mediatory one generall the other speciall which some of late have devised but that he makes Intercession for all and every of them that are given unto him of the Father and only for them and that his Intercession is ever certain and effectuall as when he saith to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and to all the Luke 2â— â—2 Joh. 14. 10. Apostles I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever And when we heare from Christ himselfe that according to the proper office of his Mediatorship he makes Intercession only for them that are given unto him of the Father we may conclude that in speciall manner he offered up himself a sacrifice to the Father for them only Other arguments are alleadged for confirmation of this truth which who list may reade at large in sundry Treatises of this matter â— but it would be too long to insist upon each particular therefore here I will breake off this controversie and proceede to that which followeth in this intended discourse CHAP. III. How Christ hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour or how he is the Mediatour of the New Testament IN the fulnesse of time the eternall Sonne of God took unto him our nature and became God and Man in one person that he might be an equall middle person between God and man The necessity of a Mediatour appeares in this that man is guilty and God true and righteous If man had continued in his integrity he had stood in no need of an expiation if God had been unrighteous in the passages of mans sinne there had been due unto him no just debt of satisfaction But seeing man created good but mutable did willingly and by voluntary choice transgresse that Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction whereof he was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed and God was purposed not to suffer sinne to passe utterly unrevenged because of his great hatred thereunto and of his truth and the Law which he had established against it of necessity either God must execute the severity of his Law whereby the creature should everlastingly loose the fruition of him and he should likewise loose the service and voluntary subjection of his creature or some course or other must be found out to translate this mans sinnes on anothers person who may be able to beare them and to interest this mans person in that others righteousnesse which may be able to cover him Of necessity a Mediatour must be found out to stand between God and man who must have one unto whom and others for whom and in whose behalfe and somewhat wherewith to make satisfaction to offended justice In regard of God towards man he must be an officer to declare his righteousnesse and in regard of man toward God a surety ready to procure pardon and deliverance not by favour or request but by way of satisfaction He must be one with us in the fellowship of our nature passions infirmities and temptations that so he might the more readily suffer for us who in so many things suffered with us and one with God the Father in his divine nature that so by the vertue of his sufferings and resurrection he might be able both to satisfie justice to justifie our persons to sanctifie our nature to purifie and perfume our services to raise our dead bodies and to present us to his Father a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle He must be man pure and undefiled man that he might suffer it being no way fit that one having no communion with another should make satisfaction by suffering for anothers fault Man pure and undefiled otherwise he could not have satisfied for himself much lesse for them that had so grievously offended He must be man that he might have compassion on them that come unto God through him and pure and undefiled that his Sacrifice being pure and without spot might be acceptable and pleasing to provoked justice He must be God that he might beare the weight of Gods wrath without sinking under it be the King and Head of the Church defend his people against the enemies of their Salvation send forth his Spirit into the hearts of his redeemed and receive from them such divine worship as was due to so great and gracious a Saviour He must be man our neere kinsman that he might have right of redemption be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in all things like unto his brethren He must be God that by his death he might overcome death and him that had the power of death that is the devill free us from the guilt of sinne and curse of the Law and preserve his redeemed unto his everlasting Kingdome He must be God and man in one person and so of a middle condition between God and us in that both the natures of God and man doe concurre and are conjoyned in his person that he might joyne God and man in a firme and stable Covenant of friendship and reconciliation and be the root fountaine and beginning of supernaturall and spirituall being in whom the whole natâ—â—â— of mankind should be found in a more eminent sort then it was in Adam The horrour of sinne was so grievous the curse of the Law so terrible the price of redemption so great that a meeâ— creature could not take away the one or pay the other and that man might not fall away as he had done under the former Covenant our Mediatour who was the foundation of this new Covenant did assume our humane nature unto his divine person Therefore the eternall Sonne of God being ordained of the Father to this office of Mediatorship that he might intercede between God and man and joyne God and man in one did assume our nature into the unity of his person and was born of a woman that he might save and call sinners and redeeme them who were under the Law Gal. 4. 4. and shut up under the curse of the Law The second person in Trinity the Son of God by nature the Image of the Father by whom all things were made was made man that he might renew what was disordered by sinne and make us the sonnes of God by grace and adoption who were by nature the children of wrath it being fit our redemption should be wrought by the Sonne and sealed by the holy Spirit For whereas a double mission was necessary the one to reconcile the other to give gifts to reconciled friends the Father being of none sent his Sonne the first proceeding person to take our nature and make satisfaction the Father and the Sonne both send the Spirit the second proceeding person to seale up them that Christ hath redeemed by his bloud And who was fitter to become the Sonne of man then he that was by nature the Sonne of God who could be fitter to make us the Sonnes of God
by grace and adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by nature who fitter to repaire the Image of God decayed in us then he by whom at first man was made after the Image of God Thus Christ was a fit and equall middle person conjoyned by the bands of friendly society and peaceable agreement with both the parties God and men that he might be a Mediatour of reconciliation and peace betweene God and man He tooke unto him the sanctified nature of man that therein he might draw neere unto men and be the root of them that are sanctified and retained the nature of God that so he might not depart from God Here it is questioned according to which nature Christ is Mediatour whether as man only or as God and man That he is a Mediatour according to the concurrence of both natures in the unity of his person it is confessed by all for if he were not both God and man he could not mediate between God and man but whether he be a Mediatour according to both natures concurring in the worke of Mediation there be some that make question Our resolution is that Christ is Mediatour according to both natures the humane nature doing that which pertained to the humanity Bellar. de Christ lib. 5. cap. 7. § Potest tamen and the divine nature that which pertained to the divinity but the humane and divine both concurring to produce one act or work of Mediatorship As the divine and humane nature concurre to make one Christ so the acts of the divine and humane Plura principia ad operationem unam possunt concurrere Lun ibid. cap. 7. not 1. nature distinct in vertue and operation by co-operation concurre to make up the same work of Mediation Some of the works of Christ the Mediatour were the works of his humanity in respect of the thing done and had their efficacy dignity and value from his divinity in that they were the works of him that had the divinity dwelling bodily in him and some the works of his divinity the humane nature concurring only instrumentally as the remitting of sins the giving of the Spirit the raising of the dead and such like The works of Ministery the Sonne of God Iâ—n cont 2. l. 5. cap. 5. not 29. performed them in the nature of man It was the Sonne of God and Lord of life that died for us on the Crosse but it was the nature of man not of God wherein he died The works of Authority and power were all performed by the divine nature yet not without an instrumentall concurrence of the nature of man Christ suffered as man but the divine nature did support and sustaine the humane He died as man as God he overcame death conquered and rose againe as man he was made an offering for our sins the worth and value of the Sacrifice was from the divinity The two natures in Christ be distinct in their essence and Iâ—n Paral. lib. 3. in cap. 9. Hebr. properties and so in their operations that we must not imagine one action of both natures but as the natures be united in one person so the operations concurre to make up one work of a Mediatour Many chiefe necessary and essentiall acts concerning our Iun. animad in Bell. contr 2. l. 5. ca. 3. not 9 reconciliation with God are from the Deity of Christ as from the next proper immediate and formall beginning The Incarnation of Christ is from the Deity which did assume the humanity which when it was not could not assume it selfe The manifestation of God was a work truly divine from the humanity of Christ as an instrument from the Deity as the true cause Christ as Joh. 1. 18. Matt. 11. 27. man teacheth as an instrument and Christ the Word teacheth as Mediatour for he is not only Mediatour who supplyeth the roome of an instrument but the Deity did move the humanity as his instrument that is personally united and not as anothers Joh. 10. 18. To lay down his life passively belongs to the flesh to lay down his life or soule actively to the word The resurrection of Christ is Iun. ibid. cap. 6. not 1. Rom. 8. 34 and 4 25. Rom. 1. 4. Mar. 2. 10. Joh. 15. 26. and 16. 7. an essentiall part of our Redemption but Christ rose not by the propriety of his flesh but by the power of his Deity Christ as Mediatour performed many divine acts but the humanity alone cannot be the beginning of a divine act as Christ as Mediatour hath authority to forgive sins to send the holy Spirit not meritoriously alone as Bellarmine distinguisheth but efficiently to conjoyne us unto God and bring us to salvation Christ as Mediatour is the King and Head of his Church which dignity and office Meritum Meâ—â—ationâ—â— est Mediatio personae cannot agree to him that is meere man For the Head is to give influence of sence and motion unto the body and Christ gives supernaturall sence and motion unto his mysticall body and that both by way of efficiency and by way of disposition fitting us that an impression of grace may be made upon us He prepareth and fitteth men to the receipt of grace by the acts of his humanity A tâ—ta quidem Trinitate datur Spirituâ— sed ad personam Mediatoris haec actio terminatur quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he suffered death and dying satisfied Gods wrath removed all matter of dislike procured the favour and acceptation of God and so made men fit to receive the grace of God and to enjoy his favour He imparteth and conferreth grace by the operation and working of his divine nature it being the proper worke of God to enlighten the understandings of men and to soften their hearts If it be alleadged that there is nothing that one person of the Trinity doth towards the creatures but they all doe it and consequently that those things which Christ did in his divine nature pertained not to the office of a Mediatour being common to all the Persons The answer is though the action be the same and the worke done by them yet they differ in the manner of doing it For the Father doth all things authoritativè and the Son subauthoritativè as the Schoole-men speake that is the Father as he from whom and of whom are all things the Son as he by whom are all things not as â—y an instrument but a principall efficient And in this sort to quicken give life and to impart the Spirit of Sanctification to whom he pleaseth especially with a kind of concurring of the humane nature meriting desiring and instrumentally assisting is proper to the Son of God manifested in our flesh and not common to the whole Trinity As the second person in Trinity did assume our nature and not the Father or the holy Ghost and as Christ is the Head of the Church not the Father or the holy Spirit so he
grace and love of God is the sole cause of what the Lord hath promised in this new Covenant and doth give according to promise And though the old and new Covenant be of the same nature and from the same fountaine yet the new Covenant is preferred above the old as farre as Sunne-light before Torch light in this that God who makes the Covenant hath more fully manifested the riches of his grace and superaboundant love in Jesus Christ the brightnesse of his glory and engraven forme of his person to the federates of the new Testament In the old Covenant the Lord had made it knowne that he was mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse But in the new Covenant he doth most familiarly reveale himself to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and in him the Father of the faithfull which most sweet and pleasant name doth breathe out unspeakable love and tendernesse Again though the ancient federates had some knowledge of Gods Attributes as an introduction to the Covenant of Grace yet they never knew that transcendency of Gods love which is brought to light in the new mentioned in these and such like passages of Scripture Behold what manner of love the Father hath 1 Joh. â— 1. bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever Joh. 3. 16. beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He spared Rom. 8. 3â— not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is one God 1 Tim. â— 4 5. and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Jesus They that seek to stretch this speech of the Apostle to the furthest doe yet confesse it is spoken of the times of the Gospell and that appeareth evidently by the reason of the Apostle confirming that saying that God will that all men be saved from this that God is the God of all men by Covenant and Christ the Mediatour of all men in Covenant and by the Gospell the Word of truth the saving truth of God was brought unto all in Covenant Besides in the old Testament the Doctrine of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God head was more obscurely taught but in the new Testament we are clearely and most comfortably assured that the Father Son and holy Ghost do sweetly conspire to perfect the Salvation of the Faithfull and confirme unto them the promises of the Covenant There be three that beare record in 1 Joh. 5. 7. Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Matth. â—8 19. Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost If in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand why should a Christian question or doubt of the promises of mercy made in the Covenant assured unto him by the Father Sonne and holy Ghost God the Father promiseth that in his only begotten Sonne he will be a mercifull Father to all Believers that he will give him to them for a Redeemer accept his satisfaction for them give them his Spirit and bestow upon them righteousnesse and salvation The Sonne doth promise that he will be Redeemer of the faithfull by doctrine merit and efficacy that he will deliver them from the power of Satan bring them into perpetuall favour with God wash them from all the filthinesse of their sins and be unto them as he is made of the Father Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The holy Ghost doth promise that being redeemed by the bloud of Christ by the presence of his grace he will cleanse them from all inherent sinne and repaire the Image of God in them leade them into all truth and holinesse inable them to cry Abba Father seale them for the Lords and abide with them by his grace and comfort as an earnest of the inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession This Covenant was stricken with all Nations or the world in opposition to the Jewish Nation for now the promise made Gal. 3. 8. to Abraham was fulfilled In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed now the prophecies touching the calling of the Gentiles Isai 44. 6 and bringing them to the Sheep-fold of Christ were accomplished now the Apostles were sent forth to preach the Gospell to Matth. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 13. Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 6 23. Act 10. 45. every creature and God gave such a blessing unto the Word that by their preaching a great part of the habitable world was converted unto the faith Now upon the Gentiles was powred out also the gift of the holy Ghost Christ having broken down the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile and abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Eph. 2. 14 15. law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace The Covenant of promise was first made with Adam and his posterity not with him as the common parent of all mankind and so with every man that should come of his loines howsoever in all generations but with Adam as a beleever and his posterity untill by wilfull departure from the faith they should discovenant themselves and those that did proceed from them In like manner it was made with the Patriarchs with Noah and his posterity then with Abraham and his family afterwards with one selected Nation but under the Gospell all Nations are brought into the bond of the Covenant All nations I say but not every one in every nation nor every nation in all periods of that time For many nations have lived we know for a long time in infidelity without the Gospell without God in the world aliens from the Common-wealth of Isâ—ael and strangers from the Covenant of Grace And we find the Apostles to make a manifest 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. difference betwixt the people of God and unbelievers so that all in their dayes were not admitted into Covenant though the Gospell was preached unto them For they that be in Covenant are in phrase of Scripture the people of God that is such with whom God hath contracted Covenant and who in like manner have sworne unto the words of the Covenant God stipulating and they accepting the condition God as an absolute Soveraigne hath right and authority over all men but in a certaine and peculiar reason they are called his people who receive his Commandement and acknowledge him to be their Lord and Saviour And these be of two sorts for God doth make his Covenant with some externally calling them by his Word and sealing them by his Sacraments and they by profession of faith
might be made for this promised Spirit by interceding Mediator-like for them and by willing the going of such graces from him as who is with God the Son but one worker though a distinct principle of working that is though distinct in nature yet the same person He therefore worketh them as his own workes from his owne power for Gods power is by unity of person made his the divine power not being without him as the power of another person then he is but being personally with him And those things which his humane nature worketh which are wrought after his humane nature the workes not of an humane but a divine person for though the nature according to which they are wrought be humane yet the person working is the person of the Sonne of God Hence it is that Christ-man doth give graces authoritativè effectivè yea according to humane action doth effect them in the highest degree that an instrumentall operation can effect any thing St Paul gives graces by laying on of hands with prayer ministerialiter not as his worke but as intreating it from God in Christ and signifying what God doth in Christ not from any power any way within his person but the power of another not as conjoyned with God as the body with the soule but as an instrument with God Christ the Head of his Church is over all to whom all things are subject He who must be a saving head to us there is great need he should be over all Could he not bind that strong one and cause him re-deliver his possession how should we ever be set at liberty Could he not dissolve the worke of Satan swallow up death create life and quickning in us our case were lamentable The sixt thing implied is That Christ God and man is the object of divine odoration Let all the Angels of heaven worship him All knees shall bow unto him All shall honour the Sonne as they honour the Father Yee believe in God believe also in me saith our Saviour In him shall the Gentiles trust So Steven called upon the Lord Jesus saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit And the Apostles in the entrance of their Epistles desire grace and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ not the Lord of Jesus Christ as some Heretikes would corrupt the text and so in the shutting up of their Epistles The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 23. Gal. 6. 18. 2 Cor. 13. 13. Phil. 4. 23. 1 Thess 5. 28. 2 Thess 3. 18. Philem. v. 25. 2 Tim. 4 22. But some object that if adoration be due to Christ God and man then it will follow that the humane nature is omniscient and almighty which followeth not because that which is spoken of the concrete or whole person is restrained to the one nature which should not be The person adored or called upon is man but the humanity it selfe only or solely or in it selfe properly taken is not the proper subject or object of that worship Albeit we may and should adore the man Christ with divine worship yet may we not adore his man-hood or his flesh and bloud Because though the man Christ be God yet his man-hood is not God and by consequence not to be worshipped with that worship which is properly and essentially divine Againe if adoration agree to the humanity of Christ then may his humanity helpe and save us But the humanity of Christ cannot helpe and save us because omnis actio est suppositi whereas the humane nature of Christ is not suppositum None of those who defend the adoring of the humanity of Christ with divine worship doe well and warrantably expresse their opinion First Some of the Schoole-men have found none other respect Aquin. 3. q. 25. Art 2. wherefore the man-hood of Christ can be said to be adored except this that the flesh of Christ is adored by him who adoreth the word incarnate even as the Kings cloathes are adored by him who adoreth the King And thus they make the flesh of Christ to be adored only by accident Ego vero saith the Arch-bishop of De Rep. Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 12. n. 43. Spalato non puto à quoquam Regis vestimenta quibus est indutus adorari And why doth he that worshippeth the King worship his cloathes more then any other thing that is about him or beside him perhaps a Hawke upon his hand c. There is no more but the Kings owne person set by the worshipper to have any state in the worship and therefore no more worshipped by him Others devise another respect wherefore the man-hood of Christ may be said to be worshipped namely that as the divine worship agrees only to the God-head and not personis praecisè sumptis i. Fr. S. Clara Expos art confess Angl. art 28. sub ratione formali constitutiva personarum quae est relatio but only as these relations identificantur with the essence of the Godhead so the man-hood of Christ is to be adored Non per se praecisè sed prout suppositatur à Deo But if by suppositatur they meane as they must meane that the man-hood is assumed into the unity of the person of the Sonne of God for otherwise if they meane that the man-hood is made a person they are Nestorians that which they say cannot warrant the worshipping of the manhood with divine worship because the man-hood even after this assumption and hypostaticall union is still for all that a creature and a distinct nature from the God-head so that it cannot yet be said to be worshipped with divine worship Dr Field layeth out a third way for whiles he admitteth the phrase of the Lutherans who say not only concretively that the Of the Church lib. 5. cap. 15. man Christ is omnipotent but the humanity also he thus distinguisheth when we speake saith he of the humanity of Christ sometimes we understand only that humane created essence of a man that was in him sometimes all that that is implied in the being of a man as well subsistence as essence But this distinction is as if a man should say sometimes by blacknesse I understand blacknesse and sometimes the subject wherein it is together with the blacknesse it selfe An abstract is no more an abstract if it have a subsistence It is the tenet of the Schoole that though in God Aqu. â—qu 13. art 1. the concrete and the abstract differ not because Deus Deitas are the same yet in creatures whereof the man-hood of Christ is one they are really different For the concrete signifieth something compleat subsisting but the abstract such as humanity signifieth something not as subsisting but as that whereby something is Wherefore when some say the flesh of Christ is to be adored the speech is not proper but figurative because properly Polan Syntag. lib. 6. cap 16. the flesh secundum se is not adored because it is a creature but
a restipulation 6. The end viz. the blessednesse of man and the glory of God manifested in his wisdome bounty and goodnesse 7. As Adam in the state of Innocency was made able to fulfill the Covenant made with him so is the Covenant of Grace written in the hearts of them that be heires of the Promise in Christ They differ 1. In the speciall consideration of the Authour cause and foundation of the Covenants God gave his Law to Adam as bountifull and gratious to his creature intire and perfect but in strict justice requiring obedience promising a reward and denouncing punishment But the Covenant of Grace he made as a loving Father in Jesus Christ of his meere Grace promising to receive them into favour that sincerely and unfainedly turne unto him The Creation of man and integrity of humane nature is the Foundation of the former Covenant but the Redemption of man by Christ is the Foundation of the Covenant of Grace 2. In the forme of Sanction In the Covenant of Nature there is no Mediatour but the Covenant of Grace is made in Christ in whom God hath made us accepted The Covenant of Nature was not promised before it was promulgated but the Covenant of Grace was first promised and long after promulgated and established or ratified in the bloud of his Sonne 3. In the speciall matter of the Covenants and that both in respect of the Promise and stipulation For the Covenant of Nature promised life but not righteousnesse but in the Covenant of Grace God promiseth to tread Satan under the feet and to write his Law in the hearts of them that be heires of Salvation That Covenant promiseth life to them that perfectly obey but not remission or forgivenesse of any even the least iniquity But this promiseth forgivenesse of sinnes and life eternall to the penitent sinner believing in Christ and embracing the free promise of mercy In that life eternall is promised as the reward of justice in this life and glory as the reward of free and rich grace and mercy To him that worketh the wages is of debt but to him that beleeves the reward is of Grace In that God as a Creatour doth exact his right of man pure but in this as a loving Father he doth offer himselfe to the sinner smitten with the conscience of his sinne In that life eternall and most blessed is promised but only animal to be enjoyed in Paradise or continuance in that good estate wherein he was set at first of the rich bounty of God but in the other translation out of ignominy and death into eternall happinesse and glory in Heaven In the Covenant of Nature perfect obedience is exacted so that if there be but the least failing in any jot or title and that but once a man can never be justified thereby nor can the breach be made up by any repentance But in the Covenant of Grace obedience is required repentance admitted and sincerity accepted If a man sinne and goe astray if he returne unfainedly he shall be received into favour In the Covenant of Nature obedience and workes were commanded as the cause of life and justification in the Covenant of Grace Faith is required as the instrumentall cause of Remission and Salvation obedience as the qualification of the party justified and the way leading to everlasting blessednesse The object of obedience in the Covenant of Nature was God in the Covenant of Grace God in Christ 4. They differ in the speciall consideration of the Subject The first Covenant was given to man pure perfect intire and sound able to do what God required But the Covenant following was made with man a sinner miserable and by nature the child of wrath And so that was a Covenant of friendship this of firme Reconciliation 5. In the speciall and peculiar respect of the end For the former Covenant was made for the praise of Gods wisdome goodnesse bounty and justice But the Covenant of Grace was made to declare and set forth the riches of Gods grace and mercy In it the wisdome goodnesse power and justice of God is more illustrious then in the former and the mercy long-suffering and rich grace of God is greatly magnified which did not appeare or shine forth at all in the former 6. And in their Effects and Properties For not the Covenant of Nature but of Grace doth exclude boasting By the Covenant of Nature Adam was not advanced above the condition of an honourable Servant In the Covenant of Grace man by nature the child of wrath is made the child of God by grace and adoption The Covenant of nature was neither the last nor everlasting but being first made way for a better and being broken was antiquated or disanulled to our singular comfort but the Covenant of Grace shall continue firme and immoveable for evermore The second thing to be gathered is That the Fathers before Christ ever since the fall of Adam and Christians in the times of the Gospell did live under the same Covenant for substance but not for manner of administration which is most cleare by evident Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 13. 8. Act. 4. 12. and 15. 11. Gal. 3. 29. Rom. 3. 30. Eph. 2. 12. Gen. 15. 1 and 17. 1 7. Lev. 26. 12. Exod. 3. 6. Matth. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 6 7 8. Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 11. â— 19 23. testimonies of holy Scripture and by the very forme of the Covenant which was one before and after the comming of Christ The same God that calleth us called them to the hope of eternall life they were endued with the same spirit and lived by the same faith Their Sacraments for substance in signification agree with ours and they expected an Inheritance everlasting and undefiled Religion for substance was ever one and unchangeable and such as were truly religious walked in the same way and waited for the same heavenly Inheritance and everlasting crowne of glory The Church before Christ may be considered as an heire or as an Infant according to the substance of the Covenant or according to the manner of administration In the first respect the Church is under the Covenant or Promise and her people are called a free and willing people an heire of heavenly and spirituall blessings In the latter respect she is under the Covenant in respect of the different administration and her people are called a servile people in comparison an heire under Tutors and Governors not differing from a servant CHAP. IIII. Of the Covenant of Promise THe Covenant of Grace is either promised or promulgated Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 1. and 15. 1. and established Promised to the Fathers first to Adam and afterwards to the Patriarchs and lastly to the people of Israel and that before their comming into the Land of Canaan and after Gal. 4. 4 1 Pet. 1. 20. Act. 3. 25. Gal. 3. 16. 1â— Eph. 2. 12. their returne from the Babylonish captivity Promulgated after the
Serpent and his seed which worke and labour of love is typified in the blood of the Sacrifices executed in his crosse and passion The devill and all his instruments the Scribes and Pharisees and Romanes whom Christ calleth the children of the devill laboured mightily to bring him to the crosse supposing they had gotten full conquest when he was The very fight it selfe was triumph while the Devill â—an with all his might against Christ he killed himselfe Angry Bees stinging once make themselves drones forever So Satan laid in the grave but when they hoped to have vanquished him the Kingdome of darknesse was utterly overthrowne Sathan sin and death were conquered and taken captive and whatsoever might be brought against us was taken away as the least bill or scroale Col. 2. 14 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ was wounded in the heele but by the power of his divine nature he soon recovered of his wound being put to death concerning the flesh he was quickned by the Spirit and liveth through the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 18. But by the wound he received he wounded his enemies irrecoverably he bruised the head of the Serpent which wound is deadly He spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly And it is not improbable that in reference to this promise that Christ by his death should conquer and subdue the enemies of our Salvation he is said to be the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world Rev. 13. 8. For what can we understand by that phrase from the foundation of the world but froÌ„ the beginning which cannot note eternity which is without beginning for then from the beginning should be as much as before all beginning or without beginning But seeing the death of Christ to vanquish and subdue the enemies of our soule is published in this ancient and famous promise ever renowned in the Church of God in reference to it it may be said that he was slaine from the foundation of the world These words doe containe a manifest distinction betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent and a promise of assured victory to the seed of the woman over Sathan and all spirituall enemies to be administred according to the decree of God So we reade that the names of some are written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world Rev. 17. 8. that God hath saved some and called them with an holy calling not according to their workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given them in Iesus Christ before the times of the ages 2 Tim. 1. 9. that God hath from the beginning chosen some to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth 2 Thes 2. 13. In all which passages that choosing writing and calling is to be understood which is taught in this famous promise whereunto they seeme to be referred For the phrase is from the beginning or the beginning doth sometimes note the time of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the constitution of the Iewish Church and its policie presently from the going out of Egypt as Psal 74. 2. Remember the Congregation which thou hast purchased of old LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also the beginning of the dispensation of the Gospell preached of Christ himselfe for then a new manner of revelation of the Doctrine of the Gospell was brought in Luk. 1. 2. Also from the beginning is as much as from the beginning of the world from the foundation of the world or at least little after the beginning of the world Ioh. 8. 44. the devill is said to be a murderer from the beginning and to sinne from the beginning 1 Ioh. 3. 8. The word beginning absolutely and precisely put is taken one of these wayes but with an addition or restraint from the circumstances of the Text it imports some other beginning as of the preaching of the Gospell to this or that place or people or the like as Phil. 4. 15. 1 Ioh. 2. 7 8 23 24. But this phrase from the beginning never imports from eternity in any passage of Scripture and it is somewhat strange to interpret the beginning of duration by eternity which is essentially and absolutely without beginning of duration Now when the Apostle saith God hath chosen the Thessalonians from the beginning what can we understand thereby but God hath manifested some outward declaration of their election according to this famous promise made to Adam and Eve that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head Some would referre it to the time that the Gospell was preached amongst them or to the time of their effectuall calling but the word beginning precisely and absolutely put is never so taken neither can it be said that the Thessalonians were chosen as soon as the Gospell was first preached unto them for it may well be that it was often preached unto them before they believed nor from the beginning of their effectuall calling if as they would have it the faithfull persevering not simply the faithfull be the object of Gods Election Of the other Texts alleadged the same may be said unto which the foresaid answer can in no sort be fitted so that we may conclude in all the fore cited passages there is an apparant allusion to this grand ancient promise of mercy prclaimed immediately upon the fall setting forth a manifest difference betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent according to the election of God Besides in these words is implyed a Covenant consisting of a promise and stipulation made not internally alone with the heires of promise but externally administred offered unto and accepted of all the members of the Church viz. of Adam and Eve and all their posterity that were dedicated to God by them or did accept or receive the promise of mercy If no Covenant had been made there could have been no Church nor pleasing service tendered unto God If this Covenant had not been externally administred no unregenerate man could have been in the Church nor have communion in the ordinances of Religion But by vertue of this Covenant Cain as well as Abell offered Sacrifice unto God as a member of the Church and after his Sacrifice was rejected he heares from God If thou dâ— Gen. 4. â— 4. well shalt thou not be accepted which is a promise of the Covenant that tooke place after the fall for the former Covenant made no mention of mercy to be vouchsafed to the delinquent upon repentance nor of acceptance after transgression Of this Covenant there be two parts first a promise 2. a stipulation The promise is that God will pardon the sinnes of them that repent unfainedly and believe in his mercy which he doth truly promise to all in Covenant and effectually bestow upon them that be heires of the promise 2. The stipulation is
Matth. 11. 28. The old Covenant was from Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. the new from Sion heavenly amiable and pleasant Psal 2. 6. The old Covenant excludes the Gentiles the new admits them The old promiseth life in Canaan the new in Heaven But not to examine these things particularly by this explication it appeares the Divines of this opinion make the old Covenant differ from the new in substance and kind and not in degree of manifestation as also did the former Most Divines hold the old and new Covenant to be one in substance and kind to differ only in degrees but in setting down the differences they speake so obscurely that it is hard to find how they consent with themselves For most commonly they distinguish them thus The old Testament promiseth life to them that obey the Law and condemnes all not perfectly conformable the new doth freely pardon sinnes and give Salvation to them that believe in Christ The old was written by the finger of God in tables of stone the new by the Spirit of God in the fleshie tables of the heart The old was the ministery of death a killing letter the new the ministery of the quickning Spirit The old did lay upon the necks of the Fathers an intollerable yoke of rites and commandements the new doth impose the easie yoke of the Spirit enduing us with the Spirit of Adoption and liberty of the Sonnes of God The old doth involve the Doctrine of the Grace of the Messiah under the shadowes of types and rites the new doth containe the fulfilling of the tipes and figures Moses is the typicall Mediatour of the Old Testament Christ is the true Mediatour of the New The old is sealed by the blood of Sacrifices the new is ratified by the blood of the Mediatour the and death of the Testatour The Old by oblations did not pacifie the wrath of God nor purge the conscience the new containes the true propitiation in the blood of Christ The old was imperfect intolerable weake and therfore to be abolished the new perfect easy and to continue for ever c. with other the like before mentioned And many things herein are spoken truly but how all these differences should stand if they be not Covenants opposite in kind it is not easy to understand Some few have laboured to reconcile them one of these two wais First that the Old Testament doth promise life eternall plainly under the condition of morall obedience perfect that is under a condition altogether unpossible together with an heavy burden of legall rites and an yoke of most strict pollicie but covertly under the condition of repentance and faith in the Messias to come prefigured by tipes and ceremonies that by this forme of doctrine worship and policie a proud grosse and stiffe-necked people might be more tamed and convinced of their owne unrighteousnesse and that by such a pedagogue they might be led to Christ who was more obscurely manifested under those shadows The second is By a distinction of Moses his proposition of the Law from God unto that people which as they would is done either with exaction of perfect obedience deserving eternall life and threatning eternall curse to all that continue not in every thing of the booke of the Law to doe it Deut. 27. 26. or in a comfortable moderation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promising blessings to those who doe what they can to performe it The first is a perfect and exact draught of the Law of prime nature the second a â—erswasion and incouragement to corrupt nature to stirre up the relicks of power and the Image of God upon hope of future good The first is propounded to all mankind this to the Church though others take benefit by it In the first the Law breaths nothing but wrath to fallen nature for that hath no grace nor mercy Joh. 1. 17. In the second Moses speakes Gospell to the Israelites for the outward happinesse of particulars and the prosperity of the whole The first and rigid proposition is of the Morall Law alone and as it was contained in the first writing Exod. 20. The second is laid downe in Moses whole frame and oeconomy to that people The first stands in full opposition to the Covenant of Grace containing a perfect Covenant of workes but the second is and may be subordinate to the Covenant of Grace as will appeare And this distinction as they conceive is further strengthened by the preparation unto the first delivery Exod. 19. and what strictnesse was there required in the people to prepare themselves for their persons and what a straite charge was given not to come neere the Mount least they die Vers 12. in the delivery what terrible voices lightnings thunders fire c. with the quaking of the earth so that neither Priest nor people must come neare least they should be consumed of wrath in the giving of the Law which when the people heard and saw they could not endure but desired Moses to be Mediatour betwixt God and them least if they should heare God they should die which was the ground of that Aphorisme Who ever saw God and lived yea such was the terror that Moses himselfe said I feare and quake Heb. 12. 21. Thus the Morall Law was first given by God but not written till the second going up Exod. 24. 12. where God promiseth to find the tables and write in them with his owne finger and such was the feare of the second delivery that Moses was glad to lenifie the former by reading the judicialls which he had writ and to offer sacrifice And thus Moses goes up the second time and receives the two tables tarrying there forty dayes Whilest Moses stayed the people brake the Covenant by Idolatry God sent Moses downe and by wise providence so ordered that Moses brake the Tables of the Covenant and now was all dasht and Moses to begin againe to mediate for this sinne in Aaron and the people Exod. 32. 19. Deut. 9. Hitherto in the delivery and writing of the Law Morall thunders nothing but wrath and the more Law the lesse obedience till the Law was vailed and shadowed from them in the curse of it Moses having thus travailed and broken those bare and open Tables wherein was curse and plague with open face painted he is called up againe Exod. 34. Deut. 2. 1. but consider with what alteration For first Moses now must hew the Tables God would not deale with that signifying that he would have the Mediatour Moses to have more to doe with the delivery of the second writing then at the first which was the prologue to the lenifying of the Law wherewith man had to doe 2. Moses must bring the Tables up and God would write the words before written which shewed that God could not nor would not alter the Law which was a perfect draught of the first Law imprinted in Adam 3. Consider that here was no preparation nor any terror of wonders but a
The Apostle saith the Covenant from the Mount Sinai gendreth to bondage figured by Gal. 4. 24. the bond-woman and her sonne who were cast out of Abrahams Family The Apostle his argument may be drawne thus the same proportion which Hagar the hand-maid had to Sarah her Mistresse in Abrahams house the same proportion hath the old Testament to the new in the Church of God the same proportion which Hagâ—â—s off â—pring had to Sarahs the same proportion had the children of the Law that is the Jerusalem which then was unto the Jerusalem which is above that is to the children of the Gospel or sons of promise Now Hagar was sometimes a visible and principall member of Abrahams family a kind of second wife to Abraham and Ishmael her sonne was for a while Abrahams presumed heire yet after Hagar did begin to despise and contest with her Mistresse Sarah and Ishmael to flout or persecute Isaac Abrahams heir apparent and son of promise both mother and son were cast out of Abrahams house and deprived of all hope of inheritance in the Land of promise Sarah bearing the type of the true visible Church then on earth did pronounce that sentence Gen. 21. 10. of Excommunication against them Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne and God ratifying in heaven what she had bound on earth injoyns Abraham to put her sentence in execution Gen. 21. 12. The Covenant likewise which God made with this people upon Hagar or Mount Siâ—â—i was â—s the be trothing of Israel unto himselfe The Law of Moses whilst it was lawfully used was the only Catechisme or Introduction without which there was no entrance into the Church of God The children of this Covenant did by vertue of it become the presumed heires or children of God But when the deputed or nursing mother came once to contest with the true Spouse of Christ with the new Testament or Gospel and after her children the Jerusalem which then was began to persecute the children of the Jerusalem which is above the mother with her children that is the Law with such as sought to be under it were cast out of the true visible Church by the Apostles unto whom ouâ— Saviour had committed the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven For it now stood in such opposition to the Gospel as Hagar did to her Mistresse Sarah at the time when â—he and her son committed those misdemeanours for which both of them were cast out of Abrahams house The Jerusalem which was on earth was sometimes or in some part rather a consort than an opposite or adversary to the Jerusalem which was above So was the old Testament or Law and all such as lawfully used it rather subordinate allies then foes or adversaries to the new Testament or heires of promise They that used the Law as a School-master to bring them unto Christ to them it was the Covenant of grace for substance Unto such as used the old Testament as they ought only as an Introduction to the new there was indeed but one Testament For as the Schools speak Vbi â—â—um propter aliud ibi â—â—um tantuâ— But such as rested in the Law and used it not as a pedagogie to Christ but sought justification by the observation of the Law Morall or Ceremoniall and opposed Christ the soul of the Law such were held under damnable bâ—â—dage and cut from Christ And in this sence the Covenant made upon Mount Sinai did beget children unto such bondage for which they ought to be cast out of the Family of God And in this sence the two dispositions differ not only in circumstances but in substance they be not only two but opposite By the way let it be observed that by the former Covenant upon Mount Sinai is understood the Law given by Moses both Ceremoniall consisting in divers rites and commandements and Morall as the Jewes sought to be justified thereby who refused Christ The Old Testament then and the New are sometimes compared and considered by sacred writers as the thing including and included the Huske and the Graine The Gospell before Christs time was in the Law as the Corne new set in the â—are And the Law and the Gospell and the two Testaments thus considered are rather one than two at least there is an unity of subordination betwixt them The same Testaments may be considered sometimes as abstracted or severed each from other Thus the Gospell or New Testament since our Saviours death and resurâ—ection is become as pure Corne threshed and winnowed The Old Testament or Law thus severed from it remaines only as the chaffe or huske If we thus consider the Law or Old Testament as the Jewes embrace it that is altogether severed from the new to which alone we Christians adhere by faith they are not only two but two opposites or contraries This opposition or subordination between the Legall and Evangelicall Testament is opened by the Apostle saying If the first Covenant had been faultlesse then should no place have been sought for the second Fâ—r finding fault with them he saith Behold the dayes câ—me saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the Heb. 8. 7 8 â— 10. Jer. 31. 32 3. â— house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day whâ—â— I tooke them by the hand to leade them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people But what Law was it which the Lord promiseth to write in the hearts of his people was it not the Law given before by Moses concerning which also Moses expresseth the same promise that Jeremy doth The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the Deut. 30. 6. heart of thy seed that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live Now that Law God himselfe had delivered in writing and commanded Moses Exod. 34. 1 27. also to write the same Therfore the words of the Prophet as touching the writing of Gods Law in our hearts can import nothing but this that the Lawes which were before by the ministery Ezek. 36. 26 27. 2 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. of Moses delivered only in Inke and Paper should by the power of the holy Ghost through the faith of Christ be wrought and written in the affections of the heart that God in Christ would not only administer outwardly the letter of the Law whether in writing or preaching but would by the regeneration of the Spirit give grace inwardly to the obedience thereof And as the Law written in the tables of the heart and
Chaldee translate it he manifested not nor made knowne this Name They being sustained by faith in Gods Almighty power without receiving the thing promised Act 7. 5. Heb. 11. 9 10. But now their children should receive the promise and so have full knowledge and experience of Gods power and goodnesse and of the efficacie of that his Name Jehovah which therefore they sung to Isa 49. 23. 52. 6. 60. 16. Ezek. 28. 22 23 24 26. 30. 19 25 26. Exod. 19. 18 19 20. Deut. 5. 4 22. his praise upon their full deliverance from the Egyptians Exodus 15. 3. So upon performance of further promises or judgements he saith they shall know him to be Jehovah This Covenant was given with tokens of majestie and terrour for Mount Sinai was all of it on a smoake because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a fornace and all the Mountaine trembled exceedingly and the voice of the Trumpet was going and waxing strong exceedingly The Mountaines saw the Lord and trembled Hab. 3. 10. they leaped like Rammes Psal 114. 4. The earth quaked the heavens also dropped at the presence of God even Sinai it selfe at the presence of God the God of Israel Psal 68. 9. Judg. 5. 5. The mountaine burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven with darknesse clouds and thicke darknesse Deut. 4. 11. and from this it may be the Law is called fiery Deut. 33. 2. The Prophets Deut. 4. 35 36 use the like words to signifie the Majestie of God Psal 18. 9 10 12 14 97. 2 4. with clouds and smoake God often manifested his glorious presence to his people Exod. 40. 34 35. 2 Chron. 5. 24. 6. 1. 7. 1 2. Isa 6. 4. Revel 15. 8. And as Princes publish their decrees with the sound of the Trumpet So God to his ancient people revealed the pleasure of his will and gave answers unto them in thunderings and voices Joh. 12. 28. Rev. 4. 5. 6. 1. 10. 3. 8. 5. And hence it may be the two reverend Ambassadours of his voice and divine Maiestie are called the sons of thunder Mark 3. 17. This is noted as one difference betwixt the old and new Testament Ye are not come unto Heb. 12. 17 18 19 20 21 22. the Mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken unto them any more For they could not endure that which was commanded And if so much as a beast touch the Mountaine it shall be stoned or thrust thorow with a dart And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God and the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the soules of just men made perfect It may be hereby God would testifie his anger and displeasure against sinne not as yet expiated by the bloud of the Messiah and warne the Israelites to deny themselves stand in awe of his Highnesse and cleave inseparably unto the word of his promise If any man shall thinke that Christ the second person in Trinity to be incarnate who is called the Angel of the Covenant or Messenger of the Covenant scil by whom it was sent unto Moses Mal. 3. 1. and the Angel of his presence Exod. 23. 20 21. and 33. 14. Isai 63. 9. did deliver the Law unto Moses I will not gain-say it because it is expressely said that Moses was in the Church in the wildernesse with the Angel who spake to him in the Mount Sinai Act. 7. 37. who is called Christ 1 Cor. 10. 9. And this Covenant of Grace was made in Christ the promised seed for God was not the God of Israel but in and through the promised Messiah whose person and offices are more fully described whose death and resurrection is more lively typified in this expressure of the Covenant then in either of the former Had ye beleeved Joh. 5. 46. Moses saith Christ himselfe the Author of truth you would have beleeved me For he wrote of me that is Christ was if not the sole subject yet the only scope of Moses his writings And as Moses so the Prophets that followed after him who wrote by the same Spirit and under that expression of the Covenant did speake of Christ more fully and plainly then he had done before In the first promise it was revealed that the Messiah should be the seed of the woman to Abraham it was made known that he should be of his seed but in the writings of Moses we learne that he was to be both God and man or that God was to be incarnate and to have his conversation amongst men after a more peculiar manner then in the ancient times of the world he had The promise runs thus And I will dwell amongst the children of Israel and will be their Exod. 29. 45 46. God and they shall know that I am the Lord their God that brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt that I may dwell amongst them I am the Lord their God The same promise is renewed or repeated And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my soule shall not abhorre Lev. 26. 11 12 13. Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. you and I will walke among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people The Chaldee translateth the first place I will settle my habitation or divine presence amongst the sonnes of Israel And where in the Hebrew it is I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel Onkelos and Jonathan reade it I will place my Divinity But what Divinity whether the holy Spirit or rather the Word as we reade The Word was made flesh and dwelt Joh 1. 14. amongst us when Christ took our nature upon him and came and dwelt amongst his own then was this promise punctually fulfilled Or if it be referred to the habitation of God by his Spirit amongst the spirituall seed of Abraham as we find the word often used Rom. 8. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 19. 2 Tim. 1. 14. Ephes 3. 17. Jam. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 12. then it implieth the incarnation of Christ and his dwelling amongst the Jewes because that was to goe before the plentifull habitation of the Spirit in the hearts of the faithfull And if the Evangelists words have not reference to the forecited places they do allude to a passage in the Prophet Zachary whence Zech. 2. 10 11 12. they may be interpreted Sing and rejoyce O daughter of Sion for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord And many nations
people and languages are taken to be federates Eighthly The Law was weake unable to give life to purge Gal 3. 21. 4. 9. Heb. 8. 7. 9. 13. the conscience to pacifie the wrath of God and therefore to be abrogated when Christ was come whereunto it pointed and the new ordinances were set up and established but the Gospel containeth the unsearchable riches of God is the power of God Eph. 3. 8. Rom. 1. 16. Mat. 26. 28. â— Heb. 9. 14 15. 12. 24. to Salvation to continue for ever and the blood of the new Testament doth expiate sin purge the conscience and speak better things then the bloud of Abel Ninthly The federates under the old Covenant are compared unto an heire under age needing a Guardian Tutour or Schoolemaster little differing from a servant subject to the bondage of Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4. Gal. 4. 23 24 25. the Ceremoniall Law and servitude of spirit because the curse of the Law was more severely pressed and the bloud of Christ whereby freedome was purchased more covertly and sparingly revealed but the federates under the new are growne up unto a ripe age in Jesus Christ freed from the bondage of Ceremoniall ordinances endued with holy liberty partakers of the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Father But of the priviledges of the federates under the new Covenant and the excellency of that Covenant in the Chapters following CHAP. XI Of Truth and Vprightnesse IT hath often been said that God accepteth true unfained and upright obedience and when the servants of God intreat mercy we find they alleadge the truth uprightnesse and integrity of their hearts to shew they were rightly qualified to make a faithfull plea for mercy therefore I conceive it will not be out of place here to shew what Truth and Uprightnesse is and then proceed to the doctrine of the new Covenant Truth the Septuagint renders righteousnesse for uprightnesse Gen. 24. 49. Isa 38. 19. 39 8. Josh 24. 14. Isa 45. â—9 Pro. 28 6. Pro. 8. 20. and integrity they put truth and for the paths of judgement they have it the paths of truth And in this sence to doe truth Joh. 3. 21. is not to doe perversly to doe right justice integrity as to deale perversly or unjustly Isa 26. 10. they translate not to doe truth In like manner lies or false-hood deceit and fraud they translate injustice as a false-witnesse is in them Job 27. 4. Deu. 19. 18. Levit. 5. 22. Psal 44. 17. Jer. 5. 31. Amos 8. 5. Hos 12. 7. Luk. 16. 9 11. Mal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 22. a witnesse of injustice or an unjust witnesse they sweare falsely is they sweare unjustly the Prophets prophecy false things unjust things they render it a false ballance is a deceitfull ballance or unjust ballance or ballance of injustice And injustice is opposed to truth and iniquity or unrighteousnesse put for falshood or deceit the Mammon of iniquity that is deceitfull riches is set against the true treasure which will not deceive Iniquity was not found in his mouth saith the Prophet that is guile or deceit The deceitfull the Septuagint translates the unrighteous and guilefull man Psal 43. 1. So that these foure Truth Uprightnesse Righteousnesse and Integrity doe signifie the same thing for substance 1 King 3. 6. and most certaine it is they be so conjoyned that where one is the other cannot be wanting But though the thing be one for substance that is signified by all these and they be sometimes used indifferently yet they note formall and distinct conceits and so may be considered Truth implieth or presupposeth these things 1. Knowledge of Gods will Truth of judgement goeth before Mat. 16. 12. truth of heart for corrupt doctrine is as sowre leaven that leaveneth the whole masse maketh the whole to savour of it 2. Soundnesse or solidity in grace opposite to those superficiall and shallow-planted graces that may be found in temporary Christians enduring but for a time This is truth in the reines or Psal 51. 6. inward parts which seasoneth the heart throughout and makes it true whereas the heart of the temporary is false and unsound because his graces are superficially or sleightly rooted 3. Sincerity or godly simplicity without fraud craft or guile where the in-side and out-side are one the heart and mouth equall and well consenting Truth is an ingenuous life without deceit and dissimulation Ephes 4. 15. Holinesse of truth is true or sincere holinesse Ephes 4. 24. To keepe the truth Isa 26. 2. is to imbrace true piety and true vertue without hypocrisie without lying or perfidiousnesse To serve God in truth Josh 24. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 24. is to serve God unfainedly from the heart according to his 1 King 2. 4. will To walke in the truth Joh. 3. 3 4. is to walke sincerely or in godly simplicity For truth is ingenuous void of simulation And in this sence some understand that of the Apostle Love rejoyceth in the truth that is love sincerely or in truth rejoyceth 1 Cor. 13. 6. with them that rejoyce Truth is opposed to lying and falshood and to empty shadows and rites and thus it may be applied to Eph. 4. 25. Joh. 4. 23 24. this purpose as noting a plaine simplicity contrary to lying and emptie shews To stay upon God in truth Isa 10. 20. is unfainedly and not in word to stay upon him To preach Christ in truth Phil. 1. 18. is sincerely to preach him A true heart is single Act. 2. 46. resolved not in some things but in all to walk with God or as the Lord hath appointed Thus a true Christian hath but one mind one intention one delight one face one tongue he is all but one man all the powers of the soule goe but one way 4. Purity or cleare shining innocency in all things free from the mixture of leaven in manners or doctrine The Apostle Peter writeth to the dispersed Jewes to stirre up their pure minds 2 Pet. 3. 1. what is that but minds furnished and seasoned with an holy perspicuity of truth Paul prayeth for the Philippians that they Phil. 1. 9. 10. might abound in all knowledge and in all judgement that they might be able to discerne things that differ that they might be sincere And the same Apostle testifieth to the Corinthians he was afraid of them lest their mind should be corrupted from the â— Cor. 11. 3. simplicity that is in Christ The word used by the Apostle in all three places signifieth properly something tried by the light of the Sunne And it is a Metaphor as some suppose taken from the custome of the Eagle whose manner is if we may beleeve those that write the naturall story to bring her young out of the nest before they be full fledge and to hold them forth against the full sight of the Sun the sight whereof those of them that can with open
eye endure she retaineth and bringeth up as her owne the rest that cannot brooke it and winke at it she rejecteth and casteth off as a bastardly brood Others thinke it rather taken from the usuall practise of Chap-men in the view and choice of their wares A wise wary Chap-man that hath to doe with a deceitfull Merchant Draper or other one that keepeth his wares in obscure places where the defects of them cannot so easily be discerned or hath false lights that may helpe to give a counterfeit glosse to them he will take no ware of him upon his word but he will first diligently view it tosse it and turne it to and fro over and over try how it is in the midst as well as at both ends bring it forth into the light hold up his cloth against the Sun see if he can espie any defect or default in it he knoweth he may easily else be over-reached The like must be our practise in all matters of faith and 2 Cor. 2. 17. manners and this is to walk in the truth when we have our conversation honest and hold the truth of Doctrine purely as we may endure the tryall of the light Thus the Apostle joyneth sincerity and truth together as one and the same or as the speciall 1 Cor. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 12. and generall sincerity being a branch of truth This is our comfort that in simplicity and sincerity of God that is godly sincerity we have had our conversation 5. Firmenesse and constancy in every holy duty of our generall or personall calling of piety or righteousnesse A faithfull spirit is stedfast with God the ground of declining is lacke of truth Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in Psal 78. 8. Psal 78. 37. his Covenant If the heart be not true what shew soever a man makes he is but like an Apple rotten at the coare or as an house built upon the sand the one of which though beautifull will soon putrifie the other though fairly set will quickly fal A man may have many worthy gifts but if he want sincerity upon a sudden may be taken from him both that which he hath and that which he seemeth to have his end be as the fig-tree which making only a shew with leaves having no fruit being cursed lost even those also and withered away by degrees being good for nothing but the fire For as a stomack ill affected with choller though never so wholesome meats be received into it yet it cannot hold them but is provoked so where there is this obstruction of the soul the wilfull love of any sinfull course or subordination of grace to boisterous distempered earthly passions pleasures or profits whatsoever grace is received into the heart it will not let it rest but maketh the soul cast it up upon all occasions Truth and soundnesse is the preserver of grace received an honest and sound heart is as a vessel well closed it will keep and hold the liquour of grace that is powred into it The course of a true Christian is permanent and continueth unto the end This truth or sinceritie is the girdle whereby all other graces are tied close unto us So the Apostle in the description Eph. 6. 14. of the spirituall armour calleth it the girdle of truth And therefore here also that is true of all men which we say of children in the Proverbe Vngirt unblest This girdle hath these uses First It doth adorne us for this was the use of the studded belt which the Souldiers did weare to hide the gaping of the joynts of their armour which would have been unseemly and nothing doth more adorne a soule beautifie our actions or raise admiration in them then sincerity as our Saviour commending Nathaniel gave this speech of him Behold a true Israelite in whom Joh. 1. 47. there is no guile Secondly A girdle doth tie other clothes about us which otherwise the winds would blow abroad and would hang but loose upon us so this girdle of truth doth containe and hold together all other graces wherewith the soule is arraied and unlesse truth doe keepe them together in time all of them will be blowne away with the wind of temptation That grace which was not knit together with honesty of heart came to nothing in the end as appeares in the Parable The body when the soule is once gone may not long stay above ground it must needs be buried The hypocrites graces are but the body of grace they want the soul and life which is sincerity and we cannot thinke they should long endure An unsound horse that hath some secret fault may carry as good a shew as the soundest and at first for a mile or two travâ—ll as freshly and cheerfully as the best but at length he tires and shews what he is so it is with an unsound Christian notwithstanding all his shews fair beginnings and hopefull entrances he continueth not Thirdly A girdle trussing up the loins moderately doth strengthen a man a girdle is put for strength and ornament Isa 23. 10. for in the loines is the seat of strength and might and with a girdle the loines are girded whence are these phrases I will strengthen him with thy girdle Isa 22. 21. Justice shall be the girdle of his loynes Isa 11. 5. He girdeth their loynes with a girdle Job 12. 18. and looseth the girdle of the strong Job 12. 21. She girdeth up her loynes with strength Prov. 31. 17. And the exhortation so often used Gird up thy loynes Jer. 1. 17. Job 38. 3. 40. 7. 2 King 4. 29. 2 King 9 1. So this grace addeth great strength to the inner man as we may see in Job who when God seemed and men did fight against him when heaven and earth seemed to conspire against him yet this did stick by him Vntill I die I will never take away mine innocency from my selfe Job 27. 5. Fourthly In the Easterne Countries where they were accustomed to weare long garments down to the ancles they used to gird them close unto their body when they had any journey combate Exod. 12. 11. or labour in hand least they should be an impediment unto them So they were commanded to eat the Passeover with their loines girded because they had a journey to goe and Elias girded up 1 King 18. 46. his loines and ran before Ahab And so to have loynes girt is to be fitted and prepared for any service travell or conflict Let Joh. 13. 4. Luk. 17. 8. Luk. 12. 35 37. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Act. 12. 8. your loynes be girded about and your lights burning Gird up the loynes of your mind and be sober Gird thy selfe and bind on thy sandales Thus Christians girded with truth are in readinesse for any spirituall duty and to encounter with whatsoever adversary power shall with-stand them in the course of godlinesse Peradventure at the first putting on this
truth thy word is truth This is Joh. 17. 17. that which begets faith and faith is that which purifieth the heart How came the Romanes to that heartinesse and sincerity of obedience which Paul commends so much was it not by that forme Rom. 6. 17. of holy Doctrine which was delivered Or as we reade it sometimes unto which they were delivered wherein the truth of God is compared unto a mould into which they were cast and by which they were transposed into a new forme enabled to walke sincerely and without halting before the Lord. The mind must be truly informed or the heart can never move aright But there is no meanes to come to the knowledge of the truth but by the word of God which is the word of truth and Gospell of salvation It is truly said the heart can never be sincere till it be humbled and broken and brought to abasement and deniall of it selfe and what means hath God ordained so effectuall as his word to worke this humiliation of spirit Is not this the hammer which Jer. 23. 2â— Act. 2. 37. 2 King 22. 19. breaketh the stone Is not this that which pricketh the heart and maketh it to melt and sometimes wringeth teares from the eyes of them that heare it Besides what hope that ever any mans disease of a false heart should be cured untill he be brought to the sight of it Who seeks for health till he know himselfe to be diseased And shall ever any man be brought to the understanding of his defect in this untill he hath been made to see it by the word What health is to the body that truth and uprightnes is to the soul now bodily health ariseth from the seed is preserved by sound and good diet But the word of truth is the wholsome food wherby the soul is nourished The word is a word of uprightnesse or rectitude and when it is well learned and throughly digested safe lodged and Jam. 1. 20. close applied it doth season and regulate the heart and affections and change them into the nature of it If we bind our crooked affections close to the word of truth they will become strait agreeable unto the word whereunto they are bowed And the same word truly embraced doth enflame the heart with a fervent desire to walke with God in all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse 2. Thornie cares vaine pleasures sinfull delights must be stocked up and digged out of the heart Weeds will grow of themselves if the roots be not plucked up good corne requireth tillage and sowing both Perversenesse is naturall to man corrupt and sinfull and will encrease of it selfe but uprightnesse will not prosper if the fallow ground of the heart be not ploughed and the rootes of worldlinesse and voluptuousnesse killed in them If the world be our treasure our heart cannot be true and upright with God for where our treasure is there will our hearts be 3. A third meanes is to possesse our hearts with this and to have it ever in our thoughts that in all things especially in matters of Religion we have to doe with God and are ever in his sight and presence In our common daily duties to labour thus to performe them with our heart as in the sight of God to his glorie is a ready way to get this grace of truth deeply rooted It is the very maine ground of all hypocisie that this one thing is not duly thought on Men forget him that seeth in secret whose eyes are as a flame of fire wherewith he pierceth further then the outward face and hereupon they are not to imagine that when they have carried the matter smoothly and fairly before men all is well The world either applauds them or accuseth them not and hereupon they flatter themselves as if nothing more were to be looked after Let us then remember this if we would be true and sincere in our hearts The waies of man are before the eyes of Prov. 5 21. the Lord and he pondreth all his paths This kept the Church and people of God of old in their sincerity and preserved them from dealing falsely concerning his Covenant they thought with themselves If we doe thus and thus shall not God search it out Psal 44. 17 21. for he knoweth the secrets of the heart And this consideration moved Paul to faithfulnesse in his Ministerie We make not merchandize of the word but as of sincerity but as of God speake we in 2 Cor. 2. 17. Christ See what things goe together doing a matter in sincerity and doing it as in the sight of God 4. Society and fellowship with the faithfull is a signe of uprightnesse and a meanes of continuance and encrease therein For he that setteth his heart upon heaven will be carefull to draw on and encourage his companion in the same way Coales laid together kindle each other and preserve heate the longer So it is with the faithfull linked together in holy communion 5. It is good to call our selves to a frequent reckoning touching our carriages binding our selves to an examination of them He that hath a servant of whose fidelity he maketh some doubt and whom he desires if it might be to reclaime both for the good of the party and for his owne particular also that he may be usefull to him he will not let him run on too long before he call him to an account he considers that to be the next way to make him carelesse and secure If he expect ever and anon to be reckoned with it will cause him so much the more carefully to looke unto his businesse It is so in this case The word of God telleth thee that thou hast with thee a false coosening deceitfull heart an heart that will beguile thee to thine utter ruine it is ever ready to practise with Satan the professed enemie of thy soule to worke mischiefe against thee Wouldst thou reforme this heart that it might become usefull and serviceable for thee in the great and important businesse of Salvation be sure to call it often to account It will be good to reckon with it once a day to see what hath passed it to examine what thoughts have been framed in it what purposes what intents what acts have been done as effects and fruits of these inward purposes surely this tying of thy selfe to such an often survey and looking back upon thy heart will keepe it in so much the more awe and when it is once accustomed to the sweetnesse which will be felt when it can give account of care and of obedience and to the smart and punishment which followeth the remembrance of failing in holy duties it cannot but be kept in so much the better tune And to finde out the better the guile of our spirit and crookednesse of affection First consider what ignorance vanitie folly infidelity doth still remaine in the mind what stubbornnesse in the will benummednesse in the conscience disorder
no former age of the world but to these last times only as 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are made new And so a new song is a song wherein the name of God is celebrated for some new and admirable benefit of deliverance by the comming of Christ as Isa 42. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise from the end of the earth Psal 96. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song sing unto the Lord all the earth Rev. 5. 9. And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke Rev. 14. 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the foure beasts Though now and then that is called a new song wherein the name of God is celebrated for some new benefit of deliverance at what time soever vouchsafed as Psal 40. 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise to our God Againe that is new which is perpetuall shall never wax old or vanish away Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith A new Covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away And in this sence may that of the Apostle 1 John 2. 8. well be understood Againe a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you In the Covenant of grace God promiseth to put a new spirit into his people Ezek. 11. 19. not new for the matter not for the inward forme or kind but the frame and fashion a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. renewed in qualities not changed in substance And so the faithfull are said to put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And in Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision Eph. 2. 15. but a new creature Gal 6. 15. that is a new man refined reformed and renewed by God in Christ Jesus And it may be the renewed soule is called the new man or new creature because it is noble beautifull fresh and vigorous never to wither or decay with age And whatsoever we must understand by the new heavens and the new earth promised Isai 65. 17. and 66. 22. Revel 21. 1. the title new seemeth to import the admirable excellencie and continuance thereof never to alter or decay but to remaine before the Lord. In all these respects the Covenant of Grace is fitly called the new Covenant or Testament Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. for it is divers from that which God made with the Fathers before Christ most necessary and excellent never to wax old or to decay By it a new light of the doctrine of the Gospell shined to the world it had new worship new adoration a new forme of the Church new witnesses new tables new Sacraments and Ordinances and these never to be abrogated or disanulled never to wax old Heb. 8. 13. and it was established after a new manner by the bloud of the Mediatour It is called a Covenant of peace an everlasâ—ing Covenant which shall not be removed the Covenant of my peace Ezek 36 27. and 34. 25. Isai 54. 10. and 55. 3. Heb. 13. 20. Isai 61. 8. It is called a Covenant and a Testament A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming A Covenant in respect of Heb. 9. 16. God a Testament in respect of Christ who being appointed of the Father Lord and Prince with full possession of all things necessary to Salvation died as Testatour and confirmed by his death the testamentary promise before made of obtaining the eternall inheritance by the remission of sinnes John the Baptist by the light of preaching was greater then the Prophets that had gone before him but properly he was not a Minister of the new Testament as it differed from the old wherefore a middle place is rightly assigned to him being the forerunner of Christ to prepare Matth. 11. 11. the way before him From the birth of Christ the things foretold in the old Testament pertaining to the constitution of the new began to be fulfilled and that first by his comming in the flesh afterwards by his administration and then by his death by whose death the old Testament was abolished and the new did succeed in the roome thereof The old Testament was abolished by the death of Christ in right but not in act For before the promulgation of that innovation by the sound of the Gospell they amongst the Jewes that did beleeve in Christ were true beleevers though they were zealous for the Law but after the doctrine Act. â—0 21. of grace was sufficiently published they that obstinately did cleave to the shadowes and Ceremonies of the Law did reject the promise and Covenant in Christ So that properly the Heb. 13. 10. beginning of the new Covenant is to be fetched from that time wherein Christ hath fulfilled all things which were shadowed of him in the Law or foretold in the Prophets that is after that Christ was corporally ascended into Heaven and had sent downe the holy Spirit in the visible shape of fiery tongues upon his Apostles Act. 2. 3 4. at the solemne feast of Pentecost For the summe of the Gospell or new Testament is this that the Ceremoniall Law is ceased and the use of the Law whereby we were kept in bondage untill faith was revealed abolished and that Christ being already crucified dead buried and received into Heaven remission of sinnes in his bloud is clearly plainly and openly propounded offered and given to all them that by true and lively faith doe beleeve that he is Christ the Lord and Saviour and that the Spirit of Adoption is sent into their hearts who by firme affiance and confidence doe rest in the Redeemer that being taught of God they stand not in need of the legall pedagogie Surely that doctrine concerning faith in Christ cannot strictly be called the Gospell which did take place the Mosaicall worship as yet in force and that by the approbation of Christ those things not being fullfilled as yet which were preached in the Gospell For the Gospell is a message of good tidings or things past which affect the heart with singular joy and chearefulnesse And as the old Covenant was not promulgated without great pompe upon Mount Sinai the people of Israel hearing and beholding and swearing unto it Exod. 19. 18. and 20. so it was meet that the New Testament should be published on a solemne set day in the assembly almost of all Natiâ—ns with great splendour and glory as it was on the feast day of Pentecost And before that time the doctrine concerning faith was of that sort that men were rather called to the future Kingdome of God then commanded to rest in the present state of things
John the Baptist put over his hearers to Christ Joh. 1. 26 27. Luke 3. 16. Mark 1. 7 8. Matth. 3. 11 12. Christ invites men to the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Evangelicall Government of the Church as future at hand but not yet present Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 15. Nay after he was risen from the dead although he professe openly and plainly to his Disciples that all power was given unto him in Heaven and earth and he command them to preach the Gospell to every creature Matth. 28. 18 19. yet he gives them a charge to tarry at Jerusalem to waite for the accomplishment of the promise concerning the solemne sending of the holy Ghost and to be endued with power from above Luk 24. 49. as if they were designed before but then to be inaugurated and by extraordinary gifts many hearing and beholding openly to be approved The dayes immediately following the death and resurrection of Christ were the dayes of the Churches widowhood wherein she sate for a while destiture and comfortlesse and barren having neither power to beare nor to bring forth children But within ten dayes after Christ the Lord the Bridegroome of the Church had ascended from earth to Heaven in glory the holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles in visible shape in token that Christs Church was now betrothed unto him and had received strength to conceive and bring forth and breasts replenished with plenty of Milk to nourish and feed her children This was as the Solemnization of the Marriage and then did the barren begin to rejoyce that she should be the mother of many children From this time properly the New Testament tooke its beginning The nature of this Testament stands principally in three things 1. In the kinde of Doctrine plaine full and meerly Evangelicall 2. In freedome from the curse of the Law and freedome from Legall Rites 3. In the amplitude and enlargement of the new Church throughout all Nations of the world It may be described the free Covenant which God of his rich grace in Jesus Christ incarnate crucified dead buried raised up to life and ascended into Heaven hath made and plainly revealed unto the world of Jew and Gentile promising to be their God and Father by right of Redemption and Christ to be their Saviour to pardon their sinne heale their nature adopt them to be his Sonnes protect them from all evill that may hurt furnish them with all needfull good things spirituall and temporall and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come if they repent of their iniquities beleeve in Christ and through or by Christ in him and walk before him in sincere constant and conscionable obedience which he doth inwardly sease by the witnesse of the holy Spirit who is the earnest of their inheritance in the hearts of the faithfull and ratifie and confirme by outward seales universall plain easie and perpetuall The Author of this Covenant is God in Jesus Christ for none can make these promises but God none can make them good but his Highnesse Therefore the Lord doth evermore challenge this unto himself that he is the maker of the Covenant And as it is Jer. 31. 1 31 32 33. called our Covenant in respect of the conditions required Zech. 9. 11. So it is called the Lords Covenant because he hath made and will establish it If ye can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night c. Then may also my Covenant be broken Jer. 33. 20 21. with David my servant Christ also as Mediatour is both the foundation and Author of this Covenant as he is appointed of the Father Lord and King advanced at the right hand of God to give repentance and remission of sinnes unto Israel and as Testatour Heb. 9. 16. he hath confirmed the Covenant by his death But of this in the next Chapters God is both the Author of this Covenant and one partie confederate Fathers we know seldome frame Indentures thereby to bind themselves what they will doe for their children if they will be obedient but by right of Fatherhood they challenge of them their best service Lords and great personages seldome indent with their free servants what preferment they shall expect after some terme of service and attendance but if they look for reward they must stand at their courtesie But our Lord and Master to whom we owe our selves by right of Creation who might take advantage against us for former disobedience is content to undertake and indent with us and by Indenture to bind himself to bestow great things and incomprehensible upon us if we will accept his kindnesse and bind our selves unto him in willing and sincere obedience If you demand a reason of this dealing none can be given but the meere grace and rich mercy and love of God Thus saith the Ezek. 36. 22. Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake I will cause you to passe under the rod and I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant c. And ye shall know Ezek. 20. 37. that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. And there ye shall remember your wayes and all your doings wherein 42. 43. you have been defiled and ye shall lothe your selves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Names sake not according to your wicked wayes nor according to your corrupt doings Man can doe nothing of himself to procure his spirituall good In spirituall things it fareth with him much what as with a child new borne into the world which being naked can neither provide cloathes nor being provided and laid by him can put them on for man destitute of all spirituall goodnesse can neither move to helpe himself untill it be freely bestowed nor manage and wield it well when it is of grace vouchsafed without direction and assistance from God And there is as little worth or dignity in man to move God to promise him help as there is ability in man to procure help There is nothing in man to move God to shew mercy but only misery which might be an occasion but can be no cause either why mercy is promised or salvation granted If man had not fallen from grace and state of Innocency God had never sent his Sonne to redeeme him nor shewed mercy reaching to the pardon and covering of his iniquity If he had not lost himself Christ had never come to find and restore him if he had not wounded himself he had not been healed and repaired of grace Man then is a subject on whom God bestowes grace and in whom he works it and his mâ—sery an occasion that the Lord took of manifesting his mercy in succouring and lifting him up out of that distresse but the free
and receiving of the Sacraments oblige themselves to the condition required and thus all members of the visible Church be in Covenant With others God doth make his Covenant effectually writing his Law in their hearts by his holy Spirit and they freely and from the heart give up themselves unto the Lord in all things to be ruled and guided by him And thus God hath contracted Covenant with the faithfull only The first sort are the people of Rom. 2. 28. God outwardly or openly having all things externall and pertaining to the outward administration The second are the people of God inward or in secret whom certainly and distinctly the Lord only knoweth Experience hath confirmed it that in the dayes of the Gospell the Church of Christ hath sometimes been shut up within narrower bounds and limits sometimes it hath spread it selfe over the face of the earth more gloriously and so much was plentifully foretold in the Scriptures that such as lived in the times of that great apostasie and falling from the faith might not be offended at it What the state of Gods Church shall be in these latter dayes time will manifest more certainly then we can yet define but some Divines are of opinion that the bounds thereof shall extend further and the glory thereof be greater then ever heretofore And this is not improbable for when the Apoc. 11. 15. seventh Angel sounded there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever which accordeth with that of Daniel Behold one like the Son of man came with the Dan. 7. 13 14. clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neere before him And there was given unto him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed CHAP. II. Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament for whom he died and rose againe CHrist Jesus incarnate is the Mediatour of the new Testament a reall Mediatour a fit middle person betwixt God and man a Mediatour and Testatour both who hath confirmed the Testament with his bloud But seeing the Covenant is made in Christ and Christ died in some sort for them that be under the Covenant it will not be out of place first to shew for whom Christ died and rose again and then how Christ is the Mediatour of the New Testament and what is the exaltation and Prerogative of the new above the old Covenant in that respect Touching the first there be two main opinions of Divines The first sort hold that he died for all and every man with a purpose to save But in the explication of their Tenent they adde Corvin in Mol. cap. 28. Sect. 1. 4. 20. 1. That Christ died for all men considered in the comman lapse or fall but not as obstinate impenitent or unbelievers Christ died not say they for Cain and Judas as such or as they should perish nor for Abell and Peter as faithfull in respect of the impetration of Salvation but without difference for them considered Resp ad Epist Minist Walak pag. 51. Armin. Worst part Secunda necess Resp Synod declar sent remonst circa Art Sect. de morte Christi Thomson diatr. cap. 4. Corvin in Mol. cap. 27. Sect. 4. cap. 12. Sect. 25 26 27. in the common state and condition of the fall and sin 2. That Christ died for all men in respect of the impetration of Salvation but the application thereof is proper to believers 3. That Christ died not to bring all or any man actually to Salvation and make them partakers of righteousnesse and life but to purchase salvabilitie and reconciliation so farre as that God might and would salvajustitia deale with them upon termes of a better Covenant which might well stand allthough it should be applied to no man no man should be reconciled or saved by Christ God should have no Church on earth or Saint be crowned with glory in heaven 4. That Christ hath purchased salvabilitie for all men but faith and regeneration he hath merited for none because God is bound to give that which Christ hath merited of him although it be not desired or craved Exam. Censur Cap. 8. pag. 95. Cap. 7. pag. 87 Respons ad specul 11. 107. Other poâ—itions they hold which â—ang not together nor agree Exam. Cens with that which hath been mentioned as that God neither would nor could by right condemne any man for the sinne of Adam and that Originall sinne so called is properly neither sinne nor punishment And then if Christ died for mankind in the common lapse he died for them that never had sinned nor deserved punishment Againe they teach that all Infants whether of believing Corvin in Mol. cap. â—8 Sect. 13 14. or Infidell parents dying without actuall sinnes committed in their owne person are restord into the favour of God regenerated and saved and that because God hath taken all mankind into the grace of reconciliation and entred into a Covenant of grace Arm. Resp ad ad Art 13 14. with Adam and all his posterity But then Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration and application both and by his death hath actually reconciled all mankinde unto God merited actuall regeneration for them and purchased Salvation if after they be possessors of these spirituall blessings they doe not fall from them and shake them off by impenitency and infidelity For Adam and Eve excepted mankind cannot be considered in the Armin in Perk. pag. 4. common lapse but as infants only Further they affirme that Infants have refused grace in their parents grandfathers ancestors by which act they have deserved to be forsaken of God which how it can stand with their generall position or that last mentioned I cannot conceive Lastly they teach that Christ died for the impenitent and unbelievers for thus they reason If Christ died for all whom he came to save and came to save unbelievers as his words are I came not to judge but to save then he died for unbelievers How they accord these things I cannot finde but if we take things as they lay them downe it will plainely follow that Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration only and that he died for them in respect of impetration and application both that he hath not actually reconciled them unto God and that he hath purchased actuall reconciliation that he died not for the impenitent or unbelievers in respect of impetration and that in respect of impetration only he died only for such And all this can hardly be reconciled with that they have in their Script Synod declar sent Rem circa Art 2 Gratia haec impetrata est peccatâ—ribus quatenus in communi
Temporaries Math. 13. 21. And then concludes to take away the shew of repugnancy which seemes to be betwixt this and the former places We must hold that Christ in act and very deed is the redeemer of the faithfull as long as they be such although in power yea and in will he be the Saviour of the whole world To let passe other things which pertaine not to this question it is plaine the Apostle speakes of them for whom Christ died in act event or application in which sence they confesse he died not for all men but the faithfull only as such And as these false teachers were called into the Covenant accepted the condition beleeved in Christ for a time rejoyced in him and brought forth some fruite so we confesse they were bought by the blood of Christ because all these were fruits of Christs death whereof they were made partakers As in the Parable the Lord is said to remit to his servant a thousand Talents when he desired him sc inchoately or upon condition which Math. 18. 25. was not confirmed because he did not forgive his fellow servant so the false Prophets are bought by the blood of Christ sc in a sort as they beleeved in Christ but not sincerely and unfainedly We Heb. 6. 5 6 7. reade of some Apostates that they had been enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift and been partakers of the holy Spirit who afterwards did revolt from the faith To these men their sinnes were remitted in a sort in this world and in a sort they were bought by the blood of Christ but inchoately only and as they tasted the word of life Had they eaten the word of life that is had they soundly and truly beleeved in Christ they had received perfect and consummate remission of sinnes both in this world 2 Pet. 2. 22. Vt generalis vox acquirere pro emere Act. 7. 16. cum Gen. 25. 10. sic specialis emere pro acquirere vicissim usurpatur Apo. 3. 18. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Psal 26. 11. and in the world to come they had been perfectly redeemed and reconciled unto God but because they did not eate tasted only they received not perfect remission they were not perfectly redeemed To this taste answereth the Sowe that is washed and returneth againe to the wallowing in the mire washed and so redeemed washed with remission of sinnes and so redeemed from sinne inchoately but because she returneth to the filth of sinne that remission is confirmed neither in the houre of death nor at the day of Judgement The false Prophets were bought as they beleeved Had they beleeved effectually with a soveraigne well-rooted Luk. 21. 28. Rom. 8. 23. Heb. 11. 35. Empti dincuntar hâ—e ut alibi lâ—quitur scriptura Exod. 15. 16. Deut. 32. 6. acqui siti uenepe quod illos Deuâ— in familiam suam adsciâ—erit See Kimedont de Redemp huÌ„ gen cap. 9. pag. 206. affiance they had been bought saving-effectually as they beleeved superficially so they were bought in act and event but not unto Salvation The purchase of redemption goeth before faith is not made by faith but applied only but it is most assured if men beleeve unfainedly they are redeemed effectually if they beleeve not they are not redeemed for them that be cast off as aliens we doe not reade that redemption was purchased This interpretation will not seeme new nor strained to them that shall weigh the circumstances of the Text not to them that urge it when they shall consider it is their owne It agreeth well with the scope of the Apostle which is to shew the fearefull condition of such false teachers because they in life denied the Lord that had called them into Covenant which they had accepted whom they had embraced by faith by whom they were delivered from the pollutions of the world in whom if they had beleeved unfainedly without question they should have been saved and whom wilfully not of frailty they had denied And is not this a good argumeÌ„t to prove that by their wilfull departure they had brought upon themselves swift damnation If they were never the neerer heaven by ought Christ had done the fault was their owne for life was truly promised unto them whereof they deprived themselves not because they could not doe otherwise but because they would not receive it or having received it in part they voluntarily fell off What though God never purposed to make them actuall partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death By his commandement he bound them to beleeve by promise he assured them of Salvation if they did beleeve he bestowed upon them many spirituall gifts the fruits of Christs death and if they fell away God was no cause efficient or deficient of their revolt And doth not all this conclude their sinne to be out of measure sinfull in denying the Lord that bought them The other places Rom. 14. and 1 Cor. 8. receive the same answer for they speake of weake bretheren for whom Christ died who were beleevers or as beleevers for whom Christ died in respect of application And then this argument doth not hang handsomly together Christ died for beleevers in respect of application therefore he died for all men to impetrate righteousnesse If they reason thus he died for some in respect of application that may perish therefore he died for all men in respect of impetration it hangs but loosely for they themselves will say Christ died for the faithfull only in respect of application and not for all men whatsoever we are to thinke of the condition of the faithfull whether they shall stand or may perish Amongst themselves some that maintaine generall redemption by the death of Christ doe yet hold that no lively member of Jesus Christ can perish or fall away And I can hardly see how their positions will hang together if they doe not grant that though some believers may fall and perish yet others cannot But as concerning the weake bretheren such as be true believers it is possible they should be grievously shaken by offences and temptations yea destroyed as farre as lies in the authours of scandall and temptation and their own frailty but in respect of the decree and unchangeable love of God and the intercession of Jesus Christ they shall not utterly perish but if they be tempted they shall be supported or if they fall God will raise them up againe The Apostles exhortation then is forcible that they should not offend their weake brother for this was as much as lies in them to destroy him for whom Christ died Perditio est â—orbi ac vulâ—u neris non mortis Vorst in Rom. 14. 15. Thus Vorstius paraphraseth the text offend not him with thy meat I pray thee and as much as in thee is destroy him for whom Christ died And in his loc com upon that Chapter although the elect cannot perish the unchangeable decree of God withstanding yet it is not said in vaine
doth give life and sence to the body and not the whole Trinity If the speciall Offices of Christ be considered severally much more if all of them be considered joyntly it will evidently appeare that both natures must necessarily concurre in the formall execution of them For he cannot worthily performe the office of the chiefe Doctor of the whole Church and heavenly Prophet nor execute the office of an eternall high Priest that is offer a Sacrifice truly propitiatory daily heare the prayers of all his people and present them before God nor exercise kingly power and authority in heaven and earth who worketh to the forme of meere humanitie or onely as he is man When in those offices there must be a divine excellencie and efficacie The end of personall union is the administration of his office Qualis substantia personae tâ—â— liâ— operatie qualis operatio talis substantia and the personall union of two natures in Christ had not been necessary unlesse both had concurred as a formall beginning to that worke For every agent necessarily worketh according to and by its forme whence it followeth either that the person of the Mediatour doth not consist of two natures or both natures of Christ as proper formes doe necessarily concurre to the proper works of a Mediatour because the proper operations must be conjoyned in one worke of a Mediatour as both natures are joyned and united in one person There is one God saith the Apostle and one 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus adding the man Christ to shew that in him were both natures that is he was God and man in one person and so a fit middle person or Mediatour And man may be taken personally not naturally it being most usuall to name the whole person of Christ from either 1 Cor. 2 â— nature as he is called the Lord of glory when his person is understood And so in this place the man Christ that is that person Iaâ— animad in Bell. contr l. 5. 6. 3. not 11 12. who hath that nature by which he is truly called man and of that appellation there may be divers weighty reasons more amongst the rest this that the Apostle would encourage us to put our trust and confidence in him as being our elder brother By voluntary dispensation Christ is Mediatour as God incarnate and not by nature as God And according to that dispensation Christ Joh. 17. 3 and 14. 1. 1 Joh. 2 1 2. is Mediatour to the Father who is personally called God sometimes in this respect and distinguished from Christ as Mediatour and Christ is our Advocate to the Father but never represented in Scripture praying to the Son or holy Spirit but the Father only which dispensation is carefully to be observed from which we must not depart upon any vain speculation which humane curiosity might suggest A Mediatour must be a middle person equally distant and equally drawing nigh to both parties betwixt whom he doth mediate Bellarm. de Christ l. 5. c. 2. §. Praeterâ—a Ille solus est verè medius inter Deum hominem cum utriusq naturam habeat And thus Christ God incarnate is a fit middle person for he draws as neare to the Father as God as to us as man and is as farre distant from God as he is man as he is from us as God and he comes as neare to the Father as he departeth from us and comes as neare to us as he doth to the Father But Christ as a just man is not so a middle person for he comes not so nigh to the Father as just as he doth to us as man nor is so farre distant from us as just as he comes nigh to us as man Then as Mediatour he should be joyned to the Father in will only but in nature dis-joyned and be distant from man not in nature but in quality only then should he be Mediatour not as substantially one with the Father but only as he is united to him in will If it be alleadged that if Christ be Mediatour as God incarnate then he is Mediatour to himselfe because he is God and then also he should differ from himselfe because a Mediatour is a middle person We answer it is not necessary a thing should differ from the Iun. ibid. cap. 5. not 1 3 5 15. extreames according to all that in respect whereof it is of a middle condition but it is sufficient if it differ in some thing from one and in some thing from another as is before explained So the Son of God incarnate by voluntary dispensation differeth not only from the Father and the holy Ghost but from himselfe as God only scil as man he differeth from himselfe as God and as God from himselfe as man The whole Trinity being offended with us for sin was to be pacified but the Scripture teacheth Christ was our Mediatour to the Father and we must silence our conceits and learne of God what to believe And assuredly if the Father be reconciled the whole Trinity is reconciled And further it may be added that he who according to absolute essence or nature is the partie offended may according to voluntary dispensation sustaine the person and doe the office of a Mediatour and so Christ was primarily a Mediatour to the Father for us and by consequence and secundarily to the whole Trinity and so to himselfe as God It is further objected if Christ be Mediator according to his divine nature then all three persons in Trinity be Mediatours but this is a meere deceit for the divine nature is taken essentially for the divine nature common to Father Son and holy Ghost or personally for the divine essence considered distinctly in the Father Son and holy Ghost In the latter sence we say Christ according to his divine nature is our Mediator as he was incarnate and did assume our nature unto his divine person and not the Father or the holy Ghost But then it will be said he was inferiour to the Father In office it is true by voluntary dispensation he is inferiour but in nature Iun. ibid. not 13. he is equall to the Father and nothing hinders but one equall to another in nature may by voluntary and free choice under-take Phil 2. 6 7. an office of inferiority Being in the forme of God he humbled himselfe The Scripture teacheth expressely that God the Father Joh. 1. 18. 3. 16. 3. 13. Rom. 5. 8. Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 7. â— 1. 4. 10. Act. 20. 28. gave his only begotten Son to death for us and the only begotten or proper Son of God according to both natures and in both states is said to administer his office the property of either nature observed as also the only begotten Son of God is said to descend from heaven to earth for our sakes and to suffer death for us
faculties as it were to a finite nature The place where Christ fits at the right hand of his Father in respect of his Humanity is in heaven because where that is there it is also inwardly glorious in it selfe and hath in it self Luke 24. 51. Mark 16. 19. Hebr. 4. 14. Act. 1. 11. 1 â—eâ— 3. 22. as in a subject his power and worketh by that power within the spheare of it finitenesse not severally from the word but with it and in it He is at the right hand of God in the heavens Ephes 1. 20. in the highest places Heb. 1. 3 8. above Col. 3. 1. This his Soveraignty is a consequent following on his Ascension into Heaven Look as Kings are crowned in the chiefe Cities of their Kingdomes and keep their residence in their Palaces neere unto them so it was decent that our Saviour should be crowned in this heavenly Jerusalem and keep his residence as it were in his heavenly Mansion There Christ sitteth at the right hand of God where he appeareth for us where he maketh intercession for us But Christ appeareth for us in Heaven Heb. 9. 24. and 8. 4. and in Heaven he maketh request for us and from Heaven we 1 Thess 1. 10. Isai 66. â— expect the Lord Jesus Phil. 3. 21. God is infinite Heaven is his throne and the earth his footstoole but the humanity of Christ is finite and not every where present Christ is ascended above these visible heavens above them and without them but he sitteth at the right hand of the Father in the highest heavens above them not without them So the Cherubims were over the Arke Ephes 4. 9 10. Heb. 9. 5. of the Covenant and yet they stayed upon the Arke as the place Heaven is one thing heavenly glory another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25. 21 22. Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est id quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coelo est Heb. 9. 23. Heb. 8. 4. Ita coelum dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mac. 3. 39. Job 22. 12. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 16. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 33. 5. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 20. corpora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2. 6. Ephes 6. 12. and 2. 2. Joh. 3. 11 12. Ignat. Epist 11. Psal 68. 34. When a finite nature is in heaven it is not in earth Christ is not so supra omnes coelos ut sit extra illos non in eis extraterras tamen quia mundum bunc reliquit Eidem carni duplex isque contrarius existendi modus tribui non potest sc localis illocalis seu physicus hyperphysicus as earth and earthly misery Heb. 11. 13. Joh. 14. 2. But whilest we say Christ is in heaven his presence in earth in the Church in the midst of his enemies is not excluded For the same Christ who is man is also God and every where Christ in his body is in the heavenly and triumphant Church absent from the earth by his infinite Deity he is present together in the earthly militant and heavenly But concerning his Body we may truly conclude because he is in heaven therfore it is not every where for Christ cannot be said to be made every where in the heavens without a contradiction no more then to be made infinite within limited bounds of being This being taken for granted that heaven can signifie nothing but a place limited for the extent of it Christ as God and man hath power of rule over all things by the essence of his Deity he is every where by the essence of his humanity now he is in heaven but he ruleth every where by the ministeries of his domination Where as man at the right hand of the Father there he is said to be as man in respect of place and if where he sits as ruling there also he be in all places in his body he is also in his body out of his body then which nothing is more absurd Christ is received into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God by a mediatory action which he executeth according to both natures the word working what pertaineth to the word and the flesh what appertaineth to the flesh Christ is Mediatour as God and man and glory hath redounded unto him as God and man and living in this glory he ruleth and governeth his Church as God and man He ascended into Heaven in his humanity he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediatour in respect of both natures he worketh together with the Ministers of the word by his divine and every where present efficacy The first thing implied by Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father is the filling of his humane nature with supernaturall gifts of knowledge power c. and whatsoever doth any way pertain to the administration of his office God his God hath annointed Psal 45. 7. Heb. 1. 9. him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes In respect of us these gifts may be called infinite but simply they are not because they are things created the effects and works of the holy Spirit Joh. 3. 34. Isa 11. 2. Men sura est divisio quaedam donorum at in Christo plenissima copia ubertas Ephes 4. 7. Rom. 12. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 8 11. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labor immensus Ov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolor immensas Senecae dicuntur Joh. 1. 16. Non deplendo aliquidex ipsius neque immeâ—sitate neque dimensione sed implendo nostraÌ„ indigentiam ab ipso absolutely they are finite comparatively infinite He received the Spirit above measure that is the whole Spirit all the gifts of the holy Spirit in higher degree then any creatures men or Angels in full abundance That is said to be done in measure which is done sparingly moderately in proportion for he that gives bountifully or largely doth not measure or number what he giveth but powreth out copiously as we say from the full heape or with both hands And that which is plentifull aboundant full is said to be above measure not that simply and absolutely it is infinite but in comparison By that which is given and not by measure not that which is infinite but that which is whole and entire is signified And of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace we so receive of his fulnesse that his sufficiency is no whit diminished our want is filled by him but his fulnesse is not emptied by us The Sunne is not greater if it be beheld of many not the lesse if of fewer the same is true of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed The Sunne doth not decay by motion an Angell is not wearied with the service of God Christ man is not wearied with the care of the Church nor his store and plenty wasted with that which he doth
execute this in such manner as the Sonne doth who hath received a right of executing immediatly and in a manner appropriat to his person the soveraigne dominion of God over every creature The Sonne by voluntary dispensation sent by the Father did emptie himselfe of exercising and shewing forth his right and dominion over every creature and the Father by voluntary dispensation doth resigne to the Sonne the immediate execution of all power over every creature till that time that all things be subdued under him This the Scripture doth lay downe as in regard of earthly powers Rev. 1. 5. they are subject for he is ruler of the Kings of the earth He hath this royall state written on his thigh as it were King of Kings Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. That he hath power over the Heb. 1. 4 6. col 2. 10. Angells is plaine both by the reverence they doe him and their obedience towards him Every knee boweth unto him the evill Angells yeeld signes of subjection either deceitfully to wrong ends or by force compelled though their state is such they cannot doe it religiously as the other And if Christ have power to send forth dispose of and imploy the Angells he hath power to take account how that he setteth them about is dischardged The evill Angells could not enter the Swine without his leave and they are subject to his judgement when the Saints shall judge the Angells what power hath Christ himselfe this way And as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose yea the Apostle saith He is crowned with glory and honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. Joh. 17. 2. Camer in Heb. 7 8. Par Ibid. Antithesis est inter Christi statuâ— sedentis aâ— dextram Patris expientu in cruce peccata nostra The Apostle speakes of that dominion which Christ received over all the creatures of God none excepted but if all things be subjected to the feet of Christ is not the humane nature every where No for the phrase in Scripture is not to be understood of subjection locall or corporall but imperiall sc that the man Christ is King of heaven and earth having all things subjected to his command This power and glory which Christ as man received is not infinite simply for then it should be the deity it selfe which he should not have had in the state of humiliation but the deity he had before not by habituall infusion but by personall union And if Christ by vertue of the hypostaticall union had received all fulnesse of the God-head that is all divine Properties as some interpret it it is not possible he should have received greater or more ample glory for greater then that which is infinite cannot be bestowed But the Scripture speaketh expressely that Christ as man was truly and really glorified or that he obtained that glory and Majesty which before he had not sc as man And if the humane nature be infinite or eternall of necessity the Incarnation of Christ and sitting at the right hand of the Father must be really the same if they be not abolished and the humane nature made equall unto if not the same with the divine The right hand of God absolutely considered must not so be interpreted as if it was all one with the phrase of sitting at the right hand of God For by the right hand of God is signified his power wisedome protection providence c. but by the other the exaltation of Christ and communication of Majesty and rule which he may exercise and shew forth every where without the omnipresence of his humane nature Neither are we to imagine that Christ hath all things or places or times so subjected to himselfe that he doth forth-with change their natures by this subjection Col. 1. 19. â— â— Vorst Deo placuerit in Christo â— per Christum iâ—habitare totam pleniâ—udinem be totam ecclesiam much lesse that he doth make them to be and not to be at the same time as to make all places to be one indivisible title or all times to be one point for so it should be divisible and indivisible the same and not the same together It is objected that the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily in Christ that is the whole essence Majesty and glory of God dwelleth in the humane nature And we are to conceive the person there spoken of sc the beloved Sonne as man as incarnate The reason is because the second person in Trinity the Sonne of Tota Dei plenitudo est universa Dei voluntas Majestas quatenus a nobis cognosci potest debet Id. Vrsin Vbi supra Pag. 601. Omnis plenitudo Deitatis inhabitat in Christo homine non sicut in alijs sanctu gratia tantum in habitationis seu assistentiae nec reali communicatione seu confirmatione seâ— reali unâ—one cum humanitare sic ut unitae sint duae naturae inseperabiliter personaliter 2 Cor. 6. 16. God absolutely considered hath all fulnesse not by voluntary dispensation but by naturall necessity in as much as the eternall Father never was nor could be without his eternall Sonne God with himselfe In Christ his person there is a threefold fulnesse the first fundamentall sc the fulnesse of the divine nature which doth personally dwell with that man-hood in Christ whence it comes to passe that this man is truly called God that is the manhood taken into fellowship of the selfe perfect and eternall person of the Sonne of God so that it is become as a part of his person The second is the fulnesse of office to which even Christ man is called For in regard of his humane nature now united to the second person he is man called to be the Christ of God that is annointed our Prophet Priest and King The third the fulnesse of created or habituall graces wherewith the soule of Christ is filled which are not divine properties for no created gift can be a Propertie divine but effects which the God-head worketh distinct from it as the soule giveth life to the body Now for the dwelling of all fulnesse in Christ man the latter two are in him subjectively the former that as the God-head doth dwell in Christ man not as in the Saints by relation of love and communion of the effects of it in grace nor as in the glorified Saints in regard of aboundant love manifested in the gift of glory nor any such simple cohabitation but it dwelleth in the manhood as with a nature which is taken to unity of person in the Sonne of God and so is through grace become of the substance of the second person So that Christ as man hath the second person of Trinity God with the Father and Spirit dwelling personally in it so that this manhood is essentially and substantially coupled with the deity in unity of one selfâ—-perfect and
eternall person Christ man is fitly called God and therefore in Christ man the God-head is said to dwell properly but Christ his humane nature may not be said to be God and therefore the God-head is not so fitly said to dwell in the humane nature as in the person denominated after it that is in Christ man It will be said if Christ rule in the midst of his enemies then it must follow that he is every where present But that is spoken of the person and not of the man-hood alone Psal 120. 2 and what is said of the person doth not necessarily belong to both natures And Christs dominion over all things doth not require his corporall presence with all things According to his divine nature he is every Joh. 8. 58. Christ in respect of his divine nature is every where present without addition and by the spirituall and effectuall presence of his body he entreth the soules and strengtheneth the hearts of all the faithfull by the power of his grace and truth of his promise Ephes 1. 22. Col. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Christ is the first-borne Col. 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2 4. and heire of all things 2 Cor. 4. 5. where present according to the effects of his providence wisdom power grace c. according to his humane nature he is essentially in heaven and now only in heaven but his dominion is over all things which doth not denote soveraignty power or omnipresence essentially divine but glory and Majesty next to divine as was said before The fift thing implied in Christs sitting at the right-hand of the Father is that in speciall he is the head of his Church The word Head is used sometime for one who in any kind is before or above other and in this large sence Christ is the Head of the Angels that is their ruler or governour one that is above them man is the Head of the woman Christ of man God of Christ But here it signifieth that Christ is so over his Church that he is in a more neare and communicative sort conjoyned with it as the head is with the body and members Looke as the King hath a more intimate and aimiable superiority over his Queen than over any other subjects so it is here in Christ our King whose dominion towards his Church who is his Spouse and Queen is more aimiably tempered and nearly affected then is his government over any other Christ hath taken the selfe same holy and spirituall nature with his Church standing as well of that which is outward and sensitive as of that which is inward and intellectuall The faithfull are united to him here by knowledge of faith and love such as Christ himselfe by his Spirit begettetâ— in them as hereafter by glorious light and love He doth communicate unto them that whole life of grace and glory which they have or shall receive direct and move them outwardly by his signifying will and inwardly by sending his Spirit which moveth with efficacy to that which he sheweth and followeth them with aides inward and outward least their faith should be prevailed against Though betwixt the faithfull and Christs naturall body there be a bodily distance yet the Spirit which commeth from Christ doth so joyne them with him that nothing commeth twixt him and them The same life of grace for kind which is in Christ is in every faithfull soule as fire Caro Christi noâ— vivificare dicitur quatenus pro mundi vitâ— data est fide a nobis manducatur hoc est per modum merite simul ejusmodi efficaciae quae Mediatoris personae propriè conveniat Regnat ubique Deus homo divina humana voluntaâ—e ac nutu Filius vivit propâ—â—r Patrem Joh 6. 57. Fâ—lius à Patre habet aeternam increatam vitam ut homo quoque ab codem beatam creâ—tam vâ—â—am habetiut Mediator vitam beatam nobis carnis suae troditione in mortem acquisivit divina sua virtue in nobis effccit Gal. 3. 14. See Field of the Church 1â— 5. cap. 16. Sobin art 3. de person Christ p. 316. Petimus ut Christus nobis velit dare spiritam idqueâ—am humana quam divina sua voluatate tamen non petimus ut secundum humanam naturam ab ipso procedat incorda nostra Sp S seu ut humana per ipsum operetur nam etiam processio Sp. S. operatio perâ—psum est proprium Dei talis opus alterum ad intra alterum ad extra sed ut etiam humana voluntate velit hanc operationem Dei tatis suae in nobis Heb. 1. 6. Ps 9. 7. Phil. 2. 10. Rò 14. 11. Isa 45. 23 Joh. 5. 22. Psal 2. 12. Joh. 3. 15 16 17 18 36. Joh. 6 29 12. 36. Joh. 14. 1. Rom. 15. 12. Mat. 12. 21. Act 7. 50 60. 2 Joh. 3. Rev. 1. 4 5. Ro. 1. 7. Syr. 1 Co. 1. 3. 2 Co. 1 2. Gal. 1. 3. Ephes 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. â— kindled fire kindling is of the same nature And Christ having fulnesse of grace and glory for all his he cannot be but most ready to communicate with them every thing for their good Christ is the Head of his Church both as God and man our Mediatour For did not the divine nature which is the fountaine of all life naturall and supernaturall dwell with this man or humane nature we could not be enlightned or quickned by it He that eateth my flesh saith Christ hath life in him not that this nature of it selfe can doe these things but because the Deity dwelleth with it and by it as by an instrument joyned personally with it doth properly and efficiently worke these things The omnipotent power of creating spirituall graces is not in the humane nature nor the omnipotent actions which doth produce them doe or can proceed from the humane nature but they are in God only and from God in and with the humane nature working to the same effects according to its property Christs humane nature hath both understanding and will whereby he worketh and is an internall instrument united within the person of God the Son as a part of his person in a sort yea more neerly but these divine works which Christ the Mediatour worketh the chiefe vertue and action which properly effecteth them is in God not communicated really with the other nature though it doth worke them in this humane nature with it yea and by it as a most nearly conjoyned instrument which within the person of God the Son hath his proper actions concurring in an inferiour degree of efficiency to that which the divine nature properly and principally worketh God worketh graces Christ man worketh the same the divine nature createth them and infuseth them into this or that man through Christ man being as a common conceptacle or conduit-pipe The humane nature worketh them not by powerfull creating them but by taking away sin and the cause that so way
God manifested in the flesh But here it is to be noted that the Scripture speaketh of worship which is graciously communicated of the Father to Christ as Mediatour and not simply of that which is given unto him as the only begotten Sonne of God As God Phil. 2. 9. Jâ—h 5. 26. hath exalted him so he hath graciously communicated this honour and dignity of worship unto him as God and man The adoration of Christ may be considered two wayes either as it doth respect Chemnit harm cap. 46. the essentiall properties of the God-head alone or the properties of both natures and the office of Christ If it respect the properties of the God-head alone adoration is predâ—cated of the person denominated from either or both natures and is understood to be true of that person according to the divine nature as the essential properties themselves are understood to be true of that persoÌ„ according to the divine nature But if adoration respect the properties of both natures and the office of Christ it is spoken of the person according Solmius art 3. de person Christ pag. 3. 6. to both natures and is understood to be true but the difference of both natures being kept For we aske blessings of Christ God and man in performing whereof we desire and understand that he doe what is proper to the Deity according to the Divine and proper to the humanity according to the humane nature For as the office so adoration respecting the office doth not take away the difference of natures that is doth not confound or equall the natures or the properties of the natures So we crave of God that he would intercede for us which he doth according to both natures because Intercession is the office of the whole person which parts in this office he performes one way according to his Deity another according to his humanity and so of the rest CHAP. IIII. How Christ doth bring his people into Covenant or fellowship with himselfe CHrist being appointed of the Father the King and Head of his Church and after a most excellent manner thereunto annointed and advanced of the Father and having subjects given unto him it cannot be but he must have his Kingdome and subjects He is a King as in personall right so in act He hath his Kingdome and territories wherein he exerciseth his regall power He is a King as to punish enemies so to feed and governe his people Joh. 17. 6. which are given unto him to be made obedient unto his Scepter The way whereby Christ enters upon his kingdome is ever by Conquest For though the soules of the Elect are his given by free donation purchased with a great price yet his enemies have Psal 68. 28. Rom. 8. 7 8 10. Joh. 3. 5 6. As for the works of the Spirit the fruits of faith c. if he have any at all in him they proceed only of the holy Ghost Hom. 2. part for W 〈…〉 s the first possession which must be cast out by strong hand and his people themselves by nature rebellious unwise disobedient untill they be subdued and brought into subjection High imaginations must be abated and proud rebellious lusts battered and beaten downe before Christ come to rule and reigne in the soule The conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ is made by an holy warre destruction and desolation wherein the King of kings fighteth against subdueth and bringeth under the disobedient which formerly did rise up against him But this wasting or desolation is not the losse of temporall life or spoiling of corporall goods or any outward desolation which is seen with the eyes or heard with the eares but a most happy desolation whereby pride and haughtinesse of minde is depressed and the minde lifted up to things above the power of the flesh is quelled and the Spirit doth gather strength the edge of vices is dulled and all kinde of vertue doth bud and blossome and where the flesh did rule the Spirit doth rule But what then doth Christ compell men to subject themselves unto him In no sort but of unwilling he makes them willing totally or throughly willing The people of Christ are free and Psal 110. 2. Exod. 35. 21. 2 Chro. 30. 8. Joh. 6. 45. Isai 55 5. 1 Chron. 28. 9. voluntary who offer themselves willingly unto the Lord and yeeld themselves unto his service Therefore they are said to come unto Christ to runne unto him to serve him with a perfect heart and a willing minde Men are gathered into the Kingdome of Christ by effectuall holy vocation whereby Christ doth not only invite them by his Word to repent and beleeve but by his Spirit doth assuredly bring 2 Tim. 1. 9. them unto himself or unto the participation of the Covenant of mercy Vocation according to the purpose of God is free not Rom. 8. 28. depending upon any precedent condition on our part required or whereby we are fitted or prepared to receive grace offered nor upon the good use of any naturall gift vouchsafed Justification is of grace by faith in Christ and so is Salvation but Vocation is of free grace without any condition at all It is not of him that Rom. 9. 16. willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy who of his rich mercy quickneth them that are dead in sinne and Eph. 2. 4 5. Isai 65. 1 2. Mat. 11. 25 26. saith Behold me to them that inquire not after him and hideth the great things of the Gospell from the wise and prudent but revealeth them unto babes according to that good pleasure of his will Thus Abraham was called when he served other gods Josh 24. 2. Act. 9. 6. Matt. 9. 9. and Paul when he breathed out threatnings against the Saints and Matthew when he sate at the receipt of custome The persons called into fellowship with Christ are all and only they that are given unto him of the Father To these Christ Mat. 11. 27. Rev. 3. 20. Joh. 10. 11 15 16. Joh. 17. 9 20. Joh. 10. 28. and 17. 2. revealeth the Father these open unto Christ and he commeth unto them for them he hath laid downe his life they shall heare his voyce for them he hath prayed that they might beleeve through the Word and unto them he will give eternall life The Subjects called in the Kingdome of grace or under the new Covenant are Jewes and Gentiles both neere and farre off but specially the Gentiles when the Jewes were broken off Matt. 8. 11 12. Act. 2. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constat enim praepâ—sitionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ejusmodi adverbiis adjunctam saepè vacare taliâ— junt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 staâ—â— subitò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adbuc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semel Act. 17. 30. and 28. 28. and 13. 46 47. Rev. 5. 9. for a time Many shall come from the
God in a mystery even the hid wisedome which God had determined before the world unto our glory the glory of the universall catholique Church the wisedome which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne which containeth those things which 1 Cor. 2. 7. vers 8. vers 9. vers 10. vers 12. Ephes 3. 8 16. 1 Cor. 2. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 14. vers 6. Joh. 7. â—9 Act 2. 33. Joel 2. 28. Act. 1. 16 17. Joh. 16. 7 8. Joh. 26. 13 14 15. He shall receive of me Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è scientia mea ijsque quae ipse novi 2 Cor. 3. 6. Gal. 3 15. Heb. 8 13. 2 Cor. 3. 8. 3. 9. God hath prepared for those that love him all that love him and not only them that were in the Apostles time The wisedome containing the deepe things of God even the things which God hath freely given to his Church called the unsearchable riches of Christ the riches of his glory The wisedome which is the very minde of Christ and the knowledge whereof is called the very knowledge of the minde of Christ of which the spirituall and perfect men are only capable The plentifull powring forth of the holy Spirit was differed untill the glorification of Christ and he being glorified it was to be differed no longer Christ being exalted at the right hand of the Father he obtained the promised Spirit above measure and powred it forth in such plentifull measure as had not formerly been bestowed upon the Church so that then was fulfilled what was foretold by the Prophet Joel I will powre my Spirit upon all flesh That Spirit is the Spirit of the Father alone and of Christ and will pleade the cause of none but of Christ in all this age of the world as the Advocate of Christ against the world He shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and shall shew it unto you So that after the Apostles there shall be no new inspiration necessary to Salvation unlesse we shall say there shall be another Christ or another Comforter The Apostles in respect of their office were able Ministers of the new Testament of the Spirit not of the letter of righteousnesse and not of condemnation Able Ministers furnished with sufficient gifts and so with sufficient knowledge of the Testament which is not to be abrogated whereunto nothing must be added of the new Testament which shall not be antiquated or disanâ—lled Of the Spirit and by inspiration taught those things which agree to the most perfect and spirituall and of righteousnesse which is the last immediately conjoyned with life eternall The Prophets speake of the times of the Messiah as the times Joh. 4. 25. Isa 2. 1 2. Heb. 1. 1. Act. 2. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Gal. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. Col. 1. 19. 2. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 10. 2 Cor. â— 11. Mat. 24. 14. Rom. 8 7 8 9. 1 Cor 1. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 9. Act. 13. 26. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. Col 2. 2 3. Col. 1. 25 26. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Non enim novis revelationibus nunc regitur ecclesia Bellar. de verb Dei l. 4. cap. 9. of cleare light and revelation after which no new inspiration is to be expected When the Messiah cometh he will teach us all things The times of the Messiah are called the last times which are the times wherein that Doctor of righteousnesse is promissed after whose comming we are to looke for no clearer or fuller revelation of divine mysteries So the Apostle saith Christ was manifested in the last dayes to wit in the times of the Gospell The time of the Messiah was that time appointed of the Father wherin the heire was no longer to be an infant under tutours and governours but as of ripe age he should live under the guidance of the Spirit of whom as by the Spirit of liberty being enlightened he should with open face as in a glasse behold the glory of God The Doctrine of the Gospell inspired into and preached by the Apostles is most glorious the Gospell of the glory of Christ who is the Image of God and the brightnesse of his glory in whom it pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in comparison whereof the Law is not glorious which shall be preached in all the world untill the end come and shall continue without abolition The Apostles preached the word of faith righteousnesse and life the word of salvation and power of God unto salvation even great salvation and the immortall seed which doth endure for ever even Jesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge that the whole Church might have communion with the Father and with the Sonne But the Word of faith righteousnesse and life the immortall seed the Word that doth reveale the ministery of Christ fully and intirely is a word consummatory and not preparatory in communion doth consist perfection or consummation And Titus Bostorum Episc ad Luc. 10. In Hospitium duxit hoc est in ecciesiam quae omnes capit omnes complectitur in these respects the calling of Christians to the state of grace is more excellent then the calling of the Jewes as the instrument of their calling is more excellent The same Word for substance was delivered to both but not for full and cleare manifestation In the Gospell Christ the promises heaven and life is more distinctly revealed and fully propounded God dealt with the Jewes as with children young and tender with Christians as with men growne to age and come to some ripenesse The Neque hic amplius secundum legalis umbrae tipicique cultus aâ—gustias audiemus Non intrabit Ammonita in ecclesian Dei aut Moabita Audimus autem Iâ—e docete omnes gentes Isai 54. 13. Jer. 31 34. Heb. 8. 11. 1 Joh. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 21 24. bounds of the Church are now extended to all nations and all men are invited to repentance that they might live It may be questioned whether the word be not fruitlesse and unprofitable seeing the Lord promiseth in Covenant that men should not teach every man his neighbour but they should be all taught of God But the internall teaching of the holy Ghost is not to be severed from externall instruction by the holy Scripture for then it should follow that the Scriptures were written in vain that in vain we were exhorted to reade the Scriptures yea to give attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine and that the ministery of the Word was altogether fruitlesse But the Apostles themselves plainely declare that the reading of the Scriptures and ministery of the Word and writing to them that were anointed by the spirit was not uselesse and unprofitable Such passages of Scripture then are to be understood comparatively and not as simple negations and shew what plenty of knowledge
Isa 11. 9. 54. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2. 10. Joh. 6. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 32. 28. 1 Sam. 8. 7. Eph. 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh bloud i. only Act. 16. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 22. God would pour upon his Church in the times of the new Testament leading the true children of the Church by his blessed Spirit into all truth necessary to Salvation The like phrases are often found in the Scriptures and the adversitive particle but is not put as exceptive But the anointing i. e. except as Internall Vocation is by the operation of the holy Spirit effectually inabling and drawing us unto Christ enlightening the minde and affecting the heart seriously to attend unto those things which are spoken and by faith to receive and embrace them The principall effectuall help which maketh us come to God by belief is the efficacy of Gods Almighty power put forth to such a purpose It is the effectuall working of Gods Almighty Col. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 6. power which worketh faith in us to Salvation For the creating us anew in Christ is a greater work then giving us our naturall being in Adam and therefore may not be ascribed to any power Eph. 2. 1 â— Luk. 11. 20 21. 2 Tim. 2. 26. that is not almighty We are by nature dead in trespasses held in bondage by strong powers whom none but the strongest can over-master and by believing we are lifted up to an estate without comparison more excellent then that we formerly received Now to bring us from death under which so mightie ones held us captive to such a life so unutterably glorious must needs be the working of a power almighty Besides so farre as God doth intend to work so farre he putteth forth his omnipotent power to accomplish but God doth intend to make some before other some come unto him and therefore he doth stretch out the arme of his power to effect this A second helpe is the inward illumination and inspiration wrought in us by which as the internall Word God speaketh in the minde The conversion of sinners is called a conviction because it is ever wrought in us as we are reasonable and intelligent creatures the judgement going before is a directour what to chuse And if the minde of man were once throughly and in a spirituall manner as it becommeth such objects as are altogether spirituall Saepe fit intellectus haefitanter suadeat languâ—de tractet habenas aut serò se ad judicandum applicet Ex adverso autem appâ—titus sensitivi saepe tam subitò tam veâ—ementèr concitantur ut voluntas ab apperitu impulsa jubeat intellectum judicare ex appetitus imperio possessed of the adequate goodnesse and truth which is in grace and glory and did consider it deliberately both simply and in comparison with all circumstances and occurrences and did apply it selfe to the serious study and thought thereof the heart could not utterly reject them For humane liberty is not a brutish but a reasonable thing it consisteth not in contumacy and head-strongnesse but in such a manner of working as is apt to be regulated varied or suspended by the dictates of right reason and sound judgement if things be distinctly and certainly apprehended seriously weighed and pondered and the thought thereof preserved and kept in minde The only cause why men are not willing to submit unto Christ is because they are not throughly and in a manner sutable to the excellency of the things inlightened in their minde or they do not keep in minde and thought that which they are taught in the Word of God and cannot but know in some sort Sinners in Scripture are said to be blinde simple fooles brutish inconsiderate that remember not that God seeth them consider not their latter end Sinne is naturall not as nature is opposed to liberty but as nature is opposed to grace 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 5 6. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14. And so without Christ and the holy Spirit miserable naturall or mortall men would sinne necessarily The first sinne of our first parents was an errour for whatsoever a man doth will that he doth will being led by certaine reason true or in appearance The act of willing hath in it power whatsoever is subject to it but it selfe is not in it own power but in the power of reason whose prescript it doth follow whether right or corrupt Necessarily good is preferred before evil and the greater good certainly and distinctly knowne before the lesser but not knowne it is not preferred with equall necessity The will is not enforced of it selfe either of it selfe resting or forcing it selfe for then it should be in act and not in act at one and the same time The will cannot bend into the direct contrary for then it might most willingly desire that condition which it certainly knew to be most miserable and refuse that condition which it most certainly and distinctly knew to be most blessed Nor suspend of it selfe without the intervention of the understanding because the will is not the mistresse of it selfe but of the act which depends upon the inferiour faculties They that know the gift of God they desire and aske it They that know God they will trust in him and keep his Commandements They that are taught of God they will come unto Christ and faith is lively and operative to draw men to the love of God and obedience to his precepts The act of judgement is two-fold 1. Naturall which ariseth from the sharpnesse or dulnesse of the wit 2. Morall according to which we are said to be good or evil There be two degrees of light 1. Directing and warning what is to be done 2. Perswading and effectually moving forward the will This perswasion is when with such force the holy Spirit doth accompany the Gospell that it doth not only move the will but move it effectually or throughly and beget faith lively and well rooted What the minde judgeth best the will followeth as best what lesse good the minde judgeth the will lesse followeth What the In singulis quidem actionibus voâ—unt as regitur ab intellectu in genere tamen voluâ—tas iÌ„ aperat intellectui nec intellectus fe applicat ad intelligendum nisi jussut à voluntate 1 Cor. 8. 2. Joh. 17. 3. minde judgeth the greatest evil the will doth specially avoid what it judgeth a lesse evil it doth lesse flee from Unlesse the minde should either wax idle or loose the reines to the affections which must needs proceed from a most grievous and most perverse errour of the minde right reason would obtain not only by right but in deed and fact the command and rule Knowledge is either prescribing or perswading true and solid either of the thing simply considered or of the thing considered with all his circumstances certaine just
yet he had not the act and use of it That which some See Maldonat in Luk. 2 40. Quod voluntatem concernit omnes virtutes taâ—e incrementum in ea accepâ—runt quale in creaturam cadere potest Jun. Thâ—ss Theolog. 29. answer that Christ by infused knowledge knew all things and after attained another kind of knowledge which they call acquisite is not so fit because knowledge acquired and infused of the same things is of the same nature and condition and two formes or qualities of one kind cannot be in the same subject The second thing implied in Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father is to be admitted into divine blessednesse setledly to enjoy it Christ as God ever had and could not but have that essentiall beatitude and that blessednesse which he receiveth as man is not to have end The good that is in an intellectuall nature is of two sorts the one of vertue the other of sweet joyfull and pleasing delight And though both these concurre sometimes as in the fruition of God in heaven wherein the perfection of vertue and fulnesse of joy and delight doe meet together yea and though every thing that is vertuous be delightfull yet it is not so much the height of vertue as of delight that is judged happinesse Now our Saviour Christ was joyned to God by the affection of vertue or justice and Vt mori corpus Christi potuit tamen cum unionem tum effâ—ctus quosdam Deâ—tatis participare Ita mori mortem suam derelinqui anima potuit tamen uniâ—ne sua hujus unionis effectis frui Can â—â—◠〈◊〉 lib. 12. cap. 1â— Maâ—donat in Mat. 26. Isa 5â— 4. Joh. 4 6. Hâ—b 4. 15. Joh. 14. 23. Prov. â—5 â—5 Chamier tom 2. lib 5. cap 20. Nullus comprehensor est obnoxius ulâ—â—s calamitatibus could not be devided or separated from him no not for a moment because he could not but love him feare him trust in him but by the affection that seeâ—eth pleasing content in enjoying those ineffable delights and pleasures that are found in God our Saviour as man might and was for a time divided from God Moreover our Saviour Christ in his life time here on earth so restrained and kept within the closet of his secret Spirit the happinesse that he enjoyed in seeing God that it should not spread farther nor communicate it selfe to the inferiour faculties of his soule or impart the brightnesse of it to the body but it was subject to misery and passion The godly in this life doe tast not only some hope of heavenly life but the first fruits of this heavenly joy The Church and every Saint is heaven the soule of the righteous is heaven Our Saviour was both viator and comprehensor blessed in this life with that blessednesse which is not to be had but in heaven but now our Saviour advanced on the right hand of God is admitted into that incomprehensible glorious setled blessednesse never to suffer the least ecclipse for one moment which doth communicate it selfe to C ham panst tom 2. lib 4. cap 4 and 5. Maâ— 17. 2. 1 Pâ—t 1. 11. Heb. 12. 2 Phil. 3. 21. Verè contrâ—stari dolere pati non potest cui divina â—eâ—tâ—tudâ— impassibilitas verè realiâ—er communicata fuit Vrsin Tom. 2. coâ—fâ—ss de person Christ pag. 407. all powers of soule and body that it is and shall remaine for ever incorruptible impatible immortall encreased with strength and nimblenesse shining with brightnesse and glory celestiall and divine Thirdly our Saviour Christ as man is taken to have prerogative before every other creature For this phrase of setting at his right hand noteth the preheminence of him as next to God himselfe that looke as one made a King hath a dignity above all persons named in his Kingdome Dukes Earles Lords So our Saviour taken up as man to this kingly dignity must needs be in preheminence before them It is no wonder for this nature essentially appertaineth to that person which made all these things visible and invisible Againe every person the nearer he is in conjunction of bloud to an earthly King the more he hath prerogatâ—ve Col. 1. 16 Joh. 1. 3. Heb. 1. 2 3. Revel 4 ult above others more dis-joyned so this created nature seeing it is made one personally with God by how much it is more nearely united by so much it is fit that it should have prerogative before others Not to speake that being heire of all things it is meet that he should be before all who are but parts of his inheritance and having more excellent endowments I meane created gifts than any other it is meet he should have the first place before all other Christ is set farre above all principality and power and might and domination which words are commonly understood of the Angels but the two first words may fitly be interpreted as names of excellency found in this present world For principalities and powers when they are put for angelical natures they are not termed so simply but with an addition to the place but these words put for humane excellencies we reade them simply without any thing added And this distribution of power named in this world and in that to come Ephes 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principatus dicuntur Rom. 8 38. Luk. 12 â—â— Significat etiam turmas 1 Sam. 11. 11. Eph 3. 10 Sept. Job 1. 17. and 6. 1â— Sept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aq. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3 â— Col. 1. 16. Drâ—s praeter in Rom. 8. 38. Deod ibid. respecteth something in this enumeration fore-named the former these two first named the latter the couple following Fourthly Christ not only as God but as man hath power above Heb. 1. 2. every creature As Mediatour he hath received a power imperiall over every creature which is apparant in this that the Apostle saith Christ is so placed above all that all are subject under Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 8 9. Matth. 28. 19. Duplex est Christi dominium 1. Essentiale quod ab aeterno habet commune cum Patre 2. Vicarium seu Mediatorium quod habet a Patre in cujus locum quasi succedit Camer in Heb. 1. 2. his feet To me is given all power in Heaven and earth that is power whereunto every creature is subject He speaketh of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed This person as God receiving by voluntary dispensation this honour from the Father that he should in an immediate and appropriate manner execute government over all creatures in heaven and earth the same person as man participating in this Kingly divine authority so farre that he should instrumentally concurre in executing all that judgement which Christ according to his divine nature did principally effect Though the Father and the Spirit have a right and soveraignty over the creature yet they doe not immediatly