gotten the first fruits of the Spirit they sigh in themselues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of their bodies And Tit. 2.13 he saith We looke for that blessed hope and appearing of that glory of that mighty God our Sauiour Iesus Christ And therefore seeing their eyes are alwayes set vpon Heauen and vpon that glory that is there the Scripture especially insisteth in the way wherby we may come there our Preaching for the most part is all of that way to wit of Iesus Christ and of that grace that we haue of him And so the Lord Iesus heeâ—e in his answere that he maketh to Thomas speaketh nothing of the place neither of the Father to whom he was to goe but presupponing that they had some knowledge thereof he passeth by them for the present albeit heereafter hee will speake of them And in his answere to Thomas hee insisteth vpon the way and he saith J am that Way And then he telleth more plainly how he is the Way when hee saith in the words following that hee is that Trueth and that Life So that if wee would come to the Father we must come by him for No man saith he commeth vnto the Father but by me And therefore wee shall see first how Christ is called the Trueth and the Life that wee may see the better howe hee is the Way He is called the Trueth in sundry respects as first he is called Trueth because he is true as Iohn speaketh of him in his first Epistle Chap. 5. vers 20. We know that that Son of God is come and hath giuen vnto vs a minde to know him which is true and wee are in him that is true that is in that his Sonne Iesus Christ Next hee is called the Trueth because hee is full of trueth yea of his owne essence and nature he is Trueth it selfe Iohn said before of him Wee saw him full of grace and trueth Iohn 1.14 And Paul saieth that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily Coloss 2.9 Thirdly hee is called Trueth because from him as the Author and Fountaine all trueth doeth flowe and proceede And therefore Iohn saide Chap. 1. vers 17. The law is giuen by Moses but grace and trueth by Iesus Christ Fourthly hee is called the â—â—ueth because hee is the matter and subject of all trueth and all trueth is grounded vpon him And in this respect Iohn saieth Euery spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirite that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is the spirite of the Antichrist Iohn 4.2 And Paul saith Another foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3.11 Fiftly hee is called the Trueth because all trueth is in himâ— that is ratified confirmed and established in him for as the Apostle Paul saieth in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 1. vers 20. All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in him that is all haue their foundation and ground and all haue their accomplishment in him For and if thou bee not in Christ thou canst haue no right to any of the promises of Grace Thou shalt neuer find the power and vertue of them to bee communicated to thy soule No the blood of Iesus must bee first shed and next thy conscience must bee sprinkled therewith before that euer thou find the force and power of any of these promises conuoyed to thy soule So all are grounded vpon his blood Then ye see it is not without good cause that Christ claimeth this Style as proper to himselfe That he is the Trueth because he is true because he is full of trueth because from him is all trueth because of him as the proper subject is all trueth and last because in him all the promises of God haue their trueth and accomplishment Now let vs see how hee is called Life and this Style the Lord taketh to himselfe for sundry respects And first because he liueth and liueth eternally yea he is Life it selfe Secondly because hee liueth by himselfe he liueth not by another as creatures doe for he saith of himselfe As the Father hath life in himselfe so hath hee likewise giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Iohn 5.26 Thirdly because through him and by him all thinges that haue life liue Yea this same naturall life that wee liue heere on the earth wee liue it by him For Iohn speaking of him saieth Iohn Chap. 1. vers 4. In it that is the Worde IESVS CHRIST was Life and that Life was the light of men That is hee gaue life to men euen in the very first creation and not onely liue wee this naturall life by him but also by him wee liue a supernaturall life I am crucified with Christ sayeth the Apostle Paule to the Galatians Chap. 2. vers 20. but I liue yet not I anie more but Christ liueth in mee and that that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by Fayth in the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee There yee see clearely that the Apostle Paule affirmeth that the Spirituall Life is onely the benefite of CHRIST And Iohn testifieth the same in the first Chapter of his Euangel and the fift verse where hee sayeth That Light shineth in darknesse That is â—â—ter that through our Fall and defection from GOD â— wonderfull and horrible great Darknesse had entered in and ouer-gone the soule of man so that there was nothing to be looked for of man but vtter darknesse and eternall death then he illuminated the soule of man with spirituall light that hee might be restored againe to eternall life Therefore seeing Christ liueth seeing hee liueth by himselfe seeing all thinges liue by him good reason hath hee to call himselfe that life Now hitherto wee haue let you see in what respectes Christ is called the Trueth and the Life whereby wee may easily perceiue howe Christ is called the Way Christ is called the way to the Father in two respects First he is the Way as hee is the Trueth Next hee is the Way as hee is the Life for we must first goe to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth and thereafter we must goe to the Father by him as he is the Life for this way to the Father hath two parts The first part is Trueth the second Life and therefore if we would come to the Father we must begin at the Trueth wee must enter into the way to him by Trueth Now howe enter wee into this way to the Father by the Trueth Howe is the Trueth the beginning of the way I will tell you Whilest we addresse our selues to God to the Father wee must first of all perswade ourselues and haue full assurance that Christ is the Trueth that all his wordes are true that all the promises of God are true and are accomplished in him After we
useth is taken from the glorie of the Father In this is my Father glorified that yee bring out much fruite Surelie a moouing argument at least it shoulde mooue all soules to doe well seeing God is glorified in my well doing for I am set in the worlde to glorifie God Take vp the grounde Whome will this argument mooue Not euerie man Tell to a man who hath no zeale to God nor no sight of the glorie of God Doe well and glorifie God hee will not care for it But to tell a man who loueth God alace whome can hee loue and if hee loue not God tell him if hee will doe manie good workes hee will glorifie God hee will doe all that lieth in his power yea hee will suffer that he may glorifie God as Moyses and Paul wished to renounce Heauen to get their God glorified And if Paul could gette God glorified he cared neither for life nor death Then when wee come to the hearing of the word where such exhortations are giuen vs we shold bring hearts filled with zeale to the glory of God and if thou bring such an heart when thou hearest such an argument it will bee verie sweete to thee Yee see here in these wordes a faire effect following on good workes when a man doeth well the fairest effect that euer was followeth to wit the glory of God thy Creator The Papists think there can folow no gooâ— of good works except a man merit and get life by his works as though the Prophet had said The just shall liue by his good works No he said not so but The iust shall liue by faith Habac. 2.4 May not this serue them that God is glorified in well doing Yee see the wordes that are heere are borrowed from the Vine tree Then let vs take vp the comparison to make the matter more cleare Wee see by experience that the branches of the Vine tree doe not liue vpon the fruite nor take no sappe from the Berries the Berries doe not furnishe life to the branches Therefore can they conclude heereof that the Berries auaile nothing because they giue no sap nor food to the vine tree Hath not the berrie none other vse Yes it hath a better vse for it serueth chiefely to refresh and make chearfull the heart of man It is euen so with our good workes the good workes are not causes of our justification or life they are but the fruites of justification A man doeth not good workes to bee justified but is â—ustified to bring out good workes they haue their owne vse they are not onelie comfortable to them who worke them to confirme their election calling justification and life but also those who stand by and looke to them the Apostle sayeth they are edified by their on-looking as yee may reade in the first Epistle of Peter and the first Chapted Yea more edified by one worke than by a thousand wordes And not onelie are men edified but thereby God is glorified Christ sayeth Matth. Chap. 5. vers 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and maye glorifie your Father which is in Heauen So by good workes the God of Heauen is glorified and men are holpen The second argument Ye shall bee my Disciples As hee would say God shall not onlie be glorified but ye shall get good your selues yee shall bee my Disciples It is the same in effect with that which he said Chap. 13. vers 35. By this a man or woman is knowne to be the Disciple of Christ by mutuall loue Then let vs see what doctrine is taught in the Schoole of Christ there is the summe of the doctrine Doe well bring out much good fruite bring out many good workes All the doctrine that is taught of fayth is to the ende that a man may do well The Apostle to Titus chap. 2. vers 11. telleth vs what is the end of the Gospel to wit that the grace of Iesus Christ hath shined in the worlde that wee may liue soberlie temperatelie and godlilie in this present world So the end of the Gospel is that men and women should liue an holy and sanctified life and he who liueth an holy life he is indeed a disciple of Christ not he who knowes most but he who doth most is the best scholler and he who doth euill and deliteth in mischiefe hath no more to doe with Christ than the Deuill hath Ephes 4.20 After that hee hath set downe the life of the Gentiles that they gaue themselues to wantonnes and to commit wickednes with all kinde of griedinesse he turneth to the Ephesians and he saith Ye haue not learned Christ so whosoeuer leadeth an euill life vnder the name of a Christian they haue neuer heard Christ speaking to them by his Spirite in their soule Thou hast not learned at Christ to bee a murderer an adulterer and drunkard Then if thou wouldest shewe to the worlde that thou hast learned at Christ striue to doe much and not to speake much In one worde As thou wouldest shew thy selfe to bee a Scholler in the Schoole of Christ doe euer many good workes Then when hee hath exhorted to good works he commeth to the grounds of good works the grounds are two the loue of God and the loue of thy neighbour the whole Commandements are grounded on these two Then hee exhorteth his Disciples to loue It is not enough to begin to loue Christ but to continue Hee giueth the argumentes J haue loued you wherefore then should ye not loue me The best thing we can doe is to meete him with loue in some measure who hath loued vs so wel so dearlie and tenderlie I haue loued you therefore loue ye me And that they should not thinke this a common loue hee saith As the Father hath loued me so loue I you I loue you not as men loue men but as the Father loueth mee Then wee see here that Iesus Christ is not onlie aye the first louer for if we loue him it is because hee loueth vs first loue aye beginneth on the part of Christ ere wee beginne to thinke to loue him hee loueth vs but also wee learne more heere What kinde of loue Christ beareth to vs. 1. John Chap. 3. vers 1. What a loue hath the Father borne to vs that hath called vs his sonnes So the loue of Christ to vs is a tender loue such as the loue of the Father is to him what tongue can expresse the loue of the Father to the Sonne So all the tendernesse of the worlde is nothing to that loue that Christ hath to vs it is passing in tendernesse and passing in measure Indeede the Apostle speaketh of a great sense of this loue to men Rom. 5. where he sayth This loue of God is powred out from the Heauens and powred out in the hearts of men women Who doeth it The holy Spirit sheddeth it abroade in our heartes and indeede a man will feele the loue of
through the Ministerie of the Apostles should bee liuing to the ende of the worlde That the Lord would blesse them and by his prouidence guarde them And so both the matter of the Sermone and Prayer is wonderous excellent and in them both wee may see not onelie Diuine knowledge foreseeing and fore-telling those thinges that were to come to passe which if hee had beene onelie man hee could neuer haue done but also a loue vnspeakable and more than wonderfull in that when the wrath of God was persuing him for the sinnes of the Elect when the bitter Cuppe of the Passion was to be propined vnto him when the terroures of Death were nowe before his eyes when Sathan and all the power of darknesse was nowe to assaile him when all rankes of men were to raile vpon him and all his owne were to bee offended at him when Peter should denie him Herode should mocke him Pontius Pilate should condemne him in a manner hee was forgetfull of all those thinges that should come to himselfe and mindfull alwayes to offer joye and consolation vnto his owne Nowe this matter so excellent haue manie learned and godlie men comfortablie and fruitfullie handeled and amongst the rest that famous and worthie Minister of Iesus Christ in the Kirke of EDINBVRGH M. ROBERT ROLLOK of happie memorie for his painfull and comfortable trauels therein and for his manifolde other graces deserueth to bee praysed with the first For hee was a man whom God beautified with manie rare gifts and graces and whome the Lord made manie wayes to bee steadable to his Kirke his vntimelie death when the Lord first called him did manie lament and when their teares were spent they entertained dolour and griefe in their heartes Yea euen nowe the faythfull seriouslie considering these dayes of decaye wherein that Antichristian rabble set themselues to smoare the Trueth and to bring in darknesse againe and wherein by some Religion is mocked and disdained and some are content with a bare showe and outward profession without power and vigour thereof and a life answering therevnto are compelled to sigh for the great wound and losse that the Kirke suffered as in the death of manie others so namelie in the death of that most faythfull man of GOD. Through his death this Citie lost a good Citizen the Flocke a good Pastor the Colledge a good Rector his Brethren a faythfull Fellow-labourer wandering sinners a wise guide and in a worde what sorte of people found not some losse and had not their interesse in his death Who was more carefull than hee to haue GOD glorified Who walked more carefullie with GOD Who was more crucified to the worlde Who was more seuered from all entangling worldlie pleasures and commodities Who more had their conuersation in Heauen Who more carefull to gaine soules to the Kingdome of GOD publicklie and priuatelie by voyce and by penne by worde and by writ at home and abroade aliue and dead And his conuersation was so answâ—rable to his profession and calling that the verie malicious Aduersaries and enemies themselues could not nor durst not charge him with anie imputation But wee neede not Syr to prayse him vnto you who knew him so well and who was so familiarlie conuersant with him and his wordes doe speake sufficientlie to others who knew him not Nowe Syr thâ—se his LECTVRES wee graunt are not so absolute as manie would require and wee our selues would wish for neither deliuered hee them of purpose that they should see the light neither sawe hee them euer after hee had deliuered them neither did his Schollers receiue them from his mouth on the purpose but onelie for the helping of their owne memories And yet wee trust that such as regarde more matter in edification than delicate language and plauâ—ible wordes shall finde no small comfort in perusing of them For not onelie for the duetie wee ought to the Author our louing Master but also for your cause and earnest request to whome wee are so much obliged haue wee taken some yea no small paines heerein as they who are accustomed with such cases may easilie consider that his owne matter might bee sette downe in his owne phrase and stile so neare as possiblie wee could that with the greater liking and approbation they might bee perused by such as seeke â—o bee edified And so much the more carefull were wee heerein because wee found that his other LECTVRES published by vs before as on the COLOSSIANS THESSELONIANS and other seuerall Textes of Scripture and narâ—lie the Lectures last published vpon the Passion and Resurrection euer receiued with great liking and contentment of manie who acknowledge themeselues to bee greatlie edified thereby Nowe Syr these last LECTVRES and our laboures therein wee present vnto you to bee published abroade vnder your protection because moste justlie in all respectes they belong vnto you For first fewe are ignorant howe louing and alwayes beneficiall you were to the Author himselfe from the first time yee knewe him euen to the houre of his death and thereafter to his Wife and nowe you continue the same kindnesse to his posthume Daughter Next as while hee liued hee acknowledged and professed himselfe to bee mâ—re oblieged to you than to anie so at the houre of his death in his latter Will hee ordained that whatsouer of his workes thereafter should see the light should come out in your Name that where his workes were read your deseruinges might bee knowne and that they who gotte fruite of them might also esteeme of you and giue you thankes therefore Thirdlie for the great Paines Exspences and Trauelles that yee haue bestowed in making them to come to the light For by you they were gathered in from the handes of SCHOLLERS that wrote them and by your exspenses they were written ouer and ouer againe without you they had neuer beene reuised and corrected without you they had not beene made meet for the PRESSE Fourthly because as the Lord hath blessed you with many worldly comforts with an honorable estaâ—e good account in the worlde so hath hee indued you with graces of his Spirit inwardlie with true Pietie and Religion in the soule and outwardlie with an answerable profession and practise thereof vttered in the true loue which yee carrie to all Gods Children and namelie to those who carrie the Message of reconciliation in helping and furthering them both priuatelie and publikelie according to your power And finallie wee dedicate our laboures heerein to you as a testimonie that wee acknowledge our selues to bee manie wayes debt-bound to you for your vndeserued kindnesse vttered so manie wayes towardes vs and continuing so long without alteration Nowe the Lord who is infinite in mercie whose loue is constant without alteration and endlesse who hath hitherto giuen you plentifullie and aboundantlie manifolde tokens of his loue both for the vse of the bodie and this transitorie life and also for the weale and comfort of your soule in this your
haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
a sight of the Son looke that thou passe not by him Wilt thou doe as the Iew does The Iewes got not a sight of him because they passed by the Messias So let all thy trauell be to get the Lord Iesus But ye vvill say The Disciples might easily see him because hee vvas vvith them bodily and sensibly but howe can I see him I answere There are two kindes of sights the one is the Spirituall sight of the eye of the soule vvhich vve call Fayth vvhen thou hearest the glorious Euangel of Iesus and beliuest into it The other sight is vvith â—hy bodily eyes and thou vvho seest him heere vvith the eye of the soule by fayth thou shalt see him hereafter vvith thy bodily eyes Then vvee must not be so grosse as to thinke except vvee see the Lord Iesus vvith the eyes of the body that vvee get no sight of him for the sight vve haue vvith the eye of fayth is a precious sight and this sight maketh his members here to loue him exceedingly Iohn 20.29 hee sayth Thomas because thou hast seene mee thou belieuest but blessed shall they bee vvho hath not seene mee and yet belieueth Belieue but a short vvhile and thou shalt see the fairest sight that euer creature saw and in the meane time thou shalt get joye in belieuing vvhile thy fayth bee turned in sight 1. Pet. 1.8 he sayth Though vvee see him not yet belieuing in him vve rejoyce vvith a joy that is vnspeakable and glorious O then vvhat shall that joy be when thou shalt see his face But howe is it that in Christ vvee see the Father There is the ground The Father and the Sonne are one in glory in power in wisdome justice mercy c. Marke vvell this grounde When yee come to heare of Christ bring it vvith you and settle it into your heart The Father and the Sonne are one and the Sonne is the Image of his Father And this grounde being settled into your soule then the sinner shall rest in hope and shall haue joy and shall reach in to the Father and then the creature findeth the selfe sure and fast and it vvere in the fire and thou vvere in the denne vvith the Lyons and in the middest of death and extremity thy soule shall get rest for vvhat shall separate thee from the loue of God Yea as Paul saith Rom. 8. Thou shalt find thy selfe more than victorious And vvithout this security in Christ Iesus I vvill not giue a pennie for all the security of men and for all the remission of the Prince the Lord shal bruise thee down for al thy remission Well vvell the Lord be mercifull to vs and to our Prince c. When hee hath laide downe this last ground hee vseth sensible arguments to conuince them That they behoued to say That the Father vvas in him and hee in the Father that is that the â—od-head dwelt bodily in him The first argument is from the â—ordes he spake The second from the vvorkes hee vvrought So vvould he say vvould yee haue sure argumentes that the Father and I am one take heed to my vvords take heed to my works and in them yee shall see that I vvho speaketh am the Sonne of God The vvordes that the Lord spake in the vvorlde and the vvorkes hee vvrought bare vvitnesse to them that sawe him and hearde him that hee vvas God Hee spake vvith such a grace and vvith such authoritie and such a Majestie that they who hearde wondered at his doctrine In a worde hee was such a Man as neuer was Looke what the seruantes of the Pharisees said when they had no power to touch him Neuer man spake as this man Iohn 7. vers 46. The Pharisees themselues vnderstanding the worke that hee wrought in giuing sight to the man that was borne blinde were forced to saye It cannot bee but this man is of God Chap. 9. vers 16. But Brethren come to his Disciples The enemies were astonished but his Disciples were not so but they felt the sweetnesse that was in him as Peter confesseth Where shall wee goe to thou hast the wordes of eternall life Chap. 6 vers 68. Hee saide The wordes of Iesus had power to life So the two Disciples when they were going to Emmaus after hee had left speaking to them and was gone away they saide Did not our heartes burne within vs while hee talked with vs by the waye and when hee opened to vs the Scriptures Luke 24.32 The worde of the Lord hath power to burne vp the drosse of the heart Wee also by the preaching of the Gospel finde by experience that life is conuoyed to our soule What meaneth this It meaneth that the Lord who spake was life and that the Godhead dwelt in him Set mee vp a Philosopher vvill his vvordes giue life No the vvordes of man can giue thee no life but the vvordes of the Author of Life giueth life It is true vvee haue not the Lord himselfe outwardlie speaking vnto vs but all that is spoken of him nowe it is spoken by infirme men and sinners vveake sillie bodies and this is the cause vvhy the vvorlde contemneth the Gospel It pleaseth the Lord so to confound the vvisdome of the vvorlde But it is also true If they vvho preach the Gospel seeke the glorie of the Lorde Iesus and the saluation of man they shall haue this vantage The Lord will accompanie the worde spoken by them so powerfullie by his Spirite that it shall furnish life to the hearers Yee see this in experience and all the Sainctes vvho haue anie sight of Iesus Christ vvitnesse it And it vvere but a sillie base man vvho is speaking the vvorde that same vvorde vvill haue power to life And this is the meane the Lorde vseth vvhile his comming againe And albeit the vvorde of the Crosse of Iesus to speake of an hanged man dying a death vvhich vvas cursed by God himselfe of Iesus nayled on the Crosse be the basest thing and the most foolish thing in the vvorlde yet Paul sayeth The vvorde of the same Crosse of IESVS is the power of GOD to Life to them vvho belieue It is the power of GOD and the vvisedome of GOD The greatest wisedome and power that anie faythfull soule can feele is the Crosse vvhich is foolishnesse to the vvorlde and they thinke all the vvisedome of men to bee but foolishnesse in respect of the meanest portion of that vvisdome What meaneth this vvisedome preached by vveake men of the Crosse of a crucified man vvhich conuoyeth life into the soule It meaneth this that the crucified man is the GOD of glorie Therefore holde fast this grounde and then thou shalt finde power comming from him to quicken thy dead soule and through his death thou shalt get life If hee had not died thou hadst neuer seene Life So all our life and all our joye is in his death And therefore let this bee all our glorie and our joye to rest vpon the Crosse
hee rose from the dead So that Godhead declared it selfe that it left him not after this life was exspired but raised him from corruption Then hee commeth to his argumentes to mooue his Father the first is Father the houre is come therefore Father glorifie thy Sonne the houre of death appointed from all eternitie that I should offer vp the Sacrifice for the redemption of man seeing this death approacheth neare let glorie follow that ignominious death my death will bee verie offensiue both to the multitude and to my Disciples as hee saide This night yee will all bee offended at mee and as hee would say O my Father leaue mee not in that ignominious death but out of death raise mee to glorie Christ Iesus all the time that hee was in the worlde the onlie thing which he sought was the glorie of Heauen for our life standeth in that Resurrection And if CHRIST had not beene raysed sayeth Paul all our preaching should bee in vaine and yee should lie still in your sinnes So during all the time that hee was in this worlde this was aye his prayer to his Father and chiefelie when hee sawe the houre of death hee was instant and earnest in seeking that glorie Wee may learne heere a lesson The nearer and the nearer wee are to death deceiue not our selues with a false life the more earnest wee should bee with GOD that hee would giue vs life and men and women as they growe in age and drawe nearer death they should bee the more instant to seeke life and when they growe to graye haires it is a great shame to see an olde bodie prophane they should prepare themselues for the houre of death for death is a dangerous thing death is not to bee jested with All men will say I will die but if thou diest once woe is to thee if thou gettest not life for why death is a port whereby wee either passe to that euerlasting death or then to euerlasting life Looke for no Purgatorie when as the soule is loosed from the bodie it seeth an horrible darknesse if in this present life it had not a fore-tasting of a better life Therefore during the time of grace when â—â— wee haue space in our life let vs seeke that life of Heauen not onâ—â—ie in our olde age but euen in our youthhood we should cast vs to seek life and happie is that young bodie that entereth into that race to life and aye goeth forwardes with the Apostle Paul neuer sitting downe but aye striuing to apprehende that Butte and Marke which is the Crowne of glorie in IESVS CHRIST Whether thou bee man or woman happie art thou who lookest for that life and sayest before the death drawe neare I must flitte So during this life heere wee shoulde aye groane to feele that life and fasten heart and hande to finde that life but then chiefely when we are drawing neare the doore of death and daylie we gette manie warnings to flitte and remooue out of this life And the Lord sayeth by these sicknesses and calamities Flitte flit but then greedily wee should gripe to Iesus Christ and fasten to him who is life and if wee gette a gripe of him that death which is terrible otherwayes it will bee turned to a sweet sleepe Paul sayeth Those who sleepe in him he shall rayse them vp there death is but a sweete sleepe Woe to them that haue no gripe of Christ for at the last houre death shall bee terrible vnto them Euen as I beganne so I ende Thinke not lightlie of death and if thou bestowest thy life looke that thou bestowe it well and for a good cause and if thou flittest and if thou changest this house of claye bee sure that thou gette a better and if this tabernacle of the bodie bee dissolued bee thou assured in thy soule that thou shalt bee cloathed with the glorie of Iesus Christ Paul in the seconde Epist to the Corinthians and the fifth Chapter was sure of this after the dissolution of his bodie from the soule when as hee sayeth I knowe perfectlie if once the earthlie house of this tabernacle were dissolued I shall gette a lodging not made with the handes of men but eternall in the Heauens Before yee flitte out of an house heere yee will bee sure of another to dwell in O foole art thou so wise in the thinges of this worlde and art not sure to bee cloathed with that building of the Heauens Therefore before thou losest this life see howe thou bestowest it and see that thou diest in a good cause and looke that thou haue a gripe of Iesus Christ and if thou wouldest die giue this life to him who is able to giue thee a better life And seeing the time of triall draweth neare for ought we see and the time will declare who will die with Iesus Christ and offer their liues vp to him the Lord giue euerie one of vs grace to die for Iesus Christ and saye in thy selfe Lord if it shall please thee to bring on that triall prepare mee to giue thee this life which thou hast giuen mee for I knowe assuredlie that I shall receiue a better of thee Well is the soule which is this wayes prepared And well is them who die for the cause of Iesus Christ for this glorious Gospel And woe is them who die in the contrarie parte The second argument is That thy Sonne may glorifie thee also This is the reason If thou glorifie mee Father I shall glorifie thee for the knowledge of thee standeth in the knowledge of mee if the worlde see not mee they cannot glorifie thee If the creature see not the glorie of the Sonne hee will neuer see the Father Yee see a sweete meeting heere betwixt the Father and the Sonne howe euerie one of them joyneth together in glorie the Father who is the Fountaine of all glorie beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirite the Father hath not his glorie of them but he beginneth and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirit the glorie of the Sonne and the holie Spirit redoundeth backe againe to the Father And that glorious Trinitie deliteth in glorifying one another for the glorie commeth from the Father vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and back againe from the holie Ghost to the Sonne from the Sonne to the Father euen as the Sunne maketh reflexe from a mirrour towardes himselfe againe No words are able to expresse this for it is a thing incomprehensible to see that glorie betwixt the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost The consideration of this woulde confounde all the creatures both men and Angels howe the Father putteth on the beames of his glorie vpon the Sonne and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit and then it coÌ„meth about from the holie Spirit and striketh on the Son on the Father Of this we are not capable nor no Angel can sufficientlie
consider the deepnes of this glorie yet wee may knowe that all glorie commeth of the Father and passeth on the Sonne and on the holie Spirit and as it were in a circle the beames of that glorie commeth backe againe glancing on the Father and the glorie of the Father is not diminished but euer hee remaineth infinitelie glorious and the Sonne and the holie Spirite are nothing inferiour in power majestie or glorie vnto the Father for they differ nothing except in order The Father is first and the Sonne is the seconde person of the glorious Trinitie begotten of the Father and the blessed holie Spirite the thirde person proceedeth of the Father and the Sonne all alike glorious Nowe I will leaue this There is euen such a meeting betwixt God and man in a manner for all the glorie which wee haue commeth of the Father for what is the glory of a King but a little small beame of that infinite glorie So the glorie of the creature redoundeth to God Looke to the Heauen and to the Earth there is great glorie in them yet the glorie of them shall all come to him againe and Heauen and Earth shall perish ere he want a jote of his glorie Rom. 11. By him thorow him and to him are all thinges So that to him redoundeth all glorie in ende all commeth home againe till him as in a circle And marke this he saith not this That thou mayst be glorified in the Sonne but That the Sonne may glorifie the Father If anie man hath gotten a sparke of that glorie let him not thinke that that glorie shall onelie come backe againe to God but let him bee the conuoyer of it and let him say yea if he bee a King who hath gotten a Crowne Lord I wil take this Crowne and with as good will as thou hast giuen it to mee will I giue it to thee againe for wee haue nothing but that which commeth from this God And so if thou hadst nothing but this life say Now Lord with as good will as I gotte it with as good will will I render it to thee otherwayes hee will bee glorified in thee whatsoeuer thou doest doe what thou canst but thy life shall bee turned into death and thine honour into shame and ignominie Therefore whensoeuer it pleaseth him to seeke our liues euen with heart and good will we should render them vnto him for if he take them from vs he will giue vs life euerlasting and if hee take a Crowne from a King hee will giue him the Crowne of life euerlasting And if hee take this worldly riches from thee hee will giue thee that rich treasure of glory in Iesus Christ and so with all other worldly things but if we giue them not with good will he will take them from vs wil giue them to others and we shall get shame and ignominie So in despite of thine heart God shall be glorified in whatsoeuer thing hee bestoweth on thee Therefore let euery one of vs whatsoeuer wee receiue of God bee so disposed that if it please God to haue our life riches or whatsoeuer commodities of this world we render all vnto God willingly as Job saieth The Lord giueth the Lord taketh blessed bee the Name of the Lord. As hee would say I haue gotten all from thee and I will giue all to thee againe What got Iob for rendring all to the Lord He gaue him the double Euen so thou shalt get the double Nowe the Lord prepare vs to offer vp this life willingly vnto him and to spende it thankfully for his glory and seruice being assured that wee shall gette a better life layde vp in the Heauens for vs through IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the holie SPIRIT bee all Prayse Honour and Glorie world without ende AMEN THE XVIII LECTVRE OF CHRISTS PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 2.3 As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all them that thou hast giuen him And this is life eternall that they knowe thee to bee the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ WEE shewed you the last daye Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus Christ that this Prayer which the Lord made to his Disciples before his death standeth in three parts First hee prayeth for himselfe and his owne glory Secondly he prayeth for his Apostles and for their preseruation Last he prayeth for the whole Faythfull the whole Kirke that should bee on the face of the earth to the ende of the worlde The last day we entered into the first part His petition in the first part was Father glorifie thy Sonne The first argument of his petition was The houre is at hande that is to saye The houre of my death is at hande therefore it is time that I should be glorified Let mee not lie for euer would hee he say in that terrible and ignominious and offensiue death but after the death after that shame and ignominie that I shall suffer immediately glorifie me Then the next argument was Glorifie thy Sonne Father that thy Sonne may glorifie thee I shall glorifie thee againe would hee saye and in mine exaltation and glorifying me thou shalt be glorified and so the whole glory shall redounde to thee therefore Father glorifie me In this Text which wee haue nowe read followeth the thirde reason of his petition why hee desireth that the Father should glorifie him The thirde reason is That I may giue life euerlasting to them that thou hast giuen to mee As he would say Father glorifie mee and I shall giue life euerlasting to thy Chosen it shall not bee for nothing but as my glory shall redounde to thy glory so it shall redounde to the saluation of thy Chosen to the ende of the world Ere he come to the argument he layeth downe the ground of it which is the authority that the Father had giuen to him Thou hast giuen mee authoritie ouer all flâ—sh sayth the Lord. This ground of the gift of life euerlasting is a power and authority which the Father hath giuen to the Sonne Whosoeuer giueth life hee must haue a great authority and a greater than all this earth hath All the Kings in the worlde haue not authority to giue life to a gnat Indeede the authority of a King may take away the life but they haue no power no if it were but to giue this life naturall let bee life euerlasting And so that power must be great to giue life euerlasting So this Princely and Kingly authority the Lord Iesus hath receiued of his Father Ye know his offices his Kingly office his Priestly and Propheticall office Life euerlasting and the gift of it is grounded on that Kingly authority which the Lord hath gotten from his Father But howe farre extendeth it Thou hast giuen mee authoritie ouer all flesh Neuer man nor woman is exempted from the Kingly power of Iesus Christ whether they be chosen or
glorified of the Father in that most humble obedience he gaue to his Father there was neuer a man humbled vnder the Father as he In that obedience he gaue to the Father the mercy loue of the Father shined in the world in his humility The worlâ—e wondered that euer there should haue beene such a mercy and such a loue of God to man And they who wil look to this humble man the Lord Iesus they will wonder that euer there should haue beene such a mercy to man If thou look wel to the obedience and humblenesse of the Son thou shalt wonder at the loue of the Father toward vs who humbled his owne Son not onely as a seruant but to the vile death the accursed death of the Crosse for our cause as Christ himselfe sayth Iohn 3. vers 16. The Father hath so loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onelie begotten Sonne for it that all that belieue in him should hee saued and none perishe What man will giue his onelie begotten sonne to saue another Nowe this commendeth the loue of God sayeth Paul Rom. 5. vers 8. that when wee were enemies Christ died for vs. Who is hee that will die for his enemie or what father will giue his sonne for him So neither man nor Angel is able to comprehende the thousande parte of the loue which the Father bare to the worlde in humbling his onelie begotten Sonne So the Sonne glorified the Father in his humiliation Then againe when the Sonne was glorified of the Father after he was raised from the dead and ascended to the Heauens and set at the right hand of his Father in that glory incomprehensible the Sonne glorified the Father in that exaltation as hee glorified him before in his humiliation so doeth he in his exaltation and hee glorified the Father in his exaltation by reason that there appeared such a wonderfull power in God in exalting Christ in our nature that was so humbled in the graue And when the worlde saw that the body of the man Iesus Christ was raised vp so gloriously they wondered that euer there should haue beene such a power in GOD All the Angels in Heauen gotte neuer such a Reuelation of the power of GOD as then when the LORD IESVS was raised vp from the death to life Not onelie raised hee a dead man vp from death but hee raised him vp in such a wonderfull highnesse that he made him King ouer all kinges and aboue all Angels and gaue him such a Name that at the Name of Iesus all knees should bow of men and Angels of all things vnder the earth and aboue it and that all tongues should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and God of all glory Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1. vers 20. when hee speaketh of this power hee will not simply call it a power but he saith this According to the effectualnesse of his strong power which hee vttered in Christ when hee raised him from the dead that is the first degree and placed him at his right hand that is the second degree There appeareth the power of God in exalting him in our nature to so high a glory It appeared not so great at the creation as then when hee exalted the Man Iesus Christ Wouldest thou knowe the power of God Looke to that exaltation and thou shalt see it shine in a greater measure than in any thing that euer was wrought Men by nature would see things to rauish them to admiration but I tell thee if thou wouldest wonder at any thing wonder at these things at the humiliation of Iesus Christ and at the exaltation of Iesus Christ the wonderfullest doctrine that euer sounded in the worlde So when thou hearest of the death of Christ and of his exalting wonder for such a wondering shall worke saluation Let vs see all the wonders of the world neuer one of them shall worke life or saluation but that wonder The answere may bee otherwayes The Lord when he was in the world hee glorified the Father in his prophesie and Priesthood hee is that annointed Prophet Priest and King So he being Prophet Priest and King hee glorified the Father in the Earth chiefely in his prophesie hee teached aye in the world he glorified also the Father in his Priesthood he aye suffered neuer a day passed by from his birth vntill his latter breath without some suffering But in his Kingly office hee glorified the Father when hee was exalted and raised vp to the Heauen and set downe at the right hand of that Majesty and that is the office in this houre in the which the Sonne of God glorifieth his Father in sitting there as a King of Heauen and Earth reigning in the middest of his enemies with a great yron rodde battering them in pieces like a potte-shard and that same rodde of yron shall neuer leaue them till it bruise them downe There was neuer a King so glorious as he is at the right hand of the Father and when wee shall see him in that Princely Throne wee shall say wee neuer saw glory in this world to that glory And when the conquesse which the Lord Iesus is making in Heauen and in Earth for the enemies are not yet altogether subdued no the day passeth not but he maketh some conquesse when it shall bee ended I say hee shall render vp that Kingdome into the hands of the Father 1. Cor. 15. vers 24. When death is ouercome and the Deuill for death is not yet ouercome he shal render all into the hands of the Father and there shall not be an enemie but all shall be casten down and all the Chosen shall treade downe the neckes of Emperours Wee marke one thing ere we goe to the next vers for our vse to draw this to our selues This is the protestation which the Lord maketh a little before his death Hee protesteth that aboue all things in Heauen or in Earth hee sought the glory of his Father euen to his owne death Now well is that man who wheÌ„ the hour of death is drawn neare is able to say in any measure Lord I haue glorified thee and howbeit it be with great infirmity Lord I haue honoured thee in my life Yee see olde men will reckon of things past if they haue bene notable instruments in any thing they will talk say I haue done this and that But alas if thou hadst won kingdoms al auails not if thou canst not say Lord I haue sought to glorify thee Away with all the world and with all the felicity of it and all thou hast suffered and done in it if thou canst not say when thou art going out of this world I stroue at the least to glorifie thee And at the least if thou who hast bene a notable sinner canst not say Lord forgiue me I haue bene a sinner and haue not repented in time now I repent craue thee mercy if thou canst not say this wo is
gaue some to be his Apostles some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Doctors The ground of all is this The Father hath giuen all power in Heauen and in Earth to the Sonne Thou shouldest vnderstand this well What is the Sonne of God He is the Treasure-house of all the grace and mercy of the Father Whosoeuer would haue grace and mercy from the Father let him addresse himselfe vnto him for in him is the fulnesse of all grace and passing knowledge and wisedome in him is the deepnesse and fulnesse of the Godhead bodily as Paul sayth to the Coloss Chap. 2. vers 9. and all grace immediately is powred out from him on the Kirke Let him that would haue any grace addresse himselfe to the Sonne and desire him that the Father would giue some portion of grace out of that Treasure-house Iesus Christ If thou passest by him thou shalt neuer taste of grace Seeke grace where there is fulnesse of all grace in the world The thing which I marke of this argument is this shortly To mooue his Father to sanctifie his Disciples he vseth this argument Father I send them out to the world Now ye see the Lesson that riseth Whosoeuer commeth to the world to draw this world out of that pollution and filthinesse wherein it lieth to sanctifie the world and to make this world holy of an vncleane world to make it cleane of necessity hee must bee sanctified Alace Brethren an vnfaithfull and vnholy man let him bee a Minister as for Apostles we haue none not separated from the world but in all things like the world is vnmeet to preach and to be an Instrument or Minister of God to sanctifie the wicked worlde or to win soules to Heauen An vnholy man and in no measure separated from the world but in life and conuersation like the worlde in all vanity let him not open his mouth to speake of Christ There is not one that the Lord Iesus sendeth but in some measure hee will make them holy and therefore that man that liueth like this worlde and hath his conuersation in all pointes like the worlde I say and I assure thee the Lord neuer sent that man So if a Minister would haue a good conscience in his calling and would goe out to the worlde to draw men to Heauen let him try himselfe if he be separated from the world or no And if hee finde that hee is separated from the world then with the better conscience hee may speake of Iesus Christ and then hee may put out his hand to miserable men and draw them piece and piece out of this sinful world otherwayes he can haue no boldnesse Nowe let vs come to the seconde argument The seconde argument which hee vseth is from the ende of his sanctification For their sakes I haue sanctifie my selfe To what end That they may be sanctified through thy trueth I haue sanctified my self that is I haue consecrated my selfe to the death to bee a Sacrifice that by my death and thorow it they should be made holy and that by the ministerie of the Crosse The ground of all our sanctification is the Crosse and death of Iesus Christ It is that blood and that Sacrifice that maketh vs holy and which is that meritorious cause that hath procured holinesse to euerie one of vs. Well Brethren as little as men will count of holinesse our holinesse is deare bought there is not one that hath a sponke of holinesse little or much but it is bought by the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe it is the dearest Merchandize that euer was bought in the worlde So the ground of holinesse is the blood of God But I say againe except that the Crosse of Christ and his blood and his death and Sacrifice be made thine and applied to thee and apprehended to thee and except so to speake it the Crosse of Iesus Christ bee in thine heart and thy conscience sprinkled with his blood the Crosse of Iesus shall neuer doe thee good to make thee holy Now yee see the meane and instrument whereby the death of Christ is made ours It is the worde of Christ euen the worde of the Crosse This same Gospel of Iesus Christ wherein the Lord in a manner is crucified and painted out to thine eye that is the meane which applyeth to thy soule that death that it may bee effectuall in thee to sanctification and holinesse of life It will not bee Christ and his Crosse without thee that will sanctifie thee except thou belieue in him and by fayth drawe Christ and his blood into thine heart thou mayest well bee worse and the Crosse of Christ may condemne thee but thou shalt neuer bee the better of him But if thou belieuest this worde of the Crosse and so make Iesus Christ and his Crosse thine by fayth then the blood of Iesus Christ shall gushe out to thy sanctification It cannot bee ydle but it must sanctifie and separate thee from the worlde and make thee an Heire of Life Looke howe yee should haue a sight of the Crosse of Christ thinke it not enough that Christ suffered and died for sinners except when thou hearest this worde of the Crosse thine heart griedilie gripe and drawe Christ in to thy selfe and this aye should bee our exercise in the hearing of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ to get such a solide apprehension of the Crosse that thou mayest say The Lord Iesus died for me the greatest sinner in the world Look that thou find the effect and fruit to flow of that Crosse to the sanctification of thy soule mortification slaughter of thy sinfull nature day night So heare not with the eares only but with the apprehension of the heart or els that Crosse shal neuer be effectual to saue thee but for all this benefit of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ euerlasting death and damnation shall be thine ende Bee not secure in hearing but drawe in to thy selfe Iesus Christ and there shall followe such a joye and consolation that all the tongues of men nor Angels cannot expresse there is no pleasure comparable to that pleasure which the heart of a faythfull man will finde Now hitherto hee hath prayed for himselfe first That the Father would glorifie him and next for his Disciples eleuen in number for Iudas hath no part of that Prayer Now last he extendeth his Prayer farder out beyonde all the Apostles to the whole faythfull that shall belieue in him to the ende of the worlde And this is the third part of this Prayer a Prayer for the whole faythfull that should belieue in him to the ende of the worlde But to come to the wordes Not for them onelie that is Not for my Disciples alone doe I pray But J praye also for all them that shall belieue in me through their Worde And vvhat prayeth hee for them That they may bee made vp in one bodie joyned with
FIVE AND TWENTIE LECTVRES VPON THE LAST SERMON AND CONFERENCE OF OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST With his Disciples immediately before his Passion Contained in the fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters of the GOSPEL of Sainct IOHN As also vpon that most excellent PRAYER contained in the seuenteenth Chap. of the same Gospel Preached by that Reuerend and faythfull Seruant of God M. ROBERT ROLLOK Minister of the Kirke and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH Printed by ANDRO HART Anno 1619 TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Their most louing Friende in the Lord SYR WILLIAM SCOT OF ELIE KNIGHT c. Grace in this life and euerlasting Glorie in the Life to come ALBEIT RIGHT HONOVRABLE the whole Scripture and euerie parte thereof bee of Diuine inspiration and profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in Righteousnesse Yet it is no absurditie to affiâ—me that some partes thereof for some respectes and causes are to bee preferred and more accounted of than others The Apostle giueth vs a sufficient proofe of this while he preferreth the Gospel to the Law 2. Cor vers 3. And the Euangelistes in setting downe in wâ—t sundrie thinges Iohn 20. vers 30. declare the same to be true in the Gospel and consequentlie amongst those thinges which are written the Spirite of God would haue vs to esteeme most of those thinges which hee hath more particularlie painfullie carefullie and at greatest length put in Register Amongst the which there are none to bee preferred vnto his last Sermone which hee made to his Apostles and his Prayer vnto his Father immediatlie before his departure The excellencie whereof and howe highlie the LORD would haue vs to regarde and account of them to speake nothing of the Author Iâ—â—â—S CHRIST because by his holie Spirit not onelie this but also the whole Scripture is dited shall more euidentlie appeare if we consider a little first the time of the vttering of them next the manner and thirdlie the matter therein contained The time was immediatelie before his Passion for after that by his owne example in washing his Disciples feete he had recommended vnto them Humilitie as a vertue most singular and beseeming a Christian hee vttereth these wordes partlie in the time of the Supper and partlie after the Supper And wee knowe that the speaches of men which immediatelie preceede death as they proceede of a moste holie and Heauenlie disposition for then all affections are layde aside nature reuiueth and reason getteth place then moste wiselie the soule resolueth concerning its owne estate and condition then hee testifieth most plainlie his will towardes his Children his Seruantes his Familie and other Friendes whatsoeuer so are they thought worthie to bee moste attentiuelie heard most carefullie receiued and most deeplie kept in memorie If wee consider the manner seeing the holie Spirit taketh more paines and is more plentifull and copious in penning heereof than of anie other Sermone whatsoeuer hee would haue vs to knowe howe precious a Iewell they are and howe highlie wee ought to account of them For if wee search all the Records of the LORDES Sermons in the New Testament wee shall finde none so particularlie and fullie set downe in register as this is Lastlie if wee consider the matter it is full of manifolde Heauenlie consolations It is true indeede sundrie times before the LORD in his Sermons hath comforted his Apostles and all penitent sinners but in no place at so great length and with such varietie of Heauenlie consolations For heere at length hee meeteth and re-encountereth almost with euerie griefe scandale and particular temptation that exercised and assailed their soules They were sadde and sorrowfull when they heard that hee was to leaue the worlde and to ascende vnto the Father Hee meeteth this by bidding them belieue in him and fayth in him should supplie his bodilie absence and hee telleth that the ende wherefore hee ascended was to prepare a place for them that where he was there they might bee also It was a griefe to them that they should want such a comfortable Guide who alwayes directed and conducted them This hee meeteth by telling them that hee would not leaue them comfortlesse but hee would giue them his Holie Spirit They feared that they should bee depriued of manifolde consolations which they found in his presence This hee meeteth by assuring them that howbeit in the worlde they should finde trouble yet in the middest of trouble hee should giue and leaue them that peace that the worlde should not take from them and if they belieue in him as the Vine-tree furnisheth the Branches so hee should furnishe vnto them solide and manifolde consolations and make them to bring foorth fruite aboundantlie And to the intent that they might haue the better warrand to looke and exspect for those graces in him as hee chargeth them by fayth to haue vnion with him so hee chargeth them by loue to haue communion amongst themselues The troubles and crosses that were to befall them in the worlde for CHRISTES sake after his departure might haue wonderfullie discouraged them and brangled their fayth This hee meeteth partlie by fore-warning them before they came to passe and partlie by exhorting them to patience and partlie by setting downe manie argumentes to establish them Hee telleth them that the worlde should hate them persecute them excommunicate them and put them to death Hee comforteth them partlie because hee hath fore-warned them and partlie because they had done so to him who was their Lord and Master and partlie for the goodnesse of the cause because it was for his Names sake Againe hee knew it would bee no small temptation vnto them to see his shamefull and ignominious handling to see him who was their Lord to bee so wonderfullie humbled to see him taken and bound by wicked and profane men to see him made a spectacle of derision first in the Hall of Annas and thereafter of Cajaphas to see all sortes and rankes of people crie out against him to see him at last to bee condemned and ignominiouslie crucified hee knewe that this temptation would bee so strong and so vehement to brangle their fayth that at the last all should bee offended in him and should flee away from him and leaue him Of this hee fore-warneth them and furnisheth consolation vnto them notwithstanding of their foule fall Now againe if yee looke to the Prayer it is wonderous Heauenlie and comfortable For after that as a Prophet hee hath instructed the people and the Apostles nowe before as an high Priest hee offer vp his owne bodie vpon the Crosse for the sinnes of the worlde hee prayeth most earnestlie for himselfe for his Apostles and for them who should belieue through their Ministerie For himselfe That the Father would nowe glorifie the Sonne when hee is going out of the worlde For his Apostles That the Father would alwayes haue a carâ— of them whome hee left in the worlde behinde him And thirdlie for all them that
leadeth vs in the way of trueth and verity We are all out of the way till he leade vs in the way of saluation There is neuer man nor woman who is not naturally full of vanity and his heart full of lies no trueth chiefly in the way that leadeth to life and saluation The spirit of errour occupieth naturally the heartes of men and women vntill this blessed Spirite enter into their heartes The name is to bee marked First hee is called the Comforter Secondlie the Spirit of trueth The one of these is the cause of the other And the Spirite of GOD is the Comforter and ministreth comfort to the soules of men and vvomen because hee is the Spirite of veritie For Brethren this knowledge of God is the grounde of all comfort and vvithout the knowledge of our saluation there is no comfort in this life When the Spirite of God entereth into the soule of a man or woman he first beginneth to let the creature see the sinfulnesse that lieth in nature the miserie death and damnation that followeth on sinne The first knowledge we can haue is to knowe vvhat we are by nature So the first worke of the Spirit of Veritie is when he letteth a man or woman see that hee is but sinfull and dead vnder sinne The second point of knowledge that the Spirite vvill leade thee vntill hee vvill let thee see mercy in thy deliuerance from sinne and death The best sight that euer a miserable creature sawe and the ioyfullest this sight vvill bee accompanied vvith such a ioy as the heart of man cannot expresse As the sight of sinne was heauy so this sight of grace mercy in Iesus Christ is sweet yea the ioyfullest sight that euer the creature got The third point of knowledge he vvill leade thee vnto is hee vvill let thee see the vvay howe thou shouldest meete that mercifull God and vvhat shoulde bee thy duety for such a mercifull deliuerance If any man or vvoman haue this Spirit of Verity he must see these three things and if they see not these three they vvist neuer what vvas the Spirite of Verity Looke vvhat followeth on these three sights all the ioye in the vvorlde the heart vvist neuer vvhat ioye vvas vvhile then If one had all the riches in the vvorlde all the pleasures in the vvorlde if they vvant the Spirite they vvant that true ioye in death in life hee that vvanteth that Spirit can haue no ioy vvhen death commeth to him and the vvorld leaueth him how can he reioyce no he cannot So vvouldest thou haue ioye and chiefely in the houre of death and that is a sad houre when the vvorlde is leauing thee and thou leauing it for thou must leaue it Get this blessed sight and this Spirite of Verity and hee shall vvorke comfort in thy soule both in thy life and in the houre of death Now againe the second time he aggreageth this benefite for the benefite of the soule cannot bee aggreaged enough before he aggreageth it in that it should abide vvith them for euer Now he aggreageth it from the condition of the vvorld and hee sayth Hee is such a Spirit that the worlde cannot receiue The aggreaging of this benefite to the soule is by opposition to the vvorlde The vvorld sayth the Lord receiued not this Spirit of Verity vvhom yee shall receiue It hath a great force the Spirite of GOD vvhen hee vvoulde amplifie the grace that the Chosen gette in the vvorlde vseth to sette downe a grace opposite to the worlde vvho getteth not this grace but in place of it getteth miserie So in the threescore Chapter of Esay and the twelfth Verse hee sayeth The Lord shall rise vp and make the beames of his mercie to shine vpon his owne Hee setteth not downe this simplie but to let them see the greatnesse of the benefite hee subjoyneth an opposition And darknesse sayeth hee shall couer the Earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise vp to shine vpon thee with the beames of that his mercy and his glory shall bee seene vpon thee This is done that the godly should see the greatnesse of the mercy of God towards them One contrary will make another the better to be knowne Brethren wee see this all the aduersaries vse this argument against vs Your Kirke is contracted in little boundes and your Profession is but narrow and fewe imbrace it where yee finde one who professeth as yee professe ye will find an hundreth who contemne your Doctrine So say they because the multitude imbraceth it not it is not the true Light But these wordes condemne them The Lord sayeth The vvorlde cannot receiue the Spirite of Veritie They say The vvorlde must receiue the Spirite of Veritie or else it is not the Spirite of Veritie So to ende this Wee must bee so farre from that to count the lesse of this blessed Light and of these whome the Lord vsed as instrumentes after hee had taken them out of the darke Kingdome of the Antichrist to make this Light shine like the Sunne that euen by the contrary wee must count the more of it And it is an argument that it is the Trueth because the Lord will not communicate it with the multitude And woe is the soule that neuer saw this Light Precious thinges are but rare The more pecious a grace bee euermore since the beginning of the worlde it is the rarer No man getteth this Light communicated to them but those secret ones whom the Lord hath chosen And we one day shall blesse this Light that euer we saw it The worde is to bee marked The worlde cannot receiue him This worde importeth that the fault wherefore the worlde receiueth not this Spirite is not in the Spirite but the fault is in the vvorlde it selfe vvho vvanteth the hand and so neither will nor can receiue such a grace The Lord in his worde offereth to all men indifferentlie this Spirite and as it were by his vvorde knocketh at the heartes of men and women to receiue such a guest There is none of vs who heareth this glorious Euangel but the Lord knocketh at the doore of his soule to take in this Holy Spirit to dwell with him But looke howe hee is answered All receiueth not this Spirit and all hearts are not opened to take him in yea very fewe there bee who take in this Spirite in their heart when they heare this Euangel Take heed there is no grace nor welfare without this Spirit and howe can the heart bee glad without him Yet they are few who get him To speak the trueth There is no man nor woman who is naturally borne to receiue this Spirit of God The naturall man sayth Paul is not capable of the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 So by nature all men and women are alike Then who maketh the difference sayth Paul to the Corinthians What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 Then if there bee a
say it is a foolish question I will bee there as soone as any Minister of them all howbeit they contemne this worde and this presence of the Lord. This is like to prophane Esau who solde his part of Heauen for the filling of the belly of him vvhat doeth he in the meane time passeth ouer the time and thinketh he hath his Birth-right hee looketh for that blessing but vvhen it commeth to the blessing it is taken from him and it is giuen to Iaakob So men will not thinke that this contempt of the Spirit will close Heauen from them vntill that latter sentence Esau mourned and wept when the blessing was giuen to Iaakob but mourne as he would hee could not get that blessing but lay still with the curse on him So at that day sore shall the lamenting be and we shall heare them roaring howling and crying vvho contemne this worde But let them howle and they were kinges they shall neuer mend themselues or free themselues from that eternall fire So as wee would see Christ comming in that day to our joye let vs make much of this worde in the which Christ is present Or else I giue thee doome and thou do it not thou shalt neuer see him but to thy shame When hee hath set downe the estate of them who contemne him next hee layeth downe the estate of his Disciples who contemned him not But sayth he yee shall see mee Howbeit that this sight that now yee haue bee taken away yet shall yee get another sight more comfortable This sight is the sight of Iesus in his Spirit thorowe his worde The Spirit is not without the worde And there bee no word there is no Spirit Contemnest thou the word thou contemnest the meane that the Lord hath appointed to get that Spirit Then the word of the Gospel and the Spirit that followeth on the word letteth a man or woman see Christ Hast thou heard the worde preached and by the worde hast found consolation thou hast seene Christ thou hast felt and griped him The Spirit of Christ by the worde and Sacramentes entereth into the soule of man and woman and filleth the soule and bringeth Christ into the soule and filleth the whole senses with him The hands wil feele him the eyes will see him Get this Spirite thou shalt get himselfe and when thou hearest that worde out of the mouth of a weake instrument thou shalt heare his owne voyce and thine heart shall gripe him euen as sensibly as thine handes will gripe a sensible body and thou shalt haue more joy sweetnesse and peace than all the world can giue thee Haue ye euer heard him or tasted him then haue yee felt this joy Howbeit wee see him not yet as Peter sayth wee belieue and rejoyce with a joye that is vnspeakable So this fayth wee speake of and this Gospel is not vaine wordes that passe away not a superficiall thing but the moste effectuall thin◠〈◊〉 the world to our consolation The Christian Religion is the most solide and most joyfull thing of all thinges in the worlde all other Professions are but vanity they haue no solidity But to belieue in CHRIST both in life and death is most comfortable And once thou get that Spirite thou mayest feele that Spirite better than all the things in the world And we want this joy the fault is not in the Spirit but in vs who cannot apprehend him He subjoynes the reason why they should see him this is it There is nothing that can slay this sight but death and hee prooueth that death cannot staye it If death could staye it it must bee either your death or my death but so it is I liue and yee shall lâ—ue yee shall not die therefore death shall not staye it as for me I haue life eternally I haue the life of God aâ— for you yee shall liue by the life which is in mee The manner of speaking would be marked Ye shall liue because I liue He sayth not I shall liue but J liue This is a weighty speach the meaning is I liue from all eternity my life had neuer a beginning The forme of speaking importeth a life from all eternity a life by gone a life present and a life to come And the Lord liueth not as the creatures but he is life it selfe and the Fountaine of all life therefore he liueth by himselfe In the end of the eight Chapter hee speaketh such like Ere Abraham was I am that is I had my beginning from all eternity As in the Reuelation Chap. 1 vers 4. I am hee who is was and shall bee And there were no more to testifie that Christ is God and one with the Father this is an argument to tell vs that our Lord is God There is no creature man nor Angel can say I am it is proper to God Exod. 3.14 This phrase importeth a being by himselfe and by him we liue moue and are Act. 17.28 No creature can saye I liue onely the Lord can say it So this word importeth necessarily that the Lord is God of Heauen The thing I note on this argument is Wee may see the ground of sight is life and no man can see except hee bee liuing What can the eye of a dead body see The ground of the naturall sight is naturall life So they who would see heauenly thinges must haue life A dead man will neuer see Heauen This life what a life must it be Must it be a naturall life Noâ— And thou hadst ten thousand naturall liues thou wilt neuer see Christ without another life I say more This life naturall is so defiled with sinne that it hindereth vs from the sight of Heauen And the more powerfull the natural man be in his own sight the more are his eyes closed froÌ„ Heauen As Paul sayth The naturall man is not capable of Spirituall things for they are foolishnesse to him The naturall man will thinke the Crosse of Christ is but scorne It is an harde thing for a naturall witted man to receiue Christ because his head is full of naturall wit So ere a man get a sight of that life there must be a mortification of this corrupt nature and wisdome of the flesh And thou wouldest be heauenly wise be a foole to the world that thou mayest be wise 1. Cor. 3.18 Thou must learne to make this worldly wit a seruant to this Heauenly knowledge So this life which is the cause of sight must be the life of Christ there shall neuer one see Christ but he who hath this life into him in some measure A man who hath gotten a sponke of the life of Christ hee will see Christ for hee liueth not by himselfe as Paul sayeth but hee liueth by Christ Gal. 2.20 As yee would see Iesus Christ bee not content to haue a naturall life occupied in the things of the world but see thou find that life of Iesus be in thee Rest not night nor day as thou wouldest liue
but they will bee fectfull There is not a man or a woman who deliteth in euill that hath Christ dwelling within them When the Lord hath pointed out the man who loueth him the Disciples might haue thought What vantage shal men then haue to loue thee for wee will doe nothing without vantage thy loue appeareth to be a burden till vs because thou chargest vs to keepe thy Commandements The Lord meeteth this and hee saieth Hee that loueth me shall be loued of my Father he shall not loue me for nothing my Father shall meet him with loue Whosoever loueth the Lord Iesus the Father loueth him vvhosoever hateth the Lord Iesus the Father hateth him There is nothing but hatred in God against the Iewes and Pagans vvho loueth not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema It vvould seeme by these vvords Brethren that our loue preceedeth and passeth before the loue of God and because wee loue him first therefore hee loueth vs But this is not the beginning of loue that is meant here God beginneth the loue and then we loue him Thereafter hee meeteth vs with loue God loueth vs ay first vvhen we were his enemies he loued vs he loued vs ere euer we were or had any being and because he loued vs he chose vs. In this standeth loue fayth Iohn 1. Epist Chap. 4. vers 10. not that wee loued him first but that hee loued vs first to kythe this hee sent his only begotten Sonne to bee a propitiation for our sinnes So God beginneth first to loue vs ere euer wee begin to loue him Paul saith Rom. 5. The loue of God must bee shed abroad in our hearts the holy Spirit must testifie vnto vs of that fauour that God hath till vs and hee must water our drie heartes vvith a sense of that loue and then when the Lord letteth vs see that hee loueth vs and hath assured vs of the remission of our sinnes by the death of Christ then wee begin to meete him with loue So the loue vvee haue to God is nothing but like a little spring of vvater flowing from that great Fountaine of his loue Now vvhen the Lord seeth vs begin to loue him in some measure vve begin not to loue him so soone but as he began to loue vs hee commeth about and compasseth our loue He is euer the first louer and the last There is none heart able to comprehende the loue of the Lord The loue of the Lord to his owne is endlesse Paul sayeth to the Ephesians Chap. 3. vers 18. Yee being rooted and grounded vpon the loue of God there is our roote and our foundation vve stand vpon yee may be able to comprehend with all the Saincts vvhat is the breadth and length and depth and height of that loue The loue of God is infinite The heart vvill feele the loue of God But the heart of the sinner cannot comprehend it in full measure But to speake of our loue it is very sober it is nothing to speake of and except God meete this sponke of loue continually vvith that passing loue that sponke vvould soone be quenched except he continued his grace vpon vs our loue would soone vanish away Wee may finde this all by experience For vvhen God hath heaped his benefites vpon vs vvee meete him not aye vvith loue but our loue is like to die and euanish out of our heartes When God hath giuen a benefite vvho is it that at the recept of it hath his heart drawne to God When thou hast eaten and drunken and slept hast thou thine heart drawne to God The vvorlde forgetteth God vvhen it hath gotten the benefites of God In a worde Our loue is so small and weake that albeit hee preasse to intertaine it it is like to die and dwine awaye It should not bee so For it vvill not bee vvel vvith them and they vvere Kinges Lordes or Earles vvhen they gette the benefites of GOD vvho will not acknowledge him for them And thinke once of the loue of GOD thou shalt not loue him so soone but thou shalt finde that loue of GOD in thine heart Preasse to loue the LORDE and hee shall striue to loue thee and shall not rest to loue thee till hee glorifie thee in the Heauens Hee addeth to and hee sayeth Not onlie shall the Father loue him but the Son shall loue him also The loue of the Father and of the Son is vnseparable whom the Father loueth the Son loueth on the contrary whom the Father hateth the Sonne hateth also So and thou wouldest haue the loue of the Father haue the loue of the Sonne Howbeit these two loues bee set downe as sundry loues as though the Father had one loue and the Sonne another loue as wee see amongst men it is not so with the Father of Heauen and with the Sonne of God As there is but one essence of the Father and of the Sonne and one Majestie and as there is but one power and justice and wisdome so there is but one and that selfe same loue of the Father and of the Sonne and that same loue vvhich is the Sonnes is also the Fathers the nature of God is loue if there be but one nature of the Father and of the Sonne it must therefore followe there is but one loue of the Father and of the Sonne How then get wee the sense and feeling of this loue of God Experience telleth vs that all the sense of loue that is in the Father is all thorow the Sonne Neuer man yet got a sight or sense of the loue of the Father but by the Sonne Hee who neuer saw the Lord Iesus sawe neuer the loue of God because hee is the splendor of his glory and the image of the inuisible God The Iewes may striue to see the Father but neuer shall they see him till they turne them to the Sonne What man is hee that euer felt the loue of God without Christ And what dow a sinner without a sense of loue and mercy Looke if it will not passe thy power to haue any sense of the loue of God without Iesus Christ but when the heart is drawne to looke to him by fayth in Christ then thou shalt get such a sweetnesse rest and joy as cannot be vttered What meaneth this It meaneth that the mercy that is layed vp for sinners it is layed vp in Christ So let vs addresse our selues to Christ and thorowe him wee shall haue accesse to the deepnesse of that grace in God That then is the vantage they shall get who loueth him to wit they shall be met with a two-fold loue Now lest they should think this loue but fectlesse as is the loue of the creature he telleth them what fruit shall come to them there thorow If the Father shall loue you I then I shall show mine owne selfe to you I shall giue you mine owne presence So there is the profit that redoundeth of the loue of the Father and of
the Son Whateuer they bee that the Lord Iesus loueth they shall see him by his holy Spirit howbeit he be in the Heauens Men will thinke this a matter of no great importance but it is the happiest thing in the worlde though senselesse sinners thinke nothing of it and count it of none importance It is true they who know not what sinne meaneth they who haue a sleeping conscience will make a little account of it and giue them the sight of the world they shall neuer desire to see Iesus Christ but the joyfullest sight that euer a ladened wearied sinner got who seeketh him in any measure is the sight of Iesus Christ I shall make a supposition to you If there were a man condemned to die what would he desire so earnestly as to get a mercifull sight of the Prince Nothing for hee would haue hope of life Now what is the estate of vs all by nature Paul telleth vs it in a word Wee are but dead and we are all concluded vnder sinne and damnation And what is it to die that death eternall Paul telleth vs Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is manifest against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men from the Heauen The sinner thinketh hee is free when hee sayth and doeth mischiefe but he is captiue to death and damnation and our only deliuerance there from standeth in that mercifull presence of the Lord Iesus by fayth in our soules Thou shalt die that death euerlastingly in Hell and thou get not a sight of Iesus Christ Therefore let vs all striue to see out owne filthinesse the fairest of vs all is filthie wee are all but rotten stockes meete for nothing but to be casten into Hell The first degree till happinesse to a sinner is to feele the sense of his owne misery A sicke body who feeleth not the sicknesse is in most danger A sinner that lieth vnder sinne and feeleth it not is most miserable but a sinner that feeleth sinne and groneth vnder the burthen of it getteth a gracious sight A sad sinner getteth the sight of the Lord Iesus his deliuerer Dauid was glorious yet hee counted nothing of all if hee wanted the sight of the face of God Lift vp the light sayth he Psal 4. vers 6.7 of thy countenance vpon me and giue mee a sight of thy face and I shall bee more joyfull in heart than they will bee when their Wheate and their Wine did abound Therefore preasse to feele sinne that thou mayest seeke the presence of Iesus When the Lord spake this one of his Disciples entred in conference with him named Iudas not the traytor but a kinsman of the Lord Iesus who wrote that Epistle of Iude which is nowe extant hee asketh a question Wherefore is it that thou wilt make thy selfe manifest to vs and not to the world As hee would saye Is there not grace enough is there not mercy sufficient in thee to the whole world Why art thou then so sparing of it that so many die without fayth Is there not grace enough in Iesus Christ to suffice a thousand worlds Why will then God make a choyse See the maruelling of the vvorld Men considering there is so great grace and mercy in Iesus Christ as maye saue a thousande worldes they say Why is it that so fewe are saued in the vvorlde The Lord is not carefull to answere the question because it was more curious than profitable The world wondereth at the same this daye but there is none occasion of wonder It was no wonder that God in his Iustice shoulde cast all men into Hell but the wonder is that God is so mercifull to miserable mankinde that hee should sende his onely Sonne to die for any And the Angels maruell at this and desire to looke in into that mystery 1. Pet. 1.12 And this is the wondering of the godly that euer they should get mercy And this was the wondering of Paul Wonder and thou gette Christ thou hast cause to wonder that euer hee shoulde haue saued thee Paul Rom. chap. 9. vers 19. vvhere he speaketh of the eternall election and the eternall reprobation hee sayeth I hated Esau and I loued Iaakob before the foundation of the worlde The reason of man commeth in and sayth Then God is vnjust what was in Iaakob more than in Esau There is our reason wee make No holde thy tongue sayth the Apostle It was the will of God hee giueth not another cause on whom he will he sheweth mercy and whom he will he casteth off Our Lesson is Whether in time after men bee come into the vvorld it pleaseth God to giue his presence to some and to denie his presence to some other We should not bee curious in this but glorifie God in his mercy to vs vvho haue found the presence of the Lord Iesus and in his justice towards the wicked Or vvhether thou goe higher and consider his election and reprobation from all eternity Be not curious to inquire or to reason but knowing that it was the will of God saye Blessed bee thy will O Lord thou made the creature glorifie thy selfe in the creature Reason not with him but count all that hee doeth just and thou vvho canst count reuerently of God thou shalt reigne with him The reprobate commonly chideth with God and is curious in these thinges But as for the regenerate man hee reuerenceth the vvill of God and giueth him all honour and glory in all his vvorkes vvhether from all eternity or in time albeit hee perceiue not euident causes thereof Therefore speake thou reuerently of thy God and thinke reuerently of hiâ— that thou with him mayst reigne in glory Now to goe forward In the words following he answereth Iudas and marke well hee will not giue a direct answere to the question but leauing to answere to that curiositie hee followeth foorth his exhortation and sayeth Hee who will loue mee will keepe my Commandements Least that should seeme a fectlesse thing to keep his Commandements he sayth J shall loue him and least this should seeme fectlesse hee sayth The Father shall loue him and I and the Father will come and dwell with him This all was exponed in effect alreadie The Lord hee giueth not an answere to this curious question Hereby he learneth vs that we haue nothing adoe to be curious in questions in searching out the secret will of God It is ouer presumptuous a thing to vs to inquire that which is not communicated to the Angels they will not get leaue to sit on his secrete counsell Doe as hee commandeth thee to doe aske not why hee biddeth thee To come to the purpose wee haue in hande Wee shoulde not bee so curious to aske vvhy will not the Lorde saue the vvorlde as to enter into the waye of saluation our selues and to see that wee keepe his Commaundementes and loue him that hee may loue vs and louing vs hee may come and abide with vs and that not for a short space but
Christ was obedience to the Father When a man doeth a thing willingly because it is the will of God offereth vp his life willingly and dieth willingly there is obedience But let him die ten thousand deaths if he doe it not willingly it is none obedience I suppone that the Son of God had not suffered willingly wee would haue had no saluation the obedience standeth not only in suffering but in that he died so gladly suffered so willingly with such a loue to powre out his life for the world as yee may reade in the 53. Chap. of Esay Hee was like a Lambe before the Shearers So when wee looke to the death of Christ let vs not looke to his death so much as to his patience willingnesse In the last verse the Lord setteth downe the ende of his suffering wherefore he putteth himselfe into the handes of the executers I doe this that the worlde may know that I loue the Father This is the end Wee see first in this end the ground of the obedience and suffering of Iesus Christ What needed him to be so obedient and to deject himselfe so farre Yee may take it vp in one worde All this obedience proceeded of an vnspeakeable loue he bare to the Father It is true the loue of the saluation of man moued the Lord to this obedience also no doubt and this vnspeakeable loue moued him to giue his life for them But marke yet this place letteth vs see the chiefe ground of his obedience was not the loue of the world but the loue of the Father Paul 2. Philipp 5.6.7.8 speaking of the obedience of Iesus Christ letteth vs see and pointeth out that humiliation of Christ as proceeding of that loue he bare to the Father Let that affection sayth he be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with God but hee manited himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation in taking vpon him the shape of a seruant and in that shape hee became obedient to the Father to the death of the Crosse That obedience then flowed from the loue he bare to the Father Yee would thinke it a great matter to two kinges the one of them as great as the other if one woulde serue the other in a worldly seruice yee woulde thinke it a great loue the one bare to the other The Lord Iesus being equall with the Father in glory humbled himselfe to the Father What followed on this obedience As hee dejecteth himselfe thorow loue to obey the Father so the Father loueth him vnspeakeably Paul 2. Philipp vers 9.10.11 letteth vs see the effect of this loue hee exalteth him to a wonderfull sublimitie and hee giueth him a Name aboue all the names of the worlde That at the Name of IESVS all thinges in Heauen and in Earth and vnder the Earth should bow their knee or else if they will not bow they should bee broken Now Brethren to draw this example to our selues wee haue this lesson to learne What is the ground of true humilitie I speake not of fained humilitie but of true lowlinesse which is the best vertue in a Christian man Learne of mee sayeth Christ that I am humble and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 not only of obedience to Superiors for Christ biddeth thee bee obedient and seruiceable not onely to Superiors and equals but to inferiors and each one to another What is the ground of this humilitie Euen the loue of the heart and a man haue true loue in the heart hee will not care how lowlie he be in the world So when ye see a sober Christian point him out and say There is a louing hearted Christian Would yee knowe what followeth on humilitie and lowlinesse Obedience What followeth vpon obedience They who in loue humble themselues to exalt others and obey them shall find that God will meet them with loue and exalt them Wherein standeth the band of loue When euery one preferreth another to himselfe Heerein standeth humilitie humilitie beginneth with loue and endeth with loue By the contrarie What is the ground of pride A foolish selfe-loue when a man taketh pleasure in his owne corruptions and hath a conceit of himselfe and an hatred and disdaining of others Wherewith is it met With a mutuall hatred and disdaine That man who is proude stinketh both in Gods nose and mans and as humility intertaineth peace amongst men so pride breaketh the amitie and loue and rents the body of Christ so that pride is the most vnseemly thing in any man and it is a note of them who perteine not to Christ Striue euer to be like Christ in being humble and haue loue in thine heart But what is the chiefe ende of the suffring of Christ Iesus and of his humiliation The Lord sets it down in these words That the world may know that the Sonne loueth the Father Indeed this is one end yea the chiefest which we should all consider Another is that we may know that Iesus Christ hath loued vs. Looke in thorowe the body of Christ into the heart looke not to the nailes and to the woundes of his side but to that heart of his and chiefely to that infinit loue that the Sonne hath borne to the Father Thou mayst say What aduantage is it to mee to know that obedience of the Sonne to the Father and that loue When thou seest that Sonne of God equal with the Father how hee humbled himself so lowly that no creature in Heauen or in earth Angel or man euer humbled himselfe so as the Sonne It serueth thee to this ende to learne thee who is a creature and who is but a seruant to humble thy selfe before God and to glorifie thy God And indeede albeit there be many thinges to moue vs to humilitie yet and a man get not the sight of that humiliation of Iesus Christ he shall neuer be truely humbled Paul in his second Chap. to the Philipp to stirre vs vp to humilitie he bringeth in the example of the humilitie of the Sonne to the Father Ye will aske Haue we any profit of this that we be humbled to the Father Hast thou no profit in glorifying God Neuer one serued such a Master and neuer one got such a glory as they shall get who glorifie God Was Christ exalted highly Thou shalt bee also exalted I aske then Wherein standeth thy misery and wherein standeth thine happinesse There is the only joy that the creature hath when it hath humbled it selfe to the Father it obeyeth him it glorifieth the great God the Creator And herein standeth the happinesse of man euen to haue his heart loosed to glorifie the Lord The godly finde this in experience And by the contrary when the faythfull soule is locked vp and hath no pleasure to glorifie God for his graces albeit it had neuer so great aboundance of all things in the world yet it counteth the selfe to be in great misery Paul
that onelie merite of Christ saye that the Spirit of God speaketh not by vs but the spirite of Antichrist for heereby are the spirites discerned hee that teacheth Christ onelie speaketh by the Spirit of Christ but hee who teacheth anie thing besides Christ hath the spirit of the Antichrist 1. Ioh. 4. vers 2.3 And this is the spirit that teacheth the Pope and his Clergie and therefore goe away from them or else yee will bee deceiued and one day yee shall see this justified and this day yee should heare with your eares the Lord crying Away out of Babylon as thou wouldest bee safe and see Heauen I haue cryed this oftentimes It might haue beene saide Shall not the Spirit reueale that doctrine hee hath receiued of the Father Hee meeteth that now and saith Whatsoeuer things the Father hath are mine Marke this It appeareth verie well out of this place that the holy Spirit is sent immediatelie of the Sonne and that he hath his direction of the Sonne our Sauiour this may comfort vs indeed the Father sendeth him but by the Sonne and therefore it is saide Hee shall sende him in my Name and againe Whom I shall send from the Father Now that which I speake of the Spirit of Iesus Christ I vnderstand it of the Apostles and of all the faithfull Ministers in the Kirke Wee haue all our commission immediatelie from our Lord Iesus Christ so the silliest Minister that is faythfull hath not his calling from the Father immediatelie but from the Sonne Ephes Chap. 4. vers 11. Hee therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and some Teachers And Paul speaking of himselfe calleth himselfe the Apostle of Jesus Christ and he addeth to by the will of the Father whereby hee telleth vs that hee was sent immediatelie from the Sonne and mediatelie from the Father What is the grounde of this The Father hath giuen his Sonne all power in Heauen and in Earth hee hath kept nothing from him All thine is mine as it is said in the next Chap. vers 10. And vpon this it commeth to passe that the holie Spirite commeth immediately from the Sonne and all the Apostles and Ministers in the Kirke are immediately from him and euen now hee sitteth like a King at the right hande of the Father I speake not this as if I affirmed that the Father had put off all power from himselfe wee must not thinke so no no for afterwardes hee saith All mine is thine so this hurteth not the Father And therefore these thinges which are giuen to the Sonne remaine in the Fathers handes But the Sonne is the Store-house of all grace and when the Father would giue grace hee taketh it out of the treasure of the Sonne and giueth it to vs by the hand of the Sonne The Father hath his glorie the Sonne hath his glorie and the holie Ghost hath his glorie but wee glorifie the Father as the Fountaine of all benefites the Sonne as Mediatour and the holie Spirite as our Sanctifier and wee giue them all one equall glorie amongst themselues because they are equall in Glorie and Majestie Therefore let vs glorifie the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost in this blessed Trinitie who liueth and reigneth world without ende Nowe to goe forwarde After hee hath fore-warned his Disciples of his departure and hath comforted them against that time promising that after his departure they should receiue the Comforter to wit the holie Spirite and therefore hee hath spoken much of the holie Spirite that shoulde come vnto them Nowe in these wordes hee continueth on in the same purpose and hee fore-warneth them of his departure and hee sayeth A little while and yee shall not see mee meaning that hee was to depart out of this worlde Then hee comforteth them in the next wordes Againe a little while and yee shall see mee meaning that after his departure hee should come againe in his Spirite and by his Spirite hee should giue them his presence and hee giueth the reason of this his presence for saieth hee J goe to my Father that is I am to passe vp to the Heauen and am to bee glorified and the Heauen shall not containe my glorie but it shall come downe to the Earth my Spirit wherewith I shall be filled shall come downe to you For albeit that Christ merited by his death all benefites to vs yet they come not to vs but by vertue of his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification for hee merited all thinges to vs as a Priest humbled on the earth but hee communicateth to vs the benefites which hee merited as a glorious King Nowe Brethren yee may see this of these wordes That the LORD hee neuer taketh his presence from his owne altogether if hee will take awaye his bodilie presence as indeede presentlie wee haue not his bodilie presence hee will recompence it with his spirituall presence for this is a sure thing The Godlie heere on the Earth cannot want some sight of CHRIST they cannot liue without some presence of IESVS CHRIST No there cannot bee a Kirke without some presence of him For first Howe is the Kirke made heere vpon the Earth Who maketh the separation Who but IESVS CHRIST Hee letteth such a number haue his presence and sanctifieth them by his holie Spirite and so maketh a Kirke And if there were not a continuance of his presence the Kirke coulde not stande There is not a member of the Kirke that coulde stand in holinesse if it pleased the LORD to withdrawe his presence Wee haue holinesse not of our selues but of the Spirite of the LORD IESVS CHRIST and if hee withdraw his Spirit from vs wee would become as prophane as the most wicked of this worlde So all our grace and all our standing commeth of the Spirit of Iesus Then marke this By what vertue receiue wee the Spirit of Iesus and that presence of Christ by his Spirit Wee receiue it in a word by vertue of his glorious Resurrection Ascension and Glorification in the Heauens for nowe being in the Heauens hee is full of glorie All the Angels in Heauen are nothing comparable to him in glory the Heauens are not able to containe his glory Now the head being full of glory a portion commeth downe from him and in some measure glorifieth the members And as Iohn sayeth Of his fulnesse wee all receiue a part Chap. 1. vers 16. And to the Ephesians Chap. 4. vers 8. Hee passed vp to the Heauens and filled vs all with his grace and so by the passing vp of Christ to the Heauen wee receiue the holy Spirit Therefore when thou considerest the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christ it should moue thee to take a triall whether thou hast gotten the fruit of his Resurrection and glorification to see if thou hast gotten his holy Spirite in some measure or the graces of his holy Spirite for the Apostles by his Resurrection and
What is the cause of this They neuer wist what Christ meaned they neuer wist what the Lord was and neuer felt of his sweetnesse and of the joye that is in his presence and therefore they haue no pleasure but when they want him And because they cannot gette their wicked will when Christ is present they hate him for where Christ is because he is the light of the world hee layeth open all wickednesse and maketh it manifest All the happinesse in the worlde is in the face of Christ therefore rest neuer till thou taste of him if thou wouldest be happy And againe miserable is that man who hath not tasted of that sweetnesse and of that grace that is in the Lord. Therefore as thou wouldest come to Heauen I warne thee yet againe rest neuer till thou gette that rest in Christ and that sweetnesse that is in him Let vs see the effect that followeth on his presence he saith Your sorrow shall be turned into joy He speaketh of that presence by his Spirit for after that Spirit is once entered into the soule hee worketh faith and openeth the eyes of the darke soule to see Christ as in a mirrour when the face of Christ is borne vp in the worde howbeit saith Pet. 1. Epist. Chap. 1. vers 8. we see him not yet belieuing we rejoyce with a ioye vnspeakeable and glorious So that darke sight of him worketh into the soule an exceeding joye when wee belieue I graunt indeede that as there is no joye in this life but it hath sorrowe with it so our joye in Christ hath heauinesse with it it is imperfect heere but it is better for thee to haue a meane portion of that joye than all the joyes in the worlde yea the very displeasure of the faythfull is so farre from that to hinder the joye that by the contrary it wakeneth vp the joye in the soule Looke the 2. Epist to the Cor. Chap. 5. when the soule is heauiest for sinne then it findeth such joye as they would not giue for all the joyes in the worlde and when this joye is wakened it swalloweth vp all sorrowes as in the 8. Chap. to the Rom. And in the end of the 15. Chap. of the 1. Epist to the Cor. saith the Apostle After this life mortalitie shall be swallowed vp of immortalitie and death shall be swallowed vp in victorie and all teares shall bee wiped away from their eyes Reuel 7. vers 17. And then they who haue sorrowe with joye heere shall haue joye without sorrowe for euer Looke about you looke within you or without you yee shall see nothing but matter of joye So yee see the effects of the departure of the Lord and of his returning againe Nowe heereafter hee maketh this doctrine of the sorrowe and joye of the godly more sensible by a familiare similitude and it is taken from a woman trauelling A woman when shee trauelleth sayth hee is in dolour because her houre is come but when shee is deliuered of the Childe shee remembereth no more her dolour for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde Then in the last vers hee applieth it Nowe yee are in heauinesse and yee are trauelling and that is because I am to depart from you The Disciples tooke heauilie with the away-going of CHRIST But I shall see you againe and yee shall see mee and get my presence by my Spirite and yee shall reioyce and it shall bee such a ioye that all the worlde shall not bee able to take it awaye The worlde maye take thy life from thee but neuer shall they take that joye from thee Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Two thinges are heere to bee marked the nature of the dolour of the godlie into this worlde wandring from their Lorde as Pilgrimes and the nature of their ioye The nature of their displeasure is like the dolour which a woman hath in trauelling So the Apostle Rom. Chap. 8. vers 21. he compareth the languor of the dumbe creatures and elementes after the comming of the Lorde Iesus to a woman trauelling The dolour of a woman trauelling is verie painfull but yet it is profitable Why Because that paine bringeth out a birth So a woman in trauell hath hope not onelie to bee saued from that paine but also to haue a Childe So hope in paine will haue joye mixed with it To applye this It is euen so with the displeasure of the godlie into this their Pilgrimage awaiting for their life which CHRIST will bring downe to them at his comming 2. Corinth Chap. 5. Looke what dolour Paul vttereth hee sighed vnder a burden hee desired to slit away and to goe to dwell with the Lord Albeit it be but a paine yet it tendeth to a pleasure in the ende to a birth and in the middest of dolour they haue an hope and with the hope they haue joye So a godly man in sorrowe will haue the greatest joye in the worlde albeit the joye of the godly bee with heauinesse yet that joye is vnspeakeable The displeasure of the vngodly is not so indeede the Scripture as in the first Epistle to the Thessal Chap. 5. compareth it vnto a woman trauelling but this is an hopelesse paine What recke if that soule had hope that that paine should cease but they shall neuer looke for a birth well were it to that soule that that body could bee turned to nothing after so manie thousand yeeres The sorrow of the godly is with hope and joye but the sorrowe of the wicked is without hope Iest not with Hell it is an horrible thing to fall into the handes of a consuming fire Hee sayeth When shee hath borne her birth shee remembereth not her trauell because shee hath borne her birth Euen so when wee addresse our selues to Heauen thronging thorowe this worlde wee must prepare our selues to goe thorowe thornes and brieres thorow temptations outwarde and inwarde a man who would goe to Heauen he shall not put downe his foote without a thorne or some offence But when wee are come to the Heauens then wee shall get such a birth of joye that wee shall remember no more the temptations of the worlde and then wee shall finde that saying of Paul to bee true 2. Corinth 4. vers 17. The momentaniall light afflictions shall worke an infinite weight of glorie the soule shall bee so occupied with joye into the Heauens that wee shall count nothing of all afflictions by-past This is true howbeit wee cannot feele it now sensiblie but once wee shall finde it in a full measure if wee appertaine to Christ The Lord therefore in the meane time graunt vs a fore-tasting of it that wee may ouercome all temptations and difficulties till wee obtaine the full possession thereof in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all honour praise and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XV. LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvi VERS 22.23.24.25.26.27 22
thee if thou hadst conquessed as much as Alexander the great Monarch if thou hadst conquessed all the world I tell thee the trueth if thou goe out of the world without one of these two woe shal be to thee that euer thou came in the world thou shal neuer see life But there is a great difference betwixt the protestation of the Lord Iesus all the protestations that we can make J haue glorified thee saith the Son therfore glorify thou me The Son might haue soght glory because of the excellency of his person but as for vs wee may not craue glorification for our obedieÌ„ce to God because it is imperfect away awaye with that stinking merite of the Papistes awaye with the creature that will attribute such a stinking merite to it selfe Therefore thou must say Lord I craue nothing for my merite but onelie for grace for when thou hast done all that thou canst doe thou art but an vnprofitable seruant and saye I will creepe vnder the winges of thy mercie But if thou come to claime anie thing with a conceite of thy merite suppose thou hadst done workes to glorifie thy God builded Kirkes and made Bridges c. if thou acclaime anie thing for it and wilt stand vp and saye I haue done this thou shalt goe awaye without grace The Pharisie may stand for an example of this There was neuer such a pride as to a stinking creature to stand vp before that Tribunall with a conceit of his merite If thou standest vp so I pronounce the effect of that merite of thine shall bee condemnation When he hath vsed so many arguments to the Father to glorifie him then he concludeth his petition in these wordes Therefore Father glorify me with thy selfe that is to say Not in the Earth I haue glorified thee in the Earth but the glory that I seek is not in the earth but in the Heauens wherein I would reigne not in the Earth as an earthly Prince but in the Heauens at thy right hand The place maketh much It is vnpossible that there can be so much glorie in the Earth as in the Heauens The glory of all the Kinges in the world is nothing to that which we shall haue with Iesus Christ in the Heauens The glory which Adam had in that glorious and earthly Paradise was nothing in respect of that glory which wee shall haue when we shall be lifted vp in the Heauens Looke howe farre distance is betwixt Heauen and Earth as farre shall our glory shine aboue that glory no compare of the darkest Starre with the Sun So compare that glory of Adams with the glory we shal haue with Iesus Christ look how far the Sun passeth in glory aboue a Starre as farre we shall passe that glory and surmount aboue it What a glory is this he seeketh Glorify me with that glory Father which I had from all eternitie that is Glorifie me with that glorie of the Sonne of God the glorie of the second person of the Trinitie glorifie mee with thine owne glorie which is promised mee and glorifie mee with all thy glorie The Sonne may claime all the glorie of the Father and the Father hee communicateth not with the Sonne a parte of his glorie but the whole glorie of GOD. Now Brethren yee shall marke some things shortly Certainlie 〈…〉 no man nor no Angel that can bee capable of this matter that concerneth the incomprehensible glorie of the Father and of the Sonne and therefore wee marke this shortlie First wee see this what a glory this is that the Sonne seeketh of the Father this I tolde you in the beginning It is not so much the glory of the nature of man as it is that glory that the Lord had with the Father from all eternity Then yee see another thing yee see the Sonne of God the Lord Iesus ere euer he came down into this Earth he was in the forme of God and thought it no robberie to be equall with God Hee is the Sonne of God equall in power and Majesty with the Father Let the Heretiques hang themselues who would depriue the Lord Iesus of his Godhead our faiâ—h should not bee grounded on him if he would be no warrand to our faith and if he were not God blessed for euer Then yee see how the Lord Iesus the Sonne of God passed from that glory which hee had with the Father for a time and made himselfe as the Apostle sayeth of no reputation Wee would not bee content of this none of vs all to deject our selues altogether yea euen the filliest of vs yet the Sonne of God made himselfe of no reputation nor estimation Marke this thinke not that the Sonne of God the Lord Iesus euer renounced that glory which hee had with the Father no not then when hee was sorest humbled no not then when he was hanging on the Crosse he renounced not his glory as Cyrillus sayth Missio obedientia non tollunt aequalitatem potentiae essentiae that is The sending and obedience taketh not away the equalitie of glorie and essence Marke it well and be not deceiued Howe then passed hee from this glory This is an higher matter than we can consider yet wee shall expresse it in some measure The Sonne of God equall with the Father suffered for a time that glory to bee obscured with the habite of a seruant the habite of man the glory of the Sonne of God was made of no reputation thorow the taking on of a slough Howe agree these two the mortall and corrupt flesh and the glory of God Will not that slough of our nature obscure the glory of God Then againe the glory of God in the Sonne of God is obscured with the most vile death the death of the Crosse and this was the highest degree of his obedience Yet hee neuer quiteth himselfe of this glory I will vse a similitude Yee see the Sunne shineth faire and bright and if a thicke blacke cloude should passe in betwixt vs and the Sunne the Sunne abideth in his owne nature and the cloude taketh nothing away of the brightnesse of the Sunne only it obscureth the Sunne to our sight that we cannot perceiue the splendor of it It is euen so with the Sonne of God that glorious Sunne of righteousnesse when he taketh first vpon him the cloude of our nature and secondly the cloude of death the glory of the Sonne of God is no more impared by this than the Sunne is impared in his light by the cloude When the Sonne of God tooke vpon him the cloude of our nature for the saluation of mankinde hee kept himselfe close and he vttered not himselfe in that nature of God for if he had vttered himselfe in that force and glory proper vnto him he had beene glorified at his first incarnation and then the redemption of man had not bene done All the Iewes and Pharisees could neuer haue touched him if hee had not humbled himselfe in the nature
and the leauing of this life that deat bee not so heauie to vs for howbeit nature abhorre it yet of a mortall bodie it maketh an immortall and it tendeth to take thee out of this Earth and to transport thee to that Heauenlie Paradise where Jesus Christ sitteth in glorie Yea and this I affirme There is no man nor woman that hath a desire to bee with Christ but hee groaneth vnder the burthen of mortalitie and would willingly imbrace death to bee with Christ yea the rememberance of his departure out of this life is ioyfull to him Fie vpon that man who hath his heart and affections knitee and glewed to the world euer seeking worldie honours or pleasures c. Thou souldest haue that disposition which Paul had looke what hee hee sayeth J desire to bee dissolued I haue confidence that J shall yet remaine with you but I choose rather to flitte out of this bodie and to goe and dwell with my Lord. Let vs not bee like Ethnickes who haue no blessednesse but beastlie blessednesse and looke for no blessednesse after his life If thou haue not an eye to Heaven and to that heauenlie blessednsse there is no blessednesse for thee This is to bee marked Who is it that will make this flitting from the Earth to Heauen Not euerie bodie but onelie so manie as the Father hath chosen from all eternitie Neuer one shall gette entrie to that Light and to that holie Sanctuarie but that soule whome the Father hath giuen to the Sonne If thou bee once giuen to the Sonne and once put into his handes howbeit thou bee a Pilgrime for while for thine inheritance is not heere howbeit thy bodie bee walking in sadnesse and heauinesse howbeit thou bee wandering farre from Christ on the Earth yet of necessitie thou shalt once dwell where Christ is This doctrine is verie common yet comfortable That bodie that is separated from his Lord and getteth not that fruition of his presence once hee shall goe where he shall get that presence howbeit not incontinent once hee shall bee lifted vp aboue the Earth and shall dwell in glorie with Iesus Christ The thing in the world that should be most perswaded of is That we are giuen to Iesus Christ There is no consolation for thee and thou needest not looke euer to dwell in Heauē with Iesus Christ if thou findest not this perswasion that Iesus Christ is become thy Lord and hath conquessed thee out of the handes of sinne and death There is none other consolation in life although thou shouldest liue ten thousande yeeres and much more in death without this thou shalt find no consolation but euen in death if thou findest this perswasion that thou lyest sleeping in the armes of Iesus Christ then thou shalt finde consolation and when the soule is departing out of the bodie it shall find in experience that joye Nowe yet the ende would bee marked There is the ende That they may see my glorie that thou hast giuen mee It is true indeede in this life the faythfull get a sight of the glorie of Iesus Christ for if there were not a sight of that glorie wherefore would all the pleasure of the worlde serue Thou wist neuer what joye meaned if thou gettest not a sight of that glorie But yet I say all the sight of Iesus Christ which wee haue in this life is as it were but in a mirrour and in a looking-glasse it is but a darke sight that thou hast of him This is by the Preaching of the Gospel wherein yee haue Christ first crucified and then glorified What is our Preaching but that Christ hath beene first crucified and nowe glorified at the right hande of the Father for the justification and sanctification of the worlde This is that darke sight which wee haue heere but one daye wee shall bee there where hee is and wee shall see him face to face and wee shall see such a glorious Majestie as wee would neuer haue looked for thou canst not looke for enough hope for as much as thou wilt when thou shalt bee with him it neuer entered into the heart of man that which once with the eyes of the bodie thou shalt see And therefore hee sayeth That they may see that glorie as though they sawe it neuer Wherefore shall it serue thee to see the glorie of Iesus Christ When once thou shalt see that Glorie face to face then perpetuallie tide and time thou shalt glorifie him What is the cause that wee cannot glorifie Christ in the Earth as wee shall doe in the Heauens Because wee haue not such a bright sight of his glorie in the Earth in this mortalitie as wee shall haue in the Heauens And if yee see a man yee will know him better than to heare speaking of him The greater sight thou hast of Christ the more thou shalt glorifie him A man that hath the smaller sight of him shall glorifie him the lesse but that man that hath no sight woe is him for hee will gette no glorie These dissolute men and women who haue no delight to glorifie him and haue gotten no sight of him shall gette no glorie Therefore when we shall gette the full sight euen that shining sight our delight shall bee to looke to our King and wee shall maruell that euer creature could see such a glorie and wee shall delight to glorifie him that sitteth vpon the Throne and when we shall see him then daye and night our Song shall bee as it is written in the Revelation Chap. 4. Vers 8. Holie holie holie is the Great GOD Almightie who was and who is and who is to come What is the cause of that Because of the brightnesse of the glorie which shall strike out from him vpon vs the crie shall neuer goe out of our mouth Well is that soule that will striue to glorifie him And that soule that can once studie to glorifie him that soule shall saye for euer Holie is the Lord. But shall wee not bee the better of it When thou lookest to a King in his glorie thou art neuer an haire the better But it shall bee farre otherwayes with thee when thou shalt see him So soone as wee shall see that glorie wee shall bee as soone transformed that bright face of the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall strike out the beames of his glory vpon thee and the beames shall goe to thine heart and shall illuminate thy soule and shall shoote out that darknesse and shall make thy bodie shine more brightlie that the Sunne So wee shall not so soone see him face to face after that glorious Resurrection but as soone thou shalt bee transformed to glorie and thou shalt shine like an Angel of Light Looke to the ende of the third Chapter of Paul in the 2. Epist to the Corinthians Wee with vncouered faces beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord and it transformeth vs into that same image from glorie to glorie The more that a man