what manner of men ought we to be in holy conversation We should keepe our selves unspotted of the wicked world Shall we thinke to have communion and fellowship with Christ in glory when we make the members of Christ the members of Harlot when we make our tongues instruments of blaspheming God and Christ as a company of vile wretches that will come to the Ordinances of God and yet have not overcome their Atheisticall nature so much as to leave their swearing and filthy courses Doe we think to have communion with Christ in glory and not get the victorie over these base courses Doe we professe our selves to be Christians and live like Pagans Hath God such need of people to fill heaven with that he will have such uncleane persons Shall we have such base thoughts of heaven No beloved these things must be left if ever upon good ground we will entertaine thoughts of fellowship in this glory There is a new Heaven and a new Earth for the new creature and onely for such Let us not delude our selves there must be a correspondence betweene the Head and the members not onely in glory but in grace and the conformitie in grace is before the conformitie in glory Will God overturne his methode and order for our sakes No No all that come to Heaven he guides them by his Spirit here in grace and then he brings them to glory He gives gâ—ace and glory and no good thing shall be wanting to them that leade a godly life but first grace and then glory Therefore let not the Devill abuse us nor our owne false hearts to pretend a share in this glory when we finde no change in our selves when we finde not so much strength as to get the victorie over the base and vile corruptions of the world The Apostle from this ground inferres mortification of our earthly members You are risen with Christ your life is hid with Christ in God and we are dead with Christ Therefore we ought to mortifie all sinfull lusts For the soule being finite it cannot be carryed up to these things that are of a spirituall holy and divine consideration but it must dye in its love and affection and care to earthly things and sinfull courses Therfore let us never thinke that we beleeve these things indeed unlesse we finde a disposition by grace to kill and subdue all things that are contrarie to this condition Though somewhat there will be in us to humble us or else why are Precepts of Mortification given to them that were Saints alreadie but that there is somewhat will draw us downe to abase us But this is no comfort to him that is not the child of God that lives in filthie courses that he might easily command him selfe in let him abandon the name of a Christian he hath no interest to the comfort of this that Christ is received up to glory Againe the Mysterie of Christs Glory it tends to godlinesse in this respect to stirre us up to heavenly-mindednesse The Apostle doth divinely force this in the fore-named place Coloss. 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things that are above From our communion with Christ rising and ascending into Heaven and sitting there in glory he forceth heavenly mindednesse that our thoughts should be where our Glory is where our Head and Husband is and certainely there is nothing in the world more strong to enforce an heavenly mind then this to consider where we are in our Head Christ our Head and Husband is taken up into glory there is our Inheritance there are a great many of our fellow brethren there is our Countrey there is our happinesse We are for Heaven and not for this world this is but a passage to that glory that Christ hath taken up for us and therefore why should we have our minds groveling here upon the Earth Certainely if we have interest in Christ who is in glory at the right hand of God it is impossible but our soules will be raysed to heaven in our affections before we be there in our bodies All that are Christians they are in heaven in their spirit and conversation before-hand our heavy dull earthly soules being touched by his Spirit they will ascend up The Iron when it is touched with the Loadstone though it be an heavy body it ascends up to the Loadstone it followes it The Sunne it drawes up vapours that are heavy bodies of themselves Christ as the Loadstone being in Heaven he hath an attractive force to draw us up There is not the earthliest disposition in the world if our hearts were as heavy as Iron if we have communion with Christ and have our hearts once touched by his Spirit he will draw us up though of our selves we be heavy and lumpish This meditation that Christ our Head is in glory and that we are in heaven in him and that our happinesse is there it will purge and refine us from our earthlynesse and draw up our Iron heavy cold hearts It is an argument of a great deale of Atheisme and infidelitie in our hearts as indeed our base nature is prone to sinke downe and to be carryed away with present things that professing to beleeve that Christ is risen and ascended into heaven and that he is there for us yet that we should be plodding and plotting altogether for the Earth as if there were no other heaven as if there were no happinesse but that which is to be found below There is nothing here that can satisfie the capacious nature of man therefore we should not rest in any thing here considering the great things that are reserved for us where Christ is in glory Therefore when we finde our soules falling downe of themselves or drawne downeward to base cares and earthly contentments by any thing here below let us labour to rayse up our selves with such meditations I know not any more fruitfull then to consider the glory to come and the certainetie of it Christ is taken into glory not for himselfe onely but for all his for Where I am sayth he it is my will that they be there also Christ should lose his prayer if we should not follow him to Heaven it is not onely his prayer but his will and he is in Heaven to make good his will The Wills of men may be frustrate because they are dead but he lives to make good his owne will and his will is that we be where he is Now if a man beleeve this can he be base and earthly-minded Certainely no Where our treasure is our hearts will be there also by the rule of Christ where the body is the Eagles will resort if we did make these things our treasure we would mount above earthly things there is nothing in the world would be sufficient for us if we had that esteeme of Christ and the glory where Christ is as we should and might have And it is
the sonne is no Traytor but because hee is part of his father that was a Traytor by his nearenesse and communion with his father he is wrapped in the same punishment In a City that is obnoxious to the Kings displeasure perhaps there are some that are not guilty of the offence that the body of the City is yet being all Citizens they are all punished by reason of their communion so in this respect CHRIST became poore hee tooke upon him our nature and by communioâ— with that nature hee tooke upon him whatsoever was penall that belonged to sinne though he tooke not nor could take the demerit of sin Hie was made sinne for us wee cannot have a greater argument of Christs poverty then to bee made sinne for vs sinne is the poorest thing in the world and the cause of all beggery and poverty and misery hee was made under the law and so became a curse for us hee was made sinne a sacrifice for our sinne In particular hee was borne of a poore Virgin and instead of a better place hee was laid in an Inne and in the basest place in the Inne in the manger As soone as hee was borne his birth was revealed to poore Shepheards not to Emperours and Kings not to Câ—sar at Rome Then presently after his birth hee was banished together with his mother into Aegypt When hee came home againe hee was faine to be beholding to a poore woman for a cup of water Ioh. 4. when hee was thirsty Againe when he was to pay tribute he had not wherewith to pay it but was faine as it were to be heholding to a fish for it And though he made heaven and earth yet he had no habitation of his owne The Foxes had holes and the Birds of the ayre had nests but the Sonne of man had not where to lay his head When hee was to ride in pompe to Ierusalem he had not a beast of his owne hee was faine to send for and ride upon another mans Asse all his life it was a state of poverty He was poore in death especially for when life is gone all is gone he gave himselfe to death for us in death he was poore every way they stripped him of all his cloathes he had not so much as a garment to cover him he was poore and destitute in regard of friends they all for sooke him when hee had need of them most of all as he foretold that they all should leave him And as he was thus poore in respect of his body and condition so he was poore in soule in some respects and indeed the greatest poverty was there for the greatest riches that Christ estemed it was the blessed communion that hee had with his father which was sweeter to him then all things in heaven and earth when his father hid his face from him that he felt his displeasure becomming our surety in the garden before his death the sense of Gods displeasure against sin affected him so deeply that he sweate water and blood he was so poore wanting the comfort of his fathers love that an Angell his owne creature was faine to come and comfort him And at his death when he hung upon the Crosse besides the want of all earthly comforts wanting the sense of that sweet love that he alway enjoyed before it made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me not that indeed God had forsaken him in regard of protection and support or in regard of love and favour but in regard of solace and comfort that he felt before in regard of the sense of divine justice being then upon him that stood surety for sinne When he was dead he had no Tombe of his own to lie in hee was faine to lie in another mans Tombe and then he was held under the captivity of the grave three dayes so that from his birth to his death there is nothing but a race of poverty And which adds to this abasement of Christ it was from an excellent condition to so low a state as we say It is a miserable thing for a man to have beene happy it makes him more sensible of his misery then in other men for Christ who was alway in the presence and favour of heaven to come into the Virgins wombe for him to stand in neede of the necessities of this life for life to die for riches to become poore for the glory of heaven and earth to be abased for the Lord of all to become a servant to his owne servants it must needs been great abasement to him that was so highly advanced to become so poore But though Christ became thus poore yet hee ceased not then to be rich but that his riches was vayled with our flesh The Sunne though he bee kept from our sight by clouds he is the Sunne still and hath his owne proper lustre still hee is as glorious in himselfe as ever he was though he be not so to us so Christ vayled his divinity under our humane nature and vnder our misery hee became man and a curse therefore though hee were the Sonne of righteousnesse glorious in himselfe yet to appearance he was otherwise he became poore The Papists would have him a begger Bellarmine to countenance begging Frâ—eâ—s would have Christ to bee so it is a disgracefull false conceit If wee divide his life before hee was thirty yeares old that hee was invested into his office he lived with his parents in that calling and submitted to them he was no begger afterward he lived by ministring the Word of God and this was not Eleemozinarie but honour it is not Charity that is given to Governours especially Ministers it is not aimes to receive temporall things for spirituall but it is due Besides he had somewhat of his owne hee had a bagge and Iudas was good enough to carry it hee gave to the poore therefore he was not a begger for he that came to fullfill the law would not breake the Law The law forbids beggers it was one of Moses Lawes There shall not be a begger among you so much breifly for that Christ was rich and became poore The next point is the parties for whom this was For your sakes Why doth not the Apostle say for our sakes and so take himselfe in the number He applies it to serve the Argument in hand being to stirre up the Corinthians to bounty hee tells them Christ was poore for their sakes that they might bee assured of their salvation by Christ that his example might be more effectuall the example of those whom wee have interest in is effectuall therefore he saith for your sakes hee became poore This should teach us when we speak of Christ to labour for a spirit of application to appropriate Christ unto our selves or else his example will not move us as without application wee can have no good by him so we can have no comfort by
died But where these three are an exemption and freedome from all basenesse and all that may diminish reckoning and estimation and when there is a foundation of true excellency and likewise a shining a declaring breaking forth of that excellency there is glory But Christ after he was manifest in the flesh and had done the work here that hee had to doe hee was received up to glory that is all basenesse was layd aside his glory appearing all abasement did vanish he was victorious over that for in his Resurrection that was the first degree of his glory you know the Clothes that he was bound with were left in the Grave the Stone was remooved all things that might hinder his glory that might abase him in body in soule or condition they were remooved there was an excellency in all that was not before in regard of manifestation For his Body it was now impassible an immortall spirituall Body it could suffer no longer it was not fed with meat and drink as in the time of his abasement it was a Body so agile and so nimble that he could moove even as he would himselfe so there was a glory put upon his Body above the Sunne There was a glory upon the Soule all that might hinder that was subdued for there was no sorrow no feare nor griefe as there was in his Soule before he was glorified so both in Body and Soule he was more glorious And then for his whole condition that was glorious he was abased no longer for now he was taken into the highest place of all above the Heavens and as his place is most eminent so his government is most eminent for he is taken up there above all Principalities and Powers as it is Ephes. 1.20 and is gloriously set downe at the right hand of God 1 Pet. 3. All being subject to him he hath the domination and government of all So that whatsoever might shadow and cloud him all ills eyther in Body in Soule or condition all was remooved and he was glorious in all For excellencie the foundation of glory that was alway with him in his very abasement but now it was manifested he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by raysing himselfe from the dead he was declared to be glorious in all those things wherein he could be glorious As no person can be glorious but eyther it must be in body or soule or condition he was glorious in all for hee was received up into the place of glory to Heaven to the assembly of glory to the presence of his Father and the blessed Saints and Angels and no question but there was a glorious welcome If the Angels came so chearefully to proclaime his Incarnation when he was borne and sang Glory be to God on high on Earth peace good will towards men What kind of triumph doe you thinke was made by all the blessed companie in Heaven when he was entertained thither after his abasement It is beyond our conceits to imagine It will not be altogether unusefull to speake of the circumstances of Christs being taken up to glory Whence was he taken He was taken up to glory from Mount Olivet where he used to pray and where he sweat water and blood where he was humbled from the place of Humiliation was his Ascension to glory shewing unto us that the place oft times where we pray where we are afflicted our sick Beds nay the places of our abasement the very Prisons they may be as Mount Olivet to us from whence God will take us to glory Let no man therefore feare and abasement it may prove as Mount Olivet to him in this respect And when was he taken up to glory Not before he had finished his worke as he sayth Iohn 17.4 I have finished the worke thou gavest me to doe Then he was taken up when he had done all when he had accomplished our salvation And after his abasement not before So our taking up to glory it must be when we have done our worke when we have finished our course when we have runne our race when we have fought the good fight And also after our abasement we must first suffer with Christ before we can be glorified with him Againe if we speake of the first degree of Christs glory his Resurrection he was taken up to glory when he was at the lowest that could be when he was in the Grave so Gods Church and children at the lowest they are neerest to glory We use to say Things when they are at the worst are neerest mending so is the state and condition of the Church of God and every particular Christian when he is lowest he is neerest raysing as we shall see afterwards The witnesses of this were the Angels they proclaimed his Incarnation with joy and without doubt they were much more joyfull at his ascending up to glory it was in the presence of the Angels So likewise when he shall come to manifest his glory at the day of Judgement there will be innumerable thousands of Angels Those glorious creatures were witnesses of his glory and no question but they yeelded their joyfull attendance and service that were so willing to attend him at his birth and comming into the world He was carryed up in the clouds in which also he shall come againe at the last day But before he was taken up to glory he was fortie dayes on Earth to give evidence to his Apostles and Disciples of his Resurrection and to instruct and furnish them in things concerning their Callings afterwards he was taken up to glory And in all that time of his abode on Earth after his first degree of glory his Resurrection he was never seene of sinfull eye for any thing we see in Scripture I meane of those that were scorners of him that despised him The Scribes and Pharises and carnall people did not see him they had no commerce at all with him after his Resurrection they that despised him in his abasement had no comfort by exaltation But that which I will chiefely presse in this Clause shall be to shew That as this is a Mysterie so how it is a Mysterie of Godlinesse to stirre us up to godlinesse for as I sayd befoâ—e Divine Truths and Principles they are called Godlinesse because where they are embraced they worke godlinesse the soule is transformed into them where these Truths are ingrafted in the soule as S. Peter saith they turne the soule into their owne nature Therefore I will shew how this Mysterie Christ received up to glory breeds a frame of Godlinesse in the heart That it is a Mysterie it will easily appeare For was it a great Mysterie that God should take our nature upon him to be abased in it Surely it must needs be a Mysterie that God will be glorified in our nature Was our nature advanced in his Incarnation Much more was it glorified in his Exaltation when he
cannot see the nature of God in any thing in the world so much as in Christ in Christ we see as in a glasse his infinitie sweet Wisedome his Justice and Holinesse in hating and loathing of sinne But the maine of all is his Mercy and Goodnesse which set him on worke to contrive this great worke of Redemption by the Incarnation and death of Christ the infinite rich glorious aboundant mercy that is the maine thing wherein God is glorious now in Christ therefore every where you have these and the like titles put to his goodnesse and mercy The bounty of God appeared and the riches of his mercy and the exceeding great height and breadth and depth of his love There are no words large enough to set out the goodnesse and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. Therefore I will onely speake of this Attribute because this beares the mastery among all the other Attributes though God be equally powerfull and just and yet he expresseth his mercy and grace most of all in Iesus Christ towards poore wretched man For after the fall man being miserable and sinfull what Attribute can exalt it selfe but Mercy to misery and grace to sinfull man in pardoning his sinne considering in what termes man stood there was no other Attribute could exalt it selfe but grace and mercy to triumph over misery and sinne As it is in a City those that are otherwise equall in honour yet sometimes one beares rule above another and he that is now Magistrate and chiefe take him at another time he is inferiour to others so since the fall the mercy of God beares office and is chiefe Governour and Commander over all the Attributes of God For as I said what moved God to set his Wisedome on worke to contrive such a thing as the salvation of man-kinde to reconcile God and man in one person his Mercy moved him What moved him to satisfie his Justice It was that an excellent way might be made without prejudice to any other of his Attributes for his free grace and Mercy that is it that set all the other on worke that is the maine triumphing Attribute considering man now standing in that exigence of Mercy therefore Glory to God in the highest heavens especially for his free grace and Mercy in Christ. Now that you may understand this sweet point which is very comfortable and indeed the grand comfort to a Christian doe but compare the glory of God that is the excellency and eminency of Gods mercy and goodnesse and greatnesse of this work of Redemption by Christ with other things God is glorious in the worke of Creation The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth manifests the glory of God every creature indeed hath a beame of the glory of God especially those celestiall bodies in the heavens they praise God in their kinds but with our mouthes they give us matter of praise and if we have gracious hearts we take notice of it and magnifie him for his goodnesse his goodnesse appeares in the use of the creatures and his greatnesse in the bulke of the creatures his wisedome in ordering and ranking of them so that his mercy shines in all things in heaven and earth marvelously oh but beloved heaven and earth shall come to nothing ere long and what is all this glory of the goodnesse and greatnesse of God to us if we be sent to hell after this short life is ended what comfort is it that we goe on the earth and enjoy the comforts that God gives us in this world and then to perish for ever therefore the glory and goodnesse of God doth not so gloriously appeare in the creation of the world Nay the glory of Gods love and mercy shined not to us so when we were in Adam not to Adam for there God did good to a good man he created him good and shewed goodnesse to him that was not so much wonder but for God to shew mercy to an enemy to a creature that was in opposition to him that was in a state of rebellion against him it is a greater wonder and more glory It was a marvelous mercy for God to make man out of the earth but here God was made man he became man himselfe there all was done with one word Let us make man it was easily done But in this for Christ to become man for us and to suffer many things to be made a curse for us it was not so easie a matter therefore herein there is a great manifestation of the glory of Gods goodnesse and mercy to us for God hath set himselfe to bee glorious in his mercy and goodnesse and grace in Christ hee hath set himselfe to triumph over the greatest ill in man which is sinne in the glorious worke of Redemption So that you see here is the greatest glory and mercy of God appeares in our Redemption by Iesus Christ the foundation of which is his incarnation In Exod. 34.6 God doth make an answer to Moses who desired to see the glory of God that he might have it manifested to him not out of curiosity but that he might love God the more how doth God manifest his glory to him Iehovah strong mercifull glorious pardoning sinne and Iniquity when God would set himselfe to shew his glory in answering Moses petition he doth it in setting out his glorious mercy and grace and loving kindnesse in pardoning sin and iniquity to shew that he will now have his glory most appeare in the sweet Attribute of mercy and compassion in the forgivenesse of sinnes c. In Titus 2. 12. The grace of God hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts c. The grace of God hath appeared Grace hath not a body to appeare visibly I but Christ appeared and when he appeared it was as if grace and love had beene incarnate and tooke a body so that grace and mercy most of all shines in the Incarnation of Christ. I need not cleere the point further but onely make a little use of it and so end Doth the grace and love and mercy of God those sweet Attributes now appeare and shew themselves in Iesus Christ. I beseech you let us remember it there is no point of Divinitie of more use and comfort especially in the greatest plunges and extremities for it answereth all objections the greatest and strongest that can be made The sinner will object my sinnes are great of long continuance and standing they are of a deepe dye Looke then upon God in Christ and consider his end in the Incarnation of Christ it was that his mercy and goodnesse and grace should be exalted and triumph over all mans unworthinesse the greater thy sinnes are the greater will be the glory of his mercy and that is it God seekes for now to be glorious in his mercy Againe thy heart tells thee that if there be any mercy shewed to such a wretch as thou art
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
conceived of the prophanenesse and poyson that is in mans nature against Divine Truths as I shall shew afterwards how it slights the meanes of its owne salvation and stands wondering at baubles and trifles and so men waste away their precious time in admiration of that which is nothing but vanitie of vanities whereas we should take up our time in studying these transcendent things that goe beyond the capacitie of the very Angels yet these things we dally and trifle withall Againe from hence that Christs was seene and attended on and admired by Angels there is a great deale of comfort issueth to us it is the ground of all the attendance and comfort that we have from the Angels For this is a Rule in Divinitie that there is the same reason of the Head and of the members both Head and members are one Therefore what comfort and attendance Christ had who is the Head the Church which is his Body hath the same onely with some difference they attended upon him as the Head they attend upon us as the members they attended upon him immediatly for himselfe they attend upon us for his sake For whatsoever we have of God we have it at the second hand we receive Grace for Grace of Christ we receive attendance of Angels for the attendance they yeelded to Christ first they attend upon us by his direction and commission and charge from him so we have a derivative comfort from the attendance of Angels upon Christ but surely whatsoever they did to him they doe to us because there is the same respect to Head and members Therefore the Devill did not mistake he was right in that when he alledged out of the Psalme He shall give his Angels charge over thee that thou dash not thy foot against a stone He was right in that applying it to Christ For how-ever it be true to Christians yet it is true to Christ too it is true to the members as well as the Head and to the Head as to the members for He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one as the Apostle sayth one Christ. Now the care of Angels concerning Christ and his Church it was shadowed out in Exod. 25. and 26. There the Mercie-Seate which covered the Arke wherein the Law was upon the Mercie-Seat there were two Cherubins counter viewing one another and both pryed to the Mercie-Seat they shadowed out the Angels that looke on the Mercie-Seat Christ for he is the Mercie-Seat that covers the Law and the Curse in whom God was mercifull to us There they looke upon that with a kind of wonderment and attendance which S. Peter alludes unto in that place Iâ—to which Mysteries the very Angels prie And so in the Veile of the Tabernacle the Veile had round about it Pictures of Cherubins What did that shaddow out unto us The multitude of Cherubins and Seraphins and Angels that attend upon Christ and his Church So he was seene and attended on by Angels and it belongs to all that are his as you have it Heb. 1. They are ministring spirits for the good of the heires of salvation They that serve the King serve the Queene too Christ is the King of his Church and the Church is the greatest Queene in the World they attend upon her nay Christ hath made us with himselfe Kings Now what a King is that that hath a Guard of Angels As they guarded and attended upon Christ so they guard and attend all that are his as you have it excellently in Dan. 7.10 There are thousand thousands of Angels about the Throne continually All this is for our comfort because we are one Mysticall body with him You have in Iacobs Ladder a notable representation of this Iacobs Ladder it reached from Earth to Heaven and that pointed to Christ himselfe who is Emanuel God and man who brought God and man together He was a Mediator betweene both and a friend to both He was that Ladder that touched Heaven and Earth and joyned both together Now it is said the Angels ascended and descended upon that Ladder so the Angels descending upon us is because they ascend and descend upon Iacobs Ladder first that is upon Christ. All things are yours sayth the Apostle What be those God is ours the Spirit is ours Heaven is ours the Earth is ours Afflictions Life Death Paul Apollo the Angels themselves all is ours Why Ye are Christs that is the ground So it is a spring of comfort to consider that Christ was seene and admired and attended by Angels they are ours because we are Christs Let us consider what a comfort it is to have the attendance of these blessed Spirits for Christs sake And hence we have the ground of the perpetuitie of it that they will for ever be attendants to us because their love and respect to us is founded upon their love and respect to Christ. When favour to another is grounded upon a sound foundation when the favour that a King or a great person beares to one is founded in the love of his owne sonne he loves the other because he loves his sonne whom the other loves so it is perpetuall and sound because he will ever love his sonne The Angels will for ever love and honour and attend us why for what ground have they respect to us at all It is in Christ whose members and Spouse we are So long as the Church hath any relation to Christ so long the Angels shall respect the Church but the Church hath relation to Christ for ever therefore the respect that the blessed Angels have to Christ and to the Church it is for ever and for ever Well let us thinke of this so as to make use of it that now in Christ we have the attendance of Angels We doe not see them as in former time before Christs Incarnation it is true because now since Christ is come in the flesh the Government of Christ is spirituall and we are not supported with those glorious manifestations but they are about us in an invisible manner We have Elizeus Guard about us continually but we see them not There were more apparitions in the infancie of the Church because the dispensation of Christ to the Church was according to the weake state of the Church But now Christ is come in the flesh and received up in glory and there is more abundance of Spirit wee should be more spirituall and heavenly minded and not looke for outward apparitions of Angels but be content that we have a Guard of them about us as every Christian hath Despise not saith Christ these little ones thâ—y are about Christians and about little ones little in yeeres little in esteeme for their Angels c. It is a strange thing they are Gods Angels but they are theirs for their service Their Angels behold the face of your heavenly Father So that Christs Angels are our Angels they
the point a little seeing the necessity of it to shew What it is to preach What it is to preach Christ. And What it is to preach Christ to the Gentiles To preach is to open the mysterie of Christ to open whatsoever is in Christ to breake open the box that the favour may be perceived of all To open Christs natures and person what it is to open the offices of Christ first he was a Prophet to teach wherefore he came into the world then he was a Priest offring the Sacrifice of himselfe and then after he had offred his Sacrifice as a Priest then he was a King he was more publikely and gloriously knowne to be a King to rule after he had gained a people by his Priesthood and Offring then he was to be a King to governe them but his Propheticall Office is before the rest he was all at the same time but I speake in regard of manifestation now to preach Christ is to lay open these things And likewise the states wherein he executed his Office First the state of humiliation Christ was first abased and then glorified the flesh he tooke upon him was first sanctified and then abased and then he made it glorious flesh he could not worke our salvation but in a state of abasement he could not apply it to us but in a state of exaltation and glory To open the merits of Christ what he hath wrought to his Father for us To open his efficacie as the spirituall Head of the Church what wonders he workes in his children by altering and raysing of them by fitting and preparing them for Heaven Likewise to open all the Promises in Christ they are but Christ dished and parcelled out All the promises in Christ are Yea and Amen They are made for Christs sake and performed for Christs sake they are all but Christ severed into so many particular gracious blessings To preach Christ is to lay open all this which is the inheritance of Gods people But it is not sufficient to preach Christ to lay open all this in the view of others but in the opening of them there must be application of them to the use of Gods people that they may see their interest in them and there must be an alluring of them for to preach is to wooe The Preachers are Paranymphi the friends of the Bridegroome that are to procure the marriage between Christ and his Church therefore they are not onely to lay open the Riches of the Husband Christ but likewise to intreat for a marriage and to use all the gifts and parts that God hath given them to bring Christ and his Church together And because people are in a contrarie state to Christ to preach Christ is even to begin with the Law to discover to people their estate by nature a man can never preach the Gospel that makes not way for the Gospel by shewing and convincing people what they are out of Christ. Who will marry with Christ but those that know their owne beggerie and miserie out of Christ That he must be had of necessitie or else they dye in debts eternally he must be had or else they are eternally miserable Now when people are convinced of this then they make out of themselves to Christ. This therefore must be done because it is in order that which makes way to the preaching of Christ for the full stomack despiseth an hony-combe Who cares for Balme that is not sick Who cares for Christ that sees not the necessity of Christ Thefore we see Iohn Baptist came before Christ to make way for Christ to levell the mountaines to cast downe whatsoever exalts it selfe in man He that is to preach must discerne what mountaines there be betweene mens hearts and Christ and he must labour to discover themselves to themselves and lay flat all the pride of men in the dust for the Word of God is forcible to pull downe strong holds and imaginations and to bring all into subjection to Christ. And indeed though a man should not preach the Law yet by way of implication all these things are wrapped in the Gospel What need a Saviour unlesse wee were lost What need Christ to be Wisedome to us if we were not fooles in our selves What need Christ be Sanctification to us if we were not defiled in our selves Wat need he be Redemption if we were not lost and sold in our selves to Satan and under his bondage Therefore all is to make way for Christ not onely to open the Mysteries of Christ but in the opening and application to let us see the necessitie of Christ. In a word being to bring Christ and the Church together our ayme must be to perswade people to come out of their estate they are in to come and take Christ whatsoever makes for this that course we must use though it be with never so much abasing of our selves Therefore the Gospel is promulgate in a sweet manner I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God c. The Law comes with Cursed Cursed but now in the Gospel Christ is preached with sweet alluring I beseech you Brethren and we as Ambassadours beseech you as if Christ by us did beseech you c. This is the manner of the dispensation in the Gospel even to begge of people that they would be good to their owne soules Christ as it were becomes a beggar himselfe and the great God of Heaven and Earth begges our love that we would so care for our owne soules that we would be reconciled unto him It was fitter indeed we should begge of him it was fit we should seeke to be reconciled to him but God so stoupes in the dispensation and Ministerie of the Gospel that he becomes a begger and suter to us to be good to our soules as if he had offended us he desires us to be reconciled the wrong is done on our part yet he so farre transcends the doubtings of mans nature that he would have nothing to cause mans heart to mis-give no doubts nor scruples to arise hee himselfe becomes a beseecher of reconciliation as if he were the partie that had offended This is the manner of the publication of the Gospel I doe but touch things to shew what it is to preach Christ. Seeing then of necessitie there must be a dispensation together with the Gospel let us labour to magnifie this dispensation of Preaching that together with Redemption and the good things we have by Christ we have also the Standard set up and the Brazen Serpent lifted up by Preaching the unsearchable Riches of Christ unfolded to us It is a blessed condition Let us magnifie this Ordinance without disparaging other meanes of Reading c. This Preaching is that whereby God dispenseth salvation and grace ordinarily And God in wisedome sees it the fittest way to dispense his grace to men by men why To trie our obedience
thoughts of that will be a good meanes for we must empty our selves of that we are that we may be filled with that we are not and we must daily consider the emptinesse of the creature wherewith we labour to support our selves For when men have no goodnesse in themselves they will have an excellency in the creature therefore when wee see our selves out of Christ to be nothing but fuell for Gods vengeance and see that the creature can afford us nothing but vexation these thoughts that these things are so and out of experience will make us draw neere to God upon all occasions it will make us glorifie him and abase our selves what made Iob abase himselfe and glorifie God when he drew neere to God and God drew neere to him I abhorre my selfe and so we see in Abraham Let us draw neere to God upon all occasions in the Word and Prayer and in the Sacrament and this will make us see our owne nothingnesse and Gods greatnesse for that is the way to honour him to see his greatnesse and a nothingnesse in the creature that all things in him are so excellent and out of him nothing and worse then nothing Now wee are to draw neere to God in the Sacrament and the neerer to God the more we honour him who honours God most surely Christ because he is so neere him being God and man in one Person and next to him the blessed Angels glorifie God they are neere him therefore in Isay 6. they cover their faces it being impossible for the creature to comprehend the great Majestie of God and they cover their feet in modesty the neerer we draw to God in the meditation and consideration of his excellencie in the ordinances the more humble and abased wee shall be in our selves and the more we shall honour God seeing his excellency especially of his love So next to the Angels the Saints All thy workes praise thee Psal. 145. They give matter and occasion but Thy Saints blesse thee If it were not for a few Saints on earth though all the workes of God are matter of praise they could not praise God Thy Saints blesse thee and the neerer we come to God the fitter we are for this Now there is a wondrous neere comming to God in the Sacrament if we come prepared we come to have communion and strengthening in Christ he is both the Inviter and the Feast it selfe we come to be made one with him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh therefore if wee come prepared this is the way to bring us to a disposition to glorifie God you see here the wondrous infinite love of God in the Sacrament to stoupe so low to his creature to strengthen our faith by giving us these things God had beene good to us whether he had given us his Oath and his Seale or no but he knowes we are weake and unbeleeving and doubting therefore to helpe us he hath given us not onely his promise but his Oath and besides his Oath hee hath given us signes and Seales here is wondrous mercy Let us be encouraged to come in and admire the love of God not onely in giving his Sonne Christ for us but in affording us other meanes to strengthen our faith Let none be discouraged in the sight and sense of their owne sinnes but let them come in and they shall glorifie God the more where sinne hath abounded in their sence and feeling there grace shall more abound And those that have beene good and have slipped any way let them consider Gods infinite love in Christ it is not a Cisterne but a Spring Gods mercy in Christ and the blood of Christ is a Fountaine opened for Iudah c. that is it serves not for our first conversion onely but every day upon every occasion when we have made any breach with God we may come and wash in that Bath Christs blood The blood of Christ purgeth it is in the present tense it runnes continually in the vigour of it There is a spring of corruption in us there is a Spring of mercy in God there is a Spring of Christs blood that hath a perfect efficacy to wash our soules Therefore if we have not yet beene converted and humbled and cast downe â—or our sinnes let us now come in and give God the glory of his mercy and if we have fallen againe consider there is a Fountaine opened for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in and let us come and renew our repentance and faith at this time Peace on Earth The same holy affection in the Angels that moved them to wish God to have his due of glory from the creature it moves them to wish peace to men likewise to shew this by the way that There can be no true zeale of Gods glory but with love to man-kind They were not so ravished with the glory of God as to forget poore man on earth oh no they have sweet pure affections to man a poorer creature then themselves Therfore let them that are injurious and violent in their dispositions and insolent in their carriage never talke of glorifying God when they despise and wrong men there are some that overthrow all peace in the earth for their owne glory but he that seekes Gods glory will procure peace what he can for they goe both together as we see here Glory to God in the highest peace on earth Now their end of wishing peace upon earth it is that men might thereby glorifie God that God being reconciled and peace being stablished in mens consciences they might glorifie God hence observe this likewise that We cannot glorifie God till we have some knowledge of our peace with him in Christ. We must have the first act to cast our selves upon Gods mercy in Christ and adhere and cleave to that mercy and then we shall feele so much comfort as shall make us glorifie God though we may question it in desertion sometimes here the Angels intending that God should have glory of all they wish peace on earth in the consciences of men especially The reason is peace comes from righteousnesse Christ is first the King of righteousnesse and then King of peace righteousnesse causeth peace now unlesse the soule be assured of righteousnesse in Christ it can have no peace what saith the Virgin Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour she begins with magnifying the Lord but what was the ground she rejoyced in God as a Saviour therefore she magnified him so in the Lords Prayer wee say Our Father which is a word of the Covenant of grace when the soule conceives of God as a gracious Father reconciled in Christ and then comes Hallowed be thy Name insinuating that till we know in some measure God to be our Father we cannot with a gracious spirit say Hallowed be thy Name for can we heartily wish for the manifestation of the glory of
us consider there is peace made betweene God and us and put up our requests in the Name of Christ and wee shall finde that peace that passeth understanding Againe if we would maintaine thâ—s peace let us be alway doing some-what that is good and pleasing to God in the same Chapter Phil. 4.8 Finally Brethren whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure c. Think of these things and what then The God of peace shall be with you The peace of God and the God of peace shall be with you there must be a thinking of whatsoever is good the thoughts must be exercised that way and there must be a practice of that we thinke of this is one meanes to maintaine this peace with God The very Heathen had this reward of God I meane in this life that when they did good to their Country and one to onother they had content of conscience they had a peace sutable For in this world there is a sutable pleasure of conscience contentment upon every thing that is good God rewards it in this world for as the heat followeth the fire alway naturally it cannot be without heat so the thinking and practising of that which is good especially when it is joyned with some opposition of corrupt nature when the light of nature is above the corruption of nature If a man be a Pagan he shall have this reward in this world a kind of inward peace for we see how comfortably they speake sometimes upon some notable performance for then Country Now the God of peace will be with us much more when we have laid the foundation of our peace aright in the mercy of God in Christ besides what is reserved heaven and happines in this world we shall find the peace of God in the doing that which is good As for those that live in the Church and are not yet in the state of grace that have lived wicked lives let them consider that yet the day of grace continues as yet the Scepter of mercy is held forth in the Ministery there is a day of Jubily for them to returne from their former captivity let them not abuse the patience of God and thinke to doe it afterward for that is the way to harden the heart more and more And this Scripture puts an effectuall argument into the hearts of all that are in ill termes with God that have not made their peace or that have had peace and have broken it here is an effectuall way of pleading with God Glory to God on high c. If the soule can say I consider my folly and madnesse in running into sinne thou mightest justly damne me if thoâ— wouldst it is thy mercy I am not sent to hell oh but thou shalt have the greater glory if I find mercy therefore that I may say Glory to God on high let me finde peace on earth speake peace by thy Spirit to my soule say I am thy salvation â— This was the end of thy sending of Christ the end of Creation the end of Providence all to bring thee glory thou mightest have the glory of thy Justice to damne me oh but it will be the glory of thy mercy to save me that as my sins have abounded so thy glory shall more abound Oh Lord extend the bowels of thy mercy will not the Lord be jealous of his glory when you alleage it certainely he will you see the Angels here crie Glory to God on high peace on earth the way to bring peace is to alleadge the glory of Gods mercy in Christ it is a prevailing way Now to stirre us up more and more to search the grounds of our peaceâ— I beseech you let us consider the fearefull estate of a man that hath not made his peace with God how-ever Christ have dyed that will not serve the turne but if Christ be food if he be not eaten if he be a garment and not be put on if Christ be a foundation if we doe not build on him what benefit is it to us Therefore those that have not been brought by the Spirit of God to communion with Christ alas they are under the wrath of God however God doth use them as Princes doe Traytors in the Tower he gives them the liberty of the prison yet the sentence of death is not revoked all the delights of a Prisoner in the Tower doth not content him he knowes he is in ill tearmes with his Prince so till wee have made our peace with God by hearty confession of our sinnes by shaming of our selves by a particular faith beleeving the forgivenesse of our sinnes and a resolution against all sinne for the time to come alas wee have not sued out our pardon all our delights are but as those of a prisoner in the Tower Therefore aske thy soule hast thou sued out thy pardon is there reconciliation wrought betweene God and thee and accounts made even If we confesse and forsake our sinnes we shall find mercy it is the Word of the God of heaven who is truth it selfe he hath pawned his fidelity and truth on it to forgive us if wee confesse hee is content to be thought unjust and unfaithfull if he doe not forgive if wee ingenuously without all guile of spirit lay open our sinnes and take shame to our selves If wee doe not make our peace with God what a case are we in God himselfe ere long will appeare our enemy Christ whom we thinke will save us will be our Judge and a terrible Judge the Lambe will be angry Who shall cover us from the wrath of the Lambe we thinke of Christ as an innocent meeke Lambe onely that will not be angrie The rebellious Kings and Potentates that â—ight against Christ and his Church they thinke to trample on Christ and his Gospell but the time will come when they shall desire the mountaines to cover them and if his wrath be kindled Psal. 2. Who shall abide it hee speakes there of Christ Happy are they that trust in him As for the Holy-Ghost how can they looke for comfort from him they have grieved him therefore hee will grieve their conscience The Holy-Ghost as he is the God of all comfort and consolation so he is the ground of all terrour to wicked men when he hath knocked at their hearts by the ministery of his Word to open and to let him in but they would not And the Angels are ready executioners of Gods vengeance upon any occasion and others creatures wayte but for a command from God to execute his wrath upon sinners the heavens are ready to raine upon them as in the flood and the earth is ready to swallow them as it did Corah the beasts that carry us the creatures wee use waite for a command from God to destroy us our meate to choake us the ayre to infect us the water to drowne us they are all
this Spirit that worketh this in us and assures us of Gods good pleasure it alters and changeth our dispositions that wee shall have a good pleasure in God for there is a mutuall good pleasure God hath a good pleasure in us as his and we have a good pleasure in God wrought by the Spirit the Spirit not onely witnesseth but worketh this sweet and gracious disposition to God God delights in us and we in God God delights in the Church above all things the Church is his wife and Spouse his body his friends his children and those that have the Spirit of God delight in them too Psal. 16 All my delight is in the excellent and Pro. 8. My delight is in the Sonnes of men saith Christ which he shewed by taking the base nature of man upon him so all that have the Spirit of Christ delight in the Church and people of God All my delight is in the Saints on earth God saith his delight is in his Church Hos. 2. So all that have the Spirit of God they delight in the people of God God delights in obedience more then Sacrifice Gods people that he delights in they yeeld their bodies and soules a Sacrifice to God Rom. 12. They will seeke out what is well pleasing and acceptable to God God accepts them in Christ and he is acceptable to them in Christ Iesus and they seeke out what pleaseth him and is acceptable to him as the sonnes of Isaac sought out what might please their old father what he could relish so Gods children seeke out what duties God relisheth best Thanksgiving is a Sacrifice with which God is well pleased is it so then they will seeke out that that may please him God by his Spirit will worke in them a disposition to please him in all things therefore the people of God are said to bee a voluntary free people zealous of good workes being set at liberty the Spirit infusing and conveying the love and good pleasure of God in Christ to them it sets their wils at liberty to devise to please God in all things they have as David prayes Psal. 51. A free Spirit As God not out of any respect from us but freely from his owne bowels loved us and gave Christ to us and delighted in us so the soule freely without any base respects loves God againe Those therefore that doe duties for base aymes and forced as fire out of a flint not as water out of a spring that duty comes not naturally and sweetly from them God hath no pleasure in them because they have none in God but the good they doe is extorted and drawne from them Let us try our selves therefore if wee have tasted Gods good will towards us we will have a good pleasure to him againe whatsoever is Gods pleasure shall be our pleasure what pleaseth him shall please us If it please him to exercise us with crosses and afflictions and losses what pleaseth God shall please me for when he hath once loved me freely in Christ every thing that comes from him tastes of that free love if hee correct me it is out of free love and mercie all the wayes of God are mercy and truth his way of correction and sharp dealing it is a way of love and free mercy therefore if it please him it shall please me my will shall be his will Againe if wee finde the free love of God to us in Christ it will quicken us to all duties and strengthen us in all conditions but these evidences shall suffice let us search our hearts how we stand affected to God and to the best things wee delight in them if God delight in us And if wee doe not find our selves yet to be the people of Gods delight towards whom God hath thoughts of love as the Prophet speaks what shall we doe Attend upon the meanes of salvation the Gospell of peace and reconciliation and wayte the good time and doe not stand disputing this is that that hinders many their disputing and cavilling that perhaps God hath not a purpose to save me and that the greatest part of mankind goe the broad way c. Leave disputing and fall to obeying God hath a gracious purpose to save all that repent of their sinnes and believe in Christ this is Gospell I will leave secret things they belong to God revealed things belong to me I will desire of God his Spirit to repent of my sinnes and to believe and cast my selfe in the armes of his mercy in Christ and then let God doe as hee please if I perish I will perish in the armes of Christ let us labour to bring our hearts to waite in the use of the means for Gods good Spirit to inable me to see my state by nature and to get out of it by casting my selfe upon Gods love in Christ. And object not the greatnesse of any sinne to hinder the comfort of Gods mercy it is a free mercy the ground of it is from himselfe and not from thee It was free to Manasses that had sinned no man more being a King and being the sonne of a good father his sinnes spread further then ours can doe answerable to the greatnesse of his person being an infinite and free mercy it extends to the greatest sinners let no man pretend any sinne or unworthinesse if he seriously repent if any sinne or unworthinesse could keepe it backe it were something but it is a free mercy and love from Gods owne bowels in Christ. And consider how God offers this in the Gospel and layes a command it is thy duty to have a good conceit of God in Christ We ought not to suspect a man that is an honest man and will God take it wel at our hands to suspect him that he is so and so he maks a shew of his love mercy in Christ but perhaps he intends it not put it out of question by believing if thou have grace to believe the mercy of God in Christ thou makest thy selfe a member of Christ and an heire of heaven thou questionist whether thou bee one that Christ dyed for or no believe in him and obey him and thou puttest that question out of question thou doubtest whether God love thee or no cast thy self upon the love of God in Christ and then it is out of question whosoever hath grace to cast himselfe upon the free love of God he fulfils the covenant of grace stand not disputing and wrangling but desire grace to obey and thâ—n all questions concerning thy eternall estate are resolved all is cleare If these things will not move you then let all men know that live in a sinfull condition that they had better have lived in any part of the world then in these glorious times and places of light for when they heare the love of God in Christ laid open to them if they will come in and receive Christ and cast themselves
I will trust him for a shilling He that pretends he will trust God God will save me God is mercifull and yet notwithstanding will not trust him for common things it is an abusive delusion and flatering of his owne soule in vaine there is no such trust in him because he that trusts God for the maine will trust him for the lesse Therefore true trust is for all things he that trusts God for forgivenesse of sinnes which is the maine and hath wrestled with God for the forgivenesse of sinnes and found peace with God there he will easily wrestle in other baser and lesse temptations As God saith to Iacob Thou art Israel thou hast prevailed with God and shalt prevaile over men so a true Christian that in the grand point of forgivenesse of sinnes when his conscience is surprized with the feare of Gods wrath hath gotten assurance of the pardon of his sinnes when hee is to set upon other lesser temptations he overcomes them easily Therefore a Christian will trust God as for forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting so with his good name Oh will some say you will be reported of thus thus he cares not he knowes the cause is just he will trust his good name with God Who will bring a mans righteousnesse forth cleare as the noone day as David speakes He that will not trust God with his good name is of a base spirit and feare of disgrace keepes many men from many just actions He that truly trusts God will trust him with the righting of his cause hee will not pull Gods office out of his hands he will not revenge himselfe but he will trust God God certainly will right me first or last he will only use the legall meanes and that quietly But a man that is not acquainted with the Spirit of God is presently moved with revenge and hath not learned to overcome himselfe in this conflict A man hath gone indeed very far in religion that can conquer himselfe in this conflict that can trust his cause with God when he is wronged and overcome by might c. So our Saviour Christ committed his cause to him that was able to judge righteously Every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ hee when hee was reviled retorted not againe but committed the cause to him that was able to judge righteously Shall I be able to commit my soule to God in the houre of death and shall I not in case of revenge be able to commit my case to God when I have done that that peaceably I may doe I may suspect that I am but yet an hypocrite I have not true trust in God Againe he that hath learned truly to trust God for the grand maine matters he will trust him likewise with his posterity with his children without using indirect meanes to make them rich as if they could not be blessed unlesse they have such a portion put into their hand when we dye as 〈◊〉 God had not stock enough for them for the Earth is thâ— Lords and the fulnesse therof And he is the God of the faithfull and of their seed Is he so Then let us labour to leave our children in covenant leave them in a gracious frame and state of soule that they may be Gods children and then wee leave them rich for we leave them God alsufficient to be their portion Therefore those that pretend I do this but for my posterity and children when they are unjust and unconscionable in their getting they make this defence for their unbeliefe if they had true faith as they trust God with their soules as they pretend at least so they would with their children and posterity Againe he that trusts God truly will trust God with his gifts with the distribution of his almes with parting with that hee hath for the present when hee sees it like seed cast upon the water When seed is cast upon the water we are like never to se ti againe Oh but saith the Wise man Cast thy bread upon the water and thou shall see it after a certaine time He that hath learned to trust God will beleeve this though he cast away his bounty yet he hath cast it upon God and Christ that will returne it againe he knowes he doth but lend to the Lord. Therefore those that thinke their bounty and almes and good deeds to bee lost because they see not a present returne a present crop of that seed they have not a Spirit of trust in God for he that hath will endeavour to be rich in good workes nay he will account it a spâ—ciall favour a grâ—ater favour to have a heart to doe good then to have meanes A reprobate may have meanes abundance to doe good but only a childe of God hath a heart to doe good and when he hath gotten a large and gracious heart to doe good it pleaseâ—h him then he sees he hath an evidence that he is the childe of God he knowes he shall not lose a cup of cold water not the least thing that he doth in the name of Christ The apprehension of this should make us more fruitfull and abound in the worke of the Lord. It is for want of trust and faith that we are so barren as we are in good workes Againe he that will trust God with the greatest matters will trust God with his wayes for direction he will not trust his owne wit and wisdome but God God shall be wise for him â—e will fâ—llow Gods directions and whatsoever â—s contrary to Gods direction hee will not doe hee will acknowledge God in all his wayes Prov. 3.5 Acknowledge God in all thy wayes acknowledge him to be thy guide thy defender thy light to direct thee acknowledge him to be able and willing to give thee successe acknowledge God in all thy wayes and consultations and when we have especially any great matters in hand Oh I beseech you let us learne to acknowledge God What is it to acknowledge him To go to him for direction and protection in doing our duty that we seeke to him for strength and for successe this is to acknowledge God in our wayes What makes men so unfortunate and successelesse in their consultations Because they are so faithlesse they doe not acknowledge God in their wayes but trust too much to seeming things and appearance of things they are carried too much with that Though things seeme to go never so well yet let nothing make us give over to acknowledge God nay when things are never so ill let us acknowledge God for God can set all streight and at rights again Alas what a small matter is it for him that rules Heaven and Earth and turnes this great wheele of all things to turne the lesser wheeles to order lesser businesses and bring them to a happy issue and conclusion It is but a little matter with his command seeing he rules all things it is but trusting in him
consideration of this till we feele our hearts warmed If one passe through the Sunne shine it doth not much heat but if the Sunne beat upon a thing there will be a reflection of heat so let us stay upon this consideration of the infinite love and mercy of Christ to us wretches and this warming the heart it will transforme us to the likenesse of Christ as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 We all as in mirrour beholding the Glory of God he meanes the glory of Gods mercy in Christ We are transformed and changed from glory to glory from one degree of grace to another The serious consideration of the love and mercy of God in Christ it is a wondrous sweet thing and it hath a transforming power with it And that is the reason why the Gospell converts men and not the Law The Law never converts a man but together with the Spirit it will cast him downe but the Gospell which is the promulgation of grace and mercy to penitent sinners that confesse their sinnes and forsake them and come under a new government of grace the publishing of this hath the spirit of grace with it to worke conversion therefore it is called the ministery of the Spirit because the Spirit goes with the doctrine of grace to change us and make us gracious to perswade us that God loves us and to stir us up to performe all duties in that sweet affection that God requires in the Gospell the affection of love Therefore if we bee or ever were converted it is this way our hearts are wrought on by the consideration of the love and mercy of God in Christ so that love begets love and mercy begets a sweetnesse in us to God againe In the nature of the thing it cannot be otherwise when the soule stands convinced of the sweet mercy of God in Christ and of the sweet love of Christ who being God became man to take our nature and suffer the punishment that was due to us and is now in Heaven appearing and making intercession for us it cannot bee but the soule will be stirred up to a desire of conformity to this blessed Saviour Therefore let us let goe all disputing of election concerning Gods decree and let us doe our duty and depend upon God in the use of the meanes Let us labour to see the love of God in Christ and that will put all questions out of question though in some cases we must labour to know how to vindicate the truth but when it comes to our owne particular lay other things aside let us doe our duty in the use of meanes and thinke of the end of the Gospell of the end of Christs incarnation and death namely to reveale the bowels of Gods mercy to sinners and then we shall finde the intendment of all working upon us that God had an eternall purpose to save us Againe if we would make good use of the example of Christ we must converse with those that have the Spirit of Christ in them as Christ is in every good Christian and see what lovely things the Spirit of Christ discovers in them that will have a transforming power likewise And certainly next to the meditation of Christ and the excellencies that are in him I know no way more effectuall then holy communion with those that are led with the Spirit of Christ when we see the sweet fruit of it in others It hath beene a meanes sanctified to do a great deale of good to many those that delight not in it they never knew what the likenesse of Christ meant for those that desire to be like to Christ they love the shining of Christ in any In these carelesse times all companies are alike one with another indeed when mens callings thrust them upon it they must be allowed to converse with all men but in familiar and intimate society those that doe not make choise of those that finde some worke of grace on their hearts by the Spirit of God they may well doubt of their condition for grace it will make us love the like As we see creatures of the same kind they love and company one with another Doves with Doves and Lambes with Lambes so it must bee with the children of God or else we doe not know what the Communion of Saints meanes which indeed is a thing little understood in the world These times of security are times of confusion affliction will make us know one another better Againe if we would make use of the example of Christ let us put cases some times to our selves what Christ would doe or not doe in such a case I professe my selfe to be a member of Christ to bee one with him and hee one with mee Would CHRIST bee cruell if hee were on earth would he sweare and looke scornefully upon others would he undermine others and cover all with a pretence of justice Oh no it is the Devils worke to doe so If we be not members of Christ woe unto us and if we be doe such courses suit with such a neerenesse to Christ Either let us be religious to purpose or else disclame all for it is better a great deale never to owne religion then to owne it and to live gracelesse lives under the profession of Christ. Now to stir us up to expresse Christ in our lives and conversations Let us consider The more like we are to Christ the more he delights in us for every one delights in those that are like them and what a sweet state is it for God and Christ to delight in us â—od the Father will delight in us because we are like the Son of his delight whom doth God delight most in In his owne blessed Sonne and who come neerest in his delight to his Sonne Those that expresse him in their lives and conversations The more like we are to Christ the more like we shall be one to another As if there be one Statue or Picture or Effigies that is set for the first sample the neerer the rest come to that the more like they are one to another so I say the neerer Christians come to the first paterne of goodnesse Christ himselfe who is Gods master-piece as it were that which he glories in the more we come to be like one another and love and joy one in another What is the sweet communion that we shall have one with another for ever in Heaven Is it not that the Spirit shall be all in all in every one and each shall looke upon another as perfect in grace and love and so shall solace and delight themselves first in God and Christ and then in one another admiring and reverencing the graces and sweetnesse one of another This is the very joy of Heaven it selfe and it is the Heaven upon Earth when we can joy and solace our selves one in another as we are good Now the neerer wee come to Christ who is the Image of God
the more we shall attaine this Therefore let us labour that Christ may be all in all in us that as the soule doth act the body so the Spirit of Christ may act us that Christ may speake in us and think in us and love in us by his Spirit that he may dwell in us and joy and hate in us by his Spirit that we may put off our selves and our carnall affections and the Spirit of the world and that we may put on Christ and be clothed with him that we may say with S. Paul I live not but Christ lives in me by his Spirit whence was Paul stirred up to that Oh saith he Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. The grace of Christ stirred him up Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and by his Spirit he witnesseth to my soule that he did so Therefore the life that I live is by the Spirit of Christ Christ lives in me But to come to the particular duty whereunto the grace and example of Christ should stir us up to be like him that is in kindnesse and mercy and bounty to the poore Saints for that is the scope of the Apostle here in this and the next Chapter You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who though he was rich he became poore c. Wherfore doth the Apostle bring all this To move them to the duty of bounty and liberality This duty it is legall from the example of Christ it is a thing that hath much equity in it and it is enough to a Christian heart that hath the love of God to put him in minde of the grace of God to him you need not beat upon him or presse him further then thus You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remember you are a Christian you have felt the experience of Gods love in Christ every man will judge of the equity that we should therefore be gracious and kinde and loving to others in imitation of Christ because he hath beene so to us Wherein stands the equity First it may appeare in this if we consider in how neere a relation those that need our help are to us and likewise to Christ. First what is their relation to us Not only that they are our flesh for so are all men but they are heires of the same salvation bought with the death of the same Christ such as Christ feeds with his owne body and blood such as he clothes with his owne righteousnesse they are fellow members with us fellow heires of Heaven and members of Christ such as he died for to redeeme with the price of his owne blood there is an undeniable equity if we consider their condition their relation to Christ and to us Againe there is a marvellous binding equity to see the grace of God to us in particular Christ became poore to make us rich in grace here and in glory hereafter and shall not I out of my riches give somewhat to the poore Is it not equall Christ from Heaven came in my nature and flesh to visit me as it is in the Song of Zachary The day spring from on high hath visited us and shall not I visit Christ in his members He came from Heaven to Earth to take notice of my wants and miseries to doe and suffer that that I should have done and suffered he feeds me with his body and blood that is with his satisfaction to Divine justice by his death and shall not I feed his poore members Christ clothes me with his righteousnesse and shall not I cloth Christ in his poore members In the consideration of these things the Spirit of God will be effectuall to stir us up to this marvellous neglected duty of kindnesse and mercy to those that stand in need And because Christ is our paterne herein let us labour to imitate Christ in the manner of releeving and shewing kindnesse and communicating to others that we may doe it as CHRIST hath done How is that First Christ prevented us when we never desired him so we should prevent others Sometimes the modesty of those that want is such that they will not lay open their wants we should see it and prevent it he gives too late oft times that gives to a man that asks him Therefore herein let us imitate Christ to consider of the miseries of others he looked on and considered the miseries of mankinde and it drew him from Heaven to the Virgins wombe from thence to the Crosse to the grave even as low as Hell in his preventing love and mercy Therefore when wee see any need especially if there be any worth in them in any kinde let us not stay till it be wrested from us by intreaty for it is dearely bought oft times that comes that way but prevent them in mercy as Christ hath done to us Secondly what Christ did for us he did marvellous chearfully and readily oh what a desire he had to eate his last Passeover a little before he was crucified With a desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you he was chearfull in it he had a great desire to doe us good and as he saith Ioh. 4. when his disciples put him in mind of eating when he had not eat in a long time before saith he It is meat and drink to me to do the will of my Father so whatsoever we do to others we should do it chearefully and readily as he did Againe whatsoever Christ did for us he did it out of love and grace and mercy he did it inwardly from his very bowels so when we do aâ—ny thing for others we should not onely doe the deed but doe it from an inward principle of love and mercy Therefore the Scripture phrase is powre out thy bowels and saith S. Iohn if a man see his brother in need and pretend he loves God and yet relieves him not how is there bowels in such a man and so in Micah 6. He hath shewed thee oh man what is good to love mercy not onely to be mercifull to do works of mercy but to love it to do what we do out of love and affection and powre out thy heart to thy flesh as it is in I say to give the heart and affection when we do any thing or else we may give with the hand and denie with the heart A man may give a thing so untowardly that one may see it comes against his heart and will Therefore let us labour to doe that we doe with our whole man especially from our heart and affection and bowels It is said of Christ in the Gospell when he saw the people in misery his bowels yearned within him the workes of grace and mercy in Christ they came from his bowels first Let us worke our hearts to pitie and love and mercy first that it may come from the soule as well as from the outward man Againe Christ