Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4, Verse 6

Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4 · Verse 6

p. 142 COR. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

THe Apostle labours in the beginning of the Chapter to remove an imputation cast upon the Gospel, as if it were not true Doctrine; but if it be so, it is to them whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes.

Secondly, he labours to remove the imputation of vain-glorie, as if his preaching did such great wonders, and sheweth, that the efficacy of all is from above, from God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness; and for this end, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The words have these two parts, the chief and principall cause of all heavenly light in us; Ministerial will not serve the turn; God commanded light to shine, &c.

For the first, God hath commanded light to shine out of darkness; there is no lesse work to shine in that dark heart of man, than to create the world, to create light out of darkness, so much harder than that (though not in regard of an omnipotent power, for to that nothing is hard, but in regard of the thing it self) because there is much obscurity and rebellion in the heart, there is no help at all.

p. 15To adde a little, that we may be raised up to admiration of the excellency of the new creature; there is nothing at all of it in our nature; there is something in nature to joyn with duty, there is a seed of it in us, but for heavenly light, for knowledge of God in Christ, there is nothing at all of it in nature; it must not be repairing and pieceing, but a whole Creation; and therefore there be more good lessons in the Gospel than in the Law, because the Law hath something in it, that accordeth with us, for the Law, and the Law in our hearts agree, but the Gospel is altogether from without, both the truth it self, and the special grace wrought by the Gospel, and therefore the proud and vain hearts of men make this and that conceipt of Christ and his Offices, because nature will not submit to it, it having nothing of it in it self; and therefore the Gospel must raise oppositions. It bringeth in self-denyall being the first Doctrine so contrary to the will, which turneth a man out of himself, therefore God that created light out of darkness, must shine in our hearts.

And yet let me adde this, we should not despair, for it is God that shineth: Come under the means wherewith God is pleased to be effectual, attend on the postes of wisdom, and God will stir the waters in his good time, will convey an Almighty power in the use of the Ordinances. Let no man therefore despair, because it is in Gods power to shine in our hearts, and it is well for us that it is in the power of God to work grace, for now it is out of our own. And all immediately depend on God, meet him, attend him there, and he will meet us, depend on him, and undoubtedly he will work grace first or last; this is Gods way, and you shall find God in it.

Secondly, The end of this light that God commandeth toTrue-saving illumination what it is. shine in our hearts, not in our braines; Gods illumination goeth through the whole soul, alters the will, and affection, they that are not altered in the course of their hearts, and souls, as well as their understandings, in Scripture they are said to know nothing at all. He that knoweth not Christ so as to put off the old man, and put on the new, that hath not divine light passing through the understanding to the will, and through the whole man, he knoweth nothing in Religion but what may stand with damnation.

p. 16When the light presseth on him in his courses, he is alwayes reproving it, and therefore they be never quiet, it is a vexing light, an unprofitable light, nay a light whereby damnation is increased, if it be not joyned with sanctification and illumination over-spreading the whole soul.

And the end of it is to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Gods Children they have light shining on them, no man hath grace in themselves alone, and specially it is true of Ministers, who besides personal graces have graces of office, for others, and therefore God shineth in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. He shineth on them, that they may reflect their light on others, as the MoonMinisters what light they must have. and Starres that have their light from the Sun that they may reflect on the earth, and inferiour bodies.

1. The particulars are these, The knowledge of God is the end of all. Now that God will be glorified, especially in his Attributes of mercy and love, wisdom and Justice, and holinesse, all these are seen specially in the Gospel, but most of all the sweet Attributes of grace and mercy: the glory of God is his aim, and his glory shines in these Attributes, and they shine in the face of Christ.

Now Christ must be made known, his face must be shewed, and therefore there must be a light to make known the face of God in Jesus Christ. Religion is the way of God, the end especially in these sweet Attributes, and these must have a Ministry; God hath ability at call, to give the light of the knowledge of these excellencies in Christ.

Of the first we spake, there is one first cause of all things, and one last end, that is God; all for his glory, all things come from God, and all things must terminate and end in him. NowThere is a glory in the Gospel. this glory is victorious, excellent, and manifested, and so manifested as it is apprehended by others. Now Gods glory is wisdom, mercy, holinesse, goodnesse, they are excellent in God, and excellently victorious over the contrary, for he is so good that his goodness is above our ill, and it is with a glorious discovery, and it is glorious that we do apprehend it; for if we be Christians, our eyes be opened by the Spirit to apprehend the glory that shineth in the Gospel; therefore God sets p. 17down this excellency by way of glory, it is not ordinary grace, but glorious grace, glorious love, and glorious wisdome to reconcile mercy and Justice; It is glorious, and eminently victorious. And all Christians have eyes to see, that it is no ordinary excellency, but glory in God; when God will have it excellently set out by the word, he cals it glory; to satisfie a conscience awakened, which will not be satisfied but by glorious mercy, and infinite mercy. When we be in health and strongGlorious mercies suit the Soul. to sin, (as many (the Lord be mercifull to them) use their wits, and strength, and policy to offend, running in a course of sin,) they never think of these; but Satan is a cunning Rhetorician, he will amplifie bitter things against us at the hour of death, and time of temptation; and unless we have something that is above all his Rhetorick, and high mercies, victorious mercies, glorious mercies above all our sins, and above Satans malice, the conscience will not be satisfied.

And let no man object his sins at such times, for God is glorified when his mercy is received, and his goodness entertained. Where sin aboundeth, grace aboundeth much more. WhereRom. 6. 1.Rom 6:1 sin aboundeth in the conscience, that is guilty, and groaneth under it, oh grace aboundeth in such a man, grace is gloriousGrace is glorious to the tru… penitent. grace to such a man; the more thy sin is, the more is the glory of grace in pardoning it.

B…t how is this glorious mercy and goodness of God derived to us, God being so pure and holy, and we so unholy?

2. Therefore in the next place, it is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God will not suffer the glory of one of his attributes to devour and consume another, but he will have his Justice fully satisfied, And therefore this glorious mercy is to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, who was made a curse for us, 3 Gal. 13.

In the face of Jesus Christ, it is a borrowed speech, and allVVhat is meant by the face of Christ▪ one with …hat which went before, Christ who is the Image of God, in the fourth vers. of this Chapter. He meaneth the person of Christ, incarnate, and living, and dying, and being made a curse for us: Christ made man.

Face, is the person described by that face, for the face is the most known part of a man, it is the glass of the soul, wherein we may see a mans inside, his affections, love, hatred, and p. 18whatsoever is in the inward man. And so God discovers himself, and whatsoever is in him, in the face of Jesus Christ; we may see his hatred of sin, his love of the elect, and whatsoever is in God; whatsoever we see in Christ, it is in God originally.

We will unfold the point in three particulars.

1. First we will shew that in the Gospel we see the face of Christ, that is, more familiarly than others. It is a speech appropriated in some manner to the Gospell.

Secondly, we see the face of God in Christ.

Thirdly, that this seeing of the face of God in Christ, is a most comfortable and excellent sight, and knowledge.

First of all in the Gospell, we see the face of Christ. Moses, Under the Law they saw Christ.and all before Christ, saw Christ, but not the face of Christ; They saw him not so plainly, clearly, distinctly, and comfortably as we do in times of the Gospell.

Now we see Christ incarnate, and Christ sacrifised for us,Under the Gospel we see the face of Christ. Christ dead, risen, ascended, and sitting on the right hand of God; They did not. And therefore Saint Ambrose saith well, Christus Ʋmbra in Lege, Imago in Evangelio, Ʋeritas in Caelo; In the Law he was a shaddow, the Image of God in the Gospell, but in heaven he is the Truth. And there we shall see him most lively of all.

Now there be five or six wayes of Gods manifesting of himself.

1. One is more excellent than the other, that is by speech, which is an excellent manifestation.How many waies God manifests himself.

2. And then by vision.

3. And then by dreams, as in old time.

4. And then by miracles, of which he wrought many.

5. And by Sacrifices, as the Passeover.

6. And last of all by Types.

All these wayes God manifested himself before Christ. But, as Heb. 1. Now God speaks to us in his own Son, that is, more familiarly, even by God in our nature; and therefore the manifestation by Christ, is more excellent than all former manifestations.

Then his three offices were shadowed out, by King, Priest, and Prophet. All the Kings, Priests, and Prophet…, were shadowes of this great Prophet, Priest, and King. And all the benefits p. 19of Salvation were shadowes darkly his Election, by singling Abraham out of his Fathers house, the Israelites out ofGen. 12. 1.Gen 12:1 the world; his Vocation, by calling of Abraham, and his people; his Justification by divers Sacrifices, which were Types ofGen. 17. 5. Exod. 12. Numb. 21. 9. Exod. …5. 17. Exod. 12. 37. Lev. 14. 8.Gen 17:5Exod 12Num 21:9Exod 5:17Exod 12:37Lev 14:8 Christ; by the Paschall Lamb, by the Brasen Serpent, the Propitiatory and the Mercy Seat—The great work of Redemption shadowed out, by their redeeming out of Babylon and Egypt; the great works of Sanctification, by their washing and cleansings, which were the shadow of the inward purity of the soul; and Glorification, the consummation of all blessings,Iosh. 1. Exod. 26. 33.Josh 1Exod 26:33 by the Land of Canaan, and the holy of holiest, which was a Type of heaven. So that all the benefits we have of Salvation were shadowed out then, but they be clear in the Gospell, we see the face of Christ. In the Gospell we hear Christ speaking himself, God in our nature discovers all these things to us.

Object. But you will say, we cannot see the face of Christ, for it is gone, we cannot see him now. Sol. No; but when weHow we see the face of Christ preach the Gospel, receive the Sacraments, hear the word, we see Christ; we see Christ in the Gospel, the word is the glass of Christ, and so are the Sacraments, wherein you may see the face of Christ; Fides est spiritualis oculus, faith is a spirituall eye, and seeth Christ.

But Abraham saw, Christ and was glad; true; but now faith sees Christ more clearly than ever before. Nay it is in some sort better for us to see Christ with the eye of faith in heaven, than to see him on the earth walking up and down; many reprobates saw him on earth, but now none can see him, but with eyes of faith; none can speak to Christ, but those that have learned his language.

And it is for our advantage that we see not Christ now, heAscension of Christ how profitable, Christs spirituall presence better than his car…all▪ doth more good in heaven, than he could do on the earth, he is now at the right hand of God, and hath all power in heaven and earth. The Sun if it were lower, would consume the world, but it is high, that it may shine over more than half the world at once: So Christ, for the good of the Church, is gone to heaven; and we have more good from him by the Spirit, than if he were on earth.

Object. But you will say, we shall not see his face, till we see him in heaven.

p. 20Answ. True; therefore … diversity of the phrase in comparing it to former … in the Gospell, but if we compare th…se … times, when he will come glori…sly to judg… we saw him but in the gl…ss; then we shall se… him …. So you see in what sense we see the face of Christ.

What they expect…d and looked for, that we see.

Beloved, it is happiness for us to live in these times of the Church, we see Christ clearly. All the happiness of the Church dependeth on the Scripture, and knowledge of Christ, for he isGospel-times the best times. the glory of the Church, and the happiness of the Church, and those times that have most of Christ, are the most happy times. Now considering we in the latter age of the world, know Christ most, we are most happy. Wherein was the first Temple glorious above the second?

The second Temple had not many things, the other had; I but Christ came into the second Temple, and that made it glorious, Bessed is the eye that seeth the things that you see, and the eares that hear what you hear.Matth. 13. 16.Matt 13:16

So it is our happiness that we live in a second spring of the Gospell, and not when it was covered not only with Jewish ceremonies, but with fond superstitions of their own. But now we see Christ face to face, his excellency is unveiled, it is our happiness if we be better for it, or else it will increase our damnation.

2. But it is not sufficient, unless we see God in Christ, and the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For the soul will not rest but in God. God is the last rest and stay of the soul. As 1 Pet. 1. 21. Christ was raised again from the dead, that your faith & hope might be in God. God is the stay, and rest, and subsistence of the sou; it cannot rest but in God. So that we must see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, else the soul will not be sufficiently stayed. Therefore consider in what sense the glory of God shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, you must know first, that Christ is the perfect Image of his Father, his Father shineth in him.

There be three or four things in the Scripture, that set out this great mystery. As 1. Christ is called the Character of the Father, foreign 1 Heb. 3. They differ in this p. 21that they be not the same in personal substsience, they be Father, and Son, one in effence, in love to mankind all one; onelyonly in personall subsistence they differ, the Father is not the Son.

2. Then, he is the wisedome of the Father.

3. Then, he is the word, shewing the likeness; the word is but the Image of the Soul. There is the inward word, and the outward word, the inward is nothing but the expression of the Soul, and when it is outwardly expressed it is but the soul conveying it self outwardly. And therefore in the originall tongue, we shewed that one word sheweth both reason,Speech the issue of reason. and speech, because speech should be nothing but the issue of reason. And therefore Christ is called foreign.

It is not enough that the glory of God appeareth in the second person of the Trinity, that he is the Character of God, and the Image of God, and the word, but we must see what he is to us, and how he discovers the word to us.

So that he is the Image of God in a double sense.

1. As an invisible Image of his invisible Father.

2. To us-ward, he sheweth to us what the Father is; so that he is the Image of God, in regard of God, and in regard of us.

We see by his discovery, the wisedome of God in him, and so he is the hidden word, that is, the expression of the Father. But, what is that to us, without expression to us? So that he is made to us. As a man knowes what is hidden in a mans mind, by his words, so by Christ we know the hidden meaning,Gods mind made known by Christ. and good will of the Father to us, because Christ is the word in a double sense, as an expression of the Fathers Image, and his discovering to us the words of the Father.

So that the glory of God, especially God the Father, is now to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, not only, as Christ is the second person, God, but as Mediator God-man. Now Christ is the Image of God to us, the wisedome of God to us▪ and the Character of the Father to us.

To come to it more particularly. In the glory of God to us, shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Every thing in the Father is comfortable to us, shining in Christ; God as discovered in scripture is not comfortable to us but as discovered to us in him.

p. 231. As the sweet soveraignty of God over all in Christ; he is made King of Kings, Lord of Lords. So in the face of Christ we see God Lord over all, for our good committing all to Jesus Christ, All power is given me from my Father.Matth. 28. 18.Matt 28:18

2. And all the graces that are in God; you may term them so, for indeed all the sweet excellencies in God are seen in Christ, as the wisedome of God, the Justice of God; All the sweet affections of God are seen in Christ; what are those that in an high sense may be attributed to God? That is, his Love and Mercy, God is love, but he is so in Christ, he is the Father God in Christ fountain of all comfort.of mercy, but it is for Christs sake that he is so. His sweet love to Man-kind, see it in Christ.

3. And then the relation he stands in. Take one, his beeing our Father. How is God our Father, in a comfortable sense? He is a Father to Christ, and what Christ is by nature, we are by adoption. I go to my Father and your Father, therefore toJohn. 20. 16.John 20:16 your Father, because my Father, to your God and my God, therefore to your God, because my God.

4. Now to go on farther, take Christ in all his states & offices, take him in his whole dispensation of Salvation, and you shall see something of the glory of the Father in all. The Father by his Spirit sanctified him in the womb, gave his only begotten Son to death for us, made him a curse for us. To us a Son is given. The Father raised him up again. See the FatherIsa. 9. 6. All the authority of Christ in his offices is from the Father.Isa 9:6 in his humiliation and exaltation, see him in all the sweet offices he hath taken upon him to accomplish our Salvation. The Father hath anointed him by the Spirit to be King, and Priest, and Prophet, him hath the Father sealed, setting his stamp on him, to be our Saviour. The Father hath sent him, he hath his warrant and commission from the Father, The Father hathIsa. 6. 1.Isa 6:1 set him forth to be a propitiation. So that all the Authority he hath in all his offices it is from the Father.

5. But more specially, we see the love of the Father in Christ crucified, and made a curse for us. For there as it were, the Father powred out his bowels. For how could the mercy, and goodnesse of God appear, more than to give his own Son, equall with him? as it is at large set down, Phil. 2. That God should give his Son, the greatest giftChrist the greatest gift. that ever could be thought of, that could make ten thousand p. 22worlds of nothing, that he should give him to us, and take our nature into unity with his divine nature, that he might suffer in it; how could the glory of mercy shine more, than to give him to be a curse for us, to satisfie his justice in that manner? it is a mystery that requireth a large time, for herein shineth the glorious mercy of God, but especially Christs love in giving of himself, and the Fathers in giving him. So you see how the glory of God shineth in Jesus Christ,

Quest. But how doth Christ discover the Father to us?

Answ. 1. He discovers his Father to us, in opening his FathersHow Christ discovers the Father. meaning, as a Prophet teaching us, comming to be a Minister of the Circumcision to teach in our nature, and to teach by his Spirit in his Apostles and Ministers, to the end of the world. Therefore John 1. 18. It is said, that the only begotten Son of God, that lieth in the bosome of the Father, hath revealed him to us. Christ is the foreign, the great Expositor of the Father, the foreign, for he lyeth in the bosome of his Father, which implyeth an intimate knowledge, because he lyeth in the bosome, he knows the secrets of Gods love to every particular beleeving Soul. It implyeth likewise an high valuation of Christ, to shew, that the Father loveth him, and honours him.

Now lying in the Fathers bosome, that is, the Father being so intimate and familiar with his Son, there is knowledge of union (different from our knowledge of faith) which the humane nature hath from the divine, by virtue of union, and he is fit to discover it, because he is in the bosome of the Father, highly valued and prized by the Father.

2. Again, Christ is discovered not only as lying in his bosome, as an Expositor, & Prophet; but Christ discovers what his Father is by his whole life and coversation: for see Christ, and see the Father; see his meeknesse and humility in stooping low, his love, his fruitfulnesse, his goodnesse, as a man; for so he resembleth God, as his humane nature could do, every way shewing forth the grace of God in his whole course, disposition and conversation, he carrieth himself as the Son of God.What the Son did and suffered was done by the Fathers authority.

3. But the main way whereby Christ layeth open God the Father to us, was in the Son; the Father was discovered in all that Christ did and suffered; For it was all done by the Fathers p. 24authority; Christ did not only speak by words shewing what the Father was, (as the Son, when he resembleth the disposition of the Father, We say, you m…y in him see his Father) but you may see the Fathers authority in …very thing. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, it pleased the Father to reconcile the world to himself. So you see how the face of God is discovered in Christ, and how Christ discovers himself. Joh. 1. it is an excellent place. No man hath seen the Father at any time, but the only begotten Son he hath revealed him, and John 14. Believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. They both agree about the salvation of Man-kind; you not only see the love of the Son, in our salvation; but the love of the Father in the Son. In Eph. 1. Gal. 1. These great mysteries are at large unfolded.

4. But one other way, and the most sweet of all, whereby Christ revealeth his Father to us, is by his Spirit, together with the meanes of Salvation: for as it is excellently set down in Matth. 11. latter end, No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and him to whom the Son revealeth him, that is by the Spirit. None knoweth the Father to be his Father, but by the Son, who hath begot him by the Spirit; none knoweth the Son, but they that be begotten by the Spirit; we must have the Spirit both from the Father and the Son, before we can have the Father and the Son, and therefore it is called communion of the Spirit, because the Spirit of the Father and Son discovers the Father to be ourSpirit discovers Christ. Father, and the Son to be our Saviour. So that adde this to all other discoveries, and you have a full discovery of Christ, as the Father is laid open by Christ to every particular Christian. You see then, that God the Father hath shin…d in the face of Jesus Christ; God the Father liveth in light that no Soul can approach to, but only the Son, he is come out of his hidden light, nay the Father hath discovered the bowels of good will to Man-kind, and in his Son he discovers by his Spirit his particular good will to every particular Christian. So that we may with boldnesse go to the Father in the name of Christ.Boldnesse of accesse what begets it

Three things beget boldness.

First, when the matter of disagreement is taken away.

Secondly, likeness of disposition.

p. 25Thirdly, acquaintance, and familiarity.

1. Now Christ by his death and suffering hath taken away the disagreement, that is, our sins, he hath borne our sins, and borne them away as the scape-Goat did. When we believeLevit: 16. …. in him, he takes our sins, and carrieth them away, Christus tibi crucifixus est, cum credis in Christum crucifixum, Christ is then crucified to thee, when thou believest in Christ crucified. So that the sluce of mercy being open, it runneth amain on us.

2. There must be a likeness; because by Christ we have the Spirit to renew us, to make us savor the things of God, to love the things God loveth, to hate the things God hates. Now … sanctified soul delights in communion with God, a carnall man hates it; the more holy any thing is, the more he distaste… it.

3. Again, from likeness of disposition comes familiarity, and acquaintance with God, cherished by love, devotion and pieety; and all this we have in Christ, and therefore we go boldly having Gods Justice fully satisfied, and finding the Spirit renewing our natures, and clame acquaintance with God, andGod is our Father in Christ. pour out our soules to him, as to a Father in Christ Jesus. O the wonderfullness of this privilege, that now in Christ we can call God Father, his Father & our Father, that we can pour out our complaints before him, as to a gracious Father, in all our necessities. The world is not worthy of this privilege that we injoy, who in all distresses and wants can go boldly to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and call him our Father.

We should value these privileges more than we do, and improve them more than we do. Are we in God, or in Christ?Interest in God what it …eaches. Then glory in God▪ Romans 5. 23. whence the Apostle Paul makes a three-fold glorying.

1. A glorying in affliction under the Cross.

2. He glorieth in the hope of glory, and not only so, but

3. We glory in God; how is that? that God the Father is ours; If Christ be in me, I have God with Christ. God is with Christ reconciling the world to himself. All things are yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. If we are Christs we have God, and all, and can we have more? shew us th… Father saith Phillip, and it sufficeth us, John 14. that is, shew the Father to be our p. 26Father, bring us into acquaintance with him, and what need we more? Let it be discovered to our Soules that God is our Father and that will suffice, or nothing.

2. Labour therefore to joy in this prerogative, and whenBelieving Prayer comes in Christs name to God. we think of God, let us not think of Deus absolutus, of an absolute God distinguished from C… If ever we go to God in prayer, look up to him in the face of Christ; we must ascend to him as he descended to us. How is that? Doth not he descend and convey all his favours in God incarnate, nay, God in our flesh? he came down in our nature, and Christ and we must go back again to him in our nature in Christ, and therefore it is not only fruitless but dangerous presumption to go directly to God without a Mediator. In the Law nothing must be done without a Priest, who must offer all our sacrifices, and so all that are between God and us must be by mediation of our High-Priest Jesus Christ.

And then present our selves to God in his name▪ Lord I offer thy own Son unto thee, a Son of thine own sending, sealed, appointed, elected, and predestinated to be my Saviour. Thou canst not r…fuse the righteousness of thy own Son, thou gavest him to be my Saviour; Therefore taking Christ along with us, we may break through the very Justice of God, for Lord I bring one with me that hath satisfied thy Justice; therefore I go through thy Justice to thy mercy-seat in Christ, in whom thy mercy is glorified; I go not with my own righteousnesse, but cloathed with Christ.

3. And will not this answer Satans temptations, send thy soul to God in Christ the glory of God, and he will shine in Christ. Christ is ordained to be my Saviour, and I cast my self into his armes, and put my self in the Bowels of Christ.

So in all temptation I beseech you make use of this grand comfort, that the glory of God may shine in the face of Christ.

There be three of the sweetest sights that ever were thought of for poor Christians.

That is, God the Fathers sight of us in his Son Christ, as members of him whom he loveth; absolutely we are mis… rable.

Again, we see God in the face of Christ, and Christ sees us p. 27in his Fathers good pleasure, as given to him in charge of the Father, Thine they were, thou gavest them me, Joh. 17. Christ seeth us in Gods eternal purpose to save, for Christ saveth none but them whom God gave; all that thou gavest come to me, and thou castest them not away. Gods choice and Christs salvation run parallel; so Gods choice saveth none but such as Christ is anointed to save, and God seeth us to be saved; as he gave us to Christ, and as Christ dyed for us, so we by spirituall faith see our selves in Christ as our Father; these do so arm the soul against all discouragements, that nothing can separate it, for Gods love to me is bounded in his love to Christ. God looks on me, but h… looks on Christ first; now Gods love is eternally founded on Christ, therefore eternally founded on me to be one with Christ. It is …xcellently set down, Rom. 8. 38. What shall separate me from the love of Christ? for it is a love of God founded on Christ. God loveth Christ, and so likewise he will love me, as Christ is his Son in whom he is well pleased, so he loveth whole Christ mysticall, for he gave his Son for the body of Christ the Church, and therefore whensoever we hear of the love of Christ, go to the love of the Father; hath Christ loved me? then see the Fathers love in that love; you may enlarge these things in your own meditations, they being wonderful useful.

The glory of God that shineth in the face of Jesus Christ; therefore I beseech you let us now value and esteem the great mysterieChrist crucified a great mystery. of the Incarnation, and Christ crucified, because Christ is the common center of heaven and earth, in whom we all concenter, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, meet in, Christ the Mediator; the first Person sees us in Christ, the second Person took our nature into union with himself, and the Holy Ghost sanctifieth it, so all met together in Christ; he is the abridgement of all the elect in one, so that all the three Persons as they appeared at his Baptism, met together in him. Let us mainly labour to get into Christ, and then grow up in Christ, in the knowledge of God the Father, and love of the Father, to grow more and more acquainted with the secret Will of the Father to our Salvation, and therefore esteem much of all the blessed means sanctified to strengthen our faith in the Word and Sacraments. In the Sarcament see the Father, when the Minister p. 28giveth the Bread and Wine, think that God the Father giveth his Son to every one of us in particular, and all to strengthen our faith; see God the Father, together with God the Son; the Father was the Person first offended, and therefore God the Father is reconciled by Christ, and it is more comfort that God the Father, the Person offended, hath the chief hand in the plot of Salvation, he gave Christs body to be broken, and his blood to be shed for our sins.

I beseech you therefore to labour to be acquainted every day more and more with these mysteries, and do not take these asGospel no principle of Libertinism. any ancouragement to a sinful course, because the Glory of mercy shineth in Jesus Christ, and therefore turn grace into wantonness; mark this one thing, amongst other Attributes that shine in God, there is specially his holiness, and displeasure against sin, for God shewed his displeasure against sin, in turning his Angels out of Heaven; Heaven it self could not brook sin; it turned Adam out of Paradise, and is the chiefest procurer of Gods wrath; but all these are nothing to that hatred of sin that appeared in Christ. The purity of God appeared in him above all things in the world, and it will at the day of Judgment appear more in sending the greatest part of the world to eternal destruction and torment, but it is not so much as in making his Son a curse, therein we see the holinesse of God, that rather then mans sins should not be satisfied for, he would set a part his own Son to satisfie it; how much then is the holinesse of Christ that offered himself for it? how much is the holinesse of God that gave his Son to take it away? Can any man now beleeve in God as his Father first, and in Christ as his Saviour, and live in sin?

We must look on sin, as the Father when he gave the Son,…ow to look … sin. and on sin, as the Son did, when he gave himself; therefore if we do not look on sin as most opposite to holiness, and have not an Antipathy rooted in our hearts, how can we bear Gods image, and the image of Christ resembling him in all things? how can we think our selves his Members, when we want his Spirit? how can we say we be his, when he walkes in light, and we in darkness.

If that holiness be not rooted to look on sin in some measure, as God the Father and Son, we can as yet have no comfort; p. 29and therefore there is no reason to turn the grace of God into wantonnesse.

And then remember this one Caveat more, whatsoever I spoke of the love of God the Father, and Christ the Son, is nothing unto us, unless every of us labour in particular to have the Spirit of the Father and the Son discovering to us in particular this, that the Father is our Father, and the Son our Saviour, for that is the issue of our Ministry, we must not rest in the Ministerial discovery of things, but if we belong to God▪ there is a work of the Spirit, and the chief work of it, is to particularize, and to bring truths home to every mans soul, and therefore Christ is nothing to us, unless the mind of God to us in particular be discovered. The Spirit knoweth the secrets of God, and revealeth to every particular man their particular interest in God the Father and God the Son, and this should be our desire and prayer every day, together with all knowledge, that God would give his Spirit to discover to us his peculiar love in Jesus Christ, and that Christ would by his Spirit discover our interest in him. Ministerial light will not serve for comfort, unless our spirits be sealed to be the Sons of God; therefore are the Sacraments to seal in particular an interest in Jesus Christ, therefore we should set our faith on work. God in particular dyed for me, as if for none but me, and God the Father giveth me comfort in Christ; as I taste the outward element with outward sense, so with my inward taste of Faith, I taste of Christ. These be the things will stand in stead against temptation, he is the Saviour of the Elect; but what though? the Spirit of the Father and the Son must discover the love of the Father to us in his Son.

These words contain the chief cause of all spiritual light, which is God, who by the same▪ power by which he commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, or rather by a greater, because here is more opposition, and no help at all from nature to spiritual things, not so much as a seed of it.

Hath shined into our hearts. The end of spiritual knowledge in the Ministery, is especially to give the glory of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I propound these things.

p. 30First, that God is glorious in his mercy, wisdom, and other Attributes, his reconciling Justice and Mercy together. Secondly, that this glory of mercy is in Christ, and satisfaction of his Justice by him. Thirdly, that the glory of God, and all his sweet Attributes in the face of Christ must be made known to others; and that this knowledge may be there must be a calling, so God hath shined in our hearts to give the light. The Ministery is to give the light of the knowledge of God, knowledge leadeth us to Christ, Christ to God, in whom our faith is terminated, as in its last object.

Divers of these things we have unfolded,

As the first, that Gods mercy is a glorious mercy, therefore called the glory of God in the face of Christ. That his mercy specially in Christ, is his triumphing attribute. The power of God shineth in creation, the justice of God in damnation; but mercy triumphs in salvation by Christ; and it is not every mercy, but glorious mercy, mercy sets all others on work, and therefore I mean that excellent mercy that stirred up wisdome, to devise away how justice might be satisfied, and so reconciled, that a way may be made for mercy. So that there is a wonderfull mystery in these things, which the very Angels desire to behold. This glory shineth in the face of Jesus Christ.

None knoweth the Father but the Son, none the Son but the Father, and they to whom the Father and the Son, will reveal themselves by the Spirit, If the Father revealeth his Son by his Spirit, the son revealeth the Father by the Spirit, then they are known, but else.

The glory of God shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, being incarnate, made God man. I will proceed to bring this truth home, to make it more clear and comfortable.

You see then the glory of God shine in Christ, and then it shines to us. So that Christ is between God and us; the face of Christ between God, and our face.

What is the reason of this order, because God and we be in such opposition, that Christ must be between. God cannotChrist a Mediator. love our nature, but as it is pure, and clean, and undefiled and it is onelyonly so in Christ, and therefore he loveth our nature onelyonly in Christ, as being knit to Christ, and so purged by the Spirit of Christ. For there cannot be more opposite tearms p. 31than between God, who is a consuming fire, and sinners, and therefore Christ commeth between; that is the middle person of the Trinity, must be the middle person for reconciliation, he that is the Son is fit to make us Sons, he that is the Image of God, is fit to restore us to Gods▪ Image, he that is beloved, is fit to bring us in love with the Father, to give entrance, and access to him. And therefore God shineth first on the face of Christ before it come to us, it commeth to us at the second hand by reflection.

Then Christ is primum amabile, the first subject, and seat ofChrist the fountain of all love, of all the benefits and privileges of salvation. divine love, for he is the first begotten, and whatsoever God loveth, he loveth in relation to his Son, if he loveth us it is in relation to him. If he loveth any before they be in Christ, it is to give them to Christ. So that all the love of God must be seated in the first subject and receptacle of his love, which is Christ; first God shines on Christ, and then on all them that be one with Christ; Therefore Christ is called foreign the beloved, and the Son of Gods love, in whom are all the treasures of wisdome; and therefore is truly lovely.

Whatsoever good we have, it is in Christ: For the first degreeChrist and his benefits are the first fruits of Gods free grace. of salvation, the first linck of the Chain, from election to glorification, all is in Christ, seated in free-grace, of which Christ is the first fruit. For so God loved the world, that he gave his Son. Christ himself, and all benefits by him are first fruits of the free-grace of God, which was Amor Benevolentiae, a love of good will; but then there was Amor Amicitioe, a love of amity, which is only in Christ; and the execution of all favours is in Christ; he calleth, justifieth, sanctifieth, and glorifieth in Christ, because by our consistence in Christ, we have all benefits, even from election to glorification. The Apostle runneth in this stream, 1 Ephes. 4. Blessed be God, who hath blessed you with all spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus: we are beloved in him, as the first love. So that in all things, Christ is the first. He was the first Son of God, we Sons in him; what he is by nature, we are by grace, and adoption. He is first beloved, we beloved for him, as having communion and fellowship with him; He hath justified us from our sins, & therefore we are justified in him. He is our surety, If he be not acq…itted, we shal never be acquitted. He is risen, therefore we rise; he is the first fruits of p. 32those that sleep. He is the first-born of many brethren; the first begotten among the dead. He ascended, therefore we ascend. He sits in heavenly places, therefore we sit in heavenly places▪ for God hath elected us to be conformed to him; he is the first fruits of Gods predestination, as Austine observeth. God first made choyce of him as the head of all, and of us in him; we a…e elected to be conformed to him in grace, and comfort in the love of God here, and in glory and perfect happiness hereafter; he is our eldest brother, now it is fit therefore that he should have preheminence in all things. Christ in all things hath prehemency, in love, and grace, in every passage of glory, resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, and in all things hath preheminency.

This is a very comfortable and usefull point in the great mystery of Christ, and glorification, to know the foundation of Gods love to us; it is seated on Christ first, and then it commeth to us; nay, and through Christ, in Christ, as an head through Christ as Mediator.

Therefore let us make this use of it. Never think of Use 1 God without Christ. And again never think of any spirituall favour, but think of it in Christ first. If we think of any promise, think of it as given to Christ first. For all promises are made over to him, and he maketh them over to us, All promisesAll the promises are to …s in Christ. are in him yea, and Amen. Promises come from love. Love is first in him, and therefore must come first from him; and therefore desire God to make them good for his sake, If we think of the love of God, think of it in our flesh, in Christ first, as our head. If we think of freedome from sin, think of Christ our surety, who is first freed from it. If we think of resurrection, and ascension, think of it in Christ our head. If we think of glory, think of it in Christ; we are glorious in our head. And have it as a fruit of hi… prayer, that we should be where he is; whensoever we think of any thing that is good, think of17 John. it first in Christ, that God may have his scope, and end, which is that Christ the second person that took our nature on him, may have his preheminency.

And this should make us in our devotions, to bless Use ….God for being the Father of Jesus Christ when we bless him for being our Father, O blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus p. 33Christ, for if he had not been his Father, he had never been our Father, John 20. 16. I go to my God, and your God, my Father, John 20. 16.John 20:16and your Father. If he had not been his God, and his Father, he had never been our God, and our Father. Therefore bless God for his love to Christ, and Christ for his love to us; for they both joyn in our salvation. As Rom. 8. 39. Nothing can separate from the love of God, nor from the love of Christ, they be both together in the verse, because they be all one in Christ. See the love of the Father in Christ, see his own loveThe whole Trinity interested in Salvation. in himself, together with his Fathers. Therefore consider the sweet agreement of the Trinity, toward… the salvation of mankind; And that we come not to heaven, are elect, and saved, onelyonly by the counsell of the Father, or onelyonly by the love of the Son, or onelyonly by the operation of the Holy-Ghost, but all three joyning together in our salvation. God looks on us in the face of Jesus Christ. God loveth us, the Son loveth us, the holy Spirit sealeth the love of both to us. So then conclude, that our salvation is strongly built. It is built on the love of the Father in Christ, and on the love of Christ, together with the Father, and on the assurance of the Holy-Ghost, testifying both these to our souls. God for ever loveth his Son, and God for ever must love us, for he shineth on us in the face of his Son. Now what is the love of God to his Son? pure love, tender love, bowels of love, an everlasting love, and a rich love. And is not his love to us the same? If he loveth Christ, he loveth, whole Christ; not onelyonly Christ personall, but mysticall Christ, and all his members; he loveth the whole body of Christ, with a pure, tender, perfect, and everlasting love. And therefore as Gods love can never be removed from his own Son that lyeth in his bosome, So Gods true love shali never be removed from any true Christian that liveth in his Son.

It is a comfortless fond conceit to imagine any separation inPerseverau… of Saints that kind, because his love is founded not upon love to their persons, but on his Son. Now having an everlasting foundation, it must be an everlasting love; and this may comfort us in all conditions.

Ʋse 3. To make another use to direct our devotions aright, we must not go to an absolute God, for he is a consuming fire, but must take Christs name along, we must take Christ along in p. 34all our prayers. It is an unworthy conceit to think God willIn all our prayers we must go to God in Christ. be pleased otherwise, than in his Son. It is God must satisfie God, and not we, that be stubble to go to the fire, it is presumption, and the end of it will be confusiun; therefore go to God in the sweet name of his Son Jesus Christ. OnelyOnly so. We do not conceive worthily enough of God, if we think he can have any communion with us, if his love be not conceived in the person of Christ. Therefore if we will have worthy conceits of him, go to him, that is, God made flesh in our nature, a Saviour of his own appointment, a Mediator of his own sending, and sealed. And God will not refuse him, if you bring his Son before him. Therefore let it be our rule to put up our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our head.

Now our natures are in Christ lovely to God; because our flesh is in him pure, sanctified, and separate from all sin, so that he loveth our natures; and the nature of God before opposite, is now lovly to us; because God dwels in our nature, as the Apostle saith, bodily, that is fully: Now God in our nature is lovely, God out of our nature is not, because he is purity and holiness it self; but in our nature, he is all love, and mercy, for his justice is fully sa…isfied. God by his Spirit will never leave any particular Christian, till he makes their nature in them like his own nature, that is divorced and separated wholy from sin, that it may be a pure glorious nature, fit for …o glorious a head. Therefore go boldly to the throne of grace; there be good terms between God and us, through Christ.

We shall dye, because we have seen God, saith Manoab. Now13 Judg. 22. we shall live because we have seen God in Christ, out of Christ we cannot see an Angel, and live; but seeing God in the face of Christ, a Mediator not of our appointing, this is a sweet and comfortable sight.

I beseech you let us make a comfortable use of these things, God thinks of us in Christ. It was a good Prayer of a holy Martyr, that God would shine on him in the face of Jesus Christ, h… was so guilty of his own sins and corruptions, that he durst not look upon God; but desires God to look on his Son first, and then on him, in his Son. In Christ God can see us perfect, for Christs righteousness is our righteousness, and we have the same Spirit with Christ. For note that by the way,

p. 35As Christ by taking our nature on him, testified by the Spirit he was the Son of God in our nature; so the same Spirit of Christ having knit us to Christ, and sanctifying our nature, we become the Sons of God, and Christ too. The same Spirit thatOur sanctificasion by the Spirit. sanctified the nature of Christ in the womb, will sanctifi… every Christian. And as the grace of union was the cause of Christs unction, so the grace of union with Christ is the ground of all communion with Christ. And therefore labour in the first place, to be one with Christ by faith; the foundation of all the comfort that I have unfolded.

To usward is the union with Christ by faith, that Christ and we are one; for if God look on us in the face of his Son, then we must be one with his Son; bone of his bone, flesh of hi… fl…sh, by his Spirit, As he is bone of our bone, flesh of our fl…sh, by our nature; he took our humane nature, that we might partake of his divine nature, and therefore labour for union, that we may have gracious communion with him. If we be one with Christ, we are his friends, and he will be with us. I, Revel. ….and the Father will sup with him, rest specially in that. It was the eff…ct of Christ's Prayer, that we may be all one. I in them, and thou in me, and that thou maist love them, with the love thou 17 John.lovest me. So intimate was Christs love, that he desires the same love to us, and in us, one with another. This is a blessed union of the Trinity in one. And of Christ with the Father,The fruit of Christs offering himself … Sacrifice. and of every Christian with Christ, and the Father, one with another. This is the fruit of Christs offering himself a sacrifice to God, that we may be one, as they are one, I in them, and thou in me.

The reason of Christs prayer for that union is, that all good is conveied from the Father to us, in the face of Jesus Christ, as we have our consistence and being in Christ, and are one with Christ, and that makes the Sacraments and all holy ordinances, to be means to bring us into communion with Christ, and to seale it to us, and thereby our communion with the Father and the Holy Ghost. If the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be ours, what can we want? Shew us the Father and it will suffice, 14 Joh… 7.John 7saith Philip. If we have God for our Father, we need no more; therefore make much of the meanes whereby our Union, and Communion, and Fellowship with God in Christ is stayed, and confirmed to us. To go on.

p. 36It is said here, there must be a knowledge of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; And the Ministery is the cause of that knowledge, for God hath shined in our hearts to give the light, &c.

So that we must know the face of God in Jesus Christ. Knowledge Doct. is the first thing in this new creation, as light was the first in the old creation. God by his word made light, and God byKnowledge. his word puts the spirit of light in our hearts. All grace is conveied by knowledge, grace being nothing but knowledge digested. And therefore Col. 3. 19. the Apostle maketh it the Image of God, which in the Eph▪ 4 24 he calls holiness and righteousnesse, but there he bringeth all under that one head, because all grace commeth by knowledge, and all comfort is conveied by knowledge: for even as together with light from Heaven, comes influence and heat; so together with the divine light, comes the divine influence and heat of the Soul. Therefore the Apostle joyneth together Grace, and Knowledge, 2 Pet. No spirituall blessing but by way of Knowledge.3. ult. Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So you see the reason why the glory of God in Christ must be known. For it is an axiome in divinity, no spirituall blessing doth a man good, but by way of knowledge, and therefore out of the Church, there is no salvation, because the Church being like Goshen, there is no light of knowledge out of the Church. Therefore it is a grosse and fundamentall errour of them that will have men saved in any Religion, for all salvation commeth by knowledge, and that is only in the Church.

I beseech you therefore labour for knowledge of God in the…se 1. face of Jesus Christ, & to grow in it every day more and more; without knowledge the soul is not good: The Soul is dark, and therefore those that be enemies of knowledge, are enemies to the salvation of Gods people, they are enemies of Gods glory, because Gods glory shineth in the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But this is a clear truth.

To make it more usefull, every man thinks he knoweth…se 2. Christ. But knowledge of Gods glory in Christ is another matter.

1▪ It is a purifying knowledge, and it is a sanctifying knowledge.

2. It is a knowledge that is both full, and experimentall. It p. 37is a knowledge with a taste. It is a knowledge that brings aSweetness in every divine truth. man to salvation. He relisheth divine truths. Every divine truth hath a sweetness and a savour in it, and our souls are to relish it; If there be not relish in the palat, the relish in meat is to no purpose. And therefore God giveth knowledge, Per modum gustus, when things are to us as in themselves, then things have a sweet relish. Gods favour, and son-ship, and grace, and peace, they have sweet relish in themselves.

And as they are in themselves, so they are to every Christian.Experimental knowledge true knowledge There is a harmony, or suitableness in every Christian to divine truths wrought in him. If we have not a relish of divine truths, undoubtedly we know them not as we should.

3. And it is a knowledge with application of interest in the Use 3 things, when we know God to be our God, and Christ to be our Christ, heaven to be ours, and all the promises to be ours, for that is the nature of faith to make its own, whatsoever it layeth hold on: What good doth Christ, and the glory of God in Christ, if we know not Christ, and God in Christ, and make applications, that God and Christ may be ours? Therefore the Sacraments are ordained, for the particular attaining to the knowledge of Christ, that as we are really interested in what we receive, and turn it into our selves: So by faith we have interest in Christ, and he is one with us, and we with him.

4. And then this knowledge is a transforming knowledge, Use 4 sutiable to the object. In nature, Objects have an influence into the things that apprehend them. If a man look on a lovely object, it stirs up affection of love, If on hatefull objects, it stirs up affection of hatred. But much more in divine things, for they have not only influences into the Spirit, but a Spirit accompanying the influence, to transform the Soul, so that by reason of the object, and the Spirit, all divine truths have a transforming force.

Therefore he that knoweth God to be his God, transformes himself to be his Son; he that knoweth Christ, as he shoul…, transformeth himself to be like Christ, to labour for the grac… ousOur knowledge should transform us to the likeness of the things we know. bountifulnesse, free obedience, and disposition of Christ▪ we cannot know Christ as we should, by a spiritual knowledge, without it transform us to the likenesse of the thing we know▪ The knowledge of the glory of God in Christ will make us glorious p. 38Christians. Apprehending glory, we shall be glorious, As the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Beholding the face of God in Christ, foreign we are changed from glory to glory, that is, from one degree of grace to another.

Wherein is our happinesse? for what is the happinesse of a Christian, but to be like Christ, & in Christ like God? The veryLikenesse to and Communion with God, the foundation of …ll our happinesse. Heathen could say, likeness to God & Communion with God, is the foundation of all happinesse. Therefore this transforming happinesse by which we look to be saved, which makes us more like Christ, that we must labour after. This may be sufficient to stir up our affections, to labour to know God in Christ, being that which is a most excellent knowledge. The right knowledge of God in Christ is that, that the very Angels have a desire to look unto; It is a knowledge we should more desire than Angels, for if we know God in Christ as we should do, we are above Angels: Did God take the nature of Angels? are they the mysticall body of Christ? No, they are the Acquaintance of Christs, but not the spouse of Christ. In both…ow we are above Angels. these respects, we are above Angels: And shall not we study that more than Angels? that have more interest therein then Angels? Is not the knowledge of this glorious? and shall not we study to know that, that raiseth our natures above the Angels themselves? So we should do. And so we will do if we have the Spirit of God, as Paul, Phil. 3. 7, 8 I count all dung and drosse, not in compatison of Christ; but foreign. in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; the right knowledge of God shining in the face of Christ, with an interesting knowledge of Christ to be my Saviour, God my Father, my self to be a temple of the Holy Ghost, a Member of Christ, Heir of Heaven, to know I am by grace, what Christ is by nature; what is all the world to this, if we had hearts to confider of it? And therefore labour to prize, and value this knowledge every day more and more, to beg the Spirit of revelation, that God would reveal himself to us, in Christ more and more, pray for the Spirit that knoweth the secrets of God and Christ, that we may know God to be our God, and Christ to be our Saviour. And let it be the desires of our hearts, that God would give us deep knowledge of him, in particular, not only p. 39in generall, but that he would reveal his Fatherly love in Quest. Sol. Christ, and Christs sweet love to us.

But how shall we come by this knowledge? God shines not into the brain, but into the very heart of his Ministers, that they may give the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; so that the end of Gods shining on the Ministry, is that they may Doct. shine on others.

So then, if you ask what is the sanctified means of God to come to so excellent a knowledge of the face of God in Christ, It is specially the Ministry, so God shines in them, that they mayDignity of the Ministry. give the light of the knowledge they have, to others.

And here I will unfold to you their excellency, and authority ministeriall, and the necessity of the calling, they being the light of the world, the Sun of the world: of whom it is said, As the Father sendeth me, so I send you: But these things concern our calling more.

OnelyOnly it concerns all to know this, That God hath not set up an ordinance in his Church in vain, as it is glorious to know the glory of God in the face of Christ, so if ever we will know it, we must come to the Ministry, that God hath set up as lights in his Church; for they be appointed to give thee the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ; so that the ordinance of God is joyned with access to the Ministers of God, If you regard God and Christ, regard the Ministry, for the grace of God, and faith, and knowledge, and the ministry of faith, are all lincked together, and he that despiseth the Ministers, 2 Cor. 5. 1….2 Cor 5:1despiseth God, and grace, and heaven and all. And therefore the word as opened in the Ministry, is called foreign, the word of reconciliation, no reconciliation without it, foreign, the word of life, foreign, the glorious Gospell, the foreign, strong Arm of God to salvation, foreign, the power of God, because God conveyeth all these things by it. And they that despise it, despise glorification, reconciliation, glory, and life, and all. It is foreign, the word of the kingdome, because we enter into the kingdome of grace here, by his ordinance, & then into the kingdome of God. Therefore to despise Gods ordinance, is to despise God, And Acts 3. the Apostle saith, seeing you account your selves unworthy of the kingdome of heaven. If they will not p. 40hear the Gospel, it is as if they despised the kingdome of heaven.

That I advise is, that every one labour for a right apprehension Use. of the ordinances of God. Let a man esteem of us as the Ministers of Christ, neither more nor lesse, but just so, that is, not Lords over our faith, but Ministers that dispence the mystery of Christ.

I need not speak much of this, Because God never wroughtNote. good in any, but they would have a due and right conceipt of the Ministers and ordinances of God. And they that have base conceipts of it, it is a sign God never wrought any good in them. And therefore I speak to them, that have respect to the ordinancesWe must respect the ordinances of God. of God, and that they have more respect to it, Marke what the Apostle saith, God shines on the heart of the Apostles to give light, &c. Obj.

But it may be objected, God shines in the hearts of his Ministers, that they may shine on others. Can only good men convert?

I answer first, that they have a great advantage above all others, Answ. Love begets gracebecause they have those affections, and those desires to stir them up to pray to God heartily for their people. And then they have love to the people. It is love that begets grace, and so, they having sanctified hearts, that way they do more good than others. But the effect of Gods Ordicance is not tyed to the dignity of any mans person. Judas was a Preacher, as bad as he was. Those that convert many shall shine in heaven, if they be good; if they be bad, they may convert others, and never come thither themselves: therefore respect the ordinance of God, for it self. But because a good expression of the integrity, and constant sufficiency in the teacher, is a good help to attention and respect, therefore we ought to be carefull in the choyce of these. For though Gods Ordinances depend not on the worthiness of the Minister, yet there is much help this way.

But you will say, can the Ministry cause the knowledge of Obj. God in the face of Jesus Christ? They be but men, and God shineth in us, that we may give knowledge of God.

I answer; Man doth it whether they be good, or otherwise, Answ. ministerially, God honours them so far, as to give them his own title, 16. Acts Paul preached, God opens Lidia's heart. There must be a concurring of God with the Ministry, 1 Cor. 3. p. 41Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase: But if Paul plant, and God giveth not increase, all is to no purpose: Be faithfull in thy calling saith Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4. 16. and so thou shalt both save thy self, and thy hearers; so that God appoints calling, and giveth gifts and callings for the good of his Church. The Sun shineth on the Moon and Stars, to inlighten the world; and the light that Ministers have is to shine upon others. God teacheth men by men; and it isUse of the Ministry. most suitable, and proportionable to our weakness; as it is a triall of our obedience, to respect the word, as it comes from one subject to the same infirmity with our selves; so it is suitable to our weakness; we could not hear God, nor an Angel: therefore God giveth gifts to men, for men. Beloved, it is a marvelous fruit of Gods love, that he will establish such a calling, the end of which is to bring men to heaven: they be sent of God; they be the salt of the earth, the world would be putrified without it; they be the light, the world would be dark without it: If it were not for the Gospell, what is England, that is now so glorious above other Countreys, that sit in darkness? and therefore seeing God conveyeth all good to us this way, let it be our prayer to God, to send labourers into his Vineyard, to set up light in dark places, and to teach his Ministers, that they may teach us.

It is strange that Paul so holy a man as he was, should desire the Romans, 15. 30. to pray and strive with God in prayer for him: I bes…ech you, I conjure you, by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of the Spirit, that you strive to God for me. The devill sets Note. against this Ordinance of God especially, for it battereth his kingdome, and is a means to draw men out of his darkness, into the glorious light of the Sons of God: as in the Acts, The Lord sent him to bring them from darkness to light: Therefore the devill2 Thes. 3. 1.2 Thess 3:1 stirs up unreasonable men, malicious men, that have hurtfull and evill principles, to do hurt to them that seek their good, to requite good with ill; and therefore the Apostle prayeth, Lord foreign▪let me be delivered from unreasonable men, absurd men, greedy, that are so far from faith, that they have not common reason. Now considering God conveyeth all good, specially saving knowledge, especially this way, desire God to preserve the Ministers from unreasonable men. That God would let the Gospell p. 42run, and be glorified; and that the Ministery may be glorious, that is, that the Spirit may accompany it, to get a great deal of love, and strength to bear afflictions. Where the Ministery is rightly received, it is a glorious thing. And thereforePauls Prayer. the Apostle praies that the Gospel may have a free passage, and be glorified by the Spirit accompanying it, in the hearts of the people; and they that will profit most by it, must be so far from undermining it, that they must desire God to assist the Teacher, that he being taught, may teach others. Thus far it concerneth us all.

And this not onelyonly teacheth the Ministers to shine to others▪Christians may, and ought in the places to edifie one another. but every Christian is a Prophet. And they that have the light of God shining on them, are to give the light to others. We are all anointed of God, & like good Christians, we have all r… ceived the anoynting of the Spirit, and in our sphear we ought to do all the good we can to every o… in his place; you have all knowledge, saith the Apostle, That you may exhort and edifie one another. This must be done by the publick ordinance, and by every particular Christian. And therefore every Christian may shine to others, and open to others the mystery of salvation, according to their calling, specially in their Families. Our Saviour saith, admonish thy brother, and thou shalt save thy brother. God maketh common Christians saviours of others. And therefore as we believe communion of Saints in the Creed, so we ought to labour for the grace of communion of Saints, that is for ability, and love, that we may be able to do good one to another. And no man is a Christian for himself alone, every man hath grace for the good of the body, there is no idle member of the Churches body, as soon as any one is a Christian, he is a profitable member. On…simus, as soon as he is converted, he is profitable by prayer, by advice, by comforting and counsell,…1. v. Phil. he hath ability to do something to the body of Christ; as he hath good by the graces of the body, so by Gods grace he is able to do some good in the dody, he is no dead member, but hath some grace of communion.

And it is no vain glory, if it be not done for ostentation. If for Christ, not for his own advantage, or ostentation; brests may be opened to give milk, which otherwise would be shut, gifts may be opened to do good; if they know any thing that is good p. 43they ought to infuse it to them, whom God hath made neer and dear to them, for grace is communicable.

The Sun shineth on the greater part of the world at once, The more communicable, the better, the more neer God and Christ.

And then we may thing that we have all things, the benefitGrace communicateth it self to others. and comfort of any true gift, when we have Spirits of love to communicate it to others. These be therefore two main graces of communion, humility, and love. And when we can sweetly, humbly, and by the spirit of love communicate it to others, then we be Masters of what we have, else it is not given for our good; God will blast it, if we do not communicate it. God will take away that he hath, from the idle Servant, that will not imploy his Talent. I would to God more conscience were made of this, that not onelyonly Ministers but every one would be first the Cistern, and then the conduit, first get something in, and then put it out, when it is seasonable, and when we have a calling to do it.

How, hath a Christian a calling to comfort others, to give seasonable reproofs, to give admonitions, to strengthen others, when no Minister is by? He that is not able to do it in some measure, can he believe communion of Saints? Therefore labour for some spirituall ability, that ye may not be dead and idle members of the body, but shine to others in giving example to others in the way to heaven, that others may have cause to bless God. O blessed be God that ever I was acquainted with such a one. As David said of Abigail; so such a one gave me counsell, and it came from love, from a sweet Spirit, and I shall have cause to remember it while I live.

Consider it is our calling, we are all Prophets, all anointed; a Christian hath an high calling; but specially consider what we do believe by the communion of Saints; And what we pray for, when we say, thy Kingdome come; that is, that faith may reign in our hearts and minds; shall we say, let thy kingdome come? when we are enemies of the ministry, and good communion? If we use this prayer thus, we mock God. I desire God to make these things effectuall.

The Apostle in the former Chapter as we have heard, raiseth up the Soul to the chief cause of all heavenly light in the Soul, p. 44which is God, by his Almighty power shining in our hearts, as he caused the light to shine at the first; by how much that light is more excellent, than that light of nature, by so much the greater power is put forth for the working of it, being so opposite thereunto.

The end of this shining in the hearts of the Ministers especially, is to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God shineth on Ministers, that they may reflect that light upon others. As John Baptist saith, they beThe friends of the Bride. friends of the Bride, that learn of the Bridegroom, Christ, what to do, to help his spouse. They labour to know the meaning of Christ, what his good will is to them that be his. They be friends on both sides, on Christs, and the Spouses; They come between both, for the furthering of the blessed Mariage between Christ and the Soul.

I have spoken of the glory of God, which specially shines in his mercy and goodnesse. There is a greater luster of Gods Attributes in the Gospel, than in the Law.

Quest. It may be asked, are not we for to preach the Law, as well as the glory of God in the face of Christ discovered in the Gospel?

Answ. I yeeld there must be speciall care of that, even now in the daies of the Gospel; for you know there be three degrees, The state of nature, the state under the Law, and the state under grace; before we can come from nature to grace, we mustPreaching the Law usefull under the Gospel. come under the Law; we must know our selves throughly, and be humbled to purpose. Many live under the Gospell, that were never yet under the Law, that think themselves under Christ, and under grace, and yet were never humbled; Therefore in love to the Soules of men, let the Law be discovered, as God gave the Law, not to damn men, but in love to men, that thereby they might see the impurity of their natures, and lives, and the curse due to it, and so follow him forthwith to Christ, from Sinai, to Sion, appealing from the throne of Justice, to the throne of grace and mercy, the Lord Christ. The Lord gave not the Law purposely to damn, men but to drive them to an holy despair in themselves. They that despair in themselves, they come to see their whole hope of comfort to be in the face of God in Christ.

p. 45Therefore respectively to grace, we ought to force the Law in these dull and drouzy times. For they that stick in the state of nature, as prophane godlesse persons, swearers, loose persons, were never yet under the Law. And what have they to do with Christ that were never humbled? if their eyes were open to see what they are by nature, and what they would be if God should cut the thread of their lives, they would look about them then; the Kingdome of Heaven would suffer violence, if men understood their states throughly, that there is but a step between them and Hell (nothing but a life full of uncertainties) without serious repen…ance.

Moses brought none into Canaan, that was Josuahs part, when Moses had brought them neer, then he giveth up his office up to Josuah. The Law must give up its office to Christ. When men are cast down with apprehensions of sin, they must run into the bosome of the Gospel, and shelter themselves under the wings of Jesus Christ; though such persons may in the errour of their conscience think themselves farthest off grace, yet5 Mat. 2.Matt 2 they be nearest, For blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is 11 Matth. 28.Matt 28the Kingdome of Heaven. And come to me all ye that be heavy laden, I will ease you.

Quest. Again, some will object, we must teach morall duties, teach men not to be sottish, and drunken, and filthy, in their lives.

Answ. It is very good, I would these abominations were reformed, but if there be not a better foundation laid for the knowledge of God in the face of Christ, by the discovery of the hidden face of nature, we should make them but Hypocrites, and onelyonly civilize them. Therefore the right way to m…ke them leave these abominations, is first to get knowledge of themselvesThe Gospell teaches holy life. by nature, and of their originall corruptions. And then to lead them to the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that seeing love, love may kindle love, and alter their course, and make them study to please God. If du…ies spring not from love, they be dead duties, and but carkasses of duties. But love constraineth us to perform services by the apprehension of Gods mercy in Christ.

Therefore if we will make men leave sin on good grounds, teach the Gospel; else we shall bring them into a civill compas p. 46which is good, and I would there were more of it; but we should not rest there, holy duties, and abstaining from gross sins is a great deal more groundedly inforced from the Gospel, than the Law. For the reasons from thence are very demonstrative, as Paul, Titus 2. 12. The grace of God hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and to live soberly to our selves, righteous to others, holily to God.

And therefore the Apostles method is first to lay the ground and foundation of Christian doctrine, and then to build upon it Christian duties in all his Epistles, as in the Romans, After he had shewed free justification, by the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, and then sanctification of our nature, then he comes to the comforts of a Christian life in predestination, and Gods free everlasting love. Then I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ, 12 Rom. 1.Rom 1give up your bodies as reasonable Sacrifices to God; the ground of his exhortation is to devote and consecrate our selves to God, and it is from the mercies of God. And so in all the rest of his Epistles, he layeth foundations of a Christian life upon Christian doctrine, As Lactantius saith well, All morality without piety, is as a goodly statue without an head. The head that giveth life, & influence into all duties of a Christian & the knowledge of Christ. In a word, whatsoever we preach, is either to drive to Christ, orThe preaching of the Gospel is to bring to Christ. is Christ himself, by his benefits unfolded, or an holy life, with this respect, that we may live answerable, and worthy of Christ, so that whatsoever we preach, it hath respect to Christ.

And therefore the Apostle speaking of the main duty saith, God hath shined in our hearts, to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; certainly all will follow where this is; She loved much, because much was forgiven; she had relished the sweet love of God in pardoning her, and therefore7 Luc. loved much; for what is love? but all duty in the root, it is one in the root, and all in the branches. All sin is one in originall corruption, the root which brancheth it self many wayes into particulars: so love being one in the root, when the heart is filld with that, you shall not need to dictate to it, to do this, or that; love is an affection full of invention, to please, delight,Love presseth to duty. and gratifie the person loved, and sets the soul on fire to all duties whatsoever.

1. Again the knowledge of God differenceth Gods people from p. 47Atheists, that know no God at all. So to know God in Christ that differenceth them from those withou… the Church, that know God, but not in the face of Christ; to know God in the face of Christ, as he should be known, differs true Christians from Popish, and rotten professors, and from an hypocrite withinThe foppery of the Popish Religion. the Church; The Papists know God, not in the face of Jesut Christ, onelyonly they go to him by other mediators, and they will have Crucifixes, and many Gods, never desiring to discover the face of Christ.

But the best discovery of God is, to see him in the face of Christ. The best sight of Christ is, not in a Crucifix, or the work of an idle Painter, but to see him in the word, and Sacrament; you have seen Christ crucified before your eyes, saith3 Gal. Paul to the Galathians: God worketh grace by his own means, and not by the bastardly means of mans invention. The knowledge of God is conveyed by Christ, and no other Mediatour▪ that knowledge which comes neerest the knowledge of God in Christ, is not onelyonly disciplinary, but a sound saving knowledge, that sees things in their formall proper spirituall light, and not only in their shell.

2. This distinguisheth likewise them under the Law: AndThe seeing of the face of God under the Law. they see the face of God under the Law, poor distressed sinners, I but they see an angry face there, but if they will see God as they should do, and as true Christians, they see not his angry countenance in Moses under the Law, threatning men with hell, and damnation, but they see him in the face of Jesus Christ, reconciling the world to himself.

In the next verse the Apostle preventeth an objection; as he7 Vers. is very curious in prevention; for he was full of love; and desired to make way for himself in the hearts of them whom he taught; when he saw any thing between him and their hearts, he labours to remove it, by all the wit and policy that he could; and therefore he now preventeth an objection from the meanness of his person, and condition; you speak much of preaching the Gospell, what doth the world esteem of you? youThe Gospell a rich treasure though conveyed in earthen vessels. be a poor despised man. It is true, but I carry the excellent treasures of the love of God in Christ, nay, we carry it in earthen vessels, but it is a treasure though in earthen vessels, though conveyed by despised persons. And God hath a wise p. 48end in it: I look to Gods end, which is, that in the meanness of my condition, the power and excellency of what I teach, may come from him, and not from me; therefore he useth mean instruments in his great work. So that the words have a prevention of an objection.

And there is a double answer to the objection.

1. We are earthen vessels, but we carry a treasure in them.

2. Again, God doth it that the excellency of the power of my preaching may be of God, and not of us. To come to the particulars.

1. That the Gospell, and the knowledge of God in the face of Christ it is a treasure.

2. And the way to come to it is by the Ministry, our ministeriall dispensation of it is the way to convey it to others.

3. That Ministers as well as others, are but frail empty vessels, indeed they have a treasure conveyed by the dispensation that God hath set upon his Church, but it is all but by earthen vessels: These be the three things.

Then the next part, is, that the excellency of the power mayThe power of the Ministery to Salvation. be of God, and not of us; so that there is a power, and an excellent power shewed in the Ministry to all them that shall be saved.

There is a power in them that be reprobate wretches, and they feel it at length, to harden them more and more, to make them more bitter and worse, but in them that be s…ved, there is a power, and excellency of power in the ordinances of God.

This power is of God, and not of men, it is conveyed by man, but the power originally, tanquam à fonte, commeth from God; these be the parts.

1. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, the Gospel, theThe knowledge of God in Christ, is a treasure. What a treasure is. knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ, it is a treasure.

What is a treasure? we all know, experience sheweth, that it implyeth plenty, and variety of things of price, and rare things, not common, and them of excellent, and speciall use for the time present, and to come, for ornament, or for security, or defence, or for discharge of debt, and trouble, or for help, and comfort; when any want lyeth upon a man, he hath recourse to his treasure.

p. 49The Gospel is a treasure, in these, and all other respects that may be comfortable.

For here is plenty, variety, rarity, price, usefulness, in the highest degree, for in Christ who is the chief thing in the Gospell, we have all.

1. There is plenty in Christ, treasures of wisdome, and of allChrist a treasure. good hidden in him for our good; the Apostle saith, in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, and he is all in all, he is our riches; the particulars I have unfolded ou… of a portion of Scripture heretofore; he is wisdome, he is righteousness, and2 Cor. 1. 30.2 Cor 1:30 sanctification, and redemption; wisdome to supply our ignorance, righteousness to supply the guilt, which we stand charged before God with, and so he is righteousness to our consciences; he is sanctification to the defilement of our natures, our conditions and persons being miserable; he is redemption to us, partlyOur natures taken into one person with God. of our souls in this life, and of soul and body in the life to come; he hath all by grace of union; for our natures being so neer, as to be hypostatically united, and taken into one person with God.

As there be three ways of conveying excellency, union, revelation,Three wayes to convey excellency. and vision; So Christ hath it by union, we by revelation in this world, by vision in the world to come.

Now Christ hath a fulness in him, partly by vertue of this union, and partly Ratione officii, as he is the head of the Church; for where should we be, but in the head? the head is wisdome for the body. All the senses are in the head, it sees, it heares, it understandeth for the body, it doth all for the body; so that the riches of a Christian is hid in Christ, but for the good of the body; whatsoever we stand in need of, God is alsufficient,God sufficient to supply whatsoever we stand in need of. and Christ is God-man, and we are knit to Christ by faith, so that Christ, and we are all one, and therefore a Christian hath a rich treasure in Christ.

2. And then he hath price, and excellency in the things we have in him; if any things be excellent, these things are; they raise our condition above the common condition of the world, nay, above Angels in some sort, making us heirs, and fellowheirs with Christ; it makes us the Sons of God, sets us at liberty from our cursed condition, and not onelyonly at liberty, but in a state of advancement, as high as our natures can reach unto. p. 50Liberatio à summo malo, summi boni hab…t rationem, Freedom from the greatest evill, which is damnation and destruction, it hath respect to the greatest good; but then, together with freedome from the greatest evill, we have advancement to theAll grace is precious. greatest good. Indeed we can hardly conceive of the excellency of the things we have in Christ, every grace is precious.

1. How precious is faith that layeth hold of all the graces in Christ, and makes them our own?

2. What precious grace is love, that makes us to deny our selves, and communicate our selves to the good of others? A world of good a loving soul can do.

3. And so the hope of life, what an Anchor it is to stay the soul in all conditions patiently and contentedly? And every grace is precious, and needs must every grace be precious, considering the price they cost. Things dearly bought are precious, and every grace of the Spirit, and the Spirit it self is purchased by the blood of Christ: For the Spirit hath no communion with us, till peace be made between God and us, by Christ, but when God the Father is reconciled by Christ, then the Spirit a friend of both, commeth from both, and assureth us of the love of both, discovering the secret love of God in Christ, and bestoweth all grace to furnish, and fit us for heaven. So that the graces of the Spirit are precious, and to be accounted precious, because they cost so dear as the blood of Christ.

3. And then for usefulness, what use have we of every grace? what were our lives without grace? what serve treasures for, but to pay our debts? Christ paid all your debts to God the Father, to Gods justice; we are all discharged, one red line of his blood drawn over the debt book, crosseth all the debt. Satan hath nothing to do with us, in him we have remission of sins, and he is now in heaven to make intercession for us, and plead our cause as our friend. At Gods right hand, we have a friend, and brother in our nature, that maintaineth the love of God constantly to us as his members, and as his spouse.

Besides, we have comfort in all distresses; and we have strengthThe Spirit comforteth in all distresses. in all our weaknesses; light, and direction in all our perplexities, by the Spirit, and grace of the Spirit. So that in every respect, Christ and the graces of the Spirit are satisfying treasures.

p. 514. The Gospel which revealeth this is a treasure, specially for the time to come, for then is a treasure specially usefull. Christ is a rich store-house, and in him we have all, for the time to come we have more in Christ than here, when Christ shall be revealed, and we shall be revealed, then our treasure will appear; And before that at the hour of death, when all comforts shall be taken from us, then comes in the treasure of a Christian, then he hath use of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ to support him; and the spirit of faith, and hope, to strengthen him with patience, and willingness to go to Christ; then come in all the riches that he hath laid up, all the spirituall graces for to help him at that hour. So that specially then in time of need comes in these treasures, Christ with his grace and Spirit. The best use of Religion is in time to come. Now we can makeChrist and the graces of the Spirit, the best treasure. a shift with Riches, and Friends, and strength, but when all is done, we must have a better treasure, that is Christ, and the graces of Christ.

We may refer all to these two heads, Christ partly imparted, and partly imputed. That that is imputed is his righteousness by which we have freedome from hell, advancement to Heaven; And the imparted and bestowed favours are the graces of his Spirit for all times and services; we have remedies for all maladies, And they are of an higher nature than all other treasures whatsoever.

Therefore to shew the difference between this and other treasures,Excellency of a Christians treasure. to raise up the estimation of Christ, and the good things in him, these treasures we have in Christ imputed and imparted,

1. They are independent. The comfort of them doth not depend on any inferiour comfort, or things in this world, bu… when all comforts are taken away, then they are of speciall use.

2. And as they be independents, so they be universall, Christ and the good things in him, are unversally good for all turnes. There is no other treasure but is for particular ends, and cannot do all things. Riches can make a man as happy as Riches can do, and dainties make a man as lively as such things can do, and friends can do what friends can do, but all is limited, they cannot do more than in the spheae of their Activity; but what p. 52is said of Money that it is good for all things; I am sure it is true of the grace of God in Christ, It is good for all things, and all conditions, It is an universall good.

3. Then it is a treasure that is proportionable to the dignity of a man. It is proportionable to the soul to satisfie the desires thereof. A mans desire is larger than any pleasure in the world, A man can spend all his contentment in an earthly thing; In hisEarthly contentments cannot satisfie the Soul. thoughts and affections, he runneth through the contentment of all earthly things presently. If a man had all earthly contentments the soul would pass through them all, & see beyond them, and when he hath done, he looks on them as soiled commodities, and cast things, but the treasures of the Gospell in Christ are proportionable to the soul, they be spirituall, as the soul is spirituall, nay, likewise they be larger than the soul; the treasure is larger than the treasury. But of other things the treasure is but little, the treasury large, but here the treasure is larger than the treasury, for our soul is not capable of the fulnesse of Christ. There is more in Christ, and more in our state of happiness than the soul can contain; the soul can never spend, nor run through all the good we have, for there is still more and more; therefore the Apostle cals it, Eph. 3. The unsearchable riches of grace. Search more and more, and still they be unsearchable; Neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man, to conceive of the excellent things in Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 9.1 Cor 2:9they transcend the capacity of the soul, which no other treasure can do.

4. And then they have another excellency, They make the soul, and the whole person a treasure, as God saith, Mal. 3. I will make up my Jewels. The grace of God makes us gracious, turneth us into Jewels. No other treasure can changeThe high excellency of the grace of the cask wherein it is, but these blessed things of God, and of Christ, wheresoever he dwelleth, he makes the soul like himself, stamping his own Image and likenesse upon it, for such is the change of nature into grace that it makes us treasures.

Other treasures perhaps makes us worse, as indeed they do, by reason of the pronenesse of our dispositions to earthly things, they soil and stain our natures. But these treasures of excellent things purifie our natures, make us better, and change us into the nature of themselves, nay more, grace changeth the p. 53worst things to be good to us, that is the excellency of its vertue. They talk of the Philosophers stone, and strange things, but I am sure the grace of God is so excellent a treasure thatGrace turneth all to good. it extracts good out of every evill, and as grace turneth all to good, and so the sanctifying spirit concurring with it, draweth the greatest comforts out of the greatest crosses. And is not that a rich treasure that turneth the worst things to good? I… will make every thing to guide us to the main.

5. That our affections may be raised higher; all other treasures whatsoever they be, here we find them, and here we must leave them, whether we will or no, or they will leave us. As the wiseman saith of Riches, They have Eagles wings, Peritura perituris, we must leave perishing earthly things, to perishing men. But is this treasure of that nature, or no? for it makes the soul eternall, it doth raise the soul to be spirituall, the soul carrieth them to heaven with it. The earthen vessell indeed is crackt to pieces, but the treasure remaineth, the soul goeth out of this earthen vessell to heaven, and thither carrieth all the love it had, and all the graces, and the Image of Christ it had, all is there perfectly, nothing is taken away. As we say of an earnest, it is part of the bargain, and not taken away again, Luke. 11. ult. it was said of Maries part, that her part shall never be taken from her. All other things will be taken fromThough all be taken away, yet the good things of Christ are durable. us, we shall be stript of all, and turned naked into our graves, we know not how soon. As we came naked, so must we be turned naked, but Maries part, the interest in the treasure of the Gospel, and the good things of Christ, shall never be taken from us; but shall be perfected in Heaven. When friends are taken away, and life taken away, and all comforts taken away; yet Maries part indures for ever; when nothing will comfort, all our treasures faile, as at the hour of death, then comes in this treasure and comforts most. So that herein it differs from all treasures, it is never taken from us, and stands us in greatest use and stead in our greatest necessity.

6. And which is of speciall use, other treasures we cannot carry about us whither soever we go. But this is like pearl rather than treasure. A Christian carrieth his treasure where soever he goeth, nay he carrieth it in his heart, it is hid there, and who can take it out thence? Can the Devill? no, It is p. 54hid in his affections, his love, and choise, and Judgment, hath gotten it, and mastered it. This I have, and this I must stick to in life and death, for having got it in his heart, Judgement, and affection, he carrieth it wheresoever he goeth, maketh use of it wheresoever, in Prison, at liberty, abroad, or at home, let all the Devils in Hell conspire, they may take away his life, but not his treasure, they must leave him the Gospell; perhaps they may take it out of the Book, but can they get it out of the soul? Indeed, unlesse divine truths begotten into the heart, theThe malice of Satan against the truth of grace. Devill will come between us and our souls, and rob us of them, but if it be in the judgement, and heart, we carry it with us, and that continually, and in all places, else it could not serve for all turnes. You see then in what respect this treasure is so excellent.

First, that we may believe these things, we must believe God, and believe his Saints, and believe Christ.

1. God by his Spirit saith it is so, Prov. 3. 14, 15. The knowledge of Christ and the good things by him, nothing is to be compared to them; Gods judgement, is the rule of the goodnesse of things, If he saith, it is so, it is so, Christ calleth it a treasure, that a wiseman that hath Gods Spirit in him will sell6 Matth. 29. 12 Luke 21. …6. Luke 11.Luke 21:6Luke 11 all for to obtain it. Lay up treasure in heaven, Labour to be rich in God, for that is true riches.

2. And for the servants of God, take Moses, and St. Paul; what was the Judgement of Moses, In comparison, The worst things that can be in Christ, and Religion, are better than the best things that can be in the world. What are the worst things?11 Heb. 26. shame and reproach, together with poverty, and the like, but the reproach of Christ, which is most insufferable to the disposition of one that is a man: but the rebukes of Christ, are greater riches, than all the treasures of Egypt; Nay, Moses ballanceth them; He layeth the reproach of Christ in one scale, and the treasures of Egypt in the other, and the reproaches of Christ is the heavier scale. Take Saint Paul, Phil. 3. He3 Phil. puts into one scale all his excellencies, whatsoever he had, He was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, without reproof, as to the Law blameless, after he was a Christian, he had excellent graces, abundance of the Spirit of God, No man, next to Christ, discovered p. 55a greater portion of the Spirit of Christ, and yet, not only I did before my being in Christ, account of my Pharisaism, and righteousnesse of the Law, and civill life, but note, I do, when I am well advised what I say, I do, doubtlesse esteem all dung in comparison of the excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus foreign.Christ, and to be found in him, not having mine own righteousness but the righteousness of Christ, that is the Jewel of Jewels, the treasure of treasures, for thereby we come to have infused righteousnesse, imputed is the most usefull, and therefore the Apostle so esteemes that, that in regard of it, he esteemed the otherforeign quasi foreign. Suidas intestinum quod canibus abjicitur. Lap. Significat id quod omnes aversantur. Zanch. in Loc. Exhortation. nothing; & thinks he hath not done enough till he hath set disgracefull termes upon it, calling it dung, offall, that which is cast to Dogs, he will suffer the losse of all righteousnesse, reputation, and all, that he may gain Christ. Thus if we beleeve the judgement of God, and of men led by the Spirit, and of Christ, we must needs judge this an excellent treasure.

Use. Therefore let us labour to have our parts and shares in this excellent treasure of Christ, and the good things of Christ, to give no rest to our soules, till we have union, and communion with him, in whom all treasures are hid. Get the Spirit of Christ, whence all graces and comforts be derived; what will all other treasure do good, when we stand most in need? when we lie gasping for comfort, as we must ere long, what will friends, and possessions do good; What will these farther you, when you go swelling, and puffing, against Gods Ministers, and truth, and them that be better than your selves. What will they do you good that thus leave you? Alas, nothing at all. It will only fill your soules with despair, and horror. The knowledge of God in Christ, and the Spirit▪ of God to seal it, and to sanctifie hard hearts, is the only thing that will comfort us; it will not comfort a man on his death bed, that he hath worn gay Apparell, or been acquainted with great Persons, or born so high a place, or tasted of so many dainties; Alass, when he reflecteth on these things, what good will they do? This will do him good, I remember such promises, such comforts,Promises of mercy the greatest comforts to a dying man. such precious mercies, that have been unfoulded to me, the work of Gods Spirit in me, hath led me to such and such holy actions, as the fruits of his Spirit. I remember Christ hath been unfoulded to me, that I might cast my self on his p. 56mercy. These things may comfort, but other things may be, objects of discomfort, but comfort, they can yeeld none. I beseech you let us consider wherefore we came into the world, and wherefore God hath given men great parts. We are sent as Factors into the world to trade, being all Merchants; And what do we trade for? for this commodity that we should carry to Heaven with us, that we may go stored to Heaven with them. If a Merchant send a Factor into a foreign Country, and he bringeth nothing but baubles and trifles, can he give a good account to him that sent him? Doth God send us into the world to get a great deal of hard clay, and of ill gotten goods for pleasures, and to deifie our selves, and others, to make our selves much more the Children of the Devill, than we are by nature? No, we are Factors for great matters, to get the knowledge of God in Christ, to get neer acquaintance with God; to get out of the state of nature, to get neer to Heaven, these be the ends wherefore we live in the world. This earth, and this Church of God is a fit place, a Seminary, a Nursery, wherein we grow, and are fitted to be transplanted to the Heavenly Paradise. Wherefore do we live, and wherefore doth God give these excellent parts by nature? Is our understanding to exercise it self in the dirt of the world? Is this heart, these wills, and affections given to cleave to baser things than our selves? hath he given love, so sweet, so large an affection, toLove a sweet and large affection. cleave to things below? which is capable of Christ, of Heaven, of Happinesse. These excellent capacious soules of ours, which the world cannot contain, are they for any thing that is meaner than our selves? O No, they serve for Christ, and for these excellent treasures. O that we should forget the end of our Creation, Redemption, live here, and labour not for the things which we live in the world only to attain to? but let the Devill abuse us. As they catch Whales, with casting empty barrels about them to play withall: So while we be playing about this and that vanity, we are made a prey to Satan. How few live to that purpose for which they are? Few fit themselves for their eternall condition, by heaping up comforts from these things, which may be true comforts. Lay these things to heart, that we may be wise to purpose, wise to Salvation, this is our wisedome, and our understanding.

p. 57Quest. B…t how shall we know whether we have interest and Ʋse 2 Examination. How to know if we have a part in this treasure.portions in these excellent treasures, I, or No?

Answ. 1. We may see our interest in them, esp…cially, by our esteem of them. If they be presented to our souls indeed as God doth, and as Christ and the word of Christ presents them, then it is an argument, that there is a tincture in our spirits, whereby they are made suitable to the Spirit of Christ. If they be presented excellent things, and beyond all comparison, all the things thou canst think of are not to be compared with them▪ do we so present them to our selves, that we esteem of them as Moses, & Paul, & Gods Children do? do we so esteem of grace, that if it were left to our wish, whether we will have any thing in the world, or a greater measure of grace, of the love of God, of union with God, what choise would we make? our estimation and choise will discover the frame of our hearts. As we esteem, so we be: If it were left to our own opinion, and wish, and desire, would we make Davids choise, Psa. 4. When many said, who will shew us any good? a right temper of a worldling, who? it is no matter who, Let any shew me any good, do but shew it, I have waies enough to get it: But saith David, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. Life is in the favour of God,Psal. 63.Ps 63 nay, the favour of God is better than life it self. I had rather part with my life, than the favour of God; saith Paul, My life is not dear to me, so I may finish my course with joy. Now do youActs 20 24.Acts 20:24 esteem Communion with God, and peace of Conscience, higher than life? It is a good sign of interest in Christ, when you have this estimation and choise on him.

2. Again a sign of interest in this treasure is, when we haveHow to know our selves to to have an interest in this treasure. grace to make use of it on all occasions, for together with graces, the Lord gives his Spirit to make use of them, in our afflictions, in our troubles. And therefore they that make not use of the Scriptares, and promises of good things, they have in Christ, have no part in this treasure. What is the use of a treasure if it be not applied to our occasions? if we run to earthly contentments, and never make use of our best grounds of comfort? Christ giveth an excellent note of discerning, where Matth. 6. 21.Matt 6:21the treasure is, there the heart will be, wouldest thou know whether thy treasure be in earth or heaven? where is the heart? that is, where is thy love, thy joy, delight, aske thy soul what p. 58thou lovest most, what thou most cleavest in affection to, whatHow to know that our hearts be Heavenward or not. thou delightest most in, there is thy heart. And therefore they, that have few thoughts, and very shallow, and weak thoughts of the better state to come, and of the state that th…y have here in Christ, and the excellencies in Christ above the world, that do not think of these things with joy, and love of God, their heart is not there, therfore their treasure is not there. They that have hearts eaten out with the world, if they were anatomized, you should find nothing but projects for the world. Anatomize their affections, there is nothing but the love of the world, and vanity, and emptyness, and which is worse than emptiness, much sin, and evill, that Satan hath brought into the world. And if nothing be found in the soul, but worldly vanities, and profits, Alass, where is our treasure? our treasure certainly is here, and not in Heaven, for where the heart is, there is our treasure.

They that have treasures, Oh they mind them. Therefore we shall see worldly men, they have nothing in them, you shall not have a savoury word of goodness, their minds are like mines of Gold and Silver, they say of them, that where they are, the ground is alwaies barren, because the metall sucketh out the juice, that should cherish it: And so it is with all the minds of earthly men, enter into an Heavenly disco…rse, it is not for them, they have not a word with them, they have no savour, no relish of it, they shew a distaste, yet if it be brought in by occasion of mortality, a short thing will serve, but they will quickly be in the old tract of the world, they be so unwilling to dwell in the meditation of these things, that they be meer strangers to them.

3. A man will think of his treasure, and look on it, as a covetous man, that though he use not his Gold, yet will open his Chest to look on it; excellent is the colour of it. Shall aNote. worldling joy in refined earth, and shall not a Christian delight to reflect on Christianity, and his comforts in Christ, and his future estate? and what blessed conditions abide in him, and being for ever with the Lord, and having such Rivers of pleasure? The oldest man, the dullest wit, will never forget where he layeth his treasure, and when we cannot call to mind this comfort, and that comfort, and things usefull for us, it is p. 59a sign they be not treasures to us, for if they were, we would make more of them.

I beseech you therefore labour more and more, that as things are in themselves, and as God who is the rule of all truth, doth judge of things, so let us judge of things, let them be to us, asThings are to be judged, as God judgeth of them. they are to him; and as they are in themselves. If they be treasures, the blessings and comforts of Gods Spirit, and the good things of Christ, let them be so to us? never leave begging of God, that we may have a sanctified judgement, to have the same mind of them, that he hath; and to this end ballance them often with other things. As Moses did, and as Paul did, lay them in the scale, and consider the emptiness, and vanity of all things besides grace and the Spirit, and the good things of Christ, and what other comforts they will afford. God hath given wit and discourse, how shall we use them better then by comparing different things, and answerable to our comparing to make choyce; we should shew our selves wise men in our wise choice, and good men in our good choyce; how else should we shew our selves to be what we would be thought to be.

There be treasures in these poor vessels of bread and wine.Sacraments. Now what treasures are conveyed by them, if we look on themselves? bread is an ordinary thing, but the good conveyed to us by God, is conveyed by these common easie things. Thus God delights to shew himself in common ordinary wayes to us; therefore raise up your thoughts from the commonness of the things, to the excellency of the things conveyed; what is conveyed by bread? the body of Christ crucified, and what is conveyed by that? God reconciled, in Jesus Christ, by the sufferings of Christ, the love of God, and mercies of God, and pardon of sins; great good is conveyed by the bread broken, for Christ is conveyed, with satisfaction to divine Justice, and thence favour, and reconcilement with him. And so when his comforts are represented by refreshing of our bodies; Christs body is meat indeed, Christs blood is drink indeed; the benefit of Christs blood, and satisfaction are great things that are conveyed by a reverent receiving of the Sacrament; if we come preparedly, we have communion with Christ, in whom are hid all treasures.