Works Volume 4, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
MATT. I.23.
Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.
THE different meaſure and mean… of diſpenſing Divine Knowledg to ſeveral ages of the World, may ſufficiently appear by the Gospels of the New, and Prophecies of the Old Teſtament; the ſunſhine and the clearneſs of the one, and the twilight and dimneſs of the other: but in no point this more importantly concerns us, than the Incarnation of Chriſt. This hath been the Study and Theme, the Speculation and Sermon of all holy Men and Writers ſince Adam's Fall; yet never plainly diſcloſed, till John Baptiſt, in the third of Matth. and the third Verſe,Matt. iii.3. and the Angel in the next Verſes before my Text, undertook the Task, and then indeed was it fully performed; then were the Writings, or rather the Riddles, of the obſcure, ſtammering, whiſpering Prophets, turned into the voice of One crying in the Wilderneſs, Prepare ye the ways of the Lord, &c. Iſa. xl.3.Iſa. xl.3. Then did the cry, yea, ſhouting of the Baptist, at once, both interpret and perform what it propheſied; At the ſound of it, Every valley was exalted, and every hill was brought low: the crooked was made ſtraight, and the rough places plain, v. 4.Verſ. 4. That is, the Hill and Groves of the Prophets were levell'd into the open champain of the Goſpel; thoſe impediments which hindred God's approach unto mens rebel hearts, were carefully removed; the abject mind was lifted up, the exalted was depreſt, the intractable and rough was render'd plain, and even; in the ſame manner as a way was made unto the Roman Army marching againſt Jeruſalem.
Verſ 5.This I thought profitable to be premiſed to you, both that you might underſtand the affinity of Prophecies, and Goſpel, as differing not in ſubſtance, but only in clearneſs of revelation, as the glorious face of the Sun, from it ſelf, being overcaſt and mask'd with a cloud; and alſo for the clearing of my Text: For this entire paſſage of Scripture, of which theſe words are a cloſe, is the Angels meſſage, or Gospel unto Joſeph, and ſet down by St. Matthew, as both the interpretation, and accompliſhment of a Prophecy delivered long ago by Iſaiah; but perhaps not at all underſtood by the Jews: to wit, That a Virgin ſhould conceive and bear a Son, and they ſhould call his name Emmanuel.
Where firſt we muſt examine the ſeeming difference in the point of Chriſts Name, betwixt the place here cited from Iſaiah, and the words here vouched of the Angel, V. 21. and proved by the effect V. 25.Verſ. 21. Verſ. 25. Iſa. vii.14. For the Prophet ſays, he ſhall be called Emmanuel, but the Angel commands he ſhould be, and the Goſpel records he was named Jeſus.
And here we muſt reſume and enlarge the ground premiſed in our Preface, that Prophecies being not Hiſtories, but rude imperfect draughts of things to come, do not exactly expreſs and delineate, but only ſhadow, and covertly vail thoſe things, which only the Spirit of God, and the event muſt interpret. So that in the Goſpel, we conſtrue the words, but in Prophecies, the ſenſe; i. e. we expect not the performance of very Circumſtance expreſt in the words of a Prophecy, but we acknowledg another ſenſe beyond the literal; and in the comparing of Iſaiah with St. Matthew, we exact not the ſame expreſſions, provided we find the ſame ſubſtance, and the ſame ſignificancy. So then, the Prophets [and call his name Emmanuel] is not, as humane Covenants are, to be fulfill'd in the rigour of the Letter, that he ſhould be ſo named at his Circumciſion, but in the agreement of ſenſe, that this name ſhould expreſs his nature; that he was indeed, God with us, and that at the Circumciſion he ſhould receive a name of the ſame power and ſignificancy. Whence the obſervation by the way is, that Emmanuel, in effect, ſignifies Jeſus, God with us, a Saviour; and from thence the point of Doctrine, that Gods coming to us, i. e. Chriſts Incarnation, brought Salvation into the World. For if there be a ſubſtantial agreement betwixt the Prophet, and the Angel; if Emmanuel ſignifie directly Jeſus; if God with us, and a Saviour be really the ſame title of Chriſt; then was there no Saviour, and conſequently no Salvation, before this preſence of God with us. Which poſition we will briefly explain, and then omitting unneceſſary proofs, apply it.
In explaining of it, we muſt calculate the time of Chriſts Incarnation, and ſet down how with it, and not before, came Salvation.
We may collect in Scripture a three-fold Incarnation of Chriſt; 1. In the Counſel of God, 2. In the Promiſes of God, 3. In a Perſonal open exhibiting of him unto the World; the effect and complement of both Counſel, and Promiſes.
1. In the Counſel of God; ſo He was as ſlain, ſo incarnate, before the foundation of the World, Rev. xiii.8.Rev. xiii.8. For the word ſlain, being not competible to the Eternal God, but only to the aſſumption of the humane nature, preſuppoſes him incarnate, becauſe ſlain. God then in his Preſcience, ſurveving before he created, and viewing the lapſed, miſerable, ſick eſtate of the future Creation; in his Eternal Decree, foreſaw, and pre-ordained Jeſus, the Saviour, the Author and Finiſher of the Worlds Salvation. So that in the Counſel of God, to whom all things to come, are made preſent, Emmanuel and Jeſus went together; and no Salvation beſtowed on us, but in reſpect to this, God with us.
2. In the Promiſes of God; and then, Chriſt was incarnate when he was promiſed firſt in Paradiſe, The ſeed of the Woman, &c. and ſo he is as old in the fleſh, as the World in ſin, and was then in God's Promiſe firſt born, when Adam and man-kind began to die. Afterwards he was, not again,Gen. iii.15. but ſtill incarnate in Gods Promiſe more evidently in Abraham's time, In thy ſeed, &c. and in Moſes his time,Gen. xii.3.xviii.18.xxii.18. Exod. xiii. when at the addition of the Paſſover, a moſt ſignificant repreſentation of the incarnate and crucified Christ, he was more than promiſed, almoſt exhibited. Under which times, it is by ſome aſſerted, that Chriſt, in the form of Man, and habit of Angel, appeared ſundry times to the Fathers, to give them not an hope, but a poſſeſſion of the Incarnate God, and to be praeludium incarnationis, a pawn unto them, that they truſted not in vain: And here it is plain thorowout, that this Incarnation of Chriſt, in the Promiſe of God, did perpetually accompany, or go before Salvation: not one bleſſing on the nations, without mention of thy feed;] not one encouragement againſt fear, or unto confidence, but confirm'd and back'd with an I am thy ſhield, &c. i. e. according to the Targum, my Word is thy ſhield; i. e. my Chriſt, who is foreign, the Word, in the firſt of Joh. i. Not any mention of Righteouſneſs and Salvation, but on ground and condition of belief of that Jeſus which was then in promiſe, Emmanuel, God with us.
3. In the Perſonal exhibiting of Chriſt in form of fleſh unto the World, dated at the fulneſs of time, and call'd in our ordinary phraſe his Incarnation; then no doubt was Emmanuel, Jeſus; then was he openly ſhewed to all people in the form of God a Saviour, which Simeon, Luk. ii.30.Luke ii.30. moſt divinely ſtyles God's Salvation; thereby, no doubt, meaning the Incarnate Chriſt, which by being God with us, was Salvation.
Thus do you ſee a three-fold Incarnation, a three-fold Emmanuel, and proportionably a three-fold Jeſus.
1. A Saviour firſt decreed for the World, anſwerable to God, incarnate in God's Counſel; and ſo, no man was ever capable of Salvation, but through God with us.
2. A Saviour promiſed to the World, anſwerable to the ſecond God with us, to wit, incarnate in the Promiſe; and ſo, there is no Covenant of Salvation, but in this God with us.
3. A Saviour truly exhibited and born of a Woman, anſwerable to the third Emmanuel; and ſo alſo is there no manifeſtation, no proclaiming, no preaching of Salvation, but by the birth and merits of God with us.
To theſe three, if we add a fourth Incarnation of Chriſt, the aſſuming of our Immortal Fleſh, which was at his Reſurrection, then ſurely the Doctrine will be complete, and this Emmanuel incarnate in the Womb of the grave, and brought forth cloath'd upon with an incorruptible ſeed, is now more fully than ever prov'd an Eternal Jeſus; For when he had overcome the ſharpneſs of death, he opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers, as it is in our Te Deum; as if all that till then ever entred into Heaven, had been admitted by ſome privy key; but now the very gates were wide opened to all believers: This laſt Incarnation of Chriſt, being accompanied with a Catholick Salvation, that Jeſus might be as Eternal as Emmanuel, that he might be as Immortal a Saviour, as a God with us. 'Twere but a ſuperfluous work, further to demonſtrate, that through all ages of the World, there was no Salvation ever tendred, but in reſpect to this Incarnation of Chriſt; that the hopes, the belief, the expectation of Salvation, which the Fathers lived and breathed by, under the types of the Law, was only grounded upon, and referred unto theſe Promiſes of the future Incarnation; that they which were not in ſome meaſure enlightned in this myſtery, were not alſo partakers of this Covenant of Salvation: that all the means beſides, that Heaven and Earth, and which goes beyond them both, the brain of Man, or Angel could afford or invent, could not excuſe, much leſs ſave any child of Adam: That every Soul which was to ſpring from theſe loins, had been without thoſe tranſcendent mercies which were exhibited by this Incarnation of Chriſts, plung'd in neceſſary deſperate damnation: Your patience ſhall be more profitably imployed in a brief Application of the point;
Firſt, That you perſwade, and drive your ſelves to a ſenſe and feeling of your Sins, thoſe ſins which thus pluckt God out of Heaven, and for a while depriv'd him of his Majeſty; which laid an engagement upon God, either to leave his infinite Juſtice unſatisfied, or elſe to ſubject his infinite Deity to the ſervile mortality of Fleſh, or elſe to leave an infinite World in a common damnation.
Secondly, To ſtrain all the expreſſions of our hearts, tongues, and lives, to the higheſt note of gratitude which is poſſible, in anſwer to this Myſtery and Treaſure of this God with us; to reckon all the Miracles of either common or private preſervations, as foils to this incomparable Mercy, infinitely below the leaſt circumſtance of it; without which, thine Eſtate, thy Underſtanding, thy Body, thy Soul, thy Being, thy very Creation, were each of them as exquiſite Curſes, as Hell or Malice could invent for thee.
Thirdly, To obſerve with an ecſtaſie of joy and thanks, the precious priviledges of us Chriſtians, beyond all that ever God profeſt love to, in that we have obtained a full revelation of this God with us; which all the Fathers did but ſee in a cloud, the Angels peep'd at, the Heathen world gap'd after, but we behold as in a plain at mid-day: For ſince the veil of the Temple was rent,Matt. xxvii.51. every man that hath eyes may ſee Sanctum Sanctorum, the Holy of Holies, God with us.
Fourthly, To make a real uſe of this Doctrine to the profit of our Souls; that if God have deſigned to be Emmanuel, and Jeſus an Incarnate God, and Saviour to us; that then, we will fit, and prepare, and make our ſelves capable of this Mercy; and by the help of our religious, devout, humble endeavours, not fruſtrate, but further and promote in our ſelves, this end of Chriſts Incarnation, the ſaving of our Souls; and this uſe is effectually made to our hands in the twelfth to the Hebrews, Heb. xii. ult.at the laſt, Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved; i. e. being partakers of the Preſence, the Reign, the Salvation of the Incarnate God, Let us have grace, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. And do thou, O powerful God, improve the truth of this Doctrine, to the beſt advantage of our Souls, that thy Son may not be born to us unprofitably; but that he may be God, not only with us, but in us; in us, to ſanctifie and adorn us here, with his effectual grace; and with us, to ſuſtain us here, as our Emmanuel; and as our Jeſus, to crown and perfect us hereafter with glory.
And ſo much for this point, That Jeſus and Emmanuel import the ſame thing, and there was no Salvation, till this preſence of God with us: We now come to the ſubſtance it ſelf, i. e. Chriſts Incarnation, noted by Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, &c. Where firſt we muſt explain the word, then drive forward to the matter. The Word in Iſaiah, in the Hebrew, is not ſo much a name, as a ſentence, deſcribing unto us the myſtery of the Conception of the Virgin foreign with us God; where foreign or foreign God is taken in Scripture, either abſolutely for the nature of God, as for the moſt part in the Old Teſtament; or perſonally; and ſo, either for the Perſon of the Father in many places, or elſe diſtinctly for the Perſon of the Son, ſo Hoſ. i.7.Hoſ. i.7. And will ſave them by the Lord their God; foreign their God, i. e. Chriſt: and ſo alſo moſt evidently in this place, out of Iſaiah, where foreign ſignifies the Son Incarnate, God-man, foreign, and many the like; eſpecially thoſe where the Targum paraphraſes, Jehovah, or Jehovah Elohim, by foreign the Word of the Lord, i. e. Chriſt Jeſus, Joh. i.1.Joh. i.1. Gen. iii.22. Gen. ii.6. As for inſtance, Gen. iii.22. that Word of the Lord ſaid; and Gen. ii.6. the Word created. Secondly, foreign which ſignifies in its extent, near, at, with, or amongſt. Thirdly, the Particle, ſignifying us; though it expreſſes not, yet it muſt note, our humane nature, our abode, our being in this our great World, wherein we travel, and this our little World, wherein we dwell; not as a manſion place, to remain in, but either as an Inn to lodg, or a Tabernacle to be covered, or a Priſon to ſuffer in: So that the words in their latitude run thus; Emmanuel: i. e. The ſecond Perſon in Trinity is come down into this lower world amongſt us, for a while to travel, to lodg, to ſojourn, to be fetter'd, in this Inn, this Tabernacle, this Priſon of mans fleſh; or briefly, at this time, is conceived and born God-man, foreign, the ſame both God and Man, the Man Christ Jeſus. And this is the cauſe and buſineſs, the ground and theme of our preſent rejoycing: in this were limited and fulfilled, the expectation of the Fathers; and in this begins and is accompliſhed, the hope and joy of us Chriſtians. That which was old Simeons warning to death, the ſight and embraces of the Lord Christ, Luk. ii.28.Luk. ii.28. as the greateſt happineſs which an eſpecial favour could beſtow on him; and therefore made him in a contempt of any further life, ſing his own funeral, Nunc Dimittis: Lord, now letteſt thou, &c. This is to us the Prologue, and firſt part of a Chriſtians life; either the life of the World, that that may be worthy to be call'd life; or that of Grace, that we be not dead whilſt we live. For were it not for this aſſumption of fleſh, you may juſtly curſe that ever you carried fleſh about you; that ever your Soul was committed to ſuch a Priſon as your Body is; nay, ſuch a Dungeon, ſuch a Grave: But through this Incarnation of Christ, our fleſh is, or ſhall be cleanſed into a Temple, for the Soul to worſhip in, and in Heaven for a robe, for it to triumph in. For our body ſhall be purified by his Body.
If ye will be ſufficiently inſtructed into a juſt valuation of the weight of this Myſtery, you muſt reſolve your ſelves to a pretty large task (and it were a notable Chriſtmas employment, I ſhould bleſs God, for any one that would be ſo piouſly valiant, as to undertake it) you muſt read over the whole Book of Scripture and Nature to this purpoſe. For when you find in the Pſalmiſt, the news of Chriſts coming,Pſal. xl.7. Then ſaid I, loe I come; you find your directions how to tract him, In the volume of thy book it is written of me, &c. i. e. either in the whole book, or in every folding, every leaf of this Book: Thou ſhalt not find a Story, a Riddle, a Prophecy, a Ceremony, a down-right legal Conſtitution, but hath ſome manner of aſpect on this glaſs, ſome way drives at this myſtery, God manifeſt in fleſh. For example, (perhaps you have not noted) whereever you read Seth's Genealogies more inſiſted on than Cain's, Sem's than his elder brother Ham's, Abraham's than the whole World beſides, Jacob's than Eſau's, Judah's than the whole twelve Patriarchs; and the like paſſages which directly drive down the line of Chriſt, and make that the whole buſineſs of the Scripture; Whenſoever, I ſay, you read any of theſe, then are you to note; that Shiloh was to come; that he which was ſent, was on his journey; that from the Creation, till the fulneſs of time, the Scriptur… was in travel with him; and by his leaping ever now and then, and as it were, ſpringing in the Womb, gave manifeſt tokens that it had conceived, and would at laſt bring forth the Meſſias. So that the whole Old Teſtament ▪ is a Myſtical Virgin Mary, a kind of Mother of Chriſt; which by the Holy Ghoſt, conceived him in Geneſis, Chap. iii.15.Gen. iii.15. And throughout Moſes and the Prophets, carried him in the Womb, and was very big of him: And at laſt in Malachi, Chap. iii.4.Mal. iii.4. was in a manner delivered of him; For there you ſhall find mention of John Baptiſt, who was, as it were, the Midwife of the Old Teſtament, to open its Womb, and bring the Meſſias into the World. Howſoever, at the leaſt it is plain, that the Old Teſtament brought him to his birth, though it had not strength to bring forth; and the Prophets, as Moſes from Mount Nebo, came to a view of this Land of Canaan.
For the very firſt words of the New Teſtament, being, as it were, to fill up what only was wanting in the Old, are the Book and Hiſtory of his generations and birth, Matth. i.Matth. 1. You would yet be better able to prize the excellency of this Work, and reach the pitch of this days rejoycing, if you would learn how the very Heathen fluttered about this light; what ſhift they made to get ſome inkling of this Incarnation before-hand; how the Sibyls, Heathen Women, and Virgil, and other Heathen Poets in their writings, before Chriſt's time, let fall many paſſages, which plainly referred and belonged to this Incarnation of God. It is fine ſport to ſee in our Authors, how the Devil with his famous Oracles and Prophets, foreſeeing by his skill in the Scripture, that Chriſt was near his birth, did droop upon it, and hang the wing; did ſenſibly decay in his courage; began to breath thick, and ſpeak imperfectly; and ſometimes as men in the extremity of a Fever, diſtractedly, wildly, without any coherence, and ſcarce ſenſe; and how at laſt about the birth of Chriſt, he plainly gave up the ghoſt, and left his Oracular Prophets, as ſpeechleſs as the Caves they dwelt in, their laſt voice being, that their great god Pan, i. e. the Devil, Plut.was dead, and ſo both his Kingdom and their Prophecies at an end; as if Chriſt's coming, had chaſed Lucifer out of the World, and the powers of Hell were buried that minute, when a Saviour was born.
And now by way of Ʋſe, can ye ſee the Devil put out of heart, and ye not put forward to get the Field? can you delay to make uſe of ſuch an advantage as this? can ye be ſo cruel to your ſelves, as to ſhew any mercy on that now diſarmed enemy? will ye ſee God ſend his Son down into the Field, to enter the Liſts, and lead up a Forlorn Troop againſt the Prince of this World, and ye not follow at his Allarm? will ye not accept of a conqueſt, which Chriſt ſo lovingly offers you? It is a moſt terrible exprobration in Hoſea, Chap. xi.3.Hoſ. xi.3. look on it, where God objects to Ephraim, her not taking notice of his mercies; her not ſeconding and making uſe of his loving deliverances, which plainly adumbrates this deliverance by Chriſt's death; as may appear by the firſt Verſe of the Chapter, compared with the ſecond of Matth. 15.Matth. ii.15. Well, ſaith God, I taught Ephraim to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with the cords of a man; an admirable phraſe, (with all thoſe means that uſe to oblige one man to another) with bands of love, &c. i. e. I uſed all means for the ſuſtaining and ſtrengthning of my people; I put them in a courſe to be able to go, and fight, and overcome all the powers of darkneſs, and put off the Devils yoke: I ſent my Son amongſt them for this purpoſe, Verſe 1. And all this I did by way of love, as one friend is wont to do for another; and yet they would not take notice of either the benefit or the donor, nor think themſelves beholding to me for this mercy.
And this is our caſe, beloved, If we do not ſecond theſe and the like mercies of God beſtowed on us; if we do not improve them to our Souls health; if we do not faſten on this Chriſt incarnate; if we do not follow him with an expreſſion of gratitude and reverence, and ſtick cloſe to him, as both our Friend and Captain: finally, if we do not endeavour and pray, that this his Incarnation may be ſeconded with annother; that as once he was born in our fleſh to juſtifie us, ſo he may be alſo born ſpiritually in our Souls to ſanctifie us: for there is a ſpiritual foreign, or Myſtical Incarnation of Chriſt in every regenerate man, where the Soul of Man is the Womb wherein Chriſt is conceived by the Holy Ghoſt. The proof of which Doctrine ſhall entertain the remainder of this hour: for this is the Emmanuel that moſt nearly concerns us, God with us, i. e. with our Spirits, or Chriſt begotten and brought forth in our hearts. Of which briefly.
And that Chriſt is thus born in a regenerate mans ſoul, if it were denied, might directly appear by theſe two places of Scripture, Gal. ii.20.Gal. ii.20. Epheſ. iii.17. I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. Again, Epheſ. iii.17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, &c.
Now that you may underſtand this Spiritual Incarnatien of Chriſt the better, we will compare it with his Real Incarnation in the Womb of the Virgin; that ſo we may keep cloſe to the buſineſs of the day, and at once obſerve both his birth to the World, and ours to Grace; and ſo even poſſeſs Chriſt whilſt we ſpeak of him.
And firſt, if we look on his Mother Mary, we ſhall find her an entire pure Virgin, only eſpouſed to Joſeph; but before they came together, ſhe was found with Child of the Holy Ghoſt, Matth. i.18.Matth. i.18. And then the Soul of Man muſt be this Virgin.
Now there is a threefold Purity or Virginity of the Soul; Firſt, An abſolute one, ſuch as was found in Adam before his fall. Secondly, A reſpective, of a Soul, which like Mary, hath not yet joyned or committed with the World, to whom it is eſpouſed; which though it have its part of natural corruptions, yet either for want of ability, of age, or occaſion, hath not yet broke forth into the common outrages of ſin. Thirdly, A reſtored purity, of a Soul formerly polluted, but now cleanſed by repentance.
The former kind, of natural and abſolute purity, as it were to be wiſhed for, ſo is it not to be hoped; and therefore is not to be imagined in the Virgin Mother, or expected in the Virgin Soul. The ſecond purity, we find in all regenerate infants, who are at the ſame time outwardly initiated to the Church, and inwardly to Chriſt; or in thoſe whom God hath called, before they have ingaged themſelves in the courſes of actual, hainous ſins; ſuch are well diſpoſed, well brought up; and to uſe our Saviours words, Have ſo lived, as not to be far from the Kingdom of God. Such happily, as Cornelius, Acts x.1.Acts x.1. And ſuch a Soul as this, is the fitteſt Womb, in which our Saviour delights to be incarnate; where he may enter and dwell, without either reſiſtance or annoyance; where he ſhall be received at the firſt knock, and never be diſordered or repulſed by any ſtench of the carkaſs, or violence of the Body of ſin. The reſtored purity, is a right Spirit renewed in the Soul, Pſal. li.10.Pſal. li.10. a wound cured up by repentance, and differs only from the former purity, as a ſcar from a skin never cut, wanting ſomewhat of the beauty and outward clearneſs, but nothing of either the ſtrength or health of it. Optandum eſſet ut in ſimplici Virginitate ſervaretur navis, &c. It were to be wiſhed,Tertul. that the Ship, our Souls, could be kept in its ſimple Virginity, and never be in danger of either leak or ſhipwrack: but this perpetual integrity, being a deſperate, impoſſible wiſh, there is one only remedy, which though it cannot prevent a leak, can ſtop it. And this is repentance after ſin committed, Poſt naufragium tabula, a means to ſecure one after a ſhipwrack, and to deliver him even in the deep Waters. And this we call a reſtored Virginity of the Soul, which Chriſt alſo vouchſafes to be conceived and born in. The firſt degree of Innocence, being not to have ſinned, the ſecond to have repented.
In the ſecond place, the Mother of Chriſt in the fleſh, was a Virgin, not only till the time of Chriſt's conception, but alſo till the time of his birth, Matth. i.25.Matth. i.25. He knew her not, till ſhe had brought forth, &c. And farther, as we may probably believe, remained a Virgin all the days of her life after: for to her is applied by the Learned, that which is typically ſpoken of the Eaſt-gate of the Sanctuary, Ezek. xliv.2.Ezek. xliv.2. This gate ſhall be ſhut, it ſhall not be opened, and no man ſhall enter in by it, becauſe the Lord the God of Iſrael hath entred in by it; therefore it ſhall be ſhut. A place if appliable, very appoſite for the expreſſion. Hence is ſhe called by the Fathers and Counſels foreign, a Perpetual Virgin, againſt the Hereſie of Helvidius. The probability of this might be farther proved, if it were needful. And ought not upon all principles of nature and of juſtice, the Virgin Soul, after Chriſt once conceived in it, remain pure and ſtanch till Chriſt be born in it, nay, be foreign, a Perpetual Virgin, never indulge to ſenſual pleaſures, or caſt away that purity which Chriſt either found or wrought in it? If it were a reſpective purity, then ought it not perpetually retain and increaſe it, and never fall off to thoſe diſorders that other men ſupinely live in? If it were a recovered purity, hold it faſt, and never turn again, As a Dog to his vomit, or a Sow to her wallowing in the mire? For this conception and birth of Chriſt in the Soul, would not only waſh away the filth that the Swine was formerly mired in, but alſo take away the Swiniſh nature, that ſhe ſhall never have any ſtrong propenſion to return again to her former inordinate delights. Now this continuance of the Soul, in this its recovered Virginity, is not from the firm, conſtant, ſtable nature of the Soul, but as Euſebius ſaith in another caſe,Euſcb. Praep. lib. 13. p. 412. foreign, From a more ſtrong, able Band, the Ʋnion of Chriſt to the Soul, his Spiritual Incarnation in it: Becauſe the Lord, the God of Iſrael, hath entred in by it; therefore it ſhall be ſhut, Ezek. xliv.2.Ezek. xliv.2. i. e. it ſhall not be opened, either in conſent or practice, to the luſts and pollutions of the World or Fleſh; becauſe Chriſt by being born in it, hath cleanſed it; becauſe he the Word of God, ſaid the Word, therefore the leproſie is cured; in whom he enters, he dwells; and on whom he makes his real impreſſion, he ſeals them up to the day of redemption; unleſs we unbuild our ſelves, and change our ſhape, we muſt be his.
In the third place, if we look on the agent in this conception, we ſhall find it, both in Mary and in the Soul of Man, to be the Holy Ghoſt, that which is conceived in either of them, is of the Holy Ghoſt, Matth. i.20. Nothing in this buſineſs of Chriſts birth *withinwith us, to be imputed to natural power or cauſes, the whole contrivance and final production of it; the preparations to, and labouring of it, is all the workmanſhip of the Spirit. So that as Mary was called by an ancient, ſo may the Soul without an Hyperbole by us, be ſtyled, The Shop of Miracles, and The Work-houſe of the Holy Ghoſt; in which, every operation is a miracle to nature, and no tools are uſed, but what the Spirit forged and moves. Mary conceived Chriſt, but it was above her own reach to apprehend the manner how; for ſo ſhe queſtions the Angel, Luke i.34.Luke i.34. How ſhall this be, &c.? So doth the Soul of Man conceive and grow big, and bring forth Chriſt, and yet not it ſelf fully perceives how this work is wrought; Chriſt being, for the moſt part, inſenſibly begotten in us, and to be diſcerned only ſpiritually, not at his entrance, but in his fruits.
In the fourth place, that Mary was choſen and appointed among all the Families of the Earth, to be the Mother of the Chriſt, was no manner of deſert of hers, but Gods ſpecial favour and dignation; whence the words run truly interpreted, Luke i.28.Luke i.28. foreign. V. 30. foreign. Hail thou that art highly favoured; not as the Vulgar read, Gratiâ plena, full of Grace. And again, verſe 30. Thou haſt found favour with God. So is it in the caſe of Mans Soul, there is no power of nature, no preparation of Morality, no art that all the Philoſophy or Learning in the World can teach a man, which can deſerve this grace at Chriſts hands, that can any way wooe or allure God to be born ſpiritually in us; which can perſwade or intice the Holy Ghoſt, to conceive and beget Chriſt in us, but only the meer favour and good pleaſure of God; which may be obtained by our prayers, but can never be challenged by our merits, may be comfortably expected and hoped for, as a largeſs given to our neceſſities and wants, but can never be required as a reward of our deſerts: for it was no high pitch of perfection, which Mary obſerved in her ſelf, as the motive to this favour; but only the meer mercy of God, which regarded the lowlineſs of his hand-maid, Luke i.48.Luke i.48.
Whence in the fifth place, this Soul in which Chriſt will vouchſafe to be born, muſt be a lowly, humble ſoul; or elſe it will not perfectly anſwer Maries temper, nor fully bear a part in her Magnificat; where in the midſt of her glory, ſhe humbly ſpecifies the lowlineſs of his handmaid. But this by the way.
In the ſixth place, if we conſider here-with, John the Baptiſt his forerunner, coming to prepare his way, and his Preaching repentance, as a neceſſary requiſite to Chriſts being born, and received in the World,; then we ſhall drive the matter to a further iſſue, and find repentance, a neceſſary preparation for the birth of Chriſt in our hearts. For ſo the Baptiſt's Meſſage ſet down, Iſai. xl.3.Iſa. xl.3. Matth. iii.2. Prepare the ways, &c. is here interpreted by the event, Matth. iii.2. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand: as if this Harbinger had no other furniture and proviſion to beſpeak in the heart that was to receive Chriſt, but only repentance for ſins. I will not examine here the precedence of Repentance before Faith in Chriſt; though I might ſeaſonably here ſtate the queſtion, and direct you to begin with John, and proceed to Chriſt; firſt repent, then faſten on Chriſt: only this for all, the promiſes of Salvation in Chriſt, are promiſed on condition of repentance, and amendment, they muſt be weary and heavy laden, who ever come to Chriſt, and expect reſt, Matth. xi.28. And therefore whoſoever applies theſe benefits to himſelf, and thereby conceives Chriſt in his heart, muſt firſt reſolve to undertake the condition required, to wit, Newneſs of life; which yet he will not be able to perform, till Chriſt be fully born, and dwell in him, by his enabling graces: for you may mark, that Chriſt and John being both about the ſame age, as appears by the ſtory, Chriſt muſt needs be born before Johns Preaching; ſo in the Soul there is ſuppoſed ſome kind of Incarnation of Chriſt, before repentance or newneſs of life; yet before Chriſt is born, or at leaſt, come to his full ſtature and perfect growth in us; this Baptiſt's Sermon, that is, this repentance and reſolution to amendment, muſt be preſumed in our Souls. And ſo repentance is both a preparation to Chriſts birth, and an effect of it: for ſo John preached, Repent for, &c. Matth iii.2. And ſo alſo in the ſame words Chriſt preaches, Repent, &c. Matth. iv.17. And ſo theſe two together, John and Chriſt, repentance and Faith, though one began before the other was perfected; yet, I ſay, theſe two together in the fully regenerate man, Fulfil all righteouſneſs, Matth. iii.15.
In the ſeventh place, you may obſerve, that when Chriſt was born in Bethlehem, the whole Land was in an uproar. Herod the King was troubled, and all Jeruſalem with him, Matth. ii.3. which whether we apply to the leſſer city, the Soul of man, in which; or the adjoyning people, amongſt whom, Chriſt is ſpiritually born in any man; you ſhall for the moſt acknowledge the agreement: for the man himſelf, if he have been any inordinate ſinner, then at the birth of Chriſt in him, all his natural, ſinful faculties are much diſpleaſed, his reigning Herod ſins, and all the Jeruſalem of habituate luſts and Paſſions, are in great diſorder, as knowing, that this new birth abodes their inſtant deſtruction; and then they cry oft in the voice of the Devil, Mark i.24. What have we to do with thee, Jeſus, thou Son of God? Art thou come to torment and diſpoſſeſs us before our time? If it be applied to the Neighbour Worldlings, which hear of this new convert; then are they alſo in an uproar, and conſult how they ſhall deal with this turbulent ſpirit, which is made to upbraid our ways and reprove our thoughts, Wiſd. ii.Wiſd. ii. which is like to bring down all their trading and conſenage to a low ebb, like Diana's Silver-ſmith in the Acts, Chap. xix.24.Acts xix.24. which made a ſolemn ſpeech (and the Text ſays, there was a great ſtir) againſt Paul, becauſe the attempt of his upſtart doctrine, was like to undo the Shrinemakers: Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. And no marvel, that in both theſe reſpects, there is a great uproar, ſeeing the ſpiritual birth of Chriſt, is moſt infinitely oppoſite to both, the common people of the World, and common affections of the Soul, two the moſt turbulent, tumultuous, wayward, violent Nations upon Earth.
In the eighth and laſt place (becauſe I will not tyre you above the time which is allotted for the trial of your patience) you may obſerve the increaſe and growth of Chriſt, and that either in himſelf, in Wiſdom and Stature, &c. Luke ii.52. or elſe in his troop and attendants, and that either of Angels to miniſter unto him, Matth. iv.11. or of Diſciples to follow and obey him; and then the harmony will ſtill go currant. Chriſt in the regenerate man, is firſt conceived, then born, then by degrees of childhood and youth, grows at laſt to the meaſure of the ſtature of this fulneſs; and the Soul conſequently, from ſtrength to ſtrength, from vertue to vertue, is increaſed to a perfect manhood in Chriſt Jeſus. Then alſo, where Chriſt is thus born, he chuſes and calls a Jury at leaſt of Diſciple-graces, to judge and fit upon thee, to give in evidence unto thy Spirit, That thou art the Son of God. Then is he alſo miniſtred unto, and furniſhed by the Angels with a perpetual ſupply, either to increaſe the lively, or to recover decayed graces. So that now Chriſt doth beſtow a new life upon the man, and the regenerate ſoul becomes the daughter, as well as the Mother of Chriſt; ſhe conceives Chriſt, and Chriſt her; ſhe lives, and grows, and moves in Chriſt, and Chriſt in her. So that at laſt, ſhe comes to that pitch, and height, and foreign, that St. Paul ſpeaks of, Gal. ii.20. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me; and the life which I live in the fleſh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me.
And do thou, O Holy Jeſus, which haſt loved us, and given thy ſelf for us; love us ſtill, and give thy ſelf to us. Thou which haſt been born in the World to ſave ſinners, vouchſafe again, to be again Incarnate in our Souls, to regenerate and ſanctifie ſinners. Thou which art the Theme of our preſent rejoycing, become our Author of perpetual, ſpiritual rejoycing; that our Souls may conceive and bring forth, and thou maiſt conceive and regenerate our Souls; that we may dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in us: And from the Meditation of thy Mortal fleſh here, we may be partakers with thee of thine Immortal glory hereafter.
Thus have we briefly paſſed through theſe words, and in them firſt ſhewed you the real agreement betwixt Matthew and Iſaiah, in the point of Chriſt's Name, and from thence noted, that Jeſus and Emmanuel, is in effect, all one; and that Chriſt's Incarnation brought Salvation into the World. Which being proved through Chriſt's ſeveral Incarnations, were applied to our direction; 1. To humble our ſelves. 2. To expreſs our thankfulneſs. 3. To obſerve our priviledges. 4. To make our ſelves capable and worthy receivers of this mercy. Then we came to the Incarnation it ſelf, where we ſhewed you the excellency of this Myſtery, by the effects, which the expectation and foreſight of it, wrought in the Fathers, the Prophets, the Heathens, the Devils; and then by way of Ʋſe, what an horrible ſin it was, not to apply and imploy this mercy to our Souls. Laſtly, We came to another birth of Chriſt, beſides that in the fleſh, his Spiritual Incarnation in Man's Soul; which we compared with the former exactly in eight chief Circumſtances; and ſo left all to God's Spirit, and your Meditations to work on.
Now the God, &c.