wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
that they have roome in their houses for others but no roome for Christ at this time let us looke into the houses of Gentlemen and great men they have roome enough for swaggerers and swearers dicers and carders and mummers but no roome for Christ Religion prayer or for the Bible but Christ thy redeemer is as it were turned into the stable I beseech God that no such accusation may bee laid to us at the day of judgement therefore whosoever thou bee that keepest a roome to entertaine thy friend bee sure thou keepe a roome in thy house to entertaine Christ even his poore members to entertaine Religion prayer and all other Christian duties The Shunamite is commended in the 2 King 4. 10. for keeping a chamber for the man of God even this shall be thy commendations that thou keepest a roome in thy house to entertaine Christs members but if thou canst not keepe thus a chamber in thy house yet keepe a little roome or corner in thy heart for Christ wee see a number of men have roome in their hearts for every vile sinne and lust but no roome for Christ whatsoever wee doe let us not turne out Christ and let him have a roome to seeke but rather let us turne out our sinnes that so Christ may dwell with us and that we may dwell with him eternally The last thing observed in the birth of Christ was the manifestation thereof for seeing Christ was so obscurely borne in a stable laid in a cratch we may wonder how the world came to know it it was manifested three waies 1. By the Angels to the shepheards 2. By a Starre to the Wisemen 3. By a secret motion of the Spirit to Simeon and Anna in the Temple In the first manifestation of Christ to the shepheards we observe two things 1. The manifestation it selfe 2. The effects of it In the manifestation we may observe six things 1. To whom Christ was made manifest To the shepheards 2. What disposition they were in upon their calling watching their flocks 3. By whom by an Angell when the Priests were silent in the Temple 4. The time when The very same night 5. The manner of it By bringing a speciall message 6. The speech of the Angell First to whom Christ was made manifest not to the great men of the world nor to the priests contemners of grace but unto poore Shepheards one would have thought hee would first have manifested himselfe to kings and Queens and to the great men of the land and not unto poore shepheards Of which there be three Reasons First because it was one of the parts of the degrees of Christs Humiliation that hee had not the great men of the world to grace him at his birth but onely poore shepheards yea this is a great stumbling blocke still because poore men receive the Gospell it hinders many a man from receiving the truth or embracing Religion but let no man be offended at it it was so when Christ came into the world The Pharises aske the question Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beeleved on him those that bee learned it is but a company of poore men and 1 Cor. 1. 26. saith the Apostle For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise c. therefroe labour to be one of Christs Disciples and he will not despise thee although thou be poore and meane Secondly to shew that there is no condition or estate so bad that can hinder a man from Christ whatsoever it be tradseman shepheard or how meane soever he will not despise thee for thy meanenesse some would thinke that such great things should be ingrossed for the great men of this world as we see that the best things bee gathered up all the country over and ingrossed for kings and Queens and because the best thing of all is Christ therefore that kings and Queenes should have had the chiefe ineterst in him and the poore have gone without but we may see that no meane condition can hinder a man from Christ but the poore man hath as great a part in him as the rich We read Gen. 2. 9. The tree of life stood in the middest of the garden of Paradise that it might equally impart it selfe to all sorts and conditions of men and so Revel 22. 2. In the Heavenly Ierusalem there is a tree of life said to be in the middest of the street equally to impart it selfe to all sorts poore and rich therefore this may bee a comfort that no meane condition or estate doth hinder a man from Christ There bee many poore people will not come at Church because they have not good apparell it is good indeede that there bee as much decencie in this as may be that men and women when they come to the house of God should come as comely and handsomely as they can but if men have not decent and comely apparell to come in let them not refraine from comming to the Church because they want apparell to come but let them looke to the heart and conscience and then Iesus will be a Iesus to them Thirdly to shew that he must be the poore mans portion the rich man hath his portion in goods and in lands but the poore mans portion is in Christ so Iam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of the world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that love him and therefore this may bee a great comfort to a poore man although he hath not a great deale of goods and lands for his portion yet he may say I thanke God that Christ is my portion his birth cradle cratch life death passion and his merits are mine this it was that made Ieremy to rejoyce in his trouble Lamen 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him and so Psalm 16. 5. saith David The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance therefore thou that art a poore man and hast but a little goods or lands labour to make Christ thy portion take him home into thy heart apply him by faith and then thou hast an excellent portion if a man fall into the hands of his enemies or of theeves who rob him and take away his goods yet if he have a Iewell of great price lest about him hee may say Lord I thanke thee though they have taken away my money and goods yet they have left me may Iewell so howsoever the world may take away from a man his goods peace or his good name yet a Christian may have comfort and say Lord I thanke thee that I have still my Iewell they have not taken away Christ from me If any object and say is Christ the poore mans portion onely doth not he
did hang on the crosse basely and contemptibly and that he had the dispensation and disposing of it The second is a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but that he will impart it unto others The third is that he will impart it to others who are poore penitent sinners not onely to the just but to the penitent and this was the ground of his prayer Now every one of us must lay this ground of prayer First he must be perswaded that Christ hath a kingdome and that he was come into it and hath the power and dispensation of it so Matth. 28. 18. All power is given wee in heaven and in earth so Ioh. 5. 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Secondly a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but will impart it to others even as a conduite receiving water doth not keepe it to it selfe but conveies it to others so Christ received this kingdome not to keepe it to himselfe but to convey it unto us as Luk. 22. 29. therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me so Christ doth not retaine it to himselfe but hee doth impart it to all others Thirdly that he will impart it to poore penitent sinners Matth. 9. 13. our Saviour saith that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and therefore if men will repent of their sinnes let them not feare but that Christ will bestow it on them for he will not bestow his kingdome on the just onely but on poore penitent sinners this is the ground of his prayer Now for the prayer it selfe and herein wee observe two things 1. What he prayed for 2. The time when hee prayed First for what he prayed hee prayed to bee remembred when Christ came into his kingdome hee did not pray Christ to pull the nailes and spickes out of his hands and feet to have his body saved or his paines mitigated or asswaged but he desires to be remembred when he comes into his kingdome so he lets all the care of his body goe and applyeth himselfe to have his soule saved to be remembred when Christ comes into his kingdome Now with the other all his care was for the saving of his body and to have his body eased of his paines which because Christ would not asswage he railes on him but this man is contented to let all goe so his soule may be saved now in these Theâ—ves are figured out all the men in the world when they come to dye with some all their care is to have their life prolonged their bodies saved to have their paines asswaged and eased so wee see it was the care of Ahaziah king of Israel shall I recover my fall all his care was to know whether he should recover of a bodily cure so it is with the world all their care is to know whether they shall recover or no but the Saints care not so much for the saving of their bodies as their soules let the body suffer what it will they are contented to suffer any paines so they may have their soules saved I have shewed you heretofore that if an house bee on fire they will fetch out all the best things so that if any perish it shall bee the worst because if all cannot bee saved it is wisdome to save the best so if our soules and bodies bee in danger that wee cannot save both let us labour to save the best which is our soules as this theefe did not desire to have the spickes pulled out of his hands and feet to have his paines asswaged and eased but his desire is to bee remembred so what paines soever wee endure we must say I am contented to beare it save my soule onely If a man by a shipwracke bee cast into the sea a planke comming to him will hee not let goe his gold and silver and catch hold on the planke to save his life so we are all floating in the sea of this world ready to be drowned with the pleasures and profits therof ready to be sunke as low as hell therefore how much more had we need to castaway every thing that doth hinder us and take hold on the meanes that God hath appointed for saving of our soules I but what is it that he prayes for he prayes to be remembred why should he be remembred hee was a theefe a bad liver a notorious fellow one would have thought hee would have desired Christ to have forgotten him To this I answer that there be two kinds of Remembrances 1 Remembrance of God in Iudgement 2 Remembrance of God in Mercy First there is a remembrance of God in judgement as Psal 9. 12. For when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the complaint of the poore So likewise in Hos. 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse The Lord remembreth all the others they have sworne all the lyes they have told all the Sabbaths they have prophaned all the houres they have mispent and so all their sinnes the Lord remembreth to punish them Secondly there is a remembrance of God in mercy as Gen. 8. it is said The Lord remembred Noah that was in goodnesse and mercy Psa and 132. 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions and so the Theefe desired to be remembred not in judgment but in mercy in like manner David desired not to be remembred in judgment where he saith Psa 3. 25. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellion hee desires God to remember him in his tender mercy and his loving kindnesse as also here the Theefe prayed Christ not to remember him in his sinnes and in his transgressions but to remember him in the multitude of his mercyes Secondly the time when he prayed and it was when hee was upon the crosse in paines and torments ready to dye then he stirred up himselfe to prayer and this must teach us that when wee come to dye wee must stirre up our selves to prayer and to repentance and to other Christian duties I know when paines be upon us wee shall have little minde to speake or to doe any thing but wee must then stirre up our selves to prayer and gather up our selves so wee see Stephen did in the 7. of the Act. even when a shoure of stones came about him then he stirred up himselfe and called on the name of God Now the next thing we are to speake of is the Answer of Christ and that is a Promise wherein we observe foure things 1 Vpon what his promise was made 2 Vnto whom it was made 3 What was promised 4 When he would performe his promise First upon what he made his promise upon his prayer which may teach us that true prayer shall not want his due fruit so Matth.
him the reasons because he would their faith should be grounded on the Scriptures which must teach us that wee must ground our faith onely on the Word of God therefore Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life so it is not true faith till it bee founded on the Scriptures it may be a counterfeit or it may be an opinion or it may be a perswasion but it cannot be true faith till it hath his ground there so saith Paul Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing of the word preached as also the Schoolmen say the best resolution of faith is of God that they doe beleeve because God saith so here we are to take notice of an errour in the world that many say they have faith and yet have no ground for it but they will tell you such a Preacher said so or such a good man or wee heard it a great while agoe but it is not true faith till they can say that God spake it well he may have a perswasion or an opinion or a conceit but it cannot be true faith till it be founded on the word of God Thus we heard in the former verses how Christ did found the faith of the Disciples on the Scriptures he might have discovered himselfe at the first and have given them a sensible knowledge of him as hee did after in this chap. but Hee drew them on by little and little and did lead them through the Scriptures the booke of God that so he might open unto them all that was spoken of him In the next place we come to the discovery of him where wee may see that when they drew neere unto the towne they went to Christ makes a proffer to be gone as though he would have left them after he had begun the worke of grace in them and had kindled some sparkes in them in like manner through the wise dispensation of God hee doth still hee beginnes the worke of grace and kindles some sparkes of faith in us and then he will proffer to bee gone if we be not wise to lay hold on him and retaine him therefore Moses makes his prayer Numb 10. 36. every time the Arke removed Returne O Lord to the many thousands of Israel he knew that the people had given God just cause to be gone from them therefore he makes his prayer that God would yet returne againe to them In like maner David Psal 44. 9. makes his complaint But now thou art farre off and puttest us to confusion and goest not forth with our armies here David seeth the Lord to shrinke from him making a proffer to be gone therefore complaines he thus so we shall find that the Lord doth shrink from us and makes a profer to be gone and to take away the Gospell and our comfort if wee bee not wise to lay hold on him and stay him Now there bee three things by the which a man may know when Christs makes a proffer to be gone First When men grow idle and cold in the use of good meanes in prayer hearing the word reading and meditating thereon they doe not apply themselves to it as they have done but they attend about the world this makes Christ proffer to be gone Luk. 2. 47. Ioseph and Mary never lost Christ all the while they were in Aegypt they kept him when they were under the crosse and in affliction but when they were in peace and at Ierusalem then they lost him and the reason was because they attended their friends kinsfolkes and the rest of the company but did not attend Christ never looked after him therefore hee was presently lost even so most men as long as they be under the crosse keepe Christ but when they bee in peace then they lose him and the comfortable feeling of faith they attend to the world to their profits and pleasures and grow loose in the use of good meanes forgetting to nourish the good things and holy feelings of Gods favour in themselves to this effect Psal 51. 11. David prayes unto God That he would not take away his spirit from him he felt the Lord to shrinke from him and make a proffer to be gone and therefore he sayes Lord take not thine holy spirit from me whatsoever thou take away from mee though it bee my crowne and kingdome yet take not thy spirit from me As we see if a man hath fish in his pond as long as the water tarries so long the fish will remaine but if the water bee drawne out then the fish will follow the water even so as long as wee use good meanes so long Christ will tarry with us but if once we grow loose then Christ will follow the meanes And this is the first thing whereby we may know whether Christ makes a proffer to be gone Secondly wee may know whether Christ makes a proffer to bee gone When wee live in knowne sinnes against our judgement and conscience giving way to our flesh and following bad examples then we may justly feare hee will be gone or make a proffer to be gone For as Ezek. 8. 6. the Lord saith Son of Man seest thou not what they doe Even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuarie So if we commit sins against God it will cause his Spirit to depart from us as also Exodus 33. 7. When the people of Israel had committed a great sinne against God in worshipping the Calfe Moses tooke the Tabernacle and did pitch it without the Host to shew unto the people that God was departing from them because of their sinnes if they were not wise to stay him by repentance and turning to him by Prayer Another example hereof we have Iudges 16. 20. Sampson who was a good man and yet because hee loved a harlot and sinned against God The Spirit of the Lord departed from him for when she said the Philistians bee upon thee Sampson hee awoâ—ke out of his sleepe and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe And hee wist not that the Lord was departed from him Even so if good Men sinne against God it will cause the Spirit of Christ to depart from them for when they have committed great sinnes against God though they shake themselves and thinke to doe as they have done before to pray and performe such like duties yet for their life they cannot because the Spirit of God is departed from them hence we may learne that though a man be a good man yet if he sinne against God God may give him over and he may lose the Spirit of grace and the comfortable feeling of it for a time therefore every man must take heed how hee give way to the flesh to commit sinnes against God and as Iacobs sonnes said to the Sichemites If yee will be circumcised then will we give our daughters to you and take your daughters
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
ever therefore againe and againe I pray God give us grace to feare it and care to avoid it SERMON LII MATTH 25. 42. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirstie and ye gave me no drinke c. IT was my purpose to have ended this point with my last daies labour but because there remaineth something more of this point as the reason of the condemnation of the wicked to bee spoken of and one thing besides not yet handled which is what Christ shall doe after the last judgement therefore not I will finish up this Scripture and so will come the next time to that point wee spake of Wee heard out of the former verse of the heavy sentence that should passe on the wicked and ungodly first that they shall bee cast out of the presence of Christ secondly they should goe away with the curse of God on them the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse the godly shall curse them thirdly the place that they shall passe into is fire and everlasting fire fourthly the companions they shall live with the devill and his angels Now we come to the Reason of their condemnation for feare lest any man should thinke that it is for some horrible and heynous sinnes that they be judged to hell torments therefore Christ shewes in these words that the people of the world are deceived for they thinke that none but idolaters theeves murtherers whoremasters and such like persons shall goe to hell and that it cannot stand with the goodnesse of God that all these terrible and fearefull judgements should bee inflicted for small and petty sinnes Now Christ shewes that the world is deceived and that men shall bee condemned for small sinnes aswell as the great if they doe not repent for them In these words wee are to observe three things 1. That sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission will damne a man 2. Not onely great sinnes will damne a man but small sinnes will doe it 3. Though they seeme small to us yet they bee great in Gods accompt First sinnes of Omission will damne a man as well as sinnes of Commission for Christ will not say yee have robbed the poore and taken away their cloathes but ye have not fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke lodged the stranger the omitting duties of Prayer of holinesse to God of love that we owe one to another this wee shall bee damned for as well as sinnes of Commission For as Augustine saith how many things might Christ say to the wicked at the day of judgement If a wicked man should say Why hast thou judged us to Hell torments He might say because ye be murtherers theeves deceivers of your brethren swearers and because ye be bad livers But Christ shall say none of these things to them but it is because ye have not sed the hungry cloathed the naked lodged the stranger visited the sicke so then the very omitting of Christian duties Christ shall charge us with at the day of judgement will bee of force enough to condemne us Therefore the World is deceived for they thinke if they doe not body harme and pay every man his all is well enough though they doe no good but wee see that for the omitting of good and Christian duties a man shall as well bee damned as for sinnes of Commission therefore it is good for us to be wise and to profit by this lest we be cast out of the presence of Christ As a man may spend the day well in his daily vocation yet when night commeth if he creepe into his bed without prayer and wilfully remaine in that sinne he may be condemned for it if he repent not so likewise a man may eate his meate come to dinner or supper which a man may have because hee gets it with his labour but because he doth not sanctifie it by prayer and draw down a blessing from God upon it therefore notwithstanding other performances he may be damned so likewise on the Sabbath day though a man doe no worke though he doe not ride abroad yet if he lye idle at home and do not come to publike assemblies and is not carefull to keepe it holy to the Lord he may be damned for it And this is the first point that sinnes of Omission as well as sinnes of Commission damne a man if he doe not repent of them Secondly Christ shewes that not onely great sinnes damne a man and cast him out of the presence of Christ but the small too if hee doe not repent them this is another thing that the wicked are deceived in for they thinke if a man be not a theefe a murtherer a whoremaster or a great sinner all is well enough but Christ shewes us that little sinnes damne as well as great If we doe not feede the hungry cloth the naked visite the sicke and lodge the stranger the least sinne is enough to damne a man if he doe not repent of it As Matth. 12. 36. Wee shall answer for every idle word So Matth. 5. 39. Christ saith Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these commandements and teach men so to doe he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven So then the least sinne is enough to cast us from the presence of Christ we see if a Ship leake water though the hole be but as bigge as a mans finger if it bee not stopt it will drowne the Ship so the least sinne that is will damne a man if he doe not repent of it therefore we must take heed that wee doe not give way to the least sinne for as Saint Ierome saith there is no sinne so little but it deserveth the wrath of God and eternall condemnation Thirdly although these sinnes be small in our sight yet they are great in Gods account For would a man thinke in the light of nature and sight of reason that because a man doth not give bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie and cloth to the naked these were such great sinnes with a number of others that seeme small in the eyes of the World for they thinke it is a small thing to tell a lie to sweare an oath to raile on a neighbor But Paul tels us 1 Cor. 6. 10. that raylers shall not inherit the Kingome of God and Revel 23. 15. For without shall be dogges inchanters whoremâ—ngers murtherers idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies these although they seeme small in the sight of men yet are they great in the sight of God As if a man looke into a false glasse he can never see true proportion nor right quantitie but if hee looke into a true one then things will appeare in their true proportion and right quantitie so in the false glasse of this world and of mens judgement wee can never see the true proportion of sin nor the right quantitie of it but if we looke into
desired to die the death of the righteous and secondly Matth. 19. 16. of the young man that came to Christ and said unto him Master what shall I doe to be saved so a man may have a desire to be saved and to be in heaven and happinesse and yet want the spirit of God Here therefore as before so now let us see what the defect is I answer it is in three things First It is a fleeting desire not constant and setled Balaam had a good desire but it was but in a mood or a fit he desired hee might die the death of the righteous and it was but once that he did so that we reade of and that also when hee saw the glory of the Saints this is the first defect that their desires are but for a fit Secondly they were idle desires they desired heaven but were loth to take any paines as it is said of the Sluggard Prov. 13. 4. The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought though hee desire such and such things yet he goes without them because he would not take pains for them therefore we must see that our desires be such as will put us upon any paines and labour so we may be saved Thirdly Such have not earnest desires but those that every little matter will put over we see if a childe askes the brest or meat the mother sometimes will give him a booke into his hand when this quiets the childe it shewes that it was but a flight desire that the childe had for if it had beene an earnest desire nothing would quiet the childe till it had the brest or some meat So it is with many men they desire to be saved and to have heaven and then the devill puts as it were a booke into their hands matter of pleasure and profit which quiets them this shewes that their desires were but slight for if they had beene earnest nothing would content them till they had had the thing that they desired And thus much of the false markes SERMON LVI ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his NOw the point of inquiry is how a man may know whether the Spirit of God and the Spirit grace be in him or no because it is the Spirit of God that seales our redemption as Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. and all our hope of heaven hangs on the Spirit therefore it will be very necessary and profitable for every man to know what be the true markes and signes of the holy Ghost his being in us And this we may discover by considering it two wayes 1. Generally 2. Particularly First Wheresoever the holy Ghost is in what man soever he makes a sensible and a through change and alters him in his will affections and in every part as Matth. 8. Christ saith unto the Centurion If I come I will heale thy servant I will not be idle and doe nothing but if I come I will heale him so if the holy Ghost come into a man hee will not be idle but hee will heale him of his sinnes and make a sensible and a through change in him in all parts So Iohn 3. 7. Christ shewes that no man can enter into the kingdome of heaven unlesse there be a second birth of the holy Ghost in him and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Paul saith that every one that is in Christ must be a new creature So then there must be a second birth of the Spirit people must become new men and women It is a ground in nature that the generation of one thing is the corruption of another as Ice when it turnes to water there is corruption of the Ice so when Christ turned water into wine there was corruption of the water even so it is in the worke of the Spirit as there is encrease of holinesse wrought in a man so there is a decrease of sinne and corruption Wee see in the Gospell that those that were brought to Christ who lay and wanted their feet went away with them such as were blinde went away with their eyes opened such as were deafe and dumbe went away speaking and hearing and such as were dead went away alive so when the Spirit of God comes into a man though hee were lame and not able to walke in the wayes of God yet that will inable him if he were blinde and ignorant that will open his understanding and give him heavenly knowledge if he were dead in sinnes that will put the life of grace and holines into him thus the holy Ghost will make a through change therefore every man must labour to see whether this change be wrought in him or no as 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. it is said that no theeves covetous persons drunkards railers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God Here was a change indeed wrought in these men So also 1 Tim. 1. 13. Saint Paul saith Before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was received to mercy because I did it ignorantly now I thanke God it is otherwise with me when a man can feele this change and alteration in him that he can say indeed I have beene a bad liver I have beene a swearer and a lyar and a drunkard but now Lord I thanke thee it is otherwise with me I am changed and altered this is a good evidence that the holy Ghost is in him but if a man be not changed and altered but remaines the same man that ever he was the holy Ghost is not in him for where the holy Ghost is there he makes a sensible and a through change Secondly If the Spirit of God come into a man it will stirre and move a man to good things as Act. 2. when the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles in firy tongues they began to speake with new tongues the holy Ghost did worke in their hearts and on their tongues so Gal. 4. 6. saith the Apostle God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba Father even so if a man hath the Spirit of God in him it will stirre him to repentance and to the duties of prayer and holinesse therefore we are to consider no man can have the Spirit of God but he shall feele movings and stirrings of the Spirit for as it is in the naturall life that there cannot be life in us but it will be seene by breathing or panting stirring or moving there will be operations of life so it is in the life of grace there cannot be the Spirit of God in a man but there
any thing so saith he Rom. 6. 22. But being freed from sinne wee are made servants to God this is another worke of the Spirit that a man is desirous to please God alwayes for Iustification and Sanctification still goe together there is no man can finde the pardon of his sinnes but in some measure hee shall hae strength against them these be the foure workes of the Spirit in a new beginner therefore consider with thy selfe hast thou beene ever humbled for thy sinnes not for some one as Iudas was but for all sinnes hast thou drawne in all thy sinnes as farre as thy judgement can informe thee then hast thou desired to be reconciled to God and to be at one with him to be brought into the covenant of grace hast thou desired I say it as an hungry man doth his meat or a thirstie man his drink dost thou desire it above life and liberty and whatsoever is deare in thy sight Againe hast thou laid hold on the promises that God hath made in Christ dost thou labour to be found in Christ Lastly hast thou a setled purpose to walke with God as farre as frailtie will permit if thou feele these things in thee bee of good comfort here is the worke of the Spirit but if thou feele not these things in thee there is as yet no worke of the Spirit for these things bee in a Christian though hee bee but a day old in Religion The second thing that we are to consider is whether there be a right order of the worke for the Spirit workes in order God is the God of order and therefore the spirit workes in order as Ezek. 37. in the raising of the dead bones First there was a voyce amongst them and did forewarne them that they were but dead and drie bones Secondly there was a noyse and clattering of bones a trembling and a running together of them Thirdly there were sinewes grew on the bones and flesh on the sinewes Fourthly life came into them and then they stand up so it is in the conversion of a sinner First there is a voyce to forewarne them that they are but dead and drie bones that there is no life of grace in them not being able to stir a foote in the wayes of God Secondly there is a noyse and running together of the bones a desire of reconciliation and to bee brought within the estate of grace Thirdly flesh on the bones that is to lay hold on the promises of God And lastly life comes into the bones they stand up then a man is inabled in some measure to walke with God And therefore consider with thy selfe Hast thou motions and desires and hast not beene humbled first in sense and feeling of thy sinne here indeede is a worke but it is not the right order of the worke for first they must be humble Now as the Spirit growes stronger so there are stronger motions and actions wrought in a Christian for as it is in the naturall life so it is in the life of grace wee see the weaker a man is the weaker bee his actions and the stronger he is the stronger bee his actions As when a man is sicke he may bee so weake that hee is not able to goe by a staffe but as he growes well so his strength growes againe and his actions are stronger so it is with a Christian although he bee weake and not able to creepe at first yet as he growes stronger so his Actions will be stronger and stronger Now the worke of the Spirit is in two things in a strong Christian 1. In his Mortification 2. In his quickning First Mortification and that is in three things as first A man that is strong in the spirit will make strong resistance against sinne and will not be easily foyled and put off for every little matter Wee see a weake tree the winde will bend and bow it as if it would fall downe and make the tops touch the ground and yet the tree may be rooted but if it bee a strong tree the winde cannot bend or bow it so if a Man be a weake Christian he is carried this way and that way with every winde as it were but if he be strong he will make strong resistance against sinne therefore it is said of Ioseph Gen. 39. 15. That hee consented not to his Mistris though she lay at him from day to day and 1 Pet. 5. 9. it is said Resist the Divell being strong in the Faith So then a strong Christian will make strong resistance against sinne therefore when as it is so with a man that there is a temptation offered and hee makes no resistance hath no strength against sinne but falls into it I will not say this man is no Christian but I will say he is but a weake Christian The second is That no Man that is strong in spirit although hee sinne through temptation doth fall into it so easily as others or with that delight but there is a reluctation and a striving against it as Peter Marke 14. 68. when he denied his Master he crept into the Porch hee would not willingly have done it If a Man strike a blow at one though hee cannot keepe of the blow yet he may breake it so that it shall not be so great so the Spirit of God doth though it keepe not a Man from sinne yet it may breake the force of it that a Christian shall not so easily commit it but that there will be a resistance and a reluctation against it they will not so easily commit it as others doe Thirdly although they fall into sinne yet they will not lie long in their sinne but will returne to God upon every little touch So David 2 Sam. ult when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and 2 King 7. the two Lepers their hearts smote them and they said we have not done well in concealing good newes so it is with a strong Christian every little touch will make him returne to God renew his faith repentance and hope of Heaven he is never at quiet till he bee brought home to God These are the workes of Mortification The second is workes of quickning in a strong Christian and they are foure First Hee that is strong in the Spirit the Spirit will enable him to performe spirituall Service put him on prayer and other Christian duties hee shall doe such things as hee never thought he should have done as Phil. 4. 13. saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthens me Secondly A strong Christian hath a strong Certificate that his sinnes are pardoned For the weaker a Christian is the weaker is his certificate and the stronger he is the stronger it is as a Childe in the cradle the weaker it is the weaker is the crie and the stronger it is the more strength hath
know he hath the Spirit The first worke is That hee would not grieve God for a world hee hates sinne he cannot abide it hee would not sweare nor lie nor prophane the Sabboth nor commit any sinne willingly in this case he may assure himselfe he hath the Spirit of God in him Secondly that although hee falls into some sinne yet hee holds his care and love to all other holy duties as David did in that foule sinne of adultery when he had fallen into it yet hee came to the Temple did hold himselfe to performe holy duties still Thirdly to hold our love to God and to Gods people when he loves a Christian as a Christian saith S. Iohn hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren First the Vse of this is that seeing in the falls of the Godly there is alwayes a roote left therefore wee should labour to nourish and to hold this roote that is to nourish these good desires the love of goodnesse and the hatred of sinne If a man hath a good plant in his Garden if bad fellowes come and cut downe the boughes and branches what will he doe he will goe and digge about the roote dung it and labor to preserve and nourish it so when there is a plant of goodnesse in a Christian if the Divell come and cut downe the boughes and branches neverthelesse we must labour to nourish the roote by the Use of good meanes Secondly seeing there is a roote left in all the falls of the godly therefore wee must bee thankefull to God when wee have a desire to please him in all our courses Thirdly seeing there is a roote of grace left in all the falls of the godly Therefore if we cannot finde these workings of the Spirit nor the desires in us but perceive our selves to be dead hearted it is a shrewd signe that there is no roote of grace yet I say not but that God may in time and in the use of meanes worke grace in such a heart but for the present I can give such a disposition no incouragement of that estate till God worke more in them SERMON LVII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you HAving spoken of the meanes whereby a man may know by infallible arguments that the holy Ghost is in him in the next place we are to speake what good and benefit wee have by the Holy Ghost for when we know the great good that comes by the Holy Ghost it will make us to prise it when wee have it and to seeke for it when we want it Therefore it shall not be amisse to see what this great good and benefit is that we have by the holy Ghost The Prophet David Psal 51. 11. prayes Lord take not thy Holy Spirit from me though thou take away my peace my Children my crowne and kingdome and other blessings yet Lord take not thy Spirit from me David knew the Spirit of God was a greater blessing than Peace Children Crowne Kingdome than all other blessings and benefits whatsoever It is true indeede that the benefits of the Holy Ghost are unspeakeable that no man can see them in the full latitude and extention because God is infinite yet wee may see some of them A man who comes to the Sea stands and lookes on it hee joyes to see it though hee cannot see the length nor the breadth of it so although a man cannot comprife the number of them yet it is a comfort to see some of them Now there are sixe speciall benefits that we have by the Holy Ghost The first worke is to shew us our wretched and miserable estate that wee stand in till we be brought home to Christ for no sooner are wee beginning to enter into an estate of grace but presently there is kept a marvellous stirre which troubles and disquiets us as long as the strong man holds possession Luk. 1. 21. Because the Spirit of God once come into us shewes us our sinnes and the wrath of God against them and that Hell is ready for us and then our thoughts cannot chuse but bee exceedingly troubled and we are so amazed as wee know not how to turne us Thus we see Paul was Act. 9. three dayes together he eate no meate but prayed in heavinesse and sorrow as Ezechiel 37. before life came into the dead bones there was a noyse a ratling shaking and trembling amongst them so before the Lord puts spirituall life into us there is as it were a noyse and a trembling and a shaking for sinne This is the worst wee shall feele from the Holy Ghost which is harsh to the flesh but comfortable to the Spirit because it is as an holy vomit that the Lord gives us to purge out our sins and corruptions which though bitter in taste at first is comfortable and giving ease at the latter end So Matth. 5. Christ saith Blessed are ye that mourne for ye shall be comforted and Psal 126. They which sow in teares shall reape in joy So that there is no teares more blessed and happy than those that are shed out for sinne Therefore in the harshest worke of the Spirit there is comfort as Matth. 1. Ioseph was sore perplexed about Mary and he thought to put her away secretly till the Angell came to him and said Feare not Ioseph to take Mary to be thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost So when a christian is perplexed and troubled with his sinnes let him not be afraid for it is from the Holy Ghost So Gen. 25. 21. when Rebecca had conceived the Children dashed in her wombe that is they strove together Why am I thus saith shee and thereupon asked the Lord who said unto her Two Nations are in thy Wombe of whom the one shall be mightier than the other and the elder shall serve the yonger So when a Christian shall feele a striving in him let him be of good comfort there are two within him the spirit and the flesh the elder shall serve the younger the flesh shall bee but a slave to the spirit So then in the harshest worke of the spirit there is comfort and if there bee comfort in the troublesomest worke what comfort is there in the rest of the benefits The second benefit is Illumination to teach us the whole will of God as shall bee needfull for our salvation and so Christ saith in this place But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you and Iohn 6. 45. saith he they shall all be taught of God so also 1 Ioh. 2.
as occasion shall be offered to doe them good it is the Holy Ghost that doth put it in us as Paul saith Galath 4. 6. he hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee cry Abba Father Hence wee see it is the Spirit of God that stirres us up to the duties of prayer and holinesse The fourth benefit is To give us power and ability to performe Christian duties and services for the Spirit of God doth not onely open our hearts to understand the Scripture excite and stirre us up to good duties but doth also enable us to doe them to repent of our sinnes to pray to God to love our brethren to rest and relye on God in the time of trouble In the story of Sampson we see that he did shake himselfe and did thinke to have done great maters yet for his life he could not because his strength was gone in like manner when wee see other men can pray repent of their sins when thou canst not doe so know it is the Holy Ghost that doth inable thee for there be a number of Christian duties that we are no more able in the estate of nature to doe than a dead man can remove a mountaine as when a man is truely humbled for sinne and cast downe that a naturall man should looke up to God by the eyes of faith to rest and to rely on him for the saving of his soule this hee is no more able to doe than a dead man to remove a mountaine so likewise for a man to resist a temptation agreeable to his nature he is no more able to doe it than a dead man to remoove a mountaine againe when a man is in want and in need then to rest and rely on God for the feeding of his body that as he hath trusted God with the saving of his soule so hee will rely on God for things needfull a naturall man is no more able to doe this than a dead man to remove a mountaine but the Spirit of God inables a man to doe that for that which is impossible to nature is made possible by the Spirit of God The fift benefit is to comfort in distresse although a Man wants house or land and a number of outward comforts yet if hee have the Holy Ghost to comfort and assist him hee neede not care for any thing else Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you a Comforter in the World ye shall have trouble but he shall mitigate and asswage all your troubles So Acts 9. 31. it is said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea Galile and Samaria and were edified walking in the feare of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed Therefore whatsoever our trouble is yet it is a great stay that we shall have comfort in the Holy Ghost and not be driven to take up the complaint which David doth in the Person of Christ I looked for some to have pittie on mee but there was none and for comfort but I found none for though it be true of Christians that in their trouble they looke for some to pitty and comfort them but they finde none yet neverthelesse in their extremity the Holy Ghost doth comfort them therefore if men want comfort in the time of trouble what shall they doe send for fidlers and merry company to comfort them as Saul did and fall into relapses no but wee must labour to get the Holy Ghost to comfort us for the comfort of the Holy Ghost goes beyond all worldly comforts First because all worldly comforts may be taken from us let it bee in our goods or friends or whatsoever else these comforts may faile us because the ground of them is not good wee may be taken from them and they from us but the comfort of the Holy Ghost can never be taken from us because it is grounded on Gods Love and favour and hope of Heaven therefore the Divell and all the World shall never be able to take away this comfort Secondly because all the comforts in this life be not pure and intire comforts but have alwayes some sorrowes in them as wee see Hest 5. when Haman had all the glory that Ahashuerosh could afford him yet he was not at quiet because Mordecai sate at the kings gate the cup of our comfort here in this world is a mixed cup like to Christs cup mingled with wine and Myrrh much bitternesse so all our worldly comfort is mixed with gall But the comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost is pure and intire it comforts us in all the distresses that befall us It made Paul and Silas sing in Prison Acts 16. It made the Apostles goe away rejoycing that they had suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ Thirdly because all worldly comfort failes and leaves us at the day of death when the more comfort we have had by it the more griefe it will bee to part from it Therefore Christ saith Luk. 12. to the rich man Thou foole this night shall thy soule be pulled away from thee but the comfort of the Holy Ghost is most beneficiall and refreshing at the day of death because then we draw neere to the accomplishment of Gods promises as Paul saith 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from henceforth is laid up for mee the Crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give at that day hence we conclude all worldly comfort is not comparale to it And here I thinke there is none but will assent with me to pray to God to give us the Holy Ghost as David prayes Psal 4. That God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him howsoever others desire other things let us pray to God though wee want many outward comforts yet that wee may have the holy Ghost to comfort us Now there are three speciall times that the Holy Ghost doth comfort in 1. In trouble and affliction 2. In the distresse of Conscience 3. In the day of death The Holy Ghost doth comfort us in trouble and affliction three wayes First by perswading us that God is our Father and that he will not leave us but will stand by us in the time of our trouble as Psal 23. 4. David saith Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet I will feare no evill for thou art with me So Psal 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid this is one meanes whereby the Holy Ghost doth comfort therefore if a man have the holy Ghost he neede not care because that will comfort and uphold him in all the trouble that doth befall him Secondly by turning all things to our good as Rom. 8.
of the world they are faine to creepe into Caves Dennes Vautes and secret places neither is it any marvell though writers have so little spoken of them and write of them as they have For as so Esay 26. 20. the Lord saith Come my people enter thereinto thy Chambers and shut thy Doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little season untill my indignation passe over So the Church of God is hidden sometimes from the rage of the world as that it cannot be descerned The Uses are That seeing the Church of God is sometimes hidden and sometimes scattered Therefore as soone as God giveth opportunitie wee should gather together againe into one assembly and setled Church We see in a storme if a Navie suffer some Shipwracke or be scattered as soone as the storme is over they will gather together againe so when a storme comes that is when persecution and trouble comes and so scatters the Church as soone as it is over that God giveth opportunity hee should gather together againe Secondly seeing the Church of God is sometimes a scattered Church and sometimes hidden therefore although wee be scattered in our bodies yet we should be one in faith the unitie of the Spirit and the acknowledging of the Sonne of God Sometimes the Church of God is visible and constituted in the way and order of Christ as were these Churches we read of in this place and divers others that be spoken of in the Scripture This is a rich blessing when the people of God may meete and live in societie together one with another to call upon God to heare the Word and to receive the Sacraments for the nourishing of faith and other graces of God in them whereas the Lord keepes open Schoole with us where wee may learne his will and wayes and where we may go to the Fountaines of grace to refresh our selves Therefore it must bee our wisedome to hold communion with the Church of God that we doe not separate from it for every light matter for toyes and trifles David saith Psal 26. 8. O Lord I have loved thy habitation and thine house the place where thine honour dwelleth so also Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after even that I may dwell in the House of God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Holy Temple Now what is the reason that it is so great a blessing David could not be resolved hereof in a number of perturbations till hee went into the house of God as Psal 73. 16 17. he saith I thought to have found it out and it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God then un-understood I their end For betweene a scattered Church and a gathered Church this is the difference that the one being scattered stands by their owne strength and the other gathered stands by the mutuall help one of another as Acts 27. when Paul was in the Ship in danger and a number of others with him there were some that let downe the Boat out of the Ship and would have stollen away but Paul tells them Except ye abide in the ship ye are all like to perish so let us know that if wee doe not hold communion with the Church we cannot be saved Here wee are to observe two things First that this visible Church is a mixed company wherein is good and bad and therefore it is compared to a field wherein is wheate and tares and to a floore wherein is chaffe and corne and to a flocke wherein is sheepe and goates and because of this mixture wee are not to account the Church of God to bee no Church for a number of wicked men under the hope of ease and other priviledges doe joyne with the Church in outward duties but never partake of the life of grace and are not true members no more than a woodden legge is a true member of the body of a man for though it may bee a stay to the body yet it doth not partake of the life that is in the head therefore when the body is in safety the woodden legge may be in the fire so it shall be with all the wicked men that joyne in outward duties with the Church and doe not partake of the life of grace with them they shall bee cast into hell-fire when the true members shall goe into heaven therefore we must labour to bee true members of the Church and to feele a derivation of the life of grace from Christ or else when the true members be saved we goe to perdition Secondly a visible Church may bee in a more pure estate at some times than it is at other times even as a man that hath health and yet may catch a cold and diseases may breed upon him and may bee brought low so a constituted Church may lose the former beauty and good beginnings corruption of doctrine may creepe in and yet the Church bee a true Church still as were these seven Churches of Asia wherein were many corruptions crept for the which they were reprooved yea and the Church of Rome once was a pure Church but now it is a denne of devils Chrysostome saith such a Church may bee compared to spend-thrifts that when they have spent their money and treasure have nothing to brag of but their purses and chests so the Church of Rome having lost all her purity hath nothing to brag of but the name of a Church it hath lost the nature of the Church and retaines only the name Now here may a question be moved when a man should make separation from the Church First I answer though there be corruption in manners yet we are not to separate from it this is plaine by Scripture wee see the Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse murmured against God and against Moses and committed many grosse sins yet Moses did not separate from them so in Christs time there were many corruptions amongst the Iewes and yet Christ did not separate from them so 1 Sam. 1. Wee see that Elkanah and his wife went up to the yeerely sacrifices when the Priests were wicked men for they lay with the women that did assemble at the doore of the Tabernacle and yet they joyned with them in the holy things of God Secondly wee are not to separate from the Church for some defects and wants for as a man may bee a true Christian a member of Christ and yet have many wants and defects so a Church may bee a true Church and yet have many wants and defects Thirdly we may not separate though there may bee some corruption in Doctrine in the worship and service of God we see that there was corruption of doctrine in Christs time for the Scribes and Pharisees had taught false doctrine Matth. 5. and yet Christ did not separate from them or his
death and merit so that whatsoever is due to Christ in regard of the right of his death and merit wee may claime at Gods hand the favour of God the pardon of our sins and the glory of Heaven is due to us in regard of the merit of his death as Peter saith By his stripes we are healed so a Christian may be bold to say Christ is mine and his death mine his life is mine and his crosse mine and his paines mine to my eternall comfort therfore in the troubles of conscience and accusations of the Divell we may goe to God and tender before him the death and merits of Christ if we should tender our owne righteousnesse this would shame and disgrace us If a man should be imprisoned for a debt which was payed by a suretie if he could finde the suretie he would bring him to the Iudge and say here is the Man that did discharge my debt here are the empty bagges that the money came out of that paid my creditor surely any Iudge would acquit that Man so when the Devill shall implead us for our sinnes we may goe to God and shew him Christ and we may quiet and stay our selves here saying This is he that hath paid my debt here is the emptie purse here are the empty veines that the blood came out of and then without all doubt God will acquit us Therefore we must tender the merits of Christ to God spread them before him and stand to them To this purpose saith Chrysostome Christ hath taken away the hand-writing which was against us and hath given us another bill bond or new writing whereby we may claime Christ He hath not done by us as the unjust Steward did by abatement but hee having quite wiped out all hath given us a new bill and hath made God a debtor to us Thirdly the power of our spirituall life We indeed are able by nature to move and stirre and to do the duties of our calling to buy and sell c. but are not able to stir a foote to Heaven to looke after that nor move towards it till Christ communicates a spirituall life unto us So 1 Iohn 5. 12. saith he He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life as 2 King 12. 21. the dead Souldier was not able to move or stir till being laid in the Sepulchre of Elisha he touched his loynes and then he revived and stood upon his feete so we are dead by nature and not able to move or stirre a foote in the wayes of God till we touch the Body of Christ by Faith then we revive and stand up life comes into us againe Fourthly the dignitie of his owne estate for by nature Christ is the Son of God and he makes us the Sonnes and Daughters of God by Adoption and Grace and drawes us into the same dignitie and honour with him to be called the Sonnes of God But it is a harder matter for us to be made the Sonnes of God than for Christ to bee made the Sonne of Man Now as Christ communicates something to us so wee something to him We communicate to him three things first our Nature secondly our sinnes thirdly our troubles and afflictions Here wee see what an exchange wee make with Christ Hee communicates to us himselfe the right of his death merit and spirituall life and the dignitie of his owne State and we communicate to him our nature our sinnes and troubles First wee communicate to him our Nature and that not in the best estate when it was in integrity but since it was disgraced and subject to sicknesses diseases and troubles this is the change wee make with Christ like Hiram and Salomon Hiram gave to Salomon gold and silver and Firre trees and what the heart of the King could desire and Salomon gave to him a few dirty Cities In like manner Christ giveth to us what our heart can desire his owne selfe the right of his death merit and spirituall life the dignitie of his owne estate and we give him a few dirty cloathes our bad nature disgraced with sinne subject to troubles and afflictions If wee would have communicated any thing it should have beene of the best because He is God blessed for ever Amen it should have beene when our nature had beene in the best estate but we communicate to him our sinnes and troubles therefore wee should admire Christs love and goodnesse to us that will accept of this exchange Secondly we have communicated a worse thing than this our sins as 1 Pet. 2. 14. who his own selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree c. all the wicked shall carry their owne sins on their backe to Hell with them but the sinnes of the godly are laid on the backe of Christ he bare them the cruell Souldiers laid the Crosse on Christ and made him to beare it but we laid a greater burthen than that on him the burthen of our sins for the weight of the crosse is nothing to the weight of our sinnes Thirdly we communicate to Christ our troubles and dangers as Esay 63. 9. In all their troubles he was troubled and Col. 1. 24. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake so Christ suffereth still in his members by compassion and fellow feeling And these be the goodly things that we communicate to Christ nothing but our nature and sins our troubles and dangers as I told you a little before out of 1 Kings 9. 11. there was an exchange betweene king Salomon and Hiram he gave Salomon gold silver Firre trees and Cedar trees and all that the heart of the king could wish and Salomon gave Hiram twentie dirty cities in the land of Galile but it is a better exchange that Christ makes with us for he giveth all that the heart of a Christian can wish his wisedome righteousnesse himselfe his merits and death a spirituall life and the same dignitie and honour with him but we againe repay him with our nature sins and dangers therefore hence let us learn to admire this great kindnesse and love of Christ to us that will be content therewith Now as the Saints have communion with God and with Christ so have they communion with one another by meanes of love as Exod. 25. We see the golden Cherubim did so looke towards the Arke and the Mercy seat as that they looked one towards another So wee must looke to God and to Christ by the eye of faith as we must have one eye also to one another by love This societie is comfortable for Gen. 2. 18. God saith It is not good that man should be alone therefore if it were a good thing for man to have communion and societie in the life of nature much better is
1. In Exhortation 2. In Admonition and good Counsell 3. In Consolation 4. In Mutuall Prayer First In exhortation for the People of God must exhort one another to feare God and to make conscience of every holy dutie commanded as Heb. 3. 13. saith S. Paul Exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day c. so Heb. 11. 24. Let us exhort one another to provoke one another to love and good works So it is not enough for a man to bring himselfe on in Religion but he must stirre up the care of other as Zech. 4. 2. the Prophet saw a vision of a golden Candlestick with a boule on the top of it and seven Lampes thereon with seven Pipes to the Lampes which were on the top thereof and two O live trees right over it to drop down fatnesse to nourish the lights with so every Christian is a shining Lampe and wee must bee as Olive trees to drop down fatnesse or oyle into the heart of our brother to nourish the light of God that is in him therefore it is woefull thing to see that men doe neglect this dutie that they doe not exhort one another and yet meet many times in the weeke and on the Sabboth day and passe away the time with a deale of idle talke and let this dutie slip so that they cannot say as the Disciples said did not our hearts burne when wee talked with such a man Secondly Admonition and good counsell when they bee fallen so to recover and restore them againe as Gal. 6. saith S. Paul Brethren if any man bee fallen by any occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also bee tempted The word in the originall is a metaphor taken from a Surgeon that is to set a joint who useth it with great tendernesse to bring it to his right place so wee must doe when wee see our brethren fallen into any fault use them gently to restore them againe and wee must labour to recover them with the Spirit of meeknesse considering lest wee also bee tempted It is not the manner of the world to doe so but they make table-talke of it and speak to the disgrace of others but wee must consider that wee our selves may bee overtaken and therefore as wee would have others to deale in meeknesse and love with us when we are fallen so we must doe to our brethren We see in a shipwrack that those that escape and get to the shore first get up to the top of a high tower mountaine or rocke and hang out lights and Lanthornes that so they may direct the rest of their company to the same harbour So wee must doe when we have suffered shipwrack in our consciences and are recovered againe wee must hang out as it were lights and lanthornes advise and admonish others and give them good counsell that so wee may bring them to the same harbour that wee are arrived at Thirdly wee owe to our brethren Christian consolation and mutuall comfort because that ordinarily the crosse doth follow them and accompany the people of God for if a man be a sincere Professour of the Gospell through the malice of the Devill and the furie of the world alwayes the crosse doth accompany him and therefore the brethren had need to comfort them as 1 Thes 4. 18. saith S. Paul Wherefore comfort your selves with these words and Prov. 31. 6. it is said Give yee strong drinke unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto him that hath griefe of heart As in a sick family where they are given to fainting they have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to refresh and comfort them so the Church of God is a sick family and therefore must have bottles of Aquavitae and Rosasolis to comfort and to cheare them that is wee must have comfortable words to cheare and refresh them but wee see Iob 6. 14. Hee complaines of this saith hee Hee that is in miserie ought to bee comforted of his neighbours but men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie so David complaines Psal 69. 20. Reproch hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to have pitie on mee but there was none and to comfort mee but I found none Therefore wee must take heede that this bee not laid against us at the day of judgement Fourthly Mutuall Prayer to pray for one another as Iames 5. 16. it is said Pray one for another so that the Prayers of the Saints are for the common good of the whole bodie of them this is a great comfort to be one of the people of God in the time of danger and temptation for one cannot bee the least member of the Communion of Saints but he shall have his part and portion in all the Prayers of the Saints Wee see in one Countrie there are divers shippes goe to the Sea some traffique in one thing and some in another some for gold and silver some for other commodities but all such as they bring home is for the common good of the whole countrie So the Prayers of the Saints are like unto a number of ships that goe to Sea some of whom make request for this thing and some for that but whatsoever they bring home all tends to the common good of all the bodie Fourthly the Communion of the Saints consists in Communicating of Riches and goods to one another Gal. 6. 10. it is said while you have time doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith so Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased so also 2 Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as you abound in every thing in faith and utterance knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us see that yee abound in this grace also There is no one dutie that men come more short in than in this men are contented to pray and advise others but this they sticke at they cannot bee contented to communicate of their goods to them neither can they abide to part with any of their Riches this they stick at But Matth. 2. 11. wee see the wise men came to worship Christ and presented to him gifts gold frankincense and myrrhe They did not onely worship him but did also impart to him of their treasure and goods It is the manner of the world that they can bee contented to worship Christ but they will not let any thing come from them to refresh the Saints they will not part with any of their goods to them Augustine saith well It is not meet that in a Christian commonwealth one should surfet and another starve that one should live in plentie and another in want for wee have all one master and are redeemed with one bloud we came into the world all after one sort and
that the Lord said unto him Feare not to goe downe into Egypt c. so the Lord saith to his people feare not to goe into the ground into the dennes of death for I will raise you up againe death dealeth no otherwise with us than David did by Saul when hee was asleepe he tooke away his speare and water-pot and when hee was to awake he restored it againe so death takes away our speare our water-pot our strength and when we doe awake at the day of Iudgement hee will give it us againe Secondly seeing the dead shall rise againe this therefore must comfort us in regard of our dead friends that bee departed that although death hath sundred them for a time yet they shall all meete together againe so wee see here in this place Martha saith to Christ I know that my brother shall rise in the resurrection and Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 14. Them that sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Againe the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Comfort your selves with these words Chrysostome saith if a man take a long journey his wife and his children doe not weepe and take on because they know hee will come againe to them so saith he a man that dieth in Christ takes but a long journey and therefore wee should not weepe and take on for our dead friends because they know that wee shall meet againe Thirdly seeing that the dead shall rise againe this must make us carefull to spend our time well while wee live here if there were an utter destruction of nature that a man died as a beast then a man might live as he list but because wee shall rise againe with these bodies wherewith wee have sinned and offended God therefore wee should bee carefull to passe our time here in holinesse before God This was the use that Saint Paul makes of it Act. 24. 16. saith hee And have hope toward God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and herein I endeavour my selfe to have a cleere conscience towards God and towards man therefore let us labour to spend our time well and in the feare of God that so we may then stand with comfort before God We read Ioh. 21. 7. When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord he girded his coate unto him for he was naked and cast himselfe into the Sea One would have thought that rather he should have put off his garment and have laid it aside but Peter had this consideration that when hee came on the other side he should stand before his master therefore he girded himselfe that hee might stand seemely and comely before him so seeing when wee have passed the glassiâ— sea of this world wee are to stand before God therefore we are to have this consideration that wee gird our selves and make every thing ready that we may come seemely and holily before God at the last day To this purpose it is a good meditation that Saint Bernard hath O my body saith he doe not hinder thy reconcilement with thy God bee not a meanes to hinder thy owne peace be contented alwayes to labour with thy soule and to obey the motions of it be ready to assist it in any Christian duties and then say unto thy soule when it is ready to depart from thee and to goe to God which is thy guest as Ioseph said to the Butler Make mention of mee to Pharaoh so remember me to God for I obey thy good motions I joyne with thee in holy duties and then when thy soule is come home to God it will say O my Lord I had a poore body which led me in Christian duties and was ready to obey thy good motions O my Lord I pray thee remember this poore body of mine and then what will bee the issue surely that which is set downe Psalm 145. 19. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them therefore let us labour to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God in this life that wee may come to peace and happinesse at the last day The second point is that wee beleeve that we shall rise againe at the last day with the same bodies as Iob 19. 25. I know that my redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after this life wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God with my flesh so Ezek. 37. to the same dead and dry bones life came sinnewes and flesh grew on them But some will say that is a parable I answer the Prophet useth not this parable for nothing but it is to shew that that which falleth shall rise againe so Revel 20. 12. I saw the dead both great and small stand before God Tertullian saith the same body shall rise againe by the new resurrection for the resurrection is not of another body but of the same that falleth so it is not a new Creation but a raising up that which is fallen Saint Ierome saith it cannot stand with equity and right that one body should sinne and another bee punished neither will a just Iudge let one body obtaine the victory and shed his bloud another crowned for it but the same body that sinned shall be punished the same that hath gotten the victory shal have the Crowne the same body shall rise againe In the Resurrection of Christ the same body that was wounded did rise againe He could if it had pleased him have healed his wounds in three dayes seeing that he could heale all diseases and sicknesses with a word or a touch of his finger but he let them alone to confirme his Disciples that it was the same body that was crucified therefore Luk. 28. When his Disciples thought that he had beene a Spirit hee bids them handle and feele him for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones and therefore the same body that died did rise againe so it shall be with us for that which is true in the Head is also true in the Members Here some few objections shall be refelled and then we will proceed that 1 Cor. 15. 44. the Apostle saith It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body therefore it is not the same body that was laid downe To this I answer that it is not spirituall in regard of substance but it is a Spirituall body in regard of estate and condition that they bee in for a naturall life is maintained and upheld by the use of meat drinke sleepe Phisicke and rest but then our bodies shal be upheld by the Power of God without the use of these meanes our bodies now are heavie but then our soules shall fill them full of agilitie and nimblenesse to move upwards and downwards so it is a Spirituall body not in regard of substance but in regard of qualitie and operation Secondly
attend it For in the best there is such reluctation between the Spirit and the flesh as they cannot doe the good they would so Matth. 26. 40 41. The Disciples when they should have watched and prayed Christ found them a-sleepe and Rom. 7. 22. Paul saith I delight in the Law of God concerning the inward man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne which is in my members so Ezek. 3. 14. saith the Prophet So I went but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my Spirit hence wee see that in the best there hath beene reluctation between the flesh and the Spirit that the flesh laboureth to resist the Spirit but here is comfort to a Christian that one day it shall attend the Spirit and bee led by it in all holy duties Wee see when Rebekah had conceived Genes 25. 22. shee felt such strugling and striving in her that she was amazed and saith in that agonie Seeing it is so why am I thus as if shee should say seeing there is such a striving and strugling in mee I were as good bee barren but there was an Oracle of God that did answer her that two Nations were within her of whom the elder should serve the yonger so many times a Christian findes such striving and strugling in him that it makes him amazed the Oracle of God tells us that then there are two within us the flesh and the Spirit and that the flesh shall serve the Spirit if one come to a great heap of Gunpowder and bring but a little sparke of fire and put to it it will dissolve and bring it to nothing so although there bee a great heape of sinne and corruption in us yet if a man get but a little sparke of the Spirit of God in him it will dissolve and bring it to nothing therefore we must comfort our selves with the hope of this howsoever now our bodies are not subject to the Spirit that yet one day they shall bee ruled and guided by the Spirit The sixth thing wherin the glorie of the bodie consists is that it shall bee a powerfull bodie as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sowen in weaknesse and it riseth in power Now the power of a glorified bodie is in three things First Because it shall have power to performe its owne actions without defatigation or wearisomnesse now wee cannot doe any action but in time wee shall bee wearie of it wearie with going sitting standing or doing of any thing We know Christ as hee was man was wearie Iohn 4. for it is said that hee being wearie sate him down on the well so Exod. 19. Moses hands were so wearie with holding up insomuch that Aaron and Hur did stay them up so the best Christians sometimes are wearie with doing the best things Wearie with kneeling at prayer with standing to heare and conferre and such like but at the last day wee shall have such power in our bodies that wee shall never bee wearie of standing before God or kneeling in Prayer for ever and ever there shall bee such power and such strength in the body therefore as oft as wee bee wearie in prayer or with doing any good thing in the labours of our callings wee must comfort our selves with this that one day wee shall have power and strength to doe any good dutie and service that God requires at our hands without defatigation or wearisomnesse Secondly In that the body shall move it selfe any way with ease and shall bee able to walke in the ayer and on the water as now we can walke on the ground Though our bodies bee weighty and ponderous yet then they shall have such power and strength as they shall bee able to move upward and downeward forward and backward with as much ease as a man lifts up his hand there shall bee such strength and agilitie in our bodies now they are subject to one motion onely to goe forward but then they shall bee able to move any way Thirdly In that they shall bee able to passe through any thing as a mans finger passes through soft cloth and therefore Iohn 21. 15. of Christ it is said Hee came into the place where the Disciples were met the doores being shut The Schoolemen say that the Creature gave way to the Creator but there was such power in the body of Christ that if it had beene shut up in a chest of steele Iron or marble it could have passeth through in like manner it shall bee with a glorified body it shall bee able to passe through any obstacle whatsoever therefore seeing it is so that the Lord will bestow on the bodies of Christians such goodly indowments let us thinke of these glorious things and comfort our selves with the hope of these and let us bee contented to walke a few dayes in holinesse and feare before God and then wee shall have our part in them Plinie reports of the little Bees that in a great winde or tempest they catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde that they be not carried away by it so should Christians doe in winde and tempest that is in the time of temptation and trouble they should catch up stones in their clawes that is they should ballance themselves with the Promises of God and with the hope of blessednesse that so they bee not carried away with the winde of temptation and trouble Now wee come to speake in what estate the wicked shall rise this wee will shew in two things First In an estate of shame and disgrace the bodies of the Saints they shall bee beautifull and lovely to looke on but the bodies of the wicked shall rise deformed ilfavoured and loathsome to looke on as Esai 66. it is said And they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkasses of the men that have transgressed against mee for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall bee an abhorring unto all flesh The bodies of the wicked shall bee as ugly and loathsome carkases to looke on and their faces shall gather darkenesse and blackenesse As in this life when a man is sicke a little and hath paines upon him it changes his favour and makes him looke pale O but what will it bee when bodies and soules shall bee tormented for ever and therefore all the glorie of the wicked is in this world Secondly the Godly shall bee free from all necessities of nature they shall not hunger thirst bee naked nor subject to diseases and paines but the wicked shall bee in hunger and thirst in all extremeties that may bee subject to head-ach tooth-ach back-ach belly-ach all the paines that may bee shall come upon them They shall not be free in any one part of them but bee in so great extremitie
Death Power of the Divell Sinne c. 272. How Christ defends his Church 380. God deferres not good tidings from man 123. * Sinne hath made us so deformed that God doth not acknowledge us 150. Deformities are punishments for sinne 639. Deformities in the member of the Church as bad as that in the members of the body 573. †Pilates endevour to deliver Christ better than Peters 200. †Of Christs descension into Hell 283. Christs Body Soule did not descend into Hell 285. â— 287. Against the Papists Christ did not descend into Hell to Preach to the damned 285. †Suffer paines there ibid. ¶ No Skirts of Hell 286. Places of Scriptures alledged by the adversaries for Christ descension into Hell answered 289. The descension of Christ into Hell nothing else but the captivating of him under death for a time 289. ¶ Two descents of a Christian 290. Christs desertion on the crosse 164. Spirituall desertion what it is 170. †Tryals of good desires 28. Defects in unsound desire of Heaven 498. How the wicked desire grace 506. see Grace No man ought to despaire of Gods mercie 233. ¶ The Divell the Author of all division 478. Why Christ died no ordinary death 212. It was needfull Christ should dye 1. To satisfie Gods Iustice for Mans sinne 2. That our sinnes might dye in his death 3. To seale to true bileevers Gods promises in the Gospell 261 262. Why Christ dyed a painefull death 264 We must be willing to dye when wee have done Gods worke 263. We should labour to dye the servants of God 143. ¶ in peace of conscience 144. * Ill successe Bad example in holy labors should be no discouragements 134. What it was that Christ dranke on the crosse 217. God drawes man out of sinne 379. Perseverance in good duties never failes in obtaining a reward 488. * Duties to God must not abridge our duties to men 231. * E WIcked men get up early to follow their lusts 193. †How the earth shall be renewed 413. The Earth shall be renued in regard of Christ the Godly the wicked 414. The wicked can lay no claime to the Earth when it is renued 415. ¶ Ecce Homo a good memento for a Christian 203. ¶ Of the Disciples that went to Emmaus 316. Actions determined by their ends as a ship governed by the Sterne 407. †Good endevours shall finde Gods blessing 136. * Wee ought so to live as our enemies may haue no just cause of exception against us 195 ¶ Love to our enemies a Christian duty 225. * Five Motives thereto ibid. The wicked alwaies enemies to the friends and followers of Christ 191. ¶ How the true Church may erre 570. The comfortable estate of a Christian never to be forsaken of God 173. ¶ God able to raise from nothing to great worldly estates The exaltation of Christ 291. Christs humility our example 164. * Christs example our iâ—itation 245. †How examples are most fit to move 138. ¶ Bad example 135. Bad example should not transport us from Christ 234. ¶ No exception to bee taken against the two Bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement 440. Excommunication a most fearefull sentence 568. * Whether better to sinne against God or stand excommunicated 568. ¶ VVhy the Disciples eyes that went to Emmaus were held 319. God must open our eyes before we can discerne Christ 335. †F THe great Object of Faith God 41. Two rules to governe our Faith concerning God 478. Faith Historicall 16. Temporary 18. Miraculous 19. Iustifying 20. Two reasons why Faith aloue justifieth 31 What required to a justifying Faith 20. Seven trials of true justifying Faith 22. Five companions of true justifying Faith 25. c. Degrees of true justifying Faith 26. Effects of true justifying Faith 37. There weakenings of Faith The scandall of the Crosse Too much hast to have our desires Tying to our eyes and hands 322. Wherein weaknesse of Faith consists 27. Trials to distinguish a weake Faith from no Faith 28. How to finde out weaknesse of Faith 30. Reasons why our Faith is shâ—keâ— 32. True Faith may be shrewdly shaken 321. †Comforts in weaknesse and want of feeling of Faith 34. Full assurance of Faith 36. He that takes away one main point of Faith takes away all 20. True Faith layes hold on every little word of Christ 311. ¶ True Faith breakes through all lets 126. †True justifying Faith assureth of salvation 31. 33. Wherein Faith is necessary to salvation though judgement be according to works 457. * Our Faith must bee grounded on the Scripture 329. ¶ Faith that is visible saveth 457. ¶ Faith must be in particular 77. * Faith vsefull in the life of a Christian 3. Two waies Faith stirres up holy motions in 〈◊〉 4. All things must be done in Faith 7. Comforts from doing things in Faith 9. Faith upholds 〈◊〉 in Spirituall desertions 11. Worldly crosses 12. The least Faith after a temptation must bee cherished 337. †How to die in Faith 14. After a fall in sinne a Christian must endeavour to rise 337. â— The fall of GODS Children not finall 173. Carefull provision for our families necessarily commanded 230. â— Caesars favour preferred before Gods 210. †Want of the feare of God occasions mens running into all disorder 236. †Christs feare on the crosse a dreadfull feare 153. The causes of Christs feare Gods judgement Death 144. The extremities of Hell fire 469. Hell fire eternall 470. †Hell fire is not naturall fire 468. The extreme torments of the wicked me meant by fire 4â—7 ¶ The Spirit quenched as fire 516. How the flesh may overcome the Spirit 595. The manner how Christ tooke flesh 105. Christ tooke flesh in his Conception Birth 105. How Gods people are said to flow 125. †A man may flie in persecution when hee hath not A calling to stay Sufficient strength to suffer 1â—2 None can forgive sinnes but God 615. How men may forgive sinnes 616. * God forgives sinnes with condition of repentance 617. How a man may know his sinnes are forgiven in particular 618. A Minister forgives sinnes two wayes 346. Forgivenesse of sins a great blessing 608. belonging to this life onely 609. Forgivenesse of sinnes in regard of Vâ—â— free Christ due 612. Forgivenesse of sinnes is without limitation of their Number Greatnesse 614. Comforts from forgivenesse of sinnes 621. God forsakes not his Children prov'd from the Promise Nature Power Vertue of Christs Prayer of God 172. Gods forsaking a man the greatest griefe 164. ¶ God may be said to forsake his Children in the life of nature but never in the lâ—fe of grace 173. A Christian forsaken of God in the sense and feeling of his grace must carry himselfe Mournefully Patiently Holily 175. Christ is forsaking a man when he Growes idle in the use of the meanes Lives in knowne sinnes Feeles a decay of grace 330. Forwardnesse and intrusion into bâ—sinesse needlessely a great fault 78. ¶ Wee