of all her children Let us justifie our Religion and profession by maintaining it and standing for it and expresse in our lives and conversations the power of it How shall this be The Text sayth by the Spirit For as Christ justified himselfe that is declared himselfe to be as he was by his Spirit so every Christian hath the Spirit of Christ or else he is none of his and by this Spirit of Christ he is able to justifie his profession not onely to justifie Christ to be the true Head c. but all things he doth must be done by the Spirit or not at all For as Christ when he became man and was in the World he did all by the direction of the Spirit He was led into the Wildernesse by the Spirit he taught by the Spirit the Spirit that sanctified him in the Wombe guided him in all his life so a Christian is guided by the Spirit God doth all to him by the Spirit he is comforted and directed and strengthned by the Spirit and he againe doth all to God by the Spirit he prayes in the Spirit and sighes and groanes to God in the Spirit he walkes in the Spirit he doth all by the Spirit Therefore by the Spirit let us justifie and declare our selves what we are that there is somewhat in us above nature that we have love above carnall men and patience and meekenesse above the abilitie and capacitie of other men We justifie our profession when we do somewhat more then nature or when we doe common ordinarie things in a spirituall holy manner Religion is not a matter of forme but of Spirit Let us not shew our Religion onely by word but by the fruits of the Spirit by love and mercie and meekenesse and zeale when occasion serves The whole life of a Christian as farre as he is a Christian it gives evidence that he is a Christian the whole life of a carnall formall man evidences that he is not a Christian because he hath nothing in him above other men as our Saviour Christ sayth What peculiar thing doe ye to distinguish your selves from other men So let us aske our selves We professe our selves to be the children of God the Heires of Heaven What peculiar thing doe we How doe we justifie our selves A true Christian can answer I can justifie it by the Spirit I finde I doe things from other Principles and motives and inducements then the World doth who onely respect tearmes of Civilitie and aymes of the World or to content the clamour of conscience but I finde I doe things out of assurance that I am the child of God and in obedience to him Let us see what peculiar thing we doe Alas I cannot but lament the poore profession of many How doe they justifie their profession How doe they make good that they have the Spirit of God raysing them above other men when they live no beâ—ter then Pagans nay not so well under the profession of the Gospel and Religion Would Pagans live as many men doe Did they not keepe their words better Were they so loose in their lives and conversations and so licentious Would they sweare by their gods idly Most of our ordinarie people are worse then Pagans Where is the justifying of Religion If Turks and Heathens should see them they would say You talke of Religion but where is the power of it If you had the power of it you would expresse it more in your fidelitie and honestie and mercie and love and sobrietie The Kingdome of God that is the manifestation of the Government of Christ it is not in word but in power Therefore let us labour to justifie that we are subjects of that Kingdome by the power of it Meere civill persons the Apostle sayth of them 2 Tim. 3. they are such as have a forme of Godlinesse but denie the power of it All that rabblement that he names there they have a forme A forme is easie but the power of it is not so easie Therefore let us justifie our Religion by our conversation Let us justifie the Ordinances of God the preaching and hearing of the Word of God by reverence in hearing it as the Word of God and labour to expresse it in our lives and conversations or else we thinke it nothing but the speech of man Let us justifie the Sacrament to be the Scale of God by comming reverently to it and by finding our Faith strengthened by it So labour to justifie everie Ordinance of God from some sweet comforts that wee feele by them and then we shew that wee are true members of CHRIST that we are like CHRIST who justified himselfe in the Spirit Beloved it is a great Power that must make a true Christian no lesse then the Power of the Spirit that raysed Christ from the dead as it is Ephes. 1. Saint Paul prayes that they might fâ—ele the Power that raysed Christ from the dead It is no lesse power for Christ to shine in our darke hearts then to make light to shine out of darknesse Now what power is in the lives of most men The power that raysed Christ from the dead Certainely no. What power is there in hearing the Word when many are so full of prophanenesse that they altogether neglect it What power is there now and then to speake a good word or now and then to doe a slight action Is this the power that raysed Christ from the dead when by the strength of nature men can doe it There must be somewhat above nature to justifie a sound spirituall Christian We must have something to shew that we have our spirits raysed up by the Spirit of Christ to justifie our profession in all estates In prosperitie to shew that we have a Spirit above prosperitie that we are not proud of it Then in adversitie then we justifie that we are Christians by a Spirit that is above adversitie that we doe not sinke under it as a meere naturall man would doe when we have learned Saint Pauls Lesson in all estates to be content In temptation we justifie our Christian profession by arming our selves with a Spirit of Faith to beat backe the fierie darts of Satan When all things seeme contrarie let us cast our selves by a Spirit of Faith upon Christ that argues a powerfull worke of the Spirit when we can in contraries beleeve contraries Thus let us shew that we are Christians that we have somewhat in us above nature that when the course of nature seemes to be contrary yet we can looke with the eye of Faith through all discouragements and clouds and can see God reconciled in Christ that will justifie us to be sound Christians Therefore let us labour not onely for slight outward performances that are easie for any to doe but by an inward frame of soule and by a carriage and conversation becomming our Profession that we may walke worthy of our Profession fruitfully
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
because as the things are great so they require a sutable carrage not a common carriage We prophane the Sacrament if we take the Bread and Wine as a common Feast as S. Paul saith You discerne not the Lords Body We prophane Mysteries when we discerne not Beasts and beast-like men discerne not the relation of things that these outward elements have reference to great matters to the Body and bloud of Christ they doe not discerne them from common Bread and Wine though they be used to rayse up our soules to the Bread of Life So likewise when we come to the Word of God and looke not to our feet but come to the Church as if we went to a Play or some common place without prayer without preparation when wee come with common affections this is to come prophanely Here we come to Mysteries to high things to great matters Therefore when wee come to converse with God we must not come with common affections wee must carry our selves holily in holy businesse or else we offer to God strange fire God was in this place sayth Iacob and I was not aware of it So when we come to heare the Word when we goe to pray when we receive the Sacrament God is herâ— and Mysteries are here and we are not aware of it It is a shame for us not to labour to bring sutable dispositions It is a matter of that consequent life or death depends upon it You know what S. Paul sayth 1 Cor. 11. For this very cause some are sick and some weake and some sleep some die Why For comming with common affection for not discerning the Lords Body for not examining our selves for not having answerable dispositions to the greatnesse of the Mysteries we goe about Let us not thinke it enough to come to the Sacrament and then to let the reines loose to all kind of vanitie the very Heathens would be ashamed of that It is the bane and blemish of Religion and such a thing for which wee may feare that God will give whole Christendome a purge I meane for our excesse There is a lawfull use of Feasting and comely Recreations but to come with unjustifiable Vanities that are not fit at any time when wee should honour God for the greatest Gift that ever was for the Incarnation of his Sonne to be more prophanely disposed then and to give our selves to more loose courses then at other times how can it but provoke the Justice of God especially it being common Amongst other things we may justly looke for the Vengeance of God for this not onely upon this or that place for it is the fault of Christendome Shall we carry our selves thus prophanely at these times when we should walke in a holy disposition Is this the way to be thankefull to God Let us labour to entertaine and embrace these Mysteries of the Gospel as wee should with a sutable carriage to them for the Gospel will no longer tarry then it hath sutable love and affections to the greatnesse of the thing The Gospel may leave us we know not how soone and goe to people that are as barbarous as we were before the Gospel came to us The Romans thought they had Victory tyed to them but we have not these Mysteries of the Gospel tyed to us If we labour not for an answerable carriage as God hath removed the Gospel from the Easterne Churches of Asia that are under the tyrannie of the Turks now so he may and we know not how soone take away these blessed and glorious Mysteries Let us reverence these Mysteries and blesse God for them and labour to expresse our thankfulnesse in our lives and conversations that God may delight to continue with us and continue his blessed Truth among us Doe but conceive in your owne selves what equity is it that Truths should be obtruded to men that care not for them That live under the mysteries of the Gospell with as much liberty to the flesh as if they had never heard of it that their lives are not better then Pagans perhaps worse When these things grow generall will God continue these Mysteries to us when there is such a disproportion of affection and carriage Judge of these things God should deale justly with us if he should leave us to the darknesse of Gentilisme and Poperie and confusion and carry the Gospel further West still to a people that never heard of it where it should have better entertainment then it hath had of us I beseech you let us labour to carry our selves answerable to this blessed and great Mysterie if wee would have it continued longer among us Againe are these things Mysteries great Mysteries Let us blesse God that hath revealed them to us for the glorious Gospel Oh how doth S. Paul in every Epistle stirre up people to be thankfull for revealing these Mysteries What cause have the Gentiles that were in the shaddow of death before to be thankfull to God What kind of Nation were we in Iulius Caesars time As barbarous as the West Indians the Canibals were as good as we We that were so before not onely to be civillized by the Gospel but to have the meanes of salvation discovered what cause have we to be enlarged to thankfulnesse And shall we shew our thankefulnesse in provoking his Majestie There is nothing in the world that is a ground of that thankfulnesse as the glorious Gospel that brings such glorious things as it doth Men are thankfull to men for teaching and discovering the Mysteries of their Trades and shall God discover the great Mysteries of the Gospell of Christ and shall not we be thankfull Are there not thousands that sit in darknesse The Romish Church is it not under the Mysterie of Iniquitie And that we should have the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel revealed to us that the Veile should be taken off and we should see the face of God in Christ what a matter of thankfulnesse is it to all gracious hearts that ever felt comfort by it Againe it is a Mysterie Therefore it should teach us likewise not to set upon the knowledge of it with any wits or parts of our owne to thinke to search into it meerely by strength of wit and study of Bookes and all humane helpes that can be it is a Mysterie and it must be unveiled by God himselfe by his Spirit If we set upon this Mysterie onely with wits and parts of our owne then what our wits cannot pierce into we will judge it not to be true as if our wits were the measure of Divine Truth so much as we conceive is true and so much as we cannot conceive is not true What a pride is this in flesh in wormes of the Earth that will make their owne apprehensions and conceits of things the measure of Divine Truth as Heretikes heretofore have done It was the fault of the Schoolemen in later times they would come with their Logick
beset of Devils then he triumphed when he was visibly overcome then invisibly he overcame he was an invisible Conqueror when he was visibly subdued For did he not on the Crosse satisfie the wrath of God and by enduring the wrath of God free us from it and from Satan Gods Gaoler and reconcile us by his bloud The chiefe workes of all were wrought in his chiefe abasement At length he died and was buried I but he that died rose againe gloriously therefore he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by raysing himselfe from the dead That was the greatest abasement when he lay in the Grave and especially then he was justified by his Resurrection from the dead and his Ascension in his state of Glorification especially So if we goe from Christs birth to his lowest degree of abasement there was alway some manifestation of his justification by the Spirit He was justified in a double regard In regard of God he was justified and cleared from our sinnes that he tooke upon him He bore our sinnes upon the Tree and bore them away that they should never appeare againe to our discomfort He was made a Curse for us How came Christ to be cleared of our sinnes that lay upon him When by the Spirit by his Divine Nature he raysed himselfe from the dead so he was justified from that that God layd upon him for he was our Suretie Now the Spirit raysing him from the dead shewed that the Debt was fully discharged because our Suretie was out of Prison All things are first in Christ and then in us he was acquitted and justified from our sinnes and then we And then he was justified by the Spirit from all imputations of men from the mis-conceits that the World had of him they thought him to be a meere man or a sinfull man No he was more then a meere man nay more then a holy man he was God-man Whence were his Miracles Were they not from his Divine Power He overcame the Devill in his temptations Who can overcome the Devill but he that is the Sonne of God He cast out the Devils and dispossest them with his Word All the enemies of Christ that ever were at length he conquered them and so declared himselfe mightily to be as he was the Sonne of God He healed the outward man and the inward man by his Divine Power he caused the spirituall as well as the bodily eyes to see the dead to live and the lame to goe c. Whatsoever he did in the bodie he did in the soule likewise in those excellent Miracles he was justified and declared to be the Sonne of God especially in his Resurrection and Ascension and daily converting of soules by his Ministerie all being done by his Spirit which is his Vicar in the World ruling his Church and subduing his enemies so that he was every way justified in the Spirit to be God to be the true Messias prophesied of and promised to the Church Therefore he was justified in his Truth that all the Promises were true of him and in his faithfulnesse that he was faithfull in performing the Promises he made he was justified in his goodnesse and mercy and all those attributes he was justified in the Spirit But you will say it seemes he was not justified in the Spirit There are many Heretikes that thinke not Christ to be God that take not Christ to be so glorious as he is I answer when we speake of the justifying of Christ it is meant to those that have eyes to see him to those that shut not their eyes hee was justified to be so great as he was to those whose eyes the god of the world had not blinded to all that were his as it is excellently set downe Iohn 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of Grace and Truth We beheld his glorie we did others did not take notice but they were those whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded the malicious Scribes and Pharises that sinned against the Holy-Ghost and would never acknowledge Christ an ignorant people that had not Faith nor the Spirit of God He was justified by the Spirit of God to all that had spirituall eyes to see and take notice of his course as S. Iohn sayth in one of his Epistles What we have seene and heard and our hands have handled the Word of Life that we declare to you So that he was God manifest in the flesh and he shewed himselfe to be the Word of Life to those that were his Apostles and Disciples and those that were converted by him As we see S. Peter when he had felt his Divine Power upon his heart by his Preaching Lord sayth he thou hast the words of eternall life whither shall we goe He felt the Spirit in his preaching And so another time S. Peter in Matth. 16. he confessed him to be the Sonne of the living God You see to whom he was justified and declared to be the true Messias to be God as well as man by his Spirit The reason why he justified himselfe to be so it was the more to strengthen our Faith all his Miracles were but so many sparkles of his Divine Nature so many expressions of his Divine Power And after he was raysed from the dead at his Ascension and sending of the Holy-Ghost he shewed his Divine Power more gloriously and all to strengthen the Faith of the Elect and to stop the mouthes of all impudent rebellious persons For considering that he wrought such Miracles that he raysed men from the dead and raysed himselfe considering that he called the Gentiles and converted the World by the Ministerie of weake men he shewed that hee was more then a man Well to make some use of this that Christ was Iustified in the Spirit Then first of all Christ will at length justifie himselfe this is a ground of Faith How-ever he be now as a Signe set up that many speake against and contradict yet the time will come when he will gloriously justifie himselfe to all the World Now some shut their eyes willingly and the opposites of Christ seeme to flourish yet Christ will be justified by his Spirit to all his Elect in every Age especially in the Resurrection For when he shall come and appeare to be glorious in his Saints it will appeare who he is indeed Now he suffers many to tread upon his Church and he suffers many Heretikes to denie him sometimes in one nature sometimes in another and so to offend against him but the time will come that he will trample all his enemies under his feet he will be justified by his Spirit that is our comfort There are many Schismatikes and Heretikes and Persecutors but Christ will be justified at length the Kingdomes of the Earth
and watchfully carefully and soberly as becommeth Christians every way So much for that I proceed to the next words Seene of Angels The word is not altogether so fitly translated For it is more pregnant then it is here rendred He was seene It is true but he was seene with admiration and wonderment of Angels he was seene as such an object presented to them should be seene and seene with wonderment it implyes the consequence of sight sight stirres up affection it stirres up the whole soule therefore it is put for all the rest They saw him with wonderment For was it not a wonder that God should stoupe so low as to be shut up in the straits of a Virgins Wombe that Christ should humble himselfe so low to be God in our flesh Was not here exceeding wondrous love and mercie to man kind to wretched man having passed by the glorious Angels that were fallen And exceeding wisedome in God in satisfying his justice that he might shew mercie It was matter of admiration to the Angels to see the great God stoupe so low to be cloathed in such a poore nature as mans that is meaner then their owne This doubtlesse is the meaning of the Holyâ—Ghost they saw it with admiration And because he was their Head as the second Person and they were creatures to attend upon Christ their sight and wonderment must tend to some practise sutable to their condition Therefore they so see and wondred at him as that they attended upon Christ in all the passages of his humiliation and exaltation in his â—ife in his Death in his Resurrection and Ascension They saw him so as they were witnesses of him to men they gave testimonie and witnesse of him so that it is a full word in the intention of the Holy-Ghost Indeed not onely the Angels but all gave witnesse of him from the highest Heavens to Hell it selfe all witnessed Christ to be the true Messias In his Baptisme there was the Trinitie the Father in a Voyce from Heaven the Holy-Ghost in the shape of a Dove He had the witnesse of Angels of men of all rankes Iewes and Gentiles men and women yea the Devils themselves oft times confessed him in the Gospel He was witnessed of all rankes they saw him and gave evidence and testimonie of him that he was the true Messias he was seene of Angels To declare this a little more particularly The Angels knew of Christs comming in the flesh before it was for what the Church knew the Angels knew in some measure When God made the Promise of the Promised Seed the Angels knew of it And in Daniel the Angel speakes of the 70 Weekes therefore before his Incarnation they knew of him But now they saw him with wonderment in our flesh now they had an experimentall knowledge of him For the Angels besides their naturall supernaturall knowledge they have an experimentall knowledge that is daily encreased in them in the Church they see somewhat to admiration continually in the Church in the Head and in the members They knew of the Incarnation of Christ before you know the Angel brought the newes of it before-hand to the Virgin Mary The Angels attended upon Christ from his very infancie the Angels ministred to him in his temptation before his death they comforted him in the Garden he was made lower then the Angels in some sort as it is in Psal. 8. for they came to comfort him he was so low that he had the comforting of Angels Then they saw when he was buried they rolled away the stone By the way in generall it is the Angels office to remoove impediments that hinder us from Christ. A Christian shall have Angels to remoove the stones the hinderances that are betweene Heaven and him rather then they shall be any impediment to his salvation Then wheu he rose there were Angels one at the head and another at the feet and they told Mary that he was risen And then at his Ascension the Angels told the Disciples that Christ should come againe You have the Storie of it at large in the Gospel how from the Annuntiation of his Conception to his Ascension they saw him and attended on him and witnessed of him As soone as ever he waâ— borne when they appeared to the Shepheard what a glorious Hymne they sang Glorie to God on high Peace on Earth Good will to men How joyfull were they of the Incarnation of Christ and the great Worke of Redemption wrought thereby And as I sayd they did not onely see these things but they wondred at the love and mercie and wisedome of God in the Head and members of the Church as we see in diverse places in 1 Pet. 1.12 Wee preach the Gospel which things the Angels desire to looke into The very Angels desire to prie and looke with admiration into the wondrous things of the Gospel So in Ephes. 3.10 To the intent that unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly place might be made knowne by the Church the manifold wisedome of God There is somewhat done by Christ by his Incarnation and Resurrection and Government of his Church that the very Angels looke into and wonder at the manifold wisedome of God in governing his Church his wisedome in electing them and after in restoring mankind And in his manner of dispensation to the Iewes first by ceremonies and then after by the Bodie it selfe Christ in the flesh There is such a World of Wonders in the Governmenâ— of the Church such manifold wisedome that the very Angels themselves looke upon this with admiration and wonder and with great dâ—lâ—ght Shall Angels see and wonder at these things At the love and mercie and wisedome of God in governing his Church in joyning together things iâ— râ—concilable to mans apprehension infinite justice with infinite mercie in Christ that Gods wrath and justice should be satisfied in Christ and thereby infinite mercie shewed to us Here are things for Angels to wonder at ' Shall they wonder at it and joy and delight in it and shall we slight those things that are the wonderment of Angels There are a companie of prophane spirits I would there were not too many among us that will scarce vouchsafe to looke into these things that have scarcely the Booke of God in their Houses They can wonder at a Storie or a Poem or some frothie Device at base things not worthie to be reckoned of But as for the great Mysteries of Salvation that great Worke of the Trinitie about the Salvation of Man-kind they tush at them they slight them they never talke seriously of these things except it be as it were with a gracelesse grace of slighting and scorne they account it a disparagement to be serious in these things they make no Mysteries of that which the glorious creatures the Angels themselves looke upon and prie into even with admiration But it is not to be
come without repentance What saith the Apostle For this cause because you come unreverently to the things of God some are sicke and some weake and some sleepe God strucke them with death for it And it is a great cause why many are hardned in their sinnes and goe on still because God executes these spirituall judgements for prophaning these holy things thinking to daube with God and to complement with him in an easie performance I know those that belong to God are suffered sometimes to doe things amisse and to fall into errours and miscarriages that they may know themselves better And indeed much of our spirituall wisedome is gotten by the sight of our owne errours we grow more stablished after against the like temptations for the time to come and we can say by experience it is good that I know the foolishnes of my own heart c. but hee that God hath no delight in he swells and rages against any admonition though it be in love to his soule I hope there are none such here therefore those that have made their peace with God let them come to these holy mysteries with comfort notwithstanding any thing before for God hath prepared these things not for Angels but for weake men whose faith stands in need to be strengthned And let us not thinke that Christianity is a matter of complement that because we are baptised and come to heare the Word and receive the Sacrament all is well for wee may doe all this and yet be greater sinners then Turkes or Jewes or Pagans for the most horrible sins are committed in the Church Where is the sinne against the Holy-Ghost committed sins against light and against conscience but where the conscience and understanding is most enlightned there be the horrible provoking sinnes where there is more light and direction to live in another way When the grace of God and the riches of Christ are opened and yet men live in their sinnes against conscience and the light of the Gospell so farre is the outward performance from excusing in sickenesse and at the houre of death that it aggravates our guilt and damnation when we make not a right use of the holy things of God That which I shall next stand upon shall be to shew How we may know whether we glorifie God for Christ or no. And then the hindrances that keepe us from glorifying God for this excellent good And the meanes how we may come to glorifie God For the first of glorifying God in generall I will not speake much it would be large and the point of glorifying God is most sweetly considered as invested in such a benefit as this when we thinke of it not as an Idea onely but thinke of it in Christ for whom we have cause to glorifie God and for all the good wee have by him First then we hold tune with the blessed Angels in giving glory to God when we exalt God in our soules above all creatures and things in the world when we lift him up in his own place and let him be in our soules as he is in himselfe in the most holy God is glorious especially in his mercy and goodnesse let him be so in our hearts in these sweet Attributes above all our unworthinesse and sinne for God hath not glory from us till we give him the highest place in our love and joy and delight and all those affections that are set upon good when they are set upon him as the chiefe good then we give him his due place in our soules wee ascribe to him that Divinity and excellency and eminency that is due to him And this especially appeares in competition and opposition of other things when we will not offend God for any creature when we can say as the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there in earth in comparison of thee Therefore let us aske our owne thoughts often what that is that our affections of delight and joy and love and all the sweetnes and marrow of our soules is spent on and runs after is it the sweet love of God in Christ the excellent state we have in Christ it is an excellent signe Surely the blessed Saints in heaven and those that are in earth that looke for heaven are thus disposed for the most part especially when they set themselves in their devotions before God Let us examine what is highest in our soules The loving kindnesse of the Lord is better then life it selfe saith the Psalmist Then we give God glory when we set light by life it selfe as holy Saint Paul could say What doe you tell me of suffering at Ierusalem I am not onely ready to doe that but to die for the name of Christ and in Philip. 1. So God may be magnified by my life or death I am at a point so if the question be whether we shall sacrifice this blood and life of ours or dishonour God and wrong the Gospell or be any way prejudiciall to the truth knowne when wee are ready to part with all with father and mother and houses and lands and all for Christ then with the Angels we say Glory be to God on high therefore in a state of opposition when we cannot enjoy both let us leave the creature and cleave to God Then againe we give glory to God for Christ when we take all the favours wee have from God in Christ when we see Christ in every thing All things are ours because we are Christs It is by Christ that wee are heires that we have any comfortable interest therefore when wee accept all in Christ and give God in Christ the glory of all we practice this that the Angels doe here we give glory to God Then againe we give glory to God when we stirre up others all the Angels consent there was no discord in this harmony of the Angels When we all joyne together and stirre up one another and labour to promote the knowledge of God in Christ all the wayes we can every one in our place and calling Magistrates and Ministers and every one in our families labour that Christ may rule there that God in Christ may be knowne In Psal. 103. there the Psalmist stirres up himselfe to glorifie God and he stirres up the Angels and here the Angels stirre up men Glory to God on high c. Where there is a zeale of Gods glory and a disposition fit to glorifie God there will be a stirring up one of another Angels men and men Angels and a wishing that God may have glory in heaven and earth Therefore those that labour not in their places that the truth may be made known that for base and worldly ends are opposers of the publishing of the Gospell any way as it is the fashion now they will not appeare openly but cunningly undermine the Gospell under pretences they beare no tune with these blessed Angels for those
but this shall be sufficient for this time and Text. FINIS THE CHVRCHES RICHES BY CHRISTS POVERTY By The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBS Dr. in Divinity Master of Katharine-Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAIES-INNE Luke 9.58 The Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head EPHES. 2.7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace c. LONDON Printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-Noster Row 1638. THE CHVRCHES RICHES BY CHRISTS POVERTY 2. COR. 8 9. For yee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet hee became poore for your sakes that yee through his poverty might be rich THE nature of man is very backward to doe good our hearts being like to greene wood that hath but a little fire under it that must bee continually blowne up so those sparkes of grace that are in us must bee stirred up Therefore the Apostle being to stirre up these Corinthians to beneficence and bounty towards the poore he labours to enforce it by many reasons in this and the next Chapter Man being an understanding creature God would have what we doe in matters of religion to proceed from principles becomming men and christians therefore hee sets us upon duties from reasons and because examples together with reasons are very forcible therefore the Apostle after many forcible reasons to bee liberall to the Saints hee joynes examples first of the Macedonians that were a poorer people then the Corinthians to whom the Apostle now wrote But because people are not so comfortably lead by the example of equalls or inferiours they thinke it a kinde of upbraiding of them accounting themselves as good or better then they therefore the Apostle leaves exhorting them from the example of the Macedonians that were poorer and propounds an example beyond all exception the example of CHRIST himselfe hee stirres them up to bounty and goodnesse by the example of him who is goodnesse it selfe you know the grace of our LORD IESUS CHRIST who though he were rich he became poore c. As if hee should have said if the example of the poore Macedonians will not moove you to give bountifully yet let the example of our SAVIOUR hee was rich yet hee became poore to enrich you therefore you must not thinke much to bestow somewhat on his poore members Examples have a very great force in mooving especially if they bee examples of great persons and those that love us and we them and that are neare us The example of CHRIST it is the example of a great person and one that loves us and whom wee ought to love againe therefore the Apostle propounds that Hee might have alledged the precept of CHRIST there are many commands that CHRIST gives of bounty and liberality to the poore Bee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull and give freely looking for nothing againe and the poore yee shall have alwayes with you But because example hath a more allureing power it moves more freely precepts have a more compelling force therefore herein hee followes the streame of our disposition which rather desires to bee easily drawne then to bee forced and pressed hee brings not the precept but the example of CHRIST For you know the grace of our LORD IESUS CHRIST c. The poynts considerable in the words are First of all that Christ was rich There is no question to be made of this truth Christ was rich because hee was the second Person in Trinity the Soone of God the Heire of Heaven and earth rich every way When he was poore he was God then though he covered his God-head with the vayle of humanity with our base and beggerly nature that he took upon him hee was alway rich But especially this hath reference to what he was before he tooke our nature he was rich because he was God and indeed God onely is rich to purpose independently and eternally rich Riches imply among other things plenty and plenty of precious and good things and propriety they must bee good things that are our owne Christ had plenty of excellent things and they were his owne he was not onely rich in treasure as he saith gold is mine and silver is mine but heaven and earth that containes all treasures are his The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and it is he that made the heavens hee that made heaven and earth must needs be rich nay if there were neede he can make a thousand heavens and earthes hee is not onely mighty but Almighty not onely sufficient but Al sufficient he can doe what may be done he can doe what he hath done and more then he hath done and more then we can conceive hee can remove all difficulties that hinder him he is rich in power and wisedome every way The poynt is very large but it is not so pertinent to the text to shew what he was in himselfe but what hee was for our sakes therefore I will bee shorter in it Hence then you see that Christ was before hee was exhibited hee did good before he appeared hee was rich before he tooke our nature upon him hee was God before hee was man Against the cursed heresie of Arius which I will not now rake up againe but undoubtedly you see here a good ground of that grand Article of our faith Christ was God before hee tooke our nature hee came therefore hee was before hee came he was sent therefore he was before he was sent he was God before hee was God manifest in the flesh In Phil. 2.6 it is largly and excellently set downe Let the same minde bee in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it noe robbery to bee equall with God but hee was made of no reputation hee tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of man hee was found in the fashion of man he humbled himselfe and became obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above all names It is a large Comment and explication upon this text hee was God hee thought it no robbery to bee equall with God The Divels which were Angels before they fell would be Gods by usurpation and robbery they were not content in the place they were in but they would be Gods independent of themselves it was robbery for them to doe it therefore from that high place of excellency they were throwne downe to the lowest hell of Angels they became Divels but Christ was God not by usurpation and robbery against Gods will but he was God by nature hee was rich by nature he thought it no robbery no disparagment nor usurpation to be equall with God hee did God no wrong in it Therefore
the Church in that very bondage and abasement Was the Church ever more glorious then in Babylon when Daniel was there and the three young men were put into the fire The glory of the Church oft times is in outward abasement the world shall see that God hath a speciall care of them more then of oâ—hers God so magnifies himselfe and is so marvellous to his Church and children to doe good to them sometimes to the envie of the enimies and admiration of all the world that take notice of them as at the returne from the Captivity and the like shall be at the conversion of the Iewes The use of it may be to comfort us against evill times against the time to come Let us cast our care upon God he will care for us he will be with us and stand by us he will never forsake us in the worst times Nay his fashion is to deale with his children as becommeth his infinit wisdome that they shall finde most comfort and sweetest communion with him in the hardest times Therefore let us feare nothing that shall befall us with slavish fear let us feare nothing whatsoever in this world as long as we are in covenant with God come what will It is a great honour to God to trust him with all for the time to come let us doe our duty and not be afraid of this or that as long I say as we have God in covenant with us who is al sufficient What should we be afraid of Can a mother forget her child saith the Prophet If she should yet will not I forget thee thou art written on the pâ—lmes of my hands Those things that are in the pâ—lmes of our hands we have ever in our eye God hath us in his eye he sets his children before him alway how can he forget them How can Christ forget his Church He carries them in his breastâ— as the high Priest had the names of the twelve Tribes on his breast in twelve precious stones when he went into the Holy of Holies Christ carries our names in his heart how can he forget us then Let kingdomes dash one against another and let the world tumble upon heapes let there be what confusion of States there will God certainly will have a care of his Iewels I will leave in spite of all the world in the middest of thee an afflicted and poore people c. You will say when is this performed In that day saith he in the verse before my Text. You must know it is the Scriptures fashion when it saith In that day to take it indefinitely not to tye it to a certaine day though there is a certaine day wherein there shal be an accomplishment of all prophesies and a performance of all promises that is at the last day In the meane time there is a graduall performance of promises and the accoÌ„plishment of them is in severall knots and points of time so much as shall give content to Gods children yet alwayes leading to a further and further performance As for example God shewed mercy to these Israelites when they were in captivity he brought them home againe they were a poore and afflicted people and were much bettered by their abasement there was a degree of performance then And then there was a degree of performance in Christs time when he joyned the Gentiles to them and both made one Church There will be a more glorious performance at the conversion of the Iewes when God shall make his people trust in the name of the Lord and the Gentiles shall come in and joyne with them and they with the Gentiles But that which followes in the verse after The remnant shall doe none iniquity nor speake lyes a deceitfull toung shall not be found in their mouth These things shall have their time when the people shall be more thorowly purged then ever they were and certainly these glorious portions of Scripture cannot have performance but in such dayes as are to come But the accomplishment of all shall be at the day of judgment Indeed in the meane time as I say there is a comfortable performance leaving us in expectation of further and further still because while we live here we are in a life of hope and expectation and alwayes we are under somewhat unperformed So much for that I come now to the state and condition of these people An afflicted and poore people This is their state and condition wherein is implied also their disposition their state is they are an afllicted and poore people so it is answerable to the originall an afflicted and impoverished people a weakned people How ever God hath a speciall care of his Church in this world Yet it is wâ—th exception of some crosses and afflictions You shall have an hundred fold saith Christ in this life but with tribulations and afflictions that must come in But yet notwithstanding here is a blessing in this for howsoever lhe leave them an afflicted and poore people yet he leaves them a people and though they be a people afflicted and poore yet they are a people that are rich in God they shall trust in the name of the Lord of which I shall speake afterward In that he cals them an afflicted and poore people hence wee see in the first place that The state of Gods Church and children in this world for the most part is to be afflicted and poore in their outward condition I say for the most part we must not make it a generall rule it is a point rather to comfort us when it is so than that it is alway so with the Church For howsoever they are alwayes in some respects afflicted they have alway something to abase them yet the times of the Church are somtimes more glorious in the eyes of the world they have the upper hand of the world sometimes and sometimes againe the children of God they walk in the abundance of the comforts of the Holy Ghost and increase and multiply as it is in Acts 9. When Saul was converted to be Paul The Church increased and grew and went on in the feare of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy Ghost There be good dayes and times for the Church sometimes but for the most part in this world Gods Church and children are under some cloud I will not enter into the common place of it but only touch it in a word or two God will have it so because it is fit the body should be conformable to the head You know our blessed Saviour when he wrought our salvation he wrought it in a state of abasement and we in working out that salvation in going to that salvation that he hath wrought for us we must go to it for the most part in a state of abasement in one kind or other for we are chosen to be conformable to our head and we are as well chosen to our portion in
hee comes to any shift if hee have not grace in him he will disdâ—ine out of pride of spirit as every man naturally is deepely proud to relye upon conscience and upon the truth and promises of the word and upon such termes these be weake things no he will stirâ—e Hell rather and Earth and all meanes he accounts it greatnesse that he can doe so It is only the holy man that will â—leave fast to God and to his truth and word for he relisheth it the Spirit that penned the Scriptures and the promises it rules in his heart and therefore he relisheth them Oh these promises are sweet And as he can trust the promises so he can trust God because as I said before he is acquainted with him Where there is not a gracious heart there will never be a beleeving trusting heart There is in God infinitenesse of wayes of supply let us labour therefore for a prudent heart to learne the skill of fetching out of God for all necessities As our want is so let us fetch supply from some Attribute of God and some promise answerable This is the wisdome of the Saints of God are we in extremity then vvith Iehoshaphat say We know not Lord what to do but our eyes are toward thee Are we perplexed that we want wisdome Then go to God who is infinitely wise consider him so for he is fit for the soule nay he exceeds all the maladies and wâ—â—ts of the soule there is not only abundance in God but redundance and overflowing abâ—ndance therefore there wants but skill to make use of what is in him for our turne Are we wronged go to God that judgeth righteously consider him in that relation as a God to whom vengeance belongeth Are we overpowered Go to God that made Heaven and Earth to the Almighty God Are we troubled with the sense of sin Go to God that is the father of all mercy and God of all comfort Are we cast downe and no man regards us Goe to God that stiles himselfe the comforter of the abject This is the skill that faith learnes not only in grosse to thinke of God but to think of God answerable to all occasions as indeed there is somewhat in God to satisfie the soule in all extremities whatsoever I beseech you let us learne to doe thus What a happy condition is he in that hath learned to inure his soule to trust in God for the removall of all ill and for the obtaining of all good he is sure of all For God is a Sunne and a Shield a Sunne for all that is good and a Shield to defend us from all ill hee is so to all that trust in him he is a buckler and an exceeding great reward he is a Buckler to award and shield ill from us and an exceeding great reward for all that is good therefore in how happy a condition is the soule that is acquainted with this blessed exercise of trusting and beleeving in God It is a state wherein we shall be kept from all ill I meane from the ill of ills not from the ill of sense but from the ill of ills and from the poyson of all ill Whatsoever ill we endure there shall be comfort mixed with it and it is better to have it then the comfort what a comfort is this they that trust in the Lord shall want nothing that is good He that trusts in the Lord is as a Tree planted by the River side Ier. 17. He shall alway have his leafe flourishing and beare fruit because he is at the Well-head He that hath the Spring can never want water and he that is in the Sunne can never want lighâ— he that is at the great feast can never want provision he that hath learned to trust in God and can improve what is in him what can he want Oh it is the scarcenesse of oâ—r faith that we want comfort as our faith is so is our comfort and if we could bring a thousand times larger faith to graspe the promises we should carry away larger comfort and strength FINIS Imprimatur Tho Weekes Ianuary 12. 1637. THE TABLE A Abasement GReatnesse of Christs abasement part 1. pag. 57 His Godhead appeared in it 1 73 203 Abasement sanctified whence 2 101 Considerations to abase us 2 130 Adam Adams sinne what 1 154 Redemption exceeds our estate in Adam 1 223 Adoption Adoption by Christ 2 20 Affections Affections why planted in man 1 49 See mystery and Gospell Affliction afflicted Afflictions conforme us to Christ 1 82 2 95 Christ works in the afflictions of his Church 1 83 How Christ rules in afflictions 1 183 Church afflicted why 1 186 God appeares in the night of afflictions 1 205 To whom afflictions are sanctified 1 276 See Angels All. In necessity we must give to all 2 74 Angels Angels not to enuy them 1 76 Angels knew the incarnation of Christ before hand 1 95 The office of Angels Ibid. Angels attendance whence it is 1 101 Why Angels appeare not now 1 102 Comfort in afflictions from their attendance 1 103 Communion with Angels 1 104 Conflict betweene good and evill Angels Ibid. Not to grieve the Angels 1 105 Wherein wee are advanced above Angels 1 106 Good motions stirred in us by Angels 1 108 Why God useth the ministery of Angels 1 107 208 Angels our enemies when 1 109 Angels description 1 111 Angels office double 1 112 Guard of Angels comfortable 1 207 Christs poverty not for Angels 2 17 See Host Church Application Meanes of Popish application ridiculous 1 141 Application necessary 1 268 See Faith Preaching Apostacie Apostacie the ground of it 2 112 Apostle Apostles their priviledge 1 125 Ascension Circumstances of Christs ascension 1 168 Ascension of Christ a mystery 1 170 Assurance Assurance no enemy to good works 2 58 Attributes Attributes of God in Christ 1 221 B Begger CHrist was no begger when he was on earth 1 15 Beginning Christ a Mediatour from the beginning 2 8 Believed Christ believed on how 1 145 Encouragements to believe from Christ 1 154 Blessings Blessings how to be valued 2 50 We defile our selves in blessings 2 101 Body The same body that suffers shall bee glorified 1 187 Boldnesse Boldnesse to God the ground of it 1 64 Boldnesse of spirit an evidence of peace 1 264 C Care GOd hath a care of his 2 88 Instances of Gods care 2 89 Catholique What to be accounted catholique 1 47 Chearefull We must do good to others chearefully 2 70 Cherubin Cherubins what they signifie 1 99 Christ. Christ the scope of the Scriptures 1 50 Christ when conceived in the heart 1 69 Motives to get into Christ 1 109 No entercourse with God without Christ 1 259 Gods love onely in Christ 1 286 And why 286 Misery of men out of Christ Ibid. How to be thankfull to Christ 2 31 A Christian hath all from Christ 2 129 See Mystery Mercy-seat Preaching Faith Peace