And then, what was there in us that should move him to abase himself so low; was there any worth in us? No, we were dead: was there any strength in us? No, we were dead in sins: was any goodness in us? No, we were Christs enemies: was there any desire in us? No, we were opposite to all goodness in our selves, there was no desire in us to be better then we were: if God should have let us alone to our own desires, we were posting to Hell. It is the greatest misery in the world, next to Hell it self, to be given up to our own desires: A man were better to be given up to the Divill then to his own desires, he may torment him, and perhaps bring him to repentance; but to be given up to his own desires, leads to Hell. It is merely of grace, grace; it was the grace of God the Father that gave his Son,1 and it was grace that the Son gave himself. What is grace? It is a principle from whence all good comes from God to us. As God loves us men, and not Angels, it is Philanthropia: as Gods affection is beneficial to our nature, so it is love: as it is to persons in misery, so it is mercy: as it is free without any worth in us procuring it, so it is grace. It is the same affection, only it differs outwardly in regard of the object. Hence we see that Christ must be considered as a joint cause of our salvation with the Father.2 It is, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you see here ⟨p. 45⟩he became poor to make us rich. Indeed he was sent and anointed, and sealed, and had authority of his Father, yet notwithstanding his joint grace, and consent went with it: Therefore he was a principle (as Chrysostom speaks) with a principle, he differs nothing at all from his Father,3 but in order of persons: first the Father, and then the Son, both being jointly God, and both joint causes of the salvation of mankind. The Father chose us to salvation, the Son paid the price for us, and the Holy Ghost applies it, and sanctifies our natures; God the Father loved the world, and gave his Son, Christ loved the world, and gave himself, he loved me, and gave himself for me, saith S. Paul. Therefore we should think of the sweet consent of the Trinity, in their love to mankind: so the Father loved us, that he gave his Son; so the Son loved us, that he gave himself; so the Holy Ghost loves us, that he conveys all grace to us, and dwells in us, and assures us of Gods love.
And then, what was there in us that should move him to abase himselfe so low; was there any worth in us? No, we were dead: was there any strength in us? No, we were dead in sins: was any goodnesse in us? No, we were Christs enemies: was there any desire in us? No, we were opposite to all goodnesse in our selves, there was no desire in us to be better then we were: if God should have let us alone to our owne desires, we were posting to Hell. It is the greatest misery in the world, next to Hell it selfe, to be given up to our owne desires: A man were better to be given up to the Divill then to his owne desires, he may torment him, and perhaps bring him to repentance; but to be given up to his owne desires, leads to Hell. It is meerely of grace, grace; it was the grace of God the Father that gave his Son,1 and it was grace that the Son gave himselfe. What is grace? It is a principle from whence all good comes from God to us. As God loves us men, and not Angels, it is Philanthropia: as Gods affection is beneficiall to our nature, so it is love: as it is to persons in misery, so it is mercy: as it is free without any worth in us procuring it, so it is grace. It is the same affection, only it differs outwardly in regard of the object. Hence we see that Christ must be considered as a joynt cause of our salvation with the Father.2 It is, the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, you see here ⟨p. 45⟩he became poore to make us rich. Indeed he was sent and anointed, and sealed, and had authority of his Father, yet notwithstanding his joynt grace, and consent went with it: Therefore he was a principle (as Chrysostome speaks) with a principle, he differs nothing at all from his Father,3 but in order of persons: first the Father, and then the Sonne, both being joyntly God, and both joynt causes of the salvation of mankinde. The Father chose us to salvation, the Sonne paid the price for us, and the Holy Ghost applyes it, and sanctifies our natures; God the Father loved the world, and gave his Sonne, Christ loved the world, and gave himselfe, he loved mee, and gave himselfe for mee, saith S. Paul. Therefore wee should think of the sweet consent of the Trinity, in their love to mankinde: so the Father loved us, that he gave his Sonne; so the Sonne loved us, that he gave himselfe; so the Holy Ghost loves us, that he conveighs all grace to us, and dwels in us, and assures us of Gods love.
- 1Grace what it is.
- 2Christ a joint cause of our salvation.Christ a joynt cause of our salvation.
- 3Chrysost.
