at the birth of Christ Good will to men All these agree very well Châ—â—sts free grace and faith For what wee have by grace wee have onely by Christ because he hath given satisfaction to Gods Justice that so grace may be conveyed and derived unto us without prejudice to any other Attribute in God and then the imbraceing power and grace in us is faith so these three agree I say whatsoever wee have from Gods free love now wee have it in Christ the free love of God is grounded in Christ wee in our selves especially considered in the corrupt masse cannot bee the object of Gods love God cannot looke upon us but in him the best beloved first therefore all is Christ in the carriage of it wee are elected in Christ called in Christ justified by Christ sanctified by the Spirit of Christ glorified in Christ We are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ. This is my beloved Sonne I am well pleased in him it is the same word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whom I delight Isay 42. Out of which the Father takes his speech This is the Sonne I delight in Now all Gods delight is first fixed in his Sonne and in us because we must have communion with the Sonne so the first object of Gods free love is Christ and then he lookes upon us in him The Trinity have a wondrous complacencie in looking upon mankind now in Christ God loves us as redeemed by Christ Christ loves us as electeâ— by the Father and given by the Fathers choyce to him to redeeme the Holy Ghost hath a speciall liking to us as seeing the love of the Father in chusing us and of the Son in redeeming us And surely if wee would see likewise those sweet interviewes of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost it should be our maine delight too to see how God hath chosen us and given us to Christ to save how Christ hath redeemed us from this very respect that the Father hath chosen us and given us to him as it is in Iohn 17. Thine thâ—y were thou gavest them me and how the Holy Ghost is a spirit of communion the Communion of the Holy Ghost that hath communion with the Father and the Son and issueâ— and proceedes from them both how he witnesseth this love to our soules and applies it to us the Holy Ghost applies all the Father decreed and ordained all the Sonne workes and dispenseth all the consideration of the point is wondrous comfortable Whatsoever good will the Father hath to us it is as we are in Christ. And why in Christ Because Christ is the first thing that God can love hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God whosoever is loved to glory in a spirituall order is loved in the first beloved Christ is loved of God as the character of his owne image the Sonne represents the Father he is loved of God as Mediator by office so God lookes upon us in Christ as the Sonne of his love so he is called by Saint Paul Coloss. 1. Then if we consider our selves this must bee so alas we are not objects of Gods love in our selves nor cannot be but in some other that is loved first for what are we and what is the glory to which God loves us To love such as wee to such glory and to free us from such misery due it must be by another foundation then our selves therefore Gods good pleasure is founded upon his Son Christ this is a cleare point the Scripture beates much upon it hee is our elder brother and wee must bee conformed to him To make some use of it First of all then we see here that all that are not in Christ lye open to the vengeance and wrath of God his good wil towards men is only in Christ. Againe if all Gods good will and pleasure be in Christ as our high Priest without whom we can offer no sacrifice as wee know whatsoever was not offered by the high Priest it was abhominable Therefore wee should looke to God in Christ love God in Christ performe service to God in Christ pray to God in Christ give thanks to God in Christ desire God in Christ to to make all things acceptable for Christs sake because it is in Christ that God hath any good will and pleasure to us It is a point of marvellous comfort that Gods love and good pleasure is so well founded as in Christ he loves Christ eternally and sweetly and strongly is not Gods love to us the same doth he not love us with the same love that hee loves his Son he loves his mysticall body with one love that is Christ head and members Iohn 17. That the love thou bearest to me may bee in them what a sweet comfort is this God loves Christ and me with one love he loves me strongly and sweetly and constantly as hee doth his owne Sonne his love to me is eternall because the foundation of it is eternall it is founded upon Christ. The love of a Prince if it be founded on a Favourite he loves dearely must needs be firme and strong Now Gods love to Christ is ardent and strong and sweet as possibly can be conceived therefore it is so to us his good will to us being founded on Christ. Why should a believer feare that God will cast him away he will as soone leave his love to his owne Sonne as to us if we continue members of his Sonne it is an undefeasable love it is a point of wondrous comfort What shall separate us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. from the love of God founded in Christ neither things present nor things to come nor life nor death nor any thing many things may sever the soule and body but there is nothing in the world but sinne that shall sever either soule or body from the love of God in Christ because both body and soule are members of Christ therefore let us treasure it up as a point wondrous comfortable To come to an use of tryall how shall wee know wither Gods good will be to us in Christ or no how shall I know that he loves my person that I am in the state of grace and love with him The Holy Ghost must ascertaine this for as the worke of salvation was so great that onely God could satisfie God so the doubts of mans heart and the guilt of his conscience when it is upon him and the feare of Gods wrath upon just guilt is such that God must assure him that God is reconciled to him God the Sonne must reconcile God the Father and God the holy Ghost must seale and ascertaine this to the soule The soule will never bee quiet before it see and know in particular God reconciled in Christ the Spirit that is God that is above conscience must seale it to the Soule being above conscience he can set downe and quiet our conscience Now
we looke forward it is a sight as it were in a Mysterie even that little that we doe know wee doe not know it as we shall know it in Heaven But is the Doctrine of the Gospel it selfe onely a Mysterie No All the Graces are Mysteries every Grace Let a man once know it and hee shall find that there is a Mysterie in Faith that the earthly soule of man should be carryed above it selfe to beleeve supernaturall Truths and to depend upon that he sees not to sway the life by reasons spirituall That the heart of man should beleeve that a man in trouble should carry himselfe quietly and patiently from supernaturall supports and grounds it is a Mysterie That a man should be as a Rocke in the middest of a storme to stand unmoveable it is a Mysterie That the carriage of the soule should be turned universally another way that the judgement and affections should be turned backward as it were that hee that was proud before should now be humble that hee that was ambitious before should now despise the vaine World that hee that was given to his lusts and vanities before should now on the contrary be serious and heavenly minded here is a Mysterie indeed when all is turned backward Therefore wee see how Nicodemus as wise as hee was it was a Riddle to him when our blessed Saviour spake to him of the New-Birth that a man should be wholly changed and new-molded that a man should be the same and not the same the same man for soule and body yet not the same in regard of a supernaturall life and being put into him carrying him another way leading him in another manner by other rules and respects as much different from other men as a man differs from a beast A strange Mysterie that rayseth a man above other men as much as another man is above other creatures For a man to be content with his condition in all changes and varieties when he is cast and tossed up and downe in the world to have a mind unmoveable it is a Mysterie Therefore S. Paul saith Philip 4. I have entred into Religion as it were I have consecrated my selfe the word is wondrous significant I have learned this Mysterie to be content It is a Mysterie for a man to be tossed up and downe and yet to have a contented mind I can want and I can abound I can doe all through Christ that strengtheneth me Why I have consecrate my selfe to Christ and Religion and from them I have learned this point to be content Therefore in the Text here as we shall see afterwards not onely Divine Truths are a Mysterie Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse but he insists in particular Graces Preached to the Gentiles Beleeved on in the World these are Mysteries In Christ all is Mysteries two natures God and man in one person mortall and immortall greatnesse and basenesse infinitenesse and finitenesse in one person The Church it selfe is a mysticall thing For under basenesse under the scorne of the world what is hid A glorious people The state of the Church in this world it is like a Tree that is weather-beaten the leaves and fruit are gone but there is life in the root So what is the Church A companie of men that are in the world without glory without comelinesse and beautie yet notwithstanding they have life in the root a hidden life Our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. The Church hath a life but it is a hidden mysticall life a life under death they seeme to die to the world but they are alive This is excellently and rhetorically followed by S. Paul As dying and yet we live as poore yet making many rich A strange kind of people poore and rich living and dying glorious and base yet this is the state of the Church here in this world they are an excellent people but they are veiled under infirmities of their owne and the disgraces and persecutions of the world So we see both the Doctrine it selfe and the Graces and the Head of the Church and the Church it selfe are nothing but Mysteries Is it so that Religion is a Mysterie Then first of all doe not wonder that it is not knowne in the world and that it is not onely not knowne but persecuted and hated Alas it is a hidden thing men know not the excellencie of it As great mens sonnes in a forraine Countrey they find not entertainment answerable to their worth but as they are apprehended to be by strangers so these Divine Truths they find little acceptance in the world because they are mysteries not onely Mysteries in the Tenent but in the practise therefore the practise finds such opposition in the world Father forgive them saith our blessed Saviour they know not what they doe The world knowes not what they doe when they hate and persecute Religion and religious persons The Church is a mysticall thing and Religion is a Mysterie it is hid from them Shall we be mooved with the disgracefull speeches of carnall men They speake they know not what the thing they speake against is a Mysterie Therefore what should we regard the speeches of the world or follow the example of the world in embracing Religion Religion is a Mysterie Let the world be never so great it is not the knowledge of great men or of rich men it is the knowledge of godly men it is a Mysterie of Godlinesse Shall we follow the example of the world in Religion when it is a Mysterie and a Mysterie of Godlinesse that onely godly men know and embrace Looke not therefore to the greatnesse of place or parts c. it is a Mysterie Againe if it be a Mysterie then it should teach us to carry our selves sutable to it Nature taught even the Heathens to carry themselves reverently in their Mysteries procul este profani away be gone all prophane Let us carry our selves therefore reverently toward the Truth of God towards all Truths though they be never so contrarie to our reason they are Mysteries altogether above Nature There are some seeds of the Law in Nature but there are no seeds in Nature of the Gospel therfore we should come to it with a great deale of reverence S. Paul teacheth us an excellent Lesson Rom. 11. When he entred into a depth that he could not fathome doth he cavill at it No Oh the depth Oh the depth So in all the Truths of God when we cannot comprehend them let us with silence reverence them and say with him Oh the depth Divine things are Mysteries the Sacraments are Mysteries let us carry our selves towards them with reverence What is the reason that there is one word in the Greeke and in other Languages to signifie both common and prophane Because those that come with common affections and common carriage to holy things they prophane them
have beene put to death Satan and his instruments would never have medled with him therefore God being veiled in the flesh being clouded with our flesh and infirmities thereupon the World had a misconceit of him He was not generally thought to be what hee was indeed he appeared to be nothing but a poore man a debased dejected man a persecuted slandered disgraced man in the World he was thought to be a Trespasser It is no matter what he appeared when hee was veiled with our flesh he was justified in the Spirit to be the true Messias to be God as well as man Iustified It implyes two things in the phrase of Scripture A freedome and clearing from false conceits and imputations and declared to be truly what he was to be otherwise then he was thought to be of the wicked World When a man is cleared from that that is layd to his charge hee is justified when a man is declared to be that he is then he is said to be justified in the sense of the Scriptures Wisedome is justified of her children that is cleared from the imputations that are layd upon Religion to be mopish and â—oolish Wisedome is justified that is cleared and declared to be an excellent thing of all her children So Christ was justified hee was cleared not to be as they took him and declared himselfe to be as he manifested himselfe a more excellent person the Sonne of God the true Messias and Saviour of the World In the Spirit That is in his God-head that did shew it selfe in his life death in his resurrection and ascension the beames of his God-head did sparkle out though he were God in the flesh yet he remained God stil was justified to be so in the Spirit that is in his divine Power which is called the Spirit because the spirit of any thing is the quintessence strength of it God hath the name of Spirit from his purity and power and vigour So God is a Spirit that is God is pure opposite to grosse things earth and flesh and God is powerfull and strong The Horses of the Aegyptians are flesh and not spirit that is they are weake a spirit is strong so much spirit so much strength So by the puritie and strength of the Divine Nature Christ discovered himselfe to be true God as well as true man The word Spirit is taken in three senses especially in the Gospel It is taken for the whole nature of God God is a Spirit sayth Christ to the woman of Samaria the very nature of God is a Spirit that is active and subtile opposite to meanenesse and weakenesse Then againe Spirit is taken more particularly for the Divine Nature of Christ as it is Rom. 1.4 Of the Seed of David according to the flesh but declared mightily to be the Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of sanctification or holinesse by the resurrection from the dead The opposition shewes that Spirit is taken there for the Divine Nature of Christ. He had spoken in the Verse before concerning his humane nature he was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh and it followes declared to be the Sonne of God according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead and so likewise in 1 Pet. 3.18 He was put to death in the flesh â—ut quickned in the spirit He was put to death in his humane nature out quickned and raysed as he was God The Spirit is taken likewise for the third Person in the Trinitie the Holy-Ghost the holy Spirit And indeed whatsoever God the Father or God the Sonne doth graciously to man it is done by the Spirit For as the holy Spirit is in the order of the Persons so he is in the order of working the Father workes from himselfe the Sonne workes from the Father the holy Spirit from them both the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Sonne as a common Principle Therefore sometimes the Father is sayd to rayse Christs Body by his Spirit Christ is sayd to do things by the Spirit Here in this place it is especially to be understood of Christs Divine Nature not excluding the Holy-Ghost For as the Holy-Ghost in the Incarnation sanctified his flesh the second Person tooke flesh but the third Person sanctified it so in the Resurrection of Christ the second Person that raysed it selfe up but yet it was by the Holy-Ghost too So when there is mention here of Christ justified by the Spirit that is by his God-head and by the Holy-Ghost which he alway used not as an instrument for the Holy-Ghost is a common Principle with himselfe one with himselfe of equall dignitie onely differing in the order of Persons Whatsoever Christ did he did with the Spirit that must not be excluded Christ was as well justified in the Spirit as God as manifest in our nature to be man And this was in the time of his abasement in the greatest extremitie of abasement there was somewhat that came from Christ to justifie him that he was the Sonne of God the true Messias there is no part of his abasement but some beams of his God-head did breake forth in it He was made flesh but he tooke upon him the flesh of a Virgin Could that be otherwise then by the Spirit to be borne of a Virgin she remaining a Virgin When he was borne he was layd in a Manger indeed there was God in the low estate of the flesh I but the Wisemen worshipped him and the Starre directed them there he was justified in the Spirit He was tossed when he was asleepe in the Ship but he commanded the Winds and the Waves He wanted Money to pay Tribute as he was abased but to fetch it out of a Fish there he was justified the one was an argument of his povertie and meanenesse but the other was an argument that hee was another manner of person then the World tooke him for that he had all the creatures at his command He was apprehended as a Male-factor but he struck them all down with his word Whom seeke yee Come to the greatest abasement of all when he was on the Crosse he hung betweene two Theeves I but he converted the one of them When the Theefe had so much discouragement to see his Saviour hang on the Crosse yet hee shewed such power in that abasement that the very Theefe could see him to be a King and was converted by his Spirit He did hang upon the Crosse but at the same time there was an Eclipse the whole World was darkned the Earth trembled the Rocks brake the Centurion justified him Doubtlesse this was the Sonne of God He was sold for thirtie pence but he that was sold for thirty pieces did redeeme the whole World by his bloud Nay at the lowest degree of abasement of all when he struggled with the wrath of God and wat
conceived of the prophanenesse and poyson that is in mans nature against Divine Truths as I shall shew afterwards how it slights the meanes of its owne salvation and stands wondering at baubles and trifles and so men waste away their precious time in admiration of that which is nothing but vanitie of vanities whereas we should take up our time in studying these transcendent things that goe beyond the capacitie of the very Angels yet these things we dally and trifle withall Againe from hence that Christs was seene and attended on and admired by Angels there is a great deale of comfort issueth to us it is the ground of all the attendance and comfort that we have from the Angels For this is a Rule in Divinitie that there is the same reason of the Head and of the members both Head and members are one Therefore what comfort and attendance Christ had who is the Head the Church which is his Body hath the same onely with some difference they attended upon him as the Head they attend upon us as the members they attended upon him immediatly for himselfe they attend upon us for his sake For whatsoever we have of God we have it at the second hand we receive Grace for Grace of Christ we receive attendance of Angels for the attendance they yeelded to Christ first they attend upon us by his direction and commission and charge from him so we have a derivative comfort from the attendance of Angels upon Christ but surely whatsoever they did to him they doe to us because there is the same respect to Head and members Therefore the Devill did not mistake he was right in that when he alledged out of the Psalme He shall give his Angels charge over thee that thou dash not thy foot against a stone He was right in that applying it to Christ For how-ever it be true to Christians yet it is true to Christ too it is true to the members as well as the Head and to the Head as to the members for He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one as the Apostle sayth one Christ. Now the care of Angels concerning Christ and his Church it was shadowed out in Exod. 25. and 26. There the Mercie-Seate which covered the Arke wherein the Law was upon the Mercie-Seat there were two Cherubins counter viewing one another and both pryed to the Mercie-Seat they shadowed out the Angels that looke on the Mercie-Seat Christ for he is the Mercie-Seat that covers the Law and the Curse in whom God was mercifull to us There they looke upon that with a kind of wonderment and attendance which S. Peter alludes unto in that place Iâ—to which Mysteries the very Angels prie And so in the Veile of the Tabernacle the Veile had round about it Pictures of Cherubins What did that shaddow out unto us The multitude of Cherubins and Seraphins and Angels that attend upon Christ and his Church So he was seene and attended on by Angels and it belongs to all that are his as you have it Heb. 1. They are ministring spirits for the good of the heires of salvation They that serve the King serve the Queene too Christ is the King of his Church and the Church is the greatest Queene in the World they attend upon her nay Christ hath made us with himselfe Kings Now what a King is that that hath a Guard of Angels As they guarded and attended upon Christ so they guard and attend all that are his as you have it excellently in Dan. 7.10 There are thousand thousands of Angels about the Throne continually All this is for our comfort because we are one Mysticall body with him You have in Iacobs Ladder a notable representation of this Iacobs Ladder it reached from Earth to Heaven and that pointed to Christ himselfe who is Emanuel God and man who brought God and man together He was a Mediator betweene both and a friend to both He was that Ladder that touched Heaven and Earth and joyned both together Now it is said the Angels ascended and descended upon that Ladder so the Angels descending upon us is because they ascend and descend upon Iacobs Ladder first that is upon Christ. All things are yours sayth the Apostle What be those God is ours the Spirit is ours Heaven is ours the Earth is ours Afflictions Life Death Paul Apollo the Angels themselves all is ours Why Ye are Christs that is the ground So it is a spring of comfort to consider that Christ was seene and admired and attended by Angels they are ours because we are Christs Let us consider what a comfort it is to have the attendance of these blessed Spirits for Christs sake And hence we have the ground of the perpetuitie of it that they will for ever be attendants to us because their love and respect to us is founded upon their love and respect to Christ. When favour to another is grounded upon a sound foundation when the favour that a King or a great person beares to one is founded in the love of his owne sonne he loves the other because he loves his sonne whom the other loves so it is perpetuall and sound because he will ever love his sonne The Angels will for ever love and honour and attend us why for what ground have they respect to us at all It is in Christ whose members and Spouse we are So long as the Church hath any relation to Christ so long the Angels shall respect the Church but the Church hath relation to Christ for ever therefore the respect that the blessed Angels have to Christ and to the Church it is for ever and for ever Well let us thinke of this so as to make use of it that now in Christ we have the attendance of Angels We doe not see them as in former time before Christs Incarnation it is true because now since Christ is come in the flesh the Government of Christ is spirituall and we are not supported with those glorious manifestations but they are about us in an invisible manner We have Elizeus Guard about us continually but we see them not There were more apparitions in the infancie of the Church because the dispensation of Christ to the Church was according to the weake state of the Church But now Christ is come in the flesh and received up in glory and there is more abundance of Spirit wee should be more spirituall and heavenly minded and not looke for outward apparitions of Angels but be content that we have a Guard of them about us as every Christian hath Despise not saith Christ these little ones thâ—y are about Christians and about little ones little in yeeres little in esteeme for their Angels c. It is a strange thing they are Gods Angels but they are theirs for their service Their Angels behold the face of your heavenly Father So that Christs Angels are our Angels they
when he was to ascend triumphantly to Heaven the greatest Gift he could give was some to be Prophets some Apostles some Teachers for the building up of the Bodie of Christ till we all meet a perfect man in Christ. I will send them Pastours according to my owne heart sayth God Ier. 3. It is a Gift of all Gifts the Ordinance of Preaching God esteemes it so Christ esteemes it so and so should wee esteeme it And to adde this further to cleare it from whatsoever may rise up in any mans mind doe but consider in experience where Gods sets up his Ordinance how many soules are converted some are savingly cast downe and then raysed up againe their lives are reformed they walke in the light they know whither they goe they can give an account of what they hold the state of those that live under the Ordinance of God is incomparably more lightsome and comfortable and glorious then those that are in the darke that want it If we had no other argument experience is a good argument Where doth Poperie and prophanenesse reigne most In those places where this Ordinance of God is not set up for Poperie cannot endure the breath of the Gospel Thus we see the necessitie and benefit of Preaching But then in the next place this Preaching it must be of Christ Christ must be preached But must nothing be preached but Christ I answer nothing but Christ or that that tends to Christ if we preach threatnings it is to cast men downe that we may build them up if a Physician purge it is that he may give Cordials whatsoever is done in preaching to humble men it is to rayse them up againe in Christ all makes way for Christ. When men are dejected by the Law we must not leave them there but raise them up againe what ever we preach it is reductive to Christ that men may walke worthy of Christ. When men have beene taught Christ they must be taught to walke worthy of Christ and of their calling that they may carry themselves fruitfully and holily and constantly every way sutable for so glorious a profession as the profession of Christian Religion is The foundation of all these duties must be from Christ the graces for these duties must be fetched from Christ and the reasons and motives of a Christians conversation must be from Christ and from the state that Christ hath advanced us unto the prevailing reasons of an holy life are fetched from Christ. The grace of God hath appeared sayth S. Paul it hath shined gloriously teaching us to denie all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and holily in this present evill world So that Christ is the maine object of preaching This made S. Paul when he was among the Corinthians to professe no knowledge of any thing but of Christ and him crucified to esteeme and value nothing else he had Arts and Tongues and parts he was a man excellently qualified but he made shew of nothing in his preaching and in his value and esteeme but of Christ and the good things we have by Christ. Now Christ must be preached wholly and onely we must not take any thing from Christ nor joyne any thing to Christ. The Galatians did but beleeve the necessitie of Ceremonies with Christ and the Apostle tells them Yee are fallen from Christ. It is a destructive addition to adde any thing to Christ Away with other satisfaction the satisfaction of Christ is enough away with merits the merits of Christ are all-sufficient away with merit of works in matter of salvation Christs righteousnesse is that that we must labour to be found in and not in our owne all is but dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent righteousnesse we have in Jesus Christ. You must heare and we must preach all Christ and onely Christ. S. Paul sayth he was jealous with a holy jealousie over those he taught why Lest Satan should beguile them and draw them from Christ to any other thing Why is the Church of Rome so erroneous but because she leaves Christ and cleaves to other things Therefore we must labour to keepe chaste soules to Christ and those that are true Preachers and Ambassadours and Messengers they must be jealous with a holy jealousie over the people of God that they looke to nothing but Christ. Christ must be preached But to whom To the Gentiles Here lyes the Mysterie that Christ who was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit c. should be preached to the Gentiles What were the Gentiles Before Christs time they were Dogges in our Saviour Christs censure Shall I give the Childrens Bread to Dogges Before Christs time they sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death Before Christs time they were the halt and the lame that He the great Feast-maker sent to bid come in they were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without Christ without God in the world without God because they were without Christ. It is not to be imagined in what misery the poore Gentiles were before the comming of Christ except some few Proselytes that joyned themselves to the Iewish Church for the Gentiles worshipped Devils What were all their gods but Devils They were under the Kingdome of Satan when the Gospel came to be preached among them they were translated out of the Kingdome of Satan into the blessed and glorious Kingdome of Christ Coloss. 1. Yet we see here notwithstanding they were such kind of people the Mysterie of the Gospel is preached to these to the Gentiles It was such a Mysterie as that S. Peter himselfe although he were acquainted with it oft times by Christ and he might reade of it in the Prophets yet notwithstanding he was to be put in mind of it Act. 10. when he was to goe to Cornelius he saw a Vision full of Beasts and a Voice saying Kill and eate and indeed the Gentiles were little better then Beasts they were esteemed so before they had the Gospel and the preaching of it to them you see it was a Mysterie to S. Peter himselfe But why did God suffer the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes as the Apostle saith Act. 14.16 Why did he neglect and over-looke the Gentiles and suffer them to goe on in their owne wayes so many thousand yeeres before Christ came were they not Gods creatures as well as the Iewes I answer this is a Mysterie that God should suffer those wittie people that were of excellent parts to goe on in their owne wayes But there was matter enough in themselves we need not call God to our Barre to answer for himselfe they were malicious against the Light they knew they imprisoned the light of nature that they had as it is Rom. 1. they were unfaithfull in that they had therefore besides that it is a Mysterie God may well be excused Doe but looke to the judgement that
us to Christ to be in love with and to embrace Christ and then it lookes to all the good things we have by him for he never comes alone there is a world of good things in him all that tends to grace and glory yet it is the person of Christ that the soule of a Christian principally lookes to other Divine Truths are the object of Faith to direct and sway our lives yet notwithstanding they are not the object of Faith when we looke for comfort for forgivenesse of sinnes and reconciliation with God then it lookes to Christ especially Therefore we that are Ministers of the Gospel of Christ should especially looke to unfold the riches of Christ and those that are Gods people should especially desire to have Christ unfolded and the riches of Gods love in Christ. The soule that ever found the sting of sinne the conscience that ever was awakened to feele the wrath of God it accounts nothing so sweet as Evangelicall Truths those things that concerne his Husband and Saviour A carnall man loves to heare morall points wittily spoken of as delightfull to his eare but the soule that understands it selfe what it is by nature that ever felt in any degree the wrath of God for sinne of all points it desires most to heare of Christ and him crucified Therefore we may judge our selves by our eares of what temper our soules are for the eare tastes if speeches as the mouth doth meats as Iob sayth Beleeved on in the world By world especially here in this place is meant the world taken out of the world the world of elect There is a world in the world as one saith well in unfolding this point as we see man is called a little world in the great world Christ was preached to the world of wicked men that by preaching a world might be taken out of the world which is the world of beleevers Hence we may cleare our judgements in that point that when Christ is said to redeeme the world it must not be understood generally of all mankind we see here the world is said to beleeve in Christ did all mankind beleeve in Christ was there not a world of unbeleevers We see here Christ beleeved on in the world the World that was opposite that were enemies that were under Satan Who shall despaire then Therefore let us conceive well of Christ. Why was he manifest in the flesh and why is there an Ordinance of Preaching Wherefore is all this but that he would have us beleeve be our sinnes what they will Put the case that there were a world of sinne in one man that one man were a world of naughtinesse as in some sense S. Iames saith there is a world of wickednesse in the tongue if in the tongue much more in the heart which is the sink of wickednesse But put the case there were a world of wickednesse in one man what is this to the satisfaction of God manifest in the flesh and to the infinite love of God now pacified in Christ looking upon us in the face of his beloved Sonne You see here Christ is beleeved on in the world Doe but consider what is meant by the world in Scripture how it is set downe to be in an opposite state to Christ and looke to the particular state of the Gentiles that are said to be the world what wretched people were the Corinthians before they beleeved and the Ephesians and the rest Let no man therefore despaire nor as I sayd before let us not despaire of the conversion of those that are Savages in other parts how bad soever they be they are of the world and if the Gospel be preached to them Christ will be beleeved on in the world Christs Almightie power goeth with his owne Ordinance to make it effectuall since the comming of Christ the World lyes before Christ as beloved of him some in all Nations The Gospel is like the Sea what it loseth in one place it gaineth in another so the Truth of God if it lose in one part if it be not respected it gets in another till it have gone over the whole World And when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in then comes the conversion of the Iewes Why may we not expect it They were the people of God We see Christ beleeved on in the World we may therefore expect that they shall also be called there being many of them and keeping their Nation distinct from others Now I shall shew how this is a Mysterie Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse Christ beleeved on in the World This is a great Mysterie to joyne these together The World and Beleeving it is almost as great a Mysterie as to joyne God and man together a Virgin and a Mother to bring an Vnbeleeving rebellious heart such as is in the world and beleeving together it is a great Mysterie in divers considerations First if we consider what the World was an opposite and enemie to Christ and under his enemy being slaves to Satan being Idolaters in love with their owne inventions which men naturally dote on Here was the wonder of Gods love and mercy that he should vouchsafe it to such wretches We may see by S. Pauls Epistles what kind of people they were before they embraced the Gospel Here was Gods wondrous dignation that God should shine upon them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death that were abused by Satan at his will That the World that is all sorts of the World from the highest to the lowest should at length stoupe to the Crosse of Christ That the Emperours should lay their Crownes at Christs feet as Constantine and others Christ at length subdued the Roman Empire it selfe to the Faith That the Philosophers of the World that were witty and learned should at length come to embrace the Gospel for divers of the Fathers were Philosophers before That men of great place of great parts and learning and education and breeding should denie all and cast all prostrate at the feet of Christ for these to be overcome by plaine Preaching for meanenesse to overcome mightinesse for ignorance to overcome knowledge yet notwithstanding these great and wise men of the World were overcome by the Gospel It was a Mysterie that the World should beleeve if we consider besides their greatnesse and wisedome the inward malicious disposition of the World being in the strong mans possession for these men to beleeve the Gospel surely it must needs be a great Mysterie Againe if we consider the parties that carryed the Gospel whereby the World was subdued a companie of weake men unlearned men none of the deepest for knowledge onely they had the Holy-Ghost to teach and instruct to strengthen and fortifie them which the World tooke no notice of men of meane condition of meane esteeme and few in number And these men they came not with weapons or outward defence but
that hath such a glorious condition in the eye of Faith to enter into We should not so much as looke up to heaven without comfort Yonder is my Saviour yonder is a house provided for me we should thinke and looke upon heaven as our owne place whither Christ is gone before and keepes a roome for us Here we may want comforts we may be thrust out of house home out of our habitation and Countrey and all but all the world and all the Devils in hell they cannot thrust us out of heaven nor dissolve and breake the communion that is betweene Christ and us they cannot take away either grace or glory from us Therefore we should be content with any condition in this world Christ is ascended into heaven to keep a blessed condition for us Likewise when we thinke of the troubles of this world of the enemies we have here thinke of Christ taken up to glory and thinke of Christs order first he suffered and then he entred into glory so we must be content to suffer first and then be glorious We are predestinate to be comformable to Christ wherein stands our conformitie It is in abasement first and then in glory Christ entred into glory in this order and shall we thinke to come to Heaven in another order then Christ did Shall we wish for a severed condition from him If we be in Christ all that we suffer in this world they are sufferings of conformity to make us sutable to our Head and to fit us for glory And our greatest abasements what are they to the abasement of Christ None was ever so low and there is none so high as he was the lowest in abasement so he is the highest in glory when he was at the lowest in the Grave not onely dead but under the kingdome and command of death then he rose gloriously and ascended Our lowest abasements are fore-runners of our advancement and glory this assumption of Christ to glory should helpe us in this respect In all disconsolations there is a world of comfort hence We must not thinke of 〈◊〉 as if his honours had changed his manners as it is among men that now he is become stately that he doth not regard his poore Church No such matter he regards his poore Church now he is in Heaven as much as he ever did The members here cannot suffer any thing but the Head in Heaven is sensible of it as it is Act. 9 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The foot is trod upon and the tongue complaines Our blessed Saviour is not like Pharaohs unkind Butler that forgat Ioseph when himselfe was out of prison Christ being advanced to honour now forgets us not here No he is as good Ioseph that was sent into Aegypt to provide for all the Family before hand So this our Ioseph the great Steward of Heaven and Earth he is gone to provide for us all against we come to Heaven he forgets us not he disdaines not to looke on things below he considers every poore Christian he is as mercifull now as he was when he was upon Earth as you have it largely proved Heb. 4.7 He was man for this end that he might be a mercifull High-Priest and he is so in Heaven and pitties all our infirmities it is not here Out of sight out of mind for as I sayd he hath us in his breast I and he is with us by his Spirit to the end of the world He is taken up to Heaven in his Body but his Spirit which is his generall Vicar is here with us to the end of the world I will send you the Comforter and he shall abide alway with you And it is better for us to have the Comforter here without his bodily presence then to have his bodily presence without the abundance of his Spirit as it was better with the Disciples when he was taken up to Heaven and was present by his Spirit then it was before We lose nothing therefore by the ascension of Christ it was for us he was given for us borne for us he lived for us he died for us he rose and ascended to Heaven for our good It is good for you that I goe it was to provide a place for us and to send the Comforter all was for our good whatsoever he did in his abasement and exaltation Againe this administreth comfort in regard of the afflictions of the Church When the Church is under any abasement at the lowest it hath a glorious Head in Heaven and what doth he sit there and do nothing No he sits at the right hand of God rules his Church even in the midst of his enemies If he doe give the chaine to them it is for speciall ends his people stand in need of all that they endure and he measures it even to a Dram whatsoever his Church suffers for they are his members and he is sensible of their sufferings He is a High-Priest that is touched with our infirmities therefore nothing can befall his Church without his government He le ts loose the enemies thus far and then he restraines them and subdues and conquers them making them his foot-stoole The enemies seeme to domineere now and trample on the Church but ere long they shall become the Churches foot-stoole Christ will governe his Church till all his enemies be under his feet He is ascended into Heaven for this purpose and he is fitting his Church by these afflictions for greater grace in this world and for eternall glory in the world to come Therefore let us not take scandall at the present sight of things We stand amazed to see the state of Europe at this time but for our comfort let us consider that Christ is taken up to glory and he sits in Heaven and rules his Church and will guide all these Wartes to a good and gracious end He sits at the Sterne the Ship may be tossed where Christ sleepes but it cannot be drowned the House that is built upon a Rock it may be blowne upon it shall never overthrowne the Bush wherein the fire is it may burne but it shall never be consumed the Church wherein Christ rules and governes it may be tossed it shall never be overcome and subdued Nay by all these things that the Church suffers Christ rules and exerciseth his Churches graces mortifies his Churches corruptions It is necessarie there should be some change standing waters breed Frogges and other base creatures so it is with Christians if there be not some exercise by afflictions what kind of vices grow As we see in these times of peace what kind of lives most men live that we may take up an admiration that God should be so mercifull to continue his Truth to acompanie of proud base carnall persons that lead lives under the Gospel no better then if they were in Paganisme Therefore we cannot looke for any good without further abasesement
come without repentance What saith the Apostle For this cause because you come unreverently to the things of God some are sicke and some weake and some sleepe God strucke them with death for it And it is a great cause why many are hardned in their sinnes and goe on still because God executes these spirituall judgements for prophaning these holy things thinking to daube with God and to complement with him in an easie performance I know those that belong to God are suffered sometimes to doe things amisse and to fall into errours and miscarriages that they may know themselves better And indeed much of our spirituall wisedome is gotten by the sight of our owne errours we grow more stablished after against the like temptations for the time to come and we can say by experience it is good that I know the foolishnes of my own heart c. but hee that God hath no delight in he swells and rages against any admonition though it be in love to his soule I hope there are none such here therefore those that have made their peace with God let them come to these holy mysteries with comfort notwithstanding any thing before for God hath prepared these things not for Angels but for weake men whose faith stands in need to be strengthned And let us not thinke that Christianity is a matter of complement that because we are baptised and come to heare the Word and receive the Sacrament all is well for wee may doe all this and yet be greater sinners then Turkes or Jewes or Pagans for the most horrible sins are committed in the Church Where is the sinne against the Holy-Ghost committed sins against light and against conscience but where the conscience and understanding is most enlightned there be the horrible provoking sinnes where there is more light and direction to live in another way When the grace of God and the riches of Christ are opened and yet men live in their sinnes against conscience and the light of the Gospell so farre is the outward performance from excusing in sickenesse and at the houre of death that it aggravates our guilt and damnation when we make not a right use of the holy things of God That which I shall next stand upon shall be to shew How we may know whether we glorifie God for Christ or no. And then the hindrances that keepe us from glorifying God for this excellent good And the meanes how we may come to glorifie God For the first of glorifying God in generall I will not speake much it would be large and the point of glorifying God is most sweetly considered as invested in such a benefit as this when we thinke of it not as an Idea onely but thinke of it in Christ for whom we have cause to glorifie God and for all the good wee have by him First then we hold tune with the blessed Angels in giving glory to God when we exalt God in our soules above all creatures and things in the world when we lift him up in his own place and let him be in our soules as he is in himselfe in the most holy God is glorious especially in his mercy and goodnesse let him be so in our hearts in these sweet Attributes above all our unworthinesse and sinne for God hath not glory from us till we give him the highest place in our love and joy and delight and all those affections that are set upon good when they are set upon him as the chiefe good then we give him his due place in our soules wee ascribe to him that Divinity and excellency and eminency that is due to him And this especially appeares in competition and opposition of other things when we will not offend God for any creature when we can say as the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there in earth in comparison of thee Therefore let us aske our owne thoughts often what that is that our affections of delight and joy and love and all the sweetnes and marrow of our soules is spent on and runs after is it the sweet love of God in Christ the excellent state we have in Christ it is an excellent signe Surely the blessed Saints in heaven and those that are in earth that looke for heaven are thus disposed for the most part especially when they set themselves in their devotions before God Let us examine what is highest in our soules The loving kindnesse of the Lord is better then life it selfe saith the Psalmist Then we give God glory when we set light by life it selfe as holy Saint Paul could say What doe you tell me of suffering at Ierusalem I am not onely ready to doe that but to die for the name of Christ and in Philip. 1. So God may be magnified by my life or death I am at a point so if the question be whether we shall sacrifice this blood and life of ours or dishonour God and wrong the Gospell or be any way prejudiciall to the truth knowne when wee are ready to part with all with father and mother and houses and lands and all for Christ then with the Angels we say Glory be to God on high therefore in a state of opposition when we cannot enjoy both let us leave the creature and cleave to God Then againe we give glory to God for Christ when we take all the favours wee have from God in Christ when we see Christ in every thing All things are ours because we are Christs It is by Christ that wee are heires that we have any comfortable interest therefore when wee accept all in Christ and give God in Christ the glory of all we practice this that the Angels doe here we give glory to God Then againe we give glory to God when we stirre up others all the Angels consent there was no discord in this harmony of the Angels When we all joyne together and stirre up one another and labour to promote the knowledge of God in Christ all the wayes we can every one in our place and calling Magistrates and Ministers and every one in our families labour that Christ may rule there that God in Christ may be knowne In Psal. 103. there the Psalmist stirres up himselfe to glorifie God and he stirres up the Angels and here the Angels stirre up men Glory to God on high c. Where there is a zeale of Gods glory and a disposition fit to glorifie God there will be a stirring up one of another Angels men and men Angels and a wishing that God may have glory in heaven and earth Therefore those that labour not in their places that the truth may be made known that for base and worldly ends are opposers of the publishing of the Gospell any way as it is the fashion now they will not appeare openly but cunningly undermine the Gospell under pretences they beare no tune with these blessed Angels for those
what doth he talke of peace with God when hee is in league with Gods enemy therefore though such men out of the hardnesse of their hearts which are harder then the nether milstone and God seales them up under a hard heart to damnation except some terrible judgement awake them force a peace upon themselves they ought to speake none and they shall find it to their cost ere long therefore let us examine our owne hearts how we stand affected to any sinfull course There may be infirmities and weakenesses hang upon the best that are besides their purposes and resolutions but for a man resolvedly to set himselfe in an ill way how can he be at peace with God and with Satan at the same time let us take notice of these things and not daube with our owne consciences Againe where there is a true peace established there is a high esteeme of the Word of peace the Gospell of reconciliation as St. Paul calls it 2 Cor. 5. He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation those that find this peace there is stirred up by the Spirit in their breasts a high esteeme of the ordinance of God as being the word of their peace how come we to have peace betweene God and us is it not by opening the riches of Gods love in Christ in the Scriptures Therefore saith the Scripture blessed are the feet of them that bring glad tidings the meanest part of their body their feete are blessed therefore those that have despicable conceits of the Ministrie of the Word and place their happinesse in depraving the labour and paines of that office and calling it is a signe they have prophane hearts for whosoever hath had any grace wrought by the word of reconciliation and of peace they will highly esteeme it and respect them for their office sake it cannot be otherwise Lastly those that have found peace â—are peaceable it is universally true God doth make an impression of the same disposition in us to others we apprehending God in Christ to be peaceable to us wee are peaceable to others therefore in Isay 11. The knowledge of God in Christ it alters and changeth mens dispositions it makes Wolves and Lions to be of a milder disposition and temper harsh proud sturdy dispositions they never felt peace and mercy themselves therefore they are not ready to shew it to others In the nature of the thing it selfe it is impossible for the soule to apprehend peace in the love of God and not to have the disposition wrought upon to shew what it hath felt let us thinke of these and such like evidences daily to keepe our hearts from speaking false peace The greatest danger in the world in this regard is in the Church for people under the Gospell speake false peace to themselves there is a spirit of delusion that carries them along to their death and deceives them also in death and so they are in hell before they be aware and then too late they see that they were never in good tearmes with God in all their life because they looked on Christ making peace without any consideration of the spirit of application There must be a sprinkling of the blood of Christ on our soules to make it our owne We are come to the blood of sprinkling it is not the blood of Christ that makes our peace onely as blood but as it is sprinkled by the hand of faith that is as the Iâ—ope that sprinkled the blood of the Sacrifice upon the people We must not thinke to have any good by the blood of Christ when we want the blood of sprinkling that is this particular faith Christ loved me and hath chosen me and I choose him and love him againe and so goe with boldnesse to God as a Father unlesse there be this passage of the soule betweene God and us let us not talke of peace for if we might have good by Christ without a spirit of application and if there were not a necessity of sprinkling the blood of Christ upon our soules by faith all the world should be saved In the next place to give a few directions to maintaine this peace actually and continually every day To walke with God and to keep our daily peace with God it requires a great deale of watchfulnesse over our thoughts for he is a Spirit over our words and actions watchfulnes is the preserver of peace where there is a great distance betweene two that are at peace it is not kept without acknowledgement of that distance and without watchfulnesse it is not here as it is in a peace that is betweene two Kings that are coordinate one with another but it is a peace betweene the King of heaven and Rebels that are taken to be subjects therefore we must walke in humble low tearmes humble thy selfe and walke with thy God we must watch over our carriage that we doe not grieve the Spirit of God for then how-ever the first peace stablished in conversion should be never taken away yet God interdicts our comfort wee cannot daily enjoy our daily peace without watchfulnesse but God suffers our knowledge and our former illumination to lasâ— our conscience and to be more miserable in our inward man than a carnall man that never had sight of goodnesse oh the misery of a man that is fallen into ill tearmes with God that had peace before of all men such a man hath most horrour till he have made his peace againe watchfulnesse will prevent this And because it is a difficult thing to maintaine tearmes of peace with God in regard of our indisposition we fall into breaches with God daily therefore wee should often renew our covenants and purposes every day And if wee have fallen into any sinne let us make use of our great peace-maker Christ who is in heaven to make peace betweene God and us let us desire God for his sake to be reconciled unto us for God is in Christ reconciling us unto him still the fruit of Christs death remaines still let us desire him to testifie it unto us by his holy Spirit And take that direction of the Apostle in Philip. 4. When we find any trouble in the world not to trouble our selves over-much In nothing be carefull c. No shall we cast away all care Cast your care upon God let your requests be made knowne to God with thankesgiving let your prayers be made to God and let him have his tribute of thankesgiving for what you have received already What then The peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keepe and preserve your hearts and minds in Christ Iesus perhaps we shall not have what we pâ—ay for when we have made our requests knowne to God if wee have not that we pray for presently yet we shall have the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keepe our hearts and mindes therefore when any thing troubles us let
that tooke it on him hath freed himselfe from it whatsoever he is freed from I am freed from it it can no more hurt me then it can hurt him now in heaven therefore when I thinke of sinne and hell and damnation and wrath I see my selfe freed from it in Christ he became poore to take this away from me my sins were laid on him and hee is justified and acquitted from them all and from death and the wrath of God that he under went and I am acquitted in him by vertue of my union with him and the Divell can no more prejudice the salvation of a believer then he can pull Christ out of heaven And as wee see our â—â—â—ves â—â—eed from all ill iâ— Christ so for all good â—ee it in him first and conveyed by him to us whatsoever hee hath I shall have he is risen and ascended I shall therefore rise and ascend and fit at the right hâ—nd of God for ever with him 〈◊〉 shall be for ever with the Lord let us see our riches in him he is rich first as the head or first fruits and then wee as the lumpe afterwards the first fruits were sanctified and then the lumpe the first fruits are glorious and then the rest after whatsoever we looke for in our selves see it in him first and then the consideration of a Christian condition is a comfortable consideration Take â— Christian in all conditions whatsoever if he be poore Chris◠〈◊〉 pooâ—â— for him that his poverty might not â—ee a 〈◊〉 to him if he be poore Christ was rich to make him rich in the best riches and to take the sting out of poverty and to turne it to his good if he be abased Christ was abased for him to sanctifie his abasement let us labour to see it 〈◊〉 curse taken a way in every thing and not onely so but to see a blessing in all being made 〈…〉 then it will be a comfortable consideration But it may bee objected wee see no such thing we see Christians are as poore as others The best riches of a Christian are unâ—eenâ— they are unknowne men as wee say of a rich man that makes no shew of his riches hee is an unknowne man It is said of Christ all the riches of wisedome are hid in Christ that that is hidden is not seene so the riches of a Christian they are hidden As Christ was rich when he was upon earth hee was rich in his fathers love and in all graces but it was a hidden riches they tooke him to be a poore ordinary man so a Christian hee is a hidden man his riches are hid he hath an excellent life but it is a hidden life our life is hid with Christ in God it is not obvious to the eye of the world nor to himselfe oft times in the time of desertion and temptation But you will say for outward things wee see Christians are poore now as there were poore Christians in Saint Pauls time It is no great matter the riches we have especially by Christ are spirituall in grace here and glory hereafter hee came to redeeme our soules here from sinne and misery and hee will hereafter come to redeeme our bodies and invest them into the glory that we have title to now by him Yet also for outward things a Christian is rich though they bee not the maine yet they are the viaticum provision in his journey and he shall have enough to bring him to heaven feare not little flocke it is your fathers will to give you a kingdome surely if he will give them a kingdome they shall not want daily bread upon seeking the kingdome of God these things shall bee cast in unto them Againe put case a Christian bee poore hee is rich in Christ and he beares the purse what if a child have no money in his purse his father provides all necessaries for him hee is rich as long as his father is rich and can we be poore as long as Christ is rich being so neere us being our head we shall want nothing that is needefull and when it is not needfull and for our good we were better be without it Againe he must needs be rich whose poverty and crosses are made riches to him God never takes away or witholds outward blessings from his children but he makes it up in better in inward they gaine by all thâ—ir losses and grow rich by their wants for how many are there in the world that had not beene so rich in grace if they had had abundance of earthly things so that though they bee poore in the world they are rich to God rich in grace rich in faith as Saint Iames saith The greatest grievances and ills in the world turne to a Christians sicknesse and shame and death the Spirit of God is like the Stone that men talke so of that turnes all into gold it teacheth us to make a spirituall use and to extract comfort out of every thing the worst things we can suffer in the world all things are ours as I said before even Sathan himselfe the Spirit of God helpes us to make good use of his temptations to cleave faster to the fountaine of good Againe though a Christian bee poore yet hee hath rich promises and faith puts those promises in suite and presseth God with them If a man have bonds and obligations of a rich man hee thinkes himselfe as rich as those bonds amount to There is no Christian but hath a rich faith and rich promises from God and when he stirres up his faith he can put those promises in suite if it be not his owne fault in all his necessities therfore a Christian cannot be so poore as to be miserable I know flesh and blood measureth riches after another manner But is not he richer that hath a fountaine then he that hath but a cesterne A man that is not a Christian though he be never so rich he hath but a cesterne his riches are but few they are soone searched but a Christian though he bee poore his riches are unsearchable An other man though he be a Monarch his riches may bee reckoned and cast up it is but a cesterne and such riches as he cannot carry with him but a Christian hath a fountaine a Mine that is unsearchable in the rich promises of God Againe a Christian though hee bee never so poore yet hee hath a rich pawne saith Saint Paul if he spared not his owne Sonne but gave him to death for us all how shall be not witâ— him give us all things If hee have given us such a pawne as CHRIST who is riches it selfe shall he not with him give us all other things we have a pawne that is a thousand times better then that we neede wee want poore outward things but wee have Christ himselfe for a pawne Lastly sometimes God sees that poverty and want is this world
in part of our riches that it is good for us and what is good for me is my riches if poverty be good for me I will be poore that I may be humble humility is better then riches if I bee in any want if I have contentment it is better then riches if I fall into trouble he will give mee patience that is better then friends A man may have outward things and be naught but he that wants outward comfort and hath supply in his soule is it no better therefore take a Christian in any condition he is a rich man and this riches wee have by the poverty of Christ hee became poore that wee through his poverty might be made rich We see here then that a Christians estate is caried under contraries as Christ was hee was rich and became poore hee caried his riches under poverty he was glorious but his glory was covered under shame and disgrace so it is with a Christian he goes for a poore man in the world but he is rich he dies but yet he lives hee is disgraced in the world but yet hee is glorious As Christ came from heaven in a way of contraries so wee must be content to goe to heaven in a seeming contrary way Take no scandall therefore at the seeming poverty and disgrace and want of a Christian Christ himselfe seemed to bee otherwise to the world then hee was when hee was poore he was rich and sometimes he discovered his riches there were beames brake forth even in his basest estate when he died there was nothing stronger then Christs seeming weaknesse in his lowest abasement he discovered the greatest power of his God-head for he fatisfied the justice of God he overcame death and his Fathers wrath he triumphed over Sathan hee trod on his head what hath Sathan to doe with us when Gods justice is satisfied so that his hidden glory was discovered sometimes so there is that appeares in the children of God that others may see them to be rich if they did not close their eyes but we must be content to passe to heaven as Christ our head did as concealed men Againe here is matter not onely for us men put for the Angells of heaven to admire and wonder at this depth of goodnesse and mercy in Christ that he would become poore to make us rich by his poverty see the exaltation of his love in this saith Saint Bernard well ôh love that art so sweete why becamest thou so bitter to thy selfe whence flowed Christs love and mercy that was so sweete in it selfe that it should be onely sowre and bitter to him from whence it had his rise and spring his love that is so sweet to us it became bitter to him he indured and did that that we should have done and suffered There be some men that will doe kindnesses so that themselues may not be the worse so that they may not be the poorer that they may not be disgraced or adventure the displeasure of others but Christ hath done all this great kindnesse for us by being poore for us by taking our nature our poverty our misery he doth us good in such a way as that hee parted with heaven it selfe for a time and with that sweete communion that hee had with his Father the dearest thing to him in the world he parted with it for ou◠sakes that made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me hereupon he made us rich in a way that cost him something And let us be thankefull to him in a way that may cost us something let us bee content to bee abased for him to doe any thing for him hee descended from heaven to the grave as low as hee could for us let us descend from our conceited greatnesse for him can wee lose so much for him as he hath done for us what are our bodies and soules in comparison of God It was God that became poore for us wee cannot part with so much for him as he did for us And then we are gainers by him if wee part with all the world whatsoever wee doe for him I will be yet more vile for the Lord saith David hee became vile for us he became a sinner and of no reputation and shall not we be vile and empty for him certainely we shall if we have the Spirit of Christ in us it will worke a conformity If hee had stood upon termes and disdeyned the Virgins wombe and to become poore for us where had our salvation beene and if we stand upon termes when wee are to suffer for him or to stand for his cause where will our comfort be surely it is a signe wee have no right by the poverty of Christ unlesse wee bee content to part without Isaac with the best things we have when he calls for it Againe hath the poverty of Christ made us rich what will his riches doe Could hee save us when hee was at the lowest when hee was on the Crosse and satisfie divine justice by his death what can he doe for us now hee is in heaven and hath triumphed over all his enemies what can we looke for now by his riches that have so much by his poverty therefore we may reason with the Apostle Rom. 5.10 If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne how much more being reconciled shall wee bee saved by his life It is a strong argument not onely as it hath respect to us because there is more likelihood that any good should be done for us now when we are reconciled to God than before when we were enemies but also as it hath respect to Christ since he hath stucke not to reconcile us to God by his death cannot bee unwilling to save us by his life and he that was able to redeeme us by dying for us is more clearely and evidently powerfull to save us now he lives and reignes triumphantly in heaven For is not he able to preserve us to protect us and invest us into the glory that he hath purchased for us he that did so much for us in the time of his abasement will he not preserve the riches he hath gotten for us Is he not in heaven in majesty to apply all that he hath gotten Is he not our intercessor at the right hand of God to appeare before God for us to make all good Certainly he will preserve that which he hath procured by his death It is a disabling of Christ to thinke of falling away from grace he is able to maintaine us in that glorious condition that he hath advanced us to especially considering that he is now in heaven and hath laid aside the forme of a servant all his humiliation except our humane nature that for ever hee hath united to his person but all other things of his abasement he hath laid them aside he is able perfectly not only to save us as
by his death but to apply all that he hath gotten and preserve us to life everlasting We are kept by the power of God to that glory that Christ hath purchased by his death Therefore why should we feare for the time to come falling from grace or the want of that that is good is not Christ able to maintaine that that he hath gotten Let us raise our hearts with this consideration what Christ can doe now in glory when his poverty could do thus much Againe let us despise no man for his poverty for Christ was poore to make us rich and as those that despised Christ and esteemed him not but hid their faces from him because he grew up as a root out of a dry ground because there was no beauty in him that is because of his poverty because he was a Carpenters sonne they despised by this means the Lord of Glory so those that despised his poore members afterward that wandred up and downe in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute and afflicted they despised Gods jewels his choice favourites of whom the world was not worthy Let not the brother of low degree be cast down because he is poore nor let not the brother of high degree be lifted up because he is rich for if riches had been the best thing Christ would have been outwardly rich but Christ was poore to shew us what are the best riches and that the riches of this World are but things by the by Seek the kingdome of God and all other things shall be cast on you by way of addition and supplement The true riches of a Christian are spirituall Christ did not become poore to make us rich in this world to make us Kings and Emperous and Great Men here but to make us rich spiritually and to have such a moity of earthly things as may serve as a Viaticum to bring us to Heaven the maine riches of a Christian are spirituall and eternall in grace and glory In popery they live as if Christ came to make them Lords of the World to usurpe jurisdiction over Kings and Princes Christ came to make us rich in another manner S. Peter saith Silver and gold have I none but his successors cannot say so Christ came not as a servant to make us Lords here much lesse to set us at liberty to live after the flesh and to doe what we list No the end of Christs comming was to take away sinne to destroy the workes of the Devill The common course at this time and develish practise of many overturnes the end of Christs comming as if he came not to destroy but to let loose the workes of the Devill to let us loose to all licentiousnesse he came to bâ—ing us to God and not to give us liberty in courses to runne further from God But that by the way Christ as I said camâ— not to make â—s rich in the things of this life for doe but consider a little of outward riches what be they They are not our owne as Christ saiâ—h Luk. 16. We are but Sâ—ewards and we must give a strict account ere long how we have used them And as they are not our owne so they are not true riches because they make not us rich Wee usually call a poore man a poore soule a poore soule may be a rich Christian and a rich man may have a poore soule naked and empty of spirituall riches These are not true riches because they make not a man better they may be a snare to him and make him worse and puffe him up as every graine of riches hath a vermine of pride and ambition in it Charge rich men that they bee not high minded they may make a man worse they cannot make him better Can that be true riches that makes a man poorer that hath not a gracious heart Surely no these riches oft times are for the hurt of the owners men are filled as Sponges and then squeezed againe are these true riches that expose a man to danger True riches are such as not only we may doe good by but they make us good Grace makes us better it commends us to God All the riches in the world doe not commend us to God It is said of Antiochus a great Monarch he was a vile and base person because he was a wicked man There is no earthly thing can commend a man to God if he be naught if he have a rotten prophane heart Againe they are not true riches because a man out-lives them death sâ—rues him out of all death comes and examines him when he goes out of the world and will suffer him to carry nothing with him If a man come to another mans Table and think to carry away his plate or any thing else he will be stayed at the gate and have it taken from him Nothing we brought into this world and with nothing we must goe out and are they true riches that determine in this life Then againe these riches they are not proportionable to the soule of man when the soule of man hath the image of Christ on it nothing will satisfied it but spirituall things there is nothing in the world will satisfie a gracious soule but grace and glory It is only grace and the spirituall things by Christ that are the true riches that make us good and continue us good and continue with us wee carry them to Heaven with us Therefore as the Apostle saith we should desire the best things labour for the best portion that shall never be taken from us When we have many things in this world set before us shal we make a base choise as the Gadarens to save their Hogs they would loose Christ shall wee make choice of poore things and leave grace and Christ No since we have judgement to make a difference let us make a wise choice judgement is seen in choice of different things for though these things bee good yet they are inferiour goods and we loose not these things by labouring for grace and the best things the best way to have these things is to labour for the best things Solomon desired wisedome and he had riches too Let us seeke the kingdome of God and these things as far as they be needfull shall bee cast on us These are the truths of God Therefore let us be ashamed that we discover our ignorance by making a base choice and let us labour to choose the best things Christ became poore to make us rich in the best things to make us rich in grace in joy in peace and comfort c. Therefore let us esteeme our selves and others highly from hence and let us not judge by appearance when Christ was put to death how did the World judge him A miserable man a sinner because they judged by appearance so it is the lot of Gods children though they be never so rich yet those that looke
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.