Sermons (pages 315–356) – Part 2 (pages 335–354)
Ser.XIV.
the Way of Salvation.
brethren, behold I afccnd to my Father
and your Fa"
ther.
This is one of ihe wonderful things brought about by the work of redemption, That thereby our separation from.God, is made an occasion of a greater union, than was before, or otherwifc would have been. When we fell, there was a dreadful separation made bctwrxt God and us, but this is made an oceafion of a greater union'. Job. 17. 20,21,22,23. Neither fray I for these alone, but for them also which sh all believe on me thro" their word : that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me.and I in thee : that they also fnay be one in its : that the world may believe that thou
nd the glory which thou gavefl me I have iven them : that they may be one.even as zue are
ha/} sent me.
one, I in them,
and thou in me, that they may be mads
perfed: in one, adly.
Man now has grea*er manifellatlons of the
than othcrwife he would havG Man's happiness condds principally in the manifbftations of these two things, viz. of the glory and Jove of God. Now, man by the work of redemption,
g ory and love of God, had.
has greater manifeflation of both of them, wife he would have had.
than other-
We have already spoken
of the glory of God, and what advaneven the Angels have by the discoveries of k in this work. But if rhey have such advantages, much more, will man who is far more directly concerned in particularly tages
this affair than they.
A nd here is in this work, immensely greater displays of the love of God, than man had before he fell ; dtv as we may well suppose, than he would have had, if he
had never fallen. God now manifests his love to his people, by fending his Son into the world, to die for them. There never would have been any such niony of the love of God, if man had not fallen.
tefii-
Christ
T/jff
Wisdom of God iifplayd Se R XIV. .
Christ manifefls his love.by coming into the world, and laying down his life
This is the greatcft tcflimony
of divine love that can be conceived, immenfcly gr. alcr
than all bicftings would have been,
bellowed upon
man in innocency and without any humiliation,or fuffcring of any of the divine pcrfons.
This
greater
tcftimony of divine love
than otherwise would have been thought of, or known to be poftible. Now surely the greater difcovcries God's people have of God's love to thi m,ihe more happy must
they be
the more they
see of God's love to them, the more occasion will they
have to rejoyce in that love. Here wili be a de ighcful theme the faints will have ro contemplate to all eternity ,which they nev r could have had, if man never had fallen, viz the dying love of Chrill. They will have occalion now to sing that song for ever,in the first chapter of Revelations, ver. 5, 6. Unto him that loved us,
and tvafhed us Jrotn our sins in his own
blood, and
hath made us kings and prtefls unto God and his fa'ther, to zuhom be glory and dominion forever, amen. 3dly. Man nov/ has greater motives offered him to love God than otherwise he ever would have had. Man's happiness confifls in mutual love between God :?nd man ;--in seeing God's love to him and in reciproAnd the more he f s o Gods love cally loving (jod. to him, and the more he loves God, the more happy muH he be. His love Uo Gk is as ncceirary in order for to his hnppinefs, as the seeing God s love to him ;
he can have no joy in the beholding God s love to him, any otherwise than ns he loves (jod. This makes the faints prize God's love to them, becau sc they love him. if they did not love God, it wou d rot rejoyce them to make them happy, to see his love bccaufe they would make light of his love to them The more any person loves another, and dcfpife it. the more will he be delighted in the manifcftaiions of ;
that other's love.
Thero
Ser. IV.
tn the
Way of Salvation.
There is provision therefore made for both in the work of redemption. Boih,that there fhonld be greater manifedationsof the love of God to us,than there would have been, if man had not fallen, and also that man flioiild love God more than he would have done, if he had not fallen. And that therefore there are greater motives to love him than otherwise there would have been.
There are greater obligations to love him,
God has done more for us to win our love. died for us.
Christ hath
Man would have had noJueh motives to
none to be people God's compared to it. The greater motives hearts will their indeed have to love God, the more be drawn forth to love,and consequently the more happy the love of God,
if man
had not fallen
will men be.
And then, man is now brought to a more universal and immediate and sensible dependance on God, than All his happincfs is otherwise he would have been. now <9/him, ihro him, and in him. If man had not fallen, he would have all his happiness of God, but he would have had it by his own righteousness but now He would have it is by the lighteoufnefs of Christ. had all his hoiinefs of God, but not so sensibly b( cause then he would have been holy from the beginning, as soon as he received his being there never would fwve been a time when he was not holy, and so it's derivation from God would not have been so sensible as it is now, when he is first sinful and univcrfaily corrupt, and ;
If man
afterwards is made holy.
had held
inte-
grity and perfevcr'd in obedience ihrough the lime trial,
he would
have- had all his happiness from God,
have been happy firfl bc an to exist in a constant uninterrupted manner, and mifcry would have been a Granger to him and therefore happiness would not have been so sensible a derivation from God, as it is r40W, when man looks to God from the deeps of but
not {o
for he would
sensibly;
from the time when he ;
diurefs, the Wijdom of God d'tfflay'd
Ser. XlV.
and waits upon him,
distress, cries repeatedly to him,
being convinc'd by abundant experience, that he ha's no where cKe to go but to God, who is graciously pleafcd in confequcnce of* man's earnest and persevering f uit to
appear to his relief, take him out of the miry clay and horrible pic, and fct him upon a rock, and eflabhfh his goings, and put a
new song into his mouth*
By man's having thus a more immediate, and univcrfal and fcnfiblc dependence, God doth more intirely fethere is greater motive —to love him and
cure man's undivije<l re(pe( K
for man to make God his all in all,
rcjoycc in him as his only portion. 4thly. By the contrivance for our salvation,
man's
fm and mifcry arc but an occasion of h'ls being brought to a more ful! and free converfc with, and enjoyment otGod For as we have obthan otherwifc would have been. and the greater served already, the union is greater the union, the more full the communion, and intimate ;
theintercourfe.
And then, man has this advantage, that Ghrift is come down to him, in his own nature and hereby he may ;
convcrfe with Christ more intimately, ihan the infinite I have beliiftarce of the divine nature would allow. fore obfervcd this advantage as what tl.e angels have,
more man's advantage than the
'tis
angels.
Chrilt is not only in a created nature, but he is in man's
own nature. And so vvc have advantages for a more full enjoyment This end is also obtain'd in the work of rt demption, v'.z. that by Chri'Vs incarnation, the faints
of God.
may see God wichtbcir bodily eyes, as v/ell as by an They may lee hini in both ways of intel!c£tual \icw. seeing,
which their natures,
bcinp; body ;ind spirit,.
faints -after the day us judgment, will
TUq capable of. coniiil of bjih body and soul outward as well c}-vr wi(Jom, ti at r.s
spiritual (
And lb they will have It i> now ordered of
hjiifrii
iivine ptrfon
Ihould
XIV.
in the Way of Salvation
till
fnould be the principal entertainment of both these kinds And that the faints in of sight, spiritual and corporal.
heaven should not only have an intellectual sight ot God, but that they fliould see a divine person asthey see one another which fliall not only be spiritually, but outwardly. :
The body of Jellis Christ will therefore appear with that transcendent visible majesty and beauty, that is ex-
ceeding expreHi e of the divine majesty beauty &:glory. The body of Christ (hall appear with the glory of God upon it, as Christ telis us that he will come at the day or judgment, with the glory of his Father, Mat. i6. 27.
he Son ofmanjjmll come in the glory oj his Father, This will be a great happiness to the faints thus to see God. Job comforted himfeifwith this, that he fiiould see God with his bodily eyes, Job 19. 26. nd thol* after my skin, worms deflroy this body, yet in myjlejh jhall I see God. 5ly, and lastly.
Man's sin and misery is made an oc-
cafion of his greater happiness, as he has now a grearel" leliih of happiness, by reason of his knowledge of both. In order to happiness, there mu(t be two things, viz.. his union to a proper obje61: and a rclilli of the object. Man's sin and miicry is made an occafiow of increaling both these, by thework of redempiion. We have fliewn
that
too ; and
that
already that the union is incrcafed.
only increased but the
re.ifli
knowledge that man now has of evil.
by the
These contra-
good and evil, heighten the sense of one another. And therefore the forbidden tree was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 'Tis the tree of the knowledge of evil because it was by that that we came to the experience of evil. If it had not been for our eating of that tree, we never fliould have known what evil was. And it is also ihc tree of the knowledge of Good because we fliociki never have known so well what good wes, if it iiad not been for that tree* Wc are taught the value of good,
ries, rkewtfdomofgoddifplayd
SehXIV.
by our knowledge of it's contrary, evil.
This teaches
us to prize good, and makes us the more to rclifh it and rejoycc in it.
This is made to be the effefl of the fruit of chat tree
They there-
to the faints by the work of redemption.
by know fomeihing what a slate of (in and alienation from God is. They know something what the anger of God is, and what it is to be in danger of heU. And this makes them the more exceedingly to rcjc»yce in the favour of God, and in the enjoyment of God. Take two pcrfons one that never knew what evil was, never was in any misery but that was happy from :
the firfl: moment of his being, having the favour of God,
and all manner of tokens of it. And another that is in and let there a very doleful, lofl and undone condi[ion be bellow'd upon these two persons the same blcfllngsj the same good th ngs and Jet them be objectively in the same glorious circumflances, and which will rei was brought to this that mod Icfs he Doubt Joyce So the happiness out of a miserable and doleful ftatc. faints in heaven will for ever the more rcjt-yce in God, and in the enjoyment of his love, for their being brought to it out of a most lamentable (late & condition. They thereby know what cvi is;and great danger of it. Other things might he mentioned* where the happiness that the faints have by the rcdcmpiion of Christ docs exccll the happiness that man had before the fall ; or that he would have had, if he had stood. But these :
may fufece. Having thus obfcrvcd feme Wonderful circumflances of the good attain'd for us by this contrivance, for our
redemption, JlTdly.
flanfunccs
— proceed now, 1
To take notice of some wonderful circumof
ih.c
overthrow of 5aran that is attained
thereby.
The wiidom of God doth greatly and re-
markaMy
appear
exceedingly baffling and con-
founding all the jubti!ty of ihc old fcrpent.
Ser. XIV.
in the
Way of Salvation.
As we have already observed, power never appears sb conspicuous as when opposed and conquering oppoficion It never apfo the same may be (aid here of wisdom. pears so brightly and with such advantage as when opposed by the fubcihy of some very crafty enemy and in :
baiiling and confounding that fubtilty.
The devil is exceeding fubtil.
The fubtilty of the
serpent is emblematical of it,spoken of, Gen.
ISlow
theferpent was more fubtil than any beafl of the feld He was once one of the brighteftlnteijigences of heaven, and one of the brightefl if not the very brightefl of ail.
And all the devil- were once morning itars.of. a glorious They llill have the same brightness of understanding. facuties, tho' they ceased to be influenced and guided
by the holy spirit of God and o their heavenly wisdom is turned into hellifli craft and fubtilty. ;
in the work of redemption hath wondrously bashed the utmost craft of the devils and that tho' they arc all combined, and have al as it were laid their heads tog thcr to contrive to fruqraic God, in his designs of glory CO himself, and goodness to men. The wisdom of Gid appears very gl rious herein. We shall take notice of lome inflances wherein. I. The weak and seemingly defpicaple means and weapons tharG d makes use of to overthrow satan wirhal. Chrid poured the greater contempt upon satan, in the viftory that he obtained over him by reafonof the means of his preparing himself to sight with him, and the weapons that he hath made use of. Chrifl when he prepared himself to sight with satan, he as it were lays aside his llrength he takes on him the human nature, and nukes himself a weak morta'. He chufcs to sight wiih faian in the human nature, in a poor, frail, afflifled date. Ir was hiswif to overcome satan thus He did as David did. David when he was going againfl the phililline refused to go with Saul's armour, with a helr et of brass upon his head and a coat ,of mail, and his :
sword.
WiJJom of God d\splay\l
Ser. XIV.
No,hc puts them off him. GoHah comes migh* armed againd David, with a helmet of brats upn
sword. ti'y
head,
and a coat of mciil weighing five ihoufaml of brass, and greaves of brass upon his legs.and a target of brass between his fhouldcrs; and a fpcar, whole flat! was like a weaver's beam and the fpcar's licaj weighing fix hundred shekels of iron And besides ail this, had one bearing a ftiicld iliai went before him. But DaVid takes nolhina but a flaf 'in hfs hand, and a fluphcrds bag and a fling, and goes .nrainfl the philidjne. And the weapons that Chrifl made use of were his j overty, afflictions and reproaches, (uffcrings and death. His principal weapon was his own cross
hir,
flif kels
the instrument ot
own reproachful death.
Thefc
were sj cming'y weak a'nd despicable inQriinient< .. to go and flglu agninft such a giant as satan w iih.
And doubt-
them as much as Goiiath did David's f|-aves and fling. But with such wejpons as thele has Chrifl in a human, weak, mortal nature, overthrown all the reproach, and baffled all the craft of hell. Such disgrace and contempt has Chriil poured upon fitan, much more than if he had overcome satan with some very pompous and magnificent apparatus of armour, as he that overcomes his enemy with a v/ooden sword puts him to the greater disgrace, and he has the greater triumph over him. AsDavid had amoreglcrious vii ory over Uoliaih for his conquering him with such difpicable inflruments and Samlbn over thephilifiines, for kil;ir>g so many of them with such a defpicablc weaJ C'n as the jaw- bone of an ass. It is spoken of in scripture as a glorious triumph of Christ over the devil, that he should overcome him, by such a despicable weapon as his cross. Col. 2. 14, 15,
less the devil disdain'd
Blott'iDg cut the band-writing of ordinances that "was ajrainfl us,
which tuns contrary to us, and took
c/ the way, nailing it t:> his cross :
and having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a [bew of t kern openly, triumphing
over them in it»
in the Ts qy of Salvation,
GOD fliews his great and infinite wisdom in taking this
to confound
mtthod,
the wisdom and fubtihy cf
He hereby fliews how easily he can do
his enemies.
and that he is infinitely wiser than they i Cor. i. 27,28,29. God hath c hofen the foohjh things of the tvorid, to confound the zvife ; and Gi)d hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things that
are mighty : and the haje things of the world things that ore despised, hath God chosen : yea, and things that are not to bring to naught the things that are,
EPHESIANS
iii.
71? the Intent that now unto the Principalities
Powers in h-e a ve7ily 'Places wight be k>;own by the Church the manifold Tfi/dom of God. i
A Nother wonderful circumdance of the over/ \ throw of satan, in the work of redompcion, i?,
God own weapons.
has Ic
hereby confounded satan with his is
contrived in the work of
enemy
be made a means of his oivn confusion and thac, by ihofe very things, whereby he endeavours to rob God of his glory, He is made a means of frufhaand to dedroy mankind.
demption,
that our grand
fliould
ting his own deiigns. His mofl: fjbtil and powerful endeavours for the accomplishing his designs are made a means of confounding ihem, and of promoting the
contrary.
Of tbis; I v/ill mefiiion but two inQanccs.
Fir/f,
— The Wijctom of God (iifphyd
Il6 Firjl
His procuring man's fall is made an cccriHon
of ihe contrary to what he defigncd.
Indeed
has hereby procured
ihe ruin of multi-
tudes ts mankind, which he aimed at.
does not fiuflrate God
But in this he
for this was God*s dcfign from
eternity, to g'orify himfclf in the damnation of" mul-
mankind. And it will prove no contcKi to him, but his own misery. Bui what fatnn did in tempting man to fall is made an occasion of the contrary to what he intended, in that it gave occasion for God to glorify himself the more and as a! To it giveih occasion for the elc<fl's being bro't titudes of
we have flicvvn. The happy Hate that man was in was envied by sat:;n, That man that was of earthly original n-,ou'd be advancM to fu h honors; when he v ho was ojginaily of a so much more noble nature Ihould be cafl doun to such disgrace. His pride culd not bear it, that inan that dwelt in a houfc of clay, fiiould be made io much of, while he* was in such misery. And how, may we conclude, ih.at latan triumphed when he had brought him down
to l;i 'hcr happincfs
The devil tempted our
fir ft
they eat of the forbidden fjuit, it
was a lie in
satan's mouth
parents with
iliis,
that if
they fliould be as Gods for
aini*d
ncihing
clfe but to fool man ouf. ol" hishappinefs, and make him his own slave and vaftal, being like a god.
v\iih a
blinded expedluiion of
But little did faian iliink that God would turn it so, make man's fall an occasion of one in the liumau nature a«51ua!!y being a divine pcrfon. Man's eating the forbidden fiuit i> made an occasion of God's becoming as to
and ih an occasion of our nature's being advanced
10 a union to God, (o as lo be the same person.
By this means
comes to pafg,
that
mans'
nature, that iatan io envycd, dow fits at the right hand of
Ser. XV.
the Way of
Salvation.
of God, Invcfled with divine power and g'ory,and reigns over heaven and earth with a god- like power and domiThus is Huan disappointed in hi? fubciliy. As nion. he intended, that saying, * Ye Ihall be as gods was Litt e did he think, a lie, to decoy and befool man. tl at it would be in such manner verified, as it is>by the incarnation of the son of God. And tlien this is the occasion also, of a'1 the ele<n: be«
ing united to this divine person, so that
one with CliriO:
vers are as Christ
they become
nre as it were parts of him. ;
Belie-
m mbers and paitr> of Chrifl.
So the Church is called Chrifl. Little did satan think, th his telling that lie to our first parents, Ye fiiall be as Gods, would be the occasion of their beinii as Christ the Son of God. Again, satan is made a means of his own confusion
was faian*s dcfign in tempting man to sin. have plagued him and triumphed over him. And this very thing is a means to bring it abou,l, that man inilead of being his vaflal fnould be his judge. It is the very means, that the elcd, indead of being his captives, to be for ever tormented and triumphed over by him, in this
to make man his capiive and slave for ever; to
fhouid fit as judges to fentcnce him to cverlaQing torment. 1 c has been ihe means, that one in man's nature,
be his fjpream judge. It was man's nature that satan so envied, and sought to make
viz. Jesus Chriit fliou Id
a prey of.
But Jesus Chrifl at the lafl day,shall come
mans nature
and itic devils fliall be all brought to and he fliall judge, and condemn them, and exxute the wrath of God upon them. in
stand trembling at his bar
Christ shall come in the human nature: in a nature in it self much inferior to the original nature of the devils
to do this.
And this, satan's tempting m:ui
to (in, has been the occasion of.
For It was ihe fall of
"The Wifiom of God difpuy'd
SerXV.
mnn that satan procured, which was
the occasion of ChriiVs being in the human nature. And riot only shall Christ in the human nature judge
the devils, but all the faincs lliall judge them wich Chiit; ?is
aflirtors
with him in jadgmcnt.
Know ye
Hot that we [hall }ud- e angel f, ScconJly. In nnother inllancc Hitnn is made a means of his own confugon and (hat is in bis procuring the death of Chrifl. Satan set himfclf to oppofc Christ as soon as he appeared. -c fonght by all means to pro;
cure his ruin. He set the jews againR him. He filled ihc minds f the fcribcs anj phan.fccs with the most bitter perT curing malice againfl Chrifl.
mca;is to procure
his death ;
the moll ignominious death *'
And Chrid fpcaks of his fufter-
of the power of darkness, Luk.
read could be. and tempted him to be-
tiiat
that satan cnlrcd into Judas,
ings as being the
He f)Ugh[ by till
and tiiac he might be put 10
TVben I XV as daily with you in the temp'e, ye
fretchea forth no hands ajraiiifl me : but this is your hour and the power of darkness. Bin satan hereby overthrows his own kingdom. Chriil came into the world to dellroy the woiks of the clevil.
cVath of
And this w. s the very thing that .(S it, viz. the
hrifl.
Chrifl
overcoo'CS fitan by his blood.
Kcre it is that the whole work of redemption is builr,
The cross was the devils even the blood of ( hrifl, own wenpon. Christ overthrew, satan with this weapon. As David cut rft Toliath's head w'lii hi? own sw.jrd. Christ's th.u> making satan a means of h's own confiifion was typify *d of old by Samfons gettinghoncy Hicre is more implied cut of the carcafe of the lion. cater came forth meat, of ihs in Samson's riddle, "Out the flrong ca\ne ioriii fweetncfs, than ever / nd it was a saying thai is the philiflinrs explain \1.
vcrHy' il '
by Chrifl in a hr more glorious manner
Skr. XV.
the Ifay of Salvnticn.
by Samson's getting honey our of the carcafc of the lion.. God's enemy and our s are taken in the pit which they and ihcir own fotii is taken in ihemf elves have digged the net which they have laid. Thus we have shewn in Tome mgafurc the wisdom of this way of salvation by Jcfus Christ. This introduces the next general head, which was to :
fnew,
That
this wisdom
above the wifdoiu of the
And iho' This wisdom is altogether divine. Angels. the angels are fpirirs of glorious wisdom, yet it was above their wisdom to contrive such a way of salvation. If it ha
been put to them to find out a way for man's
redemption, they all would have been nonplus'd. The wisdom of this contrivance appears to have been
above the wisdom of the angels by the following things. I. It appears that this wisdom in that they themtill fclvcs did not fully comprehend the contrivance, They knew that man was they iif ' it accompiifhed. to be redeemed, long before Chrifl cime into the world but yet they did not fully comprehend it until they saw Tl'his is evident by the cxpreffion in the text. it. '* That now might be known unto the principalities Noiv the work is the m.anifold wisdom of God. e. Which implies actually accompliQied by Jesus Christ. tliat it was now new to them. If they under'lood no more of it now, than t.icy had all along, the Apofllc v/ould never have exprcftcd himself so for he is (peakit of as in myQery, a ing a mcafure kept hid until no'v. They doubrlefs undcrflood much of it before buc :
they did nor u. derlland all. They had 1 new discovery when Chrifl came and performed the v/ork.
to be confidercd,
that the
angels had bad
four thonfand years lime to contemplaic and look into this affair.
And they did spend that tim in fludying
for they did not
Wcint inclination and deHre to
undeilland
The Wifhm of God cyifplajd
Se r
understand it and look into it, as the scripture tcache? And they had a great deal to pu: them upon an
aitantivc contcinplaiion of
For when
known thn God had such a design,
was made
mud appear a It was a new thing. They it
wonderful thing to ihcm. had Teen their fellow Angels deftroycd without mercy. And this redeeming cf the fallen sinful creature, was quite a new thing. It must needs be aqonifhing to them, when God h id revealed this design of mercy to them prefcntly after the fall and had given an intimation of it, in laying. "The feed of the woman shall ;
bruise th. ferpcnt's head.
They knew
that
God liad
such a dcfjgn ; for ihey were fiom the beginning minififing spirits,
sent
forth to minider to thofc that were
the heirs of salvation.
The/ were sent forth to mini-
them, that were rcJeemai by Christ ever fine* the fall. They were prefe-'t at the inQitution of the typical difpenfaiion, that was so full of fliadows of (ler to
gospel things ; as is evident by Pfal. 69. 17. The angels contemplating the contrivance of our
redemption was typified by the posture of the cheruThey were bims over the mercy- fear, over the ark. made bending down towards the ark and mercy seat This is what the apoflle PeUr is thought to have some reference to,
So that they sc r four thousand years had been fludying this contrivance, and yet they did not fully compre-
hend it (ill ihey saw it accomplilh cd. This fhcws that the wisdom of it was far above their for if they could not fully comprehend it afwifdo'm ter it had been revealM that there was such a design and after much of it had already been n»ade known, as If they not withflanding it was in the old tclhment could not fuiiy underhand it, after they had (ludied how much less four ihoufand years together upon it without any thcmlclves could they ha e found it out of ;
thing being ever made known to ihcm o[ it.
They that have
SeR.XV.
Way of Salvation.
in the
have four thousand years time to Hudy a thing, have sufficient trial whether it be above their underllanJing or not. It will appear if we confi Jer for what end this wis-
dom of God was made known unto them, viz. that they 1 was made known to them, nnight admire and prize ic. how g e. t and that they might see how manifold it is 1
glorious it
might
that they
the unspeakable
dcpchs of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, as the Apostle exprefles ir, Rojn. 11. 33. to
them
was (liewn unto the angels that
It was manifeiled
glory of God in it.
they might see was. iiefs
might see the
how great and wonderful the myftcry
Godlinels
fied in the spirit,
Great is the mystery of godli-
God was manifefl in the flelh, judl-
seen of angels
Now if the wisdom of own
that they
understandings, this
it were not far above their would not be shewn them,
for them to admire and praifc. It appears in
that ihey are
and endeavouring
flill
contemplating of
more and more of
There is so much wildom in this way of salvation, that there is room for the faculties of Angels to employ It is evident that the Anthemfelves to all eternity. gels are flill employing themselves in
endeavouring to
more and more of God*s wisdom appearirg in the wo.k of redemption, by 1 Pet.1.12. * Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Chriff which was in them - -did signify, when it teflified before hand of see
the (ufferings of Christ,
low.
and the glory that fliould fol-
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto them-
selves, but unto us they did minister the
things which
are now reported unto you by them that have preached
the gospel unto you,
with the Holyghoft sent down
from heaven ir.tQ.
-which things the angels deftre to look ; Ic is noL said that ihey desire to look into it before
The Wijdom of God di/plajd
fore Christ cnme sf'ter
Ser. XV.
but iluy {1111 desire to look into ir, ihcy luvc fccn ii accomp Iflied. Now ihcy don't ;
pcrfcdly C(>n-ij)rcliei d all ihe wisdom ihac is to be but ihcy arc comcinplailng, looking into it, that thty may see more and moie and never will hav so
fecn in it
fully (xhniifled to al thi.<
eicrnity
But here will Hill
work be room enough to cmj loy
dcrfliindinrs.
APPLICATION.. I.
Hence wc may carn the biindnefs of the worlJ,
that thewildtm appearing in the work of rcdcmprion
no more admired in it.
Gcd has revealed this his glo-
He has lent
rious c e(jgn and contrivance to the world.
forth his gofpch and caulls it to bo prcrched abroad in
the world, to declare to the world
his infinite wisdom
has been set on work for man's falvatlon. But how little is it regarded There are some that do see ; !
eyes opened to behold the wondrous things of the golpel, to see the glory of God in, and to
that have there
admire the wildom of it. But the greater part are wholly blind to ir. They see nothing in all this that glorious and Tho' the wonderful. is any way Angels are so lurprized at, and so attentively behold and confidcr, and aecount it worthy of their molt yet the greater pure engaged and deep contemplation of them that ha\e ihc Gospel here on earth, take little It is all a dull floiy, and dead letter to notice of it. They see no such wisdom in it, as chara(5lerizes them. They are so far from seeing it to be of divine original. any wisdom in it, that it is above the wildom of the Ange s, that they can't see any thing in it above the wis cni of men. They can difcovcr nothing in it above what is human, that (hould make them conclude ;
more than the invention of men. it is any thing Yea the golpel to many fccmsfoolifhncfs so that they qu eft ion
Ser.XV
Way of Salvation.
in the
queflion whether it be of divine original or not.
there are many that do openly deny it. Tho' ihe light that fliines in the world be so exceed- '
The ing glorious, yet how few are there that do see it. glory of God's wisdom in this work is furpafling the brightncfs of the sun fees nothing.
but so blind is the world that ic
It don't know that the sun of righteous-
ness fliines.
Thus it has been In all sges, and wherever the gof.Ministers of the word of God, had occasion to say, Who hath believed our report, and to vvhonris the arm of the Lord repel has been preached.
in all ages have
vealed ?
Thus it was of old, under the preaching of the proThey were sent to many with that errand, Jy /.
phets.
"Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but
underhand not
and see ye indeed,
but perceive nor.
Make the heart of this people sat, and their ears heavy, and (hut their eyes, leil they fliould see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed.
And o it was in Christ's time, when
that glorious
prophet came, and more fully revealed the counsels of God concerning cur redemption. How many were
How much did Chrifl: comHow blind were the scribes and pha-
there that were blind plain of them 1
men among the jews for they beheld no glory in that gofj el which Chrifl preached unto them which gave occasion to
rifees,
the mofl noted fe£t of
wisdom
Chrifl to call them fools and blind.
So it was again in the Apoflles times. In all places where they preached, some believed, and some believed
not, 2B. 24. "As many as were ordained to eternal life believcd,C/ /). 1 3.4S. "The clc<flion obtained,
but the reft were blinded, jKi?;w,
* Wijdom of
G od di/playd
And so it is dill in thofe places where the gospel is There are a few that have their cyrs open God has a fmali number whofc eyes he opens, who are called out of dark-
preached.
to see the glory of the gospel.
Who have an underftandu.g given them of the way of life, to see the wildom ar.d
ncfs into marvellous light.
fjtnefs
of that way.
But how many are there that fit under the preaching of the gospel, all their days, that never see any divine
wisdom or glory in it To their dying day they are unaft'eflcd with it. W!.en ihey hear it,they see nothing to attrafl their attention, and excite any admiration. To preach the gospel to them will fervc very well to lull them aflcep but very little other c c upon them. This fliews the exceeding wickedness of the heart of man, That infinite wifdoni fliould be 1
so set on work, as to fur prize the Angels, and to enter-
tain them from age to age and that this wisdom should be o plainly set before men, and after all it fnould appear foolishness I Cor. I 1 8. 'The preaching of the cross is to them that perifli foolishness. Infer. 11. This is a great confirmation of the truth of the gospel. The gospel (lands in no need of external evidences of its truth and divinity. It carries its ;
own light and evidence with it.
There is that
nature of it that fufiicienily distinguishes it to thofe who re spiritually inlighrened from all the esse -ss of human
invention.
There arc the evident appearances of the the stamp of divine glory, of which wisdom is not the leaf} part. much in the gospel to fhcw that it is no
divine perse£lions; this of the divine
There is awork of men, as there is in the sun in the firmament. Pcrfons that are come to the mature cxercife of their
rcalon and look upon the sun, and conflict thenattiie of it, its wonderful height, it's course, it's brightness and hcat may knowchat it is no work of man. jSo if the
nature
Ser. XV.
in the Way of Salvation,
nature of the gospel be duly confldered, if the true nature ol- it is seen, it may be known chat it is no work
of man, and that it must be from God. If the wisdom appearing in the gospel be-dulyconfidered and underHood, it will be seen as much to excel as the sun's light excclls the light all human wisdom, of fires of our own inkindiing.
The contrivance of our salvation is of such a nature, as that no one that duly confiders it can rationaljy con-
clude that man had any hand in it. thoughts, of a inventions
nature
The nature of the
way of all human different from all human
contrivance is such, so out of so
so much more sublime, excellent
and wor
thy, that
don't favour at all of the craft or fubtilty
of man
favours of God.
If any are ready to think man might have found out such a way of the salvation of sinners ; so honourable to God j to his'holiness and authority, they don't well confider the scantiness of human underflanding.
Man-
kind were of a poor capacity for any such Undertaking for 'till the gospel inlighten'd the world, they had but miserable notions of what was honourable to God. They could have but poor notions of what way would be fuitavle to the divine pcrfc<ft!ons for they were wofully in the dark about ihcfc divine perse ions themfclves, till the gospel came abroad in the world. They were ignorant of the nature and perse<Slions of God. They had strange notions about a Deity. MoU of them thought there were manyGods "They chang'd the glory of the incorruptible God into an imsge iiketo corruptible man, and to birds and four footed bcails and ;
Rom. i. 23. They aitributcd vices Even the philosophers;, 'their wifcat men en-
creeping things, to God.
teriain'd but imperfect notions of ihc
fupream Being.
The Wisdom of God dlfpuyd
Sf-JI.XV.
How then should man find out a way so glorious and honorable to God, and agreab'e to his perfcdions, who had not wisdom enough to get any tolerable notions of God, \\\\ the gospel was revealed to them. They groped in the dark. Their notions shew'd the infinite infnfiiciency of man's blind undcrftanding, for anyfuch undetaking, as the contriving a v/ay of salvation, every way honorable to God, and suitable to the needs of a fallen creature.
But since the gospel has told what God's counsels are, and how he has contrived a way for our salvation, men are ready to despise it, and fooliihly co cxak their own underflanding and to iirijgine they could have found out as good a way ihcmfelves. When, alas men of ;
themfelvcs had no notion of what was honorable to God, and suitable for a divine being. They did not so much as think
of the neceftuy of God's law being answered,
andjuffice satisfied.
And if they had, how dreadfully
would they have been puzzled, to have» found out the way hozv. Who would have tliought of a trinity of pcrfons in the godhead ; and that one fliould sustain the rights of the Godhead and anotl:er should be the ;
Mediator J and another fiiould make application of redemption Who would hiwe thought of such a thing as three all the same diflin l: pcrfons, and yet but one God Being, and yet three persons Who would have tko'c of (his. in order to have found out a w .y for the fatis«
fying julVice., V\ ho
would have thought of a w.iy for the answering
the law that threaincd eternal death, vvi:hout the fmner's suffering eternal death.
And who would have ihoiight of any such thing as a Person that
v/as
'Vjrath oj God !
God.
faring the have would who
a divine Person
Ard if they had
cojitrivc'i