to every understanding as of the time of justification the manner of our union many things of the Kingdome of Christ and other things which may admit a Controversie they being not so cleare in themselves 3. Principles that are absolutely fundamentall God hath set them down as the objects of faith to be beleeved on not disputed And though we cannot see the reason of them yet we are to beleeve them their demonstration lies in Gods testimony of them Gods word for things is a Christian reason Vse Oh that in this sceptick age we would but observe this rule to hold to principles men are grown to question every thing fundamentals cannot scape some mens questions most mens criticks are above their judgements Some thinke Religion lies in a questioning all things That good notion of searching after truth deceives many by misapprehension the way to lose truth is to question the principles on which they are built the Apostle speaks unto Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to strive about words which tend to no profit 2 Tim. 2.14 and to hold fast the forme of wholsome words of doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.13 an express systeme of principles In all Sciences something must be taken for granted Philosophers have made a just Law Contra principia non est disputandum they hiss at men that shall deny principles received by all Schollars grounded on the absolute Law of Reason for there must be some granted rules and principles that men dispute by else it will be but a babble no dispute all argumentation is concerning the application of rules and deductions from principles So it is in divinity there be some truths are as foundation stones must not be touched lest the whole building fall with it I blame not Saints for searching after truth but condemne that stint of mens spirits to looke after no more than they have known great and noble spirits love to be reaching after perfection there is much to be discovered of the mystery of the Gospell of the glory and beauty of truth But this I urge that there are some things must be without controversie some truths that are written as with a Sun-beame confest and acknowledged by all that must be beleeved not argued There is a twofold questioning of things 1. Doubting whether they be so or no that is dangerous because men shall never want their scruples if they will dispute those things which are supernatural what God hath by his owne testimony in the Word and in the hearts of all the Saints put out of question It is Crimen laesae Majestatis but to name in doubting 2. Men question things to be more cleered and confirmed in them not so much for satisfaction of the truth of them as desire to see the farther beauty and excellency of them this is commendable for Saints to study all the principles wherein God hath manifested himselfe that he may have his heart more set upon them So the Bereans they were more noble they would enquire into the Doctrine that Paul preached and Paul commends them for it and saith they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of better breeding whatever comes from men you may question and search againe whether it be so or no but what you find in the Word laid down in express termes you may not question but beleeve though yet you may labour to be more cleare and to have the same thing more demonstrative and more spirituall to you the Apostle unto Timothy that the things he had heard of him among many witnesses he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commit unto faithfull men who may teach the same to others 2 Tim. 2.2 the Apostle would have the same Doctrine to go from hand to hand and be transferred unto others for new principles to be revealed I expect not but those in a new way more of truth in a new kind of glory more full and enriching the light that the Saints have received is the same for kind and nature but not for degree therefore the Apostle saith If we or an Angel from heaven shall preach another Gospell that is different from what is preached in the revelation of Christ let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. It is one thing to preach another Gospell and another thing to have that same Gospell opened more gloriously and to have the sparklings of it more strong and glorious He that will know no more than he hath known is proud and knows nothing and he that will know any thing contrary or more than these principles of godlinesse containes and will by improvement come up to will be as one in the darke that knows not where he goes to stick on the bare principles and go no farther is as a child that learnes his Catechisme and thinks he needs no more learning and to seeke to know much with casting of principles is as one that would learne the Hebrew or Greeke and yet will cast aside the Characters and Rules That soule can never miscarry in divine knowledge that holding the foundation builds according to that Let your structure be as high and glorious as can be so your foundation be sure for a man to make a long and mysterious discourse and accent every expression with the best language and yet neither he nor any that heares can tell neither what he aimes at or to what head or principle naturall to reduce it how ridiculous is he in all wise mens eyes all the fine and curious webs of speculation which men spin and these stately structures in their own fancies will all be cut in sunder and fall down if they be not founded on the first same and eternall principles of godlinesse God hath saved all the Saints by one and the same way Christ and faith And though these things are more gloriously exprest now than before and the same heart more opened in the same Christ and faith acted with greater strength and cleereness than formerly yet the same love and faith and Christ continues still It is a pittifull thing to see soules stick still on the bare principles and not launch out into that deep mystery which is conteined in them and as sad it is to see men leave these principles and hug their own fancies Oh Beloved that unity in the spirit lies much in the onenesse and union of the foundation This one Principle That God was manifest in flesh and this Christ made a Mediatour of soules what an eternall ground of comfort doth it afford thou needest not goe seek a new manifestation of this God the studying but of this one may take up all thy thoughts every minute and moment of thy life and entertain thee with fresh and new wonders of Glory Every one of these Principles are a mystery and mysteryes though about the same things are opened but by degrees Angels desire to let out their thoughts in the reviewing of these unsearchable riches There is not a line or expression of Christ in
the brightnesse of his glory but to beseech them to see with their own eyes their eternall happinesse Let all poore soules come and put in their hands and they may feele Gods heart come and behold life and immortality inhabiting the tabernacles of earth and their own peace and eternall happinesse in their owne flesh Who can make any excuse now that he beleeves not Why do soules now stand off What can be desired by lost soules more Oh that I might see God say some soules why he is come down in the likenesse of man he walkes in our own shape Oh saith another might I have my heart united to God why he is come down on purpose and hath united our own nature to himselfe God hath left all the world without excuse he hath condescended below himselfe that we might be above our selves In a word by this the way of life is paved and all the bars and blocks taken out of the way all objections stifled in the birth and answered before they are made In this manifestation justice and mercy sweetly kisse each other and have their equall joy free grace and merit bounty and beauty fulnesse and nothingnesse are made one and triumph together the most hidden things revealed and the worst things advanced all things become nothing and nothing all things our nature which lay in rags enriched with the unsearchable treasures of glory that flesh which was so weake as not able to put forth a hand to save its own life enabled to save millions of soules and bring forth the greatest designes of God and that flesh which the Apostle cals a vile body enobled and advanced beyond the nature of Angels This this is the great mystery hid from Ages and Generations of men that God lives in our flesh and there acts all the parts of his glory It is now no wonder that man is made one to God and hath boldnesse through faith even to go into heaven seeing God is come to carry them up with him this was the first and great experiment which ever God did make of the fulnesse of his love and glory and we have now seene that in our flesh which could never have been seene in it selfe Vse 1. Seeing this is so great a mystery what use can we make enough of it doubtlesse it cannot be accounted lesse than a spring of unconceivable comfort to all poore soules yea in whatever condition they be give leave to extract some few grounds of strong support and joy and we need no chymicall art the consideration doth naturally drop the strongest spirits of rejoycing and incouragement that can be possible Unto two sorts I shall especially direct this use 1 To poor soules that are yet in the embryo under the first and lowest convictions of their owne condition who first for feare of there wrath to come and would faine draw neer but dare not touch the staffe of their eternall comfort this point will yield water of life at the first striking unto their poor soules yea and more then their soules are able to beare or their doubts are able to answer if they will but observe what the weight of this expression is 2. To beleevers who are yet trembling at the sight of their many sins and not yet cleered up in the spirituall notions of the Gospell For the first Let me speak to you drooping hearts who long after life and salvation and to see God as yours more then life it selfe what ailes thy heart who hath made thee afraid what is that shakes thy knees and dryes up thy marrow and breaks thy bones and cuts thy joynts and nerves Oh why dost thou start back in the day of thy trouble Why you will say God is mine enemy I am a stranger to him I shall never see a glimpse of the face of God where all my happinesse lies sin hath brought forth death and misery in my soule God's law condemnes me my owne conscience accuseth me and justice will have its due These and such like are the usuall apprehensions of such convinced soules Yet notwithstanding all this let word of the Gospell be heard let the truth be heard speak for it selfe God is manifested in the flesh VVhen thy soule lost seven fold more then it is the spirit of this expression is able to recover thee and set thee upon thy legs with a crowne of glory on thy head 1. God himselfe is come into the world to offer the tearms of love and peace unto thy poor soule because it was impossible for thee to come to God he is come to thee and hath laid aside as it were his owne glory while he converses with thee This is no ordinary design that God hath to drive when he is so wonderfully manifest in thy own flesh when God manifesting himselfe as formerly in Thunder and Lightning with an innumerable company of Angels all having their swords of justice and vengeance drawne well might poor soules tremble and run into corners for who would ever be able to indure his comming but loe poor soule God is come in flesh with an Olive branch of eternall peace in his hand and bids you all be witnesse he is not come to destroy but to save There be but two things in God which might discourage poor soules from making approaches to him the infinite brightnesse of his glory whereby there is such a great distance between God and his poor creatures 2. The infinite severity and exactnesse of his justice whereby he is clothed with vengeance but behold these terrifying sights are you God hath made his appearance as a man as one of us and there shall not be the least distance between us and this God is likewise in our own Nature to satisfie himselfe and to gratifie his own justice for this is the naturall meaning of this phrase that God hath taken flesh to reconcile flesh to himselfe Bring out thy sins and weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and take in every circumstance both of law and Gospell and set but this in the other scale that God is manifested in flesh to take away sin how would all thy iniquities seem lighter then vanity yea be as nothing in comparison to that which is laid downe as a propitiation for these sins It is most true that nothing can reveale God at such a distance from a soule as sin it being that which is most contrary to his blessed Nature who is infinitely pure and holy Yet here is the mystery of godlinesse that God himselfe is become the satisfier of himselfe and that in our owne Nature The utmost height of sin lies in regard that it is a contradiction to the immortall God therefore it is so hainous that the death of Angels and men could never expiate it or reconcile sinners to God but if God will dye in our Nature and lay downe himselfe as a ransome how is the demerit of sin swallowed up in the incomprehensible redundancy of divine glory and
seemed to passe by and overlook the unworthinesse of his Creature himselfe disdaines not to be as they are to weare their own flesh and 2. That his justice may be satisfied and their hearts quieted he hath by the union of that flesh set up a person which is nothing but fulnesse and righteousnesse love and bowels to receive the first acts of our faith and to have immediate union and communion with us and yet still this is God himselfe manifested to us and though we pitch not our saith immediately on God yet at last we come to him and our faith lives in God before it is aware as it were through the sweet intervention of that person which is God himselfe called but by another name Take faith as it lies in adherence and recumbency or as it may be sometimes taken for an act of assurance both have enough to lay hold on in this mystery For the first Take the poorest soule that groanes under the saddest wants and burthens and seemes by sin to lye at the vastest distance from God yet he hath ground here to beleeve that is to go unto and rely and cast himselfe freely and fully with the greatest confidence on Jesus Christ For here is none other than God himselfe offering himselfe as the righteousnesse and riches of such a poore foule and that in such a way as he shall be judge with his own eyes and for the faith of assurance what a ground is there for a soule to be perswaded of all the reality and truth of Gods intentions seeing he hath so sensibly demonstrated it in taking our own flesh if God cannot content himselfe who shall And he professeth he is pleased and delighted in that Union and satisfaction by it which he hath in our nature This is my beloved Son in whom my soule is well pleased Mat. 3. ult Doubtlesse Gods heart must needs be much in yea and infinitely set on the salvation of the souls of poor sinners seeing he hath made such an overture to advantage it as the taking up our flesh which was so far below him and what can poore soules now beleeve otherwise but that God cannot be content with his own honour and glory alone but he must impart it yea and to those which have beene the most unworthy and most contrary to him and his glory So that Beleevers you see how heaven and earth God and man are combined together to do you good and what opportunity have you of living gloriously upon God in your owne nature Faith desires no more but an incouragement and a person to close with and in both you have a sutablenesse from this that God is manifest in flesh that God is manifested in such a way as flesh is enough to move any heart to beleeve that he is as he acts but this expression doth not only stir up hope but fits the very person so sweetly as if one would desire or propose a thing to ones desires it could not be more qualified than this that God is manifested in flesh for here is God himselfe brought downe to our termes and made subject to our owne propositions Oh that this exhortation might be of force but to improve this glorious designe to the supplying of all your wants and the making up all your losses and when you make use of Christ go not to him as one who hath something but all things yea let faith have its course and hinder it not from a full and immediate laying hold on the riches and fulnesse of God himselfe both for Justification and Sanctification for it is God himselfe which in your flesh is made the proper object of your faith Use 2. That seeing God is manifest in flesh that is so blessedly in Christ for us labour to get a manifestation of God in your own flesh for this is the comfort to your soules what if God be made one with a common nature in Christs person if he be not made one with my spirit You heare often that there is a mystery in Gods being discovered in Flesh but who among you have had the manifestation of this God in your own soules The Apostle speaking of the sweet fruit of his suffering saies it lay in this that the life of Christ was manifested in his mortall flesh doubtlesse Gods designe of manifesting himselfe in flesh in generall was that by that he might manifest himselfe to flesh in particular and these soules can have no speciall comfort in this that God is manifest in their nature that is in Christ except they have a speciall discovery of this God to themselves actions are sutable to the being of things if God be in our nature he will act in that nature what may be most glorious to the good of soules Look to your own hearts what manifestations of God are there Dost thou say thou beleevest that God was manifest in flesh And yet there is not a glimpse of Gods glory in thy own heart why the Devils can say as much and perish why hath God taken up our nature What for himselfe No But by that as a medium he might communicate himselfe to our persons Let not soules flatter themselves with generall notions of the Gospell and the mystery of it If God be not in thy person as truly though not as fully as in thy nature thou hast no particular comfort from this designe when Paul speaks of the Gospell in generall he speaks particularly of the manifestation of it to him as his comfort It pleased God to reveale Christ in me Gal. 1. whatever is done in our nature in common is to be done spiritually though not litterally on our persons and if God be revealed in Christ and that Christ be not revealed in us all is nothing the end of God is by that to bring up our hearts to himselfe and that we may know what is the riches of that glory which he intends to communicate by the first fruits of it in our own soules SERMON VI. 1 TIM 3.16 Justified in the spirit c. HAving spoken of the first and great mystery of godlinesse which the Apostle reckons up in this verse that God was manifested in flesh Another presents it selfe before our eyes to be admired In the things of the Gospell you go from glory to glory you can no sooner come out of one roome of blessednesse but you step into another as glorious every step to heaven is a new opening of Gods glory What would a soule expect more than a manifestation of God and in flesh so fitly for his good Who would not sit down under the shadow of this happinesse and go no farther but yet this is not all this God is set forth in another mystery as Justified in the spirit before one is able to go to the bottome of one mystery he is led into the bosome of another so thick and fast doth the glory of God break in upon the poore soule as he is not able to keep his
how can the Angels choose but look about them at such a sight But no more for the opening of it we had need now to apply this and reflect on our selves Vse 1. Is to shame all our hearts that we are no more affected with Christ and the mysteries of the Gospell who can say that ever they saw this mystery with admiration it is rather a mystery in this regard to us that we see little of it that takes our hearts Shall Angels see this mystery and be so taken with it and not we It concernes not them so particularly they are not wrapt up in it yet are exceedingly longing for to know it yea cannot be content with a bare sight of it but pry into it Oh hearts that the Sons of men have that magnifie no more this great mystery God is come downe among us in a mystery of mercy riches love glory wisdome come to let out a fulnesse of all this on our hearts And this is preached in the Gospell and yet who looks into it how few hearts are but ordinarily taken with it who searcheth into it as to the blessedest Cabinet in the world Christ is not as much esteemed as swine it is sad to say it men respect toyes notions any thing before it consider sinner dost thou make little of that which hath taken up the heart of the great God from eternity on which he hath set the highest designe of his owne glory which Angels creatures of surpassing glory thinke it their happinesse but to see as it were though they enjoy not Oh how unworthy art thou ever to have a glimpse of it Angels behold the face of God immediately want nothing are filled with immortall glory yet they come down to the Church to heare the manifestations of this mystery the openings of this Christ They think they are not happy enough in heaven but must know what Saints enjoy of this Christ as if it were a glory above their attainments There be two expressions to this purpose which the Apostle makes use of in Peter 1 Pet. 1.12 That the Angels desire to look into the things of the Gospell the word for desire signifies the utmost coveting or longing after a thing which a man cannot be without Christ is so sweet and blessed an object and the Gospell so filled with the glory of God that these blessed creatures cannot containe without seeing of him their pure spirits would faine be in the bosome of them and leave their heavenly glory but to converse with Saints about the mystery of God in Christ So the other word intimateth they desire to looke into them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies bowing down to pry heedfully and narrowly into a thing It is used for the Disciples stooping down and looking into Christs Sepulchre Joh. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poore disciples did not more heedfully look into Christs grave to behold their Saviour than Angels do to see Christ in the Gospell So you have it typified of them Exod. 25. the Cherubims were made looking down towards the mercy-seat shewing how Angels should desire to peepe into Christs heart where the seat of mercy is as if they longed to have one glimpse on them Oh blush you hearts which have made so light of the concernments of the Gospell Use 2. How happy are you who have had under the Gospell any manifestations of Christ any discovery of this mystery to your hearts blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare you have seen that which never eye saw which is naturall and what the purest spirits see and wonder at Angels envy not your happinesse but they vaile to your glory they are not your corrivals but admirers you have these sights laid before you that Angels would leave their habitations above but to see such dainties spread before you to eat which Angels every day long for certainly Saints are kept very high that these blessed spirits long to feed with them the leavings of your enjoyments they take up Oh hath God discovered his love to thee in Christ given thee a sight of his face in Christ justified and sanctified thee in him he hath done that for thee that Angels wonder at know thy own happinesse pry into thy priviledges And if thou canst not wonder enough thy selfe take in Angels to blesse and praise and admire with thee they desire no better employment these celestiall Seraphicall spirits love to sing the tune of the Gospell most they do service to the Church administer to them and all their waies as it were is to heare something of Christ among and to know more of this mystery by them Use 3. Let your whole hearts be laid out in the studying of the mysteries of the Gospell there must needs be some rich jewels in it of unspeakable worth that God makes Angels to dig for and above all things labour to see the mystery content not thy selfe with any bare Historicall knowledge or outward apprehensions of it but strive to be in the bosome of the injoyments of them and let no sight satisfie thee but what is raising and astonishing thy heart this sets out the worth of Christ that he was seen of Angels what barely presented to their sight no they saw him with delight with joy they were rapt up above themselves to see such a glorious object Consider it is a mystery wherein your happinesse is included your joyes and comforts and all your concernments lie in it as in so many folds All the wisdome and love of God is laid out in reference to the making of you happie the Angels are but in it secondarily as Christ is their head that benefit they get by it which is a high advancement but Christs heart is particularly opened to you and all his riches made over to you and if you will not get to see much of Christ for your selves to adde to your owne joy why get Christ opened to you for the Angels sake that they may know more of Christ by thee SERMON VIII 1 TIM 3.16 Preached unto the Gentiles c. YOU have heard of the mystery of Godlinesse in the former particulars in the inward nature of it as it is acted in the person of Christ and seen and admired by the Angels you shall heare it in regard of the outward manifestation of it to the world As it was preached to the Gentiles God would have all the creatures adore this mystery therefore first he presents it to the Angels discovers the person of Christ to them they indeed were the fittest creatures to dive in to it and be taken with it but it is not only seen by them but it is preached unto the Gentiles discovered to the whole world and this is the mystery that all the New Testament is filled with and that God would have took up all the time of the world to preach it in all Nations Full hearts long for vent and cannot hold but must open
leave impressions of an immortall nature on their spirits How can soules see Jesus Christ as the manifestation of God behold him as one received up into glory and sitting at the right hand of God and have it as truth within him and not be drawn out in strong desires of Communion with him and have the reflexions of his holiness and glory on the heart What is godliness but God shining in light and working in life in the soule Take thy picture of truth which thou thinkest thou hast in thy understanding and sit down and rejoyce in the high-flown notions of God and Christ thou knowing Professor while poore soules enjoy the life and power the beauty and substance of all truth within their hearts Obs 2. The second thing of worth is this How full Pauls heart is when he begins to speake of the things of the Gospell like a man that is full of griefe or joy longs to have vent and breakes off on a sudden from his former discourses so doth the Apostle he was to swim out into a great deep and his heart cannot hold he speaks as a man overmatched with matter that is faine to speake broken expressions without controversie c. High manifestations of God should be expressed with great affections as God let out himselfe so our hearts must be taken a little love and admiration will not serve when God manifests himselfe in a mystery the best frame of spirit a soule can be in when he is meditating or to speake of Gospell-mysteries is to be astonished at them as one that knows not where to begin or end you never have known the mysteries of God which have not admired them Use All the use I would make of this to you is to get affections sutable to manifestations to rise as God rises Oh let not your hearts be low when God is high in love and glory Souls which are wrapt up in the bosome of glorious enjoyments that apprehend God in his discoveries of himself cannot but be lost in the thoughts of them then are your soules in a spirituall frame when they worke in the sight of God in Christ and sutable to the openings of his heart the more your hearts are full of these apprehensions the more you will breake forth in admirations But now to the words themselves and in them first of the Preface without Controversie c. The Apostle speaks as one so confident that all did grant it to be truth that there need no farther debate but the laying down the very things themselves The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an absolute and cleare confession of a thing without doubt or scruple and it is as much as if the Apostle had said by the confession of all it is so it is a confessed truth by all the Saints not one disputing or denying it that godlinesse is a great mystery in all these particulars I need give you no confirmation at all of it it is without question to deny it is to be wilfully blind and desperate Obs That there are principles and mysteries of godliness cleare and undeniable to all the Saints He doth not say I confess it is so and all that I have conversed withall but all that have had any light of the spirit confesse this to be true it is a thing generally received without any controversie at all In the opening this I shall shew 1. That there are principles of godliness as of other things 2. That they are confest by the Saints For the first As there are principles in every Art or Science which are as the foundations of other things so likewise in divinity such as the Apostle Heb. 6.1 cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation and Heb. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first principles and now cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery and to prove 1. Because divinity or godliness is the most demonstrative and certaine knowledge of things that can be now principles are the foundation of all demonstration if there were not principles there could be no certainty of knowledge No man could speake any thing no man could beleeve any thing if there were not common and generall foundations or principles to build upon therefore this must be granted that God hath left something in Religion which is without dispute 2. If there were not set and absolute principles there could be no common faith or common experience among the Saints none could know the condition of one another or be able to judge of one another neither of things themselves Now the Apostle speakes of a common faith and in another place there is but one faith one baptisme one hope among all the Saints 2 Pet. 1.2 That other Foundation no man can lay than what is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 in Gal. 1. no preaching of anothor Gospell no though by an Angell from heaven But I need prove that no farther 2. These principles are confest by all the Saints this is that the Apostle aimes at that none of the Saints scrupled this That Godlinesse was a great mystery in every one of the particulars mentioned Consider 1. That which belongs to a Saint as a Saint to his very being he cannot be ignorant of as that Jesus Christ died and by his merits we are pardoned that from him is all life that God was manifested in him and accepts us by him that we come to him by faith and enjoy him by our union these things go to the constitution of a Saint faith towards our Lord Jesus and repentance towards God he is not a Saint which knows not this for they are the principles of his being indeed the largeness and extent of these principles The priviledge of his being he may be ignorant for they are successively manifested as the glory of his union and the fulnesse of grace and the rich assurance of it to his own soule these he may be doubtfull in but to question this whether Christ be the Son of God hath died and is risen againe these he cannot be ignorant of for his faith is vaine if these things be not true and granted by him he is no Saint if Christ be no Saviour but for the manner of making out this of what full efficacy Christs Death and Resurrection is and the like and the manner of applying this he may be exceeding darke in 2. The principles of godliness are laid down so positive and so plaine that the light that every Saint receives makes him beleeve them these things are exprest in absolute termes that Christ is the only Saviour and nothing to be joyned with him that justification is freely by grace that in Adam all have sinned that all which are in Christ are new Creatures with such like expressions so that the first and most common light of faith assents to them there be some things in the Word in which there lies a great deale of beauty and glory not so nakedly exprest nor so obvious
Christ and this will yet appeare if you consider the 4 Thing that this was the greatest manifestation of God that ever was God was manifested in nothing like this for look first over the manifestation of God in the first creation there was but only some outside of God's glory discovered nothing of Gods Nature The whole world never saw what God was truly by that Indeed the Apostle saith Rom 1. That the invisible things of God were knowne by the things that are made even God's eternall power and wisdome but these were manifested in an ordinary and common way as a Picture shewes the art of the Painter but yet you may not know his person But in this God himselfe is manifested for first here is not only so much of God manifested as humane nature it selfe could demonstrate for then it had been a poor manifestation of God who can see God in seeing all the men in the world or in all the Saints in the world in their flesh but it sets out a speciall way of assumption of our Nature unto the person of Christ who was God making these two natures but one person 2. This manifestation was in union of flesh in the neerest way to God himselfe not as a lanthorne to hold the light only of God's glory but as one intire person to represent what God is in himselfe all the whole world was never united to God before though God did manifest some thing to our Nature as to Adam yet God did never unite any creature to himselfe before and though God was manifest to flesh yet never in flesh before that is the great mystery God is manifest to his Saints but he is not manifested in the flesh or in the Nature of any but Jesus Christ This is so great a manifestation as that God is become man as it were by reason of the union of their Natures the word was made flesh and dwelt among us as if God had relinquished his own Name and Nature and lost himselfe in our Nature he was found in the forme of a servant Now let us but thinke what a manifestation of God this must be which is God not only letting forth himselfe in a way of communication but God in union with the same Nature which we are in Therefore Christ is called the expresse image of the person of the Father not an image as he was the second person meerly for so he was not the image but God himselfe but an image because in that union of our Nature with God there was the exactest discovery of God himselfe as possible could be to the creature 2 Cor. 3 ult Therefore Christ is called a glasse wherein a man may with open face behold the bright glory of God But 6. How great must this mystery needes be God manifested in flesh how is that possible flesh hides God he is of a spirituall Nature it is as much as to say the Sun manifested in a cloud or light manifest in darknesse I confesse my heart could rather stand and admire then speak any thing more What ever is a medium of conveyance of any thing in Nature must be proportion'd unto the thing it discovers as the aire not a mud wall conveys the light of the Sun to us flesh and God what proportion is there between them let flesh be but thought God must needs be forgotten for they are at an infinite distance yea contrary yet this is the mystery 1. God not only setting our himselfe thorough flesh in a transient way shining thorough it but being made flesh being one with flesh 2. Not in innocent Nature but in the likenesse of sinfull Nature Rom. 8.3 To manifest himselfe in the flesh of Rebels and Traytours and honour that flesh which had so sinned and was so polluted this is a mystery 3. To act in this Nature in the world to dye and be despised and suffer the utmost contradiction of sinners who is able to fathom the depth of this mystery As one saith of the Trinity they were like three sisters which spun one piece of a garment and only one weares it so had all these three an hand in the making of this Nature but only Christ the second Person weares it and all their glory is laid out in it how one Person could be God and man how God should be put to death in our Nature to reconcile us to himselfe flesh filled with the fulnesse of God is beyond the apprehension of men and Angels to declare But we may tell that it is so and admire it as we speake Blessednesse to be made a curse Heaven let downe into Hell the God of the world shutting himselfe up as it were in a body the invisible God made visible to sense he which hath all things in Heaven and Earth at his command not have a house in the world glory it selfe of no comelinesse What shall I say all things become nothing making it selfe of no reputation And a thousand more such paradoxes are wrapt up in this one expression Oh how great a depth is in this glorious design of God he was manifested to Adam to Moses and many others but here was his utmost manifestation in our flesh For the nature of this manifestation know 1. It is not a bare manifestation of some attributes of God but it is a manifestation of God in his own nature the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in Christ bodily or really Col. 2. Not that God is circumscribed in our Nature but that the God-head it selfe is united to Christs body and dwels in it fils it and abides upon him 2. Neither is it a manifestation of God absolutely as in himselfe but as in order to reconciliation and salvation of soule For God might have been manifested else in our flesh to have consumed us But as the Apostle saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himselfe That is God was in Christs Nature as a God in order to the reconciling poor soules and this is the great mystery God was offended by our Nature and God takes that Nature on himselfe to reconcile us to himselfe by himselfe God himselfe will pay the price out of his own glory for our offences only assumes our Nature as if it should be thought to act it out for us and joines it to his sonne and cals that Christ and this is the Gospell-notion of Christ God manifest in flesh in order to the reconciliation of poor soules Thus God must satisfie himselfe and save us himselfe only takes our Nature to doe it in and cals it Christ a Saviour when it is none other then God himselfe in our Nature transacting our peace This manifestation is a peculiar one For First God was never manifested as one with flesh before he was not one with Adam's Nature or with any of the first Creation but this is a manifestation of ownnesse Secondly God never manifested himselfe in his God-head before in such a manner many of his glorious attributes were
as manifested in flesh and justified in spirit But this sets it out in regard of the outward effect it had on the highest Creatures it was the object of their admiration not that this is part of the mystery it selfe but an expression which the Apostle puts in in the midst of all to raise our thoughts of it because Angels did look into it and adore it that we may therefore open this we will consider 1. What this mystery was which Angels saw 2. What is meant by this sight or how they may be said to see it 3. How it doth magnifie this mystery For the first the mystery which is here held out as the object of Angels sight is none other than Jesus Christ acting as a Mediatour for poore sinners concerning whom all these expressions are Christ being a visible God in the world God manifest in flesh a full justification for his Elect all the working of this mystery was in the person of the Lord Jesus and he is the sum and substance of all the Apostle brings not any thing as a part of this mystery which was done meerely in God which lay in his own heart and were immanent acts of his nature such as Election Predestination and the like but only of the way or contrivance of this as it was acted in the person of Jesus Christ who was God in our flesh all these things are included and imployed in this discovery it is Jesus Christ who is the mystery that was presented to the eyes of the Angels as the most glorious object for their sight God as in our nature dying and satisfying and being justified for poore sinners this mystery was seen of Angels that is 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seene it is not meant of a bare sight but of a sight which astonished the understanding and takes up the heart else it had been a poore expression to raise the glory of this mystery that Angels saw it but it was so great and wonderfull that they tooke the greatest delight to behold it it was that which they were ravished in beholding as at some new and strange object as we use to say of some wonderfull apparition it was seen by such and such that is they were happy to behold it exceedingly taken with it therefore the Apostle Peter when he would express the glory of this mystery saith the Angels do desire to looke into them 1 Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their whole spirits were taken up with this it was to them as the blessedest sight that they could ever behold so that the meaning of this that he was seen of Angels is this that Jesus Christ who was to act out the peace and comfort of the Saints was discovered to the Angels and they lookt on him as so great a mystery that they could not look off but stand and admire it So when Jesus Christ was borne there was a heavenly host of Angels praising and admiring God for this discovery Luke 2.13 14. leaping for joy but to bring the news of him to the world you have no such expressions of the joy of all the world besides as they tooke but in the seeing and manifesting this great mystery But 3. Well may this be brought in to advance the greatnesse of this mystery in our eyes that it was seen of the Angels Angels who are creatures of the highest order who are of the finest make of the noblest spirits who behold the face of God himselfe and are taken up with the immediate enjoyments of his fulnesse for them to look into this mystery as if nothing else were worthy of knowledge besides as if the face of God himself were not so sweet nor so taking and satisfactory excuse the expression but they must see this mystery as the top of their knowledge and that which went beyond all their other enjoyments and which is more this being a designe not so principally concerning them they being in it as a far off and in generall but being a mystery of the salvation of sinners yet that Angels should prefer this to all their sights and sit down viewing this Christ before all their own proper happinesse how doth it swell up the glory of this designe Thus you have the meaning of the words in the generall opened I shall draw up the scope of it more particularly in this Doctrine Doct. That Jesus Christ in the mystery of the Gospell is the object of Angelicall vision and admiration The things of the Gospell are not common or shallow things but that which the blessed Angels have their divine spirits taken up in the adoring of Sight in Scripture is put to expresse the inward motions of the affections Joh. 1.14 We saw his glory as of the only begotten Son of God c. that is we were taken with him as with God himselfe So Paul useth the same expression Gal. 1. He was seene of me also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of that glorious sight which he had of him which converted him and for ever tooke his heart with love to him So here seen of Angels that is Angels beheld the glory of this mystery and were taken up with it as the greatest joy of their hearts For opening this Seeing the Apostle puts so much upon it as to put it in one great expression to open the greatnesse of the mystery of Godlinesse that it was seen of Angels I shall propound these things to handle 1. What sight the Angels have of the mystey of the Gospell 2. How they come to the knowledge of it 3. That this is a mystery that Angels should come to see this Christ 4. VVhat is in this mystery that should so affect them For the first Angels being creatures of a spirituall Nature are vast in knowledge they having no bodyes to cloud their apprehensions but are purae intelligentiae see things nakedly as they lye in themselves yet their knowledge is imperfect being creatures they know not all things which God knows though they know all that is made Now for their sight of Christ in the mystery of the Gospell doubtlesse they see much into it for they are said to bring the first newes of it to wait on Christ in this mystery to comfort him in his sufferings to administer cordials to him in these fainting fits of his passion they sate in the Grave to informe the women and his Disciples concerning his Resurrection when he ascends up to Heaven they come to the men of Iudea and Ierusalem and aske them Why gaze yee here Christ is taken up into Heaven and they spake further of his second comming He shall come againe as you have seen him goe up So that Angels now know much of the mystery of Jesus Christ They which have followed Christ from step to step from the birth to the grave from the grave to Heaven must needs be acquainted much with these things and not only a bare Historicall knowledge but a knowledge of the mystery of
it Only they see it not as a mystery in them There is the difference of Saints sight of Christ it is as acting all for them and as a mystery within them but not so with Angels though yet they have some concernments in it for they stand by this Christ he is a head to them also But this will be more discovered in the second thing 2. How doe the Angels come to know this mystery whether it be naturall to them as such creatures or whether it be conveyed to them by some other meanes Some thinke that God did discover a modell of this mystery and gave a glimps of it to all the Angels at their first creation and shewed them who must be their head and thorough whom he would act all his mind even Jesus Christ as in our Nature which when the reprobated Angels saw they could not indure to come under that mystery or submit to Jesus Christ they liked not the sight and so fell and are now Devils for ever but the Elect Angels of whom we speak delighted in the sight of this mystery and submitted to the hint of this discovery and so stood by Christ and he was made a head to them and they subsist still in him But whether that be so or no this seems to be cleer that this mystery in Jesus Christ Angels had not the knowledge of it by their naturall being but as they had it by revelation for this mystery the Apostle professeth Eph. 3 It was hid in God himselfe kept secret in his owne breast manifested to none out of God before he was pleased in time to reveale it they might see some probabilities of it have some guesses by seeing of God's heart that he was big with some rich design towards the creatures but the mystery was hid in God what it would be and in what manner they could not tell but by revelation though they saw God face to face yet they could not see this mystery in God's Nature for it lay in his decrees and councels which the Angels know not and it was a design from eternity before the Angels were acted and contrived in God yet this must be granted that they had a manifestation of Christ as to that which concerned themselves as he was their head and as they stood in Heaven by him but as the transactions of it concerned us sinners with the mysterie of it which is properly the mysterie of the Gospell they knew not but by degrees as it was acted and are still capable of increase When God had broken his mind opened his councels in that first promise made to Adam in renewing of the Covenant with Abraham in the types and ceremonies of the Law by all the Prophets so they gathered out the meanes of it and they got more by the birth of Christ by his ministry but there be two great waies by which Angels come to see much of the mystery of Christ in the Gospell 1. By seeing the person of Christ 2. By the Church and the manifestations of Christ to them For the first besides what they have seen in the action of Christ in this world formerly spoken of which yet gave them abundance of insight unto this mystery for they first preached the Gospell with joy and gladness to the world Luk. 2. They were the first Ministers of the Gospell in the affirmative that Christ was come they preached more of Christ then all the Prophets did and with greater joy they were in a multitude together praising God and saying peace on earth c. But besides that the now seeing Christs person in Heaâ—â—n as glorified and he being the expresse image of the Father that which expresseth all his heart and opens all his cabinets upon whom all the glory of God to man is acted the Angels cannot but by beholding Christ in this consideration know much of the Gospell from him Christ being the Epitome and summe of this mysterie but yet 2. The great knowledge Angels get in these mysteries is from the Church from the discoveries of Christ to the Saints That place of the Apostle deserves to be opened to this purpose Eph. 3.1 2. where it is said that one intent of preaching the Gospell is that Principalities and powers names given to Angels might know by the Church the manifold wisdome of God The Apostle had before magnified the preaching of Christ as the opening of the greatest mysterie that ever was to be revealed and to set it forth he saith first that it was kept hid from Ages and Generations of men and â—…id in God laid up as the great secret of Gods heart 2. He saith that the Angels come to get their knowledge of it from the Church the opposition is this that as it was hid from ages of men from the beginning of the world so it was also hid from the Angels and as men have the knowledge of it by the preaching of it so have Angels only the Church hath first they at second hand The Church is the great subject on which all this is to be acted it is that which concernes them they are folded up in it it is a mysterie in them as none have been privie to the first contrivance of this mysterie but these three which bare witnesse to it the Father the Word and the Spirit so none have the manifestations of it so glorious as the Saints who are the subjects of it The manifestations and openings of the mysterie of the Gospell are not properly in Heaven but in the Church therefore the meeting of the Saints are called Heavenly places because there Christ makes his Heaven and though the Angels see the mystery of it as Christ hath acted it by himselfe and in his own person yet they cannot see it as it is acted on the hearts of the Saints which is a new mystery therefore it is called a discovery of the manifold wisdome of God and the apostle saith Col. 1.27 That the riches of the glory of this mystery is Christ in us There is a depth in this mysterie and such manifold actings of the infinite wisdome of God that it is impossible for men or Angels to know it all at once It was so vast that God himselfe was faine to open it by degrees to act it in parts by manifold and divers actings of his wisdome And all this to the Church If a man will know the mystery of such an Art he must goe to schoole where that Art is taught The great things of Christ are taught in the Church Christ reveales that there which he doth no where else if Angels will see into the depth of this mysterie they must goe to school as it were unto the Church When a company of poor Saints are together Christ stands in the midst of them comes downe by the spirit makes a throne brings to light glories that were prepared for them before Angels had a being kept warm as it were in Gods heart all this while It is
and not only is beleeving a denyall of the worst selfe sin and lust which yet is as a mans right eye yea as the Caule of a mans heart but he denies honest selfe and religious selfe selfe drest and adorn'd selfe righteousnesse and actings selfe adorned with the most glorious endowments and richest performances selfe naturall and acquired yea and a soul contrary to all its motions both rationall and seemingly godlie beleeves on Jesus Christ Take a raised and high spirit one who hath built his nest in the Starres in regard of speculation and one whom the world can say nothing in regard of converse unto for him to come and submit to a Christ to throw downe all that ever he hath studyed as dung and drosse to descend and come into the lower parts of the earth and looke on himselfe as the poorest despicablest and undonnest creature in the world one that knowes not the way to happinesse which he must doe if he beleeve why this is the mysterie Selfe is sometime so painted acted in so much state and so spirituallised as it were set out with such ornaments both of nature art and morally spirituall gifts that it would make any spirit in love with it yet when a soule comes to beleeve on Christ he must renounce all these as dung and drosse the worst of things in regard of saving his soule or in comparison of Jesus Christ This is death to a man Nature would as lieve be damned as entertaine such a proposition and cast it selfe out of such a priviledge that it looks on as its birth-right yet there was no soule that ever beleeved on Jesus Christ but did willingly doe this Paul when he begins to reckon up his priviledges both of his birth and education and the strictnesse of his life one would have thought he needed no more Phil. 3. and he thought so to selfe was so richly accomplished not only against the Law but the Gospell he was borne in the Church had the priviledges of a Saint was blamelesse in the Law yet when he came to beleeve he was glad to cast away all this as the off-scouring of the world he was alive once and thought himselfe a glorious one but he dyed to all these they were all as dead things to him For a man not only to deny his lusts that are his Nature and so deare as many venture the wrath of God for but his performances which he hath been in for a long time and throw down the glorious structure of duty he hath been building for 20 30 40 yeers together with all the curious paintings of formality You had better tell men of parting with God Christ Heaven yea of all the good of soule and body rather then of such a thing This selfe is the bottome and originall of all sinne it is that which is the very constitution of our Natures Selfe hath been borne and bred with us it lives in our bosomes hath been the old companion in all our actions and to be cast off at last and hated is very hard it is easier to change the course of the Sun and turne Heaven into Earth to place the Elements above and the Starres beneath to make the stream naturally run back from the same Fountaine it came yea to worke the greatest miracle in Nature then to make a man to deny himselfe especially selfe so ingratiated and clothed with gifts and honestie and righteousnesse of the Law Yet when a man beleeves this is the first thing done upon him selfe is turn'd against selfe Nature runs counter to its owne inclinations that darling and first borne of the soules delights and love is made the abomination of the heart and the soule most set against it Now let this be weighed which yet is but the first and rather implicite and supposed act of Faith then the Nature of it and you cannot but conclude that this is a great mysterie that Christ should be beleeved on in the world But 2. Which is yet farther for a soule to close in with Jesus Christ and fully to relye on him as his owne and expect all righteousnesse and grace in him alone and nothing from selfe first or last which is properly beleeving this sets it out yet farther For 1. It is a great venture for a soule to forsake selfe its dearest consort and leave all its strong ingagements to the flesh for that which yet he hath no particular assurance of but a bare tender and offer No man in reason will part with any thing in possession but upon a certainty of a better whereas the soule is still in doubt of what it may injoy though Christ be offered to all yet some goe without him and this may be the condition of the soule ' Yea 2. To close in with Christ against whom it hath naturally the greatest antipathy and whom it never saw to cast all the weight of its joy and comfort on Christ whom the heart hath offended and against whom it hath received such prejudices that his heart cannot indure him of any this is exceeding strange unto our apprehensions As Abram left all his owne Kindred and Fathers house and not knowing where he went binding up this reason and denying a present good only on the security of a generall and indeterminate promise was a miracle to all the world for this is the Nature of Faith on a bare word and promise to close in with Christ and venture its eternall comfort Faith comes by hearing and that of the word preached that is of the word of promise Now for a soule ingaged thus to sin and lust and selfe to leave all on a promise of a Christ which yet the soule is a stranger unto and is darke in the knowledge of this must needs be a mystery and that 3. If you consider that it is not only a bare taking of Christ as at a shift to make some present advantage of him to rid a man out of fears or preserve him from wrath which selfe may be willing unto out of its owne principles but it is a receiving Christ on his owne terms a submitting unto the tenure of all his commandements it is taking Christ nakedly with all his holinesse as well as his love yea with all his inconveniences unto flesh and blood even to take up a Crosse with him lye downe in the grave with him it is a giving up the soule unto Christ to be what he will and do what he will that a soule beleeves not only for peace and joy but for power and life and is led captive for ever unto the will of Christ therefore it is called the obedience of Faith by the Apostle this must needs be a mystery especially if you consider in the third place the difficulties and disadvantages the poor sinner meets withall in the way besides that naturall darkenesse and stupidity which lies on our hearts that we cannot judge of our own peace and that aversnesse from Faith in us