a bande of loue if thou bee not vnited by that bande with the members looke for nothing but death Then hee setteth downe the ground of our conjunction Euen that they may bee also one in vs. What is the ground of the coniunction of the members amongst themselues but the coniunction of the members in the Head If thou bee not joyned with the Head the Lord Iesus by fayth thou canst not dwell with thy neighbour in loue and charitie Hee who is joyned with the Kirke hee must first bee ioyned with Christ Hee commeth to the argumentes of this coniunction and the first is from the ende which is this That the worlde may knowe that I am sent from thee that is that the world seeing that vnion of the faythfull amongst themselues and that binding vp of their mindes and hearts by that band of loue may know me from whom that conjunction proceedeth and they may take me vp not as they doe to be a wicked man but to haue come downe from the Father and to be the Sonne of God Then Brethren there is not a thing in the world no not an effect in the world where in that vertue of Iesus Christ appeareth more than in this conjunction of the members of the Kirke in the Earth So wouldest thou showe before the worlde that Iesus is God equall with the Father bee at one with thy neighbour Wouldest thou glorifie Iesus Christ and professe him before the worlde and honour him liue in peace vnitie and concord Wouldest thou dishonour him and shame him before the world be at variance haue no peace and no loue If thou wouldest set thy selfe to make the worlde thinke that Iesus Christ is not one with the Father haue no peace with thy neighbour This conjunction and making vp of one body is no small effect of the vertue of Iesus Christ there is no power in Heauen nor in Earth but this power of God that will make vp that band all the Kinges in the Earth will not make thee loue thy neighbour truely no power can make thee loue thy Wife truely no not thy Children but onely that power that floweth from Iesus Christ the infinite power of that Godhead which floweth from him to thy soule is able to turne thine hatred into loue and to sanctifie thee So wouldest thou glorifie Christ in this world and liue in this world to the glory of him and professe that he is God and that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily striue so farre as lieth in thee to keepe peace with all men and bee knitte vp in loue with thy neighbour as thou wouldest glorifie him in this life and haue part of that euerlasting glorie purchased by the blood of Christ To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all prayse honour and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXIV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 22.23.24 22 And the glorie that thou gauest mee J haue giuen them that they may bee one as wee are one 23 I in them and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee 24 Father J will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with mee euen where I am that they may beholde that my glorie which thou hast giuen mee for thou louedst mee before the foundation of the world IN the last part of this PRAYER Wel beloued in the Lord Iesus the Lord after that hee hath prayed for himselfe that the Father would glorifie him and after that hee had prayed for his Disciples to wit the eleuen for hee prayeth not for Judas because hee was the sonne of perdition at last he conceiueth a Prayer for the whole faithfull to the ende of the worlde I pray not sayeth the Lord for them onelie that is for my Disciples but I pray for all them that will belieue in mee through their word The thing which he prayeth for the whole faithfull is this That they may bee one in this worlde joyned in one heart and minde to make vp in this Earth that glorious bodie of Iesus Christ that is the thing hee prayeth for The first argument yee hearde the last daye which was from the ende of that vnion of men and women in the Kirke of God and of the making vp of the bodie of Iesus Christ Then the world shall know that Christ is sent of the Father In that conjunction and vnion they shall see that Iesus Christ is the Messias sent of the Father to the worlde for the redemption of the world that is the first argument Now wee goe forward in this present Text to the second argument of his petition for the whole faythfull to the ende of the world The second argument is taken from the end of that glorie which the Father hath giuen to the Sonne and that the Sonne hath giuen to the faythfull the ende of all this is That there should be an vnion and conjunction amongst the members of one bodie of Iesus Christ in the Earth The glory that the Father gaue to the Sonne and the glorie that the Sonne gaue to vs tendeth to this end that we be joyned together in the Earth to make vp the bodie of Iesus Christ Seeing that all the glorie that thou hast giuen mee and I haue giuen them serueth to this that they may bee one as we are one this is the thing I pray for That they may bee vnited in one bodie The glorie sayeth the Lord that thou hast giuen mee I haue giuen it vnto them That is to the whole faythfull not to his Disciples onlie but to the whole faythfull to the end of the worlde What is the glorie that the Father hath giuen to the Sonne The next word expoundeth it and maketh it cleare The glorie that the Father giueth to the Sonne standeth in this that the Father is in the Sonne I in them and thou in mee The Father is in the Sonne the Father hath giuen himselfe to the Sonne This is high but I shall make it plaine to you In the eternall generation wherein the Father begot the Sonne from all eternity without beginning the Father communicated with the Sonne that whole glorious substance and nature and as soone as hee communicated with the Sonne his whole glorious nature and substance so soone the Father and the Sonne became one in nature and substance And therefore considering this communication of the nature and substance of the Father and the Sonne it is saide that the Father is in the Sonne to wit in nature and substance and that the Father hath giuen to the Sonne his glorie For Brethren what is the glorie of God Nothing but the glorious essence and nature of God and this is the glorie that he giueth to the Sonne What is meant againe by this glorie that the Sonne giueth to the Father The wordes in the next Vers
and the leauing of this life that deat bee not so heauie to vs for howbeit nature abhorre it yet of a mortall bodie it maketh an immortall and it tendeth to take thee out of this Earth and to transport thee to that Heauenlie Paradise where Jesus Christ sitteth in glorie Yea and this I affirme There is no man nor woman that hath a desire to bee with Christ but hee groaneth vnder the burthen of mortalitie and would willingly imbrace death to bee with Christ yea the rememberance of his departure out of this life is ioyfull to him Fie vpon that man who hath his heart and affections knitee and glewed to the world euer seeking worldie honours or pleasures c. Thou souldest haue that disposition which Paul had looke what hee hee sayeth J desire to bee dissolued I haue confidence that J shall yet remaine with you but I choose rather to flitte out of this bodie and to goe and dwell with my Lord. Let vs not bee like Ethnickes who haue no blessednesse but beastlie blessednesse and looke for no blessednesse after his life If thou haue not an eye to Heaven and to that heauenlie blessednsse there is no blessednesse for thee This is to bee marked Who is it that will make this flitting from the Earth to Heauen Not euerie bodie but onelie so manie as the Father hath chosen from all eternitie Neuer one shall gette entrie to that Light and to that holie Sanctuarie but that soule whome the Father hath giuen to the Sonne If thou bee once giuen to the Sonne and once put into his handes howbeit thou bee a Pilgrime for while for thine inheritance is not heere howbeit thy bodie bee walking in sadnesse and heauinesse howbeit thou bee wandering farre from Christ on the Earth yet of necessitie thou shalt once dwell where Christ is This doctrine is verie common yet comfortable That bodie that is separated from his Lord and getteth not that fruition of his presence once hee shall goe where he shall get that presence howbeit not incontinent once hee shall bee lifted vp aboue the Earth and shall dwell in glorie with Iesus Christ The thing in the world that should be most perswaded of is That we are giuen to Iesus Christ There is no consolation for thee and thou needest not looke euer to dwell in Heauē with Iesus Christ if thou findest not this perswasion that Iesus Christ is become thy Lord and hath conquessed thee out of the handes of sinne and death There is none other consolation in life although thou shouldest liue ten thousande yeeres and much more in death without this thou shalt find no consolation but euen in death if thou findest this perswasion that thou lyest sleeping in the armes of Iesus Christ then thou shalt finde consolation and when the soule is departing out of the bodie it shall find in experience that joye Nowe yet the ende would bee marked There is the ende That they may see my glorie that thou hast giuen mee It is true indeede in this life the faythfull get a sight of the glorie of Iesus Christ for if there were not a sight of that glorie wherefore would all the pleasure of the worlde serue Thou wist neuer what joye meaned if thou gettest not a sight of that glorie But yet I say all the sight of Iesus Christ which wee haue in this life is as it were but in a mirrour and in a looking-glasse it is but a darke sight that thou hast of him This is by the Preaching of the Gospel wherein yee haue Christ first crucified and then glorified What is our Preaching but that Christ hath beene first crucified and nowe glorified at the right hande of the Father for the justification and sanctification of the worlde This is that darke sight which wee haue heere but one daye wee shall bee there where hee is and wee shall see him face to face and wee shall see such a glorious Majestie as wee would neuer haue looked for thou canst not looke for enough hope for as much as thou wilt when thou shalt bee with him it neuer entered into the heart of man that which once with the eyes of the bodie thou shalt see And therefore hee sayeth That they may see that glorie as though they sawe it neuer Wherefore shall it serue thee to see the glorie of Iesus Christ When once thou shalt see that Glorie face to face then perpetuallie tide and time thou shalt glorifie him What is the cause that wee cannot glorifie Christ in the Earth as wee shall doe in the Heauens Because wee haue not such a bright sight of his glorie in the Earth in this mortalitie as wee shall haue in the Heauens And if yee see a man yee will know him better than to heare speaking of him The greater sight thou hast of Christ the more thou shalt glorifie him A man that hath the smaller sight of him shall glorifie him the lesse but that man that hath no sight woe is him for hee will gette no glorie These dissolute men and women who haue no delight to glorifie him and haue gotten no sight of him shall gette no glorie Therefore when we shall gette the full sight euen that shining sight our delight shall bee to looke to our King and wee shall maruell that euer creature could see such a glorie and wee shall delight to glorifie him that sitteth vpon the Throne and when we shall see him then daye and night our Song shall bee as it is written in the Revelation Chap. 4. Vers 8. Holie holie holie is the Great GOD Almightie who was and who is and who is to come What is the cause of that Because of the brightnesse of the glorie which shall strike out from him vpon vs the crie shall neuer goe out of our mouth Well is that soule that will striue to glorifie him And that soule that can once studie to glorifie him that soule shall saye for euer Holie is the Lord. But shall wee not bee the better of it When thou lookest to a King in his glorie thou art neuer an haire the better But it shall bee farre otherwayes with thee when thou shalt see him So soone as wee shall see that glorie wee shall bee as soone transformed that bright face of the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall strike out the beames of his glory vpon thee and the beames shall goe to thine heart and shall illuminate thy soule and shall shoote out that darknesse and shall make thy bodie shine more brightlie that the Sunne So wee shall not so soone see him face to face after that glorious Resurrection but as soone thou shalt bee transformed to glorie and thou shalt shine like an Angel of Light Looke to the ende of the third Chapter of Paul in the 2. Epist to the Corinthians Wee with vncouered faces beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord and it transformeth vs into that same image from glorie to glorie The more that a man
The second argument is taken from their owne weale My departure is to prepare a place for you in Heauen if I goe not before you yee can get no place there for neuer man either got getteth or shall get place there but onely by the vertue of the Ascension of Christ It was not for his owne cause he entered into Heauen but for vs he passed with blood before vs to get vs an entry by his blood He by his Ascension opened vp to vs all the yates of Heauen that we might goe in there His Ascension to Heauen is of such force that it is able to prepare a dwelling place and it were for a thousand worldes if men could haue faith in him Now I come to the third argument wherby he comfortes them which is taken from the second coÌ„ming to Christ to glorify them fully And this of all other argumeÌ„ts brings greatest comfort to the soule The former arguments are indeede very comfortable faith worketh a great joy in the heart of a sinner because faith makes Iesus to bee present to the soule euen then when it is absent from the Lord and walking yet in this pilgrimage here on the earth Againe it is a greater comfort to the soule when we heare that Christ hath prepared a place for vs in Heauen wherein faith shall be changed in sight we shall see him face to face and glorifie him without any stay or intermission yet none of these wil furnish vs perfect ioy if there be no more for the conscience of our owne weaknesse and the sight and feeling of sinne within vs maketh vs oftentimes to doubt brangleth our faith and stayeth our full consolation And albeit we heare that Christ hath prepared a place for vs and opened the Heauen to vs yet our own weaknesse and infirmity telleth vs we cannot be able to come there to enter into the possession of the inheritance prepared for vs But here is matter of perfect ioy and full consolation when we heare that Christ will come again in his own person take vs to the HeaueÌ„s to the place hee hath prepared for vs whereunto otherwise in respect of our weaknes we could neuer come Jf saith Christ I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again receiue you vnto my self that where J am there may ye be also As if he had said I depart not from you to remain absent from you for euer I purpose not so to do but I will come again to you to take you vp to the place that I haue prepared that ye may remain with me in the Heauens be partakers of my glory for euer No question this was a great matter of comfort and ioy to the Disciplis when they heard that Christ would come again to them take them with himself to glory doubtles this made them after Christs Ascension to haue their eys hearts affections lift vp to Heauen waiting for his blessed appearance Brethren it is the coÌ„mon custome of all the Saincts when they heare belieue that Christ is to come again out of the Heauens to take them to that place of joy which he hath prepared for them te reâ—oyce vnder the hope of that glory with a joy vnspakeable gloâ—ious to set their hearts aboue to haue their conuersation in Heauen from whence they looke for our Sauiour to come to change our vile bodies that they may be like his glorious body c. Indeede it is true our hope waiting for Christ is ay coÌ„joyned with sighing sobbing because we haue not as yet gotteÌ„ the ful fruitioÌ„ of our inheritaÌ„ce And therfore Paul saith Wee who haue gotten the first fruits of the Spirit euen we sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie Rom. 8.23 There ye see with waiting he conjoyns sighing indeed the sorow sighing of the godly is exceeding great while as they are absent froÌ„ their Lord But it is also true that with this sighing sadnes they find a ioy vnspeakable glorious yea such a ioy as all the ioyes and outward comforts in the world cannot be able to furnish vnto men The naturall man who seeks to haue ioy in outward thinges neuer wist what true ioye meaned thou that seeks ioy in thy riches thou neuer knew true ioy thou who seekes ioy in honour or preserment thou finds but a shadow of ioy thou who seeks ioy in the pleasurs of the flesh thou finds nothing in the end but displeasure in stead of ioye But the godly in waiting for the comming of their Sauiour find such a ioy that the heart of no naturall man is able to conceiue and if thou found but one sparke of this ioy into thy heart thou would count nothing of all worldâ—ie ioyes in respect of it yea thou would bee content to renounce all worldly pleasures that thou might bruik it Now Brethren if our ioy be so great euen now while we are absent froÌ„ the Lord and are only waiting for his blessed appearance O how great shall our ioy be when our faith shall be turned in sight when we shall see him face to face and when hee shall put vs in the full possession of that inheritance which now wee are hoping and longing for But leauing this I goe forwarde to the fourth argument of their consolation which hee taketh from the knowledge they had both of the place where he was going to likewise of the way which led them to that place For saith he whither I goe ye know and the way ye know As if he had said In the mean time while I am come again to you let this comfort you that both ye know the place wherevnto now I am going first and wherevnto next ye shall follow me and also that ye know the way wherein ye shal walke that ye may come to that place yee knowe both the one and the other And if there were none other thing but this knowledge it may serue to comfort you the time of mine absence from you while I come againe and take you to that place with my selfe Marke the Lesson Brethren It is a great comfort to a man who is absent from the Lorde and woulde faine bee present with him to knowe the place where the Lord is and likewise to knowe the way howe hee may come to that place where hee may find the Lord and enioye his blessed presence Ye know this by experience that if a Pilgrime bee wandering in his iourney and in the meane time knowe no place where at length hee maye come to rest in it will bee a sore griefe to him and againe yee knowe howbeit hee knewe a place where to find rest and yet knew not the way how to come to that place he will be very based and exceedingly casten downe But by the contrary if the Pilgrime in his iourneying knowe both the place wherin to rest and likewise the way
that that denunciation perteined not to them because they were liuely members they were cleane through the worde which hee had spoken to them Our lesson is When thou hearest a denunciation of judgemeÌ„t or promise of mercy make euer application to thy selfe and say Lord perteineth this judgement to me and O Lord perteineth this mercy to mee Without this application there is no generall doctrine can do good or edifie thee So when we heare of this that some are liuing branches some dead we shold enter in triall with our selues whether we are to abide with Christ or to be cut off and casten into the fire It is true we haue not Christ to speak with vs and to resolue vs of such doubts yet the Lord hath neuer left anie faithful man or woman so destitute but he gets a certification assurance that he is a liuely member The Lord if he be in any man or woman he shall make that person know that he liueth in them The most sensible thing in the worlde is the life of Christ as sensibly wâ—l the creature feele the life of Christ in their harts as they wil feel this natural life Besides this if the sap of Christ be in a ma the fruit wil burst out if thou wouldst know a man look to his life good works let his life testify whether he be a liuely meÌ„ber or not if their life testify otherways I testify to thee in the Name of God they are no liuely meÌ„bers Certainly Christ caÌ„not dwel within one but he must vtter himself in the hand tong Now hereafter he subjoynes the reason wherfore they are clean how they are made cleane By the words saith he that J haue spoken ye are made cleane wherefore spake I so much to you but to make liuelie members of you who were drie branches The way to make a man a liuely branch is the worde of Iesus it cleanseth the soule which is foule My word is Spirit and Life John 6. vers 63. It is the force of the Spirit to purge the soule The worde sayeth Peter is that immortall seede of regeneration 1. Epist Chap. 1. vers 23. Our seede is mortall and so if wee haue not another seede of God wee are but dead It is no maruell that the word of God purgeth because it is Life and Spirit Looke but to that experience that godlie men haue in hearing the worde of Iesus Christ and that joye that riseth in the heart What meaneth this Will the vvordes of anie man worke this joye in the heart No but when men heare these promises of life and of grace and consolation O what consolation what peace what rest what joye will the sinner get And this testifieth that the worde is powerfull to worke in the soule that life of God The houre shall come sayeth the Lord that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that shall heare shall liue John 5. vers 25. 1 Pet. 1. vers 22. Our soules are purged by the hearing of the worde If this bee the meane the Lord hath ordained to get life let vs take pleasure to heare the worde And I saye that man that hath not a pleasure in some mâ—asure to heare the word but coÌ„temneth it is no meÌ„ber of Christ and hath neuer beene truely ingraffed in Christ nor got neuer of that sappe which is in Christ and neuer wist what Iesus Christ was As thou therefore wouldest liue and as thou wouldest bee sanctified in this life glorified with the Lord in the HeaueÌ„s take pleasure to heare this word if thou would taste any sweetnes of Christ grow in holinesse and chiefely seeing thou must leaue this world begin to liue this life which neuer shall haue an end Now in the next words after he hath laide down the grounds he commeth to the first exhortation Abide in mee and I in you The meaning of the exhortation is this Ye haue begun to be joyned with me in Spirit and in fayth as yee haue begun so continue in that vnion to the ende He sayth not Abide still with me and I with you but abide in mee These wordes haue a greater signification than the other they signifie a straiter vnion with Christ for Brethren yee must marke the members of Iesus Christ not onelie abide with him here and dwell with him but euery one of them abideth in him and dwelleth in him as yee sâ—e the branches of the tree they are not sayde so much to abide with the tree as to abide in the tree so are we in him And on the other part the Lord Iesus is not said only to abide with his Kirke on the earth but howbeit hee bee in the Heauens to dwell in his Kirke and in euery member who belieueth in him yea in all their hearts euen as yee see the tree abideth in her branches so the Lord Iesus the Vine tree abideth in his branches This place requireth that wee speake somewhat of this vnion the members haue with Christ and hee with them This conjunction betwixt Christ and his members who are faythfull ye must not imaginate to be a bodily and naturall conjunction as ye see is betwixt creatures as the head with the body it is not so grosse a conjunction there is no conjunction bodily so neare so strait as that conjunction of Iesus Christ nowe in the Heauens with his members the heade is not so surely joyned with the body by nearnes as the Lord Iesus our Head is joyned with euery member who belieueth in him vpon this earth The body and the head may bee seuered but the members of Iesus Christ once truely ingraffed in him by his Spirit and by fayth shall neuer be cut off all the powers of Heauen and Hell shall not separate them What shall separate vs from the loue of Iesus Christ shall hunger and sworde c. yea in these wee are more than victorious Rom. 1.35.37 So yee see this conjunction is not to bee imagined to bee a grosse conjunction as the Papistes imagine but I leaue them But this conjunction is spirituall and mysticall I call that a spirituall vnion and conjunction that we haue with him because it is wrought after an heauenly and spirituall manner and is made not with bodily bandes as ligamentes and sinewes but with spirituall and heauenly bandes the one of them is called the Spirit of Iesus Christ the other is called Fayth To make that coniunction betwixt vs and him hee sendeth out of the Heauens his holy Spirit into our hearts and wee getting that Spirit sende vp to the Heauens againe to him our fayth Then yee see two bands to make this conjunction this conjunction must be mutuall so that as hee sendeth downe his Spirite to vs so wee must sende vp our fayth to him The order of the working of these two bandes would bee considered Wee neuer begin first no man beginneth first to gripe Christ but
followeth that whosoeuer findeth in their heartes that they haue glorified the Sonne in belieuing in him in confessing of him and in their life and conuersation that man or that woman may bee assured in their heart and saye The Father keepeth me and I am in his custodie I am assured that the Father hath a speciall care ouer mee because I finde my delite and pleasure to be set on Christ No no if the Father had not mee in his custodie I should not haue such a pleasure and delite to glorifie him The heart that findeth no delite nor pleasure to glorifie Christ Iesus in this life hath no warrand that it is in the keeping and custodie of the Father if thou findest no faith at no time and if thy life in some measure answere not to thy profession saye The care of the Father is not ouer me I am desolate I am not in Gods handes that is the most desolate creature in the worlde whome the Father hath not in his custodie yea though all the worlde should compasse him and guard him round about And by the contrarie whome the Father hath a care of they are better guarded than if all the Kings of the Earth were about them for Brethren yee may well know that the Father loueth that person well that loueth his welbeloued for he who loueth the Sonne the Lord Iesus he loueth the Father also and the Father loueth him and hee who honoureth the Sonne the Father shall honour him And by the contrary he who dishonoureth the Sonne the Father shall dishonour him and shame him in despite of all the worlde albeit all the world should honour him he will haue him shamed he shal set him vp to be an open shame to man and Angel he shall be Anathema yea and Anathema Maranatha that is cursed for euer who loueth not the Lord Iesus There is such a strait and narrow conjunction betwixt the Father and the Son that the honour of the Father is the honour of the Sonne and the honour of the Sonne is the honour of the Father and that the dishonour of the Sonne is the dishonour of the Father and the hatred of the Sonne is the hatred of the Father also Ye heard what Christ said Hee who honoureth me he honoureth him who sent me A Prince will thinke that his Ambassadour shoulde bee as well reuerenced as himselfe for all the honour that the Ambassadour receiueth commeth to the Prince who sent him Now the Sonne of God is more than an Ambassadour sent by the Father for he is not a simple Ambassador but also the Sonne of God equall with the Father who is more than all the Ambassadours in the world Will not then the Father thinke that the honour done to the Sonne whom hee hath sent is done to himselfe Yes certainlie But to leaue this Yet he continueth on and bringeth other arguments heapeth argument vpon argument to shew that great desire which he had that the Father should keepe and saue his Disciples who were in the world J am no more in the world I goe away and concerning my bodily presence I am no more with them they will abide still in the world therfore O Father keepe them in respect that I leaue them to thee and I am to goe out of the worlde and that shortlie therefore take thou the care of them Euen as a man dying leaueth them whom he loueth well to tender friendes Euen so the Lord Iesus leaueth his Disciples to his Father that he should take them in his custodie When I was with them saith hee I kept them but nowe I am going out of the worlde and I leaue them vnto thee therefore Father keepe them Brethren this absence of Christ in his bodie and our absence from him it is so farre from that to bee an argument that God hath left vs that by the contrarie this absence of Iesus Christ in his bodilie presence and the leauing of vs behinde him now in the Earth it is an argument to euerie one of vs that God is with vs and that the Father of Iesust Christ hath a speciall care of vs for looke the farder that Iesus Christ bee from vs in his bodilie presence the nearer is the Father vnto vs by his holie Spirite that Comforter So that yee woulde thinke it a wonderfull thing to consider the care that the Father hath of vs in the absence of Iesus Christ from vs. It is good for vs that Iesus Christ our Lord went to the Heauens in glorie And Christ sayeth himselfe If I goe not awaye that Comforter the Holie Spirite shall not come And this is sure the more desolate that anie bee in this Earth as the Fatherlesse Widdowes and Strangers c. if they bee Christes the greater is the care of God ouer them So yee will finde in the SCRIPTVRES hee will take into his hande and haue a speciall care of the Widdowes and Fatherlesse so that they bee Iesus Christes and once giuen to him If thou bee desolate looke that thou bee Iesus Christes and if thou wouldest not want the societie of Iesus Christ aboue all beware of Infidelitie which is nothing but the beginning of that euerlasting desolation Woulde wee haue joye or consolation in anie desolate estate in the worlde Woulde wee haue that presence of God and that consolation of the Holie Spirite No more but this See that thou bee Christes for Heauen and Earth shall goe together and all shall turne to nothing ere the Lorde bee not with thee to keepe thee and to guarde thy soule as the Apostle sayeth to the PHILIPPIANS with that peace with passeth all vnderstanding Hee will set that peace into thine heart when thou art in trouble and hee will set thine heart at rest and giue thee a greater peace than all the peace in the worlde Nowe when hee hath repeated these argumentes hee concludeth shortlie Holie Father keepe them in thy NAME them whome thou hast giuen mee that they maye bee one with vs as wee are one Marke Brethren these wordes which the LORD vttereth haue a great weight and also this petition which hee maketh to the Father it is full of affection and loue And it is full of affection first to the Father then to the Disciples for whom he prayeth It is full of affection to him whom to hee prayeth to them for whose cause he prayeth Looke when thou prayest that thy affectiō be to thy God to them also for whom thou prayest Hee sayeth Holie Father keepe them Will yee consider euerie worde and first these wordes Holie Father yee shall perceiue a great affection in the Sonne to the Father These wordes rise on two motiues the one is loue that is an affection which the Sonne bare to the Father When he calleth him Father he vttreth that wonderfull loue which he bare to the Father And then the other riseth on a great reuerence that Iesus Christ our Lord bare to his Father when
the world But this is it that I meane That men euen liuing in the society of this worlde yet they should not liue as the worlde doeth they should separate their life from the society of the world Paul to the Philippians Chap. 2. vers 16. desireth them to liue like as many Lights Where Not in a backside but in the middest of this naughty and wicked generation bearing before them the word of life Thus should we liue as he sayth Philipp Chap. 3. vers 20. that while we be liuing we be Citizens in Heauen and howbeit our bodies be here that yet in the meane time our conuersation be in the Heauen and that we liue an Heauenly life as if we were not liuing in the Earth but in the Heauen with the Angels and with our Mediatour Now to goe forward shortly Hauing vsed this argument from their separation from the world in the next Vers he insisteth in it and of it he taketh the occasion of a new petition He hath prayed the Father to keepe his Disciples now he prayeth the Father to sanctifie them that is that as once the Father had begun to separate them from the world so he would continually separate them from the worlde till hee tooke them out of the worlde It is not enough to begin to bee sanctified that is to bee separated out of the world it is not enough once to begin to be holy but continually night and day wee must warble out of the pollution and filthinesse of this world and grow in holinesse of life and sanctification But wherewith shall they bee sanctified With the trueth It is the trueth of God in Iesus Christ that maketh man or woman holie Not euerie trueth maketh man or woman holie but the trueth of God in Iesus Christ who is the Way the Trueth and the Life This trueth is the worde of God which separateth thee from the world Well then it is the word that sanctifieth and maketh men and women holie for as the worde is the immortall seede whereby wee are borne againe so it is that sweete and sincere Milke as Peter sayeth whereby wee growe in him It is the worde that begetteth vs in him and maketh vs to growe on till wee see our Sauiour Wouldest thou begin to bee holy heare the word thou shalt neuer bee sanctified till thou heare the word Wouldest thou grow on here still that is the onlie meane that God hath appointed in this worlde Heare aye and grow on and at last thy glorie shall be perfected in Iesus Christ Brethren to mark somwhat here He prayeth that they may bee sanctified that is that more and more they may bee seuered from the world Then we must aye grow on in holinesse as ye reade in the Reuelation of Iohn Chap. 22. vers 11. Hee who is just let him bee just still and hee who is holie let him bee holie still c. Well it is a good thing to beginne to bee holie for he who beginneth truely to be holy he groweth on still Now the meane whereby we grow in holinesse is Prayer Ye see here the Lord he prayeth that his Disciples who were begun to be holy should grow on in holinesse and should be separated from the world So the speciall meane is Prayer Pray continuallie It is our sluggishnesse in prayer that causeth vs to want an holy hart and growth of that sanctification Wouldest thou be aye holy Pray euer If thou prayest not but loathest prayer thine holinesse shall faile Wouldest thou grow in holinesse Continue in prayer Now the instrument that maketh thee holy and that God hath ordained to take away the filth of thy nature and that the holy Spirit taketh in his hand as it were to wash away the pollution of thy nature is the word of Trueth As he vseth the meane of Prayer so he vseth the word of Trueth When the word of God is preached lay to thine eare to heare and pray still and heare on still How shalt thou heare In hearing pray that is when thou hearest the word of Trueth pray him that by the word of trueth he would sanctifie thee that is that by his holy Spirit that word may be effectuall in thy soule Say this wayes Now Lord as this is the only instrument appointed to sanctifie may soule and scoure away the corruption of my dead nature so let thine holy Spirit take it in his hand and conuoy it into my soule to sanctifie my soule Pray ay and heare euer and craue that the word may take effect to make thee holy When he hath made his petition to his Father to sanctifie and to separate his Disciples from the world and from the pollution of the world to this purpose he vseth one or two arguments in the words following The first is in these words As thou hast sent mee into the worlde so haue I sent them Father I haue sent them into the world therefore Father sanctifie them He declareth this by a comparison from himselfe As thou hast sent mee so haue I sent them Ye heard he made them like to himselfe in holinesse so now he maketh them like to himselfe in vocation It is a blessed thing to be like to Christ in many things And so by this likenesse with himselfe he recommendeth them to the Father The Disciples of Christ whom ye call the Apostles they were like Christ in calling and vocation The Lord Iesus was the great Apostle of our profession Hebr. 13. vers 11. and they were also sent by the will of the Father So they were in a manner like vnto him in calling and vocation but here is the difference The Lord Iesus was an Apostle immediately sent by the Father the Father sent him to the world immediately but the Apostles were not sent immediately by the Father but they were sent immediately by the Sonne The Lord Iesus as he was sent of the Father immediately so he sent his Apostles immediately yet at the will of the Father Looke the Epistles of Paul he calleth himselfe the Apostle that is the Ambassadour of Iesus Christ But how By the will of the Father So it fareth with the Pastors and Teachers in the Kirke of God No commission they haue from Iesus Christ but at the will of the Father As this is true that the Pastor or Teacher in the Kirke is immediately sent by the Sonne So it is true in al grace that commeth from Heauen to the Kirke all commeth immediately from the Sonne and not from the Father Whatsoeuer grace it be as vocation justification sanctification and life euerlasting or whatsoeuer gift it be all commeth immediately from the Sonne as in the fourth Chap. to the Ephes vers 10.11 where he citeth the testimony of Dauid Hee passed vp on high meaning of Christ that is to the Heauens hee ledde captiuitie captiue and hee gaue giftes to men that is the Lord Iesus who was humbled being exalted to glory sendeth downe grace on his Kirke he
loued the faythfull as thou hast loued mee Wouldest thou knowe that God loueth the faythfull and that hee showeth mercie joyne thee to the bodie There are the two endes of the conjunction and joyning together of the members The first is the glorie of the Sonne the second is the glorie of the Father for by this conjunction it is knowne howe dearelie the Father hath loued the Sonne and by this it is knowne that the Father hath loued the world not with a common loue hee hath not loued the worlde onelie as a workeman loueth his worke-man-ship but as the Father hath loued the Sonne that is with a Fatherlie loue that is another sort of loue than a common loue What auaileth it to thee to knowe that God loueth thee as his creature if thou bee not assured that hee loueth thee with that entire loue wherewith he loued his Sonne and that hee loueth thee with that Fatherlie loue and with the bowels of pittie And if he loue thee as his Son he sheweth it in this That hee gaue his Sonne for thee for except the Father had loued thee as his Sonne with that Fatherlie loue hee had neuer sent Iesus Christ to redeeme thee The sending of Iesus Christ testifieth that hee loued thee with a Fatherlie loue Wee see heere wherefore God hath a Kirke in this worlde Wherefore is there a communion and conjunction of soules heere in this Earth Thinke not that a Kirke is gathered for none end Wherefore is it then that there is a Kirke In a worde It is that the glorie of the Father should shine in that societie and coniunction of the Sainctes in the Earth Iesus Christ is glorified in his Kirke and the Father of Iesus Christ is also glorified in it They who diuide and disseuer the Kirke of Iesus Christ in the Earth they doe nothing else but to deface the glorie of Iesus Christ and the glorie of the Father Wilt thou slay and persecute the Kirke of Christ What doest thou Nothing but defacest and scornest the glorie of Iesus Christ What are these men doing that persecute the Kirke that the Lord hath gathered in this Land Nothing but smoaring the glorie of the Father and the Sonne and the Lord shall turne their glorie to shame and confusion I giue them their doome The Father of Heauen shall turne them and all that shall conioyne with them to shame and confusion Marke the order howe the glorie of the Father and of the Sonne is knowne First wee knowe that the Sonne is sent from the Father for vs and our redemption Next by the sending of the Sonne for vs wee knowe tne vnspeakeable loue of the Father towardes vs. Nowe I goe forwarde When hee hath prayed for this coniunction and vnitie of the faythfull on the Earth that they may bee ioyned in one bodie hee is not content with this but hee seeketh more Father sayeth hee where I am I will that they bee there that they may see that glorie that thou hast giuen mee The Lord seeketh not onelie glorie to the faythfull in this life but glorie in the life to come Hee intercedeth not onelie for thee that thou mayest haue glorie in this life but also that thou bee glorified in the Heauens after this life For Brethren the Lord Iesus considered very well that our felicitie is not bounded within the compasse of this Earth That is a miserable happinesse that is bounded within this life thou art but a catiue if thou lockest for none other happinesse as PAVI sayeth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 15. Vers 19. Jf our fayth bee onelie in this worlde of all men in the worlde wee are the most miserable So if thou hast this grace onelie in this life thou art miserable for all the graces that thou gettest if thy felicitie reach not beyonde this worlde and beyond all eternitie thou art miserable Felicitie hath none ende the blessednesse of the faythfull man or woman hath none ende it is not drawne within the compasse of this Earth but it passeth aboue the Heauens and extendeth it to all eternitie Nowe our happinesse standeth in this coniunction and vnion partlie with our Head and our God and with our Neighbour to make one bodie to Iesus Christ In these two partes standenth our felicitie Thou beginnest this coniunction in this life but it shall neuer bee ended the perfection shall bee in Heauen when wee shall come to Heauen meete with him there then our coniunction with Christ and with the members of his body men and Angels shall be perfect The thing that worketh this coniunction and bringeth out charitie and ioyneth thee with thy neighbour is faith in Christ for we liue by faith and not by sight when thou castest thine eye afarre off to Christ for he is as farre from thee as the Earth is from the Heauen howbeit thou be in heauinesse and languor thou shalt once get peace and ioye when thou lookest to Heauen It is but a farre sight to looke thorowe the clowdes to see thy Redeemeer at the right hande of the Father but this is not the perfection the accomplishment is by a full and cleare sight when wee shall pierce the Heauens and shall see him not in a mirrour but face to face then the members shall bee perfected when wee shall see him and the glorie that the Father hath giuen vnto him This is common But O that thou couldest feele it sensiblie in thine heart to thy ioy and consolation J will that they be where I am that they may see the glorie that thou hast given mee before the foundation of the worlde Ere euer wee gette the presence of IESVS CHRIST ere wee see him face to face wee must chaunge our dwelling place wee will not gette the sight of Christ heere in this Earth Looke not to gette the sight of that glorie heere in the Earth thou must flitte out of the Earth to the Heauen Whatsoeuer soule would see his glorie that soule must flitte and before euer wee chaunge our dwelling place wee must first be chaunged wee must haue a chaunge of our selues There is neuer anie man nor woman that shall gette entrie into that SAnctuarie where the LORD IESVS sitteth in glorie but hee who is chaunged in himselfe It is impossible for a man or a woman to enter into Heauen with this mortalitie or with this death or with this corruption What are vvee but dead and mortall creatures Then thou must chaunge corruption into corruption and thou must chaunge thy mortall bodie into a glorious bodie Nowe this chaunge of man and woman cannot bee but by death What striketh more terrour to thine heart than death Yet there is no chaunge but by death or else that which shall stande vs in steade of death as when Christ shall come the clowdes in the latter day wee must bee chaunged in the twinkling of an eye This doctrine tendeth to this that wee abhorre not death altogether
And yee nowe therefore are in sorrowe but J will see you againe and your heartes shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you 23 And in that daye shall yee aske mee nothing Verilie verilie I saye vnto you Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my Name hee will giue it you 24 Hitherto haue yee asked nothing in my Name aske and yee shall receiue that your ioye may bee full 25 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you in parables but the time will come when J shall no more speake to you in parables but I shall shewe you plainly of the Father 26 At that day shall yee aske in my Name and I saye not vnto you that I will pray vnto the Father for you 27 For the Father himselfe loueth you because yee haue loued mee and haue belieued that J came out from God FRom the thirteenth Chapter of this Gospel Brethren to the seuenteenth the Lord holdeth purpose only with his Disciples and Apostles for hee had now ended all his speaking and doing with the people of the Iewes Hee hath hitherto giuen sundrie exhortations vnto them and hee hath giuen them Cammandements and instructed them and giuen them sundrie argumentes of consolation because they were heauie for his departure and so prepared them against the time hee was to goe his way and to leaue them Nowe his conference and speach draweth to an ende for it endeth with this present Chapter In the ende of his speach and conference he recounteth to them particularlie part by part that felicitie and blessing that they shall haue after hee is gone away from them to his Father to be glorified in the Heauens by his comming again to them not in the bodie but in his Spirit He hath said immediately in the vers going before When ye shall see mee againe that is when I shall come againe to you in my Spirite after my glorious ascension to the Heauen then your heart shall reioyce and no man shall take your ioye from you all the world shall not bee able to twinne you and that joye which my Spirite shall furnish you So then Brethren there is the joy which they shall haue when the Lord shall come againe they shall haue ioye and ioye euerlastinglie and spirituall ioy and that for euermore This is the first part of their blessednesse the wordes are easie and I spake of them before onely this for the present Wee must not thinke that this ioye which Christ promised to his Disciples by his Spirite went awaye and died with the Apostles when they departed out of this worlde but it abideth in the Kirke of Iesus Christ to the ende of the world Euen as that holy Spirite whome the Lord sent downe to the world abideth in his Kirke till Christ come againe and supplieth as it were the bodily presence of Iesus Christ for the Spirite of Christ is the Vicare of Christ in the earth and not the Pope as the Papists say Euen so I say by that Spirit abideth here in the Kirke of God solide ioye to the ende of the world for wheresoeuer the Spirit is there is ioye and inward consolation and that soule in whom the Spirite of God dwelleth feeleth as sensibly as one feeleth with their hands the ioy peace of the holy Spirit for that Spirit is the Spirit of ioy peace and they who feele not the sense of this ioye alace they want this Spirit They who feele not spirituall ioy at anie time hath matter of sorrow and mourning for they haue not the Spirit of Iesus Christ and they who want his Spirite haue not adoe with Christ Rom. 8. vers 9. and consequently neuer shall taste of ioye but thou who hast felt this ioy hast cause to reioyce yea as Paul sayeth to reioyce euermore 1. Thes 5. vers 16. Paul recommendeth ioye vnto vs not for an houre or a day or a moneth or a yeere but perpetually meaning that there is great matter of continuall ioy offered by that Spirit who graciously lighteneth our soules assureth vs of saluation What should mooue thee to ioy Should not good tidings mooue thee to reioyce Yet we reioyce not this want of ioy declareth that we make resistance to the holy Spirit wee will not suffer the Spirit to come in when he cōmeth in we giue him sober intertainment but by our euill life we cause him to depart with sadnes Now to goe to that second part of that blessednesse which they shall haue when the Lord shall returne to them by his holie Spirit Jn that day yee shall aske mee nothing that is Yee shall not aye doubt for yee heard before when hee saide Yet a little while and yee shall not see mee and againe ye shall see mee there they doubted what he meaned Now would he say ye shall not doubt then but the holy Spirit shall teach you he shall inlighten the darknes of your soules make you to belieue To apply this to our selues Euē as I said before of the first part of the blessednes promised to the Apostles so I say of the second part of their blessednes for what recks vs what light or what knowledge the Apostles got if we get not a part of it which stands in the inward teaching of the holy Spirit by taking away the vaile from them opening vp of their blind eyes to see saluation This Spirit went not away out of the world with th' Apostles but he abideth stil in the world till Christ come again Euen as the Spirit abides so the inward teaching of the soul by the Spirit abides in the Kirke for as the Spirit is the Spirit of ioye so he is the Spirit of knowledge he opens the eye of the soule which is dark mollifies the hart that with such a sweetnes to receiue grace as the tong neither of man nor Angel can expresse And the godly no doubt at the preaching of the Gospel of Christ will feele that inward operatiō of the Spirit in their soule Study ay to feele this by experiēce for what auails Christ to vs if we feel him not they will feele a light shining in their soules as the shining of the Sunne they will feele their heart that was hardned before with a sweet consolation to be mollified as it is said of Lydia the Purple seller that by the preaching of the Gospel her hart was opened Act. 16. And on the contrary let the man or woman who wants this sense who seeth no light nor finds no opening of the soule blame thēselues and not the light for Christ offereth himselfe to all alike the inlacke thereof proceedeth of the contempt of the word of that light that shineth so brightlie without thy soule and goeth not in And surelie it is a fearefull thing to contemne this Light for if thou contemne this light I tell thee long shalt thou sit hearing and shalt not bee the better but shalt growe aye the
had giuen them him he was the more carefull of them and therefore it followeth that none was lost but Iudas Now let vs come to the conclusion Therefore Father I speake these thinges that is I recommende them vnto thee that thou shouldest keep them I come to thee I leaue them now here It would seeme that Christ when hee went out of this worlde hee left his owne so in the worlde that hee had no more the keeping and custodie of them and that as it were that hee denudeth his hands of them this would mooue anie man Now Brethren the Lord Iesus neuer denuded his hands of his Disciples he neuer gaue quite ouer them whom he once kept but this is the meaning of his wordes when hee died hee ceased to keepe them in that manner that hee kept them before when hee was in the worlde for when hee was with them in the world he kept them by his bodily presence and went before them and they followed after him This keeping ceased when Christ went out of the worlde but as for that keeping which is the spirituall keeping it neuer ceaseth to the ende of the world And the Lord now in the Heauen hee keepeth more surely his owne by his Spirit than he kept his Disciples when he was in the worlde with them And all this keeping that hee requireth at the Fathers hand is That he should keepe them by him No keeping of the Father but by the Sonne who is glorified in the Heauen at the right hand of the Father Wel Brethrē we see of this argument thus far They whom the Lord Iesus died for and they whom he kept in this world the Father of Iesus Christ keepeth them in the absence of Iesus Christ till the Lord come againe in his body Looke whome to the Lord had an eye when hee was in the earth humbled whosoeuer they were to whome hee had an eye the Father from his vp-going to the Heauen till his comming againe hath an eye to them and watcheth ouer them It is true wee who liue this day I meane the Elect wee were not then with Iesus Christ as his Disciples were and he kept not vs after the manner that he kept his Disciples because wee were not Yet there is not so much as one of the Elect that nowe are or yet shall bee heereafter to the ende of the worlde but Iesus Christ euen humbled had his eye vpon them and before they came into the world many yeeres he loued them and therefore it followeth if thy conscience will testifie to thee that Iesus Christ our Lorde when hee was humbled in the earth when hee prayed for sinners and when hee died in the earth if I say thy conscience will testifie vnto thee and say My Lord had an eye to mee as well as to Peter in his death and as hee had to Iohn Iames Matthew c. certainly thou mayest bee assured that the eye of the Father of Iesus Christ watcheth ouer thee till Iesus Christ come againe Paul was not conuersant with Christ as the rest were into the earth for Paul was called after the Ascension of Christ when he was glorified yet Paul sayeth The Sonne of God in whom he belieued loued him and gaue himselfe for him Galat. Chap. 2. vers 20. Meaning that Christ when he died hee had a respect to him The respect which Christ had in his death to Paul the same he had to euery chosen man and woman to the end of the world And therefore say thou that when Christ died he died for me and he loued me and his eye was vpon me If thou canst say this thou art in the custody and keeping of the Father till Iesus Christ come againe There is another thing to be marked here What maketh the Sonne so bold to stand vp before the Father and desire him to keepe his Disciples whom he should leaue behind him when he was going vp to Heauen Looke the argument I haue kept them faythfully therefore Father in mine absence keepe thou them Who dare be so bold to face God once to bid him keep them whom he hath concredited vnto them What King in the world dare be so bold to pray for his Subjects the King is bound aswell to pray for his Subjects as the Subjects are for the King or as a Minister is for his Flock say O Lord keep these Subjects And what Minister dare be bold to say Lord keep my Flock or Family None but he who hath a conscience that he did his duety and was diligent night day in keeping them No man dare recōmend any to God who hath not a care to keep them whom God hath cōcredited vnto him And therfore these careles bodies who rule Kirks Kingdoms or Families cannot pray And if they pray they scorne God in praying they are nothing but hypocrits with fained voyces What mooued Christ to pray for his Disciples A solicitude he had night day of their weale No ere any of them had died thorow his default he had rather died himself This made Dauid to watch so carefully ouer the people And Paul 2. Cor. chap. 12. when he hath recounted th' afflictions he suffered All is but outwarde saith he but there is one inward which presseth me like an army and that was a solicitude carefulnes he had for the Kirke of God planted in his time Who is afflicted saith he but J am afflicted that is No man is afflicted but I am also afflicted Who is offended but I am also burnt The offence of the Kirke is a skauding and burning to mee Of this care proceedeth prayer for the Kirke of God But as for vs in this Land we are like to lose the Kirke The King hath no care the Nobilitie are gone backe and haue no care the people and the whole estate are carelesse If this way we lie stil in security be carelesse of the weale of the Kirke what can we looke for at length but that the Kirke shall be wracked and come to confusion But to what end is it that he would haue the Father to keep them Look the words he saith That my ioy may be full in them Before he spake of another end to wit That they might bee one as the Father and the Sonne are one Then whomsoeuer the Father taketh into his custody he keepeth them to the end that both they may haue peace with others also in their own soules and consciences for this peace of conscience is that joye whereof now he speaketh But wherfore is it that he calleth this their joy his joy In what respect is it called the joy of Iesus Because this joy and peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding could neuer come into the soules of the Apostles or of any of GODS children since then but thorow the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus the Mediator betwixt God and man So there is no solide joy nor peace of conscience vntill the
maketh it plaine I in them The glorie that the Sonne hath giuen vs is nothing but himselfe it standeth in this That the Sonne is in euerie one of the faythfull To make it more plaine In our Regeneration and newe birth the Sonne of God Iesus Christ communicateth to euerie one of the faythfull borne anewe againe his holie Spirit and so as Peter speaketh 2. Epist Chap. 1. vers 4. he maketh vs partakers of that diuine-nature There is not one of vs that hath gotten that holie Spirit of Iesus Christ but in a manner wee are made partakers of that diuine nature Yea in our Regeneration the Sonne of God giueth vnto vs himselfe This is a great prerogatiue to thy soule to get God to dwell in thee for where the holy Spirite is there is fayth for the Spirite breedeth fayth in the heart and where fayth is there is Iesus Christ Hast thou fayth thou hast Christ The saying of the Apostle PAVL to the Ephesians must bee true Christ dwelleth in the heart by fayth Hast thou fayth in Iesus Christ thou hast Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and if thou hast fayth thou hast the holie Spirite in thine heart and if thou haue the Sonne thou hast the Father and if thou haue the Father thou hast the glorious Trinitie in thee the Father the Sonne and the holie Spirite Well then Brethren consider this giuing of Christ wherein hee giueth himselfe vnto vs by this Regeneration the Lord is in euerie faythfull man and woman that is the meaning As the Father communicateth himselfe to the Sonne so the Sonne communicateth himselfe to euerie one of vs and as it were hee communicateth that diuine nature vnto vs in this life and much more in the life euerlasting But to come to the ende of the glorie that the Father giueth to the Sonne and that the Sonne giueth to the faythfull that is That they may bee one as wee are one The Father being in the Sonne the Father and the Sonne becommeth one in that glorious substance and nature and then the Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ being in vs there riseth not onelie a conjunction of vs and him together a conjunction of the bodie and the head but there riseth also another to wit a conjunction with the rest of the members of his bodie in the Earth For Brethren where the Spirite of Iesus is where Fayth is where Christ is in the heart of anie man or woman there of neede force loue must bee fayth and charitie are vnseparable Where that bande of perfection is as the Apostle PAVL calleth it in the third Chapter to the Colossians Vers 14. Where fayth in Christ is in thine heart thou must bee joyned with the Kirke of God and with thy neighbour And this is our perfection that euerie one of vs is joyned with another in this bande of loue There is no perfection of a member in this worlde when it is sundered from the rest of the members Cutte off a member from the bodie it doeth no good but perisheth Cut off the hand from the bodie whereto serueth it Or cut off the foote what perfection shall it haue Take the eye out of the head whereto serueth it So the perfection of euerie one of vs standeth in the conjunction of vs together in the bodie of Iesus Christ Wouldest thou bee perfect Bee thou an hande or a foote or some member yea if it were but a little Toâ— of the bodie of Iesus Christ that is of the Kirke or elsâ— thou art but a rotten member If hee were a King if hee bee separated from the Kirke of God hee is but a stinking vilde member and serueth for no vse and in ende shall bee casten into the fire The doctrine which wee see heere Brethren is That vertue which commeth from Iesus Christ For all grace and life floweth from him and commeth to vs by vertue of that conjunction betwixt him and vs the vertue is not to make a man perfect in himselfe and absolute with all sorte of graces that is not the vertue of IESVS CHRIST to make anie man so absolutelie perfect that hee shall not haue neede to begge anie thing at his neighbour But this is the vertue that commeth from IeSVS CHRIST our Head to make all one man and not to make one member the whole bodie but to make one an eye in the bodie and another an hande and another a foote c. And not to set vp anie one man no not the Emperour nor the King to make him the whole bodie Then Brethren this grace of IESVS CHRIST is to make a conjunction amongst the members and not to giue vnto him or her all grace Yea though it were the Emperour or the King the LORD will giue him but parte of grace And hee will giue that grace to the soberest Subject in the Lande which hee will not giue vnto the King And againe hee will giue vnto the King that which hee will not giue vnto the Subiect For hee will giue to one to doe the office of a Foote and to another to doe the office of an Eye and to some other to doe the office of the Hande c. Nowe the Foote cannot bee the Hande nor the Hande the Foote So it is with the members of IESVS CHRIST And wee see by experience yee shall neuer see that one man hath gotten all graces but hee who hath gotten one grace hee wanteth another and his neighbour hath gotten that which he wanteth This the Lord doth that there may be a conjunction of the members to make thee ioyne with thy neighbour because hee hath the grace that thou wantest for if euerie man had all graces euerie man would misknow another The man that will stand vp in a prowde conceit of himselfe and will mount aboue the Kirke and contemne anie member of that bodie howbeit it were the silliest member of Iesus Christ hee is nothing and hee shall haue no portion of grace If thou joynest not thy selfe with thy neighbours and with the members of Iesus Christ thou hast no grace Yet he insisteth in the commendation of this conjunction for it is a blessed conjunction to bee joyned with the Kirke of Iesus Christ in this world of all blessinges it is the greatest if thou be a true member in the Kirke if it were but the foote thou hast gotten a greater blessing than thou hadst gotten all the Kingdomes of the worlde As therefore thou wouldest bee partaker of that life to come looke that thou be a member of the bodie of Iesus Christ if thou bee not the eye thinke it a great thing to bee the foote or to bee a Toe of that glorious bodie Hee commendeth it from two endes the first is The worlde shall knowe that J am sent from thee as hee saide Vers 21. Wouldest thou know that Iesus Christ is the Messias bee conjoyned in that bodie of Iesus Christ Another is The worlde shall knowe that thou hast