THE MYSTERY OF THE Incarnation of the SON OF GOD. (5)

And this is daily effected by the power of the Ministery of the Gospel, instituted by the authority, and seconded by the power, of this our great Prophet: whose transcendent excellency beyond Moses, (unto whom, in the execution of that function, hee was otherwise likened) is thus set forth by the Apostle. Hee is counted worthy of more glory then Moses, in as much as hee who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house. For every house is builded by some one: but hee that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to bee spoken after: but Christ, as the Son, over his own house. This house of God is no other then the Church of the living God: whereof as hee is the onely Lord, so is hee also properly the onely Builder. Christ therefore being both the Lord and the Builder of his Church, must bee God as well as Man: which is the cause, why wee finde all the severall mansions of this great house to carry the title indifferently of the Churches of God, and the Churches of Christ.

True it is, that there are other ministeriall builders, whom Christ employeth in that service: this being not the least of those gifts which hee bestowed upon men at his Triumphant Ascension into Heaven, that hee gave not onely ordinary Pastours and Teachers, but Apostles likewise, and Prophets, and Evangelists; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministery, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Which, what great power it required, hee himself doth fully expresse in passing the graunt of this high Commission unto his Apostles. All power is given unto mee in Heaven and in Earth. Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them

in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the World. Amen.

S. Paul professeth of himself, that hee laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles: yet not I, saith hee, but the grace of God which was with mee. And therefore although according to that grace of God which was given unto him, hee denyeth not but that, as a wise Master-builder, hee had laid the foundation; yet hee acknowledgeth that they upon whom hee had wrought, were Gods building, as well as Gods husbandry. For who, saith

hee, is Paul, and who is Apollo, but Ministers by whom you beleeved, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollo watered: but God gave the increase. So then, neither is hee that planteth any thing, neither hee that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.

Two things therefore wee finde in our great Prophet, which doe farre exceed the ability of any bare Man; and so doe difference him from all the Holy Prophets, which have been since the World began. For first, wee are taught; that no man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and hee to whomsoever the Son will reveale him: and that no man hath seen God at any time; but the only begotten Son, which is in the bosome of the Father, hee bath declared him. Being in his bosome, hee is become conscious of his secrets, and so out of his own immediate knowledge, inabled to discover the whole will of his Father unto us. Whereas alother Prophets and Apostles receive their revelations at the second hand, and according to the grace given unto them by the Spirit of Christ. Witnesse that place of S. Peter, for the Prophets: Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; searching what or what manner of time THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WHICH WAS IN THEM did signifie, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. And for the Apostles, those heavenly words which our Saviour himself uttered unto them, whilst hee was among them. When the Spirit of Truth is come, hee will guide you into all truth: for hee shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever hee shall hear, that shall hee speak; and hee will shew you things to come. Hee shall glorifie mee: for hee shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore said I, that hee shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Secondly, all other Prophets and Apostles can doe no more (as hath been said) but plant and water; onely God can give the increase: they may teach indeed and baptize; but unlesse Christ were with them by the powerfull presence of his Spirit, they would not bee able to save one soule by that Ministery of theirs. Wee,

as lively stones, are built up a spirituall house: but, except the Lord do build this house, they labour in vaine that build it. For who is able to breathe the Spirit of life into those dead stones, but hee, of whom it is writen; The houre is comming, and now is, when the dead shall

hear the voyce of the Son of God; and they that heare it shall live. And again: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead; and Christ shall give thee light. Who can awake us out of this dead sleep, and give light unto these blinde eyes of ours; but the Lord our God, unto whom wee pray, that hee would lighten our eyes, lest wee sleep the sleep of death?

And as a blinde man is not able to conceive the distinction of colours, although the skilfullest man alive should use all the art hee had to teach him; because hee wanteth the sense whereby that object is discernible: so the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God (for they are foolishnesse unto him;) neither can hee know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Whereupon the Apostle concludeth, concerning himself and all his fellow-labourers; that God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts; to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: but wee have this treasure in earthen vessels; that the excellency of the power may bee of God, and not of us. Our Mediatour therefore (who must bee able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him) may not want the excellency of the power, whereby hee may make us capable of this high knowledge of the things of God, propounded unto us by the ministery of his servants: and consequently, in this respect also, must bee God as well as Man.

There remaineth the Kingdom of our Redeemer: described thus by the Prophet Isaiah. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall bee no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice, from henceforth even for ever. And by Daniel: Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of dayes; and they brought him neer before him. And there was given him Dominion, and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations, and Languages should serve him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not passe away; and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed. And by the Angel Gabriel, in his ambassage to the blessed Virgin. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. Hee shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give him the Throne of his Father David. And hee shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall bee no end.

This is that new David our King, vvhom God hath raised up unto his own Israel: vvho vvas in Truth, that which hee was called; the Son of Man, and the Son of the Highest. That in the one respect, wee may say unto him, as the Israelites of old did unto their David;

Behold, wee are thy bone and thy flesh: and in the other, sing of him as David himself did; The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole. So that the promise made unto our first Parents, that the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head, may well stand with that other saying of S. Paul; that the God of peace shall

bruise Satan under our feet. Seeing for this very purpose the Son of God was manifested in the flesh, that hee might destroy the works of the Devil. And still that foundation of God will remain unshaken: I even I am the Lord, and beside mee there is no Saviour.

Thou shalt know no God but mee: for there is no Saviour beside mee.

Two speciall branches there bee of this Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour: the one of Grace, whereby that part of the Church is governed which is Militant upon Earth; the other of Glory, belonging to that part which is Triumphant in Heaven. Here upon earth, as by his Propheticall office hee worketh upon our Minde and Understanding, so by his Kingly, hee ruleth our Will and Affections;

casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Where, as wee must needs acknowledge, that it is God which worketh in us both to will and to doe, and that it is hee which sanctifyeth us wholly: so are wee taught likewise to beleeve, that both hee who sanctifyeth, and they who are sanctifyed, are all of one, namely of one and the self-same nature; that the sanctifyer might not bee ashamed to call those, who are sanctifyed by him, his brethren: that as their nature was corrupted, and their blood tainted in the first Adam, so it might bee restored again in the second Adam; and that as from the one a corrupt, so from the other a pure and undefiled nature might bee transmitted unto the heires of salvation.

The same

God that giveth grace, is hee also that giveth glory: yet so, that the streams of both of them must run to us through the golden pipe of our Saviours humanity. For since by man came death; it was fit that by man also should come the resurrection of the dead. Even by that man, who hath said: Who so eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Who, then,

shall come to bee glorifyed in his Saints, and to bee made marvellous in all them that beleeve: and

shall change this base body of ours, that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body; according to the working, whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe. Unto him therefore that hath thus loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father; to him bee glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

PHILIP. 3. 8. I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSSE, FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD.

FINIS.