seen of Angels is but collaterall to it to make up the glory of it ab extra from the admiration of such divine creatures when they did but look on it but yet this mystery goes on still in its greatnesse even in regard of our actings towards it and this is put in among the rest to fill it up that it was beleeved on in the world the receiving of Jesus Christ and beleeving on him as the Author of life and salvation and the righteousnesse and redemption of poor sinners is one part of the great mystery of godlinesse and that which is as much to be admired as any of the rest Let us first looke on it in relation to the other parts of this mysterie then consider it in it selfe First consider it as with the rest and it is one of the greatest parts of the mystery for the acting and contriving of this in God's owne heart he had no opposition all was done in light and glory but when it was acted on us there was the opposition light and darkenesse striving together yet one would think this should be no mystery at all for us to beleeve this which was so much for our own eternall good Who will wonder at a starved begger to take bread that is offered him or for a poor prisoner condemned to take a pardon all the wonder is that the man should be so bountifull as to part with the bread out of his own belly to give the beggar and that the K. should be so gracious as to grant the pardon to such a wretch yet the Holy Ghost sets this downe as an equall mystery with the rest that Christ should be beleeved on in the world which is no more but that sinners should receive and entertaine that glory which is let downe from Heaven to blesse them withall to lay hold on that Rock without which they are drowned for ever to accept of that grace which only can bring salvation to them to give up themselves to be saved by the infinite riches of love and glory yet this is a mysterie that ever this Christ should be thus beleeved on That God should be manifest in flesh to save such sinners as we are why his own infinite love prompted him to it he had a design of glory out of it he knew what he did it was an essay of acting out his wisdome and love and that he was seen of Angels such sagacious and spirituall creatures is not so much wonder for who was fit to behold such an object but such blessed spirits and that it should be preached to the Gentiles may yet be conceived For God to proclaime it to us and open his heart was exceeding glorious yet still this was God letting out his owne love to us but that sinners who lie in darkenesse know nothing of God should beleeve this this is yet a farther mysterie and as great as any of the others But to open it more fully that we may see wherein this mysterie lies in this expression I shall lay downe these particulars It will be a mystery if you consider 1. The condition which the world is in 2. The nature of beleeving 3. The difficulties and disadvantages to the worke of beleeving 4. The requisites to such an act For the first That Christ should be beleeved on in the world by the world is meant the Gentiles unto whom Christ was to be preached Now the whole world lay in wickednesse averse from God scorning the name of Christ the condition of the world was a condition of utter darkenesse they were given up to blindnesse and hardnesse of heart they walked in the vally of the shadow of death under the power of the Devill ruling in their hearts as children of disobedience dead in trespasses and sins 2 Eph. 1 2 3. What a wonder is it for blind men to see though it be the best thing which may doe them good for dead men to be sensible of a miserable condition or of any thing that lies upon them such were all the world running with full careere to sin and Hell and will not be stopt delighting in sin as their meat and drinke serving their lust and the Devill as their God men not only not sensible of their owne estate but having the name of that which may reforme them Now for such to receive and entertaine a Christ submit to the glory of the Gospell must needs be a mysterie how such blind soules can see the light of the glory of God such dead hearts entertaine joyfully a living Christ and be brought from death to life from the power of Satan to God be transformed into light and life be taken up into glory may well be put on the account of the mysterie of the Gospell and adde to its greatnesse But 2. What is meant by beleeving in generall here Faith is put for all graces and all the glorious workings of God in our hearts beleeving being the first and the choicest grace every grace in our hearts makes up a mysterie and beleeving here comprehends all the workings of our hearts in relation to the designe of God in the Gospell as the manifestation of God in flesh and his justification in spirit is put for all the worke of redemption and justification the foundation of it being surely laid in that so all the workings of it in our hearts is summed up in beleeving How our hearts should take in all this love and be turned into it and live in it this is a mysterie indeed but especially beleeving is to be taken properly for the Faith it selfe which is nothing else but a closing with a receiving of and laying hold on Jesus Christ now if you look into the nature of this Faith you will find it a mysterie that Christ should be beleeved on in the world 1. A renunciation of selfe 2. A reall and full closing with Jesus Christ 3. It is a receiving Christ on his own tearmes For the first That a man should renounce himselfe and be nothing it is the hardest strait that Nature is put to selfe being the principle and end of all mens actions by Nature and that which lies diametrically opposite to the mystery of godlinesse for a poor creature whose Nature and actings can comply with nothing but selfe to abjure it and cast away all yea abhorre and loth selfe as its misery what shall we thinke of this can it amount to lesse then a mystery to see Nature not only to be weakned but turn'd against it selfe and acting contrary to its owne principles As to see light thinks descend and heavy ascend and that against its nature Selfe is the predominant principle of the world it rules like the sole Monarch and there is no absolute Monarch but selfe it rules in the most noble naturall breasts and is that which is founded in the nature of things But now when a man beleeves he goes directly against naturall selfe he saith he is nothing nor can doe nothing
the brightnesse of his glory but to beseech them to see with their own eyes their eternall happinesse Let all poore soules come and put in their hands and they may feele Gods heart come and behold life and immortality inhabiting the tabernacles of earth and their own peace and eternall happinesse in their owne flesh Who can make any excuse now that he beleeves not Why do soules now stand off What can be desired by lost soules more Oh that I might see God say some soules why he is come down in the likenesse of man he walkes in our own shape Oh saith another might I have my heart united to God why he is come down on purpose and hath united our own nature to himselfe God hath left all the world without excuse he hath condescended below himselfe that we might be above our selves In a word by this the way of life is paved and all the bars and blocks taken out of the way all objections stifled in the birth and answered before they are made In this manifestation justice and mercy sweetly kisse each other and have their equall joy free grace and merit bounty and beauty fulnesse and nothingnesse are made one and triumph together the most hidden things revealed and the worst things advanced all things become nothing and nothing all things our nature which lay in rags enriched with the unsearchable treasures of glory that flesh which was so weake as not able to put forth a hand to save its own life enabled to save millions of soules and bring forth the greatest designes of God and that flesh which the Apostle cals a vile body enobled and advanced beyond the nature of Angels This this is the great mystery hid from Ages and Generations of men that God lives in our flesh and there acts all the parts of his glory It is now no wonder that man is made one to God and hath boldnesse through faith even to go into heaven seeing God is come to carry them up with him this was the first and great experiment which ever God did make of the fulnesse of his love and glory and we have now seene that in our flesh which could never have been seene in it selfe Vse 1. Seeing this is so great a mystery what use can we make enough of it doubtlesse it cannot be accounted lesse than a spring of unconceivable comfort to all poore soules yea in whatever condition they be give leave to extract some few grounds of strong support and joy and we need no chymicall art the consideration doth naturally drop the strongest spirits of rejoycing and incouragement that can be possible Unto two sorts I shall especially direct this use 1 To poor soules that are yet in the embryo under the first and lowest convictions of their owne condition who first for feare of there wrath to come and would faine draw neer but dare not touch the staffe of their eternall comfort this point will yield water of life at the first striking unto their poor soules yea and more then their soules are able to beare or their doubts are able to answer if they will but observe what the weight of this expression is 2. To beleevers who are yet trembling at the sight of their many sins and not yet cleered up in the spirituall notions of the Gospell For the first Let me speak to you drooping hearts who long after life and salvation and to see God as yours more then life it selfe what ailes thy heart who hath made thee afraid what is that shakes thy knees and dryes up thy marrow and breaks thy bones and cuts thy joynts and nerves Oh why dost thou start back in the day of thy trouble Why you will say God is mine enemy I am a stranger to him I shall never see a glimpse of the face of God where all my happinesse lies sin hath brought forth death and misery in my soule God's law condemnes me my owne conscience accuseth me and justice will have its due These and such like are the usuall apprehensions of such convinced soules Yet notwithstanding all this let word of the Gospell be heard let the truth be heard speak for it selfe God is manifested in the flesh VVhen thy soule lost seven fold more then it is the spirit of this expression is able to recover thee and set thee upon thy legs with a crowne of glory on thy head 1. God himselfe is come into the world to offer the tearms of love and peace unto thy poor soule because it was impossible for thee to come to God he is come to thee and hath laid aside as it were his owne glory while he converses with thee This is no ordinary design that God hath to drive when he is so wonderfully manifest in thy own flesh when God manifesting himselfe as formerly in Thunder and Lightning with an innumerable company of Angels all having their swords of justice and vengeance drawne well might poor soules tremble and run into corners for who would ever be able to indure his comming but loe poor soule God is come in flesh with an Olive branch of eternall peace in his hand and bids you all be witnesse he is not come to destroy but to save There be but two things in God which might discourage poor soules from making approaches to him the infinite brightnesse of his glory whereby there is such a great distance between God and his poor creatures 2. The infinite severity and exactnesse of his justice whereby he is clothed with vengeance but behold these terrifying sights are you God hath made his appearance as a man as one of us and there shall not be the least distance between us and this God is likewise in our own Nature to satisfie himselfe and to gratifie his own justice for this is the naturall meaning of this phrase that God hath taken flesh to reconcile flesh to himselfe Bring out thy sins and weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and take in every circumstance both of law and Gospell and set but this in the other scale that God is manifested in flesh to take away sin how would all thy iniquities seem lighter then vanity yea be as nothing in comparison to that which is laid downe as a propitiation for these sins It is most true that nothing can reveale God at such a distance from a soule as sin it being that which is most contrary to his blessed Nature who is infinitely pure and holy Yet here is the mystery of godlinesse that God himselfe is become the satisfier of himselfe and that in our owne Nature The utmost height of sin lies in regard that it is a contradiction to the immortall God therefore it is so hainous that the death of Angels and men could never expiate it or reconcile sinners to God but if God will dye in our Nature and lay downe himselfe as a ransome how is the demerit of sin swallowed up in the incomprehensible redundancy of divine glory and
blame of all and been liable to the execution of all this in his own soule therefore though he was manifest in flesh as one condemned in that flesh yet the power of his Godhead raised him up from under the power of death and declared him as a righteous person one that was accepted for and that had compleatly satisfied for poore sinners And as at first conversion we passe from death to life that is from an estate of death and condemnation to an estate of life and justification So did Christ at his Resurrection from an estate of death and guilt which was laid on him to an estate of life and glory and justification from sin for had there been any sin unsatisfied for he could not have been justified Use 1. Is to informe us of the greatnesse of this mystery that God should be justified in spirit That God should manifest himselfe is a wonder and especially in flesh But that we should be justified that implies a guilt some default and doubtlesse this is one of the wonderfullest discoveries of his love to soules How can God be said to be justified who can imagine any evill in the Almighty who finds folly in the Angels they are not able to justifie themselves in his sight but the mysterie is in this that God himselfe which was in our flesh which is none other then Christ he is also justified for us God in our flesh takes upon him the charge of our debts and by his owne spirit justifies himselfe Oh how are poor soules raised at these expressions All the works of our salvation are done by God himselfe he taking that on him and acting over that in the person of his Sonne which must be particularly done in them Two things was to be done to save us Satisfaction and Justification payment of debt and discharge of bonds VVhy now God comes in our Nature and is both punished and justified as if he had done the offence not we God is justified instead of us and dyes when it was our condition let our hearts not be commonly affected with this mystery 2. Vse This mystery raiseth againe from the dead the hopes and joyes of poor soules and in the midst of all their sins and apprehension of wrath gives the strongest ground for Faith in their justification VVhy was God or God in Christ justified he had no need of such an act in himselfe no guile was ever found in his mouth he was a Lambe without spot but all this is to denote what God was for us that he might be to us All the acts that were to be done on us and to us were first done to God in our Nature acted on Jesus Christ and he was but an image of what is to be personally done to us yea whatever consideration he passed under it was as in our stead and we are to reckon our selves as sharers with him yea as really partakers with him as if we had acted it in our own persons When he dyed he stood under an act of attainder for sin he acted nor was capable of none but only stood there for us and our very sins on the Crosse were crucified with Christ and satisfied for by him as if we had paid the utmost farthing with our owne hands so when he was justified by the spirit we were justified He was justified as a common person in the room of all the Elect as he died as a common person for their sins In these two expressions you have all the mystery of Redemption and the reconciliation of sinners to God 1. God was manifest in flesh to bear our sins and to be abased and humbled for them whereby he might satisfie himselfe and then in the token of acquittance and absolution of us from all these sins he is justified in spirit and all the objections of unbeliefe are answered in this Saith the soule how shall my sins be satisfied for why God is manifest in flesh for that end to lay downe an infinite price to his justice But how shall I know that my sins are taken away and that I am justified from them why that God was justified in spirit that is the spirit which speaks nothing but truth and who knowes all things did publickly declare that there was a compleat righteousnesse obtained for sinners and did pronounce it to Christ as in the name of all the Elect. It is worthy further search into this what Christs being justified in the spirit amounts unto for the comfort of poor soules in regard of their justification that so we may all see what full and plenteous redemption there is in Jesus Christ and what matter of holy triumph we have in regard of our own justification First that Jesus Christ should be justified and that for us or in our name as the Atturney takes up the bond in Court for his Client it is as good in Law as if the party himselfe were there to recieve the verdict and see the act inrolled And observe it was more for Christ to be justified a harder thing then for us for he had the sins of the whole world of the Elect upon him and yet Christ beleeved his justification in that former place Esa 50. he is neer that justifies me Well mayest thou beleeve the particular justification of thy person seeing Christ was justified for thee before hand he was that great surety that stood bound to pay thy debts and he was publiquely acquitted for thee And this is certaine that Christ being justified at that moment all the Elect were virtually and really justified in him that act of God which pass'd on him was drawne up in the name of all you and when you beleeve this Indenture is showne unto your hearts But secondly in that he was justified in the spirit our comfort is raised higher for it was not an ordinary acquittance which was given Christ in our name but what was drawne up by the spirit of truth who can speak nothing but truth God himselfe justified himselfe in our Nature by his owne spirit such an infallible witnesse cannot be questioned And though by spirit be meant his God-head in generall yet it is specially meant of that person which is the spirit Therefore the Apostle Iohn Iohn 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. reduceth all to this that it was the spirit that beares witnesse to this that life is in Iesus Christ Christ came by water and blood saith he but Christ is the spirit that beares witnesse to this There were two things which did justifie Christ and both done by the spirit his resurrection and ascension into Heaven in that he rose againe it was cleer that he was justified for else he could not have risen if he had not satisfied the bands of Death would have held him fast in the Grave but that he can raise from the dead he was declared to be the sonne of God with power but still by the holy spirit Rom. 1.3 And in that he by the spirit was
carried up unto his Fathers glory and sat downe at the right hand of God It cleerly did shew he was accepted and freed by God from that which was laid on him Therefore Christ saith that this shall be one of the great things which the spirit shall convince the world of viz. Of righteousnesse because I go to my Father Ioh. 16. That is that there is a compleat righteousnesse obtained and justification or else I had never been admitted into my Fathers presence and all this acted by the spirit And as a further evidence of this as soon as ever he was ascended he powrs down the spirit as a flood on his Apostles and the Saints with them and to demonstrate that he was not only accepted in his owne person and he personally justified in him and now grace and life must necessarily run out upon them In all these acts Christ was justified in the the spirit for the comfort of beleevers Acts 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Now how may your soules triumph and rejoyce in your justification in the thoughts of this that Christ yea God was justified for you and how ever you are in your selves yet you may be justified in the spirit beleevers have nothing to doe but to take out the personall assurance of this to their owne soules at that time when Christ was justified you were vertually so and yet but out of the particular discharge by the spirit to your hearts and your justification is compleat The great complaint of soules is in this that they are not justified in God's eyes But now we are not only acquitted by the spirit in our own hearts but God himselfe is justified in our Nature for us there is none to offend but God and none to be justified but sinners But now when God shall satisfie himselfe and justifie himselfe in our persons or in our stead what strong consolation have we God will not lay the payment on us but himselfe and he will justifie himselfe for us It was more for Christ to be justified then for any one of us for he had more laid on him then can be laid on us he standing not under the charge of one persons sins or many but of all the Elect and when he was justified a full discharge was given for all that he represented This is a mystery indeed God is offended and God takes that on himselfe in our Nature which lay on us and is justified for us When Christ was justified there was a publick record of it and now when we believe we goe but to that Court and take out the particular discharge to our own soules Christ receiv'd the first act on himselfe in our Name and it was as authentique as if it were formally done on our persons But when we believe it is done personally to us So that now beleevers you have nothing else to doe but apply that righteousnesse which issued forth from Christs justification and lay hold on it as your owne Goe to the Court and see your owne names in the Indenture and get out the coppy of it in your owne heart for there is a necessity if Christ be justified that we should be discharged therefore get holy and glorious triumphs in your heart over sin and Death in that Christ is not only dead but alive and that you are justified in him get out the speciall assurance of it by the spirit to the hearts 3 Vse If Christ were justified in the spirit Let it be your care to justifie Christ in your spirits God hath discharged him so doe you Q. How can we justify Christ you wil say S. VVhy when you believe what he hath done for you Christ hath done all things for you satisfyed wrath fulfilled the Law God hath acquitted him pronounced him just saith he is contented he can desire no more why now doe you justifie Christ in this by saying Amen in your owne Consciences to this Hath Christ dyed believe that your sins shall die Is he justified beleeve that so are you VVhen the surety hath paid the debt the principall as well as the creditor ought to give an acquittance Oh how are we to be blamed for our unbeliefe what aspersions doth it cast on Christ he hath done all things well but we say by unbeliefe he hath done nothing Unbeliefe professeth Christ is not dead or at least not risen the Law is still in force justice is not satisfied there is no justification procured Every doubt in a Saint casts a scandall on Christ God saw cause enough to justifie Christ even by his own spirit and to declare him in our names to be a righteous one and we in him but we see not cause to believe our owne justification or the remission of our sins what is it but to thinke that Christ is held under the paines of death hath not done any thing to purpose that the wrath of God is as open to destroy us as ever it was You keep Christ as it were in a prison and under condemnation when you believe not Oh soules will not you justifie Christ in all these glorious things he hath done for you Then you justifie Christ when you acknowledge him to be what he is made of God to you wisdome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption I might goe torough all his Offices and Acts for us as then we justifie him in regard of his death when our hearts are satisfied with the offering up of himselfe and that satisfaction he hath made So in his resurrection when we believe we are freed from our sins our surety being risen for our justification so in regard of the whole worke of salvation we justifie Christ when we goe to him as a full and compleat Saviour having our conscience quieted by his righteousnesse and our hearts triumphing thorough his fulnesse Oh it is sad to see how Christ is crucified againe in our hearts thorough unbeliefe arraigned as a malefactor for this is certaine if there be not enough laid in for the satisfying and inriching of soules then Christ is not righteous and he is under condemnation How should we rejoyce to witnesse to Christ faithfulnesse and righteousnesse When we goe boldly to God by Christ then we acknowledge Christ to be a Mediator when we find the sence of our justification in our owne hearts then we acquit Christ and declare he was justified from our sins SERMON VII 1 TIM 3.16 Seene of Angels c. GReat mysteries have great admirers according as things are in themselves so they are adored Godlinesse is the greatest mystery that ever was it being made up of various workings of the glory of God and it hath the greatest and most glorious Creatures for to study it even the Angels themselves This is one of the particulars whereby the Holy Ghost sets forth the greatnesse of this mystery that it was seen of Angels The two former expressions set forth this mystery in its nature and essence under a twofold consideration of God
above any thing else There be these difficulties rise up for a soule to leap over 1. The greatnesse of sin which when it is once discovered to an inlightned soul is so great and vile that it cannot imagine how it can be pardon'd the Law pressing so hard for satisfaction and the soule can give none when it thinks of God he is so offended it thinks that he will never have mercy The sinner is now put to it in the full prospect of such a heart of such abominations to goe to Christ for salvation to beleeve all these sins though so amazing the soule and of such a damning Nature to be all done away and see more righteousnesse in Christ then sin in it this is a hard work But 2. That a soule should beleeve at such a time when yet among all the rest of its sins it hath such a root of unbeliefe within it springing from the power of selfe-love which keeps the soule under raiseth mists before the eyes of the souls selfe and it striving to evade all the arguments of the Gospell to elude and baffle the soule in all its apprehensions of Christ Unbeliefe saith there is no such thing as Christ it is but a mockery a delusion or else raiseth up a dust before the promise that the soule may not see it for him it tels the soule it is to no end to thinke of pardon thou art gone too farre to recover it is too late or else lessens the riches of mercy but multiplyes the misery of sin Thus unbeliefe like a strong man uncontrouled reignes in the heart But which is more 3. Sense and reason stand unsatisfied the soule can neither see cause why to beleeve nor find any ground in it selfe that if it believe it must goe beyond experience goe contrary to its own senses it feels nothing but the workings of deaths thorough sin sees nothing but hell before its eyes and a necessity of satisfying justice it hath nothing visibly held out to it but a generall promise of a Christ which unbeliefe evades it cannot see reason why God who hath been so highly displeased can ever passe by such affronts and take the soule into favour Now for a man to beleeve against his owne sense and reason as Abram beleeved against hope and above hope La mystery indeed To venture a mans eternall happinesse against his reason and sense on such generall termes as at first is presented to the soule is the great wonder of the world especially if we yet look further and consider 4. What prejudices and misprisions such a sinner hath of Christ The Devill presents him under cruell shapes to such a soule and unbeliefe is not backward to make hideous discoveries as that he is not so rich nor so mercifull one which hath but will not spare me which hath a stock but no heart either they thinke he cannot or will not give what the soule needs Christ lyes remote from the eye of the soule he is in Heaven and they see not his heart they must take things on trust receive him in the promises and that seems to be an uncertaine way of assurance That grosse ignorance of the Nature of the Gospell of the person of Christ is of it selfe invincible and oh what conceits are raised up in the heart against Jesus Christ The soule will run to this and that rather then Christ it will look to selfe if it can find any thing there which may give it but little a ease though it doe deceive it rather then goe to Christ it will court duties and performances Saints and ordinances if any of them will afford but a sparke of comfort to it that it may stay from Christ for selfe and sin cannot indure to heare a good word of Christ the Antipathy is in nothing stranger Lastly view the requisites to beleeving what is required to make one believe for it is above the power of Nature Why 1. There must a light from Heaven shine into our hearts All the light of Nature and reason can never shew what Christ is nor make a man capable of knowing any thing of this mystery The naturall man knowes not the things of God and it is impossible for him to discerne them 1 Cor. 2. Therefore Paul when he speaks of his conversion he describes it by a light that shin'd from Heaven above the light of the Sun He saith that Christ was revealed in him Acts 9. Gal. 1. Thus to make any soule beleeve he must have 〈◊〉 spirituall eye made on purpose and that eye inlightned immediately from God therefore you shall find beleeving and seeing all one in Scripture because Faith is a spirituall sight of the Lord Jesus But 2. All this will not doe but there must be an almighty power put forth even as in creation to make a soule beleeve so the Ap. saith Eph. 1. that the same power is put forth to make soules beleeve that was to raise up Christ from the dead the soule lyes in such darknesse and hath such an enmity to Christ that nothing can reconcile it or make a soule have good thoughts of Christ but to create a new heart in him there is no dealing with the old heart or working on it it will come to no termes of agreement at all for we are not only enemies but enmity it selfe there is not only in us an incapacity but an opposition Col. 1.21 So the Apostle expresseth it by the casting downe strong holds imaginations and every thing which exalteth it selfe against Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 There are such forts which unbeliefe hath raised in the soule such strong holds and mighty strange and yet strong imaginations against Jesus Christ that nothing but weapons made mighty thorough God can cast them downe These strong holds are such as will never yield take no quarter therefore they must be pull'd downe with a high hand and there are imaginations a thousand reasonings against Christ and the Gospell which can never be answered but they must be cast downe Christ must not only be fet out of Heaven in light and showne unto a poor soul but the power of the almighty God must come with him and cast downe all opposition against him if all the Angels should come else to perswade the soule nay if Christ himselfe should come in his owne person without this power he could not perswade the soule out of its Forts Therefore it is said None can come to Christ except the father draw him John 6. That is none can ever beleeve on Christ except God let out a mighty power which may bring him So Faith is called Faith of the operation of God because it is a worke peculiarly that goes thorough his hands it is beyond all other power to doe To summe up all then This must needs be a great mystery that Christ should be beleeved on in the world that darknesse should comprehend light enmity imbrace a union that such proud hearts as we have