the Covenant are said to be everlasting forgiveness of sins is everlasting being once forgiven they are never remembred any more peace and joy is everlasting your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Jer. 31.13 Joh. 16.22 Isa 45.17 salvation is everlasting Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation decretal Covenant-mercy was not a lease but a making the fee-simple as we call it of grace and glory to the Saints for ever death may put an end to other Covenants as betwixt man and man or betwixt man and wife but this Covenant betwixt God and us stands fast for ever though Abraham be dead yet God is Abraham's God still and by vertue of this Covenant Abraham shall be raised up at the last day 5. What are the priviledges of the Covenant I answer the priviledges of the Covenant are many as they are great things and great blessings which our great God promiseth so they are very many and numerous the Covenant is full of blessings it is a rich store-house replenished with all manner of blessings it is not dry nor barren but like the fat Olive or fruitful Vine it is a Well of salvation a fountain of good things a treasure full of goods or unsearchable riches which can never be emptied nor come to an end Hence it is that our finite narrow capacities can never apprehend the infinite grace that this Covenant contains yet as we may see things darkly in a Map so let us endeavour as we are able to view them in some Map or brief compendium that by the little we do see we may be raised up to the consideration of things not seen which shall be revealed in due time The priviledges of the Covenant are folded and wrapped up in the promises of it every promise contains a priviledge but the time of unfolding every promise is not yet come then only shall the promises of all sorts be unfolded when the heavens as a vesture shall be folded up Heb. 1.12 In the mean time we have a right interest in the priviledges of eternity by vertue of the promise and hence the very terms of Covenant and promise are taken for the same Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.4 I shall for the present confine my self only to those promises and priviledges of the Covenant which were manifested to Abraham And they were Of things Temporal Spiritual Gen. 12.2 3 7. 1. Of things Temporal Thus we read God promiseth Abraham I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and unto thy seed will I give this Land We may add hereto the repetitions that God makes of these promises over over Gen. 13.14 15 16. lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art North-ward and South-ward and East-ward and West-ward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever And I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth so that if a man can number the dust of the Earth then shall thy seed also be numbered And the Lord brought forth Abraham abroad and said look now towards Heaven and tell the stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be And the Lord again appeared to Abraham Gen. 15.5 Gen. 17.2.4 5 6. and said I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly and thou shalt be a Father of many Nations neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee and I will make thee exceeding fruitful and I will make Nations of thee 8. and Kings shall come out of thee and I will give unto thee and thy seed after thee Gen. 22.16 17. the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession By my self have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of the Heaven and as the sand upon the Sea-shore and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies See here the temporal blessings that God promises Abraham Gen. 12.2 3 7. they are heaped together in Gen. 12.2 3. As 1. I will make of thee a great Nation and this he promiseth once and again it seemed a thing incredible because Abraham was old and Sarah was barren and old it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women yet for all this God is all-sufficient Abraham shall have his desire he shall be a Father not only of a few Children but of a numerous Nation yea of many Nations Ishmaelites and Midianites and that famous Nation of the Jews of whom it is said Deut. 4.7 8. what Nation is so great must all descend from Abraham Scripture and heathen Authors use three things proverbially to signifie an huge and exceeding great number the dust of the Earth the sands of the Sea and the Stars of Heaven and all these are brought in to resemble the number into which the Seed of Abraham should break forth 2. I will bless thee saith God and this blessing had relation to his wealth and riches Abraham was very rich in cattel in silver and in gold Gen. 13.2 No question those riches came from this blessing the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it This was Gods care of the children of Abraham that he would give them riches but lest their hearts should be lifted up and they should forget the Lord in the midst of their riches he learns them and bids them remember this lesson Deut. 8.17 18 say not in thine heart my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth but remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day True riches come from God and by vertue of this covenant O that none of us had any wealth but such as comes by vertue of a promise and of the covenant of grace 3. I will make thy name great saith God no Monarch was ever so famous in conquering nations or the whole world as Abraham for his faith and obedience God hath magnified his name amongst the Hebrews who for these three thousand years and upwards have acknowledged none except Moses greater than Abraham the Jews could say to very Christ art thou greater then our father Abraham John 8.53 whom makest thou thy self and God hath so magnified his name amongst Christians that all believers look upon it as a glory to be called children of Abraham nay we cannot be Christs we have no part in Christ
all these passages of Gods Love in Christ are not these strong atractives to gain thy love what wilt thou do canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love It is the expression of the Apostle The Love of God constrains us 1 Cor. 5.14 God in Christ is the very Element of Love and whither should Love go but to the Element Air goes to Air and Earth to Earth and all the Rivers to the Sea 1 John 4.16 every Element will to its proper place Now God is Love and whither should thy Love be carried but to this Ocean or Sea of Love Come my Beloved said the Spouse to Christ let us get up early to the vineyards Cant 2.12 let us see if the Vines flourish whether the tender grapes appear there will I give thee my Loves The flourishing of the Vine and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints now wheresoever things appear whether in Assemblies or in secret Ordinances then and there saith the Bride will I give thee my Loves when thou comest to the Word Prayer Meditation be sure of this to give Christ thy Love What doth Christ manifest his presence there is there any abounding of his graces there O let thy Love abound by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee by so much more do thou love thy God again many sins being forgiven how shouldst thou but Love much SECT VII Of joying in Jesus in that respect WE must joy in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of Covenant I know our joy here is but in part such is the excellency of Spiritual joy that it is reserved for Heaven God will not permit it to be pure and perfect here below and yet such as it is though mingled with cares and pains it is a blessed duty it is the light of our souls and were it quite taken away our lives would be nothing but Horrour and Confusion O my Soul if thou didst not hope to encounter joy in all thy Acts thou wouldst remain languishing and immoveable thou wouldst be without action and vigour thou wouldst speak no more of Jesus or of a Covenant of grace or of God or Christ or Life or glory Well then go on O my Soul and joy in Jesus if thou lovest him what should hinder thy rejoycing in him It is a Maxime that as Love Proceeds so if there be nothing that retaines the Appetite it alwayes goes from Love to Joy One motion of the Appetite towards good is to be united to it and the next Appetite towards good is to enjoy it now Love consists in union and joy in fruition for what is fruition but a joy that we find in the possession of that thing we love Much ado there is amongst Philosophers concerning the differences of Love and Joy Some give it thus As is the motion of fluid Bodies which run towards their Center and think to find their rest there but being there they stop not and therefore they return and scatter themselves on themselves they swell and overflow So in the passion of Love the Appetite runs to the beloved Object and unites it self to it and yet its motion ends not there for by this passion of joy it returns the same way again it scatters it self on it self and overflows those Powers which are nearest to it by this effusion the soul doubles on the Image of the good it hath received and so it thinks to possess it more it distills it self into that faculty which first acquainted it with the knowledg of the Object and by that means it makes all the parts of the Soul concur to the possession of it Hence they say That joy is an effusion of the Appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it the more perfectly But not to stay in the inquiry of its Nature O my Soul be thou in the exercise of this Joy Is there not cause come see and own thy Blessedness take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for thee As 1. He hath made a Covenant with thee of temporal mercies thou hast all thou hast by free-holding of Covenant-Grace thy Bread is by Covenant thy sleep is by Covenant thy safety from Sword is by the Covenant the very tilling of thy Land is by a Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 O how sweet is this Every Crum is from Christ and by virtue of a Covenant of Grace 2. He hath made a Covenant with thee of spiritual mercies even a Covenant of Peace and Grace and Blessing and Life for evermore God is become thy God he is all things to thee he hath forgiven thy sins he hath given thee his Spirit to lead thee to sanctifie thee to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory where thou shalt bless him and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory O pluck up thy heart lift up thy head strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh Write it in Letters of Gold that thy God is in Covenant with thee to love thee to bless thee and to save thee Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive thee to himself and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God or to be in Covenant with God I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart a man out of Covenant if he look on God he is a consuming fire if on the Law it is a Sentence of Condemnation if on the Earth it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins if on Heaven the Gate is shut if on the Signes in Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder strike in him a terrour But O my Soul this is not thy case a Man in Covenant with God looks on these things with another eye if he look on God he saith This is my Father if on Christ this is my elder Brother if on Angels these are my Keepers if on Heaven this is my House if on the Signes of Heaven Fire Meteors Thunder these are but the effects of my Fathers Power if on the Law the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me if on Prosperity God hath yet better things for me in store if on Adversity Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this if on the Devil Death and Hell he saith with the Apostle O Death where is thy Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave where is thy Victory Come poor soul is it not thus with thee what art thou in Covenant with God or art thou not If yet thou doubtest review thy grounds of hope and leave not there till thou comest up to some measure
glory of his grace mercy and grace meet both in love only they differ thus mercy is love as it helps the miserable and grace is love as it gives good things freely without desert here then is the great designe which God from everlasting carried on that the glorious essence of his free love free-grace should be especially manifested to his Saints that so thy might admire it esteem it honour it and sound forth the praises of it All the other designes of God were but subservient unto this Some reckon up three great designes of the Almighty communicating himself as 1. The glory of his Saints 2. The glory of Christ 3. The glory of himself and especially the glory of his grace 1. That his Saints should be glorious and to that purpose he made heaven and earth and he makes them Lord of all 1 Cor. 3.21 vers 23. 2 Thes 1.10 all things are yours 2. That Christ should be glorious and to that purpose he makes the Saints and gives them to Christ all things are yours and you are Christs And certainly saith the Apostle at the last day Christ shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 3. That God himself should be glorified he made all things for himself Bring my sons from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Prov. 16.4 Isa 43.6.7 Now this is the high designe of God to which all the rest are subservient mark the steps all things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods i. For God and for his glory the two former designes are to which but not for which God worketh he that buildeth an house that he may lay a sure foundation and that he may raise the frame he gives it the due filling which belongs to it but these are not his proper ends his main designe but that he may have an house for his habitation So God works many things to our glory and that in us Christ may be glorious but the proper end that high designe which he hath in all it is his own glory And yet O my soul consider a little further the plot of our salvation of the Saints glory and of Christs glory as it aimes at the glory of God so especially at the glory of his grace As if we see that one doth this or that in wisdom it is the glory of his wisdome if he do it in strength or power it is the glory of his power if he do it out of grace it is the glory of his grace so God designed the salvation of our soules out of his meer grace favour love he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us and to have it being known accordingly admired and praised and honored by us not but that God must be glorified in his wisdome power justice holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other vertues to be had in honour for their clemency and bounty So it is with our God the King of Kings Lord of Lords all he doth is to this end that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory And to this end is the glory of Christ and the glory of Christians referred Why Lord that this should be thy plot to save my soul that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace that thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good O how should I but think on thee and thy free-grace How should I but admire it adore it praise it exalted it above Sun and Moon and Starres how should I but cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace for of him Rom. 11.36 and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 2. Consider the counsels of God about thy salvation Ephes 1.11 he worketh all things after the counsell of his own will and with him is counsel and with him is understanding This counsel as we have discovered was primarily about that reconciliation of the riches of his grace and the glory of justice Consider this O my soul thy sin put all the attributes of God to a kind of conflict hereupon was that great and mighty counsel how God should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his truth and justice at last the wisdome of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ Rom 3.25 is not this the meaning of the Apostle whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins Pouder and weigh these words God sets not forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare only his mercy in the forgiveness of sinnes how is there any thing but mercy in the forgiveness of sins yes there is something else there is righteousness also and therefore he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation that he might declare his righteousness v rs 26. nay see it repeated to declare I say his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus not that he might be merciful but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus This Text Luther had a great deal ado to understand and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it This is the great mystery of the Gospel no wonder if a poor man could not reach it This is that which set the infinite wisdome of God on work from all eternity how to find a way to save sinners and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding Nay yet O my soul consider a little further not only is the mercy of God in this way glorified but the glory of his justice is as much yea more then if the sinner were eternally damned It is made good thus 1. When God appointed a surety his Son and charged our debts upon him to satisfie his justice in that God would not spare his Son the least farthing token I mean not the least degree of punishment hereby the Lord shewes a stronger love to justice then if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures Suppose a Malefactor comes before a Judge the Judg will not spare the Malefactor but commands satisfaction to the Law this shewes that the Judge loves justice but if the Judges own Son be a delinquent and it appears before all the Country that the Judge will not spare him the Judge now doth more honour justice in this than in condemning a thousand others So when the Lord shall cast many thousands to Hell there to be tormented for ever and ever and ever this shewes that God loves justice but when his own Son shall take our sins upon him
where-ever Christ is clusters of divine promises grow out of him as the motes rayes and beames are from the Sun I shall instance in some few As 1. God in the Covenant gives the world All is yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World Mat. 6 33. 1 Cor. 3.22 First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you These temporary blessings are a part of the Covenant which God hath made to his People It is he that giveth thee Power to get wealth that he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy Fathers Others Deut. 8.18 I know may have the World but they have it not by a Covenant-right it may be thou hast but a little a very little of the world well but thou hast it by a Covenant-right and so it is an earnest of all the rest 2. As God in the Covenant gives thee the world so in comparison of thee and his other Saints he cares not what becomes of all the world I loved thee saith God Isa 43.4 therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy Life If the case be so that it cannot be well with thee but great evils must come upon others kindred people and nations I do not so much care for them saith God my heart is on thee so as in Comparison of thee I care not what becomes of all the world O the love of God to his Saints 3. God in the Covenant pardons thy sins this is another fruit of Gods love Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood Rev. 1.5 it cost him dear to pardon our sins even the heart-blood of Christ such were the transactions betwixt God and Christ if thou wilt take upon thee to deliver souls from sin saith God to his Son thou must come thy self and be made a Curse for their Sin Well saith Christ thy will be done in it though I lose my Life though it cost me the best blood in my heart yet let me deliver them from sin This exceedingly heightens Christs Love that he should foresee thy sin and that yet he should Love Many times we set our Love on some outward unthankful Creatures and we say could I but have foreseen this untowardness they should never have had my Love but now the Lord did foresee all thy sins and all thy ill requitals for love and yet it did not once hinder his love towards thee but he puts this in the Covenant I will forgive their Iniquities and remember their sins no more Ezek. 36.25 4. God in the Covenant gives thee Holiness and Sanctification I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you this Holiness is our excellency in the eyes of Men and Angels this is the Crown and Diadem upon the heads of Saints whence David calls them by the name of excellent ones Holiness is a Spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4.14 it is the delight of God Psal 16.3 1 Pet. 4.14 as a Father delights himself in seeing his own Image in his Children so God delights himself in the Holiness of his Saints God loved them before with a love of benevolence and good-will but now he loves them with a love of complacency Psal 47.11 Psal 149.4 The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him the Lord takes pleasure in his People Holiness is the very Essence of God the Divine Nature of God O what is this that God should put his own nature into thee You are partakers of the Divine Nature O what a love is this that God should put his own Life into thee that he should enable thee to live the very same life that he himself lives remember that piece of the Covenant I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts 5. God in the Covenant gives thee the knowledg of himself it may be thou knewest him before but 't is another kind of knowledg that God now gives thee than thou hadst before When God teaches the Soul to know him it looks on God with another eye it sees now another beauty in God than ever it saw before for all that knowledg that it had before bred not love only Covenant-knowledg of God works in the Soul a true Love of God But how doth this Covenant-knowledg work this Love I shall tell you my own experiences I go through all the Virtues Graces and Excellencies that are most amiable and I look in the Scriptures and there I find them in God alone if ever I saw any excellency in any man or in any Creature I think with my self there is more in God that made that Creature He that made the Eye shall not he see And so he that made that Loveliness is not he Lovely Now when by these Mediums I have presented God thus lovely to my Soul then I begin to feel my heart to warm As when I conceive such an Idea of a man that he is of such a carriage behaviour disposition that he hath a mind thus and thus framed qualified and beautified why then I love him so when I apprehend the Lord aright when I observe him as he is described in his Word when I observe his doings and consider his workings and learn from all these together a right Idaea opinion or apprehension of him then my will follows my understanding and my affections follow them both and I come to love God and to delight in God O here 's a sweet knowledg surely it was God's Love in Christ to put this blessed Article into the Covenant of grace They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. 6. God in the Covenant of grace gives thee his Son John 13.6 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay more as God hath given thee his Son so he hath given thee himself O my Soul wouldest thou not think it a marvellous love if God should say to thee Come Soul I Will give thee all the World for thy Portion or that I may give thee a testimony that I love thee I will make another world for thy sake and I will make thee Emperour of that world also Surely thou wouldst say God loves me dearly ay but in that God hath given thee his Son and given thee himself this is a greater degree of Love Christiâ—ns stand amazed Oh what love is this to the Children of men Oh that we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I am the Lord thy God I will be their God and they shall be my People O my Soul where hast thou been rouze up and recollect and set before thee
is our Peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle Wall of Partition between us And therefore prayes the Apostle now the Lord of Peace himself or the Lord himself who is Peace give you peace alwayes by all means And according to his Type Melchisedech as he was King of Righteousness so also he was King of Salem which is King of Peace Thus Christ is Mercy Heb. 7.2 and Christ is Truth and Christ is Righteousness and Christ is Peace Now where should all these meet but in him who is them all Surely there they meet and at the meeting they all ran first and kissed the Son and that done Truth ran to Mercy and embraced her and Righteousness to Peace and kissed her they that so long had been parted and stood out in difference now they meet and are made Friends again O the blessed effects of this Birth of Christ it is Christ that reconciled them and that reconciled us and them He reconciled all things saith the Apostle whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Col. 1.20 Now is Heaven at peace with it self and Heaven and Earth at peace one with another and that which glues all and makes the Peace is this Birth of Christ the budding of this Vine Truth shall Bud out of the Earth and then Mercy and Truth shall meet together c. 3. For the Blossom The nature of Vines is in its season to Blossom or to bear sweet flowers Pharaoh's Butler you know dreamed of a Vine that not only budded but Blossomed Her Blossomes shot forth and thus Christ our Vine Gen. 40.10 both Budded and Blossomed he was full of the sweetest Flowers now what were these Flowers and Blossoms of Christ but his virtues and blessed graces In this only Christ differs from the Vine in that in him was seen not only one sort or kind of Flowers but every kind Bern. de passione Dom. Bernard reckons up the violet of humility the lilly of chastity the rose of patience the saffron of abstinence I may not so far enlarge my self but in reference to his Birth I cannot but admire at his humility patience and infinite condescentions that the Creator should become a creature though an Angel it were a great Gulf which no created understanding could measure but that he should reject Angels and take the Seed of Abraham that he should be made lower than the Angels who is God over all that he would be conceived who is the uncreated wisdom in the dark Prison of the Womb who is the Light of the World and that of a Woman the weaker first sinning sex who is the holy one and power of God that he would be born who beareth all things the Lord of all of a lowly handmaid in fulness of time who is eternity in the night-time who is the Son of Righteousness in the Winter who gives life and heat in a time of publick taxation who is Lord of Lords and that not at Rome the Lady of Nations nor at Jerurusalem the Glory of the East but at Bethlehem the least of the Thousands of Judah not in a Palace prepared nor in his Mothers House but in an Inn not in the best Room nor in any Room of the House but in a Stable of Beasts not attended there with a royal Guard but with Joseph and Mary not adorned in Robes but swadled in Clouts not stately Enthronized but laid in a Manger nor lastly his Birth Proclaimed by the Kings at Arms but by poor Shepherds That the Word should be an infant not able to speak a word that life should be mortal that Power should be subject to a poor Carpenter that the Lord of the Covenant should be Circumcised that the God of the Temple should be presented in the Temple that Wisdom should be instructed infiniteness should grow in stature that the feeder of all things should be fed that all these are preludes and but beginnings of his sufferings O wonderful condescention O admirable patience O rare humility how strange are the Blooming Blossoms of this Vine 4. For the Fruit the nature of Vines is to cast sweet savours but to bear sowr Grapes Christ that was blameless before God and Man yet bore the heavy burden of our sin O the sweetness of his savours because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy Name is an Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 whether by savours we mean his words the very Officers of the Jews can say Never Man speak like this Man or whether by savours we mean his deeds Joâ— 7.46 his very Enemies confess him a just Man so Pilate's Wife could send her Husband word Have thou nothing to do with that just Man the wise Men that brought their Offerings give him Gold Matth. 27.19 Mat. 2.11 Frankincense and Myrrhe Gold is given him as to a potent King Frankincense as to a gracious God and Myrrhe as to an holy Priest He is a King to rule a God to save and a Priest to mediate thus far he casts sweet savours but digest them better and they prove sowr Grapes a King he was but mockt with the Title Mat. 27.29 Phil. 2.7 Hail King of the Jews a God he was but he emptied himself He made himself of no Reputation an holy Priest he was but such a Priest as must offer up himself for a Sacrifice The wise men that came from the East they saw his Infirmity and yet adore his power they saw his infancy yet adore his wisdom they saw his poverty yet adore the riches of his mercy they saw him whom they enquired after Where is he that is born King of the Jews Mat. 2.2 The very Title cast sweet savours but it bears sower Grapes he is a King that 's a title of honour but he is King of the Jews that 's a word of reproach All along his life you may see these two sweet savours but sowr Grapes vidisti vilia audi mirifica saith Ambrose the things you see are mean but the things you sâ—e and hear are wonderful mean it was to see a sort of Shepherds wonderful it is to see a troop of Angels mean it was to hear one say laid in the Cratch below wonderful it is to hear many sing Glory to God on high mean it was to see him man wonderful it is to know him God Here 's a little Child fainting and groaning yet a powerful God ruling and commanding hungry himself to shew our nature yet feeding five thousand to shew his power dying on the Cross as the Son of Adam disposing of Paradise as the Son of God As it was said of Bethlehem Minima non Minima the least of the thousands Micah 5.2 Not the least of thousands Mat. 2.6 So we say of this Bethlehemite Minimus non Minimus he shall sit upon the Throne of David Isa 9.7 Yet he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa 53.4 His Kingdom is an
the inquisition-house of the Son of God surely he that is every where the same Isa 19.1 knows how to make all places alike to his he knows how to preserve Daniel in the Lions den the three Children in a fiery furnace Jonah in a Whales belly and Christ in the midst of Egypt 4. When he was now some five years old say some or but two years and a quarter old say others an Angel appears again in a Dream to Joseph saying Arise and take the young Child and his Mother Mat. 2.19 20. and return again into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young Childs Life Herod that took away the lives of all the Infants in or about Bethlehem is now himself dead and gone to his own place and by this meanes the Coast is clear for the return of that holy Family O the wonderful dispensation of Christ in concealing of himself from men all this while he carries himself as an Infant and though he know all things yet he neither takes nor gives any notice of his removal or disposing but appoints that to be done by his Angel which the Angel could not have done but by him As Christ was pleased to take upon him our Nature so in our Nature he was pleased to be a perfect Child for that is the word take the young Child and his Mother he supprest the manifestation and exercise of that Godhead whereto the Infant-nature was conjoyned as the Birth of Christ so the infancy of Christ was exceeding humble Oh how should we magnifie him or deject our selves for him who himself became thus humble for our sakes 5. When he was twelve years old he with his Parents go up to Jerusalem after the custom of the Feast Luke 2.42 V. 46. This pious act of his younger years intends to lead our first years into timely devotion but I shall not insist on that I would rather observe him sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions whilest the Children of his age were a playing in the streets he is found of his parents sitting in the Temple not to gaze on the outward glory of that house of the Golden Candlesticks or Tables or Cherubims or the Pillars or the Molten Sea or the Altar of Gold or the Vessels of pure Gold no no but to hear and oppose the Doctors He who as God gave them all the Wisdom they had doth now as the Son of man hearken to the Wisdom he had given them and when he had heard then he asks and after that no doubt he answers his very questions were instructions for I cannot think that he meant so much to learn as to teach those Doctors of Israel Surely these Rabbins had never heard the voice of such a Tutor they could not but see the very Wisdom of God in this Child V. 47. and therefore saith the Text they all wonder or they were all astonished at his understanding and answers their eyes saw nothing but a Child but their ears heard the wonderfull things of Gods Law betwixt what they saw and what they heard they could not but be distracted and amazed But why did ye not O ye Jewish teachers remember now the Star and the Sages and the Angels and the Shepherds why did ye not now bethink your selves of Herod and of his enquiry and of your answer that in Bethlehem of Judea Christ should be born You cited the prophets and why did you not mind that Prophesie now Isa 56. that unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Fruitless is the wonder that endeth not in Faith no Light is sufficient where the eyes were held through unbelief and prejudice 6. After this from twelve to the thirtieth year of his Age we read nothing of the Acts of Christ Luke 2.51 but that he went down with his Parents unto Nazareth and was subject to them as he went up to Jerusalem to Worship God and in some sort to shew himself God so now he goes down to Nazareth to attend his particular Calling Luke 2.51 This is the meaning of those words and he was subject to them Christs subjection to his Parents extends to the profession and exercise of his life certainly Christ was not all that time from twelve to thirty years idle as he was educated by his Parents so of his reputed Father he learnt to be a Carpenter this I take it is plain in these words Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6.3 the Son of Mary It appears say our English Annotations that Christ exercised that Trade in his younger years I know Matthew renders it thus Mat. 13.55 Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his Mother called Mary But Mark thus is not this the Carpenter c. Some comment thus that while Joseph was alive Christ wrought with him in the Trade of a Carpenter and when Joseph died which happened before the manifestation of Jesus unto Israel he wrought alone and was no more called the Carpenters Son but the Carpenter himself here 's comfort for men of the meanest Callings as Husbandry was honoured in the Person and Condition of the first Adam before his Fall so now the Handicraft O the Poverty Humility Severity of Jesus it appears at this time especially in his Labouring Working Hewing of Wood or the like here 's a sharp reproof to all those that spend their time in idleness or without a particular Calling that take no pains at all unless in pursuit after Vain Foolish Superfluous Sinful things what are they wiser than Christ Our Jesus would not by any means thus spend his time Indeed for the while he did nothing famous or of publick note Nihil faciendo fecit magnificn but neither was this without a Mystery In doing nothing Publick saith one He atchieved great and sumptuous and praise-worthy acts There is a season and time to every purpose under heaven as there is a time of silence and a time to speak so there is a time for publick and a time for private Negotiations as yet Christ conceals his virtues and conforms himself to the conversation of men that the Mystery of his Incarnation might not be thought a Phantasme then he would have his Virtues and Graces to shine out when men usually come to their vigour and strength both of body and mind And besides as it was said of a Divine that he would never Preach a Sermon but he would first endeavour to practise it himself Mr. Bolton Mat. 11.29 Acts 1.1 so I am sure did Christ he would not teach the World saying Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart but first he would practice first do then teach as Luke tells Theophilus he had writ all that Jesus began both to do and teach But concerning this time of
free 3. Christian Religion is all composed of peace her wayes are the wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov 17.3 Christ framed all his Laws in complyance of this design of peace peace within and peace at home and peace abroad 1. It holds forth a certain Heavenly peace and tranquility within Psal 119.165 Isa 57.20 21. Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them But on the contrary The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Psal 55.9 their passions were never yet mortified and such passions usually range in wicked men as are most contrary and demand contrary thimgs the desire of honour cries spend here but the passion of avarice cries hold thy hands lost cries venture here but pride saith no such thing it may turn to thy dishonor anger cries revenge thy self here but ambition sayes it 's better to dissemble And here is fulfilled that of the Psalmist I have seen violence and strife in the City the vulgar renders it I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the self-same City First Iniquity for all the demands of these passions are unjust And 2. Contradiction for one passion cries out against another But now great peace have they that love thy Law for by the aid of Christ and his Grace their passions are in some sort subdued and they pass on their life most sweetly and calmly without any perturbations much troubling their Spirits they have that Peace which passeth all understanding which the World can neither give nor taste of as Christ affirmeth John 14.27 2. It holds forth peace at home the Laws of Jesus teach us how to bear with the infirmitives of our Relatives and indeed whosoever obeys the Laws of Jesus Christ he seeks with sweetness to remedy all differences he throws water upon a spark he lives sweetly with his Wife affectionately with his Children descreetly with his Servants and they all look upon him as their Guardian Friend and Patron but look upon an angry man not subject to these Christian Laws and when he enters upon his threshold it it gives an alarm to his house every little accident is the matter of a quarrel and every quarrel discomposes the peace of the house and sets it on fire and no man can tell how far it may burn O the sweetness easiness pleasantness of Christian Religion where that is embraced and followed the man is peaceable and charitable and just and loving and forbearing and forgiving and how should there be but content in this blessed Family 3. It holds out peace abroad it commands all Offices of kindness gentleness love meekness humility lowliness of mind towards others and such sweet dispositions are usually received with fondness and all the endearments of the neighbourhood it prescribes an austere and yet a sweet deportment it commands all those labours of love as to relieve the stranger to visit the sick to wash the feet of the poor it sends us upon charitable embassies to unclean prisons nasty dungeons and in the cause of Christ to lay down our lives one for another it teacheth us how to return good for evil kindness for injuries a soft answer for the rough words of an Enemy Oh when I think of this I cannot but think of him who said That either that this was not the Christian Religion or we were not Christians For my part I am easily perswaded that if we would but live according to the discipline of Christian Religion one of those great plagues that vexeth the world I mean the plague of war would be no more certainly this was one of the designs of Christianity that there should be no wars no jars no discontents amongst men and if all men that are called Christians were indeed charitable peaceable just loving forbearing one another and forgiving one another what sweet peace should we have how would this world be an Image of Heaven and of the society of Saints and Angels above in Glory 4. Christian Religion affords to us all assistances both outward and inward In some respects I know the duties of Christianity are hard and heavy but whatsoever Christ hath imposed as heavy and hard he hath made it light in aids I shall shew the helps in these particulars As 1. The holy Scriptures be our helps this was the very scope and aim for which the sacred Volume was sent from Heaven viz. that we might decline from evil and do good that we might die to old Adam and live to Christ that we might crucifie sin and follow Virtue what are the Scriptures but the Registers of God's Will the letters of God's Love to invite us to Grace and to dehort us from vice O the perswasion directions and commands of God that we might become holy and O the disswasions diversions threatnings and terrifying of God that we might fly prophaneness 2. The Ministers of Christ be our helps thou hast the Scriptures but it may be thou canst not read or thou canst not understand the sence and meaning thereof Christ therefore for thy help hath set up a ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4.12 These are the watchmen over the house of Israel to cry like trumpets and to blazon the sins of the house of Israel these are the suitors of God and Christ to speak out his good will in thine ears 2 Cor. 5.20 they call they cry they wait they woo they Pray you in Christs stead that you will be reconciled unto God 3. The lives of Saints be our helps we have not only Teachers in word but the Saints in all Ages as so many Stars have given us light how to walk in the darkness of this life The examples of the godly are very drawing and much for our imitation and therefore the Psalmist bids us Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Psal 37.37 for the end of that man is peace O it 's a blessed help to a Christan life to read over much more to mark and observe the holy and godly lives of the Saints of God how doth their Zeal condemn our coldness their diligence our negligence their watching and prayer our sluggishness and indevotion And how are they as spurs to quicken us forwards in our spiritual voyage towards Heaven 4. Christs Ordinances be our helpers as the Word and Sacraments and Prayer and Meditation and Conference c. What are they but Fountains of grace conduits and conveyances of the blood of Christ To what end were they instituted but for the watering of our souls to the encrease of grace and to the supplanting of sin and vice and all manner of evil 5. The encouragements of reward be our helps Now in the practise of Christian Religion there is a double reward 1. The reward of duty Psal 19.11 In the keeping of thy Commandments there is
affections will often break out at the window when the door is closed Thus Stephen look'd up to Heaven he sent a Post a greedy pitiful and hungry look up to Jesus Christ out at the window Acts 7.55 at the nearest passage to tell him that a poor friend was coming to him why thus let us look up to Jesus by calling on him now this calling on him contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus during his Life or during his Ministry upon earth may be ours we hope it is so and we believe it to be so but for all that we must pray that it may be so There is no contradiction betwixt Hope and Faith and Prayer but rather a concatenation Lord I believe yet help my unbelief or Mark 9.24 be it to me according to my Faith how weak soever it will bear that sense 2. We must praise God for all those passages in Christ's life Thus did the multitude they praised God with a loud voice Luke 19.37 38 for all the mighty works that they had seen saying blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord peace in heaven and glory in the highest What my Soul hath Christ done all this for thee was he made under the Law to redeem thy soul and adopt thee for his Son to the inheritance of Heaven came he down from heaven and travelled he so many miles on earth to woo and win thy heart spent he so many Sermons and so many Miracles to work thee into Faith O how shouldest thou bless and prize and magnifie his Name how shouldest thou break out into that blessed Hymn To him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus as he acted for us in his Life Looking to Jesus intends this especially we must look as one looks to his Pattern as Mariners at Sea that they may run a right course keep an eye on that Ship that bears the Light so in the Race that is set before us we must have our eye on Jesus our blessed Pattern This must be our constant Query Is this the course that Jesus steered Or that I may enlarge In this Particular I shall examine these three Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. Why we must conform 3. How we must conform to this Life of Jesus For the first wherein we must conform I answer 1. Negatively we must not cannot conform to Christ in those works proper to his Godhead as in working Miracles I deny not but that the works of Miracles were by way of priviledge and temporary dispensation granted to the Apostles and some others but this was but for Ministry and Service not for their Sanctity or Salvation nor must we conform to Christ in those works of mediation as in redeeming souls in satisfying Divine Justice for our sin No man can redeem his Brother Psal 49.7 nor give to God a ransom for him There is but one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Nor must we conform to Christ in those works of his Government and influence into his Church as in dispensing of his Spirit in quickning of his Word in subduing of his enemies in collecting of his Members all these are personal honours which belong unto Christ as he is Head of the Church and to these works if we should endeavour to conform we should Crack our Sinews dissolve our silver cords and never the nearer Nor need we to conform to Christ in some other Particulars in his voluntary poverty he became poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8.9 In his Ceremonial performances as in going up to Jerusalem at the Feasts in his perpetual grave deportment we never read that Jesus laughed and but once or twice that he rejoyced in spirit Alas the declensions of our Natures cannot come up to this Pattern nor do I look at these passages as any acts of moral obedience at all 2. Affirmatively or positively we must conform to Christ's life 1. In respect of his Judgment Will Affections Compassions Look we at his Spirit observe what mind was in Jesus Christ and therein do we endeavour to conform Let the same mind be in you saith the Apostle which was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Phil. 2.5 And we have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 2.16 2. In respect of his Virtues Graces habitual Holiness Mat. 11.29 Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly in heart Christ was of a meek and gentle Spirit 2 Cor. 10.2 I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ saith Paul And Christ was of an humble and lowly Spirit Being in the form of God Phil. 2.6 7. he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant I might instance in all other Graces for he had them all in fulness John 1.16 And of his fulness have all we received Grace for Grace 3. In respect of his words talk spiritual and heavenly Language The very Officers of the Priests could say of Christ Never man spake like this man John 7.46 and sometimes they all wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4.22 He never sinned in word neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled 1 Pet. 2.22 23 reviled not again The Apostle speaking thus of Christ he tells us that herein Christ left us an example that we should follow his steps Ver. 21. 4. In respect of his Carriage Conversation Close-walking with God The Apostle sets forth Christ as an high Priest who was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 2.9 and separate from sinners and in like manner saith Peter Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light that ye should shew forth the virtue i.e. that in your lives and conversations you should express those graces and virtues which were so eminent and exemplary in Jesus Christ that you should not only have them but that you should hold them forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies properly to preach so clearly should we express the virtues of Christ as if our lives were so many Sermons of the life of Christ In respect of all his acts practises duties of moral obedience we find in the life of Christ many particular carriages and acts of obedience to his heavenly Father whereof some were moral and some ceremonial now all these are not for our imitation but only such moral acts as concerning which we have both his pattern and precept Come let us
life his way on earth was a continual lecture of humility a little before his death he gave such an example of humility as never was the like He poured water into a bason John 13.5 and began to wash the disciples feet O ye Apostles why tremble ye not at the wonderful sight of this so great humility Peter what dost thou wilt thou ever yield that this Lord of Majesty should wash thy feet methinks I hear Peter saying What Lord wilt thou wash my feet art not thou the Son of the living God the Creator of the world the beauty of the heavens the Paradise of Angels the Redeemer of men the brightness of the Fathers glory and I what am I but a worm a clod of earth a miserable sinner and wilt thou notwithstanding all this wash my feet leave Lord O leave this base office for thy servants lay down thy towel and put on thy apparel again beware that the heaven or the Angels of heaven be not ashamed of it when they shall see that by this ceremony thou set'st them beneath the earth take heed least the daughter of King Saul despise thee not when she shall see thee girded about with this towel after the manner of a servant and shall say that she will not take thee for her beloved and much less for her God whom she seeth to attend upon so base an office Thus may I imagine Peter to bespeak his Master but he little knew what glory lay hid in this humility of Christ it was for us and our example an humble Christ to make humble Christians 3. In him was patience O when I think of Christ's labours in preaching weariness in travelling watchfulness in praying tears in compassionating and then I add to all these his submission of Spirit notwithstanding all the affronts injuries and exprobrations of men how should I but cry out O the patience of Christ 1 Pet. 2.23 the Apostle tells us that when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously I have already given a touch of these graces in Christ which now I may set before me In him was wisdom and knowledge and justice and mercy and temperance and fortitude and every vertue or every grace that possibly I can think of A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi 3. I look at the conversation of Christ in word and deed for his words they were gracious Not an idle word ever came out of the lips of Christ himself tells us that of every idle word we must give an account O then how free was Christ of every idle word Mat. 12.36 he knew the times and seasons when to speak and when to be silent he weighed every word with every Circumstance time and place and manner and matter Eccles 3.7 There 's a time to keep silence and a time to speak said Solomon when he returned again to his wisdom and hence we read that sometimes Jesus being accused he held his peace Mat. 26.63.27 12. and when he was accused of the chief Priests and Elders he answered nothing but other whiles he pours out whole Cataracts of holy instructions he takes occasion of vines of stones of water and sheep to speak a word in season he is still discoursing of the matters of the Kingdom of Heaven and he speaks such words as give grace unto all the hearers round about him so for his deeds and actions they were full of grace and goodness the Apostle Peter gives him this character which I look upon as a little description of Christ's life who went about doing good Acts 10.38 it was his meat and drink to do all the good he could it was as natural to him to do good as it is for a fountain to stream out he was holy and heavenly unspotted every way O the sweet conversation of Christ how humbly carries he it amongst men how benignly towards his Disciples how pitiful was he towards the poor to whom as we read he made himself most like 2 Cor. 8.9 He became poor that we might be made rich he despised or abhorred none no not the very Leapers that were eschewed of all he flattered not the rich and honourable he was most free from the cares of the world his prescriptions were Care not for the things of the morrow and in himself he was never anxious of bodily needs above all he was most solicitous of saving souls Much more I might add if I should go over the particulars in the Gospel but by these few expressions of Jesus Christ we may conceive of all the rest 2. Let us be humbled for our great inconformity to this copy what an excellent pattern is here before us and how far how infinitely do we come short of this blessed pattern O alas if Christ will not own me unless he see his Image written upon me what will become of my poor soul why Christ was meek and humble and lowly in spirit Christ was holy and heavenly Christ ever went about doing good and now when I come to examine my own heart according to this original I find naturally a meet antipathy a contrariety I am as opposite to Christ as Hell and Heaven 1. For my thoughts within I am full of pride and malice I am full of the spirit of the world what is there in my heart but a world of passions rebellions darkness and deadness of spirit to good and 2. If the fountain be so muddy can I expect clear streams what words are these that come many a time from me Christ would not speak an idle word but how many idle evil sinful words come daily flowing from my lips Out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaketh and if I may guess at my heart by my words where was my heart this Sabbath and the other Sabbath when my discourse was all on my calling or on the world or it may be on my lusts or on my Dalilah's on my right-hand-sins or on my right-eye-sins and 3. What actions are these so frequently performed by me if I must read my state by my conversation Whose image and superscription is this the last oath I sware the last blasphemy I belched out the last act of drunkenness idolatry adultery I committed or if these sins are not fit to be named the last piece of wrong I did my neighbour the last prank of pride I played on this stage of the world the last expence of time when I did no good in the world neither to my self nor others the last omission of good as well as commission of evil O my soul whose Image is this is it the Image of Christ or of Sathan If the worst Scholar in the School should write thus untowardly after his copy would he not be ashamed if in my heart and life I observe so many blots and stains so
something more observable in this vote Jud. 9.14 the Jews had a custom not to name what they held accursed I will not make mention of their names within my lips and surely this speaks their spight Psal 16.5 that they will not vouchsafe to speak the Name of Jesus the cry is not thus Not Jesus but Barabbas but thus Not this man not this fellow but Barabbas as if they meant first to murther his Name and then his Person 4. For Pilate's quaere upon the vote What shall I do then with Jesus Mat. 27.22 which is called Christ Pilate gives him his name to the full Jesus who is called Christ his name is Jesus Christ There is more pitty in a gentle Pilate than in all the Jews in some things Pilate did Justly and very well as first he would not condemn him before his accusations were brought in nor then neither before he was convicted of some capital crime and because he perceives that it was envy all along that drove on their design he endeavours to save his life by ballancing him with Barabbas and now he sees that they prefer Barabbas before Jesus he puts forth the question What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ q. d. I know not what to do with him it is against my light to condemn him to death who is of innocent life I could tell what to do with Barabbas for he is a thief a mutiniere a murtherer a notable malefactor but there is no such thing proved against Jesus who is called Christ What then shall I do with him 5. For their answer to this quaere And they all said unto him let him be crucified Mat. 27.22 This was the first time that they speak openly their design it had long lurk'd within them that he must die a cursed death and now their envy bursts and breaks out with unanimous consent and cry Let him be crucified O wonder must no other death stint their malice but the Cross other deaths they had in practise as the towel stoning and beheading more favourable and suitable to their Nation and will they now pollute a Jew with a Roman death Magna crudelitas c. a great cruelty Beda they sought not only to kill him but to crucifie him that so he might dye a lingering death The cross was a gradual and slow death it spun out pain into a long thred and therefore they make choice of it as they made choice of Jesus let him dye rather than Barabbas and let him dye the death of the Cross rather than any other speedy quick dispatching death 6. Eor Pilate's reply unto this answer Why what evil hath he done Mat. 27.23 he was loath to satisfie their demands and therefore he questions again What must he dye for was it meet that he should condemn one to death and especially to such a death and no crime committed Come on saith Pilate what evil hath he done Augustine upon these words Ask saith he and let them answer with whom he conversed most Aug. tract 15. super Job let the possessed who were freed the sick and languishing who were healed the leaprous that were cleansed the deaf that hear the dumb that speak the dead that were raised let them answer the question what evil hath he done Sometimes the Jews themselves could say Mark 7.37 He hath done all things well he maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak Surely he hath done all things well he stilled the winds and calmed the seas with the spittle of his mouth he cured the blind he raised the dead he prayed all night he gave grace and he forgave sins and by his death he merited for his Saints everlasting life why then should he dye that hath done all things well no wonder if Pilate object against these malicious ones What evil hath he done Ibid. 7. For their reduplication on his reply they cryed out the more saying let him be crucified Instead of proving some evil against him they cryed out the more as Luke They were instant with loud voices Luke 23.23 they made such a clamour that the earth rang with it the cry was doubled and redoubled Crucifie him Crucifie him twice Crucifie him as if they thought one Cross too little for him O inconstant favour of men their Anthems of Hosanna and Benedictus not long since joyfully spoken are now turned into jarring hideous notes Let him be crucified And now is Pilate threatned into another opinion Ver. 23. Mat. 27.24 they require his judgment and the voices of them and of the Chief Priest prevailed so it follows and when he saw he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made why then Barabbas is released unto them and Jesus is delivered to be scourged Vse I would not dwell too long on Pilate the high Priests and Jews the application is the life of all Now then 1. Give me leave to look amongst our selves is there not some or other amongst us that prefer Barabbas before Jesus O yes those that listen to that old mutinous Murtherer in his seditious temptations those that reject the blessed motions of Gods own Spirit in his tenders and offers of Grace those that embrace the world with its pleasures and profits and make them their portion all these chuse Barabbas and reject Jesus Christ little do we think that every wilfull act of sin is a sedition a mutiny against our souls another Judas Galileus that stirs up all the passions of our mind against our Jesus I cannot but think what drawing and soliciting of our souls is made by vertue and vice in our passage towards the other world on the one hand stands vice with all her false deceits Wisd 2.6 7 8 9. and flatteries her tempatations are strong Come let us enjoy the good things that are present and let us speedily use the creatures as in youth let us fill our selves with costly Wine and Ointments and let no flower of the spring pass by us let us crown our selves with rose-buds before they be withered let none of us go without his part of jollity let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place for this is our portion and our let is this On the other hand stands Vertue or Grace with all the promises of future happiness she points at Jesus Prov. 8.11 18 19. and cries O come unto Christ and live Wisdome is better than rubies her fruit is better than Gold yea than fine Gold and her revenue than choice Silver they that love Christ shall inherit substance and he will fill them with treasures even with durable riches But Oh how many thousands and ten thousands that neglect this cry and follow vice what millions of men are there in the world that prefer Barabbas before Jesus if we proclaim it in our pulpits that Christ is the chiefest of ten thousands that he is fairer than all the Children
that was against us and nailed to his cross now he spoiled Principalities and Powers and carried the keys of death and hell at his own girdle now he came out of the grave as a mighty Conqueror saying as Dehorah did in her song O my soul Judg. 5.21 thou hast trodden down strength thou hast marched valiantly Again was it not to become the first-fruits of them that sleep Christ was the first that rose again from the grave to dye no more and by vertue of his resurrection as being the first-fruits all the Elect must rise again As in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 23. but every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits and afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming Some may wonder can the resurrection of one a thousand six hundred years ago be the cause of our rising yes as well as the death of one five thousand six hundred years ago is the cause of our dying Adam and Christ were two heads two roots two first-fruits either of them in reference to his company whom they stand for And now O my soul thou mayst say with Job I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 and that I shall see him at the last day not with other but with these same eyes If Christ live then must I live also if he be risen then though after my skin worms shall destroy this body Ver. 26. yet in my flesh I shall see God Again was it not that he might be declared to be the Son of God was it not that he might be exalted and glorified this is the main reason of all the rest see thou to this O give him the glory and praise of his resurrection so muse and meditate and consider on this transaction as to ascribe to his Name all honour and glory what is he risen from the dead Hath God highly exalted him Psal 2.11 and given him a name above every name O then let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 3. Consider of the manner of Christ's resurrection he rose as a common person in which respect his resurrection concerns us no less than himself We must not think that when Christ was raised it was no more than when Lazarus was raised his resurrection was the resurrection of us all it was in the name of us all and had in it a seed-like vertue to work the resurrection of us all O the priviledge of this communion with Christ's resurrection if I believe this truly I cannot but believe the resurrection of my body and the life everlasting why Jesus Christ hath led the dance and though of my self I have no right to Heaven or Glory yet in Christ my Head I have as good right to it as any heir apparent to his lands 2. He rose by his own power and so did none but Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world it was never heard that any dead man raised himself Indeed one Instance we have that a dead mans Corps should raise up another dead man They cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha 2 King 13.21 and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet dead Elisha raised up a dead man from the grave but dead Elisha could not raise up himself from the grave only Christ arose himself and at the same time he raised many others and here was the argument of his God-head John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again how should we but trust him with our life who is the resurrection and the life He that believeth in him though he were dead yet shall he live O my soul he was able to raise himself much more is he able to raise thee up only believe and live for ever 3. He rose with an earthquake O the power of Christ in every passage what ayled thee O earth to skip like a Ram was not the new Tomb hewn out of a Rock and was not a great stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre the ground wherein he lay was firm and solid Job 18.4 Psal 99.1 and shall the rock be removed out of his place O yes the Lord reigneth and therefore the earth is moved Oh what a rocky heart is this of mine how much harder is it than that rock that moves not melts not at the presence of God at the presence of the God of Jacob the Sun they say danced that morning at Christ's resurrection the earth I am sure then trembled and yet my heart is no way affected with this news I feel it neither dance for joy nor tremble for fear O my soul be serious in this meditation consider what a posture wouldst thou have been in if thou hadst been with those Souldiers that watched Christ so reallize this Earthquake as if thou now felt it trembling under thee 4. An Angel ministred to him at his resurrection An Angel came Mat. 28.2 and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it Angels were the first Ministers of the Gospel the first Preachers of Christ's resurrection they preached more of Christ than all the Prophets did they first told the woman that Christ was risen Luke 24.6 and they did the first service to Christ at his resurrection in rolling the stone from the doors mouth O my soul that thou wert but like these blessed Angels how is it that they are so forward in God's Service and thou art so backward One day thou expectest to be equal with the Angels and art thou now so far behind them What! to be equal in Reward and behind them in Service Here 's a Meditation able to check thy Sloath and to spur thee on to thy Duty 5. Many of the Bodies of the Saints arose out of their Graves at His Resurrection as the Angels ministred so the Saints waited on Him In this Meditation trouble not thy self whether David Moses Job Abraham Isaac and Jacob were some of those Saints as some conjecture upon some Grounds It is a better Consideration to look upon them as the Fruit of Christ's Resurrection and as an Earnest of thy Own The Vertue of Christ's Resurrection appears immediately and it will more appear at the general Resurrection Day As sure as these Saints arose with Him and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many so sure shall thy Body rise again at the Last Day and if thou art but a Saint it shall go with Him into the Heavenly Jerusalem and appear before God and His Son Jesus Christ in Glory 6. Christ rose again with a true and perfect Body with an Incorruptible and Powerful Body with a Spiritual and an Agile Body with a Glorious Body brighter than the Sun in his utmost Glory On these things may the Soul expatiate O it is a worthy blessed
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
desirest no more good name repute or honour than Christ will afford thee or in case of death dost thou like Stephen resign up thy soul to Christ dost thou see death conquered in the resurrection of Christ dost thou look beyond death dost thou over-eye all things betwixt thee and glory O the sweet of this life of faith on the Son of God! if thou knowest what this means then mayst thou assure thy self of thy vivification 3. True vivification is a new life acting upon a new principle of hope of glory Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 4. which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you By Christs resurrection we have a lively hope for our resurrection unto glory is not Christ our head and if he be risen to glory John 18.22 shall not his members follow after him certainly there is but one life one Spirit one glory of Christ and his members The glory which thou gavest me I have given unto them said Christ The soul that is vivified hath a lively hope of glory on several grounds As 1. Because of the promises of glory set down in the word now on these promises hope fastens her anchor if Christ hath promised how should I but maintain lively hope 2. Because of the first-fruits of the Spirit there are sometimes fore tasts of the glory drops of heaven poured into a soul whence it comfortably concludes if I have the earnest and first-fruits surely in his time Jesus Christ will give the harvest 3. Because of Christs resurrection unto glory now he rose as a common Person and he went up into heaven as a common Person whence hope is lively saying why should I doubt or despair seeing I am quickened together with Christ Eph. 2.5 6. and raised up together with Christ and am made to sit together with Christ in heavenly places Try O my soul by this sign Art thou lively in the hope of glory doth thy heart leap and rejoyce within at a thought of thy inheritance in heaven in a lively fountain the waters thereof will leap and sparkle so if thy hope be lively thou wilt have living joys living speeches living delights amidst all thy afflictions thou wilt say these will not endure for ever I my self shall away ere long Glory will come at last O the sweet of this life of hope if thou feelest these stirrings it is an argument of thy vivification 4. True vivification acts all its dutyes upon a new principle of love to Christ men not enlivened by Jesus Christ may do much and go far in outward service yea they may come to sufferings and yet without love to Christ all is lost all comes to nothing 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with tongues of men and Angels though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledg though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor Ver. 2.3 and though I give my body to be burnt and have not love it profiteth me nothing All the rest may be from the flesh and for the flesh and fleshly ends but a true Gospel-love is from Christ and tends to the Glory of Christ For Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 1 John 4.7 But how may we know that all our actings are out of love to Jesus Christ I answer 1. If we act by the rule of Christ If ye love me keep my commandements He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them 1 John 14.15 21.23 24. he it is that loveth me If any man love me he will keep my commandements He that loves Christ he will look upon every act every service every performance whether it be according to the rule of Christ and then on he goes with it 2. If we act to the honour of Christ We may pray and hear and preach and act self more then the honour of Jesus Christ whiles Christ shewed miracles and fed his followers to the full they cryed up Jesus and none like Jesus but when Christ was plain with them ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves John 6.26 Ver. 66. and were filled when he pressed sincerity upon them and preparation for sufferings from that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him It s no news for men to fall off when their ends fail only they that love Christ look not at these outward things in respect of the honour of Jesus Christ and hence it is that in all their actings they will carry on the design of the Father in advancing the honour of the Son whatever it cost them O my soul apply this to thy self if thou livest the life of love if in all thy actings duties services thou art carried on with a principle of love to Jesus Christ it is a sure sign of thy vivification For the second question whether we increase and grow in our vivification we may discover it thus 1. We grow when we are led on to the exercise of new Graces this the Apostle calls adding of one Grace unto another 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience Godliness and to Godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity At first a Christian doth not exercise all Graces though habitually all Graces may be planted in him yet the exercise of them is not all at once but by degrees Thus the Church tells Christ at our Gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee O my beloved Cant. 7.13 she had all manner of fruits which she had reserved for Christ new and old she had young converts and more seetled professors or she had new and old Graces as others she added Grace to Grace she was led on from the exercise of one Grace unto another new Grace As wicked men are led on from one sin to another and so grow worse and worse so godly men are led from one Grace to another Rom. 5.3 4. and so they increase knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope 2. We grow when we find new degrees of the same Grace added as when love grows more fervent when knowledg abounds and hath a larger apprehension of spiritual things when faith goes on from mans casting himself on Christ to find sweetness in Christ and so to plerophory or full assurance of faith when Godly sorrow proceeds from mourning for sin as contrary to Gods holiness to mourn for it is as contrary to him who loves us which usually follows after assurance when obedience enlargeth its bounds Rev.
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
Spirit is sometimes lost but that the godly should retain no remnants of the Spirit in their worst declinings I cannot imagine John teacheth expresly whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 1 John 3.9 a sin unto death for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God David in his fall lost the joy of his heart the purity of his conscience and many other gifts which he desired to have restored to him but the holy Ghost he had not utterly lost for if so how could he have prayed cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me I have done with the manner of the Spirits mission SECT X. Of the measure of the Holy Ghost now given 4. FOR the measure what or how much of the Spirit was now given this question is necessary because we bring in the Spirits mission after Christ's ascension as if the holy Ghost had not been given before this time That this was the time of the coming of the holy Ghost is very plain but that the holy Ghost was not given before this time we cannot say certainly the Prophets speak by him and the Apostles had him John 20.22 not only when they were first called but more fully when he breathed on them and said unto them receive yea the holy Ghost So that if ye study the reconciliation of these things I know not any way better than to put it on the measure or degrees of the Spirits mission I know some go about to reconcile it thus that the holy Ghost was given before secretly with grace but now he was given in a visible shape with power Others thus that the holy Ghost was before given in respect of Grace and Ministerial gifts but now he was given in respect of vertue or Ghostly ability to work Wonders and to speak with divers Languages But we find that the Prophets and Apostles before this had not only Grace and Ministerial gifts but a miraculous vertue even the Spirit of powerfull and extraordinary operation only here was the difference that before this the Spirit was but sprinkled as it were upon them but now it was poured upon them before this they were gently breathed on and refreshed with a small gale but now they were all blown upon with a mighty wind without controversie a difference there is in the Spirits mission And that some lay down chiefly in these three things As 1. In the manner of the Spirits mission to the old Church the Spirit came usually in dreams or visions or in a low still voice or in some latent ways but now he came in power in evidence and demonstration and therefore it is called Eph 1.17 1 King 19.11 12. the spirit of revelation and knowledge At the apparition of God to Elijah it is said that the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earth-quake but the Lord was not in the earth-quake and â—fter the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still small voice and then Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle as knowing the Lords presence was therein the Spirit came not of old save in a vision or dream or in a still small voice but now the Spirit came in a rushing mighty wind in fiery tongues in earth-quakes in so much Acts 4.31 that the place was shaken where they were assembled and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost the Spirit now made choice to come in such apparitions as should have in them a self-discovering property which would not be hidden and here is one difference 2. Another difference is in respect of the Subjects unto whom he was sent before now he came only upon the inclosed garden of the Jews but after the assension of Christ The Spirit was poured upon all flesh now every believer is of the Israel of God every Christian is a Temple of the holy Ghost now we receive the Spirit too or else it is wrong with us for If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Act. 10.44 45. At Peters Sermon to Cornelius it is said that the holy Ghost fell on all them which hear the Word and they of the Circumcision which believed were astonyed because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost It was some wonder at first even to the Apostles themselves but in this Sermon Peter acknowledges Act 10.34 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Mark In every Nation upon all flesh I will pour out my spirit Here 's another difference 3. One difference more is in the measure of his mission At first he was sent only in drops and dew but now he was poured out in showers and abundance The holy Ghost saith Paul was shed on us abundantly through Jesus our Saviour Tit. 3.6 As there are degrees in the wind aura ventus procella a breath a blast a stiffe gale so we cannot deny degrees in the Spirit the Apostles at Christs resurrection received the Spirit but now they were filled with the Spirit then it was but a breath but now it was a mighty wind And indeed never was the like measure of the Spirit given to men as at this time the Fathers before this and we and our Fathers since this have but as it were a hint of the Spirit to their Epha such a pentecost as this never was but this never the like before or since it was Christ's Coronation-day the day of placing him in his throne when he gave these gifts unto men and therefore that day was all magnificence shewed above all other days Thus for the measure of the Spirit now given to the Church of Christ SECT II. Of the Reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent 5. FOR the Reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent they are several As 1. That all the prophesies concerning this mission might be accomplished Isa 32.15 Isaiah speaks of a time when the spirit should be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness should be a fruitfull field And Zachary Prophesies Zach. 12 10. that in that day I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Joel 2.28 29. the spirit of grace and supplication And Joel prophesies yet more expresly It shall come to pass that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreames your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those days I will pour out my spirit and they shall Prophesie This very Prophesie was cited by Peter
on the Lord Jesus Christ for some glorious manifestations of himself Come live up to the rate of this great mystery view Christ as entering into glory and thou wilt find the same sparkles of glory on thy heart O this sight is a transforming sight We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 even as by the spirit of the Lord. 2. Consider of Christ's Session at God's right hand no sooner was Christ entered into Heaven but he is brought before his heavenly Father and herein was the vision accomplished I saw in the night visions Dan. 7.13 14. and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of dayes and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom This is that we call his Session at God's right hand a dominion was given him above all creatures yea a dominion above the Hierarchy of all the Angels O the glory of Christ at his first entrance into glory immediatly all the Angels fell down and worshipped him immediately his Father welcomed him with the highest grace that ever yet was shewen Psal 110.1 Come said he sit thou at my riâ—ht hand untill I make thy enemies thy footstool One sweetly observes that usually in the several parts of the performance of Christ's office either God is brought in as speaking to Christ or Christ is brought in as speaking to his Father thus when he chose him first to be our Mediator God speaks to Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech and when Christ came to take upon him our nature Heb. 10.7 Psal 22.1 he spake to his Father Lo I come to do thy will a body hast thou prepared for me Again when Christ hung on the Cross he spakes to his Father Acts 13.33 Heb. 1.13 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but when Christ rose again from the dead God spake to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and when Christ ascended into heaven God spake to him Son sit thou down at my right hand This was the highest point of Christ elevated now was the prophesie accomplished He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high The Caldee Paraphrast reads it thus He shall be exalted above Abraham Isa 52.13 he shall be extolled more than Moses he shall be very high above the highest Cherubin and Saraphin O my soul meditate on this Session of Christ at God's right hand and thence draw down some vertue and sweetness into thy self what was Christ exalted had he a name given him above every name walk then as becomes those that have so glorious a Head O defile not that nature which in thy Christ was so highly honoured 1 Cor. 6.15 it was the Apostles arguing Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot so argue thou shall I take the Nature of Christ that Nature which he in his Person hath so highly glorified and make it in my Person the Nature of a Devil O my soul walk worthy of such a Lord unto all well-pleasing sith now he is in his Throne at God's right hand O kiss the Son honour the Son with divine worship reverence and submission submit chearfully and willingly to the Scepter of his Word bow to his Name as it is written At the Name the Person the Power the Scepter of Jesus Christ â—â—â—l 2.10 every knee should bow 3. Consider of the Mission of the holy Ghost no sooner is Christ inaugurated in his Throne Eph. 4.8 John 4.10 but he scatters his coin and gives gifts When he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men He gave gifts or the gift of gifts the gift of the holy Ghost If thou knewest the gift of God said Christ to the Samaritan woman John 7.39 that gift was the water of Life and that water of life was the spirit as John who knew best his mind gave the interpretation This speak he of the spirit O my soul consider of this princely gift of Christ such a gift was never before but when God gave his Son God so loved the World that he gave his Son and Christ so loved the world that he gave his spirit but O my soul consider especially to whom this Spirit was given Isa 9.6 Rom. 5.5 the application of the gift is the very soul of thy meditation Vnto us a Son is given said the Prophet and Vnto us the holy Ghost is given saith the Apostle And yet above all consider the reasons of this gift in reference to thy self was it not to make thee a Temple and Receptacle of the holy Ghost stand a while on this admire O my soul at the condescending glorious and unspeakable love of Christ in this it was infinite love to come down into our nature when he was incarnate but this is more to come down into thy heart by his holy Spirit he came near to us then but as if that were not near enough he comes nearer now for now he unites himself unto thy person now he comes and dwells in thy soul by his holy spirit O my soul thou hast many in-comes of the world though many are above thee yet many are below thee but Oh what little contentment hast thou in these outward things Come here 's that which will infinitely content thy vast desires Christ is in thee realy in thee by his Spirit will not this content the utmost capacity of an heart surely he is too covetous whom God himself cannot suffice if thou hast Christ thou hast all things and if thou hast the spirit of Christ thou hast Christ himself not notionally not by the habit of grace only but really essentially substantially by his Spirit it is the very spirit of Christ the spirit it self the holy Ghost it self in his own person that is united to thee and dwells in thee nor only comes he in person but he brings along with him all his Train hath he not endowed thee with some gifts hath he not divided a portion and measure to thee in thy place and calling take notice observe it and be thankfull if thou hast a gift of prayer of prophesie of wisdom of knowledge it comes and flows from this holy Spirit Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Eph. 4.7 1 Cor. 12.11 Or according to the measure of the spirit who is the gift of Christ. And all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will But besides a gift hath he not endowed thee with his grace hath he not planted in thy soul the habit the power the seed the spring the principle of grace hast thou not felt sometimes the excitings
a man would read he must have all these or more than one of these so God hath appointed us three necessary means for our illumination and direction the Word the Ministry and the Spirit What God hath joyned let no man separate if any will foolishly go and set one of these against another when God hath set them all together and made them all necessary assigning to each a several part in the work of our illumination they may abuse God and themselves and go without the light while they despise the necessary causes of it God's evidences must not be separated much less must one be pleaded to the neglect of all the rest as the work within us is not the first testimony but a secondary confirming testimony so doth it not make the first unnecessary or void besides that by the external testimony we must convince other men which by the witness within us we cannot do But this only by the way 2. For the encouragement of our Faith to believe in Christ as in reference to his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit 1. Consider of the excellency of this Object what is it but Christ Christ in his Ascendant Culminant Regnant Power Christ in his Marching Conquering Triumphing Postures in his Free and Large and Magnificent Gifts When he Ascended on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto Men. O the Glory O the Excellency of Christ in these Respects Verily they are enough to tire out Men and Angels with the only Act of wondering and surveying of their vastness Here is Gospel-Work for all Eternity to dig into this Gold-Mine to roul and turn this Soul-delighting precious Stone to behold enquire and search into these depths and heights of Christ exalted and I believe this is the satiety the top and prime of Heavens Glory to see and wonder at the vertues of him that sits on the Throne at the right hand of God to be filled but never Satiate with the Glory of Christ What Christ ascended Christ set down in Glory and Christ sending down his Holy Spirit here 's a Compendium of all Glories here is one for an heart to be taken with made up of nothing but of several Mysteries of Glory 2. Consider the Power Vertue and Influence of this Object into our souls Salvation oh what a stately Tower have we here erected to see Heaven on Faith may stand as it were on this Mount and see it self in glory Oh the flowings the rich emanations of Grace and Glory that come from hence come let us draw the Well is deep all the drops and dewings that fall on Men or Angels are but as chips in comparison of that huge and boundless body of the fulness of Grace that is in Christ one Lilly is nothing to a boundless and broad Field of Lillies Christ is in these respects the Mountain of Roses oh how High how Capacious how Full how Beautiful how Green could we but smell him who feeds among the Lillies till the Day break and the shadows fly away could we but dive into the Golden Veins of these unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ we should say It is good to be here Oh it 's good to gather up the fragments that fall from Christ his Crown shines with Diamonds and Pearls oh why do we toyl our selves in gathering sticks when to morrow we shall be out of this World and go to Christ come where is our mouth of Faith let us lay to it here let us suck and be satisfied with these Breasts of consolation let us milk out and be delighted with the abundance of his Glory 3. Consider of the suitableness of these Objects to our several conditions you may remember the first cry Was it not love enough for Christ to come down and to visit us here but that he must go up and take us with him no no his love was so great and vast that for our sakes he moves up and down this ravished the Spouse Behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the Hills Cant. 2.8 Cant. 2.8 Gregory that measured his leaps thus gives them be first leaps from his Fathers Mansion to his Mothers Womb from her Womb to the Cratch from his Cratch to his Cross and from his Cross to his Grave from his Grave up again to Heaven great leaps indeed that shewed both his readiness to love and willingness to save infinite love can never be out-tired with greatest actions But another cries how should I believe that Christ is exalted and that by vertue thereof I shall be exalted when I see my self in a forlorn condition forsaken of God Psal 62.9 and abject amongst Men Alas Man at his best is altogether Vanity yea Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye to be laid in the Ballance I am altogether lighter than Vanity how then should I believe any such condition is a Worm a fit or a capable Subject to wear a Crown Yes the Lord is great and he can do great things He raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust 1 Sam 2.8 9. and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory for the Pillars of the Earth are the Lords and he hath set the World upon them he will keep the Feet of his Saints Why there is my sadness cryes another He will keep the Feet of his Saints if I were but a Saint I could believe this Power but alas I am unholy an unsanctified piece of Clay I am a sinner a sinner of the Gentiles chief of sinners I deserve to be thrown down to Hell rather than to be invested with Glory and to sit in Heaven True but yet the Holy Ghost is given to make thee holy of thy self thou art vile and most vile but hath not the Holy Ghost entred in and took possession of thy Spirit hath he not washed thee with water yea throughly washed away thy blood hath he not anointed thee with oyl and covered thee with silk and decked thee with gold and silver and made thee comely through his comeliness which he put upon thee Why this is the office of the holy Ghost and if thou hast but the in-dwelling of the Spirit this is thy state I know there is a part of thee unregenerate and it will be so whiles thou art on earth but withall there is in thee a new nature another nature there is something else within thee which makes thee wrestle against sin and shall in time prevail over all sin and this is the Spirit of Christ sanctifying of thee Being sanctified saith the Apostle by the holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 Other complaints might be thus brought in but if we understand the meaning the design of Christ in his Ascension Session and mission of his Spirit how might a true faith answer all oh believe believe thy part in Christ's Ascension Christ's Session Christ's Mission of
in reading pardons for his redeemed ones or in presenting petitions from them and pleading for them Surely he is still interceding every day it is his present work for our souls O desirable work 2. In this present transaction lies the application of all Christ's former actings whether of his habitual righteousness or of his active and passive obedience All those passages of Christ's incarnation conception circumcision birth life and death which more especially we look upon as the meritorious causes of our salvation had been nothing to us if they had not been applyed by Christ they were the means of impetration but Christ's intercession is the means of application Christ purchased salvation by those precedaneous acts but he possesseth us of our salvation by this perfective and consummate act of his intercession The order of this is laid down by the Apostle Heb. 5.8 9 10. in that first He learned obedience by the things which he suffered and then being made perfect he became the Author or applying cause of eternal salvation to all them that obey him being to this purpose called of God an High-Priest after the order of Melchizedeck Now is not this the desirable act above all other acts Alas what am I better for a Mine of Gold in such or such or such a field in which I have no propriety at all I am throughly convinc'd that Christ's merits are most precious merits but oh that they were mine Oh that Christ's intercessions would bring the salve and lay it to my sore Oh that I could hear that voice from Heaven My son I was incarnate for thee and conceived for thee and born for thee and circumcised for thee and I did the Law and suffered the penalty for thee and now I am interceding that thy very soul may have the benefit of all my doings and of all my sufferings Why if Christ's intercessions be the applying cause if it bring home to my soul all the former transactions of Christ saying All these are thine even thine oh how desirable must this intercession be 3. In this application lies that communion and fellowship which we have with the Father and the Son John 17.21 I pray for these that as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Understand this soberly we cannot think that there should be that oneness in equalitie betwixt God and us as betwixt God and Christ no no but there is oneness in similitude and reallity even in this life by vertue of Christ's intercession we have oneness with God and Christ not onely in comforts but also in graces I pray you mark this when I speak of communion with God in this life I mean especially the communication of grace between God and the soul on God's part there 's a special influence of grace and favour to man and on man's part there is a special return of grace and honour to God Some trembling souls are apt to think that all communion with God and Christ consists only in the comforts of the holy spirit whereas Christians may as really and advantagiously have communion with God in secret conveyances of grace inward supports in a concealed acceptation of service in the hidden drawings of the soul God-ward as in the more open and comfortable manifestations of God unto the soul communion with God is a familiar friendship I speak it in an holy humble sence now do we not as usually go to a friend for councel and advice as for comfort and cheering in a friends bosom we intrust our sorrows as well as our joys Suppose a soul even spiritually overwhelmed and ready to break be taking it self unto God and venting it self before the Lord now if afterwards the soul hath no more case than by the bare lanching of the sore if God pours in no balm at all but only gives support shall we say that this soul in this case hath no communion with God O yes in God's secret visits of the soul and in the souls restless groping after God though nothing but darkness be apprehended yet that soul lives in the light of God's countenance the Sun shines though a cloud interposeth God smiles though the soul do not perceive it or certainly thou hast his strengthening-supporting presence if not his shining John 17.23 now this is the fruit of Christ's blessed intercession and this is the subject-matter of Christ's intercessions O my Father that these may be one in us I in them and thou in me I in them by the influence and power of my Spirit and thou in me by the fulness and power of the Godhead And is not this a most desirable thing 4. In this communion lyes the vision and fruition of Jesus Christ in glory grace brings to glory If communion here we shall have communion hereafter and this also is a part of Christ's prayer and intercession Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am John 17.24 that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Jesus cannot be in Heaven long without his Saints indeed it is impossible that Christ should be in Heaven and that pieces and bits of Christ-mystical should be in Hell or yet long on Earth Christ will draw in his Legs and Members on earth up nearer to the Head certainly Christ and you that are believers must be under one roof ere long Is not he gone before to prepare a place yea many mansions for you John 14.2 we think them happy on earth that have their many stately Halls and Palaces their summer and their winter-houses O Christians how happy will you be when you come to be Lords and Heirs of many stately Mansions in the streets of Heaven but what speak I of Mansions now I am naming Christ Mansions are nothing many Mansions are but little yea many Mansions in Christ's Fathers house are but created chips of happiness in comparison of that communion which by vertue of Christ's intercession we shall have with Christ It is the saying of an eminently learned holy Divine Sam. Rutherford I should refuse heaven saith he if Christ were not there take Christ away from Heaven and it 's but a poor dark heartless dwelling Heaven without Christ would look as the direful land of death And therefore after Christ had spoke of many Mansions and of a place that he would prepare for his Saints he adds further to increase their joy John 14.3 I will come again saith he and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Mansions are but as places of bryers and thornes without Jesus Christ and therefore I would have Heaven for Christ and not have Christ for Heaven O this communion with Christ is above all desirable and this is the subject-matter of Christ's prayer Father I would have the Saints to be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Why this is the
In his mercy or free grace 1. His justice will be glorified especially in punishing the wicked here on Earth litle justice is done on most offenders though some publick crimes are sometimes punished yet the actions of closets and chambers the designs and thoughts of men the businesses of retirements and of the night escape the hand of justice and therefore God hath so ordained it that there shall be a day of doom wherein all that are let alone by men shall be questioned by God Shall not the judge of all the world do right Gen. 18.25 then all thoughts shall be examined and secret actions viewed on each side and the infinite number of those sins which escaped here shall be blazoned there all shall have justice and the justice of the judge shall be so exact that he will account with men by minutes and that justice may reign entirely God shall open his treasure I mean the wicked man's treasure and tell the sums and weigh the grains and scruples Deut. 32.34 Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures I will restore it in the day of vengeance saith the Lord. Oh how will God glorifie his justice at that day surely his justice shall shine and be eminently glorious in every passage 2. His mercy or free grace will be glorified in rewarding the Saints And this is the main the supreme end of his coming to judgment 2 Thes 1.10 He shall come saith the Apostle to be glorified in his Saints not but that the Angels shall glorifie the riches of his grace as well as Saints but because the Angels never sinned they have now kept their Robes of innocency their cloth of Gold above five thousand years without one spark of dirt or change of colour therefore the glory of his grace is more especially fastened on Saints that sometimes were sinners Oh what stories will be told at this day of graces acts I was a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and a persecutor and an injurious person said Paul but I obtained mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I was be-mercied as if he had been dipt in a River in a Sea of mercy it may be he will make the same acknowledgment at the day of judgment I was a sinner but the grace of the Lord Jesus to me was abundant superabundant I obtained as much grace as would have saved a world Certainly free grace shall then be discovered in some purpose Rom. 5.20 then it shall be known That where sin abounded grace far more it over-abounded or more than over-bounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a word borrowed from Fountains and Rivers which have over-flowed with Waters ever since the Creation then all the Saints shall exalt and magnifie and with loud voyces praise the glory of his grace they shall look on their debts written in graces book and then shall they sing and say O the mystery of grace O the gold-mines and the depts of Christs free love why this was the great design of our salvation at the first when God was willing to communicate himself out of his aloneness everlasting he laid this plot that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 and now at his second coming having done all he will do the Saints for whom he hath done all admire esteem honour and sound forth the praises of his grace Is not this their everlasting song which they begin at this day Glory to the Lamb and glory to his grace that sitteth on the Throne for ever more not but that they glorifie him in his wisdom power holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is his Grace in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other Vertues to be had in honour for their Clemency and Bounty so Jesus Christ the King of Kings affects above all the glory of his grace And to this purpose Heaven it self is an house full of broken men who have borrowed millions from Christ but can never repay more than to read and sing the praises of Free-grace Glory to the Lamb and glory to the riches of his grace for evermore Thus for directions one word of Application or a few motives to work Faith in you in this respect 1. Christ in his word invites you to believe these are his Letters from Heaven Come all to the marriage-supper of the Lamb Ho every one that thirsts come in Heaven-gate is open to all that knock but fools foolish Virgins foolish souls which have no Faith nor will have any to render them fit for Heaven This meets with some that scruple what will Christ come again to receive me to himself shall I enter with him into glory alas no unclean thing shall enter into that holy City and shall such a sinner as I am be admitted Oh believe believe thy part in this coming of Christ to receive thee to himself and no sin that thou feelest a burthen shall keep thee out of Heaven There is Rahab the Harlot and Manasseh the Murtherer and Mary that had so many Devils a man that hath many Devils may come where there is not one Luke 14.22 Lame and Blind and Halt may enter into Heaven and yet still there is room there is a great variety of guests above and yet one Table large enough for all no crouding and yet thousands and thousands of thousands sitting together Ah poor soul why dost thou make ecceptions where God makes none why shouldst thou exclude thy self out of these golden gates when God doth not believe onely believe in the Lord Jesus and the promise is sure and without all controversie thou shalt be saved 2. Christ by his Ministry intreats you to believe come say they we beseech you believe in your judge it may be you startle at this what to believe in him who is a coming to be your judge but if your judge be Jesus if the same person who dyed for you shall come to judge you why should you fear indeed if your judge were your enemy you might fear but if he who is your Lord and who loves your souls shall judge you there is no such cause will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friends a brother by a brother a child by a father or a wife by her husband consider is not he your Judge who came down from Heaven and who being on earth was judged condemned and executed in your stead and yet are ye fearful O ye of little faith Oh what an unreasonable sin is unbelief nay say the scrupulous if I were assured of this if I knew that my judge were my friend I should not fear but is he not my enemy have not I provoked him to enmity against my soul do I not stand it out in arms against my judge am not I daily sinning against him who justly may condemn me for my sin give this