the earnest of the Spirit Therefore if Gods own earnest may give good hope then Christ in beleeving Christians giveth good hope of glory especially because the earnest it self is of so great value the receiving whereof is happinesse begun upon earth 2. Because of that near relation and close union which is betwixt Christ and them whom he inhabiteth They are not only related unto him as servants unto their Master though that would give ground of good hope Seeing he himself who is taken up into glory hath said Where I am there shall my servant be Neither are they only one with him Ioh. 12. 26. Joh. 15 5. Col. 1. 18. Ephes 1. 23. He in them and they in him as the branches in the Vine But he is united unto beleevers as the head unto the body which is called his fullnesse Therefore if there be hope that Christ will have a compleat body without the defect of any member in heaven or that every individuall member of Christ his mysticall body shall be glorified then Christ in beleevers is the infallible hope of glory 3. Because Christ by abiding in Beleevers doth prepare them for participation in glory The Apostle Paul is clear in his expressions to this purpose Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life Rom. 8. 9 10 11. because of righteousnesse But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Wheresoever Christ dwels spiritually his Spirit operateth effectually for the subduing of sinfull principles and for the advancing of the power of sanctification And thus he preparing the vessels of mercy for glory and making them meet to be made pantakers of the inheritance of Rom. 8. 23. Col. 1. 12. Saints in light he giveth them sure hope of glory This by way of application may serve as a good touchstone Vse 1 to try the truth of heavens hopes Not Christ in the Sermons which we hear nor Christ in the Chapters which we reade nor Christ in the Sacrament which we receive will administer ground of hope of future glory Though Christ be in our heads by high notions and in our mouths by frequent glorious expressions yet if he be not in our bosomes by spirituall inhabitation he is not unto us the hope of glory It is said of hypocrites that God is near in their mouths Jer. 12. 2. Mat. 15. 8. but farre from their reins And that with their lips they honour him but their heart is farre from him At the last day many shall pleade their profession of Christ calling him Lord Lord and talking of great works done in his Name who yet shall shall be rejected with doleful disappointments I will professe unto them saith Christ I never knew you depart from Mat. 7. 23. me Here then the question will be how may Christ his being in us be discovered I answer briefly 1. By the grace of Per fidem habitans virtute sua agens Hunnius in Text. Joh. 1. 12. faith whereby he is received 2. By the room into which he is welcomed 3. And by the effects of his entertainment First Whereas true Beleevers are the only receivers of Jesus Christ This faith will evidence it self partly by the incomparable value which it puts upon Christ To you who beleeve saith the Apostle Peter he is precious and partly by opposing 1 Pet. 2. 7. and purging out sinfull pollution that Christ may not be annoyed by it The heart is purified by faith Therefore ask your Act. 15. 9. selves as in Gods presence whether there be any thing in the world which you prize more then Christ or so much as Christ and whether you do indulge any wickedness within your bosomes without bitter complaints and vigorous opposition Secondly Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith The Spouse Eph. 3. 17. Can. 1. 13. saith He shall lie as a bundle of Myrrhe betwixt my breasts Therefore consider into what place Christ is welcomed Do you admit him into some out-house only As at his birth he was laid in a manger because there was no room for him in Luk. 2. 7. the Inne Or do you put him into a cock-loft only I mean Do you only fill your fancies with notions and tip your tongues with talk of Christ or is he indeed received with warm welcome into your hearts by longings loves and rejoycings Thirdly Whereas Christ is influentially operative in the soul where he resideth as the soul in the body where it is Christ is our life saith Paul and I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Enquire Col. 3. 4 Gal. 2. 20. therefore exactly whether by such spirituall breathings sense and motions as were in Jesus Christ whilest upon earth you can make out your union and communion with him He 1 Joh. 2. 6. that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked what gaspings are in you after conformity to Gods will and the glory of his Name what sighs under sin with the expressions of divine displeasure what complacency in Gods service and the smiles of his face in the use of holy Ordinances what motions what progresse do you endeavour to make from sinne towards God in the mortifying of inward lusts and the advancing of the power of godlinesse in your conversations Sincere answers returned unto such like demands will suggest whether Christ be efficaciously present in you This truth administreth matter of much comfort unto all Vse 2 them who finde upon due examination the Lord Jesus dwelling in them When Zacheus heard that Christ would abide Luk. 19. 6. in his house he received him joyfully Greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts Now to quicken the belevevers joy upon that account viz. that Christ in them is the hope of glory these comfortable consequences may be considered 1. Hence they may assuredly expect the supply of all outward wants whether they look upon themselves as possessed of Christ or entitled by him unto glory The holy Scripture holds forth this inference as deducible from both these grounds Christ is the owner the heir of all things and therefore if God hath given us his Sonne how shall he not with him freely give us all things And if the Lord by the right Rom. 8. 32. of Christ hath been pleased to give interest in heavens glory he will certainly vouchsafe all earthly needfull accommodations This conclusion Christ himself gathers from the premises Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure Luk. 12. 32. to give you the Kingdom And the Apostle doth from the same
humane learning even amongst the rich-gifted Corinthians determined not to know 1 Cor. 2. 2. any thing but Jesus Christ and him crucified And himself elsewhere giveth a rationall a satisfying account of this his resolution viz. because of the superlative both excellency and utility of this knowledge Doubtlesse I count all things Phil. 3. 8 10. but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord That I may know him and the power of his resurrection c. Who can tell how many rarities lie hid in Christ or how great gain may be got by the knowledge of him 1. This is the way to procure justification by him By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many 2. Hereby Isa 53. the growth of all graces both in kindes and degrees is much promoted We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the Joh. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 18. glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 3. And hence issueth glory The Text tells you that in him is the hope of glory This is life eternall that they may know thee the only true God Joh. 17. 3. and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent If all this be not sufficient to quicken diligence in seeking out after the knowledge of Christ let me adde a double consideration from the practice of the holy Angels though they be not so much concerned in and advantaged by Christ as our selves 1. They did desire to pry and peep into those Typical and Prophetical 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discoveries of him which were obscure before his Incarnation 2. And now they are content to come as it were to our Schools where we are taught unto our Congregations for clearer instruction in this mystery according to Gods minde Vnto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be Eph. 3. 10. Sacro-sanctum vivificum mysterium Aug Est quidem fructuosum honorificum gloriosum hoc Evangelij mysterium Dav. in Text. known by the Church the manifold wisedom of God These things speak cogent arguments to them who are Christianly ingenuous to move more and more industrious endeavours to dive further and further into these rich divine mysteries whereof Gods Worthies have given many high commendations calling it an holy glorious fruitfull quickning happy-making mystery What commendation can be higher then that of our Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 16. Without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory Herein is contained the marrow of Christianity And doubtlesse every Christian who mindeth the power of godlinesse either in reference unto Gods honour or self-welfare will by these Meditations be prevailed with to seek acquaintance with this rich mystery I shall speak no more unto this first Point viz. That Christ is the riches of Gospel-glorious Mysteries but I proceed unto the second That reall Saints beleeving Christians have even while Doct. 2 here on earth hope of glory Such were these Colossians to whom these words were spoken The Saints and faithful brethren in Christ Not only Saints ver 2. titularly but in reality whose Saintship and faith was witnessed by their brotherly disposition towards one another and their faithful walking in the world these these were they who had hope of future glory The like expression hath the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Rom. 5. 1 2. Christ and we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God This Doctrine I shall not much dilate upon but only give one touch or two by way of application Hence we are informed that the gain of godlinesse and Vse 1 the profitablenesse of a religious life is not to be judged of alone by the outward visible fruit reaped here for the rich Revenues of holinesse are rather in hope then in hand The world knoweth us not and it doth not yet appear what we shall 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2. Eccl. 9. 1. be No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them And therefore in the estimation of those who judge according to the sight of the eye If in this life only we have hope 1 Cor. 15. 19. in Christ we are of all men most miserable Though in very truth Christians who live by faith and walk holily with the Lord have cordials in secret which the world knoweth not of viz. peace which passeth all understanding and joys most unspeakable Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 5. and full of glory which do wonderfully exceed and admirably sweeten all their sufferings yet the best is behinde these are only the tastes of that full glory reserved for them in heaven Thus the Prophet Malachy confuteth the carnall crew in his daies who said it was a vain thing to serve God He first telleth them of a book of Remembrance written before the Lord recording all the serviceablenesse of Saints in evil times and then referreth them to the last day when God shall make up his jewels adding these words Then Mal. 3. 17 18. shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Would you give a right estimate of the precious incoms by godlinesse do not so much view their present outward wants and pressures but rather hearken to the language of their hopes When Christ who is our life shall appear then we also Col. 3. 4. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. shall appear with him in glory And we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Vse 2 Therefore let us all try whether we can from good holding Ezek. 3. 6. Heb. 6. 11. grounds make out our hopes of glory As Ministers must beware of flattering people with vain hopes so the Apostle Paul perswadeth every one of us to shew diligence for the attaining the full assurance of hope yea the same diligence 1 Pet. 3. 15. which we use in reference to any act of obedience And Saint Peter would have all Christians ready to give a reason of the hope which is in them The necessity of this triall may be manifested by these following considerations 1. The worth of the thing hoped for viz. glory which is in value transcendently better then all things under the Sunne Herein consists everlasting heavenly happiness The phrase whereby the holy Scripture doth expresse it is very full a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The 2 Cor. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 value of any commodity causeth cautiousnesse to prevent cheating Wisedom therefore will make wary that hopes hereof may not be built upon sandy bottoms 2. The usefulnesse of hope being as an Helmet to secure
the handling of the point of doctrine here propounded And because the doctrine hath two branches the one necessarily implied the other openly expressed I shall distinctly speak unto them both The truth implied in the first branch of the doctrine is 1. Branch of Doctrine Joh. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. this viz. that Christ is in Beleevers As beleevers do receive him so he dwelleth in their hearts by faith And therefore it is noteable that the Apostle having moved the Corinthians to prove themselves whether in the faith he addeth Know 2 Cor. 13. 5. ye not that Jesus Christ is in you This in-being of Christ in beleevers is to be understood not of an abode in them or any where else on earth corporally for in that sense the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of Act. 3. 21. all things but of an habitation spirituall according to the testimony of the Apostle Because ye are Sonnes God hath Gal. 4. 6. sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Thereby intending to teach us that Christ is in beleeving Christians spiritually And this truth is by various metaphors suggested in the holy Scriptures 1. By being compared unto showrs which descending from heaven do sink and soak into the bowels of the earth He shall come down like rain 2. And his Name Psa 72. 6. Cant. 1. 3. Psa 109. 18. is like unto ointment poured forth which worketh it self into the bones not staying upon the outside of the person receiving it 3. He is meat and drink indeed unto the soul from Joh. 6. 55 56. whence he himself concludeth my doctrine He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him 4. Hereto might be added that he is the soul of our souls whereby we live spiritually Christ is our Life And mans life Col. 3. 4. Dan. 7. 15. is said to be in him 2 Sam. 1. 9. The body is called the sheath of the Soul which expression hinteth that the soul is in the body as the sword in the scabbard In like manner Christ who is the Christians life is in all them whom he enliveneth Having thus cleared the truth that Christ is in beleeving Vse 1 Christians I proceed to the application of it under three heads of Uses First For Instruction in four particulars 1. Hence the Godhead of Jesus Christ may be concluded undeniably for this spirituall ubiquity of Christ in the souls of all reall Saints in all the places of the world cannot belong unto any meer creature whatsoever This argument Saint Paul produced Act. 17. 23 24 27 28. to distinguish the true God from all Idol-gods He is not far from every one of us Omnipresence proveth Deity And the conclusion followeth with like strength when beleevers assert this truth He is in every one of us 2. This discovereth the unparellel'd condescentions of Jesus Jesus Christ being willing to abase himself thus low as to be within poor sinfull creatures This was a matter of admiration 1 King 8. 27. Mat. 8. 8. unto Solomon But will God indeed dwell on earth The good Centurion said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof And the Psalmist with much affection calleth upon all the servants of the Lord to praise him and Psa 113. 1 3 5 6. praise him again upon this account Who is like unto the Lord God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth Did God humble himself in looking out of himself off from his own infinite beauties and perfections to view either men on earth or Angels and Saints in heaven How much greater is this condescention in Christ to make his abode in the souls of sinners Let me here dart only two thoughts into your mindes 1. That Christ came out of his Fathers bosome where he Joh. 1. 18. Prov. 8. 30. was daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him 2. That the hearts of the best upon earth wherein he inhabits are like dark dungeons in regard of the clouds of ignorance not dispersed 1 Cor. 13. 12. Isa 64. 6. and like unsavoury dunghils in respect of many noysome lusts not fully subdued Therefore guess with gratitude how low our blessed Lord doth stoop in being content to dwell in us even in us every way so vile and so unworthy 3. This giveth us to understand the dignity of all true beleevers As they are precious excellent more excellent then Isa 43. 4. Psa 16. 2. Prov. 12. 26. others in many other respects which I now have not occasion to mention so upon this account that the Lord Jesus Christ is in them Moses the man of God judgeth Israel in this regard in a condition farre better then any other people For what Nation hath God so nigh unto them And how Deut. 4. 7. much was Zacheus affected with the apprehension of this favour this honour when Christ promised to abide at his house When he had climed into a tree to take a view of Luk. 19. 5. Christ and Christ telleth him that he should not only have a transient sight of him but also enjoy him as his guest oh how was Zacheus think you elevated by this entertainment Now such and greater honour have all his Saints Psa 149. 9. It was no doubt a very great honour put upon the blessed Virgin Mary both in her own account and in the judgement Luk. 1. 42 43 48 49. of all Christians that she did bear the holy body of Christ in her womb for a time He that is mighty hath magnified me and certainly the inhabitation of Christ by his Spirit in the souls of his servants is not a priviledge inferiour 4. This whispereth the madnesse and misery of all such who do dare to make opposition against beleevers for seeing Christ is in them therefore in so doing they seek as it were to pluck down Christ his house upon his head I shall not enlarge this Use 1. Either by shewing the various waies whereby wrong is done unto the servants of the Most High viz. by secret plots and open persecutions either by abating their comforts or encreasing their sufferings either by corrupting their judgements or drawing them to sin 2. Or by manifesting Christs knowledge and sensiblenesse of these their injuries together with his severity against their enemies witnessed both by judgements threatned in his Word and executed in the world from generation to generation But I only wish those who are herein guilty to minde the Item given by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are The second Use is for the comfort of all true beleevers Vse 2 seeing Christ is in them I remember what is recorded concerning Paul that the