Preached to the Gentiles
something the more of it, because we are subject to neglect this blessed truth. Therefore, for the time to come, let us take occasion to meditate oftener of this spring of comfort than formerly we have done.
'Preached to the Gentiles.'
Christ, our blessed Saviour, being the king of his church, it was not sufficient that he was 'manifested in the flesh,' and 'justified in the Spirit;' that is, declared by his divine power to be God; but he must have his nobles to acknowledge this too. Kings in their inaugurations not only make good their own title what they can themselves, but they would have others to acknowledge it. Therefore it is said Christ was seen of angels, those noble and glorious creatures.
But not only the greatest of the kingdom, but likewise the meaner subjects, must know their king. There must be a proclamation to them to know who is to rule over them. Therefore, Christ being a general catholic king, there must be a publication and proclamation of Christ all the world over. He must be 'preached to the Gentiles.'
But yet that is not enough. Upon proclamation, there must be homage of all those he is proclaimed a king to. Therefore it follows,
'Believed on in the world;' that is, the world must stoop, and submit, and give homage to Christ as the Saviour of the world, as the Mediator of mankind. Thus we see how these things follow one upon another. To come to the words, 'Preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world.'
These follow one another by a necessary order, for 'preaching' goes before faith. Faith is the issue and fruit of preaching. Christ is first
'preached to the Gentiles,' and then 'believed on in the world.' The points considerable are these:
First, That there must be a dispensation of salvation wrought by Christ unto others. It is not sufficient that salvation was wrought by Christ 'manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' but this salvation and redemption wrought, it must be published and dispensed to others. Therefore he saith 'preached to the Gentiles.'
And then this publication and 'preaching,' it must be of Christ. Christ must be published to the Gentiles. All is in Christ that is necessary to be published.
Then the persons to whom. 'To the Gentiles,' that is, to all. The church is enlarged since the coming of Christ; the pales and bounds of the church are enlarged.
And then the fruit of this. Christ being thus dispensed to the Gentiles, the world 'believes.' All preaching is for 'the obedience of faith,' as St Paul saith,' Rom. 1:5, and Rom. 16:19, 'That the obedience of the faith may be yielded to Christ;' 'preaching to the Gentiles' is, that he may be believed on in the world.'
First of all, There must be a dispensation of Christ.
See the equity of this, even from things among men. It is not sufficient that physic be provided; but there must be an application of it. It is not sufficient that there is a treasure; but there must be a digging of it out. It is not sufficient that there be a candle or light; but there must be a holding out of the light for the good and use of others. It was not sufficient that there was a 'brazen serpent,' but the brazen serpent must be 'lifted up,' that the people might see it. It is not sufficient that there is a standard, but the standard must be set
up. It is not sufficient that there be a foundation, but there must be a building upon the foundation. It is not sufficient that there be a garment, but there must be a putting of it on. It is not sufficient that there be a box of ointment, but the box must be opened, that the whole house may be filled with the smell. It is not sufficient that there be tapestry, and glorious hangings, but there must be an unfolding of them. Therefore there must be a dispensation of the mysteries of Christ; for, though Christ be physic, he must be applied; though Christ be a garment, he must be put on; though he be a foundation, we must build on him, or else we have no good by him; though he in his truth be a treasure, yet he must be digged up in the ministry; though he be a light, he must be held forth; though he be food, there must be an application. Of necessity therefore there must be a dispensation of the gospel, as well as redemption wrought by Christ; 'preached to the Gentiles.'
To unfold the point a little, seeing the necessity of it, to shew What it is to preach.
What it is to preach Christ. And, What it is to preach Christ to the Gentiles.
1. To preach is to open the mystery of Christ, to open whatsoever is in Christ; to break open the box that the savour may be perceived of all.
To open Christ's natures and person what it is; to open the offices of Christ: first, he was a prophet to teach, wherefore he came into the world; then he was a priest, offering the sacrifice of himself; and then after he had offered his sacrifice as a priest, then he was a king. He was more publicly and gloriously known to be a king, to rule. After he had gained a people by his priesthood and offering, then he was to be a king to govern them. But his prophetical office is before the rest.
He was all at the same time, but I speak in regard of manifestation.
Now 'to preach Christ' is to lay open these things.
And likewise the states wherein he executed his office. First, the state of humiliation. Christ was first abased, and then glorified. The flesh he took upon him was first sanctified and then abased, and then he made it glorious flesh. He could not work our salvation but in a state of abasement; he could not apply it to us but in a state of exaltation and glory. To open the merits of Christ, what he hath wrought to his
Father for us; to open his efficacy, as the spiritual Head of his church; what wonders he works in his children, by altering and raising of them, by fitting and preparing them for heaven: likewise to open all the promises in Christ, they are but Christ dished and parcelled out. 'All the promises in Christ are yea and amen,' 2 Cor.
1:20. They are made for Christ's sake, and performed for Christ's sake; they are all but Christ severed into so many particular gracious blessings. 'To preach Christ' is to lay open all this, which is the inheritance of God's people.
But it is not sufficient to preach Christ, to lay open all this in the view of others; but in the opening of them, there must be application of them to the use of God's people, that they may see their interest in them; and there must be an alluring of them, for to preach is to woo.
The preachers are paranymphi,* the friends of the bridegroom, that are to procure the marriage between Christ and his church; therefore, they are not only to lay open the riches of the husband,
Christ, but likewise to entreat for a marriage, and to use all the gifts and parts that God hath given them, to bring Christ and his church together.
And because people are in a contrary state to Christ, 'to preach Christ,' is even to begin with the law, to discover to people their
estate by nature. A man can never preach the gospel that makes not way for the gospel, by shewing and convincing people what they are out of Christ. Who will marry with Christ, but those that know their own beggary and misery out of Christ? That he must be had of necessity, or else they die in debts eternally; he must be had, or else they are eternally miserable. Now, when people are convinced of this, then they make out of themselves to Christ. This therefore must be done, because it is in order, that which makes way to the preaching of Christ; for 'the full stomach despiseth an honeycomb,' Prov. 27:7.
Who cares for balm that is not sick? Who cares for Christ, that sees not the necessity of Christ? Therefore we see John Baptist came before Christ, to make way for Christ, to level the mountains, to cast down whatsoever exalts itself in man. He that is to preach must discern what mountains there be between men's hearts and Christ; and he must labour to discover themselves to themselves, and lay flat all the pride of men in the dust; for 'the word of God is forcible to pull down strongholds and imaginations and to bring all into subjection to Christ,' 2 Cor. 10:4. And indeed, though a man should not preach the law, yet by way of implication, all these things are wrapped in the gospel. What need a Saviour, unless we were lost?
What need Christ to be wisdom to us, if we were not fools in ourselves? What need Christ be sanctification to us, if we were not defiled in ourselves? What need he be redemption, if we were not lost and sold in ourselves to Satan, and under his bondage? Therefore all is to make way for Christ, not only to open the mysteries of Christ, but in the opening and application to let us see the necessity of Christ. In a word, being to bring Christ and the church together, our aim must be, to persuade people to come out of their estate they are in, to come and take Christ. Whatsoever makes for this, that course we must use, though it be with never so much abasing of ourselves.
Therefore the gospel is promulgated in a sweet manner. 'I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God,' &c. The law comes with
'Cursed, cursed;' but now in the gospel Christ is preached with sweet alluring. 'I beseech you, brethren,' and 'We as ambassadors beseech you, as if Christ by us did beseech you,' &c., 2 Cor. 5:20. This is the manner of the dispensation in the gospel, even to beg of people that they would be good to their own souls. Christ, as it were, became a beggar himself, and the great God of heaven and earth begs our love, that we would so care for our own souls that we would be reconciled unto him. It was fitter, indeed, that we should beg of him. It was fit we should seek to be reconciled to him, but God so stoops in the dispensation and ministry of the gospel, that he becomes a beggar and suitor to us to be good to our souls. As if he had offended us, he desires us to be reconciled. The wrong is done on our part, yet he so far transcends the doubtings of man's nature, that he would have nothing to cause man's heart to misgive, no doubts or scruples to arise. He himself becomes a beseecher of reconciliation, as if he were the party that had offended. This is the manner of the publication of the gospel. I do but touch things, to shew what it is to preach Christ.
Use. Seeing then of necessity there must be a dispensation together with the gospel, let us labour to magnify this dispensation of preaching, that, together with redemption and the good things we have by Christ, we have also the standard set up and the brazen serpent lifted up by preaching 'the unsearchable riches of Christ' unfolded to us. It is a blessed condition. Let us magnify this ordinance, without disparaging other means, of reading, &c. This preaching is that whereby God dispenseth salvation and grace ordinarily.
And God in wisdom sees it the fittest way to dispense his grace to men by men. Why?
(1.) To try our obedience to the truth itself. He would have men regard the things spoken, not for the person that speaks them, but for the excellency of the things. If some glorious creatures, as the angels, should preach to us, we should regard the excellency of the preachers more than the truth itself; we should believe the truth for the messengers' sake.
(2.) And then God would knit man to man by bonds of love. Now there is a relation between pastor and people by this ordinance of God.
(3.) And then it is more suitable to our condition. We could not hear God speak, or any more excellent creatures. God magnifies his power the more in blessing these weak means.
(4.) And it is more proportionable to our weakness to have men that speak out of experience from themselves that preach the gospel, that they have felt the comfort of themselves. It works the more upon us.
Therefore, those that first preached the gospel, they were such as had felt the sweetness of it themselves first. St Paul, a great sinner out of the church, and St Peter in the church, he fell, after he was in the state of grace; that these great apostles might shew to all people that there is no ground of despair, if we humble ourselves. If they be sins out of the church, if they be sins against the first table, as Paul he was
'a blasphemer;' or against the second, he was 'a persecutor;' yet he found mercy notwithstanding, and for this end he found mercy, he saith, that he 'might teach the mercy of God to others, that he might be an example of the mercy of God to others, 1 Tim. 1:16. And so, if we relapse and fall, let none despair. Peter, a great teacher in the church, an apostle, see how foully he fell! Now, when men subject to the 'same infirmities' shall discover the mercy of God out of the book of God, it works the more upon us.
It is good for us to have a right esteem of the ordinances of God, because the profane heart of man doth think it a needless matter.
Quest. Some are ready to say, Cannot I as well read privately at home?
Ans. Yes. But the use of private exercises, with contempt of the public, they have a curse upon them instead of a blessing. It is with such men as with those that gathered manna when they should not; it stank. Hath God set up an ordinance for nothing, for us to despise?
Is not he wiser to know what is good for us better than we do for ourselves? God accompanies his ordinance with the presence of his blessed Spirit. The truth read at home hath an efficacy, but the truth unfolded hath more efficacy. As we say of milk warmed, it is fitter for nourishment, and the rain from heaven hath a fatness with it, and a special influence more than other standing waters; so there is not that life and operation and blessing that accompanies other means that doth preaching, being the ordinary means where it may be had.
Obj. Ay, but this ordinance of God, 'preaching,' it is only for the laying the foundation of a church; it is not for a church when it is built. Then other helps, as prayer and the like, without this, may suffice.
Ans. Those that have such conceits, they make themselves wiser than the Spirit of God; in St Paul, we see in Eph. 4:8, seq. Christ, 'when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men, some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, for the edifying and building up of the church.' So that this ordinance it is necessary for building up still, and for the knitting of the members of Christ together still. Therefore, that is a vain excuse.
Obj. Oh, but what need much, less would serve the turn.
Ans. Thus people grow to contemn and despise this heavenly manna.
But those that are acquainted with their own infirmities, they think it a happiness to have plenty; for naturally we are dull, we are forgetful, we are unmindful. Though we know, we do not remember; and though we remember, yet we do not mind things. We are naturally weak, and therefore we need all spiritual supports and helps that may be, to keep the vessel of our souls in perpetual good case. The more we hear and know, the fitter we are for doing and suffering; our souls are fitter for communion with God for all passages, both of life and death. Therefore we cannot have too much care this way.
Oh let us therefore choose Mary's part, 'the better part,' that will never depart from us; and take heed of profane conceits in this kind.
It is to the prejudice of our souls. We must know, that whensoever God sets up an ordinance, he accompanies it with a special blessing.
And we are not so much to consider men in it, but consider the ordinance, which is his; and being his, there is a special blessing goes with the dispensation of the word, by the ministry.
Obj. Others object, they know it well enough; and therefore they need not to be taught.
Ans. The word of God preached, it is not altogether to teach us, but, the Spirit going with it, to work grace, necessary to 'strengthen us in the inward man,' 2 Cor. 4:16. And those that say they know it enough, deceive themselves. They know it not. Religion is a mystery, and can it be learned at the first? There is no mystery but it requires many years to learn. If it be but a handicraft, men are six or seven years learning it. And is religion, and the mysteries and depths of it, learned so soon, think we? There is a mystery in every grace, in repentance, in faith, in patience, that no man knows, but those that have the graces [and] what belongs to those graces. Religion consists
not in some parts and abilities to speak and conceive of these things; and yet that is hardly learned, being contrary to our nature, having no seeds of these things. Even the outside of religion, that is the preparative to the inward; there is somewhat to do to bring our hearts to these things. But, then, religion itself is a deep mystery; it requires a great deal of learning.
Let us therefore set a price upon God's ordinance. There must be this dispensation. Christ must be 'preached.' Preaching is the chariot that carries Christ up and down the world. Christ doth not profit but as he is preached. For supernatural benefits, if they be not discovered, they are lost; as we say of jewels, if they be not discovered, what is the glory of them? Therefore there must be a discovery by preaching, which is the ordinance of God for that end. Whereupon God stirred up the apostles before, that were the main converters of the world.
They had some prerogatives above all other preachers. They had an immediate calling, extraordinary gifts, and a general commission. In them was established a ministry to the end of the world. 'Christ, when he ascended on high and led captivity captive'—he would give no mean gift then, when he was to ascend triumphantly to heaven— the greatest gift he could give was, 'some to be prophets, some apostles, some teachers, for the building up of the body of Christ, till we all meet a perfect man in Christ.' 'I will send them pastors according to my own heart,' saith God, Jer. 3:15. It is a gift of all gifts, the ordinance of preaching. God esteems it so, Christ esteems it so, and so should we esteem it.
And to add this further, to clear it from whatsoever may rise up in any man's mind, do but consider in experience, where God sets up his ordinance, how many souls are converted. Some are savingly cast down and then raised up again. Their lives are reformed. They walk in the light, they know whither they go. They can give an account of
what they hold. The state of those that live under the ordinance of God is incomparably more lightsome, and comfortable, and glorious, than those that are in the dark, that want it. If we had no other argument, experience is a good argument. Where doth popery and profaneness reign most? In those places where this ordinance of God is not set up; for popery cannot endure the breath of the gospel. Thus we see the necessity and benefit of preaching.
But then, in the next place, this preaching it must be of Christ; Christ must be 'preached.'
Quest. But must nothing be preached but Christ?
Ans. I answer, Nothing but Christ, or that that tends to Christ. If we preach threatenings, it is to cast men down, that we may build them up. If a physician purge, it is that he may give cordials. Whatsoever is done in preaching to humble men, it is to raise them up again in Christ; all makes way for Christ. When men are dejected by the law, we must not leave them there, but raise them up again. Whatever we preach, it is reductive to Christ, that men may walk worthy of Christ.
When men have been taught Christ, they must be taught to 'walk worthy of Christ, and of their calling,' Col. 1:10, that they may carry themselves fruitfully, and holily, and constantly, every way suitable for so glorious a profession as the profession of Christian religion is.
The foundation of all these duties must be from Christ. The graces for these duties must be fetched from Christ; and the reasons and motives of a Christian's conversation must be from Christ, and from the state that Christ hath advanced us unto. The prevailing reasons of an holy life are fetched from Christ. 'The grace of God hath appeared'—saith St Paul, 'it hath shined gloriously'—'teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and holily, in this present evil world,' Titus 2:12. So that
Christ is the main object of preaching. This made St Paul, when he was among the Corinthians, to profess no knowledge of anything but of 'Christ, and him crucified;' to esteem and value nothing else. He had arts and tongues and parts. He was a man excellently qualified, but he made show of nothing in his preaching, and in his value and esteem, but of Christ, and the good things we have by Christ.
Now Christ must be preached wholly and only. We must not take anything from Christ, nor join anything to Christ. The Galatians did but believe the necessity of ceremonies with Christ; and the apostle tells them, 'Ye are fallen from Christ,' Gal. 5:4. It is a destructive addition, to add anything to Christ. Away with other satisfaction. The satisfaction of Christ is enough. Away with merits. The merits of Christ are all-sufficient. Away with merit of works in matter of salvation. Christ's righteousness is that that we must labour to be found in, and 'not in our own,' Philip. 3:9. All is but 'dung and dross,'
Philip. 3:8, in comparison of the excellent righteousness we have in Jesus Christ. You must hear, and we must preach all Christ and only
Christ. St Paul saith, he was 'jealous with a holy jealousy' over those he 'taught.' Why? 'Lest Satan should beguile them, and draw them from Christ,' to any other thing, 2 Cor. 11:2. Why is the Church of Rome so erroneous, but because she leaves Christ and cleaves to other things? Therefore we must labour to keep chaste souls to Christ, and those that are true preachers, and ambassadors, and messengers, they must be 'jealous with a holy jealousy' over the people of God, that they look to nothing but Christ.
Christ must be preached; but to whom? 'To the Gentiles.'
Here lies the mystery, that Christ, who was 'manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' &c., should be 'preached to the Gentiles.' What were the Gentiles? Before Christ's time they were 'dogs,' in our
Saviour Christ's censure. 'Shall I give the children's bread to dogs?'
Mat. 15:27. Before Christ's time they 'sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death,' Ps. 107:10. Before Christ's time they were 'the halt and the lame,' that he, the great feast-maker, sent to bid come in,
Luke 14:21. They were 'aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,' without Christ, 'without God in the world,' Eph. 2:12; without God because they were without Christ. It is not to be imagined in what misery the poor Gentiles were before the coming of Christ, except some few proselytes that joined themselves to the Jewish Church, for the Gentiles worshipped devils. What were all their gods but devils?
They were under the kingdom of Satan when the gospel came to be preached among them. They were 'translated' out of the kingdom of Satan, into the blessed and glorious kingdom of Christ, Col. 1:13. Yet we see here, notwithstanding, they were such kind of people; the mystery of the gospel is preached to these, 'to the Gentiles.'
It was such a mystery as St Peter himself, although he were acquainted with it ofttimes by Christ, and he might read of it in the prophets, yet, notwithstanding, he was to be put in mind of it, Acts
10:13. When he was to go to Cornelius he saw a vision full of beasts, and a voice saying, 'Kill and eat,' and indeed, the 'Gentiles' were little better than beasts. They were esteemed so before they had the gospel, and the preaching of it to them. You see it was a mystery to St Peter himself.
Obj. But why did God suffer the Gentiles to 'walk in their own ways?' as the apostle saith, Acts 14:16. Why did he neglect and overlook the Gentiles, and suffer them to go on 'in their own ways,' so many thousand years before Christ came? Were they not God's creatures as well as the Jews?
I answer, This is a mystery, that God should suffer those witty* people, that were of excellent parts, to go on 'in their own ways.' But there was matter enough in themselves. We need not call God to our bar to answer for himself. They were malicious against the light they knew. They imprisoned the light of nature that they had, as it is Rom.
1:21. They were unfaithful in that they had. Therefore, besides that it is a mystery, God may well be excused. Do but look to the judgment that some of the heathens had of divine things, what reprobate and malicious judgments they had, how basely they esteemed of the Jews. The Jewish nation, saith Tully, shew how God regards them, in that she hath been overcome so oft, by Nebuchadnezzar and Pompey,
&c.* What a reasoning was this. And that proud historian Tacitus, how scornfully doth he speak of Christians (k). It is not to be imagined the pride that was in the heathens against the Jewish religion, especially the Christian religion, how they scorned and persecuted it, in the beginning of it. So you see, in the best of the heathen men there was matter and ground of God's just condemning of them; therefore we need not quarrel with God against that.
Obj. But here is another mystery, Why the Gentiles, being all alike naught, † God should leave the better of the Gentiles, and reveal
Christ to the worst. Were not Socrates, and Plato, and such like, more goodly moralists than the Corinths and Ephesians? What kind of people were the Corinthians? A proud people, 'fornicators, idolaters;' as the apostle saith, 'such were some of you,' Eph. 5:8, and 1 Cor. 6:11. Here is a mystery.
Ans. It is God's sovereignty. We must let God do what he will. 'He will be merciful to whom he will be merciful,' and 'he will neglect whom he will.' Saith Austin, 'We must be very reverent in these matters;' it is most safe to commit all to God, and usurp no judgment here (l). It is a mystery; yet there is some satisfying reason may be
given why the Gentiles were called, when Christ came in the flesh, and not before; besides many prophecies foretold that it should be so, and some reason may be given why it was so.
Because they were to be incorporate to the Jews, to be 'fellowcitizens' with the church of the Jews. They were to be of God's household, as it is excellently and largely set down in Eph. 2:19. Now
Christ coming took down the 'partition-wall.' Christ is the centre in whom they meet, in whom they are one. Therefore they met one with another when Christ came, because he is the Saviour of both. He is the 'corner-stone' whereupon both are built. So that now they are
'fellow-citizens' since Christ came.
And you see in the genealogy of Christ, he came both of Jews and Gentiles, as we see in Ruth. Divers of our Saviour's ancestors, they were Gentiles as well as Jews, to shew that he that came of both, he came to be the Saviour of both. But it is the safest, as I said before, in these queries, to rest in the wise, unsearchable dispensation of God, and rather be thankful that God hath reserved us to these times and places of knowledge, than to ask why our forefathers did not know
Christ. We enjoy a double spring of the gospel, and the benefits of it.
First, we were delivered from heathenism. What kind of people were we in Julius Cæsar's time? Barbarous people. ‡ And after, when popery came in, God delivered us from that; there was a second spring. Yet how few give God praise, that hath had mercy on us
Gentiles, that hath delivered us from Gentilism, and from the darkness of popery. But we grow weary of religion, as they did of manna, Numb. 11:6.
Let us therefore make good use of it, that God hath been merciful to us Gentiles in these later times. And let us that are born in the precincts of the church help our faith in the time of temptation this
way. Certainly God means well to my soul. I might have been born before, in times of ignorance and places of ignorance, and never have heard of Christ; but I have been baptized and admitted into the church: and by that there is an obligation. Before I understood myself, I was bound to believe in Christ. God was so careful of my soul when I understood nothing, that there should be a bond for me to believe in Christ. If God had not meant well to my soul, I should not have lived so much as to hear of the gospel. Thus we should gather upon God, as the woman of Canaan did upon our Saviour
Christ, and fight against all distrust and unbelief, and all temptations of Satan, that present God as though he cared not for us. There cannot be too much art and skill to help our faith this way.
Again, the Gentiles have now interest in Christ since the coming of Christ, and not before. It is a mystery. It were not a mystery, if the Gentiles had had an interest in Christ, and been within the pale of the church before.
There are several degrees of the dispensation of salvation. There is, first, the ordaining of salvation. That was before all worlds. And then the promise of salvation. That was when Adam fell. Then there is the procuring of salvation promised. That was by Christ, when he came in the flesh. Then there is the promulgation and enlarging of salvation to all people. This was after Christ was come in the flesh.
Then there is the perfect consummation of salvation in heaven. Now the execution of the promise, and the performance of all good concerning salvation, it was reserved to Christ's coming in the flesh; and the enlargement of the promise to all nations was not till then. I do but touch this, to shew that God hath had a special care of this latter age of the world. Some account the first age of the world to be a golden age, the next silver, and then an iron age. But indeed we may invert the order. We live in the golden age, the last ages, when Christ
was 'manifested.' What is the glory of times and places? The 'manifestation of Christ.' The more Christ is laid open with his
'unsearchable riches,' the more God glorifies those times and places; and that is the golden age where the gospel is preached.
Therefore, we cannot be too much thankful for that wondrous favour which we have enjoyed so long time together, under the glorious sunshine of the gospel.
Hence we have a ground likewise of enlarging the gospel to all people, because the Gentiles now have interest in Christ; that merchants, and those that give themselves to navigation, they may with good success carry the gospel to all people. There are none shut out now, since Christ, in this last age of the world; and certainly there is great hope of those Western people. We see the gospel hath imitated the course of the sun. The Sun of righteousness hath shined like the sun in the firmament. The sun begins east, and goes to the west; so the gospel. It began in the eastern parts. It hath left them; they are under the Turkish barbarous tyranny at this time. The gospel is now come to the western parts of the world.* For Christ will take an holy state upon him, and will not abide long where he is disesteemed, where the gospel is under-valued, and blended with that which is prejudicial to the sincerity† of it; when there is little care had what men believe. The state of the gospel and truth is such, that if it be mingled overmuch with heterogeneal stuff, it overthrows it; and Christ will not endure this indignity. Therefore, let us take heed that we keep Christ and his truth with us exactly; and let us take heed of sinning against the gospel, if we would have it stay with us, especially of sins immediately against the gospel, as for instance,
1. Take heed of joining superstition and popish trash with it, or the like, that will eat out the very heart of the gospel, and sets up man in
the place of Christ.
2. Again, Take heed of decaying in our first love. We see God threateneth the church of Ephesus, for not cherishing and maintaining her first love; that he would remove not only the gospel, but the 'candlestick,' the church itself. For security in abundance and plenty, and decay in her first love, God threateneth that he will scatter the candlestick, the church itself, into foreign places.
3. Again, A sin against the gospel is unfruitfulness under it. When men shall have the blessed influence of the gospel, the soul-saving truth, the good word to be long among them, and to be as barren under it as if they were pagans; for the gospel to have no more power over our souls than if we had no gospel at all; that there is no difference between us and heathens in regard of our conversations; to go no further then they, nay, not so far in honesty, and justice, and sobriety: let us take heed of these and the like sins against the gospel.
And I say, it should be a ground of labouring the conversion of those that be savages, be they never so barbarous, to labour to gain them to Christ. There are indeed some hindrances. There be Jannes and Jambres among them, instruments of the devil, to keep them in blindness and ignorance, and then custom that they are bred in,— which prevails most with the sorriest people,—for ignorant people that have their wits determined to one way they are so strong in it, as they are not to be untaught; as it is hard to teach a beast, because he is taught to go one way, for want of variety of conceptions, being void of reason. Now, people by nature are little better than beasts.
Therefore they are so fixed and determined in that way they are brought up in, and are so settled by the devil and those priests among them, and by the tyranny of those that have come among them, the Spaniards, &c., that hath hindered their conversion much, yet, take them as bad as they can be, God hath a time for them. What
were we of this nation sixteen hundred years agone? There is a fulness of the Gentiles to come in; and certainly it is not yet come fully. For it is probable, nay, more than probable, that there are some people that never had the gospel; and the fulness of the Gentiles must come in before the other mystery of the calling of the Jews. I speak it to encourage those that have interest that way, not to take violent courses with them. There is nothing so voluntary as faith. It must be wrought by persuasions, not by violence; and there is a ground of encouragement hence, that since the coming of Christ there is a liberty for all nations to come in. Christ must be 'preached to the Gentiles.'
To conclude this point. Let us consider that we are those Gentiles that have enjoyed this preaching of Christ; and it is the glory of our nation. It is not our strength, or riches, or any ornament above others, that sets us forth, so much as this, that we have the gospel
'preached' among us, that these blessed streams run so plentifully everywhere among us. Let us labour to value this inestimable benefit.
Where the gospel is not 'preached,' there the places are salt-pits, despicable places, whatsoever they are else, as it is in Ezekiel.* They are under the kingdom of Satan. It is the glory of a nation to have the truth among them. 'The glory of Israel' was gone when the ark was taken, 1 Sam. 4:21. The religion and truth we enjoy it is our ark; our glory is gone if we part with that. Therefore, whatsoever God takes from us, let us desire that he would still continue the gospel of truth, that he would still vouchsafe to dwell among us, and not leave us.
What were all things in the world besides, if we had not the blessed truth of God? We must leave all ere long. Therefore let us labour to have the eyes of our understanding enlightened, to conceive aright of the difference of things, and to value ourselves by this, that Christ is
'manifested' to us; and thereby we have interest in Christ, more than by any interest and part and portion in the world besides. For then