have his Spirit 3 3 Put case what Christ would doe Motives to follow Christs example Gal. 2. The example of Christ doth stir up to liberality and bounty The equity of the duty on this ground 1 1 Their relation to us 2 2 The grace of God to us To imitate Christ in the manner of doing good to others 1 1 Speedily 2 2 Cheerfully 3 3 Inwardly Micah 6 4 4 That it is ours 5 5 Seasonably Comfort of works of mercy before death 1 1 An argument of faith 2 2 The benefit of others prayers 3 3 Wâ— see it well bestowed 6 6 Constantly Caution to give with discretion Psal. 112. Quest. Answ. In necessity we must give to all But especially to the good Salvian Object Answ. Those that give not to Christians would not to Christ himself Matth 25. Object Answ. Liberality provides for posterity Psal. 112. It makes comfortable in death Negligence of duties troubles at death Contents of the prophesie Scope of the Text. Parts of the Text. Obser. There is a difference of people Observ. 3. God will have some in the worst times Reas. It is an Article of our faith Reas. 2. The world should not stand else Vse Comfort that God shall have a Church after we are gone Goâ—s children but few Rom. 11. Vse To examin eâ—f we be of those few Vse 2. Thankfulnesse Observ. God hath a speciall care of those that are his Instances of Gods care Rev. 7. Ezek. 9.4 Mal 3. Object Answ. Gods children suffer sometimes in common judgements Comfort against â—l times Quest. Answ. Promises and prophesies performed by degrees Vers. 13. Doct. Gods Church and Children afflicted in this world Act. 9. Reas. 1. To conforme us to Christ. Reas 2 We cannot beaâ—e prosperity Simâ—le Psal. 119. Vse To justifie God in our abasement Why he joyns afflicted and Poore Phil. 4. Doct. Outward poverty sanctified helps poverty of spirit What poore here meant Reas. 1. Poverty and affliction takes away the fuell of pride Simile Afflictions bring us to God Vse 1. The poysonfull nature of man that defiles it selfe in blessings Vse 2. Abasements sanctified come from Gods love Vse 2 To examine if crosses humble us Simile Vse 3. Not despise the poore Simile Observ. Providence serves predestination Vse â—o bâ—esse God for taking as wâ—ll as for gâ—ving Spirituall poverty What it is not What it is 2 2 Degrees of this poverty Before we are in Christ. Instances of this poverty Adam Prodigall Evidences of this preparative poverty 1 1 Conviction of our naturall condition Iohn 16. 2 2 Sight of emptinesse in all things 3 3 Desire of grace châ—â—fly 4 4 Earnestnesse 5 5 Abasing himselfe Matth. 5. Necessity of this poverty of spirit 1 1 Else we will not repaire to Christ. 2 2 Not thankfull 3 3 Not fruitfull 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 15. 4 4 The want of it the ground of apostacy 5 5 It is the cause of all miscarriage 2 2 Spirituall poverty after conversion In all passages of our life 1 1 In justification Phil. 3. 2 2 In sanctification Iohn 1. 2 Cor. 15. Poverty of spirit needfull to every holy action Simile Reason of the fals of Gods children Wee cannot pray for grace of ourselves Augustin Spirituâ—ll poverty needfull in actions of this life Spirituall poverty in suffering Signes of poverty of spirit 1 1 Prayer 2 2 Vse of meanes 3 3 Thankfulnâ—â—se 4 4 Selfe-denyall Feare of offending God 5 5 Tractable 6 6 Vpbraids not others 7 7 Most humbled for spirituall wants Vse To labour for spirituall poverty Caution Not to deny the worke of grace How to come to spirituall poverty To come into Gods presence 2 2 Consider we are creatures A Christian hath all from Christ. 3 3 Present to our selves abasing considerations 1 1 For the time past 2 2 For the present 3 3 For the time to come What our profession requires Two graces alwayes requisite Observ. God is trusted as knowne Observ. God must be trusted in Faith the nature of it What means by trust here God how conceived the object of trust Evidence of trust in God 1 1 A care to please him 2 2 Vse of means 3 3 It quiets the soule Psal. 43. How faith quiets the Soule Psal. 112. Faith keepes outbase feares 5 5 A relying on God without meanes Esay 50.10 6 6 To trust God for all things 1 1 With good name 2 2 To right his cause 3 3 With posteâ—ity Psal 24. 4 4 With good Workes 5 5 With direction of our wayes Pro. 3.5 6 6 With our souls at the houre of death How to come to trust in God To learne to know God In his word Psal 9 In his attributes Psal. 46. Psal. 36. Experimentall kâ—owledge Psal. 22.4 5 Psal 71. 2 2 To be acquainted with God Pro. 1. Iudges 10. 2 Cor. 1. Heb. 13. 3 3 To exercise trust upon all occasions Psal. 62. Verse 6. 4 4 To be pooâ—e in spirit 5 5 Get sanctification 6 6 Prudence Ier. 17.
world he is worthy of all praise and honour we should honour the Father and honour the Sonne and the holy Spirit that applyes the good we have by Christ to us When we glorifie God let us glorifie Christ too Who together with the Father is to be glorified because it was his grace to give him selfe he made himselfe poore for us We cannot honour the Father more then by honouring the Sonne for God the Father will be seene in his Sâ—nne as the Apostle saith In Christ we behold the glory of God therefore what he saith of Christ here tends to the glory of the Father Christ not only as God is gracious and was willing to the woâ—k of salvation but as the meritorious cause of the grace of his Father for grace should not have beene derived to us from the Father unlesse first it had beene seated on Christ in our nature and in him derived to us The worke of salvation as it is from Christ so it is from the grace of Christ therefore it was free and voluntary what so free as grace Therefore Christs abasement and poverty it was meerely voluntary if it had not beene voluntary it had not beene meritorious and satisfactory It was a free-will offering it was of grace not forced and commanded without his owne consent it was meerely of grace for our good and salvation that we might have the more comfort it was a free-will offering He seemed as man to decline death to shew the truth of his manhood but when againe he considered wherefore his Father sent him Not my will but thine be done and with joy With a desire have I desired to eat my last Passeover with you and I have a baptisme and how am I payned till I bee baptized with it How ever to shew the truth of his manhood he feared Death yet when he considered what he was sent for it was with a resignation to the Divine Nature so it was a free-will offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smel to God the Father Therefore when wee thinke of Christ let us thinke of no thing but grace or when we think of Heaven or of any blessing by Christ al comes under the notion of grace because all comes from meere favour There are foure descents of grace First grace as it is in God and Christ in their owne breasts the favour of God resting in his own bosome And then this grace and favour shewed in grace that is in habituall grace in bestowing grace upon our natures to sweeten and sanctifie it to fit it for communion with God And then actuall grace the movings of the Spirit to every good worke to every action of grace And then every gift of God every blessing as a grace because it riseth from grace as we say of the gifts of a great person this is his grace or favour so every good thing we have is a grace It is the favour of God in Christ that sweetneth all let us labour to see grace in all especially the fundamental grace the favour of God and of Christ the cause of all And let us see any grace in us as from that grace and every good act wee doe a grace from meere favour and every blessing wee have is a grace if our hearts be good as the Apostle cals the Macedonians benevolence a grace every thing that is good is a grace Therefore not unto us not unto us but unto thy name be the glory both of thy favour and of al that comes from it all that we have is sweet because it issues from grace The favour in the thing is better then the thing it selfe as we say of gifts we care not for the gift but for the love of him that gave it so the good things that we have are not so sweet as the favour of him that gives it when we deserve not so much as daily bread but that also is of grace The sourse and spring of all that is in us is free grace in the breast of God and Christ. In the controversie between us and the Papists when we say we are justified by grace we must not understand it of inherent grace whereby our natures are sanctified and that but in part but it is meant of the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and the free grace of Christ in his owne breast Let us take heed that we build not our justification and salvation upon a false title the title is the grace of Christ and of God the Father Now the grace we have in Christ in the breast of God is either the good will of God whereby he is disposed to give Christ and to doe all good to us there is no cause of that at all Christ as God joynes with the Father in that grace which is Amor benevolentiae the grace of good will Christ as Mediator is the effect of that grace But then there is the grace of complacency whereby God delights in us this is bestowed upon the creature in effectuall calling then God shewes the grace of delighting in us ingrafting us into Christ by faith for though before all worlds God had a purpose to doe good to us yet that is concealed till we beleeve As water that runs under ground it is hid a long time till it break out suddenly and then we discover that there was a streame runne under ground as Arethusa and other Rivers so it is with the favour of God from eternity it runnes under ground till we be called we see not Christs good wil to us but when we beleeve become one w th Christ God lookes upon us with the love of complacency with the same love wherewith he loves Christ because we are in Christ as it is in Iohn 17. I in them and they in me God loves the head and members with the same love Christ as God was freely disposed to choose men but Christ as Mediator continues this favour and mercy of God when we are grafted into him to shine on us continually It is this second that we must labour for as a fruit of the first Let us labour not only to know that there was an eternall love of God to some that are his but labour by faith in Christ to know that he shines upon us in Christ and all other graces within us and all other gifts are from this first grace therefore they have the name Why doe we call Faith Hope and Love graces but because they issue from the mercy and favour and love of God in Christ and as I said before why doe we call any benefit we have a grace because it comes from grace all good things have the terme of grace on them to shew the Spring from whence they come I will not enter into dispute with points of Popery that stincks now in the nostrils of every man that hath but the use of ordinary reason it is so full of folly and blasphemy
I will trust him for a shilling He that pretends he will trust God God will save me God is mercifull and yet notwithstanding will not trust him for common things it is an abusive delusion and flatering of his owne soule in vaine there is no such trust in him because he that trusts God for the maine will trust him for the lesse Therefore true trust is for all things he that trusts God for forgivenesse of sinnes which is the maine and hath wrestled with God for the forgivenesse of sinnes and found peace with God there he will easily wrestle in other baser and lesse temptations As God saith to Iacob Thou art Israel thou hast prevailed with God and shalt prevaile over men so a true Christian that in the grand point of forgivenesse of sinnes when his conscience is surprized with the feare of Gods wrath hath gotten assurance of the pardon of his sinnes when hee is to set upon other lesser temptations he overcomes them easily Therefore a Christian will trust God as for forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting so with his good name Oh will some say you will be reported of thus thus he cares not he knowes the cause is just he will trust his good name with God Who will bring a mans righteousnesse forth cleare as the noone day as David speakes He that will not trust God with his good name is of a base spirit and feare of disgrace keepes many men from many just actions He that truly trusts God will trust him with the righting of his cause hee will not pull Gods office out of his hands he will not revenge himselfe but he will trust God God certainly will right me first or last he will only use the legall meanes and that quietly But a man that is not acquainted with the Spirit of God is presently moved with revenge and hath not learned to overcome himselfe in this conflict A man hath gone indeed very far in religion that can conquer himselfe in this conflict that can trust his cause with God when he is wronged and overcome by might c. So our Saviour Christ committed his cause to him that was able to judge righteously Every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ hee when hee was reviled retorted not againe but committed the cause to him that was able to judge righteously Shall I be able to commit my soule to God in the houre of death and shall I not in case of revenge be able to commit my case to God when I have done that that peaceably I may doe I may suspect that I am but yet an hypocrite I have not true trust in God Againe he that hath learned truly to trust God for the grand maine matters he will trust him likewise with his posterity with his children without using indirect meanes to make them rich as if they could not be blessed unlesse they have such a portion put into their hand when we dye as 〈◊〉 God had not stock enough for them for the Earth is thâ— Lords and the fulnesse therof And he is the God of the faithfull and of their seed Is he so Then let us labour to leave our children in covenant leave them in a gracious frame and state of soule that they may be Gods children and then wee leave them rich for we leave them God alsufficient to be their portion Therefore those that pretend I do this but for my posterity and children when they are unjust and unconscionable in their getting they make this defence for their unbeliefe if they had true faith as they trust God with their soules as they pretend at least so they would with their children and posterity Againe he that trusts God truly will trust God with his gifts with the distribution of his almes with parting with that hee hath for the present when hee sees it like seed cast upon the water When seed is cast upon the water we are like never to se ti againe Oh but saith the Wise man Cast thy bread upon the water and thou shall see it after a certaine time He that hath learned to trust God will beleeve this though he cast away his bounty yet he hath cast it upon God and Christ that will returne it againe he knowes he doth but lend to the Lord. Therefore those that thinke their bounty and almes and good deeds to bee lost because they see not a present returne a present crop of that seed they have not a Spirit of trust in God for he that hath will endeavour to be rich in good workes nay he will account it a spâ—ciall favour a grâ—ater favour to have a heart to doe good then to have meanes A reprobate may have meanes abundance to doe good but only a childe of God hath a heart to doe good and when he hath gotten a large and gracious heart to doe good it pleaseâ—h him then he sees he hath an evidence that he is the childe of God he knowes he shall not lose a cup of cold water not the least thing that he doth in the name of Christ The apprehension of this should make us more fruitfull and abound in the worke of the Lord. It is for want of trust and faith that we are so barren as we are in good workes Againe he that will trust God with the greatest matters will trust God with his wayes for direction he will not trust his owne wit and wisdome but God God shall be wise for him â—e will fâ—llow Gods directions and whatsoever â—s contrary to Gods direction hee will not doe hee will acknowledge God in all his wayes Prov. 3.5 Acknowledge God in all thy wayes acknowledge him to be thy guide thy defender thy light to direct thee acknowledge him to be able and willing to give thee successe acknowledge God in all thy wayes and consultations and when we have especially any great matters in hand Oh I beseech you let us learne to acknowledge God What is it to acknowledge him To go to him for direction and protection in doing our duty that we seeke to him for strength and for successe this is to acknowledge God in our wayes What makes men so unfortunate and successelesse in their consultations Because they are so faithlesse they doe not acknowledge God in their wayes but trust too much to seeming things and appearance of things they are carried too much with that Though things seeme to go never so well yet let nothing make us give over to acknowledge God nay when things are never so ill let us acknowledge God for God can set all streight and at rights again Alas what a small matter is it for him that rules Heaven and Earth and turnes this great wheele of all things to turne the lesser wheeles to order lesser businesses and bring them to a happy issue and conclusion It is but a little matter with his command seeing he rules all things it is but trusting in him
Christian. True Christian who 1 6 Church Angels attend on the Church 1 211 Greatest sinnes committed in the Church 1 231 Church of God will be after us 2 85 Civill Civill men who 1 91 Comfort To comfort others an Angelicall worke 1 210 Gods love in Christ ground of comfort 1 287 See Time Conformity Conformity to Christ wherein 1 179 Conscience Comfort when conscience is awaked 1 60 What to do in trouble of conscience 1 61 Constant. Good works must be done constantly 2 73 Contraries A Christians estate in contraries 2 30 Controversie Godlinesse a mystery without controversie 1 42 Covenant Covenant renewed to maintaine peace 1 269 Covenant of grace 1 283 Courage Ground of courage in Christs cause 1 188 Crosse. See humble D Death COnfidence in death 1 277 Comfort after death 1 278 Comfort before death 2 72 Comfort in death 2 77 Trouble in death whence Ibid. To trust God with our soules in death 2 147 Debt Our debts discharged by Christ 2 18 Delight Delight in God how wrought 1 289 Despaire Comfort against despaire 1 58 145 2 54 Difference Difference of people 2 83 Diligence Diligence to know Christs grace 2 56 Discretion Discretion in almes-giving 2 74 Disgrace Comfort in disgrace 1 80 Doubting Doubting the cause of it 2 57 Earth HOw to glorifie God on earth 1 216 Why the Angels wish peace on earth 1 261 Enemy Gods enemies must be ours 1 264 Envie Nature of Angels without envy 1 213 See Angels Esteeme From what ground to esteeme our selves 2 37 Evill Freedome from evill by Christ 2 25 Example Example forcible 2 5 Example of Christ should move us 2 62 How to profit by Christs example 2 63 Motives to follow Christs example 2 66 Excellency Excellency of people what 1 136 Experience Experience of our miseries in Christ 1 53 F Faith REason must stoope to faith 1 22 Faith marries the soule to Christ 1 138 Faith the grace of application 1 140 Christ the object of faith 1 142 What conceit to have of faith 1 151 Faith put for all graces 1 153 Trials of faith 1 155 Faith to be cherished 1 161 Faith in those that do good in their life time 2 72 Faith the nature of it 2 135 See Nature Fall Fals of Gods children why suffered 1 230.2 117 Favour How to know we are in Gods favour 2 53 Feare Faith keepes out base feare 2 139 Few Gods children few 2 86 Flesh. What meant by Christ manifest in the flesh 1 52 Free All good by Christ free 1 283 Fruitfull Fruitfulnesse whence it is 2 112 See Love and Grace G Gentiles GEntiles what they were 1 128 Why they were not called before 1 129 Calling of them a mystery 1 130 Why they were not called till Christ came 1 131 Glory Glory what 1 165 217 Whence we have glory 1 175 Glory of Christ suspended why 1 185 Angels wished glory in heaven why 1 215 Glory of God our chiefe aime 1 218 Glory of God wherein shewed most 1 219 Glory of God to Moses wherein 1 224 How to know we glorifie God 1 232 Hindrances of Gods glory 1 238 How to glorifie God 1 243 Riches of glory by Christ 2 21 First fruits of glory 2 22 See Peace God God how a Spirit 1 71 Christ God before he was man 2 7 Our Mediatour must bee God why 2 9 Afflictions bring us to God 2 100 Godlinesse Godlinesse what 1 4 Godlinesse what breeds it 1 5 From what reasons we must be godly Ibid. Good Christ to be imitated in doing good 2 70 Bounty must bee especially to the good 2 74 Good-will Good-will of God the ground of all good 1 282 Gospell What our affections and carriage must be to the Gospell 1 48 The manner of publishing the Gospell 1 119 Double spring of the Gospell 1 131 What use to make of the Gospell 1 131 Sinnes against the Gospell 1 134 High esteeme of the Gospell a signe of peace 1 266 Gospell why it converts 2 64 Grace Grace the ground of peace 1 280 Christians why poore in grace 2 40 Excellency of grace 2 41 All our riches from Christs grace 2 43 47 Grace what 2 44 Christ the meritorious cause of grace 2 47 Foure descents of grace 2 48 We are justified by grace 2 49 Grace twofold Ibid. Grace of Christ fruitfull 2 52 We cannot pray for grace of our selves 2 118 Works of grace not to be denied 2 127 Two graces alway requisite 2 132 See Mystery and Diligent Great What makes times and persons great 1 36 Christ at the lowest did the greatest works 1 75 H Hate MEn by nature hate God 1 263 Hatred of sinne a signe of peace with God 1 265 Heaven See Earth Hidden Riches of a Christian hidden 2 26 Holinesse Holinesse enforced from Christs ascension 1 190 Host. Angels called an host why 1 205 Humble Humility Humility to understand Gods mysteries 1 28 Humility to improve Christs riches 2 41 Crosses should humble us 1 102 I Ignorance IGnorance hinders Gods glory 1 238 Imputation Imputation of Christs righteousnesse a part of our riches 2 19 Incarnate Second person incarnate why 1 51 Incarnation of Christ the ground of other benefiâ—s 1 218 See wonder Independent Love of God independent 1 282 Infirmities What infirmities Christ took 1 52 Comfort in daily infirmities whence 1 177 Infidelity Signe of infidelity 1 195 Inwardly We must do good to others inwardly 2 71 Ioy. Ioy how to be imployed 1 212 Iustifie Iustified Iustified what 1 71 Christ justified in spirit how 1 75 To whom Christ is justified 1 77 Why Christ justified himselfe 1 78 Iustification double 1 85 How we justifie Christ Ibid. How we jâ—stifie our profession 1 88 To justifie God in our abasement 2 97 Spiriâ—uall poverty in justification 2 113 Iudgement Gods children suffer sometimes in common judgements 2 90 K Knowledge Knowne WHat knowledge condemns 1 49 Grace may be knowne 2 55 What knowledge this 2 56 God trusted as he is knowne 2 134 148 Knowledge experimentall 2 150 L Ladder â—Acobs Ladder what it signified 1 100 Law Law why preached 1 118 The Law implied in the Gospell 1 119 Liberality Christs example should stirre up to liberality 2 68 Liberty Liberty to the throne of grace 2 20 Life Life the end of it what 1 247 Love Love to men 1 251 Love to mans nature 1 281 Love of God to us how knowne 1 288 Love of God how gotten 1 291 Love of God fruitfull 1 296 Greatnesse of Christs love 2 31 M MArriage See Faith Mediator See Beginning Meditate Order to meditate on Christ 1 197 Meditation 1 243 Men. Why the Gospel dispensed by men 1 120 See God Meritorious See Grace Mercy Mercy-seat Mercy-seat a type of Christ 1 99 Mercy in God answereth all objections 1 225 Some thinke their sins greater than Gods mercy 1 241 Meditation of Gods mercy a help to glorifie God 1 243 Mistake in applying Gods mercy 1
of Gods glory 6 6 When it works a glorious joy The hinderances of Gods glory 1 1 Ignorance 2 2 Vnbeleefe 3 3 Too much light When wee thinke our sins greater then Gods mercy Doting on outward things How to come to glorifie God Meditations of Gods mercy in Christ. Ephes. 3. Question Answer The benefit of this meditation 2 2 Begge the spirit of revelation Gal 2. To glorifie God the end of our life 3 3 See the vanity of all things else Draw neere to God Application to the Sacrament Esay 6. Psal. 145. They that glorifie God also love men We cannot glorifie God till we know we are at peace with him Whence peace comes Peace what Ephes. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of Christ a separation 1 1 Betweene man and God 2 2 Betweene man and Angels 3 3 Betweene man and man 4 4 Betweene man and other creatures 5 5 Betweene man and himselfe Christ our peace Ephes. 2. Esay 9.7 Peace founded on Christ. Question Answer Why peace is wrought by Christ. 1 1 In regard of God 2 2 In respect of us 3 3 In regard of Christ. Simile No entercourse with God without Christ. Meditate of this peace Question Answer Why is it said peace on earth How to know God and we are at peace 1 1 If God be reconciled to us we are reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 Man naturally hates God 2 2 Gods friends and enemies are ours 3 3 Boldnesse of spirit Iob 22. Acquaintance with God 4 4 Hatred of knowne sins 5 5 High esteeme of the Gospell 2 Cor. 5. 6 6 Peaceablenes with others Isay 11. Danger of false peace Necessitie of application How to maintaine this peace Watchfulnes 2 2 Renewing our Covenant 3 3 Prayer to God Phâ—lâ—p 4. 4 4 Good imployment Philip. 4.8 Motive to unregenerate men to get peace To stirre us up to search the grounds of this peace 1 1 The danger without it In respâ—ct of God 2 2 Christ. Psal. 2. 3 3 The Holy-Ghost 4 4 Creatures Esay 1. 5 5 Devils 6 6 The Churchâ—â— 7 7 Damned spirits Exhortation to make our peace Happinesse of him that is at peace with God Afflictions sanctified to those that are at peace with God Difference of men in trouble Psal. 112. Confidence of Christianâ— in death Comfort after death Peace comes from grace Gods good pleasure to men To love mankind Gods good will the gâ—ound of all good Gods love independent Deut. 7.8 Covenant of grace Foundation of the covenant free Rom. 8. All good by Christ free To empty our selves Gods free love onely in Christ. Iohn 17. Why Godâ— love to us is in Christ. Col. 1. Vse The misery of man out of Christ. To looke to God in Christ in what we do Gods love in Christ ground of comfort Rom 8. How to know Gods love to us The Holy Ghost testifies Gods love The Spirit alters mans disposition to delight in God Psal. 16. Hos. 2. Rom. 12. Psal. 51. Love of God quickeneth to dutie Direction to those that find not God love to them Greatnesse of sin hinders not Gods love To have a good conceit â—o God Danger of neglecting Gods offer Mistake in aâ—plying Gods mercy Study Christ daily Beg the Spirit of revelation Psal 63. Gods love fruitfull Deut. 33. Isay. 43. Simile Scope of the words Examples forcible Example more prevalent then precepts Doct. 2. Christ was rich Riches what Psal. 24. Christ God before he was man Arius Phil. 2.6 Christ a Mediator from the beginning Simile Quest. Answ. Our Mediator must be God 1 1 For the greatnesse of the ill wee were in 2 2 In regard of the good wee have by him Doct. 2. Christ became poore 1 1 He tooke our natuâ—e 2 2 Our nature fallen 3 3 Our condition 4 4 Our misery 5 5 Our sinnes How farre Christ tooke our sinnes Simile Simile Particulars of Christs poverty Iohn 4. Aggravation of Christs poverty Christs riches vailed in his poverty Simile Christ no begger Bellarmine Doct. 3. Christs Poverty our riches Not for himselfe Not for Angells Christs poverty to make us rich Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. What riches we have by Christ. 1 1 Our debts discharged We are rich by imputation By infusion In prerogatives Adoption Liberty to the throne of grace Ephes. 3. All things turned to good Rom. 5.10 Riches of glory Ephes. 3.8 First fruits of glory Quest. Answ. We are inriched by Christs poverty 1 1 Because wee fell by pride 2 2 We must be restored by satisfaction Else we could not have the spirit No riches by Christ without union Colos. 1.27 Freedom from evill by Christ. Conveyance of all good Object Answ. Christians richâ—s hidden Object Answ. Christians riches chiefly spirituall Christ provides for his Want of outward comforts supplied Simile Christians rich in promises Christians have a rich pawne Poverty a part of our riches Vse 1. A Christians state in contraries Greatnesse of Christs love Bernard How to bee thankefull to Christ. If we be rich by Christs poverty much more by his riches Rom. 5.10 Not to despise men for poverty Heb. 11.38 Christ came not to purchase outward riches Digression concerning the feast of Christs Nativitâ— 1 1 They are not our owne Luke 16. 2 2 They are not true riches 1 1 They make not a man better Simile 2 2 A man out-lives them Simile 3 3 They are not proportionable to the soule From what ground to esteeme our selves and others Our own fault if we want spirituall riches To examine what riches we have from Christ. Christians are rich and know it not Rev. 2. Why Christians are so poor in grace Quest. Answ. How to improve the riches by Christ. 1 1 Humility 2 2 See the excellency of grace 3 3 Know Christs riches for us 4 4 To make use of them for our selves To make good use of recreations Whence to esteeme of our priviledges All our riches from Christs grace Grace what it is Christ a joynt cause of our salvation Chrysost. How to think of the â—ersons in Trinity Revel 5.6 Christ the meritorious cause of grace Christs abasement voluntary All we have of Christ is by grace Foure descents of grace We are justified by grace how meant Grace twofold Simile Iohn 17. How to value blessings Christs grace fruitfull Simile How to know we are in Gods favour Not to despaire Christs grace is free Doct. 5. Grace may be knowne What knowledge this is It requires good diligence Cause of doubting Assurance of salvation no enemy to good workes Titus 2.11.12 Luke 7.47 The Gospell forceth strictnesse of life Doct. 6. The example of Christ should move us to good Christs example our pâ—tern Quest. How profit by Christs example Answ. 1 1 The consideration of Christs mercy Simile 2 Cor. 3 18. Why conversion wrought by the Gospell not by the Law 2 2 Converse with those that
because as the things are great so they require a sutable carrage not a common carriage We prophane the Sacrament if we take the Bread and Wine as a common Feast as S. Paul saith You discerne not the Lords Body We prophane Mysteries when we discerne not Beasts and beast-like men discerne not the relation of things that these outward elements have reference to great matters to the Body and bloud of Christ they doe not discerne them from common Bread and Wine though they be used to rayse up our soules to the Bread of Life So likewise when we come to the Word of God and looke not to our feet but come to the Church as if we went to a Play or some common place without prayer without preparation when wee come with common affections this is to come prophanely Here we come to Mysteries to high things to great matters Therefore when wee come to converse with God we must not come with common affections wee must carry our selves holily in holy businesse or else we offer to God strange fire God was in this place sayth Iacob and I was not aware of it So when we come to heare the Word when we goe to pray when we receive the Sacrament God is herâ— and Mysteries are here and we are not aware of it It is a shame for us not to labour to bring sutable dispositions It is a matter of that consequent life or death depends upon it You know what S. Paul sayth 1 Cor. 11. For this very cause some are sick and some weake and some sleep some die Why For comming with common affection for not discerning the Lords Body for not examining our selves for not having answerable dispositions to the greatnesse of the Mysteries we goe about Let us not thinke it enough to come to the Sacrament and then to let the reines loose to all kind of vanitie the very Heathens would be ashamed of that It is the bane and blemish of Religion and such a thing for which wee may feare that God will give whole Christendome a purge I meane for our excesse There is a lawfull use of Feasting and comely Recreations but to come with unjustifiable Vanities that are not fit at any time when wee should honour God for the greatest Gift that ever was for the Incarnation of his Sonne to be more prophanely disposed then and to give our selves to more loose courses then at other times how can it but provoke the Justice of God especially it being common Amongst other things we may justly looke for the Vengeance of God for this not onely upon this or that place for it is the fault of Christendome Shall we carry our selves thus prophanely at these times when we should walke in a holy disposition Is this the way to be thankefull to God Let us labour to entertaine and embrace these Mysteries of the Gospel as wee should with a sutable carriage to them for the Gospel will no longer tarry then it hath sutable love and affections to the greatnesse of the thing The Gospel may leave us we know not how soone and goe to people that are as barbarous as we were before the Gospel came to us The Romans thought they had Victory tyed to them but we have not these Mysteries of the Gospel tyed to us If we labour not for an answerable carriage as God hath removed the Gospel from the Easterne Churches of Asia that are under the tyrannie of the Turks now so he may and we know not how soone take away these blessed and glorious Mysteries Let us reverence these Mysteries and blesse God for them and labour to expresse our thankfulnesse in our lives and conversations that God may delight to continue with us and continue his blessed Truth among us Doe but conceive in your owne selves what equity is it that Truths should be obtruded to men that care not for them That live under the mysteries of the Gospell with as much liberty to the flesh as if they had never heard of it that their lives are not better then Pagans perhaps worse When these things grow generall will God continue these Mysteries to us when there is such a disproportion of affection and carriage Judge of these things God should deale justly with us if he should leave us to the darknesse of Gentilisme and Poperie and confusion and carry the Gospel further West still to a people that never heard of it where it should have better entertainment then it hath had of us I beseech you let us labour to carry our selves answerable to this blessed and great Mysterie if wee would have it continued longer among us Againe are these things Mysteries great Mysteries Let us blesse God that hath revealed them to us for the glorious Gospel Oh how doth S. Paul in every Epistle stirre up people to be thankfull for revealing these Mysteries What cause have the Gentiles that were in the shaddow of death before to be thankfull to God What kind of Nation were we in Iulius Caesars time As barbarous as the West Indians the Canibals were as good as we We that were so before not onely to be civillized by the Gospel but to have the meanes of salvation discovered what cause have we to be enlarged to thankfulnesse And shall we shew our thankefulnesse in provoking his Majestie There is nothing in the world that is a ground of that thankfulnesse as the glorious Gospel that brings such glorious things as it doth Men are thankfull to men for teaching and discovering the Mysteries of their Trades and shall God discover the great Mysteries of the Gospell of Christ and shall not we be thankfull Are there not thousands that sit in darknesse The Romish Church is it not under the Mysterie of Iniquitie And that we should have the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel revealed to us that the Veile should be taken off and we should see the face of God in Christ what a matter of thankfulnesse is it to all gracious hearts that ever felt comfort by it Againe it is a Mysterie Therefore it should teach us likewise not to set upon the knowledge of it with any wits or parts of our owne to thinke to search into it meerely by strength of wit and study of Bookes and all humane helpes that can be it is a Mysterie and it must be unveiled by God himselfe by his Spirit If we set upon this Mysterie onely with wits and parts of our owne then what our wits cannot pierce into we will judge it not to be true as if our wits were the measure of Divine Truth so much as we conceive is true and so much as we cannot conceive is not true What a pride is this in flesh in wormes of the Earth that will make their owne apprehensions and conceits of things the measure of Divine Truth as Heretikes heretofore have done It was the fault of the Schoolemen in later times they would come with their Logick
will be the Lord Iesus Christs Are they not now so They are but truly they appeare not to be so but at length they will appeare to be so at the conversion of the Iewes and the confusion of Antichrist then it will appeare more and more that he is King of the World indeed Now as it were his Offices are darkened his Kingly Office is darkned and his Propheticall Office is darkned but at length it will appeare that he is King of the Church and all Kingdâ—mes will be Christs There are glorious times comming especially the glorious Day of the Resurrection Christ at leâ—gth will be cleared he will be justified The Sunne at length will scatter all the clouds In the morning they gather about the Sunne as if they would cover it oh but the Sunnâ— breakes thorow all and gloriously appeares at length so Christ will scatter all clouds and gloriously appeare to be that which the Word sets him forth to be Againe as Christ will justifie himselfe so he will justifie his Church and children first or last by his Spirit His children are now accounted the off-scouring of the World they are trampled and trod upon they are the objects of scorne and hatred and who accounted so base Will Christ endure this No he that justified himselfe that is that declared himselfe and will more and more declare himselfe to be as he is will he not justifie his Church his Mysticall Body to be as they are indeed Certainely it shall appeare to the World that he will justifie them to be Kings and Priests to be Heires to be glorious to be so neere and deare to him as the Scripture sets them forth to be Whatsoever the Scripture hath spoken of the Saincts and children of God the time will come that all this shall be justified and made good by that Spirit of Christ whereby he made good whatsoever he had said of himselfe Therefore in our eclipses and disgraces let us all comfort our selves in this Let the World esteeme us for the present as the reffuse of the World as persons not worthy to be acquainted with not worthy to be regarded we shall be justified and cleared and glorified especially at that day when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints There is a hidden life of the Church and every Christian they have a life in Christ but that life is hid in Christ in Heaven As the Flowers in Winter they have a life but it is hidden in the root When Christ shall appeare as blessed S. Paul and S. Iohn say then it shall appeare who we are Then our glorious life that now is in our Head shall appeare then we shall be justified to be so glorious as the Scripture sets us forth to be the Church shall be glorious within and without too at that Day Therefore let us comfort our selves this hidden life though it appeare not now yet we shall be justified And hence we may answer some objections likewise Some may say How doth it appeare that Christ is King of the Church We see how the Church is trampled on at this day Where is the life and glory of the Church What! his Spouse and thus used What! his Turtle and thus pulled and plucked by the Birds of prey I answer Looke with other Spectacles with the eye of Faith and then you shall see a Spring in the Winter of the Church how-ever she be now abased and eclipsed yet she shall be justified and it will appeare that Christ regards his Church and people and children more then all the World besides onely there must be a conformitie It was fit there should be a time of Christs abasement how should he have suffred else the World would never have crucified God they could not have done it Therefore he was abased he veiled his God-head under his manhood under a base condition so he passed thorow suffering to glory So it must be in the Body of Christ it must passe thorow the veile of infirmities of weakenesse affliction and disgrace how else should it be conformable to Christ If Christ had justified himselfe at all times in his humiliation he could not have suffered if we should be justified now and appeare to all the World who we are who would persecute us how could we be conformable to Christ Therefore let us quietly and meekely a while endure these things that are nothing but to conforme us to our Head knowing this that as he was justified by little and little till he was perfectly justified when he was raysed from the dead so we shall be perfectly justified and freed from all imputations at the last day when by the same Spirit that raysed him wee shall be raysed up too Nay in this World when it is for his glory and for our good he will bring our righteousnesse to light as the Noone-day he will free us from the imputations that the World layes on us he will have a care of our credit For as Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God in a fit time so shall we when we are fit Then the World shall see that we are not the men that prophane bitter malicious persons led with the spirit of the Devill charged us to be Let us take no scandall at the present afflictions of the Church Christ will justifie his mysticall Body by his glorious power in good time Antichrist shall not alway ruffle in the World Christ will be justified to be the King and Ruler of the World All power is committed to him But we see it now Antichrist rages in the World and the Church seemes to be under Hatches So it is with particular Christians those that belong to God and indeed are truly such as they professe themselves to be though with much weaknesse we see in what respect and esteeme they are had Let us comfort our selves beloved Christ justified himselfe by his Spirit and will he not justifie his poore Church and free it from the tyrannie of Antichrist Will he not advance those that are troden on now and made as the dirt in the street that they shall shine as the Sunne Therefore when you heare of the dejected state of the Churches abroade be not dismayed Consider there is a glorious King that rules the World and he will make it appeare ere long he will justifie himselfe and his Church for he suffers in his Church He is wise he sees cause to doe this he is working his owne worke he corrects and rules and purgeth his Church in the furnace of affliction but be sure the time will come that he will bring the cause of Religion to light and he will shew what side hee ownes he will justifie his Truth and tread Satan and all his members under feet this frame of things will not hold long As verily as Christ is in Heaven as verily as he is justified in his owne person by his Spirit by his
carryed it to Heaven with him Here was the Mysterie of the Exaltation of our nature God was as much abased as he could be being borne and dying for us our humane nature was as much advanced as it could be when God raised it up to Heaven God could be no more abased remaining God and mans nature can be no more advanced remaining the true nature of man This is a great Mysterie the advancement of our nature in Christ that was made lower then the Angels he was a worme and no man now our nature in Christ is advanced above the Angels Now this nature of ours in Christ it is next to the nature of God in dignitie here is a Mysterie Among many other respects it is a Mysterie for the greatnesse of it We see after his Ascension when he appeared to Paul in glory a glimpse of it strucke Paul downe he could not endure it Nay before he suffered a very shadow of his glory it amazed Peter and Iames and Iohn they could not beare it they forgat themselves Let us build say they three Tabernacles c. If a little discoverie of his glory on Earth wrought these effects what great glory is it then that he hath in Heaven Certainely it is beyond all expression In this glorious condition that Christ is received into he fulfils all his Offices in a most comfortable manner He is a glorious Prophet to send his Spirit now to teach and open the heart he is a glorious Priest to appeare before God in the Holy of Holies in Heaven for us for ever and he is a King there for ever from thence hee rules his Church and subdues his enemies So that though he accomplished and fulfilled those blessed Offices that were appointed him in the state of humiliation on Earth as it became that state to suffer for us yet it was necessarie that he should enter into glory to manifest that he was a King Priest and Prophet for he was not manifested who he was indeed to our comfort till he was received up in glory We had not the Spirit the Holy-Ghost sent from above till he ascended as it is in Iohn 7. The Holy-Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended to apply and to helpe us make use of Christ and all his benefits and riches so that in regard of the manifestation of Christs Offices and of application of all the good we have by it it is by Christ received up in glory To come to some application First of all we must lay this for a ground and foundation of what followes That Christ ascended as a publike person he must not be considered as a particular person alone by himselfe but as the second Adam As he tooke the nature of man in his Incarnation so he ascended into Heaven in it as a publike person As the first Adam was in whom we all sinned and all came to misery and basenesse and died so Christ must be considered as the second Adam as in other things so in his ascension to glory In the second place we must know that there is a wondrous neerenesse betweene Christ and us now for before we can thinke of any comfort by the glory of Christ we must be one with him by Faith for he is the Saviour of his Body therefore we must be in him we must be his members we must be his Spouse and being so once we are one with Christ. There is no relation in the world that is able to expresse the neerenesse betweene Christ and us sufficiently and therefore when we speake of Christ ascended into glory we must needs think of our selves of our glory and advancement he was taken up to glory in our nature not only for himselfe but for all his As the husband of the Church he is gone before to take up Heaven for his wife as a husband takes up Land in another Countrey for his Spouse though she be not there Christ hath taken up Heaven for us I goe before to prepare a place for you So likewise he is in Heaven as a glorious Head ministring vertue and comfort and strength to all his all our power and strength it comes from Christ now as our Head in Heaven Againe there is a causality the force of a cause in this because Christ therefore we here is not onely a priority of order but a cause likewise and there is great reason Was there the force of a cause in Adam that was but meere man to convey sinne and misery and the displeasure of God to all that are borne and descend of him and is there not the force of a cause in the second Adam to convey grace and glory to his he being God man Therefore whatsoever is good it is first in Christ and then in us Christ first rose therefore we shall rise he ascended into glory therefore we shall be afterward in glory And then we must consider Christ not onely as an efficient cause but as a patterne and example how we shall be glorified he is not onely the efficient of all glory within and without but he is the exemplary cause for all is first in him and then in us he was first abased and so must we and then he was glorified and so shall we we must be conformable to his abasement and then to his glory he is the first fruits of them that sleepe he being the first fruits we succeed These things being premised as grounds I come to make some use of this comfortable point Christ is received up in glory Therefore first of all for our information we must not seeke him in a Wafer-cake we must not looke for him in the Sacrament bodily how can he be there when he is received up in glory Therefore when we come to the Sacrament let us consider we have now to deale with Christ who is in Heaven Cannot Christ shew his vertue to comfort and strengthen us but we must have his Body in the Communion to touch our bodies The foot hath influence from the head yet the head is distant from it in place The utmost branches have life and sap from the root yet they are remote in respect of place A King spreads his influence over his whole Kingdom though it be never so large yet he is but in one place in respect of his person Doth the Sunne in the Heavens come downe to the Earth to make the Spring and to make all fruâ—tfull Cannot he send beames and influence from thence to cherish the Earth Must Christ come downe in his Body to us or else he can doe us no good Must there be a corporeall descent or else we can receive no influence from him There may be a derivation of vertue from Christ though his person be in Heaven where he shall remaine till the last day when he shall come to be glorious in his Saints The Sunne doth more good being in Heaven
into Heaven so it shall be with us the same body that suffers any thing for Christ the same body that dies the same Body shall rise and be assumed to glory Hence likewise we have a ground of patience in all our sufferings from another reason not from the order but from the certaintie of glory Shall we not patiently suffer considering the glory that we shall certainely have If we suffer with him wee shall be glorified with him Who will not be patient a while that hath such glory in his eye Therefore let us looke upon the glory of Christ in all our sufferings whatsoever What made Moses and all the Saints in all times to be so patient They had an eye this way What made Steven not onely patient but glorious His face shone as the face of an Angel he looked on Iesus Christ and saw him sitting at the right hand of God What made the Martyrs not onely patient but triumphant in all their sufferings They had an eye of Faith to see Christ sitting in glory and to see themselves in Heaven glorious in Christ and not onely to see themselves glorious in Christ but in themselves afterwards Wee are not onely glorious in our Head but we shall be our selves where he is Taken up in glory And let it stirre us up likewise not to be ashamed of Religion and to stand out in good causes for Christ and the Church He is not ashamed to be called our Brother no not after his Resurrection Goe tell my brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father He was not ashamed of it when he began to be in the state of glory he is not ashamed of our nature now to take it up into Heaven he is not ashamed to owne us here and at the Day of Judgement to set us at his right hand And shall we now for feare of men for feare of shame for any base earthly respect be ashamed of our glorious Head Doe we beleeve that we have a Head that is glorious in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God that ere long will come to judge the quike and the dead and shall we be ashamed to hold out the profession of Religion for a scorne for a word for a frowne Where is the Spirit of glory the Spirit that should be in Christians that hope to be glorious He that is ashamed of me here saith Christ I will be ashamed of him at that great Day How can we thinke that Christ will owne us when we will not owne Religion here When we are ashamed to stand for him shall we thinke to stand at his right hand All base carnall Atheisticall spirits that are afraid of disgrace of displeasure of losse of any thing but of him they should be afraid of let them know there is no comfort for them in Christs exaltation For if they had any communion with Christ he would infuse another manner of spirit into them Let us therefore stand for Christ we have a glorious Head a glorious hope a glorious Inheritance And let us goe on with incouragement in good duties with a Spirit of Faith for wherefore is Christ in Heaven but to rule his Church by his Spirit To leade captivitie captive and to give gifts to men Let us therefore goe on with confidence that Christ from Heaven will give us his Spirit to subdue our corruptions He is in Heaven to rule his Church and what is his Kingdome but the subduing of our spirits by his Spirit to be more humble and more holy and gracious every way Let us not thinke that our corruptions will be too hard for us but goe on in a Spirit of Faith That Christ that dyed for us as a Priest he will rule us as a King and if we be true to our owne soules we shall have strength to sustaine us he sits in Heaven to rule us by his gracious Spirit Let us not despaire though we carry this and that corruption about us we shall by little and little overcome all he will lead captivitie captive and overcome all in us as he did in his own person he that overcame for us will overcome in us if there be a Spirit of Faith to depend upon him Againe this Mysterie is a Mysterie of Godlinesse it tendeth to and enforceth godlinesse and holinesse of life Christ received up to glory You see then our flesh is in Heaven Christ hath taken into Heaven the pledge of our flesh and given us the pledge of his Spirit It was a dignifying of our nature that God should be manifest in our flesh that that was an abasing to him as God was an honour to our nature the Incarnation of Christ it was the beginning of his abasement in regard of his God-head for the God-head to be clouded under flesh but it was a dignifying of the humane nature that it should be graffed into the second Person And is it not a greater honour to our nature that now in Christ it is gone to Heaven and is there above Angels Our nature in Christ rules over all the world And wherefore is all this As it is for wondrous comfort so for instruction to carry our selves answerable to our dignitie What! hath God taken our nature upon him to the unitie of the second Person and exalted and honoured and enriched it Is he likewise gone to Heaven in our nature and is there above all Principalities and Powers all the Angels in Heaven attend upon him And shall we debase and dishonour our nature that is so exalted Let it worke upon us to carry our selves in a holy kind of state Shall we defile our selves with sinfull courses make our selves baser then the Earth we tread on worse then any creature for a man without grace is next to the Devill in miserie if God be not mercifull to him If God have thus honoured our nature above all created excellency whatsoever shall not this stirre us up to a correspondent carriage It is oft pressed by the Apostle that we walke worthy of our calling And indeed let us oft consider to what great matters we are called for the life of Heaven it must be begun upon Earth Whosoever hath this hope to be glorious with Christ in Heaven it purgeth him it frames him to be like the state he hopes for and he that hath not a care to sute and fit his carriage and disposition to the state he beleeves it is an emptie hope he deludes himselfe Whosoever shall be glorious with Christ in Heaven is also glorious now there is a Spirit of Glory resting upon them that is Grace Grace makes them glorious Those that have not a Spirit of Glory that is a Spirit of Grace to fashion and conforme them in some measure to be like Christ by little and little they have no right nor interest in the state of Glory that shall be revealed after Is Christ taken up to glory and for us as well as for himselfe
his sake we have communion with the blessed Angels These things may be of some use but it is not that I mainly intend thus much for the Apparition Now the celebration is a Multitude of the heavenly Host praising God The word signifies singing as well as praise it implies praise expressed in that manner and indeed praising God it is the best expression of the affection of joy The Angels were joyfull at the birth of Christ their Lord. Joy is no way better expressed then in praising God and it is pitty that such a sweet affection as Joy should runne in any other streame if it were possible than the praising of God God hath planted this affect on of joy in the creature and it is fit hee should reape the fruit of his owne garden it is pitty a cleare streame should run into a puddle it should rather runne into a garden and so sweet and excellent affection as Joy it is pitty it should be imployed otherwise then in praising God and doing good to men They expresse their joy in a sutable expression in praising God the sweetest affection in man should have the sweetest imployment the sweetest imployment that joy can have is to be inlarged in love to praise God and for Gods sake to doe good to others See here the pure nature of Angels they praise God for us we have more good by the Incarnation of Christ then they have yet notwithstanding such is their humility that they come downe with great delight from heaven and praise and glorifie God for the birth of Christ who is not theirs but our Redeemer Some strength they have there is no creature but hath some good by the Incarnation of Christ to the Angels themselves yet however they have some strength from Christ in the increase of the number of the Church yet he is not the Redeemer of Angels in some sort he is the head of Angels but he is our Redeemer To us a child is borne to us a Sonne is given And yet see their nature is so pure and so cleare from envie and pride that they even glorifie God for the goodnesse shewed to us meaner creatures then themselves and they envie not us though we be advanced by the Incarnation of Christ to a higher place then they For beloved the very Angels have not such affinity to Christ in this as wee they are not the Spouse of Christ they make not up mysticall Christ the Church doth the Church is the Queene as Christ is the King of all it is married to Christ Angels are not and yet although they see us advanced in diverse respects above them yet they are so pure and free from envie that they joyne in praising God here in love to us Let us labour therefore for dispositions Angelicall that is such as may delight in the good of others and in the good of other meaner then our selves And learne this also from them shall they glorifie God for our good especially and shall we be dull and cold in praising God on our owne behalfe Shall they come suddenly from heaven and cheerefully and willingly and to praise God for his goodnesse to us and shall we be frozen and cold in this duty that is for our good more especially I hasten to that that followes What is the matter of their celebration and gratulation Glory to God in the highest In earth peace Good will towards men There is some difference in the readings some copies have it On earth peace to men of good will to men of Gods good will and so they would have it two branches not three if the word be rightly understood it is no great matter First the Angels begin with the maine and chiefe end of all it is Gods end it was the Angels end and it should be ours too Glory to God on high Then they wish the chiefe good of all that whereby we are fitted for the maine end Peace God cannot be glorified on earth unlesse there be peace wrought for man else conceives God as an enemy by this Peace we are fitted to glorifie God if wee find reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ then the sence of Gods love in the worke of reconciliation will enflame our hearts to glorifie God therefore next to the glory of God they wish Peace on earth Then thirdly here is the ground of all happinesse from whence this peace comes from Gods good will from his good pleasure or free Grace To men of Gods goodwill So if we goe back againe The good will and pleasure of God is the cause and ground of peace in Christ and peace in Christ puts us into a condition and stirs us up to glorifie God so we see there is an order in these three To begin with the first Glory to God in the highest The Angels those blessed and holy Spirits they begin with that which is the end of all It is Gods end in all things his owne glory he hath none above himselfe whose glory to ayme at And they wish Glory to God in the highest Heavens Indeed he is more glorified there then any where in the world it is the place where his Majestie most appeares and the truth is we cannot perfectly glorifie God till we be in heaven there is pure glory given to God in Heaven there is no corruption there in those perfect soules there is perfect glory given to God in heaven Hâ—re upon earth God is not glorified at all by many The whole life of many being nothing but a dishonouring of God by abusing his ordinances trampling upon his Church and children by slighting his word and Sacraments there is little honour given to God in the world but only by a few whom he intends to glorifie for ever and indeed if we will glorifie God here we must raise our thoughts to heaven at that time raise them above the world to heaven where we shall for ever glorifie him where we shall joyne with the blessed Saints and Angels and sing holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts c. In the meane time let me adde this by the way that in some sort we may glorifie God more on earth then in heaven It may seeme a Paradox but it is true that is thus here upon earth we glorifie God in the middest of enemies he hath no enemies in heaven they are all of one spirit here upon earth we live not onely among Devils but among men led with the spirit of the Devill where God is dishonoured and if here we take Gods side and the truth and Gospels side and stand for Gods cause in some sort we honour God more here then we are capable to doe it in heaven where there is no opposition In this respect let us be encouraged to glorifie God what we can here for if we begin to glorifie God here it is a signe we are 〈◊〉 number that he intends to glorifie with him forever
him that we thinke is our enemy and him that wee have no interest in his greatnesse and goodnesse the heart of man will never doe it therefore God must first speake peace to the soule the Angels knew that well enough and then we are fit to glorifie God Peace on Earth What is peace It is the best thing that man can attaine unto to have peace with his Maker and Creator Peace in generall is a harmony and an agreement of different things This peace here you may know what it is by the contrary as the Apostle saith Ephes. 1.10 the word there is very significant Anakephaliosis there is a recapitulation or gathering all to a head in Christ out of Christ there is a division a separation and a skattering a breach that is five-fold First there is a skattering and a division from God the Fountaine of good with whom we had communion in our first creation and his delight was in his creature we lost that blessed communion and our sinnes have separated betweene God and us as the Prophet saith Then there is a separation betweene the good Angels and us for they being good subjects tak part with their Prince and therefore joyne against Rebels as we areâ— hence it is that upon the sight of Angels the very hearts of good men have sometimes beene stricken considering that there is no very good termes betweene us and the Angels till we come to Christ againe Then there is a division and skattering between man man no common Spirt of God will keep men together till they be in Christ as it is said God sent an evill spirit a spirit of division betweene the men of Sichem so since the fall there is an ill spirit of division among men till the Gospell againe bring peace especially there is no sound peace betweene men in the state of nature and others that are Gods children nor with the ordinances of God for men apprehend the ordinances of God as enemies the word cuts and lanceth him it is as the sentence of a Judge to condemne him therefore he feares and trembles at the powerfull opening of the word The ordinance of God speakes no comfort to a carnall man he is as Ahab he never had a word of peace from the Prophet the word alway speakes ill to him he is under the Law and it speakes nothing but terrour and curses to him And then there is a division and separation betweene a man and the creature which is ready to be in armes against any man that is in the state of nature to take Gods quarrell as we see in the plagues of Egypt and other examples if God doe but give them leave they presently make an end of sinfull man and they would glory in it too to serve their Creator it is part of their vanity to be subject to wicked men they have no peace with the creature And they have no peace with themselves they speake peace to themselves but alas God speaks none to them they make a Covenant with death and hell but death and hell make no Covenant with them so it is a forced sleepy peace it is a dead slâ—ep the peace they have it is but adâ—ersion to othâ—r things they 〈…〉 selves and the warre the 〈…〉 themselves and 〈…〉 â—â—uce that they take up for a time when God opens their conscience there is a hell in their hearts and soules that when it is loosed makes them to suffer a hell upon earth they enter into the paines of hell before their time so there is no peace to the wicked at all there is since the fall a separation betweene God and man betweene Angels and man betweene man and the creatures betweene man and himselfe Now Christ at his comming taking our nature upon him brings all into one againe hee brings God and man together againe by offering himselfe a Sacrifice by making full satisfaction to the Justice of God and sinne which is the cause of his displeasure being taken away God being gracious and mercifull his mercy runnes amaine on us sinne onely separates between God and us and that Christ takes away therefore he is called by Saint Paul Christ our peace Ephes. 2. and the Prince of peace he was qualified to be our peace hee was a friend to both parties having marryed our nature of purpose that hee might in our nature bring God and us together as it is 1 Pet. 3.18 Hiâ— whole worke was to bring us backe againe to God from whom wee fell at the first Then if wee be at peace with God all other peace will follow foâ— good subjects will be at peace with rebels when they are brought in subjection to their King and all joyne in one obeâ—ience therefore the Angels are brought to 〈◊〉 againe by Christ. And so for men there is a spirit of union betweene them the same spirit that knits us to God by faith knits us one to another by love And we have peace with the creature for when God who is the Lords of Hosts is made peacefull to us hee makes all other things peaceable The Heathen could say Tranquillus Deus tranquidat omnia when God is at peace he makes all so So there is peace in our owne hearts we are assured by the Spirit of God that he is our Father he seales it to our conscience by his Spirit because the blood of Christ is set on by the Spirit of God and not by our owne so that now God and we are brought to one and Angels and we and all other things therefore now the Angels say Peace on earth when Christ was borne Now we will shew that this blessed peace in all the branches of it is founded in Christ Christ is the cause and the foundation of it for though these words were spoken at the Incarnation of Christ yet wee referre them to the whole worke of his Mediator-ship in the state of his abasement and his state of exaltation our peace is wholly founded upon him for he was borne and became man and became sinne that is a Sacrifice for sinne for us he became a curse for us to stablish a peace and to satisfie Gods anger and then hee rose againe to shew that he had fully satisfied God anger and that peace was fully established therefore the holy Ghost was sent after the Resurrection as a testimony that God was appeased and now in heaven he is ever there as a Priest to make Intercession for us so that Christ is our peace from his Incarnation to his death from thence to his Resurrection and Ascension and Intercession all peace with God with Angels and with creatures is stablished in Christ And why in Christ Christ is every way fitted for it for he is the Mediator betweene God and man therefore by office he is fit to make peace betweene God and man he is Emanuel himselfe God and man in one nature
upon me to be his That I shall not go the broad way to destruction This should force such quaeres to our soules When we heare of the few that shall bee saved we should make that use that Christ makes of that curious question of the fewnesse of them that should be saved Oh strive to enter in at the strait gate Stand not on many or few make this use of it strive to enter in at the strait gate take up and practise the duties of religion that are contrary to the corruption of nature and contrary to the times avoid the sins and courses of the times and then we shall know and evidence to our selves that we are of that few number Somewhat must be done to shew that wee are not of those that go the broad way We heare that there are few that go the other way and indeed it will make a man looke about him the very consideration that there are but few that shall be saved And it will make a man woundrous thankfull Who am I and what is my fathers house What is there in me What could God see in me to single me out of the rest out of a great number that go the broad way to destruction to set his love upon me It will inflame the heart with thankfulnesse to God It will not make a man proud to despise others that is pharisaicall but it will inflame the heart to bee thankefull in a peculiar mâ—nner to God And to single ouâ— God in a peculiar manner to be our God as he hath singled us out to be his for alwayes he workes somewhat in us like to that he workes for us Those that God hath singled out to be his he will give them grace to single out him againe God shall be my God religion shall be my care and that that God respects shall be that that I will respect â— since God so respects me shall not I love and respect all that God respects And shal I not greeve when any thing goes amisse with that that God hath a care ofâ— Certainly it will worke this disposition when wee come to perceive by grounded evidence that we are of that few company of that remnant here spoken of that God will leave alway to trust in his name In the next place though they be few yet God hath a speciall care of them Why There is good reason for they are his in a peculiar manner A governour of an house he cares for all his cattell but he cares for his children more A man hath some care for all the lumber and trash in his house he sees them usefull at sometime or other but he cares more for his Iewels if fire come he will be sine to carry away his Iewels whatsoever become of the lumber Gods children are his after a peculiar manner therefore he hath an answerable peculiar care of them in all times And indeed when they are once his as he makes them have a peculiar care of him so hee lookes upon them as such as he hath wrought upon to be good and to witnesse for him that have a care to stand for him and his honour to own him and the cause of religion he will have a care of them Not that they have this of themselves to winne his love but he workes in them a care to witnesse for him he workes in them a care to stand for him his glory in all times and therfore he wil be sure to stand for them in the worst times He will not be beholding to any man what wee have we have it from him and then he crownes his owne graces after he will have a speciall care of those that are his This might be instanced from the beginning of the world from the infancy of the Church to this present time When he would consume the old world Noah must come into the Arke And Lot must come forth of Sodome when it was to bee destroyed the Angell could doe nothing else So he had a care for Ieremiah and Baruk he gave them their lives for a prey He wil have a care of his own in the worst times for they are sealed he hath set his seale upon them Those things that are sealed we have a speciall care of now in Revel 7. there are a number that are sealed sealed inwardly by the Spirit of God they are marked out for God they are a marked sealed number all those that God will have a speciall care of As in Ezek 9. Those that were marked in the forehead they were looked unto and cared for before the destruction came So in Malachy 3. God had Iewels that he saith he would gather When he brings a generall destruction he will be sure to gather his Iewels his first care is of them A booke of remembrance was written for them he hath a booke of providence to write their names in he hath their limmes all the parts of them written not a haire of them can miscarry their teares their steps their dayes are numbred My times are in thy hands saith David all things are numbred exactly of those that belong to God he hath a care of them and all theirs to a haire as our Saviour Christ saith they shall not lose so much as a haire of their heads God hath an exact care of his remnant at all times But you will say sometimes it fals our otherwise Indeed so it doth for sometimes Gods children are taken away in common judgments perhaps for too much corespondency with the sinnes of the times therefore they are wrapped in the destruction of the times but yet there is a maine diffâ—rence betweene them Ionathan and Saul dyed by the sword both of them Iosias and others died in the field but there is a maine difference Ionathan was a good man Saul for ought the Scripture saith of him we have no ground to judge charitably of him but leave him to his Iudge But sure it is in generall though the same things befall good and bad outwardly yet there is a difference betweene Lazarus and Dives when they dye Dives goes to his place and Lazarus to Heaven But for the most part this is true in regard of the body of the Church though some few members God hath hidden wayes to bring them to Heaven and happinesse but for the body of his Church and deare children he will give them their lives for a prey he will have a speciall care of them and be a Sanctuary to them Nay so far he will doe it that the world shall know that he hath a speciall care of them in the world as it is in the Psalme the heathen shall say God hath done great things for them men that have no religion shall say certainly God doth great things for these men though he suffer them to be carried captive and to be in affliction yet in that very affliction shall be the glory of