was hidden from eternity and from all ages Observ Observe The mystery of the Gospell was hid from all ages before Christ Rom. 16.25 and Ephes 3.9 Touching the Gentiles Rom. 16.25 it is cleare that this mystery of the Gospell was hidden altogether from them and concerning the Iewes although they had the Promises yet both had them obscurely shadowed in types and figures and they saw not the performance of them untill Christ His time therefore it was that at first they made such opposition to the Gospell and when they began to submit themselves to it and embrace it yet they could not for a good space conceive how it could be that the Gentiles should be partakers of eternall life with them Secondly That it was now made knowne not to all but to the Gentiles that is to those who being justified by faith in CHRIST give themselves to the study and practice of sanctification Where appeareth how greatly we are bound to Almighty GOD who hath vouchsafed Obs not to equall us alone with the Iewes His ancient chosen people Vs I say who were prophane and uncircumcised Gentiles without CHRIST aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers Ephes 2.11 12. from the Covenants of promise without hope without GOD in the world but even to preferre us before them giving us to see and heare those things which many Kings and Prophets among them desired to heare and see but had it not granted to them O LORD who were we or our fathers fathers houses or what were their or our deserts towards Thee that Thou should'st be pleased thus to deale with us and thus highly to exalt us And shall we turne backe againe to the wayes of our former blindnesse GOD forbid yea rather how ought we in knowledge faith and holinesse to exceed those before whom our gracious GOD hath so farre preferred us Here note the great priviledge of the Saints to whom GOD is pleased to reveale this mystery passing by all other men of what degree or dignitie soever Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare Him The Sunne shineth and the raine falleth upon other men but His mysteries He openeth not but to those that love Him being before beloved of Him But we see many wretched men understand the mystery of the Gospell Object can dispute of it defend it Their knowledge is no knowledge Answ because practice is not joyned with it 2. Even they also are by profession Saints To stirre up to thankfulnesse and all holy endevour to walke worthy of it Vse this we shall the rather be induced to if we consider the cause moving GOD thus to deale with us not our wits or wils or worthinesse or any thing else in us or in any other creature but even his own good pleasure As Ephes 1.9 Having made knowne to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himselfe VERSE 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory VNto this mystery of the Gospel now spread abroad among the Gentiles he ascribeth glory yea riches of glory that is abundance of glory thereby teaching That the Gospell preached among the Gentiles Observ is not only a mystery but a mystery full of glory Even that wherein the gloriōus power goodnesse and wisdome of God is set forth For what power goodnesse or wisdome is any thing comparable with that which appeareth in mans redemption Verily all the glory of earthly Kings wherein they set forth their power goodnesse wisdome is but a childish thing in comparison of this Let men therefore of shallow understanding admire and magnifie the glorious shewes and actions of earthly Kings Let us admire and adore this mystery of the Gospell among the Gentiles and the rather because we our selves are partakers of it and by it transformed into the Image of God This glorious mystery is set forth by the subject of it Obs which is Christ for Christ is the only subject of the Gospell Whosoever and whatsoever teacheth CHRIST teacheth the mystery of the Gospell and whosoever teacheth not Christ teacheth not the Gospell Of CHRIST he saith that He is among us Gentiles Obs for so should this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be here rendered as it is immediately before among the Gentiles for by the Gospell we have Communion with God and with Christ his Son 1 Ioh. 1.3 He dineth and suppeth and lodgeth with us we see and heare and feele and taste and eat and drinke Him How glorious then is the Gospell by which IESUS CHRIST is communicated with us And how glorious is the Church Even the Temple of God When Iacob going downe into Mesopotamia slept and in his dreame saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven the Angels ascending and descending and the Lord standing at the top of the ladder being awakened he said Surely the Lord was in this place and I was not aware of it So may we say surely the Lord is among us even the Lord Iesus Christ and we consider it not Let us therefore put off our shooes from off our feet Vse 1 for the ground whereon we stand is holy ground Let us sanctifie our selves for the Lord of all the world is among us And henceforth let us be ashamed to professe that wee have communion with Him and yet hold fellowship with Him and sinners Let us also with comfort consider our dignity and honour Vse 2 among whom the Sonne of God is and by Him the Father also is pleased to dwell And what then though wee be forced to live among thornes and bryars Vse 3 among serpents and scorpions among men wholly set upon mischiefe whose tongues are swords who have the poyson of Aspes under their lips Let this comfort us that the Lord Iesus Christ liveth amongst us and in us by His Holy Spirit and will be with us to the end of the world This CHRIST he describeth by His effect toward us calling Him the hope of glory that is He in whom and by whom we hope and looke for glory So 1 Tim. 1.1 He is called Our hope Observ CHRIST then is He in whom we looke and wait for glory God which cannot lye hath promised to give us further assurance of it Hee hath lift up CHRIST on high placed Him at His right hand farre above all Principalities c. and made Him partaker of His glory When He shall appeare then shall we also appeare with Him in glory this wee wait and looke for this is our rest What then though reproach and shame befall us in this evill world Vse 1 Let us beare it with patience and with joy looke up to the glory prepared for us And what if an armie of evills meet with us here below by the helpe of Christ we shall overcome them all and be more than
Creatures Marke for explication how that He is said the first begotten of all the Creatures Israel God calleth His first begotten sending to Pharaoh to dismisse Israel His Primogenitum So Hebr. 12.33 all the elect are called the first begotten but this is spoken of them in comparison of the inferiour creatures and rest of mankinde onely 2. By participation from the first begotten who is the native Heire and for distinction is here called the first begotten or Lord of the whole Creature The thing then to be marked is Obs What a wonderfull benefit this is that we are made subjects to such a King who is the Lord of all the Creatures what can we want that are under Him who is the Heire of all things What can hurt us who are His subjects that is Lord of all the Creatures We see this doth greatly make for the subjects felicity the ample Provinces that are subject unto them It was a circumstance that made much to the dignity of Salomon's Kingdome that he should reigne from Sea to Sea But what is this to our King who is Lord and Heire of all the Creatures in heaven and earth seene and unseene All power is given mee in heaven and earth saith CHRIST God hath set CHRIST in the heavens above all Principalities and Power that is named in this world or that which is to come Wee must make use of this And first learne to be thankfull to God glad of it Vse 1 we have cause to be glad that we have a King set over us who is Lord of all the Creatures in heaven earth and hell This maketh much for our incouragement who are CHRIST's true subjects that our King is the Mighty Vse 2 having all the Creatures at command Men that came under Alexanders protection when now he was Monarch of the whole world how safe did they thinke themselves who could hurt them that had such a Protectour Hence it is that lesser States thinke themselves secure when they have gotten some mightie Potentate such as his Majesty to undertake their Protection But how safe are we that keepe close by faith to our Lord Iesus who is the first begotten even the Lord and Heire of al the Creature strong by Sea strong by Land glorious in Heaven dreadfull to the powers of darknesse So it assureth us wee shall want nothing This sheweth us whence we derive our title and estates which we have in the Creatures Vse 3 I meane our estate of inheritance for it is from Him that is the Lord of all Suppose the King had the selfe-same title in all his Countries which he hath in his Crowne-lands no man could justly hold or lay claime to any thing further than hee could shew right from the Princes grant demise c. or prove himselfe an heire to the King So it is with us first all property is in God of all things they are His owne Hee may doe with them at His pleasure 2. God the Father doth give to His naturall Son made manifest in the flesh all the Creatures making Him Lord and giving Him all judgement in heaven and earth under Himselfe 3. CHRIST the naturall Sonne and Lord doth take some out of mankinde as brethren to Himselfe and giveth them state of inheritance as who by faith on Him are become joynt heires with Him To others He giveth of His Creatures partly to testifie His patience and clemencie as the King giveth allowance to traytors in the Tower till they are to be brought to execution 2. As a temporary reward of some temporary service in them hee maketh them a grant of some portion of His creatures the world therefore hath title both in jure fori and jure poli to that they lawfully have but by the title of inheritance the Saints hold only This doth shew us how we should seeke to please our King Vse 4 we see the children of the world wise in their generation they labour to commend themselves to such as are above able to advance them and bestow temporall and spirituall dignities upon them but who seeketh to please this King this Priest who hath all promotions in His gift The Lord give us wisdome we misse not the right doore we bring not our griest to a wrong mill Lastly hence the consciences of such may be shaken Vse 5 who walke disobeying and provoking this great Lord. A fearefull thing to lift up hand against a King yet one might doe it and flying forth of his dominions recover safety But whither wilt thou fly that disobeyest Christ all the Creatures will attach thee and arrest thee of high treason for they are at His becke He is the Lord of them VERSE 16. For by Him were all things Created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or powers all things were Created by Him and for Him NOw he commeth to proove Christ both GOD and LORD and together openeth the ground of this His Title of inheritance to the Creature thus Hee that made all Creatures is no Creature but GOD blessed for ever is Lord of all Creatures but by Christ all the Creatures were made therefore He is GOD and most justly heire to all who can lay so good a claime to them 1. Then marke in generall from the coherence Obs 1 That these Creatures we see doe give testimony to that invisible GOD whom we see not these doe speake aloud that He who hath Created them is God for the worke doth argue a most Almighty and wise workeman and it is made Ier. 10.11 the effect distinguishing all false Gods from the true the Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth are no Gods If we should see faire buildings excellently contrived we would say they were excellent workemen that framed these So seeing this world the heavens the earth with the furniture of them we may well conclude Hee could not bee without a divine power that built all these things Iovis omnia plena praesentemque refert quae ibet herâ—a deum Againe these visible things have in them prints of the invisible things in God His power wisdom c. is graven in them For looke as the finest artisans who make the most curious works as watches c. They write their names in some part of them that the making and the Author be discerned So God hath written Himselfe every where in His Creatures that they might bee knowne for His workemanship and He for the workeman of them The use of this is Vse that we should learne in this frame we see and in that world of intelligences spiritual natures which we see not to acknowledge him that hath framed the booke of the Creatures though it be not so good as the Grammar of the Scripture which doth describe Him plainely yet it is a good primmer for us to spell in That as He hence prooveth Him God Obs 2 so He sheweth what just
us It followeth that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible by heavens He meaneth not onely these aspectable ones which our eyes see but those supreame ones where God His Angels and the spirits of the just abide Obs 3 Observe hence How that God hath His places Ministers attending about Him unseene and unknowne too many such things hath He which the eye of man hath not seen nor have not fully entered into mans heart We that live farre remooved from that heavenly Court we can know but little and that by hearesay onely Take some hamlet of poore subjects that live North-ward remote from the Court what doe they know of Kings Mannor houses of His Court at White-Hall of the furniture of his roomes the state of his attendance and service the solemnities of his Triumphs the manner of his going to the Parliament House we that creepe here below live in a remote place occupied in meane affaires we cannot imagine the glorious Majestie of that high Court where our God our Mediator with the Angels and spirits of the just display their glory True it is we that are truely faithfull we are come a little neerer for we are got into the Suburbs of this City we are come nigher to God in comparison of the world nigher to our Mediator we converse in heaven we are adjoyned to the innumerable multitude of Angels and spirits of the just But yet we have but the report and so a sight by faith without evident view of these things These things must teach us first Vse not to be like such who will beleeve no more then they see and are halfe Sadduces for Spirits and Angells they thinke them fancies O foole doest thou see the wind an elementary thing yet too subtle for the eye to behold doest thou see thy owne soule and yet thou feelest it yea when thou sleepest ere-while it wakeneth and is in action but the spirits of these men are incarnate the things we see are nothing to the things that are not as yet seene Wherefore in the second place this must stirre up our desire further and further to peepe into these things within the vaile and long for the sight of these things that yet are folded By nature we have a desire of knowledg which maketh us long after newes where the court is c. If one should open a piece of some rare workmanship we could not be quiet till we got the rest unfolded yea this maketh some of better abilities which dwell in the utmost parts that once in their lives they will goe up to London to see the City Court King c. How should this provoke us and checke us as sluggards who care not to see further off these most glorious workes of nature and grace which our God hath begunne to unfold that long not to see the City of GOD and our Prince His deare Sonne and with Him to make our glorious aboade To thinke of these invisible things about us must affect us with a sense of our blindnesse our God is looking with a broad eye upon us good Angels armies of them about our bed bad Angels the starres not so thicke in the firmament over our heads as they are hovering to spy their advantage ô shall not we grieve that we cannot see them should thy Father and all thy brethren stand by wouldest thou not mourne to have so sicke a sight as could not discerne them and art thou contented with such weake eyes as cannot behold thy heavenly Father thy brethren and fellow servants would it not grieve thee to be as Sampson with the Philistines thy enemies about thee and eyes out wilt thou not grieve to have innumerable evill spirits about thee not being able to perceive them pray to God to open thy eyes looke into the nature of thy owne soule that will be a good introduction if thou canst find thy owne soule at the rebound of it abstract thy selfe from sensible objects ponder things intellectuall Further it is to be marked Obs 4 That our Lord CHRIST is the Creator of all the Angels all these excellent creatures were created as the matter of heaven and earth the soule of man they were not begotten of GOD The Divell would by those Primitive monsters have broached to the disgrace of the only begotten Sonne of God though the Scripture calleth us begotten of God Iam. 1.18 in regard of our regeneration yea they were created by CHRIST who is therefore called the Lord of hoasts If He had created the inferiour things only it had not beene such an argument of His power and equality with His Father But when the most divine creatures are the workes of His hands O how glorious is He This doth greatly tend to the Majesty of our King into whose government we are translated O we admire and our eyes dazle at the lustre and pompous magnificence of earthly Kings who at their Coronations make Knights create Earles Marquesses Dukes how glorious doe we count them who can give such degrees But what are these All of them flesh What are we to these Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers Angels Archangels which our King hath created It might be asked when He made these Quest The day cannot certainly be defined Answ onely these two things are certaine 1 That they were not created before that beginning wherein GOD gave being to the whole systeme of the creature for before it nothing was that is made 2 It is certaine they were created before the second day was expired 3 By analogie of mans creation so soone as his seat was perfected it is probable that proportionably when these blesied invisible mansions were finished even on the first day that then likewise the hoasts of Angels were created The use of this here so plainly set downe Vse 1 doth let us see even in this one point the great increase of light over that which Moses affordeth in all the story of the Creation they are not expressely named their weake sights not able to endure discourse of such brightnesse but our Apostle who had beene wrapt up into the third heaven doth specifie things which under the Testament lay vailed This doth let us see with how good reason our King in regard of His humane Nature is Lord even of all the Angels Vse 2 with how good reason they are bid to adore Him they accordingly did minister to Him at His birth in His temptations at His refurrection and ascension And what a spurre should this adde to us in our obedience unto Him Shall Angels and Archangels adore Him and shall not wee bee obsequious to Him Dare poore Commons deny homage to that King to whom they see great Princes in their places doe all obeysance This giveth us security that we shall have sent us the helpe of good Angels in our necessities Vse 3 why because our King is the Creator and Lord of them He hath the command of them at His pleasure We see if the
under the government of a flagitious servant such as the Papists grant Popes may be Let us therefore take heed that while we set up other heads then Christ over the Churches we doe not reject this glorious Head Iesus Christ from ruling over us as the Israelites when they refused that Aristocraticall governement in which God ruled and would have a King like other Nations the Lord chargeth them not only to have cast off Samuell but himselfe and what is more foolish then to thinke it needfull to have a visible universall high Priest on earth because CHRIST is in heaven invisible to us touching His corporall presence should the people of Israell have erected another High Priest to themselves when Aaron was at any time in the Holy of Holies where he was not visible to them so we stand here below in the entry our High Priest is but gone into the Holiest Sanctuary and we though His Divine nature be with us will set up another Sooner shall the heaven have two Suns then the Church two heads and though metaphorically one may be said to be the Head of a Church for the name of God Himselfe is thus Communicable yet in proper analogy none can be so termed For then the Church might be said His body properly which is such sacriledge as He I thinke in whose forehead blasphemy is written dare scarce commit A double head and a double husband become not the Church the latter is not for her honesty the former fitteth not to decency Thus much who is over us 2 Marke from this Observ that He is called the Head of His Church what neere compassionate and beneficiall superiority or authority that is which Christ hath over His Church He is the Lord of all Creatures yea the hellish fiend must bow the knee to Him But He is not an head to every creature if we take it in that proper analogicall accommodation which the Scripture looketh to in this terme The head hath the highest place and power in the body but yet it is so intimately conjoyned with every member so amiable and beneficiall a superiority that the like cannot in nature be shewen For first looke at the head it is by sinewes and other ligaments straitely conjoyned to every member so is Christ through the spirit of faith coupled with us Secondly from this union the head commeth to have a sense if any part be disturbed so hath Christ He knoweth how to compassionate our infirmities Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me Thirdly the head what ever it hath hath in a sort for the good of the body The perfect comlinesse of the head is the ornament of that body whereof it is the head the body being but a deformed trunke if the head be remooved Againe the sense and motion which are originally in the head as a fountaine they are derived from it to every member Fourthly The head giveth full direction to the other members So Christ is our glory He quickeneth us He giveth us direction both inward and outward We see then that His superiority He hath is most intimate fellow-feeling and commodious unto us Which first doth let us yet farther see what cause we have of thankesgiving who are come into His kingdom Vse 1 who is rather an head unto us then a King over us as the head is to the body To have a powerfull wise King is a great guift but to have one who is rather Pater then Rex Patriae is greater but to have one who should so affect his subjects as to condole with the poorest of them this were a miracle This must breed willing subjection to CHRIST our Lord Vse 2 looke at the members of the body doe they feele it a burthen to doe that which the head directeth to This must strengthen our affiance towards CHRIST Vse 3 that He will not faile to take notice of our griefes to succour and direct us That is a blockish head which can goe on in a Stoicall dedolency when the members are ill affected yea it must assure us that we shall have direction and protection from him Marke Obs 3 Who they are that have Christ so neere so beneficiall to them viz. the Church that is such only who are truely faithfull who shall one day be presented glorious in the heavens such as shall at length have salvation by Him There are in the visible Church many who are by outward profession members of Christ but if they have not learned Christ as the truth is in Christ they shall be found not to be of His body though they seeme so a while A glasse eye may be so set into the head that one would take it verily to be a naturall part of the head yet it hath but an externall insition which art affordeth and is nothing lesse then the naturall eye So many are externally by the Sacrament and externall profession tyed to Christ which are not native members and have no spirituall combination with Him Nay if like some temporisers thou dost get some quicknance of the spirit of Christ yet not such as purifieth the heart bringeth thee above all things to rejoyce in Christ Iesus thou art not of His body nor a true member having Him thy head but art like a wenne or warte mole or such like thing which hath a life in the body but is no member of it Wherefore as you would have any benefit by Christ Vse labour to come into this body not to be as wennes and wooden legges but to be living members such as have Christ living in you teaching you by His spirit to thinke speake and doe all things it is good being members of good Corporations which have good endowments priviledges and Charters but there is not a body like to this which hath all the unsearchable riches of IESUS CHRIST given it in which onely there is salvation That nothing is betwixt Christ and His body Obs 4 and that all the Church is his body and every one in the Church a member of the body not a substitute head unto it Where then shall we find the Pope let him take heed least while he strive to be a secondary head he doe not deprive himselfe of roome in the body out of which there is no salvation I know a Papist will say that the Pope as he is referred unto Christ is a member of the body but as he is referred to men subjected to him he is a head under Christ Answer that every one is a member we reade it and therefore beleeve that any one is a head to all but Christ we reade it not and therefore reject it Beside it is likely that betwixt Christ and the visible Church Saint Peter should have come in thus God is Christs head Christ of the Spirits with Him and Saint Peter and his successors the Churches head but this is no where found yea the contrary God over Christ Christ over the Church the Churches above Cephas Objection Emperours are
a fulnesse of mercie to heare our supplications a fulnesse of merit to make a full atonement for our foulest sinnes a fulnesse of favour to prevaile with His Father in any request if therefore there be such a fulnesse in Christ as there is be not discouraged though thy sinnes abound yet his grace abounds much more they cannot be so out of measure sinfull as he is mercifull Remember but the two metaphors in Scripture I will scatter your sinnes as a mist I wil drowne them in the bottome of the Sea Now the Sunne by reason of his force can scatter the thickest mist as well as the thinnest vapour and the Sea by reason of his great vastnesse can drowne mountaines as well as mole-hils So CHRIST by reason of the great vastnesse of grace that is in Him is able yea forward and willing to forgive the greatest as well as the least sins For mercy though it be a quality in us yet it is a Nature in God now that which is naturall there is no unwillingnesse nor wearinesse in doing of it as the eye is not weary of seeing the eare is not weary of hearing therefore though our sinnes be never so great and many His grace is all-sufficient for the pardon of them Now I beseech you take not this exhortation in vain for there is nothing more effectual to heale a rebellious disposition and to cause a sinner to change his course than to bee fully perswaded that hee shall be received to mercy and that his sinnes shall be forgiven him in Christ Therefore let this fulnesse of mercy in Christ be an effectuall motive to us all to come in and to give up our selves wholly to Christ to serve Him with perfect hearts all our dayes Secondly Obs marke Into what glory our nature is exalted that God should dwell personally in our nature and take it to Himselfe so as to be of the substance of his Person It is an unspeakable dignity all the conceits of men and Angels put together cannot devise an higher exaltation of it See what love the Father hath shewed us 1 Ioh. 3.1 that we should be called the sonnes of God having the title and thing through grace of adoption but that our Nature should be made the true Naturall Sonne of God of the substance of His Person what admiration is here sufficient Which must be taught diligently to the people for this is the rocke to see the Son of God God with the Father blessed for ever Personally existing in this our Nature which Hee hath taken unto Him to see God dwelling in this His owne soule and bodic no lesse now through free grace of His Person than my soule and body are of mine This is the rocke against which Hell-gates cannot prevaile this is the onely rocke of Israel But there is place of speaking more fully of this in the next Chapter VERSE 20. And by Him to reconcile all things unto Himselfe and to set at Peace through the bloud of His Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heaven NOw followeth the benefit hee had said before In Christ wee had pardon and were received to favour Now he sheweth the ground of this viz. It pleased God as to qualifie the Person of Christ in manner above-named so to doe it to this end that we might by Him be reconciled The benefit is first simply propounded then applyed The simple propounding hath two parts 1 The thing to be done by Him To reconcile all things to Himselfe 2 The manner of doing in those words Pacifying all things by His bloud Marke first in the coherence Observ What gave occasion to the incarnation of the Son of God viz. our enemy like estrangement from God We see here that to the intent God might reconcile us He calleth His Sonne to be a Mediator Evill manners give occasion as we say to good lawes You know what brought forth first that secret of the Gospell The Seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. This is the nature of God to bring light out of darknesse to overcome evill with good As there is nothing so good which the Divell will not draw evill out of as when he perverteth this grace shewen in Christ to become a cloake of wantonnesie which Gregory observing exclaimeth O foelix flagitium and indeed the event to the faithfull is happie but we must not take heart to doe evill that the miracles of grace might be discovered you know what the Apostle saith Shall we sin that grace may abound Rom. 6. â— God forbid though the Physitian restore life with poyson none will therefore eat it who is wise but let us expresse the vertue of our heavenly Father who hath called us out of darknesse into His marvellous light and learne out of evill to doe good and to wound the Divell with his owne weapon Secondly marke that whereas we were the offenders and should have sought to God He doth when we goe on in our enmitie seeke out a way to reconcile us Observe then Obs How God followeth froward man He had never done but good by us we had revolted to the divell from Him highly provoking Him yet see He seeketh us O gracious Shepheard of soules that commest downe from heaven to seeke stray soules that are as willing to wander as they wickedly strayed God was in Christ reconciling the world you never heard the world first sought Him mark it for it setteth out His love Hee is faine to love us first and to overcome our peevish wickednesse with love or we should never leave our enmitie It teacheth us our duty rebuking the pride of many Vse who if one have done them any wrong and bee stiffe through weaknesse they will say A God's name let him seeke to them they are as good as he they are sure he did the injury But what if God should have stood on such nice termes with you Let us overcome evill with good doe good to those that hate you Seeke Peace and follow after it when through peevishnesse of men shee is running from you Thirdly marke Obs That Christ must have the God-head first dwell personally in Him before He can take up the matter betwixt God and us Whence note what it is that maketh the death of Christ accepted for all our reconciliation even this that He is not bare man but God also God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himselfe who not being God durst have ventured on this worke 1 Sam. 2.25 If man offend the Iudge can determine but if a man sinne against the Lord who will plead for him who could have endured the wrath which was to be borne before attonement could be made whose death could have beene a sufficient pacification the Scripture doth hold out this with emphasie God hath redeemed us with His bloud Act. 20.28 Tit. 2.14 the great God hath given Himselfe for us to redeeme us and purifie us
Finally doth not onely doe things evill but applaudeth others that doe so with him Which things may open this truth that naturally a man converseth and maketh a trade of evill workes for figges cannot bee gathered from thornes nor an evill tree cannot doe other than bring forth evill fruits We are no murtherers adulterers c. Object There are two sorts of evill workes Answ some apparantly such as the light of nature condemneth Others more close which have the shew of externall righteousnesse now such are honest courses world-ward without religion and the Pharisees course externally both honest and religious but yet wanting the power of godlinesse of which our Saviour testifieth That many things glorious in mans eye are abomination before God Would not every one condemne such a course in a servant if he should spend his time doing things that had no hurt in them but out of his owne head never vouchsasing to know his masters minde in any thing if he should doe the things bidden him but when his master would have them done thus he will doe them after his owne fashion and when his master saith doe such things first and chiefly after take these in hand hee shall let the principall alone and onely be occupied in the other were not this a wicked course in a servant This is the course of every honest naturall man that is no more than honest world-ward To urge upon men the unrighteousnesse of their wayes Vse 1 yea of those wayes which may be called righteousnesse in comparison of the other that they may count all losse to be found having part in grace through CHRIST To shew us the difference of one converted and not converted the one slippeth and intendeth and endevoureth to doe good though evill be present and steppeth in everywhere the minde of the other is set upon evill the one beareth the presence of it mourning under it the other committeth it willingly he lyeth in evill he taketh care to fulfill the lusts of his flesh hee is a worker of iniquitie VERSE 22. Hath He now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault in His sight HItherto of their former Condition Now he having beaten them downe in remembrance of their misery doth raise them up in recounting GOD's mercy Observe hence in generall As wee must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse Observ so wee must cast the other upon GOD's mercies to us These two doe well together the one corrects the other so that both as wholesome purging medicines without interlacing restoratives will weaken too much 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but now yee are washed c. Eph. 2.13 Now in CHRIST IESUS yee which once were a farre off are made neere by the bloud of CHRIST Tit. 3.3 4. We also in times past were unwise disobedient deceived c. But when the bountifulnesse and love of GOD our SAVIOUR toward man appeared c. This is to be noted from this that Paul doth not shew them their estate of Nature alone but being a bitter pill doth gild it over with annexing their comfortable condition in CHRIST We must learne to compound these meditations Vse now taking a course in remembring our wretched estate now refreshing our selves in recounting the blessed benefits we have by CHRIST as men will walke in some garden or orchard or go a while to some pleasant exercise when they are wearied with bodily labours 2 From this that such are reconciled Obs marke the free and large grace of God if we had beene enemies in heart only it had beene much to finde favour but where wee have made a trade of evill workes and lived all our lives in open rebellion how undeserved and how rich is the grace which giveth pardon If the King doe pardon one whose good will is doubtfull and take him to grace it is much but when one hath lived in making attempts on his person then to forget and to forgive were more than credible clemencie The love of God is seene in this Rom. 5.10 that when we were enemies He gave His Son to reconcile us It is the greatest love that ever the sons of men enjoyed 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby wee perceive the love of God because He laid downe His life for us Herein is love not that we loved God but that He loved us 1 Ioh. 4.10 and sent His Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes See how the holy Apostle speaking of the love of God still layes his finger upon the matter in this not in noble birth in high Parentage no no away with that carnall plea I hope the LORD loves me why because He hath kept me to this day and He hath given me wealth and health No in this it appeares that He died for you make this good to your soules In the time of the old Law there were as it were some shadowes and glympse of Gods love but now CHRIST is come the Sunne shines in his full brightnesse The blessed Apostle who was almost as neere CHRIST's heart as his body stands admiring at this love So God loved the world as who should say Ioh. 3.16 so wonderfull it is I cannot expresse it it even ravisheth my heart to thinke on it but so it was that God should stoope to man and Majesty to meanenesse and Heaven bow to earth The Reasons hereof are divers The first is taken from the Partie that loved us Reas 1 it was God blessed for ever had He sent to a poore man in time of misery and poverty honour or money it had not been such a wonder but that he should send his Son and that to die for us this is miraculous It hath bin heard that a man hath sent a Pearle to his friend but this was never heard that any should send his whole treasury but God hath not spared to send all His whole treasure Coloss 2.3 the Text saith that in Him are all these treasures of wisdome and knowledge Heare this all you poore creatures that have any part in CHRIST you complaine you are poore comfort your selves in this you have a treasure better than the best gold in India you have the treasures of heaven how then can you be poore Consider this when the least favour was too much for us and the smallest mercy more than we deserved or desired yet God accounted the greatest favours too little for us earth He hath given to us and that 's not enough heaven Hee hath prepared for us with the joy and glory thereof and yet that 's not enough He hath sent His Spirit to guide us His CHRIST to redeeme us nay He hath bestowed Himselfe upon us hath laid downe His life for us that by His death we might live As the person is incomprehensible Reas 2 so the excellencie of the worke is beyond our reach or conceit me thinkes this love goes beyond God Himselfe The
That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in love and in all riches of the full assurance of understanding to know the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ THis Verse openeth the matter for which he strove with God by all meanes in it two points 1 The thing it selfe 2 The antecedents or meanes leading to it The thing is that their hearts might bee comforted at the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ that is of the Gospell which told them that Iesus Christ God-man was made light and salvation to them as to other Gentiles for the incarnation of the Sonne of God and the calling them to be a people who before were none were hidden mysteries till God reveiled them Now to this end he prayeth that they might be knit together in love and a more full knowledge having with it fullnesse of perswasion The better to understand it we must remember that these Colossians were brought by Epaphras to know the Gospell in truth Secondly you must know that they had love yea true love Thirdly that they did not feele the joy of the Holy Ghost so plentifully as others first because through the Divels tares of dissension there was not that soundnesse of love which should make them fully of one heart Secondly because though they knew the Gospell yet they knew it not so plentifully being in part ignorant of their Christian liberty of the all sufficiency of Christs sole mediation as who looked and listened a little to the helpe of Angells this way Thirdly from hence it came that being weake in knowledge they somewhat staggered the Apostle therefore wisheth them the tast of heavenly joy more fully in that they knew and to this end wisheth that all impediments of heavenly joy as dissension doubting ignorance being remooved they might be one in love rich in knowledge and fully perswaded and resolved in the things they knew First then Doct. from Saint Pauls example Ministers must see what they must chiefely helpe forward even the spirituall rejoycing of their people It is a great matter of their office to serve Christians this way What are we saith S. Paul no Lords over your faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with GOD furthering your joy this he prayed for Rom. 1.10.12 this he made the intent of his journeyes to give and take comfort in them To this end Eph. 6.21 22. hee dispatched messengers to comfort their hearts True it is that sometime they are forced to make sadde as Saint Paul did the Corinthians but this is not their principall intent for they doe this not for it selfe but that it may make way for rejoycing as a Physitian is forced to make his Patients sicke that thus he may restore him to health There is great reason for this We are bound every one by the Commandement that sayth we shall not kill Reas 1 to be no way wanting to the life of others even this bindeth us that we doe every way seeke to make the lives of others comfortable unto them 2 Againe Saint Paul knew how many things the Saints have to presse them downe through the malice of Sathan and keepe them from knowing the sweet fruit of the spirit 3 He knew that this was a friendly Sunne which maketh all graces thrive the better in the heart where it is 4 That if GOD should not refresh them this way by letting them feele this power of that life which is to come they were in danger to shrinke from Christ in the midst of such discouragements with which this world aboundeth For as we say without this vita is not vitalis no man liveth or can live without a delight and joy As we see kind men when they tast a thing that pleaseth them more then ordinary will invite others to tast it with them So the Communicative love of this Apostle was such that finding in his own experience what a soveraigne thing this was he could not but wish it unto others 5 Lastly S. Paul knew that this was forcible to draw others to the profession when men should marke this in it that it filled those that imbraced it with gladnesse of heart and that in the midst of the greatest evils by seeing the joyfulnesse of such who were converted Wherefore it is a slander of sinfull men that thinke a Preacher of the Gospell killeth all good company Vse 1 cryeth down all rejoycing so that none can be merry that live under them indeed we kill that mirth that is nothing but madnesse that we may bring men to sound rejoycing even joy unspeakable and glorious Ministers must set an edge upon this grace and stirre up their people to it Vse the drooping and uncomfortable lives of Christians maketh many affrayd to looke this way For there are some men when God hath touched them a little they are affraid of progresse they thinke they are brought into bondage because they meete with discouragement and turne againe to sinne because they find more sorrow in goodnesse then they did in ill So there be others that are affrayd to enter into Gods way least they should come out of Gods comforts these are like the spies that brought an ill report of the good land it was a good land and fruitfull but there were Gyants Anakims Num. 14. c. and for this they never entered into the land of Canaan save only two faithfull Caleb and Ioshua So these people speake ill of the way to heaven even of heaven upon earth Oh say they the land is good the Kingdome of heaven is a glorious place but the way thither is by a sadde life so full of troubles that a man were as good be dead as live so But marke because they said they could not enter the Lord sware they shall not enter Secondly marke here That beliefe of the Gospell may bee Doctr. where the consolation of it and rejoycing of it appeare not Saint Paul need not to pray for this on their behalfe but that he doth intimate that many of them wanted it We reade indeed of first conversions of Christians accompanyed with the grace of spirituall joy as the City of Samaria very glad and full of joy Mat. 13.46 So the Merchant in the Gospell finding the Pearle in the field went away rejoycing But this is a fruite that lasteth all the yeare yea a babe in CHRIST may be borne crying as we say of teares Esau may have them that wanteth true repentance and another truely repenting may want them So it is true of joy a false Convert may have it Luk. 8.13 as the stony ground received the Word with joy Herod heard the Word gladly when a true Christian ere-while is without the fruite of it The fruite I say for he hath in him the seede of rejoycing which will budde forth blossome and show the fruite in due season Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in