Barak and Samson and Jephtah and David and Samuel and of all the Prophets who through Faith did marvellous things as it there appears Surely they had the same Doctrine of Grace as we have it is the very same for Substance without any difference 2. Wherein is the Difference then betwixt the Old and New-Testament or betwixt the Old and New Manner of the Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace They are one for Substance but in regard of the manner of Dispensation and revealing in the several Times Ages States and Conditions of the Church there is a difference I shall reduce all to these Particulars They are distinguished 1. In the Object In the Old Administration Christ was promised but in the New-Covenant Christ is exhibited It was meet the Promise should go before the Gospel and be fulfilled in the Gospel that so great a Good might earnestly be desired before it was bestowed 2. In the Federates Under the Old Dispensation they are compared to an Heir under Age needing a Gardian Tutor or School-master little differing from a Servant But in the New-Testament they are compared to an Heir come to ripe Years see Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 3. In the Manner of their Worship In the Old-Testament they were held under the Ceremonial Law and Oh What an heap of Ceremonies Rites Figures Shadows did they use in their Worship Certainly these declared the Infancy and Non-age of the Jews who being not capable of the high Mysteries of the Gospel they were taught by their Eyes as well as their Ears These Ceremonies were as Rudiments Introductions fitted to the gross and weak Senses of that Church who were to be brought on by little and little through such Shadows and Figures to the true Image and thing signified But in the New-Covenant or Testament our Worship is more spiritual Our Saviour hath told us 〈◊〉 4.23 24. That as God is a Spirit so They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit Truth The Hour cometh and now is saith Christ when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him â—ts 15.10 4. In the Burthen of Ceremonies Peter calls the Ceremonies of old A Yoak which niether our Fathers nor we saith he were able to bear And no wonder if we consider 1. The burthen of their costly Sacrifices if any had but touched an unclean Thing he must come and offer a Sacrifice as sometimes a Bullock and sometimes a Lamb You that think every thing too much for a Minister of Christ if for every Offence you were to offer such Sacrifices now you would count it an heavy Burthen indeed 2. They had long and tedious Journeys to Jerusalem the Land lay more in length than bredth and Jerusalem stood almost at one End of it â—ut 16.16 and thither Thrice a Year all the Males were to go and appear before God 3. They were tyed to the Observation of many Dayes the New Moons and many Ceremonial Sabbaths and they were restrained from many Liberties as in Meats and the like Oh What Burthens were upon them But in the New-Covenant or Testament the Yoak is made more easie We are bound indeed to the Duties of the moral Law as well as they yet a great Yoak is taken off from us and therefore Christ inviting us to the Gospel He gives it out thus Take My Yoak upon you saith He for My Yoak is easie 〈◊〉 11.29 and My Burthen light 5. In the Weakness of the Law of old The Law then was unable to give Life to purge the Conscience 〈◊〉 7.18 to pacifie God's Wrath and therefore saith the Apostle There is verily a dis-annulling of the Commandment going before for the Weakness Vnprofitableness thereof Hence they are called weak and beggarly Rudiments 〈◊〉 4.9 in comparison of the New-Testament there was then a less forcible Influence of the Spirit accompanying that Dispensation of the Covenant 〈◊〉 7.39 The Spirit was not then given in that large Measure as now Because Christ was not then glorified It appears in these Particulars 1. There was less Power of Faith in the Saints before Christ when the Doctrine of Faith was more fully revealed then was Faith it self more fully revealed in the hearts and lives of God's People 〈◊〉 3.23 Before Faith came saith the Apostle we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Surely this implies there was a Time when there was less Faith in God's People and that was the Time of the Law 2. There was less Power of Love in the Saints before Christ according to the measure of our Faith so is our Love The less they knew the Loving-kindness of God towards them in Christ the less they loved It may be they were more drawn by the Terrours of the Law than by the Promises of Grace and therefore they had less Love in them 3. They had a less Measure of Comfort to carry them on in all their Troubles Christ exibited is called the Consolation of Israel and therefore the more Christ is imparted Luk 2.25 Acts. 9 31 the more means of Comfort Hence the Primitive Saints after Christ are said to walk in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Certainly the Spirit was poured in less plenty on the faithful in the Old Testament because that benefit was reserved to the times of Christ who was first to receive the Spirit above measure in his humane Nature and thence to derive Grace to his Saints 6. In the darkness of that administration of Old Christ was but shadowed out to the Fathers in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but now we see him with open Face 2 Co. 5.18 Observe the difference in reference to the person of Christ and to the Offices of Christ and to the benefits that come by Christ 1. Concerning the Person of Christ it was revealed to them that he should be God Isa 9 6. And that he should be man Isa 9.6 Isa 9.6 The same verse speaks of a Child that is born and of a mighty God But how he should be God and man in one person it was very darkly Revealed 2. Concerning the Offices of Christ his Mediatorship was Typed out by Moses his Priesthood was Typed out by Melchizedeck among the Canaanites and Aaron among the Jews his Prophetical Office was typed out by Noah a Preacher of Righteousness his Kingly Office was typed out by David but how dark these things were unto them we may guess by the Apostles who knew not he should Die who dreamed of an earthly Kingdom and till the Holy Ghost came were ignorant of many things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 3. Concerning the Benefits that come by Christ Justification was signified by the sprinkling of Blood and Sanctification by the water of Purification Heaven and glorification by their Land flowing
exceeding profitable Only concerning the manner of the indwelling of this spirit in us it is most difficult to conceive Certainly it dwells not in us as in Christ viz. bodily Col. 2.9 unmeasurably Joh. 3.34 Originally 2 Cor. 3.17 the spirit is in Christ as light in the sun but the spirit is in us as light in the air In Christo ut lux in sole in nobis ut lumen in aere Ezek. 36.27 37.14 neither dare I affirm that the spirit is in us more essentially than in any other men or creatures for the essence thereof is indivisible and omnipresent But this I say that the spirit is in the faithful above all others 1. In respect of Covenant the Saints have the spirit by God's free Grace and Covenant I will put my spirit within you saith God in the Covenant which is not only to be understood of the gifts and graces of the spirit but also of the spirit it self 2. In respect of intimate familiarity and near acquaintance the spirit is in the faithful like an inmate or coinhabitant comforting directing ruling strengthning and cherishing them in which respect they are said to be his houses and Temples in which he dwelleth whereas contrariwise worldlings and infidels to all these purposes are meer strangers unto him the world cannot receive him saith Christ because it seeth him not neither knoweth him John 14.17 but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you 3. In respect of vertue and efficacy the spirit works efficaciously in his Saints he chooseth them for his own people he possesseth them as of his own right he rules in their hearts as in the chief seat of his Kingdom he purgeth and purifieth them from their sins he replenisheth and filleth them with his saving graces he guides and directs them in the way of holiness and never leaves them till he brings them to his Kingdom 4. In respect of union it was an old errour of the heathens that the soul remaineth in the body after Death which opinion of theirs though false because it contradicts the Word yet the thing it self is possible and doth not contradict reason for the soul may have its local being in the body and yet not give life to the body for it is not the souls being in the body but its being united to the body which makes the body live so it is not the Spirits being locally with the soul but being mystically united to the soul that gives it spiritual life Now in all these respects the spirit is in the faithful above all others I know the objections As 1. If the Spirit be united to a believers soul and so made one with him then may a believer say I am the spirit or I am equal with God in respect of the spirit in me though not as Peter Thomas c. But I answer this follows not for though the spirit be really united to a believers spirit so that he may say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit or hath one spirit yet first this union is a voluntary act and not a natural act and in that respect the Spirit may unite himself to the soul so far as he pleaseth and no further And certainly thus far he is not pleased to unite himself to a believer as that a believer should say properly I am the Spirit or I am equal with God in respect of the spirit for then a believer might be worshipped with Divine worship 2. This union is by way of application and not by way of mixture if an heap of Wheat and a stone should be joyned together there is an union they make both one heap but the Wheat cannot say I am a stone nor can the stone say I am wheat because this union is only by way of Application but if Wine and Water should be joyned together then every part may say I am Water and I am Wine because this union is not only by application but by way of mixture Certainly there is a great union betwixt the Spirit and a believers soul yet cannot the believer say properly I am the Spirit or I am equal with God because their union is only by way of application and not by way of mixture 2. Object No more was the union of Christ as God with our nature as man any union by way of mixture yeâ— could he say I am God and I am man But I answer Christ's union was not only spiritual or mystical but hypostatical or personal and in that respect though there was no mixture yet there was such an union as cannot be parallel'd in all the world Our souls union with the spirit of Christ goes very far and indeed so far as we cannot express it though we had the tongues and heads and hearts of men and Angels yet comes it short of that union betwixt the second person in the Trinity and the soul and body of Christ his union was personal but so is not ours a believer is a person before he is united to the spirit of Christ but now Christ's soul and body were not a person before united to the person of the Godhead Go we therefore as far as we can and I shall easily yeild that our union with the spirit is a true real essential substantial spiritual invisible mystical intimate union yet is it not a personal or hypostatical union the spirit doth not assume the soul or body of a believer as the second person assumed the soul and body of Christ Away away with these cavils and blasphemies wherewith too many unstable souls are now infected I have done with this Reason 4. That the holy Ghost might according to his Office endow men with gifts no sooner he bestows his person but immediatly he fills us with his train Now the gifts of the Spirit are of these two sorts some are common to good and bad others are proper to the Elect only Those gifts which are common are again two-fold for some of them are given but to certain men and at certain times as the gift of Miracles of Tongues of Prophesies and these were necessary for the Apostles and the Primitive Church when the Gospel was first to be dispersed others are given to all the members of the Church and at all times as the gifts of Interpretation Sciences Arts Prudence Learning Knowledg Eloquence and such like the former gifts we have not but these latter are now given to every member of the Church according to the measure of Christ's gift as the calling and vocation of every member needeth As for those gifts and saving graces which are proper to the godly I shall speak of them anon Now here is another reason of the spirits mission Eph. 4.8 that he might give gifts unto men if you ask what are those gifts the Apostle tells you in one place He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists v. 11. and
us And we know that the Son of God is come This is the true God and eternal Life And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the Flesh 2. Unanswerable Reasons drawn from Scriptures prove him God Thus it appears 1. From those incommunicable properties of the Diety which are properly ascribed unto him He is eternal as God Rev. 1.17 He is infinite as God Mat 28.20 He is omniscient as God Mat. 9 4. He is omnipotent as God He that cometh from above is above all John 3.41 Phil. 3.21 Rev. 1.18 He is able to subdue all things unto himself He hath the keys of hell and death 2. From these Relations he hath with God as to be the only begotten Son of God John 1.18 The Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.15 3. From those Acts ascribed to him which are only agreeable to the divine Nature as to be the Author of our Election John 13.18 To know the Secrets of our Hearts Ma. 9.4 To hear the prayers of his people John 14.14 To judge the quick and the dead John 5.22 And thus he creates as God John 1.4 He commands as God Mat. 8.26 He forgives as God Mat. 9.6 He sanctifies as God John 1.12 He glorifies as God John 10.28 4. From all those acknowledgments given to him by the Saints which are only proper unto God and thus he is believed on as God John 3.18 He is loved as God 1 Cor. 16.22 He is obeyed as God Mat. 17.5 He is prayed to as God Acts 7.59 He is praised as God Rev. 5.13 He is adored as God Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.10 Surely all these are strong demonstrations and prove clearly enough that Christ Jesus is God But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be God I answer 1. Because none can save Souls nor satisfie for sin but God alone There is none saith the Psalmist that can by any means redeem his Brother or give a ransom for him Psal 49.7.15 but God will redeem my soul from the power of Hell 2. Because the satisfaction which is made for sin must be infinitely meritorious an infinite wrath cannot be appeased but by an infinite merit and hence our Saviour must needs be God to the end that his obedience and sufferings might be of infinite price and worth 3 Because the burden of God's wrath cannot be endured and run through by a finite Creature Christ therefore must be God that he might abide the burden and sustain the Manhood by his divine power 4. Because the enemies of our salvation were too strong for us How could any creature overcome Satan Death Hell Damnation Ah! this required the power of God there 's none but God that could destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil 2. As Christ is God so he is true man he was born as man and bred as man and fed as man and slept as man and wept as man and sorrowed as man and suffered as man and died as man and therefore he is man But more particularly 1. Christ had a humane body Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he came into the world he said Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me And when the Apostles thought they had seen a Phantasm or a Spirit he said unto them Handle me and see because a Spirit hath no flesh and bones as you see me have Luke 24.39 Here 's a truth clear as the Son and yet O wonder Some in our times as Cochlaeus witnesseth do now avouch that he had but an imaginary body an aerial body a phantasm only in shew and no true body 2. Christ had an humane reasonable Soul My Soul is heavy unto Death said Christ Mat. 26.38 Luke 23.46 and again Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Surely saith Nazianzen either he had a Soul or he will not save a Soul The Arrians opposed this saying Christ had no humane Soul but only a living flesh because the Evangelist saith that the Word was made flesh but this is a Synechdoche John 1.14 very usual in Scripture to put the part for the whole and signifieth as much as that he had said the Word was made man I know some reasons are rendred why the Evangelist saith he was made flesh rather than he was made man as 1. To shew what part of Christ was made of his Mother not his Deity nor his Soul but only his flesh 2. To express the greatness of Gods Love who for our sakes would be contented to be made the vilest thing flesh which is compared to grass Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass 3. To shew the greatness of Chirsts humility in that he would be named by the meanest name and basest part of man the soul is excellent but the flesh is base 4. To give us some confidence of his love and favour towards us because our flesh which was the part most corrupted is now united to the Son of God 3. Christ had all the properties that belong either to the soul or body of a man nay more than so Christ had all the infirmities of out Nature sin only excepted I say the infirmities of our nature as cold and heat and hunger and thirst and weariness and weakness and pain and the like but I cannot say that Christ took upon him all our personal infirmities infirmities are either natural common to all men or personal and proper to some men as to be born lame blind diseased as to be affected with Melancholy Infirmity Deformity how many deformed Creatures have we amongst us Christ was not thus his Body was framed by the holy Ghost of the purest Virgins Blood and therefore I question not it was proportioned in a most equal symetry and correspondency of parts He was fairer than the sons of men his countenance carried in it an hidden vailed star like brightness saith Jerome which being but a little revealed it so ravished his Disciples hearts that at the first sight thereof they left all and followed him and it so astonished his enemies that they stumbled and fell to the ground So then he had not our personal infirmities but only our natural and good reason for indeed he took not upon him an humane person but only an humane nature united to the person of his Godhead But why was it requisite that our Saviour should be Man I answer 1. Because our Saviour must suffer and die for our sins which the Godhead could not do 2. Because our Saviour must perform obedience to the Law which was not agreeable to the Law-giver the Godhead certainly is free from all manner of subjection 3. Because our Saviour must satisfie the justice of God in the same nature wherein it was offended For since by man came death 1 Cor. 5 21. by man came also the resurrection of the dead 4. Because by this means we might have free access to the Throne of Grace and might
Humane Nature incourageth us to come unto him even after his Resurrection he was pleased to send this comfortable message to the sons of men Iohn 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God now as long as he is not ashamed to call us Brethren Heb. 11.16 God is not ashamed to be called our God O the sweet fruit that we may gather of this Tree the real distinction of two Natures in Christ As long as Christ is man as well as God we have a motive strong enough to appease his Father and to turn his favourable countenance towards us here is our happiness that there is one Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 1.5 the Man Christ Jesus 5. consider the Union of the two natures of Christ in one and the same Person as he was the branch of the Lord and the fruit of the Earth so these two natures were tied with such a Gordian knot as sin hell and the grave were never able to untie yea though in the death of Christ there was a separation of the soul from the body yet in that separation the hypostatical Union remained firm unshaken and indissoluble in this Meditation thou hast great cause O my Soul to admire and adore wonderful things are spoken of thee O Christ he is God in a Person of a God-head so as neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost were made flesh and he is man in the nature of man not properly the Person the humane nature of Christ never having any Personal subsistence out of the God-head this is a mystery that no Angel much less man is able to comprehend we have not another example of such an Union as you have heard only the nearest similitude or resemblance we can find is that of the Branch and Tree into which it is ingraffed we see one Tree may be set into another and it groweth in the Stock thereof and becometh one and the same Tree though there be two natures or kinds of fruit still remaining therein so in the Son of God made man though there be two natures yet both being united into one Person there is but one Son of God and one Jesus Christ If thou wilt consider this great mystery of Godliness any further review what hath been said in the object propounded where this union is set forth more largely and particularly but especially consider the blessed effects of this union in reference to thy self as our nature in the person of Christ is united to the God-head so our persons in and by this Union of Christ are brought nigh to God Hence it is that God doth set his Sanctuary and Tabernacle among us and that he dwells with us and which is more that he makes us houses and habitations wherein he himself is pleased to dwell by his holy Spirit Ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dewll in them and walk in them and I will be their God John 17 20 21 22 23. and they shall be my People 2. Cor. 6.16 Was not this Christs Prayer in our behalf I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me By reason of this hypostatical union of Christ Gal. 4.6 the Spirit of Christ is given to us in the very moment of our regeneration And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit As the members of the Body howsoever distinct amongst themselves and all differing from the head yet by reason of one soul informing both the head and members they all make one compositum or man so all believers in Christ howsoever distinct Persons amongst themselves and all distinct from the Person of Christ and especially from the Godhead which is incommunicable yet by one and the same spirit abiding in Christ Eph. 4.4 1 Cor. 6.17 and all his Members they become one there is one body and one spirit he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit O my Soul consider of this and in considering believe thy part in this and the rather because the means of this union on thy part is a true and lively faith faith is the first effect and instrument of the Spirit of Christ disposing and enabling thy soul to cleave unto Christ and for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Eph. 3.14 17. 6. Consider the birth of Christ this man-God God-man who in his divine generation was the Son of God in his humane generation was born in a stable for the saving of the Children of men who were as the oxe and mule having no understanding It were a fruitful meditation to consider over and over that sweet resemblance of Christ being a Vine me-thinks I hear the Voice of my beloved Cant. 2.10 13. rise up my love the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs and the vine with the tender grapes gives a good smell arise my love my fair one and come away if Christ knocks at the door who will not awake and arise if Christ comes in view who will not look unto Jesus if Christ the Vine calls us to come see the vine with the tender grape who will not taste the goodness smell the sweetness and after a little taste of that goodness and sweetness that is in him who would not long after more till we come from the first fruits to the last-fruits of the Spirit even to those visions and fruitions of Christ in Glory Consider O my soul of this Vine till thou hast brought Christ near and close unto thy self Suppose thy heart the Garden wherein this Vine was planted wherein it budded blossomed and bare fruit suppose the holy Ghost to come upon thee and to form and fashion in thee Jesus Christ thus Paul bespeaks the Galathians my little Children of whom I travel in Birth again untill Christ be formed in you would not this affect would not the whole soul be taken up with this come receive Christ into thy soul or if that work be done if Christ be formed in thee O Cherish him I speak of the Spiritual birth O keep him in thy heart let him there bud and blossome and bear fruit let him fill thy soul with his Divine Graces O that thou couldst say it feelingly I live yet not I but Christ
effect the fruit the benefit of his Conception Birth and of the wonderful union of the two natures of Christ may be all thine What dost thou hope in Jesus and believe thy part in this Incarnation of Christ why then pray in hope and pray in Faith what is prayer but the stream and river of Faith an issue of the desire of that which I joyfully believe 2 Sam. 7.27 Thou O Lord God of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy Servant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this Prayer unto thee 2. We must praise This was the special duty practised by all Saints and Angels at Christs Birth Luke 1.46 Luke 1.68 My Soul doth magnifie the Lord saith Mary and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And blessed be the Lord God of Israel said Zachary for he hath visited and redeemed his People and Glory to God in the highest said the Heavenly Host only one Angel had before brought the News Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord but immediately after there were many to sing praises not only six Cherubims as Isaiah saw nor only four and twenty Elders as John saw but a multitude of Heavenly Angels like Armies that by their Heavenly Hallelujahs gave Glory to God O my soul do thou endeavour to keep consort with those many Angels O sing Praises sing Praises unto God sing Praises Never was like case since the first Creation never was the wisdom truth justice mercy and goodness of God so manifest before I shall never forget that last speech of a dying Saint upon the stage Blessed be God for Jesus Christ O my soul living and dying let this be thought on What Christ incarnate for me why bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in reference to this great transaction of his Incarnation Looking to Jesus contains this and is the cause of this the sight of God will make us like to God and the sight of Christ will make us like to Christ for as a Looking-Glass cannot be exposed to the Sun but it will shine like the same so God receives none to contemplate his face but he transforms them into his own likeness by the irradiation of his light and Christ hath none that dive into these depths of his glorious and blessed Incarnation but they carry along with them sweet impressions of an abiding and transforming nature Come then let us once more look on Jesus in his Incarnation that we may conform and be like to Jesus in that respect But wherein lies this conformity or likeness to Jesus I answer in these and the like particulars 1. Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so must Christ be conceived in us by the same holy Ghost To this purpose is the seed of the Word cast in and principles of Grace are by the Holy Ghost infused he hath begotten us by the Word saith the Apostle Jam. 1.18 James 1.18 How Mean Contemptible or Impotent Men may esteem it yet God hath appointed no other means to convey supernatural life but after this manner Where no Vision is the People perish where no preaching is there is a worse judgment than that of Egypt when there was one dead in every Family By the Word and Spirit the Seeds of all Grace are sown in the heart at once and the heart closing with it immediatly Christ is conceived in the heart Concerning this spiritual Conception or Reception of Christ in us there is a great question Whether it be possible for any man to discern how it is wrought But for the Negative are these Texts Our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 and the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 It is a wonderful hidden and secret Conception The holy Ghost sets out that state of unregeneracy in which Christ finds us by the name of Death Eph. 2.1 So that it must needs be as impossible for us to discover how it is wrought as it is impossible for one to know how he receives his own life Some say the first act of infusing or receiving Christ or Grace they are all one is wrought in an instant and not by degrees and therefore it is impossible to discern the manner And yet we grant that we may discern both the preparations to Grace and the first operations of Grace 1. The preparations to Grace are discernable such are those terrours and spiritual agonies which are often before the work of Regeneration they may be resembled to the heating of metals before they melt and are cast into the Mold to be fashioned now by the help of Natural Reason one may discern these 2. Much more may the first Motion and Operations of Grace be discerned by one truly regenerate because that in them his Spirit works together with the Spirit of Christ such are sorrow for sin as sin and seek rightly for comfort an hungring desire after Christ and his Merits neither do I think it impossible for a regenerate man to feel the very first illapse of the Spirit into the Soul for it may bring that sense with it self as to be easily discerned although it doth not alwayes see nor perhaps usually see it is true that the giving of Spiritual Life and the giving of the sense of it are two distinct acts of the Spirit yet who can deny but that both these acts may go together though alwayes they do not go together Howsoever it is yet even in such Persons as in the instant of Regeneration may feel themselves in a regenerate estate this Conclusion stands firm viz. They may know what is wrought in them but how it is wrought they cannot know nor understand we feel the Wind and perceive it in the motions and operations thereof but the Originals of it we are not able exactly to describe some think the beginnings of Winds are from the flux of the Air others from the exhalations of the Earth but there is no certainty so it is in the manner of this Conception or passive Reception of Christ and Grace into our hearts we know not how it is wrought but it nearly concerns us to know that it is wrought look we to his conformity that as Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so that Christ be conceived in us in a spiritual sense by the same Holy Ghost 2. Christ was sanctified in the Virgins Womb so must we be sanctified in our selves following the Commandment of God Be ye holy as I am holy Souls regenerate must be sanctified Every man saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him 1 John 3.3 purifieth himself even as he is pure I know
great reward he saith not for keeping them but in keeping them there is great reward there is a grace a beauty an excellency in every gracious acting 2. The reward according to the duty to this exercise of Religion Christ hath annexed many sweet and gracious Promises both for this life and that to come and these Promises may be used as helps He had respect unto the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 To this purpose are the glorious things of Heaven set open before us that we may have an eye to them and be encouraged by them So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 6. The openings and discoveries of the pains of Hell are as helps to restrain us from sin and to keep us in the way to Christ This some call legal but Christ in the Gospel tells us of this in the Gospel we find a description of hell-pains set out by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth by a worm never dying Matth. 8.12 Mark 9.44 and a fire never going out Oh when I think of those unquenchable flames those remediless torments without hope of recovery remission or mitigation when I think of that privation and loss of the sight of Gods face prepared only for those that serve him in holiness how should I but look about me and prepare for my reckoning Nay how easie should I think any pains in comparison Some persons in affrightment have been seen to carry burthens and to leap ditches and climb walls which their natural power could never have done and if we understood the sadness of a cursed eternity from which we are commanded to fly and yet knew how near we are to it and how likely to fall into it if we continue in sin it would be able to create feares greater than a sudden fire or a mid-night alarm 7. A principle of love wheresoever it is planted is our help be the Yoak never so uneasie yet love will make it light Can. 3.10 Solomon compares the estate of the Church to a chariot and it is described to have Pillars of Silver and a Bottom of Gold and a Covering of Purple the midst thereof being paved with Love a strange expression that the midst of a Chariot should be paved with love but 't is plain the Chariots wherein Christ carries his people up and down in the World and brings them to himself is such a Chariot as the midst thereof is paved with love in this case if there were neither Heaven nor Hell yet a soul would be in the duties of Christianity I remember how Ivo Bishop of Chartres meeting a grave Matron on the way with fire in one hand and water in the other he asked her what those symboles meant and what she meant to do with her fire and water she answered My purpose is with the fire to burn Paradise and with the water to quench the flames of Hell that men may serve God said she without the incentives of hope and fear and purely for the love of God and Jesus Christ Surely it was an high expression for my part I dare not separate those things which God hath joyned together only this I say that where true love is there is an excellent help in our way Heaven-wards 8. The Angels be our helps They are ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and the kind of their ministration is excellently set forth by the Psalmist They shall keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone Psal 91.11 12. in this place the Angels are compared to Nurses that have a charge over weak Children to keep them and guard them so the Angels do all the offices of a Nurse or Mother they keep us guard us instruct us admonish us correct us comfort us preserve us from evil and provoke us to good 9. The Motions Inspirations blessed Influences of the Spirit of Christ be our helps many a time the Spirit cries Isa 30.21 and calls on our hearts saying This is the way walk therein as the evil Spirit or Devil in wicked men is continually moving and inclining them to all evil thoughts affections and desires so the good Spirit of God in good men doth incline and move them to good thoughts good affections good actions and hence they are said to be led by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 there are indeed several acts of the Spirit as sometimes there is a breathing or stirring sometimes a quickening or enlivening sometimes a powerful effectual inclining or bending of our hearts unto good things now in some of these works the Spirit is most-what for in the progress of sanctification we need a continual help and influence from Gods holy Spirit and when we obey these conducts Gal. 5.24 we are said to walk in the Spirit and as all these are helps in the wayes of Christianity so by these helps and assistance of Christ's Holy Spirit Christianity is made very easie unto us 10. The Grace of God is our help many feeling the strength of corruption cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Ver. 23. 2 Cor. 12.9 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind but they consider not the comfortable saying of Christ to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee by the assistance of grace Paul could do any thing I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 Rom. 8.37 Psal 119.32 yea In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us the Psalmist hath a notable expression to this purpose I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart this enlargement of heart was by the grace of God grace is compared to oyl as a dry purse is softned and enlarged by anointing it with Oyl so the heart drawn together by sin is opened and enlarged by the pouring of grace into it and if grace be present then saith David I will run the way of thy Commandments not walk but run it is an allusion to a Cart-Wheel which crieth and complaineth under a small burthen being dry but when a little Oyl is put into it it runs merrily and without noise and if David could say thus in his time how much more should we that live in these Gospel-times when grace in greater measure is effused and poured out by the grace of Christ should we say we will walk and run and fly in the way of his Commandments Vse Well then is Christian Religion and the practice of it full of sweetness easiness and pleasantness in the first place for conviction this may take away the cavils of some men what is said in way of objection I shall reduce to these particulars 1. They object that Christ himself confesseth it to be a
hangs over thy head like Democles s sword and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Ahab for a time acts the part of a penitent but no thanks to Ahab for the Prophet had rung him such a peal for his fin as made both his ears tingle 1 King 21.19 In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood even thine or it may be there is in thee a fear of Hell in thy apprehension death is come and is ready to carry thee before the dreadful Tribunal of a terrible God and therefore thou leavest thy sin thus Sea-men in a stress part with their goods not because they are out of love with them but because they love their lives better they see plainly that either they must part with them or perish with them Now in these cases thy leaving off sin bears no similitude with the death of Christ for his death was voluntary and true mortification is a voluntary action But may there not be some reluctancy in this work betwixt the flesh and the Spirit Quest and if so is it then voluntary I answer Yes such a reluctancy we find in the humane nature of Christ concerning the Cup Answ Mat. 26.39 that it might pass from him and yet his death was a true voluntary death An action is said to be voluntary or involuntary according to the superior faculties of the Soul and not according to the inferior if the reasonable part be consenting the action may be called voluntary though there be some reluctancy in the sensitive appetite Thus in the Christian in whom there is nature and grace flesh and spirit an unregenerate and a regenerate part if the superior and better part be willing I mean advisedly and deliberately willing with full consent of the inward man though perhaps there may be some reluctancy in the flesh in the unregenerate part yet this is said to be a true voluntary act So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Paul was dead to sin according to the inward man the regenerate part though he found a reluctancy in his outwards members and therefore his death to sin carried with it the resemblance of the death of Christ it was a voluntary death 2. Christ's death was a violent death he died not naturally but violently 1 Pet. 3.18 Isa 53.7 he was put to death in the flesh he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter So is our mortification it is voluntary in respect of us but violent in respect of sin and herein is the life as I may say of this death Oh when a man layes violent hands on his sins when he cuts them off being yet in their flower and strength and power and vigor when he pulls up those weeds before they whither in themselves this is true mortification many have left their sins who never mortified them so the aged Adulterer hath left his Lust because his body is dead and hence it is that late repentance in an aged sinner is seldom found true alas he dies not to sin but his sin dies to him I will not say but God may call at the eleventh hour though it be very seldom but in that case you had need to be jealous over your selves with a godly jealousie what do you find some sins within you to be dead that were sometimes alive O be inquisitive impannel a Jury call a Coroners Inquest upon your own souls enquire how they came by their deaths whether they died a violent or natural death search what wounds they have received and whether they were deadly wounds yea or no enquire what weapon it was that slew them whether the Sword of the Spirit that two-edged Sword the Word of God what purposes what resolutions have been taken up and levelled against them what prayers and tears have been spent upon them If you find not these signs you may gâ—â—e in your Verdict that they died not a violent but a natural death And here 's a good Caveat for others Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccles 12.1 while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Oh take heed of reprieving your Lusts let them not live till to morrow now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God arraign condemn crucifie mortifie them whiles they might yet live Surely this is true mortification when the body of sin dieth as Christ died a violent death 3. Christ's Death was a lingring death he hung divers hours upon the Cross From the first hour to the ninth hour saith Matthew i.e. from our twelve to three before he gave up the Ghost So is our mortification a lingring death sin is not put to death all at once but languisheth by little and little this is looked upon as one main difference betwixt justification and sanctification the former is a perfect work admitting of no degrees but so is not the lattâ—r though a Believer is freed perfectly from the guilt of sin yet not so from the power of it sin dwelleth in us though it hath not altogether a dominion over us Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me like a rebellious Tenant it keeps possession in despight of the owner till the house be pulled down over his head True indeed the body of sin in a regenerate soul hath received its death-wound and in that respect it may be said to be dead but it is not quite dead still it stirreth and moveth dying but by degrees What the Apostle saith of the renewing of the new man we may say of the destroying of the old man the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 â—nd the old man is destroyed dâ—y by day or as Paul said of himself in respect of his afflictions we may say of a Christian in respect of his sins I die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 there is not the most sanctified soul upon earth but has some remainders of corruption left in it which God in his wise providence permits for the trying exercising and humbling of our souls and for the making his own rich Graces in renewing and multiplying pardons so much the more glorious Gen. 25.22 And here is a ground of consolation to a drooping and dejected soul such an one cries out alas I feel the stirring and vigorous actings of sin and I am afraid my sin is not mortified as Rebekah said when she felt the Children strugling within her if it bâ— so why am I thus so if sin be mortified saith the soul why am I thus trembling soul let not this discourage Jesus Christ was not dead so soon as he was fastned to the
not here but risen Mat. 28.6 as they said Come see the place where the Lord lay Others think it was to do their office of duty and service to Christ Jesus to make way for his body to pass out of the grave without any penetration of other Bodies for my part I adhere to these though we need not to exclude the former for the stone might be removed both that Christ might come forth and that the women might be convinc'd that he was risen again But as for the opinion of them who think the stone was not removed till after the resurrection that the body of Christ went through the grave-stone when he rose again it is without all warrant the very order of nature will not permiâ— that one body should pass through another without corruption or alteration of either We say two bodies cannot be together and at once in one proper place no more than one body can be together and at once in an hundred or a thousand places now that Angelical argument is full for this he is not here for he is risen he is not in the grave Mat. 28.6 for he is risen out of the grave he could not be in the grave and out of the grave at one and the same time But I mean not to dwell on controversial Points Mat. 27.52 53. 5. That Christ rose again accompanied with others and the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints wâ—ich slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many It may be the graves were opened when Christ was laid down in his grave yet the spirits came not into the dead bodies till Christ's Resurrection the Text iâ— plain that they came not out of their graves till Christ was raised Christ is the beginning saith the Apostle the first-born from the dead Col. 1.18 how the first-born I answer both in time and efficacy 1. In time he rose to eternal life the first of all men This was the sum of Paul's preaching that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead It is true indeed Acts 26.2 3. that Lazarus and fundry others rose before Christ but they rose to live a mortal life and to die again Christ was the first of all that rose to eternal life never any in the world rose before Christ in this manner 2. In respect of efficacy Christ rose first that by his power all the rest might rise there is in Christ's resurrection a reviving and a quickning vertue and herein is a main difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of any other man the Resurrection of Abraham availes nothing to the resurrection of Isaâ—c or of Jacob but the resurrection of Christ availes to the resurrection of all that have believed or that shall believe in him is not Christ called a quickning Spirit how then should he but quicken all his members 1 Cor. 15.45 when a man is cast into the Sea and all his body is under water there is nothing to be looked for but present death but if he carry his head above the water there is good hope then of a recovery now Christ is the head unto his Church and therefore he being raised all his members must follow in their time no sooner did Christ arise but many of the bodies of the Saints arose not all that were dead but only some to shew the resurrection of all to come the time for the whole Churches rising being not yet till the great resurrection day It is a question what became of those bodies which now arose Some think they died again but it is more probable that seeing they rose to manifest the quickning vertue of Christ's resurrection that they were also glorified with Christ and as they rose with Christ arising so they ascended up into heaven with Christ ascending 6. That Christ rose again with a true perfect incorruptible powerful spiritual agile and glorious body 1. He had a true body consisting of flesh and blood and bone so he told his Disciples when they supposed him a Spirit Handle me Luke 24.39 and see said he for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have I know this body after his resurrection was comparatively a spiritual body yet for all that he never laid aside the essential properties of a true body as length and breadth and visibility and locality and the like he still keepeth these because they serve to the being of a true body 2. He had a perfect body however he was cut and bored and mangled before his death yet after his resurrection all was perfect Eusebius tells of one of the Children of the Machabees that were put to death for the profession of the Truth and when they cut off his members saies he I have received these from heaven and now I do give them unto the God of heaven and I hope I shall have them again Not a member of Christ was wanting not a bone out of joint but all was perfect 3. He had an incorruptible immortal body To this end saith the Apostle Christ both died and rose and revived and why revived but to shew that he rose never to die again The Apostle is yet more express Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Consonant hereunto is that of Christ I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen Rom. 14.9 Rom. 6.9 Rev. 1.18 And herein the body of Lazarus and the rest whom Christ raised differed from his for after they were raised they died again but Christ died no more 4. He had a powerful body Luther could say of the glorified Saints that they had a power so great as to toss the greatest mountains in the world like a Ball And Anselm hath an expression not much unlike that they have such a power Anselm lib. de simil cap. 52. as they are able to shake the whole earth at their pleasure How much more could Christ cause that great Earth-quake at the rising of his Body O it was powerful 5. He had a spiritual body it needed not to meat drink or refreshings as it did before it is true that the Disciples gave him a piece of a broiled fish Luk. 24.42 43 and of an honey-comb and he took it and did eat before them but this he did only to confirm their faith that he appeared solidly and not imaginarily he Ate out of power and not out of necessity even as the Sun sucks up thâ— water out of power but the earth out of want he Ate not as standing in need of food but to shew the truth of his being risen again as the Saints in heaven neither eat nor drink nor sleep nor have Magistrates nor Ministers but the Spirit of God is all in all to them so it was with
law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ or the law of this quickening Spirit communicated from Christ unto thy soul 3. If Christ's resurrection be mine then am I planted together in the likness of Christ's resurrection then do I resemble and am made conformable to Christ in his resurrection now if we would know wherein that resemblance is the Apostle tells us that like as Christ was rised up from the dead by the glory of the Father Rom. 6.5 even so we also should walk in newness of life Our mortification is a resemblance of Christ's death and our vivification is a resemblance of Christs resurrection In this ground of our hope concerning our interest in the resurrection of Christ I shall propound these questions Rom. 6.4 1. Whether indeed and in truth our souls are vivified 2. Whether we increase and grow in our vivification For the first the truth and certainty of our vivification will appear by these rules 1. True vivification is general both in respect of us and in respect of Grace 1. In respect of us it is diffused throughout the whole man the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly saith the Apostle and I pray God that your whole spirit 1 Thes 5.23 soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ And. 2. In respect of Grace it is in every Grace I know it is a question whether all Graces are so connexed and chained together that possible they cannot be severed but I suppose it is truly answered that in respect of habit they cannot be severed though in respect of the act or exercise they may be severed some Graces are more radical than others as faith and love and therefore they first appear but as a man lives first the life of a plant then of sense then of reason though all were radically there at first so it is in graces experience tells us that some Christians are eminent in some graces and some in other graces some have more love and some more knowledg and some more patience and some more self-denial but all that are true Christians have each of these graces in some measure or other or at least they have them in habit though not in the act if vivication be true there is a whole work of grace both in heart and life as the light in the ayre runs through the whole hemisphere so the whole work of grace runs through and is diffused through the whole man soul body and spirit O my soul this may put thee to thy study because of the several constitutions or tempers of graces thou mayest find this or that grace this or that image of Christ clearly stampt on thy heart but thou canst not find such and such graces in this case fear not for if in truth and sincerity thou hast but one grace thou hast the whole chaine of graces But to speak to some graces in particular Gal. 2.20 2. True vivification is a new life acting upon a new principle of Faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God They are the words of a man pursued by the law unto Christ Paul seeing he was dead by the law he speaks for a better husband the law finds him dead and leaves him dead Nevertheless I live saith Paul what means he a natural life why so he lived before now no no it is a better life than a natural life such a life is no contentment to a soul pursued by the law very heathens and infidels have such a life and in that respect are as happy as the best of Saints Paul's life is a spiritual life and the Spring of his life is the Son of God Jesus Christ is esscentially radically fundamentally life it self and by his incarnation passion resurrection he is life for his Saints they live by him and in him and for him and through him he is the heart and liver of their Spiritual life But as from the heart and liver there must be arteryes and vains for maintenance of life and conveyance of blood throughout all the body so from Christ there must be some conveyance to bring this to life unto us and this is by faith I live by the faith of the Son of God O my soul dost thou live this life of faith on the Son of God canst thou make use of Christ in every state and in every condition As for instance in thy particular calling dost thou look to Christ for wisdome success blessing ability dost thou say if I have ill success I will yet go to Christ it is he that set me here and it is he will enable me in case of provision dost thou run to Christ and dost thou hang upon him for all things needful dost thou say If I want means God will create means he commands all means and he can suddenly do whatsoever he will In case of protection dost thou look unto Jesus to be thy shield and protector dost thou mind the word of God to Abraham Fear not Abraham for I am God all-sufficient Gen. 15.1 thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward In case of thy Children goest thou to Christ saying Are not my Children thy Children and wilt thou not provide for thy own it is true thou must do what thou canst but for the rest despair not cast thy burthen upon him who hath commanded thee in nothing to be careful Phil. 4.6 Phil. 27.10 but in all things to make thy suits known with prayer and supplication when my Father and Mother forsake me God will take me up saith David He is a Father to the Fatherless he provided for them in the womb he provided brests for them ere they saw the Sun and therefore how should he but have care and compassion over thy Children in case of prosperity dost thou see Christ's love in that state dost thou set him in the first place receiving all and joyning in all as coming from him is this it that makes thy prosperity sweet because thou knowest and believest that thy sins are pardoned otherwise what is thy silver and gold so long as thy pardon is not sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ if a prisoner condemned to dye should abound in all outward plenty what comfort could he have so long as his pardon were not sealed it is the life of faith that sweetens prosperity who are better Christians than they who know they enjoy these things with God's favour and blessing faith sees Gods love in all and so is abundantly thankful faith makes a man to eat and drink and sleep and to do all in Christ as it cost Christ dear to purchase our liberty to the creatures so faith ever sets Christ in the first place it receives all as coming from him it returns all as to the glory of him in case of disgrace dost thou commit thy credit to Jesus Christ dost thou look up to Jesus and
Christ was not David's Lord meerly as man but as God And 2. He sits at God's right hand as man too hereby his Humanity was exalted and a Power is give to Christ as man He hath given hiw power to execute judgment John 5.27 in as much as he is the Son of man In the administration of his Kingdom the man-hood of Christ doth concur as an Instrument working with his God-head Hence this Session at God's right hand is truly and properly attributed to Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only to the one nature of Christ whether Divine or Humane Or it is attributed to Christ as Mediator in which respect he is called an high Priest Heb. 8.1 We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens And in which respect he is called a Prince Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour Now Christ is not a Priest and a Prince meerly according to one Nature whether Divine or Humane I deny not but Christ had a natural Kingdom with his Father as God before the foundation of the world but this Kingdom as God-man Christ had not before his Asension into heaven So then Christ 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 Mediator 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 indeed into heaven in his humanity only but he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediator in respect of both natures The Lutherans attribute this Session at God's right hand only to the humane nature of Christ they say this Session is nothing else but the elevating of his humane nature to the full and free use of some of the divine properties as of omnipotency omniscience omnipresence the ground of this error is that they suppose upon the union of the two Natures in Christ a real communication of the divine properties to follow so that the humane nature is made truly omnipotent omniscient omnipresent not by any confusion of properties nor yet by any bare communion and concourse of it to the same effect each nature working that which belongeth to it with commuion of the other for this we grant but by a real donation by which the divine properties so become the properties of the humane nature that the humane nature may work with them no less than the Divine nature it self for the perfecting of it self Against this opinion we have these Reasons 1. The union cannot cause the humane nature to partake more in the properties of the Divine than it causeth the Divine to partake in the properties of the humane 2. If a true and real communication did follow of the Divine Attributes it must needs be of all the Attributes as of eternity and infiniteness seeing these are the Divine Essence which can no way be divided 3. Infinite perfections cannot perfect finate natures no more than reasonable perfections can make perfect unreasonable creatures 4. To what end should created gifts serve which Christ hath received above measure if now more noble properties should enter and be conferred on Jesus Christ other reasons are given in but I willingly decline all controversal points SECT VI. Of the Reasons why Christ doth sit on God's right hand 4. WHy doth Christ sit at the right hand of God his Father in glory I answer 1. On Christ's part that He might receive power and dominion over all the creatures Math. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth he speaks of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed Christ at his Session received a power imperial over every Creature that he hath Power over the Angels is plain both by the reverence they do him and by their obedience towards him at the name of Jesus every knee must bow good Angels and evil Angels must yield signs of subjection to Jesus Christ if the Saints shall judge the Angels how much more shall Christ Oh what Power hath Christ himself this way and as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose it is Jesus Christ that is Crowned with Glory and Honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 27.8 And hence it is that when the Apostle speaks of Christs session at the right hand of God he tells us he is far above all Principalities and Powers on earth Eph. 1.21 and Mights and Dominions in Heaven yea that Angels and Authorities 1 Pet. 3.22 and Powers are made subject unto him 2. On our part many reasons may be given As 1. That he might be the Head of his Church I mean not head in a large sense for one who is in any kind before another for so Christ is the head of Angels and God is the head of Christ and to this we have spoken before But in a strict sense for one that is in a near and communicative sort conjoyned with another as the Head is conjoyned with the Body and Members and so is Christ the head of his Church Look as the King hath a more intimate and amiable Superiority over the Queen then over any other of his Subjects so is it here in Christ our King he is more amiably tempered and more nearly affected to his Spouse and Queen the Church of God then to any other whomsoever And to this purpose he sits at Gods right hand that having now fulness of Grace and Glory in himself he might be ready to communicate the same to his Church who are as the members of his body that he might give them Grace here and Glory hereafter when he shall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and be all in all 2. That he might be the object of divine adoration then especially it was said and accomplished Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 and let all men Honour the Son as they Honour the Father After Christ's Session John 5 23. Stephen looken up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and then he Worshipped and called upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is true Acts 7.59 that the ground of this divine adoration is the Union of the two natures of Christ and therefore the Magi worshipped him at his Birth and as soon as ever he came into the World the Angels of God Worshipped him but because by his Session at God's right hand the Divine Nature was manifested Heb. 1.6 and the Humane Nature was exalted to that dignity and glory which it never had before therefore now especially and from this time was the honour and
Christs Resurrection and the coming down of the holy Ghost What was the meaning of this but to hold harmony and to keep correspondency with those memorable things as on the day of Pentecost fifty days after the feast of the Passeover the Israelites came to mount Sinai there received they the Law a memorable day with them and therefore called the feast of the Law so the very same day is accomplished that prophesie Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 now was the promulgation of the Gospel called by James the Royal Law Jam. 2.8 as given by Christ our King and written in the hearts of his servants by this holy Ghost it seems to shadow out the great difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel the Law was given with terrour in lightning and thunder it discovers sin declares God's Wrath frights the Conscience but the Gospel is given without terrour there was no lightning and thunder now no no the holy Ghost slides down from heaven with grace and gifts and with great joy sits on the heads and in the hearts of his Saints 2. On the Jubilee or fiftyeth year was a great feast whence some observe that the Latines made their word Jubilo to take up a Merry Song though the word be derived from the Hebrew Jobel which signifies a Rams horn for then they blew with Rams horns as when they gathered the people to the Congregation they blew their Silver Trumpets There were many uses of this feast 1. For the general release of Servants 2. For the restoring of Lands unto their first owners who had sold them 3. For the keeping of a right chronology and reckoning of times for as the Greeks did reckon by their Olimpiads and the Latine by their Lustra so did the Hebrews by their Jubilees this falls fit with the proclaiming of the Gospel which is an act or tender of Gods most gracious general free pardon of all sins and of all the sinners in the World now was the sound of the Gospel made known unto all Acts 2.5 out of every Nation under heaven now was that spiritual Jubilee which Christians enjoy under Christ now was the remission published which exceeded the remission of the Jubilee as for as the Jubilee exceeded the remission of the Seventh year i.e. not only seven times but seventy times seven times Mat. 18.22 Lev. 23.17 20 3. On the day of Pentecost they offered the two wave-loaves called the bread of the first fruits unto the Lord. In like sort this very day the Lord of the harvest so disposing it the Apostles by the assistance and effectual working of the Spirit offered the first-fruits of their harvest unto the Lord Act. 2.41 for the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls We see the circumstance of time hath its due weight and is very considerable when the day of Pentecost was fully come then came the holy Ghost SECT VIII Of the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent 2. FOr the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent it is said to all that were with one accord in one place Act. 2.1 who they were it is not here exprest yet from the former chapter we may conjecture Acts 1.13 14. they were the twelve Apostles together with Joseph called Barsabas and the Women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and his brethren these all continued with one accord in one place for so was Christs command that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me This promise we read of in the Evangelists Act. 1.4 when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father John 15.26 even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he will testifie of me Luke 21.49 And behold I send the promise of the Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be indued with power from on high It was the great promise of the Old Testament that Christ should partake of our humane Nature and it was the great promise of the New Testament that we should partake of his divine Nature he was cloathed with our flesh according to the former and we are invested with his Spirit according to the latter promise For this promise the Apostles and others had long waited and for the accomplishment they were now fitted and disposed 1. They had waited for it from the Ascention day till the feast of Pentecost he told them at the very instant of his Ascention that he would send the holy Ghost and therefore bid them stay together till that hour upon which command they waited Isa 28.16 and continued waiting until the day of Pentecost was fully come He that believeth shall not make hast saith Isaiah surely waiting is a Christian duty for the Vision is yet for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 but at the end it shall speak and shall not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Well may we wait and wait for him if we consider how God and Christ have waited for us and our conversion and especially if we consider that the Comforter will come and when he comes that he will abide with us for ever But 2. John 14.16 As they waited for the Spirit so they were rightly disposed to receive the Spirit for they were all with one accord in one place Mark here the qualifications of these persons they were all with one accord c. To those that accord in the Spirit given where is nothing but discord jars divisions fractions there is no Spirit of God for the Spirit is the Author of concord peace unity and amity he is the very essential unity love and love-knot of the two persons the Father and the Son even of God with God and he was sent to be the union love and love-knot of the two natures united in Christ even of God with man and can we imagine that essential unity will enter but where there is unity can the Spirit of unity come or remain but where there is unity of Spirit verily there is not there cannot be a more proper and peculiar a more true and certain disposition to make us meet for the Spirit then that quality in us that is likest to his nature and essence and that is unity love concord do we marvel that the spirit doth scarcely pant in us Alas we are not all of one accord the very first point is wanting to make us meet for the coming of the holy Ghost upon us We see the persons to whom the holy Ghost was sent they were they that were together with one accord in one place SECT IX Of the manner how the holy Ghost was sent 3. FOr the manner how he was sent or how he came to these Apostles we may observe these
some Pastors and Teachers Three of these gifts are now gone and their date is out but in the same place we find Pastors and Teachers and them we have still Oh how may this teach us to think of such even of Pastors and Teachers as of the special gifts and favours of Jesus Christ if one special friend should but send us from a far Countrey one of his chief servants would we not welcome him Christ now is in Heaven and he sends us Ministers as the stewards of his house sure if we have any love to Christ The vâ—ry feet of them would be precious and beautifull Rom. 10.15 who bring us glad tydings of peace Again the Apostle tells us in another place that there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and diversities of calling but the same Lord or Christ 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 and diversities of works but the same God and Father worketh all in all Christs errand being done and he gone up on high the Spirit came down and in Christ's stead established order in the Church which order or establishment is here set down by gifts callings and works Here is first a Gift Secondly a Calling Thirdly a Work Gifts are ascribed to the Spirit Callings to Christ and Works to God even to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ where the Spirit ends Christ begins and where Christ ends God begins if no gift we must stay there and never meddle with the calling and if no calling we must stay there and never meddle with the Work first the Spirit comes and bestows the Gift and then Christ comes and bestows the Calling and then God the Father comes and sets us to the Work the gift is for the calling and the gift and calling are both for the Work And if this be the order established by the Spirit in his Church Oh what shall we say of them that either have no gifts yet step into the calling as if there were no need of the Holy Ghost or that have no calling and yet will fall upon the work utterly against the mind and rule of Jesus Christ Oh what the poor Church of Christ suffers at this time in these respects certainly these men have no commission from the holy spirit he was never sent to them that brâ—ak this order first gifts and then Calling and then the Work But why doth the Spirit endow men with gifts surely saith the Apostle to this end 1 Cor. 12.7 to profit withall Gifts are given for the good of others gifts are for edifying we should not contemn them gifts are a blessing of God and therefore we aâ—e to endeavour after them 1 Tim. 4.15 1 Cor. 12.31 Let thy profiting appear to all and covet earnestly the bâ—st gifts And yet sayes Paul I shew unto you a more excellent way and that was true grace of which he discourseth in the next Chapter and this brings in another reason of the Spirits mission 5. That the Holy Ghost might according to his Office endow men with graces In doing this he first gives the inward principle and habit of grace and then the fruit or actings of grace 1. He gives a Power an Habit a spiritual Ability a Seed a Spring a principle of Grace whatsoever we call it I cannot conceive it to be a nâ—w faculty added to those which are in men by nature A man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before he was regenerate only in the work of â—egeneration those abilities which the man had are Improved to work spiritually as before naturally as our Bodies in the resurrection from the dead shall have no more nor other parts than they have at present only those which are now natural shall thâ—n by the Power of God be made Spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 Now this Principle is infused or poured in by the Spirit of God and hence he is called The spirit of sanctification 2. He gives the fruit or actings of Grace 2 Thes 2.13 Gal. 5.22.23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Some call these the diversifications of the actings of that spiritual principle within us certainly the spirit doth not only at first infuse the principles of grace but he doth also enable us to act and improve those blessed principles Phil. 2.13 he doth not only give us power to Holy actions but he works also the Holy actions themselves God works in us not only to will but to do God hath a two-fold grace psal 119.88 initial and converting exciting and quickning in respect of this last David prayes Quicken me after thy loving kindness O Lord and so shall I keep thy testimonies This is the actuating grace that we need every hour and every moment and must pray for more earnestly than we would pray for our daily bread Two priviledges more especially flow from this Heb. 4.16 As 1. Hereby the soul will be kept from negligence and dulness from gross and soul sins the Apostle calls it grace to help in time of need Oh this is admirable when grace comes in the very nick of need it may be sometime or other thou wert even falling into such and such a sin it may be thou wert sometime or other drowning in such and such a wickedness and this exciting quickning grace came in and kept up thy head above the waters 2. Hereby the soul will be kept in a frame for every duty if the spirit come but with exciting quickning grace then it is ready to say My heart is prepared O Lord my heart is prepared I can now do and suffer thy Will sometimes the principle of grace lies still within us and begins to rust but then comes the Holy Ghost and breaths upon our souls and so it excites and quickens and commands faith patience zeal and other graces to be in exercise and this is as it were the file to take off the rust it s the whetting of the edge it s the stirring up of the coals into a mighty flame Christians have you not clear â—xperimental demonstrations of this truth sometimes you are on the wing of duty and sometimes you are dull and dead sometimes the least temptation the least snare is ready to make you fall and sometimes again though strong winds and tempests blow upon you yet you are able to stand like Mount Zion that cannot be removed Oh what 's the reason of the difference surely according to the incomes of the Spirit of God this difference comes not from our selves but from the Spirit as this exciting quickning grace is ready or a far off so is our condition you know what changes David usually found in his own heart sometimes he was able to trust in God and at other times he was so cast down as if he had no strength within him and whence all this but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting quickning
2 Cor. 6.16 Cant. 7.5 but as a Temple for himself to dwell in as a Gallery for himself to walk in Oh what longings Oh what pantings and gaspings Oh what faintings and swoonings should there be in thy spirit after this Spirit Come holy spirit O come and dwell in my soul I know thou wilt make the place of thy feet glorious if I have but thy presence I shall be all glorious within O come come holy Spirit SECT IV. Of hoping on Jesus in that respect 4. LEt us hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars thus was the Apostles Prayer Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost could we abound in hope that Christ's Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit did belong to us we should never be ashamed Hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 O then let us look to our hope and be sure that it be of the right stamp which in reference to every of these passages we may examine thus As 1. If Christ's Ascension be mine then am I ascended with Christ I mean not in respect of any bodily Ascension for that must not be untill the last day nor in respect of any essential substantial soul-ascension for that must not be before the separation of soul and body at our deaths-day but in respect of our spiritual ascension for so we may ascend into heaven by faith and love though for the present we are on earth Col. 3.1 2. if ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth If Christ our Head be ascended then we that are his Members must needs follow after him in our affections Christ tells us Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also Mat. 6.21 If Christ our Treasure be ascended into heaven our loves our affections our hearts will follow after him and if our hearts be in heaven no question but we our selves both souls and bodies shall at last ascend when Christ ascended we ascended virtually with him now we ascend spiritually and at last we shall ascend bodily for he that ascended shall descend and then we shall meet him in the ayr and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 1 Thes 4.17 In the mean time to maintain our hope let us ascend dayly by faith and love and this is our character that Christ's Ascension is truly ours 2. If Christ's Session be mine then am I set down with Christ in heavenly places I mean not bodily but by faith which faith makes it as sure to my soul as if I had a foot already in heaven Faith is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the evidence of things not seen By faith I now sit in heavenly places in that I verily believe I shall do it one day my hope is now certain in that I am as sure of that I look for as I am of that I have already received it is the common objection We see it not As the Apostle said of Christ We see not yet all things put under him but he presently answers We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels crowned with glory and honour Heb. 2.8 9. and so we may be sure the thing is as good as done for if he be above all must come under in like manner we see not our selves in present possession but we see Christ crowned and our selves sitting with him virtually and therefore at last we shall see our selves actually crowned and sitting together with Christ in heavenly places In the mean time faith takes possession of the Kingdom of Heaven saith makes the soul even now to converse with God 1 Tim. 6.19 and Christ and Saints and Angels Faith layes hold upon eternal life it puts the soul as it were into heaven and sets it down at the right hand of Christ and this is our character that Christ's Session is truly ours 3. if Christs spirit be mine and sent to me then have I both the person and train of the spirit of Christ it is the having the spirit and the working of the spirit in me that is my evidence of the Spirits mission I look upon this as the greatest Question and the weightiest and most important case of conscience that can be propounded or known of us viz. Whether the spirit of Christ doth reside in us or whether we have a well-grounded hope to say of our selves that we have the in-dwelling of the spirit of God Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God saith the Apostle and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.19 And again Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost In this Question he seems to put it out of Question that true Christians should know and in right temper do know that the spirit of God dwells in them if we know not this we cannot know that we have any part in Christ because the holy spirit is the principal bond of our union betwixt Christ and us if we know not this we cannot know that we are justified for we have nothing to do with Christ's Righteousness by which we are justified untill by our spiritual union Christ is made ours if we know not this we cannot know we are the adopted Children of God for it is the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 whereby we cry in our hearts Abba Father if we know not this we cannot know that we are sanctified for it is the spirit which is the beginner and perfecter of our sanctification if we know not this we cannot know that our prayers are heard for it is the spirit that helps our infirmities Rom. 8.26 and that makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered if we know not this we cannot know whether we are in error or truth or whether our religion which we profess be true or false for it is the spirit who enlightens us and teacheth us and leadeth us into all truth if we know not this we cannot know our own comforts for he is the only true Comforter from whom all sound comfort springs Come then and put we our selves to the trial Let us search whether we have the spirit of Christ which we may resolve if we will not deal deceitfully with our own hearts by these following signs 1. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of illumination if he dwell in us he will enlighten our eyes reveal to us those saving truths of God as they are in Jesus But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost John 14.6 1 Joh 2.20 v. 27. whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things But ye have an unction from
beyond the external part of it or from their own insensibleness of the working of corruption when yet it doth act only a gracious heart findeth that if it be not strengthened by a Power beyond its own it cannot act any grace or perform any duty as acceptable to God and hence the Apostle prayes That they might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 4. It is an enabling of the soul to act in Gospel-duties for Gospel-ends when the spirit leads the soul never aims at a self-advancement it never looks at its own name and glory as they did in Mat. 6.1 5. but it eyes in all its actings the mortification of corruption and the attainment of communion with God and Christ and the increase of all Grace Faith Love Patience Meekness self-denial c. or if it seek for outward mercies it seeks them in a subordination to these and in a way of subserviency to the interest and designs of Christ in all things whether outwarâ— or inward it seeks the glory of God as the ultimate end And in these particulars consists the leadings of the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.16 1 John 5.10 7. The spirit of Christ is a witnessing spirit The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and every one that believeth hath the witness within himself But of this two questions 1. What is this witnessing work of the spirit 2. How doth the spirit thus witness for the first I answer 1. In general witnessing is a giving in some evidence upon our knowledge how the matter in question standeth that thereby others may be ascertained of the truth of the thing Deut. 19.15 John 8.17 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established these words Christ cited and said It is written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true not but that it was certain in it self before but that now by the testim ny of two it is rendred certain unto those that question the same this is witnessing 2. In special The witnessing of the spirit is an Office of the spirit whereby it works the soul into a knowledge perswasion or conclusion of its acceptation into favour with God in Christ Now the spirit witnesseth either objectively or efficiently 1. Objectively When it only affords such special operations as have an aptitude to ascertain the soul but do not ascertain thus many a time the Spirit comes and brings in such and such ascertions or affirmations of our adoption as if they were but duly observed might manifest the same but we over-look these evidences we will not hear what the spirit speaks to us John 3.11 We speak that we know saith Christ and testifie that we have seen but ye receive not our witness so may the spirit complain I have testified to you that which I know I have said that ye were children of God but ye have not received my witness doubtless it is a sinful neglect not to yield attention unto the voyce of the spirit and yet the spirit in this way may be resisted 2. Efficiently and if the spirit witness thus it cannot be resisted in this way the spirit causeth the soul to conclude of its adoption by its speakings to it this is not onely the assertions or affirmations of our adoption but the assurances of our souls that we are adopted Rom. 8.38 Job 19.25 1 John 3.24 I am perswaded saith the Apostle and I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us But 2. How doth the Spirit thus witness I answer 1. Immediately 2. Mediately 1. Concerning the immediate testimony of the Spirit there is some controversie Antinomians would have no other testimony but this all other evidences say they are deceiving evidences or if not deceiving yet to make use of them it were but to light a candle to the Sun for what are the graces of the Spirit in comparison of the Spirits own testimony and it may be the running into this extream hath caused others absolutely to deny any such testimony or at least to say for these enthusiasms or inspirations let them boast of them that have them wâ— know no such thing Methinks a middle betwixt both these as it is proved by others is most consonant to truth for neither can I reject the graces of sanctification from being grounds of our assurance neither dare I deny but there is something of the work of the Spirits testimony which is an immediate work Let us hâ—ar what others say of it Certainly there is a work wherein the spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us Ford of the Spirit wherein by a secret influence upon the heart he quiets and calms the troubled soul concerning its condition by his own immediate power without any grounds from Scripture without or graces within There is a threefold work of the spirit first to conveigh and plant grace in the soul 2. To act and help us to exercise the graces which are planted there 3. To shine upon and enlighten those graces Caryl on Job chap. 10. this last work the spirit fulfills two wayes first by arguments and inferences which is a mediate work 2. By presence and influence which is an immediate work this the Apostle calls witness-bearing There are three that bear witness in Earth The spirit and water and blood the spirit brings in the witness of Water and Blood which is his mediate work but besides and above these he gives a distinct witness of his own which is his immediate work is in a way of peculiarity and transcendency called the witness of the Spirit As it is with the motions of the spirit many a time the spirit excites a man to such or such duties by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and thereby inclining it to obey those motions so in this case when a poor soul sits in darkness and sees no light Boltons direct for a comfortable walking with God sometimes upon a sudden it is as it were taken up into the third Heaven and this is in such away that though the spirit of a man really believe it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it came to pass There is a Testimony of the spirit which sometimes the spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified Conscience with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the child of God thou art in the number of those that shall be savid thou shalt inherit everlasting life and that as certainly and comfortably as if that Angel from Heaven should say to thee as he did to Daniel greatly beloved Mighty and remarkable was the work of the spirit this way upon the heart of that noble Martyr Robert Glover upon the first sight and representation of the stake
when he cryed he is come he is come Such an immediate springing of the spirit was in the heart of Master Pecocke who after many dayes of extreamest horrour professed The joy which he felt was incredible Such an immediate work was upon the heart of Mistris Brettergh who after the return of her beloved suddenly cryed out How wonderfull How wonderfull how wonderfull are thy mercies O Lord O the joys the joyes the joyes that now I feel in my soul we feel and acknowledg by daily experience that Satan doth immediately inject and shall not the blessed spirit after his holy and heavenly manner immediately also suggest sometimes As there is in the eye lumen innatum a certain in-bred light Rutherford on Joh. 12. P. 100. to make the eye see lights and colours without and as there is in the ear aer internus a certain in-bred found and air to make it discern the sounds that are without so is there in a gracious heart a new nature an habitual instinct of Heaven to discern the consolations of God's Spirit immediately testifying that we are the Sons of God there are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knows and owns it But for fear of mistakes in this case observe we these Rules 1. That although the spirit may immediately testifie without any express or formal application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the Word If a man that never felt sin a burthen that throws away all duties of Religion that never Prayes Reads Hears or Meditates shall say that he is filled with joy Peace and the assurance of God's Word it is certain the holy Spirit is not the Author of this because the promise of peace belongs to none of this stamp see Math. 11.28 Isa 57.15 Mal. 5.3 4 5 6 7 8. 2. That ordinarily the spirit brings in his testimony either in duty or after duty I have seen his wayes and I will heal him I will lead him also Isa 57.18 19. and restore comforts to him and to his mourners I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him I know there may be a case of grievous temptations and at such a time the spirit of God may come in by a sudden irradiation and chear the soul wonderfully though it knows not how yet usually the spirit brings in his testimony either in duty or not long after duty 3. That such testimonies of the Spirit beget only an actual assurance during the present exigency or in order to some present design that God is working thereby these are extraordinary dainties that God will not have us feed constantly upon a gleam of light in a dark winters night when a man cannot coast the Country and discern his way by those marks which direct him at other times or as a lightning from a thunder-cloud that comes just in the moment when a man is stepping into a pit that would swallow him up now a Traveller will not depend alwayes upon such guides but rather he will choose to travel by day and learn out such way marks as may be standing assurances to him that he is in the way And therefore 2. The spirit witnesseth mediately and that either without or with argumentation But both from the Word 1. Without argumentation and that is when the spirit applies some suitable word to the soul and without more ado enables the soul to close with that suitable word As for instance thou art burthened for sin and thou hast prayed earnestly for pardon of sin and even then a secret whisper of the Spirit casts that word into thy heart Hos 14.4 Mat. 11.28 I will heal thy back-slidings and love thee freely or such a voice as that come un-unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Now this is a direct testimony only I dare not leave it without a caution Some can relate extraordinary passages of providence attending the coming in of such and such a word as that they did not know there was any such Scripture nor did thy know where it was and yet in opening the Book it was the very first place their eye was cast upon or they wanted a Book and in the use of some other means unexpectedly a word was spoken or remembred so pat to the case as if it had been a very message from Heaven certainly the Spirits hinting in of words thus is very observable yet a bare giving in of a word is no warrant that it comes from the spirâ—â— unless the soul come up to some end which the word it self poynteth at there must not only be a word but a closing with the word and improving of the word for the ends it aymeth at as quickning comforting supporting acting of some graces or such like and by this we may know that the testimony is true and proceeds from the Spirit of God 2. With argumentation and that is when the Spirit brings in the testimony of blood and water I may call it a testimony of Faith and other graces of the Spirit written in our hearts and brought out by the spirit in a way of argument as thus He that believeth hath everlasting life but I believe Ergo. The first proposition is the Gospel and in this way it is the first work of the spirit to open our eyes for the understanding thereof The second proposition is thy case or my case and here the Spirit enlightens the soul to see it self under that condition but I believe Indeed many times this is not so easily done and therefore the spirit doth elicite and draw forth the soul to an assent by a further evidence of argument True sayes the soul he that believes hath everlasting life but I am none of those believers and therefore what doth this promise concern such an unbelieving wretch as I am In this case now the Spirits work is longer or shorter even as he pleaseth if it will be no better the Spirit is fain to produce some other proofs of Scripture as evidence faith in the subject in whom it is such as purifying the heart love to God his wayes his people c. and possibly it goes further yet and proves those graces to be in the soul by further marks I know some object if the spirit say thou art a believer because thou hast love the soul may doubt still whether it have love or no and if the spirit say thou hast love because thou delightest in God's Commandments the question may be still whether that delight be sincere or counterfeit pure or mixed and therefore say they There can be no judgment of a man's justification by his sanctification or of his sanctification by the operation of particular graces I Answer it is true that whiles I endeavour to discover these graces meerly
by reason they may be still subject to question and so they can make no firm assurance but in the soul that is graciously assured this way the Spirit of God rests the heart upon an ultimum quod sic he convinceth the soul by that which is most visible in him and so stops the mouth of cavilling reason from perplexing the question any more Indeed it is a fine skill to know whether a true assurance be meerly rationall or from the witness of the Spirit of God whether it be wrought out of a man 's own brain or wrought into his heart by the Holy Ghost now in some cases we may discern it as thus the assurance that the Spirit gives doth sometime surprise a man unexpectedly at unawares as it may be in a Sermon that he came accidentally unto or in a Scripture that I cast a transient-glancing eye upon but thus doth not reason Again The assurance that the spirit gives maintains a soul in a way of reliance and dependance when it sees no reason why he should do so or it may be when he sees a reason why it should not be so as it is said of Abraham in another case Rom. 4.18 that he believed in hope against hope faith told him there was hope that he should be the Father of many Nations when reason told him there was none Again The assurance that the spirit gives is attended with an high esteem of Prayer Duties Ordinances and in the issue which is the most principal sure mark it purifies the soul that hath it 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure he is ever washing himself from sin and watching against sin and taking all possible care to keep himself pure and unspotted in this present evil world it keeps the soul humble and lowly it being impossible that such a testimony of the spirit and so intimate a converse with God and the light of his countenance should not reflect low thoughts upon a man's self concerning himself such a man cannot but say Lord what am I that thou hast brought me hitherto what for such a peevish unbelieving impatient soul as mine is to be carryed in thy arms and cheered with thy smiles and to enjoy the comforts of thy spirit Oh what a wonderful merciful gracious God have I Yet in all this I exclude not the Spirit in drawing a rational evidence from Scriptures certainly the spirit helps in a general way by making use of our reason only it elevates and improves our reason to a further assurance by a supernatural assistance as in Prayer and in Preaching of the Word there may be a common assistance of the Spirit of God but there is another kind of praying and preaching by the Spirit which the Scripture often speaks of and calls the spirit of supplication and the demonstration of the spirit and that is not performed by a common or general but by a special and particular assistance of the Spirit of God so there is a two-fold influence of the Spirit in putting forth acts of assurance in the heart even of a Godly and Sound Christian the very same man may act assurance sometimes rationally and sometimes spiritually in the former the spirit acts too but in a common way only in the latter is the supernatural special assistance which peculiarly is said to be the witness of the Spirit I speak not against rational evidences only it concerns us to apply our selves to the Spirit to superadd his testimony O let us not so content our selves with ratioral evidences but that we labour to elevate the evidence of reason into a testimony of the Holy Spirit of God To wind up all I have said O my soul try now the hope of the spirits indwelling by these several signs art thou enlightned savingly in the knowledg of God and of Christ art thou a Child of God one of his adopted sons for whom he hath reserved the inheritance hast thou a spirit of Grace and Supplication a spirit of Sanctification a spirit of Love art thou led by the spirit dost thou feel the drawings of thy soul in every duty to Jesus Christ dost thou feel a liberty or a delight in thy soul to walk in the way of his Commandments dost thou feel any strength to come in against thy corruptions dost thou feel the spirits help to act in Gospel-duties for Gospel ends hast thou ever had the immediate testimony of the spirit or if not so hast thou ever had the immediate testimony of the spirit without any argumentation hast thou unexpectedly dipt and lighted on some places of scripture that hath satisfied thy soul as with marrow and fatness or if not so neither hast thou the immediate testimony of the Spirit with argumentation canst thou argue thus He that believeth shall be saved but I believe therefore I shall be saved Or if any doubt be made of the assumption canst thou prove it by such other graces as accompany faith and are the fruits of faith canst thou say by the help of the spirit and shinings of the spirit that these and these graces are in me and have been acted by me yea I do love God and â—hrist I do repent of my sins c. surely then thy hope is well grounded thou hast the indwelling of the spirit it is thine even thine SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in this respect 5. LEt us believe on Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars many scruples are in many hearts What is it possible that I should have any share in Christ's ascension Christ's session Christ's mission of his spirit was it ever in God's heart that I should partake with Christ in all these glories if it must be so that he will let out his loves to so unworthy a wretch was it not sufficient for him to have come down from Heaven and to have acted my redemption here below Is it not an high Favour that a King should leave his Court to give a poor prisoner in the Jayl a visit but will he take him with him to his own home and bring him into his own presence-chamber and set him at his right hand in his throne And so that Christ should not only leave his Fathers throne and give me a visit lying in the dark dungeon of unbelief but that he should take off the bolts and set open the prison doors and take me up with him into Heaven and there set me down at his right hand and in the mean time give me the earnest and pledge of my inheritance by filling my soul with his own spirit O what an admirable incredible thing is this it was the last vision of John which was so full of wonders And I John saw the holy City the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Rev. 21.2 3. Behold the tabernacle of God is
a man would read he must have all these or more than one of these so God hath appointed us three necessary means for our illumination and direction the Word the Ministry and the Spirit What God hath joyned let no man separate if any will foolishly go and set one of these against another when God hath set them all together and made them all necessary assigning to each a several part in the work of our illumination they may abuse God and themselves and go without the light while they despise the necessary causes of it God's evidences must not be separated much less must one be pleaded to the neglect of all the rest as the work within us is not the first testimony but a secondary confirming testimony so doth it not make the first unnecessary or void besides that by the external testimony we must convince other men which by the witness within us we cannot do But this only by the way 2. For the encouragement of our Faith to believe in Christ as in reference to his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit 1. Consider of the excellency of this Object what is it but Christ Christ in his Ascendant Culminant Regnant Power Christ in his Marching Conquering Triumphing Postures in his Free and Large and Magnificent Gifts When he Ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto Men. O the Glory O the Excellency of Christ in these Respects Verily they are enough to tire out Men and Angels with the only Act of wondering and surveying of their vastness Here is Gospel-Work for all Eternity to dig into this Gold-Mine to roul and turn this Soul-delighting precious Stone to behold enquire and search into these depths and heights of Christ exalted and I believe this is the satiety the top and prime of Heavens Glory to see and wonder at the vertues of him that sits on the Throne at the right hand of God to be filled but never Satiate with the Glory of Christ What Christ ascended Christ set down in Glory and Christ sending down his Holy Spirit here 's a Compendium of all Glories here is one for an heart to be taken with made up of nothing but of several Mysteries of Glory 2. Consider the Power Vertue and Influence of this Object into our souls Salvation oh what a stately Tower have we here erected to see Heaven on Faith may stand as it were on this Mount and see it self in glory Oh the flowings the rich emanations of Grace and Glory that come from hence come let us draw the Well is deep all the drops and dewings that fall on Men or Angels are but as chips in comparison of that huge and boundless body of the fulness of Grace that is in Christ one Lilly is nothing to a boundless and broad Field of Lillies Christ is in these respects the Mountain of Roses oh how High how Capacious how Full how Beautiful how Green could we but smell him who feeds among the Lillies till the Day break and the shadows fly away could we but dive into the Golden Veins of these unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ we should say It is good to be here Oh it 's good to gather up the fragments that fall from Christ his Crown shines with Diamonds and Pearls oh why do we toyl our selves in gathering sticks when to morrow we shall be out of this World and go to Christ come where is our mouth of Faith let us lay to it here let us suck and be satisfied with these Breasts of consolation let us milk out and be delighted with the abundance of his Glory 3. Consider of the suitableness of these Objects to our several conditions you may remember the first cry Was it not love enough for Christ to come down and to visit us here but that he must go up and take us with him no no his love was so great and vast that for our sakes he moves up and down this ravished the Spouse Behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the Hills Cant. 2.8 Cant. 2.8 Gregory that measured his leaps thus gives them be first leaps from his Fathers Mansion to his Mothers Womb from her Womb to the Cratch from his Cratch to his Cross and from his Cross to his Grave from his Grave up again to Heaven great leaps indeed that shewed both his readiness to love and willingness to save infinite love can never be out-tired with greatest actions But another cries how should I believe that Christ is exalted and that by vertue thereof I shall be exalted when I see my self in a forlorn condition forsaken of God Psal 62.9 and abject amongst Men Alas Man at his best is altogether Vanity yea Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye to be laid in the Ballance I am altogether lighter than Vanity how then should I believe any such condition is a Worm a fit or a capable Subject to wear a Crown Yes the Lord is great and he can do great things He raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust 1 Sam 2.8 9. and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory for the Pillars of the Earth are the Lords and he hath set the World upon them he will keep the Feet of his Saints Why there is my sadness cryes another He will keep the Feet of his Saints if I were but a Saint I could believe this Power but alas I am unholy an unsanctified piece of Clay I am a sinner a sinner of the Gentiles chief of sinners I deserve to be thrown down to Hell rather than to be invested with Glory and to sit in Heaven True but yet the Holy Ghost is given to make thee holy of thy self thou art vile and most vile but hath not the Holy Ghost entred in and took possession of thy Spirit hath he not washed thee with water yea throughly washed away thy blood hath he not anointed thee with oyl and covered thee with silk and decked thee with gold and silver and made thee comely through his comeliness which he put upon thee Why this is the office of the holy Ghost and if thou hast but the in-dwelling of the Spirit this is thy state I know there is a part of thee unregenerate and it will be so whiles thou art on earth but withall there is in thee a new nature another nature there is something else within thee which makes thee wrestle against sin and shall in time prevail over all sin and this is the Spirit of Christ sanctifying of thee Being sanctified saith the Apostle by the holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 Other complaints might be thus brought in but if we understand the meaning the design of Christ in his Ascension Session and mission of his Spirit how might a true faith answer all oh believe believe thy part in Christ's Ascension Christ's Session Christ's Mission of
hear of such a Christ and are we not all in a burning love in a seraphical love or at least in a conjugal love O my heart how is it thou art not love sick how is it thou dost not charge the daughters of Jerusalem as the spouse did Cant. 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love 2. For his bounty no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but he gives gifts unto men and he sends down the holy Ghost This was the Gift of gifts I shall only weigh two Circumstances in this Gift either whereof both dignifies and casts a sparkle of bounty from the Giver into the heart of the Receiver to move him to love As One Circumstance is the greatness of the Giver certainly the preheminence or dignity of any principle ennobleth and enhanceth the effect a gift coming from a great Person carries ever a scent with it of a certain greatness and relisheth either of excellency or superiority or nobility or all It is storied of Charles the fifth that in his wars being ever prest with want of money and so unable to remunerate the services of divers Dutch Captains and Nobles whom he had entertained he used after any great exploit performed by them to call together his Nobles and Camp into such a field and there in the presence of them all to take a Gold chain from about his own neck and to put it about the neck of such a Captain or such a Collonel and so to embrace him and to give him thanks for his gallant service why this they esteemed a greater favour being Circumstanced by such a Person in such a way than if in very deed he had given them a sufficient pay or remuneration O they valued that Chain more than many bushels of the like Gold the very Person of the Emperour hanged at the Chain such a precious Jewel as in warlike conceits a million of Gold could not countervail O my soul if an Emperour thus gained the affections of men how shouldst thou but love Christ the great Emperour of Heaven and Earth Numb 11 17. it was he that gave thee his Spirit it was he that took off the Spirit which is upon him so is the expression of God to Moses and put it upon thee and doth not the Person of Christ the Dignity of Christ inhance the value of the gift as all gifts are signs of love so the love of a great Personage and the gifts issuing from such a love ought more to be accounted than any gifts of any meaner person whatsoever 2. Another Circumstance is the greatness of the Gift this argueth greatness of good will and consequently deserveth a correspondence of a semblable affection Now what greater gift had Christ in store than to give his own spirit the spirit proceedeth from him and is the same essence with himself the spirit is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and coeternal coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son this appears by those divine Attributes and Properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy spirit As 1. Eternity God never was without his spirit Gen. 1.1 2. In the beginning God created heaven and earth and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 2. Omnipotency because he together with the Father and the Son createth and preserveth all things By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens Job 26.13 33.4 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 the Spirit of God hath made me and all these things worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 3. Omnisciency or the knowledge of all things For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 4. Immutability or unchangeableness Men and brethren Acts 1.16 Rom. 5.5 this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the holy Ghost spake 5. Infinite mercy or love God is love and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 6. Holy indignation even against hiâ—â—en sins They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Isa 63.10 Acts 5.3 4 9. Eph. 4.30 why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the holy Ghost thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God a plain Text for the Divinity of the holy Ghost How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption I might add Miracles Mat. 12.28 28.19 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.38 and the institution of Sacraments and Prophesies and Gifts and Graces as the effects of his Divinity I cast out devils saith Christ by the Spirit of God and baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost And the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith And we are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. See now how the holy spirit is God coeternal coequal and consubstantial with God the Father and God the Son is not this a great gift yea as great a gift as possibly can be given what can he more than to give himself and to give his spirit O the bonds of love that are upon man towards Christ in this respect Come my soul and take a view of the Glory and Bounty of Jesus Christ if thy heart be not all brass and iron and stone if there be any fleshiness softness or pliableness in it why then how shouldst thou chuse but love if either beauty or bounty if either Majesty or magnificence can draw thy affection Christ will have it for in him is all O let him be thy all surely if thou hast any thing besides himself he is the Donor of all he is the beauty of all the sum of all the perfection of all yea he is the Author Preserver and Finisher of all SECT VII Of Joying in Jesus in that respect 7. LEt us joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars there is not a particular under consideration but 't is the object of a Christians joy As 1. How should it heighten my joys and enlarge my comforts when I do but consider that Christ is ascended into glory by this it is clear and evident that Christ is accepted of the Father for me or otherwise he should never have been received into Heaven if any frown had been in the face of God surely Christ coming so near God he should have had it if any exception had been against his satisfaction any flaw in our pardons surely Christ should have heard of it yea without question he must have been turned out of Heaven until he had made a full payment of our debts
Christ's intercession why this is the most perfect and consummate act of Christ's Priestly office this argues thy Christ to be a perfect Mediator and being a perfect Mediator no condition can be desperate And being made perfect saith the Apostle he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 9.5 now therefore lead up thy faith to this blessed object and thou hast under consideration the whole of Christ and the total of Christ's actings in this world from first to last in respect of mediation this is the Coronis the up-shot the period the consummation the perfection of all 8. Faith in going to Christ as interceding for us it is principally and mainly to look to the purpose end intent and design of Christ's intercession now the ends of Christ as in the reference unto us are these 1. That we might have communion and fellowship with the Father and the Son I pray for these that as thou Father art in me and I in thee John 17.21 they also may be one in us 2. That we might have the gift of the Holy Ghost I will pray the Father John 14.16 17. and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth 3. That we might have protection against all evil John 17.15 I pray saith Christ that thou wouldst keep them from the evil Some may object are not the faithful Subject to evils corruptions and temptations still how then is that part of the intercession of Christ made good unto us I answer the intercession of Christ is presently available only it is conveyed in a manner suitable and convenient to our present condition so as there may be left room for another life and therefore we must not conceive all presently done it is with us as with Malefactors doomed to death suppose the Supreme power should grant a pardon to be drawn though the grant be of the whole thing at once yet it cannot be written but word after word and line after line so the grant of our protection against all evil is made unto Christ at first but in the execution thereof there is line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little we know Christ prayed for Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not yet Peter's faith did shake and totter the prayer was not that there might be no failing at all but that it might not utterly and totally fail and in that respect Peter was protected Heb. 4.14 16. 4. That we might have free access to the Throne of Grace So the Apostle Seeing then we have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Heb. 10.23 and come boldly to the Throne of grace And again Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and having an high Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in a full assurance of faith 5. That we might have the inward interpellation of the Spirit which is as it were the Eccho of Christ's intercession in our heart Rom. 8.26 The Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It is the same Spirit groans in us which more distinctly and fully in Christ John 17.13 prayeth for us These things I speak in the world saith our Saviour that they might have my joy filled in themselves q. d. I have made this prayer in the world and left a record and pattern of it in the Church that they feeling the same heavenly desires kindled in their own hearts may be comforted in the workings of that Spirit of prayer in them which testifieth to their souls the quality of that intercession which I make for them in the Heaven of Heavens certainly there is a dependance of our prayer on Christ's prayer as it is with the Sun though the body of it abide in the Heavens yet the beams of it descend to us here on earth so the intercession of Christ though as tyed to his person it is made in Heaven yet the groans and desires of the touched heart as the beams thereof are here on earth 6. That we might have the sanctification of our services of this the Levitical Priests were a type Exod. 28.38 Rev. 8.3 For they bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel that they might be accepted and he is the Angel of the Covenant who hath a golden Censer to offer up the prayers of the Saints Some observe a three-fold evil in man of every of which we are delivered by Christ First an evil of state or condition under the guilt of sin Secondly an evil of nature under the corruption of sin Thirdly an evil in all our services by the adherency of sin for that which toucheth an unclean thing is made unclean thereby Now Christ by his righteousness and merits justifieth our persons from the guilt of sin and Christ by his Grace and Spirit doth in measure purifie our faculties from the corruption of sin and Christ by his incense and intercession doth cleanse our services from the adherency of sin so that in them the Lord smells a sweet favour and both we and our services find acceptance with God 7. That we might have the pardon of all sin It is by vertue of Christ's intercession that a Believer sinning of infirmity hath a pardon of course for Christ is his Advocate to plead his case or if he sin of presumption and the Lord give repentance he hath a pardon at the hands of God the Father by vertue of this intercession in a way of justice And to this end rather is Christ called an Advocate than a Petitioner 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father The work of an Advocate differs from the work of a Petitioner an Advocate doth not meerly petition but he tells the Judge what is Law and what ought to be done and so doth Christ O my Father saith Christ this soul hath indeed sinned but I have satisfied for his sins I have payed for them to the full now therefore in a way of equity and justice I do here call for this mans pardon If this were not so our estate would be most miserable considering that for every sin committed by us after repentance we deserve to be cast out of the love and favour of God our Father for ever and ever 8. That we might have continuance in the state of grace I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22.32 Some that dissent from us in the point of perseverance object that in our Saviour's Prayer for Peter there was somewhat singular but we say that in this Prayer there is nothing singular which is not common to all the faithful and unto such as are given unto Christ of the Father they
the sprrits of all just men made perfect with God if there be enough in God for Angels whose capacities are greater than the Saints if there be enough in God for Jesus Christ whose capacity is yet far wider than the Angels if there be enough in God for God himself whose capacity is infinitely greater than them all then there must needs be satisfaction enough in God to any one poor soul Here is another thing wherein God is our all in all we shall enjoy him fully 3. It consists in our enjoying God solely Not as if there were nothing else in Heaven but onely God but that God in Heaven shall be all in all and instead of all it is God in Heaven that makes Heaven to be Heaven the Saints blessedness and Gods own blessedness doth consist in the enjoyment of God himself the Schoole-men tells us that we shall not properly enjoy any thing else but only God we may have some use of the Creatures but no fruition and therefore is God said to be all or as good as all And indeed what can we imagine to be in Heaven which is not eminently in God himself if it be greatness power and glory and victory and majesty all these are his if it be joy or love or peace or beauty or any thing amiable or desirable all these are in him Hence some take it to be David's meaning when he said he had none in Heaven but God Psal 73.25 that the sole enjoyment of God of God and of nothing else but God is the souls true happiness when it is at highest whom have I in heaven but thee whom why there are Angels there are Saints there are the spirits of just and perfect men are these nothing with David O yes all these are good but they are not able to satisfie a soul without God himself Whether God will make use of any Creatures for our service then or if any of what Creatures and what use is more than I yet know but to make up a full enjoyment there is required a gracious-glorious presence a sweet effusion or communication of that presence a just comprehension of the excellency of that communication a perfect love and a perfect rest in the love of whatsoever it is we comprehend now this is proper only to God it is he only that fills the whole capacity of the Soul it is he that so fills it that it can hold no more it is he only that is the object of love intended to the utmost and therefore he only is properly enjoyed he only is possessed with a full contentment as portion enough and as reward enough for the soul for ever But shall not the Saints have to do with something else in Heaven but only with God O yes I believe there shall be in Heaven a communion of the blessed Spirits in God an association of the Saints and Angels of God yet this shall not take away the sole enjoyment of God that he should not be their all in all For they shall not mind themselves or their own good as created things but altogether God they shall not love them or one another as for themselves but only for God here we love God for himself and it is a gracious love but there we shall love our selves for God and 't is a glorious love why this is to enjoy God solely in this respect he is all and in all whom have I in Heaven but thee Here 's a point enough to wean us to the World Alas the time is coming on a pace Vse that all this World shall be dissolved and then God shall be all in all here lies the Saints happiness to have God immediately God fully and God solely and will not Saints prepare themselves for such a condition as this you that have the World use it as if not 1 Cor. 7.31 for the fashion of this World passeth away and you that have but a little to do with the World improve that condition surely 't is your own fault if you have not more to do with God for you have little else to take up your hearts God may dwell and walk in your hearts without disturbance give me neither poverty nor riches saith the wise man upon that account a mean condition is more capable of happyness than that which over-loads us with outward things whilst others are casting up their accounts you may say with David how precious are thy thoughts unto me O God Psal 139.17 how great is the sum of them whil'st others are following their suits at courts of Justice you may follow all you have at a Throne of grace whil'st others are numbring their Flocks and Heards all your Arithmetick may be imployed to number your days whilst others cannot get out of the clutches of the world you may get into the embraces of your God why this is to prepare your selves for fuller and fuller enjoyments of God it is God will be all in all and this is the very top of Heavens happyness surely the less you have of the World now if you can but improve it the more you may have of Heavens happiness even upon earth for what is the happiness of Heaven but the sole enjoyment of God Christians if you feel any inclinations pantings breathings after this world give me leave to tell you that you will never be happy till you have lost all till you have no friends nor estates no enjoyment but God alone when all his done when this world is nothing when means shall cease both for bodies and souls and when Christ shall cease his Mediators office and the Son of man be Subject to his Father then God shall be all in all SECT X. Of Christs notwithstanding this being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity 10. FOR Christ's being all in all to his blessed saved redeemed Saints to all Eternity we shall dilate in this Section Some may object if God be all in all what then becomes of Christ is not this derogatory to Jesus Christ I answer no in no wise for 1. It is not the Father personally and only but the Deity essentially and wholly that is our all in all when we say God is all in all we do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost for the whole God-head is all in all to all the Saints as well as the first person in the Trinity the Father is all and the Son is all and the holy Ghost is all and in that Christ is God and the Son of God we may say of Christ that he is all in all only the truth of this position is not from the humane nature but from the divine nature of Jesus Christ 2. It is not derogatory to Christ but rather it doth exceedingly advance Christ in the thoughts of all his Saints while it was necessary Christ veyled his Deity and when his work of Mediation is fully finished Christ then shall reveal his Deity
excellencies meet together rest in Christ and Christ is all good things to all his Saints in Heaven he is Beauty to their Eyes Musick to their Ears Honey to their mouths Perfume to their Nostrils Health to their Bodyes Joy to their Souls Light to their Understandings Content to their Wills he is Time without sliding Society without loathing Desire without fainting Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending wanting both needing neither yet the Author of them both he is All in all from one not all Even all the Strength Wit Pleasure Vertues Colours Beauties Harmony and goodness that are in Men Beasts Fishes Fouls Trees Herbs and all Creatures are nothing but sparkles of those things which are in Christ Christ himself will then supply their use so that the best Creatures which now serve the Saints shall not have the honour to serve them then Rev. 21.23 There will be no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in that City for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And hence the beholding of Christ is the All in all to his glorified Saints this was Christ's Prayer Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to what end John 17.24 that they may behold my glory Christ's heavenly presence is conspicuous he is not present as some things that are not seen and yet are present but his presence is or certainly shall be conspicuous to all his Saints when he was in the world his glory was covered under a mean outside he was like a bright light in a dark-Lanthern and there were very few that knew him then but in Heaven he shall be as a Cabinet opened or as the Sun in his full glory We shall know him as we are known and behold him face to face 1 John 3.2 and we shall see him as he is Nor only will he be conspicuous but his presence shall be vital a stone may be with us and seen clearly but there 's little in the sight of that in the beholding of Christ there will be an acting of kindness upon the Saints there will be visions with life and dear refreshing O the influences that the sight of Christ will have on his Saints in Heaven nor onely will he be conspicuous and vital but his presence shall be fixed he shall abide with the Saints that they may for ever behold him Oh if there was such running after Christ in this world some getting on hills and others on trees that they might behold him when he passed by what will the sight of Christ in Heaven be when he shall be alwayes in the eye of his Saints and never out of sight when they shall be alwayes viewing of him and be alwayes satisfied with that view nor only will he be conspicuous vital fixed but his very presence shall transform They shall see his face and they shall reign for ever and ever O the influence of this sight Revel 22.4 5. it is of such a transforming Nature that to see the King will make Kings this vision of glory amounts unto a fruition of glory if ever thou art a spectator of Christ thou art sure to be a partaker of Christ in all his glory I shall be satisfied Psal 17.15 1 John 3.2 when I awake with thy likeness It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him why so for we shall see him as he is And no wonder for if the imperfect beholding of his glory in the glass of his Gospel change the soul into the same image from glory to glory how much more shall the full view of his glory in Heaven transform both the souls and bodies of his Saints into a fulness of glory 1 Cor. 13.12 Here then is the top of Heaven here is the All in all here is the satisfaction of souls to the very uttermost if Christs glory in his transfiguration was so satisfactory to Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or interruption O it is good to be here let us here build Tabernacles and yet Peter was onely a spectator of this glory for he had himself no share in it O then what infinite satisfaction mayst thou expect in the beholding of Christ's Glory in Heaven which will be accompanyed with an everlasting enjoyment the lusture of his glory will be diffused unto all so that some shall enjoy the glory of the Sun others of the Moon and others of the Stars O my soul if thou art but a Star there yet if thou art filled with that light that comes from the Sun of righteousness it is enough O remember oh consider oh never forget this Looking unto Jesus as it is thy duty on Earth so it is thy priviledge and highest happiness in Heaven for ever and ever SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LET us desire after Jesus carrying on this work of man's Salvation at his second coming It is true many shrink at the thoughts of death and judgment and 't is an high pitch to desire the dissolution of our selves and of this world the best Christians are compounded of flesh and spirit and if the spirit long to be in Heaven yet the Flesh is loath to leave this Earth Speak out of my soul thou prayest daily Come Lord Jesus let thy Kingdome come but is not the Flesh afraid lest God should hear thy Prayers Oh that we could loath our loathness in that respect oh that we could long for this second coming of Christ to Judgment And Christians this is attainable or otherwise I should not perswade you to it Phil. 1 2â— I am in a strait said Paul between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And this is the voice of the desolate Bride Come for the spirit of Christ within her saith come The Spirit and the Bride say come Yea the whole Creation saith come Rev. 12.17 Rom. 8 21 23. Waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body Oh that we could groan oh that we could come up to this high pitch even to sigh out not our breath but our spirits even to groan out not some vapours but our hearts I know it is suitable to flesh and blood to tremble at the thoughts of judgment When Paul reasoned of righteousness temperance and of Judgment to come Felix trembled Acts 24.25 Weak Christians as well as Heathens may have many terrible fancies and notions of that day Oh to think of a time When there shall be a great earthquake Rev. 6.12 13 14 15 16 17 when the Sun shall become
black as jet and the Moon red as blood when the Stars of heaven shall fall and when the heavens themselves shall depart as a scroll when the Trumpet shall sound that will shake the Earth and every Mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and every bonds-man and every free-man shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountains and shall say to the rocks and to the mountains fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Will it not be terrible if the people were so afraid when the Lord came without such attendants to give the Law upon Mount Sinai certainly much more terrible must such a coming in this manner be when he shall come like a revenging judge to take an account of the world for the keeping or for the breaking of that Law In this respect I wonder not at some weak Christians that cry out O Lord thou knowest that I have not desired this woful day A wise Jew was wont to say from a deep foresight of terror of this day The Messiah will come but Lord let me not live to see his coming Now to conquer this fear and to abate such slavish terror in such souls oh that they would consider it in the whole notion of it not onely as it shall be a day of blackness and of terror but as it shall also be a day of rest and of release Some are apt to take it up in the half notion of it they look on it only as a day of judgment and a day of condemnation and so they fly from it as from a Serpent but if they would take it up again and look on the other side the Serpent would be turned into a Rod. The day which will be so dreadful to the ungodly and the beginning of their misery it will be as joyful to the Saints and the beginning of their glory But in what respect is this day of Christ so desirable a day I answer in these particulars 1. It is a day of refreshing Here the Saints work in a furnace his fire is in Zion Acts 3.19 Isa 31.9 and his furnace in Jerusalem but Christ in his second coming when all the world shall be on fire shall fan wind as I may say on his Saints to cool them to the wicked it is an hot day a day of everlasting burnings but to the Saints it is a day of cooling quickning reviving and refreshing 2. It is a day of restoring of all things Acts. 3.21 Every creature is now in it's work-day dressed all defiled with sin but at that day there shall be a restitution of all things all the disorders and ruins which sin hath brought into the world shall then be repaired and man himself whose sin is the cause of all shall then be restored to his original glory 3. It is a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 Then shall it be known who are true Saints and who are Reprobates here we live inconfusion and in our most refined Churches if we have none scandalous yet we may have many hypocrites and we cannot discern them but in that day it shall be known who are the Lords and who are not the hypocrite shall then be unmantled and the Sons of God shall shine and glitter as the Sun that all may run and read These are God's Elect these are the Sons and Daughters of the Almighty Rom. 8.23 4. It is the day of adoption and of the redemption of our bodyes It is the day of our Sonship and deliverance I deny not but that the Saints are adopted and redeemed before this day but this adoption and redemption is not consummate nor declared before Christ come again to judgment then it is that he takes his Saints home to his house and all the Angels and Men of the World shall understand the love wherewith he loves them then shall Christ say These are my sons whom I have redeemed and as I have set them free so now shall they live and reign with me for ever and ever 5. It is The day of Christ's coming He was here not long since travailing about the Earth and about our business which done he went away to Heaven upon a special errand for his Saints and there now he is to intercede for them to attend the court to be their Advocate and to agitate the business of their souls and withal thâ—re now he is to take up lodgings for them and to prepare them mansions for eternity And no sooner shall he have dispatcht his business there but he will come for earth again he will bow the Heavens and come down to give a report of his transactions there hath he not left us a letter to that effect John 14.3 I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also O why are his Chariots so long a coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariots 2 Thes 1.7 6. It is the day of Christs revealing Christ to many of his Saints here is hidden and withdrawn it is true he may be in them yea certainly he is in them by his spirit but no man knows it no nor themselves neither which makes them cry O where is he whom my soul loveth but at this day of Christ's revealing all curtains shall be drawn aside Christ shall be unhid and the Saints shall see him face to face they shall never lose him more for without any intermission they shall stare and gaze and be ever looking unto Jesus Colos 3.4 7. It is the day of Christ's bright and glorious appearing When he was upon the Earth he appeared in our dress many then saw him who then said of him There is no beauty in him that we should desire him Oh it was a sad sight to see him crowned with thorns and scourged with whips and nailed to the cross but in his next appearing we shall see him in his best attire arrayed in white attended with the retinue of glory riding in his Chariot of light and smiling upon all his Saints Now is not this desirable The Apostle tells us of the Saints Tit. 2.13 Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ therefore surely they desire it Isa 53.11 8. It is the day of Christs joy Then he shall see of the travail of his soul and he shall be satisfied Now what is the travail of his soul is it not the perfection of his redeemed ones oh when Christ seeth this when he seeth his spouse as without spot or wrinkle then shall be fulfilled that prophesie Isa 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so
apt to listen to his doubts that in the conclusion I know not how to extricate my self Person Sayst thou so surely in this case there 's no cure no remedy but onely the testimony of God's Spirit but saith not the Apostle Rom. 8.16 That the spirit of it self bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God if a Man or Angel or Archangel should promise Heaven peradventure thou mightest doubt but if the Supream Essence of the Spirit of God bear witness within what room for doubting why this voice of the spirit is the very voice of God hark then enquire O my soul if thou hast but this testimony of the spirit thou art sure enough Soul Oh that it were thus with me oh that the spirit would even now give me to drink of the wells of salvation oh that the spirit would testifie it home oh that he would shine upon and enlighten all those graces which he hath planted in me fain would I come to the highest pitch of hope oh that I could look upon the things hoped for as certainly future Person Thou sayst well O my soul and if these wishes be real then pour out thy self unto God in prayer this was the Apostles method Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost let this be thy practise pray as he prayed pray thou for thy self as he prayed for others if an earthly Father will hearken to his child Luk. 11.13 how much more will God the Father give the spirit to them that ask the spirit of him Soul Why if this be it to thee Lord do I come O give me the Spirit the witness of the Spirit the first-fruits of the spirit the sealing of the spirit the earnest of the spirit O give me the spirit and let the spirit give me this hope O the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in my soul and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Come O come and dwell in my soul Come and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out come and fill me with a livelv hope yea Lord excite and quicken and stir up my soul to act this hope yea so illighten or shine upon my hope that I may know that I hope and know that I joyfully expect and wait for the coming of Christ O Let me hear thy voice Say unto my soul I am and will be thy salvation Person Well now thou hast prayed Psal 35.3 O my soul Come tell me dost thou feel nothing stir is there nothing at all in thee that assures thee of this assurance of hope is there no life in thy affections no spark that takes hold on thy heart to set it on flame no comfort of the spirit no joy in the holy Ghost Soul Yes methinks I feel it now begin to work the Spirit that hath breathed this prayer into me comes in as Comforter O now that I realize Christ's coming and my resurrection Psal 16.9 I cannot but conclude with David Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth and my flesh also shall rest in hope Oh what an earnest is this what a piece hath the spirit put into my hand of the great sum promised not onely that he in great mercy promised me Heaven but because he doth not put me into a present possession he now gives me an earnest of my future inheritance Why surely all is sure unless the earnest deceive me and what shall I dispute the truth of the earnest oh God forbid the stamp is too well known to be mistrusted this seal cannot be counterfeit because it is agreeable with the Word I find in my self an hope a true sincere hope though very weak I find upon trial that I am regenerate that I look and long for the second coming of Jesus that I love his appearance even before hand that my works though imperfect are sincere and true that I believe on the Name of the Son of God and flesh and blood could never work these duties or these graces in me it is only that good spirit of my God which hath thus sealed me up to the day of redemption Away away despair trouble me no longer with a musing thoughts I will henceforth if the Lord enable walk confidently and chearfully in the strength of this assurance and joyfully expect the full accomplishment of my happy contract from the hands of Christ The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 25 26. the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him it is good that I both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord It is good that I hope to the end 1 Pet. 1.13 for the grace that is to be brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in that respect 5. LET us believe in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming Now this believing in Christ is more than hoping in Christ Faith eyes things as present but hope eyes things as future and hence the Apostle describes faith to the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 it is the substance foundation or prop which upholds the building or it is the substance essence existence of things hoped for and consequently absent and a far off to be by a firm apprehension of the believer as already present and real And this is as necessary as the former oh if we could but see things now as they shall appear at that last general day of Judgment how mightily would they work upon our souls I verily think the want of this work of faith is the cause almost of all the evil in the world and the acting of Faith on this subject would produce fruits even to admiration If we could but see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall then be communicated if we could but see those dreadful evils that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled would not this draw the hardest heart under Heaven come let us act faith this day as if this day were the last day a thousand years are but as one day to faith it takes hold upon eternal life whensoever it acts it takes present possession of the glorious things of the Kingdom of God even now O then let us believe in Jesus in reference to his second coming to judgment But how should we believe what directions to act our saith on Jesus in this respect I answer 1. Faith must directly go to Christ 2. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh 3. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ made under the
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you