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of God which was given unto him," he denied not but that, "as a wise master-builder, he had laid the foundation;" yet he acknowledgeth that they upon whom he had wrought, were "God's building," as well as "God's husbandry." For who, saith hek, For who, saith hek, "is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase."

Two things therefore we find in our great Prophet, which do far exceed the ability of any bare man, and so do difference him from all the "holy' prophets, which have been since the world began." For first, we are taught, that "nom man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him:" and that "no" man hath seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Being in his bosom, he is become conscious of his secrets, and so out of his own immediate knowledge enabled to discover the whole will of his Father unto us; whereas all other prophets and apostles receive their revelations at the second hand, and according to the grace given unto them by the Spirit of Christ. Witness that place of St. Peter, for the prophets: "Of" which salvation the prophets have inquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace which should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WHICH WAS IN THEM did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." And for the apostles, those heavenly words which our Saviour himself uttered unto them, whilst he was among them: "When" the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever

k1 Cor. chap. 3. ver. 5, 6, 7. Matt. chap. 11. ver. 27.

1 Pet. chap. 1. ver. 10, 11.

Luke, chap. 1. ver. 20.

n John, chap. 1. ver. 18.

P John, chap. 16. ver. 13, 14, 15.

he shallhear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

Secondly, all other prophets and apostles can do no more (as hath been said) but plant and water; only God can give the increase: they may teach indeed and baptize, but unless Christ were with them by the powerful presence of his Spirit, they would not be able to save one soul by that ministry of theirs. "We, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house:" but, "except the Lord do build this house, they labour in vain that build it." For who is able to breathe the spirit of life into those dead stones, but he of whom it is written: "The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear it shall live:" and again, "Awaket thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead; and Christ shall give thee light." Who can awake us out of this dead sleep, and give light unto these blind eyes of ours, but the Lord our God, unto whom we pray, that he would "lighten" our eyes, lest we sleep the sleep of death."

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And as a blind man is not able to conceive the distinction of colours, although the skilfullest man alive should use all the art he had to teach him; because he wanteth the sense whereby that object is discernible so the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Whereupon the apostle concludeth, concerning himself and all his fellow-labourers, that "God who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts;" to give "the light of the knowledge of the glory

41 Pet. chap. 2. ver. 5.

John, chap. 5. ver. 25. "Psalm 13. ver. 3.

x 2 Cor. chap. 4. ver. 6, 7.

r Psalm 127. ver. 1.
Eph. chap. 5. ver. 14.
w1 Cor. chap. 2. ver. 14.

of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: but we have this treasure in earthen vessels; that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." Our Mediator therefore, who must be able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, may not want the excellency of the power," whereby he may make us capable of this high knowledge of the things of God, propounded unto us by the ministry of his servants: and consequently, in this request also, must be God as well as man.

There remaineth the kingdom of our Redeemer, described thus by the prophet Esaiah: "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever:" and by Daniel "Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of days; and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed:" and by the angel Gabriel, in his embassage to the blessed virgin: "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign. over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

This is that new Davide our king, whom God hath raised up unto his ownd Israel, who was in truth, that which he was called, the Son of Man, and the Son of the Highest. That in the one respect, we

Heb. chap. 7. ver. 25.

Dan. chap. 7. ver. 13, 14.

may say unto him,

Esai. chap. 9. ver. 7.

Luke, chap. 1. ver. 31, 32, 33.

Jer. chap. 20. ver. 9. Hos. chap. 3. ver. 5. Ezek. chap. 34. ver. 23. and

chap. 37. ver. 24.

d Gal. chap. 6. ver. 16.

e Eph. chap. 5. ver. 30.

as the Israelites of old did unto their David: "Behold', we are thy bone and thy flesh :" and in the other, sing of him as David himself did, "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool." So that the promise made unto our first parents, that "The seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head," may well stand with that other saying of St. Paul: that "the God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet." Seeing for this very "purpose the Son of God was manifested" in the flesh, "that' he might destroy the works of the Devil." And still that foundation of God will remain unshaken: "Im, even I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour;" "Thou" shalt know no God but me: for there is no Saviour beside me."

Two special branches there be of this kingdom of our Lord and Saviour: the one of Grace, whereby that part of the church is governed, which is militant upon earth; the other of Glory, belonging to that part which is triumphant in heaven. Here upon earth, as by his prophetical office he worketh upon our mind and understanding, so by his kingly, he ruleth our will and affections: "casting" down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Where, as we must needs acknowledge, that "it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do," and that it is he which "sanctifieth us wholly:" so are we taught likewise to believe, "both" he who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one," namely of one and the selfsame nature; that the sanctifyer might not be ashamed to call those, who are sanctified by him, his brethren, that as their nature was corrupted, and their blood tainted in the

f 2 Samuel, chap. 5. ver. 1.

Psalm 110. ver. 1. Matt. chap. 22, ver. 43, 44. Acts, chap. 2. ver. 34, 35.

h Gen. chap. 3. ver. 15.

k 1 John, chap. 3. ver. 8.

m Esai. chap. 43. ver. 11.

2 Cor. chap. 10. ver. 15.
2 Thess. chap. 5. ver. 23.

i Rom. chap. 16. ver. 20.
11 Tim. chap. 3. ver. 16.
n Hos. chap. 13. ver. 4.
P Philipp. chap. 2. ver. 13.

Heb. chap. 2. ver. 11.

first Adam, so it might be restored again in the second Adam; and that as from the one a corrupt, so from the other a pure and undefiled nature might be transmitted unto the heirs of salvation.

The same Gods that giveth grace, is he also that giveth glory yet so, that the streams of both of them must run to us through the golden pipe of our Saviour's humanity. "Fort since by man came death," it was fit that " by man also should come the resurrection of the dead." Even by that man who hath said, "Whoso" eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise them up at the last day." Who then "shall" come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made marvellous in all them that believe:" and "shall change this vile body of ours, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body; according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Unto him therefore that hath thus "loved' us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests, unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. AMEN."

I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS, FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD.

PHILIPP. CHAP. III. VER. VIII.

• Psalm 84. ver. 11.

" John, chap. 6. ver. 54. Philipp. chap. 3. ver. 21.

1 Cor. chap. 15. ver. 21.
2 Thess. chap. 1. ver. 10.
Rev. chap. 1. ver. 5, 6.

END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.

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