a right of Conquest 297 By a right of Covenant 297 By a right of Communion 298 VVee may belong unto Christ by Externall profession 299 VVee may belong unto Christ by Reall Implantation 299 Christ bringeth selfe-evidencing properties into the soule 300 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Caring for us 305 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Purging of us 306 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Sparing of us 307 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Praying of us 307 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his Teaching of us 308 Christs proprietie to us the ground of his chastising us in mercy 308 Christs people militarie men 308 Satans wayes and Methodes of assaulting the Church 309 Christs people are willingly subject unto him 312 By nature men are utterly unwilling 312 Apt to charge the wayes of God as Grievous 313 Apt to charge the wayes of God as Vnprofitable  Apt to charge the wayes of God as Vnequall 314 The Spirit of Bondage compelleth many to unwilling services 314 The power of the word in naturall men worketh a velleitie or incomplete will 315 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Evidence and sense of their naturall estate 320 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Spirituall illumination of minde 321 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Comâ—union and adspiration of the Spirit 324 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Apprehension of Gods deare Love 324 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Beauty and pretiousnesse of heavenly promises 325 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Experiences of peace comfort and security in Gods wayes 326 Willingnesse in Christs people wrought by the Beauty of holinesse 327 Such as the will is such is the service Because the will is the first mover 328 Because God esteemeth himselfe most honoured thereby 330 Whether those who are truly Christs people may not have feares and unwillingnesse in his service 330 1 They may have a feare of Suffering Gods wrath 331 1 They may have a feare of Of medling with his service 331 2 They may have deadnesse wearinesse and a mixture of unwillingnesse in his service 332 From the Strength of corruptions 333-334 From the Weaknesse of graces 333-334 From the Importunitie of Temptations 333-334 From the Weight of some fresh sinne 333-334 From the Spirituall desertions 333-334 3 Yet still their wills are sincerely carried towards God 335 Christs people are made willing to obey him by an act of power 337 The ground hereof is the universall fleshlinesse and reluctancy of the will naturally against grace 344 The more earnest should wee bee to serve Christ when wee are his 347 Holinesse a glorious and beautifull thing 349 In regard of the Author of it 351 In regard of the Nature of it 352 Properties of it Rectitude 354 Properties of it Harmonie 354 Properties of it Maturitie 356 Properties of it Indeficiency 357 In regard of the Operations of it 357 All Christs people are Priests unto God 359 Holinesse the character of Christs subjects 359 None willing to come to Christ till they see beauty in his service 363 Multitudes borne unto Christ by the Gospell 365 Whether universality and visible pompe bee a note of the Church 369 All Christs subjects are withall his Children 374 And should expresse the affections of Children 376 The Birth of a Christian is a heavenly worke 377 Therefore the seed must bee received with heavenly affections 379 Therefore wee must looke unto God in his Ordinances 380 The Birth of a Christian a secret and undiscerned worke 380 The Birth of a Christian is a sudden Birth 381 How the Lord sweareth 384 VVhy the Lord confirmed the priesthood of Christ by an oath 385 Christs solemne Ordination unto the office of a Priest 387 Which is the foundation of all the Churches Comfort 388 in regard of Christs Fidelity 390 in regard of Christs Mercy 391 in regard of Christs Power ibid. in regard of Christs Propriety ibid. in regard of Christs Sympathy 393 in regard of Christs Consanguinity ibid. How God is said to repent 393 Whether God hath repented him of the law 395 Why the Covenant of Grace is immutable 398 What a priest is 402 Grounds tending to discover the necessity of a priest for man 403 A discovery of that necessity 408 With the Application thereof 411 Qualifications of the person which was to be our Priest 416 He was to bee all in the unity of one Person 420 a Mediator 417 a Surety 418 a Sacrifice ibid. an Altar 419 Wherein the Acts of Christs Priesthood consisted namely Oblation 424 Wherein the Acts of Christs Priesthood consisted namely Intercession 424 Christs will made his death a Sacrifice 425 Christs Intercession or Appearing in Heaven for us 428 Christs death did merit and his life conferre Redemption 429 Wherein Christs Intercession consisteth 431 No Mediators of Intercession 433 The great benefits which come to us by Christs Intercession 434 What is the fruit and vertue of Christs Priesthood namely Satisfaction for our debt 438 What is the fruit and vertue of Christs Priesthood namely Acquisition of our inheritance 438 An Explication of the Doctrine of justification by righteousnesse imputed 440 How Christ being innocent might justly suffer the punishment of our sinnes 444 1. God may cast paines upon an innocent person 445 2. It is not against generall equity for one to suffer anothers sinne 446 3. This Equity in the present case is that all parties are both Willing and 446 3. This Equity in the present case is that all parties are both Glorified 446 4. In the innocent person thus suffering as a sacrifice for the nocent is required 1. An intimate conjunction with him that is nocent 447 2. A full dominion over that from which in suffering he parteth 448 3. A strength to breake through the sufferings 449 How sinne thus punished may be said to be pardoned 449 A double use of the doctrine of Righteousnesse imputed Selfe-deniall 450 A double use of the doctrine of Righteousnesse imputed Confidence 452 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Immunity from evils 455 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Vnction 456 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Adoption 456 Redundancie of Christs merit purchasing for us Priviledge of Vnion with him whence our Exaltation 456 Duties growing out of the consideration of Christs priesthood 457 Of Melchisedek his Person Order Bread and VVine Benediction Tithes Genealogie 461 Christ is a King of Righteousnesse 465 Christ is a King of Canaanites 467 VVhere Christ is a King of Righteousnesse he is a King of Peace 469 Christs forwardnesse to meete and to blesse his people 471 Christ a Comforter and Refresher of his people 472 Christ a Receiver of Homage and Tribute 473 Liberall maintenance due unto the Ministers of the Gospell 475 Christs priesthood is everlasting 482 VVhy
sophisticall exceptions of the adversarie and when by temptations our eye is dimmed or by the mixture of corruptions our evidences defaced he by his skill helpeth our infirmities and bringeth those things which are blotted out and forgotten into our remembrance againe Secondly an Advocate admonisheth and directeth his client how to order and solicite his owne businesse what evidences to produce what witnesses to prepare what offices to attend what preparations to make against the time of his hearing so the Spirit doth set the hearts of beleevers in a right way of negotiating their Spirituall affaires maketh them to heare a voyce behinde them furnishing them with wisedome and prudence in every condition How to grapple with temptations how to serve God in all estates when to reprove direct counsell comfort when to speake and when to be silent when to let out and when to chaine up a passion when to use and when to forbeare libertie how to prosecute occasions and apply occurrences unto Spirituall ends every where and in all things strengthning and instructing us to mannage our hearts unto the best advantages of peace to our selves and of glory to our Master Esai 30.21 Col. 1.9 10. Phil. 4.12 13. Eph. 4.20 21. Thirdly an Advocate maketh up the failings of his client and by his wisedome and observation of the case picketh out advantages beyond the instructions and gathereth arguments to further the suite which his client himselfe observed not So the Spirit when we know not what to pray when with Iehoshaphat we know not what to doe when it may be in our owne apprehension the whose businesse of our peace and comfort lieth a bleeding doth then helpe our infirmities and by dumbe cries and secret intimations and deepe and unexpressible gronings presenteth arguments unto him who is the searcher of hearts and who knoweth the minde of the Spirit which we our selves cannot expresse Thus as an infant crieth and complaineth for want of sleepe and yet knoweth not that it is sleepe which he wanteth as a sick man goeth to the physitian and complaineth that some physick he wanteth but knoweth not the thing which he asketh for so the soule of a Christian by the assistance of the Spirit is enlarged to request things of God which yet of themselves doe passe the knowledge and understandings of those that aske them Rom. 8.26 27. Eph. 3.19 Phil. 4.7 1 Cor. 14.15 Secondly the Spirit is a comforter by applying and Representing Christ absent unto the soule againe For first the Spirit carrieth a Christian heart up to Christ in heavenly affections and conversation Col. 3.1 3. Phil. 3.20 as a piece of earth when it is out of its place doth ever move to the whole earth so a sparkle of Christs Spirit will naturally move upward unto him who hath the fulnesse in him A stone though broken all to pieces in the motion will yet through all that perill and violence move unto the center so though the nature of man abhorre and would of it selfe decâ—ine the passages of death 2 Cor. 5.4 yet the Apostle desired to be dissolved and to be taken asunder that by any meanes he might be with Christ who is the center of every Christians desire Phil. 1.23 Secondly the Spirit bringeth Christ downe to a Christian formeth him in his heart evidenceth him and the vertue of his passion and resurrection unto the conscience in the powerfull dispensation of his holy ordinances Therefore when our Savior speakes of sending the holy Spirit he addeth I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you when the world seeth me not yet ye see me This noteth the presence of Christ by his Spirit with the Church but there is more than a presence there is an inhabitation At that time you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Ioh. 14.18 20. Thirdly the Spirit is a comforter by a worke of sweet and fruitfull illumination not onely giving the knowledge but the love and comfort of the truth unto a Christian making him with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of God and therby transforming him into the same image from glory to glory The light of other sciences is like the light of a candle nothing but light but the knowledge of Christ by the Spirit is like the light of the Sunâ—e which hath influences and vertue in iâ— And this is that which the Apostle cals the Spirit of Revelation in the knowledge of God for though there be no Propheticall nor extraordinary revelations by dreames visions extasies or enthusiasmes yet according to the measure of spirituall perspicacie and diligent observation of holy Scriptures there are still manifold revelations or manifestations of Christ unto the soule The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soule with God the heavings aspirings and harmony of the heart with Christ the sweete illapses and flashes of heavenly light upon the soule the knowledge of the depths of God and of Satan of the whole armor of God and the strong man of conflicts of Spirit protection of Angels experiences of mercie issues of temptation and the like are heavenly and constant revelations out of the word manifested to the soules of the faithfull by the Spirit Lastly and principally the Spirit is a comforter in those effects of joy and peace which he worketh in the heart For joy is ever the fruite and Companion of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Act. 13.52 and the joy of the Spirit is like the intercession of the Spirit unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 not like the joy of the world which is empty false and deceitfull full of vanity vexation insufficiency unsuâ—eablenesse to the soule mingled with feares of disappointment and miscarriage with tremblings and guilt of conscience with certainty of period and expiration but cleere holy constant unmixed satisfactory and proportionable to the compasse of the soule more gladnesse than all the world can take in the increase of their corne and wine Psal. 4.7 And this joy of the Spirit is grounded upon every passage of a Christian condition from the entrance to the end First the Spirit worketh joy in discovering and bending the heart to mourne for corruption For it is the Spirit of grace and supplications which maketh sinners mourne and loath themselves Zech. 12.10 11. Ezek. 36.27.31 and such a sorrow as this is the seed and the matter of true joy our Iosephs heart was full of joy when his eyes powred out tears upon Benjamins neck As in wicked laughter the heart may be sorrowfull so in holy mourning the heart may rejoyce for all Spirituall afflictions have a peaceable fruite This was the first glimpse and beame of the Prodigals joy that he resolv'd with teares and repentance to returne to his Father againe For there is a sweete complacencie in an humble and Spirituall heart to be vile in its owne eyes as to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweete Sacrifices we know were to be offered
up with joy Mal. 2.13 and of all Sacrifices a broken heart is that which God most delighteth in Psal. 51.16 17. there is joy in heaven at the repentance of a sinner and therefore there must needs be joy in the heart it selfe which repenteth in as much as it hath heavenly affections begunne in it Therefore as the Apostle saith Let a man become a foole that he may be wise so may I truly say let a man become a mourner that he may rejoyce If it be objected how one contrary affection can be the ground and inducement of another and that he who feeleth the weight of sinne and displeasure of God can have little reason to boast of much joy To this I answere First that we doe not speake of those extraordinary combates and grapplings with the sense of the wrath of God breaking of bones and burning of bowels which some have felt but of the ordinary humiliations and courses of repentance which are common to all Secondly that such Spirituall mourning and joy are not contrary in regard of the Spirit nor doe one extinguish or expell the other As black and white are contrary in the wall but meete without any repugnancie in the eye because though as qualities they fight yet as objects they agree in communi conceptu visibilis so joy and mourning though contrary in regard of their immediate impressions upon the sense doe not onely agree in the same principle the grace of Christ and in the same end the salvation of man but may also be subordinated to each other as a darke and muddie color is a fit ground to lay gold upon so a tender and mourning heart is the best preparation unto spirituall joy Therefore our Savior compareth Spirituall sorrow unto the paines of a woman in travell other paines growing out of sicknesse and distempers have none but bitter ingredients and anguish in them but that paine groweth out of the matter of joy and leadeth unto joy so though godly sorrow have some paine in it yet that paine hath ever joy both for the roote and fruit of it Ioh. 16.21 and though for the present it may haply intercept the exercise yet it doth strengthen the habit and ground of joy as those flowers in the spring rise highest and with greatest beautie which in winter shrinke lowest into the earth I trembled saith the Prophet in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble Hab. 3.16 Secondly the Spirit doth not onely Discover but heale the corruptions of the soule and there is no joy to the joy of a saved and cured man The lame man when he was restored by Peter expressed the abundant exultation of his heart by leaping and praising God Act. 3.8 for this cause therefore amongst others the Spirit is called the oile of gladnesse because by that healing vertue which is in him he maketh glad the hearts of men The Spirit of the Lord saith Christ is upon me because the Lord anointed me to preach good tydings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde the broken hearted Esai 61.6 and againe I will binde that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick Ezek. 34.16 Now this healing vertue of Christ is in the dispensation of his word and Spirit and therefore the Prophet saith the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 where the Spirit in the word by the which he commeth and preacheth unto men Eph. 2.17 1 Pet. 3.19 is called the wing of the Sunne because he proceedeth from him and was sent to supply his absence as the beame doth the Suns and this Spirit the Apostle calleth the strengthner of the inner man Eph. 3.16 Thirdly the Spirit doth not onely heale but renew and revive againe when an eye is smitten with a sword there is a double mischiefe a wound made and a faculty perished and here though a Chirurgian can heale the wound yet he can never restore the faculty because totall privations admit no regresse or recovery but the Spirit doth not onely heale and repaire but renew and reedifie the spirits of men As he healeth that which was torne and bindeth up that which was smitten so he reviveth and raiseth up that which was dead before Hos. 6.1 2. and this the Apostle cals the Renovation of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 whereby old things are not mended and put together againe for our fall made us all over unprofitable and little worth Rom. 3.12 Prov. 10.20 but are done quite away and all things made new againe 2 Cor. 5.17 The heart minde affections judgment conscience members changed from stone to flesh from earthly to heavenly from the image of Adam to the image of Christ Ezek. 11.19 1 Cor. 15.49 Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy For so the Lord comforteth his afflicted people Esai 54.11 12 13. Fourthly the Spirit doth not renew and set the frame of the heart right and then leave it to its owne care and hazards againe but being thus restored he abideth with it to preserve and support it against all Tempests and batteries And this further multiplieth the joy and comfort of the Church that it is established in Righteousnesse so that no weapon which is formed against it can prosper Esai 54.14.17 Victory is ever the ground of joy Esai 9.3 And the Spirit of God is a victorious Spirit His judgment in the heart is sent forth unto victory Matth. 12.20 and before him mountaines shall be made a plaine and every high thing shall be pulled downe till he bring forth the head stone with shoutings Ezek. 4.6 7. To Stephen he was a Spirit of Victory against the disputers of the World Act. 6.10 To the Apostles a Spirit of liberty in the prison Act. 16.25 26. To all the faithfull a Spirit of joy and glory in the midst of persecutions 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Fifthly the Spirit doth not onely preserve the heart which he hath renewed but maketh it fruitfull and abundant in the workes of the Lord Gal. 5.22 Rom. 7.4 And fruitfulnesse is a ground of rejoycing Esai 54.1 Therefore they which are borne of God cannot commit sinne that is they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers or artificers or finishers of iniquity because they have the seed of God that is his Spirit in them which fitteth them as seed doth the wombe or the earth to bring forth fruite unto God Partly by teaching the heart and casting it as it were in the mould of the world fashioning such thoughts apprehensions affections judgements in the soule as are answerable to the will and Spirit of God in the word so that a man cannot but set his seale and say Amen to the written Law partly by moving animating applying and most sweetly leading the heart unto the Obedience of that Law which is thus written therein Lastly those whom he hath thus fitteth he sealeth up unto a finall and full redemption by the Testimony
glory or the glorious Gospell Christ the prince of life yea the Word of life and the Gospell the Word of life too Christ a Iudge and the Word of Christ a Iudge too The word which I have spoken the same shall judge you at the last day Christ a Saviour and Salvation unto men Mine eyes have seene thy Salvation And the Gospell of Christ a Salvation too wee know saith Christ to the woman of Samaria what we worship for salvation is of the Iewes The force of the reason leads us to understand by Salvation the Oracles of God which were committed unto that people for out of them only it is that we know what and how to worship and this is not unusuall in holy Scriptures If the Word saith the Apostle spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord c Where we finde Salvation set in opposition to the Word spoken by Angels which was the Law of God or the ministerie of condemnation and therefore it must needes signifie the Gospell of Christ. Be it knowne unto you saith the Apostle to the unbeleeving Iewes that the salvation of God that is the Gospell of God as appeareth plainely by the like paralell speech in another place is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will heare it So the Apostle saith that the engraffed Word is able to save the soules of men All which and many other the like particulars note unto us That as Christ is the Power and Image of his Father so the Gospell is in some sort of Christ For which reason the Apostle as I conceive calleth the Gospel the Face of Iesus Christ God who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Where is it that wee behold the glorie of God but in a glasse and what is that glasse but the word of God as S. Iames cals it Iam. 1.23 Christ is not pleased any other wayes ordinarily to exercise his power or to reveale his glory but in these ordinances of his which wee dispense Therefore hee walketh in his Church with a sword is his mouth and with a Rod in his mouth to note that hee giveth no greater testification of his strength than in the Ministery of his Gospell which is therefore sometimes called a sword a hammer a fire sometimes onely a savor of life and death to note the mighty working thereof that can kill as well by a sent as by a wound as well by a breath as by a blow To consider this point a little more distinctly This Power of the Gospell of Christ appeares in both those regards as it is a savor of life unto life and as it is a savor of death unto death Towards his Church who shall bee saved and towards his enemies who shall perish Many wayes is the Gospell of Christ and his Spirit a Rod of strength unto his Church First in their Calling and conversion from the power of Satan unto God Satan is a strong man and hee is armed hath a whole panoply and full provision of militarie instruments and which is a great advantage hath both the first possession and the full love of the hearts of men before Christ attempts any thing upon them And therefore that which pulleth a man from under the paw of such a Lion and forceth him away from his owne palace must needs bee much stronger than hee And therefore the Apostle commendeth the power of the word by this argument that it is a sword fit to overcome principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world and spirituall wickednesses in heavenly places Againe the old Man in our nature is a strong man too a Raigning King which setteth himselfe mightily against the word and will of Christ and cherisheth the disease against the remedie And by that likewise the Apostle commendeth the power of the Gospell that it is mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds and imaginations or fleshly reasonings When Christ still'd the windes and the Sea with but two words Peace bee still they were exceedingly amazed at his power and said one to another what manner of man is this that even the windes and the Sea obey him The conversion of a man is a farre greater worke than the stilling of the Sea that will bee sometimes calme of it selfe when the furie of the winde ceaseth The wicked indeed are like the Sea but not at any time but like a troubled Sea when it cannot rest The Sea wee know is subject unto severall motions An inward boyling and unquietnesse from it selfe its ordinary fluxes and refluxes from the influence of the moone many casuall agitations from the violence of the windes and from its owne waves one wave precipitating impelling and repelling another So are the hearts of wicked men by the foaming estuations and excesses of naturall concupiscence by the provisions and materials of sinfull pleasures by the courses of the world by the solicitations and impulsions of Satan by a world of hourely casualties and provocations so tempestuous that they alwayes cast out upon the words and actions of men mire and dirt Now in the dispensation of the word by the ministery of a weake man Christ stilleth the raging of this Sea quels the lusts correcteth the distempeâ—s scattereth the temptations worketh a smoothnesse and tranquillity of Spirit in the soule of a man Surely when this is done the soule cannot but stand amazed at its owne recovery and admire that wonderfull and invisible power which could so suddenly rebuke such raging affections and reduce them unto calmenesse and beauty againe What ailed thee O thou Sea that thou fleddest and thou Iordan that thou wert driven back yee mountaines that yee skipped like Rams and yee little hils like Lambes It is an expression of Gods power towards his people in their triumphall entrance into the Land of Canaan Wee may apply it to the conquest and possession which the word takes of the soules of men What ailed a man that hee was driven back from his owne channell and made suddenly to forget his wonted course what ailed those strong and mountainous lusts which were as immoveably setled upon the soule as a hill upon his base to fly away at the voice of a man like a frighted sheepe what ailed those smaller corruptions and intemperancies which haply had before lost their names and were rather customes and infirmities than sinnes to flie away like lambes from the word of Christ A man went into the Church with a full tide and streame of lusts every thicket in his heart every reasoning and imagination of his
constant to any rules Now this division of the minde stands thus The heart on the one side is taken up with the pleasures of sinne for the present and on the other with the desires of salvation for the future and now according as the workings and representations of the one or other are at the time more fresh and predominant in like maner is sinne for that time either cherished or suppressed Many men at a good Sermon when the matter is fresh and newly presented while they are looking on their face in the glasse or in any extremitie of sicknesse when the provisions of lust doe not relish for the present when they have none but thoughts of salvation to depend upon are very resolute to make promises vowes and professions of better living but when the pleasures of sin grow strong to present themselves again they returne like a man recover'd of an ague with more stomacke and greedinesse to their lusts againe As water which hath been stop'd for a while rusheth with the more violence when its passages are opened A double heart is like the boles of a Scale according as more weight is put into one or other so are they indifferently over-rul'd unto either motion up or downe When I see a vapour ascend out of the earth into the aire why should I not thinke that it will never leave rising till it get up to heaven and yet because the motion is not naturall but caused either by expulsion from a heat within or by attraction from a heat without when the cause of that ascent is abated and the matter gathers together into a thicker consistence it growes heavie and fals downe againe Even such is the affection of those faint unresolved desires of men who like Agrippa are but halfe-perswaded to believe in Christ. But now lastly wee must observe that in the day of Christs power when he by his word and Spirit worketh effectually in the hearts of men they are then made free-will offerings Totally willing to obey and serve him in all conditions The heart of every one stirreth him up and his Spirit maketh him willing for the worke and service of the Lord Exod. 35.21 They yeeld themselves unto the Lord and their members as weapons of righteousnesse unto him 2 Chron. 30.8 Rom. 6.19 They offer and present themselves to God as a living Sacrifice and therefore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oblation sanctified by the Holy Ghost Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore they are said to come unto Christ by the vertue of his Fathers teaching Ioh. 6.45 To runne unto him Esai 55.5 To gather themselves together under him as a common head and to flow or flock together with much mutuall encouragement unto the mountaine of the Lord Hos. 1.11 Esai 2.2 3. To waite upon him in his Law Esai 42.4 To enter into a sure covenant and to write and seale it Nehem. 9.38 In one word To serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 when the heart is perfect undivided and goeth all together the minde will bee willing to serve the Lord. This willingnesse of Christs people sheweth it selfe in two things First in begetting most cordiall and constant Enmitie against all the enemies of Christ never holding any league or intelligence with them but being alwayes ready to answere the Lord as David did Saul Thy servant will goe and fight with this Philistime Hee that is a voluntary in Christs armies is not disheartned with the potencie policie malice subtlety or prevailing faction of any of his adversaries Hee is contented to deny himselfe to renounce the friendship of the world to bid defiance to the allurements of Satan to smile upon the face of danger to hate father and mother and land and life to be cruel to himselfe and regardlesse of others for his masters service Through honor and dishonor through evill report and good report through a Sea and a wildernesse through the hottest services and strongest oppositions will hee follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth though he receive the word in much affliction yet hee will receive it with joy too Secondly in begetting most loving constant and deare affections to the mercy grace glory and wayes of God an universall conformity unto Christ our head who was contented to take upon him the forme of a servant to have his eare bored and his will subjected unto the will of his Father I delight to doe thy will ô my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal. 40.8 And as hee was so are all his in this world of the same minde judgement Spirit conversation and therefore of the same will too Now this deare and melting affection of the heart toward Christ and his wayes whereby the soule longeth after him and hasteth unto him is wrought by severall principles First by the Conviction of our naturall Estate and a through humiliation for the same Pride is ever the principle of disobedience They were the proud men who said unto Ieremie thou speakest falsly the Lord hath not sent thee Ier. 43.2 And they were the proud men who hardned their necks and withdrew the shoulder and would not heare and refused to obey Nehem. 9.16 17 29. A man must bee first brought to denie himselfe before hee will bee willing to follow Christ and to lug a crosse after him A man must first humble himselfe before he will walke with God Mic. 6.8 The poore onely receive the Gospell The hungrie onely finde sweetnesse in bitter things Extremities will make any man not onely willing but thankfull to take any course wherin hee may recover himselfe and subsist againe when the soule findes it selfe in darknesse and hath no light and begins to consider whither darknesse leads it that it is even now in the mouth of Hell under the paw of the roaring lion under the guilt of sinne the curse of the Law and the hatred and wrath of God it cannot chuse but most willingly pursue any probability and with most inlarged affections meete any tender of deliverance Suppose wee that a Prince should cause some bloudy malefactor to bee brought forth should set before his eyes all the racks and tortures which the wit of man can invent to punish prodigions offenders withall and should cause him to tast some of those extremities and then in the middest of his howling and anguish should not onely reach out a hand of mercy to deliver him but should further promise him upon his submission to advance him like Ioseph from the iron which enters into his soule unto publike honor and service in the state would not the heart of such a man bee melted into thankfulnesse and with all submission resigne it selfe unto the mercy and service of so gracious a Prince Now the Lord doth not onely deale thus with sinners doth not onely cause them by the report of his word and by the experience of their own guilty hearts to feel the weight fruitlesnesse
be a Free agent or mover to have ex se and within it selfe an indifferencie and undeterminatnesse unto severall things so that when it moves or not moves when it moves one way or other in none of these it suffers violence but workes according to the condition of its owne nature Secondly we may note that this indifferencie is twofold either habituall belonging to the constitution of the will which is nothing else but an originall aptitude or intrinsecall non-repugnancie in the will to move unto contrary extremes to worke or to suspend its owne working or else actuall which is in the exercise of the former as objects present themselves and this is twofold either a freedome to good or evill or a freedome to will or not to will Thirdly notwithstanding the will be in this manner free yet it may have its freedome in both regards so determin'd as that in such or such a condition it cannot doe what it should or forbeare what it should or cannot doe what it should not nor forbeare what it should not Man fallen without the grace of God is free only unto evill and Christ in the time of his obedience was free wholly unto good Man free to evill but yet so as that he onely doth it voluntarily he cannot voluntarily leave it undone Christ free onely to good yet so as that he doth it most freely but could not freely omit the doing of it Fourthly the will worketh not in this condition of things unto morall objects without some other concurrent principles which sway and determine it severall wayes so that the will is principium quod the facultie which moves and the other principium quo the qualitie or vertue by which it moves And these qualities are in naturall men the flesh or the originall concupiscence of our nature which maketh the motions of the will to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will of the flesh and in the regenerate the Grace and Spirit of Christ so farre forth as they are regenerate Fifthly as the will is ever carried either by the flesh or the spirit to its objects so neither to the one or the other without the preceding conduct and direction of the practicall judgement whether by grace illightned to judge aright or by corrupt affections bribed and blinded to misguide the will for the will being a rationall appetite never moveth bu◠per modum judicii upon apprehension of some goodnesse and convenience in the thing whereunto it moves Sixthly the judgement is never throughly illightned to understand spiritual things in that immediate and ample beautie and goodnesse which is in them but only by the Spirit of Christ which maketh a man to have the selfe-same minde judgement opinion and apprehension of heavenly things which he had so that Christ and a Christian doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinke the same thing as the Apostle speakes Phil. 2.5 By the which Spirit of grace working first upon the judgement to rectifie that and to convince it of the evidence and necessitie of that most universall and adequate good which it presenteth the whole nature is proportionably renewed and Christ formed aswell in the will and affections as in the understanding as the body in the wombe is not shaped by peece-meale one part after another but all together by proportionable degrees and progresses of perfection So that at the same time when the Spirit of grace by an act of heavenly illumination is present with the judgement of reason to evidence not the truth onely but the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ thereunto it is likewise present by an act of heavenly perswasion and most intimate allurement unto the will and affections sweetly accommodating its working unto the exigence and condition of the faculties that they likewise may with such libertie and complacencie as becomes both their owne nature and the qualitie of the obedience required apply themselves to the desire and prosecution of those excellent things which are with so spirituall an evidence set forth unto them in the ministery of the Word As by the same soule the eye seeth and the eare heareth and the hand worketh so when Christ by his Spirit is formed in us for the Spirit of Christ is the Actus primus or soule of a Christian man that which animateth him unto an heavenly being and working Rom. 8.9 10 11. 1 Cor. 6.17 every power of the soule and body is in some proportionable measure enabled to worke suo modo in such manner as is convenient and proper to the quality of its nature to the right apprehension and voluntary prosecution of spirituall things The same Spirit which by the word of grace doth fully convince the judgement and let the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shine upon the minde doth by the same word of grace proportionably excite and assist the will to affect it that as the understanding is elevated to the spirituall perception so the will likewise is enabled to the spirituall love of heavenly things By all which wee may observe that this working of the Spirit of grace whereby we become voluntaries in Christs service and whereby he worketh in us both to will and to doe those things which of ourselves we were not obedient unto neither indeed could be is both a sweet and powerfull worke as in the raising of a man from the dead to which in the Scriptures the renewing of a sinner is frequently compared there is a worke of great power which yet being admirably sutable to the integrity of the creature must needs bring an exact complacencie and delight with it we may frequently in holy Scriptures observe that of the same effect severall things may be affirmed by reason of its connexion unto severall causes and of the severall causalities or manners of concurrence with which those severall causes have contributed any influence unto it As the obedience of Christ was of all other the most free and voluntary service of his Father if we consider it with respect unto his most holy and therefore most undistracted and unhindered will for if it were not voluntary it were no obedience and yet notwithstanding it was most certaine and infallible if we consider it with respect to the sanctitie of his nature to the unmeasurablenesse of his unction to the plenitude of his unseducible and unerring Spirit to the mystery of his hypostaticall union and the communication of properties between his natures wherby what-ever action was done by him might justly be called the action of God in which regard it was impossible for him to sinne In like manner the passive obedience of Christ was most free and voluntary as it respected his owne will for he troubled himselfe hee humbled and emptied himselfe he laid downe his owne life he became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse and yet thus it was written and thus it behoved or was necessary for Christ to suffer if we respect the predeterminate counsell and
purpose of God who had so ordained Act. 4.28 God would not suffer a bone of Christs to be broken and yet he did not disable the souldiers from doing it for they had still as much strength and libertie to have broken his as the others who were crucified with him but that which in regard of the truth and prediction of holy Scriptures was most certainly to be fulfilled in regard of the second causes by whom it was fulfilled was most free and voluntary Wee finde what a chaine of meere casualties and contingencies if we looke onely upon second causes did concurre in the offence of Vâ—sâ—ti in the promotion of Esther in the treason of the two Chamberlaines in the wakefulnesse of the King in the opening of the Chronicles in the acceptance of Esthers request and in the favour of the King unto her and all this ordered by the immutable and efficacious providence of God which moderates and guides causes and effects of all sorts to his owne fore-appointed ends for the deliverance of his people from that intended slaughter determined against them the execution whereof would evidently have voided that great promise of their returning out of captivitie after seventie yeares with relation unto which promise their deliverance at this time was in regard of Gods truth and purpose necessary though in regard of second causes brought about by a cumulation of contingencies In like maner when the hearts of men do voluntarily dedicate and submit themselves to the kingdome of Christ if we look upon it with relation unto the Spirit of grace which is the principium quo the formall vertue whereby it is wrought so it is an effect of power and as it were an act of conquest and yet looke upon it with relation unto the heart it selfe which is Principium quod the materiall efficient cause thereof and so it is a most free sweet connaturall action exactly temper'd to the exigencie of the second cause and proceeding there-from with most exact delight answerably to the measure of the grace of illumination or spirituall evidence in the minde whereby our naturall blindnesse prejudices and misperswasions may be remov'd and to the measure of the grace of excitation assistance and co-operation in the heart whereby the naturall frowardnesse and reluctancy thereof may be subdued In one word there are but three things requisite to make up a free and voluntary action First it must be cum judicio rationis with a preceding judgment Secondly it must be cum indifferentia there must be an internall indeterminatenesse and equall disposition of it selfe unto severall extremes Thirdly it must be cum dominio actus the will must have the power of her owne worke And all these three doe sweetly consist with the point of the Text That the heart is made willing to obey Christ by an act of power For first this power we speake of is onely the power of the Word and Spirit both which doe alwayes worke in the ordinary course of Gods proceeding by them with men secundum judicium by a way of judgement and conviction by a way of teaching and demonstration which is suteable to a rationall facultie Secondly which way soever the will is by the Spirit of grace directed and perswaded to move it still retaines an habituall or internall habitude unto the extremes so that if it should have moved towards them that motion would have beene as naturall and suteable to its condition as this which it followeth for the determination of the act is no extinguishment of the libertie thereunto Thirdly when the Spirit by the power of the word of grace doth work the will in us yet still the will hath the dominion of its owne act that is it is not servilely or compulsorily thereunto overswayed but worketâ— ex motu proprio by a selfe-motion unto which it is quickned and actuated by the sweetnesse of divine grace as the seed of that action according to that excellent knowne speech of Saint Augustine Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed Deus facit ut velimus Thus we see how the subjection of Christs people unto his kingdome is a voluntary act in regard of mans will and an act of power in regard of Gods Spirit inwardly â—llightning the minde with the spirituall evidence not only of the truth but the excellencie and superlative goodnesse of the Gospell of Christ and inwardly touching the heart and framing it to a lovely conformitie and obedience therunto The ground of this point why there is an act of power required to conquer the wils of sinners unto Christ is that notable enmitie stoutnesse reluctancie rebellion wearinesse aversenesse in one word fleshlinesse which possesseth the wils of men by nature such forwardnesse unto evill so much frowardnesse against good such a spring and byas from private ends and worldly objects such feares without such fightings within such allurements on the right hand such frownes and affrightments on the left such depths of Satan such hellish and unsearchable plots of principalities and powers to keepe fast and faithfull to themselves this chiefe mistris of the soule of man such slie and soaking such furious and firy temptations to flatter or to fright it away from Christ such strong prejudices such deepe reasonings such high imâ—ginations such scornefull and meane conceits of the purity and power of the wayes of Christ such deceitfulnesse of heart such misperswasions and presumptious of our present peace or at least of the easinesse of our future reformation such strong surmises of carnall hopes which will be prevented or worldly dangers incurred or private ends disappointed such lusts to be denied such members to be hewed off such friends to be forsaken such passions to be subdued such certaine persecutions from the world such endlesse solicitations of Satan such irreconcilable contentions with the flesh in the midst of all these pull-backes how can we thinke the will should escape and breake thorow if God did not send his Spirit as once the Angell unto Lot Gen. 19.16 to lay hands upon it while it lingers and hankers after its wonted course to use a mercifull conquest over it and as the Scriptures expresse it to lead it to draw it to take it by the arme to carry it in his bosome to beare it as an Eagle her young ones on her wings nay by the terrours of the Lord and the power of his Word and wrath to pull and snatch it as a brand out of the fire Certainly there is so much extreme perversenesse so much hellishnesse and devillish antipathy to God and his service in the heart by nature that if it were left to its owne stubbornenesse to kicke and rebell and fall backe and harden it selfe and were not set upon by the grace of Christ no man living would turne unto him or make use of his bloud by the same reason that any one man perisheth every man would too because in all there is as fundamentall and originall enmity
that proceed out of our mouth Eph. 4.29 a respect unto the glory of God in whatsoever workes wee goe about 1 Cor. 10.31 The whole soule body and Spirit should bee Sanctified throughout and that even till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 5.23 Christ hath service much more than enough to take up all the might strength studies abilities times callings of all his servants Businesses towards God and himselfe worship feare Communion love prayer obedience service subjection businesses towards and for our selves watchfulnesse repentance faith sincerity sobriety growth in grace businesse towards other men as instruments and fellow members exhortation reproofe direction instruction mourning rejoycing restoring releeving helping Praying Serving in all wayes of love So much evill to bee avoided so many slips and errors to bee lamented so many earthly members to bee crucified so much knowledge and Mysteries to bee learned so many vaine Principles to bee unlearned so much good to bee done to my selfe so much service to bee done to my brother so much glory to bee brought to my Master every Christian hath his hands full of worke And therefore Christ expostulateth it as an absurd thing to call him Lord Lord to professe and ingeminate a verball subjection and yet not to doe the things which hee requires Luk. 6.46 The third thing observed touching the Kingdome of Christ is the Glorie and Power thereof intimated by his sitting at the Lords right hand Gods right hand in the Scripture is a Metonymicall expression of the strength power majesty and glorie that belongs unto him This is mine infirmitie saith the Psalmist but l will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most high Psal. 77.10 Where wee finde Gods power under the metonymie of a right hand opposed to the infirmitie of his servant My infirmitie and weake faith made me apt to sinke under the sense of Gods displeasure but when I called to minde the experiences of Gods former power in alike distresses I recollected my Spirits and was refreshed againe So the right hand of the Lord is said to spanne or extend the heavens Esai 48.13 And the Psalmist expresseth the strength and salvation of the Lord by his right hand Psal. 118.14 15 16. and his fury is the Cup of his right hand Hab. 2.16 And he strengthneth and helpeth and upholdeth his people by the right hand of his Righteousnesse that is by his Power and faithfull promises which in their weaknes strengthens them in their feare and flagging helps them in their sinking and falling upholds them Esai 41.10 So the Psalmist saith of wicked men that their right hand is a right hand of falsehood Psa. 144.11 that is either confidence in their owne power will deceive themselves or they will deceive others to whom they promise succour and assistance Therfore Gods right hand is cald the right hand of Majesty Heb. 1.3 and the right hand of power Luk. 22.69 To sit then at Gods right hand noteth that great Honor and Judiciarie Office and plenitude of power which God the Father hath given to his Sonne after his manifestation in the flesh in his nativity and justification by the Spirit in his resurrection he was then amongst other dignities received up into glory 1 Tim. 3.16 This wee finde amongst those expressions of honor which Salomon shewed unto his Mother that shee sate at his right hand 1 King 2.19 And herein the Apostle puts a great difference betweene Christ and the Leviticall Priests that they stood daily Ministring but Christ after his Offering Sate downe on the right hand of God Heb. 10.11 12. noting two things First That Christ was the Lord and they but Servants for standing is the posture of a Servant or Minister Deut. 10.8.17.12 Ezek. 44.24 and not sitting Luk. 17.7 Secondly that their worke was daily to bee repeated wheras Christs was consummate in one offering once for all after which hee rested or sate downe againe This fitting then of Christ at the right hand of Majestie and glorie notes unto us first The great Exaltation of the Lord Christ whom God hath highly honoured and advanced and given a name above every name First his Divine nature though it cannot possibly receive any intrinsecall improvement or glory all fulnesse of glory essentially belonging thereunto yet so farre forth as it was humbled for the oeconomie and administration of his office so farre it was readvanced againe Now he emptied and humbled himselfe not by putting off any of his divine glory but by suffering it to be overshaddowed with the similitude of sinfull flesh and to be humbled under the forme of a Servant as the light of a candle is hidden in a darke and close Lanterne So that Declaratorily or by way of Manifestation he is in that respect magnified at Gods right hand or as the Apostle speakes declared to be that Sonne of God by Power in rising from the dead and returning to his glory againe Rom. 1.4 Againe how ever in Abstracto wee cannot say that the Deitie or Divine nature was exalted in any other sense than by evident manifestation of it selfe in that man who was before despised and accused as a blasphemer for that he made himselfe equall with God yet in Concreto and by reason of the Communication of properties from one nature to another in the unitie of one person it is true that as God saved the World by his bloud and as it was the Prince of life that was crucified and the Lord that lay in the grave so God likewise was in the forme of a servant humbled and at the right hand of Majestie exalted againe Secondly the humane nature of Christ is most highly exalted by sitting at Gods right hand for in the right of his Hypostaticall union hee hath an ample and immediate claime to all that glory which might in the humane nature bee conferr'd upon him So that though during the time of his conversation amongst men the exigence and oeconomie of the Office which he had for us undertaken made him a man of sorrowes and intercepted the beames of the Godhead and Divine glorie from the other nature yet having finished that dispensation there was in the vertue of that most intimate association of the natures in one person a communicating of all glory from the deitie which the other nature was capeable of For as by the Spirit of Holinesse he was filled with treasures of wisdome and knowledge and grace and thereby fitted for the Office of a Mediator and made the first fruits the first borne the heire of all things the head and Captaine of the Church furnished with a residue and redundancie of the Spirit to sanctifie his brethren and to make them joynt heirs and first borne with himselfe so by the Spirit of glory is he filled with unmatchable perfections beyond the capacitie or comprehension of all the Angels of Heaven being not onely full of glory but having in him all the fulnesse of glory
enriched to be stedfast unmoveable abundant in the worke of the Lord to doe his will as the Angels in heaven doe it yet in many things they faile and have daily experience of their owne defects But here is all the comfort though I am not able to doe any of my duties as I should yet Christ hath finished all his to the full and therefore though I am compassed with infirmities so that I cannot doe the things which I would yet I have a compassionate advocate with the Father who both giveth and craveth pardon for every one that prepareth his heart to seeke the Lord though he be not perfectly cleansed 1 Ioh. 2.2 2 Chron. 30.18 19. Secondly Against the pertinacie and close adherence of our corruptions which cleave as fast unto us as the very powers and faculties of our soule as heat unto fire or light unto the Sunne Yet sure we are that he who forbad the fire to burne and put blacknesse upon the face of the Sunne at midday is able likewise to remove our corruptions as farre from us as he hath removed them from his owne sight And the ground of our expectation hereof is this Christ when he was upon the earth in the forme of a servant accomplished all the Offices of suffering and obedience for us Therefore being now exalted farre above all heavens at the right hand of Majestie and glory he will much more fulfill those Offices of Power which he hath there to doe Which are by the supplies of his Spirit to purge us from sinne by the sufficiencie of his grace to strengthen us by his word to sanctifie and cleanse us and to present us to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle He that brought from the dead the Lord Iesus and suffered not death to hold the head is able by that power and for that reason to make us perfect in every good worke to doe his will and not to suffer corruption for ever to hold the members It is the frequent argument of the Scripture Heb. 13.20 21. Col. 2.12 Eph. 1.19 20. Rom. 6.5 6. Rom. 8.11 Thirdly against all those firie darts of Satan wherby he tempteth us to despaire and to forsake our mercie If he could have held Christ under when he was in the grave then indeed our faith would have been vaine we should be yet in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15. 17. But he who himselfe suffered being tempted and overcame both the sufferings and the temptation is able to succor those that are tempted and to shew them mercie and grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 2.17 18. Heb. 4. 15 16. Lastly against death it selfe For the Accomplishment of Christs Office of redemption in his resurrection from the dead was both the Merit the Seale and the first fruits of ours 1 Cor. 15.20 22. Thirdly The sitting of Christ on the right hand of his Father noteth unto us the actuall Administration of his Kingdome Therefore that which is here said sit at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole the Apostle thus expoundeth He must raigne till he hath put all enemies vnder his feete 1 Cor. 15.25 And he therefore died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living namely by being exalted unto Gods right hand Rom. 14.9 Now this Administration of Christs Kingdome implies severall particulars First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The publication of established Lawes For that which is in this Psalme called the sending forth of the rod of Christs strength out of Sion is thus by the Prophets expounded Out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Esai 2.3 Mich. 4.2 Secondly The conquering and subduing of subjects to himselfe by converting the hearts of men and bringing their thoughts into the obedience of his Kingdome Ministerially by the word of reconciliation and effectually by the power of his Spirit writing his Lawes in their hearts and transforming them into the image of his word from glorie to glorie Thirdly Ruling and leading those whom he hath thus converted in his way continuing unto their hearts his heavenly voice never utterly depriving them of the exciting assisting cooperating grace of his holy Spirit but by his divine power giving unto them all things which pertaine unto life and godlinesse after he had once called them by his glorious power Esai 2.2 Ioh. 10.3 4. 1 Cor. 1.4 8. Esai 30.21 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Pet. 1.3 Fourthly Protecting upholding succouring them against all temptations and discouragements By his compassion pittying them by his power and promises helping them by his care and wisedome proportioning their strength to their trials By his peace recompencing their conflicts by patience and experience establishing their hearts in the hope of deliverance Heb. 2.17 Ioh. 16.33 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 1.5 Phil. 4.7 19. Rom. 15.4 Fifthy Confounding all his enemies First Their projects holding up his Kingdome in the midst of their malice and making his truth like a tree settle the faster and like a torch shine the brighter for the shaking Secondly Their Persons Whom he doth here gall and torment by the Scepter of his word constraining them by the evidence thereof to subscribe to the Iustice of his wrath and whom he reserveth for the day of his appearing till they shall be put all under his feete In which respect he is said to stand at the right hand of God as a man of warre ready armed for the defence of his Church Act. 7.56 Fourthly the sitting of Christ on the right hand of God noteth unto us his giving of gifts and sending downe of the Holy Ghost upon men It hath been an universall custome both in the Church and elsewhere in dayes of great joy and solemnitie to give gifts and send presents unto men Thus after the wall of Ierusalem was built and the worship of God restored and the Law read and expounded by Ezra to the people after their captivitie it is said that the people did eate and drinke and send portions Nehem. 8. 10 12. The like forme was by the people of the Iewes observed in their feast of Purim Ester 9.22 And the same custome hath bin observed amongst heathen Princes upon solemne and great occasions to distribute donations and congiaries amongst the people Thus Christ in the day of his Majestie and Inauguration in that great and solemne triumph when he ascended up on high and led captivity captive he did withall give gifts unto men Eph. 4.10 Christ was notably typified in the Ark of the Testament In it were the Tables of the Law to shew that the whole Law was in Christ fulfilled and that he was the end of the Law for Righteousnesse to those that beleeve in him There was the golden pot which had Manna to signifie that heavenly and abiding nourishment which from him the Church receiveth There was the Rod of Aaron which budded Signifying either the miraculous incarnation of Christ in a Virgin or
his sufferings which are expressed by stripes Esai 53.5 and our resurrection with him noted in the budding of a dry rod. Or lastly noting the sanctifying and fruitfull vertue of his word which is the rod of his strength Vpon it also was the Mercie seate to note that in Christ is the foundation of all that mercie and atonement which is preached unto men But in two things principally did it signifie Christ unto our present purpose First It was overlaid within and without with gold and had a Crowne of gold round about it Exod. 25.11.37.2 denoting the plentifull and glorious Kingdome of Christ who was crowned with glorie and honor Heb. 2.7 Secondly it had rings by which it was carried up and downe till at last it rested in Salomons Temple with glorious and triumphall solemnitie Psal. 132.89 2 Chron. 5.13 So Christ while he was here upon earth being anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power went about doing good Act. 10.38 and having ceased from his workes did at last enter into his rest Heb. 5.10 which is the heavenly Temple Revel 11.19 Now this carrying of the Ark into his resting place denotes two things First a finall conquest over the enemies of God For as the moving of the Ark signified the acting and procuring of victorie Iosh. 6.11 20. So the Resting of the Ark noted the Consummation of Victorie And therefore the Temple was built and the Ark set therein in the dayes of Salomon when there was not an emendicated or borrowed peace depending upon the courtesie of the neighbor nations but a victorious and triumphall peace after the great victories of David and tributarie subjection and homage of all the Canaanites which were left in the Land 2 Chro. 8.7 8.9.26 2 Sam. 7.9.12 Psal. 68.29 Secondly it notes the conferring of gifts as we see in that triumphall song at the removall of the Arke being also a prediction both of that which literally hapned in the raigâ—e of Salomon and was mystically verified in Christ Psal. 68.18 Thus Christ our Prince of peace being now in the Temple of God in heaven hath bound hell sinne and death captive and hath demolished the wals of Iericho or the Kingdom of Satan throwne him downe from heaven like lightning and passed a sentence of judgment upon him And hath received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost and given gifts unto men Act. 2.32 35. before his entring into his rest it was but a promise and they were to waite at Ierusalem for it Act. 1.4 but after his departure and intercession at his Fathers right hand it was powred forth in abundance upon them Ioh. 14.16.16.7 And we are to note that as it began with his sitting there so it continueth as long as he shall there sit It is true all Holy Scripture which God ordained for the gathering of his people and for the guidance of them in the militant Church is already long since by the Spirit dictated unto holy and selected instruments for that purpose inspired with more abundance of grace and guided by a full and infallible Spirit but yet we must note that in those holy writings there is such a depth of heavenly wisedome such a sea of mysteries and such an unsearchable treasure of puritie and grace that though a man should spend the longest life after the severest and most industrious manner to acquaint himselfe with God in the revelations of his word yet his knowledge would be but in part and his holinesse after all that come short of maturity as the enemies are not all presently under Christs feete but are by degrees subdued so the Spirit is not presently conferred in fulnesse unto the members of Christ but by measure and degrees according to the voluntary influences of the head exigences of the members So much of the Spirit of grace and truth as we have here is but the earnest and hansell of a greater summe Ephes. 1.14 The seed and first fruits of a fuller harvest 1 Ioh. 3.9 Rom. 8.23 Therefore the Apostle mentions a growing change from glorie to glorie by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Wee must not expect a fulnesse till the time of the restitution of all things till that day of redemption and adoption wherein the light which is here but sowen for the Righteous shall grow up into a full harvest of holinesse and of glory But here ariseth a question out of the seeming contradiction of Holy Scripture It is manifest that the Spirit of Christ was in the Church long before his Ascension The Prophets spake by him 1 Pet. 1.11 The ancient Iews vexed him Esai 63.10 Iohn Baptist was even filled with the Spirit to note a plentifull measure for the discharge of his Office Luk. 1.15 and yet S. Iohn saith That the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified Ioh. 7.39 To this I answere that the Fathers were sanctified by the same Spirit of Christ with us difference there is none in the substance but onely in the accidents and circumstances of effusion and manifestation As light in the Sunne and light in a starre is in it selfe the same originall light but very much varied in the dispensation It was the same truth which was preached by the Prophets and by Christ but the Apostle observes in it a difference sundry times and in sundry manners hath God spoken by the Prophets but unto us by his Son that is more plentifully and more plainly unto us than unto the Fathers Heb. 1.1 Ioh. 16.25 Therefore though it be true that Abraham saw Christs day as all the Fathers did though he haply being the Father of the faithfull more than others in which respect Eusebius saith of them that they were Christians really and in effect though not in name yet it is true likewise that many Prophets and Righteous men did desire to see and heare the things which the Apostles saw and heard but did not Matt. 13.17 namely in such plaine and plentifull measure as the Apostles did They saw in glimpses and morning stars and prefigurations but these the things themselves They saw onely the promises and those too but afarre off Heb. 11.13 these the substance and gospell it selfe neere at hand in their mouth and before their eyes and even amongst them Rom. 10.8 Gal. 3.1 Ioh. 1.14 1 Ioh. 1.2 3. They by Prophets who testified before-hand these by eye-witnesses who declared the things which they had seen and heard Act. 1.8.22.10.41 Therfore it is said that Christ was a Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and yet in the end of the world that he appeared to take away sinne by the Sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9.26 to note that the Fathers had the benefiâ— but not the perfection of the promises Heb. 11.40 for the Apostle every where makes perfection the worke of the Gospell 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 4.13 Heb. 6.1 So then after Christs sitting on the right hand of power the Holy Spirit was more
completely sent both in regard of manifestation and efficacie than ever before The difference is chiefly in three things First In the manner of his mission To the old Church in dreames and visions in figures and latent waies But to the Evangelicall Churches in power evidence and demonstration 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Therefore it is called the spirit of revelation and knowledge which discovereth and that unto principalities and powers by the Church the manifold and mysterious wisedome of God in Christ Eph. 1.17.3.10 Therefore the Spirit was sent in the latter dayes in wind and fire and tongues and earthquake all which have in them a selfe-discovering propertie which will not be hidden Wheras in the time of the Prophets God did not in any such things save onely in a low and still voyce reveale himselfe 1 Kings 19.11 12. Secondly In the subjects unto whom he was sent Before onely upon the inclosed garden of the Iewes did this winde blow but now is the Spirit powred upon all flesh and this heavenly dew falleth not upon the fleece but upon the whole earth And therefore our Savior opposeth Ierusalem and the Spirit Ioh. 4.21 23. Every beleever is of the Israel of God every Christian a Temple of the Holy Ghost no people of the earth secluded But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted no place uncleane but every where pure hands may be lifted up Thirdly In the measure of his grace At first he was sent onely in drops and dew but after he was powred out in showres and abundance Tit. 3.6 and therefore as I have before observed the grace of the Gospell is frequently expressed by the name of Riches to note not onely the pretiousnesse but the plentie thereof in the Church And it is here worth our observation that the Spirit under the Gospell is compared to things of a spreading multiplying and operative nature First To water and that not a little measure to sprinckle or bedew but to Baptize the faithfull in Matth. 3.11 Act. 1.5 and that not in a font or vessell which growes lesse and lesse but in a springing and living river Ioh. 7.39 Now water besides its purging propertie is first of a spreading nature It hath no bounds nor limits to it selfe as firme and solid bodies have but receives its restraint by the vessell or continent which holds it so the Spirit of the Lord is not straightned in himselfe but onely by the narrow hearts of men into which he comes Ye are not straitned saith the Apostle in us that is in that ministerie of grace and dispensation of the Spirit which is committed to us but in your owne bowels which are not in any proportion enlarged unto that abundance and fulnesse of heavenly grace which in the Gospel of salvation is offered unto you Secondly Spring water is a growing and multiplying thing which is the reason why rivers which rise from narrow fountaines have yet by reason of a constant and regular supply a great breadth in remote channels because the water lives Wheras in pits and torrents it groweth lesse and lesse so the graces of the Spirit are living and springing things the longer they continue the larger they grow like the waters of the sanctuary Ezek. 36.25 and the reason is because they come from a fountaine which is all life Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 14.6 Col. 3.4 Thirdly as water multiplies in it selfe so by insinuation and mollification it hath a fructifying vertue in other things Fruitfull trees are planted by the waters side so the Spirit searching and mollifying the heart maketh it fruitfull in holy obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Fourthly water is very strong in its owne streame we see what mighty engines it moveth what huge vessels it rouleth like a ball what walls and bulwarkes it overthrowes so the spirit of God is able to beate downe all strong holds which the wit of man or the malice of Satan can erect against the Church The horses of Egypt are flesh not Spirit saith the Lord not by might nor by power but by my Spirit noting that that which might and created power could not doe the Spirit of the Lord was able to effect And this strength of water serves to carry it as high as its owne spring and levell so the Spirit will never cease to raise the hearts of his people till it carries them up to their fountaine and spring-head in heaven Secondly The Spirit is compared to the rushing of a mighty winde The learned observe that before Christs time God spake unto men in a soft still voyce which they called Bath Koll but after in the time of the Gospell by a mighty wind noting thereby both the Abundance of his Spirit which he would powre out in the latter dayes and the strength thereof as of a rushing winde Though a man have walls of brasse and bars of iron upon his conscience though he set up fortifications of fleshly reason and the very gates of hell to shut out the Spirit of grace yet nothing is able to withstand the power of this mighty rushing winde Who art thou O great mountaine Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine c. Zech. 4.7 No mountaines no difficulties can prevent the power of Gods Spirit He hath strength to pull downe the strongest oppositions and to enable the weakest condition unto the service which he will have done Though there be mountaines betweene Israel and their deliverance yet the blinde and the lame and the woman with childe and her that travelleth with childe together will he strengthen to climbe over the precipices of the highest mountaine Ier. 31.8 Thirdly The Spirit is compared to Fire noting likewise both the multiplying or diffusive property thereof turning every thing into its owne nature and the mighty strength thereof wherby it either cleanseth or consumeth any thing that it meets with If thou art stubble it will devoure thee if stone it will breake if gold it will purge thee The hard heart it can melt and the foule heart it can purifie Lay downe thine heart under the word and yeeld it to the Spirit who is as it were the artificer which doth manage the word he can frame it into a vessel of honour but if thou resist and be stubborne against the Spirit in the word know that it is but the crackling of a leafe in the fire if thou wilt not suffer it to purge thee thou canst not hinder it to torment thee nothing is more comfortable nothing more consuming than fire nothing more comfortable than the light warmth and witnesse of the Spirit nothing more terrible than the conviction condemnation and bondage of the Spirit Now this difference in the measure of the Spirit may be seen in two things First in a greater measure of knowledge They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord Ier. 31.34 And the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Esai 11.9 Our Saviour told his Disciples that all things which he had heard of his Father he had made knowne unto them Ioh. 15.15 and yet a little after he telleth them that many other things he had to say unto them which they could not beare till the Spirit of truth came who should guide them into all truth Ioh. 16.12 13. noting that the Spirit when hee came should enlarge their hearts to a capacity of more heavenly wisedome than they could comprehend before For we may observe before how ignorant they were of many things though they conversed with Christ in the flesh Philip ignorant of the Father Ioh. 14.8 Thomas of the way unto the Father Ioh. 14.5 Peter of the necessity of his sufferings Matth. 16.22 The two Disciples of his resurrection Luk. 24.45 all of them of the quality of his Kingdome Act. 1.6 Thus before the sending of the Holy Ghost the Lord did not require so plentifull knowledge unto salvation as after as in the valuations of money that which was plentie two or three hundred years since is but penurie now Secondly in a greater measure of strength for Spirituall obedience They who before fled from the company of Christ in his sufferings did after rejoyce to be counted worthy of suffring shame for his name or as the elegancie of the originall words import to be dignified with that dishonor of Christians Act. 5.41 For suffering of persecution for Christ and the triall of faith by diverse temptations is in the Scriptures reckoned up amongst the gifts and hundred fold compensations of God to his people Mark 10.30 Phil. 1.29 Heb. 11.26 Iam. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.6 7. No man saith our Saviour putteth new wine into old bottles that is exacteth rigid and heavie services of weake and unqualified Disciples and therefore my Disciples fast not while I am amongst them in the flesh But the dayes will come when I shall be taken from them in body and shall send them my holy Spirit to strengthen and prepare them for hard service and then they shall fast and performe those parts of more difficult obedience unto me Matth. 9.15 17. Now farther touching this sending of the Holy Spirit which together with Christs intercession was one of the principall ends of his ascending up unto the right hand of power it may be here demanded why the Holy Spirit was not before this exaltation of Christ sent forth in such abundance upon the Church The maine reason wherof next unto the purpose and decree of God into which all the acts of his wil are to be resolv'd Eph. 1.11 is given by our Savior Ioh. 14.16 Ioh. 16.7 Because he was to supply the corporall absence of Christ and to be another comforter to the Church Of which Office of the Spirit because it was one of the maine ends of his mission and that one of the chiefe workes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand I shall here without any unprofitable or impertinent digression speake a little First then the Spirit is a comforter because an Advocate to his people for so much the word signifies and is else where rendered 1 Ioh. 2.1 Now he is called another comforter or Advocate to note the difference betweene Christ and the Spirit in this particular There is then an Advocate by Office when one person takes upon himselfe the cause of another and in his name pleads it Thus Christ by the Office of his Mediation and intercession is an Advocate for his Church and doth in his owne person in heaven apply his merits and further the cause of our salvation with his Father There is likewise an Advocate by energie and operation by instruction and assistance which is not when a worke is done by one person in the behalfe of another but when one by his counsell inspiration and assistance enableth another to manage his owne businesse and to plead his owne cause And such an Advocate the Spirit is who doth not intercede nor appeare before God in person for us as Christ doth but maketh interpellation for men in and by themselves giving them an accesse unto the Father emboldning them in their feares and helping them in their infirmities when they know not what to pray Eph. 2.18 Heb. 10.15.19 Rom. 8.26 Eph. 3.16 First then the Spirit as our Advocate justifieth our persons and pleadeth our causes against the accusations of our spirituall enemies For as Christ is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods justice to plead our cause against the severitie of his Law and that most Righteous and undeniable charge of sinne which he layeth upon us so the Holy Spirit is our Advocate at the tribunall of Gods mercie enabling us there to cleere our selves against the temptations and murtherous assaults of our Spirituall enemies The world accuseth us by false and slanderous calumniations laying to our charge things which we never did the Spirit in this case maketh us not onely plead our innocencie but to rejoyce in our fellowship with the Prophets which were before us to esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world to count our selves happy in this that it is not such low markes as we are which the malice of the world aimeth at but the Spirit of glory and of God which resteth upon us who is on their part evill spoken of 1 Pet. 4.14 Satan that grand accuser of the brethren doth not onely load my sinnes upon my conscience but further endeavoreth to exclude me from the benefit of Christ by charging me with impenitencie and unbeliefe But here the Spirit enableth me to cleere my selfe against the Father of lies It is true indeed I have a naughty flesh the seeds of all mischiefe in my nature but the first means which brought me hereunto was the beleeving of thy lies and therefore I will no longer entertaine thy hellish reasonings against mine owne peace I have a Spirit which teacheth me to bewaile the frowardnesse of mine owne heart to denie mine owne will workes to long and aspire after perfection in Christ to adhere with delight and purpose of heart unto his Law to lay hold with all my strength upon that plaâ—ck of salvation which in this shipwrack of my soule is cast out unto me These affections of my heart come not from the earthly Adam for whatsoever is earthly is sensuall and devillish too And if they be holy and heavenly I will not beleeve that God will put any thing of heaven into a vessell of Hell Sure I am he that died for me when I did not desire him will in no wise cast me away when I come unto him He that hath given me a will to love his service and to leane upon his promises will in mercy accept the will for the deed and in due time accomplish the worke of holinesse which he hath begun Thus the Spirit like an Advocate secureth his clients title against the
they but have an exemption from his spirituall government and a dispensation to live according to their owne lusts stil no man should be more greedily desirous As Sampson met the Lion as an enemie when hee was alive but after he was slaine he went unto him as to a table there was onely terrour while he lived but honey when hee was dead so doubtlesse many men to whom the bodily presence of Christ and the mighty power and penetration of his heavenly preaching whereby hee smote sinners unto the ground and spake with such authoritie as never man spake would have beene unsufferably irkesome and full of terrour as it was unto the Scribes and Pharisees can yet now that he is out of their sight and doth not in person but onely by those who are his witnesses torment the inhabitants of the earth pretend much admiration and thankfull remembrance of that death of his which was so full of hony for all that come unto him for as particular dependencies and expectations may make a man flatter and adore the greatnesse of some living Potentate whose very image notwithstanding the same man doth professedly abominate in other tyrants of the world who are dead or upon whom he hath not the same ends so the selfe-same reason may make men in hypocriticall expressions flatter fawne upon Christ himselfe who is absent and yet hate with a perfect hatred the very image of his Spirit in the power of his Word and in the lives of his people The very Scribes and Pharisees who blasphemed his Spirit and contrived his death could yet be contented to be gainers thereby for see they confesse It is expedient for us that one die for the people Lastly a false love to Christ may be grounded upon a false conceit of love to his ordinances For as it is certaine that he who loves the Word and worship of Christ as his doth love him too who is the Author of them so it is certaine likewise that that love which is sometimes pretended unto them may indeed in them fix upon nothing but accidentall and by-respects This people saith the Lord to his Prophet come and sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Here is love in pretence but falshood in the heart what then was it which in the Prophet they did thus love That presently followes Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument Ezek. 33.31 32. that is it is not my will which in thy ministery they at all regard but onely those circumstantiall ornaments of gracefull action and elocution which they attend with just alike proportion of sensuall delight as an eare doth the harmony of a well tuned instrument for as a man may be much affected with the picture of his enemie if drawne by a skilfull hand and yet therein love nothing of the person but only the cunning of the workman who drew the peece So a man who hates the life and Spirit of the Word of God it selfe as being diametrically contrary to that spirit of lust and of the world which rules in him may yet be so wonderfully taken with that dexteritie of wit or delicacie of expression or variety of learning or sweetnesse of speech and action or whatsoever other perfection of nature or industry in the dispencers of that Word are most sutable to his naturall affections as that he may from thence easily cheat his owne conscience and ground a misperswasion of his love to Gods Word which yet indeed admireth nothing but the perfections of a man Nay suppose he meete not with such lenocinia to entice his affection yet the very pacification of the conscience which by a notorious neglect of Gods ordinances would haply be disquieted or the credit of bearing conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and the established service of God in his Church or some other the like sinister respect may hold a man to such an externall faire correspondence as by a deceitfull heart may easily be misconstrued a love of Gods ordinances Nay further a man may externally glory in the priviledge of Gods oracles hee may distinctly beleeve and subscribe to the truth of them he may therin heare many things gladly and escape many pollutions of the world and yet here hence conclude no cleerer evidence of his love to Christ in his word than the unbeleeving Iews or Herod or Ahab or Simon Magus or the foolish Virgins and apostates all which have attained to some of these degrees could have done For the cleering then of this great case touching the evidence of a mans love to Christ wee must first know that this is not a flower of our owne garden for every man by nature is an enemie to Christ and his Kingdome of the Iews minde wee will not have this man to raigne over us and the reason is because the image of the old Adam which we beare is extremely contrary to the heavenly image of the second Adam unto which wee are not borne but must bee renewed And this is certaine our love is according to our likenesse he who hath not the nature and Spirit of Christ can never love him or move towards him For love is like fire congregat homogenea it carrieth things of a nature to one another Our love then unto Christ must bee of a spirituall generation and it is grounded upon two causes First upon the Proportion which is in him unto all our desires or capacities upon the evidence of that unsearchable and bottomlesse goodnesse which is in him which makes him the fairest often thousand even altogether lovely For that heart which hath a spirituall view of Christ will bee able by faith to observe more dimensions of love and sweetnesse in him than the knowledge of any creature is able to measure In all worldly things though of never so curious and delicate an extraction yet still even those hearts which swimme in them and glut upon them can easily discover more dregs than Spirits nothing was ever so exactly fitted to the soule of man wherein there was not some defect or excesse something which the heart could wish were away or something which it could desire were tempered with it But in Christ and his kingdome there is nothing unlovely For as in man the all that is is full of corruption so in Christ the all that hee is is nothing but perfection His fulnesse is the center and treasure of the soule of man and therefore that love which is therupon grounded must needs be in the soule as an universall habit and principle to facilitate every service whereby we move unto this center for love is the weight or spring of the soule which sets every facultie on worke neither are any of those commandments grievous which are obeyed in Love
of our progresse in brotherly love is punctually answerable to the growth of our love to Christ. Secondly a true grounded love unto Christ will shew it selfe in the right manner or conditions of it Which are principally these three First it must bee an incorrupt and sincere love Grace bee upon all those that love the Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in incorruption or sincerity saith the Apostle Eph. 6.24 that is on those who love not in word or outward profession and stipulation onely but in deed and truth or in the permanent constitution of the inner man which moveth them to love him alwayes and in all things to hate every false way to set the whole heart the studie purpose prayer and all the activity of our Spirits against every corruption in us which standeth at enmity with him and his Kingdome Secondly it must be a principall and superlative love grounded upon the experience of the soule in it selfe that there is ten thousand times more beautie and amiablenesse in him than in all the honours pleasures profits satisfactions which the world can afford that in comparison or competition with him the dearest things of this world the parents of our body the children of our flesh the wife of our bosome the bloud in our veines the heart in our brest must not onely be laid downe and lost as sacrifices but hated as snares when they draw us away from him Thirdly it must bee an unshared and uncommunicable love without any corrivals for Christ as he is unto us all in all so he requireth to have all our affections fixed upon him As the rising of the Sunne drowneth all those innumerable Starres which did shine in the firmament before so must the beauty of this Sunne of righteousnesse blot out or else gather together unto it selfe all those scattered affections of the soule which were before cast away upon meaner objects Lastly true love unto Christ will shew it selfe in the naturall and genuine effects of so strong and spirituall a grace some of the principall I before named unto which we may adde First An universall cheerefull and constant obedience to his holy Commandements If a man saith Christ love me he will keepe my Commandements and my Father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him Iob. 14.24 There is a twofold love a love which descends and a love which ascends a love of Bounty and beneficence and a love of Dutie and service so then as a father doth then only in truth love his childe when with all care he provideth for his present education and future subsistence so a childe doth then truly love his father when with all reverence and submission of heart he studieth to please and to doe him service And this love if it be free and ingenuous by how much the more not only pure and equall in it selfe but also profitable unto him the commandement is by so much the more carefully will it endevour the observation thereof And therefore since the soule of a Christian knowes that as God himselfe is good and doth good so his Law which is nothing but a ray and glimpse of his owne holinesse is likewise good in it selfe and doth good unto those which walke uprightly it is hereby enflamed to a more sweet and serious obedience thereunto in the keeping whereof there is for the present so much sweetnesse and in the future so great a reward Thy Word saith the Psalmist is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Secondly A free willing and cheerefull suffering for him and his Gospell Vnto you saith the Apostle it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 We see how far a humane love either of their countrey or of vain-glory hath transported some heathen men to the devoting and casting away their owne lives How much more should a spirituall love of Christ put courage into us to beare all things and to endure all things as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 13.7 for him who bare our sinnes and our stripes and our burdens for us which were heavier than all the world could lay on And this was the inducement of that holy martyr Polycarp to die for Christ notwithstanding all the perswasions of the persecutors who by his apostacie would faine have cast the more dishonour upon Christian Religion and as it were by sparing him have the more cunningly persecuted that This eightie six yeares saith he I have served him and he never in all that time hath done me any hurt why should I be so ungratefull as not to trust him in death who in so long a life hath never forsaken me I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. Nothing able to turne away his love from us and therefore nothing should be able to quench our loue to him Many waters that is by the usuall expression of the holy Scriptures many afflictions persecutions temptations cannot quench love neither can the flouds drowne it Cant. 8.7 Thirdly A zeale and jealous contention for the glory truth worship and wayes of Christ wicked men pretend much love to Christ but they indeed serve onely their owne turnes as Ivie which claspes an Oake very close but only to sucke out sap for its owne leaves and berries but a true love is full of care to advance the glory of Christs kingdome and to promote his truth and worship feares lest Satan and his instruments should by any meanes corrupt his truth or violate his Church as the Apostle to the Galatians professeth the feare which his love wrought in him towards them I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine Gal. 4 11-16 So we finde what contention and disputation and strife of spirit the Apostles and others in their ministery used when Christ and his holy Gospell was any way either injured by false brethren or kept out by the idolatry of the places to which they came Act. 15.2 Act. 17.16 Act. 18.25 19.8 Gal. 2.4 5. Iude v. 2. Lastly A longing after his presence a love of his appearing a desire to be with him which is best of all a seeking after him and grieving for him when for any while he departs from the soule a waiting for his salvation a delight in his Communion and in his spirituall refreshments a communing with him in his secret chamber in his houses of wine and in his galleries of love By which lovely expressions the Wise-man hath described the fellowship which the Church desireth to have with Christ and that abiding and supping of Christ with his Church feasting the soule with the manifestations of himselfe and
his graces unto it Psalm 42.3 105.4 2 Cor. 5.2 2 Tim. 4.8 Phil. 1.23 Cant. 3.1 2. Cant. 5 6-8 Gen. 49.18 Psal. 119.131 Cant. 1.4 2.4 Cant. 7.5 Ion. 14 21-23 Revel 3.20 Having thus by occasion of the enemies of Christ spoken something of the true and false Love which is in the world towards him we now proceed to the particulars mentioned before And the first is the terme of Duration or measure of time in the Text Vntill It hath a double relation in the words unto Christs Kingdome and unto his Enemies As it looks to the kingdome of Christ it denotes both the Continuance and the Limitation of his kingdome The continuance of it in his owne person for it is there fixed and intransient He is a King without successours as being subject to no mortality nor defect which might be by them supplied The kingdome of Christ as I observed is either Naturall as he is God or Dispensatory and by Donation from the Father as he is Mediator and not onely of the former but even of this likewise the Scripture affirmes that it is Eternall It is a kingdome set up by the God of heaven and yet it shall never be destroyed but stand for ever Dan. 2.44 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion that notes the unction and donation Psalm 2.6 and in mount Sion where God hath set him hee shall reigne from henceforth even for ever Mic. 4.7 Though hee be a childe borne and a sonne given yet of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and justice from henceforth for ever and ever Esay 9.6 7. unto the Sonne hee saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Heb. 1.8 And here wee must distinguish betweene the substance of Christs kingdome and the forme or manner of administring and dispencing it In the former respect it is absolutely eternall Christ shall bee a head and rewarder of his members an everlasting Father a Prince of peace unto them for ever In the latter respect it shall be Eternall according to some acception that is it shall remaine untill the consummation of all things as long as there is a Church of God upon the earth there shall be no new way of spirituall and essentiall government prescribed unto it no other Vicar Successour Monarch or Vsurper upon his office by God allowed but he onely by his Spirit in the dispensation of his ordinances shall order and over-rule the consciences of his people and subdue their enemies yet he shall so reigne till then as that hee shall then cease to rule in such manner as now hee doth when the end comes hee shall deliver up the kingdome to God the Father and when all things shall be subdued unto him he also himselfe shall be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15 24-28 He shall so returne it unto God as God did conferre and as it were appropriate it unto him namely in regard of judiciary dispensation and execution in which respect our Saviour saith that as touching the present administration of the Church The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement and hath given authority to execute it unto his Sonne Ioh. 4.22 27. Now Christ governeth his Church by the ministery of his Word and Sacraments and by the effusion of his Spirit in measure and degrees upon his members by his mightie though secret power he fighteth with his enemies and so shall doe till the resurrection of the dead when death the last enemie shal be overcome and then in these respects his kingdome shall cease for he shall no more exercise the offices of a Mediator in compassionating defending interceding for his Church but yet he shall still sit and reigne for ever as God coequall with his Father and shall ever be the Head of the Church his body Thus we see though Christs kingdome in regard of the manner of dispensation and present execution thereof it be limited by the consummation of all things yet in it selfe it is a kingdom which hath neither within the seeds of mortality nor without the danger of a concussion but in the substance is immortall though in regard of the commission and power which Christ had as Mediator to administer it alone by himselfe and by the fulnesse of his Spirit it be at last voluntarily resigned into the hands of the Father and Christ as a part of that great Church become subject to the Father that God may bee all in all Now the grounds of the Constancy of Christs government over his Church and by consequence of the Church it selfe which is his kingdome are amongst others these First the Decree and promise of God sealed by an oath which made it an adamantine and unbended purpose which the Lord would never repent of nor reverse All Gods Counsels are immutable though he may alter his workes yet he doth never change his will but when he sealeth his Decree with an oath that makes their immutability past question or suspition In that case it is impossible for God to change because it is impossible for God to lye or deny himselfe Hebr. 6.18 Now upon such a Decree is the Kingdome of Heaven established Once have I sworne by my Holinesse that I will not lye unto David saith the Lord Psal. 89.35 Once that notes the constancie and fixednesse of Gods promise By my Holinesse that notes the inviolablenesse of his promise as if he should have said Let me no longer be esteemed an Holy God than I keepe immutably that Covenant which I have sworne unto David in my truth Secondly the free gift of God unto his Sonne Christ whereby he committed all power and judgement unto him And Power is a strong argument to prove the Stability of a kingdome especially if it bee on either side supported with wisedome and righteousnesse as the power of Christ is And therefore from his power hee argues for the perpetuitie of his Church to the end of the world All power is given mee in heaven and earth Goe yee therefore and preach the Gospell to all nations and loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Matth. 28 18-20 And the argument is very strong and emphaticall for though kingdomes of great power have beene and may be subdued yet the reason is because much power hath still remained in the adverse side or if they have beene too vast for any smaller people to root out yet having not either wisdome enough to actuate so huge a frame or righteousnesse to prevent or purge out those vitious humours of emulation sedition luxury injustice violence and impietie which like strong diseases in a body are in states the preparations and seminaries of mortalitie they have sunke under their owne weight and beene inwardly corrupted by their
when the day is come wherein he will bee patient towards them no longer The Prophet giveth three excellent reasons hereof in one verse Esai 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King hee will save us Hee is our Judge and therefore certainely when the day of triall is come hee will plead our cause against our adversaries and will condemne them Mich. 7.9 But a Judge cannot doe what pleaseth himselfe but is bound to his rule and proceedeth according to establish'd lawes Therefore he is our Lawgiver likewise and therefore hee may himselfe appoint Lawes according to his owne will but when the Will of the Judge and the Rule of the Law doe both consent in the punishing of offendors yet then still the King hath a liberty of mercy and hee may pardon those whom the Law and the Judge have condemned But Christ who shall judge the enemies of his Church according to the Law which himselfe hath made is himselfe the King and therefore when he revengeth there is none besides nor above him to pardon So at that day there shall bee a full manifestation of the Kingdome of Christ none of his enemies shall moue the wing or open the mouth or peepe against him The second thing formerly proposed in this latter part of the verse was The Author of subduing Christs enemies under his feet I the Lord. Wicked men will never submit themselves to Christs Kingdome but stand out in opposition against him in his Word and wayes When Gods hand is lifted up in the dispensation of his Word and threatnings against sin men will not see Esai 26.11 And therefore he saith My spirit shall not alwayes strive with men to note that men would of themselves alwayes strive with the spirit and never yeeld nor submit to Christ. Though the patience and goodnesse of God should lead them to repentance and forewarne them to flye from the wrath to come yet they after their hardnesse and impenitent heart do hereby treasure up against themselves the more wrath and because judgement is not speedily executed their heart is wholly set in them to doe mischiefe Let favour saith the Prophet be shewed unto a wicked man yet will he not learne righteousnesse in the land of uprightnesse will he deale unjustly and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. Certainely if a wicked man could bee rescued out of hell it selfe and brought backe into the possibilities of mercie againe yet would he in a second life flie out against God and while he had time take his fill of lusts againe We see Clay will but grow harder by the fire and that metall which melted in the Fornace being taken thence will returne to its wonted solidity When Pharaoh saw that the raine and the haile and the thunders were ceased though in the time of them he was like melted metall and did acknowledge the righteousnesse of God and his owne sinne and make strong promises that Israel should goe yet then he sinned more and hardened his heart he and his servants and would not let the children of Israel goe Doe wee not see men sometimes cast on a bed of sickenesse brought to the very brinke of hell and to the smell of that sulphurie lake when by Gods wonderfull patience they are snatch'd like a brand out of the fire and have recover'd a little strength to provoke the Lord againe when they should now set themselves to make good those hypocriticall resolutions of amendement of life wherewith in their extremity they flattered God and deceived themselves suddenly breake forth into more filthinesse than before as if they meant now to be revenged of God and to fetch backe that time which sickenesse tooke from them by an extremity of sinning as if they had made a Covenant with hell to doe it more service if they might then be spared All the favours and methods which God useth are not enough to bring wicked men home unto him of their owne wils Though I redeemed them saith the Lord yet have they spoken lyes against me they have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hosts So many judgements did the Lord send upon Israel in the necke of one another and yet still the burden of the Prophet is Yet have you not returned unto me saith the Lord. Damme up the passage of a river and use all the Art that may be to over-rule it yet you can never carry it backward in its owne channell you may cut it out into other courses and diverticles but no Art can drive it unto a contrary motion and make it retire into its owne fountaine So though wicked men may haply by divers reasons which their lusts will admit be so farre wrought upon as to change their courses yet it is impossible to change themselves or to turne them quite out of their owne way into the way of Christ. There is but a bivium in the world a way of life and a way of death and the Lord in the Ministery of the Word gives us our option I have set before you this day life and death blessing and cursing and hee that beleeveth shall be saved hee that beleeveth not shall be damned To the former he invites beseecheth enticeth us with promises with oathes with engagements with prevention of any just objection which might be made We beseech you saith the Apostle in Christs stead that you be reconciled unto God From the other he deterres us by forewarning us of the wrath to come and of the period which death will put to our lusts with our lives And as Tertullian once spake of the Oath of God so may I of his entreaties and threatnings O blessed men whom the Lord himselfe is pleased to sollicite and entice unto happinesse but O miserable men they who will not beleeve nor accept of Gods owne entreaties And yet thus miserable are we all by nature There is in men so much atheisme infidelity and distrust of Gods Word so close an adherencie of lust unto the soule that it rather chooseth to runne the hazzard and to goe to hell entire than to goe halt and maimed unto heaven yea to make God a liar to blesse themselves in their sinnes when he curseth and to judge of him by themselves as if he tooke no notice of their wayes It is not therefore without just cause that God so often threatneth to remember all the sinnes of wicked men and to doe against them whatsoever he hath spoken Wee see then that men will never submit themselves unto the Scepter of Christ nor prevent the wrath to come by a voluntary subjection It remaines therefore that God take the worke into his owne hands and put them perforce under Christs feete They will not submit to his kingdome of grace and mercy they will not
the land of Canaan which was a type of Christs Church which he should conquer unto himselfe if any people accepted of the peace which they were first to proclaime they were to become tributaries and servants unto Israel So it is said of Salomon whose peaceable kingdome was a type of Christs after his many victories that he bond-service upon all the nations about Israel and that those princes with whom he held correspondence brought unto him presents as testimonies of his greatnesse and wisedome So when the wise men the first fruits of the Gentiles after Christ exhibited came to submit unto his kingdome they opened their treasure and presented him with gifts gold frankincense and myrrh Againe Monetarum leges valores the authorizing and valuations of publike coines belong unto the prince onely it is his image and inscription alone which maketh them currant Even so unto Christ onely doth belong the power of stamping and creating as it were new ordinances in his Church nothing is with God nor should be currant with us which hath not his image or expresse authority upon it Neither can any man falsify or corrupt any constitution of his without notable contempt against his royall prerogative Againe Iudicium or potestas judiciaria a power of judging the persons and causes of men is a peculiar royalty the administration whereof is from the prince as the fountaine of all humane equitie under God deposited in the hands of inferiour officers who are as it were the mouth of the prince to publish the lawes and to execute those acts of justice and peace which principally belong to his owne sacred breast And so Christ saith of himselfe The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne and hath given him authority to execute judgement Againe Ius vitae necis A power to pardon condemned persons and deliver them from the terrour of the Lawes sentence is a transcendent mercie a gemme which can shine only from the diadems of Princes Now unto Christ likewise belongeth in his Church a power to forgive sinnes it is the most sacred roialty of this prince of peace not onely to suspend but for ever to revoke and as it were annihilate the sentence of malediction under which every man is borne There are likewise Ornamenta Regia regall Ornaments a Crowne a Throne a Scepter and the like Thus we finde the Romanes were wont to send to those forraine kings with whom they were in league as testimonies and confirmations of their dignity scipionem eburneum togam pictam sellam curulem an ivorie scepter a roiall robe and a chaire of state And the like honours wee finde in the Scriptures belonging unto Christ that hee was crowned with glory and honour and that hee had a Throne and righteous scepter belonging to his kingdome Thus we have seene in severall particulars how Christ hath his Royalties belonging to his kingdome Some principall of them we finde in this place A throne a scepter ambassadours armies for the right dispensing of his sacred power We will first consider the words and then raise such observations as shall offer themselves First what is meant by the Rod of Christs Strength or his Strong Rod It notes a thing which a man may leane upon or lay the whole weight of his body on in his wearinesse But being spoken of Christs kingdome wee take it for a scepter or rod of majestie I will not hold you with the variety of acceptions in Expositors Some take it for the branch that groweth out of that roote of Iesse Some for the wood of the crosse Some for the body of Christ borne of a Virgin Some for the kingdome of Christs power taking the signe for the thing signified Some for the power of his mightie workes and preaching That of the body and of the crosse of Christ except by them wee understand the vertue of Christ crucified I conceive to be not so pertinent to the purpose of the Prophet The rest agree in one But for the more distinct understanding of the words wee may consider out of the holy Scriptures what things were sent out of Sion And we finde there two things First the word of the Lord or his holy Gospell The Law shall proceed out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Mic. 4.2 Secondly the spirit of the Lord which was first sent unto Sion for at Hierusalem the Apostles were to wait for the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 and from thence was shed abroad into the world upon al flesh Act. 2.17 and both these are the power or strength of Christ. His word a Gospell of power unto salvation Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 4.7.10.4 and his spirit a spirit of power 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Tim. 1.7 which is therefore called the finger and the arme of the Lord Luk. 11.20 Matt. 12.28 Esai 53.1 so by the Rod is meant the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Secondly what is meant by Gods sending this Rod of Christs strength It notes the manifestation of the Gospell we knew it not before it was sent The donation of the Gospell we had it not before it was sent the invitations of the Gospell we were without God in the world and strangers from the Covenant of promise before it was sent The Commission of the Dispensers of the Gospell they have their patent from heaven they are not to speake untill they be sent Thirdly what is meant by sending it out of Sion It is put in Opposition to mount Sina from whence the Law was sometimes sent with thunders and fire and much terrour unto the people of Israel Ye are not come saith the Apostle unto the mount that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest c. but yee are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant c. Heb. 12.18.24 and the Apostle elsewhere sheweth us the meaning of this Allegoricall opposition betweene Sina and Sion betweene Sarah and Hagar namely the two covenants of the Law and of Grace or of bondage and liberty Gal. 4.24 25. Sion was the place whither the tribes resorted to worship the Lord the place towards which that people praied the place of Gods mercifull residence amongst them the beauty of holines the place upon which first the gift of the holy Ghost was powred forth and in which the Gospell was first of all preached after Christs Ascension We may take it by a Synechdoche for the whole Church of the Jewes unto whom the Lord first revealed his Covenant of Grace in Christ Act. 3.26 Act. 13.46 Rom. 2.10 Rule Thou that is Thou shalt rule which is a usuall forme to put the Imperative for the future Indicative It is not a command which hath relation unto any service but it is a promise a commission a dignity conferred
upon Christ. In the midst of thine enemies Some understand it of changing the hearts of his enemies and converting them as captives unto his obedience Other understand the wonderfull effect of the power of Christs kingdome that he can by his Word and Spirit hold up his Church in despight of all the enemies thereof round about The Church ever was and will be pester'd with divers kindes of adversaries heretikes and hypocrites and false brethren with profanenesse temptations persecutions spirituall wickednesses and in the midst of all these the Church of Christ groweth as a Lily amongst the thornes Now this In medio noteth two things Dominium plenum and dominium securum A perfect and full governement without mutilation without impediment the Church being amongst the wicked as a rocke in the midst of the sea or as a garrison in an enemies towne Media dominantur in urbe is an expression of such a rule as can no way be hindered or removed The Church of God is a burdensome stone they who goe about to remove it out of that place where Christ will plant it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth should gather together against it Zech. 12.3 A secure and confident governement so in the Scripture phrase In the midst notes confidence and security When the Prophet asked the Shunamite would'st thou be spoken for to the king or to the Captaine of the host she answered I dwell amongst mine owne people that is I am safe and have enough already 2 King 4.13 When they of the Synagogue would have cast Christ downe head-long from the brow of a hill it is said that he passed through the midst of them and went his way that is with much confidence safety and assurance he withdrew himselfe Luk. 4.29 30. As the Prophet was full of security and quietnesse in the midst of the Syrian siege 2 King 6 14-16 The words being thus unfolded wee may observe in them Three of Christs principall Regalities Sceptrum Solium and Imperium The Scepter the Throne and the Power or governement of his kingdome His Scepter is the Word of his Gospell animated by the Power of his holy Spirit and accompanied with the blessing and authority of God the Father who sendeth it abroad into the world His Throne from whence this his Scepter is extended Sion the Church of the Jewes His victorious plenarie and secure governement Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies First the Scepter here is the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ. Christ is a Shepheard towards his Flocke the Church Esai 40.11 A great Shepheard Heb. 13.20 that notes his Power and Majesty over them and a good Shepheard Ioh. 10.14 that notes his care and tendernesse towards his Sheepe Kings in the Scripture are called Shepheards to lead and to feed and to govern the people So David is said to have beene taken from the sheepfolds to feed Iacob and Israel Psal. 78.71 2 Sam. 5.2 and thus Christ is a Shepheard and a King I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feede them Even my servant David I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Ezek. 34.23 24. Prophets Teachers are in the Scripture likewise called Shepherds Ier. 23.1 4. and so Christ is a Shepheard and a Bishop Ye were as sheepe going astray but now ye are returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules 1 Pet. 2.25 And therefore wee finde in the Scripture that Christ hath two pastorall staves to note his great care and double office in his Church The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want I will feare no evill for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal. 23.4 I tooke unto me two staves the one I called Beauty and the other I called Bands and I fed the flocke Zech. 11.7 So then the Rod of Christs strength or his strong staffe doth in these severall relations note unto us three things As it is a staffe of strength so it notes the power of Christ. As it is the Scepter of a King so it notes the majestie of Christ. As it is the staffe of a Bishop or Prophet so it notes the care and superintendencie of Christ over his Church So then this first particular of the Rod of Christs kingdome affoords unto us three observations First that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of power and strength towards the Church Secondly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of Glory and Majesty towards his Church Thirdly that Christ in his Gospell and Spirit is full of care and of tendernesse towards his Church First the words of the Gospell with the spirit is full of power and strength No man will denie that Christ in his owne person is full of power And as the power of a Prince is principally seene in his lawes edicts pardons and gratious patents so is the power of Christ wonderfully magnified towards the Church in his Gospell which unto us is both a Covenant of mercy and a Law of obedience We may observe how Christ is frequently pleased to honor his Gospell with his owne titles and attributes And therefore the Apostle speakes of him and his word as of one and the same thing The word of God is quicke and powerfull a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe That which is the word in one verse is Christ himselfe in another which hath given occasion to some learned men without any constraining reason as I conceive to take the Word there for the essentiall Word of God or the person of Christ himselfe to whom I thinke that appellation is not given by any of the sacred Writers but onely by his beloved Disciple Saint Iohn We know that Christ was crucified at Jerusalem and yet the Apostle saith that he was crucified amongst the Galatians Certainely in that he died he died but once unto sin S. Paul could not doe that himselfe which he curseth others for doing Crucifie againe the Lord of Glory So then at Jerusalem he was crucified in his person and at Galatia in the ministery of his Word One and the same crucifying was as lively set forth in Saint Pauls preaching as it was really acted upon Christs person for Christ is as really present to his Church now in the spirituall dispensation of his ordinances as hee was corporally present with the Jewes in the dayes of his flesh And therefore I say it is that we finde the same attributes given to both Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God and the Gospell else-where the Power of God and the wisdome of God in a mystery to them that are perfect Againe Christ the Lord of glory and the Gospell the Gospell of
soule did before shelter whole flocks of evill affections when hee came out the tide was driven back the streame turned the center of his heart altered his forrest discovered his lusts scattered and subdued What ailes this man Hee hath but heard an houres discourse the same which others heare and their tide riseth the higher by it Certainly these Devils were not cast out these streames were not turned back but by the finger of God himselfe When the minister of Christ shall whisper in the ears of a dead man whom no thunder could have awakened and hee shall immediatly rise up and give glory to God when Christ shall call men to denie themselves to get above themselves to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and their owne life to sell all that they have to crucifie and be cruell to their owne members to pull out their right eyes to cut off their right hands to part from those sinnes which before they esteemed their choicest ornaments and from those too which before they made their chiefest support and subsistence to stand at defiance with the allurements or discouragements of the world to bee set up for signes and wonders for very proverbs of skorne and objects of hatred to those of their owne house to receive persecutions as rewards and entertaine them not with patience onely but with thankfulnesse and rejoicing to bee all their life long in the midst of enemies put to tedious conflicts with the powers of the world and of darknesse to beleeve things which they have not seen and to hope for things which they doe not know and yet maugre all this to refuse to consult with flesh and bloud to stand still more in awe of Gods word than of any other thing certainly that which with the voice of a weake man bringeth such great things to passe must needs bee Virga virtutis a Rod of strength A Rod like the Rod of Moses which can lead us through such seas as these to one whom wee have never seen nor knowen before Esai 55.5 Secondly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the justification of men as it is Sceptrum Iustitiae a Scepter of Righteousnesse a word of reconciliation a Gospell of salvation a Law of the Spirit of life a ministration of the Spirit of life and of Righteousnesse an opening of prisons and a proclaiming of liberty unto captives in these respects likewise it is full of power There was a mighty power in the Law of God typified in those thundrings and terrors with which it was administred upon mount Sina the Apostle calleth it a Schoolmaster to scourge and drive us unto Christ and the Psalmist an iron Rod able to breake in pieces all the potsherds of the earth And we know boies in a Schoole doe not apprehend so much terror in the King as in their Master Yet in comparison of the Power of the Gospell the Law it selfe was very weake and unprofitable able to make nothing perfect The Power of the Law was onely to destruction the Power of the Gospell for edification The Law could onely hold under him that was downe before it could never raise him up againe Now the power is farre greater to raise than to kill to forgive sinnes than to bind them Herein is the mighty strength of Gods mercy seen that it can passe by iniquities transgressions and sinnes To preach the Gospell of Christ in his name and authority is an evident argument of that plenary power which is given unto him both in heaven and earth And the very dispensing of this word of reconciliation which is committed unto the Ministers of the Gospell how basely soever the ungratefull world may esteeme of them hath honored them with a title of as great power as a man is capable of to bee called Saviors to have the custodie of the keyes of heaven ministerially and instrumentally under Christ and his Spirit to save the soules and to cover the sinnes of men Now then that word which from the mouth of a weake man is able to reconcile a child of wrath unto God and by the words of one houre to cover and wipe out the sinnes of many yeares which were scattered as thick in the soules of men as the starres in the firmament must needs bee virga virtutis a Rod of strength Thirdly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the sanctification of men as it is Sceptrum cum unctione a Scepter which hath ever an unction accompanying it As it is a Sanctifying Truth an heavenly teaching a forming of Christ in the soule a making of the heart as it were his Epistle by writing the Law therein and manifesting the power and image of Christ in the conscience If a man should touch a marble or adamant stone with a seale and taking it off should see the print of it left behinde hee could not but conceive some wonderfull and secret vertue to have wrought so strange an effect Now our hearts are of themselves as hard as the nether milstone when then a holy word so meekly and gently laid on upon them shall leave there an impression of its own puritie when so small a thing as a graine of mustard-seed shall transforme an earthy soule into its owne nature when the eyes and hands and mouth of Christ being in the ministerie of his word spread upon the eyes and hands and mouth of a Childe shall revive the same from death when by looking into a glasse wee shall not onely have a view of our owne faces but shall see them changed into the image of another face which from thence shineth upon us how can wee but conclude that certainly that word by which such wonders as these are effected is indeed virga virtutis a Rod of strength Fourthly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in the Perservation and Perseverance of the Saints as it is Virga germinans a Rod like Aarons Rod which blossomed and the blossomes perished not but remained in the Ark for a Testimony of Gods power For as those buds or the Manna in the Ark did not perish so neither doth the word of the Gospell in the hearts of the faithfull The Apostle saith that wee are kept by the power of God unto salvation and S. Iude that Gods power keepeth the Saints from falling and presenteth them faultlesse before the presence of his glory and what is this power of God whereby hee doth it but the Gospell of Christ which S. Peter calleth semen incorruptibile uncorruptible seed and the Spirit of Christ which S. Iohn calleth semen manens an abiding seed If I should see a tree with perpetuall fruit without any variation from the difference of seasons a tree like that in S. Iohns Paradise which every moneth did bring forth fruite of twelve severall kindes I should conclude that it had an extraordinary vitall power in it so
when I finde Christ in his word promising and by the planting and watering of his Laborers in the vineyard making good that promise unto his Church That every branch bringing forth fruit in him shall not onely bee as Aarons Rod have his fruit preserved upon him but shall bring forth more fruit and shall have life more abundantly how can I but conclude that that word which is the Instrument of so unperishable a condition is indeed Virga virtutis a Rod of strength a Rod cut out of the tree of life it selfe Fifthly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in comforting and supporting of the faithfull as it is Virga pulchritudinis colligationis a Rod of Beauty and of Binding as it is a word which doth binde that which was broken and give unto them which mourne in Sion beauty for ashes and the garment of praise for the Spirit of heavinesse as it quencheth all the firie darts and answereth all the bloudy reasonings of Satan against the soule as it is a staffe which giveth comfort and subsistence in the very vallie of the shadow of death The shadow of death is an usuall expressioÌ„ in the Scripture for all feares terrors affrightments or any dreadfull calamities either of soule or body The whole misery of our naturall condition is thereby signified Luk. 1.79 Many wayes doth the Prophet David set forth the extremities hee had been driven unto my bones are vexed and dried like a potsheard and turned into the drought of summer my couch swimmeth with teares mine eye is consumed and waxen old with griefe I am powred out like water all my bones are out of joint my heart is like melted wax in the mids of my bowels Thine arrowes stick fast in mee thine hand presseth me sore there is no soundnesse in my flesh my wounds stinke and are corrupt I am feeble and fore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart Innumerable evils compasse mee about I am not able to looke up Fearfulnesse and trembling are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed mee My soule is among lions I lie amongst them that are set on fire The waters are come in unto my soule I sinke in deepe mire the flouds overflow mee c. These all and the like are comprehended in that one word The shadow of death And in that it was onely the word and the Spirit of God which did support him This is my comfort in my affliction saith hee for thy word hath quickned mee When my afflictions had brought me to the very brinke and darknesse of the grave thy word revived mee againe and made me flourish Vnlesse thy Law had been my delights I should have perished in mine affliction Now then when I see a man upon whom so many heavie pressures doe meete the weight of sinne the weight of Gods heavie displeasure the weight of a wounded Spirit the weight of a decaied body the weight of skorne and temptations from Satan and the world in the mids of all this not to turne unto lying vanities not to consult with flesh and bloud nor to rely on the wisedome or helpe of man but to leane onely on this word to trust in it at all times and to cast all his expectations upon it to make it his onely Rod and staffe to comfort him in such sore extremities how can I but confesse that this word is indeed Virga virtutis a Rod of strength Lastly the Gospell of Christ is a Rod of strength in sanctifying and blessing of our Temporall things As it is Baculus Panis A staffe of bread Man liveth not by bread alone but by the word which proceedeth out of Gods mouth not by the creature but by the blessing which prepareth the creature for our use Now it is the word of God namely his promises in Christ of things concerning this life as well as that which is to come that doth sanctifie the creatures of God to those whâ— with thankfulnesse receive them The fall of man bâ—ought a pollution upon the creatures a curse upon the stone and timber of a mans house a snare upon his table a poison and bitternesse upon his meat distractions and terrors upon his bed emptinesse and vexation upon all his estate which cleaves as fast therunto as blacknesse to the skinne of an Ethiopian or sinne to the soule of man For all the creatures of God are by sinne mischievously converted into the instruments and provisions of lust The Sunne and all the glorious lights of nature but instruments to serve the pride covetousnesse adultery vanity of a lustfull eye All the delicacies which the earth aire or Sea can affoord but materials to feed the luxurie and intemperance of a lustfull body All the honors and promotions of the world but fuell to satisfie the haughtinesse and ambition of a lustfull heart That word then which can fetch out this leprosie from the creatures and put life strength and comfort into them againe must needs bee Virga virtutis a Rod of strength Secondly the Gospell and Spirit of Christ is a rod of strength in regard of his and his Churches enemies Able both to repell and to revenge all their injuries to disappoint the ends and machinations of Satan to triumph and get above the persecutions of men to get a treasure which no malice nor fury of the enemy can take away a noblenesse of minde which no insultation of the adversary can abate a security of condition and calmenesse of spirit where no worldly tempests can any more extinguish than the darknesse of a cloud or the boisterousnesse of a wind can blot out the lustre or perturbe the order of celestiall bodies a heavenly wisdome able to prevaile against the gates of hell and to stop the mouthes of every gain-sayer The Word hath ever a Readinesse to revenge disobedience as the Apostle speaks it hardens the faces of men and armes them that they may breake all those who fall upon them This power of the Word towards wicked men sheweth it selfe in many particulars First in a mighty worke of Conviction The Spirit was therefore sent into the world to convince it by the ministery of the Gospell which one word containeth the ground of the whole strength here spoken of for all which the word bringeth to passe it doth it by the conviction of the Spirit This Conviction is two-fold A Conviction unto conversion whereby the hearts of men are wonderfully over-ruled ruled by that invincible evidence of the Spirit of truth to feele acknowledge their wofull condition by reason of sinne so long as they continue in unbeleefe to take unto themselves the just shame and confusion of face which belongs unto them to give unto God the glory of his righteous and just severity if hee should destroy them and hereupon to be secondly by the terror of the Lord perswaded to count worthy of all acceptation any deliverance out of that
moment of time upon the abuse or right improvement whereof dependeth the severall issues of their eternall condition though the Lord say expresly Bee not conformed to this world they that walke according to the course of the world walke according to the Prince of the power of the aire The Lord will punish all such as are clothed with strange apparell who take up the fashions of idolaters or other nations or other sexes as that place is differently expounded Nature it selfe teacheth that it is a shame for a man to weare long haire nay Nature it selfe taught that honest Heathen to stand at defiance with the sinnes of his age and not comply with the course of the world upon that slight apologie as if the commonnesse had taken away the illnesse that which committed by one would have been a sin being imitated after a multitude were but a fashion To conclude this particular The Apostle is peremptory Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor effeminate nor covetous nor theeves nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and the consciences of many men who yet will never yeeld to the conclusion cannot choose but subsume as the Apostle goes on such are some of we nay and such we will be too But now if we should bespeake these men in the word of the Prophet Produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob they should finde at the last their reasons to be like themselves vanity and lighter than nothing that the Word of the Lord will at last prevaile and sweepe away all their refuge of lyes Secondly the power of the Word towards wicked men is seene in Affrighting of them there is a spirit of bondage and a savour of death aswell as a spirit of life and libertie which goeth along with the Word Guilt is an inseparable consequent of sinne and feare of the manifestation of guilt If the heart be once convinced of this it will presently faint and tremble even at the shaking of a leafe at the wagging of a mans owne conscience how much more at the voice of the Lord which shaketh mountaines and maketh the strong foundations of the earth to tremble If I should see a prisoner at the barre passe sentence upon his Judge and the Judge thereupon surpriz'd with trembling and forced to subscribe and acknowledge the doome I could not but stand amaz'd at so inverted a proceeding yet in the Scripture wee finde presidents for it Micatah a prisoner pronouncing death unto Ahab a King Ieremie a prisoner pronouncing captivitie unto Zedekiah a King Paul in his chain preaching of judgment unto Felix in his robes and making his owne Judge to tremble It is not for want of strength in the Word or because there is stoutnesse in the hearts of men to stand out against it that all the wicked of the world do not tremble at it but meerly their ignorance of the power evidence thereof The Devils are stronger and more stubborne creatures than any man can be yet because of their full illumination and that invincible conviction of their consciences from the power of the Word they beleeve and tremble at it Though men were as hard as rocks the Word is a hammer which can breake them though as sharp as thornes and briars the Word is a fire which can devour and torment them though as strong as kingdomes and nations the Word is able to root them up and to pull them downe though as fierce as Dragons and Lions the Word is able to trample upon them and to chaine them up Thirdly the power of the Word is seene towards wicked men in that it doth judge them Sonne of man wilt thou judge wilt thou judge the bloudy Citie saith the Lord yea thou shalt shew them their abominations To note that when wicked men are made to see their filthinesse in the Word they have therby the wrath of God as it were seal'd upon them He that rejecteth mee the Word which I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day saith our Saviour And if all prophecie saith the Apostle and there come in one that beleeveth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all hee is judged of all and the secrets of his heart are made manifest Nay the Word doth in some sort execute death and judgement upon wicked men Therefore it is said that the Lord would smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips would slay the wicked And againe I have hewed them by the Prophets I have slaine them by the words of my mouth And therefore the Word of the Lord is called fury by the Prophet to note that when wrath fury is powred out upon a land they are the effects of Gods Word If a pestilence devoure a city and a sword come and gleane after it it is the Word only which flayes they are but the instruments which are as it were actuated and applied by the Word of God to their severall services Therefore it is that the Prophet saith that wise men see the voice of God and heare his rod. A rod is properly to be seene and a voice to bee heard but here is a transposition and as it were a communication of properties betweene the Word of God and his punishments to note that towards wicked men there is a judging and tormenting vertue in the Word For judgement saith our Saviour am I come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blinde If it be here objected that Christ saith of himselfe The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and that he came not to condemne the world but that the world through him might bee saved I answer that there are two events of Christs comming and by consequence of his Gospell The one principall and by him intended the other accidentall and occasionall growing out of the ill disposition of the subject unto whom he was sent The maine and essentiall businesse of the Gospell is to declare salvation and to set open unto men a doore of escape from the wrath to come but when men wilfully stand out and neglect so great salvation then secondarily doth Christ prove unto those men a stone of offence and the Gospell a savour of death unto death as that potion which was intended for a cure by the Physitian may upon occasion of the indisposednesse of the body and stubborne radication of the disease hasten a mans end sooner than the disease it selfe would have done So that to the wicked the Word of God is a two-edged sword indeed an edge in the Law and an edge in the Gospell they are on every side beset with condemnation if they goe to the Law that cannot save them because they have broken it
charge even the great men of the world It is true the ministers of the Gospell are servants to the Church In compassion to pitty the diseases the infirmities the temptations of Gods people in ministerie to assist them with all needfull supplies of comfort or instruction or exhortation in righteousnesse in humility to waite upon men of lowest degree and to condescend unto men of weakest capacitie And thus the very Angels in heaven are servants to the Church of Christ. But yet we are servants onely for the Churches good to serve their soules not to serve their humors And therefore we are such servants as may command too These things command and teach Let no man despise thy youth And againe These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee No ministers are more despicable than those who by ignorance or flattery or any base and ambitious affections betray the power majesticall simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. When we deliver Gods message we must not then be the servants of men If I yet please men I were not then the servant of Christ saith the Apostle To captivate the truth of God unto the humours of men and to make the Spirit of Christ in his Gospell to bend comply and complement with humane lusts is with Ionah to play the runnagates from our office and to prostrate the Scepter of Christ unto the insultation of men There is a wonderfull majesty and authority in the word when it is set on with Christs Spirit He taught men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one who had power and authority or priviledge to speake as one that cared not for the persons of men and therefore where ever his spirit is there will this power and liberty of Christ appeare for he hath given it to his ministers that they may commend themselves in the consciences of those that heare them that they may harden their faces against the pride and scorne of men that they may goe out in armies against the enemies of his kingdome that they may speake boldly as they ought to speake that they may not suffer his word to be bound or his Spirit to be straitened by the humors of men Againe we should all labour to receive the word in the power thereof and to expose our tender parts unto it A Cocke is in comparison but a weake Creature and yet the crowing of a Cocke will cause the trembling of a Lion What is a Bee to a Beare or a Mouse to an Elephant and yet if a Bee fasten his sting in the nose of a Beare or a Mouse creepe up and gnaw the trunke of an Elephant how easily doe so little Creatures upon such an advantage torment the greatest Certainely the proudest of men have some tender part into which a sting may enter The conscience is as sensible of Gods displeasure as obnoxious to his wrath as subject to his word in a prince as in a beggar If the word like Davids stone finde that open and get into it it is able to sinke the greatest Goliah Therefore wee should open our consciences unto that word and expect his spirit to come along with it and receive it as Iosiah did with humility and trembling Wee should learne to feare the Lord in his word and when his voyce cryeth in the city to see his name and his power therein Will ye not feare me faith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence who make the sand abound to the sea No Creature so swelling and of it selfe so strong and incroaching as the sea nothing so small weake smoothe and passable as the sand and yet the sand a creature so easily removed and swept away decreed to hold in so raging an Element What in appearance weaker than words spoken by a despised man and what in the experience of all the world stronger than the raging of an army of lusts and yet that hath the Lord appointed to tame and subdue these that men might learne to feare his power Againe it should teach us to Rest upon God in all things as being unto us all-sufficient a sunne a shield an exceeding great reward in the truth and promises of his Gospell The word of God is a sure thing that which a man may cast his whole weight upon and leane confidently on in any extremity All the Creatures in the world are full of vanity uncertaineties and disappointments and then usually doe deceive a man most when he most of all relies upon them and therefore the Apostle chargeth us not to trust in them But the word of the Lord is an abiding word as being founded upon the Immutability of Gods owne truth he that maketh it his refuge relieth on Gods omnipotency and hath all the strength of the Almighty engaged to helpe him Asa was safe while hee depended on the Lord in his promises against the hugest host of men that was ever read of but when he turned aside to collaterall aides hee purchased to himselfe nothing but perpetuall warres And this was that which established the throne of Iehoshaphat and caused the feare of the Lord to fall upon the kingdomes of the lands which were round about him because he honoured the Word of God and caused it to be taught unto his people Whensoever Israel and Judah did forget to leane upon Gods word and betooke themselves to humane confederacies to correspondence with Idolatrous people to facility in superstitious compliances and the like fleshly counsels they found them alwaies to be but very lies like waxen and wooden feasts made specious of purpose to delude ignorant commers things of so thinne and unsoâ—id a consistence as were ever broken with the weight of those who did leane upon them Let us not therefore rest upon our owne wisedome nor build our hopes or securities upon humane foundations but let us in all conditions take hold of Gods Covenant of this staffe of his strength which is able to stay us up in any extremities Againe since the Gospell is a word of such soveraigne power as to strengthen us against all enemies and temptations to uphold us in all our wayes and callings to make us strong in the Grace of Christ for ever a Christian mans knowledge of the Word is the measure of his strength and comfort wee should therefore labour to acquit our selves with God in his Word to hide it in our hearts and grow rich in the knowledge of it In heaven our blessednesse shall consist in the knowledge and communion with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ. So that the Gospell and the Spirit are to us upon earth the preludes and supplies of heaven for by them onely is this knowledge and communion begun And that man doth but delude himselfe and lye to the world who professeth his desire to goe to heaven and doth not here desire to know so much of God as he is pleased to afford to
men on the earth The Gospell is the Patent and Charter of a Christian all that hee hath to shew for his Salvation the treasure of his wealth and priviledges all that he hath to boast in either for this life or another the armory of a Christian all that he hath to hold up against the temptations and conflicts of his sorest enemies the only toole and instrument of a Christian all that he hath to doe any action of piety charity loyalty or sobriety withall the onely glasse of a Christian wherein he may see his owne face and so learne to deny himselfe and wherein he may see the face of God in Christ and so learne to desire and to follow him So that upon the matter for any man to be ignorant of the Gospell is to unchristian himselfe againe and to degenerate into a heathen Powre out thine indignation upon the heathen that know thee not Ignorance makes a man a very heathen This I say and testifie saith the Apostle that you henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind for you have not so learned Christ. It is not the title nor the profession which maketh a man a reall Christian and distinguisheth him from other heathen men but the learning of Christ in his Spirit and Gospell For as he who was onely outwardly and in the flesh a Jew might be uncircumcized in his heart so he who is onely in title and name a Christian may be a heathen in his heart and that more fearefully than Sodome and Gomorrah or Tyre and Sydon because he hath put from himselfe the Salvation of the Lord and judged himselfe unworthy of eternall life Lastly if there bee indeed such power in the Gospell wee should labour to beare witnesse unto the testimony which God giveth of his Word in a holy conversation It is a reproach cast upon the ordinances of God when men doe in their lives denie that vertue which God testifieth to be in them Wicked men are said to crucifie Christ againe to put him to shame to make God a liar not that these things can so really bee but because men in their evill lives carry themselves as if indeed they were so And in this sense the Gospell may bee said to bee weake too because the pride of men holds out against the saving power thereof But these men must know that the word returneth not empty unto God but accomplisheth some worke or other either it ripeneth weeds or corne There is thunder and lightning both in the word if the one breake not a heart the other will blast it if it bee not humbled by the word it will certainly bee withered and made fruitlesse Shall the clay boast it selfe against the fire because though it have power to melt wax yet it hath not power to melt clay Is it not one and the same power which hardneth the one and which softneth the other Is not the word a sweete Savor unto God as well in those that perish as in those that are saved Certainly there is as wonderfull a power in adding another death to him who was dead before which upon the matter is to kill a dead man as in multiplying and enlarging life And the Gospell is to those that perish a Savor of death unto death such a word as doth cumulate the damnation of wicked men and treasure up wrath upon wrath If it doe not convert it will certainly harden if it doe not save it will undoubtedly judge and condemne The Lord doth never cast away his Gospell hee that gave charge to gather up the broken meate of loaves and fishes that nothing might bee lost will not suffer any crumme of his spirituall manna to come to nothing Yet wee finde the Lord giveth a charge to his Prophets to preach even there where hee foretold them that their words would not bee heard Thou shalt speake all these wordes unto them but they will not hearken to thee thou shalt also call unto them but they will not answere thee Sonne of Man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellions nation they are impudent Children and stiffe hearted Yet thou shalt speake my words unto them whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are rebellion it selfe They will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto mee For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Certainly when the Lord taketh paines by his Prophets to call those who will not heare hee doth it not in vaine they shall know at length that a Prophet hath been amongst them Therefore as the Apostle saith that the Gospell is a sweet Savour even in those that perish So wee finde those messages which have contained nothing but curses against an obstinate people have yet been as honie for sweetnesse in the mouth of those that preached them I did eate the roule saith the Prophet and it was in my mouth as honie for sweetnesse and yet there was nothing in it written but lamentations and mourning and woe Ieremie did not desire the woefull day but did heartily say Amen to the false Prophets in their predictions of safety yet in regard of his ready service unto God and of that glory which God would worke out unto himselfe in the punishment of that sinfull people the word of Prophesie which was committed unto him was the joy and rejoicing of his heart so that in all respects the Gospell of Christ is a word of power and therein wee doe and must rejoice Wee observed before that this Rod of strength is both Sceptrum Majestatis and Pedum Pastorale Both the Scepter of Christ as hee is a King and his Pastorall staffe as hee is a Bishop It denoteth the Administration of Christs Kingdome which consisteth in the dispensing of his Gospell as it is a word of Majesty and of care So then here are as I before observed two observations yet remaining to bee noted out of these words Virga Virtutis the Rod of thy strength The first that the Gospell of Christ accompanied with his Spirit is a word of great glory and Majesty For wee must ever make these concomitants wee preach the Gospell saith S. Peter with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 And indeed the Spirit is peculiar to the Gospell and not belonging to the Law at all if wee consider it alone by it selfe under the relation of a distinct covenant For though as it proceedeth out of Sion that is as it is an appendix and additament unto the Gospell it tend unto liberty and so cōmeth not without the Spirit yet by it selfe alone it gendreth nothing but bondage And therefore when the Apostle sheweth the excellency of the Gospell above the Law hee calleth one a ministration of death and of the letter the other a ministration of the Spirit and life To shew that properly the Spirit belongeth unto the Gospell of grace
condition and therefore not within the comprehension of an earthly understanding It is a wisedome which is from above The holy Ghost likewise is a Revealer of the Gospell unto the faithfull He was sent that hee might Convince the world not onely of sinne but of righteousnesse and judgement too which are Evangelicall things The spirit searcheth all things even the deepe things of God that is his unsearchable love wisedome and counsell in the Gospell Therefore the Gospell is called The Law of the spirit of life and the ministration of the spirit and the Revelation of the spirit and No man can call Iesus Lord but by the holy spirit that is though men may out of externall conformity to the discipline and profession under which they live with their mouthes acknowledge him to be the Lord yet their hearts will never tremble nor willingly submit themselves to his obedience their conscience will never set to its seale to the spirituall power of Christ over the thoughts desires and secrets of the soule but by the over-ruling direction of the holy Ghost Nature taught the Pharises to call him Beelzebub and Samaritan but it is the Spirit onely which teacheth men to acknowledge him a Lord. Christ is not the power nor the wisedome of God to any but to those who are called that is to those unto whose consciences the Spirit witnesseth the righteousnes which is to bee found in him So then the Publication of the Gospell belongeth unto men but the effectuall teaching and revelation thereof unto the soule is the joynt worke of the holy Trinity opening the heart to attend and perswading the heart to beleeve the Gospell as a thing worthy of all acceptation Thus the Gospell is a Glorious thing in regard of the Originall and Authour of it From whence wee may inferre that what-ever men thinke of the ministerie and dispensation of the Word yet undoubtedly the neglect and scorne which is shewed unto it is done unto Christ himselfe and that in his glory he that receiveth not his Word rejecteth his person and the sinne of a man against the words which we speake in the name and authority of Christ and in the dispensation of that office wherewith he hath entrusted us is the same with the sinnes of those men who despised him in his owne person You will say Christ is in heaven how can any injuries of ours reach unto him Surely though he be in heaven which is now the Court of his royall residence yet hee hath to doe upon earth as one of the chiefe territories of his dominion and in the ministerie of his Word hee speaketh from heaven still He it was who by his Ambassadour Saint Paul came and preached Peace to the Ephesians who were afarre off His spirit it was which in the Prophets did testifie of his sufferings and glory Hee it was who gave manifest proofe of his owne power speaking in his Apostles He then who refuseth to obey the words of a Minister in the execution of his office when hee forewarneth him of the wrath to come and doth not discerne the Lords voice therein but in despight of this ministeriall citation unto the tribunall of Christ will still persist in the way of his owne heart and as he hath beene so resolveth to continue a swearing blasphemous luxurious proud revengefull and riotous person thinking it basenesse to mourne for sinne and unnecessary strictnesse to humble himselfe to walke with God and yet because all men else doe so will professe his faith in the Lord Iesus that man is a notorious liar yea as the Apostle speaketh he maketh God a liar too in not beleeving the record which he giveth of his Sonne which is that hee should wash away the filth and purge out the bloud of his people with a spirit of judgement and a spirit of burning that he should sit as a refiner and purifier of silver purging his priests that they might offer unto the Lord an offring in righteousnesse Hee walketh contrary to that Covenant of mercy which he professeth to lay hold on for this is one of the great promises of the Covenant I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I clense you I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Hee walketh contrary to the quality of that feare of God which yet he professeth to feele as well as others For the feare of the Lord is a cleane thing He walketh contrary to the vertue of that bloud with which notwithstanding hee professeth to bee sprinkled for the bloud of Christ cleanseth not onely the lives but the very consciences of men from dead workes that is makes them so inwardly labour for purity of heart as that they may not be conscious to themselves of any though the most secret allowed sinne He walketh contrary to the fruitfulnesse of that grace which alone he professeth to boast in for the Spirit of grace which is powred from on high maketh the very wildernesse a fruitfull field He walketh contrarie to the properties of that faith by which alone he hopeth to be saved For true faith purifieth the heart and therefore a pure heart and a good conscience are the inseparable companions of an unfained faith And therefore what-ever verball and ceremonious homage hee may tender unto Christ yet in good earnest he is ashamed of him and dares not preferre the yoke of Christ before the lusts of the world or the reproaches of Christ before the treasures of the world Why should it be treason to kill a Judge in his ministerie on the bench or esteemed an injurie to the state to doe any indignitie to the Ambassadour of a great prince but because in such relations they are persons publike and representative ut eorum bona malaque ad Rempublicam pertineant why should the supreme Officer of the kingdome write Teste meipso in the name and power of his Prince but because he hath a more immediate representation of his sacred person and commission thereunto Surely the case is the same between Christ and his Ministers in their holy function And therefore we finde the expressions promiscuous sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospell of Christ and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Gospell sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The preaching of Iesus Christ and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My preaching In the vertue of which synergie and co-partnership with Christ and with God as he saveth so we save as he forgiveth sinnes so we forgive them as he judgeth wicked men so wee judge them as he beseecheth so we also beseech saith the Apostle that you bee reconciled and receive not the grace of God in vaine Wee by his Grace and he by our ministerie He therefore that despiseth any conviction out
of the Booke of God and he that obeyeth not doth despise for the Lord calleth disobedience rebellion stubbornenesse and a rejecting of his word 1 Sam. 15.22 23. He that persisteth in any knowne sinne or in the constant omission of any evident dutie fighteth against Christ himselfe throweth away his owne mercy stoppeth his eares at the entreaties of the Lord and committeth a sinne directly against Heaven And if he so persist God will make him know that there is flaming fire prepared for those that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes. 1.8 Therefore whensoever we come unto the Word read or preached wee should come with an expectation to heare Christ himselfe speaking from heaven unto us and bring such affections of submission and obedience as becommeth his presence Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches I will heare what God the Lord will speake for he will speake peace unto his people Christs sheepe discerne his voyce in the dispensation of the Gospell and will not know the voice of strangers And this was the honour of the Thessalonians and the men of Berea that in the preaching of the Word they did set themselves as in Gods presence expecting in it his authoritie and receiving it in his name Dareth any man to rush with a naked weapon into the presence of his prince and with scorne to throw backe his owne personall commands into his face againe And shall wee dare to come armed with high thoughts and proud reasonings and stubborne resolutions against the majesty of the Lord himselfe who speaketh from heaven unto us Receive with meeknesse saith the Apostle the ingrafted Word which is able to save your soules The word doth not mingle nor incorporate and by consequence doth not change nor save the soule but when it is received with meeknesse that is when a man commeth with a resolution to lay downe his weapons to fall downe on his face and give glory to God he that is swift to wrath that is to set up stout and fretfull affections against the purity and power of the Word to snuffe against it and to fall backward like pettish children which will not be led will be very slow to heare or to obey it for the wrath of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God A proud hearer will be an unprofitable liver Ever therefore come unto the word with this conclusion It may be this day will God strike me in my master veine I am an usuall profaner of his glorious name a name which I should feare for the greatnesse and love for the goodnesse and adore for the holinesse of it hee will peradventure lay close to my conscience that guilt which himselfe hath declared to be in this great sinne that whatsoever is more than yea and nay is sinne unto me and whatsoever is sin is Hell to my soule I am a vaine person a companion of loose and riotous men It may bee the Lord will urge upon my conscience the charge of his owne word not to companie with fornicators to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse not to follow a multitude to doe evill and that though hand joyne in hand yet sinne shall not goe unpunished I am unprofitable loose and rotten in my discourse and hee will ply mee with his owne authority that for every idle word I must render an account I am full of oppression and unjust gain and the Lord will now urge the instructions of Nehemiah the restitution of Zacheus upon me In these or any other the like cases if a man can come with Saint Pauls temper of hart not to consult with flesh and bloud but Lord what wilt thou have me to doe or with the answer of Samuel Speake Lord for thy servant heareth or with the resolution of Cornelius I am here present before God to heare all things that shall bee commanded of God I am come with a purpose of heart to cleave unto thy holy will in all things Here I am in my sinnes strike where thou wilt cut off which of mine earthly members thou wilt I will not arme it I will not extenuate it I will not dispute with thee I will not rebell against thee I will second thee in it I will praise thee for it This is to give God the glorie of his owne Gospell It is not to part from a little monie towards the maintenance of the word or to vouchsafe a little countenance to the dispencers of it and yet alas how few are there who repay unto the ministers of the Gospell that double honor which God and not they hath given unto them but to part from our lusts and to suffer our old man to be crucified which giveth honour to the Word If a man had thousands of rammes and tenne thousand rivers of oyle and would bee content to part from them all for Gods worship If a man had children enough and in a famine of the word would buy every sermon which hee heareth with the sacrifice of a Sonne yet all this would not give glorie enough to the ordinance of God Men naturally love their lusts the issue of their evill hearts better than their lands or the children of their body if Herods son stand in the way of his ambitious security it were better to be his Hog than his childe The losse of cattell and fruits and water and light and the first-borne of all the land was not enough to make Pharaoh let goe his sinne hee will once more rush into the midst of a wonderfull deliverance of Israel and venture his owne and his peoples lives for but the bondage of his enemies and the satisfaction of his lust To doe justly then to love mercy and to walke humbly before God to acknowledge his name in the voyce of the minister and to put away the treasures of wickednesse out of our hands this onely is to give God the glory which is due unto his Word Mic. 6.6 10. Secondly the Gospell is glorious in the promulgation publishing of it unto the world And this may appeare whether we consider the initiall Promulgation in Christs owne personall preaching Or the plenary Revelation thereof in the sending of the holy Ghost to those selected vessels who were to carry abroad this treasure unto all the world For the former wee may note that there was a resemblance of state and glory observ'd in the preaching of Christ. A Forerunner sent to prepare his way and to beare his sword before him as a Herald to proclaime his approach and then at last is revealed the Glory of the Lord. And thus we may observe how we sent his Harbingers before his face into every Citie and place whither he himselfe would come that so men might prepare themselves and lift up their everlasting gates against this Prince of Glory should enter in When one poore ordinary man
generall motion from the supreme so in the motions of grace in the soule the proportion of all the rest a riseth frō the measure of our spirituall and saving light The more distinctly and throughly the spirit of a mans mind is convinc'd of the necessity beauty and gloriousnesse of heavenly things the more strong impressions therof wil be made upon all subordinate faculties for we move towards nothing without preceding apprehensions of its goodnes which apprehensions as they more seriously penetrate into the true and intimate worth of that thing so are the motions of the soule thereunto proportionably strengthen'd As the hinder wheeles in a Coach ever move as fast as the former which leade them so the subordinate powers of the soule are overrul'd in their maner measure of working towards grace by those spirituall representations of the truth and excellency thereof which are made in the understanding by the light of the Gospel Thus the Apostle telleth us that the excellency of the knowledge of Christ was that which made him so earnest to winne him the knowledge of the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings was that which made him reach forth and presse forward unto the marke and price of that high calling which was before him Thirdly the Glory of the Gospell of Christ with his Spirit may be considered in regard of the matters which are therin contain'd namely the Glory the Excellencies the Treasures of God himselfe We all saith the Apostle with open face behold as in a Glasse that is in the spirituall ministration of the Gospell having the veile of carnall stupidity taken away by the Spirit The glory of the Lord. What glory doe we here behold but that which a glasse is able to represent Now in speculo nisi imago non cernitur nothing can be seene in a glasse but the image of that thing which sheddeth forth its species thereupon and therefore he immediately addeth we are changed into the same image from glory to glory and he elsewhere putteth these two together Man is the image and the glory of God for nothing can have any thing of God in it any resemblance or forme of him but so farre it must needs be glorious But how doe we in the Gospell see the Image of God who is invisible The Apostle expresseth that else-where God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Christ is the Image and expresse Character of his Fathers glory as the impression in the wax is of the forme and fashion of the seale there is no excellencie in God which is not compleatly adequately and distinctly in Christ so that in that glasse wherin we may see him we may likewise see the glory of the Father Now the Gospell is the face of Iesus Christ that which as lively setteth forth his grace and Spirit to the soule as if he were present in the flesh amongst us Suppose we that a glasse could retaine a permanent and unvanishing species of a mans face within it though hee himselfe were absent might we not truly say this glasse is the face of that man whose image it so constantly retaineth So in asmuch as Christ is most exactly represented in his Gospell so that when we come into his personall and reall presence to know even as we are knowne we shall be able truely to say this is indeed the very person who was so long since in his Gospell exhibited to my faith sic ille manus sic ora gerebat it is therefore justly by the Apostle called the face of Iesus Christ and therefore the Glasse wherein we see the Image and glory of God as it is the same light which shineth from the Sunne upon a glasse and from a glasse upon a wall so it is the same glory which shineth from the Father upon the Sonne and from the Sonne upon the Gospell so that in the Gospell we see the unsearchable treasures of God because his treasures are in his Sonne Therefore that which is usually called Preaching the Gospell is in other places called Preaching the Kingdome and the riches of Christ to note the glory of those things which are in the Gospell revealed unto the Church It containeth the glory of Gods wisdome and that wisdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifold and various wisdome as the Apostle speaketh who therefore calleth Christ and his Gospell by the name of Wisdome wee preach Christ crucified to those that are called the power of God and the wisdome of God and we speake wisdome amongst them that are perfect wisdome to reconcile his owne attributes of mercy and truth righteousnesse and peace which by the fall of man seemed to be at variance among themselves wisdome in reconciling the world of obstinate and rebellious enemies unto himselfe wisdome in sanctifying the whole creation by the bloud of the crosse and repairing those ruines which the sinne of man had caused wisdome in concorporating Christ and his Church things in their owne distinct natures as unapt for mixture as fire and water in their remotest degrees wisdome in uniting the Iewes and Gentiles and reducing their former jealousies and disaffections unto an intimate fellowship in the same common mysteries In one word wisdome above the admiration of the blessed Angels in finding out a way to give greater satisfaction to his offended justice by shewing mercie and saving sinners than he could ever have received by either the confusion or annihilation of them It containeth the Glory of Gods goodnesse and mercy of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good-will towards men which brought glory to God and to the earth peace for the Gospell is as it were a Love-token or commendatory Epistle of the Lord unto his Church God left not himselfe without witnesses of his care and evidences of some love even to those whom he suffered to walke in their owne wayes without any knowledge of his Gospell he did them good he gave them raine from heaven and fruitfull seasons so even they had experience of some of his goodnesse the goodnesse of his providence for hee is the Saviour of all men but the Gospell containeth all Gods goodnesse as a heape and miscellany of universall mercy I will make all my goodnesse passe before thee and I will proclaime the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercie Gods speciall and gracious mercy the mercy of his promises in Christ doth convey unto the soule an interest in all his goodnesse nay it maketh all things good unto us so that we may call them ours as gifts and legacies from Christ. He hath given to us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse the world and life and death and things
interpretatively in the constitution and preparation of heart the violation of all because they are all grounded upon the same divine authority and directed unto the same saving ends and therefore wee ought not to picke and choose either in the preaching or practising thereof Thirdly we are to answere for the bloud of the people if wee prevaricate if wee let their sinnes alone they will have a double edge to kill them and us both like the mutuall embracements of two in a river which is the meanes to drowne them both Speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismaied at their faces saith the Lord to his Prophet lest I confound thee before them If thou warne not the wicked from his wicked way that hee may live he shall dye in his wickednesse thy bashfulnesse shall doe him no good but his bloud will I require at thy hands Is it at all congruous that men should have boldnesse enough to declare their sinnes to speake them to proclaime them to weare them to glorie in them and that those officers who are sent for no other businesse but in the name and authority of Almighty God to fight against the corruptions of the world should in the meane time hang downe the head and be tongue-tied that men should have more boldnesse to destroy themselves and to doe Satans works than we to save them or to serve God Fourthly we are to speake in the person of Christ and in the vertue of his Spirit We must speake as the Oracles of God and with his words as if he himselfe did by us speake unto the people We must give manifestation of Christ speaking by us that men may be convinc'd that God is in us of a truth and that we are full of power by his spirit that his spirit setteth to his seale to authorize our commission and to countenance our ministery and therefore we must use judgement and might that is spirituall discretion and inflexible constancy against the sinnes of men for these two are contrary to the two grand props of Satans kingdome which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his craftinesse and his weapons of power for where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty his spirit will not be straightned neither will the Lord keepe silence hee that speaketh by the spirit of Christ must speake though not in equality which is impossible yet in some similitude and proportion as he spake that is as those that have Authority and power committed to them for the edification of the Church Lastly a partiall unsearching and unreproving Minister is one of Gods curses and scourges against a place the forerunner of a finall and fearefull visitation The dayes of visitation and recompence come saith the Lord. The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred If a man walking in the spirit and falshood that is professing the worke of a spirituall man and yet betraying his office or in a false and lying spirit prophesying of wine and strong drinke that is cherishing and encouraging sensuall livers in their pernitious courses he shall even be the prophet of this people And therefore when the Lord will punish with an extreme revenge the rebellion of a people against his Gospell who judge themselves unworthy of so great a salvation hee either removeth their Candlesticke and taketh it away from them or else sealeth up the mouth of his Prophets that they may bee dumbe and reprove them no longer and that they may not bee purged any more from their filthinesse or else infatuates their Prophets and suffereth Satan to seduce them and to be a lying Spirit in their mouthes that he may destroy them as wee see in the ruine of Ahab and in the captivity of Iudah Againe as the Ministers of the Gospell must use liberty so must they likewise use sinceritie in the dispensation thereof because it is a glorious Gospell This likewise is the Apostles inference for having spent a whole chapter in this one argument of the glory of the Gospell he presently concludeth Therefore seeing we have this ministery that is the dispensation of such a Gospell committed unto us wee faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonestie that is as I conceive the arts of dawbing and palliating and covering over uncleane courses with plausible reasonings and fleshly apologies which is the use of false prophets not walking in craftinesse that is not using humane sleights or cogging to carry men about with every wind of false doctrine as sinners are very willing to be deceived and love to have it as false prophets say it is nor handling the Word of God deceitfully that is falsifying and adulterating it with corrupt glosses and so tempering it to the palat of sinners that the working searching vertue thereof whereby of it selfe it is apt to purge out and wrestle with the lusts of men may be deaded and so it may well consist with the power of lusts still as Physitians use so to qualifie and allay poison by other correctives and crosse ingredients that it shall serve as an instrument to strengthen us not extinguish life or as immodest Poets may so tamper with the chast expressions of Virgil or Homer as by them both to notifie and in corrupt minds to kindle uncleane lustings but by manifestation of the truth that is by such spirituall and perspicuous demonstrations as under which there cannot subesse falsum there can no falsitie nor deceit lurke commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God that is working not the fancies or humours or fleshly conceits of men which alwayes take the part of sinne but their very consciences which alwayes is on Gods side to beare witnesse unto the truth which wee speake to receive it not as the wit or learning of a man but as the Word and wisdome of God to acknowledge the conviction the judicature the penetration thereof and so to fal down upon their faces and to glorifie God and report that he is in us of a truth and all this in the sight of God that is so handling the Word as that wee may please and approve our selves to his eye whose servants we are and whose worke wee doe This is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vncorruptnesse gravitie sinceritie soundnesse of doctrine such as the very adversaries themselves shall not be able to picke quarrels withall or to speake against we must not then make account to adorne the Gospell with our owne inventions or with superstructions of humane wit and fancie though these things may to fleshly reason seeme full of beautie yet indeed they are but like the mingling of glasse-beads with a chaine of diamonds or of lime with pure and generous wine they are indeed but
these considerations we should labor to walke worthy of so glorious a Gospell and of so great a salvation Thus have we at large spoken of the Rod of Christs strength as it is Insigne regium or Sceptrum majestatis an Ensigne and Rod of Majestie we are now to speake a little of it as it is Pedum pastorale an episcopall Rod which denoteth much heedfulnesse and tender care This is the Precept which the Apostle giveth unto the Pastors of the Church that they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take speciall heed to all the flocke over which the holy Ghost had made them overseers And the Apostle againe reckoneth Vigilancie or care over the flocke amongst the principall characters of a bishop and hee professeth of himselfe that there did daily lye upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Care of all the Churches And this consideration affordeth us another note out of the words namely That Christ in the ministerie of his Gospell and dispensation of his spirit is full of care and tendernesse towards his Church This Christ maketh one maine point of opposition betweene himselfe and hirelings that these Care not for the flock but suffer the Woolfe to come and to scatter them while they fly away whereas hee keepeth them that none may bee lost and prayeth unto the Father to keepe them through his owne name The Lord committed the Church unto Christ as their Head gave them into his hands not as an ordinary gift wherein he did relinquish his owne interest in them or care of them for hee careth for them still but as a blessed depositum entrusted them with him as the choicest of his Iewels as the most pretious casket amongst all the treasures of the Creation that he should polish preserve present them faultlesse and without spot before the presence of his glory at the last day And for this purpose hee gave him a Commandement of the greatest care and tendernesse that ever the world knew that hee should lay downe his life for his sheepe and should lose nothing of all that was given him but should raise it up at the last day So that now want of care or compassion of Christ towards his Church would be an argument of unfaithfulnesse If he had not been a mercifull high priest neither could he have beene faithfull to him that appointed him for he was appointed to bee mercifull and was by the Spirit of God filled with most tender affections and qualified with an heart fuller of compassion than the sea is of waters that he might commiserate the distresses of his people and take care of their salvations Notably doth this Care of Christ shew it selfe First in the apportioning and measuring forth to every oâ—e his due dimensum and in the midst of those infinite occasions and exigencies of his severall members in providing such particular passages of his Word as may be thereunto most exactly sutable for this sheweth that his Care reacheth unto particular men It is the dutie of a faithfull bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make such a difference betweene men and so to divide or distribute the word aright as that every one may have the portion which is due unto him some are but Lambes in Christs flocke young tender weake easily offended or affrighted others sheepe growne up to more strength and maturity some in his garner are but Cummin seede others Fitches and some harder corne some can but beare a little Rod others a greater staffe or flaile and some the pressure of a Cart wheele that which doth but cleanse some would batter and breake others into pieces some are great with young in the pangs of a loaded conscience in the travaile under some sore affliction or in the throwes of a bitter repentance as it were in fits of breeding or new forming of Christ in their soule and these hee leadeth with a gentle hand Others are as it were new borne past their paines but yet very tender weake and fearefull and these he gathers with his arme and carries in his bosome shewes them that his care doth not onely reach unto the least of his kingdome but that his compassions are most enlarged to those that are too weake to helpe themselves that hee hath brests of consolation to satisfie and delight with abundance the smallest infant of his kingdome Some are broken-hearted and those he bindeth some are captives to those hee proclaimeth liberty some are mourners in Sion and for them he hath beautie and oile of joy and garments of praise some are bruized reedes whom every curse or commination is able to crush and some are smoaking flax whom every temptation is able to discourage and yet even these doth hee so carefully tend and furnish with such proportionable supplies of his Spirit of grace as makes that seede and sparkle of holinesse which hee began in them get up above all their owne feares or their enemies machinations and grow from a judgement of truth and sincerity as it is called by the Prophet unto a judgement of victory and perfection as it is turned by the Evangelist In one word some are strong and others are weake the strong hee feedeth the weake he cureth the strong hee confirmeth the weake hee restoreth hee hath trials for the strong to exercise their graces and hee hath cordials for the weake to strengthen theirs According unto the severall estates and unto the secret demands of each members condition so doth the Care of Christ severally shew it selfe towards the same in his Word there is provision for any want medicine for any disease comforts for any distresse promises for any faith answeres to any doubt directions in any difficulty weapons against any temptation preservatives against any sinne restoratives against lapse garments to cover my nakednesse meate to satisfie my hunger physicke to cure my diseases armour to protect my person a treasure to provide for my posteritie If I am rich I have there the wisedome of God to instruct me and if I am poore I have there the obligations of God to enrich mee If I am honourable I have there the sight of my sins to make me vile and rules of moderation to make me humble If I am of low degree I have there the Communion and consanguinitie of Christ the participation of the divine nature the adoption of God the Father to make me noble If I am learned I have there a law of charitie to order it unto edification and if I am unlearned I have there a Spirit which searcheth the deepe things of God which can give wisedome unto the simple which can reveale secrets unto babes which can command light to shine out of darknes which can give the light of the knowledge of the glory fulnesse and love of God in the face of Iesus Christ which can make me though ignorant of all other things to learne Christ in whom there is more
libertie and made himselfe a servant unto all to the Jew as a Jew to the Greeke as a Greeke to the weake as weake and all things to all that by all meanes he might save some and so further the Gospell One while he used Circumcision that he might thereby gaine the weake Jewes another while hee forbade Circumcision that he might not misguide the converted Gentiles nor give place by subjection unto false brethren Who is weake saith he and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not His care of mens soules made him take upon him every mans affection and accommodate himselfe unto every mans temper that hee might not offend the weake nor exasperate the mightie nor dis-hearten the beginner nor affright those which were without from comming in but be All unto All for their salvation The same love is due unto all but the same method of cure is not requisite for all With some Love travelleth in paine with others it rejoyceth in hope some it laboureth to edifie and others it fearâ—th to offend unto the weake it stoopeth unto the strong it raiseth it selfe to some it is compassionate to others severe to none an enemy to all a mother But all this it doth non mentiendo sed compatiendo not by belying the truth but by pitying the sinner It is not the wisedome of the flesh nor to bee learned of men The Scripture alone is able to make the man of God wise unto the worke of Salvation Thirdly with meeknesse for that is the childe of wisedome Who is a wise man saith Saint Iames let him shew out of a good conversation his workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with meeknesse of wisedome and againe the wisedome which is from above is pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie The Gospell is Christs Gospell and it must be preached with Christs spirit which was very meeke and lowly When the Disciples would have called for fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes for their indignitie done unto Christ hee rebuked them in a milde and compassionate manner Ye know not what spirit ye are of A right Evangelicall Spirit is ever a meeke and a mercifull Spirit If a man saith the Apostle be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meekenesse and againe In meekenesse saith the Apostle instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Lastly with faithfulnesse in as much as the Gospell is none of ours but Christs whose servants and stewards we are Christ was faithfull though hee were a Son over his owne house and therefore might in reason have assum'd the more liberty to doe his owne will much more doth it become us who are but his Officers to be faithfull too not to dissemble any thing which the estate and exigence of those soules committed to our charge shall require us to speake not to adde diminish or deviate from our commission preaching one Gospell in one place and another in another but to deliver onely the Counsell of God and to watch over the soules of men as they that must give an account Againe since the Gospell is Christs owne Power wee must all learne from thence two duties first to receive it as from him with the affections of subjects which have been bought by him that is first in hearing of the word to expect principally his voyce and to seeke him speaking from heaven This is the nature of Christs sheep to turne away their eares from the voyce of strangers and to heare him Two things principally there are which discover the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the word First it is a spirituall and heavenly doctrine full of purity righteousnesse and peace touching the soule with a kind of secret and magneticall vertue whereby the thoughts affections conscience and conversation are turned from their earthly center and drawne up unto him as Eagles to a carcasse Secondly it is a powerfull an edged a piercing doctrine If the word thou hearest speak unto thy conscience if it search thy hart if it discover thy lusts if it make thy spirit burne within thee if it cast thee upon thy face and convince and judge thee for thy transgressions if it bind up thy sores and clense away thy corruptions then it is certainly Christs word and then it must bee received with such affections as becommeth the word of Christ. First with Faith if we conferre with flesh and bloud we shall be apt ever to cavill against the truth For hee that rejecteth Christ doth never receive his word A fleshly heart cannot submit unto a heavenly Doctrine Christ and his Apostles did every where endure the contradiction of sinners But yet hee claimeth this honour over the consciences of men to over-rule their assents against all the mists and sophisticall reasonings of the flesh The Apostles themselves preached nothing but either by immediate commission from him or out of the Law and the Prophets But his usuall forme was Verily I say unto you noting that hee onely was unto the Church the Author and fountaine of all heavenly Doctrine that unto him onely belongeth that authoritative and infallible Spirit which can command the subscription and assent of the conscience that hee onely can say with boldnesse to the soule as hee did to the Samaritan woman Beleeve mee And that therefore no authority either of men or Churches either Episcopall Papall or Synodicall can without open sacrilege usurpe power to over-rule the faith of men or impose any immediate and Doctrinall necessity upon the conscience in any points which are not ultimately and distinctly resolv'd into the evident authority of Christ in his word S. Paul himselfe durst not assume Dominion over the faith of men nor S. Peter neither suffer any Elders amongst whom hee reckoneth himselfe as an Elder also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to over-rule or prescribe unto the heritage of God It is onely Christs word which the hearts of men must stoope and attend unto and which they must mingle with faith that it may bee profitable unto them that is they must let it into their hearts with this assurance that it is not the breath of a man but the message of Christ who is true in all his threatnings and faithfull in all his promises and pure in all his precepts that hee sendeth this ministerie abroad for the perfection of the Saints the edification of his Church and therefore if they bee not hereby cleansed and built up in his body they doe as much as in them lieth make void the holy ordinance of God which yet must never returne in vaine The word of God doth effectually worke onely in those that beleeve It worketh in hypocrites and wicked hearers according to the measure of that imperfect faith which they have but it worketh not
effectually that is it doth not consummate nor accomplish any perfect worke but onely in those that beleeve in the rest it proves but an abortion and withers in the blade Secondly with love and readinesse of minde without despising or rejecting it No man can bee saved who doth not receive the truth in love who doth not receive it as the primitive Saints did with gladnesse and readinesse of minde as Eli though from the hand of Samuel a Child as David though from the hand of Abigail a woman as the Galatians though from the hand of Paul an infirme and persecuted Apostle For herein is our homage to Christ the more apparent when we suffer a little childe to lead us Thirdly with meeknesse and submission of heart reverencing and yeelding unto it in all things Wresting shifting evading perverting the word is as great an indignity unto Christ as altering interlining or rasing a patent which the King hath drawen with his owne royall hand is an offence against him Patience and effectuall obedience even in affliction is an argument that a man esteemes the word to bee indeed Gods owne word and so receives it Hee onely who putteth off the old man the corrupt deceitfull lusts of his former conversation and is renewed in the Spirit of his minde is the man that hath heard and been taught by Christ that hath received the Truth in him Againe in as much as the Gospell is the Rod of Christs owne strength or the instrument of his arme who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed and the instrument is no further operative or effectuall than according to the measure of that impressed vertue which it receiveth from the superior cause therefore wee should learne alwayes to repaire unto Christ for the successe of his word For he onely is the teacher of mens hearts and the author of their faith To him onely it belongeth to call men out of their graves and to quicken whom hee will Wee have nothing but the ministerie he keepeth the power in his own hands that men might learne to waite upon him and to have to doe with him who onely can send a blessing with his word and teach his people to profit thereby Another ground of the power of the word is that it is sent from God The Lord shall send forth the Rod of thy strength From which particular likewise wee may note some usefull observations as First that Gods appointment and ordination is that which gives being life majesty and successe to his owne word authority boldnesse and protection to his servants When hee sendeth his word hee will make it prosper When Moses disputed against his going down into Egypt to deliver his brethren sometimes alleaging his owne unfitnesse and infirmity sometimes the unbeliefe of the people this was still the warrant with which God encouraged him I will bee with thee I have sent thee doe not I make mans mouth I will bee with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets Sonne saith Amos but I was an heardsman a gatherer of sycamore fruit And the Lord tooke me as I followed the flock and said unto mee Goe prophecie unto my people Israel And this made him peremptory in his office to prophecie against the idolatry of the Kings Court and against the flattery of the Priest of Bethel And this made the Apostles bold though otherwise unlearned and ignorant men to stand against the learned councill of Priests and Doctors of the Law Wee ought to obey God rather than men Vpon which Grave was the advice of Gamaliel If this counsell or worke bee of men it will come to nought But if it bee of God yee cannot overthrow it lest haply yee bee found even to fight against God For to withstand the power or progresse of the Gospell is to set a mans face against God himselfe Secondly in as much as the Gospell is sent forth by God that is revealed and published out of Sion wee may observe That Evangelicall learning came not into the world by humane discovery or observation but it is utterly above the compasse of all reason or naturall disquisition neither men nor Angels ever knew it but by divine revelation And therfore the Apostle every where calleth it a Mystery a great and a hidden Mystery which was kept secret since the world began There is a Naturall Theologie without the world gathered out of the workes of God out of the resolution of causes and effects into their first originals and out of the Law of nature written in the heart But there is no naturall Christianity Nature is so farre from finding it out by her owne inquiries that shee cannot yeeld unto it when it is revealed without a Spirit of faith to assist it The Iewes stumbled at it as dishonorable to their Law and the Gentiles derided it as absurd in their Philosophy It was a Hidden and secret wisedome the execution and publication whereof was committed onely to Christ. In God it was an Eternall Gospell for Christ was a lambe slaine from before the foundations of the world namely in the predeterminate counsell decree of his father but revealed it was not till the dispensation of the fulnesse of time wherein he gathered together in one all things in Christ. The purpose and ordination of it was eternall but the preaching and manifestation of it reserved untill the time of Christs solemne inauguration into his Kingdome and of the obstinacy of the Iewes upon whose defection the Gentiles were called in Which might teach us to adore the unsearchablenesse of Gods judgements unto former ages of the world whom hee suffered to walke in their owne wayes and to live in times of utter ignorance destitute of any knowledge of the Gospell or of any naturall parts or abilities to finde it out For if these things bee true First that without the knowledge of Christ there is no salvation This is eternall life to know thee and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifye many Secondly that Christ cannot bee knowen by naturall but Evangelicall and revealed light The naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerend The light shined in darknesse and the darknesse was so thick and fixed that it did not let in the light nor apprehend it Thirdly that this light was at the first sent onely unto the Iewes as to the first borne-people excepting onely some particular extraordinary dispensations and priviledges to some few first fruits and preludes of the Gentiles He sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with any nation Hee hath not afforded the meanes of salvation ordinarily unto any other people the world by wisedome knew him not Fourthly that this severall
faine to confesse and declare to the world in their Councell of Trent Onely herein is the difference The Councell pretended a Reformation in points of Discipline and manners and wee made a Reformation in points of Doctrine too When Christ purged the Temple of buyers and sellers it was the same Temple after which before When a man separateth the wheate from the chaffe it is the same corne which before In these corrupter ages then the pure Professour of Christ who denied not his faith did dwell where Satan had his seate The members of Christ were amongst the Rulers of Antichrist Wee are not another Church newly started up but the same which before from the Apostles times held the common and necessarie grounds of Faith and Salvation which grounds being in latter ages perverted and over-turned by Antichristianisme have beene by valiant Champions for the faith of Christ therefrom vindicated who have onely pruned the Lords Vine and picked out the stones and driven out the bores out of his Vineyard but have not made either one or other new Now this point that Christ ruleth in the midst of his enemies is ground of great confidence in his Church in as much as shee subsisteth not upon any corruptible strength of her owne but upon the Promise decree oath power and love of God things invincible by all the Powers of darkenesse Let the enemies rage never so much they cannot dis-throne Christ nor extinguish his Gospell for it is an everlasting Gospell It is but as the comming forth of a Shepheard against a Lion as the Prophet compareth it For either Christ is unable to protect his people and that is against Saint Iude Hee is able to keepe you from falling and to present you faultlesse c. or else he is unwilling and that is against Saint Paul This is the will of God even your sanctification Or else both his Power and his will are suspended upon expectation of humane concurrence or nullified and disappointed by us and that is against the influence of his Grace which giveth us both the will and the deed against the mercie of his gracious promise I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more I will heale their back-slidings I will save them freely against the immutabilitie of his Covenant and holy nature I am God and not man I change not therefore the sonnes of Iacob are not destroied Now besides this generall observation the words afford some particular notes which I will but briefly touch As first That Christs kingdome in this world is Regnum Crucis a Kingdome beset with enemies of all other the most hated and opposed They that submit unto it must resolve to be herein conformable to their head a Crosse was his Throne and Thornes were his Crowne and every one which will live godly must suffer persecution and through many afflictions enter into his Masters Kingdome Quod erat Christus erimus Christiani No marvell if the world hate the Church of Christ for it hated him first In his word he is resisted disobeyed belied and if it were possible silenced and corrupted in his officers mocked and misused in his subjects persecuted and reviled in his Spirit thrust away and grieved in his worship neglected and polluted in all his wayes slandered and blasphemed The Reasons of which strange entertainement of the Kingdome of Christ are first because it is a New Kingdome which enters into the world by way of chalenge and dispossession of former lords and therefore no wonder if it finde opposition Secondly it is an invisible unconspicuous unattended desolate and in appearance ignoble kingdome It began in the forme of a servant in the ignominie of a Crosse none of the Princes of this world none of the learned of this world to countenance or helpe set it up but amongst them all esteemed as an offensive and foolish thing Thirdly it is an universall kingdome Nec parem patitur nec superiorem Christ will admit of no Consorts or Corrivals in his Government Body and Soule and Spirit hee will have wholly and throughout unto himselfe And this amongst others is given for the reason why when Tiberius proposed Christ unto the Romane Senate with the priviledge of his owne suffrage to be worshipped they rejected him because hee would be a God alone If hee would exempt some of the earthly members from his subjection let lust have the eye or folly the eare or violence the hand or covetousnesse the heart or any other evill affection share with him he would be the easier tolerated but when he will be absolute and nothing must remaine in our hearts but as his vassall to be spoiled subdued condemned and crucified by him if the whole state of sinne must bee ruined and the body destroied no wonder if the world cannot away with him Fourthly which is the Summe of all It is a heavenly Kingdome a spirituall Kingdome My Kingdome is not of this world and therefore no marvell if the divels of hell and the lusts of the flesh doe set themselves against him Note secondly even there where Christs Throne and Kingdome is set up hee hath enemies Satan hath his seate even where Christ dwelleth Men may say they are Jewes and are not but of the Synagogue of Satan and men may say they are Christians and are not but of the kingdome of Satan too A Wenne in the body seemeth to belong unto the integrity of the whole when indeed it is an enemie and thiefe therein Ivie about a tree seemeth to embrace it with much affection when indeed it doth but kill and choake it Men may take upon them the profession of Christians and like a Wenne bee skinned over with the same out-side which the true members have may pretend much submission worship and ceremony unto him and yet such is the hellish hypocrisie of the heart the same men may haply inwardly swell and rancle against the power of his truth and Spirit This people saith the Lord draw neere me with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but have removed their heart farre from me and their feare towards mee is taught by the precepts of men In the Apostles times there were false brethren and false teachers who crept in to spie out and betray the libertie of the Church and privily to bring in damnable heresies and to speake lies in hypocrisie that is under the pretext of devotion and carnall humilitie to corrupt the Doctrine of Christ and under a forme of Godlinesse to denie the Power thereof Therefore Antichrist is called a Whore because hee should seduce the Christian world with much expression of love and creepe peaceably and by flatteries into the kingdome of Christ of these severall enemies of Christ under the profession of his name and worship some are Christians but not in purity as heretikes some not in unity as schismatikes some not
in sincerity as hypocrites some not so much as in externall conformity as evill workers The heretike corrupteth Christ the schismatike divideth him the hypocrite mocketh him the prophane person dishonoreth him and all deny him Let us then learne to look unto our hearts for we may slatter Christ when we doe not love him we may inquire and seeke early after him and yet have no desire to finde him wee may come unto his schoole as untoward children not for love of his Doctrine but for feare of his rod we may call him husband and yet bee wedded to our owne lusts we may be baptized in his name so was Simon Magus we may preach him so did the false brethren we may flocke after him so did the multitude who followed him not for his words or miracles but for the loaves we may bow unto him so did his crucifiers wee may call upon his name so did the hypocrites that said Lord Lord and yet did not enter into the kingdome of heaven we may confesse and beleeve him so doe the very divels in hell we may give him our lips our eyes our tongues our knees our hands and yet still our kingdome our throne our hearts may bee Satans And all this is to make him but a mock-king as the Jewes did when indeed we crucifie him Note thirdly Christs Word and Spirit are stronger than all adverse opposition This is his Glory that his kingdome commeth in unto him by way of Conquest as Canaan unto Israel Therefore at the very first erecting of his kingdome when in all presumption it might most easily have beene crushed he suffer'd his enemies to vent their utmost malice and to glut themselves with the bloud of his people that so it might appeare that though they did fight against him they could not prevaile against him but that his counsell should still stand and flourish and should consume and breake in pieces all the kingdomes which set themselves against it that they all should be affraid of the Ensigne of the Gospell and should fly from it This jealousie of God for his Church may be seene in frustrating the attempts and pulling off the wheeles on which the projects which are cast against his Church doe move as hee dealt with Pharaoh Hee can dissolve the confederacies shatter the counsels cast a spirit of treachery unfaithfulnesse and mutinous affections into the hearts of his enemies as hee did into the Midianites and into the children of Ammon Moab and Edom when they gathered together against his people He can infatuate their counsels and make them the contrivers and artificers of their owne ruine as we see in the consultation of Rehoboam with his young men and of Ieroboam in his idolatrous policy and of Haman in his gallowes He can defeat their expectations and disannull their decrees and make his owne Counsell alone to stand But when all this is done this is onely to rule in spight of his enemies But besides this his Kingdome fetcheth his enemies under and in some sort ruleth over their consciences and striketh them to the ground maketh the divels in hell the stoutest of all sinners to tremble breaketh the rockes asunder affrighteth judgeth sealeth hardeneth thresheth revengeth the pride of men and maketh them before-hand to taste the bitternesse of that damnation which waketh over them and commeth swiftly against them Let us take heed then of being Christs enemies in opposing the power and progresse of his word the evidence and purity of his Spirit in the lives of men It is but to make a combination to pull the Sunne out of heaven or for a wave to contend with a rocke for as the ruines of a house are broken on the things upon which they fall so are the enemies of Christ which gather together against his Church and fall upon the rocke at length ruined by their owne malice Sampsons foxes were themselves burnt amongst the corne which they fired The land brought forth corne the next yeere againe and it may be more plentifully by reason of that fire but the foxes never came up any more Even so can the Lord deale with those enemies which waste and depopulate his Church make them the authors of their owne utter confusion and bring forth his Church with shouting and with doubled graces Who then is the man that desireth tranquillitie of life and securitie against all evill Let him become a subject in this conquering kingdome and cast himselfe under the banner and protection of Christ and he cannot miscarrie He that walketh uprightly walketh surely The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous flieth unto it and is safe The Lord is a Sunne and a shield a Fountaine of all good Grace and Glorie will hee give and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke uprightly and a protection against all evill I will not be affraid of ten thousand of men saith the Prophet David that compasse me about When there is no light nor issue nor in nature possibility of escape he can open a doore of deliverance to relieve his Church As a man in the kings high-way is under the kings protection so in Christs way we are under his protection Let us then never repine at the miscarriages of the world nor murmure against the wise proceedings of God in the severall dispensation towaâ—ds his Church on earth when he punisheth he doth it in measure lesse than our sinnes deserved and when we search and try our wayes and returne unto him hee knoweth how to worke his owne glory in our deliverance Those stones which are appointed for a glorious building are first under the saw and the hammer to be hewed and squared and those Christians in whom the Lord will take most delight he usually thereunto fitteth by trials and extremities Hee that is brought to tremble in himselfe may with most confidence expect to rejoyce in God Note fourthly this is the honour of Christs kingdome to be a peaceable quiet and secure kingdome not onely after the victory but in the midst of enemies This man saith the Prophet of Christ shall be the peace when the Assyrian the enemie is in the land Wee have peace in him when wee have tribulation in the world Christ saith of himselfe I came not to send peace but a sword and yet the Apostle saith That hee came and preached peace to those which were afarre off and to them which were neere How shall these things be reconcil'd Surely as a man may say of a Rocke Nothing more quiet because it is never stirr'd and yet nothing more unquiet because it is ever assaulted so wee may say of the Church Nothing more peaceable because it is established upon a Rocke and yet nothing more unpeaceable because that rocke is in the midst of seas windes enemies persecutions But yet still the Prophets Conclusion is certaine The worke of righteousnesse is
his race shall the succession increase and armies of the Church of God bee continually supplied The words thus unfolded doe containe in them a lively Character of the subjects in Christs spirituall Kingdome Described first by their Relation to him and his propriety to them Thy People Secondly by their present condition intimated in the word Willing or Voluntaries and if wee take Thy People and Armies for Synonymous termes The one notifying the order and quality of the other expressed in the Text and that is to bee military men Thirdly by their through and universall resignation subjection and devotednesse unto him For when he conquereth by his word his conquest is wrought upon the wills and affections of men Victorque volentes Per populos dat jura Thy people shall bee willing The ground of which willingnesse is further added for so chiefly I understand those words The Day of thy Power So that the willingnesse of Christs subjects is effected by the power of his grace and Spirit in the revelation of the Gospell Fourthly By their honorable attire and military robes in which they appeare before him and attend upon him In Beauties of Holinesse or in the various and manifold graces of Christ as in a garment of diverse colours Fiftly and lastly by their age multitudes and manner of their birth They are the Dew of the morning as many as the small drops of dew and they are borne to him out of the wombe of the morning as dew is generated not on the earth but in the aire by a Heavenly calling and by the shining of the morning-starre and day-spring upon their consciences Yee are all the Children of light saith the Apostle and the Children of the day wee are not of the night nor of darknesse 1 Thess. 5.5 I said before that I approve not the mincing and crumbling of Holy Scriptures Yet in these parts of them which are written for models and summaries of Christian Doctrine I suppose there may bee weight in every word as in a rich Iewell there is worth in every sparkle Here then first wee may take notice of Christs Propriety to his people Thy people All the Elect and Beleevers doe belong unto Christ. They are His People They are his Owne sheepe There is a mutuall and reciprocall propriety between him and them I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine His desire is towards mee His I say not as hee is God onely by a right of inseparable dominion as wee are his creatures For all things were created by him and for him And hee is over all God blessed for ever Nor his onely as hee is the first-borne and the heire of all things In which respect hee is Lord of the Angels and God hath set him over all the workes of his hands But as he is the mediator and head in his Church In which respect the faithfull are his by a more peculiar propriety Wee are thine thou never barest rule over them they were not called by thy name The Devils are his Vassals The wicked of the world his prisoners The faithfull onely are his subjects and followers His Iewels his Friends his Brethren his Sonnes his Members his Spouse His by all the relations of intimatenesse that can bee named Now this Propriety Christ hath unto us upon severall grounds First by Constitution and Donation from his Father God hath made him Lord and Christ. Hee hath put all things under his feete and hath given him to bee Head over all things to the Church Aske of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Behold I and the Children whom thou hast given mee Thine they were and thou gavest them to mee For as in regard of Gods Iustice we were bought by Christ in our redemption so in regard of his love wee were given unto Christ in our election that hee might redeeme us Secondly by a right of purchase treaty and covenant betweene Christ and his Father For wee having sold away our selves and being now in the enemies possession could not bee restored unto our primitive estate without some intervening price to redeeme us Therefore saith the Apostle hee was made under the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee might Buy out those that were under the Law And againe yee are Bought with a price Hee was our surety and stood in our stead and was set forth to declare the righteousnesse of God God dealt in grace with us but in justice with him Thirdly by a right of conquest and deliverance Hee hath plucked us out of our enemies hands hee hath dispossessed and spoiled those that ruled over us before he hath delivered us from the power of Satan and translated us into his owne Kingdome wee are his free men hee onely hath made us free from the Law of sinne and death and hath rescued us as spoiles out of the hands of our enemies and therefore wee are become his servants and owe obedience unto him as our Patron and deliverer As the Gibeonites when they were delivered from the sword of the children of Israel were thereupon made hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation So wee being rescued out of the hands of those tyrannous Lords which ruled over us doe now owe service and subjection unto him that hath so mercifully delivered us Being made free from sinne saith the Apostle ye become the Servants of Righteousnesse And wee are delivered from the Law that being dead wherin we were held that wee should serve in newnesse of Spirit And againe Hee died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe Fourthly by covenant and stipulation I entred into covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Therefore in our Baptisme we are said to bee Baptized into Christ and to put on Christ and to bee Baptized into his name that is wholy to consecrate and devote our selves to him as the servants of his family Therefore they which were Baptized in the ancient Church were wont to put on white rayment as it were the Liverie and Badge of Christ a Testimony of that purity and service which therein they vowed unto him And therefore it is that wee still retaine the ancient forme of vow promise or profession in Baptisme which was to renounce the Devill and all his works the world with the pompe luxury and pleasures thereof And this is done in a most solemne and deliberate manner by way of answere to the question and demand of Christ. For which purpose S. Peter calleth Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Answere or the interrogative triall of a good conscience towards God Hee that conformeth himselfe to the fashions and setteth his heart upon the favors preferment empty applause and admiration of the world that liveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
according to the rules and courses and sinfull maximes of worldly men in such indifferency compliancie and connivence as may flatter others and delude himselfe he that is freely and customarily over-rul'd by the temptations of Satan that yeeldeth to loosnesse of heart to vanity of thoughts lusts of eye pride of life luxury intemperance impurity of minde or body or any other earthly and inordinate affection is little better in the sight of God than a perjured a runnagate person flinging off from that service unto which hee had bound himselfe by a solemne vow and robbing Christ of that interest in him which by a mutuall stipulation was agreed upon Lastly by the vertue of our communion with him and participation of his grace and fulnesse All that wee are in regard of Spirit and life is from him Wee are nothing of our selves And wee can doe nothing of our selves All that wee are is from the grace of Christ. By the grace of God I am what I am And all that wee doe is from the grace of Christ I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee As when we doe evill it is not wee our selves but sinne that dwelleth in us So when wee doe good it is not wee but Christ that liveth in us So that in all respects wee are not our owne but his that died for us Now this being a point of so great consequence needfull it is that wee labor therein to try secure our selves that wee belong unto Christ. For which purpose wee must note that a man may belong unto Christ two manner of wayes First by a meere Externall profession So all in the visible Church that call themselves Christians are his and his word and oracles theirs In which respect they have many priviledges as the Apostle sheweth of the Iewes Yet notwithstanding such men continuing unreformed in their inner man are neerer unto cursing than others and subject unto a sorer condemnation for despising Christ in his word and Spirit with whom in their Baptisme they made so solemne a covenant For God will not suffer his Gospell to be cast away but will cause it to prosper unto some end or other either to save those that beleeve or to cumulate the damnation of those that disobey it Hee will be more carefull to cleanse his garner and to purge his floore than of other empty and barren places A weed in the garden is in more danger of rooting out than in the open field Such belong unto Christ no otherwise than Ivy to the tree unto which it externally adheres Secondly a man may belong unto Christ by Implantation into his Body Which is done by faith But here wee are to note that as some branches in a tree have a more faint and unprofitable fellowship with the roote than others as having no further strength than to furnish themselves with leaves but not with fruit so according unto the severall vertues or kindes of faith may the degrees of mens in grafture into Christ bee judged of There is a dead unoperative faith which like Adam after his fall hath the nakednesse thereof covered onely with leaves with meere formall hypocriticall conformities And there is an unfained lively and effectuall faith which is availeable to those purposes for which faith was appointed namely to justifie the person to purifie the heart to quench temptations to carry a man with wisedome and an unblameable conversation through this present world to worke by love to grow and make a man abound in the service of the Lord. And this distinction our Savior giveth us That there are some branches in him which beare not fruit and those he taketh away And others which beare fruit and those hee purgeth that they may bring forth more Those onely are the branches which hee desires to owne And thus to belong unto Christ is that onely which maketh us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purchased a peculiar people unto him And there are severall wayes of evidencing it I will onely name two or three and most in the Text. First wee must know that Christ is a Morning-starre a Sunne of Righteousnesse and so ever comes to the soule with selfe-evidencing properties Vnto him belongeth that royall prerogative to write Teste Meipso in the hearts of men to bee himselfe the witnesse to his owne Acts purchases and covenants Therefore his Spirit came in tongues of fire and in a mighty winde all which have severall wayes of manifesting themselves and stand not in need of any borrowed or forraigne confirmations If Christ then bee in the heart hee will discover himselfe His Spirit is the Originall of Grace and strength as concupiscence is of sinne It is a seed in the heart which will spring up and shew it selfe And therefore as lust doth take the first advantage of the faint and imperfect stirrings of the reasonable soule in little infants to evidence it selfe in pride folly stubbornesse and other childish sinnes So the Spirit of grace in the heart cannot lie dead but will worke and move and as a Spirit of burning by the light heate purging comforting inflaming combating vertue which is in it make the soule which was barren and settled on the lees and unacquainted with any such motions before stand amazed at its owne alteration and say with Rebekah If it bee so why am I thus Externals may bee imitated by art but no man can paint the soule or the life or the sense and motion of creature Now Christ and his Spirit are the internall formes and active principles in a Christian man Christ liveth in us when Christ who is our Life shall appeare c. Therefore impossible it is that any hypocrite should counterfeite and by consequence obscure those intimate and vitall workings of his grace in the soule whereby hee evidenceth himselfe thereunto It is true a man that feareth the Lord may walke in darknesse and be in such discomforts as he shall see no light and yet even in that condition Christ doth not want properties to evidence himselfe in tendernesse of conscience feare of sinne striving of Spirit with God closenesse of heart and constant recourse to him in his word and the like onely the soule is shut up and overclowded that it cannot discerne him The Spirit of Christ is a Seale a witnesse an earnest an hansell a first fruit of that fulnesse which is promised hereafter It is Christs owne Spirit and therefore fashioneth the hearts of those in whom it is unto his heavenly image to long for more comprehension of him for more conformity unto him for more intimacie and communion with him for more grace wisedome and strength from him it turneth the bent and course of the soule from that earthly and sensuall end unto which it wrought before as a good branch having been ingrafted into a wild stock converteth the sappe of a Crab
and to dispute against him This people are as they that strive with the priest such a bitter and unreconcileable enmity there is betweene the two seeds Secondly we may observe that notwithstanding this naturall aversenesse yet many by the Power of the Word are wrought violently and compulsorily to tender some unwilling services to Christ by the spirit of bondage by the feare of wrath by the evidences of the curse due to sinne and by the wakefulnesse of the conscience They have turned their backe unto me and not their face saith the Lord that notes the disposition of their will But in the time of their trouble they will say Arise and save us that notes their compulsorie and unnaturall devotion They shall goe with their flockes and their heards that is with their pretended sacrifices and externall ceremonies to seeke the Lord but they shall not finde him hee hath withdrawne himselfe As when the Lord sent Lions amongst the Samaritanes then they sent to enquire after the manner of his worship fearing him but yet still serving their owne Gods But this compulsory obedience doth not proceed from a feare of sinne but a feare of hell And that plainely appeares in the readinesse of such men to apprehend all advantages for enlarging themselves and in making pretences to flinch away and steale from the Word of Grace in consulting with carnall reason to silence the doubts to untie the knots and to breake the bonds of the conscience asunder and to turne into every diverticle which a corrupted heart can shape in taking every occasion and pretext to put God off and delay the payment of their service unto him Thus Felix when he was frighted with the discourse of Saint Paul put it off with pretence of some further convenient season and the unwilling Jewes in the time of reedifying the temple at Jerusalem This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should bee built in slighting the warnings and distinguishing the words of Scripture out of their spirituall and genuine puritie and so belying the Lord and saying It is not he The word of the Lord saith the Prophet is to them a reproach they have no delight in it that is they esteeme me when I preach thy words unto them rather as a slanderer than as a Prophet Wouldest thou then know the nature of thy devotion Abstract all conceits of danger all workings of the spirit of bondage the feare of wrath the preoccupations of hell the estuations and sweatings of a troubled conscience and if all these being secluded thou canst still afford to dedicate thy selfe to Christ and be greedily ambitious of his image that is an evident assurance of an upright heart Thirdly we may observe that by the Power of the Word there may yet be further wrought in naturall men a certaine Velleitâ—e a languide and incomplete will bounded with secret reservations exceptions and conditions of its owne which maketh it upon every new occasion mutable and inconstant When the hypocriticall Iewes came with such a solemne protestation unto the Prophet Ieremie The Lord bee a true and faithfull witnesse betweene us if we doe not according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee unto us c. I suppose they then meant as they spake and yet this appeares in the end to have beene but a velleitie and incomplete resolution a zealous pang of that secret hypocrisie which in the end discover'd it selfe and brake forth into manifest contradiction when Hazael answered the Prophet Is thy servant a dog that hee should doe thus and thus he then meant no otherwise than hee spake upon the first representation of those bloudie facts he abhorred them as belluine and prodigious villanies and yet this was but a velleitie and fit of good nature for the time which did easily weare out with the alteration of occasions When Iudas asked Christ Master is it I that shall betray thee though a man can conceive no hypocrisie too blacke to come out of the hell of Iudas his heart yet possible and peradventure probable it may be that hearing at that time and beleeving that wofull judgement pronounced by Christ against his betrayer It had beene good for that man if he had never beene borne he might then upon the pang and surprizall of so fearefull a doome secretly and suddenly relent and resolve to forsake his purpose of treason which yet when that storme was over and his covetous heart was tempted with a bribe did fearefully returne and gather strength againe When the people returned and inquired early and remembred God their Maker they were in good earnest for the time and yet that was a velleity and ungrounded devotion their heart was not right towards him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant When Saul out of the force of naturall ingenuity did upon the evidence of Davids integritie who slew him not when the Lord had delivered him into his hands relent for the time and weepe and acknowledge his righteousnesse above his owne he spake all this in earnest as he thought and yet wee finde that hee afterwards return'd to pursue him againe and was once more by the experience of Davids innocencie reduc'd unto the same acknowledgement The people in one place would have made Christ a King so much did they seeme to honour him and yet at another time when their over-pliable and unresolved affections were wrought upon by the subtile Pharises they cried against him as against a slave Crucifie him crucifie him so may it be in the generall services of God men may have wishings and wouldings and good liking of the truth and some faint and floating resolutions to pursue it which yet having no firme roote nor proceeding from the whole bent of the heart from a through mortification of sinne and evidence of Grace but from such weake and wavering principles as may bee perturbed by every new temptation like letters written in sand they vanish away like a morning dew and leave the heart as hard and scorched as it was before The young man whom for his ingenuity and forwardnesse Christ loved came in a sad and serious manner to learne of Christ the way to heaven and yet wee finde there were secret reservations which he had not discerned in himselfe upon discoverie whereof by Christ he was discouraged and made repent of his resolution Markâ— 10.21 22. The Apostle speaketh of a Repentance not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 which hath firme solid and permanent reasons to support it therein secretly intimating that there is likewise a Repentance which rising out of an incomplete will and admitting certaine secret and undiscerned reservations doth upon the appearance of them flag and fall away and leave the unfaithfull heart to repent of its repentance Saint Iames tels us that a double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes Iam. 1.8 never uniforme nor
unto obedience If he be grieved and made retire for he is of a delicate and jealous disposition if hee turne his wind from our sailes alas how slow and sluggish will our motion be How poore our progresse Vpon these and severall other the like grounds may the best of us bee possessed with feares discomforts and unwillingnesse in Gods service But yet Fifthly none of all this takes off the will a Toto though it doe a Tanto but that the faithfull in their greatest heavinesse and unfitnesse of spirit have yet a stronger by as towards God than any wicked man when he is at best for it is true of them in their lowest condition that they Desire to feare Gods name Nehem. 1.11 That the desire of their soule is towards the remembrance of him Esay 26.8 that they are seriously displeased with the distempers and uncomfortablenesse of their spirit Psal. 42.5 that they long to be enlarged that they may run the way of Gods Commandements Psal. 119.32 That they set their affection unto God and his service 1 Chron. 29.3 That they prepare their heart to seeke the Lord God 2 Chron. 30.19 That they strive grone wrestle and are unquiet in their dumpes and dulnesse earnestly contending for joy and freedome of Spirit Psal. 51.8.11.12 In one word that they dare not omit those duties which yet they have no readinesse and disposednesse of heart to performe but when they cannot doe them in alacrity yet they doe them in obedience and serve the Lord when he hideth his face from them I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will looke againe towards thy holy Temple Ionah 2.4 He that feareth the Lord will obey his voice though he walke in darknesse and have no light Esay 50.10 So then the faithfull have still thus much ground of comfort that God hath their wils alwaies devoted and resign'd unto him though thus much likewise they have to humble them too the daily experience of a back-sliding and tired spirit in his service and should therefore be exhorted to stirre up the spirit of grace in themselves to keepe fresh and frequent their communion with Christ. The more acquaintance and experience the heart hath of him the more abundantly it will delight in him and make haste unto him that it may with Saint Paul apprehend him in fruition by whom it is already apprehended and carried up unto heavenly places in assurance and representation As long as wee are here there will be something lacking to our faith some mixture of unbeleefe and distrust with it 1 Thess. 3.10 Marke 9.24 corruptions temptations afflictions trials will be apt to beget some feares discomforts wearinesse and indisposednesse towards Gods service The sense whereof should make us long after our home with the Apostle grone and wait for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies for the manifestation of the sons of God for though we are now sonnes yet it doth not appeare what we shall be 1 Ioh. 3.2 should make us pray for the accomplishment of his promises for the hastening of his Kingdome where we shall be changed into an universall spiritualnesse or purity of nature where those relickes of corruption those strugglings of the law of the members against the law of the minde shall be ended those languishings decayes ebbes and blemishes of grace shall be removed where all deficiencies of grace shall be made up and that measure and first fruits of the Spirit which we here receive shall be crowned with fulnesse and everlasting perfection Here we are like the stones and other materials of Salomons Temple but in the act of fitting and preparation no marvell if we be here crooked knottie uneven and therefore subject to the hammer under blowes and buffets But when we shall be carried to the heavenly building which is above and there laid in there shall be nothing but smoothnesse and glory upon us no noise of hammers or axes no dispensation of Word or Sacraments no application of censures and severity but every man shall bee filled with the fulnesse of God Faith turned into sight Hope turned into fruition and Love everlastingly ravished with the presence of God with the face of Iesus Christ with the fulnesse of the holy Spirit and with the communion and societie of all the Saints And so much for the first observation out of the third particular concerning the willingnesse of Christs people There was further therein observed the Principle of this Willingnesse In the day of thy power or of thine armies that is when thou shalt send abroad Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Doctours and Teachers for evidencing the Word and Spirit unto the consciences of men Whence we may secondly observe that the Heart of Christs people is made willing to obey him by an act of Power or by the strength of the Word and Spirit It is not barely enticed but it is conquered by the Gospell of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. And yet this is not a compulsory conquest which is utterly contrary to the nature of a reasonable will which would cease to be it selfe if it could be compell'd but it is an effectuall conquest The will as all other faculties is dead naturally in trespasses and sins And a dead man is not raised to life againe by any enticements nor yet compell'd unto a condition of such exact complacencie and suteablenesse to nature by any act of violence So then a man is made willingly subject unto Christ neither by meere morall perswasions nor by any violent impulsions but by a power in it selfe supernaturall spirituall or Divine and in its manner of working sweetly tempered to the disposition of the will which is never by grace destroyed but perfected Therefore the Apostle saith that it is God who worketh in us to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 first he frameth our will according to his owne as David was said to be a man after Gods owne heart and secondly by that will and the imperate acts thereof thus sanctified and still assisted by the Spirit of grace he setteth the other powers of nature on worke in further obedience unto his will And therefore the Prophet David praised God that had enabled him and his people to offer willingly unto the service of Gods house and prayeth him that he would ever keepe that willing disposition in the imaginations and thoughts of the hearts of his people 1 Chron. 29.14.18 Therefore the Apostle saith that Our faith standeth not in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore likewise it is called The faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead Col. 2.12 For the more distinct opening and evidencing this point how Christs people are made Willing by his power I will onely lay together some briefe positions which I conceive to be thereunto pertinent and proceed to that which is more plaine and profitable First let us consider the nature of the will which is to
to the wayes of grace as there is in any The consideration whereof may justly humble us in our reflexion upon our selves whom neither the promises of heaven can allure nor the bloud and passions of Christ perswade nor the flames of hell affright from our sinnes till the Lord by the sweet and gracious power of his holy â—â—irit subdue and conquer the soule unto himselfe If a man should rise from the dead and truly relate unto the conscience the woefull and everlasting horrors of hell if a mans naturall capacity were made as wide to apprehend the wrath fury and vengeance of a provoked God the foulenesse guilt and venome of a soule fuller of sins than the heavens of stars as the most intelligent divels of hell doe conceive them If an Archangell or Seraphim should be sent from heaven to reveale unto the soule of a naturall man the infinite glory of Gods presence the full pleasures of his right hand the admirable beauty of his wayes the intimate conformity and resemblance between his divine nature in himselfe the Image of his holinesse in the creature the unsearchable and bottomlesse love of Christ in his Incarnation and sufferings the endlesse incomprehensible vertue pretiousnesse of his bloud and prayers yet so desperately evill is the heart of man that if after all this God should not afford the blessed operation and concurrence of his owne gratious Spirit the revelation of his own arme and power upon the soule to set on those instrumentall causes it would be invincible by any evidence which all the cries and flames of hell which all the armies and hosts of heaven were able to beget There is no might or power able to snatch a man out of the hands of his sin but onely Gods Spirit Notable are the expressions which the holy Ghost every where useth to set forth this wretched condition of the heart by nature wilfulnesse and selfe-willednesse We will not hearken we will not have this man to raigne over us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many wils in one Rebellion and stubbornenesse stoutnesse of heart contestation with God and gain-saying his Word Impudence stiffenesse and hard-heartednesse mischievous profoundnes and deepe reasonings against the Law of God pertinacie resolvednesse and abiding in mischiefe they hold fast deceit obstinacie and selfe-obduration They have hardned their neckes that they might not heare Impotencie immoveablenesse and undocilenesse their heart is uncircumcised they cannot heare there is none that understandeth or seeketh after God scorne and slighting of the messages of the Lord where is his Word Where is the promise of his comming Incredulity and belying the Lord in his Word saying it is not he Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Wrestling resisting and fighting with the Word rejecting the counsell of God vexing and striving with his holy Spirit ye have alwayes resisted the holy Ghost Rage and fiercenesse of disordred affections despising of goodnesse trayterous heady and high-minded thoughts Brutishnes of immoderate lust the untamed madnesse of an enraged beast without any restraint of reason or moderation In one word a hell and gulfe of unsearchable mischiefe which is never satisfied It is impossible that any reasonable man duly considering all these difficulties should conceive such an heart as this to be overcome with meere morall perswasions or by any thing lesse than the mightie power of Gods owne grace To him therefore we should willingly acknowledge all our conversion and salvation So extremely impotent are we O Lord unto any good so utterly unprofitable and unmeet for our Masters use and yet so strongly hurried by the impulsion of our owne lust towards hell that no precipice nor danger no hope nor reward no man or Angell is able to stop us without thine owne immediate power and therefore Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name onely be attributed the glory of our conversion Againe by this consideration we should be provoked to stirre up and call together all our strength in the Lords service to recover our mispent time to use the more contention and violence for the kingdome of heaven when wee consider how abundant wee have beene in the workes of sinne in the pursuing of vast desires which had neither end nor hope in them O how happie a thing would it be if men could serve God with the same proportion of vigour and willingnesse of mind as they served Satan and themselves before I was never tired in that way I went on indefatigably towards hell like a swift Dromedary or an untamed heifer I pursued those evill desires which had vanity for their object and misery for their end no fruit but shame and no wages but death But in the service of Christ I have a price before mee an abiding Citie an enduring substance an immarcescible crowne to fix the highest of my thoughts upon I have the promises of Christ to strengthen me his Angels to guard his Spirit to lead his Word to illighten me In one word I have a soule to save and a God to honour And why should not I apply my power to serve him who did reach forth his owne power to convert me A long way I have to goe and I must doe it in a spanne of time so many temptations to overcome so many corruptions to shake off so many promises to beleeve so many precepts to obey so many mysteries to study so many workes to finish and so little time for all my weaknesses on one side my businesses on another mine enemies and my sinnes round about me take away so much that I have scarce any left to give to God And yet alas if I could serve God on earth as he is served in heaven if I had the strength of Angels and glorified Saints to doe his will it would come infinitely short of that good will of God in my redemption or of his power in my conversion If God should have said to all the Angels in heaven there is such a poore wretch posting with full strength towards hell goe stand in his way and drive him back againe all those glorious armies would have beene too few to blocke up the passageâ— betweene sin and heâ— without the concurrence of Gods owne Spirit and power they could have returned none other answer but this we have done all we can to perswade and turne him but he will not be turned If then the Lord did put to his owne power to save me great reason there is that I should set my weake and impotent faculties to honour him especially since hee hath beene pleased both to mingle with his service great joy liberty and tranquillity here and also to set before it a full a sure and a great reward for my further animation and encouragement thereunto The fourth thing observed in this Verse was the attire wherein Christs people should attend
upon his service In the Beauties of Holinesse These words referre to those before and that either to the word People or to the word willing If to People then they are a further description of Christs Subjects or Souldiers they shall be all like servants in Princes Courts beautifully arraied like the Priests of the Law that had garments of beauty and glory and so Schindler expounds it In societate sacerdotum If to the word willing then it notes the ground and inducement of their great devotion and subjection unto Christs kingdome that as the people came up in troopes to the Lords house which was the Beauty of his Holinesse or as men doe flocke together to the sight of some honorable and stately solemnity so Christs people should by the beauty of his banners be allured to gather unto him and flye in multitudes as Doves unto their windowes Which way ever wee understand the words we may from them observe First That Holinesse is a glorious and a beautifull thing The holy oile with which all the vessels of the Sanctuary were to be consecrated was a type of that Spirit which sanctifieth us and maketh us Kings and Priests unto God and it was to be compounded of the purest and most delicate ingredients which the art of the Apothecary could put together Therefore our Saviour still calleth his Spouse the fairest of womâ—n to note that no other beauty in the world is to be compared with Holinesse Therefore our Faith and Holinesse is called a Wedding Garment at which solemnitie men use above all other to adorne themselves with their costliest and most beautifull attire Therefore we are said to Put on the Lord Iesus and to Put on bowels of mercie and humblenesse of minde and meekenesse c. and therefore likewise the Church is compared to a Bride decked in her choicest ornaments and jewels broidred worke silke fine linnen bracelets chaines jewels crownes gold silver perfect comelinesse garments of salvation and of praise robes of righteousnesse c. And Christ the husband of this Spouse the chiefest and most amiable of ten thousand even altogether lovely The Desire of all Nations and the allurement of all hearts that can looke upon him And Ierusalem the palace of this glorious couple described by the most pretious and desireable things which can bee thought on Iaspar the wall gold the pavement pearle the gates pretious stones the foundation and the Lord the light thereof Of our selves by reason of sinne we are full of filthinesse and deformity in flesh and spirit clothed with filthy garments and overspread from the head to the foot with blaines and putrefactions It is only the holy Word of God which maketh us cleane from our filthinesse and from all our pollutions By the washing of water through the Word Christ sanctifieth us that he may present unto himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle that it might be holy and without blemish Ephes. 5.27 And therefore the Apostle Saint Peter exhorteth Christian women to adorne the inner man of the heart with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God whose pure eye they ought rather to please than the wanton eye of man of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. And the truth hereof may bee proved even from the practice of hypocrites themselves for no man will counterfeite villanies and make a shew of the vices which indeed hee hath not except he be desperately thereunto swayed by an humor of pleasing his wicked companions And therefore Saint Austin complaineth of it as of a prodigious corruption of his nature that he did sometimes belie himselfe to his wicked associates and boasted of the wickednesse which he durst not practise No woman will paint her selfe with dung or spread inke upon her face It must be beautifull in it selfe which any man will ordinarily counterfeit so that Holinesse hath the prerogative of an enemies suffrage which is one of the strongest evidences to testifie the beauty and excellency thereof This point will more distinctly appeare if we consider either the Author Nature properties or Operations of this Holinesse First the Author is God himselfe by his spirit The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly saith the Apostle and the God of peace make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will Therefore the spirit is called a spirit of Holinesse by the power whereof Christ rising from the dead was declared to bee the Sonne of God to note the answerablenesse betweene raising from the dead or giving life where there was none before and the sanctification of a sinner Therefore the Apostle calleth it the renewing of the Holy Ghost and the forming of Christ in us the quickning and creating us to good workes By all which we may note that what Beautie the Creation brought upon that emptie and unshaped Chaos when it was distributed into this orderly frame which we now admire or what beautie the reunion of a living soule unto a dead and gastly body doth restore unto it the same beautie doth Holinesse bring unto the soule of a man which was filthy before But yet further we must note that God did not make man as other ordinarie Creatures for some low and inferior use and yet Salomon saith that they were made all beautifull in their time but there was a pause a consultation a more than common wisedome power and mercie revealed in the workemanship of man for God made man for his owne more peculiar delight company and communion one whom hee would enter into a more intimate league and covenant withall The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himselfe This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise I will magnifie the beautie of my glorious vertues in those whom I have sanctified for my selfe Thus wee finde what perfect comelinesse the Lord bestowed upon his people when he entred into Covenant with them and made them his owne one which was alwayes to leane on his bosome and to stand in his owne presence Ezek. 16.8 14. The Church is the Lords owne House a Temple in the which hee will dwell and walke it is his Throne in which he sitteth as our Prince and Law-giver And in this regard it must needs bee extraordinarie beautifull for the Lord will beautifie the place of his Sanctuary and will make the place of his feet glorious Now then if by Holinesse we are made Gods building and that not as the rest of the world is for his Creatures to inhabite but as a Temple for himselfe to dwell in as a gallerie for himselfe to walke and refresh himselfe in certainely Holinesse which is the Ornament and ingraving of this temple must needs be a glorious thing for there is much glory and wisedome in all Gods workes Secondly if we consider the
if he observe any faculty naked and neglected The actuall and totall breach of any one Commandement Totall I meane when the whole heart doth it though haply it execute not all the obliquitie which the compasse of the sinne admits is an implicite habituall interpretative and conditionall breach of all His soule stands alike dis-affected to the holinesse of every Commandement and hee would undoubtedly adventure on the breach of this if such exigences and conditions as misguided him in the other should thereunto as strongly induce him He that hath done any one of these abominations hath done all these abominations in Gods account Ezek. 18.10 13. There being then in a Christian man a suteable life and vigour of holinesse in every part and a mutuall conspiring of them all in the same wayes and ends there must needs likewise be therein an excellent beauty Thirdly growth and further Progresse in these Proportions for it is not onely uprightnesse and Symmetrie of parts which causeth perfect beauty and comelinesse but stature likewise Now Holinesse is a thriving and growing thing The Spirit is seede and the Word is raine and the Father is an Husbandman and therefore the life of Christ is an abounding life Ioh. 10.10 The rivers of the Spirit of Grace spring up unto Eternity Ioh. 7.36 As Christ hath no Monsters so neither hath hee any Dwarfes in his mysticall body but all his grow up unto the pitch of perfection which it becommeth them to have in him even unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes. 4.12 13. The meaning of the Apostle is that Christ is not alwayes an infant in us as when he is first formed but that he doth Grandescere in Sanctis as Musculus well expresseth it that he groweth up still unto the stature of a man for wheresoever there is faith and holinesse there is ever ingenerated an appetite for augmentation Faith is of a growing and Charitie of an abounding Nature 2 Thes. 1.3 By the Word of truth as by incorruptible seed wee were begotten and by the same Word as by the sap and milke are we nourished and grow up thereby This affection holinesse ever workes as it did in the Disciples Lord increase our faith and in David Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us Fourthly besides the Rectitude Harmonie and Maturitie which is in Holinesse there is another propertie which maketh the Beautie thereof surpasse all other Beautie and that is Indeficiencie The measure of Christ must be the Rule of our growth but Christ never was overtaken by old age or times of declining He never saw corruption so wee must proceede from strength to strength like the Sunne to the perfect day but there is no sinking or setting of Holinesse in the heart They that are planted in Gods House doe still bring forth fruit in their Old age and are even then fat and flourishing As our outward man decaieth so our inward man groweth day by day Our Holinesse is a branch of the life of Christ in us which doth never of it selfe runne into death and therefore is not apta nata of it selfe to decay for that is nothing but an earnest inchoation and assurance of death That which waxeth old saith the Apostle is ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 Fourthly and lastly if we consider the Operations of Holinesse that likewise will evidence the Beautie thereof for it hath none but gratious and honourable effects It filleth the Soule with Joy Comfort and Peace All Joy unspeakeable and glorious joy peace quietnesse assurance songs and everlasting joy It maketh the blinde see the deafe heare the lame leape the dumbe sing the wildernesse and parched ground to become springs of water It entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of refined wines and carrieth it into the banquetting-house unto apples and flagons It giveth the soule a deare communion with God in Christ a sight of him an accesse unto him a boldnesse in his presence an admission into most holy delights and intimate conferences with him in his bed-chamber and in his galleries of love In one word it gathers the admiration of men it secures the protection of Angels and which is argument of more beautie than all the creatures in the world have besides it attracteth the eye and heart the longings and ravishments the tender compassions and everlasting delights of the Lord Iesus I have insisted on those properties of holinesse which denote inward beautie because all the graces of the Spirit doe beautifie inherently But the word properly signifying Decus or Ornatum outward adorning by a metaphor of rich apparell expressing the internall excellencie of the soule notes unto us two things more First that the people of Christ are not only sanctified within but have interest in that unspotted holinesse of Christ wherewith they are clothed as with an ornament So the Priests of God are said to be clothed with righteousnesse and we are said to put on Christ And the righteousnesse of Christ is frequently compared to long white robes fit to cover our sins to hide our nakednesse and to protect our persons from the wrath of God so that to the eye of his justice we appeare as it were parts of Christ as when Iacob wore Esau's garment he was as Esau to his father and in that relation obtained the blessing God carrieth himselfe towards us in Christ as if we our selves had fulfilled all righteousnesse as if there were no ground of contestation with us or exception against us And this is indeed the beautie of holinesse The modell prototype and originall of all beautie Secondly from the metaphoricall allusion as it is usually understood it notes unto us likewise that all the people of Christ are Priests unto God to offer up sacrifices acceptable unto him by Iesus Christ. They have all the priviledges and the duties of Priests To approach unto God wee have libertie to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Iesus to consult and have communion with him to be his Remembrancer for as his Spirit is his Remembrancer unto us hee shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you so is he our Remembrancer unto God to put him in minde of his mercy and promises to make mention of him and to give him no rest To know and propagate his truth this was the office of the Priest to be the keeper of the knowledge and to teach it unto others and this knowledge in the Gospell doth overflow the earth and make every man in a spirituall sense a Priest an instructer and edifier of his brother To offer to him such sacrifices as hee now delighteth in the sacrifices of thanksgiving the sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit the sacrifices of praise confession good works and mutuall communicating unto one another in one word the sacrificing of a
rule to besiege heaven with armies of united Prayers to be mutually serviceable to the City of God and to one another as fellow members Therefore hath the Lord given unto men severall gifts and to no one man all that thereby wee might bee enabled to and induced to worke together unto one end and by Love to unite our severall graces for the edification of the body of Christ Ephes. 4.11 13. Now for the manner of producing or procuring these multitudes it is set forth unto us in two Metaphors A wombe and Dew of the morning Now the birth of Dew is first generatio caelestis That which is exhal'd is an earthly vapor but the heavenly operation changeth it into Dew no art of man is able to doe it It is also undiscerned and secret when it is fallen you may see it but how it is made you cannot see Lastly it is a sudden Birth in a night or morning it is both begotten conceived and brought forth Here then wee have foure notes First that all Christs subjects are withall his Children They are borne unto him Christianity is a Birth except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of God There is a Father Christ our Father by generation Behold I and the Children whom thou hast given mee as wee are his brethren by adoption Hee is not ashamed to call us brethren There is a Mother Ierusalem which is above is the Mother of us all And there are subordinate instruments both of one and other the holy Apostles Evangelists Doctors and Pastors who therefore are sometimes called Fathers begetting us in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell and sometimes Mothers bearing and bringing forth of whom I travell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you There is a holy seed out of which these Children of Christ are formed namely the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For the heart of a man new borne unto Christ cometh from the word as a paper from the presse or as a garment from a perfume transformed into that quality of spiritualnesse and holinesse which is in the word There is a Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative vertue which is the energie and concurrence of the Spirit of grace with the word for the truth is not obeyed but by the Spirit except a man bee borne of water and the Spirit water as the seed and the Spirit as the formative vertue quickning and actuating that seed hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God There are Throwes and paines both in the Mother and in the Childe much trouble and care in the ministery of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom I travell in paine againe I ceased not to warne every one night and day with teares As a woman with Childe by reason of the feare and danger of miscarriages doth abridge her selfe of many liberties in meates physick violent exercise and the like so those who travell in birth with the Children of Christ are put to denie themselves many things and to suffer many things for the successe of their service I will eate no flesh while the world standeth rather than make my brother to offend I am appointed a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles for the which cause I also suffer these things I endure all things for the elects sake that they may obtaine the salvation which is in Christ Iesus And there is paine in the Childe too a sinner doth not leave the warmth and pleasure of his former condition without paine Christ comes not without shaking unto the soule There is a New being or nature a corruption of our old man and a formation of the new Old things are done away behold all things are become new the same holy nature the same minde judgement will affections motions desires dispositions spirit wrought in us which was in him Hee that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure as hee is so are wee in this world patient as hee is patient Heb. 12.2 Holy as hee is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 Humble as hee is humble Ioh. 13.14 Compassionate as he is compassionate Col. 3.13 Loving as hee is loving Ephes. 5.2 in all things labouring to shew Christ fashioned in our nature and in our affections There is a new conversation answerable to our new nature that as God is good in himselfe and doth good in his workes Psal. 119.68 so we both are as Christ was 1 Ioh. 4.17 and walke as hee walketh 1 Ioh. 2.6 There is new food and appetites thereunto sutable A desire of the sincere immediate untempered uncorrupted milke of the word as it comes with all the spirits and life in it that wee may grow thereby New Priviledges and Relations the Sonnes of God the brethren of Christ the citizens of heaven the houshold of the Saints New Communion and society the fellowship of the Father and the Sonne by the Spirit fellowship with the Holy Angels we have their love their ministery their protection followship with the spirits of just men made perfect by the seeds and beginnings of the same perfection by the participation of the same Spirit of holinesse by expectance of the same glorie and finall redemption In the meane time then wee should walke as Children of the light or as it is here as Children of the morning The Day is given us to worke in and therefore in the morning as soone as wee have our Day before us wee should endevour to walke honestly Night-workes are commonly workes of uncleanesse violence dishonor and therefore want a cover of darknesse to hide them Theeves use to come in the night 1 Thes. 5.2 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twylight saying no eye shaâ—l see mee and disguiseth himselfe Iob 24.15 In the twylight in the evening in the black and darke night hee goeth to the house of the strange woman Prov. 7.9 The oppressor diggeth through houses in the darke For the morning is to them as the shaddow of death Iob 24.16 17. They that are drunken are drunken in the night 1 Thes. 5.7 Sinnes are of the nature of some sullen weeds which will grow no where but in the side of wells and of darke places But workes of Christianity are neither uncleane nor dishonorable they are beautifull and roiall workes they are exemplary and therefore publike workes they are themselves light let your light shine before men and therefore they ought to bee done in the light If wee bee Children wee should expresse the affections of Children The innocencie humility and Dove-like simplicity of little Children as the Sonnes of God blamelesse pure and without rebuke Children in malice though men in understanding The Appetite of little Children As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby In all impatiencie the breast will pacifie a little infant in all other delights the breast will entice it
and draw it away ever so should the word and worship of God worke upon us in all our distempers and in all our deviations Christ was hungry and faint with fasting it was about the sixth houre and hee had sent his Disciples to buy meate and yet having an occasion to doe his Father service hee forgat his food and refused to eate Ioh. 4.6.8.34 The Love of Children hee that is begotten loveth him that did beget him 1 Ioh. 5.1 with a Love of Thankfulnesse We love him because He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.19 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and my supplication Psal. 116.1 With a love of obedience faith worketh by love Gal. 5 6. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 If a man love me hee will keepe my words Ioh. 14.23 with a love of reverence and awfull feare A Sonne honoureth his Father Mal. 1.6 If you call on the Father c. Passe the time of your sojourning here in feare 1 Pet. 1.17 The faith of Children For whom should the Childe relie on for maintenance and supportance but the Father Take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall wee drinke or wherewith shall wee bee cloathed For your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things Matth. 6.31 32. The hope assurance and expectation of Children For as Children depend on their parents for present supply so for portions and provisions for the future fathers lay up for their Children and so doth God for his There is an inheritance reserved for us 1 Pet. 1.4 Lastly the Prayers and requests of Children Because ye are Sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Note 2. The Birth of a Christian is a divine and heavenly workâ— God is both Father Mother of the Dew by his power and wisedome a Father by his providence and indulgence a mother Progenitor genitrixque therefore hee is cald in Clem. Alex. Metripater to note that those causalities which are in the second agents divided are eminently and perfectly in him united as all things are to bee resolved into a first unity Hath the Raine a Father or who hath begotten the Drops of Dew saith Iob. Out of whose wombe came the Ice and the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it None but God is the parent of the Dew it doth not stay for nor expect any humane concurrence or causality Mich. 5.7 Esai 55.10 such is the call and conversion of a man to Christ A heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 the operation of God in us Col. 2.12 A birth not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh noâ— of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1 1â— 1 Ioh. 3.9 Paul may plaâ—t and Apollo may water but it is God that must blesse both nay it is God who by them as his instruments doth both of his owne will begat he us Iam. 1.18 The Miâ—isters are a Savor of Christ 2 Cor. 2.15 It is not the garment but the perfume in it which diffuseth a sweet sent It is not the Labor of the Minister but Christ whom hee preacheth that worketh upon the soule I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with mee 1 Cor. 15.10 It is not good therefore to have the faith of God in respect of persons the seed of this spirituall generation cannot otherwise bee given us than in earthen vessels by men of like passions and infirmities with others Therefore when pure and good seed is here and there sowed to attribute any thing to persons is to derogate from God where gifts are fewer parts meaner probabilities lesse God may and often doth give an increase above hope as to Daniels Pulse that the excellency of the power may bee of him and not of man Though it bee a lame or a leprous hand which soweth the seed yet the successe is no way altered good seed depends not in its growth on the hand that sowes it but on the earth that covers and on the heavens that cherish it So the word borroweth not its efficacy from any humane vertue but from the heart which ponders and the Spirit which sanctifies it When then thou comest unto the word come with affections suteable unto it All earth will not beare all seed some wheate and some but pulse there is first required a fitnesse before there will bee a fruitfulnesse Christ had many things to teach which his Disciples at the time could not carry away because the Comforter was not then sent who was to lead them into all truth they who by use have their senses exercised are fit for strong meate The truth of the Gospell is an heavenly truth and therefore it requires a heavenly disposition of heart to prosper it It is wisedome to those that are perfect though to others foolishnesse and offence The onely reason why the word of truth doth not thrive is because the heart is not fitted nor prepared unto it The seed of it selfe is equall unto all grounds but it prospers onely in the honest and good heart the raine in it selfe alike unto all but of no vertue to the rocks as to other ground by reason of their inward hardnesse and incapacity The Pharises had covetous hearts and they mocked Christ the Philosophers had proud hearts and they scorned Paul The Iewes had carnall hearts and they were offended at the Gospell the people in the wildernesse had unbeleeving hearts and the word preached did not profit them But now a heavenly heart comes with the affections of a Scholer to bee taught by God with the affections of a servant to bee commanded by God with the affections of a Sonne to bee educated by God with the affections of a sinner to bee cur'd by God It considers that it is the Lord from heaven who speakes in the Ministery of the word to him who is but dust and ashes and therefore hee puts his hand on his mouth dares not reply against God nor wrestle with the evidence of his holy Spirit but falleth upon his face and giveth glory unto God beleeves when God promiseth trembles when God threatneth obeyes when God commandeth learnes when God teacheth bringeth alwayes meeknesse and humility of Spirit ready to open unto the word that it may incorporate Lastly from hence we must learne to looke unto God in all his ordinances to expect his arme and Spirit to bee there in revealed to call on and depend on him for the blessing of it If a man could when hee enters into Gods house but powre out his heart in these two things A Promise and a Prayer Lord I am now entring into thy presence to heare thee speake from heaven unto mee to receive thy raine and spirituall Dew which never returneth in vaine but ripeneth a harvest either of corne or weeds of grace or judgement My heart is prepared ô Lord my heart is prepared to learne
and to love any of thy words Thy Law is my Counsellor I will bee ruled by it it is my Physitian I will bee patient under it it is my Schoolemaster I will bee obedient unto it But who am I that I should promise any service unto thee and who is thy Minister that hee should doe any good unto me without thy grace and heavenly call bee thou therefore pleased to reveale thine owne Spirit unto mee and to worke in mee that which thou requirest of mee I say if a man could come with such sweete preparations of heart unto the word and could thus open his soule when this spirituall Manna fals down from heaven he should finde the truth of that which the Apostle speaketh Ye are not straitned in us or in our ministerie wee come unto you with abundance of grace but yee are straitned onely in your owne bowels in the hardnesse unbeliefe incapacity and negligence of your owne hearts which receiveth that in drops which falleth downe in showres Note 3. As it is a divine so it is a secret and undiscerned Birth As the winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but caust not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So saith our Savior is every one that is borne of God Ioh. 3 8. The voluntary breathings and accesses of the Spirit of God unto the soule whereby hee cometh mightily and as it were cloatheth a man with power and courage are of a very secret nature and notwithstanding the power thereof bee so great yet there is nothing in apparance but a voyce of all other one of the most empty and vanishing things As Dew fals in small and insensible drops and as a Childe is borne by slow and undiscerned progresses as the Prophet David saith Fearefully and wonderfully am I made Such is the birth of a Christian unto Christ by a secret hidden and inward call Vocatione Altâ as S. Austen calleth it by a deepe and intimate energie of the Spirit of grace is Christ formed and the soule organized unto a spirituall being A man heares a voyce but it is behinde him hee seeth no man hee feels a blow in that voyce which others take no notice of though externally they heare it too Therefore it is observable that the men which were with Paul at his miraculous conversion are in one place said to heare a voyce Act. 9.7 and in another place not to have heard the voyce of him that spake unto Paul Act. 22.9 They heard onely a voyce and so were but astonished but Paul heard it distinctly as the voyce of Christ and so was converted Note 4. As it is a Divine and secret so is it likewise a sudden birth In naturall generations the more vast the creature the more slow the production an Elephant ten years in the wombe In humane actions magnarum rerum tarda molimina great workes move like great engines slowly by leasure to their maturity but in spirituall generations Children are borne unto Christ like Dew which is exhaled conceived formed produced and all in one night Paul to day a Woolfe to morrow a Sheepe to day a Persecutor to morrow a Disciple and not long after an Apostle of Christ. The Nobleman of Samaria could see no possibility of turning a famine into a plentie within one night neither can the heart of a man who rightly understands the closenesse and intimate radication of sinne and guilt in the soule conceive it possible to remove either in a sudden change yet such is the birth of men unto Christ Before shee travelled shee brought forth before her paine came she was delivered of a man-Childe The earth bringeth forth in one day and a nation is borne at once It is spoken of Ierusalem the mother of us all Esai 66.7 8. VERSE 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not Repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck FRom the Regall Office of Christ and the Administration thereof by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit to the conquering of a willing people unto himselfe the Prophet now passeth to his sacerdotall office the vigor and merit whereof is by the two former applied unto the Church Therefore wee may observe that though the tribes were interdicted confusion with one another in their marriages Num. 36.7 Yet the Regall and Leviticall Tribes might interchange and mingle blouds to intimate as I conceive that the Messiah with relation unto whose lineage that confusion was avoided was to bee both a King and a Priest Thus wee finde Iehoiada the Priest married Iehoshabeath the Daughter of King Iehoram 2 Chron. 22.11 And Aaron of the Tribe of Levi tooke Elishâ—ba the Daughter of Amminadab who was of the tribe of Iuda Exod. 6.23 Numb 1.7 In which respect I suppose Mary and Elizabeth the Wife of Zatharie the Priest are called Cousins Luk. 1.36 In the Law indeed these two Offices were distinct Our Lord saith the Apostle sprang out of the Tribe of Iuda of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Heb. 7.14 And therefore when King Vzziah incroached on the Priests Office hee was smitten with a Leprosie 2 Chron. 26.18 21. But amongst the Gentiles amongst whom Melchizedek is thought to have beene a Priest it was usuall for the same person to have been both King and Priest The words containe the Doctrine of Christs Priesthood The Quality of it Eternall The Order not of Aaron but of Melchizedek The foundation of both Gods immutable decree and counsell hee cannot repent of it because hee hath confirmed it by an Oath I shall handle the words in the Order as they lie The Lord hath sworne Here two things are to bee enquired First how God is said to sweare Secondly why hee swears in this particular case of Christs Priesthood The former of these the Apostle resolves in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.17 Hee interposed in or by an oath namely himselfe for that is to bee supplied out of the thirteenth verse where it is said that bee sware by himselfe So elsewhere it is said that he sware by the excellency of Iacob that is by himselfe Amos 8.7.6.8 By my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord that in blessing I will blesse thee Gen. 22.16 The meaning is that God should denie himselfe which hee cannot doe 2 Tim. 2.13 and should cease to bee God if the word which hee hath sworne should not come to passe So that usuall forme as I live is to be understood let me not be esteemed a living God if my word come not to passe so elsewhere the Lord interposeth his holinesse I have sworne by my Holinesse that I will not lie unto David Psal. 89.35 As impossible for him to breake his word as to bee unholy For the second question why God swears in this particular I answer First and principally to shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The immutable and irreversible certainty
that so we through the vertue and merit of his Sacrifice might bee sanctified likewise Iohn 17.19 Hee was to be God as well as man Medium participationis before hee could bee Medium reconciliationis that so he might bee himselfe supported to undergoe and breake through the weight of sinne and the Law and having so done might have compasse enough in his Sacrifice to satisfie the Iustice of God and to swallow up the sinnes of the world Fifthly in as much as the Vertue of the Deitie was to bee attributed truly to the Sacrifice else it could have no value nor vertue in it and that Sacrifice was to be his Owne Life Soule and Body who is the Priest to offer it because hee was not barely a Priest but a Suretie and so his person stood in stead of ours to pay our debt which was a debt of bloud and therefore hee was to offer himselfe Heb. 9.26 1 Pet. 2.24 And in as much as his person must needs bee equivalent in dignity and representation to the persons of all those for whom hee mediated and who were for his sake onely delivered from suffering for these causes necessary it was that God and man should make but one Christ in the unity of the same infinite person whose natures they both were that which suffered and that which sanctified The humane nature was not to bee left to subsist in and for it selfe but was to have dependence and supportance in the person of the Sonne and a kinde of Inexistence in him as the graft of an apple may have in the stock of a plumb From whence ariseth first the Communication of properties betweene the natures when by reason of the unity of the person wee attribute that to one nature which is common to the other not by confusion or transfusion but by Communion in one end and in one person as when the Scriptures attribute Humane properties to the Divine Nature The Lord of Life was slaine Act. 3.15 God purchased the Church with his owne bloud Act. 20.28 They crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Or Divine to the Humane Nature As the Sonne of Man came downe from heaven Ioh. 3.13 and the Sonne of Man shall ascend where hee was before Ioh. 6.62 Or when both natures worke with their severall concurrence unto the same worke as to walke on the waters to rise out of the grave c. By which Communication of properties vertue is derived from the Altar to the Sacrifice in as much as it was the Lord of Glory which was crucified So that his passions were in regard of the person which bare them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both Humane and Divine because the person was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man Secondly from the unity of the person supporting the Humane Nature with the Divine ariseth the Appliablenesse of one sacrifice unto all men Because the Person of the Sonne is infinitely more than equivalent to the persons of all men as one Diamond to many thousand pebbles and because the obedience of this sacrifice was the obedience of God and therefore cannot but have more vertue and well-pleasingnesse in it than there can bee demerit or malignity in the sinne of man Now this Person in whose unity the two Natures are conjoyned is the second person in the Holy Trinity He was the person against whom the first sinne was principally committed for it was an affectation of wisedome and to bee like unto God as the falling-sinne now is the sinne against the third person and therefore the mercy is the more glorious that hee did undertake the expiation By him the world was made Col. 1.16 17. Ioh. 1.3 and therefore being spoiled hee was pleased to new make it againe and to bring many Sonnes unto glory Heb. 2.10 Hee was the expresse image of his Father Heb. 1.3 Col. 1.15 And therefore by him are wee renewed after Gods image againe Col. 3.10 He was the Sonne of God by Nature and therefore the mercy was againe the more glorified in his making us Sonnes by Adoption and so joynt heirs with himselfe who was the heire of all things So then such an high Priest it became us to have as should bee first an equall middle person between God and Man In regard of God towards man an officer appointed to declare his Righteousnesse and in regard of man towards God a suretie ready to purchase their pardon and deliverance Secondly such an one as should bee one with us in the fellowship of our nature passions infirmities and temptations that so hee might the more readily suffer for us who in so many things suffered with us and one with God the Father in his Divine Nature that so by the vertue of his sufferings and resurrection he might bee able both to satisfie his Iustice to justifie our persons to sanctifie our Nature to perfume and purifie our services to raise up our dead bodies and to present us to his Father a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle And both these in the Vnitie of one Person that so by that meanes the Divine Nature might communicate vertue merit and acceptablenesse to the sufferings of the humane and that the dignity of that person might countervaile the persons of all other men And this person that person of the three by whom the glory of the mercy should bee the more wonderfully magnified In one word two things are requisite to our High Priest A Grace of Vnion to make the person God and man in one Christ and a Grace of Vnction to fit him with such fulnesse of the Spirit as may enable him to the performance of so great a worke Esai 11.2 By all which wee should learne First to adore this great mysterie of God manifested in the flesh and justified in the Spirit the unsearchablenesse of that love which appointed God to bee man the Creator of the world to bee despised as a worme for the salvation of such rebels as might justly have been left under chaines of darknesse and reserved to the same inevitable destruction with the Devils which fell before them Secondly to have alwayes before our eyes the great hatefulnesse of sinne which no sacrifice could have expiated but the bloud of God himselfe and the great severity and inexorablenesse of Gods Iustice against it which no satisfaction could pacifie no obedience compensate but the suffering and exinanition of himselfe O what a condition shall that man bee in who must stand or rather everlastingly sinke and bee crushed unto the weight of that wrath against sinne which amazed and made heavie unto death the soule of Christ himselfe which made him who had the strength of the Deitie to support him the fulnesse of the Spirit to sanctifie and prepare him the message of an Angell to comfort him the relation of a beloved Sonne to refresh him the voyce of his Father from heaven testifying unto him that hee was heard in what hee feared the assurance of an ensuing glorie
ex vi pretii out of any price or purchase but the presenting of the will and good pleasure of Christ to his Father that hee may thereunto put his seale and consent the desiring of a thing so as that hee hath withall a right joyntly of bestowing it who doth desire it That the Saints in heaven and the blessed Angels doe pray for the State of the Church militant as well as rejoyce at their conversion in as much as charity remaineth after this life seemeth to bee granted by Cyprian and Hierom neither know I any danger in so affirming if rightly understood But if so they doe it onely ex charitate ut fratres not ex officio ut mediatores Out of a habit of charity to the generall condition of the Church for it reacheth not to particular men not out of an office of mediation as if they were set up for publike persons appointed not onely to pray for the Church in generall but to present the prayers of particular men to God in their behalfe To bee such a mediator belongs onely to Christ because True intercession as it is a publike and authoritative act is founded upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding Hee cannot bee a right Advocate who is not a propitiation too And therefore the Papists are faine to venture so farre as to affirme that the intercession of the Saints with God for us is grounded upon the vertue of their owne merits Wee pray the Saints to intercede for us that is that wee may enjoy the suffrage of their merits But this is a very wicked Doctrine First because it shareth the Glory of Christ and communicateth it to others Secondly because it communicateth Gods worship to others Thirdly because under pretence of modesty and humility it bringeth in a cursed boldnesse to denie the faith and driveth children from their Father unto servants expressely therein gainsaying the Apostle who biddeth us make our requests knowne to God Phil. 4.6 And assureth us that by Christ wee have boldnesse so to doe Heb. 10.19 and free accesse allowed us by the Spirit Eph. 2.18 whereas one chiefe reason of turning to the Saints and Angels is because sinfull men must not dare to present themselves or their services unto God in their owne persons but by the helpe of those Saints that are in more favour with God and with whom they may bee bolder Now from this Doctrine of Christs intercession many and great are the benefits which come unto the Church of God As first our fellowship with the Father and his Sonne I pray for these that as thou Father art in mee and I in thee they also may bee one in us Ioh. 17.21 Secondly the gift of the Holy Ghost I will pray the Father and hee shall give you another comforter that hee may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 14.16 17. all the comforts and workings of the Spirit in our hearts which wee enjoy are fruits of the intercession of Christ. Thirdly protection against all our spirituall enemies Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 I pray that thou wouldst keepe them from the evill Ioh. 17.15 But are not the faithfull subject to evils corruptions and temptations still how then is that part of the intercession of Christ made good unto us for understanding hereof wee must know that the intercession of Christ is available to a faithfull man presently but yet in a manner suteable and convenient to the present estate and condition of the Church so that there may bee left roome for another life and therefore wee must not conceive all presently done As the Sunne shineth on the Moone by leasurely degrees till shee come to her full light or as if the King grant a pardon to bee drawen though the grant bee of the whole thing at once yet it cannot bee written and sealed but word after word and line after line and action after action so the grant of our holinesse is made unto Christ at first but in the execution thereof there is line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little such an order by Christ observed in the distribution of his Spirit and grace as is most suteable to a life of faith and to the hope wee have of a better Kingdome I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not saith Christ unto Peter yet wee see it did shake and totter non rogavit ut ne deficeret sed ut ne prorsus deficeret the Prayer was not that there might be no failing at all but that it might not utterly and totally faile Fourthly the assurance of our sitting in heavenly places His sitting in heavenly places hath raised us up together and made sit with him Eph. 2.6 First because he sitteth there in our flesh Secondly because hee sitteth there in our behalfe Thirdly because hee sitteth there as our Center Col. 3.1 2. And so is neere unto us natura officio spiritu by the unity of the same nature with us by the quality of his office or Sponsorship for us and by the Communion and fellowship of his Spirit Fifthly Strength against our sins for from his Priesthood in heaven which is his Intercession the Apostle inferres the writing of the Law in our hearts Hebr. 8.4.6.9 10. Sixthly the sanctification of our services of which the Leviticall Priests were a type who were to beare the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel that they might be accepted Exod. 28.38 He is the Angell of the Covenant who hath a golden Censer to offer up the prayers of the Saints Revel 8.3 There is a three-fold evill in man First an Evill of state or condition under the guilt of sinne Secondly an Evill of nature under the corruption of sinne and under the indisposition and ineptitude of all our faculties unto good Thirdly an Evill in all our services by the adherencie of sin for that which toucheth an uncleane thing is made uncleane and the best wine mixed with water will lose much of its strength and native spirits Now Christ by his righteousnesse and merits justifieth our persons from the guilt of sinne and by his grace and Spirit doth in measure purifie our faculties and cure them of that corruption of sin which cleaves unto them And lastly by his incense and intercession doth cleanse our services from the noysomenesse and adherencie of sinne so that in them the Lord smelleth a sweet savour and so the Apostle calleth the contributions of the Saints towards his necessities an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing unto God Phil. 4.18 Gen. 8.21 And this is a benefit which runneth through the whole life of a Christian all the ordinary workes of our calling being parts of our service unto God for in them we
are likely to assault them to teach them in every condition as well possible as present how to walke acceptably before God Phil. 4.11 13. Another great enemie of the Kingdome of Christ is the lust of our owne evill nature The carnall minde is enmitie against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Phil. 3.8 Enmity in grieving vexing and quenching the holy Spirit in us and lusting enviously against his grace Iam. 4.4 5. And here also Christ overcommeth by the prevailing power of his Spirit giving us more Grace demolishing the kingdome of sinne and judging the prince of this world which before did rule in the children of disobedience And this he doth by the judgement Seat and Scepter of his Spirit in the heart for the judgement of the Spirit is too hard for the principality of Satan Ioh. 16.11 The Spirit of Christ is a victorious Spirit He bringeth forth his judgement unto victory Matth. 12.20 Esai 4.4 Hee worketh out by degrees the drosse and impurity of our nature and services First by faith fixing upon better promises and hopes than lust can make 1 Ioh. 5.4 Heb. 11.24 26. Secondly by watchfulnesse eying corruptions and so stirring up those arguments and principles which are strongest against them Iob 31.1 Psal. 39.1 Thirdly by leading us to more acquaintance with God in knowledge love and communion Iob 22.21 1 Ioh. 1.3 and so fetching more wisedome and strength from him for this is the way that wee get all our strength even by learning of him Phil. 4.12 Fourthly by inclining the heart to hate and to complaine of corruptions to bemone it selfe as Paul and Ephraim did Rom. 7.23 Mark 9.24 Ier. 31.18 19. Fifthly by bringing the heart into the light there to approve and judge its actions Ioh. 3.20 by setting it alwayes in Gods eye that it may not sinne against him Psal. 16.8 Sixthly by convincing the heart of the beauty and excellencie of Grace of the unlikenesse of sinne to God and so making the soule more full of desires for the one and against the other Esai 26.8 Ezek. 36.31 and thus kindling lust against lust Gal. 5.17 Seventhly by being alwayes a present Monitour and Watchman in the soule to supply it with spirituall weapons and reasonings against the temptations of lust Esai 30.31 Ioh. 14.26 Lastly in one word by daily supplies from the residue of Spirit which is in our head whereby according to the proportion and exigence of the members he floweth into them Mal. 2.15 Phil. 1.19 This is that seed that leaven that vitall instinct which is ever in the heart setting it selfe against the workings and life of lust and by little and little wasting it away as fire doth water The grand instrument of Satan and lust who are the two leaders in this warre against Christ is the wicked world The power malice wisedome learning or any other either naturall or acquir'd abilities of evill men for even in an earthly respect by the word kings we are not onely to understand those Monarchs and princes of the earth who set themselves against Christ but all such as excell in any such worldly abilities as may further that opposition It notes the strength policie pride and greatnesse of minde or scorne of subjection which is in the heart against Christ. So that king heere stands in opposition to subject they who reject Christs yoke and breake his bonds asunder and will not have him to raigne over them those are the kings in the Text. And these also will hee smite through and confound by the Power of his Word and the strength of his arme The Lord gave the Word great was the company of those that published it Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoile Psal. 68.11 12. Tophet is ordained of old for the king it is prepared Esai 30.33 Come and gather your selves together unto the Supper of the great God That ye may eate the flesh of kings and the flesh of captaines and the flesh of mightie men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great c. Revel 19.17 18. As for those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 Be wise now ye kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling kisse the Sonne lest he bee angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Thus the Lord overthroweth his Churches enemies and protecteth it against al their greatest preparations most formidable power And this he doth severall wayes sometimes by diverting their forces from his Church into some other necessary channell or ambitious designe of their owne Thus Rabshakah and his hoast were called from Iudah 2 King 19.7 8. so the Lord promised his people that when they went up to appeare before him thrice a yeere he would divert the desires of their enemies from their land Exod. 34.24 Thus Iulian the Apostate having but two maine plots to honour as he supposed his government and his idols withall the subduing of the Persian and the rooting out of the Galileans as he called them was prevented from this by being first overthrowne in the other for the prosperous successe of which expedition he vowed unto his idoll-gods a sacrifice of all the Christians in the Empire as Gregorie Nazianzen relateth Sometimes by infatuating and implanting a spirit of giddinesse and distraction in the enemies of his Church making them destitute both of counsell and courage When God would punish Babylon which was a type of the enemies of Christs Kingdome hee made their hearts melt that they should bee amazed at one another and their faces should be like flames Esay 13.7 8. that is not onely pale like a flame but rather as I conceive full of varietie of fearefull impressions and distracted passions nothing so tremulous so various so easily bended every way with the smallest blast as a flame so their feare should make their bloud and spirits in their faces to tremble quiver and varie to come and goe like a thinne flame in them so God threatneth to mingle a perverse spirit to make the spirit of Egypt faile in them and their wisedome to perish Esal 19.1 2 3 14 17. and thus likewise the Lord dealt with Iulian in that Persian expedition he put a spirit of folly in him to burne his ships and so to put a necessity of courage in his people as the old Gauls did against Caesar and then to leave them all destitute of necessary releefe Sometimes by ordering casualties and particular emergencies for the deliverance of his Church a thing wonderfully seene in the histories of Ioseph and Ester Thus as a man by a chaine made up of sâ—verall links some of gold others of silver other
in dying rising and reviving he became Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14.9 Revel 5.12 And thus he is Lord in two respects First A Lord in Power and strength Power to forgive sinnes Power to quicken whom hee will Power to cleanse justifie and sanctifie Power to succor in temptations Power to raise from the dead Power to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Power to hold fast his sheepe Power to cast out the accuser of the brethren Power to put downe all his enemies and to subdue all things unto himselfe Secondly A Lord in Authoritie To judge to anoint to imploy to command whom and what hee will He onely is Lord over our persons over our faith over our consciences To him onely we must say Lord save us lest wee perish to him onely wee must say Lord what will thou have me to doe And such a Lord Christ was to his owne fore-fathers They all did eate of the same Spirituall meate and all dranke of the same Spirituall drinke even of that rock which was Christ 1 Cor. 10.3 4. He was the substance of the Ceremonies the Doctrine of the Prophets the accomplishment of the Promises the joy and salvation of Patriarchs and Princes the desire and expectation of all flesh The Gospell to us a History and narration and therefore delivered by the hand of witnesses to them a promise and prediction and therefore delivered by the hand of Prophets The Apostles entered into the Prophets Labours and were servants in the same common salvation these as sowers and they as reapers these as preachers of the seed hoped and they as preachers of the same seed exhibited The ancient Iewes then were not saved by bare temporall promises neither was their faith ultimately fixed upon Ceremonies or earthly things but as their preachers had the same Spirit of Christ with ours so the Doctrine which they preached the faith and obedience which they required the salvation which they foretold was the same with ours As the same Sun illightens the starres above and the earth beneath so the same Christ was the Righteousnesse and salvation both of his fore-fathers and of his seed They without us could not be made perfect that is as I conceive their faith had nothing actually extant amongst themselves to perfect it but received all its forme and accomplishment from that better thing which was provided for and exhibited unto us For the Law that is the carnall Commandement and outward Ceremonies therein prescribed made nothing no grace no person perfect but the bringing in of a better hope that is of Christ who as hee is unto us the hope of glory so hee was unto them the hope of deliverance for he alone it is by whom wee draw nigh unto God doth perfect for ever those that are sanctified Heb. 7.19 Heb. 10.14 If Christ then be our Lord wee must trust in him and depend upon him for all our present subsistence and our future expectations For he never faileth those that wait upon him He that beleeveth in him shall not bee ashamed And indeed faith is necessary to call Christ Lord. No man can call Iesus Lord but by the Spirit Because other Lords are present with us they doe with their own eye oversee and by their owne visible power order and direct us in their service But Christ is absent from our senses Though I have knowne Christ after the flesh yet henceforth saith the Apostle know I him no more Therefore to feare and honor and serve him with all fidelity to yeeld more absolute and universall obedience to his commands though absent though tenderd unto us by the Ministerie of meane and despicable persons than to the threates and Scepters of the greatest Princes to labour that not only present but absent we may bee accepted of him to doe his hardest workes of selfe-deniall of overcomming and rejecting the assaults of the World of standing out against principalities powers and spirituall wickednes of suffering and dying in his service needs must there bee faith in the hart to see him present by his Spirit to set to our seale to the truth authoritie and Majesty of all his commands to heare the Lord speaking from heaven and to finde by the secret and powerfull revelations of his Spirit out of the word to the soule evident and invincible proofes of his living by the power of God and speaking mightily in the Ministery of his Word to our consciences Therefore when the Apostle had said Wee are absent from the Lord hee presently addes We walk by faith That is we labor to yeeld all service and obedience to this our Lord though absent because by faith which giveth presence to things unseen and subsistence to things that are yet but hoped wee know that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of those that diligently seeke him And indeed though every man call him Lord yet no man doth in truth and sincerity of heart so esteeme him but those who doe in this manner serve him and by faith walke after him If I be a Master saith the Lord where is my feare Malach. 1.6 It is not every one that saith Lord Lord but hee that doth my will that trembleth at my word that laboureth in my service who declares himselfe to be mine indeed For the heart of man cannot have two Masters because which way ever it goes it goes whole and undivided Wee cannot serve Christ and any thing else which stands in Competition with him First because they are Contrary Masters one cannot bee pleased or served without the disallowance of the other The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy that is grudgeth and cannot endure that any service should be done to the Lord. For the Friendship of the World is enmitie against God Iam. 4.4 5. And therefore saith the Apostle If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him and the reason is because they are contrarie principles and have contrary Spirits and lusts and therefore must needs over-rule unto contrary services Secondly because both Masters have employments enough to take up a whole man Satan and the World have lusts to fill the whole head and heart of their most active and industrious servants for the Apostle saith that all which is in the World is lusts And the heart of man is wholy or most greedily set in him to doe that evill which it is tasked withall Eccle. 8.11 The all that is in man all his faculties all his affections the whole Compasse of his created abilities are all gone aside or turned backward there is no man no part in man that doth any good no not one Psal. 14.3.53.3 Christ likewise is a great Lord hath much more businesse than all the time or strength of his Servants can bring about Hee requireth the obedience of every thought of the heart 2 Cor. 10.5 Grace and edification and profit in all the words