fleshly and carnall joy 〈…〉 that will be in the mouthes of prophaine people be merie eat drinke Is that this joy no no. When Paul bids thee rejoyce he bids thee not passe the time like the Epïcurians Eate drinke and be merie The joy that he craues the nature thereof is not fleshly but it is cleane holie and spirituall To speake the trueth it is in the hart all joy is in the hart of a bodïe but it is not so much the joy that is of the naturall affection as it is the motion of the spirit of Christ within vs vsing the affectiones of our hart as a parte to reioyce in when he is dwelling in vs. When a man reioyces naturallie it is his heart that reioyces but this is another kinde of reioycing It is the Spirite of consolation that comforts the Spirite of Iesus that dwelles in the hart and wakens vp the affection aboue nature and makes it It is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that was naturall as supernaturall it cannot be so well tolde as felt Rom. chap. 8. verse 26. The Spirite of God requests for vs vvith sighes vnspeakable Then the Spirite sighes within the heart If the Spirite of God be within the heart the sighe will not be so much the sighe of the bodie as of the Spirite of God 〈◊〉 It is so with that spirituall ioy the ioy in the hart if will not be so much the ioy of the heart as the ioy of the Spirite of God a ioy vnspeakable No no tongue can tell the greatnesse of it And brethren if there vvere no more but this that it cannot be toulde it telles you the nature of it it is not a naturall ioy the naturall ioy can be all toulde the heart of man is comprehensible and the affectiones of the hart can be toulde but the joy of the Spirite of God is incomprehensible The joy of the Spirite of God in the heart of the poore sinner cannot be toulde by all the Angels of Heauen let be by the tongue of man For no man can reâ—â— the infinitnesse of Gods Spirite Therefore put a difference betweene it and all other ioyes The property of this ioy is here expressed Propertiâ— of this ioy It is continuall it lastes euermore it is continuall it alters not it is without interruption it is not broken off prosperitie will not breake it aduersitie vvill not breake it lyfe vvill not breake it death vvill not breake it it abydes in lyfe it abydes in death yea euen to the verie poynte of death vvhen it pleases the holie Spirite to vvorke it vvill be in a greater measure in his soule than nor it vvas in the life-tyme When we thinke the body should be heauiest and saddest then it is most joyfull This earthly joy is soone broken off he is now in joy in the twinkling of an eie it shall be broken off this houre glade the next houre wo. Balthazar was a mery man when he was prophaning the vessels of the Lord and banketting in the meane tyme of his merinesse came the hand writting vpon the wall and then he beginnes to shake and his countenance is changed with shuddering and shaking 〈…〉 Ye heard in this same chapter when the wicked saies Peace all things are sure then a sudden destruction ouertakes them So this worldly joy is ay interrupted it is ay turned in sorrow if thou be content with a worldly joy proceeding of a worldly thing if it were all the kingdomes of the earth thy joy shall be turned in a weeping for euer but the spirituall joy is continuall without interruption Then if this be the nature of it it is spirituall it is cleane and pure heauenly not rude fleshly nor earthly If this be the property of it Matter of spirituall ioy it continues ay for this propertie must follow on the nature of it a spirituall thing must euer abide What can be the matter of it there must be some cause of this joy No joy but there must be some cause and matter that moues it Then what is the matter of it There are two sorts of things in the world that wakens vp joy in the heart of man The first is earthly things ye know the things worldlie honor riches they waken vp joy in the hart Another sort is called spritual heuenly clean There is no other but these two either things heuenly or earthlie to cause men to rejoyce Then are these earthly things the matter of this spirituall joy he speaks of Examine the nature of it it is spirituall it is the joy of Christ Will these worldly things if there be no further consideration of them cause the Spirit of Christ rejoyce within thee Will a kingdome make Christes Spirit within the hart of a man to rejoyce if there be nothing more but as it is a worldly kingdome No I say they will not be the matter of this joy looke to these worldly things how thou resauest them if they be not resaued out of Gods hand as arlespennies of heauenlie thinges and tokens of better benefites and of life euerlasting they shall neuer make the Spirit of Christ to reioyce in thee Thy hart may be blyth for worldly thinges because thou art an earthly bodie A King may rejoyce in a kingdome c. but if they be not taine out of Gods handes as arlespennies of heauenly and spirituall benefites the Spirite of Christ shall not rejoice in thee Take heed if it wer but a morsell of meate if thou take it out of Gods hand as a token of that heauenly food to life euerlasting the Spirit of Christ shall rejoyce in thee Therefore be neuer content of earthly things as earthlie things onely nor of the naturall joy of the hart of man A sow hes a naturall joy 〈◊〉 in filling the bellie No beast in the field but it hes a sensuall joy in the selfe by nature in the foode thereof Fy on thee that cannot haue more joy nor a beast Thou art made for Heauen and not for Kingdomes here Therefore rejoyce in heauenly thinges and I say the Kow and other beasts are better nor thou if thou rejoyce not with that heauenly joy for the kingdome prepared for thee in Iesus Christ Woe to thee that hes not the joy that proceeds of the Spirit of Iesus Againe this joy lasts euermore it is continual it bides in the night it bides in the day it perishes not These worldly things are al perishing He will be a King the day and will be casten down to morrow He is riche the day and will be begging to morrowe How can thinges changeable be matter to me of joy that standes euermore No they cannot If my joy restes on earthly things when earthly things failes me of necessity my joy must faile me When the ground of joy failes my joy must faile Worldly things must faile therefore the joy in worldly things must faile and specially in death Either shall earthly things
care should be had of the bodie Now to come to the last verse Yet sayes he count him not as an enemie but admonishe him as a brother In this verse we haue a kinde of mitigation and tempering of the rigour and seueritie of Excommunication for brethren if Excommunication had the ovvne force in any man the stroke of Excommunication would be the sorest stroke that euer one felt Read 2. Cor. 2. 7. Excommunication threw the incestuous person in such an heauy displesure that his soule vvas almost svvallovved vp vvith in him for when once the soule is casten in an heigh displeasure which is the effect of Excommunication then the deuill is readie to bring that man to dispare Therefore he sayes here verse 7. Forgiue him and comfort him for vve are not ignorant of the enterprises of Satan It is marueilous that sin blinds men so that many cares no more to be excommunicate then if excommunication wer the lightest thing in the world There is such a deadnes and senslesnes in the harts of men that there is no displeasure now for sin but rather a delite and rejoycing in it Certainely the lesse sense of the sharpnesse of that sword of Excommunication the greater miserie If there were any displeasure for sinne in thee it were an argument that there were helpe for thee but if thou byde senslesse at that ordinance of God if thou be hardned against the word and discipline both shall turne to thy destruction But when God is powerfull with in thee with it for as God is powerfull with the Word so is he powerfull by the Discipline then it shall turne to thy well and saluation Therefore seeing there is such a force in it mitigation is verie meete for it Now here the way how it is mitigate Count him not as an enemie The next admonish him as a brother The first of these touches the inward thought the second concernes thy outward speaking to him The first is lose not a good opinion of him hate him not lightly him not as thogh he wer a conjurde enemie against Christ and his Church but loue him lose not the loue in thy hart towards him but loue him as a brother Now louing him in thy hart speak to him also think him not vnworthie of any speaking but flatter him not in his folie and humor for that will hurt him for if thou loue him thou wilt not nor thou ought not to flatter him But I tell thee what thou shalt doe admonishe him both sharply and louingly true admonition commes from the loue of the hart and whom we loue we admonish but yet admonition must be so louing that it must be sharpe also and so it is effectuall in the hart of the sinner Now louing him first and admonishing him next is the way to win him and to bring him home againe who hes gone astray And if he be curable certainely admonition will doe the turne if admonition will not doe the turne nor will not mooue him alas brethren it is ouer sure an argument that that man is vncurable and that the Lord hes not ordeinde him for saluation If the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perishes sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell will not worke it is ouer sure an argument of perdition vvherevnto long before they vvere ordeined as Iude sayes 4. vers Therefore let a man suspect himselfe when he is admonished and obeyes not and let him say shall I be for damnation The Lord saue me and mollifie my stony hart that I may giue obedience to the word well giue obedience to wholesome admonition that by man is giuen thee out of the word of God as thou would haue a sure warrand thou art of the number of those that are appointed to saluation Marke againe Nature and vse of Excōmunication He will not haue him called an enemie but a brother This lets vs see the nature and vse of Excommunication of a brother it makes not an enemie he is now a brother ere he be Excommunicate and being Excommunicate he remaines a brother That which was a member of Iesus Christ before Excommunication makes it not altogether to perishe neither cuts it so the rotten member from the bodie that it shall haue no more adoe with the bodie of a sheepe it makes not a goate that is not the vse of it of a christian it makes not an vnchristian he keeps his name It shoots him not out of the Couenant of grace God forbid but he standes in the bonde being Excommunicate What does it then I shall tell you A man that hes fallen from Christ by sinne which seueres thee from Christ it bindes him againe it bringes him in repentance and calles him home againe being wandring from God it holdes him within the Couenant A man going to be an enemie to Christ and his Church it straits him to byde still a brother So it does him no euill it is not ordeined for his perdition but for his well and saluation This whole ministrie of Iesus Christ and all the parts of it Preaching and Discipline promises and consolation and threatning of judgement al the parts of Discipline yea this Excommunication it selfe are al ordeined to saue soules that is the proper vse of the ministrie to saue all and neuer to lose one man Therefore in the 2. Cor. 10. 8. Paul sayes that he got povver to edification and not to destruction Neuer Minister got power to destroy one bodie but to edifie and if any perishe if the Word or Discipline be the sauor of death to death as to many it is let him not blame the word but let him blame himself For men by their obstinacy and malice turnes the word maliciously in an vnproper vse to their destruction and of the Spirit of life they make it the letter of death Therefore the Lord keepe vs from al slubbornnes and all repying against this Word and Discipline for I assure thee repine thou against the Gospel and Discipline which should be the power of life to thee it shall kill thee thou shalt not need another to kill thee euerlastingly And therefore the Lord grant euerie soule submission vnder the word of God which is the meane that he hes ordeind to saluation in Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and holy Spirit be al praise for euer AMEN THE FOVRTENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 16. 17. 18. 16 Novv the Lord of peace giue you peace alvvayes by all meanes The Lord be vvith you all 17 The salutation of me Paul vvith my ovvvne hand vvhich is the token in euery Epistle so I vvryte 18 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you all Amen IN this text brethren we haue the end and conclusion of this Epistle it consistes wholly in prayer First he wishes peace to them from the Lord of peace for euer euery way Then he wishes to
LECTVRES VPON THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS Preached by that faithfull seruant of God M. ROBERT ROLLOCK some-tyme Minister of the Euangell of Iesus Christ and Rector of the Colledge in EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT CHARTERIS Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie An. Dom. M. D. C. VI. Cum Priuilegio Regiae Majestatis TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL THEIR MOST LOVING FRIEND IN THE LORD MAISTER VVILLIAM SCOT OF ELY grace in this life and euerlasting glorie in the lyfe to come ALL knowledge and all sciences inuented by the wise men of this world without the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST by whom remission of sinnes is obtained to the miserable soule are but vaine and vnprofitable The Apostle reckoning out his prerogatiues Philip. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. which were many counts them all in respect of the excellency and knovvledge of Christ Iesus to be but losse and dung Euen so it is with all sciences if they be seuered from the knowledge of Iesus Christ in the Gospell For what auailes it a man to knowe the height of the Heauens the courses of the Starres the breadth of the earth if in the mean-tyme his conscience accuse him for his sinnes to be vnworthie both of Heauen and earth What auailes it a man to seeke by Physick to prolong afraile temporall life to the bodie if his conscience tell him in the mean-tyme that his soule shall perish for euer What auailes it a man to brag of the knowledge of the Lawe if his conscience accuse him to be most vnjust and worthie of eternal damnation In these and such like things the wise men of this world doe glorie and yet they make not the soule the better The knowledge of Iesus Christ in the Gospell is the onely knowledge that preserues the soule and makes it to liue for euer Ioh. 5. 39 as our Sauiour sayes Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall lyfe Ioh. 17. 3 and they are they vvhich testifie of me And againe This is life eternall that they knovv thee to be the onely verie God and vvhom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Then this science is to be sought praised and preferred to all others in all respects Look how highly PAVL commends it 1. Cor. 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. Wespeake sayes he vvisdome among them that are perfite Not the vvisdome of this vvorld neither of the Princes of this vvorld vvhich come to nought But vve speake the vvisdome of God in a misterie euen the hid vvisdome vvhich God had determined before the vvorld vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this World hath knovvne for had they knovvne it they vvould not haue crucified the Lord of glory But as it is vvritten the things vvhich eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart are vvhich God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reueiled thē vnto vs by his Spirit Other sciences were inuented by men but God himselfe is the Author of this science he reueiled it Other sciences are all inuented in tyme but this science is before all tyme from all eternitie other sciences handles things corruptible and changeable the knoweledge whereof albeit it be pleasant and profitable for this present life yet it cannot reforme the soule to eternall life for all their vertue is but the couerture of vyce but this science settes out and reueiles to a broken harted sinner a fauorable and reconciled God in Iesus who is aduantage both in life and death and in whom the heigh and wonderfull things of God and all things that the soule of man can require for grace or glory pertaining either to this or to that other life Col. 2. 3. 9 10. is contained For in him are hid all the treasures of vvisdome and knovvledge in him dvvelleth all the fulnesse of the god-head bodily Now this pretious treasure the Lord hes committed to earthen vessels he hes set in his seruice base and contemptible persons to carie the message of reconciliation and to proclame to weary and loaden sinners the glade tydings of saluation he sendes out simple men to manure his husbandrie he sends them out as souldiers to that spirituall warfare vvith vveapons that are not carnall 2. Cor. 10 4. 5. but mightie through God to cast dovvne holdes to cast dovvne imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knovvledge of God and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. Whom for the message they carie the Gospel they preach the word of life they offer that hid treasure that is committed to them the Lord craues we should haue in singulare account honour and loue And indeed if we had the sight of the fearcenesse of that eternall wrath of God for sinne it could not be possible but we would say O hovv bevvtifull are the feete of them vvhich bring glade tydinges of peace Rom. 18. 15. and bring glade tydinges of good things We cannot honour loue and highly esteeme of the Maister and respect the Gospell if we hate and contemne the seruant and messenger And if we loue our parents of whom we haue nothing but misery who hes conceiued vs in sinne nurirished and trained vs vp in sin and who by nature makes vs aires of wrath and hell for that vvhich is borne of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3. 6. O how excedinglie should we loue these whom God makes instruments of our regeneration to beget vs to God to make vs his sonnes and to translate vs from darknesse to light from miserie to felicitie from death to life from hell to heauen And yet this vnworthie world neuer duely accounts of them but of all men they hate most malitiouslie the true seruants of Iesus Christ And to passe by other ages and Countries the Lord of the haruest stryuing against our ingratitude hes sent out from tyme to tyme into this Land sundry painfull laborers and faithfull preachers of the Gospell who preased in all respectes to approue themselues to God to a good conscience and to the consciences of so many as beleeued of whom the world was not worthie Among the rest whom God did bewtifie with singulare graces the Lord in the person of M. ROBERT ROLLOCK that faithfull and reuerent seruant of Iesus Christ gaue vs no sober token of his loue For we cannot tell if vpon any almest in this Land the Lord bestowed greater aboundance and varietie of graces of his Spirite if in any there was a more spirituall and heauenly soule if any spared themselues lesse and vndertooke greater paines that they might be found faithfull and finishe their course with joye if any preased more to approue themselues to God and a good conscience then he O what and how many giftes and graces were in the person of that man in conceiuing he was quick in judgement solide he vttered the Word with great libertie he preached with euidence
ye not the patience of God He is patient and lets men runne in wickednesse vntill the cuppe be full and then he powreth out his wraith and judgement on them to the vttermost The Lord keepe vs from his judgements and wraith for Christ his Sons sake To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be praise and honor for euer AMEN THE XV. LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 4. vers 6. 7. 8. 6 That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is auenger of all such thinges as vve also haue tolde you before time and testified 7 For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse 8 He therefore that despiseth these thinges despiseth not man but God vvho hath euen giuen you his holie Spirit IN this part of this Epistle after the salutation and after that large congratulation wherein he rejoised for the grace the Lord had bestowed on the Thessalonians not after a common manner but in great aboundance He sets downe preceptes of manners concerning an holie lyfe and a godlie conuersation in this worlde and he comprehendes them all first in a generall and he calles it sanctification holinesse in lyfe and conuersation for whatsoeuer duetie appertaines to vs to be done in this lyfe the whole may be taken vp vnder this one word sanctification which standes in holinesse in soule and bodie When he hes sette downe the generall he diuydes it in parts and the first part of sanctification of holinesse of lyfe and conuersation he takes it vp to be in absteining from fornication it respects a man or woman in their owne person that they keepe the soule and bodie that God hes giuen them in holinesse vnpolluted vvith filthinesse The second part concernes our neighbour that we doe him no wrong He is an vnholie man that hurtes his neighbour that vvill vvrong him in anie dealling or trafficking with him He is hurt two manner of wayes first he is hurt by deceite vnder colour by fraude begâ—yling or circumvention He is secondlie hurt by plaine violence and oppression Both these two sortes of wronges and injuries are vnholie He that circumueenes his brother is vnholie he that oppresses his brother is vnholie Novve to persvvade them to this sanctification standing in these tvvo partes he vses sundrie argumentes The first argument ye heard of before vvas from the vvill of God This is the will of God sayes he your sanctification It is the Lords vvill that ye be holie It is not an hid vvill but a reuealed will and oft reuealed that ye be holie in your selfe holie in respect of your brethren and holie all manner of vvaye Brethren if there vvere not an argument to moue vs to be holy holie in respect of our selues holie in respect of our neighbour this onely reason to vnderstand it is Gods will we so doe may be sufficient For albeit we knovve of no other reason wherefore vve should be holie but onely that it is his vvill it bindes vs to holinesse For this reuerence tovvarde the Creator and Redeemer of the world should be in euerie creature that they vnderstanding anie thing to bee agreable to his holie vvill should stoup knovving his will they are bound to acquiescâ— and rest there seeking no farther and to close their eyes at all their reasones hovvbeit the thing that is injoyned to them should seeme to be an impossibilitie The Apostle speaking of his vvill Roman chap. 12. verse 2. sayes His vvill is euer goode it is good vvhat euer he vvilleth it is perfite yea it is the rule of all righteousnesse So euerie one should reason vvith themselues Is it the vvill of God Then it is most just I vvill follovve and obey it my reason shall not stay it my reason is vvrong and out of rule his vvill is the rule of righteousnesse I insist on this rather because I knovve how hard it is to make the vvill of man plyable and to frame it to Gods vvill and vvhat discrepance is betvveene the vvill of God and the vvill of man So if thou giuest thy selfe ouer to thy ovvne nature there is nothing God willes but thou willest the contrare therof And therfore our praier should be continually to God to conforme our froward will to his wil this should be our praier continuallie what euer come to vs be it prosperitie or aduersitie Lord do thy will giue me not my own will for if I get my own wil it will be my wreak but Lord rule my will according to thy will for thy will is onely the right will and the preseruer of my life and euen now while we haue time we should cry Lord thy will be done we are thy creatures Lord let thy will be done in vs. And I assure thee if thou get thy will conformable to his wil and be content with any thing he layes on thee life or death certainly thou shalt find comfort all shall come well to thee The second argument taine from the vengence that falles on the transgressours He saies For the Lord is the auenger of alâ— such thinges He auenges the deceit vsed by vs and the violence done against our neighbour This second argument followes well on the other for one of those two must be either the will of God must be done by vs or else vengence must be for disobedience If the will of God moue thee not to doe that which he craues of thee Punishement for disobedieÌ„ce to gods vvill to liue in holinesse before him let the feare of vengence and punishment moue thee For Brethren the will of our God is in the selfe a thing so holie and inuiolable that there was neuer person yet that disobeyed that will from ould Adam to this houre if it were but in a litle thoght of the heart let be a deed in a motion of the soule let be an action but that disobedience and transgression of that holie and inuiolable will of God was punished either in the persons self or in the Mediator Iesus Christ So inuiolable a thing is the just will of God that the disobeence to it cannot escape punishmeÌ„t God is not like man impossible it is that thy disobedience to him if it were but â—n a motion of thy heart should bee vnpunished either in thy bodie or soule or else thou must haue refuge to the Mediator and it shall be punished in him For if thou be in Christ thy disobedidience is taine away in his obedience And therefore thinke it no childish play to play with his will if it were but the least cogiâ—ation of the heart Play vvith man as thou wilt but one thought against Gods will importes damnation if thou hadst a thousand lyues He addes that reason in the end of this verse as vve also 〈◊〉 you before tyme and testified This was not the first tyme that he had tolde them of it of before and now he telles them
obtained by Christ And therefore fy on him that thinkes that he is safe by merite It is a wonderfull thing God of free mercie appointes to saluation and yet ere we come to it be will haue it boght What free mercy is this No neuer thing was so deare boght as thy saluation For it was not boght with gold nor siluer but with the bloude of the immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ And therefore he sayes in the first Epistle to the Corint chap. 6. verse 20. ye are boght vvith a pryce he calles it a price by reason of the high excellencie thereof As thogh there were no pryce but onely the bloud of Iesus to be esteemed of and yet it is a free grace of God How can it be afree grace and boght to If I buy it and that with a deare price how can it be free Indeed it is true if thou hadst payed the price thy selfe it had not beene a free gift but seeing it is not boght with a price that coÌ„mes out of thy hand but with the precious bloud of Iesus who is Gods Son it is a free gift to thee For who gaue the Son but the Father Who gaue the price but he that receiued it God gaue as it were out of his owne purse the price for thee The mercy and loue of God to his seruants is wonderfull Wilt thou looke to thy saluation nothing but mercy in God if thou hast nothing to glory in but free grace and mercie without any deseruing otherwaies if thou joine any part of merite with mercie and say the mercy of God and my merite did it shame shall come to thee And therefore the Apostle sayes we are onely saued by Christ and speaks not of merite Now to goe forwarde to the next ground where-vpon he buildes the hope of saluation As thou would haue an assurance of life euerlasting it is needfull for thee to spy out the grounds The next ground of thy saluation is the thing that fell out in tyme. The sec ground of the hope of saluation christs death He sayes Christ died for vs that vvhether vve vvalke or sleep vve should lâ—ue together vvith him As our saluation is builded vpon God ordinance so it is builded vpon the bloude of Iesus Christ not liuing but crucified and slaine And as the bloude of Iesus is the ground of thy saluation so the ground of the certainty of thy hope is the sight of Iesus crucified Except I see Christ bleeding for my sin I can neuer assure me that I am safe except I see that sacrifice offred vp for my sin as it is a sacrifice offered vp for my sin so it is a merite to obtaine lyfe to me I will neuer thinke I am safe How necessare therefore is it to me neuer to let the bloude of Iesus goe out of my minde Men will say I wait well I am safe and neuer will haue an eye to Christ crucified and his bloude But I say to thee except thy eye be fixt on the bloud of Iesus Christ when thou fairest thou art safe thou liest falslie Therefore looke euer to Christ deying and sheding his bloud for thy sin Another thing I see There is no lyfe but through death he hes died for vs that we should liue throgh him to learne men and wemen not to count so much of death and to scare at it for I tell thee this generall will stand No lyfe but through death it springes out thereof as thou seest the stalk of the corne ryse out of the dead pickle So except thy lyfe spring through death it is not possible to thee to liue For first death is the price of it not thy death but the death of Christ for he hes gotten lyfe by his death Then after Christ hes purchased lyfe to vs yet the way whereby we must enter to lyfe is by the way of death Through many troubles behoues it vs to enter into the Kingdom of Heauen Act. 14. verse 20. for straite is the way to Heauen thou must be drawen as it were through Hell ere thou come to Heauen and yet thy suffering and death shall not merite The onely merite standes in Iesus Brethren this lets vs see how hard a thing it is to a sinner falling from lyfe as Adam fell and we all in him to come to lyfe againe Thinke it not an easie matter There must be a death yea two deaths ere euer thou come there O the great suffering Christ hes suffered for vs land againe thou must suffer and die thy selfe ere thou gette lyfe Therefore learne how hard a matter it is to get lyfe Many difficulties interueenes death must enter ere lyfe come which lets vs see what it is to offend God be loath therefore to offend God The godly knowes this how hard a thing it is when they haue offended to get againe the Spirite which they haue extinguished the Lord will not looke on them for a tyme as it were Looke in Dauid after his fall But ô the sweetnesse of mercie after the restorance They who hes tasted in any measure of the sweetnesse of Christ giue them all the pleasures of the worlde they will neuer get contentation vntill they get a sight of Gods â—â—ce againe lost by their sin Dauid would haue giuen his kingdome for it againe when he made the 51. Psalme The Apostle heere saies vvhether ye sleepe or vvake ye shall liue vvith Christ. Then ye see if Christ hes once died for our lyfe we shall liue That is the certainty and ground of our hope that Christ hes died for vs. Then when I feele this nothing can stay lyfe nothing can hinder me to liue with him There is nothing in this world that will hinder thee to liue with him but liue must thou Sleepest thou in thy bed thy sleepe hinders nothing thou liuest in him wakest thou thou art liuing with him liuest thou this lyfe thou art liuing in him art thou dying and drawing thy last breath yet thou art liuing with him what euer thou art doing in the worlde thou art ay liuing eating drinking if thou be one of the godly for whom he hes died thou art liuing with him Yea I dare say more if he haue once died for thee thy sin shall not hinder thee from that lyfe to come Dauids sin his murther and adulterie hindered him not from that life but the Lord turned it so about that he made them worke all to his well All thinges turnes to the best to them who loues the Lord. Albeit thou finde thy sinnes many yet stay not on them nothing shall hinder thee from Christ Yet this should not make thee to take pleasure in sin For if thou loue Christ well thou wilt be loath to offend him Then if we in so many troubles in this life liue with Christ shall we not much more liue with him in that lyfe to come where there shall be no trouble no impediments and in the midst of all these troubles
let vs comforte our selues vvith thinking on the joy that we shall haue when we shall be in the Heauens with our Lord and Sauiour Now to marke the words He saies that vve should liue vvith him Looke the nature of the life that we get in the death of Iesus It is a life that we liue with Christ not a lyfe that we liue from him there cannot be a spirituall lyfe from him Death will not serue to lyfe if thou be from him but thou must be with him Thou must not onely liue with him as a man will liue with an house and family but thou must liue in him As by comparison the arme liues with the head so thou must liue with Christ Ye see the conjunction naturall that is between the head and the members that same conjunction must be betweene thee and the Lord Iesus If thou liue with him thou must liue as a member he must be thy head and thou must be a leg an arme or some part of the bodie Well is that soule that is any parte of the bodie of Christ Therefore draw euer nearer and nearer vnto him vntill thou be fully conjoyned with him we haue no lyfe except we be ingraft in him as the imp is ingraft in the tree and so prease euer to grow in that conjunction Look how thou was joined in him yesterday say Lord make a nearer conjunction this day and to morrowe say worke yet a nearer conjunction that I may draw nearer my head But brethren this full conjunction cannot be vntill we see him face to face we are far of now but we shall be with him we are from him now for a lytle space but then we shall be with him for euer and then in that great day thy blessednesse both in bodie and soule shall be perfited we shall be with him and stand for euer in that full conjunction with out head Christ in whom is all blessednesse To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite be all honour and praise for now and euer AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 11. 12. 13. 11 Wherefore exhort one another and edifie one another euen as ye doe 12 Novv vve beseech you brethren that ye knovve them vvhich labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you 13 That ye haue them in singular loue for their vvorks sake Be at peace among your selues IN the last exhortatation brethren the Apostle stirred vp the Thessalonians to be good souldiours and warriours vnder the banner of the Lord Iesus Christ In a warriour we shew you there are three things specially requyred First vigilance and wakrifnesse Secondlie sobriety and temperance And last of all that he be in his armour with his Helmet on his head and his brestplate on his brest and all the rest of his armour on For albeit he be waking and sober yet if he be naked the enemie will ouercome him So it is in the Christian warriour the same three thinges after a maner are requisite First he must be wakrife in soule Secondly temperate in soule hauing a soule not drunken with these earthlie thinges which drawes our whole heart and faculties away from God So that they who are full thereof are laid vp as it wer in a dead sleepe And last it is requisite that he be clad with his armour his owne Helmet which is Hope his owne brest-plate which is faith and loue take away hope faith and loue he is but a naked man in the world and shall soone be destroied if he be not clad with faith and loue in his brest and with hope in his head he will not be able to gainstand Followes now in the text ye haue heard another exhortation and it is to vse these meanes whereby we may continue in wakrifnesse in continuall sobriety and spirituall armour enarmed against the enemy There are the wordes of the exhortation Wherefore As he would say Seeing we must be wakrife sober and enarmed in the Christian warfare therefore I exhort you to get the meanes whereby these thinges are keeped The means are Exhort one another euen as ye doe alreadie So my exhortation is that ye continue to the end It is not eneugh to begin except ye continue to the end Now there are the meanes Then brethren this lesson offers the selfe to vs The meanes not to sleepe in the soule but to be wakrife not to be drunken but to be temperate not to be naked but to be clad with spirituall armour is instant exhortation Stir vp men and wemen by exhorting in edifying in an instant building vp and confirming them in the doctrine and knowledge that they haue once receiued This worke of building will not be done in one day or two dayes or twentie dayes but this building of the soule of men and wemen building them vp in that spirituall building must be raised vp higher nor euer Babell was yea it must rise to the Heauen of Heauens and to the head Iesus who sittes aboue all Heauens This building must be instant In one word The means to hold men waking and sober and temperate in the spirituall warfare and to holde this armour on them is instant exhortation Take me away the voice of exhortation take away building in the doctrine ye haue receiued and edifying therein in stead of wakrifenesse there shall come on you a dead slumber in stead of sobriety and spirituall temperance thou shalt be drunken in stead of armour nothing but nakednesse and ye shall be a pray to the Deuill this world and your owne cankerd nature assay it when ye will So then brethren in one word See the necessitie men hes of instant exhorting and edifying not for one day or two yea if thou shouldst liue Methusalems dayes the voice of exhortation should neuer goe out of thy eare For there are a thousand thinges to draw vs downe to cause vs sleepe vntill we die in sleeping many thinges to make thee drunken to ly dovvne lyke a drunken bodie vvithout sense of the lyfe to come Many thinges to denude thee of armour to set thee vp naked to the eneme Would to God this world wold consider the necessity of instant and continuall exhortation to moue them forwarde in the course of godlinesse Marke next Who is this that should exhort Who is this that should edifie who should hold men waking in Spirit hold them in sobriety and hold on their armour by exhortation and edifying who should doe it He sayes not the Pastor ye haue Ministers let them doe it it is their office It is true indeed they haue a speciall calling for that effect and are placed in the Church to hold you wakrife to cry in your eare vntill ye waken againe to exhort and edify continually to build vp that spiritual building and to build men and wemen vp as liuely stones in that spiritual building Therefore in the first Epistle to
of man is in rejoycing in God So that he who hes not that spirituall joy hes no blessednesse if they had al the world Then we see prayer bringes joy asking bringes joy so also vve see thanking bringes joy thanking of God rises on joy thanking of God ends in joy thanking of God standes in the midst Prayer will begin with sorrow and it ends in joy vpon this joy commes thanking vpon thanking commes joy againe So all endes in joy Would ye haue this out of the Scripture in that 4. Philipp verse 7. drawes not Paul that peace of God that passes all vnderstanding our of prayer and thanksgiuing In all things let your requests be shovvâ—n to God vvith prayer and supplication vvith thankesgiuing Then he subjoines when ye haue prayed and thanked that peace sayes he that passes all vnderstanding shall guard your mindes in Christ. Then peace rises on these two groundes prayer and thanksgiuing to God So thanking brings joy asvvell as prayer To go forward in the words Thank him sayes he in all things As he would say in all thinges that are incident and falles out in the world thanke him As all is matter of joy Prosperity and aduersitie vvell vvoe life death so let all be matter of thanking what euer he sends thanke him Is it a great matter to thanke him in prosperitie when thinges goes well with thee But I say thou hast not the grace of thanksgiuing except thou can thanke him asvvell in aduersitie as prosperity asvvell in death as in life Then I see these three thinges joy prayer and thanking they haue a common propertie which is continuance without intermission in all maner of thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death rejoyce euermore in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death pray euer And last in prosperitie in aduersitie in vvell in vvoe in life in death in all thinges thanke him Will ye go through them As for joy thy estate can not be so euill in the world if thou be in Christ but thou hast matter of ioy Then againe vvere thy estate in this vvorld neuer so good yet thou hast neede to pray for so long as thou remainst here thou getst not all graces And last if thy estate vvere neuer so miserable yet if thou haue a grip of Christ thou hast matter to thanke God Then if this be true hes not the Apostle said well Reioyce euermore Then pray continually then in all thinges giue thankes to God Let not therefore these thinges be vvords onely but practise them in lyfe There is none of vs but vve haue matter to practise our ioy Who are in such a misery but they haue some matter of ioy yea there are none of vs but we haue cause to vse all these preceptes Rejoice euermore pray continually and in all things giue thankes Now to come to the reason in the next wordes For this is the vvill of God In all thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie thanke him Wherefore Because it is Gods will that ye should thanke him aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life it is his will rest on his will Yet brethren to speake one vvord of this vvill I haue spoken of it sundrie tymes before I say and the Scripture sayes The onely light of this vvorld is Gods vvill Gods vvil the onely thinge to be knovvn the only rule of our actions And I say the onely knowledge and wisdome that a man can haue in this vvorld is to knovve vvhat is Gods vvill Fy on all the knowledge and vvisdome of men in this world if they knowe not this He will start vp and he will be called a vvise man All the Philosophers vvould be counted vvise men but vvhich of all the Philosophers did knovve vvhat vvas Gods vvill And these tvvo partes of his vvill is speciallie â—oulds vs in the Scripturel First vvhat vve should doe that vve may serue him And then vvhat he vvill doe with vs. A vaine Philosopher hee knovves much of nature but knovves he the vvill of God Knovves he it not Then he is a plaine foole Knovves he these thinges Then he is a vvyse man Paul to the Ephesians chap. 5. verse 17. Be not fooles but vnderstand vvhat is the vvill of God Then wherein standes wisdome To knowe what is the will of God Who is the foole He that knowes not what is the will of God Who knowes Gods will is wise and the end shall proue it Then as the onely true knowledge and wisdome in this world is to know Gods will so the onely 〈◊〉 and square of our life in the world is the rule of Godds will There are two thinges we haue to seeke knowledge and action Would thou haue knowledge Know Gods will Would thou haue action and do any thing that would merite any commendation Do according to Gods will The rule of all actions that is truely commendable in Gods sight is his will for that man who hes the commendation of God is onely the man that should be commended do any thing because God hes willed thee to do it go not to thy own will for thou do thy wil maners not being agreable with Gods wil shall lead thee to Hel. Then do nothing but according to Gods will First know what is Gods wil and then do nothing for al the world but that which is agreable thereto If thou doest thy own will or the will of any man looke that it be conformable to Gods will and so do it otherwaies not and then do it because it is the will of God and not because it is the will of man Then see ye not how graue an argument the Apostle sets downe knowing it is Gods will that we should thank him ay should we not repose on his will It is Gods vvill vvhich is the onely light and rule of all actiones Whosoeuer knowes his will they haue a faire light in all their actiones A man will neuer wander wrong who hes such a light before his eyes If thou see that it be Gods vvill that thou goe through wildernesse through darknesse yea through Hel obey his will and take journey and I promise thee thou shalt finde the fairest outgait that euer was Count not of the way if thou haue the light of the will of God before It is not possible that Hell shall preuaile against that bodie that settes the selfe to pleasure God Well is him that sets himselfe to pleasure him who is Lord ouer all and who onely is able to pleasure vs all The world shall not pleasure thee if God pleasure the not What matter to displease all the world if we set our selues to please him Marke further he sayes It is the vvill of God tovvardes you This is a speciall will that concornes all Christians not a generall will concerning the world but a speciall will concerning you that are Christians vvho hes giuen your names
vntill we see the Lord face to face and then we shall get saciety then we shall be filled when God who is loue himselfe shall be all in all thinges And therefore grovv euer get a peece of grouth this day another peece to morrovve and so day by day grovv vntill thy heart be filled vvith the grace of Christ As thou increasest in knovvledge so thou must increase in loue for these must be joined together knowledge and loue Knowledge is in the mynde and loue in the heart Ye see how pleasant it is to see the Sunne but the light of the mynde whereby we see the Sunne of glorie is more excellent it is the light that commeth from the Lord. Then joyne thereto the loue in the heart these tvvo should ansvvere other in proportion Growest thou in knovvledge of the vvay of Christ looke thou grovv in loue to God and man othervvayes I say thy knovvledge shall not auaile thee and the greater knowledge without loue grow there-with the greater damnation Now whom should they loue Loue euerie one among your selues loue next all men in the vvorld Loue all mankinde Ye are Christians loue together mutuallie Be ye among the Heathen loue them too who knows not Christ loue the Domestickes of faith but loue the strangers too loue the members of the bodie of Christ but loue them also vvho are out vvith the bodie but in a different maner The words lets vs see the loue of the domestick is mutuall As thou louest me so I loue thee as the hand loues the foote so the foote loues the hand So among the members of Christs bodie there is a mutuall loue The band of loue goes from my hart to thee and comes again from thy hart to me but it is otherwaies with the loue that reaches out beyond the body to strangers it is but a single loue going from my hart and not returning againe from them I loue him but he loues not me I loue the Iew but he loues not me I loue the Turke but he loues not me because he is not conjoined in a body with me we should loue them to saluation Then learne we should not be narrovv hearted in loue Say not I loue not him because he loues not me if Christ had done so vvhen thou vvas an enemie it had not beene well with thee He loued thee being his enemie Loue them then vvho hates thee and them vvho would slay thee I will not giue a penny for thy loue if thou loue them onely vvho loues thee And this telles that thou art a member of the bodie when thy loue reaches out with the bodie to others As Christ loues his enemie so thou if thou be of Christs bodie vvill loue thy enemie Alas the canker of our nature against loue If thou striue not to loue thy enemie and to get that rancor of thy nature slaine slaine shalt thou be Steuin when the Ievves vvere stoning him to death sayes Lord let it not be laid to their charge Act. 7. 60. Therefore as thou wouldst haue thy soule safe loue thy enemie He layes downe his owne ensample as I doe you He vses this commonlie when he bids them doe any thing I craue nothing but that ye should resemble me I loue you loue ye others There is a lesson Thou vvho vvilt bid anie other doe well doe vvell thy selfe vvilt thou bid me loue loue then first thy selfe and loue all men A Pastor vvho vvould teach his flock to loue let him shovv loue first in his life and actions himselfe othervvaies he shall not haue grace in his vvords let him cast himselfe to be full of loue and then his vvords shall edifie Let him euer seeke an hartie loue to their saluation and craue loue to them at the hands of the Father and Christ Iesus his Sonne To vvhom vvith the holie Spirite be all praise for novv and for euermore AMEN THE XIII LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 13. 13 To make your hearts stable and vnblameable in holinesse before God euen our Father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ vvith all his Saints 1. THESSA CHAP. 4. vers 1. 2. 3. 1 And furthermore vve beseech you brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye increase more and more as ye haue receiued of vs hovv ye ought to vvalke and to please God 2 For ye knovv vvhat commaundements vve gaue vnto you by the Lord Iesus 3 For this is the vvill of God euen your sanctification and that ye should absteine from forâ—ication IN the wordes going before ye heard brethren the Apostle makes mention to the Thessalonians of that earnest prayer he vsed to God for them that once it would please God to graunt him a prosperous journey to them He fell out immediatly in a prayer The prayer containes thre parts the first part is that God the Father and the Lord Iesus vvould direct his vvay tovvardes them The second part is that how euer it should fall out vvhether he should come to them or not at Gods pleasure yet that they shoulde abound in loue euery one tovvardes another and not that onelie but in loue to all men yea tovvarde their verâ—e enemies Now shortly to come to our text In the last verse of this chapter ye haue the third head of his prayer he beseeches God to giue them holinesse holinesse in generall all kinde of holinesse As he prayed before that they might abound in loue and charitie vvhich is a part of holinesse So novv he prayes they should haue all sort of holinesse Thereafter in the chapter following he falles out in precepts of good maners and holie lyfe and conuersation and this he follovves out to the end of the Epistle sauing onely by the vvay he casts in one or tvvo informations resoluing them of certaine doubtes the first concerning the mourning for the dead the second concerning the day of Iudgement and the comming of the Lord Iesus Novv to returne He prayes for holinesse to them And vvhat should this holinesse doe To make your hearts sayes he stable and vnblameable before God And at vvhat tyme especiallie at the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ In vvhat companie should they be established with holinesse They alone No but vvith all his Saints in that happie societie of the Church of God and the Saintes There is the effect shortlie of this thirtienth verse Then brethren marke It is holinesse not a fashion of holinesse in outvvard behauiour Holines stablishes our harts before God but vvithin the heart of a man or vvoman that makes them stand vp in the presence of God that establishes them without feare terrour or trembling when they stand before the. Tribunall of a terrible Iudge Where there is no holinesse no sinceritie of heart in man but an heart filled vvith foull affections full of vncleannesse and filthinesse there the heart dare not present the selfe before the face of
shouldst seek to possesse is thy vessel thou cariest about with thee But how should thou possesse thy vessell First he showes after what maner they should possesse it and then after what maner they should not possesse it The maner how to possesse it is vvith holinesse and honour Fy on thee thou wilt keepe thy pot or thy pan cleane to thy meat the vyllest vessell in thy house thou wilt keepe it cleane Maner of possessing the vessell of the bodie and will haue it washen euerie day once and yet thou wilt not be carefull to keep cleane that vessell that keepes thy soule And yet more It is not enâ—ugh to keepe it cleane but thou must keep it in honour There are sundrie sort of vessels in an house some vessels to dishonor and some to honour They that are euen to dishonour must be keeped cleane but they that are to honour must both be keeped cleane and in honour Thy bodie which is the vessell of thy soule shoulde not be keeped cleane onely but in honour also for it is the vessell of a honourable soule Yea Paul sayes 1. Cor. 6. 19. It is the dvvelling of the holie Spirit which is more nor thy soule Thy body is dearer boght nor al the vessels in this earth it is boght with the precious bloud of Christ fy on thee who pollutes and defiles the bodie which is boght with so precious a bloude Aske some men and say to them why defilest thou thy bodie He will ansvvere My bodie is my ovvne But I say to thee thy body is not thy ovvn it is Christs he hes boght it vvith his precious bloude if it be not Christs it is the Deuils and he shall possesse it in the end And therefore seeing that bodie of thine is the Temple of the holie Spirit boght vvith the bloud of Christ keep it in holinesse and honour and if there were no more to moue thee but because it is the vessell of the soule thou should keepe it holie and cleane For an harlots bodie as a priuy stincks so in the nose of the soule that the soule shall say Lord if I vvere out of this stinking bodie O hovv much more vvill it stincke in the nose of the Lord. And vvhosoeuer keepes their bodies cleane all that they haue is cleane their heritage their moueables and vnmoueables all are cleane and honourable but if thy bodie be polluted thou art foull all is foull put thy finger to thy meate it fyles it all that goes out of thy body is foull stinking and polluted the verie earth thou goest on thou fylest it with thy foull feete albeit they be finelie decored and it grones vnder thee because thou art heauie to it The Lord let vs see this and giue vs grace to abstaine from this filthie vice harlotrie Trowest thou thy vvhorishe eyes shall see that faire glorious face of God No no they shall not see it Cry for the grace of sanctification and for the bloud of Christ that all may be cleansed and thou â—n the end may win to the end of the rinke euen Christ and liue in him and be cleansed in him Now to the next verse which containes the vvrong vvay of possessing thy bodie The vvordes are Not in the lust of concupiscence There is the vvrong vvay Weigh the vvordes Not vvith the passion The vvorde passion signifies a firy flame which breakes out of the bodie inflamed vvith foull lustes vvhich proceedes from the heart and settes the bodie in a fire The lust beginnes at the heart and breakes out through the whole members of the bodie vvith extreame passions and the bodie so exercised is a sicke and suffering bodie the bodie of an harlote is the seekest bodie that goes it is brunt vp vvith a fire within The thing that is enemie to the bodie is sicknesse and passions And therefore who euer would possesse their bodie well they must be carefull to keep the bodie from sicknesse and passions Novv among all the sicknesses that can come to a man the sicknesse of foull lust is the vvorst and most consuming sicknesse another sicknesse may well waste the moisture of the bodie but if thou be sanctified the Lorde shall make it a meane to sanctifie thee And oft times there vvill not be a â—holier bodie nor that bodie that is lying in sicknesse but this sicknesse of luste not onely vvastes the substance of the bodie and dryes it vp but it destroyes the holinesse and honour thou shouldest haue it is an enemie to holinesse It is a sicknesse that vvill neuer sanctifie thy bodie but destroy it and the longer thou ly in that sicknesse the fouller and vnholier art thou This is the nature of the sicknesse thou shalt not onely be consumed in bodie with sicknesse but thou shalt lose thy holinesse in thy soule And this is a fore matter A sicke man in another sicknesse vvill cry to the Lord for comfort but in the sicknesse of harlotrie he vvill neuer haue a voice to cry vnto the Lord for mercie if he repent not So abhorre this sicknesse aboue all other sicknesses The Lord makes all sicknesses and deathe to vvorke to the best to his ovvne but this sicknesse destroyes the soule and the bodie altogether Novv to moue men to abhorre this sicknesse He bringes in the ensample of the Gentiles and he sayes euen as the Gentiles vvho knevv not God As he vvoulde say It is a shame to you to be like the Gentiles among vvhom this foull vyce raigne first It is shame to you vvho are called to this holinesse to be lyke these foull Gentiles Brethren a bodie vvho sees not God nor Christ is a prophaine blinded bodie And he seeing a murtherer going before him in murther a thiefe in thiefrie he vvill follovv and committe the lyke vvickednesse and so the blinde following the blinde both falles in the pit together But he vvho hes gotten a sight of God and a glance of the glorious face of Iesus Christ in vvhose face the glorie of that Majestie shinnes vvhen he seeth an harlote he vvill bee so farre from following him that he will scarcelie looke to him but he vvill abhorre and detest him For in the light of the face of God that a man sees in the face of Iesus Christ as in a faire mirrour he will see the filthinesse and foulnesse of sinne None knowes how great a sinne the sinne of filthinesse and blasphemie c. is but that soule that lookes in the glorious face of Iesus Christ That mirrour is so faire and glancing that looking thereto and in it seeing the foulnesse of sinne he will be mooued to hate and detest sinne and darknesse And I say there are none who are truelie illuminated with the light of God but the more they see Idolatrie harlotrie and sinne the more they deteste them It will neuer giue me in my mynde that they who will go out of this land and at the first hand can find in their hart to
vve shall finde as many destroyed by deceit as by violence and a faire clocke of justice casten ouer deceite And in vvhat thing should they not circumveene In any manner of dealling or trafficking The Lord so long as it pleases him that we remaine in this worlde hes appointed a mutuall buying and selling otherwayes we could not liue and he hes ordained this buying and selling to be so that bothe the parties winne the buyer winne the seller-winne and he vvho blockes aright and deales vvithin his neighbour according to the word of God aright he vvill not be content to vvinne himselfe alone No the conscience of him will say and must say I vnderstand as I haue made my ovvne vauntage so shoulde my brother make his vauntage also But alas such is our selfe loue that vve can neuer thinke vve get aduauntage except our brother get losse Alas this sin is ouer much vsed in Scotland The Lord amend it The Lord is the auenger of sinne And if in blocking thou seeke not the aduauntage of thy neighbor that blocks with thee with thy aduantage thy aduantage shall be a curse to thee and thou shalt cursse the time that euer thou got that aduantage Whom should they not deceaue He sayes a brother Thou shouldst not beguyle any man neither Turke nor Pagane much more shouldst thou beware to beguile a Christian a brother or sister for I assure thee God will not see them wrongde The Lord that is thy master he vvill repaire the vvrong He that is made a brother to the first begotten of the Father the Lord vvill not see that brother vvrongde The Apostle 1. Corinth chap. 6. verse 8. settes dovvne that matter as a great indignitie saying Ye doe injurie ye doe hurt to your brother and them vvho hes giuen their names to Christ ye shame your selues to beguyle your brethren But to open the matter more deeplie There are manie conjunctiones the Lorde hes ordained to be among men as of bloude affinity ciuile societie c. and euerie one of these conjunctiones oblishes them to do no wrong to that person with whom they are conjoined But when this Christian conjunction commes in in our elder brother Christ when we are all members of one bodie in one head Christ not sundrie bodies as brethren on earth are this conjunction aboue all conjunctiones bindes me and thee to deale truelie in anie blocke vve haue vvith our brother So vvhen thou art dealing vvith anie man say this vvith thy selfe he with vvhom I deale is my brother and a member of that bodie of Christ and therefore farre be it from me to deceyue him Alas if men coulde thinke on this at their blocking that they vse to deale vvith a brother in Christ and member of that bodie for all the vvorlde they vvoulde not set themselues to beguile their brother Many testifies by their deceite they are not brethren in this bodie for if they vvere brethren indeed for all the world they vvoulde not deceaue them Novv there is heere another thing I see among all conjunctiones that euer hes beene in any societie or conjunction in this earth the most powerfull conjunction to keep men together in one societie and mutuall loue and concord is this spirituall conjunction of vs in the Lord All the lawes and conjunctions that euer hes been in any commonwel since the beginning are not so powerfull to keepe men in societie as this conjunction we haue together in one head Marke it I tell you if men and wemen be not joined together in one head by a spirituall vnion it may be there be a face of vnitie in the Countrie but no societie and sinceritie in loue except the Lord be the binder and conjoiner together no true conjunction If Christ be not the conjoyner and the binder of the man with the wife the father with the sonne no true conjunction I will not say that that Romane and Grecian Common-well that had no part in God through Iesus Christ had euer any true conjunction or sinceritie in loue No sinceritie in concorde but that that is made vp in Iesus the Lord when we runne all in to be members of one bodie and he sitting and joyning vs altogether as peeces of that bodie then there will be a sweete conjunction Alas ye see this sweete harmonie and vnitie is not among people yea alas among them that professes Christianitie greater outcasts nor among Turkes The cause is there are manie and ouer manie that call themselues Christians and takes vpon them to be in the bodie that hes no part in Iesus and hes nothing adoe with him It is shame that they should take this name vpon them for it is true if thou wert a true member of that bodie thou wouldst not seuere thy selfe from the rest of the bodie by thy murther oppression deceit c. These homicides and murtherers does testifie men and wemen are not truelie conjoyned in this bodie but keepes the name of Christianitie without effect Now he casts to one reason of these two thinges saying God is the anâ—â—ger of all such thinges bothe of deceitfulusse and oppression The reason is terrible and it telles vs God sees all and teaches vs that in this rinke to Heauen if we be not hedged in with terrors yea the best of vs with terrors on this side and terrors on that side we will runne out of the way And therefore as God hes appointed faire promises to exhort men to goe forward saying Goe forward thou shalt get a faire Crowne So on the other part knowing faire promises will not doe the turne he threatens judgements saying Goe thou out of the way my vengence shall ouertake thee yea he does more nor this and casts in greater terrors he knowes that wordes will not doe the turne whiles he takes an harlote as it were by the neck and and in the sight of the world he will teare him in peeces and let men see that the vengence of God followes on sin and wil strike him with such a sodaine death that men will feare to doe the like We see daily such experience of Gods judgements whiles he vvill take an oppressour vvho hes oppressed men in this world and wil tred on him with his feet to terrifie the world and this is his daily doing in this world Now taking this man and that woman now and then punishing them to let the world see that punishment is for sinne and sin craues judgement yea and let them see there is a day of judgement comming when he wil tak soule and bodie and cast them into hel For these temporall judgements are but as many tokens to tell vs there is a day comming when all oddes shall be made euen When ye see a man plagued temporallie stand not there but thinke on the last punishment vnlesse repentance interueene Ye will maruell when ye see a man running in wickednesse that the Lord in our sight instantlie strikes him not No knowe
in the hour of their death had they any cōfort joy and when they saw there was nothing but death and all pleasure was away then there was nothing but sorowe Hadrian the Emperour I remember who was one of the most glorious Conquerours in the world when he was on death-bed he flatters with his owne soule to see if she would haue bidden within the body saying My litle soule wilt thou bide within the body thou waits not where thou art going to without hope he was and therefore comfortlesse and dies in dispair To let vs see there is none that deceasses without the hope of lyfe and of that glorious resurrection but they die all in dispare from the King to the begger Who euer died since the beginning of the world without Christ and hope in him yea before he was manifested in the world but they deceassed in dispare So as ye wold die in joy striue to get Christ It is a thing flesh and bloud wil not giue thee and it is a greater wonder to see Christ nor to see a man through a rock ther are so many impediments to hinder his fight from 〈◊〉 Therefore we haue to craue that the sprit of Iesus wold lighten the eye of the mynde in vs aboue nature to see him and then we shall see him and so haue comfort in death Now to go forward in the wordes and to come to the heades in particulare concerning them that are departed The first thing he instructs them in I take it vp when he saies Concerning them that are asleepe is in respect of their estate present while as they lye in graue Bodies of the godlie sleepe in the graue The bodies lying in the graue sayes he is not dead Ye beleeue they be dead No death is one thing and sleepe is another They are onely sleeping for if ye will speake of death what it meanes properlie The death of the creature properlie is the euerlasing punishment and destruction of it for euer And they vvho dies and are dead they shall neuer liue againe at the least they shall neuer haue a sense of joy So the bodies of the godlie are not dead but sleeping and lying in graue and they haue a verie being a man that is sleeping is a man and hes a being a bodie in the graue hes a being and bydes lying in the graue in substance and shall abide continuallie And if it should be burnt in the fyre or drovvned in the vvatter the dissolution of the bodie in the graue shall not destroye the being thereof The turning of it in ashes is no other thing to speake of it properlie but a fyning of it as the goulde is fyned by the fyre and the drosse burnt vp so the bodie is fyned in the graue and the drosse of the bodie is but at vp that at the latter day the substance of the bodie being purified may rise as gold glistering to be conjoined with the soule The Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 53. 54. 55. when he speakes of death he sayes that the graue is not able to svvalovv the bodie but that mortality which is sin death in the body may be svvalovved vp of immortalitie So it is the mortalitie and drosse of the bodie that is burnt vp and not the substance but the substance of the bodie is cleansed and purified that it may raigne with the head Christ in glorie for euer Now to speake of this word sleeping The Scripture when it speakes of death cals it sleeping And when Iesus speakes of Lazarus he saies Our friend Lazarus sleepes but I goe to vvake him vp Ioh. 11. 11. And it is said of Steuen Act. chap. 7. verse 60. He sleeped In the olde Testament commonly there is a word added to it he sleeped with his Fathers he was joined with his Fathers Now to come to the purpose There are two parts of man A bodie and a soule When it is said that a man sleepes thinke not that his soule sleepes referring this word sleeping to the soule Some vaine men thinkes that the soule after the deceasing sleepes vntill the comming of Christ No the soule liues and sleepes not it liues and shall liue in dispyte of all the world either in paine or pleasure for euer The soule of the vngodly is translated immediatlie after death to paine and hes a wonderfull sense of paine and a liuing in paine a continuall paine anguish and torment If there were no more to testifie this but the parable of Lazarus and the rich Glutton it may suffice It tels thee that the soule of the riche Glutton had in Hell the own paine Luc. 16. 19. The soule of the godlie againe after death liues in joy And so Paul Philip 1. verse 23. sayes I vvould be dissolued and be vvith Christ viz. liuing in soule And 2. Cor. chap. 5. verse 8 I loue rather to remoue out of the bodie and to goe to God to dvvell vvith him And God is said to be the God of the liuing that is to say of the soales that liues in glorie Matt. 22. 32. So the word of sleeping is not to be referred to the soule but to the bodyes of men and wemen for as a bodie lyes downe in his bed so the bodie after dissolution is laid downe in the graue to sleepe vntill the day of resurrection There is no sleepe that by nature is euerlasting and vvhen a man hes sleeped and is satisfied vvith sleepe he must waken So the bodie if it sleepe in the graue of necessitie it must waken againe If there were no more but this word sleeping it testifies that there shall be a resurrection Now vnderstand farther that the word sleeping in the Scripture is referred to the bodies both of the reprobat and elect The bodie of the reprobat is said to sleepe The bodie of the elect is said also to sleepe So Daniell sayes chap. 12. verse 2. Many of them that are a sleepe in the dust in the earth some of them shall rise to lyfe some of them to shame and ignominie We are all sleeping but I see a diuersitie in resurrection the bodie of the elect shall rise to euerlasting glorie the body of the wicked to eternall death and damnation And yet albeit this word be common to both yet most properly it is ascriued to the bodies of the godly For euen as a man sleeps to this end that he may rise vp again more chearfully and be more able to take in hand any handy-worke do his calling So it is the body of the godly onely that sleeps to rise more chearfully to the actions and doings of that life eternall It is a wonderful change It lyes down a weak and infirme body it will rise again a strong body it lyes down in ignominy it wil rise againe a glorious body and there was neuer a man so altered comforted by naturall sleepe as the body of the elect shall be altered and comforted by that sleep in
the graue As to the bodies of the wicked woe to them if they ly down with sadnesse and wearinesse their rising shall be with farre greater sadnesse and wearinesse No they shall think it shold be well with them if the Lord wold let the body ay ly still there It is a black wakning If they ly downe with ignominy they shall rise with greater ignominie So to speake it properly the body of the reprobate is not said to sleep as it is to ly dead for the rising of it is but to death death in the graue rising to death and ay deing and neuer making an end of death Now this for the vnderstanding of this word sleeping Then I note shortlie of this first head that Paul instructs them in concerning the soules departed That the bodie that lyes in the graue Sleeping of 〈◊〉 bodie vvith out paine comfortable It lyes without the sense of torment or paine if it were not more but to knowe that farre of it this knowledge ministers comfort both in our owne death and in the death of our friendes Indeed if we saw our friendes bodie cast into the graue and knew that there were torment and paine there no question it would bring great heauinesse and we would remember on our owne paine in the hour of our death and it would bring sorrow to vs. So it is a benefite of God that the body lyes in the graue without paine And this is the thing the Apostle will haue them to know Now to come to the wordes of the next verse For if saies he vve belieue that Iesus is dead and is risen againe euen so them vvho sleepe in Iesus God vvill bring vvith him There are the wordes In one vvorde then The second thing vvhereof he vvill not haue them ignorant is the estate of them vvho are departed After then lying in the graue they shall ryse the bodie that lyes in the graue shall ryse and wake againe Knovveledge of the resurrection of the bodie more coÌ„fortable It is confortable to knowe that the bodie lyes without sense of paine in the graue but it is more comfortable to knowe that the bodie shall ryse againe and not onely want the sense of paine but shall haue comfort in Christ in that glorious resurrection The bodies of the godly shal not onely want the sense of paine but shal haue all pleasure and joy that the heart would with all their senses shall be filled with joy the eie the eare all shall be filled with God in whoâ—e presence is onely joy Now the thing that fils the sense with any joy in this earth are only creatures The thing that makes the 〈◊〉 rejoice is but the creatures that are object to it The thing that makâ— the eare to rejoice is but the sound and voices of the creatures But in the resurrection when God shall be al 〈…〉 these senses of our shal be filled with God the great Creator of al. He shall be as it wer the object to the eie to the ear to the teaching to speak it so for your vnderstanding all our senses shal be exercised with him And as there is greater matter of joy in the Creator nor in the creatures so much more joy shall these senses of ours the eie the eare the tasting c. haue of God the Creator of all So far as God passes the creatures so far shall that heauenlie joy passe the earthly joy So this we should know that the dead in Christ shall haue full pleasure and perfite joy But yet ere we leaue the words He grounds this resurrection of our bodies on two grounds 2. grunds of the assurance of our resurrection The first it faith in Christ if saies he vve beleeue that Christ died and raise again But faith in Christ first crucified and dead It auailes not to beleeue in Christ if thou beleue not in him as he is crucified dead and this not eneugh to beleue that he is crucified and dead except thou with a steadfast faith beleeue that he is crucified and dead for thy sins The Deuill knovves he vvas crucified he savv him crucified and no doubt he was present at the crucifying of him for he vvas the burrior of God to him at his crucifying yet the knovvledge of Christ crucified does him no good but euill because he beleeues not that Christ died for his sins and he cannot beleue because he hes no faith So the first ground is faith in Christ crucified and that he died for thee Yet beleue more He saies and rose againe Thou must beleue as euer thou wouldst rise in the last day that Christ was raised out of the graue to the Heauens And it is not eneugh to beleeue that he rose the Deuill beleeues that he rose againe but beleeue he rose for thee for thy justification for thy saluation as Paul affirmes Rom. 4. 25 Then this is our faith in Christ where-vpon our resurrection is grounded Faith that he died for me Faith that he rose againe for my saluation Then to the next ground They sayes he vvho hes sleeped in Iesus The second grounde is nothing but perseuerance in this Faith in Christ euen to the last gasp and breath So that in death and in the pointe of death thy soule take holde on Christ crucified and risen and sticke by him in the dissolution of the soule from the bodie It is requisite that in all our lyfe-tyme and in euerie moment of our lyfe-tyme vve should haue a grippe of Christ apprehend him take holde of him and rest on him for I assure you they vvho vvill not grip him are in a stagring estate but speciallie in the houre of death vvhen the greatest tentation is and the Deuill is busiest to deceyue you it is most requisite that the soule haue a grip of Christ grip to his Croce grip to his glorious Resurrection for there is no standing but by the apprehension of Christ and if thy grippe goe and his grippe goe off thee in that same moment thou art in Hell for no lyfe to anie but to them vvho are in Christ as members of his bodie to them vvho hes an apprehension of him and of vvhom he hes a grippe Therefore seeing the tyme of our departure is verie vncertaine vvho knovves vvhen it vvill please the Lord to call on him euerie one of vs night and day tyme and tyde should see vvhether we be in Christ or not whether we haue an holde of him or not In the morning when thou rysest the first thing thou shouldst thinke of is Am I in Christ haue 〈◊〉 a grippe of him or hes he a grippe of me or not A knaue will ryse and grippe to his staffe or sword but he hes no minde of a grip of Christ Alas vvhen Christ grippes thee not the Deuill caries thee al that day bodie and soule to wickednesse Say therfore Lord holde a grippe of me for I am as a chylde Neuer a childe was
but that which they should haue done And Christ findes fault with the hypocrite Iewes that could take vp by the sky what maner of weether should be but searched not the tyme of his comming Luke 12. 56. But as to his second comming he neuer tolde of the tyme of it Yea in Daniell in his last chapter 4. verse there is a plaine inhibition to seeke out the tyme of it Therefore it perteines not to men to know it yea it is better not to know the tyme of it nor to know it And this Christ means Matt. 24. 42. Watch therefore for ye knovv not at vvhat houre your Master vvill come Where he teaches vs that the ignorance of the tyme of his comming is verie profitable for vs because it makes vs to watch and pray wheras the knowledge of it would make vs carelesse Ye may aske at me May we on no wayes speake or thinke of the Lords comming to judge the quick and the dead and the tyme thereof I answere To define a speciall tyme either in the cogitation or thought of thy heart or in the words of thy mouth thou canst not nor thou shouldest not doe it But generallie to thinke and to say the Lord will come shortlie whether this age or the next age I know not but I know well it shall not be long when the judge shall come it shall be soone it is lawfull for thee to thinke and say this For the Lord himselfe hes said When it is craued Reuel chap. 22. vers 20. Come Lord Iesus yes saies he I come shortly When he sayes he will come shortlie let vs beleue it The Historie in the Gospell Matt. 24. 25. c. of the euill and the good seruant teaches vs what vve shoulde doe vntill the Lords comming The euill seruant sayes My Master delayes his comming home therefore he will begin to play the wanton and to drinke and to smite his companions The good seruant will say I am looking for my Masters comming shortlie he will come at noone-tyde or midnight or Cock-crow I will wait for it and therefore I will be vigilant And so this good seruant tels that we should euer await for the Lords comming diligentlie And surelie his comming is neare and faine would the godlie haue his comming to end their miserie and to perfite the joy and glorie he hes appointed for them And therefore the Lord saies I come shortlie I shall not be long And albeit we thinke it be long since he promised this yet thinke not he delayes his comming For a thousand yeeres in the sight of the Lord are but as an houre 2. Pet. 3. 8. and in respect of him there is neyther long nor short tyme. So thinke euer with the good seruant the Lord will come shortlie and he is daily comming yea and we should desire him to come shortly euerie day and we should euer patientlie waite for it And therefore this clause is added in the Lords prayer Let thy Kingdome come Which desires that he would perfite that worke of glorie Ye see Paul sayes 2. Tim. 4. verse 7. 8. I haue fought a good fight I haue keeped the faith I haue runne out my course Then he subjoines But vvhat restes I shall 〈◊〉 the crovvne of glorie vvhich the Lord Iesus as Iudge generall vvill giue me and 〈◊〉 onely giuen to me but to all them vvith thirstes for his comming Assuredlie that bodie shall receiue the crowne of glorie Whereto are we so curious of the tyme of the generall judgement Knovve vve not that our ovvne death is our particulare judgement Know I not that within a short tyme I shall be called to an account before that Tribunall No sooner shall the soule depart out of the bodie but as soone shall my judgement beginne for the soule shall immediatlie departe to that place vvhere it shall remaine for euer Therefore seeing the day of my death is the day of judgement to me and how many of you that heares me this day will be liuing this day tvventie yeeres What needes vs to be curious anâ—ut the tyme of the generall judgement seeing our ovvne particulare judgement is at hand The Lord is alreadie vvarning vs to 〈◊〉 and yet the Lord vvill not haue vs more knowing the particulare tyme of death noâ— the day of judgement The Lord vvill haue vs vncertaine albeit men will be curious to knovve it The cause is that all may be in readinesse that there be not an houre in the day but thou be readie vvhen the Lord shall call on thee and vvill say to thee Goe I vvill haue thee carying heere no longer That thou may say Lord I vvill goe vvith thee and vve le come death The Lorde refuses to tell his Disciples particulare tymes but biddes them vvatche for that tyme. This doctrine is verie requisite to vs. They are liuing this day vvhome 〈◊〉 this daye eight dayes the Lord vvill call on Therefore let euerie one prepare them selues No in the second verse he giues the reason vvherefore it is not expedient that they should knovve of Christes comming to judge the worlde For sayes he ye your selues knovve perfectlie that the day of the Lord shall come 〈◊〉 as a thiefe in the night That is Sâ—daintie of Christs commiâ—g 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of it vncertain 〈◊〉 sodaintie Men shall neuer knowe vntill they see Christ come If hee come in the morning then ye may say when he is come The Lord is come in the morning And before that tyme thou shouldst not thinke noâ— speake of the certaine houre of Christes comming There are two thinges that cannot be knovvne both together The comming of Christ on a sodaintie and the certaine tyme of the comming of Christ If I knevv the Lord vvould come sodaintie it is follie to me to trauaile to knowe the speciall houre thereof vvhen thou hast calculate to see the verie houre of his comming it is but vanitie I tell thee the Lord shall come as a thiefe in the night which tyme is most vncertaine and therefore all thy calculation failes thee Yet farther He sayes that ye yourselues knovve perfectlie that he shall come at a certaine tyme. Heere is a certaine tyme but there is not a certaintie of a certaine tyme but a certaintie of an vncertaine tyme. And if the Apostle settes downe a certaintie of an vncertaine tyme it is impossible to thee to get a certaintie of it Ye shall reade this in Matthevvâ— chap. 24. verse 42. And who euer hes trauailed in any age to count the houre and tyme of his comming the Lord hath lette them see they are confooted of error and the Lord hes condemned that labour It is a bolde thing to man to seeke out that thing the Lord hes hid Men will stand vp and calculat such a yeere of the Lords comming O vanitie thou passes thy boundes and thou had no such thing in commission giuen to thee The Lord keepe vs from such vanitie But to goe forward in the
of Iesus Christ and of the thinges that concernes him not firmely persvvaded of them as vve shall heare 3. diseases vvith their remedies in the ovvne rovvme So there are heere three diseases or speciall sicknesses The first is vnrulinesse that is louse liuing the next feeblenesse of hart the thirde is vveakenesse and infirmitie in faith and in that persvvasion that vve should haue tovvardes Iesus Christ and the Gospell And as there are three diseases So the Apostle prescryues three seuerall remedies against these three diseases Marke it For euery disease he prescryues the ovvne proper remedie and cure for in ordinate liuing and vnrulie lyfe Admonition for feeblenesse of mynde and casting dovvne of the Spirite Comfort for weaknesse in faith and infirmitie bearing vvith to beare vvith the vveake and infirme in faith Now to goe throgh these and first to the diseases and next to the remedies thereof The first disease is vnrulinesse 1. Vnruelinesse inordinatnesse The Apostle 2. Thessa 3. chap. verse 6. telles vvho are these he calles vnrulie they that liue not according to that doctrine and instruction he gaue them The vvord of God is the rule of lyfe The man that liues not according to the vvord of God is vnruly Yet more plainely in that same place he descryues the vnruely He calles them 11. verse they vvho labours not for their liuing they vvho haue not a trade of lyfe Then he addes that are busie bodies busie in other mens turnes doing nothing in their ovvne and therefore they must be exercised in euill exercises in thinges that pertaines not to them pratling and babling here and there puting their hand to this mans and that mans offices There are tvvo properties idle and exercised idle in their ovvne tume exercised in other mens turnes An euill sort of men these men are vnruly Now to come to the remedie shortlie The remedie is admonishing reprouing This vnrulinesse it is an euill maladie and eneugh to cause a man die What medicine should vve vse to such men shall we foster and entertaine them in their folie No he sayes admonishe them vse them sharply and seuerely in admonishing tell them they are out of rule The 2. Thessa chap. 3. verse 10. he telles hovv hee vsed them hee denounced against them that if they vvrought not they should not eate but their mouth should be bound vp so that they should die for hunger Also in that same place he giues a charge to all men of seuere themselues from these men that they may be ashamed of that life it is a good and an honest thing to see a man well exercised and that in his owne calling Novve to come to the second disease and remedie for it The next disease is feeblenesse of mynde 2. Feeblenesse of mynde vvhen the heart of man is casten dovvne troubled assaulted heauie so that there is no spirite nor courage but ay going in the vvay of dispaire What is the medicine and remedie of this man Deale not roughlie vvith one vvho is diseased after this maner adde not affliction to affliction afflict not him vvho is afflicted trouble not the troubled the proper medicine to such is comfort Comfort them that are dejected in spirit Dauid in the 41. Psalme 1. verse he pronounces a speciall blessing to him that vvill comfort the afflicted Blessed is the man that iudges vvysoly of the poore that is that can haue compassion on a troubled conscience Now the arguments of consolation he vses in that Psalme are tvvo The first from the promises of God to be bestowed on them in Christ The other is prayer Promise then grace to the troubled heart in Iesus Christ and then pray for it If the hart be dejected no comfort for it but from God Al the world all the powers in Heauen and earth are not able to comfort and raise vp the soule but onely the power of God through Christ and his blessed Spirite Novv to the third disease and remedie thereof It is vveakenesse in faith 3. Weakenesse in faith vveakenesse in the knovveledge of Christ and the Gospell vvhen a man hes not a through sight and perswasion of these thinges that concernes Iesus and the Gospell when he knowes them not vvell neither is confirmed in them Such as concerning diuersitie of meates all meates are sanctified in Christ many knew not that and therefore made conscience in obseruing diuersitie of meates and likewise as concerning daies that put difference in daies and keeped them these he cals weak ones The remedy is beare with them breake not the brused reede quench not the smooking slax no enterteine the least beginning of grace in the weakest body A fire that hes smook in the beginning if thou enterteine it it will in end grow a faire fire What knowest thou but these that hes a little sparke of faith if they be enterteinde by processe of tyme will grow to an high measure of knowledge and will be as strong as thou Paul 15. chap. Rom. 1. verse speaking of these same weake ones sayes We vvho are strong in faith that is knowes the libertie in Christ Iesus let vs beare the infirmities of the vveake take their burdene off their back and lay it on our shoulders heape not on them burdene vpon burdene but releue them and that vve please not our selues and make off-casts of others Therefore he addes let euery one please their neighbour Please their neighbour and beare with him that is the word and he commes on with Christs exemple Christ he bare not vvith himselfe selfe-loue caried him not as it does vs but as it is written the reproches of them that rebuked thee fell on me He spared himselfe so little that these igneminies and reproaches that should haue lighted on vs sinners he tooke them on him He tooke our burdeene on him There are the wordes shortly Marke our lessons This world is all diseased men and wemen in this world are full of diseases yea and they that thinks themselues wholest are sickest I will not speake of the diseases of the bodie There are few without their owne diseases and that is the rewarde of sinne yea and death followes on the end of them but I speake of the sicknesse of the soules of men and wemen neuer one but they haue their owne diseases in their soule He hes this sicknesse in his soule she hes that sicknesse in her soule he is miserable in his soule another feeble in minde the third weake without a sure knowledge of Christ euery one of these sicknesses are deadlie euerie one of them eneugh to cause a creature die Art tho vnruely if it continue with thee and be not cured in tyme it shall cause thee die not such a death as the death of the bodie it is a sicknesse in the soule thy soule shall die The sicknesse of the bodie will cause the bodie die if it be not cured the sicknesse of the soule will cause the soule die if
faile thee or else thou shalt faile them if thou were a King thou must faile in thy kingdome thou must leaue 〈◊〉 either shall the worldly things be taine from thee or thou from them What Monarch euer yet since the beginning of the world for al their dominions if they had not God and Christ had euer a sparke of joy at the houre of his death A dram weight of this joy is worth all the kingdomes of this earth and if thou hast gotten a little peece of this joy thinke it better nor thou wert made Monarch of all the world No question the least peece of Christes graces and of this regeneration is worth all the Kingdomes of this world Euen so these earthlie thinges cannot bee the matter of this joye Thou shalt neuer get the joy of the holy Spirite if thou seeke it in the world Then wherein standes this joy Paul 4. chap. to the Philippians verse 4. sayes Reioyce in the Lord. He sayes not rejoyce in the world or kingdomes of the world but he sayes rejoyce in the Lord and in all those graces he hes broght with him in remission of sins in life euerlasting c. Take heed compare this joy with the matter thereof This joy is spiritual Iesus is a Spirit all his graces are spirituall Then these two agrees very well a spirituall matter a spirituall joy Then againe this joy is continuall Christ is for euer Heb. 13. 8. His graces standes for euer Al the mercies of God in Christ are eternall and vnchangeable How well then standes these two a joy continuall a matter continuall a joy that is eternall a matter that is eternall But thou wilt say 〈…〉 albeit that matter of my joy Christ Iesus neuer perishes yet we must perish and albeit he stand yet we must fall No no. Paul to the Rom. chap. 8. vers 35. saies What shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ No if thou be once well imped in him by his Spirite and a lyuely faith all the world shall neuer bring thee back againe thou shalt neuer be separate heauen and earth shall first perishe ere they who are imped in Christ be separate from him death shall not separate them Paul sayes Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage Philipp chap. 1. vers 21. These earthly thinges may vantage thee in this naturall and transitory lyfe 〈…〉 riches may vauntage thee in this lyfe honour may be pleasant to thee here but when death commes then may thou justly say I will get no more vantage of my riches I will shake all off me and go naked to the graue but Christ will go to the graue with me yea euen to the resurrection he shall accompany thee and then soule and body shall be joined together and thou shalt be with him for euer In one word the matter of this joy are not earthly things but spirituall It is Christ and his graces that is the ground of all this joy vntill thou come to that lyfe euerlasting And this for the opening vp of the words Learne Vseâ— then There are none of vs that walkes in the light of the Gospell of Christ and hes taine the name of Christians vpon vs but we are bound and oblist to rejoyce and be glade and that not for one tyme onely one day or one night or one yeere or one season but euermore and at euery occasion in prosperitie in aduersitie in life and death euer rejoyce and weulde ye know the paine all obligations are vnder some paine the paine of it is vnder the paine of banishing vs out of Gods Kingdome out of heauenly Ierusalem He that would not rejoyce vnder the hope of heauenly Ierusalem must be banished out thereof Rom. 14. verse 17. Gods Kingdome in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost if thou prease not to rejoyce in Christ and his Kingdome in life and death prosperity and aduersitie thou shalt be shut out of it I say they who neuer felt of this heauenly joy and neuer rejoyced in Christ in his Redemption of vs from sin in that life purchast to vs by his bloud who neuer rejoyces in these but ay is glad when he is exercised about these earthly things that man neuer yet saw Christs Kingdome And albeit he be outwardly in the Church the Church is called the Kingdome of God in the Gospell yet indeede he is not one of the Kingdome he is going vp and downe in company with them of the Church but he was neuer in the Church for thou must be spiritually in it and not bodily And if there be a great sin in the world this is one not to rejoyce in such a matter of joy God offers thee saluation in Christ if thou rejoyce not therein thou cannot doe a greater contempt to the light of the Gospell wherein life and saluation is offered noâ— a greater injury to God thou bereaues God of his glory for what shall be the chiefe glorifying of God but a rejoycing in his mercies through Iesus Christ Alas what great blessednesse we defraâ—d our selfes of when we rejoyce not in the worke of our Redemption It is wonder what joy the Angels haue in looking in to this worke of the Redemption of man Peter in his 1. Epistle chap. 1. vers 12. sayes The Angels desires to looke in to this misterie Were not the Angels preachers to the shiephirds of that joy and blessing that came to the world Luke chap. 2. verse 13. 14. Fy on thee Christ is come to redeeme thee and not the Angels and yet they rejoyce and wilt not thou rejoyce The earth and heauen leapes and rejoyces for the hearing of their deliuerance by Christes comming againe and thou cannot rejoyce fy on thee When all the dumme creatures aboue vnder and about thee rejoyces and thou cannot rejoyce Waken vp that dead hart of thine and rejoyce in God or else the spirit of sorrow and sadnesse shall waken thee that thou shalt weepe for euer The tyme of joy is pretious if thou rejoyce not heere thou shalt neuer get that joy in Heauen hereafter Now ye will say should we rejoyce ay The wise man sayes Ecclest chap. 3. vers 4. 〈…〉 All thinges hes the tyme there is a tyme of vveeping a tyme of laughing How should we ay be glad I aunswere it is true there is a tyme of mourning and a tyme of sadnesse and I trow this same verie tyme is the tyme of sadnesse But I tell thee againe for all this sadnesse rejoyce must thou and when thou art commanded to be sad for sin thou art commanded to rejoyce in Christ for remission thereof where nothing is in the hart but sadnesse it will bring a man to dispare Sadnesse would euer be mingled with joy sadnesse for miserie would be mingled with joy for hope of reliefe or else the end shal be dispare And it is wonderfull to see the Spirit of Iesus at â— tyme to
wrought by the Spirit of God thou must liue holilie in his sight and then thou must beleeue thou must haue faith that is throgh the trueth of Iesus Christ or else thou wert neuer chosen If thou hast not faith if thou hast not an holy life no saluation for thee Then shortly in the next verse Hauing spoken of faith he showes how a man commes by faith how he gets it He sayes vnto the vvhich ye are called Faith thou is gotten by calling if a man be not called and cryed on as it were with a shout from Heauen O the dead bodie will not waken for if thou be not cry edon thou wilt not get grace to beleeue if thou be not cried vpon by the cry of God in his word thou shalt neuer get faith for faith is kindled vp by the voice of the Euangell The Lord sayes Iohn 5. 28. 29. The houre shall come and novv iâ— vvhen the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue meaning the dead in sinne So faith rises by a crye and call when he sayes come out of that death thou that sâ—eepest if thou heare thou shalt incontinent arise and beleeue O the power of the voice of God! It is his voice onely that makes the dead soule heare and to beleeue It is not thy free-will that makes thee to answere it is the cry of God onely that kindles vp faith in thee and what meanes vses he to call men by Euen the Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the voice of God For what is the word of God but the voyce of God shouting and crying vpon thee So calling is by a word and voice Now calles he thee by the voyce of the Law No long would thou haue lyeâ— ere thou had answered to the voyce of the Law the more it cry vpon thee thou wiltly the longer dead What is the voice then The sweet voice of the Gospell of Iesus Christ when it is tolde to thee that the Sonne of God is incarnate for thy sake he hes suffered and is risen that thou may get remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in one word the speach of the crosse of a dead man it is the speach that puts life in thee and so no faith without calling and no calling without the voice of the Gospell and no life without the voice of the Gospell Thou shalt neuer see the face of God without thou heare the voice of the Gospell Yet marke He sayes our Gospell that is that I Paul and my fellow laborers ministred Then I aske what is the mouth out of the which the voice of the Gospell sounds and by the which the Lord calles the dead man Euen the mouth of sillie simple men and therefore Paul cals it his Gospel Pauls mouth Peters mouth and the mouth of all the faithfull ministers are the voice of God to the end of the world calling thee to faith and therefore doe they call this Gospell their Gospell The Lord hes so ordeined that without the mouthes of sillie men no voice of God should be heard in the earth Goe to thy chamber read as thou wilt thou shalt nor come to Heauen if thou contemne the mouth of sillie men for without the voice of sillie men that soundes this Gospell there is no voice of God calling thee to faith And therefore without this base ministrie is no saluation for thee I say farther If the mouth of this ministrie whereby the Lord speaks be contemned by thee there is no faith no life appointed for thee God hes so bound himself to this ministrie that if thou contemne this ordinance thou shalt neuer see Heauen He will haue thee safe by a foolish preaching or else thou shalt neuer see heauen Say not might he not send Angels No close thy mouth for by foolish preaching thou shalt be safe and by no other means Mark this ye that contemne the preaching of the word of God out of the mouthes of sillie men Now in the end of the verse he sets downe another end of this calling the first end was faith the other is the participation of the glorie of Heauen in Iesus Christ all is in Christ glorie is in him so thou shalt not get either grace or glorie if thou get not Christ alwaies this is an end both of election and vocation life euerlasting Election is from all eternitie vocation is in tyme and lyfe euerlasting followes as the onely effect and end of both Now the calling beginnes here and what other thing is al our preaching but this come to Iesus Christ the Anchor of your faith and life and this cry holds 〈◊〉 till Christ Iesus come and then he will cry out that last cry Come ye blessed of my Father and inherite the kingdome prepared for you and then the chosen shall enter in the participation of that glorie through Christ that neuer shall end And therefore to this Iesus the Anchor of our life and the caller of vs to life and glory with the Father and holy Spirit we render al praise and honor for now and euermore AMEN THE NINTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 15. 16. 17. 15 Therefore brethren â—tand fast keep the instructions vvhich ye haue bene laught either by our vvord or by our Epistle 16 Novv the same Iesus Christ our Lord and our God â—â—en the Father vvhich hath loued vs and hath 〈◊〉 vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17 Comfort you harts and stablishe you in 〈…〉 and good vvorke AFTER the Apostle heâ— ended that Prophecy of the vniuersall defection from the trueth and faith of Christ Iesus and of the reueiling and manifesting of the Antichrist and his power he doeth three things in the end of this chapter First he comforts the Thessalonians against this Apostaâ—ie and defection assuring them it should not touch them because they were grounded vpon that stable foundation of the eternall election of God of the which they had sure tokens and testimonies the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the trueth the calling of God to faith and participation of the glory of Iesus Christ Next in the text we have red there are conteined two things The first is 〈◊〉 exhortation to the Thessalonians to stand and perâ—euere to the end The other is a prayer conceiued by the Apostle to God the Father and to the Lord Iesus that it would please them first to comfort the harts of the Thessalonians next to establish them in euery good word and worke Then shortly to come to the text We haue set downe in the first words an exhortation to the Thessalonians that they should standfast But first we shall consider how this exhortation followes on the doctrine passing before Therefore sayes he Then it must be inferred by a consequent vpon the doctrine preceeding The cause of their standing and perseuerance must be in the text preceding