we looke forward it is a sight as it were in a Mysterie even that little that we doe know wee doe not know it as we shall know it in Heaven But is the Doctrine of the Gospel it selfe onely a Mysterie No All the Graces are Mysteries every Grace Let a man once know it and hee shall find that there is a Mysterie in Faith that the earthly soule of man should be carryed above it selfe to beleeve supernaturall Truths and to depend upon that he sees not to sway the life by reasons spirituall That the heart of man should beleeve that a man in trouble should carry himselfe quietly and patiently from supernaturall supports and grounds it is a Mysterie That a man should be as a Rocke in the middest of a storme to stand unmoveable it is a Mysterie That the carriage of the soule should be turned universally another way that the judgement and affections should be turned backward as it were that hee that was proud before should now be humble that hee that was ambitious before should now despise the vaine World that hee that was given to his lusts and vanities before should now on the contrary be serious and heavenly minded here is a Mysterie indeed when all is turned backward Therefore wee see how Nicodemus as wise as hee was it was a Riddle to him when our blessed Saviour spake to him of the New-Birth that a man should be wholly changed and new-molded that a man should be the same and not the same the same man for soule and body yet not the same in regard of a supernaturall life and being put into him carrying him another way leading him in another manner by other rules and respects as much different from other men as a man differs from a beast A strange Mysterie that rayseth a man above other men as much as another man is above other creatures For a man to be content with his condition in all changes and varieties when he is cast and tossed up and downe in the world to have a mind unmoveable it is a Mysterie Therefore S. Paul saith Philip 4. I have entred into Religion as it were I have consecrated my selfe the word is wondrous significant I have learned this Mysterie to be content It is a Mysterie for a man to be tossed up and downe and yet to have a contented mind I can want and I can abound I can doe all through Christ that strengtheneth me Why I have consecrate my selfe to Christ and Religion and from them I have learned this point to be content Therefore in the Text here as we shall see afterwards not onely Divine Truths are a Mysterie Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse but he insists in particular Graces Preached to the Gentiles Beleeved on in the World these are Mysteries In Christ all is Mysteries two natures God and man in one person mortall and immortall greatnesse and basenesse infinitenesse and finitenesse in one person The Church it selfe is a mysticall thing For under basenesse under the scorne of the world what is hid A glorious people The state of the Church in this world it is like a Tree that is weather-beaten the leaves and fruit are gone but there is life in the root So what is the Church A companie of men that are in the world without glory without comelinesse and beautie yet notwithstanding they have life in the root a hidden life Our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. The Church hath a life but it is a hidden mysticall life a life under death they seeme to die to the world but they are alive This is excellently and rhetorically followed by S. Paul As dying and yet we live as poore yet making many rich A strange kind of people poore and rich living and dying glorious and base yet this is the state of the Church here in this world they are an excellent people but they are veiled under infirmities of their owne and the disgraces and persecutions of the world So we see both the Doctrine it selfe and the Graces and the Head of the Church and the Church it selfe are nothing but Mysteries Is it so that Religion is a Mysterie Then first of all doe not wonder that it is not knowne in the world and that it is not onely not knowne but persecuted and hated Alas it is a hidden thing men know not the excellencie of it As great mens sonnes in a forraine Countrey they find not entertainment answerable to their worth but as they are apprehended to be by strangers so these Divine Truths they find little acceptance in the world because they are mysteries not onely Mysteries in the Tenent but in the practise therefore the practise finds such opposition in the world Father forgive them saith our blessed Saviour they know not what they doe The world knowes not what they doe when they hate and persecute Religion and religious persons The Church is a mysticall thing and Religion is a Mysterie it is hid from them Shall we be mooved with the disgracefull speeches of carnall men They speake they know not what the thing they speake against is a Mysterie Therefore what should we regard the speeches of the world or follow the example of the world in embracing Religion Religion is a Mysterie Let the world be never so great it is not the knowledge of great men or of rich men it is the knowledge of godly men it is a Mysterie of Godlinesse Shall we follow the example of the world in Religion when it is a Mysterie and a Mysterie of Godlinesse that onely godly men know and embrace Looke not therefore to the greatnesse of place or parts c. it is a Mysterie Againe if it be a Mysterie then it should teach us to carry our selves sutable to it Nature taught even the Heathens to carry themselves reverently in their Mysteries procul este profani away be gone all prophane Let us carry our selves therefore reverently toward the Truth of God towards all Truths though they be never so contrarie to our reason they are Mysteries altogether above Nature There are some seeds of the Law in Nature but there are no seeds in Nature of the Gospel therfore we should come to it with a great deale of reverence S. Paul teacheth us an excellent Lesson Rom. 11. When he entred into a depth that he could not fathome doth he cavill at it No Oh the depth Oh the depth So in all the Truths of God when we cannot comprehend them let us with silence reverence them and say with him Oh the depth Divine things are Mysteries the Sacraments are Mysteries let us carry our selves towards them with reverence What is the reason that there is one word in the Greeke and in other Languages to signifie both common and prophane Because those that come with common affections and common carriage to holy things they prophane them
in this place Preaching goes before Beleeving Therfore the Gospel unfolded is called the Word of Faith because it begets Faith God by it works Faith and it is called the Ministerie of Reconciliation because God by it publisheth recoÌ„ciliation As preaching goes before beleeving so it is the blessed instrument by reason of the Spirit accompanying of it to worke Faith In the Ministerie of the Gospel there is not only an unfolding of the excellent things of Christ but there is grace given by the Spirit to beleeve And herein this publication proclamation differs from all other publications in the world men may publish proclayme what they would have but they cannot give hearts to beleeve it but in the blessed promulgation and publishing of Divine Truths there is the Spirit of God accompanying it to work what it publisheth it opens the Riches of Christ and offers Christ and Christ is given to the heart with it it publisheth what is to be beleeved and known and it alters our courses together with it there goes a power the Spirit cloathing the Ordinance of Preaching to doe all Therefore it is called the Ministery of the Spirit why because what is published in the preaching of the Word to those that belong to God it hath the Spirit to convey it to the soules of Gods people Therefore he sayth here first preached and then beleeved Therefore those that are enemies to this Ordinance of God they are enemies of the Faith of Gods people and by consequent enemies of the salvation of Gods people But the more the proud and haughty Atheisticall heart of man riseth against it the more we should thinke there is some divine thing in it it must needs be excellent because the proud heart of man stomacks it so much we see here it is the meanes to worke Faith Therefore as we esteeme Faith and all the good we have by it let us be stirred up highly to prize aâ—d esteeme of this Ordinance of God So much for the coherence or connexion Preached to the Gentiles and then Beleeved on in the World For the word themselves we see here first that Christ as he must be unfolded in preaching so he must be beleeved on Because the dispensation Ministeriall is not enough unlesse there be an applying grace in the heart and that is a spirit of Faith whose propertie is to make peculiar that that is offered There is a vertue of application in this grace of Faith where there is a giving there must be a receiving or else the gift is uneffectuall Christ is the Garment of the Soule he is the foundation and food c. As I said before he is our Husband we must give our consent beleeving is a spirituall marriage in marriage there must be a consent this consent is Faith that makes up the Bond betweene Christ and the beleeving soule Therefore of necessitie there must be Faith all else without beleeving in Christ is nothing Faith is the meanes of making Christ our owne and no other thing whatsoever The Papists have ridiculous meanes that they understand not themselves nor any body else they make the Sacrifice of the Masse a meanes to apply Christ and other courses but the Ministeriall meanes to apply Christ is the preaching of the Gospel and Faith that is wrought by the Ministerie of the Gospel and there is no other way of application by the Masse or any such thing Christ without Faith doth us no good in Heb. 4. The Word that they heard did not profit them because it was not mingled with Faith The Word of God the Gospel it is the power of God to salvation but it is to all that beleeve whatsoâ—ever good Christ doth to us he doth it by Faith It is a rule in Divinitie and it is to purpose in the deciding some controversies that a spirituall benefit not knowne and applyed is a nullitie because God intends all whatsoever we have to be opened to us and applyed that he might have the glory and we the comfort We see the excellencie and necessarie use of this Grace of Faith How is Christ to be beleeved on We must rest upon no other thing either in our selves or out of our selves but Christ onely In Poperie they have many other things to rest on their Faith being corrupt all their obedience likewise is corrupt that springs from it They dishonor Christ to joyne any thing in the world with him The Apostle is wondrous zealous in this to have nothing joyned with Christ as in Galat. 5. If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing onely Christ must be beleeved on in matter of salvation And whole Christ must be received beleeving is nothing but a taking or receiving of Christ as a Lord and as a Saviour as a Priest to redeeme us by his blood and Christ as a King to governe us we must take whole Christ. Wâ— see what manner of Faith is in most men that snatch out of Christ what they lift to serve their owne turne as he dyed for their sinnes so they are glad of him but as he is a Lord and King to rule and governe them so they will have none of him but turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But Christ as we must rest and rely on him onely so we must receive him and beleeve on him wholly Now Faith lookes upon Christ as the maine object of it as it justifieth the same Faith it looks upon the whole Word of God as a Divine Truth revealed but for the maine worke of it it looks upon Christ Christ is the Jewel that this Ring of Faith doth inclose and as the Ring hath the value from the Jewell so hath Faith from Christ. In the maine point of justification and comfort Faith layes hold upon Christ for mercie for the distressed afflicted soule it looks first of all to comfort and peace and reconciliation therefore it lookes first to him that wrought it that is Christ. Now the same Faith that doth this it beleeves all Divine Truths the Threatnings and Precepts c. Faith chuseth not its object to beleeve what it lists but it carryes the soule to all Divine Truths revealed but when we speake of justifying Faith then Christ and the Promises and the mercy of God in Christ is the first thing that the soule lookes unto Christ is the first object of Faith before any benefit or gift that we have from him first we must receive Christ before we have any grace or favour or strength from him And a sanctified soule lookes first to Christ to the love of Christ to the person of Christ and then to his goods and riches As one that is marryed she regards first the person of her Husband and then lookes to the enjoyment of his goods and inheritance and Nobilities or else it is no better then a Harlots love So Faith lookes to the person first it knits
meerely with the Word and with suffering their weapons were nothing but patience and Preaching offering the Word of Christ to them and suffering indignities as S. Austin sayth the World was not overcome by fighting but by suffering So the Lambes overcame the Lyons the Doves overcame the Birds of prey the Sheep overcame the Wolves I send you sayth Christ as Sheepe among Wolves and how by nothing but by carrying a Message and suffering constantly and undauntedly for going with their Message for they had cruell bloody Lawes made against them that were executed to the utmost yet by these meanes they overcame by Preaching and sealing the Truth that they taught by suffering a strange kind of conquest The Turks conquer to their Religion but it is by violent meanes it is a Religion of blood but here as I sayd meanenesse overcame greatnesse ignorance overcame learning simplicity overcame pride basenesse overcame glory a Mysterie in this respect Againe if wee consider the Truth that they taught being contrarie to the nature of man contrarie to his affections to enforce selfe-denyall to men that naturally are full of selfe-love that make an Idoll of their wit and will for them to come to be taught to be fooles in respect of wit and to resigne up their wills to the will of another for these men to beleeve things that are above beleefe to carnall men as St. Austin observes it was the wonder of the world what a kind of doctrine was this to win such entertainment in the world as it did yet it did make men denie themselves denie their wits their wills their goods their lives Therefore in this respect it was a great Mysterie that Christ should be beleeved on in the World Againe if we consider another circumstance it addes to the Mysterie that is the suddennesse of the conquest the world was conquered to the Faith and obedience of Christ. In a short time after Christ one man S. Paul spread the Gospel almost all the world over he conquered almost all the world he spread the savour of the Gospel like Lightning suddenly and strongly because there was an Almighty Power and Spirit accompanying the glorious Gospel and thereupon it came to be thus effectuall with the world Againe it is a wonder in respect of Christ whom the world beleeved on What was Christ Indeed he was the Sonne of God but he appeared in abased flesh in the forme of a servant he was crucified and for the proud world to beleeve in a crucified Saviour it was a Mysterie Lastly it is a great mysterie especially in respect of Faith it selfe Faith being so contrarie to the nature of man For the heart of man where Faith is wrought to go out of it selfe and to embrace a beginning and Principle and rising of life from another to seeke justification and salvation by the righteousnesse and obedience of another for the proud heart of man to stoupe to this to acknowledge no righteousnesse of its owne to stand before the Tribunall of God but to have all derived from Jesus Christ to fetch forgivenesse of sins out of the death of another to wrap it selfe in the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ given of God for it the heart of man without a supernaturall worke of the Spirit to subdue it will never yeeld to this because proud flesh and bloud will alway have somewhat in it selfe to dote upon and to set it out before God and when it finds nothing in it selfe then it despaires for the heart of man thus to goe out of it selfe and rely onely upon the righteousnesse of Christ not having its owne righteousnesse this is the greatest Mysterie Especially for a guiltie Soule that hath its eyes opened to discerne of its owne estate for a conscience awakened to trust in God being a holy God a just God for these two to meet together God and a doubting galled misgiving conscience fore-casting the worst for such a conscience to find peace by this act of Faith casting it selfe upon Christ this is more then can be done by any power of nature There is somewhat in nature for all legall obedience man naturally hath some seedes to love his Parents to hate Murther and the like but to go out of himselfe and cast himselfe upon Gods love and mercy in Christ there is no seeds of this in nature but all against Faith in Christ oft times when a man is cast downe all in the world seemes to make against him and then for a man to have his heart raysed up by an Almightie power to beleeve certainely this must be a Mysterie I say when all makes against him his Conscience makes against him and the Judgement of God against him and Satans temptations against him all the frame of things present seemes to be against him God himselfe oft times seemes to be against him to be an offended God justly offended with his sinnes for the soule in this case to cast it selfe upon God in Christ there must needs be a hidden and excellent deepe worke on the soule This is the greatest Mysterie the greatest difficultie is in this branch considering how contrarie to the heart of man Faith is Let us take heed of shallow conceits of Faith as if it were an easie common universall grace to beleeve No beloved it is a supernaturall powerfull worke Saint Paul sets it out divinely and largely in Ephes. 1.18 Hee calls it the Mightie power of God it requires not onely a Power but an Almighty Power to rayse the heart of man to beleeve For even as the worke of Redemption by Christ is a greater worke in it selfe then the worke of Creation so also the worke of Conversion though they be all one to an infinite Power yet the thing it selfe is more difficult to make the heart of man to beleeve then to make a world of nothing for when God made the world there was nothing to oppose there he had to doe with simple nothing but when God comes to make the heart beleeve he findes opposition and rebellion he finds man against himselfe he finds the heart and conscience against it selfe he finds opposition from Satan that helps mans distrustfull heart then all meet together afflictions the sense of Gods anger and mans guiltie conscience now to make such a man beleeve is more then to create a world And as God shewed more power so he shewed more mercy in the worke of Redemption then in the Creation In the Creation there he did good to a good man Adam was created good and he should had he stood have continued in a good condition but in the worke of Redemption God doth good to evill men God transcends in his love because the glory of his mercie reignes in the worke of Redemption so that the power and wisedome and mercie being greater in the worke of Redemption it requires a more super-natural power in the soule to apprehend this
then any other Truth as the worke in Redemption is more glorious so the Divine grace and vertue in the soule that makes use of this which is Faith it must be more excellent then all other Graces whatsoever And as it must be God that must save and redeeme us so it must be God that must peswade the heart of this as Christ who is God must performe the worke of Redemption so it must be God the Holy-Ghost that must perswade the heart that God loves it so much and raise the heart to apprehend it and make use of it no lesse power will doe it Let us I say have great conceits of this excellent grace of Faith All men have not Faith it is a rare grace a rare jewell When Christ comes shall he find Faith in the world Certainely it is a Mysterie for a man to beleeve in Christ for a naturall man to be brought to rely upon Christ To you it is given to beleeve sayth the Apostle he might well say it is given it is no ordinarie gift neyther Therefore let us pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith and with the poore man in the Gospel Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe The next thing I will touch shall be this That Faith is put here for all graces Here in these six Clauses of this great Mysterie of Godlinesse there is onely this one that is within us God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles received up in glory these are all without us but this one beleeved on in the world that is onely within us and it is set downe in stead of all and indeed so it is for it drawes all other graces after it it enlivens and quickens the soule it is the spriâ—g of spirituall life in us it is the first grace of all There are some degrees of the Spirit perhaps before it but all graces have their quickening from Faith it infuseth supernaturall vigour into all the parts and powers of the soule and into all graces whatsoever Where Christ is beleeved on in the world all followes love and patience and courage and fortitude whatsoever as we see in Heb. 11. By Faith they had a good report they had a good report for patience and for courage and other good workes but all these came from Faith therefore by Faith they had a good report Therefore the acting of all other Graces it comes from Faith By Faith Enoch walked with God by Faâ—th Noah and Moses did so and so signifying that Faith is the ground of all Faith it fetcheth spirituall life from Christ for all whatsoever is good it knits us to the spring of life Christ it is the grace of union Even as Satan by unbeleefe did infuse all his poyson at the first for by making our first Parents stagger in the Word of God came sinne so by Faith all obedience comes all have their rising and beginning from Faith As it drawes spirituall life from Christ so the encouragements are by Faith to all other graces whatsoever for patience and love c. Faith must set before them the object and the reasons from the glory to come from the love of God in Christ when Faith propounds all this then it stirres and quickens all graces Faith yeelds strong reasons and discourse to stirre us up to whatsoever is necessarie Why do I hope for the glory to come I beleeve it first Why doe I love God I beleeve he is my Father in Christ all have strength from Love and that from Faith unlesse I beleeve that God loves me in Christ I cannot love him unlesse I love him I can expresse no vertue for him no patience no good worke so it puts life into all therefore it is here put for all beleeved on in the World It should stirre us up to make much of this Faith above all graces to desire it And being a Mystery and so excellent a grace we had need to discerne whether we have it or no therefore I will touch a few evidences some of them out of the Text. First if you beleeve it comes usually after Preaching We see here Preached to the Gentiles and then Beleeved on in the World Whence came thy Faith If not by the Ordinance of God thou mayest expect it to be a bastard Faith it hath not a right beginning especially if it be joyned with contempt of Gods Ordinance it is no Faith but a presumptuous conceit Preaching and Beleeving here goe one after another Therefore examine how thy Faith was wrought in thy heart Againe as I sayd Faith being a Mysterie in regard of such a world of opposition betweene the heart of man and Christ Satan helping the unbeleeving heart here must needs be a strife and conflict with Faith Therefore those men that never had conflict with their owne unbeleeving heart that never had conflict with Satans temptations they never had Faith for it is a Mystery to have Faith it is with opposition and conflict no grace hath the like conflict and opposition from Satan for Satan aymes in all sinnes to shake our Faith and affiance in Gods love As God aymes at the strengthening of Faith above all so the Devill hates it above all and in all temptations whatsoever he aymes to shake our Faith at the last Therefore there must needs be opposition to our selves and our owne doubting nature and to Satans temptations and to the course of things that sometimes are cleane opposite to a man for a sinner to beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes for a miserable man to beleeve glory in the world to come for a dying man to beleeve life eternall for a man tumbled into the Grave to beleeve that he shall rise from the dead if there be no conflict with these things so opposite to Faith there is no Faith Then againe in the third place it is the spring of all obedience the Apostle calls it the obedience of Faith Rom. 1. All preaching is for the obedience of Faith obedience of Faith brings obedience of life and conversation Examine thy selfe therefore by the course of thy obedience by that that comes from Faith see what it workes in thy soule in thy life and conversation And here I might be very large for where Faith is First of all after it hath beene a meanes to justifie to lay hold upon the all-sufficient righteousnesse of Christ to stand betweene God and us to cloath and cover our soules then it pacifieth the conscience Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Faith hath a quieting power it quiets the soule because it propounds to the soule a sufficient satisfaction in God-man it propounds to the soule Christ sealed by God the Father having done all that is necessary to salvation it sets downe the soule for he was God and therefore able and man and therefore willing to save Faith
will give him Teachers that shall suit his disposition But if he be a Child of God and have a sincere heart to know the Truth he shall meet with some that shall be as sincere againe to tell him the Truth Therefore we should lesse pitie men when we see them runne into errours God sees that they have naughtie dispositions Indeed if they be silly soules God will have mercy on them if they be sincere though they be in errour but if we see men that may know the Truth and yet runne into errours know that such a man hath a poysoâ—ous heart a malicious bent of heart against the Truth or else God would not give him up to such and such things as he is carryed with there is much in that mans disposition that is carryed away with false Teachers I meane where Light is discovered But where God gives a willing mind there he opens his meaning Wisedome is easie to him that will understand And take heed of passion and prejudice of carnall affections that stirre up passion for they will make the soule that it cannot see Mysteries that are plaine in themselves As we are strong in any passion so we judge and the heart when it is given up to passion it transformes the Truth to it owne selfe as it were Even as where there is a suffusiâ—n of the eye as in the Jaundis or the like it apprehends Colours like it selfe so when the taste is vitiated it tasts things not as they are in themselves but as it selfe is so the corrupt heart transformes this sacred Mysterie to it owne selfe and oft times forceth Scripture to defend its owne sinne and the corrupt state it is in it will beleeve what it list what it loves it will force it selfe to beleeve although it be contrarie to divine Mysteries when the heart is deepely engaged in any passion or affection Let us labour therefore to come with purged hearts it is the exhortation of the Apostles Iames and Peter to receive these Mysteries they will lodge onely in cleane hearts Let us labour to see God and Christ with a cleare eye free from passion and covetousnesse and vaine-glory We see a notable example of this in the Scribes When they were not led with passion and covetousnesse and envie against Christ how right they could judge of the Gospel the unfolding of the Prophesies to the Wise-men they could tell aright that he should be borne in Bethlehem but when Christ came among them opposed their lazie proud kind of life that kept people in awe with their vaine Ceremonies c. then they sinned against the Holy-Ghost and against their owne light and maliced Christ and brought him to his end So it is with men when their mindes be cleare before they be over-cast with passion and strong affections to the world they judge clearely of divine things but when those passions prevaile with them they are opposite to that Truth that before they saw in Gods just judgement such is the antipathy emulation of the heart against this sacred Mysterie The heart of it selfe is an unfit Vessell for these holy Mysteries let us desire God to purge and to cleanse them It is said of the Pharises in the Gospel that when Christ spake great matters they scoffed at him But what sayth the Text Luke 16. They were covetous Let a covetous proud man come to heare the Word he cares not to heare these Mysteries his heart is so engaged to the world he scornes and laughs at all And men are unsetled sometimes they will grant Truths sometimes they will not as their passions lead them As we see in them towards S. Paul Act. 23. before he discovered himselfe to be a Pharise This man is not worthie to live but when he discovered himselfe to be on their side I am a Pharise and the sonne of a Pharise oh how finely doe they mince the matter Perhaps an Angell hath revealed it to him c. He was an honest man then So men eyther judge or not judge as their passions and affections carrie them Therefore it is of great consequence to come with cleane hearts and minds to the Mysteries of God There is besides this Mysterie a Mysterie of iniquitie that S. Paul speakes of 2 Thess. 2. There is the Mysterie of Antichrist as well as the Mysterie of Christ. And why is that called a Mysterie Because there is mischiefe and errour and wickednesse conveyed under seeming Truth and goodnesse and vertue even as in this Grace and Goodnesse is conveyed to the world under a shew of basenesse and meanenesse Therefore in Rev. 7. it is said the Beast hath Mysterie in her forehead Indeed there is the Mysterie of iniquitie in Poperie it was literally performed in Iulius the second for in his Papall Croâ—ne there was written Mysterium c. till at last it was blotted out and in stead thereof was written Iulius Secundus Papa They began to smell it might be found out This is recorded by those that saw it It is a Mysterie indeed but a Mysterie of iniquitie But more particularly How a Mysterie of iniquitie Because under the Name of Christ and of Christian Religion he is Antichrist opposite to Christ He is both opposite the word signifieth Antichrist and aemalus one that would be like Christ a Vice Christ. He is such an opposite as yet he would be his Vicar Under colour of Religion he overthrowes all Religion and while he would be Head of the Catholike Church he is the Head of the Catholike Apostacie These God will have in the Church together the Mysterie of Godlinesse and Vngodlinesse of Christ and Antichrist Why That the one may be a foyle to the other And how shall men magnifie and relish and highly esteeme this Mysterie I speake of except they looke by way of opposition to the Mysterie of Antichrist and see how contrary those courses are Alas the reason why they so oppose as they doe the Gospel and the puritie of it is because they are contrary Mysteries that must be maintained by ignorance the Gospel that is a Mysterie that must be revealed and God hath ordained that it should be revealed more more Therfore those that would second Poperie that are friends of that they are enemies to the Gospel to the publishers of it they cannot carry their conveiance handsomely All Popish spirits are enemies to the Mysterie of Godlinesse because where this is it blowes upon the Mysterie of iniquitie as indeed the overthrowing of errour is the discovering of it for none would willingly be couzened Poperie must be discovered with the breath of Christ that is with a Mysterie which is too sharpe a breath for his Mysterie to feele therefore blame them not that they are so bitter opposites to the publishing of divine Truths the one Mysterie consumes the other As Moses Rod devoured all the other Rods
full of wonder in the Gospel both the thing and the fruits of it Surely all that have the same spirit and have their eyes open to see in any measure these excellent Mysteries they are in some measure so disposed as the blessed Apostle was that is they have full hearts and answerable to that they have full expressions out of the riches and treasure of the â—eart the mouth will speake Therefore let us be ashamed of the deadnesse and dulnesse and narrownesse of our hearts when we are to conceive or speake of these things and labour to have full expressiâ—ons of them And that we may the better doe this let us labour to have as deepe conceits in our understandings as we can of that Mystery of sinfulnes that is in us and that Mysterie of misery It is not to be conceived the cursed state we are in by nature It is not to be conceived what a depth of corruption is in this heart of ours and how it issues out in sinfull thoughts and speeches and actions every day Indeed there is a height and breadth and depth of corruption in mans heart there is a height and bredth and depth of the misery of man for as it is said of this blessed estate neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepar'd for those that love him so indeed neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the misery that men are in by nature onely there are some flashes of conscience to give a little taste in this World of that Misery that men in the state of Nature fall into when they goe hence Therefore the more cleare knowledge we have of the Mysterie of corruption how prone our hearts are to deceive us and of the great miserie we are in by nature the more we shall wonder at the boundlesse and bottomelesse goodnesse of God in the Mysterie of our salvation the one will sharpen the appetite of the other And indeed we ought to have viewes of these two every day to looke to the state we are brought out of if we beleeve If wee be not yet in the state of grace consider but what we are how little there is betweene us and eternall destruction that we are ready to drop into Hell irrecoverably and withall consider againe the infinite love of God in Jesus These be things fit to take up our thoughts Againe if we would have large and sensible thoughts and apprehensions of these things such as the blessed Apostle let us set some time apart to meditate of these things till the heart be warmed let us labour to fasten our thoughts as much as we can on them every day to consider the excelleâ—cie of this Mysterie of Religion in it selfe and the fruit of it in this world and in the world to come it is a good imployment for from thence we shall wonder at nothing in the world besides What is the reason that men are taken up with admiration of petty Mysteries of poore things Because their thoughts were never raysed up to higher considerations A wise man will wonder at nothing because he knows greater things then those objects presented to him hee hath seene greater matters then those so it is with a wise Christian Doe you thinke hee will stand wondering at great and rich men at great Places and Honours and such things indeed he knowes how to give that respect that is due alas he hath had greater matters in the eye of his soule and hath what is great in this world to him to whom the world it selfe is not great What is great in this world to him to whom Christ is great to whom Heaven and the Mysteries of Religion are great All things else are little to him to whom these things are great Christ tooke up his Disciples when they sayd Oh Master what kind of stones are here Here are goodly stones and buildings indeed Oh sayth Christ Are these the things you wonder at I tell you that not one stone shall be left upon another So it is the nature of shallow men to wonder at the things of this world to be taken with emptie vaine things Are these the things we wonder at If we would wonder let us come to Religion there we have him whose Name is wonderfull Christs Name is wonderfull because all is wonderfull in Christ. He is wonderfull in his Person in his Offices in the managing of them to bring us to life by death to glory by shame He is wonderfull in his government of his Church to governe by afflictions by conforming us to himselfe to bring us to glorie to perfect his worke in abasement to bring it low that he may rayse it after There are wonders every way in Christ not onely in himselfe but in all his courses There is Peace that passeth understanding joy unspeakable and glorious Religion will teach us what to admire at We see those that are under Antichrist under the Mysterie of iniquitie it is sayd Rev. 7. They wonder at the Beast Oh what a goodly order they have among them one under another What a wise fabricke it is What a linking together of things All is wonderfull Indeed it is fit for them to wonder at that have not seene these wondrous Mysteries of the Gospel but those that have spirituall eye-salve to enlighten the eye of their soules to see these blessed Mysteries how great they are they will be farre from wondring at any earthly thing much lesse at the Mysterie of Antichrist It is a great Mysterie therefore Let us bring great endeavours to learne it and great respect towards it and great love to God for it Let every thing in us be answerable to this great Mysterie which is a great Mysterie Without Controversie It is so under the Broad Seale of publike Confession as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the generall signifies by the confession of all it is great it is a confessed truth that the Mysterie of Godlinesse is great As if the Apostle had sayd I need not give you greater comfirmation It is without question or controversie a great Mysterie What is more opposed then the Mysterie of Godlinesse We must therefore take S. Pauls meaning in a right sense It is therefore a great Mysterie because it is controverted by so many great wits were it altogether obvious and open they would never controvert it Upon these two reasons it is without controversie First in it selfe it is not to be doubted of it is a great grounded Truth as lightsome and cleare as if the Gospel were written with a Sunne-beame as one sayth There is nothing clearer and more out of controversie then sacred Evangelicall Truths And as they are cleare and lightsome in themselves so they are apprehended of all Gods
people how-ever it be controverted by others yet they are not considerable All that are the children of the Church that have their eyes open they confesse it to be so and wonder at it as a Great Mysterie they without all doubt and controversie embrace it Things are not so cleare in the Gospel that all that are sinfull and rebellious may see whether they will or no For then it were no great matter to have Faith it were no great matter to be a Christian and then men could not be rebellious because things would be so cleare Things are not so cleare in the Gospel that they take away all rebellion and that it is not a grace to see that they are cleare to those that are disposed and have sanctified soules they are without controversie and things are sayd to be in Scripture as they are to those that are holily disposed The immortalitie of the soule it is cleare by reason from Nature yet notwithstanding ill disposed soules will not be convinced of the soules immortalitie but live and dye like Atheists in that particular The reason is cleare but it is not cleare to a lumpish ill-disposed perverse soule Therefore God doth carry the manifestation of Evangelicall Truths especially that they may be cleare to those whose eyes are open and not to others not because they are not cleare to them if their eyes were open but because they oppose them and rayse up rebellion and stubbornesse of heart against them It is an undenyable argument to proove the Scripture to be the Word of God to a wel-disposed soule but come to another and he will never leave cavilling Yet a man may say without controversie it is the Word of God because it is so to a sanctified soule other persons are not considerable in divine things Therefoâ—e the Apostle speakes of them as they are to Gods people without controversie Hence then we may know who is a true Christian hee that brings a firme assent to Evangelicall Truths that they are Great without controversie But is there no staggering is there no formido contrarij is there no feare that it may be otherwise Yes but in Faith as farre as it is Faith there is no doubting no contrarietie for staggering and wavering is contrarie to the nature of Faith and beleeving but because there are two contrarie Principles alway in a beleever therefore there is doubting in a beleever and wavering Therefore we are exhorted to grow more and more and the end of the Ministerie is not onely to lay the foundation of a beleever at the first but to build them up that they be not carryed away with every vaine Doctrine It is a Truth confessed to be true for Divine Truths are conveyed in an Historie in the Historie of the Gospel and what ground have wee to call them in question more then the storie of Thucydides or the storie of Livie or such like we take them because they are the Histories of such Times so the Mysterie of the Gospel is without controversie because it is a Mysterie in a Historie In this respect a man is more unreasonable that denyes it then he that denyes Livies Booke to be Livies or Tacitus to be Tacitus No man calls these into question why should we question this that is the Mysterie of Godlinesse set downe in the Historie of Christ of his Birth his Life and Death c. But not to presse that further I will onely make that use of it that a great Scholar in his time once did upon the point a noble Earle of Mirandula If there be no calling these things into question if they have beene confirmed by so many Miracles as they have beene in a strict sense why then how is it that men live as if they made no question of the falsehood of them what kind of men are those that live as if it were without controversie that Christian Truths had no truth at all in them Mâ—n live so carelessely and prophanely and slight and scorne these great Mysteries as if they made no question but they are false the lives of men shew that they beleeve not this That it is out of question true to give an instance or two If a man were to go through a storme for some great matter if he did beleeve he should have some great preferment would he not adâ—enture Certainely he would Those therefore that will not venture any thing for this excellent Treasure this unsearchable Treasure for his interest in the Gospel doe they beleeve it He that will not part with a penny for the gayning of a thousand pound doth he beleeve that he shall have so much Certainely he doth not there is such a disproportion betweene that that he parts with and that that is promised that if he did beleeve it his heart would yeeld and assent to it he would redeeme it with the losse of such a pettie thing much more in this case having such an excellent Treasure propounded Those therfore that will deny themselves no lust that will part with nothing for Christs sake doe they beleeve these things that the Apostle sayth are without controversie Certainely they doe not for there is a lesse disproportion in the things I named befoâ—e then betweene any earthly thing and the great good things we have discovered here in the Mysteries of Salvation Therefore we may see by this There is little faith in the World Againe in that he sayth without controversie or confessedly Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse here we may know then what Truths are to be entertained as Catholike universall Truths those that without question are received Then if the question be which is the Catholike Truth Poperie or our Religion I say not Poperie but our Religion I proove it from hence That which without controversie all Churches have held from the Apostles time yea and the adversaries and opposites of the Church that is Catholike But it hath beene in all times and in all Churches even among the adversaries held the positive points of our Religion That the Scripture is the Word of God That it is to be read That Christ is the Mediator That Christ hath reconciled God and man c. all the positive parts of our Religion have beene confessed without controversie ever since the Apostles times of all Writers and are still even among the Papists themselves for they hold all the positive points that we do They hold the reading of the Scripture but not in the Mother Tongue They hold that the Scripture is the Word of God but not alone but traditions also That Christ is Mediator but not alone so they adde their part but they hold the positive parts that we hold Therefoâ—â— I ground that from the Text That which without controversie hath beene held in all times and ages of the Church and without controversie held by our selves and the adversaries it is more Catholike and generall
then those things wherin they dissent from us that were neither held from the Apostles times for they were the inventions of Popes one after another their fooleries wherein they differ from us they are late inventions and we hold them not they are lesse Catholike then that that they and we and all Christians hold ever since the Apostles times But to come to a use of practice Therefore when we have the Truths of Religion discovered to us by the Ministerie or by reading c. when they are conveyed to our knowledge by any sanctified meanes let us propound these Quaere's to our owne soules Are these things so or no Yes Doe I beleeve them to be so or no Yes If I doe beleeve them then consider what the affection and inward disposition is whether it be sutable to such things and so worke upon our hearts that our knowledge may be affective knowledge a knowledge with a taste that sinkes even to the very affections that pierceth thorow the whole soule that the affections may yeeld as well as the understanding and let us never cease till there be a correâ—pondence betweene the affection and the Truth Are they true beleeve them Are they good embrace them Let us never rest till our hearts embrace them as our understanding conceives them And let us thinke there is a defect in our apprehensions that we call them into question if the affections embrace them not for alway answerable to the weight and the depth of the apprehension of the Truth is the affection stirred up and the will stirred up to embrace it A man knowes no more in Religion then he loves and embraceth with the affections of his soule The affections are planted for this â—nd upon the report of that which is good to them to embrace it to â—oyne with it therefore let us never thinke our state good till we find our hearts warmed with the goodnes of divine supernaturall Truths Oh how doe I love thy lawâ— saith David He wonders at his own affections Let us labour to have great affections answerable to the things and never leave till we can love them and joy and delight in them as the greatest things and with blessed S. Paul account all as dâ—ng and drosse in comparison of them That knowledge is only saying knowledge that workes the heart to a love to a joy and delight that workes the whole man to practise and obedience that is onely spirituall knowledge All other knowledge serves for nothing but to minister God matter of justifying our damnation that our damnation wil be just that knowing these things we doe not worke our hearts to love them but we rest in the naked barren knowledge of them It is a pittifull thing to know things no further and no deeper then to minister matter of our just damnation Now all that have not a transforming knowledge that have not a spirituall knowledge they are in this state Therefore we should labour to see spirituall things in a spirituall Light for where spirituall Light is there is alway spirituall heat where spirituall evidence is in the understanding there is spirituall embracing in the affections evidence brings quicknesse supernaturall light and supernaturall life they goe together Let us labour therefore that our apprehension of these great Mysteries may be supernaturall and spirituall and then as the judgement apprehends them without controversie to be true the affections will be present to close with them So much for the Preface Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse Now wee come to the particulars of this great Mysterie God manifested in the flesh This and the other branches that follow they are all spoken of Christ. Indeed the Mysterie of Godlinesse is nothing but Christ and that which Christ did Christ was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeved on in the World received up in Glorie So that from the generall we may observe this that Christ is the scope of the Scripture Christ is the Pearle of the Ring Christ is the maine the Center wherein all those Lines end take away Christ what remaines Therefore in the whole Scriptures let us see that we have an eye to Christ all is nothing but Christ. The Mysterie of Religion is Christ manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit c. all is but Christ. And that is the reason the Iewes understand not the Scriptures better because they seeke not Christ there Take away Christ take away all out of the Scriptures they are but empty things Therefore when we reade them thinke of somewhat that may lead us to Christ as all the Scriptures lead one way or other to Christ as I might shew in particular but I onely name it in generall He begins here with this God manifest in the flesh not God taken essentially but God taken personally God in the second Person was manifested all actions are of persons the second Person was incarnate The three Persons are all God yet they were not all incarnate though God were incarnate because it was a personall action of the second Person And why in that Person Because he was the Image of God And none but the Image of God could restore us to that Image He was the Sonne of God and none but the naturall Sonne could make us Sonnes He is the Wisedome of the Father to make us wise and he is the first beloved to make us beloved Such reasons are given by the Schoole-men and not disagreeable to Scripture for indeed it is appropriate to the second Person the great worke of the Incaâ—nation God in the flesh Therefore they usually compare the Incarnation of Christ to a Garmeâ—t made by three Virgins Sisters and one of them weares it So all the three Persons had a hand in the Garment of Christs flesh the Father had a worke in it and the Holy-Ghost sanctified it yet he onely wore it therfore the second Person is God manifest in the flesh By flesh here is meant humane nature the propertie of humane nature both body and soule And by flesh also is usually understood the infirmities and weakenesse of man the miserable condition of man So God manifest in the flesh that is in our nature and the properties of it he put that on and not onely so but our infirmities and weakenesse our miseries and which is more he tooke our flesh when it was tainted with Treason our base nature after it was fallen which was a wondrous fruit of Love As if one should weare a mans Colours or Liverie after he is proclaymed Traytor it is a great grace to such a man For Christ to weare our garment when we were proclaimed Traytors after wee were fallen it was a wondrous dignation And he tooke not onely our nature but our flesh he was God manifest in the flâ—sh that is in the infirmities of our nature he tooke
us take heed that we defile not this flesh of ours this nature of ours What is this flesh of mine taken into unitie with the second Person Is this flesh of mine now in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God And shall I defile this flesh of mine that I professe to be a member of Christ Shall I make it the member of an harlot Shall I abuse it as intemperate persons doe Let us honor our nature which Christ hath so honoured and let us take a holy kind of state upon us to thinke our selves too good since God hath so advanced our nature to abaâ—e it to the service of sinne Likewise it should teach us to stoupe to any service of Christ or our brethren What did the love of God draw him into the Wombe of the Virgin Did it draw him to take my nature and flesh on him And shall I thinke much to be serviceable to my poore brethren for whom God was made flesh and not onely so but was crucified Such thoughts will take downe such proud conceits as enter into our hearts when we are about any worke of charitie for the members of Christ. Shall I have base conceits of any man whose flesh Christ hath taken especially when I see any goodnesse in him let me abase my selfe to any worke of charitie Take heed of pride God himselfe emptied himselfe and wilt thou be full of pride He became of no reputation and wilt thou stand upon termes of credit He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and wilt thou be altogether a Lord and King in thy affections not serve thy brethren Did Christ doe this that thou shouldest be a proud person He came to expiate thy pride Away with thy proud conceits If thou be too proud to follow and imitate humble men yet thinke not thy selfe too good to imitate an humble God There is no spirit more opposite to the spirit of a Christian then a spirit swelling and lift up that thinkes it selfe too good to be abased in the service of others that carries it selfe loftily A proud spirit is most opposite to the Spirit of God that became man to expiate this pride of ours and to worke our salvation in this flesh of ours Of all sinnes let us take heed of this Diabolicall Satanicall sinne let us be abased for Christ that was abased for us and as he left his Heaven to doe us good he left Heaven it selfe so let us if we have a conceited heaven and happinesse in our selves leave it and become base and low to doe any good we can Shall he stoupe and bend to us from Heaven to Earth and conceale his Majestie not to be known to be as he was and shall not wee stoupe one to another to doe good and come downe from our conceited excellencie Here we have a ground likewise not to envie the blessed Angels their greatnesse nay here we have that wherein we are above the Angels themselves for he tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but he was God manifest in our flesh Christ marryed our nature to himselfe out of his love that he might marry us to himselfe by his Spirit and now by our union with Christ we be neereâ— him then the very Angels are The Angels are not the Spouse of Christ but now by reason of his taking our nature we are kinne to Christ he is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and wee are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh We are the Body Christ is the Head We are neere to Christ then the very Angels No wonder then if those blessed Spirits daily prie into this Great Mysterie Lastly let us labour that Christ may be manifested in our particular flesh in our persons As he was God manifest in the flesh in regard of that blessed Masse he tooke upon him so we would every one labour to have God manifest in our flesh How is that We must have Christ as it were borne in us formed in us as the Apostle speakes Certainely the same Spirit that sanctified Christ doth sanctifie every member of Christ and Christ is in some sort begotten and conceived and manifested in every one that is a Christian. We must labour that Christ may be manifest in our understandings in our affections that he may be manifest to us and conceived as it were in us as S. Pauls phrase is That the life of Christ may be made manifest in our mortall flesh The life and Spirit of Christ must be manifest in every true Christian and their flesh must be sanctified by the same Spirit that Christs flesh was sanctified withall As Christs flesh was first sanctified and then abased and then glorious so the flesh of every Christian must be content to be abased as the flesh of Christ was to serve Christ to be conformable to Christ in our abased flâ—sh And let us not make too much of this flesh of ours that shall turne to rottennesse ere long it must be gracious sanctified flesh as Christs was and then glorious flesh Christ must be manifest in our flesh as he was in his owne that when a man sees a Christian he may see Christ manifest in him But how shall I come to have Christ manifest in my flesh my heart is not fit to conceive Christ in there is nothing in it but deadnesse and darknesse and dulnesse and rebellion Even as the Virgin Mary she conceived Christ when she yeelded her asâ—ent When the Angell spake to her what sayth she presently Be it as thou hast sayd let it even be so she yeelded her assent to the Promise that she should conceive a Sonne So when the Promises are â—â—â—tered to us of the forgivenesse of sinnes of salvation by Christ as soone as ever we have a spirit of Faith to yeeld our assent Let it be so Lord as thou hast promised thou hast promised forgivenesse of sinnes Let it be so thou hast promised favour in Christ Let it be so As soone as the heart is brought to yeeld to the gracious Promise then Chrâ—st is conceived in the heart Even as Christ was conceived in the Wombe of the Virgin when she yeelded her assent to beleeve the Promise so Christ is in every mans heart to sanctifie it to rule it to comfort it as soone as this consent is wrought we should labour therefore to bring our hearts to this So much for this Because it is of great consequence and the leading Mysterie to all that followes I have been somewhat the longer in unfolding these words God manifest in the flesh Iustified in the Spirit These words are added to answer an objection that may rise from the former He was God manifest in the flesh he veiled himselfe he could not have suffered else when he tooke upon him to be the Mediator he must doe it in abased flesh If Christ being God had not abased himselfe he should never
us to Christ to be in love with and to embrace Christ and then it lookes to all the good things we have by him for he never comes alone there is a world of good things in him all that tends to grace and glory yet it is the person of Christ that the soule of a Christian principally lookes to other Divine Truths are the object of Faith to direct and sway our lives yet notwithstanding they are not the object of Faith when we looke for comfort for forgivenesse of sinnes and reconciliation with God then it lookes to Christ especially Therefore we that are Ministers of the Gospel of Christ should especially looke to unfold the riches of Christ and those that are Gods people should especially desire to have Christ unfolded and the riches of Gods love in Christ. The soule that ever found the sting of sinne the conscience that ever was awakened to feele the wrath of God it accounts nothing so sweet as Evangelicall Truths those things that concerne his Husband and Saviour A carnall man loves to heare morall points wittily spoken of as delightfull to his eare but the soule that understands it selfe what it is by nature that ever felt in any degree the wrath of God for sinne of all points it desires most to heare of Christ and him crucified Therefore we may judge our selves by our eares of what temper our soules are for the eare tastes if speeches as the mouth doth meats as Iob sayth Beleeved on in the world By world especially here in this place is meant the world taken out of the world the world of elect There is a world in the world as one saith well in unfolding this point as we see man is called a little world in the great world Christ was preached to the world of wicked men that by preaching a world might be taken out of the world which is the world of beleevers Hence we may cleare our judgements in that point that when Christ is said to redeeme the world it must not be understood generally of all mankind we see here the world is said to beleeve in Christ did all mankind beleeve in Christ was there not a world of unbeleevers We see here Christ beleeved on in the world the World that was opposite that were enemies that were under Satan Who shall despaire then Therefore let us conceive well of Christ. Why was he manifest in the flesh and why is there an Ordinance of Preaching Wherefore is all this but that he would have us beleeve be our sinnes what they will Put the case that there were a world of sinne in one man that one man were a world of naughtinesse as in some sense S. Iames saith there is a world of wickednesse in the tongue if in the tongue much more in the heart which is the sink of wickednesse But put the case there were a world of wickednesse in one man what is this to the satisfaction of God manifest in the flesh and to the infinite love of God now pacified in Christ looking upon us in the face of his beloved Sonne You see here Christ is beleeved on in the world Doe but consider what is meant by the world in Scripture how it is set downe to be in an opposite state to Christ and looke to the particular state of the Gentiles that are said to be the world what wretched people were the Corinthians before they beleeved and the Ephesians and the rest Let no man therefore despaire nor as I sayd before let us not despaire of the conversion of those that are Savages in other parts how bad soever they be they are of the world and if the Gospel be preached to them Christ will be beleeved on in the world Christs Almightie power goeth with his owne Ordinance to make it effectuall since the comming of Christ the World lyes before Christ as beloved of him some in all Nations The Gospel is like the Sea what it loseth in one place it gaineth in another so the Truth of God if it lose in one part if it be not respected it gets in another till it have gone over the whole World And when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in then comes the conversion of the Iewes Why may we not expect it They were the people of God We see Christ beleeved on in the World we may therefore expect that they shall also be called there being many of them and keeping their Nation distinct from others Now I shall shew how this is a Mysterie Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse Christ beleeved on in the World This is a great Mysterie to joyne these together The World and Beleeving it is almost as great a Mysterie as to joyne God and man together a Virgin and a Mother to bring an Vnbeleeving rebellious heart such as is in the world and beleeving together it is a great Mysterie in divers considerations First if we consider what the World was an opposite and enemie to Christ and under his enemy being slaves to Satan being Idolaters in love with their owne inventions which men naturally dote on Here was the wonder of Gods love and mercy that he should vouchsafe it to such wretches We may see by S. Pauls Epistles what kind of people they were before they embraced the Gospel Here was Gods wondrous dignation that God should shine upon them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death that were abused by Satan at his will That the World that is all sorts of the World from the highest to the lowest should at length stoupe to the Crosse of Christ That the Emperours should lay their Crownes at Christs feet as Constantine and others Christ at length subdued the Roman Empire it selfe to the Faith That the Philosophers of the World that were witty and learned should at length come to embrace the Gospel for divers of the Fathers were Philosophers before That men of great place of great parts and learning and education and breeding should denie all and cast all prostrate at the feet of Christ for these to be overcome by plaine Preaching for meanenesse to overcome mightinesse for ignorance to overcome knowledge yet notwithstanding these great and wise men of the World were overcome by the Gospel It was a Mysterie that the World should beleeve if we consider besides their greatnesse and wisedome the inward malicious disposition of the World being in the strong mans possession for these men to beleeve the Gospel surely it must needs be a great Mysterie Againe if we consider the parties that carryed the Gospel whereby the World was subdued a companie of weake men unlearned men none of the deepest for knowledge onely they had the Holy-Ghost to teach and instruct to strengthen and fortifie them which the World tooke no notice of men of meane condition of meane esteeme and few in number And these men they came not with weapons or outward defence but
the radicall grace in a Christians soule is this beleeving this trusting in God reconciled in Christ this relying upon Christ a convincing perswasion that God and Christ are mine this is the radicall grace of all other let us water and cherish this by all meanes whatsover And to this end let us labour to encrease in knowledge I know whom I have beleeved sayth the Apostle for all grace comes into the soule by the light of knowledge whatsoever is good is conveyed by light into the heart Faith especially is the bent of the will to Christ receiving him but this comes by a supernaturall light discovering Christ. Therefore let us desire to heare much of Christ of his Priviledges and Promises the more of Christ we know the more we shall beleeve and say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved It is a fond and wicked Tenent of the Papists to say That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion and Bellarmines Tenent is That Faith is better defined by Ignorance then by any thing else a fond and unlearned conceit For how soever the reason and depth of the things of Faith cannot be searched yet we may know the things that are revealed in the Scriptures The more I know the things that are revealed concerning Christ and know that they are Gods Truths the more I know the more I shall beleeve Faith of necessity requires knowledge therefore knowledge is put for all other graces This is eternall life to know thee and whom thou hast sent because it is an ingredient in all graces it is a maine ingredient in Faith the more we know the more we shall beleeve They that know thy Name will trust in thee It is not so in mens matters the more we know a man to be able and loving and faithfull of his word the more we shall trust him Is it not so in divine things the more we know of Christ and of his Riches and Truth the more experimentall knowledge we have of him that we find him to be so the more we shall trust him Therefore by the knowledge that is gotten by the meanes let us labour for an experimentall knowledge that so we may trust and beleeve in him more and more Let us looke to the passages of our lives in former times how gracious God hath been towards us and take in trust the time to come that he will be so to the end He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith And let us search into the depth of our owne wants and weaknesses and this will force us to grow in Faith more and more this will be a meanes to encrease our Faith the more we see of our owne nothingnesse and inabilitie without Christ that we are nothing nay that we are miserable without him the more we shall cleave to him and cast our selves upon him Those that have the deepest apprehensions of their owne wants and weakenesse usually they have the deepest apprehensions of Christ and grow more and more rooted in him The searching of our owne corruptions every day is a notable meanes to grow in Faith to consider what we are if it were not for Gods mercy in Christ and this will make us to make out of our selves to Christ it will make us flye to the Citie of Refuge Ioab when he was pursued he fled to the Hornes of the Altar when conscience pursues us it will make us flye to the Hornes of the Altar to the Citie of Refuge a search into our owne conscience and wayes will force us to live by Faith and to exercise Faith every day in Christ Iesus And this is to feed on Christ daily to flye to Christ when we are stung with sinne and hunger in the want of grace and strength to flye to him for supply and so to keepe and encrease Faith by this excellent meanes Christ is all in all to those that hope to be saved by him Christ is the ground of our life and comfort and our happinesse Therefore we should make out to him upon all occasions to cleave to him in life and death We cannot presse this point of Faith too much Why are Christians called beleevers because beleeving is all if we can prove the Truth of our Faith and beleefe we prove all if we be faulty in that all is rotten Whatsoever is without faith is sinne All mens naturall morality and civility it is as it were but Copper graces but counterfeits they are but for the outwarp appearance and not in truth they are not enlivened and quickned by Faith in Christ. But I leave this and come to the last Clause Received up in glory This is the last Branch of this Divine Mysterie of Godlinesse but it is none of the least Christ ascended if we respect himselfe he was received if we looke to his Father himselfe ascended his Father received him the Scripture hath both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he ascended up that is for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was received up that is he was assumpted there is no difficulty in the words he ascendâ—d up as well as he was received up positively as well as passively In his death he was â—ot onely crucified by others and delivered by his Father but he gave himselfe to death so he was not onely received up in glory but he ascended up into glory This shewes the exaltation of Christ. The Apostle begins with God manifest in the flesh there is the descent a great Mysterie for the great God to descend into the Wombe of a Vigin to descend to the lowest parts of the Earth and then he ends with this Received up in Glory The ascent is from whence the descent was Christ ascended and was received as high as the place was whence he came downe God manifest in the flesh that is the beginning of all Received up in Glory that is the consumutation and shutting up of all It implyes all his Exaltation his Resurrection his Ascension his sitting at the right hand of God and his comming to judge the quick and the dead especially is meant his Glory after his Resurrection his Ascension and sitting at the right hand of God yet supposing his Resurrection Received up to Glory Glory implyes three things It is an exemption from that which is opposite and a conquering over the contrarie base condition It implyes some great eminencie and excellencie as the foundation of it and then a manifestation of that excellencie and it implyes victorie over all opposition Though there be excellency if there be not a manifestation of that excellencie it is not glory Christ was inwardly glorious while he was on Earth in the state of abasement he had true glory as he was God and man but there was not a manifestation of it and therefore it is not properly called glory there was not a victorie and subduing of all that was contrarie to his glory for he was abased and suffered in the Garden and
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
that have dispositions like them will study how this blessed truth may be promoted and propagated and spread even over the world therefore wee should labour every one to spread the glorious Gospell of Christ especially those that are Ministers whose office it is to unfold and open the unsearchable riches of Christ. Againe we glorifie God in Christ when wee see such glory and mercy of Christ as it doth transforme us and change us and from an inward change we have alway a blessed disposition to glorifie God as I shewed out of 1 Cor. 3. This is the difference betweene the glasse of the Gospell and the glasse of the Law and of the creatures In the Law we see the beames of the Justice of God Cursed is every one that continueth not in all c. and the beames of his power and goodnesse in the creature but it doth not change and transforme us to be good and gracious but when wee see the glory of God of his goodnesse and infinite mercy shining in the face of Iesus Christ for wee dare not looke upon God immediatly it changeth the soule to be gracious like unto Christ therefore if wee find that the knowledge of God in Christ hath changed our dispositions it is a signe then we give glory to God indeed for to glorifie God is an action that cannot proceed but from a disposition of nature that is altered and changed the instrument must be set in tune before it can yeeld this excellent Musicke to glorifie God as the Angels doe that is all the powers of the soule must be set in order with grace by the Spirit of God if the meditations and thoughts of the Gospell have altered our dispositions to love God and that that pleaseth God to doe good to men to delight in goodnesse it is a signe we are instruments in tune to glorifie God and that we have an apprehension of the love and mercy of God in Christ as we should for it hath a transforming power to worke this The grace of God will teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily When the grace of God that is the free love of God in Christ in the forgiving our sinnes and advancing us to heaven hath this effect in our soules it is a signe wee have a true notion and apprehension of the excellency and eminency of Gods grace otherwise if we turne the grace of God into wantonnesse to make the benefits by Christ a pretence and covering for our wicked and loose lives we know not what it is to glorifie God but though in words we say Glory be to God yet in our lives we denie it as the Apostle saith The Hypocrites in Isay 66.5 they had good speeches in their mouthes saith God heare the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my name sake said Let the Lord be glorified so you shall find those that are opposers and persecutors and haters of sinceritie will sing Gloria Patri God be glorified but what good will this doe them if they have diabolicall satanicall dispositions if they be like the Devill in opposing the truth and hating that that is good The Devils in the Gospell could glorifie God for their owne ends We know that thou art the Sonne of God so Devils incarnate can come to Church and receive the Sacraments and seeme to praise God oh but there must be a change for to glorifie God is a work of the whole man especially of the Spirit All that is within me praise his holy name It came from the heart roote of a sanctified judgement out of grounds why we doe it The wish of the Angels here Glory to God on high it came from a good ground because they knew God is to be glorified in Christ for judicious phrases are founded upon truths so there must be a sanctified judgement to be the ground of it and the affections must be in tune answerable to those truths then we are sit to glorifie God and all this is by the power of the Gospell transforming us Againe we glorifie God when we take to heart any thing that may hinder or stoppe or eclipse Gods truth and obscure it when it workes zeale in us in our places as farre as we can when it affects us deepely to see the cause of Religion hindred any way if there be any desire of glorifying God there will be zeale the heart will move with a kind of indignation when God is dishonoured and his truth eclipsed with false doctrine or by ill practice it cannot be otherwise it is out of the nature of the thing it selfe therefore those that either are instruments of stopping or obscuring the truth or causing it to be reproached by their wicked lives or if they be not instruments yet they doe not take it to heart when they see God dishonoured surely they can speake little comfort to themselves they have neither Angelicall nor Evangelicall dispositions for if they had the knowledge of the Gospell it would worke this is in them Againe if we apprehend this glorious Mysterie of Christ in the Gospel aright it will work in us a glorious joy for joy is a disposition especially that fits us to glorifie God then we are fit to glorifie God when our hearts are enlarged with joy when we thinke of God in Christ when we thinke of the Day of Judgement when we thinke of heaven when we can thinke of hell with joy as being subdued and blesse God for Christ when we can thinke of all that is opposite as conquered in Christ so that our joy is enlarged in the apprehension of our owne blessed condition it is a good signe we are in a disposition to glorifie God but I will not enlarge my selfe further in this point This being so excellent a duty to which wee are stirred by the Angels Glory to God on high c. what are the maine hindrances of it that we give not God more Glory The maine hindrances are a double vayle of Ignorance and Unbeleefe that we doe not see the glorious light of God shining in Iesus Christ or else if we doe know it we doe not beleeve it and thereupon instead of that blessed disposition that should be in the soule there comes an admiration of carnall excellencies a delighting in base things This Ignorance is partly from the darknesse of our owne hearts being overcast sometimes that such great things are too good to be true our hearts have a hell of unbeleefe in them And sometimes the policy of Satan who casts dust in our eyes and labours that wee may not see the glory of God in the Gospell 2 Cor. 4. The God of this world hath blinded their eyes c. Ignorance arising from within or without is a great cause why we do not see the excellencies of God therefore no wonder if where the Gospell is not
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