The Greatness of the Mystery of Godliness, Sermons · Sermon 5
SERMON V.
1 TIM. 3.16.
God manifested in the fleſh, &c.
ALl divine truths, though they are but one in ſubſtance and nature, yet they are various in their manifeſtatations, and have their particular glory and luſtre that ſparkles from them.
Here is in this verſe one and the ſame glory of God diſcovered in divers adminiſtrations, and yet every one ſhining forth in a diſtinct excellency. God was manifeſted in fleſh, made the object of ſhame and miſery in the world, humbled and abaſed in our fleſh, and that God is againe juſtified in the Spirit, and ſet forth as an object for Angels to looke and admire, and for the world to lay hold on and beleeve, and then this God is taken up againe into glory, that is, advanced to that dignity which he ſeemed to leave and bid adieu unto for a while; and all this but a delineation of the various conditions and conſiderations of one and the ſame perſon Jeſus Chriſt, and carrying on but one deſigne in ſeverall repreſentations for the good of poore ſinners. This is that which the Apoſtle cals a great myſtery, that is, the moſt hidden and profound deſigne that ever God undertooke to act, wherein all the depth of his counſels and heart was. For here is nothing elſe but God appearing in manifold ſhapes and formes to make poore ſoules partakers of himſelfe, and raiſe up our conditions to a ſtate of happineſſe and glory.
Of the firſt of theſe particulars we have largely ſpoken, it being the prime and great myſtery in this great order of myſteries. And yet there is ſo much in it as may againe take up our thoughts with new wonderment, what can be more ſweet and precious than a manifeſtation of God to poore Creatures; but for God to be manifeſted in fleſh ſo ſutable to us, herein lies the myſtery; that is,
1. God manifeſting himſelfe in a way of humiliation, as one that would lay aſide his glory to come and live with us, and undergoe the pooreſt and meaneſt condition for us.
2. In fleſh, that God ſhould make our owne nature which had ſinned againſt him, and was ſo infinitely below him, to be our great ordinance of reconciling us to himſelfe, and the organ of union, and communion with his own bleſſed nature; for God to manifeſt himſelfe unto fleſh is not ſuch a myſtery, it may ſoone be conceived; God did manifeſt himſelfe to Adams nature: But that God ſhould be manifeſt in fleſh is the great myſtery of godlineſſe; God himſelfe taking fleſh, and dwelling in it with all his fulneſſe, and advancing that fleſh into oneneſſe, and making that fleſh more glorious than Angels; through that fleſh opening all his Counſels, dying, and ſatisfying for the tranſgreſſions of fleſh, and making the richeſt diſcoveries of love and free grace unto the ſons of men, this may well be called a myſtery, and a great myſtery, an aſtoniſhing, and amazing expreſſion: And all other myſteries are wrapt up in this, this is that which Angels do ſo pry into.
Let us view it a little more in the contrivance and depth of it; God had an eternall deſign to diſcover his infinite love to ſome beſides himſelfe, he therefore creates a world of Creatures, ſome rationall, and only capable of love, others irrationall, and ſerviceable to that one Creature which he makes the top of the whole Creation; ſet up one man Adam as a common perſon to repreſent the reſt, gives him abundance of glorious qualifications, ſet him over the workes of his hands, made all ſubject to him, as if he were the darling of love. Now one would thinke Gods love and glory had been centred here, that he had taken up his abode for ever; but behold this man was but for a day, he fell from God, and all that were in him, even the whole world, and all theſe beloved ones that were in Gods eye from eternity fell with him into the ſame gulph of ſin and miſery; Gods face is hid, not a ſight of him, but in flaming fire to condemne ſinners, and execute vengeance; but God had a further reach of love, and wiſdome, and out of this darke cloud let ſome glimpſes of another diſcovery, though ſo darkly that few could ſpell it, or make any comfortable ſence or application of it to their own ſoule: But by degrees God hints it out more, points out with the finger by types and ſhadows, makes ſome models of it in outward Ceremonies, yet all hid and darke, that in three thouſand yeares men were but gueſſing, and hoping through promiſes for a manifeſtation of God. And this is the meaning of that in Eph. 3. that it was hid from Ages and Generations of men, that is, hid in Gods breſt from them, they knew not what to make of this deſigne; but at laſt God opens himſelfe fully; and what doth all this workings end in? why, in this, that God is manifeſted in fleſh; the whole of all this myſtery is ſummed up in this, that God tooke the fleſh of theſe poore ſinners which he had ſo loved, and joynes himſelfe to it, and cals it Chriſt a Saviour, and Redeemer of theſe poore ſinners that lay condemned by the Law, and under condemnation with the whole world; and God comes to lye in the wombe of a Virgin, to be borne as we are, to live in the world in the pooreſt and meaneſt eſtate, as if he had not wherewithall to lay his head, he dies in that fleſh, and is glorified in it; and joynes it ſo nigh, as that there is a communion of properties between them; that attributed to God which is proper to fleſh, as to be borne, to ſuffer, that to fleſh which is only proper to God; who can chooſe but wonder when he thinkes of this phraſe, that a peece of fleſh ſhould be called God, and God who is immortall, incomprehenſible be made fleſh, and dwell among us; fleſh infinitely provoking God, and God in the ſame Fleſh infinitely pleaſed and ſatisfied. God veiling himſelfe with Fleſh, which was a way to darken his glory, and yet unveiling at the ſame time the deepeſt and darkeſt of his deſignes in the moſt bleſſed and comfortableſt way to ſoules; this ſwallows up our thoughts, and raiſeth our faith to beleeve any thing, after this, when a ſoule can look on God as in his owne fleſh, and ſee him at one time as Saviour, and his Father, and his Friend, and his Reconciler, as his Juſtification, and his Sanctification, how can his heart containe within it ſelfe, but leap out of it ſelfe as one loſt in the admiration of it; all the actings of Salvation turne upon this hinge; when Chriſt was borne into the world, the Apoſtle ſaith, Joh. 1.14. We ſaw his glory as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, noting out, that at firſt ſight of him, ſo much glory ſparkled from him as could appear from none but a God walking up & down the world, or at leaſt his own naturall Son that came out of his boſome.
I will adde but two things by way of uſe to ſhut up this point.
Ʋſe 1. Study this myſtery above all things, nothing ſo pleaſant, nothing more deep, come but once to know the myſtery of God in our fleſh, and thou wilt deſire ſoone to be taken into fellowſhip with it; the Apoſtle deſired to know nothing but Chriſt, and him crucified, this is none other than the Lord Jeſus; whatever expreſſion is given of godlineſſe, it is none other than God in Chriſt; what delight ſhould ſoules take in the looking on their own happineſſe? with what joy ſhould we draw water out of this well of Salvation; the great reaſon of the ſhallowneſſe of our comforts, the ſhortneſſe of our hopes, the faintneſſe of our ſpirits, the lowneſſe of our graces, is from the not knowing this myſtery: we looke on our ſelves, on our preſent attainements, at ſome ſcattered promiſes, but not fully on God in Chriſt; God in our own fleſh, a ſoule would ſee here a fountaine opened of grace and comfort that could never run dry.
1. God hath ſet our own nature as a vaſt pipe to his Godhead, that it may flow out in all manner of fulneſſe upon our hearts; our fleſh ſtands not for a cypher, but it is an Organ of life and grace to us. If we ſaw ſuch a fulneſſe in our owne fleſh laid in on purpoſe to inrich us, would we be ſo poor, want ſo much? VVe eye this, and that, but know not that all the fulneſſe of God lies in our own Fleſh, to be emptied upon us.
2. God hath in our own fleſh laid out the modell and draught of what he will doe unto all his Saints for ever, for he made Chriſt the great Epitome of all his deſigne, and thou maieſt ſee thorough thy fleſh at once, what thou art deſign'd unto, and how high and rich thou shalt be, what a deſign God hath upon thee; for look what was done to our Nature in Chriſt, shall at length be done to all the perſons of the Saints in Heaven. If we knew this, how high would our hopes be, and how lofty our expectations, after the utmoſt inrichings of the great God? For to what end hath God made fleſh ſo glorious, but to ſhew what he will by that make us.
3. What ever God is in himſelfe, thorough our fleſh, he is to us, if he be good, or mercifull, or gracious, or powerfull, &c. For this manifeſtation is a ſuiting of all that God is to us, that when we eye this myſtery, we may ſee what ever God is acted out to the comfort and benefit of our owne poor ſoules; God himſelfe making all his attributes and glory ſerviceable, to the good ends of his poor creature, and that in and thorough their owne flesh.
Oh, my Brethren, let not ſuch a ſtrong hold be paſſed by, not ſuch a treaſury be unlookt into: In this myſtery, you have Heaven brought downe to Earth, yea, more then Heaven; For God himſelfe is come downe to open his heart to you. Let nothing take off your eye from this, ſet Faith on work immediately to eye this fulneſſe; one mite of Faith on God in Chriſt, that is in our owne Nature, brings in more grace and comfort then a thouſand conſiderations of any thing elſe; yea indeed, it is the only ſpirituall way of conveighing all comfort to the ſoule; there is no ſaving knowledge of God, but as he is manifeſt in Chriſt, and doe not thinke that God is gone out of flesh, that is, that Chriſt hath left his humane Nature behind him, and is only gone up in his ſpirit to Heaven, nor but this flesh of thine is received up into glory, and ſtand as an eternall monument of love, and is the great Ordinance unto the end of the world of life and ſalvation, and God ſhall come againe in the ſame fleſh, though not as abaſed, but glorified. Oh Brethren, what ſucceſſive ſweetneſſe, and without any intermiſſion, would flow out on your hearts, if you did by Faith lay your heads at this pipe: How canſt thou want grace, when thy own fleſh hath it without meaſure, and on purpoſe to fill thee? why art thou ſad, when thy own Nature is made reconciler of thee to God? Bretheren, you live not like men under this deſign, that know what ſuch a myſtery meanes, you would ſee enough and to ſpare, a redundancy of every thing you want in this Lord Jeſus; and the floods of immortality and glory would ſoone break over your unbeliefe, and ſwell your hopes and joyes, beyond all bounds. God hath made our Nature a Myne of all ſorts of rich and pretious graces, that by digging into it, we may ſee our eſtate. Whatever the perſon of Chriſt hath in himſelfe, is all to convey unto us. Oh, that you were but inſighted into theſe glories! had but acquaintance with this diſcovery of God, how bleſſed might you live! What a happineſſe muſt it needs be, to ſee God in our own Nature, and our Natures in him, and to behold nothing elſe but love, acting in a fulneſſe of all grace and glory, to a poor ſoule!
Let your whole ſpirits be carried out thus fully to Jeſus Chriſt, and with both hands, even with heart and ſoule claſpe about Jeſus Chriſt, and you will ſoon find depths of love and grace, power and ſweetneſſe, overflowing and ſwallowing up your heart.
A ſoule hath ſpace enough to expatiate its ſelfe, and hath a ſure Rock to reſt on; other things are narrow, and circumſcribe the thoughts; all the promiſes of particular graces are gathered up in this one manifeſtation of God. Thinke upon love in this or that communication, either in outward or inward graces; ſtill we are ſhut up, our thoughts can goe beyond all that; but God manifeſted in Chriſt, there is room enough for a ſoule to let out his utmoſt thoughts, and to inlarge his affections, and yet there is no taking in by one ſoule, the vaſtneſſe of this myſtery, or the compleatneſſe of this fulneſſe: When a ſoule hath got out grace enough for this condition, and yet ſtill that fountaine runs, and knowes no proportion; if we would therefore ſtudy to know how to uſe this myſtery, we ſhould find out comforts exceeding our doubts, and our ſupplies our wants. VVhen Saylers are out in the Ocean, they feare not, though ſtorms ariſe, and the Ship toſſe: But when they come nigh land, then they feare, Sand and Rocks then lye undiſcovered. So it is with a poor ſoule, as long as he lancheth out by Faith into the fulneſſe of Chriſt; it is ſafe in the midſt of the greateſt ſtormes, all the feares of unbeliefe are, when we come nigh the ſhore of our own duties and performances, and come to ſee the land of our weak workings, then wee come into ſhallow water, and ſtick faſt in miſpriſions, and are ſcattered by doubts and feares, becauſe there is not water enough, not a ſtream deep enough to bear up the burthen of our ſinking and dying ſoules.
That we may therefore know how to act our Faith to get ſtrong conſolation and full ſupplies.
1. Faith muſt goe directly unto God as in our fleſh, that is, unto Jeſus Chriſt, and take in nothing by the way which may divert its ſtrength, never ſtop untill it faſten on this fulneſſe of God in Chriſt. For when the eye of Faith roles here and there, and takes in but partiall ſights of Chriſt, as in ſome particular promiſe only of this and that grace, and doth not fully ſet on Jeſus Chriſt, as God in our Nature, it loſeth the efficacy of that influence, which alſo would come, and beſides, it divides the ſtrength of its owne act, which is moſt ſtrong, as it doth adaequately relye on Jeſus Chriſt, and ſingly cloſeth in with him; for the truth, is, promiſes and actings, or what ever way God lets out himſelfe, is but to allure and draw on the ſoule to an immediate cloſe with the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Know, that though there be ſome things in Chriſt, which are moſt proper for ſome acts of Faith; as Chriſt dying, and crucified for a recumbents Faith unto the ſatisfying of his ſoule, in the pardon of ſin; yet the ſtrongeſt and pureſt acts of Faith are theſe, which take in Chriſt as ſuch a perſon, laid out in all his glory, and all his offices as ſutable to the condition of the ſoule. And the more comprehenſive acts of Faith are taken in Chriſt in his fulneſſe, the more are the injoyments of it, and the more lively the influences; As the more Iron is ſet at the advantage of the ſtrongeſt point of the Loadſtone, and adaequately laid for an immediate cloſe, the ſtronger expreſſion is left; and the more powerfull it is attracted, all ſuch electricall bodies, worke (as all other) according to the propinquity, immediation, and adaequateneſſe of the approach of other things of a ſutable Nature to them. Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 12. looking unto Jeſus, the Author and finiſher of our Faith, ſtanding and beholding as with a ſtedfaſt eye, what he is, from firſt to laſt, as the Author and finiſher of our Faith. So in another place, 1 Pet. 2. To whom come as to a living ſtone, we are built up, &c. Theſe looſe and tranſient glances on the actions and offices of Chriſt, bring in but looſe and ordinary communications; but hearty and full out-goings to him, as God is in him, and as ſuch a perſon, thus and thus qualified from Heaven, carries power and life with it. And theſe vaſt and ſerious ſpirits who are not content only with flaſhie or ſecondary actings on Jeſus Chriſt, but are longing to be diving into the depths of Chriſts glory and excellency, carry along with them impreſſions of an abiding and tranſforming Nature. Oh, therefore be ambitious only of apprehending what is the riches of this glorious myſtery, and let not courſe and common apprehenſions of Chriſt content you.
Some think it a carnall apprehenſion of Jeſus Chriſt, to know him as in fleſh; it is true, to apprehend him abſolutely ſo, as only having fleſh, and going up and down in weakneſſe: But to conſider Chriſt as God manifeſted in fleſh, and that fleſh acted by God, and filled with God, is a true and ſpirituall apprehenſion of Chriſt, and that wherein lies one of the greateſt myſteries of godlineſſe; for we are not to underſtand this as a myſtery only for that time: As if God came and once manifeſted himſelf in fleſh to ſatisfie for the ſins of his Elect, and ſo to leave it down againe, but very fleſh remaines to this day, and ſhall remaine, and all the ſpirit and life which the Saints shall have unto the end of the world, is to be conveyed through that perſon which hath our flesh; yea, the Spirit it ſelfe dwels in it, and is conveyed through it; therefore looke upon this as a ſtanding manifeſtation of God to your ſoules, and beleeve perfectly on it. See but how God hath fitted an object for faith in this myſtery. This expreſſion that God was manifeſt in Fleſh is ſo laid out, that it doth as it were create faith in every ſoule that looks in it.
1. What is fitter for a poore ſoule who hath nothing than God himſelfe, who is the utmoſt object of faith, the happineſſe of the poore creature depending on his relying on God. But,
2. Becauſe God himſelfe is offended, and the ſoule cannot find ground for faith in God himſelfe, you have God manifeſted in our own Flesh, that is, God takes up our nature, and joynes it to himſelfe as one perſon, and laies out that before faith: So that here is God, and God ſuited to the particular ſtate and condition of the ſinner; and not only barely acting towards us, but manifeſted in the greateſt love and fulneſſe to us; whatever may feed the humour of unbeliefe is deſtroyed in this: For God hath laid in that in our own nature, which doth not only ſuit, but ſwallow up the wants and miſeries of poore ſoules.
There be but three things can hinder faith.
1. The infinite exactneſſe of divine juſtice which muſt be ſatisfied.
2. The exceeding unworthineſſe of the ſoule.
3. And in the ſight of both theſe, the want of a Mediatour, or ſome ſutable perſon which may ſtand between the ſinner and God, which the ſoule may go unto, and firſt cloſe withall before it deales with the infinite glory of God himſelfe.
Now in this myſtery faith is fully ſatisfied.
1. God hath ſeemed to paſſe by, and overlook the unworthineſſe of his Creature, himſelfe diſdaines not to be as they are, to weare their own fleſh; and
2. That his juſtice may be ſatisfied, and their hearts quieted, he hath by the union of that fleſh ſet up a perſon which is nothing but fulneſſe, and righteouſneſſe, love, and bowels to receive the firſt acts of our faith, and to have immediate union, and communion with us, and yet ſtill this is God himſelfe manifeſted to us; and though we pitch not our ſaith immediately on God, yet at laſt we come to him, and our faith lives in God before it is aware as it were, through the ſweet intervention of that perſon which is God himſelfe called but by another name.
Take faith as it lies in adherence and recumbency, or as it may be ſometimes taken for an act of aſſurance, both have enough to lay hold on in this myſtery: For the firſt, Take the pooreſt ſoule that groanes under the ſaddeſt wants, and burthens, and ſeemes by ſin to lye at the vaſteſt diſtance from God, yet he hath ground here to beleeve, that is, to go unto, and rely, and caſt himſelfe freely and fully, with the greateſt confidence on Jeſus Chriſt: For here is none other than God himſelfe offering himſelfe as the righteouſneſſe and riches of ſuch a poore foule, and that in ſuch a way as he ſhall be judge with his own eyes; and for the faith of aſſurance what a ground is there for a ſoule to be perſwaded of all the reality and truth of Gods intentions, ſeeing he hath ſo ſenſibly demonſtrated it in taking our own fleſh; if God cannot content himſelfe, who ſhall? And he profeſſeth he is pleaſed, and delighted in that Union, and ſatisfaction by it, which he hath in our nature; This is my beloved Son, in whom my ſoule is well pleaſed, Mat. 3. ult. Doubtleſſe Gods heart muſt needs be much in, yea, and infinitely ſet on the ſalvation of the ſouls of poor ſinners, ſeeing he hath made ſuch an overture to advantage it, as the taking up our fleſh which was ſo far below him; and what can poore ſoules now beleeve otherwiſe, but that God cannot be content with his own honour and glory alone, but he muſt impart it, yea, and to thoſe which have beene the moſt unworthy, and moſt contrary to him and his glory.
So that Beleevers, you ſee, how heaven and earth, God and man, are combined together to do you good, and what opportunity have you of living gloriouſly upon God in your owne nature; Faith deſires no more but an incouragement, and a perſon to cloſe with, and in both you have a ſutableneſſe from this, that God is manifeſt in fleſh; that God is manifeſted in ſuch a way as fleſh, is enough to move any heart to beleeve that he is as he acts; but this expreſſion doth not only ſtir up hope, but fits the very perſon ſo ſweetly, as if one would deſire, or propoſe a thing to ones deſires, it could not be more qualified than this, that God is manifeſted in fleſh; for here is God himſelfe brought downe to our termes, and made ſubject to our owne propoſitions. Oh that this exhortation might be of force but to improve this glorious deſigne to the ſupplying of all your wants, and the making up all your loſſes; and when you make uſe of Chriſt, go not to him as one who hath ſomething, but all things; yea, let faith have its courſe, and hinder it not from a full and immediate laying hold on the riches and fulneſſe of God himſelfe, both for Juſtification and Sanctification; for it is God himſelfe which in your fleſh is made the proper object of your faith.
Uſe 2. That ſeeing God is manifeſt in fleſh, that is, ſo bleſſedly in Chriſt for us, labour to get a manifeſtation of God in your own fleſh, for this is the comfort to your ſoules; what if God be made one with a common nature in Chriſts perſon if he be not made one with my ſpirit? You heare often that there is a myſtery in Gods being diſcovered in Fleſh, but who among you have had the manifeſtation of this God in your own ſoules? The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the ſweet fruit of his ſuffering, ſaies it lay in this, that the life of Chriſt was manifeſted in his mortall fleſh; doubtleſſe Gods deſigne of manifeſting himſelfe in fleſh in generall, was, that by that he might manifeſt himſelfe to fleſh in particular; and theſe ſoules can have no ſpeciall comfort in this, that God is manifeſt in their nature, (that is, in Chriſt) except they have a ſpeciall diſcovery of this God to themſelves; actions are ſutable to the being of things: if God be in our nature he will act in that nature what may be moſt glorious to the good of ſoules. Look to your own hearts what manifeſtations of God are there; Doſt thou ſay, thou beleeveſt that God was manifeſt in fleſh? And yet there is not a glimpſe of Gods glory in thy own heart; why, the Devils can ſay as much and periſh; why hath God taken up our nature? What, for himſelfe? No: But by that as a medium he might communicate himſelfe to our perſons; Let not ſoules flatter themſelves with generall notions of the Goſpell, and the myſtery of it; If God be not in thy perſon, as truly, though not as fully, as in thy nature, thou haſt no particular comfort from this deſigne; when Paul ſpeaks of the Goſpell in generall, he ſpeaks particularly of the manifeſtation of it to him as his comfort, It pleaſed God to reveale Chriſt in me, Gal. 1. whatever is done in our nature in common is to be done ſpiritually (though not litterally) on our perſons; and if God be revealed in Chriſt, and that Chriſt be not revealed in us, all is nothing; the end of God is by that to bring up our hearts to himſelfe, and that we may know what is the riches of that glory which he intends to communicate by the firſt fruits of it in our own ſoules.