Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
successours yet these things though not here expressed are certain 1. They must go to all Nations for none are excepted or excluded 2. They must begin at Jerusalem and first tender salvation to the Jew 3. They must begin in this place immediately upon the receiving of the Holy Ghost and the gift of Languages 4. They must go to other Nations as providence did direct them and the Spirit did reveal unto them 5. They might go severally and have their several assignations yet so that sometimes two or more might go together or meet at the same place 6. They might do and did many things by assistants 7. The principal work of the Apostles was to plant and lay the foundation of the Christian Church and Religion 8. Seeing the work could not be finished before the Worlds end therefore much must be left to their successours 9. Christ did not so limit himself to the eleven Apostles then present as that he could not commission others and invest them with Apostolical power for afterward St. Mathias was substituted in the place of Judas and St. Paul made a thirteenth Apostle 10. This universal power in respect of all Nations was not so limited to the Apostles or any extraordinary Ministers that the ordinary might not do Christ service in the universal Church or any Nation whether God should call him according to the opportunity and ability which God should give him But to be brief and hasten to the principal part of the commission I will in this proposition briefly observe four things 1. The preventing grace of God 2. His enlarging mercy 3. The benefits which redound unto us thereupon 4. Our duty to be performed in respect of this grace mercy and those benefits Sect. 3. 1. The preventing grace of God appears in this that the Nations did not pray to God to send them nor seek to the Apostles to come unto them nor did they come unto the Apostles but the Apostles were commanded to go to them and did go and came to all Nations They must not take their ease and make Jerusalem the place of their residence in one College Consistory or palace there They must not stand upon terms of Honour and send out their Edicts to cite and summon the Nations to come unto them and appear before them It s true that hitherto the Jew had taken State upon him and because of Gods Election of that City and the Temple the Gentiles must assemble there appear before God in that holy place If thus he refuse to do he must stand at a distance and continue without Christ without honour without God in the World If the Gentile will not come over to the Jew the Jew will not must not go over unto him But the time of this dispensation was expired and God will take another course and in his infinite mercy he will prevent the Gentiles of all Nations The Apostles must part asunder take several ways and with great labour peril charge visit the Nations of the World and seek their souls in every climate And God by them did bring the Gospel Christ and Salvation to their doors and offer Heaven and Eternity of bliss unto most unworthy wretches who never sought or thought of any such thing Then began to be fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet long before Esay 65. 1. I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said Behold me behold me unto a Nation not called by my Name The distance between God and sinful man is very great and would for ever so continue if God should deal with him in strict justice nay if he should not shew him great mercy For man would never think of God as he ought never desire him never come unto him if God should not prevent him call him and come unto him first For man will never seek his God if God do not seek him first For mans salvation must begin in Gods free love and preventing grace whereby he seeks him finds him and finds him dead in sins and trespasses and ready for to perish This is Gods preventing grace 2. His enlarging mercy appears in that the Apostles must go not only to the Jew but to the Gentile and not only to the Gentiles of some few Nations but of all and seek to gather them into one body and close them up into one fold For formerly his special mercy was confined to a single Nation the people of the Jews the posterity of Abraham by Jacob but now it must be extended to all Nations and to all sorts of all Nations No Nation in particular by name is excepted excluded or to be omitted and passed by God for a long time inclosed the Jew and by a partition wall severed him from all Nations in matter of Religion His Oracles his Covenant the promise of Christ the sanctifying Spirit and all the means of conversion were the priviledges of this people But now Gods mercies will not be thus straitned and contained in such narrow bounds The partition wall must be broken down and his saving grace will overflow these petty Banks and like the Ocean compass the whole Earth 3. But for what end must this mercy thus enlarge and why must they go unto all Nations of the Gentiles They might have gone to denounce most fearful judgements For what could Idolatrous Apostates who had forsaken their God who made them and every moment preserved them expect but some fearful punishments to be executed upon them Yet such was Gods mercy towards them that they were not sent to denounce judgement but to proclaim an act of Eternal Indemnity and Pardon of all their many grievous sins and promise and that upon fairest terms Eternal life Therefore the benefit of this preventing grace and enlarging mercy which did redound to all people of all Nations was very great They sate in darkness and the shadow of death under the power of Satan ignorant blind corrupted hardned without any means of conversion or hope of salvation But by the Apostles God sends unto them light life peace joy comfort Heaven gates are opened Eternal Life offered and Christ is very willing and desirous to save us and give us eternal bliss O that men would consider how great a mercy it is for God to come so near unto us and put us in a capacity of salvation 1. This benefit would appear to be the greater if we would remember how unworthy we are 2. The sad condition of others to whom God never vouchsafed the light of the Gospel without this preventing grace Salvation is impossible to all without this enlarging mercy impossible to many especially to us who live at so great a distance in a corner of the World But it hath been so enlarged that it reached us God hath found us Christ is come unto us and the heavenly light of saving truth doth clearly shine upon us So that if we perish we are deeply guilty and
World loving sinful man 2. His only begotten Son given to redeem us 3. The Holy Ghost regenerating us and working Faith in us that by faith we may escape eternal death and attain eternal life For this is the true and genuine sense of these words we read of many forms of faith and confession some called Apostolical related by many of the Ancients and of the Nicene Ephesine Constantinopolitan Roman Athanasian and others yet this is before them all above them all the ground of them all immediately divine delivered by Christ himself recorded in holy Scipture and therefore no unwritten Tradition In this respect Tertullian might well say that the Apostles had the rule of Faith from Christ and Christ from God For from whom he received his power from him he received this Doctrine which he commands his Apostles to teach and all Nations to believe Sect. 3. This is the ground of the ancient and Apostolical Creed delivered by the Apostles to the Churches which they planted as by several of the first Primitive Writers we are informed For they for matter and method agree with this and in both are conformable unto it The matter of them all is God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost and the method is to begin with the Father go on with the Son and end with the Holy Ghost though not in express terms yet by consequence By which it appears they took their rise from these words 1. They begin with God the Father and under this part bring in that first great work of Creation 2. They proceed to the Son the eternal word of the Father who was made flesh and redeemed mankind created righteous and holy and faln in Adam 3. They speak of the Holy Ghost who as Tertullian expresseth it is Sanctificator fidei by whom Christ was conceived the Prophets inspired the Church comforted Divers of them conclude with the final judgment wherein Christ shall render to all such as being sanctified by the spirit do believe eternal rewards to the devil and wicked men eternal punishments where we must observe 1. That creation extends to all things for God created heaven and earth and all things therein 2. Redemption reacheth only man for Christ redeemed not the Angels nor any other creature but sinful mankind 3. Sanctification is confined to the Church and the Elect people of God So that the Spirit sanctifies not all men but the Church Christ reedeems man but not all creatures God the Father createth all things and all persons The first part of the Creed concerning one God is against all Atheists and Heathen Idolaters The second concerning the Son Jesus Christ is against all Mahumetans and Unbelieving Jews The third concerning the Holy Ghost is against all Pelagians enimies of grace and counterfeit Christians And here it is to be noted that the mystery of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost was never so clearly and distinctly made manifest as it was when the Father out of Love gave his only begotten Son and sent him into the World and when the Son and eternal word was made flesh and redeemed man and when the holy Ghost descended in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon our Saviour Jesus Christ and came upon the Apostles and sanctified believers Sect. 4. After it hath been manifested that in this Doctrine concerning God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 1. We have Christs own Creed and 2. That this was the ground of the ancient Apostolical Creeds and Confessions it remains 3. that I say something of that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed which we find in Ruffinus with an Exposition and which is used in the Catechisms and Liturgies of the Roman and reformed Churches In this we may observe 1. That for the principal matter and method its grounded upon our Saviours Creed and exactly agrees with the ancient and primitive Confessions For therein we have three principal parts the 1. Concerning God the Father and the work of Creation of the world the 2. concerning God the Son and the work of Redemption of man the 3. concerning God the Holy Ghost and sanctification of the Church and the Elect people of God This appears by that brief contraction of it in our publick Catechism which is a prime peice in this particular of antiquity and gives great light how to understand the confession and implies that it was grounded upon our Saviours Creed 2. To understand this Creed the better we must observe 1. The object 2. The act of man about this object 1. The object is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost considered 1. In himself 2. In his works which are 1. Creation 2. Providence Providence where of there are two parts 1. Preservation 2. Ordination 1. General of all 2. Special of man especially as faln Of this special providence there be two principal branches Redemption Application Concerning the Redeemer two things are to be observable 1. Who he is 2. What 's his work 1. He is Jesus Christ who for person is the only Son of God for Natures God and man and as man he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary for Offices he is King Priest and Prophet 2. His work is that which we call Redemption whereof two parts His Humiliation His Exaltation His humiliation in that he taking upon him the form of a servant suffered under Pontious Pilate was Crucified dead and buryed descended into Hell His Exaltation in his Resurrection His Exaltation in his Ascension His Exaltation in his Session at the right hand of God His Exaltation in his Comming to Judgement The application of this Redemption hath three things considerable 1. The principal cause which is the holy Ghost by the word working Faith in us 2. The subject to which this application is made which is the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints which is the number of believers 3. The effects of this Redemption applyed Which are 1. Forgiveness of sins 2. Resurrection of the body 3. Life everlasting And here it s to be noted 1. That by the humiliation of Christ and especially the death and sacrifice of himself upom the Cross these effects and blessings were merited and in consideration of the same were promised 2. That God as loving us Redeeming us by Christ and applying this Redemption by his Spirit is the fountain and cause of salvation and eternal happiness 3. That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as considered in himself and in his works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification is the principal object of the acts of this saving faith 2. As these things are the object of our Faith and the Credenda so the act is to believe To believe is 1. To be certainly perswaded of the truth of these things as revealed by God and certainly known to be so For the ground of a divine infallible faith must be a divine Testimony known certainly to be divine 2.
pardonable the belief in this blood-shed and accepted obtains actual remission For God was so just that he would not pardon any sin without effusion of this blood and yet so merciful that for an inconsideration of the same believed on by guilty man on Earth and pleaded by Christ in heaven he will fully and for ever pardon sin and justifie the guilty 3. The Testament is the Covenant which is so called because in some respect it 's like a Testament which is confirmed and made effectual by the death of the Testatour so the Covenant being grounded upon the death of Christ whereby he became mediatour of the same is confirmed by the blood and death of Christ and is made eternally effectual It 's called the New Testament or Covenant to distinguish it from the Old which was also confirmed with blood Exod. 24. And is a Covenant not of works and strict justice but of faith and Gods mercy and it s said to be the New Covenant in this blood because confirmed by this blood and to be the New Covenant in this blood and the blood of the New Covenant are the same For both signifie the Confirmation of it by Christs Blood 4. We have the Cup that is the Wine contained in the Cup which signifies the Blood of Christ shed for the Remission of sins and puts us in mind of Christs Death and Blood shed and it s given and taken to confirm the Covenant renewed between God and the Communicant 5. The Communicants are commanded to drink of this Cup in remembrance of Christs Blood shed for the remission of sin And by this command they are bound to drink and also to drink it in remembrance of Christ that so by faith they may receive Christ into their hearts for their spiritual life and comfort In this part we have as before in the former the Redemption the Covenant the fealing of the Covenant The Redemption was signified before by the bread broken and given and here by the Wine in the Cup poured out for both signifie but one and the same death and sacrifice of Redemption The Covenant as formerly hath a promise of remission of sins and a precept commanding to take and drink of the Cup in remembrance of his death And this remembrance presupposing knowledge and faith with sense of our sins is practical and effectual to stir up to love and thankfulness in an high degree For how can we remember and seriously consider the greatest love of our Saviour unto us his enemies his cruel sufferings for us and the incomparable blessings merited thereby and not be made sensible of our sins relie upon his sufferings love our enemies and be for ever thankful to our God! 3. The sealing of the Covenant in this part is like unto the former And here it 's to be observed that the Covenant is sealed and confirmed in this Sacrament two several times that God may more fully assure man that as by his Minister he gives both Bread and wine so certainly he will give Christ and all his benefits and continue constant in his Covenant and as certainly as he receives bread and eats it wine and drinks it in remembrance of Christ so certainly he shall receive remission of sins and eternal life by Christ. And by the Celebration of this Sacrament doth more deeply engage himself to God for to continue faithful in his Covenant unto the end Sect 9. Before I conclude this Doctrine of the Eucharist I will add some observations upon the same For 1. As Christ in Baptism contracted all Purifications Cleansings and Lustrations in the Law so in this he abridged all the Ilastical and Eucharistical sacrifices with their Meat-offerings Drink-offerings and sacrificial Feasts 2. The Author institutor and first efficient cause of this Sacrament is Christ the Son of God our Saviour 3. The subject and principal matter thereof is the death of Christ and the benefits procured thereby 4. The form is the use of the Elements with the words according to the first institution 5. The end is the continued remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ upon which depends our eternal salvation 6. This is one of the Laws of Christ which we are bound to observe till his coming to judgment as appears by these words Do this in remembrance of me 7. The dispensation of it belongs to the Minister of the Gospel for he that must baptize must administer the Eucharist and he that dispenseth the one must dispense the other Sacrament 8. The reason why this Sacrament is administred in two several Elements is more fully and distinctly to represent the death of Christ to signifie the plenty of food God hath prepared for our souls and the more strongly to confirm the Covenant 9. It 's to be celebrated not only once but often and is to be continued in the Church unto the worlds end 10. In it we have many points of Christian Doctrine concerning mans sin Gods love the Redemption the Covenant and therein of Gods promises mans duty as Repentance and Faith the benefits wereceive thereby and the Confirmation of the Covenant 11. In it we have many parts of Gods worship imployed as confession of sin profession of faith prayer charity thanksgiving and the whole Celebration of it is a piece of Divine Service 12. By receiving of this Sacrament we profess our Christianity our continuance in the Christian faith and in the Communion with the holy Catholick Church and the Renunciation of all other Religions 13. By the Doctrine of this Sacrament and the tenor of Christs commission we understand something of Church Discipline For as no man before he by the profession of his faith and promise of obedience manifest himself to be a Disciple can be baptized so no man except he appear to be baptized continue in the Christian faith keep Christs Commandments may be admitted to this Table neither may one grosly ignorant before he be instructed or guilty of scandal before he signifie his repentance and be absolved be received as a guest of this heavenly Feast They also who do neglect it when they are invited and have opportunity are unworthy Therefore besides the power which God gives unto the Minister it is fit that in every Church there should be some order established and some trusted with power to judge what persons are fit and worthy and who are not 14. No man can have benefit by this Sacrament but such as are truly penitent and believing of whom God can only judge and the Minister doing his duty according to his best judgment and the appearance of such as desire to communicate must refer all such as he admits to the judgment of God who alone knows the hearts of men And here it s to be noted that such as are habitually penitent and believing may so come unto the Sacrament as that they may offend God because not actually prepared at such a time Sect. 10. The last work to be done for to close up
new guilt therefore we humbly beseech thee Lead us not into temptation Satan is cruel subtle raging temptations many times very violent we live in a wicked world weich is full of snares there is no time or place of absalute safety O therefore strengthen our faith arm us with thy compleat armour from heaven support us assist us watch over us continually that we mast stand firm against all assaults of the enemy keep the faith and being watchful and humbly depending upon thee our God may obtain a final victory by the power of our blessed Saviour who hath overcome the world and triumphed over the powers and principalities of hell Desert us not at any time especially not in the day of fiery persecutions bloody conflicts and the hour of greatest trial Order all occurrences and events by thy wise providence in such a manner as that in greatest straits we may find a way to escape and tho' we cannot avoid always the evil of afflictions yet we may be delivered from the evil of sin Sanctifie all conditions both of prosperity and adversity unto us so that Satan by them may not gain any advantage against us Tread him shortly under our feet and put an end to all our troubles and hasten to give us eternal peace and safety Lord hearken unto these our prayers which we offer unto thee in the name of Jesus Christ to whom with thee and thy Spirit all praise glory honour and thanks be given now and for evermore Amen This Prayer may be contracted into four words yet retaining the principal matter or more enlarged in the several heads according to which if we consider the mercies pray'd for once received we may compose a form of thanksgiving and the same may be reduced to order so as to render thanks for blessings and deliverances which may be considered as publick of Church or State or private as of Congregations Families persons the blessings are either spiritual or temporal the deliverances are so too for they are from sin or guilt or from temptation or from the miseries of this life And here it is to be observed 1. That all the Prayers in Scriptuer may be reduced to the several heads of this form which tho' it contracts the matter of Prayer unto a few heads disposed in an excellent order yet leaves it indifferent whether we will begin our more general Prayers with Thanksgiving or Petition and in presenting our petitions whether we shall begin with supplication for blessings or with deprecations for deliverance from evil The principal thing is to pray to God alone with an upright heart in the name of Christ for such things as God hath promised that we may be accepted and heard CHAP. IX Of Christs promise to the Apostles Sect. 1. YOu heard before that there were two parts of the Commission granted by Christ unto his Apostles the first was a mandate to go to all Nations to disciple them to baptize them discipled to teach them baptized to observe all his Commandments the second a promise of which I will now speak in a few words and so conclude And we must observe 1. The reasons why Christ made this promise 2. The words of the promise partly exprssed here partly Mark 16. 17 18. There were several reasons which moved Christ to add this promise For 1. as the death of Christ did trouble them much so did his departure he must go and leave them behind him he was their dearest Lord whom they loved he was their joy their solace their guide and their protector and to part with him went near their hearts All this Christ understood and therefore to comfort and revive their sinking spirit that so though he withdraw his bodily presence yet they may be encouraged to go on with the work he adds this promise because he would be present with them in another and more effectual way 2. The work was very difficult and seemed to be far above their power and they should be encountred with many fearful enemies from whom they should suffer very much the devil and the world would oppose them with all their strength lest therefore they should be terrified dejected and depsair he lets them know he will be with them not only to strengthen and assist them but to preserve them in the midst of greatest danger and deliver them out of all their troubles 3. They might doubt of the success of their labours and fear lest their doctrine seeming to be new and contrary to the received opinions both of Jew and Gentile would not be received he therefore promiseth so to be with them as that he would confirm it outwardly by glorious miracles and make it effectual by the Holy Ghost to the end Sect. 2. In the words which are Loe I am with you always unto the end of the world we may consider 1. The person to whom this promise is made 2. The person promising 3. The thing promised 1. The persons to whom this promise is made are first the Apostles for to whom the commission is granted to them the promise is made and these are easily known to be all such as Christ intended to trust with the dispensation of Word and Sacraments These were of two sorts 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary The extraordinary are the Apostles to whom the promise was made immediately and principally for their place was high and extraordinary their power great and of large extent their work very difficult their sufferings greivous their enemies many potent cruel these must lay the foundation and plant the Christian Church in all Nations confirm the doctrine of the Gospel preached by them with many signs wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost they must be infallible in word and writing and leave their doctrine upon record to be a rule of doctrine faith and life unto the worlds end yet these must die and when they had finished rhe great work leave the world and the Church which they had planted must continue and must have her pastours and teachers who must dispence both Word and Sacraments in the generations following till time shall be no more Therefore the promise must be understood as made to all their lawful successors in the Ministry till the number of Gods Saints be made up for what can those do except Christ in their successive generations be with them how should they go through with the great work without him His presence thefore was necessary unto them also without this promise both made and performed unto them their Ministry cannot be successful and effectual for the conversion edification and salvation of the Church yet here we must observe that though Christ promise his extraordinary presence to the Apostles yet his ordinary presence will be sufficient for their successours Sect. 3. The person who made this promise was Christ otherwise the promise of Man or Angel had been to no purpose he that had all power in heaven and earth and had given the four fold mandate
did give the promise and he was only fit to do it for there can be no doubt either of his fidelity or power as he was able so he was resolved to make good what he had said and his word was his deed and will be so unto the end He and he alone could procure the Spirit and send him down from heaven the Angels were at his command all creatures at his beck and as he had begun so he was resolved to finish the work of mans salvation This his purpose he might have concealed or reserved to himself a liberty yet he was willing to promise and by a promise not only to signifie his mind that they might know it to their comfort but also to bind himself unto them And now he cannot go back This promise is a ground of unspeakable comfort and encouragement to all faithful Ministers and doth assure us the Church shall continue to this worlds end Sect. 4. The third thing to be considered is the thing promised and that is Christs certain presence with them to the worlds end where we have 1. His presence 2. The continuance 3. The certainty of it 1. His presence is signified in these words I am with you which implies that he will not be against them nor will he be absent from them for there are enemies who are against us and there are friends which are absent and far from us but Christ will not be an enemy or a Friend at distance 2. It 's Christ that will be present I will be with you and that 's more then if all men and Angels should be for us and ever present with us 3. This presence is not bodily for Christ was justly after this promise taken up into Heaven bodily and the Heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things 4. It s a spiritual presence and the same far more excellent than that of his body for though a body may at several Times be present in many places yet it cannot be present in more places than one at one time but Christ by his Spirit might be with them in all places at all times for he promised before his death and passion to send the Comforter which should comfort their hearts in his absence teach them and lead them into all truth and upon Penticost he sent down his Spirit upon the Apostles which hath continued and will continue in the Church for ever 5. This is not a bare or meer presence for so this Spirit is present in all places at all times neither is it a presence with some general power for so he is with all things to preserve them But it s a special presence with a special active power for spiritual ends to produce spiritual and supernatural effects It is a presence not only to comfort strengthen assist and deliver them but also a powerful presence to make their Ministrry effectual for the eternal Salvation of mens Souls This Holy Ghost discended and rested upon Christ when he was ready to preach the Gospel and execute publickly his Offices When he first sent these Apostles he gave them the gifts of this Spirit After his Resurrection he breathed on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost commanded them to stay at Jerusalem and wait for this Spirit upon the day of Penâ—ecost as before this Spirit came upon them By this Spirit all the Members of the Church are sanctified the Ministers qualified the Word and Sacraments made effectual and sentence of the Church so valid and of such mighty force Take away this spirit you take away the life and soul of the Church the power of the Ministry the efficacy of Word and Sacraments and without it all the Preaching Praying and other works of the Ministry will not be able to convert or comfort one Soul It s said I will be with you that is with you mine Apostles and your Successors in the Ministry to assist and bless and guide you in the discharge of your trust and execution of your office Dispense you the Word and Sacraments by the faithful observance of my mandate endeavour to save poor Souls and in that work I am with you no ways else so that such as are most faithful and diligent are most certain of his gracious presence Here is no promise made unto any particular Church or Ministers more than to others here is no express mention or intimation of the Bishop or Church of Rome or Jerusalem or Antioch or Constantinople The promise is made to the Church in general and their Ministers especially to such as are most faithful in their place and office Sect. 5. This is the presence the continuance of this presence is the second thing observed and is expressed in two words 1. Always or every day 2. To the worlds end 1. Always signifies that there shall be no intermission or interruption of Christs presence and assistance He will not absent himself or neglect them or desert them for a day so that they shall never have any cause to complain or say where is my Saviour now whether is he gon why hath he forsaken me There may be sad and woful times wherein Christ may seem to hide his face and to have forgotten them for a certain time yet even then Christ is with them and his faithful Ministers though he doth not appear and instantly manifest himself He must be with them always or else he breaks his promise and that he will never do Let us therefore do our duty always and Christ will be always with us 2. He will be with us to the worlds end this may be a longer this may be a shorter time Some understand the last period and end of that present generation the destruction of Jerusalem and the death of the Apostles and the reason of this opinion may be because some take the promise to be personal and to be made only to the Apostles for their lives yet this is rather a conceit than any solid well grounded truth especially seeing the end of the world in other places signifies either a far longer time than the life of a mortal man on earth unto the consummation of the creatures and to all eternity So the person or the time of the final judgment when the world shall be no more but Christ shall raise the dead deliver up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all for when the number of Gods Saints is finished there will be no need of Word or Sacraments or Ministers and then this promise is performed to the full But whilst these continue as they shall continue to the end Christ is bound and will certainly be with them that he may make his redemption effectual by them in the 〈…〉 sion and salvation of poor sinners 〈…〉 3. The certainty of this perp 〈…〉 seems to be implyed in the note of attention Loe and in the verb of the present tense for Christ doth not say I will be but I am with you for nothing is more certain than that which is present Besides some Copies have Amen added which is a strong confirmation of the promise But this certainly doth chiefly depend upon the power and fidelity of Christ who hath made the promise and hath kept it in all times unto this day And the particle Loe doth require as their so our special attention and serious consideration both of the person promising and the thing promised that they might be fully assured of performance to the utmost By vertue of this promise it is come to pass that in the midst of the tumults and confusions of the world and af ter the ruine of so many glorious kingdoms of so many potent Empires and of so many flourishing Churches of particular Nations yet an universal Church with Word Sacraments and Ministry do continue to this day and the gates of Hell could never yet prevail against it so that we may take up the Words of the Psalmist Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth the Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death Amen FINIS