holy Apostle hath expressions sutable a full heart breeds full expressions As no man went beyond S. Paul in the deepe conceit of his owne unworthinesse and of his state by nature so there was no man reached higher in large and rich thoughts and expressions of the excellencie of Christ and the good things we have by him as we see here setting forth the excellencie of the Ministeriall Calling being to deale with Gods Truth towards Gods people he sets forth Evangelicall Truth gloriously here Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godâ—linesse God manifest in the flesh c. In these words then there is a Preface and then a particular explication there is the Fountaine or Spring and the streames issuing from it the Root and the Branches there is as it were a Porch to this great House Great Buildings have faire entrances so this glorious description of the Mysteries of the Gospel it hath a faire Porch and entry to it Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse Then the Fabrick it selfe is parcelled out in six particulars God manifest in the flesh Iustified in the Spirit Seene of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles Beleeved on in the World Received up to Glorie First for the Preface whereby he makes way to rayse up the spirit of Timothie and in him us unto a reverent and holy attending to the blessed Mysteries that follow Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse In this Preface there is first the thing it selfe Godlinesse Then the description of it it is a Mysterie And the adjunct it is a great Mysterie And then the seale of it it is a great Mysterie without all controversie by the confession of all as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies there are none that ever felt the power of godlinesse but they have confessed it to be a great Mysterie Godlinesse is a Mysterie and a great Mysterie and it is so under the seale of publike confession to observe somewhat from each of these Godlinesse Godlinesse is either the Principles of Christian Religion or the inward disposition of the soule towards them the inward holy affection of the soule the word implyeth both for Godlinesse is not onely the naked Principles of Religion but likewise the Christian affection the inward bent of the soule sutable to Divine Principles there must be a godly disposition carrying us to godly Truths That Godlinesse includes the Truths themselves I need goe no further then the connexion In the last words of the former Verse The Church is the Pillar and ground of Truth and then it followes Without controversie great is the Mysterie he doth not say of Truth but of Godlinesse in stead of Truth he sayth Godlinesse The same word implyes the Truths themselves and the affection and disposition of the soule toward them Truths to shew that both must alway goe together Wheresoever Christian Truth is knowne as it should be there is a supernaturall Light it is not onely a godly Truth in it selfe but it is embraced with godly affections These blessed Truths of the Gospel they require and breed a godly disposition the end of them is godlinesse they frame the soule to godlinesse Thus we see the Truths themselves are godlinesse carrying us to God and holinesse that I need not much stand on But that there must be an affection answerable and that this Truth breeds this is a little to be considered Why is Religion it selfe called Faith and the grace in the soule also called Faith To shew that Faith that is the Truth revealed as we say the Apostles Faith it breeds Faith and must be apprehended by Faith therefore one word includes both the object the thing beleeved and likewise the disposition of the soule to that object So here godlinesse is the thing it selfe the Principles of Religion and likewise the disposition of the soule that those Truths worke where they are entertained as they should be Hence followes these other Truths briefely First of all that no Truth breeds godlinesse and pietie of life but Divine Truths for that is called godlinesse because it breeds godlinesse all the devices of men in the world cannot breed godlinesse all is superstition and not godlinesse that is not bred by a Divine Truth Againe hence in that Divine Truth is called Godlinesse it shewes us if we would be godly we must be so from reasons of Christianitie not as I said by framing devices of our owne as gracelesse foolish men doe as we see in Poperie it is full of Ceremonies of their owne devising but if we will be godly it must be by reasons and motives from Divine Truth that breeds godlinesse It is but a bastard godlinesse a bastard Religion that is from a good intention without a good ground therefore the word implyes both the Tenent the Doctrine and the frame of Soule answerable to that Doctrine Good Principles without an impression of it on the soule is nothing it 〈◊〉 but helpe us to be damned and godlinesse without a frame of doctrine is nothing but superstition godlinesse in doctrine frames the soule to godlinesse in conversation There are many that out of a naturall superstition which is alway accompanied with a poysonfull malicious disposition against the Truth of God they will have devices of their owne and those they will force with all their power but if we will be godly it must be from reasons fetched from Divine Truth Againe hence we may fetch a rule of discerning when we are godly what makes a true Christian When he nakedly beleeves the grounds of Divine Truth the Articles of the Faith when he can patter them over doth that make a true Christian No but when these Truths breed and worke godlinesse for Religion is a Truth according to godlinesse not according to speculation onely and notion Wheresoever these fundamentall Truths are embraced there is godlinesse with them a man cannot embrace Religion in truth but he must be godly A man knowes no more of Christ and divine things then he values and esteemes and affects and brings the whole inward man into a frame to be like the things if these things worke not godlinesse a man hath but a humane knowledge of divine things if they carry not the Soule to trust in God to hope in God to feare God to embrace him to obey him that man is not yet a true Christian for Christianitie is not a naked knowledge of the Truth but Godlinesse Religious Evangelicall Truth is Wisedome and Wisedome is a knowledge of things directing to practise A man is a wise man when he knowes so as to practise what he knowes the Gospel is a Divine Wisedome teaching practise as well as knowledge it workes godlinesse or else a man hath but a humane knowledge of divine things Therefore he that is godly he beleeves aright and practiseth aright he that beleeves ill can never live well for he hath no foundation he makes an Idoll
we looke forward it is a sight as it were in a Mysterie even that little that we doe know wee doe not know it as we shall know it in Heaven But is the Doctrine of the Gospel it selfe onely a Mysterie No All the Graces are Mysteries every Grace Let a man once know it and hee shall find that there is a Mysterie in Faith that the earthly soule of man should be carryed above it selfe to beleeve supernaturall Truths and to depend upon that he sees not to sway the life by reasons spirituall That the heart of man should beleeve that a man in trouble should carry himselfe quietly and patiently from supernaturall supports and grounds it is a Mysterie That a man should be as a Rocke in the middest of a storme to stand unmoveable it is a Mysterie That the carriage of the soule should be turned universally another way that the judgement and affections should be turned backward as it were that hee that was proud before should now be humble that hee that was ambitious before should now despise the vaine World that hee that was given to his lusts and vanities before should now on the contrary be serious and heavenly minded here is a Mysterie indeed when all is turned backward Therefore wee see how Nicodemus as wise as hee was it was a Riddle to him when our blessed Saviour spake to him of the New-Birth that a man should be wholly changed and new-molded that a man should be the same and not the same the same man for soule and body yet not the same in regard of a supernaturall life and being put into him carrying him another way leading him in another manner by other rules and respects as much different from other men as a man differs from a beast A strange Mysterie that rayseth a man above other men as much as another man is above other creatures For a man to be content with his condition in all changes and varieties when he is cast and tossed up and downe in the world to have a mind unmoveable it is a Mysterie Therefore S. Paul saith Philip 4. I have entred into Religion as it were I have consecrated my selfe the word is wondrous significant I have learned this Mysterie to be content It is a Mysterie for a man to be tossed up and downe and yet to have a contented mind I can want and I can abound I can doe all through Christ that strengtheneth me Why I have consecrate my selfe to Christ and Religion and from them I have learned this point to be content Therefore in the Text here as we shall see afterwards not onely Divine Truths are a Mysterie Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse but he insists in particular Graces Preached to the Gentiles Beleeved on in the World these are Mysteries In Christ all is Mysteries two natures God and man in one person mortall and immortall greatnesse and basenesse infinitenesse and finitenesse in one person The Church it selfe is a mysticall thing For under basenesse under the scorne of the world what is hid A glorious people The state of the Church in this world it is like a Tree that is weather-beaten the leaves and fruit are gone but there is life in the root So what is the Church A companie of men that are in the world without glory without comelinesse and beautie yet notwithstanding they have life in the root a hidden life Our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. The Church hath a life but it is a hidden mysticall life a life under death they seeme to die to the world but they are alive This is excellently and rhetorically followed by S. Paul As dying and yet we live as poore yet making many rich A strange kind of people poore and rich living and dying glorious and base yet this is the state of the Church here in this world they are an excellent people but they are veiled under infirmities of their owne and the disgraces and persecutions of the world So we see both the Doctrine it selfe and the Graces and the Head of the Church and the Church it selfe are nothing but Mysteries Is it so that Religion is a Mysterie Then first of all doe not wonder that it is not knowne in the world and that it is not onely not knowne but persecuted and hated Alas it is a hidden thing men know not the excellencie of it As great mens sonnes in a forraine Countrey they find not entertainment answerable to their worth but as they are apprehended to be by strangers so these Divine Truths they find little acceptance in the world because they are mysteries not onely Mysteries in the Tenent but in the practise therefore the practise finds such opposition in the world Father forgive them saith our blessed Saviour they know not what they doe The world knowes not what they doe when they hate and persecute Religion and religious persons The Church is a mysticall thing and Religion is a Mysterie it is hid from them Shall we be mooved with the disgracefull speeches of carnall men They speake they know not what the thing they speake against is a Mysterie Therefore what should we regard the speeches of the world or follow the example of the world in embracing Religion Religion is a Mysterie Let the world be never so great it is not the knowledge of great men or of rich men it is the knowledge of godly men it is a Mysterie of Godlinesse Shall we follow the example of the world in Religion when it is a Mysterie and a Mysterie of Godlinesse that onely godly men know and embrace Looke not therefore to the greatnesse of place or parts c. it is a Mysterie Againe if it be a Mysterie then it should teach us to carry our selves sutable to it Nature taught even the Heathens to carry themselves reverently in their Mysteries procul este profani away be gone all prophane Let us carry our selves therefore reverently toward the Truth of God towards all Truths though they be never so contrarie to our reason they are Mysteries altogether above Nature There are some seeds of the Law in Nature but there are no seeds in Nature of the Gospel therfore we should come to it with a great deale of reverence S. Paul teacheth us an excellent Lesson Rom. 11. When he entred into a depth that he could not fathome doth he cavill at it No Oh the depth Oh the depth So in all the Truths of God when we cannot comprehend them let us with silence reverence them and say with him Oh the depth Divine things are Mysteries the Sacraments are Mysteries let us carry our selves towards them with reverence What is the reason that there is one word in the Greeke and in other Languages to signifie both common and prophane Because those that come with common affections and common carriage to holy things they prophane them
onely and strong wits and such Learning as those darke times afforded to speake of Grace of the Gospel of justification they spake of it and distinguished in a meere metaphysicall and carnall manner therefore they brought onely humane Learning they were furnished with Plato and other naturall Learning and with these they thought to breake through all the Mysteries in Religion Wee must not struggle with the difficulties of Religion with naturall parts It is a Mysterie now therefore it must have a double veile tooke off a veile from the thing and the veile from our eyes It is a Mysterie in regard of the things themselves and in regard of us It is not sufficient that the things be lightsome that are now revealed by the Gospel but there must be that taken from our hearts that hinders our sight The Sunne is a most glorious creature the most visible object of the world what is that to a blind man that hath skales on his eyes So Divine Truth is glorious it is Light in it selfe but there are skales on the eyes of the soule there is a filme that must be taken off there is a veile over the heart as S. Paul saith of the Iewes therefore they could not see the scope of Moses directing all to Christ naturally there is a veile over mens hearts and that is the reason that though they have never so many parts and the things be light in themselves yet they cannot see Therefore I say the veile must be taken both from the things and from our hearts that Light being shed into lightsome hearts both may close together Againe being a Mysterie it cannot be raysed out of the Principles of Nature it cannot be raysed from Reasons But hath Reason no use then in the Gospel Yes sanctified Reason hath to draw sanctified conclusions from sanctified Principles thus faâ—re Reason is of use in these Mysteries to shew that they are not opposite to Reason they are above Reason but they are not contrarie to it even as the light of the Sunne it is above the light of a Candle but it is not contrarie to it The same thing may be both the object of Faith and of Reason The immortalitie of the soule it is a matter of Faith and it is well proved by the Heathen by the light of Reason And it is a delightfull thing to the soule in things that Reason can conceive of to have a double Light for the more Light the more comfort to have both the Light of Nature and the Light of Grace and of Gods Spirit That which Reason should do here is to stoop to Faith in things that are altogether above Reason as to conceive Christ in the Wombe of a Virgin the joyning of two Natures in one the Trinitie of Persons in one Divine Nature and such like Here it is the greatest reason to yield reason to Faith Faith is the reason of Reason in these things and the greatest reason is to yeeld to God that hath revealed them Is not here the greatest reason in the world to beleeve him that is Truth it selfe Hee hath sayd it therefore Reason it selfe sayth it is the greatest reason to yeeld to God who is Truth it selfe therefore Faith stands with the greatest reason that can be For things have a greater being in Gods Word then in themselves and Faith is above Reason therefore it is the reason of reasons to beleeve when we have things revealed in the Word that is one use of Reason in Mysteries to stop the mouthes of gaine-sayers by Reason to shew that it is no unreasonable thing to beleeve Againe seeing it is a Mysterie let no man despaire It is not the pregnancy of the Scholar here that carryes it away it is the excellencie of the Teacher if Gods Spirit be the Teacher it is no matter how dull the Scholar is it is a Mysterie Pride in great parts is a greater hinderance then simplicity in meaner parts Therefore Christ in Mat. 11. he glorifies God that hee had revealed these things to the simple and concealed them from the proud Let no man despaire for the Statutes of God give understanding to the simple as the Psalmist sayth God is such an excellent mighty Teacher that where he finds no wit he can cause wit He hath a priviledge above other Teachers hee doth not onely teach the thing but he gives wit and understanding It is a Mysterie therefore as none should be so proud as to thinke to breake thorow it with wit and parts so let none despaire considering that God can rayse shallow and weak wits to apprehend this great Mysterie It is a Mysterie therefore take heed of slighting of Divine Truths The emptie shallow heads of the world make great matters of trifles and stand amazed at baubles and vanities and thinke it a grace to slight divine things this great Mysterie of godlinesse they despise that which the Angels themselves stand in wonderment at and are students in that the wits of the world they slight and despise or dally withall as if it were a matter not worth reckoning but I leave such to reformation or to Gods just judgement that hath given them up to such extremitie of madnesse and folly Let us labour to set a high price on the Mysteries of godlinesse How shall wee come to know this Mysterie as wee should and to carry our selves answerable We must desire God to open our eyes that as the Light hath shined as the Apostle faith Tit. 2. the Grace of God hath shined as there is a lightsomenesse in the Mysteries so there may be in our eye There is a double Light required to all things in nature the lightsomnesse in the Medium and in the sight so here though the Mysteries be now revealed by Preaching and Bookes and other helpes yet to see this Mysterie and make a right use of it there is required a spirituall Light to joyne with this outward Light And hence comes a necessitie of depending upon Gods Spirit in conversing in this Mysterie There must be an using of all helpes and meanes or else we tempt God wee must reade and heare and above all we must pray as you see David in Psal. 119. Open mine eyes Lord that I may see wonders in thy Law There are wonders in thy Law but my eyes must be opened to see them He had sight before but he desires still a further and clearer sight and as the poore man in the Gospel that cryed after Christ when he was asked What wouldest thou have Lord that mine eyes might be opened So should every one of us considering it is such a ravishing Mysterie crye after God and Christ Lord that my eyes might be opened that I may see wonders in thy Law that I may see the wonders in thy Gospel the unsearchable riches of Christ. Therefore it is that S. Paul in Ephes.
in this place Preaching goes before Beleeving Therfore the Gospel unfolded is called the Word of Faith because it begets Faith God by it works Faith and it is called the Ministerie of Reconciliation because God by it publisheth recoÌ„ciliation As preaching goes before beleeving so it is the blessed instrument by reason of the Spirit accompanying of it to worke Faith In the Ministerie of the Gospel there is not only an unfolding of the excellent things of Christ but there is grace given by the Spirit to beleeve And herein this publication proclamation differs from all other publications in the world men may publish proclayme what they would have but they cannot give hearts to beleeve it but in the blessed promulgation and publishing of Divine Truths there is the Spirit of God accompanying it to work what it publisheth it opens the Riches of Christ and offers Christ and Christ is given to the heart with it it publisheth what is to be beleeved and known and it alters our courses together with it there goes a power the Spirit cloathing the Ordinance of Preaching to doe all Therefore it is called the Ministery of the Spirit why because what is published in the preaching of the Word to those that belong to God it hath the Spirit to convey it to the soules of Gods people Therefore he sayth here first preached and then beleeved Therefore those that are enemies to this Ordinance of God they are enemies of the Faith of Gods people and by consequent enemies of the salvation of Gods people But the more the proud and haughty Atheisticall heart of man riseth against it the more we should thinke there is some divine thing in it it must needs be excellent because the proud heart of man stomacks it so much we see here it is the meanes to worke Faith Therefore as we esteeme Faith and all the good we have by it let us be stirred up highly to prize aâ—d esteeme of this Ordinance of God So much for the coherence or connexion Preached to the Gentiles and then Beleeved on in the World For the word themselves we see here first that Christ as he must be unfolded in preaching so he must be beleeved on Because the dispensation Ministeriall is not enough unlesse there be an applying grace in the heart and that is a spirit of Faith whose propertie is to make peculiar that that is offered There is a vertue of application in this grace of Faith where there is a giving there must be a receiving or else the gift is uneffectuall Christ is the Garment of the Soule he is the foundation and food c. As I said before he is our Husband we must give our consent beleeving is a spirituall marriage in marriage there must be a consent this consent is Faith that makes up the Bond betweene Christ and the beleeving soule Therefore of necessitie there must be Faith all else without beleeving in Christ is nothing Faith is the meanes of making Christ our owne and no other thing whatsoever The Papists have ridiculous meanes that they understand not themselves nor any body else they make the Sacrifice of the Masse a meanes to apply Christ and other courses but the Ministeriall meanes to apply Christ is the preaching of the Gospel and Faith that is wrought by the Ministerie of the Gospel and there is no other way of application by the Masse or any such thing Christ without Faith doth us no good in Heb. 4. The Word that they heard did not profit them because it was not mingled with Faith The Word of God the Gospel it is the power of God to salvation but it is to all that beleeve whatsoâ—ever good Christ doth to us he doth it by Faith It is a rule in Divinitie and it is to purpose in the deciding some controversies that a spirituall benefit not knowne and applyed is a nullitie because God intends all whatsoever we have to be opened to us and applyed that he might have the glory and we the comfort We see the excellencie and necessarie use of this Grace of Faith How is Christ to be beleeved on We must rest upon no other thing either in our selves or out of our selves but Christ onely In Poperie they have many other things to rest on their Faith being corrupt all their obedience likewise is corrupt that springs from it They dishonor Christ to joyne any thing in the world with him The Apostle is wondrous zealous in this to have nothing joyned with Christ as in Galat. 5. If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing onely Christ must be beleeved on in matter of salvation And whole Christ must be received beleeving is nothing but a taking or receiving of Christ as a Lord and as a Saviour as a Priest to redeeme us by his blood and Christ as a King to governe us we must take whole Christ. Wâ— see what manner of Faith is in most men that snatch out of Christ what they lift to serve their owne turne as he dyed for their sinnes so they are glad of him but as he is a Lord and King to rule and governe them so they will have none of him but turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But Christ as we must rest and rely on him onely so we must receive him and beleeve on him wholly Now Faith lookes upon Christ as the maine object of it as it justifieth the same Faith it looks upon the whole Word of God as a Divine Truth revealed but for the maine worke of it it looks upon Christ Christ is the Jewel that this Ring of Faith doth inclose and as the Ring hath the value from the Jewell so hath Faith from Christ. In the maine point of justification and comfort Faith layes hold upon Christ for mercie for the distressed afflicted soule it looks first of all to comfort and peace and reconciliation therefore it lookes first to him that wrought it that is Christ. Now the same Faith that doth this it beleeves all Divine Truths the Threatnings and Precepts c. Faith chuseth not its object to beleeve what it lists but it carryes the soule to all Divine Truths revealed but when we speake of justifying Faith then Christ and the Promises and the mercy of God in Christ is the first thing that the soule lookes unto Christ is the first object of Faith before any benefit or gift that we have from him first we must receive Christ before we have any grace or favour or strength from him And a sanctified soule lookes first to Christ to the love of Christ to the person of Christ and then to his goods and riches As one that is marryed she regards first the person of her Husband and then lookes to the enjoyment of his goods and inheritance and Nobilities or else it is no better then a Harlots love So Faith lookes to the person first it knits
the radicall grace in a Christians soule is this beleeving this trusting in God reconciled in Christ this relying upon Christ a convincing perswasion that God and Christ are mine this is the radicall grace of all other let us water and cherish this by all meanes whatsover And to this end let us labour to encrease in knowledge I know whom I have beleeved sayth the Apostle for all grace comes into the soule by the light of knowledge whatsoever is good is conveyed by light into the heart Faith especially is the bent of the will to Christ receiving him but this comes by a supernaturall light discovering Christ. Therefore let us desire to heare much of Christ of his Priviledges and Promises the more of Christ we know the more we shall beleeve and say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved It is a fond and wicked Tenent of the Papists to say That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion and Bellarmines Tenent is That Faith is better defined by Ignorance then by any thing else a fond and unlearned conceit For how soever the reason and depth of the things of Faith cannot be searched yet we may know the things that are revealed in the Scriptures The more I know the things that are revealed concerning Christ and know that they are Gods Truths the more I know the more I shall beleeve Faith of necessity requires knowledge therefore knowledge is put for all other graces This is eternall life to know thee and whom thou hast sent because it is an ingredient in all graces it is a maine ingredient in Faith the more we know the more we shall beleeve They that know thy Name will trust in thee It is not so in mens matters the more we know a man to be able and loving and faithfull of his word the more we shall trust him Is it not so in divine things the more we know of Christ and of his Riches and Truth the more experimentall knowledge we have of him that we find him to be so the more we shall trust him Therefore by the knowledge that is gotten by the meanes let us labour for an experimentall knowledge that so we may trust and beleeve in him more and more Let us looke to the passages of our lives in former times how gracious God hath been towards us and take in trust the time to come that he will be so to the end He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith And let us search into the depth of our owne wants and weaknesses and this will force us to grow in Faith more and more this will be a meanes to encrease our Faith the more we see of our owne nothingnesse and inabilitie without Christ that we are nothing nay that we are miserable without him the more we shall cleave to him and cast our selves upon him Those that have the deepest apprehensions of their owne wants and weakenesse usually they have the deepest apprehensions of Christ and grow more and more rooted in him The searching of our owne corruptions every day is a notable meanes to grow in Faith to consider what we are if it were not for Gods mercy in Christ and this will make us to make out of our selves to Christ it will make us flye to the Citie of Refuge Ioab when he was pursued he fled to the Hornes of the Altar when conscience pursues us it will make us flye to the Hornes of the Altar to the Citie of Refuge a search into our owne conscience and wayes will force us to live by Faith and to exercise Faith every day in Christ Iesus And this is to feed on Christ daily to flye to Christ when we are stung with sinne and hunger in the want of grace and strength to flye to him for supply and so to keepe and encrease Faith by this excellent meanes Christ is all in all to those that hope to be saved by him Christ is the ground of our life and comfort and our happinesse Therefore we should make out to him upon all occasions to cleave to him in life and death We cannot presse this point of Faith too much Why are Christians called beleevers because beleeving is all if we can prove the Truth of our Faith and beleefe we prove all if we be faulty in that all is rotten Whatsoever is without faith is sinne All mens naturall morality and civility it is as it were but Copper graces but counterfeits they are but for the outwarp appearance and not in truth they are not enlivened and quickned by Faith in Christ. But I leave this and come to the last Clause Received up in glory This is the last Branch of this Divine Mysterie of Godlinesse but it is none of the least Christ ascended if we respect himselfe he was received if we looke to his Father himselfe ascended his Father received him the Scripture hath both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he ascended up that is for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was received up that is he was assumpted there is no difficulty in the words he ascendâ—d up as well as he was received up positively as well as passively In his death he was â—ot onely crucified by others and delivered by his Father but he gave himselfe to death so he was not onely received up in glory but he ascended up into glory This shewes the exaltation of Christ. The Apostle begins with God manifest in the flesh there is the descent a great Mysterie for the great God to descend into the Wombe of a Vigin to descend to the lowest parts of the Earth and then he ends with this Received up in Glory The ascent is from whence the descent was Christ ascended and was received as high as the place was whence he came downe God manifest in the flesh that is the beginning of all Received up in Glory that is the consumutation and shutting up of all It implyes all his Exaltation his Resurrection his Ascension his sitting at the right hand of God and his comming to judge the quick and the dead especially is meant his Glory after his Resurrection his Ascension and sitting at the right hand of God yet supposing his Resurrection Received up to Glory Glory implyes three things It is an exemption from that which is opposite and a conquering over the contrarie base condition It implyes some great eminencie and excellencie as the foundation of it and then a manifestation of that excellencie and it implyes victorie over all opposition Though there be excellency if there be not a manifestation of that excellencie it is not glory Christ was inwardly glorious while he was on Earth in the state of abasement he had true glory as he was God and man but there was not a manifestation of it and therefore it is not properly called glory there was not a victorie and subduing of all that was contrarie to his glory for he was abased and suffered in the Garden and
of some conceit he hath besides the Word and he that lives ill though he beleeve well shall be damned too Therefore a Christian hath godly Principles out of the Gospel and a godly carriage sutable to those Principles And indeed there is a force in the Principles of Godlinesse from Gods love in Christ to stirre up to godlinesse the Soule that apprehends Gods Truth aright cannot but be godly Can a man know Gods love in Christ incarnate and Christs suffering for us and his sitting at the right hand of God for us the infinite love of God in Christ and not be carryed in affection backe to God againe in love and joy and true affiance and whatsoever makes up the respect of godlinesse It cannot be Therefore it is not a cold naked apprehension but a spirituall knowledge when the Soule is stirred up to a sutable disposition and carriage that makes godlinesse Now this godlinesse is A Mysterie What is a Mysterie The word signifies a hidden thing it comes of Muin which is to shut or stop the mouth from divulging As they had their Mysteries among the Heathen in their Temples which they must not discover therefore there was an Image before the Temple with his finger before his mouth shewing that they must be silent in the discoverie of hidden Mysteries Indeed the Mysteries of the Heathens were so shamefull that they did well to forbid the discoverie of them but I speake onely to unfold the nature of the word which is to shut or keepe secret A Mysterie is a secret not onely for the present but that it was a secret though it be now revealed for the Gospel is now discovered It is called a Mysterie not so much that it is secret but that it was so before it was revealed In the second place that is called a Mysterie in the Scripture which howsoever it be cleare for the manifestation of it yet the reasons of it are hid As the conversion of the Gentiles that there should be such a thing why God should be so mercifull to them it is called a Mysterie So the calling of the Iewes it is called a Mysterie though the thing be revealed yet that God should be so wondrous mercifull to them that is a Mysterie When there is any great reason that wee cannot search into the depth of the thing though the thing is selfe be disoovered that is a Mysterie as the conversion both of Iewes and Gentiles In the third place a Mysterie in Scripture is taken for that that is a Truth hid and is conveyed by some outward thing Marriage is a Mysterie because it conveyes the hidden spirituall Marriage betweene Christ and his Church The Sacraments are Mysteries because in the one under Bread and Wine there is conveyed to us the benefits of Christs body broken and his bloud shed and in the other under Water a visible outward thing there is signified the bloud of Christ. In a word to cut off that which is not pertinent Mysterie in Scripture is either the generall body of Religion or the particular branches of it The generall body of Religion is called a Mysterie in this place the whole Christian Religion is nothing but a continued Mysterie a continuation of Mysteries a chayning together of Mysterie upon Mysterie And then the particular branches are called Mysteries as I said before The conversion of the Iewes and likewise of the Gentiles before it was accomplished it was a Mysterie so the union betweene Christ and the Church is a great Mysterie Ephes. 5. but the whole Gospel is here meant as Christ saith Marke 4. The Mysteries of the Kingdome of God that is the description of the Gospel What is the Gospell The Mysterie of Gods Kingdome of Christs Kingdome a Mysterie discovering how Christ reignes in his Church and a Mysterie of bringing us to that heavenly Kingdome So then the whole Evangelicall Truth is a Mysterie For these Reasons First of all because it was hid and concealed from all men till God brought it out of his owne bosome first to Adam in Paradise after the fall and still more clearely afterwards to the Iewes and in Christs time more fully to Iewes and Gentiles It was hid in the brest of God it was not a thing framed by Angels or men After man was fallen to that cursed state this Plot of saving man by Christ came not into the head of any creature to satisfie justice by infinite mercie to send Christ to die that justice might be no loser it could come from no other brest but Gods it must be a Divine heavenly Wisedome Therefore it was a Plot devised by the blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost it was hid in the secret Closet of Gods brest Christ brought it out of the bosome of his Father No man hath seene God at any time Christ the onely begotten Sonne in the bosome of the Father he discovers the Father and his meaning to mankind Who ever could have thought of such a depth of mercy unto fallen man when God promised the blessed Seed Gen. 3. if God himselfe had not discovered it Therefore this reconciling of justice and mercy it is a Mysterie of heavenly wisedome that the creature could never thinke of as it is excellently set downe 1 Cor. 2. through the whole Chapter Againe it is a Mysterie because when it was revealed it was revealed but to few it was revealed at the first but to the Iewes God is knowne in Iewry c. it was wrapped in ceremonies and types and in generall promises to them it was quite hid from most part of the world Againe when Christ came and it was discovered to the Gentiles yet it is a Mysterie even in the Church to carnall men that heare the Gospel and yet doe not understand it that have the veile over their hearts it is hid to them that perish though it be never so open of it selfe to those that beleeve In the fourth place it is a Mysterie because though we see some part and parcell of it yet wee see not the whole Gospel we see not all nor wholly We see but in part and know but in part so it is a Mysterie in regard of the full accomplishment Yea and in the next place it is a Mysterie in regard of what we doe not now but shall hereafter know How doe we know Divine Truths now In the Mirror of the Word and Sacraments we know not Christ by sight that manner of knowledge is reserved for Heaven so here wee know as it were in a kind of Mysterie wee see divine things wrapped up in the Mirror of the Word and the Mysteries of the Sacraments Indeed this comparatively to the Iewish Church is to see the face of God in Christ a cleare sight but compared to that we shall have it is to see in a Glasse or Mirror if we looke backe it is a cleare sight if
love with this disposition the Angels joy at the conversion of others shall that be our heart-smart and griefe that is the joy of Angels Shall we despise the worke of regeneration and the image of God in another Shall it be the joy of Angels and shall it be our sorrow the welfare and thriving of others spiritually or outwardly Shall we out of disdaine and envie think our selves too good to doe any thing when it is the delight of Angels The Angels are described with wings to flye in Isai 6. to shew their delight in their attendance and wings to cover their faces and their feet to shew their adoration and reverence of God the nearer they come to God the more reverence so there is no Christian but like the Angels the nearer he comes to God the more he abaseth himselfe and adores God as Iob whâ—n he came nearer to God then he was before I abhorre my selfe saith he in dust and ashes when God came to talke with him the Angels the nearer they come to God the more reverence they shew the more they cover their faces in his presence And with the other wings they fly and doe their duty to shew their expedition in their service to Christ and his Church they doe readily what they doe let us imitate the Angels in this The Angels have a double office a superior office and an inferior the superior office they have is to attend upon God to serve God and Christ to minister to our head the inferior office is to attend his Church and to conflict with the evill Angels that are about us continually It is good for us to know our prerogatives our priviledge and our strength not to make us proud but to stirre us up to thankfulnesse and to a holy carriage answerable it is a point not much thought on by the best of us all we forget it and betray our owne comfort Satan abuseth us to make us forget the dignity and strength that wee have hereby we dishonour God and wrong our selves and wrong the holy Angels for want of Faith and consideration of these things A Christian is a more excellent creature then he thinks of It is necessary oftimes to thinke what a great degree God hath raysed us to in Iesus Christ that we have this glorious attendance about us where ever we are oh it would move us as I said to comfort and to a reverent carriage and indeed when we carry our selves otherwise it is for want of minding and beleeving these things I have spoken something the more of it because we are subject to neglect this blessed truth therefore for the time to come let us take occasion to meditate oftner of this Sâ—ring of comfort then formerly wee have done Preached to the Gentiles Christ our blessed Saviour being the King of his Church it was not sufficient that he was manifested in the flesh and justifieth in the Spirit that is declared by his divine power to be God but he must have his Nobles to acknowledge this too Kings in their inaugurations not onely make good their owne title what they can themselves but they would have others to acknowledge it therefore it is said Christ was seene of Angels those noble and glorious Creatures But not onely the greatest of the Kingdome but likewise the meaner subjects must know their King there must be a Proclamation to them to know who is to rule over them Therefore Christ being a generall Catholike King there must be a publication and proclamation of Christ all the world over he must be preached to the Gentiles But yet that is not enough upon proclamation there must be homage of all those that he is proclaimed a King to therefore it followes Beleeved on in the world that is the world must stoupe and submit and give homage to Christ as the Savior of the world as the Mediator of mankind Thus we see how these things follow one upon another To come to the words Preached to the Gentiles beleeved on in the world These follow one another by a necessarie order for preaching goes before Faith Faith is the issue and fruit of preaching Christ is first preached to the Gentiles and then beleeved on in the world The points considerable are these First that there must be a dispensation of salvation wrought by Christ unto others It is not sufficient that salvation was wrought by Christ manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit but this salvation and redemption wrought it must be published and dispensed to others therefore he sayth Preached to the Gentiles And then this publication and preaching it must be of Christ Christ must be published to the Gentiles all is in Christ that is necessarie to be published Then the persons to whom To the Gentiles that is to all The Church is enlarged since the comming of Christ the Pales and bounds of the Church are enlarged And then the fruit of this Christ being thus dispensed to the Gentiles the world beleeves All preaching is for the obedience of Faith as S. Paul sayth Rom. 1. and Rom. 16. That the obedience of Faith may be yeelded to Christ. Preaching to the Gentiles is that he may be beleeved on in the world First of all There must be a dispensation of Christ. See the equity of this even from things among men It is not sufficient that Physicke be provided but there must be an application of it It is not sufficient that there is a Treasure but there must be a digging of it out It is not sufficient that there be a Candle or Light but there must be a holding out of the Light for the good and use of others It was not sufficient that there was a Brazen Serpent but the Brazen Serpent must be lifted up that the people might see it It is not sufficient that there is a Standard but the Standard must be set up It is not sufficient that there be a foundation but there must be a building upon the foundation It is not sufficient that there be a Garment but there must be a putting of it on It is not sufficient that there be a box of ointment but the box must be opened that the whole house may be filled with the smell It is not sufficient that there be tapestry and glorious hangings but there must be an unfolding of them therefore there must be a dispensation of the mysteries of Christ for though Christ be Physicke he must be applied though Christ be a garment he must be put on though he be a foundation we must build on him or else we have no good by him though he in his truth be a treasure yet he must be digged up in the ministery though he be a light he must be held forth though he be food there must be an application of necessitie therefore there must be a dispensation of the Gospell as well as redemption wrought by Christ preached to the Gentiles To unfold
to the Truth it selfe he would have men regard the things spoken not for the person that speaks them but for the excellencie of the things If some glorious creatures as the Angels should preach to us we should regard the excellencie of the Preachers more then the Truth it selfe we should beleeve the Truth for the Messengers sake And then God would knit man to man by bonds of love now there is a relation betweene Pastor and people by this ordinance of God And then it is more sutable to our condition we could not heare God speake or any more excellent creature God magnifies his power the more in blessing these weake meanes And it is more proportionable to our weakenesse to have men that speake out of experience from themselves that preach the Gospel that they have felt the comfort of themselves it works the more upon us Therefore those that first preached the Gospel they were such as had felt the sweetnesse of it themselves first S. Paul a great sinner out of the Church and S. Peter in the Church he fell after he was in the state of Grace that these great Apostles might shew to all people that there is no ground of despaire if we humble our selves if they be sinnes out of the Church if they be sinnes against the first Table as Paul he was a blasphemer or against the second he was a persecutor yet he found mercy notwithstanding and for this end he found mercy he sayth that he might teach the mercy of God to others that he might be an example of the mercy of God to others And so if we relapse and fall let none despaire Peter a great Teacher in the Church an Apostle see how foulely he fell Now when men subject to the same infirmities shall discover the mercie of God out of the Booke of God it workes the more upon us It is good for us to have a right esteeme of the Ordinances of God because the prophane heart of man doth thinke it a needlesse matter Some are ready to say Cannot I as well reade privatly at home Yes but the use of private Exercises with contempt of the publike they have a Curse upon them instead of a Blessing It is with such men as with those that gathered Mannah when they should not it stanke Hath God set up an Ordinance for nothing for us to despise Is not he wiser to know what is good for us better then we doe for our selves God accompanies his Ordinance with the presence of his blessed Spirit The Truth read at home hath an efficacy but the Truth unfolded hath more efficacy As we say of Milke warmed it is fitter for nourishment and the raine from Heaven hath a fatnesse with it and a speciall influence more then other standing waters so there is not that life and operation and blessing that accompanies other means that doth Preaching being the ordinarie meanes where it may be had I but this Ordinance of God Preaching it is only for the laying the foundation of a Church it is not for a Church when it is built then other helpes or Prayer and the like without this may suffice Those that have such conceits they make themselves wiser then the Spirit of God in S. Paul we see in Ephes. 4. Christ when he ascended on high he led captivitie captive he gave gifts to men some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists for the edifying and building up of the Church So that this Ordinance it is necessarie for building up still and for the knitting of the members of Christ together still Therefore that is a vaine excuse Oh but what need much lesse would fere he turne Thus people grow to contemne and despise this heavenly Mannah but those that are acquainted with their own infirmities they thinke it a happinesse to have plentie for naturally we are dull we are forgetfull we are unmindfull though we know we doe not remember and though we remember yet we doe not minde things we are naturally weake and therefore we need all spirituall supports and helpes that may be to keep the vessell of our soules in perpetuall good case the more we heare and know the fitter we are for doing and suffering our soules are fitter for communion with God for all passages both of life and death therefore we cannot have too much care this way Oh let us therefore chuse Maries part the better part that will never depart from us and take heed of prophane conceits in this kind it is to the prejudice of our soules We must know that whensoever God sets up an Ordinance he accompanies it with a speciall blessing And wee are not so much to consider men in it but consider the Ordinance which is his and being his there is a speciall blessing goes with the dispensation of the Word by the Ministerie Others object they know it well enough and therefore they need not to be taught The Word of God preached it is not altogether to teach us but the Spirit going with it to worke grace necessarie to strengthen us in the inward man And those that say they know it enough deceive themselves they know it not Religion is a Mysterie and can it be learned at the first There is no Mysterie but it requires many yeeres to learne if it be but a handy-craft men are six or seven yeeres learning it and is Religion and the Mysteries and depths of it learned so soone thinke we There is a Mysterie in every Grace in Repentance in Faith in Patience that no man knowes but those that have the Graces what belongs to those Graces Religion consists not in some parts and abilities to speake and conceive of these things and yet that is hardly learned being contrarie to our nature having no seedes of these things even the outside of Religion that is the preparative to the inward there is somewhat to doe to bring our hearts to these things But then Religion it selfe it is a deepe Mysterie it requires a great deale of learning Let us therefore set a price upon Gods Ordinance there must be this dispensation Christ must be preached Preaching is the Chariot that carryes Christ up and downe the world Christ doth not profit but as he is preached For supernaturall benefits if they be not discovered they are lost as we say of Jewels if they be not discovered what is the glory of them Therefore there must be a discoverie by Preaching which is the Ordinance of God for that end Whereupon God stirred up the Apostles before that were the maine converters of the world they had some Prerogatives above all other Preachers they had an immediate Calling extraordinarie Gifts and a generall Commission in them was established a Ministerie to the end of the world Christ when he ascended on high and led captivitie captive he would give no meane Gift then
preached that the Devill hath a kind of reigne and God is not honoured at all because the Devill is the Prince of darkenesse and rules in darknesse that is one cause Ignorance So likewise Unbeleefe when we heare and see and know the notion of mercy and of Christ and can dispute of these things like men that talke of that they never tasted of the Devils know all these things better then any man yet they doe not glorifie God because they doe not beleeve that these things pertaine to them men want a light sutable to the truth of the things themselves a man may see them with a naturall light or with the light of education or by bookes or the like but not in a spirituall and proper light he sees not spirituall heavenly things in a spirituall light and that is the reason hee beleeves them not these two vayles are the cause why we see not the light of God shining in the Gospell and why wee doe not glorifie him Light is a glorious creature it was the first creature it is not onely glorious in it selfe but it shewes the glory of all other things too if we had all the sights in the world presented to us if there were no light to discover them or no sight in our eyes if either be wanting all the glory of them would be lost So it is in the Gospell though there be wondrous admirable things there if we want either light or sight if the light shine round about us and the God of this world have blinded our eyes and infidelity have blinded us how can we glorifie God wanting a heavenly proper peculiar spirituall light sutable to the things for a naturall man by the light that he hath cannot judge of them these are the maine hindrances the vayle of ignorance and unbeleefe And on the contrary there is another hindrance that is too much light either want of light altogether or too much light when by the preaching of the word of God awaking our conscience and shewing our sinnes so enormous so transcendent so odious that we forget mercy in Christ and so dishonour Christ to set the sinnes of the creature above the infinite mercy of the Creator as those that doubt and from doubting proceed to despaire of the mercy of God seeing the vilenesse of their sinnes in the true colours of them and seeing and feeling Gods anger and wrath together with their sinnes in the conscience here is too much light one way and not looking to the other light this excellent glorious infinite light of Gods mercy shining in the Gospell they looke not on God in the face of Christ out of some stubbornesse and pride they flatter themselves they will not beleeve they will not receive the consolations due to them but dwell upon the consideration of their unworthinesse and sinnes and Satan holds them in that slavery and bondage This is a great hinderance of glorifying of God when we lift up our sinnes above the mercy of God in Iesus Christ this is to take away God and Christ altogether for if the mercy and rich and bountifull goodnesse of God wherein he will be infinitely glorious were not greater then our sinnes it were not the mercy and bounty of a God God should not be glorious in it be there are but few of these that miscarry God usually shines upon them at the last There are three rankes of men some are in the first prophane dead loose Christians that were never under the Law that never understood the corruption of nature nor themselves some are brought from that to understand themselves a little too much that are under the Law and feele the flashes of Gods wrath and some in the third place are brought from hence to be under grace that is the onely happy condition to be under the grace of God in Christ some men never come to the second step they never understand what sinne is and what the anger and wrath of God is they will give their conscience no leisure to tell them what their condition is there is hope of the second that they will come to the third rancke but for a company of prophane persons opposers of goodnesse to talke of the mercy of God in Christ they are not in the next steppe to it a man must be sensible of his sinnes and of his misery before he can have grace therefore for those that have too much light though it be a great fault in some and hinders God of much glory and themselves of much comfort out of this peevish stubbornesse of theirs yet there are not many of them and as I said few of them miscarry Now from these two vayles that hinder the glory of God there come other hindrances for the soule of man will wonder and admire at some-what it will have some-what in the eye of it hereupon not seeing or not beleeving the mercy and goodnesse and love of God and the excellent prerogatives of a Christian issuing from the goodnesse of God and the fruits of it they dote upon some worldly excellency either they are proud of their parts and so God is robbed of his honour or on creatures meaner then themselves for the base nature of man since the fall it dotes upon earth upon gold and silver meane and base things not to be compared to the excellency of man or else upon some duties they performe upon their owne workes as if God should be beholding to them for not knowing themselves well and the infinite glory of God in Christ that God must have all the glory not onely of happinesse but of grace that brings us to happinesse they glory in that they have done as in Popery they thinke they merit much by their performance In the night time a Torch seemes a goodly thing and sometimes rotten wood will shine but in the day time when the Sunne appeares the very starres shine not wee care not for meaner lights for what good doe they then so the soule when it wants a sight of the greatest excellency it dotes upon rotten wood upon every Torch light many vaine things seeme to be great a man may see by the dispositions of many what they admire and stand upon most their carryages shewes it well enough it argues a corrupt and weake judgement you see what are the mayne hindranceâ— Now the way to attaine to this glorious duty to glorifie God the next thing shall be to give some directions because it is a most necessary duty is it not that we pray for in the Lords prayer Hallowed be thy name and what is the end that we were created and redeemed for but that God may have some glory by us therefore being a necessary absolute duty let us hearken to some directions that may helpe us that way First therefore if we would glorifie God we must redeeme some time to think of these things and bestow the strength of our thoughts this way
Motive to get into Christ. Angels our enemies out of Christ. To carry our selves answerable to our condition Not to disdaine weake Christians Psal. 113. Angels description Angels office double Christ preached to the Gentiles Rom. 1. Rom. 16. Dispensation of Christ. To preach what Manifestation of Christs Offices Christs states 1 1 Humiliation 2 2 Exaltaâ—ion Necessitie of application in Preaching Preaching of the Law The Law wrapped in the Gospel Manner of publishing tâ—e Goâ—pel Vse To magnifie this dispensation God dispenseth the Gospel by men 1 1 To trie our obedience 2 2 To knit man to man 3 3 As fitting our condition Why sinners preach to sinners To have a right esteeme of Gods Ordinance Question Answer Private Exercise with contempt of publike cursed Simile Object Answer Ephes. 4. Vse of preaching Object Answer Necessitie of much preaching Object Answer Religion not easily learned Simile Christ profits not but as preached Priviledge of Apostles Ier 3. Experience of the benefit of Preaching Question Answer Christ the object of preaching Christ preached how Christ preâ—ched to the Gentiles What the Gentiles Coloss. 1. Act. 10. Object Act 14.16 Why the Gentiles strayed so long Rom. 1. Tully Tacitus Object A Mysterie in calling the Gentiles Answer Why the Gentiles were not called till Christs comming Ephes 2. Christ came both of Iewes and Gentiles Double Spring of the Gospel What use to make of the Gospel Severall degrees of the dispensation of salvation Ground of enlarging the Gospel to other people Sinnes against the Gospel 1 1 Superstition 2 2 Decay in love 3 3 Vnfruitfulnes Hinderances to the conversion of Pagan Gospel preached the excellencie of a Nation Christ beleeved on in the world Faith the marriage of the soule to Christ. Rom. 10. Ladder of Heaven Difference betweene Gods and mens proclamations Enemies to preached 〈…〉 to salvation Christ must be beleeved on Faith the grace of application Popish meanes of applying Christ ridiculous Heb. 4. Christ must be beleeved on 1 1 Onely Galat 5. 2 2 Wholly Christ the maine object of Faith Simile Faith lookes first on Christs person Christ chiefely to be preached and heard What meant here by world Against despaire Conversion of Savages Simile Of the Iewes Beleeving in Christ a Mysterie 1 1 In respect of the world 2 2 Those that carryed the message Aug. 3 3 In respect of the Truth they taught Aug. 4 4 In respect of the suddennesse 5 5 In respect of Christ. 6 6 In respect of Faâ—th Faith altogether above nature To have high conceits of Faith Ephes. 1.18 Redemption a greater worke then Creation 1 1 For Power 2 2 For mercie Faith put for all graces Heb. 11. Vnbeleefe the sinne of Adam Encouragements to beleeve are from Christ. Trials of Faith 1 1 How it is bred 2 2 By Conflict 3 3 By what it workes Rom. 1. 1 1 Peace 2 2 Altering the course Esteeme 4 4 Prevailing 5 5 By Love Galat. 5.6 Luke 7. To cherish Faith Bellarm. Ioh. 17.3 Psal. 9. Christ received up in Glory Glory what Ephes. 1.20 1 Pet. 3. Circumstances of Christs Ascension 1 1 The Place 2 2 The Time Ioh. 17.4 3 3 The Witnesses 4 4 His Chariot Christ received to glory a Mysterie In respect of the greatnesse of the glory Christ in glory applyes his Offices to us Iohn 7. 1 1 Christ ascended as a publike person 2 2 Neerenesse betweene Christ and his Church Christs glory a cause of ours Christs glory a patterne of ours 1 Cor. 25. Vse 1. Christ not bodily present in the Sacrament Similes Vse 2. Comfort 1 1 That we have glory by Christ. Ephes. 2. 2 2 In the houre of death 3 3 In our daily infirmities 4 4 In Want 5 5 In troubles Conformitie to Christ wherein it consists 6 6 In all disconsolations he pitties us Act. 9. Heb. 4.7 The Spirit supplyes Christs bodily absence 7 7 In regard of the Churches afflictions Simile Simile How Christ rules in afflictions Ier. 30.7 Micah 7. Christ for our sakes suspended his glory The Church afflicted why The same body that suffers shall be glorious Ground of patience in suffering Ground of courage in Christs cause Ground of encouragement to good duties Christs ascending to glory enforceth holinesse Ground of mortification Coloss. 3. Christs ascending to glory a ground of heavenly-mindednesse Coloss. 3.1 Simile Argument of infidelitie Iohn 17. Influence from Christ for this dutie Order of meditation of Christ. How to conceive of Christ in the Sacrament Conclusion Matth. 3. â—â—6 The Apparition glorious 1 1 In regard of the matter 2 2 Of the benefit Gen. 3.15 Christ revealed to all sorts Beames of Christs Divinity in his abasement Division of the words 1 1 The apparition God respects no callings The Angels appeare to them in their callings God appeares in the night of affliction These Angels called an Host. For number Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 Heb. 12.22 2 2 For Order August 3 3 For consent 4 4 For imployment 5 5 For strength Guard of Angels comfortable Why God useth the ministery of Angels Angels attend Christs birth why Coloss. 1.16 Angels apparition sudden 1 1 For our Example 2 2 For our comfort The end of this apparition in respect of men Mutuall comfort from Christians a worke Angelicall Angels attend upon the Church Heb. 12. 22. Heb. 1. 2 2 The celebration Ioy how to be imployed The pure nature of Angels without envie Esay 9.6 To imitate Angels herein Specially to praise God for our own good 1 1 The chiefe end 2 2 The chiefe good 3 3 The chiefe ground Why they wish glory to God in heaven How we may glorifie God on earth more then in heaven Glory what The glory of God our chiefe end and ayme Rom. 11. Incarnation of Christ the foundation of other benefits by him Wherein God will most of all shew his glory Gods Attributes in Christ. 2 Cor. 1. Truth Wisedome Iustice. Holinesse Mercy The glory of God in Redemption exceeds 1 1 The worke of Creation 2 2 The state of Adam in innocency Exod. 34.6 Wherein Gods glory appeared to Moses Tit. 2.12 Mercy in God answereth all objections in man Object Answer Object Object Answer Hosâ—â— 11. Application to the Sacrament God out of Christ terrible These Sermons were preached at the feast of Christs nativity How to celebrate Christs Nativitie Tertullian What use to make Christs of comming Repentance what Why Gods children were suffred to fall Greatest sins committed in the Church How to know whether we glorifie God 1 1 When we exalt him above all Especially in opposition Psal. 73. Philip. 1. 2 2 When we take all favours in Christ. 3 3 When we stir up others to glorifie God Psal. 103. 4 4 When our dispositions are altered by beholding Gods glory in Christ. 1. Cor. 3. Esay 66.5 When wee grieve at the hinderances
some of the Heathens had of divine things what reprobate and malicious judgements they had how basely they esteemed of the Iewes the Iewish Nation sayth Tully shew how God regards them in that she hath beene overcome so oft by Nebuchadnezzar and Pompey c. What a reasoning was this And that proud Historian Tacitus how scornfully doth he speake of Christians It is not to be imagined the pride that was in the Heathens against the Iewish Religion especially the Christian Religion how they scorned and persecuted it in the beginning of it So you see in the best of the Heathen men there was matter and ground of Gods just condemning of them therefore we need not quarrell with God against that But here is another Mysterie Why the Gentiles being all alike naught God should leave the better of the Gentiles and reveale Christ to the worst Were not Socrates and Plato and such like more goodly Moralists then the Corinths Ephesians What kind of people were the Corinthians A proud people Fornicator Idolaters as the Apostle sayth such were some of you here is a Mysterie It is Gods soveraigntie we must let God doe what he will he will be mercifull to whom he will be mercifull and he will neglect whom he will sayth Austin we must be very reverent in these matters it is most safe to commit all to God and usurpe no judgement here it is a Mysterie yet there is some satisfying reason may be given why the Gentiles were called when Christ came in the flesh and not before besides many Prophesies foretold that it should be so and some reason may be given why it was so Because they were to be incorporate to the Iewes to be fellow-Citizens with the Church of the Iewes they were to be of Gods Household as it is excellently and largely set down in Ephes. 2. Now Christ comming tooke downe the partition-â—all Christ is the Center in whom they meet in whom they are one therefore they met one with another when Christ came because he is the Saviour of both he is the Corner-stone wherupon both are built so that now they are fellow-Citizens since Christ came And you see in the Genealogie of Christ he came both of Iewes and Gentiles as we see in Ruth Divers of our Saviours Ancestors they were Gentiles as well as Iewes to shew that he that came of both he came to be the Saviour of both But it is the safest as I said before in these Quaere's to rest in the wise unsearchable dispensation of God and rather be thankfull that God hath reserved us to these times and places of knowledge then to aske why our fore-fathers did not know Christ. We enjoy a double Spring of the Gospel and the benefits of it First we were delivered from Heathenisme what kind of people were we in Iulius Caesars time barbarous people And after when Poperie came in God delivered us from that there was a second Spring Yet how few give God praise that hath had mercie on us Gentiles that hath delivered us from Gentilisme and from the darkenesse of Poperie but we grow wearie of Religion as they did of Manna Let us therefore make good use of it that God hath beene mercifull to us Gentiles in these later times And let us that are borne in the precincts of the Church helpe our faith in the time of temptation this way Certainely God meanes well to my soule I might have beene borne before in times of ignorance and places of ignorance and never have heard of Christ but I have beene baptized and admitted into the Church and by that there is an Obligation before I understood my selfe I was bound to beleeve in Christ God was so carefull of my soule when I understood nothing that there should be a Bond for me to beleeve in Christ if God had not meant well to my soule I should not have lived so much as to heare of the Gospell Thus we should gather upon God as the woman of Canaan did upon our Saviour Christ and fight against all distrust and unbeleefe and all temptations of Satan that present God as though he cared not for us there cannot be too much art and skill to helpe our Faith this way Againe the Gentiles have now interest in Christ since the comming of Christ and not before it is a Mysterie it were not a Mysterie if the Gentiles had had interest in Christ and beene within the Pale of the Church before There are severall degrees of the dispensation of salvation There is first the ordaining of salvation that was before all Worlds And then the Promise of salvation that was when Adam fell Then there is the procuring of salvation promised that was by Christ when he came in the flesh Then there is the promulgation and enlarging of salvation to all people this was after Christ was come in the flesh Then there is the perfect consummation of salvation in Heaven Now the execution of the Promise and the performance of all good concerning salvation it was reserved to Christs comming in the flesh and the enlargement of the Promise to all Nations was not till then I doe but touch this to shew that God hath had a speciall care of this latter Age of the World Some account the fiâ—st Age of the World to be a Golden Age the next Silver and then an Iron Age but indeed we may invert the order we live in the Golden Age the last Ages when Christ was manifested What is the glory of times and places The manifestation of Christ. The more Christ is layd open with his unsearcheable riches the more God glorifies those times and places and that is the Golden Age where the Gospel is preached Therfore we cannot be too much thankfull for that wondrous favour that we have enjoyed so long time together under the glorious Sun-shine of the Gospel Hence we have a ground likewise of enlarging the Gospel to all people because the Gentiles now have interest in Christ that Merchants and those that give themselves to Navigation they may with good successe carry the Gospel to all people There are none shut out now since Christ in this last Age of the World and certainely there is great hope of those Westerne people We see the Gospel hath imitated the course of the Sunne The Sunne of Righteousnesse hath shined like the Sun in the Firmament the Sunne begins East and goes to the West so the Gospel it began in the Easterne parts it hath left them they are under the Turkish barbarous tyrannie at this time the Gospel is now come to the Westerne parts of the World For Christ will take an holy state upon him and will not abide long where he is dis-esteemed where the Gospel is under-valued and blended with that which is prejudiciall to the sinceritie of it when there is little care had what men beleeve The state of the Gospel and
Truth is such that if it be mingled over-much with Heterogeneall stuffe it over-throwes it and Christ will not endure this indignitie Therefore let us take heed that we keepe Christ and his Truth with us exactly and let us take heed of sinning against the Gospel if we would have it stay with us especially of sinnes immediatly against the Gospel as for instance Take heed of joyning Superstition and Popish trash with it or the like that will cat out the very heart of the Gospel and sets up man in the place of Christ. Againe take heed of decaying in our first love We see God threatneth the Church of Ephesus for not cherishing and maintaining her first love that he would remoove not onely the Gospel but the Candlestick the Church it selfe for securitie in abundance and plentie and decay in her first love God threatneth that he will scatter the Candlestick the Church it selfe into forraine places Againe a sinne against the Gospel is unfruitfulnesse under it When men shall have the blessed influence of the Gospel the Soule-saving Truth the good Word to be long among them and to be as barren under it as if they were Pagans For the Gospel to have no more power over our soules then if we had no Gospel at all That there is no difference betweene us and Heathens in regard of our conversations To goe no further then they nay not so farre in honestie and justice and sobrietie Let us take heed of these and the like sinnes against the Gospel And I say it should be a ground of labouring the conversion of those that be Savages be they never so barbarous to labour to gaine them to Christ. There are indeed some hinderances there be Iannes and Iambres among them instruments of the Devil to keepe them in blindnesse and ignorance and then custome that they are bred in which prevailes most with the sorriest people for ignorant people that have their wits determined to one way they are so strong in it as they are not to be untaught as it is hard to teach a Beast because he is taught to goe one way for want of varietie of conceptions being void of reason now people by nature are little better then Beasts therefore they are so fixed and determined in that way they are brought up in and are so settled by the Devill and those Priests among them and by the tyrannie of those that have come among them the Spaniards c. that hath hindred their conversion much yet take them as bad as they can be God hath a time for them What were wee of this Nation sixteene hundred yeeres agone There is a fulnesse of the Gentiles to come in and certainely it is not yet come fully For it is probable nay more then probable that there are some people that never had the Gospel and the fulnesse of the Gentiles must come in before the other Mysterie of the calling of the Iewes I speake it to encourage those that have interest that way not to take violent courses with them There is nothing so voluntarie as Faith it must be wrought by perswasions not by violence and there is a ground of encouragement hence that since the comming of Christ there is a libertie for all Nations to come in Christ must be preached to the Gentiles To conclude this point let us consider that we are those Gentiles that have enjoyed this preaching of Christ and it is the glorie of our Nation it is not our strength or riches or any ornament above others that sets us forth so much as this that we have the Gospel preached among us that these blessed streames runne so plentifully every where among us Let us labour to value this inestimable benefit Where the Gospel is not preached there the places are Salt-pits despicable places whatsoever they are else as it is in Ezechiel they are under the Kingdome of Satan it is the glory of a Nation to have the Truth among them The glory of Israel was gone when the Arke was taken the Religion and Truth we enjoy it is our Arke our glory is gone if we part with that Therefore whatsoever God takes from us let us desire that he would still continue the Gospel of Truth that he would still vouchsafe to dwell among us and not leave us What were all things in the world besides if we had not the blessed Truth of God we must leave all ere long Therefore let us labour to have the eyes of our understanding enlightened to conceive aright of the difference of things and to value our selves by this that Christ is manifested to us and thereby we have interest in Christ more then by any interest and part and portion in the world besides for then Christ will delight to be with us still when we make much of him and esteeme and prize and value him Beleeved on in the world After preached to the Gentiles he joynes Beleeved on in the World to shew that Faith comes by hearing Indeed preaching is the Ordinance of God sanctified for the begetting of Faith for the opening of the understanding for the drawing of the wil and affections to Christ. Faith is the marriage of the Soule to Christ now in marriage there must not be a mistake and error in the person for then it is a kind of nullitie Now that the person to whom we are to be marryed by Faith may be knowne to us there is an Ordinance of Preaching set up to lay open our owne beggery and necessitie what we are without him and to open the Riches of our Husband the Nobility and Priviledges and whatsoever is glorious in Christ that the Church may know what a kind of Husband she is like to have In Rom. 10. you have the Scala-Coeli the Ladder of Heaven as a good old Martyr called it and we must not presume to alter the Staves of that Ladder How can they call upon him in whom they have not beâ—eeved and how shall they beleeve without a Preacher and how shall they preach unlesse they be sent Here is Preaching and Beleeving and then Prayer There are some that are bitter against this Ordinance of Preaching and advance aâ—other excellent Ordinance of Prayer to the disparagement of this if they would joyne them both together it were well You see what the Apostle sayth How shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved and how shall they beleeve without a Preacher without this Ordinance of Preaching Shewing that we cannot have the Spirit of Prayer without Faith nor Faith without Preaching And the Wise man saith He that turns his eare from hearing the Law under what pretence soever his prayer shall be abominable The prayers of such men that would crie downe this Ordinance how are they like to be accepted they are abominable We see here the Apostle sets them downe in this degree Hearing and Beleeving and Prayer and here