beset of Devils then he triumphed when he was visibly overcome then invisibly he overcame he was an invisible Conqueror when he was visibly subdued For did he not on the Crosse satisfie the wrath of God and by enduring the wrath of God free us from it and from Satan Gods Gaoler and reconcile us by his bloud The chiefe workes of all were wrought in his chiefe abasement At length he died and was buried I but he that died rose againe gloriously therefore he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by raysing himselfe from the dead That was the greatest abasement when he lay in the Grave and especially then he was justified by his Resurrection from the dead and his Ascension in his state of Glorification especially So if we goe from Christs birth to his lowest degree of abasement there was alway some manifestation of his justification by the Spirit He was justified in a double regard In regard of God he was justified and cleared from our sinnes that he tooke upon him He bore our sinnes upon the Tree and bore them away that they should never appeare againe to our discomfort He was made a Curse for us How came Christ to be cleared of our sinnes that lay upon him When by the Spirit by his Divine Nature he raysed himselfe from the dead so he was justified from that that God layd upon him for he was our Suretie Now the Spirit raysing him from the dead shewed that the Debt was fully discharged because our Suretie was out of Prison All things are first in Christ and then in us he was acquitted and justified from our sinnes and then we And then he was justified by the Spirit from all imputations of men from the mis-conceits that the World had of him they thought him to be a meere man or a sinfull man No he was more then a meere man nay more then a holy man he was God-man Whence were his Miracles Were they not from his Divine Power He overcame the Devill in his temptations Who can overcome the Devill but he that is the Sonne of God He cast out the Devils and dispossest them with his Word All the enemies of Christ that ever were at length he conquered them and so declared himselfe mightily to be as he was the Sonne of God He healed the outward man and the inward man by his Divine Power he caused the spirituall as well as the bodily eyes to see the dead to live and the lame to goe c. Whatsoever he did in the bodie he did in the soule likewise in those excellent Miracles he was justified and declared to be the Sonne of God especially in his Resurrection and Ascension and daily converting of soules by his Ministerie all being done by his Spirit which is his Vicar in the World ruling his Church and subduing his enemies so that he was every way justified in the Spirit to be God to be the true Messias prophesied of and promised to the Church Therefore he was justified in his Truth that all the Promises were true of him and in his faithfulnesse that he was faithfull in performing the Promises he made he was justified in his goodnesse and mercy and all those attributes he was justified in the Spirit But you will say it seemes he was not justified in the Spirit There are many Heretikes that thinke not Christ to be God that take not Christ to be so glorious as he is I answer when we speake of the justifying of Christ it is meant to those that have eyes to see him to those that shut not their eyes hee was justified to be so great as he was to those whose eyes the god of the world had not blinded to all that were his as it is excellently set downe Iohn 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of Grace and Truth We beheld his glorie we did others did not take notice but they were those whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded the malicious Scribes and Pharises that sinned against the Holy-Ghost and would never acknowledge Christ an ignorant people that had not Faith nor the Spirit of God He was justified by the Spirit of God to all that had spirituall eyes to see and take notice of his course as S. Iohn sayth in one of his Epistles What we have seene and heard and our hands have handled the Word of Life that we declare to you So that he was God manifest in the flesh and he shewed himselfe to be the Word of Life to those that were his Apostles and Disciples and those that were converted by him As we see S. Peter when he had felt his Divine Power upon his heart by his Preaching Lord sayth he thou hast the words of eternall life whither shall we goe He felt the Spirit in his preaching And so another time S. Peter in Matth. 16. he confessed him to be the Sonne of the living God You see to whom he was justified and declared to be the true Messias to be God as well as man by his Spirit The reason why he justified himselfe to be so it was the more to strengthen our Faith all his Miracles were but so many sparkles of his Divine Nature so many expressions of his Divine Power And after he was raysed from the dead at his Ascension and sending of the Holy-Ghost he shewed his Divine Power more gloriously and all to strengthen the Faith of the Elect and to stop the mouthes of all impudent rebellious persons For considering that he wrought such Miracles that he raysed men from the dead and raysed himselfe considering that he called the Gentiles and converted the World by the Ministerie of weake men he shewed that hee was more then a man Well to make some use of this that Christ was Iustified in the Spirit Then first of all Christ will at length justifie himselfe this is a ground of Faith How-ever he be now as a Signe set up that many speake against and contradict yet the time will come when he will gloriously justifie himselfe to all the World Now some shut their eyes willingly and the opposites of Christ seeme to flourish yet Christ will be justified by his Spirit to all his Elect in every Age especially in the Resurrection For when he shall come and appeare to be glorious in his Saints it will appeare who he is indeed Now he suffers many to tread upon his Church and he suffers many Heretikes to denie him sometimes in one nature sometimes in another and so to offend against him but the time will come that he will trample all his enemies under his feet he will be justified by his Spirit that is our comfort There are many Schismatikes and Heretikes and Persecutors but Christ will be justified at length the Kingdomes of the Earth
what love he beares us that he hath honoured us so much that creatures of a more excellent ranke then we are even the Angels should be serviceable to us in Christ And all is that we should be full of thankfulnesse But you will say What need the Guard or attendance of Angels to Christ or to us to Head or members considering that God is able to guard us with his Almightie Power It is true The creatures that God hath ordained in their severall rankes they are not for any defect in God to supply his want of power but further to enlarge and demonstrate his goodnesse He is the Lord of Hosts therefore he will have Hosts of creatures one under another and all serviceable to his end His end is to bring a companie to salvation to a supernaturall end to happinesse in the world to come and he being Lord of all he makes all to serve for that end He could doe it of himselfe but having ordained such rankes of creatures he makes all to serve for that end for the manifestation of his power and of his goodnesse not for any defect of strength in himselfe He could doe all by himselfe he could have beene content with his owne happinesse and never have made a World but he made the World to shew his goodnesse and love and respect to mankind So he will have Angels attend us though he watch over us by his owne providence this takes not away any care of his but hee shewes his care in the attendance of Angels and other creatures he useth them to convey his care and love to us But you will say How can the Angels helpe our soules any kind of way they may helpe our outward man or the State where we live but what good doe they to the inward man I answer The inward man is especially subâ—ject to the Spirit of Christ it is God that bowes the necke of the inward man But yet notwithstanding if the Devils can suggest sinne Angels are as strong as Devils and stronger and wiser too they are wiser then the Devill is malicious and stronger then the Devill is powerfull Whatsoever they can doe in evill the good Angels can in good Therefore no question but they suggest many thoughts that are good they are not onely a Guard about us but they are Tutors to teach and instruct us they minister good thoughts and stirre up good motions and suggestions They worke not upon the heart of man immediatly to alter and change it that is proper to God but by stirring up motions and by way of suggestion as the Devils doe in ill so they in good Therefore it is sayd they comforted our blessed Saviour which I suppose was more then by their presence So they comfort Gods children by presenting to their thoughts wee know not how the manner is mysticall it is not for us to search into that good motions by stirring up to good onely the altering and changing of our dispositions that is proper to the holy Spirit of God Let us often thinke of this what a glorious head we have for whose sake the Angels attend upon us in all estates whatsoever even till wee come to heaven And this should stirre us up to labour to bee made one with Christ all the good we have any way is by the interest we have in Christ first he holds it in Capite if we have not a being in our head Christ we can challenge nothing in the world no attendance of Angels for the Angels are at variance with us out of Christ we see presently after the fall the Cherubin was set with his sword drawne to keep the entrance of Paradise from whence Adam was shut to shew that presently upon the fall there was a variance and a mighty distance betweene the Angels and vs. But now the Angels no longer shut Paradise no they accompany us in the wildernesse of this world to the heavenly Canaan to Paradise they go up and downe Iacobs Ladder they attend upon Christ and for his sake they are ministering spirits for the comfort of the elect so that all things are reconciled now in Christ both in heaven and earth Angels and men It should stirre us up to get interest in Christ so that we may have interest in all these excellent things that first belong to Christ and then to us Whatsoever is excellent in Heaven or Earth belongs to the King of all which is Christ and to the Queene of all the Church and the time will come that there will be no excellencie but Christ and his Church All whatsoever is in the world is nothing it will end in Hell and desperation all other excellencies whatsoever This should teach us likewise to carry our selves answerable to our condition to take a holy state upon us we should think our selves too good to abase our selves to sinne to be slaves to men to flesh and blood be they what they will be to the corruptions and humours of any man since we have Angels to attend upon us we are Kings and have a Kingly Guard it should move us to take a holy state upon us it should force a carriage sutable to Kings that have so glorious attendance Undoubtedly if we had a spirituall eye of Faith to beleeve and to know this answerable to the things themselves and their excellencie it would worke a more glorious disposition in Christians then there is to carry our selves as if we were in Heaven before our time Oh that we had cleare eyes answerable to the excellencie of the priviledges that belong to us Againe it should teach us not to despise the meanest Christians seeing Angels despise not to attend on them Shall we disdain to relieve them that the Angels doe not disdaine to comfort To comfort and relieve one another it is the worke of an Angel Shall any man thinke himselfe too good to helpe any poore Christian Oh the pride of mans nature when the more glorious nature of the Angels disdaine not to be our servants and not onely to great and noble men but to little ones even to Lazarus What a devillish qualitie is envie and pride that stirres us up to disdaine to be usefull one to another especially to those that are inferiours We know it was the speech of wicked Cain Am I my brothers keeper Shall I stoupe to him Flesh and blood begins to take state upon it Alas if Angels had taken state upon them where had this attendance bin The Devils that kept not their first standing being proud spirits they disdained the calling they had the good Angels humble themselves God himselfe as it is Psal. 113. disdaines not to looke on things below When the great God became man shall we wonder that Angels should attend upon the nature that God hath so honoured What a devillish sinne then is envie and pride and disdaine Let these considerations move us to be out of
what manner of men ought we to be in holy conversation We should keepe our selves unspotted of the wicked world Shall we thinke to have communion and fellowship with Christ in glory when we make the members of Christ the members of Harlot when we make our tongues instruments of blaspheming God and Christ as a company of vile wretches that will come to the Ordinances of God and yet have not overcome their Atheisticall nature so much as to leave their swearing and filthy courses Doe we think to have communion with Christ in glory and not get the victorie over these base courses Doe we professe our selves to be Christians and live like Pagans Hath God such need of people to fill heaven with that he will have such uncleane persons Shall we have such base thoughts of heaven No beloved these things must be left if ever upon good ground we will entertaine thoughts of fellowship in this glory There is a new Heaven and a new Earth for the new creature and onely for such Let us not delude our selves there must be a correspondence betweene the Head and the members not onely in glory but in grace and the conformitie in grace is before the conformitie in glory Will God overturne his methode and order for our sakes No No all that come to Heaven he guides them by his Spirit here in grace and then he brings them to glory He gives gâ—ace and glory and no good thing shall be wanting to them that leade a godly life but first grace and then glory Therefore let not the Devill abuse us nor our owne false hearts to pretend a share in this glory when we finde no change in our selves when we finde not so much strength as to get the victorie over the base and vile corruptions of the world The Apostle from this ground inferres mortification of our earthly members You are risen with Christ your life is hid with Christ in God and we are dead with Christ Therefore we ought to mortifie all sinfull lusts For the soule being finite it cannot be carryed up to these things that are of a spirituall holy and divine consideration but it must dye in its love and affection and care to earthly things and sinfull courses Therfore let us never thinke that we beleeve these things indeed unlesse we finde a disposition by grace to kill and subdue all things that are contrarie to this condition Though somewhat there will be in us to humble us or else why are Precepts of Mortification given to them that were Saints alreadie but that there is somewhat will draw us downe to abase us But this is no comfort to him that is not the child of God that lives in filthie courses that he might easily command him selfe in let him abandon the name of a Christian he hath no interest to the comfort of this that Christ is received up to glory Againe the Mysterie of Christs Glory it tends to godlinesse in this respect to stirre us up to heavenly-mindednesse The Apostle doth divinely force this in the fore-named place Coloss. 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things that are above From our communion with Christ rising and ascending into Heaven and sitting there in glory he forceth heavenly mindednesse that our thoughts should be where our Glory is where our Head and Husband is and certainely there is nothing in the world more strong to enforce an heavenly mind then this to consider where we are in our Head Christ our Head and Husband is taken up into glory there is our Inheritance there are a great many of our fellow brethren there is our Countrey there is our happinesse We are for Heaven and not for this world this is but a passage to that glory that Christ hath taken up for us and therefore why should we have our minds groveling here upon the Earth Certainely if we have interest in Christ who is in glory at the right hand of God it is impossible but our soules will be raysed to heaven in our affections before we be there in our bodies All that are Christians they are in heaven in their spirit and conversation before-hand our heavy dull earthly soules being touched by his Spirit they will ascend up The Iron when it is touched with the Loadstone though it be an heavy body it ascends up to the Loadstone it followes it The Sunne it drawes up vapours that are heavy bodies of themselves Christ as the Loadstone being in Heaven he hath an attractive force to draw us up There is not the earthliest disposition in the world if our hearts were as heavy as Iron if we have communion with Christ and have our hearts once touched by his Spirit he will draw us up though of our selves we be heavy and lumpish This meditation that Christ our Head is in glory and that we are in heaven in him and that our happinesse is there it will purge and refine us from our earthlynesse and draw up our Iron heavy cold hearts It is an argument of a great deale of Atheisme and infidelitie in our hearts as indeed our base nature is prone to sinke downe and to be carryed away with present things that professing to beleeve that Christ is risen and ascended into heaven and that he is there for us yet that we should be plodding and plotting altogether for the Earth as if there were no other heaven as if there were no happinesse but that which is to be found below There is nothing here that can satisfie the capacious nature of man therefore we should not rest in any thing here considering the great things that are reserved for us where Christ is in glory Therefore when we finde our soules falling downe of themselves or drawne downeward to base cares and earthly contentments by any thing here below let us labour to rayse up our selves with such meditations I know not any more fruitfull then to consider the glory to come and the certainetie of it Christ is taken into glory not for himselfe onely but for all his for Where I am sayth he it is my will that they be there also Christ should lose his prayer if we should not follow him to Heaven it is not onely his prayer but his will and he is in Heaven to make good his will The Wills of men may be frustrate because they are dead but he lives to make good his owne will and his will is that we be where he is Now if a man beleeve this can he be base and earthly-minded Certainely no Where our treasure is our hearts will be there also by the rule of Christ where the body is the Eagles will resort if we did make these things our treasure we would mount above earthly things there is nothing in the world would be sufficient for us if we had that esteeme of Christ and the glory where Christ is as we should and might have And it is
not only meditation of these things that will cause us to be heavenly-minded but Christ as a Head of influence in Heaven conveyes spirituall life to draw us up When I am ascended I will draw all men after me There is a vertue from Christ that doth it there is a necessitie of the cause and consequence as well as strength of reason and equitie there is an influence issuing from Christ our Head to make us so indeed therefore those that are otherwise they may thanke themselves The best of us indeed have cause to be abased that we betray our comfort and the meanes that we have of raysing up our dead and dull hearts for want of meditation Let us but keepe this Faith in exercise that Christ is in Heaven in glory and we in him are in Heaven as verily as if we were there in our persons as we shall be ere long and then let us be uncomfortable and base and earthly-minded if we can To conclude all As the soule of man is first sinfull and then sanctified first humble and then raysed so our meditations of Christ must be in this order first thinke of Christ as abased and crucified for the first comfort that the soule hath is in Christ manifested in the flesh before it come to received up into glory Therefore if we would have comâ—ortable thoughts of this Christ received up in glory thinke of him first manifest in the flesh let us have recourse in our thoughts to Christ in the Wombe of the Virgin to Christ borne and lying in the Manger going up and downe doing good hungring and thirsting suffering in the Garden sweating water and blood nayled on the Crosse crying to his Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me finishing all upon the Crosse lying three dayes in the Grave have recourse to Christ thus abased and all for us to expiate our sinne he obeyed God to satisfie for our disobedience Oh here will be comfortable thoughts for a wounded soule pierced with the sense of sinne assaulted by Satan To thinke thus of Christ abased for our sinnes and then to thinke of him taken up into glory In the Sacrament our thoughts must especially have recourse in the first place to Christs Body broken and his blood shed as the Bread is broken and the Wine poured out that we have benefit by Christs abasement and suffering by satisfying his Fathers wrath and reconciling us to God Then thinke of Christ in Heaven appearing there for us keeping that happinesse that he hath purchased by his death for us and applying the benefit of his death to our soules by his Spirit which he is able to shed more abundantly being in that high and holy place Heaven for the Spirit was not given in that abundance before Christ was ascended to glory as it hath beene since In this manner and order we shall have comfortable thoughts of Christ. To thinke of his glory in the first place it would dazle our eyes it would terrifie us being sinners to thinke of his glory being now ascended but when we thinke of him as descended first as he sayth Who is he that ascended but he that descended first into the lower parts of the Earth So who is this that is taken up in glory is it not he that was manifest in our flesh before This will be comfortable Therefore let us first begin with Christs abasement and then we shall have comfortable thoughts of his exaltation These points are very usefull being the maine grounds of Religion having an influence into our lives and conversations above all others other points have their life and vigour and quickning from these grand Mysteries which are the food of the soule Therefore let us oft feed our thoughts with these things of Christs abasement and glory considering him in both as a publike person the second Adam and our Suretie and then see our selves in him and labour to have vertue from him fitting us in body and soule for such a condition The very serious meditation of these things will put a glory upon our soules and the beleeving of them will transforme us from glory to glory FINIS ANGELS Acclamations OR THE NATIVITY of CHRIST celebrated by the heavenly Host. BY The late learned and reverend Divine RICHARD SIBS Doctor in Divinity Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Grayes-Inne ISAI 9.6 To us a Child is borne to us a Sonne is given 1 PET. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire to looke into LONDON Printed by E. P. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and Rapha Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-noster Row 1638. ANGELS ACCLAMATIONS LUKE 2.13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angell a multitude of the heavenly Host praising GOD and saying Glory to GOD in the highest and on earth peace Good will towards men THE Words are few and pregnant very precious having much excellency in a little quantity The Heavens never opened but to great purpose when God opens his mouth it is for some speciall end and when the Angels appeared it was upon some extraordinary occasion This was the most glorious Apparition that ever was setting aside that that was at Christs Baptisme when the Heavens opened and the Father spake and the Holy-Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a Dove upon the head of Christ when all the Trinity appeared but there was never such an apparition of Angels as at this time and there was great cause for there was never such a ground for it whether we regard the matter it selfe the incarnation of Christ there was never such a thing from the beginning of the World nor never shall be in this World for God to take mans nature on him for Heaven and Earth to joyne together for the Creator to become a creature Or whether we regard the benefit that comes to us thereby Christ by this meanes brings God and man together since the fall Christ is the accomplishment of all the Prophesies of all the promises they were made in him and for him therefore he was the expectation of the Gentiles Before he was borne he was revealed by degrees First generally The seed of the woman c. Then more particularly to Abraham and his seed and then to one Tribe Iudah that hee should come of him then to one family the house of David and then more particularly a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne and the place Bethlehem till at the last Iohn Baptist pointed him out with the finger Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Even as after midnight the Sun growes up by little and little till his beames stâ—â—ke forth in the morning and after it appeares in glory so it was with the Sunne of Righteousnesse as he came nearer so hee discovers himselfe more gloriously by degrees till hee was borne indeed and then you see here a multitude of Angels
at the birth of Christ Good will to men All these agree very well Châ—â—sts free grace and faith For what wee have by grace wee have onely by Christ because he hath given satisfaction to Gods Justice that so grace may be conveyed and derived unto us without prejudice to any other Attribute in God and then the imbraceing power and grace in us is faith so these three agree I say whatsoever wee have from Gods free love now wee have it in Christ the free love of God is grounded in Christ wee in our selves especially considered in the corrupt masse cannot bee the object of Gods love God cannot looke upon us but in him the best beloved first therefore all is Christ in the carriage of it wee are elected in Christ called in Christ justified by Christ sanctified by the Spirit of Christ glorified in Christ We are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ. This is my beloved Sonne I am well pleased in him it is the same word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whom I delight Isay 42. Out of which the Father takes his speech This is the Sonne I delight in Now all Gods delight is first fixed in his Sonne and in us because we must have communion with the Sonne so the first object of Gods free love is Christ and then he lookes upon us in him The Trinity have a wondrous complacencie in looking upon mankind now in Christ God loves us as redeemed by Christ Christ loves us as electeâ— by the Father and given by the Fathers choyce to him to redeeme the Holy Ghost hath a speciall liking to us as seeing the love of the Father in chusing us and of the Son in redeeming us And surely if wee would see likewise those sweet interviewes of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost it should be our maine delight too to see how God hath chosen us and given us to Christ to save how Christ hath redeemed us from this very respect that the Father hath chosen us and given us to him as it is in Iohn 17. Thine thâ—y were thou gavest them me and how the Holy Ghost is a spirit of communion the Communion of the Holy Ghost that hath communion with the Father and the Son and issueâ— and proceedes from them both how he witnesseth this love to our soules and applies it to us the Holy Ghost applies all the Father decreed and ordained all the Sonne workes and dispenseth all the consideration of the point is wondrous comfortable Whatsoever good will the Father hath to us it is as we are in Christ. And why in Christ Because Christ is the first thing that God can love hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God whosoever is loved to glory in a spirituall order is loved in the first beloved Christ is loved of God as the character of his owne image the Sonne represents the Father he is loved of God as Mediator by office so God lookes upon us in Christ as the Sonne of his love so he is called by Saint Paul Coloss. 1. Then if we consider our selves this must bee so alas we are not objects of Gods love in our selves nor cannot be but in some other that is loved first for what are we and what is the glory to which God loves us To love such as wee to such glory and to free us from such misery due it must be by another foundation then our selves therefore Gods good pleasure is founded upon his Son Christ this is a cleare point the Scripture beates much upon it hee is our elder brother and wee must bee conformed to him To make some use of it First of all then we see here that all that are not in Christ lye open to the vengeance and wrath of God his good wil towards men is only in Christ. Againe if all Gods good will and pleasure be in Christ as our high Priest without whom we can offer no sacrifice as wee know whatsoever was not offered by the high Priest it was abhominable Therefore wee should looke to God in Christ love God in Christ performe service to God in Christ pray to God in Christ give thanks to God in Christ desire God in Christ to to make all things acceptable for Christs sake because it is in Christ that God hath any good will and pleasure to us It is a point of marvellous comfort that Gods love and good pleasure is so well founded as in Christ he loves Christ eternally and sweetly and strongly is not Gods love to us the same doth he not love us with the same love that hee loves his Son he loves his mysticall body with one love that is Christ head and members Iohn 17. That the love thou bearest to me may bee in them what a sweet comfort is this God loves Christ and me with one love he loves me strongly and sweetly and constantly as hee doth his owne Sonne his love to me is eternall because the foundation of it is eternall it is founded upon Christ. The love of a Prince if it be founded on a Favourite he loves dearely must needs be firme and strong Now Gods love to Christ is ardent and strong and sweet as possibly can be conceived therefore it is so to us his good will to us being founded on Christ. Why should a believer feare that God will cast him away he will as soone leave his love to his owne Sonne as to us if we continue members of his Sonne it is an undefeasable love it is a point of wondrous comfort What shall separate us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. from the love of God founded in Christ neither things present nor things to come nor life nor death nor any thing many things may sever the soule and body but there is nothing in the world but sinne that shall sever either soule or body from the love of God in Christ because both body and soule are members of Christ therefore let us treasure it up as a point wondrous comfortable To come to an use of tryall how shall wee know wither Gods good will be to us in Christ or no how shall I know that he loves my person that I am in the state of grace and love with him The Holy Ghost must ascertaine this for as the worke of salvation was so great that onely God could satisfie God so the doubts of mans heart and the guilt of his conscience when it is upon him and the feare of Gods wrath upon just guilt is such that God must assure him that God is reconciled to him God the Sonne must reconcile God the Father and God the holy Ghost must seale and ascertaine this to the soule The soule will never bee quiet before it see and know in particular God reconciled in Christ the Spirit that is God that is above conscience must seale it to the Soule being above conscience he can set downe and quiet our conscience Now
this Spirit that worketh this in us and assures us of Gods good pleasure it alters and changeth our dispositions that wee shall have a good pleasure in God for there is a mutuall good pleasure God hath a good pleasure in us as his and we have a good pleasure in God wrought by the Spirit the Spirit not onely witnesseth but worketh this sweet and gracious disposition to God God delights in us and we in God God delights in the Church above all things the Church is his wife and Spouse his body his friends his children and those that have the Spirit of God delight in them too Psal. 16 All my delight is in the excellent and Pro. 8. My delight is in the Sonnes of men saith Christ which he shewed by taking the base nature of man upon him so all that have the Spirit of Christ delight in the Church and people of God All my delight is in the Saints on earth God saith his delight is in his Church Hos. 2. So all that have the Spirit of God they delight in the people of God God delights in obedience more then Sacrifice Gods people that he delights in they yeeld their bodies and soules a Sacrifice to God Rom. 12. They will seeke out what is well pleasing and acceptable to God God accepts them in Christ and he is acceptable to them in Christ Iesus and they seeke out what pleaseth him and is acceptable to him as the sonnes of Isaac sought out what might please their old father what he could relish so Gods children seeke out what duties God relisheth best Thanksgiving is a Sacrifice with which God is well pleased is it so then they will seeke out that that may please him God by his Spirit will worke in them a disposition to please him in all things therefore the people of God are said to bee a voluntary free people zealous of good workes being set at liberty the Spirit infusing and conveying the love and good pleasure of God in Christ to them it sets their wils at liberty to devise to please God in all things they have as David prayes Psal. 51. A free Spirit As God not out of any respect from us but freely from his owne bowels loved us and gave Christ to us and delighted in us so the soule freely without any base respects loves God againe Those therefore that doe duties for base aymes and forced as fire out of a flint not as water out of a spring that duty comes not naturally and sweetly from them God hath no pleasure in them because they have none in God but the good they doe is extorted and drawne from them Let us try our selves therefore if wee have tasted Gods good will towards us we will have a good pleasure to him againe whatsoever is Gods pleasure shall be our pleasure what pleaseth him shall please us If it please him to exercise us with crosses and afflictions and losses what pleaseth God shall please me for when he hath once loved me freely in Christ every thing that comes from him tastes of that free love if hee correct me it is out of free love and mercie all the wayes of God are mercy and truth his way of correction and sharp dealing it is a way of love and free mercy therefore if it please him it shall please me my will shall be his will Againe if wee finde the free love of God to us in Christ it will quicken us to all duties and strengthen us in all conditions but these evidences shall suffice let us search our hearts how we stand affected to God and to the best things wee delight in them if God delight in us And if wee doe not find our selves yet to be the people of Gods delight towards whom God hath thoughts of love as the Prophet speaks what shall we doe Attend upon the meanes of salvation the Gospell of peace and reconciliation and wayte the good time and doe not stand disputing this is that that hinders many their disputing and cavilling that perhaps God hath not a purpose to save me and that the greatest part of mankind goe the broad way c. Leave disputing and fall to obeying God hath a gracious purpose to save all that repent of their sinnes and believe in Christ this is Gospell I will leave secret things they belong to God revealed things belong to me I will desire of God his Spirit to repent of my sinnes and to believe and cast my selfe in the armes of his mercy in Christ and then let God doe as hee please if I perish I will perish in the armes of Christ let us labour to bring our hearts to waite in the use of the means for Gods good Spirit to inable me to see my state by nature and to get out of it by casting my selfe upon Gods love in Christ. And object not the greatnesse of any sinne to hinder the comfort of Gods mercy it is a free mercy the ground of it is from himselfe and not from thee It was free to Manasses that had sinned no man more being a King and being the sonne of a good father his sinnes spread further then ours can doe answerable to the greatnesse of his person being an infinite and free mercy it extends to the greatest sinners let no man pretend any sinne or unworthinesse if he seriously repent if any sinne or unworthinesse could keepe it backe it were something but it is a free mercy and love from Gods owne bowels in Christ. And consider how God offers this in the Gospel and layes a command it is thy duty to have a good conceit of God in Christ We ought not to suspect a man that is an honest man and will God take it wel at our hands to suspect him that he is so and so he maks a shew of his love mercy in Christ but perhaps he intends it not put it out of question by believing if thou have grace to believe the mercy of God in Christ thou makest thy selfe a member of Christ and an heire of heaven thou questionist whether thou bee one that Christ dyed for or no believe in him and obey him and thou puttest that question out of question thou doubtest whether God love thee or no cast thy self upon the love of God in Christ and then it is out of question whosoever hath grace to cast himselfe upon the free love of God he fulfils the covenant of grace stand not disputing and wrangling but desire grace to obey and thâ—n all questions concerning thy eternall estate are resolved all is cleare If these things will not move you then let all men know that live in a sinfull condition that they had better have lived in any part of the world then in these glorious times and places of light for when they heare the love of God in Christ laid open to them if they will come in and receive Christ and cast themselves
the more we shall attaine this Therefore let us labour that Christ may be all in all in us that as the soule doth act the body so the Spirit of Christ may act us that Christ may speake in us and think in us and love in us by his Spirit that he may dwell in us and joy and hate in us by his Spirit that we may put off our selves and our carnall affections and the Spirit of the world and that we may put on Christ and be clothed with him that we may say with S. Paul I live not but Christ lives in me by his Spirit whence was Paul stirred up to that Oh saith he Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. The grace of Christ stirred him up Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and by his Spirit he witnesseth to my soule that he did so Therefore the life that I live is by the Spirit of Christ Christ lives in me But to come to the particular duty whereunto the grace and example of Christ should stir us up to be like him that is in kindnesse and mercy and bounty to the poore Saints for that is the scope of the Apostle here in this and the next Chapter You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who though he was rich he became poore c. Wherfore doth the Apostle bring all this To move them to the duty of bounty and liberality This duty it is legall from the example of Christ it is a thing that hath much equity in it and it is enough to a Christian heart that hath the love of God to put him in minde of the grace of God to him you need not beat upon him or presse him further then thus You know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remember you are a Christian you have felt the experience of Gods love in Christ every man will judge of the equity that we should therefore be gracious and kinde and loving to others in imitation of Christ because he hath beene so to us Wherein stands the equity First it may appeare in this if we consider in how neere a relation those that need our help are to us and likewise to Christ. First what is their relation to us Not only that they are our flesh for so are all men but they are heires of the same salvation bought with the death of the same Christ such as Christ feeds with his owne body and blood such as he clothes with his owne righteousnesse they are fellow members with us fellow heires of Heaven and members of Christ such as he died for to redeeme with the price of his owne blood there is an undeniable equity if we consider their condition their relation to Christ and to us Againe there is a marvellous binding equity to see the grace of God to us in particular Christ became poore to make us rich in grace here and in glory hereafter and shall not I out of my riches give somewhat to the poore Is it not equall Christ from Heaven came in my nature and flesh to visit me as it is in the Song of Zachary The day spring from on high hath visited us and shall not I visit Christ in his members He came from Heaven to Earth to take notice of my wants and miseries to doe and suffer that that I should have done and suffered he feeds me with his body and blood that is with his satisfaction to Divine justice by his death and shall not I feed his poore members Christ clothes me with his righteousnesse and shall not I cloth Christ in his poore members In the consideration of these things the Spirit of God will be effectuall to stir us up to this marvellous neglected duty of kindnesse and mercy to those that stand in need And because Christ is our paterne herein let us labour to imitate Christ in the manner of releeving and shewing kindnesse and communicating to others that we may doe it as CHRIST hath done How is that First Christ prevented us when we never desired him so we should prevent others Sometimes the modesty of those that want is such that they will not lay open their wants we should see it and prevent it he gives too late oft times that gives to a man that asks him Therefore herein let us imitate Christ to consider of the miseries of others he looked on and considered the miseries of mankinde and it drew him from Heaven to the Virgins wombe from thence to the Crosse to the grave even as low as Hell in his preventing love and mercy Therefore when wee see any need especially if there be any worth in them in any kinde let us not stay till it be wrested from us by intreaty for it is dearely bought oft times that comes that way but prevent them in mercy as Christ hath done to us Secondly what Christ did for us he did marvellous chearfully and readily oh what a desire he had to eate his last Passeover a little before he was crucified With a desire have I desired to eat this passeover with you he was chearfull in it he had a great desire to doe us good and as he saith Ioh. 4. when his disciples put him in mind of eating when he had not eat in a long time before saith he It is meat and drink to me to do the will of my Father so whatsoever we do to others we should do it chearefully and readily as he did Againe whatsoever Christ did for us he did it out of love and grace and mercy he did it inwardly from his very bowels so when we do aâ—ny thing for others we should not onely doe the deed but doe it from an inward principle of love and mercy Therefore the Scripture phrase is powre out thy bowels and saith S. Iohn if a man see his brother in need and pretend he loves God and yet relieves him not how is there bowels in such a man and so in Micah 6. He hath shewed thee oh man what is good to love mercy not onely to be mercifull to do works of mercy but to love it to do what we do out of love and affection and powre out thy heart to thy flesh as it is in I say to give the heart and affection when we do any thing or else we may give with the hand and denie with the heart A man may give a thing so untowardly that one may see it comes against his heart and will Therefore let us labour to doe that we doe with our whole man especially from our heart and affection and bowels It is said of Christ in the Gospell when he saw the people in misery his bowels yearned within him the workes of grace and mercy in Christ they came from his bowels first Let us worke our hearts to pitie and love and mercy first that it may come from the soule as well as from the outward man Againe Christ
Fabrick as we say when there is an errour in poverty of spirit at the first when the work of humiliation is not kindly wrought hence is the defect in all the whole carriage of a Christian. The foundation of Gods building lies low he digs deepe God layes his foundation oft times as low as Hell it selfe in a manner He brings his children to see that that hee meanes they shall never feele to see his wrath against fin that so he may build upon this foundation For Christianity it is an excellent frame it is a frame for eternity a building for ever therefore it must have a sure foundation which must be laid in humiliation and poverty of spirit An errour in the first digestion is not amended in the second if that be not good the rest are naught if there be not sound humiliation nothing will bee sound afterward Therefore we should desire that God by his spirit would helpe us more and more to know what we are in our selves that we may get to be what we are in Christ. But there is a continuall frame and disposition of soule which is a poverty in spirit that accompanies Gods children all the dayes of their life till they be in heaven till they enjoy that riches that is laid up there for them and that is especially here meant And indeed it is an ingredient into all the passages of salvation For in justification there must be a poverty of spirit to make us see that there is no righteousnesse in our selves or that can come from us that is able to stand against the Law and against the justice of God all is defiled and spotted and unanswerable And upon this poverty and apprehension of what is detective in our selves comes an admiration of that righteousnesse of God in Christ for it is of Gods devising and of Gods approving and of Gods working Christ being God and man to force us every day to renew our right iâ— the righteousnesse of Christ and to be found in him There is such a poverty of spirit as to account all losse and drosse and nothing to bee willing to part withall to bee found in Christ not having our owne righteousnesse but that which is of God in Christ as Paul divinely speakes Phil. 3. So it is necessary in that maine passage of justification to bee poore in spirit that is to see a deâ—ectâ—in our owne righteousnesse to stand opposâ—â—e to Gods justice who is a consuming fiâ—eâ— it is reâ—â—isite in regard of our daily living by saith injustification In the whole course of sanctification there must of necessity bee poverty of spirit that is a sense that wee have no sanctifying grace of our selves but wee must fetch it from the fulnesse of Christ whose fulnesse is for us of his fulnâ—sse wee receive grace for grace The ground of this is that now in the covenant of grace al is of grace both in justification and sanctification all is of grace nothing but grace God hath set himselfe to get the glory of his free grace and mercy now in Iesus Christ. Therefore as our salvation is wrought out of us altogether by our surety the second Adam Christ so our righteousnesse is altogether out of our selves whereby wee appeare righteous before God It is his and given to us by marriage being one with him his righteousnesse is ours And likewise in him wee have the principle of all grace he is the principle of our life the root and foundation of spirituall life and sanctification Without mee you can doe nothing So that in Christ we have all that concernes our spirituall life in sanctification and justification because it is a state of grace Adam had it in himselfe though God at the first clothed him with his image yet not withstanding he had not such a necessity as we have to goe to Christ for all but now in the second Adam Christ we must fetch grace for every thing from him Therefore there must be poverty in regard of out knowledge we have no spirituall knowledge of our selves and poverty in regard of our affections wee have no joy no peace no comfort of our selves no delight in good things nor no strength to them we have all from Christ. By grace saith the Apostle I am what I am as if grace had given him his being his forme as we say Indeed so it doth grace gives a Christian his forme and being his worke and his working for all working is from the inward being and form of things By grace wee are what we are in justification and worke what we work in sanctification it is by what we have freely from Christ therfore in that respect there must be poverty of spirit Nay I say more in every notion when wee are in the state of grace and have had the beginnings of the new creature in us there needs poverty of spirit in regard of our owne inability to performe every action For even as it is in our forme the life and soule there is a need of it in every moving and stirring so there is a need of the spirit of grace which is as the forme and life and being of a Christian to every holy action In him we live and move and have our being saith the Apostle In him that is in God reconciled to Christ we have not only our being that is our forme but in him we live and move to every particular act We are no wiser in particular things then God makes us on the sudden the wiâ—est man will be a foole if God leave him to his owne wit We are no stronger in every particular act that needs strength then God supplies us with spirituall strength We are no holier then God by his Spirit shines on us and raiseth our soules in particular actions So that it is not only necessary that we have grace at the first to make us Christians but we must have a perpetuall regiment of the Spirit from whence we must have an influence to every particular act Though we have grace yet we cannot bring forth that grace to act without new grace Even as trees though they be fitted to beare fruit as the Vine c. yet without the influence of the Heavens they cannot put forth that fitnesse in fruit so though we be fitted by the Spirit of God yet we cannot put it forth to particular acts when occasion serves without the influence of Heaven to promote and further that grace and applying our spirits to every holy action by removing the impediments that would hinder it adding new supply and strength to helpe grace If the temptations bee too strong as sometimes they are former grace will not serve without a new supply of strength As he that may carry a lesser burthen cannot carry a greater without new strength so in every temptation there is required more strength then the former and in every new action there is required
not only a continuance of grace but a fresh supply of stronger grace And for want of this the best of Gods Saints have fallen foulely Though they have had grace in them yet notwithstanding the Spirit hath left them to themselves in regard of new supply because they have beene conceited they have not beene poore enough in spirit As Peter he was conceited of his owne strength Though all men forâ—ake thee yet I will not This conceit moved God â—n mercy as well as in justice to leave him to â—imselfe that by his fall he might learne to stand another time and not trust his owne strength The â—est of us all I say when there is any thing to bee done we had need of a fresh influence of grace and a fresh light to shine upon us It should force perpetuall poverty of spirit to see the want that is in our selves and the supply that is out of our selves and to make use of that by going out of our selves and making towards him in whom is all our supply In all our communion wee have with God which is the happinesse of our estate this frame and disposition of soule to bee poore in spirit it is necessary in every act Even in our very prayers for grace we are so void of it that wee want ability to call for what we want We must have that from the Spirit not only grace but that disposition of soule which carries us to God a spirit fitting us to pray that must bee also given us wee know not what to call for Wee of our selves are so poore that wee not only want grace and ability to action but we have not ability to aske but Gods spirit must dictate our prayers and give us motions and make us sensible of our wants and must inable our faith to cherish those graces and make us goe out of our selves even in our very prayers What a state is this then Had wee not need to bee poore in spirit all our life time that have not so much as ability to goe out of our selves for supply from another but that must come from Christ too As S. Augustin who was a great advancer of the grace of GOD and an abaser of man he had indeed S. Pauls spirit saith hee wee should boast and glory of nothing because nothing is ours We have need of this poverty of spirit in the whole tenure of our Christian life Againe in the actions of this life how pitifully doe wee miscarry because we thinke wee have wit and strength enough and set upon things in our owne wit and strength we speed â—nd have successe answerable Where the beginning is confidence the end is shame of any businesse even of this life What is the reason that oft times the great and weighty businesses of this life have not answerable successe Many times it falsout so as one said of generall Councels they seldome were successefull because men come with confidence and wit for victory rather then truth Certainly there is lesse successe in great matters because men come with selfe confidence Therefore it is a good signe that God meanes to blesse great businesses when hee puts it into the hearts of those that are agents in them to seeke him in the affaires of this life We must bee poore in spirit to see that the carriage and successe comes from him Well so it is iâ— suffering likewise wee cannot suffer the least crosse of our selves but with murmuring and repining without strength from him When Moses came to the waters of strife Moses spirit was discovered hee could not endure the harshnesse and rebellion of the people A Christian comes sometimes to such opposition that his spirit is moved and he discovers much corruption It is so with the best men even Moses a meek man when he had such temptations and provocations it moved him Wee must labour to get a greater spirit then our owne to have the spirit of God to work this spirituall poverty in us This poverty of spirit as we call it is spirituale vacuum spirituall emptinesse You know in Philosophy there is nothing empty in the world but it is filled either with aire or some kind of body and to avoide the enemy of nature emptinesse things will change their seat heavie things will goe upward and things that are above will comâ— below to avoid emptinesse that is contrary to â—â—ture there being a fulnesse of things with one bodie or other so I say spirituall poverty it is aâ— emptying of the soule which of force alway brings better things in Wheresoever this emptying of the soule is this making of our selves poore it is upon good ground by this course it is alwaies such a vacuum and emptinesse of one thing as brings in another better The soule can never be altogether empty when winde and vaine stuffe is out then comes better things in which S. Paul cals the fulnesse of God he prayes and wishes that they might be filled with the fulnesse of God then comes fulnesse of knowledge and understanding and fulnesse of affection and fulnesse of contentment and complacency in the will and all the soule hath an answerable fulnesse to the proportion of the emptying it selfe of it selfe In the next place let us come to discover this disposition of poverty of spirit where it is And then shew some helpes to it First to discover where this blessed frame of soule is Surely those that are thus poore in spirit they are full of prayer The poore man speakes supplications as the Wiseman saith that is his dialect The poore man is much in prayer he that is poore in spirit is much in supplication for prayers they are the Ambassadours of the poore soule to God to supply it with the riches of his grace Therefore where there is no prayer there is no sense of poverty but there is a Laodicean temper as if they were rich enough You have a company of men they say they cannot pray privately their spirits are barren They intimate much pride of spirit for if a man be sensible of his wants you need not supply him with words If a poore tenant come to a Land-lord and find he hath a hard bargaine let him alone for telling his tale I warrant you he will lay open the state of his wife and children and the ill yeare he hath had he will be eloquent enough Take any man that is sensible of his wants and you shall not need to dictate words to him There is no man that hath a humble and broken heart though he be never so illiterate but he will have a large heart to God in this kinde Againe there is a care of using all meanes Where poverty is there will bee a making out of our selves unto places where GOD bestowes any riches They that are poore and have no victuals at home they will goe to market rather than they will starve and those that find
because as the things are great so they require a sutable carrage not a common carriage We prophane the Sacrament if we take the Bread and Wine as a common Feast as S. Paul saith You discerne not the Lords Body We prophane Mysteries when we discerne not Beasts and beast-like men discerne not the relation of things that these outward elements have reference to great matters to the Body and bloud of Christ they doe not discerne them from common Bread and Wine though they be used to rayse up our soules to the Bread of Life So likewise when we come to the Word of God and looke not to our feet but come to the Church as if we went to a Play or some common place without prayer without preparation when wee come with common affections this is to come prophanely Here we come to Mysteries to high things to great matters Therefore when wee come to converse with God we must not come with common affections wee must carry our selves holily in holy businesse or else we offer to God strange fire God was in this place sayth Iacob and I was not aware of it So when we come to heare the Word when we goe to pray when we receive the Sacrament God is herâ— and Mysteries are here and we are not aware of it It is a shame for us not to labour to bring sutable dispositions It is a matter of that consequent life or death depends upon it You know what S. Paul sayth 1 Cor. 11. For this very cause some are sick and some weake and some sleep some die Why For comming with common affection for not discerning the Lords Body for not examining our selves for not having answerable dispositions to the greatnesse of the Mysteries we goe about Let us not thinke it enough to come to the Sacrament and then to let the reines loose to all kind of vanitie the very Heathens would be ashamed of that It is the bane and blemish of Religion and such a thing for which wee may feare that God will give whole Christendome a purge I meane for our excesse There is a lawfull use of Feasting and comely Recreations but to come with unjustifiable Vanities that are not fit at any time when wee should honour God for the greatest Gift that ever was for the Incarnation of his Sonne to be more prophanely disposed then and to give our selves to more loose courses then at other times how can it but provoke the Justice of God especially it being common Amongst other things we may justly looke for the Vengeance of God for this not onely upon this or that place for it is the fault of Christendome Shall we carry our selves thus prophanely at these times when we should walke in a holy disposition Is this the way to be thankefull to God Let us labour to entertaine and embrace these Mysteries of the Gospel as wee should with a sutable carriage to them for the Gospel will no longer tarry then it hath sutable love and affections to the greatnesse of the thing The Gospel may leave us we know not how soone and goe to people that are as barbarous as we were before the Gospel came to us The Romans thought they had Victory tyed to them but we have not these Mysteries of the Gospel tyed to us If we labour not for an answerable carriage as God hath removed the Gospel from the Easterne Churches of Asia that are under the tyrannie of the Turks now so he may and we know not how soone take away these blessed and glorious Mysteries Let us reverence these Mysteries and blesse God for them and labour to expresse our thankfulnesse in our lives and conversations that God may delight to continue with us and continue his blessed Truth among us Doe but conceive in your owne selves what equity is it that Truths should be obtruded to men that care not for them That live under the mysteries of the Gospell with as much liberty to the flesh as if they had never heard of it that their lives are not better then Pagans perhaps worse When these things grow generall will God continue these Mysteries to us when there is such a disproportion of affection and carriage Judge of these things God should deale justly with us if he should leave us to the darknesse of Gentilisme and Poperie and confusion and carry the Gospel further West still to a people that never heard of it where it should have better entertainment then it hath had of us I beseech you let us labour to carry our selves answerable to this blessed and great Mysterie if wee would have it continued longer among us Againe are these things Mysteries great Mysteries Let us blesse God that hath revealed them to us for the glorious Gospel Oh how doth S. Paul in every Epistle stirre up people to be thankfull for revealing these Mysteries What cause have the Gentiles that were in the shaddow of death before to be thankfull to God What kind of Nation were we in Iulius Caesars time As barbarous as the West Indians the Canibals were as good as we We that were so before not onely to be civillized by the Gospel but to have the meanes of salvation discovered what cause have we to be enlarged to thankfulnesse And shall we shew our thankefulnesse in provoking his Majestie There is nothing in the world that is a ground of that thankfulnesse as the glorious Gospel that brings such glorious things as it doth Men are thankfull to men for teaching and discovering the Mysteries of their Trades and shall God discover the great Mysteries of the Gospell of Christ and shall not we be thankfull Are there not thousands that sit in darknesse The Romish Church is it not under the Mysterie of Iniquitie And that we should have the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel revealed to us that the Veile should be taken off and we should see the face of God in Christ what a matter of thankfulnesse is it to all gracious hearts that ever felt comfort by it Againe it is a Mysterie Therefore it should teach us likewise not to set upon the knowledge of it with any wits or parts of our owne to thinke to search into it meerely by strength of wit and study of Bookes and all humane helpes that can be it is a Mysterie and it must be unveiled by God himselfe by his Spirit If we set upon this Mysterie onely with wits and parts of our owne then what our wits cannot pierce into we will judge it not to be true as if our wits were the measure of Divine Truth so much as we conceive is true and so much as we cannot conceive is not true What a pride is this in flesh in wormes of the Earth that will make their owne apprehensions and conceits of things the measure of Divine Truth as Heretikes heretofore have done It was the fault of the Schoolemen in later times they would come with their Logick
onely and strong wits and such Learning as those darke times afforded to speake of Grace of the Gospel of justification they spake of it and distinguished in a meere metaphysicall and carnall manner therefore they brought onely humane Learning they were furnished with Plato and other naturall Learning and with these they thought to breake through all the Mysteries in Religion Wee must not struggle with the difficulties of Religion with naturall parts It is a Mysterie now therefore it must have a double veile tooke off a veile from the thing and the veile from our eyes It is a Mysterie in regard of the things themselves and in regard of us It is not sufficient that the things be lightsome that are now revealed by the Gospel but there must be that taken from our hearts that hinders our sight The Sunne is a most glorious creature the most visible object of the world what is that to a blind man that hath skales on his eyes So Divine Truth is glorious it is Light in it selfe but there are skales on the eyes of the soule there is a filme that must be taken off there is a veile over the heart as S. Paul saith of the Iewes therefore they could not see the scope of Moses directing all to Christ naturally there is a veile over mens hearts and that is the reason that though they have never so many parts and the things be light in themselves yet they cannot see Therefore I say the veile must be taken both from the things and from our hearts that Light being shed into lightsome hearts both may close together Againe being a Mysterie it cannot be raysed out of the Principles of Nature it cannot be raysed from Reasons But hath Reason no use then in the Gospel Yes sanctified Reason hath to draw sanctified conclusions from sanctified Principles thus faâ—re Reason is of use in these Mysteries to shew that they are not opposite to Reason they are above Reason but they are not contrarie to it even as the light of the Sunne it is above the light of a Candle but it is not contrarie to it The same thing may be both the object of Faith and of Reason The immortalitie of the soule it is a matter of Faith and it is well proved by the Heathen by the light of Reason And it is a delightfull thing to the soule in things that Reason can conceive of to have a double Light for the more Light the more comfort to have both the Light of Nature and the Light of Grace and of Gods Spirit That which Reason should do here is to stoop to Faith in things that are altogether above Reason as to conceive Christ in the Wombe of a Virgin the joyning of two Natures in one the Trinitie of Persons in one Divine Nature and such like Here it is the greatest reason to yield reason to Faith Faith is the reason of Reason in these things and the greatest reason is to yeeld to God that hath revealed them Is not here the greatest reason in the world to beleeve him that is Truth it selfe Hee hath sayd it therefore Reason it selfe sayth it is the greatest reason to yeeld to God who is Truth it selfe therefore Faith stands with the greatest reason that can be For things have a greater being in Gods Word then in themselves and Faith is above Reason therefore it is the reason of reasons to beleeve when we have things revealed in the Word that is one use of Reason in Mysteries to stop the mouthes of gaine-sayers by Reason to shew that it is no unreasonable thing to beleeve Againe seeing it is a Mysterie let no man despaire It is not the pregnancy of the Scholar here that carryes it away it is the excellencie of the Teacher if Gods Spirit be the Teacher it is no matter how dull the Scholar is it is a Mysterie Pride in great parts is a greater hinderance then simplicity in meaner parts Therefore Christ in Mat. 11. he glorifies God that hee had revealed these things to the simple and concealed them from the proud Let no man despaire for the Statutes of God give understanding to the simple as the Psalmist sayth God is such an excellent mighty Teacher that where he finds no wit he can cause wit He hath a priviledge above other Teachers hee doth not onely teach the thing but he gives wit and understanding It is a Mysterie therefore as none should be so proud as to thinke to breake thorow it with wit and parts so let none despaire considering that God can rayse shallow and weak wits to apprehend this great Mysterie It is a Mysterie therefore take heed of slighting of Divine Truths The emptie shallow heads of the world make great matters of trifles and stand amazed at baubles and vanities and thinke it a grace to slight divine things this great Mysterie of godlinesse they despise that which the Angels themselves stand in wonderment at and are students in that the wits of the world they slight and despise or dally withall as if it were a matter not worth reckoning but I leave such to reformation or to Gods just judgement that hath given them up to such extremitie of madnesse and folly Let us labour to set a high price on the Mysteries of godlinesse How shall wee come to know this Mysterie as wee should and to carry our selves answerable We must desire God to open our eyes that as the Light hath shined as the Apostle faith Tit. 2. the Grace of God hath shined as there is a lightsomenesse in the Mysteries so there may be in our eye There is a double Light required to all things in nature the lightsomnesse in the Medium and in the sight so here though the Mysteries be now revealed by Preaching and Bookes and other helpes yet to see this Mysterie and make a right use of it there is required a spirituall Light to joyne with this outward Light And hence comes a necessitie of depending upon Gods Spirit in conversing in this Mysterie There must be an using of all helpes and meanes or else we tempt God wee must reade and heare and above all we must pray as you see David in Psal. 119. Open mine eyes Lord that I may see wonders in thy Law There are wonders in thy Law but my eyes must be opened to see them He had sight before but he desires still a further and clearer sight and as the poore man in the Gospel that cryed after Christ when he was asked What wouldest thou have Lord that mine eyes might be opened So should every one of us considering it is such a ravishing Mysterie crye after God and Christ Lord that my eyes might be opened that I may see wonders in thy Law that I may see the wonders in thy Gospel the unsearchable riches of Christ. Therefore it is that S. Paul in Ephes.
1. and Ephes. 3. he prayes for the Spirit of revelation that God would vouchsafe that Spirit to take away the veile of ignorance and unbeleefe from our soules that we may see and as it is Ephes. 3. that we may comprehend the height and breadth and length and depth and all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ. This must be done by the Spirit of God for as S. Paul divinely reasons in 1 Cor. 2. Who knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God Therefore wee must plow with Gods Heyfer if we would know the things of the Spirit we must have the same Spirit Now the Spirit doth not onely teach the Truths of the Gospel but the application of those Truths that they are ours this Truth of the Gospel is mine the Sacrament seales it to me The preaching of the Word takes away the veile from the things and the Spirit takes away the veile from our soules It is the office of the Spirit to take the veile off the heart and to lighten our understandings and likewise to be a Spirit of application to us in particular It is to â—o purpose to know that these things are Mysteries unlesse they be for us and for our good that we know Christ is ours and that God is reconciled to us Therefore saith the Apostle hee hath given us the Spirit to know the things that are given us of God in particular So the Spirit doth not onely bring a blessed Light to the Scriptures and shew us the meaning in generall but it is a Spirit of application to bring home those gracious promises to every one in particular to tell us the things that are given us of God not onely the things that are given to the Church but to us in particular For the Spirit of God will tell us what is in the brest of God his secret good will to the Church he loves the Church and he loves thee sayth the Spirit therefore he is called an earnest and a seale in our hearts because he discovers not onely the Truth at large but he discovers the truth of Gods affection in all the priviledges of the Gospel that they belong to us What a blessed discovery is this that not onely reveales Divine Truths to us but reveales them so to us that we have our share and interest in them Therefore whensoever we take the Booke of God into our hands when we come to heare the Word beg of God the Spirit My House sayth God shall be called the House of Prayer not onely the House of Hearing of Divine Truths but the House of Prayer In the use of meanes we must looke up to God and Christ it is impudencie and presumption to come to these things without lifting up our soules to God Therefore there is so little profit under these glorious Mysteries because there is so little prayer lifting up the heart to God We should goe to Christ that opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens he hath the Key of David goe to him therefore that he would both open the Mysteries and open our hearts that they may close with them In Revel 5. Saint Iohn wept when the Booke with seven Seales could not be opened he wept that the Prophesie was so obscure that it could not be understood but then Christ takes the Booke and opens it So when we cannot understand divine Mysteries let us groane and sigh to Christ he can open the Booke with seven Seales and he layes open all the Mysteries as farre forth as it concernes us to know Gods children grieve when things are not discovered to them There is a contrarie disposition in Gods people to carnall Papists they vex that Mysteries should be discovered Gods people grieve that they are not discovered enough they make a perverse use of this divine Truths are Mysteries therfore they may not be published to people nay divine truths are Mysteries therefore they must be unfolded Hence comes the necessity of the Ministery for if the Gospel be a Mysterie that is a hidden kind of knowledge then there must be some to reveale it God hath therfore stablished an Office in the Church with which he joynes his owne sacred Spirit that both Ordinance and Spirit joyning together the veile may be taken off How can they understand without a Teacher And To us is committed the dispensation to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ sayth S. Paul Therefore there is this Ordinance to unfold these depths as much as may serve for us Prophane people they thinke they know enough they need not be taught as if this were a shallow Mysterie or none at all It argues a prophane and naughty heart not to attend upon all sanctified meanes all is little enough And sometimes God will not grant his Spirit in one meanes because hee will make us goe to another and from that â—o another and runne thorow all He denyes his Spirit of purpose in hearing because he will have us to read and denyes it in that because he will have us conferre and practise the Communion of Saints and all little enough to apprehend this glorious excellent Mysterie A man may know a prophane heart therefore by despising the improovement of any meanes of knowledge It is a Mysterie therefore Gods people desire to have it taught Againe if we would understand these Mysteries let us labour for humble spirits for the Spirit workes that disposition in the first place The humble God will teach Psal. 25. the humble that will depend upon his teaching Now this kind of humilitie here required it is a denyall of our owne wits though they be never so capacious for the things of the world We must be content to become fooles that wee may be wise wee must denie our owne understandings and be content to have no more understanding in Divine things then wee can carry out of Gods Booke then wee can be taught by Gods Word and Ordinances This humilitie we must bring if wee will understand this Mysterie And bring withall a serious desire to know with a purpose to be molded to what we know to be delivered to the obedience of what wee know for then God will discover it to us Wisedome is easie to him that will Together with prayer and humilitie let us but bring a purpose and desire to be taught and we shall find divine wisedome easie to him that will None ever miscarry in the Church but those that have false hearts they have not humble and sincere hearts willing to be taught For if they have that then God that hath given this sinceritie and will this resolution that they will use the meanes and they will be taught hee will suit it with Teachers God usually suites men with Teachers fit for their dispositions Let a man have a naughtie heart and he shall find flatterers to build him up in all violent and naughtie courses God in judgement
then those things wherin they dissent from us that were neither held from the Apostles times for they were the inventions of Popes one after another their fooleries wherein they differ from us they are late inventions and we hold them not they are lesse Catholike then that that they and we and all Christians hold ever since the Apostles times But to come to a use of practice Therefore when we have the Truths of Religion discovered to us by the Ministerie or by reading c. when they are conveyed to our knowledge by any sanctified meanes let us propound these Quaere's to our owne soules Are these things so or no Yes Doe I beleeve them to be so or no Yes If I doe beleeve them then consider what the affection and inward disposition is whether it be sutable to such things and so worke upon our hearts that our knowledge may be affective knowledge a knowledge with a taste that sinkes even to the very affections that pierceth thorow the whole soule that the affections may yeeld as well as the understanding and let us never cease till there be a correâ—pondence betweene the affection and the Truth Are they true beleeve them Are they good embrace them Let us never rest till our hearts embrace them as our understanding conceives them And let us thinke there is a defect in our apprehensions that we call them into question if the affections embrace them not for alway answerable to the weight and the depth of the apprehension of the Truth is the affection stirred up and the will stirred up to embrace it A man knowes no more in Religion then he loves and embraceth with the affections of his soule The affections are planted for this â—nd upon the report of that which is good to them to embrace it to â—oyne with it therefore let us never thinke our state good till we find our hearts warmed with the goodnes of divine supernaturall Truths Oh how doe I love thy lawâ— saith David He wonders at his own affections Let us labour to have great affections answerable to the things and never leave till we can love them and joy and delight in them as the greatest things and with blessed S. Paul account all as dâ—ng and drosse in comparison of them That knowledge is only saying knowledge that workes the heart to a love to a joy and delight that workes the whole man to practise and obedience that is onely spirituall knowledge All other knowledge serves for nothing but to minister God matter of justifying our damnation that our damnation wil be just that knowing these things we doe not worke our hearts to love them but we rest in the naked barren knowledge of them It is a pittifull thing to know things no further and no deeper then to minister matter of our just damnation Now all that have not a transforming knowledge that have not a spirituall knowledge they are in this state Therefore we should labour to see spirituall things in a spirituall Light for where spirituall Light is there is alway spirituall heat where spirituall evidence is in the understanding there is spirituall embracing in the affections evidence brings quicknesse supernaturall light and supernaturall life they goe together Let us labour therefore that our apprehension of these great Mysteries may be supernaturall and spirituall and then as the judgement apprehends them without controversie to be true the affections will be present to close with them So much for the Preface Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse Now wee come to the particulars of this great Mysterie God manifested in the flesh This and the other branches that follow they are all spoken of Christ. Indeed the Mysterie of Godlinesse is nothing but Christ and that which Christ did Christ was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeved on in the World received up in Glorie So that from the generall we may observe this that Christ is the scope of the Scripture Christ is the Pearle of the Ring Christ is the maine the Center wherein all those Lines end take away Christ what remaines Therefore in the whole Scriptures let us see that we have an eye to Christ all is nothing but Christ. The Mysterie of Religion is Christ manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit c. all is but Christ. And that is the reason the Iewes understand not the Scriptures better because they seeke not Christ there Take away Christ take away all out of the Scriptures they are but empty things Therefore when we reade them thinke of somewhat that may lead us to Christ as all the Scriptures lead one way or other to Christ as I might shew in particular but I onely name it in generall He begins here with this God manifest in the flesh not God taken essentially but God taken personally God in the second Person was manifested all actions are of persons the second Person was incarnate The three Persons are all God yet they were not all incarnate though God were incarnate because it was a personall action of the second Person And why in that Person Because he was the Image of God And none but the Image of God could restore us to that Image He was the Sonne of God and none but the naturall Sonne could make us Sonnes He is the Wisedome of the Father to make us wise and he is the first beloved to make us beloved Such reasons are given by the Schoole-men and not disagreeable to Scripture for indeed it is appropriate to the second Person the great worke of the Incaâ—nation God in the flesh Therefore they usually compare the Incarnation of Christ to a Garmeâ—t made by three Virgins Sisters and one of them weares it So all the three Persons had a hand in the Garment of Christs flesh the Father had a worke in it and the Holy-Ghost sanctified it yet he onely wore it therfore the second Person is God manifest in the flesh By flesh here is meant humane nature the propertie of humane nature both body and soule And by flesh also is usually understood the infirmities and weakenesse of man the miserable condition of man So God manifest in the flesh that is in our nature and the properties of it he put that on and not onely so but our infirmities and weakenesse our miseries and which is more he tooke our flesh when it was tainted with Treason our base nature after it was fallen which was a wondrous fruit of Love As if one should weare a mans Colours or Liverie after he is proclaymed Traytor it is a great grace to such a man For Christ to weare our garment when we were proclaimed Traytors after wee were fallen it was a wondrous dignation And he tooke not onely our nature but our flesh he was God manifest in the flâ—sh that is in the infirmities of our nature he tooke
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
Divine Power so he will justifie his Mysticall Body and as he hath conquered in his owne person so he will by his Spirit conquer for his Church And as he will overcome for his Church so he will overcome in his Church stronger is he that is in the Church in you then he that is in the World and Gods children will be triumphant though they may be discouraged in respect of the present carriage of things yet the Spirit that is in them above the World will gather strength by little and little and it will appeare at length notwithstanding present discouragements undoubtedly the best things will have a true lustre and glory at length how-ever they seeme to be carryed for the present You see as Christ hath justified himselfe to be the true Messias and as he hath justified himselfe so he will justifie all his there is the same reason for both For our further instruction and comfort let us consider that in regard of God likewise we shall be justified from our sinnes in our consciences here and at the Day of Judgement before Angels and Devils and men As Christ was justified from our sinnes himselfe and he will justifie every one of us by his Spirit his Spirit shall witnesse to our Soules that we are justified and likewise his Spirit shall declare it at the Day of Judgement it shall be openly declared that we are so indeed There is a double degree of justification one in our conscience now another at the Day of Judgement Then it shall appeare that we have beleeved in Christ and are cleansed from our sinnes when we shall stand on the right hand of Christ â—s all that cleave to Christ by faith then it shall appeare that by him we are justified from all our sinnes whatsoever Againe Christ was justified in the Spirit Then hence we may learne our dutie we ought all of us to justifie Christ. To whom is Christ justified by the Spirit onely to his owne Church and Children not to the reprobate World We may know that we are members of Christ if wee be of the number of those that justifie Christ. How doe we justifie Christ We justifie Christ when from an inward worke of the Spirit we feele and acknowledge him to be such an one as he is Christ is God Now when we relie upon him as our Rock in all temptations we justifie Christ to be so when we kisse the Sonne with the kisses of faith of subjection of obedience of reverence and love this is to justifie Christ to be the Sonne of God as it is Psal. 2. Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry Those that in temptation are to seeke for their comfort they doe not justifie Christ they doe not live as if he were a Saviour not as if he were a God in temptations to despaire they justifie not Christ. Those that have Christ illuminating their understandings to conceive the Mysteries of Religion they justifie Christ to be the Prophet of his Church because they feele him enlightning their understandings Those that find their consciences pacified by the obedience and sacrifice of Christ they justifie him to be their Priest for they can oppose the bloud of Christ sprinkled on their hearts to all the temptations of Satan and to the risings of their owne doubting conscience their hearts being sprinkled with the bloud of Christ they can goe to God and the bloud of Christ speakes for them Peace it pleads Mercie Mercie Thus we justifie Christ as a Priest when we rest in his Sacrifice and doe not with Papists runne to other Sacrifices this is not to justifie Christ To justifie Christ God-man is to make him a perfect Mediator of intercession and redemption to make him all in all They doe not justifie Christ that thinke God was made man to patch up a salvation that he must doe a part and we must merit the rest oh no take heed of that account all our obedience and all that is from us as menstruous clothes not able to stand with the Justice of God In a word we justifie and declare and make good that he is our King and put a Kingly Crowne upon his head when we suffer him to rule us and to subdue our spirits and our rebellions when we cherish no contrarie motions to his Spirit when we rest in this World and not traditions but stoupe to the Seepter of Christs Word this is to justifie him as a King Thus we should labour to justifie and declare to the World the excellencie and power of Christ in our hearts that we may make Religion lovely and make it be entertained in the World because we shew it to be an excellent powerfull thing Let us examine our hearts whether we thus justifie Christ or no that by our carriage towards him we make it good that he is such an one as the Scripture sets him forth to be In particular we justifie him that he rose from the dead when we beleeve that we are freed from our sinnes our Suretie being out of Prison We justifie him as ascended into Heaven when we have heavenly affections and when we consider him as a publike person gone to Heaven in our name We justifie him as sitting at the right hand of God when we mind the things that are above and not that are here below or else we denie these things wee beleeve them not we justifie them not when our conversations are not answerable to the things we beleeve If we be the children of Wisedome undoubtedly we shall justifie Wisedome If we be the members of Christ we shall justifie our Head if wee be his Spouse we shall justifie our Husband Let us examine our selves that we doe in this kind and never thinke our state good till we can justifie Christ. In the next place for our direction as Christ justified himselfe by his Spirit by his Divine Power so let us know that it is our dutie to justifie our selves to justifie our profession justifie all Divine Truth Let us make it good that we are the Sonnes of God that we are Christians indeed not onely to have the name but the annointing of Christ that we may cleare our Religion from false imputations or else instead of justifying our profession we justifie the slanders that are against it The World is readie to say None are worse then Christians and their Religion is all but words and shewes and formes Shall wee justifie these slanders No let us by the Spirit of God justifie our Religion let us shew that Religion is a powerfull thing and so indeed it is For Divine Truth when it is imbraced and knowne it alters and changeth the manners and dispositions it makes of Lions Lambes it makes our natures mild and tractable and sweet it rayseth a man from Earth to Heaven Let us justifie this our Religion and profession against all gainesayers whatsoever Wisedome is justified
are Angels even of children of little ones Nay let a man be never so poore even as Lazarus he shall have the attendance of Angels in life and death There is no Christian of low degree of the lowest degree that shall thinke himselfe neglected of God for the very Angels attend him as we see in Lazarus there is a generall commission for the least the little ones Likewise it may comfort us in all our extremities whatsoever in all our desertions the time may come beloved that we may be deserted of the world and deserted of our friends we may be in such straits as we may have no body in the world neere us Oh but if a man be a true Christian he hath God and Angels about him alway A Christian is a King he is never without his Guard that invisible Guard of Angels What if a man have no body by him when he dies but God and his good Angels to carry his soule to Heaven is he neglected Every Christian if he hath none else with him he hath God the whole Trinitie and the Guard of Angels to helpe and comfort him and to convey his soule to the place of happinesse Therefore let us never despaire let us never be disconsolate whatsoever our condition be we shall have God and good Angels with us in all our straits and extremities Goe thorow all the passages of our life we see how readie we are to fall into dangers In our infancie in our tender yeeres we are committed to their custodie after in our dangers they pitch their Tents about us as it is Psal. 34. The Angels of the Lord pitch their Tents about those that feare the Lord. In our conversion they rejoyce There is joy in Heaven at the conversion of a sinner At the houre of death as we see in Lazarus they are readie to convey our soules to the place of happinesse Lazarus soule was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosome At the Resurrection they shall gather our dead bodies together it is the office of the Angels In Heaven they shall prayse and glorifie God together with us forever for Christ shall come with a multitude of heavenly Angels at the Day of Judgement when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints then we shall for ever glorifie God Saints and Angels together in Heaven Therefore in Heb. 12.22 it is said We are come to the innumerable multitude of Angels What is the meaning of that That is now in the New Testament by our communion with Christ we have association with the blessed Angels innumerable companie of Angels sayth the Holy-Ghost there we have association with them even from our infancie till we be in glory Indeed they are as Nurses They shall carry thee that thou dash not thy foot against a stone as it is Psal. 91. they keepe us from many inconveniencies But you will say Gods children fall into inconveniencies how then are they attended by Angels I answere First of all Gods Angels preserve those that are his from many inconveniencies that they know not of And certainely we have Devils about us continually and there is a conflict betwixt good Angels and Devils about us continually And when we doe fall into any inconvenience it is because we are not in our way if we goe out of our way they have not the charge over us they are to keepe us in our wayes And if they keepe us not from dashing our foot against a stone if they keepe us not from ill yet they keepe us in ill and deliver us out of ill at length for they deliver us not onely from evill that we fall not into it but they keepe us in ill and deliver us out of ill nay and by ill if we suffer in the custodie of Angels any inconveniencie it is that we may be tryed by it that we may be exercised and bettered by it There is nothing that falls out to Gods children in the world but they gaine by it whatsoever it is This therefore doth not prejudice the attendance of Angels Therefore let us comfort our selves in all conditions for our selves and for the State put ease it be brought to a very small number that the enemies were thousands more then wee many thousands and millions yet if we be in the Covenant of Grace and in good tearmes with God we have more for us then against us we shall have Angels fight for us You know Elisha's servant when he saw a multitude of enemies his eyes were opened to see a companie of Angels and sayth the Prophet there are more for us then against us So let us be to the eye of the world never so few and never so weake let us but have Elisha's eye the eye of Faith and we shall have his Guard about us alway and about the Common-wealth this should comfort us But then we must learne this dutie not to grieve these good Spirits As it is wondrous humilitie that they will stoupe to be servants to us that are of a weaker baser nature then they so it is wondrous patience that they will continue still to guard us notwithstanding we doe that that grieves those good spirits one motive to keepe us in the way of obedience that we doe not grieve those blessed spirits that are our Guard and attendance Let us consider when we are alone it would keepe us from many sinnes no eye of man seeth I but God seeth and conscience within seeth and Angels without are witnesses they grieve at it and the Devils about us rejoyce at it These meditations when we are sollicited to sinne would withdraw our minds and take up our hearts if we had a spirit of faith to beleeve these things Let us learne to make this use likewise to magnifie God that hath thus honoured us not onely to take our nature upon him to be manifest in the flesh but also to give us his owne attendance his owne Guard a Guard of Angeâ—s Indeed we are in Christ above Angels advanced higher then Angels what cause have we to prayse God How are we advanced above them We are the Spouse of Christ and so are not Angels they are under Christ as a Head of government and a Head of Influence they have strength and confirmation from Christ he is not a Head of redemption but of confirmation to them Saint Paul calls them elect Angels that stand they stand by Christ they have good by him but they are not the Spouse of Christ we are the Spouse and members of Christ He hath honoured our nature more then the Angelicall he did not take upon him the nature of Angels but of men and as he hath advanced us above Angels so his dispensation is that those glorious creatures should be our attendants for our good and they distaste not this attendance And this is that we should know what care God hath over us and
then any other Truth as the worke in Redemption is more glorious so the Divine grace and vertue in the soule that makes use of this which is Faith it must be more excellent then all other Graces whatsoever And as it must be God that must save and redeeme us so it must be God that must peswade the heart of this as Christ who is God must performe the worke of Redemption so it must be God the Holy-Ghost that must perswade the heart that God loves it so much and raise the heart to apprehend it and make use of it no lesse power will doe it Let us I say have great conceits of this excellent grace of Faith All men have not Faith it is a rare grace a rare jewell When Christ comes shall he find Faith in the world Certainely it is a Mysterie for a man to beleeve in Christ for a naturall man to be brought to rely upon Christ To you it is given to beleeve sayth the Apostle he might well say it is given it is no ordinarie gift neyther Therefore let us pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith and with the poore man in the Gospel Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleefe The next thing I will touch shall be this That Faith is put here for all graces Here in these six Clauses of this great Mysterie of Godlinesse there is onely this one that is within us God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached to the Gentiles received up in glory these are all without us but this one beleeved on in the world that is onely within us and it is set downe in stead of all and indeed so it is for it drawes all other graces after it it enlivens and quickens the soule it is the spriâ—g of spirituall life in us it is the first grace of all There are some degrees of the Spirit perhaps before it but all graces have their quickening from Faith it infuseth supernaturall vigour into all the parts and powers of the soule and into all graces whatsoever Where Christ is beleeved on in the world all followes love and patience and courage and fortitude whatsoever as we see in Heb. 11. By Faith they had a good report they had a good report for patience and for courage and other good workes but all these came from Faith therefore by Faith they had a good report Therefore the acting of all other Graces it comes from Faith By Faith Enoch walked with God by Faâ—th Noah and Moses did so and so signifying that Faith is the ground of all Faith it fetcheth spirituall life from Christ for all whatsoever is good it knits us to the spring of life Christ it is the grace of union Even as Satan by unbeleefe did infuse all his poyson at the first for by making our first Parents stagger in the Word of God came sinne so by Faith all obedience comes all have their rising and beginning from Faith As it drawes spirituall life from Christ so the encouragements are by Faith to all other graces whatsoever for patience and love c. Faith must set before them the object and the reasons from the glory to come from the love of God in Christ when Faith propounds all this then it stirres and quickens all graces Faith yeelds strong reasons and discourse to stirre us up to whatsoever is necessarie Why do I hope for the glory to come I beleeve it first Why doe I love God I beleeve he is my Father in Christ all have strength from Love and that from Faith unlesse I beleeve that God loves me in Christ I cannot love him unlesse I love him I can expresse no vertue for him no patience no good worke so it puts life into all therefore it is here put for all beleeved on in the World It should stirre us up to make much of this Faith above all graces to desire it And being a Mystery and so excellent a grace we had need to discerne whether we have it or no therefore I will touch a few evidences some of them out of the Text. First if you beleeve it comes usually after Preaching We see here Preached to the Gentiles and then Beleeved on in the World Whence came thy Faith If not by the Ordinance of God thou mayest expect it to be a bastard Faith it hath not a right beginning especially if it be joyned with contempt of Gods Ordinance it is no Faith but a presumptuous conceit Preaching and Beleeving here goe one after another Therefore examine how thy Faith was wrought in thy heart Againe as I sayd Faith being a Mysterie in regard of such a world of opposition betweene the heart of man and Christ Satan helping the unbeleeving heart here must needs be a strife and conflict with Faith Therefore those men that never had conflict with their owne unbeleeving heart that never had conflict with Satans temptations they never had Faith for it is a Mystery to have Faith it is with opposition and conflict no grace hath the like conflict and opposition from Satan for Satan aymes in all sinnes to shake our Faith and affiance in Gods love As God aymes at the strengthening of Faith above all so the Devill hates it above all and in all temptations whatsoever he aymes to shake our Faith at the last Therefore there must needs be opposition to our selves and our owne doubting nature and to Satans temptations and to the course of things that sometimes are cleane opposite to a man for a sinner to beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes for a miserable man to beleeve glory in the world to come for a dying man to beleeve life eternall for a man tumbled into the Grave to beleeve that he shall rise from the dead if there be no conflict with these things so opposite to Faith there is no Faith Then againe in the third place it is the spring of all obedience the Apostle calls it the obedience of Faith Rom. 1. All preaching is for the obedience of Faith obedience of Faith brings obedience of life and conversation Examine thy selfe therefore by the course of thy obedience by that that comes from Faith see what it workes in thy soule in thy life and conversation And here I might be very large for where Faith is First of all after it hath beene a meanes to justifie to lay hold upon the all-sufficient righteousnesse of Christ to stand betweene God and us to cloath and cover our soules then it pacifieth the conscience Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Faith hath a quieting power it quiets the soule because it propounds to the soule a sufficient satisfaction in God-man it propounds to the soule Christ sealed by God the Father having done all that is necessary to salvation it sets downe the soule for he was God and therefore able and man and therefore willing to save Faith
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
then he could doe if he were on the Earth if the Sun were lower what wouâ—d become of the Earth But being so remote and so farre above he hath opportunity to shine over the greatest part of the Earth at once being greater then the Earth he shineth over more then halfe the Earth at once Christ being in Heaven as the Sunne of Righteousnesse he shines more gloriously over all and we have more comfort and benefit and influence from Christ now in Heaven then we could if he were on Earth Must we needs make him bodily present every where as the Papists doe and other Heterodox strange conceited men in Germanie What need we doe thus when there may be influence from Christ now in Heaven to us on Earth as we see in other things without confusion of his Divine properties to his Body or making his Body as his God-head is Therefore seeke him not bodily any where but in Heaven Those Opinions overthrow three Articles of our Faith at once He ascâ—nded into Heaven He sitteth at the right hand of God and He shall come to judge the quicke and the dead And where is his Body in the meane time in the Sacrament No he is received up in glory Therefore we must have our thoughts in heaven when we are about that businesse we must lift up our hearts as it is in our Liturgie which is taken out of the ancient Liturgie We lift them up unto the Lord we must have holy thoughts raysed up to Christ in Heaven Againe is Christ received up to glory Here is singular comfort considering what I said before that he is ascended as a publike person in our behalfe in our nature for our good Therefore when we thinke of Christ in Heaven think of our Husband in Heaven thinke of our selves in Heaven We are set together in heavenly places with Christ as the Apostle saith Ephes. 2. We have a glorious life but it is hid with Christ in Heaven When Christ himselfe shall be revealed our life shall be revealed though we creepe upon the Earth as wormes yet notwithstanding we have communion and fellowship with Christ who is joyned with us in the same Mysticall Body who is now at the right hand of God in Heaven and he that hath glorified his naturall Body in Heaven that he tooke upon him he will glorifie his Mysticall Body for he tooke flesh and blood his naturall Body for the glory of his Mysticall Body that he might bring his Church to glory Therefore we ought as verily to beleeve that he will take his Mysticall Body and every particular member of it to Heaven as he hath taken his naturall Body and hath set it there in glory It is a comfort in the houre of death that we yeeld up our soules to Christ who is gone before to provide a place for us this was one end of his taking up to Heaven to provide a place for us Therefore when we die we have not a place to seeke our house is provided before hand Christ was taken up to glory to provide glory for us Even as Paradise was provided for Adam before he was made so we have a heavenly Paradise provided for us we had a place in Heaven before we were borne What a comfort is this at the houre of death and at the death of our friends that they are gone to Christ and to glory We are shut out of the first Paradise by the first Adam our comfort is that now the heavenly Paradise in Christ is open This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise sayth Christ to the good Theefe There was an Angell to keepe Paradise when Adam was shut out but there is none to keepe us out of Heaven nay the Angels are ready to convey our soules to Heaven as they did Lazarus and as they accompanied Christ in his Ascension to Heaven so they doe the soules of his children Likewise in our sinnes and infirmities when we have to deale with God the Father whom we have offended with 〈◊〉 sinnes let he 〈…〉 comfort from hence Christ is ascended into Heaven to appeare before his Father 〈◊〉 a Mediator for us and therefore God turnes 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 from us we have a friend a favorite in the Court of Heaven the Sonne of God himselfe at his Fathers right hand he makes inteâ—â—â—ssioâ— for us As Ionathan appeareth in 〈◊〉 Court to speake a good word and to plead for David so our Ionathan Iesus Christ but with farre better successe appeares in the Court of Heaven for us continuing our peace with God in our daily breaches perfuming our prayers And there is no danger of his death for He is a Priest for ever at the right hand of God to make intercession for us his very presenting himselfe in Heaven speaks for us As if he should say These persons that aske in my Name they are such persons as I was borne for such as I obeyed for such as I dyed for such as I was sent into the world to work the great wolke of Redemption for for he wrought our Redemption in his abased estate but he applyes it as he is exalted application is as necessary as merit we have no good by the worke of Redemption without application and for that end he appeares in heaven for us and pleads for us For even as there is speech attributed to Abels blood it cryed Vengeance Vengeance so Christ appearing now in heaven for us his blood cryes Mercie Mercie these are those I shed my blood for Mercie Lord The very appearing of him that shed his blood it cryes for mercy at the Throne of Mercie which is therefore a Throne of Mercie because he is there he shed his blood to satisfie Justice to make way for Mercie In the Law the High-Priest after he had offered a Sacrifice of blood he was to goe into the Holy of Holies so Christ after he had offered himself for a Sacrifice he went into the Holy of Holies into heaven to appeare before God And as the High-Priest when he went into the Holy of Holies he had the names of the twelve Tribes on his brest to shew that he appeared before God for them all so Christ being gone into the Holy of Holies into heaven he hath all our names upon his brest that is in his heart the name of every particular beleever to the end of the world to present them before God Therefore when we have to deale with God thinke of Christ now glorious in heaven appearing for us God can denie him nothing nor denie us any thing that we aske in his Name we have his Promise for it It is a ground likewise of contentment in all conditions whatsoever our wants be What if we want comfort houses c. on Earth when we have Heaven provided for us and Glory provided for us when we are already so glorious in our Head Shall not any condition content a man in this world
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
that have dispositions like them will study how this blessed truth may be promoted and propagated and spread even over the world therefore wee should labour every one to spread the glorious Gospell of Christ especially those that are Ministers whose office it is to unfold and open the unsearchable riches of Christ. Againe we glorifie God in Christ when wee see such glory and mercy of Christ as it doth transforme us and change us and from an inward change we have alway a blessed disposition to glorifie God as I shewed out of 1 Cor. 3. This is the difference betweene the glasse of the Gospell and the glasse of the Law and of the creatures In the Law we see the beames of the Justice of God Cursed is every one that continueth not in all c. and the beames of his power and goodnesse in the creature but it doth not change and transforme us to be good and gracious but when wee see the glory of God of his goodnesse and infinite mercy shining in the face of Iesus Christ for wee dare not looke upon God immediatly it changeth the soule to be gracious like unto Christ therefore if wee find that the knowledge of God in Christ hath changed our dispositions it is a signe then we give glory to God indeed for to glorifie God is an action that cannot proceed but from a disposition of nature that is altered and changed the instrument must be set in tune before it can yeeld this excellent Musicke to glorifie God as the Angels doe that is all the powers of the soule must be set in order with grace by the Spirit of God if the meditations and thoughts of the Gospell have altered our dispositions to love God and that that pleaseth God to doe good to men to delight in goodnesse it is a signe we are instruments in tune to glorifie God and that we have an apprehension of the love and mercy of God in Christ as we should for it hath a transforming power to worke this The grace of God will teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live holily When the grace of God that is the free love of God in Christ in the forgiving our sinnes and advancing us to heaven hath this effect in our soules it is a signe wee have a true notion and apprehension of the excellency and eminency of Gods grace otherwise if we turne the grace of God into wantonnesse to make the benefits by Christ a pretence and covering for our wicked and loose lives we know not what it is to glorifie God but though in words we say Glory be to God yet in our lives we denie it as the Apostle saith The Hypocrites in Isay 66.5 they had good speeches in their mouthes saith God heare the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my name sake said Let the Lord be glorified so you shall find those that are opposers and persecutors and haters of sinceritie will sing Gloria Patri God be glorified but what good will this doe them if they have diabolicall satanicall dispositions if they be like the Devill in opposing the truth and hating that that is good The Devils in the Gospell could glorifie God for their owne ends We know that thou art the Sonne of God so Devils incarnate can come to Church and receive the Sacraments and seeme to praise God oh but there must be a change for to glorifie God is a work of the whole man especially of the Spirit All that is within me praise his holy name It came from the heart roote of a sanctified judgement out of grounds why we doe it The wish of the Angels here Glory to God on high it came from a good ground because they knew God is to be glorified in Christ for judicious phrases are founded upon truths so there must be a sanctified judgement to be the ground of it and the affections must be in tune answerable to those truths then we are sit to glorifie God and all this is by the power of the Gospell transforming us Againe we glorifie God when we take to heart any thing that may hinder or stoppe or eclipse Gods truth and obscure it when it workes zeale in us in our places as farre as we can when it affects us deepely to see the cause of Religion hindred any way if there be any desire of glorifying God there will be zeale the heart will move with a kind of indignation when God is dishonoured and his truth eclipsed with false doctrine or by ill practice it cannot be otherwise it is out of the nature of the thing it selfe therefore those that either are instruments of stopping or obscuring the truth or causing it to be reproached by their wicked lives or if they be not instruments yet they doe not take it to heart when they see God dishonoured surely they can speake little comfort to themselves they have neither Angelicall nor Evangelicall dispositions for if they had the knowledge of the Gospell it would worke this is in them Againe if we apprehend this glorious Mysterie of Christ in the Gospel aright it will work in us a glorious joy for joy is a disposition especially that fits us to glorifie God then we are fit to glorifie God when our hearts are enlarged with joy when we thinke of God in Christ when we thinke of the Day of Judgement when we thinke of heaven when we can thinke of hell with joy as being subdued and blesse God for Christ when we can thinke of all that is opposite as conquered in Christ so that our joy is enlarged in the apprehension of our owne blessed condition it is a good signe we are in a disposition to glorifie God but I will not enlarge my selfe further in this point This being so excellent a duty to which wee are stirred by the Angels Glory to God on high c. what are the maine hindrances of it that we give not God more Glory The maine hindrances are a double vayle of Ignorance and Unbeleefe that we doe not see the glorious light of God shining in Iesus Christ or else if we doe know it we doe not beleeve it and thereupon instead of that blessed disposition that should be in the soule there comes an admiration of carnall excellencies a delighting in base things This Ignorance is partly from the darknesse of our owne hearts being overcast sometimes that such great things are too good to be true our hearts have a hell of unbeleefe in them And sometimes the policy of Satan who casts dust in our eyes and labours that wee may not see the glory of God in the Gospell 2 Cor. 4. The God of this world hath blinded their eyes c. Ignorance arising from within or without is a great cause why we do not see the excellencies of God therefore no wonder if where the Gospell is not
the soule being the most excellent thing in the world it is fit it should be set on the excellentest duty man being in such an excellent condition being heire of heaven and having an understanding soule it is fit the most excellent part of the most excellent creature should be set upon the most excellent object Now the most excellent part of the soule is the understanding it kindles all the affections and leades all the rest therefore let us take some time to meditate and thinke of these things What we are by nature and the misery we are exposed to by sinne that whatsoever we have more then hell is more then we deserve and then withall thinke what we are advanced to in Christ what we are freed from that cursed condition and what we shall be freed from the sting of death and all that wee feare for the time to come thinke of what we are freed from and what we are advanced to and by whom by God becomming man a mysterie that might nay that doth ravish the very Angels themselves God-man now in heaven making good what he did on earth by his Intercession and then the ground of all the infinite love and mercy and bounty of God to poore distressed man The thought of these things will inflame the heart now they never worke upon the heart thorowly till they end in admiration and indeed the Scripture sets it downe in termes of admiration So God loved the world So how So as I cannot tell how I cannot expresse it and What love hath God shewed us that we should be called the sonnes of God And then the fruits that we have by this Incarnation of Christ and by his death they are admirable Peace that passeth understanding joy unspeakable and glorious so that the mysterie is wonderfull and the dignity wonderfull and the fruits the comfort and peace and joy wonderfull every thing is an object of admiration therefore when wee thinke and meditate of these things let us never end till our soules be wound up to admiration of the excellent love of God Wee wonder at things that are new and rare and great is there any thing more new and rare then that that never was the like for God to become man Is there any thing more excellent then the benefits wee have by Christ becomming man to free us from so great misery and to advance us to so great happinesse If any thing be an object of admiration surely it must be this Therfore the Apostle doth well to give all the dimensions to the love of God in Christ height and breadth and depth and length it is a love passing knowledge Eph. 3. What good will come by this When the soule is thus exercised then it will be fit to glorifie God when it is in this frame it will thinke it selfe too good for any base service of sinne Eagles will not catch at flies when the soule is lift up to consider Gods love and mercy in Christ will it be catching at every base thing in this world No it will not the soule never sinnes but when it looseth this frame to have a judgement sutable to things when our judgement and affections are lost of the best things then comes in a judgement and affection to other things as better so losing that frame the soule should be in we fall to the creature to commit spirituall fornication with that Let us labour to keepe our soules in this temper begin every day with this meditation to thinke what we were what we are now in Christ what we shall be and by what glorious meanes all this was wrought that so the soule may be warmed with the love of God in Christ this frame of spirit will not suffer the soule to sinne to stoope to base sinfull lusts Now to helpe this in the next place begge of God the spirit of revelation to discover to us these things in their owne proper light for they are spiritually discerned Now the Spirit knowes the brest of God what the love of God is to every one in particular and he knowes our hearts too Therefore the Apostle desires of God the Spirit of wisedome and revelation to discover these things to us not onely that they are truths but that they are truths to us for unlesse we know these things belong to us in particular wee cannot glorifie God as wee should they are in themselves glorious things to heare of Gods mercy in Christ of God becomming man to heare of Kingdomes and Crownes oh but when there is a spirit of appropriation to make these our owne that God in Christ loves us Who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. then the soule cannot but breake forth with the Angels here Glory to God on high therefore begge the Spirit to reveale to us our part and portion that he would shew his face to us that he is to us a Father in Christ surely in hearing meditation and prayer c. wee shall finde a secret whispering and report from heaven that God is our Saviour and that our sinnes are forgiven especially when wee stand in most need of this comfort let us therefore begge of God to take away the vayles of Ignorance and Unbeleefe and openly to reveale his Fatherly bowels and tender mercy to us in Christ to discover to us in particular more and more our interest in the same by his Spirit that onely knowes the secret of our hearts and being above our hearts can settle our doubts onely the Spirit can doe it for as God onely works salvation so the Spirit only can seale to our soules our salvation this is one excellent way to helpe us to glorifie God And adde this as motive as a plea not to move God so much as to move and to satisfie our hearts and to strengthen our faith that it is the end of our lives and the pitch of our desires to glorifie God therefore we desire God to reveale himselfe so farre to us to be our Father in Christ that we may glorifie him surely it is a forcible plea God will doe that that is suteable to his end He hath made all things for his owne glory especially the worke of Redemption in Christ is for the glory of his rich mercy and we desire the sense of his mercy and love for this end that we may be fitter to glorifie God it is a prevailing argument fetched from Gods owne end And let us labour daily more and more to see the vanity of all things in the world put the case we have honours and large possessions in the world that we wanted nothing if this were severed from Gods love in Christ for life everlasting what comfort could wee have in this especially at the houre of death let us see therefore the vanity and emptinesse of all things else out of Christ and the good we have by Christ what all will be ere long the daily
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
salvation Therefore labour to have this peace on earth or else we can never glorifie God on earth and if we glorifie him not on earth we shall never doe it in heaven But to come to some tryals whether we have this peace made or no whether we can say in spirit and truth there is a peace established between God and us For a ground of this that may lead us to further tryall know that Christ hath reconciled God and us together not only by obtaining peace by way of satisfaction but by way of application also whom he dyed for to obtaine peace he gives a spirit of application to improve that peace to improve Christ the Prince of peace as their owne for there is a mutuall commerce betweene God and man who is an understanding creature and there is nothing that God doth for man if we looke to the generall and head of benefits but there is somewhat in man wrought by the Spirit to answer it againe God is reconciled to man in Christ man must be reconciled to God in Christ in 2 Cor. 5. God was in Christ reconciling the world when hee was on the Crosse God was there reconciled in Christ. Is that all no God by us intreates you to be reconciled to God A strange condescending that God should intreate us to be good to our owne soules by his Ministers We intreate you to be reconciled that is to accept of the reconciliation wrought by Christ and to lay aside all weapons of rebellion whereby you fought against God in the course of your vanity wee beseech you to be reconciled and to repent because the Kingdome of God is at hand so that except there be reconciliation wrought by a spirit of application on mans part it is not sufficient that God is reconciled in Christ because God will alway have a reflex act from man as he chooseth man so man by grace chooseth him as he loves and delights in man so he will have man by a spirit of sweetnesse delight in him againe above all the world Whom have I in heaven but thee so there is some what wrought by the Spirit to God againe Why should God be at good termes with us but to enjoy the friendship of his poore creature unlesse therefore there be a gracious disposition wrought in the creature to looke backe to love and delight in God as God doth in him there is no actuall reconciliation there must be a forcible application by the Spirit if God should not give a spirit of application as well as Christ obtaine heaven for us those that are in the Covenant of grace should not be stablished but God by this meanes brings them so neare that he loving them loves them for ever and they have an everlasting Covenant and an everlasting union The carnall heart of man is a poysonfull thing and hates God naturally it wishes that there were no God to judge him he may thinke well of God for the good things of this life but when he thinkes of God as a Judge to cast him into hell he wisheth with all his heart oh that there were no God that I might have my full of the pleasures of sinne Now the soule when it is at peace with God when God by his Spirit speakes to the soule and saith I am thy salvation thy sinnes are forgiven thee and as Christ to the good Theefe on the Crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise when he whispers to the soule thou art mine and I am thine then the soule becomes sweet and peaceable to God againe and studies to advance the glory of Gods mercy by all meanes and to advance the Gospell of peace it becomes friendly to God To come to some more familiar evidences whether wee be at peace with God and whether we have the comfort of this peace stablished by Christ or no. Those that are reconciled one to another have common friends and common enemies if therefore there be peace betweene God and us it is so with us we love all where we see any evidence of Gods love we love Christians as Christians and whom God loves not we love not what God hates we hate in our selves and others wee hate corruptions in our selves and others though we love their persons Another evidence of peace made in Christ betweene God and us is a boldnesse of spirit and acquaintance with God Acquaint thy selfe with God and be at peace with him Iob 22. A Christian being at peace with God in Christ Iesus he goes boldly to the Throne of grace in all his necessities as a poore child goes boldly to his father and moves the bowels of his father by his petitions When two Kingdomes are at peace there is trading set up afresh againe so when God is at peace with the soule there is a heavenly intercourse and trading set up there is no man that is at peace with God but hee calls upon God in his person in his family he sets up the woship of God there he labours to bring all to God that he can hee thinkes it the most gainefull trade in the world In the want of grace and spirituall comfort he goes to the Fountaine of grace and improves that blessed prerogative we have by peace in Christ those that have not the Spirit of God to improve it in Communion and trading with God it is a signe there is no peace strangenesse shewes that there is no peace Alas how strangely doe many walke towards God that from Sunday to Sunday skarce lift up their hearts to heaven for a blessing but walke in the strength of their owne mother-wit and support themselves with the successe of second causes and blesse themselves they are strangers from the God of peace let us take notice of this and account it a great prerogative that wee may goe to God with boldnesse that it is not now as it was in Paradise there is no Angell with a sword to shut us from heaven but now there is an entrance to the Throne of grace we may goe boldly in the name of Christ to offer our selves and all our indeavours A Christian that hath made his peace with God will never allow himselfe in any sin against conscience because he knowes sinne is odious in it selfe loathsome to God and hurtfull to his soule therefore he will not be in league with any sinfull unjust course what to be in league with God and to be at peace with that that God hates more then the Devill himselfe hee hates sinne more then the Devill for he hates him for sinne therefore a man that allowes himselfe in knowne sinnes there can be no peace betweene God and him as he saith why doe you talke of peace as long as the witchcrafts and whoredomes of Iesabel remaine a man that lives in sinnes against conscience that is an open swearer an unjust person that cares not by what meanes he advanceth himselfe
what doth he talke of peace with God when hee is in league with Gods enemy therefore though such men out of the hardnesse of their hearts which are harder then the nether milstone and God seales them up under a hard heart to damnation except some terrible judgement awake them force a peace upon themselves they ought to speake none and they shall find it to their cost ere long therefore let us examine our owne hearts how we stand affected to any sinfull course There may be infirmities and weakenesses hang upon the best that are besides their purposes and resolutions but for a man resolvedly to set himselfe in an ill way how can he be at peace with God and with Satan at the same time let us take notice of these things and not daube with our owne consciences Againe where there is a true peace established there is a high esteeme of the Word of peace the Gospell of reconciliation as St. Paul calls it 2 Cor. 5. He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation those that find this peace there is stirred up by the Spirit in their breasts a high esteeme of the ordinance of God as being the word of their peace how come we to have peace betweene God and us is it not by opening the riches of Gods love in Christ in the Scriptures Therefore saith the Scripture blessed are the feet of them that bring glad tidings the meanest part of their body their feete are blessed therefore those that have despicable conceits of the Ministrie of the Word and place their happinesse in depraving the labour and paines of that office and calling it is a signe they have prophane hearts for whosoever hath had any grace wrought by the word of reconciliation and of peace they will highly esteeme it and respect them for their office sake it cannot be otherwise Lastly those that have found peace â—are peaceable it is universally true God doth make an impression of the same disposition in us to others we apprehending God in Christ to be peaceable to us wee are peaceable to others therefore in Isay 11. The knowledge of God in Christ it alters and changeth mens dispositions it makes Wolves and Lions to be of a milder disposition and temper harsh proud sturdy dispositions they never felt peace and mercy themselves therefore they are not ready to shew it to others In the nature of the thing it selfe it is impossible for the soule to apprehend peace in the love of God and not to have the disposition wrought upon to shew what it hath felt let us thinke of these and such like evidences daily to keepe our hearts from speaking false peace The greatest danger in the world in this regard is in the Church for people under the Gospell speake false peace to themselves there is a spirit of delusion that carries them along to their death and deceives them also in death and so they are in hell before they be aware and then too late they see that they were never in good tearmes with God in all their life because they looked on Christ making peace without any consideration of the spirit of application There must be a sprinkling of the blood of Christ on our soules to make it our owne We are come to the blood of sprinkling it is not the blood of Christ that makes our peace onely as blood but as it is sprinkled by the hand of faith that is as the Iâ—ope that sprinkled the blood of the Sacrifice upon the people We must not thinke to have any good by the blood of Christ when we want the blood of sprinkling that is this particular faith Christ loved me and hath chosen me and I choose him and love him againe and so goe with boldnesse to God as a Father unlesse there be this passage of the soule betweene God and us let us not talke of peace for if we might have good by Christ without a spirit of application and if there were not a necessity of sprinkling the blood of Christ upon our soules by faith all the world should be saved In the next place to give a few directions to maintaine this peace actually and continually every day To walke with God and to keep our daily peace with God it requires a great deale of watchfulnesse over our thoughts for he is a Spirit over our words and actions watchfulnes is the preserver of peace where there is a great distance betweene two that are at peace it is not kept without acknowledgement of that distance and without watchfulnesse it is not here as it is in a peace that is betweene two Kings that are coordinate one with another but it is a peace betweene the King of heaven and Rebels that are taken to be subjects therefore we must walke in humble low tearmes humble thy selfe and walke with thy God we must watch over our carriage that we doe not grieve the Spirit of God for then how-ever the first peace stablished in conversion should be never taken away yet God interdicts our comfort wee cannot daily enjoy our daily peace without watchfulnesse but God suffers our knowledge and our former illumination to lasâ— our conscience and to be more miserable in our inward man than a carnall man that never had sight of goodnesse oh the misery of a man that is fallen into ill tearmes with God that had peace before of all men such a man hath most horrour till he have made his peace againe watchfulnesse will prevent this And because it is a difficult thing to maintaine tearmes of peace with God in regard of our indisposition we fall into breaches with God daily therefore wee should often renew our covenants and purposes every day And if wee have fallen into any sinne let us make use of our great peace-maker Christ who is in heaven to make peace betweene God and us let us desire God for his sake to be reconciled unto us for God is in Christ reconciling us unto him still the fruit of Christs death remaines still let us desire him to testifie it unto us by his holy Spirit And take that direction of the Apostle in Philip. 4. When we find any trouble in the world not to trouble our selves over-much In nothing be carefull c. No shall we cast away all care Cast your care upon God let your requests be made knowne to God with thankesgiving let your prayers be made to God and let him have his tribute of thankesgiving for what you have received already What then The peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keepe and preserve your hearts and minds in Christ Iesus perhaps we shall not have what we pâ—ay for when we have made our requests knowne to God if wee have not that we pray for presently yet we shall have the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keepe our hearts and mindes therefore when any thing troubles us let
ready to serve the Lord of Hosts against his enemies as hee saith Isay 1. Ah I will be avenged on mine enemies Indeed here God shewes his patience and our long life that we thinke a great favour It is a treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath and then when Gods wrath comes at the day of Judgement when God hath forsaken sinfull men when God the Judge of all hath said depart ye cursed no creature shall minister them the least comfort the Sunne shall shine upon them no more the earth shall beare them no longer as wee see Dives hee had not a drop of water to comfort him in those flames therefore if wee be not at peace with the Lord of Hosts every creature is ready to be in armes against us As for the Devils they will be ready to be tormentors they that are incentives to sinne will be tormentors for sinne afterwards As for the Church what comfort can a wicked man looke for from the Church whom he hath despised and whose Ministery he hath rejected And for the damned spirits they are all in that cursed condition with himselfe therefore Where shall the ungodly appeare ere long whence shall hee hope for comfort neither from God nor Angels nor Devils nor wicked men nor good men none of them all will yeeld him a dram of comfort Let us not therefore delude our selves but get into Christ get into the Arke in time that when any publike calamity shall come wee may be safe in Christ if wee be at peace with God by repentance of sinnes and by faith in Christ every thing will minister thoughts of comfort to us we cannot thinke of God but as our Father of Christ as our Redeemer and reconciler that hath brought God and us together the Holy-Ghost takes upon him the terme of a comforter for such Angels they are ministring Spirits as for the Church it selfe Gods people they all have a common stocke of prayers for us every one that saith Our Father thinks of us and all other things they are at peace with us as Iob saithâ— The stones in the street nay the stone in a mans body the terrible pangs that comes from that disease they have a blessing upon them in the greatest extremities a soule that is at peace with God however God doe not deliver him from the trouble yet he delivers and supports him in the trouble and as the troubles increase so his comforts increase and the very troubles themselves are peace with him all worke for the best to them that love God And in the greatest confusions and tumults of States yet the righteous is affraid of no ill tydings Psal. 112. Because his heart is fixed upon Gods love in Christ. The wicked when warre and desolation and signes of Gods anger appeare from heaven they shake as the trees of the Forrest as a wicked Ahaz Isay 7. as Belshazzer when there is but a feare of trouble how did he know that the hand-writing was against him it was nothing but this naughty conscience hee knew not what it was till it was expounded so when any troubles comes upon wicked men their consciences upbraâ—d them with their former life their knees knocke together and they grow pale as Belshazzar oh the misery of a man that hath not made his peace with God in the evill day and the comfort of a man that hath there is the difference betweene godly and ungodly man consider them in calamities the one is at peace with God in the middest of all calamities and troubles nay as I said even troubles themselves are peaceable to him Yea when death comes which is the upshot of all the sting of it is taken away and it is for our greatest good he that hath made his peace with God hee can say with old Simeon Lord now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation mine eyes have seene Christ with the eye of â—aith he is willing to yeeld his soule to God because he is at peace with God their graves are their beds and their soules rest with God they dye in peace and commend their soules to God as to a faithfull Creator with a great deale of confidence as Saint Paul saith I have fought the good fight I have kept the faith I have runne my race henceforth is reserved for me a Crowne of righteousnesse and not for me onely but for all those that love the blessed and glorious appearing of Christ oh the comsort of a gracious soule in the houre of death that hath made its peace with God when the King of feares death shall looke with a gastly terrible looke upon men that have not made their peaâ—e but to the other it is the end of misery the in let to eternall happinesse Blessed are those that dye in the Lord in the peace of the Lord They rest from their labours from the labour of sinne of callings of afflictions there is no resting till then Saint Paul himselfe was troubled with the remainders of sinne with afflictions and troubles of his calling but blessed are they that dye in the peace of God in Christ they rest from their labours And after death what comfort are those in that have made their peace with God in Christ then their Saviour is to be their Judge hee that makes intercession for them in heaven will be their Judge and will the head give sentence against the members the Husband against the Wife and Spouse oh no therefore the godly have comfortable and sweet thoughts of those blessed times that astonisheth wicked men they have a glorious expectation of the times to come they cannot thinke of death and judgement when their soules are in a good frame without much comfort Lift up your heads for your redemption drawes neere Therefore let us not conceive sleightly of this peace it is not a freedome from petty ills and an advancement to a little good but it is a freedome from ills that are above nature from the wrath of God before which no creature can stand no not the Angels themselves from hell and damnation the curse of God from the Kingdome of Satan it is a freedome from that condition that all the powers of the world shall tremble at how can they stand before the Anger of God and it is an advancement to the greatest good a freedome from bondage an advancement to Son-â—hip therefore let us have high thoughts of this peace as the Angels had when they sang Glory to God on high on earth peace Good will towards men Divers Copies have it otherwise On Earth peace to men of good will some have it Good will towards men the sence is not much different Peace on earth To men of Gods good will of Gods good pleasure that God hath a pleasure to save or good will towards men of Gods good pleasure Peace on earth to men of Gods good will
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
the sonne is no Traytor but because hee is part of his father that was a Traytor by his nearenesse and communion with his father he is wrapped in the same punishment In a City that is obnoxious to the Kings displeasure perhaps there are some that are not guilty of the offence that the body of the City is yet being all Citizens they are all punished by reason of their communion so in this respect CHRIST became poore hee tooke upon him our nature and by communioâ— with that nature hee tooke upon him whatsoever was penall that belonged to sinne though he tooke not nor could take the demerit of sin Hie was made sinne for us wee cannot have a greater argument of Christs poverty then to bee made sinne for vs sinne is the poorest thing in the world and the cause of all beggery and poverty and misery hee was made under the law and so became a curse for us hee was made sinne a sacrifice for our sinne In particular hee was borne of a poore Virgin and instead of a better place hee was laid in an Inne and in the basest place in the Inne in the manger As soone as hee was borne his birth was revealed to poore Shepheards not to Emperours and Kings not to Câ—sar at Rome Then presently after his birth hee was banished together with his mother into Aegypt When hee came home againe hee was faine to be beholding to a poore woman for a cup of water Ioh. 4. when hee was thirsty Againe when he was to pay tribute he had not wherewith to pay it but was faine as it were to be heholding to a fish for it And though he made heaven and earth yet he had no habitation of his owne The Foxes had holes and the Birds of the ayre had nests but the Sonne of man had not where to lay his head When hee was to ride in pompe to Ierusalem he had not a beast of his owne hee was faine to send for and ride upon another mans Asse all his life it was a state of poverty He was poore in death especially for when life is gone all is gone he gave himselfe to death for us in death he was poore every way they stripped him of all his cloathes he had not so much as a garment to cover him he was poore and destitute in regard of friends they all for sooke him when hee had need of them most of all as he foretold that they all should leave him And as he was thus poore in respect of his body and condition so he was poore in soule in some respects and indeed the greatest poverty was there for the greatest riches that Christ estemed it was the blessed communion that hee had with his father which was sweeter to him then all things in heaven and earth when his father hid his face from him that he felt his displeasure becomming our surety in the garden before his death the sense of Gods displeasure against sin affected him so deeply that he sweate water and blood he was so poore wanting the comfort of his fathers love that an Angell his owne creature was faine to come and comfort him And at his death when he hung upon the Crosse besides the want of all earthly comforts wanting the sense of that sweet love that he alway enjoyed before it made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me not that indeed God had forsaken him in regard of protection and support or in regard of love and favour but in regard of solace and comfort that he felt before in regard of the sense of divine justice being then upon him that stood surety for sinne When he was dead he had no Tombe of his own to lie in hee was faine to lie in another mans Tombe and then he was held under the captivity of the grave three dayes so that from his birth to his death there is nothing but a race of poverty And which adds to this abasement of Christ it was from an excellent condition to so low a state as we say It is a miserable thing for a man to have beene happy it makes him more sensible of his misery then in other men for Christ who was alway in the presence and favour of heaven to come into the Virgins wombe for him to stand in neede of the necessities of this life for life to die for riches to become poore for the glory of heaven and earth to be abased for the Lord of all to become a servant to his owne servants it must needs been great abasement to him that was so highly advanced to become so poore But though Christ became thus poore yet hee ceased not then to be rich but that his riches was vayled with our flesh The Sunne though he bee kept from our sight by clouds he is the Sunne still and hath his owne proper lustre still hee is as glorious in himselfe as ever he was though he be not so to us so Christ vayled his divinity under our humane nature and vnder our misery hee became man and a curse therefore though hee were the Sonne of righteousnesse glorious in himselfe yet to appearance he was otherwise he became poore The Papists would have him a begger Bellarmine to countenance begging Frâ—eâ—s would have Christ to bee so it is a disgracefull false conceit If wee divide his life before hee was thirty yeares old that hee was invested into his office he lived with his parents in that calling and submitted to them he was no begger afterward he lived by ministring the Word of God and this was not Eleemozinarie but honour it is not Charity that is given to Governours especially Ministers it is not aimes to receive temporall things for spirituall but it is due Besides he had somewhat of his owne hee had a bagge and Iudas was good enough to carry it hee gave to the poore therefore he was not a begger for he that came to fullfill the law would not breake the Law The law forbids beggers it was one of Moses Lawes There shall not be a begger among you so much breifly for that Christ was rich and became poore The next point is the parties for whom this was For your sakes Why doth not the Apostle say for our sakes and so take himselfe in the number He applies it to serve the Argument in hand being to stirre up the Corinthians to bounty hee tells them Christ was poore for their sakes that they might bee assured of their salvation by Christ that his example might be more effectuall the example of those whom wee have interest in is effectuall therefore he saith for your sakes hee became poore This should teach us when we speak of Christ to labour for a spirit of application to appropriate Christ unto our selves or else his example will not move us as without application wee can have no good by him so we can have no comfort by
in part of our riches that it is good for us and what is good for me is my riches if poverty be good for me I will be poore that I may be humble humility is better then riches if I bee in any want if I have contentment it is better then riches if I fall into trouble he will give mee patience that is better then friends A man may have outward things and be naught but he that wants outward comfort and hath supply in his soule is it no better therefore take a Christian in any condition he is a rich man and this riches wee have by the poverty of Christ hee became poore that wee through his poverty might be made rich We see here then that a Christians estate is caried under contraries as Christ was hee was rich and became poore hee caried his riches under poverty he was glorious but his glory was covered under shame and disgrace so it is with a Christian he goes for a poore man in the world but he is rich he dies but yet he lives hee is disgraced in the world but yet hee is glorious As Christ came from heaven in a way of contraries so wee must be content to goe to heaven in a seeming contrary way Take no scandall therefore at the seeming poverty and disgrace and want of a Christian Christ himselfe seemed to bee otherwise to the world then hee was when hee was poore he was rich and sometimes he discovered his riches there were beames brake forth even in his basest estate when he died there was nothing stronger then Christs seeming weaknesse in his lowest abasement he discovered the greatest power of his God-head for he fatisfied the justice of God he overcame death and his Fathers wrath he triumphed over Sathan hee trod on his head what hath Sathan to doe with us when Gods justice is satisfied so that his hidden glory was discovered sometimes so there is that appeares in the children of God that others may see them to be rich if they did not close their eyes but we must be content to passe to heaven as Christ our head did as concealed men Againe here is matter not onely for us men put for the Angells of heaven to admire and wonder at this depth of goodnesse and mercy in Christ that he would become poore to make us rich by his poverty see the exaltation of his love in this saith Saint Bernard well ôh love that art so sweete why becamest thou so bitter to thy selfe whence flowed Christs love and mercy that was so sweete in it selfe that it should be onely sowre and bitter to him from whence it had his rise and spring his love that is so sweet to us it became bitter to him he indured and did that that we should have done and suffered There be some men that will doe kindnesses so that themselues may not be the worse so that they may not be the poorer that they may not be disgraced or adventure the displeasure of others but Christ hath done all this great kindnesse for us by being poore for us by taking our nature our poverty our misery he doth us good in such a way as that hee parted with heaven it selfe for a time and with that sweete communion that hee had with his Father the dearest thing to him in the world he parted with it for ou◠sakes that made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me hereupon he made us rich in a way that cost him something And let us be thankefull to him in a way that may cost us something let us bee content to bee abased for him to doe any thing for him hee descended from heaven to the grave as low as hee could for us let us descend from our conceited greatnesse for him can wee lose so much for him as he hath done for us what are our bodies and soules in comparison of God It was God that became poore for us wee cannot part with so much for him as he did for us And then we are gainers by him if wee part with all the world whatsoever wee doe for him I will be yet more vile for the Lord saith David hee became vile for us he became a sinner and of no reputation and shall not we be vile and empty for him certainely we shall if we have the Spirit of Christ in us it will worke a conformity If hee had stood upon termes and disdeyned the Virgins wombe and to become poore for us where had our salvation beene and if we stand upon termes when wee are to suffer for him or to stand for his cause where will our comfort be surely it is a signe wee have no right by the poverty of Christ unlesse wee bee content to part without Isaac with the best things we have when he calls for it Againe hath the poverty of Christ made us rich what will his riches doe Could hee save us when hee was at the lowest when hee was on the Crosse and satisfie divine justice by his death what can he doe for us now hee is in heaven and hath triumphed over all his enemies what can we looke for now by his riches that have so much by his poverty therefore we may reason with the Apostle Rom. 5.10 If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne how much more being reconciled shall wee bee saved by his life It is a strong argument not onely as it hath respect to us because there is more likelihood that any good should be done for us now when we are reconciled to God than before when we were enemies but also as it hath respect to Christ since he hath stucke not to reconcile us to God by his death cannot bee unwilling to save us by his life and he that was able to redeeme us by dying for us is more clearely and evidently powerfull to save us now he lives and reignes triumphantly in heaven For is not he able to preserve us to protect us and invest us into the glory that he hath purchased for us he that did so much for us in the time of his abasement will he not preserve the riches he hath gotten for us Is he not in heaven in majesty to apply all that he hath gotten Is he not our intercessor at the right hand of God to appeare before God for us to make all good Certainly he will preserve that which he hath procured by his death It is a disabling of Christ to thinke of falling away from grace he is able to maintaine us in that glorious condition that he hath advanced us to especially considering that he is now in heaven and hath laid aside the forme of a servant all his humiliation except our humane nature that for ever hee hath united to his person but all other things of his abasement he hath laid them aside he is able perfectly not only to save us as
almost to skin and bone but why That having made it poore there may be a spring of better blood and spirits Let us take no offence therefore at Gods dispensation either towards others or our selves if we finde him by his holy Spirit sanctifying that outward condition to a holy inward bent and disposition of soule to God-ward It is a happy affliction and poverty and abasement whatsoever it be that drawes us neerer to God in whom we have more supply then we can have want in the world God never takes away any thing froÌ„ his children in this world but he gives them more in better things that is alway his course the poore receive the Gospell the Gospell is preached to them and they receive it those that by their outward abasements are brought to a sight of their spirituall wants and thereupon to hunger after Christ. Againe in that this outward poverty helpes to inward poverty of the soule outward afflictions helpe the inward disposition hence we see likewise this truth that Providence is serviceable to predestination and election God in election hath a purpose to call us out of the world to save our soules Providence that is a generall government of all things in the world Election is in order to salvation he hath chosen us to a supernaturall end and fits us for it by calling and sanctification Now how doth providence serve the decree of election Thus whom God purposeth to save to bring to an end above nature he directs providence so that all things shall serve for that end therefore he incourageth them with outward things or takes outward things from them in his providence as may serve his purpose in election to save their soules He hath a purpose to save them therefore providence workes all things for their good Rom. 8.28 All things by the over-ruling providence of God are serviceable to a higher degree of love that God beares to his children to serve his purpose to bring them to Heaven Thereupon comes the dispensation of riches or poverty honour or abasement he takes liberty for outward things concerning this life to give or take them as they may serve the spirituall and best good of his children Therefore Gods children when they see God intends their good in taken away the things of this life in letting them blood as it were for their health they should blesse God as well for taking as for giving as Iob did And there is as great mercy and love hid in taking away blessings as in conveighing of them I will leave and afflicted and poore people In the Originall it is poore and milde and gentle poverty of estate and poverty of spirit the disposition of soule come almost in one word and indeed in Gods children they are joyned together for he sanctifies all dispensations and carriages of himselfe towards them When God hath a purpose to save a man every thing shall helpe him homeward And it is not a better outward argument to know a mans state in grace then to see how the carriage of things serve Gods purpose to doe good to his soule when we our selves are bettered in our inward man by whatsoever befals us God complaines of the Iewes they were as reprobate silver because hee had melted them and they were never a whit the better they were like drosse consumed in the melting Gods children are as gold refined those that find themselves refined and bettered it is an evidence that they are Gods because there is a providence serving their spirituall good directing all things to that end But from their condition we come to the disposition implyed inward and spiritual poverty Now this poverty is not a meere want of grace to be poore in spirit is not to bee poore of that spirit or to bee of a poore spirit to be of a poore spirit is to have no goodnesse no worth at all but to be of a dejected base mind Gods children are not so ther are none more couragious then they when they are called to it It is not this poverty of spirit to have no goodnesse at all But to be poor in spirit is a state and disposition of soule that hath some goodnesse wherein they see a want of further goodnesse they have so much goodnesse and worth as to see an unworthinesse in themselves and a greater worthinesse out of themselves They are sensible of their own want and see they have not meanes of supply in themselves and they see an all-sufficiency out of themselves in God in Christ they see a necessity of dependance for supply out of themselves in their whole condition till they come to Heaven In a word this poverty is a sight of our owne nothingnesse in our selves and besides that our owne inability and a sight of sufficiency out of our selves and a desire of it and likewise a hope of supply from thence which hope carries us to endeavour and to waiting till we he have supply This will better appeare if we distinguish of this poverty in spirit by the two degrees of it There is a poverty of spirit before we are in the state of grace before we are in CHRIST and a poverty after The poverty before we are in the state of grace is when God by his Spirit together with this word and worke of correction doth open the eyes of our soules to see what we are by nature what we are in our selues It is a worke of Gods convincing Spirit to give us a true view into our owne condiâ—ion and with the sight to worke a sense and â—rom a sight and sense and thorow conviction comes a wondrous abasement and a desire to be otherwise then we are There is some hope in spirituall poverty in Gods children before their conversion which stirs them up to look upon Christ and to the mercy of God in Christ and this stirs â—hem up to begge and to use all meanes and at length God is gracious and answers all the desires of their soules This is before they were in grace for before a Christian is a sound Christian hee must be driven out of himselfe Naturally we are prone to cleave to something either out of our selves or in our selves and we must be fired out by a sight and sense of the misery we are in Wee see God hath taken this course alway in Scripture This course he tooke with Adam hee cites him arraignes him condemnes him he lets him see what a miserable creature he was as no man on earth was ever so miserable till he felt the sweetnesse of the promised seed He that had been in so great happinesse as he was to have his conscience so galled as his was afterward to feele such misery for the present as he did he must needs be very miserable as indeed he was the most miserable man that ever was since his time It is the greatest unhappinesse for a man to have beene
in themselves want of grace and comfort surely they will goe out of themselves they will goe to Gods market they will attend upon the meanes He that is like to be arrested for debt and hath nothing at home it is time for him to seeke abroad for supply so when a man is poore spiritually ready to bee snared and catched in every thing for want of spirituall grace he will labour for strength in the use of all means Therefore those that are of a Laodicean stamp that thinke there is too much preaching and too much hearing and too much reading and what need all this adoe Alas they were never humbled they were never sensible of their state by nature nor are not yet in the state of grace for the soule of a true Christian is alway in the state of spirituall poverty as that it relisheth spirituall meanes and is not fed with husks A soule that is spiritually poore will dâ—scerne in the use of means this is flourishing this is for the eare this is conceits alas it comes for food for supply A poore soule that findes the want of grace and strength and comfort it judgeth of the meanes by what it findes there will be a use of all meanes and likewise some ability to taste where there is true poverty of spirit Againe where this inward poverty of spirit is it will make Gods children wondrous thankfull and thankful for a little grace A poore man that is sensible of his poverty will be more thankfull for a penny then another man for a pound that hath money of his owne A soule that sees the want of grace and withall sees the excellency of grace is thankfull to God that hee will worke any thing in such a poore defiled soule as hee is that hee will worke any good motions any good affections any degree of faith that he will give him any assurance of salvation Oh hee thinkes what a good God is this Hee breakes out with the Apostles Peter and Paul that had both beene sinners themselves and found grace oh they were much in thankefulnesse Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. A thankfull soule is a poore soule and a poore soule is alway a thankfull soule Hee that is poore hee knowes hee hath little and deserves little therefore knowing that hee deserves nothing he is thankfull for and content with any thing a humble man is alway thankfull and that is the reason that GOD may have his glory from him hee is forced sometimes to humble and abase him hee should have no sacrifice from him else A proud man a conceited man so dotes upon his owne worth hee forgets the giver he makes himselfe an idoll to him therefore such they are usurpers of what they have they enter upon GODS blessings not considering from whom they have them nor for what end they have them They deny God his tribute of thankfulnesse because they are proud but a man that is poore in spirit he enters upon all by title of gift and receives all from God in the forme of a poore man therefore whatsoever hee hath hee returnes thankes for it againe An unthankfull soule therefore is a proud soule a thankfull soule is an humble abased soule alway and the more humble and empty the soule is the more thankfull it is for every degree of grace and comfort Againe a soule that is thus disposed that is poore in spirit it is willing to resigne it selfe to Christs governement with selfe-denyall of any thing it is able to doe of it selfe it is ready to say Lord I have neither wit of mine owne to governe my selfe nor any strength and ability of mine own therefore I put my selfe upon thy government I desire to follow thy light and to goe on in thy strength There is alway a resignation to Christs government and that in feare and trembling for whom we resigne our selves unto surely wee will have a care not to displease them A dependant life is alway an awfull life for when a man hath resigned himselfe to the governement of another and knowes hee must depend upon him hee will have a care not to displease such an one for hee thinkes if I displease him hee will withdraw his maintenance and countenance from me and then what am I so the soule that thinkes it hath all from God and from the spirit of Christ it resignes it selfe to the spirit of Christ and withall it is wondrous fearefull not to grieve and displease the Spirit for hee thinkes with himselfe my life is but a dependant life my graces are but dependant let God but withdraw the beames of his Spirit and I sinke let him withdraw his comfort and his strength what am I nothing but darkenesse and deadnesse and confusion Those therefore that give not themselves up to Christs governement but are governed by rules of policy by the example of others and have base dependance upon others they know not what spirituall poverty is they see there is a sufficiency in themselves to rule and governe themselves as if Christs wisedome were not sufficient they are not so disposed as the Apostle requires they worke not out their salvation with feare and trembling because God gives the will and the deed The meaning is this wee should worke out our salvation with a holy feare and trembling a jealous feare a sonne-like feare lest we displease God why he gives both the will and the deed hee gives both the will to doe good and when he hath done that he gives the ability of the deed it selfe We cannot doe any thing therefore we had need to walke in an awfull condition and not displease him in any thing lest he withdraw the assistance of his Spirit and leave us to our selves and then we shall fall to his dishonour to the discredit of religion to the wasting of our own comfort and the advantage of Sathan This is the temper of a man that is poore in spirit he gives himselfe up to Christs government and depends upon it and thereupon he is wondrous fearefull to displease him in any thing There are a company that know not what belong to this that hope to be saved by Christ and yet they will grieve the Spirit they will venture into any place upon any sight into any company but if ever they had beene acquainted with the government of Christs Spirit they would know what it was to grieve the Spirit and the Spirit would grieve them too it is a signe they have not the Spirit of God because he doth not check them when they have done Therefore your adventurous carelesse persons that are indifferent for all things for all companies and places that do not watch over themselves and over their words and carriages they have not this poverty of spirit for then they would know what it were to displease God in any thing to walke and to speak loosely because hereby they grieve the spirit and
would presently finde either want in grace or comfort There is not one of many that are acquainted with the nature of this spirituall communion with Goâ— and therefore they doe not enjoy the happinesse that those doe who are thus qualified that are poore in spirit Againe a man that is poore in spirit is very tractable as it is in Esay A Child shall lead them The Lamb and the Lion shall feed together c. and a Child shall lead them that is such an one you shall lead him with any counsell let the person be never so meane having smarted for his sins and his owne counsell and wayes a child shall lead him that is any man shall lead and move him to that which is good he stands not upon termes And alway hee that is poore in spirit hee is no upbraider of other mens wants he is more sensible of his owne then that he sees in other men hee is not prone to upbraid and object against them their wants and conditions hee is so taken up with the sense of his owne And lastly he that is poore in spirit is humbled in himselfe for spirituall wants not so much for outward things but because he hath not a large heart to God because he findes impatience because he finds not that heavenly mindednesse and strength to goe through the duties that God requires that his flesh is so backward these things abase him and bring him on his knees and not so much outward things and answerably hee lookes for spirituall supply When a man is humble and poore in spirit he is not abased with any outward thing that that he would have is mercy and grace The Apostle when hee would pray for all happinesse to the Churches he prayes for grace mercy and peace for as they are more sensible of their spirituall wants so they are carryed in their desires after that that may give them satisfaction that way Let us labour to bring out soules to this blessed temper to bee poore in spirit the happy temper that our Saviour began his preaching withall the first thing that he fals upon is Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven But before I come to any directions for the getting this spirituall poverty we must know and premise this caution that wee must not be so poore in spirit as to deny the worke of grace in our hearts It is one thing to bee poore in spirit and to see our wants and it is another thing to bee unthankfull and unkinde to deny the worke of grace and so to gratifie Satan wee must not give false witnesse against our selves and so deny the worke of Gods Spirit in us it is not poverty but darknesse of spirit we are not acquainted with that grace that God hath enriched us with Therefore where the soule is in a right temper there is a double eye one to see the defects and the staines of those graces we have to see what we are wanting in of what we should be and to see how our graces are stained and that there is a mingling of our corruptions with them The viewing with the one eye that wee have any grace that should make us cheerfull and thankefull and comfortably goe on considering that there are some beginnings that God will perfect for hee never repents of his beginnings And then a sight of the want and of the staines of those graces that we mingle our corruptions with them that workes againe this poverty of spirit to go still out of our selves to desire grace to purge and cleanse our selves more and more Therefore I beseech you let us remember that that we doe not unthankfully deny the worke of grace and thinke that to be poverty of spirit as some do out of covetousnesse because they have not that they would have they think they have nothing at all that is a spirituall covetousnesse But let us be wise to discerne what God hath wrought in our hearts what he hath done for and in our soules A holy man you shall have him much in mourning and complaining but it is of himselfe not of God as if God were wanting to him you shall have a holy man in a perpetuall kinde of despaire but it is in himselfe he hopes in God still Remember this caution that as wee complaine so let us be sure it be of our selves alway justifie God in his mercy and if we despaire let us despaire of our selves that we can do nothing of our selves but be sure to maintaine all we can the hope of Gods rich mercy in Christ. Now having premised this caution The way to come to spirituall poverty among many others is First to bring our selves into the presence of God to the presence of greater lights then our own men that think themselves some body when they are alone yet when they consider God sees them whose eyes are a thousand times brighter then the sun then they learne to abhor themselves in dust and ashes as we see Iob did when God talked with him when he saw God and Abraham when he talked with God he accounts himselfe dust and ashes Let us bring our selves into the presence of God consider his holinesse his justice And withall let us bring our selves to greater lights then our owne that is oft come into the company of those that have greater grace then our selves The Starres give no light when the Sunne is up the Starres are somebody in the night but they are nothing in the day and those that are conceited of their owne excellencies when they come into the presence and company and converse with those that are better then themselves their spirits fall downe they are abased It is a good course therefore not to love alway to be best in the company as it is some mens vanity because they will be conceited of their owne worth but to present our selves before God in his ordinances and present our selves in communion and fellowship with others that are greater and richer in grace then our selves and so we may see our owne wants This is one directâ—on to get spirituall poverty Againe that we may come to be poore in spirit let us consider what we are that we are creatuâ—es the terme whence creation begins is just noâ—hing it is so in the creatures in the world God made all of nothing and is it not so in the new creature much more Therefore if I will be anything in my selfe as of my selfe surely I must looke to be no creature of Gods making for grace is Gods creature therefore it must rise of nothing there must be a sight of our owne nothingnesse Indeed a Christian in himselfe is nothing now in the state of grace whatsoeâ—er he is for grace or glory it is out of himselfe hee hath nothing in himselfe as of himselfe all that he hath he hath from Christ. He is poore in himselfe
but he hath riches enough in Christ if he see his owne poverty He is a sinner in himselfe but he hath righteousnesse enough in Christ if he see his sins Let us know that this is a qualification to interest us in the good that is in Christ we renew our right in Christ no otherwise then we renew the sense of our owne poverty and want Would we see all in Christ that we have riches and wisdome and happinesse and favour and life and all in him With the same spirituall eye of the soule let us see that we have nothing in our selves for I can no otherwise renew that right and interest I have in Christ but by renewing this sight we altogether shine in the beames of our Husband The consideration of this will be a meanes to worke our care and endeavour towards it that we are creatures new creatures and therefore we must rise of nothing in our selves and we must be maintained and supported by the new Adam the second Adam and have fresh grace from him continually we move and live in him as I said before Againe that we may be poore in spirit helpe our selves with presenting to our selves abasing emptying considerations What be they Among the rest reflect our mindes back to what we were before God shewed mercy upon us how unprofitably we spent our dayes what a deale of good we left undone that we might have done For the present consider the imperfections that hang upon us whereby we even defile the best performances that come from us let us have in the eye of our foule presented our speciall corruptions for the present For the time to come let us present to our soules what will become of us ere long that for outward things that nature is prone to be highly conceited of they shall lye in the dust these bodies of ours must lye low in the dust all other things must be taken from us and we from them we know not how soone let us oft think and consider of the vanity of all things what will all things be ere long They must all come to nothing the fire will consume all that is glorious in the world there will be no excellency but the excellency of Christ and his church and children and thinke of the day of Iudgment what will stand for currant then thinke of the time of our dissolution how we shall apeare before Christ what we have in us that will give us confidence at that day and time to looke upon him with comfort that those thoughts of the time to come of death and Iudgment and eternity may not be frighfull to us The consideration of these things will make us to looke about us and make us indeed poore in spirit Especially let us consider what our profession requires of us not by the law let that goe but what in the covenant of grace we should be are not it will shame the best of us Alas how much good might we have done that we have not How have we failed in bringing honour and credit to our profession How barren have wee beene in good works How unwatchfull over our thoughts and speeches whereby we have stained our religion and our consciences and grieved the Spirit of God Let us consider how short we are of that we might have beene and this will bring inward shame and confusion of spirit from whence this temper of poverty of spirit comes Consider of these things and enlarge them in your owne meditations There is not a more fruitfull spending of our thoughts next to the consideration of Christ and the riches we have in him then to consider what we are in our selves that we may be in a perpetuall disposition of soule fit to receive the good that is to be had in Christ. Two graces are the maine graces that must go along with us all the dayes of our lives this grace to go out of our selves and another grace to go to another that is better then our selves in whom lyes our happinesse That we may go out of our selves and the creature and all that is in the creature poverty of spirit is necessary to see that there is not that in our selves that will yeeld a foundation of comfort and poverty of spirit sees that there is not that that we possesse in the creature that will stand out The creature that is a particular good for a particular case to supply a particular want and but for a time it is fading and outward but the comfort we must have it must be spirituall and universall to give contentment to the soule The consideration of these things will force us to go out of our selves this poverty of spirit that wee have not enough to make us happy The Heathen men by the use of discretion and knowledge had so much to see that there is nothing in the world to make man happy the negative part they knew well enough but there must be another grace to carry us to a possitive happinesse where that lyes and that is the grace of trust that followes I will leave in the middest of thee an afflicted and poore people that shal be disposed and prepared by their outward poverty to inward spirituall poverty to go out of themselves to Christ to trust in him And they shall trust in the name of the Lord. This is the carriage of these poore and afflicted people They shall trust in the name of the Lord. God hath no delight in afflicting his children he joyes and delights in the prosperity of his children it is our sinfull nature that forceth him to afflict us that he may weane us from the world because we are prone to surfeit upon things here below All that God doth is that we may trust in him which we would never doe unlesse he did afflict us and make us poore in spirit but when we are afflicted and poore in spirit and have nothing at home we will make out abroad as people in necessity will doe supply must be had either at home or from without and when the soule is beaten and driven out of it selfe which requires much ado then we are fit for this blessed act here spoken of to trust in the name of the Lord. And the one is an evidence of the other How shall wee know that we are sufficiently humbled and made poore in spirit when we trust in the name of the Lord. In the unfolding of these words take these for grounds which I will but name First that naturally every man will have a trust in himselfe or our of himselfe Secondly that God is the trust of the poore man what he wants in himselfe he hath in God God is the Rock or the Castle to which he retires he hath supply in him The third is that God is trusted as he is knowne They shall trust in the name of the Lord. For God can be no otherwise trusted then he
they are quiet when they have used the meanes Faith hath a quieting power it hath a power to still the soule and to take up the quarrels and murmuring and grudgings that are there and to set the soule down quiet because it proposeth to the soule greater grounds of comfort then the soule can see any cause of dâ—scomfort the soule being reasonable yeelds to the strengâ—h of the reason Now when faith propounds grand comforts against all discouragements whatsoever that overcomes them that is gâ—eater in the way of comfort then other things in the way of discouragement the soule is quiet it hopes comfort will be had the soule is silent and at rest We see in Psal. 43. when there was a muâ—iny in Davids soule by reason of the perplexed state he was in he fals a chiding downright with his soule Why art thou disquieted O my soule and why art thou troubled But how doth he take up the contention Trust in God he is thy God So that wheresoever there is faith there is a quiet soul first or last there wil be stirring at the first the waters of the soule will not be quiet presently As in a paire of ballance there will be a little stirring when the weight is puâ— in â—ill there will be poise so in the soule there will be some stirring and moving it comes not to a quiet consistance till there be some victory of faith with some conflict till at length it rest and stay the soule for this power faith hath to quiet the soule because it bottomes the soule so strongly there is reason for it it sets the soule upon God and upon his promises Therfore he that trusts in God is as mount Sion you may stir him sometime and move him but you cannot remove him the soule is quiet because it is pitched upon a quiet object Therefore where there is cherishing of disturbance in the soule and cherishing of doubts there is no faith or very little faith because it is the property of faith to silence the soule and to make quiet where it comes This is one evidence and signe of true faith And this is discerned especially in times of great trouble for then the soule of the righteous is not disquieted as you have it in Psal. 112. His heart is fixed therefore he is not afraid of ill tydings And therefore this evidence to the â—est that faith as it hath a quieting power so it hath a power to free the soule from all base feares from the tyranny of base feare There will some fearâ— arise we carry flesh about us and flesh will alway be full of objections and trouble our peace but notwithstanding it will free the soule this trusting in God from the tyranny and dominion of base feares If any newes or tydings be of any great hard matter I beseech you who hath his soule best composed at that time A sound Christian that hath made his peace with God that hath hiâ— trust in God that knowes what it is to make usâ— of God to repaire to him But for another man 〈◊〉 the time of extremity and trouble he runâ—â—â—â—â—ther and thither he hath not a tower to go unto he hath no place of refuge to repaire to Therefore hee is worse then the poore silly creatures there is not a creature but hath a retyring place The poore Conies have the Rocks to go unto and the Birds have their Nests and every creature when night or danger approacheth they have their hiding places only a wicked carelesse man that hath not acquainted himself with God when troubles come he hath no hiding nor no abiding place but lyes open to the storme of Gods displeasure therefore he is surprized with feares and cares and pulled in peeces with distractions he is as a Meteor that hangs in the cloudes he cannot tell which way to fall But a Christian is not such a Meteor he fals square which way soever he fals cast him which way you will for his soule is fixed he hath laid his soule upon his God We see the difference in this betweene Saul and David when David was in trouble he trâ—sted in the Lord his God when he was ready to be stoned what doth Saul when he was in trouble he goes to the Witch and from thence to the swords point Againe where there is this excellent grace of trusting in God and the soule is calmed by the Spirit of God to relye upon God in covenant as a Father in Chirst it will relye upon God without meanes and when all things seeme contrary So the Spirit of God will difference a Christian from a naturall man that will goe so farre as his braine can reach if he can see how things can be compassed he will trust God as if God had not a larger comprehension then hee Where hee sees no way or meanes to contrive a deliverance nor no meanes to satisfie his desire there the soule of a naturall man sinkes and fals downe a polititian will go as far as reason can carry him But a Christian when he sees no meanes he knowes God can make meanes now when all things are opposite if he hath a word of God he will trust God even against the present state and face of things as Iob saith Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Therefore in the sense of sin because there is a promise to sinners that if they confesse their sinnes God will pardon them he will beleeve the foâ—givenesse of sins though he feele the guilt of sinne And in misery he will beleeve an evasion and escape and that God will support him in it because God hath so promised And in darknesse when he sees no light as it is Esay 50.10 in such a state hee will trust in God As a childe in the darke claspes about his faâ—ther so a childe of God in darknesse when he sees no light he will claspe about his God and breake thorow the clouds that are between God and his soule as indeed faith hath a piercing eye it pulls off the vizard of Gods face though he seeme angry yet he will beleeve he is in covenant and he is a Father Therefore though God shew himselfe in his dealing as offended yet he argues God may be offended with me but he cannot hate me there is hope Faith where it is in any strength it will beleeve in contraries In death when a man is turned to rottennesse and dust faith apprehends life and resurrection and glory to come it will trust in Gods meanes or no meanes if it hath a promise Againe he that trusts in God truly will trust him for all things and at all times For all things for faith never chooseth and singleth out its object to beleeve this and not that for all comes from the same God therefore he that trusts God for one thing will trust him for all things If I will trust a man for many pounds surely
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
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