The Communion of Saints, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the Communion that we have with Iesus Christ our Mediatour.
IEsus Christ being God †1 Tim. 3. 16.manifested in the flesh, is given of the Father to be the onelyonly ‖1 Tim. 2. 5.mediatour between him and vsus; and he hath given him power to *Ioh. 5. 27.execute judgmēt, in that he is the son of Man. He is the ‡Col. 1. 18.head of the body of the Church; in him ”Eph. 1. 21. 22.all the buylding coupled togither groweth vntounto an holy Temple in the Lord, and we all are built togither in him, to be the habitation of God by the Spirit; he is †Ioh. 14. 6.the way, the truth, & the life, no man cometh to the Father but by him. And of him and his mediation, this Oracle was spoken of old to the Saincts; that ‖I…. 30. … 22.their Noble-ruler should be of thēselves, & their Governour (*Mat. 2. 6. Christ) should proceed from the mids of them; & God would cause him to drawe neer and approach vntounto himself, (when he should ascend ‡Dan. 7. 13. Rom. 8. 34.and sit at his right hand to make intercession for vsus;) for who is he (els) that warranteth his hart to come vntounto me sayth the Lord: And ye shalbe my people, and I wilbe your God.
2. As we are made the people and ”Deut. 32. 9.portion of God by Christ, & brought by him †Ioh. 17.vntounto the fellowship and glorie of his Father; so is there a special fellowship and cō munion that we have with Christ, being caled therevnto of the Father, as it is written, ‖1 Cor. 1. 9.God is faithful, by whom ye are called vntounto the communion of his Son Iesus Christ our Lord. And that this hath alwayes been the chief end and scope of God in al his Oracles, since the world began, to draw men vntounto Christ, & so vntounto himself, is †Chap. 7. sect 11. 12.before shewed.
3. The summe of the grace given vsus through communion with our Lord Iesus, is cōprised in those words of the Apostle saying, that Christ is of God made vntounto vsus ‖1. Cor. 1. 30.Wisdom, and Iustice, and Sanctification, and Redemption. These things he is vntounto vsus by vertue of his Mediatorship, which consisteth in the three functions or offices of Prophecie, Priesthood, & Kingdome, committed vntounto him by the Father. For frō the in most holy place, and from the bosom of the Father, is he come to *Ioh. 1. 18.declare God vntounto vsus; he is a ‡Deut. 18. 15Prophet raysed vp of the Lord, to speak vntounto vsus al that he cōmanded him, and him are we willed for to hear; the yles ”Esa. 42. 4.are to wayt for his Law. And as he being worthy ‖Rev. 5. 1. 5. 9.obteyned to open the book that is in the right hand of him that sitteth on the throne, & to loose the seven seales thereof; because *Col. 2. 3.all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge ar hid in him: so having ‡Ioh. 15. 15.made knowen to vsus al things that he heard of his Father, having declared and stil declaring †Ioh. 17. 26.his Name by his word and spirit, he is the *1. Cor. 1. 24.Power of God and the wisdom of God vntounto vsus. And the things which he hath declared are two; 1 the Law to shew vsus our syn, and the evils due for the same: 2 the Gospel to shew vsus our righteousnes by grace from God, with the blessings that flow therfrō. He also being our ‡Heb. 4. 14.great high priest or sacrificer hath taken away our syns and al the evils accompanying them, hath redeemed vsus †Gal. 3. 13.from the Curse of the Law, finished ‖Dan. 9. 24.wickednes, & sealed vp sins, made reconciliatiō for iniquitie, & brought the *Rom. 5. 17. 1….gift of righteousnes or Iustice: so by his obedience we ar made just, & ‡Vers. 21.grace shal reigne by justice, vntounto eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord, whose blood doth also †Heb. 9. 14.purge our consciences from dead works to serv the Living God, and by the same hath he ‖Heb. 13. 12.sanctified his people, and contineweth a Priest for ever, and is both our Iustice & Sanctification. Finally this our redemtion from evil, and restauration vntounto happines, he conserveth & maynteyneth by his mighty power, frō al enemies whō hee hath subdued vnderunder his owne feet, & wil also subdue vnderunder ours: and is therfore named our *Iohn. 12. 15King, whom ”Psal. 72. 11.al kings shal worship, al nations shal serv, who wil ‡Vers. 14.redeem our sowles from deceit & violence, wil giv vsus also the †Rom. 8. 23.redemption of our bodie, and cause our last enimy Death ‖1 Cor. 15. 5….to be swallowed vp in victorie, & so wil be our ful Redemptiō for ever & ever, at his appearing with glorie, in the day *Ephe. 4. …of Redemptiō.
4. More particularly, touching his Prophesie and our communion with him therin; as God gave him *Isa. 55. 4, Iohn. 18. 37.for a witnes to the people, for a Prince and a Commander vntounto them; so shewed he himself to be a faithful and true witnesse, in that he †Iohn. 8. 26.spake to the world, the things which he had heard of the Father. This he did in his own person whiles he walked with mē; teaching ‖Mat. 5. & 6. & 7. chap. &c.the true meaning and end of al his Fathers Law, and vrging the syncere keeping of it in Love; freeing it also *Mark. 7. 6. 8 10. 13.from the false glosses and leaven of the Pharisees, and cutting down their traditions; for the Lord to this end, had made ‡Isa. 49. 2. &. 11. 4.his mouth like a sharp sword; that by the breath of his lips he might slay the wicked. He also taught the glad tidings of the Gospel vntounto the poor; therby †Luk. 4. 18. &c.healing the broken harted, preaching deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, and the acceptable yere of the Lord: that whosoever should ‖Iohn. 5. 24.hear his word and beleev in him that sent him; should hav everlasting life and not come into condemnation, but was passed from death vntounto life. So he *Psal. 40. 10.hid not his Fathers righteousnes within his hart, but declared his truth and his salvation; he conceled not his mercy and his truth from the great congregation, but preached peace and comfort to his people. For God had given him ‡Isa. 50. 4.a tongue of the Learned, that he might know to minister a word in time to him that is weary: grace †Psal. 45. 2.was powred in his lips, and they they were like ‖Som. 5. 13 16lillies dropping down pure myrrh, and his mouth was sweet things.
5. As in his own person, so did he by others publish the will of his Father, vsing hereto the ministerie both of men and Angels. He gave and stil giveth the †Eph. 4. 8. …gifts of ministery vntounto many men; above al other he furnished his Apostles with ‖Luk. 24. 49.power from on high, & sent them to teach al nations *Mat. …. 20.to observ al things whatsoever he had commauned them, (and he had ‡Ioh. 15. 15.made known to them al things that he had heard of his Father:) and they faithfully performed their charge keeping †Act. 20. 27.nothing back, but shewing mē al the counsel of God, for Christ ‖2. Cor. 13. 3.spake in them: so that now we have *1. Cor. 2. 16.the mind of Christ, and the word is neer vsus, ‡Rom. 10. 8.even in our mouth and in our hart, neyther may we admitt of any †Gal. 1. 8.other doctrīe though it should be taught by Angels from heaven, but that wch we have, we must †Rev. 2. 25.hold fast til he come. And Christ it is, that hath alwayes reveled Gods wil vntounto the world synce the begīning. He it was that preached in Spirit, ‖… Pet. 3. 19. 20.to those that were disobedient in the dayes of Noe; he *Isa. 6. 8. 9. with Ioh. 12. 41.sent Esaia… to preach vntounto Israel, and furnished him with giftes & graces for that work; and stil he sendeth his messengers dayly for ‡Eph. 4. 12. 13.the gathering together of the Saincts, the work of the ministery, and edification of his body, til the worlds end; & they are †2. Cor. 8. 23.his glorie. Finally the heavenly Spirits ar also his messengers for this end and purpose, when he seeth meet so to imploy them, as it is written, ‖Rev. 22. 16.I Iesus have sent my Angel to testify vntounto you these things in the churches. Thus opening vntounto vsus by al means, the secrets of his Gospel, our souls ar comforted, for he bringeth vsus into his †Song. …. 4.wine celler, and Love is his …anner over vsus.
6 To assure the world that he was both the wisdome and power of God, he confirmed his doctrine …y signes and wonders, doing such works ‖Ioh. 15. 24.as no other man did; even as his words were such as *Iohn. 7. 46.never man spake, his enimies being judges. He gave also of this power, to *Mar. 16. 17. 18. 20.such as beleeved in his name and wer his witnesses; himself working with them, & confirming the word with signes that followed.
7. VntoUnto this outward administration, Christ annexeth his inward grace by divine power; making even the Dead ”Ioh. 5. 25.to heare his voice and live, for he hath the †Ioh. 6. 68.words of eternal life, he openeth ‖Act. 16. 14.the harts and causeth attention, he openeth *Luk 24. 45.the mindes and causeth men to vnderstand the scriptures; he giveth them also ‡Luk. 21. 15.a mouth and wisdome, which al their adversaries are not able to speak against, nor resist.
8. Now all this life and grace doth Christ cōmunicate with the Saincts, being their Head, & they his members. For first the Ministers of the word, how great gifts or authority soever they have, they al ”1 Cor. 3. 22. 2….are ours, and we Christs, and Christ Gods; we are to trye their doctrine by †Act. 17. 11.the scriptures, for they have not ‖2 Cor. 1. 24.dominion over our faith, but are helpers of our joy; and in declaration of the truth *2 Cor. 4. 2.are to approve themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God. Secondly the Word it self, even al the scriptures, are given ‡Prov. 8. 1. 2. &c Rom. 15. 4.vntounto vsus, and written for our learning and comfort; & this not onelyonly to know for our selves, but to teach exhort and edifie ”1 Thes. 5. 11.one another. Therefore is the word sayd to be †Iam. 1. 2….graffed in vsus, and what by it we do beleeve, we also may boldly ‖2 Cor. 4. 13.speak, and freely *Mat. 28. 20.practise, even all that Christ hath cōmanded; that as he is a ‡Rev. 1. 5.faithful and true witnes, so we also that are the Lords witnesses with him his chosen servant, (as ”Isa. 43. 1….sayth the Prophet,) may bear a good testimonie vntounto the truth; & having his word †Col. 3. 16.dwelling in vsus plenteously in all wisdome, may thereby our selves ‖Prov. …. …vnderstand righteousnes & judgement, and equitie, and every good path, and be preserved from the evil way; and vntounto others may impart the *Song. 4. 11.honey and milk of Gods graces that are vnderunder our tongue: and having the ‡Psal. 14…. 6. 7. 8. 9.high-acts of God in our mouth, and the two-edged sword (of his *Heb. 4, 1….word) in our hands, may execute vengeance on the hethen, corrections among the people; binding their kings in chaines, and their nobles with fetters of yron; this honour is to al his Saincts: who ”Phil. 2. 15. 16.holding forth the word of life, do shine as lights in the world; Christ illuminating them with his glory continually, and making his Church by his Prophesie, the †Isa. 22. 5.vallie of Vision, as of old it was named.
9. Touching his Priesthood, and our communion therewith, two things ar to be considered; First What of his grace in his own person he hath wrought and worketh for vsus; to weet, †foreign,the things perteyning to God, (as the Apostle speaketh:) which are, ‖Heb. 5, 1. & 2. 17.the Offring of a sacrifice, to make reconciliation for our syns; and *Heb. 7. 25.Intercession, which as our ‡1 Iohn. 2. 1.Advocate he maketh with the Father for vsus. Secondly, what by his mighty power he graciously worketh in vsus, and applieth vntounto vsus; whiles he maketh vsus also Priests vntounto God his Father, and communicateth with vsus his obedience, death, burial, resurrection, & ascension; so causing the Blessing of God to come vponupon vsus, (as he is that seed in whom al families of the earth shalbe blessed.) and giving vsus comfort and peace. VnderUnder these two heads, are all thinges comprehended, that perteyn to our Iustification, & Sanctification, in the sight of God.
10. These three things of Reconciliation, Intercession and Blessing; the Priests of Moses law, in shadow & figure of him performed of old for Israel. The first, whiles at the brazen altar, they †Lev. 1. & … &c.offred Burnt- offrings, and For-syn; made ‖Lev. 4. 35.attonement, & obteyned forgivnes at the hands of God, for the synners: but chiefly when the high-prest *1 Chr. 23. 13sanctified the Most holie place, with ‡Lev. 16. 2. 15—34.blood of the Sacrifice, & made an attonement for the children of Israel, for al their syns once a yere. The secōd; whiles at the †Exod. 40. 26 27. & 30. 7. 8. 10.golden altar, he burned sweet incense every morning and evening; and once a yere also, made recōciliatiō vponupon the hornes therof, with the blood of y• Syn-offring; & entred†Lev. 16. 12. 13. with in the veil; putting incense on the fyre in the cēser before the Lord, that the clowd of the incense covered the Mercyseat. The third, when having finished his ministerie, the Sacrificer Lev. 9. 22. 23.lifted vp his hād towards the people, and Blessed them; as he was separated of God *1 Chro. 23. 13.to blesse in his name for ever, and to ‡Num. 6. 23. 27.put his name vponupon the childrē of Israel, that he might blesse them, as he had promised.
11. The truth of these three, are fully performed by the Heb. 3. 1.Apostle and Highpriest of our profession Christ Iesus. For, that he might reconcile vsus vntounto God, because it was †Heb. 10. 4.vnpossible that the blood of buls and goats should take away syns, neyther would his Father accept other sacrifice or offring, then the Heb. 10. 5. 6. &c.body which he had ordeyned his Son: therefore through the eternal Spirit he offred *Heb. 9, 14.himself without spot vntounto God, and gave his ‡Mat. 20. 28.sowle for the ransom of many, bare 1 Pet. 2. 24.our syns in his body on the tree, and by his †Heb. 9. 12.own blood entred in once vntounto the holy place, (not the holy places made with hands, but ver. 24.into very heaven,) and obteyned eternal redemption. So the Lord took away *Zach. 3. 9.the iniquitie of his land in one day, (as he had promised;) for the ransom was most precious, even of infinite value & effect, seeing by the vnion of the God head with the manhood in this our High-priests person, it was the blood of ‡Act. 30. 38.God himself, (as the scripture speaketh,) wherewith we are purchased. Thus Christ hath Rom. 5. 10.reconciled vsus that were enimies, vntounto God by his death; and hath put away syn, *Iohn. 1. 29.by the sacrifice ofHeb. 9. 26. himself: for he was the ‡ Lamb of God, that taketh away the syn of the world; and the prophesie of Abraham was fulfilled, Gen. 22. 8.God wil provide him a Lamb for a burnt offring, my son.
12. Touching Christs Intercession, as he prayed †Iohn. 17.for his church when he was on earth, and his Father heard him Ioh. 11. 42.alwayes; so now being ascended and set at the right hand of God, he stil *Rom. 8. 34.maketh request for vsus, being therefore entred into very heaven, to appear now ‡Heb. 9. 24.in the sight of God for vsus. Whose prayer as it is pure and perfect, so prevaileth it with God, and is of vnspeakable efficacie, to make vsus to be accepted. For the Father loveth the Son, and accepteth him better then he did his servant Iob, when †Iob. 42. 8. 9.he prayed for the trespassers. This is that Angel, (the Mal. 3. 1.Angel or messenger of the covenant,) that hath a *Rev. 8. … ▪ …0golden censer, & much odours, which he offreth with the prayers of all Saincts, vponupon the golden altar that is before the throne; the smoke of which odours, with the prayers of the Saincts, goeth vp before God out of the Angels hand: and vntounto his requests, which hee maketh for his afflicted people, the Lord ‡Zach. 1. 12. 13.answereth good and comfortable words. Thus our high sacrificer, having the Exod. 28. 9—12.names of the whole Israel of God, as it were graven vponupon two precious stones, and embossed in gold; beareth vsus vponupon his two shoulders, for a remembrance; and presenteth vsus pure & holy & just, before the Lord.
13. The things towards vsus, which ar his Blessing and the fruits that folow, he graciously communicateth as a merciful & faithful high priest, †Heb, 4. 15.touched with the feeling of our infirmites; being raysed vp vntounto vsus of God, and sent ‖Act. 3. 26.to Blesse vsus, in turning every one of vsus from our iniquities. And as at the end of his ministery vponupon earth, he *Luk. 24. 50. 51.lifted vp his hands and blessed his disciples, and then was taken from them into heaven: so, continewing stil a *Heb. 6. 20. & 7. 1. 7.priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek, (who met Abrahā & blessed him,) he stil blesseth the children of Abraham; giving and applying the promises of the Gospel, vntounto the harts and consciences of his people; even the †Num. 6. 24. 25. 26.favour & protection of God, the light of his countenance, and his peace. So the ‖Gal. 3. 14blessing of Abraham cometh on vsus through Christ Iesus, who is that promised seed, in *ver. 8.whom al nations ar blessed; and whom God hath set to be ‡Psal, 21. 6.Blessings for ever. Thus Christ, by Sacrifice hath merited, by Intercession obteyneth, and by Blessing bestoweth and distributeth vntounto vsus, the love & graces of God his Father, even all things perteyning to life and godlines: that we being partakers of his peace, may again blesse God, even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, ‡Eph. 1. 3.which hath blessed vsus with all spirituall blessings in heavenly thinges in Christ, as the Apostle sayth.
14. The cōmunion of this Blessing, is more particularly to be discerned in that honour of Priesthood, which is given to al Christians; & the seales of Gods grace, and love towards vsus in Christ. For he hath made vsus ”Rev. 1. 6.Priests vntounto God even his Father, and we as lively stones ‖1 Pet. 2. 5.are made a spiritual howse, a holy priesthood, to offer vp spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. For first, applying him vntounto our selves by Faith, his suffrings death & burial are ”Isa. 53. 4. 5.ours; his righteousnes, resurrection, and glorious victory over syn, Satan, Death and Hel, †Rom. 4. 25. & 8. 33. 34.ours; so that we ‖Heb. 10. 19. 20.by the blood of Iesus, may be bold to enter into the holy place, (though the Levitical Priests might *Lev. 16. 2.not enter into the shadow thereof at al times;) by the new & living way which hee hath prepared for vsus, through the veyl that is his flesh: even ‡Heb. 4. 16,boldly may we goe vntounto the throne of grace, that we may receiv mercy, and finde grace to help in tyme of need. Presenting vntounto God his Father and ours, this Lamb that was slayne for our syns, who is our ”Heb. 7. 22.surety and our †1 Cor. 5. 7.sacrifice, by whose ‖1 Pet. 1. 24.stripes wee are healed, by whose death *Gal. 2. 20.we are restored to life, by whose ‡Heb. 10. 10.body once offred we are sanctified; vponupon whose ”Lev. 4. 15.head wee have layd the burden of our syns, and by whose †Gal. 3. 13. 14.curse, we are made the heyres of blessing, and of all the riches of Gods grace.
15. We also †Rom. 1…. …,giv vp our own bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable vntounto God, which is our reasonable serving of God; so the heavenly Ierusalem is filled with Eze. 36. 3…the Flocks of men, as the earthly once was with Flocks of holinesses or sacrifices external. Our spirits being contrite, our harts humbled and broken for our syns; ar the *Psal 51, 17.sacrifices of God also, which he wil not despise. By Christ, we ‡Heb. 13. 15.offer the sacrifice of Praise alwayes to God that is the fruit (or †Hos, 14. 3.calves) of our lips, which confesse his name, and magnify him with thanksgiving: Psal, 69. 31.this also pleaseth the Lord, better then oxe or heiffer, that beareth hornes, that parteth the hoof. Our *Act. 24. 17.almes and offrings for relief of the poor, especially the ministers of the Gospel of Christ: are ‡Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16.an odour that smelleth sweet, a sacrifice acceptable & pleasant to God. Finally if we be †Phil. 2. 17, 2 Tim. 4. 6.powred out as a drink offring, vponupon the sacrifice & service of the faith of Christs church, & do ‖Heb. 12. 4.resist vntounto blood striving against syn: we have… 16. 15 cause to rejoyce; for precious in ye sight of the Lord, is the death of…. 10 his Saincts; & the ‡ soules of such, rest vnderunder the altar, til the Lord holy and true, doe avenge their blood on thē that dwel on the earth.
16. This honour of Priesthood, (which †Heb. 5. 4.no man can take to himself, nor ‖Iob. 3, 27,any other thing except it be given him frō heavē,) *Rev, 5. 10.Christ giveth vntounto vsus, of his rich grace by his word & spirit. For as by the preaching of ye Gospel, he is dayly described in our sight, and among vsus ‡Gal 3. 1.crucified: so we by the ministerie of the Gospel, are made ”Rom. 15. 16. Isa. 66. 20.an acceptable offring vntounto the Lord, being sāctified by the Holy Ghost. His word is a †Heb. 4. 12.sharp two edged sword, and divideth a sunder the sowl and the spirit, the joynts and the marow; by it we are taught to ‖Col. 3. 5.mortify our members which are on earth; his spirit is as *Mat. 3. 11.fyre, where with we being baptised, doe also ‡Rom. 8. 13.mortifie the deeds of the bodie, that we may live, & give our selves vp vntounto God for a ”Rom. 12. 1,living sacrifice. The afflictions that we feel in this world, when for his sake we †Rom. 8. 36.are killed al the day long, & are counted as sheep for the slaughter, doe ‖2 Cor. 4. 10. 11.bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus, and are alwayes delivered vntounto death for Iesus sake, that the life also of our Lord Iesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh: these serve for furtherances of our sanctification, by being *Heb. 12. 10.partakers of his holines; and make vsus as ‡Gen. 15. 9. 11. 13.sacrifices, and a prey for the ravenous fowles, whiles we liv strangers here on earth, the land that is not ours, as did Ahrahams seed. Thus ar we named †Isa, 61. 6.the Priests of the Lord, and hav authority in ‖Mal. 1. 11.every place to offer incense vntounto his name, and a pure offring, both we and our works, (our spiritual sacrifices,) being acceptable vntounto God in Christ Iesus.
17. To illustrate and seal vp more assuredly our communion with Christs Priesthood, We ar washed with water, for a signe & assurance, of the †Act. 3. 38. & 22. 16.forgivnes & washing away of our syns, and to be as the ‖Tit. 3. 5.laver of our regeneration & new birth; wherby we ar also baptised *Rom. 6. 3. 4.into his death, and buried with him by baptisme; that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newnes of life, our ‡Iob. 6.old man being crucified with him, that the body of syn might be destroyed, and our selves be †vers. 18.dead to syn, but alive to God in Iesus Christ our Lord; whom by this symbol we have ‖Gal. 3. 37.put on, and doe bear his name vponupon vsus, with *Mat. 28. 1….the name of the Father and of the holy Spirit. And after this, Christ often feedeth our sowles, with his own ‡Mat. …. … &….body & blood, which was broken & powred out for our sakes, figured out vntounto vsus by bread & wine: hereby cōfirming the former grace of remission of syns, and a further growth in Christ continually, into whom we ar incorporate, & have so neer a †1. Cor. …. …communion with him, vnderunder these visible earthly elements; which we looking past by the eye of faith, seeing and feeding vponupon Christ, have ”Iob. 6. 57.our life by him, doe ‖vers. 56.dwel in him & he in vsus, and shal by him be *vers. 54.raysed vp at the last day, vntounto life eternal.
18. Having seen how Christ being our Prophet informeth vsus in al the wisdome of God, and by the Law sheweth vsus our syn & wretchednes; by the Gospel, our justice & happines; and being our Priest & Sacrifice, hath by himself purged vsus frō al syn, & given vsus the gift of justice and sanctitie to present vsus pure & blamelesse before God his Father: it remayneth, that we also consider, how he conserveth and mainteyneth this our blessed state; against al enimies, by his mighty power and soveraignty, which as Lord and King he hath over al.
19. This soveraigntie, is set forth by divers titles of honour and dignitie given him in the scriptures; as when he is named Messiah the †foreign Dan. 9. 25.Governour, Captaine or Fore- leader; the foreign Mic. 5. 2.Ruler, that is, having dominion right and authoritie, to governforeign Mat. 2. 6. and guide his people; Michael ‖Dan 12. 1.the great Prince; the *Ios 5. 14.Captaine of the Lords host; a mayster ‡foreign Isa. 55. 4.or Commander to the peoples; a Potentate or †Psal. 45. 3.Mighty one; the ‖Rev. 19. 16.king of kings & Lord of Lords, and *foreign Rev. 1. 5.Prince of the kings of the earth, the ‡Act. 10. 36.Lord of all, vntounto whom is given †Mat. 28. 18.al power in heaven & in earth, an ‖Dan. 7. 14.everlasting dominion, & honour and kingdome, that al peoples nations and languages shal serv him. And he the true *Heb. 7. 1. 2.Melchisedek king of Salem, shal reign as ‡Isa. 32. 1.king in justice, and sit as †Isa. 9. 6. ….Prince of Peace, vponupon the throne of David, & vponupon his kingdome; to order it & to stablish it, with judgement & with justice, frō henceforth even for ever.
20. This kingdome of Christ, is no earthly Monarchie, nor ‖Ioh. 18. 36.of this world; but spiritual and *Mat. 3. 2.heavenly: and therfore is more mighty then the kingdoms of the earth, able ‡Dan. 2. 34. 35. 44▪ 45. Luk. 20. 18.to beat down, break in peeces, & grind to pouder al adverse power and domination; whither of this world, or †Ephe. 6. 12.the spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places.
21. Therfore also is the manner of administring this kingdom, no… worldly nor pompous; but a… Christ the king himself, came vntounto vsus ‖Zach. 9. 9.poor, and riding vponupon an asse… and he the *Rev. 5, 5.Lion of the tribe o… Iudah, the root of David, was fo… to see to, like ‡ver. 6,a killed Lamb: s… menageth hee his kingdome stil… †Zach. 4. 6.neyther by an army, nor a Power but by his Spirit; that it cometh not ‖Luk. 17. 20. 21.with observation, for men to say, Loe here or loe there, but is with in vsus; wielded by the spiritual scepter of his word (the Gospel *Mat. 4, 23.of the kingdom,) and by the almighty working of the Spirit, and therefore conteyneth in it ‡Luk. 8. 10,mysteries or secrets, that can not be vnderstood but by the gift of God.
22. Our Lord himself, hath subdued, and dayly subdueth al his foes; the world ”Iohn, 16. 33he hath overcome; syn he hath †Rom. 8, 3,condemned and ‖Heb 9. 26.putaway, Death he hath *2 Tim. 1, 10.abolished; & the Divil that had the power there of, he hath ‡Heb. 2. 14.destroyed: neyther shal these, or any of these, ever have dominion over him; but he shall reign, til he hath put ”1 Cor. 15. 2…all his enemies vnderunder his feet, and death and hel *Rev. …0. 14▪be cast into the lake of fyre.
23. This his power & regiment, he cōmunicateth with his Saincts, two manner of wayes; First by applying vntounto them for their benefit and salvation, al that himself hath done and doeth; as the Lord sayth by his prophet †Zach. 9. 8.I wil camp about mine howse, against the army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, & no oppressor shal come vponupon them any more. And as for their sakes, Christ ‖Iohn. 17. 19.sanctified himself, so for their *Iohn. 16. 33.comfort he overcame the world; to take away ‡1 Ioh, 3. 5.their syns, did he appear, when in himself ther was no syn; for the †Dam. 12. 1.children of the people Israel standeth this Michael the great prince, & ‖Rev. 12, 7. 9 10.fighteth against the Dragon and casteth him out of heaven; wher now is salvatin, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; the accuser of the Saincts being cast down. Wherfore the Lord being king, *Psal. 97, 1.the earth may rejoyce, and the multitude of the yles be glad; because he ‡ver. 10,preserveth the soules of his Sainctes, he wil deliver them from the hand of the wicked; hee will ”Psal 78. 2. 3judge the people of God in justice, and his poor with equitie, that the mountaynes & the hils shal bring peace to the people by justice, and in his †ver. 7.dayes the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace shalbe so long as the moon endureth. For the ‖Zach, 9. 10.charets being cut off from Ephraim and the horse from Ierusalem, the bow of the battel shal be broken, and he shal speak peace vntounto the natiōs; but in y• ”Psal. 108. 8.mornings he wil destroy al the wicked of the land, †Isa. 11. 4.smiting the earth with the rod of his mouth, and slaying the wicked with the breath of his lips; woūding ‖Psa. 110. …. Isa. 63. 6.kings & treading down peoples in the day of his wrath. Therefore the poor shall *Psal. 10. 14.committ themselves vntounto him, and triumph in his salvation saying; ‡ver. 16.The Lord is king for ever and ever, the hethen are destroyed forth of his land; ”Rev. 11. 15,the kingdomes of this world are our Lords, and his Christs, and he shal reign for evermore.
24. Secondly he cōmunicateth with his Saincts this grace, to be †Rev, 5, 10. & 20. 4.Kings also with him, and to reign on earth: that as himself ‖Zach. 6. 13.sitteth & ruleth vponupon his throne, & is a Priest vponupon his throne, and the counsell of peace is between them both: so they whom he hath made *Rev. 1. 6.kings & Priests vntounto God his Father, being a ‡1 Pet. …. 9.kingly priesthood, even a ”Exod. 19. 6.kingdom of Priests and an holy nation; having part †Rev. 20. 6.in the first resurrection, the second death may hav no power over them; but being the Priests of God and of Christ, and reigning with him the terme of yeres limited; at last, whē they have overcome, may ‖Rev. …. 21.sit with Christ in his throne; even as he overcame, & sitteth wt his Father in his throne.
25. This spirituall kingdome, wherby the Saincts reign on earth, is first over their own syns and corruptions; for they are careful to be vpright with God, and to *Psal. 18. 23,keep themselves from their wickednes; and the Lord ‡Mi…. 7. 19.subdueth their iniquities, that syn shal ”Rom. 6. 14.not have dominiō over them, because they are ver. 22.freed from it, and made servants vntounto God, having their fruit in holynes, and the end everlasting life. And this victorie whereby they overcome themselves, is greater thē al earthly conquests, according to the true proverb; ‖Pro. 16. 32.He that is slow to anger, is better then the Mighty man; & he that ruleth his own spirit, (is better) then he that winneth a citie. Secondly it is over the world, which also they set themselves against, as knowing that it *1 Ioh. 5. 19.lieth in wickednes; the wisdom thereof is ‡1 Cor. 1. 20. & 2. 6.foolishnes, & cometh to naught; the pleasures of it are ”Eccl. 1. & 2. &c.vanitie, and vexatiō of spirit; the sorowes of it work †3 Cor. 7. 10.death; and the amitie thereof is ‖Iam. 4. 4.the enmitie of God: therefore flee they the *2 Pet. 1. 4.corruption that is in the world through lust, walking before God as ‡1 Chron. 29. 15.strangers & pilgroms on earth, not loving ”1 Ioh. 2. 15.the world, nor the thinges that are in the world, which have neyther †Eccl. 5. 9.satisfying nor fruit in thē but being ‖Gal. 6. 14.crucified vntounto it, & it vntounto them, they keep thē selves *Iam. 1. 27.vnspotted of it, & free frō ye ‡Gal. 5. 1.bondage & servitude of the same; they vse it, as though they vsed it … Cor. 7. 23. 31not; they bear with patience al the reproches & injuries that it offreth; yea though they be made the ”1 Cor. 4, 9. 13.gazing stock & as the filth of the same, yet are they †Rom. 8. 37.more then conquerours through him that loved thē, and do fulfil that which is written, ”1 Ioh. 5. 4,All that is born of God overcometh the world; & this is the victorie that overcometh the world, evē our faith. Thirdly the conquest of the Saincts is over Satan himself, the prince of this world, and worker of all mischief. Him also they *1 Pet. 5. ….resist stedfast in the faith, and doe ‡Rev. 12. 11.overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, & by the word of their testimonie, and love not their lives vntounto the death: so that wicked one ”Iam. 4. 7.fleeth from them, and ‖1 Ioh. 5. 18.toucheth them not, for they keep themselves, because they are begotten of God, who wil *Rom. 16. 20.tread that adversary vnderunder their feet shortly, & with him shal be destroyed ”1 Cor. 15. 26the last enemy, Death. And as now, the Saincts doe reigne with Christ on earth, by faith and patience: so then, having †1 Cor. 6. 2. 3▪judged the world, and even the Angels; they shal reign ‖Rom. 8. 17. 2 …m. 2. 12. 1 Thes. 4. 17.with him in glory, in heaven for evermore.
26. To teach vsus this Communion with Christ, we have in the scripture many doctrines & similitudes; as that he will make his church a †Isa. 41. 1….roller & a new threshing instrumēt having teeth, for to thresh the mountayns, and bring them to powder; & make the hils as chaff: that he ‖Psal. 68. 35.giveth strength and power to his people, making *Mic. 4. 13.their horn yron, & their hoofs brasse, & themselves ‡Zach. 10. 3.as his bewtiful horse in the battel; that they shalbe as †ver. 5.the mighty men, which tread down (their enimies) in the myre of the streets in the battel; for ‖Zach. 9. 15.the Lord of hosts shal defend them, & they shal devowr and subdue their foes. That Christ shal *Psal. 4…. 16.make his children Princes throughout all the earth; & as himself hath ‡Rev. 19. 12.many Crowns vponupon his head, so will he cōmunicate them with his Saincts; as the crownes of his figure ”Zach. 6. 11. 14.Iesus son of Iehozadak the high Priest, were to Helem, Tobijah and others for a memorial in the tēple of the Lord. That as Christ is the head corner stone, †Luk. 20. 17. 18.vponupon which whosoever fal, shal be broken, & on whomsoever it fal, it shal grinde them to powder: so Ierusalem (his church) shall bee made ‖Zach. 12. 3.a heavie stone for al people▪ al that lift it vp shalbe torne, though al the people of the earth be gathered togither against it. That as Christ shal *Psal. 2. 9.crush the nations with a scepter of yron, and break them in peeces like a potters vessel: so ‡Rev. 2. 26. 27.he that overcometh and keepeth his works vntounto the end; to him will he give power over nations, & he shal rule them with a rod of yron, that as potters vessels they shal be broken; even as he received of his Father, ”ver. 28.so will he give to that man, the morning starre.
27. To illustrate this Cōmunion between our Saviour and vsus, we have the similitude of an humane bodie, the mēbers wherof by their due joynts and synewes ar joyned to the head, receiv from it life and motion, and government in al the actions and affayrs: so Christ †Col. 1, 18. 1 Cor. 12, 1…. &c.is the head of the body of his church, & communicateth with al the Saincts his members, ‖Gal. 2, 20. Rom. 8. 32.life and grace, and al good things for their conservation. Also of a vine or Olive tree whose branches ar made partakers of the juice sap and fatnes *Rom. 11. 17.that is in the root & stock: so we abiding in ‡Ioh. 15. 1. 2, 4. 5.Christ the true vine, doe by the juice & moysture of his grace live and bear fruits to the prayse of God. Agayn as the husband and wife, ar not two, †Mar. 10. 8.but one flesh; & the first woman ‖Gen. 2. 22.builded of the rib of man, was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone, and so did love & live togither partaking ech with others wel fare: in like manner are we joyned to the Lord, & made *1 Cor. 6. 17.one spirit; he that ‡Isa. 54, 5. Hos. 2. 20.made vsus is our husband, and we are maried to him in faith; wherevpon he ”Eph. 5. 29. 30.nourisheth & cherisheth vsus; for we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones; and this is a †ver, 32.great Secret, as the Apostle sayth, which they that would behold, had need ‖Rev, 21. 9. 20.be caried in Spirit (as was Iohn) to a great & an high Mountain, there to be shewed this Spowse adorned with the glory of God, & al precious ornaments of his Spirit. And so greatly doth the King *Psal. 45. ….delight in her bewty, that the words which were spoken to the first woman Evah, how ‡Gen. 3. …6.her desire should be vntounto her husband; are now on the other hand, (as touching the affection of love) applied by the Spowse vntounto him whom her sowl loveth, ”Song, 7. 10.I am my welbeloveds, and his desire is towards me.
28. From all that which is before spoken, of the Cōmunion that God hath caled vsus vntounto with his Son, it followeth, that whatsoever justice and holines was in Christ manifested in the flesh, eyther by nature or by actiō; the same is made †Rom. 4. 24. 25, & 5. 19.ours by grace and imputation: as on the contrary, whatsoever syn & vnrighteousnes is in vsus by nature or action, the same is made 2 Cor. 5. 21.his by imputation, and by him is healed Psal. 40. 12.and taken away; that it can not be we now *Rom. 8. 1. 38 …9.should perish, if we hold fast our faith and confidence of rejoycing vntounto the end. Whatsoever troubles, sorrowes or tentations, (syn onelyonly excepted,) do befall vsus in this life; the like have befalle… ‡Heb. 4. 15.vntounto him, were by him overcome, and shal from ”Rev. 21. 4.vsus, as already they are from him, be done away. Finally whatsoever †Iohn. 8. 36. Rom. 8. 2. Gal 3. 13. & 5. 1. Lev. 26. 13. 1 Cor. 7. 23. Mat. 17. 25. 27. 1 Cor. 6. 12. & 10. 25. 26.freedom & liberty, Christ as mā, in ordinarie estate, had on earth cōversing amōg men… the like hath he given, dayly giveth & confirmeth vntounto Christiās; whither we respect the spiritual law of God, or the politick lawes of men, and civil states. For he it is that Gal. 2. 20.liveth in vsus; himself *Song. 6. 2.is ours, and we are his, ‡Rom. 6. 5. 6. 8.graffed into his death and resurrection to eternal life: he hath given ”Isa. 46. 13.his glory vntounto Israel; even the †Ioh. 17. … ▪ 23.glory that the Father gav him, hath he given vsus, that we may be one; as the Father and he ar one, he in vsus, and God in him; & wher he is, ‖vers. 24.ther shal we also be to behold his glory; though for the present we walk *2. Co…. 5. 7.by faith and not by sight, and it doth ‡1. Iohn. …. 2.not yet appear what we shalbe. The cōsideration of which riches of his grace, may cause vsus to say with the prophet, †Zach. 9. 17.how great is his goodnes, & how great is his bewtie? And we may conclude with the last word of Moses the man of God, ‖Deut. 33. 29Blessed art thou o Israel: who is like vntounto thee, o people saved by the Lord, the shield of thine help, and which is the sword of thy glorie? therfore thine enimies shalbe in subjectiō to thee, & thow shalt tread vponupon their high places.