Beams of Divine Light, Sermon 1 – Title page 2

Beams of Divine Light · Sermon 1 – Title page 2

p. 1A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST.

MAT. 12.18.

Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom my soule is well pleased, I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgement to the Gentiles, he shall not strive nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets, &c.

THE words are the accomplishment of a prophesie taken out of Isaiah 42. as we may see by the former verse,Scope of the words. That it might bee fullfilled. Now the occasion of bringing them in here in this verse, it is a charge that Christ gives verse. 16. That they should not discover and make him knowne for the miracles he did, he withdrawes p. 2himselfe, he was desirous to be concealed, he would not live to the view overmuch: for he knew the rebellious disposition of the Jewes, that were willing to change their governement, and to make him King, therefore he laboured to conceale himselfe all kinde of wayes, now upon this charge that they should tell no body, hee brings in the Prophet Isaiah prophesying of him, Behold my servant, &c. hee shall not strive nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes. Other Kings labour that their pomp and magnificence may be seene, but he shall not mind ostentation, he shall not be contentious nor clamarous, for these 3. things are meant when he saith, he shall not strive, nor crie, neither shall his voice be heard in the streetes, he shall not yeeld to any ostentation: for hee came in an abased state to worke our salvation, hee shall not be contentious, nor yet clamarous in matter of wrong, there shall be no boasting any kinde of way, as wee shall see when wee come to the words, you see then the inference here.

The inference in the Prophet Isaiah is to comfort the people, and to direct them how to come to worship the true God, after he had declaimed against their Idolatry, as we see in the former chapter, Behold my servant, &c. Great Princes have their Embassadours, and the great God of Heaven hath his Son, his servant in whom hee delights, through whom, and by whom, all intercourse betweene God and man is.

p. 3It is usuall in the Prophesies, especially of Isaiah that Evangelicall Prophet, when he foretells any thing comfortable to the people,Christ promised in the old testament. in the promise of temporall things he riseth to stablish their faith in better things,11To stablish faith in other promises. by adding thereto a prophesie, and promise of Christ the Messias, to insinuate thus much, I will send you the Messias that is a greater gift then this that I have promised you, therefore you may be sure of the lesse, as the Apostle reasons excellently, Rom. 8. If hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him to death for us all, how shall hee not with him give us all things? So here, I have promised you deliverance out of Babylon, and this and that, doe you doubt of the performance? alas what is that in comparison of a greater favour I intend you in Christ, that shall deliver you out of another manner of Babylon, Behold my servant whom I have chosen, and in Isa. 7. Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bare a sonne, &c. I will send you the Messias, God shall become man, therefore I will not stand for any outward favour or deliverance whatsoever. So he goes to the grand promise, that they might reason from the greater to the lesse.

There is another end why in other promises,22To comfort them against their owne unworthinesse. there is mention of the promise of the Messias, to uphold their faith. Alas wee are unworthy of these promises, wee are laden with sin and iniquity. It is no matter, J will send you the Messias, Behold my servant in whom my soule delighteth, and for his sake I will delight in you, p. 4I am well pleased with you, because I am well pleased in him, therefore be not discouraged, All the Promises are yea and Amen in Iesus Christ:2 Cor. 1.19.2 Cor 1:19 For all the promises that be, (though they bee for the things of this life) they are made for Christ, they are yea in him, and they are performed for his sake, they are Amen in him; So much for the occasion of the inference in the Evangelist Saint Matthew, and likewise in the Prophet Isay.

To come more directly to the words.

Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom my soule is well pleased, &c.

In the words you have a description of Christ, his nearenesse to God, Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom my soule is well pleased.

And then his calling and qualification, I will put my Spirit upon him.

And the execution of that calling, He sh…ll shew judgement to the Gentiles.

Then the quiet and peaceable manner of the execution of his calling, He shall not strive nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets, &c.

Behold,

This word is as it were a Beacon lighted up to all the rest, in all the Evangelists you have p. 5this word often repeated, and the Prophets likewise when they speake of Christ, there is no Prophesie almost but there is this word Behold,

Why?The word Behold used.

Not to spend time in the variety of acceptions, but to speake of it as may serve for the present purpose.11To shew Christ as present. The use of it in the Prophet, especially out of which these words are taken, was to present Christ to the hearts of the people of God then, therefore he saith Behold; for Christ was present to the Beleevers then, he did profit before hee was, hee did good before he was exhibited, because he was the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world, he was yesterday as well as to day, and to morrow as well as to day, yesterday, to day, and the same for ever: he was present to their Faith, and present to them in Types and Sacrifices, and present in Gods acceptation of him for them; therefore the Prophets mount up with the wing of Prophesie, and in regard of the certainty of the things to come, they speake as if they were present, as if they had looked on Christ present, Behold my servant, and Behold a Virgin, &c.

But that is not all,22To take their mindes off from their miseries. another use of this word Behold, was to call the peoples mindes from their miseries, and from other abasing objects that dejected them, and might force despaire; why doe you dwell upon your unworthinesse, and sin, raise up your mindes, Behold p. 6my servant whom I have chosen, &c. This is an object worth beholding and admiration, especially of a distressed soule that may see in Christ whatsoever may comfort it.

33To raise their mindes from earthly things.A third end of it is to raise the minde from any vulgar, common, base contents, you looke on these things, and are carried away with common triviall objects, as the poore Disciples when they came to the Temple, they stood wondering at the stones, what wondrous stones? what goodly building is here? so shallow minded men, they see any earthly excellencie, they stand gazing; Alas saith Christ, doe you wonder at these things? so the Prophet here raiseth up the mindes of men to looke on an object fit to be looked on, Behold my servant, &c. So that the Holy Ghost would have them from this saving object, Christ, to raise satisfaction to their soules every way; are you dejected? here is comfort; are you sinfull? here is righteousnesse; are you led away with present contentments? here you have honours, and pleasures, and all in Christ Jesus, you have a right to common pleasures that others have, and besides them you have interest to others that are everlasting pleasures that shall never faile; so that there is nothing that is dejecting, and abasing in man, but there is comfort for it in Christ Jesus, he is a salve for every sore, a remedie for every maladie, therefore, Behold my servant.

This word Behold, it is a word of wonderment, p. 7and indeed in Christ there are a world of wonders, every thing is wonderfull in him. Things new are wonderfull, and things rare, and things that are great, that transcend our capacity are wonderfull, that that stops our understanding that it cannot goe through them, vulgar things we see thorow them quickly, but when wee see things that stay our understandings, that raise our understandings higher, and that are more capacious then our understandings, here is matter of admiration and wonder. Now whatsoever may make wonderment is in Jesus Christ, whose name is Wonderfull, as it is Isaiah 9.7. therefore the Prophet saith, Behold.

My servant.

Christ is called a servant, Christ a servant.first in respect of his creation, because being man, as a creature hee was a servant, but that is not all.

He was a servant in respect of his condition; servant implies a base and low condition,11By Condition. Philip. 2. Christ tooke upon him the forme of a servant, he emptied himselfe, he was the lowest of all servants in condition: for none was ever so abased as our glorious Saviour.

And then,22By Office. it it a name of office as well as of base condition. There are ordinary servants and extraordinary, as great Kings have their servants of state. Christ besides his abasement, he was a servant of state, he was an Ambassador p. 8sent from the great God, a Prophet, a Priest, and a King,In respect o… God. as we sh…ll see afterwards, an extraordinary servant to doe a peece of service that all the Angels in Heaven, and all the men on the Earth joyned together could not performe, this great master-piece of service was to bring God and man together againe that were at variance, as it is,1 Pet. 3.18.1 Pet 3:18 1. Pet. 3.18. to bring us to God, we were severed and scattered from God, his office was to gather us together againe, to bring us all to one head againe, to bring us to himselfe and so to God, to reconcile us, as the Scripture phrase is. Now it being the greatest worke and service that ever was, it required the greatest servant, for no creature in the world could performe it, all the Angells of Heaven would have sunke under this service to have undergone satisfaction to divine justice: for the Angels themselves when they sinned, they could not recover themselves but sunke under their owne sinne eternally; thus wee see how he is Gods servant, who set him a part and chose him to his service.

In respect of us.And then, he was a servant to us, for the Sonne of man came to minister, not to be ministred unto, he washed his Disciples feet, hee was a servant to us, because he did our worke and suffered our punishment, we made him serve by our sinnes, as the Prophet saith; he is a servant that beares an other mans burthen, there was a double burthen, of obedience active, and obedience passive, he bore them both, hee came p. 9under the law for us, both doing what wee should have done, and indeed sarre more acceptably, and suffering that wee should have suffered and far more acceptably, hee being our surety, being a more excellent person, he did beare our burthen, and did our worke, therfore he was Gods servant, and our servant, and Gods servant, because he was our servant, be…use he came to do a work behoovefull to us.

Heerein appeares the admirable love and care of God to us wretched creatures, heere is matter of wonderment.

If we looke to him that was a servant.

If we looke to that in God, and him, that made him stoope to be a servant.

If we looke to the manner of the performance of this service.

If we look to to the fruit of that service, they are all matter of wonderment.Gods love to us.

If we look to the person that was this servant,11In the person thus abased. Phil. 2.Phil 2 the Apostle in Philip. 2. will tell you he thought it not robbery to be equall with God, yet he tooke upon him the shape of a servant, was not this wonderfull for God to become man, the glorious God to abase himselfe to bee a servant? God-Man glorious God, and base servant: for the living God to dye, for the incomprehensible God to be inclosed in the wombe of a Virgin, for glory it selfe to be abased, for riches to become poore, what matter of wonderment is here? the very Angels stand at a gaze and wonder, they pry into these things, his name may well be Wonderfull.

p. 10There are foure notable conjunctions that are especially wonderfull,4. Conjunctions wonderfull. two in us and two above us.

One in us, is the conjunction of so excellent a thing as the soule breathed in by God, the soule of man is an admirable thing, the world is not worth it in the judgement of him that gave himselfe for it, that this should be joyned to a peece of earth, indeed I am wonderfully made saith David, in regard of his body, but the conjunction of the soule and body together, so excellent a substance, to so base a thing as earth, to a peece of red well coloured earth, to a lump of flesh, it is a wondrous conjunction.

But there is a more supernaturall conjunction of man, when all of us, sinners as we are, are knit to Christ our head, and head and members make one Christ, here is a wondrous conjunction, Saint Paul calls it a mystery, Ephes. 5. these conjunctions in us are wonderfull.

But now (to goe higher) in Christ there are more wonderfull conjunctions, for the greatest and the meanest to joyne together, for God and man to come together, the Lord of all, and a servant, and such a servant as should be under a curse, for the highest of all to come to the deepest abasement, for there was no abasement ever so deepe as Christs was, in a double regard.

Christs abaseme…t t…e grea…est.First, none ever went so low as he, for hee suffered the wrath of God, and bore upon him the sins of us all, none ever was so low.

p. 11And then in another respect his abasement was greatest, because hee descended from the highest top of glory, and for him to be man, to be a servant, to be a curse, to suffer the wrath of God, to be the lowest of all; Lord whether dost thou descend? here is a wonder in these conjunctions.

Next to Christs abasement was Adams, because he was the most excellent, being in the state of innocencie, and carrying the image of God, and being familiar with God, for him presently to come into that fearefull condition, it was the greatest abasement, because it was from the greatest dignity, that made the abasement of Christ so great, for Lordship to submit to service, for God to be man, the blessed God to become a curse, heere is matter of wonder indeed.

In Christ againe there was a conjunction of perfect body, perfect soule, and perfect God, and all make one Christ; In the Trinity there is a conjunction of three persons in one nature, that is a wondrous conjunction, but it belongs not to our present purpose, here you see there is matter of wonder in the person, that Christ should be a servant.

There is matter of wonder likewise in that from whence he is a servant;22Whence Christ was so abased. whence comes it that Christ is a servant? It is from the wondrous love of God, and the wondrous love of Christ, to be so abased, it was wondrous love in God to give him to us to be so abased, and p. 12the wondrous misery we were in, that we could not otherwise be freed from; for such was the pride of man, that he being man would exalt himselfe to bee like God, God became man, he became a servant to expiate our pride in Adam, so that it is wondrous in the spring of it. There was no such love as Christs to become a servant, there was no such misery as we were in out of which we were delivered by this abasement of Christ, becomming a servant, so it is wondrous in that regard, springing from the infinite love and mercy of God,Gods love in Redemption gre…ter then in Creation. which is greater in the worke of Redemption, and Reconciliation, then in the Creation of the world, for the distance betweene nothing and something was lesse then the distance betweene sin and happinesse. For nothing adds no opposition, but to be in a sinfull state there is opposition, therefore it was greater love and mercy for God when wee were sinfull, (and so obnoxious to eternall destruction) to make us of sinners not onelyonly men, but to make us happie, to make us heires of heaven out of a sinfull and cursed estate, then to make us of nothing something, to make us men in Adam, for there God prevailed over nothing, but here his mercy triumphed over that which is opposite to God, over sinfullnesse and cursednesse. To shew that the creature cannot be so low, but there is somewhat in God above the misery of the creature, his mercy shall triumph over the basest estate where hee p. 13will shew mercy, therefore there is mercy above all mercy, and love above all love, in that Christ was a servant.

Thirdly,33The fruit of Christs aba…ement. it is wondrous in regard of the fruit we have by this service of Christ, the worke of our Redemption, to be translated from the kingdome of Satan to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God, to be brought out of darkenesse into marveilous light, it is marveilous matter of wonder, the good wee have by this abasement of Christ, Behold what love the Father hath shewed us that wee should be called the sonnes of God? Now all this comes from Christs being a servant, our liberty comes from his service and slavery, our life from his death, our adoption and sonship and all comes from his abasement, therefore it is a matter of wonderment for the great things we have by it, O the depth, O the depth saith Saint Paul, here are all dimensions in this excellent worke that Christ hath wrought by his abasement, by his incarnation, and taking upon him the forme of a servant, and dying for us, here is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of the love of God in Christ, O the riches of Gods merciemercy, the Apostles they stand in a wonder and admiration of this, and indeed if any thing be to be admired, it is Christ, that wondrous conjunction, the wondrous love that wrought it, and the wondrous fruit we have by it.Matter of wond…rment in the worke of Redemption.

It is the basenesse of our nature we can wonder at shallow things, there cannot be a foolery p. 14but there will be many about it presently, and stand admiring every emptie idle thing, that the nature of man is carried away with, whereas indeed there is nothing worthy of admiration but the wonderfull love of God, O how wonderfull are thy workes? saith David of the works of Creation, Psal. 8. the worke of Creation and of providence whereby God guides the world are wonderfull, and the Psalmist cries out of the folly of men, that do not regard the worke of the Lord, Psal. 107. Fooles regard not this, The workes of the Lord are worthy to bee considered, they are knowne of all that delight in them, Psal. 111. but if these things bee so wonderfull, and to bee regarded and delighted in, alas what is all the worke of redemption? Great is the mysterie of godlinesse, God manifested in the flesh, &c. there are mysteries, matters of admiration, but carnall men thinke these triviall matters, they can heare matters of more rarity, and when they speake of these things, alas they are too wise to wonder, tush, they know the Gospell well enough, whereas indeed, as wee see here, they are things that deserve the admiration of Angels, and as they deserve it, so the Angels prie into these excellent secrets in Jesus Christ.

Christ a servant by way of excellencie.Christ was a servant by office and by condition, we must not rest in this base condition: for he took upon him the forme of a servant that he might be an excellent servant, there is both basenesse and excellencie in the word p. 15servant: for his humiliation was a degree of his exaltation, and a part of his advancement; if wee regard his humane nature, it was an advancement for mans nature to bee grafted into God by conception, and incarnation, b…t if wee regard his God-head, for him to conceale himselfe, and lay aside the beames and rayes of Majesty, and cloath himselfe with mans flesh, this was the first degree of humiliation, it was an advancement to his flesh, but it was a concealing and hiding to his God-head, for God to become a servant this was an abasement: but then consider the excellencie of the service how God▪ delighted in it, and how usefull it was to us, and wee shall see that he was a servant by way of excellencie. There was first in Christ humane flesh, abased flesh, and then glorious flesh, abasement was first necessary for Christ: for hee could not have performed the office of a servant, unlesse hee had undertaken the condition of a servant, he must first bee abased and then glorious, our ill must be his, before his good could be ours, and how could hee undergoe our ill, our sin and misery, and the curse due to us, but he must bee abased? our sins must be imputed to him, and then his righteousnesse, and whatsoever is good is ours, so here is both the abasement of his condition, and the excellencie of his office to be a King, Priest, and Prophet to his Church, as wee shall see afterward.

p. 16Is the Lord Christ a servant, this should teach us not to stand upon any tearmes,Vse. if Christ had stood upon tearmes,Seeing Christ was a servant wee should bee humble. if he had refused to take upon him the shape of a servant, alas where had we and our salvation beene? And yet wretched creatures we thinke our selves too good to doe God and our Brethren any service. Christ stood not upon his greatnesse, but being equall with God he became a servant. Oh we should dismount from the tower of our conceited excellency. The heart of man is a proud creature, a proud peice of flesh, men stand upon their distance, what; shall I stoupe to him? J am thus and thus, we should descend from the heaven of our conceit, and take upon us the forme of servants, and abase our selves to doe good to others, even to any, and account it an honour to doe any good to others in the places wee are in. Christ did not thinke himselfe too good to leave Heaven, to conceale and vaile his Majesty under the vaile of our flesh to worke our redemption, to bring us out of the cursed estate we were in; shall we thinke our selves too good for any service? Who for shame can be proud when he thinks of this that God was abased, shall God bee abased, and man proud? shall God become a servant, and shall wee that are servants thinke much to serve our fellow-servants? Let us learne this lesson to abase our selves, we cannot have a better patterne to looke unto then our blessed Saviour. A Christian is the greatest freeman in the world, hee p. 17is free from the wrath of God, free from hell and damnation, from the curse of the Law, but then though he bee free in these respects, yet in regard of love he is the greatest servant, love abaseth him to doe all the good hee can, and the more the Spirit of Christ is in us, the more it will abase us to any thing wherin we can be serviceable.

Then againe here is comfort for us,Vse. 2. that Christ in whatsoever he did in our redemption is Gods servant,Comfort that Christ became a servant. he is appointed by God to the worke, so both God and Christ meete together in the worke; Christ is a voluntary in it, for he emptied himselfe, he tooke upon him the forme of a servant, he came from Heaven voluntary. And then withall the Father joynes with him, the Father appointed him and sent him, the Father layed him as the corner stone, the Father sealed him, as it is, Iohn. 6. The Father set him out, as it is, Romans 3. hee hath set him out as the propitiatory. Therefore when wee thinke of reconciliation and redemption, and salvation wrought by Christ, let us comfort our selves in the soliditie of the worke, that it is a service perfectly done, it was done by Christ, God Man, it is a service accepted of God, therefore God cannot refuse the service of our salvation wrought by Christ, Christ was his servant in the working of it, we may present it to God, it is the obedience of thy servant, it is the satisfaction of thy servant, here is that will give full content and satisfaction p. 18to conscience in this that whatsoever Christ did, he was Gods servant in it, but wee shall better understand the intent of the Holy Ghost, when we have g…ne over the rest of the words, Behold my s…rvant ▪

Whom I have chosen.

Christ chosen of God.Christ was chosen before all worlds, to bee the head of the elect, hee was predestinate and ordained by God. As wee are ordained to salvation, so Christ is ordained to be the head of all that shall be saved, hee was chosen eternally, and chosen in time, he was singled out to the work by God, and all others that are chosen are chosen in him, there had beene no choosing of men but in him: for God saw us so defiled lying in our filth that hee could not looke upon us but in his Sonne, he chose him, and us in him.

Christ chosen to his office.Here is meant not onelyonly choosing by eternall election to happinesse, but a choosing to office, there is a choosing to grace and glory, and a choosing to office. Here it is as well meant a choosing to office as to grace and glory. God as he chose Christ to grace and glory, so he chose him to the office of Mediatorship. Christ did not choose himselfe, he was no usurper, No man cals himself to the office, as it is in Hebrews, but Christ was called and appointed of God, he was willing indeed to the worke, hee tooke it voluntary upon him, but as Mediator p. 19God chose him, God the Father and he joyning together.

If we respect eternall salvation or grace or office,Christ as ma… chosen to salvation. Christ was chosen in respect of his Man-hood: For as it is well observed by Divines, Christ is the Head of al that are predestinate, and the humane Nature of Christ could not merit its choise, it could not merit its incarnation, it could not merit union with the God-head, it was meerely from grace. How could Christs Man-hood deserve any thing of God before it was? Things must have a subsistence before they can worke: Our blessed Saviour is the patterne of all election, and his Man-hood could not merit to bee knit to the second person, as how could it being a creature? Therefore the knitting of the humane nature of Christ to his divine, it is called the grace of Vnion, the choosing of the humane Nature of Christ to be so gratious and glorious, it was of grace.

Christ he was both a chosen servant and a choise servant, in calling him a chosen servant, it implies his excellency, as a chosen vessell, a chosen arrow in Gods quiver, so a chosen servant, every way excellent.

This adds to our comfort, that whatsoever Christ did for us, he did it as chosen, hee is a chosen stone, as Saint Peter saith, 1. Peter 2.6. A precious corner stone, though refused of the builders, yet precious in Gods sight.

p. 20Was Christ a chosen servant of God and shall not we take Gods choise?To re…t in Gods choice. Is not Gods choise the best, and the wisest? Hath God chosen Christ to worke our salvation, and shall we choose any other? Shall we run to Saints mediation, to the Virgin Mary and others for intercession, which is a part of Christs office? Who chose Mary, and Peter and Paul to this worke, there is no mention in Scripture of them for this purpose, But behold my servant whom I have chosen.

God in Paradice did choose a wife for Adam, so God hath chosen a husband for his Church, he hath chosen Christ for us, therefore it is intollerable sacrilegious rebellion, and impudency to refuse a Saviour, and Mediator of Gods choosing, and to set up others of our own, as if we were wiser to choose for our selves then God is, we may content our selves well enough with Gods choise, because he is the party offended.

Besides, it is folly to goe out from Christ where there is all fulnesse and content, to leave Gods chosen servant, and to goe to any other servant, to any broken vessell, God rests in this servant, as Pharoah did in Ioseph, the second person in the Kingdome, therefore let Gods choise and ours agree.

To offer Christ to God in our services.And this directs us also in our devotions to God, how to carry our selves in our prayers and services, to offer Christ to God, Behold Lord thy chosen servant, that thou hast chosen to p. 21bee my Mediator, my Saviour, my all in all to me, he is a Mediator and a Saviour of thine owne choosing, thou canst not refuse thy owne choise, if thou looke upon me, there is nothing but matter of unworthinesse, but look upon him whom thou hast chose, my head and Saviour.

Againe,Take heed of neglecting Christ. if Christ be a chosen servant, O let us take heed how we neglect Christ. When God hath chosen him for us shall not we think him worthy to be imbraced, and regarded, shall we not kisse the Sonne with the kisse of love, and faith, and subjection? he is a Saviour of Gods owne choosing, refuse him not. What is the reason that men refuse this chosen stone? They will not be laid low enough to build upon this corner stone, this hidden stone; the excellencie of Christ is hidden, it appeares not to men, men will not be squared to be built upon him, stones for a building must be framed, and made even, and flat, men stick out with this and that lust, they will not be pared and cut and fitted for Christ; if they may have their lusts and wicked lives, they will admit of Christ, but wee must make choise of him, as a stone to build upon him, and to bee built on him, wee must be made like him, we like not this laying low, and abasing, therefore we refuse this Corner stone, though God hath made him the corner of building to all those that have the life of grace here, or shall have glory hereafter.

The Papists admit him to be stone, but not p. 22the onelyonly stone to build on, but they build upon him and Saints, upon him and works, upon him and traditions, but he is the onelyonly corner stone, God hath chosen him onelyonly, and wee mu… choose him onelyonly, that wee may bee framed and laid upon him to make up one building, so much for that. Behold my servant whom I have chosen.

My Beloved in whom my soule is well-pleased.

How doe we know that these words in the Prophet Isaiah are fitly appliable to Christ? By the greatest authority that ever was from the beginning of the world, by the immediate voice of God the Father from Heaven, who applies these words in Isaiah to Christ, Mat. 3. in his inauguration when he was baptised, This is my Beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, this is that my Sonne, that beloved, foreign, the beloved Sonne, so beloved that my soule delights in him, he is capable of my whole love, I may powre out my whole love upon him, in whom I am well pleased, it is the same with that heere, in whom my soule delighteth, the one expresseth the other.

How, and in what respect is Christ thus beloved of God?Christ beloved of God.

11As God.First as he is God, the Sonne of God, the engraven Image of his Father, so he is primum amabile, the first lovely thing that ever was, p. 23when the Father loves him, he loves himselfe in him, so he loves him as God, as the second person, as his owne image and character.

And as man he loves him,22As Man. for as man he was the most excellent creature in the world, he was conceived, fashioned, and framed in his mothers wombe by the Holy Ghost. It is said, Heb. 10.5. God gave him a body, God the Father by the Holy Ghost fashioned and framed, and fitted him with a body, therefore God must needs love his owne workmanship.

Againe, there was nothing in him displeasing to God, there was no sinne found in his life any way, therefore as man he was well-pleasing to God, he took the man-hood, and ingrafted it into the second person, and inriched it there, therefore he must needs love the Man-hood of Christ being taken into so neare a union with the God-head.

As God and man Mediator especially hee loves and delights in him,33As Mediator. in regard of his office, he must needs delight in his owne Ordinance and Decree, now he decreed and sealed him to that office, therefore he loves and delights in him as a Mediator of his owne appointing, and ordaining to be our King, and Priest, and Prophet.

Againe,44In regard of the execution of his office. hee loved and delighted in him, in regard of the execution of his office both in doing and suffering. In doing, the Evangelist saith, hee did all things well, when hee healed the sick, and raised the dead, and cured all diseases, p. 24whatsoever he did was well done. And for his suffering God delighted in him for that, as it is in Iohn 10.17. My Father loves me, because I lay downe my life, and so in Isaiah 53. He shall divide him a portion with the great, because hee powred out his soule unto death, and in Philip. 2. Because he abased himselfe to the death of the Crosse, God gave him a name above all names, therefore God loves and delights in him for his suffering and abasement.

It is said of Noah, Gen. 8.21. that he offered a sacrifice after the flood, and the Lord smelled a sweet savour of his sacrifice, and thereupon hee saith, I will not curse the earth againe, so God loves and delights in Christ as he offered himselfe a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour wherin God rests, he felt such a sweet savour in the sacrifice of Christ, he is so delighted in it, that he will never destroy mankind, hee will never destroy any that beleeve in Christ, the sacrifice of Noah was a Type of Christs sacrifice.

Now that Christs sacrifice was so acceptable to God, there is a direct place for it in Ephes. 5. Walke in love as Christ hath loved us and hath given himselfe an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smell. And indeed how many sweet savours were there in the sacrifice of Christ offered on the Crosse? was there not the sweet savour of obedience? he was obedient to the death of the Crosse, there was the sweet savour of patience, and of love to mankind, therefore God delighted in him, as God, as Man, as Mediator p. 25God-Man, in his doings, in his sufferings, every way.

Doth God delight thus in Christ,Quest. in his person or considered mystically?Answ. I answer both, God loves and delights in Christ mysticall,God loves Christ mysticall. that is, in Christ and his members, in whole Christ, This is my Beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, not onelyonly with whom alone by himselfe, but in whom, in him as God, in him in body and soule, in him as head of the Church, in him mystically, in all that are under him any kind of way, God delights in him▪ and all his.

Is it possible that hee should delight in the head, and refuse the members? That he should love the husband, and mislike the Spouse? O no; with the same love that God loves Christ, he loves all his, he delights in Christ and all his with the same delight, there is some difference in the degree, That Christ in all things may have the preheminence, but it is the same love; therefore our Saviour sets it downe excellently in his owne prayer, he desires that the same love wherewith his Father loved him may be in them that are his, that they may feele the love wherewith his Father loves him: for hee loves him and his members, him and his Spouse with all one love.

This is our comfort and our confidence that God accepts us,Com…ort, Gods love to us grounded on Christ. because hee accepts his Beloved, and when he shall cease to love Christ, he shall cease to love the members of Christ, they p. 26and Christ make one mysticall Christ. This is our comfort in dejection for sinne, wee are so and so indeed, but Christ is the chosen servant of God, In whom he delighteth, and delights in us in him, it is no matter what we are in our selves, but what we are in Christ, when we are once in him and continue in him, God loves us with that inseperable love wherewith hee loves his owne Sonne, therefore Saint Paul triumphs, Rom. 8. What shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus? This love it is founded in Christ, therefore neither things present, nor things to come, (as he goes on there gloriously) shall bee able to seperate us, you see what a wondrous confidence and comfort wee have hence, if we labour to be in Christ, that then God loves and delights in us, because he loves, and delights in Christ Jesus.

God loves the worke of our rede…ption.And here is a wondrous comfort that God must needs love our salvation and redemption, when he loves Christ, because hee powred out his soule to death to save us, doth not God delight that wee should bee saved, and our sinnes should bee forgiven, when hee loves Christ because hee abased himselfe for that purpose? What a prop and foundation of comfort is this, when the Divell shall present God to us in a terrible hideous manner, as an avenging God, and consuming fire, &c. (indeed out of Christ he is so) let us present to our selves thoughts of God, as the Scripture sets foorth God to us, and as God p. 27set… forth himself not only in that sweet relation as a Father to Christ, bu… our father, I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, having both one God, and love and care. There is none of us all but the Divell will have a saying to us, either in the time of our life, in some terrible temptation, especially when any outward abasement comes, or at the houre of death, and all the cordials wee have gathered out of the Word will then be little enough to support the drooping soule, especially in the houre of temptation. Oh Beloved what a wondrous stay, and satisfaction to a distressed conscience doth this yeeld, that Christ in all that hee hath wrought for us, is Gods chosen servant, whom he loves and delights in, and delights in him for this very worke that hee abased himselfe and gave himselfe for us, that hee wrought Gods worke, because he wrought reconciliation for us? If we can believe in Christ, wee see heere what ground of comfort wee have, that God loves and delights in us, as he doth in his owne Son.

And what a comfort is it now in our daily approach to God to minister boldnesse to us in all our suites,Comfort in our daily approach to God. that we goe to God in the name of one that he loves, in whom his soule delights, that we have a friend in Court, a friend in Heaven for us, that is at the right hand of God, and interposeth himselfe there for us, in all our suites that makes us acceptable, that perfumes our prayers and makes them acceptable, p. 28his intercession is still by vertue of his service, dying for us, he interceeds by vertue of his redemption, if God love him for the worke of redemption, he loves him for his intercession, therefore God must needs regard the prayers made by him, by vertue of his dying for us, when he loves him for dying for us. Bee sure therfore in al our suites to God to take along our elder Brother, take our beloved Brother, take Benjamin with us, offer al to God in him, our persons to be accepted in him, our prayers, our hearing, our works, and al that we do, and we shal be sure to speed: For he is one in whom the soule of God delights. There must be this passage and repassage, as God looks upon us lovely in him and delights in us, as wee are members of him, all Gods love, and the fruits of it come to us as we are in Christ, and are one with him, then in our passage to God againe, we must returne all, and doe all to God in Christ, be sure not to goe to a naked God: for so he is a consuming fire, but goe to him in the mediation of him whom he loves, and in whom his soule delighteth.

To stirre us up to delig…t in Christ.And shall God love him, and delight in him, and shall not our soule delight in Christ? This therefore should stirre up our affections to Christ, to be faithfull in our conjugall affection as the Spouse of Christ, to say, My Beloved is mine and I am my Beloveds, Christ calls his Church, My Love and my Dove. Doth Christ delight in us, and God delight in Christ, and p. 29shall not we delight in Christ, that delights in us, and in whom God delights? In the 1. Cor. 16. ult. the Apostle is bold to pronounce a bitter curse, Anathema Maranatha upon him that loves not the Lord Christ Jesus, a most bitter curse, when Christ shall become a servant to do our worke for us, to suffer for us, to beare the burthen of our sinnes upon the tree, to become our husband, to bestow his riches upon us, to raise us to the same condition with himselfe, and withall to be such a one as God hath chosen out to love, and delight in as the best object of his love, and most capable of it, and for us not to solace and delight our selves in him that God delights in, when God delights in him for our sake, God loves and delights in him for the worke of salvation and redemption by his blood, and shall not wee love and imbrace him for his love which is for our good? What good hath God by it but onelyonly the glory of his mercy, in saving our soules through Christ? Therefore if God love him for the good he doth to us, much more should we love him for the fruit of it that wee receive our selves.

It should shame us therefore when we finde dullnesse, and coldnesse upon us, that wee can heare of any thing better then of Christ, and arguments concerning Christ are cold to us, alas, where is our love, and joy, and delight? and when we can make no better but a carnall use of the incarnation and other benefits by p. 30Christ, we should therefore desire God to shed the love of Christ into our hearts more and more, that we may feele in our soules the love that hee beares to us, and may love God and Christ againe, for that that hee hath done for us.

On what … to val…w Chr… stians.Hence we have also a ground of estimation of Christians to be excellent persons, doth God valew poore sinfull soules so much as to give Christ for them to become a Saviour, doth he delight in Christ for giving himselfe for them, and shall not we love one another, whom God and Christ so loves?

We may know we are in …But if God love and delight in those that are in Christ with the same love and delight that he hath in him, how shall I know that I am in Christ, and that God thus delights in me?

11I we have his Spirit.Briefly, a man may know that hee is in Christ, if he find the Spirit of Christ in him, for the same Spirit (when Christ tooke our nature) that sanctified that blessed masse wherof he was made, when there was an union betweene him and the second person, the same Spirit sanctifies our soules and bodies, there is one Spirit in the head and in the members, therfore if we find the Spirit of Christ in us, we are in Christ and he in us.How to know we have the Spirit Now this Spirit is renewing, Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature, all is new, old things are done away, the old manner of language, the old disposition, old affections, old company, all old things are past, p. 31all is new, and if a man be a new creature, hee hath right and title to the new heaven and new earth, let us examine the worke of grace in us, if there be no change in us we have no present interest in Christ, we have to do with him because he is still woing us to be in him, but as yet we have no title to him.

The very beholding of Christ is a transforming sight, the Spirit that makes us new creatures, and stirres us up to behold this servant, it is a transforming beholding, if wee looke upon him with the eye of faith, it will make us like Christ; for the Gospell is a mirrour, and such a mirrour, that when we looke into it, and see our selves interessed in it, wee are changed from glory to glory; a man cannot looke upon the love of God and of Christ in the Gospell, but it will change him to be like God, and Christ: for how can we see Christ, and God in Christ, but we shall see how God hates sin, and this will transforme us to hate it as God doth, who hated it so that it could not bee expiated but with the blood of Christ God-man, so seeing the holinesse of God in it, it will transforme us to be holy, when we see the love of of God in the Gospell, and the love of Christ giving himselfe for us, this will transforme us to love God, when wee see the humility and obedience of Christ, when we looke on Christ as Gods chosen servant in all this, and as our surety and head, it transformes us to the like humility and obedience, those that find not their p. 32dispositions in some comfortable measure wrought to this blessed transformation, they have not yet those eyes that the Holy Ghost requireth here, Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom my soule delighteth.

I will put my Spirit upon him.

Now wee come to the qualification of Christ for his calling, in these words, I will put my Spirit upon him, that is, I will cloath him with my Spirit, I will put it (as it were) upon him as a garment.

Degrees of Christs receiving the Spirit.Now there were divers degrees of Christs receiving the Spirit at severall times: for hee was conceived by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost did sanctifie that blessed masse whereof his body was framed in the wombe of the Virgin, he was quickned in the wombe in his conception by the Holy Ghost, and he was graced by the Holy Ghost, and led by the Spirit in all things before his Baptisme, but afterward when he came to set upon his office, to be the Prophet, and Priest, and King of his Church, that great office of saving mankind, which he did not solemly set upon till hee was thirty yeares old, then God powred upon him a special portion of the Spirit answerable to that great calling, then the Spirit lighted upon him, Christ was ordained to his office by the greatest authority that ever any was ordained from the beginning of the world: for at his Baptisme when he was ordained p. 33and set apart to his office, there was the Father from heaven uttered an audible voice, This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, and there was Christ the partie baptized and installed into that great office, then there was the Holy Ghost in the forme and shape of a Dove, it being a matter of the greatest consequence that ever was in the world, greater then the Creation, it was fit it should be done with the greatest authority, and so it was, the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost being present at the admission of Christ into his office, this is especially here intended, though the other bee included, I will put my Spirit vponupon him, that is, I will annoint him, as it is in Isaiah 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee (saith Christ) because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke, to binde up the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the captives, to open the prison for them that are bound, to proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord, that is, the yeare of Iubile, for that was a Type of Christ, to preach the Gospell, deliverance to all that are in captivity, servitude, and thraldome under Satan and sin, this was accomplished when Christ at his Baptisme entred upon his office, God put his Spirit upon him, to set him apart, to ordaine him, and to qualifie him with abundance of grace for the worke, for there are these three things especially meant by putting the Spirit upon him,What is meant by putting the Spirit on Christ separation, or setting apart, and ordaining and inriching with the gifts of the Spirit.

p. 34When any one is called to great place, there is a setting apart from others, and an ordaining to that particular, and a qualifying, if it be a calling of God, he qualifies where he ordaines alwaies.

But Christ had the Spirit before, what doth he meane then when hee saith hee will put the Spirit upon him now?

I answer he had the Spirit before answerable to that condition he was in, now hee received the Spirit answerable to that condition hee was to undertake, he was perfect then for that condition, now he was to be made perfect for that office he was to set upon, he was alway perfect, hee had abundance of Spirit for that estate hee was in, but now he was to enter upon another condition, to preach the Gospell, to be a Prophet, and after to be a Priest, therefore he saith now especially, I will put my Spirit upon him.

Three sorts of persons annointed.Now this putting of the Spirit it is expressed in Isaiah 61. and other places by Annointing. There were three sorts of persons that were annointed before Christ, Prophets, Priests, and Kings, now Christ was to bee a Prophet, a Priest, and a King, therefore hee was to be annointed with the Spirit to enable him to these three offices.

I might here take occasion to enlarge my selfe in the offices of Christ, but I will onelyonly speake of them as the Text ministreth just occasion.

Three maine defects in man.There are three maine defects in man since the fall.

p. 35There is ignorance and blindnesse.

There is rebellion in the will and affections.

And in regard of his condition, by reason of the sinnes of nature and life, a subjection to a cursed estate, to the wrath of God and eternall damnation.

Now answerable to these three grand ills, whosoever shall bee ordained a Saviour must provide proportionable remedies for these; hereupon comes a threefold office in Christ that is ordained to save man, to cure this threefold mischiefe and maladie.

As we are ignorant and blind,Supplied in Christ. he is a Prophet to instruct us, to convince us of the ill state we are in, and then to convince us of the good hee intends us and hath wrought for us, to instruct us in all things concerning our everlasting comfort, he is such a Prophet, as teacheth not onelyonly the outward, but the inward man, hee openeth the heart, he teacheth to doe the things he teacheth; men teach what we should doe, but they teach not the doing of them, he is such a Prophet as teacheth us the very things, hee teacheth us to love and to obey, &c.

And answerable to the rebellion, and sinfulnesse of our dispositions, he is a King to subdue whatsoever is ill in us, and likewise to subdue all opposite power without us, by little and little hee will trample all enemies under his feete, and under our feete too ere long.

Now as we are cursed by reason of our sinfull p. 36condition, so hee is a Priest to satisfie the wrath of God for us, he was made a curse for us, he became a servant, that being so hee might die, and undergoe the cursed death of the crosse, not onelyonly death, but a cursed death, and so his blood might be an attonement as a Priest, So answerable to the three fold ill in us, you see here is a threefold office in Christ.In what order C…ri…t performes his offices.

Now Christ performes these three offices in this order.

First of all he is a Prophet, when he was baptised the Spirit was put upon him, as in Isaiah 61. To preach deliverance to the captives. First he preached wherefore he came into the world, why God sent him, and discovered to the world the state they were in, and when he had preached as a Prophet, then as a Preist he dyed, and offered himselfe a Sacrifice.

After death his Kingly office was most apparent. For then he rose againe as a triumphant King over death and all our enemies, and ascended in his triumphant chariot to Heaven, and there he sits gloriously as a King in his throne at the right hand of God, so that how ever at his Baptisme, and before when he was sanctified in his mothers wombe, he was both King, Priest, and Prophet, yet in regard of the order of manifestation, he manifested himselfe first to be a Prophet, secondly a Priest, and thirdly to be a King: For his Kingly office brake foorth but seldome in the time of his abasement, sometimes it did, to shew that he was p. 37ruler, and commander of Earth, and Sea, and Divels, and all, he wrought miracles, but the glorious manifestation of his kingly office it was after his resurrection.

Now the fundamentall,Chriests pri…stly office the principall. the chiefe office to which he was annoynted by the Spirit (upon which the rest depends) it was his Priestly office: for wherefore was his teaching, but to instruct us what he must doe and suffer for us, and what benefit we have by his Sacrifice reconciliation with God and freedome from the wrath of God, and right unto life everlasting by his obedience to the cursed death of the crosse. And how comes he to be a King to rule over us by his holy Spirit, and to have a right unto us? But because as a Priest hee dyed for us first, He washed us with his blood, he purged us with his blood, and then he made us Kings and Priests, Rev 1. All other benefits came from this, he washed our soules in his blood first, whatsoever wee have from God, is especially from the great worke of Christ as a Priest abasing himselfe, and dying for us, and thereupon hee comes to bee a Prophet and a King, thus we see the order of Christs offices, how they come to be fruitfull to us, the rest especially by vertue of his priestly office.

Note this by the way, Christs priestly office includes two branches, his sacrificing himselfe for us, a Priest was to offer Sacrifice, and to pray for the people, our Saviour Christ did both in the daies of his humiliation; in his p. 38prayer in Ioh. 17. there as a Priest, he commends his sacrifice to God before he died, and now he is in Heaven making intercession for us to the end of the world, he appeares for us there. We see then to what purpose God put the Spirit upon Christ, to enable him to be a Prophet, a Priest and a King, and thereupon to take away those mischiefes and evills that wee were subject and inthralled too, so that we have a supply for all that may any way abase us and cast us downe, in the all sufficiency that is in Christ Jesus, who was annoynt…d with the Spirit for this end.

Object.It may be objected, Christ was God himselfe, hee had the Spirit and gives the Spirit, therefore how could the Spirit be put upon him?

Answ.I answer, Christ is both God and Man, Christ as God gives the Spirit to his humane nature,How Christ both gives and receives the Spirit. so hee communicates his Spirit, the Spirit is his Spirit as well as the Fathers, the Spirit proceeds from them both. Christ as man receives the Spirit, God the Father and the Son put the Spirit upon the man-hood of Christ, so Christ both gives and receives the Spirit in diverse respects, as God, hee gives and sends the Spirit, the spiration and breathing of the Spirit is from him as well as from the Father, but as man he received the Spirit.

And this is the reason of it, next under the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, Christ the mediator was to be the spring, and originall of all p. 39comfort and good, therefore Christs nature must not onelyonly be sanctified and ordained by the Spirit, but he must receive the Spirit to inrich it: for whatsoever is wrought in the creature is by the Spirit, whatsoever Christ did as man he did by the Spirit. Christs humane nature therefore must be sanctified, and have the Spirit put upon it. God the Father the first person in Trinity, and God the Son the second, they worke not immediately, but by the Holy Ghost, the third person, therefore whatsoever is wrought upon the creat…re, it comes from the Holy Ghost immediately, so Christ received the Holy Ghost as sent from the Father and the Son. Now as the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, so he workes from the Father and the Son, he sanctifieth and purifieth, and doth all from the Father and the Son, and knits us to the Father and the Son; to the Son first, and then to the Father, therefore it is said, The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost; because all the communion we have with God is by the Holy Ghost, all the communion that Christ as man had with God was by the Holy Ghost, and all the communion that God hath with us and wee with God is by the Holy Ghost: for the Spirit is the bond of union betweene Christ and us, and betweene God and us, God communicates himselfe to us by his Spirit, and we communicate with God by his Spirit. God doth all in us by his Spirit, p. 40and we doe all backe againe to …od by the Spirit, Because Christ as a Head, as the second Adam was to be the root of all that are saved, (as the first Adam was the roote of all that are damned) he was therefore to receive the Spirit and to have it put upon him in a more excellent and rich manner, for wee must know that all things are first in Christ, and then in us.

All … in Christ, then ….God chose him first, and then he chose us,

God singled him out to be the Saviour, the second Adam, and he cals us in Christ.

God justified Christ from our sinnes, being our Surety taking our sinnes upon him, we are justified, because hee by his resurrection quit himselfe from the guilt of our sinnes, as having paid the debt.

Christ is the first fruites of them that rise againe, we rise againe, because he is risen.

Christ first ascended, we ascend in Christ.

Christ is first loved, we are loved in the Beloved.

Christ is first blessed, we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Iesus Chrest. So whatsoever is in us, we have it at the second hand, we have the Spirit in us, but he is first in Christ, God hath put the Spirit in Christ, as the spring, as the second Adam, as a publike person, that should receive the Spirit for us all, he is first in all things, Christ must have the preheminence, he hath the preheminence in all, both before time, in time, and after time, in election, in whatsoever p. 41is done here in this world, and in glorification, all is first in Christ, and then in us, he is the elder Brother.

We must understanding this, to give Christ his due honour, and respect, and to know whence we have all we have. Therefore the Spirit is said here first, to be put upon Christ. Wee have not the Holy Ghost immediately from God, but we have him as sanctifying Christ first, and then us, and whatsoever the Holy Ghost doth in us, he doth the same in Christ first, and hee doth it in us because in Christ. Therefore in Iohn 14. Christ saith, He shall take of mine, whatsoever the Holy Ghost works in us, hee takes of Christ first.

How is that?

Thus;How the Spirit takes of Christ and gives to us. The Holy Ghost comforts us with reasons from Christ, he dyed and hath reconciled us to God, therefore now God is at peace with thee. Here the Holy Ghost takes a ground of comfort from the death of Christ. When the Holy Ghost would raise a man up to holinesse of life, he tels him, Christ thy Saviour and Head is quickned, and is now in Heaven, therefore we ought to rise to holinesse of life. If the Holy Ghost be to worke either comfort or grace, or any thing, he not onelyonly doth the same thing that he did first in Christ, but hee doth it in us by reasons from Christ, by grounds fetched from Christ, the Holy Ghost tells our soules that God loves Christ first, and he loves us in Christ, and that we are those that God gave p. 42Christ for, that we are those that Christ makes intercession for in Heaven, the Holy Ghost witnesseth to us the love of the Father, and the Sonne, and so hee fetcheth from Christ whatsoever he works.

And hence the worke of the Holy Ghost is distinguished from illusions, and delusions that are nothing but franticke conceits of comfort that are groundlesse. The Holy Ghost fetcheth all from Christ in his working and comfort, and he makes Christ the patterne of all, for whatsoever is in Christ, the Holy Ghost (which is the Spirit of Christ) workes in us, as it is in Christ. Therefore in Iohn 1.13. it is said of his fullnesse we receive grace for grace, that is, grace answerable to his grace. There are three things that we receive answerable to Christ by the Spirit.Three things we receive by the Spirit.

We receive grace, that is, the favour of God answerable to the favour God shewes his Son, he loves his Son, he is gratiously disposed to him, and he loves us.

So grace habituall, wee have grace in us answerable to the grace in Christ, wee have love answerable to his love, patience answerable to his Patience, Obedience and Humility answerable to that in Christ, the Spirit workes a conformity to Christ in all things.

Likewise in the third place, the Spirit assures us of the same priviledges that issue from grace: Christ is a Son, the Spirit tells us wee are p. 43sons, Christ is an heire, the Spirit tells us wee are heires with Christ; Christ is the King of Heaven, and Earth, the Spirit tells us that wee are Kings, that his riches are ours, thus wee have grace for grace, both favour and grace in us, and priviledges issuing from grace, we have all as they are in Christ. Even as in the first Adam we receive of his emptinesse, curse for curse, ill for ill, for his blindnesse and rebellion wee are answerable, wee are borne as hee was after his fall, so in the second Adam by his Spirit, we receive grace for grace.

Hence issues this, that our state now in Christ is farre more excellent then our state in Adam was.

How doth it spring hence?Quest.

Thus,Answ. Christ is God-Man, his nature was sanctified by the Spirit,Whence it is that our state in Christ is better then it was in Adam. hee was a more excellent person, he gives and sends the Spirit, Adam was onelyonly a meere man, and therefore his goodnesse could not be so derived to his posterity: For how ever the Holy Ghost was in Adam, yet the Holy Ghost did not so fill him, he was not so in him as in Christ, the Holy Ghost is in Christ in a more excellent manner, for Christ being equall with God he gave the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost comes from Christ as God, now the second Adam being a more excellent person, wee being in Christ the second Adam, we are in a more excellent, and in a more safe estate, we have a better keeper of our happinesse then Adam p. 44he being a meere man, he could not keepe his owne happinesse, but lost himselfe and all his posterity, though he were created after the Image of God, yet being but a meere man, hee shewed himselfe to be a man, that is, a changeable creature: but Christ being God and man, having his nature sanctified by the Spirit, now our happinesse is in a better keeping, for our grace hath a better spring, the grace and sanctification wee have it is not in our owne keeping, it distills into us answerable to our necessities, but the spring is indeficient, it never failes, the spring is in Christ. So the favour that God beares us, it is not first in us, but it is first in Christ, God loves him, and then he loves us, he gives him the Spirit, and us in him. Now Christ is the keeper both of the love of God towards us and the grace of God, & whatsoever is good, he keeps all for us, he receives all for himselfe and for us, he receives not only the Spirit for himselfe, but he receives it as Mediator, as Head, for we all of his fullnesse receive grace for grace, he receives it as a fountaine to diffuse it (I say) this shewes us our happy and blessed condition in Jesus Christ, that …ow the grace and love of God and our happinesse, and the grace whereby we are sanctified and fitted for it, it is not in our owne keeping originally, but in our head Christ Iesus.

These bee comfortable considerations and indeed the life and soule of a Christians life and comfort, if we conceive them aright, they will p. 45quicken us to obedience, and wee shall know what the Gospell is. To come to make some use of it.

I might observe this, that none should take that office upon them to which they are not called of God, nor qualified by his Spirit, especially Ministers, because Christ did not set upon his office, till the Spirit was put upon him, the Spirit must inable us, and fit us for every thing, but I leave that, and come to that which concernes us all.

First then hath God put the Spirit upon Christ, as the Evangelist saith in Ioh. 3.34. Hee whom God hath sent, that is Christ, hee speaketh the word of God: For God gives him not the Spirit by measure, God doth not stand measuring grace out to Christ, but hee powers it out upon him full measure, running over, because he receives it not for himselfe alone but for us, we receive the Spirit by measure, Eph. 4.7. According to the measure of the gift of Christ, Christ gives us all a measure of sanctifying knowledge and of every grace, till wee grow to be a perfect man in Christ. Therefore it is called the first fruits of the Spirit, as much as shall fit us for Heaven, and grace sufficient, though it be not that measure wee shall have hereafter, or that wee would have here. Christ had a full measure, the fullnesse of a fountaine, diffusive, not onelyonly abundance for himselfe, but redundance, and overflowing for the good of others, hee being the head of the Church, not onelyonly a head of eminence, but of p. 46influence to bestow, and convey all grace in him to all his members, proportionable to the service of every member, therefore he received not the Spirit according to measure, that is, sparingly, but it was showred upon him, hee was filled and cloathed with the Holy Ghost. Is it so?

Vse.Let us labour then to see whereto have supply in all our wants,To see whence our supply is. wee have a full treasury to goe to, all treasure is hid in Christ for us, what a comfort is this in any thing we want? If wee want the favour of God, goe to his beloved Christ, desire God to love us in his Beloved, and to accept us in his gracious Son, in him whom he hath made his servant, and annoynted with his Spirit for that purpose.

In want of grace.If we want particular graces, goe to the well-head Christ, consider of Christ now filled for us as it was in Aaron, the oyle that was powred on Aarons head ran downe to his beard, and to the skirts of his cloathing, the meanest parts of his garment was bedewed with that oyle; so the graces of Gods Spirit powred upon our head Christ, our Aaron, our high Priest runne downe upon us, upon all ranckes of Christians, even upon the skirts, the weakest and the lowest Christians, every one hath grace for grace, we all partake of the oyle, and annoynting of our spirituall Aaron, our High Priest. If wee want any thing therefore, let us goe to him, I can doe all (saith S. Paul) in Christ that strengtheneth me, goe to him for patience, for comfort, for every p. 47thing, because God hath put his Spirit upon him, to supply all our wants, he hath the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, but for his fellowes, Psal. 45. he hath the oyle of grace more then any, but it is not onelyonly for him but for us all. Therefore let us have comfortable meditations of the fullnesse of Christ, and make use of it, all this is for me, in Col. 2. S. Paul sets it out, in him the fulnesse of the God-head dwells personally (for that is meant by foreign) and it followes after, in him wee are compleate. Wherefore is all the fullnesse that is in him? to shew that in him we are compleate, so in 1 Iohn. 5.20. to shew how the spirits of the Apostles agree, in this saith he, wee know that the Sonne of God is come in the flesh, and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Sonne Iesus Christ, This is true God and eternall life, Christ is true God and eternall life for us all, for our comfort, We know that the Sonne of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, &c. Little children keepe your selves from Idols. How doth this depend upon the other? Thus, will you goe to Idols, flocks and stones, devises of mens braine for supply of grace and comfort? Christ whom God hath sent, hee is come into the world, He is God and eternall life; God hath given eternall life, and this life is in his Son, therefore why should you goe to Idols.

What is the ground of Popish Idolatries and abhominations,Ground of Idolatry. they conceive not aright of p. 48the fulnesse of Christ, wherefore he was ordained, and sent of God: for if they did, they would not goe to Idols and Saints, and leave Christ. Therefore let us make this use of it, goe out of Christ for nothing: If we want favour, goe not to Saints, if we want instruction goe not to traditions of men, he is a Prophet wise enough, and a Priest full enough to make us accepted of God, if we want any grace, hee is a King able enough, rich enough, and strong enough to subdue all our rebellions in us, and hee will in time by his Spirit overcome all, Stronger is he that is in us then he that is in the world. The spirit in the world, the Divell and divellish minded men they are not so strong as the Spirit of Christ: For by little and little the Spirit of Christ will subdue all. Christ is a King, goe not out of him therefore for any thing. Babes keepe your selves from Idols, you may well enough, you know whom to goe too.

To carry ourselves answerable to our riches.Therefore let us shame our selves, is there such a store-house of comfort and grace every way in Christ? Why are wee so weake and comfortlesse? Why are we so dejected as if we had not such a rich husband? All our husbands riches are ours for our good, we receive of it in our measure, why doe wee not goe to the Fountaine, and make use of it? Why in the middest of aboundance, are we poore and beggerly? Heere we may see the misery of the world, Christ is a Prophet to teach us the way p. 49to Heaven, but how few be there that will be directed by him? Christ is a King to subdue all our spirituall and worst enemies, to subdue those enemies that Kings tremble at, to subdue death, to subdue the feare of judgement, and the wrath of God, and yet how few will come under his government? Christ is the light of the world, yet how few follow him? Christ is the way, yet how few tread in his steps? Christ is our wisdome and our riches, yet how few goe to him to fetch any riches, but content themselves with the transitory things of this life? Men live as if Christ were nothing, or did nothing concerne them, as if he were a person abstracted from them, as if he were not a Head or Husband, as if he had received the Spirit only for himselfe and not for them, wheras all that is in Christ is for us, I beseech you therefore let us learne to know Christ better, and to make use of him.

Againe,To make use of Christ in our sailings. if Christ hath the Spirit put upon him for us all, then in our daily slips and errors make this use, to offer Christ to God with this argument, take an argument from God himselfe to binde him, God will bee bound with his owne arguments, we cannot binde him with ours, but let us goe to him and say, Lord though I be thus and thus sinnefull, yet for Christ Iesus sake thy servant, whom thou lovest and hast put thy Spirit upon him to be a Priest, and to make intercession for me, for his sake pardon, for his sake accept. Make use of Gods consecration of p. 50Christ by the Spirit to God himselfe, and binde him with his owne Mediator, and with his owne Priest of his owne ordaining, thou canst not Lord refuse a Saviour and Mediator of thine owne, sanctified by thine own Spirit, whom thou hast set apart, and ordained and qualified every way for this purpose, let us goe to God in the Name of this Mediator Jesus Christ every day, and this is to make a good use of this, That God hath put his Spirit upon him.How to know the Spirit is put on Christ for us

But to make a use of Tryall, how shall wee know that this comfort belongs to us, that Christ hath the Spirit put upon him for us or no, whether he be ordained a King, Priest and Prophet for us? That which I said before will give light to this, we must partake of the same Spirit that Christ hath, or else wee are none of his members, as we partake of his name, so we must also of his annoynting, thereupon we are called Christians, because we partake of the annoynting and Spirit of Christ, and if we have the Spirit of Christ, it will worke the same in us as it did in Christ, it will convince us of our owne ill, of our rebellions, and cursed estate, and it will convince us likewise of the good we have in him. And then, he is a Spirit of union, to knit us to Christ, and make us one with him, and thereupon to quicken us, to leade us, and guide us, and to dwell in us continually, to stirre up prayers and supplications in us, to make us cry familiarly to God as p. 51to a Father, to comfort and support us in all our wants and miseries, as he did Christ, to helpe our infirmities, as the Apostle at large in Rom. 8. sets downe the excellent office of the Holy Ghost, what he doth in those that are Christs. Let us therefore examine our selves, what the Spirit doth in us, if Christ bee set apart to redeeme us, as a Priest? (Surely all his offices goe together) he doth by the same Spirit rule us, Rev. 1. He hath washed us in his blood, and made us Kings and Priests. Whosoever he washeth in his blood he maketh him a King, and a Priest, he makes him by the power of his Spirit able to rule over his base corruptions, we may know then, whether we have benefit by Christ by his Spirit, not onelyonly by the Spirit witnessing that we are the Sonnes of God, but by some arguments whereby the Spirit may witnesse without delusion, for though the Spirit of Christ tells us that we are Christs, yet the proofe must bee from guiding and leading, and comforting, and conforming us to Jesus Christ, in making us Kings, and Prophets, enlightning our understandings to know his will, and conforming us to be like him. The Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of power and strength, it will enable us to performe duties above nature, to overcome our selves and injuries, it vvill make us to vvant and to abound, it vvill make us able to live and to dye, as it enabled Christ to doe things that another man could not doe. So a Christian p. 52can doe that, and suffer that that another man cannot doe and suffer, because he hath the Spirit of Christ.

At the least whosoever hath the Spirit of Christ, he shall finde that Spirit in him striving against that which is contrary, and by little and little getting ground, where there is no conflict, there is no Spirit of Christ at all, I will not be large in the point, onelyonly I speake this by way of tryall to know whether wee have the Spirit of Christ in us or no, if not we have nothing to doe with Christ: For Christ saves us not as he is out of us onelyonly, Christ was to doe something of himselfe that wee have no share in, onelyonly the good of it is ours, hee was to redeeme us by his blood, to bee a Sacrifice, the title to Heaven and salvation was wrought by Christ out of us, but there is somewhat that he doth not onelyonly for us, but hee works in us by his Spirit, that is, the fitting of us for that he hath given us title too, and the applying of that that he hath done for us. Whosoever therefore hath any benefit by Christ, he hath the Spirit to apply that to himselfe and to fit and qualifie him to be a member of such a Head, and an heire of such a Kingdome, whosoever Christ works any thing for, he doth also worke in them, there is a Spirit of application and that spirit of application if it be true it is a Spirit of sanctification and renovation fitting us every way for our condition,

Let us not abuse our selves, as the world p. 53commonly doth, concerning Christ, they thinke God is mercifull and Christ is a Saviour. Jt is true, but what hath he wrought in thee by his Spirit, hast thou the Spirit of Christ? or else thou art none of his, Romans 8. Where ever Christ is he goes with his Spirit, to teach us to apply what Christ hath done for us, and to fit us to bee like him. Therefore let those that live in any sinnes against conscience, thinke it a diabollicall illusion to thinke God and Christ is mercifull, I but where is the worke of the Spirit? All the hope thou hast is onelyonly that thou art not in Hell as yet for the time to come, but for the present I dare not say thou hast any thing to doe with Christ, when there is nothing of the Spirit in thee, the Spirit of Christ conformes the Spouse to bee like the husband, and the members to be like the Head, therefore begg of Christ that hee would annoint himselfe King in our hearts, and Prophet, and Priest in our hearts, to doe that that he did, to know his will as a Prophet, to rule in us as a King, and to stirre up prayers in us as a Priest, to doe in some proportion that that he doth, though it bee in never so little a measure, for wee receive it in measure, but Christ beyond measure, wee must labour for so much as may manifest to us the truth of our estate in Christ, that we are not dead but living branches.The Spirit given more aboundantly sinoe Christs ascention.

Now Christ gives and conveyes his Spirit especially, and most of all since his ascention, p. 54and sitting at the right hand of God, for after his resurrection he declared his victory over all his enemies, and therefore was able to give the Spirit without opposition, and upon his resurrection, death and hell, and the anger of God were overcome, and our sinnes were satisfied for, now Christ was Head indeed having trod all his enemies under his feete, now he was enabled to give the Spirit, but upon his ascention into Heaven, and his sitting there, he was more enabled, for even as the Sunne, being so high above the Earth, doth convey his light and heate and influence upon the inferiour bodies, So Christ being so highly advanced is fitter to infuse his Spirit and grace heere below since his exaltation, therefore the Church is fuller of grace, and grace hath beene more spread and diffused since the ascention of Christ then before, and the Evangelist gives it as a reason, The Spirit was not yet given, because Christ was not ascended, intimating that after his ascention, there was a more full portion of the Spirit given, God being fully appeased by the death of Christ, and Christ staying the advantage that was fittest to give the Spirit, now God the Father gives the Spirit with the Sonne, so in both regards there was a greater fullnesse of the Spirit. Therefore the Prophets speaking of the times of Christ, especially of his exaltation, shew that then they should be filled with the Spirit, that the Spirit should be povvred out upon all flesh more aboundantly p. 55then before. And that is the reason that the Apostles so differed from themselves, before and after Christs ascention, what a wondrous alteration was there? Peter before, hee flies even at the voice of a maide, and they were full of contention, and vaine glory, but after we see when the Spirit, the Holy Ghost came downe after Christs ascention into Heaven, how couragious, and valarous they were that they accounted it a matter of glory to suffer any thing, and indeed we have more or lesse valour and courage, the more of lesse Spirit we have, now they having received more abundance of Spirit, hereupon they were more couragious and undaunted at one time then another, and this abundance of the Spirit comes especially since Christs advancement.

But how or by what meanes doth Christ give his Spirit to us?How Christ gives the Spirit This Spirit that is so necessary for us,11In the ministry of the Word. Gal. 3.2.Gal 3:2 it is given by the ministery of the Gospell, which is the ministery of the Spirit, received ye the Holy Ghost by the workes of the law, or by the hearing of faith preached? when the love of God in Christ, and the benefits by Christ are layed open in the preaching of the Gospell to us, God gives his holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. Now God in Christ would save us by a triumphant and abundant love and mercy, and the Spirit of God never goes but where there is a magnifying of the love and mercy of God in Christ, therefore the ministery of the Gospell, which onelyonly discovers p. 56the amity and love of God to man-kinde being now reconciled in Christ, it is accompanyed with the Spirit, to assure us of our part and portion in those benefits: for the Spirit is the fruit of Gods love as well as Christ, Christ is the first gift, and the Spirit is the second, therefore that part of the word that discovers Gods exceeding love to man-kinde, leaving Angells (when they were fallen) in their cursed estate: and yet giving his Sonne to become man, and a curse for us, the discovery of this love and mercy of God, and of his Son Christ to us, is joyned with the Spirit: for by the Spirit we see our cursed estate without the love and mercy of God in Christ, and likewise we are convinced of the love of God in Christ, and thereupon we love God againe, and trust to his mercy, and out of love to him performe all chearfull obedience, whatsoever we doe else if it be not stirred by the Spirit, apprehending the love of God in Christ, it is but morallity. A man shall never goe to Heaven but by such a disposition, and frame and temper of soule as is wrought by the Holy Ghost, perswading the soule first of the love and favour of God in Christ. What are all our performances if they be not out of love to God? and how shall we love God except we be perswaded that hee loves us first? therefore the Gospell breeds love in us to God, and hath the Spirit together with it, working a blessed frame of sanctification, whereby we are disposed to every good p. 57duty. Therefore if we would have the Spirit of God let us attend upon the sweete promises of salvation, upon the doctrine of Christ: for together with the knowledge of these things the Holy Ghost slides, and insinuates, and infuseth himselfe into our soules.

Therfore the Ministers of the Gospell should be much in laying open the riches of God in Christ; in unfolding Christ all other things will follow, as S. Paul in 2 Tit. 12. The grace of God hath shined, hath appeared gloriously, teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to live holily and soberly in this present world, where the grace and love of God is perswaded and shed into the soule all will follow.

What is the reason that former times were called darke times, and so they were, the times of Popery, a darke age? Christ was vailed, the Gospell was vailed, there was no preaching of salvation by Christ alone, people were sent to stocks and stones, and to Saints, and instead of the word, they were sent to legends and such things, Christ was obscured, thereupon they were darke ages, those ages wherein the Spirit of God is most, is where Christ is most preached, and people are best alway where there is most Spirit, and they are most joyfull and comfortable, and holy, where Christ is truly layd open to the hearts of people; the peaching of meere morallity, (if men be not carefull to open Christ, to know how salvation is wrought by Christ, and how all good comes by Christ) p. 58it will never make a man perfectly good, and fit him for Heaven, it may make a man reforme many abuses, like a Phylosopher, which hath its reward, and respect amongst men, but nothing to give comfort at the houre of death, and the day of judgement, onelyonly that whereby the Spirit is conveyed is the knowledge and preaching of Christ in his state and offices.

22In obedience.Againe, the Spirit of Christ is given, in obedience to this Gospell, Acts▪ 5.32. Hee gives the Holy Ghost to them that obey him. Now there is the obedience of faith, and the obedience of life, when the soule is wrought to obedience, to beleeve, and to be directed by God, then the Holy Spirit is given in a further measure still, the Holy Ghost is given to them that obey▪ to them that doe not resist the Spirit of God: for in the Ministery of the Gospell the Spirit is given in some degree to reprobates, it is offered, it knockes at the hearts of the vilest persons, that lives in filthy and false courses of life, whose tongues, and bodies, are all instruments of an unsanctified soule to offend God, they have gracious motions offered them, but then they doe not obey them, therefore the Spirit seizeth not upon them to rule in them, they have the Spirit knocking upon them, he doth not dwell in them, and take up his lodging in them. The Spirit is given to them that obey the sweet motions of it. Now who is it that heares the blessed word of God, the blessed tidings of salvation, but he hath sweete motions of the Spirit p. 59to be in love with God and the mercy of God, and to hate sinne a little for a time, then presently upon it corruption joynes and and swels against those motions, and they onelyonly rest in the bare motion, and never come to any perfection. This is the state of reprobates in the Church, they have many motions by the Holy Ghost, but their hearts are not subdued to obedience, not to constant obedience. Therefore if wee would have the Spirit of Christ, let us labour to subject our selves unto it, when we have any good motion by the Ministery of the Word, or by conference, or by reading of good things (as holy things have a savour in them, the Spirit breathes in holy exercises) Oh give way to the motions of Gods Spirit, we shall not have them againe perhaps, turne not backe those blessed messengers, let us entertaine them, let the Spirit dwell and rule in us, it is the most blessed lodger that ever we entertained in all our lives, If wee let the Spirit guide and rule us, it will leade us and governe and support us in life and death, and never leave us till it have raised our bodies, the Spirit of Christ in us at length will quicken our dead bodies, Rom. 8. it will never leave us till it have brought us to Heaven. This is the state of those that belong to God, that give way to the motions of Gods Spirit to rule and guide them; therefore if we would have the Spirit of Christ, let us take heed of rebelling against it.

p. 60This is the state of many of us (the Lord be mercifull to us, and cure us) that we doe not onelyonly not receive the motions of the Spirit deepely into us, but if they bee such a crosse us in our pleasures and profits, though the Word and Spirit joyne together, there is a rising of the proud spirit of man against so much of the Spirit and the motions of it, and against such parts of the Word as crosseth us, this will bee laid heavy to our charge one day that wee would bring the Spirit of God to our corruptions, and not bring our hearts to Gods Spirit, and hereupon be those phrases in the Scripture of tempting the Spirit, Ananias and Saphira tempted the Spirit, that is, when men will doe that which is naught, and try whether God will forgive them, and put it off or no, how many are there that tempt the Spirit? that put it off, perhaps I shall have the like motions another time, I shall have better occasion when I can gaine no more, when I can have my pleasures no more, thus men resist the Spirit, as Saint Stephen saith, that is when the Spirit discovers to them what they should beleeve, and what they should doe, and they see it crosseth their resolution to be naught, heereupon they resist the worke of the Spirit, that else would close with their soules and sanctifie them, and fit them for Heaven, if they would give way to it. And there is a quenching of the Spirit, that is, when men have sweet motions of the Spirit, and presently by some ill language or p. 61course of life they defile their vessels and quench the sweet motions of the Spirit. Let us take heed of all these, of tempting, of resisting, and quenching the Spirit: For undoubtedly (living in the bosome of the Church) we have many heavenly motions, especially those that have so much goodnesse in them as to attend upon Gods ordinances, they have those motions at those times, that they never have after perhaps, but they either resist them, or quench them, and wrong and grieve the Spirit, as Saint Paul saith, Greive not the Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption, Ephes. 5. Men speake or doe somewhat that grieves the Spirit of God in them, their conscience being enlightned by the Spirit tels them that they have done that which is naught, yet notwithstanding for this or that advantage, to please this or that company, they will speake or doe that which is ill, and then the Spirit that was given in some measure before is grieved at this carnall and sinnefull liberty. Therefore if yee would be guided by the Spirit of Christ, take heed of all these and of such like courses.

Another meanes whereby we may come to obtaine the Spirit,33Prayer. is Prayer; to bee guided by the Spirit of Christ, (next to Christ himselfe our Saviour) is the most excellent thing in the world, therefore it is worth the begging and getting, Luke 11.13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to p. 62them that aske him? Insinuating, that wee can aske nothing greater then the Spirit. A man that hath a sanctified judgement next the forgivenesse of his sins through Christ, hee begs nothing more then the Spirit to witnesse the favour of God in Christ, and to fit him for other favours, especially to fit us for the world to come. God can give nothing greater, nor we can beg nothing greater, if wee have sanctified judgements, then the Spirit of God, therefore let us have a high esteeme of the holy Spirit of the motions of it, and out of an high esteeme in our hearts beg of God the guidance of the Spirit, that he would leade us by his Spirit, and subdue our corruptions, that wee may not bee lead by our owne lusts, and so consequently by Satan that leads us by our owne lusts in the way that leads to perdition. So much for that, I will put my Spirit, &c.

And he shall shew judgement to the Gentiles.

After Christ was fully furnished, as he was furnished with the Spirit of God, and with a commission from Heaven, from Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, having this high commission, and gifts for it by the Spirit, he fals upon his office presently, we are never fit for any thing till wee have the Spirit, and when we have the Spirit it is active, and vigorous and working, He shall shew judgement to the Gentiles.

Object.What is meant by judgement here?

p. 63By judgement is meant lawes,Answ. hee shall declare his lawes,What meant by judgement here. his truth, and together with declaring the truth of the Gospell, which is his Evangelicall law, hee shall declare it in the soule, and bow the neck of the inward man to the obedience of this his judgement. Christ then by himselfe and his Apostles and Ministers, shall declare his truth (which is the scepter of his governement) to the Gentiles, and not onelyonly declare it, as Princes doe their lawes by Proclamations and Statutes, &c. but hee shall declare it to the heart by his Spirit.

Now in the hebrew language, ordinarily, wise governement is called judgement, hee shall declare judgement, that is, his manner of governement, he shall declare it by his Spirit, and cause our Spirits to submit to it.

And indeed grace is called judgement, in the phrase of Scripture, the grace of sanctification, because it is agreeable to judgement, to Gods law, it is agreeable to it, and wrought by it in the soule, and it is the best judgement, for grace whereby the soule is subject to the judgement and law, and rule of God, it must needs be the best judgement, because it is agreeable to Gods judgement, grace judgeth aright of things, and subdues all things, the affections and inward man to it selfe.

But why is the word of God called judgement?The word of God called judgement.

It is called so frequently in the Psalmes, and p. 64in other places of Scripture, because the truth of God shewes what God doth judge. Judgement is originally in God who is the first truth, and the first good, the first truth judgeth best of truthes, what is light, and what is darkenesse, what is truth, and what is error, what is good, and what is ill, what is safe, and what is dangerous; all will grant that God is the first light, and the fir…t truth, therefore hee doth originally judge of the difference of things: for even as in the creation he put an eternall difference betweene light and darkenesse, and severed things that were in the confuse… Chaos, and established an orderly world, that Heaven should be above, and earth below, that one thing should be above another, and all in judgement. So in the governing of man-kinde, he shewes his judgement by his word, and that word shewes how God judgeth of things. Lawes shew, judgement what is to be done, and what is not to be done. The Gospell shewes Gods judgement, what he will have us beleeve and hope for, and how wee must carry our selves in way of thankefullnesses if we doe this, then the Gospell, the word of God judgeth what shall become of us, wee shall be saved, if we doe the contrary, the word againe judgeth what our state shall be, wee shall be damned, so it is called judgement, because it judgeth what is good and what is ill, and because it determineth what shall become of us if we obey or disobey.

p. 65Hereupon it is that the word of God is a glasse wherein we may see our owne condition infallibly, what will become of us, the Word of God judgeth thus, he that lives in such and such sinnes shall come to this end, God will inflict these and these judgements upon him. Iudgement in the first place is, you shall doe this and this, because it is good. Iudgement in the second place is, because you have not done this, this shall befall you, so the Evangelicall judgement of the Gospell is this, He that repents and beleeves shall not perish, but have everlasting life: but he that armes and furnisheth his heart to rebellion, he shall perish in his sinnes, He that believeth not is condemned allready, the wrath of God hangs over his head. So from this, that Gods truth is called judgement, we may know how to judge of our selves, even as God judgeth in his Word▪ wee may see our owne faces and conditions there, hee that is a man of death may see it in the Word, and he that is appointed for happinesse may there see his condition.

Againe,Sanctification judgement. not onelyonly the Word of God, the Gospell (which is out of us in the booke of God) is called judgement, but the worke of God in the soule, Sanctification is called judgement, hence we may observe, what is the most judicious course in the world, the most judicious frame of soule, when it is framed to the judgement and truth of God, being the first truth. When a man is sanctified and set in a p. 66holy frame, it is from a sanctified judgement the flesh is subject to the Spirit, heere is all in a gratious order, the baser part doth not rule the higher, but the higher part of the soule, a sanctified judgement rules all, because the whole is in right judgement, therefore sanctification is called judgement, and other courses though they be never so fashionable are but madnesse, and folly, and disorder in the censure of the Scripture, nothing is judgement and true wisedome, but sanctification and obedience flowing from sanctification, Therefore saith Moses in Deuteronomie, Then shall you be knowne to bee a wise people when you obey the Lawes that I have given you, onelyonly that shewes a wise judicious man, to be obedient to Gods truth by the Spirit sanctifying him. Without the truth of God and the Spirit in us framing our soules answerable to the truth, we are out of all good order: For then the affections that should bee ruled, rule us, then the body, and the lusts of the body, rule the soule, and the Divell rules by both, what a shamefull disorder is this, when a man shall be ruled by the Divell and his owne lusts that he should treade under feete and trample upon? and this is the state of all that have not this judgement in them, that have not the word of God written in their hearts bowing and bending them by the Spirit of God to spirituall obedience, to proove this J will name but one place among many, Titus. 3.…. hee shewes the state of all men, that are not p. 67brought into subjection by this judgement, by the Word and Spirit of truth. We our selves (saith he) were sometimes foolish and disobedient, till this judgement is set up in us, wee are foolish in our understandings, and disobedient in our wills and affections, deceived and misled by the Divell, and our owne lusts: for that followes upon folly, those that are foolish and disobedient are deceived and led away to eternall destruction, There is a way that seemes good in a mans owne eyes, but the issues of it are death, saith Salomon, this is the state of all men that are not led with the judgement of Gods truth and Spirit, sanctifying and framing their soules to obedience, they are foolish and disobedient and deceived, and so it will proove with them in the end, Serving diverse lusts, and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hating one another. Now when God by his blessed Truth and Spirit sets up his rule in the heart, it brings all into captivity, as Saint Paul saith, it brings all the inner man into subjection. The Word of God is the weapon of God, these judgements are mighty in operation together with the Spirit▪ to beate downe all strong holds and to set up another judgement there, it brings all into captivity to the truth and command of God, and to the motions of the Spirit, the Word and Spirit beate downe all the strong holds that are raised up in the heart by Satan, and our corruptions, so wee see here what is meant by this phrase, Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles. It is a militant p. 68word, therefore J have stood somewhat the longer in unfolding of it.

Grace wrought by preachingNow this is wrought by the preaching of the Gospell, Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles, all grace comes by declaring, The Gospell is the power of God to salvation. Let but the Gospell (which is Gods judgement how men shall be saved, and how they shall walke in obedience by way of thankefullnesse to God) be declared, and all that belong to God shall come in, and yeeld homage to it, and bee brought in subjection. The Divell in the Antichristian state knowes this well enough, therefore he labours to hinder the declaration of judgement by all meanes, he will not have Gods judgements but mens traditions declared, he knowes the declaring of Gods judgements will breed an alteration quickly in mens dispositions: For when hee saith, Hee shall declare judgement to the Gentiles, he meanes the consequent as well as the thing, he shall so declare judgement that they shall yeeld spirituall obedience and come in and be saved.

Let the Divell doe his worst, let all seducers of soules doe their worst, if they would but give way to the preaching of the Gospell, let but judgement be declared, let Gods arme be stretched forth in delivering the truth, hee would soone gaine soules out of the captivity and bondage of Satan, they know it well enough, therfore by all the wayes they can they stop the preaching of the Gospell and disgrace p. 69and hinder it, and set up mens traditions instead of the Gospell, but I will not inlarge my selfe farther upon these wordes, but goe on to the next.

Hee shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes.

These wordes set downe the mild,Christs mild carriage. and sweete, and amiable manner of Christs carriage upon earth here in his first comming to worke the great worke of our redemption, he did not carry the matter in an outward glorious manner, in pompe, but he would have his miracles concealed oft times, and himselfe hidden, his God-head was hid under the vaile of his Manhood, he could not have wrought our salvation else, if the divell and the world had knowne Christ to be as he was, they would never have made those attempts against him, therefore considering he had such a dispensation to work our salvation, as a King, Priest, and Prophet, he would not cry, and contend, and strive, hee would not come with any great noise.

Now here is an opposition to the giving of the law,Difference betweene the giving of the law and Gospell. and likewise to the comming and carriage of civill Princes. You know when the Law was given all the mount was on fire, and the earth thereabout quaked, and trembled, and the people fled, they could not indure to heare the voice of God speaking in the mount, there was such a terrible smoake and fire, they p. 70were all affraid, thus came Moses: now did Christ come as Moses? was the Gospell delivered by Christ as the law was, in terrors and feares? Oh no; Christ came not in such a terrible manner in thunder and lightning, but the Gospell it came sweetly. A Dove, a mild creature lit upon the head of Christ when he was Baptised, to shew his mild manner of carriage, and he came with blessing in his mouth in his first Sermon of all, Blessed are the poore in spirit, blessed are they that mourne, blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse. The Law came with curses, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law to doe them. Christ came in another manner, the Gospell was delivered in a mild sweete manner, Christ as an Ambassador came sweetly to intreat and beseech, there is a crying indeed, but it is a crying out of love and intreaty, not a shouting in a terrible manner as was at the giving of the law, no nor as at the comming of other civill Princes into a citie with shouting and noise of trumpets, with pompe and state, and great attendants. Christ came not into the world to execute his kingdome and office in such pompe, and noise, as it is said of Agrippa, Acts. 25.23. hee came with great pompe, so worldly Princes carry things thus, and it is needfull in some sort, people must have shewes and pompe, the outward man must have outward things to astonish it withall, it is a pollicy in state so to doe, but Christ came p. 71in another manner, he came not to make men quake and tremble that came to speake and deale with him, he came not with clamour and fiercenesse: for who would have come to Christ then? But he came in a mild, and sweete, and amiable manner; wee see a little before the text, upon occasion of the inference of these wordes, he commands and chargeth them that they should not discover him and make him knowne, when he had done a good worke hee would not have it knowne.

Now there are three things especially insinuated in this description, hee shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streete. That Christ should not be outwardly glorious to publish his owne excellency, nor contentious, he should not cry nor quarrell, nor hee should not be clamarous, if hee had any wrong, to be all on fire presently, but he should be as a meeke Lambe, he should make no noise, he should not come in vaine glory, or clamour, &c.

But here wee must know that Christ was a wise discerner of the fitnesse of times: for sometimes he would have things published, sometimes he would not, sometimes hee vvould be knovvne, sometimes he would not. Christ in his second comming, shall come all in majesty and glory with his Angells, and all the earth shall appeare before him, but now his wisedome told him (now hee came to save the world as a Prophet, Priest and King, to worke p. 72mans salvation) that he must hide and conceale himselfe, and so hee ordered all his courses by discretion, every Sacrifice must be salted with salt, every thing should be seasoned with the salt of discretion, this is the steward of all our actions, to know what is fit, Christ knew it was fittest to conceale himselfe now at this time.

To take heed of vaine glory.Now by Christs example we should learne this, not to bee vaine glorious, not to make a great noyse, you have some if they doe any thing that is good, presently all the world must know it, this was not Christs disposition; it is a disposition that is hardly wrought out of mans heart without an exceeding great measure of the Spirit of God: For we see good men have been given this way. David would number the people that it might be knowne what a great Monarch he was, what a great number of people he had, he was a good man, yet vaine-glorious, he smarted for it. So good Hezekias, Ambassadors were sent to him from the King of Babylon, and that they should know that Hezekiah was no beggerly Prince, out must come the vessels of the Temple, and all his treasures, to shew what a rich King the King of Iudah was. His vaine-glory cost him all his riches, as the Prophet told him. So the Disciples before they received a great measure of the Spirit, how vaine-glorious were they? They contended for the higher place, therefore they advise Christ to goe up to Hierusalem, that he might bee knowne, As Iehu said to p. 73Ionadab, come up and see my zeale for the Lord of Hoasts, he accounts it nothing unlesse it bee seene, so flesh and blood, if there be any thing done that is good, all the world must know it presently. Christ chargeth them that no noyse should be made, but that they would conceale him.

What should we learne hence?

To be of Christs disposition, that is, to have no more care of the knowledge of things then the light of the things themselves will discover, to doe works of light, and if the things themselves will breake foorth to mens eyes and they must see our light shine, then let them, and imitate our good works, but for us to blazon them abroad our selves, it is not the Spirit of Christ.

Let us labour to have humility of spirit,Labour for humility. that that may grow up with us in all our performances, that all things that we speake and doe may savour of a spirit of humility, that we may seeke the glory of God in all things more then our owne.

And let us commit the fame and credit of what we are or doe to God, he will take care of that, let us take care to bee and to doe as wee should, and then for noyse and report, let it bee good or ill as God will send it: Wee know oft times it falls out that that which is precious in mans eye is abhominable in Gods, if wee seeke to bee in the mouthes of men, to dwell in the talke and speech of men, God will abhorre p. 74us, and at the houre of death it will not comfort us what men speake or know of us, but sound comfort must be from our owne conscience and the judgement of God: therfore let us labour to be good in secret, Christians should be as minerals, rich in the depth of the earth, that which is least seene is his riches, wee should have our treasure deepe: For the discovery of it, we should be ready when wee are called to it, and for all other accidentall things, let them fall out as God in his wisedome sees good. So let us looke through good report and bad report to Heaven, let us doe the duties that are pleasing to God and our owne conscience, and God will be carefull enough to get us applause; Was it not sufficient for Abell, that though there was no great notice taken what faith he had, and how good a man he was, yet that God knew it, and discovered it? God sees our sincerity and the truth of our hearts, and the graces of our inward man, he sees all these, and he values us by these, as he did Abell; As for outward things, there may bee a great deale of deceit in them, and the more a man growes in grace, the lesse he cares for them; as much reputation as is fit for a man will follow him in being and doing what hee should, God will looke to that. Therefore we should not set up sailes to our owne meditations, that unlesse wee bee carried with the winde of applause, to bee becalmed and not goe a whit forward, but we should be carried with the Spirit of God and p. 75with a holy desire to serve God, and our brethren, and to doe all the good we can, and never care for the speeches of the world, as St. Paul saith of himselfe, I care not what ye judge of me, I care not what the world judgeth, I care not for mans judgement, this is mans day; Wee should from the example of Christ, labour to subdue this infirmity which wee are sicke of naturally. Christ concealed himselfe till hee saw a fitter time. We shall have glory enough, and be knowne enough to Divells, to Angels and men ere long, therefore as Christ lived a hidden life, that is, he was not knowne what hee was, that so hee might worke our salvation, so let us bee content to bee hidden men. A true Christian is hidden to the world till the time of manifestation comes; when the time came, Christ then gloriously discovered what hee was; so wee shall bee discovered what wee are, in the meane time let us be carefull to doe our duty that may please the Spirit of God, and satisfie our owne conscience, and leave all the rest to God; Let us meditate, in the feare of God, upon these directions for the guidance of our lives in this particular.

FINIS.

GODS INQVISITION, In two Sermons By the late Reverend and Learned Divine RICHARD SIBS, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES INNE.

GEN 18.21.

I will goe downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

PSAL. 14.3.

They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good no not one.

LONDON. Printed by G.M. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford. MDCXXXIX.