Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Jesus spake unto him have I been so long time and yet hast thou not know me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then shew us the Father And Apostle Paul in the 2 Cor. 4.6 God who Commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Secondly To seek the face of God is to seek the presence of God this follows upon the former as when we know a man we desire to have his Company if he be such an one as we approve off and may be useful to us even so it is here Besides Gods Common and General Presence which extends to all sorts of Persons there 's a special and Gracious presence which is peculiar to his People and is accordingly sought after by them which is here called his face This is desireable of us in reference to two things especially The Creatures and the Ordinances First To seek the presence of Christ in the Creatures and the Comforts which are conveyed by them without which they are not truly Comfortable It is not the things themselves which we partake off that are able to chear and refresh us unless it pleases God Himself to appear in them and with them It is his presence which is the Happiness and Blessedness of every Condition and that puts a liveliness and chearfulness into every Comfort It is the Face of God that puts a Comfortableness into the face of Friends the face of Friends is very pleasing and Delightful one to another as Iron sharpens Iron as Solomon tells us but it is Gods face that makes it to be so as joyning with them and so it is as to any other Comfort or Refreshment besides Therefore seek his presence in the Creatures that 's the first Secondly Seek his face in the Ordinances and the Duties and Exercises of Religion This is that which we should cheifly look after we should not come to such matters as these are onely out of fashion and custom and formallity but to injoy communion with God in them thus David in Psal 63.1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary There are many that come to the Sanctuary and to the Publick Assemblies of Gods people but it is to seek for other faces it is not to seek for the face of God they come hither onely to stare and gaze and look about them to look upon this face and to look upon that to see and be seen This is an high profanation of the Ordinance of God and a perverting it from the proper end and intendment of it but we see here what is the main scope of every Gracious and Religious soul in such approaches as these are Thy face Lord will I seek that I may have sellowship and converse with thee in thine own ordinance as we have it expressely in the 4th ver of this present Psalm One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire into His Temple In the word in the Sacraments in all the Ordinances to have the presence of God that 's the second Explication to seek the face of God that is to seek the presence of God Thirdly To seek the face of God that is to seek the favour of God Men commonly shew their Affection in their Countenance and therefore the one is put for the other And so here thus Psal 24.6 This is the Generation of them that seek thee of them that seek thy face O God of Jacob so Psal 105.4 Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore And Psal 4.6 There be many that will say Who will shew us any good Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us and Gods Gracious favour and countenance is that which it concerns us above all other things to seek after First That we may walk more serviceably and do that which God requires of us with greater intention It is the Masters countenance which puts a nimbleness into the servants work and makes it to come off the more freely and readily from him Assurance it hath a great influence upon obedience and in that respect to be pursued by us Secondly That we may walk more chearfully and have more peace and comfort in our selves Psal 30.5 In his favour is life yea his Loving-kindness is better then life as it is in Psal 63.3 Look as the face of the Sun puts a clearness and liveliness into every thing which before was dead and disconsolate so does the face and gracious presence of God into the hearts of his poor servants which were before as it were in a dead and a dark condition It quickens them and raises them and revives them and puts life into them This is that which makes an Heaven upon Earth as the contrary is no better then Hell That 's Hell where God withdraws his Gracious presence That 's Heaven where he is pleased to shew his face Thirdly That we may walk more Profitably and beneficially towards others the more that we are sensible of Gods Favour to our slves the better shall we be able to comfort and chear up our Brethren and to comfort them with the Comfors wherewith we are comforted of God Therefore above all things we should pursue it and seek after it we see how desirous men are usually of the favour of great ones many seek the Rulers favour or the face of the Ruler as the words run in the Text Pene mashal But every mans Judgment cometh from the Lord Prov. 29.6 And therefore there is reason to seek his favour above any one else Therefore says St. Paul do we labour or are ambitious to be accepted of Him Because we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ We should seek for Gods favour now that we may injoy it hereafter when we shall most stand in need of it Thi is that which concludes and comprehends every thing in it It is the most compendious way to Happiness that is in the Word our usual manner and practise is to pitch upon some particular comfort which we have a mind unto as Riches or Health or Peace or some such things as those let us but seek the Favour of God and we shall have all these things in it to the bargain And that 's the Third Explication to seek his face i. e. to seek his favour Fourthly and Lastly To seek the face of God that is to pray and call upon Him If we look into Scripture we shall finde how the work
him practically and in the effects so as this knowledg had any influence upon their hearts for the ordering of their lives and conversations Thus they were ignorant of him did not know him so as to fear him to love him to honour him to obey him c. And this is indeed such an ignorance as oftentimes does very much prevail not only out of the Church but in it not only amongst Pagans and Heathens but also as we may take notice of it by the way sometimes even in profest Christians amongst whom 't is so much the more abominable There are a great many people in the world which have a great deal of knowledg and common illumination in whom that knowledg notwithstanding does not produce any gracious effect to the bettering of them like glow-worms which have light without heat and their heads are bigger than all the rest of them besides This is that which is most common and dangerous in great Wits as we shall see more afterwards and therefore requires so much the greater heed and care for the avoiding of it Take heed of resting in the partaking of any knowledg which does not put forth it self in some answerable activity and operation For as every Divine Truth in regard of the nature of it is ordained to some practise so indeed it is not known to purpose except it be put into practise These Gentiles because that when they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but in the midst of all their knowledg were many of them very base and wicked livers Adulterers and Fornicators and Drunkards and Idolaters and the like yea and the best of them which were free from those sins were unthankful and proud therefore they are said not to know God when in a sort and sense they did know him Quod curiositate invenerant superbiâ perdiderunt as Austin speaks what they found out by their wit they lost by their pride They knew God speculatively but they did not know him powerfully Fourthly and lastly They knew God Essentially as considered in his own nature but they knew him not Dispensatively representatively as exhibited in Christ Thus they knew not God neither indeed in the case they were could they know him They knew not God that is Immanuel God with us God manifest in the flesh God taking our nature upon him and becoming a Mediator for us Him they did not know This is clear out of divers places of Scripture and cannot be questioned Thus Joh. 1.10 speaking concerning Christ He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not And so 1 Cor. 2.8 Whom none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory The world knew not Christ neither in his Persons nor yet in his Offices so they knew him not And being they knew not Him who was the Image of the Invisible God the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person as the Apostle calls him In this respect and upon this account it is said of them that they knew not God to know God and not to know him in Christ is as good as not to know him at all for what 's to know him so but to know him rather to our own confusion and amazement and greater horrour of soul it is to know him as an enemy and to know him as an angry Judg and to know him as a person at variance and difference with us as a consuming fire and one whom there 's no coming near this is a very uncomfortable knowledg of him but now to know him in the union of our nature and in his Majesty vailed with our flesh this is sweet and pleasing indeed this is the knowledg which is manifest in the Gospel but this the world at present knew not they knew not God in Christ And that 's the fourth and last term which lies here in the Text to be explained what is meant by their not knowing of God And thus much for the Explication of the Words I come now in the next place to the Proposition it self thus explained as it lyes in the Text That in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God Which affords us this observation as the Moral of all That the greatest Wits of the world having no more but the common light of nature and the advantage of humane Accomplishments are oftentimes exceedingly to seek in the spiritual and saving knowledg of God This is the Point which here lyes before us to be considered by us And I shall endeavour to make it good by a threefold consideration and that founded upon the words of the Text. First The insufficiency of the Medium Secondly The weakness of the Faculty And thirdly The perversness of the Subjects First The insufficiency of the Medium and that is the Glory of God shining forth in the Creatures which is here called the Wisdom of God This of it self is insufficient to the producing of such a kind of knowledg as this is Indeed it has in a sort some sufficiency in it as is here intimated and implied unto us forasmuch as the world is censured for not improving it and from hence they are said to be without excuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 but yet it is not sufficient wholly and fully to such an end as we speak of this is most certain and unquestionable that every creature has some kind of footstep and impression of the Deity upon it Quaelibet Herba Deum as we use to speak There 's not the least spire of Grace but it signifies and presents a God to our thoughts much more the whole Body of the Creation This does exhibit and present God a great deal more fully But yet God as he is laid open in the Gospel and as he is made known in the Preaching of the Word this the Creature does not shew nor is able to do it this is a point which cannot be known but by the Scripture and written Word of God which those who were Pagans and Heathens were unacquainted withal To know God as a Saviour and as the Author of Eternal Happiness unto us this the Book of the Creatures does not discover or make known and therefore they knew not God first of all from the insufficiency of the Creation which is here denominated as I have shewn the wisdom of the Medium of God Secondly From the weakness of the Faculty the world by wisdom knew not God that is by its own wisdom and that wisdom which is within the compass of it self so it knew him not The wisdom of the world is insufficient alone of it self to bring any people to the saving knowledg of God this is clear out of sundry places of Scripture as for instance in Mat. 16.17 when Peter had acknowledged that Christ was the Son of the living God what says he unto him hereupon Blessed art
not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing c. Where wholesome words and the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness are made to be synonymous to each other and to signifie still one and the same According to the second sense of the phrase so here is the like Censure of all unsoundness and averseness whatsoever from Evangelical Truth more especially The Doctrine of Christ that is that Doctrine which treats of Christ in his nature and person and offices and such as these either of these have one and the same Character fastned upon them and sentence pronounced against them and that is that they have not God Our business at this time will lye chiefly inthe latter of these as I conceive more especially aim'd at and intended by the Apostle and that is the Censure of such persons as do trespass upon the Doctrine of Christ as it is taken specifically for the Doctrine of salvation by Christ And that first of all in the simple denial and rejection of it Whosoever transgresseth i. e. transgresseth this Doctrine and transgresses it so notoriously with a special Emphasis considerable in it as denying or opposing himself to it suchan one hath not God It is not every transgression at large which is here intended as excluding those from having God which are guilty of it for then we were all of us in a very sad and miserable condition there being none of us but have enough ofthis in us and more than we should Our transgressions are multiplied upon us as David speaks But we must take it in reference still to the matter in hand the Doctrine of Christ whosoever transgresses this that contradicts it as the Arabique reads it or that sets against it as the Ethiopick carries it such an one comes under this censure Whosoever either on the one hand think Christ to be needless and superfluous that he might well enough be spared or on the other hand thinks Christ to be imperfect and insufficient that there is not enough in him either of these transgresses the Doctrine of Christ In one word Whosoever they be that do lessen and diminish from Christ as the Mediatour and Saviour of the Church and as the Scripture propounds him to us to be received and entertained by us such as these they have not God He that is not a Christian he is an Atheist and he that isnot a Christian in the true notion and sense of Christianity he is no Christian at all and as the Gospel does exhibit it tous let his name and profession and appearance be what it will be Thus 1 Joh. 2.23 Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father not only because that the Father and the Son are one simple pure and indivisible essence but also because the Father doth not manifest himself to salvation but only by his Son as we shall see more anon Therefore further in Ephes 2.12 The Ephesians at what time they were without Christ at the same time they are said to be without God which two expressions are both joyn'd together there in that place Wherefore remember that ye being in time passed Gentiles c. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strungers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world without Christ and without God they infer one the other And so now here in the Text He that transgresses the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God This may be said ofhim divers manner of ways First In point of Knowledg they have not the right notion and apprehension and understanding of God The Apostle Paul speaks of some in the Church of Corinth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have not the knowledg of God 1 Cor. 15.34 And he speaks this to their shame the same may be said of those which receive not the Doctrine of Christ they have not the knowledg of God neither they are ignorant of God and if they be such as live in places and under means of knowledg it is so with them upon the same terms of sham and disgrace unto them In 1 Thes 4.5 It is made a description of the Heathen which were persons living without Christ The Gentiles that know not God And in 1 Cor. 1.21 it is said That the world by wisdom knew not God It is true indeed some kind of knowledg of God they had even by the light of nature and therefore we read in Rom. 1.19 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that which may be known of God as manifest in them for God hath shewn it unto them they knew that there was a God but who this God was they did not know nor in the way of his most considerable and comfortable manifestations of himself There is no true knowledg of God indeed and such as will give satisfaction but as he is revealed in Christ who is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person as we find him call'd Heb. 1.3 Therefore 2 Cor. 4.6 it is said That God who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ In the face of Jesus Christ there we have the knowledg of the glory of God as who otherwise is a light whom none can approach unto therefore he is said to be the Image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 Why of the invisibel God not only as invisible to the eyes of the body which is true of every spirit but likewise to the eyes of the mind it self also out of Christ God without Christ is imperceptible and altogether undiscernable of us we cannot possibly each to any competent knowledg of him There 's no Knowledg of God without Christ nor there 's no Knowledg of God out of Christ no knowledg of God without Christ because it is he that declares him no knowledg of God out of Christ because it is he that resembles him and represents him and exhibits him to us First I say no knowledg of God without Christ because it is he that manifests him Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him It i Christ only that gives the kowledg of God Therefore in Matth. 11.27 we find this expression That no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him Secondly No knowledg of God neither out of Christ because it is he that represents him As we cannot look upon the Sun directly but in its reflexion so neither can we see God in His Majesty and as considered absolutely in himself but as his Glory shines out
will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly IN the Text it self we may for methods sake take notice of two General Parts which are considerable in it First The nature of God laid down in General Secondly The expressions of this nature in the particular communications of it to the sons of men The nature of God in General that we have in these words The Lord God is a Sun and shield The Expressions of this nature in particular we have in the words following The Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly We begin with the first viz. The nature of God propounded in General that we have in those words The Lord is a Sun and shield where we have God set forth unto us according to a two-fold resemblance taken from these things here below which are of ordinary use unto us A Sun and a shield The one an Embleme of Illumination the other an Emblem of protection we shall look upon them distinctly and begin here first of all with the former The Lord God is a Sun It is the manner of the Spirit of God in Scripture to teach our souls by our senses and to convey into our minds heavenly and spiritual notions by earthly and corporal representations as bring such things which are most familiar unto us and which we are best acquainted withall thus he does here in this place whiles he compares God Himself to a Sun It is an expression which we meet with also else-where and that even with this Application as Mal. 4.3 Where Christ the Son of God is called the Sun of Righteousness as Luk. 1.78 The day-spring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2 Pet. 1.19 The Day-star The Lord God is resembled to a Sun in these regards which are sundry properties belonging thereunto First In respect of Illuminatin the Sun is the fountain of light that light which is imparted to the Air for the ordering of the world it comes first from the Sun and so it is especially with God himself in regard of his Church He is the Sun that gives light unto it With thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Psal 36.1 The light of Grace here and the light of Glory hereafter which we find mention'd in the following part of the Text they both come from this Sun God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Job 1.5 This is the true light that lightens every man which cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 There 's a double kind of Inlightning which God does impart unto us either of Grace or comfort Whatever saving knowledge we have of Divine Truths we have it and must have it from him who is in this respect the Sun And whatever true and solid comfort we have likewise it is from Him also as we shall have occasion to shew more hereafter in the sequel of the Text wherein I will not prevent my self before the time but refer it to it 's due and proper place This is enough for the present which we may take notice of now in General that God is a Sun in regard of Illumination Secondly In regard of Calefaction the Sun as it hath light in it so also Heat which it doth communicate with its light It warms things and puts life into them so does this Heavenly Sun this Sun of righteousness where he is risen in the hearts of Believers he does warm them and put vigor into them we are all by nature frozen in sin as we may so express it As we are darkness without light so we are also coldness without heat till this Sun comes and thaws â—s and dissolves that congealedness which is in us and inables us to the doing of good which whensoever he is pleased to do he does it effectually The influences of Grace they are very comfortable and such as have a great deal of pleasingness and satisfactoriness in them they do abundantly cherish and refresh the hearts of those which are partakers of them Thirdly In regard of Fructification and increase The Sun by the operations of it causes things to grow and come up in more abundance and so does this spiritual Sun those which are under the beams of it they become more fruitful in goodness then otherwise they would be and they are in some measure inabled for the drawing on of others likewise to goodness together with themselves what ever is done in this kind it is done by the power and vertue here of this Sun All the droppings of Ministerial Instruction and all the Dews of friendly Admonitions and all the waterings of Godly Education they become so far forth efficatious and powerful in the consequences of them as God Himself is pleased to bless them and as this Sun whereof we now speak does concur with them which is that which he does vouchsafe to do as he thinks fitting in his own wisdom Lastly In regard of All-sufficiency the Sun is compleat in it self Communicates light to others but borrows no light at all from them It is a Fulness and Fountain of light and so is God he is compleat and All-sufficient in himself no want or defect at all in him In him are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg he is full of Beauty and Glory and Lustre as the Sun it self is and there 's no measure nor stint of his goodness we may a great deal sooner want light which we do not fear while we injoy the Sun then we may have Goodness and Comfort and Happiness while we have God Himself present with us who in all these respects which I have now mentioned is resembled to the Sun The Consideration of this point may be thus far useful to as as from hence first of all to teach us to rest satisfied in God alone and our interest in him seeing he has a fulness of Comfort in Himself therefore having him for our God we have enough though we had nothing besides What is it that makes the Day Is it not the Sun And so what is it that makes the Happiness of a Christian but even God himself we should so esteem it and be perswaded of it and really believe it It is that which is hard for us to do and we are very difficultly brought unto it but we have Ground for it for all that and that upon this account because he is a Sun This is the difference now betwixt God and the Creatures the Creatures they are but like the Stars which have a double Disparagement or Diminution fasten'd upon them The one is that they have but a little light in regard of the Quantity and the other is that their light for the greatest part of it is derived unto them as to the manner of Conveyance It is not much inherent in themselves as it is imparted and communicated to them from the Body of the Sun this is the State and
a state of Subjection and Obedience to Him And for Heaven He is likewise the head of all Principalities and Powers Col. 2 10. And Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 2 Pet. 3 22. This for his Kingly Office Secondly Take it for his Priestly Office And here he is likewise like Jacobs Ladder in the work of Atonement and Reconciliation as bringing Heaven and Earth together Thus Col. 1 20. It pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And so likewise in Eph. 1 20. That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth Even in Him Take us what we are in our selves and there is a Disproportion betwixt God and us we are not onely Strangers but Enemies to him And he to us But now in Christ this Enmity is removed and taken away and there is perfect peace wrought according to that againe of the Apostle Col. 1 21. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minde by wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his Flesh through Death c. And again Rom. 5 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom we have now received the Atonement Christ hath made God and us Friends And then again as for Reconciliation so also for Access which is the Fruit and Effect of it It is by Christ that we come unto God and have Admission unto the Throne of Grace As we have the Benefit of his Satisfaction so likewise of his Intercession and both of them consider'd as our high Priest Thus the Apostle seats it Eph. 2 18. Speaking of Jew and Gentile Through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father And so Chap. 3 12. In whome we have boldness and Access with confidence through the Faith of Him What ever intercourse there passes at any time betwixt God and us it is in all the Covenant of Grace and as it is obtained and procured by Christ And it is he alone that does effect it for us and that brings it to pass And therefore upon this Ground are we still incouraged to have recourse unto God and to perfect our Communion with him as Heb. 4 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Preist that'is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need And so again Heb. 10.19 c. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vayl that is to say his Flesh And having an high Preist over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith And Rom. 5 1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have Access 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence has he in Scripture such Names and Titles put upon him as doe import thus much when he is called the Door whereby we Enter and the Key whereby we Open and the Rock whereby we Climbe and the Ladder whereby we Ascend as it is here in the Text. A twofold Ladder as I may so express it which he hath set up for us The Ladder of his Flesh and the Ladder of his Cross both together make that New and living way for us which was mentioned in the foregoing Scripture Christ is our Conveyance to God and He alone as the Scripture again inform's us Joh. 14 6. I am the way the Truth and the Life No man Cometh unto the Father but by me As no Man come's to Christ except the Father draws him so no Man com's to the Father except Christ brings him Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4 12. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor 5 19. Therefore this by the way shews the Vanity of all such Persons which dream of any other way or Conveyance besides whether of Angels or Saints or their own Free-will and the like that neglect and lay aside Christ as in a manner Needless and Superfluous in this great Work of Salvation surely such as those they are exceedingly deceived and mistaken These that throw down the Ladder they will never be able to get up to Heaven by all the Ropes they can hoyse up to themselves He that hath the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 Joh. 5 12. And so as for final Salvation So for Intermediate Communion likewise It is that which we partake off through Christ and him alone we cannot come into the presence of God nor offer up a Prayer before him which may be acceptable to him but through his Mediation By the Mediation of his Spirit as inabling us and by the Mediation of his Blood as purchasing acceptance for us He is the Angel namely the Angel of the Covenant who offers up the Prayers of all the Saints upon the Golden Altar is before the Throne as it is in Revel 8 v. 3. And what ever are presented otherwise they are of no Force or Validitie at all Thus is Christ our Ladder that reaches from Earth to Heaven in the Consideration of his Preistly Office in both the parts of it whether of Satisfaction or Intercession Thirdly For his Prophetical Office if we take it there also we shall finde that Christ has the notion of a Ladder And as he conveys out Prayers and Desires to God so he does likewise carrye God's words and will to us Joh. 1 18. No man hath seen God at any time The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him And again Joh. 3 13. No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven Even the Son of man which is in Heaven He speaks concerning the knowledge of heavenly Mysteries and the Communication of them which did belong onely to Christ who though then upon Earth as Man Yet as to his Godhead was still residing in Heaven having the same Essence and Glory with the Father Matth. 11 27. All things are delivered unto me from my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son And he to whom the Son will reveale him It is Christ that brings Heaven down to Earth in regard of discoveries And thus a Ladder in his prophetical Office also To draw up this Point to an head Take Christ in his full extent whether of Nature or Offices
if it were hardly any sight at all Surely it is not a seeing of God in his Essence but onely of what he is towards us for our particulars And the Scripture does speak of it as imperfect Thus 2 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known Where are three words of disparagement which are put upon this kind of sight in comparison with that which is more perfect First it is but in a Glass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we know that such sights as those are they are but imperfect because they are but reflexive As the sight of the Sun-beams in Heaven which cannot be look'd upon directly so is knowledge of God by Faith it is tantum in speculo The second is darkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we conceive of things in a Riddle or Mystery which implies a great deal of cloudiness and mistiness and obscurity in it The third is but in part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which still denotes a shortness in it And this for that disco very which we have of God in a way of ordinary Revelation by the sight of Faith The second is Extraordinary in Prophetical manifestation Thus some of the Servants of God in former times had a special elevation of mind peculiarly vouchsafed unto them whereby they were enabled to have notable apprehensions of God and a glorious sight of him as in the instances above-mentioned Isaiah seeing him upon the Throne Jacob face to face Moses beholding his glory c. But yet neither did these reach so high as the Essence of God Moses that saw the most of him he is said to see but his back-parts that is some imperfect image and representation of his glory his face he could not nor might not see Ex. 33.20 Thou canst not see my face for no man shall see my face and live This imports That Moses did not see the Substance of God but onely that God did after a familiar manner reveal himself to him and in some resemblance shew him his Glory so far forth namely as Moses was capable of it which did wonderfully affect him And thus we have the second thing here considerable for the explaining of this passage and that is the Act No man hath seen God at any time that is perfectly in his Divine Substance and Essence and that as to sight in the full latitude and extent of it whether Corporeal with the eyes of the Body or Mental with the eyes of the Mind And for this latter in all its varieties also whether of Nature or Grace of Reason or Revelation not by way of Causality not by way of Negation not by way of Eminency as to the obscurity of Reason nor yet either by the sight of Faith as more ordinary or by the light of Prophesie as more extraordinary as to Divine Revelation The third and last is the Medium or Means by which That must be also here taken in for the explication of this passage to us No man hath seen God but in Christ whereby he hath made himself in a manner visible and conspicuous to us so that He who cannot be seen otherwise yet in Him is seen after a most illustrious manner Hence he is said to be the Image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 because all the Excellencies and Perfections of God they are entirely in Christ Thus even the Father Himself which we shewed before was never seen yet comes to be so according to that of our Saviour to Philip Joh. 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father namely because the glory of the Father does shine forth in the face of Jesus Christ. As it is again in Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father c. No ma hath seen God to purpose any other ways than as revealed in his Son And thus we have the full explication as I conceive of this present Proposition That no man hath seen God at any time No man hath seen the Father No man hath seen the Father Essentially No man hath seen the Father but in Christ There 's the Object the Act the Medium Now to give you some account of the Point there is a two-fold ground which may be assign'd hereof unto us why God cannot be seen by us whiles we live here in this world in the sense which I have now given of it the one is taken from God and the other is taken from our selves First on Gods part there 's an obstruction from the Incomprehensibleness of his Nature which cannot be fully reached unto by any Creature whether in Heaven or Earth Even the blessed and glorious Angels themselves who are in a state of Comprehension though they comprehend so much of God as the Creature is comprehensive of yet they can never comprehend so much of him as is indeed comprehended in him Our God to speak strictly of him is beyond and above all Comprehension Therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which we translate no man may be as well rendred no Creature and it agrees with other places in Scripture as Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is no person whatsoever So Rev. 5.3 No man in heaven and earth was able to open the book it is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is no creature The Nature and Essence of God in the Fulness it is beyond any created Comprehension And so there is an obstruction to our perfect seeing of Him on His part But secondly There where he is also comprehensible and shall be also comprehended hereafter yet there is at present an Obstruction of it on ours and that again two manner of ways First of all from the frailty of our Nature as we are flesh and blood And secondly from the corruption of our Nature as we are sinful flesh and blood First there 's the frailty of our Nature as we are flesh and blood Who shall dwell with the devouring fire c. There is such an Infinity betwixt the glorious God and poor mortal man as there is no coming near unto him Here some even of the Servants of God when God has appeared unto them have conceived presently they should die as Gideon in Judg. 6.22 and Manoah Judg. 13.22 We shall die because we have seen God face to face Secondly As from the frailty of our Nature as it is flesh and bloud so from the corruptions of our Nature as it is sinful flesh and bloud Thus in the place before cited Isa 6.5 Isaiah bewails himself as one undone because being an unclean person and of polluted lips he had seen the King the Lord of Hosts And Job when his eye had once seen God he then says he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes in Job 42.5 6. Thus is
this particular We should do nothing against the truth but for the truth For a close and conclusion of all at this present time we may further look upon these words in their reflexion and as coming from the Apostle Paul who does not here stick or forbear to declare this present Truth to the Corinthians of the limitation of his own authority But as he was careful to acquaint them with the whole will and counsel of God so with this point of it amongst the rest There are many kind of persons in the world which think it no piece of prudence or good policy in them to acquaint people with such kind of points as do any thing seem to diminish from their power and authority but only such as may seem to extol and to advance it But the Apostle Paul here was of another mind he was not shy or afraid here to tell them of such a truth as did in a manner restrain him and qualifie his authority over them he tells them here plainly hat he could not do as well as what he could We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth This he did first out of his faithfulness and ingenuity towards them as one that did not seek himself but their good Those which make themselves their ends they still frame and accommodate their Ministry and the exercise of it only to their own advantage an for this purpose endeavour to keep the people in blindness and in ignorance and want of knowledg of what is truth But those who are faithful and aim at Gods glory are otherwise both affected and imployed Secondly He did it also for their encouragement that they might not be shy or afraid of him and of that severity which he was forced to use amongst them he therefore instructs them in the nature of it and does thereby qualifie and mollifie it unto them Thirdly He did it likewise for his own vindication and absolution that he might discharge himself of suspition amongst them who were ready especially from the suggestion of the false teachers amongst them to conceit as if he had some plot and design upon them to enslave them and to enthral them to himself now for this he deals plainly with them and tells them what he could do and what he could not that so if by chance we did swerve from his rule they might accordingly mind him of it This teaches us accordingly as we have occasion to do the same thing even to make this the end and scopeof all our performances and undertakings in the work of the Ministry that so thereby we may encourage Religion and advance it and promote it in the world and say from the goodness of our Principles prevailing an bearing sway in us as well as upon any other consideration We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth SERMON XXXVI Gal. 1.8 9. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so we say now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed There have been seldom any great endeavours of good to the Church of God but there have been also at the same time attempts of the contrary mischief where the Goodman hath sown his wheat the evil one hath sown his tares and where the Ministers of Christ have been industrious in the preaching and propagating of the Truth there the ministers of Satan have been as diligent in the scattering and spreading of error so that as the Son of Go was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil so the sons of the Devil are manifested to destroy what in them lies the works of God It was thus at this time now in the Church of Galatia to which the Apostle Paul here writes They had been called into the Grace of Christ and has the Gospel preached unto them by himself and some other of the Apostles and now there were some that troubled them and would pervert this Gospel amongst them as is signified to us in the seventh Verse of this Chapter I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there be some that trouble you and which would pervert the Gospel of Christ And because that this is a business which requires some kind of slightand craftiness for the accomplishment of it therefore these deceitful workers are not wanting to themselves in any thing which might tend or conduce hereunto Amongst other tricks and shifts which are devised and used by them this was none of the least to pretend Magna nomina great Names and Persons and Authority for the countenancing of their corrupt Opinions which they obtruded upon the people wherein they do not only presume upon some of the Apostles James Peter and John but even likewise upon the Angels themselves as having received instruction from them Now here in this Text which we have in hand does the Apostle make reply and take off such Objections as these were andmakes them to be of no account with them But though we or an angel from heaven c. THe Text it self is a Protestation made by the Apostle Paul to the Galatians against seducers and false teachers amongst them which for our better handling of it is considerable of us two manner of ways First In the simple Proposition Secondly In the Emphatical Repetition The simple Proposition of it that we have laid down in the first of these Verses the 8th Though we c. The Emphatical repetition in the latter viz. the ninth As we said before c. We begin with the simple Proposition of it But though we c. wherein again we have two Branches more First the miscarriage supposed Secondly The caution or denunciation of punishment inferred upon it The miscarriage supposed Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach c. The caution or punishment inferred Let him be accursed For the first namely the miscarriage we have again two Particulars further First The Persons mentioned We or an Angel from Heaven Secondly The evil or crime it self fastened upon them Preach any other Gospel c. First To speak of the former We or an Angel from Heaven This is not to be taken as probable as a thing likely to be so indeed but only per impossibilem hypothesin by way of supposition and putting of a case where the scope is rather to be attended than the words themselves for the promoting of the Apostles design In which expression there are two sorts of persons excluded from being hearkened to and imbraced in point of error whether men or Angels Though we yea to rise higher Though even an Angel from Heaven it self From both together we may take notice of these two Particulars as hinted to us First Not Persons of the greatest interest