A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 3 · Chapter 4 · Section 3

A Discourse of the Two Covenants · Book 3 · Chapter 4 · Section 3

p. 317SECT. III. The Relations undertaken by the Father and Chriſt in this Covenant.

§. 1. THE Father having in this manner made over himſelf in Covenant to his people, they have an intereſt in all the relations of the Father; for we are not only related unto Chriſt, but by him to the Father, and as we are to exerciſe faith upon Chriſt under all relations, ſo we are alſo upon the Father; and theſe relations are both honourable and comfortable alſo to the Saints.

1. God the Father is our Father: ſays Chriſt, I aſcend unto my Father and your Father, Joh. 20.17. Mat. 5.16.John 20:17Matt 5:16to my God and your God; that they may glorifie your Father which is in heaven. Be you merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful; and therefore ſays the Apoſtle, Rom. 1.7. Grace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c. Now what is there in ſuch a relation as this is unto God the Father? We ſhall ſee what it was unto Chriſt, the only begotten Son of the Father, and ſee how in all things he is a Father to us as he is unto Chriſt, p. 318though it be in a lower way, for Chriſt in all things muſt have the preheminence. (1) It is the great honour that is put upon Chriſt as Mediator,Joh. 1.14. Luk. 1.35.John 1:14Luke 1:35 that he is the Son of God; we ſaw his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That holy thing that ſhall be born of thee ſhall be called the Son of God: and in this he is exalted above the Angels, Heb. 1.5. Ʋnto which of the Angels ſaid he at any time, Thou art my Son, and I will be unto him a Father, Bernard.and he ſhall be unto me a Son, &c. Altiſſimi Filius ac proinde co-altiſſimus ipſe ejuſdem penitùs altitudinis & dignitatis. And in this manner the Saints do partake pro modulo; it is the greateſt priviledge of the Saints that they do receive from union with the Son, and that in which they are exalted above the Angels: That as they do ſtand before God in a higher righteouſneſs in their juſtification; (for though the righteouſneſs of Angels be perfect in its kind, yet it's but the righteouſneſs of a meer creature; but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is called the Righteouſneſs of God, 2 Cor. 5.21. which though it were wrought in the humane nature, and therefore was not the eſſential righteouſneſs of God, for that could not be imputed, yet it was that which being wrought by him that was God and man, the Godhead had an influence into it, and gave it an excellence and efficacy;) ſo they have a higher ſonſhip in their adoption, that is, it's founded on a higher right than that of the Angels, even in the Sonſhip of the ſecond perſon in the Trinity; for Chriſt as Mediator was not a Son by adoption, but by generation, his humane nature being taken into the ſame perſon, did by virtue of that grace of union partake of the ſame Sonſhip; for there was not a double Sonſhip of Chriſt, one as he was God, and the other as he was man, for ſubjectum filiationis eſt ſuppoſitum, the ſubject of filiation is a perſon, as the School-men ſpeak. Now as Chriſt had great glory from other things, in relation to the Angels,Dan. 9.24.Dan 9:24 for he is the Head of Principalities and Powers, and to the Saints, he is the King of Saints, the holy of holies, and from all the creatures, for he is the beginning of the creation of God, and is the head over all things to the Church; yea in reference to God himſelf, for he is Gods King, I will ſet my King, and the man Gods fellow; but there is none that is a term of ſo high an honour unto Chriſt as this, that he is the Son, and it's this that the Lord doth publiſh to the world as the ground of all the reſt,Iſa. 4.5.Isa 4:5 Pſal. 2.7. I will declare the decree, the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou art my Son, &c. ſo it is with the Saints, they are called the glory and the firſt-fruits of all the creatures, the excellent ones, Kings and Prieſts unto God, to whom the Angels are but ſervants and miniſtring Spirits; but yet there is no title of honour like unto this, that they are called the Sons of God. Men do glory in titles of honour, as Pharaoh did in this, I am the Son of the ancient Kings; and the Jews gloried in this, We have Abraham to our father. The Saints have a higher glory, that Jeſus Chriſt is their Father, for he has a ſucceſſive generation that none can number,Iſa. 57.8.Isa 57:8 he ſhall ſee his ſeed, and ſhall prolong his days upon earth; and yet to be the ſons of God the Father is a far higher honour; for Chriſt himſelf ſays, My Father is greater than I: it is to be underſtood of him as Mediator only; for as he is God, he is equal with the Father, and thinks it no robbery ſo to be.

2. As God is the Father of Chriſt, ſo he loves Chriſt as his Son, and therefore he doth call him foreign,Mat. 3.17.Matt 3:17 my beloved Son, Mat. 3.17. and the Son of his love, Col. 1.17. there is an Hebraiſm for moſt beloved; as the man of ſin, i. e. the moſt ſinful man, the child of wrath, one who is ſubject unto the higheſt diſpleaſure of God, and the ſon of perdition, i. e. one utterly and eternally loſt; ſo the ſon of his love is one tenderly beloved by him, the moſt beloved of the Father; and this was the great thing that Chriſt gloried in, even the love of his Father, Joh. 5.20. The Father loveth the Son, and it was this that did bear up his ſpirit under all his ſufferings, that he did abide in his Fathers love, Joh. 15.10. Thou haſt loved me before the foundation of the world, Joh. 17.24. and in this alſo you bear a part with Chriſt, Joh. 14.21. He that loves me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, Joh. 17.23.John 17:23Joh. 16.27. The Father himſelf loves you, Joh. 17.23. Thou haſt loved them, even as thou haſt loved me; non aequalitatem denotat, ſed ſimilitudinem, it denotes not equality, but ſimilitude. [1] He loved him from Eternity, and ſo he doth you. [2] He loved him as a Son, and ſo he doth you, ad ſimilitudinem filii naturalis, ſo he doth love you as ſons. [3] He loves Chriſt to Eternity, to give him the fruition of himſelf, and ſo he loves you alſo. Now as the great glory and comfort of Chriſt was in the love of the Father, ſo alſo ſhould this be the great glory and the comfort alſo of the Saints, that though we may glory and rejoyce with joy unſpeakable in the love of Chriſt that paſſeth knowledge, yet ſpecially in the love of the Father, Chriſt being but a gift that flows from God the Fathers love; therefore Joh. 4.10. Chriſt is called by way of emincency, the gift of God, and next to the giving of Chriſt, the love of the Father is principally ſeen in this, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God, Behold what manner of love the Father has ſhewed unto us, 1 Joh. 3.1.

p. 3193. The Son knew the mind of the Father, and is acquainted with all the Fathers counſels, the glory of God the Father is made known to the Son, all the excellency of his perſon; No man knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him;Mat. 11.27.Matt 11:27 and ſo for all actings of the Father, The Son can do nothing of himſelf, Joh. 5.20.John 5:20but what he ſees the Father do, for the Father loves the Son, and ſhews him all things that he himſelf doth, and he will ſhew him greater works than theſe, that you may marvel. This is not to be underſtood of Chriſt as God, but as he is Mediator; and ſo as there was an Idea and a Platform in the mind of the Father, ſo this is alſo diſcovered to the Son, that all the great works that God doth purpoſe to accompliſh in the world, he is able to look into all the Fathers counſels: that as when Solomon was to build the Temple, it is ſaid, That David gave him a pattern of all, according as he had received of the Spirit, 1 Chron. 28.12. Solomon was to build the Houſe, but he received the Platform from his father; ſo it is in Chriſt alſo, the man whoſe name is the Branch, he it is that muſt build the Temple of the Lord, Zac. 6.12. but yet he muſt do all according unto the pattern, for he is but God the Fathers ſervant in that which he doth, and he muſt receive the Platform from the Father; therefore it's the Father that doth diſcover to the Son as a fruit of his love all his own works, and he doth that which he hath ſeen of the Father, Joh. 8.38. And the diſcoveries of theſe ſecrets of God unto his Son were by degrees more and more: he will ſhew him greater works, he had ſhewed him ſome great works already in healing the ſick, and raiſing of the dead; but yet he lets them know, that theſe were not ſummum ſibi ex operibus Dei mandatis, but when he did come unto glory, his own diſcoveries ſhould be perfected, and then as he had his works more fully revealed unto him of the Father, ſo alſo he ſhould ſhew them forth unto the world; for the Spirit was not yet given, becauſe Chriſt was not yet glorified: ſo it is with the Saints, according unto their meaſure the Father loves them, and therefore he ſhews them all that he himſelf doth;Joh. 1.18.John 1:18 and as Chriſt is in the boſom of the Father, ſo are they alſo after a ſort, for the boſom is the ſeat of ſecrets, and the ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, they are Jeſuron, the ſeeing people, they do hear and learn of the Father, they ſhall be all taught of God, Joh. 6.45.John 6:45and as a Father he will not conceal his purpoſes in all his great works from his children, only he doth diſcover them by degrees, as he did unto his only Son: Hoſ. 6.3. His going forth is prepared as the morning; and therefore they muſt follow on to know him: and though now there be many veils drawn before the eyes of his people, for very many of the ſecrets of God are yet under a veil, the fulneſs of time for their diſcovery being not yet come, for he revealed his word foreign, Heb. 1.1. and the Lord has promiſed,Iſa. 25.7.Isa 25:7 That he will deſtroy the face of the covering that is upon all people. [1] It is a great and a thick covering, it is foreign which is the manner of the Hebrews, when they would expreſs a thing highly, they do it by a duplication, Eſay 28.16. foreign though ſome would render the laſt word by the Participle, a covering ſpread forth upon all people, and the face of the covering, that is as much as involucrum facierum, a covering ſpread upon their faces. Now to have a covering upon their faces, it notes guilt and diſhonour, which God ſaith he'l take away; but I do not conceive that to be all that principally is intended, but with Calvin and Forer, rather, ignorantiam & caecitatem veluti quodam velo diffuſam, ignorance and blindneſs diffuſed as by a certain veil: there is a double veil, and God will take both away, a veil upon the truth, and a veil upon the heart alſo, and both ſhall be ſwallowed up, that is, ſhall be utterly removed, and there ſhall come a time, that the Sea of glaſs that is now mingled with fire, ſhall be clear as cryſtal again, and the Temple ſhall be opened, ſo that a man may ſee into the Ark of the Teſtimony, which formerly had a veil before it,Rev. 11.19.Rev 11:19 that it could not be ſeen, it was in the ſecret of the Pavilion of God; but then the moſt ſecret myſteries ſhall be expoſed unto the common view of the Saints, but it ſhall be when the Kingdoms of the Earth ſhall be given to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and he ſhall reign for ever and ever.

4. The Father is pleaſed in Chriſt his Son, he delights in him, and ſo he did before the world, he was the delight of God the Father from all Eternity. I was his delight daily, Prov. 8.30.Prov 8:30this is my beloved Son, Mat. 3. ult. and therefore even amongſt men children are called the deſire of their parents eyes, and that upon which they ſet their mind, their hearts do go out unto them, Ezech. 24.25. ſo in your meaſure, you that are Saints are the delight of God the Father from day to day, he loves you as well with a love of complacence, as with a love of benevolence; and therefore he calls the name of the Church, Eſay 62. Hephziba, my delight is in her, the Lord takes pleaſure in his people, his delight is in them that fear him, Pſal. 147.11. & 149.4.Ps 147:11Ps 149:4and them that hope in his mercy. Therefore the carrying on of the work of Redemption to the full accompliſhment of all the gracious intentions of the Father is called the pleaſure of the Lord, Iſa. 53.10. which was to proſper in the hands of Chriſt, it being of all the works of God that in which he doth moſt delight: as when a man ſets his greateſt love upon p. 320any thing or perſon, in that he has the greateſt delight to ſee it proſper, and thrive, and ſucceed; never did an earthly father take ſo much delight and full ſatisfaction in the proſperity of a child (and yet we know that a wiſe Son makes a glad father) as the Lord does, to ſee the ſouls of his people proſper, and the ways of his grace to be fully magnified towards them; becauſe all the love of the creature is but a drop, unto the love of the Father which is in Heaven; as the Lord has more delight in Chriſt, than he has in all the Saints, ſo he has more delight in one Saint, than he has in all the creatures beſides; becauſe he bears unto them a greater love, and hath from them a far greater glory: There is joy in heaven, ſays Chriſt, over one ſinner that repents, and ſo there is amongſt the Angels; why? becauſe theirs is a joy in the Lord himſelf, and it's the happineſs of the Saints that they can joy in God; and we may well make God our Father our delight, when he does make us his delight; he that has the Son, and the Saints, and Angels in glory to delight in, that yet he ſhould declare, that his delight ſhould be with the ſons of men here below, what an amazing condeſcenſion is this of our God? how does it ingage us to delight in him only?

5. Jeſus Chriſt as he was the Son, had a glorious and a ſweet communion with the Father; ſo Chriſt ſaith, Joh. 14.10. I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and he dwells in me, it notes that conſtant communion that he as Mediator had with the Father, Joh. 16.32. Ye ſhall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, but the Father is with me; and therefore upon all occaſions he did retire himſelf unto the Father, as his great ſupport in the days of his pilgrimage:Joh. 1.3.John 1:3 and ſo have the Saints alſo; our fellowſhip is with the Father, they have acceſs by one Spirit unto the Father, Eph. 2.18. foreign, he leads us by the hand, and by our ſonſhip we have boldneſs with him, Pater nomen pietatis & poteſtatis eſt, Father is a name of piety and power, Tertul. Oh the infinite ſweetneſs that is for the ſoul to walk before God the Father in ways of holineſs, that in theſe ways he may enjoy fellowſhip and communion with himſelf! There is a great deal of ſweetneſs in a communion of Saints, our Brethren, but much more in communion with Chriſt our Husband, but moſt of all in communion with God our Father, he is to be taken as well for a pattern of the one, as of the other.

6. As God is the Father of Chriſt, ſo he doth hear the prayers of Chriſt; and therefore Chriſt ſays, Father I thank thee, that thou haſt heard me, and I know thou heareſt me always, Joh. 11.41. And though his ſatisfaction be always referred unto his Godhead, Heb. 9.41. yet his Interceſſion refers unto his Sonſhip,Act. 20.28.Acts 20:28 Heb. 7. ult. the word of the Oath makes the Son, who is conſecrated for evermore; men that know how powerful the name of a father is, and what bowels it moves, may well aſſure themſelves that it is much more in him who is the Father of mercies, as well as our Father; and therefore if we know how to give good gifts to our children, and will give them ſuitable to their neceſſities, ſurely ſo will he much more; and ſuch a man muſt acknowledge that our Father is. Saints may aſſure themſelves, that they have not only an Advocate without them which is Chriſt, with the Father, and an Advocate within them unto the Father, for the ſame word foreign is uſed of both;Joh. 16.27.John 16:27 but they have an Advocate in the Father alſo: and it's that which Chriſt puts them upon, not only to look upon his Interceſſion, as that which doth prevail only, but to the Fathers love, and the bowels that are in himſelf, the Father himſelf loves you.

7. As a Father he gives Chriſt an inheritance: Thou art my Son, Pſal. 2.7, 8. I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance. He has appointed him heir of all things, Heb. 1.3. and all that are the ſons of God are heirs, Rom. 8.16, 17. yea all that are ſons of God are firſt-born, Heb. 12.23. 1 Cor. 3.22.Heb 12:231 Cor 3:22and therefore they have a double portion; All things are yours, and Rev. 21.7. He that overcomes ſhall inherit all things, &c. And it's ſuch an inheritance as none elſe have in the creatures, for it is one thing to hold it by right of a ſervant by providence, and another by the right of a ſon: 1 Pet. 1.5.1 Pet 1:5for the ſon abides in the houſe always, and 'tis an inheritance in promiſes of grace and of glory, which no other men in the world have; Gods inheritance is in them,Eph. 1.18.Eph 1:18 and theirs is chiefly in God, therefore Heaven is called the Kingdom of the Father, in this life it is the Kingdom of Chriſt. There is a progreſs and a regreſs of this Kingdom, it is from the Father, and returns unto the Father again.

8. Chriſts great comfort in departing this life was, that he ſhould go to the Father, If you loved me you would rejoyce, Joh. 20.17. Joh. 14.28. Luk. 23.46.John 20:17John 14:28Luke 23:46becauſe I go to the Father: this would make the thoughts of death ſweet, and the thoughts of Eternity deſirable; Chriſt at his death reſigns his ſoul into the Fathers hand; the people of God in this world are as it were orphans, but they have a Father in Heaven, and who would not make haſte to him? for your happineſs and your home is in your fathers houſe:Joh. 14.2.John 14:2 In my Fathers houſe are many manſions; and Chriſt is gone before to prepare a place for you, 1 Joh. 3.1, 2. Now we are the ſons of God, but it appears not what we ſhall be, that is, adoptionis fructus nondum apparet. It's in p. 321our Fathers houſe that our portion is laid up; therefore long for the adoption even the redemption of your bodies, and in the mean while keep the truths that you have heard, that you may continue in the Son and in the Father,1 Joh. 2.2…. 2 Joh. 9.1 John 2:22 John 1:9 that you may have both the Father and the Son, abide in their favour and their fellowſhip, having once attained it; keep the commandments of the Father, and abide in his love, as Chriſt the Son did, Joh. 15.10. and the day will come that thou ſhalt ſhine as the Sun in the Kingdom of thy Father.

Concerning the relations of the Father under the ſecond Covenant, we are to take this general rule, that in the ſame relation that he ſtands unto Chriſt, in the ſame, according to our place and ſtation, he ſtands unto us; yet ſo, as Chriſt in all things is to have the preheminence, for that in all things muſt be reſerved unto him, Col. 1.18. and the ground of this rule is from that, Joh. 20.17. I aſcend unto my Father and your Father, my God and your God. This benefit the Saints have by their union with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that they not only ſtand in many ſweet and comfortable relations unto him, but through him in their own ſphere they ſtand in the ſame relation unto God the Father together with him.

§. 2. The ſecond relation of the Father unto Chriſt is, that he is Chriſts King and his Lord, 1 Cor. 11.3. The head of Chriſt is God, the head of every man is Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.3.1 Cor 11:3and the head of the woman is the man. It's not ſpoken of Chriſt ratione naturae, in regard of his nature, for he is God equal with the Father, and he counts his equality no robbery, he takes but what is his own; but ratione oeconomiae, in reſpect of his office, that he has undertaken by the appointment of the Father. Now how is the Father the head of Chriſt? as Chriſt is the head of the Church, and the man of the woman, that is, in reſpect of the guidance and government he has over us, and ſo Chriſt is the Churches head, is called the Churches King, and it is uſual in the Hebrew to call Princes, heads of the people. Num. 14.4. Let us make us a head, and return into Egypt, foreign, a prince, a ruler; Judg. 11.8. They ſaid unto Jephtath, Be thou our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead; be thou our King: foreign.Hoſ. 1.11. it's ſpoken of the converſion of the Jews, after they were called Loammi, and therefore it's not yet come, they ſhall appoint unto themſelves one head: Ezech. 37.24. David my ſervant ſhall be King over them, and David my ſervant ſhall be their Prince for ever; it's ſpoken of their chuſing Chriſt to be their King, and their glory in the day when the Lord ſhall raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. So here by Head is meant, that the Father is Chriſts King, and he doth rule him as a King in the whole work of his Mediatorſhip; and he is Chriſts Lord, ſo he himſelf doth call him, Pſal. 16.2. It's the ſpeech of Chriſt, as appears by the whole Pſalm, and he ſaith unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord, Adonai. Now in this relation the Father alſo ſtands to all thoſe that are Saints, and members of Chriſt, he is their Lord, and their King alſo, Mat. 22.1. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king that made a marriage for his ſon: God the Father is the King, Mat. 22.1.Matt 22:1Chriſt the Son is the Bridegroom, the Elect of God is the Spouſe, the Lambs wife, their marriage is their union with Chriſt, and the marriage-feaſt are the Ordinances, unto which the gueſts were by his ſervants invited; and of how great conſequence this is, we ſhall ſee in the perſon of Chriſt himſelf, as God the Father is his Lord and King.

(1) He doth give unto Chriſt a Law, as he is his Lord and King; for God the Father is the great Law-giver, Chriſt doth nothing but as the Fathers ſubject, and in obedience unto him; ſo Eſay 42.1. he is called but the Fathers ſervant, and he does only the Fathers buſineſs, Luk. 2.49. and he receives a Law from him, Joh. 10.18. This commandment have I received of my Father; this law is in the middle of my bowels, and it was a law commanding him to lay down his life for his people; and ſo do the Saints, for Chriſt is God the Fathers King, Pſal. 2.1. [1] Becauſe he receives his government from him, he it was that did anoint him, and ſet him up, he did receive his Kingdom from the Ancient of days, Dan. 7.14. [2] He hath from him the laws and rules of his government; for he ſays, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that ſent me; therefore all the laws that he gives, they are no other than thoſe he has received from the Father. [3] For the ends of his government, they are alſo preſcribed him, For I ſeek not mine own glory, but the glory of him that ſent me. Now it's a happineſs for any people to have a wiſe and a righteous Law-giver, and this is a comfort and an honour to the Saints, that they have Chriſt their King, and the law that he has given them is a royal Law, Jam. 2.8. much more ſhould the Saints rejoyce in this, that he that is Chriſts King and Lord, is their Lord alſo, and he that is Chriſts Law-giver is alſo theirs: the ſubjection of the Angels ſhould be enough unto a man that he ſhould be brought into ſubjection, but much more we ſhould be content to receive the law at his mouth, and rejoyce in it, when he is unto Chriſt himſelf a Lord and a Law-giver.

(2) As he is King and Lord to Chriſt, he carries him through all his ſervice; for protection p. 322doth properly belong to a Prince in the duties of ſubjection, which are required of him; and therefore Kings have thoſe names given them in Scripture, they are called Latibulum, a hiding place from the wind, Eſay 32.2. and the ſhields of the earth, and they are for defence, Pſal. 47.9. and the Angels of God, 2 Sam. 14.15. And they are for protection alſo to a man in his way, Pſal. 91.11, 12. ſo the Father doth promiſe Chriſt, Eſay 42.4, 6. I have called thee in righteouſneſs, I will hold thee by the hand, and I will keep thee, &c. and in this Chriſt comforts himſelf, that his Father was at his right hand, Pſal. 16.5, 9. Here alſo is the happineſs of the Saints, that the ſame God that protected Chriſt, that girt his loyns, and ſtrengthened him for his work, the ſame God has alſo undertaken their protection in all the ſervices that he calls them unto, Joh. 10.28, 29. he ſaith, I will give unto my ſheep eternal life, and none ſhall pluck them out of my hand, for the Father, who gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Is there any ſervice that can be ſo hazardous as that which Chriſt was called unto to conflict with, even the curſe of the Law, the powers of darkneſs, and the wrath of God immediately? yet Chriſt did ſtrengthen his faith in this, that he had the power of the Father engaged therein, as he was his Lord; we have aſſurance of the ſame protection in all our ſervices that Chriſt had in his, therefore let not your hearts be troubled.

(3) God the Father doth deſtroy Chriſts enemies, and as his King doth fight his battels, and doth engage himſelf mightily therein, Pſal. 110.1. The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies my footſtool. God the Father is engaged in all the victories of Chriſt, that he ſhall conquer, and there is none ſhall be able to ſtand before him: and as he doth deſtroy Chriſts enemies in the worſt ſeaſon for them, that ſo it may be with an utter deſtruction, ſo ſhall he do yours alſo; for the Lord doth but wait for an evil time,Zeph. 2.4.Zeph 2:4 that they may be inſnared, as Zeph. 2.4. They ſhall drive out Aſhdod at noon day. In thoſe hot countries they did keep their houſes in the heat of the day, it was the worſt ſeaſon to travel, I but then ſhall they be caſt out. Chriſt has aſſured you of a victory,Rev. 19.14.Rev 19:14 Rev. 19.14. the Armies in Heaven followed him upon white horſes, as an emblem of joy and victory, and therefore they are ſaid to be cloathed in white Robes with palms in their hands, Rev. 7.9. and they are ſaid to have gotten the victory over the beaſt, his image, the mark and the number of his name, Rev. 15. There are many great promiſes unto them that do overcome, To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden Manna, and he that overcomes ſhall inherit all things, I will be his God. And the Apoſtle inſults upon this,foreign. and ſays, Rom. 8. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. And here is the ground of a Chriſtians comfort, that the power of his Father is as truly engaged for his conqueſt as it was for Chriſts, and we may as well expect victory, as Chriſt himſelf did, Rom. 16.20. The God of peace ſhall tread Satan under your feet ſhortly.

(4) Chriſt is to give an account unto the Father as he is his Lord, and we find that he doth ſo; as the creatures give an account of their ſervices unto Chriſt, ſo he does give an account of all his ſervices unto the Father. Zac. 3.11. The Angels had been ſent in meſſages throughout the Earth, and they return unto Chriſt an account of their ſervice, they anſwered the Angel of the Lord that ſtood amongſt the Mirtle-trees, and ſaid, We have walked to and fro through the earth, &c. but Chriſt gives his account to the Father, Ezech. 9. ult. the man cloathed with linen reported the matter, ſaying, I have done as thou haſt commanded me; and at the laſt day he ſhall give up the Kingdom to the Father, with an account of all the ſervice that he has been engaged in, 1 Cor. 15.24. All the accounts of the creatures are paſſed with Chriſt, We muſt all appear before the judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.10. but having received them, Chriſt does as the Fathers ſervant preſent them all unto him, as a part of the ſervice that he himſelf has undertaken: ſo that here is the happineſs of the Saints, your accounts ſhall paſs before the ſame Father that Chriſts accounts do; and he that doth now preſent your perſons and your ſervices unto the Father, he will then alſo unto the ſame God and Father preſent your accounts, and give you your diſcharge and your ſentence, Come you bleſſed of my Father.

(5) As the Father is the King, ſo from him does Chriſt receive his reward, Pſal. 16. ult. Thou ſhalt ſhew me the path of life, in thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore: and the comfort and happineſs of the Saints lyes in this, that they ſhall have glory from the ſame hand that Chriſt had his glory,Mat. 25. Luk. 12.32.Matt 25Luke 12:32 Come you bleſſed of my Father; it's your Fathers pleaſure to give you a kingdom. There is a double Throne that we read of, Rev. 3.21. He that overcomes ſhall ſit with me upon my Throne, as I overcame, and am ſat down with my Father upon his Throne. The Throne that Chriſt now ſits upon is the Throne of the Father; for ſo Heaven is called; and ſo all the Saints, when they come to glory, do ſit upon the Throne of the Father, that Throne that he has prepared for them from the foundation of the world: but Chriſt has alſo his own Throne which ſhall be at p. 323the day of Judgment, when he ſhall ſit upon his Throne, and all Nations ſhall be gathered together before him, and the Saints ſhall ſit upon that Throne alſo; for ſo he ſaith, They ſhall alſo ſit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael at the day of Judgment; therefore they ſhall ſit with Chriſt upon his Throne; and in Heaven they ſhall ſit with him alſo upon the Fathers Throne. And the ground of all is this, becauſe when God the Father did make Chriſt his King, he did not put the power out of his own hand, and he did not diveſt himſelf, but the Kingdom of the Father is carried on in the Kingdom of Chriſt through the whole adminiſtration thereof; and therefore in the work of grace, 2 Cor. 5.19. God is in Chriſt reconciling the world, it's the Father that doth put all things under Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.27. And the Saints have not only Chriſts name written upon them, Rev. 3.12. but Rev. 14.1. they have the Fathers name alſo written in their foreheads.Rev. 14.1.Rev 14:1 It was an ordinary manner in thoſe parts, that ſervants ſhould receive the name of the maſter for a mark of the perſon for whom they lived, and Souldiers the name of their General or chief Commander, &c. and this mark was ſometimes in the right hand, and ſometimes in the forehead; ſo that they are profeſſed ſervants not only of Chriſt, but of God the Father alſo, whoſe ſervant Chriſt is in all that he doth; and therefore Rev. 11.16, 17. The kingdoms of the earth are ſaid to become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Chriſt, not only Chriſts Kingdom, but the Fathers Kingdom alſo; though it's true, that the actual and immediate adminiſtration of it, is in the hand of the Son, Joh. 5.23. The Father judges no man, yet in the Son the Father reigns. There is a time for the regreſs of Chriſts Kingdom into the hand of the Father, that he may immediately adminiſter it again, as he did from the beginning, and that I conceive is meant by the ſubjection of the Son, 1 Cor. 15.28. Then ſhall the Son alſo be ſubject unto him, that put all things under him, 1 Cor. 15.28.1 Cor 15:28&c. He is ſubject during all the time of his Kingdom; for he does rule but as the Fathers ſervant, and he ſays, As the Father gave me commandment, even ſo do I; but there is a greater ſubjection that yet Chriſt muſt ſhew unto the Father. [1] He is now the Fathers ſervant, and yet ſo as he rules the world; and therefore as you have heard he is called God the Fathers King: but after the day of Judgment having put down all rule and all authority and power that was ſubſtituted by him, he ſhall give up his government into the hand of the Father, and he ſhall rule the creatures as Lord of all things, as Mediator no more; but having brought them under his government unto the Father, he, together with that great Church and general aſſembly of the firſt-born, ſhall come under the immediate government of the Father for ever. [2] He is now the Fathers ſervant, and ſubject to him, but it is in a ſecret and unobſerved way, the government is in his hand, though the Father rules in him; but then he ſhall lay down all at the Fathers feet before men and Angels, and become ſubject to the glory of the Father.

§. 3. God the Father ſtands unto Chriſt in the relation of a Friend, or a Companion; and ſo he calls him, Zac. 13.7. the word there doth properly ſignifie two things,Zac. 13.7. foreign (1) Socium, a mans companion, one that he doth enjoy intimate communion and fellowſhip with. (2) Amicum ſive proximum, a friend, Chriſt is one that is near to God the Father, one with whom he doth enjoy the moſt intimate ſociety, and ſo much the expreſſion of his being in the boſom of the Father doth intimate,Joh. 1.18.John 1:18 Joh. 1.18. for there are three things which it notes, (1) arctiſſimam conjunctionem, the neareſt conjunction, (2) ardentiſſimam dilectionem, the moſt ardent love, (3) ſecretiſſimorum communicationem, Jam. 2.23.Jas 2:23the communication of the deepeſt ſecrets: it is uſed of wives, Deut. 13.6. and of friends, Luke 16.23. Now there are four great acts of friendſhip, as the Philoſopher has obſerved: (1) foreign, benevolence, Ariſt. Ethic. l. 9. c. 9. Deut. 13.6.Deut 13:6a true well-wiſhing, deſiring his good, as the good of his own ſoul; as we read, thy friend which is as thy own ſoul. Thus as the Son ſeeks the glory of the Father, ſo does the Father ſeek the glory of the Son, as truly as his own glory; ſo Joh. 14.13. That the Father may be glorified in the Son; and therefore he ſaith, He that honours not the Son, honours not the Father, Joh. 5.23. ſo he doth ſeek the ſalvation and good of the Saints, even as his own glory; for as he will be glorified in the Son, ſo he will alſo be glorified in the Saints; and therefore though the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be in glory already, yet he is not ſatisfied with his own glory, but takes care that his friends may be partakers of it, and therefore he will leave Heaven once more, that he may come again to fetch you; for his glory is not perfect without you: and this he doth as he is the Fathers ſervant alſo, becauſe the glory of the Father as manifeſted is not perfected till all the Saints be brought home to him, and are glorified with him.

(2) foreign, concord, friends have one mind, idem velle & idem nolle eſt firma amicitia, to will and nill the ſame thing is firm friendſhip: Again, foreign, he that doth chuſe the ſame things: ſo it is with Chriſt, Joh. 10.30. I and my Father are one, that is, we have the ſame will, and we act in the ſame time, we carry on the ſame deſign; and ſo it is p. 324with the Saints alſo; and therefore he doth by an almighty power, whereby he is able to ſubdue all things to himſelf,Iſa. 56.Isa 56 ſubdue their will unto his will, that they chuſe the things that pleaſe him, and they ſay always, Not my will, but thy will be done; and therefore Salvian makes this the happineſs of the Saints,Lib. 1. de guber. Dei, p. 8. quia ex voto agunt humiles ſunt, hoc volunt, pauperes ſunt, pauperie delectantur, ſine ambitione ſunt, ambitum reſpuunt, &c. becauſe they live by prayer, they are humble, &c.

(3) In friendſhip there is foreign, beneficence, a readineſs and a willingneſs to do all good unto the party beloved: ſo is God the Father a friend to Chriſt, he gives him glory, he ſets him at his own right hand, and gives him dominion over the works of his hands, and has put all things under his feet, Pſal. 8. And ſo he is a friend unto the Saints alſo; for he has made them heirs of all things, and has given them all things neceſſary unto life and godlineſs; the moſt precious things he beſtows upon them, himſelf, and his Son, and his Spirit, his Grace, the miniſtry of Angels; and he has ſubjected all the actings of his Providence unto their prayers, and they all work together for their good; he doth imploy them in the higheſt and moſt honourable ſervices, and he doth beſtow upon them the greateſt rewards.

(4) foreign, All friendſhip is in communion, Ariſt. Eth. 1. ſo the Father is a friend to Chriſt, Joh. 5.20. The Father loves the Son, and ſhews him all things that he himſelf doth. Abraham is called the friend of God, and therefore there is ſuch a fellowſhip that the Lord has with him, that he cannot hide from Abraham the thing that he means to do; and ſo there is a communion that he has with the Saints, a conſtant communion, they come and ſup with him, and make their abode with him, Joh. 14.23. They dwell in God, that is, in the ſenſe and the apprehenſion of his love from day to day, 1 Joh. 4.16. they are in the Father and in his Son Chriſt: friends do impart ſecrets, and divide grief,1 Theſſ. 1.1.1 Thess 1:1 and multiply joys; and becauſe we cannot aſcend up unto God, therefore he will come down to us: We will come to him, and dwell in him, &c. There is a great deal of ſweetneſs in ſociety, where a man loves, We took ſweet counſel together, and walked to the houſe of God in companies; but there is none like unto that that is between Heaven and Earth: I ſaw heaven opened, and the Angels aſcending and deſcending upon the ſons of men, Joh. 1. ult.

Joh. 15.1.John 15:1§. 4. As Chriſt is the true Vine, ſo the Father is the Husbandman: Chriſt is not here ſpoken of as a head in heaven, for ſo he has no dead members; but it's ſpoken of him as ſpreading himſelf into a viſible Church, which is ſometimes compared unto a Vine, Jer. 2.21. and ſometimes to an Olive-tree, Rom. 11. and of this Vine the Father is the Huſbandman or the Vine-dreſſer: for there are branches in this Vine that do bear no fruit, parentes pampinarii. Now there is a double act of the Father in this relation. (1) The unfruitful branches he takes away, that is, all hypocrites and unſound-hearted in the Church viſible he takes away, partly becauſe they diſhonour the root, and partly becauſe the husbandman has no fruit by them,Cant. ult. 11, 12. For who is he that plants a vineyard, and doth not drink thereof, he lets it out unto vine-dreſſers, &c. and it was to yield for the fruit of it a thouſand pieces of ſilver; there is nothing more hateful than an empty Vine; Hoſ. 10.1. and theſe branches he takes away, and they are caſt out. [1] They are caſt out of the hearts of Gods people, and out of their prayers, and in the end they are caſt out of their ſociety. [2] They wither: their gifts wither, and their former ſeeming graces from which they had their greenneſs decay, their lamps go out. [3] Men gather them, Hereticks gather them, or profane men gather them, for they ſhall be gathered together in bundles, thoſe of their own kind, and all thoſe ſpiritual judgments that compleat a man for ſeparation from God, befal ſuch a man, and this puniſhment is from God the Father, who is the Husbandman. (2) All the branches that are fruitful he doth purge them, that they may bring forth more fruit. There are two parts of Sanctification, and there is a growth of a Chriſtian ſeen in them both; there is a growth in grace, the new image is more viſibly ſeen; and there is a growth in mortification, or the decay of the old image: the new man is renewed day by day, and the old man decays day by day, &c. In viſible Churches the purging of the members is the Fathers act, the remainders of ſin are the great miſery of a Saint. Now to whom ſhould a man look to be cleanſed? It's true, that it's the ſprinkling of the blood of Chriſt upon the conſcience by which it is done; but it is properly the act of God the Father applying this blood; for every degree of grace in the one or the other, it's an act of the grace of the Father. But more particularly, here are three things to be ſpoken to for the opening of this relation, that we may receive the fruit, and taſte the ſweetneſs thereof. (1) How and in what reſpect is Chriſt compared to a Vine? (2) Why is he ſaid to be a true Vine? (3) How is the Father ſaid to be the Husbandman? and what doth he unto this Vine as he is the Husbandman?

p. 3251. How and in what reſpect is Chriſt compared to a Vine? and here we are to conſider, that the viſible Church is in Scripture compared in Scripture to four trees, becauſe there is no one that is able to reſemble it. (1) It's compared to an Olive-tree, Rom. 11.17.Rom 11:17Jer. 11.16. Rom. 11.17. and that for its profitableneſs; for the Olive-tree is for light, which makes the lamp to burn, and there is all light in the Church; and it's for nouriſhment to be eaten,Lev. 6.15, 16.Lev 6:15Lev 6:16 and ſo there is all food in the Church; and it's for ornament, for oyl makes the face to ſhine, Pſal. 104.15. the trees of the Lord are full of ſap, &c. (2) It's compared to a Palm-tree, Pſal. 92.12. The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a pa…m-tree, which lives always; ſo there is a flouriſhing and a greenneſs and glory that is upon the Church of God, and that in the greateſt winter of affliction, when other trees do caſt their leaves. Again, a Palm the more weight it has hung upon it, the more it grows, and the deeper it takes root, as the Walnut-tree, the more it's beaten, the more it bears. (3) It's compared to a Cedar, Pſal. 92.12. and Ezech. 17.23. He ſhall grow as a cedar in Lebanon. [1] For its deep rooting, for it's the ſtrongeſt of all the trees: as the wood of it is of all other leaſt ſubject unto putrefaction; ſo in reſpect of the deep rooting of it it's of all other trees leaſt ſubject unto ſubverſion; ſo the Iſrael of God is ſaid to be, He ſhall caſt forth his roots as Lebanon, Hoſ. 14.5.Hos 14:5&c. [2] For its growth and height; it's therefore called the Cedars of God, Pſal. 80.10. [3] For it's ſpreading nature, the boughs ſpread to the Sea, and the branches to the River, therefore the birds make their neſts and ſing in the branches of it, Pſal. 104.17. [4] But the Church is ſpecially in the Scripture compared unto a Vine, [1] for its excellency; for in the Parable of Jotham this is recorded amongſt the moſt excellent, the Vine, the Fig-tree, and the Olive, Judg. 9. [2] For its ſpreading nature; for it will not only compaſs the houſe, but it will fill the land, Pſal. 80.9. [3] For its fruitfulneſs, it is the fruitful Vine; and the excellency of its fruit is ſuch,Pſal. 128.3. Judg. 9.13.Ps 128:3Judg 9:13 that it is ſaid by it to chear God and man, Judg. 9.13. it's ſaid to chear God and man, where by Elohim I ſhould underſtand great men, the great ones, as well as the mean ones, are cheared and revived by it: Some do expound it of God, and how the Lord was pleaſed with it, and it was offered unto him in Libamina, for a drink-offering. [4] Of all trees there is none requires ſo much husbandry, and ſuch a continual labouring about it; it is a tree that hath more enemies than any other, whether they are ſuckers from within, which call for continual pruning, or beaſts from without, which will ſurely waſte the Vine, and root it up; or elſe the Foxes, Cant. 2.15. for they all will ſpoil the Vines, and prey upon the grapes: and it … in this reſpect that the Church is called and compared to a Vine. And it's of this Vine that Chriſt is the root; for it's not ſpoken of Chriſt as he is a Head in Heaven, ſo he has no dead members, there are membra praeſumptiva quae ad columbam non pertinent, Auſtin.but it's ſpoken of Chriſt ſpreading himſelf into a viſible Church here upon earth, and his being the root notes two things: (1) Their union with him, as the branches have with the root; and therefore they are ſaid to be in him, even thoſe that bear no fruit: ſome are in him only by profeſſion, and ſome by a real coalition. (2) They may ſuck ſap from him, for the fooliſh Virgins have the oyl in their lamps from him, as well as the wiſe that have oyl in their veſſels; the one have the oyl of gifts, from whence their greenneſs comes, though they afterward wither, and the other have the oyl of their graces; the one has it from the Spirit of Chriſt aſſiſting, and the other from the ſame Spirit inhabiting or informing; for there are two ſorts of branches in this Vine, as the Text makes manifeſt.

2. Why is he called the true Vine? He may be fitly reſembled to a Vine, as he is called the true light, Joh. 1.9. and the true bread, Joh. 6.32. becauſe he has the excellency of the Vine in a ſpiritual ſenſe, he is a ſpiritual Root that has ſpiritual branches, and they bear ſpiritual fruit; for omnia corporalia ſunt imagines quaedam rerum ſpiritualium, all corporals are images of things ſpiritual: and as Chriſt did condeſcend unto the loweſt condition for our ſalvation, he became a worm and no man, Pſal. 22. ſo he doth compare himſelf unto the loweſt of creatures for our inſtruction; but yet ſo as the creatures are but ſhadows and weak reſemblances in reſpect of thoſe ſpiritual excellencies that are in him; ſo he is the true bread, and ſo his fleſh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, Joh. 6.John 6that is, it is ſpiritual nouriſhment, and is to the ſoul that which all earthly food is to the body; for as the creatures are but ſhadows of God, ſo Chriſt and ſpiritual things have the truth of all excellency, of which the creatures are but reſemblances.

3. How is the Father ſaid to be the Husbandman? There are ſix main acts of the Huſbandman, and all of them are in the Scripture attributed to God the Father. (1) The husbandman doth plant the Vine: it's true here both in the root and branches, both are the plantation of God the Father. [1] It is true of Chriſt the Root, who though in ſome reſpect he be called a Branch, as he did grow out of the dead and withered ſtock of the houſe of David, as a branch out of a dry tree, and yet ſo the Father brings him p. 326forth, Zac. 3.8. Behold I will bring forth my ſervant the branch; yet as all the other branches do grow upon him, being one with him, ſo he is in a more ſpecial manner termed a Root, the root of David, as he is called, Rev. 5.5. and it is the Father that did cauſe this branch to grow,Eſt radix Davidis, quia portat & non portatur. Bernard. Jer. 33.16. and it's the Father that planted this Root; for he bids you look unto him, Zac. 6.12. The man whoſe name is The Branch, he ſhall build the Temple of the Lord, and he is made unto us of God wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption. It's by the Fathers appointment that he is become the Churches Root; he had never had a Church built upon him, had not the Lord laid him in Sion as the chief corner-ſtone, 1 Pet. 2.6. and a Church had never grown out of him, as the root, had it not been of God the Fathers planting; for he has given us the rule, Mat. 15.13. Every plant that grows alone in the Church, and is not planted by the Father, ſhall ſurely by the Father be rooted up. [2] He it is alſo that doth plant, or ingraft all the branches into this root, Eſay. 60.21. Thy people ſhall be all righteous branches of my planting, that I may be glorified; and therefore Rom. 6.5. we are called foreign, planted together into the likeneſs of his death and his reſurrection, created in Chriſt unto good works, for we are foreign, things made by him, Eph. 2.10. Now if we do conſider Chriſt not only as a Head in Heaven in reference unto the Church myſtical and inviſible, but as he is a root on earth, ſpreading himſelf into a Church viſible, and the great benefits that we have thereby, as the incomes of Ordinances, the labours of Officers, and the fellowſhip of Members, we owe theſe all unto God the Father, he is the Husbandman that planted them all.

(2) The Father as Husbandman fenceth the Vine: he that plants the Vine, he it is alſo that makes the fence; for the inviſible Church of God has ſpiritual enemies, in heavenly things; but the viſible Church, that has variety of outward enemies; as the lily amongst thorns: ſometimes the Foxes by their ſubtilty ſeek to ſpoil the vines, and ſometimes the wild Boar out of the wood doth endeavour to root it up, and yet it is preſerved, the buſh is in the fire, and yet it's not conſumed, it is becauſe there is a hedge about it, Joh. 10.29. ſays Chriſt, My Father that gave them me is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand: Job 1.10. Thou haſt made a hedge about him, and all that he has round about; and this hedge of protection is ſometimes made by Gods own immediate hand, Zac. 2.5. God himſelf is a wall of fire about Jeruſalem, he doth himſelf become their hedge and their defence; upon all the glory he doth ſtretch forth a covering: and ſometimes he doth make others to be a hedge, ſometimes his own Angels, and they pitch their Tents round about them that fear the Lord;Rev. 5.11.Rev 5:11 they were round about the Throne; and ſometimes he does make Rulers, which are the ſhields of the Earth, to become the ſhields of the Church, but their protection and defence is the work of the husbandman. Now when the Lord doth pluck up the hedge, and break down the wall of the viſible Church, we then ſee what terrible inroads all the enemies do make, and how they come in and ſpoil her; The Boar of the wood doth waſte it, and the beaſts of the field devour it, Pſal. 80.13. ſo that it's God the Father only that makes the hedge, and he it is that doth remove the fence, and he it is that has the hand in making it up again.

(3) He as the Husbandman doth hire labourers into his Vineyard; for it is the work of God the Father, Mat. 20.1. as he is the Lord of the harveſt, ſo he doth thruſt forth labourers into his harveſt; as he is the husbandman, ſo he doth hire labourers into his vineyard, which is the viſible Church, and the labourers are the officers and the workmen that do labour therein, and they are ſaid to be hired, (1) ratione pacti, becauſe there doth as it were a bargain and an agreement paſs between God and them; for anſwerable unto a mans end, ſuch is the implicite agreement that he makes with God; and anſwerable unto that, ſo God will give a man a reward: if a man do it for profit, he ſhall have it; but then he is ſaid not to ſerve Chriſt, but his own belly; and if he do it for praiſe of men, Chriſt ſaith, They have their reward, &c. (2) Ratione praemii, in regard of reward, becauſe there is no man that ſhall labour in Chriſts Vineyard, but he ſhall have his reward, anſwerable unto the penny that he himſelf did agree for; for no man doth labour there in vain, there is a certain wages promiſed him, &c. And this belongs unto God the Father, there is not a man whoſe gifts you injoy, and whoſe labours you have, and do prize, but he is hired by the Father, and he it is that gives him his hire. Now we know that labourers in the vineyard have been very precious to the Saints, and are the glory of the Churches, a Crown of twelve Stars, Rev. 12.1. they are all of them hired by him that is the Husbandman, and the Lord of the Vineyard, &c.

(4) It's the husbandman that waters the vineyard, and the vine that he himſelf has planted, as it's ſaid Eſay 27.3. I will water it every moment: and there is a double watering, ſometimes he does it by the dew, Hoſ. 14.5. I will be as the dew to Iſrael, and he ſhall p. 327grow as the lily, &c. that is, in a ſecret, ſilent, and inſenſible way, as the Manna fell in the dew, without any obſervation; there is a ſecret River that doth refreſh the City of God, Pſal. 46.5. and the Church is ſecretly refreſhed and ſupported no man knows how; and it's alſo watered by the rain, the former and the latter rain, in a more glorious way;Pſal. 68.10.Ps 68:10 the Lord comes in, and doth revive the Church, and all men ſhall ſee that it is his work, and that it is from Heaven only, and both put together, as the dew and as ſhowers upon the graſs, Mic. 5.6. which tarrieth not for man, it waits not for the ſons of men, the Lord doth wait for no humane concurrence or the joyning in of any of the creatures, but he doth water his own vine himſelf, that it doth flouriſh and grow, and theſe waters are all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which the Father doth ſend; for the giving of the Spirit is called the promiſe of the Spirit, Acts 1.4. for the ſuccus vitalis, the vital juyce of this Vine is the Spirit.

(5) He pruneth it as he is the Husbandman, the unfruitful branches he takes away: Joh. 15.2. Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away; but yet there is the skill of the husbandman in it, who will have in his Church no unfruitful branches: though for a while they may continue, yet he will gather out of his Kingdom whatever doth offend, and whoever works iniquity: and he prunes it in the fitteſt time, in its ſeaſon, when it may be beſt for the vine. It may be ſome do wonder that the Lord lets wicked men alone to continue in the Church ſo long, why they are not immediately caſt out; truly if the Father be the Husbandman, let us leave it to his pruning, for it's his work, and he will do it, in his time and ſeaſon, we muſt not undertake to direct him which ſeaſon is beſt, he keeps it in his own power, and he doth it at the fitteſt time; ſo that after this pruning the other branches may grow better, and the Father hath undertaken it; and though there may be ſome hypocrites that may a long time eſcape the eyes of men, and the cenſure of the Church, yet they ſhall not eſcape the Fathers eye, who is the Husbandman. There is a ſpiritual Excommunication that goes forth againſt them from him, and he will ſurely caſt them out as dead branches, and he hath provided a fire for them, and they are burnt; and there is no man that burns ſo fiercely in Hell as ſuch dry wood prepared for the fire; for all the veſſels of wrath are fitted to deſtruction, as well as the veſſels of mercy are prepared for glory.

(6) The fruitful branches he doth purge, as the husbandman, that they may bring forth more fruit: and in this are the two parts of Sanctification. [1] The deſtroying of the old man; for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath as well bought off in our Redemption the power of ſin, as the guilt of ſin, Tit. 2.14. he hath redeemed you from all iniquity, that he may have the more communion with you,Jam. 4.8.Jas 4:8 and that he may fit you the more for uſe, 2 Tim: 2.21. If a man purge himſelf, &c. and alſo that your ſervices may be the more pleaſing unto him, Mal. 3.3. 1. He doth it by Ordinances, Eph. 5.2, 6. He doth cleanſe them by the waſhing of water through the word, and they are clean through the word that he doth ſpeak unto them. 2. Sometimes by the inward motions of the Spirit, diſcovering the filthineſs of ſin, and ſtirring up a mans heart to hate it, and himſelf for it, that a man ſhall make it his buſineſs to mortifie ſin; and as Chriſt ſuffered in the fleſh, and ceaſed from ſin, ſo he doth arm himſelf with the ſame mind, his reſolution is the armor that ſtrengthens and eſtabliſhes his heart therein. 3. Many times the Lord doth it by ſhedding abroad his love in the ſoul, ſo that the ſenſe thereof makes a man to purifie himſelf from all filthineſs both of fleſh and ſpirit, as the exhortation alſo is, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having this hope [ſuch exceeding great and precious promiſes] let us perfect holineſs in the fear of God. [2] The reviving of the new man; it's the Fathers end that they may bring forth more fruit, for they are ordained to bear fruit, a vine is of no worth, if it be not fruitful; therefore Col. 2.19. they are ſaid to increaſe with the increaſe of God 1. Some ſay the increaſe of God is a great and glorious increaſe, as the mountains of God, and the Cedars of God,Col. 2.19.Col 2:19 and the wreſtling of God. 2. Some ſay it is the increaſe of God, quae eſt à Deo tanquam à primario efficiente, which is from God as the prime efficient: Paul may plant, and Apollo water, but God gives the increaſe: therefore we ſhould honour the Father in the work of Sanctification as well as we honour the Father in his Election. 3. Some ſay the increaſe of God is ad Deum tanquam finem ultimum, is to God as the laſt en…: And when doth a man bear more fruit? [1] When he doth the duties that he did formerly neglect, and is more abundant in them, 1 Cor. 15. ult. [2] When he doth exerciſe more grace in them, and there is more of the inward man in them, Rev. 3.2. though he doth the ſame duties, yet it is more fruit to God than formerly, when he doth it with more pleaſure, and the commandments are none of them grievous to him, it is his meat and drink to do it, his comforts do come in by his duties, as well as by the promiſed rewards, and he is p. 328alſo more conſtant in the performance of them, and doth not perform duty only by fits: inconſtancy in any man is an argument of weakneſs, 'tis a reproach to have it ſaid, a mans righteouſneſs is but as the morning dew, and as the early cloud that paſſeth away.

§. 5. We come now unto the laſt particular of the perſonal and appropriated relation of God the Father as he ſtands unto Chriſt, and in him unto us: as he is his Father and our Father, our God and his God, his friend, ſo he is the fountain of the life of Chriſt, and in him the fountain of ſpiritual life to us alſo,1 Joh. 5.11.1 John 5:11 and that is ſet down, 1 Joh. 5.11. God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: we ſee of what perſon it's ſpoken, it is the Father that hath given us this life, and laid it up in his Son, as in a common Treaſury,Joh. 6.57.John 6:57 that from him it might be conveyed unto us. So Joh. 6.57. As the living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father; ſo he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me. Here in the opening of it I muſt ſhew, (1) Whether this be ſpoken of Chriſt as he is God, or as he is Mediator? (2) How Chriſt as Mediator is ſaid to live by the Father? (3) What the life is that we have from Chriſt? (4) That all this life that we have from Chriſt and is in him, is from the Father, he that is the fountain of the life of Chriſt, is alſo the fountain of our life.

1. Whether it be ſpoken here of Chriſt as he is God, or as he is Mediator, God manifeſted in the fleſh? That it's not ſpoken of Chriſt as he is God, there are three things do clearly make it manifeſt. (1) It's ſpoken of Chriſt with reſpect unto his Office; for he ſpeaks of himſelf as ſent by the Father, and ſending is a term of office. Now as he is ſent by the Father, ſo he lives by the Father: but he is ſent as Mediator, and it wholly relates unto his Office in which he is by the Father imployed; and therefore it is as Mediator that he lives by the Father. (2) It's ſpoken of Chriſt as he is fed upon by the faithful, I live by the Father, ſo he that eats me ſhall live by me, which refers to him as he is made man; for ſo he ſaith verſ. 34. He that eats my fleſh and drinks my blood, hath eternal life, &c. Now the Father is the fountain of life unto Chriſt in the ſame reſpect that Chriſt is the fountain of life unto us; but it is as Mediator that he is ſo to us, as he hath fleſh and blood, for ſo he becomes unto us a natural head; and therefore ſuited to be an object of our faith, fit both to be our ſurety here, and our Advocate in Heaven; our ſurety here, as having our nature, and therefore being able to pay our debt; and our Advocate hereafter, as having our nature ſtill upon him, and therefore knows how to have mercy and compaſſion, the ſame nature in him will incline him thereunto. (3) I conceive, that it were dangerous to ſay, that as he is God, ſo he lives by the Father, though I often find that Divines writing of the eternal generation of the Son, do ſpeak of the Fathers begetting of the Son by the communication of the ſame Eſſence, that he is God of God, &c. But ſurely he that is God, muſt be without cauſe, he muſt have his Being from himſelf, he muſt be the firſt and the laſt; he that hath his eſſence from another muſt have his ſufficiency from another, and he that is from another muſt be unto another; for he that is the firſt cauſe, he muſt alſo be the laſt end, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and to him, and through him are all things, &c. and therefore he that is not God of himſelf, is not God at all. I dare not therefore ſay, that he hath the Divine Eſſence communicated by eternal generation,Calv. Institut. l. 1. c. 13. §. 25. but rather he is à ſeipſo Deus, à Patre filius, eſſentia ejus principio caret, perſonae verò principium eſt ipſe Deus: it's ſpoken of Chriſt, therefore not as he lives in himſelf, as he is God, but as he is Mediator made by the Father the fountain of life unto us.

2. What is the life, which as Mediator Chriſt receives from the living Father? There are two words in Scripture unto which commonly all things excellent or deſirable are compared, and thoſe are Light and Life; and ſo all miſery is ſet forth under the two contraries, and they are Darkneſs and Death, as Pſal. 97.11. Light is ſown for the righteous: in thy light we ſhall ſee light, &c. And ſo life alſo, Pſal. 30.5. In his favour is life: Pſal. 36.9. With thee is the fountain of life: Pſal. 63.3.Ps 63:3thy loving-kindneſs is better than life; life is that which doth comprehend in it all good things, as the leſſer is comprehended of the greater; for the life is more worth than meat, and the body than raiment; and ſo it implies that Jeſus the Mediator doth receive all things that are good, excellent, and deſirable from God the Father, he doth live by the Father, &c. he is unto him the fountain of all good things: But this is but general. I find life in Scripture uſed four ways, as ſtanding in oppoſition unto a fourfold death in us. (1) There is a death in reference to the guilt of ſin, a man being under the ſentence of the Law dead; and in oppoſition thereunto there is a life of Righteouſneſs in Juſtification: therefore it's ſaid Rom. 5.17, 18. For if by one mans offence death raigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gifts of righteouſneſs ſhall raign in life by one Jeſus Chriſt: therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation, ſo by the righteouſneſs of one the free gift came upon all men unto juſtification to life. (2) There is a death in reference to the dominion of ſin; and thus we are ſaid to be dead in treſpaſſes and ſins: and ſo there is a life of Holineſs and Regeneration, when the Lord p. 329ſaith, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand up from the dead, Eph. 5.14. Joh. 5.25. When the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it ſhall live: and ſo he doth quicken thoſe that are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Eph. 2.5. they are made alive unto God. (3) There is a death in ſorrow, and under miſery, as the Jews were in their Captivity, they were dry bones dead, and their reſtoring of peace and comfort was a reſurrection from the dead, Ezech. 37.12. and ſo Heman is free amongst the dead, as they that are wounded and lye in the grave, &c. and in oppoſition thereunto there is a life of conſolation, 1 Theſſ. 3.8.1 Thess 3:81 Theſſ. 3.8. Now we live if you ſtand faſt in the Lord, that is, this will be one of the greateſt comforts of our lives, our happineſs, our glory, and crown of rejoycing, &c. Rom. 7.9.Rom. 7.9.Rom 7:9 I was alive without the law once, alive in performances, and alive in preſumption, alive in comforts, alive in confidences, and that is the meaning of Hab. 2.4. The juſt ſhall live by his faith, Hab. 2.4.Hab 2:4and in the ſame ſenſe it is uſed Heb. 10.38. He that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10.38.Heb 10:38now the juſt ſhall live by his faith. There is a double ſenſe of theſe words: [1] In matter of Juſtification, Gal. 3.11. No man is juſtified by the law, it is evident, for the juſt ſhall live by faith. [2] In matter of conſolation in any affliction, and ſo faith doth not only make a man live, keep body and ſoul together; but it makes a man live a comfortable and a chearful life alſo, non eſt vivere, ſed valere vita, &c. (4) There is a death eternal, which is an everlaſting ſeparation from the viſion and fruition of God, who is the fountain of life, and ſo we read of the ſecond death; and ſo there is a life of glory, Joh: 3.36. He that believes not in the Son of God, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abides upon him; and Heaven is commonly in the Scripture called everlaſting life, &c. Now in all theſe reſpects the Son lives by the living Father, and they that are one with him do live by him.

1. Chriſt as Mediator receives from the living Father a life of juſtification: he was made under the Law, and under the curſe, 2 Cor. 5.21. it pleaſed the Father to make all our ſins meet upon him, he did bear the ſins of many, he did appear the firſt time of his coming into the world loaden with tranſgreſſion,foreign but he ſhall appear the ſecond time without ſin, Heb. 9.28. and this was by the Fathers imputation,Hoſtilem incurſum deſignat, &c. and his voluntary ſuſception; but when he aroſe from the dead, he is acquitted by God the Father, and therefore is ſaid to be juſtified in the Spirit, i. e. by his own Godhead, and 1 Pet. 3.18. he is ſaid to be quickned by the Spirit, that is, he raiſed up himſelf by the power of his own Godhead; ſo being raiſed he is juſtified, that is, he is acquitted from the guilt of all the ſins that he did before lye under; and ſo he is taken from priſon, he did not break priſon, but he was releaſed, and had a fair diſcharge, and the judgment that was paſt upon him he was abſolved from.Iſa. 53.8.Isa 53:8 Now as the ſentence of his condemnation came forth from the Father, ſo muſt alſo his juſtification, and as he ſays, Joh. 16.10. Ye ſee me no more, to note that his death ſhould fully ſatisfie, and his ſacrifice be perfectly offered: as for other Prieſts, they came often to preſent their Sacrifices which were imperfect, and the blood of bulls and goats could not take away ſin off the ſinner.foreign.

2. He received from the living Father a life of holineſs and ſanctification: Col. 1.19. It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. What fulneſs is here meant?Plenitudo gratiae habitualis. an habitual fulneſs of grace, Joh. 1.16. Of his fulneſs we have all received grace for grace: as he was anointed by the Father, he received not the Spirit by meaſure;Joh. 3.34.John 3:34 for God giveth not the Spirit by meaſure unto him. It's true, that grace in the humane nature of Chriſt, which is the ſubject of habitual grace, is not infinite, for that only belongs to the Holineſs of God; but yet there is all fulneſs in it, becauſe it's laid up in him, that he might diſpence it; and there is a ſufficiency, and there are ſupplies of the Spirit for all the Saints; and therefore he is called, Dan. 9.24. The moſt holy, Dan. 9.24.Dan 9:24or holineſs of holineſſes; the humane nature is capable of more grace, and therefore of greater glory, by reaſon of its perſonal union, than all the creatures in Heaven and Earth, either men or Angels; for he is the Son of Righteouſneſs.

3. He received from the living Father a life of conſolation. It's true, if we look to his condition amongſt the creatures, ſo he was a man of ſorrows; but if we reſpect his communion with the Father, and the fulneſs of the conſolation of the Spirit (for where the Spirit is truly a Spirit of Sanctification, there alſo he is in perfection a Spirit of Conſolation) ſo he is ſaid, Pſal. 45.7. To be anointed with the oyl of gladneſs above his fellows: his bleſſed Soul had experience as of greater and higher priviledges, ſo of far greater comforts than of the creature, men or Angels; and though it's true, that when he bore the ſins of men, and the wrath of God, there was ſubſtractio viſionis, and therefore he is ſaid foreign, which is as much as extra confortium vivere, Mar. 14.33.Mark 14:33to live without ſociety: he was to be ſequeſtred as in a wilderneſs, and ſet apart unto grief, and to nothing elſe, yet it was but for a ſhort time; for as the Sun did recover its light again, ſo did his Spirit alſo, and his Soul was filled with unſpeakable joys, as he before p. 330under-went unutterable ſorrows; therefore he ſays, Joh. 15.10. I kept my Fathers commandment, and abide in his love; my heart is glad, and my glory rejoyceth, &c.

Pſal. 16.11.Ps 16:114. He received from the living Father a life of glory: Thou wilt ſhew me the path of life, in thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore: and therefore,Rev. 3.21.Rev 3:21 Rev. 3.21. He that overcomes I will grant to ſit with me upon my Throne, even as I overcame, and am ſate down with my Father in his Throne, &c. Jeſus Chriſt has a Throne on which he now ſits ruling the Nations, having received a Kingdom from the Ancient of days, and he has a Throne in the Church; a Throne is ſet in Heaven, Rev. 4.2. and there is a more glorious Throne to be erected at the laſt and great day, when he ſhall ſit upon the Throne of his Glory, &c. but all this while Heaven is the Fathers Throne; and when the works of God are perfected here below, the Kingdom ſhall be given up into the hands of the Father again: and thus Chriſt as Mediator, as ſent by the living Father, ſo he received from him a fourfold life, and therefore may be fitly ſaid to live by the Father.

Joh. 5.26.John 5:26But it may be objected from Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo he has given to the Son to have life in himſelf. How is it ſaid that Chriſt hath life in himſelf, when he receives his life from the Father? I anſwer, Chriſts meaning is this, he did publiſh himſelf to be the fountain of life, and he doth commonly tell you, that there is a double fountain of life, (1) there is the living Father; but ſo life could not have been derived unto us being dead; for there is no way to receive any thing from God, but by the hand of a Mediator, therefore the Father hath appointed another fountain of life, and that is his Son, and in him he hath laid up life, as in a common Treaſury; though as Mediator the fountain of his life be in God, yet in reference unto us; the Father hath given him to have life in himſelf: it's not ſpoken of him as he is man, but as he doth raiſe the dead by an Almighty power, and they ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live, as he is an everlaſting Father, and begets ſouls unto the Lord, and as it is given unto him: and therefore it muſt belong to him as Mediator, and not as God, and it is ſaid, He has given this power to him, becauſe he is the Son of man: therefore the meaning is, that God the Father being the fountain of life, man being fallen, and ſeparated from God, and dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; now if the Lord will convey life unto us, it muſt be by another hand; and therefore he hath made the Son the fountain of life, and the fulneſs thereof to dwell in him: and ſo the Son has life in himſelf, as the Father has life in himſelf; the Father conveys it to the Son, and the Son receives it of purpoſe to derive it unto us.

3. Having ſeen what the life is that the Son receives from the living Father, and how he lives by the Father, let us in the next place conſider, how we that are members live by the Son alſo: and it will appear, that anſwerably to the life that Chriſt received from the Father, ſo is he the fountain of life unto the Saints. (1) A life of Juſtification; for he is become Jehovah our Righteouſneſs,Jer. 23.6. 2 Cor. 5.21.Jer 23:62 Cor 5:21 we are made the righteouſneſs of God in him: ſo that there is no condemnation unto them that are in Chriſt Jeſus; for the debt is paid, and the bond is cancelled; for the Lord hath brought in an everlaſting Righteouſneſs, and ſuch as ſin can never ſpend. Thus we live by him a life of Juſtification, he is made unto us of God wiſdom and righteouſneſs. (2) We have from him a life of Holineſs and Regeneration; we are dead in our treſpaſſes and in the uncircumciſion of our life, till by him we are quickned; and therefore, 1 Cor. 15.44. it's ſaid, The firſt man Adam was made a living ſoul, that was his ſtate in his creation, and God did breathe into him the breath of life, and he became a living ſoul, that is, ſuch a nature as he had, ſuch he could propagate unto his poſterity, and ſo from the firſt Adam we are made living ſouls; but if they were dead, Adam could not revive and quicken them again; and therefore that belongs to the ſecond Adam, he is foreign, in ſpiritum vivificum, for a vivifick ſpirit, we have the unction from the holy One, 1 Joh. 2.20. and therefore the Spirit that we receive and that dwells in us, is the Spirit of the Son, he is the head from whence our influences come, and he is the root from which all our ſap is derived, it is of his fulneſs only that we receive grace for grace. (3) We receive from Chriſt a life of conſolation: for he it is that ſends the Comforter, the meſſage is, Eſay 61.2. he is ſent to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, and to publiſh the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee, the time of rejoycing;Iſa. 57.15.Isa 57:15 his work is to revive the ſpirits of the contrite ones; he gives them ſtrong conſolation and good hope through grace,Hab. 3.2.Hab 3:2 and that's the meaning of that place, Hab. 3.2. Revive thy work in the middle of the years. The Church was then in captivity, and in great affliction, and they were as dead men under the hand of God, it is ſuch a reviving that they beg: and all the incomes that the Saints have from the Spirit of conſolation, it is a life that is derived unto them from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; from whom the Spirit of Sanctification comes, from him comes alſo the Spirit of Conſolation. (4) We receive from p. 331Chriſt a life of Glory; he is gone to Heaven as our Fore-runner, and having prepared a place for us, he will come again and fetch us; we can never be received up to glory, if Chriſt had not been firſt received; and then he receives us alſo into the ſame glory, we enter into our maſters joy: it is his by a perſonal purchaſe and propriety, it is ours by our myſtical union and fellowſhip with him only; and therefore it is ſaid; That he doth raiſe us up at the laſt day. And Phil. 3.21. He ſhall change our vile body, that it may be like to his glorious body; and when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.3. ſo that our life is hid with Chriſt in God, but when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, we ſhall appear with him in glory, Col. 3.3.

4. God the Father is the fountain of life unto the Saints: and that two ways, (1) as he is the fountain of life unto Chriſt, and as he lives by the Father. (2) As by the Fathers appointment and decree he is made the fountain of life unto us. (1) As the Father is the fountain of life unto Chriſt; for, Joh. 14.19. Becauſe I live ye ſhall live: if he did not give himſelf, we could not live by him. Now, Col. 3.4. And when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then ſhall you alſo appear with him in glory. Chriſt is our life cauſativè, non eſſentialiter, &c. and he gives us life, becauſe he hath life in himſelf, but that is given him from the Father; there is a righteouſneſs in him by which we are accepted, and the fulneſs of habitual grace in him by which we are ſanctified: all this is laid up in him by the Father; it is upon this ground only, that he is the fountain of life unto us, becauſe he himſelf lives by the Father; therefore in all the glory of Chriſt,Rom. 5.10.Rom 5:10 the Father ſhould be honoured, becauſe all the fulneſs of Chriſt he doth receive it from the Father: Therefore whenſoever we have recourſe unto Chriſt for righteouſneſs, holineſs, and comforts, and ſee him to live by the Father in all theſe; and when we look up unto him who is our Head, and ſee him exalted above all Principalities and Powers; and that he lives by the power of God; now ſay, Chriſt lives by the power and the glory of the Father, and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God. (2) As by the Father he is made the fountain of life unto us; for the Father did give eternal life unto us when he laid it up in the Son: therefore it is ſaid, That they killed the Prince of life; Joh. 5.11. Acts 3.25.John 5:11Acts 3:25as he is the King of Righteouſneſs, and the Prince of Peace: it is ſaid Moſes was a man of peace, but he could not command peace in the mutinous and murmuring people, but if he had been a Prince of peace he could; and ſo Chriſt as a Prince of life can convey life, and diſpenſe it, Rev. 22.14. We having fallen and forfeited Paradiſe and the Tree of Life, we were ſecluded from it: Now God the Father hath appointed another Tree of Life, which is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and he will give unto men a right or a priviledge to eat thereof alſo, which they were formerly ſhut out of. So that you ſee, it is the Father that hath given him power to quicken whom he will, to have life in himſelf, and to give eternal life to as many as believe in him.