shining forth of Gods most free and infinite grace unto men and Angels here and hereafter which as our Saviours expression is to all single-eyed beholders is obvious to be discerned yea there is no part of the foundation or fabrick of the whole work wherein it doth not wonderfully shine out to such soules in their better temper at least which if it do not unto any at least when they are themselves it is because they are not as in the Text transformed into the same Image if the glory shining in the work of the Creation when that was finished was the reason then wherefore the Lord blessed the seaventh Day Sabbath and hallowed it that his people might have a weekly opportunity to worship and celebrate his praise for the innumerable benefits conferred on them by Creation then how much more may the glory shining much more brightly when Christ Jesus our Lord having finished the whole work of redemption by his resurrection gloriously triumphed over all adverse powers of darkness occasion him the Lord of the Sabbath to put it over to the first day and is justly therefore by his holy spirit intitled to himself the Lords day our Christian Sabbath Rev. 1. 10. even when in the highest raptures he communicated so divinely to that beloved Disciple the great things to be accomplished in reference to the Church and her enemies to the end of the world now as the perfected glory of the Saints hereafter shall swallow up the inchoate glory here or as the glory of the Lord our redeemer seems to ecclypse the lustre of the glory of the Lord our Creator as the shining light of the sun doth the brightness of the Moon when they appear both together in our hemisphere even so is the glorious forme and beauty of this work transcendently above the other Fifthly The largeness of the time or continuance allotted for this work above all the other excellent illustrations of it First Creatio fit in instanti so the Learned Creation is done in an instant the whole work was finished and celebrated in a weeks space at first sustentation is the continuance of that for a limited time and Gubernation here is but while this course of nature or Creatures or rather supportation in their rankes from God is so variously disposed of in such wonderful manner after the good pleasure of his will but the time allotted for the contriving effecting applying confirming carrying on and perfecting this most glorious work of Gospel grace is not only a long time but all time and not only time but eternity too yea all eternity in reference to the eternal and coequal Trinity of persons in the unity of the divine nature Now this illustration of the length of time for raysing a work may more clearly appear from a threefold evidence First of nature the baser sort of creatures soon come to their height of stature as is observable in varieties of sorts of plants and beasts and fowls Secondly in Reason the more excellent the nature of a work and the more accurately it is to be wrought the longer time is required to provide for it to accomplish it Thirdly in experience both of Nature Art by all which the long continuance for the raysing of this work may be manifest above all the rest which is an other of its excellencies unto which let us now adde the Sixt Namely in regard of the way and manner of the raysing of this work by the constant shining out of the wonderful glory of the Father Son and Holy ghost all the time it is in raysing Oh the unspeakeable splendor of the wisdome and power of the grace and goodness of the mercy and truth in reference to all the holy persons in that undivided Trinity made evident therein from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof in such glorious mnnifestations continually breaking forth through all successions of Ages as can never be sufficiently admired nor much less celebrated with praises both from men and Angels in all things that concern the way and manner of the revealing exhibiting as will be of the perfecting of that most precious grace from and by those sacred persons derived Whether we respect the sufficiency the sureness the efficacy the happiness in such way and manner continually held out and communicated unto the world First sufficient to make up all the Creatures wants to answer all their doubts Secondly Sure to remove all their fears settle all desirable security to them Thirdly Effectually to carry on against all obstacles and to accomplish all and more then they could hope for or desire Fourthly To administer what ever good they are capable of receiving to make them perfectly blessed let your thoughts be inlarged upon these particulars I must leave them as the dry bones in Ezekiels Prophesie till the Spirit causeth flesh to come upon them to cover them for I feare to be tedious even in a subject so precious and pleasant to such as have interest in it but therefore not pleasant unto others because they find not any to themselves yea they know it not and therefore they desire it not yea they are not willing to know it least they must loose those Idols wherein they take more pleasure But thus much at presenâ— of Gods own undertaking in the most sutable manner to all his own most blessed purposes respecting both himself and his creatures according to his own good pleasure as we shall indeavour afterwards to shew and is evident from all passages to this purpose in holy writ unspeakeably above what is to be found in any other his great and glorious works here being a way for the magnifying of the riches of his free grace only revealed in his word which is therefore magnifyed above all his name as the Psalmist saith remarkably Ps 138. in such a concurrence of all Divine excellencies as is no where else to be found since there and there only we have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Seaventhly In regard of the subordinate meanes of raising up this work not here to speak of the chief the holy Spirit as proceeding from the Father and the Son for we shall have occasion to speak of him afterwards as the Lord the Spirit the prime efficient cause of the efficaciousness of all other meanes but only of his inferior means such as Angels men extraordinarily inspired ordinarily qualified ordinances sanctified and providences and many other means oâ— Creatures sometime at his pleasure blessed to be in some sort instrumental in this work For sometimes to use Angels in it was an honour to it but to have used them alwayes would have been terrible to weak and fraile Creatures besides otherwise incommodious to them when as to use mans ministry is natural familiar affecting as being of the same nature and lyable to the same miserie capable of the same happiness
and to my present more soundly intelligent or tractable hearers at my Lecture at Baldock grace truth and glory from God the Father through his Beloved Sonne and by the Lord the Spirit now and for ever CHristian Reader who ever thou art I wish thee a no less affecting discovery of Gospel glorie unto thy Soul in the reading of these Sermans then I have found in the preaching and transcribing of them for these are the times foretold Isa 11. 9. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea though men are such High-landers they care not for comming near the bankes of such waters nor the margins of such books which as Conduite pipes would convey those waters to them As unthankefull Israel of old they loath Gods heavenly Manna though Angels foode falling neer their tents be it never so strengthning wholsome or pleasant their pallats being distempered they are not pleased with it but they will have quailes though they have a plague to boote with them for while the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them Psal 78. 30 31. If men loath Gods delicates and begin to surfeit of their own superfluities it may be expected that he come to them as a skilfull Physitian and give them a strong purge and make the chosen or young men of Israel to bowe as the words signifie and well will it be with them on whom it workes a cure to rectifie their taste and affect their soules with the bread of life I offer thee here but a small demensum or cantling of this bread thou art not like to surfeit by it and if thy taste agree with mine I think thou wilt not loath it it was cordiall to my own soule as made of the kidneys of Gods own wheate his glorious grace being the subject of it And for you my well beloved and worthy friends who formerly had by my weak hand the substance of these delighting and inlightening truths pointed out in some sort unto you happilie they were not by meanes of the craft of Satan then so much regarded or since considered by you and I am conscious to my self that they were neither then so largely or perspicuously set before you as here you may have them if God give them enterance into your soules I hope you may say with me you discearne them better then you did before And you my more late and more soundly intelligent hearers supposing you to be such as thirst after true grace and upon that account desire your share in the discovery of gospel Glory I must acknowledge there hath been a threesold obstacle thereof in my Late preaching of this and other subjects to you namely a dark pulpet a dim sight and a weake memory though all graciously supplied both then and now by the assistance of a good God to which I may add a fourth perhaps the ground too of all the former to wit the great imbeeilitie and weakness of my animal spirits and declining state of body by years and labours with much variety of afflictions troubles and vanities of this present world much decayed and wasted were not my defects frequently supplyed in my service by my almighty and heavenly father so that I might say with our Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 10. That when I am weake then am I strong namely through my God for otherwise I have unspeakeably more cause with him to say though I be nothing vers 11. sutable to an observation of an old disciple declared in my hearing in the presence of many grave learned and religious persons as found most remarkeable from all his long experience namely that God was all and he was nothing which excellent lesson who so rightly learn though they be nothing yet they both are and shall be the better in Gods account because they so know this and acknowledge it for if God be no loser at their hands they may be sure they shall be no loser at his hands who delights to put his most precious treasure in empty vessels filling the hungry with good things Luke I. whilest many wise in their own eyes are meer fools in Gods whilst many rich in their own conceit are found by Christ as the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. to be poore naked and miserable But to you my more weak but teachable hearers let me say a word to prevent your prejudice perhaps you may stumble at some passages exprest in unknown tongues to you first let me tell you sometimes such expressions by such as understand them I doubt not but will be acknowledged as observable or of special force again some are more pertinent and occasionally delivered the Apostle Paul disdained not to quote Heathen Authors recorded in the sacred Scripture in their own language but more especially let me informe you if you be indeed teachable that I have indeavoured to prevent your disadvantage thereby by explaning usually after them the words or sence in your native language so that you need but pass by those unknown expressions and still you have the sence and then they will be in effect to you as if they had not been at all and so with my prayers for you and all other right Christian readers of this my weak outward indeavour to promote the discovery of gospel Glory unto you unto him who undertakes this work effectually by blessing his own meanes even the Lord the Spirit as in the Text that you and all they may have all the good thereby which is intended unto those upon whose souls God is pleased to set home such truths for their spiritual advantag and godly edifying by reducing them from error convincing them of truth inciting them to good reclaiming them from sin for the better information of their understandings inflaming their affections with what is spiritually good conforming their wills to his revealed will reforming their whole conversations according to his appointment and with and above all such a transformation of their souls into the same Image as in the Text that in the end that real transformation in the state of Grace in such soules may in Gods good time be perfected in the consummation of glory with him in his everlasting kingdome there to be rendring to him that glory which is his due to all eternity which will be the perfection of their happiness there so prayes Your soules weake yet desirous to be their faithful Servant in the things of the Lord. W. Sherwin COurteous Reader be pleased to take notice that this small Treatise being about to come forth divers moneths agoe was stopped by the sudden death of the first undertaker of the publishing thereof by which meanes those into whose hands the Copy thereof did fall not having the directions left by the Author with the deceased party and another reverend and judicious friend that had promised the oversight of the press who upon either the omission or mistake of some
in some sort before hinted in the Text but to keep to those that are more pertinent and more naturally held out in it And first from the object of this Discovery The Glory of the Lord Observe That the grace of God revealed in the Gospel of his Sonne and conveyed to and conferred upon his Saints by the holy Ghost is Emphatically his Glory That is the greatest manifestation of his glory in this world or Thus more briefly Gospel grace is Gods greatest glory manifest to his true Church upon earth None in the earth like it to none is it discovered like as unto them which affords unto us our next Observation from the subjects in whom this discovery is made we all namely Secondly Observe That all they and only they that are renewed after that same image fore-described have this discovery rightly made unto them Thirdly from the modification of this discovery to them both wayes Observe That though such persons doe behold this Glory of the Lord with open face yet it is but as in a Glasse or Ridle Fourthly from the Efficient cause or author of such discovery Observe That in whatsoever manner or degree all such persons doe behold this Glory of the Lord it is all from the most powerfull and gracious work of the Lord the Spirit Before we come to speak of any of these we shall first take notice of the reference of these words to the Context unto which we are led by the Adversative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we all c. Whereby what followes in the Text is brought in by way of dissimilitude of what was found in Moses Ministration that whereas that was inglorious and dark in respect of this under the Gospel this is otherwise whence observe That the discovery of the mysterie of salvation under the New Testament is a much more excellent and cleare discovery then what was under the Old Testament Although God even in the Ministration of the Old Testament gave then unto his people what ever was necessary for the salvation of all the faithfull he being no lesse the Author of that then of what he hath since more clearely exhibited in the New and since the substance of the grace and salvation conferred upon all true beleevers both then and since is the same yea and the severall ordinances when he pleased were aequè efficacious to the due attenders on them though happily not aequaliter yea since the Spirit of God gives an honour yea glory to them as such in their season untill his most Soveraigne Authoritie laid them aside we may not deny it unlesse as in the case the Apostle speaks of they be sinistrously perverted to Eclypse the just glory of Gospel grace but as the account was given by the Ancients why the Jewish Sabbath was for a time observed together with the Christian Sabbath Quia vetus Synagoga cum honore erat sepelienda so of all Ordinances under the Old Testament in their ceasing yea the Apostle in this Chapter though he justly ascribes a greater glory to the Ministration of the new yet he acknowledgeth the due glory that was in the former as is evident it was glorious saith he ver 7. yea glory in the abstract ver 9. was made glorious ver 10. Yea Moses himselfe that received againe the second time the Moral Law then againe restored for the use of Gods people after the first Sculpture thereof had not without mysterie been broken by his own weaknesse to be as the Apostles phrase is their School-master even then to bring them to Christ yet then even Moses had such an outward glory remaining upon his face Exod 34. 29 33. that as our Apostle in the 13 ver speaketh he put a vaile over his face for that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly look unto the end yea this Minister of this Moral Law was all along glorious by eminent corruscations of divine grace towards in upon and by him First being wonderfully delivered from killing and drowning being a new-borne babe Secondly honourably liberally and learnedly educated in his youth that as he in the old and this our Apostle in the new Testament might afford some honour unto such ordinary helps under both administrations according to their subordinate nature and use But more especially in him when he was carried with zeale and confidence to manifest himself eminently to be Gods means to bring them out of Egypt and so selfe-denying in such a cause that by the strength of his faith as the Apostle Heb 11. shews That he refused to be called the son of Pharoahs daughter and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season And did not God doe as great things by him in Egypt in the red Sea and in the Wildernesse both before and in his Legal Ministration But I may not here particularize but leave it to abler pens or more skilfull Pilots to steere that Ship in its right channel with our Apostle here to advance true Gospel grace though I must not forget the honour of his divine buriall after the manifestation of his humane frailtie and that in such a compassionate and fatherly manner admonishing and directing to the preparation thereof Goe up to Mount Nebo and dye as if with David that other man after Gods own heart he had been only to climbe up to the usuall bed of repose But as this penman so likewise that Law it selfe that he delivered in the delivery of it seemeth to have in divers respects a Gospel glory put upon it to shew that Gospel grace was then to make it up and perfect it because otherwise it was weak by reason of sin and it to be subservient to Gospel grace whence may appeare that it was not a making a Covenant of works with the faithfull people of God but an advancing of the old Covenant of works in what it was weak to the promoting of the perfection and excellency of the new Covenant of grace and this will be further manifest First in that God owns his people as Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's Posterity and himselfe to be the Lord their God according to the tenour of it Secondly in that he is said to deliver them out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage which mystically denoted the spirituall deliverance out of the spirituall bondage of sin and Satan that he might wonderfully conduct them through the wildernesse of this troublesome world till he bring them to the possession of the celestiall Canaan And together with this Evangelicall delivery of the Law he gave them many Ordinances holding out and conveying unto the faithfull amongst them his Gospel grace by the Messiah that was to come beside the glorious manner and familiar way of delivering them such spirituall grace talking with Moses face to face as a man talketh with his friend all which may abundantly set forth if duly weighed the gloriousnesse of
Ephphatha be ye opened but it may be thou art dumb too and canst not speak unto him get him to touch the tyed strings of thy tongue likewise that they may be loosed but being blind deaf and dumb too thou wilt say how shall I find him how shall I come at him how shall I make any application to him for his help Ans Call for his embassadours or come to his stewards his messengers make thy case known to them take their direction or advice and use their help and walk on in all the wayes of Christ with them accordingly they will bring thee to the place where Christ keeps his Mart for the cure of all thy spiritual diseases and infirmities they are thy brethren they have love towards thy soul they are compassionate they have a fellow-feeling of thy condition they are men that have like passions as other mens and therefore know how to shew compassion towards their brethren they have had experience many times both of the sence of thy condition and of their own cure they have sometimes frequented Christs Marts long and perhaps have much helped off with his commodities unto others however they are willing and ready many times to conduct thee and it is their office to instruct thee in the way and to intreate for thee yea and to plead for thee too if need be that Christ should either take thee in hand or goe on and perfect his cure begun upon thy soule and to beseech the Lord the Spirit to make a right home and effectuall application of all Christs Physick to compleat the cure And remember that by the way which even the better part of men in the world have much forgotten of late yeares That they are an Ordinance of Christ appointed by himselfe to be used by all his people to the end of the world and they are many times good friends in the Court of heaven and may much prevaile for thee if thou wilt duly use them they have authoritie from Christ and therefore they may be bold and couragious in this worke besides the experience they get and feele more and more of his goodnesse Yea let me tell thee thou hast no other meanes whereby thou mayst expect to be helped in the businesse of thy soules sound cure if thou wilt neglect them and reject them For how canst thou heare without a preacher Rom 10. 14. Object But times and places may not happily afford such for many may not be qualified with gifts and graces as such if some have gifts they may be depraved in their lives yea ordinances may be disgraced with mixtures of heaven and earth together of Gods and mans constitutions in the world Answ The case will then indeed be hard for as the Eunuch in the case of his own conversion said unto Philip Acts 8. 31. How can I understand except some man guide me yet God can in such a case as he did to him send such a Messenger one of a thousand and indeed his grace never brings to the birth but he will give strength to bring forth by what ever way or meanes the seed thereof hath been sowne it will surely spring up But for Messengers altogether unqualified either with gifts or graces or both where any such offer themselves they are not Gods Men will not imploy a Physician or Lawyer so called when they know they have no skill in their profession and surely men ought to be more choice for the health of their soules than of their bodily health or the right of their outward estate But if they be outwardly qualified authorized and have suitable gifts They sit as our Saviour said of the Scribes and Pharisees in Moses chaire all therefore they say from Gods authoritie heare but if they be depraved in life then againe doe not after their workes as he goes on if they will binde burthens upon men not to be borne Mat 23. 2. as the teachers of the Law Luk 11. 46. There is a woe denounced against them by Christ himself for so doing If there be mixtures of Ordinances whilst they be but of circumstantiall things when all the essentialls of Gods institutions stand intire neglect not duties upon small discouragements but if persons practises Ordinances be so depraved that Gods rules are so infringed his faithfull servants so justly scandalized that they have cause with those in the time of the Ministration of Elies wicked sonnes to loath the offerings and services of the Lord the peoples condition is then very grievous but such Teachers condition is if not altogether so desperate as Elies said sonnes yet at least very dangerous if reformation be not hastened but in this kinde there will be great need many times to seek for particular speciall advise and counsell both from God and his faithfull Embassadours when he affords advantage for it wherein who so humbly and faithfully seek unto him are not like to be disappointed For he that will doe the will of God shall know the doctrine whether it be of him or whether men speak of themselves Jo 7. 17. But when in Israel the contemptible of the people were made Priests and the golden Calves upon politique considerations were set up in Dan Bethel so to busie Israel with home-spunne worship that they might not goe into Judea or unto Jerusalem unto the true worship and that they approved and practised it did foreshew and justly caused Israel to be led into captivitie by the King of Assyria But what ever discouragements thou meetest with from men never give over thy humble and faithfull addresses to Christ to discover his Gospel glory unto thee and if men hinder or faile thou wilt finde he will the more help he can send an extraordinary Messenger as Philip to the Eunuch he can make a little meanes help much in mixtures he can make the good profitable and the mixture of men to vanish as nothing he can speak himselfe unto thy soul as to Saul in an evill course and send thee to an Ananias to help thee whom thou never knewest before in seeking to behold this Glory God will not reject thee as he did Moses in seeking to see his essentiall glory Exod 33. 20 23. but seeking it earnestly and faithfully as there is all reason thou shouldest thou shalt be sure to finde it effectually Secondly This is to discover the great condemnation of the world that then when such light such glorious Gospel light is come into the world men yet love darknesse more than light yea they are such Moules burrowed in the bowells of the earth that they cannot either see or desire neither are they willing to see the bright beames of this light shine they never so clearely yea the brighter they shine the lesse they desire them the lesse they discerne them their owle-eyes cannot indure to behold the Sunne their delight is in darknesse in the wayes of darknesse in the workes of darknesse and for the most part chuse rather to