possession of it Let all your meditations and affections and conversion proclaim this Whom have I in heaven but thee and none in the earth beside thee And certainly he shal guide you to the end and receive you into glory then you shal rest from your labours because you shal dwell in him and enjoy that which you longed and laboured for Let the consideration of our end unite the hearts of Christians here O what an absurd thing is it that those who shal lodge together at night be made perfect in one should not only go contrary wayes but have contrary minds and affections Of the SCRIPTURES 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scriptures is given c. WE told you that there was nothing more necessary to know then what our end is and what the way is that leads to that end We see thâ—… most part of men walking at random running an uncertain race because they do not propose unto themselves a certain scope to aim at and whither to direct their whole cours According to mens particular inclinations humors so do the purposes designs of men vary and often do the purposes of one man change according to the circumstances of time his condition in the World We see all men almost running crosse one to another one drives at the satisfaction of his lust by pleasure another fancies a great felicity in honour a third in getting riches and thus men divide themselves whereas if it were true happinesse that all were seeking they would all go one way towards one end If men be not in the right way the faster they seem to move toward the mark the farther they go from it wandering from the right way suppose men intend well will put them farther from that which they intend Si via in contrarium ducat ipsa velocitas as majoris intervalli causa est Therefore it concerns us all most deeply to be acquainted with the true path of blessednesse For if we once mistake the more we do the swister we move the more distant we are from it indeed And there is the more need because there are so many by-paths that lead to destruction What say I by paths No high wayes beaten-paths that the multitude of men walk in never challenge nor will endure to be challenged as if they were in an error In other journeys men keep the plain high way and are afraid of any secret by-way lest it lead them wrong At hîc via quaeque tritissima maximè decipit Here the high pathed way leads wrong and O far wrong to Hell This is the meaning of Christs Sermon Enter in at the strait gate but walk not in the broad way where many walk for it leads to destruction Therefore I would have this perswasion once begotten in your souls that the course of the world the way of the most part of men is dangerous is damnable O consider whither the way will lead you before you go further Do not think it a folly to stand still now examine it when ye have gone on so long in their company Stand I say and consider be not ignorant as beasts that know no other thing than to follow the drove quae pergunt non quae eundum est sed quae itur they follow not whither they ought to go but whither most go You are men and have reasonable souls within you therefore I beseech you be not composed and fashioned according to custome and example that is brutish but according to some inward knowledge and reason Retire once from the multitude and ask in earnest at God what is the way Him that fears him he will teach the way that he should choose the way'to this blessed end is very strait very difficult you must have a guide in it you must have a lamp and a light in it else you cannot but go wrong The principles of reason within us are too dark dim they will never lead us through the pits and snares in the way these indeed shined brightly in Adam that he needed no light without him no voice about him But sin hath extinguished it much and there remains nothing but some little spunk or sparkle under the ashes of much corruption that is but insufficient in it self and is often more blinded and darkned by lusts so that if it were never so much refined as it was in many heathens yet it is but the blind leading the blind and both must fall into the ditch Our end is high and divine To glorifie God and to enjoy Him therefore our reason caligat ad suprema it can no more stedfastly behold that glorious end move towards it then our weak eyes can behold the Sun Our eyes can look downward upon the earth but not upward to the Heavens So we have some remnant of reason in us that hath some petty and poor ability for matters of little moment as the things of this life But if once we look upward to the glory of God or eternal happinesse our eyes are dazled our reason confounded we cannot stedfastly behold that Eph. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 3. 13. 14. Therefore the Lord hath been pleased to give us the Scriptures which may be a Lamp unto our feet a guide unto our way whereunto we shal do well to take heed as unto a candle or a light that shines in a dark place till the day dawn 2 Pet. 1. 6. These are able to make us wise unto salvation Let us here what Paul speaks of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scriptures is given c. Where you have two points of high concernment The Authority of the Scriptures and their Utility Their Authority for they are given by Divine Inspiration Their Utility for they are profitable for Doctrine c. and can make us perfect and well furnished to every good work The Authority of it is in a peculiar way divine of him and through him are all things All Writings of men according to the truth of the Scriptures have some Divinity in them in as much as they have of truth which is a Divine thing Yet the Holy Scriptures are by way of excellency attributed to God for they are immediatly inspired of God Therefore Peter saith that the Scriptures came not in old time by the will of Man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. God by his Spirit as it were acted the part of the soul in the Prophets and Apostles and they did no more but utter what the Spirit conceived The holy Ghost inspired the matter the words they were but tongues pens to speak write it unto the people here needed no debate no search in their own minds for the truth no inquisition for light but light shined upon their souls so brightly so convincingly that it puts it beyond all question that it was the mind and voice of God You need not ask How they did know that their dreams or
by believing you do indeed honour him and he that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father Ioh. 5. 23. Here is a compendious way to glorifie God receive salvation of him freely righteousnesse and eternall life and this sets to a seal of Gods truth and grace and mercy and who so counts the Son worthy to be a Saviour to them and sets to their seal of approbation to him whom God the Father hath sent and sealed he also honours the Father and then he that honoureth the Father hath it not for nothing For them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. saith the Lord And he that serves me him will my Father honour Joh. 12. 26. As the believing soul cares for no other and respects no other but God so he respects no other but such a soul I will dwel in the humble and look unto the contrite there is mutual respects and honours God is the delight of such a soul and such a soul is Gods delight that soul sets God on a high place in a throne in its heart and God sets that soul in a heavenly place with Christ Eph. 2. 6. yea he comes down to sit with us and dwell in us off his throne of Majesty Isa. 66. 1 2. 15 57 Psal. 73. 24. to the end Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel c. Whom have I in heaven but Thee c. It is good for me to draw near to God 1 John 1. 3. These things declare we to you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as we are one I in them and they in me that they may be perfect in one c. IT is a matter of great consolation that Gods glory and our happinesse are linked together so that whosoever sets his glory before them singly to aim at they take the most compendious and certain way to true blessednesse His glory is the ultimat end of man and should be our great and last scope But our happinesse which consists in the enjoyment of God is subordinate to this yet inseparable from it The end of our Creation is communion and fellowship with God therefore man was made with an immortal soul capable of it and this is the greatest dignity and eminency of man above the creatures He hath not only impressed from Gods finger in his first moulding some characters resembling God in righteousnesse and holinesse but is created with a capacity of receiving more of God by communion with him Other creatures have already all they will have all theycan have of conformity to him but man is made liker than all and is fitted and fashioned to aspire to more liknesse and conformity so that his soul may shine more and more to the perfect day There was an Union made already in his first moulding and communion was to grow as a fragrant and sweet fruit out of this blessed root Union and similitude is the ground of fellowship communion That union was gracious that communion would have been glorious for grace is the seed of glory There was a twofold Union between Adam and God an Union of state and an Union of nature He was like God and he was Gods friend All the creatures had some liknesse to God some engravings of his power and goodnesse and wisdome but man is said to be made according to Gods Image Let us make man like unto us Other creatures had similitudinem vestigii but man had similitudinem faciei Holinesse and righteousnesse is Gods face the very excellency and glory of all his Attributes and the Lord stamps the image of these upon Man Other Attributes are but like his back-parts he leaves the resemblance of his footsteps upon other creatures What can be so beautifull as the Image of God upon the soul Creatures the nearer they are to God the more pure and excellent We see in the Fabrick of the World bodies the higher they are the more pure and cleanly the more beautiful Now then What was man that was made a little lower than the Angels In the Hebrew a little lower than God tantum non Deus Seeing man is set next to God his glory and beauty certainly surpasses the glory of the Sun and Heavens Things contiguous and next other are like other The water is liker air than the earth therefore it is next the air The air is liker Heaven than water therefore it is next to it Omne contiguum spirituali est spirituale Angels and men next God are spirits as he is a Spirit Now similitude is the ground of friendship Pares paribus congregantur similitude necessitudinis vinculum It is that which conciliats affection among men so it is here by proportion God sees that all is very good and man the best of his works and he loves him and makes him his friend for his own Image which he beholds in him At length from these two roots this pleasant fragrant fruit of Communion with and enjoyment of God grows up this is the entertainment of friends to delight in one another and to enjoy one another Amicorum omnia communia Love makes all common it opens the treasure of Gods fulnesse and makes a vent of divine bounty towards man and it opens the heart of man and makes it large as the sand of the sea to receive of God Our receiving of his fulnesse is all the entertainment we can give him O what blessednesse is this for a soul to live in him and it lives in him when it loves him Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and to taste of his sweetnesse and be satisfied with him this makes perfect onnenesse and perfect onnenesse with God who is the fountain of life and in whose favour is life is perfect blessednesse But we must stand a little here and consider our misery that hath fallen from such an excellency how are we come down from Heaven wonderfully Sin hath interposed between God and man and this dissolves the union and hinders the communion An enemy is come between two friends and puts them at odds and Oh! an eternall odds sin hath sown this discord and alineated our hearts from God Mans glory consisted in the irradiation of the soul from Gods shining countenance this made him light Gods face shined on him But sin interposing hath eclipsed that light and brought on an eternall night of darknesse over the soul And thus we are spoiled of the Image of God as when the earth comes betwixt the Sun and Moon Now then there can no beams of divine savour and love break through directly towards us because of the cloud of our sins that separates between God and us and because of the partition-wall of Ordinances and the hand-writing which was against us Gods holy Law and severe Justice Col. 3. 14. Then What shal we do How shal we
is the stupid security of men that are only awakened by some new and unusual passages of Gods works beyond that straight Line of Nature Then fourthly look upon the power of God in making all of nothing which is expressed here in Heb. 11. There is no Artificer but he must have matter or his Art will fail him and he can do nothing The Mason must have timber and stones laid to his hand or he cannot build a house the Gold-smith must have gold or silver ere he can make a Cup or a Ring take the most curious quick inventer of them all they must have some matter to work upon or their knowledge is no bettter than ignorance all that they can do is to give some shape or form or to fashion that in some new model which had a beeing before so that what ever men have done in the world their work are all made up of these things which appear and Art skill to form fashion that excellently which before was in another mould and fashion but he needs not sit idle for want of materials and therefore in the beginning he made Heaven and Earth not as they now are but he made first the matter and substance of this Universe but it was as yet a rude and confused Chaos or Masse all in one lump without difference but then his Majesty shews his Wisdom and Art his excellent invention in the following dayes of the creation in ordering and beautifying forming the world as it is and that his power might be the more known For how easie is it for him to do all this There needs no more for it but a word let it be it is He spake and it was done He commanded and it stood fast Not a word pronounced and audibly composed of Letters and Syllables mistake it not so but a word inwardly formed as it were in his infinite Spirit even the inclination and beck of his will suffices for his great works Ye see what labour and pains we have in our businesse how we toil sweat about it what wrestlings strivings in all things we do but behold what a great work is done without any pain and travel It is a laborious thing to travell through a parcel of this earth which is yet but as the point of the Universe It is troublesome to lift or carry a little piece of stone or clay it s a toil even to look upward and number the stars of Heaven but it was no toil no difficult thing to his Majesty to stretch out these Heavens in such an infinite compasse for as large as the Circumference of them is yet it is as easie to him to compasse them as it is to us to span a finger-length or two It is no difficulty to him to take up hills and mountains as the dust of the ballance in his hand weigh them in scales Hath he not chain'd the vast huge Masse of the wighty earth and Sea in the midst of the empty place without a supporter without foundations or pillars He hangeth it on nothing What is it I pray you that supports the Clouds who is it that binds up their waters in such a way that the clouds are not rent under them even though there be more abundance of water in them than is in all the Rivers waters round about us Iob. 26. 7 8. Who is it that restrains sets bounds to the Sea that the waters thereof thogh they roar yet do not overflow the land But this Almighty Jehovah whose Decree commandement is the very compasse the bulwark over which they cannot flow all this he doth with more facility than men can speak If there were a creature that could do all things by speaking that were a strange power but yet that creature might be wearied with speaking much but he speaks and it is done his word is a creating word of power which makes things that are not to be and there is no wearying of him besides for he is Almighty and cannot saint but why then did he take six dayes for his work might he not with one word of his power have commanded this world to issue out of his omnipotent vertue thus perfect as it is What needed all this compasse Why took he six dayes who in a moment could have done it all with as much facility Indeed herein the Lord would have us to adore his wisdome as well as his power he proceeds from more imperfect things to more perfect from a confused Chaos to a beautifull World from motion to rest to teach man to walk through this wildernesse and valley of Tears this shapelesse World into a more beautiful habitation through the tossings of time into an everlasting Sabbath of rest whether their works shal follow them they shal rest from their labours He would teach us to take a stedfast look of his work and that wee should be busied all the dayes of our pilgrimage and sojourning in the consideration of the glorious characters of God upon the work of his hands wee see that it is but passing looks and glances of Gods glory we take in the creatures but the Lord would have us to make it our work and businesse all the week throgh as it was his to make them He would in this teach us his loving care of men who would not create Man till he had made for him so glorious an house replenished with all good things It had been a darksome irksome life to have lived in the first Chaos without light but he hath stretched over him the Heavens as his Tent and set lights in them to distinguish times and seasons and ordained the VVaters their proper bounds and peculiar Channels and then maketh the Earth to bring forth all manner of fruits when all is thus disposed then he câ—…eats man To this God the Maker of Heaven and Earth be glory and praise Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister c. THere is nothing more generally known than this that God at the beginning made the heaven and the earth and all the hosts of them the upper or the celestiall the lower or sublunary World but yet there is nothing so little believed or laid to heart By faith we understand that the Worlds were made It is one of the first Articles of the Creed indeed Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth but I fear that Creed is not written in the Tables of flesh that is the heart There is a twofold mistake among men about the point of believing some and the commoner sort do think it is no other than simply to know such a thing and not to question it to hear it not to contradict it or object against it Therefore they do flatter themselves in their own eyes and do account themselves to have faith in God because they can say over all the Articles of their belief they
the world was made by God then it relyes with confidence upon that same word of God as a word of power and hopes against hope There are many things in the Christians way betwixt him and glory which look as insuperable thou art often emptied into nothing and stript naked of all encouragements and there is nothing remaining but the word of Gods promises to thee and to the Church which seems contrary to sense and reason Now I say if thou do indeed believe that the world was made by God then out of all Question thou may silence all thy fears with this one thought God created this whole frame out of nothing he commanded the light to shine out of darknesse then certainly he can give a beeing to his own promises is not his word of promise as sure and effectuall as his word of command This is the grand incouragement of the Church both offered by God from Isa. Chap. 40. and made use of by his Saints as David Hezekiah c. What is it would disquiet a soul if it were reposed on this Rock of creating power and faithfulnesse This would alwayes sound in its ears faint not weary not Iacob I am God and none else the portion of Iacob is not like others be it inward or outward difficulties suppose Hell and Earth combined together let all the enemies of a soul or of the Church assemble here is one for all the God that made the Heaven and the Earth can speak and it is done command and it stands fast He creates peace and who then can make trouble when he gives quietnesse to a Nation or to a person Almighty power works in Saints and for Saints let us trust in him Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make man after our own Image with Eph. 4. 24. and Heb. 3. 10. WHile we descend from the meditation of the glory of God shining in the Heavens in Sun Moon and Stars unto the consideration of the Lords framing of Man after this manner we may fall into admiration with the Psalmist Psalm 8. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest remember him It might indeed drown us in wonder and astonish us to think what speciall notice He hath taken of such a creature from the very beginning and put more respect upon him then upon all the more Excellent works of his hands you find here the Creation of man expressed in other tearms than was used before He said let there be light and it was let there be dry land c. But it is not such a simple word as that but let us make man according to our image as if God had called a consultation about it what was there any more difficulty in this then the rest of his works Needed he any advisement about his frame and constitution No certainly for there was a great work of power as curious peeces of Art wisdome which were instantly done upon his word He is not a man that he should advise or consult as there is no difficulty nor impediment in the way of his power He doth all that he pleases ad nutum at his very word or nod so easie are impossibilities to him so there is nothing hard to his wisedom no knot but it can loose nothing so curious or exquisite but he can as curiously contrive it as the most common and grosse peeces of the creation and therefore He is wonderful in counsell excellent in working But ve have here expressed as it were a Counsell of the Holy and Blessed Trinity about Mans Creation to signifie to us what peculiar respect He puts upon that Creature and what speciall notice he takes of us that of his own free purpose and good pleasure he was to single and choose out man from among all other Creatures for the more eminent demonstration of his glorious attributs of grace mercy and justice upon him and likewise to point out the excellency that God did stamp upon man in his Creation beyond the rest of the creatures as the Apostle showes the excellency of Christ above Angels To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son Heb. 1. 5. So we may say of which of the creatures said he at any time come let us make them in our image after our likenesse O how should this make us listen to hear earnest to know what man once was how magnified of God and set above the works of his hands There is a great desire in men to search into their Original and to trace backward the dark footsteps of antiquity especially if they be put in expectation of attaining any honourable or memorable extraction How will men love to hear of the worth of their Ancestors But what a stupidity doth possesse the most part in relation to the high fountain and head of all that they do not aim so high as Adam to know the very estate of humane nature hence it is that the most part of people ly still astonished or rather stupid and senselesse after this great fall of man because they never look upward to the place and dignity from whence man did fall It is certain you will never rightly understand your selves or what ye are till ye know first what man was made You cannot imagine what your present misery is till you once know what that selicity was in which man was made let us make man in our image some have called man a little world a compend of the world because he hath heaven and earth as it were married together in him two most remote and distant natures the dust of the earth and the immortall Spirit which is called the breath of God sweetly linked and conjoyned together with a disposition and inclination one to another The Lord was in this piece of workmanship as it were to give a narrow and short compend of all his works so did associate in one piece with his marvelous wisdome being living moving sense and reason which are scattered abroad in the other creatures so that a man carries these wonders about with him which he admires without him At his bare and simple word this huge frame of the world started out of nothing but in this he acts the part of a cunning Artificer let us make man he makes rather than creats first raises the walls of flesh buildeth the house of the body withall its Organs all its Rooms and then he puts in a noble divine guest to dwel in it He breaths in it the breath of life he incloseth as it were an Angel within it and marrieth these two together into the most admirable union and communion that can be imagined so that they make up one man But that which the Lord looks most into is this work and would have us most to consider is that Image of himself that he did imprint on man let us make man in our own Image there was no
of it nor find the breadth of it Can a child wade the Sea or take it up in the hollow of its hand when ever any thing of God is seen he is seen a wonder Wonderful is the Name he is known by All our knowledge reacheth no farther than admiration who is like unto thee Exod. 15. 11. Psal. 89. 6 7. and admiration speaks ignorance The greatest attainment of knowledge reacheth but such a question as this Who is like unto thee To know only that he is not like any other thing that we know but not to know what he is And the different degrees of knowledge is but in more admiration or lesse at his unconceivablenesse in more or lesse affection expressed in such pathetick interogations O who is like theLord How excellent is his Name Here is the greatest degree of Saints knowledge here-away to ask with admiration and affection such a question that no answer can be given to or none that we can conceive or understand so as to satisfie wondring but such as still more increaseth it There is no other subject but you may exceed it in apprehensions and in expressions O how often are mens songs thoughts and discourses above the matter But here is a subject that there is no excesse into nay there is no accesse unto it let be excesse in it imagination that can transcend the created Heavens and Earth fancy to it self millions of new worlds every one exceeding another all of them exceeding this in perfection yet it can do nothing here that which at one instant can passe from the one end of Heaven to the other walk about the circumference of the Heavens travel over the breadth of the Sea yet it can do nothing here Canst thou by searching find out God Iob 11. imaginations cannot travel in these bounds for his Center is every where and his Circumference no where as an old Philosopher speaks of God Deus est cujus Centrum est ubique Circumferentia nusquam how shall it then find him out There is nothing sure here but to lose our selves in a mystery and to follow his Majesty till we be swallowed up with an Oh altitudo O the depth and heigth and length and breadth of God! O the deepth of his wisdome O the heigth of his power O the breadth of his love And O the length of Eternity It s not reason and disputation saith Bernard will comprehend these but holinesse and that by stretching out the arms of fear and love reverence and affection What more dreadfull than power that cannot be resisted and wisdome that none can be hid from and what more lovely than the love wherewith he hath so loved us his unchangeablenesse which admits of no suspition 〈◊〉 fear him who hath a hand that doth all and an eye that beholds all things love him who hath so loved us and cannot change God hath been the subject of the discourses and debates of men in all ages but Oh Quam long e est in rebus qui est tam Communis in vocibus How little a portion hath men understood of him How hath he been hid from the eyes of all living Every age must give this testimony of him we have heard of his fame but he is hid from the eyes of all living I think that Philosopher that took it to his advisement said more insilence than all men have done in speaking Simonides being asked by Hiero a King what God was sought a day to deliberate in and think upon it when the King sought an account of his meditation about it he desired yet two dayes more and so as oft as the King asked him he still doubled the number of the dayes in which he might advise upon it The King wondring at this asked what the matter by those delayes saith he Quanto magis considero tanto magis obscurior mihi videtur he more I think on him he is the more dark and unknown to me This was more real knowledge then the many subtil disputations of those men who by their poor shell of finite capacity reason presume to empty the ocean of Gods infinitenesse by finding out answers to all the objections of carnal reason against all those mysteries riddles of the Deity I professe I know nothing can satisfie reason in this businesse but to lead it captive to the obedience of Faith and to silence it with the faith of a mystery which we know not Pauls answer is one for all better then all the Syllogisms of such men what art thou O man who disputest Dispute thou I will believe Ut intelligatur tacendum est silence only can get some account of God quiet and humble ignorance in the admiration of such a Majesty is the profoundest knowledge Non est mirum si ignoretur majoris esset admirationis si sciatur It is no wonder that God is not known all the wonder were to know comprehend such a wonder such a mystery it is a wonder indeed that he is not more known but when I say so I mean that he is not more wondred at because he is passing knowledge If our eyes of flesh cannot see any thing almost when they look straight stedfastly upon the Sun O what can the eye of the soul behold when it is fixed upon the consideration of that shining and glorious Majesty will not that very light be as darknesse to it that it shal be as it were darkned dazled with a thick mist of light in superlucente caligne confounded with that resplendent darknesse It is said that the Lord covers himself with light as with a garment yet clouds and darknesse are about him and he makes darknesse his covering Psalm 18. 9. 10 12. His inaccessible light is this glorious darknesse that strikes the eyes of men blind as in the darknesse the Suns light is the night owles night darknesse when a soul can find no better way to know him by then by these Names and notions by which wee deny our own knowledge when it hath conceived all of him it can then as being overcome with that dazling brightnesse of his Glorie to think him inconceivable to express him in such terms as with all expresses our ignorance There is no name agrees more to God theÌ„ that which saith we caÌ„not name him we cannot know him such as invisible incomprehensible infinite c. This Socrates an heathen profest to be all his knowledge that he knew he did know nothing and therefore he preached an unknown God to the Athenians to whom after they erected an Altar with that inscription To the unknown God I confesse indeed the most part of our discourses of our performances have such a writting on them To thâ—… unknown God because we think we know him and so we know nothing But O that Christians had so much knowledge of God so much true wisdom as solidly and willingly to confesse in our souls our
other thing but this could have summed up And then suppose a product to be made of all the severall summes of years it would be vast unspeakable but yet your imagination could reach further and multiply that great summe as often into it self as there are unites into it Now when you have done all this you are never a whit nearer the dayes of the ancient of dayes Suppose then this should be the only exercise of men and Angels throughout all eternity all this marvellous Arithmetick would not amount unto the least shadow of the countenance of him who is from everlasting All that huge product of all the multiplications of men and Angels hath no proportion unto that never beginning and never ending duration The greatest summe that is imaginable hath a certain proportion to the least number that it containeth it so oft and no oftner so that the least number being multiplied will amount unto the greatest that you can conceive But O where shal a soul find it self here It is inclosed between infinitnesse before infinitnesse behind between two everlastings which way soever it turns there is no out going which way soever it looks it must lose it self in an infinitness round about it it can find no beginning and no end when it hath wearied it self in searching which if it find not it knows not what it is and cannot tell what it is Now what are we then O what are we who so magnifie our selves We are but of yesterday and know nothing Job 8. 9. Suppose that we had endured the space of 1000. years yet saith Moses Psal. 90. 4. A thousand years are but as yesterday in thy sight Time hath no succession to thee thou beholdest at once what is not at once but in severall times all that hath not the proportion of one day to thy dayes we change in our dayes and are not that to day we were yesterday but he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. Every day we are dying some part of our life is taken away we leave still one day more behind us and what is behind us is gone and cannot be recovered Though we vainly please our selves in the number of our years and the extent of our life and the vicissitudes of time yet the truth is we are but stil losing so much of our being time as passeth First we lose our child-hood then we lose our man-hood and then we leave our old age behind us also there is no more before us even the very present day we decide it with death But when he moves all things he remains immoveable though dayes and years be in a continual flux and motion about him they carry us down with their force yet he abides the same for ever even the earth that is establisht so sure the Heavens that are supposed to be incorruptible yet they wax old as doth a garment but He is the same and his years have no end Psal. 102. 26 27. Sine principio principium absque finc finis cui praeteritum non abit haud adit futurum ante omnia post omnia totus unus ipse He is the beginning without any beginning the end without an end there is nothing bypast to him and nothing to come sed uno mentis câ—…rnit in ictu quae sunt quae erunt quae fuerantque He is one that is all before all after all in all He beholds out of the exalted and supereminent Tower of Eternity all the successions and changes of the creatures and there is no succession no mutation in his knowledge as in ours Known to him are all his works from the beginning He can declare the end before the beginning for he knows the end of all things before he gives them beginning Therefore he is never driven to any consultation upon any emergent or incident as the wisest of men are who could not foresee all accidents and events but He is in one mind saith Iob and that one mind and one purpose is one for all one concerning all he had it from everlasting who can turn him For He will accomplish what his soul desires Now canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou a poor mortal creature ascend up unto the height of Heaven or descend down unto the depths of Hell Canst thou travel abroad and compasse all the Sea dry Land by its longitude and latitude Would any martal creature undertake such a voyage to compasse the Universe Nay not only so but to search into every corner of it above and below on the right hand and on the left No certainly unlesse we suppose a man whose head reaches unto the heighth of Heaven and whose feet is down unto the depths of hell and whose armes streached out can fathome the length of the Earth and breadth of the Sea unlesse I say we suppose such a creature then it is in vain to imagine that either the heighth of the one or the depth of the other the length of the one and the breadth of the other can be found out and measured Now if mortal creatures connot attain the measure of that which is finite O then what can a creature do what can a creature know of him that is infinite the maker of all these things you cannot compasse the Sea and Land how then can a soul comprehend him who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure the mountains he weighs in scales and the hill in a ballance Isa. 40. 10. Thou cannot measure the circomference of the heaven how then canst thou find out him who metteth out the heaven with his span streacheth them out as a curtain Isa. 40. 12. 22. You cannot number the Nations or perceive the magnitude of the Earth and the huge extent of the Heavens What then canst thou know of him who sitteth on the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are but as Grasse-hoppers before him he spreadeth out the Heaven as a Tent to dwel into He made all the pins and stakes of this Tabernacle and he fastned them below but upon nothing and stretches this curtain about them and above them it was not so much difficulty to him as to you to draw the curtain about your Bed for he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Canst thou by searching him out And yet thou must search him not so much out of curiosity to know what he is for he dwels in inaccessible light which no man hath seen nor no man can see 1 Tim. 6. 16. Not so much to find him as to be found of him or to find what we can not know when we have found Hic est qui nunquam quaeri frustra potest cum tamen inveniri non potest you may seek him but though you never find him yet ye shal not seek him in vain for ye shall
mercy make thee not fear and tremble before him and do not separate thee from thy sins if remission of sins be not the strongest perswasion to thy soul of the removing of sin certaiuly thou dost in vain presume upon his mercy Now consider what influence all this glorious Proclamation had on Moses it stirs up in him reverence and affection reverence to such a glorious Majesty great desire to have him amongst them and to be more one with him If thy soul rightly discover God it cannot but abase thee he made bade haste to bow down and worship O Gods Majesty is a surprising and astonishing thing it would bow thy soul in the dust if it were represented to thee labour to keep the right and intire representation of God in thy sight his whole Name Strong Mercifull Iust Great and Holy I say keep both in thy view for half representations are dangerous either to beget presumption and security when thou looks on mercy alone or despair when thou looks on Justice and power alone Let thy soul consider all joyntly that it may receive amixed impression of all this is the holy composition and temper of a Believer Rejoice with trembling love with fear let all thy discoveries of him aime at more union communion with him who is â—…ch a self-sufficient al-sufficient and eternal Beeing Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth WE have here something of the Nature of God pointed out to us somthing of our duty towards him God is a spirit that is his Nature and man must worship him that is his duty that in spirit in truth that is the right manner of the duty if these three were right pondered till they sink in to the bottome of our spirits they would make us indeed Christians not in the Letter but in the Spirit That is presupposed to all Christian worship walking to know what God is it s indeed the Primo cognitum of Christianity the first Principle of true Religion the very root out of which springs grows up walking sutably with worshipping answerably of a known God I fear much of our Religion be like the Athenians They builded an Altar to an unknown God and like the Samaritanes Who worshipped they know not what Such a Worship I know not what it is when the God worshipped is not known The two parents of true Religion are the knowledge of God and of our selves this indeed is the beginning of the fear of God which the wise Preacher cals the beginning of wisdom And these two as they beget true Religion so they cannot truly be one without the other It is not many notions and speculations about the Divine nature it is not high strained conceptions of God that comprises the true knowledg of him many think they know something when they can speak of these mysteries in some singular way and in some tearms removed from common understandings which neither themselves nor others know what they mean thus they are presumptuous self-conceited knowing nothing as they ought to know there is a knowledge that puffes up there is a knowledge that casts down a a knowledge in many that doth buâ—… swell them not grow them It s but a rumor full of wind a vain and empty and fâ—…othy knowledge that is neither good for edifying others nor saving a manâ—… self a knowledge that a man knows and reflects upon so as to ascend upon the height of it and measure himself by the degrees of it this is not the true knowledge of God which knows not it self looks not back upon it self but straight towards God his holinesse and glory our basenesse misery and therefore it constrains the soul to be ashamed of it self in such a glorious presence and to make haste to worship as Moses Iob Isaiah did This definition of God if we did truly understand it we could not but worship him in another manner God is a spirit Many ignorant people form in their own mind some liknesse and Image of God who is invisible you know how ye fancy to your selves some bodily shape when you conceive of him you think he is some Reverend and Majestick Person sitting on a Throne in Heaven But I beseech you correct your mistakes of him there is outward idolatry and there is inward there is idolatry in action when men paint or ingrave some similitude of God there is Idolatry in imagination when the fancy and apprehension runs upon some Image or likenesse of God The first is among Papists but I fear the latter be too common among us it is indeed all one to form such 〈◊〉 similitude in our mind and to ingrave or paint it without so that the God whom many of us worship is not the living and true God but a painted or graven Idol When God appeared most visible to the world â—…s at the giving out of the Law yet no man did see any liknesse at all he did not come under the percepâ—…ion of the most subtile sense he could not be perceived but by the retired understanding going aside â—…om all things visible therefore you do but fancy â—…n idol to your selves in stead of God when you apâ—…rehend him under the likenesse of any visible or senâ—…ble thing so what ever love or fear or reverence â—…ou have it is all but mispent superstition the love â—…nd fear of an idol 1. I know then that God is a Spirit and therefor he is like none of all these things you see or hear or smel or taste or touch The heavens are glorious indeed the light is full of glory but he is not like that If all your senses should make an inquiry and search for him throughout the world you should not find him though he be near hand every one of us yet your eyes and ears all your senses might travel the length of the earth and breadth of the sea and should not find him even as you might search all the corners of heaven ere ye could hear or see an Angel if you saw a man asunder and resolve him in atomes of dust yet you could not perceive a soul within him why Because these are spirits and so without the reach of your senses II. If God be a Spirit then he is invisible dwels in light inaccessible which no man hath seen or can see then ouâ—… poor narrow minds thaâ—… are drowned as it were and immersed into bodies of clay in this state of mortality receives all knowledge of the senses cannot frame any suitable notion of his spiritual and abstracted nature We cannot conceive what our own soul is but by some sensible operation flowing from it and the height that our knowledge of that noble part of our selves amounts to is but this dark confused conception that the soul is some inward principle of life and sense and reason
how then is it possible for us to conceive aright of the divine nature as it is in it self but only in a daâ—…k generall way we guesse at his Majesty by the glorious emanations of his power wisdome the rayes thereof which he displayes abroad in all the works of his hands and from all these concurring testimonies evidences of his Majesty we gather this confused notion of him that he is the fountain-self-independent being the originall of all these things and more absolute in the world then the soul is in the body the true Anima mundi the very life and the light of men the soul that quickens moves forms all this visible world that makes all things visible and himself invisible Therefore it is that the Lord speaks to us in the Scripture of himself according to our capacities of his face his right hand arm his Throne his Scepâ—…er his back parts his anger his fury his repentance his grief and sorrow none of which are properly in his spiritual immortall unchangeable nature but because our dulnesse anâ—… slownesse in such in apprehending things spiritual it being almost without the spâ—…e comprehension of the soul while in the body which is almost addicted unto the senses of the body Therefore the Lord accommodates himâ—… unto our termes and notions balbutit nobiscum he like a 〈◊〉 father stammers wiâ—…h the stammerinâ—… chilâ—…ren speakes to them in their own dialect but withall would have us conceive he is not really such a one but infinitely removed in his own being fâ—…om all these imperfections So when you hear of these teâ—…ms in Scripture O beware ye conceive God to be such a one as your selves but in these expressions not beseeming his Majesty because below him learn your own ignorance of his glorious Majesty your dulnesse and incapacity to be such as the Holy One must come down as it were in some bodily appearance ere you can understand any thing of him III. If God be a Spiâ—…it then he is most perfect most powerfull all imperfection all infirmity and weaknesse in the creature is founded in the grosse material part of it you see the more matter and bodily substance be in any thing it is the more lumpish heavy and void of all action it is the more spiritual pure and refined part of the creation that hath most activity in it and is the principle of all motions and actions You see a little flye hath more action in it than a great mountain because there are spirits in it which move it The bottom of the world contains the dregs of the Creation as it were a masse lump of heavy earth but the higher and more distant bodies be from that the more pure and subtile they are and the more pure subtile they be the more action vertue and efficacy they have the earth stands like a dead lump but the sea moves the air being thinner and purer than both moves more easily and swiftly but go up higher and still the motion is swifter and the vertue and influence is the more powerfull What is a dead body when the soul and spirit is out of it It hath no more vertue nor efficacy than so much clay although by the presence of the spirit of it it was active agill swift strong nimble so much then as any thing hath of spirit in it so much the more perfect and powerfull it is Then I beseech you consider what a one the God of the spirits of all flesh must be the very fountain-spirit the self-being spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the soul of a man or the spirit of a horse hath so much vertue to stirre up a lump of earth and to quicken it to many diverse operations even though that soul spirit did not nay could not make that piece of earth they dwel in then what must his power and vertue be that made all those things Who gave power and vertue even to the spirits of all flesh their horses saith God are flesh and not spirit Isa. 30. Because in comparison of his Majesty the very spirits in them are but like a dead lump of flesh If he should draw in his breath as it were they would have no more vertue to save the Israelites noâ—… so many lumps of flesh or clay for he is the spirit of all spirits that quickens actuates and moves them in their severall operations influencies Anima mundi anima animarum mundi an Angel hath more power than all men united in one body Satan is called the Prince of the air God of this world for he hath more efficacy and vertue to commove the air and raise tempests then all the swarmes of multiplied mankind though gathered into any army if the Lord did not restrain and limit his power he were able to destroy whole Nations at once An Angel killed many thousands of Senacheribs Army in one night what would many Angels do then if the Lord pleased to apply them to that work O what is man that he should magnifie himself or glory in strength or skill Beasts are stronger than men but mans weaker strength being strengthned with more skil proves stronger than they but in respect of Angels he hath neither strength nor wisdome IV. If God be a Spirit then he is not circumscribed by any place and if an infinit spirit then he is every where no place can include him and no body can exclude him He is within all things yet not included nor bounded within them he is without all things yet not excluded from them intra omnia non tamen inclusus in illis extra omnia nec tamen exclusus ab all is You know every body hath its own bounds limits circumscribed to it shoots out all other bodily things out of the same space so that before the least body want some space it will put all the universe in motion make every thing about it to change its place and possesse another but a Spirit can passe thorow all of them and never desturb them A Legion may be in one man have room enough If there were a well of Brasse or Tower having no Open neither above or beneath no body could enter but by breaking thorow and making a breach into it but an Angel or Spirit could storm it without a breach and pierce thorow it without any division of it How much more doth the Maker of all Spirits fill all in all the thicknesse of the earth doth not keep him out nor the largenesse of the heavens contain him How then do we circumscribe and limit him within the bounds of a publick house or the heavens O how narrow thoughts have we of his immense greatnesse Who without division or multiplication of himself fills all the corners of the world whose indivisible unity is equivalent to an infinite extension and divisibility How often I pray you do you reflect upon
searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner
within bounds lest we by looking upward before the beginning of the world to see what God was doing fall head-long into the eternall pit of destruction into the hands of the living God God hath shewed himself marvelously these six thousand years in the upholding this world if we did consider these continued repeated testimonies of his glory we would be overwhelmed with what we find though we search no further and suppose we would please our selves to imagine that it had been created many years before yet that doth not silence stop the insolence of mens minds for it alwaies might be enquired what the Lord was doing before that time For Eternity is as immensurable before those multiplied thousands of years as before naked six Let our imagination sit down to substract from Eternity as many thousands as it can multiply by all the varieties and numbers in the world yet there is nothing abated from Eternity it is as infinit in extent before that as before the present six thousand and yet we may conceive that the Lord hath purposed in the beginning of the world to declare more manifestly to our understanding his Eternity his self-sufficiency liberty His Eternity that when we hear of how short standing the creature is we may go upward to God himself his everlasting being before the foundation of it were laid may shine forth more brightly to our admiration when we can strecth our conceptions so immensurably as far beyond the beginning of the world and yet God is still beyond the outmost teach of our imagination for who can find out the beginning of that which hath not a beginning to be found out and our most extended apprehensions fall it finitly short of the dayes of the Ancient of dayes O how glorious then must his being be how boundlesse His self-sufficiency perfection doth herein appear that from such an inconceiveable space he was as perfect and blessed in himself as now the Creatures add nothing to his perfection or satisfaction he was as well pleased with his own al-comprehending-beeing with the very thought and purpose of making this world as now he is when it is made the Idea of it in his mind gave him as great contentment as the work it self when it is done O to conceive this a right it would fill a soul with astonishing ravishing thoughts of his blindnesse Poor men weary if they be not one way or other imployed without so indigent are all Creatures at home that they would weary if they went not abroad without themselves but to think how absolutely God is well pleased with himself and how all imaginable perfections can add nothing to his eternall self complacency and delight in his own beeing It would certainly ravish a soul to delight in God also And as his self-sufficiency doth herein appear so his liberty and freedom is likewise manifested in it If the world had been eternall who would have thought that it was free for his Majesty to make it or not But that it had flowed from his glorious beeing with as natural and necessary a resultance as light from the body of the Sun But now it appears to all men that for his pleasure they are made and we are created that it was simply the free and absolute motion of his Will that gave a being to all things which he could withhold at his pleasure or so long as he pleased Thirdly we have it to consider in what condition he made all these things very good and that to declare his goodnesse wisdome the creature may well be called a large volume extended and spread out before the eyes of all men to be seen read of all It is certain if these things all of them in their orders and harmonies or any of them in their beeings qualities were considered in relation to Gods Majesty they would teach and instruct the fool the wise man both in the knowledge of God How many impressions hath he made in the creatures which reflect upon any seeing eye the very Image of God to cōsider of what a vaste hudge frame the Heavens and the earth are and yet but one Throne to his Majesty the footstool whereof is this Earth wherein vain men erect many Palaces To consider what a multitude of creatures what variety of Fowls in the heaven and what multiplicity of Beasts upon the earth what Armies as Moses speaks Gen. 2. 1. and yet that none of them are all uselesse but all of them have some special ends purposes they serve for so that there is no discord nor disorder no superfluity nor want in all this monarchy of the world all of them conspire together in such a discord or disagreeing harmony to one great purpose to declare the wisedom of him who made every thing beautyfull in its time and every thing most fit and opposite for the use it was created for so that the whole earth is full of his goodness he makes every creature good one to another to supply one anothers necessity and then notwithstanding of so many different natures dispositions between Elements and things composed of them yet all these contrarieties have such a commixion and are so moderated by his suppream Art that they make up joyntly one Excellent and sweet Harmony or beautifull proportion in the World O how wise must he be who alone contrived it all We can do nothing except we have some pattern coppy before us but now upon this ground which God hath laid Man may fancy many superstructures but when he stretched out the heaven and laid the foundation of the earth Who being his Counsellour taught him At whom did his Spirit take Counsel Certainy none of all these things would have entered into the heart of man to consider or contrive Isa. 40. 12 13. Some ruder Spirits do gaze upon the hudge and prodigious pieces of creation as Whales and Elephants c. But a wise Solomon will go to the School of the Ant to learn the wisedom of God and choose out such a simple and mean creatur for the object of his admiration certainly there are wonders in the smallest and most inconsiderable creatures which Faith can contemplat O the curious ingeny and draught of the finger of God in the composition of Flees of Bees flowers c. men ordinarly admire more some extraordinary things but the truth is the whole course of nature is one continued wonder and that greater than any of the Lords works without the Line The straight and regular line of the wisdome of God who in one constant course and tenour hath ordained the actions of all his creatures comprehends more wonders and mysteries as the course of the Sunne the motion of the Sea the hanging of the Earth in the empty place upon nothing these we say are the wonders indeed and comprehend something in them which all the wonders of Egypt and the Wildernesse cannot parallel But it
if I may speak so our creation in holynesse and righteousness after his own Image that same hath consulted about the rest of it hath found out this course that one of them shal bee made after mans Image and for this purpose that he may restore again Gods Image unto us O bless this deep invention and happy contrivance of heaven that could never have bred in any breast but in the depths of eternal wisedome and let us abandon forsake our own imaginations and foolish inventions let us become fools in our own eyes that we may become wise Man by seeking to be wise became a fool that was an unhappy invention now it s turned contrary let all men take vvith their folly and desperate vvickedness let not the vain thoughts and dreams of our own vvel-being and sufficiency lodge vvithin us and vve shal be made vvise come to the Fathers vvisdom unto Jesus Christ vvho is that blessed invention of Heaven for our remedy How long shal vain thoughts lodge within you O when will you be washed from them How long shal not your thoughts transcend this temporal and bodily life How long do you imagine to live in sin and die in the Lord to continue in sin and escape wrath Why do you delude your souls with a dream of having interest in the love of God and purchasing his favor by your works These are some of those many inventions man hath sought out Rom. 5. 22. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so death past upon all men for that all have sinned THis is a sad subject to speak upon yet it is not more sad then useful though it be unpleasant to hold out a glass to men to see their own vile faces into yet it is profitable yea and so necessary that till once a soul apprehend its broken and desolate condition in the first Adam it can never heartily imbrace and come to the second Adam You have here the woful and dreadful effects and consequents of the first transgression upon all mankind the effect is twofold sin and misery or sin and death the subject is universal in both all men the whole world Behold what a flood of calamity hath entred at a smal cranny by one mans transgression May it not be said of sin in general which the wise man speaks of strife The beginning of sin is as when one lets out water therefore it had been good leaving it off before it had been medled vvith it entred at a smal hole but it hath overflowed a vvhole vvorld since That vvhich first occurs is that all mankind proceeding from Adam by ordinary birth are involved in sin by Adams transgression But that may seem a hard saying that sin and death should flow unto the vvhole posterity vvho had no accession to Adams transgression It vvould seem that every man should die for his own iniquity and that it should reach no further in justice But consider I pray you the relation that Adam stood into and in vvhich he is here holden out as a figure of Christ. Adam the first man vvas a common person representing all mankind in vvhose happiness or misery all should share God contracts vvith him on these terms that his posterities estate should depend on his behavior Now if all mankind vvould have reaped the benefite and advantage of Adams perseverance iâ—… such an undeserved reward of eternal life vvould have redounded by the free promise unto them all vvhat iniquity is it that they also be sharers in his misery Our stock treasure vvas ventured in this vessel if vve vvere to partake of its gain vvhy not of its loss You see amongst men children have one common lot vvith their parents if the father be fore-faulted the heirs suffer in it are cast out of the inheritance It might appear a surer vvay to have the fortunes of all so to speak depend upon one their happiness assured unto them upon the standing of one then to have every one left unto himself his own vvell-being depending upon his own standing as it is more likely one and that the first one shal not sin then many and especially when that one knew that the weight of all his posterity hung upon him it might have made him very circumspect knowing of how great moment his carriage 〈◊〉 But certainly vve must look a little higher then such reasons there was a glorious purpose of Gods predominant in this else there was no natural necessity of imputing Adams sin to the children not yet born or propagating it to the children He that brought a holy one undefiled out of a Virgin who was defiled could have brought all others clean out of unclean parents but there is a higher counsel about it the Lord would have all men subject to his judgement al men once guilty once in an equal state of misery to illustrate that special grace shewed in Christ the more and demonstrate his power and wrath upon others That which concerns us most is to believe this that sin hath over-spread all and to have the lively impression of this were of more moment to true Religion than many discourses upon it I had rather ye went home not cursing Adam or murmuring against the most High but bemoaning yourselves for your wretched estate then be able to give reasons for the general imputation propagation of sin Ye all see it is therefore you should rather mourn for it then ask why it is There is sin entred into the world by imputation and also by propagation Adams first sin and hainous transgression is charged upon all his posterity and imputed unto them even unto them who have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually as he did Infants whom you call innocents and indeed so they are in respect of you who are come to age yet they are guilty before God of that sin that ruined all Now that you may know what you are and what little reason you have to be pleased with your selves and absolve your selves as ye do I shal unbowel that iniquity unto you First there was in it an open banner displayed against God When the soveraign Lord had enjoyned his 〈◊〉 â—…uch a testimony of his homage and loyalty and that so easie to be performed and such as not a whit could â—…ba e from his happiness what open rebellion was it to refuse it It was a casting off the Soveraign dominion of God than which nothing can be more hainous as if the clay should refuse to serve the Potters pleasure and therefore it is eminently and signally styled disobedience as having nothing in it but the pure naked nature of disobedience no difficulty to excuse it for it was most easie no pleasure to plead for it for there were as good fruit beside a world of them No necessity to extenuate it so that you can see nothing in it but
estate Is there any remedy provided for sin and misery And this will be indeed the query of a self-condemned sinner Now there is a plank afâ—…er this broken ship there is an answer sweet and satisfactory to this question Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners We shal not expatiate into many notions about this or multiply many branches of this The matter is plain and simple and we desire to hold it out plainly and simply that this is the remedy of sin and misery When none could be â—…ound on the right hand or left hand here a Savior from heaven comes down from above whence no good could be expected because a good God was provoked Can any good come out of Nazareth that was a proverb concerning him But I think in some sense it might be said can any good thing come down from heaven from his holy â—…abitation to this accursed earth Could any thing â—…e expected from heaven but wrath and vengeance And if no good could be expected that way what way could it come Sure if not from heaven then from no â—…rt yet from heaven ouâ—… help is come from vvhence it could not be looked for even from him vvho vvas offended and his justice engaged against man that he might both satisfie justice and save man that he might not vvrong himself nor destroy man utterly he sends his only begotten Son equal vvith himself in majesty and glory into the vvorld in the state of a servant to accomplish mans salvation and perform him satisfaction Therefore Christ came into the world to save sinners There vvere two grand impediments in the way of mans salvation which made it impossible to man one is Gods justice another is mans sin these two behoved to be satisfied or removed ere there can be access to save a sinner The sentence of divine Justice is pronounced against all mankind Death past on all A sentence of death and condemnation Now vvhen the righteousness and faithfulness of God is engaged into this how strong a party do you think that must be What power can break that prison of a divine curse and take out a sinner from under Justice hand Certainly there is no coming out till the uttermost farthing be paid that was owing till compleat satisfaction be given to all vvrongs Now truly the redemption of the soul had ceased for ever it 's so precious that no creature can give any thing in exchange for it except Jesus Christ had come into the vvorld one that might be able to tread that winepress of wrath alone give his life a ransomer in value far above the soul and pay the debt of sin that vve vvere owing to Goâ—… And indeed he vvas furnished for this purpose a peâ—… son suted and fitted for such a vvork A man to undertake it in our name and God to perform it in hiâ—… own strength A Man that he might be made undeâ—… the Law and be humbled even to the death of 〈◊〉 cross that so he might obey the commandment aâ—… suffer the punishment due to us and all this was elevated beyond the vvorth of created actions or sufferings by that divine nature This perfumed all hiâ—… Humanity and all done by it or in it this put the stamp of Divinity upon all and imposed an infinite value upon the coyn of finite obedience and sufferings And so in his own person by coming into the vvorld and acting and suffering in the place of sinners he hath taken the first great impediment out of the vvay taken down the high vvall of divine Justice vvich had enclosed round about the sinner and satisfied all its demands by paying the price so that there is nothing upon Gods part to accuse or condemn to hinder or obstruct salvation But then there is an inner vval or dark dungeon of sin into vvhich the sinner is shut up and reserved in chains of his own lusts until the time of everlasting darkness and vvhen Heaven is opened by Christs death yet this keeps a sinner from entring iâ—… Therefore Jesus Christ vvho came himself into thâ—… vvorld to satisfie Justice and remove its plea thâ—… there might be no obstruction from that airth 〈◊〉 sends out his powerful Spirit vvith the Word to deliver poor captive sinners to break down the vval of ignorance and blindness to cast down the high tower of vvickedness and enmity against God to take captive and chain our lusts that kept us in bondage And as he made Heaven accessible by his own personal obedience and sufferings so he makes sinners ready â—…nd free to enter into salvation by his Spirits vvorking in their persons In the one he had God as it vvere his party and him he hath satisfied so far that â—…here vvas a voice came from heaven to testifie it â—…is is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased â—…nd therefore in testimony of it God raised him from the dead In the other he hath Satan and mans vvicked nature as his party and these he must conquer and subdue these he must overcome ere vve can be saved A strange business indeed and a great vvork to bring such two opposite and distant parties togetheâ—… a holy and just God and a sinful and rebellious creature and to take them both as parties that he might reconcile both Now vvhat do ye think of this my beloved that â—…uch a glorious person is come down from Heaven â—…or such a glorious vvork as the salvation of sinners 〈◊〉 put no doubt it vvould be most acceptable unto you 〈◊〉 ye knew your misery and knowing your misery you could not but accept it if you believed that it vvere true and faithful I find one of these two the great obstruction in the vvay of souls receiving advanâ—…age by such glad tydings either the absolute necessiâ—…y and excellency of the Gospel is not considered or â—…he truth and reality of it is not believed Men eiâ—…er do not behold the beauty of goodness in it or 〈◊〉 not see the light of truth in it either there is noâ—…ing discovered to engage their affections or nothing â—…en to perswade their understandings Therefore â—…he Apostle sounds a Trumpet as it vvere in the entry before the publication of these glad news and commends this unto all men as a true and faithful â—…aying and as vvorthy of all acceptation There is â—…ere the highest truth and certainty to satisfie the mind It 's a faithful saying and there is here also thâ—… chiefest good to satiate the heart It 's worthy of alâ—… acceptation Now if you do really apprehend your lost and miserable estate you cannot but behold that ravishing goodness in it and behold that you cannot til you see the other first Whence is it I pray you that so many souls are never stirred vvith the propâ—…sition of such things in the Gospel that the riches aâ—… beauty of salvation in JESUS CHRIST doth not once move them Is it not because therâ—… is no lively apprehension of their misery vvithoâ—… him FINIS GLASGOW Printed by ROBERT SANDERS and are to be sold at his Shop M. DC LXVII