seen and discovered as his wisdome power But no man saw God at any time the only begotten Sonne revealed him and the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in no Nature bodily but in our Nature which Christ had Thirdly God never manifested himselfe in such a straine of love as in our flesh it was the highest manifestation of Love that ever was that God loved our very Nature so as to be one with us herein was his love manifested and commended indeed that he would come down in our Nature to us And as one said well God did so love the very Nature of his Elect that though he had them not all with him in Heaven for the present yet he must have their picture of their own Nature in his Sonne to see them in and love them 1. Vse Then here is still ground of new admiration and wonder to soules God is come downe and hath left as it were his owne habitation to dwell amoâ—â— the sonnes of men This is the first and great mystery of the Gospell God out of infinite goodnesse would make a revelation of himselfe to the world to doe it in his pure glory would consume all flesh especially seeing it was to be a manifestation unto sinners but he cloths himselfe with flesh with our own Nature and so appears to us as in infinite love and sweetnesse there be many great designes in this one 1. By this he takes away the distance between his majesty and us for he is now become Immanuell God with us The thoughts of God would have been sufficient terror we could never have come nigh God for we were infinitely below him But now Gods taking up our Nature as one with himselfe and appearing as in our own form and likenesse hath broken down the wall of partition in Nature as that which takes away the dwelling nature of Gods glory yet reflects the reall sweetnesse of it to us 2. By this God would indeare and sweeten himselfe to his poor creature and fit a way of sweet converse with us if God had manifested himselfe in his own naked glory still while we are sinners we should not only be daz'led but shrunk up to nothing to see the Sun as it shines in its owne lustre would spoile the sight of the strongest eye But to look upon it as in an eclipse in water or thorough a glasse that is not offensive to consider God in himselfe is to have our soules swallowed up but to look on God in our nature brings down his glory to our eye and wooes us to behold it 3. By this God hath raised up a statue and visible monument of his own infinite love to his Elect for ever For rather then they shall want a sutable discovery of himselfe he will come and take up their owne nature and be called after their names as if he would be any thing to shew his love This is the fullest visible demonstration of God's love that ever was It was more for God to take our nature then simply to save us more then let a out bare mercy and grace in it selfe For a King to save a murtherer from the Gallowes by his owne prerogative and dispence with the Law is not such an act of love and mercy as to take the murtherers clothes and weare them as his richest livery and give as a mark of honour to his owne Sonne and to make an honourable order of the rags of that garment as that King did of a Garter God hath done more in taking our Nature what love was this that God will be no more God as it were simply but take up another Nature rather then the brightnesse of his owne glory shall undoe us 4. By this God would shew what he means to bring us unto he took our nature up to himselfe as a pattern or type of what he would bring all Saints unto God is come down in our likenesse to bring us up into his likenesse Nature was never so advanced it is the highest glory that is possible to be put upon nature it is more then to fill all our souls with a fulnesse of grace for our nature is united in a personall union with the second person then which there cannot be more glory What a faire step is now made for the bringing the person up to the injoyment of God Oh let none say now that God is not willing to save soules who is come down so low as live among us say not who shall goe up to Heaven to bring downe God or downe unto the deeps to fetch him up God is nigh you even in your owne flesh You may but turne about and see God manifested to your owne eyes we preach not fancy when we lay out the riches of Gods glory in love and mercy But as the Apostle saith what we have seen and what we have felt and tasted that we declare unto you 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Say not unbelieving soule how shall I come nigh God why God is come to thee he dwels in the Tabernacles of men In a word God is manifested in our flesh that our flesh may be taken up into his fulnesse SERMON IV. 1 TIM 3.16 God manifested in the flesh c. I Made an entrance on this the last day but there are new mysteries yet arising and no sooner doth one discovery passe but another comes on this bottomlesse depth of Gods glory in the Gospell can be sounded by none but God himselfe we have some manifestations of it and that in flesh or else we had never imagined what thoughts God had towards his poore Creatures besides what hath been spoken as to the opening of the words still this must be taken in That it is not God in flesh mystically but personally Or else thus It is not meant of God manifested in flesh that is in the whole mysticall body of Christ the Saints But only God assuming our nature into the union of Christs person and this had need to be observed because all these places where it is said that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1.19 and that the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily Col. 2. and this place is spoken of Christ mystically or in his body not personally intimating that God dwels in the flesh of the Saints as much as in the humane nature of Jesus Christ and that there is no other distinction than of head and members Now to cleare up this to you I shall not need to go farther than this verse 1. This is spoken of a thing that is already done God is or was manifested in flesh now if it were meant of the whole mystical body of Christ it must have been said God will manifest himself in flesh for all that body is not yet made up are not capable of any such manifestation thousands of them being yet unborne 2. God that is manifested in flesh is justified in spirit and seen of Angels and preached unto
things so let him be the full and compleat subject of your Faith and Love and Joyes and Delights the more you see him the more your hearts will be lost in love to him you may see every day new mysteries of Love and Beauty in Jesus Christ new depths of wisdome and fulnesse Oh how could the Apostle choose when he thought of Christ but break out as he did Let them be Anathema Maranatha that love not the Lord Jesus Cursed for ever be those soules that cannot love such a Christ there can be no curse too dreadfull But so much only in the generall which yet is worth your observation The particulars in themselves are so glorious as they dazle my eyes something might be said of them but the depth and glory of them can never be exprest To begin with the first God manifest in flesh This is the bottome of all the mysteries in the Gospell every word speaks Paradoxes God manifested is wonderfull for no man ever saw God at any time But God manifested in flesh that is a contradiction it is more absurd to nature then to say a spirit is flesh God hath gone beyond us exceedingly in the work of our own salvation yet because that the thing is made known we must pry into the mystery of it and of all the mysteries in the Gospell this is the first and greatest the foundation of all the rest In the opening of it we must observe 1. What is meant by God 2. What by God manifested 3. What by flesh and the manifestation in flesh 4. How God hath manifested himselfe in flesh 5. The eminency of this manifestation above all other 6. The mystery of all this For the first By God is not meant God essentially the very God-head indefinitely but God personally in such a person though the whole god-head be included yet it is manifested but in one Person to wit the second Person Jesus Christ because all actions are done by Persons not by Natures Therefore this is a manifestation of God in his owne Son God's essence was never manifested no man ever saw God only the onely begotten Son He that came out of his bosome to reveale him And this is none other but an exact description of Christ which is God manifest in the flesh Now secondly by God is not barely meant an apparition of God in flesh which he meant to lay downe againe upon an occasion but as the word signifies passively conspicuus factus est in carne is made known and cleer to us in flesh This manifestation notes not a transcient shew of God to us but a cleer and constant demonstration of God and the only great and glorious first way of the manifesting God unto us as the word signifies a making of a thing to shine as the Sun to our eyes that convinceth every man of what he seeth And this not only as a glimpse of God which was very glorious and so away but as the cleerest and richest way of discovery that ever was or should be in this world But thirdly VVhat this flesh should be is a mystery Flesh is taken severall ways in Scripture First For sinne and its sinfull Nature we have See the lusts of the flesh that cannot be here meant God hath made no appearance of himselfe in sin Secondly Flesh taken for our humane Nature All flesh have corrupted their waies Gen. 6. That is all men their Natures are defiled So Rom. 7. in my flesh dwels no good thing that is in my Nature either in soule or body or both Thirdly Flesh is commonly taken for the weaknesse and infirmities of that Nature All flesh is grasse and the glory of it as the flower 1 Pet. 1. And the Holy Ghost speaking of the Aegyptian Horses tels you that they are flesh and not spirit it is weak and not strong So that Fourthly How hath God manifested himselfe in flesh not in the first sence but the two latter in appearing in our Nature in taking our infirmities and weaknesse sutable unto that Nature sin still excepted And what is here called the manifestation of God in flesh is in other Scriptures parallell explain'd As he is said to be Immanuell God with us Mat. 2. How can that be but only because of being in the same common Nature with us It is said the word was made flesh and dwelt among us 1 John 14. it is the same phrase with this for the word was God v. 1. And yet it was made flesh not that there was any transmutation of God into flesh that was blasphemy but only by reason of the union of flesh to him who was God This is farther exprest in the Apostle to the Hebrews Heb. 2.16 He took not on him the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He assumed not to himselfe that is God did manifest himselfe or appeared in any Angelicall Nature but in the Nature of men And was made in all things like unto us sin only excepted There is another cleer place Phil. 2.6 7 8. Which the Apostle urgeth about the manner of this discovery that Christ though he were in the forme of God and thought it no robbery that is did God no wrong to say he was equall with him yet assumed or took on him or appeared in the forme or the likenesse of a servant it is our Nature which was in subjection and servitude unto God So that now this manifestation of God in flesh is no other then God in the second person assuming to himselfe the humane Nature and so revealing himselfe to men sutably to their condition and this is Christ This manifestation is an effect of Gods assumption of our Nature so that this expression literally imports 1. The assuming of our Nature and the union with God God taking up us to himselfe as one in our common Nature 2. The full discovery of God to us in our owne Nature God acting forth his glory in our owne flesh And al this is stil but to denote out Christ who is the person set forth in the Gospell who was with God and was God and dwelt among us as the Apostle saith that is took up his Tabernacle of flesh in our Nature thereby to converse with us Yet many would faine wrest this Scripture from the person of Christ for some of the old Interpreters as Beza observes leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put in only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod manifestè est omit God and put in which mystery manifested in flesh thereby to take off the glory of Christs as God Erasm by flesh here he understands the whole world and by manifestation the Gospell intimating that this is the mystery that God should be manifested to the world but that is contrary unto this place for he afterwards speaks of the Preaching of it to the Gentiles that is to the whole world It is doubtlesse meant of God as in our Nature making up the person of Jesus
Christ and this will yet appeare if you consider the 4 Thing that this was the greatest manifestation of God that ever was God was manifested in nothing like this for look first over the manifestation of God in the first creation there was but only some outside of God's glory discovered nothing of Gods Nature The whole world never saw what God was truly by that Indeed the Apostle saith Rom 1. That the invisible things of God were knowne by the things that are made even God's eternall power and wisdome but these were manifested in an ordinary and common way as a Picture shewes the art of the Painter but yet you may not know his person But in this God himselfe is manifested for first here is not only so much of God manifested as humane nature it selfe could demonstrate for then it had been a poor manifestation of God who can see God in seeing all the men in the world or in all the Saints in the world in their flesh but it sets out a speciall way of assumption of our Nature unto the person of Christ who was God making these two natures but one person 2. This manifestation was in union of flesh in the neerest way to God himselfe not as a lanthorne to hold the light only of God's glory but as one intire person to represent what God is in himselfe all the whole world was never united to God before though God did manifest some thing to our Nature as to Adam yet God did never unite any creature to himselfe before and though God was manifest to flesh yet never in flesh before that is the great mystery God is manifest to his Saints but he is not manifested in the flesh or in the Nature of any but Jesus Christ This is so great a manifestation as that God is become man as it were by reason of the union of their Natures the word was made flesh and dwelt among us as if God had relinquished his own Name and Nature and lost himselfe in our Nature he was found in the forme of a servant Now let us but thinke what a manifestation of God this must be which is God not only letting forth himselfe in a way of communication but God in union with the same Nature which we are in Therefore Christ is called the expresse image of the person of the Father not an image as he was the second person meerly for so he was not the image but God himselfe but an image because in that union of our Nature with God there was the exactest discovery of God himselfe as possible could be to the creature 2 Cor. 3 ult Therefore Christ is called a glasse wherein a man may with open face behold the bright glory of God But 6. How great must this mystery needes be God manifested in flesh how is that possible flesh hides God he is of a spirituall Nature it is as much as to say the Sun manifested in a cloud or light manifest in darknesse I confesse my heart could rather stand and admire then speak any thing more What ever is a medium of conveyance of any thing in Nature must be proportion'd unto the thing it discovers as the aire not a mud wall conveys the light of the Sun to us flesh and God what proportion is there between them let flesh be but thought God must needs be forgotten for they are at an infinite distance yea contrary yet this is the mystery 1. God not only setting our himselfe thorough flesh in a transient way shining thorough it but being made flesh being one with flesh 2. Not in innocent Nature but in the likenesse of sinfull Nature Rom. 8.3 To manifest himselfe in the flesh of Rebels and Traytours and honour that flesh which had so sinned and was so polluted this is a mystery 3. To act in this Nature in the world to dye and be despised and suffer the utmost contradiction of sinners who is able to fathom the depth of this mystery As one saith of the Trinity they were like three sisters which spun one piece of a garment and only one weares it so had all these three an hand in the making of this Nature but only Christ the second Person weares it and all their glory is laid out in it how one Person could be God and man how God should be put to death in our Nature to reconcile us to himselfe flesh filled with the fulnesse of God is beyond the apprehension of men and Angels to declare But we may tell that it is so and admire it as we speake Blessednesse to be made a curse Heaven let downe into Hell the God of the world shutting himselfe up as it were in a body the invisible God made visible to sense he which hath all things in Heaven and Earth at his command not have a house in the world glory it selfe of no comelinesse What shall I say all things become nothing making it selfe of no reputation And a thousand more such paradoxes are wrapt up in this one expression Oh how great a depth is in this glorious design of God he was manifested to Adam to Moses and many others but here was his utmost manifestation in our flesh For the nature of this manifestation know 1. It is not a bare manifestation of some attributes of God but it is a manifestation of God in his own nature the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in Christ bodily or really Col. 2. Not that God is circumscribed in our Nature but that the God-head it selfe is united to Christs body and dwels in it fils it and abides upon him 2. Neither is it a manifestation of God absolutely as in himselfe but as in order to reconciliation and salvation of soule For God might have been manifested else in our flesh to have consumed us But as the Apostle saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himselfe That is God was in Christs Nature as a God in order to the reconciling poor soules and this is the great mystery God was offended by our Nature and God takes that Nature on himselfe to reconcile us to himselfe by himselfe God himselfe will pay the price out of his own glory for our offences only assumes our Nature as if it should be thought to act it out for us and joines it to his sonne and cals that Christ and this is the Gospell-notion of Christ God manifest in flesh in order to the reconciliation of poor soules Thus God must satisfie himselfe and save us himselfe only takes our Nature to doe it in and cals it Christ a Saviour when it is none other then God himselfe in our Nature transacting our peace This manifestation is a peculiar one For First God was never manifested as one with flesh before he was not one with Adam's Nature or with any of the first Creation but this is a manifestation of ownnesse Secondly God never manifested himselfe in his God-head before in such a manner many of his glorious attributes were
the Gentiles and beleeved on in the world and received up to glory now none will be so grossely ignorant as to attribute this to Saints Saints are not preached to the Gentiles nor believed on in the world nor yet all received up to glory 3. God as manifest in flesh did dye in that flesh was crucified to make atonement for sin for this was a manifestation in order unto reconciliation now who will say that the bodies of the Saints did dye and were offered up in sacrifice and did make our peace with God which they must be said to do if the meaning of the phrase be according to that interpretation We had need be wary in the letting out our thoughts on the Scripture and fastening interpretation of things seeing such strange consequences may follow And especially take heed of advancing Saints so as to lessen Christ he must have the preheminence above Saints and Angels and know that there is not only a distinction between Christ and Saints meerly as head and members but a distinction of them in regard of their persons for Christ is a head in regard of his person as the husband is the head of his wife and though they be one body yet he is a distinct person and hath those incommunicable prerogatives that cannot be appropriated either to Saints singly or as his body Gods manifestation to the flesh of Saints is at second hand thorough Christ of his fulnesse that is of that fulnesse which resides eminently and distinctly in his person they receive grace for grace Indeed God is said to dwell in us and we in God but how not as God dwels in Christ but because he dwels in us by his own nature and we by union with Christ partake of that fulnesse according to our measure God dwels in Christ immediately and as a God he dwels in us through Jesus Christ Christ letting out part of that fulnesse on our hearts And thus God was pleased that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things to himselfe that in all things he might have the preheminence and that his person might be distinctly admired above all Creatures The difference of Gods manifesting himselfe in flesh that is in Christs humane nature and ours lies in this that this manifestation was as in an ordinance of life and salvation making that person which had our nature the great conveyer of eternall peace and comfort through that flesh so the Apostle Col. 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death he is to present us blamelesse and spotlesse to his Father wherefore saith the Apostle againe Heb. 2.17 It became him in all things to be made like his brethren that he might be a mercifull high Priest c. that is that he might be fit to convey life and salvation to poore soules But Gods manifestation in the flesh or persons of the Saints is as into severall Cisternes which lye under the fountaine to receive their proportion God manifesting himselfe in Christs flesh is as of a fulnesse to fill all but in the person of the Saints it is but of severall degrees and measures in order to a fulnesse that we may come to the fulnesse of the measure God hath manifested himselfe in our nature that by that he might at length fill all our persons Thus is our nature joyned to the Godhead to be as a great pipe set at the mouth of some full spring that through that God might run out his love and glory by degrees on our heart first Christ receives it at once and then thorough his Spirit discovers it in us In a word Gods manifestation in Christs flesh was as a Saviour a Redeemer a Head yea as the Author of eternall Salvation to us And this is the mysterie of mysteries he which reads this may very well cease to wonder at any thing else This is the foundation of all Gods other actings to us the pole on which they all turne all the discoveries of God are wrapt up in this one this unlocks Gods own Cabinet wherein all his designes lye Election Redemption Glorification all is wrapt up in this and made cleare when we understand this one expression God manifested in flesh it is the being of light and immortality to light at once it opens heaven and earth 1. This is the foundation of our union with God and Sonship it is from hence that God is one with our nature God is manifested as a Father in our own flesh we are Sons because Christ is he was really and naturally the Son and wee through him receive the adoption of sons For he which sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one therefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 So you have Gal. 4.4 5. God sent forth his Son in our flesh that we might receive the adoption of Sons God first takes our nature and marries it to his own Son that so we might be united to him in his nature This is the Antitype and modell of all relations God one with flesh here is Father and Son Husband and Wife all relations meet in this one 2. It is by this that we have communion with God we had never seen God had not he manifested himselfe thus familiarly in our own flesh communion is in things and betweene persons sutable There was no sutablenesse between God and us untill he appeared in our own likenesse but now he made himselfe as it were fit for converse with the unworthiest Creatures there is a sweet sympathy between Christ and us by reason that he dwels in the same house of clay as it were with us the devill himselfe when he comes to the Indians as their God to draw their hearts to worship him appeares in the forme of a man that so he might the better converse with them The blessed God was willing to manifest infinite goodnesse to the Creature and to converse with them and that all terrifying apparitions might be shunned he appears as a man that so we may have intimate fellowship and communion with him with what a holy boldnesse may soules draw nigh to God and delight to behold him and converse with him now he is in such a habit of love and sutablenesse unto our own sences Why art thou strange poore trembling soule and standest afar off as if it were death to draw nigh Of whom art thou afraid What vision of amazement dost thou behold Is God come down among men and thou canst not look on him lest thou dye and perish for ever Why cast one look more and be not discouraged It is true God is come down but not in flaming fire not in the armour of justice and everlasting burnings but cloathed with the garments of flesh and sweetly desires to converse with thee after thine owne forme Nothing can be a stronger motive to allure poore soules unto termes of peace and love as this that God is come down not to consume them with
so nigh unto us I beseech you gather up your spirits and annoint your hearts with the oyle of gladnesse for God himselfe is come to live among you and professeth he will have no other life but among you there he will manifest himself in all his sweetnesse and blessednesse to your soule Lay aside all coynesse and strangenesse of spirit seeing such a way of familiarity and entercourse is made between you and God It is very sad to see believers still so shye of approaching to God so doubtfull of their acceptance when God himselfe stoopes first and is so in love with our acquaintance as that he will be as wee are Let not such a Rocke of strength be slighted But every day entertaine sweet and pretious thoughts of this design and inure your hearts to a way of believing in this God so fully discovered Lastly Let men and Angels look about them what a mount of vision is raised up for the strongest and quickest eye to take the fairest prospect of glory from seeing God is manifest in flesh If God begins so gloriously how will he end If God be so full of love as to come down in flesh oh what matter of hope is laid before us of what he will be to us What doth God meane to bring poore soules unto If his heart and glory be let out so full at first beleeve and wait for the most glorious openings of all Gods glory seeing that he hath took the first rise of his manifestations so sutable to us he is now manifested in flesh and hath laid out a world of glory in that but he shall be manifest in himselfe SERMON V. 1 TIM 3.16 God manifested in the flesh c. ALl divine truths though they are but one in substance and nature yet they are various in their manifestatations and have their particular glory and lustre that sparkles from them Here is in this verse one and the same glory of God discovered in divers administrations and yet every one shining forth in a distinct excellency God was manifested in flesh made the object of shame and misery in the world humbled and abased in our flesh and that God is againe justified in the Spirit and set forth as an object for Angels to looke and admire and for the world to lay hold on and beleeve and then this God is taken up againe into glory that is advanced to that dignity which he seemed to leave and bid adieu unto for a while and all this but a delineation of the various conditions and considerations of one and the same person Jesus Christ and carrying on but one designe in severall representations for the good of poore sinners This is that which the Apostle cals a great mystery that is the most hidden and profound designe that ever God undertooke to act wherein all the depth of his counsels and heart was For here is nothing else but God appearing in manifold shapes and formes to make poore soules partakers of himselfe and raise up our conditions to a state of happinesse and glory Of the first of these particulars we have largely spoken it being the prime and great mystery in this great order of mysteries And yet there is so much in it as may againe take up our thoughts with new wonderment what can be more sweet and precious than a manifestation of God to poore Creatures but for God to be manifested in flesh so sutable to us herein lies the mystery that is 1. God manifesting himselfe in a way of humiliation as one that would lay aside his glory to come and live with us and undergoe the poorest and meanest condition for us 2. In flesh that God should make our owne nature which had sinned against him and was so infinitely below him to be our great ordinance of reconciling us to himselfe and the organ of union and communion with his own blessed nature for God to manifest himselfe unto flesh is not such a mystery it may soone be conceived God did manifest himselfe to Adams nature But that God should be manifest in flesh is the great mystery of godlinesse God himselfe taking flesh and dwelling in it with all his fulnesse and advancing that flesh into onenesse and making that flesh more glorious than Angels through that flesh opening all his Counsels dying and satisfying for the transgressions of flesh and making the richest discoveries of love and free grace unto the sons of men this may well be called a mystery and a great mystery an astonishing and amazing expression And all other mysteries are wrapt up in this this is that which Angels do so pry into Let us view it a little more in the contrivance and depth of it God had an eternall design to discover his infinite love to some besides himselfe he therefore creates a world of Creatures some rationall and only capable of love others irrationall and serviceable to that one Creature which he makes the top of the whole Creation set up one man Adam as a common person to represent the rest gives him abundance of glorious qualifications set him over the workes of his hands made all subject to him as if he were the darling of love Now one would thinke Gods love and glory had been centred here that he had taken up his abode for ever but behold this man was but for a day he fell from God and all that were in him even the whole world and all these beloved ones that were in Gods eye from eternity fell with him into the same gulph of sin and misery Gods face is hid not a sight of him but in flaming fire to condemne sinners and execute vengeance but God had a further reach of love and wisdome and out of this darke cloud let some glimpses of another discovery though so darkly that few could spell it or make any comfortable sence or application of it to their own soule But by degrees God hints it out more points out with the finger by types and shadows makes some models of it in outward Ceremonies yet all hid and darke that in three thousand yeares men were but guessing and hoping through promises for a manifestation of God And this is the meaning of that in Eph. 3. that it was hid from Ages and Generations of men that is hid in Gods brest from them they knew not what to make of this designe but at last God opens himselfe fully and what doth all this workings end in why in this that God is manifested in flesh the whole of all this mystery is summed up in this that God tooke the flesh of these poore sinners which he had so loved and joynes himselfe to it and cals it Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of these poore sinners that lay condemned by the Law and under condemnation with the whole world and God comes to lye in the wombe of a Virgin to be borne as we are to live in the world in the poorest and meanest estate as if he had