Sanctification infancy and strong age the one is in the estate of grace the other in the estate of felicitie and glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 3. In Sanctification there are two parts considerable 1. Mortification 2. Vivification 4. Mortification is the first part of Sanctification through which sinne is mortified and the force thereof weakned and abated Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we might not serve sinne 5. Vivification is the second part of Sanctification through which the Image of God is restored and renewed 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have borne the Image of the earthly we shall also beare the Image of the heavenly 6. The efficient and absolute cause is the Father of eternall grace and mercies 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7. The meritorious or formall cause the precious deare bloud of the Lord Christ that bought us Heb. 10.10 By the which will wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb. 10.29 Oh how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under-foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace 8. The instrumentall cause of our Sanctification is the precious and sanctifying Word of the Lord Jesus Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth 9. The spirit of life and glory is the cause principally working and perfecting of our Sanctification Hence the Spirit of Christ is tearmed the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 10. There is an inseparable lincke and conjunction betwixt the act of Justification by or through the righteousnesse of the Lord our righteousnesse and the act of Sanctification through the Spirit of life and Adoption The ground is this Sith the end of Justification through the love of God and righteousnesse of Christ is the holinesse of our lives and conversations 11. Whilest the inabilitie of man is insufficient to mortifie sinne transgression and iniquitie the Spirit of life and consolation worketh faith in the hearts of the faithfull which layeth hold on the deare bloud and precious death of the Lord Christ which draweth strength from thence to the utter subduing and mortifying of corruption Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Rom. 6.8 9 10. Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him For in that he dyed he dyed unto sinne once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God 12. Whilest man is insufficient to restore againe the Image of God which he lost in Paradise to him is given the Spirit of life through which he is freed from the Law of sinne and death and raised againe to live by the life and resurrection of Christ Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8.11 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 13. The New Creature reconciled through bloud justified through righteousnesse and sanctified by the Spirit is really absolutely freed from blame reproofe and sinne in the sight of God the Father 2 Cor. 5.17 Coll. 1.22 Vide. 14. As God hath glory by faith in his promise love to his Name and hope in his salvation so he hath glory by holinesse and sanctitie in our lives and conversations Rom. 4.20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe But was strong in faith giving glory to God Joh. 17 10. And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 15. Though the Father of glory and God of all consolation give us life eternall without the desert of holinesse and sanctification yet he doth not give the joy of the Spirit supply of grace without the meanes of sanctimony or sanctification Act. 10.43 44. Vide. 16. Answerable to the sence of Gods divine favour the apprehension of the divine love of Christ and the over-fillings and over-flowings of the joy of the Spirit so is the faithfulls progresse to the high calling of God in Christ Phil. 3.14 I presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus 17. So farre as our sanctification or holinesse is an assurance of our glory and blessednesse hereafter that it shall receive the crowne of hope and approbation in the day of Judgement and that through it we glorifie our heavenly Father before the sonnes of men we may rejoyce before God with an assured confidence Act. 24.14 15 16. But this I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prephets And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience voyde of offence towards God and men 18. Not the terrors of the Law the feare of hell the dread of Justice nor the affrightment through condemnation ought to move the Saints to the obedience of the Gospel of life and salvation sith they are bound to the obedience thereof by the love of God a reconciled Father and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Joh. 15.12 This is my Commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you Joh. 14.15 If yee love me keepe my Commandements 19. Though the Saints for their sanctitie and holinesse are not assured of life and immortalitie yet without sanctitie and holinesse they are not assured of beatitude and glory Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. 20. When the faithfull doe not consider their justified estate and condition and their glorious presentation through the act of reconciliation but opposeth and compareth their works with the Commands and Precepts of the Morall Law It doth possesse them with dreadfull griefe and woefull sorrow Heb. 12.18 19 20
John 5.8 And there are three that bear witnesse in earth the Spirit and the water and blood and these three agree in one 1. Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ 19. Whosoever are under the Covenant of grace are not under the Law but under grace not under the jurisdiction of the devill but under the rule and command of Christ not under the dominion of sin and transgression but under the Regiment of the Spirit of life and adoption Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God 20. The faithfull after the time they are assured that God is their God through the Covenant of free grace and mercie are wholly removed from the barre of justice to heare what tydings of peace mercy and salvation shall come from the throne of grace and mercie Hebr. 12.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. 21. The Covenant of grace is smitten with the faithfull in Christ the onely and absolute Mediatour before they come to the true and effectual assurance thereof in their hearts and consciences 22. The joy of the holy Ghost doth then fill the hearts of the faithfull when in the receiving the seals of the Covenant they through the act of faith do firmly and strongly behold the marvellous and exceeding freenesse of that to them undeserving 1. Tim. 1.14 15. the 14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 23. If any man would have assured confidence that he shall live immortally and that grace communicated to him shall never be removed or extinguished let him turn his eye upon the freenesse and newnesse of the new Covenant established and confirmed to him in the hand of a Mediatour Hebr. 8.6 24. The Morall Law is no part of the new Covenant in equalitie and substance it is the same which was made with Adam in his innocency and integritie Gal. 3.12 And the law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them 25. As the Father of admirable love and kindnesse makes his covenant with his in Christ so doth every Christian make his covenant with God in Christ sith that in himself there is nothing but indigencie want and deficiencie and that through Christ the fountaine and well-spring of fulnesse and excellencie he may receive sufficient to performe what he hath promised to God-ward for his own particular Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing 26. Our covenant is an holy resignation of soule and body to serve obey feare and love God our deare and loving Father and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent in answer to that free Covenant which he hath made to us in Christ when he chose us to be a peculiar people zealous of good works Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Tit. 2.14 Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Contemplation THe eye that seeth the eare that heareth the mind that conceiveth the immense and incomprence love of God to his may admire that God through grace should make a new covenant of grace to his people undeserving grace he saw them in their blood defiled stained spotted and impure yet he chose and did not refuse them in that wofull state and condition Though they were unfaithfull to God in the first covenant he is faithfull to them in the second through the breach of the first they lost all through the help of Christ in the second they recover all in that they stood not in the first they shut the gates of heaven upon themselves through or by vertue of the second heaven is open for them to have free entrance though the Law of works speak bitter heavy and terrible things to the conscience yet the second speaks not of bitternesse dreadfulnesse or terriblenesse but of favour bountie and benignitie to the soule or spirit The first was in the hand of man the second in the hand of Christ Hence it is so fast strong and permanent that neither heights nor depths principalities nor powers neither dominions nor the prince of darknesse with all his rabble can anihilate disanull or bring to nothing O Christian whilest thou art comprehended behold that which is incomprehensible whilest thou art measured behold that which is immeasurable whilest thou ponderest of something ponder of that which is unutterable Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out CHAP. IIII. Concerning Vnion Definition 1. VNion is the work of the Spirit of Christ through faith whereby the Saints are united unto Christ and to the Father in Christ to the end they may enjoy communion in the promises and benefits of Christ in the state of grace and in the estate of glory everlasting beatitude and perfection 1. Cor. 6.17 But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The faithfull are not onely united to Christ by faith as the instrumentall cause by the Spirit the cause principalliter operans but also by the blood of Christ as the cause materiall Ephes 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ 3. It hath not onely been the divine pleasure or benevolence of our heavenly Father that we should be united to his dearly beloved Son by nature but that we should be united to him by a secret and mysticall union Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me 4. The Son of God took upon him the humane nature of mankind through which he is joyned to all men but that is infirme and weake and not able to bring us to eternall glory without the union mysticall I in them and they in me c. Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold
This hath not been without the divine pleasure of our gracious and heavenly Father that Election which hath been before the world was he maketh knowne to his by operative and effectuall Vocation Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom he hath called them also hath he justified and whom he hath justified them also hath he glorified 24. Election and Vocation proceeds from the free benevolence of a loving God and are confirmed to the consciences of true beleevers through the true and faithfull testimony of the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.17 And the Spirit witnesseth together with our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God 25. If we desire to see and know the propitious minde of God let us turne our faces towards Christ in whom the Father is well pleased if we would seeke eternall life and the immortalitie of the celestiall Kingdome Not to any other but to Christ must we flie for he is the fountaine of our life the Author of our salvation and the ground of our Adoption and effectuall calling 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to salvation by the meanes of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our worke but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given to us through Jesus Christ before the world was 26. Now whitherward doth our Election tend but that through the bountie of him who is propitious towards us we may enjoy the filiation of sonnes immortalitie and salvation and although our minds are troubled and our cōsciences perplexed yet no otherwise can we know the certaintie thereof but by vocation and absolute regeneration for absolute regeneration and vocation are assured pledges of our salvation immortalitie and filiation 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant bountie hath begetten us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that withereth not reserved in heaven for us 27. Although our heavenly and gracious Father love all his people as he loved his beloved Christ yet it is his divine grace and pleasure in effectuall vocation to try some of his in the fiery furnace of sorrowes and great tribulation Act. 2.37 Who when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and other Apostles Men and Brethren What shall we doe Isa 6.5 Then said I I am a man undone I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell amongst a people of polluted lips mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hoasts 28. Our life is hid with God in Christ and we are called efficaciously from the world unto celestiall grace and from woefull darknesse unto his glorious light that we may live godly in this present world expecting the comming of our Lord and Saviour Ephes 4.1 I therefore being prisoner in the Lord pray you that yee walke worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Titus 2.13 Expecting that blessed hope and that glorious comming of that great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Contemplation THis was the saying of Moses Who is a Rock like our Rock or who is a God like the God of our salvation We may say Who hath a Father like our Father or who hath found any so sweet and delectable as he hath been to us As the sweet influence of the Plejades and the sweet distilling drops from the Clouds so hath he been in our vocation his words are rarer then the words of Moses the one is Law the other grace and peace Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth cams by Jesus Christ. The one a killing Letter the other a quickening Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The one the ministery of condemnation the other the ministery of life and salvation 2 Cor. 3.9 For if the ministery of condemnation hath been glorious much more the ministery of righteousnesse doth abound with glory The one written in Tables of stone the other in the fleshly Tables of our heart 2 Cor. 3 3. In that yee are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us and written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart The one accuseth us before the Barre of Justice the other acquitteth us before the Mercy Seate Joh. 5.4 5. Thinke not that I am come to accuse you before the Father there is one who accuseth you to wit Moses in whom yee trust Hath Moses fetcht home the lost sheep sought the lost groat or imbraced the poore returned Prodigalls No it was our Christ the great and blessed Shepheard of Israel What are the drops or dewes without the Sunne or what can the body effect without the soule or what can the Law doe in the act of vocation without the effectuall operation of the Spirit of Jesus from whence art thou called O my soule Not onely from the receipt of custome but from the custome of hell Not onely from prophanenesse to civilitie from civilitie to moralitie but from all to heavenly and celestiall grace and glory What hast thou found in Christ fince he called thee I have found my life in him my name in the heavenly places a hope amongst his peculiar a rest in his love a communion in his promises a fellowship amongst the Saints and the glorious gracious and loving face of a sweet Father And hast thou not also found rare effects in thee since the time of his overpowring of his precious graces yea now his love is more to me then Kingdomes then Consullships then riches then honours then dignities then Dominions yea then all things If I were possest with the wealth of Arabia the riches of India the treasure of Africa and the glory of Europe what would those be to me without a Christ I would rather choose one dram of his grace then mountaines of gold then a sea of silver then an earth of pleasures and Kingdomes and Provinces of delights and delectations Rachel said Give me children or els I dye I say give me Christ or I shall dye Abraham said What availes all these if I goe childlesse I say what availeth all if I goe Christlesse Was Jacob comforted when he wanted Joseph or can I be comforted when I want my Beloved And did not Rachel mourne and would not be comforted when her children were not And doe I not mourne and cannot be comforted because my Christ is not From henceforth will I triumph with the triumphers and take my place amongst the Conquerours for I am not called from the sheepfold but from the gates of hell and made a King and Priest to God the Father I am