enemies Col. 1.21 Those that are afar of are made nigh by the blood of Christ he hath broken down the partition-wall and slain the enmity Ephes. 2 16 17 18. If thou hast some dear friend who bestows a gift on thee in token of his dear love and respect to thee and there should be afterwards some disagreeing and falling out betwixt you wouldst thou shew this gift a pledg of league and amity c. thus hold up Christ to God 3. Or though it be not thus yet thou wantest the sense and feeling of his love and art comfortless in the want of it O then make use of Christ in this case who is able to make all Consolations abound and fill thy soul with joy and peace in believing He hath said Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Iesus Is any man sad saith Bernard let that sweetest name Jesus come into his heart and so he shall have that peace and comfort that the world cannot give neither can the world take it away from him Christ is a most soveraign Cordial apply and use him and your joy will be full 4. Or art thou terrified in Conscience and groaning under the insupportable burden of a wounded spirit art thou affrighted with accusing and condemning thoughts O go to Christ who as he can make peace in the Court of Heaven so he can create peace in thy heart and still the crys of Conscience and make a calm there also though the waves roar and the winds blow c. thy soul shall have peace in him which passeth all understanding Col. 1.20 And will say in me ye shall have peace be of good cheer let not your hearts be troubled though your hearts ake and tremble yet he is greater thaâ— your hearts who is nigh to justifie you Isa. â—â— 8 so that you may triumph with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Expect no peace in laying aside Christ. 5. Are you afraid of death and judgment to come in this case also make use of Christ. It 's reported by Cassander that in ancient times sick and weak dying persons were directed and accustomed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing him betwixt them and Gods Judgment saying these words Lord we put thee the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy judgment But what need we look into Historians the Scriptures shew what languishing souls and drooping spirits must do Psal. 23.4 5. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death yet I will fear no evil c. Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.4 taken out the venome and malignity of it Death lost its sting in Christs side And now O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Or fearest thou judgment look to Christ and thou shalt not die the second death but he will raise thee up at the last day Ioh 6.49 50. Having Christ thou maist stand in judgment and lift up thy head with joy for 't is the day of thy Redemption then the redeemed of the Lord shall return with joy everlasting and you shall appear with him in glory 4. Fourth Branch of Exhortation Be â—ery thankful for him yea let your whole soul go out in thankfulness be ever praising and magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Psal. 103.1 and 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for this the greatest of all his benefits O be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged and raised manner that is possible where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it O let your apprehensions be widened to conceive the vastness of this mercy that your affections may be more enlarged to praise God for it O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness can be enough for such a gift should not the whole soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgment of so signal a mercy for God to give his only begotten Son to be a Saviour for sinners Here 's the wonder of wonders God never did the like before and he 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should It would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this Errand to redeem and save undone sinners If send he will why did he not send an Angel or body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do Nay why did he not send an Angel as once he did with a flaming sword in his hand to keep off sinners from the Tree of Life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitcht upon he is the person whom God will send Surely here was love great love great to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son his first-born his only begotten Son the Son of his love who lay in his bosom had been his delight from everlasting O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescention how may we cry out here Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the Son of man that thou makest this account of him Psal. 8.4 and 144.3 or as Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him Here was God so loving so as can never be expressed never be comprehended Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life The Heavens and the Earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people Isa. 1.2 May not now Heaven and Earth Angels and men all creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious love of God! O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in blessing loving admiring and adoring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon Gods giving his Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven The Angels never reaped that advantage that we do yet they were at praising-work as soon as ever Christ was born
CHRIST DISPLAYED AS THE Choicest Gift and Best Master From Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 13.13 Being some of the last Sermons Preached by that faithful and industrious Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. NATHANEEL HEYWOOD Sometime Minister of the Gospel at Ormeschurch in Lancashire 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and hlm crucified Salvian de Gubern Dei Lib. 4. In id penitus deducta res est ut sicut de Paganis Barbaris priùs diximus Christi nomen non videatur jam Sacramentum esse sed sermo Nam in tantum apud plurimos nomen hoc parvi penditur ut nunquam minus cogitent quippiam facere quam cum se jurant per Christum esse facturos LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1679. To the Worshipful HENRY HOGHTON Esq And the Lady STANLEY His Vertuous Consort Worthy SIR MADAM I Presume to affix your Venerable Names in the Frontispiece of this Treatise not upon my own account or upon any such interest I can challenge in your Worships being much unknown to you but as acting the part of the deceased Author who had upon great reason conceived a very high estimation of you as I doubt not but your respects to him were reciprocal being grounded both upon long acquaintance and experience of each other his discourse of you with grateful acknowledgments of your multiplied kindness to his person and family in my hearing and his affectionate prayers for you were clear testimonies that you were engraven upon his heart and if his unparallel'd modesty had permitted him to have committed any thing to the Press doubtless his cordial affection would have issued it self in such an Epistolary inscription But since I am necessitated to supply his place in handing these Discourses to the World I prostrate this exposed Orphan at your feet and question not your candid reception and resolute protection of what was the genuine product of his mind and mouth which I will confidently assure you these Treatises are both for matter method words without the least addition substraction or alteration being taken out of his own notes as he preacht them writ at large with his own hand The matter of these Sermons is of greatest moment and importance fundamental truths they are of the gift of God in our blessed Redeemer and Christs Lordship and Soveraignty which are truths of the first magnitude most necessary like wool and corn the staple-commodities of this Kingdom like bread and salt that must be set upon the Table like ground-Cells upon which lyes the weight of the fabrick these are comprehensive and extensive truths without this gift sinners had not been pardoned accepted without this Lordship souls would wander and rebel the former brings us into favour with God the latter conquers rebellious wills subdues enemies regulates Saints and crowns them with glory The manner of handling these subjects is plain exact nervous and very pathetical which took great impression on the hearers vvhen first delivered with the lively voice of that fair spokesman for Christ whose heart was much taken with this lovely and beloved Lord and took great delight to recommend him to poor sinners which he did with great advantage and success whereby he became a spiritual father of many children whom he begot in the bonds of the Gospel Indeed he excelled others in other subjects but in this he excelled himself especially in this swan-like song which savours of Heaven and seems to be calculated for the height of Sion to be sung by that heavenly host in the praises of our dear Redeemer But neither do these weighty subjects nor the lively colours wherein they are set off need my recommendation nor yet the Authors gifts graces industry fidelity and other imitable properties well known to you and all that were acquainted with him need at all be mentioned by me at least at this season his singular accomplishments and conversation shine too bright to be darkened by any black-mouth'd Momus as his soul and body are beyond the reach of Satan and Sorrow so his name is above any just censures and calumnies I make bold to put these Posthumous works into your hands may your Worships in the first place reap the benefit and by your experiments thereof in your souls and conformity thereto in your lives incourage others to come and see how good our Lord Jesus is this is a lovely Song of one that could play well on an instrument may your hearts eccho to this Gospel-tune here 's solid food well cookt rendred delectable with the sweet sauce of acceptable words may your stomacks be keen and sharp and nourisht by it to eternal life These are goads and nails fastened by this master of assemblies now rewarded by his Master given out by one shepherd may Gods Spirit fasten them as a nail in a sure place upon many consciences I have then attained my ends in this undertaking may God be thereby glorified and souls edified we have enough The Lord bless you both and make you rich blessings to your Country in your publick domestical and personal station and relation The Lord drop down this choice gift into your laps and hearts that you may give up your selves to him again as his bored devoted servants for ever God Almighty that hath been the stay of your Youth be also the staff of your old age and maintain you as choice instruments of his glory in the land of the living and in a good old age conduct you through the valley of the shadow of death into the land of life so prayeth Your Worships humble Servant in our Dearest Lord O. H. Febr. 1. 1678 9. To the CHRISTIAN READER especially the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Ormeschurch and the places adjacent Grace Mercy and Peace My dearly beloved in our dearest Lord IT is an astonishing Providence that in such a day of Epidemical sinning general fears of approaching Iudgments and great necessity in most places God should thus weaken our strength undermine the fabrick by cutting off so many faithful Shepherds in so short a space therein seeming as if he would make a way to his wrath But as your dark parts have more need of such faithful Watchmen so you are most emptied God having of late renewed his witnesses against you and broken you with breach upon breach before your eyes were fully wiped for one loss another follows at the heels like Job's messengers bringing the sad tidings of the death of another gracious Minister and this last is not the least under which you lye bleeding It is true on his account that 's gone you have no reason to lament God hath put a blessed end to his torturing pains of body perplexing thoughts of heart and indefatigable labours in the Ministry and crown'd him with glory the sharper was his passage the sweeter is his present repose he finds himself abundantly rewarded God made great
undeserving and ill deserving mankind such a gift so transcendently superlatively excellent and wonderful that if God the Lord should create an understanding-faculty of man or Angel millions of degrees more apprehensive and vigorous than if all the men and Angels that are or possibly might be created were contemperated in one yet could not their understanding so see the incomparable worth and superexcellent beauty of this gift but that there would remain unseen treasures of loveliness and oceans of excellencies never known to the amazement and admiration of all creatures to all eternity Nay it implys an eternal contradiction that the Creatures should see to the bottom of the Creator or that which is finite fathom that which is infinite This gift is promised in the Old and those Promises are fulfilled in the New Testament Hear what the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa. 9.6 Vnto us a child is born a son is given A Child born in respect of his Humanity a Son given in respect of his Deity and both as already done in regard of Gods purpose and the infallible certainty of his promise which is as sure as if it were already done and in regard of the fruits and benefits thereof to men though it was to be accomplished above 700 years after and in the fulness of time God sent his Son actually given both to us and for us to effect our Salvation Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him should not perish but have everlasting life All I purpose to do in the prosecution of this Doctrine is to shew the excellency of this gift and then make Application A great attempt indeed and far above the utmost reach of a finite capacity for who can declare his generation what pen though dipt in the river of life that flows under the Sanctuary what tongue though shap't out of all the Angels in Heaven and watered with the milk and wine of that good land can sufficiently express the glory and excellency of this heart-ravishing flower of Angels this living Ark of heaven the song of Angels and glorified Saints the joy and glory of that new land the crown and garland of his Fathers delight the sweetness of the garden of God the wonder of wonders for eternity to Angels and men that fair tree of life the branches whereof cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow within the huge and capacious borders of the Heaven of heavens How impossible is it therefore to contain him in the narrow compass of the words or thoughts of any mortal creature I cannot better express what he is than by telling you I cannot express him Yet something I shall endeavour to speak of his inexpressible worth under the notion of a Gift in these particulars Christ and Heaven cannot be praised Hyperbolically No danger of excess speak I as much think you as much as we can of Christ. 1. Christ is a most free gift we use to say what 's freer than gift I may well add What gift freer than Christ whether we respect the giver or look on the receiver 't is easie to judg that this gift is absolutely free and undeserved In relation to God it is beyond all doubt that there was nothing in man that might move God to give him Christ no worthiness in man no profit by man nothing but loathsomness The promise of Christ coming in the flesh was an absolute unconditional promise Hence 't is said Christ is not only sent delivered c but given not paid nor sold he is not returned to us by way of payment for who hath given ought that he should be repayed neither is he sold to us in consideration of ought to be paid by us for what can we return to God that is not his own already Rom. 11.35 36. 1 Chron. 29.11 12 13 14. If Iacob could say He was not worthy of the least of all his mercies Gen. 32.10 Who can pretend to be worthy of this greatest but Christ is given freely bestowed of his meer grace and bounty without respect of ought in us that might invite or induce him thereunto Rom. 5.6 8 10. Tit. 3.5 without any expectation of ought from us that might be beneficial to himself Can a man be profitable unto God Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that a man is righteous Is it any gain to him that we make our ways perfect Job 2â— 23 35.5 8. No our goodness cannot extend it self unto God Psal. 16.2 Look on man and what is there to be found in him but sin and misery He is not only without strength and so despicable cannot help himself but ungodly also and so loathsome deserving no help from others What is man that God was thus mindful of him a poor naked indigent helpless and wretched creature and all this wo and misery is brought upon him by his own choice and act he is not only miserable but wicked a rebel as well as a beggar not only cast out into the open field to the loathing of his person but found in the field of war treacherously fighting against his Lord and Maker Man was in a state of darkness slavery rebellion poverty pain ignominy banishment nakedness filthiness deformity sickness death perdition every thing that 's naught and miserable all the woes in the world were they a thousand times greater are but a faint representation of the miseries of man by nature Now if a gift may be free when bestowed on a friend how much more when given to an enemy why God gave us his Son to reconcile us to himself when we were not only strangers from him but enemies to him Col. 1.21 O the riches of his meer mercy and grace Is not that gift free that is bestowed on sinners strangers enemies Ephes. 2.12 13 14 God never did nor never will sell his Grace his Son to any none can have Christ but those that come empty a full hand can hold nothing Fix your thoughts on the terms expressed in that Evangelical Proclamation Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price 2. Christ is a most full gift He is full of Grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Col. 1.29 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell he fills all in all There is in this gift of God a fulness of sufficiency and a fulness of redundancy enough for himself and to fill all persons all things there is enough in Christ for every soul and for the supply of every want whatever the heart of man can want or wish is to be had in Christ. That 's a very full expression Col. 2.9 In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Fulness in the abstract he is not full only but Fullness it self fulness not of the cistern but of the fountain Gods
wouldest thou not to thy power have done them that thou maist injoy the blessed Son of God for thine How much more then when he only saith Take Jesus Christ as thy Lord and Saviour prize and love him as thy Saviour obey and honour him as thy Lord and he shall be thine for ever do but as much for him as the covetous man does for his wealth as the ambitious man for his honour as the voluptuous man for his belly they give their highest esteem their choicest affections and their greatest service to that which they take for their God their chief good And surely Christ is more worthy hereof and will requite thee best for them 4. Consider how God offers this gift to thee his manner of dealing with thee in this is wonderful he offers Christ most really means what he speaks and most tenderly and affectionately He not only offers Christ to thee but invites thee to him what canst thou desire more in a gift or benefit than to have it heartily offered and be invited to take it He offers Christ without grudging falshood or equivocation with an open heart that he may shew how willing and cordial he is to part with this gift He invites us to take him Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Nay he shouts and calls aloud Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Had he once tendered Christ it had been infinite mercy but to entreat us to accept him to perswade and move us as one that would not be denied that 's admirable 2 Cor. 5.20 We are embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God And he commands us to receive Christ his Son and makes this the chief and as it were the only thing he requires of us 1 Ioh. 3.23 and inforceth his just command with most severe threatnings Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Sometimes he expostulateth with men Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread Isa. 55.2 and adds protestations of his loathness that any soul should perish Why will you dye anger is not in me why should the flame consume the stubble what could I do more what iniquity have ye found in me c He complains and laments most sadly when men neglect and slight this offered gift Why will ye not come to me that ye may have life He came to his own and they received him not John 1.11 O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Matt. 23.37 Yea with very vehement passions he bewails and weeps over them that pity not themselves Luke 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace c. Those tears and mournings over Ierusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee He upbraids men with nothing so much as this and threatens no such woes in all the Scripture as against such as refuse Christ Matt. 11.20 Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida c. Jer. 13.17 Wo unto thee O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be He is never so angry with any as with them that despise this love and refuse this offer Luke 14.21 Matt. 22.7 He was very wroth when the invited guests would not come So Mat. 21.40 with those Husbandmen that took his Son and killed him and those Citizens Luke 19.27 that would not have him reign over them are destroyed as enemies And when all this will do no good men will not be perswaded nor allured but hang off and keep at a distance he goes away as it were troubled and wishing it had been better He swears and pawns his life on it that he would not have them perish has no pleasure in their destruction Ezek. 33.11 O that they had hearkened to my commandments then had their peace been as a river and their righteousness as the waves of the sea Isa. 48.18 Psal. 81.11 But my people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways I would soon have subdued their enemies I would have fed them with the finest of the wheat with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them O the compassionate pangs of Gods bowels of infinite mercy towards poor sinners O quam stupenda pieatas quam mira Dei dignatio quem regare debuimus ut nos recipere dignaretur ab ipso rogamur ut ad eum venire dignemur It were one would think enough to prevail with us to accept this gift with joy and thankfulness to consider how incomparably excellent the gift it self is But God adds unspeakable benefits with him to draw us to this acceptance as life and favour with God Prov. 8.35 Whoso findeth me findeth life and obtaineth favour of the Lord. Recovery of Gods image freedom from bondage communion with God liberty of will pardon of sin power against sin deliverance from Satan peace and joy adoption of Sons Ioh. 1.12 acceptance of persons and services audience of prayers a sanctified use of comforts and crosses victory over death assurance of heaven the fair inheritance of all things fulness of joy and happiness pleasures for evermore 5. Consider why God offereth Christ unto thee for what end is he thus sollicitous about thine acceptance of this gift do not mistake me nor deceive thy self by thinking that because God out of his infinite pity to his miserable creatures is instant and urgent with them to accept of Christ therefore he hath any need of thee or seeketh his own happiness therein I tell thee if thou hadst no more need of Christ than he hath of thee thou maist let him alone No it 's purely for thy good for thy real and eternal good that he offers his Son to thee He needs thy service no more than he doth the service of the Damned or of the Devils and he knows how to make use of thee for his own glory as he doth of them if thou foolishly reject this offer of his Son to save thee Had he a work to do he needs not thy help he might have made nobler creatures than the present race of mankind to glorifie his Grace and execute his will and have left thee and all Adam's posterity to glorifie his Justice Thy righteousness will not
shall call and knock and it shall not be opened Prov. 1.24 I shall add a word of admonition and serious warning to them who have not yet nor are now resolved to accept this incomparable gift of God and that in the words of the Apostle See that ye refuse not him that speaks from heavâ—n Heb. 12.25 yea that came down from Heaven to seek and save your lost souls Now that Christ is freely offered to you by the Gospel if you set at nought his counsel and make light of his invitations and receive the Grace of God in vain it had been better for you that you had never been born or never heard the Gospel Now that God hath proclaimed terms of peace and shewed himself so unwilling that ye should perish that he gave his only begotten Son for you and to you and exacted nothing from you but acceptance that ye might have in him eternal life If you still refuse this gift and reject this counsel remaining under unbelief it doth exceedingly aggravate your sin and judgment it makes your sin above measure sinful your sin is inexcusable your condemnation unavoidable and your punishment will be intollerable Consider what you do and be wise before it be too late you exceedingly dishonour God undervalue Christ gratifie Satan Sin most inexcusably and undo your selves utterly 1. If you do not receive and improve this gift when offered in the Gospel you do exceedingly dishonour God What greater reproach is there amongst men than to refuse a gift offered freely out of love without any ground motive or occasion from the party that is to have it or deny to accept of an invitation to a great feast or fair estate if intreated and solicited to take it 'T is a sowr unmannerliness and sawcy proud presumption to prescribe on what terms they will have or when they will not be beholding to their superiors 'T is a great dishonour to God that vile sinful dust and ashes will not accept of his gracious offer of his Son If a King should come to a Prisoner condemned by the Law to death and lying in Chains and offer to set him free or put his Son in his stead c. but he so loves his bondage and hugs his chains that he will not be delivered You cast dishonour upon all the gloâ—ious Attributes of God His Truth He that receives Christ gives as much glory to the Truth of God as possibly he can he sets to his seal that God is true Iohn 3.33 But he that receives not this gift believes not God and so makes him who is truth it self a lyar because he believes not the record which God gave of his Son 1 Ioh. 5.10 O what horrid indignity is this to the most faithful God! His Mercy wherein he delights which as it is above all his works so this of bestowing Christ on men is above all his mercies It is no less than spurning at bowels of mercy Rom. 2.4 and despising of riches of goodness His Power 'T is a sad diminution of the glory of his Power and Soveraignty as if he could not do what he hath promised if we accept his offers or what he hath threatned if we refuse it Abraham on the contrary was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Rom. 4.20 His Wisdom It 's a rejecting the counsel of Heaven and contemning that unconceivable depth of wisdom that contrived a way for Mercy and Justice to meet that his Glory might be advanced and sinning and perishing man might be saved His Justice How great is the affront that sinners offer to his Justice that sinners go on to provoke him with their unbelief and wickedness and as it were dare him to punish them In a word his Infallibleness and Unchangeableness are called in question when his gracious promises are not believed and embraced men judg him a person not fit to be credited The giving of the lye is accounted the greatest injury and disgrace amongst men but especially this is a great injury to God because he stands more upon his word than upon any other part of his name Psal. 138.2 He hath magnified his word above all his name And we have more experience of God making good his word than in any other thing Thus not receiving Christ doth rob God of his declarative glory it rifles his cabinet and takes away his chiefest jewel even that glory which he saith he will not give unto another 2. You do very unworthily slight and undervalue Jesus Christ. When a gift is offered if you deny to accept it you not only dishonour him that offers it but you disparage the gift it self you disesteem it as not worthy your acceptance and is Jesus Christ so worthless and inconsiderable a gift as that thou wilt not take him at the hands of God O horrible ingratitude Be ye astonished O ye heavens for my people have committed two evils ah these two are thousands and millions they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters c. Is it not the voice of Christ in the Gospel Who will have me Who will receive me and is it not the Gospel-quarrel Ye will not come to me that ye may have life Joh. 5.40 'T is the greatest folly to set so low a rate on Christ for he is the sum and substance marrow and worth of the whole word and all the works of God the most excellent glory of all persons and things in the world 1. Survey the Word of God from end to end and you shall find that there is nothing of excellency but what is derived from or reduced unto Christ he is called by one verbum abbreviatum the contracted Word into which all words are reduced as the rivers into the Sea from this word they came unto this word they tend and within this word they are all contained 'T is observed by Ierome that the sum of all knowledg is Divinity the sum of all Divinity is the Scripture for that is sufficient to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.16 17 and every Christian wise unto Salvation The sum of the Scripture is the Gospel for that is the power of God for the salvation of them that believe Rom. 1.16 and the sum of the Gospel is Christ. For these things i. e. the Gospel were written that you might believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God and that in believing you might have eternal life Joh. 20.31 If you consider the Old Testament it is nothing else but the vail shadow and promise of Christ observe all the Types the Tree of Life the Ark of Noah the Ladder of Iacob the Mercy-seat the brazen Serpent and all such Mystical Types and Typical figures we read of what are they else but Christ take away the substance and what is the shadow And not only so but even all the men of note Noah Isaac Ioseph Moses Aaron Ioshua Sampson David Solomon