it must be no ordinary mercy It is true Gods mercy is no ordinary thing of all Attributes he will triumph in that the glory of his mercy and goodnesse is that he seekes to have of men by the Incarnation and Redemption wrought by Christ above all things whatsoever Thou wouldt have infinite mercy Thou hast it in Christ. Thy sins have abounded Gods grace abounds much more Thy sinnes are mountaines Gods mercy is as the Ocean to cover those mountaines But is it possible for God to forgive such a wretched sinner that hath beene a blasphemer c It were not with men but saith God My thoughts are not as your thoughts you are vindictive in your dispositions and will not pardon but my thoughts are as farre above yours as the heavens are above the earth therefore bound not the infinite mercy of God wherein he will triumph with thy narrow thoughts but let it have its scope especially in plunges and assaults and at such times as the best of us may be brought unto In Hosea 11. I am God and not man implying that if he were man we might have meane thoughts of him confined thoughts but I am God and not man therefore comfort your selves in this consider how God sets himselfe to be glorious in his love and mercy to poore miserable wretched man in Iesus Christ. You see the mercy of God in Christ even in the Sacrament he doth not onely give Christ to us So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to be borne and to dye for us but his mercy is a boundlesse mercy we see hee labours to strengthen our faith by these pledges that we make us of this What if God be mercifull in Christ and what if Christ be gracious and there is nothing but grace and mercy if there be not an application if there be not an interest what benefit have we by it we must interest our selves in this glorious Person interest our selves in Christ for it is founded upon Christ all the glorious mercy of God is grounded upon satisfaction of justice that is in Christ but this is nothing except wee interest our selves in Christ and in the mercy of God for our appropriation is the ground of all comfort God out of Christ is a fountaine sealed he is a fountaine of mercy but he is sealed up he is a consuming fire but in Christ he is a chearing comforting fire but this is nothing to us unlesse we be in Christ we must have interest in Christ we must be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh he hath marryed our nature that we might have marryed to him we have no benefit by his Incarnation else Now all our comfort is by this union and Communion with Christ by marrying our selves to Christ by strengthening our faith in this Union and Communion that so we may make use of the boundlesse mercy of God in Christ therefore how should we be encouraged to come to the Sacrament to enjoy this comfort You have heard Beloved of the joy of the Angels of their manner of celebrating the birth of Christ and if the Angels should leave heaven and come downe upon earth and take upon them bodies how would they celebrate the Incarnation of Christ You see here Glory to God on high this would be the course wherein they would carry themselves to glorifie God answerable to their Song so should we doe if we will be like the blessed Angels we see how to celebrate the Nativity of Christ we need not goe to fetch joy from hell to celebrate it if the Devill should be incarnate and come to live among men how would hee celebrate the Incarnation of Christ otherwise then in many places it is if we do not love to have our portion with Devils surely we should not imitate those whose state and condition we are afraid of The Angels saw matter enough in the thing it selfe to make them sing Glory to God on high on earth peace good will towards men What hath God heene so rich in love to us in Christ so wondrous in mercy as to take our miserable nature not at the best but at the worst and to take onr condition upon him here is matter of joy and shall we be beholding to the Devill for joy when we should rejoyce for Christ will not the thing it selfe yeeld matter of rejoycing oh base dispositions that we should â—ot content our selves with homogencall uniforme joy to the thing it selfe I desire repentance and reformation of what hath beene amisse if there be any that have beene guilty in this kind that intend to come neare God in these holy mysteries let them know that God will be honoured of all that come neere him let them take it to heart As Tertullian said in his time What shall wee celebrate that which is a publicke matter of joy to all the Church for a publike shame in a disgracefull way I beseech you consider of these things Repent for the Kingdome of God is neare saith the Baptist. What shall wee therefore give carnall liberty to all loosenesse as if Christ came to bring Christians liberty to licenciousnesse shall we insteed of repenting runne further and further into guilt and indispose our selves to all goodnesse is that the reasoning of the Scriptures No repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand change your lives for Christ and the fruites of the Gospell are at hand The grace of God hath appeared in Christ what to teach us to live as we list and to be more disordered then at other times oh no to live soberly and justly not to wrong any body and holy and godly in this present world this is the Scriptures reasoning and thus if ever we looke for comfort from God and Christ we must reason too Let none thinke it too late to speake of these things now but those that have not had the grace of God to keepe them innocent let them make use of the grace of God to repent and as the phrase of some of the Ancients is repentance is a boord to escape to the shore after wee have made shipwrack and done things amisse therefore as I said those that have not had the grace before to be innocent let them make use of the grace of God that now invites them to repentance or not presume to come to these holy things I speake it not onely to free mine owne soule but to free you from contracting further guilt for doe you thinke to make amends by comming to the Sacrament without repentance of what you have done before What hast thou to doe saith God to take my name into thy mouth to take my Sacrament into thy mouth when thou hatest to be reformed God accounted his owne Service as the cutting off a dogges head when they came indisposed and unprepared The Sacrament is bane and poyson to us if wee
world he is worthy of all praise and honour we should honour the Father and honour the Sonne and the holy Spirit that applyes the good we have by Christ to us When we glorifie God let us glorifie Christ too Who together with the Father is to be glorified because it was his grace to give him selfe he made himselfe poore for us We cannot honour the Father more then by honouring the Sonne for God the Father will be seene in his Sâ—nne as the Apostle saith In Christ we behold the glory of God therefore what he saith of Christ here tends to the glory of the Father Christ not only as God is gracious and was willing to the woâ—k of salvation but as the meritorious cause of the grace of his Father for grace should not have beene derived to us from the Father unlesse first it had beene seated on Christ in our nature and in him derived to us The worke of salvation as it is from Christ so it is from the grace of Christ therefore it was free and voluntary what so free as grace Therefore Christs abasement and poverty it was meerely voluntary if it had not beene voluntary it had not beene meritorious and satisfactory It was a free-will offering it was of grace not forced and commanded without his owne consent it was meerely of grace for our good and salvation that we might have the more comfort it was a free-will offering He seemed as man to decline death to shew the truth of his manhood but when againe he considered wherefore his Father sent him Not my will but thine be done and with joy With a desire have I desired to eat my last Passeover with you and I have a baptisme and how am I payned till I bee baptized with it How ever to shew the truth of his manhood he feared Death yet when he considered what he was sent for it was with a resignation to the Divine Nature so it was a free-will offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smel to God the Father Therefore when wee thinke of Christ let us thinke of no thing but grace or when we think of Heaven or of any blessing by Christ al comes under the notion of grace because all comes from meere favour There are foure descents of grace First grace as it is in God and Christ in their owne breasts the favour of God resting in his own bosome And then this grace and favour shewed in grace that is in habituall grace in bestowing grace upon our natures to sweeten and sanctifie it to fit it for communion with God And then actuall grace the movings of the Spirit to every good worke to every action of grace And then every gift of God every blessing as a grace because it riseth from grace as we say of the gifts of a great person this is his grace or favour so every good thing we have is a grace It is the favour of God in Christ that sweetneth all let us labour to see grace in all especially the fundamental grace the favour of God and of Christ the cause of all And let us see any grace in us as from that grace and every good act wee doe a grace from meere favour and every blessing wee have is a grace if our hearts be good as the Apostle cals the Macedonians benevolence a grace every thing that is good is a grace Therefore not unto us not unto us but unto thy name be the glory both of thy favour and of al that comes from it all that we have is sweet because it issues from grace The favour in the thing is better then the thing it selfe as we say of gifts we care not for the gift but for the love of him that gave it so the good things that we have are not so sweet as the favour of him that gives it when we deserve not so much as daily bread but that also is of grace The sourse and spring of all that is in us is free grace in the breast of God and Christ. In the controversie between us and the Papists when we say we are justified by grace we must not understand it of inherent grace whereby our natures are sanctified and that but in part but it is meant of the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and the free grace of Christ in his owne breast Let us take heed that we build not our justification and salvation upon a false title the title is the grace of Christ and of God the Father Now the grace we have in Christ in the breast of God is either the good will of God whereby he is disposed to give Christ and to doe all good to us there is no cause of that at all Christ as God joynes with the Father in that grace which is Amor benevolentiae the grace of good will Christ as Mediator is the effect of that grace But then there is the grace of complacency whereby God delights in us this is bestowed upon the creature in effectuall calling then God shewes the grace of delighting in us ingrafting us into Christ by faith for though before all worlds God had a purpose to doe good to us yet that is concealed till we beleeve As water that runs under ground it is hid a long time till it break out suddenly and then we discover that there was a streame runne under ground as Arethusa and other Rivers so it is with the favour of God from eternity it runnes under ground till we be called we see not Christs good wil to us but when we beleeve become one w th Christ God lookes upon us with the love of complacency with the same love wherewith he loves Christ because we are in Christ as it is in Iohn 17. I in them and they in me God loves the head and members with the same love Christ as God was freely disposed to choose men but Christ as Mediator continues this favour and mercy of God when we are grafted into him to shine on us continually It is this second that we must labour for as a fruit of the first Let us labour not only to know that there was an eternall love of God to some that are his but labour by faith in Christ to know that he shines upon us in Christ and all other graces within us and all other gifts are from this first grace therefore they have the name Why doe we call Faith Hope and Love graces but because they issue from the mercy and favour and love of God in Christ and as I said before why doe we call any benefit we have a grace because it comes from grace all good things have the terme of grace on them to shew the Spring from whence they come I will not enter into dispute with points of Popery that stincks now in the nostrils of every man that hath but the use of ordinary reason it is so full of folly and blasphemy
Christian. True Christian who 1 6 Church Angels attend on the Church 1 211 Greatest sinnes committed in the Church 1 231 Church of God will be after us 2 85 Civill Civill men who 1 91 Comfort To comfort others an Angelicall worke 1 210 Gods love in Christ ground of comfort 1 287 See Time Conformity Conformity to Christ wherein 1 179 Conscience Comfort when conscience is awaked 1 60 What to do in trouble of conscience 1 61 Constant. Good works must be done constantly 2 73 Contraries A Christians estate in contraries 2 30 Controversie Godlinesse a mystery without controversie 1 42 Covenant Covenant renewed to maintaine peace 1 269 Covenant of grace 1 283 Courage Ground of courage in Christs cause 1 188 Crosse. See humble D Death COnfidence in death 1 277 Comfort after death 1 278 Comfort before death 2 72 Comfort in death 2 77 Trouble in death whence Ibid. To trust God with our soules in death 2 147 Debt Our debts discharged by Christ 2 18 Delight Delight in God how wrought 1 289 Despaire Comfort against despaire 1 58 145 2 54 Difference Difference of people 2 83 Diligence Diligence to know Christs grace 2 56 Discretion Discretion in almes-giving 2 74 Disgrace Comfort in disgrace 1 80 Doubting Doubting the cause of it 2 57 Earth HOw to glorifie God on earth 1 216 Why the Angels wish peace on earth 1 261 Enemy Gods enemies must be ours 1 264 Envie Nature of Angels without envy 1 213 See Angels Esteeme From what ground to esteeme our selves 2 37 Evill Freedome from evill by Christ 2 25 Example Example forcible 2 5 Example of Christ should move us 2 62 How to profit by Christs example 2 63 Motives to follow Christs example 2 66 Excellency Excellency of people what 1 136 Experience Experience of our miseries in Christ 1 53 F Faith REason must stoope to faith 1 22 Faith marries the soule to Christ 1 138 Faith the grace of application 1 140 Christ the object of faith 1 142 What conceit to have of faith 1 151 Faith put for all graces 1 153 Trials of faith 1 155 Faith to be cherished 1 161 Faith in those that do good in their life time 2 72 Faith the nature of it 2 135 See Nature Fall Fals of Gods children why suffered 1 230.2 117 Favour How to know we are in Gods favour 2 53 Feare Faith keepes out base feare 2 139 Few Gods children few 2 86 Flesh. What meant by Christ manifest in the flesh 1 52 Free All good by Christ free 1 283 Fruitfull Fruitfulnesse whence it is 2 112 See Love and Grace G Gentiles GEntiles what they were 1 128 Why they were not called before 1 129 Calling of them a mystery 1 130 Why they were not called till Christ came 1 131 Glory Glory what 1 165 217 Whence we have glory 1 175 Glory of Christ suspended why 1 185 Angels wished glory in heaven why 1 215 Glory of God our chiefe aime 1 218 Glory of God wherein shewed most 1 219 Glory of God to Moses wherein 1 224 How to know we glorifie God 1 232 Hindrances of Gods glory 1 238 How to glorifie God 1 243 Riches of glory by Christ 2 21 First fruits of glory 2 22 See Peace God God how a Spirit 1 71 Christ God before he was man 2 7 Our Mediatour must bee God why 2 9 Afflictions bring us to God 2 100 Godlinesse Godlinesse what 1 4 Godlinesse what breeds it 1 5 From what reasons we must be godly Ibid. Good Christ to be imitated in doing good 2 70 Bounty must bee especially to the good 2 74 Good-will Good-will of God the ground of all good 1 282 Gospell What our affections and carriage must be to the Gospell 1 48 The manner of publishing the Gospell 1 119 Double spring of the Gospell 1 131 What use to make of the Gospell 1 131 Sinnes against the Gospell 1 134 High esteeme of the Gospell a signe of peace 1 266 Gospell why it converts 2 64 Grace Grace the ground of peace 1 280 Christians why poore in grace 2 40 Excellency of grace 2 41 All our riches from Christs grace 2 43 47 Grace what 2 44 Christ the meritorious cause of grace 2 47 Foure descents of grace 2 48 We are justified by grace 2 49 Grace twofold Ibid. Grace of Christ fruitfull 2 52 We cannot pray for grace of our selves 2 118 Works of grace not to be denied 2 127 Two graces alway requisite 2 132 See Mystery and Diligent Great What makes times and persons great 1 36 Christ at the lowest did the greatest works 1 75 H Hate MEn by nature hate God 1 263 Hatred of sinne a signe of peace with God 1 265 Heaven See Earth Hidden Riches of a Christian hidden 2 26 Holinesse Holinesse enforced from Christs ascension 1 190 Host. Angels called an host why 1 205 Humble Humility Humility to understand Gods mysteries 1 28 Humility to improve Christs riches 2 41 Crosses should humble us 1 102 I Ignorance IGnorance hinders Gods glory 1 238 Imputation Imputation of Christs righteousnesse a part of our riches 2 19 Incarnate Second person incarnate why 1 51 Incarnation of Christ the ground of other benefiâ—s 1 218 See wonder Independent Love of God independent 1 282 Infirmities What infirmities Christ took 1 52 Comfort in daily infirmities whence 1 177 Infidelity Signe of infidelity 1 195 Inwardly We must do good to others inwardly 2 71 Ioy. Ioy how to be imployed 1 212 Iustifie Iustified Iustified what 1 71 Christ justified in spirit how 1 75 To whom Christ is justified 1 77 Why Christ justified himselfe 1 78 Iustification double 1 85 How we justifie Christ Ibid. How we jâ—stifie our profession 1 88 To justifie God in our abasement 2 97 Spiriâ—uall poverty in justification 2 113 Iudgement Gods children suffer sometimes in common judgements 2 90 K Knowledge Knowne WHat knowledge condemns 1 49 Grace may be knowne 2 55 What knowledge this 2 56 God trusted as he is knowne 2 134 148 Knowledge experimentall 2 150 L Ladder â—Acobs Ladder what it signified 1 100 Law Law why preached 1 118 The Law implied in the Gospell 1 119 Liberality Christs example should stirre up to liberality 2 68 Liberty Liberty to the throne of grace 2 20 Life Life the end of it what 1 247 Love Love to men 1 251 Love to mans nature 1 281 Love of God to us how knowne 1 288 Love of God how gotten 1 291 Love of God fruitfull 1 296 Greatnesse of Christs love 2 31 M MArriage See Faith Mediator See Beginning Meditate Order to meditate on Christ 1 197 Meditation 1 243 Men. Why the Gospel dispensed by men 1 120 See God Meritorious See Grace Mercy Mercy-seat Mercy-seat a type of Christ 1 99 Mercy in God answereth all objections 1 225 Some thinke their sins greater than Gods mercy 1 241 Meditation of Gods mercy a help to glorifie God 1 243 Mistake in applying Gods mercy 1
Motive to get into Christ. Angels our enemies out of Christ. To carry our selves answerable to our condition Not to disdaine weake Christians Psal. 113. Angels description Angels office double Christ preached to the Gentiles Rom. 1. Rom. 16. Dispensation of Christ. To preach what Manifestation of Christs Offices Christs states 1 1 Humiliation 2 2 Exaltaâ—ion Necessitie of application in Preaching Preaching of the Law The Law wrapped in the Gospel Manner of publishing tâ—e Goâ—pel Vse To magnifie this dispensation God dispenseth the Gospel by men 1 1 To trie our obedience 2 2 To knit man to man 3 3 As fitting our condition Why sinners preach to sinners To have a right esteeme of Gods Ordinance Question Answer Private Exercise with contempt of publike cursed Simile Object Answer Ephes. 4. Vse of preaching Object Answer Necessitie of much preaching Object Answer Religion not easily learned Simile Christ profits not but as preached Priviledge of Apostles Ier 3. Experience of the benefit of Preaching Question Answer Christ the object of preaching Christ preached how Christ preâ—ched to the Gentiles What the Gentiles Coloss. 1. Act. 10. Object Act 14.16 Why the Gentiles strayed so long Rom. 1. Tully Tacitus Object A Mysterie in calling the Gentiles Answer Why the Gentiles were not called till Christs comming Ephes 2. Christ came both of Iewes and Gentiles Double Spring of the Gospel What use to make of the Gospel Severall degrees of the dispensation of salvation Ground of enlarging the Gospel to other people Sinnes against the Gospel 1 1 Superstition 2 2 Decay in love 3 3 Vnfruitfulnes Hinderances to the conversion of Pagan Gospel preached the excellencie of a Nation Christ beleeved on in the world Faith the marriage of the soule to Christ. Rom. 10. Ladder of Heaven Difference betweene Gods and mens proclamations Enemies to preached 〈…〉 to salvation Christ must be beleeved on Faith the grace of application Popish meanes of applying Christ ridiculous Heb. 4. Christ must be beleeved on 1 1 Onely Galat 5. 2 2 Wholly Christ the maine object of Faith Simile Faith lookes first on Christs person Christ chiefely to be preached and heard What meant here by world Against despaire Conversion of Savages Simile Of the Iewes Beleeving in Christ a Mysterie 1 1 In respect of the world 2 2 Those that carryed the message Aug. 3 3 In respect of the Truth they taught Aug. 4 4 In respect of the suddennesse 5 5 In respect of Christ. 6 6 In respect of Faâ—th Faith altogether above nature To have high conceits of Faith Ephes. 1.18 Redemption a greater worke then Creation 1 1 For Power 2 2 For mercie Faith put for all graces Heb. 11. Vnbeleefe the sinne of Adam Encouragements to beleeve are from Christ. Trials of Faith 1 1 How it is bred 2 2 By Conflict 3 3 By what it workes Rom. 1. 1 1 Peace 2 2 Altering the course Esteeme 4 4 Prevailing 5 5 By Love Galat. 5.6 Luke 7. To cherish Faith Bellarm. Ioh. 17.3 Psal. 9. Christ received up in Glory Glory what Ephes. 1.20 1 Pet. 3. Circumstances of Christs Ascension 1 1 The Place 2 2 The Time Ioh. 17.4 3 3 The Witnesses 4 4 His Chariot Christ received to glory a Mysterie In respect of the greatnesse of the glory Christ in glory applyes his Offices to us Iohn 7. 1 1 Christ ascended as a publike person 2 2 Neerenesse betweene Christ and his Church Christs glory a cause of ours Christs glory a patterne of ours 1 Cor. 25. Vse 1. Christ not bodily present in the Sacrament Similes Vse 2. Comfort 1 1 That we have glory by Christ. Ephes. 2. 2 2 In the houre of death 3 3 In our daily infirmities 4 4 In Want 5 5 In troubles Conformitie to Christ wherein it consists 6 6 In all disconsolations he pitties us Act. 9. Heb. 4.7 The Spirit supplyes Christs bodily absence 7 7 In regard of the Churches afflictions Simile Simile How Christ rules in afflictions Ier. 30.7 Micah 7. Christ for our sakes suspended his glory The Church afflicted why The same body that suffers shall be glorious Ground of patience in suffering Ground of courage in Christs cause Ground of encouragement to good duties Christs ascending to glory enforceth holinesse Ground of mortification Coloss. 3. Christs ascending to glory a ground of heavenly-mindednesse Coloss. 3.1 Simile Argument of infidelitie Iohn 17. Influence from Christ for this dutie Order of meditation of Christ. How to conceive of Christ in the Sacrament Conclusion Matth. 3. â—â—6 The Apparition glorious 1 1 In regard of the matter 2 2 Of the benefit Gen. 3.15 Christ revealed to all sorts Beames of Christs Divinity in his abasement Division of the words 1 1 The apparition God respects no callings The Angels appeare to them in their callings God appeares in the night of affliction These Angels called an Host. For number Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 Heb. 12.22 2 2 For Order August 3 3 For consent 4 4 For imployment 5 5 For strength Guard of Angels comfortable Why God useth the ministery of Angels Angels attend Christs birth why Coloss. 1.16 Angels apparition sudden 1 1 For our Example 2 2 For our comfort The end of this apparition in respect of men Mutuall comfort from Christians a worke Angelicall Angels attend upon the Church Heb. 12. 22. Heb. 1. 2 2 The celebration Ioy how to be imployed The pure nature of Angels without envie Esay 9.6 To imitate Angels herein Specially to praise God for our own good 1 1 The chiefe end 2 2 The chiefe good 3 3 The chiefe ground Why they wish glory to God in heaven How we may glorifie God on earth more then in heaven Glory what The glory of God our chiefe end and ayme Rom. 11. Incarnation of Christ the foundation of other benefits by him Wherein God will most of all shew his glory Gods Attributes in Christ. 2 Cor. 1. Truth Wisedome Iustice. Holinesse Mercy The glory of God in Redemption exceeds 1 1 The worke of Creation 2 2 The state of Adam in innocency Exod. 34.6 Wherein Gods glory appeared to Moses Tit. 2.12 Mercy in God answereth all objections in man Object Answer Object Object Answer Hosâ—â— 11. Application to the Sacrament God out of Christ terrible These Sermons were preached at the feast of Christs nativity How to celebrate Christs Nativitie Tertullian What use to make Christs of comming Repentance what Why Gods children were suffred to fall Greatest sins committed in the Church How to know whether we glorifie God 1 1 When we exalt him above all Especially in opposition Psal. 73. Philip. 1. 2 2 When we take all favours in Christ. 3 3 When we stir up others to glorifie God Psal. 103. 4 4 When our dispositions are altered by beholding Gods glory in Christ. 1. Cor. 3. Esay 66.5 When wee grieve at the hinderances
can make us in the time of temptation yet in him we are compleate And for this end the fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily Therefore in all doubts in regard of sinne and unworthinesse let us labour for Faith for Faith is a Grace that carryes us out of our selves and plants and fixeth us in Christ let us consider of our selves in him and consider of whatsoever is in him it is for us It is no matter what we are our selves in him we are in a glorious condition And oppose him to the wrath of God and the temptations of Satan for all will fall before this God manifest in the flesh He is God therefore he can subdue all he is man and therefore hee will love us I know whom I have beleeved him that is mercifull because he is man and he hath taken my nature and him that can subdue all enemies because he is God God in the flesh a fit bottome and foundation for Faith to relye upon Let us have recourse to this therefore in all temptations whatsoever We cannot glorifie God and Christ more then to goe out of our selves and fixe our comfort here By this we have communion with the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost This incarnation of Christ it brings us into fellowship with the blessed Trinitie and it teacheth us what conceits we should have of God â—o have loving thoughts of him Wheâ—ce is that that we can call God Father From this God manifest in the flâ—sh the second Person to take away enmitie was manifeâ—t in the flesh Hence it is that I can call God Father that I can boldly goe to God that I can conceive of God as gracious and lovely And whence is it that our persons are become lovely to God From this that God hath taken our nature upon him our nature is become lovely to him and his is sweet and fatherly to us This should helpe us against Satans transforming of God and Christ to us in the time of trouble he presents him as a terrible Judge Indeed so he is to sinners that will goe on in sinne his wrath shall smoak against such there is no comfort to them in Scripture but no repentant sinners all is comfort Come unto me ye that are wearie and heavie laden and Christ came to seeke and to save that which was lost and he came to save sinners as S. Paul sayth Let us conceive of God now as lovely as a Father and of Christ as a sweet Saviour made flesh for this purpose He is God and man because he came to be a Mediator betweene God and man a friend to both being to deale with both Therefore we should thus conceive of Christ as a great and Mightie God the Ruler of the World as Esay describes him and conceive of him likewise as a meeke humble man the one to stablish our Faith that we be not shaken having such a great God to relye upon and the other to stablish our Faith in his good will God in our flesh God a Name of Power God in our flesh implyeth mercy and love pitty and compassion Therefore let not Satan abuse our imaginations if we have a mind to turne to God for as I sayd there is no comfort to them that goe on in their sinnes God will wound the hairie scalpe of them that goe on in iniquitie and they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath there is nothing but discomfort to such the wrath of God abides upon them they are in danger of damnation every minute of their lives there is but a step betweene them and Hell But for such as intend to turne to God God meets them halfe way Wee see the Prodigall did but entertaine a purpose to come to his Father and his Father meets him God in our flâ—sh hath made God peaceable to us if we goe to Christ and lay hold on him for the forgivenesse of our sinnes God in him is become a loving gracious sweet Father to us Let us frame our conceits of God as the Scripture doth when sorrow for sinne possesseth our soules take heed of going away from God that tooke our nature for this very purpose that we may boldly goe to him Oh what boldnesse have we now to goe to God in our flesh To thinke of God absolutely without God in the flesh he is a consuming fire every way terrible but to thinke of God in our nature we may securely goe to him he is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh we may sâ—curely goe to God our Brother to him that is of one nature with us and now having our nature in Heaven Think of God borne of a Virgin of God lying in the Cradle sucking the Brest thinke of God going up and downe teaching and doing all good thinke of God sweating for thee hanging on the Crosse shedding his Bloud lying in the Grave raysing himselfe againe and now in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God our Intercessor conceive of God in this flesh of ours lovely to us and now our nature must needs be lovely to him The nature of God must needs be lovely to us since he hath joyned our poore beggerly flesh to the unitie of the second Person Let us thus thinke of God manifest in the flesh To thinke of God alone it swallowes up our thoughts but to think of God in Christ of God manifest in the flesh it is a comfortable consideration To see the Sunne alone in it selfe in the glory and lustre of it it is impossible without hurting of the eye but to see the Sunne in water as we doe in an Eclipse c. we may doe it So we cannot conceive of God alone absolutely but to conceive of God in our flesh is to looke upon the Sun as it were in the water or upon the ground God in himselfe is so glorious that we could never see him as he tells Moses Exod. 33. None can ever see God and live that is God nakedly or absolutely Oh but God manifest in our flesh we may see and it shall be our happinesse in Heaven to see him there to see God in our flesh face to face We cannot too often meditate of these things it is the life and soule of a Christian it is the marrow of the Gospel it is the wonder of wonders we need not wonder at any thing after this It is no wonder that our bodies shall rise againe that mortall man should become afterwards immortall in Heaven since the immortall God hath taken mans nature and dyed in it All the Articles of our Faith and all Miracles yeeld to this grand thing God manifest in the flesh Beleeve this and beleeve all other Therefore let us often have these sweet cherishing conceits of God in our flesh that it may strengthen and feed and nourish our Faith especially in the time of temptation Againe from this that God was manifest in our flesh let
in this place Preaching goes before Beleeving Therfore the Gospel unfolded is called the Word of Faith because it begets Faith God by it works Faith and it is called the Ministerie of Reconciliation because God by it publisheth recoÌ„ciliation As preaching goes before beleeving so it is the blessed instrument by reason of the Spirit accompanying of it to worke Faith In the Ministerie of the Gospel there is not only an unfolding of the excellent things of Christ but there is grace given by the Spirit to beleeve And herein this publication proclamation differs from all other publications in the world men may publish proclayme what they would have but they cannot give hearts to beleeve it but in the blessed promulgation and publishing of Divine Truths there is the Spirit of God accompanying it to work what it publisheth it opens the Riches of Christ and offers Christ and Christ is given to the heart with it it publisheth what is to be beleeved and known and it alters our courses together with it there goes a power the Spirit cloathing the Ordinance of Preaching to doe all Therefore it is called the Ministery of the Spirit why because what is published in the preaching of the Word to those that belong to God it hath the Spirit to convey it to the soules of Gods people Therefore he sayth here first preached and then beleeved Therefore those that are enemies to this Ordinance of God they are enemies of the Faith of Gods people and by consequent enemies of the salvation of Gods people But the more the proud and haughty Atheisticall heart of man riseth against it the more we should thinke there is some divine thing in it it must needs be excellent because the proud heart of man stomacks it so much we see here it is the meanes to worke Faith Therefore as we esteeme Faith and all the good we have by it let us be stirred up highly to prize aâ—d esteeme of this Ordinance of God So much for the coherence or connexion Preached to the Gentiles and then Beleeved on in the World For the word themselves we see here first that Christ as he must be unfolded in preaching so he must be beleeved on Because the dispensation Ministeriall is not enough unlesse there be an applying grace in the heart and that is a spirit of Faith whose propertie is to make peculiar that that is offered There is a vertue of application in this grace of Faith where there is a giving there must be a receiving or else the gift is uneffectuall Christ is the Garment of the Soule he is the foundation and food c. As I said before he is our Husband we must give our consent beleeving is a spirituall marriage in marriage there must be a consent this consent is Faith that makes up the Bond betweene Christ and the beleeving soule Therefore of necessitie there must be Faith all else without beleeving in Christ is nothing Faith is the meanes of making Christ our owne and no other thing whatsoever The Papists have ridiculous meanes that they understand not themselves nor any body else they make the Sacrifice of the Masse a meanes to apply Christ and other courses but the Ministeriall meanes to apply Christ is the preaching of the Gospel and Faith that is wrought by the Ministerie of the Gospel and there is no other way of application by the Masse or any such thing Christ without Faith doth us no good in Heb. 4. The Word that they heard did not profit them because it was not mingled with Faith The Word of God the Gospel it is the power of God to salvation but it is to all that beleeve whatsoâ—ever good Christ doth to us he doth it by Faith It is a rule in Divinitie and it is to purpose in the deciding some controversies that a spirituall benefit not knowne and applyed is a nullitie because God intends all whatsoever we have to be opened to us and applyed that he might have the glory and we the comfort We see the excellencie and necessarie use of this Grace of Faith How is Christ to be beleeved on We must rest upon no other thing either in our selves or out of our selves but Christ onely In Poperie they have many other things to rest on their Faith being corrupt all their obedience likewise is corrupt that springs from it They dishonor Christ to joyne any thing in the world with him The Apostle is wondrous zealous in this to have nothing joyned with Christ as in Galat. 5. If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing onely Christ must be beleeved on in matter of salvation And whole Christ must be received beleeving is nothing but a taking or receiving of Christ as a Lord and as a Saviour as a Priest to redeeme us by his blood and Christ as a King to governe us we must take whole Christ. Wâ— see what manner of Faith is in most men that snatch out of Christ what they lift to serve their owne turne as he dyed for their sinnes so they are glad of him but as he is a Lord and King to rule and governe them so they will have none of him but turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But Christ as we must rest and rely on him onely so we must receive him and beleeve on him wholly Now Faith lookes upon Christ as the maine object of it as it justifieth the same Faith it looks upon the whole Word of God as a Divine Truth revealed but for the maine worke of it it looks upon Christ Christ is the Jewel that this Ring of Faith doth inclose and as the Ring hath the value from the Jewell so hath Faith from Christ. In the maine point of justification and comfort Faith layes hold upon Christ for mercie for the distressed afflicted soule it looks first of all to comfort and peace and reconciliation therefore it lookes first to him that wrought it that is Christ. Now the same Faith that doth this it beleeves all Divine Truths the Threatnings and Precepts c. Faith chuseth not its object to beleeve what it lists but it carryes the soule to all Divine Truths revealed but when we speake of justifying Faith then Christ and the Promises and the mercy of God in Christ is the first thing that the soule lookes unto Christ is the first object of Faith before any benefit or gift that we have from him first we must receive Christ before we have any grace or favour or strength from him And a sanctified soule lookes first to Christ to the love of Christ to the person of Christ and then to his goods and riches As one that is marryed she regards first the person of her Husband and then lookes to the enjoyment of his goods and inheritance and Nobilities or else it is no better then a Harlots love So Faith lookes to the person first it knits
the radicall grace in a Christians soule is this beleeving this trusting in God reconciled in Christ this relying upon Christ a convincing perswasion that God and Christ are mine this is the radicall grace of all other let us water and cherish this by all meanes whatsover And to this end let us labour to encrease in knowledge I know whom I have beleeved sayth the Apostle for all grace comes into the soule by the light of knowledge whatsoever is good is conveyed by light into the heart Faith especially is the bent of the will to Christ receiving him but this comes by a supernaturall light discovering Christ. Therefore let us desire to heare much of Christ of his Priviledges and Promises the more of Christ we know the more we shall beleeve and say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved It is a fond and wicked Tenent of the Papists to say That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion and Bellarmines Tenent is That Faith is better defined by Ignorance then by any thing else a fond and unlearned conceit For how soever the reason and depth of the things of Faith cannot be searched yet we may know the things that are revealed in the Scriptures The more I know the things that are revealed concerning Christ and know that they are Gods Truths the more I know the more I shall beleeve Faith of necessity requires knowledge therefore knowledge is put for all other graces This is eternall life to know thee and whom thou hast sent because it is an ingredient in all graces it is a maine ingredient in Faith the more we know the more we shall beleeve They that know thy Name will trust in thee It is not so in mens matters the more we know a man to be able and loving and faithfull of his word the more we shall trust him Is it not so in divine things the more we know of Christ and of his Riches and Truth the more experimentall knowledge we have of him that we find him to be so the more we shall trust him Therefore by the knowledge that is gotten by the meanes let us labour for an experimentall knowledge that so we may trust and beleeve in him more and more Let us looke to the passages of our lives in former times how gracious God hath been towards us and take in trust the time to come that he will be so to the end He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith And let us search into the depth of our owne wants and weaknesses and this will force us to grow in Faith more and more this will be a meanes to encrease our Faith the more we see of our owne nothingnesse and inabilitie without Christ that we are nothing nay that we are miserable without him the more we shall cleave to him and cast our selves upon him Those that have the deepest apprehensions of their owne wants and weakenesse usually they have the deepest apprehensions of Christ and grow more and more rooted in him The searching of our owne corruptions every day is a notable meanes to grow in Faith to consider what we are if it were not for Gods mercy in Christ and this will make us to make out of our selves to Christ it will make us flye to the Citie of Refuge Ioab when he was pursued he fled to the Hornes of the Altar when conscience pursues us it will make us flye to the Hornes of the Altar to the Citie of Refuge a search into our owne conscience and wayes will force us to live by Faith and to exercise Faith every day in Christ Iesus And this is to feed on Christ daily to flye to Christ when we are stung with sinne and hunger in the want of grace and strength to flye to him for supply and so to keepe and encrease Faith by this excellent meanes Christ is all in all to those that hope to be saved by him Christ is the ground of our life and comfort and our happinesse Therefore we should make out to him upon all occasions to cleave to him in life and death We cannot presse this point of Faith too much Why are Christians called beleevers because beleeving is all if we can prove the Truth of our Faith and beleefe we prove all if we be faulty in that all is rotten Whatsoever is without faith is sinne All mens naturall morality and civility it is as it were but Copper graces but counterfeits they are but for the outwarp appearance and not in truth they are not enlivened and quickned by Faith in Christ. But I leave this and come to the last Clause Received up in glory This is the last Branch of this Divine Mysterie of Godlinesse but it is none of the least Christ ascended if we respect himselfe he was received if we looke to his Father himselfe ascended his Father received him the Scripture hath both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he ascended up that is for himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was received up that is he was assumpted there is no difficulty in the words he ascendâ—d up as well as he was received up positively as well as passively In his death he was â—ot onely crucified by others and delivered by his Father but he gave himselfe to death so he was not onely received up in glory but he ascended up into glory This shewes the exaltation of Christ. The Apostle begins with God manifest in the flesh there is the descent a great Mysterie for the great God to descend into the Wombe of a Vigin to descend to the lowest parts of the Earth and then he ends with this Received up in Glory The ascent is from whence the descent was Christ ascended and was received as high as the place was whence he came downe God manifest in the flesh that is the beginning of all Received up in Glory that is the consumutation and shutting up of all It implyes all his Exaltation his Resurrection his Ascension his sitting at the right hand of God and his comming to judge the quick and the dead especially is meant his Glory after his Resurrection his Ascension and sitting at the right hand of God yet supposing his Resurrection Received up to Glory Glory implyes three things It is an exemption from that which is opposite and a conquering over the contrarie base condition It implyes some great eminencie and excellencie as the foundation of it and then a manifestation of that excellencie and it implyes victorie over all opposition Though there be excellency if there be not a manifestation of that excellencie it is not glory Christ was inwardly glorious while he was on Earth in the state of abasement he had true glory as he was God and man but there was not a manifestation of it and therefore it is not properly called glory there was not a victorie and subduing of all that was contrarie to his glory for he was abased and suffered in the Garden and
thoughts of that will be a good meanes for we must empty our selves of that we are that we may be filled with that we are not and we must daily consider the emptinesse of the creature wherewith we labour to support our selves For when men have no goodnesse in themselves they will have an excellency in the creature therefore when wee see our selves out of Christ to be nothing but fuell for Gods vengeance and see that the creature can afford us nothing but vexation these thoughts that these things are so and out of experience will make us draw neere to God upon all occasions it will make us glorifie him and abase our selves what made Iob abase himselfe and glorifie God when he drew neere to God and God drew neere to him I abhorre my selfe and so we see in Abraham Let us draw neere to God upon all occasions in the Word and Prayer and in the Sacrament and this will make us see our owne nothingnesse and Gods greatnesse for that is the way to honour him to see his greatnesse and a nothingnesse in the creature that all things in him are so excellent and out of him nothing and worse then nothing Now wee are to draw neere to God in the Sacrament and the neerer to God the more we honour him who honours God most surely Christ because he is so neere him being God and man in one Person and next to him the blessed Angels glorifie God they are neere him therefore in Isay 6. they cover their faces it being impossible for the creature to comprehend the great Majestie of God and they cover their feet in modesty the neerer we draw to God in the meditation and consideration of his excellencie in the ordinances the more humble and abased wee shall be in our selves and the more we shall honour God seeing his excellency especially of his love So next to the Angels the Saints All thy workes praise thee Psal. 145. They give matter and occasion but Thy Saints blesse thee If it were not for a few Saints on earth though all the workes of God are matter of praise they could not praise God Thy Saints blesse thee and the neerer we come to God the fitter we are for this Now there is a wondrous neere comming to God in the Sacrament if we come prepared we come to have communion and strengthening in Christ he is both the Inviter and the Feast it selfe we come to be made one with him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh therefore if wee come prepared this is the way to bring us to a disposition to glorifie God you see here the wondrous infinite love of God in the Sacrament to stoupe so low to his creature to strengthen our faith by giving us these things God had beene good to us whether he had given us his Oath and his Seale or no but he knowes we are weake and unbeleeving and doubting therefore to helpe us he hath given us not onely his promise but his Oath and besides his Oath hee hath given us signes and Seales here is wondrous mercy Let us be encouraged to come in and admire the love of God not onely in giving his Sonne Christ for us but in affording us other meanes to strengthen our faith Let none be discouraged in the sight and sense of their owne sinnes but let them come in and they shall glorifie God the more where sinne hath abounded in their sence and feeling there grace shall more abound And those that have beene good and have slipped any way let them consider Gods infinite love in Christ it is not a Cisterne but a Spring Gods mercy in Christ and the blood of Christ is a Fountaine opened for Iudah c. that is it serves not for our first conversion onely but every day upon every occasion when we have made any breach with God we may come and wash in that Bath Christs blood The blood of Christ purgeth it is in the present tense it runnes continually in the vigour of it There is a spring of corruption in us there is a Spring of mercy in God there is a Spring of Christs blood that hath a perfect efficacy to wash our soules Therefore if we have not yet beene converted and humbled and cast downe â—or our sinnes let us now come in and give God the glory of his mercy and if we have fallen againe consider there is a Fountaine opened for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in and let us come and renew our repentance and faith at this time Peace on Earth The same holy affection in the Angels that moved them to wish God to have his due of glory from the creature it moves them to wish peace to men likewise to shew this by the way that There can be no true zeale of Gods glory but with love to man-kind They were not so ravished with the glory of God as to forget poore man on earth oh no they have sweet pure affections to man a poorer creature then themselves Therfore let them that are injurious and violent in their dispositions and insolent in their carriage never talke of glorifying God when they despise and wrong men there are some that overthrow all peace in the earth for their owne glory but he that seekes Gods glory will procure peace what he can for they goe both together as we see here Glory to God in the highest peace on earth Now their end of wishing peace upon earth it is that men might thereby glorifie God that God being reconciled and peace being stablished in mens consciences they might glorifie God hence observe this likewise that We cannot glorifie God till we have some knowledge of our peace with him in Christ. We must have the first act to cast our selves upon Gods mercy in Christ and adhere and cleave to that mercy and then we shall feele so much comfort as shall make us glorifie God though we may question it in desertion sometimes here the Angels intending that God should have glory of all they wish peace on earth in the consciences of men especially The reason is peace comes from righteousnesse Christ is first the King of righteousnesse and then King of peace righteousnesse causeth peace now unlesse the soule be assured of righteousnesse in Christ it can have no peace what saith the Virgin Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour she begins with magnifying the Lord but what was the ground she rejoyced in God as a Saviour therefore she magnified him so in the Lords Prayer wee say Our Father which is a word of the Covenant of grace when the soule conceives of God as a gracious Father reconciled in Christ and then comes Hallowed be thy Name insinuating that till we know in some measure God to be our Father we cannot with a gracious spirit say Hallowed be thy Name for can we heartily wish for the manifestation of the glory of
upon him and be ruled by him and they will not it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha for Jewes and Turkes and Pagans and those that worship Devils then for us for when God offers his free love and mercy in Christ if we will entertaine it and we will none of it then justice alone shall not condemne us but mercy shall condemne us wee will none of mercy There is not the worst man but would have pardoning mercy hee is content to have God pardon his sinne but hee will not take the whole mercy and love of God in Christ curing healing mercy there are those that live in filthy courses in prophanenesse in swearing c. it is food to them to be malicious to deprave the best things Serpents feed on poyson They are content to have their sinnes pardoned if God will let their filthy nature alone their poysonfull blasphemous disposition that exalts it selfe against God and let them goe on in their course they will have one mercy but not another but wee shall never be saved without entire mercy healing as well as pardoning whom God loves hee doth not onely pardon their sinnes but heales their nature and makes it like unto Christs holy and pure Those that have not the Spirit in them desiring altering and changing and healing grace as well as pardoning grace they are hypocrites Let us remember this especially because it is most usefull and most men are deceived in this they thinke oh God is mercifull and his love is free in Christ and though I be unworthy yet God will have mercy upon me but hast thou a secret desire to partake of Gods whole mercy and love to make thee good as well as to make thee his sonne and intitle thee to heaven to have thy nature altered to see the deformity of sinne and the beauty of grace if thou hadst rather to have the Image of God upon thee more then any favour in the world that thou hadst rather be free from the bondage of sinne then any other deliverance if it be thus thy state is good To hasten considering Gods free love opened now in Jesus Christ I beseech you let us study Christ and labour to get into Christ daily more and more that wee may be members of Christ and desire God daily more and more to reveale himselfe in Christ to us that we may see his face in Christ that wee may know him in the sweet relations hee hath put on him in the Gospell To know God in generall as a Creator and doing good c. the Heathens did that by the light of nature but we should labour to â—ee him in the face of Christ that is to see him appeased and loving us wishing us well concerning eternall glory that must be by the light of the Gospell and by the Spirit therfore in hearing of the Word and reading and meditating desire God above all to reveale by his Spirit his gracâ—ous face in Christ that in Christ we may see him as a Father as a Husband as a Friend in those sweet relations of love that he hath taken upon him It should be our daily desire of God to manifest his love more to us in Christ Iesus then in any other fruits of his love for there be common fruits as to give us health and friends and liberty and quiet governement which are great favours that we see denyed to many nations oh but the soule that is touched with the spirit of God and the sence of his owne condition by nature is thus disposed Lord I desire that thou wouldest shew the fruits of thy love to me but I desire not so much those common fruits that the reprobates may have as well as I oh shew me by thy holy spirit that thou hast a particular and peculiar love to me in Christ and for this end give me grace to know the mistery of Christ more and more the mystery of my naturall corruption that knowledge that may drive me to make much of thy love and grace in Christ. Now the Spirit that knowes the deepe things of God the depth of Gods love to any one in particular and the depth of our hearts if we begge the Spirit to reveale the good pleasure of God to us in time God will shew unto our soules that he delights in us and that he is our salvation this shewes that the soule is an excellent temper that it sets a right price and value on things that it prizeth Gods favour above all things that is the nature of faith for what is faith onely to believe in generall that Christ dyed c No but to esteeme Gods love better then all the world for Gods love is entire in pardoning and curing too by this the soule is raysed up to esteeme the love and mercy of God in pardoning and healing sinne above life it selfe Psal. 63. Thy loving kindnesse is better then life To conclude all with this one motive the loving kindnesse of God when wee have it once it is no barren complementall kindnesse it is a loving kindnesse that reacheth from everlasting to everlasting from Gods love in chusing to his love in glorifying us it is a love that reacheth to the filling of nature with all the happinesse it is capable of In this world in all misery one beame of Gods loving kindnesse will scatter all clouds whatsoever what raised the spirit of Daniel in the Lions Den of the three young men in the middest of the Furnace of St. Paul in the Dungeon the beames of Gods love in Christ brake into the prison into the Dungeon a few beames of that will enlarge the heart more then any affliction in the world can cast it downe It is excellent that Moses saith Deut. 33. The good pleasure of him that dwelt in the bush c. You know that God appeared in the bush when it was flaming the flaming bush shewed the state of Israel in the middest of the Furnace of persecution yet notwithstanding the bush was not consumed why because the good will of God was in the bush so let us be in any persecution put case wee bee like Moses bush all on fire yet the fire shall not consume nor hurt us why the good pleasure of him that dwelt in the bush is with us in Isai 43. I will bee with thee in the fire and in the water not to keepe thee out but I will be with thee in it so that in the greatest persecutions that can be in the fiery tryall as Saint Peter cals it the good will of him that dwelt in the bush will bee with us so that wee shall not be consumed though we bee in the fire afflicted but not despaire why the good pleasure of God dwels in the bush in the Church in the middest of afflictions and persecutions hee is with us who can bee miserable that hath the presence of God the favour and good will of God
293 Mystery Mystery what 1 8 Mystery in Scripture what 1 9 The Gospell a mystery how 1 10 Every grace a mystery 1 12 All in Christ mysteries 1 13 To blesse God for mysteries 1 19 How to come to these mysteries 1 20 Who teacheth these mysteries 1 23 How to know these mysteries 1 24 Different carriage of men toward these mysteries 1 27 Mystery of iniquity 1 32 Popery a mystery of iniquity how 1 33 Why that mystery is suffered Ibid. Godlinesse a great mystery how 1 34 How to be affected with this great mystery 1 38 Believing in Christ a mystery how 1 146 See Controversie and Ascension Mysticall The Church mysticall 1 14 Moses See Glory Mortification Mortification the ground of it 1 193 N Nativity NAtivity of Christ how to be celebrated 1 228 Nature Benefit of Christs taking our nature 1 54 Not to defile our nature why 1 66 Faith altogether above nature 1 150 Necessity See All. O Obedience HOw God tries our obedience 1 120 Objection How to answer all objections 1 59 Offer Danger of neglecting Gods offer 1 293 Owne We must do good to others of our owne 2 71 Others See Speedy Chearefull Inwardly Seasonably Constantly P Pagans PAgans conversion hindred 1 135 Passion Passion to be avoided in Gods mysteries 1 30 Patience Ground of patience in suffering 1 188 Pawne Christians have a rich pawne 2 29 Peace Peace with God necessary that we may glorifie him 1 251 Peace whence it comes 1 252 Peace what 1 253 Christ our peace 1 255 Peace founded in Christ 1 256 Peace wrought by Christ why 1 257 How to know we are at peace with God 1 262 Peace with God workes peace with others 1 267 False peace dangerous 1 268 Peace how maintained 1 269 Motives to peace 1 272 Danger of men without peace 1 273 Happinesse of men that have peace with God 1 276 See Earth and Grace Persecute Religion why persecuted 1 14 Person Faith lookes to Christs person 1 143 See Incarnate Posterity How to provide for posteritie 2 76 Power Great power to make a Christian 1 91 Prayer Necessity of prayer 1 26 Prayer necessary to maintaine peace 1 270 Prayer for benefactors 2 72 Preach To preach what 1 116 Necessity of application in preaching 1 117 Vse of preaching 1 123 Christ profits not but as preached 1 125 Christ the object of preaching 1 126 Christ preached how 1 127 See Law Pride Grounds against pride 1 66 Pride the cause of our fall 1 22 What takes away the fuell of pride 2 99 Predestination Providence serves predestination 1 105 Private Private exercise with contempt of publike condemned 1 122 Priviledges Priviledges whence to esteeme them 2 43 Proclamation Proclamations of God and men differ 1 139 Profession See Iustifie Promises Christians rich in promises 2 28 Promises performed by degrees 2 92 Prosperity Prosperity the danger of it 2 96 Poore Poverty Christ became poore 2 10 Particulars of Christs poverty 2 10 Aggravation of Christs poverty 2 15 Our owne poverty a part of our riches 2 29 Not to despise men for poverty 2 34 103 Poverty of spirit how helped 2 98 Spirituall poverty what 2 107 Degrees of spirituall poverty Ibid. Evidences of this poverty 2 109 Necessity of it 2 111 Spirituall poverty after conversion 2 113 Signes of spirituall poverty 2 120 To labour for spirituall poverty 2 127 How to get spirituall poverty 2 This poverty makes us trust in God 2 153 See Grace Providence See Predestination Q Quiet HOw faith quiets the soule 2 139 Quicken Love quickens to duty 2 139 R Reason MYsteries of religion above reason 1 22 Vse oâ— reason in religion Ibid. See Faith Recreation Recreations to be made good use of 2 42 Redemption Redemption greater than creation 1 151 223 Religion How to carrie our selves in religion 1 15 Religion not easily learned 1 124 See Persecute Repentance Repentance what 1 229 Revelation The spirit of revelation to be begged 1 246 295 Rich. Riches Christ was rich 2 5 Riches what 2 6 Christ became poore to make us rich 2 18 What riches wee have by Christ Ibid. Abasement of outward riches 2 35 Why we want spirituall riches 2 38 Christians sometimes know not their riches 2 39 How to improve our riches by Christ 2 41 S Sacrament CHrist not bodily present in the Sacrament 1 174 How to conceive of Christ in the Sacrament 1 198 Salvation Degrees of dispensation of salvation 1 133 Christ a joynt cause of our salvation 2 44 Satisfaction Satisfaction required in our restoring 2 23 Sanctification Spirituall poverty in sanctification 2 114 Sanctification makes us trust in God 2 154 Seasonable The good we do to others must be seasonable 2 72 Scripture Scriptures why not understood of Iewes 1 50 See Christ. Separation There is a separation out of Christ 1 253 Sight What meant by sight 1 93 Sinne. I Sinne the greatnesse of it hinders not Gods love 1 292 How farre Christ tooke our sinnes 2 12 Soule Outward things not proportionable to the soule 2 36 Speed Our good we doe to others must bee with speed 2 70 Spirit Spirituall Necessity of depending on the Spirit 1 24 The Spirit teacheth to applie truths 1 25 Christ by his Spirit overcomes in his Church 1 84 Christs bodily absence supplied by the Spirit 1 181 Spirit how obtained 2 24 Riches of Christians Spirituall 2 27 To converse with those that have the Spirit 2 65 Spring See Gospell Staggering Staggering in religion whence 1 44 Strictnesse Strictnesse of life forced from the Gospell 2 61 Studie To studie Christ daily 1 294 Suffering Spirituall poverty in suffering 2 119 T Temptation HOw Satan represents God in temptation 1 59 62 Terrible God out of Christ terrible 1 227 Thankefulnesse Thankefulnesse ground of it 2 87 Thankefulnesse whence it is 2 112 Times Why God hath some people in the worst times 2 83 Comfort against evill times 2 91 Trinity Whence we have communion with the Trinity 1 61 How to thinke of the persons in Trinity 2 46 Trouble Comfort in trouble whence 1 179 Difference of men in trouble 1 276 Trust. God must be trusted in 2 135 Trust what meant by it 2 1â—6 God how the object of trust 2 137 Evidences of trust in God Ibid. How to come to trust in God 2 148 Trust to be exercised upon all occasions 2 152 Truth Truths divine not to be slighted 1 24 V VAlue See Blessings Vnbeliefe Vnbeliefe hinders Gods glory 1 239 Vnfruitfulnesse Vnfrâ—â—â—fulnesse a sinne against the Gospell 1 135 Vnion Vnion threefold 1 56 Vnion with Christ necessarie 2 24 Voluntarie Christs abasement voluntarie 2 47 W Want COmfort in want 1 179 Outward want supplied by Christ 2 28 Watchfulnesse Watchfulnesse necessary to maintaine peace with God 1 269 Weake Whence to respect the weake 1 101 Wisdome Divine truth wisdome 1 7 Wonder How to cease wondring at worldly things 1 40 Christs incarnation a matter