Sermons of Christ, Sermon 1
Chriſt the Root of all.
REV. 22.16.
I am the Root, and the Off-ſpring of David, &c.
CHriſt having ſent his Angel to teſtifie ſeveral things unto the Churches, Tells them what he is, I am the Root and the Off-ſpring of David, the bright and morning Star.
Theſe words, I am the Root and the Offſpring of David, are a Riddle, and a ſeeming contradiction: For Chriſt to bee the Root of David, and the Off-ſpring of David, ſeems very improbable and contradictory; much like that ſpeech in the 22. of Matth. latter end, where Chriſt ſaid, The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, If David call him Lord, how is he then his Son? They could not tell what to make of it; So its probable, when many read theſe words here, Chriſt is the Root of David, and the Offſpring of David too, they know not how to untie this knot, and to reconcile this ſeeming contradiction; But if we plow with the Heifer of the Lord, with his Spirit, we many eaſily reſolve it.
Chriſt is the Root of David, as he is God, in his Divine nature; he is the Off-ſpring of David, as he is man: And in ſome ſenſe Chriſt as he is man, may be alſo the root of David; For Chriſts Humane nature was as well in Jeſſe the Father of David, as in David himſelf.
You ſee here, Chriſt is termed a Root, I am the root of David: Of that I ſhall ſpeak at this time, and it is not in vain, that the Scripture doth ſet out Chriſt by this expreſſion (a Root) for there are ſundry reſemblances wherein the Lord Chriſt is like unto a Root.
Firſt, you know a Root is a thing hidden in the earth, Wherein the reſemblance lies between Chriſt and a Root.ſecret, and not obvious to any eye; ſo the Lord Chriſt, take him eſpecially in his Divine nature, that is a hidden thing. As its ſaid of God, He is the inviſible God, ſo of Chriſts Divine nature, it is an inviſible nature. The Angels are not ſeen, ſouls are not ſeen, and God is not ſeen, and the Deity of Chriſt was not ſeen: It was hid under fleſh, under his humane nature. And Chriſts humane nature, Chriſt as man was a hidden thing? Joh. 1.10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. The world did not know him to be the Meſſiah, to be the root of David: So in Joh. 16.3. Theſe things will they do unto you becauſe they have not known the Father, nor me; They have not known me; Chriſt was not known, but a hidden thing, a ſecret thing, like a root in the earth; as he ſaith of the Spirit in Joh. 14.17. Whom the world cannot receive, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him, the world did not ſee the Spirit, nor know the Spirit; ſo the world did not ſee Chriſt, nor know Chriſt—why, Chriſts humane nature, Chriſt as man, was hidden under afflictions, under reproaches, under poverty and meanneſs, and under ſcorn, and contempt, ſo that he was a root in the earth, he was a hidden thing.
2 A Root hath life in it, and the life is principally in the root of any thing: ſo in the Lord Jeſus, there is life, and life principally in him. Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelf, Chriſt hath life in himſelf principally and eminently as the Father had. Joh. 1.4. In him was light, and that light was the life of men. In this Root was life, in Chriſt was life. 1 Cor. 15. he is ſaid to be a quickning Spirit, he hath life in him, and quickens others. Joh. 14.6. he is The life, he is life emphatically above all others, he is a Root, he hath life principally and eminently in him.
3 The Root (you know) bears up the tree, the branches, and the fruit of the tree, the Root bears up all; Thou beareſt not the root, but the root bears thee, Rom. 11. So it is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, this Root, that bears up all.
Chriſt bears up the world, Chriſt bears up the Church, Chriſt bears up heaven, he bears up all, Heb. 1.3. Ʋpholding all things by the word of his power. The Lord Jeſus is the Root, I ſay, that bears and upholds all the whole Creation, Sion it ſelf, and Heaven it ſelf, are upheld by this Root, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but eſpecially the Church here in this world, eſpecially Sion, and the members of Sion, beleeving ſouls, Joh. 15. I am the Vine, that is, I am the Root of the Vine, the Church is the Vine, and Chriſt is its Root, and he bears up the whole Vine, and all the branches, and all the cluſters upon the Vine, hee bears them up, he is the Root of the Vine, ſo that Chriſt is a Root that bears up all, he did bear up David, his family, David and his Kingdome, he bears up Sion, and all the children of Sion.
4 Laſtly, the Root doth convey life and ſap, and nouriſhment unto the whole body, to all the branches: ſo it is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt that doth convey ſap and life, and nouriſhment unto all his body; every branch in the Vine, receives the vertue from the root of the Vine, and all have life from Chriſt, I am come that ye may have life, Joh. 10. all life is from Chriſt, and all light is from Chriſt, He is the morning ſtar (which we may ſpeak of afterwards) and all nouriſhment is from Chriſt, he is ſaid to be the Head of the Church, and the Head of the Church is the Root of the Church in the Scripture ſenſe.
And from the Head is all influence of light, and of direction, and counſel, and motion, and comfort, all is from the Head, all is from this Root.
From Chriſt is conveyed all, Without me yee can do nothing; unleſs yee be in me, and have vertue from me, and derive all from me, you can do nothing.
Thus you ſee that Chriſt is a Root, the Root of David.
But there are ſome diſparities, What diſparities there are between Chriſt and a Root.or things wherein Chriſtis not like a Root.
Firſt, A Root, take it in the litteral ſenſe, the roots of trees, and plants, they are of a dying nature, decaying nature, and wil grow rotten and conſume Job 14.8. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the ſtock thereof dye in the ground; the root of a tree waxes old, and will dye and periſh, and come to nothing: but Chriſt is not like a root in that ſenſe, For Chriſt he lives for ever, Heb. 7. This Root never dyes, never decayes, Chriſt the ſame yeſterday, the ſame to day, the ſame to morrow, and the ſame for ever; The Root of Sion for ever, and the Root of David for ever.
Secondly, A root doth bear but one tree, ſuffices one or two, or three bodies at moſt; the root of a Corn, it may be will ſuffice for two or three, or half a doſen ſtalks, it cannot ſuffice for all: But Chriſt is a Root that ſuffices for all, for all Sion, for the whole world, for the Church, for Heaven: Hee is the Root of David, the Root of Jeſſe, the Root of Abraham, of Iſaac; Hee is the Root of all the Prophets, and Apoſtles, of all beleevers, of all that have ſpiritual life in them, he is the Root of them all, ſo that this Root is of another nature than thoſe roots.
Thirdly, Other roots are ſubject to the wills, and humors, and pleaſures of men, they can dig up the roots of things, they can burn the roots, and abuſe the roots, but Chriſt is not ſubject to the wills and humors of any, to be ſpoyled, to bee conſumed. The Scribes and Phariſees, thought to root out this Root when they put him to death, but when he was in the grave, he ſaw no corruption, he laid down his life, and none took it from him without his leave; And he roſe again, Rom. 1.4. and mightily declared himſelf to be the Son of God, by the Spirit of holineſs; he declared himſelf to be a Root that man hath not power over: —So then you ſee for the opening of this word Root, theſe things do clear it.
Object. But here is an Objection, You ſay Chriſt is the Root of David, and the Root of all, Why had not Chriſt himſelf a Root, and was not he from a Root, and how can he be the Root of all? Iſa. 11.1. And there ſhall come forth a Rod out of the ſtem of Jeſſe, and a branch ſhal grow out of his Roots; This is meant of Christ, that Chriſt ſhould come out of Jeſſe, and Jeſſe ſhould be the Root of Chriſt, and in the 10. v. it is ſaid, In that day there ſhall be a Root of Jeſſe, which ſhall ſtand for an Enſign of the people; The ſame is ſaid to be the Root of Jeſſe, which is ſaid to be the ſtem or branch of Jeſſe; —How will theſe things accord?
Anſ. As I anſwered before, Jeſſe is the Root of Chriſt, according to his humane nature, and Chriſt is the Root of Jeſſe, according to his Divine nature; or if you will, Chriſt as Mediator was the Root of Jeſſe and of all the godly. The words being opened, I ſhall give you this Obſervation, I am the Root of David.
Obſerv. That the Lord Chriſt is the Root of Nature, the Root of Grace, and the Root of Glory.
How will that appear? why he was the Root of David as a man, the Root of David as a Saint, and the Root of David as glorified; David was now in heaven.
Hee was the root of David as a man, Pſal. Chriſt th… root of Nature.119.73. Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me, O Lord, ſaith David, I did not make my ſelf, and my Parents did not make me, But thy hands have made me, and faſhioned me; Thy hand hath made me ſuch a creature, thy hand did curiouſly work me when I was in my mothers womb, that framed me, and moulded me, that ordered all my bones, and ſinews and joynts, and parts, and faculties, and the like; Thy hand hath made me, the work of nature was from him, He was the Root of Nature.
And ſo likewiſe He was the Root of Grace, Chriſt the root of Grace and Glory.and the Root of Glory, ſaith David, Pſal. 110. The Lord ſaid unto my Lord; Why was Chriſt Davids Lord? becauſe he had given him Grace, and made him his ſervant: Why his Lord? becauſe he would give him Glory, The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, ſit thou at my right hand: Chriſt was Davids Lord becauſe he gave him Grace, and would give him Glory: Hence it is that he ſaith in Pſal. 84.11. Grace and Glory will he give, and no good thing will hee withhold. Well, I have grace, and I ſhall have more grace, and I have a humane glory, I am a King and a Prophet, and ſhall have greater glory, I ſhall have glory in the higheſt heavens; So that you ſee its true of David, Chriſt is the root of his Nature, the root of his Grace, and the root of his Glory.
Now this will appear for the general, That hee is the root of Nature, and Grace, and Glory.
Firſt, It will appear that Chriſt is the root of Nature, How it appears that Chriſt is the root of Nature.from the Creation and making of all things; He that makes all things muſt needs bee the Lord, and the Root, and the author and fountain of Nature, Heb. 1.2. By whom alſo he made the worlds, why the world was made by Chriſt, Chriſts right hand, Chriſts arm was at work in the making of all the creatures; The world was made by him, therefore he is the Lord of Nature that hath made all.
Secondly, It appears he is the root of Nature, becauſe he can blaſt nature at his pleaſure; what ſaith Chriſt to the Fig-tree? Never fruit grow more upon this tree, did it not preſently wither away? Chriſt dryed up all the moyſture, dried up the ſap, dried up the very root of the tree; why he is the very Root, and the Lord of Nature.
Thirdly, Farther, it appears, in regard that he hath the command of all Diſeaſes, he cured and healed them; What Diſeaſe was there ever preſented to Chriſt that he could not cure? He caſt out Devils, cured Leproſies, and all manner of diſeaſes, the woman that had ſpent all her eſtate with Phyſitians, and could do no good; the man that lay at the Pool of Betheſday, and could not be cured, yet Chriſt cures all Diſeaſes; He is the root of Nature.
Fourthly, So likewiſe it appears from his raiſing of the dead; when men are upon diſſolution, and nature going downward, the breaths gone, the ſoul is gone, the body putrified, it matters not ſaith Chriſt to Martha, Thou ſhalt ſee the glory of God, thou ſhalt ſee that I am the root of Nature, that I am the root of all, that I can call both the ſoul, and breathe breath into him, and raiſe him up; Theſe are evidences that hee is the Root and Lord of Nature.
Secondly, Chriſt hee is the root of Grace, Chriſt the root of Grace.all Grace is from him, Luke 4.18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath anointed me to preach the Goſpel, To preach it to the poor, he hath ſent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of ſight to the blind, to ſet at liberty them that are bruiſed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord: Is not here Grace in all theſe? Yes, and all comes from Chriſt, Hee was annointed with the Spirit of the Lord to do theſe things. And more fully in Joh. 1.14, 16, 17. The word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth; but for whom was this Grace, and for whom was the Truth? ſaith John, And of his fulneſs have all we received, and Grace for Grace; Hee had a fulneſs of Grace, hee was the Author, the Root of Grace, the Fountain of Grace, the God of Grace, and this Grace was to be communicated, and derived unto others, Of his fulneſs have we all received Grace for Grace: For the Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord Chriſt is the root of Grace. Rom. 5.20, 21. Where ſin abounded, Grace did much more abound, That as ſin hath reigned unto death, even ſo might Grace reign through righteouſneſs unto eternal life by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: Sin abounded, I but Grace doth ſuperabound; how comes it to ſuperabound? by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: Grace muſt reign, as ſin hath reigned, and it muſt reign by Chriſt, this Grace will ſend out ſo much Grace, that Grace will reign, and out-reign ſin, bring under ſin; So then Chriſt he is the root of Grace.
Laſtly, Chriſt the roo… of Glory.Chriſt he is the root of Glory, there is none let into heaven but by Chriſt, none made glorious, but by Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.8. he is called the Lord of Glory, They crucified the Lord of Glory.
The Lord of Glory, becauſe he was a glorious Lord in himſelf; The Lord of Glory, becauſe he hath all Glory to diſpoſe of: The Lord of Glory, becauſe he advances whom he pleaſes to Glory, he will advance his Church unto Glory, all beleevers unto Glory; So that you ſee now, Chriſt he is the root of Nature, the root of Grace, and the root of Glory.
Now what remains, but that we ſhould make ſome uſe of this point, and there are ſeveral things which will be obſervable.
Uſe Firſt, If Chriſt be the Root of Nature, of Grace, and Glory, then we may all make uſe of that which David doth upon this account, in Pſ. 138.8. Thy mercy, O Lord, indures for ever, forſake not the works of thine own hand; why, may not every one ſay, Lord I am the work of thy hands, thou haſt made me a creature, Thou art the root of my nature? Lord, do not forſake me, but Lord make me gracious, as well as to have nature; bee the root not only of a natural life to mee, but the root of a ſpriritual life unto me, and be the root of Glory unto me; why thy hand hath made me; Thou haſt made me a man, given me an immortal ſoul, indued me with underſtanding, and ſome wiſdome and knowledge, Lord do not forſake me, leave mee not to the Devil, to the world, to my ſelf; But Lord, ſeeing thy hand hath made me a man, ſo Lord let it make me a new man; as I have a Natural life, ſo let me have another life, a Spiritual life; ſo every one when they are in ſtraights and troubles, in darkneſs and afflictions, and think they are left of God, and Chriſt, let them uſe this Argument in Prayer, I am the work of thine hands, what wilt thou leave the work of thy own hands? why men will not deſert the work of their own hands, thou haſt not deſerted the Creation, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Night and day, Summer and Winter; why Lord, I am the work of thine own hands, do not leave me, nor forſake me.
2 Is Chriſt the root of Nature, of Grace, and of Glory? then whatſoever difference you ſee in men as men, in men as Chriſtians, what difference ſoever you read of men in glory, it is all from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, it is from the root. You know that one Tree is higher than another, it is from the root; that one tree or branch is higher, or bigger than another, it is from the root of the Tree; that the differences are in the branches, and arms, and boughes of the tree, it is all from the root of the tree; ſo the differences that are amongſt men, it is from the root. Chriſt he gives unto one man great parts, to another man leſſer parts; he gives unto one man a ſtrong judgement, a ſtrong memory, admirable Elocution, to another man he gives not the ſame, the difference is in Chriſt, he is the root of Nature, and communicates what he pleaſe. So likewiſe the talents of Grace, he gives to one man one talent, to another man two talents, to another man five talents, the Lord is the root, and he makes one higher than another; ſome men have choyſe Gifts, and Graces, ſome one man hath more than ten other men have; it may be another man is beneath him in a degree or two, ſome are beneath a great deal; in Grace, ſome are Babes, ſome Children, ſome Young-men, ſome old Diſciples.
So in Glory, the twelve Apoſtles ſhall ſit upon twelve Thrones; in glory, ſome are like the Sun, ſome like the Moon, ſome like the Stars; where is the difference? the difference lies in the root, he communicates what he pleaſes, both in Naturals, in Spirituals, and in Glory.
3 If Chriſt be the root, then let us not bee high-minded, let none be lifted up with whatſoever injoyments they have; whatſoever gifts you have, whatſoever Graces you have, what Glory ſoever you look for, bee not lifted up, and the reaſon is plain here, and ſo Rom. 11.18. Boaſt not againſt the Branches; Why, another man is a Branch as well as thou art, take man as man, he is a Branch in the Tree of Nature, and wilt thou boaſt thy ſelf againſt him? boaſt not of thy wit, or beauty, or ſtrength, or any Natural abilities thou haſt, for thou beareſt not the root, but the root thee.
So, boaſt not of Spirituals, that you have ſo much faith, ſo much knowledge, ſo much patience, humility, and love, do not boaſt of theſe things, Chriſt is the root, and the root bears thee.
So, do not boaſt of what places you ſhall have in Heaven; the Sons of Zebedee, they would bee at the right hand, and at the left hand of Chriſt, when they came into his Kingdom; they would have ſuch and ſuch places, but know, the root bears thee, be therefore humble and lowly, what thou haſt thou haſt received, why art thou lifted up then, as if thou hadſt not received it? the root, the Lord Chriſt will call you to an account one day of what you have received, and how you have imployed the ſame; therefore remember thou haſt all from the root, and nothing of thine own.
4 If Chriſt be the Root that bears up all, bee the root of Nature, Grace, and Glory, then let us fear to offend and provoke him; if a mans life, habitation, and maintenance depended upon ſome one man, would he not take heed how he provoked that man? doth not your All depend upon this root Chriſt, your Nature depends upon him? in him you live, and move, and have your beings, — your habitations and maintenance depends upon him.
So for your Spiritual life, and Spiritual good, doth it not depend upon this Root? Is not hee the Root of Life, of all Spiritual life, and comfort, and bleſſings? Is not hee the root from whom you receive all Grace, all truth, and all comforts and good?
Do you not look through him to have your glory? why will you offend him now, and ſin againſt him? O what a root is this that bears up all Nature, that bears up all Grace, and all Glory, and bears up all the Spiritual good of men and women, the root that bears up Heaven, and Glory and all! take heed I ſay, of trampling upon this root, of wronging Chriſt, of ſlighting Chriſt, of grieving Chriſt, of diſpleaſing him any way, if he with-draw influences of nature, dye you muſt preſently; — if he with-draw influences of Grace, in darkneſs you muſt ſit preſently; — if he ſhould with-draw Glory from you, where would you bee but without doors?
5 Again, If Chriſt bee the root of Nature, Grace, and Glory, then let us make it our buſineſs to ſerve and honour him; is it not the duty of a Childe, coming from the loyns of his Parents, to ſerve them, and honour them? ſo it is the duty of every man, ſeeing Chriſt is the root of every man, it is the duty of every man to ſerve the Lord — ſerve him with thine Eyes, ſerve him with thy Tongue, ſerve him with thy Hand, ſerve him with thy Foot, ſerve him with thy Underſtanding, ſerve him with thy Will, ſerve him with thine Affections, ſerve him with the whole Man, for thou haſt all from him as a man, let all then return to him; Waters that come from the Sea run back again to the Sea, and ſeeing wee all come from Chriſt, who is God, and the root of Nature, let us then work in order, and ſerve him.
But much more you that are Spiritual; hath Chriſt given you life, Spiritual life, quickned you when you were dead in ſins and trepſpaſſes? Is Chriſt the root of all your Spiritual good and welfare? will you not ſerve Chriſt? what, will you be for the World, for Hell, and for Sin now? why Chriſt is your root, are you then his Vine, and will not live to Chriſt? certainly we ſhould ſerve Chriſt, and honour Chriſt upon this account — and we would do it if we did well conſider, why I have my life of Faith, and of Grace, and of comfort, and I hope for Glory hereafter from Chriſt, and ſhall I not ſerve the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? I look for glory, therefore I will purifie my ſelf as he is pure; Chriſt in you the hope of Glory, is he your root, and have you hope of Glory? then puriſie your ſelves as he is pure; yea ſerve Chriſt with pure hearts, and pure affections, and pure converſations, live to the Lord Jeſus, he is the root of Nature, the root of Spiritual life, and the root of Glory.
6 Again, if Chriſt be the root of all, then here you may know what your conditions are, what ſtate you are in; tell me what root you are rooted upon, what root do you grow on; do you grow upon the old Adam ſtill, or are you rooted upon Chriſt? If old Adam be your root, as hee is the root of Man-kind, of corrupt man, if you grow upon that root, you are no more than when you came into the World, your fruit is ſour, your Grapes are wild Crapes, your Natures are corrupt, you are enemies to God, you are upon the root of bitterneſs, a root of death.
Nay, let me ſay, Are you upon Chriſt now, as he is God only, for Chriſt is the root of Nature as he is God, if you be rooted upon Chriſt as hee is God only, as he hath made you, if you be no more than this, you have marred your ſelves ſince he made you, therefore make inquiry whether you be rooted upon Chriſt as Mediator, as the root of David, as God-man, whether you have intereſt in Chriſt upon that account, and if it be, your fruit is good fruit, fruit becoming the Goſpel, fruit worthy of Grace, and worthy of a man that is called, juſtified, and ſanctified; other fruit you bare, now you bear ſuch fruit as Chriſt did; thoſe that are tranſlated, and cut off from the old Adam, and ingrafted into Chriſt, they bear other fruit than before; therefore inquire what root you are upon, whether you are rooted into Chriſt, yea or no, that will yeeld a great deal of comfort unto you, if it be ſo.
7 Further, If Chriſt be the Root of Nature, the Root of Grace, and the Root of Glory, and of all, then this is great comfort unto every true Chriſtian; why he is planted in Chriſt, and hee ſhall never dry nor wither away; in the 1 Pſal: he ſpeaks there of a Tree planted by the water ſide, that bringeth forth his fruit in his ſeaſon, his leaf alſo ſhall not wither — why, he that is a true Chriſtian, that is intrinſically ingrafted into Chriſt, he is in ſuch a root that hath life, water of life, and vertue, and is communicating continually unto the branches: I am come (in the tenth of John) that you may have life, and that yee may have it more abundantly: If thou be truly in Chriſt thou ſhalt have life, and have it more abundantly, thou art in a River of Water, thou art in a root that hath abundance of all Spiritual good, and Spiritual Bleſſings for you, therefore look to it that you be in Chriſt, and then you ſhall have vertue in him, your root ſhall never wither, it ſhall never decay.
8 If Chriſt bee the Root of all, then bee exhorted every one to get intereſt in this Root, get intereſt in him, and then your natures will be ſanctified, get intereſt in him, and then you will have of all the fulneſs of Chriſt, and you ſhall have of all his glory: Men and Women they labour to be rooted in the World, to be rooted in Sin, O how are men rooted in ſin, rooted in wicked practices! how are they rooted in worldly things, and ſo intangled and fixt that there is no getting of them off, or out from the World! what ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Coloſ. 7. ſaith he, rooted and built up in Chriſt. O be rooted, ſaith hee, but where? in Chriſt; it is good to be rooted in Chriſt, O labour to be rooted in him, rooted in the love of Chriſt, in the power of Chriſt, in the Merits of Chriſt, in the Interceſſion of Chriſt; O labour to be rooted in theſe, and then you will grow — And the way to bee rooted in theſe is double; there are but two things that I ſhall name, and they are principall things —
The Firſt is by Faith, and the Second by Love:
Get faith in Chriſt, that unites you to him, and the more faith, the more rooted in him, and get further and further into Chriſt; labour for faith and that will fix you, ſettle, and eſtabliſh you in Chriſt; it is our want of faith that makes us ſo off and on with God, and with Chriſt, and ſuch poor Creatures as we are; well, labour for faith, and that is a drawing Vertue, a drawing Grace, it will draw from Chriſt whatſoever is to bee had in him.
And then love the Lord Jeſus; where there is love, how doth it root a man in the heart of a man or woman? ſo if you love the Lord Jeſus more, you will be rooted more in him, that is the way to be rooted in Chriſt, get faith, and get love.
9 Laſtly, If Chriſt be the root of Reaſon, the root of Grace, and Glory, the root of all, then let us give the glory and praiſe of all to Jeſus Chriſt, and attribute nothing to our ſelves or others. We are wonderful apt, when wee ſee a Tree full of fruit, to attribute it to the Tree, O it is a very good Tree, you look not to the root, you attribute nothing to that, whereas it is the root you ſhould attribute it to; ſo now we attribute this to our ſelves, our own endeavours, labours, improvements, and diligence, but wee look not at the Root, we look not at Chriſt who is the Root of Nature; wee look not at Chriſt who is the Root of Grace; we look not at Chriſt who is the Root of Glory; and therefore ſee the reaſon why we are ſo little in thankfulneſs, becauſe wee have ſo little faith; But if we had more faith now to ſee the root, we ſhould be more thankful; the root is a hidden thing, Chriſt is in Heaven, and Chriſts Divine Nature was hidden, and becauſe we ſee not Chriſt as God, ſee not Chriſt as Mediator, look not at Chriſt as all in all, therefore we give not that glory to him, but wee look at ſecond Cauſes, Meanes, Ordinances, Magiſtrates, Parents, Friends, and the like; and ſo God and Chriſt loſe their Glory, and their Honour, but if you would look at the root, and ſay, O this comes from Chriſt, this comes from God, this comes from the Mediator, from his Grace, yea all comes from him, O then your hearts would be carried out to ſpeak of, and to glorifie his name.
Well, look at Chriſt, for you have nothing but from him; therefore not to me, nor to others, but unto thee alone O Lord be all the glory.