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i. 2, To which of them said he, Sit on my | obedient to death upon the cross, ver. 8, and right hand.

This they look upon with perpetual wonder, but not with envy nor repining: No, amongst all their eyes, no such eye is to be found; yea, they rejoice in the infinite wisdom of God in this design, and his infinite love to poor lost mankind. It is wonderful indeed to see him filling the room of their fallen brethren with new guests from earth; yea, such as are born heirs of hell; not only that sinful man should thus be raised to a participation of glory with them who are spotless, sinless spirits, but that their flesh, in their Redeemer, should be dignified with a glory so far beyond them. This is that mystery they are intent in looking and prying into, and cannot, nor ever shall, see the bottom of it; for it hath no bottom.

2. Jesus Christ is not only exalted above the angels in absolute dignity, but in relative authority over them. He is made Captain over those heavenly bands; they are all under his command, for all services wherein it pleases him to employ them; and the great employment he hath, is the attending on his Church, and particular elect ones; are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation? Heb. i. ult. They are the servants of Christ, and in him, and, at his appointment, the servants of every believer; and are many ways serviceable and useful for their good, which truly we do not duly consider. There is no danger of overvaluing them, and inclining to worship them upon this consideration; yea, if we take it right, it will rather take off from that. The angel judged his argument strong enough to St. John against that, that he was but his fellow servant, Rev. xix. 10. But this is more, that they are servants to us, although not therefore inferior, it being an honorary service, yet certainly inferior to our Head, and so to his mystical body, taken in that notion as a part of him.

Reflection 1. The height of this our Saviour's glory will appear the more, if we reflect on the descent by which he ascended to it.

Oh! how low did we bring down so high a Majesty, into the pit wherein we had fallen, by climbing to be higher than he had set us. It was high indeed, as we were fallen so low, and yet he, against whom it was committed, came down to help us up again, and to take hold of us, took us on; so the word is, außávra, Heb. ii. 16: he took not hold of the angels; let them go; hath left them to die for ever: But he took hold of the seed of Abraham, and took on him indeed their flesh, dwelling amongst us, and in a mean part; emptied himself, ixtyart, Phil. ii. 7, and became of no repute; and further, after he descended to the earth, and into our flesh, in it he became

descended into the grave; and by these steps, was walking towards that glory wherein he now is; he abased himself, wherefore, says the Apostle, God hath highly exalted him, ver. 9. So he himself, Luke xxiv. 26, Ought not Christ first to suffer these things, and so enter into his glory? Now this indeed it is pertinent to consider, and the Apostle is here upon the point of Christ's suffering. That is his theme; and therefore he is so particular in the ascending of Christ to his glory. Who, of those that would come thither, will refuse to follow him in the way where he led ? He is ἀρχεγος, the leader of our faith, Heb. xii. 2. And who of those that follow him, will not love and delight to follow him through any way, the lowest and darkest; it is excellent and safe, and then it ends, you see where.

2. Think not strange of the Lord's method with his Church, bringing her to so low and desperate a posture many times. Can she be in a condition more seemingly desperate than was her Head? not only in ignominious sufferings, but dead and laid in the grave, and the stone rolled to it and sealed, and all made sure? and yet he arose and ascended, and now sits in glory, and shall sit till all his enemies become his footstool. Do not fear for him, that they shall overtop, yea, or be able to reach him, who is exalted higher than the heavens; neither be afraid for his Church, which is his body, and if her Head be safe and alive, cannot but partake of safety and life with him. Though she were, to sight, dead and laid in the grave, yet shall she rise thence, and be more glorious than before, Isa. xxvi. 19; and still, the deeper her distress be, shall rise the higher in the day of deliverance.

Thus, in his dealing with a soul, observe the Lord's method; think it not strange that he brings a soul low, very low, which he means to comfort and exalt very high in grace and glory; that he leads it by hellgates to heaven; that it be at that point, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Was not the Head put to use that word, and so to speak it, as the head speaks for the body, seasoning it for his members, and sweetening that bitter cup by his own drinking of it? Oh! what a hard condition may a soul be brought into, and put to think, Can He love me, and intend mercy for me, that leaves me to this? And yet, in all, the Lord is preparing it thus for comfort and blessedness.

3. Turn your thoughts more frequently to this excellent subject, the glorious high estate of our great High-priest. The angels admire this mystery, and we slight it; they rejoice in it, and we, whom it certainly more nearly concerns, are not moved with it; we do not draw that comfort and that instruc

tion from it, which it would plentifully af-ly it is! how much may we be ashamed to ford, if it were sought after: It comforts us have room in our hearts for earnest thoughts against all troubles and fears. Is He not or desires, or delights, about any thing beon high who hath undertaken for us? doth side Him? any thing befal us, but it is past first in Were this deeply impressed upon the heaven; and shall any thing pass there to hearts of those that have a right in it, would our prejudice or damage? HE sits there, there be found in them any engagement to and is upon the council of all, who hath the poor things that are passing away? loved us, and given himself for us; yea, Would death be a terrible word? yea, who as he descended thence for us, did like- would it not be one of the sweetest, most wise ascend thither again for us; hath made rejoicing thoughts, to solace and ease the our inheritance there which he purchased heart under all pressures, to look forward to sure to us, taking possession for us, and in that day of liberty? This infectious disour name; since he is there, not only as the ease may keep possession all the winter, Son of God, but as our Surety, and as our and grow hot with the year again. Do not Head; and so the believer may think him- therefore flatter yourselves, and think it is self even already possessed of this right, in- past; you have yet remembering strokes to asmuch as his Christ is there. The saints keep it in your eye. But however, shall we are glorified already in their head, Where abide still here? or is there any reason, he reigns, there I believe myself to reign, when things are duly weighed, why we says Augustine. And consider in all thy should desire it? Well, if you would be unstraits and troubles, outward and inward, tied beforehand, and so feel your separation they are not hid from him. He knows them, from this world less, this is the only way. and feels them, is a compassionate High-Look up to him, who draws up all hearts priest, and hath a gracious sense of thy that do indeed behold him. Then, I say, frailties and griefs, fears and temptations, thy heart shall be removed beforehand, and and he will not suffer thee to be surcharged; the rest is easy and sweet. When that is but is still presenting thy estate to the Fa-done, all is gained. And consider how he ther, and using that interest and power he desires the completing of our union with hath in his affection for thy good. And him. Shall it be his request, and earnest what wouldst thou more? Art thou one desire, and shall it not be ours too, that whose heart desires to rest upon him, and where he is, there we may be also? John cleave to him? Thou art knit so to him, xvii. 24. Let us expect it with patient that his resurrection and glory secures thee submission, yet striving by desires and thine: His life and thine are not two, but suits, and looking out for our release from one life, as that of the head and members; this body of sin and death. and if he could not be overcome of death, thou canst not neither. Oh! that sweet word, Because I live, ye shall live also, John xiv. 19.

CHAP. IV.

VER. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.

Let thy thoughts and carriage be moulded in this contemplation rightly, ever to look on thy exalted Head. Consider his glory; see not only thy nature raised in him above the angels, but thy person interested by faith in that his glory, and then think thyTHE main of a Christian's duty lies in self too good to serve any base lust. Look these two things, patience in suffering, and down on sin and the world with a holy dis-avoidance of sin, avixou xaì àíxou, and they dain, being united to him who is so exalted have a natural influence each upon the other. and so glorious. And let not thy mind Although affliction simply doth not, yet afcreep here; engage not thy heart to any fliction sweetly and humbly carried doth, thing that time and this earth can afford. purify and disengage the heart from sin, Oh! why are we so little there, where there wean it from the world, and the common is such a spring of delightful and high ways of it. And again, holy and exact thoughts for us? If ye be risen with Christ, walking keeps the soul in a sound healthful seek those things which are above, where temper, and so enables it to patient sufferhe sits, Col. iii. 1. What mean you? are ing, to bear things more easily; as a strong ye such as will let go your interest in this body endures fatigue, heat, cold, and hardonce crucified, and now glorified Jesus? if ship, with ease, a small part whereof would not, why are ye not more like it? why does it not possess your hearts more? ought it not to be thus ? should not our hearts be, where our treasure, where our blessed Head, is? Oh! how unreasonable, how unfriendUbi Caput meum regnat, ibi me regnare credo.

surcharge a sickly constitution. The consciousness of sin, and careless unholy courses, must wonderfully weaken a soul and dis

See the lecture on Chap. iv. 6. Though the Pestilence This probably refers to the Pestilence in 1665. doth not affright you so, &c.

temper it, so that it is not able to endure tain of our Salvation; that we follow in much; but every little thing disturbs it: suffering, and in doing, seeing both were Therefore the apostle hath reason, both to insist so much on these two points in this epistle, and likewise to interweave the one so often with the other, pressing jointly throughout, the cheerful bearing of all kind of afflictions, and the careful forbearing all kind of sin; and out of the one discourse he slides into the other, as here.

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so for us. It is strange how some armies have addicted themselves to their head, to be at his call night and day, in summer and winter; to refuse no travel or endurance of hardship for him; and all only to please him, and serve his inclination and ambition; as Cæsar's trained bands, especially the veterans, what hardships did they not endure in counter-marches, and in traversing different and distant countries ? But besides that, our Lord and leader is most great and excellent, and so well deserves following for his own worth. This lays upon us an obligation beyond all conceiving, that he first suffered for us; that he endured such hatred of men, and such wrath of God the Father, and went through death, so vile a death, to procure our life. What can be too bitter to endure, or too sweet to forsake, to follow him? Were this duly considered, would we cleave to our lusts, or to our ease? Would we not go through fire and water, yea, through death itself, and, were it possible, through many deaths, to follow him?

The chief study of a Christian, and the very thing that makes him to be a Christian, is conformity of Christ. This is the sum of religion (said that wise heathen,) to be like him whom thou worshippest. But this example being in itself too sublime, is brought down to our view in Christ; the brightness of God is veiled, and veiled in our own flesh, that we may be able to look on it. The inaccessible light of the Deity is so attempered in the humanity of Christ, 1. Consider, as it is justly due, so it is that we may read our lesson by it in him, made easy by that his suffering for us. and may direct our walk by it; and that Our burden, that pressed us to hell, being truly is our only way; there is nothing but taken off, is not all that is left, to suffer or wandering and perishing in all other ways; do, as nothing? Our chains, that bound nothing but darkness and misery out of him; us over to eternal death, being knocked off. but he that follows me, says he, shall not shall we not walk, shall we not run, in his walk in darkness, John viii. 12. And ways? Oh! think what that burden and therefore is he set before us in the gospel, in yoke was he hath eased us of; how heavy, so clear and lively colours, that we may how unsufferable, it was, and then we shall make this our whole endeavour to be like him. think what he so truly says, that all he lays Consider here, 1. The high engagement on is sweet; His yoke easy, and his burden to this conformity. 2. The nature of it. light, Matt. xi. 30. Oh! the happy 3. The actual improvement of it. 1. The change to be rescued from the vilest slavery, engagement lies in this, that he suffered for and called to conformity and fellowship with Of this before; only in reference to the Son of God.

us.

this, had he come down, as some have mis- 2. The nature of this conformity (to shew imagined it, only to set us this perfect the nearness of it) is expressed in the very way of obedience, and give us an example of it in our own nature; this had been very much. That the Son of God should descend to teach wretched man, and the great King to descend into man, and dwell in a tabernacle of clay, to set up a school in it, for such ignorant accursed creatures! and should in his own person act the hardest lessons, both in doing and suffering, to lead us in both. But the matter goes yet higher than this. Oh! how much higher hath he suffered, not simply as our rule, but as our surety, and in our stead. He suffered for us in the flesh. We are the more obliged to make his suffering our example, because it was to us more than an example, it was our ran

same terms as in the pattern; it is not a remote resemblance, but the same thing, even suffering in the flesh. But that we may understand rightly what suffering is here meant, it is plainly this, ceasing from sin; so suffering in the flesh here, is not simply the enduring of afflictions, which is a part of a Christian's conformity with his head Christ, Rom. viii. 29, but implies a more inward and spiritual suffering. It is the suffering and the dying of our corruption, the taking away the life of sin by the death of Christ: and that death of his sinless flesh, works in the believer the death of sinful flesh, that is, the corruption of his nature, which is so usually in Scripture called flesh. Sin makes man base, drowns him in flesh, and This makes the conformity reasonable the lusts of it; makes the very soul become in a double respect; 1. It is due that gross and earthly; turns it as it were to flesh : we follow him, who led us as the Cap- So the apostle calls the very mind that is • Summa religionis imitari quem colis. PYTH. unrenewed, a carnal mind, Rom. viii. 7.

som.

above all love, this divine love is purest and highest, and works most strongly that way; takes pleasure in that pain, and is a voluntary death, as Plato calls love. It is strong as death, says Solomon, Cant. viii. 6. As death makes the strongest body fall to the ground, so doth the love of Christ make the most active and lively sinner dead to his sin : And as death severs a man from his dearest

And what doth the mind of a natural man willingly enduring it. All the pain of his hunt after and run out into, from one day suffering in the flesh, his love to us digested and year to another? Is it not on the and went through it; so all the pain to our things of this base world, and the concern-nature in severing and pulling us from our ment of his flesh ?* What would he have beloved sins, and our dying to them, if his but be accommodated to eat, and drink, and love be planted in our hearts, that will sweetdress, and live at ease? He minds earth-en it, and make us delight in it. Love dely things, savours and relishes them, and sires nothing more than likeness, and shares cares for them: examine the most of your willingly in all with the party loved; and pains and time, and your strongest desires, and most serious thoughts, if they go not this way, to raise yourselves and yours in your worldly condition. Yea, the highest projects of the greatest natural spirits are but earth still, in respect of things truly spiritual. All their state designs go not beyond this poor life that perishes in the flesh, and is daily perishing, even while we are busiest upholding it, and providing for it. Present and most familiar friends, thus doth the love things, and this lodge of clay, this flesh and its interest, take up most of our time and pains; the most, yea, all, till that change be wrought the Apostle speaks of, till Christ be put on, Rom. xiii. 14, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ; and then the other will easily follow that follows in the words, Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Once in Christ, and then your necessary general care for this natural life, will be regulated and moderated by the Spirit. And for all unlawful and enormous desires of the flesh, you shall be rid of providing for these. Instead of all provision for the life of the flesh in that sense, there is another guest, and another life, for you now to wait on and furnish for: In them that are in Christ, that flesh is dead, they are freed from its drudgery; He that hath suffered in the flesh hath restǝd from sin.

of Christ, and his death flowing from it,
sever the heart from its most beloved sins.
I beseech you seek to have your hearts set
against sin, to hate it, to wound it, and be
dying daily to it. Be not satisfied, unless
ye feel an abatement of it, and a life within
you. Disdain that base service, and being
bought at so high a rate, think yourselves
too good to be slaves to any base lust. You
are called to a more excellent and more ho-
nourable service. And of this suffering in the
flesh, we may safely say what the Apostle
speaks of the sufferings with and for Christ,
that the partakers of these sufferings are co-
heirs of glory with Christ; If we suffer thus
with him, we shall also be glorified with
him, Rom. viii. 17. If we die with him, we
shall live with him for ever.

3. We have the actual improvement of this conformity; Arm yourselves with the Ceased from sin.] He is at rest from it, same mind, or thoughts of this mortification. a godly death, as they that die in the Lord Death, taken naturally in its proper sense, rest from their labours, Rev. xiv. 13. He being an entire privation of life, admits not that hath suffered in the flesh, and is dead of degrees: But this figurative death, this to it, dies indeed in the Lord; rests from mortification of the flesh in a Christian, is the base turmoil of sin; it is no longer his gradual; in so far as he is renewed, and is master. As our sin was the cause of Christ's animated and acted on by the Spirit of Christ, death, his death is the death of sin in us; he is thoroughly mortified; (for this death, and that not simply as he bore a moral pat- and that new life joined with it, and here tern of it, but as the real working cause of added, ver. 2, go together and grow toit. The death of Christ has in this respect gether;) but because he is not totally renewan effectual influence on the soul, kills it to ed, and there is in him of that corruption sin: I am crucified with Christ, says St. still that is here called flesh, therefore it is Paul, Gal. xi. 20. Faith so looks on the death of Christ, that it takes the impression of it; sets it on the heart, kills it unto sin; Christ and the believer do not only become one in law, so as his death stands for theirs, but are one in nature, so as his death for sin causes theirs to it, Rom. vi. 3, Baptized into his death.

his great task to be gaining further upon it, and overcoming and mortifying it every day; and to this tend the frequent exhortations of this nature: Mortify your members that are on the earth; So, Rom. vi. likewise reckon yourselves dead to sin, and let it not reign in your mortal bodies. Thus here, Arm yourselves with the same mind, with This suffering in the flesh being unto this very thought. Consider and apply that death, and such a death (crucifying) hath suffering of Christ in the flesh, to the end indeed pain in it; but what then, it must that you with him, suffering in the flesh, be so like his, and the believer like him, in may cease from sin. Think it ought to be thus, and seek that it may be thus, with you.

Corporis negotium,

Arm yourselves.] There is still fighting, studying it much, as the reason and rule of and sin will be molesting you; though mortification, and drawing from it, as the wounded to death, yet will it struggle for real cause and spring of mortification. life, and seek to wound its enemy; will The pious contemplation of his death will assault the graces that are in you. Do not most powerfully kill the love of sin in the think, if it be once struck, and you have soul, and kindle an ardent hatred of it. The given it a stab near to the heart, by the believer, looking on his Jesus crucified for sword of the Spirit, that therefore it will him, and wounded for his transgressions, stir no more. No, so long as you live in the and taking in deep thoughts of his spotless flesh, in these bowels there will be remain-innocency that deserved no such thing, and ders of the life of this flesh, your natural cor- of his matchless love, that yet endured it all ruption; therefore ye must be armed against for him, will then naturally think, "Shall it. Sin will not give you rest, so long as I be a friend to that which was his deadly there is a drop of blood in its veins, one spark enemy? Shall sin be sweet to me, that was of life in it; and that will be so long as you so bitter to him, and that for my sake? Shall have life here. This old man is stout, and I ever lend it a good look, or entertain a will fight himself to death; and at the weak-favourable thought of that which shed my est it will rouse up itself, and exert its dying Lord's blood? Shall I live in that for which spirits, as men will do sometimes more eager- he died, and died to kill it in me ?" Oh! ly than when they were not so weak, nor so let it not be. near death.

You

To the end it may not be, let such really This the children of God often find to apply that death to work this on the soul; their grief, that corruptions which they for this is always to be added, and is the thought had been cold dead, stir and rise up main thing indeed, by holding and fastening again, and set upon them. A passion or that death close to the soul, effectually to kill lust, that, after some great stroke, lay a long the effects of sin in it; to stifle and crush while as dead, stirred not, and therefore they them dead, by pressing that death on the thought to have heard no more of it, though heart; looking on it, not only as a most comit shall never recover fully again, to be lively plete model, but as having a most effectual as before, yet will revive in such a measure virtue, for this effect, and desiring him, enas to molest, and possibly to foil, them yet treating our Lord himself, who communicates again: Therefore is it continually necessary himself, and the virtue of his death, to the that they live in arms, and put them not off to believer, that he would powerfully cause it to their dying day; till they put off the body, flow in upon us, and let us feel the virtue of it. and be altogether free of the flesh. It is then the only thriving and growing may take the Lord's promise for victory in life, to be much in the lively contemplation the end; that shall not fail; but do not pro- and application of Jesus Christ: to be contimise yourself ease in the way, for that will nually studying him, and conversing with not hold. If at some times your enemy have him, and drawing from him; receiving of the advantage, give not all for lost. He his fulness, grace for grace, John i. 16. hath often won the day that hath been foiled Wouldst thou have much power against sin, and wounded in the fight. But likewise and much increase of holiness, let thine eye take not all for won, so as to have no more be much on Christ; set thine heart on him; conflict, when sometimes you have the better, let it dwell in him, and be still with him. as in particular battles. Be not desperate When sin is like to prevail in any kind, go when you lose, nor secure when you gain to him, tell him of the insurrection of his them: When it is worst with you do not enemies, and thy inability to resist, and dethrow away your arms, nor lay them away sire him to suppress them, and to help thee when you are at best. against them, that they may gain nothing by Now, the way to be armed is this, the their stirring, but some new wound. If thy same mind: How would my Lord, Christ, heart begin to be taken with, and move tocarry himself in this case? and what was his wards, sin, lay it before him; the beams of business in all places and companies? Was his love shall eat out that fire of these sinful it not to do the will, and advance the glory, lusts. Wouldst thou have thy pride, and of his Father? If I be injured and reviled, passions, and love of the world, and self-love, consider how would he do in this? Would killed, go sue for the virtue of his death, and he repay one injury with another, one re- that shall do it; seek his Spirit, the Spirit proach with another reproach? No, being of meekness, and humility, and divine love. reviled, he reviled not again, 1 Pet. ii. 23. Look on him, and he shall draw thy heart Well, through his strength, this shall be my heavenwards, and unite it to himself, and way too. Thus ought it to be with the make it like himself. And is not that the Christian, framing all his ways and words, thing thou desirest ? and very thoughts, upon that model, the mind of Christ, and to study in all things to walk even as he walked, 1 John ii. 6;

VER. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

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