are delivered from Satan Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out said Christ when the time of his death was at hand Joh. 12. 31. For asmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe took part of the same that thorough death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devill Heb. 2. 14. The devill is there said to have the power of death though that properly belong unto God for it is he that killeth and he that maketh alive 1 Sam. 26. Deut. 32. 39. because by the malice of the devill man became guilty of sin and so liable unto death Christ by his death hath vanquished Satan and freed those that belong unto him from Satans power Therefore they that believe in Christ are said to be brought from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26. 18. and to be delivered from the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. 3. We have right unto eternall life Had not Christ died we had been uncapable of life that life which is to come This was signified by that Gen. 3. 24. where it is said that Adam having sinned God drove him out viz. of Paradise and he placed at the East of the garden of Eden Cherubins and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life By reason of sin the life to come eternall life which was shadowed by that tree of life was inaccessible unto us we could have no accesse unto it but Christ by his blood hath made a new and living way for us Heb. 10. 20. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance Heb. 9. 15. And in the two verses following is shewed why the new Covenant that God hath made with his people is called a Testament because it is of force by Christs death For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the testator liveth Neither doth this make for the Popish opinion of Limbus Patrum as if before Christs death none did go to heaven and enjoy the happinesse of the life to come For Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. The death of Christ was of force as well before as since Christs coming they that did believe in Christ to come did enjoy the benefit of his death as well as they that now since his coming do believe in him Ob. But may some say notwithstanding Christs death yet still all die Answ True but not so as otherwise had it not been for Christs death they should have died For 1. By the death of Christ all that believe are altogether freed from the second death over such the second death hath no power Revel 20. 6. 2. The first death to believers is as no death but an entrance into life even life eternall Blessed are the dead which die in our Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours c. Revel 14. 13. The souls of the faithfull being separated from their bodies do immediately enter into happinesse which made the Apostle say that to die was gain unto him Phil. 1. 21. And v. 23. that he desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which was far better And the bodies of believers shall also in due time be raised up and together with their souls be made partakers of eternall blisse Christ by his death hath overcome death so that they that believe in him shall not be overcome by it not so as for ever to remain under the power and dominion of it I will ransome them from the power of the grave saith Christ I wil redeem them from death O death I will by thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Hos 13. 14. To which place the Apostle alludeth saying O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory And he addes the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But 〈…〉 ks be unto God who giveth us victory thorough Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Vse 1. Here then is consolation for us in respect of the guilt of sin and the fear of wrath as due for sin Do our consciences accuse us doth Satan throw his fiery darts at us The meditation and application of Christs death is sufficient to quiet our consciences and to repell Satan and all his assaults Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth Who is he that Turbatur conscientia sed non perturbabitur qui◠vulnerum Domini recordabor condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8. 33 34. My conscience saies one is troubled but it shall not be orewhelmed for I will remember the wounds of the Lord Jesus Vse 3. But as Christ died for sin so must we die unto sin thus must we be conformed to his death or els we can expect no benefit by it We thus judge saith the Apostle that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. They are therefore most foolish and absurd who think that because Christ died for them therefore they may live as they list As if Christ by his death had purchased not freedome from sin but freedom to sin this is to turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse and to deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jude v. 4. But we have not so learned Christ Ephes 4. 20. our very Baptism doth teach us another lesson The Apostle having said Where sin abounded there grace hath abounded much more Rom. 5. 20. To prevent the abuse of this doctrine he addes presently after What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death c. Rom. 6. 1. 2 3 4. So Col. 3. 2 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead viz. unto sin and v. 5. Mortifie therefore your members that are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry This mortifying of sin and dying unto sin imports 1. A serious and setled purpose to eschew sin I said that is I purposed I resolved I will take heed unto my waies that I offend not with my tongue Psal 39. 1. I am purposed
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. 2. Are there any outward troubles and pressures upon us Let us consider what Christ hath suffered and how by his suffering he hath reconâ—ised us to God and purchased eternall Redemption for us and therefore we need not fear though the earth be removed and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Psal 46. 2. 3. He that spared not his own sor but gave him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation distresse or persecution or famin or nakednesse or perill or sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long counted as sheep for the slâ—ughter Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerours thorough him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Vse 2. Here also is instruction for us not to rely on our own but on Christs sufferings We must turn unto God as with all our heart so with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Joel 2. 12. We must so lay to heart our sins as to be afflicted and mourn and weep our laughter must be turned into mourning and our joy into heavinesse Jam. 4. 9. We must take a holy revenge on our selves for our sinners 2. Cor. 7. 11. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 31. Because we neglect to judge our selves therefore God doth judge us and lay his afflicting hand upon us to bring us to a sight and sense of our sins that we may repent of them and so not perish in them When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. The Antinomians are much wide wrong who wil not have God to afflict his children at all for sin yet the Apostle saith we are chastned of the Lord and chastning presupposeth a fault for which one is chastned And so the Apostle expressely For this cause many among you are weak c. 1 Cor. 11. 30. viz. for their sin in receiving the Lords Supper so unworthily as they did Yet the punishment that God doth inflict upon his children is but castigatory not satisfactory as the Papists would perswade us who hold that men may and must satisfie the justice of God by their own sufferings which they must either voluntarily or els perforce endure only Christ is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2. 2 Only the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 Jo. 1. 7. Only Christs suffering is our satisfaction Vse 3. Again by Christs sufferings we may see the evill and odious nature of sin how exceedingly God doth hate and abhor it in that his justice would not be satisfied but by such sorrows and such sufferings of his own son O let not us love that which God doth so hate Ye that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97. 10. Sin is evill in the sight of God let it be so in ours also he hates sin and therefore let us also hate it let us not make light of that which Christ found so heavy let us remember what he said as he went to the Crosse If they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in the dry Luk. 22. 31. If Christ who himself had no sin did so suffer for sin what shal become of those who are ful of nothing but sin wil still go on to fill themselves more more with it O let us look on him whom we have pierced and let us mourn for him that is for our sins by which we have pierced him as one mourneth for his only son be in bitternesse for him as one is in bitternesse for his first born Zach. 12. 10. Vse 3. Finally here we may see the wonderfull love of God and of Christ towards us that rather then we should receive the just recompence and reward of our sins God would give his own Son and Christ would give himself to suffer for us God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. In this was manifested the love of God towards us c. Joh. 4. 9. Who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. Amat non immeritò qui amatus sine merito Great cause have we to love God and to love Christ who so loved us when there was no cause to love us but to hate and abhor us God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us and sent his son into the world for us 1 Joh. 4. 10. He adds v. 19. We love him because he loved us first It behoves us to do so but so as to testifie our love by our obedience This is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 Joh. 5. 3. If ye love me keep my Commandements Joh. 14. 15. And as such was the love of God and of Christ towards us so we accordingly ought to love one another If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. Walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us c. Ephes 5. 2. A new Commandement give I unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Joh. 13. 34 35. THE FOURTEENTH SERMON PHIL. 2. 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse THe Apostle exhorting unto unity and concord v. 1 2. as a means conducing thereunto he exhorts unto humility and lowlinesse of mind v. 3. 4. And to incite unto this he propounds the example of Christ whom Christians ought to imitate v. 5. c. Having shewed how Christ humbled himself in being made man he shewes how he humbled himself when he was made man viz. so as to be obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Being found in fashion as a man This doth not import that Christ only had the shape and form of a man but was not man indeed as some Heretikes have maintained Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is true man having true humane
that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal 17. 3. 2. A care to avoid the occasions of sin Depart from me ye wicked for I will keep the Commandements of my God Psal 119. 115. 3. A diligent use of the means whereby to subdue sin Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119. 11. Vse 3. As Christ was obedient unto death so we must learne by his example to be obedient also as well in suffering as in doing and that in suffering death it self if God call unto it You have not yet resisted unto blood Heb. 12. 4. As if he should say in obedience unto God you must resist striving as there it followes against sin even unto blood the shedding of your blood if need be so did Christ who is there propounded as a pattern for our imitation Looking unto Jesus c. v. 2. Consider him v. 3. Not that we are to expose our selves to danger when we may avoid it by good and honest means without dishonour to God and his truth When they persecute you in one City flee into another so did Christ counsell his Disciples Mat. 10. 23. And Christ himself did so when some being offended at his Doctrine would have throne him down from the brow of the hill on which the City was built he conveyed himselfe away from them and escaped their hands Luk. 4. 29 30. And so when Paul was like to be apprehended by the Governour in Damascus he was let down in a basket thorough a window and by that means escaped 2 Cor. 11 32 33. But if God call us to suffer if it appear to be his will if it cannot be avoided without dishonouring of God and his Gospell in this case we must be willing to submit unto God and to be obedient unto death as Christ was to lay down our lives for God and for his truth as Christ did Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a goood profession before many Witnesses I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandement without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 6. 12 13 14. As if the Apostle should say Christ bare witnesse to the truth before Pontius Pilate unto death so must we also if need be bear witnesse to it though we die for it He that loveth his life to wit inordinately so as that he will not part with it when God doth call for it but doth preferre it before Gods glory he that so loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternall Joh. 12. 25. See the like saying Mat. 16. 25. 10. 39. And Christ would have all that take upon them the profession of his Name to consider this that for his sake they must be ready if the case so require to forgo whatsoever is neare and deare unto them even life it self So S. Luke shewes us saying And there went great multitudes with him and he turned said unto them If any man come to me hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Luk. 14. 25. 26. THE FIFTEENTH SERMON PHILIP 2. 8. Even the death of the Crosse THus the Apostle shews the greatnesse of Christs humiliation and obedience in that he not only humbled himself and was obedient unto death but such a kind of death even the death of the Crosse that is death on the Crosse he was crucified nailed alive to the Crosse and so did hang upon the Crosse untill he died This point then offers it self to be considered That Christ was obedient even to the death of the Crosse In the handling of this point I shall shew 1. That Christ suffered death on the Crosse 2. That this was a great aggravation of Christs suffering 3. What use is to be made of the point For the first That Christ suffered death upon the Crosse it is a thing clearly recorded by all the foure Evangelists So Paul in his Epistles often speaks of the Crosse of Christ that is of Christs death on the Crosse and of Christ crucified See 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. 2. 2. 8. Gal. 6. 14. Phil. 3. 18. So Peter saith that Christ bare our sins on his body on the tree that is on the Crosse 1 Pet. 2. 24. David also prophecied of this saying They pierced my hands and my feet Psal 22. 16. He spake those words prophetically in the person of Christ as the very beginning of the Psalm doth shew My God My God why hast thou forsaken me which words as the Evangelists record Christ uttered when he was upon the Crosse So v. 18. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture Which as appears likewise by the history of the Gospell was fulfilled in Christ when he was crucified Christ also himself did foretell what kind of death he should suffer to wit the death of the Crosse Behold said he to his Disciples We go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and to the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him Mat. 20. 18 19. So Joh. 12. 32 33. And I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me That by his lifting up he meant lifting up upon the Crosse to die upon it the Evangelist immediately declares saying This he said signifying what death he should die Christs death upon the Crosse was likewise typified and prefigured by the brazen Serpent of which we read Num. 21. There the sacred history tells us how God when the Israelites sinned against God and provoked him by murmuring he plagued them by sending fiery Serpents among them but in wrath remembring mercy he commanded Moses to set upon a pole a brazen Serpent the similitude of a serpent made of brasse that whosoever was stung by a fiery serpent by looking up to that brazen serpent might be made whole This brazen serpent so lifted up was a type and figure of Christ lifted up upon the Crosse that whosoever are stung by that old serpent the devill may look up to him with the eye of faith and be saved This Christ himself doth signifie unto us saying As Moses lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 14 15. Ob. But it may be objected that among the Jews this kind of death was not in use The Iewish Talmud tells us that Sanhedr c. 7. they had foure kinds of capitall punishments to wit stoning burning killing with the sword and
Christ and the Father are one Joh. 10. 30. That which the Father doth he doth also Joh. 5. 17. 14. 10 11. Therefore Cum eadem fit divina virtus operatio Patris Filii haec duo se mutuò consequuntur quòd Christus fit suscitatus divinâ virtute Patris sui ipsius Aquin part 3. quest 53. art 4. ad 1. these two are so farre from crossing one the other Christ was raised up by the power of his Father and Christ arose by his own power that they confirme one the other they follow one upon the other Vse 3. Thirdly by Christs Resurrection our faith is confirmed in him as a most perfect Redeemer For seeing that Christ died for our sins he as our Surety was arrested by death as Gods Serjeant and cast into the prison of the grave in that he was not still detained there but released and set free it clearly shewes that the debt is discharged Gods justice satisfied and we through faith in Christ reconciled unto God and at peace with him The two Disciples that knew Christ to be dead but knew not that he was risen again seemed to have but small hope of redemption by him We trusted said they that it had been he that should have redeemed â—srael Luk. 24. 21. They did trust so before but now it seems they did in a manner despair of it And indeed had Christ so died as not to rise againe we could have had but a dead hope as I shewed before But now our hope is a lively hope as S. Peter calls it Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope how by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. So S. Paul having said that Christ was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification he addes immediately Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 4. 25. 5. 1. And Acts 13. 38 39. having immediately before confirmed Christs Resurrection he thereupon inferres Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that thorough this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sins And by him all that believe are justified c. And Rom. 8. 34. he cryeth out Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again And Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Vse 4. Fourthly by the Resurrection of Christ we may be assured of our owne Resurrection The Apostle 1 Cor. 15. to convince some among the Corinthians who denied the Resurrection of the dead first proves at large Christs Resurrection and from thence inferreth the resurrection of Christians Now if Christ be preached saith he that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead But if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen 1 Cor. 15. 12 13. And v. 16. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised And v. 20. c. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man also came the Resurrection from the dead For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christs at his coming So 2 Cor. 4. 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus c. And 1 Thes 4. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him The force of this inference viz. of the resurrection of Christians from Christs resurrection consists in that near relation and union that is betwixt Christ and Christians he being their head Quod praecessit in caepite impletum erit in corpore Bern. and they his members As in the naturall body though all the members be under water yet the head being above they are safe and there 's no fear of drowning so is it in the mysticall body Christ our head being risen though we his members lie in the dust yet there is a sure and certain hope of our resurrection For the members must be with the head and conformed to it Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am said Christ Joh. 17. 24. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like unto him 1 Joh. 3. 2. Christ shall change our vile bodies and shall make them like unto his own most glorious body Phil. 3. 21. THE TWENTIETH SERMON Vse 5. FIftly and lastly as Christ rose corporally so ought we to rise spiritually viz. from the death of sin to the life of grace There is a death of the soul by sin and a resurrection of the soul by grace Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes 5. 14. And that we must be conformed unto Christ by a spirituall resurrection the Apostle sheweth Rom. 6. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life And v. 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. We must thus be conformed unto Christ by the resurrection of our souls here or els we shall not be conformed unto Christ by the resurrection of our bodies hereafter For though all shall corporally rise again yet not so as to be conformed unto Christ in glory and happinesse No thus shall none rise corporally but only such as now rise spiritually so as to be conformed unto Christ in grace and holinesse Only they that whiles they are upon earth have their conversation in heaven can expect that the Lord Jesus will change their vile bodies and make them like unto his own most glorious body Phil. 3. 20 21. Now if we would know whether we be partakers of this spirituall resurrection we may try and discern it by these marks 1. Heavenly mindednesse If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Col. 3. 1. 2. 2. Love of Gods children We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. This is meant of loving the godly eo nomine in that very respect as they are godly not for by ends or carnall respects which they may do who are not godly 3. A sense and feeling of spirituall wants and infirmities VVhere there is such a
into Canaan to be laid there Act. 7. 15 16. These Patriarks had not any superstitious opinion of that Land as the Jews of late times have and so the Papists have of Churches and Church-yards but they both shewed themselves to die in faith not doubting but that God at length would perform the promise that he had made concerning the Land of Canaan and also they looked at that Land as a type of heaven where eternall rest is prepared for all Gods elect people 2. In the time of the old Testament God shewed unto his people that there is a life everlasting in the world to come by examples of some whom he took and translated out of this world into the other without death intervening Thus it is said Gen. 5. 24. that Enoch wnlked with God and he was not for God took him That is he was translated that he should not see death Heb. 11. 5. So Eliah was taken up alive into heaven as we read 2 King 2. These examples shew that besides this life here in this world there shall be another hereafter in the world to come 3. After that Abraham Isaac and Jacob were dead God stiled himself the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. Now as Christ said unto the Sadduces God is not God of the dead but of the living Mat. 22. 32. God so stiling himself their God shewed that both their souls did still live though separated from their bodies and also that their bodies should be raised again and both souls and bodies being reunited should live for ever And thus is life everlasting proved by the old Testament But the new Testament is more full and expresse to this purpose Christ hath brought life and immortality to light thorough the Gospell 2 Tim. 1. 10. Before Christs coming life and immortality lay hid it was but darkly discovered but now by the Gospell it is brought to light it is clearly revealed The places of the New Testament â— in which everlasting life is expressely mentioned are so many that it were endlesse and they are so obvious that it is needlesse to recite them Now everlasting life is begun here but perfected hereafter 1. It is begun here He that believeth on the Son hath not shall have but hath everlasting life Joh. 3. 36. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life John 5. 24. Everlasting life as begun here is the life of grace of which that is meant 1 John 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life that is from the death of sin to the life of grace because we love the brethren that this life of grace is life everlasting by inchoation S. John shews immediately after v. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall life in him So that eternal life doth abide in the children of God whilest they are here it is here begun in them 2. It is perfected hereafter and therefore it is said in the Text in the world to come life everlasting because the fulnesse and perfection of it is not here in this world but in the world to come In respect of the soul this life is perfected immediately after its separation from the body For it is a grosse and monstrous opinion that some both in former times and also in these times have maintained Vide Aug. de Heres cap. 83. Calvin de Psychopanncuhia that the soul doth either die with the body or doth sleep when it is out of the body This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the believing malefactor Luke 23. 43. We know tht when this earthly house of our Tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 1. And the spirits or souls of just men departed out of this life are called the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. In respect of the body everlasting life is perfected when the body is raised up and of corruptible and mortall becomes incorruptible and immortall And in this respect both in the Creed and also in the Scripture everlasting life is put after the Resurrection of the body See Dan. 12. 2. and John 5. 29. because at and by the Resurrection everlasting life is consummated and made perfect in respect of the whole man both soul and body Now as everlasting life in respect of it's inchoation and beginning here is called the life of grace so in respect of it's consummation and perfection hereafter it is called the life of glory That which is called the Crown of life Revel 2. 10. is called the Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. And that which in other places is termed eternall life is termed eternall glory 1 Pet. 5. 10. The life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter differ not in kind but in degree Grace is an inchoation and beginning of glory and glory is a consummation and perfection of grace What a life this everlasting life considered in its fulnesse and perfection the life of glory is only they fully and perfectly know who do enjoy it It is a glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. It is not revealed yet but shall be hereafter This life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. It doth not yet appear what we shall be 1 John 3. 2. But thus much the Scriptures plainly shew that this life is admirable Christ when he cometh shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. And that it consists in a clear vision of God and a full fruition of him Now we see thorough a glasse darkly but then face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. When he shall appear we shall be like unto him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. Christ pronounceth the pure in heart blessed because they shall see God Mat. 5. 8. And he also makes the happinesse of the Angells to consist in this that they alwaies behold the face of God Mat. 18. 10. The Queen of Sheba thought Solomons servants happy that they did continually stand before him and hear his wisdome 1 King 10. 8. What a happinesse then is it to be for ever in the presence of God and to enjoy immediate communion with him Such is the happinesse of the life to come as that it shall be free from all evill and full of all good 1. It shall be free from all evill both evill of Posse non peccare sin and evill of affliction 1. There shall be no sin there Adam had a possibility of not sinning but there shall be an impossibility of sinning the best here are imperfect but there all imperfection is Non posse peceare abolished just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. Now if sin even in
the regenerate be so grievous as the complaints of the Saints do shew it is mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me to bear said David Psal 38. 4 And Paul by reason of those reliques of corruption that were in him cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7. 24. How great a happinesse then will it be to be altogether freed from sin as they are that do partake of the life to come Then shall the Church indeed be glorious when it shall be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5. 27. 2. Neither shall there be any affliction in the life to come All tears shall be wiped away Revel 7. 17. There shall be no suffering no sorrow there But to be exempt from evill all evill this is but one and the lesser part of happinesse To enjoy good all good this is it indeed that which doth make happy And therefore 2. The life to come is not only free from all evill but also full of all good VVhat good can be desired but there it shall and that in full measure be enjoyed There God is enjoyed to the full and they that enjoy him enjoy all There are riches the true riches Luke 16. 11. There is glory a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. There is joy and pleasure even fullnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Peter having but a glimpse of this celestiall happinesse when he saw Christ transfigured in the Mount was so ravished with it that he said Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles c. Mat. 17. 4. How then shall they be ravished who shall have the full and perfect enjoyment of this happinesse Vse 1. Now if there be such a life as the Scripture speaks of in the world to come how great then is the folly and madnesse of the most who only look after the things of this life but heed not the things of the life to come They live so as if there were no life after this or as if it were not worth the looking after or as if they were sure of it though they never labour for it they spend their thoughts cares and endeavours upon the profits pleasures and preferments of this life and they forfeit their hope of the life to come for every toy every trifle O ye Sons of men how long will ye turne my glory into Ocurâ—s hominum quantum est in rebus inane Pcrs Ocurvae in terras animae coelestium inanes Idem shame how long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing Selah Psal 4. 2. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your sire and in the sparks that ye have kindled solace your selves in your earthly injoyments this shall you have of mine hand you shall lie down in sorrow Isai 50. 11. O that they were wise and understood this and would consider their later end Deut 32. 29. Vse 2. Let us be wise and consider it VVhat soever we do let us be sure to lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 12. However it fare with us in this life let us make sure of that life that is to come Let us consider that 1. It is life and skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life even this temporall life as Satan said truly in respect of the thing which he spake though falsly in respect of the end for which he spake Iob 2. 4. But what is this life in comparison of that to come what is life temporall in comparison of life eternall Life and good death and evill are joyned together as terms equivalent Deut. 30. 15. and so v. 19. life and blessing death Non est vera vita nisi ubi foeliciter vivitur Aug. Enchirid. c. 92. In damnatione novissima quamvis homo sentire non desinat tamen quia sensus ipse necvâ—luptate suavis nec quiete salubris sed dolore poenalis est non immeritò mors est potius quà m vita appellata Aug. de Civit. Deil. 13. c. 2. and cursing therefore the estate of the damned in hell is called death because it contains in it nothing but pain and misery and on the other side the estate of the Saints in heaven is called life because there is nothing but joy and delight in it 2. It is eternal Methusela and others lived many hundred years yet at length they died Gen. 5. But they that obtain this life shall never die They cannot die any more for they are equall unto the Angels Luke 20. 36. then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. And eternity is that which both makes the misery of the reprobate misery indeed and the happinesse of the Elect happinesse indeed the reprobate shall be punished with everlasting perdition 2 Thes 1. 9. But the Elect shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. all the misery and happinesse of this world is as nothing because it is but temporall but the misery and happinesse of the world to come is misery and happinesse indeed because it is eternall 3. The assurance of everlasting life will make all the sorrows and sufferings of this life light and easie to be indured The godly here are subject to crosses and afflictions as much as any yea more then any which made the Apostle say If in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 29. But we faint not saies he but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Whilest we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. This made the Saints take joyfully the spoiling of their goods they knew that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. This made them indure the sorest torments that could be inflicted on them they knew they should obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11. 35. the Resurrection of life John 5. 29. even everlasting life Dan. 12. 2. 4. Every ones portion must be either the one or the other of these two either everlasting life or everlasting damnation there is no middle estate betwixt these whatsoever they of the Church of Rome would perswade us Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Revel 20. 15. Could we seriously consider this that we must
shall set on thee to hurt thee Acts 18. 9 10. And he is able to save from spirituall enemies From sin Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. From the Law Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law c. Gal. 3. 13. From death The last enemy that enemy that holdeth out to the last that shall be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15. 26. And v. 54. c. When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortall shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be unto God that giveth us victory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. From the Devill He came to bruise the head of that old Serpent as was promised in the beginning Gen. 3. 15. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he likewise took part of the same that thorough death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill Heb. 2. 14. 4. He is able to save not only for a while but for ever Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation Esa 45. 17. He is the Author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. He hath obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. 5. He is able to save not only privatively so as to remove all evil from us but also positively so as to confer all good upon us Had Ioseph only been delivered out of prison he would have thought it no small favour this was all that he requested the chief Butler to do for him when he had so comfortably interpreted his dreame unto him But think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew kindnesse I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pâ—araoh and bring me out of this house Gen. 40. 14. But that he should be so advanced as he was this was much more Now whosoever believeth in Christ shall thorough him not only not perish but also shall have eternall life Joh. 3. 16. Reasons why Christ is such a powerfull and sufficient Saviour 1. Because of the dignity of his Person He is the mighty God as he is stiled Esa 9. 6. therefore he must needs be a mighty Saviour God with his own blood did purchase his Church as it is said Acts 20. 28. The blood of Christ is the blood not of a meer man but of that person that is as well God as man and therefore that blood must needs be of infinite value it must needs be of sufficient force to purchase the Church and to work the redemption of it 2. Because both of the greatnesse and also of the willingnesse of his suffering He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruized for our iniquities c. Isai 53. 5. And v. 10. it 's said that his soule was made an offering for sin and therefore he shall see his seed and v. 11. He shall see of the travell of his soul and shall be satisfied Therefore doth my Father love me saith Christ because I lay down my life that I may take it up again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self Ioh. 10. 17 18. 3. By the vertue of his Resurrection Hereby he hath made it appear that our debt is discharged and Gods justice satisfied He was delivered viz. unto death for our offences and rose again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe Rom. 8. 34. Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope through the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. 4. By the power of his Ascension He ascended up into heaven to make way for us I go to prepare a place for you saith he Ioh. 14. 2. and in this respect he is called our fore-runner Heb. 6. 20. 5. By the efficacy of his Intercession Being ascended into heaven and sitting at Gods right hand he maketh intercession unto God for us presenting unto him the merit of his death which he suffered for our sinnes * See Heb. 9. 24. And this reason is alledged why Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them So Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Vse 1. Now if Christ be such a powerfull and sufficient Saviour then the more injurious are they of the Church of Rome both unto Christ and unto Christians in setting up other Saviours besides Christ as if he alone were too weak and insufficient to save us But as the Gentiles being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as had many Gods were indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as had no God at all but were without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. so they that will needs have many Saviours have indeed no Saviour they that will not be content with Christ alone for salvation shall neither have salvation by him nor by any other for there is none other by whom to have it There is not salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby to be saved Acts 4. 12. If you will not believe that I am he ye shall die in your sins Ioh. 8. 24. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatnesse Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shal live c. Esa 55. 2 3. It was the saying of one of the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies and it must be one principall part of our Creed None but Christ none but Christ. Vse 2. Again there being such power and sufficiency in Christ to save here is comfort for all sin-sick soules for all distressed consciences here is incouragement for them to come unto Christ and to roll themselves upon him He is a Physitian able to cure them be their maladies never so great never so grievous He cured Matthew a Publican Zacheus chief of the Publicans Paul a persecutor Mary Magdalen that was possessed with seven Devills and the Thief on the Crosse when he was at the point of death which he suffered for his lewdnesse Doubt not therefore whosoever thou art but he can cure thee also come unto him and say as the Leper did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Mat. 8. 2. and assuredly Christ will say unto thee
Chapter containes Deinde etiam hoc adjiciendum quod non tam propheta dicendus sit quam Evangelista Ita enim universa Christi ecclesiaeque mysteria ad liquidum prosecutus est ut non putes eum de futuro vaticinari sed de praeteritis historiam texere Hieron prefat in Isaiam in it a most famous prophecie of Christs suffering and humiliation the sacred Pen-man of the holy Ghost Esay writes so clearly and so fully that as Hierome said of him he might seem rather like an Evangelist to record things past then as a Prophet to foretell things to come The Chaldie Paraphrast and the Rabbines of old were convinced that the Prophet here did speak of the Messiah that is of Christ and so some of the later Rabbines also as witnesseth Abrabaneel upon the place though he as divers others of them would pervert and wrest it another way Yea so clear and Jo. Isaacus Defen hebr verit adversus Liâ—dan convincing is this prophecie contained in this Chapter that John Isaac a learned Iew of late years as himself testifieth was converted from Iudaisme and became a Christian by the very reading of this Chapter It was a part of this Chapter that the Eunuch read as he was riding in his Chariot and he not at first understanding of whom the Prophet spake Philip expounded it unto him and let him know that it was of our Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus Act. 8. 30. 35. The Prophet in the beginning of the Chapter foreshews that few of the Iews would believe that which he did write of Christ Who wil believe our report c. v. 1. For as the Apostle saith Christ crucified was unto the Jews a stumbling block 1 Cor. 1. 23. Therefore they despised and rejected him because he came in an humble despicable manner and not in that pomp and state as they expected So much the Prophet here foreshews For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no forme nor comelinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with grief c. v. 2. 3. A man of sorrowes that is a man wholly subject to sorrows a man most full of sorrows As a man of understanding Prov. 24. 5. that is a man full of understanding A man of strife Ier. 15. 10. that is a man subject to strife a man with whom every one striveth for the phrase is there taken passively And acquainted with grief In the originall it is word for word and knowing grief or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and known of grief the phrase imports that he was so continually exercised with grief that grief and he were become as it were familiar and were well acquainted one with the other These words as considered with reference to those Chap. 52. 12. where this Section concerning Christ begins as also with reference to what followes in the last Verse of this Chapter afford this observation That Christs sorrow and humiliation Doct. went before his joy and exaltation Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory Luke 24. 26. First he was to suffer such things and then having suffered them to enter into his glory Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first c. Eph. 4. 9. His descension was before his ascension He was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. It was necessary that if Christ should have any estate of humiliation at all it should be before his estate of exaltation For being once exalted and in glory he could not possibly be subject to any sorrow or suffering The estate of glory is inconsistent with sorrow and suffering Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. So had he at first entred into glory before his suffering neither death nor any affliction which seems to make way for death could have laid hold on him Quest But may some say why should Christ be subject to any sorrow at all Answ I answer There was reason for it in divers respects 1. God so determined it was his will and pleasure it should be so It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Esa 53. 10. It was the cup that his Father gave him to drink Joh. 18. 11. Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and the Jewes did but what God had before determined to be done Acts 4. 27 28. 2. God not only determined but also signified and made it knowne before-hand that so it should be that Christ should suffer Saying none other things then Moses and the Prophets that is God by them did say should come that Christ should suffer c. Acts 26. 22 23. Those things that God before had shewed by the mouth of his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath so fulfilled Act. 3. 18. Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer c. even therefore because it was so written Luk. 24. 46. Thinkest thou said Christ to Peter who sought to keep him from suffering that I cannot now pray unto my Father and he shall presently give me more then twelve Legions of Angels But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Mat. 26. 53 54. 3. Our case and condition did require that so it should be Christ was to suffer that so we might not suffer I mean not suffer so as otherwise we must have suffered even so as to lie down in sorrow so as to suffer eternall woe and misery Esa 50. 11 God was injured and offended and his Justice would be satisfied we were utterly unable to make satisfaction without lying under everlasting condemnation Therefore that we might not perish it was requisite that Christ should suffer and by suffering satisfie for us Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrowes He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like sheep have gone astray and turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Esa 53. 4 5 6. God made him to be sin an offering and a sacrifice for sin for us who knew no sin that is was guilty of none that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him a Cor. 5. 21. Vse 1. If it were thus with the Head then so also it must be with the Members if thus with Christ then so also with Christians For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son c. Rom. 8. 29. God hath predestinated us to be conform'd unto Christ viz. first in sorrow and suffering and then in glory and happinesse If so be that we suffer
his owne power but by the touch of some other who had been buried in the same grave before As we read of one who being cast into the grave where the Prophet Elisha was buried by the touch of the dead bones of the Prophet revived 2 King 13. 21. And again the Evangelists record that Christ was laid in a sepulchre which was hewen out of a Rock and that a great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulchre and that the stone vvas sealed and a watch set to keep the sepulchre Mat. 27. 60 66. So that it could not with any probability be pretended that either by undermining or otherwise Christ was stolne out of the sepulchre 3. Christs burial was a further degree of his humiliation It was much for him to die and more to die the death of the Crosse and yet more to condescend and stoop so low as to be laid in the grave the common receptacle of the dead Job speaking of a man that is high and eminent in the world vvhile he liveth shevves that yet vvhen he dieth he shall be brought so low as to be laid in the grave Who shal declare his way to his face and who shal repay him what he hath done Yet shall he be brought to the grave and shal remain in the tomb the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him c. Iob 21. 31 32 33. 4. This served to make Christs victory over death over him that had the power of death that is the Devill the more glorious that he not only died but also was buried death seemed to have ful conquest over Christ having gotten him into its den yet even there did Christ vanquish and subdue it Thus did he most gloriously triumph fulfilling that O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Hos 13. 14. Vse 1. This point concerning Christs buriall doth make much for the confirming of our faith in Christ to assure us that our sins are fully expiated and abolished by Christ that as they were nailed to his Crosse Col. 2. 14. so also buried in his grave never to rise up against us to our condemnation Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. Therefore Christ being buried our sins also were buried with him so that we being united by faith unto Christ and having interest in him we are freed from sin and need Ioh. 1. not fear the imputation of it Ionah being cast into the sea and buried as it were in the belly of the fish presently the storm ceased and the Sea was calm So Christ being laid in the grave and buried our consciences though otherwise by reason of the guilt of sin full of vexation and horror have good cause to be calm and quiet Vse 2. Again here is good comfort and incouragement for us if we belong to Christ against the fear of death and the horrour of the grave Christ hath grapled with death and the grave and hath overcome them and therefore we need not to be afraid of them Christ having followed death into its den and there gotten victory over it we may assure our selves that though death prevail so far over us as to draw us into it's den yet it shall not be able to keep us there but Christ will make good that which is promised Hos 13. 14. I will ransome them from the power of the grave I wil redeem them from death So Christ assures us that the houre is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth Joh. 5. 28. 29. In like manner the Apostle saith Then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be unto God who giveth us victory thorough Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. The graves of the Saints are called beds wherein they lie and rest for a while but at length arise and come out of them They shall rest in their beds Isai 57. 2. So by Ecclesiasticall writers burying places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caemiteria are expressed by a word that properly signifies places to sleep in even as in Scripture death is usually termed sleep Vse 3. But if we would have such hope in Christ in that he was buried then we must be conformed unto him in respect of his buriall as he was buried literally so must we be buried mystically We are buried with him by baptisme saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 4. Our Baptism is a seal of our ingrafting into Christ and of our communicating with him and conforming unto him even in his buriall So Col. 2. 12. Buried with him in baptisme This is in respect of our old man as it is called Rom. 6. 6. that is our corrupt nature this must be crucified mortified and buried so as not to serve sin as there the Apostle doth expresse it Even as a dead body is laid in the ground and overwhelmed with earth so the corruption that is in us must be subdued and brought under that it may not reign in us nor have dominion over us Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall body Rom. 6. 12. The greatest tyrants and oppressours being in the grave all their tyranny and oppression ceaseth There the wicked cease from troubling Joh. 3. 17. So we being in the sense before expressed by way of analogy and resemblance buried with Christ sin shall not have that power over us as over the unregenerate I say not so as over the unregenerate But we must not think that whiles we are here we can be so conformed unto Christ so dead and buried with him as to be without sin to be quite free from it No If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1. 8. In many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. But if we have the spirit of Christ And if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8. 9. then we are so in a spirituall sense dead and buried with Christ as not to be under the reigning power of sin and the dominion of it Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Again there is not the like reason of spirituall death and buriall and of that which it corporall For corporal death and buriall is finished at once but not so that which is spirituall this is done by degrees by little and little He that is already dead and buried in a spirituall sense that is he whose old man whose imbred corruption is as it were put to death and laid in the grave yet must still die in that kind and be buried still more and more because he hath still some reliques of the old man still some sin and
corruption remains in him The Apostle having said ye are dead Col. 3. 3. Yet addes v. 3. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse c. But let us consider this we professe our selves Christians Disciples and followers of Christ and so consequently dead and buried with him If then we walk in sin we make our selves prodigious for is it not a prodigious thing for one that is dead and buried yet to walk as if he were alive O then as we have put on Christ by profession and so at least all that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. Let us also put on Christ by imitation conforming our selves unto him and walking as he walked Of this putting on of Christ the Apostle speaks and to it he exhorts saying Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and in drunkennesse not in chaâ—bering and wantonnesse not in strife and envy but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 13 14. Vse 4. In the last place the doctrine of Christs burying may serve for our information As 1. That it is a Christian course to bury the dead Nature it self doth teach so much and much more Christianity that the dead ought to be buried The Saints have shewed a speciall care to perform their duty in this respect Sarah being dead Abraham was very carefull to have her buried I am a stranger and a sojourner with you said he to the Hittites give me a possession of a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23. 4. And it is observable that he purchased nothing in the Land of Canaan but only the place there spoken of to bury in So Stephen being stoned to death devout men carried him to be buried Act. 8. 2. It 's recorded of Isaac and Ismael that when Abraham their Father was dead they buried him Gen. 25. 9. And so of Iacob and Esau that they did the same for Isaac Gen. 35. 29. Though Ismael and Esau were prophane persons Gal. 4. 29. Heb. 12. 16. yet they joyned with Isaac and Jacob who were godly in the burying of their Father that therefore which we read in the Gospell that when Christ called one to follow him and he desired first to go and bury his Father Christ said Let the dead bury the dead That I say is not so to be taken as if Christ did condemn or vilifie the office of burying the dead as if this care did not become the godly For as the Apostle saith in another 1 Tim. 5. â— case He that neglects this hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidell because he omits that which even infidells will be carefull to perform But it was only the intent and meaning of Christ to teach that all carnall affections must be laid aside and nothing must hinder us from following Christ when he doth call nor from doing that which he doth enjoyn How far Christ was from intending to disparage the office of burying the dead may appear by that which he spake in defence of Mary whom some excepted against because of the precious ointment that she had powred upon him saying that it might better have been sold and the money given to the poor Let her alone said Christ for against the day of my burying hath she done this Joh. 12. 7. They are therefore inhumane who not content with the death of those whom they hate and persecute wil not suffer them to be buried or not to rest when they are buried This indeed is a punishment denounced against and inflicted upon some for the example of others He shall be buried with the buriall of an asse drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem Jer. 22. 19. Their dead bodies shal be for meat to the fowls of the heaven and to the beasts of the earth Jer. 32. 20. And as Josiah turned himself he espied the Sepulchers that were there in the mount and he sent and took the bones out of the Sepulchers and burnt them upon the Altar c. 2 King 23. 16. God had long before declared that Josiah should thus deal with the dead bones of Idolaters 1 Kings 13. 2. But what doth this make for them who deal thus even with the Saints whose death is precious in the sight of the Lord This the Psalmist complains sore of The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowls of the heavens the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Their blood have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to bury them Psal 79. 2 3. Thus barbarously did they of the Romish Church here in the time of Q. Mary deal with those worthy men Bucer and Fagius they digged up their dead bodies out of their graves and consumed them in the fire and this inhumanity have some used towards the dead out of a desire to revenge themselves on them to the uttermost as it is said of Sylla that he caused the dead body of Marius his adversary to be digged up And so Pope Sergius the third is reported to have dealt in like manner with his Predecessour Formosus whom he hated because he had gotten the Papal dignity before him 2. From Christs burying we may learn that the custome of the Country having nothing superstitious nor uncomely in it is in this respect to be observed It is said that for the manner of Christs burying it was as the manner of the Iews was to bury Joh. 19. 40. Whence Austin observes that in those offices In hujusmodi officiis quae mortuis exhibentur mos â—ujuslibet regionis est servandus Aug. that are performed to the dead the custome of each Countrey is to be observed Caution But concerning buriall this caution is requisite not to think any therefore more aliens from Christ if they be not buried at all or but meanly buried nor therefore to think any the nearer unto Christ if they have a sumptuous and stately buriall The Papists are very superstitious in this thinking it to concern the welfare of the soul to be buried rather in one place then in another Purgatory is the ground of this conceit but Purgatory it self hath no ground in Scripture for it The Scripture tels us that when Eccl. 12. 7. a man dies as the body goeth to the earth so the soul goes to God viz. to be judged by him neither shal the soul fare better or worse whether the body be buried or not or buried after this or another manner We read of the rich mans burying Luk. 16. yet his soul went to hell We read not of any buriall that Lazarus had yet his soul was carried into Abrahams bosome True it is the Patriarks of old were very solicitous about their burying in the Land of Canaan though they died out of it Gen. 47.
29 30 31 49. 29. c. And 50. 26. But that was not out of any superstitious opinion that they had as if the welfare of their souls did depend upon the place where they were buried but only to shew that they died in faith being fully assured that God would at length perform what he had promised viz. that he would give them in their posterity the Land of Canaan God will surely visit you said Joseph speaking of this very thing Gen. 50. 25. And besides they looked on Canaan not as a bare earthly Countrey but as a type of heaven To conclude therefore let it be our care to live and to die in faith and then however it fare with us in respect of buriall we are happy our souls enter into â—lisse immediately 2 Cor. 5. 1. And so also shall our bodias at length be made parâ—akers of it 1 Cor. 15. 53. THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON PSA 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell THe Article of Christs descending into hell is grounded upon this Text wherein as S. Peter shews Act. 2. 25. c. David spake concerning Christ And therefore Austin might Quis nisi infidelis negaverit fuisse apud inferos Christum Aug. Epist 99. wel say who but an infidel wil deny that Christ was in hell For this that Christs soul should not be left in hell doth necessarily presuppose that his soul was in hell For it is most irrational and absurd to say that one shall be left there where he never was nor should be All therefore as Bellarmine observes Omnes conveniunt quòd Christus aliquo modo ad inferos descenderit Bell. de Christi anima lib. 4. cap. 6. agree in this that Christ some way in one sense or other was in hell But for the manner how Christ was in hell there is much difference among Divines and all arises from the word hell which some take in one sense and some in another I shall as briefly and perspicuously as I may set down the several opinions that there are about this point confuting those which I hold to be erroneous and confirming that which I judge to be true First therefore because the word Hell is sometimes The first opinion about Christs descending into hell in Scripture used metaphorically for most great grievous affliction which is indured here in this life the sorrows of hell compassed me about saies David Psal 18. 5. So Psal 116. 3. The pains of hell got hold on me Some by Christs descending into hell spoken of in the Creed understand the inward sufferings of Christs soul which of all his sufferings were most grievous But to omit other arguments against this opinion it is sufficiently overthrown by this that these words of David Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell as cited and expounded by Peter in the second of the Acts are the ground of that Article in the Creed for else it hath no ground in Scripture as I think I am sure there is no place which doth so clearly hold out unto us by necessary consequence Christs being in hell as this doth And therefore though Calvin a prime Author of this first opinion and a man most deservedly renowned in the Church of God spake consentaneously to his opinion when in his Commentary upon this sixteenth Psalm he liked not that upon occasion of these words of David any should fall upon the point of Christs descending into hell which is mentioned in the Creed yet I can by no means assent unto him For if not these words of David which we have now in hand no place in all the Scripture I dare say will afford occasion to treat of the Article But it appears that Calvin being a man very acute did well perceive that these words of David Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell as commented upon Act. 2. will not admit that Christs descending into hell should be expounded of the sufferings of Christs soul For by hell in the words of David must needs be meant something that concerned Christ when he was dead Peter tells us that in those words Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell David spake of the Resurrection of Christ Act. 2. 31. Now if this that Christs soul should not be left in hell import that Christ should rise from the dead then it must necessarily follow that Christs being in hell which is implied in Davids words imports something that concerned him being dead And consequently the sufferings of Christs soul which were before his death cannot be meant by it Secondly the Papists take hell here for Limbus The second opinion Patrum as they call it a place where they say the souls of the godly that died before Christ were For they divide hell into four severall regions 1. The hell of the damned the place of eternall torment 2. Purgatory where they say the souls of such are as were not sufficiently purged from their sins whiles they were upon earth and therefore for the thorough purging of them are there in torment equall for the time to that of the damned 3. Limbus Infantium a place where they place such Infants as die without baptisme whom they make to suffer the losse of heaven and heavenly happinesse but no pain or torment 4. Limbus Patrum where in like manner the Fathers before Christ as they hold were suffering no pain but only wanting the joys of heaven To that place say they did Christs soul when it was separated from his body descend to deliver the souls from thence and to carry them to heaven this is their opinion and their exposition of the Article of Christs descending into hell But not now to contest with them about those other regions of hell viz. Purgatory and Limbus Infantium as for this Limbus Patrum it is a place of their own devising we see no ground for it in Scripture but strong reasons against it For 1. Christs death was efficacious to believers before his coming as well as it is now since his coming Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. We believe that thorough the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they said Peter speaking of those that were before Christ He doth but equall us to them in point of salvation thorough Christ 2. The faithfull before Christ did account this life upon earth a pilgrimage and did expect heaven as their country when this life was ended These all died in faith it is spoken of Abraham Isaac and Jacob having not received the promises that is the things promised but saw them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey And truly if they had been mindfull of that country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned But now they
the power of death but wilt raise me againe from the dead And so consequently the Article of Christs descending into hell whereof these words are the foundation imports no more but that Christ went into the other world was in the state of the dead and under deaths dominion to wit untill his Resurrection This Exposition keeps the propriety of the words and the order of the Creed neither is there any thing that I know of weight against it The Hebrew word Sheol and the Greek Hades which are rendred sometimes hell do signifie the estate of the dead or the power of death Hell and destruction are before the Lord Prov. 15. 11. Jansenius a learned Writer of the Church of Rome upon the place notes that by hell and destruction Per infernum perditionem significatur status mortuorum non solum damnatorum ut nos ferè ex his vocibus auditis concipimus sed in genere status defunctorum Jansen ad loc is signified the state of the dead and not onely of the damned as we usually when we hear these words do conceive but the state of those in generall that are departed out of this life Thus also Genebrard another Romish Author and a skilfull Hebritian on Psal 30. 3. as we reckon Ab inferno id est è statu mortuorum liberasti Geneb ad loc where David sayes O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol hell our Translators have the grave Genebrard I say interprets it thus From hell that is out of the state of the dead hast thou delivered me And so that Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of Sheol of hell So * Viz. That in the Booke of Common-Prayer Infernus significat totum mortuorum statum Gen. ad loc one of our Translations hath it the last Translation hath of the grave that likewise doth Genebrard expound in like manner though first he would draw it to their fained Limbus before-mentioned yet upon second thoughts which use to be wiser he addes Hell doth signifie the whole state of the dead And it is evident that by hell there cannot be meant the hell of the damned for David would not make it a thing impossible for any to escape that hell as he doth make it for any to escape the hell that he speaketh of Therefore by hell he must needs mean either the grave and then the word soul is not taken properly or the state of the state of the dead from which without extraordinary dispensation none is exempted Thus also is the Greek word Hades used 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Hades O hell so our Translators in the Margent render it though the Textuall reading be O grave where is thy victory There is no other hell but the state of the dead and the power of death which is vanquished and destroyed at and by the Resurrection of which the Apostle there speaketh So Rev. 20. 16. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire that is death and the power of death For the hell of the damned the place of torment cannot there be meant by hell that hell being the lake of fire into which hell there spoken of is cast The meaning of the words is that at the Resurrection there shall be no more death nor any power of death any where but only in that lake of fire the place where the damned are in torment whose condition because of the wretchednesse of it is called death the second death Rev. 20. 6. And thus both Ecclesiasticall and Heathen Authors do use the word Hades making all that are dead and so under the power of death to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in inferno See B. Usher in hell as we English it And thus have some of the ancients expounded Christs descending into hell This is the Law of humane necessity saith Hilary Humanae ista Lex necessitatis ut consepultis corporibus ad inferos animae descendant Quam descensionem Dominus ad consummationem veri hominis non recusavit Hil. in Psal 138. that when the bodies are buried the souls descend into hell he means by hell the state of the dead in generall and the power of death keeping the soul separated from the body which descent the Lord Christ to prove himself true man did not refuse in like manner other of the Ancients S. Peters words also do confirm this Exposition Acts 2. 24. where speaking of Christ he saith Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden by it The word in the Originall signifies to be holden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force and strong hand to be holden under ones power and dominion And to prove that Christ could not possibly be thus held by death he alledgeth the testimony of the Prophet David who speaking in the Person of Christ said Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell So that by Peters Commentary upon these words of David it appears that Christs not being left in hell signifies nothing els but his not being left under the power of death from which he was freed by his Resurrection of which Peter saith that David did speak in those words Acts 2. 31. And consequently Christs being in hell which is implied in these words of David Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell and expressed in the Creed imports nothing els but his being under the power of death under which he was kept for a while though not long So that of S. Paul Rom. 6. 9. Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him that also intimates that Christ being dead untill he rose from the dead death had dominion over him not whether he would or no but through his own permission Joh. 10. 18. Ob. But may some say according to this Exposition there is nothing more signified in the Article of Christs descending into hell then in the other that he died Answ I answer Yes there is more signified in the one then in the other For that Christ died imports only that his soul was separated from his bodie but that he descended into hell imports that his soule and bodie continued for a while in the state of separation to wit untill his Resurrection when they were again united one to the other Such difference as there is betwixt B. Usher birth and life here such also is there betwixt death and descending into hell Death performs its work in a moment but hell continues this work to wit the separation of the soule from the body untill the body rising again the soule and it are reunited together Therefore it may seem to be said Rev. 6. 8. that hell followed after death and thus both soul and body are said to be in Sheol or Hades or hell whilest they remaine separated one from
would have been of none effect For how could we have believed that he by his death had redeemed us from death even eternall death and destruction if he himself had been so swallowed up of death as for ever to lie under the power and dominion of it Therefore the Apostle saith that Christ was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. And if Christ be not risen your faith is in vain you are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15. 17. And as Christs resurrection was thus necessary in respect of our redemption the forgivenesse of our sins Ephes 1. 7. Rom. 8. 23. so was it also in respect of the redemption of our body How could we have expected the resurrection of our bodies if Christs body had not been raised up If the Head had not risen again how should the members rise again The resurrection of the members depends upon the resurrection of the Head the resurrection of Christians upon Christs resurrection as the Apostle shews at large 1 Cor. 15. Vse 1. Now if Christ rose again then how wretched and miserable are the Jews who wil not believe Christs resurrection but as their fathers did so do they still impugne and oppose it S. Matthew relates that when the souldiers that were set to guard Christs sepulcher went and told the chief Priests what had happened they gave them large money that they might say that whiles they slept Christs Disciples came and stole them away And this saying saith he is commonly reported among the Iews untill this day Mat. 28. 11. 15. Now consider a little what an absurd and foolish fable this was which yet the Jews were so ready to believe 1. How improbable that a few weak timorous men who but a few daies before did forsake yea one of them forswear Christ yet now should be so valiant or rather fool-hardy as to adventure to steal Christ out of the grave knowing that a guard of souldiers was purposely set to prevent such a designe 2. Suppose they should have so far adventured as some of them to espie whether the souldiers were asleep or no yet how could they assure themselves that the souldiers should continue asleep untill they had dispatched that for which they came Yea how could this be there being a great stone for them to roll away from the mouth of the sepulcher which could not be done without making such a noise as to awaken some of the souldiers at least if they were asleep before 3. Grant the Disciples should have had such courage as to attempt the businesse and such happinesse as to effect it yet would they have been so foolish and unwise as to stay at the sepulcher to unloose the cloaths in which Christs body was wrapped Would they not rather have hasted away with the body as it was buried and have loosed the cloths then when they had more leisure to do it and might do it with more safety But the linnen cloths were found lying in the grave and the napkin that was about Christs head not lying with the linnen cloths but wrapped together in a place by it self Ioh. 20. 6. 7. And 4. if the Disples could break thorough all difficulties and get Christs body away with them yet could they put life into it when they had it But Christ after his passion by many infallible proofs shewed himself alive Act. 1. 3. otherwise it is senslesse to imagine that the Disciples having so deserted Christ when he was alive would have so constantly preached and avouched his resurrection as they did And lastly the very tale doth sufficiently confute it self and shew its own absurdity For if the souldiers as they said were asleep how then could they tell that Christ was taken away by his Disciples it might be otherwise as indeed it was for any thing thar they did know Vse 2. Secondly Christs resurrection serves to demonstrate Christs divinity The divinity of Christ and his resurrection so mutually help to demonstrate each other His resurrection is demonstrated by his divinity as the effect by the cause and his divinity by his refurrection as the cause by the effect That which God the Father speaks unto Christ Psal 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee the Apostle refers to Christs resurrection Act. 13. 32. 33. And we declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us in that he hath raised up Iesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee The Apostle by this day shews that the day of Christs resurrection is understood not that then Christ was first begotten of the Father and became the Son of God for he was so from all eternity Mic. 5. 2. but then when Christ rose again he appeared to be the Son of God his begotten Son God of God one and the same God with the Pather Thus the same Apostle saith plainly that Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Christs divine nature before did lie hid under the infirmity of his humane nature but by his rising from the dead it did look forth and shew it self Ob. Some may say many others as we find recorded both in the old and in the new Testament did rise from the dead besides Christ yea many before Christ and how then doth his resurrection demonstrate his divine nature Answ I answer Christs resurrection did excell the refunction of others in a twofold respect For 1. Others did rise again but so as to die again the life to which they rose was this mortall life But Christ arose to life immortall Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 2. Christ arose by his own vertue and power which none ever did or shall do but he only Destroy this Temple said Christ meaning his body and in three daies I will raise it up Joh. 2. 19. I lay down my life said he that I may take it up again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again Joh. 10. 17. 18. Now except Christ were God it had not Resurrexisse per se ex mortuis in vitam nisi Dei natura non potuit Hilar. de Trin. l. 7. been possible for him to raise himself from the dead this is not competible to a meer humane nature Ob. But may some object it is said in the Text and in other places that God raised up Christ therefore it seems he did not raise himself but was raised by another Answ This doth not follow Christ both was raised of God and also did raise himself As man so God did raise him up as God so he rose of himself
to which night must be added the day following which we call Sunday as being a part of that naturall day to which it belonged and so there are three daies and three nights and yet Christ rose the third day Thus are those three daies and three nights to be understood that Esther and the Jews fasted Esth. 4. 16. For the fast ended the third day as is clear by this that then Esther put on her royall apparell and went to the King c. Esth 5. â—â— c. 2. It was requisite and necessary that Christ should rise again the third day because it was so prophecied Thus it is written said Christ to his Disciples after his resurrection and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24. 46. So S. Paul saith that Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 4. Quest But may some say where in the Old Testament is it prophecied that Christ should rise the third day Ans 1. Those words of David which he spake of Christ and of his resurrection Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption Psal 16. 10. though they do not precisely mention the third day yet they plainly shew so much that he should not remain long in the grave but should speedily rise again And by this S. Paul proves that the words were not meant of David himself but of Christ for that David saw corruption but Christ being raised from the dead the third day saw no corruption Act. 13. 35 36 37. In the like manner did S. Peter argue Act. 2. 29. 30 31 32. â— There is expresse mention of the third day in reference to Christs Resurrection Hos 6. 2. Aster two daies he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Although those words be directly and immediately understood of Gods people as it seems both by the words themselves and also by the words going before and after yet it is with reference unto Christ and his Resurrection for otherwise why should the third day be specified Neither do I know how it could be said that Christ rose again the third according to the Scriptures viz. of the old Testament if in this place there be not an allusion at least to Christs rising again the third day seeing that in all the old Testament the third day in this respect is no where mentioned except in this place And therefore not without cause I think in the margent of our Bibles over against this place of Hosea is noted that place 1 Cor. 15. 4. as having reference the one to the other and so many of the Ancients have expounded this place in Hosea of Christ and this is to be considered that there is such a near union Lactant. Iustit l. 4. 1. 19. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 18. c. 28. Bern. Serm. 1. de Resurrect And so others cited by Râ—herâ— upon the place betwixt Christ and believers that sometimes that which belongs to believers is spoken of Christ As Saul Saul why persecutest thou me said Christ when Saul did persecute those that believed in Christ Act. 9. 4. And so on the other side that which belongs to Christ is spoken of believers as here in the Prophet the third day he will raise us up whenas properly Chrâ—st was raised up the third day but believers are said to be raised up in him and with him Even when we were dead in sins God hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2. 5 6. Now from the time of Christs Resurrection the third day after that he died it is worthy to Bern. Ser. 1. de resurrect be observed as Bernard hath noted that the same day of the week whereon Christ as God did make man viz. the sixth day the same day did he also as man die to redeem man and as on the seventh and last day of the week Christ did rest having finished the work of the Creation so also did he rest the same day in the grave having by his death finished the work or the Redemption and the third day being the first day of the week as the Evangelists expressely call it he rose again as being the first fruits of them that slept as the Apostle calls him 1 Cor. 15. 20. And as the seventh day of the week called Saturday was observed by the Jews in memory of the Creation so the first day of the week called Sunday is observed by Christians in memory of Christs Resurrection * And so of the Redemption which Christ wrought for us by his death and made it appear by his resurrection and it 's called the Lords day Revel 1. 10. Of the observation of this day in the Apostles time we read also Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. The one and twentieth SERMON EPHES. 4. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended farre above all heavens that he might fill all things THe Apostle having v. 8. spoken of Christs ascending up on high and having v. 9. noted that his ascending did presuppose his descending he returns here to speak again of his ascending and to shew how high he ascended far above all all Heavens and why that he might fill all things He that descended either from heaven to earth by his Incarnation in which respect it is said that he came down from heaven Joh. 3. 13. or from the upper part of the earth to the grave in which respect it seems to be said v. 9. that he descended into the lower parts of the earth though that also may be meant of Christs Incarnation as was shewed before pag. 214. c. Is the same that ascended The same Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen ad loc whence as Oecumenius observes the heresie of Nestorius is confuted who would divide the Person of Christ denying one and the same Person to be both God and Man For if this descending here spoken of be meant of the Incarnation then Christ as God descended viz. metaphorically and as man ascended yet he that descended is the same that ascended therefore God and Man in Christ are but one Person And if this descending be meant of of Christs death and buriall yet still it serves to the same purpose for so Christ descended as man in that respect he died and was buried but ascended as God that is by the power of his divine nature by which also as was shewed before he rose from the dead Far above all Heavens viz all visible heavens as the aire and that wherein are the Sun Moon and Stars above which two heavens there is the third Heaven as it is called 2 Cor. 12. 2. And thither is Christ ascended Whom the Heaven must receive untill the time of restitution of all things Acts 2.
sins 1 John 2. 1 2. He is with the Father for he is ascended up to the Father and therefore we may be sure that the Father will be propitious to us for his sake Seeing then we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 14. 16. So Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us thorough the vail that is to say his flesh And having an High Priest over the house of God let us draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith 2. It also affords unto us a ground of assurance that we belonging unto Christ and being his shall ascend into heaven For the Head being ascended the members must in due time ascend also the head and the members must be together Where I am there shall also my servant be saith Christ Joh. 12. 26. And Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be where I am And Joh. 14. ◠3. I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also The Apostle speaks of our ascension as a thing already effected and wrought by Christs ascension God he saith hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2. 6. Thus Christs Ascension serves to comfort us in all adversity and to take away the fear of death yea to make death desirable seeing it will but convey us thither whither Christ is gone before to prepare a place for us Therefore we are alwaies confident saith the Apostle knowing that while we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith and not by sight We are confident I say willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. And so Phil. 1. 23. Desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Vse Lastly the ascension of Christ serves to admonish us to ascend thither spiritually whither Christ is ascended corporally to have our hearts and affections in heaven where Christ is Why seek ye the living among the dead He is not here but is risen said the Angells to those that came to seek Christ in the Sepulchre Luk. 24. 5 6. So Why seek we Christ among the things of the earth He is not here but is ascended Therefore if we seek Christ let us seek those things that are above where Christ is let us set our affections on things above and not on things that are upon the earth Col. 3. 1 2. As Christ is in heaven so our conversation also must be in heaven Phil. 3. 20. The two and twentieth SERMON HEB. 12. 2. And is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God THe Apostle v. 1. exhorts to patience and perseverance in the way of holinesse Let us run with patience or patient continuance as the word there used is rendred Rom. 2. 7. the race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is set before us And this exhortation he inferreth from the examples of the Saints mentioned in the 11. Chapter Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run c. Then he further inforceth the exhortation from the example of Christ who above all is to be followed v. 2. Looking unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him indured the Crosse despising the shame that is for the blessed and happy estate that he was to enter into after his passion he was well content to suffer as he did And then he goes on shewing that Christs expectation was not in vain but that he obtained the glory and happinesse which he looked for And is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God that is of God sitting in his Throne He speaks of God as a King in his Throne and so Christ sitting at the right hand of God is said to sit at the right hand of the Throne of God Hence then let us observe this point That Doct. Christ after his Passion and humiliation not only rose from the dead and ascended into heaven but also sate down at the right hand of God Christs resurrection was the beginning of his exaltation his ascension was a higher degree of it and his sitting at the right hand of God yet higher then both and the highest that may be This degree of exaltation is peculiar unto Christ whereas the other are common to him with his members They shall all rise from the dead and ascend up to heaven David is not ascended into the heavens saith Peter Act. 2. 34. As yet David is not ascended in respect of the body to which ascension properly belongs but he shall ascend and so all the Saints likewise they shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. But besides Christ none ever did or shall sit at the right hand of God this honour is not communicable to any other whether man or Angell For to which of the Angels said God at any time sit on my right hand Heb. 1. 13. Now that Christ doth sit at the right hand of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God it is most clear as by the Text in hand so by many other places of Scripture As Heb. 1. 3. When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high And Heb. 8. 1. We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens And Heb. 10. 12. But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God So S. Mark testifies of Christ that he was received up into heaven and sate on the right hand of of God Mar. 16. 19. And this Christ himselfe did fore-tell Luke 22. 69. Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God And David did prophecy of it long before saying The LORD said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right Hand untill I make thine Enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. which words were spoken concerning Christ as Christ himselfe hath shewed Mat. 22. 41 42 43 44 45. And so S. Peter Acts 2. 34 35. And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes c. 1. v. 13. But now let us see what is meant by Christs
hand against the father lesse when I saw my help in the gate that is when by his greatnesse he could have easily escaped censure in the courts of humane judicature Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arm be broken from the bone For destruction from God was a terrour unto me and because of his highnesse I could not indure Joh. 31. 21 22 23. 3. To shew mercy unto others that we our selves in that great day may obtain mercy With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again Mat. 7. 2. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5. 7. But he shall have iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Jam. 2. 13. Now we must be mercifull in forgiving For how can we expect that God should forgive us if we will not forgive others Christ hath taught us to pray forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespasse against us And he adds For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Mat. 6. 14. 15. And to this end he propounded a Parable of a certaine King who having forgiven one of his servants a great debt which he was never able to pay when he heard how that servant would not remit a small debt that his fellow-servant owed him he was wroth with him and exacted his debt of him Mat. 18. 23. c. And the Application of the Parable is subjoyned v. 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses Therefore let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Eph. 4. 26. Yet some will continue in their wrath and enmity In ipsa morte ira vivebat Flor. not only untill night but even untill death they will lie down not onely in their beds but in their graves with it 2. In giving that is succouring and relieving those that are in want and misery The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain but when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day 2 Tim. 1. 16 17 18. And what account shall be made at the last judgement of this kind of mercy Christ hath plainly shewed Mat. 25. 34. c. where he fore-tells how to those who have been carefull to succour and relieve others he will say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink c. On the other side to those who have refused thus to shew mercy he will say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angells For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat c. Some as Austine records Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 212. c. 17. have strained this and other such like places beyond all due measure inferring from thence that if a man did not neglect to give almes howsoever otherwise he lived yet he should not be damned But this is a most erroneous and damnable opinion For though a man give all his goods to feed the poore yet if he be without charity it shall profit him nothing as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 13. 3. Now where sin and ungodlinesse doth reign there is no charity for charity proceeds out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfâ—ined as we learn of the same Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 5. That of our Saviour holds good in respect of all as well almes-givers as others Except ye repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3 5. Gregory saith well that he that gives Dat sua Deo se diabolo Greg. Pastor par 3. admonit 21. almes liberally and yet otherwise lives wickedly gives his goods to God and himself to the Devill That of our Saviour Luk. 11. 41. Give almes of of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you is not so to be taken as if giving of alms alone would serve the turn but he spake in respect of the Pharisees as the context sheweth The Pharisees were superstitious in washing and cleansing their cups and platters but regarded not to wash and cleanse their hearts And because coveousnesse was the sin which was predominant in them as appears Luke 16. 14. Mat. 23. 14. Therefore Christ prescribed a remedy sutable to the disease as a Physitian will say to such as are given to excesse Use abstinence and all will be well So Daniel knowing that Nebuchadnezzar had been a great oppressor exhorted him to the exercise of that vertue especially which was most contrary to the vice that reigned in him Wherefore O King let my counsell be acceptable unto thee break off thy sins by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. The error of the Papists also is here to be avoided They hold that by works of mercy we may satisfie for our sins and merit heaven But it is only Christ who is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 1. 2. and who hath purchased eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. It is mercy that we must expect in the day of Judgement notwithstanding all the works of mercy or what ever good works we have done as is clear by the Dignatio locum non habet ubi fuerit praesumptio dignitatis Bern. Gal. 5. 6. places before cited 2 Tim. 1. 18. Now Gods mercy and our merit will not stand together But as other good works so works of mercy being the fruits of a living faith that worketh thorough love shall be found pleasing unto God and profitable unto us at the last judgment Vse 3. Thirdly and lastly This Judgement to come being considered affoards comfort unto the godly and is sufficient to incourage them against all the molestations and troubles that here they meet with As 1. The prosperity of the wicked doth sometimes not a little vex and grieve the godly Wherefore do the wicked live become old yea and are mighty in power Their seed is established in their sight c. Job 21. 7 8. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Jer. 12. 1. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked c. Psal 73. 2 3. c. But what reason is there to envy the wicked because they prosper and flourish for a while whenas at last God will pay them home and they shall perish for ever The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction and shall be brought
quam ab aeterno habuit ut Deus dedit in tempore quiâ— Filius hominis est hoc est quatenus est homo Aug. belonged to the Son from all eternity as God but as man in time he received that power of the Father I saw in the night visions saith Daniel and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of daies and they brought him near before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serve him c. Dan. 7. 13 14. This shews that Christ as the Son of man that is as man had a Kingdome given unto him of God and to the administration of that Kingdome this appertaineth that he should judge the world For he must reign untill hes enemies be made his footstool 1 Cor. 15. 25. Which shall be fulfilled at his coming to judgement then shal he exercise his Kingly power to the full And therefore it is said that he shal judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 1. The reason why Christ is to be the Judge of all is the will and pleasure of God it is his ordination and appointment he is ordained of God to be the iudge of quick and dead saith Peter in the Text. So Paul Act. 17. 31. saith that God hath ordained him to judge the world It is congruous and agreeable to reason that it should be so in divers respects 1. For a reward to Christs humiliation for he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luk. 18. 14. Now Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 8 9 10 11. The full accomplishment hereof shall be at the last judgment as appears by comparing this place with that Rom. 14. 10 11. We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God That which is written to wit Isai 45. 23. of every knee bowing unto God and of every tongue confessing unto him the Apostle interprets of Christ as meant of him and thence proves that all must stand before his judgement seat for that then indeed shall every knee bow that is every one shall be subject unto him and every tongue shall confesse him to be Lord over all And thus some understand that Ioh. 5. 27. And hath given him authority to execute iudgement also because he is the Son of man that is say they because he did so humble himfelf as to be made man and being man to suffer as he did 2. That so the judiciall proceedings might be in an outward and visible manner And thus others do more fitly expound that Ioh. 5. 27. Where it is said that authority to execute judgment is given unto Christ because he is the son of man that is because he only of all the three Persons is man and consequently is meet so to execute judgment as that he may generally be seen of all Thus it is said that when he cometh every eye shall see him Revel 1. 7. Ob. But may some object This honour to be the judge of all is not peculiar unto Christ for it is said that the Saints shall iudge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. Answ I answer One may be said to judge many waies 1. Comparatively thus it is said Mat. 12. 41 42. The men of Nineve shal rise in the iudgement with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater then Jonas is here The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgement with this generation and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdome of Solomon and behold a greater then Solomon is here Thus also is it said Mat. 12. 27. If I by Belzebub cast out devills by whom do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges Thus comparatively not only the Saints shall judge the wicked that is make it appear that the wicked are justly to be condemned but even the wicked also shall judge the wicked some being far more grossely then others 2. Interpretatively by way of approbation and thus also shall the Saints judge the world by consenting unto and approving of Christs judgment as just and right They shall say as it is Revel 16. 5. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus 3. Eminently as an assessor and Bencher next unto the Judge Thus shall some of the Saints judge the world to wit the Apostles to whom Christ said When the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones iudging the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19. 28. 4. Authoritatively and so none of the Saints shall judge the world but Christ only Vse 1. Here then is terrour to all those who are enemies to Christ and aliens from Christ as all the wicked and unregenerate are Some there are who conspire against God and against Christ saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us Psal 2. 3. We will not have this man to reign over us Luk. 19. 14. But O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame how long Psal 4. 2. will ye love vanity and seek after leasing What do these but strive against the stream and kick against pricks They do but imagine a vain thing Psal 2. 1. Act. 9. 4. Christ is King and shall reign over them whether they will or no if not by their voluntary subjection to their eternall comfort yet perforce to their eternall confusion He shall break them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a potters vessell Psal 2. 9. He shall say at the last day Those mine enemies that would not suffer me to reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. More particulerly here is terrour for divers sorts of the ungodly 1. Adulterers Fornicatours and unclean persons who professing themselves Christians yet consider not that of the Apostle Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of on harlot God forbid 1 Cor. 6. 15. shall any be thus injurious unto Christ and yet escape when he shall come to judgement No Whoremongers and adulterers he will iudge Hebr. 13. 4. Though they escape here they shall not escape hereafter The Lord knoweth
their sins behind his back he will no more condemn them for their sins then if they were quite removed out of his sight and he had no knowledge of them 5. When sins are remitted they are said to be cast into the bottome of the sea Thou O Lord wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. This shewes more emphatically how when God forgives sins they are done as it were quite out of his sight that which is cast into the depths of the sea is not like to be found again nor to be seen any more In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve Jer. 50. 20. 6. Sins in this case are said to be forgotten and never more to be remembred I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more saith God Jer. 31. 34. God wil no more take vengeance on his people for their sins then if he had quite forgotten them and had no remembrance at all of them All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Ezek 18. 22. Ob. Some may object that after David had truly repented of his sin and also had the pardon of it declared unto him by the Prophet he was punished for it 2 Sam. 12 13 14. Answ I answer the Papists abuse this and the like examples inferring from them that God remitting the fault yet doth not remit the punishment but that still vve must one vvay or other either here or hereafter make satisfaction unto God for sin committed against him But as the Antinomians erre in denying castigatory punishment to be inflicted upon Gods children so doe the Papists erre in affirming satisfactory punishment to be inflicted on them God afflicts sometimes them whom he pardons not as exacting satisfaction of them for how then are they pardoned but as chastening them that they may the better learn to beware of sin afterwards and that others seeing them to smart for it may beware of it When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. So that God doth execute judgement he doth inflict punishment upon his children yet it is but a chastening of them for their good not that he doth take vengeance on them or exact satisfaction of them Vse 2. Secondly seeing this great benefit belongs unto the people of God let us take heed least we come short let us make sure that we may be partakers of it To stir us up hereunto let us consider 1. How much the purchasing and procuring of this benefit hath cost even no lesse then the bloud of the Lord Jesus This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins said Christ when instituting the Sacrament of his Supper he gave the Cup unto his Disciples Mat. 26. 28. How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation Heb. 2. 3. If we make light of that which did cost Christ so dear 2. What account the Saints have made of this benefit The Prophet Mica admiring the goodness of God in this respect cries out Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Mic. 7. 18. How earnestly did David sue unto God for it Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne Psalme 51. 1 2. And v. 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out mine iniquities And Verse 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse And how exceedingly did he rejoyce when he was assured of this benefit Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Psalme 103. 1 2 3 4. 3. That forgivenesse of sins is such a benefit such a blessing as even blessednesse it selfe the greatest blessednesse that we are capable of here in this life doth consist in it Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity Psal 32. 1 2. Sin being forgiven nothing can doe us hurt all affliction will be light and easie death it selfe will be advantage to us see Rom. 8. 33 34 35 36 37. This is it that makes affliction grievous and hard to be indured then usually a mans conscience will flie in his face and set his sins before him Thus it is sometimes even with the godly themselves Thou writest bitter things against me said Job unto God and makest me to possesse the sins of my youth Job 13. 26. Mine iniquities said David are gone over my head and are as a heavy burthen too heavy for me to bear Psal 38. 4. Woe unto us that we have sinned said the people of God Lam. 5. 16. And they adde v. 17. For this our heart is faint for these things our eyes are dim O what a happinesse then is it in time of affliction to have sins forgiven and to be assured of the forgivenesse of them So also when death approacheth For the guilt of sin lying upon the conscience will make death terrible it will cause us to say unto it as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Whereas if we be assured of interest in Christ and of forgivenesse of sinnes thorough him we may say with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2. 29 30. This blessednesse here to have our sinnes forgiven doth make way immediately for the blessednesse of the life to come for that inheritance of the Saints in light as the Apostle calls it Colos 1. 12. Forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified are immediately joyned together Acts 26. 18. Therefore as we desire the inchoation of happinesse here and the consummation of happinesse hereafter as wee would live comfortably die chearfully and after death injoy immortality and glory let us make sure of this benefit the forgivenesse of our sins and then nothing can debar us from all blisse all happinesse The four and thirtieth SERMON HEB. 6. 2. And of the Resurrection of the dead THe Author of this Epistle speaking of the principles of the doctrine of Christ