heard him So that his very enemies were forced to acknowledge that never any man spake like him Joh. 7.46 Thirdly It implys Christ to be the Original and fountain of all that light which is ministerially diffused up and down the world by men Ministers are but Stars which shine with a borrowed light from the Sun So speaks the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 7. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Those that teach men must be first taught by Christ. All the Prophets of the Old and all the Apostles Pastors and Teachers of the New Testament have lighted their Candles at his Torch 'T was Christ that gave them a mouth and wisdom Luk. 21.15 What Paul received from the Lord he delivered to the Church 1 Cor. 11.23 Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 And all the under Shepherds receive their gifts and commissions from him These things are manifestly implyed in Christs Prophetical Office We shall next enquire how he executes and discharges this his Office Or how he enlightens and teacheth men the will of God And this he hath done variously gradually plainly powerfully sweetly purely and fully First Our great Prophet hath revealed to men the will of God variously Not holding one even and constant tenour in the manifestations of the Fathers will but as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundry times and in divers manners Heb. 1.1 Sometimes he taught the Church immediately and in his own person Ioh. 18.20 He declared Gods righteousness in the great congregation Psal. 22.22 And sometimes immediately by his Ministers and Officers deputed to that service by him So he dispensed the knowledge of God to the Church both before his incarnation It was Christ that in the time and by the Ministry of Noah went and Preached to the Spirits in prison as it is 1 Pet. 3.19 That is to men and women then alive but now separated from the body and imprisoned in Hell for their disobedience And it was Christ that was with the Church in the wilderness instructing and guiding them by the Ministry of Moses and Aaron Acts 7.37 38. And so he hath taught the Church since his ascension He cannot now be personally with us having other business to do for us in Heaven but however he will not be wanting to teach us by his Officers whom for that end he hath set and appointed in the Church Ephes. 4.11.12 Secondly He hath dispensed his blessed light to the Church gradually The discoveries of light have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in many parts or parcels sometimes more obscure and cloudy as it was to the Old Testament-believers by Visions Dreams Urim Thumim vocal Oracles Types Sacrifices c. Which though comparatively it were but a weak glimering light and had no glory set by that which now shines 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 18. Yet it was sufficient for the instruction and Salvation of the Elect in those times But now is light sprung up gloriously in the Gospel dispensation And we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. It is to us not a twy-light but the light of a perfect day And still it is advancing in the several ages of the world I know more said Luther than blessed Austin knew and they that come after me will know more than I know Thirdly Jesus Christ our great Prophet hath manifested to us the will of God plainly and perspicuously When he was on earth himself he taught the People by Parables and without a Parable he spake nothing Matth. 13. 3 4. He cloathed Sublime and Spiritual mysteries in earthly Metaphors stooping them thereby to the low and dull capacities of men Speaking so familiarly to the People about them as if he had been speaking earthly things to them Ioh. 3.12 And so according to his own example would he have his Ministers Preach using great plainness of speech 2 Cor. 3.12 And by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience 2 Cor. 4.2 Yet not allowing them to be rude and careless in expression pouring out indigested crude immethodical words No an holy serious strict and grave expression befits the lips of his Embassadours And who ever spake more weightily more Logically or perswasively than that Apostle by whose Pen Christ hath admonished us to beware of vain affectation and swelling words of vanity But he would have us stoop to the understandings of the meanest And not give the People a Comment darker than the Text. He would have us rather pierce their consciences than tickle their phancies And break their heart than please their ears Christ was a very plain Preacher Fourthly Jesus Christ discovered truth powerfully Speaking as one having authority and not as the Pharisees Matth. 7.29 They were cold and dull Preachers Their words did even freeze betwixt their lips But Christ spake with power There was heat as well as light in his Doctrine And so there is still though it be in the mouth of poor contemptible men 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the casting down of strong holds 'T is still quick and powerful sharper than a two edged Sword and piercing to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the jâ—ynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 The blessed Apostle imitated Christ. And being filled with his Spirit spake home and freely to the hearts of men So many words so many claps of Thunder as one said of him which made the hearts of sinners shake and tremble in their breasts All faithful and able Ministers are not alike gifted in this particular but surely there is an holy seriousness a Spiritual grace and Majesty in their Doctrine commanding reverence from the hearers Fifthly This Prophet Jesus Christ taught the people the mind of God in a sweet affectionate and taking manner His words made their hearts burn within them Luk. 24.32 It was Prophesied of him Isa. 42.2 He shall not cry nor life up nor cause his voice to be heard on high A bruised reed he shall not break and smoaking flax be shall not quench He knew how to speak a word in season to the weary Soul Esa. 61.1 He gathered the Lambs with his arms And gently led those with young Esa. 4.11 How sweetly did his words slide to the melting hearts about him He drew with cords of Love with the bands of a man He discouraged none Upbraided none that were willing to come to him His familiarity and free condescensions to the most vile and and despiseable sinners was often made the matter of his reproach Such is his gentle and sweet carriage to his people that the Church is called the Lambs Wife Rev. 19.7 Sixthly He revealed the mind of God purely to men His Doctrine had not the least dash of
Iudas his Tomb-stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. let every one that beholds me learn to be godly indeed to be sincere in his profession and love Christ more unfeignedly than I did O Professors look to your foundation and build not upon the sand as this poor creature did That 's sound advice indeed which the Apostle gives 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinks he he standeth take heed lest he fall O beware of a loose foundation If you begin your profession as Iudas did no wonder if it shall end as his did 1. Beware therefore you hold not the truth in unrighteousness Iudas did so he knew much but lived not up to what he knew for he was still of a worldly spirit in the height of his profession His knowledge never had any saving influence upon his heart He Preacht to others but he himself was a cast-away He had much light but still walked in darkness He had no knowledge to do himself good Secondly Beware you live not in a course of secret sin Iudas did so and that was his ruine He made a profession indeed and carried it smoothly but he was a thief Ioh. 12.6 He made no conscience of committing the sin so he could but cover and hide it from men This helped on his ruine and so it will thine Reader if thou be guilty herein A secret way of sinning under a covert of profession will either break out at last to the observation of men or else slide thee down insensibly to Hell and leave thee only this comfort that no body shall know thou art there Thirdly Beware of hypocritical pretences of Religion to accommodate self ends Iudas was a man that had notable skill this way He had a mind to fill his own purse by the sale of this costly ointment which Mary bestowed upon her Saviours feet And what a neat cover had he fitted for it to do his business clearly Why saith he this might have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor Here was Charity to the poor or rather poor Charity for they were only a blind to his base self ends O Christian be plain hearted take heed of craft and cunning in matters of Religion This spoil'd Iudas Fourthly Beware of self confidence Iudas was a very confident man of himself Last of all Iudas said Master is it I Matth. 26.25 But he that was last in the suspicion was first in the transgression He that trusteth his own heart is a fool saith Solomon Prov. 28.26 such a fool was this great Professor It will be your wisdom to keep a jealous eye upon your own hearts and still suspect its fairest pretences Fifthly If you will not do as Iudas did nor come to such an end as he did take heed you live not unprofitably under the means of grace Iudas had the best means of grace that ever man enjoyed He heard Christ himself Preach he joyned often with him in prayer but he was never the better for it all it was but as the watering of a dead-stick which will never make it grow but rot it the sooner Never was there a rotten branch so richly watered as he was O 't is a sad sin and a sad sign too when men and women live under the Gospel from year to year and never the better I warn you to beware of these evils all ye that profess Religion Let these footsteps by which Iudas went down to his own place terrifie you from following him in them Corollary 2. Learn hence also that eminent knowledge and profession puts a special and eminent aggravation upon sin Judas Iscariot one of the twelve Poor wretch better had it been for him if he had never been numbred with them nor enlightned with so much knowledge as he was endued with for this rent his Conscience to pieces when he reflected on what he had done and presently run himself into the gulf of despair To sin against clear light is to â—in with an high hand It 's that which makes a sad waste of the Conscience That without doubt which now torments this poor soul in Hell is that he should go against his light against his profession to gratifie a base lust to his eternal ruine Had he known no better it had been more excusable Those that had a hand in the death of Christ through mistake and ignorance were capable to receive the pardon of their sin by that blood they so shed Act. 3.17 19. compared Take heed therefore of abusing knowledge and putting a force upon Conscience Corollary 3. Learn hence in the third place That unprincipled Professors will sooner or later become shameful Apostates â—udas was an unprincipled Professor and see what he came to Ambition invited Simon Magus to the profession of Christ he would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one And how quickly did the rottenness of his principles discover themselves in the ruine of his profession that which wants a root must needs wither as Christ speaks Matth. 13.20 21. that which is the predominant interest will prevail and sway with us in the day of our trial Hear me all you that profess Religion and have given your names to Christ if that profession be not built upon a sollid and real work of grace upon your hearts you shall never honour Religion nor save your souls by it O 't is your union with Christ that like a spring maintains your profession So much as you are united to Christ so much constancy steadiness and eavenness you will manifest in the duties of Religion and no more O Brethren when he that professes Christ for company shall be left alone as Paul was When he that made Religion a stirrup to help him into the sadle of preferment and honour shall see that he is so advanced to be drawn forth into Christs camp and endure the heat of the day and not to take his pleasure in a word when he shall see all things about him discouraging and threatning his dearest interest on earth exposed for Religion sake and he hath no faith to ballance his present losses with his future hopes I say when it comes to this you shall then see the rottenness of many hearts discovered And Iudas may have many fellows who will part with Christ for the world as he did O therefore look well to your foundation Corollary 4. Moreover in this example of Iudas you may read this truth That men and women are never in more eminent danger than when they meet with temptations exactly suited to their master-lusts to their own iniquity O pray pray that ye may be kept from a violent suitable temptation Satan knows that when a man is tried here he falls by the root The love of this world was all along Iudas his master-sin and some conjecture he was a married man and had a great charge but that is conjectural it was his predominant Lust. The Devil found out this and
wanting the Credidit vixit ut Christianus as an eminent Divine speaks O let the Keepers of the Vineyards look to and keep their own Vineyard we have an Heaven to win or lose as well as others Thirdly Let us take heed that we with-hold not our knowledge of Christ in unrighteousness from the people O that our lips may disperse knowledge and feed many let us take heed of the Napkin remembring the day of account is at hand Remember I beseech you the Relations wherein you stand and the obligations resulting thence Remember the great Shepherd gave himself for and gave you to the flock your time your gifts are not yours but Gods Remember the pinching wants of souls who are perishing for want of Christ and if their tongues do not yet their necessities do bespeak us as they did Ioseph Gen. 47.15 wherefore should we dye in thy presence give us food that we may live and not dye even the Sea-monsters draw forth their breasts to their young ones and shall we be cruel cruel to souls did not Christ think it too much to sweat blood yea to dye for them and shall we think it much to watch study preach pray and do what we can for their salvation O let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ. Secondly To the people that sit under the Doctrine of Christ daily and have the light of his knowledge shining round about them First Take heed ye do not reject and despise this light this may be done two ways first When you despise the means of knowledge by slight and low esteems of it Surely if you thus reject knowledge God will reject you for it Hosea 4.6 it is a despising of the richest gift that ever Christ gave to the Church and however it be a contempt and slight that begins low and seems only to vent it self upon the weak parts inartificial discourses and untaking tones and gestures of the speakers yet believe it it 's a daring sin that flyes higher than you are aware Luk. 10.16 he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Secondly You despise the knowledge of Christ when you despise the directions and loving constraints of that knowledge when you refuse to be guided by your knowledge your light and your lusts contest and struggle within you Oh 't is sad when your lusts master your light you sin not as the Heathens sin who know not God but when you sin you must slight and put by the notices of your own Consciences and offer violence to your own convictions And what sad work will this make in your souls how soon will it lay your consciences waste Secondly Take heed that you rest not satisfied with that knowledge of Christ you have attained but grow on towards perfection it 's the pride and ignorance of many professors when they have got a few raw and indigested notions to swell with self-conceits of their excellent-attainments and it 's the sin even of the best of Saints when they see veritas in profundo how deep the knowledge of Christ lyes and what pains they must take to dig for it to throw by the Shovel of Duty and cry dig we cannot To your work Christians to your work let not your candle go out sequester your selves to this study look what intercourses and correspondencies are betwixt the two worlds what communion soever God and souls maintain it is in this way count all therefore but dross in comparison of that excellency which is in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The SECOND SERMON PROV VIII XXX Then was I by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him THese words are a part of that excellent commendation of wisdom by which in this Book Solomon intends two things first grace or holiness Prov. 4.7 wisdom is the principal thing secondly Iesus Christ the fountain of that grace and look as the former is renowned for its excellency Iob 28.14 15. so the latter in this context wherein the spirit of God describes the most blessed state of Jesus Christ the wisdom of the Father from those eternal delights he had with his Father before his assumption of our nature then was I by him c. that long aevum was wholly swallowed up and spent in unspeakable delights and pleasures which delights were two-fold 1. The Father and Son delighted one in another from which delights the Spirit is not here excluded without communicating that their joy to any other for no creature did then exist save in the mind of God ver 30. 2. They delighted in the salvation of men in the prospect of that work though not yet extant ver 31. my present business lyes in the former viz. the mutual delights of the Father and Son one with and in another the account whereof we have in the Text wherein consider The glorious condition of the non-incarnated Son of God described by the person with whom his fellowship was then was I by him or with him so with him as never was any in his very bosom Ioh. 1.18 the only begotten Son was in the bosom of the Father an expression of the greatest dearness and intimacy in the World as if he should say wrapt up in the very soul of his Father embosomed in God This fellowship is illustrated by a Metaphor wherein the Lord will stoop to our capacities as one brought up with him the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes rendred a cunning workman or curious Artist as in Cant. 7.1 which is the same word and indeed Christ shewed himself such an Artist in the Creation of the World for all things were made by him and without him there was nothing made that was made Joh. 1.3 but Montanus and others render it nutricius and so Christ is here compared to a delightful child sporting before its Father the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our translation renders rejoycing before him signifies to laugh play or rejoyce so that look as Parents delight to see their Children sporting before them so did the Father delight in beholding this Darling of his bosom This delight is farther amplified by the perpetuity and uninterruptedness thereof I was day by day his delights rejoycing always before him these delights of the Father and the Son one in another knew not a moments interruption or diminution thus did these great and glorious persons mutually let forth their fullest pleasure and delight each into the heart of other they lay as it were imbosomed one in another entertaining themselves with delights and pleasures ineffable and unconceivable hence we observe DOCT. That the condition and State of Iesus Christ before his incarnation was a state of highest and most unspeakable delight and pleasure in the enjoyment of his Father Iohn tells us he was in the bosom of his Father to lye in the bosom is the posture
Horse whose eyes are out furiously carrying his rider among rocks pits and dangerous precipices I remember Chrysostom speaking of the loss of a soul saith that a loss of a member of the body is nothing to it for saith he if a man lose an eye Ear Hand or Foot there is another to supply its want Omnia Deus dedit duplicia God hath given us those members double animam verò unam but he hath not given us two souls that if one be lost yet the other may be saved Surely it were better for thee Reader to have every member of thy body made the seat and subject of the most exquâ—site racking torments than for spiritual blindness to befall thy soul. Moreover Thirdly Consider the indiscernableness of this Iudgement to the soul on whom it lies They know it not no more than a man knows that he is asleep Indeed it 's the spirit of a deep sleep poured out upon them from the Lord. Isa. 29.10 Like that which befel Adam when God opened his side and took out a Rib. This renders their misery the more remediless Because ye say you see therefore your sin remaineth Joh. 9.41 Once more Fourthly Consider the tendency and effects of it What doth this tend to but eternal ruine For hereby we are cut off from the only remedy The soul that 's so blinded can neither see sin nor a Saviour but like the Aegyptians during the palpable darkness sits still and moves not after its own recovery And as ruine is that to which it tends so in order thereto it renders all the ordinances and duties under which that soul comes altogether useless and ineffectual to its salvation He comes to the word and sees others melted by it but to him it signifies nothing O what a heavy stroke of God is this most wretched is their case to whom Jesus Christ will not apply this eye salve that they may see Did you but understand the misery of such a state if Christ should say to you as he did to the blind man Matth. 20.33 What wilt thou that I shall do for thee you would return as he did Lord that my eyes may be opened Inference 2. If Jesus Christ be the great Prophet of the Church then surely he will take special care both of the Church and the under shepherds appointed by him to feed them Else both the objects and instruments upon and by which he executes his office must fail and consequently this glorious office be in vain Hence he is said to walk among the golden Candlesticks Revel 1.13 and Rev. 2.1 to hold the Stars in his right hand Jesus Christ instrumentally opens the understandings of men by the preaching of the Gospel and whilst there is an elect soul to be converted or a convert to be farther illuminated means shall not fail to accomplish it by Inference 3. Hence you that are yet in darkness may be directed to whom to apply your selves for saving knowledge It 's Christ that hath the soveraign eye salve that can cure your blindness He only hath the key of the house of David he openeth and no man shutteth O that I might perswade you to set your selves in his way under the ordinances and cry to him Lord that my eyes may be opened Three things are marvelously incouraging to you so to do First God the Father hath put him into this Office for the cure of such as you be Isa. 49.6 I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou maist be my salvation to the ends of the earth This may furnish you with an argument to plead for a cure Why do you not go to God and say Lord didst thou give Jesus Christ a Commission to open the blind eyes Behold me Lord such a one am I a poor dark ignorant soul. Didst thou give him to be thy salvation to the ends of the earth No place nor people excluded from the benefit of this light and shall I still remain in the shadow of death O that unto me he might be a saving light also The best and most excellent work that ever thou wroughtest brings thee no glory till it come into the light O let me see and admire it Secondly It 's incouraging to think that Iesus Christ hath actually opened the eyes of them that were as dark and ignorant as you now are He hath revealed those things to babes that have been hid from the wise and prudent Matth. 11.25 The Law of the Lord is perfect making wise the simple Psal. 19.7 And if you look among those whom Christ hath enlightned you will not find many wise after the flesh many mighty or Noble but the foolish weak base and despised These are they on whom he hath glorified the riches of his grace 1 Cor. 26.27 Thirdly And is it not yet further incouraging to you that hitherto he hath mercifully continued you under the means of light Why is not the light of the Gospel put out Why are times and seasons of grace continued to you if God have no further design of good to your souls Be not therefore discouraged but wait on the Lord in the use of means that you may yet be healed If you ask what can we do to put our selves into the way of the spirit in order to such a cure I say that though you cannot do any thing that can make the Gospel effectual yet the spirit of God can make those means you are capable of using effectual if he please to concur with them And it is a certain truth that your inability to do what is above your power doth no way excuse you from doing what is within the compass of your power to do I know no act that is saving can be done without the concurrence of special grace yea and no act that hath a remote order and tendency thereunto without a more general concourse of Gods assistance but herein he is not behind hand with you Let me therefore advise First That you dilligently attend upon an able faithful and searching ministry Neglect no opportunity God affords you for how know you but that may be the time of mercy to your souls If he that lay so many years at the Pool of Bethesda had been wanting but that hour when the Angel came down and troubled the waters he had not been healed Secondly Satisfie not your selves with hearing but consider what you hear Allow time to reflect upon what God hath spoken to you What power is there in man more excellent or more appropriate to the reasonable nature than its reflexive and self considering power There is little hope of any good to be done upon your souls untill you begin to go alone and become thinking men and women Here all conversion begins I know a severer task can hardly be imposed upon a carnal heart It 's a hard thing to bring a man and himself together upon this acccount But this must be if ever the Lord
or Satan be in the Throne and sways the Scepter over our souls Reader the work I would now engage thy soul in is the same that Jesus Christ will throughly and effectually do in the great day Then will he gather out of his Kingdom every thing that offends separate the tares and wheat Divide the whole world into two ranks or grand divisions how many divisions and sub-divisions soever there be in it now it neerly concerns thee therefore to know who is Lord and King in thy soul. To help thee in this great work make use of the following hints for I cannot fully prosecute these things as I would First To whom do you yield your obedience His Subjects and servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 It 's but a mockery to give Christ the empty titles of Lord and King whilst ye give your real service to sin and Satan What is this but like the Jews to bow the knee to him and say hail Master and crucifie him Then are ye his disciples if ye do whatsoever he commands you Joh. 15.14 He that is Christs servant in jest shall be damned in earnest Christ doth not complement with you His Pardons Promises Salvations are real O let your obedience be so too Let it be sincere and universal obedience this will evidence your unfeigned subjection to Christ. Do not dare to enterprize any thing till you know Christs pleasure and Will Rom. 12.2 Enquire of Christ as David did of the Lord 1 Sam. 23.9 10 11. Lord may I do this or that or shall I forbear I beseech thee tell thy Servant Secondly Have you the power of godliness or a form of it only There be many that do but trifle in Religion and play about the skirts and borders of it spending their time about jejune and barren controversies but as to the power of Religion and life of Godliness which consists in communion with God in duties and ordinances which promotes holiness and mortifies their Lusts they concern not themselves about these things But surely the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power 1 Cor. 4.20 It is not meat and drink that is dry disputes about meats and drinks but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost for he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Rom. 14.17 18. O I am affraid when the great Host of Professors shall be tried by these rules thâ—y will shrink up into a little handful as Gideons Host did Thirdly Have ye the special saving knowledge of Christ All his Subjects are translated out of the Kingdom of darkness 1 Col. 13. The Devil that ruleth over you in the daies of your ignorance is called the Ruler of the darkness of this world His Subjects are all blind else he could never rule them Assoon as their eyes be opened they run out of his Kingdom And there is no retaining them in subjection to him any longer O enquire then whether you are brought out of darkness into his marvelous light Do ye see your condition how sad miserable wretched iâ— is by nature Do ye see your remedy as it lies only in Christ and his pretious blood Do ye see the true way of obtaining interest in that blood by faith Doth this knowledge run into practice and put you upon lamenting heartily your misery by sin Thirsting vehemently after Christ and his Righteousness Striving continually for an heart to believe and close with Chirst This will evidence you indeed to be translated out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ. Fourthly With whom do ye delightfully associate your selves who are your chosen Companions Ye may â—ee to whom ye belong by the Company you join your selves to What do the Subjects of Christ among the slaves of Satan If the Subjects of one Kingdom be in another Kings dominions they love to be together with their own Countrymen rather than the natives of the place so do the servants of Christ. They are a company of themselves as it is said Act. 4.23 They went to their own Company I know the Subjects of both Kingdoms are here mingled and we cannot avoid the company of sinners except we go out of the world 1 Cor. 5.10 But yet all your delights should be in the Saints and in the excellent of the earth Psal. 16.3 Fifthly Do ye live Holy and Righteous lives If not you may claim interest in Christ as your King but he will never allow your claim The Scepter of his Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Psal. 45.6 If ye oppress go beyond and cheat your brethren and yet call your selves Christs Subjects what greater reproach can ye study to cast upon him What is Christ the King of Cheats Doth he patronize such things as these No no pull off your vizards and fall into your own places you belong to another Prince and not to Christ. Inference 3. Doth Christ exercise such a Kingly power over the souls of all them that are subdued by the Gospel to him O then let all that are under Christs government walk as the Subjects of such a King Imitate your King the examples of Kings are very influential upon their Subjects Your King hath commanded you not only to take his yoak upon you but also to learn of him Matth. 11.29 Yea and if any man say that he is Christs let him walk even as Christ walked 1 Joh. 2.6 Your King is meek and patient Isai. 53.7 As a Lamb for meekness shall his Subjects be Lyons for fierceness Your King was humble and lowly Matth. 21.5 Behold the King cometh meek and lowly Will ye be proud and lofty Doth this become the Kingdom of Christ Your King was a self-denying King He could deny his outward comforts ease honour life to serve his Fathers design and accomplish your Salvation 2 Cor. 8.9 2 Phil 1.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Shall his servants be self-ended and self-seeking persons that will expose his honour and hazard their own souls for the trifles of time God forbid Your King was painful laborious and diligent in fulfilling his work Ioh. 9.3 Let not his servants be lasie and slothful O imitate your King follow the pattern of your King this will give you comfort now and boldness in the day of Judgement if as he was so ye are in this world 1 Ioh. 4.17 The SEVENTEENTH SERMON IEPH XXII And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church THE foregoing verses are spent in a thankful and humble adoration of the grace of God in bringing these Ephesians to believe in Christ. This effect of that power that raised their hearts to believe in Christ is here compared with that other glorious effect of it even the raising of Christ himself from the dead Both these owe themselves to the same efficient cause It raised Christ from a low estate even from the dead to