The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Treatise · Part 4 – Part 5
The glory of the Lord.
By the glory of the Lord then is meant especially the glory of his mercy, and love, in Iesus Christ.
The severall attributes of God shine upon severall occasions,Severall attributes shine on severall occasions. they have as it were severall theaters whereon to discover their glory. In Creation there was power most of all, in governing the world, wise providence; In hell, justice in punishing sinners. But now to man in a lapsed estate, what attribute shines most, and is most glorious? Oh it is mercy, and free grace. If grace and mercy were hid,All attributes terrible without merciemercy. our state being as it is, since the fall, what were all other attributes but matter of terrour? to thinke of the wisedome, and power, and justice of God, would adde aggravations, hee is the more wise, and powerfull to take revenge on us, &c. grace is the glorious attribute, whereby God doth as it were set himselfe to triumph over the greatest ill that can be over sinne, that that is worse than the devill himselfe, cannot prevaile over his grace: There is a greater height, and depth, and breadth, there are greater dimensions, in love and mercy in Christ, then there is in our sinnes, and miseries, and all this is gloriously discovered in the gospell.
Doe you wonder then why the grace of God hath found such enemies as it hath done alway: Especially in Popery,Why men are enemies to Gods free grace. where they mingle their workes with grace; For the opposite heart of man being in a frame of enmity to God, sets it selfe most against that that God will be glorified in, therefore we should labour to vindicate nothing so much as grace. We have a dangerous incroaching Sect risen up, enemies to the grace of God, that palliate, and cover their plot cunningly and closely, but they set nature against grace, let us vindicate that upon all occasions; for we live by grace, and we must dye by grace, and stand at the day of judgement by grace; not in our owne righteousnesse, but in the righteousnesse of Christ, being found in him; but because it is a sweete point and may serve us all in steed, to consider that God will honour himselfe gloriously in this sweete attribute, let us see a little how the glory of God shines in Christ more then otherwise, parallell it with other things a little.
The glory of God was in Adam, for Adam had the Image of God upon him,The glory of God in the Gospell greater than that in Adam. and had communion and fellowship with God, but there is greater glory now shining in the Gospell, in Iesus Christ to poore sinners; for when man stood in innocency, God did good to a good man, and God was amiable and friendly to a friend; Adam was the friend of God then. Now to doe good to him that is good, and to maintaine sweete communion with a friend, this is good indeede, and it was a great glory of Gods mercy that he would raise such a creature as man hereto. But now in Iesus Christ there is a further glory of mercy, for here God doth good to ill men, and the goodnesse of God is victorious, and triumphant over the greatest misery, and the greatest ill of man. Now in the Gospell God doth good to his greatest enemies, herein as it is Rom. 5. God set forth, and commended gloriously his love, that When we were enemies, he gave his Sonne for us, therefore here is greater glory of mercy, and love, shining forth to fallen man in Christ, than to Adam in innocency.
The glory of God shines in the heavens,The glory of God in Gospell above that in Creation. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy Worke: Every creature hath a beame of Gods glory in it, the whole world is a Theater of the glory of God, but what is the glory of Creation, of preservation, and governing of the world, to the glory of his mercy, and compassion that shines in Christ? The glory of the creature is nothing to this, for all the Creatures were made of nothing, but here the glory of mercy is such in Christ, that God became a Creature himselfe.
Nay to goe higher to the Angels themselves,Gods glory to man more than to Angels. it is not Philangelia, but Philanthropia that out-shines all, God is not called the lover of Angels, he tooke not upon him, the nature of Angels, but the nature of man, and man is the spouse of Christ, the member of Christ, Angels are not so, they are but ministring Spirits for the good of them that shall be saved, Christ as it is Eph. 1. when he rose againe, he was advanced above all principalities, and powers, therefore above the Angelicall nature: now Christ and the Church are all one,1 Cor. 14. they make but one misticall body, the Church is the Queene, and Christ is the King, therefore Christ misticall the Church, is above all Angelicall nature whatsoever, the Angells are not the Queene and Spouse of Christ, so the glory of Gods goodnesse is more to man, to sinfull man, after he beleeves and is made one with Christ, than to any creature whatsoever, thus God hath dignified and advanced our nature in Iesus Christ, comparisons give lustre, therefore this shewes plainely unto us Christians that the glory of the mercy, and love, and kindnesse, of God to man in Christ, shines more than his glory, and mercy, and kindnesse, to all the creatures in the world besides, therefore here is a glory with an excell…ncie.
On the other side nothing more terrible than to consider of God,The glory of Gods mercy shineth in Christ. out of Christ, what is he but a consuming fire, but to consider of his mercy, his glorious mercy in Iesus Christ, nothing is more sweete: for in Iesus Christ God hath taken upon him, that sweete relation of a Father, The Father of mercy, and God of all Comfort, so that the nature of God is lovely in Christ, and our nature in Christ is lovely to him; and this made the Angels, who though they have not increase of grace by Christ, yet having increase of comfort and glory, when Christ was borne to sing from heaven, Glory to God on high, &c. what glory? why the glory of his mercy, of his love, of his grace to sinfull men. Indeede there is a glory of wisedome to reconcile justice, and mercy together, and a glory of truth to fulfill the promise, but that that sets all attributes for our Salvation on work, was mercy and grace, therefore that is the glory of God especially here meant, for as wee say in morallity, that is the greatest vertue, that other vertues serve, so in Divinity, that attribute which others serve, is the greatest of all; in our salvation wisedome, yea and justice it selfe, serves mercy: for God by his wisedome devised away to content justice, by sending his Sonne to take our nature, and in that nature, to give satisfaction to justice, that there might be a harmonie among the a…tributes: to make some use of this.
Vse. 1 Doth God manifest hisTo imbrace this mercy. glory? (I will not speake at large of glory being an endlesse argument, but confine it to the glory of grace, and mercy in the Gospell, which therefore is called the glory of the Gospell) I say doth God shew such glorious mercy in Christ? then I beseech you let us justifie God, and justifie this course that God hath taken to glorifie his mercy in Iesus Christ, by imbracing Christ: It is sayd of the proud Pharisees, they despised the counsell of God; God hath powred out mercy bowels of mercy, in Christ crucified, therefore in embracing Christ we justifie the counsell of God concerning our salvation.
Doe but consider what a loving God wee have,God joynes our good with his glory. who would not bee so farre in love with his onelyonly Sonne, as to keepe him to himselfe, when we had neede of him; a God that accounts himselfe most glorious in those attributes that are most for our comfort, he accounts not himselfe so glorious for his wisedome, for his power, or for his justice, as for his mercy and grace, for his Philanthropia, his love of man; shall not we therefore even be in flamed with a desire of gratifying him, who hath j…yned his glory with our salvation, that accounts himselfe glorious in his mercy, above all other attributes? shall the Angels that have not that benefit by Christ as wee have, shall they in our behalfe, out of love to us, and zeale to Gods glory, sing from heaven, Glory to God on high, and shall wee be so dead, and frozen hearted that reape the crope, as not to acknowledge this glory of God, breaking out in the Gospell? the glory of his mercy and rich grace; the Apostle is so full when he falls upon this Theame, that hee cannot speake without words of amplification, and enlargement, one while he calls it rich grace, another while hee stands in admiration, Oh the depth of the Love of God, What deserves admiration but glorious things,To admire the love of God. the best testimony that can be given of glorious things, is when wee admire them; now if wee would admire, is there any thing so admirable that wee can say, oh the height, and depth, as we may of the love of God in Christ? there are all the dimensions of unparalleld glory, height, and breadth, and depth: therefore I beseech you let us often even stand in admiration of the love of God to us in Christ; So God loved the world, the Scripture leads to this admiration, by phrases that cannot have a podesis, a redition backe againe, So, how? we cannot tell how, so as is beyond all expression, the Scripture it selfe is at a stand for words, Oh base nature, that wee are dazled with any thing, but that that wee should most admire. How few of us spend our thoughts this way to consider Gods wonderfull and admirable mercy, and grace in Christ, when yet there is no object in the world so sweete and comfortable as this is, that the very Angels pry into, they desire to pry into the mystery of our Salvation by Christ, they are students therein, the Cherubins, they were set upon the mercy seate, having a counterview, one upon another, implying a kinde of admiration, they pry into the secrets of Gods love in governing his people, and bringing them to Heaven, shall they doe it, and shal not we study, and admire these things that God may have the glory, God made all for his glory beloved, and the wicked for the day of wrath, as Solomon saith, and hath he not new made all for his glory? is not the new creature more for his glory then the old creature? therefore if we will make it good, that wee are new creatures, let us seeke to glorifie God every way, not in word alone, but in heart, admiring him, and in life, conversing with him.
And that we may glorifie God in deed,We may glory in Gods love without danger. let us glory in Gods love, for wee must glory in this glory, nature beloved is glorious of it selfe, and vaine-glorious, but would you glory without vanity? go out of your selves, and see what you are in Christ, in the grace, and mercy, and free love of God, culling us out from the rest of mankinde, and there you may glory safely over sin, and death, and hell, for being justified freely from our sinnes, you can thinke of death, of the damnation of others, of hell without feare, God forbid saith Saint Paul, that I should glory in any thing, but in the crosse of Christ, that is, in the mercy of God appointing such a meanes for satisfaction. Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome, nor the strong man glory in his strength, &c. There is danger in such glorying, it is subject to a curse, but if a man will glory, let him glory in the Lord.
Vse. 2 Againe, if God account his mercy, and love in Christ, especially his glory, shall wee thinke that God will admit of any partner with Christ, in the matter of salvation, If as the Psalmist saith, He made us, and not wee our selves. shall wee thinke that wee have a hand in making our selves againe. Will God suffer his glory to be touched upon, by intercessions of Saints merits, and satisfactions, and free will, grace is not glorious, if we adde the least thing of our owne to it, cannot wee make a haire of our head, or the grasse that we trample upon, but there must be a glory and power of God in it? and can wee bring our selves to Heaven, therefore, away with that, Hayle Mary full of grace. Hayle Mary freely beloved, is the right interpretation, and they that attribute matter of power and grace, and favour to her, as in that, Oh beseech thy Sonne, &c. they take away that wherein God, and Christ will bee glorified, and attribute it to his Mother, and other creatur…s. I doe but touch this to bring us into loathing, and abomination of that Religion, that sets somewhat of the creature, against that wherein God will bee glorifyed above all.
Againe, let us stay our selves when wee walke in darkenesse, with the consideration of the gloriousnesse of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ,Glorious mercy will satisfie conscience. here called, The glory of the Lord. It is no lesse mercy, then glorious mercy, that will satisfie us, when wee are in distresse of conscience, and if this will not, what will, let Sathan aggravate our sinnes as much as may be, and joyne with conscience in this businesse, y… set this glorious mercy against all our sinnes, make the most of them, they are the sinnes of a finite creature, but here is infinite mercy triumphing, and rejoycing over justice, having gotten the victory over it, Oh beloved, when the time of temptation comes, and the houre of death, and conflict with conscience, and a confluence, and concurrence of all that may discourage, Sathan will bestirre himselfe, and he is a cunning Rethoritian to set all the colours upon sinne, especially in the time of despaire, bee as cunning to set all colours upon mercy, glorious mercy. If God were glorious in all other attributes, and not it mercy, what would become of us? The glory of other attributes without mercy, tends to despaire, glorious in wisedome to find us out, glorious in justice, to deale with us in rigour, these affright, but that that sweetneth all other attributes, is his mercy.
What a comfort is this to sinfull man,Comfort from Gods mercy. that in casting himself upon Christ, and upon Gods mercy in Christ, hee yeelds glory to God? that God hath joyned his glory with our speciall good, that here is a sweete concurrence, betweene the Summus finis, and the Summum Bonum of man. The last end of man of all, is the glory of God, for that is as it were the point of the circle from which all came: (for he made all for his glory) and in which all ends, so is the chiefe good, therefore by the way, it is a vaine conceite for some to thinke, Oh wee must not looke to our owne Salvation so much, this is selfe-love.
It is true to severe the consideration of the glory of Gods mercy,How we may looke at our owne Salvation. and goodnesse in it, but see both these wrapped, and knit together indissolvable, our Salvation, and Gods glory, wee hinder Gods glory if we beleeve not his mercy in Christ to us, so at once, we wrong our selves and him, and wee wrong him not in a meane attribute, but in his mercy and goodnesse, wherein hee hath appointed to glorifie himselfe most of all, and therefore I beseech you let us yeeld to him the glory of his mercy, and let us thinke that when wee sinne, wee cannot glorifie him more, then to have recourse to his mercy, when Sathan tempts us to runne from God, and discourageth us, as hee will doe at such times,How to thinke of mercy in temptation. then have but this in your thoughts, God hath set himselfe to bee glorious in mercy, above all other attributes, and this is the first moving attribute that stirres up all the rest, and therfore God will account himselfe honoured, if I have recourse to him, let this thought therefore be as a City of refuge, when the avenger of blood followes thee, flee presently to this sanctuary, thinke thus, let not mee deny my selfe comfort and God glory at once, Where sinne abounds, grace abounds much more. Though sinnes after conversion staine our profession, more then sinnes before conversion, yet notwithstanding goe to the glorious mercy of God still, to seventy times seventy times, there is yet mercy for these: we beseech you bee reconciled, saith Saint Paul to the Corinthians, when they were in the state of grace, and had their pardon before, let us never be discouraged from going to Christ.
Oh but I hauehave offended often,Often offences exclude not from mercy. and grievously? What saith the Prophet? My thoughts are not as your thoughts, but as high as the Heavens are above the earth, &c. Therefore, howsoever amongst men, oft offences breed an eternall allyenation, yet notwithstanding, with God it is not so, but so oft as we can have Spirit to goe to God for mercy, and spread our sinnes before him, with broken and humble hearts, so often we may take out our pardon, Compare Exod. 33. with Exod. 34. Moses, in Chap. 33. had desired to see the face of God, there was some little curiosity perhaps in it,How God shewed Moses his glory. God told him that none could see him, and live, to see the face of God in himselfe, must be reserved for heaven, we are not proportioned for that sight. But in the next Chapter, there he shewes himselfe to Moses, and how doth he shew himselfe, and his glory to Moses? The Lord, the Lord, gracious, mercifull, long suffering, cloathed all in sweete attributes, he will be knowne by those names, now, then if wee would know the name of God, and see God as hee is pleased, and delighted to discover himselfe to us, let us know him by those names that he proclaimes there, shewing that the glory of the Lord, in the Gospell especially shines in mercy, and as I said before, it must bee glorious mercy, that can satisfie a distressed conscience, how soever, in the time of ease and peace, we thinke a little mercy will serve the turne, but when conscience is once awaked, it must be glorious, and infinite mercy must allay it.
And therefore those that finde their consciences any thing wounded with any sinne,Exhortation to accept mercy. stand not out any longer with God, come, and yeeld, lay downe your weapons, there is mercy ready, the Lord is glorious in his mercy in Iesus Christ, it is a victorious triumphing mercy, over all sinne and unworthinesse whatsoever. Looke upon God, in the face of Iesus Christ, as you have it in, 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded Light to shine out of darkenesse, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the Light of the knowledg of God, in the face of Iesus Christ. In the face of Christ, God is lovely, lovelinesse and excellency is in the face above all the parts of the body.
The Glory of God.
Wee are never in such a condition as we ought to be,When we account grace glorious. except grace be glory to us, and when is grace glory to a sinner? Oh when he feeles the weight and burthen of his sinne, and languishing desires. Oh that I might have a droppe of mercy, then grace is glory, not onelyonly in Gods esteeme, but in the eye of the sinner, indeed we are never soundly humbled, till grace in our esteeme be glory, that is, till it appeare excellent and victorious, I beseech you remember it, we may have use of it, in the time of desertion.
How is this grace of God in Christ, conveyed to us yet nearer? By the Gospell.