Beams of Divine Light, Sermon 4 – Title page 5

Beams of Divine Light · Sermon 4 – Title page 5

p. 163THE FRVITFVLL LABOVR FOR Eternall Food.

IOHN 6.27.

Labour not for the meate that perisheth, but for the meate that indureth to everlasting life, which the Sonne of man shall give you, for him hath God the Father Sealed.

OUr blessed Saviour was mighty in word and deed, witnesse what he did, what he taught, and both in this Chapter.

What he did, hee fed many with a few loaves, he came over the water without any helpe.

What he taught, witnesse from this part of the Chapter to the end.

p. 164The words are part of an Answer of our blessed Saviour to his hypocriticall followers, that followed him for the Loaves, and not for any confirmation of their faith by his miracles: for upon occasion of those two miracles (mentioned in the former part of the Chapter) they followed him, and perceiving that hee was miraculously come over the water, they began to aske him, Rabbi, how camest thou heere? Our Saviour perceives that they meant to complement with him, he sees with what hearts they came after him, therefore as most befitting the Exigence of their state, because they were hypocrites, he answers, not to their question, but to their persons, Verily, verily, yee seeke mee not because of the miracles, but because yee eate of the loaves and were filled. Labour not for the meate that perisheth, &c.

The Verses together containe a Conviction, and an Injunction, or direction.

A Conviction, and that is serious and loving. Serious, Verily, verily I say unto you, you seeke mee not because of the miracles, but because yee eate of the loaves, &c. Hee convinceth them of their fault, of their hypocrisie, of their wicked and carnall aimes in holy businesse, they come flattering of Christ, but as hee was too holy to flatter, so he was too wise to be flattered, hee deales therefore directly with them, thoroughly convinceth them of their hypocrisie and corrupt aimes in following after him. We are all naturally prone to these carnall ends in holy p. 165actions; we must take heed with what mindes, with what hearts we come before God, whose eyes are brighter then the Sun, who regards not so much what we doe, as with what mindes we doe it.

As his conviction is Serious, so it is Loving, for with the conviction or reproofe followes the injunction or direction, Labour not for the meate that perisheth.

In the Injunction there are two things.

First, he shewes them what they should not follow, he takes them off from labouring after the meate that perisheth.

And then secondly, hee instructs them in what they should follow, what they should seeke after, But labour for the meate that indureth to everlasting life, &c.

There are Arguments in both. In the first, there is an Argument disswasive, and that is infolded, Labour not for the meate that perisheth, because it is meate that perisheth.

In the second, there are Arguments prerswasive, or inforcing to the duty, and they are three,

The necessity.

The excellencie.

The possibility of attaining.

The necessity, it is meate, and what so necessary as meate?

The excellency, and that is set forth, first by the continuance, it is meate that endures. Secondly, by the fruit or effect of it, it is meate that p. 166endures to everlasting life, it is meate to life, and it is meate that tends to an everlasting, to a glorious life.

The possibility of attaining it, The Sonne of man shall give it you, for him hath the Father Sealed.

There are three things that must concurre to make a thing attaineable, and to be had,

A willingnesse in the giver.

Power and strength to give it.

And then Authority with power.

Heere are all these; heere is will to bestow it, he will give it, what freer then a gift? the Sonne of God became the Sonne of man upon purpose to give it, hee will give it, and he will give it freely.

Heere is power and strength to give it, for he is the Sonne of God as well as the Sonne of man.

And then heere is Authority joyned with that power, for the Father hath Sealed him. The Father that created Heaven and Earth, that hath all power in his hands, that is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, He hath Sealed him, Hee hath given him full Commission to bee the Saviour of all that trust in him, Christ came not without Authority from God the Father, hee came out with Gods broad Seale as his Commission.

So you see the Arguments, both disswasive, Labour not for the meate that perisheth, and perswasive, But for the meate that endureth to everlasting p. 167life. I shall but touch the former, and principally insist upon the latter Branch.

To speake a little for the explication of the words. What is heere meant by the meate that perisheth?

We must enlarge the sense according to our Saviours meaning; By the meate that perisheth, hee doth not intend onelyonly outward food, but all outward things whatsoever, they are the meate that perisheth, all earthly and outward things are the foode that the soule of a naturall man feedes upon. The soule of a Covetous man feeds upon his money, applauding himselfe that he is worth so much and so much. The Ambitious man Camelion like feeds upon the ayre, upon the ayrie applause of the people. The Sensuall man feeds upon base and sensuall pleasures, in a word, all carnall men, naturall men are condemned to that sentence of the Serpent, to eate dust, to feede upon outward, earthly, perishing things. So that every thing that is not grace and glory or the meanes that leade to it, is a perishing thing.

Nay (to raise it a little higher) Learning and Knowledge, if it be onelyonly of perishing things, is food that perisheth, for as the frame of nature and the civill frame of the world must have an end and perish, so the knowledge of naturall and civill things must needs be perishing also.

And to say no more, the very knowledge, the speculative and contemplative knowledge of religious things, if we have onelyonly the knowledge p. 168of the things in us and are not turned into the things we know, is a perishing thing. The truthes of God indeed are the food of the soule, but unlesse the goodnesse of those truths be the food of the will and affections, unlesse we are molded and fashioned into the very forme of those truthes, unlesse we are framed to a love and liking of that which we know, that those truths be rooted and planted in us, it is food that perisheth.

In a religious discourse, in preaching, all your ornaments, besides that which quickneth and strengtheneth the soule to holy duties, is food that perisheth. And your hearing, if it be only to heare wittie sentences and turnings of speech without regard to the truth it selfe, is food that perisheth. Thus you see what a great latitude this food that perisheth hath in Christs meaning.

Now our blessed Saviour takes them off from labouring for this by a strong Argument: Would you have a greater argument? It is food that perisheth, we doe not regard the lustre of things, but their continuance. Why do we esteeme of Chrystall more then glasse? Because it continues: Flowers have a goodly glosse, but wee regard them little, because they are fresh in the morning and cast away at evening. And so it is with all excellencies, unlesse it be grace or glory. All flesh is grasse, and the excellentest things of nature, wit and honour and learning and all, though they be not as grasse p. 169so common, yet they are as the flower of the grasse, they are all fading and withering, but the Word of God endureth for ever, that is, the grace and comfort that we get by the blessed truthes of God, that endures for ever, and it makes us endure for ever, but all other things are food that perisheth, and we perish in the use of them, The world passeth away and the concupisence of it, the world, the things lusted after perish, and in lusting after the world the lust perisheth, and we perish to in the pursute of them, nay which is worse, the immoderate seeking after these things destroy us, wee eternally perish, for by placing our affections on earthly things we turne earthly. Therefore in Divinity wee have our denomination from our affections, we are called good or ill not from our knowledge but from our affections. The Divell knowes good, but he is not good, it is loving and joying and delighting in good or ill that makes us good or ill, we have our forme and being in religion from our affections.

Now by seeking after and placing our affections that are ordained to close with better things, which shall make us happy in another world, by planting them on earthly things we become like the things earthly, by placing them on the world we become the world, we become earthly, therefore they are not onelyonly perishing in themselves, but we perish in the pursute of them. It is a strong argument that is here used, all earthly things are food that perisheth; p. 170for alas he that is rich to day may bee poore to morrow, he may be as rich as Iob in the morning, and as poore as Iob at night, hee may be in credit now with Haman, and bee in discredit ere soone, he may be in health now, and sicke ere long; we need not Scripture for this, experience reads us this lecture enough, but we are so desperately set on earthly things, that neither Faith, nor experience, nor the strength of discourse, nor reason is sufficient to take us off till God by his Spirit convince us throughly of this, therefore Moses prayes that God would teach them to number their daies, so though there is a sufficient argument in the discovery of these earthly things to be perishing things to inforce a disswasion, yet we cannot loosen our affections to them, nor know the uncertainty of them till God teach us.

To make some use of this, in a word, and so to goe on to that which J more intend. If all things here below be grasse and as the flower of the grasse, perishing and fading things, why then we should take heede that we doe not redeeme any perishing thing with the losse of that which doth not perish, with the losse of this soule of ours, which is an eternall spirituall substance, breathed in by God in the creation, and redeemed by Christ, which is capable of immortality, capable of happinesse, capable of the blessed impression of the Image of God, What if one should gaine the whole world (saith Christ that knowes the price of a soule best) p. 171and should loose his owne soule. It is an argument sufficient even to a man that is led but with the strength of naturall reason, not to labour for that which will perish, when he hath a soule that will not perish; to labour after that thing as his maine chiefe good, that is of shorter continuance then himselfe is extreamity of folly: therefore no carnall man that seeks after these perishing things can ever be a wise man, because he hath an end inferiour to himselfe, hee may be wise for particular ends, to be rich, to have great places, to get his pleasure, this is to be wise for particular ends; but he cannot be wise for the chiefe and last and best end, for his soule, for eternity, hee cannot direct his course that way, that labours for the food that perisheth.

And againe, we should not passe to neglect any earthly thing to gaine advantage to our soules, because they are perishing things, wee should force our selves to contentment in the losse of earthly things for the gaine of spirituall; the losse of things perishing is an easie matter, we loose things that will perish whether we loose them or no; All earthly things perish either in our time or after us; we should not therefore be over eager in getting of these earthly things, let us leave things that perish to men that perish: you see therefore how strong a reason our Saviour Christ alleadgeth here, Labour not for the meate that perish…th, because it perisheth.

p. 172And learne heere from our blessed Saviour a point of heavenly wisedome, you see when hee would take us off and disswade us from the pursuit of earthly things, he takes an argument from the nature of them, they are perishing things, and therefore when wee looke upon the outward luster of earthly things, wee should withall consider the perishing nature of them; when we are tempted to too much delight in the creature, we should present to our selves the perishing and fading nature of outward things; when wee are tempted to sinne either to commit, or to leave that which is good for any thing that is outward, we should consider, what doe I now, I staine my soule, I crack my conscience, I contract guilt and grounds of terror for the time to come, for that which is perishing: it is alwaies good to have present to our soules and to our fancies the nature of earthly things, that they may be as present as the temptation, that Satan from them urgeth and forceth upon the soule; it is good alwaies to remember that they are perishing things, and that as they are perishing in themselves, so they will destroy us, cause us to perish in the pursuite of them. But my meaning is not to dwell long upon this.

Labour not for the meate that perisheth.

What? doth Christ meane that wee should not labour at all for earthly things? doth hee p. 173reade a Lecture of ill husbandry and unthriftinesse and negligence?

No, he doth as we doe, when we would set a crooked thing straight we bend it as much the contrary way, our Saviour saw that they were desperately addicted to earthly things, that they followed him for their bellies, sought him for the loaves, therefore hee bends the sticke the contrary way, Labour not for the meate that perisheth, that is, labour not for it in comparison of better things, labour not so inordinately, so immoderately, labour not so unseasonably. It is said of the Israelites that they brought Aegypt into the Wildernesse, because they brought the love of the Garlicke and Onyons of Aegypt with them: wee have many come to the Church, to these holy exercises, to this holy place, but they bring the world with them, they come with carnall affections: labour not so unseasonably; it should be our heavenly wisdome to lay aside importunate earthly thoughts of earthly things, to drive them away as Abraham did the Birds from the Sacrifice, we should leave them as he did the Beasts and his Servants at the bottome of the Mount when hee went up to sacrifice unto God: thus labour not, labour not immoderately, labour not inordinately, labour not unseasonably.

But how shall wee know when our labour is immoderate, unseasonable, and inordinate after earthly things?

I answer (in a word) when they either hinder p. 174us from, or hinder us in holy things, when they keepe us from holy duties, as from the santifying of the Lords day, or from any other service of God, or when they hinder us in them, when they fill us full of distractions, when they turne the soule from the businesse in hand, &c. thus when they doe either hinder us from or hinder us in better things, we may know wee offend against this disswasion of Christ, Labour not for the meate that perisheth.

But why doth our Saviour begin first with his disswasion, Labour not for the meate that perisheth, and then injoyne what they should seeke after, but for the meate that endureth to everlasting life?

Because he saw that their soules were corrupted and desperately set upon the seeking after earthly things, and when the soule is invested to any thing, there must first be a remoovall of that; as in ground, the thornes must first bee rooted out, before there bee any sowing of seeds, and in bodily distempers, there must first bee a purge of the malignant humour, before there be any Cordialls given; so Christ, he first takes them off from an immoderate and inordinate seeking after the world and earthly things, and then he directs them what they should do, what they should seeke after, seeke the foode that endures to everlasting life.

Heere is the prerogative of Christianity, a Heathen man out of the strength of morrall discourse and outward experience can teach the p. 175negative part, can tell you that all earthly things are vaine and perishing. A Stoick will declaime wittily and gravely from morrall principels and daily experience upon these things, that these earthly things of themselves are all vaine and fading, and that it is our conceit of them onelyonly that bewitcheth us to them, it is that onelyonly that renders them to us greene and fresh: But now for the affirmative part, what we should seeke after, heere Paganisme is blinde, that is onelyonly to bee learned in the Church of Christ, it is proper to Christianity to direct us heere, as I shall discover better to you when I come to speake of the duty injoyned, which is that I especially aime at.

But before I come to inforce the act or duty which our Saviour heere exhorts unto, I must unfold the object of that act, what is meant heere by the meate that endures to everlasting life.

The meate that endures to everlasting life is our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus, as he is contained and wrapped up in the meanes of salvation, with all the blessed liberties, priviledges, and prerogatives, graces and comforts that we have by him and in him: for our blessed Saviour never goes alone, hee is never imbraced naked, but with him goes his graces, comforts, prerogatives and liberties; wee have him not now as we shall see him face to face hereafter in Heaven, but he is to be considered as wrapped up in the Word and Sacraments, so is p. 176Christ the foode that lasts to everlasting life, and in this latitude we must take it, or else wee mistake and straiten the Holy Ghost.

But why is our blessed Saviour so considered, and the comforts, and prerogatives, and good things we have by him termed food?

In divers respects. To instance in a few: but first, you must know that as the soule hath a life as well as the body, so it hath a taste as well as the body, and as God (least the body should pine away) hath planted in it an appetite, which is the bodies longing after that which refresheth it, for if it were not for appetite, if it were not for hunger and thirst who would care for meate and drinke; so God hath planted in the soule, (least it should pine away) a spirituall appetite, an earnest longing and desiring after that which is the most necessary good of the soule; for the soule hath that which the body hath, taste, and smell, &c. though in a more sublime and divine sense, but as really and truly, as we shall see afterwards. Now our blessed Saviour is this spirituall food of the soule, He is the bread of life that came downe from Heaven, He is the true Manna, He is the true Tree of life in Paradice, in the Church of God the true Paradice, He is the true Shewbread, He is the true Lambe of God, He, considered with all the blessed prerogatives and priviledges and comforts we have by him, is called meate or food for divers respects.

First, whatsoever sweetnesse, or comfort, or p. 177strength there is in meate, it is for the comfort and strength and good of the body; so whatsoever is comfortable and cherishing in Christ (as indeed all comfort and cherishing is in him) it is for our good; to us He is given, for us Hee was borne, to us a Childe is borne, to us a Sonne is given, all is for us, for us men, for us sinners; there is nothing in his natures, in his state and condition both of abasement and exaltation, nothing in his Offices but it is all for our good. Consider him in his humane nature, and joyne with his nature, his abasement, that hee was man, that he tooke upon him our nature, that he was abased in it, that he humbled himselfe to death, even to the death of the Crosse, to bee a sacrifice for our sinnes, how doth the soule feed on this, on the wonderfull love of God in giving Christ to be incarnate, and then to die for us, how doth the soule feed upon the death of Christ, because by that Gods wrath is appeased and he reconciled, where the dead body is there the Eagles resort, so doth the soule prey and feed upon the dead body of Christ, Christ crucified is the speciall food of the soule.

Consider him in his Exaltation, in his glorious Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, how doth the soule feed upon that, Christ our Surety is risen againe, therfore our debt is discharged, the justice of God is satisfied to the full; so for his Ascension, when the soule is basely minded on earthly things, it ascends to Christ who is taken up to Heaven p. 178for us: so his sitting at the right hand of God, the soule feedes on that, because he sits there till hee have triumphed over all his enemies, till he have trod them all under foot.

Consider him in his Offices. In ignorance the soule feeds on him as a Prophet to instruct it; in the sense of wrath and anger the soule feeds on him as a Priest to make peace and reconciliation: in want of righteousnesse, the soule feeds on his righteousnesse, he is our righteousnesse: In the sense of corruption, the soule feeds on him as a King, that by his Spirit will ere long worke out all corruption, that as hee will tread downe all our enemies without, so he will tread downe all corruption within▪ he will never leave the soule till he have made it a glorious house fit for himselfe.

So the prerogatives wee have by him, the soule feeds on them, feeds on his Redemption, that by his Redemption wee are freed from our enemies and all that hate us, and all that we feared, that wee are set at liberty from the Law, from sinne and from death, and notwithstanding all the debasements of this world, wee are the sons of God and heires of Heaven.

In a word, whatsoever is in Christ is for our good, Hee is all mine, his Life is mine, his Death is mine, his Resurrection is mine, his Ascension is mine, all is mine, he is expended and laid open for my good, that's the first.

Againe, as in the bodily life, there is a stomack, a power to worke out of the meate that p. 179which is for strength and nourishment: so in the soule, there is faith the spirituall mouth and stomack of the soule to worke and draw out of Christ whatsoever is for the comfort and nourishment of it; as there is comfort in Christ, so the Spirit of God gives a man a hand, a mouth as it were, gives a man faith to worke out of Christ somewhat for comfort; what were food if there were not a stomack to digest it, to make it a mans owne? so what were Christ if wee had not faith to lay hold on him?

Againe thirdly, as our life is nourished and maintained with that which is dead, with dead things, so the chiefe dish that maintaineth and nourisheth the life of the soule (as I said before) is Christ crucified, God forbid (saith the Apostle) that I should rejoyce in any thing but in Christ crucified, when the soule of a poore sinner is pursued with accusations from Satan and his owne conscience, when they take part with God against him, whether runs it? to the city of refuge, it runs to Christ, to Christ crucified, thither the soule flies being pursued with the guilt of sinne, to the hornes of the Altar, as Ioab did when hee was pursued, but with better successe, for hee was pulled from thence, but the soule that flies to Christ crucified, to the death of Christ, to Christ abased, to his satisfying the wrath of God by his death, and making of us friends with God, there it holds, there it lives, and p. 180there it will continue for ever; this keepes the soule alive.

And then againe, as in meate, before it can nourish us, there must be an union, an assimulation, a turning of it into us; so Christ, except hee be made one with us by faith, unlesse there bee an union betweene him and us, hee can never nourish and comfort us savingly.

Againe, as wee oft eate, and after we have received food once, yet we eate againe every day, because there is a decay of strength, and there are still new businesses, new occasions that require new strength, and therefore there is need of a continuall repairing of our strength by food: Even so there is a perpetuall exigence, a continuall need that the soule hath to feed upon Christ, upon the promises of Christ, and the prerogatives by Christ, because every day we have fresh impediments, f…esh assaults, and therefore we have need to fetch fresh supplies and refreshment from Christ, to have meate from Christ every day, to live on Christ not onelyonly at the first, but continually, that as our corruptions, and temptations, and infirmities returne every day, so every day to feed on Christ for the repairing of our spirituall strength; especially wee are to make daily use of the death of Christ, for howsoever the death of Christ be transient in respect of the act of it (as one of the Antients saith) yet the fruit of it remaines for our daily comfort and refreshment, his bloud runs every day in the Church afresh, p. 181like a fountaine alwaies powred out for Iuda and Ierusalem to wash in, it alwaies runs, that is, in regard of Gods imputation, in regard of the fruit that comes to the soule, and therefore we should make daily use of it for the comfort and strength of our soules upon all occasions, Wee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes, he is now an Intercessour in Heaven, hee continually applies the fruit of his death now by his intercession in Heaven.

Againe, as after meate received and eaten, there is strength and comfort gotten for the affaires of this life; so likewise after the soule hath digested and relished Christ, and the benefits and prerogatives that come by him, after we have made the heavenly truths of Christ our owne, the soule is strengthened to holy duties, it is fit to doe, it is fit to suffer, it is fit to resist temptations, it is fit to performe all the services of Christianity.

In these and divers other respects Christ is the blessed meate heere mentioned, not himself alone, but considered with all the blessed good things which we have by him: for Christ (as I said before) is never alone, if wee have him, we are sonnes in him, we are heires in him, we are free in him, we are redeemed in him, wee are Kings in him, Priests in him, Prophets in him, we are all in him, we have with him all the good things that he hath, for as we have not them without him, so we have not him without p. 182them, those that have the field, have the pearle in the field, and they that have the pearle in the field, have the field, they that have Christ, have Christ cloathed with all his blessed prerogatives, and priviledges, and comforts.

But wherein lieth the difference betweene this meate, this foode of the soule and other meate?

In these things. First of all, Christ as he is from Heaven, so all the graces and comforts that we have by him are all from Heaven, and they carry us to Heaven, all the other things are earthly.

Secondly, all earthly food doth not give but maintaine life where it is, but Christ hee is such a food as gives life, he is as well life as food, I am the life.

Againe thirdly, the nourishment wee have from this outward food, we turne to our selves, but Christ this spirituall meate, turnes us into himselfe, transformes us into his owne likenesse, for Christ offered to us in the Gospell being digested by Faith, doth by his Spirit change us every way into his owne likenesse.

Lastly, all other meats are consumed in the spending, and there will a time come when wee shall not be able to relish any worldly thing, our mouth will be out of taste with these outward things; But Christ the food of the soule is never consumed, but growes more and more, p. 183and when wee can relish no other, wee may relish this food that indures to everlasting life, it alwaies satisfies the soule: all earthly things are as salt water that increase the appetite but satisfie not, onelyonly Christ and grace and the comforts we have by him satisfie and that everlastingly, they are as a spring that never dyes: As he himselfe in his owne person endures to everlasting life, so all that we have by him is everlasting, grace is everlasting, grace ends in glory: Christ alwayes satisfies, though not wholy here, because there must be a continuall recourse to him, yet hee will satisfie hereafter, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied.

Thus you see what is meant by the food that endures to everlasting life, and the reason of the resemblance, and the difference that is betweene this and other meate.

Here are arguments enough then to enforce us to a labouring after this meate that endures to everlasting life, that is so agreeable to the best part of us, that is able to make us happy, to labour by Faith to get them to bee our owne.

Now the labour required is especially to get a stomacke to this meate, God requires nothing of us when we come to his delicacies but that we bring a good stomacke with us, J will therfore speake a little of that, what wee must doe to get an appetite to this spirituall meate.

A good stomacke we know is procured by p. 184sharpe things, the Paschall Lamb was to be eaten with sowre hearbs, if we would have an appetite after Christ, labour daily to consider what a cursed estate we are in without Christ: God hath left the Law as for other purposes so for this, that we should feed upon the threatnings of it, that it should drive us to Christ; A legall faith is the way to evangelicall. Labour therefore thorowly to bee convinced of the need thou standest in of Christ, and then I need not bid thee to labour for the food that endures to everlasting life, that will sharpen thy appetite after it: And beg of God illumination to see the ill that is in thee, and the ill that belongs to thee: God hath left infirmities and corruptions in us on purpose for this end, and likewise we have tentations without us, we carry not onelyonly a Hell within us (which if God should not keepe in would carry us to despaire) but there is a hell without us, the tentations of Satan, the accusations of the Law, the anger and wrath of God; thus we should labour to be convinced of our wretched estate without Christ, the danger we are in if God should take us hence on a suddaine, this will force every day a fresh appetite and stomacke in the soule to feed on Christ.

Secondly if we would sharpen our appetites to this foode, wee must purge our stomackes which naturally surfet of earthly things, purge the soule by a consideration of the vanity of all other things that draw us from Christ: the p. 185reason why we have no better relish of Christ and heavenly things is, because we cleave in our affections so much to earthly things, we set up Idols in our hearts instead of Christ, and wee cleave in an adulterous and false affection unto them. Let us set before us arguments of the vanity of all things but Christ, and there can be no better argument then here is set downe, they are all perishing things: that which the soule neglects Christ and Heaven and happinesse for, and is so madly set upon, alas they are all base in respect of the soule, the whole world is not worth a soule, they are all perishing things, of lesse continuance then the soule is; we should purge our soules by such considerations as these.

Then againe thirdly: Exercise getteth a stomacke, let us every day spend our spirituall strength in spirituall exercises, in resisting tentations, in withstanding the snares of Satan, in bearing those daily crosses that God laies upon us, live as Christians should live, and the exercise of a Christian life will inforce us to goe unto Christ to feed on him, to fetch from him spirituall strength; when in our daily exercise we shall see the continuall neede wee have of pardon for daily sinnes, of comfort and strength against daily corruptions and infirmities, this will make us feede on Christ and on the promises made in him, not onelyonly on the promise of forgivenesse, but on the promise of a supply of necessary grace, on that sweet promise, that p. 186he will not quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reede, feede on him as a King to subdue our corruptions, &c. the daily exercise of a Christian life will force us unto Christ.

Againe, to whet our appetite after Christ, consider the necessity wee have of spirituall strength and comfort: when a man considers that he hath a journey to take, hee will eate to enable him to his journey, as Elias was bid to rise up and eate because he had a journey to go, we are all to take a journey as farre as Heaven, and we are to travell through the wildernesse of this world, and wee shall be daily assaulted (besides our inward corruptions) with divers tentations, and therefore we had need every day to fetch strength from Christ: and consider that sicknesse will come, and death will surprize us, and if we have not Christ we are wretched creatures without him: and though we have applied Christ to our selves and made him our owne, yet a time of deseition, a time of tryall will come: Thus the necessity of spirituall strength will force us to feede upon Christ.

Againe to get us a stomacke to these things, let us converse with those that are spirituall, with those that are heavenly minded, that have tasted of heavenly things, when we see them delight in reading, delight in hearing, when we see them contemplate of Heaven and heavenly things, on Christ and the benefits wee have p. 187by Christ, on the blessed condition of a better life and of the world to come, when wee see these persons that are better then our selves, that have lesse cause then we, take such paines for their soules, we will be ashamed of our own neglect, and it will be the discourse of a soule presently with it selfe, surely there is some excellent streng…h and comfort in these things, some extraordinary sweetnesse and refreshment that these men find, that they so fall to them: it is a great advantage to converse with those that are spir…tuall.

And lastly, to put an edge to our dull appetites after this food, consider we know not how soone this table that Christ hath spread, these dainties that wisedome hath provided for us in the Ministry of the Word may bee taken from us, therefore let us fall too while we have them; We should doe as those doe that being at a feast and have neglected feeding, at the latter end when they see all ready to be taken away fall too a fresh: we know not how long we may enjoy these blessed opportunities, therefore now with Ioseph, let us lay up against a time of scarcity, there will a hard winter come, therefore let us imitate the wisedome of that poore creature the Ant, to provide against winter: Now while the Iubile is let us take out a pardon: there is a time of spending to come, now let us get oyle in our Lamps: Now is the seed time, now are the waters stirred in the poole of Bethesda: Now is the acceptable p. 188time of grace, wee know not how long it shall continue, therefore now let us labour for the food that endureth to everlasting life. I never knew any repent of the paines they had taken for their soules, but many that have lamented and bewailed the precious time they have spent, and that they have not beene good husbands for their soules: It is one speciall point of heavenly wisedome to take advantage of our precious time, to fill it up with holy exercises; let us often offer this consideration to our soules, wherefore was I sent hither into this world, what is the end why I live heere? is it to scrape together perishing things and so to perish with them, or am I not rather sent hither to get out of the state of corruption wherein we all are by nature? to get into Christ, to make him mine own, to be turned into him, to feed on him, to get joy and comfort, and strength from him? is not this the end why I live heere?

But to goe on, and to make an use of triall, whether we have as wee should doe relished and tasted Christ, whether wee have fed on this meate or no. How shall we know that?

I answer, we may easily know it: For first of all, if wee have relished Christ and the good things by him, we disrelish all other things, we begin to have a baser esteeme of all earthly things. It is with the soule as it is with a Ballance, when Christ is high in the soule, other things are low, and when other things are high, Christ is low in the soule: Christ was high in p. 189Pauls soule, therefore he esteemed all as dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. The poore Woman of Samaria when shee had heard Christ, and tasted the sweetnesse that was in him, downe goes her water-pot, and shee runs to the City and tells them, I have seene a man that hath told mee all things, is not this the Messiah? Zaccheus, when he had tasted of grace, and had the pardon of his sinnes by Christ, halfe my goods I give to the poore, &c. when grace is planted in the soule, when the soule hath tasted once of better things, there will be a meane and base esteeme of earthly things: the more the soule feeds on heavenly things, the lesse respect it hath to temporall things. The soule is a finite Essence, and it cannot spend it selfe on all things, the more it runs into severalls, the more shallow it is to others; as in a streame, when it is cut into many channels it runs weakely in the severall, whereas it runs strongly in the maine; so it is with the soule, when it is scattered, as the poore Israelites were about the land of Aegypt to gather straw, to gather these perishing earthly things, it is weake to heavenly things, it hath little strength to those, but when the course of it is wholy bent to those, there are but weake or no desires running to these earthly things, when once the soule of a Christian hath had a true taste and relish of the things of Heaven, it lookes with a despising eye upon whatsoever is heere below; when once it hath tasted of Christ, then especially p. 190it growes out of relish with poyson, then away with Popery, away with false doctrine, away with hypocrisie, and formality in religion.

Againe secondly, wee may know that wee have tasted Christ and fed on him, and on the good things that are by him, when wee are strengthened by our feeding, when wee are strengthened to duties, strengthened against tentations and against corruptions. Thou saist thou beleevest on Christ and hast made him thine own, what comfort and strength feelest thou by Christ? art thou able to encounter a tentation? art thou able to resist a lust? art thou able to performe holy services? If there be no strength in thee, but every tentation turnes thee over, and thou yeeldest to every base lust, where is Christ? canst thou beleeve Christ to be thy King, and yet suffer thy lusts to beare sway in thee? canst thou beleeve that Christ is a Priest that died forthy sinnes, and yet cherishest and lovest sinne? canst thou beleeve that Christ is in Heaven and that thou art in heavenly places with Christ, and yet hast no minde of heavenly things, but art carried away with every earthly thing? No, thou hast not yet tasted how good and gracious the Lord is, thou hast not yet relished the heavenly Manna: the soule that feeds on Christ is strengthened from spirituall reasons and supernaturall grounds and divine principles drawne from Christ to duty, so that it is enabled even with a holy violence p. 191to doe any thing for Christs sake; for the soule reasons thus, Christ gave himselfe to death for mee, I will therefore (if need be) give my selfe to death for him, Christ thought nothing too deare for mee, I will thinke nothing too deare for him, this pride, this vanity that I am tempted to, these were the speares that were the death of my Saviour; thus the soule fetches reasons from the death of Christ to strengthen it against temptations, to strengthen it to duty: and so for the matter of comfort, after meate hath beene received wee are refreshed, if the soule be sweetly refreshed with the comforts that are to be had in Christ, and in the Word of Christ, it is a signe wee have tasted Christ: those that have trembling and discouraging hearts and soules, that cannot rest nor receive comfort, it is a signe they have not rightly tasted Christ, Come unto mee (saith Christ) all yee that are weary and heavie laden, and yee shall finde rest to your soules; in Christ there is rest, out of Christ there is no rest; and so likewise those that have corruptions bearing sway in them, it is a signe they have not so much as touched Christ, for if they had but touched Christ hee would stop the issue of their corruptions; the poore woman in the Gospell as soon as she had touched Christ, her bloudy issue was stayed, so upon the least touch of Christ by faith, there will be an abating of corruption.

Thirdly, in the bodily life we know, after a good meale, the desire and appetite is satisfied; p. 192so the soule that tastes of Christ, it hath sweet satisfaction and contentment: O the sweet satisfaction that a Christian soule hath above a Heathen. A Christian that hath Christ need not goe out of him for any thing, it hath fullnesse and satisfaction in him in all estates, both in life and in death; dost thou finde Christ, and the priviledges and prerogatives we have by him, dost thou finde the Word of Christ and the promises of the Word fully and sufficiently satisfie thee, then it argues that thou hast fed on Christ, for Christ being received by faith into the soule, gives it fullnesse and contentment.

Lastly, to name no more, as men (if they have the grace of God in their hearts) will give thankes for their bodily food; so it is an evidence that we have fed on Christ when our hearts and tongues are enlarged to praise God for Christ, for the comforts and contentment and satisfaction that we finde in him and in religion; therefore Saint Paul begins his Epistle to the Ephesians, with Blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly place; in Christ. And Sa…nt Peter being led by the same blessed Spirit, his heart being full, his mouth is full of thankes, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath begotten us againe to an inheritance immortall, that fadeth not away, reserved for you in the heavens (for you that are reserved by faith to salvation) so undoubtedly p. 193the soule that tasts the sweet comforts of Religion in Christ will be much in sweet inlargements of heart in thanksgiving, it cannot be otherwaise, it is an universall reason, the more beleeving a soule is, the more thankefull a soul is, where there is no praise, there is no faith.

Thus you see how we may try whether we have tasted and relished, whether wee have fed upon the food that endures to everlasting life or no.

Taste is the most necessary sense of all (saith a wise searcher of the mysteries of Nature) our life is maintained by taste: Every creature sees not, every creature heares not, but every creature hath taste: you may judge of your selves by your taste and relish, and if once you have tasted and relished Christ, all the world cannot perswade you to fall from him, if all should say there were no sweetnesse in Religion, that it were better to be a worldling, &c. you would defie it, you would never beleeve it, there is no disputing against what a man tasts, if all men should say sugar were sharpe, if J once tasted it I would say otherwise.

Labour for the meate that endures to everlasting life.

The Arguments enforcing this act upon the object, to labour for Christ, are, that he is food, and food that endures, and food that endures to everlasting life.

p. 194Let me from these arguments heere in the text (for J will draw no other) inforce what I have said before, J have shewed you what this labour is, and rules how you may know whether you rightly labour for this food or no: Now to inforce this act, consider first the necessity of that our Saviour here injoynes us too, it is food.

It is a strange thing that persons should perswade themselves that they are Christians, and yet goe from day to day without refreshing themselves with Christ, and with the meditation of the blessed estate they are in by him, both in respect of this world and that which is to come, without getting strength from Christ against tentations and against corruptions: Christ is foode, and the promises and prerogatives we have by him are food, wee should labour after it every day, feede on it every day: If a man should aske a man in his calling, why doe you take such paines Morning and Evening, rising early and going to bed late? Hee would answer it is to get bread, it is to get food to maintaine my family: So should it bee our answer to any that wonder why wee take such paines for our soules, why wee labour so after Christ, Oh remember we take paines for life, to get and mainetaine life, and what is so necessary as life? And if life bee so necessary, food which preserves it must be necessary: we see the Patriarks for food left their country, and the poore Aegyptians sold themselves and p. 195their cattell and all to get food to keepe life. We famish eternally except we feed on Christ, except we have so much Faith as makes us one with him, except by Faith we digest him and get nourishment and stre…gth from him: it will appeare to be so when it is too late, ere long nothing in the world will relish us, and then if we have not Christ and the things of another life to relish us what will become of us? J beseech you consider what opinion and judgement wee shall have ere long of these earthly things and of the better things of another world, at the houre of death our judgements will be convinced that the things of Heaven are the best things: and if it bee true that they will bee so then, why is it not true that they are so now? Labour to have the same judgement now.

With the necessity our blessed Saviour joyneth the excellency of this food, It is foode that endures to everlasting life: Christ and the good things we have by him are of equall extent and of equall time with our soules, if wee labour for earthly things, we labour after that which is of shorter continuance then our soules, we may out-live our happinesse, and what a miserable state is that? But if we labour for the food that endures to everlasting life, our happinesse is of the same continuance with our soules, and that is onelyonly true happinesse.

If there were such a Tree upon the Earth now as there was in Paradice, a Tree of life, p. 196that whosoever should taste of the fruit of it should live, though but on the Earth here to enjoy his sensuall pleasures. Oh what would not men give for a little fruit of that Tree, though it were to redeeme a little time and to lengthen out a fading base life on earth, but much more to live for ever: Here is food that endures to everlasting life, to such a life as is heavenly and glorious. Now blessed be God that since we are cast out of the first Paradice by sinne, that now in our relapsed estate God is so mercifull to us as to provide another manner of Tree of life, that in Paradice was but a typicall Tree, the true Tree of life is Christ, and whosoever feeds on him shall not perish but have everlasting life; certainely if we beleeved this, it could not be, but it would wondrously see us on to labour after this meate, because it is not onelyonly food that tends to the preservation of life, but to life everlasting, to a life that endures as long as our soules.

And let us know that if wee doe not labour for this meate that brings to this life, looke what degree of excellency we have had in the ranke of the creatures the same degree we shall have in misery, for as the Angels in the degree of excellency were the most excellent creatures, but being fallen they are in the same degree of misery that they were in happinesse and are now the most accursed creatures of all others: So man as he is a most excellent creature, if he feed on the food that endures to everlasting p. 197life, so if like Nebuchadnezar he f…red as a beast on earthly things and forget his soule and affections which are made to close and feede on Christ and better things, he shall have the same degree of misery that he hath in happinesse, even next to the Divells the most wretched creature that can be: What if a man were clad as Aaron was in all his pontificality, in his Priestly robes? What if hee should feed deliciously every day as Dives? what and if he had the wisedome of Salomon, the strength of Samson? what and if he had all the kingdomes of the world? if he have not the food that endures to everlasting life, he should bee stripped of all these ere long, it is onelyonly Christ and the good things that are to bee had in him and by him that continue everlastingly.

This should inforce us to labour after this food in the use of all good meanes: and before J leave the point, consider the reality, the truth of these heavenly things, of these things wee have by Christ the second Adam, all things else are shadowes: The food that nourisheth the body it is not food in comparison of that, earthly kingdomes are not kingdomes in respect of that, earthly sonneship is not sonneship to that, earthly riches they are nothing, they are vanity in comparison of that, earthly inheritance is no inheritance in comparison of the inheritance we have by Christ, all other things are but titles of things, they are but empty things, there is a reality in Christ, a truth in the p. 198kingdome of grace. Alas what is riches, what are pleasures, what are honours, what is sonneship, what are all earthly things in comparison of the soule which is an immortall, a spirituall, an eternall substance, they are but shadowes, those things that are of equall extent and continuance with the soule, and not onelyonly of equall extent, but that raise the soule to have communion with God in Heaven, with the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost, there is the reality, there is the truth, if we will have the truth of things: I am that bread (saith Christ afterward in this Chapter) and my flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed, as if other meat and other drinke refreshed not indeed, but were onelyonly shadowes of things.

Labour therefore for this meate, and certainely if so be the Spirit of God once convince your judgements that these things which I say are true, both for the necessity and excellency of this foode, they will be effectuall to stirre you up to labour more after this foode that endures to everlasting life. So much for that.

Which the Sonne of man shall give you, for him hath God the Father Sealed.

To come now to the possibility of attaining this food, which is the third argument our blessed Saviour useth to enforce upon us this injunction, to labour for the food that endures to p. 199everlasting life. Hope stirreth up endeavour, as we see in marchandizing, though when wee venter beyond the seas we commit all to winde and water (as they say) and it is doubtfull what the issue may be, yet we hope, and that sets us on worke: So the poore Husbandman, but that he hopes to have a comfortable issue, to have a harvest, he would never set himselfe to worke. Now heere is hope, and hope on a better ground a great deale, for hee that makes other things successefull, he hath given Christ for this purpose, and Christ (you see heere) hee gives himselfe, which the Sonne of man shall give you.

Heere is all that we may ground and found our hope upon, heere is will, heere is power, and here is authority to give it.

Heere is will, Christ will give it, why? because he is the Sonne of man. What use is there of these words in this place? why doth he not say which the Sonne of God shall give you?

O the Sonne of God without the Sonne of man is indeed a Fountaine of good things, but he is a sealed Fountaine, alas of no comfort, our comfort is in Emanuell God-Man, all our comfort is to be brought back to God from whom we fell in Paradise, and we must bee brought backe againe to God by God, but unlesse God had become man, man had never come backe againe to God, therefore all the union and communion we have with God it depends on p. 200this first union of Christ with our nature, that the Sonne of God became the Sonne of man (as Saint Austine saith) for now the next union that we become the Sons of God it comes from this, that God became man: and therefore he saith heere, the Sonne of man shall give it you, you need not climbe up to Heaven to fetch this food that endures to everlasting life, for the Sonne of God is come downe from Heaven to Earth, to take the nature of man, and in that to die, in that to satisfie Gods wrath, and so to become this blessed and everlasting food. The Sonne of man, the second Adam, as by one man we all come to misery, so by the second Adam (by man) wee are restored to a blessed condition againe: therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man, because in the humane nature all our salvation was wrought: indeed the worth and efficacie of our salvation comes from the divine nature, but it was wrought in mans nature, the divine nature could not worke it alone. But I will not dwell on this.

The Sonne of man shall give it you, you neede not feare it, God is become man on purpose to give it you, we may now boldly go to a Mediator which is made bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, wee should have feared and trembled if hee had onelyonly beene God, but now all grace and comfort is hid in this nature of ours in Christ: if Christ had not tooke this poore wretched nature of ours upon him, it had beene a hatefull nature to God, God hated the nature p. 201of man, but now because the Sonne of God is become the Sonne of man, our nature is become lovely in the eyes of God, and not onelyonly lovely, but it is filled in him with all grace, and of his fullnesse wee receive grace for grace. Hee will give it therefore, because he is the Sonne of man.

Heere is will, I but what power and strength hath he to give it?

He is so the Sonne of man as that hee is also the Sonne of God, therefore we are said (Acts 20.) to bee redeemed with the blood of God, Christ by his eternall Spirit, by his God-head offered himselfe a Sacrifice for sinne; so that he can give it because he is God.

But what authority hath he?

He is Sealed to doe it, that's the third, that is, he hath authority, for authority is here expressed by Sealing. Now Christ is said to be Sealed, first, because there is the impression of God upon him, even as the seale imprints in the wax the likenesse of that which is in it, so God hath imprinted in Christ his owne likenesse, he is the Image of God, for Christ as he is God, is the character of his Father, and his humane nature is likewise as like God as nature can expresse, we saw (saith the Apostle) his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, we saw a kinde of divinity in him as much as humane nature could receive, the likenesse of God sparkeled in him; therefore hee is said to be Sealed, but that is not all nor the principall here meant.

p. 202Againe secondly, the use of a seale is to appropriate and distinguish from other things, so Christ is Sealed, that is, God hath appropriated him to be his owne Sonne, and to be a Mediator of his owne appointing, and hath distinguished him from all others by a blessed annointing and qualification of him above all, he is as Saul amongst the rest, higher then all, he is as Aaron, annointed with the oyle of gladnesse, but above his fellowes, and yet for his fellowes, from him distills the blessed ointment of grace, it is powred on his head first, and descends from him downe to all the skirts of his garment, to all his members. So heere is in this Sealing, likenesse, distinction, and appropriation.

But especially by Sealing heere is meant authority, for a thing sealed is not onelyonly to distinguish and appropriate to a mans use, but to authorize also, as a Magistrate that hath the Kings broad Seale, he is authorized: so Christ he hath Gods Seale, God hath authorized him to be a Mediator, and as hee was fore-ordained before all worlds (as the Apostle Peter saith) to be the head of them that should be saved,1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1 and to be their Mediator, so when the fullnesse of time was come, when he came in the flesh, hee was authorized by the greatest testimony that ever was, by the blessed Trinity, God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost at his Baptisme, This is my beloved Sonne, heare him, saith a voice from Heaven, there was the Father, the p. 203Sonne in the voice, the Holy Ghost in the Dove, there was the whole Trinity, so he was authorized from Heaven.

And then he was authorized by his miracles, God gave him power to worke those workes which none could doe but a Mediator, therefore he saith, if you beleeve not me, yet beleeve me for my workes sake.

He was authorized also by his Resurrection, as the Apostle saith, in Rom. 1.4. He mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead: the Angells from Heaven brought witnesse of him, he was witnessed by all kinde of persons on earth, yea by the divels themselves: so hee is Sealed and authorized every way by all kinde of witnesses to be a Mediator.

This is set out in other phrases in the Scripture. In Psal. 2. This my Son have I set upon my holy hill of Sion, and Rom. 3. toward the latter end, Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation, God hath set him forth as the Shew-bread was set out under the Law. And then againe in another place, Whom hee hath sent, and in 1. Cor. 1.30. Hee is made of God unto us Wisedome, &c. Hee is made of God, that is, he is Sealed, appointed, authorized by God for that purpose.

So you see, why Christ is said to be Sealed, especially because hee is authorized by God the Father, made, sent, set forth, whom the Father hath Sealed, that is, the party offended by our sinnes, he hath Sealed and authorized Christ to be a Mediator.

p. 204If this be so, let us learne this use of it, to blesse God the Father as well as Christ, Blessed bee the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, and Blessed bee Christ, for him hath the Father Sealed by the Spirit. The blessed Trinity have all a hand in our salvation.

And then againe consider, if wee despise Christ, whom we despise, we despise the Father that hath Sealed him, it is a weighty matter, Reade the second Psalme and you shall see there what it is to despise Christ, not to kisse the Sonne, that is, when God hath annointed and set forth a Saviour, and Sealed him and authorized him by all the testimonies that can be to be a Mediator, not to receive him for our King, for our Priest and Prophet, it is a rebellion, not against Christ onelyonly, but against the Father who hath Sealed him.

And likewise it serveth wonderfully to strengthen our faith when we goe to God for forgivenesse of sinnes: offer him his owne broad Seale, offer to him Christ a Mediator authorized by himselfe: Lord I am thus and thus a sinner, but notwithstanding thou hast sent thy blessed Sonne and set him forth to be a Saviour for mee, and him I offer to thee, thou canst not deny or refuse thy owne Sealed Mediator and Redeemer, if hee had beene a Mediator of my owne appointing and of my owne sealing it were another matter, but I offer thy owne Mediator, looke on the death of him whom thou hast Sealed to bee p. 205my intercessour. It is a wondrous prevailing argument with God, hee cannot denie that which he hath devised himselfe, him whom hee chose before all worlds for this great office.

But how shall I know whether hee be Sealed for my good or no? saith the soule that heares this, we heare much of an authorized Saviour, of an authorized Mediator to be All-sufficient, but what is that to mee?

Why? for whom is he Sealed? is he Sealed for Angels or for men? and amongst men, is he Sealed for holy men or sinners? I come not to seeke or to save whole men, or men that never were lost, no, he came to seeke and to save men, but they are lost men, sick men: and it is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all meanes to be imbraced, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, saith blessed Paul, therefore he is Sealed to save thee if thou art a sinner, to save thee if thou wilt receive him, and thou art bound to receive him under paine of the punishment of rebellion. Is it not rebellion not to receive a Magistrate whom the Prince hath authorized under his broad Seale? it is another manner of matter not to receive Christ, it is a greater sinne, then to sinne against the Law, for if a man sinne against the Law there is the Gospell to helpe him, but if a man sinne against the Gospell there is not another Gospell to helpe him, now to refuse Christ offered in the Gospell is a sinne against the Gospell, where p. 206then can there bee hope of salvation? salvation it selfe cannot save him that will not bee saved, that refuses the remedy Sealed by God the Father the party offended, who can heale him that casts downe the Potion that is brought to heale him, that refuseth the Physitian that comes to cure him? I say hee is Sealed to save thee if thou wilt be saved, if thou wilt receive him, receive him not onelyonly to be thy Saviour, but to be thy King to rule thee, and thy Prophet to teach and instruct thee, as we shall see afterwards.

But to cleare this a little better, we must know that there are three distinct sealings.

There is God sealing of Christ, which I have unfolded to you.

And there is our sealing of God, that is, our sealing of Gods truth.

And then againe, there is Gods sealing of us by his Spirit: And these follow one the other.

Why hath God sealed Christ; but that wee hereupon should be stirred up to believe, and to receive Christ, and so by consequence to seale that God is true in sending such a blessed Mediator, as S^t. Iohn saith,Iohn 3.33.John 3:33 He that believes in the Sonne hath set to his seale that God is true. God hath sealed him that we by receiving him should seale Gods truth.

Beloved, God comes to us for our testimonialls, for our hands and seals, Oh how wondrously doth God condescend to weake man▪ p. 207He hath sealed Christ for the office of a Mediator, and he offers him unto us, and he comes to us likewise that we would set to our seales too, that Christ is the Sonne of God, he counts it not sufficient that he hath sealed him himselfe, but he will have us seale too, and we seale him when we receive him, he that receives him hath set to his seale that God is true, he that doth not receive him, he makes God a lyar, saith Saint Iohn.

And what comes of this when wee receive Christ and set to our seale that God in the promise of salvation by Christ is true? Then we having honoured him, he honours us by sealing us by his Spirit, as the Apostle saith: Ephes. 1. In whom after ye beleeved yee were sealed, So when we beleeve and set to our seale that God is true, God seales us by his Spirit, after yee beleeved you were sealed.

But what is this seale of the Spirit whereby God seals us after we beleeve?

I answer, God seales us when hee sets the stampe of his Spirit upon us, when the worke and witnesse of his Spirit is wrought in us: For as in a seale, the wax hath all in it, …he whole likenesse of the Jmage that is in the seale: So the soule that is sealed by the Spirit hath the likenesse of the Spirit of Christ stamped on it, God imprints in their spirits the likenesse of his Sonne, that is to say, he makes …hem loving soules, humble soules, obedient as Christ was in all things, patient, meeke, &c. you may p. 208see in the spirit of a beleeving man an expression of the Spirit of Christ, so that if you would see Christ in his excellencies, looke on the spirit of a true Christian, there you shall see a resemblance of Christ Jesus, not perfectly but in some comfortable measure, you shall see the very Image of Christ, you shall see how full of love he is, how patient in crosses, how humble, how meeke, how obedient to God in all things both in a passive and active obedience. This is the stampe of the Spirit, when a man beleeves God honours him by setting his Image on him.

And yet this is not all, besides this wee are sealed with the witnesse and comfort of the Spirit as well as with the worke of the Spirit, the Spirit of God sweetly witnessing that we are the sons of God: and this sweet witnesse of the Spirit especially comes after wee have honoured God by beleeving in temptation, when we are able to hold out and say as Iob said, Though he kill me yet wil I trust in him, so when we can after conflicts of doubting and dispaire, say, though he kill me yet will I trust in him, I will set to my seale that he is true, well will you so? God to honour such a soule seales him to the day of redemption, that is, he gives to the soule of such a one a sweet evidence and testimony that hee is the Son of God.

And this seale of the Spirit is double, not only done by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit inwardly (which I have shewed) but likewise p. 209the Spirit doth seale them outwardly, inabling them to make an outward confession of Christ and his Truth, and therefore in Reve. 14. Christians are said to be Sealed in the forehead, that is, as they are marked and singled out in ill times to be such as God hath set his speciall favour upon, so they are Sealed with a spirit of boldnesse willingly and with forwardnesse to confesse the truth of Christ in ill times.

Now (to apply it to our purpose) wouldest thou know whether thou be such a one for the present as for whom Christ is Sealed a Mediator? Examine first of all whether thou hast put to thy Seale that God is true by receiving and beleeving Christ and the promise of Salvation through him, if thou hast done so then thou wilt finde another Seale from God, even the worke of the Spirit in sanctifying of thee and conforming of thee to the Image and likenesse of Christ, and thou wilt finde the witnesse and comfortable testimony of the Spirit in telling thee that thou art the Sonne of God: and withall thou wilt have a spirit of boldnesse and readinesse and forwardnesse to confesse Christ, thou wilt not care for al that the world saith, but wilt if (neede be) stand to the profession of Religion to the death.

If thou canst finde this in thy selfe, undoubtedly thou art not onelyonly such a one as Christ came to Seale, but for the present, thou mayest be assured that thou hast interest in this Mediator p. 210Sealed by God for that purpose.

Thus you see that here is food that endures to everlasting life, which is Christ and the benefits wee have by him, you see that that blessed meate is attaineable, because he is willing to give it, for he is become Man for that purpose, he is able to give it, for he is God as well as Man, and he hath aurhority to give it, for God the Father hath Sealed him and fitted him for that office. If we receive him he will Seale us with his blessed Spirit, that is, the same Spirit that furnished Christ with grace, that sanctified him in the wombe, will sanctifie all those that are his members, will worke a likenesse and conformity in them to his blessed Image, for the same Spirit that was in the naturall Sonne is in all the adopted Sonnes of God. And he will likewise give us the comfortable evidence and assurance that we are the Sons of God, furnish us with boldnesse and resolution to professe Christ in all times.

Let me then I beseech you come againe to reenforce this exhortation: Take heed you refuse not Christ, consider with what authority he comes, he is Sealed, it is no presumption therefore to receive him, though you be never such sinners, to receive him (I meane) not onelyonly to be a Priest to reconcile you to God, but to be a King to rule you, and a Prophet to instruct you by his Spirit, to receive him on this manner is no presumption; to receive him indeed as a Saviour, but to neglect him as King, p. 211to refuse to come under his government is great presumption, but to receive whole Christ is obedience and faith and no presumption, nay if you doe not receive him you sinne damnably, you commit the greatest sinne that can be: He came to save all that will come under his blessed government, that will kisse the Sonne,Reve. …2.Rev 2 Whosoever will, let him come and drinke of the waters of l…fe, all the good promised by Christ is promised upon our receiving of him, upon the obedience of our Faith, there is nothing required but a will to imbrace him and to be under his government, there is no exception made of sinnes or persons or times. At what time soever a sinner repents, whatsoever sinner, whatsoever time or whatsoever the sinnes bee, if he repents Christ is ready to receive him.

If you pretend your unworthinesse and want of excellencies, hee takes away that objection, Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11 28. Isa. 55.1.Matt 11:28Isa 55:1Come buy without money, and here in the text, the Sonne of man shall give it, and what so free as guift?

If you pretend you have sinned since your calling, and that you have sinned against conscience, and knowledge, and therefore now you have no further hope of Christ: remember that Paul 2. Cor. 5. speakes to the Corinthians that were in the state of grace, I beseech you to be reconciled to God, and in Ieremy 3. Returne againe you Backesliding Israel, and I will heale your Backeslidings, and againe, will p. 212a man receive a wife that hath played the harlot and broken the band of marriage? Yet returne O house of Israel and I will receive you, Therefore runne not away from God, though thou hast sinned after thou art in the state of grace, come againe J beseech you still Christ is to be received, the doore of grace is alwayes held open, and the golden scepter continually held out as long as we live in this world.

But yet it is not good to neglect the time of grace, receive Christ presently, deferre not to come under his governement, and receive him wholy, or else there is no receiving of him at all.

And (to presse this a little further) I beseech you consider, that if you leave not your sinfull courses and come under the blessed governement of Christ, if you receive not this Sealed King, this Sealed Priest and Prophet, this Sealed Mediator whom God hath Sealed and sent unto you for salvation, there is not any thing in the world that will one day more torment you then your refusall of him; O that we should ever live to heare of salvation so freely offered and of a Saviour so authorized, yet notwithstanding that we should respect our sinnes more then our soules, and because we could not have him to bee our Saviour except wee came under his governement, and bee ruled by him as a King, we refused him wholy altogether: Indeed if we might have had salvation by him and the p. 213forgivenesse of sinnes, and withall have remained under the rule and sway of our owne lusts and beene led by them, we would have beeene contented to have had him, but rather then we would leave our blasphemous, our uncleane, inujurious and covetous courses of life, wee were content to let Christ goe if hee would; O that we should reject this Sealed Saviour, O that we should refuse salvation offered on such loving termes, when God was so loving as to Seale and authorize his Sonne, when the Sonne was so loving as to give himselfe when he was Sealed, to refuse this and that for such base respects, will certainely one day when the conscience is wakened, proove the greatest torment that can be.

See how the Apostle notably enforceth this in the second of the Hebrewes, if so be they did not escape that despised Moses Law, How shall we escape if wee neglect so great salvation? hee doth not say how shall we escape if we oppose Christ, if we raile on him, if wee despise his Image in his children, as many cursed wretches doe, but how shall we escape if we doe but neglect so great salvation, so witnessed and authorized with all the signes, so offered and tendered with all the termes of love that may be.

And therfore if there be any heere that have lived in sinfull courses, and have a purpose to breake them off, that are weary of the governement of their lusts and of Satan that rules them by their lusts (for all are under one governement p. 214or other, either under the Sealed governement of Christ, or under the base governement of Satan that tends to damnation) O leave it, and come under this Governour Sealed by God the Father, authorized from Heaven by the blessed Trinity, by miracles, and by all the arguments that can be, come under his blessed governement, and you shall doe well, God the Father, the partie offended with your sinnes, he hath Sealed him, and he cannot refuse a Mediator of his owne Sealing.

And doe not say your sinnes have beene thus and thus, for consider what were these parties that he offers himselfe to heere, that he saith to, Labour for the meate that endures to everlasting life, were they not cursed Hypocrites that followed him for the loaves, and yet he saith to them, Labour for the meate that endures, &c. I am Sealed even for your salvation, if you will come out of your hypocrisie and be ruled by me; therefore let none stand out from comming under the governement of Christ, for hee offers mercy (you see heere) to the worst of men, even to cursed hypocrites.

And (to conclude with a word of comfort) if there be any poore distressed soule frighted in conscience with the sight of his sinnes and Satans temptations, O let such consider the love of God in Christ: Satan pictures out God as a terrible Judge, and so he is indeed to men that goe on in their sinnes, a consuming fire: but art thou weary of thy courses, art thou willing to p. 215come under a better covenant, let not Satan abuse thee by setting God before thee as a terrible Judge, and Christ as one that would not save thee; no, come in, kisse the Son, for him hath the Father Sealed, Sealed for thee if thou bee weary of thy sinnes, inforce not upon thy soule any unwillingnesse to be in God, wherefore doth God stoope so low, and labour by all these arguments heere, as that Christ is the Sonne of man, and that hee shall give it you, and that the Father hath Sealed him for that end, wherefore is all this, but to shew his willingnesse to receive thee? wherefore hath the Father Sealed Christ but in love to thee? Come in therefore, and then if you will seale to this truth, if you will beleeve, and cast your selves on Gods gratious promise even against doubting and distrust, you shall finde God sealing you by his Spirit, you shall finde his Spirit witnessing to your spirits that you are the sonnes of God.

Heere then you see is sure footing for poore doubting soules to fasten upon, God the Father, the party offended, hath Sealed his Sonne, hath authorized him to save thee, if thou repent and come in; what are all thy sins and unworthinesse to Christ, God-man, Sealed and authorized by the Father who is the partie offended? if thou art willing to come in, bring all thy sins and oppose them to Christ God-man Sealed by the Father and they will vanish as a cloud. But (as I said before) if thou wilt not come in and p. 216accept of this Saviour, if thou wilt not submit thy selfe to his governement, thou sealest thy damnation.

Thus you see I have unfolded this blessed portion of Scripture, Christ Jesus and all the prerogatives and benefits that come by him, is the food that endureth to everlasting life: you see the arguments our blessed Saviour useth to enforce us to Labour after this food, it is food, it is food that endures, & it is food that endures to everlasting life, and he will give it, for him the Father hath Sealed and authorized so to do, he is both the gift and the giver, both the food and the inviter to the food, both the Priest and the Sacrifice. Labour therefore after this food.

There is an objection which I will briefely answer and so end.

Labour after it, why? Christ will give it, if he will give it why must wee labour after it? and if we must labour for it, how doth he give it? how can these two, guift, and labour stand together?

I answer, very well, Christ will give himselfe and forgivenesse of sinnes, and life everlasting, and yet we must labour too: But wee must know for what we must labour, we must not labour for any merit to the title unto Heaven and happinesse, Christ indeed gives that; But labour in the use of all good meanes to get knowledge and faith to receive this gift, to get the knowledge of Christ, what he is in his natures and offices, what he hath promised, what p. 217he hath done and what he hath suffered, what the intent of the Gospell is, what the Giver is, and what the authority is that his Father hath given him, this requires labour, it is a labour to crack the shell, to understand the letter of the Scripture, to know what the gift and what the giver is. And it is likewise a labour to get faith to receive this gift, to get the soule emptied of all selfe-confidence, of all worth in it selfe and in the creature, for Christ must bee received with a beggars hand, and it will aske much labour to deny a mans selfe, for proud flesh will alwaies have somewhat to trust to either in it selfe or in the creature.

So that these two may well stand together, labour and gift: we are taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, God will give us our daily bread, we must not therefore stand still and doe nothing, but though God will give it, yet he will give it in the use of meanes, in the use of our lawfull callings, so heere, God will give us this spirituall food, yet he will give it in labour, it is his ordinance, and whatsoever hee gives, he gives not in idlenesse but in obedience to his ordinance, he will have us to labour in the use of the meanes, in reading, hearing, receiving the Sacrament, praying, meditating and the like, to have a part in Christ this blessed gift Nay, because he will give Christ, therefore la…our, the one enforceth the other, the like reason Moses giveth the Israelites, Fight (saith he) for the Lord hath given them into your hand, …hey p. 218might say, if our enemies bee given into our hand why should we fight? yes, fight the rather, be incouraged to fight, because you shall be sure to conquer, so heere, Labour for the meate that endures to everlasting life, for the Sonne of man will give it, therefore labour, because he will give it, in labouring we shall bee sure to have it, do that which belongs to thee and thou shalt be sure to have that which belongs to God, thou shalt finde Christ, and Heaven, and glory, and all in the use of the meanes: But he gives nothing without labour; there can be no good done in earthly things without labour, and doe you thinke to have Heaven without labour? No, spirituall things are against the streame, Heaven is up the hill, there must be labour, there must be striving against corruptions within and against temptations without, and our labour it is a happy labour, it is not a barren labour,1 Cor. 15.581 Cor 15:58 our labour is not in vaine in the Lord, as the Apostle saith, wee that labour for the food that endures to everlasting life, we labour for somewhat, but worldlings that beate their braines, and tire their spirits, and rack their consciences, and weare out their bodies, it is all for nothing, it is for that which is vanity and vexation of spirit, for that which they must leave behind them. A true Christian (to encourage him to take all the paines that may be) hee labours for something, it is a hopefull and not a barren labour: And (beloved) blessed are we that we can have this food for our labour, that p. 219since the fall wee can recover by the second Adam a better estate then wee had by the first.

And our blessed Saviour to the end he might distinguish true Christians from Hypocrites, enjoynes this duty of labouring so much the more, for we have many in the Church that thinke to have Christ and his benefits without labour, as if Heaven would drop into their mouthes, they can say that God is mercifull, and Christ died for us, but you shall in the meane time finde them carelesse of reading, of hearing, of praying, of the Communion of Saints, &c. are idle in working out their salvation with feare and trembling, negligent in selling all that they have for the Pearle, will part with nothing for Christ, I say to distinguish these Hypocrites from true Christians, therefore he saith, Labour, to shew to us that onelyonly they that labour for Christ in the use of all good meanes, that labour for the true knowledge of him and for faith to receive him, that sell all for him, that take paines to grow in grace and in union with Christ, that make him their best portion in the world, and delight in him, it is they onelyonly that have interest in Christ, onelyonly the painefull Christian is the true Christian.

Therefore I beseech you, as you would have it discerned that you are not Hypocrites in the Church, bee stirred up to use all sanctified meanes to know Christ, to beleeve in him, to know that you are in a communion with him, p. 220that you belong unto him. Be not discouraged, you shall have rest ere long, There is a rest for the people of God, Heb. 4.Heb 4as the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes. Indeed so long as we are heere below there is labour joyned with wearinesse, for we have great conflicts with corruptions and temptations, with enemies within, and enemies without, but be of good comfort we shall at last come to a rest, to a rest perpetuall and everlasting: It is true, in Heaven there shall be labour, for we shall be alway praising God, but it shall be labour without wearinesse, labour without conflict, there shall bee no corruption within, nor no divell without, Satan could enter into Paradice below, but hee shall never enter into that heavenly Paradice, therfore be incouraged to labour for a while, though it be tedious, because of corruptions and temptations, yet there is a rest for the people of God, an eternall Rest.

FINIS.

VIOLENCE VICTORIOVS: 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. 32.26.

I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee.

1 COR. 15.57.

Thankes be unto God which giveth us the victory through Iesus Christ our Lord.

LONDON, Printed by G.M. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford, 1639.