his Order left the Monastery and put himself in the Head of such as rose to maintain and support the Truth And being demanded why he left his Cell his Answer was The great danger Threatning the Church constrained him I conceive the same Answer as Satisfactory to Justifie this Undertaking seeing there is an Equal Necessity and seeing New Heads are sprung out of the Old Hydra of Heresie and that some Devils Incarnate are Strangely Zealous to drive the Belief of Jesus Christ to be the Son of God out of the World Woe were unto us Ministers if we Preach not the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God The Devil was a Murderer from the beginning he laboured to Stifle Christianity at its first Birth by Inclining Herod's Mind to a Massacre wherein he made no doubt but the Son of God should have been Comprehended but finding himself disappointed in this first Project he be comes the carefuller in the next and used such Methods for stirring up Envy Malice and Wrath that he soon dispatcht his Life who brought Light and Life into the World However though he had Most Industriously watched all Opportunities of Stealing away the Heavenly Seed and had at last compassed the Death of the Sower yet beholding to his great grief that some of the Seed did spring up and that a New Order of Persons was Instituted to proceed in Sowing the same Good Seed to Frustrate their Endeavours he raises such a Tempest as could not be laid but by a Sacrifice of their Blood but even in this this Great Deceiver saw himself Deceiv'd for Sanguis Martyrum fuit semen Ecclesiae The Blood and Sufferings of these Seeds-men became as Seed Effectual to the Spreading of the Faith Hereupon the Adversary Selects Men of Curious Parts and Subtil Brains and these he employs in Sowing Tares Heterodox Opinions among the Good Seeds of Piety and Truth among such were Simon Magus the Gnosticks and other Antichrists These were Persons of Proud Lawless and Dishonest Principles and he Chose them because Proud being satisfied that such as were Conceited of their own Parts and Learning would more willingly Rely on their Own Fancies and Philosophical Notions than on any Divine Revelation wanting the Grace of Humility he foresaw they should never obtain that of Faith For tho' God giveth this and all other Graces to the Humble yet he in all Resisteth the Proud He also Chose them because Head-strong and Lawless for knowing how Irksome it was to Men of this Temper to be Confin'd within the Limits Prescribed by the Doctrine of Christ he was well assured such Libertines such Wild Asses would quickly kick against the Gospel because they would not bear the Yoak of it he had also observed that they wanted that Honesty Sobriety and Gravity that Integrity and Simplicity as was necessary in true Christians and therefore concluded they would soon ridicule a Gospel of sober plain and honest Principles nor were his expectations deceived he also raised another Legion out of the Arrians Samosatenians and Photinians and with these he waged War against the Son of God labouring to impugn the Truth of his Deity The true Catholick Faith ever taught two Natures in Christ Deity as being the Second Person of the Trinity and Humanity Which though differing as to Essence and Substance yet did constitute but one Hypostasis or subsistent Person as the Soul and Body make one Man Some of the Nestorians did so far agree with the Catholick Faith that they held two Natures in Christ but they had this Reservation that they did believe each Nature made a several and distinct Person by it self nay so subtil they were and so resembling Angels of Light that they â—sed the same words one Person as other Catholicks did yet who so peruses the Ecclesiastical Records will find that they no ways meant that the two Natures of Christ were united by a personal Subsistence but merely by an Unity of Affection Consent Liking or Co-habitation that is to speak in their Sence the Person of the Son of God did affect the Son of the Virgin Mary to that degree that it did only inhabit or dwell therein as in an House or Temple According to this Doctrine of the Nestorians God did not become the Son of Man nor was the Son of the Virgin Mary God but only the Temple or House of God whereas the truth is the second Person of the Trinity was Hypostatically united unto the Man-hood the Son of God assumed humane Nature and of both Natures one Person was Constituted called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man not that the God-head inhabited humane Nature nor that the God-head was converted into Flesh but by taing of the Man-hood into God so there is no confusion of Substance but unity of Person God and Man became one Christ No Heresie which ever infected the Church of Christ hath been defended with such Sophistical Subtilties such fineness of Wit as this of opposing the Deity of Christ and even at this Day some Persons having more Wit than Grace and indulging that more than became them are endeavouring to revive this abominable Heresie but that these Scoffers and Mockers as St. Jude †v. 18. terms them might not proceed insultingly I have undertaken to make appear That Jesus Christ Born of the Virgin Mary was God Blessed for Evermore My Undertaking shall be directed by this following Method 1. I will enquire into his particular Names and Titles from whence the Truth of his Deity will explain it self Viz Jesus Christ Emanuel The Word The Son of God 2. I shall consider the Properties of the Deity are attributed to Him which are especially conspicuous in the great Works of Creation and Redemption And that I may the better put to silence the most impudent Gain-sayers as also farther confirm your Faith in this great Article I shall appeal to 1. God the Father 2. God the Holy Ghost 3. The Holy Scriptures First I shall argue and prove the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary from the Names and Titles given him Here I must Observe That the World hath generally agreed in the use of Names viz. That Nomina sunt Notamina Names serve as well for the discovery of the nature of Things and Persons as for Distinction Next least any should cavil with me and plead that the Virgin Mary's Son was onely called Jesus Emanuel and the like and was not really so I shall judge this sufficient in answer hereunto that to be called in these Scriptures I shall Name signifies not only to be so Named or to be so Reputed but also to be that in Deed and in Truth which one is said to be or named to be for proof hereof I referr to * Matth. 1.16 where it is said Of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ i. e. he was the Christ in Deed and should be declared to the World to be so One place more to justifie that this
Phrase called implies a being really the thing so called is that †Rom. 9.25 26. I will call them my People which were not my People i. e. I will make them my People who were not so before This being Premis'd I come to the Names or Appellations given to the Son of the Virgin Mary I. Jesus Mat. 1.21 This was the proper Name of the Son of God when he took humane Flesh I confess others as Types of him had bore this Name yet never did the Signification of the Name fully agree with the Bearer till now This name Jesus shows him to be of Heavenly Extract in that it was given him from Heaven Probat Angelus caelitùs conceptum cui nomen caelitùs imponitur none but God knew the Dignity of this Person and therefore he particularly Assigns him this Name as sufficiently comprehending his Dignity This Name coming from Heaven did plainly demonstrate him to be the Son of God in that none on Earth had Power over Him to give Him a Name The Etymological Reason which the Angel gave of this Name illustrates the Deity of Him to whom it was given †Mat. 1.16 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for He shall save his People from their Sins so that he really was Sui nominis he in all things answered his Name Salvation in other Jesus's was either an empty Name or at most but a faint shadow of the Salvation which was found in him * Acts 4.12 For neither is there Salvation in any other neither is there any other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Salvation from Sins is God's Peculiar for so it is said †Isa 45.21 There is no God else beside me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me so again * Hosea 13.4 For there is no Saviour beside me Thus we see God challenging Salvation as his peculiar Prerogative and hence I Argue Since by God's special Command this Name Jesus was conferr'd on the Son of the Virgin Mary because he should give Salvation from sins it is plain that he was God for he must necessarily be believed to be the Lord of Life in whose power it was to bestow Life Secondly He was called Christ and from hence also it will appear that the Son of the Virgin Mary was God Christ is a name of Dignity it is a Greek Word and of the same Signification with Messiah in the Hebrew For him the Jews looked and him they did really believe to be no other than the Son of God and this may reasonably be concluded in that they interpreted the second Psalm to be a Prophecy of him wherein we find it declared †Psalm 2.2 That he was the Anointed of God And of this Christ this Messiah it is expresly said by God himself * v. 7. Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee That Christ and the Messiah were Synonymous Terms and that both belonged to the Son of the Virgin Mary is evident from * Joh. 1.41 We have found the Messiah which is being interpreted the Christ both these Names signifie Anointed Kings Priests and Prophets under the Law were Anointed with Holy Oyl thereby intimating that they were Separated Sacred and Consecrated to God in the discharge of their respective Offices and were therefore called Messiae or Christi but this Son of the Virgin Mary was Messiah or Chris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically as being both appointed to perform all those Offices and moreover anointed extraordinarily above any or all of them for * Joh. 3.24 God gave not unto him the Spirit by measure To give by Measure or Weight implies giving with a cautious or sparing Hand and contrarily to give without measure argues giving plentifully even the whole others albeit they were anointed yet were limited they had the Spirit by measure some having one Grace others another but this Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary was anointed with the fullness of the Spirit for saith the Apostle †Col. 2.9 In him dwelled all the fullness of the God-head bodily Whosoever allows the Son of the Virgin Mary to be the Messiah the Christ must allow him to be the Son of God that the Jews did ever believe the Christ to be the real Son of God is very perspicuous * Joh. 1.49 where Nathanael allowing Jesus to be the Christ i. e. anointed to be King of Israel immediately concludes he must be the Son of God his Words are Rabbi thou art the Son of God the King of Israel and that he as Honestly as Rationally spoke what he believed there is not the least cause to doubt seeing that this Christ who knew what was in Man and needed not that any should testifie v. 47. declared of him * That he was an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile Hear we also Martha's confession of Faith grounded upon the same Reason †Joh. 11.27 I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God What shall we say the High Priest though enraged had not forgot this truth that The Christ must necessarily be the Son of God * Mat. 26.63 I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God for he was satisfied if he was the one he must be the other also Now that the Son of the Virgin Mary was The Christ is evident in that he so punctually executed the Office of King Priest and Prophet to those that would hear and believe he taught the Will of God to those who would submit to his Sceptre he became a King ruling in their Hearts by Faith and Love for he acknowledged his Kingdom was not of this World and to such he was a Priest not only in offering himself a Sacrifice for them but in Blessing them and turning them from their sins so that the Son of the Virgin Mary thus manifesting himself to be The Christ must by the Jews own concession be acknowledged to be the Son of God Thirdly The Son of the Virgin Mary was called Emanuel and this was likewise a demonstration of his Deity Emanuel * Mat. 1.23 which being interpreted is God with us i. e. He that was God from all Eternity hath now assumed humane Nature and is become one with us in all things sin excepted This name does plainly imply the Union of the two Natures in the one Person of our Redeemer it doth moreover point at his mediatory Office between God arid Man and demonstrates him a compleat Saviour able to save to the uttermost In him there were two Natures and yet nec inferiorem consumpsit Glorificatio nec superiorem minuit Assumptio the Deity did not swallow up his Humanity the Humane Nature was not swallowed up and lost in the Deity nor did the Deity suffer Debasement or Diminution by the Assumption of the humanity but both Natures remain whole and intire constituting but one
Head of the Church But for fear any should stumble at that Expression The First-born of every Creature it will be convenient we understand this to be a Figurative Speech and beareth reference to the Privileges of the First-born as being Lord and to exercise Dominion over his Brethren so that the Phrase First-born hath been customarily used to signifie Precedency as †Ps 89.27 David is there called The First-born higher than the Kings of the Earth not that his Kingdom was the Ancientest or himself the Oldest King then Reigning but as the clause of the Verse explains it higher than the rest so that it would be most absurd from this Expression to Argue Christ to be a Creature whenas the Apostle therefore uses it to shew that he was higher than all Creatures and consequently God To conclude this Point We being by God's Word Instructed That Christ made all things We must Believe and acknowledge him to be God for what saith the Scripture ‖ Heb. 3.4 He that Built all things is God That the Word in the First of St. John's Gospel was understood to be the Creator we may conclude from Amelius a Heathen who Reading those Words In the Beginning was the Word Cry'd out Iste Barbarus cum nostro Platone sentit Verbum Dei in ordine Principii esse i. e. John is of our Plato's Opinion That the Word of God is in Order of Principles i. e. The Beginning of things II. The Work of Redemption is ascrib'd to Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary The Word Redemption does naturally suppose Loss and Misery and that brings to Mind a Sad and Dismal Story as old as Adam In the Beginning of Time the Great and Mighty God Created Heaven and Earth who when he had richly deckt the Firmament with Glorious Lights and furnished the Elements with Variety of Creatures the Emblems of his Wisdom and Goodness did then make Man to whom he intended to commit the Government of the Lower World That therefore so Great Authority might be Beneficial to and Indisputable by the rest of the Creation he stamps upon him his own Image Man is Created in Holiness his Mind was Ennobled with choice Faculties and Graces he had a Rational Soul placed in a Body well built and every way fitted for the Service of God and Himself This Glorious Creature had a Plantation of God's own Planting allotted him for his Court a place richly provided and freedom of enjoying every thing one Onely Tree Excepted Abstinence from this was the Chief Standard of his Obedience and the Trial of his Love and Duty to the Great Creator Thus Gloriously Made and Plentifully Provided for God left him together with the Partner of all this Happiness to their Own Free-Wills A Blessed State sure wherein besides the Holiness of their Nature they had the Advantage of Intelligent and Rational Souls The Lively Sense of Divine Favour to Restrain every Illegal Motion and the Hopes of Future Beneficence to preserve them in their Native Integrity But over and above all these lest Forgetfulness or Inconsiderateness might on one hand betray or any Subtile Temptation on the other over-power or surprize them the Forbidden Tree was committed to the Guard of the King of Terrors DEATH †Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Grim Ghastly DEATH Death that Implacable Tyrant who with his Iron-Mace doth Break the Vessels of the Almighty Potter to Dust One would have thought a bare Glimpse of him would have made a Lump of Clay to Quake and if Love could not yet Fear of him would have kept Them within their Conceded Liberty but Death as yet had no Sting The Arch-Fiend Lucifer well-vers'd in all the Black-Arts of Rebellion resolves if possible to draw this Happy Couple to Revolt from their Creator and being full of all Subtilty he Attacks this New Exalted Prince in his Weakest and most Defenceless Part his Wife 't was true he had not Rays enough left of his former Glory under which he might shroud this Dreadful Guard yet knew he how to instill into Eve's Too Listening Ears a Prejudice hinting That the Reason of God's Strict Prohibition was no other than his Averseness to Their Happiness being extreamly unwilling that their Eyes should be Opened by means of which Prejudice he Bolts up Her Heart too fast for any Thoughts of God's Favour or Her Duty to Re-enter he then fills Her Fancy with Great and Glorious Appearances of a God-like Being or Knowledge * Gen. 3.5 In the day ye eat thereof ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil These Goodly Appearances beget in Her Mind Passionate Desires and Eager Wishes so Vast that the Supposed Joy and Delight thereof soon Inclin'd and Bow'd Her Will and straight the Fascinated Eyes look up and behold the Deadly Fruit with Pleasure the Mouth Waters the Feet Hasten the Hands Pluck the Lips Receive the Teeth Grind and the Throat Swallows the Bitter Morsel her Tongue besides the help it contributed to Chewing does straight engage the Ears of Her as yet Innocent Partner and with the Powerful Charms of Pleasure and Wisdom †Gen. 3.6 It was Fruit good for Food pleasant to the Eyes and Expedient to make one Wise She soon Overcame and Captivated his Understanding and so drew him into the Conspiracy hereupon a Deluge of Miseries Broke in upon them and their Posterity for the Law of God was Violated his Honour Blasphem'd his Anger Incens'd Guilt Contracted the Favour of Heaven Lost and God's Justice Provok'd to that degree that Mankind had inevitably Perish'd under the Weight thereof had not the Son of God stood in the Gap and made such Proposals for our Redemption as were every way Satisfactory Offering himself in Person to Satisfie the Wrath that Man had so justly Incurr'd by the Humiliation of Himself to Repair the Honour Man had Injur'd by his Obedience to Recover the Favour Man had lost by His Blood to Purge away the Guilt Man had Contracted by His Grace to break the Chains of Blindness and Perverseness the Seeds of all Sin which Man was so Fast Ty'd and bound with and by the Merits of His Life and Passion to Re-open the Kingdom of Heaven which Man by his Transgression had Shut against himself Now he that could bear the Wrath of an infinite God could give Divine Justice a compleat satisfaction he that could repair God's wronged Honour that could reconcile God to Sinners that could cure Ignorance and renew Man's depraved Will and Affections and he that could set open the Kingdom of Heaven could be no other nor less than God for humane Nature could not stand under the Wrath of God Infinite Justice required Divine Merits he that could give unto God the full Honour due unto his Name must perform Obedience beyond the Impotency of Lapsed Creatures he that undertakes to Satisfie for the Sins of others must Himself be without Sin and also Offer
him might be forgotten or disbelieved as the Gnosticks were busie it should he therefore by way of Prevention delivers this Testimony of God the Father in the behalf of Jesus Christ his Son our Lord and assures them that he was an Eye-witness of the Majesty of Christ at his Transfiguration ‖ Vers 16. and also an Ear-witness of the Voice from Heaven * Vers 18. We heard it when we were with him in the Holy Mount Moreover that the Tragedy of his approaching Death might not startle their Faith in this Article a little before his Passion while our Lord was Discoursing of it †John 12.28 There came a Voice from Heaven Attesting He was heard in what he desired for the Voice said I have both glorified my Name and will glorifie it again this was the Subject of our Saviour's Prayer I have glorified the Name of my Truth and Mercy to Mankind in sending my Son into the World according to my Purpose and Promise and I will also now Glorifie the Name of my Wisdom Mercy and Justice in exacting and taking of that my Son the Punishment due unto the Sins of Believers Our Saviour's Words justifie this exposition * v. 30. for he told the Disciples and the rest of the Spectators This Voice came not because of me but for your sakes I needed neither satisfying nor reminding me who I am or what I am to do my Father 's gracious intent in this Voice was your good it was merely for your sakes in compassion to your hard heartedness that you might believe you were not willing to believe me telling you that the Father and I were one but now you cannot refuse believing seeing he speaketh the same thing from Heaven God the Father did also testifie this Truth at the Ascension of his Son * Heb. 1.6 And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the World he saith let all the Angels of God worship him If you look to the end of the †v. 3. you may know the particular date of this Command When he had by himself purged our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High and then the Father said Let all the Angels of God worship him The same is also declared by St. Paul * Phil. 2.9 10. How that God the Father had highly exalted his Son Jesus Christ and had given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in the Earth and things under the Earth II. We pass on to the Testimony of the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God which is called the Spirit of Truth because it is impossible he should bear false Witness testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary at his Conception †Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be Born of thee shall be called the Son of God The stress of which Words lies upon the Illative therefore and the Sence may be thus taken That the Son of God was designed to be Born of a Woman because the Holy Ghost shall over-shadow her the Blessed Spirit was concerned to prepare that Nature after an extraordinary manner which the God-head was determined to assume and seeing the Holy God was pleased to dwell in Flesh the Holy Ghost must prepare and form that Flesh Again At his Baptism the Holy Ghost testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary for he Descended upon him * Mat. 3.16 as a Dove not in the shape or form of a Dove saith the learned Dr. Hammond on the place but he lighted upon him as Doves use to light who hover over and over-shadow the place first which they intend to light upon At this Baptism of our Saviour there was Concilium Augustissimum a most Majestical meeting of the Trinity God the Father spake from Heaven challenging and owning him whom John Baptized for his Son God the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily appearance God the Son was there clad in humane Nature and being in the form of a Servant he submitted himself to the fulfilling of all Righteousness Again the Holy Ghost particularly declared this Truth to Simeon †Luke 2.26 27. It was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ and that this Son of the Virgin Mary was he Simeon was informed by the same Holy Spirit as may be collected from his Action and Profession * v. 28 29 30. For he then in the Temple took this Son of the Virgin Mary up in his Arms and Blessed God saying Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy word i. e. promise by the Holy Ghost for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation the Person in whom Salvation is appointed This very Descent of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour at his Baptism is called by St. Paul * 1 Cor. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Demonstration of the Spirit a Testimony given by God from Heaven intimating and confirming the Verity of Christ's God-head a Demonstration for the Holy Ghost then Demonstrated to John and others that he who was then Baptized was the Son of God I might have argued the Testimony of the Holy Ghost from the Prophecies of the Old Testament for as saith the Apostle †2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophecies came not by the Will of Man Men undertook not this office of their own Heads nor did they deliver their own fancies and perswasions for Prophecies But Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost as they were inspired and instructed by the Holy Spirit of God therefore they that deny the Deity of Jesus Christ would do well to take heed unto the sure word of Prophecy given by the Spirit of God and there they will find most ample Declarations that he who should be Born of the Virgin Mary was God as well as Man The gift of the Holy Ghost was the effect of Christ's promise the Time and Place of his coming was expresly assign'd by Christ * Luke 24.49 Tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on High John Baptized his Disciples with Water but †Acts 1.4 5. Christ promised to Baptize his Disciples with the Holy Ghost and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but there to wait for the completion of the promise and accordingly in the place and at the time we find the Holy Ghost was plentifully poured forth upon them †* Acts 2.1 2 3. When the day of Pentecost was fully come the Apostles were all with one accord in one place viz. in an upper Room of the Temple where they constantly performed their Devotions and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Farther the Holy Ghost did Testifie
the Deity of Jesus Christ because of the ends and purposes of his coming which our Saviour expresses to be two 1. He was to glorifie Christ †Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you whether he instructs whether he comforts you in all he shall accord with me and thereby it will be manifest that I came from God 2. He was to reprove the World * Joh. 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the learned Dr. Hammond observes is to act the part of an Advocate to convince the Accuser and maintain a Cause against all Gain-sayers inexcusabiles penitus demonstrabit arguet evidentibus Argumentis probationibus docebit ita ut tergiversari non possit The Holy Ghost was to plead and justifie the cause of Christ in three particular Acts. I. He was to convince the World of their Sin of Vnbelief †v. 9. His descent was an Argument of Christ's Deity what could they farther object against his being God when now their Eyes beheld the Effusion of the Holy Ghost The various Operations of this Spirit of Grace were so many proofs of the Deity of Christ II. He was to plead the cause of Christ and to convince the World as to the point of his Righteousness * v. 10. He shall reprove the World of Righteousness because I go to my Father The Spirit of Grace descending from above shall testifie my Ascension whereby by it will be manifest that I am God and that there was no Unrighteousness in me as they Blasphemously reported III. He was to plead the Cause of Christ and to reprove the World of Judgment * v. 11. Because the Prince of this World is judged not only that the Spirit of Grace sent by me shall manifest that he that Reigned in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience and excited them to Betray Condemn and Crucifie me was the Spirit of Errour and the Enemy of their Salvation but also this Spirit assisting my Disciples to work Wonders and Signs in my Name as curing Diseases and casting out Devils shall thereby judge over-power and conquer the Prince of this World III. The Scriptures also Testifie that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was God We are commanded to search the Scriptures to look into them carefully with an earnest desire and endeavour to find out the meaning thereof Whereupon St. Chrysostom's Exhortation was Audite saeculares comparate vobis Biblia but Bibles now are of little more estimation than old Almanacks if a matter of doubt arises we do sometimes but very rarely consult them our Hands delight not in handling the Word of Life whereas they are too busie with Romances and Play-books with Folly and Ribaldry and I fear this is not altogether the effect of Sloath Vanity or Laziness in the Laity but occasioned by an odd Fashion crept up of late among such whose lips should preserve Knowledge the only care and study now being that publick Discourses be well larded if not to Nauseousness with flowers of Rhetorick Terms of Philosophy Tropes and Figures to Tickle itching Ears are plenty but Quotations of Scripture so thin and sparing that sometimes in an hour's Discourse not one place of Scripture is to be found besides the Text this makes some conclude it a trouble to carry their Bibles with them seeing the spirit of the Prophets will not come to this Touch-stone and by degrees they arrive to the Opinion that they are as useless at Home as at Church I shall here presume to declare a true observation that when Scripture was used as a Principal part of the Sermon the Instruction sank deeper into Mens hearts and Piety and Holiness was much more visible in Mens Conversations I might add many Pernicious and Blasphemous Principles had yet lain in Darkness or at least had not been vented in Publick had not care been first taken to leave off the Light We are charged to search the Scriptures * Joh. 1.49 because they testifie of Christ We cannot turn over the Bible but the Majesty of Christ will appear he is as well the matter as the Author and if you will hearken to their Testimony you shall hear them declare that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary is God Take heed therefore unto your selves †Acts 20.28 and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his Blood to any considering person two things here offer themselves 1. He that purchased the Church was God the Church of God which He hath purchased i. e. God 2. That this God was Jesus Christ because it is said he purchased the Church with his Blood neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost having any Blood but Jesus Christ as he assumed Humane Nature so that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was the God that purchased the Church with his Blood read likewise 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Rom. 9.5 Christ is called God blessed for ever Amen Great is the mystery of Godliness * 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached nto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory Now it is manifest this Scripture sets forth him to be God of whom all these things were verified and it is also manifestly set down in the Scriptures that all these were true of Jesus Christ he was found in the form of a Servant he took our Nature upon him he was justified by the Spirit of God to be the Messias he was preached unto the Gentiles as the true and only Saviour by Faith in whose Name they might receive Salvation he was believed on in the World while he was in the World his Disciples and some others believed him to be the Son of God he was received up into Glory he openly in the sight of many Witnesses ascended up into Heaven wherefore he that was thus manifest in the Flesh justified by the Spirit preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory was God and this is the great Mystery of Godliness or of the Christian Religion The Scriptures Testifie that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was God in that both the Prophecies Recorded in the Old and the performances in the New exactly accord and centre in Christ Adam that had the first Promise was told it should be in the Humane Nature that the Son of God should appear to redeem the World * Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head Abraham was inform'd that he should be of his Posterity †Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed Jacob had a Revelation of his Tribe * Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art he whom thy Brethren shall praise David was told that he should be particularly of his Family
in the pursuit of Earthly things or for such who acknowledge the Son of God to be their only Lord to be led Captives by the Devil at his will let us therefore as becometh Christians cast off every work of Darkness and serve the Lord that bought us in Holiness and Righteousness let us put on Christ in our Affections and Actions let us be renewed in our Minds that our Affections may become Holy and Spiritual let us sanctifie God in our hearts that so our Actions may be pious just and unblameable that all may see the life that we henceforward live in the Flesh we live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us There is a Seemliness or Comeliness proper to every Calling as is very observable but Christianity is a peculiar Calling distinct from and vastly surpassing all other some things may be tolerable in others which are no ways allowable in this and therefore we are called upon * Ephs 4.1 to walk worthy of our Vocation we have more ample Revelations of the will of God than others we have better Principles greater Helps fairer Promises and a most perfect Example and therefore for us after all these to walk after the customs of the present evil World were altogether inexcusable Luther was wont to say that Christians in their strongest Assaults might make much better Defence than they usually do if they reply'd when tempted Christiani sumus we are Christians We are Christians such as are bound by our Baptismal Vow to fight against the World the Flesh and the Devil we above all Men are not to play the Cowards and make a faint Resistance seeing that we have an Armoury and are provided for all points we have an Helmet and Brest-plate a Girdle and Shield and likewise we have the Sword of the Spirit wherewith to Wound and Baffle our Enemies this is an approved Weapon with this our Saviour conquer'd the Devil We are Christians we profess to have our Conversation in Heaven notwithstanding our commoration be on Earth and therefore an Eagle may as soon stoop at a Fly as a Christian to worldly Allurements We are Christians such as declare themselves dead to these things and therefore to give them any room in our hearts were to give the lye to our Profession We are Christians such who have a sure word of promise for things necessary and therefore how unbeseeming us is it to use any indirect means to compass that which is already secured to us in the bountiful Providence of our Heavenly Father We are Christians the Servants and followers of the Son of God and we believe his Eye to be upon us during all our Conflicts with Temptations We cannot likewise but believe our noble resolute and courageous behaviour will be acceptable to him and that to the intent we may prevail and persevere he will in pure Compassion knowing our Frailty proportion the Grate he sends us by the Temptations he permits upon us and so if we are called forth to wrestle against Principalities and Powers all the Ranks of Devils yet Jesus Christ the Son of God and Captain of our Salvation will afford us such supply as we shall be able to stand We are Christians we must therefore Watch and Pray that we fall not under Temptation we must strengthen our selves in the Lord in his Example in his Precepts and in his Promises we must gird our selves unto the Battle because we shall reap if we faint not if we finish our warfare gallantly and as becometh Christians there is certainly a Crown of immarcessible Glory prepared for us this is worth sighting for which brings me to the last and highest Story I shall or can raise upon this Foundation Is Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary God Is he the head of the Church Do all true Christians put him on walking after his Example and to his Will then as true as he is God all such as thus do shall be most plentifully rewarded The Christian Religion was calculated it is true for the Humble and Poor in Spirit but yet not for such mean Spirits as act no farther than they are instigated by a prospect of advantage when we have done all our acknowledgment must be that we are but unprofitable Servants our Lord hath been no gainer by us we have not answered what of right was due from us upon the Score of our Creation therefore not being solvent and in capacity to discharge that first Debt it is no other than Arrogance and Presumption to make Conditions with God and to limit our performances by the Hopes or Emanations of his Bounty yet such is his infinite Condescension that though a Reward may not be the sole Reason yet we permitted to look upon it as the encouragement of our services Moses expressed great Faith and Patience refusing the pleasures of Egypt which were doubtless every way corresponding to the desires of Humane Nature the purchase of these requir'd no farther toil and labour of him than a gratefull acceptance yet these so great so easily acquir'd he forsook and chose rather to endure Afflicton That which chiefly encouraged this exchange was †Heb. 11.26 He had respect unto the Recompence of the Reward Our Blessed Saviour sweetned the burden of his Yoak and the Tortures of his Cross by the proposal as well of present as future Rewards he did assure them that if they would diligently mind the one thing needful all other things should be added to them they might do their Duty and cast the care of themselves upon God and they should find from him Providential Goodness that he did certainly care for them this can inferr no less than that we abound in the Work of the Lord in as much as we are ascertain'd our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord our Hopes shall not be frustrated He that had the love to promise a Remuneration hath the power to bestow it for now we know he is God and doth as well in Heaven as on Earth whatsoever pleaseth him Hearken we therefore for our encouragement to his gracious Promises * Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before Men him also will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven He that on Earth shall confess my Deity and by Words and Deeds make an open Confession of me and if thereunto called shall in despite of Danger and Death stick to the same profession of Faith every such Person may rest satisfied his so doing shall not be forgotten but a faithful Reward shall be made thereof in Heaven no wonder therefore to hear St. Paul crying out Wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel of Jesus Christ or to see him and others of the same Principles rejoicing in that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the confessing of Christ for they had the promise of being glorified with him for whom they suffered What therefore though Troubles