appeared to him would teach him another lesson and effectually teach it him viz. to deny ungodlinesse and worldy lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Every of us put our selves upon the triall and passe sentence according to evidence Vse By way of Exhortation Evidence our ingrafting into Christ by our fruitfulnesse in the second place As many of us as perswade our selves of an interest in this priviledge that we are thus planted together with Christ see that we evidence it to our own souls and to the world by bringing forth fruits worthy of such a Stock So the Apostle presseth it upon his Colossians Col. 1.10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of the Lord that is so as becometh those who have so near a relation to Jesus Christ those who have union and communion with him All of us who lay claim to this Priviledge this Dignity let us so walk And how shall we do it why Being fruitfull in every good work So it followeth 1. Being fruitfull in good works which 1. Being fruitfull in good works 1. This is the end of this mysticall Insition viz. Fructification Wherefore doth the Planter put Grafts into a Stock 1. Is God's end in our Ingrafting but for Fructification Multiplication Melioration that they may bring forth fruit and much fruit and good fruit This is God's end in engrafting men into this noble Stock the Lord Jesus that they might bring forth such fruit in him Ye are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works 2. This he expects and will require Ephes 2.10 2. This being God's end he expects it and will require it The Husbandman having planted his Vine in a fruitfull hill he looked that it should bring forth grapes Isai 5.2 And the Owner in the Gospell having let out his vineyard he sends his servants to demand the fruits thereof Luke 20.10 When our Saviour came to the fig-tree he came looking for fruit Mat. 21.19 And John the Baptist preaching to the Pharisees and Sadduces he cals upon them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 3. To this end it is that God exerciseth such long-suffering and patience towards the sons of men 3. To this end he exerciseth patience that they might have time to bring forth fruit The Husbandman Luke 13.6 came year after year 4. Barren trees shall be cut down three years succesively to his fig-tree still waiting for fruit 4. Which not finding he ordereth it to be cut down Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground ver 7. Barren Christians are but a cumber to the grond that bears them a burden to the earth they tread upon And still remaining unfruitfull and that under the means of fruitfulnesse they have just cause to look for the Axe Now is the axe laid to the root of the trees Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down Mat. 3.10 Every branch in me which beareth not fruit my Father taketh away John 15.2 5. Whereas fruit-bearing Grafts 5. Fruit-bearing Grafts shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull being an honour both to the Planter and the Stock they shall be pruned they shall be manured they shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull So shall it be with fruit-bearing Christians They being an honour to their God Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit John 15.8 And an honour unto Christ their Head their Root their Stock they shall want nothing to make them more fruitfull Every branch that beareth fruit my Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit John 15.2 And 6. Having their fruit unto holinesse here 6. They shall have their fruit unto happiness they shall have their fruit unto happinesse hereafter Now being mde free from sin and become servants unto God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 Let these motive be to us effectuall perswasions to take out this lesson Be we fruitfull in good works 2. And secondly In every good work 2. In every good work Other Trees bare but one kind of fruit these Trees of Righteousnesse must bear many That Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God spoken of Revel 22.1 2. is said to bear twelve manner of fruits Such should these Trees of Righteousnesse be fruitfull in all kinds of good works not only in works of Piety towards God but also of Charity and Mercy towards men The Exhortation pressed upon young and old Be fruitfull And this let me in the Name of God presse upon every soul here present both young and old Let not the one say it is too soon The time of fruit is not yet It is noted in the Gospel by Saint Mark and it is worth our noting that when Christ came to the fig-tree it is said The time of figs was not yet yet he cursed it because it had deceived him with a flourishing show making shew of bearing fruit sooner then ordinary but yet was barren Christians none of us know how soon Christ may come unto us in the way of generall or particular Judgment looking for fruit Let none therefore say The time of fruit is not yet nor let any say It is past The Trees of God's planting Trees of Righteousnesse are never superannated never past bearing so long as they stand They that are planted in the House of the Lord c they shall bring forth fruit in their age Psal 92.12 13 Be we fruitfull then and at all times fruitfull Like that Tree in the Revelation which brings forth fruit every moneth Or like the Lemmon and some other trees of like nature which bear fruit all the year long 1. Now that we may do so Direction 1. Make sure our Insition into Christ Let our first work be let me presse that again which can never be pressed too much to make sure our Insition that we are engrafted into Christ united to him by faith Till this be done it is but a preposterous course to think of doing any other good work So much our Saviour insinuateth in that answer which he returned to some of the Jews John 6.28 29. when they demanded of him What shall we do that we might work the works of God Why saith he This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent This is that first work and the great work without which it is in vain to go about any other work In as much as Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 The Graft may as soon bear fruit out of the Stock as the Christian out of Christ Ye are created in Christ Jesus unto good works saith the Apostle Ephes 2.10 A Virgine must be married before she can bring forth children to the joy of her Parents So must Christians be
this way gloriously manifested 1. In that God was pleased thus to dispence with his own Law In dispencing with his Law The Law was peremptory The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.17 under that one particular menacing every transgression with death Now with this Law God being the supream Law-giver and so having power to dispence with his own positive and penall Lawes he dispenceth being content to accept that satisfaction which the Law required from the person of another This dispensation was an act of grace free grace God was no waies bound to admit of such a satisfaction by a Surety which the rigour of the Law exacted from the person of the offender 2. That God was pleased to indulge such a dispensation unto Men not to Angels For men not Angels God spared not the Angels which fell saith Saint Peter but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto Judgment 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. Here is no relaxation but a strict execution of Justice upon them Not the like upon man To him God grants a dispensation a gracious dispensation moderating Justice with Mercy admitting such a Satisfaction for him not for the Angels 3. That God did not only admit this way of Satisfaction but himselfe finde it out In finding out this way This was his Act an act of his Wisdome God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 When men and Angels were at a losse neither of them could find out a way of satisfaction unto the Justice of God but by an eternity of punishment now God himself findeth out a way This was an act of Grace of speciall and singular Grace there being nothing else that could move God to it but his Grace Yet further 4. That God should put his own Son upon this Work 4. In putting his Son upon the work His Son his Naturall Son his own Image his onely Son his dear and welbeloved Son his second selfe that he should give him here was grace here was love unparalell'd love So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3.16 So how So as cannot be either paralell'd or expressed That he should give him and that not only to declare the way and means of Reconciliation by his Doctrine in his Life and to confirm it with his Blood in his Death which is the highest pitch that the Socinian reacheth but also to make Reconciliation as the Authour to the Hebrews hath it cap. 2. ver 17. And that by making satisfaction unto the Justice of God by giving his life a Ransome for us Surely never such an act of Grace as this Herein God commendeth his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us saith Saint Paul Rom. 5.8 Herein is love saith Saint John not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 4.10 This act of God in giving Christ unto death for us how ever it was an act of Justice towards Christ yet it was an act of Grace towards us So the Apostle expresly holdeth it forth Heb. 2.9 That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man the grace of God towards the universality of his Elect for whose sake Christ was offered Henceforth then let the mouth of the Adversary be for ever stopped Christ's Satisfaction exalteth God's Grace Let not Socinians charge this upon us as they do that whilest we assert the Satisfaction of Christ we derogate and detract from the Grace of God Nay therein we advance and exalt it and that far above what ever they by their doctrine do or can do To give Christ to be a Surety for us is a greater act of grace then to give him to be a Teacher to us To give him to die for us in our room and stead is greater grace then to give him onely for a Guid to direct and lead us by his Doctrine and Example Yet further 5. In the fifth place Behold the Grace of God further exercised in the Application of this Satisfaction 5. In the free Application of this Satisfaction to some not others Where is it that God applyeth the death of Christ maketh it effectuall to one and not to another Surely this is no other but an act of Grace free Grace Let it then go for a most unjust and groundlesse imputation that Christ's Satisfaction cannot stand with the grace of God when as the one shineth forth so clearly so gloriously in the other Justification an act of grace notwithstanding this Satisfaction Alleg. But yet it will be said If such a Satisfaction hath been made and received how can Justification then be said to be an act of Grace free-grace So we find it held forth in Scripture Isai 43.25 I even I am he saith the Lord that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake Being justified freely by his grace saith the Apostle Rom. 3.24 Now how can this be if such a Satisfaction be made Ans To this it is answered Still both these will stand well together God blotteth out our sins for his own sake and yet for Christ's sake The phrase excludes our merits not his merits No it is with his Blood that these sins are blotted out 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Again well may God be said to forgive sins for his own sake whilest he forgives them for his Son's sake in as much as Father and Son are both one One as in essence so in will and worke only differing in order of working Thus are they one in this act of Justification And thence is it that forgivenesse of sins is attributed sometimes to Christ Col. 3.13 Even as Christ forgave you And thus may we be said to be justified freely by Grace and yet through the merits of Christ So much we may learn from the Apostle in that place alledged Rom. 3.34 where he putteth them both together Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus The like again Ephes 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his Grace And well may these stand together as being causes subordinate the one to the other God's grace the supreme and first moving cause Christ's Redemption the meritorious and procuring cause Thus are we said to be justified not onely by Grace but freely by Grace viz. in reference to us our merits not so to the merits of Jesus Christ Alleg. But it may be further said How Forgivenesse of sin standeth with this Satisfaction Supposing such a Satisfaction how then can sins be said to be forgiven That is the word in frequent use in Scripture In the Lords Prayer we pray Forgive us our Debts And so we finde Justification frequently called the forgivenesse of sins one part of it being by a Synecdoche put
was under Pharaoh giving out provisions unto the people according to his discretion So is the Lord Jesus under God his Father He provideth for the Bodies of his people For their Souls And as for their Bodies so also and specially for their Souls Thence is he called the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls 1 Pet. 2. last Them he nourisheth Even as men nourish their natural Bodies so doth Christ his mysticall Body No man ever yet hated his own flesh saith the Apostle Ephes 5.29 i. e. No man in his right wits will wrong or starve his own body but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church The Lord Christ nourisheth his Church This he doth by his Word and Spirit the one being a vehiculum a conduit-pipe to the other so conveying spirituall nourishment to all the members of this Body So much we may learn from the Apostle Col. 2.19 where speaking of this Head he tels us that from hence All the Body by joynts and Bands having nourishments ministred c increaseth with the increase of God Thus is it in the naturall Body The Head being the fountain of the animall spirits it giveth sense and motion and nutrition to all the members And thus doth Jesus Christ this mysticall Head He maketh a supply to all the members of his mysticall Body of what ever is requisite for their spirituall nourishment and growth To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are two things requisite Meat and Drink And both these Christ affordeth to the soul Of the former you may read John 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you meaning his word or himselfe his own flesh as he expounds it ver 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh The other you have John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink And again John 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst meaning thereby his Spirit the Spirit of Grace which is like a living Spring in the soul refreshing and comforting it Both together you have John 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed So they are The flesh and blood of Christ being eaten and drunk by faith applying the merit of his death and passion unto the soul now they afford as true and perfect nourishment unto the soul as any meat and drink do to the body thus doth Jesus Christ nourish his people Even as Joseph is said to have nourished his Brethren and all his Fathers Houshold Gen. 47.12 So doth this our Mediator the Lord Jesus nourish his people feeding them To which I might add As he feedeth so also he cloatheth them He cloatheth them and this he doth with a double garment The one of Imputed the other of Inherent Righteousnesse This is the fine-linnen spoken of Rev. 19.8 wherewith the Bride the Lamb's wife is said to be arrayed The fine-linnen is the Righteousnesse of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall the Justifications the Righteousnesses Such is the Righteousnesse of Saints a double Righteousnesse Besides the Righteousnesse of Christ put upon them by a gracious Imputation they have also an Inherent Righteousnesse consisting in holinesse of heart and life inward Graces and outward good Works which as Beza notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justificationes i. e. bona illa opera qua sunt vinae fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Gr. Annot. ad Apocal. 19.8 may not unfitly be called Justifications in as much as they justifie a mans faith and the truth of grace in him This is the Government in which that Royal Spouse is said to be brought to her Husband Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of needle-work A contexture of variety of graces and good works meeting together And this is a Garment not of the Spouses own making but is bestowed upon her by her Bridegroom To her was granted that she should be arrayed c. Rev. 19.8 And so is it to all true believers whom Jesus Christ both feedeth and clotheth But I hasten Fifthly Thus providing for them now he also disposeth of them 5. He disposeth of them Thus did Joseph dispose of his Brethren Gen. 47.11 Thus doth our Joseph the Lord Jesus dispose of all his people and that both in respect of their stations and services where he will have them to be and what he will have them to do or to suffer Thus did he dispose of his servant Paul as you may see Acts 9. Having first dismounted humbled him and so fitted and prepared him for his service brought him to his Lure insomuch that he calleth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do ver 6. Now he orders him to go to Damascus and there to repair to Ananias to receive his instructions from him to whom he had imparted his mind concerning him as you find it ver 15. Go thy way saith the Lord to Ananias for he is a chosen vessels unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel this was Paul to do And for his suffering work that followeth I will show him what great things he must suffer for my names sake ver 16. Thus did Jesus Christ dispose of him and thus did he then dispose of all his Disciples sending them which way he pleased Matth. 10.16 17. And thus doth he still dispose of all others under his Government Calling some to one office to one service others to another He gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. Ephes 4.11 Some or these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only appointing the offices but designing the persons Stil he doth the same though not in so immediate a way He putteth one upon doing this another upon suffering that He disposeth of the persons of his subjects 6. And lastly disposing of them he Dispenceth to them 6. He dispenceth to them distributeth among them And this he doth both Gifts and Honours and Rewards All this doth a Vice-Roy at his pleasure dispence to those under his government And all these doth Jesus Christ dispence unto his people 1. Gifts 1. Gifts All kind of Gifts whether of Nature Of Nature or Grace Christ is the dispencer of both Of the former speaketh Saint John as he is commonly understood cap. 1. ver 9. That was the true light saith he speaking of Christ that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz. with a Naturall light the light of Reason and Vnderstanding which as it was at first infused into the mind of man by him by whom all things are made ver 3. so some sparkes thereof are still preserved and continued by the same Mediator by vertue of the generall mediation of Christ But to let them passe Gifts of Grace are all of his dispencing To every one of us is
terrible to nature much more the second But this grace of God in Christ in this Mediatour may support the soul against both This was Job's consolation Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth or as some others read it shall stand the last upon the ground like a Triumphant Conquerour which having vanquished all his enemies put them either to the sword or to flight keeps the field standeth his ground Thus shall the Lord Jesus at the last day having vanquished all his enemies put them all under his feet even the last enemy amongst the rest Death as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 15.25 26. then shall he stand upon the earth And what followeth Then though after my skin worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God Such was Job's hope and confidence in this his Mediatour his Redeemer that however death might for a time bring and keep him under the power of it not only consuming his skin but his flesh yet he should be raised again by his power and vertue at the last day and made partakers of a blessed and glorious Resurrection so that he should both in soul and body enjoy that beatificall vision the presence of his God for evermore This benefit shall all those have by this their Mediatour who are given to him He will be to them the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11 25. Resurrection to their Bodies and Life eternall Life both to Souls and Bodies So it there followeth He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die No living the life of grace here he shall live the life of glory hereafter Over such a one though the first death for a time may yet the second death shall never have any power This benefit shall all believers have by and through this their Mediatour to whom God the Father hath committed this dispensation that he should bestow eternall life upon them Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Joh. 17.2 6. Comfort against the last Judgement Sixthly and lastly Here is comfort against the terrors of that last and dreadful Judgment Such shall that day be when all men shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of what they have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil a dreadful Tribunall So the Apostle looked upon it 2 Cor. 5.10 where speaking of it he infers Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord c meaning the terrour of that day the last and universall Judgment which shal be a day full of terrours to all wicked ungodly men all misbelievers such as have rejected the yoak Government of Jesus Christ would not stand to the Covenant which he had made would not have Christ to reign over them Then shall the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Then shall they bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle thunders it out 2 Thessalonians 1.7 8 9. To them shall that day be a terrible day when they shall looke upon him whom they would not owne as their Mediatour and behold him sitting as a Judge to passe sentence upon them But so shall it not be to Beleevers those who have an interest in this blessed Mediatour let them know that his second appearing shall be to their salvation They being reconciled unto God by him here shall be saved by him there He will not undoe what he hath done Having satisfied for their sins and absolved them in the Court of their own consciences here he will then declare that satisfaction and publish that Absolution before the whole world Then shall they reape the full crop of those Benefits by this their Mediatour whereof they have here received only the first fruits Then shall the Lord Jesus perform the last Act of his Mediatorship on their behalf bringing them into the presence of God his Father presenting them faultlesse before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy as the Apostle hath it Jude 24. These are some of those streames of Consolation which flow from this spiritual Rock this our blessed Mediatour The third and last head of Application is yet behind which is Vse 3 Exhortation Let not this grace of God be in vain A word of Exhortation Take it briefly Let not this Grace of God bee in vain to any of us This is Pauls obtestation to his Corinthians 2. Cor. 1.6 We then as workers together with Christ beseech you also that ye receive not this Grace of God in vain What Grace Why the grace of the Gospel The grace of God in Jesus Christ in giving him to be a Mediatour Of this grace he had spoken in the close of the chapter foregoing God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himselfe verse 19. This he there holdeth forth as the summe and substance of all his preaching He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation And concerning this grace he beseecheth them that they should not receive it in vain And let me in the name of God presse the same upon every soul that heareth me this day You have heard of the grace of God manifested unto Mankind in giving his Son to be a Mediatour betwixt him and them O let not this Grace of God be in vain to any of you So it is and so it shall be to many This grace of God is in vain to them So it is to 1 Ignorant persons 1. So it is in the first place to Ignorant persons Such as live under the sound of the Gospel where they hear the name of a Mediatour rung in their ears but yet they regard not to know him to have any acquaintance with him to know who he was what he was what he hath done how and in what way he hath discharged this office of his Mediatorship 2. And secondly all persons openly profane Such as cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ 1. Profane persons such as refuse to come into the Bond of the Covenant refuse to stand to the Covenant which Jesus Christ as Mediatour hath drawn up betwixt God and man which on man's part requireth faith and obedience Evangelicall Obedience for the conditions of it This they reject saying in their hearts with those rebellious ones in the Psalm Psal 2.3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us As for such better they had never heard of the name of a Mediatour yea better for them there never had been a Mediatour This is and will be no small aggravation of their guilt that they should thus trample the Blood
men which being God's peculiar as Scripture appropriats it Thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men 1 King 8.39 I the Lord search the heart Jer. 17.10 cannot be communicated to any creature in earth or heaven Upon this account we receive this Doctrine of the Chruch of Rome which directs us to other Mediatours besides this one the Lord Jesus which they do even as those Hereticks in the Apostles time did under a shew of humility It is too high presumption say they to come unto Christ immediately without the intervention of some other intermediate Mediatours Not so say we seeing Christ inviteth nay commandeth us to come unto himself upon all occasions Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 So again Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me not go to the streams and rivulets but to the fountain Now to hearken to this Invitation and to obey this command can be no presumption nay not to do it out of what principle soever it be wil be found not a little derogatory unto Christ and this office of his as if he were not a compleat and sufficient Mediatour or as if there were not by this new and living way a free accesse unto him and unto God by him Vse 2. Instruction Know we no other Mediatours Not of Redemption Vide Chamier Panstrat de Mediatore lib. 8. cap. 1. sec 6. Away then with all these dreams and fancies As for us to close up all with a word of Instruction or Exhortation Know we this Mediatour and no other but him no other Mediatour of Redemption This also Papists may be charged to do whilest they cry up the merits of Saints daring to present them unto God begging remission of sins grace and mercy for by and through them What is this but to make them Mediatours of Redemption as sharing with Christ in the work of Satisfaction For us take we up the resolution of that dying Cardinall Bellarmine I mean who not daring to dye in that faith wherein he had lived and for which he had so eagerly contended professed to repose his confidence Totam in solâ wholly and alonely in the mercy of God and merits of Jesus Christ As for our own merits or the merits of any other renounce them disclaime them trample upon them Knowing who it is whom God hath designed and appointed to be our Mediatour even the Man Christ Jesus know we none but him To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 And to him let every of us give a reall Testimony by receiving him and resting upon him as our alone Saviour and Redeemer that so through the All-sufficiency of his merit applied unto us by and through faith we may obtain Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God This is an honour which is peculiar unto Jesus Christ let not us go about to rob him of it by making others sharers and partakers with him in it Know we no other Mediatour of Redemption Nor yet of Intercession Nor yet of Intercession As for Saints and Angels let Papists cry up them and cry unto them For us let us in this case say of them as the Heathen once did of his Petigods Contemno minutos istos Deos modò Jovem propitium habeam So long as he had his Jupiter to friend as for them he regarded them not Thus so long as we may have our Jesus propitious to us let others make use of Saints and Angels that will Let us ever have recourse to him and to God by him As for other Mediatours we may cry unto them and they not hear as it was with that man in the Gospel who came at midnight to his neighbours house to borrow bread for the entertaining of his unexpected guest it is Augustines observation August de temp and it is a witty one he found the whole Family asleep Nullus de janitoribus respondet None of the Porters none of the Servants none of the Children make him any answer Onely the Master of the house he heareth he openeth and gave him that which he came for Thus men may knock long enough at the gates of heaven before they receive any answer whether from Angels or Saints Gods Servants or Children Onely the Lord Jesus the Master of the family he neither slumbers nor sleepes And therefore to him direct we our prayers Ever making use of the Mediation of this our Mediator Coming unto him and to God by him In both making use of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy confidence and boldnesse which he hath purchased for us by his blood So coming now shal our persons prayers prayses all other our Services find a gracious acceptance with God his Father and our Father To whom with Son and Holy Ghost be Praise Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS Mystical Implantation OR The great Gospel Mystery of the Christian's UNION and COMMUNION with and CONFORMITY TO JESUS CHRIST Both In His DEATH And RESURRECTION Opened and Applyed As it was lately delivered to the Church of God at great Yarmouth By JOHN BRINSLEY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Incorporation 1 COR. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified PHIL. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his Resurrection c. LONDON Printed by T. Maxey for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1652. To all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Specially THOSE in the Town of Great YARMOUTH GRACE and PEACE Much esteemed in the Lord I Have heretofore put into Your Hands some few and small Treatises the leaves whereof were of like use with those of the Tree of Life in the midst of the New Jerusalem Revel 22.2 serving to heale the Nations to cure some of those spirituall Distempers which in these times of common contagion have broke in upon the Body of this Church in many parts of it both infecting and indangering of it Here I present you with a taste of some of the Fruits of the same Tree some of the Benefits issuing to the Beleever from Jesus Christ A Subject which my own soul hath fed upon not without inward Complacencie and contentment My hopes are you shall finde the like in the perusall of this Tractate which is now made publick as for the furtherance of the work of Grace in you so to let the World know that in the course of my Ministry I have not made Controversie my Work Onely I have now and then dealt with it as the Physician doth with his Medicines and God with his Tryals which they make use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.6 when and where need is Well had it been for the Church of God in this Nation had there never been occasion for me or any other to have
This it is which our Saviour meaneth in Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst So again Joh. 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shal never thirst that is he shal find a full satisfaction in me as that he shal not hunger and thirst after other things as somtimes he did his soul shal not run out inordinately after creature-comforts to seek for happinesse and contentment in them Thus doth the life of this new-creature carry with it in measure a conformity to the life of Jesus Christ after his Resurrection being as his was a spirituall life 2. An immortall life 2. And secondly an immortall life Thus was Christ raised never to die again And so is the Christian raised So the Apostle himselfe maketh out this Resemblance ver 9 10 11 12. of this Chapter Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him c Likewise reckon ye your selves also dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall bodies c. Christ being raised from the grave he returns no more to his old lodging to his former state He never came under the power and dominion of death again Even so the Believer being once raised up from the grave of sin he dieth no more Expresse to this purpose is that of our Saviour John 11.25 26. He that believeth on me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die This are we to understand not only of the second Resurrection as Arminians would have it who that they might decline the evidence of this Text make use of that subterfuge but also and most properly of the first Resurrection the raising up of the soul to a spirituall life Of such a life speaketh our Saviour in Joh. 5.25 The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they which hear it shall live Understand it not only of a corporall Resurrection as Grotius would have it in which sense yet it is true which is there said but of a spiritual Resurrection The Dead such as are spiritually dead dead in sin They shall hear the voice of the Son of God They shall hear Christ speaking to them in the Ministery of his word And they which hear this word hear it with faith They shall live live a spirituall life the life of grace here and glory hereafter And in a like sense are we to understand this passage in this 11th Chapter wherein our Saviour as Diodate observeth upon it according to his usuall custome taketh occasion from the corporall Resurrection before spoken of to instruct Martha in the doctrine of the spirituall Resurrection And speaking of this Resurrection he saith He that believeth on me though he were dead dead in trespasses and sins yet shall he live live a spirituall life And whosoever so liveth and believeth on me shall never die never die a spirituall death again never come under the power and dominion of sin again never totally fall from the grace which he hath received That incorruptible seed by which he is regenerated shal abide in him that Spirit of grace which he hath received shall maintain this spirituall life in him True indeed the body is still subject unto death but not so the soul If Christ be in you saith the Apostle the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 that is as Diodate and Beza and others expound it the body is yet subject to corporall death through the remainders of sin that are in all regenerate persons but The spirit is life even that little spark of the Spirit o grace that is still life unto the soul here and shall be both to soul and body hereafter through the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto them Their bodies they are daily decaying daily dying as Paul saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15.31 but not so their souls Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 And as for the second death that shall have no power over them Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection on such the second death shal have no power Rev. 20.6 The second death is eternall death so expounded chap. 2. ver 8. And from this death are they freed who have their part in this first Resurrection The Believer an immortall creature O the blessed condition of a Believer The very day that he is raised up from the death of sin to the life of grace he is made an immortall creature That grace of God which bringeth this life bringeth immortality with it as the Apostle puts them together 2 Tim. 2.10 The believer dieth no more As for the death of nature it is not worth the name of death to him being only an entrance and passage into life and the poison and bitternesse of it being taken away As for those true and terrible deaths spirituall death the death of the soule eternall death the death both of soul and body these the believer is no more subject to Or though subject to them as in himself he is yet he shall be so kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation as he shall never actually come under the power of them He that will make a believer being once risen with Christ raised from the grave of sin subject to die again subject to fall away from the grace of God totally and finally and so to be brought under the power of the second death may as well make Christ subject to death after his Resurrection Christ being risen from the dead he dieth no more All the men and divels in the world could not drag him to the grave again being once risen from it The soul that is once risen with Christ quickned by his Spirit it is not all the power of hell that can bring it to the grave of sin again that can bring it under the power of a spirituall and eternall death Herein the Christian 's first Resurrection his soul-Resurrection answers the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ He is raised as Christ was in the generall to a new life in the particular to a spirituall to an immortall life Generall 2. The believer raised to the glory of God his Father And thus also is he raised as Christ was To the Glory of God the Fahter There is the second Generall Thus was Christ raised To the Glory of his Father and that both actively and passively Actively to the glorifying of him Thus was Christ raised 1. Actively to glorifie him Passively to be glorified with him 1. To glorifie him Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee So our Saviour begins his prayer John 17.1 This Jesus
and were made partakers of the holy Ghost the common gifts and graces of the Spirit and have tasted the good word of God have found some relish in the sweet and saving promises of the Gospel and the powers of the world to come have had some ravishing apprehensions of the joyes and glory of heaven yet they fall away by a total apostacie returning to their former condition being brought wholly under the power of sin again so you have it Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Now in the fear of God take heed this prove not your condition The conditions of Apostates most desperate Which if it do mark what follows Your later end will be worse then your beginning and it would have been better for you never to have known the way of righteousnesse them having known it to turn from the holy Commandement so you shall finde it 2 Pet. 2.20 This will put you into a desperate state under an impossibilitie in an ordinary way of ever being renewed again unto repentance so you have it Heb. 6.4 6. If yee shall thus sin wilfully after that ye have received the knowledg of the truth there remaineth for you no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and firy indignation so you may read it Hebr. 10.26 27. Trees which are twice dead what can they look for but to be plucked up by the roots cut off from all union and communion with Jesus Christ Jude 12. So desperate is the condition of wilful Apostates such as having been in measure wrought upon by the grace and spirit of Christ illuminating convincing and in measure changing and reforming though not regenerating them If they shall willingly and wilfully return to their former state it puts them into a most dangerous and desperate condition Being raised come not nigh the Brink of the grave again And therefore Is it so that God hath begun this work this change in any of you Take heed of looking back Come not nigh the verge the brink of the grave again do not henceforth give way to any one sinne so as to live in it to continue in it This the Apostle here in the former part of this chapter presseth upon these his Romans How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein ver 2. Beleevers are dead to sin nay risen from sin how shall they live or ly in it we would account it a madnesse in a man that is raised from the grave to return thither again and to make his abode there It is no lesse for Christians that are risen from the grave of sin to returne to it to live and continue in it In this imitate your heavenly pattern who being raised from the dead dyed no more 2. Being raised from the dead evidence Exhort 2 your Resurrection Evidence this Resurrections by the action of a spirituall life So did your Saviour Being raised from the grave he evidenced the truth of his Corporall Resurrection shewing himself alive after his Passion by many infallible proofs as the Evangelist hath it Act. 1.3 specially by doing the actions of a naturall life speaking to his Disciples and eating with them Thus do you evidence the truth of your spirituall Resurrection Evidence it both to your selves and others and that by doing the Actions of a spirituall life approving your selves unto God and man in all duties of Piety charity Being delivered out of the hands of these your enemies Sin Satan Hell Death now serve God in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of your life Thus yeeld up your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of Righteousnesse unto God as the Apostle presseth ver 13. of this Chapter Thus being now brought into a new state walk answerable to it and that by living a new life so did our blessed Saviour after his Resurrection as I have shewed you Hee lived after another manner then before he did Do you the like Hic dies aliam vitam adfert alios mores postulat This new state calls for a new life and conversation Herein lieth the principall part of a Christians conformitie to Christ in his Resurrection That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so he also should walk in newnesse of life so you have it in the words before the Text. And therefore As concerning your former conversation put off the old man and put on the new so you have the Exhortation Ephes 4.22 24. You were sometimes darkness you were so during your abode in the grave of sin but now being risen yee are light in the Lord walk therefore as children of light so it follows Ephes 5.8 In times past ye walked according to the course of this world c. so the Apostle describeth your former state Eph. 2.3 but now being brought into a new state henceforth be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed c. so the same Apostle presseth it Rom. 12.2 Be ye metamorphosed so living now as becometh men of another world So did your Saviour after his Resurrection as I shewed you and so do you As for the comforts of this present world use them but not abusing them so use them as not using them Seeking after spirituall things spirituall Meates and Drinks spiritual riches spiritual pleasures and delights These are sutable to your new state If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above Col. 3.1 Hereby evidence that you have your part in this first resurrection by walking answerably to this new condition With all living to the Glory of God So did your Saviour as I have showen you in opening of the former verse he was raised from the dead as by so to the Glory of God his Father that he might glorifie him Herein be you conforme to your pattern Being raised from the dead by the glory of God now be you to his glory making this the end of your life to glorifie God Glorifie him both with your spirits and with your Bodies both which are his by more then a single right 3. Are you thus risen then waite for the Exhort 3 day of your change the day of your Translation Wait for the day of Translation So did your blessed Saviour after his Resurrection he made his abode here upon earth for forty dayes waiting for his Ascension Do you the like who are made partakers of this first Resurrection The day of your Translation is not farr off Forty dayes At most a few yeares In the meane time waite for it So do all they who have received the first fruits of the Spirit They wait for the Adoption viz. the Redemption of their Bodies Romans 8.23 There is a twofold Adoption and a twofold Redemption Duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A twofold Adoption the former inchoate which gives a Jus ad rem a right unto the Inheritance The
of the duties of Piety towards God Justice Charity Mercy towards men Tit. 2.12 Not unfitly called Fruits being in walking righteously soberly godly These are Gospel-fruits and not unfitly so called Fruits being 1. Delectable So are fruits unto man delectable to the eye to the palate 1. Delectable Gen. 3.6 And so are good works unto God Fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse brought forth by a Tree of righteousnesse good works performed by a justified person they are gratefull they are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 With such sacrifice God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 And 2. Profitable So are good fruits 2. Profitable and so are good works As delectable to God so profitable to man Godlinesse is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nusquam non nunquam non utilis Grotius ad loc Profitable at all times in all places in all occasions The tree bringeth forth fruit upwards but it is for the benefit of those which are below A Christian bringeth forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 but the comfort and benefit thereof extendeth to himselfe and others My goodnesse extendeth not unto thee but unto the Saints which are upon earth Psal 16.2 3. Again 3. Giving evidence to the Tree Fruits give evidence to the Tree which beareth them shewing it to be a living tree and of what kind it is The tree is known by its fruits Mat. 12.33 And of such use are good works to the Christian They are evidences discovering a man to himselfe and others shewing him to be a living tree and a good tree a Tree of Righteousnesse a branch of that generous Vine one truly engrafted into Jesus Christ Such fruits do all these engrafted branches bring forth This Benefit Beleevers have from their engrafting into Christ And this benefit they have from their engrafting into Christ Fructification is a consequent of Insition That Christians are thus fruitfull it floweth from that communion which they have with Jesus Christ Two things there are as I shewed you wherein the Christian hath communion with Christ viz. in his Merit and Spirit His Merit unto Justification his Spirit unto Sanctification And from hence is it they bring forth such fruits fruits acceptable to God 1. Through his Merit 1. This they have from the Merit of Christ Thereby their persons are justified and themselves made good trees which they must be before their fruits can be good Make the tree good and his fruit good Mat. 12.33 Hereby their persons come to be accepted and consequently their Works God had a respect unto Abel and to his offering Gen. 4.8 First the Person then the Sacrifice Works performed by an unjustified person whatever they be materially in themselves yet formally they cannot be good so good as to find acceptance with God 2. By his Spirit 2. And secondly This they have from the Spirit of Christ This it is that worketh all these works in and for the beleever who is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable Instrument acted by the Spirit of God in supernaturall performances So as these fruits are more properly the fruits of the Spirit then of the Beleever Col. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit are love and peace c. This benefit the Graft receiveth from the Stock communicating sap and moisture unto it And this benefit doth the believer receive from Jesus Christ communicating his Spirit unto him Applic. By this try our mysticall Implantation By this then to make some Application of this Resemblance trie we our selves whether we be truely engrafted into Jesus Christ or no. Do we bring forth fruit and such fruit If not feed not our selves with a fancy of Faith or Justification by faith Saint James hath put it beyond all controversie in his second Chapter of his Epistle were he tels us ver 17. That Faith if it have not works is dead being alone Again Faith without works Dead ver 26. As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Dead viz. as to Justification and Salvation As Abraham and Sarah's bodies were said to be dead in that they were unapt for generation Rom. 4.19 Even so faith without works is said to be dead in as much as it is unapt and unable to produce those desired and intended effects to justifie to save True it is works are not properly a Cause of Justification as faith is commonly said to be viz. an instrumentall cause yet they are a necessary concomitant of that faith which justifieth requisite qualifications in the person justified That trite distinction of fides sola solitaria clears this point well Though faith alone justifie yet not that faith which is alone If faith justifie the person it is works that must justifie that faith Shew me thy faith without works saith Saint James And I will shew thee my faith by my works ver 18. The former impossible the later infallible An Evangelicall Obedience that is an uniform impartiall universall obedience such in desire and indeavour though not in performance is an undoubted evidence of a true saving justifying faith Such an one may conclude to the comfort of his own soul that he is truely engrafted into Christ Barren Christians no true ingrafted Branches But so cannot others Barren Christians such as have nothing to speak for them but the leaves of an outward profession if that onely the Name of Christ called upon them In the mean time expressing nothing of the power and life of Christ in the course of their lives and conversations All they can say for themselves is no more then the proud Pharisee's boast Luke 18.11 They are not as others are They are free from grosse open and scandalous evils no Drunkards no Sweaters no Adulterers I wish all that hear me this day could but say so much Negative Christians But as for positive acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse works of Piety Charity Mercy they have no acquaintance with them Let not such deceive themselves certainly they are yet strangers unto this Mysticall Implantation they have no part nor portion in this blessed Priviledge Much lesse such as are fruitfull in evill works But what then shall we say to those who are fruitfull in evill works whose fruit tendeth all to sin as Solomon speaketh Pro. 10.16 Fruitfull in the works of the flesh such as those reckoned up by the Apostle in that black list Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Lasciviousnesse Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murder Drunkennesse Revellings and such like Where these any of these raigning evils are to be found there shall need no other evidence to discover what Stock a man belongeth to viz. the Old Stock the Old Adam the Stock of corrupted nature Were a man engrafted into Jesus Christ that grace of God which hath