The Blessedest Birth that Ever Was, Discourse
THE BLESS ED'ST BIRTH THAT EVER WAS.
LVKE 2. 10, 11.
Behold, I bring you good tydings of great ioy that ſhall be to all people: that is, that vntounto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid, a Sa…iour, which is Chriſt the Lord.
THe Lord our God hath only giuen vsus a Chriſt for our redemption and ſaluation, but (bleſſed be his Maieſty) he hath alſo diſcouered him to the world by many:
1 By himſelfe, Mat. 3. 17. This is Mat. 3. 17.my beloued Son in whom I am well pleaſed.
By Iohn Baptiſt, Ioh. 1. 29. Behold Iohn 1▪ 2….the Lambe of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the world.
By a Doue, Ioh. 1. 33. VponUpon whomIohn 1. 33. thou ſhalt ſee the Spirit deſcending, and tarrying ſtill vponupon him, that is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghoſt.
By a Starre, Mat. 2. 9. And loe,Mat. 2. 9. the ſtarre which they had ſeene in the Eaſt went before them, till it came and ſtood ouer the houſe where the Babe was.
And here by his Angell hee diſcouers him to the Iewiſh ſhepherds féeding their flockes by night, and that in full and ample maner by two notable circumſtances; of the place where, of the time when, this bleſſed Babe was borne: Behold, I bring you good tydings of great ioy that ſhall be to all people: that is, that vntounto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid, a Sauiour, which is Chriſt the Lord.
Which words as they are couched in two verſes, ſo will they afford two things obſeruable:
1 A merry meſſage: Behold I bring, &c.
2 An admired cauſe: That vntounto you is borne, &c.
This mirth is amplified by two
1. By the magnitude.
2. By the multitude.
1. By the magnitude of it: Great ioy.
2. By the multitude of the ſharers in it: That ſhall be to all people.
In which heauenly meſſage I obſerue theſe thrée:
Firſt, the meſſenger: and that is an Angell: Behold I bring you good tydings.
Secondly, the meſſage; and that is, of great ioy: Of great ioy.
Thirdly, the extent; or the parties to whom this ioy appertaineth: and that is to all people: That ſhall be to all people.
Behold I bring you good tidings: behold I bring you good tydings of great ioy: behold I bring you good tydings of great ioy, that ſhall bee to all people.
But before I deale with this high and Heauenly Inſtrument, a word or two of the word Behold.
Behold: It is a note of attention, ſix hundred times vſed in holy writ: alwayes placed before matters of great weight and moment; ſometimes before inutterable iudgments, as Amos 8. 11. Behold I will ſend a famine among you &c.
Sometimes before inexpreſſible mercies: as Eſay 7. 14. Behold a Virgine ſhall conceiue, and beare a Sonne, and his Name ſhall bee called Immanuel.
And here alſo in the words of my Text: Behold I bring you good tydings of great ioy, &c.
Hereupon Bernard calls it Notam ſtelliferam, a ſtarry note: a note that doth point out ſome rare matter to be reuealed, as the Starre ſtood ouer the houſe, and pointed to the Wife-men where the Babe was.
For the expoſition of the word, doe but compare Mat. 6. 26. with Luke 12. 24. there the Lord hath giuen it.
Saint Matthew ſpeaking of the prouidence of God ouer the fowles of the aire, vſeth the word Behold: Behold the fowles of the Heauens, &c. Saint Luke ſpeaking of the ſelfeſame ſubiect, vſeth another word, the word, Conſider; Conſider the Rauens: So that Behold, is as much as Conſider, and ſeriouſly perpend what God will hauehave now deliuered to your ſelues.
I; that is, an Angell, as it appeareth in the beginning of the Verſe:I. Then the Angell ſaid vntounto them, Be not afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings, &c.
Angell; it is as much as Meſſenger: it is Nomen officij, non naturae; a name of office, not of nature: as you may reade, Hebr. 1. 7. He maketh theHebr. 1. …. Spirits his Angels, or Meſſengers: The Spirits, there is their name of nature: His Angels, or Meſſengers, there i… their name of office.
Theſe high and heauenly Inſtruments were Meſſengers ſometimes of Gods frowne, ſometimes of Gods fauour.
Firſt, of Gods frowne: as was that Angell that ſlew of Senacherios Hoſt, in one night one hundred foureſcore and fiue thouſand.
And as were thoſe Angels, thatGen. 19. 13 deſtroyed the Citie of Sodome.
Secondly, of Gods fauour: as were thoſe Angels that miniſtred to Chriſt in the Wilderneſſe: For the Angels came and miniſtred to him.Mat. 9. 11.
And as was that Angel that comforted Chriſt in the Garden: For an Angell came from Heauen, and comfortedLuk 22. 43 him.
And as was this Angell, that brings bleſſed newes of the Birth of the Lord Ieſus: Behold, I bring you good tidings, &c.
The point of this part, office of Angels, is the laſt Verſe of the firſt Chapter to the Hebrewes: Angels are miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for their ſakes, that are and ſhall be heires of ſaluation.
And this their office they hauehaveObſer. moſt frequently performed, witneſſe the fore-named places of Scripture, and many other places alſo: As an Angell bade Eliah flye from Iezabei; and an Angell here brings excellent newes from Heauen of the Birth of a Sauiour: Behold I bring, &c.
That Angels are preſent with vsus, it is plaine by that of Saint Paul to the Corinths: Let the women be couered, becauſe of the Angels. The Angels behold the behauiour of man and woman in the Congregation, in the worſhip of God. If therefore women ſhould be ſhorne as man (to whom God hath giuen the hotter and ſtronger braine) it would be a confuſion of Sexes, and a great diſpleaſure to the Angels.
Againe, the office and preſence of Angels is ſéene in this: A man taketh his Horſe, and trauelleth him, his Horſe falleth vponupon him, no bone broken; how commeth this to paſſe? By the prouidence of God, in the watch of Angels.
This firſt ſheweth the rare mercy of God to mortall & miſerable ſinners, that he will vouchſafe ſuch high and heauenly inſtruments to attend vsus in our out goings & in commings, that we daſh not our foot againſt a ſtone.Pſal. 91. 12
Lord, what is man that thus thouPſal. 8. 4. ſhouldeſt regard him, or what is the beſt of the ſonnes of men, that thus in mercy thou ſhouldeſt viſit him?
Secondly, here note the prerogatiue of the children of God; though they be in baſe eſtéem of ye reprobate worldlings, yet they are great in the fauour of the moſt high: yea the heauenly Angels are appointed of God their waiting men: as for the wicked, it is not ſo with them, but the black guard of Hell dogs them, here to ſinne, hereafter to ſinke them to perdition.
Thirdly, here is matter of conſolation to the people of God: though man and deuill bee againſt vsus, wée néed not bee afraid: the Angels of God ſhall fight our battels for vsus: as in Eighty Eight, and as Eliſha told his ſeruant, vponupon the hoſt of Angels perceiued, Feare not, for there are2 Kings. more with vsus, than are or can bee againſt vsus.
The ſecond thing obſerueable in2 this merry meſſage, is the meſſage it ſelfe:
wherein I note
1. The matter: Ioy.
2. The meaſure: Great.
Behold I bring you good tydings of great ioy.
Firſt Ioy.
This Angel brings not a brandiſht ſword, as once againſt Adam:Gen. 3. 14.
This Angel brings not burningGen. 19. 24 fire, as once againſt Sodome:
This Angel brings not conſuming2 Sam. 14. 16. peſtilence, as once againſt Dauid:
This Angell brings not ſudden death, as once againſt Herod:Act. 12. 23.
But this Angel brings tidings of ioy, and of great ioy that ſhall bee to all people.
Oh bleſſed day is Chriſts Birthday; the bleſſedſt day that euer came, a day of glad tidings, a day of great ioy that ſhall be to all people: O bleſſed bee the wombe that bare this Babe, and the Paps that gaue this Babe ſucke: for this bleſſed Birth day of Chriſt Ieſus, brings Ioy and nothing but Ioy to all people.
Pharaohs banquetting birth-dayGen. 40. yéelded much ſorrow, for then hee hanged vp his chiefe Baker.
Herods banquetting birth-day yéeldedMat. 14. 6. 10. much ſorrow: for then he cut off Iohn Baptiſts head.
Ieremy (though an holy man) criedIer. 20. 14. out of his birth-day: Maledictus dies, &c. Curſed be the day wherein I was borne, and let not the day of my birth be bleſſed.
Iob (though a iuſt man) cried outIob 3. 3. 6. of his birth-day: Pereat dies in quo natus ſum, &c. Let the day periſh wherein I was borne, and let it not be ioyned to the dayes of the yeere.
But Chriſts Birth▪ day brings ioy, great ioy, and nothing but ioy to all people.
And as ioy in Chriſts Birth is here by an Angell proclaimed, ſo let vsus know, that we can hauehave no peace with God, no ioy in ſoule, no hope ofObſer. bliſſe, but in, through, and from this Lord Ieſus.
Had not CHRIST come and aſſumed our nature, what ſhould hauehave become of vsus▪ oh we had béene all euerlaſtingly condemned.
Let vsus therefore reioyce in theƲſe 1. Lord alway, againe let vsus reioyce: let our ſoules magnifie the Lord, let our ſpirits reioyce in Chriſt our Sauiour: Let vsus kéepe this Feaſt with ioy and thanksgiuing, lauding the Lord for his ſwéet Chriſt, not with reuell rout, gaming and prophaneneſſe, knowing that Chriſt came not to make vsus prophane or libertines, but to ſanctifie our natures and ſaue our ſoules, that wee ſhould ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our life.
Againe, if it be ſuch ioy to ſée ChriſtƲſe 2. poore, néedy, and lying in a cratch oh what ioy ſhall it be to ſée him in glorie, triumphant in Heauen at the right hand of the Father? This ioy who can comprehend, this ioy the Lord vouchſafe vsus all? when wee ſhall bid theſe our mortall corps farewell
Secondly, as ioy, ſo great ioy doth Chriſts Birth afford: … you tydings of great ioy. H… … nato properanit gaudia tellus, coeleſtis riſit ſedes, & geſtijt orbis: Great ioy: Ioy in Heauen, ioy on earth: ioy to Angels, ioy to men: ioy to Iew, ioy to Gentile: ioy to rich, ioy to poore: Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy.
Great ioy
Quia caeteris praefuturum:
Quia multos conſolaturum.
Quia perpetuô duraturum:
Great for the excellency: great for the vniuerſality: great for the ſempiternity: Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy.
Firſt, Great for the excellencie.
So excellent is this ioy, as it paſſethPhil. 4. 7. all vnde…ſtanding.
So excellent is this ioy, as it rauiſhtMat. 17. Peter on the mount:
So excellent is this ioy, as it euen2 Cor. …. filled Paul with conſolation.
So excellent is this ioy, as if it be perfected in vsus, I know not what it ſhould bee but life euerlaſting: great therefore is this ioy.
Secondly, Great for the vniuerſality.
It reacheth to all times, paſt, preſent, and to come: to all people, Iewes, Grecians, Romans, French, Engliſh: to Moſes in flags, to Ioſeph in Egypt, to Daniel in Babylon, to Iob in Huz, to Simeon in Ieruſalem, to the Canaanite in Sidon, to ſome in Rome vnderunder the Popes noſe: for the Church of God dwelleth whereReu. 2▪ 13. the throne of Satan is: great therefore is this ioy.
Thirdly, Great for the ſempiternitie.
The ioy of hypocrites and worldlings is ſhort and momentanie: it droops in aduerſitie: and droops in death: as Iob ſpeaketh: They reioyceIob▪ in the ſound of Organs and ſuddenly goe downe to Hell: But this ioy is permanent and laſting; it ſtands in aduerſity, and mounts to perfection in death: This your ioy no manIohn 16. nor deuill ſhall take from you: for as the world cannot giuegive it, ſo the world cannot take it away: great therefore is this ioy; ſo great, as it cannot bee numbred, ſo precious, as it cannot be valued; ſo laſting, as it is euerlaſting.
Thus much for the Meſſage.
The third thing obſeruable is the Extent: That ſhall be to all people.
The Angel ſayes not, That ſhalbe3 to many: as once an Angell ſaid of Iohn Baptiſt, Many ſhall reioyce atLuk. 1. 14. his birth: But▪ Omni populo, To all people: Iewes, Gentiles of what condition ſoeuer they be.
This happie report agrées with that ſwéete old Couenant: Benedicentur Gen. 22. 18in …emine tuo omnes gentes terra: id est, All nations ſhall be bleſſed in thy ſeed: that is the Elect of all nations, both Iewes and Gentiles.
For this particle (All) muſt not bee taken for eueryevery Indiuidium, eueryevery perſon of mankinde: Non pro ſingulis generum, ſed pro generibus ſingulorum: Not eueryevery man, but for ſome of eueryevery kinde, whether Iew or Gentile: for Chriſt was the fall of many in Iſrael; and a teareLuke. 2. 34 Mat. 2. 3. to many in Ieruſalem: and to many of the Gentiles he became fooliſhneſſe▪ 1 Cor. 1, 23For though Chriſt be borne, and dead for all, yet all receiue him not:Iohn 1. But as many as receiue him, to them hee giues power to be the ſonnes of God.
That Saint-like Song of Heauen makes good this preſent point: Thou haſt redeemed vsus to God by thy Reuel. 5. 9bloud; Ex omni Tribu, Populo, Lingua, Natione; that is, Out of eueryevery Tribe, People, Language, Nation. They doe not ſay, Redemiſti omnem Tribum, ſed ex omni aliquos; that is, Thou haſt redeemed eueryevery Tribe, but out of eueryevery Tribe and Kindred ſome: For though Chriſts death to ſaue all be ſufficient; yet is it onelyonly to the faithfull efficient.
This Nouerint vniuerſi ſhouldƲſe▪ comfort vsus Gentiles at the very heart, becauſe wee are not excluded the common ſaluation by Ieſus: For he is a Light to enlighten the GentilesLuke 1. of England, as well as once he was a glory to Iſrael.
Thus much concerning the extent of this Meſſage.
Now followeth the admired cauſe2 of this proclaimed Ioy; and that is, the bleſſed Birth of the Lord Ieſus: VntoUnto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid, a Sauiour, which is Chriſt the Lord.
Wherein I obſerue theſe fiue particulars:
1. The Perſon: a Sauiour, Chriſt the Lord.
2. His Birth: is borne.
3. The parties for whom: vntounto you.
4. The time: this day.
5. The place: in the Citie of Dauid.
VntoUnto you: VntoUnto you is borne: VntoUnto you is borne this day: VntoUnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid: VntoUnto you is borne this day, in the Citie of Dauid, a Sauiour; which is Chriſt the Lord.
But of the words, as they lye in order.
VntoUnto you: Vobis.
This Vobis, by way of expoſition, will afford a foure-fold obſeruation.
1. Vobis, To you: that is, Veſtrum ſingulis, To your particular perſons.
Words of comfort indéed: For had the Angell reported the Birth of a Sauiour, and not applyed him to their particular conſolations, it would hauehave pleaſured them little: For, what if in generall I know Chriſt is borne, if in particular I find him not borne to me, alas what comfort hauehave I?
Whence I note, that it is not aObſer. generall report of a Sauiour that makes vsus happy; but a particular applyance, that makes vsus happy and bleſſed.
For as Luther ſaith; Swéet is the name of Ieſus, but the life of all lyeth in thoſe little prettie Pronounces, Meus, tuus, ſuus: when wee can ſay, hee is my Ieſus, thy Ieſus, his Ieſus, her Ieſus. Worthily therefore doth the Confeſſion of our Faith runne in the ſingular number; with an, I beleeue in God; and, I beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, &c.
The Lord then make the BirthƲſe. of the Lord Ieſus ſalutiferous to eueryevery particular ſoule of vsus; to me, to thée, to eueryevery ſoule here preſent: Oh, that wee could all ſay with Thomas; Thou art my Lord, andIoh. 20. 8. my God.
2. Vobis, To you: that is, Vobis hominibus, To you men, not to the Angels fallen.
We ſée then, that the Lord louedObſer. man more than Angels fallen: He ſent a Sauiour, in our nature, to helpe vsus; but not in an Angelicall, to helpe them: They are therefore damned, without recouerie.
Yea, wee are more beholding to Chriſt, than the Angels that ſtand: for he gaue them but Confirmation, but to vsus both Redemption and Confirmation.
Nay, we are néerer to Chriſt than the Angels themſelues; euen as an arme of fleſh is néerer to man, than an arme of Gold: wee are Chriſts armes of fleſh, the Angels (though they be of a more excellent nature) are but as armes of Gold.
To you therefore eſpecially Chriſt is borne.
3. Ʋobis, To you: that is, ad veſtrum commodum, to your benefit and good: Nobis natus, nobis paſſus Chriſtus; Chriſt was borne to vsus, for vsus he ſuffered, for vsus he fulfilled the Law; all that he did, he did for vsus: his teares are ours, his cryes and groanes, ours; his ſtripes ours; his perfection, ours; all, ours; hee was not borne for himſelfe, but for vsus: nay more, he had neuer béene borne, but for vsus; as in the Epiſtle to the Corinths: Hee is made of1. Cor. …. 30. God to vsus wiſdome, to vsus righteouſneſſe, to vsus ſanctification, to vsus redemption.
This ſhould teach vsus all this notableObſer. Leſſon; to be for the good of others, and not all for our ſelues: He can be no good Chriſtian, that is no good Common-wealths man.
The Sunne in the Heauens ſhines not to himſelfe, but to the whole World: the Candle on the Earth waſtes it ſelfe for the good of others: So (if wee be right Profeſſors) with the members of the body, let vsus be for the good of our brethren.
Infaelix ille qui ſibi ſoli natus: he is a baſe cullion that is borne for himſelfe alone: ſome are ſuch miſerable miſcreants, as they onelyonly aime at their owne good: he that liueth thus, is no better than if he were vnborn; nay ſuch are rather a burden to the earth than a bliſſe: ſuch make the creatures groane, ſuch make the poore man groane, yea Hell it ſelfe groanes for ſuch muck-wormes.
Imitate Chriſt Ieſus then this good time, doe good to the poore now and euer to your powers; ſuccour them, reléeue them, helpe them: bee you thus perfect, as your Heauenly Father is perfect.
4. Vobis, to you: that is, vobis humilibus, pauperibus à mundo deſpectis paſtoribus: to you poore and deſpiſed ſhepherds, to you a Sauior is borne.
Chriſt is not borne to the proud,Obſer. to the couetous, to the adulterous, to the prophane: Chriſt is no Sauiour to ſuch kinde of perſons; but to thoſe that are faithfull, and feare theMal. 4. Lord.
Witneſſe elſe that Scripture in Iob: Where is wiſedome to be found?Iob 28. the ſea ſaith not in me: the depth ſaith not in mee: the land of the luxurious ſaith not in mee: Chriſt quaints not with proud Peacockes, couetous carles and luxurious liuers, but reſides in the hearts of the humble. Euen as water forſakes the hill, and reſts in the valley; ſo God giueth grace to the humble, and watereth their ſoules with the dew of ſaluation: To you therefore a Sauiour is borne.
Is borne.II.
An old propheſie here fulfilled: ToEſay 9. 6. vsus a Childe is borne, to vsus a Sonne is giuen.
Is borne: words full of admiration: words full of conſolation.
Words full of admiration: Chriſt to be borne of a Virgin, without an earthly father, a birth moſt admirable.
Thrée things eſpecially reported
are miraculous,
Chriſts Incarnation.
Chriſts Reſurrection.
A Chriſtians Regeneration.
And as they are words full of admiration,Obſer. ſo they are full of conſolation: for (if we be wiſe and learned Chriſtians) we muſt know, that the mercy of God could not ſaue vsus vnleſſe in eueryevery reſpect his iuſtice were ſatiſfied. Now that his iuſtice might be ſatisfied, man offending, true man muſt ſatiſfie: in the ſame nature that God was wronged, in the ſame nature muſt his Law be righted: And Chriſt ſatisfied in humane nature both the command of the Law by his life, and the curſe of the Law by his death.
Chriſt therefore of neceſſity muſt bée borne of a woman, and muſt bee like to man in eueryevery thing, ſinne only excepted.
Now the proprieties of our humane
nature are thrée,
Eſſention: as Dimenſion, Circumſcription, Termination▪
Accidentall: as Sanctification, Reſurrection-Glorification.
Naturall: as Mortalitie, infirmitie, Iniquitie.
All theſe were in Chriſt Ieſus, onlyVſe 1. iniquitie ſet aſide.
All ſuch Heretikes are here refuted that deny the humane nature of Chriſt, affirming his body to bee a phantaſtike body: but for their paines, I will allow them a phantaſtike ſaluation.
O miranda bonit as, ô miranda humilitas Ʋſe 2.Chriſti: Oh the wonderful humility of the Lord IESUS, that being eternall and without beginning, would of a poore Virgin take fleſh vntounto him, bee borne and hauehave a beginning: Who being equallPhil. 2. 7. with GOD, would take vponupon him the forme of a ſeruant, and bee found in the ſhape of a man: bleſſed bee his goodneſſe for this his louelove to man, for euermore, Amen.
This day.III.
The Angel did not ſay, This night, though it was in the night, for the ſhepherds were féeding their flockes by night, but this day: and the reaſon was, quia laetam rem nunciabat, becauſe he deliuered ioyfull newes.
Hee ſaith this day,
Non pro qualitate temporis.
Sed pro qualitate rei.
Not for the qualitie of the time, but for the qualitie of the thing.
So wee finde in the holy Scriptures, when heauy reports are mentioned, the night is named: but when ioyfull tidings are told, the day: as Ambroſe well noteth vponupon the 22. of Luke.
Peters deniall was in the night: Mark. 14.But his confeſſion was in the day.
The friendly comming to Abraham Iohn 21.of the Angels was in the day atGen. 18. noone: but their fearefull comming to Sodome was at night, in the euening.Gen. 19.
The foure Lepers going in their famine to the tents Aramiticall (the Aramites being gone, fearing Iſraels purſuit) finding meat, drink, and gold, and goodly refreſhing, called it a good day, though indéed it was night: This day (ſaid they) is a day2 King. 7. 9 of good tidings.
That foole in the Goſpel threatned with death, had the night, not the day, accompanying his ſorrowes: Thou foole, this night ſhall thy ſouleLuke 12. be taken from thee, &c.
So here, an Angel bringing ſwéet and ioyfull newes (the day naturally being cheerefull, and the night fearefull) vſeth the word Day, not Night: To you is borne this day, &c. As it is in the Corinths alſo: Ecce 2 Cor. 6. …nunc dies ſalutis: Behold now the day of ſaluation.
Worthily called a day, becauſe then the true light was come into the world, and turned the night of all feare into the day of all ioy and ſaluation.
In the Citie of Dauid: which wasIV. Bethleem.
It is called the City of Dauid for
two reſpects,
1. for Diſtinction.
2. for demonſtration.
1. For Diſtinction: there were two Bethleems, one in the Tribe of Zabulon, Ioſ. 19. 15. one in the Tribe of Iudah where Dauids father dwelt, and where Dauid himſelfe was borne: So the Prophecie is fulfilled,Mich. 5. 2. And thou Bethleem Ephratah, that art little among the thouſands of Iudah, out of thee ſhall hee come that ſhall rule in Iſrael.
2. For Demonſtration: To ſhew that hee ſhould come of the ſéede ofIoh. 7. 4. … Dauid.
Hée was conceiued and liued in Nazareth, but was borne in Bethleem Dauid.
Bethleem ſignifieth the houſe of Bread: the Bread of life is borne in the houſe of Bread: not in a Palace there, but his houſe was a thorowfare, and his bed a cratch.Luke. 2. 7.
This makes not onelyonly for the Iewes refutation, that would not receiue him, though the Prophets thus rightly had pointed him out: but ſheweth alſo both the truth of all Prophecies concerning Chriſt, and the Lords faithfulneſſe in their performance.
A Sauiour which is Chriſt theLord.V
A Sauiour: Oh heauenly word, whoſe worth and comfort paſſe all expreſſion.
A Sauiour: not a temporary, butHoſ. 13. 4▪ an euerlaſting Redéemer, and there is no Sauiour beſides this Sauiour, as the Prophet ſpeaketh.
Here is another ſwéet Prophecie fulfilled: Behold your God will come and ſaue you.Eſay. 35. ….
He ſaues vsus from ſinnes, guilt, and puniſhment; and that by his imputatiue paſſions.
Hee ſaues vsus from ſins regiment, and that by grace deriued vponupon vsus: for out of his fulneſſe we receiue graceIohn 1… for grace.
And by his imputatiue holineſſe he preſents vsus ſpotleſſe, to life and glorie euerlaſting.
Chriſt: that is, Anointed:
For the worke of our Redemption, Ieſus was anointed into a triple Office; to be a King, a type whereof was Solomon; to be a Prophet, a type whereof was Dauid; to bee a Prieſt, a type whereof was Melchiſedech: Melchiſedech, not Aaron: Aaron a Prieſt, but not a King; Dauid a King, but not a Prieſt; Melchiſedech both King and Prieſt, therefore a notable type of Ieſus.
Anointed to bee a King; to rule his Elect, and protect them.
Anointed to be a Prophet; to teach his Elect, and direct them.
Anointed to be a Prieſt; to ranſome his Elect, and redeeme them.
If Chriſt bee thy Chriſt as King: then the Deuill reignes not in thee, but Chriſt:
If Chriſt bee thy Chriſt as Prophet: then his Word, not thy will, is the rule and ſquare of all thine actions:
If Chriſt be thy Chriſt as Prieſt: then thine affections are ſlaine concerning ſinne, and thy whole man ſacrificed to God.
Our Lord.
Lord, a name of power, giuing to God his eſſence and being, ſhewing that the Lord hath his being from none, but from himſelfe alone, as all thinges elſe hauehave their beings from him: for in him wee liue, and moue, and hauehave our being.Acts:
Here is his Deity deſcribed: and here is another ſweet prophecie fulfilled; Behold, a Virgin ſhall conceiueEſay 7. 14▪ and beare a Sonne, and his Name ſhall bee called Immanuel, that is, God with vsus.
God with man conioyned. A neceſſary and as happy a coniunction.
Our bleſſed Sauiour muſt not only be Man, but alſo God, and that for two cauſes.
1. To ouercome and deliuer his humanity from death and miſery.
2. To dignitie and make meritorious whatſoeuer act done in his humanitie for the ſaluation of his Elect.
This title of dignity is giuen our Sauiour by Dauid: The Lord ſaid to my Lord, ſit thou at my right handPſal. 110. 1 vntill I make thine enemies thy footſtoole.
And by Thomas: Thou art my LordIoh 20. 28. and my God.
Chriſt is our Lord by
Power:
Purchaſe.
Hee hath bought vsus with his owne bloud; and therefore called Dominus Deus, Dominus Electorum: The Lord of the Elect.
A comfort and honour to all trueVſe 1. Chriſtians, that we hauehave ſo able, ſo omnipotent a Sauior: Againſt thoſe vile Heretikes, that mocke vsus for making account of ſaluation by a crucified man.
If he be our Lord, where is thenVſe 2. his feare? Mal. 1. 6.
Many would hauehave him their Ieſus, but few will endure him their Lord.
The Lord giuegive vsus to follow him in piety, in patience, in grace, in croſſe: that ſo wee may bee admitted to follow him in ioy & glory euerlaſting.
Now this Ieſus, this Chriſt, this Lord, knocketh at the doore of our hearts, let vsus not ſhut him out with the Bethleemites, nor bid him packe out of our countrey with the Gadarens: but be ye open ye euerlaſting doores, that this King of glory may come in: that you hauing admitted his heauenly counſels into your conſciences in this life, hee may one day intertaine you all into his Fathers manſions of glory hereafter: and that for the alone merits of the ſame our Lord Ieſus: to whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be returned all Glory and Power, Praiſe and Dominion, this day and for euermore
Amen.