periculo from the danger consider what it is to be at odds with God and how soon and how easily he can revenge his quarrel against you and how miserable they will be for ever that are not found of him in a state of peace Psal. 7.11 12 13. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will wâ—et his sword he hath bent his bow and will make his Arrows ready There the Psalmist representeth God and man as in a state of hostility against each other The wicked man affronts his holiness questions his justice slights his wrath breaks his Laws wrongeth his people and saith tush I shall have peace though I add drunkenness to thirst God for a while giveth time and warning but every moment can break in upon us for he is able easily to deal with us Cominus hand to hand for he hath his sword Eminus at a distance for he hath his bow he is not only able to deal with them but ready for he is whetting his Sword and hath bent his Bow the Arrow is upon the string though not as yet sent or shot out what remedy then is there There is but one exception if he turn not if he be not reduced and brought home to God by a timely Repentance he falleth into the hands of the living God Now no persons are in so dangerous an estate as those that have peace offered and despise it Isa. 27.4 Let him take hold of my strength When God is ready to strike A man that is faln into the power of his enemy will take hold of his Arm we are always in Gods power his vengeance may surprize us before we are aware what is our business but to be found of him in peace 2. Ab utili from the happiness of being at peace with God your great work is over and you have a World of benefit by it you stop all danger at the fountain head When you are at peace with God you are at peace with the creatures Ezek. 34.25 I will make with them a Covenant of peace and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the Land danger might way-lay us at every turn Then for Men Prov. 10.17 When a mans ways please the Lord he makes his enemies to be at peace with him Then peace in your own Consciences Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with joy and peace In believing to have a mans Conscience settled on sound terms is a great Mercy Peace with the Holy Angels instead of being instruments of vengeance they are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 Lastly Communion with God himself Rom. 5.1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith c. Eph. 2.17 18. Preaching peace by whom also we have access by one Spirit unto the Father 3. I Reason from the confidence we may have of this benefit if we submit to Godly terms 1. God is willing to give it verse 19. It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell there is Gods authority and good pleasure in it The first motive came from God who received the wrong not from him that gave it God was in Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 Among men the inferiour should seek to the superior The party offending to the party offended the weaker to the stronger they that need the Reconciliation to him that needeth it not but here all is contrary 2. You may be confident of it upon another ground the sufficiency of Christ to procure all fullness The whole divine nature did inhabit and reside in the man Christ Jesus and so he is compleatly fitted and furnished for this work he hath paid a full price for this peace when he bare our sins and carryed our sorrows and by his Spirit he changes our hearts as well as pacifies the wrath of God And then he preserveth this peace by his constant intercession Heb. 2.17 18. Now shall we doubt of it But that we may get it 1. Let us take the way of entrance by Faith and Repentance It concerns us much to see whether we be in peace or trouble if in trouble you see the cure if in peace the next question is is it Gods peace That 's had by the blood of Christ the merit of which we must depend upon and devote our selves to God break off our old league with sin and bind our selves with a Bond to live unto God to be the Lords for evermore 2. When this peace is made be very tender of it that no breach fall out between you and God Psal. 85.8 He will speak peace to his people and to his Saints but let not them turn again to folly 3. Let us be thankful to God for this fruit of Christs death it is an act of free and undeserved mercy and to be imputed to nothing but his mere grace that God hath appointed such a way It pleased the Father to bruise him Isa. 53.9 That he sendeth Ambassadors to publish it Acts 10.36 the word which God sent unto the Children of Israel Preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all and that he appointeth a ministery It is a great priviledge in it self for by this peace we have not onely the beginnings but the increase of grace till all be perfected in heaven Heb. 13 2â— 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight 1 Thess. 1.23 The God of peace sanctifie you that you may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. This peace doth encourage us in all temptations from the devil Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly From the World Eph. 6.15 shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Fears of the wrath of God and doubts about our eternal condition Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost here are three words Comfort Peace and Ioy these succeed one another as so many degrees Comfort is support under trouble Peace a ceasing from trouble joy a lively sense of the love of God FINIS
good to his own Indeed God is ours as well as we are his but our being his draweth along with it much comfort and blessing But to speak of these apart 1. The Appropriation or claim of Interest is a sweet thing If God be your God why should you be troubled ' Psal. 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot The lines are faln unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage You have a right to God himself and may lay claim to all that he hath for your comfort and use His Attributes yours his Providences yours his Promises yours what may not you promise your selves from him Support under all Troubles relief in all necessities You may take hold of his Covenant Isa. 56.4 and lay claim to all the priviledges of it 'T is all yours 2. This dedication this resignation of our selves to Gods use to be at his disposing without reservation or power of revocation is often spoken of in Scripture Isa. 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords another shall call himself by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel The meaning is to give up their names to God to be entred into his Muster Roll and to be listed in his service Rom. 6.13 Yield up your selves to God as those that are alive from the dead 'T is the immediate fruit of Grace and new life infused in us A natural man liveth to himself to please himself and give satisfaction to his own Lusts. Grace is a new Being and Life that inclines us to Live and Act for God As soon as this life is begotten in us by the power of his Spirit our hearts are inclined towards God and you devote your selves to serve and please him As your work and business was before to serve the Devil the World and the Flesh so now to please serve and glorifie God Secondly The Reasons why it becometh Christians to be able to say My Lord my God 1. Because our interest in him is the ground of our comfort and confidence 'T is not comfortable to us that there is a God and that there is a Lord that may be terrible to us The Devils believe and the damned spirits feel there is a God and there is a Lord but their thought of God is a part of their Misery and Torment Iames 2.19 The more they think of God the more their Horrour is increased to own a God and not to see him as ours the remembrane of it will be troublesome to us 2 Sam. 30.6 David comforted himself in the Lord his God There was the comfort that he had a God to go to when all was lost and that God was his God So Heb. 3.18 I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation If God be our God we have more in him then trouble can take from us So Luk. 1.47 My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour When you make particular application to your selves it breeds strong comfort 2. Because nothing strikes upon the heart with such an efficacy as what nearly concerns us affects us most The love of Christ to sinners in general doth not affect us so much as when 't is shed abroad in our own Hearts by the Spirit Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me that draws out our hearts to God again and is quickning motive to stir us up to the life of Love and Faith So Eph. 1.13 In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation 'T is not sufficient to know that the gospel is a Doctrine of Salvation to others onely but to find it a doctrine of Salvation to themselves in particular That they may apply the promises to their own heart A Christian is affected most with things according as he is concerned in them himself It bindeth our obedience the more firmly when we know that we are particularly ingaged to God and have chosen him for our God and our Lord. 3. Bacause without a real personal entring into Covenant the Covenant doth us no good unless every one of us do choose God for our God and Lord and particulary own him Every man must give his hand to the Lord and personally ingage for himself 'T is not enough that Christ ingage for us in being our surety but we must take a bond upon our selves Something Christ did for us and in our name he interposed as the surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 Something must be done personally by us before we can have benefit by it You must give up your selves to the Lord. It is not enough that the Church ingage for us but every man must engage his own heart to draw nigh to God Ier. 30.21 Who is he that ingageth his heart to dâ—â—â—â—igh to me 'T is not enough that our Parents did engagâ— for us Deut. 29.10.11 12. They dâ—d in the name of their little ones avouch God â—o be their God as we dovote dedicate and ingage our Children to God in Baptisme But no man can savingly transact this work for another We ratifie the Covenant in our own persons 2 Cor. 9.13 by a professed subjection to the gospel of Christ. This is a work cannot be done by a Proxy or Assignes unless we personally enter into Covenant with God for our selves our dedication by our Parents will not profit us we shall be as Children of the Aethiopians unto God Amos 9.7 though Children of the Covenant all this will not serve these are visible external priviledges But there is something required of our Persons every one must say for himself My Lord and my God And this must not onely be done in words and by some visible external Rites that may signifie so much As for instance coming to the Lords Supper that is the New Testament in Christs Blood Luk. 22 2â— 'T is interpretativè a sealing the New Covenant between Christ and us God giveth and you take the Elements as a pledge and Token that God and you are agreed That he will give you himself his Christ and all his Benefits and you will walk before him in newness of life Now to rest in the Ceremony and neglect the Substance is but a mockery of God As many rend the Bond yet prize the Seal care much for the Sacramâ—nâ— that never care for the Duty it bindeth them unto If your hearts be hearty and well with God you come now personally â—o enter into Covenant with him But this business must not be done onely exterâ—ally but internally also 'T is a business done between God and our Souls though no outward witnesses be conscious to it God cometh speaking to us by his Spirit in this Transaction Psal. 35.3 Say unto my soul I am thy salvation And we speak to God Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my Portion saith my soul. There is verbum mentis
we say the same of a King indeed we mean he behaveth himself King-like that is becoming the Majesty of his High calling So we beheld his glory as c. that is such a glory as was sutable and becoming Gods only Son So Christ was angry with his Disciples because they were too importunate to see the Father though they saw him ordinarily conversing with him Iohn 14.7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him The Fâ—ther is no otherwise to be known but as he hath revealed himself in Christ and having seen and known Christ who was his Image they might both see and know him and when Philip saith shew us the Father and it sufficeth us this will convince us all without farther argument Christ answereth verse 9. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father They might see the Fathers infinite power acting in him his wisedom teaching by him his goodness in the whole strain of his life so that in Christ becoming Man God doth in and by him represent all his own Attributes and Properties his Wisdom Goodness and Power 2. In his Word where God is revealed to us savingly so as we may be brought into Communion with him so it is said least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 As God shineth forth in Christ so doth Christ shine forth in the Gospel there we have the Record of his Doctrine Miracles and the end for which he came into the World and this is the great instrument by which the virtue and power of God is conveyed to us for the changing of our hearts and lives 2 Cor. 3.18 ' Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into his Image and likeness from glory to glory Some sight of God we must have or else we cannot be like him the knowledge or sight of God with mortal or bodily eyes is impossible the external manifestations and representations in the creature is imperfect and sufficeth rather for Conviction then Coversion or to leave us without excuse then to save the soul Rom. 12.1 they have not the excuse of faultless ignorance To know him in the Law or Covenant of works doth but work wrath Rom. 4.15 or revive in us a stinging sense of our hopeless condition To know him in Person or to see his glorious works or hear his glorious words was a priviledge vouchsafed but to few and to many that made no good use of it therefore there is onely reserved his Word to bring us into Communion with God Or the glass of the Gospel to represent the glory of the Lord that we may be changed into his likeness from glory to glory There the knowledge of God is held out powerfully in order to our Salvation 3. His Works All which in their whole tenure and contexture shewed him to be God man If at any time there appeared any evidence of humane weakness least the World should be offended and stumble thereat he did at the same time give out some notable demonstrations of his divine power when he lay in a manger at his birth a Star appeared and Angels proclaimed his birth to the Shepherds When he was swadled as an Infant the Wise men came and Worshipped him When he was in danger of suffering Shipwrack he commanded the Winds and the Waves and they obeyed him When he was tempted by Satan he was Ministred unto by Angels Matth. 4.11 When they demanded Tribute for the Temple a Fish brought it to him Matth. 17.26 When he was deceived in the Fig-tree which was an infirmity of humane ignorance he suddainly blasted it discovering the glory of a divine power When he hanged dying on the Cross the Rocks were rent the Graves opened the Sun darkned and all nature put into a rout Though he humbled himself to purchase our Mercies yet he assured our Faith by some emissions and breakings forth of his divine power Well then though it be our duty to seek and find out Gods track and foot print in the whole Creation and to observe the impressions of his Wisedom Goodness and Power in all the Saints especially this is our duty to admire his Image in Jesus Christ for his humanity the perfections of the Godhead shine forth in the highest lustre What ever perfection we conceive to be in his Person Word or Works the same may we conclude to be in the Father also Did the Winds and Seas obey Christ The whole Creation is at the beck of God did Christ shew himself to be the wisdom goodness and power of God surely God is infinitely Wise Was Christ Holy and undefiled surely so is God light in whom is no darkness at all Was Christ Loving Pityful and Compassionate not abhorring the most vile and miserable whether in Soul or Body that came to him for relief surely God is Love and he will not be strange to those that seek him in Christ. 3. How he differeth from other persons For the Saints also are made after the Image of God Col. 3.10 And have put on the New Man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness I answer There is a great difference between the Image of God in Man and the Image of God in Christ. 1. Man resembleth God but imperfectly Man was made and is new made after the Image of God but with much abatement of this high perfection which is in Christ for he hath all the substantial perfection which his Father hath In other Creatures there is some resemblance but no equality other Creatures are made like God but he is begotten like God 2. It is derivative from Christ God would recover man out of his lapsed estate by setting up a pattern of Holiness in our Nature Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren None was fit to restore this Image of God that was lost but God Incarnate for thereby the glory of God was again visible in our Nature God is a pure Spirit and we are Creatures that have indeed an immortal Soul but it dwelleth in Flesh therefore to make us like God the Word was made flesh that he might represent the perfections of God to us and commend holiness by his own example Secondly The next thing ascribed to Christ is that he is the first born of every Creature that is born of God before any Creature had a being or begotten of the Father of his own proper Essence and equal with him before any thing was created and brought forth out of nothing But here the Adversaries of the Eternal Godhead of Christ triumph and say the first born of the Creatures is a
therefore we should often revive the considerations that may represent his worth and excellency Fourthly That we may place all hope of Salvation in him and may make use of him to the ends which he came to accomplish We can hardly consider the work of Redemption but some base thoughts arise in our minds nor entertain this mistery with due respects to the truth and greatness and admirableness of it whithout raising our thoughts to the consideration of the dignity of the person who is to accomplish it Heb. 3.1 Therefore brethren consider the Lord Iesus the great High Priest and Apostle of our profession Fifthly That we may the better understand two things 1. The Humiliation of the Son of God 2. The way how we may recover the lost Image of God 1. The humiliation of the Son of God certainly he that came to Redeem us was the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of this Person now how did he humble himself was he not still the Image of God in our nature yes but the divine glory and Majesty was hidden under the vail of our flesh little of it did appear and that only to those who narrowly did observe him the brightness of his glory did not conspicuously shine forth was this all no his dignity was lessened there was capitis diminutio the lessening of a mans estate or condition As of a man degraded from the Senatorian Order to the Degree of Knight thence to the Plebian Thus was the Eternal Son of God lessened less then God as Mediator Iohn 14.28 My Father is greater then I. As God incarnate he took an office designed to him by God and obeyed him in all things They were one in essence Iohn 10.30 yet with respect to his Office to save Souls he was lessened nay not only less than God but lesser than the Angels Heb. 2.7 He was made a little lower then the Angels Not born so but made so Man is inferiour to an Angel as a Man in the rank and order of beings the Angels dye not therefore his Incarnation and liableness to death is a great lessening of his dignity so not in respect of Office only but humane nature assumed 2. It sheweth us how the Image of God may be recovered If we be changed into the likeness of Christ for he is the Image of God his merit should not onely be precious to us but his example it is a great advantage not only to have a rule but an example because man is so prone to imitate that an example in our nature maketh it the more operative his execuse is ready at hand we are Flesh and Blood what would you have us do therefore Christ came incarnate to be an example of Holiness he had the interests of Flesh and Blood to mind as well as we and so would shew that a holy Life is possible to those that are renewed by his Grace he obeyed God in our nature therefore in the same nature we may obey please and glorifie God though still in a self-denying manner the foundation of it is layed in the new birth the Spirit that formed Christ out of the substance of the virgin the same Spirit is ready to form Christ in you he maketh new creatures so that there is not onely Christs example but Christs power Use 1. then let the excellency and dignity of Christs Person be more upon your minds and hearts think often of those two notions in the Text that he is the Image of the invisible God that therein you may be like him You cannot be the Image of God so as he was but you must be in your measure the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily but you must be partakers of the divine nature He shewed himself to be the Son of God by his works when the Jews said he blasphemed when he said he was the Son of God Ioh. 10.27 If I do not the works of my Father believe me not he allowed them to doubt of them if he did not those works which were proper to one sent from God certainly this is the glory of man to be the Image of God there is no greater perfection then to live in the nearest resemblance to his Creator Christ is more excellent because he hath more of the Image of God upon him 2. Consider again that he is Lord of the whole creation and therefore calleâ— the first-born of every creature Well thâ—n we should he subject to him and with greater diligence apply our selves to the obedience of his Holy Laws and use the means appointed by him to obtain the blessedness offered to us There is in us a natural sentiment of the authority of God and we have a dread upon our hearts if we do what he hath forbidden but we have not so deep a sense of the authority of Christ and play fast and loose with Religion as fancy and humour and interest lead us Now from this argument you see we should honour the Son as we honour the Father and be as tender of his Institutions as we are of the Commandements evident by natural light for he is not onely the messenger of God but his express Image and the first-born of every creature Not to believe him and obey him and love him is to sin not only against our duty but our remedy and the Law of our recovery SERMON III. COL 1. 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 THE Apostle had told us in the former Verse that Jesus Christ is the first-born of every Creature The Arrians thence concluded that he himself was created out of nothing in order of time before the World But it is not the first created of any creature but the first-born which noteth a precedency not only in point of Antiquity but Dignity and is as much as to say Lord of every creature For the first-born was the Lord of the rest and the Title may be given either Relatively or comparatively 1. Relatively when the rest are of the same stock or have the relation of Brethren to him that hath the preheminence So it is given to Christ with respect to new Creatures Rom. 8.29 That he might be the first-born among many brethren 2. Comparatively onely When several persons or things be compared though there be no relation between them So David is called the first-born of the Kings of the earth Psal. 89.27 That is superior in Dignity and Honour So here it is taken not relatively for so Christ is primogenitus the first-born that he is also unigenitus the onely begotten none went before or come after him that are so begotten of God What he asserteth in that verse he now proveth by the creation of all things in this 16th verse and the conservation of all things verse 17. We are now
him like Princes God never made any of them universal and eternal King for he set Christ at his right hand not the Angels To sit at Gods right hand is not only to be blessed and happy in enjoying those pleasures which are there for evermore not onely to be advanced to the highest place of Dignity and Honour next to God but to be invested with a supream and universal Power above all Men and Angels Take these or any one of these and he is above the Angels though they be the most noble and excellent creatures that ever God made 3. Because Christ hath a ministry and service to do by them He makes use of them partly to exercise their obedience without which they forsake the Law of their creation and swerve from the end for which they were made Psal. 103.20 They do his commandments hearkening to the voice of his word They do whatsoever he commandeth them with all readiness and speed immaginable and therein they are an example to us Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven They are our fellow-servants now in the Work hereafter in the Recompence when we are admitted into one Society under one common Head and Lord Heb. 12.27 who shall for ever rejoyce in the contemplation of Gods infinite Excellencies Well then if these Excellent creatures so great in power be alwayes so ready and watchful to do the Will of God and count it their honour to assist in so glorious a work as the saving of Souls or do any other business he sendeth them about how should we that hope to be like the Angels in happiness be like them in obedience also 2. Because the Churches safety dependeth upon it We stand in need of this Ministry of Angels The service of the Angels is protection to the people of God vengeance on their Enemies 1. For protection Christ hath the heavenly host at his command and sendeth them forth for the good of his People Psal. 68.17 The chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place Mark that thousands of Angels are his Chariots conveying him from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven and mark the Lord is among them that is God incarnate for he presently speaketh of his ascending up on high Thou hast ascended up on high and led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men ver 18. Among them in his Holy place that is in heaven It is added as in Mount Sinai that is as at the giving of the Law they were then there and still attend on the propagation of the Gospel For more particular Cases see Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation So Psal. 34.7 The angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them All that obediently serve and wait on God have the promise of his protection 2. The other part of this Ministry and Service is to restrain and destroy the Devil and his Instruments The Scripture often speaks of Gods executing Judgements by the Angels Their influence doth not always personally appear yet it is great and powerful Though the Powers and Authorities on Earth and their Messengers and Forces be ofâ—en imployed against the Saints yet the Captain of our Salvation is in Heaven and all the mighty Angels are subject to him and at his disposal By this means the Prophet Elisha confirmed himself and his servant when the King of Syria sent Chariots and Horses a great host to attacque him in Dothan â— King 6.14 15. And when his servaâ—t saw it early in the morning he said Alas my master what shall we do The Prophet answered Verse 16. They that â—e with us are more than they that be against us And then Verse 17. he prayed Lord open his eyes that he may see And the Lord opened his eyes and behold the mountain was full of chariots and â—orses of fire round about Elisha These fiery Horses and Chariots were nothing else but the Angels of God Here is force against force chariots against chariots horse against horse if we could open the eye of Faith and shut that of Sense We read Acts 12.23 that an Angel smote Herod in the midst of his Pride and Persecution The Angel of the Lord smote him VSES I. Let us more deeply be possessed with the Majesty of our Redeemer He is the Creator of all things of Angels as well as Men and so more excellent than all the Men in the World whether they excel in power or holiness which the Psalmist expresseth thus fairer than the children of men Psal. 45.29 But also then the most excellent and glorious Angels he is their Creator as well as ours head of principalities and powers as well as of poor worms here upon Earth Surely the representing and apprehending of Christ in his glorious Majesty is a point of great consequence 1. Partly to give us matter for praise and admiration that we may not have mean thoughts of his Person and Office he is a most glorious Lord and King that holdeth the most powerful Creatures in subjection to himself If Christians did know and consider how much of true Religion consists in admiring and praising their Redeemer they would more busie their minds in this work 2. Partly To strengthen our Trust and to fortifie us against all fears and discouragements in our service When we think of the great Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things visible and invisible Angels Men Principalities c. Surely the brightness of all creature-glory should wax dim in our eyes Our God is able to deliver us Dan. 18. and will as he did by his Angel This was that which fortified Stephen Acts 5.55 56. He saw Iesus standing at the right hand of God It is easie for him who made all things out of nothing to help us See Psal. 121.2 My help standeth in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth The Almighty Creator Ruler and Governour of the World what cannot he do As long as I see those glorious monuments of his power standing I will not distrust he can afford me seasonable help by his Holy Angels through the intercession of his Son who hath assumed my Nature 3. Partly To bind our duty all Creatures were made by him and for him therefore we should give up our selves to him and say with Paul Acts 27.23 His I am and him I serve His by Creation and redemption therefore every thing we have and do ought to have a respect to his glory service There is â— variety of Creatures in the World of different kinds and different excellencies In the whole and every kind there is somewhat of the glory of God and Christ set forth Now this should strike our hearts shall we onely who are the persons most obliged be a disgrace to our Lord both Creator and
Redeemer when the good Angels are so ready to attend him at his beck and command and that in the meanest services and ministries Shall poor worms make bold with his Laws slight his doctrine despise his benefits Heb. 2.2 3. If the word spoken by angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 4. And lastly to make us more reverend in our approaches to him for he sits in the Assembly of the Gods the holy Angels are round about him Psal. 138.1 Before the Gods will I sing praise to thee That is in the presence of the holy Angels 1 Cor. 10.10 Eccl. 5.6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the angel that it was an Error The Angels in heaven observe our behaviour in Gods worship what vowes we make to God what promises of obedience But above all there is our glorious Redeemer himself Heb. 12.28 29. with what reverence and godly fear should we approach his Holy Presence II. Use. Is to quicken us to Thankfulness for our Redemption that our Creator is our Redeemer None of the Angels did humble himself as Christ did do to do so great a piece of service and yet he is far above them There is a congruity in it that we should be restored by him by whom we were made but he made the Angels as well as men but he did not restore them No they were not so much as in a condition of forbearance and respite he assumed not their nature he created all things but he redeemed mankind His delights were with the sons of men he assumed our nature and for a while was made a little lower then the Angels Heb. 2.9 We cannot sufficiently bless God for the Honour done to our Nature in the person of Christ for it is God incarnate that is made head of Angels Principalities and Powers God in our nature whom all the Angels are called upon to adore and worship The devil sought to dishonour God as if he were envious of mans happiness Gen. 3.8 God doth know that in the day that ye â—at thereof ye shall be aâ— Gods And he fought to depress the nature of man which in innocency stood so near to God now that his humane nature should be set so far above the Evangelical in the person of Christ and be admitted to dwell with God in a personal Union this calleth for our highest love and thankfulness III. Use. Is an encouragement to come to Christ for sanctifying and renewing Grace I have three Arguments 1. The Person to whom we come To whom should we come but to our Creator God infinitely Good Wise and Powerful The creation sheweth him good and whatever is good in the Creatures is wholly derived from his goodness It is but like the odour of the sweet Ointments or the perfume that he leaveth behind him where he hath been Iam. 1.19 He is infinitely wise when he created and setled the World He did not jumble things in a Chaos and confusion but setled them in a most perfect order and proportion Which may be seen not only in the Fabrick of the World but in the disposition of the parts of Mans Body yea or in any Gnat or Fly Now cannot he put our disordered souls in frame again If the Fear of God be true Wisdom to whom should we seek for it but from the Wise God His Infinite Power is seen also in the Creation in raising all things out of nothing And if a Divine Power be necessary to our Conversion to whom should we go but to him who calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.7 2. From the work it self which is a new Creation which carrieth much resemblance with the old Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. It is such an effect as comes from a Being of Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness that man may be in a capacity to love please and serve God What was lost in Adam can onely be recovered by Christ. 3. From the relation of the Party that seeketh it Psal. 119.73 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments We go to him as his own Creatures This plea hath great force because of Gods goodness to all his Creatures Not onely the Angels but every worm and fly had their being from Christ there is a great variety of living things in the World but they are all fed from the common fountain therefore we may comfortably come to him for life and quickning Ioh. 1.4 We need not be discouraged by our baseness and vileness for the basest worm had what it hath from him 2. That Christ as Creator beareth such Affection to man as the work of his hands Is it good unto thee that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands Iob 10.3 Artificers when they have made an excellent work are very chary of it and will not destroy it and break it in pieces Iob 14.15 Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands As Creatures beg relief and help if you cannot plead the covenant of Abraham plead the covenant of Noah 3. God forsakes none of the faln creatures but those that forsake him first 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while you be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake â—im he will cast thee off for ever 4. Especially will Christ be good to man seeking after him for Grace that we may serve and obey him For he is no Pharaoh to require brick and give no straw Creating Grace layed the debt upon us and his redeeming Grace provideth the power and help that we may discharge it Now when we acknowledge the debt and confess our impotency to pay it and our willingness to return to our duty Will Christ fail us A consciencâ— of our duty is a great matter but a desire of grace to perform it is more Therefore come as creatures earnestly desiring to do their Creators will and to promote his Glory God will not refuse the soul that lyeth so submissively at his feet SERMON IV. COL 1.17 And he is before all things and by him all things consist THE Apostle had asserted the dignity of Christs Person by ascribing the work of Creation to him now the work of Conservation and Providence By the same divine power by which Christ made all things he doth