The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...

Inference 2.

To conclude,* 1.1 it is the indispensible duty of all on whom Christ hath settled such mercies, to admire his Love, and walk answer∣ably to it.

First, Admire the Love of Christ. O how intense and ardent was the Love of Jesus! who designed for you such an inheri∣tance, with such a settlement of it upon you! These are the mercies with which his Love had travailed big from eternity, and now he sees the travail of his soul, and you also have seen some∣what of it this day. Before this Love let all the Saints fall down astonished-humbly professing, that they owe themselves and all they are or shall be worth to eternity, to this Love.

Secondly, And be sure you walk becoming persons for whom Christ hath done such great things. Comfort your selves under present abasures with your spiritual priviledges, Iam. 2.5. And let all your rejoycing be in Christ, and what you have in him, whilst others are blessing themselves in vanity. Thus we have finished the state of Christs humiliation and thence proceed to the second state of his Exaltation.

* 1.2HAving finished what I designed to speak to about the work of Redemption, so far as it was carried on by Christ in his humbled state we shall now view that blessed work as it is further advanced and perfected in his State of Exaltation.

The whole of that work was not to be finished on earth in a state of suffering and abasure, therefore the Apostle makes his Exal∣tation in order to the finishing of the remainder of his work, so necessary a part of his Priesthood, that without it he could not have been a Priest, Heb. 8.4. If he were on earth he should not be a Priest, (i. e.) if he should have continued alwaies here, and had not been raised again from the dead and taken up into glory, he could not have been a compleat and perfect Priest.

For look as it was not enough for the sacrifice to be slain without, and his blood left there; but after it was shed without, it must be carried within the vail into the most holy place before the Lord, Heb. 9.7. So it was not sufficient that Christ shed his own blood on earth, except he carry it before the Lord into heaven, and there perform his intercession work for us.

Moreover, God the Father stood engaged in a solemn Covenant to reward him for his deep humiliation, with a most glorious and illustrious advancement, Isa. 49.5, 6, 7. And how God (as it became him) made this good to Christ, the Apostle very clearly expresses it, Phil. 2.9.

Yea, Justice required it should be so. For how could our sure∣ty be detained in the prison of the Grave, when the debt for which he was imprisoned was by him fully discharged, so that the Law of God must acknowledge it self to be fully satisfied in all its claims and demands. His Resurrection from the dead was therefore but his discharge or acquittance upon full payment. Which could not in Justice be denyed him.

And indeed God the Father lost nothing by it, for there ne∣ver was a more glorious manifestation made of the name of God to the World than was made in that work. Therefore it's said, Phil. 2.11. Speaking of one of the designs of Christs Exal∣tation, it was (saith the Apostle) That every Tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Fa∣ther. O how is the Love of God to poor sinners illustriously, yea astonishingly displayed in Christs Exaltation. When to

shew the Complacency and delight which he took in our reco∣very, he hath openly declared to the world that his exalting Christ to all that glory, such as no meer creature ever was or can be exalted to, was bestowed upon him as a reward for that work, that most grateful work of our Redemption, Phil. 2.9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, there is an Emphatical Pleonasmus in that word, our English is too flat to deliver out the elegancy of the Original it is Super-Exalta∣tion.* 1.3 The Seriack renders it, he hath multiplyed his Subli∣mity. The Arabick, he hath heightened him with an height. Iustin, he hath famously exalted him. Higher he cannot raise him, a greater Argument of his high satisfaction and content in the recovery of poor sinners cannot be given. For this therefore God the Father shall have glory and honour ascribed to him in Heaven to all Eternity.

Now this singular Exaltation of Jesus Christ as it properly respects his humane nature which alone is capable of advancement, for in respect of his divine nature he never ceased to be the most high. So it was done to him as a common person, and as the head of all believers, their representative in this as well as in his other works. God therein shewing what in due time he intends to do with the persons of his Elect, after they in Conformity to Christ have suffered a while. What ever God the Father intendeth to do in us or for us, he hath first done it to the person of our representative, Iesus Christ. And this if you observe, the Scriptures carry in very clear and plain expressions through all the degrees and steps of Christs Exaltation, viz. his Re∣surrection, Ascension, Session at the right hand of God. And re∣turning to Iudge the World. Of which I purpose to speak di∣stinctly in the following Sermons.

He rose from the Dead as a common person, Col. 3.1. If ye then be risen with Christ, saith the Apostle, so that the Saints have Communion and fellowship with him in his Resur∣rection.

He Ascended into Heaven as a common person, for so it's said in Eph. 2.6. He hath raised us up, or exalted us together

with Christ. He sits at Gods right hand as a common person, for so it follows in the next clause, and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus. We sit there in our re∣presentative. And when he shall come again to Judge the World, the Saints shall come with him. So it is Prophesied, Zech. 14.6. The Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints with thee. And as they shall come with Christ from Heaven, so they shall sit on Thrones with him, judging, by way of suffrage. They shall be assessors with the Judge, 1 Cor. 6.2. This deserves a special remark that all this honour is given to Christ as our head and re∣presentative, for thence results abundance of comfort to the peo∣ple o•• God. Carry it therefore along with you in your thoughts throughout the whole of Christs advancement. Think when you shall hear that Christ is risen from the dead, and is in all that glory and authority in Heaven. How sure the salvation of his Re∣deemed is. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled; we shall be saved by his Life. Surely it cannot be supposed but he is able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by him: Seeing he ever lives to make intercession, Heb. 7.25. Think how safe the people of God in this world are, whose head is in Heaven. It was a comfortable expression of one of the Fa∣thers incouraging himself and others with this truth in a dark day.* 1.4 Come (said he) why do we tremble thus, do we not see our head above water? If he live believers cannot die, Ioh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also.

And let no mans heart suggest a suspicious thought to him, that this wonderful advancement of Christ may cause him to forget his poor people, groaning here below under sin and misery. For the temper and disposition of his faithful and tender heart is not changed with his condition. He bears the same respect to us, as when he dwelt among us. For indeed he there lives and acts upon our ac∣count, Heb. 7.25. 1 Ioh. 2.1, 2.

And how seasonable and comfortable will the meditations of Christs Exaltation be to the believer▪ when sickness hath wasted thy Body wither'd its beauty, and God is bring••ng the•• to the dust of Death. Ah think then, that that vile Body shall be con∣formed to the glorious Body of Christ, P••al. 3.21. As God hath glorified and highly exalted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Son, whose form was mar'd more than any mans, so will he exalt thee also. I do not say to a

parity or equality in glory with Christ, for in heaven he will be discerned and distinguished by his peculiar glory, from all the An∣gels and Saints; as the Sun is known by its excelling glory from the lesser Star. But we shall be conform'd to this glorious head according to the proportion of members. O whither will Love mount the believer in that day!

Having spoken this much of Christs exalted state to cast some general light upon it, and engage your attentions to it, I shall now, according to the degrees of this his wonderful exaltation briefly open it under the forementioned heads, viz. His Resurrection, Ascension, Session at the Fathers right hand, and his return to Judge the World.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Infer. 2.
• * 1.2

  An Intro∣duction to the State of Exaltation.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pleonasmus E••phaticus. Hierom. Multiplicavit subliratem ejus.

  Arab. Sublimitate Sublimavit eum. Syr. Insignitor extalit, Justin. Sec••nd••m, eandem naturam dicitur exaltatus, secundum quam humiliatus fuit. Zanch.
• * 1.4

  Nonne videnus capat nostrum super aquas? Greg.