Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN

THE WORKS

REV. WILLIAM BRIDGE, M.A.

FORMERLY FELLOW OK KMANL'EL COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND PASTOR Ol' TUT CHURCH OF CHRIST IN GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK.

NOW FIRST COLLECTED.

LONDON :

73, CHEAPSIDE. 1845.

CHRIST AND THE COVENANT, THE WORK AND WAY OF MEDITATION, GOD'S RETURN TO THE SOUL OR NATION, TO- GETHER WITH HIS PREVENTING MERCY: IN TEN SER- MONS.

Sermon 1. Christ's Personal Excellencies the Object of our

Love. John ziv. 28 3

Sermon 2. Christ Crucified the Object of our Faith. 1 Cor.

ii. 2 20

Sermon 3. The New Covenant of Grace Opened. Heb. xii.

24 ..41

Sermon 4. Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant. Heb.

xii. 24 61

Sermon 5. The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant, or

New Testament. Heb. xii. 24. .. 80 Sermon 6. The Blood of Sprinkling. Heb. xii. 24 . . 104 Sermon 7. The Sweetness and Profitableness of Divine Me.

dilation. Psalm civ. 34 124

Sermon 8. The Work and Way of Meditation. Psalm civ.

34 143

Sermon 9. God's Return to the Soul or Nation. Psalm xc.

13 161

Sermon 10. Preventing Mercy. Psalm xxi. 2, 3. .. 179

CHRIST IN TRAVAIL: THREE SERMONS ON ISAIAH LHI. 11.

Sermon 1. The Travail of Christ 199

Sermon 2. Christ's Assurance of Issue 218

Sermon 3. The Contentment that Christ doth and shall find in his Assurance of Issue. . . . . 248

SEASONABLE TRUTHS IN EVIL TIMES: NINE SERMONS.

Rev. W. Greenhill's Preface 278

Sermon 1. Of Grace Growing and Increasing. 1 Thess.

iv. 1 279

Sermon 2. "The First and Last in Suffering Work. Matt.

xix. 30 299

Sermon 3, The Way to Obtain a Sure and great Reward.

Matt. xix. 28 ..319

Sermon 4. The Two Witnesses, their Testimony. Rev.xi.3.

2018123

CONTENTS OF VOL. III.

Sermon 5. The Uncertainty of the World should take off our Hearts from the Love of it. 1 Cor. vii. 30, 31 365

Sermon 6. Men's Wrath, against God's People shall turn to God's Praise. Psalm Ixxvi. 10. . . 387

Sermon 7. Comfort to Mourners for the Loss of Solemn Assemblies. Zeph. iii. 18 407

Sermon 8. The Evil of Unbelief in Departing from God. Heb. iii. 12 426

Sermon 9. A Warning to Apostates. Luke xviii. 32. . 441

CHRIST AND THE COVENANT,

THE

WORK AND WAY OF MEDITATION, GOD'S RETURN TO THE SOUL OR NATION,

TOGETHER WITH HIS

PREVENTING MERCY.

DELIVERED

IN TEN SERMONS.

1667.

VOL. III.

TO THE READER.

COURTEOUS READER, These Ten Sermons, lately taken by an expert hand, as they fell from the mouth of the sweet preacher of them, contain so great a variety of heavenly matter, so much of the very marrow and quintessence of the gospel, that thou wilt no sooner begin to read them, but wilt presently find that the heart of the reverend author of them hath lain long asoke in. the blood of Je-us, and that he hath been no stranger to his very bosom love. Buy them therefore with what speed thou canst, and read them over diligently, it will be a good bargain for thy soul, and one of the richest commodities that ever thou meetedst with at so cheap a rate. It is put into so small a letter and bulk, pur- posely for thy better accommodation, and that not only in the ease of thy purse, but principally that thou mayest make it as well thy pocket as thy heart's com- panion, wherever thou goest. Farewell.

CHRIST AND THE COVENANT.

SERMON I.

CHRIST'S PERSONAL EXCELLENCIES THE OBJECT OP OUR LOVE.

" If ye loved me ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I." JOHN xiv. 28.

THESE words are part of the last sweet sermon which our Saviour preached unto his disciples before his death and de- parture from them; wherein he labours to allay their sorrow and grief upon the occasion of his departure: therefore he tells them at the 2nd verse, " In my Father's house are many mansions " and at the 3rd verse, t{ I go to prepare a place for you."

Then he tells them at the 16th, 17th and 18th verses, that " he would send them another Comforter;" and " I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you."

Then he labours to persuade them unto comfort by their protestation of their own love unto him. " Ye say you love me (saith he), if ye loved me ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I."

" If ye loved me;" that is, if you loved me so much as you should. It is usual with Scripture to speak of things absolutely when they are meant comparatively. If you loved me so much as you profess, and so much as you should; for they did love him.

" If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto my Father."

Joy is the top of comfort as comfort is the top of peace. Joy is the cream of comfort. If ye loved me, ye would be so far from being troubled at my going, that you would be very much 'comforted, for I go unto my Father who " is greater than I;" than I am as Mediator: who upon my coming to him will exalt me: and therefore if ye loved me ye would rather rejoice, " because I go unto my Father who is greater than I." From whence then I take up this doctrine: B2

4 CHRIST AND THE COVENANT. [SfiR. 1.

That true love unto the person of Christ will make us re- joice in his personal exaltment, though it may be in some respects unto our debasement or present loss.

For the opening and prosecuting whereof,

First, We must inquire what there is in Christ's going to the Father that is matter of our rejoicing.

Secondly, I shall labour to shew you that it is our duty to rejoice in the personal exaltment of Christ, though in some respects it may be to our own loss and debasement.

Thirdly, That true love to the person of Christ will enable us to do this.

Fourthly, That it is possible that Christ's own and best disciples may be wanting in their love to Christ's person.

Fifthly, What an excellent thing it is to love the person of Christ rather than the benefits of Christ; to have our hearts drawn out in love to his person, more excellent than to have a love to him upon the account of benefits. And,

Sixthly, What we should do that our hearts may be drawn out in love to the very person of Christ, so as we may be able to rejoice in his exaltment though to our own debasement.

First, If you ask what there is in Christ's going to the Fa- ther that is matter of rejoicing, of a disciple's rejoicing.

I answer, Much every way. Much in reference to our own concernments; much in reference to the concernments of Christ; much in reference to the concernments of God the Father.

As for our own concernments.

If Christ had not gone unto the Father, his satisfaction for our sins had not been accepted, nor our redemption perfected. " Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us," Heb. ix. 12. It doth relate and allude unto the manner of the old testament: when the blood of goats and calves was poured out, the priest " took the blood and carried it into the holy of holiest, and sprinkled the mercy seat." But though the blood of bulls or calves had been poured out, yet if the priest had not carried it into the holy of holiest, the typical satisfaction and redemption had not been obtained. And so here, though the blood of Jesus had been shed, and poured out upon the cross, if he had not gone unto the Father, and carried his blood into

heaven, into the holy of holiest, his satisfaction for our sin had not been accepted, and our redemption had not been perfected.

If Christ had not gone unto the Father, he had not made the application of his death and blood and merits unto our souls. He came into the world that we should have repent- ance and remission. Both were purchased by his death. But now if he had not gone unto the Father there had not been an application. Both were purchased by his death on earth. But was the business so left at a loose? No, but by his going to the Father, what he purchased by his death, he doth apply. In Acts v. it is said, " Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins." So that had he not gone unto the Father, there had not been an applica- tion of his blood and death and merit unto our souls.

If Christ had not gone unto the Father, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, had not come. " If I go not away the Com- forter will not come." But why might not the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost, come, though Christ had been here on earth, if he had not gone unto the Father?

I answer, the gifts, graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost were the dona regia which were given oat upon the coronation of Christ; for by this going to the Father he was " crowned with glory and honour," as in Heb. ii. When the Holy Ghost comes, he doth bear witness to our spirits that we are the children of God, and God reconciled to us. But how should God give such a testimony of his reconciliation unto us, if Christ had not first gone into heaven and given up his accounts of what he had done here on earth. It is said ex- pressly in John vii. " This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." And if Jesus Christ had not gone unto the Father, and so sent the Spirit, how should we have known that he had so much care for us and love to us when he was in heaven as by the send- ing of the Holy Ghost. We are never more fit for the Holy Ghost than when we are weaned from the carnal presence of Christ. And therefore if Christ had not gone unto the Father, the Spirit, the Holy Ghost had not come.

If our Lord and Saviour Christ had not gone unto the

CHRIST AND THE COVENANT. [SfiB. 1.

Father, we should have had no advocate in heaven to plead our cause in heaven upon all occasions. It is a great matter, we say, to have a friend at court, an agent there that may plead for us. What a mercy is it to have an agent in heaven to negotiate our business there! Why now, saith the apostle, " If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." If Christ had not gone unto the Father, we had not had this Advocate in heaven to plead for us upon all occasions. And,

If Christ had not gone unto the Father, we should have no entrance into heaven. Heaven was locked up, the gates of paradise were shut, and kept by an angel with a flaming sword. This paradise was opened upon the cross: "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." And we enter into it by Christ's going into heaven, by his going into the holy of holiest. " I go to prepare a place for you; " not as sent before to take up your lodgings, but as one friend goes before another, to make a great entertainment for his friends. But, I say, if Christ had not gone unto the Father, we had had no entrance into heaven. Why now, is it not a matter of joy and of great comfort, that we have entrance into heaven; that the Comforter is come; that we have always one in hea- ven to plead our cause upon all occasions? These and many other things we obtain by Christ's going to the Father. This for our own concemment. And,

As for the concernment of Christ: by his going to the Father he was exalted and glorified (as Mediator I speak).

And if you ask what was the glory and greatness that was put upon Christ, as Mediator, by his going to the Father? It consists in two things: the royalty of his entertainment when he came unto his Father; and the greatness of his advancement.

And if you ask yet, what was the entertainment that he had when he came unto the Father?

Why, it was an entertainment suitable to such a Father, and to such a Son. When that great sinner, the prodigal, returned unto his father, " his father fell upon his neck and kissed him." Bring out the robes, kill the fatted calf, bring out the ring. And if such an entertainment for a prodigal son, what entertainment then for the natural Son of God, the obedient Son of God, that had been upon his

Father's great concernment in the world? Great was this entertainment surely, beyond all my expression. But now more particularly,

1. No sooner did he come into heaven unto his Father, but he was justified in all that which he did and suffered for us ; as you have it in the 1 Tim. iii. 16, " God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory/'

2. No sooner did he come unto the Father, but he was mightily declared to be the Son of God, as you have it in Rom. i. "Thou art my Son, this day (that is, upon the resur- rection) this day have I begotten thee." The apostle explains it concerning the resurrection in Acts xiii.

3. No sooner did he come unto the Father, but he was anointed with a new and fresh anointing, with the oil of gladness above all his fellows. For as David, the type, had a double anointing, one by the hand of Samuel, after which he was thrust out into the wilderness, and another at the day of his coronation ; so Christ typified had a double anointing, one upon his incarnation, in which respects he saith, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he hath anointed me to preach," and another upon his coronation, when he was crowned with glory and honour. And therefore in Heb. i., " He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows," comes in upon his exaltation. And,

4. No sooner did he come into the presence of his Father, but his Father said unto him, (< Sit thou down at my right- hand " the most honourable place in heaven : Sit thou at my right-hand, my Son. Why now is it not a matter of great rejoicing to us, that Christ going to heaven with our names upon his shoulder and heart, should have such an entertain- ment as this, such a welcome as this unto God the Father ?

But, what advancement had he upon his going to the Father?

Why, great was his advancement as Mediator.

For, 1. No sooner did he come unto the Father, but he was invested with all that glory that he had with God the Father from all eternity, which he had laid by and vailed, when he took our nature upon him; and therefore in John xvii, saith he, " And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thyself, with the glory which I had with thee before tha

8 CHRIST AND THE COVENANT. [SfiR. 1.

world was." No sooner did he come into heaven unto his Father, but he was invested with that glory again, that he had vailed to take our nature upon him.

2. No sooner did he come into the presence of his Father into heaven, but God commanded all the angels to worship him : " Worship him all ye angels."

3. No sooner did he come into the presence of his Father, to heaven, but he was made executor and administrator to his own will, to see that performed. We die and leave legacies, but cannot administer ourselves, nor be the execu- tors of our own wills ; but Christ lives for ever. " I was dead, but am alive." And when he came into heaven, God the Father made him executor to his own will ; and therefore saith he, " Ask the Father in my name, and whatever ye ask, that will I give you." ' Him hath God the Father exalted to give remission and repentance." Executor of his own will and testament.

4. No sooner did he come into heaven, into the presence of his Father, but he was made the great governor of all the world, and Head of the church. In Acts v., " Him hath God exalted with his right-hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour j" lord over all the world, and Saviour of the church. Agreeable to that in Eph. i. 20, " which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right-hand in the heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body ;" Prince and Saviour, Lord over all the world, and Saviour and Head unto the church.

5. And to say no more in it: No sooner did he come into the presence of God his Father, (that is, greater than he, as Mediator,) but God the Father did take him into fellowship in the matter of divine worship. Whether aye or no, Christ qua Mediator, or quia Mediator, be to be adored with divine worship, I will not now debate ; but whatsoever worship was due to God the Father, was given to Christ. " Confounded be all they that worship graven images ; worship him all ye gods." All divine worship due to God the Father, is given to him. Here is an advancement. Now is it not a matter

of great rejoicing, that Christ our Head should be thus advanced? Saith the emperor's wife, If thou be Caius, I am Caia; and, if Christ be king, the church is queen, Ps. xlv. Is it not, I say, a matter of great rejoicing, that Christ our Head should be thus advanced? Now thus he is advanced by his going to God the Father. Thus for the Son's con- cernment. But

What matter is there of rejoicing by Christ's going to the Father, in reference to the Father's concernment?

Much; saith Christ in John xiv. 13, " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." That will I do; I am now going from you, and if ye ask the Father in my name, that will I do. Why? not that the Son may be glorified only, but that the Father may be glorified.

Look when the great promise of the Father is fulfilled, then is the Father glorified. What is the great promise of the Father? Acts i. The coming of the Holy Ghost. By Christ's going to the Father comes the Holy Ghost: therein was the Father glorified then.

And look, when " Every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Lord, to the glory of the Father," then is the Father glorified. Now by Christ's going to the Father, being exalted, every tongue doth confess, that Jesus is the Lord, to the glory of the Father, as in Phil. ii.

And to say no more in it but this: look, when the great design of God upon the world is accomplished, and Christ the Son glorified, then is the Father glorified. Now by Christ's going to the Father, the great design of God is ac- complished, and the Son glorified. Thus we have cause ot rejoicing in reference to the concernment of God the Father: look where you will. Will you look into your own concern- ment; will you look into the concernment of Christ; will you look upon the concernment of God the Father? there is matter of our rejoicing in Christ's going to the Father. And so I have done with the first thing. But then,

Secondly, How ncay it appear that it is our work and duty, to rejoice in the personal exaltment of Christ, though in some respect it should be to our own debasement, or present loss?

Why you see what our Saviour saith here, " If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto the Father who is

10 CHRIST AND THE COVENANT. [SfiR. 1.

greater than I." You lose by my going you think; and in- deed in some respects you do. But however, it is your duty to rejoice, because it is for my personal exaltment: and you know what Paul saith in another case. Some preach Christ out of envy, and out of contention, and to add affliction to my bonds; but however, saith he, Christ is preached, " Christ is exalted, and therein I will rejoice:" I will rejoice though I be debased, so Christ may be exalted, I rejoice.

If that we are to praise God for the exaltment of Christ, then we are to rejoice therein; for praise and rejoicing go to- gether in scripture. Now though I cannot praise God and be thankful that God loves me, I may praise God for this, that the Father loves Christ, and be thankful for his love and his goodness to Christ. Christ praised God for our glory and happiness, though to his own debasement, why should not we praise God for his exaltment, though it be to our debasement.

If I am to mourn for sin, because it is a dishonour to God, though the sin be to my own profit, then I am to praise God and Christ for his glory, though it may be in some respects to my prejudice.

But besides this, the more communicative any good is, the more we may and should rejoice therein. There is abundance of light in the sun, but if the sun be not up and ascended, it cannot give light unto all the world: so now, though there be light in Christ, able to enlighten all the world, yet if this sun be not up, he cannot give light to all the world: but being now ascended, he is able to give forth his beams of light unto all the world.

But you will say; how may it appear, that Christ will be as gracious and communicative in his love unto us now in heaven, as he would have been had he been here on earth?

You know what he said when he was here on earth, " And let him that is athirst come/' John vii. 37- " In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying; If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." Now he is in heaven, look into the book of the Revelation, which he speaks from heaven, he speaks more than that, " And let him that is athirst come," there is that, " And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely," here is more now he is in heaven.

And I pray, when did our Lord and Saviour Christ, wash his disciples' feet; give the glorious testimony of his condes- cending love unto his disciples, than when he was going to the Father? f< Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God: he arose from supper, and laid aside his gar- ments, and tok a towel and girded himself." Knowing that all power was given into his hand, he gives that reason: he did thus condescend in this way of love, knowing that all power was given into his hand.

Now that he is in heaven, all power is given into his hand, and therefore now certainly he will be as gracious, and com- municative in his love and goodness, as if he had been here on earth; and rather over and above. Surely therefore it is our work and our duty to rejoice in this exaltment of Christ, though in some respects it may be to our debasement, or present loss. But then

Thirdly, How shall we do this ?

Why, true love to the person of Christ will enable us to do this: it will enable us to rejoice in the personal exaltment of Christ, though it may be to our own present loss and abase- ment. It is a sweet thing to the lover, to suffer for the per- son loved: that is, where love is fixed upon the person, and not upon the benefits, if love be fixed upon the benefit, it is not so, but if upon the person it is so: so if our love be fixed upon the person of Christ, this love will enable us to rejoice in the exaltment of Christ, though it be in our own de- basement: Christ rejoiced in our exaltment, though it was to his own debasement. Why? Because he loved our per- sons, " who loved us, and gave himself for us," so that true love unto the person of Christ, will make us rejoice in his exaltment, though it may be to our own present debasement.

You will say then, How few are there that do love Christ indeed: Christ is hardly loved for Christ: Christ himself is hardly loved for himself: to love the person of Christ, how few are there that do that. And so I come unto the fourth thing.

Fourthly, It is possible that Christ's own disciples may be wanting in their love to Christ's person. It is somewhat strange this: If a prince or nobleman should take a poor woman, a beggar off the dunghill, and marry her, it would be

somewhat strange, that she should not love his person. If he should not love her, you would think it so strange: if Boaz should not love Ruth, you would not have thought it so strenge, but that Ruth should not love the person of Boaz, this may seem strange: so now, such beggars were we, when the Lord came and took us off the dunghill, and said, Now is a time of love. If the Lord Jesus should not love our per- sons, it would not seem so strange; but that we should be wanting in our love to the person of Christ, this is strange: yea friends, it is possible that Christ's own disciples may be wanting in their love to the person of Christ.

They may be wanting in the manner of their love to Christ's person.

They may be wanting in the measure of their love to Christ's person.

" If ye loved me," saith he, and yet they left all to follow him: possibly then, the best disciples of Christ, the best men may be wanting in their love to the person of Christ. To make this out a little to you.

The more we love the person of Christ, the more diligent and observant we shall be in keeping Christ's commandments, that are properly his. " If ye love me, keep my commandments." Why now, how many are there of God's own people, that are too negligent in keeping Christ's commandments; the commandment of love, the institutions of Christ: and why so, but because they are wanting in their love to the person of Christ, " If ye love me, keep my commandments."

If a good man may be wanting in his zeal for Christ, possibly he may be wanting in his love to Christ's person: what is zeal, but fired love, inflamed love, angered love? Now possibly a man that loves Christ in truth, may be want- ing in his zeal. Old Eli loved God, without all doubt, and yet he was wanting in his love to God. Peter loved Christ, " Thou knowest that I love thee," and yet wanting in his love by denying of Christ. Good men may be wanting in their zeal for Christ. Why? But because they are wanting in their love to the person of Christ.

The more a man loves the person of Christ, the more he doth love the servants, the people of Christ. It was a good speech of Jerom, when there was a difference between Austin