Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1, Picture 4
The Picture of the Sonne.
THe Son is the ſecond perſon in the Trinity, the Fathers naturall Son begotten frō eternity, the Image and ſubſtance of his Father without inequality. From the father, by the Holy Ghoſt, hee worketh together with the Father in all things: he is God, he is man, perfect in both natures. He hath a Father, he hath a mother, euē both truely; & alſo no father, nor mother but reſpectiuely. He is mā-God, & God-mā; yet not two perſons, but onelyonly one Chriſt: One not by conuerſion, but by aſſumption; not by cōfuſiō of ſubſtāce, but by vnity of perſō. This is the ſeed promiſed; the prophet foretold the prince of peace. This is Melchiſedech, the prieſt of the high God, the king of Salem, the Iewes Meſſiah, the Chriſtians Sauiour. This is he that wil ſummō all to appear, & giuegive true iudgemēt vpō al, both quik & dead in the laſt day▪ Satā here he vāquiſhed ſubdued the fleſh & cōquered the world. He hath mitigated Gods wrath, performed our work: iuſtice is ſatiſfied, the law fulfilled. Hee hath made an attonement, obtained mercy, & freed vsus frō puniſhment. The father of his mercy gaue him for vsus, & hee in louelove beſtowed himſelf of vsus. The father did wil our peace, & hee ſpared no paines. Hee came into the world poore, to make vsus ritch. Hee was to the wicked a deriſion, that wee with Angels might bee had in admiration. He was blaſphemed, to make vsus bleſſed; buffeted and ſcorned, to make vsus ſecure in true comfort. He wrought righteouſneſſe, that wee might bee free of wickedneſſe: Hee was innocent, to procure vsus pard on being penitent. His holineſſe is our happineſſe, his ſuffering our ſafety, his grace our good. Hee was heere in trouble for vsus, his life paineful and miſerable, ſo his end for vsus dolefull, and his torments intollerable. In all his life, that wee read of, hee did neuer laugh; but often lament: Hee mourned to ſee mens madneſſe, and wept for their wo. Here he ſighed ſore to make vsus ſing, hee ſobd and ſorrowed much to make vsus merrie. Hee bare vponupon him vnutterable torment patiently, that wee might auoid the plagues of God eternally. His prayers were loud cries and ſtrong, to make our praiers to pierce the Heauens. He ſweat drops of bloud to purge and ſweeten vsus vntounto our God: hee cried with bitter torment vponupon the croſſe, to ſaue his ſeruants from the dreadfull curſe. He did die as a malefactor, to become to eueryevery beleeuer a beneſactour. Euil did he none, wee are the offenders; Heauen is his deſert, Hell ours deſerued: wee hauehave merited damnatiō, and he purchaſt for vsus ſaluation. Wee were bound to the Law, we were vnderunder the curſe, in danger of death, and ſubiect to wrath: but hee hath ſent vsus his Goſpel, preched peace, promiſed pardon, and obtained grace. If the law would condemne vsus, hee hath fulfilled it for vsus; his works preuent wrath, his croſſe, the curſe. Conſcience by the law would accuſe, the Goſpell by grace will quiet it and acquite vsus. If iuſtice demand her due, his paines were our full paiment. Hee is the waie for vsus to walke in. Hee is the trueth, wee may beleeue him. Hee is the life, happy is he that liues in him. By him and through him all our wants are ſuplied, and all grace and goodnes obtained. Are we in corruption? His purity purgeth vsus. Are we diſobedient? Hee was moſt obedient. Are we ſubiect to wrath? he couers vsus. Wander we? he recouers vsus. Seeke we ſafety? He affoords vsus ſolace. Want we a ſurety? He is our pledge. None in ſo great debt, but he can diſcharge: None ſo in diſgrace, but he can procute him peace. He is aſcended for life, that wee might not deſcend to the place of death. Wee need not feare the Law, Sathan, ſinne: hee hath gotten vsus heauen, life and ſaluation, without daunger of Hell, death or damnation.
Precepts.
HEre is peace (O happy man) & by Chriſt procured. Seek in him thy ſoules ſafety: Behold heer ioy & ſpiritual ſecurity. Call boldly God father, it pleaſeth this Ieſus to be thy brother. Belieue in him, & conſtantlie rely on him. LoueLove him, and long for him; ſay, when Lord? how long Lord? come Lord Ieſus, come quickly. In the meane ſpace, liue in louelove, worke righteouſneſſe, ſeeke peace in holines, keepe in the limits of ſobriety, continue in chaſtitie, and bee neuer without charitie, and expect aſſured felicity: which the father of mercy euermore grant thee,
Amen.