their children such pride lying swearing c. as doth corrupt them 2. They should contrariwise instill good precepts into them and the rather because what good they are at first seasoned withall by their parents will more stick by them 3. They should 〈◊〉 leade them to the Word of God and betimes exalt the glory and 〈◊〉 of it in them that they may bee informed that from thence all perfect rules are to be fetcht 4. They should inure them to good company 5. They should give them good example themselves and set before them the best example of others 6. They should betimes correct those buds of sin which spring out of the propagated sin 7. Lastly they should carefully set up the worship of God in the family that from their cradles they may see the practice of piety 2. Children should also learne from hence 1. Not to rest wholy upon the tradition of Parents and to know it is not a sufficient rule to warrant their actions their Parents said or did so and therefore they must say or doe so too It is no dishonour to Parents that their children should know they are not absolute it is a glory God the Father hath reserved unto himselfe especially if thy Parents have beene given to idolatry or superstition thou must clense thy heart from all that drosse thou hast any way received from them Gal. 1.13 Ier. 8.19 10.8 2. What good is commended especially of the good fathers those we should imbrace and the rather for their sakes There are three sorts of Fathers we should observe with great respects 1. The holy Fathers mentioned in Scripture wee should study their praises and precepts 2. The glorious Fathers and Martyrs that have beene in former ages those especially that either were before Antichrist his time or in his time did rise up against their idolatry and superstitions 3. Our owne particular godly and religious auncestors and parents according to the flesh If God have given thee godly Parents thou shouldâ—â— rejoyce and with all affection make thy gaine of their holy examples and counsels accounting it a singular mercy of God to give thee such to guide thee as carry so much neerenesse and affection to thee 3. Shall not this evidently confute their grosse folly that so much urge the tradition of the Fathers 4. Are men so zealous for the tradition of their fathers of the flesh and shall not we be much more zealous for the traditions of God himselfe delivered in his word and the rather because wee are bound to love God above all the fathers or mothers of the world and besides his counsels are all perfect there can be no defect in them and further no parents can afford us such acceptation or reward for obedience Hitherto of the second point viz. from what wee are redeemed Now followes the third viz. how we were redeemed Verse 19. But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe undefiled and without spot GReat is the wonder of Gods works of nature in the making of this huge â—rame of heaven and earth of nothing and in the providence about all creatures especially in divers things more eminent in those works But of all the works of God the works of grace even the great work of mans redemption is beyond all comparison wonderfull that hee should set his love upon such forlorne wretches as men in their corruption are and that hee should provide for them such an excellent happinesse But above all the meanes by which he doth this is infinitely beyond the reach of all the judgements and affections of all creatures and this is it which is most effectually comprehended in this verse That he should effect this redemption by his owne Sonne such a Sonne so richly qualified with such a price as the very bloud of his Sonne with such a strict account of him that his nature and works for man must not have a spot or blemish in them oh how should we be swallowed up with admiration and cry out God! yea how should we be vext at the vile dulnesse and deadnesse of our hearts that cannot be more affected with those indelible ravishments How justly might we perish for ever that have no more mind to seek after such a Redeemer and cleave unto that God and Father of mercies that hath found out such a way of redemption for us But that the nature and use of this great point may be urged yet more fully I consider of the particulars in this verse concerning the meanes of our redemption For here are two things to be noted 1. By whom we were redeemed 2. How we were redeemed 1. In respect of his passion by his precious bloud 2. In respect of his obedience by his righteousnesse 1. Of nature A lambe without blemish 2. Of action A lambe without spot Christ. This word is a collective it imports not onely the person but also the office of the Messias For Christ is not God alone or man alone but God and man united in one person for it is a word alwaies used of the person sustaining both natures Nor doth it rest there but it signifies his annointing of God as the word signifieth and so that hee hath accomplished all that was signified by the anointings in the law and so he was in substance all that the anointing of Prophets Priests and Kings could signifie and so â—â—mmarily it puts us in mind of the excellencies of our Saviour in person and office above all things in the world So then if you aske By whom man was redeemed The Apostle by saying by Christ doth as it were particularly tell you that we are redeemed by him 1. Thâ—â— from all eternity was the begotten Son of God 2. That in time was conceived so miraculously by the over-shadowing of the holy Ghost and borne of a Virgin a most transcendent wonder made a true man and this hâ—â—â—ne nature of ours was taken into the subsistâ—â—ce upon the person of his divine nature so as he was now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God and a man Rom. 9.5 3. That in both these united natures by an unspeakable mission from God the Father he did undertake that marveilous office of mediation betweene God and man wherein he tooke it upon him to unite us to God and God to us for ever This is our Saviour and this is he alone that claimes the glory of this worke he alone trode the wine-presse of Gods wrath he alone is our Saviour and there is no other Act. 4. Esay 64. 1 Cor. 1.30 there is no 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth by which we can be saved but onely by his The Uses follow 1. We may here observe the wonderfull wisdome and mercy of God in the choice of our Redeemer for this is he that was fore-ordained of God by him we are restored by whom we were created by him we partake of Gods love that was the Sonne of his love in him we obtaine the adoption of 〈◊〉
reformation of ignorance we cannot be truely turned to God without knowledge the mind is not good therefore to teare the vaile is one part of Gods work in our conversion Prov. 19.3 Esay 25.8 4. That ignorance is wanton and full of lust Eph. 4.18 5. That the way to be rid of lusts is to be rid of ignorance For saving knowledge keeps us from sin Iam. 3.17 A godly man sinneth not because his seed abideth in him knowledge is the sword of the Spirit and here we may see the principall use wee should put our knowledge to viz. to clense our hearts of base thoughts and desires 6. That we may live in places of great meanes for knowledge and yet be grossely ignorant For he writeth here to the Jewes who had the law and the Prophets and the Oracles of God and the Priests c. 7. That all knowledge or learning without the knowledge of Gods favour in Christ and the way how to reforme our owne lives is but grosse darknesse and foolish ignorance as was before explained 8. That habituall lusts are a sure signe of ignorance whatsoever knowledg men pretend Lastly it may be profitably here asked Seeing there is ignorance even in the children of God after calling what are the signes of unregenerate ignorance Unregenerate ignorance may be discerned by divers signes 1. It hardens the heart and works a continued evill disposition to sinne with greedinesse Eph. 4.11 18. Now the ignorance in the godly may be where the heart is softned and the overflowings of corruption stopped 2. It hood winketh the soule in the maine things needfull to salvation as the knowledge of a mans owne iniquities God in Christ the forgivenesse of a mans owne sins and generally all the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 For either wicked men perceive them not or not spiritually out of desire and care for them without corrupt ends A wicked man may discern spirituall things carnally but not spiritually 3. It hath never beene in the furnace I meane of mortification it hath never been truly repented of whereas the ignorance of the godly hath often been in the fire it hath been often confessed rended mourned for c. 4. It will suffer no saving grace to neighbour by it where ignorance hath not beene repented of there no feare of God no holy contemplation no uprightnesse love of God or his word or his people will dwell Now the ignorance that is in Gods children is well neighboured with many holy graces that can dwell by it And as these ignorances differ in nature and working so they differ in imputation For unto the godly there is a sacrifice for ignorance God dâ—th not impute ignorance unto the godly it shall be to them according to what they know and not according to what they know not And thus of ignorance and so of the 14. verse Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of conversation HItherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us as his children viz. our conformity to God in holinesse and so the image of God in us is our endevour to be like God in all things in holinesse There are three great considerations in this verse 1. whom we must imitate viz. him that hath called us 2. In what we must imitate him viz. in holinesse 3. how viz in all manner of conversation Ingenerall and from the coherence we must note 1. That it is not enough that we approve our selves to be Gods children that we avoid sin but we must also be employed in doing good Hence we are compared to trees in which barrennesse is as grâ—at a fault as ill fruit 2. That the patterne of all holinesse is God himselfe or Christ or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we goe for example If to the dumbe creatures they have not natures capable of holinesse If to Angels they are invisible and so we cannot behold them and in Scripture little is recorded of them and besides we know many of them fell away If to man they are all fallen in Adam and there is none that doth good and good men have their both errors and sins Therefore we may say whom have wee in heaven but God and there is none in earth with him Vse Therefore wee should labour 1. To know God 2. To observe the specialty of his praisâ—s that are imitable both in his word and works 3. Wee must carry our selves with that humility and piety that we may walke with God else we cannot set him aâ— a patterne before us 3. That there are two picturâ—s as it were presented to the soule and for both there is greâ—t pleading for entertainment and liking The one is the picture of sinne even of sinnes repented of which are nâ—w varnished and with many plausible motives commended by bâ—th the world and the devill not without the good liking of the flesh The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God pourtraied out in the Gospell especially in the glory oâ— hiâ— holinesse Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow aâ—d the rather because here we are put in minde of the experience we have of Gods goodnâ—sse for it is he that haâ—â— called us Now of the former lusts tâ—ere can be assigned no good that we â—ave gotten by them The devill may lyingly tell us of some good to come but wee know that for the time past we got noâ—hing but shame and sorrow by them Thus of the generall As he that hath called you The first thing iâ— whom we must imitate aâ—d that is here exprest by 〈◊〉 to be he that hath called us viz. God and the Lord doth of purpâ—â—◠〈…〉 oâ— descriptions of himselfe for divers reaâ—ons 1. 〈…〉 our disability to câ—â—ceive of God as he is fully and thereâ—â—re he 〈◊〉 his knowledg into us by drops or sparâ—les as it were so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God that the doctrine oâ— God in the whole iâ— a doctrinâ— too transcendent for us 2. This God dâ—th to excite affection in us toward him as taking no delight in a dull câ—â—templation of him and therefore by such pâ—riphrases he doth with some 〈◊〉 consideration either gore us if it be a phrase of terror or suddâ—nly 〈◊〉 with some divine spaâ—â—les that like lightning force our attâ—â—dâ—â—â—â— 3. The â—ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of 〈…〉 which is most pertinent to the question in hand The Lord thrâ—ughâ—ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth 〈◊〉 therein shewing us what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter usually more then the bare title it selfe would import as here thiâ— phrase He that called you doth not onely shew that it is God that is to be imitated
wonderfull mercy in calling us doth appeare by the consideration of the things unto which we are called We are called 1. To his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 2. To the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 3. To liberty and a wonderfull free estate from the servitude of sinne Satan the world the ceremonies of Moses c. Gal. 5.13 4. To the grace of Christ Gal. 1.6 even to a holinesse better then that in Adam Rom. 1.7 5. To an estate of immunity and free pardon Rom. 5.31 6. To all safety Esay 41.1 2 3. Rom. 8.28 7. To the glorious kingdome of Jesus Christ 2 Thes. 2.14 1 Thes. 2.12 2 Pet. 1.3 and 1 Pet. 5.10 The consideration of this wonderfull grace of God in calling us may imply the misery of such as have not imbraced Gods calling as it is set out Prov. 1. Luke 14. with Mat. 22. Esay 50.2 61.4 Ier. 7.13 14 15. 35.17 Let such then as have the meanes and are somewhat touched looke to it seriously that they turne to God with their whole hearts lest as Mat. 20.16 2. It should enflame every one of us to make our calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 3. We should stir up our selves to live as may become the called of God as these Scriptures shew 1 Pet. 2.9 c. 3.9 2 Tim. 6.11 12. 1 Thes. 2. â—2 Eph. 4.1 4. Gal. 5.13 as also the use of this consideration in this text shews Lastly considering our daily trespasses let us still goe to God as to a Father and cry with humility we are no more worthy to be called thy sons c. Thus of the first point or what viz. calling The second is who calleth uâ— It is here said He that is God We must understand that our calling is the work of the whole Trinitie for it is given to the Father Gal. 1.6 to the Sonne Rom. 1 2. 1 Pet. 5. 10. to the holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 2.7 so that this He is the Gâ—d of all grace the whole Trinitie There is a rule among Divines that the works of God which are without are undivided The are two sorts of works 〈◊〉 God inward aâ—d outward The inward are proper to each person as to beget proper to the Father to proceed to the holy Ghost c. Now the outward works such as decrees before time and Creation Providence Calling c. in time are common to all three persons not that every particulaâ— aâ—t is the act of all three persons for that cannot be true for onely the Sonne was incarnate But the meaning is that in the generall wor k each worketh in his owne order and nature as in Redemption the Father worketh by willing and sending the Son by assuming our nature and suffering c. the holy Ghost by applying and confirming Now calling is one of the workâ— in common The câ—nsideration of this that it is God that calleth us may 1. Comfort us in the assurance of his faithfulnesse hee calls us that is unchaâ—geable 1 Thes. 5.24 1 Cor. 1.8 9. 2. It should bind us the stronger to the care of a life answerable to his greatnesse that hath called us You. 1. Not all men there is a restraint and limitation of the effectuall calling it is absurd to grant a calling out and yet say it is universall 2. This you imports all sorts of men though not every one of every sort yet without exception of outward conditionâ— Jewes and Gentiles Rom. 9. 24 25. bond and free 1 Cor. 7. Hath Our vocation is past it is no more to be renewed we are justified and sanctified daily but not called we can be but once borne in nature nor can we be any more called or regenerate in grace Thus of the first point viz. whom we must imitate viz. God that called us The second is in what we must imitate him viz. in holinesse Is holy There are foure sorts of holinesse Independant and unlimited viz. the holinesse of God 2. Independant and limited viz. the holinesse of Christ for the holinesse of his divine nature is independant and the holinesse of his humane nature is limited for it is finite 3. Dependant and unlimited and such is the holinesse of the Scriptures Dependant it is for it is of God Vnlimited it is for it intreats of all kinds of holinesse whatsoever 4. Dependant and limited and such is the holinesse in man and Angels it is the first kind of holinesse is here meant There is a threefold holinesse in God or hee is holy three waies 1. By nature being void of all corruption or change 2. By administration and so his holinesse is his justice in distributing rewards to the good and punishment to the evill 3. By conception for the Lord doth conceive the Idaea or the patterns of the holinesse of all the reasonable creatures The Carpenter conceives first the frame of his house in his head and then buildeth it according to the patterne So doth God conceive first the holinesse that is fit for the creature and then works it in them This Idaea or patterne of holinesse or vertues in God is either internall in the mind of God from eternity or externall in the word of God Now the holinesse of God that we are to imitate is both that holinesse which God hath conceived in the patterne exprest in the word and also that which is in the nature of God as it is described in the word There is also a holinesse of works in God which we must imitate I mean of particular works as in carriage toward enemies Mat. 5. in mercy Luk. 6. in love Eph. 5.1 and thus as children we should imitate the holy nature as it were of our heavenly Father Now by the way we must know that God is not holy by any legall holinesse as men are that is his holinesse stands not in the observation of any law given by any other but is himselfe the rule of all holinesse so as things are not first holy and then God doth them but God doth them and therefore they are holy Thus of the second thing The third followes viz. how we must imitate God in holinesse viz. in being holy in all manner of conversation So be you holy in all manner of conversation There are eight doctrines may be noted in these words 1. That without holinesse we cannot be accepted with God we have no communion with him nothing but holinesse will serve the turn Heb. 12.14 1 Ioh. 1.6 2. It must be holinesse indeed not the picture of it will serve the turn nor counterfeit holinesse nor temporary holinesse nor civill honesty 3. If Christians want holinesse the fault is in themselves for he saith be ye holy implying if they be not so it is because they are carelesse and will not labour for it and great reason the blame should lie upon us if wee will still neglect sanctification 1. Having such a great recompence of reward set before us 2. Having
without it it could never compasse things desired Hitherto of the working of the soule upon the body and those strange things it doth in the body by the faculties of vegetation and sense It is true that those things are done by the soules of brute creatures but as their soules differ exceedingly from the glory and excellency of the soules of men so are the effects upon their bodies but certaine glimpses of those things which are done exactly by the soules of men I meane in respect of the inward senses of phantasie and memory there is in beasts but onely a darke shadow of them in comparison of what is in men But for the third faculty of the soule which is reason therein men excell all creatures in this visible world and it is profitable for us to know what God hath done for us in our soules generally considered above all other creatures And so man excells in respect of his reasonable soule 1 In that he can conceive of things by the light of understanding as well as by sense This light is admirable whether we conceive of it as proceeding from God who shines upon the soule as the Sunne doth upon the body or whether wee beleeve it to be a light conferred upon the understanding by which from within it discernes things 2 In that it can conceive of things that never were in the senses as things absent that never were seene yea things altogether immateriall as Angels and vertues and vices 3 In that it can conceive of the nature of God and discerne God from his workes 4 In that it can conceive of things by a discerning reflexion as it can conceive of it selfe and understand that it doth understand 5 In that it can distinguish betweene good and evill truth and falshood I say of the morall goodnesse of things whereas the phantasie can judge onely of so much of the naturall goodnesse of things as they shew to the outward senses 6 In the largenes of the extent of our understanding For the understanding can in a small moment of time go almost over the whole world and view it all as it were at once whereas the senses are forced in within a narrow compasse 7 In that it can invent things that never were in beeing and thus wee see daily what strange things for number and skill are invented for the use of the life of man by art and skill of mans understanding in every calling of men 8 In that the reasonable soule governes and appoints and crosseth and fetters and alters and rectifies the other faculties of vegetation and sense and in respect thereof can turne and tame and rule and order all sorts of other creatures 9 In that by begetting with strange variety it can make knowne what images are within whether begotten by the senses or by the minde it selfe 10 In that it is the faculty by which onely true blessednesse is apprehended and attained 11 In that mans understanding is made after a sort all things For the understanding becomes the things understood in that it doth conceive a true and evident image of the thing to be understood so that as man is the Image of God so hath hee in him the images of all things printed as it were in his understanding This is a most dreadfull dignity in the soules of men yea herein he resembles God in the creation of the world for mans reasonable soule doth as it were forme worlds of things in it selfe If any object that the sensitive soule hath the images of things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receive only the images of a few things that is onely of such things as have colour found taste smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and darke and confused in comparison of the likenesse of things in the minde 12 In that he hath a will in chosing or refusing things good or evill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should bee constrained 13 In that it hath in it that divine thing which we call conscience which is given to the soule as a guardian as it were to tend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in us for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when we have well done above all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with unexpressible afflictions many times for sinne it is a Judge witnesse and executioner many times in us Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule even in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who have their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with saving graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall be presented before God in the Kingdome of heaven So that as the whole man made in Gods image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little god in the lâ—sser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of all this followes The Lord made the soule and endowed it with so excellent a being and so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world have a creature that would know him and serve him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workmanship but discerne nothing of God or themselves or other things The creatures with sense discerne other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all he had made and gave him his soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serve and worship and praise him Use 1. The consideration of the excellencie of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre us up to make conscience of the service and knowledge of God it is as if we had never beene if wee answer not this end Wee should be fired to the observation and praise of God and of his love to man And withall it should make us wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth than all this visible world besides Especially it should fire us to a care of things that concerne the blessed immortality of our soules we should be forced to all possible care of all such things as might be provision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellencie of the soule should disswade us from fleshly lusts and all inward impuritie by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The warre against the soule is now
Jesus standing at his right hand Act. 7.55 Thus we are said to appeare before the presence of his glory Iude 24. Sixthly in his Word and so the Word of God is the glory of God either in generall as it describes the excellence of Gods nature in his properties or attributes Psalm 26.8 Or in speciall the Gospel is called his glory as it sets out the goodnesse of God after a matchlesse manner relieving for lorne mankind Esa. 6.1 And thus that part of the Word of God that doth describe Gods mercy is called his glory Exod. 33.18 19.22 Ephes. 2.16 Thus also that way of shewing mercy by bringing in the infinite righteousnesse of his owne Sonne is called the glory of the Lord Esa. 40.5 Thus God glorifieth himselfe Secondly God is said to be glorified by us Man may make God glorious but that he cannot do by adding any glory to Gods nature and therefore we must search out to finde by the Scripture what waies man may glorifie God and so wee may bee said to glorifie God or to make God glorious three waies First by knowledge when wee conceive of God after a glorious manner thus we make him glorious in our owne hearts and this is a chiefe way of making God glorious and this is one way by which the Gentiles glorifie God and this God stands upon so as he accounts not himselfe to be knowne aright till we conceive of him at least as more excellent than all things Seeing we can adde no glory to Gods nature wee should strive to make him glorious in our owne mindes and hearts And we may by the way see what cause we have to be smitten with shame and horrour to thinke of it how we have dishonoured God by meane thoughts of him And hereby we may also see how farre man can bee said to have the true knowledge of God in him yea there is some comfort in it too to a Christian that humbleth himselfe to walke with his God for though at the best he come farre short of conceiving of God as he is yet God accounts himselfe to be made glorious by us when wee get so farre as to conceive of him above all creatures and that is when he comes into our hearts as a King of glory farre above all that glory can bee found in earthly Princes Psal. 14.7 9. And thus we make him glorious not when we barely judge him to be more excellent than all things but when our hearts are carried after the apprehension of him so as we love him above all and feare him above all c. And thus we make God glorious in our hearts by knowing him Secondly by acknowledgment when in words or workes wee do ascribe excellencie unto God and to glorifie him is to acknowledge his glory or as the phrase in Scripture is To give him glory and so there bee divers speciall waies by which we are said in Scripture to glorifie God as First when in words we magnifie God and speake of his praises and confesse that he is worthy to receive honour and glory and might and majestie so Rev. 4.11 Psal. 29. 86.9 Secondly when men confesse that all the glory they have above other men in gifts or dignitie was given them by God So David glorifies God 1 Chron. 29.11 12. And thus we make God the father of glory as he is called Eph. 1.17 Thirdly when men that are guilty of sinnes that cannot be proved against them yet feeling themselves to be pursued by God do confesse to Gods glory their own shame their secret offences Thus Achan gave glory to God Iosh. 7.19 And thus the penitent sinner glorifies God when he cares not to abase himselfe in the acknowledgement of his owne vilenesse that God may bee magnified in any of his attributes or ordinances by it Ier. 13.16 Mal. 2.2 Fourthly when the praise of God or the advancement of his Kingdome is made the end of all our actions This is to doe all to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Fifthly when we beleeve Gods promises and wait for the performance of them though we see no meanes likely for their accomplishment Thus Abraham gave glory to God Rom. 4. Sixthly when wee publikely acknowledge true religion or any speciall truth of God when it is generally opposed by the most men Thus the Centurion gave glory to God Luk. 23.47 Seventhly when men suffer in the quarrell of Gods truth and true Religion So 1 Pet. 4.16 Eighthly when on the Sabbath men devote themselves onely to Gods worke doing it with more joy and care than they should do their owne worke on the weeke dayes refusing to profane the Sabbath of the Lord by speaking their owne words or doing their owne wills Thus Esa. 58.13 Ninthly when men doe in particular give thankes to God for benefits or deliverances acknowledging Gods speciall hand therein Thus the Leper gave glory to God Luk. 17.18 so Psal. 113.4 Tenthly by loving praising admiring and esteeming of Jesus Christ above all men for when we glorifie the Sonne wee glorifie the Father Ioh. 1.14 and 11.4 Eleventhly when wee account of and honour godly men above all other sorts of men in the world and so these Gentiles doe glorifie God in that they praise the Christians above all men whom before they reviled This is one way by which the Gentiles glorified God Thus of the second way of glorifying God which is by acknowledging his glory The third way of glorifying God is by effect when men make others to glorifie God conceiving more gloriously of him or in praising God and his wayes Thus the professed subjection of Christians to the Gospel makes other men glorifie God 2 Cor. 9.13 So the fruits of righteousnesse are to the glory of God Phil. 1.10 So here the good workes of Christians do make new Converts glorifie God so every Christian that is Gods planting is a tree of righteousnesse that God may be glorified Esa. 61.3 So are all Christians to the praise of the glory of Gods grace as they are either qualified or priviledged by Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.7 Use. The uses of all should be especially for instruction and humiliation it should humble us if we marke the former doctrine in that it discovereth many deficiences in us for besides that it sheweth that the whole world of unregenerate men lieth in wickednesse and that as they have all sinned so they are all deprived of the glory of God and altogether delinquent in each part of making God glorious I say that besides the discovery of the generall and extreame corruption of wicked men it doth touch to the quicke upon divers persons even the godly themselves To give instance In the first way of making God glorious How meanly and dully doe wee for the most part conceive of God! How farre short are our hearts of those descriptions of God made in his Word What strange thoughts come into our mindes at some times Oh how have we dishonoured the most
fruits of righteousnesse that the Lord may be glorified Esay 61.3 Thus of some motives The maine care should bee to learne what to doe that God might be made glorious by us and so wee should distinctly consider how to make him glorious in our selves or in others In our selves wee should learne how to make him glorious first in our hearts by a glorious conception of him in our minds secondly in our words and works by acknowledgement The first question then is what should wee doe that wee might conceive more gloriously of God For answer hereunto wee must looke to our hearts in divers particulars for that we may conceive of God according to his excellencie we must proceed by these degrees 1. Wee must strive to bring God into our minds for naturally wee live without God And we may observe that at the best we are wonderfull prone to forget God and therefore we must learne how to bring our hearts to the meditation of God For not to thinke of God or forget him is a grievous offence as well as to thinke of him after a base manner 2. It is not enough to bring God into our thoughts but we must then be wonderfull carefull that wee bring not in an Idoll of our owne forming in stead of God we must learne how to thinke of God as he is described to us in his Word for fearfull Idolatry may be committed in the heart of a man as well as in his outward adoration and therefore wee must learne soundly to conceive aright of the nature of God 3. When we have God there in his owne likenesse wee must inlarge his roome in our hearts For the true knowledge of God comes in but by sparkles and God will bee magnified Wee must make him great and inlarge the thoughts of God when we conceive of him This is that that is so often required in Scripture under the terme of magnifying God 4. When we have attained to this to thinke of God with an ability to make him great in our hearts then we must yet proceed to the establishment of this conception of God for else the thoughts of God will passe thorow our heads like lightning and be gone and therefore wee must be carefull to establish the thoughts of God in us 5 We must then labour to clothe the thoughts of God with glory and majestie this is that which is here intended we must not onely make him in our hearts and nourish the sparkles of his knowledge but we must make him glorious also 6 Yea yet farther when God is conceived of according to his excellencie we must love the Lord thus conceived of our hearts must cleave unto him and esteeme him above all things So that here are sixe distinct things to be heeded of such as will conceive of God aright Now how these things may be attained to by us followeth to be considered of Now for the first to bring God into our minds two things are of excellent use First the inforcing of our selves to consider of Gods workes and so to strive still to reade in that great booke of the creatures Secondly the exercising our selves daily in the Word of God Without these two helpes carefully used experience shewes that God never comes into mens thoughts And by the way here may be framed an answer to that sorrowfull complaint of many Christians that they cannot meditate Now if they would be taught to meditate or would at any time have their thoughts set aworke let them lay before them either of these bookes of God either the great Booke of the creatures or little booke of the Scriptures and so praying God to direct them take those things that easily offer themselves from thence The other way of meditating without booke as I know not whether it be absolutely required so can it not be so fruitfully performed nor so comfortably But to returne the viewing of Gods workmanship in his creatures and of his wisedome and rule in his Word will helpe us in the first point which is to bring God into our minds For the second that we may not mistake but conceive of God aright wee must looke to divers things carefully First we must resist and subdue and no way harbour or favour any atheisticall conceits against the doctrine of Gods nature or providence If we find our mindes intangled with any such we must labour to get them cured for till our hearts bee whole of such diseases wee are disabled from any true conception of God Secondly we must in thinking of God then cast out all likenesses we must not conceive of him in the likenesse of any man or other creature but get above all similitudes and there rest in the adoration of him that is not like any of those things we must have no Images of God neither in our Churches nor in our heads Command 2. Deut. 4. Esa. 40. Thirdly we must learn distinctly the attributes of Gods praises in the Scripture and conceive of him as he is there commended to us I meane we should as we are able when wee thinke of God thinke of him as he is omnipotent most wise most just most mercifull c. It is an excellent praise of the diligence of a Christian to accustome himselfe to conceive of God according to descriptions made of him in his attributes in his Word Fourthly it may much helpe us if we conceive of God as dwelling in the humane nature of Christ for thereby it may somewhat arise in our mindes if we be prone to conceive of likenesses Marke it carefully we may â—ot set before our mindes Christ-man and so worship without any more adoe but if we conceive of the man-Christ and then worship that God-head that dwells in him we doe right and besides attaine unto a point farther which is to conceive of God in Christ. Thus of the right conceiving of Gods nature The third thing which we must labour for is to magnifie God in our hearts to make him great to conceive largely with full thoughts of God and to this I adde also to conceive gloriously of him to clothe our thoughts of God with a shining excellencie above any thing else we thinke of Now that God may be magnified and thought on after a glorious manner these things must be done We must with all attendance and reverence wait upon the presence of God in his house for that is the place where his glory dwelleth Psal. 27.8 And God hath magnified his Word above all his name Psalm 138.2 And the use of the Gospel is said to be the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God because it doth with the liveliest impressions make a mans heart to discerne Gods excellencie Mic. 5.4 1 Tim. 1.11 Secondly the meditation of the wonderfull workes of God recorded in Scripture or observed by experience is good to brâ—ed great and glorious thoughts of God For as the sight of the miracles of Christ wrought this in the hearts
With thee is the fountaine of life adds And in thy light we shall see light Psal. 36.8 And so the promise to the penitent sinner was that his life should see the light Iob 33.28 So Christ saith he that followeth him shall have the light of life Marke it the Light of life Iohn 8.12 So that the life of our minds is knowledge in generall and in particular it is the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Saviour saith expresly Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. And the reason why this knowledge doth most inlive and quicken our hearts is because God in Christ is the most glorious subject of contemplation as being that highest good a very Ocean of goodnesse only able to fill and ravish the heart of man and besides because God as our chiefe good can alone make the ravishment of the heart perpetuall and so last for ever which nothing else can doe But because every knowledge of God hath not this effect to breed everlasting life in the heart of a man therefore I will distinctly set downe what kind of knowledge it is that hath this effect and what is required that it may be right 1. It must be such a knowledge as discernes God to be the only true God and this rule excludes the Pagans from eternall life who though by the light of nature they might discerne the invisible things of God by the workes of the creation yet they so shut up those principles of naturall truth in unrighteousnesse that they set up creatures as God and gave the glory of the true God to them Rom. 1. 2. It must be such a knowledge as ascribes unto the Nature of God such an excellencie as can be exprest by no likenesse of any creature in heaven above or earth beneath or the waters under the earth God must not be conceived of by any Images Images in the Church shut out the Papists from eternall life and Images in the heart to conceive of God by exclude the ignorant and carnall Protestants In the right conceiving of Gods nature we must adore him that is like nothing in heaven or earth 3. It must be such a knowledge or vision of God as discernes him to be the chiefe good and only happinesse to be desired and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life to be sought after as the chiefe felicity of their lives are excluded from eternall life And the things so esteemed the Scripture calls their gods so some make their bellies their gods some their riches some honour and the favour of men 4. It must be such a knowledge of God as conceives of him in Jesus Christ that is that sees the way how Gods infinite justice provoked by many sins is pacified by the attonement made by Jesus Christ as the Mediatour betweene God and man Iohn 17.3 else the knowledge of God in respect of the contemplation of Gods justice will be so far from inliving our hearts that it would kill them if they had life And this rule excludes all such from eternall life as live in despaire of Gods mercy as Cain and Iudas These knowledges are such as without which life cannot be had but yet in themselves doe not quicken the soule and inspire it with life 5. It must be such a knowledge as doth not only discerne aright the doctrine of the nature of God and of the person and offices of Christ but doth discerne that God is ours in particular in Jesus Christ and fully reconciled to us and our portion for ever To know God to be our God in Christ is the very life of our soules Now because we discerne this in God two waies viz by the light of â—aith beleeving the promises of the Word though we see him not and by the light of vision when we shall see him in his goodnesse face to face therefore is the former light called the light of faith and belongs to this life and the latter light belongs to another world Hence our justification which is by faith is called the justification of life Rom. 5.18 This is a point which should be of unspeakable comfort to the weake Christians that have attained to this knowledge for certainely this is eternall life in them as true as if they had the glory of heaven already But now that true Christians may be the more infallibly settled in the knowledge of their interest in eternall life as it lieth in the right knowledge of God â—o be ours iâ— Jesus Christ I will add certaine effects of this knowledge which shew not only that it is right but also that it is very eternall or spirituall for if it be a right knowledge 1. It raiseth in the dead heart of man spirituall senses that were never there before it makes the soule of a man able to heare Gods Word that could never doe it before it gives sight in spirituall things and sense and feeling and spirituall tastes of Gods goodnesse and a savouring of spirituall things more than earthly 2 Cor. 2.15 Rom. 8.5 Psal. 36.8 Phil. 1.9 2. It is a knowledge with admiration it sets a mans heart upon a constant wondering at the glory of the things revealed He that hath this knowledge sees in a Mirrour hee sees and wonders Nothing more ravisheth the heart than doth the word when it shewes him the glorie of Gods grace to him 2 Cor. 3.18 Wicked men see but they see not in a Mirrour 3. It is a knowledge that workes transformation it changeth a man into the likenesse of that it sees even from glory to glory by the power of the spirit of Christ. The light comes into wicked men but leaves them the same men it found them for disposition and conversation but this light humbles the heart of a man for his sins and purifieth him from his most secret sins Acts 15.9 and besides prints upon him the image of God and stirs him uâ—to all the motives of life in doing good workes 2 Cor. 3.18 Col. 3.10 1 Iohn 2.3 3.24 4. It is such a light as is indeleble and will abide the triall of manifold afflictions and gives life and joy still to the soule it doth not only comfort in Gods house but will support us when we are gone home under the miseries of this present life 1 Pet. 1.7 The Use should be to teach us all to blesse God for the Gospel that brings life to light and shewes us the love of God to us in Christ and for all the meanes by which the Gospel is preached to us in the life of it Oh how should we be beholding to them that help us to eternall life by leading us unto God this Ocean of goodnesse And withall we should be wonderfully thankfull to God and for ever comforted if we can finde that we have attained to the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ. Though our knowledge here be but small and weake