A Discourse Grounded on Proverbs, Part 2 · Section 37
Sect. XXXVII.
Phi 2 6, 7, 8 High thoughts of ChriſtBVt then as God hath Highly exalted Him that was Humbled, being equal with God, yet in ſhape of a Man, even to the Death of the Croſs: ſo think, that if ever thou hope for benefit by Him, thy Life and thy Lips muſt exalt Him, and thine Heart and thy Thoughts above all, not that thou canſt adde to, but muſt own his Greatneſs and his Glory, nay though thou hadſt known Chriſt after the Fleſh, yet henceforth know him ſo no more- 2 Cor. 5, 16Away with low Thoughts, carnal conceptions of Ieſus Chriſt, who though He were Crucifyed through weakneſs, yet is raiſed in Power, 1 Cor. 14 4yea in the greatneſs of his strength became weak, Iſaia. 63, 1that out of weakneſs thou mighteſt be made ſtrong: Hebr. 11, 34for if the Chriſtian can ſay by believing in Chriſt, when I am weak then am I ſtrong, and can Glory in his Infirmities, 2 Corin. 12 9, 10that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon him, well may he Glory in Chriſt, whoſe Glory, in the very days of his infirmity, they that ſaw him, beheld as the Glory of the onelyonly begotten Son of God, John 1, 4…for whilst he dwelt among Men in the body of his Fleſh, The Fulneſs of the God head dwelt in him bodily. Coloſ. 2, 9And O how awful and stupendious a thought it is,Roman 9, 5 that Gods Benjamin ſhould be this Ben-oni, Nay the Bleſsed God himſelf. This man of Sorrows; The Eternal Father, the Son of his Hand maid,Iſaia. 53, 3 made of a Woman; and 9 6The Mightie God, a Child born, Galat. 4, 4ſo ſaith Scripture, but who ſhall declare his Generation? The Law-Maker,Iſaia. 53, 8 made under the Law that He might make ſatisfaction to the Law,Galat: 4.4 and Fulfil all Righteouſneſs, both by Doing and by Dying, Matth. 3, 15by Serving and Suffering; Rev. 19, 16The Lord of Lords come to Miniſter, And He that gives Life to All, to give his Life a Ranſom for many. Mat. 20, 29Stupendious Thought may I well call it, that my GOD ſhould become GOEL, my near Kinſman, by Incarnation, and gain Right of Redemption as to thoſe in whom he had a Right of Creation, for which Cauſe He is not aſhamed to call them Brethren; Hebr. 2, 1…That the the Infinite ſhould be Confined; and Content in the Womb, though not Contained in the World;
(Pellibus exiguis Ingens arctatur JESUS.)
That a ſtrait low-roof'd Virgin-Cell.
Should lodge th' Incomprehenſible;
That the Eternal God ſhould be Born, Iſaiah 9, 6 Matth 28, 6 Luke 2, 7.and the Immortal God buryed, after a Life of Sorrow, and a Death of Shame; That the Majeſty of God ſhould take up with a Stable, for a Preſence-Chamber, and a Manger for a Throne, where Wiſe-men muſt come and Worſhip Him,Matt 2, 11 and 27, 29 Verſe … a wreath of Thornes for a Crown, a Croſs for a Scepter, and for a Royal-Robe, the onelyonly Crimſon duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page of a Bloody Paſſion lined with the Ermine of white Innocency, but ſpotted with the Contradiction of Sinners. Hebr. 11:3That the Ancient of days ſhould become an Infant, The thundering God a Crying Babe; Heb. 11:2The Heir of All things be born to Baniſhment as ſoon as Born,Matth. 2, 13 and He that fills Heaven to be, as it were, a Fugitive in the Earth at his firſt coming into it; That God Our Refuge ſhould be forc't to Flee, John 12, 46yea to Run for his Life before he could Go, and to hide his Head in AEGYPT, who was the Light of the World; John 6:41That the Bread of Heaven ſhould be laid amongſt Oats and Hay for the food of Man,Pſal. 49:12 that was now become (by his Sin) Like the Beaſts that periſh; Acts 3:15That the Prince of Life ſhould begin to Die from his very begining to Live, Luke 21 24and the early ſhedding of his Precious Blood from the firſt weeks ſucking of his Mothers Milk; That He ſhould be reputed the Carpenters Son, John 1:3by whom all things were made; That He before whom the Devils tremble, Matth. 4:…ſhould be lead into the Wilderneſs to be Tempted of the Devil; That the Living Bread ſhould fuffer Hunger, and the Fountain thirſt; Verſe …That He that gives Rest to Our Souls ſhould Himſelf ſuffer Wearineſs, John 19:28and He that gives us all things richly to enjoy, John 4:6 Luke 9:5…not have a hole himſelf where to lay his head; That He that Iustifyes the ungodly, Iſaia. 53, 12ſhould himſelf be Numbred among the Tranſgreſſours; That God the Iudge of All ſhould be tryed for his Life at Mans Bar, And He that did All things Well ſhould himſelf ſuffer among Malefactors; That the WAY ſhould be Forſaken, John 14:6as He was by his Friends and Followers;Matt. 26:5… That the TRUTH ſhould be Betrayed, as He was by Iudas; Luke 22, 2…That the LIFE ſhould be Killed as He was by the Iews; That the Great God ſhould be Sold, to Redeem Man; Acts 3 15And the Living God die, that dead Man might Live; And be ſhut up in the Grave, to ſet Man at Liberty; In a word, That the moſt High God ſhould humble himſelf to ſo ſad a Life, and the Lord of Glory to ſo baſe a death, ſpending and ending his Doleful days betwixt Perils & Pains, L…ke 22 28and Temptations, Heb…ew 4, 7and Perſecutions, and Wants, and Wearyneſs, and Fears, and Tears, Luke 22.44and Sweat, and Blood, till at length his tender body was extended to the utmoſt torture that a cruel Croſs could ſtretch it, and his meek and Innocent Soul stretched to the utmoſt extremity of ſorrow that it could poſſibly be extended to, and all for poor Man that never deſerved it, that never deſired it, that never one… Thought of it, before he heard of it, ready rather to cry out with Nicodemus? John 3:9How can theſe things be? (ſo ſlow of heart to believe it, Luke 24, 25 chap. 6.5 8having heard of it) crying out with the Iews, How can this man give us his Fleſh to eat? But oh the Folly of mans Wit, and the unreaſonableneſs of their reaſonings that have not Faith? 2 Theſ. 3:…for why ſhould it be thought an incredible thing that the Condeſcention of Divine Grace ſhould ſurmount all Humane Comprehenſion, Philip. 4:7 1 Tim. 3:16the Effect of which Grace is peace that paſseth all Vnderſtanding? that the Mystery of Godlineſs ſhould be GREAT, The firſt Principle whereof is GOD manifest in the FLESH!Iſaiah 9.… or that He ſhould be an object of our admiring thoughts in all his Story, the very firſt letter of whoſe Name is WONDERFVL?Rom… 3:… But thanks be to God that the unbelief of man cannot make the Faith of God without Effect.