without any Light lying under shame and dishonour under the guilt of sinne and not able to deliver it selfe this cannot but make it looke out for it selfe and seeke with great importunity for a Saviour The Dove could find no rest for the soale of her foot till she returned into the Arke It is a perfect hyeroghyphick or resemblance of a wounded Spirit as Solomon calls it when it is as the blessed Redeemer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surrounded with sorrow and it is full of restlesse vexations fluctuating and tumbled up and downe in a whole Ocean of perplexities and feares and can see no shoare no Land no creek or haven of comfort then it must into the Arke then it uses the soliloquie of the Psalmist returne unto thy res◠ô my soule then it cries out with the blessed Martyr ô none but Christ none but Christ there 's my Arke ther 's my rest there 's my refuge there I shall find reliefe and refreshment or else no where Christ will be a calme to me after a storme he will dispell and drive away all these clouds he will hold my head above water and keep me from sinking he will be light and joy and unspeakable solace after all these distempers thus the poore afflâ—cted soule as a prisoner of hope as the Prophet speakes Zach. 9. 12. returnes unto Christ as to its strong hold The misâ—rable soule seeks for cure the whole need not the Physition saith Christ but the sick sin-sick sinners will enquire and seek after the Physition of soules The sense of misery is the primum mobile the first mover that sets us on seeking for Christ The more wee know our owne misery the more we know how to prise Christ and set a true value upon him Againe Beleevers are likewise convinced of the impotency and weaknesse of the creature in respect of any help or succour that it can afford None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor givâ— to God a ransome for him Psal 49. 7. iâ— not redemption from temporall death much lesse from eternall Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes saith the Prophet or with ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule The truth is should all the Angels in Heaven and righteous men upon Earth joyne their goodnesse together and offer it up to God as a sacrifice it would not be sufficient to expiate so much as one sinne Now when the soule is sensible of this it crieth out as Peter in another case help Lord or else I perish Solomon saith that as good newes from a farre Country so is cold water to a thirsty soule Prov. 25. 25. So it is with a poore distressed soule when it seeth it selfe as it were in a farre Countrey farre from God farre from â—oy and farre from any deliverance in it selfe or in any other then if one bring him newes of a Saviour of a Redeemer this is welcome newes indeed this is as cold water to a thirsty soule An instance of this is seen in the Prodigall who when he came to himselfe that is when he saw what a wretched and helplesse creature he was he cast his thoughts upon his Fathers house he loathed any longer to feed upon the huskes and hogs meat of the world then he desires the bread of his Fathers hired servants Nothing but home will content him farewell feasting and revelling and all filthy pleasures that I have lived in I have gotten nothing by them but wounds and sorrowes and vexation of Spirit I will home to my Fathers house there is bread and durable cloathing there is whatsoever I can wish or desire here I starve and die there I shall live and sweetly enjoy my selfe here I want all things but there I shall lack nothing This is a lively pourtraiture of a thirsty and wearied soule flying unto Christ for ease and comfort This then is one reason why Christ is precious to Beleevers namely because they are in some measure convinced of their misery with him and of their owne impotency and utter inability to help themselves therefore Christ is precious unto them Secondly Beleevers are not onely Reas II convinced of their owne misery without Christ and of their impotency and inability to help themselves but also they see and apprehend an infinite treasure of good and happinesse that God hath treasured up in Christ and that to be joyned unto him is the onely way to obtaine these blessings Viz. the Fathers Love Pardon of sinne Manifestation of Gods face The love of God being infinite like himselfe cannot be conferred upon any creature for its owne sake the causa procuratrix or the procuring cause of this love must of necessity be infinitely meritorious now this is not found among the sonnes of men but onely in Christ the eternall Sonne of God onely in Christ who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man as I may say Immanuel God with us or God in our flesh God that he might be a fit object for the infinite love of his Father and man that he might derive and bring that love to us God first loves his Sonne and then Beleivers through him It is impossible that the infinite love of the infinite God should bee drawne out but by an infinite motive and where is this motive but in the second person coe-eternall co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father were it not for his Sonne God should have no object for his love in the world Love is as fire which must have fewell to maintaine it Now let all the Creatures men and Angels be set before God yet they all with all their excellencies and lovely parts cannot deserve the least minute or tittle of his Love God loves himselfe in his Sonne and his creatures for his beloved Sonnes sake God will supply saith the Apostle all your need according to his riches in Glory by Jesus Christ Philip. 4. 9. The treasures of Gods love and riches are first in Christ and by our union with him wee come to enjoy them So Ephes 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he hath ingratiated us through that Beloved Gods love and his favour is undeserved on our parts wee finde grace in his sight through Christ Notable to this purpose is the order of the three persons which the Apostle sets Cor. the last and the last The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Ho-Ghost be with you all Amen You must know now that this is not a right naturall order for by order of nature the Father whom the Apostle cal's God in a personall sense as John 1. the word was with God that is with the Father I say by order of nature the Father is first of himselfe not begotten the Son is from the
Father begotten yet eternall and the Holy Ghost is proceeding from them both yet eternally too for though they be one before another in order of nature yet not in order of time But now here is the Question seeing the Father is first the Sonne second and the Holy Spirit last in that naturall order why doth the Apostle in the fore-mentioned place set the Sonne first verily because he is next and immediate unto us being our Mediatour being the canalis or conduit pipe as I may say by which the love of God and the communion of the Holy-Ghost is brought and conveyed to us as the meanes is ever before the end Now the Saints being convinced and perswaded of this Truth this is the thing that makes Christ so deare and precious unto them as he is if Isaac loved Esau for his venison for a carnall respect much more have wee cause to love the Lord Jesus and highly to esteeme of him having procured for us the love of the Father a love like Jonathan's love to David passing the love of women yea a love of infinite dimensions and measures if I may so speake the breadth of it is infinite because it is without respect of persons the length also infinite because it is from everlasting to everlasting the depth infinite because it redeemes and delivers from Hell and the height likewise infinite because it lifts us up to Heaven Certainly Christ having purchased such a wonderfull love as this he must needs be precious he must needs be amiable and lovely to a beleeving soule Secondly for the pardon of sinne there is likewise an absolute necessity of Christ The bloud of Christ onely and not of Buls and Goats is availeable to take away sinnes The soule being convicted of its sinfulnesse speakes as the Prophet doth Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings God is devouring fire and everlasting bumings in relation to sinners his wrath is the fewell of Hell as I may say the breath of his indignation is like a river of brimstone kindling and perpetually maintaining the flames of Tophet what shall the poore sinfull soule doe now here 's nothing but menaces and threatnings terrours and amazements death and destruction and where is the remedy verily no where but in Christ alone Israel passing through the wildernesse had a cloud to cover him and defend him from the scortching Sunne-beames now what was this cloud but a type and shadow of Christ as the Apostle makes it 1 Cor. 10. 1. hee makes there the cloud and the Sea and the Manna and the water of the Rocke to be all figures and Images of Christ Christ is a sea to wash Manna to feed water to refresh and a cloud to hide the soule from the hot and burning wrath of God the fiery beames of that wrath would surely suffocate it and stifle it were not the bloud of Christ interposed and set between to veile it the bloud of Christ obnubilates and covers the soule from the fierce anger of God it is Christ onely that reconcileth us to God it is he alone that is our Advocate to plead our cause with his Father when man had sinned Justice and Mercy strove one with another seemed to be at variance Christ redintigrates them and makes them friends againe he is our blessed Umpire to set there two together againe giving satisfaction to Justice and place to mercy so honouring and dignifying both making both to rejoyce both to kisse and embrace each other God smels a sweet savâ—ur of rest in Christ onely all the hilasticall and propitiatory sacrifices of the Law did â—â—oke to him as to their end and substance of themselves they could not puâ—ge away the guilt of the least sinne the repetition of them as the Apostle teacheth showes plainely how invalid they were to expiate the crimes and offences of the soule the strictest observance of them could not make the worshipper perfect as touching cleerenesse of Conscience Heb. 9. 9. When David cryes purge me with bysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow he alludes indeed to the Leviticall Ceremony but he aimes at the bloud of Christ onely this alone was able to purge away his foule spot his hainous sinne of murder would not out by any other washing then this In one of the old sacrifices there were two Goates appointed one to be slaine and the other to be kept alive which was called the scape-Goate now both these have an eye to Christ the slaine or sacrificed Goate was a type of his dying for sinne and the surviving or scape-goate figures his rising againe and ever living to mainetaine the worth of that oblation the Apostle saith that he ever liveth to make intercession for us and how doth he make intercession but by continuall holding forth in the presence of his Father the merit of his sufferings so that still Christ both dying and living is the fountaine of our peace and attonement with God still Christ is he and the onely he that obtaineth remission of sinnes for us Now if wee consider the many and great benefits that redound to us by the pardon of sinne we must needs conclude that Christ is very precious by whom we enjoy such a mercy When sinne is pardoned there is an end of Gods heavie wrath and displeasure Satan's Kingdome goes downe the power of our corruptions daily decaying we have peace and joy within whereas before wee had nothing but raging stormes and tempests and a very hell in our Consciences our prayers finde acceptance at the throne of Grace all the creatures are in league with us and are become our faithfull servants that which comes from them is sweet and benigne healthfull and good our blessings are blessed yea our very curses if they may be so called are likewise blessed unto us Judgements are removed every bitternesse is taken away even the sting of death is puld our Christ as a tree of most excellent vertue is cut downe and throwne into our Marah Some things may worke adveâ—sly and crosly to us but the Apostle speakes of a cooperating or working together which makes amends for all all things worke together saith he for good unto them that love God Rom. 8. 28. and they be such that have their sinnes pardoned Though some things worke untowardly and against the haire as I may say yet take them altogether and there is a blessed harmony and complyance a sweet relishablenesse and savourinesse in them one thing doth recompence and make up another the mixture of sweet and sowre through the wisdome and mighty working of God is very demulcent and wholsome full of benediction and blessednesse that even the sinnes of the Godly are an advantage to them and turne to their melioration and betternment God makes use even of them to doe his children good he brings meate out of the very eater and converts the causes of damnation into
was lawfull onely for the High-Priest to enter into it and that but once a yeare Great in this regard is our preeminence now above Gods ancient people they might not passe so much as into an earthly Sanctuary inclosed with materiall walls and coped with a roofe but wee have licence and leave to enter into a farre more holy and undefiled place Christ hath consecrated or initiated a way for us hee hath trod the path first as our fore-runner and hee hath done it by his bloud or as the Apostle speakes through the vaile that is to say his flesh he alludes to the vaile of blew and purple scarlet and fine twined linen which was to divide the holiest of all from the rest of the Tabernacle That vayle was a type of Christs flesh Now as the High-priest of old entred into the holiest by removing of the veile so Christ by the death of his body did as it were turne aside the veile and so hath entred into heaven the holy of holies there to make intercession for us Yea by the renting and tearing of that veile of his flesh upon the crosse he hath for ever opened a way for all Beleevers a new and a living way that of old is obsolete and vanished this is such as the vigour thereof shall never decay that of old being by the bloud of beasts could not give life to the comers this being by the bloud of Christ revives and raises up them that are dead in trespasses and sinnes and doth also conferre eternall life upon them O how precious beyond all thought and conceit is the bloud of Jesus Christ the bloud of a most righteous person most noble bloud the very life and heart-bloud the bloud of God justifying sanctifying redeeming bloud bloud purchasing eternall redemption for us bloud that quickeneth us and conferres both spirituall and everlasting life upon us Lastly Bloud that opens to us a never decaying way into Heaven How precious I say is this bloud of Christ and how doth it call upon us to stirre up our affections to embrace Christ to lay hold of him and to love him with a most ardent and unfained love who hath bestowed such a precious gift upon us Secondly Christ hath bestowed upon Beleevers precious Graces Grace is called by the Apostle the renewing of the Holy-Ghost and the forming of Christ in us It consisteth in the rectitude and conformitie of our will unto the will of God and to Christ the absolute patterne of all grace and holinesse the image of the invisible God the expresse character of his Fathers brightnesse the Sun of righteousnesse the morning starre most eminently and gloriously above all others chiefest of ten thousand for sweet and gracious deportment How precious are those qualities of the soule which come neare such a patterne as this which imitate resemble and take after such unmatchable beautie Now all grace is precious but the Scripture gives that Epithite especially to faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. and that for these Reasons First Because it is the roote and wombe as I may say of all grace it is the inward fountaine and principle from whence all grace flowes it is the mother grace it purgeth the conscience and purifieth the heart and so breedeth every needfull grace in us You may see this genealogie or pedigree of grace notably delineated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 5. There we finde that charitie or love which is the fulfilling of the commandement of God and a chiefe grace or Christian vertue flows from a pure heart and a pure heart springs from a good conscience and a good conscience is the off-spring of faith Faith is the Genetrix and breeder of Grace as Eve was the mother of all mankinde I speake so in respect of an internall principle for if we regard externall causes the race and genealogie may be stretched farther as thus faith comes by hearing of the word of God the word of God is declared by the mouth of a Preacher and every true Preacher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent from heaven But I must speake ad rhombum though there be sundry externall efficients and workers of grace yet faith is the internall roote and principle of it and that is one reason why it is called precious Secondly it is precious in respect of its Author which is the Father Sonne and Spirit The Father draws us unto Christ Joh. 6. 44. And hence wee are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be taught of God and to heare and learne of him The Sonne likewise draws us draw me we will run after thee saith the Spouse Christ is both the Author and the finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. He casts in the first seed of it and also makes it to persevere he layes the foundation of it and brings it up to the roofe as I may say he makes us first to apprehend him and then leads us to the end of our faith which is the salvation of our soules Whence it is that he is called the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is he is the teacher of our faith and the Captain thereof Lastly the Holy-Ghost is likewise the Author of our faith No man can say that Jesus is the Lord saith the Apostle but by the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. And in the ninth verse of that Chapter faith is reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit Faith then must needs be very precious having God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost for the Author of it Thirdly Faith is precious in respect of the object thereof that is to say the thing upon which it leanes or rests which is God himselfe or God in Christ God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Now this is the highest and most excellent object of faith Christ also as Mediatour is the object thereof David prayeth Lead me unto the rocke that is higher then I Psal 61. 2. And the rock that he speaks of is Christ he is the strong rocke on which his Church is built firmely and unmoovably Needs then must faith be precious while it leanes on such a solid and stedfast foundation Againe the promises are metonymically an object of faith because they are made unto us in Christ they are in him as adjuncts in their subject we rest upon the power and truth of Christ for the obtaining of that good which is in the promises All the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. He is mediate or in the middle between the promises and us God makes the promises and Christ is his pledge and assurance for the accomplishment of them so that faith rests on the promises of God mediante Christo through the mediation of Christ and anon you shall see what precious things those promises are in the meane while we may conclude even from them likewise that faith
bring forth weighty sheaves of joy at the last Now then to come to the point that we drive at in this manner doth the Scripture hold forth Christ as precious he is very precious because he is very usefull he is usefull for many things yea for all things but especially for these two viz. Justification Sanctification First Christ is usefull for Justification he is the onely mine pit of this treasure the golden and precious veines of it runne along in him onely That he might be just which beleeveth in Jesus saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of the Faith of Jâ—sus that is which seeke not Justification by their owne righteousnesse viz. by the works of the Law but by Christ alone and hence we are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. marke I pray The Apostle doth disertly and emphatically adde the clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him that he may take away all conceit of inherence in us and establish the Doctrine of imputation as Christ is made sinne in us by imputation so wee are made righteousnesse in him by the same way St. Augustines place which Beza cites is a most full commentary God the Father saith he made him to be sinne who knew no sinne that we might be the righteousnesse of God not our owne and in him that is in Christ not in our selves And being thus justified we are so righteous as if we were righteousnesse it selfe It is Christ alone that can administer life and righteousnesse it is he alone that bindes up the broken-hearted opens the prison dores proclaimes Liberty to Captives and the acceptacle yeare of the Lord or the Lords yeare of good will the Quire of the heavenly host sang good will towards men when this accepted and welcome yeare was come Luke 2. 14. This was Christs worke the Law was too weake for it that could kill but not make aalive Christ alone bare the whole weight of his Fathers wrath made reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousnesse none but he was of use for this and therefore he must needs be precious Secondly he is likewise usefull for Sanctification that Spirit alone which Christ sends forth is of power and ability to instill and breath grace into us and so make us meet vessels for the heavenly masters use It is Christ that stamps afresh the impression of Gods Image defaced and decayed in our soules it is he that restores the life of God in man lost by sinne by the blessed influxe and droppings of his grace we come to put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him as the Apostle speakes Coloss 3. 10. he uses a Metaphor of putting on taken from garments to shew that those new qualities of the soule are aâ—iâ—â—ed as Venuâ—t and beautifull ornaments to our nature the substance of the soule is not changed as some have foolishly dream't but onely it puts on new properties and affections new powers and abilities and this benefit wee derive from Christ The parts of Sanctification are mortification a dying unto sinne and vivification a living unto righteousnesse now both these come by vertue of our implantation inserting or ingraffing into Christ the first when wee are implanted into his death and the second is a fruit of his resurrection Christ reviving his members could not lie dead a living head and dead members were a Monster never seen in nature Neverthelesse observe this that though wee are sanctified by the death and resurrection of Christ yet his death is the Primum mobile as I may say that strikes the first stroke that is the meritorious and exemptory cause of our sanctification and hence is that saying of the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death wee shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection this is an elegant metaphor representing unto us that as plants engraffed doe receive moysture juyce and nourishment from the stock whereby they sprout out budde and beare fruit so wee being as it were inserted into Christ doe receive vigour and life from him whereby we walke in the Spirit and become spirituall holy gracious and active in all good workes Christ is the Olive tree that standeth before the Ruler of the whole Earth and emptieth it selfe by the pipes and conduits of his word into the golden Candlesticks of his Church Zach. 4. â—ight and grace in the Ministration of holy Ordinances flow from him he is the head and seate of spirituall influence from which the whole mysticall body receives breath life and motion this is the Apostles simile Coloss 2. 19. He makes there Christ to be the Head and the Church the body knit together by certaine joynts and ligaments as wee see it is in nature and by this meanes it hath convenient nourishment ministred to all parts whereby it increaseth with the increase of God that is with mighty and most blessed increasings Christ hath goodnesse enough for himselfe and for all his Members he is a Fountaine never drie and the Philosophers property of good agrees to him most of all Bonum est sui communicativum that which is good spares noâ— but communicates it selfe this is most true of Christ his grace is diffusive like water of which the Naturalist saith that it is difficultly contained within its owne bounds but easily within the bounds of some other thing Christ is that sunne of righteousnesse that compasseth the whole world enlightning warming and cherishing every one of his elect with his beames of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace saith the Apostle John 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is abundant grace or graces sutable to his owne The first day of union a Beleever enjoyes this participation of grace Union is the ground of Communion Wee must remember also that Christ did sanctifie himselfe to the end that we might be sanctified for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the Truth saith Christ Joh. 17. 19. Christ is the principall cause of our Sanctification wee are sanctified vertually by his sanctifying of himselfe he being set apart and separated from sinners such as are by his Spirit and by faith knit to him must needs be also separated from the world to walke with God in holinesse of life and conversation Thus much of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstrating and declaring how Christ is precious I come now to the third thing which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewing why it is so There be many reasons and causes why Beleevers doe esteeme so highly of Christ as they doe First beleivers are in some measure Reason I convinced of their most miserable and wretched condition without him and also of the impotency of the creature in respect of any help and deliverance in that condition First when the soule findes it selfe in darknesse
upon it we shall see that our Saviour doth not deny himselfe to be perfectly good but onely he checks the pharisaicall opinion of perfection in those that are no more then men Christ was more then a meere man if the young man had knowne so much he should not have been reproved for calling him good in a sense of absolutenesse and perfection such an Epithite was rightly applyable unto Christ had the young Pharisee been ware of his Deity or had he knowne the strange manner of his conception viz. by the Holy Ghost he might have said of him as the Psalmist doth thou art fairer then the children of men and so the title of good Master would never have been excepted against Secondly Christ as man also was abased and yet in his abasement hee was very excellent it is a very comely sight to see a great Personage of a meek humble and lowly carriage willing to stoope and to come downe from his height so it be not in a sordid and unfitting way Now so it was with Christ he washed the very feet of his Disciples he became poore to make us rich hee fasted that we might feast he went on foote that wee might ride as I may say he died that wee might live The Apostle saith that though he was in the forme of God and thought it no robbery or Sacriledge to be equall with God yet he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Philip 2. 6 7 8. Now marke I pray the antithesis or opposition which these words hold forth Christ was from all eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the * essentiall forme of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth the outward shape face or figure of a thing which because God hath not therefore here it is put for the Divine Essence or in the glorious nature and condition of God yet he tooke upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the state being and condition of a servant He was equall with God called therefore the mighty God and the everlasting Father Esa 9. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very or the true God 1 John 5 20. yet he was content to be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the similitude and shape of men that is in the very rank nature and quality of men subject to mans passions and every way a right man sinne onely excepted whereof you heard before Againe be thought it no rapine or robbery to be equall with God yet he suffered himselfe to be denuded and rob'd of his glory by sinfull men God cal's him the man that is his fellow Zach. 13. 7. and yet he was made a fellow to theeves and malefactours yea he was made inferiour and underling to base men a very murderer being preferred before him Though he was full of glory and excellency yet he did empty himselfe of all for so are the words of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he evacuated or emptied himselfe that is he reduced himselfe as it were to nothing or as a Father hath it he exhausted himselfe he drew himselfe dry Lastly though he was the Prince and Lord of life yet he humbled himselfe unto Death and the basest death of all the death of the Crosse it was a Roman kinde of execution and asserted even by a Romane Oratour to be of all other most ignominious and shamefull Civem Romanum scelus est verberare propè paricidium nâ—care quid dicam in crucem tollere said that Oratour It is a hainous wickednesse to beate a Romane it is almost paracide to kill him what is it then to crucifie him how beyond measure hainous is that yet thus low was the Sonne of God brought And it addes likewise to the measure of his humility and lowlinesse that he was voluntary in all this debasement he was not forced or compelled to it no man taketh my life from me saith he but I lay it downe of my selfe Joh. 10. 18. and what he saith of his life is true also of all his Divine glory it was not violently snatch't from him whither he would or no but he did willingly cheerefully spontaneously and of his owne accord devest and strip himselfe of it Now certainly thus to descend from Heaven to Earth from Divinity to humanity from a Kingdome to slavery from life to death and all this of his owne free and willing disposition without any compulsion or enforcement this addes no little grace and luster to him 't is a very seemly sight to see a venerable person condescending stooping low and denying himselfe to see a King casting aside his Robes of Majesty and descending to a lower pitch for the doing of some good which otherwise cannot be atcheived we had been eternally lost if the Sunne of God had not done thus unlesse he had humbled himselfe wee could never have been exalted Thirdly Christ as man was obedient unto the will of his Father he was universally and constantly obedient he was obedient without any the least reluctation grudging or unwillingnesse To this purpose makes that of the most excellent song where it is said of Christ that he cometh leaping upon the Mountaines and skipping upon the hills Cantic 2. 8. there were great Mountaines of difficulties and hardship in the way of our Redemption yet he past lightly and cheerefully over them all to doe the will of him that sent him Yea he was so farre from grumbling and murmuring that it was even meat and drinke to him to doe that will and he was straitned and pained in his mind till the bloudy baptisme of his suffering was accomplished Luke 12 50. It is written of him in the rowle of Gods booke Loe I come to doe thy will ô God those words Loe I come shew his alacrity and cheerefulnesse his readinesse and forwardnesse to doe his Fathers will his loynes were alwayes girded and his feet shodde unto it The Spirit of Christ dwelling in the Saints makes them to be prompt and ready unto all duties and workes commanded of God how much more then was Christ himselfe so in whom the Spirit of God was as water in the Fountaine when he conquered death and the grave and all the powers of darknesse for us Repentance was hid from his eyes he shrunke not nor drew away the shoulder from it Three times he was under such an infinite pressure of Divine wrath as had been enough to have crushed ten thousand worlds yet he flinched not but dranke the bitter cup off to the very bottome hee patiently endured the Crosse and despised the shame Indeed it cannot be denyed that when he was in his agony he prayed to his Father to save him from that houre and thrice he prayed that the bitter cup might passe from him yet he did not this through disobedience or
God present in the flesh to every faithfull and beleeving soule was likewise Vcal Almighty able for all things so that by these two names the faithfull are assured of their Justification Sanctification and eternall Salvation through the presence and power of God and this doubtlesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Mystery Furthermore Christ as man was our Sacrifice and expiation he was our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our Redemption 1 Tim. 2. 6. though I confesse that this price had its worth from the union of the two natures Againe Christ as man was conceived of the Holy-Ghost Christ as man is ascended into Heaven Christ as man sits at the right hand of God Now all these things and much more that might be brought doe speake Christ a very precious and excellent person and that even according to his manhood Secondly consider Christ as Mediatour and there also he shines forth most gloriously and appeares to be the most peerelesse and precious thing in the world In the Mediatorship of Christ wee are to consider his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or his three-fold Holy Office of Prophecie Priesthood Kingdome Christ is a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of eminency and excellency above all other Prophets he was the Head of them all and that in these respects First of all other Prophets were but Types and shadowes of this great Prophet even Moses himselfe was but a figure of him a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto mee saith Moses Acts 7. 37. those words like unto me doe plainly shew that Moses was at the best but an Image and a shadow of Christ Moses fasted forty dayes before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinâ—i so did Christ before he began to preach the Gospel God did more clearly and perspicuously manifest himselfe unto Moses then unto other men it is said that he spake unto him face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33. 11. so did the Eternall Father more openly reveale himselfe unto Christ then unto any creature no man knoweth the Father save the sonne and he to whomsoever the Sonne will reveale him Matth. 11. 27. Moses became a Shepheard in the Land of Midian so is Christ the Shepheard and overseer of our soules 1 Peter 2. 25. Moses was faithfull in all Gods house and so was Christ but yet in a farre more excellent manner then Moses as the Apostle declares Heb. 3. Moses was faithfull as a servant Christ as a sonne over his owne house Moses was himselfe a part of that house but Christ was the builder of it Moses under God did institute Sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. It is said that the Fathers pâ—ssed under the cloud and through the Sea and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea marke that phrase unto Moses they were baptised unto him as unto the type or deputy of Christ for Baptisme is a Sacrament of the New Testament and properly of Christ's Institution Moses also instituted the Passeover so did Christ the Lords Supper As the Law was exhibited by Moses so was the Gospel which brings grace and truth free Redemption and the accomplishment of all types unto Beleevers exhibited by Christ Job 1. 17. Thus you see that Moses that egregious and eximious Prophet was no more then a shadow of Christ And the like may be said of all the rest of the Prophets it were no hard matter to shew how they did all of them in one thing or other resemble Christ just as the lively picture of a man doth his person as Enoch and Elijah in their Translations resembled the ascention of Christ Noah by his righteousnesse saving all the rest that went into the Arke with him shadowed Christ who by his perfect obedience saves all true Beleevers Concerning the Prophet David it is said that even those which sate at his Table rose up against him Psal 41. 9. so did Judas against Christ who dipt with him in the platter David also was a man after Gods owne heart so was Christ without the least flawe or failing and what an evident type of Christ was the Prophet Elisha when a dead body rose againe being cast into his grave and touching bis bones a Kings 13. 21. This was not done by any Native or inherent vertue of the Prophet but by that accident to foreinstruct the faithfull concerning the vertue of Christs flesh which rising from the dead should likewise raise up our perished bodies according to that Esa 26. 19. thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the Earth shall cast out the dead Againe Jonah lying three dayes and three nights in the belly of a fish was a signe of Christ lying so long in the grave The Prophets were all of them types and resemblances of Christ even John the Baptist then whom there arose not a greater Prophet of all those that are borne of women even he I say was but Christs harbinger or fore-runner Now then as substances doe farre excell shadowes and Kings their Ante-ambulos or harbingers so doth Christ farre excell all Prophets they all of them were but shadowes and fore-runners to him Secondly other Prophets could speak only to the ears of men but Christ spake and still speaks to the heart he hath the Key of David he openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no manopeneth Rev. 3. 7. it is a similitude taken from them that keep the Keys of a City or Castle without which they can neither be opened nor shut no more can any open the heart or breake in upon the Spirit beside Christ he alone is able to open the eyes of the mind and to convince the Conscience by the secret kindly and powerfull working of his owne Spirit Other Prophets can preach wisdome unto men but Christ can preach them wise other Prophets can warne men by telling them of their sinnes and denouncing the Judgements of God but Christ can reclaime them and turne them from their sinnes the dead heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live Joh. 5. 25. and hence it is said that he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes it came coldly and driely from them but full of paresie and boldnesse full of conviction and raeproofe full of the evident demonstration of the Spirit and of power as the Apostle speakes in this manner came the word from Christ Thirdly other Prophets were instrumentall to search out the mind of God and they did it by way of act onely the Divine will being revealed and discovered unto them but the mind of God was in Christ habitually and radically the fountaine and roote the source and principall cause of Christ's Prophecie was in himselfe Before all time Christ had the honour to sit in the seat of most
Apostle Galat. 3. 20. so did Christ indifferently partake of both natures Godhead and Manhood that so he might be fit to stand in the gap between his Father and us We must beleeve therefore that whole Christ offred up himselfe unto God even the Manhood as well as the Godhead did offer it selfe Christ is a Priest according to both natures And whereas it is said that hee offred himselfe through the eternall Spirit without spot unto God Heb. 9. 14. that doth not put the manhood from its share in priesthood but onely it shewes how the Sacrifice came to be without spot or blemish namely by the hypostaticall union of the two natures the eternall Spirit that is the Godhead of Christ assuming the flesh into one person with it selfe Secondly Christ was the Tabernacle or Temple most properly according to his God-head for he saith himselfe in the Gospel that the Gold of the Temple is sanctified by the Temple it selfe so is the manhood sanctified and made noble by the God-head Neverthelesse in some respects his humane body was the Temple also Destroy this Temple saith he and I will build it againe in three dayes he speakes it of his body which is called a Temple not onely because the holy Spirit dwelt in it after a singular and peculiar way conceiving it at the first and sanctifying it perfectly but also because in the offring of it up God found in it an acceptable sacrifice and smelt in it a sweet favour as in a Temple But yet further to this purpose the flesh of Christ is called a vaile Heb. 10. 20. in which the Apostle alludes to the opertory or vaile in the Tabernacle of old and in the Temple by which alone there was entrance into the holiest place of all so by the vaile of his flesh rent and torne upon the Crosse hath Christ opened a new and a living way for us to passe to God and to Heaven Thus is he the Tabernacle or Temple according to both natures too Thirdly Christ is the Altar most properly according to his Divinity for he saith himselfe that the Altar doth sanctifie the Gift Matth. 23. 19. And thus doth the God-head like an Altar sanctifie the Manhood as a gift or sacrifice making it of infinite merit and and worth with God the Father the Altar ought to be of greater dignity then the oblation But now although the God-head of Christ alone be the sanctifying and dignifying thing in respect of the offering of himselfe that is of his flesh unto God yet in respect of his presenting us blamelesse and a sacrifice as it were without spot and blemish unto his father so whole Christ God and man in one person is the sanctifying Altar that makes us accepted with God The Scripture it selfe speaketh thus Isaiah 56. 6 7. God promiseth that he will bring even the sonnes of the stranger that is the Gentiles to his holy Mountaine and make them joyfull in his house of Prayer and their burnt offrings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his Altar for saith he mine house shall be called an house of Prayer for all people in which place by the Altar we are to understand whole Christ God and man the blessed Mediatour upon whom as upon an Altar all Nations promiscuously both Jewes and Gentils were an offering acceptable to God And a like place there is in Isaiah 60. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rammes of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar and I will glorifie the house of my glory Here also whole Christ is the Altar that makes the Gentiles to be as I may say a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God To this also tends that in Isaiah 6. 7. where a coale from the Altar touching the Prophets lips his iniquity is taken away and his sinne purged now what is it that taketh away iniquity but the Lamb what is it that purgeth sinne but the bloud of Christ although I grant as before that if wee respect the offring of himselfe the body and bloud of Christ was most properly the sacrifice I will adde a few words more touching this matter out of Mr. Brightman upon Revel 6. 9. he saith that the soules under the Altar are most eminently the Martyrs whose salvation is placed onely in the death of Christ under which those holy Champions lying hid as under a Buckler they might safely and without terrour appeare before God now it is true that this death of Christ in respect of himselfe was the sacrifice but to the Martyrs and to all the Saints it is together with his God-head as an Altar under which and not under their own perpessions and suffrings as any whit meritorious they lie safe and secure Lastly Christ according to his manhood is most properly the sacrifice Heb. 10. 10. yet for as much as whole Christ presents himselfe now in the sight of God for us wee are to judge that whole Christ God and man was after a sort the oblation or offring and hence the bloud thereof is said to be the bloud of God Acts 20 28. Neverthelesse though in respect of us who are reconciled justifyed sanctifyed and eternally saved thereby whole Christ is offred up yet let us be wise unto sobriety Let us as I may say give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods that is let us give unto each nature of Christ it s owne properties and offices both his Deity and his humanity did distinctly act their parts his humanity by suffring the punishment due to us and by fulfilling all righteousnesse and his Deity by conferring upon those suffering infinite and saving vertue The humane soule and flesh of Christ was the holocausto or whole burnt-offring rosted it the fire of his Fathers wrath his God head was the Temple in which and the Altar upon which this sacrifice was offred and lastly Christ both God and man was the Priest most willingly and cheerefully officiating in this service Thus I have shewed you that Chrisunlike unto all other Priests was himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice and the Temple and the Altar all in one person and in some respects also all according to both natures so that wel may he be called wonderfull as we read of him Isaiah 9. 6. and well also may the Apostle say that the Mystery of Godlinesse is without controversie a great Mistery Now then to conclude this discourse of Christs Priesthood if he were a Priest alone an everlasting Priest a Priest offering but once and yet sufficiently for ever the substance and verity of all those Priests which went before him gone into heaven which never any did as Priests but he onely not needing to offer for himselfe but onely for us a most mercifull and pitifull high Priest and lastly sacrifice Temple Altar and Priest all in one if Christ I say be such an high Priest then
King he raignes in righteousnesse he speakes in righteousnesse he makes warre in righteousnesse he betroths his Church to him in righteousnesse he delivers her from her Enemies in righteousnesse he answers her prayers in righteousnesse he doth all in righteousnesse Neither is he personally righteous alone but efficiently also not onâ—ly righteous himselfe but he makes others so too just and a Justifier as the Apostles phrase is called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. He is our true Melchisedec King of Righteousnesse that King in Abrahams dayes bore the name that he might be a Type of our King Lastly Christ is a most mild and mercifull King meeke gentle long-suffering he is the true propitiatory or Mercy-seate that in the Tabernacle of old did but prefigure him hee keeps mercy for thousands his mercy is everlasting his mercy indureth for ever is the versus amoebaeus or the bearing of the song as we say in the 136. Psalme He delights in mercy yea it is so pleasing to him that even in wrath hee remembers it he beares long with his Enemies he forgives them he dies for them hee saves them eternally and crownes them with glory for ever Thus I have shewed you that Christ is a King a Spirituall King a univerversall King over all Nations rankes of men ages of the world and over all Creatures a King ruling alone without a mate or associate an everlasting King and eminent above all other Kings in all royall vertues and qualifications as wisdome fortitude peaceablenesse Righteousnesse Mercy and the like Where shall we finde such a King as this It is said of Solomon that there was no King like him and so of Josiah but it may more truly and properly be said so of the Lord Jesus Christ the heavenly King On Earth there be Kings that have rule and domination over other Kings but Christ hath them at his steps and under his girdle as we say and they for the most part have such command by usurpation and incroachment but Christ is so constituted of his Father I will make him my first-borne higher then the Kings of the Earth Psal 89. 27. and all this is for the good of the Saints certainly then Christ must needs be very precious unto Beleevers Having spoken of Christ as Mediatour I come now to commend him to you as God and here wee be come to the supreame and highest pitch of all glory Here are fathomlesse depths and bottomlesse bottomes if I may so speake here are stupendious and amazing Mysteries astonishing and confounding excellencies such as the holy Angels themselves cannot pierce into God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelling in inaccessible light 1 Tim. 6. 16. here are such beauties and perfections that had I as the Poet speakes a hundred tongues a hundred mouthes and a voyce of steele yet I could not sufficiently describe them but must be driven with the Philosopher to aske more dayes to thinke of it and at length resolve as he did that the matter is so intricate and perplexed so inscrutable and unsearchable that I cannot resolve Neverthelesse let me say something though I doe it but slenderly and weakely as children doe of mens matters Christ then is in the altitude â—nd summity of all glory one eternall God with the Father and with the Holy Ghost proved to be so by a cloud of witnesses we have the Authority of the sacred Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament for it most frequently where he is called God and Jehovah the onely begotten Sonne of God the Image of the Father his substantiall Image and not as the forme of a face in a glasse â—lso to him are attributed such things â—â— can agree to none but God he is said to be equall with the Father eternall the author of election a searcher of hearts one that must be beleev'd in sâ—orne by worshipped with Divine worship one that gives eternall rewards one that hath power to pardon sinne one that doth illuminate by the Spirit one that shall judge both quick and dead one that is omnipotent one that hath power to worke Miracles to create to send the Holy-Ghost one that hath power to raise himselfe and others one in whose name we must be baptised and the like Paraeus that Godly and learned Divine of Heidelburgh in his Commentary upon the Revelation pick 's out of the text of that booke no lesse then forty two Arguments of the Divinity of Christ By all which wee may see the blasphemy of those who have affirmed him to be no more then a particular God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patri but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto the Father but not of the same Essence and substance with him But we shall farther see the madnesse of these men if wee consider these particulars First of all Christ shines as a Sunne in the firmament of the world in all perfection and sufficiency of wisdome power goodnesse love Majesty and glory Secondly whatsoever measure the most excellent of the creatures have of these things they are beholding unto him for it he is the never failing spring and fountaine of all blessing and goodnesse Now the Logicall Rule is quod efficit tale illud magis est tale that which makes a thing to be so as it is is much more so it selfe if the creatures be full of beauty and excellency and yet all in a derivative way how unspeakeably excellent then and beautifull is he that is the Beginning of the creatures of God and made them all so as they are whatsoever energes or powers they have they are but relative and borrowed as the Light of the Moone from the Sunne and also subject to subordination but in Christ according to his God-head all is absolute and compleate and all without him is by him and for him of him and through him and to him are all things saith the Apostle Ro. 11 36. Great dispute hath been among the Philosophers about the Summum bonum the chiefe and soveraigne good now loe here it is Finis et bonum converâ—untur saith the Logician the end and good are coincident and come both to one Christ then being God and God the ultimate and farthest end of all things it followes necessarily that Christ is the Summum bonum and the top of all felicity and happinesse Thirdly whatsoever vertue or goodnesse is in the creature it is not of the essence and substance of the creature but onely an accident or an inherent quality as a man may be said to be wise mighty just mercifull but not wisdome strength Justice and mercy as God may who is all this and much more in the very abstract as we speake whatsoever then is properly attributed unto Christ as God we cannot divide it from his very essence It is proper to substances and materiall things to have accidents adhering and cleaving unto them but God is immateriall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without matter
must needs be precious which hath such precious props and pillars to uphold it God Christ and a sure word of promise all the wisdome and power of the Father and the Sonne and the Spirit all that they can doe to establish and confirme their own word and that is more then enough Lastly The preciousnesse of faith appeares from the nature from the effects and workings of it The nature of it is piously to know and to affect the things of God to cleave unto God in Christ to rest upon him for the obtaining of the promises Faith joynes us to God who is our life in whom the lives of our soules are bound up as Jacobs life was bound up in his darling Benjamins Faith filleth the soule with solace unspeakable with peace passing all understanding and with joy everlasting As bloud is in the veines dispersing it selfe into all parts of the body so giving life and heate and continuall nourishment thereunto such is faith in the soule it works upon all the affections it diffuseth and sheddeth abroad in our hearts the love of God in Christ it attracts and draws our spirits to delight in nothing more then in Christ it entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of wines refined it leadeth it into the wine-cellar it invites us unto those apples and flâ—ggons of pleasure which Christ hath prepared it sweetens the crosse it makes us to rejoyce in tribulation and that with joy unspeakable and glorious it workes in us a childe-like confidence toward God whereby wee approach boldly to him crying Abba Father it carrieth the soule up to heaven and giveth ravishing sights of God and Christ and the joys of eternitie it brings us into communion with God whereby we have most intimate and familiar conference with him it brings us into his bed-chamber into his galleries of love In a word it enlightens justifies sanctifies and saves us for ever because it lays hold on Jesus Christ who is made 1 Cor. 1. 30. unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saith O how precious is faith that hath such wonderfull vertues and operations as these how precious also are those graces that flow from it as love and the feare of God and humilitie and patience and the like But above all the rest how precious is Jesus Christ and how highly to be esteemed of who hath bestowed upon us such precious such royall and such rich gifts as these Thirdly Consider likewise the promises Mot. of Christ these are also exceeding great and precious as they be called 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises saith the Apostle I confesse that by promises he meanes the effect of the promises or the things themselves that are promised which are of no small value and worth and therfore the promises themselves are of no little weight and moment This will easily appeare if wee consider The nature of the promiser The antiquity of the promises And the precious things which they containe First God who hath promised is by nature wise and powerfull true and unchangeable God is infinitely wise he hath a profound reach his counsells are very deepe even his foolishnesse is wiser then men as the Apostle saith and he knows wayes beyond our imagination and capacity how to bring about his owne ends and to accomplish his promises He is also almighty to effect and bring to passe his designes he can doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke And againe he is true and cannot lie and therefore he is called the God of Amen by the Prophet Esa 65. 16. And lastly he is unchangeable he cannot repent there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning with him all these are the fulera the props and supporters of the promises on which they stand firme and sure and cannot fall to the ground The saying is Pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest Every man can be rich in his promises even a beggar may be as rich as a King in promises but all the question and doubt is about the performance of them Among men it is frequently thus they are facile and forward in making of promises but they are ignorant of the meanes how to fulfill them or if they know the way yet they want power and abilitie or if they be both knowing and able yet they want a will they have a heart and a heart as the Scripture speakes they pretend what they never intend The children of men are deceitfull upon the ballances or lastly though they know how to be as good as their word though they can doe it yea though for the present they doe really intend what they promise yet Multa cadunt inter ealicem supremaque labra many things fall out between the pot and the lip as the proverb is they are fickle and inconstant well instructed how to play fast and loose unstable as water like Reuben and so their promises prove to be nothing worth perhaps the fault may be in their intellect and understanding though they be wise to day yet after a while they may grow sots and fooles and so know not how to steere their course and to wheele about their purposes or perchance the default is in their hands though they be in possibility of performing their promises to day yet to morrow their armes may be cut off and they are left shiftlesse or if not so yet it may be worse the fault may lie in their affections they may be honest now and after a while dishonest and so say and unsay promise and change their mindes Thus it is with men oftentimes but with God it is not so he knows how to performe his promises he is able to make them good and he is most true and faithfull in all his proâ—essions yea he is ever wise ever powerfull ever true ever the same never altred or changed in the lest measure how precious then and sweet are his promises and how lovely also ought Christ to be by whom we enjoy them Thus much of the nature of the Promiser Secondly Consider the antiquity of the promises The maine and chiefe promise of God is that which concerneth eternall life and this was made at the beginning of the world unto Adam when God said that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head yea it was made before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternall life saith the Apostle which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Here by the way we learne that the promise being before all time it must needs be absolute and without all condition But let that passe The question is to whom that so ancient a promise was made when there was yet no world nor any men created to receive it to whom did God make it I answer that it was made to him that even then was ordained to be our head and Mâ—diatour even the Lord
were in our naturall filthinesse and uncleanenesse which we drew from our first Parents God loved us freely and not for our worth or merit not for our beautie or comelinesse wee had no worth in us nor no beauty upon us yet he loved us and said unto us live that is he made us to live spiritually he did put the life of grace into us he did breath into the nostrills of our soules as I may say the breath of heavenly life his saying in this new Creation was as his saying was in the first Creation of all things he did but speak the word and it was done Againe he addes in the forementioned Prophesie verse the eight I spread my skirt over thee He alludeth to a custome or Ceremony of the Jewes whereby at Mariages the Husband in token of his Interest and propriety and also as a pledge of his most tender love and endeared affection to his wife did cover her with a lappe or skirt of his garment now this matrimoniall rite was a figure of the merit of Christ who hath by his righteousnesse covered all our sinnes and transgressions veiled all our filthinesse and polutions and hid all our spirituall nakednesse and deformities and that most freely most graciously most undeservedly according to that Hosea 14. 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them freely Thirdly Christs love to his Saints is a liberall love a munificent a magnificent and bountifull love this appeares plainely by those hard and bitter things that he underwent for us Philip 2. 7. the Apostle saith that he made himselfe of no reputation he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse or habit of men The originall word in the place signifieth that he emptied himselfe or redegit se ad nihilum he brought himselfe as it were to nothing he devested and stript himselfe of the robes of Divine Majesty laying them his Throne his Crowne and his Scepter of Glory aside for a while Through the extremity of his agony his body did sweat drops of bloud he did exhaust such an infinitely rich and precious treasure as all Heaven and earth could not recompense and make up againe It is reported of the Pelioan that she openeth her breast with her bill and feedeth her young ones with the bloud distilling from her and therefore saith mine Author the Egyptians did make that kinde an hieroglyphick of Piety and pitie and upon that consideration they spared them at their Tables Now this creature is a lively picture and Embleme of Christ he parted with that which was most deare unto him the soule in his body the bloud in his veines and which was more then all the rest the sweet and ravishing apprehensions of his Fathers love eclipsed and darkned in his agonies and so totally eclipsed that he cryed out with a loud voyce my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And all this he did in his infinite pitie and love to us the Apostle saith that he loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. Lastly Christs love is eternall and everlasting a love that never decayes or waxeth cold like the stone Asbestos of which I read in Solinus that being once hot it can * Iul. Solin polyhistor cap. 12. never be cooled again The love of Christ is like a Fountaine ever flowing and never dried up or like the sacred fire which never went out I have loved thee with an everlasting love saith he Jer. 31. 3. and in another place with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy upon thee Though the Saints offend Christ often yet he loves them still he onely purges them and heales them of their spirituall maladies which cannot be done without some smart but he doth not a whit lesson or detract his love from them Though his people come upon him every day for new favours and new supplies yet his good-will is never wearied or tired out yea though thousands millions of his Saints presse upon him at once yet hee hath for them all and the Fountaine of his love is never emptied I like the matter of the Poet very well although I confesse his verse be something jiggish and toying Sumit unus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum iâ—e Neque sumpius absumitur One Beleever drawes water of life and supply of all needfull blessings out of this well of salvation and a thousand like gracious soules doe the like and the one drawes as much as the thousand and yet the well is never drawne drie Now then a little to recapitulate If the love of Christ unto his Saints be infinite boundlesse and unmeasurâ—ble if it be gracious free and undesâ—rved â—r it be liberall rich and bountifull Lastly if it be eternall everlasting and never decaying ô what a whetstone should this be to our affections what a spurre to our Spirits and what a bellowes to blow up and kindle the fire of our love to Christ nothing doth more conciliate and attract love then love it selfe it were horrible ingratefulnesse not to spend and be spent as the Apostle speakes for one that hath loved us so much as Christ hath done certainely if love doe not draw us unto him nothing will The acts of Christs love are the cords wherewith he drawes soules unto himselfe I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love saith hee Hosea 11. 4. and in another place with Jer. 31. 3. loving kindnesse have I drawne thee* 'T is an Argument then that wee are not drawne at all if love doe not effect it Fiftly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 5 his precious Spirit This is that which Christ promiseth to his Disciples Joh. 14. 26. The comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name saith Christ he shall teach you all things c. Now let us consider how excellent the Spirit is in all the workings of it upon our hearts and then we shall see what a precious and lovely gift this is The Spirit of Christ doth these things It illuminates our minds It sanctifies our natures It seales our adoption First of all the Spirit of Christ doth illuminate the mind and understanding it opens the windowes of the soule as I may say and sets up a new Light in it it brings in light upon light Even by nature men have some Light such as it is by Art and industry they acquire more but the saving Light of the Spirit of Christ farre excelleth all that of the naturall man as the Light of the Sunne doth the light the Moone or as the Light of seven dayes doth the light of one hence is that Spirit by an excellency called the Spirit of wisdome and understanding and it is said to lead us and to guide us into all truth Joh. 14. 16. I have many things saith Christ to say unto you but you cannot beare them now but when the spirit cometh he shall lead you into all truth
that is he shall open your understandings he shall enlarge your capacities and shall make you able to comprehend those Divine and heavenly Mysteries of the Kingdome of God which shall be dispenced unto you Yee have an unction from the Holy one saith the Apostle and yee know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. The Holy one here spoken of is the whole Trinity God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the unction is not the Spirit it selfe but a thing different from the essence and substance thereof viz. the grace of illumination and saving Knowledge wherewith the eyes of our minds being anointed as with an unction wee come to know all things not absolutely and omnisciently as God doth but to know all things that are needfull to be knowne unto salvation And hence in the 27. verse the same anoynting is said to teach us and that wee need no other teaching but that it is called eye-salve Revel 3. 18. Secondly the Spirit of Christ sanctifieth the hearts and natures of Beleevers whereby they are really changed from the filthinesse of sinne unto the purity of Gods Image that as Christ himselfe is holy so are they in some measure by an inherent holinesse their love and their hatred their joy and their sorrow all their passions and affections are not such as they were before but they are quite altred and changed new-moulded and fashioned made after Gods owne heart and conformed to his holy will This is the blessed worke of the Spirit We are sanctified through the Spirit and beleefe of the truth saith the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 13. The Spirit is principall in stamping the Image of God upon the soule the Spirit it is that doth convey the efficacie of Christs death and bloud unto us Hence it is called in Scripture wind fire water and the like First it is a winde Awake ô North and come thou South Cant. 4. 16. and that for these reasons As wind allayeth heate so the sanctifying Spirit of God asswageth hot and burning distempers in the soule it suppresses inordinate and lustfull desires moderating all our affections and keeping them in a good temper Againe as wind purges the aire and dries up superfluous moysture in the earth so the Spirit purgeth our corrupt natures and dries up the excrementious humours of sinne which are Enemies to spirituall health Also * Favâ—nius the West-wind dicâ—â—ur à savendo from cherishing of fruits and other things as the wind is a great fructifier causing the fruits of the earth to spring out so the Spirit of God makes that soule which naturally is as a barren and dry wildernesse no plants of grace growing in it but the weeds of sinne rankling every where to be a fruitfull and flourishing garden where Christ delights to walke and to take his repast beholding how his trees of Righteousnesse doe spread and blossome and beare most pleasant fruit When the wind of the Spirit doth blow upon the garden of the soule then the spices of grace flow out then Christ may come into his garden and eate his delicious fruits of union and Sanctification The soule is not now an emptie vine neither doth it beare wilde grapes it doth not beare grapes of gall and bitter clusters but fruites of Righteousnesse and holinesse most sweet and well relishing most pleasing and acceptable to Christ Againe the wind is a quickning and enlivening thing the breath of every living creature is a winde Come from the foure winds ô breath and breath upon these slaine that they may live saith the Prophet Ezek. 37. 9. Now such is the Spirit of God also it raiseth up the soule from the death of sinne and puts the life of grace into it it sets us upon our feet and makes us to walke before God in the Light and in the land of the living Lastly As the winde is not in the power of any man it bloweth where it listeth as our Saviour saith and it is impossible to hide it Prov. 27. 16. So the Spirit of regeneration is not at the arbitrement will and disposing of any creature but it is sui juris at its owne choice and disposing at its own pleasure when where and how it will breath and dispense grace Of his owne will begat he us with the word of truth saith the Apostle Jam. 1. 18. Secondly the Spirit of sanctification is also called fire in the Scriptures He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. It resembles fire in the purging property thereof as fire is a great purger attracting and drawing corrupt aires to it selfe segregating severing pure substances from drosse as wee see in the trying of gold and silver so doth the fire of the Spirit draw away from our soules all pestilent and infectious sents of sinne and by little and little purges away all the drosse of our corruptions Againe The Spirit resembles fire in the consuming property thereof fire purgeth onely when it meets with a substance that can endure it but when it lights upon combustible matter then it wasts and consumes so the fire of the Spirit doth no more then purge the hearts of the Elect yet it wasts and consumes their lusts because they be things to be wasted and abolished Lastly The Spirit of grace resembles fire in the assimilating property thereof fire turns other things that are approximate into its owne nature it makes things hot as it selfe is hot it propagates and spreads it selfe increasing its own flames by licking up and catching in other things to it selfe so the sanctifying Spirit of God doth fire our hearts and affections heating them with his own heate kindling them with his own sacred sparkes assimilating and making us like unto himselfe holy as he is holy pure as he is pure and perfect as he is perfect The soule being acted and wrought upon by the Spirit is changed into the same glory and becomes spirituall like it selfe Wee know that a paper will smell of the muske or civet that is put in it so a soule endued with the Spirit of grace cannot but become gracious it must have the same savour the same odoriserous and pleasing sent that the Spirit it selfe hath Thirdly The precious Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is called water also because as water washeth away the filthinesse of the flesh so doth that Spirit the uncleannesses of the soule And againe as water hath a softning and suppling vertue with it so the gracious Spirit of Christ doth mollifie and soften hard hearts making them of impenetrable and insensible to become broken and contrite of stubborne and froward to be flexible and pliable unto Gods holy will so that though they were before like Leviathans heart as hard as a piece of the neither milstone yet now they can tremble at judgements submit to commands and be glad to close with the promises of Christ Thus you see that the Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is a sanctifying a
purging a regenerating and a renewing Spirit Lastly This Spirit sealeth our adoption our filiation or son-ship unto us By adoption wee are received into the number of the sonnes of God and by the Spirit of Christ we come to be assured of this prerogative The Spirit of God seales up our salvation and blessed state unto us The Apostle saith That God hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit for the assurance of our heavenly inheritance The Apostles manner of speaking is taken from the custome of men who to assure and confirme others in the truth of their promises and covenants are wont to set their seale to bills and bonds and such like instruments so God sets his seale to all his promises and to the covenant of grace which he hath plighted with us by giving us his holy Spirit to renew us to imprint his image upon our soules and to beare witnesse within us that we are his children and consequently heires of life and glory everlasting Now this Spirit is expresly called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4. 6. Because the Holy-Ghost sealeth up our adoption in Christ so that through Christ it is made sure unto us Let us now summe up all which hath been said of this gift if Christ hath not withheld his gracious Spirit from us but hath given even that unto us to enlighten us to sanctifie us and to assure us of our adoption and salvation where can we finde greater favour then this and where should our mindes be lifted up into the opinion of any thing more then of Christ Doubtlesse the giver of such a precious gift ought himselfe to be much more precious unto us If wee make great account of the gift much more ought we most highly to esteeme of the bestower of it Lastly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 6 precious priviledges and they are many but I will speake onely of these two Accesse to the throne of grace Good successe of our prayers First Beleevers have blessed accesse Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace saith the Apostle that wee may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4. 16. The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifieth libertie of speech and boldnesse of face when a man intrepidly and undauntedly utters his minde before great ones without blushing without weaknesse of heart without shaking of his voyce without haluccination imperfection and faltring in speech when neither majesty nor authority can take off his courage so as to stop his mouth and make him affraid to speake With such spirits would the Apostle have us to come unto God by prayer wee must come with paresie with confidence of heart and freedome of speech This is a fruite of our accesse to the throne of grace to which doubtlesse the Apostle would never have exhorted us if wee were not blessed with such a priviledge Againe A like exhortation wee have Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in full assurance of faith that is in stedfastnesse of faith without wavering without doubting The Apostle meanes it of our full assurance of Gods favour and acceptance of our persons in Christ In the Law the high Priest going into the Sanctuary did beare upon his shoulders and in his pectorall or brestplate the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel Now this figures unto us the great love that Christ beares unto his people he hath them alwayes at his heart hee loves them most tenderly and dearely he beares them also upon the shoulders of his mighty protection carrying them a loft out of the reach of all adversary power And he is gone into the heavenly Sanctuary with Vrim and Thummim with the names of his people upon his breast for a memoriall before the Lord continually so that now through his mediation we may draw neare unto God in plerophorie and full assurance of faith nothing doubting but that God will for his sake accept both of our persons and of our prayers Secondly Beleevers have not onely accesse to God but also good successe of all their suites and petitions which they put up unto him Christ by his office of mediation and intercession is an advocate for his people and doth in his own person appeare before God for them he takes upon himselfe their suite and their cause as an Advocate in Law doth his Clients Hence is that exceeding sweet and consolatory promise of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne saith he wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Here is never a word but hath sweetnesse in it Marke I pray first he saith If any man sinne not as though there were some that did not sinne for that this very Apostle beats against expresly in the end of the first Chapter but when he saith If any man he speakes cordiall things he speaks to the heart and comfort of sinners shewing that with God there is no accepting of persons but all without exception of any for exteriour adjuncts and qualities doe finde grace in his fight through Christ this is plainly the inference of the indefinite particle Any Secondly He saith That wee have an Advocate an Advocate is a forensicall word and it signifieth properly one that is called to or assumed as an Assistant as a friend as an helper as an Intercessor such Advocates did guiltie ones among the Greeks and Romans assume to themselves Now such an Advocate is Christ unto us he is our Patron he is our spokes-man he it is that pleadeth our cause for us he it is that by the merite of his expiation doth intreat for us The Devill is called our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Adversary another Law-terme 1 Pet. 5. 8. he lays in hard against us and therefore he is elsewhere called the Accuser of the Brethren and guiltie we are too but Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Advocate and he intreats the Judge for us he implores mercy and clemency for us Thirdly The Apostle saith that wee have an Advocate with the Father with him still at his right hand so with him that he is his own naturall Sonne so with him that he needs but onely shew himselfe for us and without speaking any word wee are accepted At that day namely at that day when I shall be ascended into heaven yee shall aske in my Name saith Christ and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you because yee have loved mee and have beleeved that I came out from God Joh. 16. 26 27. In these words Christ bids us not so to depend and hang upon him as to have no confidence in God the Father as if he were angry with us and did not love us Christ is