<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2013-04-29</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>*Proofed title page(s).
*Reviewed structure.
*Checked division-marking material at heads and feet of divisions (HEADS, CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, BYLINE, etc.).
*Added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate.
*Checked for N=""s.
*Checked ^s.
*Checked placement and completeness of PBs.
*Checked for foreign, damage and missing-page GAPs, PROBLEMs, #, --.
*Checked for LBs, startqs / endqs, q;s, ABBRs, LETTERs and Qs.
*Checked for FIGUREs and decorated initials.
*Checked proofsheets and made corrections found there.
*Corrected <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s etc.
*Converted <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s to GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="[vendor name]".
*Revalidated.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A75703">
<STC T="W">A3950</STC>
<STC T="T">E744_11</STC>
<STC T="C">R207025</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99866100</BIBNO>
<VID>118362</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>CHRIST THE Riches of the GOSPEL, AND THE Hope of CHRISTIANS A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of M^r <HI>William Spur&s;tow</HI> the only Childe of D^r <HI>Spurstow</HI> at <HI>Hackney</HI> near <HI>London,</HI> Mar. 10.</P>
<P>By SIMEON ASHE Preacher of the Go&s;pel, and Lecturer there.</P>
<Q><BIBL>PHIL. 3. 23, 21.</BIBL>
<P>I have a de&s;ire to depart to be with Chri&s;t which is farre better.</P>
<P>For me to live is Chri&s;t, and to die is Gain.</P></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>A. M.</HI> for <HI>G. Sawbridge</HI> at the Signe of the Bible on Ludgate-hill, 1654.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To My much E&s;teemed Good Friends, Dr <HI>Spurstow,</HI> Pa&s;tor of the Church at <HI>Hackney,</HI> and to M^r^s <HI>Sarah Spur&s;tow</HI> his Vertuous Wife.</HEAD>
<P>_WHen I prepared this Sermon for the Pulpit, and preached it at the Funerall of your much endea|red Sonne and only childe, there was not one thought in my minde that it &s;hould be brought to the Pre&s;&s;e; but as it &s;erved your de&s;ires with reference to the Congregations profit there, &s;o upon the &s;ame ac|count (through the importunity of many others al&s;o) it now co|meth abroad enlarged with re&s;pect unto more publike &s;ervice: The reading of it may probably renew your &s;orrow by occa&s;ion|ing the remembrance of your lo&s;&s;e (for the wound not throughly healed will &s;mart and bleed again upon every gentle touch) but I hope that influences from Christ (the &s;ubject of the Sermon) will drop like healing oyl, with &s;weetne&s;&s;e upon your &s;pirits. Summer-fruit doth &s;oone&s;t fall from the tree out of which it grew: The early buddings both of ingenuity and piety, in your hopefull childe, cau&s;ed &s;ome of your friends to &s;u&s;pect that God would gather him unto him&s;elf before he became a man. Would not you both (if God had lengthened his life on earth) have been content to have wanted his &s;ociety for a time, upon well-ground|ed confidence of a comfortable meeting, and that your parting would be for his preferment and your mutual profit? I &s;hall not need to make the application: He was the heir of a full e&s;tate, with which Gods bounty hath ble&s;&s;ed you, but the hand of Pro|vidence hath put him into the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of a far more rich Inhe|ritance; You had hopes that he might have been the &s;taffe of your age, but though that &s;upport is &s;unk and &s;hrunk from you, yet you are not left comfortle&s;s, for the precious promi&s;es of Go&s;pel-grace are continued <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> to uphold both your hopes and hearts for ever. Chear up <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> hearts (my dear Friends) both in hope of
<PB REF="3"> his happy change and your &s;pirituall advantage by the &s;anctifi|cation of this your lo&s;&s;e. Ble&s;&s;e God who be&s;towed &s;o good a childe upon you, &s;uffered you to enjoy him &s;o long, and gave you (with hearts to educate him religiou&s;ly) to &s;ee the &s;ucce&s;&s;e of your endeavours in tho&s;e timely blo&s;&s;omes which appeared upon upon him; And as for your &s;elves, do ye not finde (through the operation of Gods peculiar grace) that upon your &s;ouls which may encourage the application of <HI>Davids</HI> &s;upport and con&s;ola|tion? <HI>He hath made with me an everla&s;ting Covenant, orde|red in all things and &s;ure; for this is all my &s;alvation and all</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 23. 5.</NOTE> <HI>my de&s;ire, although he make not my hou&s;e to grow.</HI> In this Covenant there is nothing defective, which any Chri&s;tian, in any condition, can either de&s;ire or want. And among&s;t other rich promi&s;es which are thereto annexed, this is one; (which may be &s;ea&s;onably releeving unto you) to <HI>give a better name then of Sons and Daughters:</HI> &V;pon all the&s;e con&s;iderations<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 56. 5.</NOTE> (unto which your knowledge in the my&s;teries of the Gospel can adde many more) you &s;hould rather expre&s;s the joys of faith then feed upon your &s;orrows, to your own prejudice and the trou|ble of your Chri&s;tian friends: And &s;eeing the Lord hath to your &s;en&s;e written vanity upon the choice&s;t of your creature|contents, how &s;hould your &s;ouls be now elevated above all things &s;ublunary and changeable! His hand of providence hath ea&s;ed you of all further cares for him, whom you intended to leave well furni&s;hed with all accomodations for comfort and &s;ervice in this world; therefore now what have you &s;o much to minde here as to improve time, talents, e&s;tate, intere&s;ts, yea, your All, for your own mutuall advantage in Chri&s;t, and the glory of God, who hath done &s;o much for your &s;elves and yours? This improve|ment of your affliction (wherein my experience hath wrought &s;ympathies) I can and &s;hall heartily reque&s;t in your behalf through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, in whom I am,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your a&s;&s;ured Friend, if his own, SIMEON ASHE.</SIGNED>
<DATELINE><DATE>Iune 20. 1654.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="elegy">
<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>To my much Honoured and Worthy Friends, D^r <HI>William Spurstow</HI> and M^r^s <HI>Sarah Spur&s;tow</HI> his Wife, upon the Death of their hopefull Sonne and onely Childe, M^r <HI>William Spur&s;tow.</HI></HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Carmen</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">.</HEAD>
<L>LEt hopele&s;&s;e Heathens grieve, and let them &s;hed</L>
<L>From drowned eyes vain offerings to the dead;</L>
<L>Let their remor&s;ele&s;&s;e hands their bo&s;omes rend,</L>
<L>'Cau&s;e Death their comforts and their hopes do end:</L>
<L>Let weeping <HI>Niobe</HI> congeal to &s;tone,</L>
<L>And kill her &s;elf with grief and fruitle&s;&s;e mone.</L>
<L>But you (Dear Friends) do mourn in hope, and weep,</L>
<L>Beleeving your ble&s;t childe in Chri&s;t doth &s;leep.</L>
<L>Harbour we mutinous thoughts again&s;t his will,</L>
<L><HI>Who&s;e works are ju&s;t, who&s;e waies are holy &s;till?</HI></L>
<L>Oh let his mercy and his goodne&s;&s;e charm</L>
<L>All di&s;content; He'le never do you <HI>harm,</HI></L>
<L>Nor can he do you wrong, becau&s;e he's ju&s;t,</L>
<L>Willingly then &s;ubmit, or el&s;e you mu&s;t.</L>
<L>Bani&s;h &s;ad thoughts which do without relief</L>
<L>Torment you with reiterated grief;</L>
<L>Suppo&s;e you &s;aw your Son equalling tho&s;e</L>
<L><HI>Bright morning Stars the Sons of God;</HI> Suppo&s;e</L>
<L>You &s;aw his &s;oul inthron'd in bli&s;&s;e with them,</L>
<L>Who Cit'zens are of <HI>New Jeru&s;alem:</HI></L>
<L>Suppo&s;e you heard his own delightfull voice</L>
<L>Thus &s;peak (Dear Parents) weep not but rejoyce</L>
<L>For me, for now I am perfectly free</L>
<L>From &s;orrow, &s;in, Death, and mortality;</L>
<PB REF="4">
<L>Surely you do not doubt my happine&s;&s;e</L>
<L>(For you oft &s;ay I'm gone to heaven) much le&s;&s;e</L>
<L>Can loving Parents envy it, then cea&s;e</L>
<L>To interrupt my joy and your own peace.</L>
<L>Happy tho&s;e Parents who their Children teach</L>
<L>Gods fear, whil&s;t young, and whil&s;t within the reach</L>
<L>Of Prayers and coun&s;els; &s;o &s;hall not death prevent</L>
<L>Their diligence, and they too late repent.</L>
<L>How early &s;aving light did dawn and break</L>
<L>In him who learnt to pray as &s;oon as &s;peak,</L>
<L>And minding Sermons then knew good from ill,</L>
<L>When tho&s;e of's age have not learnt to &s;it &s;till;</L>
<L>Nay more, &s;o young, and yet complain'd, that he</L>
<L>Could not rule's thoughts when mo&s;t think thoughts are free.</L>
<L>Then 'twas the devil who did fir&s;t invent</L>
<L>That cur&s;ed prophane Proverb, <HI>A young Saint</HI></L>
<L><HI>An old Devil;</HI> no no, many through Gods grace</L>
<L>Set out betimes, and hold out all the race,</L>
<L>And many <HI>Timothy</HI>'s have <HI>Mna&s;ons</HI> prov'd,</L>
<L>Who have Gods Word in childehood learnt and lov'd.</L>
<L>Such was his pregnant parts and piety,</L>
<L>His youth it was a full maturity.</L>
<L>A <HI>Childe</HI> that did <HI>per &s;altum</HI> commence <HI>man,</HI></L>
<L>His years &s;pake morning, his parts Meridian:</L>
<L>Harve&s;t i'th Spring, a blo&s;&s;ome fairly blown,</L>
<L>Knit, and at once fruit to perfection grown.</L>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>Haec moerens po&s;uit</HI> Gulielmus Taylor A. M. <HI>apud Londinen&s;es Pa&s;tor</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="elegy">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>Upon the much lamented Death of the truly Pious Youth M^r <HI>William Spurstow,</HI> who decea&s;ed <HI>Anno Dom. 1633/4 March Aetatis</HI> 9.</HEAD>
<L><HI>BLe&s;t Soul, thy Parents only Son! Thou wa&s;t</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nipt in the bud, and into deaths Den ca&s;t</HI></L>
<L><HI>In Spring time both of age and year. Thy Sun</HI></L>
<L><HI>Is &s;oon gone down, &s;oon is thy &s;hort race run;</HI></L>
<L><HI>True, an Apprenti&s;hip th'ha&s;t &s;erv'd on earth</HI></L>
<L><HI>Of nine years, but the tenth thou pai&s;t to Death</HI></L>
<L><HI>As her due Tithe; She will not be deni'd,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Young, old, rich, poor, are carried down this Tide.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Thou liv'&s;t, though dead in th'memory of tho&s;e</HI></L>
<L><HI>Who knew thy life and &s;aw its holy clo&s;e;</HI></L>
<L><HI>The honour thou did&s;t to thy Parents bear,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Thy humble carriage, witty words, indear</HI></L>
<L><HI>Thee unto all; Tho&s;e &s;parks of Piety</HI></L>
<L><HI>Kindled wiihin thy Soul by th' Almighty</HI></L>
<L><HI>Dazled the eyes of men; Thine exc'llent parts</HI></L>
<L><HI>Admired were by all; Thou won&s;t all hearts.</HI></L>
<L><HI>But &s;tay, needs he Encomiums? Reader, know,</HI></L>
<L><HI>He joys above while we him wail below.</HI></L>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>E. C.</HI> Student in <HI>Syd. Coll. Cam.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>Upon his Funerall Text, <HI>Col. 1. 27. Chri&s;t in you the hope of glory.</HI> With which he was much affected in his life time, and of which he did often &s;peak.</HEAD>
<L>THis Text did much refre&s;h this Saint, now dead;</L>
<L>Chri&s;t was his Hope, his Glory, Crown, and Head:</L>
<L>Whil&s;t here on earth Chri&s;t dwelt in him by grace,</L>
<L>But now he dwells with Chri&s;t and &s;ees his face.</L>
<L>His Body though in grave, to Chri&s;t is knit,</L>
<L>His Soul with Chri&s;t, in Chri&s;ts own Throne doth &s;it.</L>
<L>Chri&s;t was his hope on earth; but now he is,</L>
<L>His Heaven, his All, his, his, for ever his.</L>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>E. C.</HI> Student in <HI>Syd. Coll. Cam.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="elegy">
<HEAD>Upon the Death of M. <HI>william Spur&s;tow.</HI></HEAD>
<L><HI>YE Mu&s;es</HI> Helicon <HI>what can you lie</HI></L>
<L><HI>Thus mantled in a &s;tupid Lethargy?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Breathe out your &s;ouls with &s;ighs, melt into tears,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And let your griefs be equall to your fears,</HI></L>
<L><HI>For him poor &s;oul who&s;e Fate it was we &s;ee,</HI></L>
<L><HI>To bid adieu in its minority:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Mourn that gloomy day on which it took its ri&s;e,</HI></L>
<L><HI>To &s;eek a man&s;ion in heavens Paradi&s;e.</HI></L>
<L><HI>What was his worth, what Friends lo&s;&s;e, in ver&s;e</HI></L>
<L><HI>Were but lo&s;t pains in both for to rehear&s;e;</HI></L>
<L><HI>His purer mettal'd Soul needeth no Prai&s;e</HI></L>
<L><HI>Or Art to'dulterate, all this can't rai&s;e</HI></L>
<L><HI>The price of &s;uch a Pearl, that had alone</HI></L>
<L><HI>What bounteous Art or Nature made her own:</HI></L>
<L><HI>And boldly this I'le &s;peak unto his prai&s;e,</HI></L>
<L><HI>His holy Life doth much exceed his daies:</HI></L>
<L><HI>O pray that &s;uch ble&s;s'd hopes may longer live</HI></L>
<L><HI>Examples to &s;uch youth as cannot give.</HI></L>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>W. H.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>The Text.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>COL. 1. 27.</BIBL>
<Q>Which is Christ in you the hope of Glory.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THe Subject matter of this Text is Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and therefore &s;ea&s;onably &s;uitable to the expe|ctation of this A&s;&s;embly, which is to hear a Funeral Sermon; For whereas <HI>wine</HI> is to be gi|ven unto <HI>tho&s;e that be of heavy hearts,</HI> what<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 31. 6.</NOTE> Cordiall is comparable with Je&s;us Chri&s;t who is called and de&s;erveth to be accounted, <HI>The Con&s;olation of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 25.</NOTE> <HI>I&s;rael?</HI></P>
<P>In the Text Chri&s;t is tendred or rather commended to the con&s;ideration of the&s;e Chri&s;tian <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians</HI> under a threefold notion.</P>
<P N="1">1. As containing the riches of all Evangelicall my&s;teries;<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>non ad</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>&s;ed ad</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>referre oportet.</HI> Dav. <HI>in Text.</HI></NOTE> The Relative (<HI>which</HI>) mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily be referred unto the word <HI>Riches,</HI> in the fore-going part of this ver&s;e, as is ma|nife&s;t from the Originall in our Greek Copies. Although the vulgar applieth the Relative (<HI>which</HI>) unto <HI>my&s;tery,</HI> and I acknowledge Chri&s;t to be a my&s;tery as the holy Gho&s;t doth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 3, 4.</NOTE> often &s;ugge&s;t in the holy Scriptures; And indeed his conce|ption and his hypo&s;taticall Union, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> give us ju&s;t occa&s;ion to call him <HI>wonderfull,</HI> I&s;a. 9. 6. yet in this place I humbly conceive that he is held forth to our view, as the Riches of the glorious my&s;tery of the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P N="2">2. As being the groundwork and the foundation of every good Chri&s;tians good hope of happine&s;&s;e; <HI>Chri&s;t the hope of glory.</HI> I have heard of Ships laden with rich commodities, from which their owners expect great advantage, called <HI>The
<PB N="2" REF="6"> Hope,</HI> or <HI>The good Hope:</HI> Under this Name may beleevers, reall Saints, well own the Lord Je&s;us, <HI>The Hope of glory.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. As inhabiting, dwelling in beleeving Chri&s;tians, for this end, that by his abiding and operating in them he might be unto them <HI>the hope of glory; Christ in you the hope of glory:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. <HI>Era&s;mus notat ccdices quo&s;dam &s;ic habere</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>inter vos, ut legit etiam Syrus interpres.</HI> Beza <HI>in Text.</HI></NOTE> Some Tran&s;lators render the words, <HI>Chri&s;t among you;</HI> but I rather cleave unto our Engli&s;h Tran&s;lators, both old and new, which do an&s;wer our Greek Copies, and accord with the mo&s;t learned, judicious Interpreters, <HI>Chri&s;t in you the hope of glory.</HI></P>
<P>Having thus briefly given in the divi&s;ion of the Text, with the Interpretation of the words both together, I proceed to the handling of the Points of Doctrine hence con&s;idera|ble for our In&s;truction.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t Truth ob&s;ervable is this,</P>
<P><HI>That Je&s;us Chri&s;t is the riches of all Go&s;pel-glorious My|&s;teries.</HI> <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Doct."></P>
<P>The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> acknowledging much glory in the Ad|mini&s;trations of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> (wherein there was much Go&s;pel, though vailed and &s;hadowed under Types and Ceremonies) yet telleth us, That Evangelicall mini&s;trations do <HI>exceed in glory,</HI> and that the <HI>former had no glory</HI> in re&s;pect of this lat|ter,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 9, 10, 11.</NOTE> which <HI>excelleth,</HI> and <HI>is much more glorious.</HI> Now the riches of all this glory are in Chri&s;t; Concerning which the expre&s;&s;ion of the &s;ame Apo&s;tle is ob&s;ervable, <HI>The un&s;earcha|ble riches of Chri&s;t.</HI> The riches of this Go&s;pel-glory in Chri&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 8.</NOTE> may be di&s;covered with reference 1. both to God, 2. and to<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ex parte Dei, &amp; ex parte no&s;tri.</NOTE> godly Chri&s;tians.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, In regard of God; All the revenues of glory which come unto his Maje&s;ty from the Go&s;pel, are mo&s;t e|minently in Je&s;us Chri&s;t; And therefore at his birth the An|gels &s;ing, <HI>Glory to God on high.</HI> 1. In him <HI>are all the trea&s;ures</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 14. Col. 2 3. 1 Cor. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 24. Eph. 3. 18, 19. Eph. 2. 7. Eph. 1. 6.</NOTE> <HI>of wi&s;edom;</HI> Here is wi&s;edom in a my&s;tery. 2. And Chri&s;t is (as the <HI>wi&s;edom</HI> &s;o) <HI>the Power of God;</HI> Divine Omnipotency is no way &s;o fully di&s;covered as in Chri&s;t. 3. In him is divine love <HI>which pa&s;&s;eth knowledge,</HI> which is beyond all dimen&s;ions. 4. And as for mercy, how full is the language of the Apo|&s;tle; <HI>The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindene&s;s through
<PB N="3" REF="6"> Chri&s;t Je&s;us;</HI> And &s;peaking el&s;ewhere of Go&s;pel-incoms he addeth, <HI>To the prai&s;e of the glory of his grace;</HI> Here might be added the un&s;potted holine&s;&s;e and untainted ju&s;tice of God, more glorified in the unexpre&s;&s;ible humiliation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t then in any other way what&s;oever. And who know|eth not how the honour of Gods Truth is triumphantly glo|rious in Chri&s;t, becau&s;e all things foretold of him both &s;ub|&s;tantiall and circum&s;tantiall were exactly fullfilled in him: <HI>The Law was given by Mo&s;es but grace and truth came by</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> The&s;e things I only touch upon without en|largement.</P>
<P>Secondly, In relation to his people, Chri&s;t is the riches of<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chri&s;tus e&s;t no|bis the&s;aurus &s;piritualium di|vitiarum.</HI> Day. <HI>in Text.</HI> 1 Cor. 2. 7.</NOTE> the Go&s;pels glory. The ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle is very open in his expre&s;&s;ion to this purpo&s;e, <HI>We &s;peak the hidden wi&s;edom of God which God ordained unto our glory;</HI> Many rich and glorious are the true Chri&s;tians advantages from Je&s;us Chri&s;t: I &s;hall briefly point at four which S^t <HI>Paul</HI> hath recorded together in <HI>Eph.</HI> 1.</P>
<P>And before I mention the particulars, the generall which he premi&s;eth (being very comprehen&s;ive) is worthy con&s;ide|ration; <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be the God and Father of our Lord Je&s;us</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t who hath ble&s;&s;ed us with all &s;pirituall ble&s;&s;ings in heaven|lies in Chri&s;t.</HI> The Originall neither re&s;traineth the word <HI>Heavenly</HI> to <HI>places</HI> or <HI>things;</HI> but the holy Gho&s;t hinteth thus much; That what&s;oever &s;pirituall ble&s;&s;ings (which are incomparably the be&s;t) any Saints receive from the Lord, ei|ther here upon earth or hereafter in heaven, all are derived through Chri&s;t. The particulars follow.</P>
<P N="1">1. Electing love is in Chri&s;t; <HI>He hath cho&s;en us in him be|fore</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 4.</NOTE> <HI>the foundation of the world.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Adoption into the right and priviledges of Gods chil|dren is by Chri&s;t; <HI>Having prede&s;tinated us unto the Adoption</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 5.</NOTE> <HI>of Children by Je&s;us Chri&s;t to him&s;elf, according to the good plea&s;ure of his will.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Fatherly acceptance with God, pardoning all &s;ins, is upon the account of <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t. He hath made us accepted</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 6, 7.</NOTE> <HI>in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his bloud, the forgivene&s;&s;e of &s;ins, according to the riches of his grace.</HI></P>
<P N="4"><PB N="4" REF="7">4. And the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of our rich Inheritance is by rea&s;on of our co-heir&s;hip with Chri&s;t Je&s;us; <HI>In whom al&s;o we have</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 11, 12. <HI>Neque &s;olum gratiam omnem inherentem ha|bemus a Chri&s;to derivatam, &s;ed gratiam accep|tationis divinae ad vitam aeter|nam habemus.</HI> Dav. <HI>in Text. &V;&s;e 1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>obtained an Inheritance,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>that we &s;hould be unto the prai&s;e of his glory who fir&s;t tru&s;ted in Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e &s;hort touches may be &s;ufficient to clear the truth of the doctrine, I proceed to the Application.</P>
<P>Mini&s;ters therefore &s;hould in this regard the more abun|dantly preach Chri&s;t: Our Apo&s;tle having in the Text told the <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians</HI> that Chri&s;t is the riches of the glorious Go&s;pel, he addeth immediately in the ver&s;e following, <HI>whom we preach;</HI> yea, this is con&s;iderable, that when <HI>Paul</HI> was a pri|&s;oner for &s;uch preaching, he maketh this the greate&s;t boon to be begg'd of God in his behalf, that he might have liber|ty with ability to declare &s;uch things unto them in his Mini|&s;try. <HI>Continue in prayer, withall praying for us, that God</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 4. 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> <HI>would open unto us a door of utterance to &s;peak the My&s;tery of Chri&s;t, for which I am al&s;o in bonds that I may make it ma|nife&s;t.</HI> The like reque&s;t he maketh unto the <HI>Ephe&s;ians; Pray</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 18, 19, 20.</NOTE> <HI>alwaies in the Spirit,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the my&s;tery of the Go&s;pel, for which I am an Amba&s;&s;adour in bonds;</HI> And he greatly glorieth in this as a tran&s;cendent ho|nour, That he was made a Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;ple to preach the <HI>un&s;earchable riches</HI> of Chri&s;t, and to make all men &s;ee<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 7, 8, 9.</NOTE> <HI>what is the fellow&s;hip of the mystery,</HI> &amp;c. And this practice may prevalently be per&s;waded by the con&s;ideration of</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The Mini&s;ters Office.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. The Peoples need.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>Fir&s;t, By Office, We are <HI>Stewards of the My&s;teries of God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 1. 2.</NOTE> <HI>and it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull.</HI> In this re&s;pect we mu&s;t produce for the honour of our Ma|&s;ter and the u&s;e of his Family &s;uch Trea&s;ures with which he hath been plea&s;ed to entru&s;t us. As <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;ervant<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 24. 53.</NOTE> brought forth <HI>Jewels of &s;ilver</HI> and <HI>Jewels of gold</HI> to win the heart of <HI>Rebecca</HI> to <HI>I&s;aac,</HI> &s;o &s;hould we &s;pread before our people the unvaluable riches of Chri&s;t, that we might work out their hearts unto him.</P>
<P>Secondly, As our Office, &s;o the Peoples nece&s;&s;ities do call
<PB N="5" REF="7"> for our help herein, for there are hidden things herein (as the word <HI>my&s;tery</HI> intimateth, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2. 7.) which very few un|der&s;tand, in compari&s;on of the multitudes who are palpably ignorant hereof; This our Saviour &s;ugge&s;ts, who having by the Parable of the Sower, taught, that not above one part of four receive &s;aving profit by the Go&s;pel preached among them, he &s;aid unto his Di&s;ciples; <HI>&V;nto you it is given to know</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 8. 10.</NOTE> <HI>the My&s;teries of the Kingdom of God, but unto others in Para|bles, that &s;eeing they might not &s;ee, and hearing they might not under&s;tand.</HI></P>
<P>And nothing that can po&s;&s;ibly be taught is more u&s;efull<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>&V;t &s;ciant, nih<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ri po&s;&s;e ab&s;olutius.</HI> Cal. in ver. 28.</NOTE> and advantagious. Hereby the proud heart is mo&s;t kindely humbled, and the humbled heart mo&s;t &s;weetly comforted: This knowledge will enrich the poor in Spirit and keep them lowly who are rich in grace: It will encrea&s;e the hatred of &s;inne, the contempt of the world, faith in the promi&s;es, love to God, Chri&s;tian courage, zeal, patience, together with humble boldne&s;&s;e in addre&s;&s;es unto God, upon all occa|&s;ions: It is the <HI>one thing nece&s;&s;ary.</HI> By means hereof (as the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 10. 42.</NOTE> Apo&s;tle hints in the ver&s;e following the Text) Mini&s;ters may hope to <HI>pre&s;ent their people perfect in Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> But the&s;e things I do only name without enlargement, yet before I di&s;mi&s;&s;e this U&s;e, I de&s;ire leave to entreat my Brethren in the Mini&s;try to minde the coun&s;ell and practice of this our Apo|&s;tle,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 23. 18, 19.</NOTE> <HI>viz.</HI> to &s;tudy familiar plainne&s;&s;e in unfolding the&s;e rich my&s;teries of glorious Go&s;pel grace which are trea&s;ured up in Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>My &s;econd U&s;e mu&s;t be directed both unto Mini&s;ters and <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> people, To move them to &s;eek more and more the know|ledge of Chri&s;t. <HI>Let the word of Chri&s;t dwell richly in you in</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 16. Prov. 2.</NOTE> <HI>all wi&s;edom;</HI> How unweariedly labourious are men in dig|ging into the bowels of the earth to finde and to fetch out the riches there; Now of how little worth is all the worlds wealth being compared with Chri&s;t! The Go&s;pel is the <HI>trea|&s;ure</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 44, 46</NOTE> <HI>in the Field</HI> (of which the Parable &s;peaketh) and Chri&s;t is that <HI>one Pearl of great price,</HI> which is of more worth then any mans <HI>All.</HI> Therefore the <HI>Scriptures &s;hould be &s;earched</HI> (as<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 5. 31. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> men &s;earch for trea&s;ures) to make further and fuller di&s;co|veries
<PB N="6" REF="8"> of Chri&s;t, becau&s;e in him eternall life and all things conducible thereunto are to be enjoyed. Saint <HI>Paul</HI> who by experience knew the worth of humane learning, even a|mong&s;t the rich-gifted <HI>Corinthians, determined not to know</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 2.</NOTE> <HI>any thing but Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and him crucified;</HI> And him&s;elf el&s;ewhere giveth a rationall, a &s;atisfying account of this his re&s;olution, <HI>viz.</HI> becau&s;e of the &s;uperlative both excellency and utility of this knowledge. <HI>Doubtle&s;&s;e I count all things</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 8, 10.</NOTE> <HI>but lo&s;&s;e for the excellency of the knowledge of Chri&s;t Je&s;us my Lord; That I may know him and the power of his re&s;urrecti|on,</HI> &amp;c. Who can tell how many rarities lie hid in Chri&s;t, or how great gain may be got by the knowledge of him? 1. This is the way to procure ju&s;tification by him, <HI>By his knowledge &s;hall my righteous Servant ju&s;tifie many.</HI> 2. Hereby<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 53.</NOTE> the growth of all graces both in kindes and degrees, is much promoted; <HI>We all with open face beholding as in a gla&s;&s;e the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 4. 18.</NOTE> <HI>glory of the Lord, are changed into the &s;ame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.</HI> 3. And hence i&s;&s;u|eth glory: The Text tells you, that in him is <HI>the hope of glory; This is life eternall that they may know thee the only true God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 17. 3.</NOTE> <HI>and Je&s;us Chri&s;t whom thou ha&s;t &s;ent.</HI> If all this be not &s;uffici|ent to quicken diligence in &s;eeking out after the knowledge of Chri&s;t, let me adde a double con&s;ideration from the pra|ctice of the holy Angels (though they be not &s;o much con|cerned in and advantaged by Chri&s;t as our &s;elves) 1. They did de&s;ire to <HI>pry and peep</HI> into tho&s;e Typical and Prophetical<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 12. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> di&s;coveries of him which were ob&s;cure before his Incarnati|on. 2. And now they are content to come (as it were to our Schools where we are taught) unto our Congregations for clearer in&s;truction in this my&s;tery according to Gods minde; <HI>&V;nto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 10. <HI>Sacro-&s;anctum &amp; vivificum mysterium.</HI> Aug <HI>E&s;t quidem fru|ctuo&s;um, honori|ficum, &amp; glori|o&s;um hoc Evan|gelij my&s;terium.</HI> Dav. <HI>in Text.</HI></NOTE> <HI>known by the Church the manifold wi&s;edom of God.</HI> The&s;e things &s;peak cogent arguments to them who are Chri&s;tianly inge|nuous, to move more and more indu&s;trious endeavours, to dive further and further into the&s;e rich divine my&s;teries, whereof Gods Worthies have given many high commenda|tions, calling it an holy, glorious, fruitfull, quickning, hap|py-making my&s;tery; What commendation can be higher
<PB N="7" REF="8"> then that of our Apo&s;tle, 1 <HI>Tim. 3. 16. Without controver&s;ie great is the my&s;tery of godline&s;&s;e, God manife&s;t in the fle&s;h, ju&s;ti|fied in the Spirit, &s;een of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, beleeved on in the world, received up into glory;</HI> Herein is con|tained the marrow of Chri&s;tianity: And doubtle&s;&s;e every Chri&s;tian who mindeth the power of godline&s;&s;e, either in reference unto Gods honour or &s;elf-welfare, will by the&s;e Meditations be prevailed with to &s;eek acquaintance with this rich my&s;tery. I &s;hall &s;peak no more unto this fir&s;t Point, <HI>viz. That Chri&s;t is the riches of Go&s;pel-glorious My&s;teries;</HI> but I proceed unto the &s;econd.</P>
<P><HI>That reall Saints, beleeving Chri&s;tians have</HI> (even while <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Doct."> here on earth) <HI>hope of glory.</HI></P>
<P>Such were the&s;e <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians</HI> to whom the&s;e words were &s;po|ken, <HI>The Saints and faithful brethren in Chri&s;t;</HI> Not only Saints<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 2.</NOTE> titularly but in reality, who&s;e Saint&s;hip and faith was wit|ne&s;&s;ed by their brotherly di&s;po&s;ition towards one another, and their faithful walking in the world: the&s;e, the&s;e were they who had hope of future glory. The like expre&s;&s;ion hath the &s;ame Apo&s;tle in his Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Romans; Being ju&s;tified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Je|&s;us</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t, and we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God.</HI> This Do|ctrine I &s;hall not much dilate upon but only give one touch or two by way of application.</P>
<P>Hence we are informed that the gain of godline&s;&s;e, and <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> the profitablene&s;&s;e of a religious life is not to be judged of alone by the outward vi&s;ible fruit reaped here; for the rich Revenues of holine&s;&s;e are rather in hope then in hand: <HI>The world knoweth us not, and it doth not yet appear what we &s;hall</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 1, 2. Eccl. 9. 1.</NOTE> <HI>be: No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them;</HI> And therefore in the e&s;timation of tho&s;e who judge accord|ing to the &s;ight of the eye, <HI>If in this life only we have hope</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 19.</NOTE> <HI>in Chri&s;t, we are of all men mo&s;t mi&s;erable.</HI> Though in very truth Chri&s;tians who live by faith, and walk holily with the Lord, have cordials in &s;ecret which the world knoweth not of, <HI>viz. peace which pa&s;&s;eth all under&s;tanding, and joys mo&s;t un|&s;peakable</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 5.</NOTE> <HI>and full of glory</HI> (which do wonderfully exceed and admirably &s;weeten all their &s;ufferings) yet the be&s;t is be|hinde,
<PB N="8" REF="9"> the&s;e are only the ta&s;tes of that full glory re&s;erved for them in heaven. Thus the Prophet <HI>Malachy</HI> confuteth the carnall crew in his daies, who &s;aid it was a vain thing to &s;erve God; He fir&s;t telleth them of a <HI>book of Remembrance written before the Lord,</HI> recording all the &s;erviceablene&s;&s;e of Saints in evil times, and then referreth them to the la&s;t day, when God &s;hall <HI>make up his jewels,</HI> adding the&s;e words, <HI>Then</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 3. 17, 18.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hall ye return and di&s;cern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that &s;erveth God and him that &s;erveth him not.</HI> Would you give a right e&s;timate of the precious incoms by godline&s;&s;e, do not &s;o much view their pre&s;ent outward wants and pre&s;&s;ures, but rather hearken to the language of their hopes. <HI>When Chri&s;t who is our life &s;hall appear, then we al&s;o</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 4. 1 Ioh. 3. 2.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hall appear with him in glory; And we &s;hall be like him, for we &s;hall &s;ee him as he is.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> Therefore let us all try whether we can from good hold|ing<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 3. 6. Heb. 6. 11.</NOTE> grounds, make out our hopes of glory; As Mini&s;ters mu&s;t beware of flattering people with vain hopes, &s;o the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> per&s;wadeth every one of us to <HI>&s;hew diligence</HI> for the attaining the <HI>full a&s;&s;urance of hope,</HI> yea, the &s;ame di|ligence<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3. 15.</NOTE> which we u&s;e in reference to any act of obedience: And Saint <HI>Peter</HI> would have all Chri&s;tians <HI>ready to give a rea&s;on of the hope which is in them.</HI> The nece&s;&s;ity of this triall may be manife&s;ted by the&s;e following con&s;iderations.</P>
<P N="1">1. The worth of the thing hoped for, <HI>viz. glory,</HI> which is in value tran&s;cendently better then all things under the Sunne; Herein con&s;i&s;ts everla&s;ting heavenly happine&s;s. The phra&s;e whereby the holy Scripture doth expre&s;&s;e it is very full; <HI>a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory;</HI> The<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 17. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> value of any commodity cau&s;eth cautiou&s;ne&s;&s;e to prevent cheating: Wi&s;edom therefore will make wary, that hopes hereof may not be built upon &s;andy bottoms.</P>
<P N="2">2. The u&s;efulne&s;&s;e of hope, being as an <HI>Helmet</HI> to &s;ecure<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19.</NOTE> from capital dangers in warlike encounters, and as an <HI>Anchor</HI> to prevent &s;hipwrack upon a &s;tormy Sea: in which ca&s;es men are careful to make &s;uch provi&s;ion, that the Head-piece and Anchor may not be brittle and ea&s;ily broken.</P>
<P N="3">3. The hopes of multitudes will be lamentably fru&s;trated;
<PB N="9" REF="9"> Our Saviour brings in many pleading with confidence at the la&s;t day for life, who &s;hall be rejected with mi&s;erable di&s;ap|pointment, <HI>Many &s;hall &s;ay to me at that day Lord, Lord,</HI> &amp;c.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 7. 22, 23.</NOTE> <HI>and I will profe&s;&s;e unto them, I never knew you</HI> (q. d. I never approved you) <HI>depart from me.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. We know not how &s;oon our hopes may be a&s;&s;aulted by others, and &s;haken by the recoylings of our own con|&s;ciences. As good <HI>Job</HI> had his hopes que&s;tioned by his Friends, <HI>Is this thy confidence and thy hope?</HI> So the Church<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 4. 6. Lam 3. 18.</NOTE> in an afflicted condition doth this dolefully bewail her &s;elf; <HI>I &s;aid, My hope is peri&s;hed from the Lord.</HI></P>
<P>Now if upon the&s;e meditations helps for <HI>hopes-di&s;covery</HI> &s;hall be enquired after, I &s;hall briefly hint 1. who&s;e hopes will fail. 2. Who&s;e hopes will hold in the time of triall; As for the former the holy Gho&s;t tels us plainly, that their hopes are peri&s;hing, who are 1. either wicked, 2. or hy|pocrites.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 11. 7. Iob 8. 13.</NOTE> <HI>When the wicked man dieth his expectation &s;hall peri&s;h,</HI> and <HI>the hypocrites hope &s;hall peri&s;h.</HI> Here though I may not be large in characterizing the wicked man or in unca&s;ing the Hypocrite; yet take the&s;e &s;hort touches and enlarge them with application in your own thoughts:</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, A wicked man is 1. A &s;in-lover; <HI>The wicked and him</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 11. 5.</NOTE> <HI>who loveth iniquity doth Gods &s;oul hate,</HI> &s;aith the P&s;almi&s;t&punc; And mens love of &s;inne is manife&s;ted by their unwillingne&s;s to have it &s;poken again&s;t; As <HI>David</HI> would have <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> gent|ly<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 18. 5. P&s;al. 50. 16.</NOTE> dealt with. 2. And a man who liveth in &s;in upon choice and deliberation; Like as the fi&s;h liveth in water, He is as a Trade&s;man, a Practitioner in &s;in, a <HI>Sin-maker,</HI> a <HI>worker of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 8. <GAP DESC="foreign">. Mat. 7. 23.</NOTE> <HI>iniquity,</HI> as the Scripture expre&s;&s;eth it; Therefore lay your hands upon your hearts, and ob&s;erve whether they breathe loving allowance of &s;in, and deliberate re&s;olutions to drive a trade in waies of known tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions, though both God and your own con&s;ciences condemn them.</P>
<P>Secondly, An hypocrite may be de&s;cribed; <HI>An out&s;ide,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 15. 8, 9. &amp; 23. 25. &amp; 23. 5.</NOTE> <HI>&s;elf-&s;eeking, man-plea&s;ing man.</HI> Thus our Lord doth &s;tigma|tize them; <HI>Ye hypocrites, well did I&s;aiah prophe&s;ie of you, &s;ay|ing, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is farre from me;
<PB N="10" REF="10"> Ye make clean the out&s;ide, and all their works they do to be &s;een of men:</HI> When they either fa&s;t, or fea&s;t religiou&s;ly, it is to <HI>them&s;elves;</HI> Hereby a plain-dealing &s;elf-reflecting Chri&s;tian<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 7. 5, 6.</NOTE> may give a good gue&s;&s;e at his own e&s;tate, <HI>viz.</HI> whether up|right or an hypocrite, and con&s;equently whether his hope will be holding or peri&s;hing: And I wi&s;h people to con&s;ider the&s;e hints for triall the rather becau&s;e the hopes of the&s;e per&s;ons will fall and fail them at death, if not &s;ooner; <HI>What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 27. 8.</NOTE> <HI>taketh away his &s;oul?</HI></P>
<P>As for the latter <HI>viz</HI> who&s;e hopes will hold, attend the ex|pre&s;&s;ions of the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter, Ble&s;&s;ed be the God and Father of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Pet. 1. 3.</NOTE> <HI>our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re&s;erved in heaven for you.</HI> Hence two things are notable for our purpo&s;e to di&s;cover good hope. 1. The Regeneration of the per&s;on hoping. 2. The activity of the hope it &s;elf. 1. The per&s;ons are begotten again, 2. Their hope is lively. That both the&s;e particulars may be practically applied for triall, I will for brevity &s;ake &s;ugge&s;t that the &s;pirituall birth, and hopes vivacity, may be evi|denced by effectuall vocation; Hence it is that God in the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 18. &amp; 4. 4.</NOTE> Scripture &s;peaketh once and again <HI>of the hope of his calling.</HI> Now our effectuall calling doth di&s;cover it &s;elf, 1. Partly by our coming off from &s;in with dete&s;tation, and this is the effect of good hope, <HI>Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3, 3.</NOTE> <HI>him&s;elf as he is pure.</HI> 2. And partly by our coming up unto God in an obedientiall &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion unto his government, in a &s;tudious conformity to his laws. The&s;e are conjoyned in the experience and practice of Gods people, <HI>viz.</HI> hope and holi|ne&s;&s;e: As of <HI>David, Lord I have hoped for thy &s;alvation and</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 116. 166.</NOTE> <HI>done thy Commandments;</HI> And of <HI>Paul, After the way which</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 24. 14. 15, 16.</NOTE> <HI>they call Here&s;ie, &s;o wor&s;hip I the God of my Fathers, beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets, and have hope towards God; And herein do I exerci&s;e my &s;elf, to have alwaies a con&s;cience void of offence towards God and to|wards men:</HI> Therefore con&s;ciencious endeavours again&s;t
<PB N="11" REF="10"> all &s;infull pollutions both of heart and life, together with care fully to an&s;wer the minde of the Lord in a religious conver&s;ation, notwith&s;tanding hard&s;hips and reproaches in the world, will give good te&s;timony unto the truth of our hopes of eternal glory; whereas loo&s;ene&s;&s;e of life and heart, in waies of carnall &s;elf-&s;eeking and man-plea&s;ing, following the multitude, and &s;wimming down the &s;tream of declining times, may admini&s;ter ju&s;t occa&s;ion of doubting, that mans expectations of eternal glory will be di&s;appointed.</P>
<P>To per&s;wade all them who have hitherto flattered them|&s;elves <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> with fal&s;e hopes of heaven, to lay in better grounds for the future: It is the earne&s;t de&s;ire of Go&s;pel-Mini&s;ters that you would <HI>u&s;e diligence to attain the full a&s;&s;urance of hope.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 11.</NOTE></P>
<P>And 1. Becau&s;e you have heard, that it is attainable, therefore you &s;hould take encouragement to &s;eek it.</P>
<P>2. Adde to the po&s;&s;ibility of getting a&s;&s;ured hope, the ne|ce&s;&s;ity thereof, that you may be prevailed with to look after it. You heard before that hope is that unto a Chri&s;tian in his pa&s;&s;age unto heaven which an <HI>Helmet</HI> is to a Souldier, and<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19.</NOTE> an <HI>Anchor</HI> is to the Mariner. Therefore let this con&s;iderati|on move us to make out for the Helmet and Anchor of good hope. And I would entreat you the rather to minde this my earne&s;t exhortation, becau&s;e of the rocks of di&s;&s;olute|ne&s;&s;e and de&s;truction upon which you will be in danger to be driven, when Satan and your own con&s;ciences &s;hall di&s;|cover the &s;andine&s;&s;e of all your former hopes. Noteable for the proof hereof is that pa&s;&s;age in the prophecy of <HI>Jeremi|ah,</HI> where the people being per&s;waded to repentance, return this an&s;wer: <HI>There is no hope, we will walk after our own de|vices,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 18. 11, 12.</NOTE> <HI>and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart;</HI> Or if the razing of hopes foundations doth not pro|duce &s;uch wretched wicked re&s;olutions, with what &s;inkings and dolefull de&s;pondency will the awakened Soul be over|whelmed? Our Proverb &s;aith, <HI>Was it not for hope the heart would break;</HI> Therefore &s;leight not mine advice, neither delay the u&s;e of Gods means to gain a well-grounded hope<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 38. 18.</NOTE> of your eternal &s;alvation: your life is both &s;hort and un|certain; <HI>And they who go down into the pit cannot hope for
<PB N="12" REF="11"> Gods truth.</HI> Now for your help herein, I &s;hall in my next do|ctrine leade you to Chri&s;t who is the true Chri&s;tians hope of glory.</P>
<P><HI>That Chri&s;t is unto faithfull Chri&s;tians the hope of glory.</HI> <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Doct."></P>
<P>As my Text &s;peaks this truth in open words, &s;o el&s;ewhere our Apo&s;tle thus expre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf; <HI>The Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 1. Luk. 2. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> <HI>which is our hope:</HI> And here <HI>Simeon</HI> anchored his hope of heaven, for he taking Chri&s;t in his arms, &s;aid, <HI>Now lette&s;t thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have &s;een thy &s;alvation.</HI></P>
<P>For the clearing of this Point there are two things enqui|rable.</P>
<P N="1">1. What is meant by Hope of glory.</P>
<P N="2">2. How Chri&s;t is to be accounted the Chri&s;tians Hope of glory.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, The hope of glory.</P>
<P N="1">1. Either &s;ignifieth the glory hoped for, as it's taken in many other Scriptures; <HI>The hope laid up for you in heaven;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 5. Tit. 2. 13.</NOTE> <HI>Looking for that ble&s;&s;ed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Or the glorious hope; the grace of hope whereby the Soul de&s;irou&s;ly expecteth future everla&s;ting glory; accor|ding to the words of this our Apo&s;tle; <HI>I know that this &s;hall tend to my &s;alvation, according to my earne&s;t expectation and</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 19, 20.</NOTE> <HI>hope.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, Chri&s;t may truly be called the hope of glory in both the&s;e &s;en&s;es.</P>
<P N="1">1. Being <HI>the glory of his people I&s;rael,</HI> viz. the matter, the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 32. <HI>Gloriam quam speramus Chri|&s;tus e&s;t gloria, &amp; quam habe|mus, &amp; quam habituri &s;imus.</HI> Rolloc. <HI>in Text</HI> Ioh. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE> object of their chiefe&s;t glory both here and hereafter. He is the Chri&s;tians <HI>All</HI> both upon earth and in heaven, Chri&s;t is the glory of heaven, the very heaven of heaven.</P>
<P N="2">2. And being the root from whence holy hope and all other graces do &s;pring: <HI>From his fulne&s;&s;e we all receive grace for grace; And whom we beholding as in a gla&s;&s;e, we all are changed from glory to glory;</HI> Grace is glory begun, and glory is grace perfited, and both the&s;e we have from Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>For the further opening and evidencing of this Doctrine,
<PB N="13" REF="11"> <HI>viz. That Chri&s;t is the hope of glory,</HI> Con&s;ider, that a Chri|&s;tians hope is attributed: 1. Efficiently, to God the Father working it by the holy Gho&s;t; <HI>The God of hope cau&s;e you to abound in hope, through the power of the holy Gho&s;t.</HI> 2. In&s;tru|mentally<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 15. 13.</NOTE> to the word of God, which is the word of his grace. <HI>What&s;oever things were written aforetime, were written, that</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 15. 4.</NOTE> <HI>we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.</HI> 3. Evidentially to the work of &s;aving grace in the &s;oul, manife&s;ting it &s;elf by its operations there; <HI>God gives good</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The. 2. 16.</NOTE> <HI>hope through grace,</HI> whether faith, <HI>Rom.</HI> 15. 13. or love, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 3. 14. or any other &s;anctifying frame of heart. 4. And yet in a way of peculiarity Chri&s;t is the Chri&s;tians hope, which our Apo&s;tle intends in this Text, wherein there is &s;ome Empha|&s;is; <HI>The hope, that hope,</HI> He is <HI>&s;ingularly, eminently</HI> the hope<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. 1 The&s;. 1. 3.</NOTE> of glory; Fundamentally our hope of heaven is built up|on him: <HI>Hope in the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> &s;aith the Apo&s;tle.</P>
<P>Now the true Chri&s;tians <HI>hope of glory</HI> is rai&s;ed out of Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="1">1. Upon that federall tran&s;action which pa&s;&s;ed betwixt God the Father and Chri&s;t his Sonne; The Apo&s;tle &s;peak|ing of the Covenant, thus expre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf, <HI>To Abraham</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 16.</NOTE> <HI>and his Seed were the Promi&s;es made, He &s;aith not, And to his Seeds, as of many, but as of one And to thy Seed, which is Chri&s;t:</HI> And hither (as I humbly conceive) we may referre that pa&s;|&s;age in our Saviours Prayer unto his Father, relating to him|&s;elf, <HI>Thou ha&s;t given him power over all fle&s;h, that he &s;hould</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 17. 2.</NOTE> <HI>give eternall life to as many as thou ha&s;t given him.</HI> Upon this account the Apo&s;tle &s;eemeth to encourage hope; <HI>In hope of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1. 2.</NOTE> <HI>eternall life, which God that cannot lie promi&s;ed before the world began:</HI> For unto whom be&s;ides Chri&s;t could the Almighty then, <HI>viz.</HI> before the world began, be engaged by any pro|mi&s;e?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 22, 32, 33.</NOTE> <HI>Solomon</HI> doth &s;ugge&s;t tran&s;actions betwixt God and Chri&s;t his e&s;&s;entiall wi&s;edom, before the Creation, concer|ning the welfare of man, among&s;t which tran&s;actions, doubtle&s;&s;e this was one, that through him beleevers &s;hould have hope of glory.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e of his &s;atisfactory Pa&s;&s;ion; For whereas &s;inne committed again&s;t God, and Gods wrath kindled again&s;t man,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 3. 17, 18.</NOTE> are the only hindrances of entrance into glory. <HI>Again&s;t them
<PB N="14" REF="12"> who &s;inned God &s;ware in his wrath that they &s;hould not enter into his re&s;t.</HI> The Lord Je&s;us by his &s;ufferings did break into pieces tho&s;e barres, and made way for Chri&s;tians admi&s;&s;ion into<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 26. 1 The&s;. 1. 10.</NOTE> glory; For he <HI>took away &s;inne by the Sacrifice of him&s;elf;</HI> and <HI>Je&s;us delivered us from the wrath to come;</HI> As he remo|veth guilt by &s;atisfying divine ju&s;tice, &s;o he quenched the flames of Gods anger, by the &s;hedding of his bloud; And hereupon followeth hope of glory.</P>
<P N="3">3. By vertue of his meritorious purcha&s;e; The Apo&s;tle<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 14.</NOTE> calleth a glorified e&s;tate in heaven, <HI>The purcha&s;ed po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, received by Redemption:</HI> whereas <HI>man had made</HI> forfeiture of his happine&s;&s;e (which con&s;i&s;ted in communion with God) and was altogether unable to ran&s;ome it, the Lord Je&s;us bought it back again by his perfect obedience, which was e&s;teemed of valuable con&s;ideration for &s;o great a purcha&s;e, becau&s;e of the infinite excellency of his per&s;on, being both<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 7, 9, 44.</NOTE> God and man; Though man through the worthle&s;ne&s;&s;e of his per&s;on and weakne&s;&s;es of his be&s;t performances cannot de&s;erve the lea&s;t accommodation from the Lord, yet mans hope of glory is upheld by the de&s;erts of <HI>Emmanuell,</HI> of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 3, 4.</NOTE> Chri&s;t, <HI>God with us.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Through the effectuall prevalency of his prayer; Chri&s;t &s;aid with confidence unto his Father, <HI>I know that thou heare&s;t me alwaies;</HI> And this was one great Reque&s;t which<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 11. 42.</NOTE> he made, <HI>Father, I will that they al&s;o whom thou ha&s;t given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 17. 24.</NOTE> <HI>which thou ha&s;t given me, for thou ha&s;t loved me before the Foundation of the world;</HI> This Petition is a good prop to &s;up|port hope of glory in a gracious heart.</P>
<P N="5">5. From the end of his A&s;cention; We all do beleeve, that Chri&s;t is <HI>received up into glory.</HI> And him&s;elf before his<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 16.</NOTE> departure from earth, &s;aid, <HI>I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and re|ceive</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 14. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>you unto my &s;elf, that where I am there ye may be al&s;o.</HI> Here is good Anchor-hold for <HI>hope, which entreth into that within the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entred.</HI> Chri&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 19, 20.</NOTE> is gone into Heaven as our Harbinger to provide glorious man&s;ions for us, and to take po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion in our behalf. And
<PB N="15" REF="12"> the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> writeth thus unto the &s;cattered Chri&s;tian Jews, <HI>God rai&s;ed Chri&s;t from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.</HI> From all the&s;e con&s;idera|tions jointly con&s;idered this conclu&s;ion is confirmed by Scri|pture-&s;trength and evidence; <HI>That Chri&s;t is unto beleeving Chri&s;tians the hope of glory.</HI> The application followeth.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> Therefore without Chri&s;t there cannot be any well-groun|ded<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 21. <HI>Extra Chri&s;tum non gloria, &s;ed ignominia expe|ctanda e&s;t.</HI> Hun. <HI>in Text.</HI> Eph. 2. 12. Iob 21. 7, 13. P&s;a. 73. 7, Iob 7. 6.</NOTE> expectation of future glory: As this &s;mart inference followeth undeniably from the Text under hand, &s;o the &s;ame Apo&s;tle is open and expre&s;&s;e for this truth el&s;ewhere; Sugge&s;ting to the <HI>Ephe&s;ians</HI> their &s;ad condition in an unchri|&s;tian e&s;tate, he connecteth the&s;e two particulars, <HI>viz. ye were without Chri&s;t, having no hope.</HI> Although prophane godle&s;&s;e and Chri&s;tle&s;&s;e men may have their expectations of outward comforts accompli&s;hed, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e <HI>more then heart could wi&s;h,</HI> yet in regard of &s;pirituals and eternals we may be confident, that <HI>they &s;pend their daies without hope.</HI> In which re&s;pect they &s;hould rather be looked upon as objects of pity then of envy, when they are in their greate&s;t jollity and pro&s;perity, becau&s;e being Chri&s;tle&s;&s;e they are poor, hope|le&s;&s;e creatures. Take man in his be&s;t e&s;tate imaginable out of Chri&s;t, and upon the &s;erious Survey of him&s;elf he &s;hall have cau&s;e to &s;ay, <HI>What is my &s;trength that I &s;hould hope?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 6. 11.</NOTE> And as <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aid in reference to him&s;elf and them who &s;ail|ed with him in a &s;ad Sea-voyage, that <HI>when neither Sunne, nor Starres in many daies appeared, and no &s;mall tempe&s;t lay on</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 17. 20.</NOTE> <HI>us, all hope that we &s;hould be &s;aved was then taken away.</HI> So let the chiefe&s;t Sonnes of men with their highe&s;t parts be laid under the &s;torms of divine di&s;plea&s;ure, without Go&s;pel|light di&s;covering Chri&s;t, and all hope of &s;alvation will be quite removed.</P>
<P>Hence fair occa&s;ion is offered to di&s;cover their dangerous <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> delu&s;ion, who build their hopes of heaven upon creature|foundations. As the Papi&s;ts who in their <HI>Ave-Maries</HI> call<NOTE PLACE="marg">Spes no&s;tra.</NOTE> the Virgin the mother of Chri&s;ts humanity <HI>Our Hope,</HI> who al&s;o tru&s;t unto their works as meritorious cau&s;es of Salva|tion: So others al&s;o who imagine happine&s;&s;e attainable from the right improvement of Natures abilities, without
<PB N="16" REF="13"> the meritorious &s;atisfaction of Je&s;us Chri&s;t: whereas the Scripture doth not only a&s;&s;ert, that <HI>there is not &s;alvation in</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4. 12. Gal. 5. 4. <HI>Sclus Chri&s;tus, is e&s;t, per quem vitam aeternam expect are licet.</HI> Pi&s;cat. <HI>in Text.</HI></NOTE> <HI>any other</HI> be&s;ides Chri&s;t, but doth al&s;o affirm that <HI>Chri&s;t is become of no effect unto you, who&s;oever of you are ju&s;tified by the Law;</HI> Oh that this &s;hort, &s;harp expre&s;&s;ion from an Apo|&s;tolical pen might warn the wanton wits of the&s;e unwary times to take heed of crying up Nature and morall abilities, with the neglect of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who alone is the foundation hope of future glory.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> Therefore the communication of glory is from meer mer|cy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 23. <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Donum gratis datum.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Eternall life is the gift of Gods grace through Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> Although I touched upon this before, yet I take it up again upon a double account; partly becau&s;e the Apo&s;tle in this Text intends a check unto them who mixed their own righ|teou&s;ne&s;&s;e with Chri&s;t, and partly becau&s;e many in the&s;e daies, not only Papi&s;ts, but other proud Opinioni&s;ts, do dero|gate from Go&s;pel-mercy by a&s;cribing too much unto mans naturall &s;trength, morally improved, whereby Gods de&s;ign in making man happy by Chri&s;t, is directly cro&s;&s;ed and di&s;|appointed. Let the words of the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul&punc;</HI> be &s;eriou&s;ly con&s;idered, <HI>Ye are in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, who of God is made unto</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 29, 30, 31.</NOTE> <HI>us wi&s;edom, and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and &s;anctification, and redem|ption, that no fle&s;h &s;hould glory in his pre&s;ence, that according as it is written, He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord:</HI> Our <HI>All</HI> in tendency unto peace, comfort and glory, is therefore from Chri&s;t, according to divine project and purpo&s;e, that man when at the highe&s;t might be aba&s;ed in him&s;elf, being nece&s;&s;itated to acknowledge that all his advantagious in|comes, both in regard of glory begun on earth, and com|pleated in heaven, are from Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Now that I may more clearly advance Gods rich grace and free mercy in bringing beleevers to glory by Chri&s;t; I heartily de&s;ire that the&s;e three things may be ob&s;erved, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<P>1. That Chri&s;t him&s;elf was the gift of God; <HI>&V;nto us a</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 9. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Sonne is given,</HI> &s;aith the Go&s;pel-Prophet; And our Saviour him&s;elf in his conference with the woman of <HI>Samaria,</HI> cal|leth him&s;elf <HI>That gift of God,</HI> by way of &s;uperlative emi|nency<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 4. 10.</NOTE> being the riche&s;t and free&s;t gift that ever God be&s;tow|ed upon the children of men.</P>
<PB N="17" REF="13">
<P>2. That the grace of faith whereby the Soul receiveth Chri&s;t and happine&s;&s;e by him, is the free gift of God likewi&s;e. <HI>To you</HI> (&s;aith Saint <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Philippians) it is given to be|leeve;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 29. <GAP DESC="foreign">. Act. 18. 27.</NOTE> The Originall &s;ugge&s;ts, that it was given of grace, which our Tran&s;lation doth el&s;ewhere expre&s;&s;e: <HI>Apollo</HI> is &s;aid <HI>to help them much who had beleeved through grace;</HI> And this our Apo&s;tle in his Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Romans,</HI> affirming that our Ju&s;tification is from mercy, not merit, addeth the&s;e words, <HI>Therefore it is of faith, that it might be of grace.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 4. 16.</NOTE></P>
<P>4. That all our &s;pirituall priviledges received from Chri&s;t him&s;elf, are from him upon terms of mercy and grace. <HI>For|givene&s;&s;e</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 7. Tit. 3. 7. Eph. 1. 6. Joh. 17. 22. Jude 21.</NOTE> <HI>of &s;in is according to the riches of his grace; We are ju&s;tified by his grace; We are accepted in the beloved, to the prai&s;e of the glory of his grace.</HI> And him&s;elf in his prayer to the Father &s;aith, <HI>The glory which thou gave&s;t me I have given them:</HI> An&s;werable hereunto is the advice of Saint <HI>Jude, Keep your &s;elves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t unto eternall life.</HI> It's meer mercy, not merit, that holdeth up the heart in expectation of Heaven. All the&s;e particulars being put together will undenably evidence the &s;trength of this my Inference, <HI>viz.</HI> That <HI>Becau&s;e the Chri&s;ti|ans hope of glory is rooted in Chri&s;t, therefore Heavens glory with all the requi&s;ites belonging thereto are from grace and mer|cy.</HI> And this will make way for the U&s;e following.</P>
<P>To per&s;wade Chri&s;tians, <HI>the heirs of glory,</HI> to prai&s;e God <MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> for Je&s;us Chri&s;t, becau&s;e all their hopes do &s;pring from him, As <HI>Simeon</HI> expecting &s;alvation by Chri&s;t, <HI>ble&s;&s;ed God;</HI> All<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 28.</NOTE> our hearts &s;hould breathe forth Saint <HI>Peters</HI> doxology; <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be the God and Father of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Pet. 1. 3, 4.</NOTE> <HI>according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Re&s;urrection of Je&s;us Chri&s;t from the dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re&s;erved in heaven for you:</HI> Hence I might note to quicken gratitude, 1. The admirable worth of the inheritance in glory which hope expecteth, <HI>viz&punc; an Inheritance incorrup|tible, undefiled, that fadeth not away.</HI> 2. The means whereby this hope is begotten in us, <HI>viz. the death and re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t.</HI> 3. And the motive moving the Lord in this way to
<PB N="18" REF="14"> give us ground of hope, <HI>viz. His abundant mercy.</HI> In all which regards it may well become us to joyn with our &s;ouls in <HI>Zacharies</HI> Song, <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be the Lord God of I&s;rael, for he</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1. 68, 69.</NOTE> <HI>hath vi&s;ited and redeemed his people, and hath rai&s;ed up an horn of &s;alvation for us in the hou&s;e of his &s;ervant</HI> David. This thankfulne&s;&s;e may be per&s;waded by a double con&s;ideration, the one more generall and the other more particular. In ge|nerall, becau&s;e this ground of hope is revealed to us Gen|tiles, and that upon no other account but Gods good plea|&s;ure; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">his is M. <HI>Bains</HI> his Ob&s;ervation from the words be|fore the Text: <HI>God maketh known what is the riches of the glory of this my&s;tery among the Gentiles;</HI> This was an high priviledge peculiar to the Jews, that <HI>to them were committed the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 1. Eph. 1. 9.</NOTE> <HI>Oracles of God;</HI> but how much greater is our preferment in the&s;e times, God having made known unto us <HI>the my&s;tery of his will, according to his good plea&s;ure which he purpo&s;ed in him&s;elf!</HI> And the Apo&s;tle el&s;ewhere di&s;cour&s;ing of &s;ome differences betwixt Old-Te&s;tament and New-Te&s;tament di&s;|pen&s;ations, telleth us, that the Go&s;pel bringeth in a <HI>better hope by which we draw nigh to God.</HI> More particularly in<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 19.</NOTE> reference to our own per&s;ons take notice of the&s;e things.</P>
<P N="1">1. That the revelation of this &s;hould reach our under|&s;tandings, when multitudes of more pregnant capacities<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. 25, 26</NOTE> continue ignorant hereof; <HI>I thank thee O Father</HI> (&s;aid Chri&s;t) <HI>Lord of Heaven and Earth, becau&s;e thou ha&s;t hid the&s;e things from the wi&s;e and prudent, and ha&s;t revealed them unto Babes, Even&s;o Father, for it &s;eemeth good in thy &s;ight.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. That we do not only perceive, but al&s;o participate per|&s;onally in this hope through Je&s;us Chri&s;t; whereas there are millions who&s;e heads are full of this light, and yet their hearts are empty of this lively hope of glory by Chri&s;t. <HI>And if I by grace be a partaker</HI> (&s;aith Saint <HI>Paul) I give God</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 30.</NOTE> <HI>thanks.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. That <HI>the riches of the glory of this Inheritance hoped for by the Saints</HI> is unexpre&s;&s;ible. And that we may be abun|dantly<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 18.</NOTE> thankfull for this hope in Chri&s;t, as we &s;hould pray for a more clear apprehen&s;ion thereof, &s;o &s;hould we endea|vour to know a&s;&s;uredly our peculiar intere&s;t therein, by
<PB N="19" REF="14"> finding the Lord Je&s;us dwelling in our hearts by his Spirit: Becau&s;e my Text tels us, That <HI>Chri&s;t in us is the hope of glo|ry,</HI> which is the next and la&s;t Doctrine here con&s;iderable.</P>
<P><HI>That Chri&s;t by being in beleevers, is unto them the hope of</HI> <MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Doct."> <HI>glory. The exi&s;tency of Chri&s;t in beleeving Chri&s;tians giveth exi&s;tency to their hopes of glory.</HI> This connexion of <HI>Chri&s;t in them and of their glory through him,</HI> is con&s;iderable in his mo&s;t heavenly Prayer, in which having &s;poken of the glory gi|ven unto them, with the &s;ame breath (as it were) he &s;ug|ge&s;ts<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 17. 22, 23. <HI>&V;nde colligi|mus, nos unum cum Chri&s;to e&s;&s;e, non quia &s;uam in nos &s;ub&s;tanti|am transfundat, &s;ed quia Spiritus &s;ui virtute no|bi&s;cum vitam &s;uam, &amp; quic|quid accepit a Patre bonorum communicet.</HI> Calvin <HI>in</HI> Joh. 17. 22. Act. 20. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 19.</NOTE> his being in them, <HI>The glory which thou gave&s;t me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them,</HI> &amp;c. Before I proceed in the further handling of this doctrine; The&s;e words which &s;peak the in-being of Chri&s;t in Chri&s;tians, do call for &s;ome explication: Therefore let us enquire 1. Both what the phra&s;e doth not, 2. And what it doth hold forth to our con&s;ideration.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, It doth not intimate &s;uch a being of Chri&s;t in any Chri&s;tian, as of the Godhead in Chri&s;t, by rea&s;on whereof Godhead and Manhood in Chri&s;t made one per&s;on; in re|gard whereof he was from his conception ab&s;olutely free from the lea&s;t tincture of &s;inne, and was made able to com|pleat the work of Mediator&s;hip, both by bearing up under the infinite weight of Gods di&s;plea&s;ure without &s;inking, and al&s;o to give &s;ufficient vertue and value unto his obedience active and pa&s;&s;ive, that it might be &s;atisfactory and me|ritorious.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 22. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Joh. 1. 12.</NOTE> But it doth &s;ugge&s;t Chri&s;ts peculiar abode in beleevers <HI>by his Spirit</HI> being received by faith, where|by he dwelleth and operateth &s;piritually in their hearts,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Naturae nomen, hic non &s;ub&s;tan|tiam, &s;ed quali|tatem de&s;ignat. Naturae divinae mundi corrupti|onem opponit; &V;t &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">us unum cum Deo, quan|tum modulus no&s;ter f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ret.</HI> Calvio <HI>in</HI> 2 Pet. 1. 4.</NOTE> which union betwixt him and them doth in &s;ome mea|&s;ure by way of &s;imilitude, though not fully in way of parity, repre&s;ent the union betwixt his father and him|&s;elf. And whereas the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaketh of our be+ing <HI>made partakers of the divine nature,</HI> 2 Pet. 1. 4. which words are much abu&s;ed. There are two things notable from that Scripture to manife&s;t the difference betwixt Chri&s;t and Chri&s;tians in that participation. 1. The words are not, we are made partakers of the <HI>God-head,</HI> but of the divine na|ture, <HI>viz.</HI> of the qualities of God, according to our capa|city,
<PB N="20" REF="15"> whereby we <HI>e&s;cape that corruption which is in the world through lu&s;t,</HI> and do in holy di&s;po&s;itions re&s;emble God &s;o far as &s;uch creatures can: As <HI>David</HI> &s;peaketh of &s;hewing the <HI>kindene&s;&s;e of God</HI> unto <HI>Jonathans</HI> po&s;terity, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 20. 15. whereas God-head it &s;elf was in &s;uch &s;ort in Chri&s;t, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 16. that he was <HI>God ble&s;&s;ed for ever,</HI> Rom. 9. 5. coequall with God the Father, <HI>Phil.</HI> 2. 6. 2. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> is open and expre&s;&s;e that Chri&s;tians are partakers of the divine na|ture (in the &s;en&s;e afore&s;aid) by means of the <HI>exceeding great and precious promi&s;es</HI> of Gods grace; whereas Chri&s;t was God by an eternall, naturall, unexpre&s;&s;ible generation.</P>
<P>Having thus briefly explicated the expre&s;&s;ion in the Text, and the like u&s;ed by our Saviour, I proceed to the handling of the point of doctrine here propounded: And becau&s;e the doctrine hath two branches, the one nece&s;&s;arily implied, the other openly expre&s;&s;ed, I &s;hall di&s;tinctly &s;peak unto them both.</P>
<P>The truth implied in the fir&s;t branch of the doctrine is<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1. Branch of Doctrine.</HI> Joh. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17.</NOTE> this, <HI>viz.</HI> that <HI>Chri&s;t is in Beleevers;</HI> As beleevers <HI>do receive him,</HI> &s;o he <HI>dwelleth in their hearts by faith.</HI> And therefore it is noteable, that the Apo&s;tle having moved the <HI>Corinthians</HI> to prove them&s;elves <HI>whether in the faith,</HI> he addeth, <HI>Know</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 13. 5.</NOTE> <HI>ye not that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is in you?</HI> This in-being of Chri&s;t in beleevers is to be under&s;tood, not of an abode in them (or any where el&s;e on earth) corporally, for in that &s;en&s;e <HI>the Heavens mu&s;t receive him until the time of the re&s;titution of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 21.</NOTE> <HI>all things;</HI> but of an habitation &s;pirituall, according to the te&s;timony of the Apo&s;tle; <HI>Becau&s;e ye are Sonnes, God hath</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 6.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts;</HI> Thereby intending to teach us, that Chri&s;t is in beleeving Chri&s;tians &s;piritually.</P>
<P>And this truth is by various metaphors &s;ugge&s;ted in the holy Scriptures. 1. By being compared unto &s;howrs which de&s;cending from heaven, do &s;ink and &s;oak into the bowels of the earth, <HI>He &s;hall come down like rain.</HI> 2. And <HI>his Name</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 72. 6. Cant. 1. 3. P&s;a. 109. 18.</NOTE> <HI>is like unto ointment poured forth,</HI> which worketh it &s;elf <HI>into the bones,</HI> not &s;taying upon the out&s;ide of the per&s;on recei|ving it. 3. He is <HI>meat and drink indeed</HI> unto the &s;oul, from<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 6. 55, 56.</NOTE>
<PB N="21" REF="15"> whence he him&s;elf concludeth my doctrine, <HI>He that eateth my fle&s;h and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me and I in him:</HI> 4. Hereto might be added that he is the &s;oul of our &s;ouls, whereby we live &s;piritually; <HI>Chri&s;t is our Life.</HI> And mans life<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 4. Dan. 7. 15.</NOTE> is &s;aid to be in him, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 1. 9. The body is called the <HI>&s;heath of the Soul,</HI> which expre&s;&s;ion hinteth, that the &s;oul is in the bo|dy, as the &s;word in the &s;cabbard: In like manner Chri&s;t who is the Chri&s;tians life is in all them whom he enliveneth.</P>
<P>Having thus cleared the truth, that Chri&s;t is in beleeving <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> Chri&s;tians, I proceed to the application of it under three heads of U&s;es.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, For In&s;truction in four particulars, 1. Hence the Godhead of Je&s;us Chri&s;t may be concluded undeniably; for this &s;pirituall ubiquity of Chri&s;t in the &s;ouls of all reall Saints in all the places of the world, cannot belong unto any meer creature what&s;oever. This argument Saint <HI>Paul</HI> produced<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 17. 23, 24, 27, 28.</NOTE> to di&s;tingui&s;h the true God from all Idol-gods, <HI>He is not far from every one of us.</HI> Omnipre&s;ence proveth Deity. And the conclu&s;ion followeth with like &s;trength, when beleevers a&s;|&s;ert this truth, <HI>He is in every one of us.</HI></P>
<P>2. This di&s;covereth the unparellel'd conde&s;centions of Je|&s;us Je&s;us Chri&s;t, being willing to aba&s;e him&s;elf thus low as to be within poor &s;infull creatures. This was a matter of admi|ration<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 King. 8. 27. Mat. 8. 8.</NOTE> unto <HI>Solomon, But will God indeed dwell on earth?</HI> The good Centurion &s;aid, <HI>Lord, I am not worthy that thou &s;hould&s;t come under my roof;</HI> And the P&s;almi&s;t with much affection cal|leth upon all the &s;ervants of the Lord to prai&s;e him and<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 113. 1, 3, 5, 6.</NOTE> prai&s;e him again upon this account; <HI>Who is like unto the Lord God? who dwelleth on high, who humbleth him&s;elf to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth!</HI> Did God hum|ble him&s;elf in looking out of him&s;elf, off from his own infi|nite beauties and perfections, to view either men on earth or Angels and Saints in heaven? How much greater is this conde&s;cention in Chri&s;t to make his abode in the &s;ouls of &s;inners? Let me here dart only two thoughts into your mindes. 1. That Chri&s;t <HI>came out of his Fathers bo&s;ome where he</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 1. 18. Prov. 8. 30.</NOTE> <HI>was daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him.</HI> 2. That the hearts of the be&s;t, upon earth wherein he inhabits, are like
<PB N="22" REF="16"> dark dungeons, in regard of the clouds of ignorance not di&s;|per&s;ed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 13. 12. I&s;a. 64. 6.</NOTE> and like un&s;avoury dunghils in re&s;pect of many noy|&s;ome lu&s;ts not fully &s;ubdued; Therefore gue&s;s with gratitude how low our ble&s;&s;ed Lord doth &s;toop in being content to dwell in us, even in us every way &s;o vile and &s;o unworthy.</P>
<P>3. This giveth us to under&s;tand the dignity of all true be|leevers; As they are <HI>precious, excellent, more excellent then</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 43. 4. P&s;a. 16. 2. Prov. 12. 26.</NOTE> <HI>others</HI> in many other re&s;pects (which I now have not occa|&s;ion to mention) &s;o upon this account that the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t is in them. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> the man of God judgeth <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in this regard, in a condition farre better then any other peo|ple; <HI>For what Nation hath God &s;o nigh unto them?</HI> And how<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 4. 7.</NOTE> much was <HI>Zacheus</HI> affected with the apprehen&s;ion of this favour, this honour, when Chri&s;t promi&s;ed to <HI>abide at his hou&s;e?</HI> When he had climed into a tree to take a view of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19. 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;t, and Chri&s;t telleth him that he &s;hould not only have a tran&s;ient &s;ight of him, but al&s;o enjoy him as his gue&s;t, oh how was <HI>Zacheus</HI> (think you) elevated by this entertain|ment! Now <HI>&s;uch</HI> (and greater) <HI>honour have all his Saints:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 149. 9.</NOTE> It was no doubt a very great honour put upon the ble&s;&s;ed Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> both in <HI>her own account,</HI> and in the <HI>judgement</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1. 42, 43, 48, 49.</NOTE> <HI>of all Chri&s;tians,</HI> that &s;he did bear the holy body of Chri&s;t in her womb for a time, <HI>He that is mighty hath magnified me,</HI> and certainly the inhabitation of Chri&s;t by his Spirit in the &s;ouls of his &s;ervants, is not a priviledge inferiour.</P>
<P>4. This whi&s;pereth the madne&s;&s;e and mi&s;ery of all &s;uch who do dare to make oppo&s;ition again&s;t beleevers, for &s;ee|ing Chri&s;t is in them, therefore in &s;o doing they &s;eek (as it were) to pluck down Chri&s;t his hou&s;e upon his head. I &s;hall not enlarge this U&s;e 1. Either by &s;hewing the various waies whereby wrong is done unto the &s;ervants of the Mo&s;t High, <HI>viz.</HI> by &s;ecret plots and open per&s;ecutions, either by abating their comforts, or encrea&s;ing their &s;ufferings, either by cor|rupting their judgements, or drawing them to &s;in. 2. Or by manife&s;ting Chri&s;ts knowledge and &s;en&s;iblene&s;&s;e of the&s;e their injuries, together with his &s;everity again&s;t their ene|mies, witne&s;&s;ed both by judgements threatned in his Word, and executed in the world from generation to generation:
<PB N="23" REF="16"> But I only wi&s;h tho&s;e who are herein guilty, to minde the <HI>Item</HI> given by the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> in his Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Corin|thians, If any man defile the Temple of God, him will God de&s;troy,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3. 17.</NOTE> <HI>for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.</HI></P>
<P>The &s;econd U&s;e is for the comfort of all true belee|vers, <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> &s;eeing Chri&s;t is in them; I remember what is re|corded concerning <HI>Paul,</HI> that the &s;ight of &s;ome Chri&s;ti|an<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 28. 15.</NOTE> brethren cheared him after a &s;ad &s;hipwrack whom when <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aw he took courage; And <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> cheared the droop|ing Mariners in a &s;torm by minding them of his pre|&s;ence, How much more &s;hould the in-being of Chri&s;t &s;olace the beleeving &s;oul? 1. Becau&s;e of his authority and power to order all ca&s;ualties and concernments according to his plea&s;ure, whereas many times the be&s;t of creature-friends can do no more then pity and pray: Thus our Lord chear|ed his Apo&s;tles, <HI>All power is given unto me, and lo I am with</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 18, 20</NOTE> <HI>you alway even unto the end of the world.</HI> And it was a cor|diall to the Di&s;ciples in a &s;torm that Chri&s;t was with them, whom the windes and waves mu&s;t obey. 2. Becau&s;e this a<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 8. 26, 27 P&s;a. 132. 14.</NOTE> bode of Chri&s;t &s;peaketh his complacency; This is M^r <HI>Bayns</HI> his Note upon the Text. A man cannot properly be &s;aid to dwell in a pri&s;on in which he taketh no delight: And this an&s;wereth a Scripture-expre&s;&s;ion el&s;ewhere, <HI>Here I will dwell for I have de&s;ired it,</HI> (&s;aith God of <HI>Sion</HI>) Though many times drooping Chri&s;tians, viewing their own beggarli|ne&s;&s;e and vilene&s;&s;e, judge them&s;elves worthy to be dete&s;ted and de&s;erted, and would relinqui&s;h them&s;elves if they could, yet <HI>Chri&s;t looketh to the poor and contrite &s;oul</HI> as a meet habi|tation<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 66. 1, 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> for him&s;elf. 3. Becau&s;e he doth graciou&s;ly communi|cate him&s;elf unto the &s;oul where he re&s;ideth, according to the nece&s;&s;ities thereof; <HI>I dwell with him that is of a contrite</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 57. 15.</NOTE> <HI>and humble &s;pirit, to revive the &s;pirit of the humble, and to re|vive the contrite ones.</HI> When you reade this promi&s;e, remem|ber his ability and fidelity in the&s;e and all other kindes, to accommodate tho&s;e whom he inhabits to their compleating in the accompli&s;hment of his Mediator&s;hip; Therefore doubtle&s;&s;e there cannot po&s;&s;ibly be either any creature-want or danger, wherein the improvement of this in-dwelling of
<PB N="24" REF="17"> Chri&s;t may not refre&s;h the beleeving Chri&s;tian. 4. Be|cau&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Nunquam mi|nus &s;olus quam cum &s;olus max|im&egrave;.</HI> Gen. 39. P&s;al. 63. Act. 23. 10, 11</NOTE> this will be con&s;tantly and abundantly relieving in times of the greate&s;t &s;olitarine&s;&s;e, though in bani&s;hment, or the clo&s;e&s;t impri&s;onment, and at the greate&s;t di&s;tance from the deare&s;t friends: <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> in <HI>Egypt, David</HI> in the wil|derne&s;&s;e, and <HI>Paul</HI> pri&s;oner in the Ca&s;tle, were admirably cheared by this company; And Chri&s;t is now and will be evermore the &s;elf-&s;ame in his &s;ervants for their con&s;o|lation.</P>
<P>The third U&s;e is for Exhortation, to per&s;wade Beleevers <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> unto a double duty.</P>
<P N="1">1. To purge all di&s;covered pollution out of them&s;elves, becau&s;e of Chri&s;ts &s;peciall re&s;idence in them. This U&s;e the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> maketh of this doctrine, for having &s;aid to the<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 6. 16. &amp; 7. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Corinthians, Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath &s;aid, I will dwell in them and walk in them,</HI> he addeth, <HI>Having therefore the&s;e Promi&s;es, Dearly Beloved, let us clen&s;e our &s;elves from all filthine&s;&s;e of the fle&s;h and &s;pirit;</HI> This was one charge which God gave unto old <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> in a military condition, that all bodily filth &s;hould be buried under ground, and this is rendred as the rea&s;on, <HI>For the Lord thy God walketh in the mid&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deu. 23. 13, 14</NOTE> <HI>of thee, therefore &s;hall thy Camp be holy, that he &s;ee no unclean thing in thee;</HI> Oh that Chri&s;tians would in this re&s;pect op|po&s;e inward defilements, and not outward pollutions only. How carefull are we to &s;weep and wa&s;h away what&s;oever might be offen&s;ive unto our Friends in the rooms where we lodge them? And what gue&s;t can &s;o well de&s;erve welcome as Je&s;us Chri&s;t, unto whom all &s;inne is <HI>abominable,</HI> he being<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 7.</NOTE> the holy One of God? Be not &s;atisfied therefore with fair faces and white hands, but labour to make and to keep the in-&s;ide clean al&s;o.</P>
<P N="2">2. To prepare for Chri&s;ts contentfull entertainment in their bo&s;omes; Who is not willing to be at co&s;t in providing<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 5. 29.</NOTE> both food and furniture fitting for the welcoming of worthy friends? It's &s;aid, <HI>Levi made Chri&s;t a great Fea&s;t in his own hou&s;e;</HI> yea, <HI>Solomon</HI> brings in the whori&s;h woman, report|ing<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 7. 16, 17.</NOTE> her provi&s;ions made for the young man whom &s;he &s;olli|cited to lewdne&s;&s;e, <HI>I have deck'd my bed with coverings of
<PB N="25" REF="17"> Tapestry, with carved works, and fine linen of Egypt; I have perfumed my bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinamon.</HI> And &s;hould not a principle of pure love to Chri&s;t prevail with Chri&s;tians to do more then &s;ordid lu&s;ts do with the bruiti&s;h children of men? If you demand what is the provi&s;ion to be laid in for Chri&s;t his welcome; The Apo&s;tle telleth you, it is <HI>perfecting holine&s;&s;e in the fear of God,</HI> which practice al&s;o,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 1.</NOTE> he moveth by the argument under-hand (as was hinted in the former branch of the Exhortation.) By the encrea&s;ing and acting of all the graces of the holy Gho&s;t, Chri&s;t will be abundantly contented. This is intended by the&s;e meta|phoricall expre&s;&s;ions of the Spou&s;e unto Chri&s;t, <HI>At our</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 7. 13.</NOTE> <HI>gates are all manner of plea&s;ant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee O my Beloved; I would cau&s;e thee to drink</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 8. 2.</NOTE> <HI>of &s;piced wine, of the juyce of my Pomegranate.</HI> And take this encouragement all you drooping &s;ouls, who are low and little in your own eyes, judging nothing of your graces wor|thy Chri&s;ts acceptance, or meet for his entertainment, that his Loves will take in good part, that which with &s;incere good-will you &s;hall provide and make tender of with re|&s;pect unto his content. <HI>I will &s;up with you</HI> (&s;aith he to the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0.</NOTE> Church.) And upon the invitation of the Spou&s;e, thus expre&s;&s;ed, <HI>Let my Beloved come into his garden and eat his plea|fant</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 4. 16.</NOTE> <HI>fruit,</HI> This an&s;wer &s;peaking good acceptance is return|ed, <HI>I am come into my garden, my Si&s;ter, my Spou&s;e, I have ga|thered</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cont. 5. 1.</NOTE> <HI>my Myrrh with my Spice, I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk:</HI> Oh how ready with chearfulne&s;&s;e is the Lord Je&s;us to own and ac|cept all graces, notwith&s;tanding their defects and mixtures in the bo&s;omes of them whom he doth inhabite! This there|fore &s;hould both quicken and embolden poor beleeving &s;ouls to lay in and lay out for his &s;atisfaction who is plea&s;ed to abide in them.</P>
<P>I proceed to the &s;econd branch of the Doctrine, which is<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Branch of Doctrine.</NOTE> the truth openly expre&s;&s;ed, <HI>viz.</HI> That the exi&s;tency of Chri&s;t in Beleevers, giveth exi&s;tence unto their hopes of glory.</P>
<P>If the rea&s;ons hereof be demanded, I an&s;wer,</P>
<P>Becau&s;e Chri&s;t his &s;pirituall pre&s;ence in us, is Gods ear|ne&s;t
<PB N="26" REF="18"> of glory. The Apo&s;tle is expre&s;&s;e for this: Having<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In arrahbone, ut pignus.</HI> Dick&s;on on the Text. 2 Cor. 5. 5.</NOTE> mentioned the longings of Saints <HI>to be &s;wallowed up of life,</HI> he addeth, <HI>Now he that hath wrought us for the &s;elf &s;ame thing is God, who al&s;o hath given unto us the earne&s;t of the Spirit.</HI> Therefore if Gods own earne&s;t may give good hope, then Chri&s;t in beleeving Chri&s;tians giveth good hope of glory, e&s;pecially becau&s;e the earne&s;t it &s;elf is of &s;o great value, the receiving whereof is happine&s;&s;e begun upon earth.</P>
<P>2. Becau&s;e of that near relation and clo&s;e union which is betwixt Chri&s;t and them, whom he inhabiteth, They are not only related unto him, as &s;ervants unto their Ma&s;ter, though that would give ground of good hope. Seeing he him&s;elf who is taken up into glory, hath &s;aid, <HI>Where I am, there &s;hall my &s;ervant be.</HI> Neither are they only one with him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 12. 26. Joh. 15 5. Col. 1. 18. Ephe&s;. 1. 23.</NOTE> <HI>He in them, and they in him, as the branches in the Vine.</HI> But he is united unto beleevers <HI>as the head unto the body,</HI> which is called his <HI>fullne&s;&s;e.</HI> Therefore if there be hope that Chri&s;t will have a compleat body without the defect of any mem|ber in heaven, or that every individuall member of Chri&s;t his my&s;ticall body &s;hall be glorified, then Chri&s;t in beleevers is the infallible hope of glory.</P>
<P>3. Becau&s;e Chri&s;t by abiding in Beleevers doth prepare them for participation in glory. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> is clear in his expre&s;&s;ions to this purpo&s;e. <HI>Ye are not in the fle&s;h, but in the Spirit, if &s;o be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, and if Chri&s;t be in you the body is dead becau&s;e of &s;in, but the Spirit is life</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 9, 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s;e of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e; But if the Spirit of him that rai&s;ed up Je&s;us from the dead, dwell in you, he that rai&s;ed up Chri&s;t from the dead &s;hall al&s;o quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.</HI> Where&s;oever Chri&s;t dwels &s;piritually, his Spirit operateth effectually for the &s;ubduing of &s;infull principles, and for the advancing of the power of &s;anctifica|tion; And thus he <HI>preparing the ve&s;&s;els of mercy for glory,</HI> and <HI>making them meet to be made pantakers of the inheritance of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 23. Col. 1. 12.</NOTE> <HI>Saints in light,</HI> he giveth them &s;ure hope of glory.</P>
<P>This by way of application may &s;erve as a good touch|&s;tone <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> to try the truth of heavens hopes. Not Chri&s;t in the Sermons which we hear, nor Chri&s;t in the Chapters which
<PB N="27" REF="18"> we reade, nor Chri&s;t in the Sacrament which we receive will admini&s;ter ground of hope of future glory. Though Chri&s;t be in our heads by high notions, and in our mouths by fre|quent, glorious expre&s;&s;ions, yet if he be not in our bo&s;omes by &s;pirituall inhabitation, he is not unto us the hope of glo|ry: It is &s;aid of hypocrites, that <HI>God is near in their mouths</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 12. 2. Mat. 15. 8.</NOTE> <HI>but farre from their reins.</HI> And that <HI>with their lips they honour him, but their heart is farre from him.</HI> At the la&s;t day many &s;hall pleade their profe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, calling him Lord, Lord, and talking of great works done in his Name, who yet &s;hall &s;hall be rejected with doleful di&s;appointments, <HI>I will profe&s;&s;e unto them</HI> (&s;aith Chri&s;t) <HI>I never knew you, depart from</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 7. 23.</NOTE> <HI>me;</HI> Here then the que&s;tion will be, how may Chri&s;t his be|ing in us be di&s;covered? I an&s;wer briefly. 1. By the grace of<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Per fidem habi|tans, &amp; virtute &s;ua agens.</HI> Hunnius <HI>in Text.</HI> Joh. 1. 12.</NOTE> faith whereby he is received. 2. By the room into which he is welcomed. 3. And by the effects of his entertainment. Fir&s;t, Whereas true Beleevers <HI>are the only receivers of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> This faith will evidence it &s;elf, partly by the incom|parable value which it puts upon Chri&s;t. <HI>To you who beleeve</HI> (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter) he is precious,</HI> and partly by oppo&s;ing<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 7.</NOTE> and purging out &s;infull pollution, that Chri&s;t may not be an|noyed by it: <HI>The heart is purified by faith,</HI> Therefore ask your<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 15. 9.</NOTE> &s;elves, as in Gods pre&s;ence, whether there be any thing in the world which you prize more then Chri&s;t, or &s;o much as Chri&s;t, and whether you do indulge any wickedne&s;s within your bo|&s;omes, without bitter complaints and vigorous oppo&s;ition.</P>
<P>Secondly, <HI>Chri&s;t dwelleth in the heart by faith.</HI> The Spou&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 17. Can. 1. 13.</NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>He &s;hall lie as a bundle of Myrrhe betwixt my brea&s;ts.</HI> Therefore con&s;ider, into what place Chri&s;t is welcomed. Do you admit him into &s;ome out-hou&s;e only? As at his birth, he was <HI>laid in a manger, becau&s;e there was no room for him in</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 7.</NOTE> <HI>the Inne;</HI> Or do you put him into a cock-loft only? I mean, Do you only fill your fancies with notions, and tip your tongues with talk of Chri&s;t, or is he indeed received with warm welcome into your hearts, by longings, loves and re|joycings?</P>
<P>Thirdly, Whereas Chri&s;t is influentially operative in the &s;oul where he re&s;ideth, as the &s;oul in the body where it is.
<PB N="28" REF="19"> <HI>Chri&s;t is our life</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Paul) and I am crucified with Chri&s;t, Neverthele&s;&s;e I live, yet not I, but Chri&s;t liveth in me.</HI> Enquire<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 4 Gal. 2. 20.</NOTE> therefore exactly whether by &s;uch &s;pirituall breathings, &s;en&s;e and motions, as were in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, while&s;t upon earth, you can make out your union and communion with him. <HI>He</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Joh. 2. 6.</NOTE> <HI>that &s;aith, he abideth in him, ought him&s;elf al&s;o &s;o to walk, even as he walked;</HI> what ga&s;pings are in you after conformity to Gods will and the glory of his Name! what &s;ighs under &s;in with the expre&s;&s;ions of divine di&s;plea&s;ure! what compla|cency in Gods &s;ervice, and the &s;miles of his face, in the u&s;e of holy Ordinances! what motions, what progre&s;&s;e do you endeavour to make, from &s;inne, towards God, in the morti|fying of inward lu&s;ts, and the advancing of the power of godline&s;&s;e in your conver&s;ations? Sincere an&s;wers returned unto &s;uch like demands, will &s;ugge&s;t whether Chri&s;t be effi|caciou&s;ly pre&s;ent in you.</P>
<P>This truth admini&s;treth matter of much comfort unto all <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> them who finde upon due examination the Lord Je&s;us dwel|ling in them. When <HI>Zacheus</HI> heard that Chri&s;t would <HI>abide</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19. 6.</NOTE> <HI>in his hou&s;e, he received him joyfully.</HI> Greater cau&s;e of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts. Now to quicken the belevevers joy upon that account, <HI>viz.</HI> that Chri&s;t in them is the hope of glory, the&s;e comfortable con|&s;equences may be con&s;idered.</P>
<P N="1">1. Hence they may a&s;&s;uredly expect the &s;upply of all out|ward wants, whether they look upon them&s;elves, as po&s;&s;e&s;|&s;ed of Chri&s;t, or entitled by him unto glory. The holy Scri|pture holds forth this inference as deducible from both the&s;e grounds. Chri&s;t is the owner, the heir of all things, and therefore if God hath given us his Sonne, <HI>how &s;hall he not with him freely give us all things?</HI> And if the Lord by the right<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 32.</NOTE> of Chri&s;t hath been plea&s;ed to give intere&s;t in heavens glory, he will certainly vouch&s;afe all earthly needfull accommodati|ons; This conclu&s;ion Chri&s;t him&s;elf gathers from the pre|mi&s;es. <HI>Fear not little Flock, for it is your Fathers good plea|&s;ure</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 12. 32.</NOTE> <HI>to give you the Kingdom.</HI> And the Apo&s;tle doth from the &s;ame Argument a&s;&s;ert the mini&s;tration of Angels for their advantage. <HI>Are they not all mini&s;tring Spirits &s;ent forth to</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 15.</NOTE>
<PB N="29" REF="19"> <HI>mini&s;ter for them who &s;hall be heirs of &s;alvation?</HI> Therfore a&s;&s;u|rance of provi&s;ion and protection is hence clearly deducible.</P>
<P N="2">2. Upon the &s;ame account they may be confident of their final per&s;everance. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> having a&s;&s;erted the hope which the Regenerate have of this glorious Inheri|tance referved in heaven for them, he addeth Gods care to pre&s;erve them unto the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion thereof; <HI>who are kept</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 4, 5, 13.</NOTE> (&s;aith he) <HI>by the power of God through faith unto &s;alvation:</HI> and from hence encourageth this confidence; <HI>Wherefore gird up the loins of your mindes, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you, at the revelation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> There are but two things (as I conceive) which can po&s;&s;ibly endanger their falling &s;hort of hoped-for glory, <HI>viz.</HI> either their own corruptions within, or their oppo&s;itions from without. Now Chri&s;t being in them, and taking the care of them, doth &s;ecure their &s;ouls from both, as is manife&s;t from his own words, <HI>I give them eternal life, and they &s;hall never pe|ri&s;h,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 10. 28.</NOTE> <HI>neither &s;hall any man pluck them out of my hand.</HI> The glo&s;&s;e which reverend holy M^r <HI>Dod</HI> gave of this Scripture, was this; Whereas Sheep are endangered either from &s;omewhat with|in them, <HI>viz.</HI> by the rot, or &s;ome di&s;ea&s;e to which &s;ubject, or from &s;omewhat without them, <HI>viz.</HI> by dogs and bea&s;ts of prey: Our Saviour promi&s;eth, that the <HI>Sheep</HI> of his fold &s;hall not mi&s;carry finally from either of the&s;e dangers. And Chri&s;t annexeth an argument which holds invincible again&s;t all ad|ver&s;e power what&s;oever, whether within or without, whe|ther on earth or in hell; <HI>My Father which gave them me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ve. 29. Rom. 8. 35, 37.</NOTE> <HI>is greater then All;</HI> Upon this bottome Saint <HI>Paul</HI> builds his triumph; <HI>Who &s;hall &s;eparate us from the love of Chri&s;t? Shall tribulation or di&s;tre&s;&s;e, or per&s;ecution, or famine, or nakedne&s;&s;e, or perill, or &s;word? Nay, in all the&s;e things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Therefore nothing which is con&s;i&s;tible with Chri&s;ts re|&s;idence in a Chri&s;tians bo&s;ome &s;hould &s;hake his hope of glo|ry. Neither weakne&s;&s;e of graces, nor &s;trength of lu&s;ts, nei|ther the a&s;&s;aults of Satan, how horrid, violent, frequent &s;o|ever, nor imperfections in holy performances, how many, or con&s;tant &s;oever, which militate again&s;t the beleevers a&s;&s;u|rance,
<PB N="30" REF="20"> &s;hould &s;ink either hope or heart, except Chri&s;ts utter ab&s;ence from the &s;oul could from thence be undeniably con|cluded. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> having mentioned his con&s;tant conflict and his frequent foyls in the 7. of the <HI>Romans,</HI> yet addes in the end of the Chapter, his joy in Chri&s;t, <HI>I thank God through Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> and a&s;&s;erts in the beginning of the Chapter following; <HI>There is no condemnation unto them who are in Chri&s;t Je&s;us. Augu&s;tine</HI> while Chri&s;t was in his<NOTE PLACE="marg">De&s;perare non audeo. Per quem glo|riam vitae aeter|nae expectare debetis. <HI>Vatab.</HI> in Text.</NOTE> eye, &s;aid, <HI>I dare not de&s;pond.</HI> And Chri&s;tians &s;hould both with re&s;pect unto Chri&s;ts honour and their own comfort, make con&s;cience, not to yield to dejecting doubts, or perplexing fears, in reference to their glory in heaven, while the mat|ter of their complaints is no more then may po&s;&s;ibly be found in the &s;oul where Chri&s;t dwelleth. Certainly if doubt|ing Chri&s;tians would carefully hold unto this direction, maintaining and bottoming their hopes in Chri&s;t, multi|tudes of &s;cruples might ea&s;ily be an&s;wered, and their eviden|ces for heaven would be better pre&s;erved, and their con&s;tant comfort well &s;ecured. This <HI>anchor of hope</HI> thus ca&s;t out<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 19.</NOTE> and fa&s;tening upon Chri&s;t, would be admirably u&s;efull, when billows of temptations (as in a tempe&s;t) beat upon the belee|ving &s;oul; And the <HI>Helmet of this hope</HI> thus u&s;ed would keep<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;, 5. 8.</NOTE> off many blows, whereby the comforts of di&s;tru&s;tfull &s;pirits are &s;adly battered.</P>
<P N="4">4. This may be a precious cordiall to the beleever upon his death-bed; It was reviving unto old <HI>Simeon,</HI> being ready to leave the word, <HI>Then he took Chri&s;t in his Arms, and ble&s;|&s;ed</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> <HI>God, and &s;aid, Now lette&s;t thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have &s;een thy &s;alvation.</HI> How many and how &s;weet &s;oever our contentments are upon earth, of which<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gaudium in &s;pe magnum in replenum,</HI> Aug. Phil. 1. 21. 23.</NOTE> death will deprive us, yet Chri&s;t being in us the hope of glory, <HI>to die will be gain,</HI> and <HI>to be with Chri&s;t will be farre better.</HI> And who is not cheerfully willing in a way of &s;elf|love, to part with that which is wor&s;e for what is much better?</P>
<P>The doctrine may be improved by exhortation. 1. To <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> them in whom Chri&s;t is the hope of glory. 2. To others, who as yet have not received him.</P>
<PB N="31" REF="20">
<P>Fir&s;t, Tho&s;e who po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e Chri&s;t and hope of glory through him, are to be per&s;waded</P>
<P N="1">1. To contentment with their pre&s;ent condition upon earth, though it be mean and low. The heirs of va&s;te e&s;tates in the world can the better bear hard&s;hip, during their non|age, though their diet be &s;canty, their lodging hard, and their cloathing cour&s;e, becau&s;e they hope that ere long all will be better. Who knoweth not the poverty of Je&s;us Chri&s;t? <HI>The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have their ne&s;ts,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2. 20.</NOTE> <HI>but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.</HI> And yet he is comfortably contented, as in re&s;pect of his pre&s;ent enjoy|ment of God as his portion, &s;o in reference to his expecta|tion of future glory; <HI>The Lord is the Pertion of mine Inheri|tance:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 16. 5, 6, 11</NOTE> <HI>The lines are&punc; allen unto me in plea&s;ant places; In thy pre|&s;ence is fulne&s;&s;e of joy, and at thy right hand there are plea&s;ures for evermore.</HI> The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> &s;eeks by this argument to rai&s;e the Chri&s;tian <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians</HI> above &s;ublunaries. <HI>When Chri&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 4.</NOTE> <HI>who is our life &s;hall appear, then &s;hall we al&s;o appear with him in glory.</HI> Oh how admirably would &s;uch meditations elevate the di&s;contented Chri&s;tian with calmne&s;&s;e and complacency, if they were &s;et on by faiths activity!</P>
<P N="2">2. To patience in bearing reproaches, with all other cro&s;|&s;es for Chri&s;t, in a Chri&s;tian cour&s;e, keeping in their minde this hoped-for glory. This Doctrine Chri&s;t him&s;elf both preached and practi&s;ed; <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed are you when men &s;hall re|vile</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 5. 11, 12.</NOTE> <HI>you, and per&s;ecute you, and &s;hall &s;ay all manner of evil a|gain&s;t you fal&s;ly for my &s;ake, Rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven;</HI> This was one pa&s;&s;age in his Sermon, and truly by this he was &s;upported under his &s;uf|ferings, <HI>For the joy that was &s;et before him he endured the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Cro&s;&s;e, de&s;pi&s;ing the &s;hame.</HI> Having propounded Chri&s;ts pra|ctice, it may be judged needle&s;&s;e to mention the example of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> who <HI>cho&s;e rather to &s;uffer affliction with the people of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 11. 25, 26</NOTE> <HI>God, then to enjoy the plea&s;ures of &s;inne for a &s;ea&s;on, E&s;teeming the reproach of Chri&s;t greater riches then the trea&s;ures of Egypt, for he had re&s;pect unto the recompence of reward:</HI> But <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> you eye in Chri&s;t what is equitable and imitable, then con&s;i|der in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> what is attainable by the indu&s;trious actings of
<PB N="32" REF="21"> faith and meditation. And yet to prevail further upon your &s;pirits in promoting your magnanimity and patience, by minding your hope of glory in Chri&s;t, I wi&s;h you to com|pare your pre&s;ent &s;ufferings on earth with your future glory hoped for in heaven, both in regard of their quality and continuance, for the one are both light and &s;hort, whereas the other is both weighty and eternall. The experience of Gods &s;ervants hath often put a <HI>Probatum e&s;t</HI> unto this dire|ction.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18.</NOTE> <HI>For this cau&s;e we faint not, for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us, a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory,</HI> while we look not at the things which are &s;een, <HI>but at the things which are not &s;een, for the things which are &s;een are temporall, but the things which are not &s;een are eternall.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, Tho&s;e who have not as yet received Chri&s;t to dwell in them, are to be moved as they de&s;ire heavens glory hereafter, and the comfortable hopes of it here upon earth, to give entertainment unto Je&s;us Chai&s;t. <HI>Zacheus</HI> upon an hint given of Chri&s;ts willingne&s;&s;e to come into his hou&s;e, comes down out of the Sycamore-Tree <HI>quickly, and recei|veth him joyfully.</HI> Now do you with &s;eriou&s;ne&s;&s;e con&s;ider<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19. 4.</NOTE> with what 1. importunity, 2. patience, 3. and promi&s;es, the Lord Je&s;us calleth upon you for entertainment. <HI>Behold, I &s;tand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 20.</NOTE> <HI>open the door, I will come in to him, and will &s;up with him, and he with me.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. There is the u&s;e both of a voice and knocking, there|fore importunity. He &s;peaketh by his word, and knocketh by his Spirit, with &s;ome recoylings of an awakned con&s;cience.</P>
<P N="2">2. This importunity is not only once, it is not a knock, or a word and away, but he <HI>&s;tandeth,</HI> he &s;taieth, and waiteth for admi&s;&s;ion; This &s;peaketh much patience.</P>
<P N="3">3. This patient importunity is backed with promi&s;es of communion upon willingne&s;&s;e to take him in, <HI>I will &s;up with him and he with me,</HI> (as if he had &s;aid) I will fea&s;t his &s;oul, and I will accept of his provi&s;ions for my welcome.</P>
<P>Now if by the&s;e motives (to which many more might be added) you be di&s;po&s;ed to enquire what you &s;hould do that
<PB N="33" REF="21"> may come into you, and be in you, the hope of glory; I would refer you to the coun&s;ell given by the P&s;almi&s;t (which is doubled, becau&s;e weighty and nece&s;&s;ary) <HI>Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be lift up ye everla&s;ting doors, and the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 24. 7. 9.</NOTE> <HI>King of glory &s;hall come in.</HI> Hence two directions may be gathered. 1. That our &s;ouls (which in regard of their immor|tality are called everla&s;ting doors) mu&s;t willingly receive him. He is a great King, and will not take up with an out-hou&s;e for his lodging, for the place of his gracious a|bode;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 17.</NOTE> <HI>He dwelleth in the heart;</HI> Either there or not at all. Therefore by meditating upon the fore-mentioned particu|lars, &s;ugge&s;ting Chri&s;t his de&s;ervings, and the incompara|ble benefits to be received by him, &s;eek to prevail with your &s;elves that your warme&s;t loves, &s;tronge&s;t longings, and highe&s;t joys may be laid forth upon him. 2. That he mu&s;t be received as Lord and King, with free contentment to &s;ubmit unto his Scepter and Regall Authority. In hou&s;es where Kings were wont to be entertained, <HI>Rex</HI> was u&s;ually written upon the door, all the rooms were to be di&s;po&s;ed of for his u&s;e. In like manner mu&s;t they commit the Keys of government into the hands of Chri&s;t, with willingne&s;&s;e to be ruled by him in all things, who would receive him, and through him the <HI>hope of glory.</HI> 3. Hereto may be added heart-humiliation; For whereas high &s;tately Palaces are e&s;teemed the fitte&s;t hou&s;es for the entertainment of earthly Princes, Je&s;us Chri&s;t the King of glory maketh choice of lowly hearts for his habitation: <HI>For thus &s;aith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, who&s;e name is holy, I dwell</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 55. 15.</NOTE> <HI>in the high and holy place, with him al&s;o that is of a contrite and humble &s;pirit:</HI> Therefore levell your mountains of &s;elf|conceit, lay your &s;elves in the du&s;t upon the &s;erious review of the evil both of your lives and natures, together with the de&s;erved mi&s;ery, which you be neither able to re&s;i&s;t nor undergo, and make an unfeigned &s;elf-re&s;ignation unto the Lord, to be alwaies, in all things governed by him, &s;o may you expect the coming of Chri&s;t into your &s;ouls, and the comfort of good hope of glory through him.</P>
<P>This one thing I earne&s;tly move as a matter nece&s;&s;ary to
<PB N="34" REF="22"> &s;alvation by Je&s;us Chri&s;t, <HI>viz.</HI> &s;elf-deniall, with &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to Chri&s;t, as tendred in the Go&s;pel, upon terms of free|grace. The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> looketh upon the Jews as not in the &s;tate of &s;alvation, <HI>Becau&s;e they going about to e&s;tabli&s;h</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 10. 1, 3.</NOTE> <HI>their own righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e &s;ubmitted not them&s;elves unto the righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God.</HI> Their priviledges were high, and their co&s;tly Sacrifices many, and therefore they hoping without Chri&s;t then preached to work out their own wel|fare, fell &s;hort of ble&s;&s;edne&s;&s;e. The &s;ame Spirit of pride and &s;elf-dependance is in all our natures, which is extream|ly mi&s;chievous, ob&s;tructing the way unto Chri&s;ts welcome into the &s;oul: therefore I entreat and be&s;eech Chri&s;tians again and again herein to be exceeding carefull. Neither let tho&s;e who are mo&s;t rich in parts, duties, enjoyments, rely thereupon, with di&s;re&s;pect of Chri&s;t; Nor yet let Poor &s;ouls, burthened with guilt, beggarly in abilities, mo&s;t vile and unworthy in their own account, keep off from Chri&s;t through di&s;tru&s;tfull di&s;couragements; For as all good hope of glory is rai&s;ed from Chri&s;t heartily entertained, &s;o no one who humbly, obedientially &s;toopeth under his govern|ment<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 6. 37.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hall be rejected.</HI></P>
<P>In the la&s;t place, The Doctrine admini&s;treth much com|fort <MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="&V;&s;e"> unto mourners bewailing the death of &s;uch who (as they have ju&s;t cau&s;e to beleeve) had received Chri&s;t into their &s;ouls before they left this world, becau&s;e from this ground ari&s;eth good hope that they are admitted into hea|vens glory. Upon this account the Apo&s;tle di&s;&s;wadeth drooping, and per&s;wadeth chearfulne&s;&s;e in Chri&s;tians upon &s;uch occa&s;ions. <HI>I would not have you ignorant Brethren con|cerning</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 4. 13, 14, 18.</NOTE> <HI>them who are a&s;leep, that ye &s;orrow not even as others which have no hope; For we beleeve that tho&s;e who &s;leep in Je&s;us, God will bring with him, and &s;o &s;hall we ever be with the Lord; Wherefore comfort one another with the&s;e words.</HI> In this regard regular love to our decea&s;ed Chri&s;tian Friends, would turn our water into wine, our tears into joys. <HI>If ye loved me</HI> (&s;aid Chri&s;t to his dejected Apo&s;tles) <HI>ye would re|joyce, becau&s;e I &s;aid, I go unto the Father.</HI> And this was ethe ra&s;on (as &s;ome Divines do conjecture) wherefore
<PB N="35" REF="22"> <HI>David</HI> who mourned exce&s;&s;ively upon <HI>Ab&s;aloms</HI> death, was more comfortable when he heard that his young childe was dead, <HI>Now he is dead, wherefore &s;hould I fa&s;t?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 23.</NOTE> <HI>I &s;hall go to him:</HI> God gave into his heart a&s;&s;urance of his childes happine&s;&s;e in heaven; whereas the wickedne&s;&s;e wherein <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> lived and died did &s;ugge&s;t rather doubts concerning his future condition.</P>
<P>This U&s;e puts a fair opportunity into my hand to reach forth a Cordiall unto the Father, Mother, Grand-mother, and other Relations of the ingenuous, gracious Childe, who&s;e Funerall hath occa&s;ioned this A&s;&s;embly, and who&s;e affectionate minding of this Text (upon which I have di&s;cour&s;ed) was the Argument which induced me to un|dertake it, at this time. He was but nine years old and a half when God tran&s;lated him, and above five years &s;ince this Text, <HI>Chri&s;t in you the hope of glory,</HI> took &s;uch hold upon his heart, that he frequently &s;pake of it, and often entreated his Father to preach of it. And doubtle&s;&s;e it is not a thing u&s;uall for a childe &s;o young to be thus affected with thoughts of Chri&s;t, and glory to be hoped for through him.</P>
<P>Some few things more I will adde,</P>
<P N="1">1. To relieve the &s;ad hearts of his neare&s;t friends.</P>
<P N="2">2. To move them, with others, unto thankfulne&s;&s;e to the Lord for that which his Spirit had wrought in this hope|full childe.</P>
<P N="3">3. As al&s;o to quicken young ones unto the imitation of his vertues.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, His loving honourable re&s;pect to his dear Pa|rents, and dutifull ob&s;ervance of them, was very great, which was evidenced by the&s;e particulars.</P>
<P N="1">1. Having quick parts and an aptne&s;&s;e to learning, he was willing to apply him&s;elf unto any thing wherein they jud|ged it meet to have him in&s;tructed.</P>
<P N="2">2. As he him&s;elf was afraid to offend his Parents, &s;o <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e was carefull to prevent among&s;t Servants that which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ight trouble them, and to keep from their knowledge what&s;oever he thought would be grievous unto their &s;pirits.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="36" REF="23">3. When under griping pains by rea&s;on of the winde-Colick, he would labour to forbear groans and out|cries, le&s;t they &s;hould be over-much afflicted with his La|mentations.</P>
<P N="4">4. Being asked, whether he de&s;ired prayers for the lengthening of his life, his an&s;wer was, I would live, that I might glorifie God, and be a comfort to my Father and mother.</P>
<P>And all the&s;e expre&s;&s;ions of his tender love towards his Parents, are the more con&s;iderable, becau&s;e there was rea&s;on to hope that they were encrea&s;ed in him by their care of his Religious Education; In all the&s;e par|ticulars he was a rare example (e&s;pecially if his childe|hood be remembred) of Childrens obedience to their Pa|rents.</P>
<P>Secondly, He was like young <HI>Timothy,</HI> knowing the holy Scriptures in his Childehood. Though his bodily di&s;tempers did often take him off from Reading in the Bible, yet he had read it twice throughout, and was the third time gotten into the New Te&s;tament, before his la&s;t Sickne&s;&s;e. He was able al&s;o to give a good account both of the Chapters which he read, and of the Sermons which he heard.</P>
<P>And I will here mention three Pa&s;&s;ages which ma|nife&s;t that he minded and was affected with the Word of God.</P>
<P N="1">1. Having been taught a &s;hort Prayer by his Parents, his manner was, to adde thereto Scripture-&s;entences from time to time; Two I &s;hall report. The one from <HI>P&s;al. 119. 68. Thou art good, and do&s;t good, Teach me thy Statutes:</HI> The other from <HI>P&s;a. 120. 2. Deliver my Soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitfull tongue.</HI> Were not the&s;e his de&s;ires of knowledge and of pre&s;ervation from lying (a &s;inne to which Children are &s;ubject) very commen|dable.</P>
<P N="2">2. Hearing of the mi&s;ery of wicked ones, and Hypo|crites, laid open in a Sermon on the Sabbath-morning, he dur&s;t not go to his diner till he had gone a&s;ide to praier;
<PB N="37" REF="23"> whereas thou&s;ands of riper age have no obedientiall bents wrought by divine threatnings.</P>
<P N="3">3. And being once reproached (&s;ome years &s;ince) becau&s;e the hair of his head was &s;hort, he readily returned this An|&s;wer, That Gods Word &s;peaketh again&s;t long hair, remem|bring tho&s;e words of the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Doth not even Nature it &s;elf teach you, that if a man have long hair it is a &s;hame unto him? 1 Cor.</HI> 11. 14. May not this give a check unto many, both Mini&s;ters and others, who&s;e Ruffian-like locks are very offen&s;ive unto multitudes who fear the Lord?</P>
<P>Thirdly, As he was a Childe of many Praiers, not only being much praied for by his Parents and their Godly Friends, but al&s;o becau&s;e he him&s;elf did pray daily, &s;eem|ing al&s;o to make con&s;cience of this duty. And here I &s;hall relate &s;ome things which I account con&s;iderable.</P>
<P N="1">1. Sundry years &s;ince he made this as a matter of com|plaint, that he could not order his thoughts while he was at prayer; How may this &s;hame multitudes of people much elder, to whom roving thoughts in prayer were never trou|ble&s;om?</P>
<P N="2">2. Not long before his death, &s;taying at home on the Sab|bath-morning with a maid-Servant, he de&s;ired (as he had done formerly) that they might &s;ing a P&s;alm and go to prayer; And in his prayer he made this Petition, <HI>Lord, grant that we may leave our &s;innes, not as people do their old clothes with purpo&s;e to put them on again, but that we may for|&s;ake our &s;ins as rags, with re&s;olution to wear them no more.</HI></P>
<P>Many times when &s;ick and in pain, he would u&s;e the&s;e words, <HI>Lord help me;</HI> He was thankfull to my &s;elf as to o|thers for our prayers; and that night before his death, ha|ving been once praied for by them who watched with him (who di&s;cerned the approach of his change) he him&s;elf of his own accord entreated them to pray with him and for him again: Do not the&s;e things &s;peak his &s;en&s;ible appre|hen&s;ions of dependance upon God, with expectations of favour from him by means of praier?</P>
<P>Fourthly, This mu&s;t not be forgotten, That for divers years before his death he would expre&s;&s;e much e&s;timation
<PB N="38" REF="24"> of tho&s;e Texts of Scripture which &s;peak of heavens glory, the glory provided for Gods Servants for ever. He would often commend the grace of contentment, &s;aying, that it was <HI>better then riches,</HI> and that <HI>mans life con&s;i&s;ted not in abun|dance.</HI> If unto all the&s;e things we adde (that with which I did begin) <HI>viz.</HI> the words of my Text, which did run much in his minde, <HI>Chri&s;t in you the hope of glory;</HI> we may thence charitably and probably conjecture, that notwith&s;tanding his religious education, and the many things prai&s;e-worthy in his life, yet he grounded his hope of glory alone upon the Lord Je&s;us.</P>
<P>The&s;e particulars I have judged meet to mention (as I before hinted) with re&s;pect to Gods honour, the comfort of his mourning friends, and the edification both of chil|dren and their Parents, who may be herewith acquainted.</P>
<P>Now the practicall improvement both of my Sermon and this Narration, I humbly commend unto the ble&s;&s;ing of God through Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="24">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
