Christ as King and Priest is a comforter and refresher of his people in all their spirituall wearinesse and after all their services This was the end of his unction to heale and to comfort his people The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because hee hath annointed me to preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent mee to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and a recovering of sight to the blinde to set at libertie them that are bruized and to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord Luke 4.18 19. To provide a feast of fatted things of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Esay 25.6 To miâ—ke out unto his people consolations and abundance of glory Esay 66.11 To speake words in season to those that are weary and to make broken and dry bones to rejoyce and to flourish like an herb Esay 50.4 Psal. 51.8 Esay 66.14 And this is a strong argument to hold up the patience faith and hope of men in his service and in all spirituall assaults we have a Melchisedek which after our combate is ended and our victory obtained will give us refreshments at the last and will meet us with his mercies If we faint not but wait a while we shall see the salvation of the Lord that in the end he is very pitifull and of tender mercy Exod. 14.13 Iam. 5.11 He is neere at hand his comming draweth nigh He is neere that justifieth mee who will contend with mâ—e Let us stand together Who is mine adversary let him come neere to me The readinesse of the Lord to helpe is a ground of challenge and defiance to al enemies Phil. 4.5 Iam. 5.8 Esai 50.8 9. Iob went forth mourning and had a great warre to fight but the Lord blessed his latter end more than his beginning and after his battle was ended met him like Melchizedek with redoubled mercies David Hezekiah Heman the Ezrahite and many of the Saints after their example have had sore and dismall conflicts but at length their comforts have beene proportionable to their wrestlings they never wanted a Melchizedek after their combats to refresh them Rejoyce not against mee O mine enemie when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall bee a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Mic. 7.8 9. He hath strength courage refection spirit to put into those that fight his battles though they bee but as Abraham a family of three hundred men against foure kings yet hee can cut Rahab and wound the dragon and make a way in the sea for the ransomed to passe over and cause his redeemed to returne with singing and with joy and gladnesse upon their heads I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that shouldest bee affraid of a man that shall dye and of the sonne of man that shall bee as grasse Esai 51.12 Note seventhly from Melchisedeks receiving of tithes from Abraham which the Apostle taketh speciall notice of foure or five times together in one Chapt. Heb. 7.2 4 6 8 9. we may observe That Christ is a receiver of homage and tribute from his people There was never any type of Christ as a Priest but he received tithes and that not in the right of any thing in himselfe but meerely in the vertue of his typicall office so that originally they did manifestly pertaine to that principall Priest whom these represented whose personall priesthood is standing unalterable and eternall and therefore the rights thereunto belonging are such too If it objected why then did not Christ in his life receive tithes I answer first because though hee were the substance yet the standing typicall priesthood was not abolished till after his ministery on earth was finished for his priesthood was not consummate till his sitting at the right hand of God secondly because he tooke upon him a voluntary poverty for especiall reasons belonging to the state of his humiliation and to the dispensation of mans Redemption 2 Corinth 8.9 You will say now Christs priesthood is consummate and hee himselfe is in heaven whither no tithes can bee sent therefore none are due because he hath no typicall priests in earth to represent him I answer though hee bee in heaven in his body yet he is on earth in his ministery and in the dispensation of the vertue of his sacrifice and the Ministers of the Gospell are in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 and ought to bee received
are likely to assault them to teach them in every condition as well possible as present how to walke acceptably before God Phil. 4.11 13. Another great enemie of the Kingdome of Christ is the lust of our owne evill nature The carnall minde is enmitie against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Phil. 3.8 Enmity in grieving vexing and quenching the holy Spirit in us and lusting enviously against his grace Iam. 4.4 5. And here also Christ overcommeth by the prevailing power of his Spirit giving us more Grace demolishing the kingdome of sinne and judging the prince of this world which before did rule in the children of disobedience And this he doth by the judgement Seat and Scepter of his Spirit in the heart for the judgement of the Spirit is too hard for the principality of Satan Ioh. 16.11 The Spirit of Christ is a victorious Spirit He bringeth forth his judgement unto victory Matth. 12.20 Esai 4.4 Hee worketh out by degrees the drosse and impurity of our nature and services First by faith fixing upon better promises and hopes than lust can make 1 Ioh. 5.4 Heb. 11.24 26. Secondly by watchfulnesse eying corruptions and so stirring up those arguments and principles which are strongest against them Iob 31.1 Psal. 39.1 Thirdly by leading us to more acquaintance with God in knowledge love and communion Iob 22.21 1 Ioh. 1.3 and so fetching more wisedome and strength from him for this is the way that wee get all our strength even by learning of him Phil. 4.12 Fourthly by inclining the heart to hate and to complaine of corruptions to bemone it selfe as Paul and Ephraim did Rom. 7.23 Mark 9.24 Ier. 31.18 19. Fifthly by bringing the heart into the light there to approve and judge its actions Ioh. 3.20 by setting it alwayes in Gods eye that it may not sinne against him Psal. 16.8 Sixthly by convincing the heart of the beauty and excellencie of Grace of the unlikenesse of sinne to God and so making the soule more full of desires for the one and against the other Esai 26.8 Ezek. 36.31 and thus kindling lust against lust Gal. 5.17 Seventhly by being alwayes a present Monitour and Watchman in the soule to supply it with spirituall weapons and reasonings against the temptations of lust Esai 30.31 Ioh. 14.26 Lastly in one word by daily supplies from the residue of Spirit which is in our head whereby according to the proportion and exigence of the members he floweth into them Mal. 2.15 Phil. 1.19 This is that seed that leaven that vitall instinct which is ever in the heart setting it selfe against the workings and life of lust and by little and little wasting it away as fire doth water The grand instrument of Satan and lust who are the two leaders in this warre against Christ is the wicked world The power malice wisedome learning or any other either naturall or acquir'd abilities of evill men for even in an earthly respect by the word kings we are not onely to understand those Monarchs and princes of the earth who set themselves against Christ but all such as excell in any such worldly abilities as may further that opposition It notes the strength policie pride and greatnesse of minde or scorne of subjection which is in the heart against Christ. So that king heere stands in opposition to subject they who reject Christs yoke and breake his bonds asunder and will not have him to raigne over them those are the kings in the Text. And these also will hee smite through and confound by the Power of his Word and the strength of his arme The Lord gave the Word great was the company of those that published it Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoile Psal. 68.11 12. Tophet is ordained of old for the king it is prepared Esai 30.33 Come and gather your selves together unto the Supper of the great God That ye may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of captaines and the flesh of mightie men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great c. Revel 19.17 18. As for those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 Be wise now ye kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling kisse the Sonne lest he bee angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Thus the Lord overthroweth his Churches enemies and protecteth it against al their greatest preparations most formidable power And this he doth severall wayes sometimes by diverting their forces from his Church into some other necessary channell or ambitious designe of their owne Thus Rabshakah and his hoast were called from Iudah 2 King 19.7 8. so the Lord promised his people that when they went up to appeare before him thrice a yeere he would divert the desires of their enemies from their land Exod. 34.24 Thus Iulian the Apostate having but two maine plots to honour as he supposed his government and his idols withall the subduing of the Persian and the rooting out of the Galileans as he called them was prevented from this by being first overthrowne in the other for the prosperous successe of which expedition he vowed unto his idoll-gods a sacrifice of all the Christians in the Empire as Gregorie Nazianzen relateth Sometimes by infatuating and implanting a spirit of giddinesse and distraction in the enemies of his Church making them destitute both of counsell and courage When God would punish Babylon which was a type of the enemies of Christs Kingdome hee made their hearts melt that they should bee amazed at one another and their faces should be like flames Esay 13.7 8. that is not onely pale like a flame but rather as I conceive full of varietie of fearefull impressions and distracted passions nothing so tremulous so various so easily bended every way with the smallest blast as a flame so their feare should make their bloud and spirits in their faces to tremble quiver and varie to come and goe like a thinne flame in them so God threatneth to mingle a perverse spirit to make the spirit of Egypt faile in them and their wisedome to perish Esal 19.1 2 3 14 17. and thus likewise the Lord dealt with Iulian in that Persian expedition he put a spirit of folly in him to burne his ships and so to put a necessity of courage in his people as the old Gauls did against Caesar and then to leave them all destitute of necessary releefe Sometimes by ordering casualties and particular emergencies for the deliverance of his Church a thing wonderfully seene in the histories of Ioseph and Ester Thus as a man by a chaine made up of sâ—verall links some of gold others of silver other
of brasse iron or tinne may bee drawne out of a pit so the Lord by the concurrence of severall unsubordinate things which have no manner of dependance or naturall coincidencie amongst themselves hath oftentimes wrought the deliverance of his Church that it might appeare to bee the worke of his owne hand Sometimes by ordering and arming naturall causes to defend his Church and to amaze the enemie Thus the starres in their courses are said to fight against Sisera Iudg. 5.20 A mighty winde from heaven beating on their faces discomfited them as Iosephus reports So the Christian armies under Theodosius against Eugenius the Tyrant were defended by winds from heaven which snatcht a way their weapons out of their hands To make good that Promise No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper So the Lord slew the enemies of Ioshua with haile Ios. 11.11 And thus the Moabites were overthrowne by occasion of the Sunne shining upon the water 2 King 3.22 23. Sometimes by implanting phantasies and frightfull apprehensions into the mindes of the enemie as into the Midianites Iudg. 7.13 14. The Assyrians 2 King 7.6 thus the Lord caused a voyce to be heard in the Temple before the destruction of Ierusalem warning the faithfull to goe out of the Citie Sometimes by stirring up and prospering weake and contemptible meanes to shew his Glorie thereby The Medes and Persians were an effeminate and luxurious people Cyrus a meane prince for hee was not at this time the emperour of the Medes or Persians but onely sonne in law to Darius or Cyaxares and yet these are made instruments to overthrow that most valiant people the Babylonians Esai 45.1.13.3.17 As Ieremie was drawen out of the dungeon by old rotten rags which were throwne aside as good for nothing So the Lord can deliver his Church by such instruments as the enemies thereof before would have looked upon with scome as upon cast and despicable creatures for God as he useth to infatuate those whom he will destroy so he doth guide with a spirit of wonderfull wisdome those whom hee raised to defend his kingdome The Babylonians were feasting and counted their Citie impregnable being fortified with wals and the great river and God gave wisedome beyond the very conjectures of men to attempt a businesse which might seeme unâ—easable in nature to drie up Euphrates and divide it into severall small branches and so he made a way to bring his armie into the Citie while they were feasting the gates thereof being in great confidence and security left open Esay 44.27 28.45.1 Ier. 51.36 Sometimes by turning the hearts of others to compassionate the Church to hate the enemies and not to helpe them but to rejoyce when he is sinking Esay 14.6.10.16 Nahum 3.7 Sometimes by the immediate stroke of God upon their bodies or consciences Thus God gave the Church rest by smiting Herod Act. 12.23 24. Thus Maximinus being smitten with an horrible and stinking disease in his bowels confessed that it was Christ which overcame him and Iulian being smitten with an unknowne blow from heaven as is supposed confessed that Christ was too hard for him and another Iulian uncle to the Apostate for pissing on the Lords Table had his bowels rotted and his excrements issued out non per secessum sed per vulnera as the same Historian reports Sometimes by tiring them quite out and making them for very vexation and succeslesnesse give over their vaine attempts or else disheartning them that they may not begin them So Dioclesian retired to a private life because he could not root out the Christians And Iulian was afraid to persecute the Christians as his predecessours had done lest they should thereby increase he forbore it out of envie and not out of mercy as Nazian observes Sometimes by turning their owne devices upon their heads ruining them with their owne counsels and it may be dispatching them with their own hands Thus the Lord set every mans sword against his fellow in the huge host of the Midianites Iudg. 7.22 So Pilate and Nero the one the murtherer of Christ the other the dedicatour of all the consequent great persecutions both died by their owne hands as being most wicked and most cruell and therefore fittest to revenge the cause of Christ and his people upon themselves Thus God did not onely curse the counsell but revenge the treason of Achitophel by an act of the most desperate folly and inhumanity which could be committed Sometimes by hardning them unto a most desperate prosecution of their owne ruine as in the case of Pharaoh suffering them to lift at the stone so long till it loosen and fall upon them Zech. 12.3 Matth. 21.44 Sometimes by ingratiating the Church with them to their owne destruction as he did Israel with the Aegyptians Exod. 12.35 36. By these and a world the like meanes doth the Lord overthrow the enemies of his kingdome Now all this is In the day of his wrath or in his owne due time where we may note by the way that Christ hath wrath in him aswell as mercie Though hee be by wicked and secure men misconceived as if he were only compassionate yet laesa patientia fit furor he will more sorely judge them hereafter whom hee doth not perswade nor allure here So mercifull he is that he is called a Lambe for meeknesse and yet so terrible that he is called a Lion for fury It is true fury is not in him namely to those that apprehend his strength and make their peace with him Esay 27.4.6 But yet to those that will not kisse that is not love worship nor obey him hee can with a little wrath shew himselfe very terrible Psal. 2.12 He commeth first with peace Luke 10.5 but it is Pax concessa not pax emendicata a peace mercifully offered not a peace growing out of any necessity or exigencies on his part and so wrought by way of composition for his owne advantages The peace of a Conquerour Zech. 9.10 A peace which putteth conditions to those to whom it is granted that they shall be tributaries and servants unto him Deut. 20.10 11 12. Therefore the Apostle saith that he came to preach or to proclaime peace Ephes. 2.17 but if we reject it he then followes the directions of Ioshua These mine enemies which would not have me to raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luke 19.27 But the maine thing here to be noted is that Christ hath a Day a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prefixed and constituted time wherein hee will be avenged on the greatest of his enemies When he forbeares and suffers them to prevaile yet still he holdeth the line in his owne hand the hooke of his decree is in their nostrils and he can take them short when hee will It is never want of power wisdome or love to his Church that their quarrell is not presently revenged but all these are fitted to his
men on the earth The Gospell is the Patent and Charter of a Christian all that hee hath to shew for his Salvation the treasure of his wealth and priviledges all that he hath to boast in either for this life or another the armory of a Christian all that he hath to hold up against the temptations and conflicts of his sorest enemies the only toole and instrument of a Christian all that he hath to doe any action of piety charity loyalty or sobriety withall the onely glasse of a Christian wherein he may see his owne face and so learne to deny himselfe and wherein he may see the face of God in Christ and so learne to desire and to follow him So that upon the matter for any man to be ignorant of the Gospell is to unchristian himselfe againe and to degenerate into a heathen Powre out thine indignation upon the heathen that know thee not Ignorance makes a man a very heathen This I say and testifie saith the Apostle that you henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind for you have not so learned Christ. It is not the title nor the profession which maketh a man a reall Christian and distinguisheth him from other heathen men but the learning of Christ in his Spirit and Gospell For as he who was onely outwardly and in the flesh a Jew might be uncircumcized in his heart so he who is onely in title and name a Christian may be a heathen in his heart and that more fearefully than Sodome and Gomorrah or Tyre and Sydon because he hath put from himselfe the Salvation of the Lord and judged himselfe unworthy of eternall life Lastly if there bee indeed such power in the Gospell wee should labour to beare witnesse unto the testimony which God giveth of his Word in a holy conversation It is a reproach cast upon the ordinances of God when men doe in their lives denie that vertue which God testifieth to be in them Wicked men are said to crucifie Christ againe to put him to shame to make God a liar not that these things can so really bee but because men in their evill lives carry themselves as if indeed they were so And in this sense the Gospell may bee said to bee weake too because the pride of men holds out against the saving power thereof But these men must know that the word returneth not empty unto God but accomplisheth some worke or other either it ripeneth weeds or corne There is thunder and lightning both in the word if the one breake not a heart the other will blast it if it bee not humbled by the word it will certainly bee withered and made fruitlesse Shall the clay boast it selfe against the fire because though it have power to melt wax yet it hath not power to melt clay Is it not one and the same power which hardneth the one and which softneth the other Is not the word a sweete Savor unto God as well in those that perish as in those that are saved Certainly there is as wonderfull a power in adding another death to him who was dead before which upon the matter is to kill a dead man as in multiplying and enlarging life And the Gospell is to those that perish a Savor of death unto death such a word as doth cumulate the damnation of wicked men and treasure up wrath upon wrath If it doe not convert it will certainly harden if it doe not save it will undoubtedly judge and condemne The Lord doth never cast away his Gospell hee that gave charge to gather up the broken meate of loaves and fishes that nothing might bee lost will not suffer any crumme of his spirituall manna to come to nothing Yet wee finde the Lord giveth a charge to his Prophets to preach even there where hee foretold them that their words would not bee heard Thou shalt speake all these wordes unto them but they will not hearken to thee thou shalt also call unto them but they will not answere thee Sonne of Man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellions nation they are impudent Children and stiffe hearted Yet thou shalt speake my words unto them whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are rebellion it selfe They will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto mee For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Certainly when the Lord taketh paines by his Prophets to call those who will not heare hee doth it not in vaine they shall know at length that a Prophet hath been amongst them Therefore as the Apostle saith that the Gospell is a sweet Savour even in those that perish So wee finde those messages which have contained nothing but curses against an obstinate people have yet been as honie for sweetnesse in the mouth of those that preached them I did eate the roule saith the Prophet and it was in my mouth as honie for sweetnesse and yet there was nothing in it written but lamentations and mourning and woe Ieremie did not desire the woefull day but did heartily say Amen to the false Prophets in their predictions of safety yet in regard of his ready service unto God and of that glory which God would worke out unto himselfe in the punishment of that sinfull people the word of Prophesie which was committed unto him was the joy and rejoicing of his heart so that in all respects the Gospell of Christ is a word of power and therein wee doe and must rejoice Wee observed before that this Rod of strength is both Sceptrum Majestatis and Pedum Pastorale Both the Scepter of Christ as hee is a King and his Pastorall staffe as hee is a Bishop It denoteth the Administration of Christs Kingdome which consisteth in the dispensing of his Gospell as it is a word of Majesty and of care So then here are as I before observed two observations yet remaining to bee noted out of these words Virga Virtutis the Rod of thy strength The first that the Gospell of Christ accompanied with his Spirit is a word of great glory and Majesty For wee must ever make these concomitants wee preach the Gospell saith S. Peter with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 And indeed the Spirit is peculiar to the Gospell and not belonging to the Law at all if wee consider it alone by it selfe under the relation of a distinct covenant For though as it proceedeth out of Sion that is as it is an appendix and additament unto the Gospell it tend unto liberty and so cōmeth not without the Spirit yet by it selfe alone it gendreth nothing but bondage And therefore when the Apostle sheweth the excellency of the Gospell above the Law hee calleth one a ministration of death and of the letter the other a ministration of the Spirit and life To shew that properly the Spirit belongeth unto the Gospell of grace
Now then this Spirituall Gospell of Christ is the Scepter of his Kingdome and therefore as it is insigne regium an ensigne of roialty it importeth Glory and Majestie It is a Gospell full of glory Wee may observe that the very Typicall prefigurations of that mercy which is the sole businesse of the Gospell of Christ are in the Scriptures honored with the name of Glory The garments of the Priests being types of the Evangelicall Righteousnesse of the Saints were made for glory and beauty The Tabernacle which was ordaind for an evidence and seale of Gods Evangelicall presence with that people is called by the Prophet David a Tabernacle of honor the place which God did use to fill with his owne glory The Ark of God which was nothing else but Evangelium sub velo the Gospell under vailes and shaddowes is called by an excellency The Glory of Israel which is the attribute of Christ All Kings shall see thy glory The Temple at Ierusalem was the place of Gods Rest This is my Rest for ever here will I dwell Arise O Lord God into thy Resting place thou and the Arke of thy strength It was so called to note first the stability of Gods Evangelicall covenant in Christ it was not to bee changed nor to bee repented of but to bee sure and fixed in Christ for ever His Kingdome a Kingdome which was not to bee shaken his Priesthood a Priesthood which was not to passe away his teaching a teaching which was to continue to the worlds end And secondly to note the delight of God in Christ and in the mercy which through him was unto the world revealed Therein the Lord â—esteth and reposeth himselfe as in the crowne and accomplishment of all his workes And this Temple is called a glorious Rest a glorious high throne a house of glory of beauty and of holinesse It is said at the first Dedication thereof that the Glory of the Lord filled it It was not the gold or silver wherewith before that Dedication it was beutified wherein the glory thereof did consist but in the evidence of Gods presence which at that time was but a cloud whereas the true glory thereof himselfe was a Sunne as the Prophet cals him And with this did the Lord fill the second Temple which for this cause is said to have been more glorious than the former though in the magnificence of the structure farre inferior Now then as the Apostle in a case of just alike proportion useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terme of excesse when hee speaketh of the substance in comparison of the type If the bloud of bulls and goates did Sanctify to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ So may wee in this case If the Types of Evangelicall things were thus glorious how much more glorious must the Gospell it selfe needs bee And therefore as I before observed in other things so in this is it true likewise that Christ and his Gospell have the same attribute of glory frequently given unto them Christ is called the Glory of the Lord and of his people Israel And the Gospell a glorious mysterie a Royall Law a ministration of glory Nay glory it selfe for so I understand that place of the Apostle that yee would walke worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdome and glory that is unto the knowledge of his Gospell for of that in all the antecedent parts and in the verse immediatly following doth the Apostle speake A glory which draweth the study and amazement of the most glorious creatures of God unto it To consider this point more particularly The glory and majesty of the Gospell of Christ appeareth principally in foure things in the Author of it in the Promulgation and publishing of it in the Matter which it containes and in the Ends purposes or uses for which it serves First in the Author of it Many things of small worth have yet growne famous by the authours of them and like the unprofitable children of renowned progenitors hold their estimation and nobility from the parents which begate them And yet from men who are uncleane there will ever descend some uncleannesse upon the workes which they doe But the Gospell is therefore indeed a glorious Gospell because it is the Gospell of the blessed God There is glory in all the workes of God because they are his for it is impossible that so great a workeman should ever put his hand to an ignoble work And therefore the Prophet David useth his glory and his handy worke promiscuously for the same thing The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke to note that there is an evidence of glory in any thing which hee puts his hand unto And yet the Prophet there sheweth that there is more glory in the law of his mouth than in the workes of his hands The Lord is better known by Sion and his name greater in Israel than in al the world besides the more God doth communicate himselfe unto any of his works the more glorious it is Now there is nothing wherein God hath so much put himselfe wherin he may be so fully knowne communicated with depended upon and praised as in his Gospell This is a glasse in which the blessed Angels doe see and admire that unsearchable riches of his mercy to the Church which they had not by their owne observation found out from the immediate view of his glorious presence In the Creatures we have him a God of power and wisedome working all things in number weight and measure by the secret vigour of his providence upholding that being which he gave them and ordering them to those glorious ends for which he gave it In the law we have him a God of vengeance and of recompence in the publication thereof threatning and in the execution thereof inflicting wrath upon those that transgresse it But in the Gospell we have him a God of bounty and endlesse compassion humbling himselfe that he might be mercifull to his enemies that he might himselfe beare the punishments of those injuries which had beene done unto himselfe that he might not offer onely but beseech his owne prisoners to bee pardoned and reconciled againe In the Creature he is a God above us in the Law he is a God against us onely in the Gospel hee is Immanuel a God with us a God like us a God for us There is nothing doth declare God so much to bee God as his mercy in the Gospell Hee is invisible in himselfe we cannot see him but in his Sonne Hee is unapproachable in himselfe wee cannot come unto him but by the Sonne Therefore when hee maketh himselfe knowne in his glory to Moses hee sendeth him not to the Creation nor to mount Sinai but putteth him into a rocke being a resemblance of Christ and then maketh
if he observe any faculty naked and neglected The actuall and totall breach of any one Commandement Totall I meane when the whole heart doth it though haply it execute not all the obliquitie which the compasse of the sinne admits is an implicite habituall interpretative and conditionall breach of all His soule stands alike dis-affected to the holinesse of every Commandement and hee would undoubtedly adventure on the breach of this if such exigences and conditions as misguided him in the other should thereunto as strongly induce him He that hath done any one of these abominations hath done all these abominations in Gods account Ezek. 18.10 13. There being then in a Christian man a suteable life and vigour of holinesse in every part and a mutuall conspiring of them all in the same wayes and ends there must needs likewise be therein an excellent beauty Thirdly growth and further Progresse in these Proportions for it is not onely uprightnesse and Symmetrie of parts which causeth perfect beauty and comelinesse but stature likewise Now Holinesse is a thriving and growing thing The Spirit is seede and the Word is raine and the Father is an Husbandman and therefore the life of Christ is an abounding life Ioh. 10.10 The rivers of the Spirit of Grace spring up unto Eternity Ioh. 7.36 As Christ hath no Monsters so neither hath hee any Dwarfes in his mysticall body but all his grow up unto the pitch of perfection which it becommeth them to have in him even unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes. 4.12 13. The meaning of the Apostle is that Christ is not alwayes an infant in us as when he is first formed but that he doth Grandescere in Sanctis as Musculus well expresseth it that he groweth up still unto the stature of a man for wheresoever there is faith and holinesse there is ever ingenerated an appetite for augmentation Faith is of a growing and Charitie of an abounding Nature 2 Thes. 1.3 By the Word of truth as by incorruptible seed wee were begotten and by the same Word as by the sap and milke are we nourished and grow up thereby This affection holinesse ever workes as it did in the Disciples Lord increase our faith and in David Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us Fourthly besides the Rectitude Harmonie and Maturitie which is in Holinesse there is another propertie which maketh the Beautie thereof surpasse all other Beautie and that is Indeficiencie The measure of Christ must be the Rule of our growth but Christ never was overtaken by old age or times of declining He never saw corruption so wee must proceede from strength to strength like the Sunne to the perfect day but there is no sinking or setting of Holinesse in the heart They that are planted in Gods House doe still bring forth fruit in their Old age and are even then fat and flourishing As our outward man decaieth so our inward man groweth day by day Our Holinesse is a branch of the life of Christ in us which doth never of it selfe runne into death and therefore is not apta nata of it selfe to decay for that is nothing but an earnest inchoation and assurance of death That which waxeth old saith the Apostle is ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 Fourthly and lastly if we consider the Operations of Holinesse that likewise will evidence the Beautie thereof for it hath none but gratious and honourable effects It filleth the Soule with Joy Comfort and Peace All Joy unspeakeable and glorious joy peace quietnesse assurance songs and everlasting joy It maketh the blinde see the deafe heare the lame leape the dumbe sing the wildernesse and parched ground to become springs of water It entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of refined wines and carrieth it into the banquetting-house unto apples and flagons It giveth the soule a deare communion with God in Christ a sight of him an accesse unto him a boldnesse in his presence an admission into most holy delights and intimate conferences with him in his bed-chamber and in his galleries of love In one word it gathers the admiration of men it secures the protection of Angels and which is argument of more beautie than all the creatures in the world have besides it attracteth the eye and heart the longings and ravishments the tender compassions and everlasting delights of the Lord Iesus I have insisted on those properties of holinesse which denote inward beautie because all the graces of the Spirit doe beautifie inherently But the word properly signifying Decus or Ornatum outward adorning by a metaphor of rich apparell expressing the internall excellencie of the soule notes unto us two things more First that the people of Christ are not only sanctified within but have interest in that unspotted holinesse of Christ wherewith they are clothed as with an ornament So the Priests of God are said to be clothed with righteousnesse and we are said to put on Christ And the righteousnesse of Christ is frequently compared to long white robes fit to cover our sins to hide our nakednesse and to protect our persons from the wrath of God so that to the eye of his justice we appeare as it were parts of Christ as when Iacob wore Esau's garment he was as Esau to his father and in that relation obtained the blessing God carrieth himselfe towards us in Christ as if we our selves had fulfilled all righteousnesse as if there were no ground of contestation with us or exception against us And this is indeed the beautie of holinesse The modell prototype and originall of all beautie Secondly from the metaphoricall allusion as it is usually understood it notes unto us likewise that all the people of Christ are Priests unto God to offer up sacrifices acceptable unto him by Iesus Christ. They have all the priviledges and the duties of Priests To approach unto God wee have libertie to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Iesus to consult and have communion with him to be his Remembrancer for as his Spirit is his Remembrancer unto us hee shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you so is he our Remembrancer unto God to put him in minde of his mercy and promises to make mention of him and to give him no rest To know and propagate his truth this was the office of the Priest to be the keeper of the knowledge and to teach it unto others and this knowledge in the Gospell doth overflow the earth and make every man in a spirituall sense a Priest an instructer and edifier of his brother To offer to him such sacrifices as hee now delighteth in the sacrifices of thanksgiving the sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit the sacrifices of praise confession good works and mutuall communicating unto one another in one word the sacrificing of a
mans whole selfe to be consecrated as a kinde of first fruit unto God being sanctified by the Holy Ghost There is no man actually belonging unto the Kingdome of Christ who hath not all these holy affections wrought in him and maketh conscience of them as of his calling and the duties of his life Wee see then that Holinesse is the badge of Christs subjects they are called The people of his Holinesse Israel was holinesse unto the Lord and the first fruits of his increase consecrated unto him and his service as a kinde of first fruits The livery of Christs servants is a parcell of the same holy Spirit with which his owne humane nature was clothed All the vessels and ministeriall instruments of the Tabernacle were anointed with the holy oyle and the house of the Lord was an house of holinesse to signifie that every Christian should bee by the Spirit of God sanctified because he is a Temple and every member because it is a vessell and instrument for the Masters use The Spirit of holinesse is that which distinguisheth and as it were marketh the sheepe of Christ from the wicked of the world yee are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise yee have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God Holinesse setteth us apart for Gods service for his presence and fruition protecteth and priviledgeth us from the wrath to come in the day when he shall separate betweene the pretious and the vile and make up his jewels without this no man can either serve or see or escape God either doe his will enjoy his favour or decline his fury All our services without this are but Dung and who would thanke that man for his service who with wonderfull officiousnesse should bring nothing but heapes of dung into his house If a man could powre out of his veines rivers of bloud and offer up every day as many prayers as thoughts unto God if his eyes were melted into teares and his knees hardned into horne with devotion yet all this if it be not the fruit of holinesse but of will-worship or superstition or opinion of merit and righteousnesse it is but as dung in Gods sight Wherefore lyest thou upon thy face there is an accursed thing in the campe What-ever sinne thy conscience tels thee lyeth next thy heart and warmes it so that thou art unwilling to part from it take heed of bringing it into Gods presence or provoking him with thy services for he will throw them backe like dung into thy face What hath my beloved to doe in mine house seeing shee hath wrought lewdnesse with many What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction Who hath required this at your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto mee c. Till a man put away the evill of his doings and cleanse himselfe all his worship of God is but mocking of him and prophaning his ordinances In vaine did the Marriners pray while Ionah was in the ship in vaine did Ioshua intercede while the accursed thing was in the campe A man shall lose all which he hath wrought in Gods worship and have neither thankes nor reward for it so long as he harboureth any uncleane affection in his heart and will not yeeld to part from it Any sinne which wasteth the conscience as every great and presumptuous sinne doth in whomsoever it is unqualifieth that person for the kingdome of heaven Grace maketh a beleever sure of salvation but it doth not make him wretchlesse or secure in living though there be not an extinguishment yet there is a suspension of his right upon any black and notorious fall that man must not dare to lay claime to heaven that hath dared in a presumptuous manner to provoke the Lord. Our holinesse is not the cause of our salvation but yet it is the way thereunto he which by any wasting and presumptuous sin putteth himselfe out of that way must by repentance turne into it againe before hee can hope to finde out heaven for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. He that is an hundred miles from his owne house notwithstanding his proprietie thereunto shall yet never actually enter therein till he have travelled over the right way which leads unto it There is an Order à primo ad ultimum in the salvation of men many intermediate passages betweene their vocation and their glory Justification repentance sanctification as a scale or ladder betwixt earth and heaven he that fals from his holinesse and purity of conscience though hee be not quite downe the ladder and hath the whole worke to begin againe as much as ever yet doubtlesse he shall never get to the top till he recover the step from which he fell And if in this case it be true that the righteous shall scarcely be saved O then where shall that man appeare whom God at the last shall finde without this garment and seale upon him When there was a tempest he who slept and least thought of it was throwne into the sea and when the day of wrath shall come those that have neglected their estate most shall doubtlesse be in the greatest danger And therefore we should labour to goe to Gods throne with our garments and our marke upon us for all other endowments our learning our honours our parts our preferments our earthly hopes and dependencies will none follow us but wee shall live to see either them or the comforts of them depart Achitophel had wisdome like an oracle of God but he liv'd to see it bid him quite farewell for hee died like a very foole or childe who when he may not have his owne will will be reveng'd upon himselfe Haman had more honour than the ambition of a subject usually aspires unto and yet he liv'd to see it bid him farewell and died the basest death which himselfe could devise for his most hated and despised enemie Iehoiakim a King liv'd to see his Crowne take its leave and was buried with the buriall of an Asse and drag'd like carrion out of the gates of the Citie There will be nothing at last left for any man to cast his trust upon but God or Angels or our fellowes and if then God be against us though all which remains were on our side alas what is an handfull of stubble to a world full of fire but yet there will not be that advantage but the combate must be single betweene God and a sinner The good Angels rejoyce to doe Gods will and the wicked will rejoyce to doe man any mischiefe these will be only readie to accuse and those to gather the wicked together unto the wrath of him that sitteth on the Throne O what would a man give then for that holinesse which hee now despiseth what covenants would such a man be content to