h, without all controversy, is the mystery in all the world
that hath in it most greatness and goodness combined together, that is the
subject of the highest admiration, and the fountain of the sweetest
consolation that either reason or religion can afford. The mysteries of
the Trinity are so high, that if any dare to reach to them, he doth but
catch the lower fall;(171) it is as if a worm would attempt to touch the
sun in the firmament. But this mystery is God coming down to man, to be
handled and seen of men, because man could not rise up to God's highness.
It is God descending to our baseness, and so coming near us to save us. It
is not a confounding but a saving mystery. There is the highest truth in
it, for the understanding to contemplate and admire; and there is the
greatest good in it, for the will to choose and rest upon. It is contrived
for wonder and delight to men and angels. These three, which the angelic
song runs upon, are the jewels of it,--"glory to God, peace on earth, and
good-will toward men."

Sermon XII.

Verse 3.--"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak
though the flesh, God sending his own Son," &c.

Of all the works of God towards man, certainly there is none hath so much
wonder in it, as the sending of his Son to become man; and so it requires
the exactest attention in us. Let us gather our spirits to consider of
this mystery,--not to pry into the secrets of it curiously, as if we had no
more to do but to satisfy our understandings; but rather that we may see
what this concerns us, and what instruction or advantage we may have by
it, that so it may ravish our affections. I believe there is very palpable
and gross ignorance in thousands of the very thing itself. Many who
profess Jesus Christ, know not his natures, or his glorious person,--do not
apprehend either his highness as God, or his lowness as man. But truly,
the thing that I do most admire, is, that those who pretend to more
knowledge of this mystery, yet few of them do enter upon any serious
consideration about it,--for what use and purpose it is; though it be the
foundation of our salvation, the chief ground of our faith, and the great
spring of our consolation. Yet to improve the knowledge of it to any
purpose of that kind, is a thing so rare, even among true Christians, that
it is little the subject of their meditation. I think, indeed, the lively
improvement of this mystery of godliness would be very e