he is troubled with such and such a lust and he cannot keep this and that Commandment he cannot out-wrestle such and such strong inclinations to evil O but then go to God and press him with this Lord it is a part of thy Covenant thou hast said thou wilt circumcise my heart thou hast said thou wilt put thy Law in my inward parts thou hast said thou wilt dissolve these lusts Lord I beseech thee do it for thy Covenants sake But here 's another Question How may we know this inward work of Grace this Law in our inward parts the best way to satisfy our doubts in this is to look within open we the door and closet of our hearts and see what lies nearest and closest there that we say is intimate and within a man Mat. 10.37 which lies next to his heart He that loveth Father or Mother more than Me saith Christ is not worthy of Me We know the love of Father and Mother is a most natural thing it comes not by teaching but it is in-bred in us as soon as we are born and yet if we love not Christ more than these if Christ lye not closer to our hearts than Father or Mother we are not worthy of Christ our natural life is a most inward and deep thing in a man Job 2.4 Luke 14.26 Gal. 2.20 it lies near the heart Skin for Skin said the Devil once truly and all that a man hath will he give for his Life but he that hates not Father and Mother yea and his own life also said Christ he cannot be my Disciple Hence the Apostle to express this intimate inward life of grace he saith I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me What an emphatical strange expression is this I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me q. d. I live not the life of sense I breath not bodily breath that is comparatively to the life of faith his very natural life though inward is said not to be lived in respect of his life of grace which is more inward And let this serve for resolution to that question 4. What is it to have the Law written in our hearts This writing contains the former and is something more the Metaphor is expressed in these Particulars 1. It is said to be written that there might be something within answerable to the Law without it was written without and so it was written within This writing is the very same with copying or transcribing The writing within is every way answerable to the writing without Oh what a mercy is this that the same God who writ the Law with his own finger in the Tables of Stone should also write the same Law with the finger of his Spirit in the Tables of our Hearts as you see in a Seal when you have put the Seal on the Wax and you take it off again you find in the Wax the same Impression that was on the Seal So it is in the hearts of the faithful when the Spirit hath once softned them then he writes the Law i.e. he stamps an inward aptness an inward disposition on the heart answering to every particular of the Law this is that which the Apostle calls the Law of the mind I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind Rom. 7.23 Now what is this Law in the mind but a disposition within to keep in some measure every Commandment of the Law without and this is the writing of the Law or if you will the copying or transcribing of the Law within us 2. It is said to be written that it might be rooted and rivetted in the heart as when Letters are engraven in Marble so is the manner of Gods writing if God write it can never be obliterated or blotted out Letters in Marble are not easily worn out again no more are the writings of Gods Spirit Some indeed would have them as writings in dust but if Pilate could say What I have written I have written how much more may God Hence are all those promises of perseverance My Covenant shall stand fast with him Psal 89.28 and The root of the righteous shall not be moved Prov. 12.3 and Even to your old Age I am he and even to hoary hairs will I carry you Isa 46.4 I deny not but men of glorious gifts may fall away but surely the poorest Christian that hath but the smallest measure of Grace he shall never fall away if the Law be written in our hearts it still remains there Grace habitual is not removeable sooner will the Sun discard its own beams than Christ will desert or destroy the least measure of true Grace which is a Beam from the Sun of Righteousness 3. It is said to be written that it might be as a thing legible to God to others and to our selves 1. To God he writes it that he may read it and take notice of it he exceedingly delights himself in the graces of his own Spirit and therefore the Spouse after this writing after the planting of his grace in her Cant. 4.6 she desires him to come into his Garden and eat his pleasant Fruits q. d. Come read what thou hast written come and delight thy self in the graces of thy own Spirit the only delight that God has in the world is in his Garden a gracious soul and that he might more delight in it he makes it fruitful and those fruits are precious fruits as growing from plants set by his own Hand relishing of his own Spirit and so fitted for his own taste 2. The Law is written that it might be legible to others So Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3.2 3. You are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ How manifestly declared why known and read of all Men. As we are able to read Letters graven in stone so may others read and see the fruits and effects of this Law written in our Hearts And good reason for wheresoever God works the principles of grace within it cannot but shew it self in the outward life and conversation it is Gods promise first I will put my Spirit within them Ezek. 36.27 Mat. 12.34 and then I will cause them to walk in my statutes and it is Gods truth Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh What the mind thinketh the hand worketh 3. The Law is written that it may be legible to our selves a gracious heart is privy to its own grace and sincerity when it is in a right temper if others may read it by its fruits How much more we our selves who both see the fruits and feel that habitual disposition infused into us Nor is this without its blessed use for by this means we come to have a comfortable evidence both of Gods Love to us and of our Love
any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodyes and I may add your mortal souls by his spirit that dwelleth in you Christs Spirit if Christs resurrection be ours will have the same operation and effect in our souls that it had in his body as it raised up the one so it will raise up the other as it quickened the one so it will quicken the other But the question here will run on how shall we know whether we have received this quickning Spirit many pretend to the Spirit never more than at this day but how may we be assured that the Spirit is ours I answer 1. The Spirit is a Spirit of illumination here is the beginning of his work he begins in light as in the first creation the first-born of God's works was light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be light and there was light so in this new creation the first work is light God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Hence the state of nature is called darkness and the state of grace is called light Ye were sometimes darkness but now ye have light in the Lord. Eph. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 And he hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light There is a light in the mind and a light in the heart of those who have the Spirit of Christ there is a speculative and an affective knowledg not only to know the truth but to love it believe it embrace it O my soul wouldst thou know whether Christs Spirit be thine consider and see then whether any of this new light of Jesus Christ hath shined into thy heart take heed deceive not thy self thou mayest have a great deal of wit and knowledg and understanding and yet go to hell this light is a light shining into thy heart this light is a Christ-discovering light this light is a sin-discoverings light this light will cause thee to find out thy hypocrisy deadness dulness in spiritual duties if thou hast not this light thou art near to eternal burnings darkness is one of the properties of hell and without this light inward darkness will to utter darkness where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth 2. This quickening spirit is a spirit of faith as it reveals Christ so it inclines mens hearts to close with Christ upon those Gospel-terms as he is offered I know there are degrees and measures of faith but the least measure of faith is a desiring panting breathing after the Lord Jesus and no sooner hath the soul received that new light from the spirit of Christ but it is presently at the same instant exceedingly affected with Jesus Christ O it desires Christ above all desires I know not a more undeceiving sign than this read over the whole Bible and where ever there was any soul-saving discoveries there ever followed inward desires soul-longings after Jesus Christ when Paul preached of the resurrection of Christ some there were that mocked jeered and slighted that doctrine but others whose heart the Lord stirred they were exceedingly taken with it saying we will hear thee again of this matter yea this very Sermon so wrought on some that they believed among whom was Dyonysius the Areopagite a woman named Damaris and others with them Acts 17.32 34. and when he preaced another Sermon on the same subject at Antioch the Jews were much offended but the Gentiles were so exceedingly taken with it that they besought Paul that these words the very same resurrection Sermon might be preached to them the next Sabbath day Their very hearts did so long after Christ whom Paul had preached that when the congregation was broken up Acts 13.42 many of the Jews and religious Procelites followed Paul and Barnabas and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the same Sermon O my soul 43. dost thou hear these Sermons of Christs resurrection dost thou hear sweet-Gospel-preaching 44. dost thou hear the free tenders and offers of Christ with all his glory and excellency to poor sinners to vile lost undone souls and art thou no whit taken with them canst thou sleep away such Sermons as these hast thou no heart-risings no stirrings workings longings desires in thy soul O take heed this is a dangerous case but on the contrary if thou sayest in thy heart Oh that I could hear this Sermon again O the sweet vertues of Christs resurrection I had not thought such honey could have dropped out of this rock O the blessed beginnings and springings of grace which I felt in my soul on such a meditation Oh the desire the delight O the longings O the comforts of Christs resurrection O the drawings of the Spirit inclining my heart to receive Jesus Christ to close with him and to rest on him and to give up my self to him why this Spirit of faith doth argue thy title and interest to the quickening spirit of Christ 3. Thy quickening Spirit is a Spirit of sanctification such was the Spirit whereby Christ was raised he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead That same Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ was that same divine Spirit which sanctified his humane nature wherein it dwelt and such is that quickening Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth it is a Spirit of holiness and it works holiness changing the heart and turning the bent of it from sin to holiness 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new q. d. When once the believer is by an act of faith passed over unto Christ there goes immediately from the Spirit of Christ into his soul an effectual power which alters and changes the frame of the whole man now he is not the same that he was he is changed in his company in his discourse in his practise he is changed in his nature judgment will affections he is sanctified throughout in soul body and Spirit O my soul try thy self by this sign dost thou find such an inward change wrought in the soul dost thou find the law of God a law of holiness written on thy hearr dost thou find a law within thee contrary to the law of sin commanding with authority that which is holy and good so that thou canst say with the Apostle I delight in the law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.23 25. Rom. 8.1 and with my mind I my self serve the law of God if so surely this is no other but the
That he should pass by so many on the right hand and on the left and that I should be one whom the Lord did Elect what such a vile and sinful Wretch as I am was there ever like Love was there ever like Mercy may not Heaven and Earth stand amazed at this O what shall I do to be thankful enough to this dear God Thus thou that knowest thy interest in Christ study praise and thankfulness Say in thy self who made me to differ from those Cast-away Souls Alas we were all framed of the same Mould hewed out of the same Rock It is storied of one of the late French Kings that in a serious meditation considering his own condition of being King and Ruler of that Nation Oh said he when I was born a Thousand other Souls were born in this Kingdome with me and what have I done to God more than they O my Soul what difference betwixt thee and those many Thousands of Reprobates that live with thee in the world at this day nothing surely nothing but the free mercy goodness and love of God in Jesus Christ O then praise this God yea sound forth the Praise of the Glory of his Grace Remember that was Gods design and that is thy Duty SECT IX On conforming to Jesus in that Respect 2. WE must Conform to Jesus we must fix our Eyes on Jesus for our Imitation that also is the meaning of this looking in the Text. And in respect of our Predestination the Apostle speaks expresly Rom. 8 29. he did Predestinate us to be conformed to the Image of his Son This is one end of Predestination and this is one end of looking unto Jesus nay it is included in it A very look on Jesus hath a Power in it to conform us to the Image of Jesus 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed by beholding saith the Apostle Oh when I see Gods love in Christ to me even from all Eternity how should this but stir up my Soul to be like Jesus Christ where there is a dependance there is a desire to be like even among men how much more considering my dependance on God in Christ should I desire to be like Christ in disposition all the question is what is this Image of Christ to which we must be conformed I Answer Holiness and Happiness but because the latter is our reward and the former is our duty therefore look to that But wherein consists that I Answer in that resemblance likeness and conformity to Christ in all the passages forementioned And in every of those must we conform to Christ As 1. Christ is the Son of God so must we be Gods Sons As many as received him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 Mal. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.17 O what duty lies upon us in this respect If I be your Father where is mine Honour and if ye call on the Father pass the time of your sojourning here in fear God looks for more honour fear reverence duty and obedience from a Son than from the Rabble of the World if thou art Gods Son thy sins more offend God then the sins of all the reprobates in the world why alas thy sins are not meer transgressions of the Law but committed against the mercy bounty and goodness of God vouchsafed unto thee thy sins have a world of unthankfulness joyned with them and therefore how should God but visit Amos 3.2 you onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I visit you for all your Iniquities O think of this you that are Gods Sons and conform to Christ for he was an Obedient Son 2. Christ the Son of God delights in the Father and his delight is also with the Sons of men so must we delight in the Father and delight in his Children Psa 37.4 Psa 16.3 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy Heart And the Saints that are on the Earth are they in whom is all my Delight saith David It is storied of Dr. Taylor that being in prison he could delight in God and he rejoyced that ever he came into Prison because of his acquaintance with that Angel of God as he called Mr. Bradford O this is Heaven upon Earth not only God but the very Saints of God are sweet Objects of delight Mark them and if they be Saints indeed they are savory in their Discourse in their Duties in their Carriages their Example is powerful their society profitable how should we but delight in them 3. God and Christ laid this Plot from all Eternity that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace So must we purpose this as the end of all our actions whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we must do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 But especially if from God we receive any spiritual good then give all again to the glory of his grace Dan. 2 20 23 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever said Daniel for Wisdom and might are his and I thank thee and praise thee O God of my Fathers who hast given me Wisdome and Might an excellent spirit of Wisdome and Might wrought in Daniel and he acknowledges all to the Giver wisdome and might are his Christians if you feel grace in your hearts I beseech you acknowledge it to Christ He does all he subdues Lusts heals VVounds staies inward Issues sets broken Bones and makes them to rejoyce and therefore let him him the glory of all do you acknowledge grace in it's latitude to the God of all grace 4. God and Christ counselled about our Salvation there was a great conflict in the Attributes of God justice and mercy could not be reconciled till the Wisdom of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ so let us Counsel about our Salvation the flesh and the spirit whereof we are compounded draw several wayes the Flesh draws Hell-ward and the Spirit Heaven-ward come then call we in heavenly and spiritual Wisdome to decide this Controversie you may hear its Language in Job 28.28 Job 28.28 Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil is Vnderstanding If we would draw heaven-ward and save our souls come then let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments Eccles 12.13 for this is the whole duty of Man Keep his Commandments in an Evangelical sense i look at the expedient Jesus Christ who hath kept them for us and in whom and through whom our imperfect Obedience is accepted with God 5. God and Christ loved us with an everlasting Love So must we love him who hath first loved us this is the nature of spiritual Love that it runs into its own Ocean O love the Lord all ye his Saints who hath more cause to love him then you
them again to this Land and I will build them and not pull them down and I will plant them and not bluck them up and I will give them a Heart to know Me that I am the Lord and they shall be My People and I will be their God for they shall return unto Me with their whole Heart Hag. 2.7 8 9. Again I will shake all Nations and the Desire of the Nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts the Glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts And I will put my Law in their inward parts Jer. 31.33 34. and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their Sins no more 3. It excels in the discovery and revelation of the Mediator in and through whom this Covenant was made In the former expression we discovered much yet in none of them was so plainly revealed the time of his coming the place of his birth his name the passages of his nativity his humiliation and kingdom as we find them in this 1. Concerning the time of his Coming Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks shall be determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophesie and to anoint the most holy 2. Concerning the place of his Birth But thou Bethlehem Ephrata Mica 5.2 though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting 3. Concerning his Name Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given Isa 9.6 and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Jer. 23.6 In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this his Name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Isa 7.14 and thou O Virgin shalt call his Name Immanuel 4. Concerning the passages of his Nativity that he should be born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 That at his Birth all the Infants round about Bethlehem should be slain Jer 31.15 That John the Baptist should be his Prodromus or forerunner to prepare his way Mal. 3.1 That he should flee into Egypt and be recalled thence again Hos 11.1 I might add many Particulars of this kind 5. Concerning his Humiliation Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa 53.4 yet we did not esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him 5. and with his stripes were we healed He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth He was taken from Prison and from Judgment 7. and who shall declare his Generation he was cut off out of from the Land of the Living 8. for the transgression of my people was he stricken It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great and he shalt divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto Death and he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the Sin of many and made intercession for tâ—e transgressors One would think this were rather a History than a Prophesie of Christs sufferings you may if you will take the pains see the circumstances of his sufferings as that he was sold for thirty pieces of silver Zech. 11.12 and that with those thirty pieces of silver there was bought afterwards a Potters field Zech. 11.13 That he must ride into Jerusalem before his Passion on an Ass Zech. 9.9 I might seem tedious if I should proceed 6. Concâ—rning his Kingdom Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion Zech. 9.9 Isa 62.11 Mat. 21.5 shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is Just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Behold a King behold thy King behold thy King cometh and he comes unto thee 1. He is a King and therefore able 2. He is thy King and therefore willing wonderful Love that he would come but more wonderful was the manner of his coming He that before made man a Soul after the Image of God then made himself a Body after the Image of Man And thus we see how this Covenant excels the former in every of these respects 3. How doth God put the Law into our inward parts I answer God puts the Law into our inward parts by enlivening or qualifying of a Man with the Graces of Gods Spirit suitable to his Commandment first there is the Law of God without us as we see it or read it in Scriptures but when it is put within us then God hath wrought an inward disposition in our minds that answers to that Law without us for example this is the Law without Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength Deut. 6.5 Deut. 30.6 To Answer which there is a promise I will circumcise thy Heart and the Heart of thy Seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all my soul now when this promise is fulfilled when God hath put the affections and grace of Love within our hearts when the habit of Love is within answerable in all things to the command without then is the Law put into our inward parts Deut. 13.4 Jer. 32.40 Again this is the Law without Thou shalt fear the Lord and keep his Ordinances and his Statutes and his Commandments to do them to answer which there is a promise I will make a Covenant with you and I will not turn away from you to do you good but I will put my fear into your hearts and you shall not depart from Me now when this promise is accomplished when God hath put the affection and grace of fear within our hearts when the habit of fear is within answerable to that Command without then is the Law put into our hearts Surely this is Mercy that God saith in his Covenant I will put my Law in their inward parts many a time a poor Soul cries out
I will live with you in this World and you shall live with me in the World to come O here was Blessed News Why this is Gospel pure Gospel this is the Glad Tidings Free Grace proclaims a Jesus and a Jesus is made up as it were all of Free-Grace O what Eternal Thanks do we owe to the Eternal God! If there had not been a Jesus to borrow that Expression made all of Grace of Grace it self we could never have had Dealing with God O how may we say with the Angels Glory to God Blessed be God for Jesus Christ But in this Conception of Christ are so many Wonders that e're we begin to speak them 1 Tim. 3.16 we may stand amazed Without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh Say Is it not a Wonder a Mystery a great Mystery a great Mystery without all Controversie that the Son of God should be made of a Woman even made of that Woman which was made by Himself Is it not a Wonder that her Womb then and that the Heavens now should contain Him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Concerning this Conception of Christ I shall speak a little and but a little What Man can conceive much of this Conception which was a Conception without Help of Man Luke 1.35 Our greatest Light we borrow from the Angel who describes it thus The Holy-Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee Out of these Words observe 1. The Agent or Efficient 2. The Fruit or Effect 1. The Agent or Efficient Cause of Christ's Conception is the Holy-Ghost This agrees with that Speech of the Angel to Joseph Matth. 1.20 That which is Conceived in her is of the Holy-Ghost Here it may be demanded why the Conception of Christ should be ascribed to the Holy-Ghost which is common to all the Actions in the Trinity I answer Not to exclude the rest but first to shew it was the free Grace of God which is often termed the Holy-Ghost 2. Because the Father and the Son effected it by the Holy-Ghost so was it his Work immediately and in a special manner Good reason have we to be thankful to all the Three Persons to the Father for ordaining this Garment to the Holy-Ghost for weaving it to the Son for wearing it to the whole Deity for cloathing us with it and making us Righteous by it Neither yet is the Holy-Ghost Christ's Father he did not beget Him he did not form Him he did not minister Matter from his own Substance whereof Christ was made but took a part of Humane Nature from the Virgin and of that he made the Body of Christ within her Away with all gross Opinions and old Heresies This Conception of Christ was not by any Carnal Effusion of Seminal Humour but by way of Manufacture i. by Handy-work or Operation or Virtue of the Holy-Ghost or else by the Energetical Command and Ordination of the Holy-Ghost whereby that part of the Virgin 's Blood or Seed whereof the Body of Christ was to be framed was so cleansed and sanctified that in it there should be neither Spot nor Stain of Original Pollution 2. The Fruit or Effect was the Framing of Christ's Manhood in which we may observe the Matter and Manner 1. For the Matter Observe we the Matter of the Body and of the Soul of Christ 1. The Matter of the Body of Christ it was the very Flesh and Blood of the Virgin He was made of Woman saith the Apostle i. of the Flesh and Blood Gal. 4.4 Rom. 1.6 Substance of the Woman And He was made of the Seed of David saith the Apostle according to the Flesh otherwise He could not have been the Son of David according to the Flesh And if it be true which the Philosophers say That the Seed of the Man doth not fall into the Substance of the Child but only doth dispose the Seed of the Woman as a Workman frameth and disposeth his Work to make the same into the Form of a Man Why then I know not wherein the Conception of Christ should differ in the Matter at all from our Conception save only in the Agent or Worker of his Substance who was the Holy-Ghost 2. The Matter or Substance of the Soul of Christ was not derived from the Soul of the Virgin as a part thereof but it was made as the Souls of other Men be i. of nothing by the Power of God and so infused into the Body by the Hand of God But of these Things of His Body and Soul and Humane Nature we shall speak more largely in the next Section 2. For the manner of forming Christs humane Nature it was miraculous The Angel ascribes two actions to the Holy Ghost in this great work the one to come upon the Virgin the other to overshadow her by the first is signified the extraordinary work of the Holy Ghost in fashioning the humane Nature of Christ as it was said of Sampson Judg. 14.6 The spirit of the Lord came upon him i.e. the Holy Ghost inspired him with an extraordinary strength so the Spirit of the Lord came upon her i.e. the holy Ghost wrought in her in an extraordinary way As for instance in ordinary generation our substance and parts are framed successively by degrees as first the seminal humour becomes an Embryo then a body in organical then are fashioned the Liver Heart and Brain and then the rest one after another and it is at least forty days before the body of a Child be fully formed now it was otherwise with the Body of Christ for in the very instant of his conception he was made perfect in Body and Soul void of Sin and full of Grace in the very instant of his Conception he was perfectly framed and instantly united unto the eternal Word perfect God and perfect Man Surely this was extraordinary and this is the property of the Holy Ghost subito operari to work instantly and perfectly as soon as ever the flesh was conceived it was presently united Aug'l De fido ad Pet. c. 18. and made the flesh of the Son of God it was suddenly made perfectly made holily made The second action ascribed to the holy Ghost is adumbration or overshadowing of the Virgin this teacheth us that we should not search overmuch into this great Mystery Alas it is to high for us if the course of ordinary generation be a secret how past all comprehension is this extraordinary operation the holy Ghost did cast a shadow over the Virgin and withall a shadow over this Mystery why should we seek a clear light where God himself will have a shadow Chrys hom 5. I know the Word was made flesh saith Chrysostome but how he was made I know not 1. In way of confutation this word conception is the bane of divers heresies 1. That Vse 1 of the Manichee who held he had no true body if so
effect the fruit the benefit of his Conception Birth and of the wonderful union of the two natures of Christ may be all thine What dost thou hope in Jesus and believe thy part in this Incarnation of Christ why then pray in hope and pray in Faith what is prayer but the stream and river of Faith an issue of the desire of that which I joyfully believe 2 Sam. 7.27 Thou O Lord God of Hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy Servant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this Prayer unto thee 2. We must praise This was the special duty practised by all Saints and Angels at Christs Birth Luke 1.46 Luke 1.68 My Soul doth magnifie the Lord saith Mary and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And blessed be the Lord God of Israel said Zachary for he hath visited and redeemed his People and Glory to God in the highest said the Heavenly Host only one Angel had before brought the News Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord but immediately after there were many to sing praises not only six Cherubims as Isaiah saw nor only four and twenty Elders as John saw but a multitude of Heavenly Angels like Armies that by their Heavenly Hallelujahs gave Glory to God O my soul do thou endeavour to keep consort with those many Angels O sing Praises sing Praises unto God sing Praises Never was like case since the first Creation never was the wisdom truth justice mercy and goodness of God so manifest before I shall never forget that last speech of a dying Saint upon the stage Blessed be God for Jesus Christ O my soul living and dying let this be thought on What Christ incarnate for me why bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in reference to this great transaction of his Incarnation Looking to Jesus contains this and is the cause of this the sight of God will make us like to God and the sight of Christ will make us like to Christ for as a Looking-Glass cannot be exposed to the Sun but it will shine like the same so God receives none to contemplate his face but he transforms them into his own likeness by the irradiation of his light and Christ hath none that dive into these depths of his glorious and blessed Incarnation but they carry along with them sweet impressions of an abiding and transforming nature Come then let us once more look on Jesus in his Incarnation that we may conform and be like to Jesus in that respect But wherein lies this conformity or likeness to Jesus I answer in these and the like particulars 1. Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so must Christ be conceived in us by the same holy Ghost To this purpose is the seed of the Word cast in and principles of Grace are by the Holy Ghost infused he hath begotten us by the Word saith the Apostle Jam. 1.18 James 1.18 How Mean Contemptible or Impotent Men may esteem it yet God hath appointed no other means to convey supernatural life but after this manner Where no Vision is the People perish where no preaching is there is a worse judgment than that of Egypt when there was one dead in every Family By the Word and Spirit the Seeds of all Grace are sown in the heart at once and the heart closing with it immediatly Christ is conceived in the heart Concerning this spiritual Conception or Reception of Christ in us there is a great question Whether it be possible for any man to discern how it is wrought But for the Negative are these Texts Our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 and the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 It is a wonderful hidden and secret Conception The holy Ghost sets out that state of unregeneracy in which Christ finds us by the name of Death Eph. 2.1 So that it must needs be as impossible for us to discover how it is wrought as it is impossible for one to know how he receives his own life Some say the first act of infusing or receiving Christ or Grace they are all one is wrought in an instant and not by degrees and therefore it is impossible to discern the manner And yet we grant that we may discern both the preparations to Grace and the first operations of Grace 1. The preparations to Grace are discernable such are those terrours and spiritual agonies which are often before the work of Regeneration they may be resembled to the heating of metals before they melt and are cast into the Mold to be fashioned now by the help of Natural Reason one may discern these 2. Much more may the first Motion and Operations of Grace be discerned by one truly regenerate because that in them his Spirit works together with the Spirit of Christ such are sorrow for sin as sin and seek rightly for comfort an hungring desire after Christ and his Merits neither do I think it impossible for a regenerate man to feel the very first illapse of the Spirit into the Soul for it may bring that sense with it self as to be easily discerned although it doth not alwayes see nor perhaps usually see it is true that the giving of Spiritual Life and the giving of the sense of it are two distinct acts of the Spirit yet who can deny but that both these acts may go together though alwayes they do not go together Howsoever it is yet even in such Persons as in the instant of Regeneration may feel themselves in a regenerate estate this Conclusion stands firm viz. They may know what is wrought in them but how it is wrought they cannot know nor understand we feel the Wind and perceive it in the motions and operations thereof but the Originals of it we are not able exactly to describe some think the beginnings of Winds are from the flux of the Air others from the exhalations of the Earth but there is no certainty so it is in the manner of this Conception or passive Reception of Christ and Grace into our hearts we know not how it is wrought but it nearly concerns us to know that it is wrought look we to his conformity that as Christ was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost so that Christ be conceived in us in a spiritual sense by the same Holy Ghost 2. Christ was sanctified in the Virgins Womb so must we be sanctified in our selves following the Commandment of God Be ye holy as I am holy Souls regenerate must be sanctified Every man saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him 1 John 3.3 purifieth himself even as he is pure I know
judgment to come Acts. 24.25 and see what influence they have when Paul preached such a Sermon to Felix it is said that he trembled a Sermon of the chaffs burning with unquenchable fire is enough to make thy heart tremble if Powerfully delivered and affectionately received but see what effect doth it work on thy heart and life dost thou feel in thee a Spirit of mortification dost thou with the Baptist die to the world dost thou deny thy will of all its natural sinful desires dost thou abstain from pleasures and sensual complacencies that the Flesh being subdued to the Spirit both may join in the service of God dost thou kill the lusts of the flesh by taking away the fuel and incentives of Lusts this is the work of meditation it first employes the understanding in consideration of things and then the will in the reception of things and both these in order to Grace and a pious conversation that meditation which determines in notions or speculations of knowledg is like the winter Sun that shines but warms not O my Soul consider and so long consider on the preaching of this prodromus or forerunner of Christ till thou feelest this consideration to have some warmth in thy heart and influence on thy life in order to holiness self-denial and mortification 2. Consider of the Baptism of Christ he that never sinned was made sin for us and so it was proper enough for Christ to take upon him the Sacrament of sinners or of repentance for sin but especially he was baptised that in the symbole he might purifie our nature whose stains and guilt he had undertaken Consider of this O my soul and bring it home to thy self surely every soul that lives the life of Grace is born of water and the Spirit and to this purpose Christ who is our life went down into the waters of Baptism that we who descend after him might find the effects of it as pardon of Sin adoption into the Covenant of Grace and holiness of life Had not Christ been Baptised what vertue had there been in our Baptism As it became him to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 and therefore he must needs be baptized so he fulfilled it not for himself but for us Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law is imputed to all that believe unto righteousness as if themselves had fulfilled so that he was Baptized for us and the vertue of his Baptism is derived unto us O the sweet of this meditation Christ was Baptized and when Baptized the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended and a voice from Heaven proclaimed him to be the Son of God and one in whom the Father was well pleased and the same ointment that was cast upon the head of our High Priest went unto his beard and thence fell to the borders of his garment for as Christ our Head felt those effects in manifestation so through Christ do we believe the like effects in our very Baptism the Heavens then as it were opened unto us and the holy Ghost then descended upon us and then were we consigned to the inheritance of Sons in whom the Father through his Son is also well pleased O my soul what a blessing is there in the Baptism of Christ and how mayest thou suck and be satisfied if thou wilt put thy meditation to the right use the Baptism of Christ is as a field of flowers wherein is a world of priviledges as justification adoption regeneration sanctification glorification O then fix thy soul at least on some of these flowers and leave them not without carrying some honey away with thee if thou art in Christ thou art Baptised into his death and Baptized into his Baptism thou partakest of the fruit and efficacy both of his death and life and baptism and all 3 Consider the fasting and temptation of Christ in the Wilderness Now we see what manner of adversary we have how he fights how he is resisted how overcome in one assault Sathan moves Christ to doubt of his Fathers providence in another to presume on his Fathers protection and when neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon Christ he shall be tryed with honour and thus he deales with us if he cannot drive us down to despair he labours to lift us up to presumption and if neither of these prevail then he brings out pleasures profits honours temptations on the right hand which are indeed most dangerous O my soul whilst thou art in this warfare here 's thy condition temptations like waves break one in the neck of another if the devil was so busie with Christ how shouldst thou hope to be free how mayest thou account that the repulse of one temptation will but invite to another well but here 's thy comfort thou hast such a Saviour as was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin Heb. 4.15 16. how boldly therefore mayst thou go to the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and to find grace of help in time of need Christ was tempted that he might succour them that are tempted never art thou tempted O my soul but Christ is with thee in the temptation he hath sent his Spirit into thy heart to make intercession for thee there and he himself is in Heaven making intercession and praying for thee there yea his own experience of temptations hath so wrought it in his heart that his love and mercy is most of all at work when thou art tempted most As dear parents are ever tender of their Children but then especially when they are sick and weak and out of frame so though Christ be alwayes tender of his People yet then especially when their souls are sick and under a temptation O then his bowels yearn over them indeed 4 Consider Christs first manifestations by his several Witnesses we have heard of his Witnesses from Heaven the Father Son and holy Ghost and of his Witnesses on Earth the Baptist his Disciples and the works that he did in his Fathers Name and all these Witnesses being lively held forth in the preaching of the Gospel they are Witnesses to us even to this day is Christ manifested to us yea and if we are Christs even to this day is Christ manifested within us O my soul consider this above all the rest O it is this manifestation within that concerns thee most because ye are Sons Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts if Christ be not manifested in thy heart by his blessed Spirit thou art no Son of God and therefore the Apostles puts thee seriously on this tryal Examine yourselves whether ye be in the Faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ in you 2 Cor. 13.5 except ye be reprobates Is Christ manifested in thee surely this is more than Christ manifested to thee the bare history is the manifestation of Christ unto thee but there 's a mystery in
the fruit of Christ's death conferred upon him but this fruit is not of one kind for 1. Some fruit is common to every man as the earthly blessings which Infidels enjoy may be termed the fruits of Christ's death 2. Other fruit is common to all the members of the visible Church as to be called by the Word to enjoy the Ordinances to live under the Covenant to partake of some graces that come from Christ 2. Other fruit is indeed peculiar to the Saints of God as faith unfeigned regeneration pardon of sin adoption c. And yet this fruit is universal to all the Saints whether Jews or Gentiles in which sence speaks the Apostle Rom. 11.32 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 11.32 Rom. 5.18 Heb. 2.9 He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all And he gave himself a ransome for all and God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all And by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life He tasted of death for all men or distributively for every man All which texts are rightly interpreted by Caiphas He prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation John 11.51 52. and not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad And thus John brings in the four beasts and four and twenty Elders saying Thou art worthy to take the book Rev. 5.9 and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and thus Paul rightly argues Is he the God of the Jews only Rom. 3.29 is he not of the Gentiles also yes of the Gentiles also O the fulness of Christ's death many are apt to complain Would Christ dye for me why alas I am an alien I am not of the common-wealth of Israel I am a dog I am a sinner a grievous sinner Eph. 2.13 14 16. a sinner of the Gentiles And what then Ye who sometimes were afar off are now made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross Oh what encouragement is this for thee to believe thy part in the death of Christ 2. Consider the worth the excellency of this glorious object Christ crucified There is an infinite of worth in the death of Christ and this ariseth first from the dignity of his person he was God-man the death of Angels and men if put together could not have amounted to the excellency of Christ's death stand amazed at thy happiness O believer thou hast gained by thy loss thou hast lost the righteousness of a creature but the righteousness of an infinite person is now made thine Rom. 10.3 2 Cor. 5.21 hence it is many times called the Righteousness of God both because Christ is God and because it is such a righteousness as God is satisfied with he looks for no better yea there can be no better 2. This worth is not only in respect of the dignity of the person but also in respect of the price offered O it was the blood of Christ one drop whereof is of more worth than thousands of gold and silver Acts 20.28 It was this blood that purchased the whole Church of God which a thousand worlds of wealth could never have done 3. This worth is not only in respect of the person and price neither but also in respect of the manner of the oblation 2 Pet. 1 18. Christ must dye on the Cross as it was determined the price in it self is not enough unless it be ordered and proportioned according to the will of him who is to be satisfied if a man should give for a captive prisoner an infinite sum of money sufficient in it self to redeem a thousand yet if not according to such a way as the conquerour prescribeth if not according to the condition it could not be called a satisfaction now this was the condition that Christ must die and dye that death of the Cross and accordingly he undertook and performed which set a lustre and glory and excellency and worth upon his death O the worth O the excellency of this death of Christ many are apt to complain O the filth of my sins Oh the injuries and unkindness that have been in mine iniquities it is not my misery my destruction that so much troubles me as that God is displeased Sweet soul turn thine eyes hither surely this death of Christ is more satisfactory to God than all thy sins possibly can be displeasing to God there was more sweet savour in Christ's sacrifice than there could be offence in all thy sins the excellency of Christ's death in making righteous doth super-abound the filthiness of sin in making a sinner Come on then and close with Christ upon this encouragement there is a dignity an excellency in this object of faith Christ crucified 3. Consider the suitableness of this blessed object The death of Christ There is in it a sutableness to our sinful condition whatsoever the sin is it is the cry of some They dare not believe they dare not touch Christ crucified they dare not approach to that precious blood because of this sin and that sin and the other sin Whereas in the death and blood of Christ if they could but take a full view of it they might find something suitable to their estate As for instance suppose thy sin the greatest sin imaginable except that against the holy Ghost art thou a murtherer hast thou had thy hands imbrued in the blood of Saints why see now how Christ for thy sake was esteemed of the Jews a murtherer and worse than a murtherer Barabbas is preferred before Jesus Barabbas is released and Jesus is murthered yea his blood is shed to wash away thy blood-shed art thou a Sorcerer a Negromancer is thy sin the sin of Manasseh of whom it is said 2 Chron. 33.6 that that he used inchantments and witchcraft and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards why see now how Jesus Christ for thy sake was esteemed of the Jews as an impostor an inchanter for so some say that he got the Name of God and sowed it in his thigh and by vertue thereof he wrought all his miracles and they commonly reported of him that he had a devil and that he cast out devils through Belzebub Prince of devils Art thou a blasphemer hast thou joyned with those in these sad times who have opened their mouths against the God of Heaven enough to make a Christian rend his heart and weep in blood why see now how Jesus for thy sake was judged of Caiaphas and all the Sanhedrim for a blasphemer of God and that in the highest kind of blasphemy
soul-ravishing Subject to think upon and the rather if we consider that Conformity which we believe Phil. 3.20 21. We look for a Saviour saith the Apostle the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashioned unto His Glorious Body O my Soul that this Clay of thine should be a Partaker of such Glory That this Body of Dust and Earth should shine in Heaven like those Glorious Spangles of the Firmament that this Body that shall rot in Dust and fall more vile than a Carrion should rise and shine like the Glorious Body of our Saviour on Mount Tabor Surely thou owest much to Christ's Resurrection O consider of it till thou feellest the Influence and comest to the Assurance of this Blessed Change 4. Consider of the several Apparitions of Jesus Christ especially of those written by the Evangelist John As 1. Muse on His Apparition to Mary Magdalen Oh the Grief before He appeared And Oh the Joyes when He appeared 1. Before she apprehended nothing but that some or other had took away her Lord these were all the words she uttered before he appeared They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him so she told Peter and John And when Two Angels appeared in White asking her Woman Why weepest thou she gives the same Answer to them They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him A Soul in desertion knows not what to do but to weep and cry Oh my Lord is gone I have lost my Lord my God my Jesus my King In this Meditation consider O my Soul as if thou hadst been in Maries Case Was it not a sad Case when the Angels of Heaven knew not how to comfort her Suppose any Son of Consolation had stood by and had such a one perswaded O Mary suppress thy Sadness refresh thy Heart with this Blessed Vision thou didst seek but One and thou hast found Two a dead Body was thy Errand and thou hast light on Two alive Thy Weeping was for a Man and thy Tears have obtained Angels Observe them narrowly the Angels invite thee to a Parley it may be they had some happy News to tell thee of thy Lord Remember what they are and where they sit and whence they come and to whom they speak they are Angels of Peace neither sent without Cause nor seen but of Favour they sit on the Tomb to shew they are no Strangers to thy Loss They come from Heaven from whence all happy News descendeth they speak to thy self as if they had some special Embassage to deliver unto thee No no these Cordials are in vain neither Man nor Angel can do her good or comfort her drooping Soul Either Christ Himself must come in Presence or she cryes Miserable Comforters are ye all Alas small is the Light that a Star can yield when the Sun is down A sorry Exchange it is to go gather Crumbs after the Loss of the Bread of Life Oh What can these Angels do They cannot perswade me that my Master is not lost for my own Eyes will disprove them They can less tell me where He may be found for they themselves would wait upon Him if they knew but where I am apt to think they know not where He is and therefore they are come to the Place where He last was making the Tomb their Heaven and the Remembrance of His Presence the Fewel of their Joy Alas What do Angels here I neither came to see them nor desire to hear them I came not to see Angels but the Creator of Angels to whom I owe more than both to Men and Angels 2. After He appeared she was filled with Joy for so it was that when nothing else would satisfie or comfort this poor Creature Jesus Himself appears At first He is unknown she takes him for the Gardiner of the place but within a while he utters a voice that opens both her ears and eyes And Jesus saith unto her Mary It was the sweetest sound that ever she heard many a time had she been called by that name but never heard she a voice so effectual powerful inward feeling as at this time hereby the cloud is scattered and the Sun of Righteousness appears this one word Mary lightens her eyes dryes up her tears chears her heart revives her spirits that were as good as dead One word of Christ wrought so strange an alteration in her as if she had been wholly made new when she was only named And hence it is that being ravished with his voice and impatient of delayes she takes his talk out of his mouth and to his first and only word Mary she answers Rabboni which is to say Master q. d. Master is it thou with many a salt tear have I sought thee and art thou unexpectedly so near at hand thy absence was hell and thy presence is no less than heaven to me Oh how is my heart ravished at thy sound if the babe leaped in the womb of Elizabeth when she but heard the salutation of Mary how should my heart but leap at thy salutation I feel I am exceedingly transported beyond my self Instead of my heavy heart and troubled spirit I feel now a sweet and delightful Tranquility of mind thou art my solace and souls delight whom have I in heaven but thee and whom desire I upon earth in comparison of thee and yet I am not satisfied not only fruition of thee but union with thee is that which my soul longs after not only thy presence but thy embraces or my embraces of thee can give content come then and give me leave my Lord my God to run to the haunt of my chief delights to fall at thy sacred feet and to bathe them with my tears of joy O my Jesus I must needs deal with thee as the Spouse dealt with thee Now I have found thee whom my soul loves dearly I will hold thee Cant. 3.4 and I will not let thee go I know not in all the Book of God a soul more depressed with sorrow and lifted up with joy O meditate on this if Christ be absent all is night but if Christ appear he turns all again into a lightsome day there is no sorrow like that which apprehends Christ's loss and therefore in hell it is looked upon as the greatest pain of the two say Divines it is a greater torment to lose God and to lose Jesus Christ than to endure all those flaming whips unquenchable fires intollerable cold abominable stench and on the other side there is no joy in heaven like to that which apprehends Christ's presence In thy presence there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore I had rather be in hell with Christ said one than in heaven without Christ This is the very top of heavens joy the quintessence of glory the highest happiness of the Saints O my soul seek with
the flesh made under the Law 4. Faith must go to Christ not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life but under the penal part by his death of all these before 5. Faith must go to Christ as God in the flesh made under the directive and penal part of the Law and as quickened by the Spirit He was put to death in the flesh saith Peter and quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 And accordingly must be the method and order of our faith after we have looked on Christ as dead in the flesh we must go on to see him as quickened by the Spirit 1 Cor. 15.17 if Christ was not raised or quickened saith the Apostle your faith were in vain q. d. to believe in Christ as only in respect of his birth life death and to go no further were but a vain faith and therefore shore up your faith to this pitch that Christ who dyed is risen from the dead to this purpose all the Sermons of the Apostles represented Christ not only as crucified but as raised In that first Sermon after the mission of the holy Ghost ye have crucified Christ said Peter to the Jews and then it follows whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains or chains of death Acts 2.23 24. because it was not possible that he should be holden of it In that next Sermon Peter tells them again ye have killed the Prince of life and then it follows whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses In the next Sermon after this be it known unto you all said Peter and to all the people of Israel Acts 3.15 that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth whom ye crucified and whom God raised from the dead is this man whole And in the next Sermon after this the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 4.10 And as thus he preached to the Jews so in his first Sermon to the Gentiles he tells them we are witnesses of all things which Jesus did both in the land of the Jews Acts 5.30 and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly And as thus Peter preached so in that first Sermon of Paul at Antioch Acts 10.39 40. Acts 13.30 he tells them of the Jews crucifying Jesus and then it follows but God raised him from the dead And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David Ver. 34 35. and thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption And after this Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogue at Thesalonica and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs suffer and rise from the dead This was the way of the Apostles preaching they told them an history I speak it with reverence of one Jesus Christ that was the word of God and that was become man Acts 17.2 3. and how he was crucified at Jerusalem and how he was raised from the dead and all this in a plain simple spiritual way and manner and while they were telling those blessed truths the Spirit fell upon the people and they believed and had faith wrought in them Faith is not wrought so much in the way of ratiocination as by the Spirit of God coming upon the souls of people by the Relation or representation of Jesus Christ to the soul And this our Lord himself hints as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up John 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life When the people were stung God so ordered that the very beholding of the brazen Serpent should bring help though we know not how to those that were wounded and stung by those fiery Serpents so God hath ordained in his blessed wisdom that the discovery of Jesus Christ as crucified and raised as humbled and exalted should be a means of faith come then set we before us Christ raised not only Christ crucified but Christ raised is the object of faith and in that respect we must look up to Jesus 6. Faith in going to Christ is raised from the dead or as quickned by the Spirit it is principally and mainly to look to the end purpose intent and design of Christ in his resurrection very devils may believe the history of Christ's resurrection Jam. 2.19 they believe and tremble but the Saints and people of God are to look at the meaning of Christ why he rose from the dead now the ends are either supream or subordinate 1. The supream end was God's Glory and that was the meaning of Christ's prayer Father John 17.1 Rom. 6.4 the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee with which agrees the Apostle he rose again from the dead to the glory of the Father 2. The subordinate ends were many As 1. That he might tread on the Serpents head 2. That he might destroy the works of the Devil 3. That he might be the first fruits of them that sleep 4. That he might assure our faith that he is the word and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him against that day 5. That he might be justified in the Spirit as he was begotten in the womb by the Spirit led up and down in the Spirit offered up by the eternal Spirit so he was raised from the dead by the Spirit and justified in the Spirit at his resurrection Christ was under the greatest attainder that ever man was he stood publickly charged with the guilt of a world of sins and if he had not been justified by the Spirit he had still lyen under the blame of all and had been liable to the execution of all and therefore he was raised up from the power of death that he might be declared as a righteous person 6. That he might justifie us in his justificaon when he was justified all the elect were vertually and really justified in him that act of God which past on him was drawn up in the name of all his Saints as whatever benefit or priviledge God meant for us he first of all bestowed it on Christ thus God meaning to sanctifie us he sanctified Christ first and God meaning to justifie us he justifies Christ first so whatever benefit or priviledg he bestowed on Christ he bestowed it not on him for himself but as he was a common Person and one re-resenting us Thus Christ was sanctified instead of us for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through thy truth and thus Christ was justified in stead of us for as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
black as a raven are not his eyes as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water washed with milk and fitly set are not his cheeks as a bed of spices as sweet flowers thus I might go on from top to toe but that thou mayst not only see his glory and beauty wherein he arose but that thou mayest hear his voyce doth he not call on thee as sometimes he did on Mary on Thomas on Peter or on the twelve Luke 24.6 As the Angel said to the woman remember how he spake when he was yet in Galilee so say I to thee remember how he spake while he was yet on earth surely his lips like Lillyes dropped sweet smelling myrrhe As thus 1. In his apparition to Mary Jesus saith unto her woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou John 20.15 were not these kind words and hast not thou had the like apparition hast not thou heard the like sweet words from Jesus Christ how often hath thy heart sobbed and fighed out complaints O where is he whom my soul loveth I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love And then was not Christ seen in the mount was not thy extremity his opportunity to do thee good Cant. 5.8 did not he bespeak thy comforts with these words Sweet soul why weepest thou whom seekest thou what wouldst thou have that I can give thee And what dost thou want that I can give thee If any thing in heaven or earth will make thee happy it is all thy own wouldst thou have pardon thou shalt have it I freely forgive thee all the debt wouldst thou have my self Why behold I am thine thy friend thy Lord thy husband thy head thy God Were not these thy Lords reviving words were not these melting healing ravishing quickening passages of Christ his love John 20.19 2. In his Apparition to the ten Jesus stood in the midst and saith unto them peace be unto you Lo here more words of love in the midst of their trouble Christ stands in the midst speaking peace to their souls and hath not Christ done the like to thee hast thou not many and many a time bin lapt into troubles that thou knewest not which way to turn thee hast thou not felt the contradictions of men raylings of Rabshecka's and hast thou not sometimes shut the doors upon thee for fear of such Jews and then even then hath not Christ come to thy spirit with an olive branch of peace saying to thy restless soul peace and be still hath he not wrought wonders in the sea of thy restless thoughts hath he not made a calm and more then so hath he not filled thee with joy and peace in believing hath he not sent thee away from thy prayers and complaints with a piece of heaven in thy soul so that thou wast forced to conclude John 20.27 In his Apparition to the Eleven Jesus saith to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing O sweet condescending words how far how low would Jesus stoop to take up souls and O my soul are not these the very dealings of Christ towards thee he that called Thomas to come near hark how he calls on thee Come near poor trembling wavering wandring soul come view the Lord thy Saviour and be not faithless but believing peace be unto thee fear not it is I. He that called on them who passed by to behold his sorrow in the day of his humiliation doth now call on thee to behold his glory in the day of his exaltation look well upon him dost thou not know him why his hands were pierced his head was pierced his side was pierced his heart was pierced with the stings of thy sins and these marks he retains even after his resurrection that by these marks thou mightest always know him is not the passage to his heart yet standing open if thou knowest him not by the face the voyce the hands if thou knowest him not by the tears and bloody sweat yet look nearer thou mayst know him by the heart that broken healed heart is his that dead revived heart is his that soul-pitying melting heart is his doubtless it can be none but his love and compassion are its certain signatures And is not here yet fewel enough for love to feed upon doth not this heart of Christ even snatch thy heart and almost draw it forth of thy brest canst thou read the history of love any further at once doth not thy throbbing heart here stop to ease it self if not go on for the field of love is large 4. In this Apparition to the seven Jesus saith to Simon Peter Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these And he said to him the second time Simon Joh. 21 15 16 17. Son of Jonas lovest thou me he said to him the third time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me Oh the loves of Christ in drawing out mans love unto himself how often O my soul hath Christ come to thy door and knocked there for entrance how often hath he sued for Love and begged love and asked thee again and again Ah soul dost thou love me more than these come tell me dost thou love me love me love me come wilt thou take me for thy Lord wilt thou delight in me as thy Treasure thy happiness thy all O fye shall Christ raised a glorious Christ thus wooe and sue and call and wilt thou not answer as Peter did Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Yea Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Nay art thou not grieved that Christ should ask the third time for thy love art thou not ashamed out of thy stupidity and forc't to say O my blessed Lord I have been too proud too peevish but thy free grace and undeserved love hath beaten me out of all my pride so that now I fall down at thy foot-stool and lay my self flat before thee at first I wondered to hear Preachers talk so much of Christ and I was bold to ask thy friends what was their beloved more than another beloved but now I wonder that I could be so long without thee truly Lord I am thine only thine ever thine all that I am is at thy command and all I have is at thy disposing be pleased to command both it and me I might thus go on to consider other passages in other Apparitions but are not these enow to draw thy love Oh what love was this Oh what humility was this that Christ after his resurrection should converse with men during the space of fourty days worthy he was after so many sorrows sufferings reproaches after so cruel ignominious and bitter a death immediately to have rid his triumph to glory And for the confirmation of his Disciples faith he might have commanded the Angels to
confusions distractions despondences staggering and sinking terrors Mat. 11.28 it will find it something yea it will look on it as a glorious work to discover but the morning Star through so much darkness any thing of life in such a valley and shadow of death 3. The understanding hath yet some brighter believing beams it confidently closeth with this truth that it is the will of the Lord that he should come and live and believe and lay hold on Christ it apprehends the particular designs of mercy to him and doth really principle the soul with this that God doth particularly call invite and bid him come to Christ the Fountain of life for life Now the understanding takes in general Gospel-calls in particular to himself It is my poor languishing soul which the Lord speaks to when he sayes come to me all yea that are weary and I will give you rest Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Surely this is a great work when set home by the Lord that the soul acts in its addresses to Christ in the strength of a particular call from God 2. And now the answer to this call is wrought up in the renewed will as thus 1. The will summons all its confidences and calls them off from every other bottom to bestow them wholly upon Christ and this consists in our voluntary renouncing of all other helps excepting Jesus Christ alone now the soul sayes to Idols Get ye hence Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our Gods Ashur shall not save us Not only cannot but shall not save us now as the soul is dissatisfied in Judgment as to the resting on any thing but Christ alone so the heart and will is disaffected to all other helps but Christ alone now it renounceth its own righteousness and worthyness not only because of their inability to save but mainly because their glory is swallowed up in that unmatchable excellency which appears in the way of life and salvation by Jesus Christ It calls home dependance from every other object 2. Hereupon there is a willing and chearfull receiving of Christ and resignation of our selves to his actual dispose to quicken us and save us in his own way A great part of the answer of Faith to the call of Christ lyes in this for as Faith sees life and salvation in the hands of Christ so it considers it to be given forth in the methods of Christ and so believing lyes not only in assent but consent of heart John 1 1â— that Christ shall save us in his own way this is called A receiving of Christ As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Many a soul would be saved by Christ that sticks and boggles at his methods they will not pass to happiness by holiness nor set him up as a King and Lord whom they could consent to set up as a Saviour Oh but now Christ that stood at the door and knocked Rev. 3.10 is received in consent hath made up the match and the door is opened that never shall be shut again 3. Upon this follows the souls resting and relying the souls confidence and dependance upon Jesus Christ for life and for salvation this closeth up the whole business of believing unto righteousness those various expressions used in Scripture of committing our way and selves to God of casting our care upon God of rolling our selves on him of trusting in him of hoping in his mercy c. wrapt up faith in this affiance dependance not without some mixture of confidence and resolved resting upon Jesus Christ a clear beholding of God in Christ and of Christ in the promises doth present such variety and fulness of Arguments to bear up hope and affiance that the heart is resolved and so resolved that we commit our selves and give our souls in charge to Christ I know whom I have believed 1 Pet. 4.19 2 Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 4. The upshot of all is this that the same close which the soul makes in believing with Jesus Christ as to justification and righteousness is not fruitless to this effect of conveying life and vertue from Jesus Christ as to grace and holiness for that union which then and thereby comes to be enjoyned with Christ is such an union as is fruitful in begetting a quickening power and principle in the heart and this is that which we ordinarily intend by saying saving faith to be operative James 2.16 that faith which brings forth nothing of holiness what is it but a dead faith As the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Justification and sanctification are twins of a birth and hence it is that vivification which is one part of sanctification is wrought in the soul after the self-same manner As first the understanding is illighttened 2. The will is changed 3. All the Affections are renewed 4. The internals being quickened there ensueth the renewing of the body with the outward actions life and conversation And now is fulfilled that saying of Christ in a spiritual sense John 5.25 The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Now is the soul vivified now it begins to live the life of God now it feels the power of Christ's resurrection and is made conformable to it And immediately upon this joy is made in heaven by the Angels Luke 15.24 God himself applauding it For this my Son was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Thus is the state of vivification wrought I know it is not in all men after one manner for every circumstance the methods of God are exceeding various and we cannot limit the holy one of Israel I have sometimes concerning this desired the communication of other thoughts whom I looked upon as such who had more than ordinary communication with Christ's Spirit and from one of such I received this answer I must profess to you I have in all my speculations in divinity found dissatisfaction in the writings of men in nothing more than is the work of clear and distinct conceptions concerning regeneration which yet is of such a Cardinal importance is that the great doors of heaven move upon the hinges of it the Lord enlighten us more for we see but in part and prophesie but in part For the third question what are the means of this conformity or vivification which we must use on our parts I shall answer herein both to the state and growth of our vivification As 1. Wait and Attend upon God in the ministry of the word this is a means whereby Christ ordinarily effecteth
by reason they may be still subject to question and so they can make no firm assurance but in the soul that is graciously assured this way the Spirit of God rests the heart upon an ultimum quod sic he convinceth the soul by that which is most visible in him and so stops the mouth of cavilling reason from perplexing the question any more Indeed it is a fine skill to know whether a true assurance be meerly rationall or from the witness of the Spirit of God whether it be wrought out of a man 's own brain or wrought into his heart by the Holy Ghost now in some cases we may discern it as thus the assurance that the Spirit gives doth sometime surprise a man unexpectedly at unawares as it may be in a Sermon that he came accidentally unto or in a Scripture that I cast a transient-glancing eye upon but thus doth not reason Again The assurance that the spirit gives maintains a soul in a way of reliance and dependance when it sees no reason why he should do so or it may be when he sees a reason why it should not be so as it is said of Abraham in another case Rom. 4.18 that he believed in hope against hope faith told him there was hope that he should be the Father of many Nations when reason told him there was none Again The assurance that the spirit gives is attended with an high esteem of Prayer Duties Ordinances and in the issue which is the most principal sure mark it purifies the soul that hath it 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure he is ever washing himself from sin and watching against sin and taking all possible care to keep himself pure and unspotted in this present evil world it keeps the soul humble and lowly it being impossible that such a testimony of the spirit and so intimate a converse with God and the light of his countenance should not reflect low thoughts upon a man's self concerning himself such a man cannot but say Lord what am I that thou hast brought me hitherto what for such a peevish unbelieving impatient soul as mine is to be carryed in thy arms and cheered with thy smiles and to enjoy the comforts of thy spirit Oh what a wonderful merciful gracious God have I Yet in all this I exclude not the Spirit in drawing a rational evidence from Scriptures certainly the spirit helps in a general way by making use of our reason only it elevates and improves our reason to a further assurance by a supernatural assistance as in Prayer and in Preaching of the Word there may be a common assistance of the Spirit of God but there is another kind of praying and preaching by the Spirit which the Scripture often speaks of and calls the spirit of supplication and the demonstration of the spirit and that is not performed by a common or general but by a special and particular assistance of the Spirit of God so there is a two-fold influence of the Spirit in putting forth acts of assurance in the heart even of a Godly and Sound Christian the very same man may act assurance sometimes rationally and sometimes spiritually in the former the spirit acts too but in a common way only in the latter is the supernatural special assistance which peculiarly is said to be the witness of the Spirit I speak not against rational evidences only it concerns us to apply our selves to the Spirit to superadd his testimony O let us not so content our selves with ratioral evidences but that we labour to elevate the evidence of reason into a testimony of the Holy Spirit of God To wind up all I have said O my soul try now the hope of the spirits indwelling by these several signs art thou enlightned savingly in the knowledg of God and of Christ art thou a Child of God one of his adopted sons for whom he hath reserved the inheritance hast thou a spirit of Grace and Supplication a spirit of Sanctification a spirit of Love art thou led by the spirit dost thou feel the drawings of thy soul in every duty to Jesus Christ dost thou feel a liberty or a delight in thy soul to walk in the way of his Commandments dost thou feel any strength to come in against thy corruptions dost thou feel the spirits help to act in Gospel-duties for Gospel ends hast thou ever had the immediate testimony of the spirit or if not so hast thou ever had the immediate testimony of the spirit without any argumentation hast thou unexpectedly dipt and lighted on some places of scripture that hath satisfied thy soul as with marrow and fatness or if not so neither hast thou the immediate testimony of the Spirit with argumentation canst thou argue thus He that believeth shall be saved but I believe therefore I shall be saved Or if any doubt be made of the assumption canst thou prove it by such other graces as accompany faith and are the fruits of faith canst thou say by the help of the spirit and shinings of the spirit that these and these graces are in me and have been acted by me yea I do love God and â—hrist I do repent of my sins c. surely then thy hope is well grounded thou hast the indwelling of the spirit it is thine even thine SECT V. Of believing in Jesus in this respect 5. LEt us believe on Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars many scruples are in many hearts What is it possible that I should have any share in Christ's ascension Christ's session Christ's mission of his spirit was it ever in God's heart that I should partake with Christ in all these glories if it must be so that he will let out his loves to so unworthy a wretch was it not sufficient for him to have come down from Heaven and to have acted my redemption here below Is it not an high Favour that a King should leave his Court to give a poor prisoner in the Jayl a visit but will he take him with him to his own home and bring him into his own presence-chamber and set him at his right hand in his throne And so that Christ should not only leave his Fathers throne and give me a visit lying in the dark dungeon of unbelief but that he should take off the bolts and set open the prison doors and take me up with him into Heaven and there set me down at his right hand and in the mean time give me the earnest and pledge of my inheritance by filling my soul with his own spirit O what an admirable incredible thing is this it was the last vision of John which was so full of wonders And I John saw the holy City the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Rev. 21.2 3. Behold the tabernacle of God is
destruction O Christ thou that art the judge of Nations and the revenger of blood reward thou this man as he hath rewarded us he led us in the ways of wickedness and if it must be so let him be our ring-leader to Hell and upon his soul once buryed in Hell let this be the Epitaph the price of blood the price of blood if thou didst hear the blood of Abel being but one man forget not the blood of many now thou art judging the earth Why thus do the damned cry about thine ears and as for us say the Saints who were once thy people but now thy Judges we consent to their cry and to our Saviours doom go ye cursed into everlasting fire Men Brethren and Fathers I begin thus with the Ministers doom that you may see I would deal impartially and verily I believe it if our case come to this we of the Ministry shall be in a thousand times worse condition than any of you for besides the horrour due to the guilt of our own souls all the blood of those souls who have perished under our Ministry through our default will be laid to our charge little do you know or consider the burthen that lies upon us a burthen able to make the shoulders of the most mighty Angel in heaven to shrink under it Chrysostome was a glorious Saint Heb. 13.17 Hujus comminationis terror animum mihi concutit Chrys d yet casting his eye upon one only Text in the Bible Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account He professeth that the terror of this Text made his heart tremble Surely it is enough to make our hearts tremble if we seriously weigh our terrible doom in case that we should miscarry But now on the other side if the Minister be the Elect and sentenc'd to salvation and many of his people prove no better than Reprobates then shall the Minister say O miserable souls now you feel the truth of those comminations and curses which we opened and unfolded and discovered to you out of God's Word We dealt plainly with you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. that the unrighteous should not inherit the Kingdom of God we advised you again and again be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor Covetuous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were you and notwithstanding all our threats warnings intreatings beseechings thus ye lived and thus ye dyed and there is the issue Christ now hath doomed you to hell and here am I set on a throne to judge your souls for the Saints shall judge the World as well as Christ himself Oh what shall I do Oh my bowels my bowels here 's a case beyond all the former each of them according to their relations judge another but here 's a multitude not one or two or ten or an hundred but many hundreds or thousands according to the number of such and such Congregations where I have preached In Christ's reasonings with the wicked we have heard of his sayings and their answers and of his replications to their answers much said on both sides to and again I may suppose the like here O what shall I do says the Minister what doom shall I pass on this Assembly of Reprobates can I absolve them whom the righteous God hath condemned can I say come along with me to heaven now Christ hath said go ye cursed into hell and oh now shall I turn my speech from my wonted wooing beseeching intreating exhorting to a direct dooming damning condemning these souls to the pit of hell sometimes indeed I opened to these souls the armoury of God's wrath I thundred and lightned in their Congregations but my design was to fright them out of hell-fire and knowing the terrours of the Lord to have perswaded them towards heaven and heavenly things but now if I speak condemnation no sooner shall I speak but their souls will sink down to hell O miserable souls what shall I say or what can you say for your selves Then shall they answer Oh Sir do not you aggravate the torment by your condemnation the weight of Christ's doom is already unsupportable but will you adde more weight Why remember we are some of us it may be of your flesh and blood many a time you told us that you unfeignedly loved us and that we were dearer to you then all worldly enjoyments many a time you told us that you were willing to spend your self for us as the candle that burns it self to give others light you were pleased to bestow your prayers tears sighs groans for our souls your very Books and Writings were high expressions and abiding monuments of your dear love to us you weighed not your strength and spirits in comparison of our souls and shall this fair comical scean end in a dismal doleful bloody Tragedy would you do or suffer any thing to save us and will you now condemn us Oh forbear Ah no saith the Minister I cannot forbear all is true that you say I loved you dearly and I was willing to spend or to be spent for you but this aggravates the more ah my travail pains books writings words fears sighs groans are in one volume together and this volume has been opened this day and now is the question put what have you profited by all my words prayers tears sighs and groans is not all lost and are not your souls lost and now do you tell me of love what did I ever love you more then Christ loved you were the drops of my tears to be compared with the showers of his blood were my pains for you equal with the pains of his Cross and hath he not condemned you to hell and shall not I be like-minded to Jesus Christ Surely the Lord's will must be my will he hath already judged you and he will make me to judge you so far am I from pitying you that if he that formed you will shew you no mercy if he that saves me and all the Elect people of God will not save you can I pity you or save you or discent from Jesus in his sentence upon you speak no more of flesh and blood of labours of love Christ's Sentence must stand and as I am a member of Christ and a Minister of Christ I cannot but approve of it and so judge you to hell Why then say Reprobates we will curse thee and blaspheme Jesus Christ in hell for ever cursed be the time that ever we heard of Jesus Christ or that ever we knew thee or thy Ministry do not thy Sermons send us deeper into hell had it not been easier for us at this day of judgment if we had lived in Tyre and Sydon where the Gospel never was Preached didst not thou harden our hearts in such and such