world that knew him not that had no interest in him and the like and then was promised Therefore seeing there are so many poor wretched creatures so many Families that live without a God in the world that know nothing of him and live as if they expected nothing from him and fear no evil to come from him at all therefore wee promised to labour to set forth before you somewhat of God that might help you to know him to shew you what hee is And to that end turn to that Scripture Psal 148. part of the 13. verse For his Name alone is excellent Text. THis Psalm is a Psalm of praise praising of God for all the glorious manifestations of himself in his great Works and calling upon all creatures to praise him because hee is glorious in every creature but the Psalmist rests not in this in praising God for the glory of him that appears in the creatures but hee riseâ— higher and takes indeed the rise from thence to praise and bless God for what there is in himself above that which doth appear in any creature For so it is clear that to this the Psalmist doth arise in my Text Let them praise the name of the Lord for his name alone is excellent his glory is above the Earth and Heaven The Earth and Heaven and all creatures therein are called to praise Gods name and David praises the name of God for what appeared there but saith hee Praise the Lord for his Name alone is excellent and his glory is above the Earth and Heaven His Name the Name of God is either taken for God himself or for the manifestation of God often in Scripture for God himself Prov. 18.10 as The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run unto it and are safe that is God himself Hee is the strength and Tower hee is the object of the trust of his people and so other Scriptures or otherwise that whereby God may bee known Psal 76.1 His Name is great in Israel And here we are to understand both for his Name alone is excellent that is God himself is excellent alone the Name of him of him alone is high is lifted up is excellent and that wee are to understand by the Name of God here God himself as well as his Manifestations appears in the words at the end of the verse His glory is above the earth and heaven Now Gods manifestation is either in heaven or earth But there is a further glory of God that is in himself that is beyond all that is or can bee manifested in or to any creature so that from the words thus opened there are these two doctrinal Points one I wil but only touch it is raised from the connexion of the words with the former and the other that is the substance of the Text that wee shall abide a while upon The first is this That a gracious heart is not satisfied with praising God onely for his works but rises higher to praise him and especially to praise him for himself for that that it sees in himself I say a gracious heart doth not stick in the Works of God nor is it onely inlarged to praise God for what it sees in Gods works but it will rise higher than all the works of God and praise him especially for that it sees in himself Thy self O Lord is excellent the glory that is in thy self it is above the earth and above the heaven While wee praise God for what wee see in his works our thoughts and hearts are limited for Gods manifestations of himself are finite and so there is not that spaciousness that a gracious heart desires to let our its self in but when it can rise up to God himself and look at the infinite excellency that there is in himself above all that doth appear in his works then the heart inlarged with grace can expatiate it self to the uttermost and that is that which doth delight him then is a gracious heart indeed in its own element when it is expatiating it self even in God himself And further God in setting himself before the soul in way of Covenant Jer. 31.33.32.39.24.7 Ezek. 11 2â— Gen. 15.1 hee doth not onely tell those that hee takes into Covenant that hee will do such and such things for them but hee would have them to close with himself I will bee your God The Lord told Abraham that hee would bee his exceeding great reward but that would not satisfie Abraham What wilt thou give mee Vers 2. having an eye to Christ and the enjoyment of God in him so let God say that hee will do never such things for a gracious heart that is not enough except God himself bee the portion of the soul the soul cannot bee satisfied with any thing that God doth if God should say to one whose heart he hath inlarged with grace I will give thee all the world to possess thou shalt have all the glory all the pomp all the sweetness all the comforts in the world nay more than that I will make ten thousand worlds more and give thee them all and they shall have all of them more excellency than this present world hath why all this would not satisfie a heart inlarged with grace for the portion of it though such a one sees its self unworthy of the least crum of bread yet it cannot bee satisfied with all the world what then will satisfie him onely God himself for so God propounds himse f unto his people in way of Covenant Psal 16.5 I will bee thy God I will bee your portion And upon this those that are in Covenant with him though they do rejoyce to see God manifesting himself in all his Names they bless God for the beholding so much as they do of him in his works but the thing that their hearts are most upon is God himself the excellency that there is in God above all his works And as it is in praising God so also it is in other workings of the heart towards God as now grace doth not love God so much for what God gives to it as for what God is himself that is the difference between true sanctifying grace and common grace common grace may make mee love God for what I receive from him oâ— for what I hope to receive from him but sanctifying grace makes mee to love God for what is in himself more than for what I receive from him or expect to receive and so there may bee the fear of God for some works of God when God doth manifest his power and dreadfulness in his works in thundring or lightening then the heart of a sinner may fear God though there bee no grace but now where there is grace such a one fears God more because of that excellency hee sees in God himself than from any dreadful works of God and this would bee a good rule to try your selves by You say you
fear God why if you fear God if it bee the right fear of God you will fear God more for what you see in God himself than for any works of God than for any works of his judgements or threatnings and the like And so in the desires of the heart after God why where the heart is gracious it works after God for himself and not for his gifts It is an argument of a false love a whorish love for the wife to love her husband for that shee shall have by him and not to love his person more And so it is a sign of a base slavish spirit for a childe to love his fatheâ— because hee gives him meat and drink and cloaths and will leave him an inheritance and not rather to love the very person of his Father so the heart is but false with God that loves God and that desires after God more for any thing that God doth than for what God is and as these workings of heart love and fear and desire are more in respect of God himself than of his works so praises of God and delighting in God where it is from true grace it is more from what the soul sees in God than from the manifestation of all the glory of God in all his works for Praise the Name of the Lord For his Name is excellent his glory is above the earth and heaven but wee shall let this pass The main Point in the Text which wee are to pitch on is this That God is a most excellent being above all things Doct. 2 This is the work that now I have to do to endeavour to present God in the excellency of his being to you onely you must by way of caution know before wee do begin That God dwells in that light that is unapproachable 1 Tim. 6.16 That it is but little that wee do or can know of God And before wee begin to set forth the excellency of Gods being to you you must know that there is infinitely more than either the tongue of Man or Angel can express when wee have done all wee can there is more in God that is beyond what wee can say or Angels could preach unto you I say more than the glorious light of the Sun is more than a little glittering of a gloe-worm in the night more than all the Sea is beyond and above a spoonful a drop of water And further by way of Caution you must know this that it is impossible to set before you the excellency of Gods being and yet to speak so as every thing should bee plain to every one Many things in the opening of Gods Nature to you must needs have some difficulty in them because the subject that wee are speaking of is so high above us especially it must needs bee difficult to unclean spirits to spirits that have alwayes been groveling below in the dirt to drousie spirits that think nothing to bee excellent but onely to eat and drink and satisfie their flesh when they hear the excellency of Gods Being set out unto them it must needs bee an argument above their reach it cannot bee expected that it is possible to speak so as their hearts should close with what is said to apprehend it But howsoever wee do not know what God may do in going along with his word how hee may come by his Spirit even to those that are of the weakest capacity therefore I shall endeavour to do that that is my work that is to shew you somewhat of God what an excellent being hee is and so leave the work of the Spirit of God to himself to make known those things that shall bee propounded and to settle them upon your hearts Wherefore then God is an excellent being above all things First Hee is and there is none else besides him The truth is wee can scarce say that any thing is but God Exod. 3.14 When God came to Moses to send him to Pharaoh and Moses would know the Name of God hee bid him say I am that I am I am hath sent mee and God only describes himself thus unto Moses I am I am a being and so the name Jehovah is a name proper to God that signifies Gods being Now might Moses say Lord is this a name that will distinguish thee from any thing else to say I am cannot any man say so I am but yet God gives this name of his as his proper name meerly I am a being and I am that being that I am and that is all the name God would tell Moses when Moses did desire to know so much of him and how hee might express him that did send him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am that I am Vt haereditare faciam id quod 〈◊〉 est from thence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia substantia For indeed Gods being it is that that is proper and all other creatures in comparison of this God have but a shadow of being therefore in Prov. 8.21 saith Wisdome there that is Godliness I cause to inherit substance the words are translated by the Learned that which is Grace carries to God and so by Grace being carried to God wee come to inherit that which is as if all the while wee inherited any thing in the world wee did not inherit that which is God himself properly is So in Isa 45.5 6. I am Jehovah and there is none else besides mee There is nothing that hath a being besides mee that is not such a being as we shaâ—l further open yea and in comparison no being therefore in Isa 40.15 17. Wee have a most excellent expression of the excellency of Gods being in comparison of all other things All the Nations of the world they are as the drop of the bucket and as the small dust of the ballance in comparison of God Yea they are all nothing less than nothing What an expression is here take all the Nations of the world put them all together they are all but as the drop of the bucket that you shall see hang a little at the bottome but as a little dust of the ballance how soon may you take your finger and wipe off the drop of the bucket why so even all Nations of the world may as soon perish in respect of God yea as if the Holy Ghost had said too much when hee compared the Nations of the world to God as if hee should say what did I say they were as the drop of the bucket and as the small dust in the ballance nay they are nothing at all nay and I must go lower they are less than nothing And thus you see the Name of God is alone excellent because indeed hee is such a being as in comparison of him there is nothing that is worthy of the name of a being That 40. of the Prophecie of Isaiah when you come home it will bee a good Chapter to read in your Families to set out the greatness of God
for that is the work wee are about to shew you what a God you have to deal withall in all your wayes the Name of God is excellent Read that Chapter and you will finde Gods Name set out as excellent indeed there But that is the first In the second place God hee is a present being I am saith hee that is God injoyes himself that infinite being of himself altogether there is no succession at all in the being of God as there is in other creatures the creature injoyes but little of its own being I beseech you consider the difference between God and the creature in this when I say hee is a present being that is set forth in the words I am I say the creature injoyes but very little of its own being why because whatsoever is past it cannot injoy and whatsoever is to come it injoyes not now all that it doth injoy of it self it is only what it hath at an instant this present instant what it hath that it may be said to be but now with God there is nothing past there is nothing to come there is nothing past I say in respect of Gods beeing there is nothing to come but his beeing is alwayes present he alwayes saith I am therefore Christ speaking of his Divine Nature in John 8.58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee Before Abraham was I am Christ doth not say I was before Abraham was no but before Abraham was I am Certainly this had been no good English to have spoken of any creature If any man should say thus Before such a thing was I am if any Angel should say so this were no proper speech but Christ saith so Before Abraham was I am because Christ in regard of his Divine Nature hath no succession of beeing at all wee cannot say that God hath so many years added to him since the world began God was as eternal before the world was as hee is now or ever shall bee it cannot bee said that hee was not will bee but alwayes it may be said I am I am was and will bee the difference of time it is in respect of the creature not in respect of God and that is the reason of those phrases in Scripture That a thousand years with God are â—s one day 2 Pet. 3.8 and one day as a thousand years There is no difference of time with God at all And that is the second thing therefore hee alone is excellent Thirdly This beeing of God it is in all places His excellency it is every where throughout the world and that first Not virtually onely God is not in every place onely virtually by his power Enter praesenter Deus hic ubique potenter that is hee works in every place but hee is in every place essentially Secondly God is not in every place by motion from one place to another and so gradually is in all places but God is every moment in every place Thirdly God is not in every place to fill heaven and earth Deus est nullibi inclusive sed ubique secundum existentiam that is one part in one place and another in another as a great thing that fills such a room one part is in one place and another is in another but God fills heaven and earth that is all of God is every where all that God is is in every place Yea further Centrum ubique circumferentia nullibi God is as much beyond every place as hee is in every place hee is as much beyond the circumference of the heavens and the earth as hee is in them yea if God should make ten thousand worlds more hee would fill all those as well as hee doth this without any motion at all hee would not move from one place to another to fill up ten thousand worlds if there were so many new ones made but in the same instant in which they were all made that immense being of his would fill up all Surely God is a most excellent Being then above all other things whatsoever Fourthly for I intend but meerly to present the chief things of the excellency of God before you and not to stand handling of these at large for every one of them might require a large tractate but now onely to present before you what a God it is that you have to deal with God is a Being that is All-sufficient in himself Hee stands in no need of any creature in Acts 17.25 verse Hee hath need of nothing of none of us hee hath enough within himself before the world was God was as blessed in himself as now hee is there can bee nothing added to him there is such an excellency even in Gods being its self that there can be nothing added to him wee are poor creatures that stand in need of a thousand things continually the air to breathe in the earth to bear us fire to warm us cloaths to cover us meat and drink a thousand things wee stand in need of the meanest creature and if God should take away the use of some mean contemptible creature our lives would bee made miserable to us but that is the excellency of Gods being that hee hath need of nothing hee hath all within himself all the creatures in heaven and earth cannot adde to him no if there were ten thousand worlds more although God did possess them all yet they would not adde one whit unto what is in God himself therefore though the Lord hath made the heaven and earth God hath an essential and an attributed glory his attributed glory is augmented or diminished by mans obedience or disobedience therefore sinners are said to rob God of his glory and Saints to give him glory but his essential glory cannot bee increased or diminished and all things therein yet wee must not think that God is ever a whit the better for these things or hath the more glory hee had as much glory and blessedness in himself as now hee hath or can have when all the Angels and Saints shall bee eternally blessing God in heaven yet they can adde nothing to Gods glory Wee say the Sun is a glorious creature but doth that adde any light to the Sun so for Saints and Angels to bee praising and blessing God what doth that adde to God And in this the Name of God is excellent 5 But further in the fifth place His Name alone is excellent in this thing that his excellency is universal that is all excellencies that are in all creatures in heaven and earth they are all in him virtually and eminently hee hath them all in his own being Psal 94.9 Shall not hee that made the ear hear hee that formed the eye shall not hee see the argument there will confirm this to us that whatsoever is in the creature that hath any excellency in it that excellency is in God in an eminent way the creature one hath one drop of excellency and another hath another
other creature in this or the other manner So God is the fountain of all good to all creatures whatsoever they are to look upon him as having all coming from him And therefore hee alone is excellent and his glory is above the Heavens and Earth 14 Further As all things are from him so they depend upon him all excellencies that are in the creature as they come from God so they have their absolute dependency upon God so as God need do nothing to destroy a creature if hee doth but withdraw himself from it it falls to nothing presently take the most glorious Angels and the highest Heavens Sun Moon Stars Sea and Earth if God should but withdraw his hand from these creatures they would presently fall down to nothing they do depend upon God as the light upon the Sun there is no more light if the beams of the Sun bee withdrawn so if God withdraw his influence from the creature it can do nothing and it s nothing presently so that the influence that there is from God to the creature it is to maintain the creature in his being every moment the Lord must put forth as infinite a power to maintain thee and mee and every creature as hee did at the first for the making of the world Heb. 1.3 And this is Gods excellency to uphold all things they do so depend upon him If a work-man make a house hee goes away the house can stand without him but when God built the world the world could not stand one moment without him And not onely God must have an influence into the creature to preserve the being but likewise to inable the creature to act the creature cannot act one moment without God no creature can stir in the least degree Act. 17.28 except the Lord concur with it Therefore the Name of God alone is excellent By him saith the Scripture wee live wee move wee have our being not onely wee are upheld in our being and lives but wee move wee cannot stir one moment but God must concur with his creature for the motion and action of it 15 Further God alone is excellent in his operation in his power in the manner of his working though God give a power to other creatures to work yet God works in a different way from all other creatures First God hee doth whatsoever hee pleases either in heaven or earth The will of God as I shewed you before it cannot bee beyond Gods power God cannot will to do more than hee hath power to do Psal 115.3 Psal 135.6 Eccles 8.3 Therefore the Lord hee doth whatsoever hee pleases in heaven and earth The power of every creature can but work within the sphere so far as the causes give a vertue and efficacy so far it is able to work and no further Secondly The power of God appears in this that the Lord doth the greatest and the most difficult things as easily as hee doth the least and the easiest as thus God makes the whole world as easily as hee can make a crum of dirt God can make the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars and all the Seas and Earth with as much ease as hee can make a flye God can make ten thousand Angels as soon as hee can make one worm And therefore God hee can as soon speak the word to the soul of a man that is dead Joh. 5.25 to live hee can as soon raise aâ—l the dead out of their graves as hee can give them a peece of bread to eat while they are alive such is the infiniteness of Gods operation 3 Further God is excellent in all that hee doth There is nothing that God doth in any time but was decreed to bee done from eternity that is the excellency of Gods working the creature works something but perhaps a man did not think of what hee doth a few dayes ago but God doth nothing nor never will do any thing but it is that that was decreed from all eternity that hee would do and God will never do any thing to all eternity but what hee had decreed from all eternity before yet it is for us creatures to observe according to his revealed will but this is the excellency of God above all creatures whatever 4 And then there is a further thing that is as considerable as any of the other God is so far from needing any matter to work upon or instrument to work by when he doth do anything as there is no more required for any creature to bee or work at any time when God would have it but the alone act of Gods will that was from eternity As now the world it was not made six thousand years ago Now God willed from all eternity that there should bee a world in time and there was nothing required to make this world but that act of Gods will that was from all eternity that it should bee at that time Man hee doth will and decree to do such a thing now when the time comes then hee bestirs himself and takes this tool or instrument and puts forth a power that hee did not put forth before But the act of Gods will from all eternity was sufficient to make all creatures that ever since have been made and to provide for all creatures that ever since have been provided for one act of Gods will hath done all this and that act of the will of God that hath been from all eternity hath done it there are not several acts of Gods will but Gods act is himself Divers other things might bee shewed as this 5 Where God hath done any work all his works adde nothing to him The creature hath somewhat added to him by his works as thus A man that is a work-man hee can make a house and so hee hath the benefit of it to dwell in to keep off the weather and so hee makes cloath and hath the benefit of it But all the works of God adde nothing to him A man can do something by the work that hee hath made that hee could not do without his work but God can do nothing by any work that hee hath made but hee can do the same without that work when hee hath made all his works they are not helpful to him but this was a branch of the All-sufficiency of God 16 In the next place God alone is excellent in the manner of his communication of himself God doth so communicate himself to his creatures as one creature cannot to another First God can let out as much of himself as hee will to any creature now one creature cannot let out as much as hee pleases to another for instance A man that hath learning hee cannot make another as learned as hee will a man that hath holiness and goodness cannot make another as holy and as good as hee will but God can this is Gods propriety hee can let out of himself as much as hee pleases as much holiness as much
I will onely give you a hint of one or two now Oh what infinite cause have wee all to bee ashamed of those low thoughts wee have had of God! Use If God bee thus as hee hath been but a little presented to us now and by what wee see wee may gather that there is infinitely more in God and God is infinitely higher than ever wee thought of I say then upon the very hearing of such things as these are and especially wee being conscious to our selves how little wee are able to understand of them wee may see cause to bee ashamed of the poor and low thoughts that wee have had of this infinite Majesty the unworthy thoughts that wee have had of him when wee have come into the presence of God you have come to prayer to God have you come to prayer as unto such a God have you had such kind of thoughts as these are that hee is that high Majesty Certainly you cannot sanctifie Gods Name but you must have high thoughts of God and though I will not say that those do not sanctifie Gods Name that have not every one of these thoughts of God yet thus much I will say that those that have not apprehended every one of these things of God have not sanctified Gods Name as much as they should for wee are to apprehend what it is possible for us to apprehend here in this world or otherwise wee do not sanctifie Gods Name so as wee ought when wee come to God in prayer or to worship him in any other duty of his worship if wee do not apprehend of God as much as wee possibly can in this world wee do not sanctifie Gods Name as much as wee ought to do and wee are to bee ashamed that wee have not such apprehensions of God as wee might possibly have if God bee such a God as this what poor thoughts of God are these that hee is as an old man in Heaven some have such poor apprehensions of God and when they hear the Scripture speak of Gods eyes and ears and hands they think that God hath a body when as the Scripture doth but speak to our capacities that is what a man can do with his eyes or hands or ears that God is able to do by his infinite power I appeal to you have you apprehensions of the majesty and glory of God beyond all majesty and glory that any Creature is capable of in this world wee do not sanctifie Gods Name except I say wee apprehend God higher in majesty and glory than all creatures in the world are Suppose you were to come to a King that had all the glory and honour put upon him that ever any creature had in this world with what fear and trembling would we come before such a Majesty as this is but if thou hast not come with further trembling and fear before God when thou camest into his presence if thou hast not come with higher thoughts of that God that thou hast to deal withall I say thou hast not glorified God as a God no marvel though people are so slight and vain in the duties of Gods worship because they do not know what a God hee is that they have to do withall Use 2 This sheweth you the dreadful evil there is in sin why because it is against such a God as this God is dost thou know whom it is that thou sinnest against Oh thou sinner dost thou know whom it is thou strikest at it is this infinite God that is thus presented to you Whose Name alone is excellent and whose glory is above the Earth and Heavens Know sinner and the Lord smite this upon thy heart thou that art a wicked and ungodly man all the daies of thy life thou hast done nothing else but fought against this God this infinite and glorious God thou hast been an enemy to all the daies of thy life and every time thou renewest thy sins thou dost do nothing else but strike at this infinite God and provokest the wrath of this infinite deity against thy soul and body and darest thou stand out against this God wilt thou put it to the trial to see whether that God that thou sinnest against bee such a God as this is wilt thou put it to the ttial that God should set thee apart to make thee an object upon whom to exercise all that infinite power that there is in God to bring evil and misery and torments upon thee for thy sin this is the case of all desperate sinners that do go on in a desperate way of sin the language of their sin is this I do hear much spoken concerning the greatness and excellency and glory of God I le try and venture I le put it to the experiment whether God bee such a God or no as hee hath manifested himself in his word Oh woe to that Creature that shall come to feel what the greatneâ—s of God doth mean Oh it is infinitely better for thee to fall down before him and therefore this should bee the Exhortation to all sinners Consider Exhort Oh sinful man or woman what a God it is thou dost contest withall shall the potsheard strive with his Maker let one potsheard strive with another but let not the Creature strive with the Almighty for hee will bee infinitely too hard for thee and hee will appear alone to bee excellent thou dost lift up thy will above his will as if so bee that thou wouldest rise above this infinite God but know in despite of thy heart hee will bee above thee hee hath thee under his feet this moment and the sword of his justice is at thy very heart and hee can take thy heart blood when hee pleases and send thee down to eternal miseries there is no striving with such a God as this is who is alone excellent Isa 45.23 Rom. 14.11 the word hath proceeded out of his mouth in Righteousness that every knee must bow unto him and every tongue must confess this God certainly one way or other hee will have his glory out of thee God can as well cease to bee as not to have his glory out of every Creature do but consider of this and learn to tremble before this God The Lord is excellent and glorious above all things and hee is resolved that hee will have his gloâ—y from every Creature one way or other and if it prove that hee comes upon thee to force it out of thee better ten thousand times that thou hadst never been born 1 Pet. 5.6 James 4.10 therefore according to the Exhortation of the Holy Ghost in Scripture Oh! let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God and let us all say Thou O Lord art alone excellent and thy glory is above the Heavens and Earth and the desire of our souls is to lâ—ft up thy Name as the excellent thing above all Creatures While wee live here in this world this is our excellency and
Use Great is the evil of sin if committed against such a God Use 3 Thirdly Hence then if God bee thus excellent above all from the meditation of the Excellency of God and his glory wee see cause to bee vile in our own eyes the higher wee see God to bee the lower wee should bee in our own eyes there is nothing will take down the spirit of a man more than God I dare say of every proud heart in the worâ—d such a one knows not God never had a sight of the glory of God that hee hath to do withall the sight of God will wonderfully humble the heart before him Job 42.5 is very famous for this Job saith With the hearing of the ear I have heard of thee but now mine eyes have seen thee what follows then upon that Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Vers 6. Job that was a holy man yet hee confesses that hee had but even heard of God hee never had such a sight of God as God gave him at this time and upon the sight that hee had of God though hee were a holy and a gracious man and could stand in his uprightness yet saith hee Mine eyes have seen thee and therefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Oh that God would give such a fight of himself to all your souls to those proud stout and rebellious sinners that have gone on in wayes of rebellion against him You have heard of God by the hearing of the ear but have your eyes ever seen him If God would but give you a sight of what I have briefly spoken to you you would certainly fall down before him and abhor your selves in dust and ashes So the Prophet Isaiah though a godly man yet in Isa 6. hee heard the Cherubins and Seraphins praising of God and crying Holy Holy Isa 6.1 2 3. Holy is the Lord of Hoasts And there was a vision of God upon his Throne to the Prophet what follows saith the Prophet Woe unto mee for I am undone Why For I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell among a people that are of unclean lips Woe unto mee for I am undone for I have seen the King the Lord of Heasts I see the Lord upon his Throne and I behold the blessed Angels how they admire at his glory Oh woe to mee I am undone If so holy a man shall thus cry out upon the sight of God and say Woe to mee I am undone because I am a man of polluted lips Oh what mayest thou do then that art a man of polluted lips and polluted heart and polluted life Oh how are thy lips polluted The Prophet Isaiah hee was no swearer neither was hee one that would talk filthy unclean talk but yet hee complains hee was a man of polluted lips and cryes Woe to mee I am undone because I have seen the Lord Oh how would thy heart then bee humbled What cause at least is there that thy heart should bee humbled that art so polluted as thou art the sight of God should mightily humble us before God Psal 8 the beginning Oh Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth saith the Prophet David and so hee goes on to shew the excellency of God then hee cryes out in verse 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Lord thou that art so excellent in thy self above all things it is a wonder that thou shouldest vouchsafe so much as to look upon man It may bee thou lookest high because thou art a little above thy brethren but if thou hadst a sight of God thou wouldest wonder that this God should look to thee Psal 113.6 there you have such an expression That God doth humble himself to behold the things that are done in heaven Why what an expression is hereof Gods excellency God is so excellent that hee doth humble himself to behold the things that are done in heaven now if hee bee so excellent as to humble himself to the beholding of the things in heaven then how doth God humble himself to behold things done in earth to behold such wretched vilde creatures as thou art Oh bee vile in thine own eyes upon the sight of the great God and by these three Uses you may have three Notes whether ever God hath made known himself to you or no. First Are you ashamed and confounded in your thoughts for those low poor thoughts you have had of God Secondly Hath the sight of God caused you to see the dreadfulness of the evill that there is in sin Thirdly Hath the sight of God made you to bee vile in your own eyes That is a good evidence that you have had some sight of God indeed In the fourth place If God bee thus excellent and his Use 4 glory so great above the earth and heavens Hence wee may learn to know the vanity of the creature Set but God now and the creature together nay all the creatures in the world together Oh how is the vanity of all creature-comforts in the world made known to us There are many wayes to convince us that there is a vanity in all things in the world by the strength of reason wee may bee convinced and by experience A man sometimes that hath an estate God doth but touch his body and layes him upon his sick-bed such a man saith Oh what a poor thing is it to injoy all the world had I all the world at my command I could have no comfort in it and therefore what a vanity is there in the creature And another perhaps by arguments and reasons will tell you that every thing is vain and there is no contentment nor continuance in any thing in the world When wee see men that are rich and great dye and carry nothing with them wee are ready to say Oh how vain the world is these are some means to cause us to see the vanity of the creature But what are all these to the sight of God The sight of the glory of God it is infinitely more powerful to discover the vanity of all things in the world to us That man or woman that hath had once a real sight of this God in his infinite excellency wil not much regard what becomes of him concerning outward things in this world Hee that sees God to be great will see all other things to bee small And indeed wee never see God to bee truly excellent except wee see him alone to bee excellent Thou thinkest thou knowest somewhat of God I but still the excellency of the creature is glorious in thy eyes Certainly thou dost not know God aright If thou knowest God aright in his excellency thou knowest him Alone to bee excellent and therefore if thou knewest no other excellency but God all other things would bee but vanity in thine eyes In 2 Cor. 3.10 saith the Apostle there concerning the glory of
the Law compared with the glory of the Gospel That that which was made glorious now had no glory by reason of a greater glory that is come So I may say in this case the things of the world that were glorious in thine eyes before yet now they are not glorious but all darkned because there is a greater glory that now comes and shines in upon thee If a man had lived in a dark Dungeon under the ground all the dayes of his life and never had the glimpse of any light whatsoever never since hee was born if on a sudden a candle should bee brought to him hee would admire at that glory but now if this man should afterwards bee brought into the world and see the glory of the Sun the glory of the candle would bee nothing to him So the men of the world because they live as it were in darkness they have some comforts in the creature and they think them to bee glorious for they know no better But that soul that hath had a sight of God comes to see that all things in the world are but darkness to him There is nothing can disingage the heart of a man from the creature so as a sight of God You have a notable Scripture for that how a sight of God doth dis-ingage the heart of a man from the creature in Act. 7.2 And hee said Men Brethren and Fathers hearken The God of glory appeared unto our Father Abraham when hee was in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran and said unto him Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred and come into the Land which I shall shew thee And so hee shews how Abraham was content to forsake all his friends and Country Why the God of glory appeared to him it is said upon this when the Holy Ghost would shew what it was that brought Abraham out of his Country that took off his heart from all his friends and Country to go into a strange Country saith the Holy Ghost The God of glory appeared to our Father Abraham Let a mans heart bee never so much glewed to any contentments that are here in the world let but the God of glory appear to that man and all things are vanity then the heart quickly comes off from any thing And indeed though there may bee many arguments that may make men and women to deny themselves very much the use of creature-comforts yet the heart is never throughly taken off till the God of glory appear to the soul A notable example of self-denial it that of Moses Moses that might have had all the riches and glory of Egypt might have been next to the King himself an heir for so some write that Pharaoh had no son and that Pharaohs daughter did adopt Moses to the end that hee might bee an heir to the Crown and yet Moses that had all riches and the treasures of Egypt at command yet hee forsakes aâ—l but though hee forsook all for a while yet you will say did hee not repent him afterward No saith the Text Heb. 11.27 By faith hee forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for hee indured as seeing him that is invisible that was the thing that did it it made Moses forsake all the riches of Egypt and indure to go on and never repent him for making such a choice What was the great thing that did take Moses off from the creature It was the sight of God that God that was invisible My brethren the sight of God it puts a mighty magnanimicy upon a mans heart there is nothing great to a great spirit nor nothing can greaten the spirit of a man or woman so as the sight of the great God no men and women in the world have such great spirits as those that have seen the great God And the oftner any one hath the sight of the great God I say the greater will such mens and womens spirits bee they are raised to that height that all the world will not satisfie such a soul for the portion of it And this again in the fourth place may bee a Note of Trial whether ever you have seen God alone to bee excellent Hath it taken off your hearts from the creature Hath it ingaged your hearts fully to God himself that you can say There is none in heaven Psal 73.25 nor none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee In the fifth place Is Gods Name alone excellent Oh my Use 5 brethren study to know God then Labour to search into this Excellency so far as wee may and God gives us leave God hath revealed much of himself to us in the Scripture and in the book of the creature and God expects that what is revealed of him in the Scripture and in the book of the creature that the rational creatures Angels and Men should labour and search to know There is nothing so sweet so amiable so lovely so delightful unto a rational creature if it bee purged from the filthiness and corruption of sin as the sight of the infinite first being of all things Why here is concluded all excellent sights whatsoever some men are takeâ— with such a sight to behold fair buildings and others to behold brave pictures one with one thing and another with another Oh but the sight of God hath all sights in it that may delight the soul and give content to the heart of Man or Angel and therefore labour to know the excellency of God You poor creatures that have minded little all this while but meerâ—y to understand your Trades and how you may get a shilling or two to provide for your families Oh but know there is a higher obâ—ect for you to busie your thoughts and hearts about Learn to know this God who alone is excellent and bee not discouraged at those things that have been spoken though they are above thy reach at first yet if your hearts bee pure and cleansed from filthinesse you have the promise in Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God It may bee you that are poor people you can never come to get learning to have the knowledge of Arts and Sciences and such things I but if you have clean hearts you are blessed in this God saith you shall see him Labour to study God and labour to know God more Psal 91.14 Mark how acceptable it is to God for his creature to labour to know him I will set him on high because hee hath known my Name Thy Name O Lord alone is excellent and thy glory above the heavens and earth And I will set him on high because he knows my Name Oh saith God yonder is a poor creature that above all things in the world desires to know mee hee hath had a little glimpse of â—y glory and oh how earnest is his heart to know mee I will reveal more of my self to him and then I wil set him on high because hee
bee excellent and hee bee thy God then thou art excellent the people of God are therefore excellent because their God is so excellent this is the reason of that phrase that you have in Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Why is a righteous man more excellent than his neighbour It may bee the righteous man is a poor man and his neighbour is a rich man perhaps this poor good mans next neighbour is a Knight or a Noble-man yet hee is more excellent than his neighbour Why because his God is more excellent because the infinite Lord of heaven and earth is the portion of a righteous man If God bee alone excellent then the righteous is alone excellent and I will give you a Scripture or two to shew that according to the excellency of God in a proportion doth appear the excellency of the children of God compare Deut. 33. and the 26. verse and the 29. verse together In verse 26. There is none like unto the God of Jesurun then in vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee You see that there is a reflection of the glory of God upon his Saints there is none like to God and there is none like to Gods people And so in 2 Sam. 7.22 you have an expression to the same purpose Wherefore thou art great O Lord God for there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee according to all that wee have heard with our ears then in verse 23. And what one Nation in the earth is like thy people So that wee see here that according to the rise of Gods excellency so is the rise of the excellency of his Saints In a proportion they rise in their excellency as God rises in his If God be alone excellent certainly they are the excellent people in the world And why because the excellency of God is manifested over them to do them good Note Here is a note that hath abundance of soul-satisfying incouragement to all the Saints of God in any of their afflicted conditions whatsoever thou hast heard that Gods Name is alone excellent so adde this to it for thy comfort who art one of Gods that God accounts his chief excellency in his manifestation of himself in all the world to bee that hee might let out himself for thy good and do good to thee and that I will shew you by a Scripture or two in Psal 68.34 His Excellency saith the Text is over Israel Oh Lord there is an excellency in thee and how doth this work where doth this excellency of thine appear why it is over Israel The Excellency of God it is over Israel saith God I have chosen out my Church and mine Excellency shall bee over them and manifested towards them for good therefore in Exod. 15.7 there where Moses is praising God for the great things that hee doth for his people saith hee in the Greatness of thine Excellency thou hast done this thing ☞ so that God doth delight to shew his Excellency yea to shew the Greatness of his Excellency for the good of his people Oh how should the Saints of God make their boast of their God and rejoyce in him and bee incouraged in God alone though thou hast no other portion then God alone thou hast portion enough In Micah 5.4 there is an admirable Scripture for the incouragement of the hearts of Gods people in God alone And hee shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God It is a Prophecie there of Christ and as it is true of Christ so of all the members of Christ they may stand when the world falls whatsoever becomes of the world whatsoever troubles are about them they are to stand and rejoyce themselves in the Name of the Lord in the strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of the Lord their God the knowledge of this reference that the Saints have to God it is that that should put courage and boldness into their hearts before all the world Rev. 22.4 And they shall see his face and his Name shall bee in their fore-heads They shall see the face of God and what then then the Name of God shall bee in their fore-heads they shall have a boldness and courage in the cause of God whatsoever becomes of the world yet wee have happiness enough in God Oh rejoyce rejoyce in this I say you that are the people of God for there is none excellent so as you are excellent and if so be that God now invests you with this excellency Two or three more Uses might bee to finish the Point What cause then hast thou to fear this God and to serve this God in all thy wayes and to worship him as a God whose Name is alone excellent Who would not fear thee there is none like unto thee Jer. 10.7 Who would not fear thee Oh King of Nations c. Let this God bee feared by us let us labour to hold forth the excellency of this our God in our lives and conversations in our whole course Oh that it might bee written upon our lives The Name of God is alone excellent all you that profess to have any interest in this God you should walk so in your conversations that it may bee written upon your lives The Name of God is alone excellent and his glory is above the earth and heavens Oh take heed that this blessed Name of God that is alone excellent bee not dishonoured and polluted by you that wee might have been large in if wee had time James calls it about Jam. 2.7 That worthy Name of the Lord you that profess your selves to bee Christians and profess godliness more than others know that you have the Name of God upon you and this Name of God it is excellent and glorious let it not suffer by you Oh woe to you that ever you were born if you should bee instruments of polluting the Name of God Mee thinks any one that makes profession of Gods Name should think with himself it were better that I were dead and rotten under the clods than that ever I should live to pollute this blessed Name of God that is so excellent What was I born that I might live to have my hand in so great a mischief as that this glorious Name of God should bee darkned by mee Oh the Lord forbid Know what the Name of God is that you profess and meditate how excellent it is and let this bee a strong argument to keep you from sin When any temptation comes oh set this against it Shall I pollute this Name of God that is so infinitely excellent No man or woman can dye with peace and have peace upon their sick-beds except they can bee able to look back into their lives and to say Lord though there hath been much weakness in mee and in many things I have dishonoured thee yet it hath
come out from them and this was a great incouragement unto them to expect mercy from God because they were a people that the Lord would bring the great Saviour of the world out of And then thirdly That by the propounding of so great a mercy as Jesus Christ should bee to the world they might hereby have a help to their faith that surely God would not deny them lesser mercies what great matter was it for them to expect from God deliverance from some outward affliction when as God makes known unto them that love and that infinite compassion those tender bowels of his even to send his own Son into the world for them And then fourthly It was to teach them this that the way of deliverance from any outward affliction it was to exercise their faith upon Christ the Messia that was to come the Lord would teach his Church when it was in afflictions not so much to bee looking at the present affliction that was upon them and so to seek for outward help and means of deliverance but would have them exercise their faith upon the Messia that was to come though many hundred years after and this exercise of faith was so pleasing to God as it was the onely means or the chief means of deliverance from all outward afflictions Nay saith God if so be that they will relye upon mee and exercise their faith upon that great promise of mine to send my Son into the world as for their deliverance out of these outward troubles and afflictions it shall bee but a little matter for mee to do that for them ordinarily when wee are exercised with outward afflictions wee onely think of some natural helps and comforts contrary to those particular afflictions that are upon us whereas the way indeed for us to sanctifie Gods Name to do that that is acceptable to God when any outward affliction befalls us it is presently to exercise our faith upon the great promise of God in Jesus Christ upon the great Covenant of Grace that God hath made with us in him upon that great mercy of God in sending his Son into the world my condition is very sad and I am grievously afflicted I but surely that mercy that would send Jesus Christ into the world that mercy is enough to deliver mee out of any affliction or at least to bless it to mee therefore do not onely cry to God when you are sick or in trouble to deliver you from it but labour to exercise faith upon the Covenant of Grace in Christ upon that glorious mercy of God in his Son that is the way that God would have us to sanctifie his Name in And that is the reason why in times of great affliction there were such clear Prophesies of Jesus Christ as here in my Text For unto us a childe is born unto us a Son is given and his Name shall bee called Wonderful Counseller c. Now in this latter part of this verse wee have Christ set out unto us in five notable and famous Titles of his His Name is 1. Wonderful 2. Counseller 3. The Mighty God 4. The Everlasting Father 5. The Prince of Peace I intend onely to speak of the first His Name shall bee called Wonderful because I would have some kinde of proportion between what I have presented to you about God and what I shall about Christ And as for other things more largely about God or Christ it may bee afterwards but onely now I shall desire to present Christ unto you in this one Title of his His Name shall bee called Wonderful From whence the Point is this Doct Jesus Christ is the great Wonder of the world That is our point of Doctrine God himself above seven hundred years before hee was born gives him this Name Wonderful in the 19. of this Prophecie vers 20. wee read of a Saviour Isa 19.20 a Great one saith the Text surely Jesus Christ hee is a Saviour and a Great one hee is the Wonder of the world Judg. 13.17 18. The story of the Angels appearing unto Manoah Manoah would fain know his name And Manoah said unto the Angel of the Lord What is thy Name vers 18. the Angel of the Lord said unto him Why askest thou after my name seeing it is secret Now the word that is translated in your books Secret it is a word that signifies Wonderful And Austin in his Questions upon this Book of Judges hee is consident that this Angel was Jesus Christ and that his ascending up in the sacrifice that Manoah offered it was to fore-signifie Jesus Christ to bee the onely Sacrifice that should ascend up to the Father for a sweet savour in the nostrils of the Father it was Jesus Christ that did appear here to Manoah and his Name is Wonderful Luther hath such a speech I remember of Christ saith hee the most famous and wonderful and glorious Miracle of all Miracles is Jesus Christ hee is the Wonder of the world God is very wonderful in all his works in the works of Creation Psal 8.1 Oh Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name and in the end of the Psalm Oh Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth yea in that one work of his in making of our bodies Psal 139.14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made saith the Psalmist God hath made our very bodies fearfully and wonderfully it is a wonderful work of God the framing of our bodies in the womb It was a means of the conversion of Gallen from Atheism hee saw the Anatomy of a mans body and beholding the wonderful work of a mans body it did force him to acknowledge the God of Nature that there was a being above Nature Now though God bee wonderful in all his works yet all his wonderful works in the Heavens and in the Earth and in the Seas they must all stand by and give way to this great Wonder as the Stars though they be glorious creatures in themselves yet when the Sun arises all their light is eclipsed you see nothing of them so though God hath many wonders in the world and hath done many wonderful works yet when the Son of Righteousness doâ—h arise when Jesus Christ comes to appear all the other works of God are darkned with the glory of this great Wonder other things are wonderful unto us because of our ignorance because wee are not able to understand the reason of things things are wonderful to children that are little regarded by wise men and understanding men Ignorance makes men to wonder at many things that have nothing in them but Christ hee is a Wondeâ— so as God himself the Father accounted him a Wonder God himself gives unto Jesus Christ this Name Wonderful and no marvel though hee bee a wonder to the Angels themselves in Heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 The Angels are said to desire to look into the things of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To pry into them They
great wonder in the works of Nature But to unite the second Person in Trinity to the nature of man not to the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 for so the Scripture saith Christ did not take upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham for if Christ would have been united to another nature one would have thought it should have been to an Angelical nature but to refuse that and take mans nature and unite it in one Person that so it should bee said that that Person that is God the same Person is man Here is the great Wonder in Christian Religion the Personal union of the Natures of Christ and indeed from hence many wonderful things will arise As from hence that same Person that was the Creator of all the world was a creature the same Person I do not say the same Nature this is the wonder in Scripture And hee the same Person that is the Lord of Man-kinde yet is the Son of Man the Son of Man and yet the Lord of Mankind The same Person that is Eternal Immortal yet hee dyed so the Scripture saith They crucified the Lord of glory What can God that is the Lord of glory that made heaven and earth the Eternal God whose Name alone is excellent can hee bee crucified yet that Person that was the Lord of glory whose Name alone is glorious that Person was crucified but suffered in his humane nature whatsoever Christ did suffer in his humane nature it may bee said that that Person that was God did suffer though not the Divine Nature the Divine Nature could not suffer but the same Person that was God as well as man hee did suffer it is the Scripture phrase clearly and I might give you many Texts of Scripture to shew you that that person that was God suffered but that is enough They crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 But you will say to what great purpose is it for us to understand this that Christ was God and man in one Person is it not enough to understand that hee was God and man what need wee look so much at the union of the two Natures My brethren Know that there is a great deal in this in knowing the union of the two Natures It is of marvellous use unto you for the helping of your faith to know not onely that Christ had those two Natures but the union of those two Natures You will say How may it help our faith Thus because hereby you may see that whatsoever Christ did or suffered though but in his humane nature yet it was of infinite value and efficacy and the infinite value and efficacy of what Christ did and suffered doth arise from the union of the two Natures because it was that Person that was God did such things and suffered such things I remember I my self once knew a very godly man in the time of his sickness was in a great Agony under a very great temptation and at Mid-night sent a mile or two for a Minister and hee comes to him and this was his temptation Fearing hee should dye A temptation of the Devil to a godly man and the Devil came with this temptation Why thy sin doth deserve an infinite punishment thou hast sinned against an infinite God and thou dost deserve eternal death but Christ in whom you have trusted hee being man and suffering onely in his humane nature hee could suffer onely that that was finite and his death was but a few dayes a day or two how can he by suffering that that was but finite by induring a little while pain upon the Cross and by being under death but a day or two how can hee deliver you from an infinite suffering and from eternal death This was the temptation that lay upon him and hee was in a most lamentable agony of spirit upon this temptation but now in his calling to minde this that though Christ in his humane Nature was but finite and that that hee suffered could bee but finite yet because his humane nature was united in one Person unto the Divine Nature hence what the humane nature did suffer though finite came to bee of infinite value and worth and though his death that hee was under was but for a day or two yet it was of merit sufficient to ransome from eternal death because the Person that was God as well as man was under the power of death and by recalling what hee had heard heretofore about Christ being God and man in one Person hee came to bee eased and the Temptation began to vanish and the truth is there is no way that I know of to satisfie ones heart and conscience in the sufficiency of Christs merits but in this that it was the merit of him that was both God and man in one Person It is true those that do not see a necessity of an infinite merit they can easily satisfie themselves and say they beleeve in Christ Jesus that dyed for them I but how canst thou tell that this death of Jesus Christ is of infinite merit to satisfie the infinite Justice of God that requires satisfaction for thy sin Why God hath so appointed it and I hope in God it is so but if thou canst see the ground of this that will bee a marvellous help to thy faith that thou canst look upon thy Mediator as God and man in one Person and therefore thou canst look upon whatsoever hee hath done or suffered as of infinite value and so thou canst present it with boldness unto God The right understanding of Christ thus will help us to honour Christ much and will make him to bee a further object of our faith Thus Christ is wonderful in his Person in his Person as relating to God the Father the second Person in Trinity So in his Person that is his humane and Divine Nature united into one Person Christ Wonderful in the manner of his Incarnation Thirdly Well may hee have this Title of Wonderful seeing hee is such a one as hee is thus opened unto you But thirdly Christ his Name is wonderful hee is wonderful in the manner of his Incarnation Christ hee is God and man but how came Christ to take mans nature upon him it was a wonderful and a strange kinde of way that the second Person in Trinity came to take our nature upon him it was by being conceived by the Holy Ghost by being born of a Virgin Christ was man and came from man but not by man the way of Christs generation it is wonderful Oh who can declare it Wee ordinarily can say â—sa 53.8 wee do beleeve that Christ was born of a Virgin born of the Virgin Mary who cannot repeat his Creed but I appeal to you when were your hearts ever taken with the wonderful work of God in the Incarnation of Christ that way of being born of a Virgin God faith that hee will do a great and marvellous thing Isa
Rulers and great ones of the world have been and are enemies to his Kingdome yet to keep things in a civil order Christ would have Rule and Authority for the present But there is a time coming when his people shall bee made so subâ—ect as they shall have no need of these things but Christ will put them all down here in the world and himself onely shall Reign so you have it in the book of the Revelations chap. 11. vers 15. That there were gâ—eat voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and hee shall Reign for ever and ever For that it seems Christ hath not yet taken his Power had not then neither hath hee since But there is a time coming for the Kingdomes of the earth to bee the Lords and his Christs in another way than now they are 18 And then the last of all Christ is such a King as hee doth in a spiritual sense make all his Subjects Kings hee hath a Crown of glory for every Subject for every one of those that are his Subjects in that near relation as hee is King of Saints I say hee will put Crowns of glory upon them all you have it in Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and wee shall Reign on the earth not onely in heaven but on the earth Why now how wonderful is Christ in this his Kingly power that hee is able to make every Subject that hee hath a King and hee will do it Now then If wee should put all these together that have been named you see how wonderful Christ is in his Kingly Power 1 Hee is high above all King of Kings Lord of Lords 2 Hee is an universal King over all the World a heavenly King over Angels yea over Powers over the Devils themselves 3 It is hee that makes his Subjects not they him 4 His Subjects are for him and not hee for them 5 Hee alone is able to make Laws for his Church 6 Hee hath absolute Sovereignty 7 His Laws do binde conscience 8 Hee rules in the hearts of men 9 Hee hath perfect knowledge of all his Saints and all their conditions 10 Hee is present in all Administrations 11 Hee is the KING of Righteousness and of Peace 12 Hee hath no need of any Instrument to do any thing 13 Hee over-rules all the plots counsels endeavours of his enemies 14 Hee was not onely born to bee a King but hee dyed to bee King 15 Hee is an everlasting King his Kingdome endures from Generation to Generation 16 Hee sits upon his Fathers Throne as equal with him 17 And will certainly subdue all enemies and will put down all Rule and all Power 18. And will put a Crown of glory upon every one of his Subjects This is our King Rejoyce therefore oh Daughter of Zion for thy King cometh Oh did wee but apprehend these things by faith that wee have to do with Christ as such a King certainly our hearts could not bee troubled whatsoever stirs there are in the world whatsoever Kings and Princes do in the world yet when wee look up to this King and by faith make all this real to our souls Oh what matter of infinite joy is it I beseech you do not think that these are notions that I speak unto you those that exercise their faith aright upon Christ they exercise their faith upon him as such a King You say you do beleeve in Jesus Christ In Christ Why what do you mean by Jesus Christ Why you will say hee was the Son of God But what is further Christ that is Anointed Anointed to what to King Priest and Prophet King what kinde of King Here I have presented to you what kinde of King Jesus Christ is Anointed by the Father And thus must you present him before your souls when you exercise your faith upon him Certainly there are few people that know what it is to exercise their faith upon Christ because they never knew Christ to be thus Well might the Psalmist say Psal 97.1 The Lord Reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles bee glad thereof Oh it is well for us that the Lord Reigneth certainly did not Jesus Christ reign in his Church yea did not hee reign in the world all things would come to confusion presently Were it possible that such a handful as his Church that is a despised company a poor people that lives in the world and is so hated by the world and all the Devils in hell and their instruments which do labour to extirpate them and yet that they should continue certainly it is because the Lord Reigns and so orders aâ—â— things that seems to bee against his Church for the good of his Church otherwise it could not continue in the world Oh let the earth rejoyce because the Lord doth Reign And again in Psal 99.1 mark there what use is made of Christs Kingly power The Lord Reigneth let the people tremble Oh the Lord Reigneth let the people tremble certainly all wicked and ungodly men that are Rebels against this King they have cause to tremble such men as say of Christ Wee will not have this man to reign over us they have cause to tremble for the Lord Christ will overcome them certainly his Garments shall bee dyed in blood and what will become of them when hee shall come to take his Kingdome to himself Moreover Those mine enemies that would not have mee to Reign over them come and bring them and slay them before my face All wicked and ungodly men in their sins they do as if they should say thus wee will not have this man to Reign over us thou who doest cast off Jesus Christ as a King certainly thou canst not expect good from him as a Saviour Christs Priestly Office Now for the second thing and that is the Priestly Office of Jesus Christ Christ is wonderful in that hee is a great High Priest In Heb. 4.14 Christ is there called a Great High Priest Seeing then that wee have a Great High Priest that is passed into the heavens And so in Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens A great High Priest a High Priest made higher than the Heavens this is the High Priest that we have which we are to exercise our faith upon 1 Hee hath a Royal Priest-hood for it is joyned with Kingly Power and therefore Melchisedeck was his type Hee was not after the Order of Aaron but hee was after the Order of Melchisedeck because it is a Royal Priest-hood and so the Saints are called a Royal Priesthood And Melchisedeck is said to bee without Father or Mother the meaning is Hee was not so as hee was a man for hee had Father and Mother beginning and end but in his typical relation hee was so they were concealed to
things of the world those men that have the dullest capacity to understand the reason of things in the world those that are the most ignorant people in the world why Jesus Christ chuses out them and makes them to bee apprehensive of the mysteries of the Gospel such things as Angels themselves desire to pry into 1 Pet. 1.12 Here is a wonder that such poor weak dull ignorant creatures sometimes that can scarce be able to speak two or three sentences in good sense together to a man yet that they should have the clear understanding of the chief mysteries in the Gospel and such things as Angels desire to pry into here is a wonderful work and therefore wee read in Matth. 21.15 when the poor children came to understand somewhat of Christ When the chief Priests and Scribes saw the wondeful things that hee did and the children crying in the Temple and saying Hosanna to the Son of David ☞ they were sore displeased Mark how this is joyned to the wonderful things they saw the wonderful things that Christ did and the children crying in the Temple Hosanna to the Son of David they were displeased It is one of the most wonderful things in the world to see that sometimes poor young children and such as understand but very little in the matters of the world and yet that these shall come to understand the deepest mysteries of godliness those things that exercise the understanding of Angels and shall exercise them to all eternity yet poor children and youths shall come to understand these things further than the great Rabbies and Doctors of the world is not this a wonderful thing in the dispensation of the Prophetical Office of Christ You make this use when you see poor youths come to have understanding in the great things of the Gospel you think surely it is but a conceit Oh but rather make this use let your thoughts bee carried to admire at the wonderful dispensation of the Prophetical Office of Jesus Christ and so in Matth. 11.25 27. you shall see what a wonderful thing it is made even this dispensation of Christs Prophetical Office in vers 25. and so on At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee 0 Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Now that the Father did hide them from the wise of the world and revealed them unto babes it was by Christ though hee thanks the Father and that it was done by Christ it appears in vers 27. All things are delivered to mee of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and hee to whom the Son will reveal him All things are delivered to mee so that Christ here makes the revelation of God unto babes to bee the fruit of Gods delivering up all things to him All things are delivered to mee and no man knoweth the Father but the Son and him to whom the Son will reveal him so that Christ having received all power from the Father upon this it is that these babes come to have such understanding in the mysteries of godliness and the wise of the world never come to understand And then that is very remarkable as wee go along that upon this ground Jesus Christ doth invite souls to come to him Come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest As if hee should say thus Conceive now as if Jesus Christ were preaching now personally to you and hee were saying thus to you All power is committed to mee by the Father and as a fruit of this that the Father hath committed to mee I do reveal him to whom I please and none can know the Father but by mee I have the dispensation of all the treasures of wisdome and the revelation of all the mysteries of eternal life from my Father Oh therefore come to mee come to mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden you labour under the burden of your ignorance perhaps you complain alas I do not know God nor understand the great mysteries of salvation I pray and hear and yet I cannot come to understand what God is Why come to mee saith Christ for all things are given to mee and if I reveal the Father you shall know him therefore all you that labour and are heavy laden all you that see the need you have of the knowledge of my Father and of the way of eternal life come to mee and I will reveal these things unto you and so will bring rest unto your souls Wonderful is Christ in the way of his Administrations and that is another consideration in the Prophetical Office of Christ 5 But further Christ is a wonderful Prophet in this that hee reveals things many times suddenly hee is not bound to those wayes that any man or Angel is bound to if a man or Angel would come to instruct others in the truths of the Gospel they must instruct them by degrees to understand one thing at once and another at another time and so deduct one thing from another in that way but Christ hee can make known the things of eternal life in an instant to the soul Whosoever comes to Christ must bee convinced of sin and bee emptied of himself and bee humbled all these things are in every soul that comes to Christ now all these things may by one beam of light bee wrought that Jesus Christ shall let into the soul As an Apothecary may get the very quintessence of all herbs in one drop though you cannot see the herbs so Jesus Christ I say sometimes by one beam of light lets in a hundred truths into the soul so that they do apprehend the substance of all those particulars that are spoken of and there is a proportionable work upon their hearts to bring them to Christ is not this a wonderful work of Christ that a man that hath been an ignorant sottish blinde creature a prophane ungodly man hating all godliness perhaps hee comes to hear a Sermon meerly to scorn as many have done this man comes in the very heat of his wickedness so that a man would wonder that some fruit of Gods wrath comes not from heaven to strike him into the bottomless pit yet it may bee at this very Sermon there shall bee some one beam of light darted into his spirit that may work his soul to heaven possibly if hee should dye at that instant though it is true ordinarily God begins to stir first and doth it not all at once but yet sometimes some that come into a Congregation most ignorant and sottish and know no other God but Mammon and lusts and yet coming to the word at one instant God darts in that light into his spirit as this man comes to have his heart turned to God and comes to know his misery and to know the way of
beloved of the Father and equal with the Father Phil. 2.6 accounted it no robbery to bee equal with God yet that he should stand before God the Father with all the sins of the Elect charged upon him so the Scripture tells us 2 Cor. 5.21 For hee hath made him to bee sin for us who knew no sin Hee hath made him to bee sin for us for Christ to bee made a worm was a wonderful Humiliation but for Christ to bee made sin was a greater Humiliation than to bee made a worm surely this must needs bee a wonder to all the Angels in heaven for them to see such a one whom they knew to bee the eternal Son of God equal with the Father to stand before the Father cloathed at it were with all the sins of the Elect. Wee read in Zech. 3. a kinde of type of this in vers 3. of Joshua the High Priest he was cloathed with filthy Garments and stood before the Angel so Jesus Christ stands cloathed with filthy Garments hee that is cloathed with Majesty and Glory yet hee must come and stand cloathed with filthy Garments before the Father For one to bee cloathed with filthy garments and yet to bee in some room alone that no body should see him is no great matter but to see a great Prince to come out before the world cloathed with filthy garments it is a very great humiliation But Christ that was infinitely above all the Princes in the world hee comes and stands before Men and Angels yea before God himself cloathed with these filthy garments For a man to have sin upon him before other men it is no great matter but for him to come into the presence of God with sin upon him it is a terrible thing But now the Son of God must do it hee comes into the presence of the Father and stands with all the sins of the Elect upon him what an object is here of Wonder Luther calls Christ the greatest sinner that ever was in the world I confess that is somewhat hard for it was but charged upon him but his meaning is onely this that I am speaking of Christ had not onely the sins of David his Murther and Adultery and denial of Peter and the like but all the sins of all the elect ones from the beginning of the world to the end of the world which they were or should bee guilty of charged upon him Secondly The wonder of Christs Humiliation it is in this that hee that was so high should bee now brought down so low for the sin of man is not this a wonder that hee that thunders in the heavens should bee crying in a Manger Is it not a great wonder that hee that framed the heavens and earth should work with a Carpenter in his Trade that hee that is the great Judge of all the world should bee accused and should bee condemned as a Malefactor and crucified among Theeves That hee that is the Lord of Life should dye that hee that dwelt in that light that is unapprochable should have darkness to cover him that hee that is the blessed God should bee made a curse for the sin of man are not these things wonderful in Christian Religion and yet all these are things that may bee said of Christ for the Lord of Life to come and dye and that accursed death this was a wonder that all the world seemed to bee affected with the very insensitive creatures for at the death of Christ the Sun withdrew his light as being amazed with this wonder not able to behold it and the earth shaked and trembled and the graves opened at this wonder the very stones clave in sunder at this wonder there was such a mighty concussion of things at this time that it made one that knew nothing of the cause of it One Dionysius seeing the darkness at that time Aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissolvetur and such great things which were done cry out Certainly either the God of Nature suffers at this time or the world is at an end So great a wonder it was that the Lord of Life should thus dye an accursed death Angels yea all insensitive creatures they stood amazed at it and seemed to bee exceedingly affected with it And then in the third place Why Christ may dye and yet not suffer so much to make us wonder many of the servants of God have died cruel deaths But then in the third place There is a greater wonder in Câ—â—ists humiliation than in the sufferings of the servants of God because though their bodies suffered yet they had much freedome in their souls they were filled with joy and comfort in the time of their sufferings so it was in the Martyrs Oh but it was otherwise with Christ though hee were the fountain of all consolation yet Christ suffers in his soul hee was sorrowful in his soul to the very death hee gave his soul to bee an offering for sin and indeed the suffering of Christs soul was the soul of his suffering the chief of his suffering when as Christ was in the Garden there hee acknowledges that his soul was compassed round about with sorrows Matth. 26.38 his soul was very sorrowful and in another Evangelist hee began to bee amazed and a third Evangelist saith Mark 14.33 hee began to bee filled with sorrow in his soul and the very trouble of his soul was that that drew forth from him such a wonderful sweat as never was heard of in the world before nor never since nor never is like to bee that a man from distress and trouble of his soul should sweat so Many a man when hee is in fear and trouble of minde hee may sweat but when did you ever hear of a man out of trouble of minde that did sweat blood that blood should come and break through his skin and run down upon him and this through the trouble of his minde for there was no bodily affliction upon Christ then but meerly the trouble of his Spirit and hee knowing what cup hee was to drink and the trouble that hee suffered in his Soul did cause the blood to break through his veyns and come to trickle down and not some thin blood for so I have read of one in Paris that was condemned to dye and the very trouble of his spirit did cause some blood to come out of his body but thin but the Scripture tells us that there was clodders of blood and when was this sweat when hee was abroad in the night time and lay upon the ground and in the Winter season In a Winters night when hee was abroad and lay upon the ground hee sweat this sweat and all from the trouble of his spirit A man may sweat in Summer and in Winter in the day time or in a warm room or in a bed but for Christ in a Winters night and lying upon the ground to sweat such a sweat
would see them to bee plunged into the bottomless gulf of eternal misery hee would put himself into it to keep them out hee did it willingly When hee did fir stundertake this great work with his Father hee knew what hee should suffer A body hast thou prepared mee it is written in the volume of thy book I should do thy will Heb. 10 5 7. and lo I come I delight to do thy will And what was it It was the suffering of all these things that I have named unto you and I have but even named them unto you Eighthly And yet further the wonder of Christs humiliation my scope is now to present as briefly as may bee as much of Christ as I can unto you that you may have some help for your more clear apprehensions of Christ and how to make him the object of your faith The wonder of Christ appears in this that there should bee such a way to save men as this is that the Son of God should bee thus humbled and this wee finde clearly in Scripture set out to us but that God would have such a way to save sinners and no other this is as great a wonder as any thing it is certainly the astonishment of the Angels and the admiration of the Saints to all eternity that the Lord should look upon base man and that hee should have thoughts to save him that was nothing but when God saw that if hee bee saved hee must bee saved after this way that God should as it were trouble heaven and earth for the saving of a poor wretched sinful creature and though God saw that it would cost him so dear to save a soul yet that hee should go on with his work to save him here is the wonder but this is the way of salvation and this is that that is infinitely above reason not onely above sense but above reason which of the Heathens could have imagined that there should have been such a way to save man by as this Why how wilt thou bee saved I will cry to God for mercy and break off my sin and bee sorry with all my heart why if this were the way there was no wonder in that but know oh thou sinner whosoever thou art that if ever thou bee saved that thou must bee saved by a wonderful way and the truth is considering that this is the way of saving sinners wee may stand and wonder that any are saved when you hear of but few that go to heaven and that most people in the world perish and when you come to hear the way of saving man and what it cost and the great difficulty of it you may then stand and wonder that any should bee saved Oh when ever you think of salvation think wisely of this it is a wonderful work of God to save a sinner and the most wonderful work that ever God did do why because the way of saving a sinner is so strange and truly my Brethren then doth God begin to work savingly upon the heart of a sinner when the sinner begins to stand and wonder at the way of saving and till that time it cannot bee conceived that God is beginning savingly to work upon your hearts I appeal to your consciences you that have gone on in a secure dead-hearted way when was ever your hearts taken up in admiring at the way of Gods saving sinners why if it hath done so that is a good evidence that God is beginning to shew himself unto you in a saving way But now if you go on and have but low thoughts about the way of salvation if your hearts do not sanctifie Gods Name in admiring at the wonderful way of salvation know that yet the Gospel is hidden to you certainly you yet do not understand the counsels of God about the way of salvation when your hearts are not taken up with admiring at the glory of God in it A note of Trial. I will but leave this note of Trial with you whether Christ bee revealed to you have your souls wondred at him My Brethen there are divers things that men wonder at in the world and their hearts are taken with them and all because they understand not Christ the great Wonder of the world Wee read in Rev. 17. that when Antichrist had gotten a great deal of power that the world did wonder at him vers 6. When I saw her I wondred with great admiration c. Antichrist having a great deal of power makes men to wonder much at him Now in vers 8. The Beast which thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is saith hee those whose names are not written the book of life that was written from the foundation of the world they shall make a wonder at Antichrist and at his great power and at the way of his falling too So in Rev. 13.2 3. And the Dragon gave him his power and his seat and great Authority c. When the Dragon had given his power to the Beast that is the Civil state and power had given its power unto Antichrist unto their Church-state so that they had the Civil sword in their own hands and were able by that Civil power to force all to come in to their Dictates now the Text saith That they all wondred at it but who are they in Chap. 17. v. 8. those whose names were not written in the book of life so that carnal hearts now may bee taken with the wondring after the pomp and glory of the word and after the power of Antichrist because Antichrist prevails in the world but they are those whose mames are not written in the book of life those whose names are written in the book of life they will never stand wondring at the excellency of Antichrist because of his outward glory no Those whose names are written in the book of life they have learned to wonder at Jesus Christ not at Antichrist let Jesus Christ bee never so mean and humbled and low and persecuted in his members in his Ordinances yet they see that excellency in Jesus Christ as makes them wonder and it is such a wonder as it doth darken all the wonders in the world besides The Fifth SERMON ON The Excellency of Christ Isaiah 9.6 And his Name shall bee called Wonderful THe point that wee are upon you may remember is this That Jesus Christ is the great Wonder of the world As is his Name so is hee Wonderful 9 Therâ— is yet more wonder in it if wee consider that God the Father was well pleased with all this it pleased him so you may finde in Isa 53.10 It pleased him to bruise him It pleased the Father For God the Father taking such delight
as if there were no other saved in all the world but thy self yet Jesus Christ will manifest himself wonderful in thy salvation for indeed that is that that hee aims at to bee wonderful in the salvation of his Saints in bringing them unto glory and that is the comfort of all Beleevers from this title of Christs being wonderful But now then as thy comforts art great from this title so thy duties should bee some way proportionable too thou shouldest therefore honour God the Father of Christ as a wonderful Saviour Labour therefore first to search into this deep mystery of the Gospel Oh what a shame is it that those that do profess themselves Christians should understand so little of Jesus Christ this is that that God expects I say that wee should study the Gospel search into the Gospel that wee may see more of Christ the more wee see the more still wee shall wonder for Christ is an infinite depth and the more wee search into him the more wee shall see cause to wonder In the first of the Ephesians mark what a prayer Paul makes for the Ephesians in the 17 and 18. verses hee told them before that hee did not cease to give thanks for them making mention of them in his prayers to what end That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him Hee doth not onely pray that they might have some knowledge of him but that they might have a Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ and this from the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and from the Father of Glory Mark what titles hee gives to God when hee prayes for them that they might have the knowledge of Jesus Christ it must bee the God of our Lord Jesus Christ that must do it and the Father of Glory God doth never shew himself to bee the Father of Glory so much as when hee gives the knowledge of Jesus Christ to a soul then God doth make himself to appear indeed to bee the Father of Glory And further The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who beleeve And in the third of the Ephesians from the 14 verse to the 20. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named that hee would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to bee strengthened with might by his Spirit in the Inner-man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that yee being rooted and grounded in love All this now is but a preparation to what hee would desire further and that is this That so you may bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might bee filled with all the fulnesse of God This is a most admirable Scripture surely the Spirit of Christ filled the heart of Saint Paul and such kind of Scriptures as these are mighty strong Arguments to evince the Scripture to bee the Word of God when wee read such passages as these that have a spirit in them beyond the spirit of any man certainly it was beyond the spirit of any man to expresse himself in such a manner That hee bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that they might comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth length depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that they might bee filled with all the fulnesse of God and that is that which I would especially observe that Christians should not content themselves with a little knowledge of Christ but they should labour to comprehend what is the length breadth depth and height they should labour to dive into the Mâ—steries of the Gospel as it is said of Moses when hee saw that wonderful work in the wildernesse saith hee I will now turn aside and see this great sight you have it recorded in the seventh of the Acts and 31. vers There appeared to him in the wildernesse of Mount Sina an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush When Moses saw it hee wondred at the sight and as hee drew near to behold it c. Hee had a sight of it at a distance and yet so much as hee wondred at it and then hee drew near and the Lord spake to him So it should bee with us wee have some sight of Christ but is it not at a distance wee hear a Minister speaking of Christ to us the great wonder of the world and it may bee at the hearing wee are ready to think there is somewhat in Christ beyond what wee have apprehended heretofore I but I beseech you Brethren let it not passe away so those things that have been spoken concerning Christ God will require an account of and know it is a dangerous thing to have the glory of Jesus Christ to pass by any soul and to do it no good If wee had been preaching to you of Moral Virtues or any deep discourse about any point save about Jesus Christ there had not been so much danger of letting it passe without profit but when God sets before you the glory of his Son know there is a great deal of danger upon the hearing of such things without profit therefore you had need say upon the hearing of such things as Moses said That you will draw near you will go and pray over these again and beseech the Lord that hee would reveal these things unto you Pray with David O Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law By Law there is meant those things that were revealed in the Word of God and surely upon our hearing what God hath revealed in his Word wee have cause to pray with more earnestnesse Lord open our eyes that wee may see the wonderful things of thy Gospel but mark When Moses drew near Then God spake to him and revealed himself further to him If Moses had stood wondring at this sight and went no further it may bee hee had not had God revealing himself so clearly to him but when hee draws near then God speaks to him So if your hearts bee taken with what you hear of this wonderful Saviour and then you draw near and take pains in your closets by meditation and prayer to see what is the meaning of this wonder Why Lord shall I hear of such things and not understand them they are things that do nearly concern mee and shall I not understand them If you labour to draw near God will speak and reveal further of his mind to you But further of