racketed from one temptation to another till at last he hazard eternal ruine reeling from one extreme to another untill he fall into perpetual misery Therefore to conclude let me implore every soul that expects and looks for eternal life as who doth not to get cleansed from all your iniquities whether secret or open latent or revealed before you come unto the brink of misery from whence is no return before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains wherein is no security let no iniquity ever have any more dominion over you get all your actions salted with true grace that God may smell a sweet savour in your holy devotions and pious services knowing that your best performances are but gilded appearances and glittering abominations if God should with severity inspect them so that we must all say with holy David in the words of my Text If thou Lord shouldst be extreme c. FINIS SERM. III. LUKE 2.7 And she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swadling-clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the Inne Introduction GOd is a most pure Act never was he idle but alwaies in being even when this world was not in being he was in himself love and nigh enough to himself yet when he was so he thought of some eminent act of bounty wherein to produce an Idea of his goodness and accordingly wills thoughts to himself of shewing mercy to mankind for yet he would do good to all therefore all his wayes are good his being and well-being envied as yet by none no not by Satan the first parent of malice and grand enemy both of Gods unspeakable glory and mans eternal felicity not enduring to entertain the least thought of seeing humane nature deified yet God to shew the freedome of his love in rich mercy stamps his own Image upon man for it was his goodness as well as his power that he made us good as well as men but what was at first made good we soon made sin for God made man upright but he hath sought out many inventions so that had not God redeemed us we had been miserable to all eternity much rather had our souls not been then not be happy When man was made holy and had sinned though such iniquity deserved the ruine of what he was before having defaced that image yet God is prone to mercy when provoked goodness would rescue that part of himself from ruine for scarce one had sinned but one was promised to save the Son of God was promised and presented to the Patriarchs being revealed to them by his promises and foretold by his Prophets that God would send his Son he saw a fit vessel wherein he would inclose his son viz. the Blessed Virgin and therefore he sends his Angel to provide a lodging telling her that she was highly honoured of God Luke 7.3 and she shall conceive in her womb and bring forth a Son and shall call his name Iesus that God would give him a name above every name and of his kingdom there shall be no end she examined and believed the Angels Message and and was found with child of the holy Ghost Luke 1. the power of the highest over-shadowing her But loe she is summoned to another travel for there is a decree from Augustus Caesar and behold she takes no small pains to obey for though her appearance might have been excused yet she would not disobey the lawful magistrates command the custome of women is on Mary but alas desolate Virgin she is driven to that pass that having no room in the inne necessity compels her to make a chamber of the stable and to turne the manger the place wherein is laid the food of beasts into a Cradle the now onely receptacle for the bread of life and at once both mother and midwife for she brought forth her first-borne son and wrapt him in swadling-clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the Inne In which words consider with me these four general parts 1 A Virgins travail 2 A mothers tenderness 3 A childs poverty 4 The peoples inhospitality 1 A Virgins travail She brought forth her first-borne sonne 2 A mothers tenderness She wrapped him in swadling-clothes 3 A childs poverty laid in a manger 4 The peoples inhospitality There was no roome in the Inne I begin with the first 1. The virgins travail she brought forth her first-born son Wherein consider 1. The person she 2. The birth brought forth 3. The fruit her first-born child 1. For the woman she was a virgin but what a virgin to bear to bring forth a son a wonder and she her self cryes out I know not a man well might the Prophet Ierem. say Behold a Virgin and the Prophet Isai likewise yet she is the same Isa the 7.14 vers but that Christ was conceived of the holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary is an article of our faith not of our understanding best known is the manner to him that hath the power virgins are not usually pregnant yet the spirit ingenders flesh we take it not from his nature but power the Holy Ghost produces the man Christ not of himself but by his power Christ begotten of himself as one with the Father sending him on the great errand of mans salvation for all the three Persons in the sacred Trinity have a share in this great work the Father begetting the Son begotten and the Holy Ghost produced him at the fulness of time I call the Holy Ghost Father as his shadow the virgin his mother as his substance or the matter of his person whereby he is called the son of man that by this means he might be joyned to our nature and so become surety for us as for example we christians are born of water of the spirit are not called the sons of water but of the spirit because of the spirit we are made one with Christ and are thereby become the sons of God that Christ was conceived of the Holy Ghost and of Mary is most certain but for our sakes called the son of Mary and not of the Holy Ghost yet hath the son an equality with the spirit and is perfect God as well as man therefore is it that the Holy Ghost concurs with Mary in the conception both agree to make Christ but not one way for t is his the shadow hers the substance hers the carkase his the quintessence how could it be but a holy thing being of the Holy Ghost though she had sin yet Christ took none from her because he would expel it from her for had Christ been born of an Harlot of Mary Magdalen yet she could not have contaminated his integrity but commended his power and mercy he could have sanctified the most sinful person and unhallowed womb Being conceived of the holy Ghost he took our flesh but not our corruption can the sun shine untainted on the
dunghil much more can the sun of righteousness appear in our clay without contagion can we suspect a deity to receive a contagion from humanity for he was born of a Virgin c. Though a Virgin yet espoused to a man that Christ might be Iosephs supposed son Esa 7.19 and Ioseph be Christs supposed father he chose one that was a Virgin that the Jewes might see their prophesie fulfilled in him the true Messiah and that they should not suppose him the son of an Harlot he was born of an espoused virgin that marriage might be honourable to all 2 Cor. 11.2 for a virgin shall conceive c. And thus the Church bears us as chast virgins to Christ the espoused head There was no need of the Elders of the City to judge of her purity for she was no Harlot but one under espousals 22. Deut. 15. and yet not a wife but a virgin for as yet she had not known man St. Luk. 1.34 Mary brought forth Christ for she brought forth which brings me to the second thing 2. The birth she brought forth when the fulness of time was brought to the period he that made time was in time he that created the world came into the world he that brought forth his mother was born of his mother the Angels wonder at the incarnation every good spirit groans to see this glorious wonder brought forth now or never truth flourishes out of the earth and righteousness out of the womb of the mother he that stept from heaven into the womb stept into the earth out of the womb he that at the first creation made man without a mother would not now make God-man without a mother the Creator makes use sometimes of a creature to produce his omnipotency and who cannot admire such purity virginity in such pregnancy that the fruit of her body should ripen and yet a virgin a maiden bringing forth what was not begotten but made and yet not created but begotten well might it be a virgin in whom it was made and a God by whom it was begotten Add to this that the begetting not the birth dishonours the party among men whose conceptions are in sin but here the begetting brings honour to the party both in the conception and birth because begotten from above the flesh of man is not of man but of the mother and the flesh of Christ God-man is not of man but a virgin that none should dispute his humanity and yet begotten not by man but of the Spirit that none might question his Deity Therefore let us not dispute how begotten of a virgin considering his power for I cannot believe him man without a mother and I cannot believe him God if I do not believe his virgin-mother The virgin did breed by her own but unusual way of conception if we believe not the Father begets him without the help of the wife we shall not believe he was born of a mother without the help of a husband she was a virgin and brought forth her first-born son which brings me to the third particular 3. The fruit her first-born son her first-born because none before not that she had any after but as it is first-born of many brethren not by nature but adoption so the first-born of his mother and the first-begotten of his Father and all that the begotten of men might become the sons of God that we cannot boast as we are natural but as made the adopted sons of God It was once the saying of an Heathen Philosopher that he thanked God because he had made him a man and not a beast because he was made man and not a woman Indeed nature did make man above the woman but grace preferr'd the woman it is our honour and happiness that God hath made and saved us by himself it made the holy virgin say I will sing and rejoyce in God my Saviour and yet her son a son in several natures a son equal with God and like to his mother so trâ—ly God as ever as truely man as now he began to be God before all time and man in time a son he was yet motherless because begotten and not born a man and fatherless because borne and not begotten One denyes that he is God another denyes that he is man one will have him man indeed but God apparent another will have him God but man in shew one calls him meer man yet deified another a meer God but carnal one the word transubstantiate to flesh another spirit in the likeness and similitude of flesh O the blindness of men because they conceive him not to be as he is they will have him to be as they imagine But we shall take the wary Christians way that will not utter any thing besides the worth of his humanity besides his divinity and they will confess him as truly man as God for he was born of the Virgin Mary she brought forth her first-borne son From hence learn Use 1. Our nature dignified 2. Our Saviour humbled 1 Our nature dignified what an honor is it to be dignified above the Angels and the natural Son of God thus becoming the son of man Our nature though it be base by degeneration yet it is noble by his regeneration he dignified us with his nature as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Though many stand upon their blood as if true nobleness consisted in that which is derived from man to man but all is fetcht from Christ and not my blood but Christianity makes me noble said that worthy Emperour Constantine here is comfort that God is not ashamed to call us brethren and that 2 wayes 1 By right of propriety so we have interest in Father Son and Holy Ghost 2 Of neerness and that in relation to Christ for he is of kin to us for they that are sanctified and he that sanctifieth are all one Christ is both our father and brother our father as God our brother as man and what an honour and comfort is it to us to be brethren unto the son of God that we that have the earth for our mother should have the God of heaven for our father and will he deny us any thing that hath given himself to be our father and his son to be our brother he that hath given us Christ he will not deny us any thing he that hath given marks to redeem us will he not crown us shall we doubt to receive any good from him in regard Christ is our brother in that he took our nature upon him for he was born of the Virgin Mary for she brought forth her first-born son And why should we then debase our selves to lusts and give our selves to unworthy lovers the lusts of the flesh the vanities of the world or Satans temptations we are made heirs of God and coheirs with Christ let us walk as the children of the light as the redeemed ones of God and such
all to fate but Christ came to maintain a Trinity of persons and that in a divine Essence and that he takes care of the whole world and doth not necessitate any mans actions by a fatal destiny And not onely were there errors in mens judgements but 2. In their manners and waies how great the errors of the Philosophers were is well known to those that are and have been conversant in their writings and not onely they but the Rabbins of old under the law taught against literal hypocrisie that no obedience is profitable if it be not in observation of the whole Law and that not then neither but when onely in the letter and to mans appearance but Christ when he came he required truth in the inward parts and what they stood for in the letter he required in the spirit expounding their doctrine more strictly saying It hath been said of old Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement but I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement as is set down the 5 6 7. chap. of Saint Matthew Christ came to witness to the truth and did witness to it in his Sermons Judgements and Censures Answers and Reproofes 1. In his Sermons that his adversaries could not but passe this censure of them Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth St. Matthew 22.16 2. In his judgements and censures for how did he use in reading pleading and deciding to demonstrate his faithfulness you have the full story of the first of these in Saint Luke 7.4 and so on concerning his willingness to forgive the greatest debt an example of the second is pregnant to this purpose when he defended the pious woman against his Disciples for anointing his Head with preous ointment Saint Matthew 26.10 11 12 13. You have his faithfulness in the third when against the Scribes and Pharisees he became an advocate for himself to defend that true power which the Father had committed to him Saint Iohn 8.12 and so on 3. In his Answers and Reproofes in his answers though they were many times in silence yet he convinced them by saying nothing and in his reproofes how true for when he spake they were such as never man uttered for faithfull seasonable and meek never expressing any seeming passion but once in purging the Temple of those buyers and sellers who had made his Fathers house a place of Merchandise and instead of the house of Prayer had turned it into a Den of Theeves indeed he spared neither friend nor foe for when he reproved his Disciples Saint Luke 9.46 upon their contention for greatness he did it in meekness by the innocent similitude of a Child ver 48. When to the Pharisees he said Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautifull outwardly but are within full of dead mens bones he did it in faithfulness St. Matthew 23.27 And even of Herod he said no lesse nor shewed he any fear of his power for he said Goe ye and tell that Fox behold I cast out Devils and I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Saint Luke 13.32 whereby you see he alwayes bare witness to the truth and wherein else should we follow his example for every one is obliged in word and work in life and in death to bear witness to the truth every man in his place and calling Indeed there is a speciall duty lies upon Magistrates and all publick Officers that they in their severall spheres move exemplarily towards the mark of truth but most of all upon the Ministers of the blessed Word and Sacraments for that which is laid upon on them by way of obligation is double because they come into the world the Church as members thereof and Officers therein and that extraordinarily as called thereunto inwardly by the Spirit of God and outwardly sent by those that have power in the Church lawfully to commission them thereunto and then they are obliged also to bear witness to the truth as common Christians in their degree that they may bear witness to the truth in excellency of goodness following the excellency of all good that good man God and man the man Christ Jesus who left us his example as a pattern to imitate who was full of Humility strong in beloeving wonderfull in patience rich in love and in all a patterne of Holiness and it is the highest reason imaginable that we should imitate him whom we pretend to worship being carefull that we bring no dishonour to his name by doing what he did not or in refusing to doe what he did and commanded but rather looking upon him as the author and finisher of our Faith we may be ingaged to run as he did with patience the race that is set before us taking all manner of encouragement from him that so if we are unable or unwilling to follow Christ in his Word commanding yet we may doe it by his Word directing And what though Christians meet with unreasonable dealings from men yet they must not turn away their ears from hearing nor their tongues from speaking nor their lives from suffering for the truth if called thereunto for since they were borne for this end to follow the great examplary who died for witnessing to the truth they must not basely decline it for he himself saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world c. And so I have done with the words in their primary intention as they concerned our Saviour and come now 2. To the extension of them as they concerne us for since Christ in the whole course of his life is presented as a pattern of Holiness we that profess our selves to be Christians our eyes must so look to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith that we should follow his steps and as he did so we should bear witness to the truth and to this end were we borne and for this cause came we into the world that we should bear witness to the truth And so I begin again with The act to bear witness For though all the Sacred Word be called a testimony because sufficient to bear witness to it self yet God will have every truth of his established by the mouths and lives of Christians also and for this cause besides others came Christ into the world yea Christ who is the Word and Truth it self took the witness of others to himself and joyned himself to their witness for the whole sacred Trinity bears record of his truth 1. The Father and that to the Saints of old he did then bear witness of him the substance whereof was audibly delivered in that voice This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased hear ye him St. Matthew 17.5 2. The Word he did
bear witness to himself when he said I am from him and he hath sent me Saint John 7.29 And 3. The holy Ghost in Scripture testifies of him yea all the Scriptures St. Iohn 5.8 And all the testimonies therein that speak of him whether it be by way of promise or prophesie you shall finde them all meeting as so many lines in this one centre Saint Luke 1.31 Yea the Scriptures of the New Testament especially clearly set down all the parts of his incarnation both as to the divine and humane nature 1. His Nativity Saint Matthew 1.18 2. His Majesty 1 Saint Iohn 1 2 3 4. 3. His Life in the story of all the Gospels 4. His Death St. Mat. 27.35 Saint Marke 15.24 Saint Luke 23.35 Saint Iohn 19.18 5. His Resurrection Saint Luke 24.1 c. 6. His Ascension into Heaven Acts 1.10 Nay Saint Iohn Baptist was sent before him as a witness to prepare his way and to bear witness of that light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that all men through him might beleeve Saint John 1.6 7. For truth musâ— have its testimony from Heaven and by the Scriptures besides the witness of men and that for these reasons 1. Because that man is such a flatterer of his own reason and knowledge that he is apt to have a better conceit of himself then Divine rules and principles he thinks to guide himself well enough without the assistance of Almighty God and therefore it is that many are so studious to finde out some unheard of thing and endeavour to make themselves the authors and inventers of something that may make them seeme wiser then their brethren and at last to lay aside the rules of God as if they knew what was fitter and better for them then he and much if not all of this is to be found in those innovations and reformations which have been made upon the worship and service of God men have itching eares devising new opinions and professing extraordinary lights and revelations such strange stuffe as our Fathers never knew nor we ever heard of before and being Authors thereof themselves they highly extol their own conceptions looking upon well-ordered and religious discipline as no better than popish zeal and superstitious worship proceeding even to the questioning of the Truths of God and the Principles of Christian Religion whether plainly or covertly laid down in his holy Word 2. Nothing is more loud than errors and the more false the matter the more loud the clamour getting more voices for its entertainment than truth can find for every illiterate tongue is ready to cry out Great is Diana and with the noise of their new erected goodness quite stop their ears against all religious serving of the true God yea we find this project to have been practised of old where we read of their inhumane zeal in burning their children and making them passe through the fire to Moloch that the people might not be incensed against them for their cruelty nor themselves moved to pitty they had the noise of Instruments to drown the cryes of their children that their voice might not be heard And in allusion to this I may say that the loud cry of error and heresie may be so great in a Nation that the voice of one man or more that is faithful and would plead in defence of truth cannot possibly be heard but may be over-born by a multitude because each man will have his vote and as much if not more talk than he yet know this that one Micaiah speaking from the Oracle of God is better than many Balaams offering sacrifices and cursed devotions from inchanted Altars whose great conspiracy is only to work the ruine of Gods people yea such is the wickedness of ungodly men that if a Micaiah speak the truth he must presently suffer and be buffeted on the cheek with a contumelious reproof saying as that wicked one did Which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak unto thee 2 Chron. 18.23 the truth is none are more ready to boast of the Spirit of God than they that have it not 3. The wickedness of mens lives is such that Gods glory loses much honour by them and therefore he is pleased to vindicate himself by bearing witness to the truth by his own Word Many saith St. Peter shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of 2. St. Peter 2.2 not so much neither by the blasphemy of tongues and Jewish calumnies as by those that have the confidence to call themselves Christians the wickedness of whose actions causeth Gods glorious Name to be dishonoured and those sacred Truths that ought to be prized and valued above gold and silver or any earthly treasure so much as in them lies is disgraced by their unholy conversations who prefer lying vanities before them the consideration whereof should make those that are Christians indeed to defend truth against the loud noise of errors and preserve it against the malice of those that study nothing so much as to contradict it for this end are we made Christians for this cause do we receive a second birth for this end are we made members of the holy Catholick Church namely that we should defend the Truths of God with our lives and estates though it must be granted that truth lyes not within the power of men or the malice of Devils that they should harm it Truth is not lesse glorious in it self for being contradicted but only in the worlds estimation Truth is of the nature of God whose Glory is not capable of augmentation or diminution though God is said to be glorified by his creatures serving of him now you must not suppose it to arise from any addition we can make to his Glory but only a satisfaction he is pleased to take in beholding our obedience to his Will for though we be never so wicked yet we must continually conclude thou art holy O thou holy One of Israel that art the same for ever and changest not and as is God himself the same is his Truth whose Excellency lies in this that it is unchangeable in its being it is that Verity unto which nothing can be added or substracted for if the one were found the other would necessarily follow as we find it by daily experience that those things that may be extended may also be contracted and where there is room for addition there will be also place found for substraction but God and his Truth can have nothing added or taken from them the highest part of our greatness being unable to reach the lowest part of his Glory and when we have said all that can be expressed we can say nothing more than this that he is infinite for when we magnifie God we only express him great but do not thereby make him great when we blaspheme him we indeavour our utmost to lessen his Glory but no harm