walk after our own devices Ier. 18. 11 12. and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart Or if the razing of hopes foundations doth not produce such wretched wicked resolutions with what sinkings and dolefull despondency will the awakened Soul be overwhelmed Our Proverb saith Was it not for hope the heart would break Therefore sleight not mine advice neither delay the use of Gods means to gain a well-grounded hope Isa 38. 18. of your eternal salvation your life is both short and uncertain And they who go down into the pit cannot hope for Gods truth Now for your help herein I shall in my next doctrine leade you to Christ who is the true Christians hope of glory That Christ is unto faithfull Christians the hope of glory Doct. 3 As my Text speaks this truth in open words so elsewhere our Apostle thus expresseth himself The Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 1. 1. Luk. 2. 28 29 30. which is our hope And here Simeon anchored his hope of heaven for he taking Christ in his arms said Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation For the clearing of this Point there are two things enquirable 1. What is meant by Hope of glory 2. How Christ is to be accounted the Christians Hope of glory First The hope of glory 1. Either signifieth the glory hoped for as it 's taken in many other Scriptures The hope laid up for you in heaven ver 5. Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Or the glorious hope the grace of hope whereby the Soul desirously expecteth future everlasting glory according to the words of this our Apostle I know that this shall tend to my salvation according to my earnest expectation and Phil. 1. 19 20. hope Secondly Christ may truly be called the hope of glory in both these senses 1. Being the glory of his people Israel viz. the matter the Luk. 2. 32. Gloriam quam speramus Christus est gloria quam habemus quam habituri simus Rolloc in Text Ioh. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. object of their chiefest glory both here and hereafter He is the Christians All both upon earth and in heaven Christ is the glory of heaven the very heaven of heaven 2. And being the root from whence holy hope and all other graces do spring From his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace And whom we beholding as in a glasse we all are changed from glory to glory Grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfited and both these we have from Jesus Christ For the further opening and evidencing of this Doctrine viz. That Christ is the hope of glory Consider that a Christians hope is attributed 1. Efficiently to God the Father working it by the holy Ghost The God of hope cause you to abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost 2. Instrumentally Rom. 15. 13. to the word of God which is the word of his grace Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written that Rom. 15. 4. we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 3. Evidentially to the work of saving grace in the soul manifesting it self by its operations there God gives good 2 The. 2. 16. hope through grace whether faith Rom. 15. 13. or love 1 Joh. 3. 14. or any other sanctifying frame of heart 4. And yet in a way of peculiarity Christ is the Christians hope which our Apostle intends in this Text wherein there is some Emphasis The hope that hope He is singularly eminently the hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1. 3. of glory Fundamentally our hope of heaven is built upon him Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ saith the Apostle Now the true Christians hope of glory is raised out of Christ 1. Upon that federall transaction which passed betwixt God the Father and Christ his Sonne The Apostle speaking of the Covenant thus expresseth himself To Abraham Gal. 3. 16. and his Seed were the Promises made He saith not And to his Seeds as of many but as of one And to thy Seed which is Christ And hither as I humbly conceive we may referre that passage in our Saviours Prayer unto his Father relating to himself Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should Ioh. 17. 2. give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Upon this account the Apostle seemeth to encourage hope In hope of Tit. 1. 2. eternall life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began For unto whom besides Christ could the Almighty then viz. before the world began be engaged by any promise Prov. 8. 22 32 33. Solomon doth suggest transactions betwixt God and Christ his essentiall wisedom before the Creation concerning the welfare of man amongst which transactions doubtlesse this was one that through him beleevers should have hope of glory 2. Because of his satisfactory Passion For whereas sinne committed against God and Gods wrath kindled against man Heb. 3. 17 18. are the only hindrances of entrance into glory Against them who sinned God sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest The Lord Jesus by his sufferings did break into pieces those barres and made way for Christians admission into Heb. 9. 26. 1 Thes 1. 10. glory For he took away sinne by the Sacrifice of himself and Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come As he removeth guilt by satisfying divine justice so he quenched the flames of Gods anger by the shedding of his bloud And hereupon followeth hope of glory 3. By vertue of his meritorious purchase The Apostle Eph. 1. 14. calleth a glorified estate in heaven The purchased possession received by Redemption whereas man had made forfeiture of his happinesse which consisted in communion with God and was altogether unable to ransome it the Lord Jesus bought it back again by his perfect obedience which was esteemed of valuable consideration for so great a purchase because of the infinite excellency of his person being both Heb. 10. 7 9 44. God and man Though man through the worthlesnesse of his person and weaknesses of his best performances cannot deserve the least accommodation from the Lord yet mans hope of glory is upheld by the deserts of Emmanuell of Rom. 8. 3 4. Christ God with us 4. Through the effectuall prevalency of his prayer Christ said with confidence unto his Father I know that thou hearest me alwaies And this was one great Request which Ioh. 11. 42. he made Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Ioh. 17. 24. which thou hast given me for thou hast loved me before the Foundation of the world This Petition is a good prop to support hope of glory in a
apud Londinenses Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the much lamented Death of the truly Pious Youth Mr William Spurstow who deceased Anno Dom. 1633 4 March Aetatis 9. BLest Soul thy Parents only Son Thou wast Nipt in the bud and into deaths Den cast In Spring time both of age and year Thy Sun Is soon gone down soon is thy short race run True an Apprentiship th' hast serv'd on earth Of nine years but the tenth thou paist to Death As her due Tithe She will not be deni'd Young old rich poor are carried down this Tide Thou liv'st though dead in th'memory of those Who knew thy life and saw its holy close The honour thou didst to thy Parents bear Thy humble carriage witty words indear Thee unto all Those sparks of Piety Kindled wiihin thy Soul by th' Almighty Dazled the eyes of men Thine exc'llent parts Admired were by all Thou wonst all hearts But stay needs he Encomiums Reader know He joys above while we him wail below E. C. Student in Syd Coll. Cam. Upon his Funerall Text Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory With which he was much affected in his life time and of which he did often speak THis Text did much refresh this Saint now dead Christ was his Hope his Glory Crown and Head Whilst here on earth Christ dwelt in him by grace But now he dwells with Christ and sees his face His Body though in grave to Christ is knit His Soul with Christ in Christs own Throne doth sit Christ was his hope on earth but now he is His Heaven his All his his for ever his E. C. Student in Syd Coll. Cam. Upon the Death of M. william Spurstow YE Muses Helicon what can you lie Thus mantled in a stupid Lethargy Breathe out your souls with sighs melt into tears And let your griefs be equall to your fears For him poor soul whose Fate it was we see To bid adieu in its minority Mourn that gloomy day on which it took its rise To seek a mansion in heavens Paradise What was his worth what Friends losse in verse Were but lost pains in both for to rehearse His purer mettal'd Soul needeth no Praise Or Art to'dulterate all this can't raise The price of such a Pearl that had alone What bounteous Art or Nature made her own And boldly this I 'le speak unto his praise His holy Life doth much exceed his daies O pray that such bless'd hopes may longer live Examples to such youth as cannot give W. H. The Text. COL 1. 27. Which is Christ in you the hope of Glory THe Subject matter of this Text is Jesus Christ and therefore seasonably suitable to the expectation of this Assembly which is to hear a Funeral Sermon For whereas wine is to be given unto those that be of heavy hearts what Prov. 31. 6. Cordiall is comparable with Jesus Christ who is called and deserveth to be accounted The Consolation of Luk. 2. 25. Israel In the Text Christ is tendred or rather commended to the consideration of these Christian Colossians under a threefold notion 1. As containing the riches of all Evangelicall mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referre oportet Dav. in Text. The Relative which must necessarily be referred unto the word Riches in the fore-going part of this verse as is manifest from the Originall in our Greek Copies Although the vulgar applieth the Relative which unto mystery and I acknowledge Christ to be a mystery as the holy Ghost doth Eph. 3. 3 4. often suggest in the holy Scriptures And indeed his conception and his hypostaticall Union c. give us just occasion to call him wonderfull Isa 9. 6. yet in this place I humbly conceive that he is held forth to our view as the Riches of the glorious mystery of the Gospel 2. As being the groundwork and the foundation of every good Christians good hope of happinesse Christ the hope of glory I have heard of Ships laden with rich commodities from which their owners expect great advantage called The Hope or The good Hope Under this Name may beleevers reall Saints well own the Lord Jesus The Hope of glory 3. As inhabiting dwelling in beleeving Christians for this end that by his abiding and operating in them he might be unto them the hope of glory Christ in you the hope of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus notat ccdices quosdam sic habere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter vos ut legit etiam Syrus interpres Beza in Text. Some Translators render the words Christ among you but I rather cleave unto our English Translators both old and new which do answer our Greek Copies and accord with the most learned judicious Interpreters Christ in you the hope of glory Having thus briefly given in the division of the Text with the Interpretation of the words both together I proceed to the handling of the Points of Doctrine hence considerable for our Instruction The first Truth observable is this That Jesus Christ is the riches of all Gospel-glorious Mysteries Doct. 1 The Apostle Paul acknowledging much glory in the Administrations of Moses wherein there was much Gospel though vailed and shadowed under Types and Ceremonies yet telleth us That Evangelicall ministrations do exceed in glory and that the former had no glory in respect of this latter 2 Cor. 3. 9 10 11. which excelleth and is much more glorious Now the riches of all this glory are in Christ Concerning which the expression of the same Apostle is observable The unsearchable riches of Christ The riches of this Gospel-glory in Christ Eph. 3. 8. may be discovered with reference 1. both to God 2. and to Ex parte Dei ex parte nostri godly Christians First In regard of God All the revenues of glory which come unto his Majesty from the Gospel are most eminently in Jesus Christ And therefore at his birth the Angels sing Glory to God on high 1. In him are all the treasures Luk. 2. 14. Col. 2 3. 1 Cor. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 24. Eph. 3. 18 19. Eph. 2. 7. Eph. 1. 6. of wisedom Here is wisedom in a mystery 2. And Christ is as the wisedom so the Power of God Divine Omnipotency is no way so fully discovered as in Christ 3. In him is divine love which passeth knowledge which is beyond all dimensions 4. And as for mercy how full is the language of the Apostle The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindeness through Christ Jesus And speaking elsewhere of Gospel-incoms he addeth To the praise of the glory of his grace Here might be added the unspotted holinesse and untainted justice of God more glorified in the unexpressible humiliation of Jesus Christ then in any other way whatsoever And who knoweth not how the honour of Gods Truth is triumphantly glorious in Christ because all things
the handling of the point of doctrine here propounded And because the doctrine hath two branches the one necessarily implied the other openly expressed I shall distinctly speak unto them both The truth implied in the first branch of the doctrine is 1. Branch of Doctrine Joh. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. this viz. that Christ is in Beleevers As beleevers do receive him so he dwelleth in their hearts by faith And therefore it is noteable that the Apostle having moved the Corinthians to prove themselves whether in the faith he addeth Know 2 Cor. 13. 5. ye not that Jesus Christ is in you This in-being of Christ in beleevers is to be understood not of an abode in them or any where else on earth corporally for in that sense the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of Act. 3. 21. all things but of an habitation spirituall according to the testimony of the Apostle Because ye are Sonnes God hath Gal. 4. 6. sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Thereby intending to teach us that Christ is in beleeving Christians spiritually And this truth is by various metaphors suggested in the holy Scriptures 1. By being compared unto showrs which descending from heaven do sink and soak into the bowels of the earth He shall come down like rain 2. And his Name Psa 72. 6. Cant. 1. 3. Psa 109. 18. is like unto ointment poured forth which worketh it self into the bones not staying upon the outside of the person receiving it 3. He is meat and drink indeed unto the soul from Joh. 6. 55 56. whence he himself concludeth my doctrine He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him 4. Hereto might be added that he is the soul of our souls whereby we live spiritually Christ is our Life And mans life Col. 3. 4. Dan. 7. 15. is said to be in him 2 Sam. 1. 9. The body is called the sheath of the Soul which expression hinteth that the soul is in the body as the sword in the scabbard In like manner Christ who is the Christians life is in all them whom he enliveneth Having thus cleared the truth that Christ is in beleeving Vse 1 Christians I proceed to the application of it under three heads of Uses First For Instruction in four particulars 1. Hence the Godhead of Jesus Christ may be concluded undeniably for this spirituall ubiquity of Christ in the souls of all reall Saints in all the places of the world cannot belong unto any meer creature whatsoever This argument Saint Paul produced Act. 17. 23 24 27 28. to distinguish the true God from all Idol-gods He is not far from every one of us Omnipresence proveth Deity And the conclusion followeth with like strength when beleevers assert this truth He is in every one of us 2. This discovereth the unparellel'd condescentions of Jesus Jesus Christ being willing to abase himself thus low as to be within poor sinfull creatures This was a matter of admiration 1 King 8. 27. Mat. 8. 8. unto Solomon But will God indeed dwell on earth The good Centurion said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof And the Psalmist with much affection calleth upon all the servants of the Lord to praise him and Psa 113. 1 3 5 6. praise him again upon this account Who is like unto the Lord God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth Did God humble himself in looking out of himself off from his own infinite beauties and perfections to view either men on earth or Angels and Saints in heaven How much greater is this condescention in Christ to make his abode in the souls of sinners Let me here dart only two thoughts into your mindes 1. That Christ came out of his Fathers bosome where he Joh. 1. 18. Prov. 8. 30. was daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him 2. That the hearts of the best upon earth wherein he inhabits are like dark dungeons in regard of the clouds of ignorance not dispersed 1 Cor. 13. 12. Isa 64. 6. and like unsavoury dunghils in respect of many noysome lusts not fully subdued Therefore guess with gratitude how low our blessed Lord doth stoop in being content to dwell in us even in us every way so vile and so unworthy 3. This giveth us to understand the dignity of all true beleevers As they are precious excellent more excellent then Isa 43. 4. Psa 16. 2. Prov. 12. 26. others in many other respects which I now have not occasion to mention so upon this account that the Lord Jesus Christ is in them Moses the man of God judgeth Israel in this regard in a condition farre better then any other people For what Nation hath God so nigh unto them And how Deut. 4. 7. much was Zacheus affected with the apprehension of this favour this honour when Christ promised to abide at his house When he had climed into a tree to take a view of Luk. 19. 5. Christ and Christ telleth him that he should not only have a transient sight of him but also enjoy him as his guest oh how was Zacheus think you elevated by this entertainment Now such and greater honour have all his Saints Psa 149. 9. It was no doubt a very great honour put upon the blessed Virgin Mary both in her own account and in the judgement Luk. 1. 42 43 48 49. of all Christians that she did bear the holy body of Christ in her womb for a time He that is mighty hath magnified me and certainly the inhabitation of Christ by his Spirit in the souls of his servants is not a priviledge inferiour 4. This whispereth the madnesse and misery of all such who do dare to make opposition against beleevers for seeing Christ is in them therefore in so doing they seek as it were to pluck down Christ his house upon his head I shall not enlarge this Use 1. Either by shewing the various waies whereby wrong is done unto the servants of the Most High viz. by secret plots and open persecutions either by abating their comforts or encreasing their sufferings either by corrupting their judgements or drawing them to sin 2. Or by manifesting Christs knowledge and sensiblenesse of these their injuries together with his severity against their enemies witnessed both by judgements threatned in his Word and executed in the world from generation to generation But I only wish those who are herein guilty to minde the Item given by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are The second Use is for the comfort of all true beleevers Vse 2 seeing Christ is in them I remember what is recorded concerning Paul that the