eye fast on one thing but another as glorious comes to be presented Brethren what a blessed thing is it to live in God to be viewing the mysteries of godlinesse Seeing God himselfe is laid out before your eye as in manifold manifestations of his own glory Saints may do nothing else but ravish their hearts with the diversity of heavenly light which breakes forth from the bosome of God One would thinke there needed no other mystery to take up the thoughts of a Saint but this that the blessed God is manifested in flesh Who is able to reach the fulnesse of this discovery But yet you have another mystery as great and amazing springs out before your eyes to astonish you that this God was justified in spirit The first respects his humiliation in our flesh The other the beginning of his exaltation and yet these are only various expressions of Jesus Christ our Mediatour There was two great things to be done for the salvation of sinners Satisfaction and Justification God now in regard of these two considerations manifests himselfe as in two form as First in flesh as abased and humbled that in our own nature he might satisfie for our sins and lay a ground-worke of eternall communion with us and then as a testimony of the reality of this satisfaction he was justified by or in the spirit So that you have Christ set out in these two considerations as standing in our own flesh to beare the guilt and charge the misery and punishment of our sins and as discharged and justified from all these by the spirit There be these things to be opened 1. What it is to justifie 2. What meant by spirit 3. How God is said to be justified in spirit For the first to justifie or to be justified are words though commonly spoken yet much mistaken Bellarmine and the Jesuits take it ever in a Physicall sence for the infusing habituall principles of grace in the heart and so make it all one with Sanctification that so by that they might have a way of setting up their own righteousnesse equall with if not above the righteousnesse of Christ and yet it is not to be denied but sometimes this word signifies to make just But the common and usuall signification is first to pronounce or declare one just So Luke 16.15 Wisdome is justified of her children that is all the sons of wisdome will vindicate her from all the false aspersions cast on her by the sons of folly in the world and pronounce her righteous that there are the issues of life in her waies That thou mayest be justified by thy sayings Rom. 3.4 that is declared to be just So in Mat. 12. saith Christ out of thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned that is pronounced just according as thy words are good Secondly It is taken sensu forensi in a legall sense for the acquitting or absolving a Malefactor from the guilt and punishment of the Law Esa 5.23 he which justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous is an abomination to the Lord speaking of the Rulers and these which sit in judgement that is he which laies guilt on an honest man but acquits a wicked man How is a man said to be justified this way 1. When as he is falsely accused and is declared by the Judge not to have done the fact but to be righteous then he is justified from that act 2. When a man is really accused and yet for and in consideration of some other thing is acquitted and absolved from the guilt and punishment of that which was laid to him then he is said to be justified also For the second thing what is meant by Spirit This word is likewise taken divers waies in Scripture Sometimes for the soule and life of a man Into thy hands I commend my spirit Psal 31. Christ cried and gave up his spirit Mat. 27. that is his life departed from him But especially it is taken these foure waies 1. For the whole divine Nature or the God-head God is a spirit that is the Nature of God is spirituall unknown to flesh 2. It is sometimes taken for the divine Nature of Christ so the Lord is that spirit that is Jesus Christ is that spirit which is opposed to all the outward and fleshly ordinances of the Law 3. It is taken for the Holy Ghost or third person of the Trinity as distinct from the Father and the Sonne There be three that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the VVord and the Spirit 1 John 5. It is the spirit which beares witnesse for he is truth I will send the Comforter even the spirit of truth Iohn 14. And I will pray the Father for it Iohn 3. 4. Taken for the product or work of the Spirit what is borne of the Spirit is Spirit that is of the same Nature with the Spirit it selfe So that now for God to be justified in the Spirit is not meant as if he had any righteousnesse infused in him which he had not before but that he was justified that is declared to be righteous one who had no sin neither was guile found in his mouth and that he was absolved from all that charge of the guilt and punishment of sin which was laid upon him and one who had finished his course and done his worke compleatly both satisfyed the law and the justice of God and that in or by the Spirit that is his God-head or by the vertue and merit of his divine Nature which made all he did efficacious and satisfactory the Spirit it selfe bearing witnesse of it and fully discharging him from what was laid upon him For these words as one saith to be brought in answer to an objection which might be made on this that Christ was God manifest in flesh that is humbled and abased or else he could not have suffered why hence the world thought he was a deceiver that he was not such a one as he pretended took upon him as a malefactor and used him so why but he was not so for though he was manifested in that base and low way and so united and clouded in flesh yet he was justifyed in the spirit they saw not that inward glory and power which was in Christ's Nature but what ever men esteemed of him yet the spirit it selfe justified him But seeing this is so great a mystery set in the second ranck of the deep things of God we had need look more narrowly into it and see what the Scripture saith concerning this how Jesus Christ may be said to be justified This is to be premised in generall that it is spoken in opposition to his humiliation or manifestation in flesh for in that he seemed to be condemned to walke up and downe as a sinner one which was the shame of the world and therefore he is said to be justified in the spirit that is 1. Internally what ever he was without yet within he had a spirit of glory his outside was meane
blame of all and been liable to the execution of all this in his own soule therefore though he was manifest in flesh as one condemned in that flesh yet the power of his Godhead raised him up from under the power of death and declared him as a righteous person one that was accepted for and that had compleatly satisfied for poore sinners And as at first conversion we passe from death to life that is from an estate of death and condemnation to an estate of life and justification So did Christ at his Resurrection from an estate of death and guilt which was laid on him to an estate of life and glory and justification from sin for had there been any sin unsatisfied for he could not have been justified Use 1. Is to informe us of the greatnesse of this mystery that God should be justified in spirit That God should manifest himselfe is a wonder and especially in flesh But that we should be justified that implies a guilt some default and doubtlesse this is one of the wonderfullest discoveries of his love to soules How can God be said to be justified who can imagine any evill in the Almighty who finds folly in the Angels they are not able to justifie themselves in his sight but the mysterie is in this that God himselfe which was in our flesh which is none other then Christ he is also justified for us God in our flesh takes upon him the charge of our debts and by his owne spirit justifies himselfe Oh how are poor soules raised at these expressions All the works of our salvation are done by God himselfe he taking that on him and acting over that in the person of his Sonne which must be particularly done in them Two things was to be done to save us Satisfaction and Justification payment of debt and discharge of bonds VVhy now God comes in our Nature and is both punished and justified as if he had done the offence not we God is justified instead of us and dyes when it was our condition let our hearts not be commonly affected with this mystery 2. Vse This mystery raiseth againe from the dead the hopes and joyes of poor soules and in the midst of all their sins and apprehension of wrath gives the strongest ground for Faith in their justification VVhy was God or God in Christ justified he had no need of such an act in himselfe no guile was ever found in his mouth he was a Lambe without spot but all this is to denote what God was for us that he might be to us All the acts that were to be done on us and to us were first done to God in our Nature acted on Jesus Christ and he was but an image of what is to be personally done to us yea whatever consideration he passed under it was as in our stead and we are to reckon our selves as sharers with him yea as really partakers with him as if we had acted it in our own persons When he dyed he stood under an act of attainder for sin he acted nor was capable of none but only stood there for us and our very sins on the Crosse were crucified with Christ and satisfied for by him as if we had paid the utmost farthing with our owne hands so when he was justified by the spirit we were justified He was justified as a common person in the room of all the Elect as he died as a common person for their sins In these two expressions you have all the mystery of Redemption and the reconciliation of sinners to God 1. God was manifest in flesh to bear our sins and to be abased and humbled for them whereby he might satisfie himselfe and then in the token of acquittance and absolution of us from all these sins he is justified in spirit and all the objections of unbeliefe are answered in this Saith the soule how shall my sins be satisfied for why God is manifest in flesh for that end to lay downe an infinite price to his justice But how shall I know that my sins are taken away and that I am justified from them why that God was justified in spirit that is the spirit which speaks nothing but truth and who knowes all things did publickly declare that there was a compleat righteousnesse obtained for sinners and did pronounce it to Christ as in the name of all the Elect. It is worthy further search into this what Christs being justified in the spirit amounts unto for the comfort of poor soules in regard of their justification that so we may all see what full and plenteous redemption there is in Jesus Christ and what matter of holy triumph we have in regard of our own justification First that Jesus Christ should be justified and that for us or in our name as the Atturney takes up the bond in Court for his Client it is as good in Law as if the party himselfe were there to recieve the verdict and see the act inrolled And observe it was more for Christ to be justified a harder thing then for us for he had the sins of the whole world of the Elect upon him and yet Christ beleeved his justification in that former place Esa 50. he is neer that justifies me Well mayest thou beleeve the particular justification of thy person seeing Christ was justified for thee before hand he was that great surety that stood bound to pay thy debts and he was publiquely acquitted for thee And this is certaine that Christ being justified at that moment all the Elect were virtually and really justified in him that act of God which pass'd on him was drawne up in the name of all you and when you beleeve this Indenture is showne unto your hearts But secondly in that he was justified in the spirit our comfort is raised higher for it was not an ordinary acquittance which was given Christ in our name but what was drawne up by the spirit of truth who can speak nothing but truth God himselfe justified himselfe in our Nature by his owne spirit such an infallible witnesse cannot be questioned And though by spirit be meant his God-head in generall yet it is specially meant of that person which is the spirit Therefore the Apostle Iohn Iohn 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. reduceth all to this that it was the spirit that beares witnesse to this that life is in Iesus Christ Christ came by water and blood saith he but Christ is the spirit that beares witnesse to this There were two things which did justifie Christ and both done by the spirit his resurrection and ascension into Heaven in that he rose againe it was cleer that he was justified for else he could not have risen if he had not satisfied the bands of Death would have held him fast in the Grave but that he can raise from the dead he was declared to be the sonne of God with power but still by the holy spirit Rom. 1.3 And in that he by the spirit was
but know their work what a glorious and great Dispensation is committed to them how would they labour to behave themselves in that great charge Here be many things observable in the words 1. The Preface or Porch 2. The Fabrick it selfe In the Preface is 1. The manner of his speech and that twofold first the affection he speakes it with he is so as a man in rapture that speakes in pure sentences without Controversie c. He breakes off as it were from all that he had formerly spoken and sits down and wonders at the greatnesse of that Mystery which the Gospell held forth 2. That he speakes of its Godlinesse 3. The description he gives it he cals it a Mystery and that with this Adjunct that it is a great Mystery 4. The confidence he speakes it in without Controversie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest è ex confesso without doubt or question it is so none that ever knew God or ever felt the power of it but said it was a great mystery Then secondly you have this Mystery unfolded and cleared up in these severall particulars of it which he deduceth to these sixe heads God manifested in the flesh Justified in the spirit Seene of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles Beleeved on in the World Received up into Glory So that here is Truth and that truth is Godlinesse and that godlinesse is a great Mystery and all that is laid out in various manifestations of God Here are many glorious things to be insisted on all Divinity comprehended in these few lines the very marrow and pith the foundation and fountaine of all that we need to know or to be acquainted with And before we come to Launch out in the Ocean we must cast an eye upon the Connexion of the words Obs First That which the Apostle cals Truth in the former verse he cals Godlinesse here Truth is not a fancy or notion but it is holinesse it selfe and none can know Truth in the nature and power of it but they must be godly First Truth is the patterne and platforme of Holiness it is the mould of Godlinesse that is godlinesse which is conformable to divine truth Truth is Gods mind and godliness is a soule conformable unto that mind or transformed into that truth therefore the Apostle when he would relate the godlinesse of the Romans Rom. 6.17 he saith they obeyed that doctrine or truth into the forme of which they were delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes the truth of the Gospell as a type a mould into which they were cast Secondly godlinesse is truth because truth works godliness Christ praies the Father to sanctifie them with truth Joh. 17.17 It is the nature of truth to sanctifie and worke holinesse truth is light and life and doth as the Sun both enliven and enlighten all soules on whom its beames shines errour never makes holy though it may be in a holy person and shadowed with the holinesse in whom it is but all the truths of Christ they are as fire that convert soules to its own nature whatever holiness is in the soule is no more but truth digested turned into life and spirit Use So that first let not the world mistake themselves concerning truth It is not enough that men have abundance of notions concerning God or Christ except it be holy truth sanctifying truth this world is growing exceeding knowing men boast of many great and mysterious truths which they know but where is godliness Truth without godliness is as an Oracle without a voice a body without a soule as letters in brass without life Brethren what is it for a man to have found a peece of Gold when he is hungry and can find no meat It is cleare men know little of truth they are so unacquainted with godliness that is truth indeed which moulds the soule into the nature of God which draws a soule into pure fellowship with God which elevates the spirit into the glory of God which turnes all things into life and power in the soule other things are but notions to have truth written in thy Bible and not in thy heart what is it For thee to have a forme of truth in thy understanding the letters transcribed in thy fancy and not be turned spiritually into that forme godliness is nothing else but truth baptized in the soule truth with a new name that soule hath not a sparkle of truth which hath not a motion of life from it truth came out of Gods bosome and is the manifestation of his life and glory and it will turne the heart sutable to that life Vse 2. Would you know what it is to be godly not to have a forme of this and that way of Religion of our owne making but to be conformable to divine truth as good principles and notions without divine impressions of it on the soule are nothing so godliness without a principle of truth to lead it is superstition as truth works godliness so godliness lives answerable unto truth godliness consists not in any forme of worship set us by men though never so glorious but by being one with truth in serving God after his own mind and heart Vse 3. Againe know who are the knowing and the godly men what those who barely and nakedly confess the Articles of faith who beleeve in a cursory manner what is said of God and Christ in the Gospell no but those which are made godly by these truths It is impossible for any to know Jesus Christ and the mystery of the Gospell but they must have the life of it in them if men will judge as God doth of their knowledge by their hearts how few knowing men shall we have in the world God values mens knowledge by their affections by the value they set on truth all our knowledge and speculations of truth without godliness is but a humane knowledge of divine things you know much you see great mysteries of truth what life what spirit hath it put in you If you have seen Jesus Christ as the Center and substance of truth where are the transformations and the raisings of your soules after this Christ apprehended When principles are turned into practice and speculations into power and notions into spirit then your truth is godliness Will you know the reason why there is so much profession of truth and so little practice of godliness why the heads of men have so outgrown their hearts I think it be this either first that which men call truth is errour or the fancies of their own braine not the Vision on the mount Or else secondly they have but the bare and leane apprehensions do not see them in their own nature men place Religion in knowledge and godlinesse in a meere conceit doubtlesse it truth were seene in her naked glory without her hood or gowne only as she comes out of the bosome of Jesus Christ the beames of her glory would pierce the very hearts and soules of men and
but his inside blessed 2. Externally he was notwithstanding all the visible actings of him in the world and the misapprehensions of wicked men yet the spirit did still justify him and cleer him and declare him to be righteous Two things were laid on Christ which he had need to be justified from 1. The false aspersions which the world laid on him they lookt on him as a deceiver a friend of Publicans and Sinners one which blasphemed when he said he was the sonne of God one which had a Devill and wrought all his miracles by the Devill 2. The state he stood in under our sins have had the guilt and the punishment of them laid on him whereby he stood as a visible malefactor and under the visible sentence of condemnation For Christ was really charg'd with the satisfaction of our sins and was liable to all that the Law could say to us for them Now he had need to be justified from this by having an acquittance and absolution by the spirit of God Now in both these wayes may Christ be said to be justified 1. He was justified in the spirit from all those wicked imputations his enemies laid on him none were accounted of so vile as Jesus Christ all the reproaches that could be invented were laid on him they called him a Devill commonly Now see how he was justified in the spirit that is first how cleer he was within in his spirit no guile was found in his mouth 2. By his Godhead what bright sparklings of God was in the face of Jesus Christ to the conviction of his enemies many times when they came to catch him they were catch'd by the beauty of his glory and faine to confesse he was a righteous one and that never any spake or acted like him in all that ever he did in the acts of his humiliation he was justified in it God clearing it up that he was the true Messias and Saviour of the world when he was borne wise men came by the spirit to see him and worship him when he was baptized the spirit came downe visibly on him and proclaim'd from Heaven that he was the beloved Son of God with him he was infinitely well pleased Nay come to the uttermost degree of his humiliation when he hung on the Crosse between two thieves by his spirit he converted one of them and made them acknowledge he was the righteous man and they only the sinners In a word what ever he did or spoke the spirit did act it in him and justified him in it I speak not of myselfe but God testifyes of me Iohn 6. He was begotten in the wombe by the spirit led up and downe in the spirit offer'd up by the eternall spirit raised from the dead by the spirit That place in the Romans 1.3 cleers up this He was declared to be the Sonne of God with power by the spirit of holinesse in his Resurrection It is a place which answers this He was of the seed of David as concerning the flesh but declared to be the Sonne of God in the spirit when he did rise againe as much as to say he was God manifest in flesh that is in weakness and yet he was justified by the spirit of holinesse to be the sonne of God Christ would often call himselfe the son of God and for that he was called a blasphemer and for that they sought to put him to death as if they had said we will try that thou canst not dye if thou be the Son of God And so when he was put to death they were confirmed that he was a deceiver But now when he rose againe of himselfe then he was declared with power to be the son of God that is justifyed by the spirit of holinesse or the holy spirit that spirit did declare that he was full of holinesse But this was the least part of Christ's justification 2. Christ stood under the charge of all the sins of the Elect as a common person and so was by God himselfe condemned he bore our sins on the Tree in his owne body that is was really charged with the guilt and the punishment of it and though he was not guilty of any sinne yet was punished as the greatest malefactor standing as our surety Christ may seem to be condemned even by God himselfe and he must come off cleer or else lye under the punishment of it for ever for once the charge was laid on Christ the law looks to him Now Christ that was thus visibly condemned he is justified in the spirit not only that he was appointed to satisfie but that he had satisfied and took away these sins and it was reason that if God did charge him with the debt of our sins that after he had paid it he should be acquitted and declared just and the Justifyer of these for whom we undertook Now this is the great meaning of this phrase that whereas Christ was manifest as God in our flesh and so stood under the guilt of our sins he was justified in his spirit and cleered by God that he had fully satisfied him That whereas God was manifested in flesh that is as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. To condeme sin in the flesh that same God-man was also justified in the spirit that is freely and fully acquitted by his God-head from all these sins and so taken up into glory And Christ himselfe in a Prophesie when he was to dye and be judged as a condemned man he comforts himselfe with the thoughts of this He is neer that justifies me who shall condemne Esa 50.8 9. So likewise the Apostle speaking of Christs Resurrection he was put to death in the flesh but quickned in or by the spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 a place fully paralell unto this Paul saith he was justified in the spirit and Peter that he was quickned in the spirit both meane one and the same thing viz. that new life which Christ had from the dead when he left all our sins behind him and rose againe and by spirit is meant his God-head or divine nature whereby he was both raised from the grave and the guilt of sin together he was quickned and justified as a Malefactor by an absolution receives a new life after the sentence of death and this worke of justifying Christ is especially laid on Christs resurrection who when he dyed was as a condemned man but when he rose againe appeares as a righteous man which had finished his worke For justification implies and supposeth a former guilt laid to ones charge of which he is acquitted There was reason that if Christ bore our sins and stood as one condemned having done away sin should likewise be justified from the guilt of what was laid on him and be pronounced righteous Christ was under the greatest attainder that ever man was he stood publikely charged with the guilt of a world of sins and if he had not been justified by the spirit he had still laine under the
THE GREATNES OF THE MYSTERY OF GODLINES Opened in severall Sermons BY CUTHBERT SYDENHAM Teacher to a Church of Christ at Newcastle upon Tine LONDON Printed by W. Hunt for Richard Tomlins at the Sun and Bible neare Pye-Corner 1654. TO THE Right Worshipfull William Johnson Maior of Newcastle With the Aldermen Sheriffe Common Councell and the rest of that famous Corporation Honoured and Beloved IT is not any vaine desire to appeare in print that I present you with these sheets but these two reasons have prest me thereunto First because I cannot now preach to your eares I would leave something before your eyes that might quicken up your spirits to a holy remembrance of what you have formerly heard for carefull and observant reading doth imprint with more efficacy that which it may be did but passe more transiently thorough the eare besides in reading a man may dwell on a nation untill he hath suckt the spirits of it and yet not lose the next which in hearing is hazardous so that primarily my uselessenesse to you through sicknesse in preaching hath provoked me that if possible I might be a little usefull to your soules by this 2. I have attempted this worke to leave a character and testimony of my deepe sence I have of your great favours to me you have nursed me as a Parent his Child Now what have I to present you with but even this spirituall mite which is seconded with many desires for your eternall welfare and this I must say that I beleeve never more respects have been shown by any Corporation in England to the most grave and worthy Preachers among them than you have shewn to me unworthy me Thus I have given you a short account of what moved me to this enterprize I hope it will be candidly interpreted among you I have only one thing to adde which all the Nation may take notice of and wonder concerning your happinesse that these nine yeares when all the Nation have been in a puzzle about errors sects and schismes even almost to bloud you have sate as in a Paradise no disturbances in your Pulpits no railings or disputings Presbyterians and Independents preaching in the same place fasting and praying together in heavenly harmony expressing nothing but kindnesse to each other in their meetings ready to help each other and as for the errours of the times that have disturbed so many Towns in England it may be said of Newcastle as of Ireland the Aire is so pure no such venemous creature can live there and this hath been through the power of the Gospell and your carefull Government Now the Lord make you reach after immortality take heed of this evill world Oh that you may further prize and profit by that precious Gospell which shines among you and may this little Treatise adde one cubit to your stature in grace how will it rejoyce the soule of him who is From my sick Chamber in Axe-yard in Kingstreet in Westminster Yours to serve you in Gospell if ever God recover my strength Cuthbert Sydenham To the ingenuous godly Reader ALL I have to entreat thee in the reading of these sheets is first that thou wouldst no◠look on it as a bare Treatise wherein things are only opened and demonstrated but as Sermons where the same things must sometimes be repeated and often inculcated to worke the notions if possible into the spirits of men Secondly that thou wouldst do thy selfe and me so much right as to correct what thou findest amisse and especially there is need of thy charity in reading this book for in expressing such high and great mysteries the least omission or addition of a syllable yea of a letter may make it blasphemy to the Reader I have found out some which I point out before thee p. 44. for very read every p. 45. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67. for God did manifest himselfe r. God did not p. 69. for nature r. heart p. 77. for dwelling r. dreadfull p. 93. for when r. were p. 94. for you r. gone p. 96. for wise r. wisdome p. 97. for your death r. only you p. 119. for expression r. impression p. 145. read the foure first verses warily p. 183. for take r. took p. 144. leave out very p. 190. for Iews r. Gentiles Other things I entreat thee to correct thy selfe and where the sense failes to helpe it with charity the Lord give an understanding heart and a discerning eye to dive into the mysteries of the Gospell this is the desire of him who is Thine in the Gospell C. S. The Greatness of the Mystery of Godlinesse opened in severall Sermons SERMON I. 1 TIM 3.16 And without controversie great is the mystery of Godlinesse which is God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into glory THe Apostle in this Chapter sutes his Exhortation to the divers Offices in the Church and laies down their particular qualifications who shall be fit for such places God never cals any to places but he fits them and he would have us looke to whom he hath qualified It is not enough that men have publike vote for publike places but they must have sutable endowments a Bishop that is a Pastour must be blamelesse v. 2. So he that thinks to act for God must have qualifications from God Gods Call hath ever his blessing and assistance Now that Timothy might take speciall notice of this he tels him that he writ these things on purpose that he might know how to behave himselfe in the Church which he cals the house of God and the pillar and ground of truth ver 15. that is that which holds forth truth as the pillar doth the light that is set on it The Apostle laies the weight of his worke and all the Ministers of the Gospell and heightens their Calling from the preciousnesse of the truth that is to be manifested by them and at last breakes forth into the great truths which they are to manifest which are undeniably the great Mystery of Godlinesse in the world God was manifest in flesh c. So that this is the sum of all Pastors and Teachers and Elders and all Office of the Church had need be men peculiarly qualified that they may behave themselves as becomes them in the Church for that is as a Pillar of truth and the great Mystery of Godlinesse is opened among them they are to hold forth that Godlinesse which is a great Mystery And it is as much as if he had said Timothy I write these things to thee and all the Ministers of the Gospell that they looke to themselves for a great charge is committed to them to be as pillars in Gods House and to carry forth the greatest mystery in the heaven and earth that upon which depends the great weight of Salvation Oh if these that are to dispense the Gospell did
the Scripture but is matter enough for a whole Age to Comment upon so that thou needest not leave old principles for new discoveries for in them thou mayest find successive sweetnesse The Apostle in the 2 Colossians v. 2. speakes of a full assurance of understanding which the Saints may come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the same with what the Text saith To be so fully assured in our understandings of all the truths of the Gospell that nothing can shake us To have all things so demonstrative and cleare and our judgements so convinced and setled in them that we may see round about all the objections that can be made of them Doubting in judgement makes doubting in conscience and Faith As your principles are so your practise will be therefore you had need have them cleare The holding of some things are so odious that a Saint should not answer them but contemne them So Paul when this objection came in that we might sinne because grace abounded Rom. 6.1 What doth he stand to confute it no he will not honour it with an answer but abominates the thoughts of it God forbid saith he To conclude this with a ground of comfort to all Saints Your salvation is without controversie the grounds of your eternall peace are not to be so much as questioned All things are carryed on in a mystery yet so sure as that it is death to question them You may as well doubt whether there be a God as doubt whether the everlasting foundation of your peace can be removed There is nothing for you to doe in this but to believe as these things in themselves are past dispute so doe you believe that they may be without doubt to you Get your assurances as unquestionable as Gods foundation for that stands sure and hath an eternall seal unto it put your propriety in this mystery out of dispute that you may be able to say without all controversy this mystery is in me and as God was manifest in flesh and I may not doubt it so God is manifest in me and I dare not deny it Art thou in Iesus Christ who is the summe of this great mystery why then let Devills and men question thy salvation it cannot hinder thy comfort Beloved get things at such a passe in your soules that all things are beyond dispute in your hearts either concerning the principles or the application of them to your conscience that you may come to the full assurance of Understanding in the mysteries of the Gospell not to doubt of the truth of them so come to the full assurance of Faith not to question your part in them That as this is sure that Christ is so you may be as sure that you are in Christ God hath not left the things of salvation the great truths of his Gospell to be judged by the pur-blind eye of a probable judgement but by the cleer and open eye of Faith And though they seem to lye never so contrary to the received principles of reason yet if they have God's stampe they must be beleeved by our Faith If we may but guesse and conjecture at things of the Gospell what a miserable condition were we in what a disparagement to the divine light of Truth that it is not so demonstrative and fit for knowledge as the maximes of Nature Indeed as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.8 The naturall man with all his accomplisht parts and light of reason cannot perceive the things of God the utmost of his knowledge is but conjecturall and common he sees not into the nature of these truths But the poorest soule which hath the least beame of supernaturall light in his Understanding beholds such infallible cleernesse in the mind of God that his whole soule fals down before the manifestation of it Ob. But can a soule be as much without controversy and doubt of his own salvation and of his being wrapt up in in that Mystery as he is of the truth of the things themselves Sol. I answer Yes the same that reveales the one reveales the other the same un-erring spirit that revealed the mystery in it selfe reveales it to the soule and the same closeth with the light of the one as with the other why may not a soule be assured that what the Holy Ghost hath written in his heart is as certaine as what he hath writ in the word Doubtlesse the worke of the spirit in the fleshly tables of our heart is as certaine and I may have as sure knowledge of it as of the writing in Tables of stone or in paper for the Mistery of God in the heart is but a transcript of what is in the word yea doubtlesse it is more glorious then the bare expression of the mystery in words What makes the soule be fully perswaded that this in the Bible is the word of God that these truths are certaine but because of that light and demonstration of the spirit which accompanies it every one sees not that infallible glory and beauty in these things only takes them up in a generall and customary notion but in the Saints they know it is so as they know that snow is white and the same light and power of the spirit assures their soules that what is written in their hearts is as absolute an undenyable truth The inequality of light from the spirit causeth the inequality of knowledge and assurance concerning them both And the Apopostle speaks as confidently of his own salvation as he speaks of the Truth of the Gospell we know that if this earthly house c. 2 Cor. 5.1 And we know we are of God though all the world lyes in wickednesse And there is a full assurance of Faith as of understanding Oh look therefore to come into an unquestionable condition once thou hast it demonstrative that thou art in Christ take heed of questioning it As every word which God hath spoken shall not passe away unfulfilled so every worke which God hath wrought in thee shall be perfected God giving the same assurance to thy spirit as he doth to his owne Truth SERMON II. 1 TIM 3.16 And without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse c. IN these words there is a full and summary comprehension of the deepest divine truths that ever came out of Gods heart and a seale of confirmation added to the assurance of them they are not things which hang on uncertaine grounds but have such demonstrations within themselves that they are without all controversy confest absolutely by al Saints not but that some doe deny them but that in themselves they are to be beleeved by the Saints There is no place in all the Scripture that in one verse doth Epitomize all Divinity as this that I may call it a Map of both worlds wherein at once you may behold all that which would cost you all your life to travell over and see in the fulnesse of its Glory All Divinity may be reduced to
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
carried up unto his Fathers glory and sat downe at the right hand of God It cleerly did shew he was accepted and freed by God from that which was laid on him Therefore Christ saith that this shall be one of the great things which the spirit shall convince the world of viz. Of righteousnesse because I go to my Father Ioh. 16. That is that there is a compleat righteousnesse obtained and justification or else I had never been admitted into my Fathers presence and all this acted by the spirit And as a further evidence of this as soon as ever he was ascended he powrs down the spirit as a flood on his Apostles and the Saints with them and to demonstrate that he was not only accepted in his owne person and he personally justified in him and now grace and life must necessarily run out upon them In all these acts Christ was justified in the the spirit for the comfort of beleevers Acts 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Now how may your soules triumph and rejoyce in your justification in the thoughts of this that Christ yea God was justified for you and how ever you are in your selves yet you may be justified in the spirit beleevers have nothing to doe but to take out the personall assurance of this to their owne soules at that time when Christ was justified you were vertually so and yet but out of the particular discharge by the spirit to your hearts and your justification is compleat The great complaint of soules is in this that they are not justified in God's eyes But now we are not only acquitted by the spirit in our own hearts but God himselfe is justified in our Nature for us there is none to offend but God and none to be justified but sinners But now when God shall satisfie himselfe and justifie himselfe in our persons or in our stead what strong consolation have we God will not lay the payment on us but himselfe and he will justifie himselfe for us It was more for Christ to be justified then for any one of us for he had more laid on him then can be laid on us he standing not under the charge of one persons sins or many but of all the Elect and when he was justified a full discharge was given for all that he represented This is a mystery indeed God is offended and God takes that on himselfe in our Nature which lay on us and is justified for us When Christ was justified there was a publick record of it and now when we believe we goe but to that Court and take out the particular discharge to our own soules Christ receiv'd the first act on himselfe in our Name and it was as authentique as if it were formally done on our persons But when we believe it is done personally to us So that now beleevers you have nothing else to doe but apply that righteousnesse which issued forth from Christs justification and lay hold on it as your owne Goe to the Court and see your owne names in the Indenture and get out the coppy of it in your owne heart for there is a necessity if Christ be justified that we should be discharged therefore get holy and glorious triumphs in your heart over sin and Death in that Christ is not only dead but alive and that you are justified in him get out the speciall assurance of it by the spirit to the hearts 3 Vse If Christ were justified in the spirit Let it be your care to justifie Christ in your spirits God hath discharged him so doe you Q. How can we justify Christ you wil say S. VVhy when you believe what he hath done for you Christ hath done all things for you satisfyed wrath fulfilled the Law God hath acquitted him pronounced him just saith he is contented he can desire no more why now doe you justifie Christ in this by saying Amen in your owne Consciences to this Hath Christ dyed believe that your sins shall die Is he justified beleeve that so are you VVhen the surety hath paid the debt the principall as well as the creditor ought to give an acquittance Oh how are we to be blamed for our unbeliefe what aspersions doth it cast on Christ he hath done all things well but we say by unbeliefe he hath done nothing Unbeliefe professeth Christ is not dead or at least not risen the Law is still in force justice is not satisfied there is no justification procured Every doubt in a Saint casts a scandall on Christ God saw cause enough to justifie Christ even by his own spirit and to declare him in our names to be a righteous one and we in him but we see not cause to believe our owne justification or the remission of our sins what is it but to thinke that Christ is held under the paines of death hath not done any thing to purpose that the wrath of God is as open to destroy us as ever it was You keep Christ as it were in a prison and under condemnation when you believe not Oh soules will not you justifie Christ in all these glorious things he hath done for you Then you justifie Christ when you acknowledge him to be what he is made of God to you wisdome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption I might goe torough all his Offices and Acts for us as then we justifie him in regard of his death when our hearts are satisfied with the offering up of himselfe and that satisfaction he hath made So in his resurrection when we believe we are freed from our sins our surety being risen for our justification so in regard of the whole worke of salvation we justifie Christ when we goe to him as a full and compleat Saviour having our conscience quieted by his righteousnesse and our hearts triumphing thorough his fulnesse Oh it is sad to see how Christ is crucified againe in our hearts thorough unbeliefe arraigned as a malefactor for this is certaine if there be not enough laid in for the satisfying and inriching of soules then Christ is not righteous and he is under condemnation How should we rejoyce to witnesse to Christ faithfulnesse and righteousnesse When we goe boldly to God by Christ then we acknowledge Christ to be a Mediator when we find the sence of our justification in our owne hearts then we acquit Christ and declare he was justified from our sins SERMON VII 1 TIM 3.16 Seene of Angels c. GReat mysteries have great admirers according as things are in themselves so they are adored Godlinesse is the greatest mystery that ever was it being made up of various workings of the glory of God and it hath the greatest and most glorious Creatures for to study it even the Angels themselves This is one of the particulars whereby the Holy Ghost sets forth the greatnesse of this mystery that it was seen of Angels The two former expressions set forth this mystery in its nature and essence under a twofold consideration of God
as manifested in flesh and justified in spirit But this sets it out in regard of the outward effect it had on the highest Creatures it was the object of their admiration not that this is part of the mystery it selfe but an expression which the Apostle puts in in the midst of all to raise our thoughts of it because Angels did look into it and adore it that we may therefore open this we will consider 1. What this mystery was which Angels saw 2. What is meant by this sight or how they may be said to see it 3. How it doth magnifie this mystery For the first the mystery which is here held out as the object of Angels sight is none other than Jesus Christ acting as a Mediatour for poore sinners concerning whom all these expressions are Christ being a visible God in the world God manifest in flesh a full justification for his Elect all the working of this mystery was in the person of the Lord Jesus and he is the sum and substance of all the Apostle brings not any thing as a part of this mystery which was done meerely in God which lay in his own heart and were immanent acts of his nature such as Election Predestination and the like but only of the way or contrivance of this as it was acted in the person of Jesus Christ who was God in our flesh all these things are included and imployed in this discovery it is Jesus Christ who is the mystery that was presented to the eyes of the Angels as the most glorious object for their sight God as in our nature dying and satisfying and being justified for poore sinners this mystery was seen of Angels that is 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seene it is not meant of a bare sight but of a sight which astonished the understanding and takes up the heart else it had been a poore expression to raise the glory of this mystery that Angels saw it but it was so great and wonderfull that they tooke the greatest delight to behold it it was that which they were ravished in beholding as at some new and strange object as we use to say of some wonderfull apparition it was seen by such and such that is they were happy to behold it exceedingly taken with it therefore the Apostle Peter when he would express the glory of this mystery saith the Angels do desire to looke into them 1 Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their whole spirits were taken up with this it was to them as the blessedest sight that they could ever behold so that the meaning of this that he was seen of Angels is this that Jesus Christ who was to act out the peace and comfort of the Saints was discovered to the Angels and they lookt on him as so great a mystery that they could not look off but stand and admire it So when Jesus Christ was borne there was a heavenly host of Angels praising and admiring God for this discovery Luke 2.13 14. leaping for joy but to bring the news of him to the world you have no such expressions of the joy of all the world besides as they tooke but in the seeing and manifesting this great mystery But 3. Well may this be brought in to advance the greatnesse of this mystery in our eyes that it was seen of the Angels Angels who are creatures of the highest order who are of the finest make of the noblest spirits who behold the face of God himselfe and are taken up with the immediate enjoyments of his fulnesse for them to look into this mystery as if nothing else were worthy of knowledge besides as if the face of God himself were not so sweet nor so taking and satisfactory excuse the expression but they must see this mystery as the top of their knowledge and that which went beyond all their other enjoyments and which is more this being a designe not so principally concerning them they being in it as a far off and in generall but being a mystery of the salvation of sinners yet that Angels should prefer this to all their sights and sit down viewing this Christ before all their own proper happinesse how doth it swell up the glory of this designe Thus you have the meaning of the words in the generall opened I shall draw up the scope of it more particularly in this Doctrine Doct. That Jesus Christ in the mystery of the Gospell is the object of Angelicall vision and admiration The things of the Gospell are not common or shallow things but that which the blessed Angels have their divine spirits taken up in the adoring of Sight in Scripture is put to expresse the inward motions of the affections Joh. 1.14 We saw his glory as of the only begotten Son of God c. that is we were taken with him as with God himselfe So Paul useth the same expression Gal. 1. He was seene of me also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of that glorious sight which he had of him which converted him and for ever tooke his heart with love to him So here seen of Angels that is Angels beheld the glory of this mystery and were taken up with it as the greatest joy of their hearts For opening this Seeing the Apostle puts so much upon it as to put it in one great expression to open the greatnesse of the mystery of Godlinesse that it was seen of Angels I shall propound these things to handle 1. What sight the Angels have of the mystey of the Gospell 2. How they come to the knowledge of it 3. That this is a mystery that Angels should come to see this Christ 4. VVhat is in this mystery that should so affect them For the first Angels being creatures of a spirituall Nature are vast in knowledge they having no bodyes to cloud their apprehensions but are purae intelligentiae see things nakedly as they lye in themselves yet their knowledge is imperfect being creatures they know not all things which God knows though they know all that is made Now for their sight of Christ in the mystery of the Gospell doubtlesse they see much into it for they are said to bring the first newes of it to wait on Christ in this mystery to comfort him in his sufferings to administer cordials to him in these fainting fits of his passion they sate in the Grave to informe the women and his Disciples concerning his Resurrection when he ascends up to Heaven they come to the men of Iudea and Ierusalem and aske them Why gaze yee here Christ is taken up into Heaven and they spake further of his second comming He shall come againe as you have seen him goe up So that Angels now know much of the mystery of Jesus Christ They which have followed Christ from step to step from the birth to the grave from the grave to Heaven must needs be acquainted much with these things and not only a bare Historicall knowledge but a knowledge of the mystery of
suffer no contrary objections to believing as the riches and righteousnesse of God are laid out before you and demonstrated to your very senses so give faithfull witnesse to all by beleeving the more you beleeve the more you get the sweetnesse of call this fulnesse and you act in the mystery your selfe for not only Christ but your Faith on him is part of the great mystery of godlinesse SERMON X. 1 TIM 3.16 Received up into Glory WEE are now come to the last step of this long ascent at the top of which you have the full sight of all divine workings God seems to begin low takes flesh upon him and is condemned but then riseth higher and is justified in the spirit and admired by Angels preached in power to the Gentiles yea and beleeved on in the world and now received up into Glory This notes the highest advancement of our Nature in the Person of Jesus Christ The great subject of this mystery is Jesus Christ he is the centre in which all these lines end the great and common representative of all the Elect and he is set forth here as under diverse formes and conditions he past through and the severall wayes of his manifestation to the creature as condemned and justified as admired and preached and beleeved on in the world and now at last as received up into glory And it is no more then to set forth the 3 great acts which Christ did as Mediatour for us in transacting our salvation he was manifest in flesh to dye for our sins he rose againe for our justification he ascended up into Heaven to sit at Gods right hand for us This is put in opposition unto his lowest extremity of humiliation for us He that descended also ascended farre above the Heavens So that now we must view this mystery as in another world and follow it up to Heaven where it is acted in glory The greatest part is yet behind it seems now to be gone out of sight as the sun when it is gone from our Horison begins a new day in another part of the world So God having acted that part of the mystery which was for this world takes him up into Glory there to act the rest in a new and blessed way By glory is meant Heaven where Gods sets forth his glory most For the cleerer opening of this I shall propound these things 1. Who or what it is that is taken up into glory 2. What it doth import comprehend 3. The mystery which is in it For the first It is no other but Jesus Christ who was God manifest in flesh who after he had suffered entred into his glory having done his worke as the Apostle saith he entred into his rest Heb. 4. He came out of the lap of his Fathers love into a wide and miserable world to lead a contemptible and mean life in the form of a servant and having finished his course is againe taken up into that glory and high dignity from whence he came This was the prayer of Christ that when he had ended his worke in the world that God would restore him to that glory he had with him from the beginning of the world John 17. He left his place for a while seemed to be turned out of it as one not worthy of it untill he should purchase it by his owne blood He was let fall out of glory into a forme of misery and lost his station for a while and againe is restor'd to it with an addition of highest honour That this is meant properly of the person of Christ is cleer for the same is receiv'd up to glory who was God manifest in flesh and justified in spirit who died and rose againe that none of the Saints did neither can any other be said to be seen of Angels nor preached to poor sinners nor is any the object of Faith but Jesus Christ but yet this must be granted that mystically and representatively the Saints likewise are received up into glory with him as I shall shew anon and if you will that Jesus Christ that in the names of all the Elect was condemned and made a sacrifice for sin and justified in the Spirit in their stead that Christ is also received up into glory as in their stead But secondly what doth this hold forth that Christ is received up into glory You must look on this as containing a glorious designe and a great part in the salvation of soules 1. It implies a compleat finishing of that worke he had to do for us here that there was no more to be done in this world for us that the satisfactory worke to justice was finished and he and his sacrifice accepted before God Heb. 10. having by one offering perfected those which are sanctified he entred into the holiest place viz. heaven and there sate down at the right hand of God having no more to do justice being satisfied justification for sinners procured this was evident when he rose againe For if he had not paid the debt he had never come out of prison but much more evident seeing he is received up into heaven taken into the Fathers bosome many break prison and walke up and down securely as if all were paid but they dare not come in the face of the Court and behold the Judge or come nigh any of their Creditors this is the greatest ground of security that can be possible that sin is done away and that redemption is purchased because that Christ is received up into glory God would never have let Christ come so nigh him if he had any of the smell of his grave-cloaths on him had left any one sin unsatisfied for 2. It imports not only a bare satisfaction of justice but clearly demonstrateth how infinitely God is pleased with Jesus Christ and what he hath done that his heart is contented and he hath over and over pleased him many a broken debt may be paid by a third penny and composition and the Creditor pronounce satisfaction in Law But Christ did not agree so with God by way of composition but Christ paid the utmost farthing that justice could command and in such a way that God is infinitely taken with him and his Oblation and so delighted in him as that he thinkes him not fit to stay any longer in this world but takes him up to glory cannot be without him in heaven gives him a name above every name that he may aske what he will he hath the command of all Gods treasuries of all his riches When Christ went up and down the world and was but about the work he could not hold but must send the Spirit to proclaime to all the world This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased as if he had said Whatever he shall do I will accept But now how much more when he hath so faithfully acted out his will and is received up into his glory and is received up into his glory is God