one Son without sin but no son without punishment One Sonne sine corruptione but no sonne sine correptione 12. Lastly Christ was crucified in his condēnatiō in that they condemned him Ioh. 19 6. Luk. 13. 24 to death 1. acknowledging him innocent saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just man and then condemning the innocent because he stood in our stead that were nocent and to teach us that we are all by nature condemned men before the Lord till we get our pardon by Christ And lastly that by him we might escape the sentence of eternall condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. CHAP. IV. The sufferings of Christ at and upon the Crosse HAving finished the sufferings of Christ in his life we now come to his suffering in his death on the Crosse in these words And him crucified For greater love saith Christ hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his freinds John 15. 13. If as the Jewes dream he had come as a great Monarch had trod on nothing but Crownes and Scepters and the necks of Kings and had had the Potentates of the earth to attend his traine it had beene great love to us Yea it had beene some love if he had onely pitied us in our misery and wept for us as David did for Absalom Or if he had pleaded for us and spake a good word for us as Jonathan did for David Or if he had sent an Angel for us Or if himselfe had suffered disgrace reproaches Cant. 2 5. opprobryes c. But greater love he could not show then to dye for us skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give to save his life yet Christs life was not too dear for us the spouse indeed was sick of love but Christ exceeded her for he died for love This is our Pellican that hath nourished and fed us with his bloud Many mothers can endure crying of their children and bearing them with paine that would hardly dye for them but the love of Christ passed the love of women for he dyed for us Yea greater love had Christ towards us then barely to dye for us in three respects 1. A man may dye for another Codrus for the Athenians Curtius to preserve Rome if perhaps it be an honourable death to get renoune after his death as some of the heathens have done 2. If it be an easie death 3. If it be for a dearly beloved freind to whom he hath been much ingaged Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye saith Paul that is that hath lived justly Yet for a good man that hath beene very beneficiall to him peradventure one would even dare to dye and Rom. 5. 8. yet it is but a peradventure neither But first Christ died not an honourable death the people applauding him as they did sometimes the Martyrs But the shamefull death of the Crosse Heb. 12. 2. He endured the Crosse and despised the shame Now dishonour and shame to a noble spirit is as bitter as death it selfe And surely if to live with infamy be worse then death what is it then to dye with infamy It was shamefull in five respects 1. In that they made him carry his owne Crosse or gallowes whereupon he was hanged as when malefactors go with halters about their necks to execution 2. It was shamefull in that he was 1 Ioh. 19. 23. stript naked to the scorne of Angels and men even he that covers the heavens with starres the earth with flowers the beasts with skins and men with raiment even he was stript naked so farre as modesty would permit say some and clothed Rev. 3. 17. 18. onely with his own innocency To teach us we are naked of all righteousnesse and deserve to be stript naked of all comforts earthly and spirituall And that he might cloath us with the robes of his righteousnesse 3. It was shmeful in that he was hang'd a death meet for theeves murtherers and execrable sinners we count it a death too base for noble bloud although they turn traytors and therefore they have liberty to exchange the gallowes for the block To see a King hang'd what a shamefull suffering were it but for God to be hang'd on a gallowes much more The Turks mock us at this day with our crucified God and some of the heathens said they would not beleeve in a hang'd God But the greater his sufferings were the greater was his love and our misery who deserved to hang in hell for ever 4. It was shamefull in that he was hanged with two theeves and in the midst as the Prince of theeves and murtherers and as the greatest malefactor Esay 53. 12. He was numbred among the transgressour◠His good name was as deare to him as ours to us Now which of us especially being innocent could be content to be esteemed as murtherers adulterers theeves or the like Yet perhaps this might figure out the last judgement when repentant sinners shall be set on the right hand and the reprobates on the left as one observeth * the one sort to be saved Sir John Heyward knight the other to be condemned 5. It was shamefull because he was insulted over in his misery as Sampson was mocked by the Philistines at his death he saved others said they but cannot save himselfe Come drwne from the Crosse and wee will beleeve in thee All that see me laugh me Psal 22. 7. to scorne they shoot out the lip c. Secondly as Christ died not an honorable death so he suffered not an easie but a most bitter and painfull death he was Phil. 2. Heb. 12. 2. obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse he endured the Crosse This appeares even in what he suffered from men in his body which yet was lesse then what many Martyrs suffered being rouled naked in a barrel of nailes racked burned c. First before he was laid upon the Crosse They gave him gall and vinegar to drink as Matthew reads it Matthew 27. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or wine mingled with mirh as Mark reads it Mark 15. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one explaines the other That is wine as sharp as vinegar and imbittered with mirh like gall but not gall it selfe as Beza Or rather I think it was mingled with both gall and mirh as Gerard. Some indeed think this no part of his sufferings and that it was not to torment him but ut mors ejus esset celerior so Calvin And Beza thinks the good women brought the wine to chear him and that it was Vinum dulce sweete Calvin in Ioc. Baroni Annal. An. no Christi 34. c. 84. Bera in Ioc. Prov. 31. 6. wine a kind of Nectar and so thinks Baronius according to that of Solomon Prov. 31. 6. Give wine to him that is of a heavy heart But this cannot be for it is not likely
c. which though it be a sin to be trembled at it being blood murther yea self-murther against our selves to whom we owe greatest love yea the last act is sin and our hope of the salvation of these is exceedingly weakned by so terrible and dreadful an act yet they beleeve it were harsh judgement to conclude these certainly damned but what time have these men for actual repentance when they may die ipsoictu and as the wound may be their repentance must be very short having scarce time enough to say Lord have mercy upon me 8. That that instrumentally justifies on our part is not repentance but faith because faith only layes hold upon the merits of Christ and by it the merits of Christ are imputed to us and repentance only justifies declarative as an evidence and fruit of faith or as a speciall concomitant of it But pardon of sin is an act of justification therefore rather actuall faith is required at least as well as actuall repentance before actuall pardon 9. Argum. Then a beleever may â—ustly feare hell and to be damned till his actuall repentance after his sin But a beleever ought never to fear damnation The Major necessarily followes and cannot be denyed And the Minor they prove by laying down three particulars First they deny not but filiall fear may stand with fear of temporall corrections Psal 119. 120. my soul trembleth for Iob. 34. 31. 32. feare of thee c. the thing I feared is come upon me saith Iob a Iob. 3. 15. 31. 32. 2 Sam. 7. 14. Amos 3. â— And God is very severe in chastising his children in this life more sharply then the wicked for judgement shall begin at the house of God to the Jew first c. Thus Moses lost Canaan Eli fell down backward died Davids adultery c. how severely punished the child born in adultery died Tamar defiled Amnon slain in his drunkennesse Absalom rebelling and defiling his fathers wives yea the sword never departed from his house Hezekiah how severely did God deal with him for a suddain act of vain glory 2 King 20. 14 to 19. and David for his priding himselfe in his people God slew seventy thousand 2 Sam. 24. And therefore actuall repentance is not denyed to be necessary to beleevers as we heard before to get assurance of our pardon and prevent scourges Secondly they deny not but the Saints do often carnally and slavishly feare hell and damnation which proceeds sometimes from their weaknesse of faith and the root of infidelity still remaining in them which breeds doubting and doubting breeds feare though never so farre as to suffer the soule to be quite cut off from all hope in God There is certitudo fidei which doth import a stedfast cleaving In credente potest â—nfurgere contrarius motus huic quod firmissimâ— tenet Aquin though not absolute quietnesse as â— ship at Anchor may shake but not blow over And sometimes it is sent as a punishment and correction from God which he inflicts not poâ—â—ndo positivé or operativé that is not positively instilling that conception into them that they shall be damned but Abnegando desâ—rendo permittendo c. leaving them to Satan and their own spirits to be thus tormented Thirdly But they deny it to be lawfull for a beleever once justified to feare hell or to be damned after God hath left him to fall into a grosse sin 1. Because it is the feare of Reprobates and divels which God hath forbidden directly 1 Pet. 3. 14. Luk. 12. 32. Iam. 2. 19. Rev. 21. 8. Luk. 1. 74. True Filiall feare still remaines for blessed is he that so feareth alwayes but servile feare which is cum per timorem Gebennae homo se continet a peccato Pet. Lomb. l. 3. dist 34. Oderunt peccare mali formidine paenae c. though it remaines yet is forbidden 2. Because quod non licet credere non licet timere that which we ought not to beleeve shall happen to us that we ought not to fear but we ought not to beleeve we shal be damned till we actually repent 1. Because then we should beleeve a lye For here is nothing present or to come can separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 36 and Iob. 10. 28. I give my sheep eternall life Secondly because for a beleever in Christ to beleeve or thinke he shall be damned proceeds from infidelity or weaknesse of faith and therefore is his sin Object If any object Adam in innocency had the feare of eternall death set before him to keep him from sin Gen. 2. 17. Answ they answer that which Adam might feare as they conceive even with filiall feare we cannot because Adam was liable to eternall death if he sinned but we are not being freed by Christ Lastly as it is true many learned Divines are not of this opinion as Bishop Davenant and Suffrag Theol. Mag. Brit. Art 5. and some other Divines not here mentioned So likewise many learned Divines do assert it * as Musculus on Iohn Dr. Twiss Dr. Ames Luther de capt Babil de Eucâ—ar Dr. Plaifer the sick mans couch p. 46. 47. c. clearly and excellently 5. 24. Non est intelligendum tantum de peccatiâ— ante fidem sed post acceptum fidei donum yea Bishop Davenant himselfe saith Persona hominis pii est semper deo grata non obstantibus delictis and addes that their sins displicent deo odio simplici sed non redundante in personam So Luther saith no sin with which faith may stand can hurt us I thinke he meanes to attract guilt of eternall condemnation except sin be raigning so as that it excludes faith And Zanch. Epist l. 1. p. 116. saith Reprobi quando peccant a regno Christi prorsus excidunt Sed electi quamvis aliquando inviti circumventi labuntur â—on tamen a Christi regno prorsus excidunt nec a Christo avelluntur The objections brought against this assertion are thus answered 1. Object Rom. 3. 25. Christ is said to forgive sins that are past They Answ he speaks not exclusivé excluding sins to come but inclusivé hence in Col. 2. 13. Christ is said to forgive us all our trespasses 2. Object Matth. 10. 28. fear not them that can kill the body c. Answ It is rather a description of the person whom we ought to fear then of the kind of feare wherewith he is to be feared namely that we should feare that God that can cast soule and body into hell in regard of his power but will not in regard of his promise 3. Object 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. 11. No fornicator drunkard c. shall inherit the kingdome of God Answ They answer That is without he gets his pardon by Christ received by faith and discovered and confirmed to him by repentance its true Note that no man can be saved without faith and repentance but it may seem difficult to say
to take part with us in our sufferings for sometimes God comforts us that by our experience we might be the better able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Secondly Remember what thou Psal 77. 11. 12. wert and whether thou didst never believe Christ to be thine and whether there be no signe of saving grace still remaining in thee as mourning under sin love to the brethren c. and then though thou hast a 1000. doubts thou canst not answer yet thou art sure to be saved for that cannot be a dead tree that hath fruit growing upon it 3. Thirdly if thou canst not believe Christ is thine yet resolve to love and obey him say thus whether he will save me or no I will love and serve him as well as I can I will walk in his wayes and not sin against him And this will reflect comfort upon us of its owne accord for how could I love God if he did not first love me Our affections of love to God saith a Reverend Divine are but reflections Dr. Sibs on Psal 42. of Gods love to us If cold bodies have heat it is a signe some fire has warmed them or the Sunne hath shined upon them 4. Fourthly Resolve what ever become of thee to die beleeving as Job did though he kill me saith he I will put my trust in him and as Joab did who would die with his hands holding upon the altar and as Ester resolved in another case upon Christ will I trust if I perish I perish CHAP. XXIII An exhortation to the ministers of the Gospell especially to preach Iesus Christ to the people IN the next place Vse 7 seeing Paul desired to know learne and teach nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him crucified let it be an exhortation to all the minsters of the Gospell to follow the example of Saint Paul in two respects First to preach nothing to our people in comparison of Iesus Christ and him crucified Secondly to preach in such a manner as men may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ First I say to preach Iesus Christ especially to the people wo be to me saith Paul if I preach not the Gospell and again my little children of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. It was the prayer of Luther at his death thee ô Christ have I known thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands do I commend my spirit O the more of Christ in a sermon the sweeter is our preaching and our greatest ornament is that we can set forth the honour of Christ Saint Augustine professed of Cicero he was much delighted in his eloquence but he soon grew weary quianomen Christi non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not to be found there 1. And it must needs be so first because the preaching of Christ is most profitable for the people alas what can we inrich them withall in comparison of Christ the knowledge of whom can only make them happy This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ thus we shall save their soules from death hell and damnation and hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5. ult 2. It is most welcome and comfortable as it is sweeter to bring a pardon to condemned men then to read their sentence of condemnation for so we shall bee their ministeriall saviours whereas else we shall be but their tormentors 3. It is the readiest way to break the Eph. 3. 17 18. heart as the Traitor flyeth at the pursuit after with hew and cry but the kings proclamation of pardon that brings him in we know by the law is the ministration of death like Hagar that saw her bottle empty Gal. 2 16. Gal. 3. 10. nothing but death before her eyes but no fountaine to fill it again The law is like a glasse wherein we see our spots but no water to wash them out as Paul said when the commandement came sin revived but I died But the Gospel is like the Laver in Exod. 38. 8. which was made of the womens looking glasses whereby they might both see their faces and also wash out their spots for it was both a glasse and a laver and this typified Christ If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Iohn 2. 1. And certainly if any thing its mercy melts the heart Adam ran away from God when he heard the terrible voice of God in the garden saying I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid and I hid my selfe But when he spake to them with a milder voice then they came in Gen. 3. 9 10. In Eliahs vision the Lord was not in the whirlewiud nor in the earth-quake but in the still voice as you may read at large 1 Kings 19. 11. 23. c. I have heard a story of a Gentlewoman condemned to die for killing three of her children many godly ministers seeing her hardened as they thought in her sinne much pressed her with her grievous sin and the dreadfulnesse of her condition but all nothing moved her but rather she grew more obstinate but at last another Reverend Divine hearing of it comes to her preaching to her the unspeakeable mercies of God in Christ c. and that there was mercy for her notwithstanding her great sin if her heart were touched with griefe for what she had done c. what mercy for me said she O that 's impossible c. But expressing further how God delighteth in mercy that mercy pleaseth him that where sin hath abounded their grace and mercy with God abounds much more or to that effect she presently fell a weeping wringing her hands crying for mercy c. and died most comfortably as it was related having had the mercy of God abundantly revealed to her before her death 4. What greater joy can a minister have then to bring men to Christ to be able to say here am I and the children thou hast given me are not you our hope our joy and crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yea are our glory and our joy saith Paul 1 Thes 2. 19. 20. But on the contrary what comfort will this be to us when we lie a dying to say I studied to fill the houre but not a soule I have wonne to Christ 5. Fifthly and lastly the preaching of Christ is most profitable for our selves for they that winne soules to God shall shine as the starres in the firmament and Gal. 6 8. 1 Cor. 15. ult receive a Prophets reward yea we shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. every soule wonne to God is as a new pearle added to our crowne Matth. 24 45. 46. O what a heavy account shall that man have to give that must give
263 for mihi plausum r. sibi plausum p. 264. r. De Pad p. 270. for fight r light p. 272 for smoakes r. smothers p. 285. for woâ—d r. world p. 306. for Psal 6. r 76. p. 308. r. and as Micha for Ps 123. r. 132. The Contents CHAP. I. THe openining of the words of the Text. pag. 1. Doct. The great lesson that every one ought to study and learn is to know Jesus Christ p. 4. CHAP. II. Of the Incarnation of Christ 1. That Christ is the second pâ—rson and why p. 6. 2. That Christ is the son of God and how he is said to be his son p. 7. 3. That Christ is truely God p. 10. 4. That Christ is truely man p. 11. 5. That Christ is God and man united together p. 15. CHAP. III. A short view of the sufferings of Christ before he suffered upon the crosse p. 17. In eleven particulars In his 1. Conception p. 17. 2. Birth ibid. 3. Circumcision p. 20. 4. Temptation ibid. 5. Private life p 21. 6. Agony ibid. 7. Apprehension and betraying p. 22. 8. Arraignment p. 23. 9. Mocking ibâ—d 10. Scourging p. 25. 11. Condemnation p. 27. CHAP. IV. A relation of the sufferings of Christ upon the Crosse p. 27. First in that Christ dyed for us ibid. Secondly in that Christ did more then barely dye for us in three respects 1. First In that he dyed a shamefull death p. 29. It was shame full in five respects because 1. They made him carry his owne Crosse p. 30. 2. They stript him naked ibid. 3. He was hanged ibid. 4. He was hanged in the midst between two theeves p. 31. 5. He was insulted over in his misery ibid. II. Secondly in that he dyed a bitter and painfull death in two respects p. 32. 1. In what he suffered from men in foure particulars ibid. 1. They gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink ibid. 2. They racked him p 34. 3. They nayled his hands and feet to the Crosse ibid. 4. He continued hanging about six houres ibid. 2. In what he suffered from God even the heavy wrath of God due to us for all our sins p. 35. III. Thirdly In that he dyed for his enemies c. p. 37. CHAP. V. Of the satisfaction of Christ p. 38. 1. That there is salvation in no other p. 38. 2. That there is full perfect salvation in Christ p. 40. CHAP VI. We must study to know Christ with particular application That Christ is our Saviour and that he dyed for us and gave himself for us p. 43. Obj. A man may be saved without this knowledge Answ Affirmatively p. 45. Negatively p. 46. Obj. No man can know Christ to be his in particular with the Answere p. 47. 48. CHAP. VII We must study to know Christ with an affectionate knowledge p. 49. CHAP. VIII We must study to know Christ with a virtuall and operative knowledge p. 54. 1. In Giving us power against the dominion of sinne p. 55. 2. In raising us up to newnes of life p. 57. CHAP. IX Of the sweetnesse and excellency of the knowledge of Christ p 58. 1. Because it hath the most excellent Revelation p. 60. 2. Because the excellency of all other knowledge is supereminently in Christ in five respects p. 61. 1. The excellency of the knowledge of God consisteth in the knowledge of Christ in three respects ibid. In regard of 1. His person ibid. 2. The worke of Redemption p. 62. 3. Our Relation to God p. 63. 2. The excellency of the knowledge of the word of God consists in the knowledge of Christ p. 66 3. The knowledge of Christ is more excellent then all other knowledge whatsoever p. 68. 4. The excellency honour of a man is that he knoweth Jesus Christ p. 70. 5. The excellency of all our workes is from our knowledge of Christ p. 73. CHAP. X. That the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified is the most profitable knowledge p. 75. 1. Reason because Christ gives us better things then the world can help us to p. 76. As the grace of 1. Justification p. 77 78. p. 79. 2. Acceptation 3. Sanctification 4. Adoption 5. Reconciliation 6. Co-operation 7. Corroboration 8. Co-agulation 9. Preservation 10. Consolation 11. Glorification 2 Reason because Christ gives that which contents and satisfieth the soule of man p. 80. 3. Reason because Christ gives more durable riches then the world p. 81. 4. Reason because Christ gives earthly things also into the bargain p. 82. Which appeares in foure particulars 1. Certainty of provision p. 82. 2. Better right p. 85. 3. With our fathers blessing ibid. 4. As pledges of future hopes p. 86. CHAP. XI That the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the most comfortable knowledge p. 87. Especially in foure conditions of In time 1. Spirituall distres 88. 2. Greatest persecution p. 89. 3 Greatest afflictions 92 Because they shall worke for our good ibid. A threefold good 1. Temporall 2. Spirituall p. 39. For they 1. Keep the heart tender p 94. 2. Keep us from back-sliding p. 94. 3. Make us fear to sin ibid. 4. Make us grow in holinesse ibid. 3. For our eternall good p. 95. 4. The knowledge of Christ is most comfortable in the houre of death p. 96. Because we are sure to dye 1. Comfortably ibid. 2. Blessedly p. 98. CHAP. XII Use 1. A reproofe of those that know nothing of Jesus Christ as Heathens Turkes Jewes Papists and ignorant persons p 101. Because 1. Their ignorance is inexcusable p. 105. 2. An ignorant heart is an evil heart p. 106 3. All their workes are works of darknesse ibid. 4. They can have no Repentance ibid. 5. They are full of feare p. 107 6. Such have no part in Christ ibid. Qu. What helps are there to get knowledge p. 108 Ans 1. To study a Catechisme ibid. 2. The use of other meanes p. 109 3. To practise what we know ibid. 4. To be much in prayer p 110 CHAP. XIII Vse 2. A reproof of those that study to know all things else save Jesus Christ and him crucified p. 110. Viz. Such as study vanities curiosities arts and sciences c. with the neglect of the study of Christ 111 CHAP. XIV Use 3. A reproofe of three sorts I. A reproofe of those that study to know Christ only by speculation p. 124 1. Because it is unprofitable and vain p. 121 2. Because it is very dangerous and hurtfull p. 123 It is dangerous in three respects 1. Because it breeds bitternesse and vexation p. 123. 2. Because if Christ be not our Saviour he will be our judge p. 124. 3. Because it will aggravate our condemnation p. 125. II. A reproofe of those that know Christ with speculation but not with affection p. 130 III. A reproofe of those that content themselves with a speculative knowledge of Christ but know him not virtually and operatively CHAP. XV. Use 4. An exhortation to be thankfull and contented in every condition if
gleaned And Iob awhile may be stript of his goods Children and all his comforts but ere long he doth enjoy them doubled to him even as much more of every comfort as he had before Iob 42. 12 13. 2. But however it shall alwayes worke for our spirituall good By the sad Eceles 7. 3 Heb. 12. 10 Iohn 15. 2. looke the heart shall be made better Like those in the time of the sweating sicknesse that were smitten with Rosemary branches to keep them waking and from sleeping to death though they cryed out at the smart of the blows against those that smot them O you kill me you kill me whereas alas they had beene killed with their disease if they had not been smitten Or as tender mothers that give their children sometimes bitter wormwood and Aloes but t is to kill the wormes or else they would never let their children tast so bitter a potion and likely too it is sweetened with sugar There is a foure fold spirituall good by afflictions to every one that knowes Iesus Christ savingly 1. They keepe the heart tender and humble pliable and buxome to God Remembering my wormwood and my gall my soule hath them in remember ance and is humbled in me Lamenta 3. 19. 20 as they did David when Shemei cursed him and when God chastised him with the pestilence It 2 Sam. 24. me me adsum c. is I have sinned what have those sheepe done And Jonas after he was cast into the sea and restored the second time he could find his way to go right to Nineveh 2. They keepe us from backsliding for else we would lose our graces as too much sunneshine makes the corne to shale and lose its fruit 3. They make us feare to sin that have so smarted for sin The burnt child dreads the fire exellent is that speech of Iob Iob 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me and if I have done amisse I will doe no more As a child will feare to commit that fault for which he hath well smarted 4. They make us grow in holinesse and weane us from earthly delights as the Israelites bondage made them weary of Egypt They are but Gods pruning knives to let us bleed and purge us that we might bring forth more fruit John 15. 2. like as we see flowers smell sweetest after a shower Or as the burning bush that burned yet consumed not but was the brighter for the fire Or as gold put into fire loseth its drosse but nothing of its substance and is made the purer gold Or as grapes under the presse make the sweeter wine Or as wheat under the flaile hath its chaff beaten off and is the purer corne So are afflictions to all that are in Christ and know Christ theirs They make them like Roses which though sweet alwayes yet they never drop sweet water but when the fire is under them Or as spices when beaten to pouder then they smell the sweetest 3. Thirdly Afflictions shall increase 2 Cor. 4. 17. Mat. 5. 12 our crown of glory the deeper our die is in affliction the better shall we weare our scarlet robes in heaven Rom. 8. 18. I reckon saith Paul our sufferings in this life are not worthy our glory that shall be revealed Chrysost said if one man did suffer all the sorrowes of all the Saints in the world yet they are not worth one houres glory in heaven 4. Fourthly and lastly The knowledge of Christ and him crucisied with a saving applicatory knowledge is most comfortable in the hour of death Such a one can triumph over death saying Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory Because 1 Cor. 15. 56. though death in it self be full of anguish and is the destruction of nature yet if thou art in Christ and knowest Christ is thine the cup is sweetned with good ingredients For thou art sure of two things 1. Thou art sure to die comfortably ordinarily and not fearing but longing for death we know saith Paul when this our tabernacle is broken we have a house not made 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. with hands eternall in the heavens wherfore we sigh and grone to be clothed with our house which is in heaven When I walk through the the valy of the shadow of death saith David I will feare no evil for thou art with me and thy rod and staff comforteth me Psal 23. 4. Luke 2 29 Phil. 1. And Simeon Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eâ—es have seene thy Salvation Yea somtimes before they go into heaven they are rapt up into the third heaven with joy as Paul was in his rapture 2 Cor. 12. though in another manner Some have professed they never felt such joy in all their lives as at the hour of their death Paula that noble Lady when one did read to her Cant. â— 11. The winter is past and the singing of Birds is come yes she replyed the singing of birds is come and so she went singing into heaven another being as they thought in a swound a little before her end they cryed give her some Rosa Solis but she put it back saying I have Rosa Solis you know not off Ambrose said to his friends about him when he died I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live nor yet feare I death because I have a good Lord. Glover from whom God did hide his face long before yet when he was going to the stake said to his frind Austen he is come he is come But you will say Object do such alwayes die comfortably I answer Answ Not alwayes but ordinarily for sometimes God hides his face from his own at death as a just punishment for their want of close walking with God in the time of their prosperity c. and besides we know death is fearfull in its best lookes called the King of feares as is a lion though his teeth and claws be beaten out or as the Hauk to the Partridge who trembles at the very fight of her scattered feathers or like a serpents skin that is formidable though stuft with straw The vertuous Lady Jane when she covered her eyes with her handkerchief and was to ly down on the block to receive the stroake of death she cryed out O what shall I do where is it where is it she was filled so full of feare though her faith failed not yea Christ himselfe feared death with a naturall holy feare Yet I say thou art sure at the least to be freed from despairing feare and to be able John 13. 13. to say with Iob Though he kill me I will trust in him as our blessed Saviour on the crosse stil called the Lord his God when he felt no comfort from God my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And the reason is because Christ hath
promised that neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord Rom. 8. ult 2. And secondly If thou knowest Christ to be thine thou art sure to dye a blessed death Reve. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. c. because that day and houre thou diest that day thou art sure thy soule shall be with Christ in paradise for to all that know Christ savingly death is but the harbenger to bring their Cyprian soules to Christ Ejus est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire saith a father let him fear death that is loth to go to Christ do not thou feare that desirest to be dissolved and to be with Christ Death to thee is but as thy fathers horse to cary thee to thy fathers house or like Iosephs Chariot ratling with its wheeles ready to carry old Iacob to his son Ioseph so is death ready to carry thee to thy Saviour Iesus Alas our misery lies in our life morimur dum non morimur not in our death therein lies all our happynesse for we shall not die but live still onely we shall exchange the place of our living instead of Egypt to live in Canaan instead of earth to live in heaven Now are wee afraid to live No life is sweet then feare we not to die for that brings the sweetest and most happy life and will make an exchange of a life of misery for a life of glory Indeed to them that know not Christ O how bitter is death It must needes sting them like a serpent because they go from all their hapinesse to all their misery Death of it selfe is bitter but herein lies the sting and strength of death to all out of Christ in that it is entailed to eternall death they may say as once Elisha did 2 Kings 6. 32. Behold the murtherer death is come to take away mine head And is not the sound of his Masters feet even of the divel and hell behind him mori non metuo said one sed damnari metuo I feare not to die but I feare to be damned When Saul was told by Samuel as he took him to be to morrow thou shalt be with me therefore what else but in heaven yet the newes pleased him not his conscience preached otherwise to him but Saul fell all along on the earth and was sore afraid and there was no strength in him 1 Sam. 28. 20. so Belshazzar did read the hand writing before Daniel read it and trembled for his conscience told him there could come no good newes from heaven to such a wretch as he was And verily herein lyes the sad condition of all men that know not Iesus Christ savingly That though they may make themselves merry and be pleasant in their lives yet death makes them miserable they shall lye down in sorrow Esa 50. 11. And though now Christ seemes like a roote out of a dry ground having nothing in him why they should desire him Esa 53. 2. for though he hath made rich promises yet not of such things as they care or desire to be rich in and with such hard conditions too as seem unreasonable even the parting with their dearest lusts yet at death what would men give for assurance that Christ were theirs Would they not prefer this knowledge before all earthly blessings As Severus said if I had a thousand worlds I would now give them all to be found in Christ As crock-back Richard the third in his distresse cryed a Kingdome for a hors O then they will cry a Kingdome for a Saviour CHAP. XII A Reproofe of those that know nothing of Iesus Christ Vse 1 IF this be so that we ought to study to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified then they are justly to be reproved that know nothing of Iesus Christ and him crucified There are five sorts of them who know nothing or very little of Iesus Christ and him crucified First the heathens who are the greatest part of the world and of whom there are milions of milions at this day who want the meanes of knowledge and can never attaine salvation for if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. And they are without hope Eph. 2. 12. Qui cuiquam salutem promittit sine Christo nescio utrum ipse salutem habere potest in Christo Aug. Acts 17. 31 Ir is true some conceive it is a sinne in Heathens to want habituall knowledge of Christ because it was in Adam in innocency and it had beene his duty so to have acted if God had commanded him as now he doth command all men Therefore habituall knowledge of Christ seems still to be required even of heathens Yea and actuall applicatory knowledge of all to whom Christ is revealed because the want is their sinne for which they shall be damned John 16. 9. Mark 16. 16. But where the Gospel is not revealed as among the Heathens there it seemes not a sinne for we are not bound to act that which God never revealed to Adam nor since There is Lex interna id est internus Deiconceptus and externa or revelata Now Gods secret will is not our Law but his will revealed Leges factae instituuntur cum promulgantur Rayner Panth. Some indeed think the moralized heathens that walked by the light of nature were saved as Chrys Clemens Alexand. Erasmus Casauhon and others but Christ tels us the contrary Act. 4. 12. Though in comparison of us that have the meanes they are said to have no sin Ioh. 15. 22. I grant whether it be a sin or no in the Heathens not to know Christ to whom he was never revealed is a question But of this I am sure if their negative infidelity be no sin being ignorantia privationis or negativa yet their positive fidelity is odious in that they trust to dumb Idols to the stock of a tree c. when as the light of nature tels them that they themselves are better then that they trust in by whichlight of nature they shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. yea light of nature tels them a living creature is better then the picture as a lamb in the field or a bird flying in the aire c. are better then a picture of them And yet saith one si accepto spiritu occurrerent ut monstra haberentur 2. The Turks that acknowledge God a father yet deny Christ a Redeemer though they heare of Christ yet despise him reject abuse him and his members and prefer their Mahomet before him whose sin is greater because their own religion is so absurd fleshly and filthy and his rewards all fleshly fitter for swine then men 3. The poore scatter'ed Iewes of whom and for whom Christ especially came to them still Christ is a mystery they acknowledge Moses law and the Prophets but reject Christ as an impostor looke for a saviour to come
when Christ is so plainly preached in their own law search the scriptures saith Christ for they are they which testify of me John 5. 39. And yet they remain as judiciarily so wilfully blind and ignorant 2 Cor. 3. 14. as a just punishment of their own imprecation when they cryed His bloud be on us and our children 4. Papists who nourish ignorance teaching it to be the mother of devotion when as we know that ignorance is the cause of sin Matth. 22. 29. and punishment of sin Rom. 1. 21. Esa 6. 9. surely that religion cannot be good which hateth the light He that doth evill hateth the light John 3. 10. Neither is it likely that that should be the mother of devotion that is the mother of Atheisme idolatry and superstition as appeares Act. 17. 22. Psal 10. 4. Gal. 4. 8. But thus they pul out the peoples eyes as the Philistims did Sampsons and then they make sport with them And further though they know Christ to be a Saviour yet they make him not the alone Saviour but joyne with Christ their owne workes and make themselves at least in part their owne saviours But if wee adde but one mite to Christs treasure we say Christ is not rich enough to save us and so we make him no Saviour Rom. 10. 3. Gal. 5. 4. 5. And lastly it reproveth all ignorant An ignorant man little differs from a beast Psal 32. Ier. 4. 22. Esa 1. 2. Eph. 4. 17. persons among our selves a man would wonder how they can make a shift or study to be so ignorant who are even like the horse and mule that have no understanding As in the creation Darknesse covered the face of the earth so of their soules Ask them what Christ is They answer some of them that he is a God some a man some an angel a spirit c. Learned Master Pemble reports of a man dying being asked what Christ was he said he thought he was a towardly young youth c. But let all thus grosly ignorant consider first their ignorance is inexcusable because the Gospell shines so clearly in their faces The light shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not Joh. 1. 10. There is a three-fold ignorance 1. A privative ignorance 2. A wilfull ignorance 3. A negligent ignorance Now their ignorance is not ignorantia privationis invincibilis that is negative or invincible ignorance but first it is ignorantia pravae affectionis as the Schoolmen speak That is wilfull from corrupt affection It is one thing nescire not to know and another thing nolle scire not to be willing to know And these are they that shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes Math. 13. 15. Depart from us say they for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21. 14. Or secondly at least it is supina ignorantia supine careless or negligent ignorance when men will use no meanes nor take any paines for knowledge these are said to hate knowledge Prov. 1. 19. And this ignorance doth much aggravate their sin and make it without any cloake or colour of excuse if I had not come among you saith Christ you had had no sin but now you have no cloake for your sin John 15. 22. How shall you escape that neglect so great salvation saith Paul Heb. 2. 3. 2. An ignorant heart is an evill heart Iohn 9. 41. without knowledge the mind is not good saith Solomon Prov. 19. 2. surely if the head be leprous the body cannot be sound If the head be giddy the body must needs stagger If the eye be dark all the body is dark Matth. 6. 22. 3. All their workes are evill and workes of darknesse they can yeeld no obedience to God acceptably because it is brutish and not rationall service for how can we shun evill when we know not what is evill Or do our duty when we know not our duty The blind eates many a fly and who so bold as blind Bayard Ignorance made them lay violent hands upon Christ himselfe but had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 4. Fourthly They can have no repentance for how can we repent and be greived for our sins untill we know them and how can we cry for mercy when we see not our misery Ionas while he was asleepe in the ship feared not the tempest till awakened the child in the dark womb cryes not till it come into the light 5. How full of feare are they that walk Light is sweet but darknesse terrible in the dark The Egyptians when the plague of darknesse was upon them how uncomfortable was their condition But what horrour will possesse thy darke soul in that hour of darknesse how terrible will death be to thee The Sun ecclipsed at the death of Christ was dreadfull but more dreadfull will it be when the face of God is ecclipsed toward thee 6. Sixthly Such have no part in Christ for as in the creation the first work God made was light so in the regeneration Iohn 17. 3. Iohn 4. 10. the first grace God gives is light Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 14. The Eagle tryes her young whether they be her owne by this signe if they can endure to look upon the Sun or else she ownes them not as they say but casts them upon the hard stones And certainly thy ignorance or knowledge discovers thee to be a child of light or a child of darknesse for God hath sworne an ignorant person shall never come into heaven It is a people that do erre in their hearts and have not knowne my wayes wherefore I sweare in my wrath they Hos 6. 6. Ioh. 7. 49. should never enter into my rest Heb. 3. 10. Neither will God shew them any mercy which is usually their excuse if they be ignorant as appeares Esa 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them Nay Christ hath said he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God 2 Thes 1. 8. Ignorance will end in vengeance Neither will voluntary or negligent ignorance excuse a tanto but aggravate thy wrath John 3. 19. this is condemnation that is this makes their Ignorantia minuit à peccato quantum minuit à voluntario Aq. 2. 2. Qu. 76. condemnation the greater because light is come among them but they loved darknesse more then light and therefore it is affected darknesse Quest What should ignorant men do to come to the knowledge of Christ and their own salvation I answer First I advise them to get a Catechisme and if they cannot get it by heart yet let them read it over and over againe and againe and for poore servants let this be a part of their Sabbath dayes work I could wish likewise that Parents Masters
that no man can be saved without faith and repentance alwayes acting sometimes a man is not able to act faith yet I beleeve he is not then unjustified so nor yet is he able alwayes to act repentance yet notwithstanding he stands then justified before God and pardoned 4. Object A beleever by his relapse loseth not his right but fitnesse for heaven not â—us ad rem but jus in re as the Leper had right to his house but might not come at his house before he was clensed A subject outlawed is a subject still and hath right to the lawes but he cannot make use of that right till his outlaw be reversed They ans God appointed a leper legally unclean should be separated c. to typifie that no unclean unregenerate person should come into heaven but a beleever in Christ is by imputation washed sanctified Ioh. 13. 10 and never to be counted unclean And our fitnesse for heaven is not by our owne inherent righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us by faith Phil. 3. which is imputed to us so long as wee remain beleevers 2. If a beleever by any actuall sinne contracteth the guilt of eternall death he loseth not onely his fitnesse for heaven but his right to heaven for a time at least Rom. 6. ult Gal. 3. 10. neither can a beleever be in a condition with a subject outlawed and the contrary they conceive cannot be proved 5. Object Sin must be committed before it can be pardoned ubi non est culpa ibi non est remissio Answ It s answered so sin must first be coÌ„mitted before it can be punished either in our selves or in our surety yet Christ died for our sins before they were committed But God foresees all things to come as present or else it had been injustice in God to punish Christ without a fault committed or for faults not committed 6. Object A beleever may be excommunicated for grosse sins out of the Church and therefore till the Church receive him he is excommunicated out of heaven Answ It s answered that is he may be excommunicated out of the externall society of the visible Church but they cannot cast him out for having nothing to do with Christ and salvation if he be a beleever absque errante clave 2. All excommunication is usque ad fidei paenitentiae testimonia publica till he testifies his repentance yet the excommunicate must needs repent and have his sin pardoned by God before he can restifie it so as an excommunicated person before he be received into the Church may be pardoned by God and fit for heaven 2 Cor. 2. 5. 6. 7. Object What need we then feare sins or ask pardon for them if they be remitted in the first act of beleeving Ans It s answered there is a twofold forgivenesse In foro poli in foro soli 1. In foro dei in the Court of God 2. In foro conscientiae in the Court of conscience Now in Gods Court all sins past present and to come are actually pardoned at the very first act of beleeving and repenting But secondly in Court of conscience to have apprehension or comfort of pardon so they are not pardoned that is we shall have no comfort or assurance of the pardon of them till we actually repent of them which is called our renewing by repentance Heb. 6. as is seen in David Psal 32. and Psal 51. who till he confessed his sin and actually repented he roared all day and his moisture c. and he had no comfortable assurance that his sin was pardoned till then Nor Peter till he wept bitterly Again a beleever prayes for pardon daily of his trespasses for two reasons 1. To have his faith strengthened in his pardon and to have more assurance of it for our faith at the best is weak and full of doubtings but especially after great fals which blot our evidence that we cannot well read it and hide Gods countenance from us as clouds hide the shining of the sunne 2. We contract though not an eternall yet a temporall guilt by actuall sins and are liable to temporall corrections though not eternall damnation not by way of satisfaction but of castigation For Christ which hath pardoned the punishment will not alwayes pardon the temporall chastisement but will often visit us with sorer and more grievous afflictions in this life then he doth wicked men 8. Object If you object that the qualifications required for pardon are confession of sin 1 Iohn 1. 9. Repentance Act. 3. 19. c. Ans It s answered in an unbeleever it is requisite there be actuall faith and repentance before he be actually pardoned in heaven or in his conscience But he that is a beleever and hath received Christ by actuall faith and repentance Subsequent repentance is required to evidence his pardon to his conscience but not to procure a new pardon in heaven before God which is done in one act as they affirme 2. As before was expressed they cannot conceive how a child of God can commit an actuall sin without some degree of actuall repentance in the very act of sin and therefore if actuall repentance were necessary before they can be pardoned yet why is a subsequent more solemne actuall repentance required absolutely necessary to pardon beside the present act of repentance in the act of his sin 3. If faith goes before repentance as many affirme then a man is actually pardoned before he doth actually repent because by faith we are justified which is only testified by our repentance 9. Object Then David c. might joy in God whilst he lay in his sin c. Ans It s answered there is no condition a beleever can be in but he hath cause to rejoyce in God Hab. 3. 17. Phil. 4. 4. rejoyce in the Lord alwayes c. yea as in his God his Christ c. though he cannot alwayes do it yet he hath cause also at the same time of great sorrow bitternesse and griefe that he should offend his God so gracious to him and provoke God to punish him and bring scandall to religion c. Even Paul when he mourned under his sin Rom. 7. 24. yet rejoyced in Christ verse 25. Secondly if he dorepent without some precedent or concomitant act of faith is it not the repentance of an unbeleever and so not acceptable to procure pardon c. 10. Object I will forgive their iniquities Ier. 31. saith God ergo they were not pardoned before It s answered though they were pardoned before yet they are not pardoned to our consciences till we actually repent nor is the temporall correction remitted So then they conclude grosse sins of Beleevers cannot as they conceive be committed without some present act of repentance and the habit both of faith and repentance still remaining though not alwayes acting they are not for a moment in a state of condemnation but are only liable to temporall punishments And