our whole nature a humane body and humane soule And he tooke our nature upon him when it was at the worst not in innocencie but with all the infirmities that are naturall infirmities not personall Therefore he came to be so that he might be pittifull You will say How can he be pittifull There are many infirmities that he tooke not upon him he tooke not upon him all infirmities I answere by proportion to those that hee tooke he knew how to be pittifull to those hee tooke not He is infinitely wise he knowes how to make the proportion it is often set downe in Heb. 2. and Heb. 4. as one end of his taking our nature upon him that he might be a pittifull and mercifull Redeemer But some will say Indeed he tooke my nature and the generall infirmities as wearinesse and hunger and the like but I am sicke and troubled in mind and conscience Though he felt not all particular grievances yet notwithstanding having taken our nature upon him that he might be pittifull and mercifull according to the proportion that he felt himselfe he knowes how to pittie us in our sicknesses and losses and crosses every way And for the chiefe the trouble of mind alas he knew it in that great desertion when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So we may comfort our selves that we have a mercifull and pittifull and gracious Saviour God in the flesh He hath taken our flesh upon him for that purpose that he might have experimentall knowledge of our infirmities and weakenesses and from that he might be the more sweet and kind and gentle to us He was not sick himselfe but by experience of labour and thirst and the like he knew what it was to be sick by that he felt He knew not what it was to sinne and to be troubled for sinne because he felt it not in himselfe but being our suretie for sinne and feeling the wrath of God for it he had experience to be compassionate from this He was wearie to pittie those that are wearie he was hungry to pittie them that are hungry he was poore to pittie those that are so he was mis-used and reproached to pittie those that are in the like condition You can name nothing but he can out of his owne experience be mercifull and pittifull unto In that God the second Person appeared in our nature in our weake and tainted disgraced nature after the Fall From hence comes first of all the enriching of our nature with all graces in Christ as it is in Coloss. 2. All the Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge are in him in our nature in Christ there is abundance of riches our nature in him is highly enriched Hence comes againe the ennobling of our nature in that God appeared in our nature it is much ennobled when our nature is engâ—affed into a higher Stock a meane Graff or Syens into so glorious a Stock as Christ it is a high dignitie that now our flesh is marryed to the second Person it is a wondrous advancement of our nature even above the Angelicall Hee tooke not the nature of Angels It was a great exaltation to our nature that God should take it into the unitie of his Person for the humane nature of Christ had no subsistence but in the second Person And this doth not any way debase the humane nature of Christ that it had no subsistence but in the God-head Peter and Iames and Iohn c. had a subsistence of their owne but Christ had no subsistence but in the second Person And yet I say it did no way demeane the humane nature of Christ because it was advanced to a higher Stock where it hath a glorious subsistence and being In the third place hence comes the enabling of our nature to the worke of salvation that was wrought in our nature it came from hence God was in the flesh From whence was the humane nature enabled to suffer Whence was it upheld in suffering that it did not sinke under the wrath of God God was in the flesh God upheld our nature so that both the riches and dignitie and the ablenesse of our nature to be saving and meritorious all came from this that God was in our nature And hence comes this likewise that whatsoever Christ did in our nature God did it for God appeared in our nature he tooke not upon him the person of any man but the nature And therefore our flesh and the second Person being but one person all that was done was done by the Person that was God though not as God Therefore when he dyed God dyed when he was crucified God was crucified If he had beene two persons he had dyed in one person and the other had not dyed Now being but one person though two natures whatsoever was done in the nature the person did it according to the other nature He could not die as God therefore because in love he would dye and be a Sacrifice he would take upon him such a nature wherein he might be a Sacrifice This is a great dignitie that our nature is taken into the unitie of the Person of the Sonne of God Therefore hence it comes I say that whatsoever was done in our nature God did it Hence comes also the union betweene Christ and us Whence is it that we are sonnes of God Because he was the sonne of man God in our flesh There are three unions the union of Natures God to become man the union of Grace that wee are one with Christ and the union of Glorie The first is for the second and the second for the third God became man that man might be one with God God was manifest in the flesh that we might be united to him and being brought againe to God the Father we might come to a glorious union By this that God was manifest in the flesh it is that he was marryed first to our nature that we by union might be marryed to him we had never had union with God unlesse God had united our flesh to him in that flesh had satisfied God All that Christ did sayth S. Peter it was to bring us back againe to God Hence likewise comes the sympathy betweene Christ and us for Christ is sayd to suffer with us Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He is sayd to be imprisoned in us and we are sayd to ascend gloriously with him because he tooke upon him our nature so if he be honoured we are honoured if we be despised he is despised There is a mutuall affection and sympathie betweene Christ and us Hence likewise comes the efficacie of what Christ did that the dying of one man should be sufficient for the whole World it was that God was in the flesh The Apostle may well call this God manifest in the flesh a Mysterie and place it in the first ranke
for God to be included in the Wombe of a Virgin for happinesse it selfe to become a Curse for him that hath the Riches of all in him to become poore for our sakes for him that ever enjoyed his Fathers presence to want the beames of it for a time that he might satisfie his Fathers justice and undergoe his wrath for our sinnes here is a matter of wonderment indeed And shall we thinke so great a Mysterie as this was for small purpose That the great God should take upon him a Piece of Earth That he should become a poore and weake man The immortall God to take upon him our flesh and to dye That he whom Heaven and Earth cannot comprehend should be inclosed in the Wombe of a Virgin For him to be so abased as there was never any abasement like unto Christs because of the greatnesse of his Person If Angels had done so alas they were inferiour creatures they were servants to God but for the Sonne of God to take our nature when it was so low for so excellent a Person to be abased so low There was none ever suffered that that God in our flesh suffered For as communion with his Father was sweeter to him then to all men besides so for him to want communion with his Father upon the Crosse when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It was the greatest abasement to him being the most sensible of it therefore there was no suffering like that of Christs And shall we thinke so great a matter was for small purpose for little sinnes or for few sinnes onely Oh no it was to give a foundation to our Faith in all extremitie of temptations to stay our Conscience in the guilt of great and crying sinnes Oh despaire not despaire not this Great Mysterie the Apostle speakes of for the great God to become man it was for great sinnes that where Sinne hath abounded Grace might super-abound God intended in this to set downe the accusing Conscience to quiet and still it God is offended it is true but God manifest in the flesh hath made reconciliation and satisfaction Hee was a Sacrifice for sinne and God will answer God God the Sonne will answer the displeasure of God the Father because he is appointed to this Office by him He is set forth as it is Rom. 3. to be the propitiation Therefore in all risings of Conscience in the time of trouble in the houre of death let us remember this Great Mysterie God manifest in the flesh Gods purpose in this was to triumph as it were over all the clamours of Conscience whatsoever over all things that Satan object what he will here is a shield put into the hand of Faith to beat back all his fierie darts God in the Covenant of Grace which is founded in Christ in God in our nature doth intend to be gracious to sinners It is a greater Mysterie then that of the Creation For God there did good to a good man he made Adam good and continued him good while he stood but after the fall God intended to rayse up the doubting unbeleeving soule against the greatest ills of sin and despaire and against all objections for sinne whatsoever from the greatnesse of sin either naturall or actuall It is the glory of God in the Gospel to glorifie his mercy and goodnesse in prevailing and triumphing over the greatest ills that can be Now he is good to sinners and to great sinners so that if there be Faith wrought by the Spirit of God raysing up our soules to lay hold of this God manifest in the flesh let us not be discouraged with any sin our sinnes are but the sinnes of men but God manifest in the flesh was made a Sacrifice for our sinnes and hath given a price answerable What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see Gods love in sending his Sonne and Christs love in taking our nature on him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his bloud Therefore let us treasure up this comfort it is a Spring of comfort a Well of consolation as the Scripture speaks therefore let us such comâ—ort out of this Brest of consolation We may turne over things now in the time of peace with ease but in the time of temptation when the soule is touched with guilt and Satan plyes us with temptations the soule will have no rest but in an infinite ground of comfort The soule is prone naturally to mis-give and to forecast the worst and to conceive hardly of God in the time of temptation as an enemie and Satan is then busie about nothing so much as that we should have hard conceits of God and to make us forget the maine end of the great worke of our Redemption which is to undermine our unbeleefe by all meanes by setting before the soule such grounds as the most unbeleeving heart in the world if it did consider of would fasten and lay it selfe upon Therefore let us labour to cherish at such times especially large thoughts of the infinite goodnesse and mercie of God and of the love of Christ condescending so low as to be manifest in the flesh for our sakes It is a point of wondrous comfort that now in CHRIST JESUS God becomming man we can in him break through the justice of God For as I said when Conscience is awaked there are other manner of conceits of God then when it is sleepie and drowsie A sleepie Christian hath a sleight conceit of God as if he as little thought of his sinnes as he doth himselfe Oh but when Conscience is awaked and when we are drawne from the pleasures of sinne and they from us and Conscience hath nothing to doe but to looke upon God and upon the time to come which is eternity then if there be not somewhat for Conscience to oppose that is equall to the justice of God if there be not somewhat about us to cloath us and arme us to passe thorow the justice what will become of us Therefore it is a fruitfull consideration that God was manifest in our flesh and that to give satisfaction to God that so Conscience might have full satisfaction This teacheth us what we should doe when we find any trouble rise in our Conscience for sins and unworthinesse Cast our selves upon God in our flesh God that became flesh for us and dyed for us let us stay our selves there I am unworthy a lumpe of sinne there is nothing in me that is good Oh but I have all in Christ he is righteousnesse for me he hath abundance for me his fulnesse is for me Therefore you have it Coloss. 2.16 The fulnesse of the God-head dwells in him bodily To what purpose is this fulnesse in him He shewes in the words following In him wee are compleate Suppose in our selves we be sinners and weake that we are as ill as sinne or the Devill
died But where these three are an exemption and freedome from all basenesse and all that may diminish reckoning and estimation and when there is a foundation of true excellency and likewise a shining a declaring breaking forth of that excellency there is glory But Christ after he was manifest in the flesh and had done the work here that hee had to doe hee was received up to glory that is all basenesse was layd aside his glory appearing all abasement did vanish he was victorious over that for in his Resurrection that was the first degree of his glory you know the Clothes that he was bound with were left in the Grave the Stone was remooved all things that might hinder his glory that might abase him in body in soule or condition they were remooved there was an excellency in all that was not before in regard of manifestation For his Body it was now impassible an immortall spirituall Body it could suffer no longer it was not fed with meat and drink as in the time of his abasement it was a Body so agile and so nimble that he could moove even as he would himselfe so there was a glory put upon his Body above the Sunne There was a glory upon the Soule all that might hinder that was subdued for there was no sorrow no feare nor griefe as there was in his Soule before he was glorified so both in Body and Soule he was more glorious And then for his whole condition that was glorious he was abased no longer for now he was taken into the highest place of all above the Heavens and as his place is most eminent so his government is most eminent for he is taken up there above all Principalities and Powers as it is Ephes. 1.20 and is gloriously set downe at the right hand of God 1 Pet. 3. All being subject to him he hath the domination and government of all So that whatsoever might shadow and cloud him all ills eyther in Body in Soule or condition all was remooved and he was glorious in all For excellencie the foundation of glory that was alway with him in his very abasement but now it was manifested he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by raysing himselfe from the dead he was declared to be glorious in all those things wherein he could be glorious As no person can be glorious but eyther it must be in body or soule or condition he was glorious in all for hee was received up into the place of glory to Heaven to the assembly of glory to the presence of his Father and the blessed Saints and Angels and no question but there was a glorious welcome If the Angels came so chearefully to proclaime his Incarnation when he was borne and sang Glory be to God on high on Earth peace good will towards men What kind of triumph doe you thinke was made by all the blessed companie in Heaven when he was entertained thither after his abasement It is beyond our conceits to imagine It will not be altogether unusefull to speake of the circumstances of Christs being taken up to glory Whence was he taken He was taken up to glory from Mount Olivet where he used to pray and where he sweat water and blood where he was humbled from the place of Humiliation was his Ascension to glory shewing unto us that the place oft times where we pray where we are afflicted our sick Beds nay the places of our abasement the very Prisons they may be as Mount Olivet to us from whence God will take us to glory Let no man therefore feare and abasement it may prove as Mount Olivet to him in this respect And when was he taken up to glory Not before he had finished his worke as he sayth Iohn 17.4 I have finished the worke thou gavest me to doe Then he was taken up when he had done all when he had accomplished our salvation And after his abasement not before So our taking up to glory it must be when we have done our worke when we have finished our course when we have runne our race when we have fought the good fight And also after our abasement we must first suffer with Christ before we can be glorified with him Againe if we speake of the first degree of Christs glory his Resurrection he was taken up to glory when he was at the lowest that could be when he was in the Grave so Gods Church and children at the lowest they are neerest to glory We use to say Things when they are at the worst are neerest mending so is the state and condition of the Church of God and every particular Christian when he is lowest he is neerest raysing as we shall see afterwards The witnesses of this were the Angels they proclaimed his Incarnation with joy and without doubt they were much more joyfull at his ascending up to glory it was in the presence of the Angels So likewise when he shall come to manifest his glory at the day of Judgement there will be innumerable thousands of Angels Those glorious creatures were witnesses of his glory and no question but they yeelded their joyfull attendance and service that were so willing to attend him at his birth and comming into the world He was carryed up in the clouds in which also he shall come againe at the last day But before he was taken up to glory he was fortie dayes on Earth to give evidence to his Apostles and Disciples of his Resurrection and to instruct and furnish them in things concerning their Callings afterwards he was taken up to glory And in all that time of his abode on Earth after his first degree of glory his Resurrection he was never seene of sinfull eye for any thing we see in Scripture I meane of those that were scorners of him that despised him The Scribes and Pharises and carnall people did not see him they had no commerce at all with him after his Resurrection they that despised him in his abasement had no comfort by exaltation But that which I will chiefely presse in this Clause shall be to shew That as this is a Mysterie so how it is a Mysterie of Godlinesse to stirre us up to godlinesse for as I sayd befoâ—e Divine Truths and Principles they are called Godlinesse because where they are embraced they worke godlinesse the soule is transformed into them where these Truths are ingrafted in the soule as S. Peter saith they turne the soule into their owne nature Therefore I will shew how this Mysterie Christ received up to glory breeds a frame of Godlinesse in the heart That it is a Mysterie it will easily appeare For was it a great Mysterie that God should take our nature upon him to be abased in it Surely it must needs be a Mysterie that God will be glorified in our nature Was our nature advanced in his Incarnation Much more was it glorified in his Exaltation when he
carryed it to Heaven with him Here was the Mysterie of the Exaltation of our nature God was as much abased as he could be being borne and dying for us our humane nature was as much advanced as it could be when God raised it up to Heaven God could be no more abased remaining God and mans nature can be no more advanced remaining the true nature of man This is a great Mysterie the advancement of our nature in Christ that was made lower then the Angels he was a worme and no man now our nature in Christ is advanced above the Angels Now this nature of ours in Christ it is next to the nature of God in dignitie here is a Mysterie Among many other respects it is a Mysterie for the greatnesse of it We see after his Ascension when he appeared to Paul in glory a glimpse of it strucke Paul downe he could not endure it Nay before he suffered a very shadow of his glory it amazed Peter and Iames and Iohn they could not beare it they forgat themselves Let us build say they three Tabernacles c. If a little discoverie of his glory on Earth wrought these effects what great glory is it then that he hath in Heaven Certainely it is beyond all expression In this glorious condition that Christ is received into he fulfils all his Offices in a most comfortable manner He is a glorious Prophet to send his Spirit now to teach and open the heart he is a glorious Priest to appeare before God in the Holy of Holies in Heaven for us for ever and he is a King there for ever from thence hee rules his Church and subdues his enemies So that though he accomplished and fulfilled those blessed Offices that were appointed him in the state of humiliation on Earth as it became that state to suffer for us yet it was necessarie that he should enter into glory to manifest that he was a King Priest and Prophet for he was not manifested who he was indeed to our comfort till he was received up in glory We had not the Spirit the Holy-Ghost sent from above till he ascended as it is in Iohn 7. The Holy-Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended to apply and to helpe us make use of Christ and all his benefits and riches so that in regard of the manifestation of Christs Offices and of application of all the good we have by it it is by Christ received up in glory To come to some application First of all we must lay this for a ground and foundation of what followes That Christ ascended as a publike person he must not be considered as a particular person alone by himselfe but as the second Adam As he tooke the nature of man in his Incarnation so he ascended into Heaven in it as a publike person As the first Adam was in whom we all sinned and all came to misery and basenesse and died so Christ must be considered as the second Adam as in other things so in his ascension to glory In the second place we must know that there is a wondrous neerenesse betweene Christ and us now for before we can thinke of any comfort by the glory of Christ we must be one with him by Faith for he is the Saviour of his Body therefore we must be in him we must be his members we must be his Spouse and being so once we are one with Christ. There is no relation in the world that is able to expresse the neerenesse betweene Christ and us sufficiently and therefore when we speake of Christ ascended into glory we must needs think of our selves of our glory and advancement he was taken up to glory in our nature not only for himselfe but for all his As the husband of the Church he is gone before to take up Heaven for his wife as a husband takes up Land in another Countrey for his Spouse though she be not there Christ hath taken up Heaven for us I goe before to prepare a place for you So likewise he is in Heaven as a glorious Head ministring vertue and comfort and strength to all his all our power and strength it comes from Christ now as our Head in Heaven Againe there is a causality the force of a cause in this because Christ therefore we here is not onely a priority of order but a cause likewise and there is great reason Was there the force of a cause in Adam that was but meere man to convey sinne and misery and the displeasure of God to all that are borne and descend of him and is there not the force of a cause in the second Adam to convey grace and glory to his he being God man Therefore whatsoever is good it is first in Christ and then in us Christ first rose therefore we shall rise he ascended into glory therefore we shall be afterward in glory And then we must consider Christ not onely as an efficient cause but as a patterne and example how we shall be glorified he is not onely the efficient of all glory within and without but he is the exemplary cause for all is first in him and then in us he was first abased and so must we and then he was glorified and so shall we we must be conformable to his abasement and then to his glory he is the first fruits of them that sleepe he being the first fruits we succeed These things being premised as grounds I come to make some use of this comfortable point Christ is received up in glory Therefore first of all for our information we must not seeke him in a Wafer-cake we must not looke for him in the Sacrament bodily how can he be there when he is received up in glory Therefore when we come to the Sacrament let us consider we have now to deale with Christ who is in Heaven Cannot Christ shew his vertue to comfort and strengthen us but we must have his Body in the Communion to touch our bodies The foot hath influence from the head yet the head is distant from it in place The utmost branches have life and sap from the root yet they are remote in respect of place A King spreads his influence over his whole Kingdom though it be never so large yet he is but in one place in respect of his person Doth the Sunne in the Heavens come downe to the Earth to make the Spring and to make all fruâ—tfull Cannot he send beames and influence from thence to cherish the Earth Must Christ come downe in his Body to us or else he can doe us no good Must there be a corporeall descent or else we can receive no influence from him There may be a derivation of vertue from Christ though his person be in Heaven where he shall remaine till the last day when he shall come to be glorious in his Saints The Sunne doth more good being in Heaven
meerely with the Word and with suffering their weapons were nothing but patience and Preaching offering the Word of Christ to them and suffering indignities as S. Austin sayth the World was not overcome by fighting but by suffering So the Lambes overcame the Lyons the Doves overcame the Birds of prey the Sheep overcame the Wolves I send you sayth Christ as Sheepe among Wolves and how by nothing but by carrying a Message and suffering constantly and undauntedly for going with their Message for they had cruell bloody Lawes made against them that were executed to the utmost yet by these meanes they overcame by Preaching and sealing the Truth that they taught by suffering a strange kind of conquest The Turks conquer to their Religion but it is by violent meanes it is a Religion of blood but here as I sayd meanenesse overcame greatnesse ignorance overcame learning simplicity overcame pride basenesse overcame glory a Mysterie in this respect Againe if wee consider the Truth that they taught being contrarie to the nature of man contrarie to his affections to enforce selfe-denyall to men that naturally are full of selfe-love that make an Idoll of their wit and will for them to come to be taught to be fooles in respect of wit and to resigne up their wills to the will of another for these men to beleeve things that are above beleefe to carnall men as St. Austin observes it was the wonder of the world what a kind of doctrine was this to win such entertainment in the world as it did yet it did make men denie themselves denie their wits their wills their goods their lives Therefore in this respect it was a great Mysterie that Christ should be beleeved on in the World Againe if we consider another circumstance it addes to the Mysterie that is the suddennesse of the conquest the world was conquered to the Faith and obedience of Christ. In a short time after Christ one man S. Paul spread the Gospel almost all the world over he conquered almost all the world he spread the savour of the Gospel like Lightning suddenly and strongly because there was an Almighty Power and Spirit accompanying the glorious Gospel and thereupon it came to be thus effectuall with the world Againe it is a wonder in respect of Christ whom the world beleeved on What was Christ Indeed he was the Sonne of God but he appeared in abased flesh in the forme of a servant he was crucified and for the proud world to beleeve in a crucified Saviour it was a Mysterie Lastly it is a great mysterie especially in respect of Faith it selfe Faith being so contrarie to the nature of man For the heart of man where Faith is wrought to go out of it selfe and to embrace a beginning and Principle and rising of life from another to seeke justification and salvation by the righteousnesse and obedience of another for the proud heart of man to stoupe to this to acknowledge no righteousnesse of its owne to stand before the Tribunall of God but to have all derived from Jesus Christ to fetch forgivenesse of sins out of the death of another to wrap it selfe in the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ given of God for it the heart of man without a supernaturall worke of the Spirit to subdue it will never yeeld to this because proud flesh and bloud will alway have somewhat in it selfe to dote upon and to set it out before God and when it finds nothing in it selfe then it despaires for the heart of man thus to goe out of it selfe and rely onely upon the righteousnesse of Christ not having its owne righteousnesse this is the greatest Mysterie Especially for a guiltie Soule that hath its eyes opened to discerne of its owne estate for a conscience awakened to trust in God being a holy God a just God for these two to meet together God and a doubting galled misgiving conscience fore-casting the worst for such a conscience to find peace by this act of Faith casting it selfe upon Christ this is more then can be done by any power of nature There is somewhat in nature for all legall obedience man naturally hath some seedes to love his Parents to hate Murther and the like but to go out of himselfe and cast himselfe upon Gods love and mercy in Christ there is no seeds of this in nature but all against Faith in Christ oft times when a man is cast downe all in the world seemes to make against him and then for a man to have his heart raysed up by an Almightie power to beleeve certainely this must be a Mysterie I say when all makes against him his Conscience makes against him and the Judgement of God against him and Satans temptations against him all the frame of things present seemes to be against him God himselfe oft times seemes to be against him to be an offended God justly offended with his sinnes for the soule in this case to cast it selfe upon God in Christ there must needs be a hidden and excellent deepe worke on the soule This is the greatest Mysterie the greatest difficultie is in this branch considering how contrarie to the heart of man Faith is Let us take heed of shallow conceits of Faith as if it were an easie common universall grace to beleeve No beloved it is a supernaturall powerfull worke Saint Paul sets it out divinely and largely in Ephes. 1.18 Hee calls it the Mightie power of God it requires not onely a Power but an Almighty Power to rayse the heart of man to beleeve For even as the worke of Redemption by Christ is a greater worke in it selfe then the worke of Creation so also the worke of Conversion though they be all one to an infinite Power yet the thing it selfe is more difficult to make the heart of man to beleeve then to make a world of nothing for when God made the world there was nothing to oppose there he had to doe with simple nothing but when God comes to make the heart beleeve he findes opposition and rebellion he finds man against himselfe he finds the heart and conscience against it selfe he finds opposition from Satan that helps mans distrustfull heart then all meet together afflictions the sense of Gods anger and mans guiltie conscience now to make such a man beleeve is more then to create a world And as God shewed more power so he shewed more mercy in the worke of Redemption then in the Creation In the Creation there he did good to a good man Adam was created good and he should had he stood have continued in a good condition but in the worke of Redemption God doth good to evill men God transcends in his love because the glory of his mercie reignes in the worke of Redemption so that the power and wisedome and mercie being greater in the worke of Redemption it requires a more super-natural power in the soule to apprehend this
into Heaven so it shall be with us the same body that suffers any thing for Christ the same body that dies the same Body shall rise and be assumed to glory Hence likewise we have a ground of patience in all our sufferings from another reason not from the order but from the certaintie of glory Shall we not patiently suffer considering the glory that we shall certainely have If we suffer with him wee shall be glorified with him Who will not be patient a while that hath such glory in his eye Therefore let us looke upon the glory of Christ in all our sufferings whatsoever What made Moses and all the Saints in all times to be so patient They had an eye this way What made Steven not onely patient but glorious His face shone as the face of an Angel he looked on Iesus Christ and saw him sitting at the right hand of God What made the Martyrs not onely patient but triumphant in all their sufferings They had an eye of Faith to see Christ sitting in glory and to see themselves in Heaven glorious in Christ and not onely to see themselves glorious in Christ but in themselves afterwards Wee are not onely glorious in our Head but we shall be our selves where he is Taken up in glory And let it stirre us up likewise not to be ashamed of Religion and to stand out in good causes for Christ and the Church He is not ashamed to be called our Brother no not after his Resurrection Goe tell my brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father He was not ashamed of it when he began to be in the state of glory he is not ashamed of our nature now to take it up into Heaven he is not ashamed to owne us here and at the Day of Judgement to set us at his right hand And shall we now for feare of men for feare of shame for any base earthly respect be ashamed of our glorious Head Doe we beleeve that we have a Head that is glorious in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God that ere long will come to judge the quike and the dead and shall we be ashamed to hold out the profession of Religion for a scorne for a word for a frowne Where is the Spirit of glory the Spirit that should be in Christians that hope to be glorious He that is ashamed of me here saith Christ I will be ashamed of him at that great Day How can we thinke that Christ will owne us when we will not owne Religion here When we are ashamed to stand for him shall we thinke to stand at his right hand All base carnall Atheisticall spirits that are afraid of disgrace of displeasure of losse of any thing but of him they should be afraid of let them know there is no comfort for them in Christs exaltation For if they had any communion with Christ he would infuse another manner of spirit into them Let us therefore stand for Christ we have a glorious Head a glorious hope a glorious Inheritance And let us goe on with incouragement in good duties with a Spirit of Faith for wherefore is Christ in Heaven but to rule his Church by his Spirit To leade captivitie captive and to give gifts to men Let us therefore goe on with confidence that Christ from Heaven will give us his Spirit to subdue our corruptions He is in Heaven to rule his Church and what is his Kingdome but the subduing of our spirits by his Spirit to be more humble and more holy and gracious every way Let us not thinke that our corruptions will be too hard for us but goe on in a Spirit of Faith That Christ that dyed for us as a Priest he will rule us as a King and if we be true to our owne soules we shall have strength to sustaine us he sits in Heaven to rule us by his gracious Spirit Let us not despaire though we carry this and that corruption about us we shall by little and little overcome all he will lead captivitie captive and overcome all in us as he did in his own person he that overcame for us will overcome in us if there be a Spirit of Faith to depend upon him Againe this Mysterie is a Mysterie of Godlinesse it tendeth to and enforceth godlinesse and holinesse of life Christ received up to glory You see then our flesh is in Heaven Christ hath taken into Heaven the pledge of our flesh and given us the pledge of his Spirit It was a dignifying of our nature that God should be manifest in our flesh that that was an abasing to him as God was an honour to our nature the Incarnation of Christ it was the beginning of his abasement in regard of his God-head for the God-head to be clouded under flesh but it was a dignifying of the humane nature that it should be graffed into the second Person And is it not a greater honour to our nature that now in Christ it is gone to Heaven and is there above Angels Our nature in Christ rules over all the world And wherefore is all this As it is for wondrous comfort so for instruction to carry our selves answerable to our dignitie What! hath God taken our nature upon him to the unitie of the second Person and exalted and honoured and enriched it Is he likewise gone to Heaven in our nature and is there above all Principalities and Powers all the Angels in Heaven attend upon him And shall we debase and dishonour our nature that is so exalted Let it worke upon us to carry our selves in a holy kind of state Shall we defile our selves with sinfull courses make our selves baser then the Earth we tread on worse then any creature for a man without grace is next to the Devill in miserie if God be not mercifull to him If God have thus honoured our nature above all created excellency whatsoever shall not this stirre us up to a correspondent carriage It is oft pressed by the Apostle that we walke worthy of our calling And indeed let us oft consider to what great matters we are called for the life of Heaven it must be begun upon Earth Whosoever hath this hope to be glorious with Christ in Heaven it purgeth him it frames him to be like the state he hopes for and he that hath not a care to sute and fit his carriage and disposition to the state he beleeves it is an emptie hope he deludes himselfe Whosoever shall be glorious with Christ in Heaven is also glorious now there is a Spirit of Glory resting upon them that is Grace Grace makes them glorious Those that have not a Spirit of Glory that is a Spirit of Grace to fashion and conforme them in some measure to be like Christ by little and little they have no right nor interest in the state of Glory that shall be revealed after Is Christ taken up to glory and for us as well as for himselfe
when he became man hee was not cast into these inferiour parts of the world to punish him as if hee had beene an usurper but it was a voluntary taking of our nature on him being rich he became poore and being in the forme of God he made himselfe of no reputation If hee had usurped his Divinity his abasement had beene violent against his will you see then that Christ was rich as God Therefore before hee tooke our nature upon him hee was Mediator from the beginning hee was yesterday to day and to morrow and the same for ever as the Apostle saith Hee was and is and is to come hee was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world For howsoever hee tooke our nature upon him and paid the debt yet hee undertooke the payment before the beginning of the world A man may let a prisoner loose now upon a promise to pay the debt a yeare after so Christ undertooke to take our nature and to pay our debt in the fulnesse of time by vertue therefore of his future incarnation hee was an effectuall Mediator from the beginning of the world As we have now the fruit of his mediation though his death bee past the act is past but the fruit remaines so that hee was a Mediator before hee came in the flesh because hee undertooke to his Father to discharge the office But Christ being God was it needfull that he should become poore might not an Angell or some other creature have served for the worke No God being rich must become poore or else hee had not beene able to bring us backe againe to God It is an act of Divine power to bring us backe againe to God and hee that shall settle us in a firmer state then we had in Adam must bee God To stablish us stronger and to convey grace to us to make our state firme onely God can doe it There are some things in the mediation of Christ that belongs to ministery and some things to authority those that belong to Ministery are to be a servant and to die and that he must be man for but there are some things belong to authority and power as to bring us backe to God to convey his Spirit to preserve us from Sathan our great enemy for these workes of authority it was requisite he should be God In a word the greatnesse of the ill we were in required it who could deliver us from the bondage of Sathan but God he must bee stronger then the strong man that must drive him out who could know our spirituall wants the terrours of our conscience and heale and comfort them but God by his Spirit Who could free us from the wrath of the great God but he that was equall with God And then in regard of the great good wee have by him to restore us to freindship with God and to preserve us in that state to convey all necessary grace here and to bring us to glory after it was necessary he should bee God therefore he was rich and became poore It is rather to bee admired then exprest the infinite comfort that springs hence that hee that hath undertaken to reconcile us to make our peace to bring us to heaven is God the second person in Trinity All the three persons had a hand in this worke God the father sent him and the Holy Ghost sanctified that masse that his body was made of but hee himselfe wore the body The father gives his sonne in marriage the Sonne married our nature and the Holy Ghost brings them both together hee sanctified our nature and fitted it for Christ to take so though all three persons had a worke in it yet God the second person of rich became poore And indeed who was fitter to bring us to the love of God then he that was his beloved Son who was fitter to restore us to the Image of God then he that was the Image of God himselfe and to make us wise then he that was the wisedome of God himselfe there was infinite wisdome in this I will not be larger in that poynt Christ was rich The next thing I observe is this that Christ became poore The poverty of Christ reacheth from his incarnation to his resurrection all the state of his humiliation it goes under the name of his poverty the resurrection was the first step or degree of his exaltation he wrought our salvation in the state of humiliation but he applies it in the state of exaltation The incarnation of Christ it was an exaltation to our nature to be united to God to the second Person in Trinity It was a humiliation of God for the divine nature so stoope so low as to be vayled under our poore nature so that God could stoope no lower then to become man and man could bee advanced no higher then to bee united to God so that in regard of God the very taking upon him of our nature it was the first degree and passage of his humiliation But when did he take upon him our nature He tooke it upon him after it was fallen when it was passible obnoxious to suffering not as it was in innocency free from all misery and calamity but when it was at the worst And he not onely tooke our nature but our condition hee tooke upon him the forme of a servant hee was not onely a servant in regard of God but in regard of us for hee came into the world not to be ministered unto but to minister he tooke upon him our nature when it was most beggerly and w th our nature he tooke our base condition Nay that is not all he tooke upon him our miseries all that are naturall not personall he tooke not the Leprosie and the Gout c. but hee tooke all the infirmities that are common to the nature of man as hunger and thirst and wearinesse he was sensible of griefe He tooke upon him likewise our sinnes so farre as there is any thing penall in sin in respect of punishment You know there is two things in guilt there is the demerit and desert of it and there is an obligation to punishment now the obligation to punishment hee tooke on him though the merit and desert hee tooke not hee became sinne that is by sinne he becâ—me bound to the punishment for sinne he tooke not the demerit for in respect of himselfe he deserved no such death as he underwent To cleare this a little further hee tooke upon him our nature that he might become sinne for us he tooke upon him the guilt as farre as guilt is an obligation to punishment The sonne of a Traytor he looseth his fathers lands not by any communion of fault put by communion of nature because hee is part of his father so Christ tooke the communion of our nature that hee might take the communion of our punishment not of our fault as
that that makes him fierce and then when his fierce and high conceits are taken away hee will bee tame take away that that feedes his carnall disposition and he growes tractable and gentle Thus then affliction and poverty outward in our condition it helpes to inward poverty of spirit and disposition for it takes away that which inflames the fancy of a carnall man A carnall man thinks himselfe as great and as good as he hath possessions of the things of this lifeâ— and the divell enlargeth his conceit more upon the imagination to thinke these things to be a great deale greater then they are we come afterward by experience to see them nothing but vanity but this is in man without grace we are prone as I said to surfeit of them they are too strong for us to digest and overcome and therefore God takes them away that he may helpe the inward disposition of our soules Afflictions and poverty sanctified they have a power to bring us to God and to keepe us in and to recover us when we are fallen They bring us in as we see in Manasses and in the prodigall son affliction and poverty they brought him to know himselfe they brought him home he was not himselfe before they brought him to inward poverty when he could not be satisfied so much as with husks abroad it was time for him to looke home againe So when we are in the state of grace it keepes and pales us in God hedgeth us in with thornes that we may not run out And then if we fall it recovers us and fetcheth us in againe by imbittering sinfull courses to us We see then affliction and poverty is sanctified to Gods children to worke an inward fight of their spirituall wants Take notice hence of the poyson and sinfulnesse of our corrupt nature that defiles it selfe in the blessings of God so that God cannot otherwise fit us for grace but by stripping of us of those things that are good in themselves This should abase us very much considering that those things that should be rises to us to raise us up to God that should be glasses to see the love of God in our nature useth them as clouds to keep God from us and to fasten and fixe upon the things themselves so that there is no other remedy but God must strip us naked of them this consideration should humble us And let us make this use of it Let us know when any abasement is sanctified to us it comes from GODS love If wee finde any affliction make us inwardly more humble and tractable and more pliable certainely it comes from love and is directed to our good and therefore it is in love because it is directed to our good For it is well taken away in earthly things that is supplied in heavenly and spirituall What if God take away such outward honours and respects and riches if God make it up in graces that are eternall that make us truly and inwardly good which all the outward things in the world cannot doe All the Empires in the world cannot make a man an honest man they may make him worse they may be snares to make him forget God and himselfe they may be a meanes of his damnation without wondrous care What if God take away a great deale of these things and make them up in favours of a higher kinde Therefore if we finde God sanctifie any outward abasement for the inward good of our soules let us blesse him for it and take it in good part as an evidence of his love for God thus deales with his children he sanctifies their outward abasements for their inward good to draw them neerer to himselfe Therefore those that are weake in their condition for a man may be poor in regard of his conditioÌ„ though not inwardly poor those that are broken in their condition outwardly they may know whether it be in love or no if they finde this condition sanctified to a better disposition For as all things in generall worke to the best to them that love God so this is one especiall affliction and poverty worke for good to them that love God God sanctifies it to them for that end Therefore we should examine when we are under any crosse see how it workes upon us wheâ—her by it we are humblâ—d or no whether we joyne with God or no for those that belong to God have the graces of the Spirit to joyne with him in the worke when he afflicts them they labour to afflict themselves when he goes to humble them outwardly they humble themselves when he goes about to make them poore to weane them from the love of the world they weane themselves and joyne with God As we see the Physitian by his art and skill when he sees nature working away then he will helpe nature till the cure be wrought so God gives his spirit to those that are his to work with him When God goes about to take them downe they will take downe themselves too and so they grow inwardly better together with their outward abasement Those therefore that swell and storme and murmure and rage what doe they get but more stripes They get not out of trouble by it but if they belong to God they get stripes upon stripes What doth the horse get at last by shaking off his Rider that is skilfull more spurring and more strokes so when men are under Gods hand afflicted any way and labour not to make a good use of it but will pull the rod out of Gods hand and swell and pine if they belong to God they get more stripes Therefore let us kiss the rod and the hand that holds it God is about a good work let him alone desire him rather to sanctifie the visitation and abasement then remove it A gracious heart desires rather the sanctification then the removell Againe hence we learne not to despise the brother of low degree nor we should not have the â—aith of Christ in respect of persons We should not take â—candall at the Church that it is usually in a mean condition in this world for the Church is alway rich in another kinde of riches the Church is rich in reversion it hath Heaven and happinesse and the Church is rich in bils and promises The Church is rich in an apparant pledge that is worth all the world besides that is in Christ. If he have given us his Sonne will he not with him give us all things else The Church is rich in this world indeed for all things are yours and you are Christs Christ carries riches for the Church and dispenseth them to the Church as occasion serves Indeed Christs riches are the Churches riches The Church cannot be poore if Christ be rich it is only a medicinall poverty it is Gods dispensation to fit them for better riches As a wise Physitian he purgeth a foule body till he bring it
upon thee from my mothers breast forsake me not in mine old yeares in my gray haires when my strength faileth me Thus we may gatheâ— upon God from former experience that God will not now forsake us because we have had experience of his kindnesse in former times he hatâ— beene my God from my childhood therefore hâ— will be now This is a good argument becausâ— God is as he was he is the same he is never drawn drie Where he loves he loves to the end Where he begins he will end therefore this should strengthen our faith to gather experience from formeâ— things Thus David alledgeth the Lion and the Beare and so S. Paul he hath delivered me therefore he will deliver me It is ordinary with the Saints of God Againe if we would trust in God labour every day to bee acquainted with God in daily prayer in hearing and reading and meditation We trust friends with whom we are much acquainted and those that are not acquainted with God in that communion that belongs to Christians that doe not often talk with God by prayer and meditation when they go to God in extremity what wil God say to them Vpon what acquaintance You are strangers to me and I will be a stranger to you and Wisdome it selfe will laugh at their dectructâ—on Pro 1. when they will force acquaintance upon God when they have use of him and never care for him in the time of peace Therefore if we would trust God and go to God boldly as who is there here now that will not have need of him Wee have need of him continually but sometimes more than others therefore I say let us be acquainted with him that we may after trust him Those that have not the care to be acquainted with God either they have not the heart to go to God or if they have they have but a cold answer but indeed for the most part they have no heart to go to God for their hearts misâ—give them and tell them they have beene carelesse of God they have neglâ—cted God therefore God will not regard them Goe â—o the gods ye have trusted as it is Iudges 10. Answerable to our care beloved in the time of peace will our comfort be when we are in trouble Therefore I beseech you let us remember this as one meanes to strengthen our trust our daily acquaintance with God and acquaint our selves so with him as to keepe him our friend not to offend him for if we offend him we shall not trust him A galled conscience is afraid of God as a sore eye is of light A comfortable conscience is from a conscience to please God This is our boldnesse and confidence saith Paul that we have laboured to keep a good conscience that we may have him our friend Againe let us labour to exercise our trust upon all occasions for things that are exercised are the brighter and the stronger Let us inure our selves to trust in God for all things and to trust him with all things with our bodies with our soules with our estates with our children with our wayes with our good name with our credit and reputation with all as I said before in the signes of trust Faith it growes in the exercise as we see Psal. 62. A Psalme expressing Davids trust in God and the conflict with his soule in trusting he begins yet my soule waits upon the Lord c. And in verse 2. I shall not be greatly moved saith he but when he had gone on and exercised his faith still then he saith in verse 6. He is my Rock and my Saviour and defence I shall not be moved He that at the beginning saith I shall not greatly be moved afterward working upon his heart and soule and exercising his faith saith I shall not be moved he is my Rock my Saviour and defence Faith it is the Engine by which wee doe all by which we prevaile with God and overcome the world and all the snares on the right hand and on the left it is that whereby we doe all therefore we had need to keepe it in exercise and inure it that we may have it to manage and use upon all occasions It is not enough â—o have faith in us but we must live by it it must not only live in us but we must live by it this is another way to strengthen this faith and assurance and trusting in God The next is to practise that I spake of in the forenoone to grow poore in spirit for they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Let us labour more and more to see our owne wants A Christian should have a double eye one to looke to himselfe and his owne wants to bee abased another eye to Gods promise to Gods nature to trust in God and thus wee should passe our dayes the more we can empty our selves the more wee shall bee filled with God We see here in the Text the way to trust in God to be poore in spirit The reason is in nature whosoever is not poore in himselfe and sees a necessity hee will never go out of himselfe for he hath some other supply Therefore if we would learne to trust in God we must learne to empty our selves of all selfe-confidence by observing our weaknesse and wants by taking notice not so much of our graces as of our wâ—nts When Moses came from the Mount his face shone he knew not of it all the world about him knew it besides himselfe but he observed it not saith the Scripture Lo when a Christian considers not specially in temptations to pride what he hath but what he wants how little good hee hath done how many evill thoughts and actions have passed from him how short he is in fruitfulnesse and thankfulnesse to God this is the way to trust in GOD for then wee will keepe close to GOD when wee doe see our owne weaknesse And let us labour to have a spirit of sanctification to have our soules more and more renewed to trust in God or else all other courses are nothing for when it comes to particulars if the soule be not sanâ—tified there is no correspondencie and harmony betweene it and God How can an unsanctified soule close with a holy God Therefore we must labour to be good and to do good as the Apostle Peter saith To commit our soules to God in doing good Let us labour to bee good to get grace and then there will be a harmony a connaturalnesse betweene a holy God and a holy soule and then we shall trust and rely upon him easily Where there is not grace in the heart subduing corruptions when it comes to particulars whether to trust in God or man then the soule will rebell and scorne as it were trusting in God iâ— will go to wits to friends to favours and other helpes Let a man be never such a scholler of never so great parts when
have his Spirit 3 3 Put case what Christ would doe Motives to follow Christs example Gal. 2. The example of Christ doth stir up to liberality and bounty The equity of the duty on this ground 1 1 Their relation to us 2 2 The grace of God to us To imitate Christ in the manner of doing good to others 1 1 Speedily 2 2 Cheerfully 3 3 Inwardly Micah 6 4 4 That it is ours 5 5 Seasonably Comfort of works of mercy before death 1 1 An argument of faith 2 2 The benefit of others prayers 3 3 Wâ— see it well bestowed 6 6 Constantly Caution to give with discretion Psal. 112. Quest. Answ. In necessity we must give to all But especially to the good Salvian Object Answ. Those that give not to Christians would not to Christ himself Matth 25. Object Answ. Liberality provides for posterity Psal. 112. It makes comfortable in death Negligence of duties troubles at death Contents of the prophesie Scope of the Text. Parts of the Text. Obser. There is a difference of people Observ. 3. God will have some in the worst times Reas. It is an Article of our faith Reas. 2. The world should not stand else Vse Comfort that God shall have a Church after we are gone Goâ—s children but few Rom. 11. Vse To examin eâ—f we be of those few Vse 2. Thankfulnesse Observ. God hath a speciall care of those that are his Instances of Gods care Rev. 7. Ezek. 9.4 Mal 3. Object Answ. Gods children suffer sometimes in common judgements Comfort against â—l times Quest. Answ. Promises and prophesies performed by degrees Vers. 13. Doct. Gods Church and Children afflicted in this world Act. 9. Reas. 1. To conforme us to Christ. Reas 2 We cannot beaâ—e prosperity Simâ—le Psal. 119. Vse To justifie God in our abasement Why he joyns afflicted and Poore Phil. 4. Doct. Outward poverty sanctified helps poverty of spirit What poore here meant Reas. 1. Poverty and affliction takes away the fuell of pride Simile Afflictions bring us to God Vse 1. The poysonfull nature of man that defiles it selfe in blessings Vse 2. Abasements sanctified come from Gods love Vse 2 To examine if crosses humble us Simile Vse 3. Not despise the poore Simile Observ. Providence serves predestination Vse â—o bâ—esse God for taking as wâ—ll as for gâ—ving Spirituall poverty What it is not What it is 2 2 Degrees of this poverty Before we are in Christ. Instances of this poverty Adam Prodigall Evidences of this preparative poverty 1 1 Conviction of our naturall condition Iohn 16. 2 2 Sight of emptinesse in all things 3 3 Desire of grace châ—â—fly 4 4 Earnestnesse 5 5 Abasing himselfe Matth. 5. Necessity of this poverty of spirit 1 1 Else we will not repaire to Christ. 2 2 Not thankfull 3 3 Not fruitfull 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 15. 4 4 The want of it the ground of apostacy 5 5 It is the cause of all miscarriage 2 2 Spirituall poverty after conversion In all passages of our life 1 1 In justification Phil. 3. 2 2 In sanctification Iohn 1. 2 Cor. 15. Poverty of spirit needfull to every holy action Simile Reason of the fals of Gods children Wee cannot pray for grace of ourselves Augustin Spirituâ—ll poverty needfull in actions of this life Spirituall poverty in suffering Signes of poverty of spirit 1 1 Prayer 2 2 Vse of meanes 3 3 Thankfulnâ—â—se 4 4 Selfe-denyall Feare of offending God 5 5 Tractable 6 6 Vpbraids not others 7 7 Most humbled for spirituall wants Vse To labour for spirituall poverty Caution Not to deny the worke of grace How to come to spirituall poverty To come into Gods presence 2 2 Consider we are creatures A Christian hath all from Christ. 3 3 Present to our selves abasing considerations 1 1 For the time past 2 2 For the present 3 3 For the time to come What our profession requires Two graces alwayes requisite Observ. God is trusted as knowne Observ. God must be trusted in Faith the nature of it What means by trust here God how conceived the object of trust Evidence of trust in God 1 1 A care to please him 2 2 Vse of means 3 3 It quiets the soule Psal. 43. How faith quiets the Soule Psal. 112. Faith keepes outbase feares 5 5 A relying on God without meanes Esay 50.10 6 6 To trust God for all things 1 1 With good name 2 2 To right his cause 3 3 With posteâ—ity Psal 24. 4 4 With good Workes 5 5 With direction of our wayes Pro. 3.5 6 6 With our souls at the houre of death How to come to trust in God To learne to know God In his word Psal 9 In his attributes Psal. 46. Psal. 36. Experimentall kâ—owledge Psal. 22.4 5 Psal 71. 2 2 To be acquainted with God Pro. 1. Iudges 10. 2 Cor. 1. Heb. 13. 3 3 To exercise trust upon all occasions Psal. 62. Verse 6. 4 4 To be pooâ—e in spirit 5 5 Get sanctification 6 6 Prudence Ier. 17.