that publish the truth of the Gospel against the incroachments of Antichrist They are called two Witnesses two Olive-trees two Candlesticks But two Witnesses to import that Few witnesses to the truth in the daies of Antichrist those that bear witnesse to the light in the daies of Antichrist are but few if ye compare them with them that went the wrong way And yet two Witnesses that is a sufficient number in all ages to hold forth the truth because two witnesses would serve to give testimony under the Law In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the truth of every thing be established Though but two yet two in the worst times And thus Two Olive-trees because God by them conveyeth the oyle of grace into the hearts of his people And two Candlesticks because they hold forth the light of the truth Now this may serve as a touch-stone to discern between The true Ministers of the Gospell true and false Churches and true and false Ministers They that are sent of God they bear witness to the light they set up Christ in their Ministry they are content themselves to stand in the croud and to lift up Christ upon their shoulders content not to be seen themselves so Christ be exalted They lift him up as the Serpent of old was lifted up upon the Pole in the Wilderness Men in this respect are like Trees that receive their influence from Heaven and raise up their tops towards heaven in a way of acknowledgment whence they had their grouth Men sent from God and having received all from Christ return all to Christ in their dispensations But now look into false Churches for instance that of The false ones of Rome Rome Popery is in effect nothing else but an under-hand close witnesse-bearing against Christ Antichrist opposeth Christ in all his Offices under shew of witnessing for him he doth indeed witnesse against him both as King and Priest and Prophet As King because the Pope maketh himself the Head of the Church which is proper onely to Christ One that sat 1 Rome against Christ as King in that Chair was not afraid to call himself Sponsum Ecclesiae the Husband of the Church As Priest In that Office to which belongeth Satisfaction 2. As Priest and Intercession see how they go against Christ who offered himself once for all their Priest must offer him up daily in the Mass and unbloody Sacrifice So in his Intercession they bear witness against him too because they joyne other witnesses with him as they acknowledge them Saints As Prophet In that Office they add Traditions to the 3. As Prophet Word and the Council of Trent saith they are to be received eâdem devotione with the same devotion that Scripture is to be received with This touch is but by the way to fill your hearts more and more with detestation against that way of Popery If it be a dangerous thing for a man to bear false witnesse against his Neighbour What is it then to bear false witness against his God Now the End why he was sent is That all men through The End why John was sent him might believe There is no more in the Originall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all might believe but men is put in into the Translation How should all men be saved by John's Ministry if it did not extend it self to all men His Ministry was confined to the Land of Judea he preached onely to the Jews Therefore Men not being in the Text certainly the universall tearm is to admit of some restraint I shall interpret it unto you in that of Matth. 21. 26. which is something parallel where the debate was concerning the Baptism of John Whether from heaven or of men If we shall say From heaven he will say to us say they Why did ye not then believe him But if we shall say Of men we fear the people for all hold John as a Prophet What All the world No there were millions and millions of millions that never heard of John But All that were acquainted with his Ministry they all held him as a Prophet That all through him might believe that is All his hearers All believe and through him not in him as the Object of their faith but through him as the Instrument of their faith That all The meaning is That all his hearers through him might believe in Christ Through him but In the other You have it clearly expressed Act. 19. 4. John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance saying to the people That they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Jesus Christ Here is through whom and on whom through John the Baptist and on Jesus Christ John Baptist's Office was to make a way for Christ As the custom is amongst great Princes when they are to go to any place they send before them their Harbingers to prepare the way to tell the people who it is that cometh to them and what is expected at their hands Gen. 45. Joseph when he was advanced and went in the streets a man went before him crying bow the knee And so Hester 6. There was a man went before Mordecay and proclaimed before him What shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour So it was done to Christ by John And so shall it be done to him whom God delighteth to honour To the Mediator whom God delighteth to seal He came thus preaching Christ that all hearers might believe through him in their Stations which affords us this observation That the end of good Ministers witnesse-bearing to the light is that all the hearers through them might believe in Christ That was the end of the Prophets-Ministry in the place afore cited Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever believeth in Him should receive remission of sins That was the end of the Apostles both Preaching and Writing Joh. 20. ult These things are Written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that ye might have life through his Name That is the end of our Ministry to this day Me-thinks Our work is something like that of Abraham's Rebecca by Abrahams servant wooed for Isaac servant when he was sent to get a Wife for his Master's son He goeth on his errand and telleth them of the family he came to and where he found Rebecca that his Master was a great potent Prince that he had an onely son Isaac whom he made heir of all his Estate and that he was sent on purpose to perswade Rebecca to come over and be espoused to this son Such is our work we are sent to woo souls for Souls by the Ministers of Christ wooed to Christ Christ We tell you What God is and how glorious in himself and all his attributes and that he hath an only Son the Son of his Love the Lord Jesus
shineth in another light a better and higher light The light of the Word How speedeth that Light shining in the Word of God Why darknesse comprehendeth not that neither See what the Prophet Hosea saith of the Law Hos 8. 12. I have written to them the great things of thy Law but they were counted as a strange thing If a Master shall deliver his will to his Servant he expecteth obedience if he do but speak the word but if he should give the servant his mind in writing then he taketh it extreamly ill if the errand be not done the servant's neglect is inexcusable God hath not onely declared his will manifested his Law but written his Laws and they were counted as a strange thing people regard them no more than if they were things that nothing concerned them strange things which they had nothing to do withall It may be the Gospell had better entertainment surely It deserved better Why no Darknesse comprehended not the light of the Gospell neither Rom. 10. 16. They have not all obeyed the Gospell for Isaiah saith Lord who hath believed Isa 53. 1. our report Isaiah complaineth Paul complaineth both in the same words Who hath believed our report or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Not but that some did entertain the Gospell in all ages but that doth not invalidate the truth of the Point because it was not by Nature that they did it but by an over-powering work of Grace The darknesse is said not to comprehend it because there were very few in all ages that entertained the Gospell in comparison of them that refused it It is said by John What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man received his testimony None Yes some received his testimony the Apostles and the Virgin Mary in those daies received it yet it is said No man received it that is few or none in comparison Thus in all ages though the light did shine in darknesse yet the darkness comprehended it not If so let not Ministers be discouraged to find it so at this day It is bred in the bone and it will never out of the flesh It is naturall with man so to do not to comprehend the light though it shine upon him never so clearly If Isaiah complaineth and Paul complaineth Who hath believed our report what wonder is it if Ministers have the like occasion to complain now adaies Are they more Evangelicall Preachers than Isaiah and more wise than Paul Nay did not Christ himself complain I have spent my strength in vain they are his words Isa 49. 4. Yet if any such be here let me speak to them for encouragement If thou art a Minister of Christ imitate Christ continue to let thy light shine though the darknesse comprehend it not so did Christ As a late faithfull Minister said If men repent not Ministers must preach though the people do not repent upon my Preaching however it shall not repent me that I have preached to them though my Doctrin be not a sweet savour of life to them I my self shall be a sweet savour to God even in their damnation I have done with this Verse and passe to the next that followeth Vers 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John Vers 7. The same came for a Witnesse to bear witnesse of that Light that all men through him might believe The Evangelist beginneth to confirm what before he had asserted namely That the light of man was originally in Christ and derived from him the true Light And this he doth by the testimony of John the Baptist whom he describeth here 1. From his Nature There was a man 2. From his Calling sent from God 3. From his Name whose name was John 4. From his Office The same came for a witness to bear witness of that Light that all through him might believe In all likelyhood some of these are hid in this very tearm The Jews conceit of the Fore-runner of the Messias of Man There was an opinion amongst the Jews that there should come some Angel to be the Fore-runner of the Messias which was grounded upon that place in Malachi Mal. 3. 4. Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare thy way before thee The same word signifieth both Messenger and Angel Therefore they looked for an Angel to come before the Messias came When John Baptist came Men that understood what Circumcision was and saw him circumcised men that considered the austerity and strangenesse of his course of life began to imagine there was something in him more then man They knew not what to make of him as ye may see by their questions Joh. 1. 21 22. When they had heard him say I am not the Christ they asked him What then Art thou Elias He answered No. Art thou that Prophet He said No. Who art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us What saist thou of thy self He telleth them what he was There was a man sent from God whose name was John Let us not passe it without some Observation namely That God hath ordained the ministry of men to be used amongst Observ God teacheth men by men men An Observation of some use and worthy of our consideration It is the great Ordinance of God that men should teach men that men should bear witnesse to Christ And this God hath done partly in respect to his own Glory and partly in respect to our Necessity First Partly in respect to his own Glory which ye have the Apostle clearly telling you 2 Cor. 4. 7. God shineth in our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But we have this treasure in earthen vessells that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us If God should teach men by Angels Language not by Angels Creatures more noble than themselves the Messengers would go near to shame them they are sent to But God hath put treasures purposely into earthen vessells that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us Poor earthen vessells crasie men a feavour commeth and breaketh the earthen vessell in pieces Such is the best of men earthen vessells Yet how much treasure doth God put into some of them whom he intends to make instruments for his glory Why That the excellency of the power may be of God It is God's carriage to make use of weak vessells that 1. In respect to his own Glory the praise may be for himself As men that have a Jewell they put it into a box of Crystall that it may be seen through the Case that the radiancy of the Jewell may appear through the transparency of the Glasse So God putteth his Word into earthen vessells that the excellency of the power may appear through the meannesse of them He therefore purposely maketh choice of such Instruments If the Devill be to
it was the first so it is the most Excellent of the visible Creatures and putteth an excellency into other things What is it that maketh pretious stones and Jewells of so much value but because Christ the true light they are so light-some above other things The Sun Moon and Stars differ one from another in glory but all are glorious because all Lightsome Therefore light is fit to set forth Christ by who is Excellently super-Eminent He delighteth to compare himself to such things as to the Sun to the bright Morning-star to pretious stones and is often called the Light in scripture Only in this place there is an Epithite given to the Light That is The true Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The true Light in four respects First because Undeceiving Light Secondly because Reall Thirdly because Underived Fourthly because Supereminent First The true light because undeceiving in opposition 1. The undeceiving Light in opposition to false light to false and deceitfull In that sense ye find the word used by Joseph's brethren when they came into Egypt and were taken for spies Gen. 42. 11. Joseph had said ye are spies to see the nakednesse of the Land ye are come No say they we are all one Man's sons we are true men thy servants are no spies True in opposition to deceitfull So Christ is called the true light in opposition to all the false lights of the Gentiles They had their Idols and Balaams And so all naturall men to this day have their Lights but they be false ones The naturall man's light is the Ignis fatuus It is lightsome indeed but he that followeth the light of it is lead into ditches and boggs such is false light which the Creatures afford it leadeth to sorrow Man may hope for cheering but he shall lye down in sorrow for all that Isaiah 5. ult Behold all ye that kindle a fire and compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire but ye shall lye down in sorrow because these are deceitfull lights But Christ is the true Light because whosoever followeth him is lead to everlasting happinesse Joh. 8. 12. I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of Life Secondly True light because a Reall light True in 2. Reall in opposition to Ceremoniall types and shadowes opposition to Ceremoniall types and shadowes As true that is undeceiving in opposition to the false light of the Gentiles So true that is reall in opposition to the Ceremonies of the Jews So it is opposed to Ceremonies 1 Joh. 17. The law came by Moses grace and truth by Jesus Christ Where it is commonly thought that Grace is opposed to the Morall Law and Truth to the Ceremoniall The Jews had their light much light shined in Ceremonies and Types of old But Christ was the true light because he was the Substance of all these Col. 2. 17. which are all shadows of things to come but the body is Christ Thirdly The true light because underived True is 3. Underived in opposition to borrowed c. sometimes opposed to Borrowed Communicated Participated from another Thus Christ is called The true God and so God The true God in opposition not onely to Idols that have no Deity in them but to Magistrates who are called gods by derivation of their Authority from another 1 Joh 5. 20. We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God but Magistrates they are gods but gods by derivation and so not true gods But Jesus Christ is the true light in this respect because he borroweth not his light Some of authority they say are light Ye are the light of the world Joh. 5. Ephes 5. Ye were darknesse but now are ye light How Light in the Lord. Christ hath light in him You are a borrowed light he is an underived light and so The true light Fourthly True because super-eminently true in opposition 4. Super-eminently true in opposition to Common and Ordinary to ordinary and common So he saith Joh. 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly meat and my blood is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly drink that is not ordinary not common but super-eminently meat and drink Joh. 15. 1. I am the true Vine not an ordinary common Vine but a super-eminent one because his Blood is more cherishing than Wine And so The true Light a super-eminent light more excellent than the naturall light in many respects If the naturall light be cheering why Christ is so much more light refresheth the eye Christ refresheth the soul more abundantly Doth the naturall light penetrate and search into the most secret corners Christ doth more search into the heart and spirits of men to discover what is hidden there The hidden things of darknesse are made manifest by light The hidden things of God are manifested by Christ even the great mysteries of the Gospel Is the light of the Sun able to shine upon dunghills and not receive defilement from them Christ doth so much more He searcheth into filthy hearts and receiveth no defilement from them Therefore the true Light because not ordinary What shall we learn from hence Why to make out after Christ and that upon this ground because he is the true light Who is there that is not desirous of light Truly saith Solomon Eccles 11. 17. the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for men to behold the Sun Christ is light true light Christ is sweet truly sweet A pleasant thing it is for men to lay hold upon the Sun of righteousness no true pleasure can be had any where else If we find a dark room in a house we say This is a melancholly room It is the saddest condition in the world for The saddest misery to lose our Communion with Christ Exod. 10. 21 22. Act. 27. 20. men to want this light nothing is worth the grieving for in comparison of this being out of Christ or having lost fellowship with Christ A sad condition it was for the Egyptians to be three daies in a palpable darkness and for Paul and his fellowes to be diverse daies and nights without the light of the Sun and Moon and Stars What is it for men and women to continue for many years without God and Christ in the World Suppose a room were never so full of the most curious Pictures if there be not windowes to let in light the Pictures lose their lustre So let men have beauty strength and never so good parts all these without the light of Christ in their souls are neither beautifull nor lovely nor of any worth at all Ye should therefore learn to thank God for this great Gift that he hath bestowed his Son upon us that
be received Ephes 4. 24. Therefore as the Church is subject to Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing We should choose his Yoke as well as his Crown his Spirit to guide us as well as his Blood to redeem us to be subject to him as well as to be protected by him This is the first thing included in the receiving of Christ namely a present choosing of Christ upon Conjugall tearms Secondly Trust in him for ever after as our God so saith 2. To trust in him for ever after as our God the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to trust that is Continue to believe in his name because every one that hath received him continueth to believe continueth to trust and to rely upon him and stay himself upon his God and to lean upon his Beloved as the phrase is in the Canticles As a woman that hath got an husband hath one to trust to for provision and direction and protection If David's wives be taken away he will rescue them if Ahasuerus his wife be in danger of Haman's plots her husband will relieve her The Soul before marriage to Christ was liable to all old debts the Law had a saying to her the Devill had a plea against her but now she is married all is laid upon Christ No action lies against the wife Now the soul hath an husband and accordingly she trusts in Christ and sendeth the Devill to Christ her Husband for an answer Thus you see what it Supposeth and Includeth Thirdly See what it Produceth namely Certain Effects 3. It supposeth certain Effects to witnesse the truth of the former Acts. 1. Receiving Christ produceth Love that bear witnesse to the truth of the former Acts to make it appear there were true Apprehensions in the Understanding and true Acts in the Will and they are diverse First The true receiving of Christ wheresoever it is it produceth a Prizing Love in the first place It is impossible but that the soul which hath received Christ indeed should prize him and love him because of the beauty and excellency in him 1 Joh. 4. 16. compared with vers 19. We have known and believed the love that God hath given to us Then followeth We love him because he first loved us Where there is a knowing and believing of God's love to us there will be a reciprocall love from us to God To him that believeth in Christ Christ is pretious It is not onely a love but a prising love 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you therefore which believe he is pretious They that have received Christ indeed will set a price upon him howsoever others value him Judas though he did converse with him not having received him by faith What a price setteth he upon him the price of a Slave thirty pieces of silver the very price that was to be given by a man that had bought a slave to be his servant a goodly price The Jews that bought him and Judas that sold him make no more of Christ but thus Now take the Soul which hath indeed received him and knoweth what is in him such a soul will not set Christ to sale no not upon any tearms Offer her Preferments Estates and Kingdoms and Worlds A goodly price for Christ the soul will say No he is infinitely more worth then all these To you that believe Christ is pretious because ye have received him Secondly It produceth a watchfull Fear Whensoever 2. It produceth a watchfull fear the soul receiveth Christ it will be afraid to lose him Having received a Kingdom that cannot be moved saith the Apostle Heb. 12. ult let us have grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear One would think all fear were now over No fear so much the more The Gospel that is the Kingdom of Heaven which is often so called in Scripture and it is a Kingdom that cannot be moved The Law that was taken away but the Gospell that cannot be moved no alteration of that We must never look for another Gospel than what is evidently laid down in Scripture A man that hath received this Gospel hath received Jesus Christ in it For this Manna commeth down in the dew of heaven Christ in the ministry of the Gospel And having received this Kingdom we shall not be moved Having received Jesus Christ let us serve him with reverence and god'y fear saith the Scripture There will be a fear where there hath been a receiving of Christ Kisse the Son Serve him with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. 11 12. I will allude to Act. 3. 11. ye read there in the foregoing Verse of a Creeple that was healed by Peter and John And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength and he stood up and praised God What doth the man mean now to leave his leaping and skipping and come and clasp about Peter and John In all likelihood because he was afraid when they were gone his lamenesse would return again to him Such a disposition there is in every soul that receiveth Christ it is sensible of its having received health and strength and comfort from him Now lest his former lamenesse should return lest the lusts of his former ignorance should again prevail and those terrours of conscience under which it lay should come again the soul is desirous to hold Christ so as never to let him go Not that a soul that hath once received Christ can lose him for ever but because though it cannot wholly lose his presence yet it may lose a great deal of its comfortable communion which it had with Christ and God in him Therefore there will be a watchfull fear lest we should lose those sweet embracements which we have had from Christ Thirdly This receiving of Christ in truth produceth a 3. It produceth a spirituall life spirituall life He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 12. Men are now other kind of creatures than before they have motion from another principle then they had before As where there is life the soul setteth the body a working So when the soul hath Christ it receiveth life and motion and appetite and sense and grouth from him This true receiving of Christ produceth Fourthly As there is a prising Love a watchfull Fear and 4. I◠produceth fruit to God a Spirituall life so It produceth fruit to God Every soul that hath received Christ is more or lesse a fruitfull soul and doth not render fruit to it self as formerly but to God aiming at him and his glory in what it doth And this followeth upon the former I told you It was receiving of Christ upon Conjugall tearms as a woman receiveth an husband And this you must know that Christ hath alwaies issue by his wives The Lord Jesus hath no barren Spouse Every one that receiveth Christ for an husband he hath issue by her that soul bringeth forth fruit
Truth Thirdly Take Truth as it standeth in opposition to Lying 3. As opposed to Lying Lie not one to another saith Paul to the Ephesians but speak the truth every man to his neighbour So Christ was full of truth The Apostle Peter telleth you That he was a Lamb without spot or blemish he did no sin 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth It might be sought for but was not found The word importeth it was not found in his mouth for many lay at catch for Christ if they could have trap't him in his speeches There was a great deal of watching but no guile found in his Lips He did neither Meâ—tiri nor Mendacium dicere at any time which can hardly be said of any And yet one thing Jabrinus saith A good man will be sure not to lie that is to speak against his knowledge and Conscience A prudent man will be carefull not to tell a lie nor yet to speak what is untrue One that will not lie may yet possibly speak an untruth but Christ did never so much as speak an untruth He was so far from Lying Fourthly If ye take Truth as it standeth in opposition 4. As opposed to Shadowes to Shadowes Hebr. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the Holy place made with hands which are the figures of the true c. Here is true opposed to figure to shadow In this sense Christ is full of Truth because he is the substance of all those shadowes which were under the old Law which some take to be the sense of what followeth Joh. 1. 17. The Law came by Moses but faith and truth by Jesus Christ Truth is here opposed to the Ceremoniall Law which containeth the shadow as grace to the Morall Let us learn something throughout every branch of this Explication First Seeing Christ is full of grace in an active sense Vse 1 that is full of giving grace full of good will to the sons To learn to have good thoughts of Christ of men Let us all learn to have good thoughts of Christ not to look at him in Satan's spectacles through the glasse of unbelief and melancholly-apprehensions as one that is inaccessible one that will not pardon nor entertain poor sinners So the Devill sometimes presenteth him in such a false glasse But look at him in the glasse of the Gospell that holdeth him forth full of grace The Holy Ghost that proceedeth from the Father and the Son telleth you what he is He came down in the shape of a Lamb to shew the meeknesse of Christ The Disciples they saw him as full of grace The friends of Lazarus saw him weep over Lazarus They said Behold how he loved him the same bowels Christ hath now in Heaven as he had upon the Earth And if it were possible that they were capable of inlargement there are none more large now all the provision is laid in and the meat bought and the Table spread and dishes provided What doth God expect but that the people should fall to and eate How can we doubt of his good will now that hath done and suffered and prepared so much for us It is not now to do it is done already therefore we may be surer of his good-will than they before the price was paid Secondly Seeing Christ is full of grace even in regard 2. To look at Beauty as a blessing of his body Look at Beauty as a blessing This kind of grace is one of the things that adorned Christ I say look at beauty as a blessing when it falleth upon a body joyned to such a soul as Christ's was otherwise it is to the soul as a rusty sword in a velver scabbard The beauty of a prophane person is but like the shining of a rotten stick like the gaynesse of those weeds in your corn-fields that make a fair shew yet if you touch them they are offensive not to be endured There can no expression equall the foulnesse of them in Scripture it is as Solomon said Prov. 11. 22. as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout so is a fair woman without discretion But now where there is a meeting of the inward graces of the soul and this outward gracefulnesse in the body there beauty is an ornament Pulchior est virtus veniens è corpâ—re pulcro Where beauty and godlinesse be there grace is more beautifull in such a body in such a person And the beauty is more gracefull where there is grace to set it out where the inside is adorned as well as the outside It is an high commendation that the Scripture giveth of Abigail and sheweth what beauty is most desirable a sweet conjunction was found in her A beautifull woman of a good understanding 1 Sam. 25. 3. The name of his wife was Abigail and she was a woman of a good understanding and of a beautifull countenance Such as God hath bestowed beauty upon should be carefull not to blemish it by any untoward conversation but to be looking to God both inside and outside When ye have good apparell on ye are loath to stain that When God hath apparelled your beauty with beauty take heed of staining that by any uncleannesse whatsoever And in the next place in that Christ was full of grace 3. To learn to have recourse to Christ when we stand in need of grace in regard of the soul We should learn from hence whom to have recourse to when we stand in need of grace even to this full Fountain for he received it that he might communicate it He was filled with an over-flowing fulnesse that of his fulnesse we might receive grace for grace Joh. 1. 17. Christ is full of grace as a woman's breast is full of milk that even aketh for want of being drawn Christ as he is full so he delighteth to communicate of his fulnesse therefore it is an ease to him to be drawn Of this we shall speak God-willing in its place Fourthly Christ is full of grace of grace that fell upon 4. To learn whence all our acceptation cometh his whole Person that is Full of acceptation with God a gratious receiving into favour with God the Father And this letteth us see whence we are to fetch all our acceptation How it commeth to passe that the Saints come to be so gratious with God Why in and through Christ who is full of grace and acceptance They are accepted as ye heard before in the beloved Christ is so gratious as to ingratiate all that believe in him He is God's Favourite and bringeth into favour all such as are allotted to him None of us can possibly get the blessing but in our Elder Brother's garment Gen. 27. 16. Jacob took that course so must we if we will have a blessing from God As Joseph told the Patriarks They should Gen. 43. 3. not see his face except they brought their younger brother Benjamin along with them so
there is no seeing of the face of God unlesse we bring Christ along with us in the arms of our faith There is a story Act. 12. of the men of Tyre when Herod was displeased with them how they made use of Blastus the King's Chamberlain vers 20. And Herod was in displeasure with them of Tyre and Sâ—don but they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the King's Chamberlain their friend desired peace because their country was nourished by the King's country This is our case God is highly displeased with us for our sins as Herod was with the men of Tyre and Sidon we have our dependency upon God as they had upon Herod's country Their country was nourished by the King's country We are undone if God relieve us not Now they are undone the best way is to make Blastus their friend that so Herod being appeased they may have peace We are to go to God by Christ Jesus that we may have acceptation with God He is full of grace and they shall partake of his grace and favour even as Joseph when he was got in with Pharaoh he made way for all his brethren the Text saith Gen. 47. 2. He took some of his brethren and presented them to Pharaoh Just so doth Christ take us and presents us to God The Apostle Peter hath a phrase somewhat like it where he saith 2 Pet. 3. 18. Christ also hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might take us by the hand and lead us to God Now these men being presented by Joseph to Pharaoh see how Pharaoh entertaineth them See the land is before thee in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell If Christ hath once brought us to God not onely all the good things of the world but all the promises of the Word are before a Saint when he is brought to God by grace and so ingratiated with him Fifthly Seeing Christ is full of truth as it standeth in 5. Learn to be like Christ opposition to hypocrisie learn we to be like him it is good being of Christ's fashion The girdle of his loins is Truth as ye heard before out of verse 11. Let it be the girdle of ours Having your loins girt about with truth Be sincere in all we speak and do otherwise all our performances be they never so glorious they are but like a fair pair of gilded Organs that want wind or bellowes to blow them so are all our performances if there be no sincerity to enliven them All outward services they are but the carcases of Devotion if there want sincerity Ephes 4. 24. It is called The new man created in righteousnesse and in the holiness of the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in the Originall it is a holinesse of truth Otherwise no holinesse at all if truth be not there Again If Christ be thus full of truth as it standeth in 2. To go to him for direction in matters of Opinion opposition to errour then we may see from hence whom to go to for guidance in all matters of opinion to Him that is full of truth that cannot erre Doceat me Deus qui me fecit non qui seipsum ignorat Let him teach me that made me let not him teach me that knoweth not himself Every man is a lover of his own opinion and apt to miscary but it is Christ that is ful of truth who hath promised to guide us by his spirit and to lead us into all truth Joh. 16. 13. Again If Christ be full of truth as it standeth in opposition 3. Matter of comfort to the people of God to lying Let us learn from hence to gather matter of comfort to all the people of God He that is full of truth and cannot lie hath said to every poor soul Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest If any man come to me I will in no wise cast him off So is it matter of and of terrour to the ungodly terrour to all ungodly impenitent sinners He that believeth not is damned already He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not is damned the wrath of God abideth upon him And so matter of Imitation for all If our Saviour whom we professe our selves to depend upon and to Matter of Imitation for all be Disciples of be full of truth let us be like him Therein standeth the true Religion in imitating him whom we worship saith Lactantius If people be given to lying they are more like the devill than Christ For it is said of such Ye are of your father the devill He is a liar and the father of it Mark he speaks of his own when he speaks a lie Now there will be a time when every soul shall be ransackt Take heed lest the devill find something of his own reigning in you It is said he came to Christ The Prince of this world commeth Joh. 14. 13. and hath nothing in me that is nothing of his own in me He came and searched Christ but found nothing of his there Take heed lest when he comes to you he find a lying spirit there that is his own As when Laban came to search Jacob's tent to try if he could find any of his own goods there if he had it would have gone ill with Jacob As when searchers come to a ship and find any prohibited goods there the owner forfeits all the lading If the devill come and find any thing of his own he takes that soul to hell Without are dogs and every one that loves and makes a lie Rev. 22. 15. Lastly Seeing Christ is full of truth as it stands in opposition to shadowes Let us learn to embrace him that so we may find the substance That is the phrase of the holy Ghost Prov. 8. 21. where Wisdom speaks thus That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill them with treasures Christ is not onely the substance of all Leviticall shadowes they are vanished we have now nothing to do with them but there is another sort of shadowes that men doat upon more than the Jewes upon their ceremoniall carnall things delights of the world riches pleasures and profits there are some men that busie themselves in these What saith the holy Ghost of them Psal 83. 17. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever yea let them be put to shame and perish All are but shadowes in comparison no reality Oh then he is a substantiall man that inherits he that leaveth to follow after shadowes to inherit Christ otherwise all men that busie themselves in things below and neglect Christ they are but like a man that goes into an Orchard and instead of pulling the fruit he catcheth at the shadow of the fruit that are scattered in the hedge he hurts himself