Christ Exalted and Wisdom Justified

THE PREFACE TO THE READERS.

I Have here spoken two Words (and oh that they may be in season) on the behalf of Christ and Wisdom, Christ in the midst of his Excellencies, like apples of Gold, attended by Wisdom, like Pictures of Silver.

They are two good Words spoken for two good Words; The first on the behalf of the word Christ, the word Essentiall. The other on the behalf of the word of Wisdom, The word written.

Though I have set these two Jewels like 2. Diamonds in a ring, or a precious neck-jewel for a special Friend (as appears by the Dedication) yet such is the excellency of all those good and perfect gifts that come from above, that they are improved by imparting, and increased by dividing, as the Suns light is not lessened by lending it to the World, nor the water of the Sea diminished by communicating to the Earth and Rivers.

You may not as you are men refuse a kindness from a friendly hand, and you may no • as you are Christians refuse such a kindness • as this from the hand of God, and his providence: I need not say much; the subject • that are here spoken of (if the spirit give • utterance and entrance) have a far loud • tongue than I to speak for themselves! O • that that free wind that blows, where it lists, might be sent out with an effectual Commission to blow, or break open a wide do • and effectual, a double door to give entranc • to this double treasure, Christ and Wisdom!

Your precious souls have two noble faculties, the understanding and will, and the Gospel hath two suitable objects, Truth and Goodness, and in this Twin-Treatise they ar • well met! Oh that there might be but a • suitable a closure of your understandings an • wills with Christ and Wisdom! while I a • knocking at your outward doors; oh that Christ would knock effectually at the inward, and say to your souls, Lift up your heads oh ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, that the King of Glory (and his follower, or forerunner) may enter in.

Take heed, and again I say take heed, that ye refuse not him that speaketh from Earth, least in refusing him, you refuse him that speaketh from Heaven too: Christ and Wisdom are too much to be refused at once, because if once refused, the refusers know not whether ever they may be offered more.

If a cup of cold water given to a Disciple • e not to be refused from the hand of a Pro • het, then much more a cup of wine, and • he best too in the Bridegrooms Wine- • eller, yea, and the Bridegroom to boot, 〈◊〉 and such are Christ and Wisdom) deserve 〈◊〉 candid acceptance from the greatest Mo • arch, if it be not rendered the less accepta • le by the hand of such a Cup bearer.

My message is important, which makes • he Messenger thus importunate; I am an Embassador for, and from Christ, a Messenger sent of, and from God; My errand is most momentous, and of highest concernment. It is unto you all, high and low, rich and poor, and it is unto your souls, your poor, precious souls, to know whether you will entertain Christ and Wisdom into the power of them, to make them rich, and you happy: Speak out Sirs, and tell me whether yo • will hear or forbear, whether I am instant in season or out of season; let it not, oh let i • not; I beseech you, and again, and again 〈◊〉 beseech you, let it not be an aggravation o • your condemnation, that a Prophet hath be • amongst you, and made you these offers, an • you sent him away weeping, and with a sa • heart, to tell his Master that you would neither receive him, nor his report: Oh remember that sad saying, he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiset • him that sent me, Luke, 10.16. And tha • sadder (if sadder may be) join'd with 〈◊〉 protestation, and both out of Christ's ow • mouth,) Mark, 6.11. Whosoever shall no • receive you, nor hear you when ye depar • thence, shake off the dust under your feet fo • a testimony against them: Verily I say unt • you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom an • Gomorrah in the day of Judgment, than fo • that City. Consider, and deliber • te, and the • return yourselves instead of an answer; 〈◊〉 would not receive a denial upon any terms 〈◊〉 It's for God's sake, and Christ's sake, and Wisdom's sake that I beg it; If you will not accept of Christ and Wisdom for their own sakes, do it for your own; if you will not do it for my sake, do it for your souls sake; you cannot be happy without them, nay, you must be eternally miserable without them. Will not, (oh monstrous!) Will not your stubborn souls entertain a precious Savior, when you may have him for the taking? Shall your reasonable souls be so unreasona • le as to shut and bar their doors against Wisdom's entrance! Oh ye fools, deal not so madly; How long ye simple ones will ye • ove simplicity, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?

The cares of the World, and deceitfulness of riches are choking things unto the seed of the Word, and its too common a thing • o see the World and Flesh preferred before Christ and Wisdom.

But remember that the time draws nigh when Christ will be confessed to be precious by his refusers, and Wisdom will be justified by its Enemies, and they will be readier to call themselves fools and madmen for so doing, than the servants of God are now to call them so.

Christ is no less precious to Believers now, than he hath been from the beginning 〈◊〉 If there be any difference, they will prize him more at his second coming, than at the first, he himself being like that water that his first miracle in Cana turned into Wine, best at last. And Wisdom will be justified of her Children, as long as the World endureth; yea, the last born will vie with the first (if we misinterpret not Prophesies) which shall bring most honor to her and Christ. Christ's Exaltation, and Wisdoms Justification will be perfected in that great day, when Christ shall be made glorious in them that believe, and when the Elect shall receive their sentential Justification, and their graces and God's praises shall be perfected together.

Christ and Wisdom do compose the whole Treasury of a Believers riches, and though this heavenly Treasure be served to the Church in earthen vessels, and these invaluable jewels be offered unto you in course Cabinets, by men of the same mould, and of the like passions and infirmities with yourselves, yet Christ is never the less precious, nor Wisdom the less acceptable for all that. Though the dish cost you little, and the Cabinet be but little worth, yet the meat and • e jewel will cost you dear, even all that you • re, or have, all that you are worth: Labor • ot, oh labor not for the meat which perish • th, but give diligence, all diligence, utter • ost diligence for that meat which endureth • nto life Eternal. If you can but purchase • hese Pearls by selling all, by cutting off right • ands and feet, and pulling out right eyes; 〈◊〉 I mean by abandoning sins of profit and • leisure, and company) you have a lovely • enny-worth. Come off roundly Sirs, such • hapmen as stand tinking when a bargain is • ffered, are not like to buy: I have offered • ou the Riches of God's right hand, a full • andfull, and much more than all your hands • nd hearts can hold, and I hope I have offer • d them with a right hand and heart, all that • s further desired is, that you may receive • hem so, which is the hearty prayer of the Author, and let him that is able to work in you, both to will and do say, Amen,

READER.

IT could not have fallen to my lot to recommend unto thee a more excellent treasure than Christ and Wisdom, the subject of this Book.

To praise him that is transcendently above all • ur praise, whose knowledge and praise will be • ur felicity forever, must needs be a grateful employment to a Believer. As it is not he • hat needs our everlasting love and praise, but we whose happiness consists in it, and yet his glory is our ultimate end; so it is you, and not Christ that need these praises given him by his Ministers, and yet his glory in your felicity is • heir highest aim. Men are everlastingly miserable, if they enjoy not Christ and Glory. They enjoy him not because they seek him not, and love him not. They love him not, because they know him not to be most lovely (and because their hearts are possessed, and corrupted with an adulterous love) They know him not, because they do not seriously study their necessity, and his excellency.

What greater help then can be by man afforded thee for thy Salvation, than by proclamation of the preciousness of Christ, to be invited to that love, and excited to that dut • which hath so necessary a connection thereunt •

The World is confessed to be our enemy, an • it kills by being over-valued and loved, an • therefore it is the most friendly saving office t • disgrace it to us, and wean us from it.

Christ is by all Christians acknowledge • their Savior and Life: He saveth us by attraction, showing us his amiableness, his Grac • and Glory: He calleth off the heart from vanity, and draweth it unto himself, and to the Father: And when it begins to love, it begins to live. Glory is the fruition of him i • perfect love, and Grace is the beginning of that love, which as to fruition doth here attain • but to a taste, but worketh most vigorously and observedly in desire, and endeavor after a full fruition; and the knowledge of him which is by Faith, is it that kindleth this love, and therefore is called Life Eternal, John, 17, 3. And the Revelation of him by the Word and Spirit, is the cause of this believing knowledge.

The Minister therefore doth his part when he holdeth thee the glass: If the Spirit concur for thine illumination (as he will if the fault, be not thine own) and if thou do not willfully shut thine eyes, thou mayest see that in Christ revealed in the Gospel, that will prepare thee for the beatifical vision.

No man shall have this Treasure that sells not all he hath to buy it. Mat. 13.45, 46. and no man will sell all for it that seeth it not to be better for him than all. An Hypocrite may say, that Christ is best, but it is only the Christian that can heartily and practically say, He is best for me.

This attractive excellency of our dear Redeemer is closely, and yet plainly here set forth by the Reverend Author, for the awakening, winning, and saving of those souls that are in the way to a double death by despising the Way, the Truth and Life. For thee Christian that hast seen the Lord in his Life and Death, and Resurrection, and Glorification, that by faith hast known him in his Person, Works and Benefits, here is that revealed to thine eye, which hath been already revealed to thine heart, and the sweet and savory Truths of the Gospel here delivered, are so suitable to thy new nature, thy necessities, and thy manifold experiences, that they must needs be the more acceptable to thee, and thou wilt cheerfully annex thy attestation that they are true.

And though the deluded World subscribe not to thy judgment, but take realities for dreams, and dreams for the only realities, because they do but dream themselves, yet Wisdom is justified of her Children, even all that by her 〈◊〉 begotten to true and heavenly Wisdom. A • Judgment shall shortly compel the now delud • World to cry out of the folly of their fles • Wisdom, and to applaud that Wisdom of Bel •• verse that flesh and blood accounted foolishne •

Then they shall confess that it was great Wisdom to seek an unseen, than a seen felici •• and to lay up a Treasure in Heaven than 〈◊〉 Earth, and to let go all at God's command, a • lose our lives upon a promise from him th • they shall be saved, and to vilify all the Glo • of the World, and by shame, and scorn to • spire after an invisible Glory, venturing 〈◊〉 upon a naked promise, as the best security, b • lieving that all is lost that's saved, and all saved that's lost for Christ.

It cannot be expected, that those whom Wi • dom never taught should understand the Doctrines, or take them for any better tha • folly, because they judge of all by sense, and s • vour not the things of the spirit, and are stra • gers to the life of Faith, which maketh absen • things as present, and things unseen, as thos • that are open to our eyes. But whether he b • the wiser man that gets his desire for a momen • upon Earth, and loseth Christ and his Salvation, or he that is wise for everlasting life, 〈◊〉 Question that sense will shortly help them to resolve, that refuse the resolution of Faith and reason. Reader accept this Testimony to these weighty Truths, from,

Christ exalted and Wisdom justified. The Text.

THe Title of this Discourse may be Christ exalted, a very specious Title, and such as the Antinomian Doctors do much glory in; but theirs is only Titular, as the Fowler said of the Nightingale, Vox & sola vox, voice, and nothing else, like the Jews that made him a King in derision, and lift him up on high, but it was to Crucify him, and they crucified him and his Title together, for when they had fastened him to the Cross, they placed over his head this title in 3. Languages, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. They put upon their Mock-King a Purple robe, but they spoiled it with the trimming, for instead of gold and silver, and such gorgeous clothing, as becomes those that dwell in Kings houses, they checkquered it with blood and spittle; They put him on a Crown, but it was of Thorns, and a Scepter was put into his hand, but it was of reed. So these pretenders will ex lt Christ, but it is ore tenus, only fro • • he teeth outward; If an endeavor to throw down the foundations of truth, and the power of Godliness be to advance Christ, then they that cry down others as legal Teachers, may well pass for such lawless exalters of Christ. If to throw away the Law as having nothing of a Gospel tendency, neither precedent not subsequent; If to throw away all preparative dispositions, and subsequent qualifications be to set up Christ; If to set up an Idol in the room of Christ, and to substitute fancy instead of faith. If to throw away Mortification, and sanctification as th ngs abominable, and unbecoming a Gospel spirit; If to break Religions bands asunder, and to cast away its Cords from them; If to break down the Wall of the Vineyard, and to lay all Common to beasts and boars; If to give more liberty to Libertines, and a rabble of such wild, and lawless doctrines, which are as destructive to the Gospel as the Law, may pass for doctrines that exalt Christ, then they cannot be denied to be such Exalters of him.

But our Apostles mode is of another make. They greedily, and arrogantly catch at the name, but the Apostle modestly and faithfully lays before us both Name and Thing. He doth not prostitute Christ to the lust of every unhumbled Sinner, but proposes him to the faith of every humble believer. To you therefore which believe he is precious.

In this Chapter the Apostle in allusion un • o the Material Temple compa ••• Christ and Believers to a Magnificent structure and mystical Temple, making Christ the chief Corner stone, and believers living stones built upon that foundation. See the verse immediately going before my Text, v. 6. which is cited out of Isaiah. 28.16. Behold I lay in Zyon a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded, and that sure foundation being laid, as the most excellent part of the building, he lays upon it this superstructure in my Text. To you therefore which believe he is precious.

The Doctrine, or plain result of the words may be thus laid before us.

That Christ is the highest, most precious, and only excellent Good unto Believers.

Mistake me not, I mean it not of Christ in a disjunctive sense, but as conjoined with the other persons of the holy blessed and glorious Trinity, who in respect of time are Coaeternall, in respect of being are Coessentiall, and in respect of power are Coaequall, we must remember to keep close unto the good old Rule of old Athanasius in his Creed. In this Trinity none is afore or after other, none is greater or less than another.

There hath been much Contention in the World about the summum bonum orchief felicity of man, The Athenian Philosophers (though Athens were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the very Greece of Greece, and abounded with the most Mercuriall wits, and sublimated under standings ) did erect altars to an unknown God Acts. 17.23. and thence we may conclude that the summum bonum was to them an unknown good. The Apostle tells the gifted teachers of the Church of Cornith (such a • Luther was wont to call Theologi gloriae, Doctors of glory, or rather vain-glorious Doctors, that did hunt after the praise of men more than the praise of God) that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, and therefore it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1. Cor. 1.21. That is to say, by the preaching of Christ; of Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks folishness, but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, & the wisdom of God. v. 23.24. Those that seek for true happiness anywhere else but in the Gospel, and in Jesus Christ the subject and Epitome of it, they have entered upon a labor in vain, and are in as comfortless a Condition as the Sectarian seekers of our age, that seek without a promise, and therefore seek for that which they can have no hope to find. But to such as Covet the best things, and are carried out with an high, and holy ambition after the highest good, behold my Text showeth a most excellent way. My Text holds it out, My Doctrine tells you what it is.

Christ is the highest, most precious, and only excellent good unto Believers.

Though God's ipse dixit be far before Aristotle's, and all human testimonies, that it may challenge our belief, and consent without further evidence, and we may warrantably acquiesce in any truth that the spirit of God dictates, yet since God would no • have us take his truths upon trust without trial, and the noble Bereans were commended for comparing the Apostles doctrines with the Scriptures, we shall make some further enquiry into the consent of other Scriptures, and observe how they concur univocally to make good the truth of this assertion.

I might here begin with the promises of Christ, and the prophesies that were the fore-runners of his manifestation in the flesh; in respect whereof he is said to be a lamb slai • from the beginning of the world. Revel. 13.8. and the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebr. 13.8 (i. e.) a Savior to the uttermost, to former, and future, as well as present times. I might here make a large Comment upon the Types, Sacrifices, and Sacraments, of the Ceremonial Law, which was the Jews Gospel, they all relating unto Christ that was to come, and kept up the worlds ex • ectation of the promised Messias. I might enlarge upon the more Evangelical prophesies of the prophet Isaiah, who speaks boldly, and calls things that are not as though they were, unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given. He is called the Evangelical prophet, or prophetical Evangelist, because he speaks rather as if he were relating an history of things fulfilled, than delivering a prophesy of things to come.

But the fullness of evidence will be drawn from the fullness of time, wherein the fullness of God's love was revealed in fulfilling all those promises, types, and prophesies, and bringing into the world this promised happiness, the desire of Nations. I shall therefore give you 2. or 3. Scriptures out of the writings of the Apostles for confirmation of this sweet and amiable truth, and then proceed.

The first Scripture-evidence is. 1. Cor. 2 2. I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Ma • k, that must needs be counted most excellent prae quo caetera sordent, in Comparison of which all other excellencies vanish like the Starrs when the Sun appears, and such an Excellency is Jesus Christ.

The second place is Philip. 3.7. What things were gain unto me them I counted loss for Christ, yea, doubtless and I do count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is of the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. v. 8.9. Mark, Christ was the gold, and all things else but dross, even gold itself. Christ was the treasure, and all things else but dung.

The third place is 1. Tim. 3.16. Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up to glory; all this is nothing else but the mystery of Christ incarnate, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that mystery of mysteries as one of the Ancients calls it, that miraculorum officina, that shop of wonders, as another phrases it, wherein many wonders, and mysteries do meet in one; Mysteries have been always reverend, and sacred, and of high esteem, and this being the Mystery of Mysteries must needs be the excellence of excellencies, the most excelling excellence.

Next to Scripture-testimonies I may by way of illustration set off the excellency of Christ in a multitude of particulars, and give • n a cluster of his Excellencies as.

1. The excellency of his Person, of which • ee Hebr. 1.1, 2, 3. God who at sundry times, • nd in diverse manners spake in time past un • o the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last • aies spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath • ppointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of • is glory, and the express image of his person, • nd upholding all things by the word of his pow • r, when he had by himself purged our sins, • ate down on the right hand of the majesty on • igh. And Cant. 5.9, 10. When the spouse was asked what her beloved was more than • there beloved, she answers My beloved is • hite and ruddy, the chiefest often thousand, • nd goes on in a most amorous description of • is personal excellencies to the end of the Chapter, and then concludes thus, v. 16. He • s totum mabile, yea, he is altogether lovely; This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O Daughters of Jerusalem.

2. The excellency of his name. See Cant. • . 3. Because of the savor of thy sweet ointments, thy name is as an ointment poured forth, • herefore do the Virgins love thee. Thou shalt call his name Jesus was the appointment 〈◊〉 God himself by his Angel Mat. 1.21. O • sweetest saving name, Bernard saith of the silables of it, and much more of the sense of i • that it is mel in ore, melos in aure, jubilum i • cord, honey to the mouth, music to the ear •• rejoicing to the heart; observe what the Ap • stle saith Hebr. 1.4. Being made so much be • ter than the angels, as he hath by inheritan •• obtained a more excellent name than they. F •• unto which of the angels said he at any ti •• thou art my son, this day have I begotten the • And again I will be unto him a father, and 〈◊〉 shall be unto me a Son.

We through his sonship, are made, a • called Sons and daughters of the Lord God a • mighty, that's the new name that's given wi •• the white stone to them to whom it is given 〈◊〉 eat of the hidden Manna, but there's a va • difference betwixt his sonsh • p and ours, his by nature and inheritance, ours by grace, a •• by adoption, and therefore the Apostle sai • expressly, he had a name given him above names, not only a name of glory in relation God, his only begotten, and only beloved so • but a name of grace relating to us, that na •• of Jesus at which every knee must bow, thin • in heaven and things in earth, and thin • under the Earth &c. Philip. 2.9, 10, 11. Which Scripture intends not that we should • lance the old superstitious sink-apace to the sil • ables of his name, as the Church of Rome hath • iped unto such as sat in darkness and the • haddow of Death in the rise and reign of An • ichrist, this were to dishonor his name in making an Idol of it, but our hearts, and the knees of our souls must bow in an awful reverence and subjection unto the sense, and spirit of that glorious and fearful name, the Lord our God, and that gracious and sweet name, the Lord our Righteousness.

3. The excellency of his Portion see Hebr. 1.2. God hath appointed him to be heir of all things. David brings in his Father speaking thus unto him Ps. 2.8. Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession. No King was ever so rich in subjects and dominions as this royal King Jesus, the King of Saints, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's. All things are given unto me of my father said Christ. Luk. 10.22. And all power is given unto me in Heaven, and in Earth. Mat. 28.18. Well did the Apostle pray for his Ephesians, Eph. 1.18. That their eyes might be enlightened to see what the riches of God's glorious inheritance 〈◊〉 in the Saints (i. e.) Christ's riches in having th • Saints for his Portion, or rather the Sain • riches in having Christ to be their po • tion and inheritance.

4. The excellency of his offices, who w •• the King, Priest, and Prophet of his Churc • The Apostle saith that the Lord Christ is ma • to us by his father Wisdom, and Righteou • ness, and Sanctification and Redemption 〈◊〉 Cor. 1.30. Wisdom in his prophetical offic • Righteousness and Sanctification is his Pries • office, and Redemption in his Kingly. In th • respect the Christ or anointed one of Go • is said to be anointed with the oil of gladne • above his fellows.

There have been such as have been Kin • and Priests, and such as have been Kings a •• Prophets, but the Son of God was a King a •• Priest and Prophet, in respect of which offic • he's a Savior to the uttermost. Hebr. 7.2

5. The excellency of his Purchase, havin • purchased heaven for his elect, and them s • heaven, and both by his blood, ye were n • redeemed saith the Apostle with corruptib •• things, as gold and silver, but with the precio •• blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemis • and without spot. 1. Pet. 1.18, 19. Heave • is a donative to us, but a purchase to Christ, • ea, it cost him so dear of purpose that it might • e cheap to us; he died for our sins, and rose • gain for our Justification. He died to pur • hase repentance and remission of sins, and • ose again to Communicate it, to bring life; • nd immortality to light through the Gos • ell.

6. The excellency of his Power. He hath • ot only bought off his redeemed ones at a • ear rate, but he doth also fetch them off with • n high hand. Some slaves among men are • edeemed by price, and ransom, some by • ower and rescue, The slaves of sin and Satan do need both, Christ having paid his life for • hem, and shed every drop of his dearest • loud; he must also put out the power of his omnipotency to rescue them from the strong man armed, Luke. 11.21. and therefore such as are pulled from the Lions paw, and snatched like brands out of the fire, they are said to be made believers by the exceeding greatness of God's power, and according to the working of his mighty power. Eph. 1.10. and when they are fetched off from their hard heart with an high hand, they are kept by the same hand of omnipotency from returning again unto their folly; according to that saying. 1. Pet. 1.5. Ye are kept by the power of God through fait • unto Salvation.

We come next to reason out the Excellency of Jesus Christ, and he will appear to b • the most Excellent and highest good for the • few pregnant Reasons.

• 1. Because he is so in the Fathers account
• 2. Because he is really so in himself.
• 3. Because he is so to us.
• 4. Because he is so in the Saints account
• 5. Because he makes all other thing good.

And therefore for all these reasons ough • to be so in ours; hearken attentively, & give • up not only your ears but your understandings and hearts, while I endeavor to spea • with the spirit and with the understanding t • your reasonable Souls of these reasons i • their order.

1. Reason. Because he is so in God the Fathers account. What ever men think, God i • only wise, and only able to put a right estimate upon Chr • st. Little heed is to be give • to the judgments and sayings of men afte • the flesh in this matter, the most Worldly wis • are more than purblind, and the lower sort • verwhelmed with utter blindness, and such darkness as cannot be felt in this matter; We may ask the Apostles Question, where is • he wise? where is the disputer? hath not God • nfatuated the wisdom of this wourld?

And we may return answers to such Que • tions in his own words. Eye hath not seen, • or ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart • f man &c. 1. Cor. 2.9. & v. 14. of that Chap. • he natural man, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. recei • eth not the things of the spirit of God for they • re foolishness unto him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 either can he know them (his eyes & heart are • ealed up under a natural impossibility) because • hey are spiritually discerned. We may say • f ourselves in respect of the uttermost pos • bility of the natural man in David 's words, •• ch knowledge is too wonderful and excellent • or me, I cannot attain unto it. The know • edge of Christ and the learning of Christ is • rs artium, an art by itself, the only art that • aches wise unto salvation. This is Eternal • fe, that they know thee the only true God, and • esus Christ whom thou hast sent. Joh. 17.3. • nd though it be so much undervalued by the • en of the world, that they will give them • elves no time but by the by, and what the world and flesh can spare to think of Chri •• and their souls, and the things of heaven, a •• eternity, yet if with the prodigal they eve • come to themselves, they will take sin an • shame unto themselves, and with David b • fool and be beast themselves, for their carleness. So foolish was I and ignorant, even as very brute before thee, or if they awake n • from their dead sleep of security till the drop into hell, then they will cry out, n • insensati? O fools that we were to cou •• preaching foolishness, Oh beasts and bedla • that we were to count holiness and Exa •• walking madness. Therefore as we wou •• not go to a blind man to ask his judgme •• concerning colors, so let us not go to worldly, or Carnal man to ask his judgme •• of the Excellency of Christ; or if we should • I believe there's not one of a thousand to 〈◊〉 found but will tell you, and give it under h • hand that Christ is more Excellent than 〈◊〉 the profits of the world, and all the pleasures 〈◊〉 the flesh, though his practical judgment 〈◊〉 cross legs with his speculative, an • we may write upon his largest concess • ons,

The good which I allow, I choose not, the Evil which I condemn, that I practice. But if we would take a true estimate of the Excellency of Christ, lets go to School to St. Paul, and he hath told you, he desired to know nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified, as you heard in the first Scripture testimony that we gave of this truth, 1. Cor. 2.2. and to have nothing else to his portion, as you heard in the second place, Phil. 3.7. But why should we thus spend time in circumlocution, We have a sure word and testimony from heaven in that articulate voice that came from thence, when Christ by Baptism was separated, and as it were ordained to office, Mat. 3.17. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Speak out Sirs, and declare your thoughts, Is God wisest, or are men wiser than he? If men be so, then the world • ings Diana may be cried up, or the voluptuous man's Idol of Carnal-self may be set up and worshipped, and according to men's several fancies and interests some may give their voice for one vanity and some for • nother. But if God be wisest (and let God • e true and every man a liar) then let all Dagons fall down before the ark, and let all other Excellencies give place to Christ, O know, sinners, that next to God's own infinite and Eternal being, he loves his Coaeternall, Coessentiall, and Coaequall Son, yea, with the highest love of sweetest complacency, and everlasting delight: observe the indeering names by which he is called in the word, primogenitus, and unigenitus, first begotten and first beloved, only begotten, and best beloved, as Lemuel 's mother did run division, and ring the changes concerning her son, her Jididiab or only beloved Solomon Pro. 31.2. What! my Son, and the Son of my womb! & what! the Son of my vows! We may imagine God the father speaking more Excellent things of his Son?

What my Son! My only Son! My beloved Son! My only beloved! My Benjamin! The Son of my right hand! The Son of my great, and eternal designs! In whom I have elected my secret ones, by whom I will call my elected ones, for whom I will justify my called ones, in whom I will reconcile, adopt, and sanctify my justified ones, and with whom I will glorify all them that are Sanctifyed! The main hinge and key of all my predestinating purposes! The Secretary of all my Counsels? The almoner of my grace, and the heir, and lawful inheritor of my glory! My Son, who art the express image of my person! and in whom all fullness dwells! Yea, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. When a father hath many Sons, the Sea of his love divides • t self into many drilling streams, and he divides himself amongst them all. But when he hath but one, all the streams of his affection do unite into one mighty undivided • orrent. Though Christ (that thought it no robbery to be equal with God) were terrae filius by condescension, in his humanity, which was the foot of Jacob 's mystical Ladder, which stood upon the earth; Yet he was Dei filius, & haeres coeli, God 's Son, and heir of heaven in respect of his divinity, which was the top of • hat vision all ladder that reached heaven. And • hough he appeared in fashion as a man, and took on him the form of a Servant, and humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, yet observe what golden • ore the prophet Isaiah mixes with this seeming refuse rubbish, Isaiah 53.7, 8. He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet opened he not his mouth, he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her sheerers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment (i. e.) He was taken out of the world by imprisonment and judgment, as a Malefactour, but observe what follows, Who shall declare his generation? (i. e.) his generation is matter of wonder and astonishmen • to men, and angels, they may run to their wits end in considering of it, and when they conceive him to be God of God, and light of light, this light will so dazzle them, that they will be blinded with it, and will be ready to confess with Symonides the philosopher o • his conceivings of God, when he had firs • taken day after day to consider of it, he tol • Hiero the Syracusian King that put the Question to him, that the more he studied it the less he knew, and was blinder in the Mystery at the last days end than he was at the first; And let not us think (poor low-spirit • sinners as we are) that this Son of God, o • whom you have heard such excellent things (yet one half is not told you) that he was thus wonderfully begotten by his father before all • worlds, and so wonderfully received by the holy ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary in the fullness of time, only, or chiefly to bring such inconsiderable nothings as we are to glory. No no flatter not yourselves, Sinners, though this is a comfortable appurtenance unto Christ's coming in the flesh, and such as considerate, and meditationall believers would not exchange for the wealth and glory of a thousand worlds, yet the foundation of God's design is laid higher, not in our glory but in his own; To the glory of his grace, Eph. 1.6. Not in our glory, but his Sonns, we may borrow Peter 's words to the men of Israel that admired the miracle of restoring sight to the blind man, Acts. 3.13. Ye men of Israel why marvel ye at this? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus &c. And observe how the Apostle gives his sense of it, Phil. 2. Where after he made mention of his sufferings v. 7, 8. He falls presently upon the mention of his Exaltation. v. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name &c. Yea, and that great and terrible day of judgment is chiefly appointed for the Exaltation of Christ; then shall it be said of his Enemies that would not that he should reign over them, bring them out & slay them before me. The Apostle hath a flaming place to that purpose, 2. Thes. 1, 7, 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints. & to be admired in all them that believe. Where you may run and read that the high design of the general judgment day is to glorify God in his mercy, and justice, to glorify his grace in his saved ones, and his justice upon them that perish; and with his own glory which is so dear unto him, he hath twinn'd the Exaltation of his dear Son, that he may be glorified in his Saints, and admired in them that believe. And so much shall suffice for the first Reason of Christ 's excellence, because he's a dear Son and precious in God the father 's account.

2. Reason. Because he is really so in himself, excellent, most excellent, more than superlatively Excellent, more than tongues can speak, or hearts can think. Christ is the Center in which all the lines of Excellency do meet. He's the Ocean into which all the rivers of Excellencies do unload themselves: He deserves never to be mentioned but in the midst of his fullness, The fullness of Christ: Nor to be named without his riches. The riches of Christ. The riches of his fullness, and fullness of his riches. I could here rather spend myself in thinking and admiring, than in speaking and speaking short, for so I must, since I am cast upon a subject that is unutterable. Oh for some of the Apostles sublimated conceptions when he was caught up into the third heaven, so I might bring down some of his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2. Cor. 12.4. Wordless words, but what would that avail, if when I had brought them down, I could not bring them, forth, I could not utter them. I can think much more than I can speak, but Christ 's excellencies do infinitely excel all that I can think, yea, all that can be spoken or thought of them; He were but a poor Christ if the tongues of all the learned in the world, or Angels in heaven were able to give you a full description of his Excellencies. Yet I shall endeavor to do an office like unto the faithful spies that were sent into Canaan, bring you a cluster that may give you a taste of the Lands flowings, or overflowings rather, for if in anything heavens measure be heaped up, shaken together, pressed down and running over, it is in giving out Christ unto believers, out of whose fullness we are all receivers, and grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. Whilest we are gathering up particulars, we shall be like the Be that flies from flower to flower to make a Collection of sweetness; But when we come to Christ we are like Bees landed at their full hives, and dwelling in the midst of their riches; attend whilst I fly from one Similitude, or shadow to another, as from flower to flower, to gather you together a Confluence of Excellencies, and then we will lay up all our honey together in the hive, and terminate all our excellencies in Christ.

Now let us but cast about, and scan the excellence of those things to which Christ i • compared (of which we must say notwithstanding

Its but a comparing great things with small ) and there we may have some dim resemblances of the super-abounding Excellencies that are in Christ.

1. Do you count life excellent? Though the spiritual man hath found things that are more Excellent, and can say with the prophet, cease ye from the man whose breat his in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of, Isaiah. 2. ult. and can with David tell God that his loving kindness is better than life, yet the natural man, that counts death the King of fears, and as the Prince of Philosophers calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the most terrible • f terribles, he hath life in highest account, he esteems it (if his practice be a right measure of his judgment) higher than God, than Christ, than the Salvation of his soul; Let the Devil be his interpreter for once, Who is too well acquainted with the ways of the natural man, & he speaks thus of him, Job. 2. • 4. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life. Why, if life be to be accounted Excellent, then Christ is a believers life. In the old Adam we are all dead, being brought into the new Adam we are made alive. He that hath the Son hath life, & he that hath not the Son hath not life. 1. Joh. 5.12. & the Apostle saith our life is hid with Christ in God. Col. 3.3.

2. Do you count your souls Excellent? Though the natural man prize life above his Soul, yet the spiritual man values his soul above his life, yea, and above all things in the world, having learnt of the Savior of souls to make that part estimate, who asks that double question in one breath, Mat. 16.26. What shall it profit a man to gain the world, if he lose his soul? Or what shall a man give in Exchange for his Soul? Why if the soul be to be accounted excellent, then Christ is, for the Apostle speaks of him as of his very soul, Not I but Christ liveth in me. Galat. 2 • 20. What the soul is to the body, the same i • Christ unto the soul, anima est vita corpori • Christus animae. The soul gives life to the body, and Christ to the soul, the separatio • from the soul is the bodies death, and a separation from Christ is the souls death. D • but observe what an high esteem the godl • have had of their Souls, Jacob called h • soul his glory. Gen. 49.6. And David call • his Darling, and so should believers accou • Christ, as their own Souls, and love him 〈◊〉 Jonathan was said to love David, as his o • Soul, yea, they should call him their glory, an • count him their Darling.

3. Do you count a Feast excellent? 〈◊〉 feast is made up of all manner of variety and dainties; Its a contribution of creature from air, Earth, and water, the fowls of th • air, the beasts of the earth, and fishes of the Se • are summoned to pay their tribute to our festivals. And Christ is not only a believe • food, but a believers feast. Its not only sai • by Christ. My flesh is meat indeed, and m • blood is drink indeed, John. 6.55. And b • the spirit, to him that overcometh will I give • to eat of the hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. an • the spirit and bride say come, and let him th • heareth say come, and let him that is athirst come, and let whosoever will come and drink of the water of life freely, Revel. 22.17. But its said moreover that God makes a feast in his holy mount, a feast of fat things full of marrow, and wines upon the lees well refined, Isaiah. 25.6. And gospel-provisions are compared to a King making a Marriage feast for his Son, Mat. 22.2. and Christ is the Marrow, and the Wine of this feast, yea, the banquet, music and complements of all its excellency.

4. Do you count royal robes, or gorgeous apparel excellent? Oh how taking are such gold and silver trappings with the Sons, and Daughters of pride? Why Christ is said to be a believers clothing, Rom. 13.13. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, they are clothed with the seamless coat of his righteousness; and the woman clothed with the Sun. Revel. 12.1. is none other than the Church in her members clothed with Christ; the Kings daughter that is all glorious with in, even that clothe of silver, and clothe of gold which are looked upon as sumptuous and glittering ornaments are but rags to this.

5. Do you count the water of life to be excellent? What would not a fainting, sinking, dying man give for a rich, and sovereign cordial? Why Christ is such, yea, the very quintessence of all that 's cordial, who will no • only give health in sickness, but life in death

6. Do you count joy to be excellent? It's a most reviving passion, even like life from the dead. Ask a man that hath been under the sentence of death by some dangerous and desperate sickness: Ask a Mother when she is delivered from the pangs of travel, which she thought would cost her her life: Ask a malefactor or Traitor that hath received his pardon at the block or Gallows, or a slave when he is newly redeemed and released from that hell upon earth, The Spanish inquisition, or the Turkish Gallies: they will give you a shadow of it, but a believers joy in Christ is greater, even greater than joy in harvest, and greater than his that findeth the greatest spoils.

7. Is gold accounted excellent? Yea, its too much set by, by such as will sell souls, and Salvation and all for it. Why Christ is compared to gold tried in the fire, Revel. 3.18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich. (i. e.) that sum which Christ hath paid for a believers ransom, his passive obedience in undergoing the curse of the law for them, and his active in fulfilling the righteousness of the Law for them.

8. Do men esteem of a Crown, the Emblem of Majesty; though I read of one that said, If men did but know what a Crown of thorns and cares did line a Crown of gold, no man would stoop to the ground to take it up, yet it looks lovely in the Eyes of such as affect supremacy; and Christ in the word is said to be a believers Crown. If that place will not carry it, Revel. 3.11. directed to Philadelphia, hold fast that none take away thy Crown. That Phil. 3.14. will carry further, even beyond all the Kingdoms of the world and glory of them, I press forward towards the mark for the prize of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus. And that 2. Tim. 4.8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing.

9. You do count Jewels excellent and the best part of your treasure, they do out-weigh gold and silver, and are looked upon as prizes fittest for princes; And Christ is that pearl of great price which so prevailed with the rich Merchant to sell all to purchase it. Mat. 13.46. And that hid treasure, which when it was found, the finder sold all his estate to buy it, Mat. 13.44.

10. Do we not count highly of the first-born, the first times did that gave him the priority in the family, the priests office, and the double portion. And Christ is called the first-born among many brethren, the first born that ever came into the world by such a miraculous conception. The first-born from the dead, that ever rose by his own power. And the first-born in the Kingdom of heaven that entered there in his own right; Yea, the first in dignity among all that congregation of the first-born that is now in that Panegyricall assembly, which is in heaven. Hebr. 12.24.

11. Have we not high thoughts of the Sun among the Creatures? What would the world do without it? And surely the world can better be without the Sun, than the Church without Christ, and David tells us the Lord is a Sun, Ps. 84. And nothing is more known by its proper name, then the Son of God by that glorious name, The sun of Righteousness, The Church in reference to Christ is called the Moon, Cant. 6.10. Because as the Moon shines by the Sunns light, so doth the Church by Christ's, and in this respect also Christ is said to be the husband, and the Church the wife, because uxor splendet radiis mariti. The wife is endowed with her husbands riches and honor.

12. Is not a shield much set by? It was • urely by the ancients, which did defend • hemselves with shields, and David saith, the Lord is a shield as well as a sun. Ps. 84.11. And God saith unto Abraham, fear not Abraham, I am thy shield, or thy buckler, and thy ex • eeding great reward. Gen. 15.1. Its storied of Epaminondas a valiant Warriour, that having sustained great losses in war, when the • eport was brought to him, he presently demanded, but whats become of my shield, is • hat lost too? no said the messenger that is • afe, then he concluded that he had lost no • hing. So should believers concerning Christ, whatsoever they lose, though their riches, pleasures, friends, liberties, lives, yet • f they can but keep Christ, he alone will recompense all losses.

13. Because you shall have more than a full Jury of Testimonies, and measure with advantage. Do we not count much upon a sure foundation, and lay the whole stress of the building upon it? Surely Christ teacheth us to do so when he mentions building upon th • rock and sand, Mat. 7.24, 26. And so do • the Apostle when he saith, Other foundatio • can no man lay than that which is laid, and th • foundation is Christ. 1. Cor. 3.11. Why the very scope of my Text looks this way and I need not insist longer upon it. Behol • I lay in Zyon a chief corner stone, elect and pr • cious, and whosoever believeth in him shall n • be ashamed, and then infers. To you therefor • who believe he is precious.

Having now ascended by degrees to a • high mount of excellencyes, though we should • see Christ transfigured with Peter, James an • John, We will not cry bonum est esse hic; i • is good for Christ to be with us, but it's bette • to be with Christ, yea, best of all, I desire to b • dissolved and to be with Christ which is bes • of all, Phil. 1.23.

Let us look back from this mount, and take a prospect of the steps that we have trodden.

1. Life is the most excellent of all Temporalls.

2. The soul is the most noble part of man.

3. A Feast is the most excellent of entertainments.

4. Robes of ornament are the most excellent clothing.

5. Cordials are the most excellent of Phisick.

6. Joy is the most excellent of the passions.

7. Gold is the most excellent of metals.

8. A Crown is the most excellent of ornaments.

9. Jewels are the most excellent part of a Crown.

10. The first-born is the most excellent of the family.

11. The Sun is the most excellent of inanimate Creatures.

12. A shield is the most excellent armor.

13. A sure foundation is the most excellent part of the building.

Do not all these excellencies prove that Christ, who is compared to all these, is the most excellent good?

It were easy to be endless in the excellencies of Christ; he's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 beginner and finisher of our faith. Hebr. 12.2. Yea, he's beginning, middle, and end. Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things.

• 1. Of him tanquam ex principio.
• 2. Through him tanquam medium.
• 3. To him tanquam ad finem.

• 1. Of him as of their beginning.
• 2. Through him as through their means.
• 3. To him as to their end.

Christ is the Inprimis of a believers bill, for thus it runs. Inprimis Christ. Item promises, then grace, mercy, peace, and at last joy unspeakable and glorious. And he's the Omega as well as Alpha, the last as well as the first of a believers care, to have Christ with us in grace. and holiness is the first, and to be with Christ in glory and happiness is the last. Yea, he's the very upshot, and sum total of a believers account, as once a Martyr said, Christum & omnia: Christum & omnia. Give me Christ and I have all.

He is the field that contains the hid treasure, for in him are hid all the treasures of wis • ome and knowledge: Yea he's the hid treasure its self that is hid in the field of the word; The Jewell in that Cabinet, the hidden Manna that descends in that dew: Ob • erve and see whether he be not placed as the • eriod of all that Panegyricall pomp, as a • weet-meat in the end of a feast to make up the • elievers mouths, Hebr. 12.22.23.24. • ee are come to mount Zion, and unto the City • f the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, • nd to an innumerable company of angels. To • he general assembly, and Church of the first- • orn which are written in heaven, and to God • he judge of all, and to the souls of the just made perfect, now it follows, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant &c. That's • he altitude, the very apex that culminates a • elievers happiness: Some make vision the height of blessedness, and therefore call it the vision beatifical; but fruition is a step beyond • hat, for what will it profit a traveler to see • ich Countries wherein he hath no portion, or a measurer of land to know the borders of • nother estate; And here is a step beyond • oth vision and fruition, that all is seen and enjoyed through Christ, nay that they have pardon and life, and God and Christ with • hem, that they have gifts and giver and all. Oh how should believers look for, & long for, & pray for, & live for, & strive, & wrestle & • ight for that blessed time, when Christ shall be revealed, and they shall not only be with him but like him, and see and enjoy him as he is. 1. Joh. 3.2. and so much be spoken of the second Reason, which was both so full and sweet, that blame me not if I have played loath to part.

3. Reason. Because he is so to us: Lord thou art good and dost good saith David. Ps. 119.68. and so may we say to Christ. If he were never so excellent in himself, yet if he were not so to us, selfish man would overlook all the other as nothing; but it will appear that Christ hath been exceeding good to us, if we take into close consideration three things which shall be the amplifications of this reason.

• 1. What he hath been for us.
• 2. What he hath suffered for us.
• 3. What he hath done for us.

1. What he hath been for us: Well may we put on David 's resolution to be more vile for the Lord, when we consider how vile he hath been for us. He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God, humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, take notice of that double death, those 2 deaths in one, death and the most shameful and painful death: death, even the death of the cross, Exinanivit seipsum, he in whom all fullness dwelt emptied himself, he laid aside the excellency of his glory that he might advance the excellency of his grace: he made his glory obscure like the Sun in a cloud, or eclipsed, to make his grace glorious. The Evangelist speaks all when he saith Joh. 1.14. The word was made flesh; he doth not say God was made man, but the spirit calls him the word to show how great he was, and further saith he was made flesh, a word of diminution to show how mean he was: Quantus erat ut deus, quantillus ut homo, to show how great he was as God, and how little he became in being made man. He took on him the form of a servant, and was sold at the rate of a slave, being valued at 30. pieces of silver. and for this cause God hath exalted him. Phil. 2.9. and for this cause we should exalt him, and should say. Quanto pro nobis vilior, tanto nobis charior, Oh holy and blessed Savior, the more vile thou didst become for us, the more dear shalt thou be unto us.

2. What he hath suffered for us. The foregoing consideration spake to this likewise, showing what he was, and what he suffered: God 's coaequall humbled himself, that shows what he was; and suffered death even t •• death of the Cross, that showeth what he suffered. The Apostle • aith, Gal. 4.4. When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that are under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. In which words are contained.

1. The fullness of time. When the fullness &c.

2. The fullness of Love. God sent &c.

3. The fullness of obedience, both active and passive. Made under the Law. (i. e.) undergoing the curse of the law passively, and fulfilling the righteousness of the Law actively.

4. The fullness of blessedness, that we might receive the adoption of Sonns.

The prophet saith he was broken for our sins, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. Isaiah. 53.5. and the Apostle saith he died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. Rom. 4.25.

3. What he hath done for us, and the things that he doth for us are of 2. sorts.

• 1. The things that he doth for us.
• 2. The things that he doth in us.

The first is that that is done for us, Justification.

The Second are the things that are done in mortification and sanctification.

1. The things that he hath done for us without us, besides that which hath been said of his sufferings which are ingredient into our justification, he hath fulfilled the righteousness of the Law, that he might be The Lord our Righteousness.

2. The things that he hath done for us within us: He puts out his omnipotency to make us new Creatures, and takes away the stony hearts out of our bodies, and gives us hearts of flesh; he pours clean water upon us to make us clean, cleanses us from our idols and fillthiness, He kill 's our sins and corruptions, and quickens our graces; he breaks us with the hammer of his law, melt 's us with the fire of ordinances, casts us into the mould of his word, tries & purifies us in the furnace of afflictions: shaking us by the spirit of bondage, settling us by the spirit of adoption, that we may be vessels of mercy fitted for glory; It's the mighty power of God, and the virtue that goes out from Jesus Christ that doth effect this.

4. Reason. Because he is so in the Saints account. They are ready to proclaim him to be optimus, maximus, bigg'st and best: What Balaam the false prophet spake in a bragging bravado. Num. 24.3, 4. Balaam hath said, and the ma • whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the almighty, falling into a transe, but having his eyes open. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Israel! I may say, and much more to our present purpose: Many a prophet hath spoken, yea, God hath spoken it by the univocall consent of his holy prophets which have been since the World began. The Evangelists, Apostles, and believers of all ages, who have had their eyes open, & have seen the visions of the Almighty; Even those that have been taken up into the third Heaven in Divine raptures they have said, How goodly is thy Savior, Oh Jacob and thy Redeemer, O Israel! He is the light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel: Oh how goodly is that Light, that true Light, that Light of Light, That Son of the father of Lights, that lightens everyone that comes into the World, or rather everyone that comes out of the world to Christ, for he came to his own and his own received him not, and this is said to be the World's condemnation that Light is come into the World, and men love darkness more then Light. That a Savior is come unto the world, and yet Souls will not flock unto this Savior.

But we must chiefly intend our matter in hand, which is to acquaint you what account Christ hath always been had in with his Saints, who is called King of Saints, and is said to have a rich and glorious Inheritance in the Saints. Eph. 1.18. (i. e.) he glorying in his Saints and accounting them his portion, and his Saints glorying in him, and taking him to be their Inheritance, and their mutual Covenant complacency in one another when they can say with the spouse, My beloved is mine and I am his.

Now to fetch it ab origin.

• 1. Christ was present when Man was made.
• 2. Christ was promised when Man was mar'd.
• 3. Christ is president when Man is new made.

1. Christ was present when Man wa • made The faciamus hominem comprehends him. Gen. 1.26. Which the Rabbin's say is God and his Counsel, or as others of the God and his judgment Hall alluding to the lesser shanedrin, as it is conceived, which consisted of 3. neither more nor less; or if he were not taken in there, The Evangelist i • plain, Joh. 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made that was made.

2. And as Christ was present when Ma • was made, so he was promised when Man wa • mar'd; When the curse was denounce • against the serpent, and before it was denounced against the woman and the man, it was promised that the seed of the woma • should break the Serpents head. Gen. 3.15.

3. And Christ is president when Man is new made; as the Apostle doth fully testify when he saith if any be in Christ he is a new Creature. 2. Cor. 5.17. He was the promised seed mentioned by Moses, not only i • Adam 's, but in Abraham 's case, in reference to his son Isaac, the seed in whom all Nations should be blessed, Gen. 12.3. In the Law given by Moses, every ceremony points, to Christ, and therefore it is called the Jew's gospel, and St. John saith, though the Law was given by Moses, yet grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, he was the substance of those shadows, and the truth of those types. And if we do but read the ceremonial Law with that Evangelical Comment the Epistle to the Hebrews, you will find that that delates most methodically upon the person, and natures, and offices of Jesus Christ. And it's there further testified of Moses that he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26. (i. e.) the worst of Christ better than the best of the World, for Egypt, was called sumen totius orbis, the Navill, or granary of the World.

It's further said John 8. ^th. 56. that Abraham desired to see Christ's day and rejoiced to see it.

He's called the Star of Jacob. Num. 24.17.

The root of Jesse Isaiah. 11.1.

David 's Lord. Psalm. 110.1.

The Branch. Isaiah, 11.1. Isaiah. 4.2.

The glorious rest.

The desire of Nations.

The King in glory. Psal. 24 7, 9.

The Lord our Righteousness. Jer. 23.6.

The most Holy. Dan. 9.24.

David owns him as his Lord, and in his Psalms writes at large of his Prophetical, Priestly and Kingly office, take a taste of it from Ps. 110.

Solomon writes a book of him. That amorous song of his, the beginning whereof begs the kisses of his mouth, and proclaims his love to be better then wine. Cant. 1.2. And complains (speaking in the person of the Church) that he was love-sick, for the bridegrooms flagons, and wineseller, and apples, comparing him to all things that were amiable, and when he was run out of breath, proclaiming him to be totum amabile, altogether lovely. Cant. 5.16.

Isaiah the prophet speaks loftily of him Isaiah. 9.6, 7. Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting father, The prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it, and to stablish it with judgment and with justice henceforth, and forever.

John the Baptist sprang, and as it were danc'd for joy in his Mothers womb at the Virgins visit, Luke. 1.41. and afterward gloried that he must decrease in Christ's increasings. Joh. 3.30.

The Evangelists make him the subject of all their writings, and fill their Gospel with the history of his Conception, Nativity, Life, Sermons, Miracles, Sufferings, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and session, and second Coming. They declare at large that he was such a Preacher that he spake as never man spake, John. 7.46. And the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, caused wonder and astonishment. And that he was such a mighty worker, that he wrought as never man wrought, it was concluded that no man could do such miracles except God were with him. John. 3.2. And the Evangelist John concludes, Ch. 21.25. There are many other things that Jesus did, the which if they should be written everyone, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

The lifting up of the Serpent by Moses in the wilderness was but an Emblem of Christ's lifting up upon the Cross, and in that according to his prediction he drew all Eyes and hearts after him as their Pysician to heal them, and their Jesus to save them.

What Paul thought of him hath been observed from 1. Cor. 2.2. Where he desired to know nothing else but Jesus Christ, and him crucified, and from Philip. 3.7, 8. Where he accounts of all as dung and dross in Comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus &c.

And what Peter thought of him is manifest from my Text, that he is the chief corner stone, and pearl of price. The Church is said to be built upon the foundation of Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ being the head corner stone Eph. 2.20.

Yea, the mouths of all the Prophets and Kings, and Righteous men, of all the Evangelists, Apostles, Martyrs, Teachers; believers have spoken reverently, and magnifyingly of Jesus Christ. Should I run through the whole book of God, I should be confounded in the search.

Take this for a brief account. He's the Alpha and Omega. Yea, beginning, middle, and end and all. He's the Alpha of Genesis for the Scripture. History begins with him. In the beginning God created. That is Chris • for one. John. 1 3. All things were made by • im, and without him was nothing made that • as made. He's the sum and Epitome of Law • nd Gospel. The Law is but our Schoolmaster • o bring us unto Christ, and the Gospel is but • ur Tutor, when we are brought to the • niversity to lead us through principles, and • ractise to perfection.

And as he is beginning and middle, so he is • nd to. The Omega of the Revelation as well • s the Alpha of Genesis, for the Bible • oncludes with this invocation, Revel. 22. • 0. Even so come Lord Jesus, come quick • y.

5. Reason. Because he makes all other • hings good unto Believers. Unto the pure all • hings are pure (i. e.) unto those that are in Christ Jesus, justified, and sanctified. But • nto them that are defiled and unbelieving • othing is pure, but even their minds and con • cience is defiled. Tit. 1.15. Christ is the • hilosophers stone that turns all metals that • re touched with it into gold: He is such a gift • hat turns all gifts into mercies. Our Eng • ish Law tells us of a tenure in capite, by which if a man have but an acre of Land in • hat tenure, it turns all the rest that he hath into the same tenure. To hold by Christ to hold by such a tenure, and though that held the worst in temporals, yet this is th • best in spirituals, according to that of th • Apostle 1. Cor. 3.23. All things are yours and you Christ's: Jacob's enough was more i • this respect than Esaas enough, because Esa • had but the bare gifts, but Jacob had gift • and giver, This should teach us to covet tha • what we have we may have upon a Covenan • account, and then we shall not only have a basket, but a blessing upon the basket. Deu • 28.5. And a little that a righteous man hat • will be better than all the revenues of the wicked. And so much may suffice to be spoke • concerning the Reasons that stand as a back to this Doctrine, the Application and Uses follow.

THE TEXT;

THese are words of Wisdom, and oh that they may be words spoken in due season.

They are a part of the wisdom of God, being a portion of his written word and revealed will: They proceed from him that spake as never man spake, Jesus Christ the word essential, and wisdom of his Father: And they are spoken in the defense of wisdom against all the gainsaying sons and daughters of folly in the World; and directed to the children of Wisdom. Therefore it will be our wisdom to incline not only our ears, but our whole hearts to the hearing and receiving of them: I might deliver my mind in wise Solomon's words, who was surnamed for his admirable Wisdom Solomon the wise, because he preferred a wise and understanding heart above riches and honor, and therefore his wish being granted him, he asked wisdom, yea, he asked and had it, yea and had it so supereminently, that the World did ring of it in his lifetime, which brought the Queen of the South from far to visit him, and the Church hath rung of it since his death, yea, and all succeeding Generations will call him blessed, his memorial being aeternized by those 3. admirable pieces of highest wisdom, his book of Proverbs, the book of the Preacher, and the Song of Songs. But that piece of his wisdom which I shall commend unto you is left upon Record, Prov. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? she standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths; she crieth at the gates, at the entry of the City, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men I call, and my voice is to the sons of men: O ye simple, understand wisdom, and ye fools be of an understanding heart. Hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. In which words you have Wisdom speaking for itself, and speaking with a loud voice, speaking from the Pulpits, and house-tops, and high places; speaking from the press, and pressing herself upon you in the most earnest and public manner, way-laying you in your paths, to catch you with guile in the endeavors of your Teachers, who become all things to all men, that by all means they may win some, lying at your City gates, and at your very doors, knocking in season and out of season for entertainment; to make short, she proclaims and commends such for wise and prudent that receive her, and brands, and condemns all such for fools, and bruits which refuse her, sed verbum sat sapientibus, I speak as unto wise men, judge ye what I say. From Wisdoms justifying of herself, we must • ass as the Text leads us to her justification • y her Children. For wisdom is justified of 〈◊〉 her Children.

The words of my Text are also found, Mat. 11.19. and spoken in both places upon one and the same occasion: And they were occasioned by the morosity and frowardness of the unreachable Jews, whom no means could win upon, neither fair nor foul, rough nor smooth, John the Baptist came to them, clothed all in mourning, with a most sad, strict and austere gravity, as it did best become a Preacher of repentance, and they cry out that he had Devil.

And after the forerunner and harbinger, comes King Christ himself, but under the disguise of the Carpenters son, Christ he comes with all courtesy & affability, as it became a most gracious and propitious remitter of sins, and they charge him to be a glutton, and a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners: Neither Johns austerity, nor Christ's courtesy could take with them, neither wind nor sun, means fair nor fowl could prevail with them to lay aside their sins, and submit to the Gospel. This is intimated by the comparison of children's sports, of mourning and piping. saying unto their fellows, we have piped unto you, but ye have not danced, we have mourned unto you, but you have not wept: They would neither weep after John, nor dance after Christ; They had Copies both of mortification, and rejoicing set them by Christ and his fore-runner, but would write after neither, and therefore the Son and Spirit of God doth here implicitly call them fools in this disjunctive antithesis, speaking to this effect: Choose you whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, whether you will receive or refuse that wisdom from above, that is communicated to the World by John and myself: But know this of a truth, that the Children of Wisdom will receive it, and they are the Children of Folly that refuse it: Wisdom is justified of all her Children.

I shall first sense the words, and then observe a Doctrine, and in sensing of the words I shall open three things.

• 1. What we are to understand by Wisdom.
• 2. What by Wisdoms being justified.
• 3. Whom by the Children of Wisdom.

1. This word Wisdom is vox aequivoca, an ambiguous word, clothed with diversity of senses in sacred writ, to give you a taste.

1. Sometimes it is put for God the Father, who is the Father of Wisdom, as well as the Father of Christ, and the Father of the Elect: He is the God only wise, Rom. 16.27. and the giver of Wisdom, James 1.5. and to show the transcendency of his Wisdom, the Apostle saith, the foolishness of God is wiser than men, 1. Cor. 1.25. Wisdom is not a quality in God as it is in men, but part of his Essence, and therefore as he is love itself, 1. Joh. 4.16. and light itself, 1. John, 1, 5. so he is ipsissima justitia, & ipsissima sapientia; righteousness it self, and wisdom it self: Nequit fallere quia justitia, nequit falli quia sapientia: He can neither deceive, nor be deceived, he cannot deceive because he is truth, or righteousness itself, neither can he be deceived, because he is Wisdom itself.

2. Sometimes God the Son is called by that name, for he is his Fathers Wisdom, as well as his Son, in which respect he is also called the Word, Joh. 1.1. because as the Word that comes out of man's mouth declares what is in his heart, (out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaking;) So Christ came out of his Fathers bosom to declare his will unto the World. Expositors do give their sense accordingly of that mystical Scripture, Prov. 9.1. Wisdom hath built her an house, that is, Christ hath built him a Church, and the Apostle calls him expressly Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1. Cor. 1.24.

3. Sometimes the spirit of God is called by that name, or something Equivalent, as Eph. 1.17. The spirit of wisdom.

4. But most usually by wisdom is meant the written word, or revealed will of God, because it contains, and holds out the manifold wisdom of God: Because it came from Wisdom it self, and was given by inspiration from God. 2. Tim. 3.16. And its tendency is to make wise: Its the true fruit of the tree of knowledge, fair to look upon, and much to be desired to make one wise. The Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus, 2. Tim. 3.15. The word is therefore Pro. 1.20. according to the Original called Wisdomes in the plural number, because it abounds with with all fullness. Ps: 19.8. and 2. Tim. 3.16. And is so perfect and complete a directory, that nothing may be added to it, nor taken from it. Deut. 4.2. Revel. 22.18, 19.

By wisdom here we are to understand chiefly the last of these, yet not excluding the rest: God's Message to Mankind, The glorious Gospel of the blessed God: The great Embassy from Heaven sent by John and Jesus, that great Salvation that at first was preached by Christ himself, and afterward was confirmed by them that heard him. Hebr. 2.3. That sealed word that hath been witnessed by clouds of witnesses, and sealed by multitudes of Miracles; left upon record in the Magna Charta of Heaven, the Canonical Scriptures, and faithfully handed down unto the Church as the keeper of it, the pillar and ground of the truth, by pastors and teachers as the true Successors of the Prophets, Evangelists and Apostles.

2. Secondly to give you the meaning of the next term, Wisdoms being justified.

Justification is in propriety of speech a Law term, signifying the clearing or acquitting of a person as innocent after a legal procedure, and Evidence received, so that he stands rectus in Curiâ, upright in judgment, as having a right cause.

And as borrowed from the Law it is transferred to the Gospel, and signifies an humble sinners full and free pardon of all his sins and his gracious acceptation to mercy for th • imputation of the sufferings and righteousne •• of Jesus Christ.

But here some Expositors do render the meaning of it, laudata est sapientia, Wisdom is praised; others, honorata est sapientia, Wisdom is honored: Both together do give you a full and most excellent sense of the expression.

• 1. Wisdom is praised with the Mouth.
• 2. Wisdom is honored with the Heart.

With the heart man believeth, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation: When the heart sets open its everlasting doors to entertain Wisdom in the beauty, and power, and fullness of it: And when out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will be speaking a good word for Wisdom, and make profession and confession on Wisdom's side; that is, to justify Wisdom.

As God and Christ are justified, or magnified, or glorified, so is Wisdom; and that will be plain when we understand the different readings of that excellent Text, 1. Pet. 2.9. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that ye should speak forth the praises (saith one sense) that ye should show forth the • ertues (saith another,) of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

• 1. Then to justify Wisdom, is to speak forth its praises.
• 2. To justify Wisdom, is to show forth its virtues.

• 1. To speak unto its praise, and
• 2. To live unto its praise, is to justify Wisdom.

1. Our tongues must be tuned to give Wisdom its due acclamation; we may truly ascribe that unto Wisdom, which the people once did falsely and flatteringly to Herod, non vox hominem sonat! The Wisdom that we are speaking of, is the voice of God, and not of man. Or as when the Competition was betwixt Wine, Women, and Truth for supremacy; We may strike in with the last and say, Magna, maxima est veritas & praevalebit: Great is the Truth, and prevaileth! So we may cry ô Sapientia! Great and excellent is Wisdom, and excelleth over all.

Te facimus Regina Deem, caelo{que} locamus, This Queen of the Earth, we may cry up to the Heavens, and make a petty deity of her and yet be no Idola • ers; for so did Solomon, (one of Wisdom's eldest Sons) of old Prov. 4.7, 8. Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get Wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding: exalt her, and she shall promote thee, yea she shall bring thee to honor when thou dost embrace her; she shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace, a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee: Who would not be prevailed with, to exalt Wisdom upon this very account, that it will exalt them and bring them to honor?

2. But this is not all: the heart is deceitful, and fairest words do often come from foulest hearts; therefore know further, that our yea, must be yea, when we commend Wisdom, when our tongues are let out in its praises, our hearts must say amen to it: we must not play the hypocrites in commending wisdom, by doing it ore tenus, and from the teeth outward; but we must honor it in our hearts, and show forth its virtues in our lives: In justifying Wisdom we have to do with the God of Wisdom, the seeer and searcher of all hearts, and he will not justify us in our hypocrisy: our own hearts may justify us, and yet God may condemn us, for sordet in conspectu judicis quod fulget in conspectu operantis, that may look fowl enough in God's pure eyes, which looks fair in ours; But if our own hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things, as our Savior said in another case, Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven: I may say the like here; Not everyone that can speak fair, and say, Wisdom is best, must pass for a child of Wisdom, and a justifier of Wisdom,— Video meliora probo{que} Deteriora sequor, — is a common practice, to see and praise the things that are exc • llent, and to pursue the contrary, was that that the Apostle charged home upon the Jews, Rom. 2.18. &c. And even a Poet could complain, Virtus laudatur & alget, Virtue is commended in words, but little regarded if we look to men's deeds: Therefore he that doth Wisdom's wills, which are the same that the Spirit of God calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all the wills of God, Acts 13.22. I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart, who shall fulfill all my Wills, such a one as shall order his whole Conversation according to all God's revealed will; and as it becometh the Gospel of Jesus Christ; this is one that justifith • Wisdom.

3. The third thing comes next under consideration; and that is, Whom we are to understand by the Children of wisdom. And here, I might give them many Characters whereby they may be known; but a few of the most Principal shall suffice.

1. You may know them by their Father; They are such as have received the Spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father, and that spirit bears witness with their spirits that they are the Sonns of God, and if sons then heyrs, fellow heyrs with Jesus Christ.

They are such as are effectually called out of the world and flesh, by the word and spirit; so that they are not conformable to this present world though they sojourn in it; neither do they walk nor war after the flesh whiles they are in the flesh. In a word, they are such as have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior into the powers of their souls, and by His sonship are made Sonns, and obtain that gracious and glorious privilege to be the Sonns and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty.

2. You may know them by their Mother; Jerusalem the holy, the Church Militant, is their Common Mother; They cleave fast unto that pillar and ground of the truth: Whiles others turn retrograde, and run their backs upon their fi • st love, they are ready to reply unto their Mother, as Peter did unto our Savior, when he asked his Disciples Will ye also go away? Joh. 6.68. Master whither should we go? So they, Mother, whither should we go, thou hast the words of Eternal life: Upon that Church of the living God, which is that pillar on which truth hangs, they will hang too, and as inseparably clea • e to it as Ruth to Naomi: Who said bid me not leave thee nor forsake thee, for where thou goest I will go, and where thou dwellest I will dwell: thy people shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God.

As Solomon gloried in his Mother, saying, I am my Mother's Child, So will they, in the Church; Not in the Name, as the Jews that cried out the Temple of the Lord, and our Carnal professors that hang upon outside privileges as the people in Noah's flood did upon the ou side of the Ark: But it is the Thing it self that they glory in, that they understand, and know the Lord. It is not the Temple of the Lord, b • t the Lord of the Temple that they make their boast of; not only that they have received the seal of their Matriculation in their Baptism, which is a Common livery that the Church gives unto all her visible followers: But that they have that truth in the inward parts, which distinguisheth them from all hypocrites, and unsound professors and have their Testimony within, and their record on high, that God is unto them a God, & they are unto him a people.

3. You may know them by their Brethren. Simile gaudet simili: They love the brotherhood, and keep close unto the Saints Communion: They are birds all of a feather, and sheep all of the same pasture: Hear David speaking his own sense, and theirs. Away from me ye wicked, I will keep the Commandments of my God. The wicked should be none of his Council, his soul should not come into their secret. But his delight was in the Saints, and in such as did excel in virtue; and he professed himself to be a Companion of all such as did fear God and keep his Commandments.

4. You may know them by their Enemies. The ignorant and disobedient, the spirit of God hath joined them together. 2. Thes. 1.8. and therefore I shall not put them asunder. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. David joins them yet nearer and m • kes them both one in that Question of his; Are not they without understanding that work wickedness? Making the workers of iniquity, and such as are without understanding, to be one and the same; and its very obvious that David in his Psalms and Solomon in his Proverbs, do make the fool and the sinner to be Synonoma's, terms of one signification. Its the fool that saith in his heart, There is no God; or else, Tush God cares not he hides away his face and will not see: Is there knowledge in the most high? Observe, the foolish Sinner hides God from himself, saith in heart, Ther's no God, and then thinks he hath hid himself from God, Tush saith he next, God sees not. But David saith enough, demonstratively to convince him. He that planted the Eare shall he not hear, and he that made the Eye shall not he see; or he that nurtureth the heathen and teacheth man knowledge, shall not he punish? I might add further. He that takes his name from seeing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Quiu uno intuitu videt omnia praeterita, praesentia, & futura, at one entire act seeth all things, past, present, and to come, he that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all Eye, before whose all seeing Eye all things are naked and manifest, it were strange indeed that he should not see: and yet ignorant Sinners dare take up such monstrous thoughts of the God only wise.

And as they think meanly of the father of lights; So they have like thoughts of the Children of light. They are ready to count such as preach, and search the Scriptures, to be but fools, and preaching itself they esteem but foolishness: but as the judgment of blindmen is of no value concerning colors, so neither of fools and madmen concerning wisdom. Hear the Apostle; Since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe; As the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God, so the wisdom of the spirit is folly with men. But let God be true, and every man a Lyar, let God be only wise and every man a fool; let that be Wisdom which God counts so, and let that be folly which he calls so; and then the fear of God must go for the beginning of wisdom, and they that have no fear of God before their eyes, must wear the fools Coat, though they be never so noble, high, mighty, wise after • he flesh. However such as sit in darkness •• d in the shadow of death may flatter themselves, and speak evil of things that they kno • not, by speaking diminutively of the children and ways of wisdom; yet, if you will sit down by the testimony of such as have had thei • Eyes opened with Eye-salve from above, they are the readiest of all to befool and be- beast themselves in reference to thei • times of ignorance and vanity. Let David speak for all: So foolish was I, and ignorant; even as a brute before Thee. And they that speak thus of themselves, we need not make further inquiry, what they think of others. As one said once, Scientia (so we may now say Sapientia) nullum habet inimicum praeter ignorantem. As Science, so Sapience, hath no Enemy like to the Ignorant. Therefore as some of the Martyrs in Nero's time said, If they wanted a Mark to choose their Religion by, they might do wisely to make choice of that which Nero persecuted; so I may say, If men want a mark to know the children of Wisdom by, those are they whom the blind and leprous rabble of carnal and worldly sinners have in scorn and derision.

5. You shall know them by their Fruits: A good fruits show a good tree, so good works show a gracious Soul. That's but a dead Fa ••• that works not, as the Apostle James hints, James 2.17. And the precious faith of God's Elect is that that works by love. Gal. 5.6. Herein is my Father glorified, saith Christ to all the branches that abide in him, that ye • ring forth much fruit: (mark) fruit, and much fruit. A Christian's graces like grapes should grow in Clusters, 2. Pet. 1.10. Add unto faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, pa • ience, godliness, brotherly kindness, love; • here's the bunch, and though it be large, yet must it not, like that the spies brought out of Canaan, be born betwixt two; every gracious • oul must be fraught with all this rich lading, • nd that is not all neither. These graces must • ot only be in them, but must abound in them. They must abound in grace, for they must • ave every grace; and grace must abound in • hem, for they must reach after all of every grace, forgetting that which is behind, and • eaching out unto the things that are before for • he prize of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus. And let as many as be perfect, be thus • indeed. Where the grace of God that brings • dvation appears, and where that wisdom •• at is from above comes, which makes Wife unto Salvation; these are the lessons • t it teacheth: First, to eschew evil, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. And secondly, to do good; To live holily, justly, and soberly in this present world. Tit. 2.12. Thus have you the three terms of the Text opened.

• 1. Wisdom.
• 2. Being justified.
• 3. Of her Children.

And nothing of difficulty now remains, but that we may draw up to some Conclusion which may be the natural result of the words.

Expositors, that tie themselves strictly to the Text, give us this as the sense of the holy Spirit in the words. Wisdom is justified of her Children. That is to say, Ab iis qui vere sunt prudentes, & intelligentes, of such as are truly wise, and intelligent, vel ab iis qui à patre sunt Electi ut sapientiae Dei sint participes. Such as are Elected of God the Father to be made partakers of his heavenly wisdom: And they are called the Children of wisdom in the same sense, as the receivers o • the Apostles and their doctrine are called Sons of peace, quia pacem amant, vel qui • electi sunt à Deo ut pacis sint participes 〈◊〉 because they love peace, or because they • re Elected by the God of peace to be • ade partakers of the peace of God.

Those that have relation to the Context, • ive us these interpretations.

1. Of her Children, (i. e.) a Johanne & Christo, of John and Christ, dum nihil praeter • iserunt quod esset utile saluti hominum; who • eclared unto the Church God's whole will, • nd withheld nothing back from the sons of • en of God's great Counsel. Et hic est sen •• s magis genuinus, saith the Author of it; This is the most natural and proper sense.

2. Others think that sense too narrow, be • ause St. Luke, adds ab Omnibus filiis, Of all • er Children, and therefore take in wise • earers, as well as teachers. Those that • lose with God's wise purpose in revealing the Gospel, and are not beaten off by prejudice • f persons from receiving and embracing it. That will receive the message that comes • rom God by any Messenger that comes, •• there in a Legal severity, or Evangelical lenity. 〈◊〉 shall not defraud you of the variety by ta • ing one sense and leaving the other since •• ey will agree together so lovingly to make 〈◊〉 the full meaning of the Text, but shall give you the marrow of all, in this following point of Doctrine.

Those Ministers that do faithfully teach, an • those hearers that do cheerfully receive the word of Wisdom, are thereby known to be th • Children of Wisdom; and in so doing, Wisdom is justified.

We shall take the Doctrine in sunder, because it falls so naturally into parts, and show you.

• 1. First, that Wisdom's children are wise Teachers.
• 2. Secondly, that Wisdom's children are wise Hearers.

But my scope in both, shall be rather to describe unto you by certain characters and marks, who these are, both wise Teachers, and wise Hearers distinctly and apart, than light a candle to show you the Su • by proving these to be the children of Wis • dom, which appears so plainly in the very meaning of the Text, as if it were written with a Sun-beam, that such as run may read 〈◊〉 .

1. It being clear from the Text, that wise • eachers are Wisdom's Children; and not only • o, but filii natu majores, the elder and more • oble of the family, to whom the priority of • ignity of right belongs: I shall lay down • ertain marks to know them by,

• 1. Their first care is to lay a sure foundation.
• 2. They build suitable materials upon it.
• 3. Their work is progressive, and carrying on towards perfection.

1. In their Church work, and Bethel build • ng, their great care is to lay a sure foundati • n, or rather they account it their Masterpiece to keep close to that foundation that is • lready laid; for other foundation can no man • ay than that that is laid, and that foundation is Christ. 1 Cor. 3.11: This the Apostles have • aid to our hand, as Paul saith there in the • erse precedent, According to the grace which is given unto me as a wise Master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another • uildeth thereon. Or rather indeed, this chief Corner-stone which was refused by the builders, when he came to his own, and his own received him not, God the Father who was the Master builder indeed, hath laid as a sound Foundation, a rock to build his Church upon, and so sure a one, that the gates of Hell can never prevail against it. See 1 Pet. 2.6. which is taken out of Isaiah, 28.16. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious Corner-stone, a sure foundation, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Or what if I said, this stone hath laid himself as the foundation of the building, it were no monstrous, nor heterodox principle, for the Apostle is plain, Hebr. 2.3. and saith, That great Salvation which the Gospel brings to light, began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him: God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. And Christ is called a living stone, 1 Pet. 2 4. and 'tis no incredible thing that a living stone should lay itself, yea, and bege • other living stones too. 1 Pet. 2.5. To who • coming as to a Living stone, disallowed indee • of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This is that living stone, that of dead stones raises up children unto Abraham; that turns all the Elect into Free-stones, to build himself a Temple, according to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 110.

3. Thy people shall be willing (or free) in the day of thy power, and if the Son have made them free, then are they free indeed, Joh. 8.36. And therefore God's called ones, who are quickened and made alive, and have access by one spirit unto the Father, are said to be fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the Household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building fitly framed • ogether, groweth unto an holy Temple in • he Lord, in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through • he spirit. Its reported of Amphion, that he was so exquisite a Musician, that playing up • n a Lute that Mercury gave him, the stones • hat built Thebes followed him to the place • here they should be laid: The Moral of • he fiction is given us thus. He was so mighty in oratory, that with his wonderful faculty, he brought together a rude and savage and stony hearted people to live peaceably and lovingly together in Thebes where he was King.

But such is the mighty power of the Royal King Jesus, the King of Saints, and King of Kings, and Prince of Peace, that he makes the Woolf to dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard to lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, and the young Lyon, and the Fatling together, and a little Child to lead them, and the Cow and the Bear to feed their young ones together, and the Lyon to eat straw like the Ox, and the sucking child to play on the hole of the Asp, and the weaned child to put his hand in the Cockatrice den, Isaiah, 11.6, 7, 8. The meaning of all which is no more, but that this omnipotent King shall take away hearts of stone, and give hearts of flesh, and make such a wonderful change upon men and manners, as if there were a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein dwelt righteousness. But I forget myself, its easy to be lost in the Labyrinth of Christ's Excellencies, and so long as I am not besides my foundation, I am well enough. In the 12th. of the Revelation you may read of a woman clothed with the Sun, treading upon the Moon, and crowned with a Crown of twelve stars, and surely Solomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like this wonderful woman. I know you will readily turn aside to behold this strange sight. Know then, that this woman was the Church, compared to a woman for three things.

• 1. Her weakness, the woman being the weaker sex.
• 2. Her fruitfullness, the Church is a breeding woman, bringing forth sons and daughters to Christ.
• 3. Her love towards her Husband, her heart is always towards Christ.

Her Sun-clothing was the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, or Christ mystical, which believers are said to put on, Rom. 13.14.

Her treading upon the Moon, is her despising, or setting light by all sublunary and terrestrial things.

Her Crown of twelve stars is the Churches enriching and beautifying with the doctrine of the twelve Apostles; now observe,

Though the Apostles writings are the Churches crown, yet the cloth of Gold that she is arrayed in, is Jesus Christ: Though the Apostles lie next to the foundation, or may be taken in as part of the foundation, yet Jesus Christ hath still reserved this privilege to himself to be the chief corner stone.

And this stone is also a touchstone to try who are wise Master-Builders. Whosoever brings any other Gospel (i. e.) Whosoever lays any other foundation, let him be accursed. Gal. 1.8, 9. Its doubled in the two verses, as if he had said what is said. 1 Cor: 16.22. Let him be Anathema Maranatha, cursed with a curse, double accursed. Babel-builders will content themselves with a Sandy foundation: But Bethel-builders will have a rock (the rock,) Or nothing. Super hunc Petrum will serve the builders of Rome: Upon thee Peter will I build my Church: But Super hanc petram, is the sense of the reformed Churches, they will build upon the rock Christ, for they will own no other foundation.

Stand but upon this rock, or upon the Churches Mount, and take a prospect of the Enemies of the Church and truth, and you may easily conjecture that they are building a Babel by the Confusion of their languages: and on the other hand view the Orthodox, and you will find so much oneness in their heart, and mouth, that its most conclusive that it is Christ's spiritual Temple that they are raising: Why do the faithful Ministers of England fight with beasts here (as Paul did at Ephesus ) in the shapes of men and Women; but out of a resolution to contend unto blood for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints? Why do the Gospel's and Churches friends show themselves in the high places of the field against those men, and Women-Monsters that have militated under the names of Ranters, Quakers, and others, but that they are revolted into such a damnable Apostasy, that with their Heresies, and Blasphemies they endeavor to overturn the foundation. Oh that the Lord's remembrancers would give him no rest, but cry mightily day and night against these crying sins, which threaten to overturn both Church and State. Let us keep close to the foundation, least we be robbed of our Crown. That's the Counsel that the spirit gave unto the Church of Philadelphia. Revel. 3.11. and the Apostle gave the same in effect unto the Church of Colossae. Col. 2.18, 19. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things that he hath not seen, vainly puffit up in his fleshly mind, and not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

2. Though it be a rule that Dimidium facti qui been cepit habet. A good beginning is like to have a good ending: Yet we must proceed to the following Markes, whereof the next that was named is: That wise builders after they have laid a sound foundation, do build suitable materials upon that foundation. To make use of the Apostles allusion. 1. Cor. 3.12. They build gold, silver, and precious stones upon that foundation: Their second care is that the Superstruction be suitable to the Foundation: Their Doctrines, Reproofes, Corrections, Instructions in righteousness, Their Convictions, Admonitions, Exh • rtations, Consolations shall be all Scripture-proof. They will gather, guide, and teach the Churches not according to fa • cy, but according to rule: They will be careful to do what the Apostle so expressly commanded his Son Timothy. 1 Tim. 4.16. Take heed unto themselves, and the doctrine, and continue in them, knowing that in so doing they shall save both themselves, and those that hear them. They will taste and try truths for their people, and be sure that it be sincere milk, and wholesome meat that they commend unto them: They will weigh and touch all that passes for Gold, and be sure it be right, if not weight before they offer it unto those of their charge. They will keep close unto the pattern of wholesome words, knowing that Heterodox speaking will soon overthrow Orthodox believing and living: Scripture tells them what difference was between a Sibboleh and a Shiboleh, Judges 12.6. and antiquity informs what a breach an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 made in the Church, and therefore they will not swerve so much as an hairs breadth, a letter or a sylable from the standard of the word, knowing the unavoidable danger of adding to the word, or taking from it. Their endeavor is to speak out the words of wisdom and sobriety, that such as savor the things of the spirit may readily close with them, as with the true sayings of God. They will not, like the sons of Novelty, and Factors for Heresy sore so high, and walk aloft in the clouds, that none shall understand them: Those high swelling words of vanity, the spirit of God makes a mark of Heresy, Jude 16. They will not deliver themselves of such aerial conceptions as shall amuse their Auditors, nor like the devils oracles speak with forked tongues, that you may well suspect them to be the serpents seed, and walking with cloven feet, that you may say of them as Christ did of the Jews, Ye are of your Father the Devil; But the words of the wise are pure words, as Solomon saith, and such as become the simplicity of the Gospel: I need say no more concerning this mark, but only give you the Assembly note upon that place, 1. Cor. 3.12. That the Apostle by Gold and Silver, and precious stones understands pure and solid truths, such materials as Isaiah the Evangelical Prophet, and John the prophetical Evangelist did lay down for the materials of the Holy City, the Heavenly Jerusalem; and these are opposed to curious fancies, and philosophical conceits, and all such teaching as tends rather to ostentation and seduction, than edification, which are by him compared to timber, hay and stubble.

3. The third mark whereby these sons of Wisdom are to be known is, that they are still driving on towards perfection, hear one of them speaking the sense of the rest, Hebr. 6.1. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection▪ Though there are some like a Mill-wheel, all the year in motion, and at the latter end at the same place, as in the beginning, always learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth, yet this dwarfish stature, as it is no credit, so no comfort unto their spiritual Fathers: They count those hearers to be their joy and their crown, that thrive and increase in knowledge, and glorify God by bringing forth much fruit, and stand fast in the faith, in the midst of shaking times, finis coronat opus, its the end that crowns the action, and therefore they are carried on with a longing desire to be laying the top stone, that the acclamation of grace, grace, may be given unto it. They are still leading on their followers from grace to grace, and revealing righteousness from faith to faith.

You shall never hear them flattering men into that fools Paradise of being already perfect, its legal to be reproved for sin, and to be instructed in duty. Its beneath the spirit of the Gospel to be under ordinances, and man's teaching; these are beggarly rudiments, and they can make their brags of more sublimated and seraphical Doctors; yea, they talk as if their Churches were like Alciabiades his Army all Commanders, and all Teachers; like that monstrous body which the Apostle in derision of such a fancy, supposes, 1. Cor. 12.17. where the whole body is eye, and there is no hearing. This and such like is the language of false Prophets, and sons of delusion and folly, and not the sons of Wisdom; and whensoever you hear any of these enchantments, wherewith deceivers go about to bewitch the people, then look to yourselves that we lose not the things for which we have labored, 2 Joh. 8.6. We labor for your souls, desiring not yours, but you, if they are lost to you, they will be lost to us too, a great loss to us, for they that turn many to righteousness shall be graded in glory accordingly; but an invaluable loss to you, For what will it profit a man though he should gain the whole World, if he lose his soul? Surely the Apostle saith enough to awake any rational man out of that dream of sinless perfection, when he saith, Whosoever saith he is without sin, is a Liar, and if a Liar be no sinner, he may flatter himself that he is none, but that place that is instar omnium, as good as a whole cloud of Witnesses, is Phil. 3.12. Not as if I had already attained, or • ere already perfect, but this one thing I do, forgetting that which is behind, and reaching • ut unto the things that are before, pressing forward towards the mark for the price of the high calling, which is in Christ Jesus, and let as many as be perfect be thus minded. (Observe the words well, and you will find in the beginning of them a perfection which the Apostle had not,) and that was a sinless perfection that is not attainable in this life, where we know but in part, and are sanctified but in part; 1. Corinth. 13.9. And in the close of those words mention is made of a perfection, which the Apostle had, and which the children of God must have, and that is a perfection of sincerity, such as God enjoined unto Abraham, Gen. 17.1. I am God allufficient, walk before me, and be thou perfect; and though a sinless perfection be not attainable on this side Heaven, yet it is the mark that the Saints aim at, and they are still pressing towards it: Its their petition, Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven, and their wish! Oh that my ways were made so direct that I might not sin against thee, that I might keep thy statutes: They comply with God in that desire of his for Israel! Oh that there were in them but such an heart that they might love me, and keep my Commandments always, &c. Deut. 5.29. & this affectio Christiani est perfectio Christiani, God is graciously pleased to take the will for the deed; and as it is the Saints aim, so it is the longing desire of their Teachers, and therefore when they have planted, they betake themselves to watering, and fain they would reap where they have sown: They resolve to go on with unwearied diligence through thick and thin, through all opposition, (through evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true, as dead, and yet alive, as poor despised things, yea, rather no things, things that are not, and yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all things:) If Christ may but increase, so it be by their decreasings, they can with the Baptist make it their glory and rejoicing, and if Christ be exalted, though it be upon their ruins, they have their consolation. A good builder sits down and counts the cost, that he may be as good at finishing as beginning, whereas its the reproach of a foolish builder that he leaves in the midst of's work, and having begun, is not able to finish.

Right buildings indeed will endure the fiery trial, 1 Cor. 3.13. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and • he fire shall try every man's work of what • ort it is, &c. Whether we understand it of • he trial of the Spirit, which by the light of • he Word doth manifest the verity or vanity of the doctrines of men, in which sense we • re to understand the Apostle, 1 Joh. 4.1. • here he bids us Try the Spirits whether they • re of God, or whether we understand it of • ribulations, temptations, or persecutions, • hereby sound doctrine is tried, and differ • nced from false, by bearing up the spirit • hen all other fails.

I might here take up some time in laying • efore you marks of false Teachers, and • ons of folly, but Rectum est mensura sui & • bliqui; a straight Rule will as well show you • hat is crooked, as what is straight: If those • hen be the Children of Wisdom, that,

• 1. Lay a sure foundation.
• 2. Build Gold and silver upon it.
• 3. Go thorough with their work.

Then by the Rule of contraries, they must • asse for the Sons of Folly that,

• 1. Err in the foundation.
• 2. Build with rotten materials.
• 3. Apostatize, and fall away from their work having put their hand to God's Plough, do loo • back.

The second part of the Doctrine is; Tha • Wisdom's children are wise Hearers: I shall not spend time to prove that it is so, since it results so naturally from the Text, according to the interpretation that I have given of it. But as in the former part I shown you by certain infallible marks how you may know wise Teachers from foolish, so I shall here in like manner endeavor to paint out wise Hearers in their colors, that you may be able to distinguish them from the Children of Folly. Know then that they are wise Hearers, not that are Hearers only, or will take some pains to read and study, and know the word, and do no more, though these are good and commendable things, provided that they are introductory to better things, otherwise their tendency will be but to aggravate men's condemnation, for He that knows his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with the more stripes.

But they have the true Marks of wise Hearers upon them, that

• 1. Believe or receive the Word.
• 2. Retain the Word,
• 3. Practice according to the Word.
• 4. Propagate the Word.

1. Wise Hearers are such as Believe, or Receive the Word; for both these may be well comprehended under one head; as Receivers of Christ, and Believers in Christ are Synonoma's, and terms that belong both to one thing, Joh. 1.12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name: So the Receivers of the Word, and Believers of the Word are all one, Acts, 2.41. They that gladly received the Word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about 3000. souls; Hearing attentively may bring the History and Notions of Christ into men's heads, but its the receiving and believing of what is heard that brings the mystery and possession of Christ home unto their hearts: The Apostle tells us that faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17. and that without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. And therefore except we hear the Word believingly we cannot please God. The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation, but it is through the faith that is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 3.15. And the Apostle on the other side notes, that the Word that was preached to the Jews of old did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it, Heb. 4.2. That was the best ground of the four that received the seed into depth of Earth, Luke, 8.8. and that shadowed out those honest hearted Hearers that do receive the word into the deep of their hearts: If the bodies receptive faculty be not good, there ensues an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a listlesness, and loss of appetite, and that body must needs languish of an Atrophe, and die of a Consumption for want of nourishment, and it fares no better with the queasy soul that receives not the Word, and Christ into the powers of it. Take notice therefore of this mark, and make it a touch-stone to try yourselves by: Observe how earnest the Apostle is in pressing to it, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine yourselves, whether you are in the Faith, prove your own selves, know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates: Its as much as if he had said; Oh try, try, try yourselves, whether you are in the faith: And David was as earnest with God upon the same errand, as the Apostle was with men, whereby it appeared that he desired to be a man after God's own heart indeed. Psal. 139.23, 24. Search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting; Where he saith in effect, as much as Lord, try, and try, and try me, as if he would have all the three angles of his deceitful heart put upon trial. Be sure to take your errand with you, which is, that every wise Hearer, is a believing Hearer; And he that hears believingly, is one that justifies Wisdom, he sets to his seal that God is true, yea, Good and Wise, and Just, and Merciful, and many ways he glorifies God, and justifies Wisdom, our faith being our reasonable, and our universal service: But he that hears the Word, and remains an unbeliever, ignorant still, and disobedient still; no change wrought upon heart or life; note that man for a foolish Hearer, he's as evident to be known, as a fool by his fools cap, or his fools coat.

Oh that all hearers might be prevailed with to try themselves by this mark, and not to do it superficially, but thoroughly. I am confident that many figures of men and women that go for Professors, and are taken by themselves & others to signify much, would be found to be mere Cyphers, crowd as many of them together as will fill a volume, and they will stand for nothing, but we may give up the count of them like beginners in Arithmetic; add naught to naught, and it makes naught, take naught from naught, and there remains naught. Surely when Christ shall come with his fan to purge out of his Kingdom things that offend, and all the workers of iniquity; so much of the heap will fly away in the chaff of light Professors, that the remaining wheat will be so small a remnant, that we may say, not with the Prophet, what is the chaff to the wheat in respect of excellence, but on the contrary, what is the wheat to the chaff, in respect of bulk and quantity; surely, if trees be to be judged by their fruits, we see seducers and deceivers run away, as it were with the ball upon their foot; when many a faithful Minister may say with Peter; Master, we have fished all night, and caught nothing; Or cry out with the Prophet of the paucity of Believers, Lord, who hath believed our report, or to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed, Isaiah, 53.1.

2. A second mark of wise Hearers is, that they retain the Word, you may know who are retainers to God, by retaining his Word; love the King, and love his Laws, love God, and love his Word: No Lord Keeper so honorable, as the keepers of the Word, for Christ the blessed of the Father calls them blessed; blessed, "yea blessed, yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it:" The virgin was rather blessed in conceiving Christ in her heart, than in her womb, and if all Generations do call her blessed for the one; I am sure Christ himself gives her blessedness a rise, and preeminence for the other. A certain woman, as Christ was speaking, lift up her voice, and said, blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked; But he said, yea rather blessed are they that hear the word, and keep it, yea blessed are the people which have the Lord to be their God saith David, Psal. 144 15. Yea blessed are the people that have the Word of God to be their treasure. The truths of God's Word are like arrows in the hands of Giants; blessed is he that hath his Quiver full of them. As Christ did repel Satan with Scripture, so must we, that shield of Faith will quench all the fiery darts of the Devil; I have hid thy Word within my heart said Holy David, and by so doing he was made wiser than his Elders, Enemies, Teachers: Solomon teaches us to dig for it, as for hid treasures, Prov. 2.4. And David teaches us to lay it up as hid treasure; when corn is sown in the best ground it must be covered with depth of Earth, if we look for a crop, otherwise we may expect that the fowls will devour it there, as well as by the way side; and when this immortal seed of the Word is sown in our hearts, it must be received into deep furrows, and covered; if ever we will purchase the repute of fruitful and wise Hearers That the body may receive sound nourishment, and be strong and lusty indeed; its requ • site that the retentive faculty be strong▪ as well as the receptive, otherwise the body falls into an Apepsie, and languishes for wan • of nourishment, and even so, and no otherwise it falls out with the soul. Its as true in spiritual good hu bandry, as well as other, no • minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tuer • good keeping, or careful saving is good getting; I will close with that, Luke, 8.15. That o • the good ground are they which in an hone •• and good heart, having heard the word keep 〈◊〉 and bring forth fruit with patience; whic • last words of bringing forth fruit leads us to the,

3. Mark of a wise Hearer, or such Hearers as are children of Wisdom, which is; that they are such as practice according to the Word: Our principles and practices must be twins, and go hand in hand; Laus omnis virtutis in action consistit, is a rule in Divinity, as well as Humanity: The practical Christian doth as far excel the mere nominal or notional thing, as the thing doth the Name, or the Power of Godliness, doth the form: Our Savior told his Disciples that except their righteousness did exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: The Scribes had a form of knowledge, and the Pharisees a form of Godliness, but Christ's Disciples must have the power of both: You shall never hear the word promise much unto the mere hearers of the Word, except they be more than so; Blessed are they that hear and keep, as you heard before; and if ye know these things, blessed shall ye be if ye do them, Joh. 13.17. Revealed things belong to us, that we may know and do them, Deut. 29.29. Its pity saying and doing should be thought to be two men's offices by us Teachers, and its pity knowing and practicing should not meet in the same men amongst our Hearers; as the ignorant and disobedient make the Epitome of profaneness, 2 Thes. 1.8. So knowing our Masters will, and doing it, is the very sum and substance of our Religion; for they are not the hearers of God's Word, and the knowers of his will, but the doers that shall be justified, Rom. 2.13. As one saith of the 119. Psalm, which gives us an account of David's pious practice; so may we say of the whole Word of God; they are verba vivenda non legenda, rules to be lived over, and not only to be read over, like lessons in Music, that are never well learnt till we have practiced them; when we can say with David, Lord thy Word is a lanthorn to my feet, and a light unto my paths; and we have cleansed our ways by ruling ourselves after God's Word, then are we good proficience indeed. Many think it a great matter to have the Bible in their houses, though they count a pair of Tables to be the more necessary and useful ornament of the two; some think it enough to have the Bible or some good book sometimes in their hands, and if they have some confused notions of Religion in their heads, this is some great matter; But Moses taught the Israelites to go a degree further, if they would be true Israelites indeed. Deut. 6.6. These words which I command thee shall be in thy heart, and yet this Mark in hand carries further, our heads must not only affect our hearts, but our hearts must also set all the wheels of our Conversation in motion, only let your Conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Jesus Christ, This is the unum magnum, what ever is forgotten let this be remembered, for thereunto we are ordained to show forth his virtues, who hath called us out of darkness into his mervelous light.

4. The 4th. and last Mark of wise hearers is. That they propagate the word: True Wisdom is Communicative, and the Children of Wisdom do improve their talents by imparting them: They are as free of their Counsels as the Sun of light, that lends it to all under the same horizon: They are as free of their graces as the Sea of its Waters, that lends them to the earth and rivers, and like rivers in their Course, they fill all empty pitts in their passage. They have drunk freely of the living waters at the fountain he • ▪ and as they have freely received, so they are as free to give. Nascitur indign per quem non nascitur alter. As Creatures desire to Communicate their being, so the new Creature desires nothing more than to Communicate well being to relations. They consider that as no man is born for himself, so neither new born; and therefore when Christian parents have begotten infants in their sinful likeness, they travel in birth again until Christ be formed in them, and they are born anew of the word and spirit. Recoile to the forecited place, Deut. 6.6, 7. These words shall be in thine heart, but they must not rust there, for it follows, thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, Christ • ans and wise hearers must like provident husbands lay in prov • sions in their full treasures, even truth new and old, but with faithful Joseph they must draw them out in times of scarcity to their families, friends, Enemies, and must prove themselves good Neighbors to all that need th • m: That they may show themselves not only to be true Sonns of Wisdom, but Sonns of their heavenly father, who causes his sun to shine upon the good and bad, and his rain to fall upon the just and unjust. It was David's rejoicing that he had hid the word in his heart, and again that he had not hid it: That he had hid it for himself, to be a bridle to hold him back from sin, and to be a spurr to put him on to duty. That he had not hid it from others, but was willing to publish it upon the house topps, and to propagate it to the great Congregation, yea to old and young. Come ye Children and hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ps. 34.11. Christ Commands Peter when he is converted to strengthen his brethren. Luke, 22, 22. Those that with Andrew and Philip have found Jesus themselves, should bring others to him as they did Peter and Nathaniel. Joh. 1.41, 43. Oh what golden times should we have, If instead of Homo homini Lupus, & Homo homini demon: It might be said homo homini deus, & homo homini Jesus. If instead of one man's being a Wolf to another, by rendering Evil for Evil, and one man's being a Devil to another in rendering Evil for good; If instead of these I say, one man would be a God un • o another, and a Savior unto another, and deal so Christian like as to overcome Evil wtih good. That they would show true brotherly love unto one another's souls, by not suffering sin upon their brethren, but telling them plainly of their faults, and by provoking one another unto love, and to good works. I shall close up this Mark with that expression of our Savior in that memorable prayer of his for all the members of his body mystical. Joh. 17. where v. 9. he saith I pray not for the world, but for them also which thou hast given me. and v. 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. Noting that true converts will show themselves to be such by propagating the word, and to be the Children of wisdom by Communicating wisdoms precepts, principles, and practices to others, their light shining before men that they may be stirred up to glorify the father of lights; which is in Heaven.

Now if these things be so, that the Children of wisdom are wise hearers, and they are known to be so by these Markes, then it w • ll be most manifest by the rule of Contraries. That.

• 1. Such as receive not, and believe not the word.
• 2. Such as retain not, and keep not the word.
• 3. Such as practice not the word.
• 4. Such as propagate not the word.

All these are unprofitable hearers: such as in hearing hear not, and Wisdom itself disownes them as none of her family, but the Children of folly.

We shall Model our Application into 4. Uses.

• 1. Of Exhortation:
• 2. Of Direction.
• 3. Of Caution.
• 4. Of Consideration.

A short Postscript or Conclusion.

Christ doth here offer to make thee gracious, that hereafter he may be made glorious in thee; Though a word to the Wise be said to be enough, yet here are two, and yet I hope not one more than enough; join thy prayers with mine, and thy practice with both, that they may be words in season: The Scriptures mind us of two Words.

• 1. The word Essential, the Son of God
• 2. The word Written, the Word of God.

Here are both in a narrow room; The first is the Word that was made Flesh, and the second is, the Word that is made spirit, and both for us men, and for our Salvation; That these may prove so, is the aim of the Treatise, and the prayer of its Author, who is

A Poem entitled the Churches Ordinary.