What be the priviledges of the Church First what the Church of God is wee are not to thinke it a materiall Church composed of lime and stone an Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 11. 18. but the Church of God is the company of the faithfull ones and the Elect people of God they be the members of Christs Augustine saith that the Church of God consists of Men and Angels but we beleeve that the redeemed onely be of the Church of God as Eph. 5. 27. saith hee Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word So then the Church of god is the company of redeemed ones such as be sanctified and it may bee defined after this manner The Church of God is a companie of people called out of the condemned multitude of the World to blessednesse and happinesse by the meanes of Christ Whence wee observe foure things appertaining to the nature of the Church First it is a company of holy People for there is no body either mysticall or naturall but hath many members as Paul speakes Rom. 12. 5. So the Church of God doth not consist of one but of many members It is true it began in one In Adam but the Church of God is like a tree that hath one roote but spreadeth into many branches and boughes so the Church of God beganne in Adam as a roote and from him spreadeth to all his posterity that be elect and within the covenant of grace Thus Matth. 16. where Christ saith Goe tell the Church the Papists change the note and say Goe tell the Pope but the Pope is not the Church of God because he is but one for the Church of God is a company of people that consists of many members Secondly It is a company of people called all the true members are called to partake of the graces of Christ they are called to faith repentance and sanct fication therefore Saint Paul in all his epistles termes the faithfull the Called of God as Rom. 1. 7. To all you that bee at Rome beloved of God called to be the Saints and 1. Cor. 1. 16. Brethren you see your calling so 2 Tim. 1. 9. saith he who hath saved us and called us with one holy calling So then all the true members are called this is a speciall note and marke of them The uses are First seeing that all the true members are called therefore wee must take heed we doe not despise this voyce and call of God seeing he calls us by the voyce of his Gospell and Spirit to bring us to salvation and to an estate of grace that so we might be saved Abraham Gen. 12. was called out of his countrey and from his kindred and hee obeyed God and did follow him why now God doth not call us out of our countrey nor from our kindred we may enjoy them still but hee calls us out of sin out of blindnesse and ignorance therefore doe not thou despise the Call of God nor resist it We see Matth. 20. of the Laborers that were called into the Vineyard some were called in the first houre some in the scond and some in the third fourth and last houre marke saith Augustine hee that was called in the first houre did not put off till the second houre and he that was called in the fourth houre did not put it off till the last so when God calls us we should be ready to obey the call of God As Acts 26. 19. Paul speaking of his Calling to king Agrippa saith Therefore O king I was not disobedient unto the Heavenly vision so seeing God doth call us from day to day by his Gospell let us take heed wee doe not despise it but bee obedient to it Secondly seeing all the true members are called therefore every man must labour to finde this holy calling in himselfe that hee hath beene brought out of sinnes to an estate of grace and that hee is one of Gods people Saint Paul confesses of himselfe 1 Tim. 1. 12 13. I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but Lord I thanke thee thou didst shew mercy to mee I am now called so every man must labour to finde this calling in himselfe I was such and such a one I was a swearer and a drunkard and a bad liver but now it is otherwise with mee now I am Called and have repented for it Thirdly The Church of God is a company of people called out of the condemned multitude of this World for every man naturally is the childe of wrath Ephes 2. 3. saith he Wee are by nature the Children of wrath as well as others and verse 5. Even wee which were dead by sinnes hath hee quickned so the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world as Lot was called out of Sodom by the Angell was haled and pulled out or else he would have perished in Sodom so wee should all perish in our sinnes with hundreds and thousands in this World but that it pleaseth God to call a number out to be saved The use is First seeing the Church of God is called out of the condemned multitude of this world to bee saved therefore wee may see the heavy estate every man stands in before he is called that he is no better than in a damnable and cursed estate how ever hee may in time bee one of Gods elect beloved of God yet for the present estate he is one of the condemned of the world O that wee had our eyes open that wee might see the heavy estate we be in till we bee brought to faith and repentance and to an estate of grace We read 2 King 6. 20. that Elisha did lead the Aramites into the mid'st of Samaria and then prayed to the Lord to open their eyes and presently they saw they were in the mid'st of their enemies so if God should open our eyes we should see that we were in the mid'st of hell and in the clawes of the devils our mortall enemies Secondly seeing the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world whereas they might have perished eternally what cause have men to bee thankefull to God that finde this in themselves whereas they might have beene damned for ever it hath pleased God to call them to the estate of grace to faith to repentance that so they might be saved therefore as Mephibosheth saith to David 2 Sam. 19. 28. When all my Fathers house were but as dead men before my Lord the King yet did'st thou set thy servant among them that did eate meate at thy table so we may say to God I and my fathers house were but dead men before thee and yet notwithstanding it hath pleased thee to bring us to an estate of grace and to feed us in thine owne house whereas we
deceived of our faith and so deceived of heaven I will give you seven true notes and markes of faith whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world which are these that follow The first signe of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is By the efficient cause which is preaching For thence it ariseth so it is preaching that workes faith in us so wee see in Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing the Word of God preached it doth not arise of nothing but comes of preaching therefore it is called Semen the seede of the Word that even as plants and herbs come of seedes so of the preaching of the Word comes faith but the faith of the world that doth not arise of the preaching of the Word but of the speech of people and by a report they have heard of ever since they can remember who never heard otherwise and therefore this is not the true faith Wherefore every one should looke how he comes by his faith and by what means if it comes not by preaching it cannot be true faith Now if preaching be the meanes to get true faith in us let us labour to have it because it is the meanes to worke true faith for how can wee have it if wee want the meanes if wee have not seede wee can have no corne and hee that stealeth away a handfull of our feede doth us more hurt than hee that stealeth much more out of our barne so if we have no preaching which is the meanes we can have no faith and he that takes away preaching doth us more hurt than to take any thing else from us The second signe or marke of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is That it begins in weakenesse Even like a childe that is weake at the first and afterwards it groweth stronger and stronger through the nourishment it takes so our faith is weake at the first and by the use of good meanes it groweth stronger and stronger Iudges 6. we see how weake Gideons faith was at the first and so the disciples of Christ their faith was so weake at the first that Christ did reprove them for it Now the faith of the world that doth not begin in weakenesse but it is as strong the first day as it is many yeares after there is no doubting of Gods mercy they leape into the full assurance of faith at the first and therefore this cannot bee true faith for this beginnes in weakenesse and after by little and little it comes to the full assurance of faith Even as a man that climbes up to the top of a tree he catcheth hold first on the lower boughs and so by little and little he windes himselfe into the Tree till at last he comes at the top so wee come not to the full assurance of faith at first but wee must winde our selves into it by prayer meditation conference and such like duties till wee come unto the full assurance thereof It is the bold presumption of the world that they thinke they shall bee saved as soone as they looke into Religion when as it comes onely by the use of good meanes many a day together The third point wherby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world That it groweth although it begins in weakenesse yet it growes by the use of the good meanes that it was gotten by as by preaching of the Word prayer and such like good meanes as the Apostle shewes 1 Thes 2. 13. For this cause also thanke wee God without ceasing that when ye received the Word of God ye received it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the Word of God which worketh in you which beleeve The graces of God are compared to a little seede and not to a stone for that stands at a stay Now true faith groweth by the use of good meanes so we see 1 Pet. 2. 1. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby The faith of the world doth not grow but keepes at a stay and doth not increase by the preaching of Gods word and prayer and by the use of good meanes therefore it cannot be true faith if a man hath a little child and they feede it and give it meate and the child grows not therby but stands at a stay they may say it is a changeling but this is not alwayes true It is observed to bee a judgement of God to restraine the blessing of foode although it be not alwaies true in this yet it is true in our faith if it keepe at a stay and doe not grow when there is good meanes it is no true faith no better than a changeling The fourth point whereby wee may discerne of true faith from the faith of the world is By the qualities of the person in whom it is found for it is not found but in a heart bruised and broken with sinne as Acts 2. they were pricked in their hearts and in Acts 16. the Iayler there trembled so that true faith is alwayes in a heart broken and bruised for sinne Now in the faith of the world there is no compunction nor sorrow for sinne they never mourne nor grieve for it therefore because it is not found in a heart bruised and broken it cannot be true faith they bee as merry at the first as at the last day If a Physitian should tell us that such a herbe would helpe us against all Infections whatsoever but it alwayes growes in a watery place and hee should tell us that there is another herbe like that in colour stalke leafe smell and in blossome but it groweth on a rocke or on a stone wall if wee should finde such an herbe on a rocke or on a stone wall wee could not say it were that which would preserve us against the infection because it groweth not in a watery place even so the heavenly Physitian hath told us that true saving faith doth alwayes grow in a heart that is broken and bruised for sinne in a watery conscience and therefore if wee find one like it in in all things and find it on a rocke or on a stone wall if we find it in an impenitent and hard heart and a heart never touched for sinne this is not the true faith Wee read that Mary Magdalen brought a boxe of costly oyntment to Christ and broke her boxe and powred it our which Christ did accept of all other oyntments are best in a whole boxe but this oyntment of faith Christ doth not accept but in a broken boxe in a heart broken for sinne and because the world hath not their faith in a broken boxe in an heart broken for sinne therefore Christ doth not accept of it The fifth point whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the opposition that is made against
it in all true beleevers The corrupt nature of man is ready to oppose against it so that we shall have much adoe to hold our faith and to keepe it By experience every man may finde this in himselfe that even when temptations cease hee shall have much adoe to holde and keepe his faith therefore in the Revelation it is said Hold fast that which thou hast and let no man take away thy crowne And in Iâ—de Strive for the maintenance of faith once given to the Saints Let a man attend to preaching prayer and the use of good meanes yet hee shall have much adoe to hold his faith but it is an easie matter to hold the faith of the world there is no opposition made against it and therefore it is not the true and saving faith One opposition against true faith is sinne for this alwayes weakens faith in a true beleever so in Psalme 51. Wee see Davids faith was weakened by the reason of his sinnes Cast mee not away from thy presence and so likewise Iob 13. 26. his faith staggered by the meanes of his sinnes saith hee Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee to possesse the Iuiquities of my youth But the faith of the world is not weakened by sinne for although they commit never so many sinnes and grievous yet their faith is not weakened but it is as strong as ever it was and as confident in God and therefore this faith is not true faith The sixth point whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the power of faith for whatsoever they suffer or endure they bee contented with it and labour to quiet themselves with the good will of God This wee see in Iob Though thou killest mee yet will I trust in thee And so the good Theefe Lâ—k 23. We are indeed righteously here for wee receive things worthy of that wee have done so they never murmur nor grudge at it but quiet themselves with the good will of God Now there is no such matter in the faith of the world for let trouble come and they bee at their wits end they have no comfort in God nor in Christ and therefore it is no true faith The Philosophers tell us how wee should know true gold from that which the Alchymists make although it cannot be discerned by the colour touch or by the weight yet take it in extremitie and it will comfort the heart it is cordiall but counterfeit gold will not And even so wee may discerne of true faith from the faith of the world for in extremitie it is cordiall it will comfort the heart The seventh signe whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the companions of faith and holy traine that doth attend it and they bee five First Ioy unspeakable and glorious that God hath given us faith whereby wee may bee saved and that hee will respect us never was any child so glad of his fathers lands and livings and of that his father did bequeath him as they are glad that God hath bequeathed Christ life and eternall happinesse unto them so wee see Paul Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed us with all blessings in heavenly things And 1 Peter 1. 3. Blessed bee God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. The 2. companion in the traine of faith is Holy admiration and admiring and wondering at the kindnesse and mercie of God that hath refused others and chosen us that he hath made of us that were slaves servants of servants sonnes of sonnes heires and heires with his sonne Christ Ioh. 14. As Iudas saith there What is the cause that thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world Even so wee may admire and wonder at the kindnesse and mercie of God why hee should shew himselfe unto us and passe by others that be better than we The third companion in the traine of faith is Exceeding love to God Seeing he hath done so much for us we cannot doe too much for him and therefore we must be ready to do his will in all things that he commandeth The fourth companion in the traine of faith is Forsaking of the world and to lay all downe at the feete of Christ and to be contented that hee should dispose of our health and of our goods and of our lives and to say with David here am I doe as it pleaseth thee dispose of my health and of my goods and of my life I am contented with it The fifth companion in the traine of faith is A desire to have a more neere conjunction with Christ in heaven whereby men are contented to leave all behinde and to goe with him and much more will it bee when wee shall live with him for ever and ever and therefore the Apostle desireth to be with him saying I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ but the faith of the world hath not such companions and such a traine to attend it If a Lady comes to a poore mans house how shall wee know whether shee be there still and see her not wee may know it by her traine and those that attend her although we see her not yet if we see her traine it is certaine she is there still and even so a man may know whether there be faith in his heart or no although he cannot see it if there be the companions and traine of faith then it is certaine that there is faith still Therefore every man should try and examine himselfe by these signes whether hee hath true faith or no that hee may not be deceived for wee all shall die at the time appointed either sooner or later and if wee have it not wee are like to perish for ever for wee must stand before God and the divell and our consciences will bee ready to accuse us for our sinnes and then if wee have not Faith to stand by us and to pull out a bagge of the merits of Christ for us a pardon sealed with his blood we shal surely be condemned at that day The uses are foure seeing true Faith is accompanyed with such a traine and with such companions First to rejoyce in God Secondly to admire at the mercy of God Thirdly to love God Fourthly to forsake the world Fifthly to desire a more neere conjunction with God Now the Faith of the world hath not this traine nor abundance and therefore let us take heed that wee bee not deceived with a false Faith instead of the true Faith If a man were to passe into another countrey and hee should put his whole estate into a ship even all that ever hee hath if hee should
is no Father in time of need will doe more for his child than God will doe for us nor no Father so ready to helpe his child as wee shall have helpe of God Psal 103. 13. As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him and Esai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us and Israel know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer and therefore great is the comfort that wee shall finde seeing hee is our Father it is a comfort in the time of mutation of friends when they leave and forsake and cast us off yet wee may say with comfort Lord I thanke thee thou art my Father thou wilt not leave mee nor cast me off but stand by me when the world will forsake me and my worldly friends The third is that seeing God is our Father hee will give us an heavenly inheritance a father wil not die and leave his childe nothing if he be able so God will not be a Father and leave us nothing but he will bequeath unto us an heavenly inheritance so our Saviour saith Luke 12. 23. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers will to give you a kingdome So also Heb. 11. 16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God would have us men be ashamed to call him father if he had nothing to give us but seeing he hath prepared for us a City hee is not ashamed to bee called our Father therefore seeing hee hath provided such a heavenly inheritance it is a comfort to us art thou a poore man and hast thou little to live on or art thou a yonger brother and hast thou no inheritance labour to have God thy Father and although thou bee a meane man here yet thou shalt be great in heaven Christ shall be thy brother and heaven shall be thine inheritance The fourth is that seeing God is our Father all his chastisements shall turne to our good so Heb. 12. 6. the Apostle saith For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth every sonne he receiveth If a father correct his childe it is for his good and amendment or at least-wise he would have us to thinke so in like manner as we would have others to thinke of us when wee are correcting of our children that wee doe it for their good let us be perswaded and thinke so of God that it shall turne to our good If a friend should temper a potion and give us it into our hands to drinke although it should worke furiously upon us yet wee would thinke that it shall turne to our good so seeing God is our friend and our father though our afflictions worke strongly upon us yet wee must bee perswaded that it shall turne to our good We heard in the morning out of the story of Abraham that Abimelich the King sought to Abraham to make a league with him at that time when hee was a great heavinesse for the losse of Ismael for Hagar and Ismael were cast out of his doores The Doctrine from hence was That the Lord never sendeth extraordinary crosses and troubles but he sends his servants extraordinary comfort and this ariseth of his fatherly care towards us if a Father gives to his child a sowre cup or a bitter cup he will secretly convey into his hand a peace of sugar to allay the bitternesse and sowrenesse so the Lord doth when he giveth us a bitter cup to drinke hee conveyeth into our hearts secretly as it were a peece of sugar some comfort to allay the bitternesse of it Chrysostome saith There were no man able to saile at Sea if there were no havens and shores and harbors for ships to lye in in the time of tempest so saith hee it were not possible for a Christian to passe this earth through if God should not give him comfort in the time of his trouble The fifth comfort is that seeing God is our Father wee may with comfort at the day of death lay downe our soules and bodies into his hands so wee see Christ doth Luke 23. 46. And Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit this must teach us when wee come to die to commit our spirits into the hands of God It is the disposition of a childe if hee hath any Iewell in the time of danger to runne and put it into his father hands where he thinkes it a thousand times safer than in his owne so wee should doe seeing wee have but one jewell our soules in the time of danger wee should runne to God and commit it into his hands and thinke it a thousand times more safe than in our owne keeping Now having spoken of the Person of the Father the next in order and course is to speake of his Attributes which are two mentioned in this place 1. That he is Almighty 2. That he is the maker of Heaven and Earth First that he is Almightie Now God is said to be Almighty because he hath power in himselfe to doe whatsoever he will Psal 111. 3. But our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and Psal 135. 6. Whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in heaven and in earth and in the sea so also Ephes. 3. 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doe abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us be praise and Glory Philip. 3. 21. saith the Apostle Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Here a question may be moved why we are taught to beleeve that God is almighty seeing the minde of man is finite and it is not able to conceive of an infinite thing such as is the power of God I answere as a man may stand on the sea shore and looke on the sea where though hee be not able to see the length and breadth of it yet he may see it is a goodly spâ—tious and a large thing so howsoever we are not able to conceive the greatnesse of God and his Almightinesse to see the largenesse of him yet apprehending of him as wee may we shall see him to bee great yea the further wee goe the greater we shall see him to be though we be not able to see his length and depth yet we may perceive the Almightinesse of him as if a man come to a mountaine which hee is not able to comprehend in his armes yet hee is able to apprehend it and to lay hold on it with his hands so howsoever we are not able to comprehend the Almightinesse of God yet we may apprehend it and lay hold on it Now God is said to bee Almighty foure
sanctified from the impurity of our birth by the birth of Christ Secondly to fulfill the prophesies made of him as Esai 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne and shall call his name Emanuel c. So Gen. 3. 15. God promiseth that The seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the serpent therefore when there was such a seede of a Woman that came without the helpe of man it appeared this was the partie that God had assigned for the breaking of the serpents head and this is the note or marke that God hath given whereby the Messias the Saviour of the world might be knowne This was not onely the love of God to send Christ into the world to save us but to set visible markes and notes upon him that so we might know him wee read Gen. 4. 15. The Lord set a marke upon Caine and Exod. 12. the doore posts were sprinkled with the bloud of the Pascall Lambe that so the Augell of destruction might passe over them so also in Ezekiel those were marked which did mourne for the sinnes of the people that they might not be destroyed but preserved in like manner God hath set a visible marke upon Christ that he might be discerned therefore seeing God hath set visible markes and notes upon Him that we may know him we must so receive and so accept of Him Thirdly that the strangenesse of his birth might awaken and stirre up the world to looke for strange things by his life which was the reason why some of the holy people had such strange births as Isaac Iaakob Moses Samuel Sampson and Iohn Baptist that the strangenesse of their birth might awake he world and stirre them up to looke for extraordinary matters in their lives so Christ had a rare birth that hee might awaken and stirre up the world to looke for strange things by his life as at the Shepheards relation when they had published the things that they had seene by the Childe the people wondered so wee should wonder at the rarenesse of his birth for there bee strange things in the birth of Christ that hee must be sent to earth to bring us to Heaven that Hee who was uncorruptible must be made corruptible to make us uncorruptible that he must be made the Sonne of a Woman that we might be made the sonnes of God The Vses shall bee two First for instruction seeing Christ was borne of a Virgin without the helpe of man therefore that which is impossible by the course of nature is possible by the power of God it was impossible by the power of nature that ever Christ should bee borne of the Virgin without the helpe of man but it was possible to God Wee see in Sarah it was impossible in nature that she should beare a childe in her old age when her wombe was dead and yet it was possible by the power of God so Moses when hee strucke the rocke with his staffe that it gushed water one would have thought rather that it would have given out fire but that which was impossible to be effected by nature was possible by the power of God so likewise we read 2 King 7. when there was a dearth in Samaria Elisha prophesied of a great plenty which one Prince who did heare it was so farre from beleeving that he said it was impossible it should bee although the windowes of heaven should be opened indeede to nature it was but not to God Now this must be the rest and stay of a Christian in other hard cases in nature it is a thing impossible that euer one that is dead and rotten should rise againe but it is possible by the power of God so art thou weake though it bee impossible for a weake and fraile man to withstand the temptations of the devill yet know the power of God is able to make thee strong to overcome the devill remember therfore the power of God in all his promises hast thou a promise that if thou doe repent and beleeve thou shalt bee saved that he will lay no more upon thee than thou art able to beare that he will raise up thy body at the last day Consider that which is impossible to nature is possible to the power of God as the Apostle saith He is able to make all grace abound in us Secondly seeing Christ was borne of a Virgin so he must be spiritually borne in our hearts and consciences for I have shewed you before as Christ must be spiritually conceived in the heart of a Christian so also he must be borne for it is nothing to know that Christ was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin and to be borne of her unlesse thou know also Christ to be spiritually conceived and borne in thy heart therfore as Augustine saith What shall it profit mee to know that Christ is come in the flesh that hee was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin and borne of her unlesse I know Christ to bee conceived in my flesh and borne in my heart and soule so that it is not enough to have Christ conceived in our hearts unlesse hee bee borne and brought forth in us there bee a number that as it were conceive Christ that have good motions and good desires but they doe not bring them forth Christ is not borne in them and therefore they die But we must labour to bring him forth in our lives and in our actions We read of a wonder in Heaven Revel 12. 1. the Church is described to be travelling in paine to bring forth Christ so every Christian must travell bee in paine and bring Him forth in his life and in his actions wee must goe to Bethlem with the shepheards to finde Christ and when wee have found him wee must take him and make our hearts the cradle or cratch to lay Christ in and say as the Apostle Paul saith The life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Sonne of God The next thing is that hee was borne of the Virgin Mary wherein two things are to be considered 1. Of what stocke shee came 2. What was her estate First for her stocke she came of the stocke and lineage of David as Matth. 1. 20. In Luk. 2. 4. it is said That Ioseph also went up from Galilee a city of Nazareth unto Iudea unto the city of David which is called Bethlem because he was of the house and Lineage of David Ioseph and Mary both sprang from hence Matthew hee sets downe how Ioseph came of the race and line of David Saint Luke shewes how Mary came of David and both to this end to shew that Christ is the Sonne of David according to the flesh and therefore the true Messiah and Saviour of the world for the true Messiah was to come of the house and line of David this we must beleeve and confesse him to bee the true Messias and Saviour as the blinde men in
in danger of drowning and had laboured all night then did Christ come to them in the fourth watch towards morning so still Christ comes when things be at the worst with us It is not a time for Christ to come till Herod bee king till things bee at the worst and when we have little hope as soone as we are touched with Gods hand we would have ease and helpe but Christs time is not till we be past helpe when things bee at the worst as Iohn 2. Christs time was not till all the wine was spent then it was a time for him to shew his power The second particular time set downe Luke 2. was when Augustus Caesar caused the whole world to be taxed which was first to fulfill a prophesie Dan. 2. 44. it was fore-told that God would set up another kingdome in the daies of the Roman kings that should batter breake and destroy all those kings which kingdome should stand for ever therefore howsoever we be subjects of another kingdome and citizens of other cities yet let us labour to bee citizens of this citie and subjects of this kingdome because this shall batter downe all other kingdomes and shall stand for ever The Thiefe on the crosse hee desired to be a subject of this kingdome saying Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome so let us pray to God to make us subjects of this kingdome since this shall stand when all other kingdomes shall fall Secondly it was to shew that Christ for our sakes came under the taxe and not onely the money taxe but to be taxed in his soule to have the fear full wrath and displeasure of God powred upon him and to die for our sinnes as Esai 53. The chastisements of our peace were upon him As Gen. 22. 6. Abraham tooke the woode of the Asse and laid it on the shoulders of his sonne so we were the Asses that were burthened God was he that tooke it off of us and laid it on the shoulders of his Sonne not only the mony taxe but the taxe of Gods wrath and displeasure And therefore if Christ were taxed for us let us be contented to be taxed for him wee thinke it a great matter to bee taxed in our names or goods yet this is not that by a thousand parts which Christ suffered for us The third thing is the place where Christ was borne in Bethlem so saith the Evangelist It was not in the Royall citie of the kingdome Ierusalem but in a poore towne a place of no great respect neither was hee borne in the bravest house but in an Inne and not in the best roome thereof but in a stable But why was Christ thus basely borne seeing the best place had been too base for him to be borne in if we consider the dignity of his person I answere first to shew the guilt of our sinnes which was upon him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and stopped him of his glory and turned him into a stable Genesis 4. sinne is compared unto a curst Dog that lyeth at the doore that a man goes no sooner out but he is ready to fly upon him and rende out his throat so wee see that Christ was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and turned him into a stable therefore hence we may see our guiltinesse to be such that wee are not worthy of the meanest place we live in Secondly to procure a better place for us to bee borne in he was laid in a manger that we might bee laid in our soft beds It is the wantonnesse of the world to despise him because hee was poore but Christ came poore into the world to make us rich to which purpose Saint Bernard saith well Lord saith he I am more beholding to thee for thy poverty in redeeming mee than for all the riches of thy power in creating me Thirdly that wee should bee contented with any estate that God should assigne unto us let us looke on the estate of Christ he was contented to be borne in a stable laid in a cratch O that the world would thinke of their sinnes how that by reason of them they are not worthy of the meanest place they live in and yet we murmure and grudge against it though our estates be better than his was Hee was contented with his estate but wee are not with our estates it is our sinne repent we for it Fourthly the manner of Christs birth and that is to bee considered three waies first after the common manner wee be borne for when things be extraordinary then the holy Ghost doth set them downe in extraordinary termes and when they be common and ordinary then hee doth use ordinary termes to expresse himselfe by Now in this place where the holy Ghost speakes of the birth of Christ he doth use no extraordinary but the same termes that is used in the birth of other of the holy men of God as of Iohn Baptist and the rest therefore Christ was borne after the common and ordinary manner as wee be borne Indeede the conception of Christ was miraculous and extraordinary therefore they say that Christ did passe from his Mother and came through her without opening her wombe but this is a meere fancie of theirs the Scripture is against it for Luk. 2. 23. Every manchilde that first openeth the wombe shall beholy unto the Lord therefore we see the birth of Christ was ordinary and as other children passe away from their mothers so did hee the Fathers are plaine for this as Tertullian saith this is the wombe for whose sake it is said that every one that openeth the wombe shall be holy to the Lord and Saint Ierome the law of first opening the wombe shall be holy to the Lord doth most especially belong to Christ yet ordinarily to others The Papists object against this and say How could His mother be a virgin if Christ were borne after the same manner as others are I answere that the Scripture is plaine that shee was not onely a Virgin when Christ was conceived but so when Christ was borne as Esai 7. A Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne so shee was a Virgin at his birth yea the Schoolemen say that the breaking and opening of her wombe did not take away her virginity Hence wee conclude that Christ was borne after the ordinary manner we be The Vse is first to see the strange humility of Christ that he would be borne as we are and come into the world as we come which this place is not fit to describe but the next childe that comes into the world and that you are at the birth of you may consider it with this short meditation Thus was Christ borne in this weake manner and stepped thus low for my salvation and therefore how justly shall I perish if I
that bee in Christ some paine there may bee as when a jaylor comes to knock off a prisoners irons it may be he may wring him this way and that way and that may be more paine to him than his chaines were before yet he is well contented with it because it is to free him so when we bee converted to God and lay hold on Christ by faith when the chaines of condemnation be a knocking off we may have more trouble of conscience than before we had but because it is to free us we should be content with it it will not last Secondly wee are loosed from the chaine of corruption and of our sinnes for as a man that is fast chained and bound cannot stirre move goe or doe any thing so when men bee bound in their sinnes they cannot performe holy duties and services to the Lord therefore canst not thou pray nor performe any good duty to God then thou art not yet freed of thy chaines of corruption for those that Christ hath redeemed he hath redeemed to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1. 51. Rom. 6. This is alwaies a consequent of the former therefore if thou bee still a swearer a drunkard a deceiver or a bad liver thou art not freed from the chaines of condemnation therefore wee must labour to bee freed from the latter chaine and then wee shall be sure to bee freed from the former chaine Againe seeing Christ was contented to bee bound of men wee should be contented to be bound of God Ezek. 4. 8. saith the Lord Sonne of man I will lay bands upon thee so the Lord hath put bands and holy ties upon us for every time we goe to the Lords Table wee binde and tye our selves to the Lord in holy vowes and resolutions to serve him Psal 118. 27. The beasts that were sacrificed were bound to the hornes of the Altar that they should not start away for feare of the bloody knife so we should be content to binde and tye our selves to God by all the holy bonds and ties that may bee that wee doe not start away from Gods service in trouble and temptation The third thing is the leading away of Christ first to Annas then to Caiphas Now as Christ was led up and downe and tossed from place to place so we deserve to be tumbled and tossed from place to place not to have an house to dwell in nor a bed to lye in nor to have any resting place for thus was Christ tossed up and downe first to Annas then to Caiphas and what was the manner how did they lead him quietly as his behaviour deserved no â—ut as Marke sheweth they led him away in so great rage and fury that a good man hearing of it being in the dead time of the night rose up and followed him in his shirt whom when the souldiers saw they straight-way laid hands on him so as the man lost his shirt and fled away to save himselfe which the Evangelist notes to shew the extremitie that they used they were so furious that they would not suffer a naked man to follow Christ but they would straight-way lay hold on him Thus we may see what a deale of labour and pain and toile it cost Christ to redeeme our soules that so we seeing it may not sell our soules to the Devill for a little ease pleasure or profit Doe thou but consider whosoever thou art that Christ doth speake unto thee in the way of his passion O man O woman for thy sake was I taken of the Iewes bound led away to be judged killed and said in the grave therefore seeing it cost me such a deale of paine and labour to redeeme thee doe not sell thy soule for a little matter But in this story of the naked man foure things are to be considered 1. A description of the person 2. A declaration of his love 3. The rage of the souldiers 4. The escape he made First A description of his person there is great question who this young man should be some of the Fathers take it to be Iames the Lords brother because he went in a linnen garment for they say he was one of the Priests To this I answer that it could not be Iames for these two reasons First because in the verse going before it is said that all the Disciples of Christ fled Now Iames was one of his Disciples and therefore it could not be he Secondly although the Priests did weare linnen garments yet they but weare them in the Temple when they went out they did plucke them off Ezek. 44. 19. therefore it could not be Iames some others thinke it was the Evangelist Iohn as Chrysostome and Gregory but it could not be he because Iohn did follow Christ into the high Priests Hall Iohn 18. 15. But this man did flie away And therefore I take their opinion to be most probable who thinke it was a good young man that dwelt thereabouts that hearing such a stirre and adoe about the taking of Christ did arise to see what would become of him but what ever he was we finde him thus described First he is said to be a young man that did follow Christ To teach us that young men must looke after Christ and be followers of him So the Wise-man Eecles 12. 13. Remember thy Creator now in the dayes of thy youth And Psal 119. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed there unto according to thy Word So wee see that young men should look after Christ it is the sinne of this age that such never looke after Christ but regard their ease liberty pleasures and profits they care not for Christ they are no followers of him Hos 12. 3. we may see that Iaakob did strive for the birthright in the wombe so men must strive to follow Christ when they be young for no man can come too soone We see when men ingrave letters on a tree as the tree groweth greater so will the letters so labour thou to put the seeds of grace into thy childe when he is young and hee will grow in grace as hee growes in yeeres Secondly it is said A certaine young man he was no great man of note there was no fame of him he was an obscure man and yet he did follow Christ when his Disciples fled Which may teach us that if the Spirit of grace be in us at one time or other it will shew it selfe in us Iames 2. it is said shew me thy faith for if a man have true faith it will shew it selfe at one time or other this man was but an obscure man and yet hee followed Christ when all his Disciples were fled so it falleth out sometimes when great professors fall away in the time of trouble then weak ones shew their religion and be followers of Christ as Iohn 19. we may see that Ioseph of Arimathea was
clothes so we rather than lose the peace of our conscience let all other things fall to the ground As a man in a shipwracke hee never thinkes of his losses but is well contented if hee can save his life hee is thankfull to God and rejoyceth that he himselfe hath escaped so when the time of trouble and persecution is let us not thinke of our losses if we can escape with the peace of our conscience let us bee thankfull to God it is the course of the world that if any strange disease fall upon their children or their cattell they say they are bewitched when as indeed it is their sinnes that doth bewitch them and what doe they then say they have been damnified by a bad witch therefore they must goe to a good witch to have helpe and sometimes they doe so losing thereby the peace of their consciences but rather than we should doe so let us lose children and cattell and all before we lose Gods favour and the peace of conscience Matth. 10. our Saviour saith to his Disciples Bee yee wise as Serpents Now this is the wisdome of the Serpent that he will take a wound any where rather than on his head because life lieth there so rather than we should lose Christ let us lose all because Christ is our life Thus this young man teacheth us wisdome who rather than hee would betray Christ lost his garments and ran away SERMON XVII MARKE 14. 55 56. And the Chiefe Priests and all the Councell sought for witnesse against Iesus to put him to death and found none For many bare false witnesse against him but their witnesse agreed not together THe Apprehension of Christ we spake of the last day Now wee are to speake of his Arraignement for though Christ might have beene killed in the tumult yet he was preserved In the Arraignment of Christ we observe three things 1. The persons before whom he was Arraigned 2. The causes for which he was Arraigned 3. The manner of his Arraignment First The persons before whom he was arraigned Annas and Caiphas the two high Priests it is worth our observation that these Priests were gathered together early in the morning for they could not be at rest till they had apprehended and condemned him no question there were a number of other Priests with them at the same time who would not in all probabilitie have beene hired for any money to come out of their warme beds to have done good but to condemne Christ they are up all night and that a cold night too so it is a corruption still that men cannot abide to sit up about any good duties of religion to repent of their sinnes to pray to God to speake of good things then they are asleepe straight but to sit up long at dice and cards and other pastimes this is their delight Luke 5. we see the Disciples when they were fishing they could hold out and not sleepe but when they came to pray with Christ in the Garden they were straight asleepe and there also Matth. 26. Iudas he slept not but was busie about his market with the Priests consulting to take him it is said of such Prov. 4. 16. That they cannot sleepe except they have done evill and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall Now this diligence in the Priests should teach us diligence in the performing of good duties for if they would spend whole nights to bring their wicked purposes to passe oh how diligent should we be to performe service to God Marke 1. 35. we see our Saviour arose early in the morning to pray and yet how slow are wee who cannot get up an houre after Sunne in the morning to performe good duties Secondly the causes why Christ was arraigned were three first that wee might not be arraigned and condemned as the day of judgement for he stood in our roome interposed himselfe for us and was contented to be taken of the Iewes to be led away arraigned and condemned and to dye for us therefore a Christian beleever may have comfort that seeing Christ was arraigned for him before men hee shall not be arraigned before God as Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus c. and againe in the same Chap. vers 35. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth who shall condemne so Ioh. 3. He that beleeveth in me shall not perish but shall have everlasting life therefore if we beleeve we have a certificate from God that wee shall not bee condemned when the devill is ready to accuse us and to say thou art a vile sinner and thou must come before God to bee arraigned and condemned for thy sinnes we must not deny the matter but say it is true Sathan I am a great and grievous sinner against God but Christ was arraigned and condemned for me and though I suffer not in my owne person yet Christ hath for me and therefore it shall not be required at my hands Secondly that he might have compassion and pitty on them that suffer and be arraigned for good causes as Heb. 4. 15. saith the Apostle For we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort as we are yet without sinne therefore seeing Christ was arraigned doe not thou doubt but if thou bee arraigned for a good cause Christ will releeve thee and shew compassion on thee as Pauls experience was 2 Tim. 4. 17. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion c. This hath made good men confident to hold out in trouble as Dan. 3. when the king would have had the three Children to have worshipped the image which hee had made say they we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter behold our God whom we serve is able to deliver us so Act. 4. when the Apostles were brought before the governors and forbidden to preach they said They could not but speake the things they had heard and seene therefore as Saint Cyprian saith a Christian may be killed but cannot be overcome because he that is in them is greater than he that is in the world Thirdly that we might set up a throne in our owne hearts and arraigne our selves of sinne for Christs arraignement must teach us to arraigne sinne as he was killed so we must kill sinne as Christ was buried so wee must bury sinne to which purpose it is said 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord so our judgement is to prevent the judgement of the Lord. Thus many good men have in holy Scripture arraigned themselves as Iob If saith he I should justifie my selfe yee then would condemne me David 2 Sam. 24. 17. It is I that have sinned but these sheepe what have they done so the Church
malice can doe no more than God hath appointed for God doth so bridle them though they be brutish full of rage and runne on in their courses yet they can do nothing but that God hath appointed As a blinde horse in a Mill hee knoweth not the end of his owne motion but his master doth who hath determined it so the wicked are like blinde horses in a Mill that goe on and knowe not the end of their motion but God hee knoweth it who hath determined what they shall doe and how farre they shall goe And therefore this may be a comfort to us that the wicked can doe nothing but that which hee hath appointed them to doe Secondly that the least things that fall out in our estates God hath appointed and decreed even the very garments we weare as we see in Christ that his garments were fore-determined that hee should be led in to bee crucified This is a great comfort that there is not any thing that falls out in the course of our lives but God hath appointed what shall be what estate wee all liue in yea and our Saviour saith There shall not fall a haire of your heads to the ground without your Heavenly Father Hence a learned man inferres If the Lord hath such a care of the superfluities of his servants that nothing shall fall to the ground but by his appointment In what great safetie is their soules in Therefore let a man labour to feare God to repent his sinnes and to bee in Christ and then let the rage of the wicked bee what it will they shall not bee able to take a haire from his his head nor the meanest coate off his backe without Gods permission and appointment Secondly They laid his crosse upon him and when hee fainted vnder the burthen of it they met with Simon of Cyrene and compelled him to bearâ— his crosse not for any pittie they had of Christ but because they thought he would have fainted and died before hee came at the place Here three things may be observed First That every one that is Christs Disciple must take up his crosse and follow him so if we be Christs Disciples wee must bee carriers of the crosse for Christ hath determined this in his owne person therefore we must bee contented to beare the crosse as it is exhorted 1 Pet. 4. 13. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings c. So Heb. 12. 8. If yee bee then without correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Therefore every man must fit himselfe to beare the Crosse of Christ Secondly we must be contented to carry the Crosse to Christ for can a man see Christ fainting or groveling on the ground and yet goe by and not be affected therewith No but he must set his shoulders to beare it no man must make a crosse to himselfe but if it be laid on him by God hee must be contented to beare it Thirdly we must beare all crosses imposed there bee divers crosses in the world Some be crossed in their children some in their servants some in their names some in their goods But whatsoever our crosses be we should be contented to beare them But it is a corruption in the world that wee thinke if our crosses were as such and such a mans then wee could beare them Thus wee are ready to buckle and take up another mans crosse but not willing to carrie our owne which Christ injoynes Math. 16. Hee that will be my Disciple must take up his Crosse and follow me wee must not take up another mans crosse but take up our owne and when wee doe so carry the crosse as well as we can if we faint under it God will send some Simeon of Cyren or other to helpe us beare it under the Law if an Asse was burthened and fell under it they were commanded to helpe him up againe Now if man were bound to shew pittie to an Asse much more to Christ when fals under his burthen But it is a pittifull thing to see that Christ is as it were fallen under his loade and burthen yet there is none that will set to their shoulders to helpe beare it Wee see Iob complaines of it in his time He that is in misery ought to be comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almighty so Psal 69. 20 21 I looked for some to have pittie on me but there was none and for comfort but I found none therefore it is a miserable thing that Christ now in his members is under the crosse yet few there are that will helpe to beare up his crosse The third generall point was The place where he was crucified considered 1. Generaly 2. Particularly Generally the place was without the Gate without the Citie so the Scripture saith And when they came out they found a man of Gyrene named Simon that is when they came out of the citie out of the gate So Paul Heb. 13. 12. Therefore even Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his owne blood he suffered without the gate and that for 3. Reasons The first To shew he was the sinne offering of the Church for the sinne offering was offered without the Host Levit. 16. 27. So Christ was crucified without the gate to shew he was the sinne offring of the Church the great propitiatorie sacrifice thy should make expiation for sinne therefore as in the Law when they offered a beast the laid their hands on the head of the beast and so by humble confession put their sins on it which was killed and they went free so seeing Christ is the sinne offering of the Church that should make expiation for our sinnes we must carry them over to Christ and lay them on him This is the deduction which S. Paul makes of it Heb. 13. 12. That Iesus might sanctifie the people with his owne blood Hee suffered without the gate and so shew himselfe to be the sinne offering of the Church Here wee may learne as the people carried their sinnes unto the beast so that must bee our wisedome to carrie our sinnes unto Christ or else wee shall answere for them Therefore consider with thy selfe whosoever thou art what a burthen thou hast laid upon Christ it is not long since thou laidst a great burthen on him and thou art comming with another to day and to morrow and so shalt every day as long as thou livest and when all is together consider what a load it will be I doe not speake this to forbid thee that thou shouldst not bring them being past recovery for if they be on thy selfe woe bee to thee thou art like to perish Therefore lay them still on Christ bring to him still but doe it with the more shamefastnesse and humilitie come with them as Noahs sonnes did when they covered their father they went backward
It is Iosephs blessing Genes 46. 4. That he should put his hands upon his father Iacobs eyes that is that hee shall not leave them in the time of death It is the tendernesse of many that they cannot abide to bee with their friends at the time of death but wee that bee Christians must labour to overcome this and performe this good duty to helpe and comfort them as much as we can It is said of Abraham Gen. 19. 16. That when the Angels came to his house and were to goe from him he brought them on the way the consideration of which dutie should put us in minde to performe another namely that when wee see them readie to depart we should attend them with good speeches with our prayers and never leave them till we have brought them as farre as we can we reade 2 King when God would take away Elias Elisha would not leave him but attended him till a firy chariot came and tooke him away and so carried him to heaven so we should not leave our friends and neighbours but attend them with good speeches and prayers till God hath received them into heaven a place of glory the very seat of God Secondly the Spirituall use is that as Mary and Iohn gathered to the Crosse as neere him as possibly they might so every man should gather to the Crosse of Christ as neere as possibly he can that when others attend their pleasures profits and their sins yet thou mayest get as neere the crosse as thou canst and joyne thy selfe to Christ that every drop of bloud there may fall upon thy soule and conscience If a man come where there is a fountaine of water if he be a-thirst he will make way to it upon his hands and knees so seeing God hath opened a fountaine for us in the bloud of his Sonne as it is Zech. 13. 1. If we be a-thirst we will creepe upon our hands and knees to make way to this fountaine and drinke of it that so wee may be nourished to eternall life The Papists run to Ierusalem to see the woodden crosse of Christ which when they have done they are never a whit the better for it but doe thou labour to mortifie thy sinnes in the crosse and death of Christ joyne thy selfe to him by a true faith and then thou shalt partake of his crosse eat his body to live eternally and to drinke his bloud to thy everlasting comfort Thus much for the spirituall use The second thing that was observed is The speech of Christ wherein wee observe two things 1. The tenour of his speech 2. The time of it First The tenour of it is Woman behold thy Sonne and to his Disciple behold thy mother as if he should say take this man for thy sonne and hee shall performe the duty of a sonne unto thee in my roome take him to be thy sonne and take this woman to be thy mother Secondly The time when hee spake it when hee was in paines and torments upon the crosse wherein divers things are to be observed First we may see the care of Christ for his mother that he provides carefully for her and therefore commends her to Iohn Which must teach us to be carefull to provide comfortably for those we leave behinde us in this world our wives and our children wee reade to this purpose Hebr. 11. 21. that Iaakob blessed both the sons of Ioseph by faith when he was a dying It is a heathenish saying when I am dead let heaven and earth run together such care for no body but themselves but we who are Christians must have a care of the good of those we leave behind us So Isaak did Gen. 27. 2. I am old saith he and know not the day of my death come and let me blesse thee before I die So likewise Elias saith to Elisha when he was to ascend in a firy chariot What shall I doe for thee before I bee taken from thee I but some may say I have no body to commit my wife and children to I have no friend nor kinsman I answer If thou have no body to commend them to neither friend nor kinsman then commend them to God and he will provide for them if thou layest them downe in the armes of God he will keepe them So saith our Saviour Christ Iohn 17. 11. having none but God to commend his Disciples to when he was to depart this world saith he And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy Father keepe them in thy Name So Paul Act. 20. 32. when he had no body to commend the people to he commends them to God when he was to depart from them saith he And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up further and to give you an inheritance amongst all them who are sanctified Therefore if wee have no friend nor kinsman to commit those we leave behinde to we must commit them to God and he will provide for them this must be our care when we are to depart this world Secondly this care of Christ may teach us that hee is not onely the Saviour of our soules but of our bodies therefore Luk. 22. 35. our Saviour saith to his Disciples When I sent you out without bagge and scrip and shoes lacked ye any thing And they said nothing so we see Christ did provide for the body and soule this is the reason why Christ did not onely teach the people but he did feede them too to shew that he was not onely the Saviour of the soule but of the body too hee did not onely take care of their soules but of their bodies also this meetes with the common corruption of these dayes in that men commit the care of their soules to God but they are afraid they shall want food rayment and things needfull for this life therefore they will take care for their bodies themselves but it is certaine that if Christ have care of our soules which is the greater hee will have a care of our bodies which is the lesser this Christ teaches us in reason Matth. 6. Is not the life more worth than meate and the body more worth than rayment and is not the kingdome of glory more worth than the things of this life therefore if he give the greater let us not doubt he will stand for to give us the lesser which are the things of this life Thirdly this care of Christ must teach us that we must so performe our duety to God as we doe not neglect it to men and we must so performe our duety to men that wee doe not neglect it to God therefore the Lord hath joyned both together as Mic. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth at thy hand surely to doe justly and to
God to despise you when you come to die therefore it is good to make God our friend whilest we be alive This is the counsell that Christ giveth us Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse the Fathers take it for the poore that wee should make friends of the poore But the meaning is that we should make God our friend in our life time that we may have a friend of him when we come to die therefore because every man must commend himselfe to God when he dies it is good to please him and to walke holily in all our courses that we may commend with boldnesse our soule to him at the last gaspe Secondly what it was bee commended into the hands of God His Spirit his body he left to Pilates mercy but all his care was for his soule therefore he commends that into the hands of God which may teach us two things first though our bodies dye yet our soules doe live all the Scriptures shew this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it so Revel 6. 9. And when hee had opened the fifth seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they mainetained so also Heb. 12. 22. For yee are not come to the mount that might bee touched c. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the city of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to the congregation and Church of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect So it is a plaine truth in Christianity that though our bodies dye our soules are immortall therefore seeing our soules never dye but shall live for ever how carefull ought we to be for them and to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God as they may live with God for ever in heaven Indeed if our soules might dye our care might bee the lesse but seeing they shall never dye it is a wondrous corruption amongst most to see how they cloath the body feed and physick that runne from market to market to make provision for it which yet must dye and their immortall soules they take no care for therefore one saith well O man of all thy parts take care of thy immortall part that which never dieth Secondly it teacheth us that seeing Christ commended his Spirit into the hands of God wee see what the especiall care of a Christian should bee not to care so much what become of his body so his soule may be saved Christ he left his body to Pilates mercy but he commended his soule into the hands of God so a Christians care must be especially that his soule may be saved that it may come safe into the hands of God what soever become of the body this was the care of the holy theefe Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome all his care was for the saving of his soule it being provided for hee cares not what become of his body we see when a mans house is on fire if he have a pretious jewell he will labour to save that though the rest perish so seeing the soule is the most pretious jewell whatsoever thy labour and paines be labour to lay up thy soule safe in the hands of God as Steven did when a storme of stones came about his eares hee bowed himselfe downe and said Lord Iesus receive my soule all his care was for the saving thereof that it might come safe into the hands of God as if he should say Lord receive my soule I care not what becommeth of my body so that thou save my soule all shall be well this will content me Thirdly the time when he commended his Spirit at the time of his death which was the very close of his life when he was ready to breathe out his last breath which may teach us that every man should make this his practise when hee comes to dye to bee sure to make a holy close of his life then it is a time to commend his soule to God Now there bee other times for a man to commend his soule to God as first in the time of danger and perill so David did when he was in perill of Saul Psalm 31. 5. saith he Lord into thy hands doe I commend my spirit because I have no body else to commend it to nor no body to trust it with in assurance of safety therefore Lord into thy hands I commend it likewise Psalm 10. 14. the poore committeth himselfe unto the Lord seeing no man regards him nor cares for him hee commends himselfe to the care of God so that the time of distresse and danger is a time to commend our soules to God There is also another time that wee should commend our soules to God and that is daily because our life is uncertaine therefore wee should every morning when we doe rise and every night when we goe to bed not knowing not what will befall us in the day commend our soules to God there bee a number of men in the world that bee greatly overtaken in this they never commend their soules into the hands of God if a nurse goe abroad and leave her childe and doe not commit it to the care of some body to keepe and to looke after it if the childe catch any hurt they will blame the nurse for it so if wee doe not commit our selves our wives and children to God in the morning and at night if any hurt befall them we may thanke our selves for it the blame lieth upon our selves 1 Sam. 18. 28. we see when David came into the host to his brethren they asked him this question with whom hast thou left those few sheepe So we should commend our temporall estate to the keeping of some body where it may be safe and if we should commend that to keeping much more must we commend oursoules to God Now as at these times wee should commit our soules to God yet more especially we must doe it when we come to dye because the devill will then bee busie and wee have a long journey to goe if a man were to passe into France and to carry all his goods with him that hee hath scraped together all his life time hee would looke into what ship hee did commit his goods and if hee had a rotten bottome hee would beware how he committed his goods to it so seeing we are to passe from earth to heaven a long journey we must take heed wee doe not commit our soules to a rotten bottome but bee carefull to lay them up into the hands of God that so they may remaine safe there Fourthly upon what ground he commends his soule into the
held that they did not see him so Christ doth manifest himselfe in his word and in the Sacraments and talkes with us from day to day and yet there is not one of twenty that knowes it the Israelites had a presence of God in the midst of them yet they asked if there were a presence of God amongst them so there is a presence of God amongst us and yet there is such a veile of ignorance before our eyes that we cannot see Christ and therefore we must pray as David prayes Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law The Church saith Cant. 3. It is the voyce of my welbeloved so the people of God know the voyce of Christ howsoever the world doth not know it I but what 〈◊〉 reason they did not know Christ It is said their eyes were held so the fault was not in Christ but in their eyes now the Papists take occasion at these words and such like places of Scripture to uphold their transubstantiation that seeing Christ can transforme himselfe to any shape or any likenesse then why may he not bee without a forme in the bread and wine To this I answer 1 There is a fault in the consequent 2 In the ground First In the consequeâ—â— foâ—â—â—ppose that it should be granted that Christ could change himselfe into any forme yet hee could not bee without a forme as waxe may bee changed into any one forme and yet it cannot be without a forme it is waxe still so though we grant that Christ can change himselfe into any yet he cannot be without a forme he is a man still And as there is a fault in the Consequent so there is likewise in the Ground for Christ did not change himselfe but their eyes were held that they could not know him Now the reasons why their eyes were held are two First That they might bee grounded on the Scriptures and not on the bodily presence of Christ which may teach us that it is a more comfortable thing to have our faith founded on the Scriptures than on Christs bodily presence It may be many an one thinks if he might have a visible presence of Christ hee should have comfort O but it is a better thing to have our faith founded on the Scriptures Secondly to teach them that properly to discerne naturall objects is the power of God if our eyes be shut we cannot see if our eares bee stopped we cannot heare till God be pleased to open them so that wee are not able to discerne betweene one man and another but by the power of God now if wee cannot discerne of any thing here but it must bee of God much more we cannot discerne the way to heaven but it must bee of God Thirdly it is said that Christ came and did joyne himselfe with them and demanded what manner of speech they had so if Christ were present hee would demand what manner of speech and what manner of communication ye have what doe you talke of Christ doe you talke of Religion or of the word If yee talke of Christ and of Religion and of â—oly things then I have a blessing for you but if yee talke of the world of money matters onely I have no blessing for you which may teach us that if Christ should come amongst us as he did to the Disciples he would looke after our discourse what it is of Many a man thinkes hee may speake what hee will and what hee list himselfe O but if Christ were present hee would demand what speech they had wee see in the time of a publike judgement Ier. 8. The Lord hearkned and heard so now he comes to our houses and heares what passeth betweene the wife and the husband and what they speake in their houses and at their labours and as they travell by the way Now Christ doth not demand of them what they said because hee was ignorant of it for he knew what they said but he had another end in it as Gen. 3. when the Lord demanded of Adam what hee had done it was not that he was ignorant of it for he knew well enough what he had done but by this meanes hee cals him to the consideration of his fault and so Gen. 4. when the Lord asked Caine where is thy brother Abel it was not that he was ignorant of it so in this demand it was not that Christ was ignorant but it was to nourish and to continue their good communication for when a stranger comes if men be talking of good things they will bee silent therefore Christ asketh this question to set their good talke on foot againe Hence wee must take heed wee doe quench good speeches but labour to nourish them as we see Act. 28. The Barbarians kindled a fire and Paul gathered stickes to nourish the same so if there be a fire begun any good speech we should get a bundle of stickes we should nourish the good talke a number cannot abide good speech they say they come to bee merry whereas if they were wise this were the onely way to make them merry if a number of children were in the darke and a mercifull man should set up a light for them to light them the way home and one should goe and blow out this light what a wicked deed were this so wee are here in this world like little children in the darke and when men be speaking of good things they doe set up a light which to quench were a very evill thing The next thing is the answer of Cleophas to this demand wherein there be two thing to be considered 1. A Reprehension 2. A Declaration First a Reprehension Cleophas doth reproove Christ by way of admiration saith he Art thou onely a stranger in Ierusalem and hast not knowne the things that are come to passe there in these daies can there be any so ignorant of it Now as Cleophas doth wonder and admire at Christ we may truely wonder and admire at the ignorance that is amongst us it was Christs speech to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. Art thou a teacher in Israel and dost not know this so wee may say art thou a Christian and hast thou had meanes of knowledge so long and art thou ignorant of the principles of Religion The second is a Declaration and herein we observe that the Disciples had faith secondly that it was weake faith they had Faith was seene first in commending of Christ and secondly in discommending of the fact of the Iewes in killing of Christ First their faith was seene in commending of Him and there were three things they commended him for first that he was a rare man he had rare things in him so a Christian must bee a rare man it is not ordinary things must content him Matth. 5. our Saviour saith If yee love your friends onely what singular things doe yee a Christian must have singular things and
virgin Mary now then if we aske the Papists where is Christ they will bee ready to say in such a Church and such a Church or he is betweene such a Priests fingers but aske the faith of a Christian professor where hee is and that will tell you that hee is ascended into heaven and therefore to avoid this Doctrine of the Papists in all likelihood it is that our Saviour saith Matth. 24. 23. If any man shall say unto you here is Christ or there is Christ beleeve him not doe not goe after them for Christ is ascended into heaven whither seeing Christ is ascended let us gather after him and although our bodies cannot yet ascend yet let our hearts and mindes and as the Disciples did follow him with their eies till a cloud came and tooke him up out of their sight so let us follow him with our hearts and mindes till we be in his sight Fourthly The manner of this ascension Luk. 24. 50. He lifted up his hands upon them and blessed them this was the last farewell he did not leave unto his Disciples houses and lands castles and mannors but he left them his blessing as the best portion which must teach us when we are to depart this world though wee cannot leave lands and livings to our children yet let us leave Gods blessings behinde us the knowledge of God the hatred of sinne the love of vertue conscience to walke with God as Gen. 28. 3. when Rebeccah sent her son Iaakob for a wife though his father was rich yet he was to the eye of the world but meanly provided having for his journey onely a staffe in one hand and a bottle of oyle in the other but together with them he had his fathers blessings and Gods blessing laid up in it and with these his mother thought him better furnished than his rich brother Esau with all his wealth so let a poore man leave Gods blessings to his childn and then he shal have the best portion that can befall him Now by the vertue of this blessing the Apostles passed through many troubles and were fenced with it against all the hard dealings of this ungratefull world for they cared not who cursed them so God blessed them nor who hated them so God loved them so if we get Gods blessing if that be upon us then we are â—enced against all the hard dealings of the world I but some man mâ—â— sâ—y how shall I be partaker of this blessing of Christ O that I had lived at that time and had beene amongst the Disciples To this I answer David tels us who be the persons and how wee may have this blessing Psal 24. 4. Even hee that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift up his soule to vanity nor sworne deceitfully be shall receive a blessing from God so then labour to be an innocent man and to have a pure heart doe not drinke in the sinnes of the age thou livest in and thou shalt bee the man that shall be blessed and though thou be not blessed in the sight of others in this world yet thou shalt be pronounced blessed at the day of Iudgement even that mouth that shall curse the wicked and drive them to hell shall blesse thee and say Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you Secondly it is said While hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up to heaven that is he went by little and little not sodainely as he went from the two Disciples that went to Emmaus but here he went leasurely by little and by little till he was taken up till a cloud came and tooke him up out of their sight after which manner hee shall come againe And so say the Angels Act. 1. and therefore so often as we looke upon the clouds wee may thinke that the same chariots shall bring Christ againe howsoever they doe now bring us snow and raine and haile and wind yet they shall bee the chariots to bring Christ to Iudgment at the last day But the inlargement hereof we deferre till the next time SERMON XXXVIII LVKE 24. 50 51. And he led them out as farre as to Bethanie and he lift up his hands and blessed them And it came to passe while hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up into heaven HAving before spoken of the Reasons why it was needefull that Christ should ascend and of the Time when he ascended and also à quo of the place whence he ascended and that was Bethania and ad quem whither he ascended and that was to Heaven As also we began to speake of the manner of his ascension and therein we first observed that at his ascension He lift up his hands and blessed them which was his last farewell to the Church and to his Disciples wee read Gen. 27. 33. what Isaac said Iaakob have I blessed and he shall bee blessed so Christ will say to his servants and people I have blessed them and they shall be blessed For if Christs â—â—essing be upon us wee are fenced against all the unkindnesse of this ungratefull world if a father give a bitter cup to drinke into his sonnes hands hee will put a little sugar to allay the bitternesse of it so though the Lord give us a bitter cup to drinke of troubles and afflictions in this world yet therewithall hee gives us a little sugar to allay the bitternesse of it the comfort of his Spirit the pardon of our sinnes and the feeling of his favour I but some man may say may every man have this blessing of Christ I answer No for as Iacob said to his mother when he went to get the blessing from his brother Esau It may be that my father will feele me and handle me and then if I bee found to bee a deceiver I shall bring a curse upon me instead of a blessing so Christ will handle us and feele us as it were to see if we bee right children if we be not wee cannot have his blessing for it belongs to none but children adopted by his grace and mercy Some will be ready to say how may this blessing come upon me would I had beene amongst the Disciples when Christ was upon the earth I will not answer thee but God shall by the mouth of the Prophet David declaring who shall obtaine this blessing Psal 24. 14. Even he that hath cleane hands and a pure heart which hath not lift up his soule to vanity nor sworne deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from God hee that is a harmelesse man and doth not wrong or injury to his neighbour hee that doth not drinke in the sinnes of the age hee liveth in hee that doth not lift up his minde to vanity for there is a great deale of vanity in man vanity in the speech vanity in apparell this is the man that shall receive this blessing from
see in experience if a man have a weighty matter to try in the court of justice if he heare the chiefe of his counsell is become the Iudge hee that was his advocate and pleaded the matter a long time he hopes that it will goe well with him so wee have a weighty matter to try in the court of Heaven it concernes our life and salvation and Christ hee that was the chiefe of our counsell is become our Iudge he that was our advocate and pleaded our matter a long time before God this may give us comfort that it shall goe well with us Saint Ierome saith well the day shall come when the whole world shall weepe and waile and mourne and grieve when thou that art a Christian shalt bee glad and rejoyce when Plato and Aristotle and others shall say we did not know him and the Iewes we tooke him for a bare man the Gentiles we thought it silly to beeleeve in One that died upon the crosse and the cold Christians shall say wee have loved the world and have not regarded him then the true Christians shall comfortably say This is our Saviour and Redeemer this is our God and we have waited for him The third point the place where he shall judge us The place is to be considered two waies generally and particularly generally the place where wee shall bee judged is in this earth therefore wee say in the Articles of our Christian saith from thence hee shall come to judge both the quicke and the dead and Act. 11. 1. the Angels tell us that this Iesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven so also Iude 24. Henoch tels us that the Lord shall come with thousand of his Saints to give judgement against all men so that this world is the place of judgment and moreover I will prove it by these two reasons First because this is the ordinary course of Iustice for where men commit their offences in the same places they are judged as wee see in the same countries where men have done their faults there the Assises are kept so seeing we have sinned against God in this earth here wee shall be judged as 1 Sam. 7. 6. it is said Samuel went about yeare by yeare to Bethel Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places Secondly because it is the fittest and meetest place for it it cannot bee in hell or in Heaven not in Heaven because the unjust cannot come there not in hell because the just cannot come thither as we see Luk. 16. 26. Abraham saith to Dives Betweene you and us there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us and therefore seeing they which are in heaven cannot come in hell and they which bee in hell cannot come to Heaven there must bee a middle place to judge the world in and that is this earth Now there be two uses to be made of this point 1. A terrour to the wicked 2. A comfort to the godly First it shall bee a terrour to the wicked to bee judged in the same place where they dishonored God and blasphemed his Name and where they have committed most grievous sinnes in the sight of their fine houses gallant gardens friends and acquaintance they shall bee judged if it were in a corner that no body should see them their griefe were the lesse or if it were in a farre country but seeing it shall bee in this world where they have sinned against God in the sight of their friends and acquaintance this shall be the greater terrour as Hest 7. 11. Haman was hanged on the gallowes which he had set up for Mordecai it had bin shame enough for him to have died in another place but to dye at his owne house in the sight of his wife and children servants and by the meanes of his goods this made his terrour the greater so the wicked shall be judged here in this world in the sight of their wives and children and in the sight of their friends and acquaintance this makes for the terrour of them Secondly comfort to the godly that in the same place where they have beene despised and and disgraced there they shall be honoured Iosephs honour was the greater that he was advanced in the same place where he was a poore slave therefore it shall be for the comfort of the godly that they shall be judged in the place where they have beene disgraced It was the manner of the Romans in their triumphs that they began in some private place without the city and thence went into every street till they came in the high and capitall streets so the people of God have their honour begun in this world whence the Lord doth carrie them thorough the clouds and firie region till hee bring them to the capitall street to heaven this is a great comfort to the godly where they have beene disgraced and despised there they be honoured SERMON XLIII ACTS 17. 3â— 3â— But now commandeth all men every where to repent Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained WEE spake the last day concerning the last judgement of the place where it shall be all Divines agree that the place in generall shall be on the earth not in heaven nor in hell nor in any remote place out of knowledge but in this earth where wee have passed our daies and where wee have sinned against God therefore according to our usuall phrase in the Creed it is said from thence he shall come David saith of his childe 2 Sam. 12. 23. I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me but it is not a sure thing that wee shall goe first to Christ till he come to us So in generall we all agree that in this earth shall be erected a glorious throne for Iesus Christ to sit upon and to judge the whole world where we have lived and where wee have passed our daies where we have sinned and dishonoured God The Uses whereof were matter of terrour and matter of comfort which I handled then therefore I proceed To the particular In what place of the world men shall bee judged This is a thing uncertaine and the best Divines hold it cannot be determined out of the Scriptures in what place it shall be but onely by probability Therefore in things of this nature it is good to take Saint Pauls rule Rom. 12. 3. Sapere ad sobrietatem to thinke soberly not above what wee ought to thinke We should not prie and looke into Gods Arke that is into his secret Counsell more than is meete but wee must content our selves with things revealed as Genes 32. 13. Iaakob said of his sheepe that hee would not overdrive them lest they die so
safe so saith he Christ is this friend that commeth to a friends house hee sees that we lay up our treasures in this World where they will corrupt and come to nothing therefore he gives us this Counsell that wee should lay up our treasures in Heaven in an high loft where wee may bee sure they will be safe If any man here make a doubt and put this question What is there nothing but this world and the workes thereof that shall bee consumed and burnt I answere him from the same place of Peter not onely the earth and the workes thereof but the heavens shall melt with heate and the elements so much as is visible and sensible even those that are most true and regular and constant in their courses clockes may deceive us but these will not they be true in their courses and yet these shall melt with heare and shall passe and runne away from the presence of Christ Heere we may see the lothsomenesse of sinne that doth not rest in the center of the earth but goeth thorough the clouds and doth infect the ayre almost to the seate of God himselfe I would to God men would thinke of this when wee see a man strangely taken away by untimely death or a house on fire we thinke it strange but for the sinne of man God will destroy the heavens and the earth Wee see in the Law that if a man had the Leprosie upon him he should bee shut up and the wals of the house should bee scraped and if it brake out againe then the house should be pulled downe and the timber and the stones and the 〈◊〉 carried away that it might not infect the people Levit. 40. 41. so the Lord doth scrape us as it were by his judgements but because sinne breakes out still he will pull downe the house even destroy this whole world so that at the last day no man shall know his former house or his land to say here is my house or here is my land as Iob speakes When a man dyeth he knoweth neither house nor land Now heere another question may be demanded seeing the heaven and the earth shall be dissolved and burnt up what shall become of the people of God To this I answere out of the Apostle Pauls words where he tels us as a Mystery We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed 〈◊〉 is all shall not dye for those that bee alive or that bee living at Christs comming shall be changed from mortality to immortality this shall be their estate at that day the creatures appointed for the fire shall bee burned and the fire shall fall on the wicked but all the people of God shall be preserved as the three Children were in the firy furnace Hence we learne what a comfortable thing it will be when Gods people shall see all the world on a fire about them over their heads and under their feet but it shall not touch them Moses told the Children of Israel that the Lord would bring great plagues on the Egyptians which should not touch any of them so the Lord at the day of judgement will bring downe fire on the wicked and the ungodly which shall not touch any of the people of God howsoever they be set light by here not accounted of nor regarded yet at that day they shall see what a comfortable thing it is to be a Christian Thirdly seeing the heavens and the earth shall bee dissolved and burnt with fire let us labour to be found in Christ to be one of the people of God and then the Lord will worke strangely for us if a towne or a country should be on fire and there should be a little house of stone where whosoever could get into it should be preserved from the fire O how men would thr◠and throng thither Beloved Christ is as a little house of stone and whosoever is in him shall bee preserved from the fire when the fire shall fall on the wicked and ungodly and burne them then they that be in Christ shall bee safe from danger therefore every man should labour to be in Christ that so hee may be saved we see Phil. 3. the Apostle Paul saith that hee accompts of all things to bee but dung and drosse that he may be found of Christ so it should be with a Christian to esteeme all things but dung and drosse that he may be found in Christ let who will take the world with all the delights and pleasures thereof wee must labour to lay up our comfort in Christ and to make God our friend and then we shall bee preserved when this world shall be dissolved When the unjust steward in the Gospell knew his master would turne him out of his office hee made a friend with his masters goods so because we know not how soone the Lord may turne us out of our offices out of our dwellings therefore let us labour to make God our friend and then it shall goe well with us howsoever SERMON XLV 2 PETER 3. 13. Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse THe last day wee began to speake of the actions that belong to the great day of judgement and then we discoursed at large of the first of them which is the burning up of the whole world and dissolution of the whole frame of nature together with the severall uses and instructions that did arise therefrom now therefore to avoid further repetition I will proceed to the actions following The second action is the renewing of Heaven and earth for as soone as this world is dissolved by the power of Christ it shall bee renewed againe as you see it is said in the words read unto you But we looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse The people of God they know this though the men of the world bee blinded as birds are blinded with snow but we that be Christians know it and looke for it as a promise from God as Esai 65. 17. For loe I will create a new Heaven and a new Eart◠and the former shall not bee remembred and to put it out of all doubt Saint Iohn saw it Revel 21. 1. so then it is plaine by the Scripture that wee shall have a new Heaven and a new Earth But how shall it bee new I answer not in regard of substance but in regard of quality whence we see the reason why the creatures are said to groane Rom. 8. 22. that is they have a kinde of longing or desire to have this time come when they shall be set at liberty by this renewing brought into as glorious a state as they were in before they were brought under the bondage of sin Psal 102. 26. it is said The heavens shall bee changed as a vesture c. whereupon one saith well
judgments of this world for the world counts him a blessed and a happy man that is rich that hath his barnes full of corne that hath a great deale of Land and money O but indeed he is the blessed and happy man that is in favour with God hath repented of his sinnes made conscience of his wayes and therefore why doe men so dote on this world to rake and gather together a deale of pelfe that will not stand them in stead at that day Then they shall see that the godly man is the blessed and happy man and that a dramme of Religion and of true saving faith is better than all the world besides and will doe them more good If a man were to goe into France and did heare that the coine in this Land would not goe there he would goe and change all his money for the coine of that country so seeing we are to goe into another countrey where our goods lands and money will not goe let us labour to change all that we have for that which will passe at that day let us get repentance faith and sanctified grace and then we shall finde comfort when this whole world will afford us none Now when the godly be pronounced happy and blessed by Christ then all the wicked shall be driven to Hell where they shall goe to paines and torments and this shall make their happinesse the greater Matth. 28. 4 5. when the Angel of God came downe from heaven and appeared in glory the keepers were astonied and became as dead men But the Angel answered and said to the women Bee not afraid for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was cruciâ—â—ed Even so when Christ shall appeare to judge the world they shall be as dead men before him but he shall say to the holy people be not afraid for I know whom ye seeke ye seeke Iesus that was crucified and now him that ye have so long looked for ye shall enjoy as 2 Kings 10. 15. when Iohn was in a great fury and had killed the two Kings yâ—t meeting with 〈◊〉 the Sonne of Rechab he tooke him by the hand and lifts him up into his chariot even so Christ shall doe when he hath driven all the wicked into Hell and meets with a good man he will say You are a good 〈◊〉 you are a blessed man and he wil take him up into his Throne to sit in glory with him And this is the glory that the Saints shall have when all the wicked shall be driven into Hell Thirdly The assignation wherein we are to observe two things 1. What is assigned a Kingdome 2. By what Title by Inheritance First what it is that is assigned it is no lesse than a Kingdome that God hath promised his people as Luk. 12. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Dan. 7. 27. it is said and the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome â—â—dee the whole â—eaven shall be given to the holy people of the most high whose Kingdome is everlasting Earthly Kings and Princes though they bâ—stow great gifts on their subjects yet they keepe the Kingdome to themselves meaner matters serve than a Kingdome so wee see although Pharoah did bestow great honor on Ioseph and did advance him yet he kept the Kingdome to himselfe none might sit on the Throne but the King but here is the bounty of Christ that hee bestowes a Kingdome on his servants It was a large proffer that Ahashuerosh made Hester 5. 6. in that hee would give Hester one halfe of his Kingdome but God hath made a larger promise to us not that wee shall have one halfe of his Kingdome but he will give us his whole Kingdome We read Luk. 12. 13. There was a Man that came to Christ and said unto him Master bid my brother divide the inheritance with me but Christ will not divide his Kingdome to his servants but will give it whole and the glory of it to them therefore men must labour to become converted and bee the servants of God because he will bestow a Kingdome on them Most men will labour and toyle in this world for lesse matters than a Kingdome some are scattered all the world over to gather straw and stubble as the children of Israel were and therefore how much more should men labour to repent of their sinnes to get faith in Christ to become one of Gods servants and then he will bestow a Kingdome on them But some man may be ready to say although it be a Kingdome that God will give his people yet it may be so meane as it is not worth the labour of obtaining therefore Christ tels us what a Kingdome it is it is an heavenly Kingdome a Kingdome prepared of God So it is such a Kingdome as is worth all our labour and paines Now this Kingdome is set out to us by three properties 1 It is a Kingdome prepared of God 2 It is prepared for his elect and chosen 3 It was prepared before the foundation of the world First it is a Kingdome prepared of God Therefore it is a most glorious Kingdome Saint Paul saith of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. The things which the eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither came into mans hart is that which God hath prepared for them that love him No tongue is able to expresse nor heart of man to conceive of the glory and excellency of this Kingdome so it is Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee done to them that trust in thee before the Sonnes of Men We may well thinke it is no small matter that all Gods attributes are set aâ—worke to furnish this Kingdome his wisedome power mercy and justice Therefore we may will conceive thereby the excellency and glory of it We see the more magnificent wise and potent that the first founders were of Kingdomes and cities the more famous excellent and noble were the Kingdomes founded by them Therefore it is said Genes 10. 10. of Nimrod that the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calâ—eh in the Land of Shinar that is famous and noble cities and so likewise Nabuchadnezzar was a golden head in regard of the other Kings that did follow him Salomon also was a wise King and of great power of whose Kingdome it is said 1 Kings 10. 17. That he gave Silver as stones and Cedars as the wild figtrees that grow abundantly in the plaine that is as the crabtrees amongst us So then the more magnificent wise and potent the first founders were the more excellent were their countries and Kingdomes which granted it must necessarily follow that because no mans wisedome is able to compare with Gods wisedome no power with his power therefore as much as he wisedome of God goes beyond the wisedome of men and his power beyond the
gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God and you your selves shut out of doores That is ye shall see holy and good people goe to Heaven when you shall goe to Hell they shall goe to possesse eternall glory and you to possesse eternall shame so the terrour shall be the greater that wee shall bee excluded and shut out when others shall be admitted into his presence I but is it such a punishment to bee cast out of Gods presence Indeed to a godly and a good man it is for his delight joy and comfort is to be with Christ As we see Psal 80. ult Shew us thy face and we shall be saved O but a wicked man he doth not desire the presence of God I answere there is a two-fold presence of Christ there is a presence of God in grace and a presence of God in glory now wicked men although they doe not desire to be present with God in grace as a number of men doe not desire to be in the house of God or to be neere him in his ordinances preaching prayer and administration of the Sacraments like the Gargesiâ—es when they lost their swine they would have Christ depart from them and in Iob we reade that the wicked say to God Away from us therfore the wicked care not for this presence of God I but though they care not for the presence of God in grace yet there is never a wicked man but would have the presence of God in glory they wish and long for this as Gen. 4. Cain cared not for the presence of God in grace for it is said He went out from the presence of God but he desired the presence of God in goodnesse he would have God to protect him hee would have a marke set on him so likewise Balaam he cared not for the presence of God in grace but he desired the presence of God in glory he desired that he might die the death of the righteous to have that glory and comfort that they have but he cared not to lead their life So Augustine saith Every man is glad of life but every man is not glad of the meanes that leads to life therefore because they doe not desire the presence of God in grace they shall want the presence of God in glory which they so much desire and long for Secondly they shall not onely be shut out of heaven but they shall be excluded and shut out of this earth also for Chrest shall come to judge this world here on earth as Iob 19. 25. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last on the earth Christ will call all the godly unto him but will drive all the wicked â—nto hell they shall not onely be debarred and shut out of heaven but shall also be expelled and driven out of this earth so that they shall not so much as gather up the crummes that Gods people leave behinde them howsoever that the perfection of the glory of the Saints shall be in heaven yet here in this world they have their inchoation and beginning of glory but the wicked shall not be left here to gather up the crummes that are left behinde them when they goe to heaven O it were well with them if they might live here and tarry on this earth but they shall nor enjoy the least commoditie that Gods people leave behinde them We reade Gen. 3. 23. that Adam was cast out of Paradise to till the earth from whence he was taken this was a grievous and great punishment yet if the wicked of this world were but cast into the field to till the earth from whence they were taken or if they might be put into a cave a dungeon a prison or any strait place it were well with them but they shall not remaine in any part of the earth but shall be driven all into hell this is a torment of all torments not onely to be expelled out of the glorious presence of Christ but also to be driven out of this earth into hell The use is seeing all the wicked of the world shall be banished out of the presence of Christ this must teach us to love the presence of Christ in grace for it is a sure thing if wee love not the presence of Christ in grace we shall never enjoy his presence in glory if we love Gods ordinances love to be at the preaching of the Word love the Sacraments love prayer and the societie of Gods people this is a comfortable testimony that we shall live in the kingdome of glory we have heard out of Hester 2. that Abashuerosh had two houses there was the house of sweet perfume and the Kings house and this was the order of them that first the Virgins were perfumed and trimmed in the house of sweet odors and then were brought home to the Kings house so the Lord hath two houses the house of grace and the house of glory whereof this is the order in the first wee must be perfumed with all the sweet graces of the Spirit so when wee have lived here a time in the Kingdome of grace we may be taken into the second house of the kingdome of glory Secondly seeing the wicked shall be cast out of Gods presence at the day of Iudgement we must be carefull to cast away our sinnes or else our sinnes will cast us out of Gods presence It is a good saying of one O man destroy thy sinnes or thy sinnes will destroy thee If a man had a servant that would rob him at night of all hee had if hee knew it hee would be sure to cast him out of doores before night came such a servant Sinne is that it will rob us of all when night commeth when the day of death and when the judgement is come it will cause us to be cast out of heaven out of the presence of Christ and out of this earth and will not leave us a bit of bread nor a draught of drinke to comfort us therefore let us before the day of death and judgement come cast sinne out of the doores for it will not only take away Christ and heaven from us but all our earthly comfort also The second punishment or paine is Malediction or Gods Curse So they shall not only be cast from the presence of Christ but they shal goe away with the curse of God upon them even the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse all the godly it shall curse all the vile and wicked people of the world swearers lyars drunkards and bad livers c. therefore consider what an heavie thing it is to goe away with Christs curse upon them 2 King 2. 24 we reade that Elisha cursed the children that mocked him and there came two Beares out of the Forrest and devoured them O but it is a more heavie
Spirit then all we did would savour of the Spirit but because there is flesh therefore all that wee doe will have a tang and a tast of the flesh Cyrill doth observe that there is no rocke or stone so hard but it hath some seames in it whereby weeds may spring up and grow in it so there is no mans heart so filled with grace but there will some sinne or corruption appeare by one occasion or other as matter to humble us and yet to comfort us in that wee see and hate it The second conclusion is that it is but a small portion of the Spirit and measure of grace that God giveth at the first to his servants for all the great workes of God begin in weakenesse all the glory of this world was but a confused heape man was made of a lumpe of earth and Christ which is God over all blessed for ever Amen he was a little childe for as it is in the life of Nature so it is in the life of Grace in the life of Nature at the first when a childe is borne it hath all the parts of a man a face eyes hands and feete which though they bee but little at the beginning yet after in time they grow to the full growth that God hath appointed in him at first there are the true parts of a man though they are not come to the full perfection so it is in the life of Grace there is in a Christian at his first conversion Faith and Repentance Love Zeale and all the graces of the Spirit though but in weake measure yet truely and really which afterwards will grow up to a greater degree of strength till they come to full perfection and therefore as the man said Mark 9. I beleeve Lord but helpe mine unbeleefe so may every weake Christian say Lord I have faith but helpe the weakenesse of my faith I have repentance but helpe the weakenesse of my repentance I have love but helpe the weakenesse of my love so then all the graces of God begin in weakenesse But here some man may say what is the least measure of Grace that God giveth to any man that he saveth I answer there are two degrees of it First a desire to beleeve to repent and obey for generally Divines say that the desire of faith is faith it selfe the desire of repentance is repentance it self and the desire that we have to obey God is obedience it self not in deed and in act but in Gods acceptance because it pleaseth him to accept the will for the deede according to that which the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not so if there bee but a desire to beleeve repent and obey if they be constant setled and fleeting without doubt it shall be accepted and this is the least measure of grace that he giveth to any that he saveth Secondly the least measure of saving grace is to mourne and to grieve that wee cannot repent and beleeve in this case one mourneth and grieveth that hee findeth such hardnesse of heart in himselfe whereof the Church of God complaineth Esai 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies and hardned our hearts from thy feare when a man findes this there is surely a beginning of grace in him wee see a little Childe though it want power and strength to goe to the mother yet it will cry and moane it selfe to her so although a Christian wants power and strength to goe to God yet if they can cry to God and bemoane themselves to him they may have comfort and these be the least measures of grace that he giveth to any man that he saveth Now come we to make use of this point First that seeing God giveth but a small measure of grace at the first therefore no man ought to be discouraged for the small and weake beginnings of grace he finds in himselfe for Matth. 13. 31. the graces of God are likened to Seede now seeds are not trees by and by but they grow by little and little till they come to perfection so the graces of God are small at the beginning come not to perfection at the first but grow by little and little and therefore no man is to be discouraged though he feele but small and weake beginnings of grace Secondly seeing God giveth but a small portion of grace at the first no man must despise any for the smal and weake beginnings that he sees in his brethren Zech. 4. 10. saith the Prophet Who hath despised the day of small things but they shall rejoyce c. so Rom. 14. 1 we are enjoyned to the contrary him that is weake in faith receive unto thee doe not despise him because God is able to increase and to effect grace in him and therefore no man must despise the small and weake beginnings in any of his brethrn Thirdly seeing God giveth but a small portion or measure of grace at first therefore it must be every mans care to husband his graces well he that had but one Talent given him should have beene the best husband and ought to have beene so but indeed he was the worst so we contrary to his practice seeing wee have but a small measure of grace should labour therefore to increase it and to bee the better husbands Wee see young men that have but a little stocke when they begin the world will omit no time for their owne good if any man shall say to them why doe you labour thus and take so great paines they reply presently Alas I had but a small stocke and therefore I had need to take the more paines in like manner wee because wee have but a small beginning of grace should labour to increase it The third conclusion is that although God give but a small measure of grace yet it doth grow and increase in a Christian as I told you even now the graces of God are compared to Seed Matth. 13. 31. and not to a stone because a stone groweth not but seed if it bee sowne will grow and increase so if a man have the graces of God in him they will grow and increase if they be nourished by the use of good meanes therefore if thou finde not an increase and a growth of grace thou may'st doubt whether thou hast the graces of God or no we see when a man sowes seed in his garden if he water them and they grow not he saith Sure the seed was naught in like manner if we finde not a growth and increase of grace in us but are as ignorant and no more forward now than we were seven yeares agoe in the practise of knowledge and duties of faith and repentance wee justly may say the seed was not good and truly
know he hath the Spirit The first worke is That hee would not grieve God for a world hee hates sinne he cannot abide it hee would not sweare nor lie nor prophane the Sabboth nor commit any sinne willingly in this case he may assure himselfe he hath the Spirit of God in him Secondly that although hee falls into some sinne yet hee holds his care and love to all other holy duties as David did in that foule sinne of adultery when he had fallen into it yet hee came to the Temple did hold himselfe to performe holy duties still Thirdly to hold our love to God and to Gods people when he loves a Christian as a Christian saith S. Iohn hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren First the Vse of this is that seeing in the falls of the Godly there is alwayes a roote left therefore wee should labour to nourish and to hold this roote that is to nourish these good desires the love of goodnesse and the hatred of sinne If a man hath a good plant in his Garden if bad fellowes come and cut downe the boughes and branches what will he doe he will goe and digge about the roote dung it and labor to preserve and nourish it so when there is a plant of goodnesse in a Christian if the Divell come and cut downe the boughes and branches neverthelesse we must labour to nourish the roote by the Use of good meanes Secondly seeing there is a roote left in all the falls of the godly therefore wee must bee thankefull to God when wee have a desire to please him in all our courses Thirdly seeing there is a roote of grace left in all the falls of the godly Therefore if we cannot finde these workings of the Spirit nor the desires in us but perceive our selves to be dead hearted it is a shrewd signe that there is no roote of grace yet I say not but that God may in time and in the use of meanes worke grace in such a heart but for the present I can give such a disposition no incouragement of that estate till God worke more in them SERMON LVII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you HAving spoken of the meanes whereby a man may know by infallible arguments that the holy Ghost is in him in the next place we are to speake what good and benefit wee have by the Holy Ghost for when we know the great good that comes by the Holy Ghost it will make us to prise it when wee have it and to seeke for it when we want it Therefore it shall not be amisse to see what this great good and benefit is that we have by the holy Ghost The Prophet David Psal 51. 11. prayes Lord take not thy Holy Spirit from me though thou take away my peace my Children my crowne and kingdome and other blessings yet Lord take not thy Spirit from me David knew the Spirit of God was a greater blessing than Peace Children Crowne Kingdome than all other blessings and benefits whatsoever It is true indeede that the benefits of the Holy Ghost are unspeakeable that no man can see them in the full latitude and extention because God is infinite yet wee may see some of them A man who comes to the Sea stands and lookes on it hee joyes to see it though hee cannot see the length nor the breadth of it so although a man cannot comprife the number of them yet it is a comfort to see some of them Now there are sixe speciall benefits that we have by the Holy Ghost The first worke is to shew us our wretched and miserable estate that wee stand in till we be brought home to Christ for no sooner are wee beginning to enter into an estate of grace but presently there is kept a marvellous stirre which troubles and disquiets us as long as the strong man holds possession Luk. 1. 21. Because the Spirit of God once come into us shewes us our sinnes and the wrath of God against them and that Hell is ready for us and then our thoughts cannot chuse but bee exceedingly troubled and we are so amazed as wee know not how to turne us Thus we see Paul was Act. 9. three dayes together he eate no meate but prayed in heavinesse and sorrow as Ezechiel 37. before life came into the dead bones there was a noyse a ratling shaking and trembling amongst them so before the Lord puts spirituall life into us there is as it were a noyse and a trembling and a shaking for sinne This is the worst wee shall feele from the Holy Ghost which is harsh to the flesh but comfortable to the Spirit because it is as an holy vomit that the Lord gives us to purge out our sins and corruptions which though bitter in taste at first is comfortable and giving ease at the latter end So Matth. 5. Christ saith Blessed are ye that mourne for ye shall be comforted and Psal 126. They which sow in teares shall reape in joy So that there is no teares more blessed and happy than those that are shed out for sinne Therefore in the harshest worke of the Spirit there is comfort as Matth. 1. Ioseph was sore perplexed about Mary and he thought to put her away secretly till the Angell came to him and said Feare not Ioseph to take Mary to be thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost So when a christian is perplexed and troubled with his sinnes let him not be afraid for it is from the Holy Ghost So Gen. 25. 21. when Rebecca had conceived the Children dashed in her wombe that is they strove together Why am I thus saith shee and thereupon asked the Lord who said unto her Two Nations are in thy Wombe of whom the one shall be mightier than the other and the elder shall serve the yonger So when a Christian shall feele a striving in him let him be of good comfort there are two within him the spirit and the flesh the elder shall serve the younger the flesh shall bee but a slave to the spirit So then in the harshest worke of the spirit there is comfort and if there bee comfort in the troublesomest worke what comfort is there in the rest of the benefits The second benefit is Illumination to teach us the whole will of God as shall bee needfull for our salvation and so Christ saith in this place But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you and Iohn 6. 45. saith he they shall all be taught of God so also 1 Ioh. 2.
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
sure it is therefore that he will restore any part that his friend should lose for his names sake as Heb. 11. 35. it is said of the holy men that they would not bee delivered from those paines and torments which the wicked had devised against them that they might receive a better resurrection and in the story of the Macchabees we read a strange and worthy narration recorded also by Iosephus that when one of the seven Children of the mother came to suffer and was to have his tongue and other parts to be cut off he saith These have I received from the Heavens but now for the Law of God I despise them and trust that I shall receive them againe so because wee know that if wee lose any part for the Name of Christ he will restore it to us at the day of judgement Therefore wee should not bee affraid to lose it but contented and willing to part with all for Christ Now if any man should object that wee shall not then have all our parts restored againe because Christ saith Matth. 18. that a man were better to goe halt and lame into the Kingdome of God than having two hands and two feete to be cast into everlasting fire To this I answere That Christ doth not speake positively but by supposition for he doth not say ye shall goe halt and lame into life but hee saith it were better for a man to goe in any meane and base condition to God as blinde lame naked and poore than to goe into everlasting fire with all the glory that this world can afford Secondly I answer It is to be understood of the estate of the soule and not of the body for if a man were to lose his hands or feete yea all the parts of his body for this end onely to have his soule goe to Heaven it were better than that he should have all the parts of his body and go with the wrecke of his soule and conscience into everlasting fire Secondly the glory of the body consists in this that it shall be beautifull and lovely howsoever now our bodies may bee rotten deformed and ill-favoured especially when we be dead at which time the bodies of the best and beautifullest are ill-favoured to looke on We see good Abraham when Sara was dead desired to have a place to bury her out of his sight so lothsome and ill-favoured we be when we be dead but at the resurrection then our bodies shall bee made beautifull and lovely no man or woman is now so beautifull as we shall be then and that for two Reasons First Looke what estate Adam was in in the time of innocencie in the same estate shall the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection but the body of man was so beautifull and glorious so full of brightnesse and spendor which issued from it as all the Beasts of the field stood gazing and looking on him in the same estate shall all the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection Secondly all deformities blackenesse ill-favourednesse and crookednesse are punishments and penalties for sinne but when our sinnes and our corruptions shall cease then the penaltie and punishment shall cease Oh how should this quicken up our care to repent of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke holily here that wee may have our portion with the Saints Wee see here when men and womens bodies bee crooked and deformed they weare iron bodies and will indure any thing to make them straight againe besides if they be not well-favored they will send into Spaine and Italy to buy complexion which when they have it doth not help nature but they be the worse for it because it eats out their favour But if men will feare God repent their sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily here our Lord Iesus Christ will repaire all and make our bodies beautifull and lovely when Salomon had built the Temple the Chaldeans came and destroyed it afterwards when it was built againe it came not to the former glory that it had but it shall not be so with the bodies of the Saints for they shall bee restored to a more beautifull and glorious estate than ever they had before Thirdly the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall consist in this that they shall be filled with brightnesse and splender now their bodies are darke and obscure but then they shall be like so many bright starres and shining Lampes when all the bodies of the wicked shall gather blackenesse and darknesse and shall looke like filthy scroules all the bodies of the Saints shall be like so many bright Stars as Daniel 12. 3. it is said And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for ever and ever this Christ doth further inlarge Matth. 13. 43. The Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father the Sunne did never looke more glorious upon this world than the bodies of the Saints shall shine with glory at that day therefore what a comfortable estate shall our bodies be in at that time We see when Moses had talked with God forty daies by the reflexion of Gods glory upon him his face did shine so that the children of Israel were not able to behold it how much more will the glory of Saints be when they shall abide with God not forty daies but for ever and ever if there shall be such glory and brightnesse in the bodies of the Saints how superexcellent shall the glory of the Soule bee then The use is that a Christian should solace himselfe in the meditation of this and not thinke his time lost in the Service of God but abstract his heart from the love of this world and worldly things to thinke on the future glory that God hath prepared for the Saints and cheare up thy heart with it as Gen. 13. the Lord makes an excellent promise to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan bidding him Arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth thereof so the Lord makes goodly promises to a Christian concerning Heaven Therefore though hee hath not put us in possession of it hitherto yet we should arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth of it that is meditate and thinke on the glory and goodly delights of it and solace our soules therewith Secondly seeing the Lord will honour our bodies then with such a deale of glory we must be carefull to spend our time well to live in all holinesse and righteousnesse while wee live here for how can wee looke that God should honour us when wee are not carefull to keepe our bodies holy and labor to honor them our selves It is a rule in Art that they that would finish their colors in brightnesse must lay grounds sutable so if thou
that he sends not all afflictions at once 169. †The three afflictions that Christ suffered 153. The behaviour of Christ in his afflictions 158. The effects of Christs afflictions 160. Christ was affraid To stand be fore God in Iudgemens clothed in our sinnes of death Not as a dissolution of Nature But as Gods curse 155. Christs agonie the cause of his sweat 161. All things made for mans benefit 71. How Christ shall bee All in all at the day of Iudgement 477. Almighty see God The amazement of Christ on the Crosse proceeded from Gods curse 157. Angels Ministers unto Christians 297. ¶ The Angels service to Of Christs anointing 78. Men. 430. Christ 122. ¶ What meant by anointing in the Law 16. Christ by being anointed was designed enabled made acceptable for the worke of redemption 78. With what By whom the end why Christ was anointed c. 81. The benefit of Christs anointing participation of His Graces the dignitie of his Person 89. We must anoint Christs Head Body and Feete with the Oyle of Devotion Compassion and Contrition 82. ¶ In the Law were anointed Prophets Priests Kings 83. No injurie must bee done to the Lords anointed 82. †Apocrypha see Scripture Of Christs appearing 305. Application of Christ to the heart better than Simeons holding him in his armes 141. †The wicked can doe no more than God hath appointed 213. ¶ 268. †Whatsoever betides a man is by Gods appointment 214. The Place Time Manner and Preparation of Christs apprehension 177. c. That apprehension of impenitent sinners worse than that of Christs in the Garden 186. * Comfortable words like Aqua-vitae 589. Christs armes his messengers 342. Christs arraignement frees us from arraignment and condemnation 194. * Of Christs ascension 353. The Necessity Time Place from whence Manner Fruits and benefits of Christs asscension from 353. to 365. Christ ascended to Prepare a place for us Send down the holy ghost Lead captivity captive Give gifts to his Church Make intercession for us 354 Difference betwixt Christs ascension and others 363. Christs ascension a pawne of ours 315. †Trials to know whether wee have ascended from sinne or no. 365. Of the great assembly to Iudgement 428. Gods assistance in troubles makes men confident 194. †B CHristians ought to beare with one another in Hiding the infirmities Excusing them Loving the partie 595. Christians ought to begin all their workes with prayer and thankesgiving 645. †Not to resist beginnings in sinne dangerous 181. ¶ Why the Shepheards went to Bethlehem 126. * By Christs binding we are loosed from the chaine of condemnation and corruption 188. Christs birth the greatest Ioy of the world 125. ¶ The Place 116. Time 113. Manner 117. of Christs birth The manifestation of Christs birth 120. Foure reasons of Christs meane birth 118. God bestowes on his Children blessing of this life and the life to come 581. The wise order God takes in giving us blessings 622. The communion of Saints an earthly blessings 581. In the blood of Christ that issued out of his side is something naturall and miraculous 268. Christs blood purifies us from the guilt and filth of sinne 269. The blood of Martyrs and Christ cry unto God for revenge and mercy 85. †Body see Resurrection As a Goldsmith melts gold to make a cup for the king so God melts our bodies to make vessels of honour for himselfe 637. ¶ The perfection of our bodies compared to a Shipmans needle touched with a Loadstone 641. * Our bodies spirituall because Vpheld by Subject to the spirit 642. Chris rose with the same body hee was crucified with 340. ¶ The power of a glorified body 643. What use of stomacke teeth c. in a glorified body 628. ¶ Christ saves not our soules onely but our bodies also 230. ¶ Two Bookes opened at the day of Iudgement 439. Christ borne when Herod was king Augustus taxed the world why 115 Christ borne in a base place to shew 10. the guilt of sinne 2. to procure us a better place 3. to make us content with any estate 116. ¶ Christ borne after the common and poorest manner 117 118. Christ was bonnd in regard of God To sanctifie the bonds of his servants To teach us the desert of sinne That we might bee loosed 187. Men for Paine and punishment Caution and securitie Shame and disgrace 186. Against the Papists giving the bread onely 334. * What meant by Christs breaking of bread with the Disciples that went to Emmaus 334. Christs breathing on the Disciples was a signe of giving the Holy Ghost 345. †Christ was buried To give us assurance of his death that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold to sanctifie and sweeten the grave for us that wee might have strength to bury him 273. Of the burning of the world 410. ¶ A Story of two Protestants in king Edward the sixths dayes touching burning for religion 277. †The burthen of sinne 158. * Every sinne addes to the burthen of Christ 159. * The benefit of Christs buriall 281. Foure waies to bury sinne to kill it hate the loathsome face of it remove it out of our sight and to rake moulds on it 282. C CHrist comes when a man is at his calling 122. †Calvins speech Dominus cum venit inveniet me laborantem 122. ¶ Moderation in worldly cares seeing God is our Father 55. What the word Catholike meanes 574. ¶ The Church said to be Catholike in respect of Place Persons and Time 575. c. The Papists beleeving in the Catholike Church absurd in religion and reason 578. * Reasons proving the Papists no true Catholikes 578. A twofold chaine on every naturall man of corruption sinne of condemnation and guilt of sinne 188. The wicked compared to chaffe 434. A great change and alteration after conversion 499. We must commit the seede of our charity into the bosome of the poore and hands of God 594. ¶ All chastisements came from God our loving Father and shall turne to our good 56 57. Gods Children why withheld from worldly blessings 580. Gods Children never totally finally forsaken of him proued by foure grounds 172. What Christ shall doe after the last Iudgement 475. see Iudgement The word Christ what it signifies 77. see Anointed Christ and Messiah all one 77. ¶ Christ the Sonne of God 90. Christ proved to be God from the Names Attributes Workes and Worship of God ascribed to him 91. Why Christ must bee both God and Mun. 92. ¶ Christ borne when Augustus Caesar taxed the world to fulfill a Prophesie to be under the taxe of Gods wrath for our sakes 116. * Christ the Head of the Church three proofes 542. The love and willingnesse of Christ to die for us 208. †Every little meanes is to bee laid hold of to bring us to Christ 131. ¶ Three things required in him that would be found in Christ 693. The infinite comfort after finding Christ 312. No condition can
left she replies that shee had nothing left but a little cruse and a little oyle in it where upon the Prophet bids her goe and borrow vessels of her neighbours then shut the doores to her selfe and powre into those vessels and fill them which she did and so payed her creditours and lived of the rest This is the Churches case the Divell impleade her for debt and the Church hath nothing left but as it were a little Pitcher the body of Christ and yet out of this there hath runne out such a deale of oyle as that it hath sufficiently discharged all the debt of the Church and this is another comfort to her that hee will discharge all her debts Fiftly seeing the Church is the body and the spouse of Christ that one day wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever as Psal 45. 14 it is said shee shall bee brought to the King in â—aâ—ment of needle worke and in the next verse With gladnesse and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace Therefore this is a comfort to the Church that although she cannot see him because she lives here on earth and Christ in Heaven yet there will be a time when shee shall live for ever with him in glorie and happinesse It was Christs request Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that those which thou hast given mee bee with mee even where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast given mee it was one of Christ last suits to his father that we should be brought home unto him This is another comfort to the Church that one day they shall enjoy Christ and live with him for ever in glory howsoever they may have a great deale of trouble and affliction here as Revel 19. 6 7. there was a great voyce like a clap of Thunder saying Halleluiah for our Lord God Almighty hath raigned let us bee glad and rejoice and give glorie to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his Wife hath made her sâ—lfe ready All harts should bee filled with joy for this and all soules should bee replenished with glâ—dnesse for that one day the marriage shall bee solemnized when wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever Lastly seeing the Church is the Bride and the Spouse of Christ therefore he will not bee ashamed of us no good man will be ashamed of his wife though she be but meane in any place nor before any company no more will Christ be ashamed of us but will confesse us before God though we be but meane as Heb. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all of one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praises unto thee And againe behold here am I and the children that thou hast given me so Luk. 12. 8. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him shall the Sonne of Man confesse before God and his Angels As Ioseph confessed his father and brethren before Pharoah and was not affraid of them so will Christ one day acknowledge his Brethren the Elect of God this is another comfort that Christ will not be ashamed of us howsoever wee are not respected and regarded here yet one day we shall be highly promoted Christ will say to us Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World Therefore beloved brethren sequester your thoughts from things present and think on the things to come think upon this joyfull meeting of Christ and all the holy people of God consider how great will our comfort be at that time therefore love Iesus Christ be carefull to passe your time here in holinesse and feare labour to repent of your sinnes and to get faith in Christ that yee may finde favour with God at that time Now there is another thing that I would commend unto you in regard of the time That seeing Christ is such a comfortable Husband to us let us take heed we doe not displease him we see a good wife will be loth to displease her husband at any time if she hath given him any occasion of offence she will not be at rest till she be reconciled and her husband pacified and pleased with her so seeing it is manifest at this present by evident tokens that our loving Husband is displeased by taking away the comforts of the Earth for what a thing is it that wee should live on the Earth and yet not see the fruits of it comfortably but be strangers from it in regard of the multitude of our sinnes therefore I say seeing we see him displeased with us let us not be at rest till we be reconciled unto him let us repent us of our sinnes pray unto him and never give over till he be pacified and pleased with us SERMON LXIV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth THe greater the Church of God is the more is our comfort to be members of it therefore I hope it will not be tedious to any to speake further of the dignities and priviledges of the Church for if one have a stately House or a fruitfull Field hee will not bee weary to heare one tell him of the goodly Scituation and Commodities that doth belong unto it so because the glory of the Church is our glory therefore it shall not be amisse nor I hope tedious to any that I insist to speake of the dignities of the Church of God Fourthly the dignitie of the Church is conspicuous in that it is called the Pillar and ground of Truth A metaphor taken from building that as a Pillar sustaines and upholds the house from falling so the Church of God is a Pillar to uphold the Scripture and the Gospell which otherwise the prophane multitude of the World would let fall and it cannot stand with another Societie but only with the Church of God because there God is knowne so we see Psal 76. It is said God is knowne is Iuda his Name is great in Israel For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Zion So also Psal 147. 19. Hee sheweth his Word unto Iaakob His Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have they knowne his Iudgements so then it is an honour peculiar belonging to the Church of God to uphold and maintaine the doctrine of saving truth which otherwise would bee extinguished by the prophane multitude of the World Now two wayes the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth 1. Because it doth preserve and keepe the Tables of Truth 2. Because it doth deliver the doctrine of Truth
to all her Children by the meanes of Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle delivers unto us Ephes 4. 11. where he saith When hee ascended up on high bee led captivitie captive hee gave gifts unto Men c. He therefore gave some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ that henceforth we be not Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive For the first it doth keepe and preserve the Tables of Truth in three respects 1. It keepes the letters of the Scripture 2. The true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes 3. The Authoritie of the Scriptures First It keepes the letters of the Scriptures for the Scripture is the chiefest rich Iewell and Treasure that Christ hath left his people therefore it hath beene the care of the Church the Spouse to preserve and keepe the Scripture as the chiefest Iewell and Treasure left of her husband Christ we see in experience if a man leave a Iewell or some other treasure with his wife when he goes into a farre countrie she will be carefull to keepe it till he come home againe shee will locke it up or lay it in some Boxe or Chest so because the Scripture is a rich Iewell left unto the Church by her Husband Christ therefore there can be no doubt but the Church was carefull at all times to preserve and keepe it to this purpose Exod. 25. 16. The Lord commanded Moses to make an Arke of Shittim wood to put the Tables of the Covenant in that is the written Law of God and why should they put it into an Arke or Chest of Cedar But because it is the durablest wood which will not rot to teach us that the Lord would have the Scriptures preserved therefore S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. That the Lord hath of trust committed the Oracles of Truth unto the Iewes which were the Church of God so that it is the dutie of the Church to preserve and keepe them None hath done it but the Church which hath not failed in any point If a tender mother should have a spring that she and her Children live by to drinke of how carefull would she be to kepe it from all annoyances so because the Scripture is as a Spring that the Church lives by and drinkes of she and her children Therefore there can be no question but that the Church hath beene carefull to keepe it from all annoyances It hath beene an opinion of the Papists that the Scripture was corrupted by the Iewes in the Originall Text but if this opinion were true it were enough to bring in Atheisme and all prophanenes for no body can deny but if that the letters of the Scripture were corrupted in the Originall then that which is translated cannot be right Here then to confute this opinion of the Papists which is enough to bring in flat Atheisme and superstition I will shew you divers arguments and reasons to proove that the Scripture hath not beene corrupted which because it is a point of learning and a high one therefore as God when he gave the Law to the People came downe upon the Mount as low as might bee to deliver it to them so I will come downe as low as I can to make it plaine to your Capacities who heare me The first Is drawne by comparison from a King There is no King that would suffer his Statute lawes to be corrupted in the fundimentall Points and his publike Records if hee could helpe it but God is our King and the Scripture is the Statute-Law of God and his publike Records whereby he makes his Will knowne to Men and governes them and therefore can we thinke that the Lord will suffer any to corrupt it seeing he hath Power in his hand to help it unlesse we thinke that God hath lesse care than an earthly king would have of his lawes Iosephus reports and also Eusebius of a certaine Poet that tooke upon him to apply a Holy sentence to a wrong end who was stricken with blindnesse till he made confession of his fault And of another that tooke a peece of Scripture to make a jest of it who was taken with a phreneticall madnesse and hardly ever recovered againe Now therefore if God doe punish those that do prophane the Scripture then how much more will he punish them that doe corrupt it seeing God hath set this seale to it This God makes good Revel 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book If any Man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any Man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life therefore who durst meddle to corrupt it The second reason is drawen from the Promise of Christ in Matth. 5. 18. For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled now by the law he meanes the written Law of God here we have the promise of Christ that as long as Heaven and Earth indures there is not one jot or title of the Law that shall be corrupted The third is taken from the continuall practise of the Prophets Apostles and of Christ himselfe that still send the People of God to the Scriptures as the most sincere Iudges as Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. and Christ Iohn 5. 39. saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to have Eternall Life they are they which testifie of me So wee see that Christ the Prophets and Apostles call us to the Scriptures as to the sincerest Iudge Now if the scriptures had beene corrupted and depraved they would not have sent us to them for there is no man that will send his servant to sea but hee will tell him the danger of it and of the Shelves Rockes and Sands and where they be that so hee may avoyde them so if the Scriptures had beene corrupted Christ the Prophets and the Apostles would not have sent us to the Scriptures but would have told us where the Rockes and Shelves and where the dangers had beene nay if Christ had knowne the Scriptures had beene corrupted he would have made it knowne or if
1. In Exhortation 2. In Admonition and good Counsell 3. In Consolation 4. In Mutuall Prayer First In exhortation for the People of God must exhort one another to feare God and to make conscience of every holy dutie commanded as Heb. 3. 13. saith S. Paul Exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day c. so Heb. 11. 24. Let us exhort one another to provoke one another to love and good works So it is not enough for a man to bring himselfe on in Religion but he must stirre up the care of other as Zech. 4. 2. the Prophet saw a vision of a golden Candlestick with a boule on the top of it and seven Lampes thereon with seven Pipes to the Lampes which were on the top thereof and two O live trees right over it to drop down fatnesse to nourish the lights with so every Christian is a shining Lampe and wee must bee as Olive trees to drop down fatnesse or oyle into the heart of our brother to nourish the light of God that is in him therefore it is woefull thing to see that men doe neglect this dutie that they doe not exhort one another and yet meet many times in the weeke and on the Sabboth day and passe away the time with a deale of idle talke and let this dutie slip so that they cannot say as the Disciples said did not our hearts burne when wee talked with such a man Secondly Admonition and good counsell when they bee fallen so to recover and restore them againe as Gal. 6. saith S. Paul Brethren if any man bee fallen by any occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted The word in the originall is a metaphor taken from a Surgeon that is to set a joint who useth it with great tendernesse to bring it to his right place so wee must doe when wee see our brethren fallen into any fault use them gently to restore them againe and wee must labour to recover them with the Spirit of meeknesse considering lest wee also bee tempted It is not the manner of the world to doe so but they make table-talke of it and speak to the disgrace of others but wee must consider that wee our selves may bee overtaken and therefore as wee would have others to deale in meeknesse and love with us when we are fallen so we must doe to our brethren We see in a shipwrack that those that escape and get to the shore first get up to the top of a high tower mountaine or rocke and hang out lights and Lanthornes that so they may direct the rest of their company to the same harbour So wee must doe when we have suffered shipwrack in our consciences and are recovered againe wee must hang out as it were lights and lanthornes advise and admonish others and give them good counsell that so wee may bring them to the same harbour that wee are arrived at Thirdly wee owe to our brethren Christian consolation and mutuall comfort because that ordinarily the crosse doth follow them and accompany the people of God for if a man be a sincere Professour of the Gospell through the malice of the Devill and the furie of the world alwayes the crosse doth accompany him and therefore the brethren had need to comfort them as 1 Thes 4. 18. saith S. Paul Wherefore comfort your selves with these words and Prov. 31. 6. it is said Give yee strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto him that hath griefe of heart As in a sick family where they are given to fainting they have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to refresh and comfort them so the Church of God is a sick family and therefore must have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to comfort and to cheare them that is wee must have comfortable words to cheare and refresh them but wee see Iob 6. 14. Hee complaines of this saith hee Hee that is in miserie ought to bee comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie so David complaines Psal 69. 20. Reproch hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to have pitie on mee but there was none and to comfort mee but I found none Therefore wee must take heede that this bee not laid against us at the day of judgement Fourthly Mutuall Prayer to pray for one another as Iames 5. 16. it is said Pray one for another so that the Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole bodie of them this is a great comfort to be one of the people of God in the time of danger and temptation for one cannot bee the least member of the Communion of Saints but he shall have his part and portion in all the Prayers of the Saints Wee see in one Countrie there are divers shippes goe to the Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another some for gold and silver some for other commodities but all such as they bring home is for the common good of the whole countrie So the Prayers of the Saints are like unto a number of ships that goe to Sea some of whom make request for this thing and some for that but whatsoever they bring home all tends to the common good of all the bodie Fourthly the Communion of the Saints consists in Communicating of Riches and goods to one another Gal. 6. 10. it is said while you have time doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith so Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased so also 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in faith and utterance knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us see that yee abound in this grace also There is no one dutie that men come more short in than in this men are contented to pray and advise others but this they sticke at they cannot bee contented to communicate of their goods to them neither can they abide to part with any of their Riches this they stick at But Matth. 2. 11. wee see the wise men came to worship Christ and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrhe They did not onely worship him but did also impart to him of their treasure and goods It is the manner of the world that they can bee contented to worship Christ but they will not let any thing come from them to refresh the Saints they will not part with any of their goods to them Augustine saith well It is not meet that in a Christian commonwealth one should surfet and another starve that one should live in plentie and another in want for wee have all one master and are redeemed with one bloud we came into the world all after one sort and
shall all inherite one Kingdome of glorie therefore wee should not thinke it much to make our brethren partakers of our Riches and goods and againe speaking out of Psal 68. saith hee men lay up for their Children and their children keepe it for their Children but what hast thou laid up for Christ if thou wilt not give him thy whole estate yet let him have a Childs portion Matth. 21. wee see when Christ came riding to Hierusalem on an Asse some strewed garments in the way some cut down boughs and branches so doe thou if thou bee not able to strew thy garments in the way that is to take the poore members of Christ and feed them yet cut down branches at least that is speake comfortable words to them and pray for them and then at the last day how comfortable will it bee to thee that Christ shall say in the sight of men and Angels Here is the man that hath fed mee cloathed mee c. Therefore wee should love this part of the Communion of the Saints SERMON LXIX GALAT. 6. 2. Beare ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. WEE see in experience that if a man hath a timber tree hee may have out of it a great deale of good stuffe fit for building so out of one part of our Christian faith though the words bee few there may if it be well handled runne out a great deale of good matter We shewed the last day that as the Saints have Communion with God and with Christ so they have a blessed and happy Communion amongst themselves Which is threefold First Of the living with the living Secondly Of the living with the dead Thirdly Of the dead with the dead Now the Communion of the living with the living consists in five things which I will not now repeat but goe on where wee left which was to excite and stirre men up to the putting in practice of the dutie of Communicating to our brethren in things of our temporall estate and to that end I will now insist on these three things following 1. That there ought to bee such a Communion of our goods and riches 2. The true bounds and limits of it 3. The Reasons that should move us to it First there is such a dutie to bee performed as Deut. 15. 11. the Lord saith because there shall bee ever some poore in the land therefore I command thee saying Thou shalt open thy hand wide to thy brother to the needy and to the poore of the land so Eccl. 11. 1. saith hee Cast thy bread upon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evill shall bee upon the earth If the clouds bee full they will powre forth Raine c. so Gal. 6. 11. while wee have time doe good unto all men especially to the houshold of faith We see in Nature that the hand receives not meat into it selfe but puts it to the mouth the mouth to the stomake and the liver cannot hold the bloud but conveyeth it into the veines now if there bee any such Communion in the parts of nature much more should it bee in the mysticall body of Christ Secondly what the True bounds and Limits are herein wee will shew you first 1. The Excesse 2. The Defect thereof The Excesse is to give too much the Defect is to give too little so both bee faultie the Excesse is rare and few there bee that offend that way The Excesse is when men give away all and leave nothing to themselves to maintaine wife and children with according as the Anabaptistes teach who ground themselves on Act. 4. 32. where it is said And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing that hee possessed was his own but they had all things common To whom I answer first that the Communion that is here spoken of is a communion of love onely as Phil. 16. all things were common by love and yet Paul would not dispose of his servant without his leave so Act. 5. 4. Peter saith to Ananias Whilest it remained in your hands appertained it not to thee and after it was sold was it not in thine owne power So this was a Communion of love Secondly the Church of God at that time was in extremity and in one place so that there is not the same measure to bee used in the time of the peace and inlargement of the Church as is in the time of want and extremitie Therefore when the Church was in extremitie and want they did well to sell their portions and to impart them to the common good of all but in the inlargement of the Church Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 16. 1. Every first-day of the weeke let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him c. And the Disciples did not contribute all their goods to the Saints therefore in the Communion of Riches and goods there may bee an Excesse The Papists teach also the same that wee ought to give all to the poore and to leave our selves nothing and say this is an estate of perfection But I demand of them if a thorne should bee a fruit tree that should bee common whereby the poore might bee releeved by it whether were it better to cut downe the tree and impart it all or to let it stand to let them have the fruit of it to releeve them from time to time I doe not doubt but every man that hath discretion will say it is better that the tree should stand stll and the poore bee releeved by little and little than to cut it downe and give away all at once so it is better for a man to retaine his wealth and to releeve his poore brethren by little and little continually than to give away all at one time none at another so Aquinas saith It is not the part of a liberall man to give all away from himselfe at once to releeive the poore but to retaine the greatest part to himselfe to play the good husband with it that he may bee giving continually But the Papists Object and say that Christ commanded the Rich man to goe sell all that hee had and to give to the poore To this I answer that that commandement or precept was personall to that man onely in a speciall service as Iohn 15. Christ told Peter that unlesse hee did wash him hee could have no part in him why was it such a great matter to have Christ to wash one I answer it was a great matter if hee should have despised or contemned it hee might have justly perished because it was a personall precept to him onely so because this precept to the rich man was a personall precept it was his sinne that hee did it not Secondly